bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can wrist-worn devices and a smartphone application influence arm activity in children with unilateral cerebral palsy? A proof-of-concept study
Authors: Turner Amie , Jackson Dan , Officer Eleanor , Boyne-Nelson Chelsy , Zielinska Zosia , Dinraj Divya , Blickwedel Jessica , Nappey Tom , Rapley Tim , Turpin Heather , Cadwgan Jill , Pearse Janice Elizabeth , Basu Anna Purna
Published: January 2023

Aim

To determine whether a wrist-worn triaxial accelerometer-based device and software (including smartphone application), incorporating feedback, is feasible, acceptable, and can lead to increased affected upper limb use during everyday activities in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP).

Methods

Study design: Mixed methods proof of concept study. Participants: Children aged 8–18 years with UCP; age-matched typically developing controls (“Buddies”), therapists. Intervention:Baseline (2 weeks): devices recorded arm activity. Active feedback (6 weeks): devices also gave vibratory prompts if affected arm activity fell below pre-set personalised thresholds (UCP group only; control group continued as per Baseline). Final 2 weeks: as baseline. Both groups accessed a smartphone application providing feedback on relative arm motion throughout the study. Assessment and analysis: ABILHAND-Kids questionnaires and MACS classifications captured baseline participant characteristics (UCP group). Accelerometer data was used to calculate relative arm activity (signal vector magnitude) corrected for time worn/day, and trends in relative arm activity examined using single case experimental design (both groups). In-depth interviews with families, “Buddies” and therapists assessed feasibility and acceptability of implementation. A framework approach was used for qualitative data analysis.

Results

We recruited 19 participants with UCP; 19 buddies; and 7 therapists. Five participants (two with UCP) did not complete the study. Baseline mean (stdev) ABILHAND-Kids score of children with UCP who completed the study was 65.7 (16.2); modal MACS score was II.

Qualitative analysis demonstrated acceptability and feasibility of the approach. Active therapist input for this group was minimal. Therapists appreciated the potential for summary patient data to inform management. Arm activity in children with UCP increased in the hour following a prompt (mean effect size z = 0.261) for the non-dominant hand, and the dominant hand (z = 0.247). However, a significant increase in affected arm activity between baseline and intervention periods was not demonstrated.

Discussion

Children with UCP were prepared to wear the wristband devices for prolonged periods. Whilst arm activity increased bilaterally in the hour following a prompt, increases were not sustained. Delivery of the study during the COVID-19 pandemic may have negatively influenced findings. Technological challenges occurred but could be overcome. Future testing should incorporate structured therapy input.
Diversity and enzymatic activity of the microbiota isolated from compost based on restaurant waste and yard trimmings
Authors: da Silva Gaspar Suelen , Assis Lucas Lenin Resende de , Prado Maria Paula Ramos do , Pedroso Miguel Maria Gabriela , Magno dos Reis Ferreira Gustavo , Schwan Rosane Freitas , Pasqual Moacir , Rigobelo Everlon Cid , Castro Rafael Peron , Buttrós Victor Hugo , Dória Joyce
Published: January 2023

Introduction

The bad management of organic waste negatively affects environmental quality and composting has been a viable recycling alternative. Microorganisms are responsible for waste degradation during the composting process and, consequently, for transforming this waste into natural fertilizer. This work aimed to analyze and identify the biodiversity of yeasts and filamentous fungi throughout a composting process based on organic residues under different treatments (commercial inoculum, non-commercial inoculum, and control treatment) and to investigate the enzymatic activity of these microorganisms.

Methods

Microorganisms were isolated and identified from samples at 0, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, and 120 days. Filamentous fungi were identified according to their macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, and yeasts were identified by sequencing the 18S rDNA region. All identified strains were evaluated for ligninolytic, cellulolytic, hemicellulolytic, amylolytic, pectinolytic, proteolytic, lipolytic, and ammonification. During the composting phases, the filamentous fungi were higher than the yeast population.

Results and discussion

At the beginning of the process, a higher species diversity was observed, and the population of yeasts and filamentous fungi was, on average, 6.50 log CFU g−1. The microbial communities were similar throughout the process in the two inoculated treatments, which showed more significant microbial activity, diversity, and efficiency in the transformation of organic matter, and consequently, advantages in terms of the final product quality compared to the control treatment. The yeasts Pichia kudriavzevii, Pichia farinosa, Issatchenkia orientalis, and the filamentous fungi of the genus Aspergillus spp. proved to have high biotechnological value and could be used as starter cultures to accelerate the composting process.
Treatment of gorham-stout disease with bisphosphonates and total hip arthroplasty: A case report
Authors: Zhang LiQian , Li JianJian , Yao Fei , Chen YiHao , Zhang Shuo , Lv Hao , Jing JueHua
Published: January 2023

Background

Gorham-Stout disease (GSD) is a rare osteolytic disease with unknown etiology, varied clinical manifestations and unpredictable prognosis. This disease is characterized by progressive massive local osteolysis and resorption caused by intraosseous lymphatic vessel structure and thin-walled vascular proliferation. The diagnosis of GSD has not yet formed a uniform standard, but the combination of clinical manifestations, radiological features and unique histopathological examinations and excluding other diseases contribute to early diagnosis. Although medical therapy, radiotherapy and surgical interventions or combinations have been used for the treatment of GSD, there is currently still no recommended standardized treatment regimen.

