bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modeling the Hydrologic Performance and Cost-Effectiveness of LID in a Residential Park Area Using a Decentralized Design Approach
Authors: Garbanzos Sergi , Maniquiz-Redillas Marla
Published: April 2022

Low Impact Development (LID) is one of the current research interests toward green infrastructures and urban flood control that have the capability to return developed watersheds to pre-development hydrological conditions, bringing numerous water quantity and quality benefits, while being cheaper than their traditional counterparts. However, there is a current research gap about LIDs within tropical regions. This study aims to evaluate the cost efficiency of LID scenarios in varying surface areas through a cost-effectiveness (C/E) analysis and to assess flow reduction and infiltration improvement of the cost-effective LID scenarios using US EPA Stormwater Management Model (SWMM) in a tropical residential catchment receiving an annual rainfall of 1780.5 mm (70.1″), under a Type 1 Philippine Climate. Results have shown that the Weibull plotting position generated the largest rainfall amounts. A total of 2112 manually simulated LID scenarios were modeled to obtain the cost-effective or optimal LID scenarios, where they can generate a maximum of 38.67% flow reduction and 29.73% peak flow reduction, all observed in the multiple LID scenarios. At high rainfall amounts, the multiple LID scenarios can also peak at a 1113% increase in total infiltration in the given sub-catchments. Determining the target capture goal, applicable LID types, and cost estimations from a pilot project are vital components in the future application of LIDs in these regions.
Effects of Iron Powder Addition and Thermal Hydrolysis on Methane Production and the Archaeal Community during the Anaerobic Digestion of Sludge
Authors: Cao Xiuqin , Wang Yibin , Liu Ting
Published: April 2022

The conventional anaerobic digestion of sludge has the disadvantages of long digestion time and low methane production. Pretreatment is often used to mitigate these problems. In this study, three pretreatment methods, namely, the addition of iron powder, high-temperature thermal hydrolysis, and a combination of these methods, were compared for application with conventional continuous anaerobic digestion reactors. The results showed that pretreatment improved methane yield by 18.2–22.9%, compared to the control reactor (conventional anaerobic digestion). Moreover, it was recognized that the archaeal community in the sludge underwent significant changes after pretreatment. Specifically, the addition of iron powder reduced the diversity in the archaeal community, but increased the abundance of hydrogenotrophic methanogens without changing the community composition. Thermal hydrolysis at high temperatures had the reverse effect, as it increased the diversity of the archaeal community but inhibited the growth of acetoclastic methanogens. In the case of the combined pretreatment, the thermal hydrolysis had a dominant influence on the archaeal community. By comparing the changes in functional gene content, it was found that the functional abundance of the archaeal community in the transport and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and amino acids was higher after pretreatment than in the control group.
Precise Indoor Path Planning Based on Hybrid Model of GeoSOT and BIM
Authors: Zhang Huangchuang , Li Ge
Published: April 2022

With the improvement of urban infrastructure and the increase in the coverage of high-rise buildings, the demand for location information services inside buildings is becoming more and more urgent. Moreover, indoor path planning, as a prerequisite and basis for realizing path guidance inside buildings, has become a research focus in the field of location services. This makes the accurate planning of indoor paths an urgent problem to be solved at present. This requires dynamic and precise planning from static fuzzy planning, and the corresponding scene converted from a two-dimensional plane to a three-dimensional one. However, most of the existing indoor path planning methods focus on the use of two-dimensional floor plans in buildings to build indoor maps and rely on traditional path search algorithms for pathfinding, which lack in the efficient use of the building’s own geometric and attribute information and lack consideration of the internal spatial topology of the building, making it difficult to meet the needs of indoor multi-layer continuous space path planning. Considering this relationship, it is difficult to meet the path planning needs of indoor multi-layer continuous spaces. In addition, the two-dimensional expression dominated by arrows and line drawings also greatly reduces the intuitiveness and interactivity of path expression. Regarding this, this paper combines the GeoSOT grid with accurate real geographic information and the BIM model and proposes an accurate indoor path planning method. Finally, using Guanlan Commercial Street in Baiyin City as the experimental object, the precise planning and generation of indoor paths and the interaction of visual displays on the web page are realized. It has been verified that the method has certain reference and application values for meeting the demand of location information services in buildings and building an integrated indoor–outdoor navigation service platform.
Sex Differences in Biological Systems and the Conundrum of Menopause: Potential Commonalities in Post-Menopausal Disease Mechanisms
Authors: Hart David A.
Published: April 2022

