bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fecal Calprotectin for Small Bowel Crohn’s Disease: Is It a Cutoff Issue?
Authors: Romero-Mascarell Cristina , Fernández-Esparrach Gloria , Rodríguez-De Miguel Cristina , Masamunt Maria Carme , Rodríguez Sonia , Rimola Jordi , Urpí Miguel , Casanova Gherzon Simon , Ordás Ingrid , Ricart Elena , Caballol Berta , Fernández-Clotet Agnès , Panés Julià , Llach Josep , González-Suárez Begoña
Published: September 2022

(1) Background: Fecal calprotectin (FC) correlates well with colonic inflammatory activity of Crohn’s disease (CD); data about relation of FC and small bowel (SB) lesions are still contradictory. The main aim was to analyze the relationship between FC levels and SB inflammatory activity in patients with established or suspected Crohn’s disease, assessed by small bowel capsule endoscopy (SBCE) or magnetic resonance enterography (MRE). (2) Methods: Two cohorts of patients were included: 1. Prospective data were collected from patients with established or suspected CD who underwent SBCE and FC (Cohort A); 2. A retrospective cohort of patients who underwent MRE and FC determination (Cohort B). Different cutoffs for FC were tested in both cohorts. (3) Results: 83 patients were included and 66 were finally analyzed. A total of 69.6% had SB lesions seen by SBCE (n = 25) or MRE (n = 21). FC mean levels were 605.74 + 607.07 μg/g (IQ range: 99.00–878.75), being significantly higher in patients with SB lesions compared to patients without lesions (735.91 + 639.70 μg/g (IQ range: 107.75–1366.25) vs. 306.35 + 395.26 μg/g (IQ range: 78.25–411.0), p < 0.005). For cohort A, 25 out of 35 patients had SB lesions and a significant correlation between Lewis Score and FC levels was achieved (R2: 0.34; p = 0.04). FC sensitivity (S), specificity (E), positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive values (NPV) for predicting SB lesions were 80%, 50%, 80%, and 50%, respectively, for FC > 100 µg/g. For cohort B, inflammatory SB activity, measured by MaRIA score, was detected in 21 out of 31 patients (67.7%). Patients with positive findings in MRE had significantly higher values of FC than those with no lesions (944.9 + 672.1 µg/g vs. 221 + 212.2 µg/g, p < 0.05). S, E, PPV, and NPV of FC were 89%, 50%, 77.2%, and 71.4% for FC levels > 100 µg/g. The higher sensitivity and specificity of the FC levels for the detection of SB lesions with SBCE and MRE was obtained for an FC cutoff >265 μg/g and >430 μg/g, respectively. (4) Conclusions: FC has a good correlation with the presence of SB lesions, assessed by SBCE and MRE, in patients with established or suspected Crohn’s disease. However, the ideal cutoff is here proven to be higher than previously reported. Multicenter and large prospective studies are needed in order to establish definitive FC cutoff levels.
An Interesting Image of Transmural Migration of a Levonorgestrel-Releasing Intrauterine Device (LNg-IUD)
Authors: Mitranovici Melinda-Ildiko , Chiorean Diana Maria , Sabău Adrian-Horațiu , Cocuz Iuliu-Gabriel , Tinca Andreea Cătălina , Mărginean Mihaela Cornelia , Popelea Maria Cătălina , Irimia Traian , Moraru Raluca , Mărginean Claudiu , Craina Marius Lucian , Petre Izabella , Bernad Elena Silvia , Petre Ion , Cotoi Ovidiu Simion
Published: September 2022

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are very common as a method of birth control. By adding progesterone (levonorgestrel), a decrease in the risk of complications has been documented, including the risk of perforation. Even though only a few complications have been described, adjacent organs may be involved in the case of migration—a life-threatening situation. A 45-year-old G4P2 woman was seen in our clinic for LNg-IUD removal, according to the medical instructions. Her main complaints were abdominal discomfort, low back pain, and recurrent menorrhagia. A “lost” IUD was initially suspected; the patient confirmed the detection and removal of the control strings, and a subsequent discussion related to delayed transmural migration of the IUD being followed. The ultrasonography revealed the migration of the IUD to the uterine cervix and size-decreased uterine fibroids, confirming the effectiveness of the LNg-IUD. The MRI and ultrasonography being useless, a subsequent X-ray and CT scan were requested, both confirming a myometrium-positioned IUD, adjacent to the serosa and lumbosacral plexus. Even though the IUD is considered a safe device with reversible effect, it can be associated with severe morbidity, with an ultrasound follow-up being required. For more precise detection of the IUD, we strongly recommend an X-ray or CT scan examination, followed by safe removal.
Automatic Bone Segmentation from MRI for Real-Time Knee Tracking in Fluoroscopic Imaging
Authors: Robert Brenden , Boulanger Pierre
Published: September 2022

