bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Acquisition Devices for Fetal Phonocardiography: A Scoping Review
Authors: Giordano Noemi , Sbrollini Agnese , Morettini Micaela , Rosati Samanta , Balestra Gabriella , Gambi Ennio , Knaflitz Marco , Burattini Laura
Published: April 2024

Timely and reliable fetal monitoring is crucial to prevent adverse events during pregnancy and delivery. Fetal phonocardiography, i.e., the recording of fetal heart sounds, is emerging as a novel possibility to monitor fetal health status. Indeed, due to its passive nature and its noninvasiveness, the technique is suitable for long-term monitoring and for telemonitoring applications. Despite the high share of literature focusing on signal processing, no previous work has reviewed the technological hardware solutions devoted to the recording of fetal heart sounds. Thus, the aim of this scoping review is to collect information regarding the acquisition devices for fetal phonocardiography (FPCG), focusing on technical specifications and clinical use. Overall, PRISMA-guidelines-based analysis selected 57 studies that described 26 research prototypes and eight commercial devices for FPCG acquisition. Results of our review study reveal that no commercial devices were designed for fetal-specific purposes, that the latest advances involve the use of multiple microphones and sensors, and that no quantitative validation was usually performed. By highlighting the past and future trends and the most relevant innovations from both a technical and clinical perspective, this review will represent a useful reference for the evaluation of different acquisition devices and for the development of new FPCG-based systems for fetal monitoring.
Motion Analysis of the Wrist and Finger Joints in Sport Climbing
Authors: Fischer Gabriella , Schneeberger Micha , Petter Stefan Andreas , Scheibler Anne-Gita , Wolf Peter , Calcagni Maurizio , Schweizer Andreas , Reissner Lisa
Published: April 2024

Climbing is a fast-growing sport, with one of the most common injuries being a rupture of the finger flexor tendon pulley. The strain on pulleys increases as finger joints flex. However, to our knowledge, no study has conducted a kinematic analysis of climbers’ fingers. Thus, this study aimed to examine finger kinematics during typical climbing tasks. Eleven elite climbers performed a sequence of four climbing moves, which were recorded by an optical motion capture system. Participants used crimp, half-crimp, and open-hand grips for three trials each, with the fourth condition involving campusing using any grip except crimp. Mean proximal interphalangeal joint (PIP) flexion during the holding phase was 87° (SD 12°), 70° (14°) and 39° (27°) for the crimp, half-crimp and open-hand grip, respectively. Hence, inter-individual PIP flexion ranges overlap between different gripping conditions. Two different movement patterns emerged in the open-hand grip, possibly influenced by the use of the little finger, leading to varying degrees of flexion in the middle and ring fingers. Avoiding little finger usage in the open-hand grip may reduce load during pulley rupture rehabilitation. The implications of PIP joint angle variability on individual pulley injury risk or prevention warrant further investigation. Motion capture proved effective for understanding finger kinematics during climbing and could guide future studies on pulley injury risk factors.
On the Structural and Molecular Properties of PEO and PEO-PPG Functionalized Chitosan Nanoparticles for Drug Delivery
Authors: Jha Rejeena , Harlow Hyrum , Benamara Mourad , Mayanovic Robert A.
Published: April 2024

Chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) are currently under investigation for a wide range of applications in nanomedicine. We investigated the structural, morphological, and molecular properties of CS-NPs synthesized via ionic gelation and designed specifically for drug delivery. The CS-NPs were prepared at concentrations ranging from 0.25 to 1.0% w/v. The 1.0% w/v CS-NPs were also functionalized with polyethylene oxide (PEO) alone and with a diblock copolymer of PEO and polypropylene glycol (PPG). The average nanoparticle size determined from TEM imaging is in the 11.3 to 14.8 nm range. The XRD and TEM analyses reveal a semi-crystalline structure with a degree of crystallinity dependent upon the nature of CS-NP functionalization. Functionalizing with PEO had no effect, whereas functionalizing with PEO-PPG resulted in a significant increase in the crystallinity of the 1.0% w/v CS-NPs. Additionally, the CS/TPP concentration (CS:TPP fixed at a 1:1 ratio) did not impact the degree of crystallinity of the CS-NPs. FTIR analysis confirmed the incorporation of TPP with CS and an increase in hydrogen bonding in more crystalline CS-NPs.
Biophysical Breakthroughs Projected for the Phage Therapy of Bacterial Disease
Authors: Chambers James P. , Aldis Miranda , Thomas Julie A. , Gonzales Cara B. , White Richard Allen , Serwer Philip
Published: April 2024

Past anti-bacterial use of bacteriophages (phage therapy) is already well reviewed as a potential therapeutic response to the emergence of multidrug-resistant, pathogenic bacteria. Phage therapy has been limited by the following. (1) The success rate is too low for routine use and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. (2) Current strategies of routine phage characterization do not sufficiently improve the success rate of phage therapy. (3) The stability of many phages at ambient temperature is not high enough to routinely store and transport phages at ambient temperature. In the present communication, we present new and previous data that we interpret as introductory to biophysically and efficiently transforming phage therapy to the needed level of effectiveness. Included are (1) procedure and preliminary data for the use of native gel electrophoresis (a low-cost procedure) for projecting the therapy effectiveness of a newly isolated phage, (2) data that suggest a way to achieve stabilizing of dried, ambient-temperature phages via polymer embedding, and (3) data that suggest means to increase the blood persistence, and therefore the therapy effectiveness, of what would otherwise be a relatively low-persistence phage.
Repeated Bilateral Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation over Auditory Cortex for Tinnitus Treatment: A Double-Blinded Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial
Authors: Yadollahpour Ali , Rashidi Samaneh , Saki Nader , Kunwar Pramod Singh , Mayo-Yáñez Miguel
Published: April 2024

