bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Colour of Film-Philosophy
Authors: Brown William
Published: May 2023

This article draws upon the work of Sylvia Wynter and W.E.B. Du Bois in order to propose that film-philosophy has historically not paid due attention to race. Drawing upon the former’s concept of “the sociogenic principle”, as well as the latter’s theories of “the colour line” and “double-consciousness”, the article argues that modernity has been constructed coterminously with whiteness, as well as a “photographic/cinematographic” logic whereby Blackness is cast into a “negative” realm. That is, while modernity might be white, more specifically it is antiblack. For film-philosophy ethically to evolve, then, it must not just pursue a dewesternising turn to the global, as suggested by various scholars, but it must also reckon with antiblackness and the role that cinema has played in constructing and reaffirming a white (and therefore antiblack) world. By this token, recent engagements with objects and animals similarly do not often consider race as a structuring concept of and for the human, in distinction to which both objects and animals supposedly exist. Indeed, one might even construe the contemporary emphasis on objects and animals among primarily white western scholars as a refusal to consider race with the critical rigour that it merits. This article goes some way towards introducing such critical rigour as developed among scholars in critical race theory, in particular Black Studies, especially Du Bois and Wynter; and it proposes that the application of such work to film will radically alter how we consider the medium. In this way, the article draws out the (white) colour of film-philosophy, and argues for a racially conscious/conscientious film-philosophy that will thus be worthy of the name.
Freedom and the Weight of the Crown: Sartrean and Beauvoirian Existentialism in Peter Morgan'sThe Crown
Authors: Pozzo di Borgo Gabrielle
Published: May 2023

In this article, I examine Peter Morgan's TV series The Crown (2016–present) through the lens of Sartrean and Beauvoirian existentialism. I argue that the character of Queen Elizabeth II holds a special place in the royal family, as the monarch who demonstrates the compatibility of duty and tradition with existential freedom and authenticity. I also demonstrate the series’ commitment to breaking the illusion of inhumanity that the royal family tries to maintain, by showing that the royals are not out-of-reach ideals, but humans who struggle to transcend their exceptionally binding facticity. As portrayed in The Crown, Queen Elizabeth's lucidity on her situation leads to honest introspection, which dispels any attempt at self-deception, and therefore prevents her from slipping into bad faith.
The Effect of Supportive Group Therapy on Post-Rehabilitation Drug User Resilience
Authors: Karnita Adinda Dwi , Fitria Intan Lailatul , Saputri Ulfah Murni , Mulyati Wiwin
Published: May 2023

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is a toold designed as a barrier against the penetration of substances, solid particles, liquid or air to protect the wearer from injury, spread of infection or disease. The guard officers of the hospital must in the use of  PPE for prevention and control of COVID-19. The purpose of the research is the factors that influence the behavior of the use of PPE of officers in  the COVID-19 pandemic. This research uses correlative analysis design with cross sectional approach. Place and date of research in ER, outpatient, Radiology, Laboratory of Hospital  in Blitar on November 30 – December 11, 2020. Population for research is hospital front guard officers in total sampling 47 respondent,of 8 general practitioners,5 specialists, 20 nurses, 2 radiographers, 4 analysts and 12 auxiliary officers. The research instrument uses observation sheets to the behavior of officers PPE usage and availability, COVID-19 knowledge  questionnaires and hospital policy knowledge related to PPE. Resulth this research analysis using the Person product moment correlation test  showed  factors related to the behavior of PPE use is the knowledge of officers about COVID-19, hospital policies related to PPE and availability of PPE officers with a signification value P = 0.000. While unrelated factors are age and working life with signification values P = 0.208 and P = 0.387. Supervise the provision and use of PPE as needed so socialization  to officers is important for prevention and control of COVID-19.
Desconstruindo Ligeti: relato de uma experiência artística
Authors: Martins Belém Vieira Alice , De Oliveira Amorim Felipe
Published: May 2023

Observando formatos de concerto na atualidade percebemos basicamente duas vertentes: a primeira adere aos modelos tradicionais, cujas referências foram herdadas do século XIX, e a segunda abre espaço para a criatividade, abordando, inclusive, caminhos fronteiriços entre música e outras disciplinas artísticas. Interessados em repensar as possibilidades da música de concerto, realizamos uma performance musical que partiu dos Estudos para piano de Ligeti em direção à transformação das práticas vigentes. O artigo gira em torno dessa performance artística, denominada Deconstructing Ligeti, destacando os conceitos que a embasaram, além de oferecer uma revisão sobre trabalhos representativos que exploram o potencial criativo na performance musical. Dessa maneira, espera-se contribuir para futuras criações investigativas, ampliando o espírito crítico e produzindo novos conhecimentos na comunidade musical.
Do dietary supplements prevent loss of muscle mass and strength during muscle disuse? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials
Authors: Ye Hua , Yang Jia-Ming , Luo Yun , Long Yi , Zhang Jia-Hong , Zhong Yan-Biao , Gao Feng , Wang Mao-Yuan
Published: May 2023

Objective

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of existing randomized controlled trials (RCTs) to assess whether dietary supplements can prevent loss of muscle mass and strength during muscle disuse.

