bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Start-Up Rotation of a Porous Colloidal Sphere in a Cavity
Authors: Yu Chan W. , Keh Huan J.
Published: March 2024

The starting rotation of a porous sphere induced by the sudden application of a continuous torque about its diameter at the center of a spherical cavity filled with an incompressible Newtonian fluid at low Reynolds numbers is analyzed. The unsteady Stokes and Brinkman equations governing the fluid velocities outside and inside the porous particle, respectively, are solved via the Laplace transform, and an explicit formula of its dynamic angular velocity as a function of the pertinent parameters is obtained. The behavior of the start-up rotation of an isolated porous particle and the cavity wall effect on the particle rotation are interesting. The angular velocity of the particle grows incessantly over time from an initial zero to its final value, while the angular acceleration declines with time continuously. In general, the transient angular velocity is an increasing function of the porosity of the particle. A porous sphere with higher fluid permeability rotates at higher angular velocity and acceleration relative to the reference particle at any elapsed time but lags behind the reference particle in the percentage growth of angular velocity towards the respective terminal values. The transient angular velocity decreases with increasing particle-to-cavity radius ratio, but it is not a sensitive function of the radius ratio when the resistance to fluid flow inside the porous particle or the radius ratio itself is small.
Group Classification for the Search and Identification of Related Patterns Using a Variety of Multivariate Techniques
Authors: Boukichou-Abdelkader Nisa , Montero-Alonso Miguel Ángel , Muñoz-García Alberto
Published: March 2024

Recently, many methods and algorithms have been developed that can be quickly adapted to different situations within a population of interest, especially in the health sector. Success has been achieved by generating better models and higher-quality results to facilitate decision making, as well as to propose new diagnostic procedures and treatments adapted to each patient. These models can also improve people’s quality of life, dissuade bad health habits, reinforce good habits, and modify the pre-existing ones. In this sense, the objective of this study was to apply supervised and unsupervised classification techniques, where the clustering algorithm was the key factor for grouping. This led to the development of three optimal groups of clinical pattern based on their characteristics. The supervised classification methods used in this study were Correspondence (CA) and Decision Trees (DT), which served as visual aids to identify the possible groups. At the same time, they were used as exploratory mechanisms to confirm the results for the existing information, which enhanced the value of the final results. In conclusion, this multi-technique approach was found to be a feasible method that can be used in different situations when there are sufficient data. It was thus necessary to reduce the dimensional space, provide missing values for high-quality information, and apply classification models to search for patterns in the clinical profiles, with a view to grouping the patients efficiently and accurately so that the clinical results can be applied in other research studies.
The Extents of Coronary Heart Disease and the Severity of Newly Developed Dry Eye Disease: A Nationwide Cohort Study
Authors: Lee Chia-Yi , Yang Shun-Fa , Huang Jing-Yang , Chang Chao-Kai
Published: March 2024

This study aimed to evaluate the potential association between coronary heart disease (CHD) severity and the subsequent dry eye disease (DED) with a different severity through the use of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) of Taiwan. A retrospective cohort study was conducted. The CHD population was further divided into a severe CHD that had received coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery group and a mild CHD that had received medicine group, then matched with a 1:2 ratio, and 29,852 and 14,926 CHD patients were put into the severe CHD and mild CHD groups, respectively. The primary outcomes were the development of DED and severe DED after CHD diagnosis. The Cox proportional hazards regression was used to produce the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of DED and severe DED between groups. There were 3440 and 1276 DED cases in the mild CHD and severe CHD groups, respectively. And another 37 and 48 severe CHD events were observed in the mild and severe CHD groups, respectively. The incidence of severe DED in the severe CHD group was significantly higher compared to the mild CHD group (aHR: 5.454, 95% CI: 1.551–7.180, p = 0.0001). The cumulative probabilities of DED and severe DED were significantly higher in the severe CHD group than the mild CHD group (both p < 0.0001). In the subgroup analysis, the correlation between severe CHD and DED was higher in the patients aged older than 70 years (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, severe CHD is associated with a higher incidence of severe DED with a higher cumulative incidence.
Development and State of the Art of Entrepreneurship Education: A Bibliometric Review
Authors: Talukder Saurav Chandra , Lakner Zoltán , Temesi Ágoston
Published: March 2024

