bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dilemmas in the Clinical Management of pT1 Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Zaffalon Diana , Daca-Alvarez Maria , Saez de Gordoa Karmele , Pellisé María
Published: July 2023

Implementation of population-based colorectal cancer screening programs has led to increases in the incidence of pT1 colorectal cancer. These incipient invasive cancers have a very good prognosis and can be treated locally, but more than half of these cases are treated with surgery due to the presence of histological high-risk criteria. These high-risk criteria are suboptimal, with no consensus among clinical guidelines, heterogeneity in definitions and assessment, and poor concordance in evaluation, and recent evidence suggests that some of these criteria considered high risk might not necessarily affect individual prognosis. Current criteria classify most patients as high risk with an indication for additional surgery, but only 2–10.5% have lymph node metastasis, and the residual tumor is present in less than 20%, leading to overtreatment. Patients with pT1 colorectal cancer have excellent disease-free survival, and recent evidence indicates that the type of treatment, whether endoscopic or surgical, does not significantly impact prognosis. As a result, the protective role of surgery is questionable. Moreover, surgery is a more aggressive treatment option, with the potential for higher morbidity and mortality rates. This article presents a comprehensive review of recent evidence on the clinical management of pT1 colorectal cancer. The review analyzes the limitations of histological evaluation, the prognostic implications of histological risk status and the treatment performed, the adverse effects associated with both endoscopic and surgical treatments, and new advances in endoscopic treatment.
Effects of an Intervention with Selenium and Coenzyme Q10 on Five Selected Age-Related Biomarkers in Elderly Swedes Low in Selenium: Results That Point to an Anti-Ageing Effect—A Sub-Analysis of a Previous Prospective Double-Blind Placebo-Controlled Randomised Clinical Trial
Authors: Alehagen Urban , Alexander Jan , Aaseth Jan O. , Larsson Anders , Svensson Erland , Opstad Trine B.
Published: July 2023

Background: Ageing is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). As no single biomarker reflects the full ageing process, we aimed to investigate five CVD- and age-related markers and the effects of selenium and coenzyme Q10 intervention to elucidate the mechanisms that may influence the course of ageing. Methods: This is a sub-study of a previous prospective double-blind placebo-controlled randomized clinical trial that included 441 subjects low in selenium (mean age 77, 49% women). The active treatment group (n = 220) received 200 µg/day of selenium and 200 mg/day of coenzyme Q10, combined. Blood samples were collected at inclusion and after 48 months for measurements of the intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM-1), adiponectin, leptin, stem cell factor (SCF) and osteoprotegerin (OPG), using ELISAs. Repeated measures of variance and ANCOVA evaluations were used to compare the two groups. In order to better understand and reduce the complexity of the relationship between the biomarkers and age, factor analyses and structural equation modelling (SEM) were performed, and a structural model is presented. Results: Correlation analyses of biomarker values at inclusion in relation to age, and relevant markers related to inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and fibrosis, demonstrated the biomarkers’ association with these pathological processes; however, only ICAM1 and adiponectin were directly correlated with age. SEM analyses showed, however, that the biomarkers ICAM-1, adiponectin, SCF and OPG, but not leptin, all had significant associations with age and formed two independent structural factors, both significantly related to age. While no difference was observed at inclusion, the biomarkers were differently changed in the active treatment and placebo groups (decreasing and increasing levels, respectively) at 48 months (p ≤ 0.02 in all, adjusted), and in the SEM model, they showed an anti-ageing impact. Conclusions: Supplementation with selenium/Q10 influenced the analysed biomarkers in ways indicating an anti-ageing effect, and by applying SEM methodology, the interrelationships between two independent structural factors and age were validated.
Autophagy in Crohn’s Disease: Converging on Dysfunctional Innate Immunity
Authors: Alula Kibrom M. , Theiss Arianne L.
Published: July 2023

Crohn’s disease (CD) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease marked by relapsing, transmural intestinal inflammation driven by innate and adaptive immune responses. Autophagy is a multi-step process that plays a critical role in maintaining cellular homeostasis by degrading intracellular components, such as damaged organelles and invading bacteria. Dysregulation of autophagy in CD is revealed by the identification of several susceptibility genes, including ATG16L1, IRGM, NOD2, LRRK2, ULK1, ATG4, and TCF4, that are involved in autophagy. In this review, the role of altered autophagy in the mucosal innate immune response in the context of CD is discussed, with a specific focus on dendritic cells, macrophages, Paneth cells, and goblet cells. Selective autophagy, such as xenophagy, ERphagy, and mitophagy, that play crucial roles in maintaining intestinal homeostasis in these innate immune cells, are discussed. As our understanding of autophagy in CD pathogenesis evolves, the development of autophagy-targeted therapeutics may benefit subsets of patients harboring impaired autophagy.
The Microenvironment of the Pathogenesis of Cardiac Hypertrophy
Authors: Bazgir Farhad , Nau Julia , Nakhaei-Rad Saeideh , Amin Ehsan , Wolf Matthew J. , Saucerman Jeffry J. , Lorenz Kristina , Ahmadian Mohammad Reza
Published: July 2023