Methods

We searched the following databases: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL for RCTs assessing the effect of dietary supplements on disuse muscular atrophy without language and time restrictions. Muscle strength and leg lean mass were used as the primary outcome indicators. Muscle cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle fiber type distribution, peak aerobic capacity and muscle volume were used as secondary outcome indicators. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane Collaboration's Risk of Bias tool. Heterogeneity was tested using the I2 statistic index. Mean and standard deviation of outcome indicators were extracted from the intervention and control groups to calculate effect sizes and 95% confidence intervals, with the significance level set at P < 0.05.

Results

Twenty RCTs were included with a total of 339 subjects. The results showed that dietary supplements had no effect on muscle strength, CSA, muscle fiber type distribution, peak aerobic capacity or muscle volume. But dietary supplements have a protective effect on the lean mass of the legs.

Conclusion

Dietary supplements can improve lean leg mass, but did not show a tendency to have an effect on muscle strength, CSA, muscle fiber type distribution, peak aerobic capacity or muscle volume during muscle disuse.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, identifier: CRD42022370230.
A rare case of long-term joint swelling caused by pigmented villonodular synovitis in a 3-year-old girl: a case report
Authors: Liu Yang , Liang Shaohua , Wang Wen
Published: May 2023

The clinical symptoms of pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) are usually insidious and non-specific; therefore, delays in diagnosis and treatment are common. Here, we describe a case of a 3-year-old patient presenting with long-term joint swelling to highlight the significance of considering PVNS as a differential diagnosis in children to prevent misdiagnosis and ensure early treatment. After arthroscopic debridement, our patient had a favorable clinical outcome and was free of recurrence.
A Few-Shot Defect Detection Method for Transmission Lines Based on Meta-Attention and Feature Reconstruction
Authors: Shi Yundong , Wang Huimin , Jing Chao , Zhang Xingzhong
Published: May 2023

In tasks of transmission line defect detection, traditional object detection algorithms are ineffective, with few training samples of defective components. Meta-learning uses multi-task learning as well as fine-tuning to learn common features in different tasks, which has the ability to adapt to new tasks quickly, shows good performance in few-shot object detection, and has good generalization in new tasks. For this reason, we proposed a few-shot defect detection method (Meta PowerNet) with a Meta-attention RPN and Feature Reconstruction Module for transmission lines based on meta-learning. First, in the stage of region proposal, a new region proposal network (Meta-Attention Region Proposal Network, MA-RPN) is designed to fuse the support set features and the query set features to filter the noise in anchor boxes. In addition, it has the ability to focus on the subtle texture features of smaller-sized objects by fusing low-level features from the query set. Second, in the meta-feature construction stage, we designed a meta-learner with the defect feature reconstruction module as the core to capture and focus on the defect-related feature channels. The experimental results show that under the condition, there are only 30 training objects for various types of component defects. The method achieves 72.5% detection accuracy for component defects, which is a significant improvement compared with other mainstream few-shot object detection. Meanwhile, the MA-RPN designed in this paper can be used in other meta-learning object detection models universally.
TCGA Expression Analyses of 10 Carcinoma Types Reveal Clinically Significant Racial Differences
Authors: Lei Brian , Jiang Xinyin , Saxena Anjana
Published: May 2023

Epidemiological studies reveal disparities in cancer incidence and outcome rates between racial groups in the United States. In our study, we investigated molecular differences between racial groups in 10 carcinoma types. We used publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas to identify patterns of differential gene expression in tumor samples obtained from 4112 White, Black/African American, and Asian patients. We identified race-dependent expression of numerous genes whose mRNA transcript levels were significantly correlated with patients’ survival. Only a small subset of these genes was differentially expressed in multiple carcinomas, including genes involved in cell cycle progression such as CCNB1, CCNE1, CCNE2, and FOXM1. In contrast, most other genes, such as transcriptional factor ETS1 and apoptotic gene BAK1, were differentially expressed and clinically significant only in specific cancer types. Our analyses also revealed race-dependent, cancer-specific regulation of biological pathways. Importantly, homology-directed repair and ERBB4-mediated nuclear signaling were both upregulated in Black samples compared to White samples in four carcinoma types. This large-scale pan-cancer study refines our understanding of the cancer health disparity and can help inform the use of novel biomarkers in clinical settings and the future development of precision therapies.
Development and Validation of Blood-Based Predictive Biomarkers for Response to PD-1/PD-L1 Checkpoint Inhibitors: Evidence of a Universal Systemic Core of 3D Immunogenetic Profiling across Multiple Oncological Indications
Authors: Hunter Ewan , Salter Matthew , Powell Ryan , Dring Ann , Naithani Tarun , Chatziioannou Maria Eleni , Gebregzabhar Abel , Issa Mutaz , Green Jayne , Ng Serene , Lim Chun Ren , Keat Cheah Soon , Suan Ang Tick , Raman Rakesh , Fatt Ho Kean , Luen Fabian Lee Wei , Alshaker Heba , Pchejetski Dmitri , Blum Dave , Guiel Thomas , Heaton Robert , Levine Jedd , Akoulitchev Alexandre
Published: May 2023