Entrepreneurship education (EE) plays a vital role in fostering an entrepreneurial culture and promoting the growth of the small- and medium-sized business sector in a nation. Research on EE has advanced extremely rapidly in the last two decades. These changes are evident not only in the quantity of published works but also in the evolving methods of academic communication, the rise of emerging nations as prominent contributors to EE research, and the shifting areas of focus in study themes. This current study aims to provide a comprehensive picture of these processes based on a big-data-centred bibliometric analysis of a corpus of 3787 articles that appeared in the Web of Science literature database. The bibliographic metadata was analysed using Biblioshiny, CitNetExplorer, and VOSviewer. To understand the most significant development trends, researchers employed the triangulation method, which included scientific mapping and epistemological analysis in addition to standard tools of bibliometric analysis. This has led to the identification of some study needs. First, improving EE methods in secondary school curricula; second, EE in adult education and the practicality of the findings for andragogy; third, EE in least developed countries and its unique challenges; fourth, combining EE with internet-based, innovative training and education approaches like gamification and simulations; fifth, EE’s role and methodological development in societal economic integration; and sixth, women’s unique EE requirements. On top of that, this study provides the basis for policymakers and practitioners to consider incorporating entrepreneurial education programmes, which can help to create a prosperous entrepreneurial ecosystem.
An Efficient Multi-Scale Attention Feature Fusion Network for 4K Video Frame Interpolation
Authors: Ning Xin , Li Yuhang , Feng Ziwei , Liu Jinhua , Ding Youdong
Published: March 2024

Video frame interpolation aims to generate intermediate frames in a video to showcase finer details. However, most methods are only trained and tested on low-resolution datasets, lacking research on 4K video frame interpolation problems. This limitation makes it challenging to handle high-frame-rate video processing in real-world scenarios. In this paper, we propose a 4K video dataset at 120 fps, named UHD4K120FPS, which contains large motion. We also propose a novel framework for solving the 4K video frame interpolation task, based on a multi-scale pyramid network structure. We introduce self-attention to capture long-range dependencies and self-similarities in pixel space, which overcomes the limitations of convolutional operations. To reduce computational cost, we use a simple mapping-based approach to lighten self-attention, while still allowing for content-aware aggregation weights. Through extensive quantitative and qualitative experiments, we demonstrate the excellent performance achieved by our proposed model on the UHD4K120FPS dataset, as well as illustrate the effectiveness of our method for 4K video frame interpolation. In addition, we evaluate the robustness of the model on low-resolution benchmark datasets.
Site Quality for Araucaria angustifolia Plantations with Subtropical Cambisol Is Driven by Soil Organism Assemblage and the Litter and Soil Compartments
Authors: Souza Tancredo , Dobner Mário , Batista Diego Silva , Araujo Damiana Justino , Nascimento Gislaine dos Santos , da Silva Lucas Jónatan Rodrigues
Published: March 2024

Different site quality levels in Araucaria angustifolia (Bert.) O. Kuntze plantations may influence the soil organisms and the interaction between litter and soil chemical properties by providing habitats and nutrients in different pathways. Our aim here was to understand the effect of site quality level in the interaction among litter, soil–solid phase, and organism assemblage on A. angustifolia, Campo Belo de Sul, Santa Catarina, Southern Brazil. In the low site quality, the litter deposition, litter K content, litter Ca content, soil organic matter, soil P content, soil K content, and soil exchangeable Ca reduced by 50.50, 49.54, 11.89, 20.51, 11.74, 61.18, and 35.18%, respectively, when compared to the high site quality. Nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) grouped the influence of site quality degree into three groups, considering the dissimilarities among soil organisms. The ordination of the soil organisms, richness, and Shannon’s diversity in each studied site quality degree had a stress value of 0.08. The structural equation models showed that the loss of site quality had a negative relationship with soil organism assemblage and soil and litter compartments. Our study highlights the fact that a fertile soil, a soil enriched in organisms, and enough litter support the forest productivity.
Dynamic Industrial Optimization: A Framework Integrates Online Machine Learning for Processing Parameters Design
Authors: Yao Yu , Qian Quan
Published: March 2024

We develop the online process parameter design (OPPD) framework for efficiently handling streaming data collected from industrial automation equipment. This framework integrates online machine learning, concept drift detection and Bayesian optimization techniques. Initially, concept drift detection mitigates the impact of anomalous data on model updates. Data without concept drift are used for online model training and updating, enabling accurate predictions for the next processing cycle. Bayesian optimization is then employed for inverse optimization and process parameter design. Within OPPD, we introduce the online accelerated support vector regression (OASVR) algorithm for enhanced computational efficiency and model accuracy. OASVR simplifies support vector regression, boosting both speed and durability. Furthermore, we incorporate a dynamic window mechanism to regulate the training data volume for adapting to real-time demands posed by diverse online scenarios. Concept drift detection uses the EI-kMeans algorithm, and the Bayesian inverse design employs an upper confidence bound approach with an adaptive learning rate. Applied to single-crystal fabrication, the OPPD framework outperforms other models, with an RMSE of 0.12, meeting precision demands in production.
Numerical Modeling of Mid-IR Lasers Based on Tb-Doped Chalcogenide Multicore Fibers
Authors: Salnikov Nikolay I. , Andrianov Alexey V. , Anashkina Elena A.
Published: March 2024

