bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composition of Microbial Communities in Waters Around the Florida Reef Tract and Their Potential Significance for Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease
Authors: Laas Peeter , Ugarelli Kelly , Boyer Breege , Absten Michael J. , Briceño Henry O. , Stingl Ulrich
Published: April 2021

The Florida Keys, a delicate archipelago of sub-tropical islands extending from the south-eastern tip of Florida, host the vast majority of the only coral barrier reef in the continental United States. Stony Coral Tissue Loss Disease (SCTLD), which was first detected near Virginia Key in 2014, has spread throughout the Florida Reef Tract and to reefs throughout the Caribbean, af-fecting nearly all reef-building corals. Molecular studies of SCTLD have identified opportunistic pathogens associated with the disease, but so far no single pathogen can be clearly pinpointed as its cause. One focus of recent research has been the surrounding environment of the corals, coined the 'coral ecosphere'. Abiotic and microbial components of the coral ecosphere are pivot-al for understanding the health of a reef, and could play an important role in SCTLD in Florida. In this study, we analyzed microbial community structure and abiotic factors that can impact coral (and human) health. Both, bacterial and eukaryotic community structure were significantly linked with variations in temperature, dissolved oxygen and total organic carbon values. High abundances of copiotrophic bacteria as well as several potentially harmful microbes, including coral pathogens, fish parasites, and taxa that have been previously associated with Red Tide and shellfish poisoning, were present in our datasets and can have a pivotal impact on coral health in this ecosystem.
Ethidium binding to Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium Cells and Salmon sperm DNA
Authors: Sakalauskaite Sandra , Mikalayeva Valeryia , Daugelavičius Rimantas
Published: April 2021

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics due to an increased efficiency of the efflux is a serious problem in clinics of infectious diseases. Knowledge of the factors affecting the activity of efflux pumps would help to find the solution. For this, fast and trustful methods for the efflux analysis are needed. Here we analyzed how the assay conditions affect the accumulation of efflux indicators ethidium (Et+) and tetraphenylphosphonium in Salmonella enterica ser. Typhimurium cells. An inhibitor phenyl-alanyl-arginyl-β-naphtylamide was applied to evaluate the input of RND family pumps into the total efflux. In parallel to spectrofluorimetric analysis, we used an electrochemical assessment of Et+ concentration. Results of our experiments indicated that Et+ fluorescence increases immediately after the penetration of this indicator into the cells. However, when cells bind a high amount of Et+, intensity of the fluorescence reaches the saturation level and stops reacting to the accumulated amount of this indicator. For this reason, electrochemical measurements provide more trustful information about the efficiency of efflux when cells accumulate high amounts of Et+. Measure-ments of Et+ interaction with the purified DNA demonstrated that affinity of this lipophilic cation to DNA depends on the medium composition. The capacity of DNA to bind Et+ considerably de-creases in presence of Mg2+, Polymyxin B or when DNA is incubated in high ionic strength media.
Reaction Time and Visual Memory in Connection to Alcohol Use In Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective Disorder
Authors: Mazumder Atiqul Haq , Barnett Jennifer , Lindberg Nina , Torniainen-Holm Minna , Lähteenvuo Markku , Lahdensuo Kaisla , Kerkelä Martta , Hietala Jarmo , Isometsä Erkki , Kampman Olli , Kieseppä Tuula , Jukuri Tuomas , Häkkinen Katja , Cederlöf Erik , Haaki Willehard , Kajanne Risto , Wegelius Asko , Männynsalo Teemu , Niemi-Pynttäri Jussi , Suokas Kimmo , Lönnqvist Jouko , Niemelä Solja , Tiihonen Jari , Paunio Tiina , Tuulio-Henriksson Annamari , Palotie Aarno , Suvisaari Jaana , Veijola Juha
Published: April 2021

Purpose of the study was to explore the association of cognition with hazardous drinking, binge drinking and alcohol use disorder in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder. Cognitive deficits are common in schizophrenia. Alcohol might be associated with additional cognitive impairment in schizophrenia patients. The study population included 3362 schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients in Finland. Hazardous drinking was screened with the AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for Consumption) screening tool. Binge drinking was obtained from the AUDIT-C. Alcohol use disorder (AUD) diagnoses were obtained from the national registrar data. Participants performed two computerized tasks from the Cambridge automated neuropsychological test battery (CANTAB) on tablet computer: the 5-choice serial reaction time task (5-CSRTT), or, reaction time (RT) test and the Paired Associative Learning (PAL) test. Association of alcohol use with RT test and PAL test was analyzed with log-linear regression and logistic regression, respectively. After adjustment for age, education and age at first psychotic episode, hazardous drinking in females was associated with lower median RT. Compared to never binge drinkers, male and female participants drinking 6 or more doses of alcohol monthly or less had lower median RT. In the PAL test both first trial memory score (FTMS) and total errors adjusted score (TEAS) were associated with better performance in males drinking 6 or more doses of alcohol weekly or more and in females drinking 6 or more doses monthly or less. Higher PAL TEAS was associated with AUD in females Some positive associations between alcohol and cognition were found in male and female schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder patients with hazardous drinking and binge drinking.
Multiscale Virtual Screening Optimization for Shotgun Drug Repurposing Using the CANDO Platform
Authors: Hudson Matthew L. , Samudrala Ram
Published: April 2021