Background: Unprecedented advantages in cancer treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) remain limited to only a subset of patients. Systemic analyses of the regulatory 3D genome architecture linked to individual epigenetic and immunogenetic controls associated with tumour immune evasion mechanisms and immune checkpoint pathways reveal a highly prevalent molecular profile predictive of response to PD-1/PD-L1 ICIs. A clinical blood test based on a set of eight (8) 3D genomic biomarkers has been developed and validated on the basis of an observational trial to predict response to ICI therapy. Methods: The predictive eight biomarker set is derived from prospective observational clinical trials, representing 280 treatments with Pembrolizumab, Atezolizumab, Durvalumab, Nivolumab, and Avelumab in a broad range of indications: melanoma, lung, hepatocellular, renal, breast, bladder, colon, head and neck, bone, brain, lymphoma, prostate, vulvar, and cervical cancers. Results: The 3D genomic eight biomarker panel for response to immune checkpoint therapy achieved a high accuracy of 85%, sensitivity of 93%, and specificity of 82%. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that a 3D genomic approach can be used to develop a predictive clinical assay for response to PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint inhibition in cancer patients.
Machine Learning Improves the Prediction of Responses to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Metastatic Melanoma
Authors: Tabari Azadeh , Cox Meredith , D’Amore Brian , Mansur Arian , Dabbara Harika , Boland Genevieve , Gee Michael S. , Daye Dania
Published: May 2023

Pretreatment LDH is a standard prognostic biomarker for advanced melanoma and is associated with response to ICI. We assessed the role of machine learning-based radiomics in predicting responses to ICI and in complementing LDH for prognostication of metastatic melanoma. From 2008–2022, 79 patients with 168 metastatic hepatic lesions were identified. All patients had arterial phase CT images 1-month prior to initiation of ICI. Response to ICI was assessed on follow-up CT at 3 months using RECIST criteria. A machine learning algorithm was developed using radiomics. Maximum relevance minimum redundancy (mRMR) was used to select features. ROC analysis and logistic regression analyses evaluated performance. Shapley additive explanations were used to identify the variables that are the most important in predicting a response. mRMR selection revealed 15 features that are associated with a response to ICI. The machine learning model combining both radiomics features and pretreatment LDH resulted in better performance for response prediction compared to models that included radiomics or LDH alone (AUC of 0.89 (95% CI: [0.76–0.99]) vs. 0.81 (95% CI: [0.65–0.94]) and 0.81 (95% CI: [0.72–0.91]), respectively). Using SHAP analysis, LDH and two GLSZM were the most predictive of the outcome. Pre-treatment CT radiomic features performed equally well to serum LDH in predicting treatment response.
Transfer Learning Approach to Vascular Permeability Changes in Brain Metastasis Post-Whole-Brain Radiotherapy
Authors: Arledge Chad A. , Crowe William N. , Wang Lulu , Bourland John Daniel , Topaloglu Umit , Habib Amyn A. , Zhao Dawen
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this study is to further validate the utility of our previously developed CNN in an alternative small animal model of BM through transfer learning. Unlike the glioma model, the BM mouse model develops multifocal intracranial metastases, including both contrast enhancing and non-enhancing lesions on DCE MRI, thus serving as an excellent brain tumor model to study tumor vascular permeability. Here, we conducted transfer learning by transferring the previously trained GBM CNN to DCE MRI datasets of BM mice. The CNN was re-trained to learn about the relationship between BM DCE images and target permeability maps extracted from the Extended Tofts Model (ETM). The transferred network was found to accurately predict BM permeability and presented with excellent spatial correlation with the target ETM PK maps. The CNN model was further tested in another cohort of BM mice treated with WBRT to assess vascular permeability changes induced via radiotherapy. The CNN detected significantly increased permeability parameter Ktrans in WBRT-treated tumors (p < 0.01), which was in good agreement with the target ETM PK maps. In conclusion, the proposed CNN can serve as an efficient and accurate tool for characterizing vascular permeability and treatment responses in small animal brain tumor models.
Hybrid Quantum Neural Network for Drug Response Prediction
Authors: Sagingalieva Asel , Kordzanganeh Mohammad , Kenbayev Nurbolat , Kosichkina Daria , Tomashuk Tatiana , Melnikov Alexey
Published: May 2023

