bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of Influent Quality and Operational Modes on the Excessive Growth of Filamentous Bacteria in Kuwait’s Activated Sludge Systems
Authors: Abusam Abdallah , Al-Salameen Fadila 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Kuwait’s wastewater treatment plants experience severe sludge bulking and foaming problems during the winter months. In an effort to identify the possible causes of these problems, sample of wastewater and sludge was collected from Um-Al-Haiman and Riqqa activated sludge systems each week for 32 weeks. The quality of wastewater was determined following standard methods of water analysis, while the dominant filamentous bacteria were identified and quantified using a molecular method called Vermicon Identification Technology (VIT). Multivariate statistical analysis (namely, Pearson’s correlation analysis and principal component analysis) was then carried out on the obtained datasets of results. Pearson’s correlation analysis revealed several significant associations between filamentous bacteria growth and influent quality and operational modes for the systems. The principal component analysis revealed six components that accounted for more than 70% of the total datasets’ information. The techniques used in this study can also be used to assess the relationship between filamentous bacteria growth and the operating conditions of other activated sludge systems.
Water-saving Strategies in the Face of Water Shortage Crisis: A Case Study of Science Museum in Taiwan
Authors: Wang Y H , Ger T H , Lou J R , Chang Chien C T 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
In the past two years, Taiwan has rarely experienced the typhoons that usually bring her abundant rainfall. The southern region, in particular, is facing a severe crisis of water shortage. Meanwhile, the National Science and Technology Museum (NSTM), in Kaohsiung, Southern Taiwan, has launched several exhibitions and activities, seeking to attract large numbers of visitors. These events consume much water, in the midst of a water crisis. In the face of such a crisis, water-saving strategies are critical. Thus, using qualitative interviews and analyses, this research found that water-saving activities organized by NSTM were effective in reminding people to conserve water. Our analysis also shows that the strategy of building a rainwater harvesting system as an alternative water source can save as much as 4.94% of tap water. These achievements make the NSTM initiative a good exemplar of water-saving strategies.
Cell Biological Effects of Long-term Exposure to Electromagnetic Field of Simulated Mobile Phones
Authors: Oskouei Kiana , Khodahemmati Sara , XiaoJin Su , Rafiee Sara , Gao Jingfeng , Wang Minglian 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Living in today’s world requires extensive communication with the world around us, which the mobile phone is one of this equipment along with other devices such as computers, radios, telephone towers, and power lines. It is supposed that prolonged exposure to radiation may cause biological damage to living organisms. However, the results from different laboratory studies are contradictory and there is still insufficient information about the biological risks to human health. In this article, we reviewed some of the potential biological effects of Radiofrequency Electromagnetic Field (RF-EMF) exposure.
Bioeconomy as A Way of Development and Sustainability: A Study Focused on the Field of Water
Authors: Belmonte-Urena L J , Batlles-delaFuente A , Abad-Segura E , Morales M E 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
The scarcity of natural resources as well as the increase in waste and environmental pollution are considered current challenges that must be solved. In this context in which the search for processes that ensure an improvement of the current situation prevails, the term bioeconomy arises. Said term, which is based on renewable biological resources as an alternative to fossil fuels, represents an advance in terms of sustainability. However, it is highly related to numerous sectors, such as fishing, agriculture, livestock, forestry and aquaculture, among others. In this sense, with the aim of limiting the implications and areas of interest for each of these sectors, the study focuses on analysing research trends in the field of bioeconomy and water resources. This is why the present work focuses on collecting the subject areas and keywords that define the current interests of this research line. Finally, the fundamental role of political actions to positively influence the introduction of new sustainable processes is mentioned.
Possibilities for Shifting Goods from Road to Rail Freight Transport in the Czech Republic
Authors: Cempirek Vaclav , Kodym Oldrich , Turek Michal 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
The paper deals with the change in the modal share of total freight transport. The aim is to reduce carbon emissions in freight transport to zero by 2030 and then by 2050 again, which will require a shift of freight transport from road to railway. As far as the Czech Republic is concerned, only land transport modes are substantial. The task will not be easy, as rail transport still has a share of about 30% of total transport. The change in transport policy is based on the EU Green Deal.
Kinetics of Nanoparticles Nucleation/Growth and Control of the Pt/C Catalysts Microstructure and Activity
Authors: Danilenko M. , Guterman V. , Paperzh K. , Alekseenko A. , Nikulin A. 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
A kinetic analysis of the complex Pt(IV) ions reduction has been carried out for two common liquid-phase synthesis methods, in which formaldehyde and formic acid are used as reducing agents. The character of the influence of temperature, the nature of the reducing agent and solution components, the atmosphere composition, and the carbon support have been established. This made it possible to optimize the synthesis conditions and obtain Pt/C catalysts with ultrasmall nanoparticles, significantly exceed commercial analogs in their morphology, durability, and activity in the oxygen electroreduction reaction.
Research on the wear and corrosion resistance of Ni–GO–TiC composite coating by scanning jet electrodeposition