Sex-specific differences in biology and physiology likely start at the time of conception and progress and mature during the pre-puberty time frame and then during the transitions accompanying puberty. These sex differences are impacted by both genetics and epigenetic alterations during the maturation process, likely for the purpose of preparing for successful reproduction. For females, later in life (~45–50) they undergo another transition leading to a loss of ovarian hormone production at menopause. The reasons for menopause are not clear, but for a subset of females, menopause is accompanied by an increased risk of a number of diseases or conditions that impact a variety of tissues. Most research has mainly focused on the target cells in each of the affected tissues rather than pursue the alternative option that there may be commonalities in the development of these post-menopausal conditions in addition to influences on specific target cells. This review will address some of the potential commonalities presented by an integration of the literature regarding tissue-specific aspects of these post-menopausal conditions and data presented by space flight/microgravity (a condition not anticipated by evolution) that could implicate a loss of a regulatory function of the microvasculature in the risk attached to the affected tissues. Thus, the loss of the integration of the paracrine relationships between endothelial cells of the microvasculature of the tissues affected in the post-menopausal environment could contribute to the risk for post-menopausal diseases/conditions. The validation of this concept could lead to new approaches for interventions to treat post-menopausal conditions, as well as provide new understanding regarding sex-specific biological regulation.
Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Fitness and Resistance Stability to Diamide and Pyrethroid Insecticides in the United States
Authors: Rabelo Marcelo M. , Santos Izailda B. , Paula-Moraes Silvana V.
Published: April 2022

In the United States, beet armyworm resistance to both chlorantraniliprole and bifenthrin insecticides was first reported in 2020. Here we examined beet armyworm fitness and stability of resistance to chlorantraniliprole and pyrethroid insecticides since knowledge of the stability of resistance is a crucial aspect when recommending rotation of insecticides with different mode of action. Concentration-mortality bioassays were performed with field and laboratory susceptible populations. The F2, F13, and F27 generations of the field-derived population, maintained in the laboratory without insecticide, were exposed to commercial formulations of bifenthrin and chlorantraniliprole using the leaf-dip bioassay method (IRAC n. 007). Insects from F27 had the fitness components (survival, body weight, development time) documented and compared by LSM in each insecticide concentration tested. The resistance ratio to chlorantraniliprole reached 629, 80, 15-fold at F2, F13, and F27, respectively. These results contrast with an over 1000-fold resistance ratio to bifenthrin in all generations. The field-derived population had fitness reduced by chlorantraniliprole, but not by bifenthrin. In summary, the resistance of beet armyworm to bifenthrin was stable with no shift in fitness. In contrast, resistance to chlorantraniliprole was not stable through the generations kept in the laboratory without selection pressure, likely due to fitness cost.
Enantiomeric Discrimination in Insects: The Role of OBPs and ORs
Authors: Sims Cassie , Birkett Michael A. , Withall David M.
Published: April 2022

Olfaction is a complex recognition process that is critical for chemical communication in insects. Though some insect species are capable of discrimination between compounds that are structurally similar, little is understood about how this high level of discrimination arises. Some insects rely on discriminating between enantiomers of a compound, demonstrating an ability for highly selective recognition. The role of two major peripheral olfactory proteins in insect olfaction, i.e., odorant-binding proteins (OBPs) and odorant receptors (ORs) has been extensively studied. OBPs and ORs have variable discrimination capabilities, with some found to display highly specialized binding capability, whilst others exhibit promiscuous binding activity. A deeper understanding of how odorant-protein interactions induce a response in an insect relies on further analysis such as structural studies. In this review, we explore the potential role of OBPs and ORs in highly specific recognition, specifically enantiomeric discrimination. We summarize the state of research into OBP and OR function and focus on reported examples in the literature of clear enantiomeric discrimination by these proteins.
Favorable Humoral Response to Third Dose of BNT162b2 in Patients Undergoing Hemodialysis
Authors: Kitamura Mineaki , Takazono Takahiro , Yamaguchi Kosei , Tomura Hideshi , Yamamoto Kazuko , Harada Takashi , Funakoshi Satoshi , Mukae Hiroshi , Nishino Tomoya
Published: April 2022

Patients undergoing hemodialysis are known to exhibit low humoral responses to vaccines against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the humoral response to the third dose of BNT162b2 (Pfizer) in patients undergoing hemodialysis. We included 279 patients undergoing hemodialysis (69 ± 11 years, 65% male, median dialysis vintage: 69 months) and 189 healthcare workers (45 ± 13 years, 30% male) who received the third dose of BNT162b2. Anti-spike immunoglobulin G (anti-S IgG) antibody levels were measured 3–4.5 months after the second dose and 3 weeks after the third dose and were compared. Despite a significant difference in anti-S IgG antibody levels after the second dose between the two groups (patients: median 215 U/mL and healthcare workers: median 589 U/mL; p < 0.001), no significant difference in anti-S IgG antibody levels after the third dose was observed (patients: median 19,000 U/mL, healthcare workers: median 21,000 U/mL). Except for dialysis vintage (ρ = 0.209, p < 0.001), no other factors correlated with anti-S IgG antibody levels after the third vaccine dose in patients undergoing hemodialysis. Therefore, a favorable response to the third dose of BNT162b2 was observed in patients undergoing hemodialysis, irrespective of their backgrounds.
Explainable Multimedia Feature Fusion for Medical Applications
Authors: Wagenpfeil Stefan , Mc Kevitt Paul , Cheddad Abbas , Hemmje Matthias
Published: April 2022