Case report

This paper presents a case of a previously healthy 70-year-old man presented with a 10-year history of severe right hip pain and progressive walking disorder of the lower limbs. Based on the patient's clear clinical presentation, unique radiological features, and histological findings, a diagnosis of GSD was made with the exclusion of other potential diseases. The patient was treated with bisphosphonates to slow the progression of the disease followed by total hip arthroplasty to help restore walking function. At the 3-year follow-up, the patient returned to normal walking and no recurrence was observed.

Conclusion

Bisphosphonates combined with total hip arthroplasty may be an effective method for the treatment of severe GSD in the hip joint.
Predictors of surgical site infection following reconstructive flap surgery: A multi-institutional analysis of 37,177 patients
Authors: Hassan Bashar , Abou Koura Abdulghani , Makarem Adham , Abi Mosleh Kamal , Dimassi Hani , Tamim Hani , Ibrahim Amir
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Rates of surgical site infection (SSI) following reconstructive flap surgeries (RFS) vary according to flap recipient site, potentially leading to flap failure. This is the largest study to determine predictors of SSI following RFS across recipient sites.

Methods

The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients undergoing any flap procedure from years 2005 to 2020. RFS involving grafts, skin flaps, or flaps with unknown recipient site were excluded. Patients were stratified according to recipient site: breast, trunk, head and neck (H&N), upper and lower extremities (UE&LE). The primary outcome was the incidence of SSI within 30 days following surgery. Descriptive statistics were calculated. Bivariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to determine predictors of SSI following RFS.

Results

37,177 patients underwent RFS, of whom 7.5% (n = 2,776) developed SSI. A significantly greater proportion of patients who underwent LE (n = 318, 10.7%) and trunk (n = 1,091, 10.4%) reconstruction developed SSI compared to those who underwent breast (n = 1,201, 6.3%), UE (n = 32, 4.4%), and H&N (n = 100, 4.2%) reconstruction (p < .001). Longer operating times were significant predictors of SSI following RFS across all sites. The strongest predictors of SSI were presence of open wound following trunk and H&N reconstruction [adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.82 (1.57–2.11) and 1.75 (1.57–1.95)], disseminated cancer following LE reconstruction [aOR (CI) 3.58 (2.324–5.53)], and history of cardiovascular accident or stroke following breast reconstruction [aOR (CI) 16.97 (2.72–105.82)].

Conclusion

Longer operating time was a significant predictor of SSI regardless of reconstruction site. Reducing operating times through proper surgical planning might help mitigate the risk of SSI following RFS. Our findings should be used to guide patient selection, counseling, and surgical planning prior to RFS.
Assessment of preoperative anxiety and depression in patients with pulmonary ground-glass opacities: Risk factors and postoperative outcomes
Authors: Han Yu , Yu Qiduo , Ma Qianli , Zhang Jin , Shi Yuhui , Zhang Zhenrong , Qiang Guangliang , Xiao Fei , Liang Chaoyang
Published: January 2023

Objective

A large number of patients with pulmonary ground-glass opacities (GGOs) have anxiety and depression. However, the contributing factors and effects of anxiety and depression on postoperative outcomes are still unclear.

Methods

Clinical data for patients undergoing surgical resection for pulmonary GGOs were collected. We prospectively evaluated levels and risk factors for anxiety and depression in patients with GGOs before surgery. The relationship between psychological disorders and postoperative morbidity was evaluated. Quality of life (QoL) was also assessed.

Results

A total of 133 patients were enrolled. Prevalence rates of preoperative anxiety and depression were 26.3% (n = 35) and 18% (n = 24), respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed depression [odds ratio(OR) = 16.27, p < 0.001] and multiple GGOs (OR = 3.146, p = 0.033) to be risk factors for preoperative anxiety. Anxiety (OR = 52.166, p < 0.001), age > 60 (OR = 3.601, p = 0.036), and unemployment (OR = 8.248, p = 0.006) were identified as risk factors for preoperative depression. Preoperative anxiety and depression were associated with lower QoL and higher postoperative pain scores. Our results also revealed that the incidence of postoperative atrial fibrillation was higher in patients with than in those without anxiety.

Conclusions

In patients with pulmonary GGOs, comprehensive psychological assessment and appropriate management are required before surgery to improve QoL and reduce postoperative morbidity.
A prediction model for in-hospital mortality in intensive care unit patients with metastatic cancer
Authors: Wu Meizhen , Gao Haijin
Published: January 2023

Aim

To identify predictors for in-hospital mortality in patients with metastatic cancer in intensive care units (ICUs) and established a prediction model for in-hospital mortality in those patients.

