bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Offshore Cleaning Vessel Based On Integrated Treatment Of Solid-liquid Pollutant
Authors: He Runhua , Zhang Yan
Published: January 2021

Aiming at the diversity pollutant species in offshore waters, people can’t collect the liquid contaminants and solid contaminants pollutants at the same time. So we designed a new type of offshore cleaning vessel based on integrated treatment of solid-liquid pollutant for practical. We proposed the general design of the program, completed the structural design and functional development. And we implement the integrated efficient monitoring and clean-up of the solid pollutants mainly composed of floating garbage and the liquid pollutant dominated by oil, by using the integration cleaning of solid-liquid pollutants technology and the intelligent recognition pollutants technology. We verified the control and function of the cleaning vessel through the production of ship prototype and the ship experiment.
Study on Ecological Water Requirement of Vegetation in Wuhai Based on GIS
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Zhang Panyue , Zhang Guangming
Published: January 2021

Wuhai City is located in Inner Mongolia, belongs to the arid and semi-arid area of Northwest China, where precipitation is scarce, vegetation coverage is low and evaporation is large. With the exploitation of coal resources, the cultivated land area is gradually reduced and the surface is seriously damaged. After mining, a large number of mines and coal gangue piles are left behind, causing serious ecological problems. In order to ensure the normal growth of vegetation in Wuhai City, it is of great significance to study the ecological water demand of vegetation in Wuhai City for the realization of reasonable allocation of water resources, ecological restoration of mines and sustainable development of the city. Based on remote sensing satellite image data, combined with land use type map and ground meteorological data, this paper analyzes the spatial and temporal variation characteristics of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in Wuhai City, calculates the evapotranspiration of vegetation in reference year, and obtains the ecological water demand of vegetation in Wuhai City by using area quota method according to different water demand spatial areas. The results showed that: in the total ecological water demand of vegetation in Wuhai City, the water demand of medium coverage grassland was the largest, reaching 407.59 mm, while that of forest land was the smallest, reaching 309.01 mm. The other water requirements from large to small are: low coverage grassland, high coverage grassland, sparse forest land, shrub land. Grassland accounts for 98% of ecological water demand, while woodland only accounts for 2%. The total ecological water demand is 326 million m3.
Comparison of personal exposures to gaseous pollutants under public transportation modes during and after the SFTR
Authors: Zhang Mengya , Zhang Yao , Yu Nu
Published: January 2021

During the Spring Festival Travel Rush (SFTR) in China, many people travel and public vehicles are always full. This research studies the air pollutant exposure of commuters under five transportation modes: China railway high-speed train (CRH train), subway, bus, car, and walk. The routes are selected between Nanjing and Xuzhou. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs), carbon dioxide (CO2), and formaldehyde (HCHO) levels are compared in five different transportation modes. The results indicate that personal exposure level to VOC and HCHO in CRH train is the lowest and relatively stable. So taking the CRH train during the SFTR may be the best choice. During the Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, spraying 70% alcohol for disinfection in public spaces significantly increased the personal exposure level to VOCs.
Feasibility study of nonlinear model predictive control in mitigating stick slip in drilling
Authors: Wang Xueying , Ni Hongjian , Wang Ruihe
Published: January 2021

Drilling is an essential and expensive process to extract conventional and unconventional underground resources, like oil, natural gas and geotherm. Stick slip is one of the problems involved in rotary drilling that cause inefficiency and premature downhole tool failures. This work investigates the feasibility of using nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) in mitigating stick slip. To make real-time control possible, a new balanced truncation method is used to reduce system order, and advanced step NMPC method is used to remove computational delay. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed NMPC method can run in real time and eliminate stick slip. Compared to the advanced ZTorque controller, slight to moderate torsional vibrations still occur in the NMPC. The competitive advantage of the NMPC is that it does not need high-frequency drill pipe torque measurement.
The behavior response in Zrbrafish Danio rerio to mirror images
Authors: Qiu Ning , Chu Qiang , Zheng Tianli , Peng Shitao , Zhang Huaqing
Published: January 2021

Behavioral response experiment of fish to mirror images is one of the main ways to test the social and aggressive behavior. The behavior changes of Zrbrafish Danio rerio in tanks contain different number of mirrors was tested in this study. The result indicated that the latency of zebrafish from entry tank which contains mirrors to start moving (P < 0.05) and their frequency of midline crossing (P < 0.001) were all lower than control group (contains no mirror), and decreased with increasing numbers of mirrors. The total swimming time of zebrafish in tank contains mirrors increased with increasing numbers of mirrors and significantly higher than control group (P < 0.001). Additionally, the time spent of zebrafish in side that contains mirrors significantly higher than the reverse side (P < 0.05), and this difference degree increased with increasing numbers of mirrors.
Experience and Enlightenment of Energy Transition in Germany
Authors: Li Nan
Published: January 2021