Drug repurposing, the practice of utilizing existing drugs for novel clinical indications, has tremendous potential for improving human health outcomes and increasing therapeutic development efficiency. The goal of multidisease multitarget drug repurposing, also known as shotgun drug repurposing, is to develop platforms that assess the therapeutic potential of each existing drug for every clinical indication. Our Computational Analysis of Novel Drug Opportunities (CANDO) platform for shotgun multitarget repurposing implements several pipelines via large scale modelling and simulation of interactions between comprehensive libraries of drugs/compounds and protein structures. In these pipelines, each drug is described by an interaction signature that is then compared to all other signatures that are then sorted and ranked based on similarity. Pipelines within the platform are benchmarked based on their ability to recover known drugs for all indications in our library, and predictions are generated based on the hypothesis that (novel) drugs with similar signatures may be repurposed for the same indication(s). The drug-protein interactions in the platform used to create the drug-proteome signatures may be determined by any screening or docking method but the primary approach used thus far has been an in house similarity docking protocol. In this study, we calculated drug-proteome interaction signatures using the publicly available molecular docking method Autodock Vina and created hybrid decision tree pipelines that combined our original bio- and cheminformatic approach with the goal of assessing and benchmarking their drug repurposing capabilities and performance. The hybrid decision tree pipeline outperformed the corresponding two docking-based pipelines it was synthesized from, yielding an average indication accuracy of 13.3% at the top10 cutoff (the most stringent), relative to 10.9% and 7.1% for its constituent pipelines, and a random control accuracy of 2.2%. We demonstrate that docking based virtual screening pipelines have unique performance characteristics and that the CANDO shotgun repurposing paradigm is not dependent on a specific docking method. Our results also provide further evidence that multiple CANDO pipelines can be synthesized to enhance drug repurposing predictive capability relative to their constituent pipelines. Overall, this study indicates that pipelines consisting of varied docking based signature generation methods can capture unique and useful signal for accurate comparison of drug-proteome interaction signatures, leading to improvements in the benchmarking and predictive performance of the CANDO shotgun drug repurposing platform.
System Design and Data Governance for Environmental Disaster Management in Smart Scenic - A Case Study of Huangshan Mountain
Authors: Wang Zhong , Liao Zhenjie , Zhang Lijuan
Published: April 2021

Abstract: Intensity of natural and man-made disasters is increasing day by day. Disaster is one of the major threats that affects the sustainable development of tourist attractions. Big data and Internet of Things(IoT) will greatly improve the disaster management. Based on the Big Data and IoT, a tourism attraction disaster management system is designed, divided into several stages namely pre-disaster early warning prevention, disaster mitigation, recovery and reconstruction after disaster and updating disaster planning. Then, the system flow is analysed, as well as the system structure is constructed. Additional, system function and its operation flow are introduced, including disaster warning, disaster relief, disaster assessment, real-time monitoring and supporting disaster planning functions. Finally, an application case is introduced. Research intends to improve tourism area disasters management.
Improving Structure of the SLMHM on the Base of the PDCA Cycle
Authors: Gakh Dmitriy
Published: April 2021

Simple Learning Motivations Hierarchy Model (SLMHM) is a theory that attempts to structure the path of learning “growth” with 16 levels where each next level corresponds to higher aims, motives, results, and satisfaction. The SLMHM has been developed to simplify design, control, and evaluate the learning processes. The SLMHM was first presented at IES-2020 Conference (Gakh, 2020). More detailed research including analysis of internal structure shows that the model should be corrected. “Plan-Do-Check-Act” cycle (PDCA Cycle) is popular in management. This paper describes the SLMHM improved on base of analyses of its similarities with the PDCA Cycle. Description of this research makes SLMHM more comprehend.
Deformation and Stress Analysis of Catenary Shell of Revolution
Authors: Sun Bohua
Published: April 2021

The catenary shells of revolution are widely used in constructions due to their unique mechanics' feature. However, no publications on this type of shells can be found in the literature. To have a better understanding of the deformation and stress of the catenary shells of revolution, we formulate the principal radii for two kinds of catenary shells of revolution and their displacement type governing equations. Numerical simulations are carried out based on both Reissner-Meissner mixed formulations and displacement formulations. Our investigations show that both deformation and stress response of elastic catenary shells of revolution are sensitive to its geometric parameter $c$, and reveal that the mechanics of the catenary shells of revolution does much better than the spherical shells. Two complete codes in Maple are provided.
The WiFly: Flapping-Wing Small Unmanned Aerial Vehicle with Center-of-Gravity Shift Mechanism
Authors: Nozawa Taichi , Nakamura Keita , Katsuyama Ryosuke , Kuwajima Shunki , Li Ziyan , Nomizu Akira , Okamoto Riku , Munakata Toshitatsu , Watanabe Takanobu ,   Faculty of Science and Engineering, Waseda Univesity 3-4-1 Okubo, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 169-8555, Japan,   Micro Aircraft Research Institute 2-22-6 Ouzenji Nishi, Asou-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa 215-0017, Japan
Published: April 2021

