bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Electrocoagulation Process: An Approach to Continuous Processes, Reactors Design, Pharmaceuticals Removal, and Hybrid Systems—A Review
Authors: López-Guzmán Miriam , Flores-Hidalgo Manuel Alberto , Reynoso-Cuevas Liliana
Published: October 2021

The electrocoagulation (EC) process has been widely studied in recent years to remove a wide range of contaminants present in different types of water: fluorides, arsenic, heavy metals, organic matter, colorants, oils, and recently, pharmaceutical compounds. However, most of the studies have been aimed at understanding the process factors that have the most significant effect on efficiency, and these studies have been mainly on a batch process. Therefore, this review is focused on elucidating the current state of development of this process and the challenges it involves transferring to continuous processes and the recent exploration of its potential use in the removal of pharmaceutical contaminants and its implementation with other technologies.
Recovery of Water from Textile Dyeing Using Membrane Filtration Processes
Authors: Marszałek Joanna , Żyłła Renata
Published: October 2021

The aim of the work was to purify model textile wastewater (MTW) using a two-stage membrane filtration process comprising nanofiltration (NF) and reverse osmosis (RO). For this purpose, a nanofiltration membrane TFC-SR3 (KOCH) and reverse osmosis membrane AG (GE Osmonics) were used. Each model wastewater contained a selected surfactant. The greatest decrease in flux in the initial phase of the process occurred for the detergents based on fatty-acid condensation products. An evident decrease in performance was observed with polysiloxane-based surfactants. No fouling effect and high flux values were observed for the wastewater containing a nonionic surfactant based on fatty alcohol ethoxylates. During RO, a significantly higher flux and lower resistance were observed for the feed that originally contained the anionic agent. For the MTW containing the nonionic surfactant, the conductivity reduction ranged from 84% to 92% depending on the concentrate ratio at the consecutive stages of RO. After treatment, the purified wastewater was reused in the process of dyeing cellulose fibers with reactive dyes. The research confirmed that textiles dyed with the use of RO filtrates did not differ in quality of dyeing from those dyed in pure deionized water.
Production of Omega-3 Oil by Aurantiochytrium mangrovei Using Spent Osmotic Solution from Candied Fruit Industry as Sole Organic Carbon Source
Authors: Russo Giovanni L. , Langellotti Antonio L. , Blasco Thierry , Oliviero Maria , Sacchi Raffaele , Masi Paolo
Published: October 2021

Osmotic dehydration is an important phase in the production of dried products, including most fruits and vegetables, in the food industry. The drying process for candied fruit produces a liquid waste called “spent osmotic solution”, which is characterized by a high content of organic compounds, mostly dissolved sugars. The sugar content of this food by-product could be valorized through the growth of biomass with a high added value. In this study, the spent osmotic solution from the candied fruit industry was used as an organic carbon source for the growth and production of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in the cultivation of Aurantiochytrium mangrovei RCC893. The carbon content of the standard media was completely replaced by the sugars present in this food by-product. After that, the growth condition of this strain was optimized through response surface methodologies using a central composite design (CCD), and the optimal combination of the spent osmotic solution and nitrogen was established. Moreover, a scale-up trial was performed using the optimal conditions obtained after CCD to evaluate the scalability of the process.
Influence of Microwave Frequency and Gas Humidity on the In-Vitro Blood Coagulation in Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma
Authors: Yu Jie , Wu Li , Huang Kama
Published: October 2021

In this article, the effects of microwave frequency (2450 MHz and 5800 MHz) and gas humidity (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 6% and 8%) on in vitro blood coagulation with cold atmospheric pressure plasma (CAPP) were investigated. The generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS, OH, O) was measured by optical emission spectra. The exposure temperature on blood droplets under treatment was below 55 °C in all cases, to avoid the thermal effect of plasma on the blood clotting. Investigations showed that, with the increase of frequency, the doses of ROS increased, the blood sample presented a more serious collapse and its surface became drier. The humidity of ionized gas can also accelerate the generation of ROS and the process of blood clotting. Our results propose a method to accelerate in vitro blood coagulation in CAPP by adjusting microwave frequency and gas humidity, and suggest a clinical benefit for plasma treatment as a coagulation device in surgery.
Evaluation of Practical Applicability and Synergistic Effects of Bio-Based Food Packaging Materials Combined with Plant-Based Stabilisers
Authors: Havelt Thomas , Brettschneider Sarah , Schmitz Michaela
Published: October 2021