Pathological cardiac hypertrophy is a key risk factor for the development of heart failure and predisposes individuals to cardiac arrhythmia and sudden death. While physiological cardiac hypertrophy is adaptive, hypertrophy resulting from conditions comprising hypertension, aortic stenosis, or genetic mutations, such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, is maladaptive. Here, we highlight the essential role and reciprocal interactions involving both cardiomyocytes and non-myocardial cells in response to pathological conditions. Prolonged cardiovascular stress causes cardiomyocytes and non-myocardial cells to enter an activated state releasing numerous pro-hypertrophic, pro-fibrotic, and pro-inflammatory mediators such as vasoactive hormones, growth factors, and cytokines, i.e., commencing signaling events that collectively cause cardiac hypertrophy. Fibrotic remodeling is mediated by cardiac fibroblasts as the central players, but also endothelial cells and resident and infiltrating immune cells enhance these processes. Many of these hypertrophic mediators are now being integrated into computational models that provide system-level insights and will help to translate our knowledge into new pharmacological targets. This perspective article summarizes the last decades’ advances in cardiac hypertrophy research and discusses the herein-involved complex myocardial microenvironment and signaling components.
Development of Woolly Hair and Hairlessness in a CRISPR−Engineered Mutant Mouse Model with KRT71 Mutations
Authors: Zhang Tao , Yao Hongwu , Wang Hejun , Sui Tingting
Published: July 2023

Hypotrichosis simplex (HS) and woolly hair (WH) are rare and monogenic disorders of hair loss. HS, characterized by a diffuse loss of hair, usually begins in early childhood and progresses into adulthood. WH displays strong coiled hair involving a localized area of the scalp or covering the entire side. Mutations in the keratin K71(KRT71) gene have been reported to underlie HS and WH. Here, we report the generation of a mouse model of HS and WH by the co−injection of Cas9 mRNA and sgRNA, targeting exon6 into mouse zygotes. The Krt71−knockout (KO) mice displayed the typical phenotypes, including Krt71 protein expression deletion and curly hair in their full body. Moreover, we found that mice in 3–5 weeks showed a new phenomenon of the complete shedding of hair, which was similar to nude mice. However, we discovered that the mice exhibited no immune deficiency, which was a typical feature of nude mice. To our knowledge, this novel mouse model generated by the CRISPR/Cas9 system mimicked woolly hair and could be valuable for hair disorder studies.
Chronic Mg2+ Deficiency Does Not Impair Insulin Secretion in Mice
Authors: Khajavi Noushafarin , Riçku Klea , Schreier Pascale C. F. , Gentz Tanja , Beyerle Philipp , Cruz Emmanuel , Breit Andreas , Reinach Peter S. , Gudermann Thomas
Published: July 2023

Magnesium is an essential mediator of a vast number of critical enzymatic cellular reactions in the human body. Some clinical epidemiological studies suggest that hypomagnesemia accounts for declines in insulin secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D); however, the results of various experimental studies do not support this notion. To address this discrepancy, we assessed the short- and long-term effects of hypomagnesemia on β-cell function and insulin secretion in primary mouse islets of Langerhans and in a mouse model of hypomagnesemia known as Trpm6Δ17 /fl;Villin1-Cre mice. We found that lowering the extracellular Mg2+ concentration from 1.2 mM to either 0.6 or 0.1 mM remarkably increased glucose-induced insulin secretion (GIIS) in primary islets isolated from C57BL/6 mice. Similarly, both the plasma insulin levels and GIIS rose in isolated islets of Trpm6Δ17 /fl;Villin1-Cre mice. We attribute these rises to augmented increases in intracellular Ca2+ oscillations in pancreatic β-cells. However, the glycemic metabolic profile was not impaired in Trpm6Δ17 /fl;Villin1-Cre mice, suggesting that chronic hypomagnesemia does not lead to insulin resistance. Collectively, the results of this study suggest that neither acute nor chronic Mg2+ deficiency suppresses glucose-induced rises in insulin secretion. Even though hypomagnesemia can be symptomatic of T2D, such deficiency may not account for declines in insulin release in this disease.
Damage Mechanism of Trivalent Chromium Coatings under Tensile Stress
Authors: Guillon Robin , Balcaen Yannick , Fori Benoit , Gazeau Celine , Dalverny Olivier , Alexis Joel
Published: July 2023

Due to new environmental regulations, hexavalent chromium electrolytes can no longer be used for thick, hard chromium plating. In response to this industrial and environmental challenge, trivalent chromium electrolyte plating has been developed. In this paper, we propose a study of the adhesion of CrIII coatings based on the implementation of numerical models in comparison with an identified experimental scenario. The aim is to dissociate the influence of coating and substrate behaviours from the adhesion work by describing the intrinsic damage of the chromium layer and the coating–substrate interface. Two types of cracking were studied: transverse cracking and delamination. For the former, the crack density was higher for CrIII than for CrVI and increased with deformation and coating thickness. Microtensile tests with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations allowed us to highlight the cracking process in the coating (transverse cracking) and at the coating–substrate interface (delamination). The numerical simulation of the test allowed us to estimate a damage-initiation threshold normal stress of 1900 MPa, which occurred at an average applied strain of 2.5%. Delamination of the coating was complete at an average strain of 13.6% and an interfacial normal stress of 2600 MPa.
Multifunctional Properties of PBAT with Hemp (Cannabis sativa) Micronised Fibres for Food Packaging: Cast Films and Coated Paper
Authors: Lamsaf Hafsae , Singh Srishti , Pereira Joel , Poças Fátima
Published: July 2023

