bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Frequency-Constrained Optimization of a Real-Scale Symmetric Structural Using Gold Rush Algorithm
Authors: Sarjamei Sepehr , Massoudi Mohammad Sajjad , Sarafraz Mehdi Esfandi
Published: April 2022

The optimal design of real-scale structures under frequency constraints is a crucial problem for engineers. In this paper, linear analysis, as well as optimization by considering natural frequency constraints, have been used for real-scale symmetric structures. These structures require a lot of time to minimize weight and displacement. The cyclically symmetric properties have been used for decreasing time. The structure has been decomposed into smaller repeated portions termed substructures. Only the substructure elements are needed when analyzing and designing with the concept of cyclic symmetries. The frequency constrained design of real-scale structures is a complex optimization problem that has many local optimal answers. In this research, the Gold Rush Optimization (GRO) algorithm has been used to optimize weight and displacement performances due to its effectiveness and robustness against uncertainties. The efficacy of the concept of cyclic symmetry to minimize the time calculated is assessed by three examples, including Disk, Silo, and Cooling Tower. Numerical results indicate that the proposed method can effectively reduce time consumption, and that the GRO algorithm results in a 14–20% weight reduction of the problems.
A Method of Curve Reconstruction Based on Point Cloud Clustering and PCA
Authors: Peng Kaijun , Tan Jieqing , Zhang Guochang
Published: April 2022

In many application fields (closed curve noise data reconstruction, time series data fitting, image edge smoothing, skeleton extraction, etc.), curve reconstruction based on noise data has always been a popular but challenging problem. In a single domain, there are many methods for curve reconstruction of noise data, but a method suitable for multi-domain curve reconstruction has received much less attention in the literature. More importantly, the existing methods have shortcomings in time consumption when dealing with large data and high-density point cloud curve reconstruction. For this reason, we hope to propose a curve fitting algorithm suitable for many fields and low time consumption. In this paper, a curve reconstruction method based on clustering and point cloud principal component analysis is proposed. Firstly, the point cloud is clustered by the K++ means algorithm. Secondly, a denoising method based on point cloud principal component analysis is proposed to obtain the interpolation nodes of curve subdivision. Finally, the fitting curve is obtained by the parametric curve subdivision method. Comparative experiments show that our method is superior to the classical fitting method in terms of time consumption and effect. In addition, our method is not constrained by the shape of the point cloud, and can play a role in time series data, image thinning and edge smoothing.
Analysis of the Dynamics and Strength of the Symmetrically Loaded Bearing Structure of a Tank Car with Friction Bonds Implemented by Means of Elastic Elements in the Tank Supports
Authors: Fomin Oleksij , Gerlici Juraj , Lovska Alyona , Kravchenko Kateryna
Published: April 2022

The article reflects the results from determining the vertical loading of the supporting structure of the tank car. A feature of the tank car is the presence of friction bonds implemented by means of elastic elements in the boiler supports on the frame, which helps to reduce the loading of the supporting structure and increase the fatigue strength. To substantiate the proposed solution, the determination of the vertical loading of the supporting structure of the tank car was carried out when driving in an empty state by rail unevenness. It was established that the use of friction bonds implemented by means of bearings makes it possible to reduce the dynamic loading of the tank car by almost 35% compared to the prototype. To determine the distribution fields of acceleration acting on the supporting structure of the tank car, as well as their numerical values, a computer simulation of the dynamic loading of its supporting structure was carried out. The calculation was carried out using the finite element method according to the Mises criterion. When carrying out calculations, elastic connections were placed between the boiler and its supports using the options of the software package. To consider the friction component, the friction force was taken into account which was applied in the zones of the interaction of the boiler with the supports. The conducted studies showed that the discrepancy between the results of analytical and numerical modeling is 7.9%. It was established that the design service life of the improved supporting structure of the tank car is more than 20% higher than the service life of the prototype car. The safety factor of fatigue strength was 4.1. The research conducted can be used by those concerned about reducing failures in the bearing structures of tank cars in operational loading modes, decreasing maintenance costs, and developing recommendations for designing innovative car structures.
Speed Regulation of a Permanent Magnet DC Motor with Sliding Mode Control Based on Washout Filter
Authors: Velasco-Muñoz Hugo , Candelo-Becerra John E. , Hoyos Fredy E. , Rincón Alejandro
Published: April 2022

The accuracy of control systems applied to motors is influenced by uncertainties and abrupt variations of the load and system parameters. Some robust control strategies have been proposed in the literature for responding to disturbances and uncertainties, parametric variations, and non-linearities, adding complex control rules and considerable computational efforts. Therefore, this paper presents the application of a sliding mode control method based on a washout filter (SMC-w) for speed control in a permanent magnet DC motor. In addition, the dynamic behavior of the SMC-w is evaluated under changes in the reference speed and load torque. The response of the control system under variations of the speed reference signal and load torque were studied. The results were contrasted with conventional proportional integral derivative (PID) control to evaluate the efficiency and improvement of the SMC-w. The qualitative shape of the transient response of the speed and current concerning changes in the reference speed is symmetric for the SMC-w controller, but the values of overshoot, settling time, and steady-state error are different. This technique has a great potential for industrial application as it controls efficiently with low computational cost and a simple design, which benefits its implementation in practical environments.
Spectrum of Primordial Gravitational Waves in Modified Gravities: A Short Overview
Authors: Odintsov Sergei , Oikonomou Vasilis , Myrzakulov Ratbay
Published: April 2022