Different analyses and feasibility studies have been conducted on the plant extracts of thyme (Thymus vulgaris), European horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum), Nordmann fir (Abies nordmanniana), and snowdrop (Galanthus elwesii) to evaluate bio-based alternatives to common petrol-based stabilisers. For this purpose, in this study, plant extracts were incorporated into poly-lactic acid films (PLA) at different concentrations. The films’ UV absorbance and migration into packed food was analysed via photometric assays (ABTS radical cation scavenging capacity assay, β-carotene assay) and GC–MS analysis. Furthermore, the synergistic antioxidant effects of various combinations of extracts and isolated active compounds were determined. This way, antioxidant effects can be increased, allowing for a highly effective use of resources. All extracts were successfully incorporated into PLA films and showed notable photoabsorbing effects, while no migration risk was observed. Depending on extract combinations, high synergistic effects of up to 726% can be utilised to improve the effectiveness of bio-based extracts. This applies particularly to tomato paste and Aesculus hippocastanum extracts, which overall show high synergistic and antioxidant effects in combination with each other and with isolated active compounds. The study shows that it is possible to create safe bio-based antioxidant films which show even improved properties when using highlighted target combinations.
Introducing a Marine Biorefinery System for the Integrated Production of Biofuels, High-Value-Chemicals, and Co-Products: A Path Forward to a Sustainable Future
Authors: Zaky Abdelrahman Saleh
Published: October 2021

Biofuels have many environmental and practical benefits as a transportation fuel. They are among the best alternatives to fossil fuels- thanks to their capacity for negative carbon emissions, which is vital for archiving the global ambition of a net-zero economy. However, conventional biofuel production takes place on inland sites and relies on freshwater and edible crops (or land suitable for edible crop production), which has led to the food versus fuel debate. It also suffers technical and economical barriers owing to the energy balance and the cost of production compared with fossil fuels. Establishing a coastal integrated marine biorefinery (CIMB) system for the simultaneous production of biofuels, high-value chemicals, and other co-products could be the ultimate solution. The proposed system is based on coastal sites and relies entirely on marine resources including seawater, marine biomass (seaweed), and marine microorganisms (marine yeasts and marine microalgae). The system does not require the use of arable land and freshwater in any part of the production chain and should be linked to offshore renewable energy sources to increase its economic feasibility and environmental value. This article aims to introduce the CIMB system as a potential vehicle for addressing the global warming issue and speeding the global effort on climate change mitigation as well as supporting the world’s water, food and energy security. I hope these perspectives serve to draw attention into research funding for this approach.
Instability of Meissner Differential Equation and Its Relation with Photon Excitations and Entanglement in a System of Coupled Quantum Oscillators
Authors: Hab-arrih Radouan , Jellal Ahmed , Stefanatos Dionisis , Merdaci Abdeldjalil
Published: October 2021

In this work, we investigate the Schrödinger dynamics of photon excitation numbers and entanglement in a system composed by two non-resonant time-dependent coupled oscillators. By considering π periodically pumped parameters (oscillator frequencies and coupling) and using suitable transformations, we show that the quantum dynamics can be determined by two classical Meissner oscillators. We then study analytically the stability of these differential equations and the dynamics of photon excitations and entanglement in the quantum system numerically. Our analysis shows two interesting results, which can be summarized as follows: (i) Classical instability of classical analog of quantum oscillators and photon excitation numbers (expectations Nj) are strongly correlated, and (ii) photon excitations and entanglement are connected to each other. These results can be used to shed light on the link between quantum systems and their classical counterparts and provide a nice complement to the existing works studying the dynamics of coupled quantum oscillators.
Legal and Regulatory Framework for AI Solutions in Healthcare in EU, US, China, and Russia: New Scenarios after a Pandemic
Authors: Pesapane Filippo , Bracchi Daniele Alberto , Mulligan Janice F. , Linnikov Alexander , Maslennikov Oleg , Lanzavecchia Maria Beatrice , Tantrige Priyan , Stasolla Alessandro , Biondetti Pierpaolo , Giuggioli Pier Filippo , Cassano Enrico , Carrafiello Gianpaolo
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 crisis has exposed some of the most pressing challenges affecting healthcare and highlighted the benefits that robust integration of digital and AI technologies in the healthcare setting may bring. Although medical solutions based on AI are growing rapidly, regulatory issues and policy initiatives including ownership and control of data, data sharing, privacy protection, telemedicine, and accountability need to be carefully and continually addressed as AI research requires robust and ethical guidelines, demanding an update of the legal and regulatory framework all over the world. Several recently proposed regulatory frameworks provide a solid foundation but do not address a number of issues that may prevent algorithms from being fully trusted. A global effort is needed for an open, mature conversation about the best possible way to guard against and mitigate possible harms to realize the potential of AI across health systems in a respectful and ethical way. This conversation must include national and international policymakers, physicians, digital health and machine learning leaders from industry and academia. If this is done properly and in a timely fashion, the potential of AI in healthcare will be realized.
A Memorial Paper on Professor Takatsuki, Who Devoted Himself to the Case Report
Authors: Hattori Toshio
Published: October 2021

This is a memorial paper for Prof [...]
Reuleaux Triangle–Based Two Degrees of Freedom Bipedal Robot
Authors: Yang Jiteng , Saab Wael , Liu Yujiong , Ben-Tzvi Pinhas
Published: October 2021