This paper describes the development of a flapping-wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) named WiFly, which is equipped with a center-of-gravity (COG) shift mechanism. This mechanism allows seamless changes in the flight attitude between hovering and level flight by controlling the pitch angle. We implemented two types of feedback control systems in WiFly: PID control and reinforcement learning (shallow Q-learning) to stabilize the flight attitude. The controllability of WiFly is drastically improved by employing a double-motor drive system to independently control the flipping frequencies of the left and right wings.
Indoor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Navigation System Using LED Panels and QR Codes
Authors: Ukida Hiroyuki ,   Tokushima University 2-1 Minamijosanjima-cho, Tokushima, Tokushima 770-8506, Japan
Published: April 2021

In this study, we propose an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) navigation system using LED panels and QR codes as markers in an indoor environment. An LED panel can display various patterns; hence, we use it as a command presentation device for UAVs, and a QR code can embed various pieces of information, which is used as a sign to estimate the location of the UAV on the way of the flight path. In this paper, we present a navigation method from departure to destination positions in which an obstacle lies between them. In addition, we investigate the effectiveness of our proposed method using an actual UAV.
Feedback Control for a Drone with a Suspended Load via Hierarchical Linearization
Authors: Sekiguchi Kazuma ,   Department of Mechanical Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo City University 1-28-1 Tamazutsumi, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 158-8557, Japan, Eikyu Wataru , Nonaka Kenichiro
Published: April 2021

As a possible extension of a drone application, transportation of a cable-suspended load is expected. The model of a drone with a suspended load is a nonlinear underactuated system that is known to be difficult to analyze and control. This paper applies the linearization method, known as hierarchical linearization, to the system. We observed that, via the hierarchical linearization scheme, the system can be linearized exactly and the controller can be designed simultaneously. There are two features of this approach. First, the controller exactly considers the system nonlinearity, and the feedback controller is based on the linear control theory. Second, it is possible to derive the analytical solution of the closed-loop system. We have demonstrated these features via numerical simulations.
Landing Site Detection for UAVs Based on CNNs Classification and Optical Flow from Monocular Camera Images
Authors: Kikumoto Chihiro , Harimoto Yoh , Isogaya Kazuki , Yoshida Takeshi , Urakubo Takateru ,   Kobe University 1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan,   Ritsumeikan University 1-1-1 Noji-higashi, Kusatsu, Shiga 525-8577, Japan
Published: April 2021

The increased use of UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) has heightened demands for an automated landing system intended for a variety of tasks and emergency landings. A key challenge of this system is finding a safe landing site in an unknown environment using on-board sensors. This paper proposes a method to generate a heat map for safety evaluation using images from a single on-board camera. The proposed method consists of the classification of ground surface by CNNs (Convolutional Neural Networks) and the estimation of surface flatness from optical flow. We present the results of applying this method to a video obtained from an on-board camera and discuss ways of improving the method.
Semi-Automatic Visual Support System with Drone for Teleoperated Construction Robot
Authors: Ikeda Takahiro , Bando Naoyuki , Yamada Hironao ,   Gifu University 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu city, Gifu 501-1193, Japan,   Industrial Technology and Support Division, Gifu Prefectural Government 2-1-1 Yabuta-minami, Gifu city, Gifu 500-8570, Japan
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we describe a semi-automatic viewpoint moving system that employs a drone to provide visual assistance to the operator of a teleoperated robot. The objective of this system is to improve the operational efficiency and reduce the mental load of the operator. The operator changes the position of the drone through an interface to acquire the optimal assist image for teleoperation. We confirmed through an evaluation experiment that, in comparison with our previous study in which the final positions of the drone were determined in advance, the proposed method improves the operational accuracy and reduces the mental load of the operator.
Using social media data to assess the impact of COVID-19 on mental health in China 
Authors: Zhu Yongjian , Cao Liqing , Xie Jingui , Yu Yugang , Chen Anfan , Huang Fengming
Published: April 2021

Background. The outbreak and rapid spread of COVID-19 not only caused an adverse impact on physical health but also brought about mental health problems among the public.Methods. To assess the causal impact of COVID-19 on psychological changes in China, we constructed a city-level panel data set based on the expressed sentiment in the contents of 13 million geotagged tweets on Sina Weibo, the Chinese largest microblog platform.Results. Applying a difference-in-differences approach, we found a significant deterioration in mental health status after the occurrence of COVID-19. We also observed that this psychological effect faded out over time during our study period and was more pronounced among women, teenagers and older adults. The mental health impact was more likely to be observed in cities with low levels of initial mental health status, economic development, medical resources, and social security.Conclusions. Our findings may assist the understanding of COVID-19’s mental health impact and yield useful insights on how to make effective psychological interventions in this kind of sudden public health event.
Real-Time Human Detection in Thermal Infrared Images
Authors: Manssor Samah A. F. , Sun Shaoyuan , Abdalmajed Mohammed , Ali Shima
Published: April 2021

