bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Investigation into the Effect of Emissions from Industrial Complexes on Air Quality in the Ulsan Metropolitan City Utilizing Trace Components in PM2.5
Authors: Choi Won Jun , Jung Bujeon , Lee Dongwon , Kang Hyunjung , Kim Hyosun , Hong Hyunkee
Published: October 2021

This study investigates the impact of industrial complexes on the air quality in the Ulsan Metropolitan City, Korea, by analyzing the concentration of trace substances. Importantly, this study performs segmentation and analysis of the components of particulate matter for tracking emission sources. Concentrations of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters ≤10 and ≤2.5 µm (PM10 and PM2.5, respectively) and 19 substances comprising PM2.5 (such as ions, carbon, and nine elements) were measured hourly during the year 2017 in the southeastern intensive air quality monitoring station of the National Institute of Environmental Research, Korea. This study identified and investigated the time periods during which the vanadium content in PM2.5 was higher than the annual mean (1.026 ng/µg) through selection cases (SCs). The annual mean concentrations of PM2.5 and PM10 were 18.50 and 32.35 µg/m3, respectively, and were higher (i.e., 26.54 and 45.84 µg/m3, respectively) in SCs. Notably, the concentrations were high even when the main wind direction of SCs was southeasterly, which was mainly the case in summer. Furthermore, the emission sources contributing to PM2.5 were estimated using the correlations of organic carbon, elemental carbon, zinc, iron, manganese, and titanium concentrations in the SCs. This study demonstrated that a detailed tracking of the emission sources at a local scale is possible by analyzing the composition of the components of PM2.5.
Does Pelvic Orientation Influence Wear Measurement of the Acetabular Cup in Total Hip Arthroplasty—An Experimental Study
Authors: Wu Junzhe , Taylor Dominic , Forst Raimund , Seehaus Frank
Published: October 2021

Roentgen stereophotogrammetric analysis (RSA) is the gold standard to detect in vivo material wear of the bearing couples in hip arthroplasty. Some surgical planning tools offer the opportunity to detect wear by using standard a.p. radiographs (2Dwear), whilst RSA (3Dwear) needs a special radiological setup. The aims of this study are to prove the interchangeable applicability of a 2Dwear approach next to RSA and to assess the influence of different pelvic positions on measurement outcomes. An implant-bone model was used to mimic three different wear scenarios in seven pelvic-femur alignment positions. RSA and a.p. radiographs of the reference and a follow-up (simulated wear) pose were acquired. Accuracy and precision were worse for the 2Dwear approach (0.206 mm; 0.159 mm) in comparison to the 3Dwear approach (0.043 mm; 0.017 mm). Changing the pelvic position significantly influenced the 2Dwear results (4 of 7, p < 0.05), whilst 3Dwear results showed almost no change. The 3Dwear is superior to the 2Dwear approach, as it is less susceptible to changes in pelvic position. However, the results suggest that a 2Dwear approach may be an alternative method if the wear present is in the range of 100–500 µm and a.p. radiographs are available with the pelvis projected in a neutral position.
Experimental and Computational Aeroacoustic Investigation of Small Rotor Interactions in Hover
Authors: Thai Austin David , De Paola Elisa , Di Marco Alessandro , Stoica Luana Georgiana , Camussi Roberto , Tron Roberto , Grace Sheryl Marie
Published: October 2021

This paper investigates the aeroacoustic interactions of small hovering rotors, using both experiments and computations. The experiments were conducted in an anechoic chamber with arrays of microphones setup to evaluate the azimuthal and polar directivity. The computational methodology consists of high fidelity detached eddy simulations coupled to the Ffowcs-Williams and Hawkings equation, supplemented by a trailing edge broadband noise code. The aerodynamics and aeroacoustics of a single rotor are investigated first. The simulations capture a Reynolds number effect seen in the performance parameters that results in the coefficient of thrust changing with the RPM. The acoustic analysis enables the identification of self-induced noise sources. Next, dual side-by-side rotors are studied in both counter-rotating and co-rotating configurations to quantify the impact of their interactions. Higher harmonics appear due to the interactions and it is verified that the counter-rotating case leads to more noise and a less uniform azimuthal directivity. Difficulties that arise when trying to validate small rotor calculations against experiments are discussed. Comparisons of computational and experimental results yield further insight into the noise mechanisms that are captured by each methodology.
Finite Element Analysis on Wall Fluid Shear Stress on Cells under Oscillatory Flow
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Gao Yan , Huo Bo
Published: October 2021

During mechanical stimulation-induced bone remodeling, interstitial fluid around microcracks may produce a flow field with gradient fluid shear stress (FSS). Osteoclast precursors can sense this gradient FSS and migrate toward the low FSS region. However, the local distribution of wall FSS on bone cells under a flow field with globally gradient FSS remains unknown. In this study, finite element models of a modified plate flow chamber with cells were constructed. The effect of oscillatory flow with different FSS levels and cell spacings or frequencies on the distribution of local wall FSS around cells was simulated by using a fluid–solid coupling method. Results showed that the polarization of wall FSS distribution in a cell decreased with the increase in cell spacing. At a low FSS level, the frequency of oscillatory flow had a minimal effect on the wall FSS distribution. At a high FSS level, the increase in flow frequency enhanced the fluctuation of local wall FSS distribution on cells. These results provide a basis for future research on the flow-induced migration of osteoclast precursors and clarify the mechanism of mechanical stimulation-induced bone resorption.
A Dual-Band Dual-Polarized Antenna with Improved Isolation Characteristics for Polarimetric SAR Applications
Authors: Park Daesung , Choi Jaehoon
Published: October 2021

