bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Voices of Change: How Women in Peace Processes Increase Women’s Political Empowerment in Post-Conflict States
Authors: Aanstoos Kristen
Published: September 2022

In the aftermath of conflict, women’s political empowerment is an important determinant of measures of peace and stability. Recent literature identifies the end of conflict itself – particularly conflict ending in a peace agreement – as an important pathway to expanding women’s political empowerment (Bakken and Buhaug 2021; Hughes 2009; Hughes and Tripp 2015; Tripp 2015; Webster et al. 2019). However, there remains significant variation in women’s political empowerment between states that emerged from conflict with a peace agreement. This paper argues that local women’s participation in both formal and informal components of peace processes is the missing variable that determines the extent of women’s political empowerment in post-conflict states. Using the 2014 Bangsamoro Peace Agreement, this paper inductively identifies several possible mechanisms and tactics through which local women affect women’s political empowerment after the peace agreement. Future research will test these proposed mechanisms against a range of other cases.
Pola Pencarian Informasi Kesehatan Berbasis Risk Perception Attitude Framework Dalam Kasus COVID-19
Authors: Swastikawara Sinta , Laturrakhmi Yun Fitrahyati
Published: September 2022

Peran teknologi komunikasi di bidang e-health semakin terasa perannya dalam kondisi wabah Covid-19. Pada masyarakat rural, seringkali akses informasi sulit karena susahnya mengakses e-health. Bagi masyarakat urban, akses informasi sangat mudah karena akses terhadap e-health juga dimudahkan dengan kemudahan mengakses jaringan internet. Penelitian ini berupaya menggali terkait perbadingan pola pencarian informasi Kesehatan berbasis Risk Perception Attitude Framework dalam kasus Covid-19 pada masyarakat rural dan urban. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode penelitian survey non eksperimen. Dalam penelitian ini ditemukan bahwa a) pola pencarian informasi antara wilayah Rural dan Urban terdapat perbedaan. Masyarakat rural tergolong pada kelompok masyarakat proactive dan masyarakat urban pada kelompok masyarakat responsive; b) pola pencarian informasi juga berdampak pada persepsi atas risiko wabah Covid-19 dimana mereka sama-sama aktif melakukan pencarian informasi; c) tidak ditemukannya perbedaan antara masyarakat rural dan urban sehingga dalam penelitian ini tidak ditemukan adanya masyarakat yang rentan karena rendahnya informasi Covid-19.
Implementasi Kebijakan Sistem Informasi Manajemen (SIM-Siluhtan) dalam Pelaksanaan Program Dekonsentrasi Penyuluhan Pertanian di Provinsi Kalimantan Utara
Authors: Sallolo Yohanis , Aripin Sofjan , Raharjo Djoko
Published: September 2022

Abstract

SIM-Siluhtan is website-based information system used as a media for reporting the implementing of the deconcentration program of agriculture extention (PDPP) in North Kalimantan Province since 2017. The research wasconducted in three districts, Bulungan, Nunukan, Malinau using data from 2018-2019 to decribe and analyze SIM-Siluhtan implementation policies in the implementing at the deconcentration program activities, as well as the factors that support and hinder the implementation and also the effort made in implementing. This study uses a descriptive qualitative method based on Edward III’s theory to describe and explore the fact that the implementation of public policy can be effective, depending on the four factors thae influence its success, namely communication, resources, disposition, and bureaucratic structure.

The results showed that overall the stage of the SIM-Siluhtan  implementation process with a span of control involving the provincial, distric and subdistrict /BPP levels were successful in achieving the performance target and by prioritizing the principles of transparency and publication in the policy implementation which is intensive with support of human resource capabilities of the implementer in carrying out their duties and aothorities so that collaboration and communication are build out which supported by publication of media communication, namely Facebook, WhatsApp, as well as adequate budged support and infrastructure, althouh not maximized due to technical contraints in the field.

 Keywords : SIM-Siluhtan Implementation, Communication, Resource, Disposition, Bureaucratic Structure.
Quantum-inspired cognitive agents
Authors: Huber-Liebl Markus , Römer Ronald , Wirsching Günther , Schmitt Ingo , beim Graben Peter , Wolff Matthias
Published: September 2022

