bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dielectric Barrier Discharge Reactor for the Removal of NOx From Automotive Exhaust
Authors: Bingyan Dong , Ying Zou , Ping Zhang , Ting Luo , Zhendong Li
Published: June 2021

In this study, a self-made wire-cylinder dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) reactor was used to remove NOx. The influence of electrical and gas parameters (e.g. structure, voltage, and frequency) and temperature on the NOx removal rate was studied systematically while operating the DBD reactor with a high-voltage positive–negative double pulse power supply. The experimental results showed that following conditions led to the optimal NO conversion rate and NOx removal rate: voltage of ±12 kV, pulse frequency up to 60 Hz, oxygen concentration at 6%, reaction temperature at 300°C, and C2H2:NOx ratio at 1.5. Under these conditions, the NO conversion rate and NOx removal rate reached the highest levels of 76.4% and 31.2%, respectively. Additionally, when the process was run in conjunction with a La0.7 Sr0.3 Ni0.5 Mn0.2 Fe0.3 O3 catalyst, the reactor efficiency increased markedly, and the NO conversion and NOx removal rates increased to 94.93% and 74.97%, respectively. The findings of this study demonstrate that DBD reactor technology shows promise for the removal of NOx from automotive waste streams.
Validation of a Semi-Empirical Procedure for Estimating Steady-State, Groundwater Inflows in Shallow Rock Tunnels Through Case Study Analyses
Authors: Vanarelli Mark J.
Published: June 2021

The construction of underground excavations and tunnels can only be done safely and economically when the subsurface conditions are adequately understood. Excessive groundwater inflows into rock tunnels under construction can injury personnel and terminate the construction of the tunnel project. Therefore, it is important to accurately estimate groundwater inflows into rock tunnels. A semi-empirical procedure/method for estimating steady-state, groundwater inflows in shallow rock tunnels is presented and discussed in this paper. In addition, this paper presents two case study analyses which include the Elizabethtown tunnel in New Jersey and the Toledo tunnel in Ohio. Packer test (i.e., pressure test) data was analyzed for both case studies utilizing this semi-empirical procedure. This paper reviews the theory behind the procedure, summarizes validates the procedure through case study analyses. It also describes previous proposed modifications and clarifies the need for any such modifications. In general, good groundwater inflow estimates were derived for shallow rock tunnels utilizing this semi-empirical procedure/method.
Drivers of Green Supply Chain Management: A Close-up Study
Authors: Ososanmi Alaba Olasunkanmi , Ojo Lekan Damilola , Ogundimu Olajide Emmanuel , Oke Ayodeji Emmanuel
Published: June 2021

Green supply chain management (GSCM) is an important part of most production organisations in developed countries. Meanwhile, developing countries are yet to fully embrace the concept. This study, therefore, investigated the drivers of GSCM using a close-up approach in a leading manufacturing organisation in Nigeria with sustainability initiatives. One hundred and fifty-four questionnaires retrieved from the supply chain management team of the organisation were subjected to descriptive and inferential statistics such as mean score, standard deviation, and factor analysis. Based on the results of the analyses, that the drivers of GSCM in the organisation could be grouped as government-related, organisational-related, and societal-related drivers. The study concluded that synergy of the government, organisations, non-government organisations, and individual is important for achieving green supply chain practices in developing countries. It was recommended that training at all levels is essential to improve the awareness and importance of sustainable production to the environment.
Isolation, Characterization and Evaluation of a High-Siderophore-Yielding Bacterium from Heavy Metal Contaminated Soil
Authors: Wang Ya-Jun , Huang Wei , Li Ya-Qian , Yu Fang-Bo , Penttinen Petri
Published: June 2021

Heavy metal resistant siderophore-producing bacteria (SPB) with plant growth promoting traits can assist in phytoremediation of heavy metal contaminated soil. We isolated siderophore producing bacteria from lead and zinc mine soil in Shangyu, Zhejiang, China. The isolate with highest siderophore production, strain SX9, was identified as Burkholderia sp. The strain SX9 produced catecholate type siderophore, with highest production at a pH range 6.0 to 8.0, a temperature range 20 to 30 °C and NaCl concentration below 2%. Siderophore production was highest without Fe3+ and became gradually lower with increasing Fe3+ concentration. Minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of Pb2+, Zn2+, Cu2+ and Cd2+ were 4000, 22000, 5000 and 2000 μmol·L-1, respectively. The strain SX9 was sensitive to doxycycline hyclate and rifampicin. The strain had a strong metal solubilization ability: the contents of Cu2+, Zn2+ and Cd2+ in the supernatant were 47.4%, 133.0% and 35.4% higher, respectively, in the strain SX9 inoculated cultures than in the not inoculated controls. The siderophore produced by strain SX9 could combine with Fe3+, Zn2+ and Cd2+ with good effectiveness. The plant growth promoting traits of the strain included indole acetic acid (IAA) production, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) deaminase activity and phosphate solubilization capability. Compared to uninoculated growth medium and SX9 culture supernatant, the germination rate of Lolium perenne seeds was higher when inoculated with the strain SX9 culture. In the experiment of seed germination, adding bacterial culture or supernatant could alleviate the toxicity of heavy metals to Lolium perenne seed germination. Under Cu2+ and Zn2+ stress, the strain SX9 promoted the germination rate. Taken together, the strain SX9 had properties beneficial in the microbial enhancement of phytoremediation of soil contaminated with heavy metals.
Rare Subtype of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw: Imaging Findings and Treatment Outcomes of Periosteal Reaction Dominant Type
Authors: otsuru mitsunobu , Soutome Sakiko , Hayashida Saki , Yanamoto Souichi , Sasaki Miho , Takagi Yukinori , Sumi Misa , Umeda Masahiro
Published: June 2021