Mid-IR fiber lasers operating at wavelengths near 5 μm are of great interest for many fundamental and industrial applications, but only a few experimental samples based on active chalcogenide fibers have been demonstrated so far. One of the limitations of the power of such lasers may be a fairly low fiber damage threshold. To solve this problem, we developed and numerically investigated in detail a mid-IR fiber laser at 5.3 µm with multi-W output power pumped into the cladding at a wavelength of 2 µm. We proposed using a Tb-doped chalcogenide multicore fiber with 25 single-mode cores arranged in a 5 × 5 square lattice as an active medium. The proposed laser design surpasses the power limit of single-core chalcogenide fibers. When simulating lasers, we specified realistic parameters of Tb-doped chalcogenide glass based on published experimental data. We performed a comprehensive theoretical analysis, studied the influence of various factors on the characteristics of generation, and found optimal system parameters and expected generation parameters.
Challenges in the Use of AI-Driven Non-Destructive Spectroscopic Tools for Rapid Food Analysis
Authors: Jia Wenyang , Georgouli Konstantia , Martinez-Del Rincon Jesus , Koidis Anastasios
Published: March 2024

Routine, remote, and process analysis for foodstuffs is gaining attention and can provide more confidence for the food supply chain. A new generation of rapid methods is emerging both in the literature and in industry based on spectroscopy coupled with AI-driven modelling methods. Current published studies using these advanced methods are plagued by weaknesses, including sample size, abuse of advanced modelling techniques, and the process of validation for both the acquisition method and modelling. This paper aims to give a comprehensive overview of the analytical challenges faced in research and industrial settings where screening analysis is performed while providing practical solutions in the form of guidelines for a range of scenarios. After extended literature analysis, we conclude that there is no easy way to enhance the accuracy of the methods by using state-of-the-art modelling methods and the key remains that capturing good quality raw data from authentic samples in sufficient volume is very important along with robust validation. A comprehensive methodology involving suitable analytical techniques and interpretive modelling methods needs to be considered under a tailored experimental design whenever conducting rapid food analysis.
Leveraging Plasma-Activated Seawater for the Control of Human Norovirus and Bacterial Pathogens in Shellfish Depuration
Authors: Pandiscia Annamaria , Lorusso Patrizio , Manfredi Alessio , Sánchez Gloria , Terio Valentina , Randazzo Walter
Published: March 2024

Cold plasma is a promising alternative for water treatment owing to pathogen control and a plethora of issues in the agriculture and food sectors. Shellfish pose a serious risk to public health and are linked to large viral and bacterial outbreaks. Hence, current European regulations mandate a depuration step for shellfish on the basis of their geographical growth area. This study investigated the inactivation of relevant viral and bacterial pathogens of three plasma-activated seawaters (PASWs), and their reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS) composition, as being primarily responsible for microbial inactivation. Specifically, F-specific (MS2) and somatic (φ174) bacteriophage, cultivable surrogate (murine norovirus, MNV, and Tulane virus, TV), and human norovirus (HuNoV GII.4) inactivation was determined using plaque counts and infectivity assays, including the novel human intestinal enteroid (HIE) model for HuNoV. Moreover, the kinetic decay of Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., and Vibrio parahaemolyticus was characterized. The results showed the complete inactivation of phages (6–8 log), surrogates (5–6 log), HuNoV (6 log), and bacterial (6–7 log) pathogens within 24 h while preventing cytotoxicity effects and preserving mussel viability. Nitrites (NO2−) were found to be mostly correlated with microbial decay. This research shows that PASWs are a suitable option to depurate bivalve mollusks and control the biohazard risk linked to their microbiological contamination, either viral or bacterial.
Grain Chalkiness Is Decreased by Balancing the Synthesis of Protein and Starch in Hybrid Indica Rice Grains under Nitrogen Fertilization
Authors: Guo Changchun , Zhang Lin , Jiang Peng , Yang Zhiyuan , Chen Zongkui , Xu Fuxian , Guo Xiaoyi , Sun Yongjian , Ma Jun
Published: March 2024

The important reason for the commercial value of hybrid rice suffering is due to excessive chalkiness, and the biosynthesis of starch and proteins is critical for regulating chalkiness; however, it is currently unclear how the application of N fertilizer affects grains to reduce their chalkiness and improve their quality. The 2019, 2020, and 2021 trials were conducted in a split-plot design, with high and low chalky varieties as the main plot and N fertilizer rate as the split-plot. The effects of fertilization with 75, 150, and 225 kg N ha−1 on the dynamic synthesis of starch, protein, and endogenous hormones and on the amino acid of hybrid indica rice kernels with different degrees of chalkiness were investigated. Grain physiological activity was higher in low-chalky varieties than in high-chalky varieties, and these physiological parameters were strongly associated with chalkiness formation. Higher N fertilization (150 and 225 kg N ha−1) significantly reduced the proportion of chalky grains (8.93–28.02%) and chalkiness (8.61–33.99%) compared with 75 kg N ha−1. Increased N fertilization decreased the activities of granule-bound starch synthase and starch-debranching enzyme, but significantly increased adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase, soluble starch synthase, and starch-branching enzyme activities, synergistically improving glutamate synthetase and glutamine synthetase enzyme activities, which tended to support the synthesis of amylopectin, α-ketoglutarate, and 3-phosphoglyceric acid-derived amino acids in the endosperm cells of the grains; this favored starch and protein accumulation in the grains at 6–30 days after anthesis. Additionally, N application promoted the synthesis of endogenous hormones 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid, gibberellins, and abscisic acid in grains. Hence, N fertilization reduced the rice chalkiness in hybrid indica rice varieties by balancing grain protein and starch composition and enhancing some endogenous hormone synthesis.
Novel Controller Design for Finite-Time Synchronization of Fractional-Order Nonidentical Complex Dynamical Networks under Uncertain Parameters
Authors: He Xiliang , Wang Yu , Li Tianzeng , Kang Rong , Zhao Yu
Published: March 2024