The concept of intelligent agents is—roughly speaking—based on an architecture and a set of behavioral programs that primarily serve to solve problems autonomously. Increasing the degree of autonomy and improving cognitive performance, which can be assessed using cognitive and behavioral tests, are two important research trends. The degree of autonomy can be increased using higher-level psychological modules with which needs and motives are taken into account. In our approach we integrate these modules in architecture for an embodied, enactive multi-agent system, such that distributed problem solutions can be achieved. Furthermore, after uncovering some weaknesses in the cognitive performance of traditionally designed agents, we focus on two major aspects. On the one hand, the knowledge processing of cognitive agents is based on logical formalisms, which have deficiencies in the representation and processing of incomplete or uncertain knowledge. On the other hand, in order to fully understand the performance of cognitive agents, explanations at the symbolic and subsymbolic levels are required. Both aspects can be addressed by quantum-inspired cognitive agents. To investigate this approach, we consider two tasks in the sphere of Shannon's famous mouse-maze problem: namely classifying target objects and ontology inference. First, the classification of an unknown target object in the mouse-maze, such as cheese, water, and bacon, is based on sensory data that measure characteristics such as odor, color, shape, or nature. For an intelligent agent, we need a classifier with good prediction accuracy and explanatory power on a symbolic level. Boolean logic classifiers do work on a symbolic level but are not adequate for dealing with continuous data. Therefore, we demonstrate and evaluate a quantum-logic-inspired classifier in comparison to Boolean-logic-based classifiers. Second, ontology inference is iteratively achieved by a quantum-inspired agent through maze exploration. This requires the agent to be able to manipulate its own state by performing actions and by collecting sensory data during perception. We suggest an algebraic approach where both kinds of behaviors are uniquely described by quantum operators. The agent's state space is then iteratively constructed by carrying out unitary action operators, while Hermitian perception operators act as observables on quantum eigenstates. As a result, an ontology emerges as the simultaneous solution of the respective eigenvalue equations.
Targeting EIF3C to suppress the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Zhao Qian , Luo Xuehui , Li Honghui , Bai Yanxia , Chen Qian , Yang Ming , Pei Bei , Xu Chongwen , Han Suxia
Published: September 2022

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma occurs in many parts of the pars nasalis pharyngis, and the pathological type is mainly squamous cell carcinoma. Because of the special position of nasopharynx, breathing, pronunciation and daily life will be seriously affected. At present, the research direction of nasopharyngeal carcinoma is mainly to explore the law of tumor cell proliferation and migration, study the molecular mechanism, master its biological behavior and clinical significance, try to find therapeutic targets, and further improve the level of tumor treatment. However, the pathologic structure and molecular mechanism of nasopharyngeal carcinoma have not been fully elucidated. In this study, the Lentivirus-mediated EIF3C shRNA vector (L.V-shEIF3C) was constructed to down-regulate the expression of EIF3C in human pharyngeal squamous carcinoma cell FaDu and the human nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell 5-8F, it was found that down-regulation of EIF3C could significantly inhibit the cell proliferation, promote cell apoptosis, induce cell cycle arrest, and inhibit the formation and growth of tumors in mouse models. This study provides strong evidence that EIF3C is a key gene driving the development and progression of head and neck cancer, which is of great significance for the diagnosis, prognosis or treatment of tumors, suggesting that EIF3C may become a valuable therapeutic development and intervention target.
Zonulin, a marker of gut permeability, is associated with mortality in a cohort of hospitalised peruvian COVID-19 patients
Authors: Palomino-Kobayashi Luciano A. , Ymaña Barbara , Ruiz Joaquim , Mayanga-Herrera Ana , Ugarte-Gil Manuel F. , Pons Maria J.
Published: September 2022

Zonulin has previously been related to intestinal permeability in various inflammatory diseases, and more recently to the physiopathology of severe COVID-19 infections. We analysed serum samples from a previous study of a Peruvian cohort of hospitalised COVID-19 patients, for the quantification of zonulin by sandwich ELISA. Comparisons with clinical data, haematological and biochemical parameters and cytokine/chemokine levels were made. We found higher baseline zonulin levels in deceased patients, and zonulin was associated with fatal outcome in multivariable analyses, even after adjustment for age, gender, and obesity. There were also positive correlations between zonulin, creatinine, D-dimer values and prothrombin time, while inverse correlations were found for Sa/FiO2 ratio and CCL5 (RANTES). Further longitudinal studies are recommended to analyse the variation of zonulin levels over time as well as their relationship with long-COVID.
Alterations of gut microbiota in cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: A distinctive diagnostic feature
Authors: Zhou Zumo , Lv Hui , Lv Jiawen , Shi Yongming , Huang Heqing , Chen Lin , Shi Ding
Published: September 2022

Background

Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is a severe infection in cirrhotic patients that requires early diagnosis to improve the long-term outcome. Alterations in the gut microbiota have been shown to correlate with the development and progression of liver cirrhosis. However, the relationship between SBP and gut microbiota remains unknown.

Methods

In this study, we applied 16S rRNA pyrosequencing of feces to ascertain possible links between the gut microbiota and SBP. We recruited 30 SBP patients, 30 decompensated cirrhotic patients without SBP (NSBP) and 30 healthy controls. Metagenomic functional prediction of bacterial taxa was achieved using PICRUSt.

