bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Health Impact of PM2.5 Exposure by Using WRF-Chem Model in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal
Authors: Tuladhar Avalokita , Manandhar Palistha , Shrestha Kundan Lal
Published: June 2021

PM2.5 is one of the major air pollutants in Kathmandu Valley, and its emission and the unique atmospheric condition of the valley make it significantly hazardous to human health. The air pollution due to particulate matter is a major health issue with numerous negative impacts on us. This research aims to quantify the health impacts of PM2.5 exposure on the population of Kathmandu Valley. The ambient PM2.5 concentration of Kathmandu Valley was simulated using WRF-Chem model by using a horizontal grid resolution of 3 × 3 km. The concentration obtained from WRF-Chem was used as input in the health equation of an intervention model to quantify the health impacts. This quantitative assessment of atmospheric pollution was applied to evaluate the human exposure to PM2.5 in Kathmandu Valley. PM2.5 concentration and its distribution in the valley along with the ward-wise population distribution were used to find the health impact of the particulate matter in December 2019 in Kathmandu Valley. Exposure analysis using the model showed that 19 people could die due to lung cancer and 175 people could die due to all cause diseases except accidents due to PM2.5 exposure in December 2019. It was estimated that the reduction in the PM2.5 level by half in the valley reduces the monthly mortality by 51.4%. Hence, the exposure analysis of the particulate matter on the urban population could be improved by using air quality models in order to solve the health problems arising from air pollution.
Space Aquaculture: Prospects for Raising Aquatic Vertebrates in a Bioregenerative Life-Support System on a Lunar Base
Authors: Przybyla Cyrille
Published: June 2021

The presence of a human community on the Moon or on Mars for long-term residence would require setting up a production unit allowing partial or total food autonomy. One of the major objectives of a bioregenerative life-support system is to provide food sources for crewed missions using in situ resources and converting these into the food necessary to sustain life in space. The nutritive quality of aquatic organisms makes them prospective candidates to supplement the nutrients supplied by photosynthetic organisms already studied in the context of space missions. To this end, it is relevant to study the potential of fish to be the first vertebrate reared in the framework of space agriculture. This article investigates the prospects of space aquaculture through an overview of the principal space missions involving fish in low orbit and a detailed presentation of the results to date of the Lunar Hatch program, which is studying the possibility of space aquaculture. A promising avenue is recirculating aquaculture systems and integrated multi-trophic aquaculture, which recycles fish waste to convert it into food. In this sense, the development and application of space aquaculture shares the same objectives with sustainable aquaculture on Earth, and thus could indirectly participate in the preservation of our planet.
Injuries and Training Practices in Competitive Adolescent Distance Runners: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Mann Robert H. , McKay Carly D. , Clift Bryan C. , Williams Craig A. , Barker Alan R.
Published: June 2021

Background: Distance running is one of the most popular sports around the world. The epidemiology of running-related injury (RRI) has been investigated in adults, but few studies have focused on adolescent distance runners.

Objectives: (1) To provide descriptive epidemiology of RRI (risks, rates, body regions/areas, and severity) and examine the training practices (frequency, volume, and intensity) of competitive adolescent distance runners (13–18 years) in England, and (2) to describe potential risk factors of RRI.

Methods: A cross-sectional study design was used. Adolescent distance runners (n = 113) were recruited from England Athletics affiliated clubs. Participants voluntarily completed an online questionnaire between April and December 2018. At the time of completion, responses were based on the participant's previous 12-months of distance running participation. Incidence proportions (IP) and incidence rates (IR) were calculated.

Results: The IP for “all RRI” was 68% (95% CI: 60–77), while the IR was 6.3/1,000 participation hours (95% CI: 5.3–7.4). The most commonly injured body areas were the knee, foot/toes, and lower leg; primarily caused by overuse. The number of training sessions per week (i.e., frequency) significantly increased with chronological age, while a large proportion of participants (58%) self-reported a high level of specialisation.

Conclusions: RRI is common in competitive adolescent distance runners. These descriptive data provide guidance for the development of RRI prevention measures. However, analytical epidemiology is required to provide better insight into potential RRI risk factors in this specific population.
Rectoperineal Fistula Presented 5 Months After Repair of Severe Obstetric Perineal Laceration: A Case Report
Authors: Ohara Yusuke , Enomoto Tsuyoshi , Owada Yohei , Hisakura Katsuji , Akashi Yoshimasa , Ogawa Koichi , Doi Manami , Takahashi Kazuhiro , Shimomura Osamu , Furuya Kinji , Kim Jaejeong , Hashimoto Shinji , Ohara Rena , Obata-Yasuoka Mana , Hamada Hiromi , Oda Tatsuya
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Obstetric severe perineal laceration can frequently occur as a surgical site infection (SSI), which sometimes leads to rectovaginal fistula after repair. We encountered a rare case of a rectoperineal fistula 5 months after repair of a severe perineal laceration.