Recent progress in real-time tracking of knee bone structures from fluoroscopic imaging using CT templates has opened the door to studying knee kinematics to improve our understanding of patellofemoral syndrome. The problem with CT imaging is that it exposes patients to extra ionising radiation, which adds to fluoroscopic imaging. This can be solved by segmenting bone templates from MRI instead of CT by using a deep neural network architecture called 2.5D U-Net. To train the network, we used the SKI10 database from the MICCAI challenge; it contains 100 knee MRIs with their corresponding annotated femur and tibia bones as the ground truth. Since patella tracking is essential in our application, the SKI10 database was augmented with a new label named UofA Patella. Using 70 MRIs from the database, a 2.5D U-Net was trained successfully after 75 epochs with an excellent final Dice score of 98%, which compared favourably with the best state-of-the-art algorithms. A test set of 30 MRIs were segmented using the trained 2.5D U-Net and then converted into 3D mesh templates by using a marching cube algorithm. The resulting 3D mesh templates were compared to the 3D mesh model extracted from the corresponding labelled data from the augmented SKI10. Even though the final Dice score (98%) compared well with the state-of-the-art algorithms, we initially found that the Euclidean distance between the segmented MRI and SKI10 meshes was over 6 mm in many regions, which is unacceptable for our application. By optimising many of the hyper-parameters of the 2.5D U-Net, we were able to find that, by changing the threshold used in the last layer of the network, one can significantly improve the average accuracy to 0.2 mm with a variance of 0.065 mm for most of the MRI mesh templates. These results illustrate that the Dice score is not always a good predictor of the geometric accuracy of segmentation and that fine-tuning hyper-parameters is critical for improving geometric accuracy.
Ensemble Transfer Learning for Fetal Head Analysis: From Segmentation to Gestational Age and Weight Prediction
Authors: Alzubaidi Mahmood , Agus Marco , Shah Uzair , Makhlouf Michel , Alyafei Khalid , Househ Mowafa
Published: September 2022

Ultrasound is one of the most commonly used imaging methodologies in obstetrics to monitor the growth of a fetus during the gestation period. Specifically, ultrasound images are routinely utilized to gather fetal information, including body measurements, anatomy structure, fetal movements, and pregnancy complications. Recent developments in artificial intelligence and computer vision provide new methods for the automated analysis of medical images in many domains, including ultrasound images. We present a full end-to-end framework for segmenting, measuring, and estimating fetal gestational age and weight based on two-dimensional ultrasound images of the fetal head. Our segmentation framework is based on the following components: (i) eight segmentation architectures (UNet, UNet Plus, Attention UNet, UNet 3+, TransUNet, FPN, LinkNet, and Deeplabv3) were fine-tuned using lightweight network EffientNetB0, and (ii) a weighted voting method for building an optimized ensemble transfer learning model (ETLM). On top of that, ETLM was used to segment the fetal head and to perform analytic and accurate measurements of circumference and seven other values of the fetal head, which we incorporated into a multiple regression model for predicting the week of gestational age and the estimated fetal weight (EFW). We finally validated the regression model by comparing our result with expert physician and longitudinal references. We evaluated the performance of our framework on the public domain dataset HC18: we obtained 98.53% mean intersection over union (mIoU) as the segmentation accuracy, overcoming the state-of-the-art methods; as measurement accuracy, we obtained a 1.87 mm mean absolute difference (MAD). Finally we obtained a 0.03% mean square error (MSE) in predicting the week of gestational age and 0.05% MSE in predicting EFW.
Shoulder Magnetic Resonance Arthrography with the Internal and External Rotation Positions of the Humeral Head in the Evaluation of SLAP Lesions
Authors: Porta Marco , Capelli Serena , Caroli Anna , Balbi Maurizio , Surace Alessandra , Serpi Francesca , Genovese Eugenio Annibale , Albano Domenico , Sconfienza Luca Maria , Sironi Sandro , Aliprandi Alberto
Published: September 2022

We aimed to evaluate the diagnostic performance of shoulder MR arthrography (MRA) acquired in the neutral (N), internal rotation (IR), and external rotation (ER) positions of the shoulder to detect SLAP lesions. Three observers evaluated 130 MRAs to detect SLAP lesions and to calculate labral diastasis in this triple-blinded study. Sensitivity was much higher in the ER (92.5–97.5%) than in the N (60–72.5%) and IR (42.5–52.5%) positions, and the specificity of all the reviewers was 100% in all the positions. The diagnostic accuracy was higher in the ER too (97.7–99.2%). The diastasis length was significantly higher in the ER (median = 2.5–2.8 mm) than in the N (1 mm) and IR (0 mm) positions and was also significantly higher in those patients requiring surgery (p = 0.001). The highest inter-rater agreement values were observed in the ER both in SLAP detection (k = 0.982) and the diastasis length evaluation (ICC = 0.962). The diastasis length threshold in the ER that best separated the patients who did and did not require surgery was 3.1 mm (AUC = 0.833). In 14.6% of the cases, ER enabled the detection of SLAP lesions not identified in the N position. MRA with the ER improves the diagnosis of SLAP lesions and, together with the IR position, provides additional dynamic information about the diastasis of the lesions. It is recommended to perform additional ER and IR scans in the shoulder MRA protocol.
Development and Validation of Reverse Transcriptase Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) as a Simple and Rapid Diagnostic Tool for SARS-CoV-2 Detection
Authors: Aldossary Ahmad M. , Tawfik Essam A. , Altammami Musaad A. , Alquait Azzam A. , Booq Rayan Y. , Sendy Bandar K. , Alarawi Mohammed S. , Gojobori Takashi , Altamimi Asmaa M. , Alaifan Taghreed A. , Albarrag Ahmed M. , Alyamani Essam J.
Published: September 2022