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive and painless technique of brain neuromodulation that applies a low-intensity galvanic current to the scalp with the aim of stimulating specific areas of the brain. Preliminary investigations have indicated the potential therapeutic efficacy of multisession tDCS applied to the auditory cortex (AC) in the treatment of chronic tinnitus. The aim of this study was to explore the therapeutic effects of repeated sessions of bilateral tDCS targeting the AC on chronic tinnitus. A double-blinded randomized placebo-controlled trial was conducted on patients (n = 48) with chronic intractable tinnitus (>2 years duration). Participants were randomly allocated to two groups: one receiving tDCS (n = 26), with the anode/cathode placed over the left/right AC, and the other receiving a placebo treatment (n = 22). A 20 min daily session of 2 mA current was administered for five consecutive days per week over two consecutive weeks, employing 35 cm2 electrodes. Tinnitus handicap inventory (THI) scores, tinnitus loudness, and tinnitus distress were measured using a visual analogue scale (VAS), and were assessed before intervention, immediately after, and at one-month follow-up. Anodal tDCS significantly reduced THI from 72.93 ± 10.11 score to 46.40 ± 15.36 after the last session and 49.68 ± 14.49 at one-month follow-up in 18 out of 25 participants (p < 0.001). The risk ratio (RR) of presenting an improvement of ≥20 points in the THI after the last session was 10.8 in patients treated with tDCS. Statistically significant reductions were observed in distress VAS and loudness VAS (p < 0.001). No statistically significant differences in the control group were observed. Variables such as age, gender, duration of tinnitus, laterality of tinnitus, baseline THI scores, and baseline distress and loudness VAS scores did not demonstrate significant correlations with treatment response. Repeated sessions of bilateral AC tDCS may potentially serve as a therapeutic modality for chronic tinnitus.
Exploring the Role of Conscious and Unconscious Processes in Hypnosis: A Theoretical Review
Authors: Knafo Gavriel , Weinberger Joel
Published: April 2024

This review provided a comprehensive examination of various theories that attempt to explain hypnosis, focusing on the interplay between conscious and unconscious processes. We conducted a thorough analysis of key theories, from historical origins to recent models centered on cognition, social factors, and attributions. A central theme emerged: the critical role of the unconscious as a “gatekeeper” that modulates and guides the hypnotic experience. This notion appears in various forms across many theories, with the unconscious actively shaping and regulating the flow of information between conscious and unconscious realms during hypnosis. Understanding this dynamic interplay is crucial for comprehending the complex nature of hypnosis. The synthesized view of the unconscious as a “gatekeeper” offers a framework for integrating insights from diverse perspectives and highlights the centrality of unconscious processes in shaping hypnotic phenomena. Future research should further investigate the mechanisms of this unconscious “gatekeeper” role and its impact on hypnosis.
Optimized Design of Anchor Plates for 2200 MPa-Class Prestressing Anchorage Zones
Authors: Lu Xin , Zhu Wanxu
Published: April 2024

The strength of prestressed steel strands has developed towards high strength, increasing from 1860 MPa to over 2200 MPa. The stress in the prestressed anchorage zone is more concentrated and complex, and the anchor plates for dispersed loads need to be optimized in design. This article proposes a design scheme for adding a middle pressure-bearing step based on the existing anchor plate and then establishes a 1/4 model of the concrete anchoring area of the anchor plate for finite element analysis. Based on the theory of the strut-and-tie model, the position of the middle pressure-bearing step is determined according to the maximum angle of the strut-and-tie model. Then, carry out force transfer tests in the anchorage zone for verification. The research results indicate that after adding a middle pressure bearing step to the anchor plate, the angle between the strut-and-tie model in the anchorage zone increases, and the bearing capacity improves. The position of the middle pressure-bearing step in the anchor plate is different, and the angle between the strut-and-tie models is different. According to the middle step position parameter, λ (the ratio of the effective width of the middle step to the distance from the middle step to the end face of the anchor plate) is 0.533 to optimize the anchor plate, and the bearing capacity of its anchorage zone is relatively high. The main tensile and main compressive stresses of the anchor plate after optimization increased by 6.2% and 5.74%, respectively, compared to the anchor plate before optimization. The main tensile stress of the spiral reinforcement under the anchor plate decreased by 0.59%, the main compressive stress decreased by 2.89%, and the von-Mises stress decreased by 2.32%. The side surface tensile stress of concrete under the anchor plate was reduced by 4.3 percent. Finally, three concrete specimens were poured for force transfer testing in the anchorage zone, verifying the safety and reliability of the optimized anchor plate in the 2200 MPa-level prestressed anchorage zone.
Synergy in Action: Integrating Environmental Monitoring, Energy Efficiency, and IoT for Safer Shared Buildings
Authors: Franco Alessandro , Crisostomi Emanuele , Dalmiani Stefano , Poletti Roberta
Published: April 2024