Case presentation: The patient was a 39-year-old woman who underwent repair of a fourth-degree perineal laceration after vaginal delivery. Five months after primary repair, she presented with perineal swelling and pain followed by uncontrollable flatulence or passage of feces at the perineum, which was finally diagnosed as a rectoperineal fistula. Transperineal repair with fistulous tract excision was performed for the rectoperineal fistula. Closure of the rectum, perineal body, and vagina was performed layer-by-layer constructing a thick perineum to prevent anal dysfunction. The fistula was successfully closed, and the patient did not show any symptoms of fecal incontinence 6 months after surgery.

Discussion: As the rectoperineal fistula might have resulted in SSI at the primary repair of the obstetric injury, the delayed occurrence of the rectoperineal fistula was unusual. A perineal approach should be performed for complete fistulous tract excision, reconstruction of a robust perineal structure, and preservation of anal sphincter function.
In vivo Analysis of the Resistance of the Meshes to Escherichia coli Infection
Authors: Xu Xinsen , Zhan Ming , Li Xinxing , Chen Tao , Yang Linhua
Published: June 2021

Background: The mesh infection is mostly related to the gram-negative bacteria, such as Escherichia coli (E. coli) for emergency surgery of incarcerated hernia. However, few study investigated the effects of E. coli concentration, mesh materials and antibiotic prophylaxis on mesh infection after hernioplasty. The aim of this study was to evaluate the bacterial resistance to E. coli for three different materials of mesh, and to measure the minimum E. coli concentration for mesh infection with and without antibiotic prophylaxis in a rat model.

Methods: Three types of mesh (polytetrafluoroethylene, polypropylene, and biologic meshes) were used in the repair of an acute ventral hernia rat model in the setting of different concentrations of E. coli loads and antibiotics. At the 8th day after surgery, mesh samples were sent for microbiologic and histologic analyses.

Results: The positive rates of bacterial culture increased with E. coli concentration. The biologic mesh showed better bacterial resistance compared to polytetrafluoroethylene mesh and polypropylene mesh when the concentration of E. coli ranges from 106 CFU/ml to 108 CFU/ml (P = 0.002 and P = 0.029, respectively). Prophylactical ceftriaxone treatment could not decrease the colonization rate of E. coli at 106 CFU/ml or 108 CFU/ml in each group (P > 0.05). The scores of neovascularization in polypropylene mesh and biologic mesh were similar, which was higher than that of polytetrafluoroethylene mesh (P < 0.05). Compared with other meshes, biologic mesh showed better tolerance to 106 CFU/ml E. coli with respect to inflammation, depth of inflammation, neovascularization, cellular repopulation and foreign body giant cells.

Conclusion: The biologic mesh had better E. coli resistance compared to polytetrafluoroethylene mesh and polypropylene mesh when the E. coli concentration is higher than 106 CFU/ml in rats. Antibiotic prophylaxis was useful when the contamination was not particularly severe.
Estimation of the Basic Reproduction Numbers of the Subtypes H5N1, H5N8, and H5N6 During the Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza Epidemic Spread Between Farms
Authors: Kim Woo-Hyun , Cho Seongbeom
Published: June 2021

It is important to understand pathogen transmissibility in a population to establish an effective disease prevention policy. The basic reproduction number (R0) is an epidemiologic parameter for understanding the characterization of disease and its dynamics in a population. We aimed to estimate theR0of the highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) subtypes H5N1, H5N8, and H5N6, which were associated with nine outbreaks in Korea between 2003 and 2018, to understand the epidemic transmission of each subtype. According to HPAI outbreak reports of the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency, we estimated the generation time by calculating the time of infection between confirmed HPAI-positive farms. We constructed exponential growth and maximum likelihood (ML) models to estimate the basic reproduction number, which assumes the number of secondary cases infected by the index case. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used to analyze the epidemic statistics between subtypes. The estimated generation time of H5N1, H5N8, and H5N6 were 4.80 days [95% confidence interval (CI) 4.23–5.38] days, 7.58 (95% CI 6.63–8.46), and 5.09 days (95% CI 4.44–5.74), respectively. A pairwise comparison showed that the generation time of H5N8 was significantly longer than that of the subtype H5N1 (P= 0.04). Based on the ML model,R0was estimated as 1.69 (95% CI 1.48–2.39) for subtype H5N1, 1.60 (95%CI 0.97–2.23) for subtype H5N8, and 1.49 (95%CI 0.94–2.04) for subtype H5N6. We concluded thatR0estimates may be associated with the poultry product system, climate, species specificity based on the HPAI virus subtype, and prevention policy. This study provides an insight on the transmission and dynamics patterns of various subtypes of HPAI occurring worldwide. Furthermore, the results are useful as scientific evidence for establishing a disease control policy.
Comparison of the Glaesserella parasuis Virulence in Mice and Piglets
Authors: Qi Baichuan , Li Feiyue , Chen Kunpeng , Ding Wenwen , Xue Yun , Wang Yang , Wang Hongwei , Ding Ke , Zhao Zhanqin
Published: June 2021