PurposeIn our previous study,we found a rare type of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), which shows periosteal reaction (PR) at a site distant from the osteolytic lesions or extraction site (periosteal reaction dominant type: PRd type), even though the osteolytic lesions in the bone marrow are localized. Given that the causes and treatment of MRONJ remain unclear, this study aimed to describe the imaging and clinical features of the PRd type.MethodsPatients with MRONJ who visited Nagasaki University Hospital during 2009-2020 and received conservative therapy as the initial treatment were included in this study. Site of PR, imaging findings, initial symptoms, outcome, and time to progression were examined.ResultsOf the 59 MRONJ patients treated with conservative therapy, 38 did not show PR (PR- type), 15 showed PR near the osteolytic region (PR+ type), and six had the PRd type. All patients with the PRd type had submental abscesses, and computed tomography (CT) images demonstrated PR on the lingual side of the anterior mandible. Osteolytic lesions progressed in 6/6 PRd type (100%), 5/15 PR+ type (33.3%), and 2/38 PR- type (5.3%) patients. Time to progression for the osteolytic region on CT was short for the PRd type, at 56-148 days (median, 79 days).ConclusionAmong the MRONJ types, the PRd type has a poor prognosis. Therefore, it is necessary to accumulate and analyze more PRd cases in the future. This is the first report to report the presence of this specific subtype of MRONJ,
Insights into Bioindicator Redundancy for Monitoring Water Quality based on Functional Units of Periphytic Protozoan Communities in Marine Ecosystems
Authors: Kazmi Syed Shabi Ul Hassan , Uroosa Uroosa , Warren Alan , Xu Guangjian , Xu Henglong
Published: June 2021

Although periphytic protozoan communities have long been used for the bioassessment of water quality, their utility is hampered by functional redundancy leading to high “signal to noise” ratios. In this study, a 1-year baseline survey of periphytic protozoan communities was carried out in coastal waters of Yellow sea, northern China, in order to determine redundancy levels in conditions of differing water quality. Samples were collected at four sampling sites along a pollution gradient. Environmental variables such as salinity, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and concentrations of dissolved oxygen (DO), soluble reactive phosphates (SRP), ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N) and nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) were measured to compare with biotic factors. A total of 53 functional units (FUs) were identified from 144 observed protozoan species based on four biological traits, i.e., feeding type, body size, movement type and source of food supply. For reducing the “signal to noise” ratios of species-abundance/biomass data, the peeling procedure was used to identify the bioindicator redundancy levels based on these FUs. Three consecutive subsets of response units (RU1–RU3) with correlation coefficients >0.75 of the full FU dataset were identified, comprising 12, 21 and 9 FUs, respectively. Algivores and bacterivores were dominant in RU1 and RU2 among the polluted sites, whereas raptors were dominant in RU3 at the unpolluted site. In terms of relative abundance, RU1 was the primary contributor to the protozoan communities during the 1-year cycle and its relative abundance increased with increasing pollution, whereas RU2 and RU3, with complementary temporal distributions, generally decreased with increasing pollution. Ordinations based on boot-strapped average analyses revealed a significant variation in functional pattern of all three RUs among the four sampling sites. Biological-environmental match analysis demonstrated that the variability was driven by the increasing concentrations of nutrients (e.g., NH4-N, NO3-N and PO4-P) and decreasing concentrations of DO (P<0.05). Based on these findings, it is suggested that there were high levels of functional redundancy among periphytic protozoan communities used as bioindicators of marine water quality.
Fuzzy Rule Based Video Watermarking in DWT-SVD Domain
Authors: S Ponni alias sathya , S Ramakrishnan
Published: June 2021

This paper addresses the issues in video copyright using DWT and SVD. The prevailing algorithms countermeasure various attacks and they do not contemplate on the redundancy of frames in the video. Proposed methodology focuses on the identification of non-redundant frames by introducing a fuzzy model for reducing the processing time. The frequently changed scenes are identified by scene change detection algorithm. The key frames are effectively identified from each scene by fuzzy rules using entropy, absolute mean difference and absolute difference of frame variance of the video frames. DWT is applied to the key frames. The watermark image is divided into number of blocks based on the number of key frames selected in the scene. The order of embedding the watermark block in each scene is different. The SVD is applied to the key frames and watermark. In the embedding process, the singular values of key frame are added to the Principal Component (PC) of the watermark bock. The experimental results show that the proposed methodology is resilient to image processing, frame based attacks and also resolves the false positive problem as well as improves the robustness and imperceptibility of video and watermark.
Type and Density of Bacterial and Fungal Bioaerosols and Particles in Inside and Outside of Hospital: Modeling of Dispersion and Antibiotic Resistance of Bacterial Bioaerosols
Authors: Yousefzadeh Ameneh , Maleki Afshin , Athar Saeed Dehestani , Darvishi Ebrahim , Ahmadi Manochehr , Mohammadi Ebrahim , Tang Van Tai , Kalmarzi Rasoul Nassiri , Kashefi Hajar
Published: June 2021

