bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Preoperative Physical Activity with Short- and Long-Term Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Palliative Resection for Metastatic Colorectal Cancer: An Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighting Analysis
Authors: Cheng Ching-Chung , Lai I-Li , Huang Shu-Huan , Tsai Wen-Sy , Hsieh Pao-Shiu , Yeh Chien-Yuh , Chiang Sum-Fu , Hung Hsin-Yuan , You Jeng-Fu
Published: January 2022

A lack of physical activity is a generally accepted risk factor for colorectal cancer. However, research on the effect of preoperative physical activity on postoperative and long-term outcomes is limited, especially in patients with stage IV colorectal cancer who underwent palliative surgery. Patients who underwent bowel resection for stage IV primary colorectal cancer between January 1995 and December 2016 were retrospectively enrolled. A total of 2185 patients were divided into two groups according to preoperative leisure-time weekly physical activity as assessed by metabolic equivalent of task (MET) values: MET < 12 (n = 1845) and MET ≥ 12 (n = 340). Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to reduce imbalance and selection biases between the two groups. After the IPTW process, the MET < 12 group showed a higher postoperative morbidity rate (18.7% vs. 10.6%; p < 0.001) and mortality rate (2.4% vs. 0.6%; p < 0.001) than the MET ≥ 12 group. No significant difference was found in overall survival. Weekly preoperative leisure-time physical activity with MET ≥ 12 was associated with reduced short-term postoperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing palliative resection for metastatic colorectal cancer. However, no difference was detected in long-term survival.
C-Reactive Protein as Predictive Biomarker for Response to Chemoradiotherapy in Patients with Locally Advanced Rectal Cancer: A Retrospective Study
Authors: Aires Fátima , Rodrigues Darlene , Lamas María Piñeiro , Herdeiro Maria Teresa , Figueiras Adolfo , Oliveira Maria José , Marques Margarida , Pinto Ana Teresa
Published: January 2022

The standard of care for the treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer is neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT) followed by surgery, but complete response rates are reduced. To find predictive biomarkers of response to therapy, we conducted a retrospective study evaluating blood biomarkers before nCRT. Hemoglobin (Hg), C-reactive protein (CRP), platelets, carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 19.9 levels, and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio were obtained from 171 rectal cancer patients before nCRT. Patients were classified as responders (Ryan 0–1; ycT0N0), 59.6% (n = 102), or nonresponders (Ryan 2–3), 40.3% (n = 69), in accordance with the Ryan classification. A logistic regression using prognostic pretreatment factors identified CRP ≤ 3.5 (OR = 0.05; 95%CI: 0.01–0.21) as a strong independent predictor of response to treatment. Multivariate analysis showed that CRP was an independent predictor of disease-free survival (DFS) (HR = 5.48; 95%CI: 1.54–19.48) and overall survival (HR = 6.10; 95%CI 1.27–29.33) in patients treated with nCRT. Platelets were an independent predictor of DFS (HR = 3.068; 95%CI: 1.29–7.30) and OS (HR= 4.65; 95%CI: 1.66–13.05) and Hg was revealed to be an independent predictor of DFS (HR = 0.37; 95%CI: 0.15–0.90) in rectal cancer patients treated with nCRT. The lower expression of CRP is independently associated with an improved response to nCRT, DFS, and OS.
Urological Cancer Panorama in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: López-Fernández Estibaliz , Angulo Javier C. , López José I. , Manini Claudia
Published: January 2022

A total of 22 contributions conforms this Special Issue that covers a wide spectrum of contemporary issues in urological cancer, a group of neoplasms with high incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates, especially in the male population of Western countries [...]
Towards a Better Vision of Retinoic Acid Signaling during Eye Development
Authors: Duester Gregg
Published: January 2022

Retinoic acid (RA) functions as an essential signal for development of the vertebrate eye by controlling the transcriptional regulatory activity of RA receptors (RARs). During eye development, the optic vesicles and later the retina generate RA as a metabolite of vitamin A (retinol). Retinol is first converted to retinaldehyde by retinol dehydrogenase 10 (RDH10) and then to RA by all three retinaldehyde dehydrogenases (ALDH1A1, ALDH1A2, and ALDH1A3). In early mouse embryos, RA diffuses to tissues throughout the optic placode, optic vesicle, and adjacent mesenchyme to stimulate folding of the optic vesicle to form the optic cup. RA later generated by the retina is needed for further morphogenesis of the optic cup and surrounding perioptic mesenchyme; loss of RA at this stage leads to microphthalmia and cornea plus eyelid defects. RA functions by binding to nuclear RARs at RA response elements (RAREs) that either activate or repress transcription of key genes. Binding of RA to RARs regulates recruitment of transcriptional coregulators such as nuclear receptor coactivator (NCOA) or nuclear receptor corepressor (NCOR), which in turn control binding of the generic coactivator p300 or the generic corepressor PRC2. No genes have been identified as direct targets of RA signaling during eye development, so future studies need to focus on identifying such genes and their RAREs. Studies designed to learn how RA normally controls eye development in vivo will provide basic knowledge valuable for determining how developmental eye defects occur and for improving strategies to treat eye defects.
Current State of Pediatric Cardio-Oncology: A Review
Authors: Brickler Molly , Raskin Alexander , Ryan Thomas D.
Published: January 2022