In this work, we shall exhaustively study the effects of modified gravity on the energy spectrum of the primordial gravitational waves background. S. Weinberg has also produced significant works related to the primordial gravitational waves, with the most important one being the effects of neutrinos on primordial gravitational waves. With this short review, our main aim is to gather all the necessary information for studying the effects of modified gravity on primordial gravitational waves in a concrete and quantitative way and in a single paper. After reviewing all the necessary techniques for extracting the general relativistic energy spectrum, and how to obtain, in a WKB way, the modified gravity damping or amplifying factor, we concentrate on specific forms of modified gravity of interest. The most important parameter involved for the calculation of the effects of modified gravity on the energy spectrum is the parameter aM, which we calculate for the cases of f(R,ϕ) gravity, Chern–Simons-corrected f(R,ϕ) gravity, Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet-corrected f(R,ϕ) gravity, and higher derivative extended Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet-corrected f(R,ϕ) gravity. The exact form of aM is presented explicitly for the first time in the literature. With regard to Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet-corrected f(R,ϕ) gravity, and higher derivative extended Einstein–Gauss–Bonnet-corrected f(R,ϕ) gravity theories, we focus on the case in which the gravitational wave propagating speed is equal to that of light in a vacuum. We provide expressions for aM expressed in terms of the cosmic time and in terms of the redshift, which can be used directly for the numerical calculation of the effect of modified gravity on the primordial gravitational wave energy spectrum.
A Septuple Integral of the Product of Three Bessel Functions of the First Kind Jα(tβ)Jγ(xδ)Jη(yθ): Derivation and Evaluation over General Indices
Authors: Reynolds Robert , Stauffer Allan
Published: April 2022

Closed expressions for a number of septuple integrals involving the product of three Bessel functions of the first kind Jα(tβ)Jγ(xδ)Jη(yθ) when the orders α,γ,η are large, are derived in terms of the Hurwitz–Lerch zeta function Φ(z,s,v). The integrals are not easy to to evaluate for complex values of the parameters. All the results in this work are new.
Theoretical Constraints on Neutron-Mirror-Neutron Oscillation
Authors: Babu Kaladi S. , Mohapatra Rabindra N.
Published: April 2022

Mirror models lead to the possibility that neutron (n) can oscillate into its mirror partner (n′), inspiring several experimental searches for this phenomenon. The condition for observability of this oscillation is a high degree of degeneracy between the n and n′ masses, which can be guaranteed if there is exact parity symmetry taking all particles to their mirror partners. However, consistency of these models with big-bang nucleosynthesis requires that this parity symmetry be broken in the early universe in a scenario called asymmetric inflation. In this paper, we study the consistency of an observable n−n′ oscillations signal with asymmetric inflation and derive various theoretical constraints. In particular, we find that the reheat temperature after inflation should lie below 2.5 TeV, and we predict a singlet fermion with a mass below 100 GeV. In simple models, where the right-handed neutrino is a mediator of baryon-number-violating interactions, we find that the light neutrinos are Dirac fermions with their masses arising radiatively through one-loop diagrams.
Prime Cordial Labeling of Generalized Petersen Graph under Some Graph Operations
Authors: Zhao Weidong , Naeem Muhammad , Ahmad Irfan
Published: April 2022

A graph is a connection of objects. These objects are often known as vertices or nodes and the connection or relation in these nodes are called arcs or edges. There are certain rules to allocate values to these vertices and edges. This allocation of values to vertices or edges is called graph labeling. Labeling is prime cordial if vertices have allocated values from 1 to the order of graph and edges have allocated values 0 or 1 on a certain pattern. That is, an edge has an allocated value of 0 if the incident vertices have a greatest common divisor (gcd) greater than 1. An edge has an allocated value of 1 if the incident vertices have a greatest common divisor equal to 1. The number of edges labeled with 0 or 1 are equal in numbers or, at most, have a difference of 1. In this paper, our aim is to investigate the prime cordial labeling of rotationally symmetric graphs obtained from a generalized Petersen graph P(n,k) under duplication operation, and we have proved that the resulting symmetric graphs are prime cordial. Moreover, we have also proved that when we glow a Petersen graph with some path graphs, then again, the resulting graph is a prime cordial graph.
A Fast Circle Detector with Efficient Arc Extraction
Authors: Liu Yang , Deng Honggui , Zhang Zeyu , Xu Qiguo
Published: April 2022