Shared public buildings have become centers of innovation, integrating advanced technologies to meet evolving societal needs. With a heightened emphasis on occupants’ health and well-being, these buildings serve as hubs for technological convergence, facilitating seamless connectivity and intelligent data analysis and management. Within this context, environmental monitoring emerges as a foundational element, pivotal to all aspects of building management. This article provides findings from the nationally funded RE-START project, which focuses on shared public buildings, with special regard to educational and medical facilities. The project explores enhanced indoor air quality monitoring, focusing on CO2 concentration that is directly correlated with occupancy, as a fundamental element for developing health and safety protocols, energy efficiency strategies, the integration of smart building technologies, and data-driven energy management. The intersection of environmental monitoring, energy efficiency, security, and IoT technologies in in indoor spaces is relevant. The outcomes of the study reveal the delicate nature of all the involved components, which need to be carefully developed in an integrated manner.
The Use of Lidar and Artificial Intelligence Algorithms for Detection and Size Estimation of Potholes
Authors: Talha Sk Abu , Manasreh Dmitry , Nazzal Munir D.
Published: April 2024

Road potholes have a well-known impact on driving quality and safety. Therefore, timely mitigation of potholes is critical for the safety of road users. However, efficient and timely maintenance relies on the presence of an effective process for pothole detection. Currently, transportation agencies primarily rely on manual inspection and road user reporting. These methods are subjective, prone to inaccuracy, and some are also laborious and time-consuming. An ideal pothole detection system would be accurate, objective, automated, and relatively inexpensive. In this context, accuracy encompasses three distinct performance areas: detection, localization, and size estimation. This study explores the potential of utilizing a mobile light detection and ranging (LiDAR) for accurate detection and size estimation, along with a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) receiver for localization, to develop an effective pothole surveillance system. To achieve this objective, the study proposes a four-step framework. Firstly, the LiDAR data are processed to generate ring-wise cross-sectional images. Secondly, a deep learning object detection network is trained to predict the presence and size of potholes. Thirdly, the ring-wise inferences are aggregated to produce a final decision. Lastly, the aggregated inferences are synchronized with GNSS locations to generate inspection maps. The system’s performance was validated using multiple road strips, never seen by the model, containing potholes of different sizes and shapes. The results demonstrated the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed system. Overall, this research contributes to the research on LiDAR-based pothole inspection by proposing a novel four-step framework and incorporating it into an end-to-end pothole detection system, which can greatly improve the efficiency of pothole maintenance and enhance the safety of road users.
Second Neoplasms in Italian Patients with Hairy Cell Leukemia after Treatment with Cladribine: A Multicenter Investigation and Literature Review
Authors: Criscuolo Marianna , Tosti Maria Elena , Broccoli Alessandro , Varettoni Marzia , Maraglino Alessio Maria Edoardo , Anastasia Antonella , Cantonetti Maria , Trentin Livio , Kovalchuk Sofia , Orsucci Lorella , Deodato Marina , Spolzino Angelica , Volpetti Stefano , Annibali Ombretta , Storti Sergio , Stelitano Caterina , Marchesi Francesco , Morè Sonia , Fianchi Luana , Falini Brunangelo , Pulsoni Alessandro , Tiacci Enrico , Zinzani Pier Luigi , Pagano Livio
Published: April 2024

Concern has emerged about the prevalence of second cancers among patients with hairy cell leukemia (HCL) treated with purine analogs. We investigated 513 patients with HCL treated with cladribine over the last 30 years at 18 Italian centers and calculated their standardized incidence ratios (SIRs). We identified 24 patients with a second cancer diagnosed at a median time from treatment with cladribine of 59.9 months (range: 9.2–169.7 months). All patients with solid neoplasms presented with a limited-stage disease, except four cases of locally advanced cancer; multiple myeloma patients had a smoldering disease, while lymphoma patients had stage Ie and stage IV diseases. Response to therapy was complete in 19 cases; 1 patient is still receiving treatment for a relapsing bladder disease, while 2 patients progressed during treatment and died. These two patients died from unrelated causes: one from infection and one due to surgery complications. The median OS from HCL was 98.5 months (range: 38.4–409.2 months), while the median OS from second cancer was 27.6 months (range: 1–117.8 months). The SIR was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.54–1.30) for males and 1.13 (95% CI: 0.36–2.73) for females: no statistically significant differences were highlighted. We were not able to demonstrate an excess of second cancer or a significant association with the specific studied neoplasm.
Application of PET/MRI in Gynecologic Malignancies
Authors: Ebrahimi Sheida , Lundström Elin , Batasin Summer J. , Hedlund Elisabeth , Stålberg Karin , Ehman Eric C. , Sheth Vipul R. , Iranpour Negaur , Loubrie Stephane , Schlein Alexandra , Rakow-Penner Rebecca
Published: April 2024

The diagnosis, treatment, and management of gynecologic malignancies benefit from both positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) and MRI. PET/CT provides important information on the local extent of disease as well as diffuse metastatic involvement. MRI offers soft tissue delineation and loco-regional disease involvement. The combination of these two technologies is key in diagnosis, treatment planning, and evaluating treatment response in gynecological malignancies. This review aims to assess the performance of PET/MRI in gynecologic cancer patients and outlines the technical challenges and clinical advantages of PET/MR systems when specifically applied to gynecologic malignancies.
Fungal Consortia Mediated Bio-Treatment of Organic Matter and Metals Uptake from Sewage Water: Maize Agro-Physiological Assessment
Authors: Daâssi Dalel , Hajaji Afef Nasraoui , Alssulime Lama J. H. , Alkhatib Shaza N. , Hamouda Ragaa A.
Published: April 2024

