bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Translating Research for the Radiotheranostics of Nanotargeted 188Re-Liposome
Authors: Chang Chih-Hsien , Chang Ming-Cheng , Chang Ya-Jen , Chen Liang-Cheng , Lee Te-Wei , Ting Gann
Published: April 2021

Nanoliposomes are one of the leading potential nano drug delivery systems capable of targeting chemotherapeutics to tumor sites because of their passive nano-targeting capability through the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect for cancer patients. Recent advances in nano-delivery systems have inspired the development of a wide range of nanotargeted materials and strategies for applications in preclinical and clinical usage in the cancer field. Nanotargeted 188Re-liposome is a unique internal passive radiotheranostic agent for nuclear imaging and radiotherapeutic applications in various types of cancer. This article reviews and summarizes our multi-institute, multidiscipline, and multi-functional studied results and achievements in the research and development of nanotargeted 188Re-liposome from preclinical cells and animal models to translational clinical investigations, including radionuclide nanoliposome formulation, targeted nuclear imaging, biodistribution, pharmacokinetics, radiation dosimetry, radiation tumor killing effects in animal models, nanotargeted radionuclide and radio/chemo-combination therapeutic effects, and acute toxicity in various tumor animal models. The systemic preclinical and clinical studied results suggest 188Re-liposome is feasible and promising for in vivo passive nanotargeted radionuclide theranostics in future cancer care applications.
Information Bottleneck for a Rayleigh Fading MIMO Channel with an Oblivious Relay
Authors: Xu Hao , Yang Tianyu , Caire Giuseppe , Shamai (Shitz) Shlomo
Published: April 2021

This paper considers the information bottleneck (IB) problem of a Rayleigh fading multiple-input multiple-out (MIMO) channel with an oblivious relay. The relay is constrained to operating without knowledge of the codebooks, i.e., it performs oblivious processing. Moreover, due to the bottleneck constraint, it is impossible for the relay to inform the destination node of the perfect channel state information (CSI) in each channel realization. To evaluate the bottleneck rate, we first provide an upper bound by assuming that the destination node can obtain a perfect CSI at no cost. Then, we provide four achievable schemes, where each scheme satisfies the bottleneck constraint and gives a lower bound to the bottleneck rate. In the first and second schemes, the relay splits the capacity of the relay–destination link into two parts and conveys both the CSI and its observation to the destination node. Due to CSI transmission, the performance of these two schemes is sensitive to the MIMO channel dimension, especially the channel input dimension. To ensure that it still performs well when the channel dimension grows large, in the third and fourth achievable schemes, the relay only transmits compressed observations to the destination node. Numerical results show that, with simple symbol-by-symbol oblivious relay processing and compression, the proposed achievable schemes work well and can demonstrate lower bounds that come quite close to the upper bound on a wide range of relevant system parameters.
Mathematical Analysis of Two Phase Saturated Nanofluid Influenced by Magnetic Field Gradient
Authors: Khan Farhan , Yang Xiaodong
Published: April 2021

Nanofluids are composed of nano-sized particles dispersed in a carrier liquid. The present investigation’s aim is to examine theoretically the magneto-thermomechanical coupling phenomena of a heated nanofluid on a stretched surface in the presence of magnetic dipole impact. Fourier’s law of heat conduction is used to evaluate the heat transmission rate of the carrier fluids ethylene glycol and water along with suspended nanoparticles of a cobalt–chromium–tungsten–nickel alloy and magnetite ferrite. A set of partial differential equations is transformed into a set of non-linear ordinary differential equations via a similarity approach. The computation is performed in Matlab by employing the shooting technique. The effect of the magneto-thermomechanical interaction on the velocity and temperature boundary layer profiles with the attendant effect on the skin friction and heat transfer is analyzed. The maximum and minimum thermal energy transfer rates are computed for the H2O-Fe3O4 and C2H6O2-CoCr20W15Ni magnetic nanofluids. Finally, the study’s results are compared with the previously available data and are found to be in good agreement.
Extraperitoneal Robotic Laparo-Endoscopic Single-Site Plus1-Port Radical Prostatectomy Using the da Vinci Single-Site Platform
Authors: Li Ching-Chia , Chien Tsu-Ming , Lee Ming-Ru , Lee Hsiang-Ying , Ke Hung-Lung , Wen Sheng-Chen , Chou Yii-Her , Wu Wen-Jeng
Published: April 2021

