bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sclerostin and Its Involvement in the Pathogenesis of Idiopathic Scoliosis
Authors: Vasiliadis Elias S. , Evangelopoulos Dimitrios Stergios , Kaspiris Angelos , Vlachos Christos , Pneumaticos Spyros G.
Published: November 2021

Idiopathic scoliosis is a disorder of unknown etiology. Bone biopsies from idiopathic scoliosis patients revealed changes at cellular and molecular level. Osteocytic sclerostin is downregulated, and serum level of sclerostin is decreased. Osteocytes in idiopathic scoliosis appear to be less active with abnormal canaliculi network. Differentiation of osteoblasts to osteocytes is decelerated, while Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is overactivated and affects normal bone mineralization that leads to inferior mechanical properties of the bone, which becomes susceptible to asymmetrical forces and causes deformity of the spinal column. Targeting bone metabolism during growth by stimulating sclerostin secretion from osteocytes and restoring normal function of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway could, in theory, increase bone strength and prevent deterioration of the scoliotic deformity.
Effect of the Lymphocyte Activation Gene 3 Polymorphism rs951818 on Mortality and Disease Progression in Patients with Sepsis—A Prospective Genetic Association Study
Authors: Mewes Caspar , Alexander Tessa , Büttner Benedikt , Hinz José , Alpert Ayelet , Popov Aron-F. , Beißbarth Tim , Tzvetkov Mladen , Grade Marian , Quintel Michael , Bergmann Ingo , Mansur Ashham
Published: November 2021

(1) Background: Sepsis is a leading cause of death and a global public health problem. Accordingly, deciphering the underlying molecular mechanisms of this disease and the determinants of its morbidity and mortality is pivotal. This study examined the effect of the rs951818 SNP of the negative costimulatory lymphocyte-activation gene 3 (LAG-3) on sepsis mortality and disease severity. (2) Methods: 707 consecutive patients with sepsis were prospectively enrolled into the present study from three surgical ICUs at University Medical Center Goettingen. Both 28- and 90-day mortality were analyzed as the primary outcome, while parameters of disease severity served as secondary endpoints. (3) Results: In the Kaplan–Meier analysis LAG-3 rs951818 AA-homozygote patients showed a significantly lower 28-day mortality (17.3%) compared to carriers of the C-allele (23.7%, p = 0.0476). In addition, these patients more often received invasive mechanical ventilation (96%) during the course of disease than C-allele carriers (92%, p = 0.0466). (4) Conclusions: Genetic profiling of LAG-3 genetic variants alone or in combination with other genetic biomarkers may represent a promising approach for risk stratification of patients with sepsis. Patient-individual therapeutic targeting of immune checkpoints, such as LAG-3, may be a future component of sepsis therapy. Further detailed investigations in clinically relevant sepsis models are necessary.
Posteroanterior Cervical Transcutaneous Spinal Cord Stimulation: Interactions with Cortical and Peripheral Nerve Stimulation
Authors: Wecht Jaclyn R. , Savage William M. , Famodimu Grace O. , Mendez Gregory A. , Levine Jonah M. , Maher Matthew T. , Weir Joseph P. , Wecht Jill M. , Carmel Jason B. , Wu Yu-Kuang , Harel Noam Y.
Published: November 2021

Transcutaneous spinal cord stimulation (TSCS) has demonstrated potential to beneficially modulate spinal cord motor and autonomic circuitry. We are interested in pairing cervical TSCS with other forms of nervous system stimulation to enhance synaptic plasticity in circuits serving hand function. We use a novel configuration for cervical TSCS in which the anode is placed anteriorly over ~C4–C5 and the cathode posteriorly over ~T2–T4. We measured the effects of single pulses of TSCS paired with single pulses of motor cortex or median nerve stimulation timed to arrive at the cervical spinal cord at varying intervals. In 13 participants with and 15 participants without chronic cervical spinal cord injury, we observed that subthreshold TSCS facilitates hand muscle responses to motor cortex stimulation, with a tendency toward greater facilitation when TSCS is timed to arrive at cervical synapses simultaneously or up to 10 milliseconds after cortical stimulus arrival. Single pulses of subthreshold TSCS had no effect on the amplitudes of median H-reflex responses or F-wave responses. These findings support a model in which TSCS paired with appropriately timed cortical stimulation has the potential to facilitate convergent transmission between descending motor circuits, segmental afferents, and spinal motor neurons serving the hand. Studies with larger numbers of participants and repetitively paired cortical and spinal stimulation are needed.
Long-Term Results of Kidney Transplantation in the Elderly: Comparison between Different Donor Settings
Authors: Yemini Renana , Rahamimov Ruth , Ghinea Ronen , Mor Eytan
Published: November 2021

