bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High Oxygen Reduction Activity of Pt-Ni Alloy Catalyst for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Gu Jun , Zhang Guang-Meng , Yao Rui , Yu Tao , Han Meng-Fei , Huang Run-Sheng
Published: February 2022

In order to fill the research gap of high metal loading of high performance PtNi alloy catalysts, a PtNi/C alloy nano-catalyst with metal loading more than 50 wt.% and core-shell like structure was prepared by ethylene glycol reduction, high temperature annealing, and acid pickling. The electrochemical test results showed that the prepared PtNi alloy catalyst had excellent electrochemical activity: the electrochemical surface area (ECSA) was 63.8 m2·gPt−1, and the mass activity (MA) was 0.574 A·mgPt−1, which is 2.73 times greater than those of the Pt/C JM (Johnson Matthey) catalyst. The durability of the PtNi/C catalyst was further investigated. After 30 K cycles of accelerated durability test, the ECSA and MA of the PtNi/C alloy catalyst decreased by 10.2% and 31.2%, respectively. The PtNi/C alloy catalyst prepared in this study has excellent catalytic activity and overcomes the problem of insufficient durability of traditional alloy catalysts and has the potential for large-scale commercial application.
Cutoff Values of Hemodynamic Parameters in Pediatric Refractory Septic Shock
Authors: Lee En-Pei , Lin Jainn-Jim , Hsia Shao-Hsuan , Chan Oi-Wa , Jan Sheng-Ling , Wu Han-Ping
Published: February 2022

Background: Refractory septic shock can cause severe morbidities and mortalities in children. Resuscitation based on hemodynamics is important in children with critical illness. Thus, this study aimed to identify the hemodynamics of refractory septic shock associated with poor prognosis at an early stage to allow for timely interventions. Methods: We evaluated children with refractory septic shock admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) and monitored their hemodynamics using a pulse index continuous cardiac output (PiCCO) system. The serial cardiac index (CI), systemic vascular resistance index (SVRI), and vasoactive–inotropic score (VIS) were recorded during the first 72 h after PICU admission. Results: Thirty-three children with refractory septic shock were enrolled. The SVRI and VIS were both associated with fatality from septic shock. The non-survivors had lower serial SVRI and higher VIS (both p < 0.05). Based on the area under the ROC curve, the SVRI was the predictor during the early resuscitative stage (first 36 h) in pediatric refractory septic shock. Conclusions: Both SVRI and VIS are predictors of mortality in children with refractory septic shock, and the SVRI is the powerful predictor of mortality in the early resuscitative stage. A low serial SVRI may allow for the early awareness of disease severity and strategies for adjusting vasoactive–inotropic agents to increase the SVRI.
Drug Investigation to Dampen the Comorbidity of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoporosis via Molecular Docking Test
Authors: Oh Ki-Kwang , Adnan Md. , Cho Dong-Ha
Published: February 2022

At present, most rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are at risk of osteoporosis (OP), which is increased by 1.5 times compared to non-RA individuals. Hence, we investigated overlapping targets related directly to the occurrence and development of RA and OP through public databases (DisGeNET, and OMIM) and literature. A total of 678 overlapping targets were considered as comorbid factors, and 604 out of 678 were correlated with one another. Interleukin 6 (IL-6), with the highest degree of value in terms of protein–protein interaction (PPI), was considered to be a core target against comorbidity. We identified 31 existing small molecules (< 1000 g/mol) as IL-6 inhibitors, and 19 ligands were selected by the 3 primary criteria (Lipinski’s rule, TPSA, and binding energy). We postulated that MD2-TLR4-IN-1 (PubChem ID: 138454798), as confirmed by the three criteria, was the key ligand to alleviate comorbidity between RA and OP. In conclusion, we described a promising active ligand (MD2-TLR4-IN-1), and a potential target (IL-6) against comorbidity of RA and OP, providing scientific evidence for a further clinical trial.
Greenhouse Gas Implications of Extending the Service Life of PEM Fuel Cells for Automotive Applications: A Life Cycle Assessment
Authors: Arrigoni Alessandro , Arosio Valeria , Basso Peressut Andrea , Latorrata Saverio , Dotelli Giovanni
Published: February 2022