The synchronization of complex networks, as an important and captivating dynamic phenomenon, has been investigated across diverse domains ranging from social activities to ecosystems and power systems. Furthermore, the synchronization of networks proves instrumental in solving engineering quandaries, such as cryptography and image encryption. And finite-time synchronization (FTS) controls exhibit substantial resistance to interference, accelerating network convergence speed and heightening control efficiency. In this paper, finite-time synchronization (FTS) is investigated for a class of fractional-order nonidentical complex networks under uncertain parameters (FONCNUPs). Firstly, some new FTS criteria for FONCNUPs are proposed based on Lyapunov theory and fractional calculus theory. Then, the new controller is designed based on inequality theory. Compared to the general controller, it controls all nodes and adds additional control to some of them. When compared to other controllers, it has lower control costs and higher efficiency. Finally, a numerical example is presented to validate the effectiveness and rationality of the obtained results.
Variable-Order Fractional Linear Systems with Distributed Delays—Existence, Uniqueness and Integral Representation of the Solutions
Authors: Kiskinov Hristo , Milev Mariyan , Petkova Milena , Zahariev Andrey
Published: March 2024

In this work, we study a general class of retarded linear systems with distributed delays and variable-order fractional derivatives of Caputo type. We propose an approach consisting of finding an associated one-parameter family of constant-order fractional systems, which is “almost” equivalent to the considered variable-order system in an appropriate sense. This approach allows us to replace the study of the initial problem (IP) for variable-order fractional systems with the study of an IP for these one-parameter families of constant-order fractional systems. We prove that the initial problem for the variable-order fractional system with a discontinuous initial function possesses a unique continuous solution on the half-axis when the function describing the variable order of differentiation is locally bounded, Lebesgue integrable and has an appropriate decomposition similar to the Lebesgue decomposition of functions with bounded variation. The obtained results lead to the existence and uniqueness of a fundamental matrix for the studied variable-order fractional homogeneous system. As an application of the obtained results, we establish an integral representation of the solutions of the studied IP.
A Fractal-Based Quantitative Method for the Study of Fracture Evolution of Coal under Different Confining Pressures
Authors: Wang Ancheng , Wang Lei
Published: March 2024

To study the dynamic crack evolution process of loaded coal from the perspective of fractals, we carried out in situ industrial CT scanning tests of loaded coal under different confining pressures, visualizing loaded coal fracturing. Combined with fractal theory, the temporal and spatial evolution law of coal cracks is described quantitatively. The results provide two findings: (1) from the perspective of two-dimensional images and three-dimensional space, the evolution characteristics of cracks in coal under different confining pressures were basically the same in each loading stage. During the loading stages, the cracks exhibited a change rule of a slow reduction, initiation/development, rapid increase, expansion, and penetration. (2) The fractal dimension of coal was calculated by introducing fractal theory, and its change law was in good agreement with the dynamic changes of the cracks, which can explain the influence of the confining pressure on the loaded coal. The fractal dimension showed three stages: a slight decrease, a stable increase, and then a significant increase. The larger the confining pressure, the more obvious the limiting effect. Thus, our approach provides a more accurate method for evaluating the spatial and temporal evolution of cracks in loaded coal. This study can be used to predict the instability failure of loaded coal samples.
Unveiling the Impact of ApoF Deficiency on Liver and Lipid Metabolism: Insights from Transcriptome-Wide m6A Methylome Analysis in Mice
Authors: Shen Xuebin , Chen Mengting , Zhang Jian , Lin Yifan , Gao Xinyue , Tu Jionghong , Chen Kunqi , Zhu An , Xu Shanghua
Published: March 2024