Currently, over 80% of radical prostatectomies have been performed with the da Vinci Surgical System. In order to improve the aesthetic outlook and decrease the morbidity of the operation, the new da Vinci Single Port (SP) system was developed in 2018. However, one major problem is the SP system is still not available in most countries. We aim to present our initial experience and show the safety and feasibility of the single-site robotic-assisted radical prostatectomy (LESS-RP) using the da Vinci Single-Site platform. From June 2017 to January 2020, 120 patients with localized prostate cancer (stage T1–T3b) at Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital were included in this study. We describe our technique and report our initial results of LESS-RP using the da Vinci Si robotic system. Preoperative, intraoperative and postoperative patient variables were recorded. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-free survival was also analyzed. A total of 120 patients were enrolled in the study. The median age of patients was 68 years (IQR 63–71), with a median body mass index of 25 kg/m2 (IQR 23–27). The median PSA value before operation was 10.7 ng/mL (IQR 7.9–21.1). The median setup time for creat-ing the extraperitoneal space and ports document was 25 min (IQR 18–34). The median robotic console time and operation time were 135 min (IQR 110–161) and 225 min (IQR 197–274), respectively. Median blood loss was 365 mL (IQR 200–600). There were 11 (9.2%) patients who experienced complications (Clavien–Dindo classification Gr II). The me-dian catheter duration was 8 days (IQR 7–9), with a median of 10 days (IQR 7–11) of hospital stay. The PSA free-survival rate was 86% at a median 19 months (IQR 6–28) of follow up. Robotic radical prostatectomy using the da Vinci Single-Site platform system is safe and feasible, with acceptable outcomes.
Adolescent, Pregnant, and HIV-Infected: Risk of Adverse Pregnancy and Perinatal Outcomes in Young Women from Southern Mozambique
Authors: Pons-Duran Clara , Casellas Aina , Bardají Azucena , Valá Anifa , Sevene Esperança , Quintó Llorenç , Macete Eusebio , Menéndez Clara , González Raquel
Published: April 2021

Sub-Saharan Africa concentrates the burden of HIV and the highest adolescent fertility rates. However, there is limited information about the impact of the interaction between adolescence and HIV infection on maternal health in the region. Data collected prospectively from three clinical trials conducted between 2003 and 2014 were analysed to evaluate the association between age, HIV infection, and their interaction, with the risk of maternal morbidity and adverse pregnancy and perinatal outcomes in women from southern Mozambique. Logistic regression and negative binomial models were used. A total of 2352 women were included in the analyses; 31% were adolescents (≤19 years) and 29% HIV-infected women. The effect of age on maternal morbidity and pregnancy and perinatal adverse outcomes was not modified by HIV status. Adolescence was associated with an increased incidence of hospital admissions (IRR 0.55, 95%CI 0.37–0.80 for women 20–24 years; IRR 0.60, 95%CI 0.42–0.85 for women >25 years compared to adolescents; p-value < 0.01) and outpatient visits (IRR 0.86, 95%CI 0.71–1.04; IRR 0.76, 95%CI 0.63–0.92; p-value = 0.02), and an increased likelihood of having a small-for-gestational age newborn (OR 0.50, 95%CI 0.38–0.65; OR 0.43, 95%CI 0.34–0.56; p-value < 0.001), a low birthweight (OR 0.40, 95%CI 0.27–0.59; OR 0.37, 95%CI 0.26–0.53; p-value <0.001) and a premature birth (OR 0.42, 95%CI 0.24–0.72; OR 0.51, 95%CI 0.32–0.82; p-value < 0.01). Adolescence was associated with an increased risk of poor morbidity, pregnancy and perinatal outcomes, irrespective of HIV infection. In addition to provision of a specific maternity care package for this vulnerable group interventions are imperative to prevent adolescent pregnancy.
Skin Manifestation of SARS-CoV-2: The Italian Experience
Authors: Cazzato Gerardo , Foti Caterina , Colagrande Anna , Cimmino Antonietta , Scarcella Sara , Cicco Gerolamo , Sablone Sara , Arezzo Francesca , Romita Paolo , Lettini Teresa , Resta Leonardo , Ingravallo Giuseppe
Published: April 2021

At the end of December 2019, a new coronavirus denominated Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was identified in Wuhan, Hubei province, China. Less than three months later, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) to be a global pandemic. Growing numbers of clinical, histopathological, and molecular findings were subsequently reported, among which a particular interest in skin manifestations during the course of the disease was evinced. Today, about one year after the development of the first major infectious foci in Italy, various large case series of patients with COVID-19-related skin manifestations have focused on skin specimens. However, few are supported by histopathological, immunohistochemical, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) data on skin specimens. Here, we present nine cases of COVID-positive patients, confirmed by histological, immunophenotypical, and PCR findings, who underwent skin biopsy. A review of the literature in Italian cases with COVID-related skin manifestations is then provided.
Increased Levels of Adipocyte and Epidermal Fatty Acid-Binding Proteins in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia Survivors
Authors: Konończuk Katarzyna , Latoch Eryk , Żelazowska-Rutkowska Beata , Krawczuk-Rybak Maryna , Muszyńska-Rosłan Katarzyna
Published: April 2021