Authors: Jiang Wei , Li Xiang , Chen Yuanlong , Li Huigui , Shen Lida , Chen Ya , Tian Zongjun , Lao YuanXia 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
The Ni–GO–TiC nano-composite coating was prepared by scanning jet electrodeposition. The morphologies and microstructures of the composite coating were analyzed by FESEM and XRD, and the wear and corrosion resistance of the composite coating were studied. Studies have shown that the Ni–GO–TiC composite coating has some ridge shape structures. The addition of nano TiC and GO does not change the structure but refines the grain growth of the Ni matrix metal. Nano TiC can effectively prevent GO from agglomerating, improve the dispersion, and further enhance the wear resistance of the Ni–GO–TiC composite coating. In addition, the microhardness and corrosion resistance of the Ni–GO–TiC composite coating has also been greatly improved. The hard nano TiC reinforcement proposed in this study helps to improve the comprehensive properties of nickel-based graphene oxide composite coatings, and provides a new method reference for subsequent research on nickel-based composite coatings.
The effect of laser power and scanning speed on forming structure in selective laser melting process
Authors: Huang Yao , Han Renheng , Zhang Hexin , Zhao Chengzhi 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
With the continuous development of ship technology, the usage environment of some parts has changed, with higher requirements for materials and preparation technology being put forward. Some traditional structural materials have do not meet the actual working conditions of ships, which necessitates development of new materials and research on their preparation technology. Owing to its high strength and stable mechanical properties at high temperature, molybdenum base alloy is expected to replace nickel base alloy and aluminum base alloy the primary structural material in the development of ships. Under the conventional method, the impurity elements is quite complex and there are limitations in the shape of the formed parts. This experiment uses spherical pure molybdenum powder as raw material. The effects of laser power, powder thickness, scanning speed and scanning distance on the microstructure of formed parts during selective laser melting process were studied and the optimum process parameters were determined. Laser power and scanning speed can seriously affect the quality of the forming parts. In this experiment, by comparing the density and internal holes of the forming parts under different process parameters, the best preparation process for the forming parts was determined: laser power 325 watts, scanning speed 400 mm s−1, powder thickness 30 μm, scanning distance 40 μm. Meanwhile, the forming workpiece density is the largest, up to 94.92%.
Effect of progressive solid-solution treatment on microstructures, mechanical properties and impact abrasive wear behavior of alloyed high manganese steel
Authors: Li Zulai , Wang Haibin , Zhao Yuelin , Wu Lei , Zhang Fei , Shan Quan 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Alloyed high manganese steel is a general type of wear-resistant steel, and its precipitates and austenite matrix grain sizes play an important role in impact abrasive wear behavior. Solid-solution treatment is an effective method to balance the size of the austenite grains and precipitates. This work attempts to find a new progressive solid-solution treatment to make alloyed high manganese steel castings refine the microstructure and balance the wear resistance under impact abrasive wear conditions. Compared with traditional solid-solution treatment, the MC- and M23C6-type carbide precipitates resulting from progressive solid-solution treatment decrease, and the tensile strength and impact toughness of steel are significantly increased. After the solid-solution treatment at different heating rates, the grain refinement effect is remarkable after shortening the holding time at 1100 °C and increasing the heating rate to 150 °C h−1. The impact abrasive wear test results show that, compared with the traditional solid-solution treatment at 1100 °C for 4 h, the wear resistance of high manganese steel has a 23.1% improvement after progressive solution treatment at 1100 °C for 2 h, and the wear failure forms of all the experimental steels are microcutting, oxidation wear and plastic deformation.
Effects of viscoelastic bonding layer on performance of piezoelectric actuator attached to elastic structure
Authors: Ali Ibrahim A , Alazwari Mashhour A , Eltaher Mohamed A , Abdelrahman Alaa A 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
In the context of the finite elements analysis, the mechanical performance of viscoelastically bonded smart structures is investigated and analyzed. Three different models are considered and compared. In the 1st model, the actuator is glued to the host structure. On the other hand, in the two other models the actuator is glued to the bonding layer which is glued to the host structures. To explore the effect of the bonding layer characteristics on the mechanical behavior of the host structure, both elastic and viscoelastic layers are considered. The Prony’s series are utilized to simulate the viscoelastic constitutive response. The mathematical formulation of the coupled problem is presented and the dynamic finite elements equations of motion of the coupled electromechanical systems are introduced. The proposed methodology is verified by comparing the obtained results with the available results in the literature and good consentience is observed. Both static and dynamic vibration behaviors are studied incorporating the interfacial shear stresses between the bonding layer and the host structure as well as the displacements as a comparison criterion to determine the performance controlling function of the host structure. Parametric study of piezoelectric properties showed that permittivity is required in solving such systems but does not affect the performance. On the other hand, the piezoelectric characteristics have significant effects on the mechanical performance of smart structures and can be used in the optimum selection of combination just like mechanical properties and geometry. Additionally, the obtained results show that the model with viscoelastic bonding layer has an overall static performance nearly half of elastic bonding layer model while it has a slight effect on the dynamic behavior compared with the corresponding elastic bonding layer. The proposed methodology with the obtained results is supportive in the applications of structure health monitoring and dynamics of smart structural systems. The proposed procedure could be extended in a future work to include the coupled electromagnetic effects on the dynamic behavior of smart structures in hygrothermal environment.