The study of loading rate of microorganisms in the space of hospital inside and outside to evaluate their impacts on physical health of patients and staff, as well as to find out the source of possible infections and allergies stemming from the presence of bioaerosols is of great importance. In total, 262 bacterial and fungal samples were collected from the air of the wards of Tohid Hospital, Sanandaj, Iran. Also, suspended particles were measured by Particle Mass Counter (model: TES-5200). Parameter such as relative humidity and temperature were recorded by using TES-5200 device. To identify bacteria, some biochemical and molecular tests were conducted. And, for the identification of fungi, microscopic and macroscopic characteristics were used. The highest and lowest densities of the bioaerosols were observed in lung and operating wards (336.67 and 15.25 CFU/m3). Moreover, the highest and least concentrations of particles were seen in the emergency and operating wards, respectively. The most common fungi isolated from the hospital air were Penicillium (24.7%), Cladosporium (23. 4%), Aspergillus niger (13.3%) and Aspergillus Flavus (11.4%). Furthermore, the highest concentration of the isolated bacterium was Staphylococcus hemolyticus (31.84%). And, the bacteria had the most resistance to antibiotic gentamicin.The general average of air pollution of the hospital to bioaerosols in quantitative terms was higher than that suggested by international organizations. Considering the high concentration of bioaerosols and particles in the hospital studied, provision of optimal conditions (like temperature, humidity, suitable ventilation and intelligent air conditioning system) and imposing a restriction in the entrance of the wards can be utilized to reduce the amount of pollution.
Crowdsourcing and Machine Learning Approaches for Extracting Entities Indicating Potential Foodborne Outbreaks From Social Media
Authors: Tao Dandan , Zhang Dongyu , Hu Ruofan , Rundensteiner Elke , Feng Hao
Published: June 2021

Foodborne outbreaks are a serious but preventable threat to public health that often lead to illness, loss of life, significant economic loss, and the erosion of consumer confidence. Understanding how consumers respond when interacting with foods, as well as extracting information from posts on social media may provide new means of reducing the risks and curtailing the outbreaks. In recent years, Twitter has been employed as a new tool for identifying unreported foodborne illnesses. However, there is a huge gap between the identification of sporadic illnesses and the early detection of a potential outbreak. In this work, the dual-task BERTweet model was developed to identify unreported foodborne illnesses and extract foodborne-illness-related entities from Twitter. Unlike previous methods, our model leveraged the mutually beneficial relationships between the two tasks. The results showed that the F1-score of relevance prediction was 0.87, and the F1-score of entity extraction was 0.61. Key elements such as time, location, and food detected from sentences indicating foodborne illnesses were used to analyze potential foodborne outbreaks in massive historical tweets. A case study on tweets indicating foodborne illnesses showed that the discovered trend is consistent with the true outbreaks that occurred during the same period.
Enhanced Reduction of Polymicrobial Biofilms on the Orthodontic Brackets and Enamel Surface Remineralization Using Zeolite-Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles-Based Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy
Authors: Pourhajibagher Maryam , Bahador Abbas
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-biofilm and anti-metabolic activities of zeolite-zinc oxide nanoparticles (Zeo\ZnONPs)-based antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) against pre-formed polymicrobial biofilms on the orthodontic brackets, as well as, assess the remineralization efficacy on polymicrobial biofilms induced enamel lesions. Following synthesis and characterization of Zeo\ZnONPs, cell cytotoxicity, hemolytic effect, and intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were determined. The anti-biofilm and anti-metabolic activities of aPDT using different concentrations of Zeo\ZnONPs were investigated. Microhardness tester and DIAGNOdent Pen were used to evaluate the changes of remineralization degree on the treated enamel slabs duration one and three months. No significant cytotoxicity and erythrocyte hemolysis were observed in treated cells with Ze\ZnONPs. When irradiated, suggesting that the Ze\ZnONPs were photoactivated, generating ROS and leading to reduce dose-dependently the cell viability and metabolic activity of polymicrobial biofilms. Also, the enamel surface microhardness value of exposed enamel showed a steady increase with the concentration of Zeo\ZnONPs. No statistically significant differences were shown between aPDT and sodium fluoride varnish as the control group. Overall, Zeo\ZnONPs-based aPDT with the greatest remineralization efficacy of enamel surface can be used as an anti-biofilm therapeutic method, which is involved with their potent ability to produce ROS.
Medium-term Effects of Mineral Fertilizer and Organic Amendments on Aggregate and Soil Organic Carbon and Nitrogen Dynamics in Rhizosphere and Bulk Soil
Authors: Mi Wenhai , Zha Taotao , Gao Qiang , Zhao Haitao
Published: June 2021

