bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oxidative Stress Is Associated with Telomere Interaction Impairment and Chromatin Condensation Defects in Spermatozoa of Infertile Males
Authors: Berby Benoit , Bichara Cynthia , Rives-Feraille Aurélie , Jumeau Fanny , Pizio Pierre Di , Sétif Véronique , Sibert Louis , Dumont Ludovic , Rondanino Chistine , Rives Nathalie
Published: April 2021

Telomere length can be influenced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated by lifestyle factors or environmental exposure. We sought to determine whether oxidative stress has an impact on sperm nuclear alterations, especially on chromatin organization and telomere interactions in the spermatozoa of infertile males. We performed an observational and prospective study including fifty-two males, allocated in the “case group” (30 infertile males presenting conventional semen parameter alterations) and the “control group” (22 males with normal conventional semen parameters). ROS detection was determined on spermatozoa using CellROX© probes. Sperm nuclear damage was assessed using quantitative fluorescence in situ hybridization (Q-FISH) for relative telomere length and telomere number, aniline blue staining for chromatin condensation, terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling for DNA fragmentation, and FISH for aneuploidy and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine immunostaining for oxidative DNA damages. Infertile males had significantly increased levels of cytoplasmic ROS and chromatin condensation defects as well as a higher mean number of telomere signals per spermatozoon in comparison with controls. In addition, the mean number of sperm telomere signals were positively correlated with the percentage of spermatozoa with chromatin condensation defect. In infertile males with conventional semen parameter alterations, oxidative stress is associated with telomere interaction impairment and chromatin condensation defects.
Design of a Cell Phone Lens-Based Miniature Microscope with Configurable Magnification Ratio
Authors: Wan Xinjun , Tao Xuechen
Published: April 2021

Application of cell-phone-based microscopes has been hindered by limitations such as inferior image quality, fixed magnification and inconvenient operation. In this paper, we propose a reverse cell phone lens-based miniature microscope with a configurable magnification ratio. By switching the objectives of three camera lens and applying the digital zooming function of the cell phone, a cell phone microscope is built with the continuously configurable magnification ratio between 0.8×–11.5×. At the same time, the miniature microscope can capture high-quality microscopic images with a maximum resolution of up to 575 lp/mm and a maximum field of view (FOV) of up to 7213 × 5443 μm. Furthermore, by moving the tube lens module of the microscope out of the cell phone body, the built miniature microscope is as compact as a <20 mm side length cube, improving operational experience profoundly. The proposed scheme marks a big step forward in terms of the imaging performance and user operational convenience for cell phone microscopes.
Proteomics in Forensic Analysis: Applications for Human Samples
Authors: Duong Van-An , Park Jong-Moon , Lim Hee-Joung , Lee Hookeun
Published: April 2021

Proteomics, the large-scale study of all proteins of an organism or system, is a powerful tool for studying biological systems. It can provide a holistic view of the physiological and biochemical states of given samples through identification and quantification of large numbers of peptides and proteins. In forensic science, proteomics can be used as a confirmatory and orthogonal technique for well-built genomic analyses. Proteomics is highly valuable in cases where nucleic acids are absent or degraded, such as hair and bone samples. It can be used to identify body fluids, ethnic group, gender, individual, and estimate post-mortem interval using bone, muscle, and decomposition fluid samples. Compared to genomic analysis, proteomics can provide a better global picture of a sample. It has been used in forensic science for a wide range of sample types and applications. In this review, we briefly introduce proteomic methods, including sample preparation techniques, data acquisition using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and data analysis using database search, spectral library search, and de novo sequencing. We also summarize recent applications in the past decade of proteomics in forensic science with a special focus on human samples, including hair, bone, body fluids, fingernail, muscle, brain, and fingermark, and address the challenges, considerations, and future developments of forensic proteomics.
Human Health Impact Analysis of Contaminant in IoT-Enabled Water Distributed Networks
Authors: Shahra Essa Q. , Wu Wenyan , Gomez Roberto
Published: April 2021

This paper aims to assess and analyze the health impact of consuming contaminated drinking water in a water distributed system (WDS). The analysis was based on qualitative simulation performed in two different models named hydraulic and water quality in a WDS. The computation focuses on quantitative analysis for chemically contaminated water impacts by analyzing the dose level in various locations in the water network and the mass of the substance that entered the human body. Several numerical experiments have been applied to evaluate the impact of water pollution on human life. They analyzed the impact on human life according to various factors, including the location of the injected node (pollution occurrence) and the ingested dose level. The results show a significant impact of water contaminant on human life in multiple areas in the water network, and the level of this impact changed from one location to another in WDSs based on several factors such as the location of the pollution occurrence, the contaminant concentration, and the dose level. In order to reduce the impact of this contaminant, water quality sensors have been used and deployed on the water network to help detect this contaminant. The sensors were optimally deployed based on the time-detection of water contamination and the volume of polluted water consumed. Numerical experiments were carried out to compare water pollution’s impact with and without using water quality sensors. The results show that the health impact was reduced by up to 98.37% by using water quality sensors.
Pile Base and Shaft Capacity under Various Types of Loading
Authors: Baca Michał , Rybak Jarosław
Published: April 2021