Results

The composition of the gut microbiota in the SBP patients differed remarkably from that in the NSBP patients and healthy individuals. The microbial richness was significantly decreased, while the diversity was increased in the SBP patients. Thirty-four bacterial taxa containing 15 species, mainly pathogens such as Klebsiella pneumoniae, Serratia marcescens and Prevotella oris, were dominant in the SBP group, while 42 bacterial taxa containing 16 species, especially beneficial species such as Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Methanobrevibacter smithii and Lactobacillus reuteri, were enriched in the NSBP group. Notably, we found that 18 gene functions of gut microbiota were different between SBP patients and NSBP patients, which were associated with energy metabolism and functional substance metabolism. Five optimal microbial markers were determined using a random forest model, and the combination of Lactobacillus reuteri, Rothia mucilaginosa, Serratia marcescens, Ruminococcus callidus and Neisseria mucosa achieved an area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.8383 to distinguish SBP from decompensated cirrhosis.

Conclusions

We described the obvious dysbiosis of gut microbiota in SBP patients and demonstrated the potential of microbial markers as noninvasive diagnostic tools for SBP at an early stage.
Model predictive control of cancer cellular dynamics: a new strategy for therapy design
Authors: Smart Benjamin , de Cesare Irene , Renson Ludovic , Marucci Lucia
Published: September 2022

Recent advancements in cybergenetics have led to the development of new computational and experimental platforms that enable us to robustly steer cellular dynamics by applying external feedback control. Such technologies have never been applied to regulate intracellular dynamics of cancer cells. Here, we show in silico that adaptive model predictive control (MPC) can effectively be used to steer the simulated signalling dynamics of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) cells to resemble those of wild type cells. Our optimisation-based control algorithm enables tailoring the cost function to force the controller to alternate different drugs and/or reduce drug exposure, minimising both drug-induced toxicity and resistance to treatment. Our results pave the way for new cybergenetics experiments in cancer cells, and, longer term, can support the design of improved drug combination therapies in biomedical applications.
Control of dead-time process: From the Smith predictor to general multi-input multi-output dead-time compensators
Authors: Normey-Rico Julio E. , Santos Tito L. M. , Flesch Rodolfo C. C. , Torrico Bismark C.
Published: September 2022

This review paper deals with the analysis, design, and tuning of dead-time compensators for stable and unstable multi-input multi-output (MIMO) processes with multiple time delays. It is well known that, even in the single-input single-output case, processes with significant dead times are difficult to control using standard feedback controllers. For MIMO systems, the study of processes with dead time is more involved, particularly when the process behavior exhibits different dead times in the different input-output relationships. Because of this, much research has been conducted in the last 50 years on this subject, with different approaches and proposals of controllers for covering a variety of objectives. Thus, this paper gives an overview of this important topic, focusing on the solutions derived from the Smith Predictor. First, a historical perspective of the different controllers proposed in the literature is presented. Then, the general solution of the problem is developed, paying particular attention to robustness and disturbance rejection properties, because of their importance and usefulness in industrial processes. All the development is done in the discrete-time case, which allows direct digital implementation. Two simulation case studies are presented to illustrate some of the ideas discussed in the paper, and an experimental case study is used to discuss aspects of practical implementation.
Giant left coronary artery diagonal branch left ventricular fistula: A case report and review of literature
Authors: Wang Jingyue , Zhang Huicong , Tong Qian , Wang Quanwei
Published: September 2022

A 37-year-old Chinese man was admitted to the department of cardiology of the First Hospital of Jilin University for intermittent palpitation for 9 months, aggravating with chest pain for 3 days. After several examinations, he was diagnosed with giant left ventricular fistula of the diagonal branch of the left coronary artery. After routine treatment, which included improving circulation and administration of dual antiplatelet as well as hypolipidemic drugs among others, the patient’s symptoms did not improve. The fistula was too big for transcatheter occlusion to be performed. A multi-disciplinary suggestion was that the patient be subjected to “surgical closure treatment”; however, for personal reasons, he refused the operation. After discharge, oral beta-blockers were prescribed for the patient. Incidences of congenital coronary arterial fistula in congenital cardiovascular disease are rare, and incidences of the giant fistula being located in the left heart system are even rarer. We report an adult male with a giant left anterior descending diagonal coronary artery left ventricular fistula and show various accessory examination results. Non-invasive ultrasonic cardiography was the first diagnostic option for the disease and pre-admission evaluation. Auxiliary diagnosis and exclusion value of cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) were revealed for the first time. Invasive coronary angiography (ICA) was demonstrated to be the gold standard method again and it was also found that computed tomography angiography (CTA) might be used instead of ICA for determining the exact relationships among anatomic structures. Furthermore, we performed a literature review on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with this condition.
Extracting body function information using rule-based methods: Highlighting structure and formatting challenges in clinical text
Authors: Divita Guy , Coale Kathleen , Maldonado Jonathan Camacho , Silva Rafael Jiménez , Rasch Elizabeth
Published: September 2022