The present investigation aims to improve the efficiency of fungal mono- and mixed cultures in removing organic pollutants and metals from sewage water (SW) for further maize plant response assessments. The reduction in the organic load from the SW was harnessed using a co-culture consortium consisting of Aspergillus niger (KB5), Sordariomycetes sp. (D10), and Coniochaetaceae sp. (LB3). The testing results had evinced removal of up to 88% of the organic matter and more than 96%, 91%, 80%, and 47.6%, of removal percentages for Copper (Cu), Nickel (Ni), Cadmium (Cd), and Lead (Pb), respectively, with the developed fungal consortium [KB5 + D10 + LB3]. After treatment and lab experiments, a reuse of treated and untreated SW for plant irrigation was evaluated towards improving maize plant growth. Irrigation was conducted in pot experiments with three types of water: clean water (Control), untreated (USW), and treated SW by fungal consortia (TSW) and by station treatment plant STP (TSWP) using the randomized complete block (RCB) experimental design. Results of the pots trial revealed that the morphological parameters of SW-irrigated plants are slightly improved compared to water-irrigated plants. Data regarding assimilating area attributes indicated that the most significant enlargement of the assimilation area was observed with TSW-D (1/4) irrigation by 1051 cm2, followed by TSWP-D (0) by 953.96 cm2, then USW-D (1/4) by 716.54 cm2, as compared to plants irrigated with clean water (506.91 cm2). On average, the assimilation areas were larger by 51.76%, 46.86%, and 29.25% in TSW, USW, and TSWP-irrigated plants, respectively. Thus, SW irrigation supports the required qualities and quantities of microelements and water for plant growth. Oxidative stress assessment showed that irrigations with treated SW caused a significant decrease in both enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, depicting that the treatment lowered the stress of sewage water.
Surface Texturing and Wettability Modification by Nanosecond Pulse Laser Ablation of Stainless Steels
Authors: Dong Jialin , Liu Yang , Pacella Manuela
Published: April 2024

Laser surface texturing has attracted growing interest, particularly in functional surface modification. Lasers with nanosecond pulse widths and infrared wavelengths are commonly used for metallic surface texturing because of their low cost and potential for fabricating a large range of textures. In this research, a laser with a nanosecond pulse width and infrared wavelength was used for the surface texturing of 316 stainless steels. Standard grooved and near-isotropic surface textures, as well as novel porous texture and feather-like dendrite texture, were fabricated through single-time laser texturing. Water contact angle tests were performed on the post-process surfaces, and they showed wettability changes from superhydrophilic to superhydrophobic according to different types of textures. Discussion on the relationship between water contact angle and surface roughness, groove width/depth ratio, surface carbon and oxygen contents indicated that it is the surface morphology that impacts changes in wettability. The comprehensive formation mechanism of different textures and the wettability control mechanism through different textures have been systematically discussed. For the first time, the three-level (point-line-area) laser surface ablation mechanism has been established. The proposed findings can be used for future laser texturing process designs on metals using lasers with a nanosecond pulse width and an infrared wavelength for various applications including wettability modification.
Effects of Nano-Diamond-Coated Milling Bits on Cutting Dental Zirconia
Authors: Ding Hao , Pan Zeqian , Loh Yee Man , Wang Chunjin , Tsoi James Kit Hon
Published: April 2024

Hard alloy end mills are commonly employed for milling zirconia prostheses in dentistry. Nano-diamond-coated milling bits ensure high processing efficiency, accuracy, extended tool life, and reduced processing costs. This study aims at comparing various effects of cutting dental zirconia with nano-diamond-coated and ordinary milling bits. Two types of milling bits, one with nano-diamond coating and one without, were used to cut the dental zirconia green blanks (Ø98.5 mm, thickness: 25 mm) at three different speeds (1000, 1500, and 2000 rpm) in a dental milling machine. The unsintered and sintered zirconia surfaces were evaluated with glossmeter, optical profilometer for surface roughness, SEM, and EDX. The glossiness of the sintered zirconia block was statistically higher than that of the unsintered block (p < 0.05). For sintered zirconia, the nano-diamond-coated milling bit yielded a statistically (p < 0.05) higher glossiness in all spindle speeds than uncoated, save for the uncoated milling bit used at 1500 rpm. However, in terms of roughness, only sintering showed to be a statistically significant factor (p < 0.001) outweighing other two factors, and sintered zirconia always yielded lower surface roughness than the unsintered counterpart. Overall, the nano-diamond-coated milling bit can be operated at various speeds, resulting in a higher gloss on the sintered zirconia block, while an ordinary, uncoated milling bit can only achieve the same glossiness at a designated speed. The type of milling bits and the speeds have no significant effect on the surface roughness.
Modeling 0.3 THz Coaxial Single-Mode Phase Shifter Designs in Liquid Crystals with Constitutive Loss Quantifications
Authors: Li Jinfeng , Li Haorong
Published: April 2024