Soil aggregate stability is one of the important physical properties affecting rice (Oryza sativa L.) production and soil sustainability. This study was undertaken to evaluate the influence of different medium-term fertilization regimes on soil aggregate stability and aggregate associated carbon and nitrogen in rhizosphere and bulk soil. This experiment consisted of three treatments including mineral fertilizer alone (NPK), mineral fertilizer plus rice straw (NPK + RS), and controlled-release blended fertilizer plus cattle manure (CRF + CM). The results showed that bulk soil contained higher mean weight diameter (MWD) than in rhizosphere soil at the rice jointing and maturity stages. Compared to the NPK alone, combined application of NPK with organic amendments improved the proportion of > 0.25 mm macroaggregate, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) concentrations, and MWD in both rhizosphere and bulk soil. In rhizosphere, the proportion of macroaggregate was significantly positively (p < 0.01) correlated with root biomass while had no significant correlations with SOC in all sizes aggregates. By contrast, bulk soil had a significantly (p < 0.01) positive relationship between the proportion of > 2 mm class and organic C associated with smaller particle-size aggregates (0.25–2 mm and < 0.25 mm). During the rice-growing season, the highest MWD value was observed at the jointing stage except for the NPK + RS treatment in bulk soil. Overall, the results suggested that the medium-term application of mineral fertilizer with organic amendments is beneficial to improve soil aggregate stability and C and N accumulation.
Seismic Performance Assessment of High Asphalt Concrete Core Rockfill Dam Considering Shorter Duration and Longer Duration
Authors: sun benbo , Deng Mingjiang , Zhang Sherong , Wang Chao , Zhu Guojin
Published: June 2021

Current research trends in seismic frequent regions aim at developing the appropriate performance – based design approach for high asphalt concrete core rockfill dams (ACCRDs). Under intense ground motions (GMs), the seismic performance of dams depends on seismological characteristics mainly containing the frequency, amplitude, and duration. Recently, the characteristic of frequency and amplitude of GMs which can trigger severe damages to the dams has been accepted and incorporated into the seismic design codes in most countries. As one of the key characteristics of earthquakes, the duration of strong GMs also should be fully understood in order to carry out more reasonable performance – based design approach of dams. This paper explores the effect of the duration of strong GMs, investing the seismic performance of high ACCRDs by employing integrated duration concept, which can reflect the duration of all components of GMs. The high ACCRD was built in the commercial software ABAQUS considering the dam-reservoir-foundation interaction systems. Additionally, the coupling multiple stripe analysis and maximum likelihood estimate method are used to generate seismic fragility curves for the dam according to two damage indicators. Findings from this study revealed that the longer duration GMs can give rise to higher probability of exceedance (POE) of the dam than shorter duration. It is recommended that in the work of the current seismic design and seismic performance evaluate, the effects of GM duration in addition to frequency and amplitude should be considered.
Effects of Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Symptomatic Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Jiang Si-si , Liu Xue-hua , Han Nan , Zhang Hai-jing , Xie Wu-xiang , Xie Zhi-juan , Lu Xin-yuan , Zhou Xuan-zi , Zhao Yu-qi , Duan Ai-deng , Zhao Shu-qin , Zhang Zhi-cheng , Huang Xue-bing
Published: June 2021

Background: Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) is a promising treatment for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is currently considered a first-line treatment for GAD. The objective of this study was to examine the efficacy of MBCT in symptomatic GAD patients compared with CBT for a variety of outcomes of anxiety symptoms, as well as depressive symptoms, overall illness severity, quality of life and mindfulness. Methods: Adult patients with GAD (n = 138) were randomized to a MBCT or CBT group. Both groups received either MBCT or CBT in addition to treatment-as-usual (TAU). The primary outcomes were the anxiety response and remission rates, as measured using the Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA). Secondary outcomes included scores on the HAMA, the state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI), the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), the Severity Subscale of the Clinical Global Impression Scale (CGI-S), and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-12) , as well as mindfulness measured by the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). Assessments were performed at baseline, 8 weeks after treatment, and at a 3-month follow-up. For primary analyses, response and remission rates were analyzed by the χ2 test in the two groups at each assessment time. For the secondary analyses, separate two-way mixed ANOVAs were performed to compare the mean differences in all secondary outcomes. Results: The anxiety remission rate of the two groups significantly differed (63.8% in the MBCT group vs. 44.6% in the CBT group, p = 0.040, Cohen’s d = 0.39) but not in anxiety response rate (86.2% vs. 80.4%, p = 0.402; Cohen’s d = 0.16) at 8 weeks. Overall illness severity and mindfulness were significantly different between the groups at 8 weeks. There were no significant differences between the two groups at the 3-month follow-up. Conclusions: Our data indicate that MBCT was effective in reducing anxiety symptoms in GAD patients. While MBCT appeared to have better short-term benefits, the long-term benefits of CBT may be superior.Trial registration: registered at chic.org.cn (registration number: ChiCTR1800019150, registration date: 27/10/2018).
SARS-CoV-2 in Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plant, Collection Network and Hospital Wastewater
Authors: Karami Chiman , Dargahi Abdollah , Vosoughi Mehdi , Normohammadi Ali , Jalali Farhad , Asghariazar Vahid , Mokhtari Ahamad , Sedigh Anoshirvan , Zandian Hamed , Alighadri Morteza
Published: June 2021