Childhood cancer survivors are highly exposed to the development of side effects after many years of cessation of anticancer treatment, including altered lipid metabolism that may result in an increased risk of overweight and metabolic syndrome. Adipocyte (A-FABP) and epidermal (E-FABP) fatty acid-binding proteins are expressed in adipocytes and are assumed to play an important role in the development of lipid disturbances leading to the onset of metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between serum A-FABP and E-FABP levels, overweight, and components of the metabolic syndrome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia survivors. Sixty-two acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors (34 females) were included in the study. The mean age at the time of the study was 12.41 ± 4.98 years (range 4.71–23.43). Serum levels of A-FABP and E-FABP were analyzed using a commercially available ELISA kit. The ALL survivors presented statistically higher A-FABP levels in comparison with the healthy controls (25.57 ± 14.46 vs. 15.13 ± 7.61 ng/mL, p < 0.001). The subjects with body mass index (BMI) above the normal range (18 overweight, 10 obese) had a greater level of A-FABP compared to the ALL group with normal BMI (32.02 ± 17.10 vs. 20.33 ± 9.24 ng/mL, p = 0.006). Of all participants, 53.23% had at least one risk factor of metabolic syndrome; in this group, only the A-FABP level showed a statistically significant difference compared to the healthy control group (30.63 ± 15.91 vs. 15.13 ± 7.61 ng/mL, p < 0.001). The subjects with two or more metabolic risk factors (16.13%) presented higher levels of both A-FABP (33.62 ± 17.16 vs. 15.13 ± 7.61 ng/mL, p = 0.001) and E-FABP (13.37 ± 3.62 vs. 10.12 ± 3.21 ng/mL, p = 0.021) compared to the controls. Univariable regression models showed significant associations between BMI and systolic blood pressure with the A-FABP level (coeff. 1.02 and 13.74, respectively; p < 0.05). In contrast, the E-FABP level was only affected by BMI (coeff. 0.48; p < 0.01). The findings reported herein suggest that the increased levels of A-FABP and E-FABP may be involved in the pathogenesis of overweight and the onset of metabolic syndrome in acute lymphoblastic leukemia. However, further longitudinal, prospective studies of fatty acid-binding proteins and their potential role in the pathogenesis of obesity and metabolic syndrome in ALL survivors remain to be performed.
Isosteric Enthalpy Behavior of CO2 Adsorption on Micro-Mesoporous Materials: Carbon Microfibers (CMFs), SBA-15, and Amine-Functionalized SBA-15
Authors: Ojeda-López Reyna , Domínguez-Ortiz Armando , Felipe Carlos , Cervantes-Uribe A. , Pérez-Hermosillo Isaac J. , Esparza-Schulz J. Marcos
Published: April 2021

The isosteric enthalpy of adsorption (Δadsh˙) of CO2 in three different micro and mesoporous materials was evaluated in this work. These materials were a microporous material with functional groups of nitrogen and oxygen (CMFs, carbon microfibers), a mesoporous material with silanol groups (SBA-15, Santa Barbara Amorphous), and a mesoporous material with amine groups (SBA-15_APTES, SBA-15 amine-functionalized with (3-Aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane). The temperature interval explored was between 263 K and 303 K, with a separation of 5 K between each one, so a total of nine CO2 isotherms were obtained. Using the nine isotherms and the Clausius–Clapeyron equation, the reference value for Δadsh˙ was found. The reference value was compared with those Δadsh˙ obtained, considering some arrangement of three or five CO2 isotherms. Finally, it was found that at 298 K and 1 bar, the total amount of CO2 adsorbed is 2.32, 0.53, and 1.37 mmol g−1 for CMF, SBA-15, and SBA-15_APTES, respectively. However, at a coverage of 0.38 mmol g−1, Δadsh˙ is worth 38, 30, and 29 KJ mol−1 for SBA-15_APTES, CMFs, and SBA-15, respectively. So, physisorption predominates in the case of CMF and SBA-15 materials, and the Δadsh˙ values significantly coincide regardless of whether the isotherms arrangement used was three or five. Meanwhile, in SBA-15_APTES, chemisorption predominates as a consequence of the arrangements used to obtain Δadsh˙. This happens in such a way that the use of low temperatures (263–283 K) tends to produce higher Δadsh˙ values, while the use of high temperatures (283–303 K) decreases the Δadsh˙ values.
Coagulant Plus Bacillus nitratireducens Fermentation Broth Technique Provides a Rapid Algicidal Effect of Toxic Red Tide Dinoflagellate
Authors: Balaji Prasath Barathan , Wang Ying , Su Yuping , Zheng Wanning , Lin Hong , Yang Hong
Published: April 2021

When the toxic red tide alga Gymnodinium catenatum H.W. Graham accumulates in sediment through sexual reproduction, it provides the provenance of a periodic outbreak of red tide, a potential threat to the marine environment. In our study, the flocculation effects of four coagulants were compared. Bacteria fermentation (Ba3) broth and coagulant were combined with Ba3 to reduce the vegetative cells of G. catenatum, inhibit the cystic germination in the sediment, and control the red tide outbreak. To promote a more efficient and environmentally friendly algae suppression method, we studied these four coagulants combined with algae suppression bacteria for their effect on G. catenatum. The results show that polyaluminum chloride (PAC) is more efficient than other coagulants when used alone because it had a more substantial inhibitory effect. Ba3 broth also had a beneficial removal effect on the vegetative cells of G. catenatum. The inhibition efficiency of 2-day fermentation liquid was higher than that of 1-day and 3-day fermentation liquids. When combined, the PAC and Ba3 broth produced a pronounced algae inhibition effect that effectively hindered the germination of algae cysts. We conclude that this combination provides a scientific reference for the prevention and control of marine red tide. Our results suggest that designing environmentally friendly methods for the management of harmful algae is quite feasible.
Candidemia among Iranian Patients with Severe COVID-19 Admitted to ICUs
Authors: Arastehfar Amir , Shaban Tahmineh , Zarrinfar Hossein , Roudbary Maryam , Ghazanfari Mona , Hedayati Mohammad-Taghi , Sedaghat Alireza , Ilkit Macit , Najafzadeh Mohammad Javad , Perlin David S.
Published: April 2021