This work proposes and examines the feasibility of next-generation 0.3 THz phase shifters realized with liquid crystals (LCs) as tunable dielectrics coaxially filled in the transmission line. The classic coaxial transmission line topology is robust to electromagnetic interference and environmental noise, but is susceptible to higher-order modes from microwave to millimeter-wave towards terahertz (THz) wavelength ranges, which impedes the low-insertion-loss phase-shifting functionality. This work thus focuses primarily on the suppression of the risky higher-order modes, particularly the first emerging TE11 mode impacting the dielectric loss and metal losses in diverse manners. Based on impedance matching baselines at diverse tuning states of LCs, this work analytically derives and models two design geometries; i.e., design 1 for the coaxial geometry matched at the isotopically referenced state of LC for 50 Ω, and design 2 for geometry matched at the saturated bias of LC with the maximally achievable permittivity. The Figure-of-Merit for design 1 and design 2 reports as 35.15°/dB and 34.73°/dB per unit length, respectively. We also propose a constitutive power analysis method for understanding the loss consumed by constitutive materials. Notably, for the 0.3 THz design, the isotropic LC state results in an LC dielectric loss of 63.5% of the total input power (assuming 100%), which becomes the primary constraint on achieving low-loss THz operations. The substantial difference in the LC dielectric loss between the isotropic LC state and saturated bias state for the 0.3 THz design (35.76% variation) as compared to that of our past 60 GHz design (13.5% variation) indicates that the LC dielectric loss’s escalating role is further enhanced with the rise in frequency, which is more pronounced than the conductor losses. Overall, the results from analytical and finite-element optimization in this work shape the direction and feasibility of the unconventional THz coaxial phase shifting technology with LCs, actioned as continuously tunable dielectrics.
Comparative Prevalence and Intensity of Endoparasites in a Dynamic Boreal Ungulate Community
Authors: Andrew Cassandra L. , Wagner Brent , Harms N. Jane , Jenkins Emily J. , Jung Thomas S.
Published: April 2024

Surveillance of endoparasites at the host community level is rarely reported for ungulates. Yet, changes in the composition and abundance of species in ungulate assemblages, coupled with environmental and climate change, bring into focus the need for baseline data on endoparasite occurrence in host species at the community level. We investigated the prevalence and intensity of eggs of endoparasites in feces of a dynamic boreal ungulate community in Yukon, Canada, that included reintroduced bison (Bison bison), as well as introduced elk (Cervus canadensis), naturally colonizing mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus), and resident populations of caribou (Rangifer tarandus), moose (Alces americanus), and thinhorn sheep (Ovis dalli). We also examined the change in endoparasite prevalence and intensity in bison fecal samples collected eight years apart. The prevalence of eggs detected in feces differed across species for most endoparasite groups. We also provide new records of several endoparasites in novel hosts or new geographic records. We detected a substantially greater prevalence and intensity of trichostrongyle-type eggs in bison feces between samples collected eight years apart. Our data emphasize the need for targeted pathogen surveillance programs to monitor the movement of various ungulate and associated endoparasites. This is particularly pertinent since our data potentially supports evidence for the continued northward expansion and host switching of protostrongylid species, which may have health implications for animals at a new interface.
CAC: Confidence-Aware Co-Training for Weakly Supervised Crack Segmentation
Authors: Liang Fengjiao , Li Qingyong , Li Xiaobao , Liu Yang , Wang Wen
Published: April 2024

Automatic crack segmentation plays an essential role in maintaining the structural health of buildings and infrastructure. Despite the success in fully supervised crack segmentation, the costly pixel-level annotation restricts its application, leading to increased exploration in weakly supervised crack segmentation (WSCS). However, WSCS methods inevitably bring in noisy pseudo-labels, which results in large fluctuations. To address this problem, we propose a novel confidence-aware co-training (CAC) framework for WSCS. This framework aims to iteratively refine pseudo-labels, facilitating the learning of a more robust segmentation model. Specifically, a co-training mechanism is designed and constructs two collaborative networks to learn uncertain crack pixels, from easy to hard. Moreover, the dynamic division strategy is designed to divide the pseudo-labels based on the crack confidence score. Among them, the high-confidence pseudo-labels are utilized to optimize the initialization parameters for the collaborative network, while low-confidence pseudo-labels enrich the diversity of crack samples. Extensive experiments conducted on the Crack500, DeepCrack, and CFD datasets demonstrate that the proposed CAC significantly outperforms other WSCS methods.
UTAC-Net: A Semantic Segmentation Model for Computer-Aided Diagnosis for Ischemic Region Based on Nuclear Medicine Cerebral Perfusion Imaging
Authors: Li Wangxiao , Zhang Wei
Published: April 2024

Cerebral ischemia has a high morbidity and disability rate. Clinical diagnosis is mainly made by radiologists manually reviewing cerebral perfusion images to determine whether cerebral ischemia is present. The number of patients with cerebral ischemia has risen dramatically in recent years, which has brought a huge workload for radiologists. In order to improve the efficiency of diagnosis, we develop a neural network for segmenting cerebral ischemia regions in perfusion images. Combining deep learning with medical imaging technology, we propose a segmentation network, UTAC-Net, based on U-Net and Transformer, which includes a contour-aware module and an attention branching fusion module, to achieve accurate segmentation of cerebral ischemic regions and correct identification of ischemic locations. Cerebral ischemia datasets are scarce, so we built a relevant dataset. The results on the self-built dataset show that UTAC-Net is superior to other networks, with the mDice of UTAC-Net increasing by 9.16% and mIoU increasing by 14.06% compared with U-Net. The output results meet the needs of aided diagnosis as judged by radiologists. Experiments have demonstrated that our algorithm has higher segmentation accuracy than other algorithms and better assists radiologists in the initial diagnosis, thereby reducing radiologists’ workload and improving diagnostic efficiency.
An Intelligent Controller of LED Street Light Based on Discrete Devices
Authors: Wang Zhan , Zhang Dehua , Li Jishen , Zhang Wei
Published: April 2024