This paper presents the design, modeling, analysis, and experimental results of a novel bipedal robotic system that utilizes two interconnected single degree-of-freedom (DOF) leg mechanisms to produce stable forward locomotion and steering. The single DOF leg is actuated via a Reuleaux triangle cam-follower mechanism to produce a constant body height foot trajectory. Kinematic analysis and dimension selection of the Reuleaux triangle mechanism is conducted first to generate the desired step height and step length. Leg sequencing is then designed to allow the robot to maintain a constant body height and forward walking velocity. Dynamic simulations and experiments are conducted to evaluate the walking and steering performance. The results show that the robot is able to control its body orientation, maintain a constant body height, and achieve quasi-static locomotion stability.
Evaluating the Drought-Monitoring Utility of GPM and TRMM Precipitation Products over Mainland China
Authors: Cheng Shuai , Wang Weiguang , Yu Zhongbo
Published: October 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the applicability of medium and long-term satellite rainfall estimation (SRE) precipitation products for drought monitoring over mainland China. Four medium and long-term (19 a) SREs, i.e., the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multi-Satellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) 3B42V7, the Integrated Multi-satellitE Retrievals for Global Precipitation Measurement V06 post-real time Final Run precipitation products (IMF6), Global Rainfall Map in Near-real-time Gauge-calibrated Rainfall Product (GSMaP_Gauge_NRT) for product version 6 (GNRT6) and gauge-adjusted Global Satellite Mapping of Precipitation V6 (GGA6) were considered. The accuracy of the four SREs was first evaluated against ground observation precipitation data. The Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) based on four SREs was then compared at multiple temporal and spatial scales. Finally, four typical drought-influenced regions, i.e., the Northeast China Plain (NEC), Huang-Huai-Hai Plain (3HP), Yunnan–Guizhou Plateau (YGP) and South China (SC) were chosen as examples to analyze the ability of four SREs to capture the temporal and spatial changes of typical drought events. The results show that compared with GNRT6, the precipitation estimated by GGA6, IMF6 and 3B42V7 are in better agreement with the ground observation results. In the evaluation using SPEI, the four SREs performed well in eastern China but have large uncertainty in western China. GGA6 and IMF6 perform superior to GNRT6 and 3B42V7 in estimating SPEI and identifying typical drought events and behave almost the same. In general, GPM precipitation products have great potential to substitute TRMM precipitation products for drought monitoring. Both GGA6 and IMF6 are suitable for historical drought analysis. Due to the shorter time latency of data release and good performance in the eastern part of mainland China, GNRT6 and GGA6 might play a role for near real-time drought monitoring in the area. The results of this research will provide reference for the application of the SREs for drought monitoring in the GPM era.
Tom Pouce III, an Electronic White Cane for Blind People: Ability to Detect Obstacles and Mobility Performances
Authors: Dernayka Aya , Amorim Michel-Ange , Leroux Roger , Bogaert Lucas , Farcy René
Published: October 2021

We present a protocol for evaluating the efficiency of an electronic white cane for improving the mobility of blind people. The electronic cane used during the test is the Tom Pouce III, made of LIDAR sensors (light detection and ranging) with tactile feedback. The protocol comprises two parts. The first part, the “detection test”, evaluates the efficiency of the sensors in the Tom Pouce III for detecting the obstacles found in everyday life (thin and large poles, apertures) under different environmental conditions (darkness, sun light, rain). The second part of the test, the “mobility test”, compares the ability of blind participants to cross a 25 m path by avoiding obstacles with the simple white cane and the electronic cane. The 12 blind participants had between 2 and 20 years of experience of everyday usage of Tom Pouce devices. The results show a significant improvement in the capacity to avoid obstacles with the electronic cane relative to the simple white cane, and there was no speed difference. There was no correlation between the results and the years of experience of the users.
Robotic-Based Well-Being Monitoring and Coaching System for the Elderly in Their Daily Activities
Authors: Calatrava-Nicolás Francisco M. , Gutiérrez-Maestro Eduardo , Bautista-Salinas Daniel , Ortiz Francisco J. , González Joaquín Roca , Vera-Repullo José Alfonso , Jiménez-Buendía Manuel , Méndez Inmaculada , Ruiz-Esteban Cecilia , Mozos Oscar Martínez
Published: October 2021

The increasingly ageing population and the tendency to live alone have led science and engineering researchers to search for health care solutions. In the COVID 19 pandemic, the elderly have been seriously affected in addition to suffering from isolation and its associated and psychological consequences. This paper provides an overview of the RobWell (Robotic-based Well-Being Monitoring and Coaching System for the Elderly in their Daily Activities) system. It is a system focused on the field of artificial intelligence for mood prediction and coaching. This paper presents a general overview of the initially proposed system as well as the preliminary results related to the home automation subsystem, autonomous robot navigation and mood estimation through machine learning prior to the final system integration, which will be discussed in future works. The main goal is to improve their mental well-being during their daily household activities. The system is composed of ambient intelligence with intelligent sensors, actuators and a robotic platform that interacts with the user. A test smart home system was set up in which the sensors, actuators and robotic platform were integrated and tested. For artificial intelligence applied to mood prediction, we used machine learning to classify several physiological signals into different moods. In robotics, it was concluded that the ROS autonomous navigation stack and its autodocking algorithm were not reliable enough for this task, while the robot’s autonomy was sufficient. Semantic navigation, artificial intelligence and computer vision alternatives are being sought.
Super-Resolution Network with Information Distillation and Multi-Scale Attention for Medical CT Image
Authors: Zhao Tianliu , Hu Lei , Zhang Yongmei , Fang Jianying
Published: October 2021