This paper describes the identification of body function (BF) mentions within the clinical text within a large, national, heterogeneous corpus to highlight structural challenges presented by the clinical text. BF in clinical documents provides information on dysfunction or impairments in the function or structure of organ systems or organs. BF mentions are embedded in highly formatted structures where the formats include implied scoping boundaries that confound existing natural language processing segmentation and document decomposition techniques. This paper describes follow-up work to adapt a rule-based system created using National Institutes of Health records to a larger, more challenging corpus of Social Security Administration data. Results of these systems provide a baseline for future work to improve document decomposition techniques.
Participant retention in a fully remote trial of digital psychotherapy: Comparison of incentive types
Authors: Griffith Fillipo Isabell R. , Pullmann Michael D. , Hull Thomas D. , Zech James , Wu Jerilyn , Litvin Boris , Chen Shiyu , Arean Patricia A.
Published: September 2022

Numerous studies have found that long term retention is very low in remote clinical studies (>4 weeks) and to date there is limited information on the best methods to ensure retention. The ability to retain participants in the completion of key assessments periods is critical to all clinical research, and to date little is known as to what methods are best to encourage participant retention. To study incentive-based retention methods we randomized 215 US adults (18+ years) who agreed to participate in a sequential, multiple assignment randomized trial to either high monetary incentive (HMI, $125 USD) and combined low monetary incentive ($75 USD) plus alternative incentive (LMAI). Participants were asked to complete daily and weekly surveys for a total of 12 weeks, which included a tailoring assessment around week 5 to determine who should be stepped up and rerandomized to one of two augmentation conditions. Key assessment points were weeks 5 and 12. There was no difference in participant retention at week 5 (tailoring event), with approximately 75% of the sample completing the week-5 survey. By week 10, the HMI condition retained approximately 70% of the sample, compared to 60% of the LMAI group. By week 12, all differences were attenuated. Differences in completed measures were not significant between groups. At the end of the study, participants were asked the impressions of the incentive condition they were assigned and asked for suggestions for improving engagement. There were no significant differences between conditions on ratings of the fairness of compensation, study satisfaction, or study burden, but study burden, intrinsic motivation and incentive fairness did influence participation. Men were also more likely to drop out of the study than women. Qualitative analysis from both groups found the following engagement suggestions: desire for feedback on survey responses and an interest in automated sharing of individual survey responses with study therapists to assist in treatment. Participants in the LMAI arm indicated that the alternative incentives were engaging and motivating. In sum, while we were able to increase engagement above what is typical for such study, more research is needed to truly improve long term retention in remote trials.
Characterization of ultra-low permeability tight sandstone reservoir properties and criteria for hydrocarbon accumulation in Chang 6 member, Huaqing area, Ordos basin
Authors: Liao Jianbo , Hong Liang , Li Zhiyong , Tan Kaijun , Zhao Leyi , Yang Jun , Yu Pinghui
Published: September 2022

How to accurately predict hydrocarbon enrichment and high-yield areas in ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoirs is a hot spot in petroleum geology. Taking the Chang 6 Member of the Yanchang Formation in the Huaqing Area, Ordos Basin as an example, the quantitative characterization and classification criteria of ultra-low permeability sandstone reservoir properties are systematically studied. The research results show that the seismic reflection characteristics of the Chang 6 Member show multi-stage wedge progradation characteristics, reflecting the sedimentary characteristics of the end of the delta front. The maturity of the minerals in the Chang 6 Member sandstones in the study area is very low, it indicates a low degree of transformation of sediments. Three types of sand bodies, namely sandy debris flow, turbidite, and slump rock sand bodies, were identified in the Chang 6 Member of the Yanchang Formation. The pore types of the Chang 6 Member in the study area include intergranular pores, dissolution pores (feldspar, detrital dissolution pores), and intercrystalline pores. Among them, the intergranular pores and feldspar dissolution pores are the most important storage spaces. The study also found that the test oil production is highly correlated with the cumulative thickness of the massive sandstone segments. Therefore, massive sandstone (sand debris flow) is the main contributor to oil well production, and its distribution directly controls the accumulation of oil reservoirs and the high production of oil wells. In addition, geological parameters affecting reservoir enrichment evaluation were analyzed, which include permeability, oil layer thickness, resistivity, and reservoir penetration rate. Finally, the evaluation criteria for hydrocarbon enrichment in the Chang 6 Member were formulated by the analysis of dominant facies, lithologic assemblages and electrical properties.
Effect of initial water content and dry density on the self-healing of desiccation cracks in compacted hipparion red clay
Authors: Zhu Yanbo , Zheng Huitao , Lan Hengxing , Liu Yaowen , Li Langping , Fu Boyu , Du Changcheng
Published: September 2022