With scarce organ supply, a selection of suitable elderly candidates for transplant is needed, as well as auditing the long-term outcomes after transplant. We conducted an observational cohort study among our patient cohort >60 years old with a long follow up. (1). Patients and Methods: We used our database to study the results after transplant for 593 patients >60 years old who underwent a transplant between 2000–2017. The outcome was compared between live donor (LD; n = 257) recipients, an old-to-old (OTO, n = 215) group using an extended criteria donor (ECD) kidney, and a young-to-old (YTO, n = 123) group using a standard-criteria donor. The Kaplan−Meir method was used to calculate the patient and graft survival and Cox regression analysis in order to find risk factors associated with death. (2). Results: The 5- and 10-year patient survival was significantly better in the LD group (92.7% and 66.9%) compared with the OTO group (73.3% and 42.8%) and YTO group (70.9% and 40.6%) (p < 0.0001). The 5- and 10-year graft survival rates were 90.3% and 68.5% (LD), 61.7% and 30.9% (OTO), and 64.1% and 39.9%, respectively (YTO group; p < 0.0001 between the LD and the two DD groups). There was no difference in outcome between patients in their 60’s and their 70’s. Factors associated with mortality included: age (HR-1.060), DM (HR-1.773), IHD (HR-1.510), and LD/DD (HR-2.865). (3). Conclusions: Our 17-years of experience seems to justify the rational of an old-to-old allocation policy in the elderly population. Live-donor transplant should be encouraged whenever possible. Each individual decision of elderly candidates for transplant should be based on the patient’s comorbidity and predicted life expectancy.
Insights into Organizational Security Readiness: Lessons Learned from Cyber-Attack Case Studies
Authors: Quader Faisal , Janeja Vandana P.
Published: November 2021

This paper focuses on understanding the characteristics of multiple types of cyber-attacks through a comprehensive evaluation of case studies of real-world cyber-attacks. For each type of attack, we identify and link the attack type to the characteristics of that attack and the factors leading up to the attack, as observed from the review of case studies for that type of attack. We explored both the quantitative and qualitative characteristics for the types of attacks, including the type of industry, the financial intensity of the attack, non-financial intensity impacts, the number of impacted customers, and the impact on users’ trust and loyalty. In addition, we investigated the key factors leading up to an attack, including the human behavioral aspects; the organizational–cultural factors at play; the security policies adapted; the technology adoption and investment by the business; the training and awareness of all stakeholders, including users, customers and employees; and the investments in cybersecurity. In our study, we also analyzed how these factors are related to each other by evaluating the co-occurrence and linkage of factors to form graphs of connected frequent rules seen across the case studies. This study aims to help organizations take a proactive approach to the study of relevant cyber threats and aims to educate organizations to become more knowledgeable through lessons learned from other organizations experiencing cyber-attacks. Our findings indicate that the human behavioral aspects leading up to attacks are the weakest link in the successful prevention of cyber threats. We focus on human factors and discuss mitigation strategies.
New Semi-Prime Factorization and Application in Large RSA Key Attacks
Authors: Overmars Anthony , Venkatraman Sitalakshmi
Published: November 2021

Semi-prime factorization is an increasingly important number theoretic problem, since it is computationally intractable. Further, this property has been applied in public-key cryptography, such as the Rivest–Shamir–Adleman (RSA) encryption systems for secure digital communications. Hence, alternate approaches to solve the semi-prime factorization problem are proposed. Recently, Pythagorean tuples to factor semi-primes have been explored to consider Fermat’s Christmas theorem, with the two squares having opposite parity. This paper is motivated by the property that the integer separating these two squares being odd reduces the search for semi-prime factorization by half. In this paper, we prove that if a Pythagorean quadruple is known and one of its squares represents a Pythagorean triple, then the semi-prime is factorized. The problem of semi-prime factorization is reduced to the problem of finding only one such sum of three squares to factorize a semi-prime. We modify the Lebesgue identity as the sum of four squares to obtain four sums of three squares. These are then expressed as four Pythagorean quadruples. The Brahmagupta–Fibonacci identity reduces these four Pythagorean quadruples to two Pythagorean triples. The greatest common divisors of the sides contained therein are the factors of the semi-prime. We then prove that to factor a semi-prime, it is sufficient that only one of these Pythagorean quadruples be known. We provide the algorithm of our proposed semi-prime factorization method, highlighting its complexity and comparative advantage of the solution space with Fermat’s method. Our algorithm has the advantage when the factors of a semi-prime are congruent to 1 modulus 4. Illustrations of our method for real-world applications, such as factorization of the 768-bit number RSA-768, are established. Further, the computational viabilities, despite the mathematical constraints and the unexplored properties, are suggested as opportunities for future research.
Tension-Compression Fatigue Induced Stress Concentrations in Woven Composite Laminate
Authors: Mathew Eldho , Attukur Nandagopal Rajaram , Joshi Sunil Chandrakant , Armando Pinter , Matteo Pasi
Published: November 2021