A dual-band dual-polarized antenna with high isolation characteristics is proposed for polarimetric synthetic aperture radar (PolSAR) applications. The antenna consists of four dipole antennas and 2 × 2 patch antenna arrays operating at the P-band (450–730 MHz) and Ka-band (34–36 GHz), respectively. The dipole antennas and the patch antenna arrays need dual-linear polarization characteristics to acquire PolSAR data. Improvements in the isolation characteristics at the P-band are achieved by inserting a metamaterial absorber with a fractal geometry between the transmitting (Tx) and receiving (Rx) dipole antennas. Without the absorber, the simulated isolation characteristics between the Tx and Rx antennas are lower than 19.2 dB over the target band. On the other hand, with the absorbers, the simulated isolation characteristics are higher than 23.44 dB over the target band, and remarkable improvement is achieved around the resonance frequency of the absorber. The measured results are in good agreement with the simulated ones, showing that the proposed antenna can be a good candidate for PolSAR applications.
The Quality and Composition of Fatty Acids in Adipose Tissue-Derived from Wild Animals; A Pilot Study
Authors: Hamulka Jadwiga , Bryś Joanna , Górska Agata , Janaszek-Mańkowska Monika , Górnicka Magdalena
Published: October 2021

The aim of this work was to study the quality (oxidative stability), fatty acids (FAs) profile and their distribution in triacylglycerol (TAG) molecules of hunted game wild fat (HGWF) obtained from wild boar, badger, and wild goose. Health lipid indices were calculated. The determination of FAs composition was carried out by gas chromatographic analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME). Enzymatic hydrolysis and thin layer chromatography were used to determine the positional distribution of FAs in the internal and external positions of triacylglycerols (the regiospecific structure of triacylglycerols) of the obtained HGWF. A pressure differential scanning calorimeter (PDSC) was used to determine the oxidative stability of tested HGWF. The lipid fraction isolated from subcutaneous adipose tissues was dominated by MUFA, on average 46–50% of total FAs, and by SFA, on average 32–36% of total FAs. Palmitic acid was located mainly in the internal position of TAGs of the analyzed HGWF, whereas external positions were occupied by unsaturated oleic acid. Such a structure is responsible for normal fat absorption from food and it prevents the formation of insoluble calcium salts. Considering FAs profile, quality and the oxidation stability among all tested fat samples, the boar fat seems to be the most favorable.
An Information Diffusion Model Based on Explosion Shock Wave Theory on Online Social Networks
Authors: Zhang Lin , Li Kan , Liu Jiamou
Published: October 2021

Along with the growing popularity of online social networks, an environment has been set up with information spreading faster and wider than ever before, which has changed the way of information diffusion. Previous empirical research and propagation models have been conducted to illustrate how information propagates on online social networks. However, due to the complexity of information diffusion, there are still many important issues yet to be resolved. In order to tackle this problem, most studies have assumed that information is transmitted along the edges on online social networks, while most research goals aim to discover nodes that have been affected by information diffusion. However, we found that processes of information diffusion on online social networks vary from one another; some topics such as people’s livelihood and education are long-acting while some entertainment news is short-lived. The scale of propagation may be similar in the end, but the spreading process would be completely different. With the purpose of modeling the propagation process more realistically, we propose a novel model, the Information Diffusion Model, based on Explosion Shock Wave Theory. The Information Diffusion Model compares the propagation process to the explosion of an information bomb at the source, with the information shock waves progressively spread from near to far. Additionally, we establish rules of information transmission between a pair of individuals. The approach we adopted demonstrates four strengths. First, it models information diffusion on OSNs considering the differences between individuals and individual social behaviors, which takes the individual background knowledge and forgetting factors into account. Second, it holds the point that the attractiveness of information to individuals is related to the value of information. Third, it recognizes the role of community in the diffusion process; with a higher sense of trust established in a community, the spread of information would be more convenient. More importantly, the model we put forth is applicable to different types of real online social network datasets. Many experiments with different settings and specifications are conducted to verify the advantages of the model, and the results obtained are very promising.
A Novel Lidar Signal Denoising Method Based on Convolutional Autoencoding Deep Learning Neural Network
Authors: Hu Minghuan , Mao Jiandong , Li Juan , Wang Qiang , Zhang Yi
Published: October 2021