Differentially expressed genes prediction by multiple self-attention on epigenetics data
Authors: Huang Zimo , Wang Jun , Yan Zhongmin , Guo Maozu 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
Predicting differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from epigenetics signal data is the key to understand how epigenetics controls cell functional heterogeneity by gene regulation. This knowledge can help developing ‘epigenetics drugs’ for complex diseases like cancers. Most of existing machine learning-based methods suffer defects in prediction accuracy, interpretability or training speed. To address these problems, in this paper, we propose a Multiple Self-Attention model for predicting DEGs on Epigenetic data (Epi-MSA). Epi-MSA first uses convolutional neural networks for neighborhood bins information embedding, and then employs multiple self-attention encoders on different input epigenetics factors data to learn which locations of genes are important for predicting DEGs. Next it trains a soft attention module to pick out which epigenetics factors are significant. The attention mechanism makes the model interpretable, and the pure matrix operation of self-attention enables the model to be parallel calculated and speeds up the training. Experiments on datasets from the Roadmap Epigenome Project and BluePrint Data Analysis Portal (BDAP) show that the performance of Epi-MSA is better than existing competitive methods, and Epi-MSA also has a smaller standard deviation, which shows that Epi-MSA is effective and stable. In addition, Epi-MSA has a good interpretability, this is confirmed by referring its attention weight matrix with existing biological knowledge.
Variomes: a high recall search engine to support the curation of genomic variants
Authors: Pasche Emilie , Mottaz Anaïs , Caucheteur Déborah , Gobeill Julien , Michel Pierre-André , Ruch Patrick 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMotivationIdentification and interpretation of clinically actionable variants is a critical bottleneck. Searching for evidence in the literature is mandatory according to ASCO/AMP/CAP practice guidelines; however, it is both labor-intensive and error-prone. We developed a system to perform triage of publications relevant to support an evidence-based decision. The system is also able to prioritize variants. Our system searches within pre-annotated collections such as MEDLINE and PubMed Central.ResultsWe assess the search effectiveness of the system using three different experimental settings: literature triage; variant prioritization and comparison of Variomes with LitVar. Almost two-thirds of the publications returned in the top-5 are relevant for clinical decision-support. Our approach enabled identifying 81.8% of clinically actionable variants in the top-3. Variomes retrieves on average +21.3% more articles than LitVar and returns the same number of results or more results than LitVar for 90% of the queries when tested on a set of 803 queries; thus, establishing a new baseline for searching the literature about variants.Availability and implementationVariomes is publicly available at https://candy.hesge.ch/Variomes. Source code is freely available at https://github.com/variomes/sibtm-variomes. SynVar is publicly available at https://goldorak.hesge.ch/synvar.Supplementary informationSupplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Decreased homotopic functional connectivity in traumatic brain injury
Authors: Raizman Reut , Itzhaki Nofar , Sirkin Johanna , Meningher Inbar , Tsarfaty Galia , Keren Ofer , Zibli Zion , Silberg Tamar , Pick Chaim G , Livny Abigail 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIntroductionHomotopic functional connectivity (HoFC), the synchrony in activity patterns between homologous brain regions, is a fundamental characteristic of resting-state functional connectivity (RsFC).MethodsWe examined the difference in HoFC, computed as the correlation between atlas-based regions and their counterpart on the opposite hemisphere, in 16 moderate–severe traumatic brain injury patients (msTBI) and 36 healthy controls. Regions of decreased HoFC in msTBI patients were further used as seeds for examining differences between groups in correlations with other brain regions. Finally, we computed logistic regression models of regional HoFC and fractional anisotropy (FA) of the corpus callosum (CC).ResultsTBI patients exhibited decreased HoFC in the middle and posterior cingulate cortex, thalamus, superior temporal pole, and cerebellum III. Furthermore, decreased RsFC was found between left cerebellum III and right parahippocampal cortex and vermis, between superior temporal pole and left caudate and medial left and right frontal orbital gyri. Thalamic HoFC and FA of the CC discriminate patients as msTBI with a high accuracy of 96%.ConclusionTBI is associated with regionally decreased HoFC. Moreover, a multimodality model of interhemispheric connectivity allowed for a high degree of accuracy in disease discrimination and enabled a deeper understanding of TBI effects on brain interhemispheric reorganization post-TBI.
Systematic Review: The Impact and Importance of Body Composition in Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Ding Nik Sheng , Tassone Daniel , Al Bakir Ibrahim , Wu Kyle , Thompson Alexander J , Connell William R , Malietzis George , Lung Phillip , Singh Siddharth , Choi Chang-ho Ryan , Gabe Simon , Jenkins John T , Hart Ailsa 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Background and Aims
Alterations in body composition are common in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] and have been associated with differences in patient outcomes. We sought to consolidate knowledge on the impact and importance of body composition in IBD.

