bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rail Surface Defect Detection Based on An Improved YOLOv5s
Authors: Luo Hui , Cai Lianming , Li Chenbiao
Published: June 2023

As the operational time of the railway increases, rail surfaces undergo irreversible defects. Once the defects occur, it is easy for them to develop rapidly, which seriously threatens the safe operation of trains. Therefore, the accurate and rapid detection of rail surface defects is very important. However, in the detection of rail surface defects, there are problems, such as low contrast between defects and the background, large scale differences, and insufficient training samples. Therefore, we propose a rail surface defect detection method based on an improved YOLOv5s in this paper. Firstly, the sample dataset of rail surface defect images was augmented with flip transformations, random cropping, and brightness transformations. Next, a Conv2D and Dilated Convolution(CDConv) module was designed to reduce the amount of network computation. In addition, the Swin Transformer was combined with the Backbone and Neck ends to improve the C3 module of the original network. Then, the global attention mechanism (GAM) was introduced into PANet to form a new prediction head, namely Swin transformer and GAM Prediction Head (SGPH). Finally, we used the Soft-SIoUNMS loss to replace the original CIoU loss, which accelerates the convergence speed of the algorithm and reduces regression errors. The experimental results show that the improved YOLOv5s detection algorithm reaches 96.9% in the average precision of rail surface defect detection, offering the accurate and rapid detection of rail surface defects, which has certain engineering application value.
Damage Characteristics and Energy Evolution of Bituminous Sandstones under Different Cyclic Amplitudes
Authors: Lu Xiaoyu , Qin Ruipeng , Dong Chunliang , Fan Chaotao
Published: June 2023

In many underground engineering projects, rocks are often subjected to cyclic loading and unloading, such as repeated excavation of roadway surrounding rock, which will lead to damage to underground rocks, and the energy of rocks also changes. Therefore, to study the energy evolution and damage characteristics of rocks under cyclic loading and unloading, different cyclic loading and unloading tests of bituminous sandstones under constant amplitude were conducted. Under cyclic loading and unloading, the lower limit stress was 40% of the rock peak intensity, the cyclic amplitude was 20–40% of the peak intensity, and the number of loading–unloading cycles was 10–30. The quantitative characterization of the damage degrees of bituminous sandstone was realized by the ultrasonic wave velocity and elasticity modulus methods. The energy evolution and damage characteristics of bituminous sandstone under different amplitudes and number of loading–unloading cycles were investigated through the energy dissipation method. Results showed that under cyclic loading and unloading, the ultrasonic wave velocity and elasticity modulus of bituminous sandstone decreased gradually; The damage variable shows a trend of rapid and then stable growth and has a power function relationship with the number of cycles; The input energy density and dissipation energy density curves were in L-shaped distribution, whereas the elastic energy density remained stable. The results of this study can provide some theoretical references to underground engineering construction.
High Efficiency Third-Harmonic Generation in a Medium with Quadratic Susceptibility Due to Cubic-like Nonlinearity Caused by Cascaded Second-Harmonic Generation
Authors: Trofimov Vyacheslav A. , Kharitonov Dmitry M. , Fedotov Mikhail V. , Yang Yongqiang , Wang Di , Tai Zhiheng
Published: June 2023

Third-harmonic generation (THG) is of interest for its various applications. We propose using the cascaded second-harmonic generation (SHG) to implement the frequency conversion process, which is similar to that occurring in a medium with cubic susceptibility. Physically, the process is based on consecutive generation of the second-harmonic and the sum frequency in the same crystal with quadratic susceptibility at large phase mismatching between the fundamental wave and the second-harmonic wave. In this case, at phase matching between the fundamental wave and the third-harmonic wave, THG occurs with high efficiency. To demonstrate such a possibility theoretically, we apply the multi-scale method to a set of Schrödinger equations, describing a three-wave interaction with the frequencies ω,2ω and 3ω in a medium with quadratic susceptibility, to derive modified equations describing the frequency tripling process. These equations are solved without using the fundamental wave energy non-depletion approximation. A THG efficiency equal to 94.5% is predicted theoretically. The analytical solution is confirmed by computer simulation results. We study how various factors, such as the incident pulse intensity, phase mismatching between interacting waves, group velocity mismatching of the pulses, and second-order dispersion of the wave packets influence the THG process.
Ranking of Electricity Accumulation Possibilities: Multicriteria Analysis
Authors: Kudurs Edgars , Atvare Erlanda , Dolge Kristiāna , Blumberga Dagnija
Published: June 2023

