bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Increased Adipose Tissue Expression of IL-23 Associates with Inflammatory Markers in People with High LDL Cholesterol
Authors: Kochumon Shihab , Hasan Amal , Al-Rashed Fatema , Sindhu Sardar , Thomas Reeby , Jacob Texy , Al-Sayyar Amnah , Arefanian Hossein , Al Madhoun Ashraf , Al-Ozairi Ebaa , Alzaid Fawaz , Koistinen Heikki A. , Al-Mulla Fahd , Tuomilehto Jaakko , Ahmad Rasheed
Published: September 2022

Chronic low-grade inflammation induced by obesity is a central risk factor for the development of metabolic syndrome. High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) induces inflammation, which is a common denominator in metabolic syndrome. IL-23 plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of meta-inflammatory diseases; however, its relationship with LDL-c remains elusive. In this cross-sectional study, we determined whether the adipose tissue IL-23 expression was associated with other inflammatory mediators in people with increased plasma LDL-c concentrations. Subcutaneous adipose tissue biopsies were collected from 60 people, sub-divided into two groups based on their plasma LDL-c concentrations (<2.9 and ≥2.9 mmol/L). Adipose expression of IL-23 and inflammatory markers were determined using real-time qRT-PCR; plasma concentrations of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and LDL-c were determined using the standard method; and adiponectin levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Adipose IL-23 transcripts were found to be increased in people with high LDL-c, compared to low LDL-c group (H-LDL-c: 1.63 ± 0.10–Fold; L-LDL-c: 1.27 ± 0.09–Fold; p < 0.01); IL-23 correlated positively with LDL-c (r = 0.471, p < 0.0001). Immunochemistry analysis showed that AT IL-23 protein expression was also elevated in the people with H-LDL-c. IL-23 expression in the high LDL-c group was associated with multiple adipose inflammatory biomarkers (p ≤ 0.05), including macrophage markers (CD11c, CD68, CD86, CD127), TLRs (TLR8, TLR10), IRF3, pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-12, IL-18), and chemokines (CXCL8, CCL3, CCL5, CCL15, CCL20). Notably, in this cohort, IL-23 expression correlated inversely with plasma adiponectin. In conclusion, adipose IL-23 may be an inflammatory biomarker for disease progression in people with high LDL-c.
The Immune and Regenerative Response to Burn Injury
Authors: Burgess Matthew , Valdera Franklin , Varon David , Kankuri Esko , Nuutila Kristo
Published: September 2022

Burn are diverse and complex injuries that not only have local effects but also serious systemic consequences through severe and prolonged inflammatory response. They are caused by heat, electricity, friction, chemicals, or radiation and are commonly divided into superficial, superficial partial-, deep partial- and full-thickness injuries. The severity of the burn depends mainly on the size and depth of the injury but also on location, age, and underlying systemic diseases. A prolonged and strong immune response makes major burns even worse by causing multiple systemic effects including damage to the heart, lungs, blood vessels, kidneys, and other organs. Burns that do not require surgical excision, superficial and superficial partial-thickness, follow the known progression of wound healing (inflammation, proliferation, remodeling), whilst deep partial- and full thickness injuries requiring excision and grafting do not. For these burns, intervention is required for optimal coverage, function, and cosmesis. Annually millions of people worldwide suffer from burns associated with high morbidity and mortality. Fortunately, over the past decades, burn care has significantly improved. The improvement in understanding the pathophysiology of burn injury and burn wound progression has led to developments in skin grafting, fluid resuscitation, infection control and nutrition This review article focuses on the immune and regenerative responses following burn injury. In the Introduction, we describe the epidemiology of burns and burn pathophysiology. The focus of the following chapter is on systemic responses to burn injury. Next, we define the immune response to burns introducing all the different cell types involved. Subsequently, we discuss the regenerative cell response to burns as well as some of the emerging novel treatments in the battle against burns.
Rigid Tissue Increases Cytoplasmic pYAP Expression in Pre-Malignant Stage of Lung Squamous Cell Carcinoma (SCC) In Vivo
Authors: Zakaria Muhammad Asyaari , Kiew May Chee , Rajab Nor Fadilah , Chua Eng Wee , Masre Siti Fathiah
Published: September 2022

Increased tissue rigidity is able to activate the Hippo signaling pathway, leading to YAP inactivation by phosphorylation and translocation into the cytoplasm. Accumulating evidence suggests that cytoplasmic pYAP serves as a tumor suppressor and could be a prognostic biomarker for several solid cancers. However, the relationship between tissue rigidity and cytoplasmic pYAP expression in the early stage of lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) remains elusive; this was determined in this study by using a mouse model. Female BALB/c mice were assigned into two groups (n = 6; the vehicle (VC) and the pre-malignant (PM) group, which received 70% acetone and 0.04 M N-nitroso-tris-chloroethylurea (NTCU) for 15 weeks, respectively. In this study, the formation of hyperplasia and metaplasia lesions was found in the PM group, indicating the pre-malignant stage of lung SCC. The pre-malignant tissue appeared to be more rigid as characterized by significantly higher (p < 0.05) epithelium thickness, proliferative activity, and collagen content than the VC group. The PM group also had a significantly higher (p < 0.05) cytoplasmic pYAP protein expression than the VC group. In conclusion, increased tissue rigidity may contribute to the upregulation of cytoplasmic pYAP expression, which may act as a tumor suppressor in the early stage of lung SCC.
Improvement in Tongue Pressure Precedes Improvement in Dysphagia in Dermatomyositis
Authors: Mano Tomoo , Soyama Shigeto , Sugie Kazuma
Published: September 2022