A larger adoption of hydrogen fuel-cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) is typically included in the strategies to decarbonize the transportation sector. This inclusion is supported by life-cycle assessments (LCAs), which show the potential greenhouse gas (GHG) emission benefit of replacing internal combustion engine vehicles with their fuel cell counterpart. However, the literature review performed in this study shows that the effects of durability and performance losses of fuel cells on the life-cycle environmental impact of the vehicle have rarely been assessed. Most of the LCAs assume a constant fuel consumption (ranging from 0.58 to 1.15 kgH2/100 km) for the vehicles throughout their service life, which ranges in the assessments from 120,000 to 225,000 km. In this study, the effect of performance losses on the life-cycle GHG emissions of the vehicles was assessed based on laboratory experiments. Losses have the effect of increasing the life-cycle GHG emissions of the vehicle up to 13%. Moreover, this study attempted for the first time to investigate via laboratory analyses the GHG implications of replacing the hydrophobic polymer for the gas diffusion medium (GDM) of fuel cells to increase their durability. LCA showed that when the service life of the vehicle was fixed at 150,000 km, the GHG emission savings of using an FC with lower performance losses (i.e., FC coated with fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) instead of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)) are negligible compared to the overall life-cycle impact of the vehicle. Both the GDM coating and the amount of hydrogen saved account for less than 2% of the GHG emissions arising during vehicle operation. On the other hand, when the service life of the vehicle depends on the operability of the fuel cell, the global warming potential per driven km of the FEP-based FCEV reduces by 7 to 32%. The range of results depends on several variables, such as the GHG emissions from hydrogen production and the initial fuel consumption of the vehicle. Higher GHG savings are expected from an FC vehicle with high consumption of hydrogen produced with fossil fuels. Based on the results, we recommend the inclusion of fuel-cell durability in future LCAs of FCEVs. We also advocate for more research on the real-life performance of fuel cells employing alternative materials.
Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of Wing in Air Flow and Air–Solid Flow Using Three Different Meshing Techniques and Comparison with Experimental Results in Wind Tunnel
Authors: Karkoulias Dionysios G. , Tzoganis Evangelos D. , Panagiotopoulos Anastasios G. , Acheimastos Spyridon-Giaroslav D. , Margaris Dionissios P.
Published: February 2022

The main purpose of this work is to simulate the flow of air and solid particles over a wildfire and to investigate the single and multiphase flow over the surface of a custom-designed wing with an Eppler-420 airfoil including an appendant custom-designed blended winglet. The wing is the result of a conceptual and preliminary design of a small-scale unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) designed to assist in firefighting. The fire embers will be simulated in the Ansys Fluent commercial code as solid particles injected in the continuous phase, in an Euler–Lagrange approach. Primarily studied were the response of the model in air and air–solid flows, as well as the impact on aerodynamic efficiency due to the existence of the second phase. Moreover, the effects of unstructured, structured and mosaic poly-hexcore meshes are investigated and compared. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations, were implemented using a pressure-based solver, spatial discretization was conducted with a second-order upwind scheme, and the k-omega SST (k-ω SST) turbulence model was applied. Meanwhile, the two-phase flow was simulated using the Discrete Phase Model with reflect boundary condition on the surface of the wing and two-way coupling between continuous and discrete phase. To validate the results, experiments were conducted in a subsonic wind tunnel using a 3D printed model of the wing. The results show good agreement between simulations and experiments, with the structured mesh coming closer to reality, followed by the mosaic and unstructured meshes, respectively. Finally, a reduction in the aerodynamic efficiency of the wing section is observed, due to the presence of solid particles.
Distributed Attack Deployment Capability for Modern Automated Penetration Testing
Authors: Hance Jack , Milbrath Jordan , Ross Noah , Straub Jeremy
Published: February 2022

Cybersecurity is an ever-changing landscape. The threats of the future are hard to predict and even harder to prepare for. This paper presents work designed to prepare for the cybersecurity landscape of tomorrow by creating a key support capability for an autonomous cybersecurity testing system. This system is designed to test and prepare critical infrastructure for what the future of cyberattacks looks like. It proposes a new type of attack framework that provides precise and granular attack control and higher perception within a set of infected infrastructure. The proposed attack framework is intelligent, supports the fetching and execution of arbitrary attacks, and has a small memory and network footprint. This framework facilitates autonomous rapid penetration testing as well as the evaluation of where detection systems and procedures are underdeveloped and require further improvement in preparation for rapid autonomous cyber-attacks.
Effect of Borophene and Graphene on the Elastic Modulus of PEDOT:PSS Film—A Finite Element Study
Authors: Adekoya Gbolahan Joseph , Adekoya Oluwasegun Chijioke , Sadiku Emmanuel Rotimi , Hamam Yskandar , Ray Suprakas Sinha
Published: February 2022

A finite element method (FEM) was employed to investigate the interaction of borophene nanoplatelets (BNPs) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) on the mechanical properties of Poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) PEDOT:PSS film. A 3D random distribution of the inclusion into the PEDOT:PSS matrix was constructed by developing a 145 × 145 × 145 representative volume element (RVE) with a 4% volume fraction of BNPs and GNPs. In comparison to the pristine PEDOT:PSS, the calculated effective elastic moduli of the BNP-PEDOT:PSS and GNP-PEDOT:PSS nanocomposites exhibited 9.6% and 10.2% improvement, respectively. The predicted FE results were validated by calculating the elastic moduli of the nanocomposites using a modified Halpine-Tsai (H-T) model. The reinforcing effect of the inclusion into the PEDOT:PSS film offers a promising electrode with improved mechanical stability. Consequently, this intriguing result makes the BNP/PEDOT:PSS nanocomposite highly promising for further investigation and application in cutting-edge devices such as touchscreen, thermoelectric, light-emitting diode, electrochemical, photodiode, sensor, solar cell, and electrostatic devices.
A Population-Based Study to Evaluate the Associations of Nodal Stage, Lymph Node Ratio and Log Odds of Positive Lymph Nodes with Survival in Patients with Small Bowel Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Batra Atul , Kong Shiying , Hannouf Malek B. , Cheung Winson Y.
Published: February 2022