Circle detection is a crucial problem in computer vision and pattern recognition. Improving the accuracy and efficiency of circle detectors has important scientific significance and excellent application value. In this paper, we propose a circle detection method with efficient arc extraction. In order to reduce edge redundancy and eliminate crossing points, we present an edge refinement algorithm to refine the edges into single-pixel-wide branchless contour curves. To address the contour curve segmentation difficulty, we improved the CTAR (Chord to Triangular Arms Ratio) corner detection method to enhance corner point detection and segment the contour curves based on corner points. Then, we used the relative position constraint of arcs to improve the circle detection accuracy further. Finally, we verified the feasibility and reliability of the proposed method by comparing our approach with five other methods using three datasets. The experimental results showed that the presented method had the advantages of anti-obscuration, anti-defect, and real-time performance over other methods.
Simpson’s and Newton’s Type Inequalities for (α,m)-Convex Functions via Quantum Calculus
Authors: Soontharanon Jarunee , Ali Muhammad Aamir , Budak Hüseyin , Nonlaopon Kamsing , Abdullah Zoya
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we give the generalized version of the quantum Simpson’s and quantum Newton’s formula type inequalities via quantum differentiable α,m-convex functions. The main advantage of these new inequalities is that they can be converted into quantum Simpson and quantum Newton for convex functions, Simpson’s type inequalities α,m-convex function, and Simpson’s type inequalities without proving each separately. These inequalities can be helpful in finding the error bounds of Simpson’s and Newton’s formulas in numerical integration. Analytic inequalities of this type as well as particularly related strategies have applications for various fields where symmetry plays an important role.
Comparative Morphological Analysis of Two Species of Turtle Leeches Coexisting in North America (Hirudinea: Glossiphoniidae): Embryological Evidence for Character Displacement
Authors: Sawyer Roy T.
Published: April 2022

The genus Placobdella (Glossiphoniidae) has a centre of species concentration in North America. The type species P. costata is the only representative in the Palaearctic region. American Placobdella which feed on turtles are represented predominantly by two common species, P. parasitica and P. rugosa, which geographically overlap in eastern USA and southern Canada. The latter species is morphologically indistinguishable from P. multilineata of southeast USA. These two tuberculated forms are recognised herein as a clade and treated as a single ‘species’ for comparative purposes. Both P. parasitica and P. rugosa clade commonly coexist and feed on the same turtle species without host preference. This paper addresses morphological differences between them. An unexpected finding is that hatchlings of both species are very difficult to distinguish. A morphologically significant observation is that developmental divergence results in tubercle prominence in P. rugosa clade, but tubercle suppression in P. parasitica, the first example of character displacement in the Hirudinea. Morphological differences are interpreted as reflecting interspecific competition, a phenomenon not found in their Palaearctic counterpart. Why do the two American turtle leech species coexist rather than reduce competition by partitioning their food supply?
Experimental Evaluation of Hybrid Fibre–Wireless System for 5G Networks
Authors: Hadi Muhammad Usman , Song Jian , Soman Sunish Kumar Orappanpara , Rahimian Ardavan , Cheema Adnan Ahmad
Published: April 2022

This article describes a novel experimental study considering a multiband fibre–wireless system for constructing the transport network for fifth-generation (5G) networks. This study describes the development and testing of a 5G new radio (NR) multi-input multi-output (MIMO) hybrid fibre–wireless (FiWi) system for enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) using digital pre-distortion (DPD). Analog radio over fibre (A-RoF) technology was used to create the optical fronthaul (OFH) that includes a 3 GHz supercell in a long-range scenario as well as a femtocell scenario using the 20 GHz band. As a proof of concept, a Mach Zehnder modulator with two independent radio frequency waveforms modifies a 1310 nm optical carrier using a distributed feedback laser across 10 km of conventional standard single-mode fibre. It may be inferred that a hybrid FiWi-based MIMO-enabled 5G NR system based on OFH could be a strong competitor for future mobile haul applications. Moreover, a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based DPD is used to improve the performance of the link. The error vector magnitude (EVM) performance for 5G NR bands is predicted to fulfil the Third Generation Partnership Project’s (3GPP) Release 17 standards.
Thoracic Spine CT Hidden Treasures: Lung Assessment and Extraspinal Findings in Patients with Vertebral Fractures Studied with Full FOV during Breath Hold: Technical Note
Authors: Manca Antonio , Chiara Gabriele , Bellizzi Saverio , Valle Piergiorgio , Nicoli Silvia , Campanella Delia , Regge Daniele
Published: April 2022

Thoracic spine CTs are usually performed during free breathing and with a narrow field of view; this common practice systematically excludes the assessment of lungs and other extraspinal structures, even if these have been irradiated during the examination. At our institution we perform thoracic spine CT during breath hold with additional full FOV reconstructions; this allows us to also evaluate lungs and extraspinal pathologies in the same examination with no added costs or further radiation exposure. If this simple and costless technical change is routinely applied to thoracic spine CT many concomitant extraspinal pathologies can be ruled out, from neoplasms to pneumonia; the suggested modification also allows an early diagnosis and avoids recalling and re-irradiating the patient in case these findings are partially included in the study. This practice can be further useful during the current pandemic in order to screen any lung opacities suspicious for COVID-19.
An Anthropomorphic Digital Reference Object (DRO) for Simulation and Analysis of Breast DCE MRI Techniques
Authors: Henze Bancroft Leah , Holmes James , Bosca-Harasim Ryan , Johnson Jacob , Wang Pingni , Korosec Frank , Block Walter , Strigel Roberta
Published: April 2022