Dysphagia is known to occur in patients with dermatomyositis. However, the sudden-onset dysphagia without other symptoms can make diagnosis and treatment challenging. Two patients who did not have a severe muscle weakness complained of the sudden inability to swallow solids and liquids. The muscle biopsy results showed the perifascicular atrophy, and the patients were diagnosed with dermatomyositis. Videofluoroscopy revealed an inadequate pharyngeal contraction and a decreased upper esophageal sphincter opening with silent aspiration. Both patients showed low tongue pressures. Patient 1 received intravenous and oral methylprednisolone, and patient 2 received intravenous immunoglobulin in addition to intravenous and oral methylprednisolone. Several months after the onset of the dysphagia, the swallowing function of both patients improved. The improvement in tongue pressure preceded an improvement in the subjective and objective measurements of dysphagia. In conclusion, tongue pressure may be useful for predicting early improvement in swallowing function.
A Brief Introduction and Current State of Polyvinylidene Fluoride as an Energy Harvester
Authors: Papež Nikola , Pisarenko Tatiana , Ščasnovič Erik , Sobola Dinara , Ţălu Ştefan , Dallaev Rashid , Částková Klára , Sedlák Petr
Published: September 2022

This review summarizes the current trends and developments in the field of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) for use mainly as a nanogenerator. The text covers PVDF from the first steps of solution mixing, through production, to material utilization, demonstration of results, and future perspective. Specific solvents and ratios must be selected when choosing and mixing the solution. It is necessary to set exact parameters during the fabrication and define whether the material will be flexible nanofibers or a solid layer. Based on these selections, the subsequent use of PVDF and its piezoelectric properties are determined. The most common degradation phenomena and how PVDF behaves are described in the paper. This review is therefore intended to provide a basic overview not only for those who plan to start producing PVDF as energy nanogenerators, active filters, or sensors but also for those who are already knowledgeable in the production of this material and want to expand their existing expertise and current overview of the subject.
Preparation of Graphene Conductive Fabrics and the Study of Their Degradation Behavior
Authors: Xiong Wei , Jiang Yingze , Huang Guinian , Hou Yinyan , Yang Yuxin , Niu Yanping , Yin Junxin , Liu Hongwei
Published: September 2022

Graphene has excellent electromagnetic, mechanical, thermal, and optical properties and has been widely applied in materials science, biomedicine, physics, energy storage, chemistry, and textile fields all over the world. In this paper, graphene conductive fabrics were prepared by the impregnation method, and ascorbic acid was used as a reducing agent. Ammonia-cotton blended fabric was used as the base material. Results indicated that graphene had been successfully covered on fabrics according to XRD and SEM analysis. The optimum technological parameters for preparing graphene conductive fabrics were: impregnation five times, reduction temperature at 95 °C, the ascorbic acid concentration of 0.06 mol/L, and the reduction time was 40 min. A corrosion study indicated that rGO fabrics could be partly corroded in 3 wt.% NaCl solution, leading to a decrease in resistivity. However, the conductive ability of rGO fabric changed little with time due to the good stability of rGO.
Polyglutamic Acid Binder for High-Performance Lithium–Sulfur Batteries
Authors: Pang Zhiyuan , Zhang Hongzhou , Ma Yue , Song Dawei , Shi Xixi , Zhang Lianqi , Zhou Yong
Published: September 2022

Binders play a very important part in electrodes, as they closely bind active materials, conductive agents, and current collectors together. The application of binders is critical to the electrochemical performance of Li-S batteries. Herein, a series of studies on sulfur cathodes with different binders is carried out. Compared to traditional polyvinylidene fluoride, γ-polyglutamic acid (γ-PGA) is rich in polar functional groups (amino and carboxyl groups), and the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfide can thereby be inhibited due to the secondary bond between the functional groups and polysulfide. Furthermore, the integrity of the cathode during electrochemical processes can be maintained with a γ-PGA binder. After assembly with a Li anode, a capacity retention of 62.5% is maintained after 100 cycles, which is much higher than that of batteries with traditional binders such as polyvinylidene fluoride (53.9%), polyvinylpyrrolidone (52.8%), sodium carboxymethylcellulose (40.7%), and polyacrylonitrile (51.5%).
Synthesis of MgO Coating Gd2O3 Nanopowders for Consolidating Gd2O3-MgO Nanocomposite with Homogenous Phase Domain Distribution and High Mid-Infrared Transparency
Authors: Wu Nan , Fu Zhongchao , Long Haibo , Wang Jianming , Zhang Jun , Hou Zhaoxia , Li Xiaodong , Sun Xudong
Published: September 2022