To combat global environmental deterioration and energy scarcities, it is crucial to implement energy-saving upgrades for urban road lighting. Comparatively, LEDs have emerged as an advanced and eco-friendly lighting option due to their low energy consumption, excellent performance, high color rendering index, and prolonged lifespan. By incorporating solar cell technology, a smart LED street light controller based on small-scale integrated circuits was developed to enable intelligent control for various lighting needs such as dimming, timing, automatic detection, and sound and light control. Through circuit simulations and experimental outcomes, it has been validated that the controller’s structure and performance parameters align with the design specifications. This design encompasses knowledge from diverse fields, including fundamentals of circuit and electronic technology, photovoltaic cell technology, power electronics, and sensor technology, showcasing robust engineering and practicality. Its utilization in the experimental course for second-year college students majoring in electrical engineering contributes to the grooming of professionals and expands the perspectives of future talents, enriching their application of knowledge and practical innovation capabilities.
Orthogonal-Frequency Simultaneous Wireless Power and Data Transfer for High-Power Wireless EV Charging
Authors: Liu Chengyin , Zhang Yi , Chen Hao , Wu Jiande , He Xiangning
Published: April 2024

In a simultaneous wireless power and data transfer (SWPDT) system using common coils, achieving high-speed communication in high-power wireless charging systems is challenging due to power transfer interference on communication. Based on high-frequency data carrier-based SWPDT (HFDC-SWPDT) technology, this paper proposes an orthogonal-frequency simultaneous wireless power and data transfer (OF-SWPDT) method to minimize interference where the data carrier frequency is orthogonal to the power carrier frequency and its harmonics. In addition, a guard band is inserted between the spectra of power harmonics and data in order to further separate the power and data spectra. Thus, a high-power, high-speed SWPDT system is achieved. Finally, an 11 kW prototype with 64.125 kbps full-duplex communication is developed to validate the proposed method.
Current Controller Design of Grid-Connected Inverter with Incomplete Observation Considering L-/LC-Type Grid Impedance
Authors: Kim Sung-Dong , Tran Thuy Vi , Yoon Seung-Jin , Kim Kyeong-Hwa
Published: April 2024

This paper presents a current control design for stabilizing an inductive-capacitive-inductive (LCL)-filtered grid-connected inverter (GCI) system under uncertain grid impedance and distorted grid environment. To deal with the negative impact of grid impedance, LC-type grid impedance is considered in both the system model derivation and controller design process of an LCL-filtered GCI system. In addition, the integral and resonant control terms are also augmented into the system model in the synchronous reference frame to guarantee the reference tracking of zero steady-state error and good harmonic disturbance compensation of the grid-injected currents from GCI. By considering the effect of grid impedance on the control design process, an incomplete state feedback controller will be designed based on the linear-quadratic regulator (LQR) without damaging the asymptotic stabilization and robustness of the GCI system under uncertain grid impedance. By means of the closed-loop pole map evaluation, the asymptotic stability, robustness, and resonance-damping capability of the proposed current control scheme are confirmed even when all the system states are not available. In order to reduce the number of required sensors for the realization of the controller, a discrete-time current-type full-state observer is employed in this paper to estimate the system state variables with high precision. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme are demonstrated by the PSIM simulations and experiments by using a three-phase GCI prototype system under adverse grid conditions. The comprehensive evaluation results show that the designed control scheme maintains the stability and robustness of the LCL-filtered GCI when connecting to unexpected grids, such as harmonic distortion and L-type and LC-type grid impedances. As a result, the proposed control scheme successfully stabilizes the entire GCI system with high-quality grid-injected currents even when the GCI faces severe grid distortions and an extra grid dynamic caused by the L-type or LC-type grid impedance. Furthermore, low-order distortion harmonics come from the background grid voltages and are maintained as acceptable limits according to the IEEE Std. 1547-2003. Comparative test result with the conventional one also confirms the effectiveness of the proposed control scheme under LC-type grid impedance thanks to the consideration of LC grid impedance in the design process.
Detection of Pine-Wilt-Disease-Affected Trees Based on Improved YOLO v7
Authors: Zhu Xianhao , Wang Ruirui , Shi Wei , Liu Xuan , Ren Yanfang , Xu Shicheng , Wang Xiaoyan
Published: April 2024

Pine wilt disease (PWD) poses a significant threat to global pine resources because of its rapid spread and management challenges. This study uses high-resolution helicopter imagery and the deep learning model You Only Look Once version 7 (YOLO v7) to detect symptomatic trees in forests. Attention mechanism technology from artificial intelligence is integrated into the model to enhance accuracy. Comparative analysis indicates that the YOLO v7-SE model exhibited the best performance, with a precision rate of 0.9281, a recall rate of 0.8958, and an F1 score of 0.9117. This study demonstrates efficient and precise automatic detection of symptomatic trees in forest areas, providing reliable support for prevention and control efforts, and emphasizes the importance of attention mechanisms in improving detection performance.
The House Is Burning: Assessment of Habitat Loss Due to Wildfires in Central Mexico
Authors: Mastachi-Loza Carlos Alberto , Paredes-Tavares Jorge , Becerril-Piña Rocio , Ruiz-Gómez María de Lourdes , Rangel Patiño Carlos Alejandro , Diaz-Delgado Carlos
Published: April 2024