The current outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has led to creating a public health emergency conditions since 2019. COVID-19, which is caused by SARS-CoV-2, is spread via human-to-human transmission by direct contact or droplets. Through conducting this study, we were looking for detecting SARS-CoV-2 in wastewater produced in Iran country (Ardabil, Nir, Khalkhal and Givi) (wastewater collection network, wastewater treatment plant and hospital wastewater). In this research, samples (n = 76) were collected from influent and effluent of municipal and hospital wastewater treatment plants and some samples were also collected from Ardabil municipal wastewater manholes. The sampling duration included the white (lower risk of covid-19) and red (high risk of covid-19) conditions. Samples were stored at -20°C for further diagnostic tests. Out of 76 samples, a total of 16 samples (21.05%) collected from wastewater in Ardabil province (Ardabil, Nir, Khalkhal, and Givi), were positive in terms of SARS-CoV-2. Wastewater epidemiology can facilitate detection of the incidence of pathogens through metropolises, measurement of population prevalence without direct testing, and provision of information to public health system about the efficiency of intervening efforts.
Analysis of Time-Dependent Soil Behavior above High-Filled Cut-and-Cover Tunnels Using Discrete Element Method
Authors: Li Sheng , Han Guoqiang , HO I-HSUAN , Ma Li , Muhunthan Balasingam , Wang Qicai , Wang Changdan
Published: June 2021

In the Northwest Loess Plateau of China that is full of mountains and deep valleys, high-filled cut-and-cover tunnels (HFCCTs) not only satisfy transportation demands, but they create usable land as well. Several studies have been conducted to investigate the feasibility of HFCCTs, but the time-dependent behavior of the significant backfill needed for HFCCTs has not been adequately examined. Settlement can be severely underestimated due to the time-dependent behavior of ultra-high backfill, and the earth pressure becomes redistributed accordingly. Therefore, the ability to predict the long-term behavior of backfill on HFCCTs is necessary to ensure the long-term safety of the structure. Using a discrete element method (DEM), the changes in vertical earth pressure (VEP), vertical displacement, and load transfer mechanisms above an HFCCT were investigated in this study under scenarios with and without considering backfill creep. The results show that the differential displacement of the soil and the surface settlement obviously increase due to creep and the subsequent cycles of primary and secondary consolidation. Moreover, the stress surrounding the HFCCT is redistributed, causing both the stress concentration and slope effect to weaken over time, but the VEP increases significantly. The micromechanical parameters also change correspondingly. Our results clearly show that the creep of high backfill soil must be considered carefully in HFCCT projects to ensure structural safety.
Deformation Failure and Gas Seepage of Raw Coal in Alternate Loading and Unloading by Stages
Authors: Zhang Bang-an , yushun Yang
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the cyclic loading and unloading confining pressure tests of raw coal samples were carried out by using the "Triaxial seepage test device of thermal fluid solid of coal and rock" developed by Chongqing University. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The axial strain change rate ε1´, the radial strain change rate ε3´ and the permeability change rate k´ under unit stress state are used to represent the sensitivity of axial stress and confining pressure to deformation and permeability characteristics of samples under unit stress state. (2) At the initial stage of unloading the confining pressure, the confining pressure has a greater influence on the permeability of the sample. At the initial stage of loading confining pressure, the confining pressure has a greater influence on the radial strain of the specimen. During the subsequent loading and unloading process, the confining pressure of loading and unloading has a greater influence on the permeability of the sample, and a smaller influence on the axial strain. The loading axial stress has a greater influence on the axial strain of the sample, and a smaller influence on the permeability of the sample. (3) When the axial stress is constant, the increase range of sample permeability increases with the increase of unloading confining pressure range, and the decreasing range of sample permeability increases with the increase of loading confining pressure range, and the increase range of sample permeability under unloading confining pressure is higher than that under increasing confining pressure. (4) In the process of loading axial stress and loading confining pressure, the permeability of samples decreases nonlinearly with the increase of principal stress difference, while the permeability of samples increases nonlinearly with the decrease of principal stress difference in the process of unloading confining pressure.
An Early Prediction Model for Chronic Kidney Disease
Authors: Zhao Jing , Zhang Yuan , Qiu Jiali , Zhang Xiaodan , Wei Fengjiang , Feng Jiayi , Chen Chen , Zhang Kai , Feng Shuzhi , Wang Yaogang , Li Wei-Dong
Published: June 2021

Background: Identifying individuals predisposed to chronic kidney disease (CKD) is crucial for intervention and treatment, however, risk equations were relatively rare among the middle-aged and elderly in China.Methods: Eventually, 116 CKD patients and 232 their healthy counterparts from “Tianjin Medical University Chronic Disease Cohort (N=21750)” were included in this study. One nested case-control set (N = 348; followed up for at least five years) was used to develop and internally validate the predictive model. The clinical, demographic and laboratory features were collected and subjected to logistic regression analyses. Using natural logarithm odds ratio value weighting methods, several risk factors (genetic and non-genetic) were selected to construct predictive models. The final comprehensive prediction model is the arithmetic sum of the two optimal models.Results: We found that transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) were effective biomarkers for CKD, the area under the curve (AUC), specificity and sensitivity for the non-genetic equation were 0.889, 0.851 and 0.770, respectively, in the genetic equation, 0.643, 0.794 and 0.838, respectively, and 0.894, 0.827, 0.801, respectively, in the comprehensive prediction model. After internal verification of Bootstrap, its AUC value was 0.820, indicating it showed a favorable predictive performance.Conclusions: A comprehensive prediction model was established, which may help early identify individuals who are most likely to develop CKD. Its feasibility in the clinic warrants further investigation.
Simultaneous Selection Index as a Tool for Identification of Stable High Yielding Maydis Leaf Blight Resistant Maize Prebreeding Lines
Authors: Joshi Anjali , Adhikari Sneha , Singh Narendra Kumar , Kumar Amarjeet , Jaiswal Jai Prakash , Pant Usha , Singh Rajesh Pratap
Published: June 2021