In this study, we compared the virulence of the most common serovars of Glaesserella parasuis in China, serovars 4, 5, 12, and 13 (36 strains in total) in BALB/c mice and piglets. In mice, the median lethal doses (LD50s) of the four serovars were roughly 9.80 × 107–4.60 × 109 CFU, 2.10 × 108–8.85 × 109 CFU, 4.81 × 107–7.01 × 109 CFU, and 1.75 × 108–8.45 × 108 CFU, respectively. Serovar 13 showed the strongest virulence, followed by serovar 4, serovar 12, and serovar 5, but a significant difference in virulence was only observed between serovars 5 and 13. The virulence of strains of the same serovars differed significantly in piglets. Virulent and attenuated strains were present in all serovars, but serovar 5 was the most virulent in piglets, followed by serovars 13, 4, and 12. A significant difference in virulence was observed between serovars 5 and 4 and between serovars 5 and 12. However, the virulence of serovars 5 and 13 did not differ significantly. This comprehensive analysis of G. parasuis virulence in mice and piglets demonstrated that: (1) the order of virulence of the four domestic epidemic serovars (from strongest to weakest) in piglets was serovars 5, 13, 4, and 12; (2) both virulent and attenuated strains were present in all serovars, so virulence did not necessarily correlate with serovar; (3) Although G. parasuis was fatal in BALB/c mice, its virulence is inconsistent with that in piglets, indicating that BALB/c mice are inadequate as an alternative model of G. parasuis infection.
Detection of Antibodies Against Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus and Other Flaviviruses in a Zoological Collection in Slovenia
Authors: Kvapil Pavel , Račnik Joško , Kastelic Marjan , Pittermannová Pavlína , Avšič-Zupanc Tatjana , Bártová Eva , Sedlák Kamil
Published: June 2021

Monitoring infectious diseases is one of the most important pillars of preventative veterinary medicine in zoological collections. The zoo environment offers a great variety of different animal species living in proximity and in contact with small wild animals and vectors (e.g., ticks and mosquitos). In this context, tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV), Usutu virus (USUV), and West Nile virus (WNV) causing vector-borne diseases are emerging pathogens that raise concern. The aim of the study was to detect antibodies to selected flaviviruses in various animal species in the Ljubljana Zoo, Slovenia. In total, 874 sera from 96 animal species were tested for antibodies to TBEV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA); positive samples were confirmed by a virus neutralization test (VNT) using TBEV, WNV, and USUV antigens. Antibodies to TBEV were detected by ELISA in 3.9% (34/874) of zoo animals, with 4% (30/753) in mammals and 5% (4/86) in birds; the sera of reptiles (n = 34) and amphibians (n = 1) were negative. Antibodies to TBEV were confirmed by VNT in 11 mammals; one bird was positive for both WNV and USUV. The mixture of exotic animal species and their contact with wild animals and vectors such as ticks and mosquitos suggest that screening of infectious diseases in zoo animals might provide good insight into the epizootological situation of the area. This is the first survey of TBEV, WNV, and USUV in a zoological collection in Slovenia.
Fact-Checking Reasoning System for Fake Review Detection Using Answer Set Programming
Authors: Jnoub Nour , Brankovic Admir , Klas Wolfgang
Published: June 2021

A rising number of people use online reviews to choose if they want to use or buy a service or product. Therefore, approaches for identifying fake reviews are in high request. This paper proposes a hybrid rule-based fact-checking framework based on Answer Set Programming (ASP) and natural language processing. The paper incorporates the behavioral patterns of reviewers combined with the qualitative and quantitative properties/features extracted from the content of their reviews. As a case study, we evaluated the framework using a movie review dataset, consisting of user accounts with their associated reviews, including the review title, content, and the star rating of the movie, to identify reviews that are not trustworthy and labeled them accordingly in the output. This output is then used in the front end of a movie review platform to tag reviews as fake and show their sentiment. The evaluation of the proposed approach showed promising results and high flexibility.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Molecular Mechanisms, Biomarkers, and Therapeutic Strategies
Authors: Yang Xiaoming , Ji Yanan , Wang Wei , Zhang Lilei , Chen Zehao , Yu Miaomei , Shen Yuntian , Ding Fei , Gu Xiaosong , Sun Hualin
Published: June 2021

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a neurodegenerative disease with the progressive loss of motor neurons, leading to a fatal paralysis. According to whether there is a family history of ALS, ALS can be roughly divided into two types: familial and sporadic. Despite decades of research, the pathogenesis of ALS is still unelucidated. To this end, we review the recent progress of ALS pathogenesis, biomarkers, and treatment strategies, mainly discuss the roles of immune disorders, redox imbalance, autophagy dysfunction, and disordered iron homeostasis in the pathogenesis of ALS, and introduce the effects of RNA binding proteins, ALS-related genes, and non-coding RNA as biomarkers on ALS. In addition, we also mention other ALS biomarkers such as serum uric acid (UA), cardiolipin (CL), chitotriosidase (CHIT1), and neurofilament light chain (NFL). Finally, we discuss the drug therapy, gene therapy, immunotherapy, and stem cell-exosomal therapy for ALS, attempting to find new therapeutic targets and strategies. A challenge is to study the various mechanisms of ALS as a syndrome. Biomarkers that have been widely explored are indispensable for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of ALS. Moreover, the development of new genes and targets is an urgent task in this field.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extracts Modulate the Inflammatory Ability of Murine Dendritic Cells Based on Their Polyphenols Pattern: Correlation between Chemical Composition and Biological Function
Authors: De Santis Stefania , Liso Marina , Verna Giulio , Curci Francesca , Milani Gualtiero , Faienza Maria Felicia , Franchini Carlo , Moschetta Antonio , Chieppa Marcello , Clodoveo Maria Lisa , Crupi Pasquale , Corbo Filomena
Published: June 2021