Human detection is a technology that detects pre-determined human shapes in the image and ignores everything else, which plays an irreplaceable role in video surveillance. However, modern person detectors have some inefficiencies in detecting pedestrians at night, and the accuracy rate is still insufficient. This paper presents a novel practical model for automatic real-time human detection at night-time. For this purpose, a new network architecture was proposed by improving the ting-yolov3 network for detecting pedestrians from TIR images based on the YOLO algorithm's tasks. The K-means clustering method clusters the image data, which contributes to obtaining excellent priority bounding-boxes. The proposed network was pre-trained on the original COCO dataset to obtain the initial weights. Through the comparison with the other three methods on the FLIR and DHU Night datasets showed that the proposed method performance was outperformed, in addition, to achieve a high score of accuracy (mAP%) in the TIR images. The method has a delay in detection time of 4.88ms. By improving the performance rates of human detection in TIR images, we expect this research to detect intruders in the night surveillance system.
Tear Meniscus, Corneal Topographic and Aberrometric Changes After Botulinum Toxin-A Injection in Patients With Blepharospasm and Hemifacial Spasm
Authors: Bilen Neslihan Bayraktar , Bilen Şule , Yılmaz Pınar Topçu , Kemer Özlem Evren
Published: April 2021

Purpose: To investigate the effect of Botulinum neurotoxin-A (BTX-A) treatment on dry eye symptoms, tear meniscus, corneal topography and corneal aberrometry in patients with benign essential blepharospasm (BEB) and hemifacial spasm (HFS).Materials and Methods: This prospective study comprised of 32 eyes from 8 BEB and 24 HFS patients. Tear meniscus height (TMH) and depth (TMD), tear break-up time (TBUT), corneal fluorescein staining score (CFSS), Schirmer I test, ocular surface disease index (OSDI) score, corneal topography [corneal power of flat axis (K1), corneal power of steep axis (K2), mean corneal power (Km), astigmatism and thinnest pachymetry] and anterior corneal aberrometry [spherical aberration (SA), vertical coma (vcoma), horizontal coma (hcoma), higher order root mean square (hRMS) and total RMS] were evaluated before BTX-A treatment and 3 weeks after BTX-A treatment.Results: 3 weeks after BTX-A injection TMH (265.9±116.4 µm vs. 347.1 ± 172.6 µm; p < 0.001) and TMD (178.1 ± 57.7 µm vs. 221.4 ± 90.3 µm; p < 0.001) showed a significant increase. TBUT, CFSS, Schirmer I test values were similar (p > 0.005). OSDI scores decreased significantly from 27.8 ± 26.1 to 18.4 ± 19.8 (p = 0.04). K2 (44.1 ± 1.7 D vs. 43.9 ± 1.7 D p = 0.009), Km (43.7 ± 1.6 D vs. 43.6 ± 1.6 D p = 0.025) and astigmatism (0.9 ± 0.6 D vs. 0.7 ± 0.5 D; p = 0.02) values improved significantly at 3 weeks. Pachymetry and aberrometric values did not change significantly.Conclusion: BTX-A injection increases tear meniscus and decrease symptoms related to dry eye disease in BEB and HFS patients. It decrease astigmatism and keratometry values but it does not cause a significant change in corneal aberrations.
Vitamin D3 Level And Risk of Diabetes In Patients With Hyperuricemia
Authors: Rongpeng Gong , Xu Zixin , Wei Xiaoxin
Published: April 2021

BackgroundPrevious studies have shown that hyperuricemia is involved in diabetes, obesity, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and other diseases. At the same time, studies have shown that vitamin D3 levels in the body are linked to the onset of diabete. However, there is currently no sufficient evidence to prove whether this connection is affected by uric acid levels. Therefore, we attempted to investigate the relationship between vitamin D3 content and the occurrence of diabetes in the hyperuricemia population by using the data of the NHANES database from 2009 to 2018.MethodWe conducted a cross-sectional study using the NHANES database. According to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria, we finally selected 3543 representative data. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to explore the relationship between vitamin D3 and diabetes in the hyperuricemia population after complete adjustment. We found a linear relationship between vitamin D3 content and the incidence of diabetes.ResultThe results of this study showed that there was a correlation between the content of vitamin D3 and the incidence of diabetes in people with hyperuricemia, and the effect values (OR and 95% confidence interval) were 0.95and (0.92-0.98), respectively, and the difference was statistically significant.ConclusionOur study shows that vitamin D3 content is associated with the incidence of diabetes in people with high uric acid. This study provides a new idea for exploring the factors affecting the pathogenesis of diabetes in patients with hyperuricemia.
Development of a Combined Solar Bioenergy Plant for Disposal of Household Waste
Authors: Murodov Muzaffar Khabibullaevich , Pitchai Kanagavel
Published: April 2021

This article presents one of the methods for modernizing a biowaste plant. Development opportunities are also being discussed to optimize the installation to maximize energy and environmental benefits. Methods for the biogas production, electrical energy and biological residue were considered and an analysis of the mass balance of the plant inputs and outputs was carried out. The energy and its environmental impact of the facility was assessed and ascertained that the facility has noteworthy ecological benefits. However, the research work elaborated by analyzing the plant operational material balance, that the quantity of methane generation and therefore the electricity generated can be further enhanced by combining this plant.
A layered parallel algorithm for data clustering via fuzzy c-means technique
Authors: Mu Yashuang , Wei Wei , Guo Hongyue , Sun Lijun
Published: April 2021