Hemp (Cannabis sativa) stalk fibres from industry residues were incorporated into polybutylene adipate terephthalate, a synthetic biodegradable polyester, to produce films and paper coatings. The lignocellulosic components and the chemical composition of the fibres were analysed, and the results highlight the bioactivity due to cannabinoids, alkanoids, and lignin, among others, making the fibres attractive for active food packaging. The incorporation, without chemical modification, of 2% (w/w) hemp in the PBAT matrix increased the water vapour permeability of PBAT around 22%. The impact on mechanical properties was determined, and the results show that the PBAT/hemp film is less stretchable but stronger than the pure PBAT film. The incorporation of hemp enhanced significantly the compostability of PBAT. The PBAT/hemp films and paper coatings composted two times faster than those using pure PBAT.
Photodetector-Based Material from a Highly Sensitive Free-Standing Graphene Oxide/Polypyrrole Nanocomposite
Authors: Ben Gouider Trabelsi Amira , M. Elsayed Asmaa , Alkallas Fatemah. H. , AlFaify Salem , Shkir Mohd. , Alrebdi Tahani A. , Almugren Kholoud S. , Kusmatsev Feodor V. , Rabia Mohamed
Published: July 2023

This paper describes the establishment of free-standing rolled graphene oxide (roll-GO) and polypyrrole (Ppy) using a modified Hummer method and oxidative polymerization. Then, a photodetector was created by removing a thin film of the free-standing rolled graphene oxide from a filter paper and attaching it to a tape. The chemical structure of the roll-GO was confirmed using XRD and FTIR analysis, while SEM and TEM showed that it was rolled in nature. The material had a small bandgap of 2.4 eV and a high current density in light conditions. The photodetector responded well to monochromatic light, with Jph values changing from 0.027 to 0.019 mA/cm2 as the light wavelengths decreased from 340 to 730 nm. The photoresponsivity (R) and detectivity (D) values were high, at 340 nm (0.27 mA/W and 6.0 × 107 Jones, respectively) and at 730 nm (0.19 and 4.25 × 107 Jones, respectively). The addition of Ppy improved these parameters, with the Ppy/roll-GO/tape photoelectrode showing excellent R and D values of 0.33 mA/W and 7.34 × 107 Jones, respectively. Furthermore, the production of a photocurrent at V = 0 indicated that the Ppy/roll-GO layer could be used for solar cell applications. Overall, the results suggest that the prepared free-standing Ppy/roll-GO/tape photodetector has high potential for use in the optical region between 340 and 730 nm and may be suitable for industrial applications.
Effect of Anodization Time on the Adhesion Strength of Titanium Nanotubes Obtained on the Surface of the Ti–6Al–4V Alloy by Anodic Oxidation
Authors: Torres-Avila Itzel Pamela , Souza Roberto M. , Chino-Ulloa Alexis , Ruiz-Trabolsi Pablo Alfredo , Tadeo-Rosas Raúl , Carrera-Espinoza Rafael , Hernández-Sánchez Enrique
Published: July 2023

In this work, titanium oxide nanotubes (TNTs) were formed by anodic oxidation on the surface of a Ti–6Al–4V alloy. An electrolyte based on ethylene glycol (EG) and ammonium fluoride (NH4F) was used. Different anodizing periods (10, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 min) with a constant potential of 60 V were established. The morphology of the TNT array was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The adhesion strength of the TNTs to the Ti–6Al–4V surface was evaluated using nanoscratch tests. The critical load of the different TNT layers was determined from the analysis of the groove of the nanoindenter path. It ranged from 0 mN for the samples exposed to 10 min of anodization to 47.0 ± 3.0 mN for samples exposed to 50 min. These results indicate the TNT layers formed at 50 min presented the best substrate adhesion among the specimen tested.
Experimental Observation of Possible Pressure-Induced Phase Transformation in GdAlO3 Perovskite Using In Situ X-ray Diffraction
Authors: Mora Maria , Durygin Andriy , Drozd Vadym , Esdaille Shanece , Chen Jiuhua , Saxena Surendra , Liang Xue , Vasylechko Leonid
Published: July 2023

Gadolinium aluminate perovskite (GdAlO3) was studied at high pressures of up to 23 GPa in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) using monochromatic synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction. Evidence of a pressure-induced phase transformation from orthorhombic (Pbnm) to rhombohedral (R3¯c) structure was observed at 21 GPa and further proved by DFT calculations. Before phase transition, the volumetric ratio of polyhedron A and B (i.e., VA/VB for ABX3 general notation) in the Pbnm phase continuously increased towards the ideal value of five at the transition, indicating a pressure-induced decrease in the structural distortion as opposed to the trend in many other orthorhombic perovskites (e.g., CaSnO3, CaGeO3, MgSiO3 and NaMgF3). Pressure–volume data of the Pbnm phase were fitted to the third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state yielding a bulk modulus (Ko) of 216 ± 7 GPa with a pressure derivative of the bulk modulus (Ko′) of 5.8 GPa (fixed). This work confirms the pressure-induced phase transformation from orthorhombic to a higher symmetry structure previously predicted in GdAlO3 perovskite.
pH-Dependent Crystallization of 2-, 4-, 5-, and 6-Hydroxynicotinic Acids in Aqueous Media
Authors: Johnson Aidan , Piedade M. , Esteves Catarina
Published: July 2023

