bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dual Use of Copper-Modified TiO2 Nanotube Arrays as Material for Photocatalytic NH3 Degradation and Relative Humidity Sensing
Authors: Čižmar Tihana , Grčić Ivana , Bohač Mario , Razum Marta , Pavić Luka , Gajović Andreja
Published: December 2021

In this paper, we emphasized the dual application of Cu-modified vertically aligned TiO2 nanotube arrays as photocatalyst and a relative humidity sensor. The TiO2 nanotube arrays were obtained by anodization of the titanium layer prepared using radio frequency magnetron sputtering (RFMS) and modified with different copper concentrations (0.5, 1, 1.5, and 2 M) by a wet-impregnation method. The sample modified with 2 M Cu(NO3)2 solution showed the highest efficiency for the NH3 photocatalytic degradation and the most pronounced humidity response in comparison to the other studied samples. In order to investigate the structure and impact of Cu modification, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used. The photocatalytic activity and the kinetic study of ammonia oxidation were studied in a mini-photocatalytic wind tunnel reactor (MWPT), while relative humidity sensing was examined by impedance spectroscopy (IS). Higher NH3 oxidation was a direct consequence of the increased generation of •OH radicals obtained by a more efficient photogenerated charge separation, which is correlated with the increase in the DC conductivity.
Towards Impact of Modified Atmosphere Packaging (MAP) on Shelf-Life of Polymer-Film-Packed Food Products: Challenges and Sustainable Developments
Authors: Czerwiński Krzysztof , Rydzkowski Tomasz , Wróblewska-Krepsztul Jolanta , Thakur Vijay Kumar
Published: December 2021

In this article, we report in detail the use of protective gases to extend the shelf-life of polymer-film-packed foodstuff and reduce the most typical bacteria and microorganisms that negatively affect the quality and lifetime of a given packaging. This article provides significant information about the most important advantages of using protective gases and examples of gases or gas mixtures which can be used for almost every kind of foodstuff depending on the application. We also discuss how protective gases change the level of microorganisms in food using gases and how the shelf-life of food can be enhanced using correct gases or gas mixtures. The article also provides imperative information on the selection of correct protective gases for specific applications, especially for food production, to preserve against the most typical threats which can appear during the packaging or production process. Packaging innovations can reduce the environmental impact of food and polymer packaging waste by prolonging products’ shelf-lives and by reducing waste along the production and distribution chain and at the household level.
Assessment of Sustainable Collaboration in Collaborative Business Ecosystems
Authors: Graça Paula , Camarinha-Matos Luis M.
Published: December 2021

Advances in information and communication technologies and, more specifically, in artificial intelligence resulted in more intelligent systems, which, in the business world, particularly in collaborative business ecosystems, can lead to a more streamlined, effective, and sustainable processes. Following the design science research method, this article presents a simulation model, which includes a performance assessment and influence mechanism to evaluate and influence the collaboration of the organisations in a business ecosystem. The establishment of adequate performance indicators to assess the organisations can act as an influencing factor of their behaviour, contributing to enhancing their performance and improving the ecosystem collaboration sustainability. As such, several scenarios are presented shaping the simulation model with actual data gathered from three IT industry organisations running in the same business ecosystem, assessed by a set of proposed performance indicators. The resulting outcomes show that the collaboration can be measured, and the organisations’ behaviour can be influenced by varying the weights of the performance indicators adopted by the CBE manager.
Simultaneous Dirac-like Cones at Two Energy States in Tunable Phononic Crystals: An Analytical and Numerical Study
Authors: Indaleeb Mustahseen M. , Banerjee Sourav
Published: December 2021

Simultaneous occurrence of Dirac-like cones at the center of the Brillouin zone (Γ) at two different energy states is termed Dual-Dirac-like cones (DDC) in this article. The occurrence of DDC is a rare phenomenon. Thus, the generation of multiple Dirac-like cones at the center of the Brillouin zone is usually non-manipulative and poses a challenge to achieve through traditional accidental degeneracy. However, if predictively created, DDC will have multiple engineering applications with acoustics and vibration. Thus, the possibilities of creating DDC have been identified herein using a simple square periodic array of tunable square phononic crystals (PnCs) in air media. It was found that antisymmetric deaf bands may play critical roles in tracking the DDC. Hence, pivoting on the deaf bands at two different energy states, an optimized tuning parameter was found to achieve Dirac-like cones at two distinct frequency states, simultaneously. Orthogonal wave transport identified as key Dirac phenomena was achieved at two frequencies, herein. It was identified that beyond the Dirac-like cone, the Dirac phenomena remain dominant when a doubly degenerated state created by a top band with positive curvature and a near-flat deaf band are lifted from a bottom band with negative curvature. Utilizing a mechanism of rotating the PnCs near a fixed deaf band, frequencies are tracked to form the DDC, and orthogonal wave transport is demonstrated. Exploiting the dispersion behavior, unique acoustic phenomena, such as ballistic wave transmission, pseudo diffusion and acoustic cloaking are also demonstrated at the Dirac frequencies using numerical simulation. The proposed tunable acoustic PnCs will have important applications in acoustic and ultrasonic imaging, waveguiding and even acoustic computing.
Incidence of Spinal CSF Leakage on CT Myelography in Patients with Nontraumatic Intracranial Subdural Hematoma
Authors: Kim Hyo Jin , Lee Joon Woo , Lee Eugene , Kang Yusuhn , Ahn Joong Mo
Published: December 2021