Lipid metabolism participates in various physiological processes and has been shown to be connected to the development and progression of multiple diseases, especially metabolic hepatopathy. Apolipoproteins (Apos) act as vectors that combine with lipids, such as cholesterol and triglycerides (TGs). Despite being involved in lipid transportation and metabolism, the critical role of Apos in the maintenance of lipid metabolism has still not been fully revealed. This study sought to clarify variations related to m6A methylome in ApoF gene knockout mice with disordered lipid metabolism based on the bioinformatics method of transcriptome-wide m6A methylome epitranscriptomics. High-throughput methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) was conducted in both wild-type (WT) and ApoF knockout (KO) mice. As a result, the liver histopathology presented vacuolization and steatosis, and the serum biochemical assays reported abnormal lipid content in KO mice. The m6A-modified mRNAs were conformed consensus sequenced in eukaryotes, and the distribution was enriched within the coding sequences and 3′ non-coding regions. In KO mice, the functional annotation terms of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) included cholesterol, steroid and lipid metabolism, and lipid storage. In the differentially m6A-methylated mRNAs, the functional annotation terms included cholesterol, TG, and long-chain fatty acid metabolic processes; lipid transport; and liver development. The overlapping DEGs and differential m6A-modified mRNAs were also enriched in terms of lipid metabolism disorder. In conclusion, transcriptome-wide MeRIP sequencing in ApoF KO mice demonstrated the role of this crucial apolipoprotein in liver health and lipid metabolism.
A Single-Cell Transcriptome of Bovine Milk Somatic Cells
Authors: Zorc Minja , Dolinar Mateja , Dovč Peter
Published: March 2024

The production of milk by dairy cows far exceeds the nutritional needs of the calf and is vital for the economical use of dairy cattle. High milk yield is a unique production trait that can be effectively enhanced through traditional selection methods. The process of lactation in cows serves as an excellent model for studying the biological aspects of lactation with the aim of exploring the mechanistic base of this complex trait at the cellular level. In this study, we analyzed the milk transcriptome at the single-cell level by conducting scRNA-seq analysis on milk samples from two Holstein Friesian cows at mid-lactation (75 and 93 days) using the 10× Chromium platform. Cells were pelleted and fat was removed from milk by centrifugation. The cell suspension from each cow was loaded on separate channels, resulting in the recovery of 9313 and 14,544 cells. Library samples were loaded onto two lanes of the NovaSeq 6000 (Illumina) instrument. After filtering at the cell and gene levels, a total of 7988 and 13,973 cells remained, respectively. We were able to reconstruct different cell types (milk-producing cells, progenitor cells, macrophages, monocytes, dendritic cells, T cells, B cells, mast cells, and neutrophils) in bovine milk. Our findings provide a valuable resource for identifying regulatory elements associated with various functions of the mammary gland such as lactation, tissue renewal, native immunity, protein and fat synthesis, and hormonal response.
A New Cloud-Native Tool for Pharmacogenetic Analysis
Authors: Yuan David Yu , Park Jun Hyuk , Li Zhenyu , Thomas Rohan , Hwang David M. , Fu Lei
Published: March 2024

Background: The advancement of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies provides opportunities for large-scale Pharmacogenetic (PGx) studies and pre-emptive PGx testing to cover a wide range of genotypes present in diverse populations. However, NGS-based PGx testing is limited by the lack of comprehensive computational tools to support genetic data analysis and clinical decisions. Methods: Bioinformatics utilities specialized for human genomics and the latest cloud-based technologies were used to develop a bioinformatics pipeline for analyzing the genomic sequence data and reporting PGx genotypes. A database was created and integrated in the pipeline for filtering the actionable PGx variants and clinical interpretations. Strict quality verification procedures were conducted on variant calls with the whole genome sequencing (WGS) dataset of the 1000 Genomes Project (G1K). The accuracy of PGx allele identification was validated using the WGS dataset of the Pharmacogenetics Reference Materials from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Results: The newly created bioinformatics pipeline, Pgxtools, can analyze genomic sequence data, identify actionable variants in 13 PGx relevant genes, and generate reports annotated with specific interpretations and recommendations based on clinical practice guidelines. Verified with two independent methods, we have found that Pgxtools consistently identifies variants more accurately than the results in the G1K dataset on GRCh37 and GRCh38. Conclusions: Pgxtools provides an integrated workflow for large-scale genomic data analysis and PGx clinical decision support. Implemented with cloud-native technologies, it is highly portable in a wide variety of environments from a single laptop to High-Performance Computing (HPC) clusters and cloud platforms for different production scales and requirements.
Main Disorders of Gastrointestinal Tract in Older People: An Overview
Authors: Gallo Antonella , Pellegrino Simona , Pero Erika , Agnitelli Maria Chiara , Parlangeli Caterina , Landi Francesco , Montalto Massimo
Published: March 2024

From a physiological standpoint, aging is a progressive reduction in each organ system’s capacity to maintain homeostasis in the face of illness or stressors. With advancing age, gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms and signs may increase, not only due to the aging processes but also to the superimposed effects of comorbidities, which can badly affect digestive functions (i.e., diabetes, malignancy, etc.) and environmental exposure. In general, gastrointestinal symptoms in older people more often underlie organic pathologies, while GI functional disorders are less frequently diagnosed in this age group. Moreover, gastrointestinal disease can also present in a nuanced and atypical manner, making the diagnostic hypothesis and, consequently, the correct diagnosis and therapy more challenging. In addition, with reference to this age group, the clinical implications of gastrointestinal pathologies can be more severe due to a decreased physiologic reserve, with a higher risk for malnutrition resulting in falls, depression, social isolation, and a deterioration of functional status. In this review, we focused on the most frequent GI tract disorders, highlighting the main age-related changes, their epidemiological, pathophysiological and clinical implications, and any differences with younger patients.
Walking and Playing with the Dog to Improve the Physical Activity Level of Adolescents: A Scoping Review
Authors: Pajaujiene Simona , Petrigna Luca
Published: March 2024