2-, 4-, 5-, and 6-hydroxynicotinic acids were crystallized in a pH-dependent manner using only water as the preferred solvent. The crystallization outcome was quite diverse: individual crystals of different sizes and shapes, microcrystalline powders, crystalline aggregates, and almost amorphous solids. Such a variety of solid forms demonstrates the relevance of pH control during crystallization processes.
Chemical Characterization and Thermal Analysis of Recovered Liquid Crystals
Authors: Barrera Ana , Binet Corinne , Danede Florence , Tahon Jean-François , Ouddane Baghdad , Dubois Frédéric , Supiot Philippe , Foissac Corinne , Maschke Ulrich
Published: July 2023

Chemical, structural, and thermal properties of recovered nematic Liquid Crystal (LC) mixtures were investigated by applying several analytical techniques. A large quantity (65,700) of End-Of-Life (EOL) Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screens were used to extract these LC blends. The studied EOL-LCD screens were heterogeneous in nature, particularly due to their different brands, production years, and dimensions. The collected TV and computer screens, as well as tablets, presented an average diagonal size of 24 inches. Chemical characterization revealed that the recovered compounds present typical chemical structures of LC molecules by the simultaneous presence of aliphatic chains and aromatic and polar groups. POM observations of these samples exhibited Schlieren and marble-like textures at room temperature, which are typical of nematic LCs. Moreover, thermal characterization and thermo-optical analysis showed that these LC mixtures displayed a broad nematic phase between −90 °C and +70 °C.
Separate and Simultaneous Effects of Silver Nanoparticles and Arsenic on the Taxonomic Diversity of Free-Living Marine Nematodes
Authors: Hedfi Amor , Ishak Sahar , Al Hebs Abdullah , Al-Hoshani Nawal , Ben Ali Manel , Rudayni Hassan A. , Boufahja Fehmi
Published: July 2023

The effects of silver nanoparticles and arsenic at community levels have rarely been assessed in laboratory experiments, despite their obvious advantage in reflecting better the natural conditions compared to traditionally single species-focused toxicological experiments. In the current study, the multifaceted effects of these xenobiotics, acting alone or combined, on meiobenthic nematodes were tested in a laboratory experiment carried out in microcosms. The nematofauna was exposed to two concentrations (0.1 and 1 mg·L−1) of silver nanoparticles (Ag1/Ag2) and arsenic (As1/As2), as well as to a mixture of both compounds, for 30 days. The results particularly highlighted a significant decrease in the abundance and taxonomic diversity of nematodes directly with increasing dosages of these compounds when added alone at the highest concentration. The addition of these levels of xenobiotics seems to make the sediment matrix gluey, hence inducing greater mortality among microvores and diatoms feeders. Moreover, the nematofauna went through a strong restructuring phase following the exposure to both compounds when added alone, leading to the disappearance of sensitive taxa and their replacement with more tolerant ones. However, the similarity in nematofauna composition between control and mixtures of silver nanoparticles and arsenic (except for Ag1As2) suggests that the toxicity of the latter pollutant could be attenuated by its physical bonding to the former.
Urinary Metabolomic Analysis of Prostate Cancer by UPLC-FTMS and UPLC-Ion Trap MSn
Authors: Chen Chien-Lun , Chen Yi-Ting , Liao Wen-Yu , Chang Yu-Sun , Yu Jau-Song , Juo Bao-Rong
Published: July 2023

Accumulative evidence suggests metabolic disorders correlate with prostate cancer. Metabolic profiling of urine allows the measurement of numerous metabolites simultaneously. This study set up a metabolomic platform consisting of UPLC-FTMS and UPLC-ion trap MSn for urine metabolome analysis. The platform improved retention time, mass accuracy, and signal stability. Additionally, the product ion spectrum obtained from ion trap MSn facilitated structure elucidation of candidate metabolites, especially when authentic standards were not available. Urine samples from six hernia patients and six BPH patients were used for the initial establishment of the analytic platform. This platform was further employed to analyze the urine samples of 27 PCa and 49 BPH patients. Choosing the upper and lower 16% of metabolites, 258 metabolite candidates were selected. Twenty-four of them with AUC values larger than 0.65 were further selected. Eighteen of the twenty-four features can be matched in METLIN and HMDB. Eleven of the eighteen features can be interpreted by MSn experiments. They were used for the combination achieving the best differential power. Finally, four metabolites were combined to reach the AUC value of 0.842 (CI 95, 0.7559 to 0.9279). This study demonstrates the urinary metabolomic analysis of prostate cancer and sheds light on future research.
YOLOv5-FPN: A Robust Framework for Multi-Sized Cell Counting in Fluorescence Images
Authors: Aldughayfiq Bader , Ashfaq Farzeen , Jhanjhi N. Z. , Humayun Mamoona
Published: July 2023