The landscape of pediatric oncology has dramatically changed over the course of the past several decades with five-year survival rates surpassing 80%. Anthracycline therapy has been the cornerstone of many chemotherapy regimens for pediatric patients since its introduction in the 1960s, and recent improved survival has been in large part due to advancements in chemotherapy, refinement of supportive care treatments, and development of novel therapeutics such as small molecule inhibitors, chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Unfortunately, many cancer-targeted therapies can lead to acute and chronic cardiovascular pathologies. The range of cardiotoxicity can vary but includes symptomatic or asymptotic heart failure, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, valvar disease, pericardial disease, hypertension, and peripheral vascular disease. There is lack of data guiding primary prevention and treatment strategies in the pediatric population, which leads to substantial practice variability. Several important future research directions have been identified, including as they relate to cardiac disease, prevention strategies, management of cardiovascular risk factors, risk prediction, early detection, and the role of genetic susceptibility in development of cardiotoxicity. Continued collaborative research will be key in advancing the field. The ideal model for pediatric cardio-oncology is a proactive partnership between pediatric cardiologists and oncologists in order to better understand, treat, and ideally prevent cardiac disease in pediatric oncology patients.
Differences in Hygiene Habits among Children Aged 8 to 11 Years by Type of Schooling
Authors: Pérez Pico Ana María , Mingorance Álvarez Esther , Villar Rodríguez Julia , Mayordomo Acevedo Raquel
Published: January 2022

Personal hygiene is one of the basic activities in the care of our body. Parents are responsible for their children’s hygiene to prevent infections and keep them healthy. However, children must acquire hygiene habits correctly and independently. This study examines the sociodemographic profile, hygiene habits and knowledge, and level of autonomy of children who are starting to perform their personal care autonomously to identify the areas in which their habits could be improved. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted concerning 125 children aged 8–11 years attending schools in northern Extremadura, Spain. The children were surveyed with the HICORIN® questionnaire and the resulting data were statistically processed with SPSS 22.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA). The majority of participating children required help to perform personal hygiene activities. Children in preferential schooling (PS) require less help than children in mainstream schooling (MS) but have less knowledge about personal hygiene. Different habits were observed in the frequency and time of day for performing personal hygiene between groups (p-values < 0.005). In general, more than 80% of children aged 8 to 11 years are not autonomous in some aspect of their personal hygiene, and they are not all familiar with personal hygiene. Because of this, it is necessary to conduct theory and practical workshops with children who must acquire correct personal hygiene habits autonomously to prevent infection and promote health.
Effect of Copper Nanoparticles and Ions on Epididymis and Spermatozoa Viability of Chinese Soft-Shelled Turtles Pelodiscus sinensis
Authors: Yang Li , Wei Yating , Gao Shuai , Wang Qifei , Chen Jiaqi , Tang Boping , Bian Xunguang
Published: January 2022

Copper nanoparticles (CuNPs) have been widely used in various industrial and commercial applications, which become a potential threat to aquatic organisms. Nevertheless, their potential toxicity to the epididymis and sperm remains little known. In this study, we evaluated the effect of CuNPs and copper ions (CuSO4) on the spermatozoa viability, epididymal structure, antioxidant enzyme activity, and inflammatory cytokines in cauda epididymis of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle. Results showed that the spermatozoa viability of Chinese soft-shelled turtles decreased significantly with an increase in CuNPs or Cu ions concentrations. The epithelial cells of the epididymal duct of the Chinese soft-shelled turtles with the treatment of 5 mg kg−1 CuNPs were slightly swollen, and the connective tissue between the epididymal ducts was loose. The epithelial structure of the epididymal tube was severely damaged with an increase in Cu ion concentrations. Compared to the control, the antioxidative enzymes activities and the expression of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 mRNA in the epididymis significantly increased with the treatment of CuNPs or CuSO4. The present study revealed that Cu ions exert more harmful effect on the epididymis and spermatozoa viability of Chinese soft-shelled turtles than copper nanoparticles.
Organic Emitters Showing Excited-States Energy Inversion: An Assessment of MC-PDFT and Correlation Energy Functionals Beyond TD-DFT
Authors: Sancho-García Juan-Carlos , San-Fabián Emilio
Published: January 2022

The lowest-energy singlet (S1) and triplet (T1) excited states of organic conjugated chromophores are known to be accurately calculated by modern wavefunction and Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TD-DFT) methods, with the accuracy of the latter heavily relying on the exchange-correlation functional employed. However, there are challenging cases for which this cannot be the case, due to the fact that those excited states are not exclusively formed by single excitations and/or are affected by marked correlation effects, and thus TD-DFT might fall short. We will tackle here a set of molecules belonging to the azaphenalene family, for which research recently documented an inversion of the relative energy of S1 and T1 excited states giving rise to a negative energy difference (ΔEST) between them and, thereby, contrary to most of the systems thus far treated by TD-DFT. Since methods going beyond standard TD-DFT are not extensively applied to excited-state calculations and considering how challenging this case is for the molecules investigated, we will prospectively employ here a set of non-standard methods (Multi-Configurational Pair Density Functional Theory or MC-PDFT) and correlation functionals (i.e., Lie–Clementi and Colle–Salvetti) relying not only on the electronic density but also on some modifications considering the intricate electronic structure of these systems.
A Theoretical Survey of the UV–Visible Spectra of Axially and Peripherally Substituted Boron Subphthalocyanines
Authors: Lamsabhi Al Mokhtar , Montero-Campillo M. Merced , Mó Otilia , Yáñez Manuel
Published: January 2022