The self-healing of desiccation cracks in compacted clayey soils is important for mechanism revelation of cracking behavior in compacted soils. Although the crack self-healing behavior has been found, the influence of soil physical indices on it is still unclear, especially initial water content and dry density of specimen. This study aims to identify and evaluate the effect of initial water content and dry density on self-healing of desiccation cracks. Firstly, a series of desiccation tests were conducted on compacted Hipparion red clay specimens under different initial conditions. Secondly, the two-dimensional morphology of desiccation cracks and strain field changes on specimen surface were examined using the pore and crack analysis system and digital image correlation techniques. The result shows that the desiccation cracks on specimen surface exhibits self-healing behavior during drying. Based on the observed crack self-healing behavior, the desiccation cracking of compacted Hipparion red clay undergoes four stages including initiation, development, self-healing, and stabilization. During the self-healing stage, the critical water content for occurrence of crack self-healing and the crack self-healing amount referring to the crack ratio reduction from peak value to the stable value, are dry density dependent and water content dependent variables. In particular, the higher the initial water content and the lower the dry density of compacted specimen are, the larger the crack self-healing amount is. This crack self-healing difference in specimen with different initial conditions is caused by the vertical anisotropic shrinkage of substrate soil below non-propagating cracks due to its pore structure difference. This study provides a new perspective on the mechanism of desiccation crack in clayey soils affected by initial conditions.
Use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist trigger in fertility preservation for patients with inherited genetic disorders
Authors: Merkison Jamie , Malcom Carrie , Decherney Alan
Published: September 2022

In patients with varying hematologic disorders (thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, aplastic anemia, etc.), inherited bone marrow failure syndromes, and immune deficiencies due to a single gene disorder, the advent of stem cell transplantation (SCT) as a treatment option has allowed for significant disease improvement, and possibly cure. This specific treatment option often requires exposure to chemotherapeutic agents and sometimes whole body radiation; therefore, primary ovarian insufficiency is often sequelae of the therapy. The optimization of fertility preservation protocols within this patient population is of extreme importance. This review aims to detail the use of GnRH agonist use within this patient population, within the context of fertility preservation cycles.
Causal associations between thyroid dysfunction and COVID-19 susceptibility and severity: A bidirectional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Zhang Zhihao , Fang Tian , Lv Yonggang
Published: September 2022

Background

Observational studies have reported an association between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk and thyroid dysfunction, but without a clear causal relationship. We attempted to evaluate the association between thyroid function and COVID-19 risk using a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

Methods

Summary statistics on the characteristics of thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism) were obtained from the ThyroidOmics Consortium. Genome-wide association study statistics for COVID-19 susceptibility and its severity were obtained from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative, and severity phenotypes included hospitalization and very severe disease in COVID-19 participants. The inverse variance-weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analysis method, supplemented by the weighted-median (WM), MR-Egger, and MR-PRESSO methods. Results were adjusted for Bonferroni correction thresholds.

Results

The forward MR estimates show no effect of thyroid dysfunction on COVID-19 susceptibility and severity. The reverse MR found that COVID-19 susceptibility was the suggestive risk factor for hypothyroidism (IVW: OR = 1.577, 95% CI = 1.065–2.333, P = 0.022; WM: OR = 1.527, 95% CI = 1.042–2.240, P = 0.029), and there was lightly association between COVID-19 hospitalized and hypothyroidism (IVW: OR = 1.151, 95% CI = 1.004–1.319, P = 0.042; WM: OR = 1.197, 95% CI = 1.023-1.401, P = 0.023). There was no evidence supporting the association between any phenotype of COVID-19 and hyperthyroidism.

Conclusion

Our results identified that COVID-19 might be the potential risk factor for hypothyroidism. Therefore, patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 should strengthen the monitoring of thyroid function.
Trends in nationwide incidence of pediatric type 1 diabetes in Montenegro during the last 30 years
Authors: Raicevic Maja , Samardzic Mira , Soldatovic Ivan , Curovic Popovic Natasa , Vukovic Rade
Published: September 2022

Significant and unexplained variations in type 1 diabetes (T1D) incidence through the years were observed all around the world. The update on this disorder’s incidence is crucial for adequate healthcare resource planning and monitoring of the disease. The aim of this study was to give an update on the current incidence of pediatric T1D in Montenegro and to analyze incidence changes over time and how the exposure to different factors might have affected it. This retrospective cohort study included a total of 582 patients younger than 15 years who were newly diagnosed with T1D during the past 30 years. The average age at diagnosis was 8.4 ± 3.91 years. The mean annual incidence of T1D in the Montenegro population during the whole study period of 30 years was 15.2/100,000 person-years. Slightly higher incidence rates were observed in male compared to female individuals, and the incidence increased with age, with the highest incidence in the 10–14 age group. If the model is observed as one without jointpoints, the annual percentage change (APC) for the total population is 3.1 (1.8–4.4); for male individuals, 3.8 (2.1–5.5); and for female individuals, 2.1 (0.6–3.5). In 2020, the first year of the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, in comparison to 2019, the incidence rate increased from 19.7/100,000 to 21.5/100,000, with the highest increase in the age group of 5–9 years. This is the first nationwide report on a 30-year period of T1D incidence trend in Montenegro. It suggests that T1D incidence among Montenegrin children is rising again and that there is a short-term influence of COVID-19 on new-onset T1D.
Power allocation method of battery energy storage system considering state balance in smoothing photovoltaic power fluctuations
Authors: Zhang Jing , Hou Lei , Diao Xiaohong , Yang Xin , Tang Panpan , Cao Xiaobo
Published: September 2022