Cell counting in fluorescence microscopy is an essential task in biomedical research for analyzing cellular dynamics and studying disease progression. Traditional methods for cell counting involve manual counting or threshold-based segmentation, which are time-consuming and prone to human error. Recently, deep learning-based object detection methods have shown promising results in automating cell counting tasks. However, the existing methods mainly focus on segmentation-based techniques that require a large amount of labeled data and extensive computational resources. In this paper, we propose a novel approach to detect and count multiple-size cells in a fluorescence image slide using You Only Look Once version 5 (YOLOv5) with a feature pyramid network (FPN). Our proposed method can efficiently detect multiple cells with different sizes in a single image, eliminating the need for pixel-level segmentation. We show that our method outperforms state-of-the-art segmentation-based approaches in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency. The experimental results on publicly available datasets demonstrate that our proposed approach achieves an average precision of 0.8 and a processing time of 43.9 ms per image. Our approach addresses the research gap in the literature by providing a more efficient and accurate method for cell counting in fluorescence microscopy that requires less computational resources and labeled data.
A Survey on Attitude, Awareness, and Knowledge of Patients Regarding the Use of Dental Implants at a Swiss University Clinic
Authors: Al-Haj Husain Adib , De Cicco Olivia , Stadlinger Bernd , Bosshard Fabienne Andrina , Schmidt Valérie , Özcan Mutlu , Valdec Silvio
Published: July 2023

Even though restoring missing teeth and oral tissue with dental implants is perceived by most patients as a positive experience, patients lack access to evidence-based information about different treatment options. In order to provide more accurate information for public dental education in Switzerland and to compare it worldwide, this descriptive cross-sectional survey-based study assessed pre-operative attitudes, awareness, and knowledge of patients. A total of 160 patients with indication for tooth extraction were selected randomly from clinical routine between August 2022 and February 2023. Statistical analysis was performed including the chi-square test based on a significance level of 0.05. The results confirm that most patients (78%) were aware of implants as a treatment option for replacing missing teeth and consider them a prioritized solution (79%). Their primary sources of information are dentists (59%), the Internet (50%), relatives and friends (40%). The majority of patients (84%) wanted the surgical procedure to be performed by a board-certified clinical specialist expecting high functional and aesthetic outcomes. Low levels of knowledge could be observed regarding postoperative care, functionality, and clinical performance of implants. This survey-based study revealed a positive attitude and an acceptable level of awareness and knowledge regarding the use of dental implants.
Fuzzy C-Means Clustering: A Review of Applications in Breast Cancer Detection
Authors: Krasnov Daniel , Davis Dresya , Malott Keiran , Chen Yiting , Shi Xiaoping , Wong Augustine
Published: July 2023

This paper reviews the potential use of fuzzy c-means clustering (FCM) and explores modifications to the distance function and centroid initialization methods to enhance image segmentation. The application of interest in the paper is the segmentation of breast tumours in mammograms. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in Canadian women. Early detection reduces treatment costs and offers a favourable prognosis for patients. Classical methods, like mammograms, rely on radiologists to detect cancerous tumours, which introduces the potential for human error in cancer detection. Classical methods are labour-intensive, and, hence, expensive in terms of healthcare resources. Recent research supplements classical methods with automated mammogram analysis. The basic FCM method relies upon the Euclidean distance, which is not optimal for measuring non-spherical structures. To address these limitations, we review the implementation of a Mahalanobis-distance-based FCM (FCM-M). The three objectives of the paper are: (1) review FCM, FCM-M, and three centroid initialization algorithms in the literature, (2) illustrate the effectiveness of these algorithms in image segmentation, and (3) develop a Python package with the optimized algorithms to upload onto GitHub. Image analysis of the algorithms shows that using one of the three centroid initialization algorithms enhances the performance of FCM. FCM-M produced higher clustering accuracy and outlined the tumour structure better than basic FCM.
Connections between Online International Learning and Inclusion of Intercultural and International Elements in the Curriculum—The Perspective of Slovene Academics
Authors: Aškerc Zadravec Katarina
Published: July 2023

Online international learning and the inclusion of intercultural and international dimensions in the curriculum are closely connected concepts, not only in theory but also in strategic documents and teaching practice. This article presents statistical connections between online international learning and the inclusion of intercultural and international dimensions in the curriculum, based on a survey that included 1367 Slovene academics (19.7% of the entire population). According to the χ2 and Mann–Whitney tests, it was determined that academics who actively include students in any kind of online international learning with institutions from geographically distant areas, and those academics who consider the ICT support at their home institutions as satisfactory for the implementation of online international learning, statistically significantly more often incorporate international and intercultural elements into the study process, covering internationalised learning outcomes, internationalised learning and teaching activities, and internationalised assessment and evaluation tasks.
Self-Tuning Backstepping Control with Kalman-like Filter for High-Precision Control of Automotive Electronic Throttle
Authors: Liu Yiming , Li Fan , Sun Bo
Published: July 2023

The automotive electronic throttle (AET) control system has been widely applied in modern automotive engines, and accurate control of AET can improve engine performance as well as reduce pollution emissions. However, the noise in the sensor circuit and the variation in automotive driving conditions seriously affect the control performance of the AET system, making controller designing challenging. This paper proposes a self-tuning backstepping control with a Kalman-like filter (SBCKLF) strategy. First, the noise affecting the position sensor measurement is verified to be non-Gaussian by acquiring and processing the noise signal. To eliminate its influence on control precision, a Kalman-like filter is introduced to estimate the real position of the valve. Then, a self-tuning backstepping controller is designed to automatically adapt to the variation in vehicle driving conditions. A self-tuning algorithm based on fuzzy control is used to tune the parameters of the backstepping controller online, so as to optimize the controller performance. Finally, an experimental platform based on dSPACE for the AET control system is built to perform the controller comprehensive test in a real-time environment. Experimental results and performance analysis demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed SBCKLF strategy. Compared to the best results of other methods, the proposed method reduces the maximum and root mean square tracking errors by 21.65% and the average error by 12.89%. The steady-state and tracking error bounds are controlled to 0.9° and 2.3°, respectively. It also shows that the SBCKLF strategy has the strongest robustness as well as the best response speed.
Analysis of Factors Influencing Measurement Accuracy for High-Temperature Liquid Metal Flow Sensors in Nuclear Power
Authors: Wang Gang , Lin Wenyi , Jiang Yutao , Deng Lixin , Chai Yi
Published: July 2023