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate the incidence of spinal cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks in patients with nontraumatic intracranial subdural hematoma (SDH) and determine clinical parameters favoring such leaks. This retrospective study was approved by the institutional review board. Patients diagnosed with nontraumatic intracranial SDH who underwent computed tomography (CT) myelography between January 2012 and March 2018 were selected. 60 patients (male: female, 39:21; age range, 20–82 years) were enrolled and divided into CSF leak-positive and CSF leak-negative groups according to CT myelography data. Clinical findings were statistically compared between the two groups. Spinal CSF leak was observed in 80% (48/60) of patients, and it was significantly associated with an age of <69 years (p = 0.006). However, patients aged ≥69 years also had a tendency to exhibit spontaneous intracranial hypotension (SIH)-induced nontraumatic intracranial SDH (60.87%; 14/23). Therefore, CT myelography is recommended to be performed for the evaluation of possible SIH in patients with nontraumatic intracranial SDH, particularly those aged <69 years. Patients aged ≥69 years are also good candidates for CT myelography because SIH tends to occur even in this age group.
Comparison of Digital OPG and CBCT in Assessment of Risk Factors Associated with Inferior Nerve Injury during Mandibular Third Molar Surgery
Authors: Issrani Rakhi , Prabhu Namdeo , Sghaireen Mohammed , Alshubrmi Hasna Rasheed , Alanazi Amal Mohamed , Alkhalaf Zainab Ali , Alnusayri Mohammed Odhayd , Aljohani Fahad Muqbil , Khan Zafar A.
Published: December 2021

Background: Pre-operative radiographic assessment of the anatomical relationship between the roots of the mandibular third molar and the inferior alveolar nerve (IAN) is a must to minimize the risk of IAN injury during surgery. Objectives: To compare the radiographic signs of digital orthopantomogram (OPG) and cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). An additional objective was to assess the cortex status between the mandibular canal and third molar on CBCT images in relation to the demographic characteristics, region (right or left side), and angulation of mandibular molar. Methodology: In this retrospective study, a total of 350 impacted mandibular third molars with a close relationship between the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) and impacted mandibular third molars on digital OPG were further referred for CBCT imaging for assessment of the position of the mandibular canal. The study was conducted between August 2018 and February 2020. Digital OPGs were evaluated for radiographic signs like interruption of the mandibular canal wall, darkening of the roots, diversion of the mandibular canal, and narrowing of the mandibular canal. The age and sex of patients, site of impacted third molar, Winter’s classification of mandibular third molar, position of IAC relative to impacted molar, and the radiographic markers of OPG were assessed for cortical integrity using CBCT. Chi square testing was applied to study the values of difference and binomial logistic regression was done to assess the factors associated with cortication. Statistical significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Results: Among 350 patients, 207 (59.1%) were male and 143 (40.9%) were female with a mean age of 36.8 years. The most common OPG sign was interruption of white line, seen in 179 (51.1%) cases. In total, 246 cases (70.3%) showed an absence of canal cortication between the mandibular canal and the impacted third molar on CBCT images. Cortication was observed in all cases with a combination of panoramic signs which was statistically significant (p = 0.047). Cortication was observed in 85 (50.6%) cases where IAC was positioned on the buccal side, 11 (16.9%) in cases of inferiorly positioned IAC, and just 8 (7.6%) for cases of lingually positioned IAC which was statistically significant (p = 0.003). Statistically insignificant (p > 0.05) results were noted for cortex status in CBCT images with regards to the age, sex, site, and angulation of impacted third molars. Conclusion: CBCT imaging is highly recommended for those cases where diversion of the mandibular canal is observed on OPG and when the roots are present between canals.
Assessment of Glutathione Peroxidase-1 (GPX1) Gene Expression as a Specific Diagnostic and Prognostic Biomarker in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma
Authors: Gharib Amal F. , Alaa Eldeen Muhammad , Khalifa Amany Salah , Elsawy Wael H. , Eed Emad Mohamed , Askary Ahmad El , Eid Refaat A. , Soltan Mohamed A. , Raafat Nermin
Published: December 2021

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a malignant tumor of the mesothelial lining of the thorax. It has been related to frequent exposure to asbestos. Diagnosis of malignant pleural mesothelioma is considered a criticizing problem for clinicians. Early diagnosis and sufficient surgical excision of MPM are considered the cornerstone success factors for the management of early MPM. Glutathione peroxidase-1 (GPX1) is an intracellular protein found to be extensively distributed in all cells, and it belongs to the GPX group. In the current study, we included ninety-eight patients with MPM that underwent surgery at the Zagazig University Hospital in Egypt. We assessed GPX1 gene expression level as it was thought to be related to pathogenicity of cancer in a variety of malignant tumors. We observed a significant elevation in GPX1-mRNA levels in MPM relative to the nearby normal pleural tissues. It was found to be of important diagnostic specificity in the differentiation of MPM from normal tissues. Moreover, we studied the survival of patients in correlation to the GPX1 expression levels and we reported that median overall survival was about 16 months in patients with high GPX1 expression levels, while it was found to be about 40 months in low GPX1 levels.
Early Myocardial Changes in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis without Known Cardiovascular Diseases—A Comprehensive Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Study
Authors: Malczuk Ewa , Tłustochowicz Witold , Kramarz Elżbieta , Kisiel Bartłomiej , Marczak Magdalena , Tłustochowicz Małgorzata , Małek Łukasz A.
Published: December 2021

