bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emission Characteristics of Gaseous and Particulate Mercury from a Subcritical Power Plant Co-Firing Coal and Sludge
Authors: Li Changkang , Wen Chang , Wang Dapeng , Zhao Changxi , Li Rui
Published: October 2022

Field tests were carried out in a subcritical coal-fired power plant co-firing coal and sludge to analyze the emission characteristics of gaseous and particulate mercury. EPA30B method was applied to determine the mercury speciation in different positions of the flue gas, including the inlet and outlet of the selective catalytic reduction DeNOX system (SCR) and electrostatic precipitator (ESP); PM10 (with aerodynamic diameter ≤10 μm) was collected using a cyclone and a Dekati low-pressure impactor (DLPI). Before accessing the SCR, Hg in flue gas from both single coal combustion and co-firing mainly existed as Hg0; the higher content of Hg in sludge than coal led to the much higher Hg0 concentration for co-firing. The total Hg concentration at not only the SCR inlet and outlet but also the ESP inlet did not change obviously. However, Hgp concentration at the ESP inlet increased significantly, accompanied by a decrease in Hg0. The transformation of Hg0 to Hgp appeared to be more distinct for co-firing. The higher HCl concentration of co-firing derived from the much higher Cl content of sludge than coal, and together with the higher ash content of sludge containing more minerals capable of adsorbing Hg0, may lead to the greater transformation from Hg0 to Hg2+ and Hgp when co-firing. After the ESP disposal, nearly all Hgp was removed along with PM10, and most Hg0 was also removed. The removal efficiency of mercury after the ESP was 92.12% under coal firing and 92.83% under co-firing conditions, respectively. The slightly higher mercury removal efficiency under co-firing should be attributed to the complete removal of the higher concentration of Hgp.
Simulation of Urban Heat Island during a High-Heat Event Using WRF Urban Canopy Models: A Case Study for Metro Manila
Authors: Bilang Ronald Gil Joy P. , Blanco Ariel C. , Santos Justine Ace S. , Olaguera Lyndon Mark P.
Published: October 2022

This present study aims to determine the performance of using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model, coupled with the urban canopy models (UCMs), in simulating the 2 m air temperature and 2 m relative humidity in Metro Manila. The simulation was performed during a high heat event on 22–29 April 2018, which coincided with the dry season in the Philippines. The four urban canopy model options that were used in this study include, the bulk (no urban), SLUCM, BEP, and BEM. The results of the simulations were compared with the hourly observations from three weather stations over Metro Manila from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Integrated Surface Dataset (ISD) and one agrometeorological station in Naic, Cavite. After model validation, the urban heat island (UHI) was then characterized to determine the spatial-temporal variations in the cities of Metro Manila. Statistical results show that the WRF simulation for 2 m air temperature agrees with measurements with an RMSE of <3.0 °C, mean bias error of <2.0 °C, and index of agreement of >0.80. WRF simulation for relative humidity still presents a challenge where simulation errors are higher than the acceptable range. The addition of UCMs does not necessarily improve the simulation for 2 m air temperature, while the use of BEP improved the 2 m relative humidity simulation. The results suggest the importance of using actual urban morphology values in WRF to accurately simulate near-surface variables. On the other hand, WRF simulation shows the presence of urban heat islands, notably in the northwest and central area of Metro Manila during daytime, extending throughout Metro Manila during nighttime. Lower air temperature was consistently observed in areas near Laguna Lake, while higher air temperature due to stagnant winds was observed in the northwest area of Metro Manila. High heat index was also observed throughout Metro Manila from daytime until nighttime, especially in areas near bodies of water like Manila Bay and Laguna Lake due to high humidity.
Pan-Genome Analysis Reveals Functional Divergences in Gut-Restricted Gilliamella and Snodgrassella
Authors: Zhang Zhengyi , Guo Yulong , Yang Fan , Li Jilian
Published: October 2022

Gilliamella and Snodgrassella, members of core gut microbiota in corbiculate bees, have high species diversity and adaptability to a wide range of hosts. In this study, we performed species taxonomy and phylogenetic analysis for Gilliamella and Snodgrassella strains that we isolated in our laboratory, in combination with published whole-genome. Functional effects of accessory and unique genes were investigated by KEGG category and pathway annotation in pan-genome analysis. Consequently, in Gilliamella, we inferred the importance of carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, membrane transport, energy metabolism, and metabolism of cofactors and vitamins in accessory or unique genes. The pathway mentioned above, plus infectious disease, lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism as well as replication and repair exert a pivotal role in accessory or unique genes of Snodgrassella. Further analysis revealed the existence of functional differentiation of accessory and unique genes among Apis-derived genomes and Bombus-derived genomes. We also identified eight and four biosynthetic gene clusters in all Gilliamella and Snodgrassella genomes, respectively. Our study provides a good insight to better understand how host heterogeneity influences the bacterial speciation and affects the versatility of the genome of the gut bacteria.
The Role of Extracellular Vesicles in Ischemic Stroke Severity
Authors: Carandina Angelica , Favero Chiara , Sacco Roberto Maria , Hoxha Mirjam , Torgano Giuseppe , Montano Nicola , Bollati Valentina , Tobaldini Eleonora
Published: October 2022