As a novel risk factor, COVID-19 has led to an increase in the incidence of candidemia and an elevated mortality rate. Despite being of clinical importance, there is a lack of data regarding COVID-19-associated candidemia (CAC) among Iranian patients. Therefore, in this retrospective study, we assessed CAC epidemiology in the intensive care units (ICUs) of two COVID-19 centers in Mashhad, Iran, from early November 2020 to late January 2021. Yeast isolates from patients’ blood were identified by 21-plex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing, then subjected to antifungal susceptibility testing according to the CLSI M27-A3 protocol. Among 1988 patients with COVID-19 admitted to ICUs, seven had fungemia (7/1988; 0.03%), among whom six had CAC. The mortality of the limited CAC cases was high and greatly exceeded that of patients with COVID-19 but without candidemia (100% (6/6) vs. 22.7% (452/1988)). In total, nine yeast isolates were collected from patients with fungemia: five Candida albicans, three C. glabrata, and one Rhodotorula mucilaginosa. Half of the patients infected with C. albicans (2/4) were refractory to both azoles and echinocandins. The high mortality of patients with CAC, despite antifungal therapy, reflects the severity of the disease in these patients and underscores the importance of rapid diagnosis and timely initiation of antifungal treatment.
Nonionizing Electromagnetic Field: A Promising Alternative for Growing Control Yeast
Authors: Riffo Byron , Henríquez Consuelo , Chávez Renato , Peña Rubén , Sangorrín Marcela , Gil-Duran Carlos , Rodríguez Arturo , Ganga María Angélica
Published: April 2021

In the food industry, some fungi are considered to be common spoilage microorganisms which reduce the shelf life of products. To avoid this outcome, different technologies are being developed to control their growth. Electromagnetic fields (EMF) have been used to combat bacterial growth, but there are few studies on yeasts and their possible action mechanisms. For this reason, we studied the effect of EMF between 1 to 5.9 GHz bands on the growth of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast and observed that all the frequencies of the band used cause the reduction of the viability of this yeast. In addition, we observed that the distance between the antenna and the sample is an important factor to consider to control the growing yeast. By using transmission electron microscopy, we found that the EMF caused a loss of continuity of the yeast cell membrane. Therefore, EMF may be used as a control method for yeast growth.
Influences of Rearing Environment on Behaviour and Welfare of Captive Chilean Flamingos: A Case Study on Foster-Reared and Parent-Reared Birds
Authors: Kidd Peter , Rose Paul
Published: April 2021

Behaviour signals the internal states that relate to an individual’s welfare and its development is influenced by the early social environment that an animal experiences. Husbandry practices can alter this early social environment, for example different rearing conditions (e.g., foster rearing by a surrogate parent of another species). Widespread implementation of altered rearing can lack empirical support and non-parent-reared animals may experience poorer welfare resulting from maternal deprivation. An opportunity presented itself to measure the effect of foster-rearing on Chilean flamingo behaviour and social preferences at WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre and compare findings to parent-reared conspecifics in the same time period. Data were collected from April to July 2019 at three timepoints during each observation day. Binomial generalized linear mixed models were used to assess the relationship between focal chicks’ rearing background with behaviour, zone usage, and flock position whilst accounting for climatic factors and visitor numbers. The development of social preferences was assessed using social network analysis. Our results showed limited impacts on flamingo behavioural development due to foster rearing. Foster-reared chicks spent less time feeding, were more likely to occupy the nesting area of the enclosure, and had fewer significant preferred associations than parent-reared chicks, but preferred social bonds were as equally strong and durable for both foster-reared and parent-reared chicks. Our results have important welfare implications for the use of foster-rearing in captive environments; altered early social rearing environments through cross-fostering in Chilean flamingos is associated with limited differences in behavioural and social development.
The ATP Synthase Deficiency in Human Diseases
Authors: Galber Chiara , Carissimi Stefania , Baracca Alessandra , Giorgio Valentina
Published: April 2021