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the real-world prognostic significance of lymph node ratio (LNR) and log odds of positive lymph nodes (LOPLN) in patients with non-metastatic small bowel adenocarcinoma. Methods: Patients diagnosed with early-stage small bowel adenocarcinoma between January 2007 and December 2018 from a large Canadian province were identified. We calculated the LNR by dividing positive over total lymph nodes examined and the LOPLN as log ([positive lymph nodes + 0.5]/[negative lymph nodes + 0.5]). The LNR and LOPLN were categorized at cut-offs of 0.4 and −1.1, respectively. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards models were constructed for each nodal stage, LNR and LOPLN, adjusting for measured confounding factors. Harrell’s C-index and Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) were used to calculate the prognostic discriminatory abilities of the different models. Results: We identified 141 patients. The median age was 67 years and 54.6% were men. The 5-year overall survival rates for patients with stage I, II and III small bowel adenocarcinoma were 50.0%, 56.6% and 47.5%, respectively. The discriminatory ability was generally comparable for LOPLN, LNR and nodal stage in the prognostication of all patients. However, LOPLN had higher discriminatory ability among patients with at least one lymph node involvement (Harrell’s C-index, 0.75, 0.77 and 0.82, and AIC, 122.91, 119.68 and 110.69 for nodal stage, LNR and LOPLN, respectively). Conclusion: The LOPLN may provide better prognostic information when compared to LNR and nodal stage in specific patients.
The Real-World Experience of the Biosimilar (Grastofil®) to the Reference Biologic (Neupogen®) in Breast Cancer and Lymphoma: A Canadian Single-Centre Retrospective Study
Authors: Wong Gina , Wang Katie , Pasetka Mark , Zhang Liying , Lou Julia , Majeed Habeeb , Flores Jerome , Lam Emily , DeAngelis Carlo
Published: February 2022

Febrile neutropenia (FN) is a common side effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy that may result in poor treatment outcomes. The short acting granulocyte colony stimulating factors (G-CSF) act to stimulate granulocytes to increase production of white blood cells. The filgrastim biosimilar is useful, as it may provide a cheaper and equally effective treatment to FN. This study explored the usage of the filgrastim biosimilar (Grastofil®) and the reference biologic (Neupogen®) in breast cancer and lymphoma patients. A retrospective chart review of patients receiving Grastofil® from January 2017 to June 2019 or Neupogen® for primary prophylaxis of FN from January 2013 to December 2017 was conducted. The endpoints included the incidence of FN and the occurrence of dose reduction (DR) and dose delay (DD). One hundred and fifty-three Grastofil® patients were matched to 153 Neupogen® patients. This cohort was further split into breast cancer (n = 275) and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (n = 31) cohorts. After adjusting for chemotherapy cycles, the biosimilar filgrastim was non-inferior to the reference biologic based on FN incidence in addition to related outcomes including DR and DD.
Inflammatory Bowel Disease: An Indication to Screen for Thrombophilia?
Authors: Moukalled Nour M. , Hashash Jana G. , Taher Ali T.
Published: February 2022

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) are systemic conditions characterized by multiple intestinal and extra-intestinal manifestations related to the associated chronic inflammatory state. Among their diverse extra-intestinal complications, venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains one of the most under recognized causes of morbidity and mortality in these patients, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the underlying mechanism of hypercoagulability, in addition to the role of acquired and inherited risk factors that further increase the risk of thrombosis with its impact on patients’ outcomes. We hereby present a review of the data regarding thrombosis in the setting of IBD, elucidating the possible role for screening in this high-risk category of patients and specifically in areas where inherited thrombophilia is expected to be highly prevalent, reporting two patients with IBD, one who developed a cerebrovascular event and another one who had recurrent VTE events; nevertheless, both of them had inherited thrombophilic mutations. The identification of specific genetic abnormalities in those patients reintroduces the controversy related to the need to screen a specific category of patients with IBD for hereditary thrombophilia, especially in regions characterized by a higher prevalence of such thrombophilic alterations.
Long Distance Ground Target Tracking with Aerial Image-to-Position Conversion and Improved Track Association
Authors: Yeom Seokwon
Published: February 2022