The possibility of characterizing the extracellular vesicles (EVs) based on parental cell surface markers and their content makes them a new attractive prognostic biomarker. Thus, our study aims to verify the role of EVs as relevant prognostic factors for acute and mid-term outcomes in ischemic stroke. Forty-seven patients with acute ischemic stroke were evaluated at admission (T0), immediately after recanalization treatment or after 2 h in non-treated patients (T1) and after one week (Tw) using the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), and after 3 months using the Modified Rankin Scale (mRS). Total count and characterization of EVs were assessed by Nanosight analysis and flow cytometry. The relationships between stroke outcomes and EV count were assessed through multivariable negative binomial regression models. We found that the amount of platelet-derived EVs at admission was positively associated with the severity of ischemic stroke at the onset as well as with the severity of mid-term outcome. Moreover, our study revealed that T-cell-derived EVs at admission were positively related to both early and mid-term ischemic stroke outcomes. Finally, T-cell-derived EVs at T1 were positively related to mid-term ischemic stroke outcome. The present study suggests that specific EV subtypes are associated with stroke severity and both short- and long-term outcomes. EVs could represent a valid tool to improve risk stratification in patients with ischemic stroke and post-recanalization treatment monitoring.
Effects of Knee Extension Joint Angle on Quadriceps Femoris Muscle Activation and Exerted Torque in Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction
Authors: Kukić Filip , Mrdaković Vladimir , Stanković Aleksandar , Ilić Duško
Published: October 2022

This study investigated the effects of knee joint angle on muscle activation, exerted torque, and whether the knee angle affects the muscle activation–torque ratio. Nine healthy adult male participants participated in the study. They performed maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) at six (80°, 90°, 100°, 110°, 120°, and 130°) different knee joint angles (i.e., angles between the thigh and shin bones). Their maximal torque was assessed utilizing an isokinetic chair, while their muscle activation (root mean square [RMS]) was assessed using an eight-channel single differential surface EMG sensor. For the purposes of the torque–knee angle relationship and muscle activation–knee angle relationship, the torque and RMS were normalized relative to the maximal value obtained by each participant. To evaluate the muscle activation–torque ratio in function of knee angle, RMS was normalized relative to the corresponding torque obtained at each knee angle. Repeated measure analysis of variance was used to investigate the effects of knee angle on muscle activation, torque, and muscle activation–torque ratio. There was a significant effect of knee joint angle on normalized torque (F = 27.521, p < 0.001), while the activation of vastus lateralis and vastus medialis remained unchanged. The changes in knee angle affected the muscle activation–torque ratio of vastus lateralis (Chi-square = 16.246, p = 0.006) but not the vastus medialis. These results suggest that knee joint angles from 80° to 130° provide a stable milieu for muscle electrification, while mechanical factor such as knee joint angle (i.e., lever arm length) affect the torque output when one needs to contract quadriceps maximally during the isometric contraction.
Rapid Detection of Clenbuterol Residues in Pork Using Enhanced Raman Spectroscopy
Authors: Guo Qinghui , Peng Yankun , Zhao Xinlong , Chen Yahui
Published: October 2022

Clenbuterol (CB) is a synthetic β-receptor agonist which can be used to improve carcass leanness in swine, but its residues in pork also pose health risks. In this report, surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technology was used to achieve rapid detection and identification of clenbuterol hydrochloride (CB) residues. First, the effects of several different organic solvents on the extraction efficiency were compared, and it was found that clenbuterol in pork had a better enhancement effect using ethyl acetate as an extraction agent. Then, SERS signals of clenbuterol in different solvents were compared, and it was found that clenbuterol had a better enhancement effect in an aqueous solution. Therefore, water was chosen as the solvent for clenbuterol detection. Next, enhancement effect was compared using different concentration of sodium chloride solution as the aggregating compound. Finally, pork samples with different clenbuterol content (1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 10 µg/g) were prepared for quantitative analysis. The SERS spectra of samples were collected with 0.5 mol/L of NaCl solution as aggregating compound and gold colloid as an enhanced substrate. Multiple scattering correction (MSC) and automatic Whittaker filter (AWF) were used for preprocessing, and the fluorescence background contained in the original Raman spectra was removed. A unary linear regression model was established between SERS intensity at 1472 cm-1 and clenbuterol content in pork samples. The model had a better linear relationship with a correlation coefficient R2 of 0.99 and a root mean square error of 0.263 µg/g. This method can be used for rapid screening of pork containing clenbuterol in the market.
Study on the Strength and Microcosmic Characteristics of C50 High-Performance Concrete (HPC) Containing Manufactured Sands
Authors: Hu Yafeng , Wei Yang , Zhao Longlong , Zhang Wenhua , Chen Si
Published: October 2022