Due to the exponential growth of medical information in the form of, e.g., text, images, Electrocardiograms (ECGs), X-rays, and multimedia, the management of a patient’s data has become a huge challenge. In particular, the extraction of features from various different formats and their representation in a homogeneous way are areas of interest in medical applications. Multimedia Information Retrieval (MMIR) frameworks, like the Generic Multimedia Analysis Framework (GMAF), can contribute to solving this problem, when adapted to special requirements and modalities of medical applications. In this paper, we demonstrate how typical multimedia processing techniques can be extended and adapted to medical applications and how these applications benefit from employing a Multimedia Feature Graph (MMFG) and specialized, efficient indexing structures in the form of Graph Codes. These Graph Codes are transformed to feature relevant Graph Codes by employing a modified Term Frequency Inverse Document Frequency (TFIDF) algorithm, which further supports value ranges and Boolean operations required in the medical context. On this basis, various metrics for the calculation of similarity, recommendations, and automated inferencing and reasoning can be applied supporting the field of diagnostics. Finally, the presentation of these new facilities in the form of explainability is introduced and demonstrated. Thus, in this paper, we show how Graph Codes contribute new querying options for diagnosis and how Explainable Graph Codes can help to readily understand medical multimedia formats.
An Experimental Study on Step-Up DC–DC Converters for Organic Photovoltaic Cells
Authors: dos Santos P. Mendonça , Serralheiro António J. , Borges Beatriz , Torres João Paulo N. , Charas Ana
Published: April 2022

This work studies two circuit topologies to step-up the voltage supplied by an organic photovoltaic (OPV) cell. Comparison and validation of the proposed topologies are accomplished throughout analytical, simulation, and experimental results. Two circuit solutions were found more suitable to boost the harvested OPV cell low voltage, depending on the load condition: the classical hard-switching boost converter and a multilevel boost converter. Both experimental circuits include the drive of the MOSFET switch based on an LC oscillator at 1.2 MHz, allowing the implementation of a conversion system, supplied by voltages as low as 500 mV, with output voltages from 1.2 V up to 7 V, under solar simulator conditions. The circuit area for each converter prototype is 2.35 cm2, with a total area below 3.0 cm2 for the overall energy harvesting system, including the OPV cell, which makes this proposal an extremely compact solution for ultra-low power harvesting applications.
Hydrodynamic Analysis of Tidal Current Turbine under Water-Sediment Conditions
Authors: Gao Yanjing , Liu Hongwei , Lin Yonggang , Gu Yajing , Ni Yiming
Published: April 2022

The rivers connecting oceans generally carry sediment due to water and soil losses in China. Additionally, the maximum sediment concentration is 300 g/L, which is much higher than that of other countries. It is unknown whether seawater with sand particles will affect the power of tidal current turbine blades. It is therefore necessary to study the capture power of tidal current turbines in the water-sediment environment. In this study, the blade was divided into a number of transversal airfoil elements based on the blade element theory. The CFD-DPM model was employed to study the lift and drag coefficients of airfoil under multiphase flow, and the fluid–particle interaction was considered. The accuracy of this presented model was assessed using the experimental data of a 120 kW tidal current turbine in a water-sediment environment. Good agreement between the predictions and experimental data was observed. The effect of particle properties on the lift coefficient and the drag coefficient of airfoil were investigated in detail. Furthermore, the 120 kW tidal current turbine power was calculated based on the Blade Element Momentum theory under different particle concentrations. The results show that small diameter particles can improve the tidal current turbine power and the large diameter particle can reduce the power.
Dynamics Modeling and Hydrodynamic Coefficients Identification of the Wave Glider
Authors: Sun Xiujun , Sun Chenyu , Sang Hongqiang , Li Can
Published: April 2022

The wave glider is an ocean-wave-propelled autonomous marine vehicle with unique dual-body architecture, which can converse the energy obtained from the ocean wave into the forward thrust. In this paper, the dynamic models of the submerged glider based on dynamic characteristics of tandem hydrofoils and the surface float were separately established. The pitching angles of the hydrofoils and the submerged glider and the angle of attack between hydrofoils and relative current were considered for dynamic models and hydrodynamic coefficients. The translational hydrodynamic coefficient term for high-angle-of-attack passive motion of the submerged glider was calculated from static test simulations by using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD). Moreover, the rotational damping coefficients and added mass coefficients varying with the pitching angle of hydrofoils were analyzed by the simulation of the vertical planar motion mechanism (VPMM) tests. Furthermore, the numerical simulation of longitudinal motion with the computed hydrodynamic coefficients was performed, and the simulation results were compared with the sea trial data. The analysis was performed, and conclusions were drawn, which would provide a theoretical reference for the design of the wave glider.
Structure of the Yeast Cell Wall Integrity Sensor Wsc1 Reveals an Essential Role of Surface-Exposed Aromatic Clusters
Authors: Schöppner Philipp , Lutz Anne Pia , Lutterbach Bernard Johannes , Brückner Stefan , Essen Lars-Oliver , Mösch Hans-Ulrich
Published: April 2022