The lidar is susceptible to the dark current of the detector and the background light during the measuring process, which results in a significant amount of noise in the lidar return signal. To reduce noise, a novel denoising method based on the convolutional autoencoding deep-learning neural network is proposed. After the convolutional neural network was constructed to learn the deep features of lidar signal, the signal details were reconstructed by decoding part to obtain the denoised signal. To verify the feasibility of the proposed method, both the simulated signals and the actually measured signals by Mie-scattering lidar were denoised. Some comparisons with the wavelet threshold denoising method and the variational modal decomposition denoising method were performed. The results show the denoising effect of the proposed method was significantly better than the other two methods. The proposed method can eliminate complex noise in the lidar signal while retaining the complete details of the signal.
Liquid Helium Enhanced Vitrification Efficiency of Human Bone-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Human Embryonic Stem Cells
Authors: Dou Mengjia , Lu Chennan , Liu Jing , Rao Wei
Published: October 2021

Stem cells have the capacity to self-renew and differentiate to specialized cells, which are usually sensitive to cryopreservation. Therefore, the cell survival rate of stem cells using common cryopreservation protocol is generally not ideal. High cooling rates are crucial for decreasing the usage of cryoprotectants (CPAs) and promoting the successful vitrification of stem cells. In this study, we adopted liquid helium (LHe) instead of liquid nitrogen (LN2) as the cryogen to achieve high cooling rates for vitrifying stem cells with high viability and complete functions. A numerical model was established to simulate the cooling processes of vitrifying specimens by immersing them in LHe and LN2. The calculated results revealed higher cooling rates when plunging specimens into LHe than into LN2. The high viability of human bone-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) and human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) after vitrifying into LHe also shows the superiority of LHe as the cryogen. Furthermore, considerable cell viability was achieved by vitrification in LHe, even when decreasing the concentrations of CPAs. Additionally, post-vitrification, the cells still maintained high attachment and proliferation efficiency, normal stemness, and multipotential differentiation both for hBMSCs and hESCs. LHe is prospective to be employed as a universal cryogen for vitrification which has a great potential for widespread applications, including bioengineering and clinical medicine.
Novel Biorecognition Elements against Pathogens in the Design of State-of-the-Art Diagnostics
Authors: Sande Maria G. , Rodrigues Joana L. , Ferreira Débora , Silva Carla J. , Rodrigues Ligia R.
Published: October 2021

Infectious agents, especially bacteria and viruses, account for a vast number of hospitalisations and mortality worldwide. Providing effective and timely diagnostics for the multiplicity of infectious diseases is challenging. Conventional diagnostic solutions, although technologically advanced, are highly complex and often inaccessible in resource-limited settings. An alternative strategy involves convenient rapid diagnostics which can be easily administered at the point-of-care (POC) and at low cost without sacrificing reliability. Biosensors and other rapid POC diagnostic tools which require biorecognition elements to precisely identify the causative pathogen are being developed. The effectiveness of these devices is highly dependent on their biorecognition capabilities. Naturally occurring biorecognition elements include antibodies, bacteriophages and enzymes. Recently, modified molecules such as DNAzymes, peptide nucleic acids and molecules which suffer a selective screening like aptamers and peptides are gaining interest for their biorecognition capabilities and other advantages over purely natural ones, such as robustness and lower production costs. Antimicrobials with a broad-spectrum activity against pathogens, such as antibiotics, are also used in dual diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Other successful pathogen identification strategies use chemical ligands, molecularly imprinted polymers and Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats-associated nuclease. Herein, the latest developments regarding biorecognition elements and strategies to use them in the design of new biosensors for pathogens detection are reviewed.
Development of a Novel Benzimidazole-Based Probe and Portable Fluorimeter for the Detection of Cysteine in Human Urine
Authors: Yeom Gyu Seong , Song In-ho , Warkad Shrikant Dashrath , Shinde Pramod B. , Kim Taewoon , Park Seong-min , Nimse Satish Balasaheb
Published: October 2021

The measurement of cysteine in human urine and live cells is crucial for evaluating biological metabolism, monitoring and maintaining the immune system, preventing tissue/DNA damage caused by free radicals, preventing autoimmune diseases, and diagnosing disorders such as cystinuria and cancer. A method that uses a fluorescence turn-on probe and a portable fluorescence spectrometer device are crucial for highly sensitive, simple, rapid, and inexpensive cysteine detection. Herein, we present the synthesis and application of a benzimidazole-based fluorescent probe (ABIA) along with the design and development of a portable fluorescence spectrometer device (CysDDev) for detecting cysteine in simulated human urine. ABIA showed excellent selectivity and sensitivity in detecting cysteine over homocysteine, glutathione, and other amino acids with the response time of 1 min and demonstrated a detection limit of 16.3 nM using the developed CysDDev. Further, ABIA also demonstrated its utility in detecting intracellular cysteine, making it an excellent probe for bio-imaging assay.
Women and Violence: Alexithymia, Relational Competence and Styles, and Satisfaction with Life: A Comparative Profile Analysis
Authors: Mannarini Stefania , Taccini Federica , Rossi Alessandro Alberto
Published: October 2021