Fire suppression and climate change have increased the frequency and severity of wildfires, but the responses of many organisms to wildfire are still largely unknown. In this study, we assessed the risk of habitat loss for amphibians, mammals, and reptiles caused by wildfires in central Mexico. We accomplished this by: (1) determining the likelihood of wildfire occurrence over a 12-year period using historical records and the Poisson probability mass function to pinpoint the most susceptible areas to wildfire; (2) evaluating species exposure by identifying natural land use that aligns with the potential distribution areas of biodiversity; (3) assessing species vulnerability based on the classifications established by the IUCN and CONABIO. Our findings have unveiled three regions exhibiting a concentration of high-risk values. Among these, two are positioned near major urban centers, while the third lies in the southeastern sector of the Nevado de Toluca protection area. Amphibians emerged as the taxonomic group most severely impacted, with a substantial number of species falling within the Critically Endangered and Endangered categories, closely followed by mammals and reptiles. Furthermore, we have identified a correlation between the location of risk zones and agricultural areas. This study revealed hotspots that can offer valuable guidance for strategic initiatives in fire-prone regions associated to the potential distribution of amphibians, mammals, and reptiles. Moreover, future studies should contemplate integrating field data to enhance our comprehension of the actual effects of wildfires on the spatial distribution of these animal groups.
Fire and Smoke Detection Using Fine-Tuned YOLOv8 and YOLOv7 Deep Models
Authors: Chetoui Mohamed , Akhloufi Moulay A.
Published: April 2024

Viewed as a significant natural disaster, wildfires present a serious threat to human communities, wildlife, and forest ecosystems. The frequency of wildfire occurrences has increased recently, with the impacts of global warming and human interaction with the environment playing pivotal roles. Addressing this challenge necessitates the ability of firefighters to promptly identify fires based on early signs of smoke, allowing them to intervene and prevent further spread. In this work, we adapted and optimized recent deep learning object detection, namely YOLOv8 and YOLOv7 models, for the detection of smoke and fire. Our approach involved utilizing a dataset comprising over 11,000 images for smoke and fires. The YOLOv8 models successfully identified fire and smoke, achieving a mAP:50 of 92.6%, a precision score of 83.7%, and a recall of 95.2%. The results were compared with a YOLOv6 with large model, Faster-RCNN, and DEtection TRansformer. The obtained scores confirm the potential of the proposed models for wide application and promotion in the fire safety industry.
Predictive Modeling of Fire Incidence Using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Ku Cheng-Yu , Liu Chih-Yu
Published: April 2024

To achieve successful prevention of fire incidents originating from human activities, it is imperative to possess a thorough understanding. This paper introduces a machine learning approach, specifically utilizing deep neural networks (DNN), to develop predictive models for fire occurrence in Keelung City, Taiwan. It investigates ten factors across demographic, architectural, and economic domains through spatial analysis and thematic maps generated from geographic information system data. These factors are then integrated as inputs for the DNN model. Through 50 iterations, performance indices including the coefficient of determination (R2), root mean square error (RMSE), variance accounted for (VAF), prediction interval (PI), mean absolute error (MAE), weighted index (WI), weighted mean absolute percentage error (WMAPE), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NS), and the ratio of performance to deviation (RPD) are computed, with average values of 0.89, 7.30 × 10−2, 89.21, 1.63, 4.90 × 10−2, 0.97, 2.92 × 10−1, 0.88, and 4.84, respectively. The model’s predictions, compared with historical data, demonstrate its efficacy. Additionally, this study explores the impact of various urban renewal strategies using the DNN model, highlighting the significant influence of economic factors on fire incidence. This underscores the importance of economic factors in mitigating fire incidents and emphasizes their consideration in urban renewal planning.
Comprehensive Insights into Ochratoxin A: Occurrence, Analysis, and Control Strategies
Authors: Ben Miri Yamina , Benabdallah Amina , Chentir Imene , Djenane Djamel , Luvisi Andrea , De Bellis Luigi
Published: April 2024

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a toxic mycotoxin produced by some mold species from genera Penicillium and Aspergillus. OTA has been detected in cereals, cereal-derived products, dried fruits, wine, grape juice, beer, tea, coffee, cocoa, nuts, spices, licorice, processed meat, cheese, and other foods. OTA can induce a wide range of health effects attributable to its toxicological properties, including teratogenicity, immunotoxicity, carcinogenicity, genotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and hepatotoxicity. OTA is not only toxic to humans but also harmful to livestock like cows, goats, and poultry. This is why the European Union and various countries regulate the maximum permitted levels of OTA in foods. This review intends to summarize all the main aspects concerning OTA, starting from the chemical structure and fungi that produce it, its presence in food, its toxicity, and methods of analysis, as well as control strategies, including both fungal development and methods of inactivation of the molecule. Finally, the review provides some ideas for future approaches aimed at reducing the OTA levels in foods.
Relative Sea Level and Coastal Vertical Movements in Relation to Volcano-Tectonic Processes at Mayotte Island, Indian Ocean
Authors: Gargani Julien
Published: April 2024