In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and other ascomycetes, the maintenance of cell wall integrity is governed by a family of plasma-membrane spanning sensors that include the Wsc-type proteins. These cell wall proteins apparently sense stress-induced mechanical forces at the cell surface and target the cell wall integrity (CWI) signaling pathway, but the structural base for their sensor function is yet unknown. Here, we solved a high-resolution crystal structure of the extracellular cysteine-rich domain (CRD) of yeast Wsc1, which shows the characteristic PAN/Apple domain fold with two of the four Wsc1 disulfide bridges being conserved in other PAN domain cores. Given the general function of PAN domains in mediating protein–protein and protein–carbohydrate interactions, this finding underpins the importance of Wsc domains in conferring sensing and localization functions. Our Wsc1 CRD structure reveals an unusually high number of surface-exposed aromatic residues that are conserved in other fungal CRDs, and can be arranged into three solvent-exposed clusters. Mutational analysis demonstrates that two of the aromatic clusters are required for conferring S. cerevisiae Wsc1-dependent resistance to the glucan synthase inhibitor caspofungin, and the chitin-binding agents Congo red and Calcofluor white. These findings suggest an essential role of surface-exposed aromatic clusters in fungal Wsc-type sensors that might include an involvement in stress-induced sensor-clustering required to elicit appropriate cellular responses via the downstream CWI pathway.
Risk Factors and Protective Factors against Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia—A Single-Center Mixed Prospective and Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Pawlik Jarosław , Tomaszek Lucyna , Mazurek Henryk , Mędrzycka-Dąbrowska Wioletta
Published: April 2022

Introduction: Understanding the factors associated with the development of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in critically ill patients in the intensive care unit (ICU) will allow for better prevention and control of VAP. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of VAP, as well as to determine risk factors and protective factors against VAP. Design: Mixed prospective and retrospective cohort study. Methods: The cohort involved 371 critically ill patients who received standard interventions to prevent VAP. Additionally, patients in the prospective cohort were provided with continuous automatic pressure control in tapered cuffs of endotracheal or tracheostomy tubes and continuous automatic subglottic secretion suction. Logistic regression was used to assess factors affecting VAP. Results: 52 (14%) patients developed VAP, and the incidence density of VAP per 1000 ventilator days was 9.7. The median days to onset of VAP was 7 [4; 13]. Early and late onset VAP was 6.2% and 7.8%, respectively. According to multivariable logistic regression analysis, tracheotomy (OR = 1.6; CI 95%: 1.1 to 2.31), multidrug-resistant bacteria isolated in the culture of lower respiratory secretions (OR = 2.73; Cl 95%: 1.83 to 4.07) and ICU length of stay >5 days (OR = 3.32; Cl 95%: 1.53 to 7.19) were positively correlated with VAP, while continuous control of cuff pressure and subglottic secretion suction used together were negatively correlated with VAP (OR = 0.61; Cl 95%: 0.43 to 0.87). Conclusions: Tracheotomy, multidrug-resistant bacteria, and ICU length of stay >5 days were independent risk factors of VAP, whereas continuous control of cuff pressure and subglottic secretion suction used together were protective factors against VAP.
Association of Permanent Vascular Access Dysfunction with Subsequent Risk of Cardiovascular Disease: A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Hung Tung-Wei , Wu Sheng-Wen , Chiou Jeng-Yuan , Wang Yu-Hsun , Liao Yu-Chan , Wei Cheng-Chung
Published: April 2022

A functional permanent vascular access (VA) is required to perform a successful hemodialysis procedure. Hemodialysis VA dysfunction is a major cause of morbidity and hospitalization in the hemodialysis population. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in patients receiving chronic hemodialysis. Information about CVD associated with hemodialysis VA dysfunction is unclear. We analyzed the association between dialysis VA dysfunction and the risk of developing CVD in hemodialysis patients. This nationwide population-based cohort study was conducted using data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. One million subjects were sampled from 23 million beneficiaries and data was collected from 2000 to 2013. Patients with end-stage renal disease who had received permanent VA construction and hemodialysis and were aged at least 20 years old from 2000 to 2007 were included in the study population. The primary outcome was CVD, as defined by ICD-9-CM codes 410–414 and 430–437. A total of 197 individuals with permanent VA dysfunction were selected as the test group, and 100 individuals with non-permanent VA dysfunction were selected as the control group. Compared with the control group, the adjusted hazard ratio of CVD for the VA dysfunction group was 3.05 (95% CI: 1.14–8.20). A Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed that the cumulative incidence of CVD was higher in the permanent VA dysfunction group than in the comparison group. Permanent VA dysfunction is significantly associated with an increased risk of subsequent CVD.
Association of Age-Related Macular Degeneration with Prior Hyperthyroidism and Hypothyroidism: A Case–Control Study
Authors: Hung Shih-Han , Xirasagar Sudha , Kuang Tung-Mei Tammy , Chang Wei-Wen , Cheng Yen-Fu , Kuo Nai-Wen , Lin Herng-Ching
Published: April 2022