In this paper, C50 high-performance concrete (HPC) containing manufactured sand was prepared. First, three different gradations of aggregates and three different types of admixtures with significant differences in specific surface area, porosity, and water ratios were used to prepare nine groups of concrete mixtures. Second, the effect of the aggregate gradation and admixture on the workability of fresh HPC and compressive strength of hydration-hardened HPC was investigated. Finally, microscopic tests were conducted to examine the hydration product pore structure (mercury injection porosimeter (MIP)), hydration product surface appearance (scanning electron microscope (SEM)), and element qualitative analysis (energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDS)), and the mechanism of the C50 HPC was discussed. The results show that the types of gradation aggregates and admixtures significantly affect the workability and strength of C50 HPC. When the slump of fresh HPC is specified, the workability of the mixture can be controlled by a homemade high-performance lignin sulfonate water reducer. The aggregate gradation biased toward the median of the gradation curve can be used to prepare the C50 HPC. In this paper, the maximum compressive strength of C50 HPC is 58.3 MPa at 90 days. In addition, the microscopic test results show that the composite compound of C50 HPC has a dense hydration product and a high bond strength interface transition zone (ITZ).
Numerical Assessment on Bonded and Unbonded Prestressed Concrete Beams
Authors: Pang Miao , Liu Xing , Dong Yi , Lou Tiejiong
Published: October 2022

The tendon stress in bonded prestressed concrete (BPC) beams is section-dependent while it is member-dependent in unbonded prestressed concrete (UPC) beams, leading to marked difference between these two structural systems. However, little work has addressed the bond effect of steel tendons. This research presents comparative investigations of BPC and UPC beams with various prestress levels. A numerical model is experimentally validated. Numerical assessments are conducted for simply supported and continuous scenarios, focusing on the effects of bond condition and prestress level. The results show that BPC beams exhibit better crack pattern (i.e., smaller crack width with larger crack zone) than UPC beams. The difference in ultimate loads or deflections between BPC and UPC beams depends heavily on the prestress level (the values of UPC beams are around 64% and 94% of those of BPC beams at prestress levels of 25% and 75%, respectively). Unbonded tendons produce greater moment redistribution in continuous scenarios than bonded tendons. It is also shown that the ACI code cannot well describe the bond impact of steel tendons on moment redistribution in continuous scenarios. A modified ACI equation is proposed, which can predict accurately the moment redistribution in both BPC and UPC beams.
Cost Overrun Risk Assessment and Prediction in Construction Projects: A Bayesian Network Classifier Approach
Authors: Ashtari Mohammad Amin , Ansari Ramin , Hassannayebi Erfan , Jeong Jaewook
Published: October 2022

Cost overrun risks are declared to be dynamic and interdependent. Ignoring the relationship between cost overrun risks during the risk assessment process is one of the primary reasons construction projects go over budget. Conversely, recent studies have failed to account for potential interrelationships between risk factors in their machine learning (ML) models. Additionally, the presented ML models are not interpretable. Thus, this study contributes to the entire ML process using a Bayesian network (BN) classifier model by considering the possible interactions between predictors, which are cost overrun risks, to predict cost overrun and assess cost overrun risks. Furthermore, this study compared the BN classifier model’s performance accuracy to that of the Naive Bayes (NB) and decision tree (DT) models to determine the effect of considering possible correlations between cost overrun risks on prediction accuracy. Moreover, the most critical risks and their relationships are identified by interpreting the learned BN model. The results indicated that the 18 BN models demonstrated an average prediction accuracy of 78.86%, significantly higher than the NB and DT. The present study identified the most significant risks as an increase in the cost of materials, lack of knowledge and experience among human resources, and inflation.
Development of a Mix Design Method for Multiplexed Powder Self-Compacting Concrete Based on the Multiscale Rheological Threshold Theory
Authors: Lv Miao , Jiao Anjia , An Xuehui , Bai Hao , Zhang Jingbin , Shao Kun
Published: October 2022

The multiscale rheological threshold theory can guide the mix design of self-compacting concrete (SCC) from a trans-scale view. Through the paste thresholds calculated by the mini-slump flow test results, the workability of SCC can be predicted. However, this method shows insufficient prediction accuracy when handling multiplexed powder. In the existing threshold calculation formula, the characteristics of powder materials were described through empirical values, without considering the specific properties of various powders. This paper focuses on the application of the multiscale rheological threshold theory to multiplexed powder SCCs. Through the research on the characteristics of powder materials, especially D50 and Span, the effect of the powder properties on paste thresholds was carried out. The prediction accuracies were confirmed by four sets of self-compacting mixtures at paste and concrete scales and were verified with another set of tests. There are a total of 45 paste and 45 SCC test results with multiplexed powders, including cement, fly ash, and limestone powder. The predicting accuracies are expressed as the relative accuracy ε and the accuracy index ε′, calculated by the comparison of self-compacting zones at paste and SCC scales. The calculation results showed that ε and ε′ of the modified method increased. This modified method can be efficient for the mix design of SCC containing multiplexed powders.
LAG3-PD1 or CTLA4-PD1 Inhibition in Advanced Melanoma: Indirect Cross Comparisons of the CheckMate-067 and RELATIVITY-047 Trials
Authors: Zhao Bai-Wei , Zhang Fei-Yang , Wang Yun , Chen Guo-Ming , Nie Man , Zhao Zhou-Kai , Chen Xiao-Jiang , Jiang Kai-Ming , Nie Run-Cong , Chen Ying-Bo
Published: October 2022