Improved optical and mechanical properties are required for future infrared windows working in harsher mechanical and thermal environments than today. Ameliorating the homogeneity of the phase domain and reducing the size of the phase domain are effective approaches for enhancing the optical transmittance and mechanical hardness of a nanocomposite. In this work, we reported that the Gd2O3-MgO nanopowders were prepared by two different processes. The core–shell nanopowders synthesized by urea precipitation have a much lower agglomeration than the nanopowders prepared by sol–gel. Excellent transmittance (70.0%–84.1%) at 3–6 μm mid-infrared wave range and a high Vickers hardness value (10.3 ± 0.6 GPa) were maintained using the nanopowders synthesized by urea precipitation mainly due to its homogenous phase domain distribution.
Macroparticle Reduction and Its Transport Mechanism through a Magnetic Filter during Cathodic Vacuum Arc Deposition with an HEA Target
Authors: Lee Pei-En , Tu Yu-Kuan , Tsai Ming-Hung , Tsai Che-Wei , Yeh Jien-Wei
Published: September 2022

By cathodic arc deposition, the effects of the magnetic field, working pressure, inner-wall structure, and cross-section area of the magnetic-filter duct on the macroparticle (MP) distribution were investigated with a high-entropy alloy target. The MP density increased with the density of the plasma beam transporting through the filter duct, which was increased by the magnetic field or working pressure. In order to reduce the MP density, equally spaced circumferential Cu-sheet baffle and lining of 304-stainless-steel wire mesh were used as the inner-wall structure, respectively, but the improvement was limited. However, inserting an Al foil disk with a round opening for the passage of the main plasma stream at the bend position of the duct remarkably reduced the area fraction of the MPs from 4.8% to 0.6%. These results demonstrate that the main transport mechanism of the MPs was the entrainment in the plasma beam through the duct. In addition, reducing the cross section of the filter duct was suggested to be an effective method to reduce MPs. This method could be utilized for high-MP generation targets such as high-entropy alloys.
The Effect of Microstructural Evolution on the Brazeability of Two-Layer Al Sheets
Authors: Yuan Ting , Zuo Mingming , Yuan Zhipeng , Wang Jingzhen , Liu Zili , Zhang Quancheng , Tu Yiyou
Published: September 2022

In this study, the microstructural evolution and the interaction between the clad and the core alloys that occurs during the brazing process of two-layer Al sheets with equiaxed grains were examined. The study was carried out using optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and glow discharge optical emission spectrometry (GDOES). The effects of microstructure on the brazing performances of two-layer sheets were clarified. Although the grains were fine and equiaxed before brazing, three typical microstructural evolutions happened during brazing, corresponding to three kinds of interactions between the clad and core alloys of the aluminum brazing sheets. In the alloys, which had either relatively uniform grain growth or no grain growth, the interaction between the clad alloy and the core alloy was weak; accordingly, they showed a smooth surface, an even microstructure, faint element mutual diffusion, and eventually good brazeability. Meanwhile, in the alloy with obvious abnormal grain growth (AGG), strain-induced liquid-film migration (SILFM) occurred when the energy was too low to cause strain-induced boundary migration (SIBM). This led to rough and uneven surface morphology, significant mutual diffusion, and surface segregation of elements; eventually, this produced the worst brazeability.
Extra-Nodal Lymphomas of the Head and Neck and Oral Cavity: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Sorrentino Alfonso , Ferragina Francesco , Barca Ida , Arrotta Antonella , Cristofaro Maria Giulia
Published: September 2022

Disease Overview: Lymphomas, both Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas, are one of the most common cancers in the head and neck area. The extra-nodal variant of lymphoma is rare, but it is the most common non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (ENHL). Furthermore, it is difficult to diagnose due to its non-specific clinical and radiological features, which can mimic other benign or malignant clinical manifestations. The study: This retrospective study involved 72 patients affected by head and neck ENHL in the period between 2003 and 2017. All patients underwent a diagnostic-therapeutic procedure according to the guidelines, and a 5-year follow-up. Based on the location of the swelling at the time of diagnosis, patients were divided into two groups: oral and non-oral ENHLs. Statistical analysis was performed using Kaplan–Meier analysis with the log-rank test. In addition, Fisher’s exact test was applied to the two groups to evaluate and compare variances (the acceptable significance level was set at p < 0.05). Conclusion: ENHL with oral localization is much more aggressive than ENHL with non-oral localization, with a death rate of 40% (versus 4.76 for the non-oral one). In fact, between the two groups, there is a statistically significant difference in mortality, with a p-value of 0.0001 and 0.0002, respectively.
Polyphasic Characterization and Taxonomic Evaluation of a Bloom-Forming Strain Morphologically Resembling Radiocystis fernandoi (Chroococcales, Cyanobacteria) from Lake Erhai, China
Authors: Lv Xingju , Cheng Yao , Zhang Silong , Hu Zhaowen , Xiao Peng , Zhang He , Geng Ruozhen , Li Renhui
Published: September 2022