In this study, a layered parallel algorithm via fuzzy c-means (FCM) technique, called LP-FCM, is proposed in the framework of Map-Reduce for data clustering problems. The LP-FCM mainly contains three layers. The first layer follows a parallel data partitioning method which is developed to randomly divide the original dataset into several subdatasets. The second layer uses a parallel cluster centers searching method based on Map-Reduce, where the classic FCM algorithm is applied to search the cluster centers for each subdataset in Map phases, and all the centers are gathered to the Reduce phase for the confirmation of the final cluster centers through FCM technique again. The third layer implements a parallel data clustering method based on the final cluster centers. After comparing with some famous classic random initialization sequential clustering algorithms which include K-means, K-medoids, FCM and MinMaxK-means on 20 benchmark datasets, the feasibility in terms of clustering accuracy is evaluated. Furthermore, the clustering time and the parallel performance are also tested on some generated large-scale datasets for the parallelism.
The Photocatalytic Rate of ZnO Supported Onto A Natural Zeolite Nanoparticles In The Photodegradation of An Aromatic Amine
Authors: Iazdani Fereshteh , Nezamzadeh-Ejhieh Alireza
Published: April 2021

The ZnO supported on the ball-mill prepared clinoptilolite nanoparticles (CNPs) was prepared via an ion-exchange process followed by the calcination process. The ZnO-CNP catalyst was briefly characterized by XRD, FTIR, and DRS techniques. The pHpzc value for the various ZnO-CNPs was about 7.1 that no changed with the ZnO loading. By applying the Scherrer equation on the XRD results, a nano-dimension was obtained for the catalyst. Band gap energy of the ZnO-CNP samples were estimated by applying the Kubelka-Munk equation on the DRS reflectance spectra. The supported ZnO-CNP sample was then used in the photodegradation of 2,4-dichloroaniline (DCA).The effects of the most important key operating factors on the degradation efficiency was kinetically studied by applying the Hinshelwood equation on the results. The ZnO-CNP catalyst with 2 w% ZnO showed the best photocatalytic rate in the optimal conditions of 0.75 g/L, CDCA: 15 ppm, and the initial pH: 5.8. Finally, HPLC analysis of the blank and the photodegraded DCA solutions at 180 and 300 min confirmed 74 and 87% of DCA molecules were degraded during these times.
Tailoring of Nanostructured ZnO-Fe3O4/TiO2 Composite Derived from MIL 125(Ti) for Efficient Photocatalytic Removal of Reactive Blue 21 from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Esania Zahra , Younesi Habibollah , Nowrouzi Mohsen
Published: April 2021

A novel nanostructured ZnO-Fe3O4/TiO2 composite derived from MIL 125(Ti) was synthesized using mixed solvo-hydrothermal and sol-gel methods for efficient removal of Reactive Blue 21 (RB 21) from aqueous solutions under different conditions. The thermal stability, crystalline structure development, and superparamagnetic properties of the final composite were evaluated by thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray diffraction, and vibrating sample magnetometer instrument. The results approved that the as-synthesized ZnO-Fe3O4/TiO2 possessed a very high thermal stability up to ~ 900°C along with Zn-O, Ti-O, and Fe-O functional groups formation, which endowed superparamagnetic properties to this structure. A significant reduction of surface area from 603.96 (MIL 125(Ti)) to 51.48 m2/g (ZnO-Fe3O4/TiO2) was ascribed to the retailoring in construction, mesoporosity, and pore diameter development with a positive impact on the photocatalytic activities of the final product. The optimum condition with > 99% RB 21 removal was assigned at pH, initial concentration dye, catalyst dosage, and temperature of 2, 50 mg/L, 30 mg/100 mL, and 45°C, respectively. The thermodynamic studies disclosed that the adsorption process was nonspontaneous and endothermic. Furthermore, the synthesized ZnO-Fe3O4/TiO2 composite retained > 95% of its initial removal potential after five successive adsorption/desorption runs. Accordingly, ZnO-Fe3O4/TiO2 can be proposed for the successful removal of RB 21 in the wastewater treatment process.
Biarticular Hamstring Muscles Can Act as Knee Extensors – A Computer Simulation Study
Authors: Tokunaga Yuta , Takabayashi Tomoya , Inai Takuma , Watabe Takaya , Kubo Masayoshi
Published: April 2021

Purpose: It is unclear whether biarticular hamstring muscles (HAM) can act as knee extensors or not. The purpose of this study is to identify the conditions that HAM can act as a knee extensor by using a computational simulation approach.Methods: The modified Gait2392 musculoskeletal model was used in this study. The posture was determined with a hip flexion angle that ranged from -30° to 90° and a knee flexion angle that ranged from -10 ° to 90 °. The simulations were executed under two conditions: all segments are free to move, non-contact with the ground (nCG), and the foot is constrained on the ground, contact with the ground (CG). Induced acceleration analysis was applied to determine the contribution of the HAM to the knee angular acceleration.Results: Three key findings were discovered. 1) HAM can act as knee extensors that have CG condition as well as nCG condition. 2) The HAM function changes depending on the posture. 3) The range of the hip joint that HAM was able to act as a knee extensor was expanded for the CG condition from the nCG condition.Conclusions: We identified the situations in which HAM can act as knee extensors and demonstrated that the HAM function on the knee joint changes depending on the posture and the foot contact condition. Our findings suggest that HAM can be used as compensatory movement strategy for patients with a reduced capacity to generate knee extension if the patients have enough HAM strength.
The Emesis Trial: Depressive Patients with Brain Tumors are more Affected by Chemotherapy-induced Nausea and Vomiting
Authors: Dufner Vera , Keßler Almuth Friederike , Just Larissa , Hau Peter , Bumes Elisabeth , Pels Hendrik , Grauer Oliver , Wiese Bettina , Löhr Mario , Jordan Karin , Strik Herwig
Published: April 2021