Tension-compression (T-C) fatigue response is one of the important design criteria for carbon-fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) material, as well as stress concentration. Hence, the objective of the current study is to investigate and quantify the stress concentration in CFRP dog-bone specimens due to T-C quasi-static and fatigue loadings (with anti-buckling fixtures). Dog-bone specimens with a [(0/90),(45/−45)4]s layup were fabricated using woven CFRP prepregs and their low-cycle fatigue behaviour was studied at two stress ratios (−0.1 & −0.5) and two frequencies (3 Hz & 5 Hz). During testing, strain gauges were mounted at the centre and edge regions of the dog-bone specimens to obtain accurate, real-time strain measurements. The corresponding stresses were calculated using Young’s moduli. The stress concentration at the specimen edges, due to quasi-static tension, was significant compared to quasi-static compression loads. Furthermore, the stress concentration increased with the quasi-static loading within the elastic limit. Similarly, the stress concentration at the specimen edges, due to tensile fatigue loads, was more significant and consistent than due to compressive fatigue loads. Finally, the effects of the stress ratio and loading frequency on the stress concentration were noted to be negligible.
Mechanical Properties of Compression Moulded Aggregate-Reinforced Thermoplastic Composite Scrap
Authors: Moothoo Julien , Bar Mahadev , Ouagne Pierre
Published: November 2021

Recycling of thermoplastic composites has drawn a considerable attention in the recent years. However, the main issue with recycled composites is their inferior mechanical properties compared to the virgin ones. In this present study, an alternative route to the traditional mechanical recycling technique of thermoplastic composites has been investigated with the view to increase mechanical properties of the recycled parts. In this regard, the glass/polypropylene laminate offcuts are cut in different grain sizes and processed in bulk form, using compression moulding. Further, the effect of different grain sizes (i.e., different lengths, widths and thicknesses) and other process-related parameters (such as mould coverage) on the tensile properties of recycled aggregate-reinforced composites have been investigated. The tensile properties of all composite samples are tested according to ISO 527-4 test method and the significance of test results is evaluated according to Student’s t-test and Fisher’s F-test respectively. It is observed that the tensile moduli of the recycled panels are close to the equivalent quasi-isotropic continuous fibre-reinforced reference laminate while there is a noteworthy difference in the strengths of the recycled composites. At this stage, the manufactured recycled composites show potential for stiffness-driven application.
Influence of Flanks on Resistance Performance of High-Speed Amphibious Vehicle
Authors: Pan Dibo , Xu Xiaojun , Liu Bolong
Published: November 2021

In order to reduce the additional resistance of high-speed amphibious vehicles, Flanks are designed on the concave grooves. As a new drag reduction attachment, the principle of Flanks is analyzed and discussed in detail. In this paper, the HSAV model and Flanks coupling resistance tests are performed based on the Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes method and SST k−ω model. The accuracy of the numerical approach is verified by a series of towing tests. Results show that with a fixed installation angle and invariable characteristic parameters, Flanks can significantly reduce the total resistance at high speed, with a maximum drag reduction of 16%. In the meantime, Flanks also affect the attitude and flow field of the vehicle, consequently affecting the resistance composition and the sailing condition. A vehicle model self-propulsion test is designed and carried out, and it qualitatively verifies the drag reduction effect of the Flanks at high speed.
Study on Slamming Pressure Characteristics of Platform under Freak Wave
Authors: Huo Fali , Yang Hongkun , Yao Zhi , An Kang , Xu Sheng
Published: November 2021

Freak waves have great peak energy, short duration, great contingency, and strong nonlinear characteristics, and can cause severe damage to ships and marine structures. In this study, numerical simulations in conjunction with experimental tests are applied to study air gap response and wave slamming loads of a semi-submersible offshore platform under a freak wave. A three-dimensional wave tank, which is created based on the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method, is applied to study the hydrodynamic responses of a semi-submersible platform. The numerical model of the tank and offshore platform system are checked according to the experimental results. A typical freak wave is modelled in numerical wave tanks by the linear superposition method, and its significant wave height is 13.03 m. It is found that the freak wave is closely associated with the wave slamming. The appearance of the freak wave gives rise to a negative air, gap which appears on the side of the back wave surface at the bottom of the deck box, and considerable slamming pressure is generated. Furthermore, the wave run up at the junction of the column and the buoyancy tank is also seen due to the freak wave.
Horizontal Refraction of Acoustic Waves in Shallow-Water Waveguides Due to an Inhomogeneous Bottom Structure
Authors: Lunkov Andrey , Sidorov Danila , Petnikov Valery
Published: November 2021

Three-Dimensional (3-D) sound propagation in a shallow-water waveguide with a constant depth and inhomogeneous bottom is studied through numerical simulations. As a model of inhomogeneity, a transitional region between an acoustically soft and hard bottom is considered. Depth-averaged transmission loss simulations using the “horizontal rays and vertical modes” approach and mode parabolic equations demonstrate the horizontal refraction of sound in this region, even if the water column is considered homogeneous. The observed wave effect is prominent at low frequencies, at which the water depth does not exceed a few acoustic wavelengths. The obtained results within the simplified model are verified by the simulations for a real seabed structure in the Kara Sea.
Metabolomic Profiling Revealed Diversion of Cytidinediphosphate-Diacylglycerol and Glycerol Pathway towards Denovo Triacylglycerol Synthesis in Rhodosporidium toruloides
Authors: Deeba Farha , Kumar Kukkala Kiran , Rajacharya Girish H. , Gaur Naseem A.
Published: November 2021