Background: In recent years, new technologies such as the introduction of the smartphone and the tablet in everyday life and habits have often made adolescents sedentary. It is becoming a serious problem in society. It is important to propose, as soon as possible, proper and feasible programs to modify this trend. A solution should be to increase physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviors. Adopting dogs and walking and playing with them could be a solution, and the population should be sensitized about this aspect. Consequently, the objective of this scoping revision of the literature is to analyze the association between physical activity in adolescents and the presence of a dog in the family. Methods: Three electronic databases were screened until 21 February 2024. The detected articles were screened against the eligibility criteria. The results were narratively discussed. Results: After the screening process, a total of four studies were included. The studies presented heterogeneity in the physical activity assessment. This made it hard to synthesize the results. Indicatively, there is a positive association between physical activity and dog ownership. Conclusions: walking and playing with the dog increase the physical activity level of adolescents. Therefore, a sensibilization campaign should highlight the importance of having dogs in families, especially in adolescence. It is fundamental to daily walk and play with them.
Urban Heritage Facility Management: A Conceptual Framework for the Provision of Urban-Scale Support Services in Norwegian World Heritage Sites
Authors: Prabowo Bintang Noor , Temeljotov Salaj Alenka , Lohne Jardar
Published: March 2024

This study validated the theoretical keypoints obtained from a previously published scoping literature review within the context of three Norwegian World Heritage sites: Røros, Rjukan, and Notodden. The cross-sectional table of the urban heritage facility management (UHFM) framework, which is based on interviews and correspondence, demonstrates the connection between the tasks of the six clusters of technical departments responsible for the provision of urban-scale support services and the modified critical steps of the Historic Urban Landscape approach, in which an additional step for “monitoring and evaluation” was included. UHFM operates at the intersection of heritage preservation, urban-scale facility management, and stakeholder coordination, which requires a careful balance between urban heritage conservation and sustainable urban management practices, thus enabling the preservation of World Heritage status that, among others, fosters sustainable tourism. The three case studies highlighted the significance of UHFM in preserving heritage value, authenticity, visual quality, and significance. Besides providing comprehensive support services that extend beyond the daily tasks of conservators and World Heritage managers, UHFM also allows feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement. This study highlighted the complex relationship between the provision of urban-scale support services and the preservation of Outstanding Universal Value as the core business of World Heritage sites.
Microclimate-Monitoring: Examining the Indoor Environment of Greek Museums and Historical Buildings in the Face of Climate Change
Authors: Tringa Efstathia , Kavroudakis Dimitris , Tolika Konstantia
Published: March 2024

The preservation of cultural artifacts within museums and historical buildings requires control of microclimatic conditions, and the constantly evolving climate certainly poses a challenge to maintaining recommended conditions. Focused on the Archaeological Museum of Delphi and the Church of Acheiropoietos in Greece, our study evaluates the hygrothermal behavior of these buildings with a specific emphasis on the preservation of cultural heritage objects hosted there. An innovative approach to the real-time analysis of data is utilized, aiming to achieve a timely detection of extreme temperature and humidity levels. A one-year monitoring campaign was carried out to achieve a detailed assessment of the indoor climate in selected museums and historical buildings in Greece. The monitoring campaign was performed using dataloggers that were set to measure and record temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) values hourly. The results allowed for the detection of extreme temperature and relative humidity values, pinpointing the time period that requires more attention. The museum’s heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems provide temperature control for visitor comfort, but the temperature still rises in summer, highlighting the impact of external climate factors. The church’s lack of HVAC systems widens the temperature range compared to the museum, but significant hourly fluctuations are not observed, underlining the building’s high thermal mass and inertia. Both buildings demonstrate a significant response to changes in outdoor temperature, emphasizing the need for future adaptation to climate change. The HMRhs and PRD indices indicate minimal microclimate risk in both buildings for temperature and RH, reducing the probability of material damage. The church’s slightly higher HMRhs index values, attributed to relative humidity, increases susceptibility due to sensitive materials. Overall, the study highlights the importance of managing microclimatic conditions in historical buildings and proposes careful adaptations for the protection of cultural heritage.
From 3D Point Cloud to an Intelligent Model Set for Cultural Heritage Conservation
Authors: Crisan Andrei , Pepe Massimiliano , Costantino Domenica , Herban Sorin
Published: March 2024