Microcystis-dominated blooms cause environmental and ecological impacts worldwide. However, it is sometimes challenging to correctly identify Microcystis and its related genera. Radiocystis fernandoi Komárek et Komáková-Legnerová 1993, characterized by large cells and correspondingly large colonies with gas vesicles, has been frequently found in cyanobacterial blooms in Brazil. However, its molecular and phylogenetic identity is unknown because no valuable DNA sequences are available in GenBank. In this study, a strain with R. fernandoi morphology was successfully isolated from a cyanobacterial bloom sample in Lake Erhai, a subtropical plateau lake in China. Molecular characterization and phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA and cpcBA genes revealed that the strain is different from the type species of the genus Radiocystis but formed a well-supported clade with the Microcystis species. The comparative results of the ITS region between 16S–23S rRNA genes also showed that the strain had very similar secondary structures to the species of Microcystis, supporting it as a new member of the genus Microcystis. Therefore, we propose the transfer of Radiocystis fernandoi into Microcystis fernandoi comb. nov. The correct identification and further taxonomic procedure for the bloom-forming cyanobacterial genera, such as Microcystis, Radiocystis, and Sphaerocavum, are also discussed in this study.
Detection and Classification of Knee Osteoarthritis
Authors: Cueva Joseph Humberto , Castillo Darwin , Espinós-Morató Héctor , Durán David , Díaz Patricia , Lakshminarayanan Vasudevan
Published: September 2022

Osteoarthritis (OA) affects nearly 240 million people worldwide. Knee OA is the most common type of arthritis, especially in older adults. Physicians measure the severity of knee OA according to the Kellgren and Lawrence (KL) scale through visual inspection of X-ray or MR images. We propose a semi-automatic CADx model based on Deep Siamese convolutional neural networks and a fine-tuned ResNet-34 to simultaneously detect OA lesions in the two knees according to the KL scale. The training was done using a public dataset, whereas the validations were performed with a private dataset. Some problems of the imbalanced dataset were solved using transfer learning. The model results average of the multi-class accuracy is 61%, presenting better performance results for classifying classes KL-0, KL-3, and KL-4 than KL-1 and KL-2. The classification results were compared and validated using the classification of experienced radiologists.
Comparison of the Degree of Gastric Mucosal Injury between Patients Who Are Receiving Dual Antiplatelet Therapy or Single Antiplatelet Therapy
Authors: Shimada Yuji , Hojo Mariko , Kita Yuji , Ikeda Yuji , Sato Sho , Murata Ayato , Sato Shunsuke , Matsumoto Kohei , Akazawa Yoichi , Takeda Tsutomu , Ueda Kumiko , Ueyama Hiroya , Shibuya Tomoyoshi , Genda Takuya , Nagahara Akihito
Published: September 2022

Background: Patients taking low-dose aspirin have a higher incidence of gastroduodenal ulcers and higher risk of upper gastrointestinal bleeding than patients who do not. Thienopyridine antiplatelet agents may similarly cause bleeding gastroduodenal erosions and ulcers. The incidence of gastrointestinal bleeding is reported to be higher when these antithrombotic drugs are used in combination. Until now, most studies have focused on bleeding, and no study has compared the degree of gastric mucosal injury between patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) and those receiving single antiplatelet therapy (SAPT) in real-world clinical practice. Aim: Our objective was to compare the degree of gastric mucosal injury in patients taking low-dose aspirin in combination with clopidogrel (one of the thienopyridine antiplatelet agents) with that of patients who were taking aspirin or clopidogrel as a single agent. Methods: Patients who were taking aspirin and/or clopidogrel and who underwent scheduled esophagogastroduodenoscopy between April 2015 and March 2020 were enrolled in this study. Endoscopic images were reviewed retrospectively, and the degree of gastric mucosal injury was assessed with the modified Lanza score (m-Lanza score). The m-Lanza score was compared between DAPT patients taking aspirin and clopidogrel and SAPT patients taking either aspirin alone or clopidogrel alone. Results: The m-Lanza scores of the DAPT group, the aspirin group, and the clopidogrel group were 1.67 ± 1.81 (mean ± standard deviation), 0.95 ± 1.61, and 0.72 ± 1.29, respectively. The m-Lanza score of the DAPT group tended to be higher than that of the aspirin group (p = 0.06) and was significantly higher than that of the clopidogrel group (p = 0.03). Conclusion: The degree of gastric mucosal injury in DAPT patients was significantly higher than that in patients using clopidogrel alone and tended to be higher than that in patients using aspirin alone in real-world clinical practice.
Impact of Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor (FSHR) Polymorphism on the Efficiency of Co-Treatment with Growth Hormone in a Group of Infertile Women from Romania
Authors: Surcel Mihai , Doroftei Bogdan , Neamtiu Iulia Adina , Muresan Daniel , Caracostea Gabriela , Goidescu Iulian , Staicu Adelina , Nemeti Georgiana , Bloom Michael S. , Zlatescu-Marton Cristina
Published: September 2022

