bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
New Onset of Autoimmune Diseases Following COVID-19 Diagnosis
Authors: Gracia-Ramos Abraham Edgar , Martin-Nares Eduardo , Hernández-Molina Gabriela
Published: December 2021

There is growing evidence that coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) can lead to a dysregulation of the immune system with the development of autoimmune phenomena. The consequence of this immune dysregulation ranges from the production of autoantibodies to the onset of rheumatic autoimmune disease. In this context, we conducted a systematic review to analyze the current data regarding the new-onset systemic and rheumatic autoimmune diseases in COVID-19 patients. A literature search in PubMed and Scopus databases from December 2019 to September 2021 identified 99 patients that fulfilled the specific diagnostic/classification criteria and/or nomenclature for each rheumatic autoimmune disease. The main diseases reported were vasculitis and arthritis. Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, systemic lupus erythematosus, and sarcoidosis were also reported in a limited number of patients, as well as isolated cases of systemic sclerosis and adult-onset Still’s disease. These findings highlight the potential spectrum of systemic and rheumatic autoimmune diseases that could be precipitated by SARS-CoV-2 infection. Complementary studies are needed to discern the link between the SARS-CoV-2 and new onset-rheumatic diseases so that this knowledge can be used in early diagnosis and the most suitable management.
Early Life Inflammation and the Developing Hematopoietic and Immune Systems: The Cochlea as a Sensitive Indicator of Disruption
Authors: Otsuka Kelly S. , Nielson Christopher , Firpo Matthew A. , Park Albert H. , Beaudin Anna E.
Published: December 2021

Emerging evidence indicates that perinatal infection and inflammation can influence the developing immune system and may ultimately affect long-term health and disease outcomes in offspring by perturbing tissue and immune homeostasis. We posit that perinatal inflammation influences immune outcomes in offspring by perturbing (1) the development and function of fetal-derived immune cells that regulate tissue development and homeostasis, and (2) the establishment and function of developing hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) that continually generate immune cells across the lifespan. To disentangle the complexities of these interlinked systems, we propose the cochlea as an ideal model tissue to investigate how perinatal infection affects immune, tissue, and stem cell development. The cochlea contains complex tissue architecture and a rich immune milieu that is established during early life. A wide range of congenital infections cause cochlea dysfunction and sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), likely attributable to early life inflammation. Furthermore, we show that both immune cells and bone marrow hematopoietic progenitors can be simultaneously analyzed within neonatal cochlear samples. Future work investigating the pathogenesis of SNHL in the context of congenital infection will therefore provide critical information on how perinatal inflammation drives disease susceptibility in offspring.
Cyclophilin A Impairs Efferocytosis and Accelerates Atherosclerosis by Overexpressing CD 47 and Down-Regulating Calreticulin
Authors: Anandan Vinitha , Thulaseedharan Thushara , Suresh Kumar Aishwarya , Chandran Latha Karthika , Revikumar Amjesh , Mullasari Ajit , Kartha Chandrasekharan C. , Jaleel Abdul , Ramachandran Surya
Published: December 2021

Impairment of efferocytosis in apoptotic macrophages is a known determinant of the severity of atherosclerosis and the vulnerability of plaques to rupture. The precise mechanisms involved in impaired efferocytosis are unclear. Given the well-recognized role of the inflammatory cytokine cyclophilin A (Cyp A) in modulating several atherogenic mechanisms in high-glucose primed monocytes, we investigated the role of Cyp A in macrophage efferocytosis. The efficiency of efferocytosis in RAW 264.7 macrophages grown in vitro and primed with cyclophilin A was assessed using flow cytometry and confocal assays. Cholesterol content in cells was measured using cell-based cholesterol efflux assay. Proteomic analysis and bioinformatics tools were employed to decipher the link between cyclophilin A and the known ligand receptors involved in efferocytosis. Cyclophilin A was found to impair efferocytosis in apoptotic macrophages by reducing ABCA1-mediated cholesterol efflux in foam cells derived from macrophages. Cyclophilin A-primed macrophages showed an increase in expression of the don’t-eat-me signal CD 47 and a decrease in the expression of the eat-me signal, calreticulin. Phagocytosis was restored upon silencing of cyclophilin A. New Zealand white rabbits were fed a high-fat diet, and lesions in their aortae were analyzed histologically for evidence of atherosclerosis and the expression of Cyp A, CD 47 and calreticulin, the ligand receptor involved in efferocytosis. Gene and protein expressions in aortae and macrophages were analyzed by real-time PCR and Western blotting. Cyclophilin A, via its effects on the expression of CD 47 and calreticulin, impairs efferocytosis in apoptotic macrophages. Together with its impact on cholesterol efflux from macrophages, these effects can amplify other mechanisms of Cyp A in accelerating the progression of atherosclerosis.
Rigid Bronchoscopy in Foreign Body Aspiration Diagnosis and Treatment in Children
Authors: Pietraś Aleksandra , Markiewicz Marcin , Mielnik-Niedzielska Grażyna
Published: December 2021