Human diseases range from gene-associated to gene-non-associated disorders, including age-related diseases, neurodegenerative, neuromuscular, cardiovascular, diabetic diseases, neurocognitive disorders and cancer. Mitochondria participate to the cascades of pathogenic events leading to the onset and progression of these diseases independently of their association to mutations of genes encoding mitochondrial protein. Under physiological conditions, the mitochondrial ATP synthase provides the most energy of the cell via the oxidative phosphorylation. Alterations of oxidative phosphorylation mainly affect the tissues characterized by a high-energy metabolism, such as nervous, cardiac and skeletal muscle tissues. In this review, we focus on human diseases caused by altered expressions of ATP synthase genes of both mitochondrial and nuclear origin. Moreover, we describe the contribution of ATP synthase to the pathophysiological mechanisms of other human diseases such as cardiovascular, neurodegenerative diseases or neurocognitive disorders.
Microstructure Dependence of Effective Thermal Conductivity of EB-PVD TBCs
Authors: Qiu Shi-Yi , Wu Chen-Wu , Huang Chen-Guang , Ma Yue , Guo Hong-Bo
Published: April 2021

Microstructure dependence of effective thermal conductivity of the coating was investigated to optimize the thermal insulation of columnar structure electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD coating), considering constraints by mechanical stress. First, a three-dimensional finite element model of multiple columnar structure was established to involve thermal contact resistance across the interfaces between the adjacent columnar structures. Then, the mathematical formula of each structural parameter was derived to demonstrate the numerical outcome and predict the effective thermal conductivity. After that, the heat conduction characteristics of the columnar structured coating was analyzed to reveal the dependence of the effective thermal conductivity of the thermal barrier coatings (TBCs) on its microstructure characteristics, including the column diameter, the thickness of coating, the ratio of the height of fine column to coarse column and the inclination angle of columns. Finally, the influence of each microstructural parameter on the mechanical stress of the TBCs was studied by a mathematic model, and the optimization of the inclination angle was proposed, considering the thermal insulation and mechanical stress of the coating.
Room-Temperature Catalyst Enables Selective Acetone Sensing
Authors: Weber Ines C. , Wang Chang-ting , Güntner Andreas T.
Published: April 2021

Catalytic packed bed filters ahead of gas sensors can drastically improve their selectivity, a key challenge in medical, food and environmental applications. Yet, such filters require high operation temperatures (usually some hundreds °C) impeding their integration into low-power (e.g., battery-driven) devices. Here, we reveal room-temperature catalytic filters that facilitate highly selective acetone sensing, a breath marker for body fat burn monitoring. Varying the Pt content between 0–10 mol% during flame spray pyrolysis resulted in Al2O3 nanoparticles decorated with Pt/PtOx clusters with predominantly 5–6 nm size, as revealed by X-ray diffraction and electron microscopy. Most importantly, Pt contents above 3 mol% removed up to 100 ppm methanol, isoprene and ethanol completely already at 40 °C and high relative humidity, while acetone was mostly preserved, as confirmed by mass spectrometry. When combined with an inexpensive, chemo-resistive sensor of flame-made Si/WO3, acetone was detected with high selectivity (≥225) over these interferants next to H2, CO, form-/acetaldehyde and 2-propanol. Such catalytic filters do not require additional heating anymore, and thus are attractive for integration into mobile health care devices to monitor, for instance, lifestyle changes in gyms, hospitals or at home.
Vacuum Brazing of C/C Composite and TiAl Intermetallic Alloy Using BNi-2 Brazing Filler Metal
Authors: Li Shengnan , Du Dong , Zhang Lei , Hao Qingle , Long Weimin
Published: April 2021

C/C composite was brazed to TiAl intermetallic compound using a commercial BNi-2 brazing filler metal under vacuum brazing condition. The brazing temperature was 1030~1150 °C and the holding time was 20 min. The joint interfacial microstructures and mechanical properties were studied, and the fracture behavior and joining mechanism were also investigated. The effect of brazing temperature on the joint shear strength was explored. The results showed that a perfect interface joint can be obtained by using BNi-2 to braze C/C and TiAl. During brazing, Ti, Cr, and other carbide forming elements diffused to C/C composite side, forming Cr3C2, Cr7C3, TiC, and other carbides, and realizing metallurgical joining between the brazing filler metal and C/C composite. The microstructure of the interface of C/C composite and TiAl intermetallic compound joint is as follows: TiAl alloy → TiAl + AlNi3 → AlNi2Ti → Ni(s, s) + Ti3Al + Ni3Si → Ni(s, s) + Ni3(Si, B) + CrB → Ni(s, s) + Ni3Si + TiCr2 → (Ti, Cr)C → C/C composite. When the holding time is fixed, with the increase of brazing temperature, the shear strength of the joint increases first and then decreases. The maximum average room temperature shear strength of the brazed joint was 11.62 MPa, while the brazing temperature was 1060 °C and the holding time was 20 min.
Torsional Fatigue Life Prediction of 30CrMnSiNi2A Based on Meso-Inhomogeneous Deformation
Authors: Cen Cheng-Xian , Lu Da-Min , Qin Da-Wei , Zhang Ke-Shi
Published: April 2021