Aiming at the imbalances of SOC (state of charge, SOC) and SOH (state of health, SOH) for battery energy storage system (BESS) in smoothing photovoltaic power fluctuations, a power allocation method of BESS is proposed. Firstly, the hierarchical structure of the power allocation method is given, including acquisition of the grid-connected photovoltaic power reference and double-layer power allocation strategy for BESS. Secondly, a swing door trend algorithm optimized by the improved Aquila optimizer is devised and used to deal with the raw photovoltaic power to obtain the grid-connected signal. Next, the dynamic grouping principle considering the SOC and SOH of battery units is devised, and the double-layer power allocation method of BESS is designed in terms of the dynamic grouping results of battery units. Finally, the proposed power allocation method is simulated through actual data, and the results compared with other methods show that it can smooth photovoltaic power fluctuations more effectively, and the SOC and SOH can be balanced more quickly and accurately, which verifies its effectiveness.
A novel method for life estimation of power transformers using fuzzy logic systems: An intelligent predictive maintenance approach
Authors: Farhan Naeem Muhammad , Hashmi Khurram , Rahman Kashif Syed Abdul , Khan Muhammad Mansoor , Alghaythi Mamdouh L. , Aymen Flah , Ali Samia G. , AboRas Kareem M. , Ben Dhaou Imed
Published: September 2022

Power transformers are a fundamental component of the modern power distribution network. The fault-free operation of step-up and step-down transformers is of prime importance to the continuous supply of electrical energy to the consumers. To ensure such efficient operation, power distribution companies carry out routine maintenance of distribution transformers through preplanned schedules. The efficacy of such maintenance depends on a proper understanding of the transformer and its components and efficient prediction of faults in these components. There are several components whose condition can be studied to predict transformer failures and therefore the overall health of a transformer. These include transformer windings, insulations, transformer oil, core insulations, and ferromagnetic cores. This work develops a new, simplified fuzzy logic–based method to predict the health of a transformer by taking into account the state of several individual components. Case studies are used to demonstrate the efficacy of the developed method.
Chemical characteristics of three-stage fog water in an agricultural city in China
Authors: Ge Panyan , Fan Shuxian , Wang Yuan , Zhang Sirui , Wu Haopeng , Shao Naifu , Zu Fan
Published: September 2022

To investigate the relationships among the chemical compositions of fog droplets, atmospheric pollutants, and the fog microphysical characteristics, four fog cases were sampled in a comprehensive field experiment conducted at the Donghai site in an agricultural city, China, in the winter of 2020. The pH, electrical conductivity (EC), total ion concentration (TIC), and chemical compositions of the fog water were all size-dependent. High concentrations of non-sea-salt calcium (nssCa2+) and NH4+ led to the alkaline pH of 6.13–7.32. The TIC of fog water was relatively high, especially in small droplets of diameter within 4–16 μm (463527.9 μeq/L). The relatively high NO2− concentration was also found in the fog water, dominated by the non-homogeneous chemical reaction between NO2 and fog droplets. An interesting finding is that the TIC of fog water measured on December 12 was much higher than that measured on December 11. Compared to the first fog, the stronger thermal inversion and local emissions led to the higher concentration of atmospheric particles in the second fog. Generally, the relatively high concentration of atmospheric particles resulted in a large number of small-sized droplets, which had fast liquid-phase oxidation reaction rates and high gas-liquid conversion efficiencies, leading to a higher TIC in the fog water during the second fog.
Differential characteristics and driving forces of the spatial distribution of heritage trees in Luoyang, an ancient capital of China
Authors: Hou Heping , Zhang Longchong , Bi Huitao , He Jing , Cai Enxiang , Ren Wanqian
Published: September 2022

Heritage trees have important historical, landscape, and ecological value. Exploring the spatial distribution pattern of heritage trees is of great importance to the construction of ecological civilization and the connotation of regional history and culture. This paper took 5,216 heritage trees in Luoyang, an ancient capital of China, as the research object and used geospatial analysis methods and a geographically weighted regression model to analyze the differences and driving forces of the spatial distribution of heritage trees. Results show that 1) the heritage trees in Luoyang were primarily Gleditsia sinensis, Sophora japonica, and Platycladus orientalis, and more than half of these trees were under 300 years old; 2) the high-density area formed a distribution pattern of “three cores, one ring, and two belts,” and the distribution of heritage trees had a positive spatial autocorrelation; 3) different driving factors in different regions had complex influences on the spatial distribution of heritage trees, and the order of influence was as follows: area of forest and orchard land > elevation > number of POIs (points of interest) > distance to the nearest river > slope > number of immovable relics. The results could provide a comprehensive understanding of the spatial distribution of heritage trees to protect the ecological function of heritage trees and mine the cultural value of heritage trees.
Identification of a novel lipid metabolism-related gene signature for predicting colorectal cancer survival
Authors: Huang Yanpeng , Zhou Jinming , Zhong Haibin , Xie Ning , Zhang Fei-Ran , Zhang Zhanmin
Published: September 2022