Background: This research investigates the two sides of violence by profiling female interpersonal violence offenders (IVO) and female interpersonal violence victims (IVV). These groups of women have been compared on three key variables within the context of violence: satisfaction with life (SWL), alexithymia, and relational styles—defined according to the Relational Competence Theory (RCT). Regarding the latter, the experience of functional or dysfunctional relational styles in childhood and adult relationships has been evaluated and compared with both groups of women. Methods: This study involved 131 women: IVO (n = 41; enrolled in a penitentiary), IVV (n = 41; enrolled in an anti-violence center), and a control group (CG; n = 49; enrolled from the general population). Profile analysis was performed. Results: Female IVO showed low SWL, high levels of alexithymia, and a pattern of mixed relational styles with both parents and the current partner. Female IVV revealed low SWL, low levels of alexithymia and dysfunctional relational styles with both parents and current partner. Women from the CG showed high SWL, absence of alexithymia and functional relational styles with both parents and current partner. Conclusions: The profiles outlined in this study are extremely informative regarding alexithymia, relational styles, and SWL in both female IVV and IVO. Clinical interventions for both groups of women should be developed relying on these results.
The Role of Circular RNAs in DNA Damage Response and Repair
Authors: Papaspyropoulos Angelos , Hazapis Orsalia , Lagopati Nefeli , Polyzou Aikaterini , Papanastasiou Anastasios D. , Liontos Michalis , Gorgoulis Vassilis G. , Kotsinas Athanassios
Published: October 2021

Circular RNAs (circRNA) comprise a distinct class of non-coding RNAs that are abundantly expressed in the cell. CircRNAs have the capacity to regulate gene expression by interacting with regulatory proteins and/or other classes of RNAs. While a vast number of circRNAs have been discovered, the majority still remains poorly characterized. Particularly, there is no detailed information on the identity and functional role of circRNAs that are transcribed from genes encoding components of the DNA damage response and repair (DDRR) network. In this article, we not only review the available published information on DDRR-related circRNAs, but also conduct a bioinformatic analysis on data obtained from public repositories to uncover deposited, yet uncharacterized circRNAs derived from components of the DDRR network. Finally, we interrogate for potential targets that are regulated by this class of molecules and look into potential functional implications.
Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition-Derived Heterogeneity in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas
Authors: Baumeister Philipp , Zhou Jiefu , Canis Martin , Gires Olivier
Published: October 2021

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) are common tumors with a poor overall prognosis. Poor survival is resulting from limited response to multi-modal therapy, high incidence of metastasis, and local recurrence. Treatment includes surgery, radio(chemo)therapy, and targeted therapy specific for EGFR and immune checkpoint inhibition. The understanding of the molecular basis for the poor outcome of HNSCC was improved using multi-OMICs approaches, which revealed a strong degree of inter- and intratumor heterogeneity (ITH) at the level of DNA mutations, transcriptome, and (phospho)proteome. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) identified RNA-expression signatures related to cell cycle, cell stress, hypoxia, epithelial differentiation, and a partial epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (pEMT). The latter signature was correlated to nodal involvement and adverse clinical features. Mechanistically, shifts towards a mesenchymal phenotype equips tumor cells with migratory and invasive capacities and with an enhanced resistance to standard therapy. Hence, gradual variations of EMT as observed in HNSCC represent a potent driver of tumor progression that could open new paths to improve the stratification of patients and to innovate approaches to break therapy resistance. These aspects of molecular heterogeneity will be discussed in the present review.
Different Ability of Multidrug-Resistant and -Sensitive Counterpart Cells to Release and Capture Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Sousa Diana , Lima Raquel T. , Lopes-Rodrigues Vanessa , Gonzalez Esperanza , Royo Félix , Xavier Cristina P. R. , Falcón-Pérez Juan M. , Vasconcelos M. Helena
Published: October 2021

Cancer multidrug resistance (MDR) is one of the main challenges for cancer treatment efficacy. MDR is a phenomenon by which tumor cells become resistant to several unrelated drugs. Some studies have previously described the important role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) in the dissemination of a MDR phenotype. EVs’ cargo may include different players of MDR, such as microRNAS and drug-efflux pumps, which may be transferred from donor MDR cells to recipient drug-sensitive counterparts. The present work aimed to: (i) compare the ability of drug-sensitive and their MDR counterpart cells to release and capture EVs and (ii) study and relate those differences with possible distinct fate of the endocytic pathway in these counterpart cells. Our results showed that MDR cells released more EVs than their drug-sensitive counterparts and also that the drug-sensitive cells captured more EVs than their MDR counterparts. This difference in the release and capture of EVs may be associated with differences in the endocytic pathway between drug-sensitive and MDR cells. Importantly, manipulation of the recycling pathway influenced the response of drug-sensitive cells to doxorubicin treatment.
Molecular Mechanisms of mtDNA-Mediated Inflammation
Authors: De Gaetano Anna , Solodka Kateryna , Zanini Giada , Selleri Valentina , Mattioli Anna Vittoria , Nasi Milena , Pinti Marcello
Published: October 2021