Objective: To compare the inhibition of LAG3-PD1 versus the inhibition of CTLA-4-PD1 in patients with previously untreated advanced melanoma. Methods: The individual participant data (IPD) were extracted from the KM plots using a graphical reconstructive algorithm. Log-rank, Cox proportional hazard model, Bayesian hierarchical model with time-varying hazard ratio (HR) effect, and restricted mean survival time (RMST) were performed to estimate survival benefits. Results: The CheckMate-067 (n = 630) and RELATIVITY-047 (n = 714) trials were included for analysis. The graphical reconstructive algorithm showed that IPD had similar HRs and log-rank values as the original plots. The HR of nivolumab plus relatlimab (LAG3 inhibitor) versus nivolumab plus ipilimumab (CTLA4 inhibitor) was 1.19 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.96 to1.48). The 24-months RMST of nivolumab plus relatlimab versus nivolumab was 2.35 (95% CI 0.77–3.94) months, compared with 1.87 (95% CI, 0.25–3.49) months for nivolumab plus ipilimumab versus nivolumab. The Bayesian hierarchical model showed that patients treated with nivolumab plus relatlimab had earlier PFS benefits than those with nivolumab plus ipilimumab. Grade 3 or 4 treatment-related adverse events occurred in 18.9% of patients using nivolumab plus relatlimab and 55.0% of patients using nivolumab plus ipilimumab. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the PFS of LAG3-PD1 and CTLA4-PD1 inhibition were similar and LAG3-PD1 inhibition exhibited earlier survival benefit and lesser TRAEs.
Association of Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate with Risk of Head and Neck Cancer: A Nationwide Population-Based Study
Authors: Kim Hyun-Bum , Park Jun-Ook , Nam Inn-Chul , Kim Choung-Soo , Park Sung Joon , Lee Dong-Hyun , Han Kyungdo , Joo Young-Hoon
Published: October 2022

In this study, through a cohort study of 10 million people, we investigated the association between estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and head and neck cancer (HNC) incidence. This is an observational cohort study using data from the national health claims database established by the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS). We selected 9,598,085 participants older than 20 years who had undergone health checkups in 2009. A health checkup involves the history of any diseases, current health status, and results of several physical and blood exams including eGFR. We investigated the presence of HNC diagnosis in their national health insurance data from 2010 to 2018. Of the 9,598,085 participants, 10,732 had been newly diagnosed with HNC in the 9-year follow-up. In the multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, participants with elevated eGFR were associated with a risk of HNC incidence (HR = 1.129; 95% CI = 1.075–1.186 for eGFR = 90–104 mL/min/1.73 m2 and HR = 1.129; 95% CI = 1.076–1.194 for eGFR ≥ 105 mL/min/1.73 m2) compared with those with eGFR 60–89 mL/min/1.73 m2. Among HNC, the incidences of oral cavity, oropharyngeal, hypopharyngeal, and laryngeal cancers were significantly increased in the elevated eGFR group. According to the subgroup analysis, participants with eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m2 were correlated with risk of HNC incidence in middle age, non/mild drinker, low BMI, no diabetes, and no hypertension patients compared with those with eGFR < 60 mL/min/1.73 m2. Elevated eGFR was associated with the risk of some type of HNC, even in individuals with adjusted hypertension and diabetes without chronic diseases. The results of this study have implications for etiological investigations and preventive strategies.
Procaine Abrogates the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Process through Modulating c-Met Phosphorylation in Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Yang Min Hee , Mohan Chakrabhavi Dhananjaya , Deivasigamani Amudha , Chinnathambi Arunachalam , Alharbi Sulaiman Ali , Rangappa Kanchugarakoppal S. , Jung Sang Hoon , Ko Hyejin , Hui Kam Man , Sethi Gautam , Ahn Kwang Seok
Published: October 2022

EMT is a critical cellular phenomenon that promotes tumor invasion and metastasis. Procaine is a local anesthetic agent used in oral surgeries and as an inhibitor of DNA methylation in some types of cancers. In this study, we have investigated whether procaine can inhibit the EMT process in HCC cells and the preclinical model. Procaine suppressed the expression of diverse mesenchymal markers but induced the levels of epithelial markers such as E-cadherin and occludin in HGF-stimulated cells. Procaine also significantly reduced the invasion and migration of HCC cells. Moreover, procaine inhibited HGF-induced c-Met and its downstream oncogenic pathways, such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR and MEK/ERK. Additionally, procaine decreased the tumor burden in the HCC mouse model and abrogated lung metastasis. Overall, our study suggests that procaine may inhibit the EMT process through the modulation of a c-Met signaling pathway.
A Retrospective, Single-Center Analysis of Specialized Palliative Care Services for Patients with Advanced Small-Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Wachter Claudia , Hackner Klaus , Groissenberger Iris , Jutz Franziska , Tschurlovich Lisa , Le Nguyen-Son , Kreye Gudrun
Published: October 2022