Oleaginous yeast Rhodosporidium toruloides has great biotechnological potential and scientific interest, yet the molecular rationale of its cellular behavior to carbon and nitrogen ratios with concurrent lipid agglomeration remains elusive. Here, metabolomics adaptations of the R. toruloides in response to varying glucose and nitrogen concentrations have been investigated. In preliminary screening we found that 5% glucose (w/v) was optimal for further analysis in Rhodosporidium toruloides 3641. Hereafter, the effect of complementation to increase lipid agglomeration was evaluated with different nitrogen sources and their concentration. The results obtained illustrated that the biomass (13 g/L) and lipid (9.1 g/L) production were maximum on 5% (w/v) glucose and 0.12% (NH4)2SO4. Furthermore, to shed lights on lipid accumulation induced by nitrogen-limitation, we performed metabolomic analysis of the oleaginous yeast R. toruloides 3641. Significant changes were observed in metabolite concentrations by qualitative metabolomics through gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), which were mapped onto the governing metabolic pathways. Notable finding in this strain concerns glycerol and CDP-DAG metabolism wherein reduced production of glycerol and phospholipids induced a bypass leading to enhanced de-novo triacylglyceride synthesis. Collectively, our findings help in understanding the central carbon metabolism of R. toruloides which may assist in developing rationale metabolic models and engineering efforts in this organism.
Phylogenetic and Functional Diversity of Saprolegniales and Fungi Isolated from Temperate Lakes in Northeast Germany
Authors: Masigol Hossein , Woodhouse Jason Nicholas , van West Pieter , Mostowfizadeh-Ghalamfarsa Reza , Rojas-Jimenez Keilor , Goldhammer Tobias , Khodaparast Seyed Akbar , Grossart Hans-Peter
Published: November 2021

The contribution of fungi to the degradation of plant litter and transformation of dissolved organic matter (humic substances, in particular) in freshwater ecosystems has received increasing attention recently. However, the role of Saprolegniales as one of the most common eukaryotic organisms is rarely studied. In this study, we isolated and phylogenetically placed 51 fungal and 62 Saprolegniales strains from 12 German lakes. We studied the cellulo-, lignino-, and chitinolytic activity of the strains using plate assays. Furthermore, we determined the capacity of 10 selected strains to utilize 95 different labile compounds, using Biolog FF MicroPlates™. Finally, the ability of three selected strains to utilize maltose and degrade/produce humic substances was measured. Cladosporium and Penicillium were amongst the most prevalent fungal strains, while Saprolegnia, Achlya, and Leptolegnia were the most frequent Saprolegniales strains. Although the isolated strains assigned to genera were phylogenetically similar, their enzymatic activity and physiological profiling were quite diverse. Our results indicate that Saprolegniales, in contrast to fungi, lack ligninolytic activity and are not involved in the production/transformation of humic substances. We hypothesize that Saprolegniales and fungi might have complementary roles in interacting with dissolved organic matter, which has ecological implications for carbon cycling in freshwater ecosystems.
Feasibility of a Traceback Approach for Using Pathology Specimens to Facilitate Genetic Testing in the Genetic Risk Analysis in Ovarian Cancer (GRACE) Study Protocol
Authors: Kauffman Tia L. , Prado Yolanda K. , Reyes Ana A. , Zepp Jamilyn M. , Sawyer Jennifer , White Larissa Lee , Martucci Jessica , Salas Suzanne Bianca , Vertrees Sarah , Rope Alan F. , Weinmann Sheila , Henrikson Nora B. , Lee Sandra Soo-Jin , Feigelson Heather Spencer , Hunter Jessica Ezzell
Published: November 2021

Guidelines currently state that genetic testing is clinically indicated for all individuals diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Individuals with a prior diagnosis of ovarian cancer who have not received genetic testing represent missed opportunities to identify individuals with inherited high-risk cancer variants. For deceased individuals, post-mortem genetic testing of pathology specimens allows surviving family members to receive important genetic risk information. The Genetic Risk Assessment in Ovarian Cancer (GRACE) study aims to address this significant healthcare gap using a “traceback testing” approach to identify individuals with a prior diagnosis of ovarian cancer and offer genetic risk information to them and their family members. This study will assess the potential ethical and privacy concerns related to an ovarian cancer traceback testing approach in the context of patients who are deceased, followed by implementation and evaluation of the feasibility of an ovarian cancer traceback testing approach using tumor registries and archived pathology tissue. Descriptive and statistical analyses will assess health system and patient characteristics associated with the availability of pathology tissue and compare the ability to contact and uptake of genetic testing between patients who are living and deceased. The results of this study will inform the implementation of future traceback programs.
Sleep Dysfunction in COVID-19 Patients: Prevalence, Risk Factors, Mechanisms, and Management
Authors: Pataka Athanasia , Kotoulas Seraphim , Sakka Elpitha , Katsaounou Paraskevi , Pappa Sofia
Published: November 2021