Foreign body aspiration in children is a common condition and can bring about serious undesired results. Fast and accurate diagnosis and foreign body extraction from airways are essential. We performed a retrospective study on rigid bronchoscopy outcomes due to suspected foreign body aspiration. A total of 66 children were admitted to the Chair and Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Medical University of Lublin between 2015 and 2020 and underwent rigid bronchoscopy in general anesthesia due to suspected foreign body aspiration. We analyzed the data, including patients age and sex, reported complaints, and bronchoscopy findings. Analyzed children were aged from 8 months to 17 years old; 74.24% of them were under 3 years old during the procedure, and most of the operated patients were males. In 36.36% cases, no foreign body was identified, and 57.14% foreign bodies were located in right main bronchus. A total of 80.95% of foreign bodies extracted from airways were organic, mostly nuts. Diagnosis and treatment of suspected foreign body aspiration requires consistent cooperation between pediatricians, pulmonologists, anesthesiologists, and otolaryngologists.
Impaired Proliferation, Apoptosis, and Angiogenesis of Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Isolated from Rats during the Course of Diabetes
Authors: Wen Lixia , Liu Peng , Chen Qi , Ge Jiayuan , Jia Bo , Li Qin
Published: December 2021

Background: To characterize the impaired of proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenic activity in ASCs isolated at different stages of the disease course from rats with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) rats induced by streptozotocin (STZ). Methods: Adipose tissues of the epididymis were harvested at 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16 weeks after the induction of T1DM in rats and from normal rats at the same time points and the morphological variations were detected by Oil red O staining. ASCs were collected from adipose tissues. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) expression were assessed. Results: With the prolongation of the disease course, the size and the morphology of adipocytes were distorted, and intracellular lipid droplets became smaller. After 4 weeks, the proliferation of ASCs was decreased, while apoptosis in ASCs was increased. Furthermore, as the disease proceeded, proliferation decreased and apoptosis increased. VEGF and bFGF expression in ASCs from diabetic rats was downregulated at 8 weeks. Conclusion: At 4 weeks after T1DM induction, the proliferation of ASCs decreased and apoptosis increased. The expression of angiogenic factors in ASCs declined at 8 weeks after T1DM induction. The changes in the proliferation, apoptosis, and angiogenic activity are related to the prolongation of disease course.
UV Curable Coatings Based on Urethane Acrylates Containing Eugenol and Evaluation of Their Antimicrobial Activity
Authors: Bednarczyk Paulina , Wróblewska Agnieszka , Markowska-Szczupak Agata , Ossowicz-Rupniewska Paula , Nowak Małgorzata , Kujbida Marcin , Kamińska Adrianna , Czech Zbigniew
Published: December 2021

This work presents studies on the obtaining of UV-curable coatings with antimicrobial activity. Urethane acrylates (UAs) have excellent physicochemical properties including high reactivity in systems with radical photoinitiators in the presence of UV radiation and good balance between hardness and flexibility in the formed coatings. At the same time, eugenol is well known as the compound hindering the growth of various microorganisms. Hence, the materials obtained by the modification of UA resins with eugenol can be used to protect various surfaces, especially against microorganisms. This study aimed to examine the influence of the amount of eugenol on the chemical, physical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the obtained UA coatings and find the conditions at which the optimal properties for industrial applications such coatings can be achieved. These materials were successfully obtained. Taking into account that eugenol is a very cheap reactant, and it can be obtained from natural sources by the simple distillation method, the proposed method combined the good points of obtaining protective coatings by UV curing with the utilization of vegetable, renewable reactants (biomass), such as components giving special properties to these materials, in this case, antimicrobial properties. In this study, photoreactive coatings with antimicrobial properties for the following microorganisms: fungi (C. albicans), Gram-positive bacteria (S. epidermidis) as well as Gram-negative bacteria (E. coli), were obtained. The obtained coatings were cured over a short time. They were colorless and characterized by a wide range of properties and applications.
Influence of Waste Fly Ash on the Rheological Properties of Fresh Cement Paste and the Following Electrical Performances and Mechanical Strengths of Hardened Specimens
Authors: Cui Lili , Wang Hui
Published: December 2021

Waste fly ash (WFA) is a kind of solid waste without reasonable disposition. The WFA with active substance can promote the cement hydration, therefore, WFA may enhance the mechanical strengths of cement-based materials. In this paper, the rheological properties (slump flow and plastic viscosity) of fresh cement paste with WFA ranging from 0% to 25% by mass ratio of cement were studied. The alternating current (AC) electrical resistance and direct current (DC) resistance time curves were determined. The AC impedance spectroscopy curves of the specimens cured for 1 day and 28 days were obtained. Finally, the mechanical strengths of hardened cement paste cured for 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, and 28 days were tested. The results showed that the slump flow was decreased and the plastic viscosity was increased by the addition of WFA and the increasing curing time. The AC electrical resistance increased in the form of the quadratic function with the cuing age. Meanwhile, the addition of WFA demonstrated an enhancing effect on the electrical conduction of cement paste. The variation rate of DC electrical resistance during the testing time increased with the increasing dosages of WFA and the curing age. The mechanical strengths increased with the addition of curing time and the content of WFA. The increasing rate of mechanical strengths increased with the addition of WFA (0~15%) and decreased with curing time. However, when the dosage of WFA increased from 15% to 25%, the increasing rate decreased.
The Study on Feasibility and Welding Characteristics of GMAW Surfacing Remanufacturing of H13 Steel Cutter Ring of TBM Hob
Authors: Zhang Moyun , He Shihai , Jiang Boyan , Yao Xuming , Zhang Kui
Published: December 2021