The pace of the implementation of renewable electricity storage in Europe is disappointingly slow. Several factors influence this and there is a need to speed up the rate and increase the volumes in order to promote a 100% transition to renewable energy resources, expand the practice of using renewable energy, and contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of consumers. An important factor is significantly reducing impact on the environment and climate change. Electricity from renewable energy sources such as solar and wind has a seasonal nature that cannot provide the necessary electricity consumption and cover peak loads. The so-called “energy resource crisis” is also a very topical problem at the moment, which reinforces the global need to increase the share of renewable energy resources in the overall balance of primary energy resources. Practical wider integration of renewable electricity storage is what can help stimulate this. The availability of renewable electricity is constantly increasing, and the level of technological innovation is rapidly developing. Therefore, it is valuable to analyse, look for connections and for ways to accumulate electricity in order to promote its availability from private homes to the national scale and more broadly on the European scale. Therefore, this article analyses and compares the different options for renewable electricity storage, from small batteries to large storage systems, arriving at the best solution according to needs, using analysis methods such as multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) and TOPSIS. After comparing nine criteria, such as the amount of investment required, existing power density, efficiency, duration of operation, and others in two groups (small and large accumulation systems), it was concluded that lithium-ion batteries are currently the best solution among batteries, while pumped hydro storage is the best solution among large accumulation systems.
RFR-GA-BLS: A Feature Selection and Parameter Optimization Method for Fault Diagnosis of Rolling Bearing Using Infrared Images
Authors: Zhou Jianmin , Liu Lulu , Shen Xiwen , Yang Xiaotong
Published: June 2023

To overcome the problems of low machine learning fault diagnosis rate and long consumption time of deep learning in rolling bearing fault diagnosis, an RFR-GA-BLS model is proposed. The model is validated by infrared images of rolling bearings to find the most representative features, the most suitable parameters and the best diagnostic rate. Based on the pre-processed infrared thermal images of the faulty bearing, 72 second-order statistical features were obtained as information for fault diagnosis. RFR considered the robustness of the features, and new sequences were obtained. BLS was optimized by GA for fault diagnosis. New sequence features were added to the model sequentially, one at a time. After satisfying the model conditions, the most appropriate number of features was selected as the first 20. The search results for the number of feature nodes, the number of feature node windows and the number of enhancement nodes for the BLS were 24, 19 and 544, respectively, and the fault diagnosis rate of 98.8889% was achieved. According to a comparison with CFR-GA-BLS, BLS, PSO-BLS and Grdy-BLS, our proposed model is more advantageous in the search for the best performance. The fault diagnosis accuracy is higher compared to SVM and RF. The speed of our proposed model is 207 times faster than 1DCNN and 10,147 times faster than 2DCNN.
Biomass Combustion in the Helically Coiled Domestic Boiler Combined with the Equilibrium/Chemical Kinetics CFD Approach
Authors: Wardach-Święcicka Izabela , Polesek-Karczewska Sylwia , Kardaś Dariusz
Published: June 2023

In the face of threats related to energy supply and climate change, the use of biomass is gaining importance, particularly in distributed energy systems. Combustion of biomass, including residue biomass, is considered one of the routes to increase the share of renewables in energy generation. The modeling of gaseous phase reactions remains crucial in predicting the combustion behavior of biomass and pollutant emissions. However, their simulation becomes a challenging task due to the computational cost. This paper presents a numerical analysis of the combustion process of a gas mixture released during biomass decomposition in a domestic 25 kW coil-type boiler. Three types of biogenic fuels were taken into consideration. The work aimed at examining the available tools for modeling gas burning, thus the geometry of the system was limited only to the 2D case. The thermodynamic equilibrium composition of pyrolysis gas was determined and implemented in Ansys to simulate the process. The computational results showed the potential of detailed, but reduced, combustion mechanisms of CH4/CO/H2 mixtures in predicting the main process features. The mechanism involving 85 reactions appeared to be more reliable compared to that comprising 77 reactions, particularly for volatiles with higher H2 content, whilst offering an acceptable calculation time. The burning characteristics obtained for volatiles with less CH4 and more H2 are in good agreement with the real operation conditions reported for the boiler.
Assessing the Effects of Environmental Smog Warning Policy on Preventing Traffic Deaths Based on RDD Strategy
Authors: Gao Juan , Ying Cheng , Hu Liyuan , Lin Zixiang , Xie Hao
Published: June 2023

