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Fucoidan is a sulfated polysaccharide found in brown seaweed. Due to its reported biological activities, including antiviral, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory activities, it has garnered significant attention for potential biomedical applications. However, the direct relationship between fucoidan extracts' chemical structures and bioactivities is unclear, making it extremely challenging to predict whether an extract will possess a given bioactivity. This relationship is further complicated by a lack of uniformity in the recent literature in terms of the assessment and reporting of extract properties, yield and chemical composition (e.g., sulfate, fucose, uronic acid and monosaccharide contents). These inconsistencies pose significant challenges when directly comparing extraction techniques across studies. This review collected data on extract contents and properties from a selection of available studies. Where information was unavailable directly, efforts were made to extrapolate data. This approach enabled a comprehensive examination of the correlation between extraction techniques and the characteristics of the resulting extracts. A holistic framework is presented for the selection of fucoidan extraction methods, outlining key heuristics to consider when capturing the broader context of a seaweed bioprocess. Future work should focus on developing knowledge within these heuristic categories, such as the creation of technoeconomic models of each extraction process. This framework should allow for a robust extraction selection process that integrates process scale, cost and constraints into decision making. Key quality attributes for biologically active fucoidan are proposed, and areas for future research are identified, such as studies for specific bioactivities aimed at elucidating fucoidan's mechanism of action. This review also sets out future work required to standardize the reporting of fucoidan extract data. Standardization could positively enhance the quality and depth of data on fucoidan extracts, enabling the relationships between physical, chemical and bioactive properties to be identified. Recommendations on best practices for the production of high-quality fucoidan with desirable yield, characteristics and bioactivity are highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Late diagnosis and patient relapse, mainly due to chemoresistance, are the key reasons for the high mortality rate of ovarian cancer patients. Hence, the search for biomarkers of high predictive value within the phenomenon of chemoresistance is vital. This study performs a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature concerning biomarkers of drug resistance in ovarian cancer, considering the period from 2017 to 2022. Methods: The terms "drug resistance biomarker" and "ovarian cancer" were linked by the Boolean operator "AND". The search was done in PubMed, selecting documents published over the last 5 years (2017-2022), which were analyzed with the open-source tool Bibliometrix developed in the R package. The language of the publications was restricted to English. Several types of papers such as case reports, clinical trials, comparative studies, and original articles were considered. Results: A total of 335 scientific articles were analyzed. The United States and China were the leading contributors and established the largest number of scientific collaborations. The Huazhong University of Science and Technology and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were the most influential institutions. The Journal of Ovarian Research, International Journal of Molecular Science, and Scientific Reports are among the most relevant journals. The study identified high-profile, relevant thematic niches and important descriptors that indicate topics of interest, including studies on women, cell lines, solid tumors, and gene expression regulation. As well as studies involving middle-aged and adult participants, and those focusing on prognosis evaluation. Descriptors such as "drug resistance," "neoplasm," "genetics," "biomarker," "gene expression profile," and "drug therapy" would indicate new research trends. In addition, we propose that BCL-2, CHRF, SNAIL, miR-363, iASPP, ALDH1, Fzd7, and EZH2 are potential biomarkers of drug resistance. Conclusions: This paper contributes to the global analysis of the scientific investigation related to drug resistance biomarkers in ovarian cancer to facilitate further studies and collaborative networks, which may lead to future improvements in therapy for this lethal disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassava starch solid biopolymer electrolyte (SBPE) films were prepared by a thermochemical method with different concentrations of lithium triflate (LiTFT) as a dopant salt. The process began with dispersing cassava starch in water, followed by heating to facilitate gelatinization; subsequently, plasticizers and LiTFT were added at differing concentrations. The infrared spectroscopy analysis (FTIR-ATR) showed variations in the wavenumber of some characteristic bands of starch, thus evidencing the interaction between the LiTFT salt and biopolymeric matrix. The short-range crystallinity index, determined by the ratio of COH to COC bands, exhibited the highest crystallinity in the salt-free SBPEs and the lowest in the SBPEs with a concentration ratio (Xm) of 0.17. The thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the salt addition increased the dehydration process temperature by 5 °C. Additionally, the thermal decomposition processes were shown at lower temperatures after the addition of the LiTFT salt into the SBPEs. The differential scanning calorimetry showed that the addition of the salt affected the endothermic process related to the degradation of the packing of the starch molecules, which occurred at 70 °C in the salt-free SBPEs and at lower temperatures (2 or 3 °C less) in the films that contained the LiTFT salt at different concentrations. The cyclic voltammetry analysis of the SBPE films identified the redox processes of the glucose units in all the samples, with observed differences in peak potentials (Ep) and peak currents (Ip) across various salt concentrations. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy was used to establish the equivalent circuit model Rf–(Cdl/(Rct–(CPE/Rre))) and determine the electrochemical parameters, revealing a higher conduction value of 2.72 × 10−3 S cm−1 for the SBPEs with Xm = 17 and a lower conduction of 5.80 × 10−4 S cm−1 in the salt-free SBPEs. It was concluded that the concentration of LiTFT salt in the cassava starch SBPE films influences their morphology and slightly reduces their thermal stability. Furthermore, the electrochemical behavior is affected in terms of variations in the redox potentials of the glucose units of the biopolymer and in their ionic conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Environmental & Social Management Journal / Revista de Gestão Social e Ambiental is the property of Environmental & Social Management Journal and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

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In this systematic literature review (SLR), we use a series of quantitative bibliometric analyses to (1) identify the main papers, journals, and authors of the publications that make use of statistical analysis (SA) and machine learning (ML) tools as well as technological elements of smart cities (TESC) and Geographic Information Systems to predict road traffic accidents (RTAs); (2) determine the extent to which the identified methods are used for the analysis of RTAs and current trends regarding their use; (3) establish the relationship between the set of variables analyzed and the frequency and severity of RTAs; and (4) identify gaps in method use to highlight potential areas for future research. A total of 3888 papers published between January 2000 and June 2021, distributed in four clusters—RTA + HA + SA (SA, n = 399); RTA + HA + ML (ML, n = 858); RTA + HA + SC (TESC, n = 2327); and RTA + HA + GIS (GIS, n = 304)—were analyzed. We identified Accident Analysis and Prevention as the most important journal, Fred Mannering as the main author, and The Statistical Analysis of Crash-Frequency Data: A Review and Assessment of Methodological Alternatives as the most cited publication. Although the negative binomial regression method was used for several years, we noticed that other regression models as well as methods based on deep learning, convolutional neural networks, transfer learning, 5G technology, Internet of Things, and intelligent transport systems have recently emerged as suitable alternatives for RTA analysis. By introducing a new approach based on computational algorithms and data visualization, this SLR fills a gap in the area of RTA analysis and provides a clear picture of the current scientific production in the field. This information is crucial for projecting further research on RTA analysis and developing computational and data visualization tools oriented to the automation of RTA predictions based on intelligent systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of parametric estimation in photovoltaic (PV) modules considering manufacturer information is addressed in this research from the perspective of combinatorial optimization. With the data sheet provided by the PV manufacturer, a non-linear non-convex optimization problem is formulated that contains information regarding maximum power, open-circuit, and short-circuit points. To estimate the three parameters of the PV model (i.e., the ideality diode factor (a) and the parallel and series resistances (Rp and Rs)), the crow search algorithm (CSA) is employed, which is a metaheuristic optimization technique inspired by the behavior of the crows searching food deposits. The CSA allows the exploration and exploitation of the solution space through a simple evolution rule derived from the classical PSO method. Numerical simulations reveal the effectiveness and robustness of the CSA to estimate these parameters with objective function values lower than 1 × 10-28 and processing times less than 2 s. All the numerical simulations were developed in MATLAB 2020a and compared with the sine-cosine and vortex search algorithms recently reported in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Seaweed has emerged as an alternative feedstock for the production of a number of renewable fuels. However, the commercialization of seaweed to biofuels requires optimization to improve yields, before scale-up is feasible. The resistance of the algal cell wall to hydrolysis is a limiting factor in fermentation, thus an optimal pretreatment process would enhance the bio-digestibility of the algal biomass, increase accessibility of biomass to hydrolytic enzymes and, ultimately, improve