The UV–visible spectra of a series of subphthalocyanines (SubPcs) characterized by three different axial substituents (An) in combination with H, F, NO2, SO2H and SO2CH3 peripheral substituents (Ri) were predicted and analyzed by means of time-dependent DFT calculations, including chloroform as a solvent. In this analysis, we paid particular attention to the Q band, which remained almost unchanged regardless of the nature of the axial substituent. For the same axial substituent, changes in the Q band were also rather small when hydrogens at the periphery were replaced by R1 = SO2H and R1 = R2 = SO2H. However, the shifting of the Q band was almost 10 times larger when R1 = NO2 and R1 = R2 = NO2 due to the participation of this substituent in the π SubPc cloud. In most cases, the characteristics of the spectra can be explained considering only the transitions involving the HOMO-1, HOMO, LUMO and LUMO + 1 orbitals, where the Q band can be decomposed into two main contributions, leading to charge separation. Only for SubPc(A3,F,F,H) would one of the two contributions from the deepest orbital involved not lead to charge transfer. For this latter case, the HOMO-2 orbital must also be taken into account. In summary, the results obtained with the analysis of the MO indicate that the studied SubPcs are appropriate for photochemical devices.
Zooceuticals and Cosmetic Ingredients Derived from Animals
Authors: Cristiano Luigi , Guagni Manuela
Published: January 2022

Many substances derived from animals are used as ingredients in the cosmetic industry and constitute a particular type of product: zooceuticals. The main ingredients used can come from insects, such as snail slime; land animals, such as lanolin; and marine animals, such as marine collagen. Today, they are used less than in the past for hygienic–sanitary, ethical, and ecological reasons. Moreover, some can give rise to irritative or allergic dermatitis. However, they still represent a fraction of the common ingredients in certain types of cosmetic products today.
Electrocaloric Effect in (1−x)(0.8Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3-0.2BaTiO3)−xCaTiO3 Solid Solutions at High Electric Fields
Authors: Eberlins Ojars Martins , Birks Eriks , Antonova Maija , Kundzins Maris , Livins Maris , Sternberg Andris
Published: January 2022

Recently, promising results were obtained in studies of the electrocaloric effect in thin films. Therefore, research into this effect at high applied electric field values in bulk ferroelectrics is an important task for those scoping out materials that could be appropriate for cooling devices based on the electrocaloric effect. The present study addresses electrocaloric effect in (1−x)(0.8Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-0.2BaTiO3)−xCaTiO3 solid solutions by the direct method in electric fields ranging from 0 up to 100 kV/cm and at temperatures of up to 150 °C. The choice of 0.8Na1/2Bi1/2TiO3-0.2BaTiO3 as the starting composition is motivated by high spontaneous polarization within the studied range of electric fields, while CaTiO3 is added to reduce depolarization temperature at, and below, room temperature. In the studied temperature range, the maximal value of electrocaloric effect with temperature change of ΔT = 1.0 °C was found in the composition with x = 0.050 at 100 °C, having significant contribution from the entropy jump at the first-order phase transition induced by an electric field. At increasing CaTiO3 concentration, the attainable ΔT decreases. Measurements of polarization current, which were taken simultaneously with ΔT measurements, allowed us to study differences between ΔT obtained by the direct and the indirect methods.
Varying Synthesis Conditions and Comprehensive Characterization of Fluorine-Doped Hydroxyapatite Nanocrystals in a Simulated Body Fluid
Authors: Thakur Dinbandhu , Yeh Sheng-Chi , Cheng Ren-Hao , Loke Song-Seng , Wei Hung-Hsiang , Cheng Po-Yu , Lai Yi-Chun , Chen Hsuan-Ying , Huang Yu-Ren , Ding Shang-Wu
Published: January 2022