Clinically silent cardiac disease is frequently observed in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and cardiovascular complications are the leading cause of mortality in RA. We sought to evaluate the myocardium of young RA patients without known cardiac disease using cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), including T1/T2 mapping sequences. Eighteen RA patients (median age 41 years, 83% females) mainly with low disease activity or in remission and without any known cardiovascular disease were prospectively included to undergo CMR. A control group consisted of 10 sex- and age-matched patients without RA or any known structural cardiovascular disease. Heart chambers size and left/right ventricular systolic function were similar in patients with RA and controls. Signs of myocardial oedema were present in up to 39% of RA patients, including T2 time above cut-off value in 7 patients (39%) in comparison to none of the controls (p = 0.003) and T2 signal intensity ratio above the cut-off value in 6 patients (33%) and in none of the controls (p = 0.06). Extracellular volume was similar in both groups signifying a lack of diffuse fibrosis in studied group of RA patients. There were also no signs of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in either group except for one patient with RA who was found to have prior silent myocardial infarction. No correlation was found between markers of disease severity and markers of oedema observed on CMR in patients with RA. Nevertheless, patients with increased T2 time (≥50 ms) were more likely to have X-ray erosions (p = 0.02) and a longer duration between symptom onset and diagnosis (p = 0.02). Finally, there were no significant arrhythmias on 24-h ECG Holter monitoring in RA patients. CMR features of myocardial oedema without signs of myocardial fibrosis were found in 39% of young RA patients without known heart disease or cardiac symptoms. Presence of myocardial oedema was associated with X-ray erosions and a longer duration between symptom onset and diagnosis. The clinical significance of the observed early myocardial changes accompanying RA requires additional studies.
Abdominal Compartment Syndrome—When Is Surgical Decompression Needed?
Authors: Păduraru Dan Nicolae , Andronic Octavian , Mușat Florentina , Bolocan Alexandra , Dumitrașcu Mihai Cristian , Ion Daniel
Published: December 2021

Compartment syndrome occurs when increased pressure inside a closed anatomical space compromises tissue perfusion. The sudden increase in pressure inside these spaces requires rapid decompression by means of surgical intervention. In the case of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS), surgical decompression consists of a laparostomy. The aim of this review is to identify the landmarks and indications for the appropriate moment to perform decompression laparotomy in patients with ACS based on available published data. A targeted literature review was conducted on indications for decompression laparotomy in ACS. The search was focused on three conditions characterized by a high ACS prevalence, namely acute pancreatitis, ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and severe burns. There is still a debate around the clinical characteristics which require surgical intervention in ACS. According to the limited data published from observational studies, laparotomy is usually performed when intra-abdominal pressure reaches values ranging from 25 to 36 mmHg on average in the case of acute pancreatitis. In cases of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm, there is a higher urgency to perform decompression laparotomy for ACS due to the possibility of continuous hemorrhage. The most conflicting recommendations on whether surgical treatment should be delayed in favor of other non-surgical interventions come from studies involving patients with severe burns. The results of the review must be interpreted in the context of the limited available robust data from observational studies and clinical trials.
An Active Power Coordination Control Strategy for AC/DC Transmission Systems to Mitigate Subsequent Commutation Failures in HVDC Systems
Authors: Zhou Xia , Ding Cangbi , Dai Jianfeng , Li Zhaowei , Hu Yang , Qie Zhaohui , Xue Feng
Published: December 2021

Subsequent commutation failures (CFs) in HVDC systems will cause large-scale power flow transfer in AC/DC transmission systems and lead to overload risk in HVAC systems. In order to cope with these effects, a power coordination control strategy for the AC/DC transmission system with high-proportion wind power is proposed. Firstly, a model of the AC/DC transmission system considering the large-scale wind farms access is established by analyzing the power transmission characteristics of the AC/DC transmission system with high-proportion wind power, and the power transmission characteristics are analyzed after subsequent CFs. Secondly, the HVDC subsequent CFs can be mitigated by adjusting DC power transmission, while the active power output of the sending-end AC system is reduced by active control of wind turbine generators (WTGs) to reduce the overload risk of the HVAC system. Finally, the proposed power coordination control strategy is simulated and verified based on the established simulation model and actual power grid, and the results show that this strategy can effectively mitigate HVDC’s subsequent CFs and reduce the overload risk in HVAC systems.
Modeling and Validation of the Switching Techniques Applied to Back-to-Back Power Converter Connected to a DFIG-Based Wind Turbine for Harmonic Analysis
Authors: Hernández-Mayoral Emmanuel , Dueñas-Reyes Efraín , Iracheta-Cortez Reynaldo , Campos-Mercado Eduardo , Torres-García Vicente , Uriza-Gosebruch Rafael
Published: December 2021