A small drone is capable of capturing distant objects at a low cost. In this paper, long distance (up to 1 km) ground target tracking with a small drone is addressed for oblique aerial images, and two novel approaches are developed. First, the coordinates of the image are converted to real-world based on the angular field of view, tilt angle, and altitude of the camera. Through the image-to-position conversion, the threshold of the actual object size and the center position of the detected object in real-world coordinates are obtained. Second, the track-to-track association is improved by adopting the nearest neighbor association rule to select the fittest track among multiple tracks in a dense track environment. Moving object detection consists of frame-to-frame subtraction and thresholding, morphological operation, and false alarm removal based on object size and shape properties. Tracks are initialized by differencing between the two nearest points in consecutive frames. The measurement statistically nearest to the state prediction updates the target’s state. With the improved track-to-track association, the fittest track is selected in the track validation region, and the direction of the displacement vector and velocity vectors of the two tracks are tested with an angular threshold. In the experiment, a drone hovered at an altitude of 400 m capturing video for about 10 s. The camera was tilted 30° downward from the horizontal. Total track life (TTL) and mean track life (MTL) were obtained for 86 targets within approximately 1 km of the drone. The interacting multiple mode (IMM)-CV and IMM-CA schemes were adopted with varying angular thresholds. The average TTL and MTL were obtained as 84.9–91.0% and 65.6–78.2%, respectively. The number of missing targets was 3–5; the average TTL and MTL were 89.2–94.3% and 69.7–81.0% excluding the missing targets.
UAS Traffic Management Communications: The Legacy of ADS-B, New Establishment of Remote ID, or Leverage of ADS-B-Like Systems?
Authors: Ruseno Neno , Lin Chung-Yan , Chang Shih-Cheng
Published: February 2022

Unmanned aerial system (UAS) traffic management (UTM) requires each UAS to communicate with each other and to other stakeholders involved in the operation. In practice, there are two types of wireless communication systems established in the UAS community: automatic dependent surveillance broadcast (ADS-B) and remote identification (Remote ID). In between these two systems, there is ADS-B-like communication which leverages using other types of communications available in the market for the purpose of UTM. This review aims to provide an insight into those three systems, based on the published standard documents and latest research development. It also suggests how to construct a feasible communication architecture. The integrative approach is used in this literature review. The review categorization includes definition, data format, technology used, and research applications, and any remaining issues are discussed. The similarities and differences of each system are elaborated, covering practical findings. In addition, the SWOT analysis is conducted based on the findings. Lastly, multi-channel communication for UTM is proposed as a feasible solution in the UTM operation.
Pros and Cons of Early and Late Skin Grafting in Children with Burns—Evaluation of Common Concepts
Authors: Abdelrahman Islam , Steinvall Ingrid , Sjöberg Folke , Ellabban Mohamed A. , Zdolsek Johann , Elmasry Moustafa
Published: February 2022

Background: There is no consensus regarding the timing of surgery in children with smaller burn size, specifically in deep dermal burns. Delayed surgery has risks in terms of infection and delayed wound healing. Early surgery also risks the removal of potentially viable tissue. Our aim was to investigate the effect of the timing of surgical intervention on the size of the area operated on and the time to wound healing. Methods: A retrospective analysis for all children (<18 years) with burn size <20% body surface area (BSA%) during 2009–2020 who were operated on with a split-thickness skin graft. The patients were grouped by the timing of the first skin graft operation: early = operated on within 14 days of injury; delayed = operated on more than two weeks after injury. Results: A total of 84 patients were included in the study, 43 who had an early operation and 41 who had a delayed operation. There were no differences between the groups regarding burn size, or whether the burns were superficial or deep. The mean duration of healing time was seven days longer in the group with delayed operation (p = 0.001). The area operated on was somewhat larger (not significantly so) in the group who had early operation. Nine children had two skin graft operations, eight in the early group and one in the delayed group (p = 0.03). Conclusion: The patients who were operated on early had the advantage of a shorter healing time, but there was a higher rate of complementary operations and a tendency towards a larger burn excision.
Recycling of Lithium Batteries—A Review
Authors: Duan Xiaowei , Zhu Wenkun , Ruan Zhongkui , Xie Min , Chen Juan , Ren Xiaohan
Published: February 2022

With the rapid development of the electric vehicle industry in recent years, the use of lithium batteries is growing rapidly. From 2015 to 2040, the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles could reach 0.33 to 4 million tons. It is predicted that a total of 21 million end-of-life lithium battery packs will be generated between 2015 and 2040. Spent lithium batteries can cause pollution to the soil and seriously threaten the safety and property of people. They contain valuable metals, such as cobalt and lithium, which are nonrenewable resources, and their recycling and treatment have important economic, strategic, and environmental benefits. Estimations show that the weight of spent electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries will reach 500,000 tons in 2020. Methods for safely and effectively recycling lithium batteries to ensure they provide a boost to economic development have been widely investigated. This paper summarizes the recycling technologies for lithium batteries discussed in recent years, such as pyrometallurgy, acid leaching, solvent extraction, electrochemical methods, chlorination technology, ammoniation technology, and combined recycling, and presents some views on the future research direction of lithium batteries.
A Dual-Redundancy Two-Phase Hybrid Stepping Motor for Satellite Antenna Drive System
Authors: Fu Zhaoyang , Liu Zheng , Liu Xingbang
Published: February 2022