During the last 10 kyr, significant subsidence and uplift occurred on Mayotte Island in the Comoros archipelago (Indian Ocean), but the role of volcanic processes in Holocene vertical movements has been neglected in the research so far. Here, we show that an abrupt subsidence of 6–10 m occurred between 9.4 and 10 kyr ago, followed by an uplift of the same amplitude at a rate of 9 mm/yr from 8.1 to 7 kyr ago. A comparison of the relative sea level of Mayotte and a reference sea level curve for the global ocean has been conducted using a modeling approach. This shows that an increasing and decreasing pressure at depth, equivalent to the process caused by a deep magma reservoir (50–70 km), was responsible for ~6–10 m subsidence and 6–10 m uplift, whereas loading by new volcanic edifices caused subsidence during the last few thousand years. Surface movements and deep pressure variations may be caused by pulses from the deep mantle, related to superplume activity, but uncertainties and unknowns about these phenomena are still present and further studies are needed. A better understanding of the volcano-tectonic cycle may improve assessments of volcanic hazards.
Tree Performance, Yield, and Fruit Quality of ‘Valencia’ Sweet Orange (Citrus sinensis L. Osbeck) Selections on New Poncirus trifoliata Rootstocks
Authors: Khurshid Tahir , Creek Andrew , Sanderson Graeme , Zhao Xiaochun
Published: April 2024

This study reports the performance of seven Valencia (Citrus sinensis) selections grafted to four Trifoliata (Poncirus trifoliata) rootstocks in the Riverina region of south-east Australia. Six of the Valencia selections (numbered as Valencia 1 to 6) were from orchards in the Riverina region, and the seventh was a standard commercial variety ‘Keenan’ (control). Three of the four Trifoliata rootstock selections (‘Zao Yang’, ‘Tanghe’, and ‘Donghai’) were imported from the People’s Republic of China, and the fourth was the ‘Tri22’ (control) selection used commercially in Australia. ‘Valencia 5’ produced the highest cumulative (162 kg/tree) yield over the five harvest seasons and increased levels of Total Soluble Solids (TSS, 1.7 °Brix) compared with the current industry standard, ‘Keenan’. Trees grafted to ‘Zao Yang’ produced higher yields than any of the other Trifoliata selections, again outperforming the current industry standard, ‘Tri22’. The new combination of ‘Valencia 5’ scion on ‘Zao Yang’ rootstock represents an opportunity to significantly improve orchard productivity, particularly for juice production. ‘Valencia 6’ on Zao Yang’ had the highest percentage (58%) of fruit >75 mm in diameter compared with other scion/rootstock combinations and creates an additional opportunity for fresh market production. Significant differences in tree size, growth rates, and productivity were identified. Results from this evaluation have resulted in the commercialisation of ‘Valencia 5’ and ‘Valencia 6’ scions and ‘Zao Yang’ rootstock as three new citrus varieties for sweet orange production in Australia.
Characterization of Volatile Organic Compounds and Aroma of Eight Bamboo Species Leaves
Authors: Wang Huiling , Su Zhe , Deng Pengfei , Chen Leiru , Yang Mengqing , Xu Xiaoniu
Published: April 2024

Bamboo forest healthcare tourism is a practical and sustainable management model that utilizes the medicinal functions of bamboo. However, the mechanism and potential functions of bamboo’s healthcare functions are still unclear. In this study, the volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are the core factor of bamboo forest healthcare were analyzed. The foliar VOCs of eight bamboo species, including Pleioblastus amarus (Keng) P. C. Keng, Pleioblastus maculatus (McClure) C. D. Chu et C. S. Chao, Pleioblastus juxianensis T. H. Wen, C. Y. Yao et S. Y. Chen, Acidosasa chienouensis (T. H. Wen) C. S. Chao et T. H. Wen, Pseudosasa amabilis (McClure) P. C. Keng ex S. L. Chen et al., Pseudosasa amabilis (McClure) Keng f., Phyllostachys rubromarginata McClure, and Phyllostachys hirtivagina G. H. Lai were qualitatively and semi-quantitatively analyzed by headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME)–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Screening compounds by aroma vitality value (OAV) determined the key aromas. The results showed that a total of 40 VOCs were identified from the leaves of the eight bamboo species. The compounds with relatively high content were (Z)-3-Hexen-1-ol, (E)-2-Hexen-1-ol, 1-Hexanol, (E, E)-2,4-Hexadienal, Limonene, and so on. The commonality of different bamboo species was that the dominant groups consisted of alcohols and aldehydes. The significant differences in leaf VOCs among species presented classification. Pleioblastus amarus, Acidosasa chienouensis, Pseudosasa amabilis, and Phyllostachys rubromarginata were noticeably clustered together. The aroma of bamboo leaves is a combination of grassy, fruity, and piney notes by 24 VOCs. The key aroma from Pleioblastus amarus is leaf alcohol, which contributes to the grassy scent, while the piney aroma is dominant in Pseudosasa amabilis and Phyllostachys rubromarginata. The study provides a reference value for enriching the chemical information of subtropical bamboo and developing the functional potential of bamboo forest healthcare tourism.