Most power quality problems for electrical grids connected to Doubly-Fed Induction Generators (DFIGs) include flicker, variations of the RMS voltage profile, and injected harmonics because of switching in power converters. These converters have different topologies with the back-to-back (B2B) topology being the most exploited in high-powered three-phase systems. Therefore, in this article a model of a DFIG connected to the B2B power converter is proposed to which different switching techniques are implemented for interharmonic propagation studies. The switching techniques that are implemented include the Sinusoidal PWM (SPWM), the third harmonic injection PWM (THIPWM), and the space vector PWM (SVPWM), to reduce the Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) index of voltage and current in both windings of the machine. MATLAB-Simulink® software is used for modeling and simulating the B2B power converter and the switching techniques. The proposed model is validated with an experimental prototype that includes a 3-kW DFIG, a 10 HP motor, a gear-box with a transmission ratio of 4.5: 1, a B2B power converter, and a three-phase transformer connecting the system to the electrical grid. Finally, it is shown that the results obtained from the experimental tests corroborate the correct operation of the proposed model.
A New Approach to Compensator Design Based on Multi-Loop Technique and Scalable Forward Model Complexity
Authors: Osypiuk Rafał
Published: December 2021

Using a compensator in the structure is one of the simplest ways to achieve efficient control of a non-linear process. Unfortunately, accessing the inverse process model is not a trivial issue. Except for some special cases, it is much easier to determine the forward process model than the inverse one. For this reason, it would be interesting to propose an alternative solution to the well-known feedforward control method. In this paper, a simple multi-loop concept will be introduced. The main idea is based on the natural (but limited) robustness offered by a single PID loop and the ability to scale up the complexity of the forward process model. The proposed structure multiplies a single PID loop including forward models with increasing complexity to calculate the resultant non-linear control value. This new approach produces a comparable performance to the feedforward method but does not require access to the inverse properties of the process. The idea was evaluated in terms of stability and robustness to parameter changes. In addition, a simulation study was carried out using two coupled non-linear processes, i.e., the position control of a robot manipulator with force interaction. The selection of this process was no casual choice. On the one hand, it is extremely complex; however, on the other hand, it provides the possibility to determine both the inverse and the forward dynamic model. This capability was helpful to perform an effective comparison of the proposed solution with the known feedforward structure.
LC-IDS: Loci-Constellation-Based Intrusion Detection for Reconfigurable Wireless Networks
Authors: Zuniga-Mejia Jaime , Villalpando-Hernandez Rafaela , Vargas-Rosales Cesar , Zareei Mahdi
Published: December 2021

Detection accuracy of current machine-learning approaches to intrusion detection depends heavily on feature engineering and dimensionality-reduction techniques (e.g., variational autoencoder) applied to large datasets. For many use cases, a tradeoff between detection performance and resource requirements must be considered. In this paper, we propose Loci-Constellation-based Intrusion Detection System (LC-IDS), a general framework for network intrusion detection (detection of already known and previously unknown routing attacks) for reconfigurable wireless networks (e.g., vehicular ad hoc networks, unmanned aerial vehicle networks). We introduce the concept of ‘attack-constellation’, which allows us to represent all the relevant information for intrusion detection (misuse detection and anomaly detection) on a latent 2-dimensional space that arises naturally by considering the temporal structure of the input data. The attack/anomaly-detection performance of LC-IDS is analyzed through simulations in a wide range of network conditions. We show that for all the analyzed network scenarios, we can detect known attacks, with a good detection accuracy, and anomalies with low false positive rates. We show the flexibility and scalability of LC-IDS that allow us to consider a dynamic number of neighboring nodes and routing attacks in the ‘attack-constellation’ in a distributed fashion and with low computational requirements.
Investigation of a Miniaturized E-Band Cosine-Vane Folded Waveguide Traveling-Wave Tube for Wireless Communication
Authors: Ma Kexin , Cai Jun , Feng Jinjun
Published: December 2021

To realize the miniaturization of E-band traveling-wave tubes (TWTs), the size analysis and optimization design were carried out based on an improved cosine-vane folded waveguide (CV-FWG) slow-wave structure (SWS) that operates in a low voltage. In addition, a novel miniaturized T-shaped coupler was proposed to achieve a good voltage standing wave rate (VSWR) in a broad bandwidth. The coupler length was reduced by as much as 77% relative to an original design. With higher coupling impedance, the radius and length of the shortened SWS were optimized as 1.3 mm and 50 mm, respectively. Using microwave tube simulator suit (MTSS) and CST particle studio (PS), 3D beam–wave simulations at 9400 V, 20 mA predicted a gain of 20 dB and a saturated output power of 9 W. The simulation results for CV-FWG TWTs were compared with conventional FWG TWTs from 81 GHz to 86 GHz, showing significant performance advantages with excellent flatness for high-rate wireless communication in the future. The CV-FWG SWS circuit will be fabricated by 3D printing, and this work is underway.
Wood-Based Composites: Innovation towards a Sustainable Future
Authors: Zanuttini Roberto , Negro Francesco
Published: December 2021