Timely integration of specialized palliative care (SPC) has been shown to improve cancer patients’ quality of life (QoL) and reduced the use of medical services. To evaluate the level of integration of SPC services for patients with advanced small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), we retrospectively analyzed medical records of patients from 2019 to 2021. Regarding the timing of referral to SPC services, we defined four cutoffs for early referral according to the current literature: (a) SPC provided ≤ 60 days after diagnosis; (b) SPC provided ≥ 60 days before death; (c) SPC provided ≥ 30 days before death; and (d) SPC provided ≥ 130 days before death. One hundred and forty-three patients (94.1%) were found to have locally advanced (stage III) or metastatic (stage IV) disease. Sixty-eight were not referred to SPC services (47.6%), whereas 75 patients received SPC (52.4%). We found a significantly higher number of referrals to SPC services for patients with higher ECOG (Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group) (i.e., ECOG ≥ 2) (p = 0.010) and patients with stage IV disease (p ≤ 0.001). The median overall survival (OS) for SCLC stage III/IV patients (n = 143) who did not receive SPC treatment was 17 months (95% CI 8.5–25.5), while those who did receive SPC treatment had a median OS of 8 months (95% CI 6.2–9.8) (p = 0.014). However, when we evaluated patients receiving SPC treatment in a timely manner before death as suggested by the different cutoffs indicated in the literature, they lived significantly longer when referred at a minimum of ≥60 or ≥130 days before death. Based on our findings, we suggest that patients with advanced SCLC should participate in a consultation with a SPC team in a timely manner to ensure a benefit of SPC for this patient group.
The Inflammasomes Adaptor Protein PYCARD Is a Potential Pyroptosis Biomarker Related to Immune Response and Prognosis in Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Su Jia-Qi , Tian Xi , Xu Wen-Hao , Anwaier Aihetaimujiang , Ye Shi-Qi , Zhu Shu-Xuan , Wang Yue , Gu Jun , Shi Guo-Hai , Qu Yuan-Yuan , Zhang Hai-Liang , Ye Ding-Wei
Published: October 2022

PYCARD is a protein engaged in inflammation, pyroptosis, and apoptosis. However, the function of PYCARD in human cancers remains unclear. The objective of our study was to explore PYCARD expression and prognostic value in human cancers. Public databases were used to assess PYCARD expression and prognostic value. The TISIDB database was used to explore the associations between PYCARD expression and different immune subtypes. The correlations between PYCARD expression and ICP genes, MMR genes, MSI, and TMB were also investigated. The immunotherapy response was assessed using the TIDE database. Single-cell RNA databases evaluated the PYCARD expression of immune cells. External datasets and immunohistochemical staining were conducted to validate PYCARD expression and prognostic value. The results showed that PYCARD expression varied in several cancers and was associated with prognosis, immune-related genes, published biomarkers, and immunotherapy response. Of note, PYCARD expression was upregulated in renal cancers with high diagnostic ability. Upregulation of PYCARD was correlated with worse prognosis in KIRC and external validation cohorts. In conclusion, PYCARD demonstrated strong correlations with prognosis, immune response, and disease progression in pan-cancer analysis. In ccRCC, PYCARD might serve as a biomarker for diagnosis and therapeutic target-boosting immunotherapy response.
Endocrine and Neuroendocrine Tumors: A Special Issue
Authors: Berruti Alfredo , Amoroso Vito , Fazio Nicola
Published: October 2022

Endocrine and neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) represent a group of heterogeneous malignancies that have endocrine cell onset as a common denominator [...]
Approaches towards Elucidating the Metabolic Program of Hematopoietic Stem/Progenitor Cells
Authors: Kobayashi Hiroshi , Watanuki Shintaro , Takubo Keiyo
Published: October 2022

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) in bone marrow continuously supply a large number of blood cells throughout life in collaboration with hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). HSCs and HPCs are thought to regulate and utilize intracellular metabolic programs to obtain metabolites, such as adenosine triphosphate (ATP), which is necessary for various cellular functions. Metabolites not only provide stem/progenitor cells with nutrients for ATP and building block generation but are also utilized for protein modification and epigenetic regulation to maintain cellular characteristics. In recent years, the metabolic programs of tissue stem/progenitor cells and their underlying molecular mechanisms have been elucidated using a variety of metabolic analysis methods. In this review, we first present the advantages and disadvantages of the current approaches applicable to the metabolic analysis of tissue stem/progenitor cells, including HSCs and HPCs. In the second half, we discuss the characteristics and regulatory mechanisms of HSC metabolism, including the decoupling of ATP production by glycolysis and mitochondria. These technologies and findings have the potential to advance stem cell biology and engineering from a metabolic perspective and to establish therapeutic approaches.
Efficient Gene Expression in Human Stem Cell Derived-Cortical Organoids Using Adeno Associated Virus
Authors: Cho Ann-Na , Bright Fiona , Morey Nicolle , Au Carol , Ittner Lars M. , Ke Yazi D.
Published: October 2022