In this paper, torsional fatigue failure of 30CrMnSiNi2A steel which exhibited non-Masing behavior was studied under different constant shear strain amplitudes, using thin-walled tubular specimens. The relationship between shear fatigue and the evolution of meso-deformation inhomogeneity and the prediction method of the torsional fatigue life curve were investigated. Shear fatigue of the material under constant amplitude was researched by numerical simulation with reference to tests, by using crystal plasticity of polycrystalline representative volume element (RVE) as the material model. Considering the non-Masing behavior of material, when determining the parameter values of the crystal plasticity model the correlation between these parameters and strain amplitude was taken into account. The meso-deformation inhomogeneity with increments in the number of cycles was characterized by using the statistical shear strain standard deviation of RVE as the basic parameter. Considering the effect of strain amplitude on fatigue damage, ratio cycle peak stress/yield stress was taken as the weight to measure the torsional fatigue damage and an improved fatigue indicator parameter (FIP) to measure the inhomogeneous deformation of the material was proposed. The torsional fatigue life curve of 30CrMnSiNi2A steel was predicted by the critical value of the FIP and then the result was confirmed.
Effect of Pre-Stress on Laser-Induced Thermoplastic Deformation of Inconel 718 Beams
Authors: Widłaszewski Jacek , Nowak Zdzisław , Kurp Piotr
Published: April 2021

Laser thermal forming is an application of laser heating without any intentional use of external forces. Force-assisted laser bending and laser-assisted bending are hybrid techniques, which combine the use of external forces and local heating to increase the effectiveness of forming. A quantitative description of bending deformation induced by concurrent laser heating and mechanical loading is proposed in this study. Mechanical loading is expressed by the bending moment while the curvature is used to describe the resulting deformation. The contribution of a relatively less known mechanism of laser thermal bending in the hybrid process is identified. The mechanism is able to produce the so-called convex deformation, i.e., bending away from the incident laser beam. Experimental and numerical analysis is performed with thin-walled beams made of Inconel 718 nickel-based superalloy in the factory-annealed state. The Johnson–Cook constitutive material model is used in numerical simulations validated by experimental results.
Imprinting Technology for Effective Sorbent Fabrication: Current State-of-Art and Future Prospects
Authors: Janczura Marta , Luliński Piotr , Sobiech Monika
Published: April 2021

In the last 10 years, we have witnessed an extensive development of instrumental techniques in analytical methods for determination of various molecules and ions at very low concentrations. Nevertheless, the presence of interfering components of complex samples hampered the applicability of new analytical strategies. Thus, additional sample pre-treatment steps were proposed to overcome the problem. Solid sorbents were used for clean-up samples but insufficient selectivity of commercial materials limited their utility. Here, the application of molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) or ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) in the separation processes have recently attracted attention due to their many advantages, such as high selectivity, robustness, and low costs of the fabrication process. Bulk or monoliths, microspheres and core-shell materials, magnetically susceptible and stir-bar imprinted materials are applicable to different modes of solid-phase extraction to determine target analytes and ions in a very complex environment such as blood, urine, soil, or food. The capability to perform a specific separation of enantiomers is a substantial advantage in clinical analysis. The ion-imprinted sorbents gained interest in trace analysis of pollutants in environmental samples. In this review, the current synthetic approaches for the preparation of MIPs and IIPs are comprehensively discussed together with a detailed characterization of respective materials. Furthermore, the use of sorbents in environmental, food, and biomedical analyses will be emphasized to point out current limits and highlight the future prospects for further development in the field.
Neutron and X-ray Diffraction Analysis of Macro and Phase-Specific Micro Residual Stresses in Deep Rolled Duplex Stainless Steels
Authors: Pulvermacher Samuel , Bücker Tobias , Šaroun Jan , Rebelo-Kornmeier Joana , Hofmann Michael , Gibmeier Jens
Published: April 2021

Experimental analyses of depth distributions of phase-specific residual stresses after deep rolling were carried out by means of laboratory X-ray diffraction and neutron diffraction for the two duplex steels X2CrNiMoN22-5-3 and X3CrNiMoN27-5-2, which differ significantly in their ferrite to austenite ratios. The aim of the investigation was to elucidate to which extent comparable results can be achieved with the destructive and the non-destructive approach and how the process induced phase-specific micro residual stresses influence the determination of the phase- and {hkl}-specific reference value d0, required for evaluation of neutron strain scanning experiments. A further focus of the work was the applicability of correction approaches that were developed originally for single-phase materials for accounting for spurious strains during through surface neutron scanning experiments on coarse two-phase materials. The depth distributions of macro residual stresses were separated from the phase-specific micro residual stresses. In this regard, complementary residual stress analysis was carried out by means of incremental hole drilling. The results indicate that meaningful macro residual stress depth distributions can be determined non-destructively by means of neutron diffraction for depths starting at about 150–200 µm. Furthermore, it was shown that the correction of the instrumental surface effects, which are intrinsic for surface neutron strain scanning, through neutron ray-tracing simulation is applicable to multiphase materials and yields reliable results. However, phase-specific micro residual stresses determined by means of neutron diffraction show significant deviations to data determined by means of lab X-ray stress analysis according to the well-known sin2ψ-method.
Synthesis of Marine Natural Products and Molecules Inspired by Marine Substances
Authors: Manzo Emiliano
Published: April 2021

The sea covers more than 70% of Earth’s surface and contains more than 300,000 organisms with huge biodiversity [...]
A Data Fusion Method for Non-Destructive Testing by Means of Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Cormerais Romain , Duclos Aroune , Wasselynck Guillaume , Berthiau Gérard , Longo Roberto
Published: April 2021