The term wood-based composite (WBC) is used to define a wide range of products in which wood is bonded together with other wooden or non-wooden materials [...]
Soil Carbon, Nitrogen, and Phosphorus Storages and Their Stoichiometry Due to Mixed Afforestation with Hippophae rhamnoides in the Loess Hilly Region, China
Authors: Wu Xu , Niu Yaobin , Xun Mengyao , Jin Junyi , Tang Yakun , Chen Yunming
Published: December 2021

Mixed-species tree plantations have additional ecological benefits over single-species tree plantations, such as habitat restoration and increasing biodiversity. However, changes in the soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus storages and stoichiometry after mixed afforestation with the N-fixing tree species under the “Grain for Green Project” in the Loess Plateau of China are not well understood. Typical restoration types, including the mixed plantations of Pinus tabuliformis with Hippophae rhamnoides (HrPt) and Robinia pseudoacacia with H. rhamnoides (HrRp), as well as the pure forests of P. tabuliformis (Pt) and R. pseudoacacia (Rp), were chosen to examine changes in the storages and stoichiometry of soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and total phosphorus (TP) in 0–100 cm soil layers. The results showed that compared with the corresponding pure forest, HrRp significantly increased the SOC content in the 0–20 cm soil layer and the SOC storage in the 0–100 cm layer, while HrPt significantly increased the SOC content in the 0–10 cm layer, but there was no significant difference for SOC storage in the 0–100 cm layer between Pt and HrPt. Similarly, HrRp significantly increased the TN content in the 0–10 cm layer and the TN storage in the 0–100 cm layer, but there was no significant difference in TN storage between Pt and HrPt. Furthermore, HrRp significantly increased the TP content in the 0–100 cm layer and TP storage was higher than that of Rp, while there were no significant differences in TP content and storage between Pt and HrPt. In the 0–10 cm soil layer, HrRp significantly reduced C:N and increased N:P, but HrPt significantly increased C:P. In addition, compared with the pure forest, the soil physical and chemical properties had a stronger control effect on the soil storages and stoichiometric ratios in the mixed forests. In summary, compared with P. tabuliformis, the introduction of N-fixing tree species into the R. pseudoacacia forest was more conducive to the accumulation of SOC, TN, and TP reserves and the improvement of the N and P utilization efficiency. These results have important implications for the restoration of degraded vegetation and scientific management of mixed plantations on the Loess Plateau and can provide basic data for the assessment of soil quality at the regional scale.
Kinetics of Moisture Loss and Oil Absorption of Pork Rinds during Deep-Fat, Microwave-Assisted and Vacuum Frying
Authors: Lin Hong-Ting Victor , Chan Der-Sheng , Huang Yu-Hsiang , Sung Wen-Chieh
Published: December 2021

The fat content of fried pork rinds is high, and alternative frying helps reduce the oil content and maintain their texture and taste. Different frying methods such as microwave-assisted, traditional deep frying and vacuum frying on the breaking force, color, microstructure, water loss and oil absorption attributes of fried pork rinds were evaluated in this study. The fat content of microwave-assisted and vacuum-fried pork rinds was lower (24.2 g/100 g dry weight basis (db) and 17.1 g/100 g db, respectively) than that (35.6 g/100 g db) of traditional deep-fat frying. Non-uniform, holy and irregular surface microstructures were obtained by vacuum frying due to rapid mass transfer at low pressure. The first-order kinetic models of water loss and oil absorption of traditional and microwave-assisted frying of pork rinds were established. Microwave frying caused a faster moisture loss rate, shorter frying time and lower pork rind oil content, makes it an attractive substitute for traditional deep-fat frying.
Perspectives and Attitudes towards the Functional and Safety Aspects of Seaweeds for Edible Applications in India
Authors: Gajaria Tejal K. , Mantri Vaibhav A.
Published: December 2021

Seaweeds are inevitable resources of nutrition bearing favorable rheological characteristics, which has resulted in their inclusion in a variety of daily consumer products. India, with its vast coastline and over 1000 species of seaweeds, presents tremendous potential to bring this resource into nutraceuticals and the food sector. The present survey was designed for the Indian population, which was further classified according to diet preferences, age groups, gender and various occupations. Their perceptions regarding nutritional aspects, sensory views, safety hazards and resource reliability were recorded. Among all groups studied, gender represented significant differences upon the various safety opinions recorded (p < 0.001) compared to the occupations, age groups and diet preferences studied. In addition, the dataset revealed the pro-phycological behavior of consumers subjected to vital concerns about bioresource reliability and pre-processing to avoid health hazards related to wild harvest or on-shore cultivated samples. In addition, consumer responses also revealed potential inhibitory factors in edible applications such as taste and smell. This study suggests that collaborative efforts among media, culinary experts and phycologists could play a pivotal role in promoting seaweeds in the rapidly expanding food sector industry of India.
Study of Corrosion Resistance Properties of Heat Exchanger Metals in Two Different Geothermal Environments
Authors: Davíðsdóttir Svava , Gunnarsson Baldur Geir , Kristjánsson Kjartan Björgvin , Ledésert Béatrice A. , Ólafsson Dagur Ingi
Published: December 2021