As a leading developed nation of energy transition, Germany has achieved great progress of energy transition by a series of policies such as renewable energy legislation, shutdown of nuclear power stations, phase-out of coal-fired power and starting the carbon emissions trading system. During the process of energy transition, Germany also encountered issues like retarded grid construction, slow progress of carbon emission reduction in mobility sector, excessive subsidy for renewable energy. As a latecomer of green transition, China needs to prudently consider and deliberate Germany’s experience and lessons of energy transition.
Analysis on energy conservation and economy of natural gas distributed energy system
Authors: Zou Yanyan , Xie Mengfan
Published: January 2021

By analyzing two operating modes of a natural gas distributed energy system, this paper brings forward an optimal operating mode, i.e. full utilization of waste heat from a gas-fired engine at full load. In this mode, the prerequisite that primary natural gas energy is efficiently utilized can be met and the energy efficiency of the distributed energy system can be improved for the realization of energy cascade use and efficient use of natural gas.
Rational resource in the context of forming a model of using fuel and energy resources expenditure
Authors: Zelinska H , Andrusiv U , Fedorovych I , Khvostina I , Astafiev O
Published: January 2021

The article defines the general provisions of formation and substantiates the main components of the overall energy balance, presents the algorithm for its calculation according to the indicators of the current forms of state statistical reporting on energy. It is proposed to monitor the energy balance of the state to eliminate unresolved problems of the fuel and energy complex of Ukraine. The formation of provision model and use of fuel and energy resources of the economy of Ukraine is detailed. It is determined that an important direction of state development is the introduction of energy-saving technologies and increases its own production of fuel and energy resources. Therefore, the basis for building a theoretical and analytical model of supply and use of fuel and energy resources is the relationship between different components of the economy: forms of ownership, centralization and decentralization, innovation and investment, environmental orientation and economic efficiency and more. The relationship between the economic development of the state and its environmental security is proved.
The sustainable development of gas transmission companies of Ukraine through the formation of an effective energy saving mechanism
Authors: Zapukhliak I , Dzoba O , Romashko O , Krykhivska N , Nemish Yu
Published: January 2021

The annotated article deals with the features of formation and functioning of the energy saving mechanism for business under the implementation of sustainable development concept. Herewith, the energy saving mechanism has been considered as an organic component of the mechanism of business management enabling to integrate energy saving problems with effective current business management problems. The main focus of this study is to develop the algorithms and the evaluation methodology for energy efficiency of the enterprise. In particular, the article suggests evaluating the effectiveness through the following stages: the assessment of energy saving potential use of the enterprise; the development of a system with operating performance indicators of the energy saving mechanism; the determination of the integrating indicator of the energy saving mechanism. The article approves the suggested methodology by means of highly specialized gas transmission companies and discovers the level of use of such components of energy saving potential of the enterprise, as technics and technology, finances, management, personnel. An assessment of the average annual energy saving potential was performed and the forecast of the integrating indicator of the energy efficiency mechanism of the gas transmission companies was carried out The suggested methodological approach has been proven to be useful in the system of energy saving at the enterprise.
Composition and energy value research of pyrolise gases
Authors: Kryshtopa S , Kryshtopa L , Panchuk M , Smigins R , Dolishnii B.
Published: January 2021

Energy values of gaseous pyrolysis products of typical forest and aquatic plant biomass of Europe are investigated. Theoretical research of main characteristics of samples of typical plant biomass of Europe such as pine, thorn, microcystis, elodea is produced. Methodology and planning of experimental studies of process of pyrolysis of plant biomass are formulated. Experimental researches of composition of gas pyrolysis products of different types of plant biomass for different temperatures were carried according to laboratory conditions. Pyrolysis of plant biomass was carried out using a specially designed and manufactured pyrolysis plant the main part of which is a pyrolysis reactor. Installation made by our department is intended for slow pyrolysis. In research for determine presence and percentage of product yield qualitative and quantitative gas chromatography assays were used. The lower calorific value of gaseous pyrolysis products of samples of typical forest and aquatic plant biomass of Ukraine are calculated. As a result of calculations it was determined that during pyrolysis of aquatic plants and algae mixture of the obtained gases had the highest values of lower calorific value: 17,10-17,15 MJ/kg – for microcystis and 16,45-16,50 MJ/kg – for elodea. Gas obtained from pyrolysis of pine wood had the highest values of lower calorific value in the range of 13,8 to 13,85 MJ/kg. The lower calorific value of pyrogas obtained from thorn samples ranged from 12,6 MJ/kg to12,65 MJ/kg.
Renovation and sustainable development of the industrial energy enterprise: economic and legal management mechanism
Authors: Bezuhla J. , Kononenko Ya. , Bytiak O. , Zaitseva A. , Zacharchyn H. , Korin M.
Published: January 2021

The article improves the economic and legal management mechanism of renovation and sustainable development of the industrial energy enterprise, based on the dominant system, regularity and sequence of effective management decisions in strategic and tactical aspects, which combines goals, objectives, directions and problems of renovation sustainability. Using the hierarchy analysis method, main goals and activities of the industrial enterprise, aimed at improving sustainable development, were identified. The system of budgets allows to assess in advance the consequences of the current state of affairs and the implemented strategy of the financial condition of the enterprise. Budgeting becomes the link between strategic management by senior management and operational management at lower levels. Budgeting helps aim managers at all levels to achieve the tasks set before their centers of responsibility and increase the professionalism of managers. Budgeting contributes to a detailed study of activities of units and relationship between the centers of responsibility in the enterprise, which is relevant today.
Problems of sustainable development of ecosystems
Authors: Yeremeyev I , Dychko A , Remez N , Kraychuk S , Ostapchuk N
Published: January 2021