Methods

In this cohort study, the data of 2,462 patients with metastatic cancer in ICUs were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis was applied to identify the predictors for in-hospital mortality in metastatic cancer patients. Participants were randomly divided into the training set (n = 1,723) and the testing set (n = 739). Patients with metastatic cancer in ICUs from MIMIC-IV were used as the validation set (n = 1,726). The prediction model was constructed in the training set. The area under the curve (AUC), sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were employed for measuring the predictive performance of the model. The predictive performance of the model was validated in the testing set and external validation was performed in the validation set.

Results

In total, 656 (26.65%) metastatic cancer patients were dead in hospital. Age, respiratory failure, the sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, the Simplified Acute Physiology Score II (SAPS II) score, glucose, red cell distribution width (RDW) and lactate were predictors for the in-hospital mortality in patients with metastatic cancer in ICUs. The equation of the prediction model was ln(P/(1 + P)) = −5.9830 + 0.0174 × age + 1.3686 × respiratory failure + 0.0537 × SAPS II + 0.0312 × SOFA + 0.1278 × lactate − 0.0026 × glucose + 0.0772 × RDW. The AUCs of the prediction model was 0.797 (95% CI,0.776–0.825) in the training set, 0.778 (95% CI, 0.740–0.817) in the testing set and 0.811 (95% CI, 0.789–0.833) in the validation set. The predictive values of the model in lymphoma, myeloma, brain/spinal cord, lung, liver, peritoneum/pleura, enteroncus and other cancer populations were also assessed.

Conclusion

The prediction model for in-hospital mortality in ICU patients with metastatic cancer exhibited good predictive ability, which might help identify patients with high risk of in-hospital death and provide timely interventions to those patients.
Dietary spirulina supplementation modifies rumen development, fermentation and bacteria composition in Hu sheep when consuming high-fat dietary
Authors: Wang Zhibo , Liang Yaxu , Lu Jiawei , Wei Zongyou , Bao Yongjin , Yao Xiaolei , Fan Yixuan , Wang Feng , Wang Daxiang , Zhang Yanli
Published: January 2023

Introduction

This study aims to investigate the long-term effects of spirulina supplementation in a high-fat diet (HFD) on rumen morphology, rumen fermentation, and the composition of rumen microbiota in lambs. Spirulina is a blue-green microalgae that has been shown to have high nutritional value for livestock.

Methods

Fifty-four lambs were randomly divided into three groups: a normal chow diet (NCD) group, a high-fat diet (HFD) group, and a high-fat diet supplemented with 3% spirulina (HFD+S) group. Rumen morphology, rumen fermentation, and rumen microbiota were analyzed at the end of the study.

Results

Spirulina supplementation improved the concentration of volatile fatty acids and rumen papilla length. Additionally, there was a tendency for an increase in rumen weight and an upregulation of the genes Claudin-1, Claudin-4, and Occludin in the HFD+S group. Pyrosequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene also showed that spirulina supplementation significantly changed the rumen microbiota composition in the HFD group, with a decrease in richness and diversity. Specifically, the relative abundance of Prevotella 9 and Megasphaera was significantly increased in the HFD group compared to the NCD group, while spirulina supplementation reversed these changes.

Discussion

This study suggests that 3% spirulina supplementation can improve rumen development and fermentation, and effectively relieve rumen microbe disorders in lambs caused by a high-fat diet. However, further research is needed to confirm the findings and to examine the long-term effects of spirulina supplementation in different types of livestock and under different dietary conditions.
DSMC Simulation of the Effect of Needle Valve Opening Ratio on the Rarefied Gas Flows inside a Micronozzle with a Large Length-to-Diameter Ratio
Authors: Wang Xudong , Li Yong , Gao Yong , Gao Chenguang , Fu Weichun
Published: January 2023

The cold gas micro-propulsion system can provide low noise and ultra-high accuracy thrust for satellite platforms for space gravitational wave detection, high-precision earth gravity field measurement. In this study, the effect of different needle valve opening ratios on the rarefied flow characteristics of a micro-nozzle in a cold gas micro-propulsion system was investigated based on DSMC method. The special feature of the currently studied micro-nozzle is that it has a section of micro-channel with a large length–diameter ratio up to 4.5. Due to the extremely small needle valve displacement of the nozzle (minimum needle valve displacement up to 1.7 μm), a finely structured mesh was used. The molecular particle and macro flow characteristics inside the micro-nozzle were calculated for the conditions of a needle valve opening ratio from 5% to 98%. The throttling effect of the throat has a significant effect on the rarefied flow in the micro-nozzle; especially under the tiny opening, this effect is more significant. The spatial distribution of continuous flow, transition flow, and free molecular flow in the micro-nozzle varies at different needle valve opening ratios. As the needle valve opening ratio increases, the continuous flow will gradually fill the microfluidic region.
Exogenous Melatonin Positively Regulates Rice Root Growth through Promoting the Antioxidant System and Mediating the Auxin Signaling under Root-Zone Hypoxia Stress
Authors: Liu Juan , Wang Jiajia , Zhang Tianhai , Li Meng , Yan Huimin , Liu Qiuyuan , Wei Yunfei , Ji Xin , Zhao Quanzhi
Published: January 2023