Since the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the world, many countries have searched for quick diagnostic tools to detect the virus. There are many ways to design diagnostic assays; however, each may have its limitations. A quick, sensitive, specific, and simple approach is essential for highly rapidly transmitted infections, such as SARS-CoV-2. This study aimed to develop a rapid and cost-effective diagnostic tool using a one-step Reverse Transcriptase Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (RT-LAMP) approach. The results were observed using the naked eye within 30–60 min using turbidity or colorimetric analysis. The sensitivity, specificity, and lowest limit of detection (LoD) for SARS-CoV-2 RNA against the RT-LAMP assay were assessed. This assay was also verified and validated against commercial quantitative RT-PCR used by health authorities in Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, a quick and direct sampling from the saliva, or buccal cavity, was applied after simple modification, using proteinase K and heating at 98 °C for 5 min to avoid routine RNA extraction. This rapid single-tube diagnostic tool detected COVID-19 with an accuracy rate of 95% for both genes (ORF1a and N) and an LoD for the ORF1a and N genes as 39 and 25 copies/reaction, respectively. It can be potentially used as a high-throughput national screening for different respiratory-based infections within the Middle East region, such as the MERS virus or major zoonotic pathogens such as Mycobacterium paratuberculosis and Brucella spp., particularly in remote and rural areas where lab equipment is limited.
Digital Workflow for Edentulous Patients with Implant-Supported Fixed Prostheses: A Fully Digital Technique
Authors: Jung Seung Wook , Fan Yi-Qin , Lee Chunui
Published: September 2022

Dentists have made prostheses using traditional methods, which are inconvenient and time-consuming. It includes functional impression taking, plaster model production, wax rim production, intermaxillary relationship and occlusal plane setting, artificial tooth arrangement, denture polymerization, polishing, etc. To make prostheses in this way, the patient has to visit the dentist several times, and it takes a long time for them to receive treatment. In addition, the potential for errors associated with the denture-manufacturing process and the use of denture materials has always existed. However, the recent use of digital technology in dentistry has made it possible to create digital prostheses. Several techniques for the immediate loading of implants with a fixed prostheses in edentulous patients have been developed. However, these techniques are partially digital techniques that include laboratory work for prosthesis fabrication. This article aimed to describe a fully digital technique for implant-supported fixed prostheses. It includes intra-oral scanning of edentulous patients, implant placement planning, and final prosthesis fabrication. This technique facilitates a simple and more efficient immediate restoration after implant placement without using stone casts.
Assessment of Indiana Unmanned Aerial System Crash Scene Mapping Program
Authors: Desai Jairaj , Mathew Jijo K. , Zhang Yunchang , Hainje Robert , Horton Deborah , Hasheminasab Seyyed Meghdad , Habib Ayman , Bullock Darcy M.
Published: September 2022

Many public safety agencies in the US have initiated a UAS-based procedure to document and map crash scenes. In addition to significantly reducing the time taken to document evidence as well as ensuring first responder safety, UAS-based mapping reduces incident clearance time and thus the likelihood of a secondary crash occurrence. There is a wide range of cameras used on these missions, but they are predominantly captured by mid-priced drones that cost in the range of $2000 to $4000. Indiana has developed a centralized processing center at Purdue University that has processed 252 crash scenes, mapped using 29 unique cameras, from 35 public agencies over the past three years. This paper includes a detailed case study that compares measurements obtained from a traditional ground-based real-time kinematic positioning base station and UAS-based photogrammetric mapping. The case study showed that UAS derived scale errors were within 0.1 ft (3 cm) of field measurements, a generally accepted threshold for public safety use cases. Further assessment was done on the 252 scenes using ground control scale error as the evaluation metric. To date, over 85% of the measurement errors were found to be within 0.1 ft (3 cm). When substantial errors are identified by the Purdue processing center, they are flagged for further dialog with the agency. In most of the cases with larger errors, the ground control distance was incorrectly measured, which is easily correctable by returning to the scene and performing new distance control measurements.
Estimating the Statistical Significance of Cross–Correlations between Hydroclimatic Processes in the Presence of Long–Range Dependence
Authors: Koskinas Aristotelis , Zaharopoulou Eleni , Pouliasis George , Deligiannis Ilias , Dimitriadis Panayiotis , Iliopoulou Theano , Mamassis Nikos , Koutsoyiannis Demetris
Published: September 2022

Hydroclimatic processes such as precipitation, temperature, wind speed and dew point are usually considered to be independent of each other. In this study, the cross–correlations between key hydrological-cycle processes are examined, initially by conducting statistical tests, then adding the impact of long-range dependence, which is shown to govern all these processes. Subsequently, an innovative stochastic test that can validate the significance of the cross–correlation among these processes is introduced based on Monte-Carlo simulations. The test works as follows: observations obtained from numerous global-scale timeseries were used for application to, and a comparison of, the traditional methods of validation of statistical significance, such as the t-test, after filtering the data based on length and quality, and then by estimating the cross–correlations on an annual-scale. The proposed method has two main benefits: it negates the need of the pre-whitening data series which could disrupt the stochastic properties of hydroclimatic processes, and indicates tighter limits for upper and lower boundaries of statistical significance when analyzing cross–correlations of processes that exhibit long-range dependence, compared to classical statistical tests. The results of this analysis highlight the need to acquire cross–correlations between processes, which may be significant in the case of long-range dependence behavior.
Localized Placement of Breakwater Reefs Influences Oyster Populations and Their Resilience after Hurricane Harvey
Authors: Hanke Marc H. , Leija Haille , Laroche Robert A. S. , Modi Shailee , Culver-Miller Erin , Sanchez Rachel , Bobby Neha
Published: September 2022