Cortical organoids are 3D structures derived either from human embryonic stem cells or human induced pluripotent stem cells with their use exploding in recent years due to their ability to better recapitulate the human brain in vivo in respect to organization; differentiation; and polarity. Adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) have emerged in recent years as the vectors of choice for CNS-targeted gene therapy. Here; we compare the use of AAVs as a mode of gene expression in cortical organoids; over traditional methods such as lipofectamine and electroporation and demonstrate its ease-of-use in generating quick disease models through expression of different variants of the central gene—TDP-43—implicated in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and frontotemporal dementia.
Adsorption and Sensing of CO2, CH4 and N2O Molecules by Ti-Doped HfSe2 Monolayer Based on the First-Principle
Authors: Wang Yingxiang , Liu Benli , Fang Rengcun , Jing Lin , Wu Peng , Tian Shuangshuang
Published: October 2022

With the continuous emission of greenhouse gases, the greenhouse effect is becoming more and more serious. CO2, CH4, and N2O are three typical greenhouse gases, and in order to limit their emissions, it is imperative that they are accurately monitored. In this paper, the doping behavior of Ti on the surface of HfSe2 is investigated, based on the first-nature principle. Additionally, the parameters of adsorption energy and the transfer charges of Ti−HfSe2 for CO2, CH4, and N2O are calculated and compared, while the sensing characteristics of Ti−HfSe2 are analyzed. The results show that the structure is most stable when Ti is located above the lower-layer Se atom. The CO2 and N2O adsorption systems with large adsorption energies and transfer charges are a chemical adsorption, while the CH4 system is a physical adsorption with small adsorption energies and transfer charges. In addition, Ti−HfSe2 has a good sensitivity and recovery time for CO2 at 298 K, which is feasible for industrial application. All the contents of this paper provide theoretical guidance for the implementation of Ti−HfSe2 as a gas-sensitive material for the detection of greenhouse gas components.
Era of Molecular Diagnostics Techniques before and after the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Alamri Ahmad M. , Alkhilaiwi Faris A. , Ullah Khan Najeeb
Published: October 2022

Despite the growth of molecular diagnosis from the era of Hippocrates, the emergence of COVID-19 is still remarkable. The previously used molecular techniques were not rapid enough to screen a vast population at home, in offices, and in hospitals. Additionally, these techniques were only available in advanced clinical laboratories.The pandemic outbreak enhanced the urgency of researchers and research and development companies to invent more rapid, robust, and portable devices and instruments to screen a vast community in a cost-effective and short time. There has been noteworthy progress in molecular diagnosing tools before and after the pandemic. This review focuses on the advancements in molecular diagnostic techniques before and after the emergence of COVID-19 and how the pandemic accelerated the implantation of molecular diagnostic techniques in most clinical laboratories towardbecoming routine tests.
BetaBayes—A Bayesian Approach for Comparing Ecological Communities
Authors: Dias Filipe S. , Betancourt Michael , Rodríguez-González Patricia María , Borda-de-Água Luís
Published: October 2022

Ecological communities change because of both natural and human factors. Distinguishing between the two is critical to ecology and conservation science. One of the most common approaches for modelling species composition changes is calculating beta diversity indices and then relating index changes to environmental changes. The main difficulty with these analyses is that beta diversity indices are paired comparisons, which means indices calculated with the same community are not independent. Mantel tests and generalised dissimilarity modelling (GDM) are two of the most commonly used statistical procedures for analysing such data, employing randomisation tests to consider the data’s dependence. Here, we introduce a Bayesian model-based approach called BetaBayes that explicitly incorporates the data dependence. This approach is based on the Bradley–Terry model, which is a widely used approach for modelling paired comparisons that involves building a standard regression model containing two varying intercepts, one for each community involved in the beta diversity index, that capture their respective contributions. We used BetaBayes to analyse a famous dataset collected in Panama that contains information on multiple 1 ha plots from the rain forests of Panama. We calculated the Bray–Curtis index between all pairs of plots, analysed the relationship between the index and two covariates (geographic distance and elevation), and compared the results of BetaBayes with those from the Mantel test and GDM. BetaBayes has two distinctive features. The first is its flexibility, which allows the user to quickly change it to fit the data structure; namely, by adding varying effects, incorporating spatial autocorrelation, and modelling complex nonlinear relationships. The second is that it provides a clear path for performing model validation and model improvement. BetaBayes avoids hypothesis testing, instead focusing on recreating the data generating process and quantifying all the model configurations that are consistent with the observed data.
An Unruptured True Aneurysm of the Uterine Artery during Pregnancy
Authors: Tantipalakorn Charuwan , Luewan Suchaya , Sirilert Sirinart , Tongsong Theera
Published: October 2022