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the need to establish the prevalence of sleep dysfunction and psychological distress, identify predisposing and protective factors, and explore effective management strategies remains an important priority. Evidence to date suggests that a considerable proportion of COVID-19 patients experience significant sleep disturbances (estimated to afflict up to 50–75%) as well as psychological distress such as depression, anxiety, and traumatic stress. Duration of hospitalization, pre-existing mental health concerns, lower absolute lymphocyte count, and increased neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio have been all associated with a greater risk of sleep dysfunction in infected and hospitalized patients. Furthermore, in this review, we discuss the link between sleep deprivation, susceptibility to viral infections, and psychosocial wellbeing in relevance to COVID-19 and summarize the existing evidence regarding the presence and role of sleep apnea in infected individuals. Finally, we highlight the importance of suitable interventions in order to prevent and manage sleep dysfunction and avoid long-term physical and psychological implications. Future research should aim to provide high-quality information including in high risk, underserved, or difficult to reach populations and on the long-term consequences and effectiveness of applied interventions.
Infrastructure and Economic Growth
Authors: Brueckner Markus
Published: November 2021

I estimate the effect that growth in countries’ GDP per capita has on the growth rate of infrastructure. In order to extract exogenous variation in GDP per capita growth, I use the growth of the international oil price multiplied with countries’ GDP shares of oil net-exports as an instrumental variable. My instrumental variables estimates show that, for both democracies and autocracies, GDP per capita growth has a significant positive effect on infrastructure growth. This effect is significantly smaller in anocracies—so much so that, in anocracies, GDP per capita growth has no significant effect on the growth rate of infrastructure.
The Neighborhood Effect on Keeping Non-Commuting Journeys within Compact and Sprawled Districts
Authors: Mehriar Melika , Masoumi Houshmand , Aslam Atif Bilal , Gillani Syed Mubasher
Published: November 2021

The neighborhood effect on keeping non-commuting trips inside neighborhoods has not yet been investigated in developing countries. The modeling of non-commuting trips inside neighborhoods helps understand how to avoid unnecessary journeys by car into different parts of the city. This paper, therefore, attempts to clarify (1) the similarities and differences in the socioeconomic characteristics and the perceptions of people in sprawled and compact neighborhoods, (2) correlations between, on the one hand, the choice of destinations of non-commuting trips for shopping and entertainment activities and, on the other, the socioeconomic features, travel behavior, and perceptions of residents in the two large Pakistani cities of Lahore and Rawalpindi, (3) the similarities and differences in the determinants of non-commuting destinations inside neighborhoods in compact and sprawled districts. The paper develops four Binary Logistic (BL) regression models, with two models for each type of neighborhood. The findings show that trips to shopping areas inside compact districts are correlated with a sense of belonging to the neighborhood, frequency of public transport use, residential location, and mode choice of non-commuting trips to destinations both inside and outside the neighborhood. On the other hand, the number of non-commuting trips, mode choice for non-commuting trips outside the neighborhood, frequency of public transport use, the attractiveness of shops, and monthly income (please see the Note) are significant determinants for trips to the shopping area in sprawled districts. Age, gender, possession of a driver’s license, income, number of non-commuting trips, mode choice for non-commuting trips outside of the neighborhood, car ownership, and attractiveness of shops in a neighborhood are correlated with trips to entertainment locations inside the neighborhood in compact districts. Finally, the attractiveness of shops, quality of social and recreational facilities, a sense of belonging to a neighborhood, choice of residential location, gender, age, possession of a driver’s license, number of cars in the household, and income are determinants of trips to entertainment locations in sprawled districts. A chi-square test confirms the differences across gender, daily activity, monthly income, frequency of public transport use, residential location choice, and the quality of social and recreational facilities for sprawled and compact districts in Pakistan.
Soil Contamination in the Problem Areas of Agrarian Slovakia
Authors: Fazekašová Danica , Petrovič František , Fazekaš Juraj , Štofejová Lenka , Baláž Ivan , Tulis Filip , Tóth Tomáš
Published: November 2021

Landfills, old and abandoned mines, industrial sites, heaps, sludge ponds and other sources of pollution represent environmental threats and are characterized as chemical time bombs. This work is focused on the evaluation of soil contamination by risk elements using various indices (geoaccumulation index—Igeo, enrichment factor—EF, contamination factor—Cif and degree of contamination—Cd). These selected agrarian problem areas are located in Slovakia, especially in the air pollution field of landfills consisting of power plant fly ash, tannery and footwear wastes, leachate (lúženec), iron ore slag, waste from metallurgy and sludge ponds in which coal sludge waste is deposited and waste from ore treatment. Nine research sites in the agrarian region of Slovak Republic were monitored. Ten risk elements (Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, Cr, Pb, Cd and Hg) and pH/H2O were included in this study and were determined in surface soils (of 0.05 m to 0.15 m) using atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS). Our study showed the highest exceedance of the limit values of risk elements in the order Ni (51.85 times) > Co (25.47 times) > Cd (13.70 times) > Cu (12.78 times) > Cr (8.37 times) > Fe (8.26 times) > Hg (7.94 times) > Zn (5.71 times) > Pb (4.63 times). The content of risk elements increased based on the average values of Igeo in the order of Cr < Hg < Zn < Pb < Ni < Cu < Cd. Igeo values for cadmium indicated mild-to-extreme contamination at all sites. We found the most significant enrichment in the order of Cd > Cu > Pb > Ni > Zn > Hg > Cr. EF values for cadmium indicated extremely high enrichment; the Cif and Cd values indicated a very high degree of soil contamination near the nickel smelter landfill, an industrial metallurgical plant and old but active mines. The studied areas pose a serious danger not only to the soil but also to groundwater and biota due to the prevailing low soil reaction, which increases the mobility of toxic elements. The study provides important results for the development of effective strategies for the control and remediation of endangered areas.
Tyrosine Kinase Self-Phosphorylation Controls Exopolysaccharide Biosynthesis in Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus Strain Pal5
Authors: Wanderley Katyanne , Sousa Dayse , Silva Gabriel , Maia Josemir , Silva Maria , Vidal Marcia , Baldani José , Meneses Carlos
Published: November 2021