The present paper provides the concept of self-renewing of ecosystems. It is shown that multidimensionality and mutual exclusion of individual components of the environment make the problem of optimization, i.e. achieving the conditions of sustainable development, too difficult. However, the goal of sustainable nature management is possible with the existence of ecosystem properties for self-renewal due to the presence of cyclical processes, ecological capacity, migration capabilities of ecosystem components and pollutants metabolism, as well as the use of waste-free and energy-saving technologies. It is proposed to model the ecosystem in the form of the “eight”, which reflects it as a closed cyclic system able for adaptation. When analyzing such a complex system, the following principles should be followed: simplification; consideration of processes in dynamics; considering the possibility of ambiguity, incompleteness and inaccuracy of information; using a risk-based approach to impact assessment; understanding the system as a hierarchical structure able for adaptation and development. It is noted that all local ecosystems in the region are interconnected and affect the characteristics of neighboring local ecosystems, usually requiring the adjustment of resources and connections.
Ecological changes during crisis period
Authors: Kyzym M , Gavkalova N , Lola Y , Prokopovych S , Jain Pradeep
Published: January 2021

The article examines the change of the level of air pollution in world’s countries (ecological changes). We verified two hypotheses. It can be caused by an increase in the level of development of countries accompanied by a change in the level of air pollution and the countries with different rates of economic growth may observe different rates of air pollution reduction in the post-crisis period. To test the hypotheses, hierarchical agglomerative and iterative methods of cluster analysis, and econometric models were used. The annual percentage growth rate of the GDP per capita and percentage of population exposed to ambient concentrations of PM2.5 for 101 countries for 2008-2017 were considered as the research information base. The results showed both significant positive and negative effects of increasing level of economic development and air pollution of the countries with a time lag in one-two year. In addition, the results of an econometric analysis show that there are different dynamics of air pollution level for countries with high, medium and low economic growth rates. The results can be of value for the formation and adaptation of the environmental strategies.
A fuzzy logic inference concerning the degree of greening and resource saving in ecosystems of countries, developing in crisis
Authors: Kucherova H , Pokataeva O , Chala O , Bilska O , Cirella G. T
Published: January 2021

The article conducts an empirical study to assess the degree of ecosystem greening and resource saving based on the generalization of available scientific and practical data in this field and fuzzy mathematics methods. The parameters of ecosystem greening have been classified according to separate functional areas, as a result, the fuzziness of the boundaries of their nature has been proved. In order to evaluate the level of greening and resource saving, appropriate fuzzy mathematics methods have been validated. Fuzzy linguistic information concerning the degree of greening and resource saving of the country’s ecosystem has been generalized and evaluated, the knowledge base of the rules of fuzzy inference according to the Mamdani algorithm has been built. As a result of evaluation under the said model, it has been proven that the economy greening degree in Ukraine is insufficient, as it corresponds to the low level of the economy modernization, high level of environmental capacity, high rates of non-renewable resources usage, high footprint, low level of environmental and resource payments, low labor cost and investment scope. The scientific value of the approach is that it allows obtaining quantitative results of the evaluation of multifaceted parameters of the ecosystems greening and resource saving, the boundaries of which are not standardized and are of a fuzzy nature. The obtained integrated degree of the ecosystem greening and resource saving helps to simplify managerial decisions on how to increase this value. The practical importance of the proposed model lies in its flexibility in terms of using different parameter sets and general structure, allowing to use it for evaluation of the degree of greening at all levels and for all types of ecosystems.
EU agricultural policy and its role in smoothing the sustainable development of the EU’s agricultural areas
Authors: Belinska Yanina , Matvejciuk Liudmyla , Shmygol Nadiia , Pulina Tetiana , Antoniuk Dmytro
Published: January 2021

The article is devoted to the study of general provisions that form the methodological basis for the impact of changes in the context indicators, the dynamics of the main ones on a global scale, observed the change in the agriculture of EU membership. The forecast analysis showed a low probability of significant changes in the share of agriculture in GDP and exports in all groups of countries, which suggest that differentiation between EU countries in terms of agricultural development, will continue. It is proved, that in the EU there are two opposite trends: convergence, which is stimulated by the CAP to ensure the formation of a single EU agricultural complex, and divergence due to the specialization of countries in the production of those agricultural products for which countries have the most favorable conditions. In addition, significant differences and fluctuations in labour productivity should be noted in agriculture, due to differences in natural conditions in different years, fluctuations in the euro exchange rate, which affects the competitiveness of agricultural products in the world market. These results might also be useful for determination the directions of development and improvement of CAP and for using by other countries comparable to the NMS which experience similar integration issues.
COVID-19: crisis or new opportunities time for the agricultural sector of Ukraine
Authors: Kaminskyi A B , Nehrey M V , Zomchak L M
Published: January 2021