Besides their role in cell metabolism, mitochondria display many other functions. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the own genome of the organelle, plays an important role in modulating the inflammatory immune response. When released from the mitochondrion to the cytosol, mtDNA is recognized by cGAS, a cGAMP which activates a pathway leading to enhanced expression of type I interferons, and by NLRP3 inflammasome, which promotes the activation of pro-inflammatory cytokines Interleukin-1beta and Interleukin-18. Furthermore, mtDNA can be bound by Toll-like receptor 9 in the endosome and activate a pathway that ultimately leads to the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines. mtDNA is released in the extracellular space in different forms (free DNA, protein-bound DNA fragments) either as free circulating molecules or encapsulated in extracellular vesicles. In this review, we discussed the latest findings concerning the molecular mechanisms that regulate the release of mtDNA from mitochondria, and the mechanisms that connect mtDNA misplacement to the activation of inflammation in different pathophysiological conditions.
What Are the Cleaning and Disinfection Methods for Acrylic Orthodontic Removable Appliance? A Systematic Review
Authors: Charavet Carole , Graveline Léa , Gourdain Zoé , Lupi Laurence
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: The use of removable orthodontic appliances, which is common in early ages, requires careful hygiene, as several different microorganisms are found on their surface during the orthodontic treatment. (2) Methods: Comprehensive electronic searches were conducted up to May 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or controlled clinical trials (CCTs), prospective or retrospective, evaluating the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection methods for acrylic removable orthodontic appliances, redacted in the English language, were included. Three independent blinding review authors were involved in study selection, data extraction, and bias assessment. (3) Results: A total of 2491 records were screened and eight studies (six RCTs and two CCTs) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Among the overall cleaning and disinfection methods described in the included studies, four categories could be defined: liquid antimicrobial agents, commercial tablet cleansers, natural plant extracts and incorporation of quaternary ammonium methacryloxy silicate, all of which demonstrated superior efficacy compared to the placebo/negative control. However, the different methods were not compared with each other. (4) Conclusions: Biofilm control on acrylic orthodontic removable appliances can be performed using the different cleaning and disinfection methods considered in the included studies. Further studies are needed to define the most effective technique. Registration: PROSPERO CRD 42021269297.
Homozygosity Haplotype and Whole-Exome Sequencing Analysis to Identify Potentially Functional Rare Variants Involved in Multiple Sclerosis among Sardinian Families
Authors: Fazia Teresa , Marzanati Daria , Carotenuto Anna Laura , Beecham Ashley , Hadjixenofontos Athena , McCauley Jacob L. , Saddi Valeria , Piras Marialuisa , Bernardinelli Luisa , Gentilini Davide
Published: October 2021

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a complex multifactorial autoimmune disease, whose sex- and age-adjusted prevalence in Sardinia (Italy) is among the highest worldwide. To date, 233 loci were associated with MS and almost 20% of risk heritability is attributable to common genetic variants, but many low-frequency and rare variants remain to be discovered. Here, we aimed to contribute to the understanding of the genetic basis of MS by investigating potentially functional rare variants. To this end, we analyzed thirteen multiplex Sardinian families with Immunochip genotyping data. For five families, Whole Exome Sequencing (WES) data were also available. Firstly, we performed a non-parametric Homozygosity Haplotype analysis for identifying the Region from Common Ancestor (RCA). Then, on these potential disease-linked RCA, we searched for the presence of rare variants shared by the affected individuals by analyzing WES data. We found: (i) a variant (43181034 T > G) in the splicing region on exon 27 of CUL9; (ii) a variant (50245517 A > C) in the splicing region on exon 16 of ATP9A; (iii) a non-synonymous variant (43223539 A > C), on exon 9 of TTBK1; (iv) a non-synonymous variant (42976917 A > C) on exon 9 of PPP2R5D; and v) a variant (109859349-109859354) in 3′UTR of MYO16.
Investigation on Ultrasonic Cavitation Erosion of Aluminum–Titanium Alloys in Sodium Chloride Solution
Authors: Zhao Jingtao , Ning Liping , Zhu Jingwen , Li Yinglong
Published: October 2021

Two kinds of Ti-alloys, i.e., Al–5Ti and Al–10Ti alloys, were manufactured in this study, and their ultrasonic cavitation erosion behaviors in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution were evaluated by the cumulative mass loss, scanning electronic micrograph, and three-dimensional morphology. The results show that mass loss and surface damage of the Al, Al–5Ti, and Al–10Ti alloys obviously increased with the increasing cavitation erosion time. Compared with the pure Al, the cavitation resistance of the Al–5Ti and Al–10Ti alloys was improved because of the presence of the TiAl3 phase. In addition, the synergistic effect between cavitation and corrosion of the Al–Ti alloy in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution was studied according to the polarization curve of the moving electrode. The mass loss caused by the synergistic effect between cavitation erosion and corrosion accounted for a large percentage, 23.59%, indicating that corrosion has a critical impact on the cavitation erosion of the Al–Ti alloys. Compared with corrosion promoted by cavitation erosion, the cavitation erosion promoted by corrosion had a larger promoting effect.
Cerebrospinal Fluid Levels of AFP and hCG: Validation of the Analytical Method and Application in the Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Germ Cell Tumors
Authors: D'Alessandro Annamaria , Ciavardelli Domenico , Pastore Anna , Giannone Germana , Del Baldo Giada , Carai Andrea , Mastronuzzi Angela , Onetti Muda Andrea , Porzio Ottavia
Published: October 2021