Stepping motors are highly preferred in spacecraft applications because of their simple structure, convenient control and lack of accumulated error. In satellite antenna drive systems, reliability and fault tolerance have been paid more and more attention. Accordingly, to enhance the reliability of the electrical system in the field of aerospace, the redundancy technology, which can effectively improve the system reliability while reducing the requirements of components, was applied in the design of hybrid stepping motors (HSM), a dual-redundancy two-phase HSM which has two sets of stator windings was designed in this paper. The mathematical model of stepping motor and the specific structure parameters of the motor are given. The torque-frequency characteristic was regarded as the key to measure the performance of the motor proposed in this paper. The results of 3-D finite element modeling are presented. The corresponding performance experiment on the designed motor was carried out and both the simulation results and the experimental results verified the validity and superiority of the dual redundancy HSM.
A Numerical and Experimental Investigation of a Confluent Jets Ventilation Supply Device in a Conference Room
Authors: Andersson Harald , Cehlin Mathias , Moshfegh Bahram
Published: February 2022

In this study, confluent jets ventilation (CJV) supply devices with three different nozzle arrays (1 × 19, 2 × 19, 3 × 19) were investigated both numerically and experimentally at two different airflow and supply air temperature set-ups. The performance of the CJV supply devices was investigated concerning thermal comfort, indoor air quality (IAQ), and heat removal effectiveness in a conference room environment. A comparison between the experimental and numerical results showed that the  ϑ2¯−f model had the best agreement out of the investigated turbulence models. The numerical results showed that the size of the array had a great impact both on near-field development and on the conditions in the occupied zone. A larger array with multiple rows and a lower momentum conserved the inlet temperature and the mean age of the air better than a single-row array with a higher momentum. A larger array with multiple rows had a higher IAQ and a greater heat removal effectiveness in the occupied zone because the larger array conserved the mean age of air better and the buoyancy driven flow was slightly better at removing the heat. Because of the lower inlet velocities, they also had lower velocities at ankle level, which decreased the risk of draft and thermal discomfort.
Customer Perceived Risk Measurement with NLP Method in Electric Vehicles Consumption Market: Empirical Study from China
Authors: Shu Tao , Wang Zhiyi , Lin Ling , Jia Huading , Zhou Jixian
Published: February 2022

In recent years, as people’s awareness of energy conservation, environmental protection, and sustainable development has increased, discussions related to electric vehicles (EVs) have aroused public debate on social media. At some point, most consumers face the possible risks of EVs—a critical psychological perception that invariably affects sales of EVs in the consumption market. This paper chooses to deconstruct customers’ perceived risk from third-party comment data in social media, which has better coverage and objectivity than questionnaire surveys. In order to analyze a large amount of unstructured text comment data, the natural language processing (NLP) method based on machine learning was applied in this paper. The measurement results show 15 abstracts in five consumer perceived risks to EVs. Among them, the largest number of comments is that of “Technology Maturity” (A13) which reached 25,329, and which belongs to the “Performance Risk” (PR1) dimension, indicating that customers are most concerned about the performance risk of EVs. Then, in the “Social Risk” (PR5) dimension, the abstract “Social Needs” (A51) received only 3224 comments and “Preference and Trust Rank” (A52) reached 22,324 comments; this noticeable gap indicated the changes in how consumers perceived EVs social risks. Moreover, each dimension’s emotion analysis results showed that negative emotions are more than 40%, exceeding neutral or positive emotions. Importantly, customers have the strongest negative emotions about the “Time Risk” (PR4), accounting for 54%. On a finer scale, the top three negative emotions are “Charging Time” (A42), “EV Charging Facilities” (A41), and “Maintenance of Value” (A33). Another interesting result is that “Social Needs” (A51)’s positive emotional comments were larger than negative emotional comments. The paper provides substantial evidence for perceived risk theory research by new data and methods. It can provide a novel tool for multi-dimensional and fine-granular capture customers’ perceived risks and negative emotions. Thus, it has the potential to help government and enterprises to adjust promotional strategies in a timely manner to reduce higher perceived risks and emotions, accelerating the sustainable development of EVs’ consumption market in China.
Suppression of Rotor-Grounding Bearing Currents Based on Matching Stator and Rotor Grounding Impedances
Authors: Yang Lei , Yang Ying , Wen Junfu , Jia Lei , Yang Erle , Liu Ruifang
Published: February 2022

Pulse-width modulation (PWM) inverter drive systems are widely applied in industry for their great speed-control characteristics and performance. However, the common-mode voltage of the inverter induces motor bearing voltage and bearing current, which result in premature bearing failure. In this paper, the influence of stator and rotor grounding impedances on the bearing voltage of the motor is investigated. A comprehensive bearing-current equivalent model circuit is proposed. Based on circuit analysis, the relationship between bearing voltage ratio (BVR) and grounding impedances is derived, showing that bearing voltage varies with the stator grounding impedance on a V-shaped surface. The minimum BVR appears at some specific combinations of the stator and rotor grounding impedance. Based on this, a method of suppression of rotor-grounding bearing currents based on matching the stator and rotor grounding impedances is proposed. The analytical results are verified by experimental results and show that the bearing voltage can be mitigated by matching the grounding impedances in a proper range.
Managing the Effluents of Anaerobic Fermentations by Bioprocess Schemes Involving Membrane Bioreactors and Bio-Electrochemical Systems: A Mini-Review
Authors: Szelényi Gábor Z. , Kurdi Róbert , Nemestóthy Nándor , Bélafi-Bakó Katalin , Bakonyi Péter
Published: February 2022