Pile bearing capacity is usually understood as the sum of the bearing capacities of the pile’s base and shaft. Nevertheless, the behaviour of the pile base and shaft can be different, depending on what testing method is used for the evaluation of the bearing capacity. In this paper, three different methods of pipe pile testing are introduced, which make it possible to evaluate the pile base and shaft bearing capacities. On the basis of the tests conducted on a laboratory scale and numerical simulations performed with the finite element method, different approaches to bearing capacity evaluation have been compared. As a result, some similarities and differences between the applied methods are presented.
Theoretical Investigation of Responsivity/NEP Trade-off in NIR Graphene/Semiconductor Schottky Photodetectors Operating at Room Temperature
Authors: Crisci Teresa , Moretti Luigi , Casalino Maurizio
Published: April 2021

In this work we theoretically investigate the responsivity/noise equivalent power (NEP) trade-off in graphene/semiconductor Schottky photodetectors (PDs) operating in the near-infrared regime and working at room temperature. Our analysis shows that the responsivity/NEP ratio is strongly dependent on the Schottky barrier height (SBH) of the junction, and we derive a closed analytical formula for maximizing it. In addition, we theoretically discuss how the SBH is related to the reverse voltage applied to the junction in order to show how these devices could be optimized in practice for different semiconductors. We found that graphene/n-silicon (Si) Schottky PDs could be optimized at 1550 nm, showing a responsivity and NEP of 133 mA/W and 500 fW/Hz, respectively, with a low reverse bias of only 0.66 V. Moreover, we show that graphene/n-germanium (Ge) Schottky PDs optimized in terms of responsivity/NEP ratio could be employed at 2000 nm with a responsivity and NEP of 233 mA/W and 31 pW/Hz, respectively. We believe that our insights are of great importance in the field of silicon photonics for the realization of Si-based PDs to be employed in power monitoring, lab-on-chip and environment monitoring applications.
Biologically Derived Gels for the Cleaning of Historical and Artistic Metal Heritage
Authors: Passaretti Arianna , Cuvillier Luana , Sciutto Giorgia , Guilminot Elodie , Joseph Edith
Published: April 2021

In the general global rise of attention and research to seek greener attitudes, the field of cultural heritage (CH) makes no exception. In the last decades, an increasing number of sustainable and biologically based solutions have been proposed for the protection and care of artworks. Additionally, the safety of the target artwork and the operator must be kept as core goals. Within this scenario, new products and treatments should be explored and implemented in the common conservation praxes. Therefore, this review addressing metal heritage is aimed to report biologically derived gel formulations already proposed for this specific area as reliable tools for cleaning. Promising bio-gel-based protocols, still to be implemented in metal conservation, are also presented to promote their investigation by stakeholders in metal conservation. After an opening overview on the common practices for cleaning metallic surfaces in CH, the focus will be moved onto the potentialities of gel-alternatives and in particular of ones with a biological origin. In more detail, we displayed water-gels (i.e., hydrogels) and solvent-gels (i.e., organogels) together with particular attention to bio-solvents. The discussion is closed in light of the state-of-the-art and future perspectives.
Low Complexity DSP for High Speed Optical Access Networking
Authors: Wei Jinlong , Lam Cedric , Zhou Ji , Aldaya Ivan , Giacoumidis Elias , Richter Andre , Cheng Qixiang , Penty Richard , White Ian
Published: April 2021

A novel low-cost and energy-efficient approach for reaching 40 Gb/s signals is proposed for cost-sensitive optical access networks. Our proposed design is constituted of an innovative low-complex high-performance digital signal processing (DSP) architecture for pulse amplitude modulation (PAM-4), reuses existing commercial cost-effective 10-G components and eliminates the need of a power-hungry radio frequency (RF) component in the transmitter. Using a multi-functional 17-tap reconfigurable adaptive Volterra-based nonlinear equalizer with noise suppression, significant improvement in receiver optical power sensitivity is achieved. Results show that over 30 km of single-mode fiber (SMF) a link power budget of 33 dB is feasible at a bit-error-rate (BER) threshold of 10−3.
Hyperspectral Chemical Imaging of Single Bacterial Cell Structure by Raman Spectroscopy and Machine Learning
Authors: Barzan Giulia , Sacco Alessio , Mandrile Luisa , Giovannozzi Andrea Mario , Portesi Chiara , Rossi Andrea Mario
Published: April 2021

In this work, biomolecules, such as membrane proteins, lipids, and DNA, were identified and their spatial distribution was mapped within a single Escherichia coli cell by Raman hyperspectral imaging. Raman spectroscopy allows direct, nondestructive, rapid, and cost-effective analysis of biological samples, minimizing the sample preparation and without the need of chemical label or immunological staining. Firstly, a comparison between an air-dried and a freeze-dried cell was made, and the principal vibrational modes associated to the membrane and nucleic acids were identified by the bacterium’s Raman chemical fingerprint. Then, analyzing the Raman hyperspectral images by multivariate statistical analysis, the bacterium biological status was investigated at a subcellular level. Principal components analysis (PCA) was applied for dimensionality reduction of the spectral data, then spectral unmixing was performed by multivariate curve resolution–alternating least squares (MCR-ALS). Thanks to multivariate data analysis, the DNA segregation and the Z-ring formation of a replicating bacterial cell were detected at a sub-micrometer level, opening the way to real-time molecular analysis that could be easily applied on in vivo or ex vivo biological samples, avoiding long preparation and analysis process.
Supercritical Carbon Dioxide Extraction of Phenolic Compounds from Potato (Solanum tuberosum) Peels
Authors: de Andrade Lima Micael , Andreou Rafaela , Charalampopoulos Dimitris , Chatzifragkou Afroditi
Published: April 2021