“Poor responders” (PR) are an important category of infertile women who experience a modest response to controlled ovarian stimulation. In this study, we evaluated response to growth hormone (GH) administration among PR patient subtypes stratified by follicle stimulation hormone receptor (FSHR) polymorphism (c.2039A > G p.Asn680Ser). We conducted a cohort study of 125 women with poor ovarian response, 58 of whom received GH in addition to the standard treatment, and 67 of whom received the standard treatment only. The Ala307Thr polymorphism genotypes were analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method, and the FSHR gene polymorphism was analyzed using a predesigned TaqMan SNP Genotyping Assay (rs6166). A comparative analysis detected statistically significant differences in mean mature follicles (p = 0.0002), metaphase-II oocytes (p = 0.0005), progesterone levels (p = 0.0036), and IGF levels (follicle IGF1, p = 0.0004) between GH-treated and non-GH-treated participants with the FSHR (Ser/Ser) polymorphism. However, the differences were modest among participants with the other two FSHR polymorphisms (Ser/Asn and Asn/Asn). The subcategory of patients with the FSHR Asn680Ser (Ser/Ser) polymorphism showed a stronger response when GH was added to the IVF protocol.
A 10-Year Review of Sunburn Injuries Presenting to the Manchester Adult and Paediatric Specialist Burn Services
Authors: Dingle Lewis A. , Tan Poh , Malik Parisha , McNally Samantha
Published: September 2022

Background: The incidence of sunburn injuries continues to rise despite increased awareness of the risks of sun exposure and availability of sun protection. Whilst not a significant burden on burns care services, patients remain exposed to associated risks for future development of skin malignancies. The aims of this study were to determine the burden and severity of sunburn injury presentations to the Manchester adult and children’s burns services. Methods: A 10-year retrospective review was performed of patients with sunburn injuries, presenting to the Manchester burn services between 2010 and 2019 (inclusive). Data were collected from the International Burn Injury Database (iBID), electronic patient record (EPR) and local data collection systems. The data extracted included patient demographics, sunburn characteristics and management of the burn injury including need for admission and any documented surgical interventions. Temporal correlation was determined by linear regression analysis. Results: In total, 131 paediatric and 228 adult patients with sunburn injuries were managed by the Manchester burns services over the 10-year period. Mean % total body surface area burned was low (2.00% and 2.12% in adult and paediatric patients, respectively), with the majority of injuries either superficial or superficial partial thickness. Thirty percent (30.2%) of adult and 40.5% of paediatric patients were admitted with a mean length of stay of 3.51 and 1.11 days, respectively. The presentation of sunburn injuries progressively increased over the study period with a peak in 2017 (n = 58). Similar trends in patient demographics, burn size and depth and temporal trends were observed in national data from the same period for both adult and paediatric patients. Conclusion: This 10-year retrospective cohort study demonstrates an increasing trend of sunburn injury presentations to the Manchester specialist burns services; a pattern replicated in national data from England and Wales. The majority of sunburn injuries do not present to specialist burn services; therefore, these reported injuries reflect only a fraction of the true burden of sunburn nationwide. Despite increased awareness, an obvious need for enhanced public awareness campaigns regarding sun protection is therefore needed to address this trend. The educational and preventative role of burns care services is a key component in tackling both consequences of burn injuries themselves and associated risks such as future skin cancer development.
Efficient FPGA Implementation of an RFIR Filter Using the APC–OMS Technique with WTM for High-Throughput Signal Processing
Authors: Reddy Kasarla Satish , Madhavan Sowmya , Falkowski-Gilski Przemysław , Divakarachari Parameshachari Bidare , Mathiyalagan Arun
Published: September 2022

Nowadays, Finite Impulse Response (FIR) filters are used to change the attributes of a signal in the time or frequency domain. Among FIR filters, a reconfigurable filter has the advantage of changing the coefficient in real-time, while performing the operation. In this paper, the Anti-Symmetric Product Coding (APC) and Odd Multiple Storage (OMS) modules are utilized to implement the reconfigurable FIR filter (RFIR–APC–OMS). Herein, the APC–OMS module is used to reduce the area of the RFIR architecture. The performance of the RFIR–APC–OMS is analyzed in terms of: area, power, delay, LUT, flip flop, slices, and frequency. RFIR–APC–OMS has reduced 3.44% of area compared to the existing RFIR architecture employing the Dynamic Reconfigurable Partial Product Generator (DRPPG) module.
A DDoS Vulnerability Analysis System against Distributed SDN Controllers in a Cloud Computing Environment
Authors: Badotra Sumit , Tanwar Sarvesh , Bharany Salil , Rehman Ateeq Ur , Eldin Elsayed Tag , Ghamry Nivin A. , Shafiq Muhammad
Published: September 2022