The CT image is an important reference for clinical diagnosis. However, due to the external influence and equipment limitation in the imaging, the CT image often has problems such as blurring, a lack of detail and unclear edges, which affect the subsequent diagnosis. In order to obtain high-quality medical CT images, we propose an information distillation and multi-scale attention network (IDMAN) for medical CT image super-resolution reconstruction. In a deep residual network, instead of only adding the convolution layer repeatedly, we introduce information distillation to make full use of the feature information. In addition, in order to better capture information and focus on more important features, we use a multi-scale attention block with multiple branches, which can automatically generate weights to adjust the network. Through these improvements, our model effectively solves the problems of insufficient feature utilization and single attention source, improves the learning ability and expression ability, and thus can reconstruct the higher quality medical CT image. We conduct a series of experiments; the results show that our method outperforms the previous algorithms and has a better performance of medical CT image reconstruction in the objective evaluation and visual effect.
Development of Condition Assessment Index of Ballast Track Using Ground-Penetrating Radar (GPR)
Authors: Birhane Fiseha Nega , Choi Yeong Tae , Lee Sung Jin
Published: October 2021

The condition of the ballast is a critical factor affecting the riding quality and the performance of a track. Fouled ballast can accelerate track irregularities, which results in frequent ballast maintenance requirements. Severe fouling of the ballast can lead to track instability, an uncomfortable ride and, in the worst case, a derailment. In this regard, maintenance engineers perform routine track inspections to assess current and future ballast conditions. GPR has been used to assess the thickness and fouling levels of ballast. However, there are no potent procedures or specifications with which to determine the level of fouling. This research aims to develop a GPR analysis method capable of evaluating ballast fouling levels. Four ballast boxes were constructed with various levels of fouling. GPR testing was conducted using a GSSI (Geophysical Survey Systems, Inc.) device (400, 900, 1600 MHz), and a KRRI (Korea Railroad Research Institute) GPR device (500 MHz), which was developed for ballast tracks. The dielectric permittivity, scattering of the depth (thickness) values, signal strength at the ballast boundary, and area of the frequency spectrum were compared against the fouling level. The results show that as the fouling level increases, the former two variables increase while the latter two decrease. On the basis of these observations, a new integrated parameter, called a ballast condition scoring index (BCSI), is suggested. The BCSI was verified using field data. The results show that the BCSI has a strong correlation with the fouling level of the ballast and can be used as a fouling-level-indicating parameter.
Robotic Railway Multi-Sensing and Profiling Unit Based on Artificial Intelligence and Data Fusion
Authors: Minea Marius , Dumitrescu Cătălin Marian , Dima Mihai
Published: October 2021

This article presents the research and results of field tests and simulations regarding an autonomous/robotic railway vehicle, designed to collect multiple information on safety and functional parameters of a surface railway and/or subway section, based on data fusion and machine learning. The maintenance of complex railways, or subway networks with long operating times is a difficult process and intensive resources consuming. The proposed solution delivers human operators in the fault management service and operations from the time-consuming task of railway inspection and measurements, by integrating several sensors and collecting most relevant information on railway, associated automation equipment and infrastructure on a single intelligent platform. The robotic cart integrates autonomy, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and ability to detect even infrastructural anomalies. Moreover, via a future process of complex statistical filtering of data, it is foreseen that the solution might be configured to offer second-order information about infrastructure changes, such as land sliding, water flooding, or similar modifications. Results of simulations and field tests show the ability of the platform to integrate several fault management operations in a single process, useful in increasing railway capacity and resilience.
Efficient Non-Uniform Pilot Design for TDCS
Authors: Chang Cheng , Feng Lina , Zhou Hui , Zhao Zilong , Gu Xin
Published: October 2021

The Internet of Things (IoT) leads the era of interconnection, where numerous sensors and devices are being introduced and interconnected. To support such an amount of data traffic, wireless communication technologies have to overcome available spectrum shortage and complex fading channels. The transform domain communication system (TDCS) is a cognitive anti-interference communication system with a low probability of detection and dynamic spectrum sensing and accessing. However, the non-continuous and asymmetric spectrum brings new challenges to the traditional TDCS block-type pilot, which uses a series of discrete symbols in the time domain as pilots. Low efficiency and poor adaptability in fast-varying channels are the main drawbacks for the block-type pilot in TDCS. In this study, a frequency domain non-uniform pilot design method was proposed with intersecting, skewing, and edging of three typical non-uniform pilots. Some numerical examples are also presented with multipath model COST207RAx4 to verify the proposed methods in the bit error ratio and the mean square error. Compared with traditional block-type pilot, the proposed method can adapt to the fast-varying channels, as well as the non-continuous and asymmetric spectrum conditions with much higher efficiency.
Design of a Novel Wideband Leaf-Shaped Printed Dipole Array Antenna Using a Parasitic Loop for High-Power Jamming Applications
Authors: Kang Eunjung , Lim Tae Heung , Park Seulgi , Choo Hosung
Published: October 2021