In the last three decades, greener technologies have been used, aiming at extracting phenolic compounds from vegetable matrices due to the inherent advantages compared to organic solvent-based methodologies. In this work, supercritical CO2 was investigated for recovering phenolic acids from potato peels. Following screening runs for assessing the significant extraction parameters, a Central Composite Design of Experiments was carried out aiming at process optimization, with methanol concentration (MeOH, %) and CO2 flow rate (qCO2, g/min) as independent variables. Both parameters were deemed to impart a significant effect on the final response. Although the major phenolic acid in potato peels is chlorogenic acid (CGA), the main compound extracted was caffeic acid (CFA), present at a concentration of 0.75 mg/g dry peel in the extracts. The optimum extraction conditions were 80 °C, 350 bar, MeOH 20%, and flow rate of 18.0 g/min, which enabled a total phenolic recovery of 37% and a CFA recovery of 82%. The antioxidant activity of the supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) extracts was also measured, with the highest scavenging capacity reaching 73%. The need for using mixtures of water and organic solvents as co-solvents in SFE to enable CGA recovery seems necessary, possibly due to its better dissolution in aqueous solutions than in pure solvents.
Effects of Custom-Made Insole Materials on Frictional Stress and Contact Pressure in Diabetic Foot with Neuropathy: Results from a Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Nouman Muhammad , Dissaneewate Tulaya , Chong Desmond Y. R. , Chatpun Surapong
Published: April 2021

Offloading plantar pressure in a diabetic foot with neuropathy is challenging in conventional clinical practice. Custom-made insole (CMI) materials play an important role in plantar pressure reduction, but the assessment is costly and time-consuming. Finite element analysis (FEA) can provide an efficient evaluation of different insoles on the plantar pressure distribution. This study investigated the effect of CMI materials and their combinations on plantar pressure reduction for the diabetic foot with neuropathy using FEA. The study was conducted by constructing a three-dimensional foot model along with CMI to study the peak contact pressure between the foot and CMI. The softer material (E = 5 MPa) resulted in a better reduction of peak contact pressure compared with the stiffer material (E = 11 MPa). The plantar pressure was well redistributed with softer material compared with the stiffer material and its combination. In addition, the single softer material resulted in reduced frictional stress under the first metatarsal head compared with the stiffer material and the combination of materials. The softer material and its combination have a beneficial effect on plantar pressure reduction and redistribution for a diabetic foot with neuropathy. This study provided an effective approach for CMI material selection using FEA.
An All-Mach Number HLLC-Based Scheme for Multi-Phase Flow with Surface Tension
Authors: Oomar Muhammad Y. , Malan Arnaud G. , Horwitz Roy A. D. , Jones Bevan W. S. , Langdon Genevieve S.
Published: April 2021

This paper presents an all-Mach method for two-phase inviscid flow in the presence of surface tension. A modified version of the Hartens–Lax–van Leer Contact (HLLC) solver is developed and combined for the first time with a widely used volume-of-fluid (VoF) method: the compressive interface capturing scheme for arbitrary meshes (CICSAM). This novel combination yields a scheme with both HLLC shock capturing as well as accurate liquid–gas interface tracking characteristics. It is achieved by reconstructing non-conservative (primitive) variables in a consistent manner to yield both robustness and accuracy. Liquid–gas interface curvature is computed via height functions and the convolution method. We emphasize the use of VoF in the interest of interface accuracy when modelling surface tension effects. The method is validated using a range of test-cases available in the literature. The results show flow features that are in sensible agreement with previous experimental and numerical work. In particular, the use of the HLLC-VoF combination leads to a sharp volume fraction and energy field with improved accuracy.
COVID-19 Detection Empowered with Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques: A Systematic Review
Authors: Rehman Amir , Iqbal Muhammad Azhar , Xing Huanlai , Ahmed Irfan
Published: April 2021