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) represents one of the most important health-promoting foods whose antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities are mainly associated to its polyphenols content. To date, studies exploring the effect of EVOO polyphenols on dendritic cells (DCs), acting as a crosstalk between the innate and the adaptive immune response, are scanty. Therefore, we studied the ability of three EVOO extracts (cv. Coratina, Cima di Mola/Coratina, and Casaliva), characterized by different polyphenols amount, to regulate DCs maturation in resting conditions or after an inflammatory stimulus. Cima di Mola/Coratina and Casaliva extracts were demonstrated to be the most effective in modulating DCs toward an anti-inflammatory profile by reduction of TNF and IL-6 secretion and CD86 expression, along with a down-modulation of Il-1β and iNOS expression. From factorial analysis results, 9 polyphenols were tentatively established to play a synergistic role in modulating DCs inflammatory ability, thus reducing the risk of chronic inflammation.
Energy Minimization Scheme for Split Potential Systems Using Exponential Variational Integrators
Authors: Kosmas Odysseas
Published: June 2021

In previous works we developed a methodology of deriving variational integrators to provide numerical solutions of systems having oscillatory behavior. These schemes use exponential functions to approximate the intermediate configurations and velocities, which are then placed into the discrete Lagrangian function characterizing the physical system. We afterwards proved that, higher order schemes can be obtained through the corresponding discrete Euler–Lagrange equations and the definition of a weighted sum of “continuous intermediate Lagrangians” each of them evaluated at an intermediate time node. In the present article, we extend these methods so as to include Lagrangians of split potential systems, namely, to address cases when the potential function can be decomposed into several components. Rather than using many intermediate points for the complete Lagrangian, in this work we introduce different numbers of intermediate points, resulting within the context of various reliable quadrature rules, for the various potentials. Finally, we assess the accuracy, convergence and computational time of the proposed technique by testing and comparing them with well known standards.
Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis with Gene Therapy Applications: Biosafety and Bioethical Considerations
Authors: Tsitrouli Zinovia , Akritidou Maria-Anna , Genitsaris Savvas , Willigen Gijsbert van
Published: June 2021

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune and inflammatory disease that affects the synovium (lining that surrounds the joints), causing the immune system to attack its own healthy tissues. Treatment options, to the current day, have serious limitations and merely offer short-term alleviation to the pain. Using a theoretical exercise based on literature, a new potentially viable therapy has been proposed. The new therapy focusses on a long-term treatment of RA based on gene therapy, which is only active when inflammation of the joint occurs. This treatment will prevent side effects of systemic application of drugs. Furthermore, the benefits of this treatment for the patient from a socio-economic perspective has been discussed, focusing on the quality of life of the patent and lower costs for the society.
Telomerase and Pluripotency Factors Jointly Regulate Stemness in Pancreatic Cancer Stem Cells
Authors: Walter Karolin , Rodriguez-Aznar Eva , Ferreira Monica S. Ventura , Frappart Pierre-Olivier , Dittrich Tabea , Tiwary Kanishka , Meessen Sabine , Lerma Laura , Daiss Nora , Schulte Lucas-Alexander , Najafova Zeynab , Arnold Frank , Usachov Valentyn , Azoitei Ninel , Erkan Mert , Lechel Andre , Brümmendorf Tim H. , Seufferlein Thomas , Kleger Alexander , Tabarés Enrique , Günes Cagatay , Johnsen Steven A. , Beier Fabian , Sainz Bruno , Hermann Patrick C.
Published: June 2021

To assess the role of telomerase activity and telomere length in pancreatic CSCs we used different CSC enrichment methods (CD133, ALDH, sphere formation) in primary patient-derived pancreatic cancer cells. We show that CSCs have higher telomerase activity and longer telomeres than bulk tumor cells. Inhibition of telomerase activity, using genetic knockdown or pharmacological inhibitor (BIBR1532), resulted in CSC marker depletion, abrogation of sphere formation in vitro and reduced tumorigenicity in vivo. Furthermore, we identify a positive feedback loop between stemness factors (NANOG, OCT3/4, SOX2, KLF4) and telomerase, which is essential for the self-renewal of CSCs. Disruption of the balance between telomerase activity and stemness factors eliminates CSCs via induction of DNA damage and apoptosis in primary patient-derived pancreatic cancer samples, opening future perspectives to avoid CSC-driven tumor relapse. In the present study, we demonstrate that telomerase regulation is critical for the “stemness” maintenance in pancreatic CSCs and examine the effects of telomerase inhibition as a potential treatment option of pancreatic cancer. This may significantly promote our understanding of PDAC tumor biology and may result in improved treatment for pancreatic cancer patients.
Integrative Analysis of Next-Generation Sequencing for Next-Generation Cancer Research toward Artificial Intelligence
Authors: Park Youngjun , Heider Dominik , Hauschild Anne-Christin
Published: June 2021