Bone supports animal bodies, is the place where blood is produced, and is essential for the immune system, among other important functions. The dominant inorganic component in bone is hydroxyapatite (Hap), the structure and dynamics of which still pose many unsolved puzzles. An updated understanding of HAp is of great significance to osteology, dentistry, and the development of artificial bone and other biomaterials. In this work, HAp nanoparticles were synthesized with the wet chemical precipitation method and their structure and morphologies were controlled by varying pH and adding fluoride ions by two different routes: (1) fluoride ions were added during synthesis, and (2) fluoride ions were introduced after the samples were synthesized by soaking the samples in solutions with fluoride ions. XRD and HRTEM were employed to confirm the composition and structure, while various multinuclear (1H, 19F, 31P) solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods including 1D single pulse, cross-polarization under magic-angle spinning (CPMAS), and 2D heteronuclear correlation (HETCOR) were used to characterize the structure, morphology, and dynamics, validating the general core-shell morphology in these F-HAp samples. It was found that all hydroxide ions were substituted when the fluoride ion concentration was above 0.005 M. An NMR peak corresponding to water structure emerged and the bulk water peak was shifted upfield, indicating that fluoride substitution modifies both the crystalline core and the amorphous shell of F-HAp nanoparticles. With the second route of fluoride substitution, increases in soaking time or fluoride ion concentration could increase fluoride substitution in HAp, but could not achieve complete substitution. Finally, with 1H-31P CPMAS and HETCOR, it was established that there are two types of phosphorous, one in the crystalline core (PO43−) and the other in the amorphous shell (HPO42−). These results are valuable for clarifying the fluoride substitution mechanism in HAp in biomaterials or in organisms, and provide insights for developing next generation replacement materials for bone, tooth, or coating films, drug delivery systems, etc.
Species Abundance Distributions Patterns between Tiankeng Forests and Nearby Non-Tiankeng Forests in Southwest China
Authors: Huang Linjuan , Yang Hao , An Xiaofei , Yu Yanmei , Yu Linlan , Huang Gui , Liu Xinyu , Chen Ming , Xue Yuegui
Published: January 2022

Identifying the species abundance distributions (SADs) in Tiankeng forests is crucial for restoring and managing degraded karst ecosystem, whereas previous studies rarely explored the differences and response of vegetation dynamics to environmental variations. The species composition and SADs of the inner and outer fringe areas of Tiankeng forest and nearby non-Tiankeng forest were compared in Southwest China. Six models were adopted to compare SADs of three habitats. Kolmogrov–Smirnov (K–S) test was selected to compare the discrepancy between the simulated and observed SAD patterns. The Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) test was adopted to compare the models, and the best model was indicated by the lowest AIC value. The results showed that (1) the species dispersal from the inside of Tiankeng forests to the nearby non-Tiankeng forests is limited, while species have unlimited dispersal from nearby non-Tiankeng forests to the inside of Tiankeng forests via the fringe of Tiankeng forests. (2) Species abundance, species rarity, richness, and species accumulation rate in the Tiankeng forests were significant in non-Tiankeng forests (p < 0.05), and most species in inner Tiankeng forests originated from nearby non-Tiankeng forests. (3) Based on the criterion of K-S values, all models have passed the K–S test (p > 0.05), which indicated that niche processes and neutral process worked together in the maintenance of community species diversity, the community in study area is a niche-neutral continuum. (4) Considered the lowest AIC value, the neutral (△mean AIC = 1.3) models performed better than the niche (△mean AIC = 22.7) models and statistical (△mean AIC = 2.7) in the Tiankeng forest, while the statistical models performed better than the niche and neutral models in the non-Tiankeng forests. The results suggested that the main driving force of Tiankeng forests is the neutral process. The negative terrain in Tiankeng restricted the species dispersal due to topographic constraints. However, the species dispersal from the nearby non-Tiankeng forests could promote the species succession in the inner Tiankeng. Therefore, we propose that nearby non-Tiankeng forests should be emphasized for protecting the biodiversity of Tiankeng forests.
Blood Metabolomic Phenotyping of Dry Cows Could Predict the High Milk Somatic Cells in Early Lactation—Preliminary Results
Authors: Haxhiaj Klevis , Li Zhili , Johnson Mathew , Dunn Suzanna M. , Wishart David S. , Ametaj Burim N.
Published: January 2022

Subclinical mastitis (SCM) is a very common disease of dairy cows. Currently, somatic cell count (SCC) is used for SCM diagnoses. There are no prognostic tests to detect which cows may develop SCM during the dry-off period. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to identify metabolic alterations in the serum of pre-SCM cows during the dry-off period, at −8 and −4 weeks before calving, through a targeted mass spectrometry (MS) assay. Fifteen cows, free of any disease, and 10 cows affected only by SCM postpartum served as controls (CON) and the SCM group, respectively. Results showed 59 and 47 metabolites that differentiated (p ≤ 0.05) CON and pre-SCM cows at –8 and −4 weeks prior to the expected date of parturition, respectively. Regression analysis indicated that a panel of four serum metabolites (AUC = 0.92, p < 0.001) at −8 weeks and another four metabolites (AUC = 0.92, p < 0.01) at −4 weeks prior to parturition might serve as predictive biomarkers for SCM. Early identification of susceptible cows can enable development of better preventive measurements ahead of disease occurrence.
Stock Index Prediction Based on Time Series Decomposition and Hybrid Model
Authors: Lv Pin , Wu Qinjuan , Xu Jia , Shu Yating
Published: January 2022