COVID-19 has infected 223 countries and caused 2.8 million deaths worldwide (at the time of writing this article), and the death rate is increasing continuously. Early diagnosis of COVID patients is a critical challenge for medical practitioners, governments, organizations, and countries to overcome the rapid spread of the deadly virus in any geographical area. In this situation, the previous epidemic evidence on Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) techniques encouraged the researchers to play a significant role in detecting COVID-19. Similarly, the rising scope of ML/DL methodologies in the medical domain also advocates its significant role in COVID-19 detection. This systematic review presents ML and DL techniques practiced in this era to predict, diagnose, classify, and detect the coronavirus. In this study, the data was retrieved from three prevalent full-text archives, i.e., Science Direct, Web of Science, and PubMed, using the search code strategy on 16 March 2021. Using professional assessment, among 961 articles retrieved by an initial query, only 40 articles focusing on ML/DL-based COVID-19 detection schemes were selected. Findings have been presented as a country-wise distribution of publications, article frequency, various data collection, analyzed datasets, sample sizes, and applied ML/DL techniques. Precisely, this study reveals that ML/DL technique accuracy lay between 80% to 100% when detecting COVID-19. The RT-PCR-based model with Support Vector Machine (SVM) exhibited the lowest accuracy (80%), whereas the X-ray-based model achieved the highest accuracy (99.7%) using a deep convolutional neural network. However, current studies have shown that an anal swab test is super accurate to detect the virus. Moreover, this review addresses the limitations of COVID-19 detection along with the detailed discussion of the prevailing challenges and future research directions, which eventually highlight outstanding issues.
Check-Valve Design in Enhancing Aerodynamic Performance of Flapping Wings
Authors: Yang Lung-Jieh , Waikhom Reshmi , Wang Wei-Chen , Jabaraj Joseph Vivek , Esakki Balasubramanian , Kumar Unnam Neethish , Li Xiu-Han , Lee Chi-Yuan
Published: April 2021

A flapping wing micro air vehicle (FWMAV) demands high lift and thrust generation for a desired payload. In view of this, the present work focuses on a novel way of enhancing the lift characteristics through integrating check-valves in the flapping wing membrane. Modal analysis and static analysis are performed to determine the natural frequency and deformation of the check-valve. Based on the inference, the check-valve opens and closes during the upstroke flapping and downstroke flapping, respectively. Wind tunnel experiments were conducted by considering the two cases of wing design, i.e., with and without a check-valve for various driving voltages, wind speeds and different inclined angles. A 20 cm-wingspan polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membrane wing with two check-valves, composed of central disc-cap with radius of 7.43 mm, supported by three S-beams, actuated by Evans mechanism to have 90° stroke angle, is considered for the 10 gf (gram force) FWMAV study. The aerodynamic performances, such as lift and net thrust for these two cases, are evaluated. The experimental result demonstrates that an average lift of 17 gf is generated for the case where check-valves are attached on the wing membrane to operate at 3.7 V input voltage, 30° inclined angle and 1.5 m/s wind speed. It is inferred that sufficient aerodynamic benefit with 68% of higher lift is attained for the wing membrane incorporated with check-valve.
Data Hiding Method for Color AMBTC Compressed Images Using Color Difference
Authors: Kim Cheonshik , Shin Dongkyoo , Yang Chingnung , Leng Lu
Published: April 2021

Image compression technology and copyright protection are certainly the important technologies for free exchange of multimedia. For compression of an image, we propose a color Absolute Moment Block Trucation Coding (AMBTC) method using a common bit-plane created by k-means. In addition, a data hiding method based on a color AMBTC using Optimal Pixel Adjustment Process (OPAP) was proposed for copyright protection and confidential secret communication. The number of quantization levels of the proposed color AMBTC is nine per block. Therefore, the edge of the compressed color image can be expressed more delicately. As a result of the simulation, it can be seen that the edge of the image of the color AMBTC is close to the original image. Moreover, the data hiding performance of the proposed method also obtained excellent results. For the experiment, we measured the quality of the image using the Color Difference (CD) we proposed, and the measurement result was very satisfactory.
Modeling Transient Flows in Heterogeneous Layered Porous Media Using the Space–Time Trefftz Method
Authors: Ku Cheng-Yu , Hong Li-Dan , Liu Chih-Yu , Xiao Jing-En , Huang Wei-Po
Published: April 2021

In this study, we developed a novel boundary-type meshless approach for dealing with two-dimensional transient flows in heterogeneous layered porous media. The novelty of the proposed method is that we derived the Trefftz space–time basis function for the two-dimensional diffusion equation in layered porous media in the space–time domain. The continuity conditions at the interface of the subdomains were satisfied in terms of the domain decomposition method. Numerical solutions were approximated based on the superposition principle utilizing the space–time basis functions of the governing equation. Using the space–time collocation scheme, the numerical solutions of the problem were solved with boundary and initial data assigned on the space–time boundaries, which combined spatial and temporal discretizations in the space–time manifold. Accordingly, the transient flows through the heterogeneous layered porous media in the space–time domain could be solved without using a time-marching scheme. Numerical examples and a convergence analysis were carried out to validate the accuracy and the stability of the method. The results illustrate that an excellent agreement with the analytical solution was obtained. Additionally, the proposed method was relatively simple because we only needed to deal with the boundary data, even for the problems in the heterogeneous layered porous media. Finally, when compared with the conventional time-marching scheme, highly accurate solutions were obtained and the error accumulation from the time-marching scheme was avoided.
Test Loading of Structures with a Suspect Resistance
Authors: Poutanen Tuomo , Pursiainen Sampsa , Mäkinen Jari
Published: April 2021