Anaerobic bioprocesses, such as anaerobic digestion and dark fermentation, provide energy carriers in the form of methane and hydrogen gases, respectively. However, their wastewater-type residues, that is, the fermentation effluents, must be treated carefully due to the incomplete and non-selective conversion of organic matter fed to the actual system. For these reasons, the effluents contain various secondary metabolites and unutilized substrate, in most cases. Only a fraction of anaerobic effluents can be directly applied for fertilization under a moderate climate. Conventional wastewater treatment technologies may be used to clean the remainder, but that approach leads to a net loss of energy and of potentially useful agricultural input materials (organic carbon and NPK fertilizer substitutes). The rationale of this paper is to provide an overview of promising new research results in anaerobic effluent management strategies as a part of technological downstream that could fit the concept of new-generation biorefinery schemes aiming towards zero-waste discharge, while keeping in mind environmental protection, as well as economical perspectives. According to the literature, the effluents of the two above processes can be treated and valorized relying either on membrane bioreactors (in case of anaerobic digestion) or bio-electrochemical apparatus (for dark fermentation). In this work, relevant findings in the literature will be reviewed and analyzed to demonstrate the possibilities, challenges, and useful technical suggestions for realizing enhanced anaerobic effluent management. Both membrane technology and bio-electrochemical systems have the potential to improve the quality of anaerobic effluents, either separately or in combination as an integrated system.
Contemporary Problems in Combustion—Fuels, Their Valorisation, Emissions, Flexibility and Auxiliary Systems
Authors: Ochodek Tadeáš , Karampinis Emmanouil , Pozarlik Artur
Published: February 2022

This Special Issue is dedicated to the XXIV Symposium on Combustion Processes (23–25 September 2019, Wrocław, Poland), which is an official symposium of the Polish Section of the Combustion Institute that takes place every two years [...]
Data–Driven Fault Diagnosis and Cause Analysis of Battery Pack with Real Data
Authors: Yang Jian , Jung Jaewook , Ghorbanpour Samira , Han Sekyung
Published: February 2022

Owing to the increasing use of electric vehicles (EVs), the demand for lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries is rising. In this light, an essential factor governing the safety and efficiency of electric vehicles is the proper diagnosis of battery errors. In this article, we address the detection of battery problems by using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) method and the order of cell voltages to enhance EV performance. Furthermore, we propose a framework for diagnosing problems with battery packs, which could be used to detect abnormal behavior. The proposed method calculates ICC values based on the terminal voltages extracted from a caravan battery pack. These ICC values are then used to determine whether the battery has a defect. In addition, the order of cell voltages is used to analyze the causes of faults. Furthermore, we conducted experiments to investigate and evaluate battery cell faults in EVs. The experimental results indicate that the proposed approach can be used to detect battery cell faults accurately.
Well Test Analysis of Inclined Wells in the Low-Permeability Composite Gas Reservoir Considering the Non-Darcy Flow
Authors: Li Haoyuan , Zhang Qi , Wei Keying , Zeng Yuan , Zhu Yushuang
Published: February 2022

The application of traditional well test interpretation methods cannot comprehensively consider characteristics of stress sensitivity and non-Darcy flow for low-permeability composite gas reservoirs, which makes it difficult to obtain real reservoir parameters. Based on the micro-mechanism analysis of stress sensitivity and non-Darcy flow in low-permeability gas reservoirs, the flow motion equation was improved. Thus, a mathematical model was established which belongs to the inclined well in the composite gas reservoir with a conventional internal zone and low-permeability external zone. Applying the finite element method to solve the flow model through Matlab programming, the equivalent pressure point was selected to research the pressure distribution of the inclined well. On this basis, the bottom hole pressure dynamic curve was drawn, the flow process was divided into seven stages, and the parameter sensitivity analysis was carried out. Finally, the advanced nature of the new model applied to the interpretation of the well test model is compared by conventional methods. The non-Darcy flow can cause the gradual upward warping of the bottom hole pressure dynamic curve in the later stage, and non-linear enhancement leads to an increase in the upturn through the simulation test. When the inclination angle is greater than 60°, early vertical radial flow and mid-term linear flow gradually appear. A decrease leads to a shorter duration of the pseudo radial flow in the internal zone and the radius of the internal zone. The conduction coefficients ratio of internal and external zones affects the pseudo pressure derivative curve slope in transition phase of pseudo radial flow in the internal and external zones. A comprehensive consideration of the low-permeability composite gas reservoir flow characteristics can improve the fitting degree of the pressure curves. Not only that, but it can also solve the strong diversification of reservoir parameters. Results have a guiding significance for low-permeability composite gas reservoir development and pressure dynamic evaluation in inclined wells.
Using Finite Element Method for Stress-Strain Evaluation of Commonly Used Buried Pipelines in Fault
Authors: Tan Ning , Zhou Liang , Zheng Weibo , Song Honglin , Sun Zhibin , Wang Zhiyin , Wang Guisheng , Wang Guanjun , Zhang Liming , Zhou Xingyu
Published: February 2022