As H13 steel is a common material for cutters of Tunnel Boring Machine (TBM), the research on surfacing remanufacturing performance is of great value. In this paper, the phase composition of the surfacing layer of H13 steel after gas metal arc welding (GMAW) was analyzed by exploring the precipitation of hard phase in the molten pool, and the microstructure evolution of the surfacing layer was revealed. Then, we carried out simulation modeling analysis on H13 steel surfacing remanufacturing. Results show that: (1) the surfacing layer is combined with the base metal by physical metallurgy without obvious defects such as pores, inclusions and cracks in the surfacing layer; (2) the hardness of the surfacing layer is 60 HRC, which is about 1.5 times of that of the base metal; (3) the stress is mainly concentrated in the arc starting and ending points, followed by the external constraints on both sides of the surfacing layer; (4) the deformation of surfacing layer is slight, which does not affect the forming quality of base metal, while the deformation of base metal is relatively severe. This paper verifies the feasibility of H13 steel remanufacturing from experimental and simulation, providing theoretical basis for future engineering practice.
Electrodeposition of Cu-Ag Alloy Films at n-Si(001) and Polycrystalline Ru Substrates
Authors: Shao Wenbo , Sun Yunkai , Zangari Giovanni
Published: December 2021

Electrodeposition of Cu-Ag films from acidic sulfate bath was conducted at n-Si(001) and polycrystalline Ru substrates. Significant nucleation overpotential of 0.4 V is observed with the Cu-Ag bath at n-Si(001) substrate, whereas the electrodeposition of Cu-Ag at Ru substrate is influenced by Ru oxides at the surface. Incomplete coverage of Si substrate by Cu-Ag deposit was observed from the deposition systems without Ag(I), or with 0.1 mM Ag(I), comparing with the compact Cu-Ag film obtained with the deposition bath containing 0.01 mM Ag(I). Layered and faceted Cu-Ag deposit was observed at small Cu deposition overpotential with the Ru substrate. Phase composition of the Cu-Ag deposits at n-Si(001) substrate from electrolyte with various Ag(I) concentrations is examined by XRD. Limited solubility of Ag (0.4 at.%) was observed in fcc-Cu until phase separation occurs. The classical model for nucleation kinetics in electrodeposition was used to examine the potentiostatic transients of the Cu-Ag electrodeposition at n-Si(001) substrate.
Optically Tunable and Thermally Erasable Terahertz Intensity Modulators Using Dye-Doped Liquid Crystal Cells with Metasurfaces
Authors: Shih Yi-Hong , Silalahi Harry Miyosi , Tsai Ting-I , Chen Yi-Chen , Su Jou-Yu , Lee Chia-Rong , Huang Chia-Yi
Published: December 2021

A terahertz metasurface that is imbedded into a dye-doped liquid crystal (DDLC) cell is fabricated in this work. After the metasurface-imbedded DDLC cell is irradiated with a linearly polarized pump beam, the irradiated cell is measured with a terahertz spectrometer. The irradiation of the pump beam causes the adsorption of the dye on one of the substrates of the cell, scattering incident terahertz waves and decreasing the transmittances of the terahertz metasurface at all the frequencies of its resonance spectrum. In addition, these transmittances decrease with an increase in the irradiation times of the pump beam. The adsorbed dye molecules are erased from the substrate after the cell is heated by a hot plate. The cell has similar spectra before the irradiation of the pump beam and after the heating of the hot plate. The aforementioned results reveal that the metasurface-imbedded DDLC cell is an optically tunable and thermally erasable terahertz intensity modulator. Therefore, this cell has the potential in developing intensity attenuators for terahertz imaging, frequency isolators for terahertz telecommunication, and spatial light modulators for terahertz information encryption and decryption.
Numerical Simulation of a Novel Method for PVT Growth of SiC by Adding a Graphite Block
Authors: Luo Hao , Han Xuefeng , Huang Yuanchao , Yang Deren , Pi Xiaodong
Published: December 2021

SiC crystal is an excellent substrate material for high power electronic devices and high-frequency electronic devices. Being cost-effective and defect-free are the two biggest challenges at present. For the physical vapor transport (PVT) growth of a SiC single crystal, SiC powder is used as the source material, which determines the cost and the quality of the crystal. In this paper, we propose a new design in which graphite blocks are substituted for the non-sublimated SiC powder. Temperature distribution in the SiC powder, the evolution of the SiC powder, and the vapor transport are investigated by using finite element calculations. With the addition of graphite blocks, the utilization and sublimation rate of SiC powder is higher. In addition, the reverse vapor transport above the SiC powder is eliminated. This design provides a new idea to reduce the cost of SiC crystals in industrialization.
Ultrathin and Optically Transparent Microwave Absorber Based on Flexible Silver Nanowire Film
Authors: Dong Yanfei , Yu Dingwang , Li Guochao , Cao Yulin , Ruan Youde , Lin Mingtuan
Published: December 2021