Root growth and development is an important indicator of root-zone hypoxia tolerance in rice. Melatonin has been suggested to function as a crucial regulator in modulating root growth and improving plant abiotic stress resistance. To explore the role and potential mechanism of melatonin in regulating the root growth under root-zone hypoxia stress, rice seedlings were treated with hypoxia (oxygen level at 0.9–2.1 mg·L−1), combined with or without a 20 μmol·L−1 melatonin pretreatment under a hydroponic condition. The results showed that the exogenous application of melatonin significantly alleviated the inhibition of the rice root growth that was induced by the hypoxia stress. The morphological–phenotypic analyses showed that after the melatonin pretreatment, the primary root length, lateral root length, and lateral root density increased by 11.6%, 8.2%, and 36.8%, respectively, under hypoxia stress. The physiological–biochemical analyses showed that the exogenous melatonin significantly increased the root activity and O2 influx in the root meristem zone under hypoxia stress to 1.5 times that observed in the hypoxia stress group. The melatonin pretreatment significantly improved the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and decreased the accumulation of superoxide anions (O2•−) in the seedling roots, whereas it increased the content of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) under hypoxia stress. The exogenous melatonin pretreatment significantly increased the content of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) by 51.5% in the rice roots compared to the plants without melatonin pretreatment under hypoxia stress. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analyses revealed that the melatonin pretreatment induced the expression of OsPIN1a~1d, OsPIN8, OsPIN9, OsAUX1, OsARF19, and OsGH3-2 in the rice seedling roots under aerated conditions, whereas it only obviously upregulated the expression of OsPIN1b, OsPIN2, and OsGH3-2 under hypoxia stress. These results indicate that melatonin positively regulates root growth and development under hypoxia stress, through improving the antioxidant system and directly or indirectly activating the auxin signaling pathway. This study demonstrates the important role of melatonin to modulate root growth under hypoxia stress, providing a new strategy for improving hypoxia tolerance.
Continuous Mowing for Erigeron canadensis L. Control in Vineyards
Authors: Peruzzi Andrea , Gagliardi Lorenzo , Fontanelli Marco , Frasconi Christian , Raffaelli Michele , Sportelli Mino
Published: January 2023

Erigeron canadensis L. directly competes with vines for nutrients, light, and water, and its management represents a challenge, especially under a vineyard trellis. Conventional weed control in the under-trellis area is achieved by cultivation or multiple herbicides applications, thus leading to relevant environmental issues. For this reason, several eco-friendly or nature-based weed control strategies such as the use of cover crops (CC) that become more relevant in last years. A two-year trial was conducted on a vineyard aimed at evaluating the effect of CC (sown both inter-rows and under-trellis) managed with an autonomous mower (AM) on E. canadensis under trellis control. The combination of CC and AM provided an E. canadensis reduction between 61 and 84% compared to conventional management. The AM work when managing a spontaneous cover provided a density reduction of 26%. Moreover, an analysis of the trampling effect of the AM on the vineyard floor and E. canadensis density was conducted.
Ferroptosis Activation Contributes to the Formation of Skin Lesions in Psoriasis Vulgaris
Authors: Li Siying , Luo Xin , Zhang Suhan , Su Yuwen , Deng Min , Zhu Yanshan , Zhang Peng , Wu Ruifang , Zhao Ming
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Ferroptosis is a newly coined form of programmed cell death marked by lethal accumulation of lipid peroxidation and ferrous iron overload. A few studies on the specific mechanism of ferroptosis in the genesis and development of psoriasis are available. (2) Methods: Levels of lipid reactive oxygen species (ROS) and ferrous iron were measured by flow cytometry. Ultrastructure analysis was performed by transmission electron microscopy. Imiquimod-induced psoriasis-like mice were treated with a ferroptosis inducer. The expressions of mRNA of genes were measured by qRT-PCR. HaCaT cells were used to explore the function of Cyb561d2. (3) Results: In this work, we observed that levels of lipid ROS and ferrous iron in the epidermis of psoriasis vulgaris (PV) patients were increased. The existence of ferroptosis activation in the epidermis of individuals with PV was confirmed by transmission electron microscope both in patients with PV and psoriasis-like mice models. Intradermal injection of the ferroptosis inducer RSL3 in psoriasis-like mice significantly promoted and aggravated the development of psoriasis-like dermatitis, and the level of serum transferrin was also increased in PV samples. Moreover, abnormal expression of some genes related to iron metabolism was also proved in the epidermis of PV cases, among which Cyb561d2 was shown to promote ferrous iron overload and lipid peroxidation accumulation in HaCaT cells. (4) Conclusions: In summary, our study suggested that ferroptosis activation owing to iron overload may be a novel mechanism underlying the formation of skin lesions in individuals with PV.
Numerical Study of Tympanosclerosis Including Its Effect on Human Hearing
Authors: Gentil Fernanda , Parente Marco , Santos Carla , Areias Bruno , Jorge Renato Natal
Published: January 2023