The biosynthesis of exopolysaccharides (EPSs) is essential for endophytic bacterial colonisation in plants bacause this exopolymer both protects bacterial cells against the defence and oxidative systems of plants and acts on the plant colonisation mechanism in Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus. The pathway involved in the biosynthesis of bacterial EPS has not been fully elucidated, and several areas related to its molecular regulation mechanisms are still lacking. G. diazotrophicus relies heavily on EPS for survival indirectly by protecting plants from pathogen attack as well as for endophytic maintenance and adhesion in plant tissues. Here, we report that EPS from G. diazotrophicus strain Pal5 is a signal polymer that controls its own biosynthesis. EPS production depends on a bacterial tyrosine (BY) kinase (Wzc) that consists of a component that is able to phosphorylate a glycosyltranferase or to self-phosphorylate. EPS interacts with the extracellular domain of Wzc, which regulates kinase activity. In G. diazotrophicus strains that are deficient in EPS production, the Wzc is rendered inoperative by self-phosphorylation. The presence of EPS promotes the phosphorylation of a glycosyltransferase in the pathway, thus producing EPS. Wzc-mediated self-regulation is an attribute for the control of exopolysaccharide biosynthesis in G. diazotrophicus.
Successful Strategies and Areas of Improvement–Lessons Learned from Design and Conduction of a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial in Palliative Care, ‘Palliative-D’
Authors: Helde Frankling Maria , Klasson Caritha , Björkhem-Bergman Linda
Published: November 2021

Clinical trials in palliative care are challenging to design and conduct. Burden on patients should be minimized, while gatekeeping by professionals and next-of kin needs to be avoided. Clinical deterioration due to disease progression affects attrition unrelated to intervention, and different care settings complicate comparisons and reduce the generalizability of the results. The aim of this review is to provide advice for colleagues planning to perform clinical trials in palliative care based on our own experiences from performing the Palliative-D study and by a thorough literature review on this topic. The Palliative-D study was a double-blind trial with 244 randomized patients comparing the effect of vitamin D3 to placebo in patients with advanced or metastatic cancer in the palliative phase of their disease trajectory who were enrolled in specialized palliative home care teams. Endpoints were opioid and antibiotic use, fatigue, and QoL. Recruitment was successful, but attrition rates were higher than expected, and we did not reach targeted power. For the 150 patients who completed the study, the completeness of the data was exceptionally high. Rather than patient reported pain, we choose the difference in the mean change in opioid dose between groups after twelve weeks compared to baseline as the primary endpoint. In this paper we discuss challenges in palliative care research based on lessons learned from the “Palliative-D” trial regarding successful strategies as well as areas for improvement.
Assessment of the Benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Adoption on Downstream Supply Chain Performance of the Retail Industry
Authors: Shiralkar Kedar , Bongale Arunkumar , Kumar Satish , Kotecha Ketan , Prakash Chander
Published: November 2021

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic-driven supply chain disruptions have pushed supply chain decision-makers in the retail industry to implement information and communication technologies (ICT) to improve the efficiency and resiliency of their supply chain. However, they need some guidance to identify the functional elements of the supply chain for ICT adoption and the benefits of implementing ICT on their supply chain performance. Methods: We conducted an empirical study that provides guidance on the performance benefits of ICT adoption specifically for the downstream supply chain of the retail industry. This study employed the feature engineering technique to prioritize the functional elements of the supply chain to maximize the benefits of ICT adoption on supply chain performance. Results: ICT adoption benefits the retail industry’s overall downstream supply chain performance in the range of 9–41%. Moreover, the study discovered the key functional elements of the supply chain for ICT adoption that significantly improve the overall supply chain performance. Conclusions: The study presents a definite view of the quantitative benefits of ICT adoption to the supply chain decision-makers of the retail industry and aids them in selecting appropriate functional elements for ICT adoption to maximize their supply chain performance.
Hydrophobic Thin Films from Sol–Gel Processing: A Critical Review
Authors: Poddighe Matteo , Innocenzi Plinio
Published: November 2021