Software-Defined Networking (SDN) is now a well-established approach in 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud Computing. The primary idea behind its immense popularity is the separation of its underlying intelligence from the data-carrying components like routers and switches. The intelligence of the SDN-based networks lies in the central point, popularly known as the SDN controller. It is the central control hub of the SDN-based network, which has full privileges and a global view over the entire network. Providing security to SDN controllers is one such important task. Whenever one wishes to implement SDN into their data center or network, they are required to provide the website to SDN controllers. Several attacks are becoming a hurdle in the exponential growth of SDN, and among all one such attack is a Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack. In a couple of years, several new SDN controllers will be available. Among many, Open Networking Operating System (ONOS) and OpenDayLight (ODL) are two popular SDN controllers laying the foundation for many other controllers. These SDN controllers are now being used by numerous businesses, including Cisco, Juniper, IBM, Google, etc. In this paper, vulnerability analysis is carried out against DDoS attacks on the latest released versions of both ODL and ONOS SDN controllers in real-time cloud data centers. For this, we have considered distributed SDN controllers (located at different locations) on two different clouds (AWS and Azure). These controllers are connected through the Internet and work on different networks. DDoS attacks are bombarded on the distributed SDN controllers, and vulnerability is analyzed. It was observed with experimentation that, under five different scenarios (malicious traffic generated), ODL-3 node cluster controller had performed better than ONOS. In these five different scenarios, the amount of malicious traffic was incregradually increased. It also observed that, in terms of disk utilization, memory utilization, and CPU utilization, the ODL 3-node cluster was way ahead of the SDN controller.
Leveraging Machine Learning for Fault-Tolerant Air Pollutants Monitoring for a Smart City Design
Authors: Khan Muneeb A. , Kim Hyun-chul , Park Heemin
Published: September 2022

Air pollution has become a global issue due to its widespread impact on the environment, economy, civilization and human health. Owing to this, a lot of research and studies have been done to tackle this issue. However, most of the existing methodologies have several issues such as high cost, low deployment, maintenance capabilities and uni-or bi-variate concentration of air pollutants. In this paper, a hybrid CNN-LSTM model is presented to forecast multivariate air pollutant concentration for the Internet of Things (IoT) enabled smart city design. The amalgamation of CNN-LSTM acts as an encoder-decoder which improves the overall accuracy and precision. The performance of the proposed CNN-LSTM is compared with conventional and hybrid machine learning (ML) models on the basis of Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and Mean Square Error (MSE). The proposed model outperforms various state-of-the-art ML models by generating an average MAE, MAPE and MSE of 54.80%, 52.78% and 60.02%. Furthermore, the predicted results are cross-validated with the actual concentration of air pollutants and the proposed model achieves a high degree of prediction accuracy to real-time air pollutants concentration. Moreover, a cross-grid cooperative scheme is proposed to tackle the IoT monitoring station malfunction scenario and make the pollutant monitoring more fault resistant and robust. The proposed scheme exploits the correlation between neighbouring monitoring stations and air pollutant concentration. The model generates an average MAPE and MSE of 10.90% and 12.02%, respectively.
Single-Frequency Network Terrestrial Broadcasting with 5GNR Numerology Using Recurrent Neural Network
Authors: Mosavat Majid , Montorsi Guido
Published: September 2022

We explore the feasibility of Terrestrial Broadcasting in a Single-Frequency Network (SFN) with standard 5G New Radio (5GNR) numerology designed for uni-cast transmission. Instead of the classical OFDM symbol-by-symbol detector scheme or a more complex equalization technique, we designed a Recurrent-Neural-Network (RNN)-based detector that replaces the channel estimation and equalization blocks. The RNN is a bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (bi-LSTM) that computes the log-likelihood ratios delivered to the LDPC decoder starting from the received symbols affected by strong intersymbol/intercarrier interference (ISI/ICI) on time-varying channels. To simplify the RNN receiver and reduce the system overhead, pilot and data signals in our proposed scheme are superimposed instead of interspersed. We describe the parameter optimization of the RNN and provide end-to-end simulation results, comparing them with those of a classical system, where the OFDM waveform is specifically designed for Terrestrial Broadcasting. We show that the system outperforms classical receivers, especially in challenging scenarios associated with large intersite distance and large mobility. We also provide evidence of the robustness of the designed RNN receiver, showing that an RNN receiver trained on a single signal-to-noise ratio and user velocity performs efficiently also in a large range of scenarios with different signal-to-noise ratios and velocities.
Optimal Dispatch of Multi-Type CHP Units Integrated with Flexibility Renovations for Renewable Energy Accommodation
Authors: Zhu Lingkai , Lin Chengkun , Wang Congyu , Song Jiwei
Published: September 2022

Driven by the goals of carbon neutral and carbon peak, coal power units need increased flexibility in peak shaving to accommodate intermittent renewables, especially for a region with a large proportion of combined heat and power (CHP) units in China. In this study, the data-mining-based method is proposed for revealing and utilizing the heat–power coupling mechanism of CHP units, which can be used to solve the mentioned issues. Specifically, extraction-condensing (EC) units, high-back-pressure (HBP) units and low-pressure turbine zero power output (LZPO) units are introduced into the proposed dispatch model for maximizing renewable energy accommodation. The operation schemes and the feasible minimum output power of the CHP system under one certain heat load are obtained via the genetic algorithm. Results show that the CHP system is capable of reducing its output power by 18.7% to 41.7% in the heating season, compared with the actual operation data. Furthermore, the influence of multi-type units’ combination on peak-shaving flexibility is discussed. This study can be utilized for the optimal load dispatch scheme of multiple CHP units and guide the power dispatching department in making reasonable generation plans.
Performance Improvement of npn Solar Cell Microstructure by TCAD Simulation: Role of Emitter Contact and ARC
Authors: Salem Marwa S. , Zekry Abdelhalim , Shaker Ahmed , Abouelatta Mohamed , Almurayziq Tariq S. , Alshammari Mohammad T. , El-Banna Mohamed M.
Published: September 2022