Tympanosclerosis is an abnormal disorder of the middle ear or only the eardrum (i.e., myringosclerosis) in which there are calcium deposits. Normally, it is caused by recurrent middle ear infections. In this work, a 3D finite element model of the ear was developed, simulating different cases of tympanosclerosis. Through this model, the magnitude and the phase angle of the umbo and stapes displacement were obtained. The middle ear sound transfer function was determined for a stimulus of 80, 90 and 100 dB SPL, in a frequency range between 100 Hz and 10 kHz, applied on the outer surface of the eardrum in the external auditory canal. Depending on the tympanosclerosis affected area, the main conclusion is that worse results (leading to hearing loss) occur when all of the ossicular chain is affected.
A Comprehensive Safety Analysis Study for Concrete Core Dams
Authors: Yang Meng , Wang Dong , Gu Chongshi
Published: January 2023

The number of earth-rock dams and their failures are both the highest of all dam types. For a large number of dangerous situations, multi-angle and multi-level effective safety analysis is urgently required. In this paper, a series of studies on seepage and slope stability of the dangerous clay core dam with danger control and reinforcement (CCDDCR) are investigated by a proposed finite element analysis method. A verification process is finished for this proposed method. A new calculation model is proposed based on an iterative algorithm, and a successful example is then taken on. A reasonable conclusion is given based on the analysis of the three-dimensional finite element model of the dangerous CCDDCR. In view of the conventional concrete, the elastic modulus of the wall is higher, and large deformation and stress and concentration will appear under the water loading, which then affects the anti-seepage effect. Its purpose is to investigate the effect of diaphragm wall material in concrete with low elastic modulus on the anti-seepage wall and its significance in similar reinforcement engineering. The first tentative comparative analysis is taken on by this paper for slope stability analysis between the Lizheng method and FEM method. More useful conclusions can be drawn in future for reference in similar reinforcement projects.
Technological Advances on Fault Diagnosis in Wind Turbines: A Patent Analysis
Authors: Barbosa Natasha Benjamim , Nunes Danielle Devequi Gomes , Santos Alex Álisson Bandeira , Machado Bruna Aparecida Souza
Published: January 2023

Given the urgency of mitigating the effects of global warming and the depletion of fossil energy sources, renewable sources of energy, such as wind power, are the focus of the future. However, due to the rapid growth of this technology, concerns about the security and reliability of wind turbines are increasing, especially because of associated hazards and financial costs. Hence, health monitoring and fault identification for wind turbine blades have become an important focus of research. Thus, the objective of this study was to generate data on the current scenario of the techniques used to identify failures and defects in wind turbines and their components. Through the results found, companies can find ways to make decisions and identify potential new technologies. In this way, a technology prospection was conducted that focused on patents to investigate the use of vibration analysis, thermography, and machine learning. A total of 635 patent documents were found, and the evolution in the number of patents over the years has demonstrated the current interest in developing new technologies in this research area. China, the world’s leading country in the area of wind energy, was the country with the highest number of filings, followed by the United States. In the patent documents analyzed, it was possible to identify that those innovative technologies for predicting and detecting failures are a topic of interest for the world’s largest economies. Additionally, it was clear from the results that the application of artificial intelligence to traditional techniques is a current trend and will continue in the future. Technological prospection studies can foster the development of new methods and devices, providing economic and environmental gains for the wind energy industry.
Dental Hydrogels with Essential Oils with Potential Activity in Periodontitis
Authors: Muresan Stefana Maria Cristina , Dreanca Alexandra , Repciuc Calin , Dejescu Cosmina , Rotar Oana , Pop Raul Alexandru , Pantea Stelian , Pall Emoke , Ciotlaus Irina , Sarosi Codruta , Mohan Aurel George , Moldovan Marioara , Oana Liviu
Published: January 2023

This study seeks to understand the effects of new hydrogels based on Oregano® essential oil, Frankincense® essential oil, and the Thieves® blend, which includes clove, lemon, cinnamon bark, eucalyptus radiata, rosemary extract, and Frankincense® essential oil through in vitro cytotoxicity and antimicrobial analysis. Mesenchymal stem cells (D1MSCs) generated from the dental papilla of human wisdom teeth germs were used to test the hydrogels’ cytotoxicity (D1MSCs). The chemical makeup of the tested essential oils (EO) was determined using GC-MS analysis, and their presence in the novel hydrogels was determined using UV-VIS analysis. The primary constituents of the essential oils identified as being present were eugenol, pinene, limonene, carvacrol, and cymene. The primary constituents from essential oils identified by the absorption spectra included eugenol, pinene, limonene, carvacrol, and cymene. The presence of essential oils in the hydrogel composition was also clearly discernible. All of the studied compounds had a reduced cytotoxic effect on cell cultures, proving the lack of in vitro toxicity of the gels. This study demonstrates that hydrogels enriched with pure natural extracts of essential oils have a tangible in vitro antimicrobial potential, especially for Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus.
Simplified High-Performance Cost Aggregation for Stereo Matching
Authors: Zhu Chengtao , Chang Yau-Zen
Published: January 2023