The rapid improvement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies and their application in large-scale cohorts in cancer research led to common challenges of big data. It opened a new research area incorporating systems biology and machine learning. As large-scale NGS data accumulated, sophisticated data analysis methods became indispensable. In addition, NGS data have been integrated with systems biology to build better predictive models to determine the characteristics of tumors and tumor subtypes. Therefore, various machine learning algorithms were introduced to identify underlying biological mechanisms. In this work, we review novel technologies developed for NGS data analysis, and we describe how these computational methodologies integrate systems biology and omics data. Subsequently, we discuss how deep neural networks outperform other approaches, the potential of graph neural networks (GNN) in systems biology, and the limitations in NGS biomedical research. To reflect on the various challenges and corresponding computational solutions, we will discuss the following three topics: (i) molecular characteristics, (ii) tumor heterogeneity, and (iii) drug discovery. We conclude that machine learning and network-based approaches can add valuable insights and build highly accurate models. However, a well-informed choice of learning algorithm and biological network information is crucial for the success of each specific research question.
Absolute Configuration Sensing of Chiral Aryl- and Aryloxy-Propionic Acids by Biphenyl Chiroptical Probes
Authors: Vergura Stefania , Orlando Stefano , Scafato Patrizia , Belviso Sandra , Superchi Stefano
Published: June 2021

The absolute configuration of chiral 2-aryl and 2-aryloxy propionic acids, which are among the most common chiral environmental pollutants, has been readily and reliably established by either electronic circular dichroism spectroscopy or optical rotation measurements employing suitably designed 4,4′-disubstituted biphenyl probes. In fact, the 4,4′-biphenyl substitution gives rise to a red shift of the diagnostic electronic circular dichroism signal of the biphenyl A band employed for the configuration assignment, removing its overlap with other interfering dichroic bands and allowing its clear sign identification. The largest A band red shift, and thus the most reliable results, are obtained by employing as a probe the 4,4′-dinitro substituted biphenylazepine 3c. The method was applied to the absolute configuration assignment of 2-arylpropionic acids ibuprofen (1a), naproxen (1b), ketoprofen (1c) and flurbiprofen (1d), as well as to the 2-aryloxypropionic acids 2-phenoxypropionic acid (2a) and 2-naphthoxypropionic acid (2b). This approach, allowing us to reveal the sample’s absolute configuration by simple optical rotation measurements, is potentially applicable to online analyses of both the enantiomeric composition and absolute configuration of these chiral pollutants.
Economic Evaluation of Interventions for Treatment of Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome: A Review
Authors: Lee Evelyn , Schofield Deborah , Azim Syeda , Oei Ju
Published: June 2021

This study assessed the economic evidence on the pharmacological and non-pharmacological management of infants with neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS). Six databases were searched up to October 2020 for peer-reviewed studies. After titles and abstracts were screened, 79 studies remained for full-text review, and finally, 8 studies were eligible for inclusion in the review. The methodological quality of included studies was assessed using the Drummond checklist. The review showed significant limitations in these studies, with one study being rated as good and the remaining seven studies as of poor quality. There are methodological issues that require addressing, including a lack of detail on cost categories, a robust investigation of uncertainty, and extending the time horizon to consider longer-term outcomes beyond the initial birth hospitalization. Despite these limitations, existing evidence suggests non-pharmacological strategies such as rooming-in were associated with a shorter hospital stay and a decreased need for pharmacological treatment, thereby lowering hospitalization costs. The review highlights the paucity of high-quality studies assessing the cost-effectiveness of intervention strategies for NOWS. There is also a lack of evidence on long-term outcomes associated with NOWS and the treatment of NOWS. The inclusion of economic analyses in future studies will provide evidence to inform policymakers on resource allocation decisions for this patient population.
Development of a Multidisciplinary Aerodigestive Program: An Institutional Experience
Authors: Kim Seung , Park Mireu , Kim Eunyoung , Kim Ga Eun , Jung Jae Hwa , Kim Soo Yeon , Kim Min Jung , Kim Da Hee , Park Sowon , Koh Hong , Ho In Geol , Kim Seung Ki , Hwang Sangwon , Shin Kyeong Hun , Lee Hosun , Lee Bobae , Lee Hyeyeon , Park Minhwa , Sohn Myung Hyun , Rha Dong-wook , Kim Kyung Won
Published: June 2021

We share our experience on the implementation of a multidisciplinary aerodigestive program comprising an aerodigestive team (ADT) so as to evaluate its feasibility. We performed a retrospective chart review of the patients discussed at the monthly ADT meetings and analyzed the data. A total of 98 children were referred to the ADT during the study period. The number of cases increased steadily from 3.5 cases per month in 2019 to 8.5 cases per month in 2020. The median age of patients was 34.5 months, and 55% were male. Among the chronic comorbidities, neurologic disease was the most common (85%), followed by respiratory (36%) and cardiac (13%) disorders. The common reasons for consultation were suspected aspiration (56%), respiratory difficulty (44%), drooling/stertor (30%), regurgitation/vomiting (18%), and feeding/swallowing difficulty (17%). Following discussions, 58 patients received active interventions, including fundoplication, gastrostomy, laryngomicrosurgery, tracheostomy, and primary dilatation of the airway. According to the questionnaire of the caregiver, the majority agreed that the main symptoms and quality of life of patients had improved (88%), reducing the burden on caregivers (77%). Aerodigestive programs may provide comprehensive and multidisciplinary management for children with complex airway and digestive tract disorders.
Association between Overweight and Diet Diversity Score: A Cross-Sectional Study Conducted among Tunisian Children
Authors: Dogui Darine , Doggui Radhouene , El Ati Jalila , El Ati-Hellal Myriam
Published: June 2021