Maize is a crop possessing high adaptability however, large differential genotypic responses have been reported when evaluated under multiple environments. Using randomized complete block design with two replications a total of 169 teosinte derived maize backcross inbred lines (BILs) were evaluated in three different environments namely, E2, E4 and E6 for maydis leaf blight (MLB) resistance and grain yield. Out of these, 73 BILs were identified displaying resistance to MLB in at least one of the environments and were subjected to additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) analysis and genotype and genotype X environment (GGE) biplot analysis for identification of lines showing stable and high MLB resistance and grain yield. Highly significant effects of genotype, environment and genotype X environment interaction (GEI) were observed for both the traits studied. AMMI ANOVA for percent disease index (PDI) revealed that highest percentage of total sum of squares (SS) was attributed to GEI (40.55%) while 32.86% and 26.59% was contributed by genotype and environment, respectively. For grain yield largest contribution of 68.02% towards SS was done by genotype component followed by GEI (17.50%) and E (14.48%). GGE biplot analysis identified two mega environments for both PDI (E2, E4/E6) and grain yield (E2/E4, E6). Based on AMMI stability value (ASV), genotype MT-90 (32) was observed to be most stable for PDI. While for grain yield highest stability was displayed by genotype MT-83 (28). Simultaneous selection index (SSI) helped in identification of ten stable high yielding MLB resistant genotypes namely, MT-120 (45), MT-14 (2), MT-166 (62), MT-148 (55), MT-190 (72), MT-37 (9), MT-19 (3), MT-114 (42), MT-77 (27) and MT-94 (35) which could be used in future breeding programmes either as donor of MLB resistance and grain yield or after combining ability analysis these genotypes could be used as parents for development of superior yielding MLB resistant hybrids.
Effect of COVID 19 on Lower Urinary Track Symptoms in Patients With Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia
Authors: Elaimeri Ahmed , Alemairy Amr A
Published: June 2021

Background: Lower Urinary Track Symptoms (LUTS) in patients with BPH could be assessed by the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS). Studies find that COVID-19 can be detected in urine samples, although unreliably, this suggest the need to investigate whether the virus has effect on the urinary track especially those who are with pre-morbid conditions such as BPH. Hence the study aims to assess the effect of COVID-19 on the LUTS measured objectively by the IPSS on patients with BPH.Methods: 85 male patients over 40 years of age already diagnosed with BPH were included in the study. Any patient who recovered from a confirmed oropharyngeal swap PCR test was reassessed using I-PSS. Post-COVID19 IPSS surveys were compared to pre-COVID19 ones.Results: Out of 85 subjects, 39 (45.9%) were mild before COVID-19 compared to 19 (22.4%) after the infection. 46 subjects (54.1%) were moderate before COVID-19, whereas, 66 (77.6%) became moderate after the infection, (P < 0.001). The mean IPSS score of patients after they receive the appropriate treatment was found to be (8.1), while the mean score after COVID-19 infection was found to be (9.8). (P < 0.001) using paired sample t test.Conclusions: COVID-19 is associated with higher I-PSS score in patients with BPH, and more objective assessments are needed for further investigation.
Msx1 Haploinsufficiency Modifies the Pax9-Deficient Cardiovascular Phenotype
Authors: Khasawneh Ramada R. , Kist Ralf , Schneider Jürgen E , Mohun Timothy J , Peters Heiko , Phillips Helen M , Bamforth Simon D
Published: June 2021

Background

Successful embryogenesis relies on the coordinated interaction between genes and tissues. The transcription factors Pax9 and Msx1 genetically interact during mouse craniofacial morphogenesis, and mice deficient for either gene display abnormal tooth and palate development. Pax9 is expressed specifically in the pharyngeal endoderm at mid-embryogenesis, and mice deficient for Pax9 on a C57Bl/6 genetic background also have cardiovascular defects affecting the outflow tract and aortic arch arteries giving double-outlet right ventricle, absent common carotid arteries and interruption of the aortic arch.
Results

In this study we have investigated both the effect of a different genetic background and Msx1 haploinsufficiency on the presentation of the Pax9-deficient cardiovascular phenotype. Compared to mice on a C57Bl/6 background, congenic CD1-Pax9−/− mice displayed a significantly reduced incidence of outflow tract defects but aortic arch defects were unchanged. Pax9−/− mice with Msx1 haploinsufficiency, however, have a reduced incidence of interrupted aortic arch, but more cases with cervical origins of the right subclavian artery and aortic arch, than seen in Pax9−/− mice. This alteration in arch artery defects was accompanied by a rescue in third pharyngeal arch neural crest cell migration and smooth muscle cell coverage of the third pharyngeal arch arteries. Although this change in phenotype could theoretically be compatible with post-natal survival, using tissue-specific inactivation of Pax9 to maintain correct palate development whilst inducing the cardiovascular defects was unable to prevent postnatal death in the mutant mice. Hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage formation were abnormal in Pax9−/− mice.
Conclusions