Prior studies suggest a possible association between thyroid disease and the subsequent development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), although it remains inconclusive. This study aimed to evaluate the association of AMD with prior hyper-/hypothyroidism based on nationwide population-based data. We retrieved records of the study patients from the National Health Insurance Research Database, 7522 patients with a first-time diagnosis of AMD and 7522 propensity score-matched controls. Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to explore the association of neovascular AMD with previously diagnosed hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. The Chi-square test shows that there was a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of prior hyperthyroidism between cases and controls (1.18 vs. 0.13%, p < 0.001). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant difference the prevalence of prior hypothyroidism between cases and controls (0.44 vs. 0.69%, p < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analysis reveals that AMD was statistically and significantly associated with prior hyperthyroidism after adjusting for age, sex, monthly income, geographical location, urbanization level, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and coronary heart disease (odds ratio (OR) = 9.074, 95% CI = 4.713–17.471). The adjusted OR of prior hypothyroidism in patients with AMD was 3.794 (95% CI: 2.099~6.858) when compared to the controls. We conclude that patients with thyroid dysfunction are at higher risk of developing AMD Results suggest that these patients could benefit from proactive regular eye checkups to detect evolving eye pathology, even while vision remains normal during the initial phases.
What If? Electricity as Money
Authors: Gautschi David A. , Gautschi Heidi C. , Tucci Christopher L.
Published: April 2022

Responding to the influences of climate change, on the one hand, and selected benefits of digital technology, on the other hand, an energy transition of global scale appears to be underway. Many observers project that a significant element of the energy transition will be a growing dependence on electricity, a dependence possibly doubling by 2050. Such a transformation, however, would likely require re-configuring the architecture of complex, centralized electricity grids, an artifact of a context of more than a century ago. In concert with the energy transition, we argue to modify the objective of the electricity grid to enable efficient, pervasive optimization in local service areas that provides incentives for users to be efficient in their energy use. At the core of our argument is the presentation of economic incentives denominated in an electricity-backed commodity currency such that incumbent electricity generators could augment their economic purpose of electricity production and electricity distribution to include financial intermediation. A direct consequence of this institutional transformation is the opportunity for all users to generate wealth. There are others who have been inspired to conjure ways that energy could be a candidate currency. Our argument is distinctive, though, in exploiting how an institution (the power grid system) could be repositioned and how all agents in the system could benefit by the institutionalization of electricity as money.
Audit Committee Diversity, Analysts’ Forecast Accuracy and Earnings Management: Evidence from Malaysia
Authors: Madah Marzuki Marziana
Published: April 2022

This paper aims to investigate the effect of audit committee ethnicity, as part of the diverse cultures in Malaysia, on analysts’ forecast accuracy. In addition, this study investigates further the interactions between the unique cultures in Malaysia and earnings management to determine whether audit committee ethnicity still plays a role in earnings management. Based on 391 observations of firms followed by analysts from the year 2012 to 2014, our result indicates that firms dominated by Bumiputera audit committees have a higher analyst forecast error. In addition, we found that firms manage earnings to meet analysts’ forecasts, which is significant for firms dominated by Bumiputera audit committees. The results add new evidence on the effect of audit committee ethnicity on financial reporting quality in the multiracial country of Malaysia.
Best-Arm Identification Using Extreme Value Theory Estimates of the CVaR
Authors: Troop Dylan , Godin Frédéric , Yu Jia Yuan
Published: April 2022

We consider a risk-aware multi-armed bandit framework with the goal of avoiding catastrophic risk. Such a framework has multiple applications in financial risk management. We introduce a new conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) estimation procedure combining extreme value theory with automated threshold selection by ordered goodness-of-fit tests, and we apply this procedure to a pure exploration best-arm identification problem under a fixed budget. We empirically compare our results with the commonly used sample average estimator of the CVaR, and we show a significant performance improvement when the underlying arm distributions are heavy-tailed.
An Overview of Sustainability Assessment Frameworks in Agriculture
Authors: Alaoui Abdallah , Barão Lúcia , Ferreira Carla S. S. , Hessel Rudi
Published: April 2022

Recent research established a link between environmental alterations due to agriculture intensification, social damage and the loss of economic growth. Thus, the integration of environmental and social dimensions is key for economic development. In recent years, several frameworks have been proposed to assess the overall sustainability of farms. Nevertheless, the myriad of existing frameworks and the variety of indicators result in difficulties in selecting the most appropriate framework for study site application. This manuscript aims to: (i) understand the criteria to select appropriate frameworks and summarize the range of those being used to assess sustainability; (ii) identify the available frameworks to assess agricultural sustainability; and (iii) analyze the strengths, weaknesses and applicability of each framework. Six frameworks, namely SAFA, RISE, MASC, LADA, SMART and public goods (PG), were identified. Results show that SMART is the framework that considers, in a balanced way, the environmental, sociocultural and economic dimensions of sustainability, whereas others focused on the environmental (RISE), environmental and economic (PG) and sociocultural (SAFA) dimension. However, depending on the scale assessment, sector of application and the sustainability completeness intended, all frameworks are suitable for the assessment. We present a decision tree to help future users understand the best option for their objective.
CFD Analysis of the Effect of Dimples and Cylinder Liner Honing Groove on the Tribological Characteristics of a Low Displacement Engine
Authors: Abril Sofia Orjuela , Del Socorro Fonseca-Vigoya Marlen , Pabón-León Jhon
Published: April 2022