COVID-19 is a huge problem for the sustainability of the global economy, both short and long term. The spread of COVID-19 has led to a decline in business and economic activity, as well as a contraction in production - virtually all world economies have shown a sharp decline in GDP. World experience shows that agriculture is less vulnerable to a pandemic. In general, there is a calmer reaction to the demand for agricultural products than for industrial ones. The impact of agricultural production volume on the real GDP of Ukraine is investigated with a distributed-lag model on the data for the period 2008-2020. The effects of the impact distribute almost evenly between the four quarters of the year, which means that the lockdown effects in the agriculture sector will affect the GDP of Ukraine for a long period. The decline in production, the closure of markets and borders, the cancellation of orders led to the fact that the agricultural sector faced serious logistical problems. In addition, the economic downturn has affected farmers’ access to financial resources. However, COVID-19 also opened new opportunities for the Ukrainian agricultural sector: accelerating and expanding the process of digitalization, the opportunity to expand the market for export products, and increase skilled and unskilled labor. The authors propose six steps to ensure the sustainable development of the agriculture sector of Ukraine.
A New Strategy of Constructing Mechanical Enhanced and Electrical Conductive Meta-aramid/Polyacrylonitrile Hybrid Fibers
Authors: Wang Zengxiao , Li Ting , Yu Junrong , Hu Zuming , Zhu Jing , Wang Yan
Published: January 2021

Proper method for constructing electrical conductive m-aramid fibers without sacrificing its excellent integrated performance is still a challenge. Here a new strategy is utilized to construct electrical conductive PMIA/PAN hybrid fibers. No sensitizers or activators are needed in this method, contrast to traditional electroless plating methods. Specifically, the resulted PMIA/PAN hybrid fibers maintained a high tensile strength of 4.7 cN/dtex. Furthermore, the CuS-coated PMIA/PAN hybrid fibers (PMIA/PAN-CuS) exhibited high conductivity.
Wetting of carbon by molten aluminum under ultrasonic field
Authors: Zhao J T , Jiang Z M , Zhu J W , Zhang S D , Li Y L
Published: January 2021

Ultrasonic field couple technique has become an effective way to regulate and control the behavior of liquid-solid interface such as wetting, mass transfer and structure in the crossing field of materials science and acoustics. At present, there is no suitable experimental method and technology to systematically study the interfacial behavior regulate and accurately describe the control mechanism of the interfacial structure. In this regard, based on the construction of the “wetting-mass transfer-structural evolution” trinity framework relationship, through the systematic research of the interface behavior of aluminum melt, the experimental method and technology of the interface behavior of aluminum liquid-solid under the ultrasonic field are formed. In this paper, the poor wetting of aluminum and carbon in the preparation of Al-Ti-C grain refiner is investigated. The wetting of aluminum and carbon is improved by the synergistic effect of the ultrasonic field and multifunctional flux K2TiF6. The microstructure of aluminum- carbon interface under an optical microscope and scanning electron microscope has been discussed. Meanwhile, the wetting behavior of liquid aluminum on graphite substrate is numerically simulated under ultrasonic field. The results show that the ultrasonic field greatly improves the wetting of aluminum and carbon.
Study on Distribution of Tensile Fatigue Life of Basalt Fiber Composites
Authors: Zhao Guxian , Cao Shenghu , Zhang Jian
Published: January 2021

In order to investigate the tension-tension fatigue life distribution of basalt fiber reinforced polymer (BFRP) composites, 70 specimens were tested at same stress level (70% σ
m ). The test results show that BFRP is heterogeneous and its fatigue life data are of great dispersion. In addition, the statistical analysis shows that the fatigue life distribution of BFRP is highly consistent with the Weibull distribution of two parameters if compared with the normal distribution, and the linear correlation test shows that the goodness of fit is 99.23%.
Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of ultraviolet excited Ba2MgWO6:Sm3+ orange-red phosphors
Authors: Xie Jihuan , Zhang Xiyan
Published: January 2021

In this work, Sm3+-actived Ba2MgWO6 phosphors were prepared through the high temperature solid-state method. The XRD, SEM, photoluminescence spectra and decay curves were surveyed detailly. Under the excitation of 319 nm, the typical Ba2MgW06:0.01Sm3+ phosphor exhibits orange-red emission ranging from 500 to 700 nm with many emission bands ascribed to 4G5/2→6H5/2 (550-600 nm), 4G5/2→6H7/2 (600-640 nm) and 4G5/2→6H9/2 (640-665 nm) transitions of Sm3+ ion. The phenomenon of concentration quenching and decay curves suggest the existence of energy transfer between Sm3+ ions, and the CIE chromaticity coordinates displays that all the obtained samples are situated in the region of orange-red. All the consequences manifest that Ba2MgWO6:Sm3+ orange-red phosphors possess the potential for the application in the white light emitting diodes.
Inverse Spin Hall Effect enhancement in Pt layer doped by Ge
Authors: Li Mingming , Zhang Huaiwu
Published: January 2021