The reliability of load-bearing structures is normally secured through codes, a competent structural design and proper execution inspection. Alternatively, the reliability can be obtained via skilled test loading, which is a feasible technique both in the construction of new structures and in the load-bearing verification of existing ones. Although the current codes lack instructions for test loading, they are, however, used in special cases; for example, when the reliability of the structures is doubtful due to a defect, or when the structure is suspected to have especially high resistance variability. Test loading involves significant research questions that need to be addressed, including: What is the test load in comparison with the expected maximum service time load or the characteristic load? How can the instantaneous test load be compared with the actual long-term service-time load? Does the test loading harm the structure, and what is the target reliability in the test loading calculation? In this paper, we approach these questions from a theoretical point of view and propose how a suitable test load can be chosen in practice using an approximate and a precise approach.
A Fast Point Clouds Registration Algorithm for Laser Scanners
Authors: Xu Guangxuan , Pang Yajun , Bai Zhenxu , Wang Yulei , Lu Zhiwei
Published: April 2021

Point clouds registration is an important step for laser scanner data processing, and there have been numerous methods. However, the existing methods often suffer from low accuracy and low speed when registering large point clouds. To meet this challenge, an improved iterative closest point (ICP) algorithm combining random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm, intrinsic shape signatures (ISS), and 3D shape context (3DSC) is proposed. The proposed method firstly uses voxel grid filter for down-sampling. Next, the feature points are extracted by the ISS algorithm and described by the 3DSC. Afterwards, the ISS-3DSC features are used for rough registration with the RANSAC algorithm. Finally, the ICP algorithm is used for accurate registration. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm has faster registration speed than the compared algorithms, while maintaining high registration accuracy.
Neural Networks—Deflection Prediction of Continuous Beams with GFRP Reinforcement
Authors: Beljkaš Željka , Baša Nikola
Published: April 2021

Deflections on continuous beams with glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) reinforcement are calculated in accordance with the appropriate standards (ACI 440.1R-15, CSA S806-12). However, experimental research provides results which differ from the values calculated pursuant to the standards, particularly when it comes to continuous beams. Machine learning methods can be applied for predicting a deflection level on continuous beams with GFRP (glass fiber-reinforced polymer) reinforcement and loaded with a concentrated load. This paper presents research on using artificial neural networks for deflection estimation and an optimal prediction model choice. It was necessary to first develop a database, in order to train the neural network. The database was formed based on the results of the experimental research on continuous beams with GFRP reinforcement. Using the best trained neural network model, high accuracy was obtained in estimating deflection, expressed over the mean absolute percentage error, 9.0%. This result indicates a high level of reliability in the prediction of deflection with the help of artificial neural networks.
Developing a Specific MRI Technology to Identify Complications Caused by Breast Implants
Authors: Lin Ming-Fang , Lai Lu-Han , Hsiao Wen-Tien , Yao Melissa Min-Szu , Chan Wing-P
Published: April 2021

With advancements in aesthetic medicine, breast augmentation has become a popular plastic surgery worldwide, typically performed using either fine-needle injection or silicone implants. Both carry complication risks from rupture over time. In this study, we aimed to reduce misjudgments and increase diagnostic value by developing an MRI technique that can produce water- and silicone-specific images from MRI scans of phantoms (Natrelle® saline-filled breast implants) and human bodies. Pig oil, soybean oil, and normal saline were used to simulate human breast tissue, and two common types of breast implants, saline bags, and silicone bags, were selected as well, resulting in five materials scanned. Six pulse sequences were applied: T1W fast spin echo (FSE), T1W SPGR/60, T2W, T2W fat-saturation, STIR, and STIR water-saturation. Human body scans were additionally investigated using 3D SPGR fat-saturation dynamic contrast enhancement. Results show that the best way to enhance tissue contrast in images of silicone implants is to apply STIR combined with water suppression, and the best way to enhance saline bag implants is to apply T2W fat-saturation combined with fat suppression. Both offered very high sensitivity and specificity, rendering this method especially useful for distinguishing normal mammary glands from siliconoma.
A Boundary Zone Method for the Generation of Multivariate Representative Humanoids
Authors: Jung Kihyo , Choi Younggeun , Lee Baekhee , You Heecheon , Kwon Ochae
Published: April 2021

The present study developed a novel multivariate representative humanoid (RH) generation method called the boundary zone method (BZM), which consists of (1) the formation of a boundary zone (BZ) for a designated accommodation percentage (κ), (2) the clustering of anthropometric cases in the BZ, and (3) the selection of representative cases from the clusters. By using 1988 U.S. Army anthropometric data for κ = 90% and 10 anthropometric dimensions, the BZM was compared to existing methods, including the square method (SM), the rectangular method (RM), and the circular method (CM) in terms of multivariate accommodation percentage (MAP), outlier percentage, and normalized outlier magnitude. The MAP analysis showed that only the BZM could form a group of RHs that precisely satisfied the designated κ, whereas the RM formed over-accommodating RH groups and both the SM and CM formed under-accommodating RH groups. The outlier analysis identified that only the BZM generated relevant RHs within the body size ranges of the target population.
Efficacy of Red Glass in Protecting 1,4-Dihydropyridine Antihypertensive Drugs in Liquid Formulations
Authors: De Luca Michele , Ioele Giuseppina , Grande Fedora , Ragno Gaetano
Published: April 2021