In the aeronautics sector, aircraft parts are inspected during manufacture, assembly and service, to detect defects eventually present. Defects can be of different types, sizes and orientations, appearing in materials presenting a complex structure. Among the different inspection techniques, Non Destructive Testing (NDT) presents several advantages as they are noninvasive and cost effective. Within the NDT methods, Ultrasonic (US) waves are widely used to detect and characterize defects. However, due the so-called blind zone, they cannot be easily employed for defects close to the surface being inspected. On the other hand, another NDT technique such Eddy Current (EC) can be used only for detecting flaws close to the surface, due to the presence of the EC skin effect. The work presented in this article aims to combine the use of these two NDT methods, exploiting their complementary advantages. To reach this goal, a data fusion method is developed, by using Machine Learning techniques such as Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs). A simulated training database involving simulations of US and EC signals propagating in an Aluminum block in the presence of Side Drill Holes (SDHs) has been implemented, to train the ANNs. Measurements have been then performed on an Aluminum block, presenting tree different SDHs at specific depths. The trained ANNs were used to characterize the different real SDHs, providing an experimental validation. Eventually, particular attention has been addressed to the estimation errors corresponding to each flaw. Experimental results will show that depths and radii estimations error were confined on average within a range of 4%, recording a peak of 11% for the second SDHs.
Noninvasive Measurement of Tongue Pressure and Its Correlation with Swallowing and Respiration
Authors: Shieh Wann-Yun , Wang Chin-Man , Cheng Hsin-Yi Kathy , Imbang Titilianty Ignatia
Published: April 2021

Tongue pressure plays a critical role in the oral and pharyngeal stages of swallowing, contributing considerably to bolus formation and manipulation as well as to safe transporting of food from the mouth to the stomach. Smooth swallowing relies not only on effective coordination of respiration and pharynx motions but also on sufficient tongue pressure. Conventional methods of measuring tongue pressure involve attaching a pressure sheet to the hard palate to monitor the force exerted by the tongue tip against the hard palate. In this study, an air bulb was inserted in the anterior oral cavity to monitor the pressure exerted by the extrinsic and intrinsic muscles of the tongue. The air bulb was integrated into a noninvasive, multisensor approach to evaluate the correlation of the tongue pressure with other swallowing responses, such as respiratory nasal flow, submental muscle movement, and thyroid cartilage excursion. An autodetection program was implemented for the automatic identification of swallowing patterns and parameters from each sensor. The experimental results indicated that the proposed method is sensitive in measuring the tongue pressure, and the tongue pressure was found to have a strong positive correlation with the submental muscle movement during swallowing.
Roadmapping New Impact Bonds in a Post-COVID World: Insights from Case Studies in the Education Sector
Authors: Kabli Abdellah , Rizzello Alessandro , Trotta Annarita
Published: April 2021

In the last year, COVID-19 has tested both advanced and developing economies. Within such a context, the global learning crisis is expected to increase due to difficulties in accessing technology or in receiving learning support. Such a huge need, globally identified with the Sustainable Development Goal number 4 (hereafter SDG 4), implies the need for large-scale solutions from governments around the world, especially in terms of dedicated financial resources. In this context, the impact-investing sector offers an innovative financial tool, i.e., impact bonds (IBs), which are widely applied in the education sector, even if their limitations and potentials remain unexplored in academia. Based on these considerations, our work explores whether and how IBs can contribute to funding and improving educational outcomes, with a focus on their potentials in the post-COVID world. This study adopts a qualitative approach by performing a case study analysis of four IBs. Our pilot analysis is based on the following key dimensions: (i) partnerships and contractual arrangements; (ii) financial terms; and (iii) measurement and impact. The results offer interesting insights by deriving a preliminary model on the role of IBs in the post-COVID-19 world.
Intelligent Access Control Design for Security Context Awareness in Smart Grid
Authors: Kim Hyoungju , Choi Junho
Published: April 2021

Recently, damages such as internal system intrusion, network and device vulnerability attacks, malicious code infection, and information leakage due to security attacks are increasing within the smart grid environment. Detailed and dynamic access control must be implemented to enable the power system in the smart grid environment to respond to such attacks. Dynamic and partial delegation must be available, and permission role restrictions must be considered for dynamic access control when delegating a role because of changes in power resource manager authority. In this paper, we propose an intelligent access control framework that can recognize security context by analyzing security vulnerabilities for security management of power systems. The intelligent access control framework is designed as a framework that enables collaboration within the smart grid environment, and a system administrator is designed to transmit access control policy information required between the power service principal and the agent. In addition, an experiment is conducted for the control inference of security context ontology-based access, attack detection inference of the security context awareness service, and the attack response of the intelligent integrated access control system. Experimental results show that the precision of security context ontology-based access control inference is 70%, and the attack response rate of integrated access control is 72.8%.
Smart-Mobility Services for Climate Mitigation in Urban Areas: Case Studies of Baltic Countries and Germany
Authors: Cepeliauskaite Gabriele , Keppner Benno , Simkute Zivile , Stasiskiene Zaneta , Leuser Leon , Kalnina Ieva , Kotovica Nika , Andiņš Jānis , Muiste Marek
Published: April 2021