Geothermal fluids harnessed for electricity production are generally corrosive because of their interaction with the underground. To ensure the longevity and sustainability of geothermal Organic Rankine Cycle (ORC) powerplants, the choice of heat exchanger material is essential. The performance of heat exchangers is affected by corrosion and scaling due to the geothermal fluids, causing regular cleaning, part replacement, and in the worst cases, extensive repair work. The properties of geothermal fluids vary between geothermal settings and even within geothermal sites. Differences in exposure conditions require different material selection considerations, where factors such as cost, and material efficiency are important to consider. This work studies in-situ geothermal exposure testing of four metals at two geothermal locations, in different geological settings. Four corrosion-resistant materials were exposed for one month at Reykjanes powerplant in Iceland and four months at Chaunoy oil field in France as material candidates for heat exchangers. The tested alloys were analysed for corrosion with macro- and microscopic techniques using optical and electron microscopes, which give an indication of the different frequencies of repairs and replacement. Inconel 625 showed no effects at Reykjanes and cracks at Chaunoy. The others (316L, 254SMO, and titanium grade 2) showed either corrosion or erosion traces at both sites.
An Unseen Eighth Rune: Runic Legacy and Multiliteral Performativity in Cynewulf’s The Fates of the Apostles
Authors: Runner Jacob Wayne
Published: December 2021

The four Old English poems containing the runic Cyn(e)wulf ‘signature’ have continuously provoked debate as to the characters’ intratextual function and proper interpretation. While the prevailing view is that they are predominantly logogrammatic instantiations of traditional runic names, a case has nevertheless also been made for alternative words indicated by initialisms. Referencing both of these lines of reasoning in conjunction with a semiotic literary methodological stance, this article evaluates a single Cynewulf poem (The Fates of the Apostles) and its particular inclusion of runes amongst the bookhand alphabet characters. The assessment demonstrates the poem’s multiliteral destabilization of associative boundaries between different scripts, as well as between perceived boundaries of orality and legibility. In doing so, it identifies in the text an unseen ‘eighth rune’ that is semiotically operative.
People, Projects, Organizations, and Products: Designing a Knowledge Graph to Support Multi-Stakeholder Environmental Planning and Design
Authors: Gordon Sean N. , Murphy Philip J. , Gallo John A. , Huber Patrick , Hollander Allan , Edwards Ann , Jankowski Piotr
Published: December 2021

As the need for more broad-scale solutions to environmental problems is increasingly recognized, traditional hierarchical, government-led models of coordination are being supplemented by or transformed into more collaborative inter-organizational networks (i.e., collaboratives, coalitions, partnerships). As diffuse networks, such regional environmental planning and design (REPD) efforts often face challenges in sharing and using spatial and other types of information. Recent advances in semantic knowledge management technologies, such as knowledge graphs, have the potential to address these challenges. In this paper, we first describe the information needs of three multi-stakeholder REPD initiatives in the western USA using a list of 80 need-to-know questions and concerns. The top needs expressed were for help in tracking the participants, institutions, and information products relevant to the REDP’s focus. To address these needs, we developed a prototype knowledge graph based on RDF and GeoSPARQL standards. This semantic approach provided a more flexible data structure than traditional relational databases and also functionality to query information across different providers; however, the lack of semantic data expertise, the complexity of existing software solutions, and limited online hosting options are significant barriers to adoption. These same barriers are more acute for geospatial data, which also faces the added challenge of maintaining and synchronizing both semantic and traditional geospatial datastores.
PEACE: Perception and Expectations toward Artificial Intelligence in Capsule Endoscopy
Authors: Leenhardt Romain , Fernandez-Urien Sainz Ignacio , Rondonotti Emanuele , Toth Ervin , Van de Bruaene Cedric , Baltes Peter , Rosa Bruno , Triantafyllou Konstantinos , Histace Aymeric , Koulaouzidis Anastasios , Dray Xavier ,   on behalf of the I-CARE Group
Published: December 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) has shown promising results in digestive endoscopy, especially in capsule endoscopy (CE). However, some physicians still have some difficulties and fear the advent of this technology. We aimed to evaluate the perceptions and current sentiments toward the use of AI in CE. An online survey questionnaire was sent to an audience of gastroenterologists. In addition, several European national leaders of the International CApsule endoscopy REsearch (I CARE) Group were asked to disseminate an online survey among their national communities of CE readers (CER). The survey included 32 questions regarding general information, perceptions of AI, and its use in daily life, medicine, endoscopy, and CE. Among 380 European gastroenterologists who answered this survey, 333 (88%) were CERs. The mean average time length of experience in CE reading was 9.9 years (0.5–22). A majority of CERs agreed that AI would positively impact CE, shorten CE reading time, and help standardize reporting in CE and characterize lesions seen in CE. Nevertheless, in the foreseeable future, a majority of CERs disagreed with the complete replacement all CE reading by AI. Most CERs believed in the high potential of AI for becoming a valuable tool for automated diagnosis and for shortening the reading time. Currently, the perception is that AI will not replace CE reading.
Leptin—A Potential Bridge between Fat Metabolism and the Brain’s Vulnerability to Neuropsychiatric Disorders: A Systematic Review
Authors: de Assis Gilmara Gomes , Murawska-Ciałowicz Eugenia
Published: December 2021