Purpose: Patients with malignant brain tumors face a limited life expectancy and at the same time, they suffer from afflicting symptoms and undesired effects of tumor treatment. Apart from bone marrow suppression, standard chemotherapy with temozolomide causes nausea, emesis and loss of appetite. In this pilot study, we investigated how chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) affects the patients’ levels of depression and their quality of life. Methods: In this prospective observational multicentre study (n = 87), nausea, emesis and loss of appetite were evaluated with an expanded MASCC questionnaire, covering ten days during the first and the second cycle of chemotherapy. Quality of life was assessed with the EORTC QLQ-C30 and BN 20 questionnaire and levels of depression with the PHQ-9 inventory before and after the first and second cycle of chemotherapy. Results: CINV affected a minor part of patients. If present, it reached its maximum at day 3 and decreased to baseline level not before day 8. Levels of depression increased significantly after the first cycle of chemotherapy, but decreased during the further course of treatment. Patients with higher levels of depression were more severely affected by CINV and showed a lower quality of life through all time-points. Conclusion: We conclude that symptoms of depression should be perceived in advance and treated in order to avoid more severe side effects of tumor treatment. Additionally, in affected patients, delayed nausea was most prominent, pointing towards an activation of the NK1 receptor. We conclude that long acting antiemetics are necessary to treat temozolomide-induced nausea.
Remediation of contaminated water with Chromium VI by sorption in surface-activated-nanocellulose
Authors: Renata Ossa-Paredes , Bernardo Bastidas , Patricia Portero-Barahona , Carvajal-Barriga Javier
Published: April 2021

Chromium VI is a frequent pollutant of industrial liquid effluents resulting from industrial waste. It is a substance classified into the carcinogen group I. In this study, a Cr VI sorption mechanism was developed by using nanocellulose beads (hydrogel) obtained from ivory nut. Cr VI was detected in water by a colorimetric method, using 1, 5-diphenylcarbazide at λ 540 nm. The sorption capacity of nanocellulose spheres was tested by varying the solution's pH and temperatures. Our results showed that nanocellulose can efficiently adsorb at pH 4 and 25°C. Removal percentages were between 91.29%(+/-1.36) and 95.33%(+/- 0.86) of the total Cr VI. The sorption kinetics showed that the material reaches equilibrium after 20–30 minutes. Additionally, an analysis of adsorption isotherms showed a high fit with the Langmuir and Freundlinch isotherms. Therefore, this method seem to be applied both to decontaminate industrial and drinking water employing an organic matrix such as nanocelullose beads.
An experimental study of ultrasonic-assisted hot incremental Ti-6Al-4V sheet metal forming
Authors: Amini Saeed , Farzin Mahmoud , Mohammadi Aminollah
Published: April 2021

The use of ultrasonic vibration in the manufacturing process has significant and different effects. Studying the effect of longitudinal ultrasonic vibrations on the performance of the electrical hot incremental forming (EHIF) process of Ti-6Al-4V sheets was the main purpose of this paper. In this new technique, ultrasonic vibrations with a high frequency and a low axial amplitude were combined using an electrical heater device. These devices were designed, manufactured carefully and used to perform the sheet incremental forming process at elevated temperatures. This system consisted of different parts including a mechanism attached into the chuck of the CNC machine to give the rotary motion; also, the ultrasonic power was sent to the vibratory tool. By changing some input variables including feed-rate, step-down and current, output features such as quality surface, maximum forming angle, and levels of impurities were investigated in both conventional-(EHIF) and ultrasonic-assisted-(EHIF) processes. The obtained results showed that ultrasonic assistance could increase the quality surface and decrease the impurities; also, XRD (X-ray diffraction) phase analysis showed that β phase (BCC structure) was increased due to the reduced transition, thus improving formability.
Comparative trace element trends in Posidonia oceanica and its sediments along the Turkish-Mediterranean coast
Authors: OZTURK Rafet Cagri , Gedik Kenan , Şahin Ahmet , Özvarol Yaşar , Mutlu Erhan
Published: April 2021