This paper assessed the impacts of environmental smog early-warning signals on road traffic deaths. For an accurate assessment, we used the daily traffic death data from 2016 to 2020 in 295 Chinese cities and constructed a rigorous Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) strategy to identify the causality and adopted the high-dimensional fixed-effect method to deal with the interference of meteorological factors. The results indicate that light smog and moderate smog early warnings decreased road fatalities by about 3.6% and 4.3%, respectively. Surprisingly, the heavy smog early-warning signal had no significant effect, possibly because of the self-consciousness mechanism instead of the early-warning signal mechanism. Further heterogeneity analysis showed that women drivers, highly-educated drivers, older drivers (over 60 years), two-wheeled vehicle drivers, and drivers on country roads and freeways are more sensitive to smog early-warning signals.
Short-Period Variation of the Activity of Atmospheric Turbulence in the MLT Region over Langfang
Authors: Wang Zewei , Xiao Cunying , Hu Xiong , Yang Junfeng , Cheng Xuan , Xu Qingchen , Xiao Luo , Wu Xiaoqi
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we investigate the activity of atmospheric turbulence in the MLT region and the relationship between the activity of atmospheric turbulence and atmospheric wave activity. We use data from the Langfang MF radar (39.4∘N, 116.7∘E) from July 2019 to June 2020 and NRLMSIS 2.0 to calculate the parameters of atmospheric wave activity and atmospheric turbulence energy dissipation rate (ε). Atmospheric ε is modulated by different periods at different altitudes, and while there are 12 h and 24 h periods at all altitudes, the main period is different at different altitudes. A comparison of the ε with atmospheric tide activity shows that tides have an effect on ε, and the influence of tides on ε may be different at different altitudes. The pattern of variation in ε is similar to that of the atmospheric activity of the gravity wave, with both ε and the atmospheric activity of the gravity wave showing significant semi-annual variation.
An Empirical Model of Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) and Relations between GPP and Its Driving Factors, Biogenic Volatile Organic Compounds in a Subtropical Conifer Plantation in China
Authors: Bai Jianhui , Yang Fengting , Wang Huimin , Xu Mingjie
Published: June 2023

Measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE), solar global radiation, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and meteorological parameters were carried out on a subtropical conifer plantation in China from 2013 to 2016. These observations were used to develop and evaluate an empirical model of gross primary production (GPP) (EMGPP) with 3-factor and 2-factor models. Using a 3-factor model, the simulated hourly GPP values were consistent with observations with a relative bias of 9.96% and normalized mean square error values of 0.07 mg CO2 m−2 s−1 for the scattering factor S/Q (S and Q are diffuse and global solar radiation) < 0.5 and 15.52% and 0.15 mg CO2 m−2 s−1 for S/Q ≥ 0.5. Validations of the EMGPP for hourly, daily, monthly, and annual GPP values were carried out and showed that both 3-factor and 2-factor EMGPP models can accurately capture diurnal, seasonal and interannual variations in GPP, but most simulated GPP overestimated the observed value. When the scattering factor is not available, the 2-factor EMGPP can be used. The EMGPP using 3-factor and 2-factor models was applied to simulate GPP under all sky conditions from 2013–2016, and the estimated GPP were in reasonable agreement with the measured values and showed systematic overestimations of 31% and 29% for mean hourly GPP and 41% and 29% for annual amounts, respectively. The sensitivity test demonstrated that GPP values were more sensitive to changes in PAR than to changes in water vapor and scattering factor at low S/Q, but were more sensitive to changes in water vapor than to PAR and S/Q at high S/Q. The sensitivity test revealed some mechanisms of GPP and its related processes, including the relationships between GPP and scattering of PAR, GPP and water vapor, which were in good agreement with other observations and model studies. An empirical model based on PAR energy balance can better describe the multiple interactions between GPP and its driving factors (PAR, water vapor, S/Q). The ratio of the emissions of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) to net ecosystem exchange clearly varied between forests in different climate zones.
Eight-Day Typhoon Quantitative Precipitation Forecasts in Taiwan by the 2.5 km CReSS Model, Part II: Reduced Control of Track Errors on Rainfall Prediction Quality for Typhoons Associated with Southwesterly Flow
Authors: Wang Chung-Chieh , Soong Wei-Kuo , Chien Chih-Wei , Chang Chih-Sheng , Huang Shin-Yi
Published: June 2023