The contact between the piston rings and the cylinder liner is an interface with a strong influence on the tribological behavior and, therefore, directly affects the useful life of the engine components and fuel consumption. Due to this importance, the present investigation carried out an analysis of the effects of dimples and the honing groove in the cylinder liner on the tribological characteristics. A tribological model was developed to study the friction forces, minimum film thickness, and friction coefficient for the present investigation. Similarly, a computational fluid dynamics model was built to determine the dynamic movement of the piston. The validation of the numerical model showed a close similarity with the real behavior of the engine, obtaining an average relative error of 14%. The analysis of the results showed that a 3% increase in dimples’ density leads to a 3.79% increase in the minimum lubricant film and a 2.76% decrease in friction force. Additionally, it was shown that doubling the radius and depth of the dimple produces an increase of 3.86% and 1.91% in the thickness of the lubrication film. The most suitable distribution of the dimples on the surface of the cylinder liner corresponds to a square array. In general, the application of dimples and honing grooves in the cylinder liner are promising alternatives to reduce energy losses and minimize wear of engine components.
Graphite Compactness Degree and Nodularity of High-Si Ductile Iron Produced via Permanent Mold versus Sand Mold Casting
Authors: Anca Denisa-Elena , Stan Iuliana , Riposan Iulian , Stan Stelian
Published: April 2022

In recent years, high-Si ductile cast irons (3–6% Si) have begun to be used more and more in the automotive and maritime industries, but also in wind energy technology and mechanical engineering. Si-alloyed ferrite has high strength, hardness and oxidation and corrosion resistance, but it has low ductility, toughness and thermal conductivity, with graphite as an important influencing factor. In this study, 4.5% Si uninoculated ductile iron solidified in thin wall castings (up to 15 mm section size) via a permanent (metal) mold versus a sand mold, was evaluated. Solidification in a metal mold led to small size, higher graphite particles (less dependent on the section size). The graphite particles’ real perimeter was 3–5% higher than the convex perimeter, while the values of these parameters were 41–43% higher in the sand mold. Increasing the casting section size led to an increased graphite perimeter, with it being much higher for sand mold. The graphite particles’ shape factors, involving the maximum and minimum size, were at a lower level for metal mold solidification, while by involving the difference between Pr and Pc, is higher for the metal mold. The shape factor, including the graphite area and maximum size, had higher values in the metal mold, sustaining a higher compactness degree of graphite particles and a higher nodularity regarding metal mold solidification (75.5% versus 67.4%). The higher was due to the graphite compactness degree level (shape factor increasing from 0.50 up to 0.80), while the lower was due to the graphite nodularity for both the metal mold (39.1% versus 88.5%) and the sand mold (32.3% versus 83.1%). The difference between the metal mold and sand mold as the average graphite nodularity increased favored the metal mold.
Application of a Bio-Inspired Algorithm in the Process Parameter Optimization of Laser Cladding
Authors: Zhang Yingtao , Gong Benxiang , Tang Zirong , Cao Weidong
Published: April 2022

The process parameter optimization of laser cladding using a bio-inspired algorithm is a hot issue and attracts the attention of many scholars. The biggest difficulty, at present, is the lack of accurate information regarding the function relationship between objectives and process parameters. In this study, a novel process parameter optimization approach for laser cladding is proposed based on a multiobjective slime mould algorithm (MOSMA) and support vector regression (SVR). In particular, SVR is used as a bridge between target and process parameters for solving the problem of lacking accurate information regarding the function relationship. As a new metaheuristic algorithm, MOSMA is to obtain the Pareto solution sets and fronts. The Pareto solution sets are optimized process parameters, and the Pareto fronts are optimized objectives. Users can select the corresponding optimized process parameters according to their needs for the target. The performance of the proposed approach was evaluated by the TOPSIS method, based on actual laser cladding data and compared with several well known approaches. The results indicate that the optimal process parameters obtained by the proposed approach have better process performance.
Controllability Results for First Order Linear Fuzzy Differential Systems
Authors: Liu Rui , Fečkan Michal , O’Regan Donal , Wang Jinrong
Published: April 2022

In this paper, we investigate the controllability of first order linear fuzzy differential systems. We use the direct construction method to derive the controllability results for three types of first order linear fuzzy controlled systems via (c1)-solution and (c2)-solution, respectively. An example is presented to illustrate our theoretical results.
Consistency Indices in Analytic Hierarchy Process: A Review
Authors: Pant Sangeeta , Kumar Anuj , Ram Mangey , Klochkov Yury , Sharma Hitesh Kumar
Published: April 2022