Cancer is one of the leading causes of death worldwide. It is caused by various genetic mutations, which makes every instance of the disease unique. Since chemotherapy can have extremely severe side effects, each patient requires a personalized treatment plan. Finding the dosages that maximize the beneficial effects of the drugs and minimize their adverse side effects is vital. Deep neural networks automate and improve drug selection. However, they require a lot of data to be trained on. Therefore, there is a need for machine-learning approaches that require less data. Hybrid quantum neural networks were shown to provide a potential advantage in problems where training data availability is limited. We propose a novel hybrid quantum neural network for drug response prediction based on a combination of convolutional, graph convolutional, and deep quantum neural layers of 8 qubits with 363 layers. We test our model on the reduced Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer dataset and show that the hybrid quantum model outperforms its classical analog by 15% in predicting IC50 drug effectiveness values. The proposed hybrid quantum machine learning model is a step towards deep quantum data-efficient algorithms with thousands of quantum gates for solving problems in personalized medicine, where data collection is a challenge.
[89Zr]-Atezolizumab-PET Imaging Reveals Longitudinal Alterations in PDL1 during Therapy in TNBC Preclinical Models
Authors: Massicano Adriana V. F. , Song Patrick N. , Mansur Ameer , White Sharon L. , Sorace Anna G. , Lapi Suzanne E.
Published: May 2023

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) currently have limited treatment options; however, PD-L1 is an indicator of susceptibility to immunotherapy. Currently, assessment of PD-L1 is limited to biopsy samples. These limitations may be overcome with molecular imaging. In this work, we describe chemistry development and optimization, in vitro, in vivo, and dosimetry of [89Zr]-Atezolizumab for PD-L1 imaging. Atezolizumab was conjugated to DFO and radiolabeled with 89Zr. Tumor uptake and heterogeneity in TNBC xenograft and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models were quantified following [89Zr]-Atezolizumab-PET imaging. PD-L1 expression in TNBC PDX models undergoing therapy and immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to validate imaging. SUV from PET imaging was quantified and used to identify heterogeneity. PET/CT imaging using [89Zr]-Atezolizumab identified a significant increase in tumor:muscle SUVmean 1 and 4 days after niraparib therapy and revealed an increased trend in PD-L1 expression following other cytotoxic therapies. A preliminary dosimetry study indicated the organs that will receive a higher dose are the spleen, adrenals, kidneys, and liver. [89Zr]-Atezolizumab PET/CT imaging reveals potential for the noninvasive detection of PD-L1-positive TNBC tumors and allows for quantitative and longitudinal assessment. This has potential significance for understanding tumor heterogeneity and monitoring early expression changes in PD-L1 induced by therapy.
Geographical Differentiation of Mites from the Suborder Uropodina (Acari: Mesostigmata) in Dead Wood in Europe in the Light of Recent Research
Authors: Błoszyk Jerzy , Napierała Agnieszka , Kulczak Marta , Zacharyasiewicz Michał
Published: May 2023

Dead wood is an important microhabitat for Uropodina mites (Acari: Mesostigmata). Earlier research has shown that dead wood contains about 1/3 of the Uropodina found so far in Poland, and its presence increases the overall biodiversity of forest ecosystems by 40%. The major aim of the current study is to assess the geographical variation of species diversity of Uropodina inhabiting dead wood in Poland and other European countries. The samples from dead wood (1180 samples in total) were collected in seven provinces in Poland, and in eight other countries (France, Italy, Belgium, The Netherlands, Slovakia, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark). Fifty-two Uropodina species were recovered from dead wood in seven provinces in Poland. The highest number of species was recorded in dead wood samples collected in Wielkopolskie, and the lowest in those from Zachodniopomorskie. The total number of species in the examined dead wood in the surveyed European countries was 24 species, ranging from 4 to 13 species per country. The most common species in the examined material from both Poland and other studied European countries were Oodinychus ovalis (C.L. Koch, 1839) and Pulchellaobovella pulchella (Berlese, 1904), though the frequency of the other species found in those areas was low. The differences in species diversity of the examined fauna of Uropodina probably result in the difference in the extent of the research carried out so far in some regions of Poland, lack of sufficient data for other European countries, as well as the highly diversified geographical ranges of most Uropodina species. The obtained results clearly show that there is still a need for further, more extensive research, based on a larger number of samples from dead wood from the whole continent.
Effects of Climate Events on Abundance and Distribution of Major Commercial Fishes in the Beibu Gulf, South China Sea
Authors: Hong Xiaofan , Zhang Kui , Li Jiajun , Xu Youwei , Sun Mingshuai , Wang Yuezhong , Xu Shannan , Cai Yancong , Qiu Yongsong , Chen Zuozhi
Published: May 2023

Improving prediction of ecological responses to climate variability requires understanding how local fish population dynamics are impacted by climate events. The present study was conducted in the Beibu Gulf of the northwestern South China Sea where the fisheries are characterized by high ecological and commercial value. We evaluated the relationship between major commercial fish population dynamics (abundance and distribution) and climate periods, using survey data from 2006–2020. The analysis using random forest and GAM models show that climate events are not the best predictors for the variations of fish abundance, because abundance of most fish stocks decreases significantly with the year, and the increasing fishing pressure over time can better explain the overall downward trend in fishery stocks. However, environmental variables that correlate significantly with interannual variation in ONI may impact fish abundance in short terms. Our research suggests that climate events leading to higher surface seawater salinity in winter favors pelagic fishes by improving habitat availability, and higher near-surface chlorophyll-α concentration during La Niña events provides better food condition for overwintering fish. In addition, there is no clear evidence that climatic events have a significant impact on gravity center of fish distribution, whereas climate change has caused most fishes to move to cooler coastal waters in the north.
Niche Characteristics of Alternanthera philoxeroide-Invaded Plant Communities in Heterogeneous Habitats and Their Latitudinal Trends
Authors: Wu Hao , Dong Sijin , Wang Yanyan , Wang Li , Rao Benqiang
Published: May 2023