Aim: This study explored the association between the diet diversity score (DDS) and overweight among Tunisian children. Methods: A representative sample of children living in Greater Tunis was selected based on a two-stage clustered sampling design. A total of 1200 children (3–9 years) were recruited. Dietary assessment was realized using a 24 h dietary recall. Anthropometric measurements were realized, and overweight was defined according to the World Health Organization standards. Logistic regression was used for the association between DDS with overweight. Results: A quarter of children were found to be overweight. Overweight prevalence was found to decrease with the increase of mother education level (p = 0.010) among children <6 years. Crude DDS score was higher among non-overweight children irrespective of the age class (p = 0.002). Tunisian children appeared to consume much more than six food groups, corresponding to a more than recommended intake of most nutrients. Intriguingly, DDS was positively associated with the occurrence of overweight children <6 years, adjusted odd ratio = 1.37, 95% CI (1.03–1.82). Conclusion: Overweight is a public health problem among Tunisian children. A high DDS signifies adequate nutrient intake. An increase of DDS was found to be a positive predictor of overweight only in pre-school children.
Saliva Molecular Testing for SARS-CoV-2 Surveillance in Two Italian Primary Schools
Authors: Carmagnola Daniela , Pellegrini Gaia , Canciani Elena , Henin Dolaji , Perrotta Mariachiara , Forlanini Federica , Barcellini Lucia , Dellavia Claudia
Published: June 2021

Background: No evidence has so far proven a significant role of schools in SARS-CoV-2 transmission, while the negative effects of their closure on children and adolescents are well documented. Surveillance, by means of frequent students and staff testing, has been advocated in order to implement school safety. Our aim was to report the results of a school surveillance program for the early detection of SARS-CoV-2 infection in pre- and asymptomatic subjects, by means of molecular salivary testing (MST). Methods: School surveillance in two schools in Milan, Italy, was carried out for six weeks. Each participant received a saliva collection kit, to be self-performed. Results: 401 students and 12 teachers were enrolled, and 5 positive children in 5 different classes were observed. All the cases were asymptomatic. Their nasopharyngeal swab was positive on the same day in four cases, while in one case it resulted negative on the same day and positive 3 days later. In one positive case, the whole family was set under surveillance. The positive child did not develop symptoms and no family member was infected. Conclusions: MST might represent an efficient way to actively survey communities in order to detect asymptomatic cases, thus limiting SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Targeted Next-Generation Sequencing of Circulating Tumor DNA Mutations among Metastatic Breast Cancer Patients
Authors: Sun Min-Ying , Lin Fang-Qin , Chen Lu-Jia , Li Hong , Lin Wei-Quan , Du Hong-Yan , Yang Xue-Xi , Li Ming
Published: June 2021

Liquid biopsy through the detection of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) has potential advantages in cancer monitoring and prediction. However, most previous studies in this area were performed with a few hotspot genes, single time point detection, or insufficient sequencing depth. In this study, we performed targeted next-generation sequencing (NGS) with a customized panel in metastatic breast cancer (MBC) patients. Fifty-four plasma samples were taken before chemotherapy and after the third course of treatment for detection and analysis. Paired lymphocytes were also included to eliminate clonal hematopoiesis (CH)-related alternatives. A total of 1182 nonsynonymous mutations in 419 genes were identified. More ctDNA mutations were detected in patients with tumors > 3 cm (p = 0.035) and HER2(−) patients (p = 0.029). For a single gene, the distribution of ctDNA mutations was also correlated with clinical characteristics. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that HER2 status was significantly associated with mutation burden (OR 0.02, 95% CI 0–0.62, p = 0.025). The profiles of ctDNA mutations exhibited marked discrepancies between two time points, and baseline ctDNA was more sensitive and specific than that after chemotherapy. Finally, elevated ctDNA mutation level was positively correlated with poor survival (p < 0.001). Mutations in ctDNA could serve as a potential biomarker for the evaluation, prediction, and clinical management guidance of MBC patients with chemotherapy.
Triennial Evaluations: Divorcing the Means from the Ends
Authors: Brigham Frederick J. , Claude Christopher M. , McKenna John William
Published: June 2021