A well-regarded as well as powerful method named the ‘analytic hierarchy process’ (AHP) uses mathematics and psychology for making and analysing complex decisions. This article aims to present a brief review of the consistency measure of the judgments in AHP. Judgments should not be random or illogical. Several researchers have developed different consistency measures to identify the rationality of judgments. This article summarises the consistency measures which have been proposed so far in the literature. Moreover, this paper describes briefly the functional relationships established in the literature among the well-known consistency indices. At last, some thoughtful research directions that can be helpful in further research to develop and improve the performance of AHP are provided as well.
ZBTB16-RARα-Positive Atypical Promyelocytic Leukemia: A Case Report
Authors: Pardo Gambarte Laura , Franganillo Suárez Aída , Cornago Navascués Javier , Soto de Ozaeta Carlos , Blas López Carlos , Atance Pasarisas Mireia , Salgado Sánchez Rocío , Serrano del Castillo Cristina , Mata Serna Raquel , Velasco-Rodríguez Diego , López-Lorenzo José , Llamas-Sillero Pilar , Solán Blanco Laura
Published: April 2022

Background: The majority of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) manifest a specific chromosomal translocation t(15;17)(q22;q21), characterized by the fusion of RARA and PML genes. However, a proportion of APL cases are due to variant translocations, being t(11;17) (q23;q21) the most common amongst them. With the major exception of ZBTB16-RARA t(11;17) APL, these variant APL cases present similar morphological features as classic APL and are characterized by a lack of differentiation response to retinoids. Case summary: We describe the case of variant APL with the ZBTB16-RARA fusion gene, showing a distinct morphology of classical APL, characterized by crystalline intracytoplasmic inclusions in both peripheral blood (PB) and bone marrow (BM) patients’ blasts. Our patient was treated with two courses of intensive chemotherapy, initiating maintenance treatment with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on day twenty-eight of the second course. Our patient achieved complete remission (CR) once the intensive chemotherapy was combined with ATRA.Conclusions: This is the second case described of APL with t(11;17) that showed crystalline intracytoplasmic inclusions. The finding of these morphological features may suggest the presence of a variant translocation with RARA, being that both cases described are related to the presence of t(11;17). Despite induction treatment with intensive chemotherapy that included a seven-day continuous treatment with cytarabine (200 mg/m2), plus daily idarubicin (12 mg/m2) during the first three days, our patient did not achieve complete remission (CR) until scheduled 3 + 7 regimen combined with ATRA treatment was established. This observation suggests that ATRA may be partially effective in some ZBTB16-RARA APLs.
Prestressed Steel Material-Allocation Path and Construction Using Intelligent Digital Twins
Authors: Liu Zhansheng , Shi Guoliang , Qin Jie , Wang Xiangyu , Sun Junbo
Published: April 2022

This study is aimed at the fact that material allocation and construction progress cannot be intelligently controlled in the construction of prestressed steel structures. An intelligent planning method of a material-allocation path for prestressed steel-structure construction, based on digital twins (DTs), is proposed. Firstly, the characteristics of material allocation in the process of structural construction are analyzed, and a five-dimensional integrated DT framework for intelligent path-planning is built. Driven by the DT framework, the progress and environmental information of the construction site are collected in real time. At the same time, the field working conditions are dynamically simulated in the virtual model, so as to realize the interactive mapping between physical space and virtual space. In each construction process, by integrating the progress of each process at each construction location, and the storage and allocation of materials, a multidimensional model for the intelligent planning of material allocation is formed. The information fusion of virtual and real space is carried out using an entropy method to analyze the construction buffer time and material allocation time at each location of the construction site. On this basis, combined with the Dijkstra algorithm, the transportation time associated with the path is calculated according to the field distribution of each location. A feasibility analysis is carried out in the virtual model and imported into the field dynamic-marking system. Combined with radio frequency technology to guide material allocation on site, the intelligent planning of the material-allocation path is realized. In this study, taking the construction of the National Speed Skating Pavilion of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics as an example, the DT technology and Dijkstra algorithm are applied to the intelligent planning of the material-allocation path. It is fully verified that the intelligent method can effectively coordinate the relationship between schedule control and material allocation.
Lipidomics in Understanding Pathophysiology and Pharmacologic Effects in Inflammatory Diseases: Considerations for Drug Development
Authors: Ahluwalia Kabir , Ebright Brandon , Chow Kingsley , Dave Priyal , Mead Andrew , Poblete Roy , Louie Stan G. , Asante Isaac
Published: April 2022

The lipidome has a broad range of biological and signaling functions, including serving as a structural scaffold for membranes and initiating and resolving inflammation. To investigate the biological activity of phospholipids and their bioactive metabolites, precise analytical techniques are necessary to identify specific lipids and quantify their levels. Simultaneous quantification of a set of lipids can be achieved using high sensitivity mass spectrometry (MS) techniques, whose technological advancements have significantly improved over the last decade. This has unlocked the power of metabolomics/lipidomics allowing the dynamic characterization of metabolic systems. Lipidomics is a subset of metabolomics for multianalyte identification and quantification of endogenous lipids and their metabolites. Lipidomics-based technology has the potential to drive novel biomarker discovery and therapeutic development programs; however, appropriate standards have not been established for the field. Standardization would improve lipidomic analyses and accelerate the development of innovative therapies. This review aims to summarize considerations for lipidomic study designs including instrumentation, sample stabilization, data validation, and data analysis. In addition, this review highlights how lipidomics can be applied to biomarker discovery and drug mechanism dissection in various inflammatory diseases including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, lung disease, and autoimmune disease.
Restricting Branched-Chain Amino Acids within a High-Fat Diet Prevents Obesity
Authors: Liu Ming , Huang Yiheng , Zhang Hongwei , Aitken Dawn , Nevitt Michael C. , Rockel Jason S. , Pelletier Jean-Pierre , Lewis Cora E. , Torner James , Rampersaud Yoga Raja , Perruccio Anthony V. , Mahomed Nizar N. , Furey Andrew , Randell Edward W. , Rahman Proton , Sun Guang , Martel-Pelletier Johanne , Kapoor Mohit , Jones Graeme , Felson David , Qi Dake , Zhai Guangju
Published: April 2022