Plant invasions are closely related to environmental filtering and biointeractions; however, the variations in invasive plant niches along latitudinal gradients in heterogeneous habitats remain unclear. In this study, we conducted a two-year survey in China spanning 21° N–37° N to explore the niche characteristics of plant species within communities invaded by the amphibious alien weed Alternanthera philoxeroides in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats as well as their latitudinal trends. We found that A. philoxeroides had the greatest niche breadth in the studied communities. The species pairs with the highest niche similarity were A. philoxeroides–Digitaria sanguinalis in terrestrial communities and Cyperus rotundus–Kyllinga brevifolia in aquatic communities. The niche similarity between A. philoxeroides and its accompanying species in terrestrial habitats was significantly higher than that in aquatic habitats (t = 5.954; p < 0.001). The niche breadth of A. philoxeroides had no obvious latitudinal trend, while the niche breadth of its accompanying species in the terrestrial community significantly decreased with increasing latitude (F7, 57 = 4.364, p = 0.001). In the terrestrial communities, the niche similarity between A. philoxeroides and its accompanying species significantly decreased with increasing latitude (F7, 57 = 3.671, p = 0.003), while the niche overlap significantly increased with increasing latitude (F7, 57 = 8.916, p < 0.001). However, the aquatic species’ niche characteristics had no obvious latitudinal trends. These findings indicated that habitat heterogeneity significantly affected the species’ niche characteristics in A. philoxeroides-invaded communities. Environmental filtering at low latitudes allowed the invasive and accompanying species to evolve similar niches, while the cold climate at high latitudes increased the niche overlap between the invader and accompanying species. Our findings are crucial for predicting the dynamics of invasive plant communities under global change and for understanding the mechanisms of species coexistence.
Paleoenvironment Change and Organic Matter Accumulation of Marine Shale in the Zigong Area, Southern Sichuan Basin, China: A Case Study of Well Z303
Authors: Li Huimin , He Taohua , Li Weifeng
Published: May 2023

Marine organic-rich shale is widely distributed in the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation (WF-F) and Silurian Longmaxi Formation (LMX-F), making it an important target for shale gas exploration and development. In order to clarify the paleoenvironment evolution characteristics and the effect of depositional environment on organic matter (OM) accumulation of the marine shale in the Wufeng and Longmaxi Formations, a series of geochemical and petrological experiments were carried out, including TOC, Rock-Eval pyrolysis, XRD, and major and trace element analyses. Research results show that based on the variation characteristics of TOC, mineral composition, and paleoenvironment evolution characteristics, four units can be identified from bottom to top: Wufeng Formation (WF-F), Lower Longmaxi Formation (L-LMX-F), Middle Longmaxi Formation (M-LMX-F) and Upper Longmaxi Formation (U-LMX-F). The high-quality marine shale developed in WF-F and LMX-F in the Zigong area (TOC: 0.65–4.56%, avg. 2.15%) contains type I kerogen (kerogen type index: 86.0–98.3, avg. 92.7) and OM in mature stage (average of Rb and Tmax are 2.94%, 646 °C, respectively). Clay minerals (avg. 42.5%) and quartz (avg. 37.7%) dominate the mineral compositions, with subordinated dolomite (avg. 6.3%), feldspar (avg. 6.0%), calcite (avg. 4.0%), and pyrite (avg. 3.5%). Paleoenvironment indicators suggest that during the sedimentary period of WF-F and L-LMX-F, the paleoclimate condition was humid; the weathering condition, paleosalinity, and redox conditions were the strongest; and there was a relatively high level of paleoproductivity and a relatively low level of terrigenous detritus influx. However, during the period of M-LMX-F and U-LMX-F, the climate gradually changed from warm and humid to hot and dry; the intensity of weathering conditions, paleosalinity, and redox conditions was relatively reduced; terrigenous detritus influx increased; and the paleoproductivity decreased. Relationships between TOC and paleoclimate condition, paleosalinity, redox condition, paleoproductivity, and terrigenous detritus influx suggest that redox condition is most important controlling factor for OM enrichment. A combination of anoxic bottom water conditions and high primary productivity and a relatively low terrigenous input resulted in the enrichment of OM in the WF-F and L-LMX-F, making it a potential exploration and development target. The research can provide scientific guidance for the selection of potential shale gas development targets in the Zigong area.
Non-Thermal Plasma Pyrolysis of Fuel Oil in the Liquid Phase
Authors: Titov Evgeniy Yurevich , Bodrikov Ivan Vasilevich , Vasiliev Alexander Leonidovich , Kurskii Yuriy Alekseevich , Ivanova Anna Gennadievna , Golovin Andrey Leonidovich , Shirokov Dmitry Alekseevich , Titov Dmitry Yurievich , Bodrikova Evgenia Ruslanovna
Published: May 2023