Advances in accelerated magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) continue to push the bounds on achievable spatial and temporal resolution while maintaining a clinically acceptable image quality. Validation tools, including numerical simulations, are needed to characterize the repeatability and reproducibility of such methods for use in quantitative imaging applications. We describe the development of a simulation framework for analyzing and optimizing accelerated MRI acquisition and reconstruction techniques used in dynamic contrast enhanced (DCE) breast imaging. The simulation framework, in the form of a digital reference object (DRO), consists of four modules that control different aspects of the simulation, including the appearance and physiological behavior of the breast tissue as well as the MRI acquisition settings, to produce simulated k-space data for a DCE breast exam. The DRO design and functionality are described along with simulation examples provided to show potential applications of the DRO. The included simulation results demonstrate the ability of the DRO to simulate a variety of effects including the creation of simulated lesions, tissue enhancement modeled by the generalized kinetic model, T1-relaxation, fat signal precession and saturation, acquisition SNR, and changes in temporal resolution.
Long-Term Exposure to Air Pollution Associates the Risk of Benign Brain Tumor: A Nationwide, Population-Based, Cohort Study in Taiwan
Authors: Chang Kuang-Hsi , Teng Chieh-Lin Jerry , Hsu Yi-Chao , Tsai Stella Chin-Shaw , Lin Han-Jie , Hsieh Tsai-Ling , Muo Chih-Hsin , Hsu Chung Y. , Chou Ruey-Hwang
Published: April 2022

Air pollutants as risk factors for benign brain tumor (BBT) remain unclear. Therefore, we conducted a nationwide retrospective cohort study by integrating the patients’ clinical data and daily air quality data to assess the environmental risk factors of BBT in Taiwan.Daily air quality data were categorized into quartiles (Q1 to Q4). The adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) was evaluated by comparing the BBT incidence rate of the subjects in Q2–Q4 with that of the subjects in Q1 (the lowest concentration of air pollutants). A total of 161,213 subjects were enrolled in the study. Among the air pollutants tested, the aHR of BBT was significantly higher in the subjects who were exposed to the highest level (Q4) of CO (aHR 1.37, 95% CI 1.08–1.74), NO2 (aHR 1.40, 95% CI 1.09–1.78), and PM2.5 (aHR 1.30, 95% CI 1.02–1.65) than that in the subjects who were exposed to the lowest level (Q1). No significant risk association of BBT with SO2 and PM10 exposure was observed. The results revealed that long-term exposure to air pollutants, particularly CO, NO2, and PM2.5, is associated with the risk of BBT.
Gambierol Blocks a K+ Current Fraction without Affecting Catecholamine Release in Rat Fetal Adrenomedullary Cultured Chromaffin Cells
Authors: Benoit Evelyne , Schlumberger Sébastien , Molgó Jordi , Sasaki Makoto , Fuwa Haruhiko , Bournaud Roland
Published: April 2022

Gambierol inhibits voltage-gated K+ (KV) channels in various excitable and non-excitable cells. The purpose of this work was to study the effects of gambierol on single rat fetal (F19–F20) adrenomedullary cultured chromaffin cells. These excitable cells have different types of KV channels and release catecholamines. Perforated whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings revealed that gambierol (100 nM) blocked only a fraction of the total outward K+ current and slowed the kinetics of K+ current activation. The use of selective channel blockers disclosed that gambierol did not affect calcium-activated K+ (KCa) and ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channels. The gambierol concentration necessary to inhibit 50% of the K+ current-component sensitive to the polyether (IC50) was 5.8 nM. Simultaneous whole-cell current-clamp and single-cell amperometry recordings revealed that gambierol did not modify the membrane potential following 11s depolarizing current-steps, in both quiescent and active cells displaying repetitive firing of action potentials, and it did not increase the number of exocytotic catecholamine release events, with respect to controls. The subsequent addition of apamin and iberiotoxin, which selectively block the KCa channels, both depolarized the membrane and enhanced by 2.7 and 3.5-fold the exocytotic event frequency in quiescent and active cells, respectively. These results highlight the important modulatory role played by KCa channels in the control of exocytosis from fetal (F19–F20) adrenomedullary chromaffin cells.
The Poincaré Index and Its Applications
Authors: Aleksandrov Alexander G.
Published: April 2022

We discuss an approach to the problem of calculating the local topological index of vector fields given on complex spaces or varieties with singularities developed by the author over the past few years. Our method is based on the study of the homology of a contravariant version of the classical Poincaré–de Rham complex. This idea allows not only simplifying the calculations, but also clarifying the meaning of the basic constructions underlying many papers on the subject. In particular, in the graded case, the index can be expressed explicitly in terms of the elementary symmetric polynomials. We also considered some useful applications in physics, mechanics, control theory, the theory of bifurcations, etc.
Scattered Radiation of Protoplanetary Disks
Authors: Grinin Vladimir P. , Tambovtseva Larisa V.
Published: April 2022