The stock index is an important indicator to measure stock market fluctuation, with a guiding role for investors’ decision-making, thus being the object of much research. However, the stock market is affected by uncertainty and volatility, making accurate prediction a challenging task. We propose a new stock index forecasting model based on time series decomposition and a hybrid model. Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN) decomposes the stock index into a series of Intrinsic Mode Functions (IMFs) with different feature scales and trend term. The Augmented Dickey Fuller (ADF) method judges the stability of each IMFs and trend term. The Autoregressive Moving Average (ARMA) model is used on stationary time series, and a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model extracts abstract features of unstable time series. The predicted results of each time sequence are reconstructed to obtain the final predicted value. Experiments are conducted on four stock index time series, and the results show that the prediction of the proposed model is closer to the real value than that of seven reference models, and has a good quantitative investment reference value.
DDKA-QKDN: Dynamic On-Demand Key Allocation Scheme for Quantum Internet of Things Secured by QKD Network
Authors: Chen Liquan , Chen Qianye , Zhao Mengnan , Chen Jingqi , Liu Suhui , Zhao Yongli
Published: January 2022

In the era of the interconnection of all things, the security of the Internet of Things (IoT) has become a new challenge. The theoretical basis of unconditional security can be guaranteed by using quantum keys, which can form a QKD network-based security protection system of quantum Internet of Things (Q-IoT). However, due to the low generation rate of the quantum keys, the lack of a reasonable key allocation scheme can reduce the overall service quality. Therefore, this paper proposes a dynamic on-demand key allocation scheme, named DDKA-QKDN, to better meet the requirements of lightweight in the application scenario of Q-IoT and make efficient use of quantum key resources. Taking the two processes of the quantum key pool (QKP) key allocation and the QKP key supplement into account, the scheme dynamically allocates quantum keys and supplements the QKP on demand, which quantitatively weighs the quantum key quantity and security requirements of key requests in proportion. The simulation results show that the system efficiency and the ability of QKP to provide key request services are significantly improved by this scheme.
Bribery—Export Nexus under the Firm’s Growth Obstacles
Authors: Phan Trang Hoai , Stachuletz Rainer
Published: January 2022

Business bribery is a particularly serious problem in the integration era. First, this article investigates the effects of institutional obstacles on firms’ bribery in 131 countries classified by nation income groups. Through the appropriate proposal of fitting functions, the relationship between obstructions and the predicted margin effect of bribery is intuitively elucidated. Second, this paper sheds light on the relationship between bribery payment and exports. Then the analysis is upgraded when controlling for the moderation of a firm’s growth constraints. The results detected that not only institutional barriers, but also internal and external hindrances play an essential role in the interaction between bribe payments and export share. More interestingly, this study scrutinizes the role of obstacles in this relationship separately. Besides, SMEs and large enterprises are also adopted in further sensitivity analyses. To solve the endogeneity problem, the study uses the average amount of bribery in a firm’s location, sector, and the country as an instrumental variable (IV). The results obtained are not consistent across country groups classified by national income. Due to obstacles during a firm’s operation, the amplitude of the positive effect of bribery on exports is reduced.
Performance Improvement of a Switched Reluctance Motor and Drive System Designed for an Electric Motorcycle
Authors: Kachapornkul Seubsuang , Pupadubsin Ruchao , Somsiri Pakasit , Jitkreeyarn Prapon , Tungpimolrut Kanokvate
Published: January 2022

In this paper, the implementation of a switched reluctance motor (SRM) and drive system for the propulsion system of a two-seat electric motorcycle is described. The overall design focuses on the required vehicle speed, acceleration, driving distance, and overall system cost, as well as reliability. The performance of the three-phase 6/4 pole (six-stator pole and four-rotor pole) and four-phase 8/6 pole (eight-stator pole and six-rotor pole) are investigated and compared by static performance analysis and dynamic performance analysis. Their performance is further investigated by finite element analysis. The indirect torque controller in a drive system for optimal torque and efficiency operation is also mentioned. A methodology for rotor position detection and its hardware implementation are also proposed. The designed 3.5 kW three-phase 6/4 pole SRM and its drive system were constructed and tested on the test bench. A maximum efficiency of about 82% could be achieved for the SRM and drive system. It was also installed on a 120-cc electric motorcycle, and the vehicle’s performance was also validated by on-road and dynamometer testing. The maximum vehicle speed reached was 82 km/h, and a cruising distance of about 98 km at a constant speed of 40 km/h was measured.
Toward Quantum Secured Distributed Energy Resources: Adoption of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) and Quantum Key Distribution (QKD)
Authors: Ahn Jongmin , Kwon Hee-Yong , Ahn Bohyun , Park Kyuchan , Kim Taesic , Lee Mun-Kyu , Kim Jinsan , Chung Jaehak
Published: January 2022

Quantum computing is a game-changing technology that affects modern cryptography and security systems including distributed energy resources (DERs) systems. Since the new quantum era is coming soon in 5–10 years, it is crucial to prepare and develop quantum-safe DER systems. This paper provides a comprehensive review of vulnerabilities caused by quantum computing attacks, potential defense strategies, and remaining challenges for DER networks. First, new security vulnerabilities and attack models of the cyber-physical DER systems caused by quantum computing attacks are explored. Moreover, this paper introduces potential quantum attack defense strategies including Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) and Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC), which can be applied to DER networks and evaluates defense strategies. Finally, remaining research opportunities and challenges for next-generation quantum-safe DER are discussed.
A Comparative Analysis of the Characteristics of Platform Motion of a Floating Offshore Wind Turbine Based on Pitch Controllers
Authors: Roh Chan , Ha Yoon-Jin , Ahn Hyeon-Jeong , Kim Kyong-Hwan
Published: January 2022