Confusion among stakeholders regarding some aspects of the special education process—chiefly the triennial reevaluation—leads to misapplication of rules across districts and states based on interpretations of informal lore-based reasoning. Local education agencies (LEA) can determine that no additional data are needed and advise parents to forego the evaluation. Too, often, families who fear losing special education services for their child will acquiesce and decline the evaluation. Although this may be appropriate for some students, for others it can be a highly questionable and counterproductive decision. We illustrated the ways that avoiding triennial evaluations could hamper the ability of the LEA to adequately foster the student’s independence, monitor the student’s disability condition, and set and reach the student’s Individual Education Plans (IEP) goals. We argued that the major issue in decisions regarding triennial evaluations is centered on determining if a student is still eligible for special education services. This places too much attention on test-based eligibility and too little on educational needs, transition needs, and the instructional program. Triennial reevaluations should pivot from an “eligibility” focus to a “needs” focus, allowing schools and parents to gain a fresh understanding of the individual receiving the services. Failure to do so raises questions about the fidelity of assessment within the structure of special education service provision. Finally, we suggested that the motives underlying the practices for triennial evaluations illustrated here call the pragmatic acceptability of “full inclusion” into question.
Efficiently Mastering the Game of NoGo with Deep Reinforcement Learning Supported by Domain Knowledge
Authors: Gao Yifan , Wu Lezhou
Published: June 2021

Computer games have been regarded as an important field of artificial intelligence (AI) for a long time. The AlphaZero structure has been successful in the game of Go, beating the top professional human players and becoming the baseline method in computer games. However, the AlphaZero training process requires tremendous computing resources, imposing additional difficulties for the AlphaZero-based AI. In this paper, we propose NoGoZero+ to improve the AlphaZero process and apply it to a game similar to Go, NoGo. NoGoZero+ employs several innovative features to improve training speed and performance, and most improvement strategies can be transferred to other nonspecific areas. This paper compares it with the original AlphaZero process, and results show that NoGoZero+ increases the training speed to about six times that of the original AlphaZero process. Moreover, in the experiment, our agent beat the original AlphaZero agent with a score of 81:19 after only being trained by 20,000 self-play games’ data (small in quantity compared with 120,000 self-play games’ data consumed by the original AlphaZero). The NoGo game program based on NoGoZero+ was the runner-up in the 2020 China Computer Game Championship (CCGC) with limited resources, defeating many AlphaZero-based programs. Our code, pretrained models, and self-play datasets are publicly available. The ultimate goal of this paper is to provide exploratory insights and mature auxiliary tools to enable AI researchers and computer-game communities to study, test, and improve these promising state-of-the-art methods at a much lower cost of computing resources.
Robust Operation of Hybrid Solar–Wind Power Plant with Battery Energy Storage System
Authors: Bakhtvar Mostafa , Al-Hinai Amer
Published: June 2021

The intraday continuous electricity market (ICM) is a potential target market for the Dispatchable Hybrid Renewable solar–wind–battery energy storage system (BESS) power plant (DHRB). However, the uncertainty of the electricity price jeopardizes economic justification of BESS operation, an essential component of DHRB. Using the duality theory, this paper proposes a unilevel mixed-integer linear programming rolling-approach-based robust optimal scheduling tool for DHRB that keeps BESS operation optimal should the worst price scenario occur. It reflects BESS’s degradation as penalty factors and also integrates a BESS degradation model in the scheduling tool for better assessment of the available resources through the BESS’s lifetime. This tool aids the DHRB operator to decide the power offer to the ICM in such a way that the BESS’s operation remains optimal. A case study is carried out to demonstrate the application of the proposed tool. Both the long-term and short-term losses/benefits of utilizing this tool for scheduling DHRB in the ICM are investigated at various uncertainty levels. It is shown that there will be a risk of loss of income for the DHRB in the short-term due to increased nondispatchable energy. However, by limiting the use of BESS to only those settlement periods that are either certainly profitable or unavoidable, the lifetime of BESS can potentially be extended. Hence, this can result in more income by the DHRB power plant in the long-term.
Sources of Greenhouse Gas Emissions in Agriculture, with Particular Emphasis on Emissions from Energy Used
Authors: Gołasa Piotr , Wysokiński Marcin , Bieńkowska-Gołasa Wioletta , Gradziuk Piotr , Golonko Magdalena , Gradziuk Barbara , Siedlecka Agnieszka , Gromada Arkadiusz
Published: June 2021

The relationship between agriculture and climate change is two-sided. Agriculture is the branch of the economy most affected by the ongoing processes. It is also a large emitter of greenhouse gases and there are more and more voices about the need to reduce emissions. The purpose of the study was, based on FADN (Farm Accountancy Data Network) data, to determine the structure of greenhouse gas emissions in farms and to identify types of farms where it is possible to reduce GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions through better energy use. The emission volume was determined on the basis of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change) methodology modified for the FADN data. The emissions related to the production of energy were found to be of minor importance compared to other emission sources. Only in the horticultural crop type is the emission from the Energy section the dominant stream of GHG emission. The greatest emissions come from livestock production. Therefore, the emphasis on reducing emissions should not be placed on the Energy sector because, except for the type of horticultural farm, there is not much potential for reduction. The introduction of taxes for GHG emissions at the level of 27.31 EUR/t would reduce farm income from 21% for the type of field crops to 40% for the type of herbivorous animals. The exception is low-emission permanent crops, where the decrease in income would be only 3.85%.
GIS-Based Distribution System Planning for New PV Installations
Authors: Bunme Pawita , Yamamoto Shuhei , Shiota Atsushi , Mitani Yasunori
Published: June 2021