Applying edge preservation filters for cost aggregation has been a leading technique in generating dense disparity maps. However, traditional approaches usually require intensive calculations, and their design parameters must be tuned for different scenarios to obtain the best performance. This paper shows that a simple texture-independent aggregation approach can achieve similar high performance. The proposed algorithm is equivalent to a sequence of matrix multiplications involving two weighting matrices and a primary matching cost. Notably, the weighting matrices are constant for image pairs with the same resolution. For higher matching accuracy, we integrate the algorithm with a multi-scale scheme to fully exploit the spatial distribution of textures in the image pairs. The resultant hybrid approach is efficient and accurate enough to surpass most existing approaches in stereo matching. The performance of the proposed approach is verified by extensive simulation results using the Middlebury (3rd Edition) benchmark stereo database.
Forewarning Model for Glacial Lake Outburst in Southeast Tibet
Authors: Gao Jiajia , Du Jun , Yixi Zhuoma
Published: January 2023

The southeast region of Tibet experiences frequent glacial lake outburst disasters, and disaster warning systems are thus crucial for disaster prevention and mitigation in the area. In this study, based on remote sensing images and historical data, 20 glacial lakes in southeast Tibet were selected as samples for risk analysis. A probability model of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs) in southeast Tibet was established using logistic regression for seven selected prediction indexes. By calculating the sensitivity and specificity of the model, the probability of identifying GLOFs was found to be 60%, with an identification degree of 86%. The under the ROC (receiver operating characteristic) curve index was prominently larger than 0.5, indicating the applicability of logistic regression for predicting GLOFs in southeast Tibet. The probability equation of the model shows that the area of the glacial lake, the distance of the glacial lake from the glacier, the slope of the glacier, the slope of the glacier tongue, and the dam backwater slope have a great influence on the probability of GLOFs. The results can provide a reference for the local governments to prevent disasters and reduce the damage of GLOFs.
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Automation in 2022
Authors:   Automation Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
A Real-Time Computer Vision Based Approach to Detection and Classification of Traffic Incidents
Authors: Basheer Ahmed Mohammed Imran , Zaghdoud Rim , Ahmed Mohammed Salih , Sendi Razan , Alsharif Sarah , Alabdulkarim Jomana , Albin Saad Bashayr Adnan , Alsabt Reema , Rahman Atta , Krishnasamy Gomathi
Published: January 2023

To constructively ameliorate and enhance traffic safety measures in Saudi Arabia, a prolific number of AI (Artificial Intelligence) traffic surveillance technologies have emerged, including Saher, throughout the past years. However, rapidly detecting a vehicle incident can play a cardinal role in ameliorating the response speed of incident management, which in turn minimizes road injuries that have been induced by the accident’s occurrence. To attain a permeating effect in increasing the entailed demand for road traffic security and safety, this paper presents a real-time traffic incident detection and alert system that is based on a computer vision approach. The proposed framework consists of three models, each of which is integrated within a prototype interface to fully visualize the system’s overall architecture. To begin, the vehicle detection and tracking model utilized the YOLOv5 object detector with the DeepSORT tracker to detect and track the vehicles’ movements by allocating a unique identification number (ID) to each vehicle. This model attained a mean average precision (mAP) of 99.2%. Second, a traffic accident and severity classification model attained a mAP of 83.3% while utilizing the YOLOv5 algorithm to accurately detect and classify an accident’s severity level, sending an immediate alert message to the nearest hospital if a severe accident has taken place. Finally, the ResNet152 algorithm was utilized to detect the ignition of a fire following the accident’s occurrence; this model achieved an accuracy rate of 98.9%, with an automated alert being sent to the fire station if this perilous event occurred. This study employed an innovative parallel computing technique for reducing the overall complexity and inference time of the AI-based system to run the proposed system in a concurrent and parallel manner.
Promoting Agritourism in Poland with Ready-Made Digital Components and Rustic Cyberfolklore
Authors: Król Karol , Zdonek Dariusz
Published: January 2023

Online content can have unique cultural value. It is certainly the case for digital representations of folklore found on websites related to rural tourism, including agritourism. It is true for both archaic websites, copies of which are found in digital archives, and modern websites. The purpose of this paper is to assess the frequency of ready-made digital components and rustic folklore on agritourism farms’ websites. The exploration and comparative analysis involved 866 websites from two independent sets: (1) archaic websites, copies of which are available in the Internet Archive and (2) currently operational websites published in the Polish ccTLD (country code top-level domain). We employed HTML code exploration to verify the websites’ development technique and their selected characteristics, including content management systems (CMSs) and responsiveness. In the set of the ccTLD websites, we recorded such design attributes as the type of graphic layout, hero image, and parallax scrolling. The research demonstrated that ready-made folklore graphics were relatively rare among the investigated websites. Elements of rustic cyberfolklore were found only on 17 archaic websites (approx. 4%) and 52 ccTLD websites (approx. 12%). They were most often Kashubian patterns. The research suggests that rustic cyberfolklore is most often found on websites of agritourism farms in areas where local communities and ethnic groups are particularly active and strongly identify with regional traditions.
Context-Based Patterns in Machine Learning Bias and Fairness Metrics: A Sensitive Attributes-Based Approach
Authors: Pagano Tiago P. , Loureiro Rafael B. , Lisboa Fernanda V. N. , Cruz Gustavo O. R. , Peixoto Rodrigo M. , Guimarães Guilherme A. de Sousa , Oliveira Ewerton L. S. , Winkler Ingrid , Nascimento Erick G. Sperandio
Published: January 2023