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a common malignant tumor worldwide. Lipid metabolism is a prerequisite for the growth, proliferation and invasion of cancer cells. However, the lipid metabolism-related gene signature and its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. The aim of this study was to establish a lipid metabolism signature risk model for survival prediction in CRC and to investigate the effect of gene signature on the immune microenvironment. Lipid metabolism-mediated genes (LMGs) were obtained from the Molecular Signatures Database. The consensus molecular subtypes were established using “ConsensusClusterPlus” based on LMGs and the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) data. The risk model was established using univariate and multivariate Cox regression with TCGA database and independently validated in the international cancer genome consortium (ICGC) datasets. Immune infiltration in the risk model was developed using CIBERSORT and xCell analyses. A total of 267 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between subtype 1 and subtype 2 from consensus molecular subtypes, including 153 upregulated DEGs and 114 downregulated DEGs. 21 DEGs associated with overall survival (OS) were selected using univariate Cox regression analysis. Furthermore, a prognostic risk model was constructed using the risk coefficients and gene expression of eleven-gene signature. Patients with a high-risk score had poorer OS compared with patients in the low-risk score group (p = 3.36e-07) in the TCGA cohort and the validationdatasets (p = 4.03e-05). Analysis of immune infiltration identified multiple T cells were associated with better prognosis in the low-risk group, including Th2 cells (p = 0.0208), regulatory T cells (p = 0.0425), and gammadelta T cells (p = 0.0112). A nomogram integrating the risk model and clinical characteristics was further developed to predict the prognosis of patients with CRC. In conclusion, our study revealed that the expression of lipid-metabolism genes were correlated with the immune microenvironment. The eleven-gene signature might be useful for prediction the prognosis of CRC patients.
Peripheral immune signature resembles tumor microenvironment and predicts clinical outcomes in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Hu Zixuan , Zhou Jiaying , Li Yupeng , Luan Yizhao , Li Huan , Jia Bo , Xie Zhi , Cheng Bin , Wu Tong
Published: September 2022

The contour of the tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) is very important for tumor prognostic prediction but hard to be characterized in clinical practice. It is unclear practice whether the peripheral immune signature (pIS) reflects the TIME as a feasible prognostic indicator for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients. Here, we enrolled 599 HNSCC patients from three domestic institutes to explore the relationship between the pIS and survival. The peripheral neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (pNLR) was screened out as a significant prognostic variable through multivariable COX regression analyses. An inverse correlation between pNLR and survival was found in the data of these 599 patients. Meanwhile, the bulk tumor RNA-seq data of 913 cases were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases to identify the prognosis-associated TIME features. The TIME feature was consistent to the finding of clinical data, in which high tissue NLR predicted a poor prognosis. Differentially expressed immune-related gene (DEIRG) enrichment analysis also showed a trend that the gene sets in patients with a good prognosis were enriched in lymphocyte-related functions, while those with a poor prognosis were enriched in neutrophil-related functions. At the same time, the well prediction performance of our model based on DEIRGs was verified in both TCGA and GEO cohorts. Finally, the correlation between pIS and the TIME was confirmed in a small independent cohort of 30 HNSCC patients. A positive correlation was confirmed prospectively between the pNLR and the TIME pattern in our independent cohort. Our findings provide evidence that the pNLR is a feasible prognostic signature that reflects the TIME patterns to some extent in HNSCC.
Emerging trends and research foci of oncolytic virotherapy for central nervous system tumors: A bibliometric study
Authors: Cheng Kunming , Zhang Huan , Guo Qiang , Zhai Pengfei , Zhou Yan , Yang Weiguang , Wang Yulin , Lu Yanqiu , Shen Zefeng , Wu Haiyang
Published: September 2022

Background

Central nervous system tumor (CNST) is one of the most complicated and lethal forms of human tumors with very limited treatment options. In recent years, growing evidence indicates that oncolytic virotherapy (OVT) has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for CNSTs. And a considerable amount of literature on OVT-CNSTs has been published. However, there are still no studies summarizing the global research trends and hotspots of this field through a bibliometric approach. To fulfill this knowledge gap, bibliometric analysis was conducted based on all publications relating to OVT-CNSTs since 2000s.

Methods

We searched the Web of Science Core Collection for all relevant studies published between 2000 and 2022. Four different tools (online analysis platform, R-bibliometrix, CiteSpace and VOSviewer) were used to perform bibliometric analysis and network visualization, including annual publication output, active journals, contribution of countries, institutions, and authors, references, as well as keywords.