Concentrations of eight trace elements (V, Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) were investigated in Posidonia oceanica blades and in the sediments sampled from 23 stations along the Turkish-Mediterranean Sea coast. Trace element (TE) concentration in both sediment and P. oceanica showed a statistically significant distribution among sampling stations. Most of the TE concentration in samples varied remarkably among stations without a consistent trend. Concentrations of Zn, Cd, Cu, and Pb in sediment of all of the sampling stations were determined as non-polluted based on the comparison with the sediment quality guideline index. More than quarter of the sampling stations were found as moderately or heavily polluted for Cr, Ni, and As. The mean TE concentrations found in the sediment sample in the present study were similar to the concentrations reported from the different parts of the eastern Mediterranean Sea. TE concentrations in P. oceanica were generally lower compared to the concentrations in the sediment except for Cd, Zn, and Cu. While positive correlation was found for Ni concentrations between sediment and P. oceanica samples, negative correlation was detected for V, Cr, Zn, Cu, As, and Cd concentrations between sediment and P. oceanica. The highest bioaccumulation factor in P. oceanica was calculated for Cd. The study area of the present study, especially the western sites (provinces of Antalya and Muğla) hosts millions of tourists annually and under the influence of intensive human activities in summer. Thus, coastal waters are heavily exposed to TEs and significantly positive correlations were detected between the anthropogenic TE pollutants (As, Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb, and V) and natural sourced TE (Ni and Cr).
Robust Particle Swarm Optimization for Active/Reactive and Reserve Scheduling in a Grid-connected Microgrid With Energy Storage Systems
Authors: Rasouli Ali , Bigdeli Mehdi , Samimi Abouzar
Published: April 2021

Background: In recent years, simultaneous participation in electrical energy and ancillary services markets has been very profitable for distributed energy resources (DERs). Moreover, the presence of renewable generations along with energy storage systems (ESS) is bringing a significant contribution to modern distribution systems. High penetration of non-predictable power sources in microgrids (MGs), due to the uncertainties of these products, increases the need for ancillary services and the management and coordination of these technologies combined with the ESSs. Results: For the first time, this paper develops a robust particle swarm optimization model to handle the uncertain renewable power production involved in the joint active/reactive and reserve scheduling of a smart MG. The robust optimization approach has a medium priority compared to deterministic and stochastic ones. The objective function utilized for the optimal joint active/reactive and reserve scheduling of an MG is defined as maximizing social welfare, which is accomplished based on a max-min optimization model. The robust optimal solution can be achieved in such a way that the maximizer at the outer level makes an optimal decision against the worst-case objective function, which is acquired based on the minimizer at the inner level considering the uncertainty neighborhood. Conclusions: The effectiveness of the proposed method is examined on a 33-bus MG test system. Simulation results prove that the proposed RPSO model can help MG operators to reduce scheduling costs to obtain a higher social welfare. The consideration of more uncertainty in renewable energy resources production leads to higher operation costs, especially reserve costs. Integration of robustness against uncertainty in the joint active/reactive and reserve management in the smart MGs leads to a more robust operation at the expense of higher costs.
Remediation of Arsenic-contaminated Soil in Northwestern China by Pseudomonas Taiwanensis
Authors: Liu Mengbo , Wang Shengli , Yang Meng , Ning Xiang , Nan Zhongren
Published: April 2021

The physiological resistance of Pseudomonas taiwanensis to heavy metals was studied and used to repair heavy metal contaminated water and soil. The results showed that the suitable pH conditions for the growth of P. taiwanensis were 5-9, and the salt tolerance was 6%. The tolerance concentrations for heavy metals As(V) and Mn(II) were 500 mg L-1 and 120 mg L-1, respectively. The strains were enriched by nutrient broth(NB) medium. After logarithmic phase, the bacteria liquid was mixed with ATCCTM#279 medium in proportion, and a certain amount of Mn(II) was added. The results of removing heavy metals As, Pb and Cd in the composite polluted water phase were 22.09%, 30.75% and 35.33%. The molar ratio of manganese and iron will affect the removal efficiency of single pollution heavy arsenic. When the ratio of iron and manganese is 1:5, the highest removal efficiency is 68%. However, when the remediation method is added to the soil, it cannot fix all metals, such as Cu and Zn. This remediation method provides a reference for the practical engineering application of microbial remediation.
Preparation and Test of UV Resistant and Flame Retardant Cotton Fabric With Phytic Acid, Tannic Acid and Diethylenetriamine as Raw Materials
Authors: Zhou Xiang , Yin Yankun , Huang Zhiyu , Fu Lu , Chen Shaohua , Wang Hua , Wang Luoxin
Published: April 2021

Although cotton fabric is widely used in various fields because of its unique advantages, it has the disadvantages of flammability and poor ultraviolet protection. By combining diethylenetriamine(DETA)、phytic acid (PA) and tannic acid(TA) on cotton fabric, a chemical reaction intumescent flame retardant cotton fabric with anti-ultraviolet and anti-flame retardant was developed. The flame retardant and ultraviolet resistance of cotton fabric were characterized by limiting oxygen index (LOI) test, vertical combustion test, cone calorimetry test and ultraviolet resistance test. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and other tests were used to analyze the chemical composition, surface morphology and residual carbon after combustion of the cotton fabric, and it was confirmed that the modified cotton fabric has good ultraviolet resistance and flame retardant performance. In this study, an eco-friendly cotton fabric treatment method was proposed, which made cotton fabric have anti-ultraviolet and flame retardant properties, and a new application of tannic acid and phytic acid in ultraviolet protection and flame retardant of fabric was put forward.
Global Trends of Publication of Randomized Controlled Trials of Helicobacter Pylori Research
Authors: Zhang Chun-Ming , Chen Qi-Tong , Wu Cheng , Huang Yuan-Qing , Shi Bin , Shi Jian
Published: April 2021