The antenatal diagnosis of an unruptured true aneurysm of the uterine artery is extremely rare and has never been reported, whereas pseudoaneurysms associated with previous trauma or cesarean section have been reported several times. True aneurysms occur when the artery or vessel weakens and bulges, sometimes forming a blood-filled sac. Nearly all cases of pelvic true aneurysms involved ovarian arteries which ruptured during the peripartum period. The case presented here is unique in terms of being an unruptured true aneurysm of the uterine artery with a first diagnosis during pregnancy at 32 weeks of gestation and the spontaneous development of thrombosis in the aneurysm in late pregnancy, documented at 37 weeks of gestation. The diagnosis of a true aneurysm of the uterine artery was based on, (1) a demonstration of the cystic mass located in proximity to the lower segment of the uterus with ultrasound characteristics of arterial flow in the mass, and (2) the occurrence in a woman who had no history of trauma or surgery in the pelvis. The finding during cesarean section confirmed the prenatal sonographic finding. The pregnancy ended with successful outcomes.
When the Helmet Is Not Enough: Forensic Multidisciplinary Reconstruction of a Deadly Motorcycle Accident
Authors: Catena Antonio Maria , Treglia Michele , Marsella Luigi Tonino , Locatelli Marcello , Rosato Enrica , Kabir Abuzar , Bonelli Martina , D’Ovidio Cristian
Published: October 2022

We report the case of a 54-year-old man who died in a motorcycle accident due to loss of control of the vehicle on a viaduct. No other vehicles were apparently involved, except for a car hit by the motorcycle after it fell. A post-mortem CT scan (computed tomography scan) was performed showing complex head trauma with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and multiple skull and facial bone fractures. A forensic cinematic reconstruction performed by an engineer was needed to exclude other incident causes other than the loss of control. The multidisciplinary approach that included autopsy findings, a cinematic reconstruction, a helmet test and an examination played a key role in clarifying the dynamics of the accident, allowing us to explain how the death occurred despite the motorcyclist’s helmet use. The cause of death was identified as a penetrating head trauma with cerebral material exposure, produced by the impact of the head against a fixed bolt in the guardrail base. Despite the use of the helmet, the impact force was enough to render the protection ineffective and allowed the bolt to penetrate through the helmet and the skull.
Thermal Lattice Boltzmann Flux Solver for Natural Convection of Nanofluid in a Square Enclosure
Authors: Wu Xiaodi , Zhou Song
Published: October 2022

In the present study, mathematical modeling was performed to simulate natural convection of a nanofluid in a square enclosure using the thermal lattice Boltzmann flux solver (TLBFS). Firstly, natural convection in a square enclosure, filled with pure fluid (air and water), was investigated to validate the accuracy and performance of the method. Then, influences of the Rayleigh number, of nanoparticle volume fraction on streamlines, isotherms and average Nusselt number were studied. The numerical results illustrated that heat transfer was enhanced with the augmentation of Rayleigh number and nanoparticle volume fraction. There was a linear relationship between the average Nusselt number and solid volume fraction. and there was an exponential relationship between the average Nusselt number and Ra. In view of the Cartesian grid used by the immersed boundary method and lattice model, the immersed boundary method was chosen to treat the no-slip boundary condition of the flow field, and the Dirichlet boundary condition of the temperature field, to facilitate natural convection around a bluff body in a square enclosure. The presented numerical algorithm and code implementation were validated by means of numerical examples of natural convection between a concentric circular cylinder and a square enclosure at different aspect ratios. Numerical simulations were conducted for natural convection around a cylinder and square in an enclosure. The results illustrated that nanoparticles enhance heat transfer in higher Rayleigh number, and the heat transfer of the inner cylinder is stronger than that of the square at the same perimeter.
Effectiveness of PMI Combined with Common Interest Activity for Elementary School Students with Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Michalopoulou Aikaterini , Muñoz González Juan Manuel , Hidalgo-Ariza María Dolores
Published: October 2022

Peer-mediated intervention (PMI) includes a range of strategies that are considered a successful aid in social-communication behavior for kids and their peers with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). This study was carried out to improve the social behavior of children with ASD, using peer training through an activity that they have in common. Three ASD students in Greek elementary schools, aged seven to ten years old, two boys and one girl, participated in this study. The peers of ASD students were trained to interact with them during recess in a comprehensive school setting. An ABA reversal design was used on each participant in order to define the effects of the intervention. Through observation probes, the responses and the initiations of all ASD students were noted by trained school staff. The results of the intervention phase showed an increase in both of these two variables. Furthermore, the follow-up phase depicted important results for the academic community, also showing an increase in all ASD students’ responses and initiations. The current study supplements the existing PMI research, which leads to the possible use of this valid tool that could be used in school settings in order to increase the socialization of ASD students.
Teachers’ Perceptions of Remote Learning during the Pandemic: A Case Study
Authors: Silva Susana , Fernandes Joana , Peres Paula , Lima Vanda , Silva Candida
Published: October 2022