A pulsed plasma pyrolysis reactor with an efficient control system was designed for fuel oil processing. Non-thermal plasma pyrolysis was carried out in the liquid phase at low temperatures (not higher than 100 °C) in a 300 cm3 reactor without additional reagents or catalysts. The main process parameters and characteristics of non-thermal plasma fuel oil products were investigated within the DC source voltage range of 300–700 V. An increase in the energy of pulsed discharges led to an increase in the productivity of the plasma pyrolysis process and the yield of hydrogen but reduced the yield of acetylene and ethylene. The resulting gas consisted predominantly of hydrogen (46.5–50.0 mol%), acetylene (28.8–34.3 mol%), ethylene (7.6–8.6 mol%), methane (4.2–6.2 mol%), and C3–C5 hydrocarbons. The solid-phase products were in the form of disordered graphite and multilayer nanotubes.
A Comprehensive Review of the Design and Operation Optimization of Energy Hubs and Their Interaction with the Markets and External Networks
Authors: Papadimitriou Christina , Di Somma Marialaura , Charalambous Chrysanthos , Caliano Martina , Palladino Valeria , Cortés Borray Andrés Felipe , González-Garrido Amaia , Ruiz Nerea , Graditi Giorgio
Published: May 2023

The European Union’s vision for energy transition not only foresees decarbonization of the electricity sector, but also requires commitment across different sectors such as gas, heating, and cooling through an integrated approach. It also sets local energy communities at the center of the energy transition as a bottom-up approach to achieve these ambitious decarbonization goals. The energy hub is seen as a promising conceptual model to foster the optimization of multi-carrier energy systems and cross-sectoral interaction. Especially in the context of local energy communities, the energy hub concept can enable the optimal design, management, and control of future integrated and digitalized networks where multiple energy carriers operate seamlessly and in complementarity with each other. In that sense, the optimal design and operation of energy hubs are of critical importance, especially under the effect of multiple objectives taking on board not only technical, but also other aspects that would enable the sustainability of local energy communities, such as economic and environmental. This paper aims to provide an in-depth review of the literature surrounding the existing state-of-the-art approaches that are related to the design and operation optimization of energy hubs by also exploring their interaction with the external network and multiple markets. As the planning and operation of an energy hub is a multifaceted research topic, this paper covers issues such as the different optimization methods, optimization problems formulation including objective functions and constraints, and the hubs’ optimal market participation, including flexibility mechanisms. By systematizing the existing literature, this paper highlights any limitations of the approaches so far and identifies the need for further research and enhancement of the existing approaches.
Fuel Cell Trucks: Thermal Challenges in Heat Exchanger Layout
Authors: Doppler Christian , Lindner-Rabl Benedikt
Published: May 2023

Fuel cell powertrains have higher efficiencies compared to internal combustion engine powertrains, but—despite lower thermal losses—thermal requirements are noticeably higher. The commonly used Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cell is highly sensitive to temperature deviations; hence specifications of coolant temperatures must be strictly observed. Furthermore, their working-temperature level is closer to ambient air, requiring a more efficient cooling system. This work focuses on medium-duty and heavy-duty truck segments. The aim is to provide a possible optimization guideline for cooling system developers to select an adequate heat exchanger for available air mass flows. This energetical and thermal layout process is based on fuel cell module information provided by Plastic Omnium New Energies Wels GmbH, firstly by simple steady-state calculations and secondly by transient vehicle system simulations. To define the system to the full extent, the analyses cover full-load operation, VECTO cycles, real-driving cycles, and the highest ambient temperatures. Finally, an optimized system is presented, matching the best trade-off between heat exchanger size and mass flows. Results show a linear and then exponential increase in heat exchanger size with soaring thermal requirements. Thus, with a well-defined thermal layout validated on the full vehicle level, the lowest possible component sizes are identified at which still harshest mission profiles can be completed.
Power Quality Disturbance Classification Based on Parallel Fusion of CNN and GRU
Authors: Cai Jiajun , Zhang Kai , Jiang Hui
Published: May 2023

Effective identification of complex power quality disturbances (PQDs) is the premise and key to improving power quality issues in the current complex power grid environment. However, with the increasing application of solid-state switches, nonlinear devices, and multi-energy system generation, the power grid disturbance signals are distorted and complicated. This increases the difficulty of PQDs identification. To address this issue, this paper presents a novel method for power quality disturbance classification using a convolutional neural network (CNN) and gated recurrent unit (GRU). The CNN consists of convolutional blocks, some of which come with a squeeze-and-excitation block (SE), and is used to extract the short-term features from PQDs, where the convolutional block is used to capture the spatial information from PQDs and the SE is used to enhance the feature extraction capability of the convolutional neural network. The GRU network is designed to capture the long-term feature from PQDs, and an attention mechanism connected to GRU’s hidden states at different times is proposed to improve the GRU’s feature capture ability in long-term sequences. The CNN and GRU are parallelly arranged to perceive the same PQDs in two different views, and the feature information extracted from them is fused and transmitted to the Softmax activation layer for classification. Based on MATLAB-Simulink, a typical multi-energy-source system is constructed to analyze PQDs, and twelve PQDs are simulated to validate the proposed method. The simulation results show that the proposed method has higher classification accuracy in both single and hybrid disturbances and significant advantages in noise immunity.
Surrogate Models for Efficient Multi-Objective Optimization of Building Performance
Authors: Araújo Gonçalo Roque , Gomes Ricardo , Gomes Maria Glória , Guedes Manuel Correia , Ferrão Paulo
Published: May 2023