Msx1 haploinsufficiency mitigates the arch artery defects in Pax9−/− mice, potentially by maintaining the survival of the 3rd arch artery through unimpaired migration of neural crest cells to the third pharyngeal arches. With the neural crest cell derived hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage also being defective in Pax9−/− mice, we speculate that the pharyngeal endoderm is a key signalling centre that impacts on neural crest cell behaviour highlighting the ability of cells in different tissues to act synergistically or antagonistically during embryo development.
A Semi-Analytical Solution for Temperature Distribution in Friction Stir Welding
Authors: Darvazi Armin Rahmati
Published: June 2021

In this paper, a semi-analytical thermal model of friction stir welding processes is developed in which the heat-generating regions are divided into many elements as point heat sources. The heat generation in each element involves the friction and plastic deformation, and the temperature rise caused by each element is calculated by solving the heat conduction equation of a moving heat source in a solid body. The heat loss through the top and bottom surfaces are considered in the model as heat sinks. The asymmetric distribution of the temperature is calculated through the whole process and over the whole volume of the workpiece by integrating the effects of all heat sources and sinks. The temperature-dependent material properties are updated by a numerical routine. The comparison between the calculated results and the experimental data clearly approved the validity of the proposed method for some aluminum and steel alloys.
Performance Analysis of a Solar Dryer Integrated With Thermal Energy Storage Using PCM- Al2O3 Nanofluids
Authors: Subrananiam Babu Sasi Kumar , Sugumaran Arun Kumar , Athikesavan Muthu Manokar
Published: June 2021

The use of solar energy will help to reduce the cost of fossil fuels .The present work is based on the study of a solar dryer with thermal storage using the working medium of water and waste engine oil at a flow rate of 0.035, 0.045 and 0.065 lit / sec. Heat was collected from a parabolic trough collector (PTC) and stored into thermal energy storage (TES) device. The TES consisted of rectangular boxes for stored heat containing Stearic acid phase change materials (PCM) with 0.3vol% of Al2O3 nanofluids. The parabolic trough reflected solar radiation focused on the receiver and the collected heat was stored in the storage medium after it was forced into circulation and transferred to the solar dryer. The dryer used the energy output in the storage tank at varying water and waste oil medium flow rates and discussed heat output of the drying crops of groundnut, ginger and turmeric were showed the flow rate of 0.035, 0.045 and 0.065 lit/ sec with water and waste engine oil medium. Finally, based on the findings of the tests, this research may be useful in agriculture, especially in the drying of vegetables.
Neural Stem Cells Derived From Primitive Mesenchymal Stem Cells Reversed Disease Symptoms and Promoted Neurogenesis in an Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Brown Christina , McKee Christina , Halassy Sophia , Kojan Suleiman , Feinstein Doug L. , Chaudhry G. Rasul
Published: June 2021

BackgroundMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS). MS affects millions of people and causes a great economic and societal burden. There is no cure for MS. We used a novel approach to investigate the therapeutic potential of neural stem cells (NSCs) derived from highly proliferative human primitive mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in an experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mouse model of MS.MethodsMSCs were differentiated into NSCs, labeled with PKH26 and injected into the tail vein of EAE mice. The effect of transplanted cells on the disease process was assessed by neurobehavioral changes in the mice. Two weeks following cell transplantation, the animals were sacrificed to collect blood, lymphatic, and CNS tissues for analysis. Transplanted cells were tracked in various tissues by flow cytometry. Immune infiltrates were determined and characterized by H&E and immunohistochemical staining, respectively. Levels of immune regulatory cells, Treg and Th17 were analyzed by flow cytometry. Myelination was determined by Luxol fast blue staining and immunostaining. In vivo fate of transplanted cells and expression of inflammation, astrogliosis, myelination, neural, neuroprotection, and neurogenesis markers were investigated by using immunohistochemical and qRT-PCR analysis. ResultsMSC derived NSCs expressed specific neural markers, NESTIN, TUJ1, VIMENTIN and PAX6. NSCs improved EAE symptoms more than MSCs when transplanted in EAE mice. Post-transplantation analyses also showed homing of MSCs and NSCs into the CNS with concomitant induction of anti-inflammatory response resulting in reduction of immune infiltrates. NSCs also modulated Treg and Th17 cell levels in EAE mice comparable to healthy controls. Luxol fast blue staining showed significant improvement in myelination in treated mice. Further analysis showed that NSCs upregulated genes involved in myelination and neuroprotection but downregulated inflammatory and astrogliosis genes more significantly than MSCs. Importantly, NSCs differentiated into neural derivatives in the CNS and promoted neurogenesis possibly by modulating BDNF and FGF signaling pathways. ConclusionsNSC transplantation reversed the disease process by inducing an anti-inflammatory response and promoting myelination, neuroprotection, and neurogenesis in EAE disease animals. These promising results provide basis for clinical studies to treat MS using NSCs derived from primitive MSCs.
A new III-V Nanowire-Quantum Dot Single Photon Source with Improved Purcell Factor for Quantum Communication
Authors: nejad shahramm mohammad , Mahmoudi Amine , Arab Hossein
Published: June 2021