The installation of fixed offshore wind power systems at greater water depths requires a floating body at the foundation of the system. However, this presents various issues. This study analyzes the characteristics of the platform motion of a floating offshore wind turbine system based on the performance of the pitch controller. The motion characteristics of the platform in a floating offshore wind power generation system, change according to the response speed of the blade pitch controller since the wind turbine is installed on a floating platform unlike the existing onshore wind power generation system. Therefore, this study analyzes the platform motion characteristics of a floating offshore wind turbine system using various pitch controllers that have been applied in previous studies. Consequently, an appropriate pitch controller is proposed for the floating offshore wind turbine system. The floating offshore wind turbine system developed in this study consists of an NREL 5-MW class wind turbine and an OC4 semi-submersible floating platform; the pitch controller is evaluated using FAST-v8 developed by NREL. The results of this study demonstrate that the pitch controller reduces the platform motion of the floating offshore wind power generation system, considering both the individual pitch control and the negative damping phenomenon. Additionally, it is confirmed that the output increases by approximately 0.42%, while the output variability decreases by 19.3% through the reduction of the platform movement.
Cooling Effect of Water Channel with Vortex Generators on In-Wheel Driving Motors in Electric Vehicles
Authors: Bae Jae Chang , Cho Hyeon Rae , Yadav Saurabh , Kim Sung Chul
Published: January 2022

Designing an effective cooling system for high-power-density in-wheel motors of electric vehicles is required to avoid the irreversible demagnetization of the permanent magnet due to a rise in its temperature. In this study, a water-cooling channel was used between the stator and housing to evaluate the cooling performance of a 25 kW in-wheel motor utilizing the commercially available software Ansys Fluent 19.2. Initially, cooling channels with a single or pair of vortex generators have been used with varying heights for pressure drop evaluation considering the allowable pressure drop of 0.7 bar for a water pump. The results indicates that both a single and a pair of vortex generators satisfy the limit of a pressure drop at the height of 4 and 3 mm, respectively, and the cooling performances of two vortex generators were evaluated at these heights. It has been found that the cooling performance of a permanent magnet is enhanced by 4.1% and 6.5% using a single and a pair of vortex generators, respectively, compared to the cooling channel without a vortex generator. Furthermore, considering the ram air effect on water-cooling channels of in-wheel motors under high-speed conditions, the temperature of the permanent magnet is decreased by about 2.1 °C and was found to be 148.8 °C under the temperature limit of demagnetization of the permanent magnet.
A Review of the Advancements in the Design of Brushless Doubly Fed Machines
Authors: Olubamiwa Oreoluwa I. , Gule Nkosinathi
Published: January 2022

Research interest on brushless doubly fed induction machines (BDFMs) is increasing, as they offer higher reliability compared to doubly fed induction generators (DFIGs) in wind turbines. At the moment, BDFMs do not have a definitive structure nor design process, as literature is rife with different approaches to designing BDFMs. In this paper, a comprehensive review of the design of BDFMs from available literature is conducted. The evolution of cascade induction machine systems to contemporary BDFMs is first illustrated. Pioneering research work in the evolution which have influences on modern BDFM designs are highlighted. Relevant research on different aspects of present day BDFM design are then discussed. BDFM design and optimization methodologies applied in available literature are also explored.
Effect of Tillage Technology Systems for Seed Germination Rate in a Laboratory Tests
Authors: Winkler Jan , Kopta Tomáš , Ferby Vojtěch , Neudert Lubomír , Vaverková Magdalena Daria
Published: January 2022

Reduced and soil-protective tillage technologies may represent certain negatives for cultivated crops associated with the biomass of mulch from intermediate crops and post-harvest residues. Sown crops, as well as field weeds, are exposed to impaired soil conditions. Soil conditions were assessed using biological tests. Eight plant species were chosen for the tests. Germination of tested plant species took place in controlled conditions in climaboxes. Seeds on Petri dishes were watered with soil leachates from three variants of tillage (Conventional, Minimum tillage, Direct sowing). Soil samples were collected from a 15-year field experiment. The soil leachates inhibited the germination rate of the chosen plant species. In the first term, all species exhibited a lower germination capacity in variants watered with the soil leachate. The reduced tillage technologies can apparently significantly slow down the germination rate in field crops and vegetables. Simple biological tests have the potential to assess the condition of arable soils.
Impact of Aspen and Black Alder Substitution in Birch Plywood
Authors: Akkurt Tolgay , Kallakas Heikko , Rohumaa Anti , Hunt Christopher G. , Kers Jaan
Published: January 2022