The design of an optically transparent and flexible metamaterial absorber was presented and fabricated. For this purpose, we use two different patterned silver nanowire films separated by the space layer, forming a transparent sandwiched structure with an ultrathin thickness. By analyzing the equivalent circuit model and distribution of electric field and current, the absorption physical mechanism has been theoretically investigated. The results show that the structure can achieve above 0.8 absorptions from 6 GHz to 18 GHz, and at the same time, this absorber also can obtain wide-angle property. The optical transmittance of the fabricated absorber exceeds 82% in the visible band. The results demonstrate that transparency and flexibility are the additional benefits that make the proposed absorber suitable for various potential applications.
Enhanced Properties of Extended Wavelength InGaAs on Compositionally Undulating Step-Graded InAsP Buffers Grown by Molecular Beam Epitaxy
Authors: Li Xuefei , Xu Jianming , Wei Tieshi , Yang Wenxian , Jin Shan , Wu Yuanyuan , Lu Shulong
Published: December 2021

The extended wavelength InGaAs material (2.3 μm) was prepared by introducing compositionally undulating step-graded InAsyP1−y buffers with unequal layer thickness grown by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). The properties of the extended wavelength InGaAs layer were investigated. The surface showed ordered crosshatch morphology and a low roughness of 1.38 nm. Full relaxation, steep interface and less than one threading dislocation in the InGaAs layer were demonstrated by taking advantage of the strain compensation mechanism. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) exhibited remarkable intensity attributed to the lower density of deep non-radiative centers. The emission peak energy with varied temperatures was in good agreement with Varshni’s empirical equation, implying high crystal quality without inhomogeneity-induced localized states. Therefore, our work shows that compositionally undulating step-graded InAsP buffers with a thinner bottom modulation layer, grown by molecular beam epitaxy, is an effective approach to prepare InGaAs materials with wavelengths longer than 2.0 μm and to break the lattice limitation on the materials with even larger mismatch.
Nanocrystalline Surface Layer of WO3 for Enhanced Proton Transport during Fuel Cell Operation
Authors: Song Xiang , Guo Weiqing , Guo Yuhong , Mushtaq Naveed , Shah M. A. K. Yousaf , Irshad Muhammad Sultan , Lund Peter D. , Asghar Muhammad Imran
Published: December 2021

High ionic conductivity in low-cost semiconductor oxides is essential to develop electrochemical energy devices for practical applications. These materials exhibit fast protonic or oxygen-ion transport in oxide materials by structural doping, but their application to solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) has remained a significant challenge. In this work, we have successfully synthesized nanostructured monoclinic WO3 through three steps: co-precipitation, hydrothermal, and dry freezing methods. The resulting WO3 exhibited good ionic conductivity of 6.12 × 10−2 S cm−1 and reached an excellent power density of 418 mW cm−2 at 550 °C using as an electrolyte in SOFC. To achieve such a high ionic conductivity and fuel cell performance without any doping contents was surprising, as there should not be any possibility of oxygen vacancies through the bulk structure for the ionic transport. Therefore, laterally we found that the surface layer of WO3 is reduced to oxygen-deficient when exposed to a reducing atmosphere and form WO3−δ/WO3 heterostructure, which reveals a unique ionic transport mechanism. Different microscopic and spectroscopic methods such as HR-TEM, SEM, EIS, Raman, UV-visible, XPS, and ESR spectroscopy were applied to investigate the structural, morphological, and electrochemical properties of WO3 electrolyte. The structural stability of the WO3 is explained by less dispersion between the valence and conduction bands of WO3−δ/WO3, which in turn could prevent current leakage in the fuel cell that is essential to reach high performance. This work provides some new insights for designing high-ion conducting electrolyte materials for energy storage and conversion devices.
Habitat Selection by Brown Bears with Varying Levels of Predation Rates on Ungulate Neonates
Authors: Twynham Kate , Ordiz Andrés , Støen Ole-Gunnar , Rauset Geir-Rune , Kindberg Jonas , Segerström Peter , Frank Jens , Uzal Antonio
Published: December 2021

In northern Eurasia, large carnivores overlap with semi-domestic reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) and moose (Alces alces). In Scandinavia, previous studies have quantified brown bear (Ursus arctos) spring predation on neonates of reindeer (mostly in May) and moose (mostly in June). We explored if habitat selection by brown bears changed following resource pulses and whether these changes are more pronounced on those individuals characterised by higher predatory behaviour. Fifteen brown bears in northern Sweden (2010–2012) were fitted with GPS proximity collars, and 2585 female reindeers were collared with UHF transmitters. Clusters of bear positions were visited to investigate moose and reindeer predation. Bear kill rates and home ranges were calculated to examine bear movements and predatory behaviour. Bear habitat selection was modelled using resource selection functions over four periods (pre-calving, reindeer calving, moose calving, and post-calving). Coefficients of selection for areas closer to different land cover classes across periods were compared, examining the interactions between different degrees of predatory behaviour (i.e., high and low). Bear habitat selection differed throughout the periods and between low and high predatory bears. Differences among individuals’ predatory behaviour are reflected in the selection of habitat types, providing empirical evidence that different levels of specialization in foraging behaviour helps to explain individual variation in bear habitat selection.
Genome-Wide Analysis and Expression Profiling of HD-ZIP III Genes in Three Brassica Species
Authors: Wang Han , Shao Wenna , Yan Min , Xu Ye , Liu Shaohua , Wang Renlei
Published: December 2021