Nowadays, the large set of available simulation tools brings numerous benefits to urban and architectural practices. However, simulations often take a considerable amount of time to yield significant results, particularly when performing many simulations and with large models, as is typical in complex urban and architectural endeavors. Additionally, multiple objective optimizations with metaheuristic algorithms have been widely used to solve building optimization problems. However, most of these optimization processes exponentially increase the computational time to correctly produce outputs and require extensive knowledge to interpret results. Thus, building optimization with time-consuming simulation tools is often rendered unfeasible and requires a specific methodology to overcome these barriers. This work integrates a baseline multi-objective optimization process with a widely used, validated building energy simulation tool. The goal is to minimize the energy use and cost of the construction of a residential building complex. Afterward, machine learning and optimization techniques are used to create a surrogate model capable of accurately predicting the simulation results. Finally, different metaheuristics with their tuned hyperparameters are compared. Results show significant improvements in optimization results with a decrease of up to 22% in the total cost while having similar performance results and execution times up to 100 times faster.
A Re-Inventory after 12 Years—Increase in Red Wood Ant Nests and Woodpecker Cavities in Nests in the West Eifel Volcanic Field despite Climatic Changes
Authors: Berberich Gabriele M. , Berberich Martin B.
Published: May 2023

We re-inventoried red wood ant nests (RWA) in 12 study sites (≈1281 ha) in the tectonically active Westeifel Volcanic Field, Germany, in an area-wide and integrated ecosystem approach after 12 years. Combined with the re-identification of previously mapped nests using a photo database, this approach leads to more accurate nest counts in (re)inventories. A total increase in nests from 1144 (2009) to 1252 (2021), and a dramatic one for the Heidberg site by 52-fold (2009) and 85-fold (2021) compared to a 1984 inventory was observed, contrasting with earlier postulations of a decline in RWA. Early to medium mature (41–80 years) and mature (≥81–140 years) spruce forests were the preferred habitat. A large increase in small-sized nests suggests an increase in new nest settlements also in clearings, despite climate-induced forest dieback over the past decade. A decline in biodiversity in the herbaceous layer was observed; highly proliferating blackberries had no negative impact on RWA nests. Monitoring of woodpecker cavities in RWA nests is suggested as an indirect indicator tool for evaluating populations in forests. Positive ground movement rates caused by the Eifel plume are suggested as another factor favoring nest settlements, especially in NE-SW and WNW-ESE directions. This study contributes to the urgent need for updating the statistical data required to (a) effectively substantiate the status quo of RWA occurrences, (b) protect RWA as ecosystem engineers, (c) advance understanding of GeoBio-Interactions in the wake of climate change, and (d) contribute to the German government’s Insect Conservation Action Program.
Perceived Barriers of Accessing Healthcare among Migrant Workers in Thailand during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Uansri Sonvanee , Kunpeuk Watinee , Julchoo Sataporn , Sinam Pigunkaew , Phaiyarom Mathudara , Suphanchaimat Rapeepong
Published: May 2023

The outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) has threatened health and well-being in all populations. This impact is also deepening structural inequalities for migrant workers in Thailand. Due to their vulnerability and limited opportunity to access health services, they have greater risks in many health aspects compared to other populations. This qualitative study sought to examine the key health concerns and barriers during the COVID-19 pandemic on healthcare access among migrant workers in Thailand through the lens of policymakers, healthcare professionals, experts on migrant health, and migrant workers. We conducted 17 semi-structured in-depth interviews of stakeholders from health and non-health sectors in Thailand from July to October 2021. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed using both deductive and inductive thematic approaches. Thematic coding was applied. The results showed that financial constraints were a major barrier for healthcare access among migrant workers. These included affordability of healthcare and difficulty accessing funds (migrant health insurance). Structural barriers included some health facilities opening for emergency cases only. Insufficient healthcare resources were profound during the peak of positive cases. Cognitive barriers included negative attitudes and diverse understanding of healthcare rights. Language and communication barriers, and a lack of information also played an important role. Conclusion, our study highlights healthcare access barriers to migrant workers in Thailand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Recommendations for future resolution of these barriers were also proposed.
nc886, an RNA Polymerase III-Transcribed Noncoding RNA Whose Expression Is Dynamic and Regulated by Intriguing Mechanisms
Authors: Lee Yeon-Su , Lee Yong Sun
Published: May 2023

nc886 is a medium-sized non-coding RNA that is transcribed by RNA polymerase III (Pol III) and plays diverse roles in tumorigenesis, innate immunity, and other cellular processes. Although Pol III-transcribed ncRNAs were previously thought to be expressed constitutively, this concept is evolving, and nc886 is the most notable example. The transcription of nc886 in a cell, as well as in human individuals, is controlled by multiple mechanisms, including its promoter CpG DNA methylation and transcription factor activity. Additionally, the RNA instability of nc886 contributes to its highly variable steady-state expression levels in a given situation. This comprehensive review discusses nc886’s variable expression in physiological and pathological conditions and critically examines the regulatory factors that determine its expression levels.
Morphological Diversity of Dps Complex with Genomic DNA
Authors: Chesnokov Yuri , Kamyshinsky Roman , Mozhaev Andrey , Shtykova Eleonora , Vasiliev Alexander , Orlov Ivan , Dadinova Liubov
Published: May 2023