In this work, the finite difference time domain (FDTD) method has been utilized to simulate the propagation emission from PbS quantum dots in a hexagonal InP nanowire as a single photon source. The effect of height and radius of the nanowire as well as the location and orientation of the dipole source in the Purcell factor and Quality factor of the nanowire have been investigated. A broadband electric dipole source has been used to model the quantum dot and the effect of shape and radius of PbS quantum dot have been investigated in the final results. The conclusive structure has been optimized to a nanowire with hexagonal cross section with radius of 220nm and height of 10um. The emission peak obtained above 1um with Purcell factor of 4.72 which is in good agreement with cases have been used as single photon source in quantum communication.
Urinary Tetrahydrocortisol/Tetrahydrocortisone Ratio at Early Postnatal Period Predict Steroid Dependency and Neonatal Condition in Preterm Infant
Authors: Nagaya Ken , Okamoto Toshio , Nohara Fumikatsu , Nii Mitsumaro , Aoyama Aiko , Sugiyama Tatsutoshi
Published: June 2021

Insufficient adrenal function in preterm infants affects poor neonatal outcome, owing to the immaturity of their adrenal enzyme. While 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (11βHSD) type 1 and type2 act as gatekeepers for cell steroid action. This study aimed to investigate the effects of early postnatal urinary tetrahydrocortisol/tetrahydrocortisone (F/E) ratio, used as an alternative indicator of 11βHSDs activity, in preterm infants on their subsequent clinical course. In 80 preterm infants of ≤ 34 weeks gestational age admitted to our hospital, urinary F/E ratio was measured within 24 hours of birth. Furthermore, the relationship between this ratio and neonatal outcomes was estimated. Univariate analysis revealed that the high F/E ratio group had significantly higher morbidity in terms of duration of ventilatory support for more than 14 days, hypotension requiring inotropes and hydrocortisone, and symptomatic patent ductus arteriosus. On multivariate analysis, the incidence of hypotension requiring hydrocortisone was higher in the high F/E group, despite the absence of elevated dehydroepiandrosterone, a precursor of cortisol.Conclusion: The urinary F/E ratio in the early postnatal period in preterm infants may contribute to the understanding of the pathogenesis of infant condition after birth by estimating the amount of local steroid action in the organs.
Comparative Expression of P53 and Survivin Proteins in Phenylhydrazine-Induced Colon Cancer of Rats and the Role of Electromagnetic Field and Broccoli Extract
Authors: Awaad Aziz , Adly Mohamed A. , ellatef Medhat A. Abd , Foad Moshira M.
Published: June 2021

The authors have requested that this preprint be removed from Research Square.
Innovative Method of Alopecia Treatment by Using Adipose-derived Stromal Vascular Fraction (SVF) Cells
Authors: kim sun jong , Kim MyungJin , Lee YoungJun , Lee Joochan , Kim Ji Hyang , Kim Do Ha , Do Young Hoo , Choi Jun Woo , Chung Sung Ill , Do Byung- rok
Published: June 2021

BackgroundAndrogenetic alopecia (AGA) is characterized by progressive reduction of hair density on the scalp through gradual conversion of terminal hairs into vellus hairs. Stromal vascular fraction (SVF) cells harvested from fat cells are one of the latest breakthroughs in the aesthetic field. This study aimed to present clinical cases for the treatment of alopecia areata by transplantation of SVF into the scalp.Objective To evaluate the efficacy of the use of the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) in androgenetic alopecia patients.Methods9 patients (age range 43-64 years; 4 men, grade IV to V and 5 women, grade I to III), who are suffering from AGA, have been treated with a single injection of autologous SVF in the upper scalp. Autologous SVF was generated and characterized before the injection of 7-8 × 106 cells into the scalp of the patient. Hair regeneration was assessed by three clinical tests: hair skin quality, hair thickness, and hair density at 3 and 6 months post-injection and compared to pre-injection results.ResultsHair density was significantly increased after 3 and 6 months post injection (P = 0.01 and P=0.009). The increase in thickness was notably seen at 6 months post injection (P = 0.02). Furthermore, a significant improvement in the score of keratin of scalp was seen in the treated side as compared to the nontreated side (p=0.032). No side effects were noted after treatment.ConclusionsA single treatment of SVF injected into the scalp of patients with AGA significantly increased hair density within 3 to 6 months. The obtained results prove the efficacy and the safety of the treatment, and satisfaction of the patients confirm the quality of the results.
Neuroinflammation creates an immune regulatory niche at the meningeal lymphatic vasculature near the cribriform plate.
Authors: Fabry Zsuzsanna , Hsu Martin , Laaker Collin , Madrid Andy , Herbath Melinda , Choi Yun Hwa , Sandor Matyas
Published: June 2021

Meningeal lymphatic vessels residing in the dural layer above the sinuses of the brain, meninges at the base of the brain, and near the cribriform plate have all been shown to drain fluid, cells, and antigens. We have previously reported that meningeal lymphatics near the cribriform plate undergo VEGFR3-dependent lymphangiogenesis during experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) to facilitate excess drainage. Using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq), we report that neuroinflammation changes the phenotype and function of cribriform plate lymphatic endothelial cells (cpLECs). Upregulation of genes involved in antigen presentation, adhesion to leukocytes, and immunoregulatory molecules were verified by flow cytometry and functional assays. The inflamed cpLECs retain dendritic cells and to lesser extent CD4 T cells, creating an immune-regulatory niche that represents a previously underappreciated interface in the regulation of neuroinflammation. Additionally, the discontinuity of the arachnoid membrane near cpLECs provides unrestricted access to the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for immune surveillance. These findings may lead to new therapeutic approaches to neuroinflammatory diseases.