Class III homeodomain-leucine zipper (HD-ZIP III) genes encode plant-specific transcription factors that play pivotal roles in plant growth and development. There is no systematic report on HD-ZIP III members in Brassica plants and their responses to stress are largely unknown. In this study, a total of 10, 9 and 16 HD-ZIP III genes were identified from B. rapa, B. oleracea and B. napus, respectively. The phylogenetic analysis showed that HD-ZIP III proteins were grouped into three clades: PHB/PHV, REV and CNA/HB8. Genes in the same group tended to have similar exon–intron structures. Various phytohormone-responsive elements and stress-responsive elements were detected in the promoter regions of HD-ZIP III genes. Gene expression levels in different tissues, as well as under different stress conditions, were investigated using public transcription profiling data. The HD-ZIP III genes were constitutively expressed among all the tested tissues and were highly accumulated in root and stem. In B. rapa, only one BrREV gene especially responded to heat stress, BrPHB and BrREV members were downregulated upon cold stress and most HD-ZIP III genes exhibited divergent responses to drought stress. In addition, we investigated the genetic variation at known miR165/166 complementary sites of the identified HD-ZIP III genes and found one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in PHB members and two SNPs in REV members, which were further confirmed using Sanger sequencing. Taken together, these results provide information for the genome-wide characterization of HD-ZIP III genes and their stress response diversity in Brassica species.
Updates of Risk Factors for Anastomotic Leakage after Colorectal Surgery
Authors: Zarnescu Eugenia Claudia , Zarnescu Narcis Octavian , Costea Radu
Published: December 2021

Anastomotic leakage is a potentially severe complication occurring after colorectal surgery and can lead to increased morbidity and mortality, permanent stoma formation, and cancer recurrence. Multiple risk factors for anastomotic leak have been identified, and these can allow for better prevention and an earlier diagnosis of this significant complication. There are nonmodifiable factors such as male gender, comorbidities and distance of tumor from anal verge, and modifiable risk factors, including smoking and alcohol consumption, obesity, preoperative radiotherapy and preoperative use of steroids or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Perioperative blood transfusion was shown to be an important risk factor for anastomotic failure. Recent studies on the laparoscopic approach in colorectal surgery found no statistical difference in anastomotic leakage rate compared with open surgery. A diverting stoma at the time of primary surgery does not appear to reduce the leak rate but may reduce its clinical consequences and the need for additional surgery if anastomotic leakage does occur. It is still debatable if preoperative bowel preparation should be used, especially for left colon and rectal resections, but studies have shown similar incidence of postoperative leak rate.
Forensic Value of Genetic Variants Associated with Anti-Social Behavior
Authors: Oliva Antonio , Grassi Simone , Zedda Massimo , Molinari Marco , Ferracuti Stefano
Published: December 2021

Insanity defense is sometimes invoked in criminal cases, and its demonstration is usually based on a multifactorial contribution of behavioural, clinical, and neurological elements. Neuroradiological evidence of structural alterations in cerebral areas that involve decision-making and moral reasoning is often accepted as a useful tool in these evaluations. On the other hand, the genetic predisposition to anti-social behavior is still controversial. In this paper, we describe two cases of violent crimes committed by young carriers of genetic variants associated with personality disorder; both the defendants claimed to be insane at the time of the crime. We discuss these cases and review the scientific literature regarding the relationship between legal incapacity/predisposition to criminal behavior and genetic mutations. In conclusion, despite some genetic variants being able to influence several cognitive processes (like moral judgement and impulse control), there is currently no evidence that carriers of these mutations are, per se, incapable of intentionally committing crimes.
Serum High-Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Is Associated with Postoperative Psychiatric Status in Patients with Empty Nose Syndrome
Authors: Fu Chia-Hsiang , Chen Hung-Chin , Huang Chi-Che , Chang Po-Hung , Lee Ta-Jen
Published: December 2021

Many patients diagnosed with empty nose syndrome (ENS) later develop mental illness. The literature addressing biomarkers associated with postoperative psychiatric status is limited. This study aimed to assess the association between high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and psychiatric status after surgery in ENS. We recruited patients with ENS undergoing endonasal submucosal implantation. Their pre- and postoperative psychiatric status was evaluated using the Beck depression inventory-II (BDI-II) and the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Serum hs-CRP was analyzed one day before and one year after surgery. Of the 43 patients enrolled, all subjective measurements had improved (symptom scores decreased) significantly by the third month postoperatively and remained plateaued till 12 months. Those with preoperative hs-CRP levels > 2.02 mg/L were likely to remain depressive 1 year postoperatively. The regression model showed that a preoperative hs-CRP level > 2.02 mg/L was significantly correlated with postoperative depression in patients with ENS (odds ratio, 19.9). Hs-CRP level seems to be a feasible predictor of surgical outcome regarding improved depression in patients with ENS. Patients with higher preoperative hs-CRP levels should be monitored closely after surgery.
Ultrasound Pitfalls in a Complex Fetal Cardiac Malformation—Case Report of a New Arteriovenous Central Communication
Authors: Bohîlțea Roxana Elena , Dumitru Adrian , Vlădăreanu Radu , Pleș Liana , Georgescu Tiberiu Augustin , Petrescu Ioan-Andrei , Munteanu Octavian
Published: December 2021