Populations of the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) have been historically declining due to both natural and anthropogenic stressors. In response, oyster reefs have been created with many different approaches. This study utilized intertidal reefs constructed with oyster shells recycled from local restaurants to provide oyster settlement substrate, reef-associated faunal habitat, and a barrier to prevent marsh erosion. The objective of this study was to determine how oyster population characteristics changed over four years (2016–2019) on five different reefs within Sweetwater Lake, Galveston Bay, Texas, with a secondary objective to examine how oyster populations responded after Hurricane Harvey. Over the study period, five different reefs were sampled each summer by removing five bags per reef to determine oyster abundance and size demography. For the three years of the study (2017–2019), we also quantified oyster spat recruitment to the reefs. Oyster abundance and size (shell height) varied interactively by year and reef number, whereas oyster recruitment was significantly lower following Hurricane Harvey and then returned to pre-storm levels. Our results further highlight the importance of reef placement for breakwater-style reefs, as it appears the hydrodynamics within Sweetwater Lake influenced both oyster abundance and size among individual reefs. While the created reefs receive limited larval influx due to the narrow opening between Sweetwater Lake and Galveston Bay proper, this limited connectivity seemed to prevent mass mortality from the freshwater influx from Hurricane Harvey. Therefore, projects creating oyster reefs should consider local and regional landscape factors for the long-term success of oyster populations and robustness to natural disasters.
Power and Energy Applications Based on Quantum Computing: The Possible Potentials of Grover’s Algorithm
Authors: Habibi Mohammad Reza , Golestan Saeed , Soltanmanesh Ali , Guerrero Josep M. , Vasquez Juan C.
Published: September 2022

In quantum computing, calculations are achieved using quantum mechanics. Typically, two main phenomena of quantum mechanics (i.e., superposition and entanglement) allow quantum computing to solve some problems more efficiently than classical algorithms. The most well-known advantage of quantum computing is the speedup of some of the calculations, which have been performed before by classical applications. Scientists and engineers are attempting to use quantum computing in different fields of science, e.g., drug discovery, chemistry, computer science, etc. However, there are few attempts to use quantum computing in power and energy applications. This paper tries to highlight this gap by discussing one of the most famous quantum computing algorithms (i.e., Grover’s algorithm) and discussing the potential applications of this algorithm in power and energy systems, which can serve as one of the starting points for using Grover’s algorithm in power and energy systems.
A Programmable SRv6 Processor for SFC
Authors: Liu Zhongpei , Lv Gaofeng , Wang Jichang , Yang Xiangrui
Published: September 2022

A reconfigurable match table (RMT) is a programmable pipeline architecture for packet processing. In order to enable the programmable data plane to support segment routing IPv6 (SRv6) and other network protocols, this paper extends the deparser based on RMT. The paper uses the extended deparser and two RMT pipelines to build a protocol-independent network slice programmable data plane model named as the programmable SRv6 processor. We design it primarily for segment identifier (SID) processing of SRv6. We have proved that it can support SRv6, multiple semantics for SIDs, micro segment ID, multi-protocol label switching, and a service function chain (SFC). This architecture has broad application prospects. Experimental results on an FPGA showed that the extended deparser could achieve 100 Gbps throughput for 512B packets with few resources.
Photovoltaic System for Microinverter Applications Based on a Non-Electrolytic-Capacitor Boost Converter and a Sliding-Mode Controller
Authors: Ramos-Paja Carlos , Danilo-Montoya Oscar , Grisales-Noreña Luis
Published: September 2022

This paper presents a photovoltaic (PV) system designed to reduce the DC-link capacitance present in double-stage PV microinverters without increasing the capacitor interfacing the PV source. This solution is based on a modified boost topology, which exhibits continuous current in both input and output ports. Such a characteristic enables the implementation of PV microinverters without electrolytic capacitors, which improves the reliability in comparison with solutions based on classical converters with discontinuous output current and electrolytic capacitors. However, the modified boost converter exhibits different dynamic behavior in comparison with the classical boost converter; thus, design processes and controllers developed for the classical boost converter are not applicable. This paper also introduces a sliding-mode controller designed to ensure the stable operation of the PV microinverter around the maximum power point. Moreover, this solution also rejects the voltage oscillations at double the grid frequency generated by the grid-connection. The global stability of the complete PV system is formally demonstrated using mathematical analyses, and a step-by-step design process for both the power stage and control system is proposed. Finally, the design process is illustrated using a representative application example, and the correct operation of the PV system is validated using realistic circuital simulations. The results validate the accuracy of the theoretical equations proposed for both the design and control of the novel PV system, where errors below 4.5% were obtained for the ripple prediction, and below 1% for the prediction of the dynamic behavior.
Bi-Directional Converter System for Light Load by Heterogeneous Combined Type Reactor
Authors: Kim Kuk-Hyeon , Hwang Bo-Chan , Le Tuan-Vu , Park Seong-Mi , Lee Chang-Ho , Park Sung-Jun
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we propose a new type of smoothing reactor using different types of reactors with different magnetic flux saturation to construct a DC-DC converter with low current ripple under the light load of the bidirectional DC-DC converter. Reduction of current ripple at light load in the limited hybrid reactor can greatly reduce the inrush current ripple of DC-Grid at light load, which is a weakness of existing bidirectional DC-DC converters and is considered to contribute to DC-Grid stabilization. Experiments were conducted to prove the feasibility of the proposed system and hybrid reactor.
Review of Communication Technology in Indoor Air Quality Monitoring System and Challenges
Authors: Zhao Liang , Yang Ye , Wu Zhenyu
Published: September 2022