Scattered radiation of circumstellar (CS) dust plays an important role in the physics of young stars. Its observational manifestations are various but more often they are connected with the appearance of intrinsic polarization in young stars and their CS disks. In our brief review we consider two classes of astrophysical objects in which the participation of scattered radiation is key for understanding their nature. First of all, these are irregular variables (UX Ori type stars). The modern idea of their nature and the mechanism of their variability has been formed thanks to synchronous observations of their linear polarization and brightness. The second class of objects is the CS disks themselves. Their detailed investigation became possible due to observations in polarized light using a coronographic technique and large telescopes.
Effectiveness of Ginseng, Rutin and Moringa for the Treatment of Erectile Dysfunction: A Systematic Review
Authors: Rebez Giacomo , Capogrosso Paolo , Boeri Luca , Rizzo Michele , Miacola Carlos , Cai Tommaso , Palumbo Fabrizio , Ortensi Ilaria , Ceruti Carlo , Lauretti Stefano , Bitelli Marco , Liguori Giovanni , Di Trapani Danilo , Palmieri Alessandro ,   on behalf of the Italian Society of Andrology
Published: April 2022

Introduction, The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the current evidence for the effectiveness of ginseng, Rutin and Moringa for treating erectile dysfunction. Methods, A broad search of the Scopus, PubMed, Cochrane and Web of Science databases was performed in complicance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines. The following criteria were required for articles to be included in the review: English language; observational studies (cohort studies, case control/comparative studies, single-arm studies); randomized controlled trials; non-randomized comparative studies; case series; number of participants: ≥5 for case series or ≥5 patients per group for comparative studies. The Cochrane risk of bias (RoB) assessment tool for RCTs was used to assess the risk of bias of included studies. Results, Seven full-text articles were included in this review. All studies were randomized controlled trials. No studies on Rutin and Moringa alone matched the inclusion criteria. The methodological quality of the RCTs was variable. In all studies, the group treated with ginseng reported an improvement of erectile function (EF) compared to the control groups. IIEF and IIEF-5 were used to evaluate erectile function in six studies and in four of them, the improvement of the scores in the group treated with ginseng over the control group reached the statistical significance. Conclusion, This review suggests a positive effect of ginseng on EF in men. The association of ginseng along with other nutritional components with potential beneficial effects on ED appears promising and deserves further investigation in large randomized controlled trials.
Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Neonates Born to Mothers with SARS-CoV-2 Infection (MIS-N) and in Neonates and Infants Younger Than 6 Months with Acquired COVID-19 (MIS-C): A Systematic Review
Authors: De Rose Domenico Umberto , Pugnaloni Flaminia , Calì Monica , Ronci Sara , Caoci Stefano , Maddaloni Chiara , Martini Ludovica , Santisi Alessandra , Dotta Andrea , Auriti Cinzia
Published: April 2022

(1) Introduction: There is an increasing literature describing neonates born to mothers with SARS-CoV-2 infection (MIS-N) and infants infected with SARS-CoV-2 who presented with a severe disease (MIS-C). (2) Methods: To investigate clinical features of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in neonates and infants under six months of age, we used a systematic search to retrieve all relevant publications in the field. We screened in PubMed, EMBASE and Scopus for data published until 10 October 2021. (3) Results: Forty-eight articles were considered, including 29 case reports, six case series and 13 cohort studies. Regarding clinical features, only 18.2% of MIS-N neonates presented with fever; differently from older children with MIS-C, in which gastrointestinal symptoms were the most common manifestation, we displayed that cardiovascular dysfunction and respiratory distress are the prevalent findings both in neonates with MIS-N and in neonates/infants with MIS-C. (4) Conclusions: We suggest that all infants with suspected inflammatory disease should undergo echocardiography, due to the possibility of myocardial dysfunction and damage to the coronary arteries observed both in neonates with MIS-N and in neonates/infants with MIS-C. Moreover, we also summarize how they were treated and provide a therapeutic algorithm to suggest best management of these fragile infants.
Elevation of the Plasma Levels of TNF Receptor 2 in Association with Those of CD25, OX40, and IL-10 and HTLV-1 Proviral Load in Acute Adult T-Cell Leukemia
Authors: Kato Megumi , Imaizumi Naoki , Tanaka Reiko , Mizuguchi Mariko , Hayashi Masaki , Miyagi Takashi , Uchihara Junnosuke , Ohshiro Kazuiku , Todoroki Junpei , Karube Kennosuke , Masuzaki Hiroaki , Tanaka Yuetsu , Fukushima Takuya
Published: April 2022

Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) cells express TNF receptor type-2 (TNFR2) on their surface and shed its soluble form (sTNFR2). We previously reported that sTNFR2 levels were highly elevated in the plasma of patients with acute ATL. To investigate whether its quantitation would be helpful for the diagnosis or prediction of the onset of acute ATL, we examined the plasma levels of sTNFR2 in a large number of specimens obtained from a cohort of ATL patients and asymptomatic human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) carriers (ACs) and compared them to those of other candidate ATL biomarkers (sCD25, sOX40, and IL-10) by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and HTLV-1 proviral loads. We observed that sTNFR2 levels were significantly elevated in acute ATL patients compared to ACs and patients with other types of ATL (chronic, smoldering, and lymphoma). Importantly, sTNFR2 levels were significantly correlated with those of sCD25, sOX40, and IL-10, as well as proviral loads. Thus, the present study confirmed that an increase in plasma sTNFR2 levels is a biomarker for the diagnosis of acute ATL. Examination of plasma sTNFR2 alone or in combination with other ATL biomarkers may be helpful for the diagnosis of acute ATL.
The Inverse Relationship between Influenza Vaccination and Antimicrobial Resistance: An Ecological Analysis of Italian Data
Authors: Barchitta Martina , Maugeri Andrea , Vinci Rosario , Agodi Antonella
Published: April 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the key threats to global health and requires sustainable and effective actions to reduce its consequences in the near future worldwide. There are several well-documented and epidemiologically supported examples that both bacterial and viral vaccines might have an impact on AMR. Here, we conducted an ecological analysis of Italian data to evaluate the relationship between influenza vaccination coverage and AMR proportions over the last two decades. We found significant negative correlations between influenza vaccination coverage in the population over 64 years and AMR in Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae isolates. The observed inverse relationships were confirmed by linear regression analysis. Similar results were obtained for the vaccination coverage in the overall population. Despite the main limitations of our study, its findings suggested an inverse relationship between influenza vaccination coverage and AMR proportions over the years, which was in accordance with previous theories illustrating how influenza vaccination reduced antibiotic prescriptions. However, since our study did not allow for us to elucidate the mechanisms underpinning the observed relationship, more and better data on confounding and mediating factors should be considered in future research.
Overview on Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments Lenses: A Novel Perspective in Myopia Progression Management
Authors: Carlà Matteo Mario , Boselli Francesco , Giannuzzi Federico , Gambini Gloria , Caporossi Tomaso , De Vico Umberto , Savastano Alfonso , Baldascino Antonio , Rizzo Clara , Kilian Raphael , Rizzo Stanislao
Published: April 2022

Myopia is becoming more common across the world, affecting approximately two billion people and rising. Different kinds of therapies (optical, pharmaceutical, environmental, or behavioral) have been proposed to decrease myopia progression, but with variable results and a lack of standardization. The evidence that targeted myopic defocus inhibits eye length growth has paved the way for several contact and spectacle lense designs to induce a peripheral defocus, thus slowing myopia progression, but the perfect configuration has yet to be defined. One of the newest and more promising approaches in this field is the use of Defocus Incorporated Multiple Segments (DIMS) lenses. These lenses are built from the assumption that targeted myopic defocus, produced by 396 mid-peripheral lenslets with positive power, inhibits eye length growth. Recent studies have highlighted the effectiveness of these lenses compared to children who had worn single vision spectacle lenses, in terms of myopia control and tolerability. Despite the evidence that these lenses can help slow down the progression of myopia, the occasional mid-peripheral aberrations they can induce, as well as the overall eye strain that comes with wearing them, should not be overlooked. The aim of this review is to give attention to the advantages and the shortfalls of this new approach and to evaluate its effectiveness in clinical practice.
Mechanism and Prevention of Debris Flow Disaster
Authors: Huang Yu , Sun Jin , Zhu Chongqiang
Published: April 2022

Debris flow is a disaster that frequently occurs in mountainous regions worldwide due to climate change and human activities and can lead to serious economic losses and casualties [...]
River Ecological Restoration and Groundwater Artificial Recharge
Authors: Zhai Yuanzheng , Wu Jin , Wang Huaqing
Published: April 2022

There is an extensive water exchange between river water and groundwater in natural conditions [...]
Contribution of Glacier Runoff during Heat Waves in the Nooksack River Basin USA
Authors: Pelto Mauri S. , Dryak Mariama , Pelto Jill , Matthews Tom , Perry L. Baker
Published: April 2022

The thirty-eight-year record (1984–2021) of glacier mass balance measurement indicates a significant glacier response to climate change in the North Cascades, Washington that has led to declining glacier runoff in the Nooksack Basin. Glacier runoff in the Nooksack Basin is a major source of streamflow during the summer low-flow season and mitigates both low flow and warm water temperatures; this is particularly true during summer heat waves. Synchronous observations of glacier ablation and stream discharge immediately below Sholes Glacier from 2013–2017, independently identify daily discharge during the ablation season. The identified ablation rate is applied to glaciers across the North Fork Nooksack watershed, providing daily glacier runoff discharge to the North Fork Nooksack River. This is compared to observed daily discharge and temperature data of the North Fork Nooksack River and the unglaciated South Fork Nooksack River from the USGS. The ameliorating role of glacier runoff on discharge and water temperature is examined during 24 late summer heat wave events from 2010–2021. The primary response to these events is increased discharge in the heavily glaciated North Fork, and increased stream temperature in the unglaciated South Fork. During the 24 heat events, the discharge increased an average of +24% (±17%) in the North Fork and decreased an average of 20% (±8%) in the South Fork. For water temperature the mean increase was 0.7 °C (±0.4 °C) in the North Fork and 2.1 °C (±1.2 °C) in the South Fork. For the North Fork glacier runoff production was equivalent to 34% of the total discharge during the 24 events. Ongoing climate change will likely cause further decreases in summer baseflow and summer baseflow, along with an increase in water temperature potentially exceeding tolerance levels of several Pacific salmonid species that would further stress this population.
Open-Loop Exhaust-Gas Cleaning System: Analysis of Effects Produced on Barcelona Port Water pH
Authors: Delgado Nelson Gustavo Díaz , Martínez De Osés Francesc Xavier
Published: April 2022