Permanent magnet metal flowmeters are implemented to monitor the flow of liquid metal coolant in a nuclear reactor, whose measurement accuracy plays a significant role to ensure the safety and normal operation of the nuclear reactor. According to a theoretical analysis of the permanent magnet metal flowmeter, several factors such as temperature, nonlinear degree, and zero potential will affect the accuracy of measuring the flow. However, for a heavy-caliber permanent magnet metal flowmeter, the influence of the magnetic Reynolds number provides obvious nonlinearity, which affects the measurement accuracy of the flowmeter. Consequently, we use the finite element method to calculate the magnetic field of the flowmeter and analyze the cause of the nonlinearity. Additionally, the influence of nonlinear error is significantly reduced by designing the structure of the flowmeter and the appropriate arrangement of the electrodes.
Interval Type 2 Fuzzy Adaptive Motion Drive Algorithm Design
Authors: Ali Syed M. , Guo Yanling , Rizvi Syed Tahir Hussain , Amin Roohul , Yasin Awais
Published: July 2023

Motion drive algorithms are a set of filters designed to simulate realistic motion and are an integral part of contemporary vehicle simulators. This paper presents the design of a novel intelligent interval type 2 fuzzy adaptive motion drive algorithm for an off-road uphill vehicle simulator. The off-road, uphill vehicle simulator is used to train and assess the driver’s behavior under varying operational and environmental conditions in mountainous terrain. The proposed algorithm is the first of its kind to be proposed for off-road uphill vehicle simulators, and it offers numerous benefits over other motion drive algorithms. The proposed algorithm enables the simulator to adapt to changes in the uphill road surface, vehicle weight distribution, and other factors that influence off-road driving in mountainous terrain. The proposed algorithm simulates driving on hilly terrain more realistically than existing algorithms, allowing drivers to learn and practice in a safe and controlled environment. Additionally, the proposed algorithm overcomes limitations present in existing algorithms. The performance of the proposed algorithm is evaluated via test drives and compared to the performance of the conventional motion drive algorithm. The results demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is more effective than the conventional motion drive algorithm for the ground vehicle simulator. The pitch and roll responses demonstrate that the proposed algorithm has enabled the driver to experience abrupt changes in terrain while maintaining the driver’s safety. The surge response demonstrated that the proposed MDA handled the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle very effectively. In addition, the results demonstrated that the proposed algorithm resulted in a smoother drive, prevented false motion cues, and offered a more immersive and realistic driving experience.
A Hybrid CNN-LSTM-Based Approach for Pedestrian Dead Reckoning Using Multi-Sensor-Equipped Backpack
Authors: Woyano Feyissa , Park Sangjoon , Blagovest Iordanov Vladimirov , Lee Soyeon
Published: July 2023

Researchers in academics and companies working on location-based services (LBS) are paying close attention to indoor localization based on pedestrian dead reckoning (PDR) because of its infrastructure-free localization method. PDR is the fundamental localization technique that utilize human motion to perform localization in a relative sense with respect to the initial position. The size, weight, and power consumption of micromechanical systems (MEMS) embedded into smartphones are remarkably low, making them appropriate for localization and positioning. Traditional pedestrian PDR methods predict position and orientation using stride length and continuous integration of acceleration in step and heading system (SHS)-based PDR and inertial navigation system (INS)-PDR, respectively. However, these two approaches provide accumulations of error and do not effectively leverage the inertial measurement unit (IMU) sequences. The PDR navigation solution relays on the standard of the MEMS, which yields PDR with the acceleration and angular velocity from the accelerometer and gyroscope, respectively. However, low-cost small MEMSs endure enormous error sources such as bias and noise. Hence, MEMS assessments lead to navigation solution drifts when utilized as inputs to the PDR. As a consequence, numerous methods have been proposed to mitigate and model the errors related to MEMS. Deep learning-based dead reckoning algorithms are provided to address aforementioned issues owing to the end-to-end learning framework. This paper proposes a hybrid convolutional neural network (CNN) and long short-term memory network (LSTM)-based inertial PDR system that extracts inertial measurement units (IMU) sequence features. The end-to-end learning framework is introduced to leverage the efficiency of low-cost MEMS because data-driven solutions provide more complete knowledge of the ever-increasing data volume and computational power over the filtering model approach. A CNN-LSTM model was employed to capture local spatial and temporal features. Experiments conducted on odometry datasets collected from multi-sensor backpack devices demonstrated that the proposed architecture outperformed previous traditional PDR methods, demonstrating that the root mean square error (RMSE) for the best user was 0.52 m. On the handheld smartphone-only dataset the best achieved R2 metric was 0.49.
An Enhanced Method on Transformer-Based Model for ONE2SEQ Keyphrase Generation
Authors: Shen Lingyun , Le Xiaoqiu
Published: July 2023