We systematic studied the spin pumping (SP) and inverse spin Hall effects (ISHE) in yttrium iron garnet Y3Fe5O12(YIG)/PtGe bilayer using a coplanar waveguide based broadband ferromagnetic resonance setup. More efficient spin injection occurs at the YIG/PtGe interface. The spin Hall angle of Pt (4.4%) and PtGe (9%) are obtained from the metal layer thickness dependent inverse spin Hall voltage measurement. PtGe films are promising materials with large spin Hall angles for future spintronics applications.
Verification of acoustic superiority of MDI-based gradient structural material on high water pressure
Authors: Gang LU , Chang-geng Shuai , Xue Yang
Published: January 2021

Considering the limitation on high water pressure resistance of traditional underwater acoustic material, an optimization on material structure is conducted so as to improve the ability of sound absorption. Monolayer Acoustic Samples (MAS) and Gradient Acoustic Sample (GAS) are produced with the raw materials, such as diphenylmethane diisocyanate(MDI) polyurethane prepolymer(PUP) and butylene glycol (BDO). The samples are tested in the frequency range from 1000Hz to 4000Hz under pressure from 0 MPa to 2MPa. Then the differences of acoustic performance between MAS and GAS are analyzed and compared. The tests results show that the stability of GAS sound absorption coefficient increases gradually with the increasing of frequency under various pressures and the value of GAS sound absorption coefficient tends to be 1 in high frequency range. On the other hand, the value of MAS sound absorption coefficient fluctuates obviously. Compared with average sound absorption coefficient of two samples at 1000Hz, 2000Hz and 4000Hz, the GAS has a better sound absorption performance than the MAS.
Preparation and Characterization of Conductive blend composites of PP filled with ionic liquids treated-CNT
Authors: Zhu Jiang , Ni Haitao , Xiang Wencai , Zuo Yingqi , Yang Heshan
Published: January 2021

According to the facile melt blending method, a series of conductive blend composites based on polypropylene with the excellent electrical conductivityare prepared by Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and ionic liquid (IL). In light of the results of the FTIR and Raman, it was confirmed that the MWCNT was non-covalent modified by IL. The dispersion of MWCNT and the electrical conductivity of the composites are enhanced by the addition of a master-batch as a compatibilizer and IL as a modifier, respectively. With the adding of MWCNTs, the surface resistivity of the conductive blend composites was reduced by 4∼6 orders of magnitude under the same IL loading.
The preparation process of shear thickening materials and the application in hydraulic shock absorber
Authors: Liu Bing , Du Chengbin , Fu Yankai
Published: January 2021

Several kinds of shear thickening materials, including shear thickening gel and shear thickening fluid, were prepared and tested. The same amount of these materials were poured into the shock absorber and the compression force and rebound force were compared with the shock absorber containing hydraulic oil. The result shows that the shear thickening gel can’t be used in hydraulic shock absorber due to the lack of liquidity, however, the energy consumption ability of the absorber containing shear thickening fluid can be increased significantly.
Optimizing film thickness to delay strut fracture in high-entropy alloy composite microlattices
Authors: Surjadi James Utama , Feng Xiaobin , Zhou Wenzhao , Lu Yang
Published: January 2021

Incorporating high-entropy alloys (HEAs) in composite microlattice structures yields superior mechanical performance and desirable functional properties compared to conventional metallic lattices. However, the modulus mismatch and relatively poor adhesion between the soft polymer core and stiff metallic film coating often results in film delamination and brittle strut fracture at relatively low strain levels (typically below 10%). In this work, we demonstrate that optimizing the HEA film thickness of a CoCrNiFe-coated microlattice completely suppresses delamination, significantly delays the onset of strut fracture (∼100% increase in compressive strain), and increases the specific strength by up to 50%. This work presents an efficient strategy to improve the properties of metal-composite mechanical metamaterials for structural applications.
Relationship Between Home Blood Pressure and the Onset Season of Cardiovascular Events: The J-HOP Study (Japan Morning Surge-Home Blood Pressure)
Authors: Narita Keisuke , Hoshide Satoshi , Kario Kazuomi
Published: January 2021

Background

The incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases during winter. The risk that elevated home blood pressure (BP) poses for CVD events that occur in each of 4 seasons is unclear. We conducted a post hoc analysis using the dataset from a nationwide cohort, the Japan Morning Surge-Home Blood Pressure (J-HOP) study, to assess the association between home BP and winter-onset CVD events.

Methods

J-HOP participants who had cardiovascular risks conducted morning and evening home BP measurements for a 14-day period and were followed-up for the occurrence of CVD events.

Results

We analyzed 4,258 participants (mean age 64.9 years; 47% male; 92% hypertensives) who were followed-up for an average of 6.2 ± 3.8 years (26,295 person-years). We divided the total of 269 CVD events (10.2/1,000 person-years) by the season of onset as follows: 82 in the winter and 187 in the other seasons (spring, summer, and autumn). In the Cox models adjusted for covariates and the season when home BPs were measured at baseline, morning home systolic BP (SBP) was associated with both winter-onset and other season-onset CVD events: hazard ratio (HR) for winter 1.22, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.06–1.42 per 10 mm Hg; HR for other seasons 1.11, 95% CI 1.00–1.23. Evening home SBP was associated with the other season-onset CVD events (HR 1.20, 95% CI 1.08–1.33 per 10 mm Hg), but not with the winter-onset CVD events.