A series of different-colored glasses were tested to evaluate their ability to protect dihydropyridine antihypertensives in solution from light. The work aims to define a primary packaging capable of guaranteeing photoprotection for this class of drugs in liquid formulations as an alternative to the current formulations, which are dispensed almost exclusively in solid form. The photostability tests were performed according to international rules by exposing 11 dihydropyridine drugs in ethanol and PEG-ethanol solution to stressing light, shielded by quartz, transparent, amber, or red glass. The transparent glass proved to be completely ineffective, recording a dramatic degradation of all compounds, some of which by 10% in less than 1 min, and with complete disappearance in just 1 h. The amber glass showed a valid photoprotection for almost all compounds, apart from nifedipine and nisoldipine, which degraded by 10% in less than 20 min. The adoption of red glass in filtering the light led to a satisfactory photoprotection for these two drugs, detecting concentrations above 90% for all drugs after 1 h under forced light. The results obtained can help to define safe dispensing systems of liquid formulations of dihydropyridine drugs, which are necessary for those patients who cannot take tablets.
Performance Evaluation of Heading-and-Winning Machines in the Conditions of Potash Mines
Authors: Lavrenko Sergey A. , Shishlyannikov Dmitriy I.
Published: April 2021

The authors focus on the process of potash ore production by a mechanized method. They show that currently there are no approved procedures for assessing the performance of heading-and-winning machines operating in the conditions of potash mines. This causes difficulties in determining the field of application of heading-and-winning machines, complicates the search for implicit technical solutions for the modernisation of existing models of mining units, prohibits real-time monitoring of the stability of stope-based technological processes and makes it difficult to assess the performance of the services concerning mining enterprises. The work represents an aggregate assessment of the performance of heading-and-winning machines for potash mines by determining complex indicators describing the technological and technical levels of organising the work in stopes. Such indicators are the coefficients of productivity and energy efficiency, respectively. Experimental studies have been carried out in the conditions of the potash mine of the Verkhnekamskoye potassium-magnesium salt deposit to assess the performance of the latest and most productive Ural-20R heading-and-winning machines manufactured in Russia. Using the above methodological approaches, this paper shows that the unsatisfactory technological performance of the studied machine is due to the low productivity of the mine district transport. The average productivity coefficient was 0.29. At the same time, high values of the energy efficiency coefficient show that the productivity of the machine is on par with design conditions.
The CIPCA-BPNN Failure Prediction Method Based on Interval Data Compression and Dimension Reduction
Authors: Yang Linchao , Jia Guozhu , Wei Fajie , Chang Wenbing , Li Chen , Zhou Shenghan
Published: April 2021

This paper proposes a complete-information-based principal component analysis (CIPCA)-back-propagation neural network (BPNN)_ fault prediction method using real unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flight data. Unmanned aerial vehicles are widely used in commercial and industrial fields. With the development of UAV technology, it is imperative to diagnose and predict UAV faults and improve their safety and reliability. The data-driven fault prediction method provides a basis for UAV fault prediction. A UAV is a typical complex system. Its flight data is a kind of typical high-dimensional large sample dataset, and traditional methods cannot meet the requirements of data compression and dimensionality reduction at the same time. The method used interval data to compress UAV flight data, used CIPCA to reduce the dimensionality of the compressed data, and then used a back propagation (BP) neural network to predict UAV failure. Experimental results show that the CIPCA-BPNN method had obvious advantages over the traditional principal component analysis (PCA)-BPNN method and could accurately predict a failure about 9 s before the UAV failure occurred.
Reliability and Agreement of Three Devices for Measuring Implant Stability Quotient in the Animal Ex Vivo Model
Authors: Blazquez-Hinarejos Monica , Saka-Herrán Constanza , Diez-Alonso Victor , Ayuso-Montero Raul , Velasco-Ortega Eugenio , Lopez-Lopez Jose
Published: April 2021

Resonance frequency analysis (RFA) is the most extended method for measuring implant stability. The implant stability quotient (ISQ) is the measure obtained by different RFA devices; however, inter- and intra-rater reliability and agreement of these instruments remain unknown. Thirty implants were placed in three different pig mandibles. ISQ was measured parallel and perpendicular (lingual) to the peg axis with Osstell® Beacon, Penguin® and MegaISQ® by two different investigators and furthermore, one performed a test-retest. Intraclass correlation coefficient was calculated to assess the intra- and inter-rater reliability. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to assess the agreement. Intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from 0.20 to 0.65 for the Osstell® Beacon; 0.57 to 0.86 for the Penguin®; and −0.01 to 0.60 for the MegaISQ®. The highest ISQ values were obtained using Penguin® (66.3) in a parallel measurement; the lowest, using the MegaISQ® (60.1) in a parallel measurement. The highest correlation values with the other devices were obtained by MegaISQ® in a parallel measurement. Osstell® Beacon and MegaISQ® showed lower reliability than Penguin®. Osstell® had good agreement for measuring ISQ both in parallel and perpendicular, and MegaISQ® had the best agreement for measuring ISQ in parallel.
What Is a Videogame Movie?
Authors: Sell Mike
Published: April 2021