In the past decade, with the development of communication technology, indoor air quality (IAQ) monitoring technology has made significant progress, which improves the real-time performance of the monitoring system, and reduces potential impacts on health-related pollutants. To investigate and analyze the development of IAQ monitoring technology and the application of communication technology in this field, this review conducts a comprehensive search, collation, and analysis of the literature in the relevant fields over the past decade, and reviews 91 articles from the usage scenarios, monitoring parameters, and communication technology of the IAQ monitoring system. The review shows the development and main research direction of IAQ monitoring, and focuses on the selection and application of communication technology in different projects. In addition, this study also discusses the problems and challenges in the IAQ monitoring system, which provides a reference for researchers and promotes the rapid and all-around development of IAQ monitoring.
Skill Needs among European Workers in Knowledge Production and Transfer Occupations
Authors: Grigorescu Adriana , Zamfir Ana-Maria , Sigurdarson Hallur Thor , Lazarczyk Carlson Ewa
Published: September 2022

Skills needed in jobs and skills mismatches are important topics for research and policy in the field of economic development and the labour market. Understanding skill needs is essential for improving education and training policies, as labour markets experience dynamic transformation driven by rapid technological progress and increased complexity of work. On the other hand, knowledge economy is considered an important driver force of economic growth. This paper aims to assess skill needs in knowledge production and transfer occupations. We analyse data from online job advertisements and from the European Skills and Jobs Survey in order to provide a comprehensive picture of skills needed in occupations related to science, technology and ICT, as well as teaching positions from higher education in Europe. We find that workers involved in knowledge production and transfer activate in highly changing and challenging working environments. They differentiate themselves by other professionals and technicians mostly by the increased need for ICT skills, problem-solving, communication and learning skills, the ability to collaborate and adaptability. Our results are relevant for designing better education and training programs targeting occupations supporting knowledge production and transfer.
A Fine-Grained Modeling Approach for Systolic Array-Based Accelerator
Authors: Li Yuhang , Wen Mei , Fei Jiawei , Shen Junzhong , Cao Yasong
Published: September 2022

The systolic array provides extremely high efficiency for running matrix multiplication and is one of the mainstream architectures of today’s deep learning accelerators. In order to develop efficient accelerators, people usually employ simulators to make design trade-offs. However, current simulators suffer from coarse-grained modeling methods and ideal assumptions, which limits their ability to describe structural characteristics of systolic arrays. In addition, they do not support the exploration of microarchitecture. This paper presents FG-SIM, a fine-grained modeling approach for evaluating systolic array accelerators by using an event-driven method. FG-SIM can obtain accurate results and provide the best mapping scheme for different workloads due to its fine-grained modeling technique and deny of ideal assumption. Experimental results show that FG-SIM plays a significant role in design trade-offs and outperforms state-of-the-art simulators, with an accuracy of more than 95%.
LPAdaIN: Light Progressive Attention Adaptive Instance Normalization Model for Style Transfer
Authors: Zhu Qing , Bai Huang , Sun Junmei , Cheng Chen , Li Xiumei
Published: September 2022

To improve the generation quality of image style transfer, this paper proposes a light progressive attention adaptive instance normalization (LPAdaIN) model that combines the adaptive instance normalization (AdaIN) layer and the convolutional block attention module (CBAM). In the construction of the model structure, first, a lightweight autoencoder is built to reduce the information loss in the encoding process by reducing the number of network layers and to alleviate the distortion of the stylized image structure. Second, each AdaIN layer is progressively applied after the three relu layers in the encoder to obtain the fine-grained stylized feature maps. Third, the CBAM is added between the last AdaIN layer and the decoder, ensuring that the main objects in the stylized image are clearly visible. In the model optimization, a reconstruction loss is designed to improve the decoder’s ability to decode stylized images with more precise constraints and refine the structure of the stylized images. Compared with five classical style transfer models, the LPAdaIN is visually shown to more finely apply the texture of the style image to the content image, in order to obtain a stylized image, in which the main objects are clearly visible and the structure can be maintained. In terms of quantitative metrics, the LPAdaIN achieved good results in running speed and structural similarity.
Cascade Direct Yaw Moment Control for an Independent Eight In-Wheel Motor-Driven Autonomous Vehicle
Authors: Tan Senqi , Wang Yang , Cheng Wen , Luo Tian , Zhang Naisi , Li Shengfei , Pan Bo , Cui Xing
Published: September 2022