Conclusions

Our findings indicate that compared with evening home BP, morning home BP might be a superior predictor of winter-onset CVD events.
Subfascial Ergonomic Axillary Hybrid (SEAH) Breast Augmentation: A Surgical Approach Combining the Advantages of Incision, Pocket, Silicone Gel, and Fat Grafting in Primary and Revision Breast Augmentation Surgery
Authors: Munhoz Alexandre Mendonça , de Azevedo Marques Neto Ary , Maximiliano João
Published: January 2021

Background

Simultaneous application of the axillary approach (AA) with the subfascial pocket (SF) has been proposed for breast augmentation (BA) surgery. New silicone implant technology and recent improvements in autologous fat grafting (AFG) have ushered in a new era for BA.

Objectives

The aim of this study was to present the combined subfascial ergonomic axillary hybrid (SEAH) method and evaluate its aesthetic benefits after primary/secondary BA.

Methods

In total, 42 patients (84 breasts) underwent BA with the SEAH technique; this approach was indicated when the overlying tissue was insufficient to adequately cover the implant.

Results

Mean patient age was 34.6 years (range, 28-56 years), mean BMI was 18.8 kg/m2 (range, 14.4-26.1 kg/m2). The most common implant (Motiva SmoothSilk surface Ergonomix style) volume was 255 cc (range, 175-355 cc), patients received a mean fat volume of 96 mL (range, 60-145 mL) per breast in the subcutaneous tissue. The average lower pole stretch value was 40.5% (21.75 mm) and 13.1% (9.9 mm) for preoperative to 10 days postprocedure and 10 days to 18 months postprocedure, respectively. Postoperative complications included subcutaneous banding in the axilla (n = 3, 7.1%), small wound dehiscence (n = 1, 2.3%), and hypertrophic scarring (n = 1, 2.3%). No rippling, implant malposition, infection, or fat necrosis was observed during a mean follow-up of 18 months (range, 6-32 months).

Conclusions

SEAH is a useful and versatile technique combining the benefits of AFG and implant-based augmentation, particularly with regard to soft tissue coverage, and avoids the limitations of the submuscular position. The combination of ergonomic gel implants and a SF pocket can yield satisfactory aesthetic outcomes.

Level of Evidence: 4
A comprehensive review of scaffolding methods in genome assembly
Authors: Luo Junwei , Wei Yawei , Lyu Mengna , Wu Zhengjiang , Liu Xiaoyan , Luo Huimin , Yan Chaokun
Published: January 2021

In the field of genome assembly, scaffolding methods make it possible to obtain a more complete and contiguous reference genome, which is the cornerstone of genomic research. Scaffolding methods typically utilize the alignments between contigs and sequencing data (reads) to determine the orientation and order among contigs and to produce longer scaffolds, which are helpful for genomic downstream analysis. With the rapid development of high-throughput sequencing technologies, diverse types of reads have emerged over the past decade, especially in long-range sequencing, which have greatly enhanced the assembly quality of scaffolding methods. As the number of scaffolding methods increases, biology and bioinformatics researchers need to perform in-depth analyses of state-of-the-art scaffolding methods. In this article, we focus on the difficulties in scaffolding, the differences in characteristics among various kinds of reads, the methods by which current scaffolding methods address these difficulties, and future research opportunities. We hope this work will benefit the design of new scaffolding methods and the selection of appropriate scaffolding methods for specific biological studies.
Mutalyzer 2: next generation HGVS nomenclature checker
Authors: Lefter Mihai , Vis Jonathan K , Vermaat Martijn , den Dunnen Johan T , Taschner Peter E M , Laros Jeroen F J
Published: January 2021

Motivation

Unambiguous variant descriptions are of utmost importance in clinical genetic diagnostics, scientific literature and genetic databases. The Human Genome Variation Society (HGVS) publishes a comprehensive set of guidelines on how variants should be correctly and unambiguously described. We present the implementation of the Mutalyzer 2 tool suite, designed to automatically apply the HGVS guidelines so users do not have to deal with the HGVS intricacies explicitly to check and correct their variant descriptions.

Results

Mutalyzer is profusely used by the community, having processed over 133 million descriptions since its launch. Over a five year period, Mutalyzer reported a correct input in ∼50% of cases. In 41% of the cases either a syntactic or semantic error was identified and for ∼7% of cases, Mutalyzer was able to automatically correct the description.

Availability and implementation

Mutalyzer is an Open Source project under the GNU Affero General Public License. The source code is available on GitHub (https://github.com/mutalyzer/mutalyzer) and a running instance is available at: https://mutalyzer.nl
Recurrence and survival after standard versus oncoplastic breast-conserving surgery for breast cancer
Authors: André C , Holsti C , Svenner A , Sackey H , Oikonomou I , Appelgren M , Johansson A L V , de Boniface J
Published: January 2021

Background

Oncoplastic techniques in breast-conserving surgery (BCS) are used increasingly for larger tumours. This large cohort study aimed to assess oncological outcomes after oncoplastic BCS (OPS) versus standard BCS.