Keyphrase generation is a long-standing task in scientific literature retrieval. The Transformer-based model outperforms other baseline models in this challenge dramatically. In cross-domain keyphrase generation research, topic information plays a guiding role during generation, while in keyphrase generation of individual text, titles can replace topic roles and convey more semantic information. As a result, we proposed an enhanced model architecture named TAtrans. In this research, we investigate the advantages of title attention and sequence code representing phrase order in keyphrase sequence in improving Transformer-based keyphrase generation. We conduct experiments on five widely-used English datasets specifically designed for keyphrase generation. Our method achieves an F1 score in the top five, surpassing the Transformer-based model by 3.2% in KP20k. The results demonstrate that the proposed method outperforms all the previous models on prediction present keyphrases. To evaluate the performance of the proposed model in the Chinese dataset, we construct a new Chinese abstract dataset called CNKIL, which contains a total of 54,546 records. The F1 score of the top five for predicting present keyphrases on the CNKIL dataset exceeds 2.2% compared to the Transformer-based model. However, there is no significant improvement in the model’s performance in predicting absent keyphrases.
Experimental Characterization of Hydrocarbons and Nitrogen Oxides Production in a Heavy-Duty Diesel–Natural Gas Reactivity-Controlled Compression Ignition Engine
Authors: Silvagni Giacomo , Narayanan Abhinandhan , Ravaglioli Vittorio , Srinivasan Kalyan Kumar , Krishnan Sundar Rajan , Collins Nik , Puzinauskas Paulius , Ponti Fabrizio
Published: July 2023

Reactivity-Controlled Compression Ignition (RCCI) combustion is considered one of the most promising Low-Temperature Combustion (LTC) concepts aimed at reducing greenhouse gases for the transportation and power generation sectors. Due to the spontaneous combustion of a lean, nearly homogeneous mixture of air and low-reactivity fuel (LRF), ignited through the direct injection of a small quantity of high-reactivity fuel (HRF), RCCI (dual-fuel) shows higher efficiency and lower pollutants compared to conventional diesel combustion (CDC) if run at very advanced injection timing. Even though a HRF is used, the use of advanced injection timing leads to high ignition delays, compared to CDC, and generates high cycle-to-cycle variability, limited operating range, and high pressure rise rates at high loads. This work presents an experimental analysis performed on a heavy-duty single-cylinder compression ignited engine in dual-fuel diesel–natural gas mode. The objective of the present work is to investigate and highlight the correlations between combustion behavior and pollutant emissions, especially unburned hydrocarbons (HC) and oxides of nitrogen (NOx). Based on the analysis of crank-resolved pollutants measurements performed through fast FID and fast NOx systems under different engine operating conditions, two correlations were found demonstrating a good accordance between pollutant production and combustion behavior: Net Cyclic Hydrocarbon emission—cyclic IMEP variations (R2 = 0.86), and Cyclic NOx—maximum value of the Rate of Heat Released (R2 = 0.82).
Effects of Mineral Composition on Movable Fluid Porosity in Micro-Nanoscale Porous Media
Authors: Dai Quanqi , Zhu Yangwen , He Yingfu , Wang Rui , Zheng Da , Zhou Yinbang , Liu Yunfeng , Wang Guiwen , Wu Hao
Published: July 2023

In natural micro-nanoscale porous media, the movable fluid porosity can effectively represent storage and permeable properties, but various mineral compositions have complicated effects on it. Taking saline lacustrine shale as an example, this study researched the effects of mineral composition on movable fluid porosity, based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), focused ion beam (FIB), and x-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments. The results show that movable fluid porosity exhibits a stronger dependence on porosity than movable fluid saturation does. Micropores (<100 nm) and macropores (>1000 nm) are mostly developed in silicate and gypsum minerals, and have a highly heterogeneous distribution. In contrast, carbonate intercrystalline pores are dominated by mesopores (100−1000 nm), and behave strongly heterogeneously. Many mesopores play a positive role in generating highly movable fluid porosity, but the development of micropores and macropores is not conducive to an increase in movable fluid porosity. Overall, a significant negative effect is observed between silicate mineral content and movable fluid porosity, and carbonate mineral content has a strong positive effect on movable fluid porosity, whereas movable fluid porosity exhibits a relatively small reduction with an increase in the gypsum.
Estimation of Coarse Root System Diameter Based on Ground-Penetrating Radar Forward Modeling
Authors: Bi Linyue , Xing Linyin , Liang Hao , Lin Jianhui
Published: July 2023