The implementation of a 0.5% mass/mass sulphur cap in fuels used by ships has become a reality. Furthermore, regulation 14 of the MARPOL Convention–Annex VI (amended) establishes that the limit on fuel used by ships operating in a Sulphur Emission Control Area (SECA) cannot exceed 0.1% of mass/mass. To deal with these requirements while considering nature of the shipping business, which is the continuous carriage of cargo around the world, shipowners or shipping companies have few options for following this regulation. Apart from the use of a low-sulphur-content fuel is the use of an exhaust-gas cleaning system, also known as “scrubbers”, as an alternative. The use of these systems, specifically the open-loop system, entails the discharge to the sea of residual water used during the cleaning process of exhaust gases from ship engines. The objective of this paper is to study the effect produced by discharging this residual water on the acidity level (pH) of Barcelona port water. This objective was achieved through the periodical sampling and analysis of Barcelona port water in collaboration with the IDAEA (CSIC) laboratory. We analysed the evolution of the pH results obtained so far and obtained an initial picture of the pH Barcelona port water situation in real time regarding the effect of wash-water discharges from open-loop scrubbers. Furthermore, this paper describes the implementation of a system which is going to improve the operation of open-loop exhaust-gas cleaning systems.
Satellite Detection of Surface Water Extent: A Review of Methodology
Authors: Li Jiaxin , Ma Ronghua , Cao Zhigang , Xue Kun , Xiong Junfeng , Hu Minqi , Feng Xuejiao
Published: April 2022

Water is an imperative part of the Earth and an essential resource in human life and production. Under the effects of climate change and human activities, the spatial and temporal distribution of water bodies has been changing, and the shortage of water resources is becoming increasingly serious worldwide. Therefore, the monitoring of water bodies is indispensable. Remote sensing has the advantages of real time, wide coverage, and rich information and has become a brand-new technical means to quickly obtain water information. This study summarizes the current common methods of water extraction based on optical and radar images, including the threshold method, support vector machine, decision tree, object-oriented extraction, and deep learning, as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each method. These methods were applied to the Huai River Basin in China and Nam Co on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The extraction results show that all the aforementioned approaches can obtain reliable results. Among them, the threshold segmentation method based on normalized difference water index is more robust than others. In the water extraction process, there are still many problems that restrict the accuracy of the results. In the future, researchers will continue to search for more automatic, extensive, and high-precision water extraction methods.
Comparison of the Engineering Strategies for Low Impact Development in a Densely Populated Old Urban Area
Authors: Shang Yu , Guan Yuxi , Tang Zhi , Fang Zheng
Published: April 2022

Most old urban areas of China have a dense population, severely indurated underlying surface, and highly developed underground space. Those increase the waterlogging risk and obstruct the stormwater management in old urban areas. To propose an appropriate engineering strategy for low impact development (LID) transformation in an urban area, a simulation was carried out by storm water management model (SWMM) in this project. Bioretention cells, permeable pavements, and green roofs were selected according to the study area surface. Runoff control performance of single LID control and combined schemes were compared. Results illustrate that only 50.21% of roofs can build green roofs in urban areas with dense populations, and the runoff control performance of green roofs is unsatisfactory, while bioretention cells and permeable pavements can effectively mitigate runoff caused by storms with a recurrence period less than 10 years, and combined LID controls can obtain better runoff control performance with less construction area. Those outcomes screened out the LID controls suitable for application in densely populated old urban areas and put forward reasonable engineering practice strategies. This study provides guidance and reference for the LID transformation in the densely populated old urban area.
Feasibility Analysis of Energy Recovery Using PATs in Water Distribution Networks
Authors: Pillay Ethan , Kumarasamy Muthukrishnavellaisamy , Adu Joy , Thirumuruganandham Saravana Prakash , Paruk Ayesha , Naidoo Maranka
Published: April 2022