In different kinds of buried pipelines, L245 and L360 are the most used which are chosen by the China Pipeline Design Institute. For studying the stress and deformation characteristics of buried pipelines with different specifications across faults, this paper established a physical model of cross-fault buried pipelines and a finite element model of pipelines crossing the fault zone, which adopts the finite element method and ANSYS software. The models take pipeline material, soil material, grid division, load application method, and other factors into consideration, concentrating on the nonlinear solution of L245 and L360 buried pipelines under the condition of strike-slip fault soil. The results illustrate that pipelines with larger diameters are more conducive to resisting the stress and deformation caused by faults. Moreover, the strain and dislocation amount of the pipeline increases with the increase of the dislocation amount when a fault occurs. Furthermore, the resistance is optimal when the angle of intersection between the fault and the pipe is 60, while further research and analysis are needed for special cases. This work can provide a direction for the optimization of parameters for pipeline design especially strain-based design.
Control Strategy of Interlinking Converter in Hybrid Microgrid Based on Line Impedance Estimation
Authors: Wang Can , Deng Can , Li Guiyuan
Published: February 2022

Due to the voltage drop of the line impedance, power-transfer deviation occurs in the interlinking converter (IC) of hybrid microgrids. In this paper, an IC control strategy in hybrid microgrids is proposed, which can estimate the line resistance precisely. Moreover, the proposed method can easily realize accurate power transmission between sub-grids and maintain the power balance of hybrid microgrid. Firstly, one specified small signal is injected into the IC at the AC bus of the distributed generation so as to estimate the line impedance. The frequency of the injected small signal is highly relevant to the AC bus voltage. As a result, the IC can accurately detect its line impedance by extracting the injected small signal frequency with a filter and phase-lock-loop (PLL) without communication. Secondly, with the line impedance estimation, the voltage drop on the line can be compensated with local information of the IC, and consequently, accurate power transfer can be realized. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is verified by simulation and experiment results.
Technical and Economic Assessment of Supermarket and Power Substation Waste Heat Integration into Existing District Heating Systems
Authors: Dorotić Hrvoje , Čuljak Kristijan , Miškić Josip , Pukšec Tomislav , Duić Neven
Published: February 2022

District heating systems are almost always located in densely populated urban areas where various heat sources are available, such as cooling and refrigeration systems in supermarkets, shopping malls, and power transformers. These urban sources often have a large share of waste heat, which is usually emitted into the environment. This waste heat could be used to partially cover the thermal load in district heating systems. The biggest challenge for their integration is the spatial distribution of urban heat sources in relation to the existing heat network and the temporal distribution of the availability of waste heat energy throughout the year. In this paper, we have developed an economic assessment model for the integration of urban heat sources into existing district heating systems. By the hourly merit order of waste heat utilization technologies based on pinch analysis, we have defined the most suitable integration of urban heat sources into existing district heating systems. Different temperature regimes of the urban source and the existing heat network have been considered. Finally, the method was tested on the case study of a supermarket and power substation located in Zagreb, while the sensitivity analysis was carried out with a focus on various technical and economic boundary conditions.
Diagnosis of Chromosome 15q-Terminal Deletion Syndrome through Elevated Fasting Serum Growth Hormone Levels
Authors: Ono Masato , Tanaka Masato , Hiroshima Shota , Sawano Kentaro , Ogawa Yohei , Nagasaki Keisuke , Saitoh Akihiko
Published: February 2022

Chromosome 15q26-qter deletion syndrome is a rare disease that causes prenatal and postnatal growth retardation, microcephaly, developmental delay, and congenital heart diseases, mainly due to haploinsufficiency of IGF1R. In addition, patients with pathogenic variants of the IGF1R show similar symptoms. We report the case of a 5-month-old girl with prenatal and postnatal growth retardation, microcephaly, and congenital heart disease. At 5 months of age, her length was 54.7 cm (−4.3 SD), her weight was 4.4 kg (−3.1 SD), and her head circumference was 37.4 cm (−2.8 SD), thus presenting severe growth retardation. Repeated pre-feeding serum GH levels were abnormally high (26.1–85.5 ng/mL), and IGF-1 levels (+0.16 to +1.2 SD) were relatively high. The 15q sub-telomere fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis revealed a heterozygous deletion in the 15q terminal region. Whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism microarray analysis showed a terminal deletion of 6.4 Mb on 15q26.2q26.3. This is the first report showing that fasting GH levels are high in early infancy in patients with IGF1R abnormalities. In addition to relatively high IGF-1 levels, elevated fasting GH levels in early infancy may contribute to the diagnosis of IGF1R abnormalities.
Analysis of Regional Efficiency in the Use of the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (FEMP) in the Eurozone Countries
Authors: Blanco Miguel , Bares Lydia , Ferasso Marcos
Published: February 2022