This paper proposes a novel wideband leaf-shaped printed dipole antenna sensor that uses a parasitic element to improve the impedance matching bandwidth characteristics for high-power jamming applications. The proposed antenna sensor consists of leaf-shaped dipole radiators, matching posts, rectangular slots, and a parasitic loop element. The leaf-shaped dipole radiators are designed with exponential curves to obtain a high directive pattern and are printed on a TLY-5 substrate for high-power durability. The matching posts, rectangular slots, and a parasitic loop element are used to enhance the impedance matching characteristics. The proposed antenna sensor has a measured fractional bandwidth of 66.7% at a center frequency of 4.5 GHz. To confirm the array antenna sensor characteristics, such as its active reflection coefficients (ARCs) and beam steering gains, the proposed single antenna sensor is extended to an 11 × 1 uniform linear array. The average values of the simulated and measured ARCs from 4.5 to 6 GHz are −13.4 dB and −14.7 dB. In addition, the measured bore-sight array gains of the co-polarization are 13.4 dBi and 13.7 dBi at 4 GHz and 5 GHz, while those of the cross-polarizations are −4.9 dBi and −3.4 dBi, respectively. When the beam is steered at a steering angle, θ0, of 15°, the maximum measured array gains of the co-polarization are 12.2 dBi and 10.3 dBi at 4 GHz and 5 GHz, respectively.
Validation and Clinical Application of a New Liquid Chromatography Coupled to Mass Spectrometry (HPLC-MS) Method for Dalbavancin Quantification in Human Plasma
Authors: Avataneo Valeria , Antonucci Miriam , De Vivo Elisa , Briozzo Antonio , Cusato Jessica , Bermond Francesca , Vitale Corrado , Vitale Francesco , Manca Alessandra , Palermiti Alice , Di Perri Giovanni , De Rosa Francesco , De Nicolò Amedeo , D’Avolio Antonio
Published: October 2021

Dalbavancin (DBV) is an intravenous long-acting second-generation glycolipopeptide antibiotic with high efficacy and excellent tolerability, approved for use in the treatment of Gram-positive skin and skin structure infections (ABSSSI). Nevertheless, little is known about its pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) properties in real life, which is also due to technical challenges in its quantification in human plasma, preventing an effective application of therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM). In fact, DBV has a high affinity to plasma proteins, possibly resulting in poor recovery after extraction procedure. The aim of this study was to validate a simple, cheap and reliable HPLC-MS method for use in TDM, in accordance with FDA and EMA guidelines. The optimized protein precipitation protocol required 50 μL of plasma, while chromatographic analysis could be performed in 12 min/sample. This method fulfilled the guidelines requirements and then, it was applied for routine DBV TDM in patients receiving off-label high doses (two 1500 + 1500 mg weekly infusions instead of 1000 + 500 mg), with normal renal function or undergoing hemodialysis: continuous hemodiafiltration caused a relevant reduction in DBV exposure, while intermittent dialysis showed comparable DBV concentrations with those of patients with normal renal function. This confirmed the eligibility of the presented method for use in TDM and its usefulness in clinical practice.
Innovation Ecosystem Research: Emerging Trends and Future Research
Authors: Gu Yanzhang , Hu Longying , Zhang Hongjin , Hou Chenxuan
Published: October 2021

The innovation ecosystem term has increasingly been attracting the interest of scholars and practitioners for fifteen years. Contrary to the flourishing landscape, knowledge in this field is criticized as being fragmented. While past reviews revealed the conceptual and theoretical connections between innovation ecosystem and other related concepts, there is still a lack of comprehensive appreciation of the intellectual structure of state-of-the-art innovation ecosystem studies, hindering future research in this domain. To fill this void, this study utilized a systematic literature review approach combining bibliographic coupling and content analysis methods. Drawing on 136 studies reflecting the core and latest knowledge of innovation ecosystem literature, this study identifies five streams of the current innovation ecosystem research (i.e., technology innovation, platform innovation ecosystem, regional development, innovation ecosystem conceptualization and theorization, and entrepreneurship and innovation). Suggestions for future research are distilled via systematic analysis and discussion of these streams. Contributions of this study lie in decoding the intellectual structure of current innovation ecosystem research and offering targeted recommendations for future research.
Solving Linear Tensor Equations
Authors: Iosifidis Damianos
Published: October 2021

We develop a systematic way to solve linear equations involving tensors of arbitrary rank. We start off with the case of a rank 3 tensor, which appears in many applications, and after finding the condition for a unique solution we derive this solution. Subsequently, we generalize our result to tensors of arbitrary rank. Finally, we consider a generalized version of the former case of rank 3 tensors and extend the result when the tensor traces are also included.
The Immunology of Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Lawal Gbemisola , Xiao Yao , Rahnemai-Azar Amir A. , Tsilimigras Diamantis I. , Kuang Ming , Bakopoulos Anargyros , Pawlik Timothy M.
Published: October 2021