Unstructured off-road environments with complex terrain obstacles and pavement properties bring obvious challenges for special purpose autonomous vehicle control. A cascade direct yaw moment control strategy (CDYC), which contains a main loop and a servo loop, is proposed to enhance the accuracy and stability of an independent eight in-wheel motor-driven autonomous vehicle with rear-wheel steering (8WD/RWS). In the main loop, double PID controllers are designed to generate the desired drive moment and yaw rate. In the servo loop, the quadratic programming (QP) algorithm with the tire force boundaries optimally allocates the demanded yaw moment to individual wheel torques. The 8WD/RWS prototype is virtually established using TruckSim and serves as the control object for co-simulation. The proposed cascade controller is verified by simulations in customized off-road driving scenarios. The simulation results show that the proposed control architecture can effectively enhance the path-tracking ability and handling stability of the 8WD/RWS, as to ensure the maneuverability and control stability under extreme off-road conditions.
Architecture, Chromatin and Gene Organization of Toxoplasma gondii Subtelomeres
Authors: Contreras Susana M. , Zambrano Siri Romina T. , Rivera Elías M. , Cristaldi Constanza , Kamenetzky Laura , Kim Kami , Clemente Marina , Ocampo Josefina , Vanagas Laura , Angel Sergio O.
Published: September 2022

Subtelomeres (ST) are chromosome regions that separate telomeres from euchromatin and play relevant roles in various biological processes of the cell. While their functions are conserved, ST structure and genetic compositions are unique to each species. This study aims to identify and characterize the subtelomeric regions of the 13 Toxoplasma gondii chromosomes of the Me49 strain. Here, STs were defined at chromosome ends based on poor gene density. The length of STs ranges from 8.1 to 232.4 kbp, with a gene density of 0.049 genes/kbp, lower than the Me49 genome (0.15 kbp). Chromatin organization showed that H3K9me3, H2A.X, and H3.3 are highly enriched near telomeres and the 5′ end of silenced genes, decaying in intensity towards euchromatin. H3K4me3 and H2A.Z/H2B.Z are shown to be enriched in the 5′ end of the ST genes. Satellite DNA was detected in almost all STs, mainly the sat350 family and a novel satellite named sat240. Beyond the STs, only short dispersed fragments of sat240 and sat350 were found. Within STs, there were 12 functional annotated genes, 59 with unknown functions (Hypothetical proteins), 15 from multigene FamB, and 13 from multigene family FamC. Some genes presented low interstrain synteny associated with the presence of satellite DNA. Orthologues of FamB and FamC were also detected in Neospora caninum and Hammondia hammondi. A re-analysis of previous transcriptomic data indicated that ST gene expression is strongly linked to the adaptation to different situations such as extracellular passage (evolve and resequencing study) and changes in metabolism (lack of acetyl-CoA cofactor). In conclusion, the ST region of the T. gondii chromosomes was defined, the STs genes were determined, and it was possible to associate them with high interstrain plasticity and a role in the adaptability of T. gondii to environmental changes.
Sensitivity of Eucalyptus Clones to Herbicides Associated with Foliar Fertilizers
Authors: Barroso Gabriela Madureira , De Carvalho Alisson José Eufrásio , Custódio Isabela Goulart , Correa Juliano Miari , Duque Tayna Sousa , Silva Daniel Valadão , Fernandes Bruno Caio Chaves , Batista Lucrécia Pacheco , Dos Santos José Barbosa
Published: September 2022

Postemergence application of herbicides can cause phytotoxicity problems in eucalyptus seedlings. Foliar fertilization can improve seedling development and mitigate the effects of herbicides on eucalyptus. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the sensitivity of eucalyptus clones subjected to herbicides applied postemergence and associated with the application of foliar fertilizer. For this, a field experiment was carried out with the application of the products indaziflam, clomazone, glyphosate + S-metolachlor, sulfentrazone, and diuron + sulfentrazone, plus the application of an additional foliar fertilizer (composition in g/L of 78, 13, 40.3, 1.17, 0.78, 16.9, 13, 14.3, 0.52, and 29.9, respectively, for C, N, S, B, Co, Fe, Cu, Mn, Mo, and Zn). Height, stem diameter, shoot dry mass, chlorophyll content, and visual intoxication were the analyzed variables. The herbicides indaziflam and glyphosate + S-metolachlor were the most harmful to the tested eucalyptus clones, interfering with the growth variables. Among the evaluated clones, Clone AEC 144 had more significant changes in the analyzed variables in treatments with herbicides and foliar fertilizer application. The eucalyptus seedlings were generally more sensitive to indaziflam and glyphosate + S-metolachlor herbicides. Foliar fertilization reduced the intoxication caused by indaziflam in Clone AEC 056. The fertilizer intensified treatment symptoms with clomazone and diuron + sulfentrazone in Clone AEC 144 and with sulfentrazone and diuron + sulfentrazone in Clone AEC 2034.
Physiological and Psychological Benefits of Viewing an Autumn Foliage Mountain Landscape Image among Young Women
Authors: Jo Hyunju , Ikei Harumi , Miyazaki Yoshifumi
Published: September 2022