Methods

Data for all women who had BCS in three centres in Stockholm during 2010–2016 were extracted from the Swedish National Breast Cancer Register. All patients with T2–3 tumours, all those receiving neoadjuvant treatment, and an additional random sample of women with T1 tumours were selected. Medical charts were reviewed for local recurrences and surgical technique according to the Hoffman–Wallwiener classification. Date and cause of death were retrieved from the Swedish Cause of Death Register.

Results

The final cohort of 4178 breast cancers in 4135 patients was categorized into three groups according to surgical technique: 3720 for standard BCS, 243 simple OPS, and 215 complex OPS. Median duration of follow up was 64 (range 24–110) months. Node-positive and large tumours were more common in OPS than in standard BCS (P < 0.001). There were 61 local recurrences: 57 (1.5 per cent), 1 (0.4 per cent) and 3 (1.4 per cent) in the standard BCS, simple OPS and complex OPS groups respectively (P = 0.368). Overall, 297 patients died, with an unadjusted 5-year overall survival rate of 94.7, 93.1 and 92.6 per cent respectively (P = 0.350). Some 102 deaths were from breast cancer, with unadjusted 5-year cancer-specific survival rates of 97.9, 98.3 and 95.0 per cent respectively (P = 0.056).

Discussion

Oncoplastic BCS is a safe surgical option, even for larger node-positive tumours, with low recurrence and excellent survival rates.
Long-term motor deficit in brain tumour surgery with preserved intra-operative motor-evoked potentials
Authors: Giampiccolo Davide , Parisi Cristiano , Meneghelli Pietro , Tramontano Vincenzo , Basaldella Federica , Pasetto Marco , Pinna Giampietro , Cattaneo Luigi , Sala Francesco
Published: January 2021

Muscle motor-evoked potentials are commonly monitored during brain tumour surgery in motor areas, as these are assumed to reflect the integrity of descending motor pathways, including the corticospinal tract. However, while the loss of muscle motor-evoked potentials at the end of surgery is associated with long-term motor deficits (muscle motor-evoked potential-related deficits), there is increasing evidence that motor deficit can occur despite no change in muscle motor-evoked potentials (muscle motor-evoked potential-unrelated deficits), particularly after surgery of non-primary regions involved in motor control. In this study, we aimed to investigate the incidence of muscle motor-evoked potential-unrelated deficits and to identify the associated brain regions. We retrospectively reviewed 125 consecutive patients who underwent surgery for peri-Rolandic lesions using intra-operative neurophysiological monitoring. Intraoperative changes in muscle motor-evoked potentials were correlated with motor outcome, assessed by the Medical Research Council scale. We performed voxel–lesion–symptom mapping to identify which resected regions were associated with short- and long-term muscle motor-evoked potential-associated motor deficits. Muscle motor-evoked potentials reductions significantly predicted long-term motor deficits. However, in more than half of the patients who experienced long-term deficits (12/22 patients), no muscle motor-evoked potential reduction was reported during surgery. Lesion analysis showed that muscle motor-evoked potential-related long-term motor deficits were associated with direct or ischaemic damage to the corticospinal tract, whereas muscle motor-evoked potential-unrelated deficits occurred when supplementary motor areas were resected in conjunction with dorsal premotor regions and the anterior cingulate. Our results indicate that long-term motor deficits unrelated to the corticospinal tract can occur more often than currently reported. As these deficits cannot be predicted by muscle motor-evoked potentials, a combination of awake and/or novel asleep techniques other than muscle motor-evoked potentials monitoring should be implemented.
Endoscopic vacuum therapy for anastomotic leak in esophagectomy and total gastrectomy: a systematic review and meta-analysis
Authors: Tavares Guilherme , Tustumi Francisco , Tristão Luca Schiliró , Bernardo Wanderley Marques
Published: January 2021

The curative treatment for esophageal and gastric cancer is primarily surgical resection. One of the main complications related to esophagogastric surgery is the anastomotic leak. This complication is associated with a prolonged length of stay, reduced quality of life, high treatment costs, and an increased mortality rate. The placement of endoluminal stents is the most frequent endoscopic therapy in these cases. However, since its introduction, endoscopic vacuum therapy has been shown to be a promising alternative in the management of this complication. This study primarily aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of endoscopic vacuum therapy for the treatment of anastomotic leak in esophagectomy and total gastrectomy. A systematic review and meta-analysis was performed. Studies that evaluated the use of endoscopic vacuum therapy for anastomotic leak in esophagectomy and total gastrectomy were included. Twenty-three articles were included. A total of 559 patients were evaluated. Endoscopic vacuum therapy showed a fistulous orifice closure rate of 81.6% (rate: 0.816; 95% CI: 0.777–0.864) and, when compared to the stent, there is a 16% difference in favor of endoscopic vacuum therapy (risk difference [RD]: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.05–0.27). The risk for mortality in the endoscopic vacuum therapy was 10% lower than in endoluminal stent therapy (RD: −0.10; 95% CI: −0.18 to −0.02). Endoscopic vacuum therapy might have a higher rate of fistulous orifice closure and a lower rate of mortality, compared to intraluminal stenting.
Bi-atrial high-density mapping reveals inhibition of wavefront turning and reduction of complex propagation patterns as main antiarrhythmic mechanisms of vernakalant
Authors: van Hunnik Arne , Zeemering Stef , Podziemski Piotr , Kuklik Pawel , Kuiper Marion , Verheule Sander , Schotten Ulrich
Published: January 2021