Fabrication of hydrophobic thin films from a liquid phase is a hot topic with critical technological issues. Interest in the production of hydrophobic surfaces is growing steadily due to their wide applications in several industrial fields. Thin films from liquid phases can be deposited on different types of surfaces using a wide variety of techniques, while the design of the precursor solution offers the possibility of fine-tuning the properties of the hydrophobic coating layers. A general trend is the design of multifunctional films, which have different properties besides being hydrophobic. In the present review, we have described the synthesis through sol–gel processing of hydrophobic films enlightening the main achievements obtained in the field.
Effectiveness of Direct Pulp Capping Bioactive Materials in Dentin Regeneration: A Systematic Review
Authors: Nie Ermin , Yu Jiali , Jiang Rui , Liu Xiangzhen , Li Xiang , Islam Rafiqul , Alam Mohammad Khursheed
Published: November 2021

Background: Regenerative endodontics aims to restore normal pulp function in necrotic and infected teeth, restoring protective functions, such as innate pulp immunity, pulp repair through mineralization, and pulp sensibility. The aim of this systematic review was to assess the dentin regeneration efficacy of direct pulp capping (DPC) biomaterials. Methods: The literature published between 2005 and 2021 was searched by using PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases. Clinical controlled trials, randomized controlled trials, and animal studies investigating DPC outcomes or comparing different capping materials after pulp exposure were included in this systematic review. Three independent authors performed the searches, and information was extracted by using a structured data format. Results: A total of forty studies (21 from humans and 19 from animals) were included in this systemic review. Histological examinations showed complete/partial/incomplete dentin bridge/reparative dentin formation during the pulp healing process at different follow-up periods, using different capping materials. Conclusions: Mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA) and Biodentine can induce dentin regeneration when applied over exposed pulp. This systematic review can conclude that MTA and its variants have better efficacy in the DPC procedure for dentin regeneration.
Development and Characterization of Activated Carbon from Olive Pomace: Experimental Design, Kinetic and Equilibrium Studies in Nimesulide Adsorption
Authors: Raupp Íris Nunes , Valério Filho Alaor , Arim Aline Lemos , Muniz Ana Rosa Costa , da Rosa Gabriela Silveira
Published: November 2021

The lack of adequate treatment for the removal of pollutants from domestic, hospital and industrial effluents has caused great environmental concern. Therefore, there is a need to develop materials that have the capacity to treat these effluents. This work aims to develop and characterize an activated charcoal from olive pomace, which is an agro-industrial residue, for adsorption of Nimesulide in liquid effluent and to evaluate the adsorption kinetics and equilibrium using experimental design. The raw material was oven dried at 105 °C for 24 h, ground, chemically activated in a ratio of 1:0.8:0.2 of olive pomace, zinc chloride and calcium hydroxide and thermally activated by pyrolysis in a reactor of stainless steel at 550 °C for 30 min. The activated carbon was characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray Diffractometry (XRD), Brunauer, Emmett and Teller (BET) method, Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), density and zero charge potential analysis. The surface area obtained was 650.9 m2 g−1. The kinetic and isothermal mathematical models that best described the adsorption were PSO and Freundlich and the highest adsorption capacity obtained was 353.27 mg g−1. The results obtained showed the good performance of activated carbon produced from olive pomace as an adsorbent material and demonstrated great potential for removing emerging contaminants such as Nimesulide.
Auxetic Structures for Tissue Engineering Scaffolds and Biomedical Devices
Authors: Kim Yujin , Son Kuk Hui , Lee Jin Woo
Published: November 2021

An auxetic structure utilizing a negative Poisson’s ratio, which can expand transversally when axially expanded under tensional force, has not yet been studied in the tissue engineering and biomedical area. However, the recent advent of new technologies, such as additive manufacturing or 3D printing, has showed prospective results aimed at producing three-dimensional structures. Auxetic structures are fabricated by additive manufacturing, soft lithography, machining technology, compressed foaming, and textile fabrication using various biomaterials, including poly(ethylene glycol diacrylate), polyurethane, poly(lactic-glycolic acid), chitosan, hydroxyapatite, and using a hard material such as a silicon wafer. After fabricating the scaffold with an auxetic effect, researchers have cultured fibroblasts, osteoblasts, chondrocytes, myoblasts, and various stem cells, including mesenchymal stem cells, bone marrow stem cells, and embryonic stem cells. Additionally, they have shown new possibilities as scaffolds through tissue engineering by cell proliferation, migration, alignment, differentiation, and target tissue regeneration. In addition, auxetic structures and their unique deformation characteristics have been explored in several biomedical devices, including implants, stents, and surgical screws. Although still in the early stages, the auxetic structure, which can create mechanical properties tailored to natural tissue by changing the internal architecture of the structure, is expected to show an improved tissue reconstruction ability. In addition, continuous research at the cellular level using the auxetic micro and nano-environment could provide a breakthrough for tissue reconstruction.
Influence of Process Parameters on Grain Size and Texture Evolution of Fe-3.2 wt.-% Si Non-Oriented Electrical Steels
Authors: Wei Xuefei , Krämer Alexander , Hirt Gerhard , Stöcker Anett , Kawalla Rudolf , Heller Martin , Korte-Kerzel Sandra , Böhm Lucas , Volk Wolfram , Leuning Nora , Hameyer Kay , Lohmar Johannes
Published: November 2021