Obesity is a global pandemic, but there is yet no effective measure to control it. Recent metabolomics studies have identified a signature of altered amino acid profiles to be associated with obesity, but it is unclear whether these findings have actionable clinical potential. The aims of this study were to reveal the metabolic alterations of obesity and to explore potential strategies to mitigate obesity. We performed targeted metabolomic profiling of the plasma/serum samples collected from six independent cohorts and conducted an individual data meta-analysis of metabolomics for body mass index (BMI) and obesity. Based on the findings, we hypothesized that restriction of branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), phenylalanine, or tryptophan may prevent obesity and tested our hypothesis in a dietary restriction trial with eight groups of 4-week-old male C57BL/6J mice (n = 5/group) on eight different types of diets, respectively, for 16 weeks. A total of 3397 individuals were included in the meta-analysis. The mean BMI was 30.7 ± 6.1 kg/m2, and 49% of participants were obese. Fifty-eight metabolites were associated with BMI and obesity (all p ≤ 2.58 × 10−4), linked to alterations of the BCAA, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and phospholipid metabolic pathways. The restriction of BCAAs within a high-fat diet (HFD) maintained the mice’s weight, fat and lean volume, subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue weight, and serum glucose and insulin at levels similar to those in the standard chow group, and prevented obesity, adipocyte hypertrophy, adipose inflammation, and insulin resistance induced by HFD. Our data suggest that four metabolic pathways, BCAA, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and phospholipid metabolic pathways, are altered in obesity and restriction of BCAAs within a HFD can prevent the development of obesity and insulin resistance in mice, providing a promising strategy to potentially mitigate diet-induced obesity.
Trends in the Frequency of Water and Heat Stress in Mid-Latitude North America since 1980
Authors: Tashie Arik
Published: April 2022

The water-energy balance of many mid-latitude watersheds has been changing in recent decades due to global warming. These changes manifest themselves over both long timescales (e.g., hydrologic drought) and short timescales (e.g., agricultural drought) and may be ameliorated or exacerbated by vegetative response. We apply a Budyko framework to assess short-term response to long-term trends in water and heat stress (HS) across mid-latitude North America. Using high-resolution meteorological data and streamflow records, we calculate the frequency of HS every year since 1980 for every gaged watershed with adequate data (n = 1528). We find that HS has become more frequent in most watersheds in the western US, New England, and southeastern Canada. However, we find that HS has become less frequent in the Midwest and the relatively humid eastern US. By assessing the relationship between trends in HS frequency and proximate forcing variables (annual PPT, annual streamflow, minimum and maximum daily temperatures, actual evapotranspiration, and potential evapotranspiration), we find that these trends in HS frequency are primarily driven by meteorological forcings rather than vegetative response. Finally, we contextualize our findings within the Budyko framework, which assumes a landscape in equilibrium with its climate, with the implication that these trends in HS are only likely to be realized after local vegetation has adapted to new meteorological norms.
A Funnel Type PVDF Underwater Energy Harvester with Spiral Structure Mounted on the Harvester Support
Authors: Lee Jongkil , Ahn Jinhyo , Jin Hyundu , Lee Chong Hyun , Jeong Yoonsang , Lee Kibae , Seo Hee-Seon , Cho Yohan
Published: April 2022

For the purpose of stably supplying electric power to the underwater wireless sensor, the energy harvesting technology in which a voltage is obtained by generating displacement in a piezoelectric material using flow-induced vibration is one of the most attractive research fields. The funnel type energy harvester (FTEH) with PVDF proposed in this study is an energy harvester in which the inlet has a larger cross-sectional area than the outlet and a spiral structure is inserted to generate a vortex flow at the inlet. Based on numerical analysis, when PVDF with L = 100 mm and t = 1 mm was used, the electric power of 39 μW was generated at flow velocity of 0.25 m/s. In experiment the average RMS voltage of FTEH increased by 0.0209 V when the flow velocity increased by 1 m/s. When measured at 0.25 m/s flow velocity for 25 s, it was shown that voltage doubler rectifier (VDR) generated a voltage of 133.4 mV, 2.25 times larger than that of full bridge rectifier (FBR), and the energy charged in the capacitor was 44.3 nJ, 14% higher in VDR than that of the FBR. In addition, the VDR can deliver power of 17.75 μW for 1 kΩ load. It is shown that if the voltage generated by the FTEH using the flow velocity is stored using the VDR electric circuit, it will greatly contribute to the stable power supply of the underwater wireless sensor.