The determination of Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG) and Alpha Fetoprotein (AFP) levels on serum and amniotic fluid plays a fundamental role in the diagnosis and follow-up of specific physiological or pathological conditions (e.g., pregnancy, threat of abortion or germ cell tumors). Recently, the quantification of hCG and AFP in other biological fluids has gained great attention to support the diagnosis, prognosis and follow-up of neoplastic diseases deriving from trophoblastic cells, such as germinomas. Most of the commercial kits for hCG and AFP assays are developed to be used on biological fluids such as serum/plasma and/or urine by manufacturing companies. The aim of this work was to evaluate the suitability of the analytical method certified for the use on serum, and/or amniotic fluid for the quantification of hCG and AFP in cerebrospinal fluid, carrying out an internal validation protocol. The data reported here show that the automated immunochemical method is fit for quantification of hCG and AFP in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), allowing selective and specific diagnosis of secreting germ cell tumors. This is confirmed by the positive correlation between elevated levels of hCG or AFP and the diagnosis of brain tumors.
Advances in Diagnostic Bronchoscopy
Authors: Shen Yi-Cheng , Chen Chia-Hung , Tu Chih-Yen
Published: October 2021

The increase in incidental discovery of pulmonary nodules has led to more urgent requirement of tissue diagnosis. The peripheral pulmonary nodules are especially challenging for clinicians. There are various modalities for diagnosis and tissue sampling of pulmonary lesions, but most of these modalities have their own limitations. This has led to the development of many advanced technical modalities, which have empowered pulmonologists to reach the periphery of the lung safely and effectively. These techniques include thin/ultrathin bronchoscopes, radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS), and navigation bronchoscopy—including virtual navigation bronchoscopy (VNB) and electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB). Recently, newer technologies—including robotic-assisted bronchoscopy (RAB), cone-beam CT (CBCT), and augmented fluoroscopy (AF)—have been introduced to aid in the navigation to peripheral pulmonary nodules. Technological advances will also enable more precise tissue sampling of smaller peripheral lung nodules for local ablative and other therapies of peripheral lung cancers in the future. However, we still need to overcome the CT-to-body divergence, among other limitations. In this review, our aim is to summarize the recent advances in diagnostic bronchoscopy technology.
Local Stability of McKean–Vlasov Equations Arising from Heterogeneous Gibbs Systems Using Limit of Relative Entropies
Authors: Dawson Donald A. , Sid-Ali Ahmed , Zhao Yiqiang Q.
Published: October 2021

A family of heterogeneous mean-field systems with jumps is analyzed. These systems are constructed as a Gibbs measure on block graphs. When the total number of particles goes to infinity, the law of large numbers is shown to hold in a multi-class context, resulting in the weak convergence of the empirical vector towards the solution of a McKean–Vlasov system of equations. We then investigate the local stability of the limiting McKean–Vlasov system through the construction of a local Lyapunov function. We first compute the limit of adequately scaled relative entropy functions associated with the explicit stationary distribution of the N-particles system. Using a Laplace principle for empirical vectors, we show that the limit takes an explicit form. Then we demonstrate that this limit satisfies a descent property, which, combined with some mild assumptions shows that it is indeed a local Lyapunov function.
DC Bus Voltage Selection for a Grid-Connected Low-Voltage DC Residential Nanogrid Using Real Data with Modified Load Profiles
Authors: Habibi Saeed , Rahimi Ramin , Ferdowsi Mehdi , Shamsi Pourya
Published: October 2021

This study examines various low voltage levels applied to a direct current residential nanogrid (DC-RNG) with respect to the efficiency and component cost of the system. Due to the significant increase in DC-compatible loads, on-site Photovoltaic (PV) generation, and local battery storage, DC distribution has gained considerable attention in buildings. To provide an accurate evaluation of the DC-RNG’s efficiency and component cost, a one-year load profile of a conventional AC-powered house is considered, and AC appliances’ load profiles are scaled to their equivalent available DC appliances. Based on the modified load profiles, proper wiring schemes, converters, and protection devices are chosen to construct a DC-RNG. The constructed DC-RNG is modeled in MATLAB software and simulations are completed to evaluate the efficiency of each LVDC level. Four LVDC levels—24 V, 48 V, 60 V, and 120 V—are chosen to evaluate the DC-RNG’s efficiency and component cost. Additionally, impacts of adding a battery energy storage unit on the DC-RNG’s efficiency are studied. The results indicate that 60 V battery-less DC-RNG is the most efficient one; however, when batteries are added to the DC-RNG, the 48 V DC distribution becomes the most efficient and cost-effective option.
Analysis of Shielding Properties of Head Covers Made of Conductive Materials in Application to 5G Wireless Systems
Authors: Januszkiewicz Łukasz
Published: October 2021