In response to adverse environmental factors, Escherichia coli cells actively produce Dps proteins which form ordered complexes (biocrystals) with bacterial DNA to protect the genome. The effect of biocrystallization has been described extensively in the scientific literature; furthermore, to date, the structure of the Dps–DNA complex has been established in detail in vitro using plasmid DNA. In the present work, for the first time, Dps complexes with E. coli genomic DNA were studied in vitro using cryo-electron tomography. We demonstrate that genomic DNA forms one-dimensional crystals or filament-like assemblies which transform into weakly ordered complexes with triclinic unit cells, similar to what is observed for plasmid DNA. Changing such environmental factors as pH and KCl and MgCl2 concentrations leads to the formation of cylindrical structures.
Protective Effects of Cirsilineol against Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation; Insights into HO-1, COX-2, and iNOS Modulation
Authors: Kim Go Oun , Park Dong Ho , Bae Jong-Sup
Published: May 2023

In this study, the potential protective effects of cirsilineol (CSL), a natural compound found in Artemisia vestita, were examined on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses. CSL was found to have antioxidant, anticancer, and antibacterial properties, and was lethal to many cancer cells. We assessed the effects of CSL on heme oxygenase (HO)-1, cyclooxygenase (COX)-2, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-activated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). We also examined the effects of CSL on the expression of iNOS, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and interleukin (IL)-1β in the pulmonary histological status of LPS-injected mice. The results showed that CSL increased HO-1 production, inhibited luciferase-NF-κB interaction, and reduced COX-2/PGE2 and iNOS/NO levels, leading to a decrease in signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT)-1 phosphorylation. CSL also enhanced the nuclear translocation of Nrf2, elevated the binding activity between Nrf2 and antioxidant response elements (AREs), and reduced IL-1β expression in LPS-treated HUVECs. We found that CSL’s suppression of iNOS/NO synthesis was restored by inhibiting HO-1 through RNAi. In the animal model, CSL significantly decreased iNOS expression in the pulmonary biostructure, and TNF-α level in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. These findings indicate that CSL has anti-inflammatory properties by controlling iNOS through inhibition of both NF-κB expression and p-STAT-1. Therefore, CSL may have potential as a candidate for developing new clinical substances to treat pathological inflammation.
Comparison of the Patency and Regenerative Potential of Biodegradable Vascular Prostheses of Different Polymer Compositions in an Ovine Model
Authors: Antonova Larisa V. , Sevostianova Viktoriia V. , Silnikov Vladimir N. , Krivkina Evgeniya O. , Velikanova Elena A. , Mironov Andrey V. , Shabaev Amin R. , Senokosova Evgenia A. , Khanova Mariam Yu. , Glushkova Tatiana V. , Akentieva Tatiana N. , Sinitskaya Anna V. , Markova Victoria E. , Shishkova Daria K. , Lobov Arseniy A. , Repkin Egor A. , Stepanov Alexander D. , Kutikhin Anton G. , Barbarash Leonid S.
Published: May 2023

The lack of suitable autologous grafts and the impossibility of using synthetic prostheses for small artery reconstruction make it necessary to develop alternative efficient vascular grafts. In this study, we fabricated an electrospun biodegradable poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) prosthesis and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvalerate)/poly(ε-caprolactone) (PHBV/PCL) prosthesis loaded with iloprost (a prostacyclin analog) as an antithrombotic drug and cationic amphiphile with antibacterial activity. The prostheses were characterized in terms of their drug release, mechanical properties, and hemocompatibility. We then compared the long-term patency and remodeling features of PCL and PHBV/PCL prostheses in a sheep carotid artery interposition model. The research findings verified that the drug coating of both types of prostheses improved their hemocompatibility and tensile strength. The 6-month primary patency of the PCL/Ilo/A prostheses was 50%, while all PHBV/PCL/Ilo/A implants were occluded at the same time point. The PCL/Ilo/A prostheses were completely endothelialized, in contrast to the PHBV/PCL/Ilo/A conduits, which had no endothelial cells on the inner layer. The polymeric material of both prostheses degraded and was replaced with neotissue containing smooth-muscle cells; macrophages; proteins of the extracellular matrix such as type I, III, and IV collagens; and vasa vasorum. Thus, the biodegradable PCL/Ilo/A prostheses demonstrate better regenerative potential than PHBV/PCL-based implants and are more suitable for clinical use.