Results

A total of 473 articles and reviews were included. The annual number of publications on OVT-CNSTs showed a significant increasing trend. Molecular Therapy and Cancer Research were the most active and co-cited journals, respectively. In terms of contributions, there is no doubt that the United States occupied a leading position with the most publications (n=307, 64.9%) and the highest H-index (57). The institution and author that contributed the largest number of publications were Ohio State University and Chiocca EA, respectively. As can be seen from citation analysis, the current studies mainly focused on preclinical and phase I/II clinical results of various oncolytic virus for CNSTs treatment. Keywords co-occurrence and burst analysis revealed that the following research topics including immunotherapy, T-cells, tumor microenvironment, vaccine, blood-brain-barrier, checkpoint inhibitors, macrophage, stem cell, and recurrent glioblastoma have been research frontiers of this field and also have great potential to continue to be research hotspots in the future.

Conclusion

There has been increasing attention on oncolytic viruses for use as CNSTs therapeutics. Oncolytic immunotherapy is a topic of great concern in this field. This bibliometric study provides a comprehensive analysis of the knowledge base, research hotspots, development perspective in the field of OVT-CNSTs, which could become an essential reference for scholars in this area.
Dynamic analysis of offshore wind turbines subjected to the combined wind and ice loads based on the cohesive element method
Authors: Wang Bin , Liu Yingzhou , Zhang Jianhua , Shi Wei , Li Xin , Li Ying
Published: September 2022

Ice loads are an important and decisive factor for the safe operation of offshore wind turbines (OWTs). In severe environment load cases, it shall lead to prominent ice-induced vibration and ice-induced fatigue failure of OWT structures. Based on the cohesive element method (CEM) and considering the pile–soil interaction used by nonlinear distributed springs, the full interaction model of the ice and monopile OWT structure with an ice-breaking cone in a cold sea region is established in this study. Furthermore, the Tsai-Wu failure criterion and the empirical failure formula of maximum plastic failure strain are used to describe the mechanical behavior of ice bending failure in the collision simulation tool LS-DYNA, and the dynamic ice loads under different ice velocities and cone angles are statistically analyzed. Finally, according to the interaction process between sea ice and OWT containing the ice-breaking cone, the dynamic response of OWT under the combined wind and ice loads is studied, and the most reasonable ice-breaking cone angle is determined. The results show that the method adopted in this paper can well simulate the bending failure process of sea ice. Concurrently, the cone angle has a significant impact on the dynamic response and damage of the OWT, and the recommended optimal cone angle is 60.
Non-Linear Instability of Pin-Ended Functionally Graded Material Arches Under Locally Distributed Radial Loads
Authors: Zhou Jinman , Li Guangjun , Lu Hanwen , Chen Zhou , Pan Zhenyu , Zhu Jian
Published: September 2022

The arch is a common structural form in bridge engineering; its collapse is often caused by instability. In this article, in-plane nonlinear instability of pin-ended functionally graded material (FGM) arches with two cross-sectional types under local radial loads is studied. New analytical solutions to nonlinear equilibrium paths, limit point instability, bifurcation instability, and multiple limit point instability of pin-ended FGM arches under local radial load are obtained. Modified slenderness corresponding to different instability patterns of FGM arches is also derived. Comparison with the numerical results of ANSYS demonstrates that the analytical solution is accurate. The results show that cross-sectional types of FGM arches have a great influence on limit-point instability and bifurcation instability. Localized parameters increase lead-to-limit point instability load and bifurcation instability load increases, while increasing the modified slenderness ratio results in decreased limit point instability load and bifurcation instability load. In addition, a material proportion coefficient and power law index increase can also lead to limit point instability load and bifurcation instability load decrease.
Exploring RNA modifications, editing, and splicing changes in hyperuricemia and gout
Authors: Huang Chung-Ming , Chen Yu-Chia , Lai I-Lu , Chen Hong-Da , Huang Po-Hao , Tu Siang-Jyun , Lee Ya-Ting , Yen Ju-Chen , Lin Chia-Li , Liu Ting-Yuan , Chang Jan-Gowth
Published: September 2022

Hyperuricemia and gout are two of the most common metabolic disorders worldwide; their incidence is increasing with changes in lifestyle, and they are correlated with many diseases, including renal and cardiovascular diseases. The majority of studies on hyperuricemia and gout have focused on the discovery of the associated genes and their functions and on the roles of monocytes and neutrophils in the development of gout. Virtually no studies investigating the epigenomics of gout disease or exploring the clinical significance of such research have been conducted. In this study, we observed that the expression of enzymes involved in RNA modifications or RNA editing was affected in uric acid (UA)- or monosodium urate (MSU)-treated cell lines. RNA alternative splicing and splicing factors were also affected by UA or MSU treatment. We used transcriptome sequencing to analyze genome-wide RNA splicing and RNA editing and found significant changes in RNA splicing and RNA editing in MSU- or UA-treated THP-1 and HEK293 cells. We further found significant changes of RNA modifications, editing, and splicing in patients with gout. The data indicate that RNA modifications, editing, and splicing play roles in gout. The findings of this study may help to understand the mechanism of RNA splicing and modifications in gout, facilitating the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.