Solar panel installations have increased significantly in Japan in recent decades. Due to this, world trends, such as clean/renewable energy, are being implemented in power systems all across Japan—particularly installations of photovoltaic (PV) panels in general households. In this work, solar power was estimated using solar radiation data from geographic information system (GIS) technology. The solar power estimation was applied to the actual distribution system model of the Jono area in Kitakyushu city, Japan. In this work, real power consumption data was applied to a real world distribution system model. We studied the impact of high installation rates of solar panels in Japanese residential areas. Additionally, we considered the voltage fluctuations in the distribution system model by assessing the impact of cloud shadows using a novel cloud movement simulation algorithm that uses real world GIS data. The simulation results revealed that the shadow from the cloud movement process directly impacted the solar power generation in residential areas, which caused voltage fluctuations of the overall distribution system. Thus, we advocate distribution system planning with a large number of solar panels.
Is the European Union Making Progress on Energy Decarbonisation While Moving towards Sustainable Development?
Authors: Bąk Iwona , Barwińska-Małajowicz Anna , Wolska Grażyna , Walawender Paweł , Hydzik Paweł
Published: June 2021

Three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions come from burning fossil fuels for energy. To confront climate change, the world must move away from fossil fuels and decarbonise its energy systems. In the light of European Union documents, decarbonisation signifies the elimination of CO2 emissions on account of their harmfulness to the environment. The European Union is planning that by 2030, these emissions will be 40% lower in comparison to 1990. A fundamental query arises here: do the achievements of EU countries give cause for optimism in this regard? The aim of the study is an attempt to determine the tendency of changes concerning energy decarbonisation as well as to distinguish typological groups of bodies (EU countries) with similar dynamics in the researched phenomenon. Trend functions and the distance matrices of the growth rate of the researched phenomenon were used for the dynamic classification. The conducted research confirmed that EU countries indicate spatial differentiation in terms of CO2 emissions. It is related to the general socio-economic development of countries, their level of industrialisation, the quality of their natural environment, their degree of urbanisation, etc. The most favourable situation, in terms of the analysed phenomenon, i.e., the largest average decrease in CO2 per capita in the analysed period, was characteristic of Ireland, Greece, and Cyprus. On the other hand, an adverse situation relating to an increase in the indicator occurred in five EU countries, specifically in Luxembourg and Lithuania.
Performance Study of a Bladeless Microturbine
Authors: Rusin Krzysztof , Wróblewski Włodzimierz , Rulik Sebastian , Majkut Mirosław , Strozik Michał
Published: June 2021

The paper presents a comprehensive numerical and experimental analysis of the Tesla turbine. The turbine rotor had 5 discs with 160 mm in diameter and inter-disc gap equal to 0.75 mm. The nozzle apparatus consisted of 4 diverging nozzles with 2.85 mm in height of minimal cross-section. The investigations were carried out on air in subsonic flow regime for three pressure ratios: 1.4, 1.6 and 1.88. Maximal generated power was equal to 126 W and all power characteristics were in good agreement with numerical calculations. For each pressure ratio, maximal efficiency was approximately the same in the experiment, although numerical methods proved that efficiency slightly dropped with the increase of pressure ratio. Measurements included pressure distribution in the plenum chamber and tip clearance and temperature drop between the turbine’s inlet and the outlet. For each pressure ratio, the lowest value of the total temperature marked the highest efficiency of the turbine, although the lowest static temperature was shifted towards higher rotational speeds. The turbine efficiency could surpass 20% assuming the elimination of the impact of the lateral gaps between the discs and the casing. The presented data can be used as a benchmark for the validation of analytical and numerical models.
Why Can Simple Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Practices in Large-Scale Grid-Connected PV Power Plants Play a Key Role in Improving Its Energy Output?
Authors: Iftikhar Hamid , Sarquis Eduardo , Branco P. J. Costa
Published: June 2021

Existing megawatt-scale photovoltaic (PV) power plant producers must understand that simple and low-cost Operation and Maintenance (O&M) practices, even executed by their own personal and supported by a comparison of field data with simulated ones, play a key role in improving the energy outputs of the plant. Based on a currently operating 18 MW PV plant located in an under-developing South-Asia country, we show in this paper that comparing real field data collected with simulated results allows a central vision concerning plant underperformance and valuable indications about the most important predictive maintenances actions for the plant in analysis. Simulations using the globally recognized software PVSyst were first performed to attest to the overall power plant performance. Then, its energy output was predicted using existing ground weather data located at the power plant. Compared with the actual plant’s annual energy output, it was found that it was underperforming by −4.13%, leading to a potential monetary loss of almost 175,000 (EUR)/year. Besides, an analysis of the O&M power plant reports was performed and compared to the best global practices. It was assessed that the tracker systems’ major issues are the forerunner of the most significant PV power plant underperformance. In addition, issues in inverters and combiner boxes were also reported, leading to internal shutdowns. In this case, predictive maintenance and automated plant diagnosis with a bottom-up approach using low-cost data acquisition and processing systems, starting from the strings level, were recommended.