Liver cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common primary malignant tumor of the liver. Liver resection or transplantation offer the only potentially curative options for HCC; however, many patients are not candidates for surgical resection, either due to presentation at advanced stages or poor liver function and portal hypertension. Liver transplantation is also limited to patients with certain characteristics, such as those that meet the Milan criteria (one tumor ≤ 5 cm, or up to three tumors no larger than 3 cm, along with the absence of gross vascular invasion or extrahepatic spread). Locoregional therapies, such as ablation (radiofrequency, ethanol, cryoablation, microwave), trans-arterial therapies like chemoembolization (TACE) or radioembolization (TARE), and external beam radiation therapy, have been used mainly as palliative measures with poor prognosis. Therefore, emerging novel systemic treatments, such as immunotherapy, have increasingly become popular. HCC is immunogenic, containing infiltrating tumor-specific T-cell lymphocytes and other immune cells. Immunotherapy may provide a more effective and discriminatory targeting of tumor cells through induction of a tumor-specific immune response in cancer cells and can improve post-surgical recurrence-free survival in HCC. We herein review evidence supporting different immunomodulating cell-based technology relative to cancer therapy in vaccines and targeted therapies, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, in the management of hepatocellular carcinoma among patients with advanced disease.
From Bench to Field: A Guide to Formulating and Evaluating Anti-Tick Vaccines Delving beyond Efficacy to Effectiveness
Authors: Ndawula Charles
Published: October 2021

Ticks are ubiquitous blood-sucking ectoparasites capable of transmitting a wide range of pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, protozoa, and fungi to animals and humans. Although the use of chemicals (acaricides) is the predominant method of tick-control, there are increasing incidents of acaricide tick resistance. Furthermore, there are concerns over accumulation of acaricide residues in meat, milk and in the environment. Therefore, alternative methods of tick-control have been proposed, of which anti-tick cattle vaccination is regarded as sustainable and user-friendly. Over the years, tremendous progress has been made in identifying and evaluating novel candidate tick vaccines, yet none of them have reached the global market. Until now, Bm86-based vaccines (Gavac™ in Cuba and TickGARDPLUS™ Australia-ceased in 2010) are still the only globally commercialized anti-tick vaccines. In contrast to Bm86, often, the novel candidate anti-tick vaccines show a lower protection efficacy. Why is this so? In response, herein, the potential bottlenecks to formulating efficacious anti-tick vaccines are examined. Aside from Bm86, the effectiveness of other anti-tick vaccines is rarely assessed. So, how can the researchers assess anti-tick vaccine effectiveness before field application? The approaches that are currently used to determine anti-tick vaccine efficacy are re-examined in this review. In addition, a model is proposed to aid in assessing anti-tick vaccine effectiveness. Finally, based on the principles for the development of general veterinary vaccines, a pipeline is proposed to guide in the development of anti-tick vaccines.
Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice of Physicians Regarding Vaccinations in Yerevan, Armenia: A Case Study of HPV
Authors: Badalyan Arman R. , Hovhannisyan Marine , Ghavalyan Gayane , Ter-Stepanyan Mary M. , Cave Rory , Cole Jennifer , Farlow Andrew W. K. , Mkrtchyan Hermine V.
Published: October 2021

This paper highlights the low levels of vaccine coverage and high levels of reported vaccination hesitancy in Yerevan, Armenia, that present profound challenges to the control of disease through routine vaccination programmes. We draw on investigations of hesitancy towards the introduction of new vaccines, using the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine Gardasil as a case study, to interrogate underlying challenges to vaccine acceptance. We analyse primary data from the introduction of Gardasil, first used in Armenia in 2017, to investigate how levels of medical knowledge amongst physicians in 20 health facilities in Yerevan, Armenia, regarding vaccine science influence attitudes towards the introduction of a newly developed vaccine. A questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was completed by 348 physicians between December 2017 and September 2018. The responding physicians displayed a respectable level of knowledge and awareness regarding vaccination with respect to some characteristics (e.g., more than 81% knew that HPV infection was commonly asymptomatic, 73% knew that HPV infection was implicated in most cervical cancers, and 87% knew that cervical cancer is the most prevalent cancer amongst women) but low knowledge and poor understanding of other key issues such as the age at which women were most likely to develop cervical cancer (only 15% answered correctly), whether or not the vaccine should be administered to people who had already been infected (27% answered correctly) and whether sexually active young people should be treated for infection before vaccination (26% answered correctly). The study suggests that the drivers of vaccine hesitancy are complex and may not be consistent from vaccine to vaccine. The Armenian healthcare sector may need to provide additional training, awareness-raising and educational activities alongside the introduction of new vaccines to improve understanding of and trust in vaccination programmes.
Novel Recombinant Newcastle Disease Virus-Based In Ovo Vaccines Bypass Maternal Immunity to Provide Full Protection from Early Virulent Challenge
Authors: Dimitrov Kiril M. , Taylor Tonya L. , Marcano Valerie C. , Williams-Coplin Dawn , Olivier Timothy L. , Yu Qingzhong , Gogal Robert M. , Suarez David L. , Afonso Claudio L.
Published: October 2021