Background: Obesity and being overweight have been described as potential causes of neurological disorders. Leptin, a peptide expressed in fat tissue, importantly participates in energy homeostasis and storage and has recently been identified for its signaling receptors in neuronal circuits of the brain. Aim: To elucidate whether the endogenous modulation of leptin can be a protection against neuropsychiatric disorders. Method: A systematic review was performed in accordance with the PRISMA-P method, and reports of studies containing data of leptin concentrations in healthy individuals with or without obesity were retrieved from the PubMed database, using the combinations of Mesh terms for “Leptin” and “Metabolism”. Results: Forty-seven randomized and non-randomized controlled trials, dating from 2000 to 2021, were included in the qualitative synthesis. Discussion and conclusions: Leptin secretion displays a stabilizing pattern that is more sensitive to a negative energy intake imbalance. Leptin levels influence body weight and fat mass as a pro-homeostasis factor. However, long-term exposure to elevated leptin levels may lead to mental/behavioral disorders related to the feeding and reward systems.
Hemodynamic and Metabolic Tolerance of Acetate-Free Biofiltration in Mechanically Ventilated Critically Ill Patients: A Real-Life Study
Authors: Gouin Anna , Tailpied Pierre , Marion Olivier , Lavayssiere Laurence , Medrano Chloé , Nogier Marie-Béatrice , Seigneuric Bruno , Kamar Nassim , Cointault Olivier , Faguer Stanislas
Published: December 2021

Intradialytic hypotension can lead to superimposed organ hypoperfusion and ultimately worsens long-term kidney outcomes in critically ill patients requiring kidney replacement therapy. Acetate-free biofiltration (AFB), an alternative technique to bicarbonate-based hemodialysis (B-IHD) that does not require dialysate acidification, may improve hemodynamic and metabolic tolerance of dialysis. In this study, we included 49 mechanically ventilated patients requiring 4 h dialysis (AFB sessions n = 66; B-IHD sessions n = 62). Whereas more AFB sessions were performed in patients at risk of hemodynamic intolerance, episodes of intradialytic hypotension were significantly less frequent during AFB compared to B-IHD, whatever the classification used (decrease in mean blood pressure ≥ 10 mmHg; systolic blood pressure decrease >20 mmHg or absolute value below 95 mmHg) and after adjustment on the use of vasoactive agent. Diastolic blood pressure readily increased throughout the dialysis session. The use of a bicarbonate zero dialysate allowed the removal of 113 ± 25 mL/min of CO2 by the hemofilter. After bicarbonate reinjection, the global CO2 load induced by AFB was +25 ± 6 compared to +80 ± 12 mL/min with B-IHD (p = 0.0002). Thus, notwithstanding the non-controlled design of this study, hemodynamic tolerance of AFB appears superior to B-IHD in mechanically ventilated patients. Its use as a platform for CO2 removal also warrants further research.
Correlation between Electrophysiological Change and Facial Function in Parotid Surgery Patients
Authors: Chiang Feng-Yu , Wang Chih-Chun , Wu Che-Wei , Lu I-Cheng , Chang Pi-Ying , Lin Yi-Chu , Lien Ching-Feng , Wang Chien-Chung , Huang Tzu-Yen , Hwang Tzer-Zen
Published: December 2021

This observational study investigated intraoperative electrophysiological changes and their correlation with postoperative facial expressions in parotidectomy patients with visual confirmation of facial nerve (FN) continuity. Maximal electromyography(EMG) amplitudes of the facial muscles corresponding to temporal, zygomatic, buccal and mandibular branches were compared before/after FN dissection, and facial function at four facial regions were evaluated before/after parotidectomy in 112 patients. Comparisons of 448 pairs of EMG signals revealed at least one signal decrease after FN dissection in 75 (67%) patients. Regional facial weakness was only found in 13 of 16 signals with >50% amplitude decreases. All facial dysfunctions completely recovered within 6 months. EMG amplitude decreases often occur after FN dissection. An amplitude decrease >50% in an FN branch is associated with a high incidence of dysfunction in the corresponding facial region. This study tries to establish a standard facial nerve monitoring (FNM) procedure and a proper facial function grading system for parotid surgery that will be useful for the future study of FNM in parotid surgery.
Molecular Characterization of HOXA2 and HOXA3 Binding Properties
Authors: Mallen Joshua , Kalsan Manisha , Zarrineh Peyman , Bridoux Laure , Ahmad Shandar , Bobola Nicoletta
Published: December 2021