Cinematic adaptations of videogames are an increasingly common feature of film culture, and the adaptive relationship between these mediums is an increasingly common subject of film and videogame studies. However, our ability to historicize and theorize that relationship is hampered by a failure to fully define the generic character of our object of study. This essay asks, what is a videogame movie? It argues that film scholars (1) have not considered the full range of ways videogames have been represented in film; (2) have not attended fully to the historical, technological, figurative, and social dimensions of videogames; and therefore (3) have limited the set of possible texts that comprise the genre “videogame cinema.” The essay recommends a tropological approach to the problem, defining six tropes that comprise the “videogame movie” as a genre, and applying them to two films, Her and 1917, neither of them a direct adaptation of a videogame, the latter not “about” or referencing videogames in any way, yet both exemplary of a broadened concept of “videogame cinema”.
Route to Extend the Lifetime of a Discrete Time Crystal in a Finite Spin Chain without Disorder
Authors: Choudhury Sayan
Published: April 2021

Periodically driven (Floquet) systems are described by time-dependent Hamiltonians that possess discrete time translation symmetry. The spontaneous breaking of this symmetry leads to the emergence of a novel non-equilibrium phase of matter—the Discrete Time Crystal (DTC). In this paper, we propose a scheme to extend the lifetime of a DTC in a paradigmatic model—a translation-invariant Ising spin chain with nearest-neighbor interaction J, subjected to a periodic kick by a transverse magnetic field with frequency 2πT. This system exhibits the hallmark signature of a DTC—persistent sub-harmonic oscillations with frequency πT—for a wide parameter regime. Employing both analytical arguments as well as exact diagonalization calculations, we demonstrate that the lifetime of the DTC is maximized, when the interaction strength is tuned to an optimal value, JT=π. Our proposal essentially relies on an interaction-induced quantum interference mechanism that suppresses the creation of excitations, and thereby enhances the DTC lifetime. Intriguingly, we find that the period doubling oscillations can last eternally in even size systems. This anomalously long lifetime can be attributed to a time reflection symmetry that emerges at JT=π. Our work provides a promising avenue for realizing a robust DTC in various quantum emulator platforms.
Optimal Control Analysis of Cholera Dynamics in the Presence of Asymptotic Transmission
Authors: Bakare Emmanuel A. , Hoskova-Mayerova Sarka
Published: April 2021

Many mathematical models have explored the dynamics of cholera but none have been used to predict the optimal strategies of the three control interventions (the use of hygiene promotion and social mobilization; the use of treatment by drug/oral re-hydration solution; and the use of safe water, hygiene, and sanitation). The goal here is to develop (deterministic and stochastic) mathematical models of cholera transmission and control dynamics, with the aim of investigating the effect of the three control interventions against cholera transmission in order to find optimal control strategies. The reproduction number Rp was obtained through the next generation matrix method and sensitivity and elasticity analysis were performed. The global stability of the equilibrium was obtained using the Lyapunov functional. Optimal control theory was applied to investigate the optimal control strategies for controlling the spread of cholera using the combination of control interventions. The Pontryagin’s maximum principle was used to characterize the optimal levels of combined control interventions. The models were validated using numerical experiments and sensitivity analysis was done. Optimal control theory showed that the combinations of the control intervention influenced disease progression. The characterisation of the optimal levels of the multiple control interventions showed the means for minimizing cholera transmission, mortality, and morbidity in finite time. The numerical experiments showed that there are fluctuations and noise due to its dependence on the corresponding population size and that the optimal control strategies to effectively control cholera transmission, mortality, and morbidity was through the combinations of all three control interventions. The developed models achieved the reduction, control, and/or elimination of cholera through incorporating multiple control interventions.
Hydrological, Environmental and Taxonomical Heterogeneity during the Transition from Drying to Flowing Conditions in a Mediterranean Intermittent River
Authors: Banegas-Medina Andy , Montes Isis-Yelena , Tzoraki Ourania , Brendonck Luc , Pinceel Tom , Diaz Gustavo , Arriagada Pedro , Arumi Jose-Luis , Pedreros Pablo , Figueroa Ricardo
Published: April 2021

Intermittent rivers and ephemeral streams (IRES) are increasingly studied because of their often-unique aquatic and terrestrial biodiversity, biogeochemical processes and associated ecosystem services. This study is the first to examine the hydrological, physicochemical and taxonomic variability during the dry-wet transition of an intermittent river in the Chilean Mediterranean Zone. Based on 30-years of river monitoring data and the TREHS tool, the hydrology of the river was characterised. Overall, the river shows a significant reduction in streamflow (−0.031 m3/s per year) and a substantial increase of zero flow days (+3.5 days per year). During the transition of hydrological states, variations were observed in the environmental conditions and invertebrate communities. During the drying phase, abundance, richness, and diversity were highest, while species turn-over was highest during base flow conditions. The disconnected pools and the flow resumption phases were characterised by high proportions of lentic taxa and non-insects, such as the endemic species of bivalves, gastropods, and crustaceans, highlighting the relevance of disconnected pools as refuges. Future climatic change scenarios are expected to impact further the hydrology of IRES, which could result in the loss of biodiversity. Biomonitoring and conservation programmes should acknowledge these important ecosystems.
Effects on Steroid 5-Alpha Reductase Gene Expression of Thai Rice Bran Extracts and Molecular Dynamics Study on SRD5A2
Authors: Khantham Chiranan , Yooin Wipawadee , Sringarm Korawan , Sommano Sarana Rose , Jiranusornkul Supat , Carmona Francisco David , Nimlamool Wutigri , Jantrawut Pensak , Rachtanapun Pornchai , Ruksiriwanich Warintorn
Published: April 2021