Aims

Complex propagation patterns are observed in patients and models with stable atrial fibrillation (AF). The degree of this complexity is associated with AF stability. Experimental work suggests reduced wavefront turning as an important mechanism for widening of the excitable gap. The aim of this study was to investigate how sodium channel inhibition by vernakalant affects turning behaviour and propagation patterns during AF.

Methods and results

Two groups of 8 goats were instrumented with electrodes on the left atrium, and AF was maintained by burst pacing for 3 or 22 weeks. Measurements were performed at baseline and two dosages of vernakalant. Unipolar electrograms were mapped (249 electrodes/array) on the left and right atrium in an open-chest experiment. Local activation times and conduction vectors, flow lines, the number of fibrillation waves, and local re-entries were determined. At baseline, fibrillation patterns contained numerous individual fibrillation waves conducting in random directions. Vernakalant induced conduction slowing and cycle length prolongation and terminated AF in 13/15 goats. Local re-entries were strongly reduced. Local conduction vectors showed increased preferential directions and less beat-to-beat variability. Breakthroughs and waves were significantly reduced in number. Flow line curvature reduced and waves conducted more homogenously in one direction. Overall, complex propagation patterns were strongly reduced. No substantial differences in drug effects between right and left atria or between goats with different AF durations were observed.

Conclusions

Destabilization of AF by vernakalant is associated with a lowering of fibrillation frequency and inhibition of complex propagation patterns, wave turning, local re-entries, and breakthroughs.
Composition of seagrass phyllosphere microbial communities suggests rapid environmental regulation of community structure
Authors: Vogel Margaret A , Mason Olivia U , Miller Thomas E
Published: January 2021

Recent studies have revealed that seagrass blade surfaces, also known as the phyllosphere, are rich habitats for microbes; however, the primary drivers of composition and structure in these microbial communities are largely unknown. This study utilized a reciprocal transplant approach between two sites with different environmental conditions combined with 16S rRNA gene sequencing (iTag) to examine the relative influence of environmental conditions and host plant on phyllosphere community composition of the seagrass Thalassia testudinum. After 30 days, identity of phyllosphere microbial community members was more similar within the transplant sites than between despite differences in the source of host plant. Additionally, the diversity and evenness of these communities was significantly different between the two sites. These results indicated that local environmental conditions can be a primary driver in structuring seagrass phyllosphere microbial communities over relatively short time scales. Composition of microbial community members in this study also deviated from those in previous seagrass phyllosphere studies with a higher representation of candidate bacterial phyla and archaea than previously observed. The capacity for seagrass phyllosphere microbial communities to shift dramatically with environmental conditions, including ecosystem perturbations, could significantly affect seagrass–microbe interactions in ways that may influence the health of the seagrass host.
Heat Treatment Improves Hepatic Mitochondrial Respiratory Efficiency via Mitochondrial Remodeling
Authors: Von Schulze Alex T , Deng Fengyan , Fuller Kelly N Z , Franczak Edziu , Miller Josh , Allen Julie , McCoin Colin S , Shankar Kartik , Ding Wen-Xing , Thyfault John P , Geiger Paige C
Published: January 2021

Nonacholic fatty liver disease, or hepatic steatosis, is the most common liver disorder affecting the western world and currently has no pharmacologic cure. Thus, many investigations have focused on alternative strategies to treat or prevent hepatic steatosis. Our laboratory has shown that chronic heat treatment (HT) mitigates glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and hepatic steatosis in rodent models of obesity. Here, we investigate the direct bioenergetic mechanism(s) surrounding the metabolic effects of HT on hepatic mitochondria. Utilizing mitochondrial proteomics and respiratory function assays, we show that one bout of acute HT (42°C for 20 min) in male C57Bl/6J mice (n = 6/group) triggers a hepatic mitochondrial heat shock response resulting in acute reductions in respiratory capacity, degradation of key mitochondrial enzymes, and induction of mitophagy via mitochondrial ubiquitination. We also show that chronic bouts of HT and recurrent activation of the heat shock response enhances mitochondrial quality and respiratory function via compensatory adaptations in mitochondrial organization, gene expression, and transport even during 4 weeks of high-fat feeding (n = 6/group). Finally, utilizing a liver-specific heat shock protein 72 (HSP72) knockout model, we are the first to show that HSP72, a protein putatively driving the HT metabolic response, does not play a significant role in the hepatic mitochondrial adaptation to acute or chronic HT. However, HSP72 is required for the reductions in blood glucose observed with chronic HT. Our data are the first to suggest that chronic HT (1) improves hepatic mitochondrial respiratory efficiency via mitochondrial remodeling and (2) reduces blood glucose in a hepatic HSP72-dependent manner.