The magnetic properties of non-oriented electrical steel, widely used in electric machines, are closely related to the grain size and texture of the material. How to control the evolution of grain size and texture through processing in order to improve the magnetic properties is the research focus of this article. Therefore, the complete process chain of a non-oriented electrical steel with 3.2 wt.-% Si was studied with regard to hot rolling, cold rolling, and final annealing on laboratory scale. Through a comprehensive analysis of the process chain, the influence of important process parameters on the grain size and texture evolution as well as the magnetic properties was determined. It was found that furnace cooling after the last hot rolling pass led to a fully recrystallized grain structure with the favorable ND-rotated-cube component, and a large portion of this component was retained in the thin strip after cold rolling, resulting in a texture with a low γ-fiber and a high ND-cube component after final annealing at moderate to high temperatures. These promising results on a laboratory scale can be regarded as an effective way to control the processing on an industrial scale, to finally tailor the magnetic properties of non-oriented electrical steel according to their final application.
Recovery of Platinum Group Metals from Spent Automotive Catalysts Using Lithium Salts and Hydrochloric Acid
Authors: Kuzuhara Shunsuke , Ota Mina , Kasuya Ryo
Published: November 2021

The recovery of platinum group metals (PGMs) from waste materials involves dissolving the waste in an aqueous solution. However, since PGMs are precious metals, their dissolution requires strong oxidizing agents such as chlorine gas and aqua regia. In this study, we aimed to recover PGMs via the calcination of spent automotive catalysts (autocatalysts) with Li salts based on the concept of “spent autocatalyst + waste lithium-ion batteries” and leaching with only HCl. The results suggest that, when Li2CO3 was used, the Pt content was fully leached, while 94.9% and 97.5% of Rh and Pd, respectively, were leached using HCl addition. Even when LiF, which is a decomposition product of the electrolytic solution (LiPF6), was used as the Li salt model, the PGM leaching rate did not significantly change. In addition, we studied the immobilization of fluorine on cordierite (2MgO·2Al2O3·5SiO2), which is a matrix component of autocatalysts. Through the calcination of LiF in the presence of cordierite, we found that cordierite thermally decomposed, and fluorine was immobilized as MgF2.
Modeling of Melt Flow and Heat Transfer in Stationary Gas Tungsten Arc Welding with Vertical and Tilted Torches
Authors: Parvez Shahid , Siddiqui Md Irfanul Haque , Ali Masood Ashraf , Dobrotă Dan
Published: November 2021

A 3D numerical simulation was conducted to study the transient development of temperature distribution in stationary gas tungsten arc welding with filler wire. Heat transfer to the filler wire and the workpiece was investigated with vertical (90°) and titled (70°) torches. Heat flux, current flux, and gas drag force were calculated from the steady-state simulation of the arc. The temperature in the filler wire was determined at three different time intervals: 0.12 s, 0.24 s, and 0.36 s. The filler wire was assumed not to deform during this short time, and was therefore simulated as solid. The temperature in the workpiece was calculated at the same intervals using heat flux, current flux, gas drag force, Marangoni convection, and buoyancy. It should be noted that heat transfer to the filler wire was faster with the titled torch compared to the vertical torch. Heat flux to the workpiece was asymmetrical with both the vertical and tilted torches when the filler wire was fully inserted into the arc. It was found that the overall trends of temperature contours for both the arc and the workpiece were in good agreement. It was also observed that more heat was transferred to the filler wire with the 70° torch compared with the 90° torch. The melted volume of the filler wire (volume above 1750 °K) was 12 mm3 with the 70° torch, compared to 9.2 mm3 with the 90° torch.
Measurement Method for the Simultaneous DeterMination of Thermal Resistance and Temperature Gradients in the DeterMination of Thermal Properties of Textile Material Layers
Authors: Firšt Rogale Snježana , Rogale Dubravko , Knezić Željko , Jukl Nikolina
Published: November 2021

The thermal properties of most clothing products are still not designed according to engineering science due to the lack of simple and acceptable measuring equipment and methods; the type of thermal insulation material, the number of layers of clothing and their thickness are thus chosen empirically. The novelty of this study was the development of a new measuring device and method for simultaneous measurements in the determination of the thermal resistance in one or more textile material layers, such as in multilayer composite clothing. Temperature gradients of textile material layers are presented, as well as the theoretical principles of operation and practical results. Four materials for the production of protective jackets were selected, from which different combinations of composite clothing were constructed and the thermal parameters were measured with a new method and a new device, both individually for the built-in materials and for the composites. Subsequently, five test jackets with the same arrangement of textile material layers as the previously tested composites were produced, and measurements of important thermal parameters were recorded with a thermal mannequin. The determined temperature gradients and measurement results are presented, and based on these it was determined that the total thermal resistance was not equal to the algebraic sum of the resistances of the individual textile material layers in the horizontal position; it was, however, higher, increasing from 30% to 94% due to small air layers caused by crimping and protruding fibres of yarn in the textile fabrics. The same textile material layers built into clothing in the vertical position allowed the formation of significantly wider air layers that increased the thermal resistance by between 2.5 and 9 times.