Cardiac and cardiovascular malformations are of real interest in terms of definition, epidemiology, and means of early diagnosis by imaging. Although ultrasound examination reaches exceptional performance nowadays, unusual pathologies are still exposed to the risk of either incorrect acquired image or misinterpretation by the specialist in a routine scan. Herein, we present a case of a 20-week-old fetus (from an apparently low-risk pregnancy) with complex cardiac and vascular abnormalities, including an arteriovenous malformation along with ventricular septal defect, ductal coarctation of the aorta, aneurysm of a brachiocephalic vein, and dilation of the entire neck and upper mediastinum venous system, and the limitations that were encountered in the process of diagnosis and management of the case.
Performance Evaluation of the KRYPTOR Compact PLUS Analyzer-Based B.R.A.H.M.S. CgA Ⅱ KRYPTOR Assay for Chromogranin A Measurement
Authors: Choi Yu Jeong , Roh Juhye , Kim Sinyoung , Lee Kyung-A , Park Younhee
Published: December 2021

Numerous immunoassays have been developed to measure the levels of chromogranin A (CgA), a useful biomarker for diagnosing and monitoring generally heterogeneous neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Here, we evaluated the imprecision and linearity of three such assays: KRYPTOR (ThermoFisher Scientific), NEOLISA (EuroDiagnostica), and CgA-RIA (CisBio), using 123 samples for each assay. The correlation coefficients between the assays were 0.932 (CgA-RIA versus NEOLISA), 0.956 (KRYPTOR versus CgA-RIA), and 0.873 (NEOLISA versus KRYPTOR). KRYPTOR showed good precision, with percent coefficients of variation less than 5% for low and high concentration quality controls. Linearity was maintained over a wide concentration range. Comparison of CgA levels from three disease entities (NETs, non-NET pancreatic tumors, and prostate cancer) and healthy controls showed that patients with NETs had significantly higher CgA levels (n = 57, mean: 1.82 ± 0.43 log ng/mL) than healthy individuals (n = 20, mean: 1.51 ± 0.23 log ng/mL; p = 0.018). No other significant differences between groups were observed. All three immunoassays showed strong correlations in measured CgA levels. Because KRYPTOR operation uses a fully automated random-access system and requires shorter incubation times and smaller sample volumes, the KRYPTOR assay may improve laboratory workflow while maintaining satisfactory analytical performance.
Detection and Outcome of Endocervical Atypia in Cytology in Primary HPV Screening Programme
Authors: Pulkkinen Johanna , Kares Saara , Huhtala Heini , Kholová Ivana
Published: December 2021

Most endocervical adenocarcinomas (EAC) are associated with high-risk HPV (hrHPV) infection, with HPV genotypes 16, 18 and 45 accounting for >90% of the cases. Among endocervical glandular lesions, screening with hrHPV test has previously shown to predict the outcome better than cytology, although around one-fifth of the EAC remain negative both in hrHPV testing and cytology. The study consists of two consecutive HPV-primary screening rounds, conducted in 2012–2015 and 2017–2020. Of the 87 women aged 35 to 60 years of age diagnosed with Atypical endocervical cells, NOS or Atypical endocervical cells, favor neoplastic cytology during the first screening round, 63 (72.4%) were hrHPV positive and 24 (27.6%) were hrHPV negative. Among hrHPV positive patients, three EAC, two adenocarcinomas in situ (AIS), one AIS + high-grade intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and 13 HSIL were found. Of the histologically verified lesions, 68.4% (13/19) were purely of squamous origin. All the EAC and AIS were HPV16 or HPV 18 positive. No high-grade histological lesions were found among the hrHPV negative patients with cytological glandular atypia. A later database search revealed one HPV-negative, gastric-type mucinous EAC that was missed by the HPV primary screening.
Double Overt-Leaf Shaped CPW-Fed Four Port UWB MIMO Antenna
Authors: Agarwal Shobit , Rafique Umair , Ullah Rizwan , Ullah Shakir , Khan Salahuddin , Donelli Massimo
Published: December 2021

This paper presents a 4 × 4 multi-input multi-output antenna array for ultra-wideband applications. The single element of the array is comprised of a modified co-planar waveguide-fed double overt-leaf shaped patch radiator. The co-planar ground is optimized to achieve maximum impedance matching in the operating frequency band. The results show that the single antenna element offers an impedance bandwidth of 13.2 GHz starting from 3.2 GHz to 16.7 GHz. It is also observed from the results that the antenna offers good radiation characteristics and acceptable gain for the frequency band of interest. Furthermore, a 4 × 4 MIMO array is designed by utilizing the polarization diversity technique. To improve the isolation performance among antenna elements, a fan-shaped decoupler is introduced on the other side of the substrate, which ensures minimum isolation of 20 dB. Moreover, the proposed MIMO array operates in the frequency range of 2.75–16.05 GHz. The proposed MIMO array is fabricated and measured for the validation of simulation results, and it is observed that both the results are well in agreement.
Design of a Lightweight Multilayered Composite for DC to 20 GHz Electromagnetic Shielding
Authors: Clérico Paul , Pichon Lionel , Mininger Xavier , Dubrunfaut Olivier , Gannouni Chadi , He Delong , Bai Jinbo , Prévond Laurent
Published: December 2021