biofuel yields. This study focused on measuring the amount of macromolecules, reducing sugars (RS), total lipids (TL), and total proteins (TP) released from two native seaweed species in Ireland (Laminaria digitataandSaccharina latissima) in response to a range of chemical, mechanical, and thermal pretreatments. The overall results showed that all pretreatment methods enhanced the release of macromolecules to different extents when compared to untreated controls. Among the set of pretreatments studied, a combination of milling and 4% nitric acid at 130°C for 2 hrs had the greatest effect in releasing RS and TL from both seaweed species. Findings from this study highlight the importance of seaweed pretreatment and its potential use in the optimization of biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seaweed biomass has emerged as an alternative for the production of renewable fuels such as biogas from anaerobic digestion (AD). In relation to the biogas production rate, digester temperature setting is one of the most critical factors for an economically viable digester operation, especially in temperate countries like Ireland, as most annual temperatures are below the mesophilic range. In this study, the effect of digester temperature on biogas and methane production efficiency during the AD of Laminaria digitata was evaluated. 120 ml batch reactors were incubated at 20, 35 and 45 °C for 54 days to determine a temperature profile for the AD process. Reactors incubated at 35 °C produced the highest biogas and methane yields (336 ml biogas/g VS and 184 ml methane/g VS). Thermophilic reactors (45 °C) produced 30 % less biogas and 23.3 % less methane, followed by psychrophilic reactors (20 °C) which produced 41 % less biogas and 39.7 % less methane. A drop in pH in the mesophilic and thermophilic reactors was identified as an inhibitory factor during the first days of digestion. Psychrophilic reactors were better able to withstand the observed changes. Mesophilic temperatures will be used in further studies to examine scaling up of the process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a novel approach for the reconstruction of urban structures from 3D point clouds with an assumption of Manhattan World (MW) building geometry; i.e., the predominance of three mutually orthogonal directions in the scene. Our approach works in two steps. First, the input points are classified according to the MW assumption into four local shape types: walls, edges, corners, and edge corners. The classified points are organized into a connected set of clusters from which a volume description is extracted. The MW assumption allows us to robustly identify the fundamental shape types, describe the volumes within the bounding box, and reconstruct visible and occluded parts of the sampled structure. We show results of our reconstruction that has been applied to several synthetic and real-world 3D point data sets of various densities and from multiple viewpoints. Our method automatically reconstructs 3D building models from up to 10 million points in 10 to 60 seconds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose a framework that enables adding intuitive high level control to an existing urban procedural model. In particular, we provide a mechanism to interactively edit urban models, a task which is important to stakeholders in gaming, urban planning, mapping, and navigation services. Procedural modeling allows a quick creation of large complex 3D models, but controlling the output is a well-known open problem. Thus, while forward procedural modeling has thrived, in this paper we add to the arsenal an inverse modeling tool. Users, unaware of the rules of the underlying urban procedural model, can alternatively specify arbitrary target indicators to control the modeling process. The system itself will discover how to alter the parameters of the urban procedural model so as to produce the desired 3D output. We label this process inverse design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a method for interactive procedural generation of parcels within the urban modeling pipeline. Our approach performs a partitioning of the interior of city blocks using user-specified subdivision attributes and style parameters. Moreover, our method is both robust and persistent in the sense of being able to map individual parcels from before an edit operation to after an edit operation - this enables transferring most, if not all, customizations despite small to large-scale interactive editing operations. The guidelines guarantee that the resulting subdivisions are functionally and geometrically plausible for subsequent building modeling and construction. Our results include visual and statistical comparisons that demonstrate how the parcel configurations created by our method can closely resemble those found in real-world cities of a large variety of styles. By directly addressing the block subdivision problem, we intend to increase the editability and realism of the urban modeling pipeline and to become a standard in parcel generation for future urban modeling methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main contribution of our work is in closing the loop between behavioral and geometrical modeling of cities. Editing of urban design variables is performed intuitively and visually using a graphical user interface. Any design variable can be constrained or changed. The design process uses an iterative dynamical system for reaching equilibrium: a state where the demands of behavioral modeling match those of geometrical modeling. 