Newcastle disease (ND) is one of the most economically important poultry diseases. Despite intensive efforts with current vaccination programs, this disease still occurs worldwide, causing significant mortality even in vaccinated flocks. This has been partially attributed to a gap in immunity during the post-hatch period due to the presence of maternal antibodies that negatively impact the replication of the commonly used live vaccines. In ovo vaccines have multiple advantages and present an opportunity to address this problem. Currently employed in ovo ND vaccines are recombinant herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT)-vectored vaccines expressing Newcastle disease virus (NDV) antigens. Although proven efficient, these vaccines have some limitations, such as delayed immunogenicity and the inability to administer a second HVT vaccine post-hatch. The use of live ND vaccines for in ovo vaccination is currently not applicable, as these are associated with high embryo mortality. In this study, recombinant NDV-vectored experimental vaccines containing an antisense sequence of avian interleukin 4 (IL4R) and their backbones were administered in ovo at different doses in 18-day-old commercial eggs possessing high maternal antibodies titers. The hatched birds were challenged with virulent NDV at 2 weeks-of-age. Post-hatch vaccine shedding, post-challenge survival, challenge virus shedding, and humoral immune responses were evaluated at multiple timepoints. Recombinant NDV (rNDV) vaccinated birds had significantly reduced post-hatch mortality compared with the wild-type LaSota vaccine. All rNDV vaccines were able to penetrate maternal immunity and induce a strong early humoral immune response. Further, the rNDV vaccines provided protection from clinical disease and significantly decreased virus shedding after early virulent NDV challenge at two weeks post-hatch. The post-challenge hemagglutination-inhibition antibody titers in the vaccinated groups remained comparable with the pre-challenge titers, suggesting the capacity of the studied vaccines to prevent efficient replication of the challenge virus. Post-hatch survival after vaccination with the rNDV-IL4R vaccines was dose-dependent, with an increase in survival as the dose decreased. This improved survival and the dose-dependency data suggest that novel attenuated in ovo rNDV-based vaccines that are able to penetrate maternal immunity to elicit a strong immune response as early as 14 days post-hatch, resulting in high or full protection from virulent challenge, show promise as a contributor to the control of Newcastle disease.
Attitudes of Parents with Regard to Vaccination of Children against COVID-19 in Poland. A Nationwide Online Survey
Authors: Babicki Mateusz , Pokorna-Kałwak Dagmara , Doniec Zbigniew , Mastalerz-Migas Agnieszka
Published: October 2021

Within a few months, the scientific world achieved a great success, developing effective and safe vaccines against COVID-19. Many countries with full access to vaccines have introduced recommendations for the vaccination of not only people who are at risk of developing severe COVID-19, i.e., the elderly and chronically ill, but all members of society, including children aged 12 and above as the currently registered preparations can be used above the said age. However, the use of COVID-19 vaccines in children arouses strong emotions, with their sense being frequently questioned. The aim of the paper was to assess the attitudes of Polish parents with regard to vaccinations against COVID-19 administered to their children. The study was conducted with the use of the authors’ original questionnaire, which was distributed online. The questionnaire was completed 4732 times, and 4432 surveys were qualified for the final analysis. The vast majority of the respondents were women (77.6%), people aged 36–44 (40.3%), with higher education (86.2%) and people living in the city with more than 250,000 inhabitants (48%). The mean age of the study group was 37.5 ± 6.61 years. Out of the studied group, 28.2% of parents are healthcare professionals. The study was conducted prior to the EMA’s decision that permitted the use of BNT162b2 in children. Results: The vast majority of the respondents were mothers, who showed significantly more favorable attitudes toward the vaccinations than fathers. Forty-four percent of parents want to vaccinate their children as soon as possible, while every fourth parent does not want to vaccinate their child at all. Main concerns about the vaccines include concerns that the preparation has not been adequately tested and that it is ineffective, as well as the lack of information concerning potential complications in the future. The main sources of information on childhood vaccinations are the media, including the Internet and television. Vaccination of the pediatric population against COVID-19 raises many emotions and doubts in parents and it is also debated by experts. The decision to vaccinate should rest on child’s parents. Both the individual benefits of protection against COVID-19 and the population benefits of pandemic control must be considered. There is a need for ongoing monitoring of the safety of administering COVID-19 vaccinations in children, as well as for evaluating their effectiveness and benefits in reducing individual risk of severe course of COVID-19 and complications after this disease, and for evaluating the population benefits of vaccines in children.
Seroprevalence and Risk Factors Associated with Canine Leishmaniasis in Egypt
Authors: Selim Abdelfattah , Shoulah Salma , Abdelhady Abdelhamed , Alouffi Abdulaziz , Alraey Yasser , Al-Salem Waleed
Published: October 2021