Empirically, viewing nature landscapes, including mountains, can promote relaxation. This study aimed to examine the physiological and psychological effects of visual stimulation using an autumn foliage mountain landscape image on autonomic nervous and brain activities. We included 27 female university students who viewed mountain and city (control) landscape images displayed on a large, high-resolution display for 90 seconds. As an indicator of autonomic nervous activity, heart rate variability (high frequency [HF], reflecting parasympathetic nervous activity, and low frequency/high frequency [LF/HF], reflecting sympathetic nervous activity) and heart rate were recorded. Simultaneously, as an indicator of brain activity, oxyhemoglobin concentrations in the prefrontal cortex were assessed using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy. Viewing the mountain landscape image significantly increased HF, indicating increased parasympathetic nervous activity. Furthermore, the visual stimulation using the mountain image induced comfortable, relaxed, and natural feelings, as well as improved mood states. In conclusion, viewing an autumn foliage mountain landscape image via large display induced physiological and psychological relaxation in women in their 20s.
Effect of Initial Planting Density on the Moisture Content and Chemical Composition of the Triploid Chinese White Poplar (Populus× tomentosa Carrière) Plantation
Authors: Sang Yaru , Kang Xiangyang , Zhang Pingdong
Published: September 2022

The triploid Chinese white poplar (Populus × tomentosa Carrière) features desirable growth traits and wood properties, making it the preferred species in the pulp and paper industries and the sawn timber industry. In this study, we characterized the effects of initial planting densities on the moisture content (MC) and four chemical components (benzene-alcohol (BA), holocellulose (HC), alpha-cellulose (AC), and klason lignin (KL)) of the triploid Chinese white poplar. In this study, 11-year-old Chinese white poplars with three triploid clones (S86, B331, and B301) and one diploid clone (1316) that were planted using seven levels of planting densities (2490, 1665, 1110, 832, 624, 499 and 416 trees/hm2) were examined in the Huabei Great Plain in China. The MC was observed to initially decrease and then subsequently increase with decreasing planting density, and exhibited significant differences under different initial planting densities (0.001 < p < 0.01). In terms of the chemical composition, the BA content of the triploid hybrid clones presented with much higher phenotypic variation (CVp = 17.11%–32.45%) at each planting density compared to either the MC (CVp = 3.73%–11.21%) or the other three chemical composition variations (CVp = 1.16%–11.46%). Substantial differences were observed in the chemical composition of the triploid hybrid clones (p < 0.05), while no differences were found in the chemical composition within the initial planting density categories. The correlation between the chemical composition of wood (BA, HC, AC, and KL) and growth traits was generally weak. These results demonstrate that compared with the MC, the chemical composition of the triploid Chinese white poplar was primarily controlled by its own genetic background and was almost unaffected by the initial planting density. Thus, it is important to select a suitable clone and initial planting density to ensure the full growth of these trees and to improve the quality of pulping in the construction of pulp timber forests.
Financial Revenues from Timber Harvesting in Secondary Cloud Forests: A Case Study from Mexico
Authors: Toledo-Aceves Tarin , Günter Sven , Guariguata Manuel R. , García-Díaz Martín , Zhunusova Eliza
Published: September 2022

Secondary forests, i.e., those arising after the clearance and abandonment of previously forested land, dominate tropical forest landscapes, rapidly sequester carbon, provide essential ecosystem services and are prone to re-clearance. Secondary cloud forests (SCF) play a particularly critical role for biodiversity and hydrological regulation. To promote their persistence, sustainable management is necessary; however, there is limited information regarding SCF potential for sustainable timber production. We estimated the revenue from selective timber harvesting in a pilot study in a 20-year-old SCF in Mexico. We explored the effect of the harvested timber volume, harvesting costs and price of forest products on the Net Present Value (NPV). Small landowners could only extract 17% of the harvestable standing volume due to a high number of small trees, a high (34%) volume of non-timber species, and their limited capacity to process timber. A third of the income derived from fuelwood, and overall financial returns were negative. A positive NPV may result from a 20% harvesting intensity, a 10% reduction in harvesting costs, or a 20% increase in stumpage price. Our results warrant the development of forest policy instruments and economic incentives for small-scale SCF landowners to alleviate poverty and meet national and global restoration and climate mitigation goals.
The Influence of Physical Treatments on Seed Germination and Seedling Development of Spruce (Picea abies [L.] Karst.)
Authors: Sîngeorzan Steluța-Maria , Holonec Liviu , Truta Alina M. , Morar Irina M. , Dan Catalina , Colișar Alexandru , Viman Oana , Negrușier Cornel , Borsai Orsolya , Criveanu Horia , Vlasin Horia D. , Păcurar Ioan
Published: September 2022

The aim of this research was to investigate the influence of an electric field and gamma radiation upon the germination of spruce seeds. In order to carry out the research, spruce seeds from different provenances have been subjected to different treatments: electric field (EF) with 10 V, 30 V, and 50 V voltages and intensity of E = 266V/m, exposure time of 15 and 35 min, and gamma (G) radiation with several treatments (1 Gy-31 min, 1.5 Gy-46 min, 2 Gy-62 min, and 6 Gy-186 min). Under the influence of EF, the best results upon seed germination (80.83%) were recorded when seeds were treated with 30 V for 15 min, for all provenances investigated. Regarding gamma radiation, the highest germination percentage (87.50%) was achieved in T5G when seeds were subjected to 6 Gy for 186 min. It was also considered the interaction between seeds origin and the different EF and G treatments applied to the seeds to induce germination and further seedlings’ development. The results obtained after seeds were exposed to gamma radiation came out on top compared to electric field treatments, both for the germination and seedlings’ height.
Assistance System for the Teaching of Natural Numbers to Preschool Children with the Use of Artificial Intelligence Algorithms
Authors: Villegas-Ch. William , Jaramillo-Alcázar Angel , Mera-Navarrete Aracely
Published: September 2022