Root diameter is an important indicator of plant growth and development to a large extent. However, the field monitoring of these parameters is severely limited by the lack of appropriate methods, and some traditional methods may harm the plant and its growing environment. Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) is a new nondestructive detection method for underground root systems. A new method for the estimation of the diameter of coarse roots using GPR with 900 MHz frequency was proposed in this paper. First, a simulation model was established to simulate the root system under natural conditions, and the root diameter estimation model based on the scanning results of GPR was obtained. Secondly, by studying the influence of soil and root relative permittivity on the diameter estimation model, a method was found to devise a coarse root diameter estimation model under different soil and root conditions of relative permittivity. Thirdly, the applicability of the diameter estimation model to roots with different growth orientations was tested by simulating roots with different growth orientations. Finally, the practical applicability of the estimation method was verified by field experiments. The results suggest that the root diameter estimation model can be constructed by extracting the pixel distance (∆p) of waveform parameters from the 900 MHz scanning results. This method can be used to estimate the diameter of coarse roots with diameters of no less than 2 cm and a relative permittivity greater than 5, and to estimate the diameter of roots in any orientation and soil environment effectively. At the same time, the application in the field experiment also resulted in a good estimation effect. This method provides a new opportunity to achieve more reliable root diameter estimation in complex situations. The estimation of coarse root diameter provides an experimental basis and data support for the healthy growth of trees, and also provides some information for the study of coarse root ecology.
Using Choice Experiments as a Planning Tool for Reforestation after Extreme Events: The Case of the Vaia Windstorm in Italy
Authors: Vecchiato Daniel , Pellizzari Carolina B. , Tempesta Tiziano
Published: July 2023

The forest areas and, more generally, the mountain territory, produce a significant flow of ecosystem services from which the entire community benefits. In October 2018, northeastern Italy was hit by an extreme meteorological event, the Vaia windstorm, which affected 91 municipalities in the Veneto region and destroyed nearly 20% of its forests in some areas, mainly composed of spruce (Picea abies) and fir (Abies alba). This study aims to understand and analyze what the affected population preferences are in relation to different reforestation strategies in the forests affected by the Vaia windstorm in order to have more resilient forests in the future. In this regard, a survey including a choice experiment was carried out in May 2022 involving a sample of 830 residents in the Veneto region. From our results, it emerges that a policy characterized by a mixed reforestation solution of 50% of planted area and 50% natural with fallen trees removed is the respondents’ favorite reforestation policy, bringing an average benefit per year per family equal to EUR 226.5. Considering the reforestation policy proposed, the attribute considered most important (34%) was the presence of a natural forest with the removal of fallen plants, followed by reforestation with a planted forest (24%), while in third place we find the removal of fallen trees in forests damaged to a minor extent by the Vaia storm (20%).
Simultaneous Determination of Multiple Contaminants in Chicken Liver Using Dispersive Liquid-Liquid Microextraction (DLLME) Detected by LC-HRMS/MS
Authors: Gebreyohannes Belete Eshetu , Dube Simiso , Nindi Mathew Muzi
Published: July 2023

Simultaneous determination of a mixture of food contaminants, including pesticides, sulphonamides, fluoroquinolones, anthelmintics, and aflatoxin B1, in solid biological samples (chicken liver) by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction/liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (DLLME/LC-HRMS) is presented. Previous work focused on the application of DLLME to single-class contaminants. In this work, the DLLME extraction method has been extended to complex multiresidues in the biological matrix. The first part of this study was the selection of an appropriate solvent that enabled the dissolution of analytes from the chicken livers. The matrix-matched calibration curves showed good linearity in the range 0.5–50.0 µg kg−1 for aflatoxin B1 and 50–500 µg kg−1 for pesticides, fluoroquinolones, sulphonamides, and anthelmintics, with a coefficient of determination (R2) values of 0.9916–0.9967. The mean recoveries were in the range of 80.4–96.3%, and the relative standard deviation (RSD) values were in the range of 1.53–8.98%. The limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) values were 0.03 µg kg−1 and 0.09 µg kg−1, respectively, for aflatoxin B1, and for pesticides, fluoroquinolones, sulphonamides, and anthelmintics, they were in the range of 0.011–1.197 µg kg−1 and 0.150–2.579 µg kg−1, respectively. The developed method was compared with the standard solid phase extraction (SPE) method, and there was no significant difference between the two methods.
Effect of Slightly Acidic Electrolyzed Water on Growth, Diarrhea and Intestinal Bacteria of Newly Weaned Piglets
Authors: Hao Xiaoxia , Xie Dan , Jiang Dongmei , Zhu Li , Shen Linyuan , Gan Mailin , Bai Lin
Published: July 2023

As an environmentally-friendly agent, slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) was introduced in drinking water of newly weaned piglets for diarrhea prevention. In total, 72 piglets were employed and 3% SAEW was added into the normal temperature and warm (30 °C) tap water, respectively, for this 33-day feeding experiment. It was found that the total bacteria and coliforms in the drinking water were reduced by 70% and 100%, respectively, with the addition of 3% SAEW. After SAEW treatment, the average daily water and feed intakes of piglets were increased during the first 16 days, and the diarrhea rate was reduced by 100%, with not one case of diarrhea recorded at the end of the experiment. The microbiome results demonstrated that SAEW decreased the diversity of caecum bacteria with normal tap water supplied, and increased the richness of the caecum bacteria with warm tap water supplied. SAEW also increased the abundance of potentially beneficial genera Sutterella and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-005 and reduced the abundance of pathogenic Faecalibacterium. Moreover, twelve metabolic functions belonging to the cluster of metabolism and organismal functions, including digestion and the endocrine and excretory systems, were greatly enhanced. Correlation analysis indicated that the influence of intestinal pathogens on water and feed intakes and the diarrhea of piglets were decreased by SAEW. The results suggest that SAEW can be used as an antibiotic substitute to prevent diarrhea in newly weaned piglets.