Background: Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is caused by Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) that is transmitted by sand fly vectors with dogs acting as the main reservoir. Methods: The present study aimed to determine the seroprevalence of CanL in dogs from Egypt and assessed the associated risk factors. The study was conducted from 2019 to 2020 in five governorates situated in Northern Egypt. Serum samples from 450 asymptomatic dogs were serologically examined by use of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results: Overall, the seroprevalence rate of CanL was 21.3% and the highest rates were observed in Cairo and Giza governorates. The univariable analysis revealed that the seropositivity of CanL was strongly related to the dogs’ ages, length of hair, absence of veterinary care or application of insecticides, and the type of floor of their shelters. The risk factors that were found to be associated with CanL in exposed dogs were: age group 2–4 years old (OR = 12, 95% CI: 1.6–92.3); short hair (OR = 2.07, 95% CI: 1.2–3.6); absence of veterinary care (OR = 2.7, 95% CI: 1.3–5.8); no application of insecticides (OR = 3.09, 95% CI: 1.5–6.5) and their residence in a shelter with an earthen floor (OR = 1.42, 95% CI: 0.7–2.9). Conclusions: Based on the present results, CanL is present in Egyptian dogs and this increases the possibility of transmission by sand fly to humans with whom they have contact. Consequently, an efficient monitoring programme and effective control measures are important to reduce the risk of infection.
Hierarchical Model Predictive Control for Autonomous Collision Avoidance of Distributed Electric Drive Vehicle with Lateral Stability Analysis in Extreme Scenarios
Authors: Wang Bowen , Lin Cheng , Liang Sheng , Gong Xinle , Tao Zhenyi
Published: October 2021

This paper proposes an active collision avoidance controller based on a hierarchical model predictive control framework for distributed electric drive vehicles (4IDEV) considering extreme conditions. In this framework, a two-layer strategy is developed. The upper layer is the path replanning controller based on nonlinear MPC (nMPC), from which a collision-free path including the optimal lateral displacement and yaw angle can be obtained in real-time while encountering the obstacles. The lower layer is the path tracking controller based on hybrid MPC (hMPC), and the coordinated control inputs (yaw moment and the front wheel steering angle) are solved by a Mixed-Integer Quadratic Programming (MIQP) with the piecewise affine (PWA) tire model considering tire saturation region. Moreover, to improve the lateral stability when tracking, the stable zone of lateral stability in the high-risk condition is analyzed based on the phase portrait method, by which the constraints of vehicle states and inputs are derived. The verification is carried out on the MATLAB and CarSim co-simulation platform, and the simulation results show that the proposed active collision avoidance controller can track the reference path accurately and prevent vehicle instability in extreme scenarios.
Numerical Simulation of Hydrogen Leakage and Diffusion Process of Fuel Cell Vehicle
Authors: Jiao Mingyu , Zhu Haoran , Huang Jinglong , Zhang Xin
Published: October 2021

Regarding the problem of hydrogen diffusion of the fuel cell vehicle (HFCV) when its hydrogen supply system leaks, this research uses the FLUENT software to simulate numerical values in the process of hydrogen leakage diffusion in both open space and closed space. This paper analyzed the distribution range and concentration distribution characteristics of hydrogen in these two different spaces. Besides, this paper also took a survey about the effects of leakage rate, wind speed, wind direction in open space and the role the air vents play on hydrogen safety in closed space, which provides a reference for the hydrogen safety of HFCV. In conclusion, the experiment result showed that: In open space, hydrogen leakage rate has a great influence on its diffusion. When the leakage rate doubles, the hydrogen leakage range will expand about 1.5 times simultaneously. The hydrogen diffusion range is the smallest when the wind blows at 90 degrees, which is more conducive to hydrogen diffusion. However, when the wind direction is against the direction of the leakage of hydrogen, the range of hydrogen distribution is maximal. Under this condition, the risk of hydrogen leakage is highest. In an enclosed space, when the vent is set closest to the leakage position, the volume fraction of hydrogen at each time is smaller than that at other positions, so it is more beneficial to safety.
Cost-Effective Scheme for a Brushless Wound Rotor Synchronous Machine
Authors: Sirewal Ghulam Jawad , Bukhari Syed Sabir Hussain
Published: October 2021

This paper proposes a new scheme for a brushless wound rotor synchronous machine (WRSM) by generating an additional, two-pole component of magneto-motive force (MMF) with a series-connected additional three-phase winding with the armature three-phase winding. Unlike existing brushless excitation schemes, which use the inverter to inject harmonic currents in the stator windings, the proposed scheme uses series-connected additional winding on the stator with the armature winding in a two-pole configuration. Consequently, as the current flows in the armature winding, it creates a fundamental rotating air gap flux to interact with the field flux. At the same time, additional rotating flux is created from the additional three-phase winding, which cannot synchronize with the field winding. This additional flux can cause the induction of a voltage in a winding with exactly the same number of poles. For this purpose, a harmonic winding is installed in the rotor along with the field winding connected through a diode bridge rectifier, in order to feed the direct current (DC) to the field winding for rotor excitation without an input current from the brush-slip-ring assembly. The 2D finite-element analysis (FEA) was performed to validate the brushless operation of the proposed machine system.
From the factory to the constitutional interim mechanism a fair share of the rewards for economic results of work
Authors: Yasinskaya-Kazachenko A.V.
Published: October 2021

As stated in the ILO Constitution, the most important principle of social justice — labor is not a commodity, so this principle is closely related to the establishment of state guarantees to ensure a mechanism for a fair share of remuneration for economic results of labor. The article shows the transition from factory to constitutional security mechanism of a fair share of remuneration for economic results of labor.