The introduction of the fifth generation wireless systems caused social emotions regarding the impact of electromagnetic waves on people. Many people who consider themselves to be particularly sensitive to radiation make metal foil head covers (so called “tinfoil hats”) to shield their body from radiation. The aim of this paper is to show how effective the “tinfoil hat” really is when applied to base station radiation in a fifth generation telecommunication system. It presents the results of investigation on effectiveness of these protections in terms of their shielding properties at the frequencies used in fifth generation wireless systems. The research was carried out based on computer simulations. Remcom XFdtd software (software: XFdtd version 7.8.1 manufacturer: Remcom, 315 South Allen Street, Suite 416 State College, PA, USA) utilizing a finite difference time domain method and a numerical model of the head was applied to obtain the data on shielding properties of conductive head covers. It was found that in the case of foil head covers the maximum reduction factor of power density in the head region is approximately 50%. Furthermore, the application of a metal surface shield increases the maximum value of energy absorbed by human tissue in some regions of the head. To overcome this problem, the design of a wire-based shielding structure that does not reduce user comfort is presented as an alternative to the full-metal head cover. For wave propagation in the horizontal plane, its performance is comparable to tinfoil-like structure, but its design makes it much more comfortable for the user.
Accelerated Aging Effects on the Hygrothermal Behaviour of Hemp Concrete: Experimental and Numerical Investigations
Authors: Benmahiddine Ferhat , Belarbi Rafik , Berger Julien , Bennai Fares , Tahakourt Abdelkader
Published: October 2021

In this article, both numerical and experimental investigations were carried out on the durability of hemp concrete. For this, an accelerated aging process was performed using cycles of immersion, freezing and drying. Then, an experimental campaign was enabled to determine heat and mass transfer properties, as well as the microstructure for both aged and reference materials. Observations using a digital microscope showed the appearance of cracks at the interfaces and an increase of the porosity of about 6%. These microstructural modifications imply a non-negligible evolution of heat and mass transfer properties. Thus, a numerical model for the prediction of heat and mass transfer was developed. The prediction of physical phenomena was computed using both aged and reference material properties. It highlights the aging effects on the behaviour of the hemp concrete. The numerical simulation results showed significant discrepancies between the predicted relative humidity values for the two configurations (aged and reference) of about 18% and a maximum phase shift of 40 min, due to the amplification of the mass transfer kinetics after aging. Nevertheless, few deviations in temperature values were found. Thus, after aging, sensible heat fluxes were overestimated compared to the reference case, unlike latent heat fluxes, where an underestimation was shown.
Charge Carrier Trapping during Diffusion Generally Observed for Particulate Photocatalytic Films
Authors: Katayama Kenji , Chugenji Tatsuya , Kawaguchi Kei
Published: October 2021

Photo-excited charge carriers play a vital role in photocatalysts and photovoltaics, and their dynamic processes must be understood to improve their efficiencies by controlling them. The photo-excited charge carriers in photocatalytic materials are usually trapped to the defect states in the picosecond time range and are subject to recombination to the nanosecond to microsecond order. When photo-excited charge carrier dynamics are observed via refractive index changes, especially in particulate photocatalytic materials, another response between the trapping and recombination phases is often observed. This response has always provided the gradual increase of the refractive index changes in the nanosecond order, and we propose that the shallowly trapped charge carriers could still diffuse and be trapped to other states during this process. We examined various photocatalytic materials such as TiO2, SrTiO3, hematite, BiVO4, and methylammonium lead iodide for similar rising responses. Based on our assumption of surface trapping with diffusion, the responses were fit with the theoretical model with sufficient accuracy. We propose that these slow charge trapping processes must be included to fully understand the charge carrier dynamics of particulate photocatalytic materials.
Filterless, Digital Class-BD Audio Amplifiers with Constant Common Mode Output Voltage
Authors: Kuta Stanisław , Machowski Witold , Kołodziejski Wojciech , Chlastawa Łukasz
Published: October 2021

This paper presents new and original architectures and implementations of two filterless, open-loop digital Class-BD audio amplifiers with constant common mode (CM) output voltage. The first, low-power amplifier consists of four ultrahigh-current EL7158 pin drivers, the OUT pins of which form the H bridge. The drivers are controlled from the extended LBDD PWM modulator and have appropriately set voltage levels on the VL and VH pins. The second proposed amplifier consists of two cooperating H-bridge power stages (HBS) implemented on complementary MOSFET pairs and powered by two different voltages. Both HBSs are driven by four EL7158 pin drivers having appropriately adjusted voltage levels on the VL and VH pins and controlled by an extended LBDD PWM modulator. The hybrid 9 bit DPWM modulator uses a linearized Class-BD double-sided modulation scheme with pre-compensation, enabling the most faithful emulation of natural NBDD PWM and, thus, providing attractive spectral characteristics at the DM output. Basic SPICE simulations and experimental results of the proposed digital Class-BD amplifiers were compared with the conventional digital Class-BD amplifiers. The elimination of CM signals significantly contributes to the reduction in electromagnetic interference (EMI), particularly those produced on the cables connecting the loudspeaker to the HBS terminal. Proposed Class-BD amplifiers with original and new topologies, due to their simple design and easy control (no galvanic isolation of control signals and no floating bias power supplies), which generate no CM voltage and feature excellent DM performance, similar to conventional Class-BD amplifiers, are very attractive solutions for filterless Class-BD amplifiers.
Optimal Bi-Level Scheduling Method of Vehicle-to-Grid and Ancillary Services of Aggregators with Conditional Value-at-Risk
Authors: Wang Yilu , Jia Zixuan , Li Jianing , Zhang Xiaoping , Zhang Ray
Published: October 2021