Power generation is becoming an increasing problem in South Africa. South Africa produces approximately 90% of its electricity from coal-fired power stations and only 5% from hydroelectric power stations and pumped storage. Durban has a very steep topography, which results in high pressure in certain parts of the water distribution network (WDN). Leakage is costly and contributes to a large extent to non-revenue water (NRW) in the network. Pressure reducing valves (PRVs) are used in WDNs to control the pressure in the pipework to reduce leakage. This excess pressure can be used to generate electricity by a pump acting as a turbine (PAT). The electricity generated is a function of the flow rate and the pressure reduction through the PAT. The hydraulic modelling software EPANET 2.2 is used for the analysis of the Cornubia Integrated Human Settlement Development Phase 2A WDN in Durban. EPANET is used to determine the strategic placement of PATs in the WDN and their setting and configuration to extract the most energy and reduce pressure in the system. A configuration of five PATs of different sizes extracts a total power output of 166.31 kW and reduces leakage in the WDN by 45.59 kL per month, which is an 18.16% reduction in leakage.
The Ecological Compensation Mechanism in a Cross-Regional Water Diversion Project Using Evolutionary Game Theory: The Case of the Hanjiang River Basin, China
Authors: Zhu Kai , Zhang Yuan , Wang Min , Liu Hai
Published: April 2022

As a vital method to resolve conflicts between water use in upstream and downstream areas and solve the problem of transboundary water pollution, watershed ecological compensation is widely used worldwide. It is necessary to analyze the influencing factors of watershed ecological compensation from the perspective of how different governments interact with each other. However, the previous literature has paid less attention to the special situation of cross-regional water diversion projects, the changing processes of governmental behavior, and the interventions by the central government. Therefore, when taking the upstream and downstream governments and the central government in the basin of a cross-regional water diversion project as research objects, it is important to study their behavior and influencing factors to improve the ecological compensation system in the basin. This paper first analyzes the interactions among upstream, downstream, and central governments in the basin, based on evolutionary game theory. Second, the evolutionary game models before and after the interventions by the central government were developed separately, and the effects of different contexts on the dynamic evolutionary process were analyzed. Finally, taking the Hanjiang River Basin as an example, which is where the water source area of China’s South-to-North Water Diversion Middle Project is located, the opportunity cost of protecting the water environment in the upstream areas of this basin was estimated by establishing an econometric regression model using data on water quality and gross domestic product. The results show that (1) the initial probabilities of governments affect their final behaviors; (2) even without the supervision of the central government, it is still possible for upstream and downstream governments to reach the desired state spontaneously; (3) the supervision of the central government can promote upstream and downstream governments to reach a stable state faster; and (4) the current level of compensation from the central government is significantly lower than the opportunity cost of protecting the water environment for upstream governments in the Hanjiang River Basin. This paper can provide helpful insights for improving the ecological compensation system in the basin, which helps promote cooperation in water environment protection.
Wetlands in China: Evolution, Carbon Sequestrations and Services, Threats, and Preservation/Restoration
Authors: Ye Siyuan , Pei Lixin , He Lei , Xie Liujuan , Zhao Guangming , Yuan Hongming , Ding Xigui , Pei Shaofeng , Yang Shixiong , Li Xue , Laws Edward A.
Published: April 2022

China has a wetland area of 53.42 million hectares, the fourth largest in the world; it includes all types of wetlands defined by the Ramsar Convention and has a carbon sink capacity of more than 1.71 million metric tons per year. Inland wetlands in China are mainly distributed in 10 major catchments, among which the Yellow River, the Yangtze River, the rivers in the northwest, and the rivers in the northeast each have more than 8 million hectares of wetlands. There are 4220 species of plants and 4015 species of animals in China’s wetland ecosystem. The wetland resources that have been developed and utilized include edible products, reeds for paper making, peat for fertilizer, fuel for power generation, and chemical, pharmaceutical, ceramic, and building materials. However, wetland areas in China have shrunk by about 54% since 1980. In recent years, China’s central government has set great store by Chinese wetlands, and although 49.03% of wetland area is now officially protected, many issues have confounded the implementation of that protection. It is imperative that knowledge gained from scientific research be used to formulate a sound wetland protection and management plan that takes into consideration social, economic, and ecological issues in a way that facilitates the sustainable use of wetland resources and informs decision-makers of the paths that must be followed to achieve that goal.
IPTVisual: Visualisation of the Spatial Energy Flows in Inductive Power Transfer Systems with Arbitrary Winding Shapes
Authors: Zhang Cheng , Chen Xiaoyun , Chen Kunyu , Lin Deyan
Published: April 2022

Mid-ranged wireless power transfer by induction or inductive power transfer (IPT), including the strong magnetic resonance method, has been widely adopted, in numerous applications where wires are restricted. The energy flow in space, of course, is invisible to engineers. The windings are often required to be irregular shapes to accommodate the industrial designs of the products, thus, a visualisation method for energy transfer paths could greatly help the design and optimization of such systems. A time-efficient methodology, including the model, analysis and plot of the three-dimensional energy flow for IPT systems, is proposed in this paper. Algorithms of fast describing arbitrarily shaped windings are proposed and the time complexities are evaluated. A software tool, IPTVisual, is developed. It takes the inputs of key coordinates of the windings, the assignments of voltage and/or current sources, any compensation capacitors and auxiliary circuits, and the required observation points to generate the 3D models of the windings and the Poynting vectors, rendered in web browsers for the most extendable compatibility. Several example scenarios have been tested and the results match with the expected operations.