The work aims to design a trilayer composite dedicated to electromagnetic shielding over a large frequency range, from 1 Hz to 20 GHz. Analytical and numerical models are used to determine the shielding effectiveness (SE) of this composite in the case of a planar shield. The shield is constituted of a support layer, a magnetic layer, and a conductive layer. Two possible designs are considered. To simplify the numerical calculation, a homogenization method and the Artificial Material Single Layer (AMSL) method are used. The proposed composite shows a good shielding capacity over the whole studied frequency range, with shielding effectiveness higher than 17 dB and 75 dB, respectively, in the near-field (1 Hz–1 MHz) and far-field (1 MHz–20 GHz). Both homogenization and AMSL methods show good suitability in near-field and allow one to greatly reduce the calculation time.
Dopamine-Sensing Characteristics and Mechanism by Using N2/O2 Annealing in Pt/Ti/n-Si Structure
Authors: Chen Yi-Pin , Roy Anisha , Wu Ping-Hsuan , Huang Shih-Yin , Maikap Siddheswar
Published: December 2021

Dopamine detection by using N2/O2 annealing in a Pt/Ti/n-Si structure is investigated for the first time. To achieve repeatable and stable dopamine detection, a Pt membrane is annealed at elevated temperatures of 500 to 700 °C. N2/O2 gas ambient is used to optimize the membrane. The Pt membrane with thicknesses from 5 to 2 nm is optimized. Novel Pt/Ti/n-Si Schottky contact in a metal–electrolyte–membrane–silicon (MEMS) structure detects dopamine with a low concentration of 1 pM. The Pt membrane with N2 ambient annealing shows the lowest concentration of dopamine sensing with a small volume of 10 µL, acceptable stability, and repeatability. Scan rate-dependent dopamine concentration sensing is also investigated in the two-terminal measurement method. This study is useful for the early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease in the near future.
On the Sizing of CMOS Operational Amplifiers by Applying Many-Objective Optimization Algorithms
Authors: Valencia-Ponce Martín Alejandro , Tlelo-Cuautle Esteban , de la Fraga Luis Gerardo
Published: December 2021

In CMOS integrated circuit (IC) design, operational amplifiers are one of the most useful active devices to enhance applications in analog signal processing, signal conditioning and so on. However, due to the CMOS technology downscaling, along the very large number of design variables and their trade-offs, it results difficult to reach target specifications without the application of optimization methods. For this reason, this work shows the advantages of performing many-objective optimization and this algorithm is compared to the well-known mono- and multi-objective metaheuristics, which have demonstrated their usefulness in sizing CMOS ICs. Three CMOS operational transconductance amplifiers are the case study in this work; they were sized by applying mono-, multi- and many-objective algorithms. The well-known non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm version 3 (NSGA-III) and the many-objective metaheuristic-based on the R2 indicator (MOMBI-II) were applied to size CMOS amplifiers and their sized solutions were compared to mono- and multi-objective algorithms. The CMOS amplifiers were optimized considering five targets, associated to a figure of merit (FoM), differential gain, power consumption, common-mode rejection ratio and total silicon area. The designs were performed using UMC 180 nm CMOS technology. To show the advantage of applying many-objective optimization algorithms to size CMOS amplifiers, the amplifier with the best performance was used to design a fractional-order integrator based on OTA-C filters. A variation analysis considering the process, the voltage and temperature (PVT) and a Monte Carlo analysis were performed to verify design robustness. Finally, the OTA-based fractional-order integrator was used to design a fractional-order chaotic oscillator, showing good agreement between numerical and SPICE simulations.
Benchmarking GHG Emissions Forecasting Models for Global Climate Policy
Authors: Tudor Cristiana , Sova Robert
Published: December 2021

Climate change and pollution fighting have become prominent global concerns in the twenty-first century. In this context, accurate estimates for polluting emissions and their evolution are critical for robust policy-making processes and ultimately for solving stringent global climate challenges. As such, the primary objective of this study is to produce more accurate forecasts of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This in turn contributes to the timely evaluation of the progress achieved towards meeting global climate goals set by international agendas and also acts as an early-warning system. We forecast the evolution of GHG emissions in 12 top polluting economies by using data for the 1970–2018 period and employing six econometric and machine-learning models (the exponential smoothing state-space model (ETS), the Holt–Winters model (HW), the TBATS model, the ARIMA model, the structural time series model (STS), and the neural network autoregression model (NNAR)), along with a naive model. A battery of robustness checks is performed. Results confirm a priori expectations and consistently indicate that the neural network autoregression model (NNAR) presents the best out-of-sample forecasting performance for GHG emissions at different forecasting horizons by reporting the lowest average RMSE (root mean square error) and MASE (mean absolute scaled error) within the array of predictive models. Predictions made by the NNAR model for the year 2030 indicate that total GHG emissions are projected to increase by 3.67% on average among the world’s 12 most polluting countries until 2030. Only four top polluters will record decreases in total GHG emissions values in the coming decades (i.e., Canada, the Russian Federation, the US, and China), although their emission levels will remain in the upper decile. Emission increases in a handful of developing economies will see significant growth rates (a 22.75% increase in GHG total emissions in Brazil, a 15.75% increase in Indonesia, and 7.45% in India) that are expected to offset the modest decreases in GHG emissions projected for the four countries. Our findings, therefore, suggest that the world’s top polluters cannot meet assumed pollution reduction targets in the form of NDCs under the Paris agreement. Results thus highlight the necessity for more impactful policies and measures to bring the set targets within reach.
Automatic Code Generation of Safety Mechanisms in Model-Driven Development
Authors: Huning Lars , Pulvermueller Elke
Published: December 2021