In the current study, the performance of the npn solar cell (SC) microstructure is improved by inspecting some modifications to provide possible paths for fabrication techniques of the structure. The npn microstructure is simulated by applying a process simulator by starting with a heavily doped p-type substrate which could be based on low-cost Si wafers. After etching deep notches through the substrate and forming the emitter by n-type diffusion, an aluminum layer is deposited to form the emitter electrode with about 0.1 µm thickness; thereby, the notches are partially filled. This nearly-open-notches microstructure, using thin metal instead of filling the notch completely with Al, gives an efficiency of 15.3%, which is higher than the conventional structure by 0.8%. Moreover, as antireflection coating (ARC) techniques play a crucial role in decreasing the front surface reflectivity, we apply different ARC schemes to inspect their influence on the optical performance. The influence of utilizing single layer (ZnO), double (Si3N4/ZnO), and triple (SiO2/Si3N/ZnO) ARC systems is investigated, and the simulation results are compared. The improvement in the structure performance because of the inclusion of ARC is evaluated by the relative change in the efficiency (Δη). In the single, double, and triple ARC, Δη is found to be 12.5%, 15.4%, and 17%, respectively. All simulations are performed by using a full TCAD process and device simulators under AM1.5 illumination.
Renewable Energy, Urbanization, Fossil Fuel Consumption, and Economic Growth Dilemma in Romania: Examining the Short- and Long-Term Impact
Authors: Rehman Abdul , Radulescu Magdalena , Cismaș Laura Mariana , Cismaș Cristian-Mihai , Chandio Abbas Ali , Simoni Smaranda (Toma)
Published: September 2022

The primary objective of this research was to determine the impact of renewable energy, alternative and nuclear energy, urbanization, energy use, and fossil fuel energy consumption on Romanian economic development. To investigate the relation between variables, we employed the Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) technique in conjunction with FMOLS (Fully Modified Least Squares) and CCR (Canonical Cointegrating Regression). Long-run and short-run findings suggest that alternative and nuclear energy, as well as fossil fuel consumption, has a positive association with economic growth, but renewable energy, urbanization, and energy usage have an adversative relationship with economic growth. Similarly, FMOLS and CCR statistics indicate that alternative and nuclear energy and fossil fuel consumption have a favorable impact on economic development. Renewable energy consumption, urbanization, and energy use, on the other hand, revealed a negative connection with economic progress. Conservative solutions are necessary to implement appropriate policies to address energy consumption concerns in Romania in order to improve economic development.
Experimental Study on the Factors of the Oil Shale Thermal Breakdown in High-Voltage Power Frequency Electric Heating Technology
Authors: Sun Youhong , Liu Shichang , Li Qiang , Lü Xiaoshu
Published: September 2022

We conducted an experimental study on the breakdown process of oil shale by high-voltage power frequency electric heating in-situ pyrolyzing (HVF) technology to examine the impact mechanisms of the electric field intensity, initial temperature, and moisture content on a breakdown, using Huadian oil shale samples. A thermal breakdown occurred when the electric field intensity was between 100 and 180 V/cm. The greater the electric field intensity, the easier the thermal breakdown and the lower the energy consumption. The critical temperature of the oil shale thermal breakdown ranged from 93 to 102 °C. A higher initial temperature increases the difficulty of breakdown, which is inconsistent with the classical theory of a solid thermal breakdown. The main factor that affects the electrical conductivity of oil shale is the presence of water, which is also a necessary condition for the thermal breakdown of oil shale. There should be an optimal moisture content that minimizes both the breakdown time and energy consumption for oil shale’s thermal breakdown. The thermal breakdown of oil shale results from heat generation and dissipation. The electric field intensity only affects the heat generation process, whereas the initial temperature and moisture content impact both the heat generation and dissipation processes, and the impacts of moisture content are greater than those of the initial temperature.
Research on Collaborative Design of Performance-Refined Zero Energy Building: A Case Study
Authors: Yao Gang , Chen Yuan , Xie Wenchi , Chen Nan , Rui Yue , Luo Pingjia
Published: September 2022

Building Information Modeling (BIM), as an auxiliary design platform, is increasingly adopted in construction projects. However, it is not widely applied in the collaborative design of zero energy buildings (ZEBs), due to the cross-discipline and complex features of ZEB projects and lack of research on the procedure and method of collaborative design in this field. This paper introduces a BIM-based collaborative design method for ZEBs. From the perspective of the technical requirements of ZEBs, the study elaborates the application of a BIM-based collaborative design method among specialists from different disciplines in passive design, renewable energy utilization and active design. The feasibility of this method is verified by the actual design and construction of the T&A House in Solar Decathlon China (SDC) competition. The research results show that the BIM-based collaborative design method can facilitate the completion of a construction project and achieve the expected goal of zero energy consumption in ZEBs.
Ensemble Interval Prediction for Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation
Authors: Zhang Yaxin , Hu Tao
Published: September 2022