Background

Since the first randomized controlled trial (RCT) on H. pylori was published in 1987, many RCTs were reported and major advances have been achieved in H. pylori research. This study aimed to use the PubMed to synthetically analyze the global trends of publication of the RCTs of H. pylori research from 1983 to 2020.
Methods

A computerized literature search was performed based on PubMed (1983–Dec 31, 2020). The relevant RCTs on H. pylori research were identified. We analyzed the papers and calculated the data with the publishing items of RCTs.
Results

The literature search involved 25,915 papers and 1,550 RCTs. These 1,550 RCTs were published from 1987 to 2020, with 2 ones in 1987 (the least) and 102 ones in 1999 (the most). These RCTs were published in 266 journals, with 259 ones in Alimentary Pharmacology & Therapeutics (AP&T). These RCTs originated from 72 countries, with 236 from China, followed by 184 from Italy and 147 from Japan. The leading productive affiliation was Baylor College of Medicine (34 RCTs). The leading paper of the ten most highly-cited RCTs had 974 citations, and the mean number of citations was 584.
Conclusions

The publication of H. pylori RCTs reached a peak at 1999 and then declined gradually after 2003. The leading journal publishing H. pylori RCTs was AP&T. The most productive countries were China, Italy, Japan, USA and UK. This bibliometric analysis can help relevant researchers take an overall view of global H. pylori research, and determine the direction of further research.
Characteristic of Erosion Properties and Relationship With Geotechnical Properties for Red Riverbank Soil in Hanoi, Vietnam
Authors: Duong Toan Thi
Published: April 2021

Soil erosion properties are the main factors affecting riverbank and river channel stability. In this paper, a modified water flume in the laboratory was conducted to evaluate the characteristic of erosion properties including the critical shear stress, the slope of the erosion curve, and erosion rate. The relationships between erosion properties and geotechnical properties as dry density, grain size distribution, shear strength, and soil suction were built. Results obtained from laboratory tests indicate (i) the clay content, cohesion force, residual suction has a great effect and linear correlation in the relationships with the critical shear stress and erosion rate. While the change in clay content leads to a markedly change in the erosion rate. The difference of 5 % clay content enough to build great effects on the erosion rate curve for the Silt soil group; (ii) the sand content has the greatest influence on the slope of the erosion curve (the initial slope and the erosion slope); (iii) the density also has a close relationship with the critical shear stress and the erosion slope, but not for a fine–sand mixture with clay content less than 10%. Based on obtained results and relationships found in this paper, the cohesion force and residual suction should be considered in process of soil riverbank improvement and riverbank undercutting erosion protections.
Characteristics of Japanese Patients With Disseminated Herpes Zoster: A Retrospective Study of 20 Cases
Authors: Norimatsu Yuta , Ohno Yuki
Published: April 2021

BackgroundThe risk of herpes zoster is increased among older and immunocompromised patients. However, it had been reported that Japanese tend to have a low BMI and that the patient characteristics of cellulitis is different from that of other countries. Due to the different characteristics of the Japanese population, we investigated for other characteristics unique to the Japanese population.MethodWe retrospectively examined cases of disseminated herpes zoster hospitalization between April 1, 2005, and March 31, 2018.ResultsThe mean patient age was 68.35 ± 15.76 years(mean ± SD). Recurrence was observed in only one patient. Hypertension was observed in 35%, hyperlipidemia in 25%, cancer in 30%, and autoimmune disease was found in 20% of patients. Based on the results of this study and previous reports, herpes zoster was more likely to occur among older immunosuppressed patients. In contrast to previous reports of hypertension occurrence in approximately 6% of Japanese patients, our findings indicated 35%. In addition, in contrast to the previously reported rate of hyperlipidemia of approximately 2% in the Japanese population, our results showed 25%. This suggested that hypertension and hyperlipidemia were also the risk factors for disseminated herpes zoster in Japanese patients.ConclusionHypertension and hyperlipidemia were the proposed risk factors for disseminated herpes zoster in Japanese patients, in addition to age and immunodeficiency.
Magnetic Nitrogen-doped graphene synthesized from orange peel as highly effective adsorbent for removal of sodium dodecyl benzenesulfonate (SDBS) from aqueous solutions
Authors: Khoshnoodfar Arash , Bahramifar Nader , Younesi Habibollah
Published: April 2021

The purpose of the current research is to investigate the adsorption process behavior of magnetic nitrogen doped graphene (MNG) prepared from the orange peel in the adsorption of sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) from liquid solution in batch experiments. The characteristics results of VSM, FTIR, SEM, AFM, Raman, elemental analysis and BET surface area analysis revealed the successful synthesis nano adsorbent. The effective factors on adsorption performance were including adsorbent dosage, temperature, contact time, pH and initial concentration of SDBS. The Maximum adsorption capacity for SDBS is computed to be 556 mg/g at 45 ◦C and pH of 3. The adsorption process of SDBS was found that fitted well with the Langmuir isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic equations. Thermodynamic analysis proved the spontaneous and endothermic nature of the adsorption process. Furthermore, the SDBS can be desorbed from the fabricated nano adsorbent by methanol solution with 88 % desorption efficiency and MNG indicated good reusability after five cycles. The finding from this research, propose that the as-synthesized MNG could be an effective adsorbent for water and wastewater treatment because of its convenient process and magnetic separation.