Methods
We performed a systematic search of MEDLINE, EMBASE and conference proceedings by combining two key research themes: inflammatory bowel disease and body composition.

Results
Fifty-five studies were included in this review. Thirty-one focused on the impact of IBD on body composition with a total of 2279 patients with a mean age 38.4 years. Of these, 1071 [47%] were male. In total, 1470 [64.5%] patients had Crohn’s disease and 809 [35.5%] had ulcerative colitis. Notably, fat mass and fat-free mass were reduced, and higher rates of sarcopaenia were observed in those with active IBD compared with those in clinical remission and healthy controls. Twenty-four additional studies focused on the impact of derangements in body composition on IBD outcomes. Alterations in body composition in IBD are associated with poorer prognoses including higher rates of surgical intervention, post-operative complications and reduced muscle strength. In addition, higher rates of early treatment failure and primary non-response are seen in patients with myopaenia.

Conclusions
Patients with IBD have alterations in body composition parameters in active disease and clinical remission. The impacts of body composition on disease outcome and therapy are broad and require further investigation. The augmentation of body composition parameters in the clinical setting has the potential to improve IBD outcomes in the future.
Development and Validation of the Disability Index Among Older Adults
Authors: Zhang Xuxi , Lin Lizi , Sun Xinying , Lei Xiaoyan , Liu Gordon G , Raat Hein , Zeng Yi 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Background
With the rapid population aging, the challenge to provide care for disabled older adults is becoming bigger. This study aims to develop the Disability Index (DI) to assess disability to indicate care needs, and we evaluated the reliability and validity of the DI among older adults aged 65–105.