In recent years, solar photovoltaic power generation has emerged as an essential means of energy supply. The prediction of its active power is not only conducive to cost saving but can also promote the development of solar power generation industry. However, it is challenging to obtain an accurate and high-quality interval prediction of active power. Based on the data set of desert knowledge in the Australia solar center in Australia, firstly, we have compared twelve interval prediction methods based on machine learning. Secondly, six ensemble methods, namely Ensemble-Mean, Ensemble-Median (Ensemble-Med), Ensemble-Envelop (Ensemble-En), Ensemble-Probability averaging of endpoints and simple averaging of midpoints (Ensemble-PM), Ensemble-Exterior trimming (Ensemble-TE), and Ensemble-Interior trimming (Ensemble-TI) are used to combine forecast intervals. The result indicates that Ensemble-TE is the best method. Additionally, compared to other methods, Ensemble-TE ensures the prediction interval coverage probability for confidence levels of 95%, 90%, 85%, and 80% as 0.960, 0.920, 0.873, and 0.824, respectively, using 15-min level data. Meanwhile, the narrower prediction interval normalized averaged width is calculated for the same confidence levels as 0.066, 0.045, 0.035, and 0.028, respectively. In addition, higher Winkler score and smaller coverage width-based criterion are obtained, representing high-quality intervals. We have calculated smaller mean prediction interval center deviation, which is approximately 0.044. Thus, the above demonstrates that this study obtains the prediction interval with better performance compared to other existing methods.
A Review of Stimulation Technologies for Weakly-Consolidated Natural Gas Hydrate Reservoirs
Authors: Ning Bo , Yu Yanjiang , Zeng Jing , Lu Qiuping
Published: September 2022

As an unconventional clean resource with huge reserves and a wide distribution, natural gas hydrates (NGHs) have good application prospects. However, due to limited understanding and available production technology for NGHs, there is still a large gap between current production tests and commercial exploitation. A breakthrough in reservoir stimulation technologies is key to realizing the industrialization of NGHs in the future. Through a comprehensive summary of hydrate production test cases in Japan and China, this paper highlights the difficulties in the transformation of weakly-consolidated reservoirs. By systematically reviewing the theory and technology of hydrate reservoir transformation and engineering applications, this paper elucidates in detail the technical principles and mechanisms of several available stimulation technologies for weakly-consolidated reservoirs, and assesses the feasibility of their application to increase the production of NGHs. Existing problems and challenges are summarized and future prospects are discussed. Finally, suggestions are put forward for research and development of transformation technology for weakly-consolidated NGHs reservoirs in the future.
Market Power in the Context of Globalization
Authors: Şanta Ana-Maria Iulia
Published: September 2022

Market power is a multidisciplinary concept, bringing together aspects from law and economics, which are necessary to be understood in order to assess market situations with a global dimension. Globalization is an economic and social phenomenon which comes together with enhanced market power for global actors. Factors influencing or limiting market power, such as corporate social responsibility, are important to understand in order to assess market power situations. According to European Union Law, the concept of market power is reflected in abuse of dominance, which is an anti-competitive behavior prohibited in the Common Market of the EU, as defined in Article—102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the EU. An interdisciplinary approach based on elements of law and economics is thus necessary when assessing market power of global actors.
Predicting the Potential Distribution of Endangered Parrotia subaequalis in China
Authors: Yan Ge , Zhang Guangfu
Published: September 2022

Climate change poses a serious threat to species, especially for endangered species. This is particularly true for the endangered tree Parrotia subaequalis, endemic to China. To date, little is known about its pattern of habitat distribution, and how it will respond under future climate change still remains unclear. Based on six climate variables and 115 occurrence records, we used the MaxEnt model to predict the potential distribution of P. subaequalis in China. The modeling results showed that the first three leading factors influencing its distribution were precipitation in the driest quarter (Bio17), the mean temperature of driest quarter (Bio9), and annual average temperature (Bio1). The actual distribution area of this endangered tree was smaller than the projected suitable range (2.325 × 104 km2), which was mainly concentrated in west and southeast Anhui, southwest Jiangsu, and northwest Zhejiang, eastern China. Our study also indicated that P. subaequalis populations in the three regions (Central-China Mountain Area (CC), Dabie Mountain Area (DB), and Tianmu Mountain Area (TM)) responded differently to future climate change. The DB population changed insignificantly in a suitable habitat, while the TM population increased slightly in area, migrating northeast on the whole. The habitats of the DB and TM populations became more fragmented under all future climate scenarios than those under the current condition. Due to geographical isolation and limited spread, it is plausible for P. subaequalis to grow in CC under current and future conditions. Accordingly, our findings highlighted that the two local populations of P. subaequalis presented different responses to climate change under global warming. Therefore, our study can improve the conservation and management of P. subaequalis in China and be helpful for other endangered tree species with local populations that respond differently to climate change.