The majority of current approaches for bias and fairness identification or mitigation in machine learning models are applications for a particular issue that fails to account for the connection between the application context and its associated sensitive attributes, which contributes to the recognition of consistent patterns in the application of bias and fairness metrics. This can be used to drive the development of future models, with the sensitive attribute acting as a connecting element to these metrics. Hence, this study aims to analyze patterns in several metrics for identifying bias and fairness, applying the gender-sensitive attribute as a case study, for three different areas of applications in machine learning models: computer vision, natural language processing, and recommendation systems. The gender attribute case study has been used in computer vision, natural language processing, and recommendation systems. The method entailed creating use cases for facial recognition in the FairFace dataset, message toxicity in the Jigsaw dataset, and movie recommendations in the MovieLens100K dataset, then developing models based on the VGG19, BERT, and Wide Deep architectures and evaluating them using the accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score classification metrics, as well as assessing their outcomes using fourteen fairness metrics. Certain metrics disclosed bias and fairness, while others did not, revealing a consistent pattern for the same sensitive attribute across different application domains, and similarities for the statistical parity, PPR disparity, and error disparity metrics across domains, indicating fairness related to the studied sensitive attribute. Some attributes, on the other hand, did not follow this pattern. As a result, we conclude that the sensitive attribute may play a crucial role in defining the fairness metrics for a specific context.
The Role of Hydrogel in Cardiac Repair and Regeneration for Myocardial Infarction: Recent Advances and Future Perspectives
Authors: Li Ping , Hu Jiajia , Wang Jian , Zhang Junjie , Wang Lu , Zhang Chengliang
Published: January 2023

A myocardial infarction (MI) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality, seriously threatens human health, and becomes a major health burden of our society. It is urgent to pursue effective therapeutic strategies for the regeneration and restore myocardial function after MI. This review discusses the role of hydrogel in cardiac repair and regeneration for MI. Hydrogel-based cardiac patches and injectable hydrogels are the most commonly used applications in cardiac regeneration medicine. With injectable hydrogels, bioactive compounds and cells can be delivered in situ, promoting in situ repair and regeneration, while hydrogel-based cardiac patches reduce myocardial wall stress, which passively inhibits ventricular expansion. Hydrogel-based cardiac patches work as mechanically supportive biomaterials. In cardiac regeneration medicine, clinical trials and commercial products are limited. Biomaterials, biochemistry, and biological actives, such as intelligent hydrogels and hydrogel-based exosome patches, which may serve as an effective treatment for MI in the future, are still under development. Further investigation of clinical feasibility is warranted. We can anticipate hydrogels having immense translational potential for cardiac regeneration in the near future.
Spiking Neuron Mathematical Models: A Compact Overview
Authors: Fortuna Luigi , Buscarino Arturo
Published: January 2023

The features of the main models of spiking neurons are discussed in this review. We focus on the dynamical behaviors of five paradigmatic spiking neuron models and present recent literature studies on the topic, classifying the contributions based on the most-studied items. The aim of this review is to provide the reader with fundamental details related to spiking neurons from a dynamical systems point-of-view.
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation for the Treatment of Autoimmune Neurological Diseases: An Update
Authors: Mariottini Alice , Bulgarini Giovanni , Cornacchini Sara , Damato Valentina , Saccardi Riccardo , Massacesi Luca
Published: January 2023

Over the last two decades, haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) has been explored as a potential therapeutic strategy for autoimmune diseases refractory to conventional treatments, including neurological disorders. Although both autologous (AHSCT) and allogeneic HSCT (allo-HSCT) were investigated, AHSCT was preferentially developed due to a more favourable safety profile compared to allo-HSCT. Multiple sclerosis (MS) represents the most frequent neurological indication for AHSCT, but increasing evidence on the potential effectiveness of transplant in other autoimmune neurological diseases is emerging, although with a risk-benefit ratio overall more uncertain than in MS. In the present work, the rationale for the use of HSCT in neurological diseases and the experimental models that prompted its clinical application will be briefly covered. Case series and prospective studies exploring the use of HSCT in autoimmune diseases other than MS will be discussed, covering both frequent and rare neurological disorders such as myasthenia gravis, myopathies, and stiff-person syndrome. Finally, an updated summary of ongoing and future studies focusing on this issue will be provided.
Hybrid Immunity to SARS-CoV-2 from Infection and Vaccination—Evidence Synthesis and Implications for New COVID-19 Vaccines
Authors: Spinardi Julia R. , Srivastava Amit
Published: January 2023