Increasing demand pressures on the fibre supply are forcing manufacturers to explore using new species in plywood. Here we investigated aspen and black alder, alone and in combination with birch faces, and with different veneer thicknesses in plywood production. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different veneer thicknesses, lay-up systems, and hardwood veneer combinations on plywood mechanical properties. Impacts on modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE), glue consumption, and density properties were observed. All process parameters were the same as for pure birch plywood. Not surprisingly, birch plywood had the highest MOR and MOE, followed by aspen and black alder. Aspen had the highest glue consumption and birch the lowest, when applied with a spreader roll, but the common practice of using relatively thick 2.6 mm aspen veneers resulted in the lowest glue consumption per mm of product. The effects of wood species and veneer thickness on MOR, density, and glue consumption were analysed for panel thicknesses from 6.5 to 18 mm to guide manufacturers in choosing their species and construction to optimize cost, MOR and stiffness, weight, and glue consumption. In conclusion, birch gave the best strength properties while aspen gave the best price and weight combination.
Short-Term Recovery of the Aboveground Carbon Stock in Iberian Shrublands at the Extremes of an Environmental Gradient and as a Function of Burn Severity
Authors: Fernández-Guisuraga José Manuel , Calvo Leonor , Fernandes Paulo M. , Suárez-Seoane Susana
Published: January 2022

The degree to which burn severity influences the recovery of aboveground carbon density (ACD) of live pools in shrublands remains unclear. Multitemporal LiDAR data was used to evaluate ACD recovery three years after fire in shrubland ecosystems as a function of burn severity immediately after fire across an environmental and productivity gradient in the western Mediterranean Basin. Two large mixed-severity wildfires were assessed: an Atlantic site, dominated by resprouter shrubs and located at the most productive extreme of the gradient, and a Mediterranean site, dominated by obligate seeders and located at the less productive extreme. Initial assessment of burn severity was performed using the differenced Normalized Burn Ratio index computed from Landsat imagery. Thresholds for low and high burn severity categories were established using the Composite Burn Index (CBI). LiDAR canopy metrics were calibrated with field measurements of mean shrub height and cover at plot level in a post-fire situation. Pre-fire and post-fire ACD estimates, and their ratio (ACDr) to calculate carbon stock recovery, were computed from the predictions of LiDAR grid metrics at landscape level using shrubland allometric relationships. Overall, ACDr decreased both with high burn severity and low productivity, although the burn severity impact was not homogeneous within the gradient. In the Atlantic site, ACDr was similar under low and high burn severity, whereas it decreased with burn severity in the Mediterranean site. These results suggest that carbon cycling models could be biased by not accounting for both fire severity and species composition of shrublands under different environmental conditions.
Impacts of Temporal Changes in Land Use/Cover on the Remaining Historical Forests in Guiyang, China
Authors: Yang Jingyi , Wu Feng
Published: January 2022

The remaining historical forests are crucial for maintaining biodiversity in urban areas. However, the integrity and stability of historical forests are affected by land-use/cover change. A better understanding of these impacts can help prioritize protection and restoration. In this study, we estimated the loss of area and levels of threats and analyzed the importance of critical areas for historical forests in the built-up area of a rapidly urbanizing city—Guiyang, China. We used the threat indicator, morphological spatial pattern analysis, and probability of connectivity based on InVEST, GuidosToolbox, and Conefor software. The results based on remote sensing image classification showed that 1988.46 ha of historical forestlands was transformed into other land-use/cover types. The mean value of the threat index of all the historical forest patches increased by 33% compared to the baseline year. The area of cores and bridges, considered as key nodes and links for the connectivity of forest networks, decreased by 193.32 and 353.61 ha, respectively. Most of the critical areas with high importance values for connectivity were located in the central part of the city and were severely threatened by the surrounding areas. We recommend that effective measures be implemented to control the further loss of historical forests and to increase the connectivity and buffering capacity of the remaining forests by creating tree belts and corridors in key locations.
Correlation between Feeding Behaviors and Retinal Photoreceptor Cells of Largemouth Bass, Micropterus salmoides, in Korea
Authors: Kim Jae Goo , Kim Su Hwan , Park Jong Young , Yoo Su-Hyang
Published: January 2022

The largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides), a food resource in Korea, is a highly voracious predator, designated as an invasive species. It is both diurnal and nocturnal, with high adaptability and reproducibility. Since the predation characteristics are associated with sensitive dynamic visual acuity, we examined the ocular structure of the largemouth bass to investigate the association between photoreceptor cells and feeding behavior. Furthermore, the comparison of the prey-tracking ability of M. salmoides with that of other predatory fish (Coreoperca herzi and Lepomis macrochirus) with similar ecological characteristics revealed the structure and arrangement of photoreceptor cells, typical of a predatory fish in M. salmoides. The double and single cone cells in the retina were present in the regular mosaic patterns of the quadrilateral units, with four double cone cells surrounding a single cone cell. The photoreceptor cells, i.e., the rod, single, and double cone cells of M. salmoides, were smaller (2.3 ± 0.2, 3.82 ± 0.2, and 7.5 ± 0.2 μm, respectively) than those of other species (3.1 ± 0.24, 6.6 ± 0.5, and 11.3 ± 0.4 μm in diameter, respectively, in C. herzi). A smaller diameter of cone cells allows for a high-density arrangement of visual cells, possibly affecting the dynamic visual acuity for prey tracking.
Effect of Geometric Configuration of the Impeller on the Performance of Liquivac Pump: Single Phase Flow (Water)
Authors: Meerakaviyad Deepak , Keville Tony , Prakash Atma , Abdullah Sajid , Hamad Faik
Published: January 2022