The closure of higher education institutions (HEIs) due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic led to visible changes in pedagogical practices. With the lockdown, there was ambiguity and disagreement about the workload of teachers and students, and about what to teach and what strategies to select. For most instructors, the first challenge was to recreate the face-to-face experience. Worldwide, most universities have speedily adopted synchronous and asynchronous communication modes. Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco, Webex, Zoom, and Moodle were among the most used tools. The present study is based upon a quantitative approach, and it intends to analyse teachers’ perceptions of remote teaching during the first pandemic period. Data were collected through an online questionnaire during June and July 2020. The questionnaire had 27 questions divided into three main sections: sociodemographic characterization, e-Learning strategies, and remote assessment. The study population was teachers of a Portuguese HEI. A random sample was used with 547 participants. The main conclusions show that the less experienced teachers are, the more satisfied they feel with remote classes and remote assessment. On the other hand, the most experienced teachers used more tools during the remote teaching period and developed more strategies to perform remote assessment. Regarding the overall assessment of the emergency remote teaching, the participants consider that it was a positive period, and they were moderately satisfied with remote classes and the strategies and tools used during this period.
Ethernet Packet to USB Data Transfer Bridge ASIC with Modbus Transmission Control Protocol Based on FPGA Development Kit
Authors: Sung Guo-Ming , Lee Chun-Ting , Yan Zhang-Yi , Yu Chih-Ping
Published: October 2022

This paper proposes an Ethernet packet transformation and transmission architecture between Modbus transmission control protocol (Modbus TCP) and universal serial bus (USB) 3.0 developed with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) development kit. The proposed architecture is used to complete packet transformation and transmission between Ethernet and USB 3.0 for application in induction motor (IM) control. The Ethernet receiver receives and analyses Modbus TCP packets and sends the source address, destination address, IP header, and Modbus TCP header to the register to verify the correctness of the packet. The Modbus TCP packet is stored in static random access memory and awaits access through a USB 3.0 module. An FPGA development kit (Intel DE10-Standard) is used for functional verification. The measured results show that the latency, throughput, and dynamic power are 18.845 μs, 950.31 Mbps, and 142.17 mW, respectively, at a voltage of 1.8 V and an operating frequency of 125 MHz. The main advantage is that the proposed Ethernet and USB bridge performs high throughput and short latency with FPGA development kit and that an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) is provided with low power consumption. The robustness and convenience of the proposed ASIC are especially advantageous. The motivation is to resolve an existing problem that Ethernet and USB operate on different platforms.
Statistical Validation of Synthetic Data for Lung Cancer Patients Generated by Using Generative Adversarial Networks
Authors: Gonzalez-Abril Luis , Angulo Cecilio , Ortega Juan Antonio , Lopez-Guerra José-Luis
Published: October 2022

The development of healthcare patient digital twins in combination with machine learning technologies helps doctors in therapeutic prescription and in minimally invasive intervention procedures. The confidentiality of medical records or limited data availability in many health domains are drawbacks that can be overcome with the generation of synthetic data conformed to real data. The use of generative adversarial networks (GAN) for the generation of synthetic data of lung cancer patients has been previously introduced as a tool to solve this problem in the form of anonymized synthetic patients. However, generated synthetic data are mainly validated from the machine learning domain (loss functions) or expert domain (oncologists). In this paper, we propose statistical decision making as a validation tool: Is the model good enough to be used? Does the model pass rigorous hypothesis testing criteria? We show for the case at hand how loss functions and hypothesis validation are not always well aligned.
A Pilot Study of Electrical Vehicle Performance, Efficiency, and Limitation in Kuwait’s Harsh Weather and Environment
Authors: Hamwi Hidab , Alasseri Rajeev , Aldei Sara , Al-Kandari Mariam
Published: October 2022

Due to industrialization and an exponential increase in population, the demand for vehicles has increased in Kuwait. Utilizing fossil fuels to power vehicles that are in high demand has posed various environmental and medical implications. Considering the emission-free feature of electric vehicles (EVs), moving towards “EV readiness” is the need of the hour. This can be further enhanced by adopting alternative sustainable technologies such as photo voltaic (PV) charging of EVs, to potentially eliminate or significantly reduce the reliance on fossil fuel while simultaneously decreasing harmful emissions. As Kuwait does not manufacture cars, it imports all vehicles and their parts, including internal combustion engines (ICEs) and EVs. To find out the challenges to uplifting Kuwait’s “EV readiness” this study delved into the performance of a typical EV car in Kuwait’s weather conditions. This includes the investigation of parameters that influence the energy requirements in an electric vehicle, the change in the energy requirement in relation to several driving scenarios, and the efficiency of the EV battery. The results indicate that a significant amount of energy is being wasted for battery conditioning, which drastically reduces the distance covered during summer. The energy required for air-conditioning and battery conditioning are both positively correlated to the ambient temperature, while the time required to charge the battery has no relationship with the time of the day, traffic, or trip length. Additionally, the paper discusses some major challenges, such as lack of awareness, inadequate charging stations, and absence of policy. The paper recommends the most vital areas to be focused on for meeting the above challenges to make the transition to an “EV ready” state.