The European Union (EU) launched the Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) in the 1970s. Currently, a large part of the CFP has been financed with the European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (FEMP). This research aims to determine whether there is a high degree of homogeneity in the levels of efficiency achieved by the fishing projects financed by European Funds for the period 2014 to 2020. The Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) methodology was adopted. The main results showed that there is a high degree of heterogeneity in the level of efficiency achieved by European countries during the analyzed period. Moreover, despite the fact that regional efficiency has been increasing during the years under study, territorial disparities persist over time. This research provides a contribution for policymakers targeting better use of the FEMP funds for the upcoming funding package 2021–2027.
Hermite-Hadamard Fractional Integral Inequalities via Abel-Gontscharoff Green’s Function
Authors: Li Yixia , Samraiz Muhammad , Gul Ayesha , Vivas-Cortez Miguel , Rahman Gauhar
Published: February 2022

The Hermite-Hadamard inequalities for κ-Riemann-Liouville fractional integrals (R-LFI) are presented in this study using a relatively novel approach based on Abel-Gontscharoff Green’s function. In this new technique, we first established some integral identities. Such identities are used to obtain new results for monotonic functions whose second derivative is convex (concave) in absolute value. Some previously published inequalities are obtained as special cases of our main results. Various applications of our main consequences are also explored to special means and trapezoid-type formulae.
Heat Production from Single Fracture Hot Dry Rock, Applications for EGS Reservoir Design
Authors: Su Zheng , Zhai Haizhen
Published: February 2022

A new analytical solution for the thermal-hydraulic coupling process is derived with a 1-D steady state conductive heat flow in the body of hot rock with perpendicular water flow in the single fracture and transient heat transfer from rock to water. The heat produced from the hot rock via water flow in the idealized single fracture is demonstrated by arithmetic equations. The applicability of the analytical solution is verified by numerical calculations and is limited to conditions with fast water flow rates or high water flux and long fluid pathways. The lifetime of an EGS reservoir in these reference conditions is 23.2 years and is confined by the produced water temperature of 150 °C for commercial utilization. The heat recovery factor is 12.4%. With a power plant capacity of 5 Mw installed, the total area for extracting recoverable heat within the projected lifetime of a fracture surface of 1.58 × 106 m2 was determined. The total mass flow rate of water injected into the large fracture was 57 kg/s. The discussion shows the ability of the model to estimate heat production and reservoir scale.
Effects of Mobile-Based Rehabilitation in Adolescent Football Players with Recurrent Lateral Ankle Sprains during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Qu Xiaobo , Li Kai , Nam Sangcheul
Published: February 2022

Football is a sport involving dynamic movements, and ankle sprains are common sports injuries experienced by football players. Ankle sprains exhibit a high recurrence rate, and rehabilitation training is effective; however, expert-supervised rehabilitation (SVR) at training centers is difficult due to the recent COVID-19 pandemic. This study investigated the effects of mobile-based rehabilitation (MBR) performed at home by high school football players. Sixty players (SVR: 30 and MBR: 30) with recurrent ankle sprains were analyzed. The rehabilitation program consisted of strength and balance training, and the training intensity was gradually increased from week 1 to week 8. The SVR group underwent training at the center with experts, and the BMR group were provided with programs and feedback using mobile devices. Ankle muscle strength was evaluated by measuring isometric eversion, inversion, plantarflexion, and dorsiflexion contraction using a hand-held dynamometer, and dynamic balance was assessed using the Y-balance test (YBT; anterior, posteromedial, and posterolateral); the Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) was used for the subjective evaluation. Measurements were conducted at weeks 1, 4, and 8. The patients visited the clinic within 1 week after the injury, and the first test was conducted after consent to participate in the research. Patients underwent the second test at an average of 3.2 weeks after the first test, and the last test at an average of 4.4 weeks after the second test. Although only the SVR group exhibited improvement in strength (eversion and dorsiflexion), YBT and subjective satisfaction at week 4, these measurements improved in both the SVR and MBR groups at week 8. Therefore, mobile–based rehabilitation could be a suitable alternative for high school athletes with ankle sprains who cannot undergo supervised rehabilitation.
Virtual Faculty and Peer Mentoring to Promote Social Belonging among Minoritized Physical Therapist and Nursing Students
Authors: Naidoo Keshrie , Plummer Laura , McKean Martha , Mack Amanda , Bowdle Garrett Kelley , Mullins Margaret Anne , Gore Shweta
Published: February 2022

Minoritized health sciences students report experiencing social isolation and discrimination, and cite the lack of faculty representation as barriers to their success. While virtual mentoring can increase sense of belonging and connectedness, these effects have not been examined in minoritized health sciences students. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether virtual mentoring from faculty and peers could decrease social isolation and promote social belonging among minoritized first-year physical therapy and nursing students. Using a mixed methods explanatory sequential design, racial and ethnic minority physical therapy and nursing students (n = 8) received virtual mentoring and attended virtual networking events while students from across the health profession programs served as a comparison group (n = 16). While virtual mentoring relationships took longer to establish, there was an increase in satisfaction with mentoring for the intervention group compared with no improvement for the comparison group who received traditional academic advising. Qualitative data analysis revealed that mentors served as role models who had overcome barriers and persevered, decreasing feelings of isolation, and bolstering mentee confidence. A virtual multiple-mentor model can decrease isolation and promote social belonging for minoritized students and offer support for students even after the pandemic.