With the global net-zero strategy implementation, decarbonisation of transport by massive deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) has been considered to be an essential solution. However, charging EVs and integration into electricity grids is going to be a fundamental challenge to future electricity systems. Hence, in this situation, how to effectively deploy massive numbers of EVs, and in the meantime what can be developed to deliver vehicle-to-grid (V2G) services, become a fundamental yet interesting tech-economical issues. Furthermore, uncertainty in lack of vehicle availability and EV battery degradation could lead to revenue loss when using EVs as ancillary services aggregators. With such considerations, this paper presents a new optimised V2G aggregator scheduling service that has taken into consideration of a number of risks, including EV availability and battery degradation through conditional value-at-risk. The proposed method for V2G scheduling service, as an independent aggregator, is formulated as a bi-level optimisation problem. The performance of the proposed method is to be evaluated through case studies on the Birmingham International Airport parking lot with onsite renewable generation. Uncertainties of EVs and the differences in weekdays and weekends are also compared.
Wasserstein Bounds in the CLT of the MLE for the Drift Coefficient of a Stochastic Partial Differential Equation
Authors: Es-Sebaiy Khalifa , Al-Foraih Mishari , Alazemi Fares
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we are interested in the rate of convergence for the central limit theorem of the maximum likelihood estimator of the drift coefficient for a stochastic partial differential equation based on continuous time observations of the Fourier coefficients ui(t),i=1,…,N of the solution, over some finite interval of time [0,T]. We provide explicit upper bounds for the Wasserstein distance for the rate of convergence when N→∞ and/or T→∞. In the case when T is fixed and N→∞, the upper bounds obtained in our results are more efficient than those of the Kolmogorov distance given by the relevant papers of Mishra and Prakasa Rao, and Kim and Park.
Incorporation of a Nitric Oxide Donating Motif into Novel PC-PLC Inhibitors Provides Enhanced Anti-Proliferative Activity
Authors: Rees Shaun W. P. , Rees Tayla A. , Leung Euphemia , Walker Christopher S. , Barker David , Pilkington Lisa I.
Published: October 2021

Inhibition of phosphatidylcholine-specific phospholipase C (PC-PLC) has previously been shown to be a potential target for novel cancer therapeutics. One downstream consequence of PC-PLC activity is the activation of NF-κB, a nuclear transcription factor responsible for transcribing genes related to oncogenic traits, such as proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, and cancer cell survival. Another biological pathway linked to NF-κB is the exogenous delivery of nitric oxide (NO), which decreases NF-κB activity through an apparent negative-feedback loop. In this study, we designed and synthesised 13 novel NO-releasing derivatives of our previously reported class of PC-PLC inhibitors, 2-morpholinobenzoic acids. These molecules contained a secondary benzylamine group, which was readily nitrosylated and subsequently confirmed to release NO in vitro using a DAF-FM fluorescence-based assay. It was then discovered that these NO-releasing derivatives possessed significantly improved anti-proliferative activity in both MDA-MB-231 and HCT116 cancer cell lines compared to their non-nitrosylated parent compounds. These results confirmed that the inclusion of an exogenous NO-releasing functional group onto a known PC-PLC inhibitor enhances anti-proliferative activity and that this relationship can be exploited in order to further improve the anti-proliferative activity of current/future PC-PLC inhibitors.
Toxicity Assessment of Long-Term Exposure to Non-Thermal Plasma Activated Water in Mice
Authors: Nastasa Valentin , Pasca Aurelian-Sorin , Malancus Razvan-Nicolae , Bostanaru Andra-Cristina , Ailincai Luminita-Iuliana , Ursu Elena-Laura , Vasiliu Ana-Lavinia , Minea Bogdan , Hnatiuc Eugen , Mares Mihai
Published: October 2021

Non-thermal plasma activated water (PAW) has recently emerged as a powerful antimicrobial agent. Despite numerous potential bio-medical applications, studies concerning toxicity in live animals, especially after long-term exposure, are scarce. Our study aimed to assess the effects of long-term watering with PAW on the health of CD1 mice. PAW was prepared from distilled water with a GlidArc reactor according to a previously published protocol. The pH was 2.78. The mice received PAW (experimental group) or tap water (control group) daily for 90 days as the sole water source. After 90 days, the following investigations were performed on the euthanatized animals: gross necropsy, teeth mineral composition, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, hematology, blood biochemistry, methemoglobin level and cytokine profile. Mice tolerated PAW very well and no adverse effects were observed during the entire period of the experiment. Histopathological examination of the organs and tissues did not reveal any structural changes. Moreover, the expression of proliferation markers PCNA and Ki67 has not been identified in the epithelium of the upper digestive tract, indicating the absence of any pre- or neoplastic transformations. The results of our study demonstrated that long-term exposure to PAW caused no toxic effects and could be used as oral antiseptic solution in dental medicine.