Cultural heritage conservation demands interdisciplinary and complex documentation and analysis while facing increasing pressure to adopt sustainable and productive practices. This paper bridges these gaps by proposing a methodology and a set of requirements for Building Information Modeling (BIM) models aligned with European directives for sustainability and productivity in the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) sector. Leveraging 3D scanning and intelligent models, we establish information needs specific to conservation, encompassing material properties, historical data, and decay analysis. Interoperability, compatibility with advanced analytical tools, and open-source formats are emphasized for seamless data integration and accessibility. We further introduce two use cases for BIM-enabled heritage conservation, illustrating the application of our proposed methodology in real-world scenarios. These cases exemplify how BIM models cater to the specific needs of cultural heritage sites, from their initial condition assessment to ongoing preservation efforts. Through these examples, we demonstrate the adaptability of BIM technology in capturing and managing the complex information associated with heritage conservation, including structural details, material characteristics, and historical significance. Our work highlights the potential of BIM to revolutionize heritage conservation practices, offering a digital backbone for documentation, analysis, and management that aligns with sustainability and productivity goals.
Similarity Measurement and Retrieval of Three-Dimensional Voxel Model Based on Symbolic Operator
Authors: He Zhenwen , Liu Xianzhen , Zhang Chunfeng
Published: March 2024

Three-dimensional voxel models are widely applied in various fields such as 3D imaging, industrial design, and medical imaging. The advancement of 3D modeling techniques and measurement devices has made the generation of three-dimensional models more convenient. The exponential increase in the number of 3D models presents a significant challenge for model retrieval. Currently, these models are numerous and typically represented as point clouds or meshes, resulting in sparse data and high feature dimensions within the retrieval database. Traditional methods for 3D model retrieval suffer from high computational complexity and slow retrieval speeds. To address this issue, this paper combines spatial-filling curves with octree structures and proposes a novel approach for representing three-dimensional voxel model sequence data features, along with a similarity measurement method based on symbolic operators. This approach enables efficient similarity calculations and rapid dimensionality reduction for the three-dimensional model database, facilitating efficient similarity calculations and expedited retrieval.
The First High-Quality Genome Assembly of Freshwater Pearl Mussel Sinohyriopsis cumingii: New Insights into Pearl Biomineralization
Authors: Bai Zhiyi , Lu Ying , Hu Honghui , Yuan Yongbin , Li Yalin , Liu Xiaojun , Wang Guiling , Huang Dandan , Wang Zhiyan , Mao Yingrui , Wang He , Chen Liangbiao , Li Jiale
Published: March 2024

China leads the world in freshwater pearl production, an industry in which the triangle sail mussel (Sinohyriopsis cumingii) plays a pivotal role. In this paper, we report a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of S. cumingii with a size of 2.90 Gb—the largest yet reported among bivalves—and 89.92% anchorage onto 19 linkage groups. The assembled genome has 37,696 protein-coding genes and 50.86% repeat elements. A comparative genomic analysis revealed expansions of 752 gene families, mostly associated with biomineralization, and 237 genes under strong positive selection. Notably, the fibrillin gene family exhibited gene family expansion and positive selection simultaneously, and it also exhibited multiple high expressions after mantle implantation by transcriptome analysis. Furthermore, RNA silencing and an in vitro calcium carbonate crystallization assay highlighted the pivotal role played by one fibrillin gene in calcium carbonate deposition and aragonite transformation. This study provides a valuable genomic resource and offers new insights into the mechanism of pearl biomineralization.
A Survey of AI Techniques in IoT Applications with Use Case Investigations in the Smart Environmental Monitoring and Analytics in Real-Time IoT Platform
Authors: Panduman Yohanes Yohanie Fridelin , Funabiki Nobuo , Fajrianti Evianita Dewi , Fang Shihao , Sukaridhoto Sritrusta
Published: March 2024

In this paper, we have developed the SEMAR (Smart Environmental Monitoring and Analytics in Real-Time) IoT application server platform for fast deployments of IoT application systems. It provides various integration capabilities for the collection, display, and analysis of sensor data on a single platform. Recently, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become very popular and widely used in various applications including IoT. To support this growth, the integration of AI into SEMAR is essential to enhance its capabilities after identifying the current trends of applicable AI technologies in IoT applications. In this paper, we first provide a comprehensive review of IoT applications using AI techniques in the literature. They cover predictive analytics, image classification, object detection, text spotting, auditory perception, Natural Language Processing (NLP), and collaborative AI. Next, we identify the characteristics of each technique by considering the key parameters, such as software requirements, input/output (I/O) data types, processing methods, and computations. Third, we design the integration of AI techniques into SEMAR based on the findings. Finally, we discuss use cases of SEMAR for IoT applications with AI techniques. The implementation of the proposed design in SEMAR and its use to IoT applications will be in future works.
Theoretical Study Regarding the General Stability of Upper Chords of Truss Bridges as Beams on Continuous or Discrete Elastic Supports
Authors: Răcănel Ionuţ-Radu
Published: March 2024