The transport sector is one of the largest contributors of CO2 emissions and other greenhouse gases. In order to achieve the Paris goal of decreasing the global average temperature by 2 °C, urgent and transformative actions in urban mobility are required. As a sub-domain of the smart-city concept, smart-mobility-solutions integration at the municipal level is thought to have environmental, economic and social benefits, e.g., reducing air pollution in cities, providing new markets for alternative mobility and ensuring universal access to public transportation. Therefore, this article aims to analyze the relevance of smart mobility in creating a cleaner environment and provide strategic and practical examples of smart-mobility services in four European cities: Berlin (Germany), Kaunas (Lithuania), Riga (Latvia) and Tartu (Estonia). The paper presents a systematized literature review about the potential of smart-mobility services in reducing the negative environmental impact to urban environments in various cities. The authors highlight broad opportunities from the European Union and municipal documents for smart-mobility initiatives. The theoretical part is supplemented by socioeconomic and environmental descriptions, as well as experience, related to smart-mobility services in the four cities selected.
Sustainability Reporting in the Public Realm—Trends and Patterns in Knowledge Development
Authors: Stefanescu Cristina Alexandrina
Published: April 2021

In the wake of increased awareness, as there has been an increasing need for sustainability reporting, research studies have evolved over time. Addressing the challenges and pathways of research in the particular realm of public entities was appropriate to enrich the scientific literature. Since prior studies either conducted a structured literature review on non-financial reporting formats or were focused exclusively on social and environmental accounting, and no bibliometric review has yet been conducted on sustainability reporting in the public sector, this study aims to fill this gap. The objective of the paper is to identify the trends and patterns in knowledge development in the area of sustainability reporting in the public sector to investigate its structure and derive inferences and insights. Bibliometric results reveal that research in this field is still at an early stage, showing an unsteady, slightly upward trend. The literature responded well to the need to enhance the understanding of the public institutions’ role in advancing non-financial reporting and evolved along with the continuous development of the related voluntary frameworks (e.g., GRI, ). In this assent, further studies approaching the first mandatory regulation of non-financial information disclosure (Directive 95/2014/EU) are encouraged.
Multiple Criteria Decision Making for the Achievement of the UN Sustainable Development Goals: A Systematic Literature Review and a Research Agenda
Authors: Sousa Manuel , Almeida Maria Fatima , Calili Rodrigo
Published: April 2021

Multiple-criteria decision making (MCDM) methods have been widely employed in various fields and disciplines, including decision problems regarding Sustainable Development (SD) issues. The main objective of this paper is to present a systematic literature review (SLR) on MCDM methods supporting decisions focusing on the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in regional, national, or local contexts. In this regard, 143 published scientific articles from 2016 to 2020 were retrieved from the Scopus database, selected and reviewed. They were categorized according to the decision problem associated with SDGs issues, the MCDM methodological approach, including the use (or not) of fuzzy set theory, sensitivity analysis, and multistakeholder approaches, the context of MCDM applications, and the MCDM classification (if utility-based, compromise, multi-objective, outranking, or other MCDM methods). The widespread adoption of MCDM methods in complex contexts confirms that they can help decision-makers solve multidimensional problems associated with key issues within the 2030 Agenda framework. Besides, the state-of-art review provides an improved understanding of this research field and directions for building a research agenda for those interested in advancing the research on MCDM applications in issues associated with the 2030 Agenda framework.
Two-Stage Hybrid Data Classifiers Based on SVM and kNN Algorithms
Authors: Demidova Liliya A.
Published: April 2021

The paper considers a solution to the problem of developing two-stage hybrid SVM-kNN classifiers with the aim to increase the data classification quality by refining the classification decisions near the class boundary defined by the SVM classifier. In the first stage, the SVM classifier with default parameters values is developed. Here, the training dataset is designed on the basis of the initial dataset. When developing the SVM classifier, a binary SVM algorithm or one-class SVM algorithm is used. Based on the results of the training of the SVM classifier, two variants of the training dataset are formed for the development of the kNN classifier: a variant that uses all objects from the original training dataset located inside the strip dividing the classes, and a variant that uses only those objects from the initial training dataset that are located inside the area containing all misclassified objects from the class dividing strip. In the second stage, the kNN classifier is developed using the new training dataset above-mentioned. The values of the parameters of the kNN classifier are determined during training to maximize the data classification quality. The data classification quality using the two-stage hybrid SVM-kNN classifier was assessed using various indicators on the test dataset. In the case of the improvement of the quality of classification near the class boundary defined by the SVM classifier using the kNN classifier, the two-stage hybrid SVM-kNN classifier is recommended for further use. The experimental results approve the feasibility of using two-stage hybrid SVM-kNN classifiers in the data classification problem. The experimental results obtained with the application of various datasets confirm the feasibility of using two-stage hybrid SVM-kNN classifiers in the data classification problem.