In order to meet regulatory standards in the domain of safety-critical systems, these systems have to include a set of safety mechanisms depending on the Safety Integrity Level (SIL). This article proposes an approach for how such safety mechanisms may be generated automatically via Model-Driven Development (MDD), thereby improving developer productivity and decreasing the number of bugs that occur during manual implementation. The approach provides a structured way to define safety requirements, which may be parsed automatically and are used for the generation of software-implemented safety mechanisms, as well as the initial configuration of hardware-implemented safety mechanisms. The approach for software-implemented safety mechanisms relies on the Unified Modeling Language (UML) for representing these mechanisms in the model and uses model transformations to realize them in an intermediate model, from which code may be generated with simple 1:1 mappings. The approach for hardware-implemented safety mechanisms builds upon a template-based code snippet repository and a graphical user interface for configuration. The approach is applied to the development of a safety-critical fire detection application and the runtime of the model transformations is evaluated, indicating a linear scalability of the transformation steps. Furthermore, we evaluate the runtime and memory overhead of the generated code.
Design and Implementation of a Smart Energy Meter Using a LoRa Network in Real Time
Authors: Sánchez-Sutil Francisco , Cano-Ortega Antonio , Hernández Jesús C.
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, the development, implementation and deployment of smart meters (SMs) is increasing in importance, and its expansion is exponential. The use of SMs in electrical engineering covers a multitude of applications ranging from real-time monitoring to the study of load profiles in homes. The use of wireless technologies has helped this development. Various problems arise in the implementation of SMs, such as coverage, locations without Internet access, etc. LoRa (long range) technology has great coverage and equipment with low power consumption that allows the installation of SMs in all types of locations, including those without Internet access. The objective of this research is to create an SM network under the LoRa specification that solves the problems presented by other wireless networks. For this purpose, a gateway for residential electricity metering networks using LoRa (GREMNL) and an electrical variable measuring device for households using LoRa (EVMDHL) have been created, which allow the development of SM networks with large coverage and low consumption.
The Constraints between Edge Depth and Uncertainty for Monocular Depth Estimation
Authors: Wu Shouying , Li Wei , Liang Binbin , Huang Guoxin
Published: December 2021

The self-supervised monocular depth estimation paradigm has become an important branch of computer vision depth-estimation tasks. However, the depth estimation problem arising from object edge depth pulling or occlusion is still unsolved. The grayscale discontinuity of object edges leads to a relatively high depth uncertainty of pixels in these regions. We improve the geometric edge prediction results by taking uncertainty into account in the depth-estimation task. To this end, we explore how uncertainty affects this task and propose a new self-supervised monocular depth estimation technique based on multi-scale uncertainty. In addition, we introduce a teacher–student architecture in models and investigate the impact of different teacher networks on the depth and uncertainty results. We evaluate the performance of our paradigm in detail on the standard KITTI dataset. The experimental results show that the accuracy of our method increased from 87.7% to 88.2%, the AbsRel error rate decreased from 0.115 to 0.11, the SqRel error rate decreased from 0.903 to 0.822, and the RMSE error rate decreased from 4.863 to 4.686 compared with the benchmark Monodepth2. Our approach has a positive impact on the problem of texture replication or inaccurate object boundaries, producing sharper and smoother depth images.
A Triband Slot Patch Antenna for Conformal and Wearable Applications
Authors: Li Erfeng , Li Xue Jun , Seet Boon-Chong
Published: December 2021

With the rapid development of wireless communication technology and the Internet of Things (IoT), wireless body area networks (WBAN) have been thriving. This paper presents a triband patch antenna with multiple slots for conformal and wearable applications. The proposed antenna operates at 5.8, 6.2, and 8.4 GHz. The antenna was designed with a flexible polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrate, and the corresponding conformal tests and on-body performance were conducted via simulation. The antenna demonstrated promising gain and acceptable fluctuations when applied on curvature surfaces. The specific absorption rate (SAR) for on-body simulation also suggests that this antenna is suitable for wearable applications.
A Multi-Objective Design Optimization for a Permanent Magnet Synchronous Machine with Hairpin Winding Intended for Transport Applications
Authors: Soltani Mohammad , Nuzzo Stefano , Barater Davide , Franceschini Giovanni
Published: December 2021

Nowadays, interest in electric propulsion is increasing due to the need to decarbonize society. Electric drives and their components play a key role in this electrification trend. The electrical machine, in particular, is seeing an ever-increasing development and extensive research is currently being dedicated to the improvement of its efficiency and torque/power density. Among the winding methods, hairpin technologies are gaining extensive attention due to their inherently high slot fill factor, good heat dissipation, strong rigidity, and short end-winding length. These features make hairpin windings a potential candidate for some traction applications which require high power and/or torque densities. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as high losses at high frequency operations due to skin and proximity effects. In this paper, a multi-objective design optimization is proposed aiming to provide a fast and useful tool to enhance the exploitation of the hairpin technology in electrical machines. Efficiency and volume power density are considered as main design objectives. Analytical and finite element evaluations are performed to support the proposed methodology.