3D models are generated in a few seconds and conform to plausible urban behavior and urban geometry. Our framework includes an interactive agent-based behavioral modeling system as well as adaptive geometry generation algorithms. We demonstrate interactive and incremental design and editing for synthetic urban spaces spanning over 200 square kilometers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban simulation models and their visualization are used to help regional planning agencies evaluate alternative transportation investments, land use regulations, and environmental protection policies. Typical urban simulations provide spatially distributed data about a number of inhabitants, land prices, traffic, and other variables. In this article, we build on a synergy of urban simulation, urban visualization, and computer graphics to automatically infer an urban layout for any time step of the simulation sequence. In addition to standard visualization tools, our method gathers data of the original street network, parcels, and aerial imagery and uses the available simulation results to infer changes to the original urban layout. Our method produces a new and plausible layout for the simulation results. In contrast with previous work, our approach automatically updates the layout based on changes in the simulation data and, thus, can scale to a large simulation over many years. The method in this article offers a substantial step forward in building integrated visualization and behavioral simulation systems for use in community visioning, planning, and policy analysis. We demonstrate our method on several real cases using a 200-Gbyte database for a 16,300-km² area surrounding Seattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present an interactive system for synthesizing urban layouts by example. Our method simultaneously performs both a structure-based synthesis and an image-based synthesis to generate a complete urban layout with a plausible street network and with aerial-view imagery. Our approach uses the structure and image data of real-world urban areas and a synthesis algorithm to provide several high-level operations to easily and interactively generate complex layouts by example. The user can create new urban layouts by a sequence of operations such as join, expand, and blend without being concerned about low-level structural details. Further, the ability to blend example urban layout fragments provides a powerful way to generate new synthetic content. We demonstrate our system by creating urban layouts using example fragments from several real-world cities, each ranging from hundreds to thousands of city blocks and parcels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the interactive reconfiguration of urban layouts. An urban layout is composed of a collection of man-made structures arranged in roads, parcels, city blocks and neighborhoods. The authors utilized the records of parcel boundaries, roads, and other metadata maintained by counties in digital form as the initial point for inferring higher-level structure automatically and for supporting urban layout editing. In order to execute editing operations, a system was developed to perform tile-layout management and tile-similarity estimation.

The problem of the optimal operation of battery energy storage systems (BESSs) in AC grids is addressed in this paper from the point of view of multi-objective optimization. A nonlinear programming (NLP) model is presented to minimize the total emissions of contaminant gasses to the atmosphere and costs of daily energy losses simultaneously, considering the AC grid complete model. The BESSs are modeled with their linear relation between the state-of-charge and the active power injection/absorption. The Pareto front for the multi-objective optimization NLP model is reached through the general algebraic modeling system, i.e., GAMS, implementing the pondered optimization approach using weighting factors for each objective function. Numerical results in the IEEE 33-bus and IEEE 69-node test feeders demonstrate the multi-objective nature of this optimization problem and the multiple possibilities that allow the grid operators to carry out an efficient operation of their distribution networks when BESS and renewable energy resources are introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This express brief deals with the problem of the state variables regulation in the ball and beam system by applying the discrete-inverse optimal control approach. The ball and beam system model is defined by a set of four-order nonlinear differential equations that are discretized using the forward difference method. The main advantages of using the discrete-inverse optimal control to regulate state variables in dynamic systems are (i) the control input is an optimal signal as it guarantees the minimum of the Hamiltonian function, (ii) the control signal makes the dynamical system passive, and (iii) the control input ensures asymptotic stability in the sense of Lyapunov. Numerical simulations in the MATLAB environment allow demonstrating the effectiveness and robustness of the studied control design for state variables regulation with a wide gamma of dynamic behaviors as a function of the assigned control gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]