Methods
A total of 12 559 older adults (54.0% women; mean age = 84.3; SD = 11.2) from 22 provinces in China were investigated in 2017–2018. We developed the 21-item DI covering 4 subdomains, including Activities of Daily Living (ADL), Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL), physical performance, and cognitive function. Cronbach’s alpha was used to determine internal consistency. The convergent and divergent validity were assessed by Spearman rank order correlation coefficients and Pearson correlation coefficients. The known-group validity was assessed by Mann–Whitney U tests. The concurrent validity was assessed by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC).

Results
In the total sample, the internal consistency of the full DI and its subdomains were satisfactory with Cronbach’s alpha ≥0.70; the convergent and divergent validity of the 4 subdomains were supported by all the alternative measures; the known-group validity of the full DI and its subdomains were supported by clear discriminative ability; and the concurrent validity of the full DI was supported with all the AUCs ≥0.70. The reliability and validity of the full DI and its subdomains were additionally supported by age subgroups and sex subgroups.

Conclusions
The DI is a reliable and valid instrument to assess disability status among older adults.
Health Equity in an Age-Friendly Health System: Identifying Potential Care Gaps
Authors: Morgan Emily , De Lima Bryanna , Pleet Anna , Eckstrom Elizabeth 
Published: March 2022

Abstract

Background
The Age-Friendly Health Systems (AFHS) initiative uses a 4Ms framework—What Matters, Mentation, Medication, and Mobility—to encourage patient-centered care for older adults. Many health systems have implemented the core elements of AFHS with the goal to uniformly apply them to all patients 65 years and older. However, equity in AFHS delivery has not yet been examined.

Methods
Five health equity factors—gender, race, ethnicity, preferred language, and electronic patient portal (MyChart) activation—were cross-sectionally analyzed against the 4Ms framework for patients in an academic internal medicine clinic seen between April 2020 and April 2021 (N = 3 370). Bivariate analysis and multiple logistic regression models analyzed the relationship of health equity variables to the 4Ms metrics and were represented with odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals.

Results
Preferred language, gender, and MyChart activation yielded significant 4M metric pairings. Females were 1.22 times more likely than males, and English-speaking patients were 2.27 times more likely than non-English-speaking patients to receive advance care planning (p &lt; .01). Females and patients with MyChart activation were about 2 times more likely to have a high-risk medication on their medication list compared to males and patients without MyChart activation (p &lt; .01). Patients with MyChart activation were 2.08 times more likely than patients without MyChart activation to get cognitive screening (p &lt; .001).

Conclusion
This study, the first to incorporate demographic data into AFHS outcomes, suggests a need to develop best practices for equitable Age-Friendly care at the clinical team and institutional policy levels.