New or in-service truss bridges, with or without upper bracing systems, may display instability phenomena such as general lateral torsional buckling of the upper chord. The buckling of structural elements, particularly in the case of steel bridges, can be associated with the risk of collapse or temporary/permanent withdrawal from service. Such incidents have occurred in the case of several bridges in different countries: the collapse of the Dee bridge with truss girders in 1847 in Cheshire, England; the collapse of the semi-parabolic truss girder bridge near Ljubičevo over the Morava River in Serbia in 1892; the collapse of the Dysart bridge in Cambria County, Pennsylvania in 2007; the collapse of the Chauras bridge in Uttarakhand, India in 2012; and the collapse of a bridge in Nova Scotia, Canada (2020), and such examples may continue. Buckling poses a significant danger as it often occurs at lower load values compared to those considered during the design phase. Additionally, this phenomenon can manifest suddenly, without prior warning, rendering intervention for its prevention impossible or futile. In contemporary times, most research and design calculation software offer the capability to establish preliminary values for buckling loads, even for highly intricate structures. This is typically achieved through linear eigenvalue buckling analyses, often followed by significantly more complex large displacement nonlinear analyses. However, interpreting the results for complex bridge structures can be challenging, and their accuracy is difficult to ascertain. Consequently, this paper aims to introduce an original method for a more straightforward estimation of the buckling load of the upper chord in steel truss bridges. This method utilizes the theory of beams on discrete elastic supports. The buckling load of the upper chord was determined using both the finite element method and the proposed methodology, yielding highly consistent results.
Monoaminergic Systems in Flight-Induced Potentiation of Phonotactic Behavior in Female Crickets Gryllus bimaculatus
Authors: Mezheritskiy Maxim , Melnikova Victoria , Dyakonova Varvara , Vorontsov Dmitry
Published: March 2024

We have recently shown that experience of flight remarkably enhanced subsequent terrestrial phonotaxis in females in response to the male calling song. Here, we elucidated the possible roles of octopamine and serotonin in the enhancing effect of flying on phonotactic behavior. Octopamine is known to be released into the hemolymph during flight in insects; however, the octopamine receptor antagonist epinastine did not abolish the effects of flight in our study. On the contrary, the drug significantly potentiated the influence of flying on phonotactic behavior. The octopamine receptor agonist chlordimeform, at a concentration of 2 mM, which was previously found to activate aggression in crickets, dramatically reduced the phonotactic response. However, at a 10-times-lower dose, chlordimeform produced a light but significant decrease in the time that females took to reach the source of the calling song. A similar effect was produced by octopamine itself, which hardly passes the blood–brain barrier in insects. The effect of flight was completely abolished in female crickets treated with alpha-methyl tryptophan (AMTP). AMPT suppresses the synthesis of serotonin, decreasing its content in the nervous systems of insects, including crickets. An activation of the serotonin synthesis with 5-hydroxytryptophan mimicked the effect of flight by increasing the number of visits to and the time spent in the zone near the source of the calling song. The 5-HT content in the third thoracic ganglion was significantly higher in flyers compared to the control group. In contrast, no changes in the octopamine level were observed in the third thoracic ganglion, which is known to play a crucial role in decision-making involved in intraspecific interactions. Therefore, the results suggest that although octopamine is known to be released into the hemolymph during flight, it is likely to inhibit rather than activate the central mechanisms related to phonotaxis. The weak facilitating effect of a low dose of chlordimeform can be attributed to the activation of peripheral octopaminergic receptors. Our results suggest that the serotoninergic system may contribute to the facilitation of female phonotactic behavior by flying. We suggest that both flying and serotonin enhance sexual motivation in females and, by these means, impact their behavioral response to the male calling song.
What Factors Predict Adaptive Functioning in Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder? A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Casula Laura , Logrieco Maria Grazia , D’Urso Giulio , Guerrera Silvia , Petrolo Emanuela , Nicolì Ilaria , Celentano Vittoria , Toto Giusi Antonia , Vicari Stefano , Fasolo Mirco , Valeri Giovanni
Published: March 2024

Adaptive functioning constitutes a fundamental aspect of the phenotype associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in preschool-aged children, exerting a significant influence on both the child and the family’s overall quality of life. The aim of this study was to investigate the predictors of the adaptive functioning domains in preschool-age children with ASD at two time points, providing a snapshot of this fundamental developmental step. Methods: Ninety-five children with ASD (M = 3.89, SD = 1.13) were included in the study and longitudinal data (the mean length of the longitudinal data collection was 1 year) on ASD features such as social communication and social interaction, repetitive and restricted behavior, cognitive level, and adaptive functioning were collected. We considered autistic features, cognitive level, and sociodemographic factors as possible predictors of the different adaptive functioning domains one year later. Results: Data obtained showed a worsening of the ASD features and adaptive functioning after one year. Furthermore, the severity of repetitive and restricted behavior predicted adaptive functioning, especially in the social and practical domains of the child, one year later. This prediction was observed alongside the child’s cognitive level. Conclusions: The study identifies some potential predictive factors of specific adaptive functioning domains in preschoolers with ASD. Considering how critical adaptive functioning is for the well-being of both the child and their family, it becomes imperative to design early-stage interventions focused on nurturing adaptive skills in children with ASD.