Liquivac pumps, with their unique shaped twin start helical rotor, have found utility in various sectors but the major drawback limiting in their global exploitation is their low performance. This paper investigates the study of performance of the Liquivac pump produced by Tomlinson Hall Ltd. Experimental data was used to validate a numerical model developed in Ansys Fluent 20.2 for the Liquivac pump. Four different geometric models of the rotor were tested numerically to find the optimum design using blade number and pitch length as the criteria to achieve improved efficiency. The choice of turbulence model is an important factor in the most accurate prediction with computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. Four different turbulence models were validated with experimental measurements. The realizable K-ε model gave the most accurate performance predictions with a relative deviation of 3.8%. So, the realizable K-ε model was employed for further parametric optimization of the rotor. The results indicate a reasonable improvement in the head and efficiency of the Liquivac pump with a new rotor geometry of four equidistant blades in the front, back and four flights with 30 mm pitch. This is attributed to the most favourable balance between the different losses and most guided and uniform flow inside the rotor channels.
Research Progress in Imaging Technology for Assessing Quality in Wine Grapes and Seeds
Authors: Rodríguez-Pulido Francisco J. , Mora-Garrido Ana Belén , González-Miret María Lourdes , Heredia Francisco J.
Published: January 2022

The chemical composition of wine grapes changes qualitatively and quantitatively during the ripening process. In addition to the sugar content, which determines the alcohol content of the wine, it is necessary to consider the phenolic composition of the grape skins and seeds to obtain quality red wines. In this work, some imaging techniques have been used for the comprehensive characterisation of the chemical composition of red grapes (cv. Tempranillo and cv. Syrah) grown in a warm-climate region during two seasons. In addition, and for the first time, mathematical models trained with laboratory images have been extrapolated for using in field images, obtaining interesting results. Determination coefficients of 0.90 for sugars, 0.73 for total phenols, and 0.73 for individual anthocyanins in grape skins have been achieved with a portable hyperspectral camera between 400 and 1000 nm, and 0.83 for total and individual phenols in grape seeds with a desktop hyperspectral camera between 900 and 1700 nm.
Mineral and Vitamin Intakes of Latvian Women during Lactation Period
Authors: Aumeistere Līva , Beluško Alīna , Ciproviča Inga , Zavadska Dace
Published: January 2022

Studies from Europe and the United States indicate that women during the lactation period do not consume sufficient amounts of essential micronutrients. Previously reported data from Latvia indicates a low vegetable, fruit, fish, cereal, and milk and dairy products intake among lactating women. This raises concerns that nutrient (especially minerals and vitamins) intakes could also be insufficient. Therefore, this study aimed to assess mineral and vitamin intakes among lactating women in Latvia in comparison to nutritional guidelines at both a national and European level. 72-h food diaries were collected from 62 participants during the period November 2016 till December 2017 and from 68 participants during the period from January 2020 to December 2020. This also allowed us to evaluate whether nutrient intakes among lactating women in Latvia have changed in recent years. The Fineli Food Composition Database was used to calculate micronutrient intakes among the participants. MS Excel 2019 and IBM SPSS Statistics 23 were used for the statistical data analysis. The results revealed that dietary intakes of calcium, iron, iodine, and vitamins A, D, B1, and B9 among the participants of both study periods did not meet dietary recommendations. Low mineral and vitamin intakes could potentially affect the composition of human milk, and therefore micronutrient intakes, for breastfed infants. This indicates a need to develop dietary guidelines in order to improve diets among lactating women in Latvia.
Investigation of Bioaccumulation and Human Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) Farming with a Rice-Crayfish-Based Coculture Breeding Modes
Authors: Peng Fangjun , Li Jiawen , Gong Zhiyong , Yue Bing , Wang Xueli , Manyande Anne , Du Hongying
Published: January 2022

Due to the rapid development of the crayfish (Procambarus clarkii) industry in Chinese catering, people are paying more attention to the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in crayfish. To evaluate the health risks associated with the consumption of crayfish, nine types of heavy metals in both crayfish and abdominal muscles of crayfish were investigated. Crayfish samples were collected from rice-crayfish-based coculture breeding modes from different areas located in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. The average concentrations of heavy metals in the whole crayfish were much higher than the abdominal muscle of crayfish. The estimated daily intake (EDI) of heavy metals in the abdomen of crayfish was calculated to assess the noncarcinogenic risk and the overall noncarcinogenic risk including the target hazard quotient (THQ), the hazard index (HI) and carcinogenic risk (CR). The results of the present study showed that the consumption of crayfish may not present an obvious health risk to human associated with heavy metals. However, the THQ values of As in the abdominal muscles of crayfish for adults in EnShi (ES) and children in JiaYu (JY) should be of concern due to the higher contribution to the potential health risks of crayfish compared to other metals. Through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) detection of heavy metal As, it is found that As in crayfish culture environment mainly exists in the form of As3+.Therefore, the quality and quantity of crayfish consumption should be moderated to prevent the bioaccumulation of As. The results indicate that crayfish cultured in different areas may have similar pollution levels and/or emissions from the same pollution sources.