The highly conserved HOX homeodomain (HD) transcription factors (TFs) establish the identity of different body parts along the antero–posterior axis of bilaterian animals. Segment diversification and the morphogenesis of different structures is achieved by generating precise patterns of HOX expression along the antero–posterior axis and by the ability of different HOX TFs to instruct unique and specific transcriptional programs. However, HOX binding properties in vitro, characterised by the recognition of similar AT-rich binding sequences, do not account for the ability of different HOX to instruct segment-specific transcriptional programs. To address this problem, we previously compared HOXA2 and HOXA3 binding in vivo. Here, we explore if sequence motif enrichments observed in vivo are explained by binding affinities in vitro. Unexpectedly, we found that the highest enriched motif in HOXA2 peaks was not recognised by HOXA2 in vitro, highlighting the importance of investigating HOX binding in its physiological context. We also report the ability of HOXA2 and HOXA3 to heterodimerise, which may have functional consequences for the HOX patterning function in vivo.
Exosomes Derived from Radioresistant Breast Cancer Cells Promote Therapeutic Resistance in Naïve Recipient Cells
Authors: Payton Chantell , Pang Lisa Y. , Gray Mark , Argyle David J.
Published: December 2021

Radiation resistance is a significant challenge in the treatment of breast cancer in humans. Human breast cancer is commonly treated with surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy/radiotherapy, but recurrence and metastasis upon the development of therapy resistance results in treatment failure. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles secreted by most cell types and contain biologically active cargo that, when transferred to recipient cells, can influence the cells’ genome and proteome. We propose that exosomes secreted by radioresistant (RR) cells may be able to disseminate the RR phenotype throughout the tumour. Here, we isolated exosomes from the human breast cancer cell line, MDA-MB-231, and the canine mammary carcinoma cell line, REM134, and their RR counterparts to investigate the effects of exosomes derived from RR cells on non-RR recipient cells. Canine mammary cancer cells lines have previously been shown to be excellent translational models of human breast cancer. This is consistent with our current data showing that exosomes derived from RR cells can increase cell viability and colony formation in naïve recipient cells and increase chemotherapy and radiotherapy resistance, in both species. These results are consistent in cancer stem cell and non-cancer stem cell populations. Significantly, exosomes derived from RR cells increased the tumoursphere-forming ability of recipient cells compared to exosomes derived from non-RR cells. Our results show that exosomes are potential mediators of radiation resistance that could be therapeutically targeted.
The Impact of Multidisciplinary Team Approach on Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis
Authors: Hung Hao-Chien , Hsu Po-Jung , Chang Ting-Chang , Chou Hung-Hsueh , Huang Kuan-Gen , Lai Chyong-Huey , Lee Chao-Wei , Yu Ming-Chin , You Jeng-Fu , Hsu Yu-Jen , Hsu Jun-Te , Wu Ting-Jung
Published: December 2021

Background: Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS–HIPEC) is a therapeutic approach used to achieve curative treatment in intra-abdominal malignancy with peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC). However, it is a complicated procedure with high post-operative complication rates. Thus, we analyzed our preliminary data to establish whether multidisciplinary teamwork (MDT) implementation is beneficial for CRS–HIPEC outcomes. Method: A series of 132 consecutive patients with synchronous or recurrent PC secondary to gastrointestinal or gynecologic cancer who received CRS–HIPEC operation between May 2015 and September 2017 were included. Ninety-nine patients were categorized into the MDT group, with the 33 other patients into the non-MDT group. Results: The mean PCI score was 16.3 ± 8.8. Patients in the MDT group more often presented a higher PCI score (p value = 0.038). Regarding CRS completeness (CCR 0–1), it was distributed 81.8% and 57.6% in the MDT and the non-MDT group, respectively (p value = 0.005). Although post-operative complications were common (n = 62, 47.0%), post-operative complication rates did not differ between the two groups. The cumulative OS survival rate at the first year was 75.5%. Older age (p = 0.030, HR = 4.58, 95% CI = 1.16–18.10), ECOG 2 (p = 0.030, HR = 6.41, 95% CI = 1.20–34.14), and incomplete cytoreduction (p = 0.048, HR = 2.79, 95% CI = 1.04–8.27) were independent prognostic factors for survival. Conclusions: Our experience suggests that the CRS–HIPEC performed under MDT cooperation may result in higher complete cytoreduction rates without increasing post-operative complications and hospital mortalities.
Validation of Machine Learning-Based Individualized Treatment for Depressive Disorder Using Target Trial Emulation
Authors: Wu Chi-Shin , Yang Albert C. , Chang Shu-Sen , Chang Chia-Ming , Liu Yi-Hung , Liao Shih-Cheng , Tsai Hui-Ju
Published: December 2021

This study aims to develop and validate the use of machine learning-based prediction models to select individualized pharmacological treatment for patients with depressive disorder. This study used data from Taiwan’s National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients with incident depressive disorders were included in this study. The study outcome was treatment failure, which was defined as psychiatric hospitalization, self-harm hospitalization, emergency visits, or treatment change. Prediction models based on the Super Learner ensemble were trained separately for the initial and the next-step treatments if the previous treatments failed. An individualized treatment strategy was developed for selecting the drug with the lowest probability of treatment failure for each patient as the model-selected regimen. We emulated clinical trials to estimate the effectiveness of individualized treatments. The area under the curve of the prediction model using Super Learner was 0.627 and 0.751 for the initial treatment and the next-step treatment, respectively. Model-selected regimens were associated with reduced treatment failure rates, with a 0.84-fold (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.82–0.86) decrease for the initial treatment and a 0.82-fold (95% CI 0.80–0.83) decrease for the next-step. In emulation of clinical trials, the model-selected regimen was associated with a reduced treatment failure rate.