COVID-19 has taken a severe toll on the global population through infections, hospitalizations, and deaths. Elucidating SARS-CoV-2 infection-derived immunity has led to the development of multiple effective COVID-19 vaccines and their implementation into mass-vaccination programs worldwide. After ~3 years, a substantial proportion of the human population possesses immunity from infection and/or vaccination. With waning immune protection over time against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants, it is essential to understand the duration of protection, breadth of coverage, and effects on reinfection. This targeted review summarizes available research literature on SARS-CoV-2 infection-derived, vaccination-elicited, and hybrid immunity. Infection-derived immunity has shown 93–100% protection against severe COVID-19 outcomes for up to 8 months, but reinfection is observed with some virus variants. Vaccination elicits high levels of neutralizing antibodies and a breadth of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cell responses. Hybrid immunity enables strong, broad responses, with high-quality memory B cells generated at 5- to 10-fold higher levels, versus infection or vaccination alone and protection against symptomatic disease lasting for 6–8 months. SARS-CoV-2 evolution into more transmissible and immunologically divergent variants has necessitated the updating of COVID-19 vaccines. To ensure continued protection against SARS-CoV-2 variants, regulators and vaccine technical committees recommend variant-specific or bivalent vaccines.
Screening Cases of Suspected Early Stage Chronic Kidney Disease from Clinical Laboratory Data: The Comparison between Urine Conductivity and Urine Protein
Authors: Wu Ming-Feng , Lee Ching-Hsiao , Pai Po-Hsin , Wang Jiunn-Min
Published: January 2023

(1) Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) affects more than 800 million global population. Early detection followed by clinical management is among the best approaches for the affected individuals. However, a sensitive screening tool is not yet available. (2) Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 600 patients aged >20 years with a full range of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) for clinical assessment of kidney function between 1 January 2020, to 30 April 2021, at the Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan. With stratified sampling based on the level of eGFR, participants were evenly grouped into training and validation sets for predictive modeling. Concurrent records of laboratory data from urine samples were used as inputs to the model. (3) Results: The predictive model proposed two formulae based on urine conductivity for detecting suspected early-stage CKD. One formula, P_male45, was for used male subjects aged ≥45 years, and it had a prediction accuracy of 76.3% and a sensitivity of 97.3%. The other formula, P_female55, was used for female subjects aged ≥55 years. It had a prediction accuracy of 81.9% and a sensitivity of 98.4%. Urine conductivity, however, had low associations with urine glucose and urine protein levels. (4) Conclusion: The two predictive models were low-cost and provided rapid detection. Compared to urine protein, these models had a better screening performance for suspected early-stage CKD. It may also be applied for monitoring CKD in patients with progressing diabetes mellitus.
Development of the Rabbit NASH Model Resembling Human NASH and Atherosclerosis
Authors: Hayashi Momoko , Kuwabara Yoshibumi , Ito Kuniji , Hojo Yoshiaki , Arai Fumiaki , Kamijima Kazuki , Takeiri Masakazu , Wang Xiaojing , Diao Pan , Nakayama Jun , Tanaka Naoki
Published: January 2023

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is a chronic liver disease which may progress into liver fibrosis and cancer. Since NASH patients have a high prevalence of atherosclerosis and ensuing cardiovascular diseases, simultaneous management of NASH and atherosclerosis is required. Currently, rodents are the most common animal models for NASH and accompanying liver fibrosis, but there are great differences in lipoprotein profiles between rodents and humans, which makes it difficult to reproduce the pathology of NASH patients with atherosclerosis. Rabbits can be a promising candidate for assessing NASH and atherosclerosis because lipoprotein metabolism is more similar to humans compared with rodents. To develop the NASH model using rabbits, we treated the Japanese White rabbit with a newly developed high-fat high-cholesterol diet (HFHCD) containing palm oil 7.5%, cholesterol 0.5%, and ferrous citrate 0.5% for 16 weeks. HFHCD-fed rabbits exhibited NASH at 8 weeks after commencing the treatment and developed advanced fibrosis by the 14th week of treatment. In addition to hypercholesterolemia, atherosclerotic lesion developed in the aorta after 8 weeks. Therefore, this rabbit NASH model might contribute to exploring the concurrent treatment options for human NASH and atherosclerosis.
The Role and Involvement of Stem Cells in Periodontology
Authors: Goriuc Ancuta , Foia Liliana , Cojocaru Karina , Diaconu-Popa Diana , Sandu Darius , Luchian Ionut
Published: January 2023

Periodontitis is a widespread inflammatory condition, characterized by a progressive deterioration of the supporting structures of the teeth. Due to the complexity of periodontal tissue and the surrounding inflammatory microenvironment, the repair of lesions at this level represents a continuous challenge. The regeneration of periodontal tissues is considered a promising strategy. Stem cells have remarkable properties, such as immunomodulatory potential, proliferation, migration, and multilineage differentiation. Thus, they can be used to repair tissue damage and reduce inflammation, potentially leading to periodontal regeneration. Among the stem cells used for periodontal regeneration, we studied dental mesenchymal stem cells (DMSCs), non-dental stem cells, and induced pluripotent stem cells (IPSCs). Although these cells have well documented important physiological characteristics, their use in contemporary practice to repair the affected periodontium is still a challenge.