Steroid 5-alpha reductases (SRD5As) are responsible for the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone, a potent androgen, which is the aetiologic factor of androgenetic alopecia. This study aimed to compare the SRD5A gene expression suppression activity exerted by Thai rice bran extracts and their components and investigate the interactional mechanism between bioactive compounds and SRD5A2 using molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. Bran of Oryza sativa cv. Tubtim Chumphae (TRB), Yamuechaebia Morchor (YRB), Riceberry (RRB), and Malinil Surin (MRB), all rice milling by-products, was solvent-extracted. The ethanolic extract of TRB had the highest sum of overall bioactive compounds (γ-oryzanol; α-, β-, and γ-tocopherol; phenolics; and flavonoids). Among all extracts, TRB greatly downregulated the expression of SRD5A1, SRD5A2, and SRD5A3; there were no significant differences between TRB and finasteride regarding SRD5A suppression. The linear relationship and principal component analysis supported that the α-tocopherol content was correlated with the SRD5A suppression exerted by TRB. Furthermore, MD simulation demonstrated that α-tocopherol had the highest binding affinity towards SRD5A2 by interacting with residues Phe118 and Trp201. Our findings indicate that α-tocopherol effectively downregulates the expression of SRD5A genes and inhibits SRD5A2 activity, actions that are comparable to standard finasteride. TRB, a source of α-tocopherol, could be developed as an anti-hair loss product.
α-Tocopherol Attenuates Oxidative Phosphorylation of CD34+ Cells, Enhances Their G0 Phase Fraction and Promotes Hematopoietic Stem and Primitive Progenitor Cell Maintenance
Authors: Rodriguez Laura , Duchez Pascale , Touya Nicolas , Debeissat Christelle , Guitart Amélie V. , Pasquet Jean-Max , Vlaski-Lafarge Marija , Brunet de la Grange Philippe , Ivanovic Zoran
Published: April 2021

Alpha tocopherol acetate (αTOA) is an analogue of alpha tocopherol (αTOC) that exists in the form of an injectable drug. In the context of the metabolic hypothesis of stem cells, we studied the impact of αTOA on the metabolic energetic profile and functional properties of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. In ex vivo experiments performed on cord blood CD34+ cells, we found that αTOA effectively attenuates oxidative phosphorylation without affecting the glycolysis rate. This effect concerns complex I and complex II of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and is related to the relatively late increase (3 days) in ROS (Reactive Oxygen Species). The most interesting effect was the inhibition of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-2α (Hexpression, which is a determinant of the most pronounced biological effect—the accumulation of CD34+ cells in the G0 phase of the cell cycle. In parallel, better maintenance of the primitive stem cell activity was revealed by the expansion seen in secondary cultures (higher production of colony forming cells (CFC) and Severe Combined Immunodeficiency-mice (scid)-repopulating cells (SRC)). While the presence of αTOA enhanced the maintenance of Hematopoietic Stem Cells (HSC) and contained their proliferation ex vivo, whether it could play the same role in vivo remained unknown. Creating αTOC deficiency via a vitamin E-free diet in mice, we found an accelerated proliferation of CFC and an expanded compartment of LSK (lineagenegative Sca-1+cKit+) and SLAM (cells expressing Signaling Lymphocytic Activation Molecule family receptors) bone marrow cell populations whose in vivo repopulating capacity was decreased. These in vivo data are in favor of our hypothesis that αTOC may have a physiological role in the maintenance of stem cells. Taking into account that αTOC also exhibits an effect on proliferative capacity, it may also be relevant for the ex vivo manipulation of hematopoietic stem cells. For this purpose, low non-toxic doses of αTOA should be used.
Role of Thrombin in Central Nervous System Injury and Disease
Authors: Shlobin Nathan A. , Har-Even Meirav , Itsekson-Hayosh Ze’ev , Harnof Sagi , Pick Chaim G.
Published: April 2021

Thrombin is a Na+-activated allosteric serine protease of the chymotrypsin family involved in coagulation, inflammation, cell protection, and apoptosis. Increasingly, the role of thrombin in the brain has been explored. Low concentrations of thrombin are neuroprotective, while high concentrations exert pathological effects. However, greater attention regarding the involvement of thrombin in normal and pathological processes in the central nervous system is warranted. In this review, we explore the mechanisms of thrombin action, localization, and functions in the central nervous system and describe the involvement of thrombin in stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage, neurodegenerative diseases, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, and primary central nervous system tumors. We aim to comprehensively characterize the role of thrombin in neurological disease and injury.