This research was aimed at designing an image recognition system that can help increase children’s interest in learning natural numbers between 0 and 9. The research method used was qualitative descriptive, observing early childhood learning in a face-to-face education model, especially in the learning of numbers, with additional data from literature studies. For the development of the system, the cascade method was used, consisting of three stages: identification of the population, design of the artificial intelligence architecture, and implementation of the recognition system. The method of the system sought to replicate a mechanic that simulates a game, whereby the child trains the artificial intelligence algorithm such that it recognizes the numbers that the child draws on a blackboard. The system is expected to help increase the ability of children in their interest to learn numbers and identify the meaning of quantities to help improve teaching success with a fun and engaging teaching method for children. The implementation of learning in this system is expected to make it easier for children to learn to write, read, and conceive the quantities of numbers, in addition to exploring their potential, creativity, and interest in learning, with the use of technologies.
Thermal Hazard and Smoke Toxicity Assessment of Building Polymers Incorporating TGA and FTIR—Integrated Cone Calorimeter Arrangement
Authors: Doley Preety Moni , Yuen Anthony Chun Yin , Kabir Imrana , Liu Luzhe , Wang Cheng , Chen Timothy Bo Yuan , Yeoh Guan Heng
Published: September 2022

Building polymers are highly flammable and produce a vast amount of toxic chemical compounds in the event of a fire which can lead to potential incapacitation and death. To gain an in-depth understanding of this issue, smoke toxicity and thermal characteristics of seven commonly used building polymers were analysed through a systematic fire performance evaluation system using a Thermogravimetric Analyzer and a Cone Calorimeter coupled with an FTIR arrangement. Four Fractional Effective Dose (FED) expressions were compared to assess the smoke toxicity of the fire effluents based on different assumptions. It was found that FEDN2, calculated using Purser’s equation, reported the highest values of FED with the following order of potential smoke toxicity at 50 kW/m2 radiative heat flux: LDPU > HDPU > PE > HDEPS > XPS > EVA > LDEPS. Furthermore, fire performance evaluation of the polymers was carried out by considering three key fire risk parameters, i.e., flashover propensity, total heat released, and toxic hazard. At 50 kW/m2 radiative heat flux, HDPU exhibited 11.7 times flashover propensity compared to the least flammable polymer (HDEPS), EVA exhibited 5 times total heat release compared to the polymer with the lowest total heat release (LDEPS) and, LDPU exhibited 6.7 potential times toxic hazard compared to the least toxic polymer (EVA).
Improvement of Gas–Liquid Separation Performance of Engine Oil Using Swirling
Authors: Kajiwara Shinji
Published: September 2022

The purpose of this study is to improve the gas–liquid separation performance of an oil tank and to establish a design method to enable gas–liquid separation only in an oil tank. Since it is difficult for conventional oil tanks to completely remove bubbles remaining in the hydraulic oil, it is essential to introduce a technology to actively separate and remove bubbles from the oil. Therefore, the bubble removal performance was improved even under the condition of added lateral acceleration by appropriately generating a swirl flow. First, an acrylic model of an oil tank was used to verify the accuracy by performing numerical analysis using various turbulence models. Then, the parameters of the bubble remover, such as the size of the oil tank, were studied. In addition, the bubble removal performance under the condition of added lateral acceleration was examined.
Frequency Specificity of Liquid-Fountain Swinging with Mist Generation: Effects of Ultrasonic Irradiation Angle
Authors: Wang Xiaolu , Tsuchiya Katsumi
Published: September 2022

Atomization of liquid into the air attained through submerged ultrasound irradiation will involve the formation of liquid fountain, which exhibits a sequence of oscillating and/or intermittent characteristics/events: its vertical/axial growth and breakup; its lateral “compound swinging”; and its associated dynamics of mist formation and spreading. This study attempts to provide a mechanistic view of ultrasonic atomization (UsA) process in terms of the swinging periodicity of water fountain and to specifically examine the influence of ultrasonic irradiation (i.e., transducer installation) angle on the liquid-fountain oscillations with mist generated intermittently. Through high-speed visualization, it was qualitatively found that as the extent of tilt (from the vertical direction) in the irradiation angle was increased, the degree of occurrence of mist generation and the amount of identifiable mist being generated tended to decrease. This trend was associated with reductions in both the growth rate and breakup frequency of the fountain on the tilt. It was further found, through the analysis of time variation in the resulting angle of liquid-fountain inclination, that the swinging fountain fluctuated periodically in an asymmetric manner and its periodicity could be fairly predicted based on a proposed simple “pendulum” model. An optimum value of the transducer installation angle was observed and judged to be 2° from the viewpoint of effective mist generation as well as fluid dynamic stability of the UsA liquid fountain.