Due to the enhancement by its steep mesoscale topography, the overall rainfall amount and distribution in Taiwan from typhoons, to a first degree, are determined by the storm track relative to the island. Therefore, the quality of typhoon quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) from numerical models is often controlled by track errors, with better quality from those with smaller track errors. However, the present work demonstrates that in daily QPFs over Taiwan made by a cloud-resolving model during five seasons of 2012–2016, targeted for 84 days during 27 typhoons and at ranges of day one (0–24 h) to day eight (168–192 h), the control of track errors on QPF quality is reduced for typhoons associated with southwesterly flow, compared to those without, and decent QPFs could still be obtained with large track errors in some cases. Subsequently, the circumstances and reasons for good (or bad) QPFs in selected examples are further investigated to deepen our understanding of typhoon QPFs in Taiwan. Some common ingredients are found in three cases where good QPFs were produced at a longer range (day 7 or 8) without a good track: these typhoons passed near northern Taiwan and the southwesterly flow prevailed over much of the island during the accumulation period. Responsible for much of the rainfall in Taiwan, the southwesterly flow was reasonably captured, resulting in good QPFs. In another example where the typhoon moved across southern Taiwan, on the contrary, the rainfall was produced by the storm’s circulation, and the QPF was degraded without a good enough track prediction.
On Discrete Presheaf Monads
Authors: Zhang Gao , Zhang Shaoqun
Published: June 2023

For a quantale I, which is a unit interval endowed with a continuous triangular norm and the Barr extension β¯I of the ultrafilter monad to I-Rel, a characterization of the discrete presheaf monad associated to β¯I is given. It is also proved that, when & is the Łucasiewicz triangular norm, the discrete presheaf monad is isomorphic to the saturated prefilter monad, and when & is the product triangular norm, the prime functional ideal monad is isomorphic to a submonad of the discrete presheaf monad.
Kropina Metrics with Isotropic Scalar Curvature
Authors: Liu Liulin , Zhang Xiaoling , Zhao Lili
Published: June 2023

In this paper, we study Kropina metrics with isotropic scalar curvature. First, we obtain the expressions of Ricci curvature tensor and scalar curvature. Then, we characterize the Kropina metrics with isotropic scalar curvature on by tensor analysis.
State of Charge and Temperature Joint Estimation Based on Ultrasonic Reflection Waves for Lithium-Ion Battery Applications
Authors: Zhang Runnan , Li Xiaoyu , Sun Chuanyu , Yang Songyuan , Tian Yong , Tian Jindong
Published: June 2023

Accurate estimation of the state of charge (SOC) and temperature of batteries is essential to ensure the safety of energy storage systems. However, it is very difficult to obtain multiple states of the battery with fewer sensors. In this paper, a joint estimation method for a lithium iron phosphate battery’s SOC and temperature based on ultrasonic reflection waves is proposed. A piezoelectric transducer is affixed to the surface of the battery for ultrasonic–electric transduction. Ultrasonic signals are excited at the transducer, transmitted through the battery, and transmitted back to the transducer by reaching the underside of the battery. Feature indicator extraction intervals of the battery state are determined by sliding–window matching correlation analysis. Virtual samples are used to expand the data after feature extraction. Finally, a backpropagation (BP) neural network model is applied to the multistate joint estimation of a battery in a wide temperature range. According to the experimental results, the root mean square error (RMSE) of the lithium-ion battery’s SOC and temperature estimation results is 7.42% and 0.40 °C, respectively. The method is nondestructive and easy to apply in battery management systems. Combined with the detection of gas production inside the battery, this method can improve the safety of the battery system.
Empowering Short Answer Grading: Integrating Transformer-Based Embeddings and BI-LSTM Network
Authors: Gomaa Wael H. , Nagib Abdelrahman E. , Saeed Mostafa M. , Algarni Abdulmohsen , Nabil Emad
Published: June 2023

Automated scoring systems have been revolutionized by natural language processing, enabling the evaluation of students’ diverse answers across various academic disciplines. However, this presents a challenge as students’ responses may vary significantly in terms of length, structure, and content. To tackle this challenge, this research introduces a novel automated model for short answer grading. The proposed model uses pretrained “transformer” models, specifically T5, in conjunction with a BI-LSTM architecture which is effective in processing sequential data by considering the past and future context. This research evaluated several preprocessing techniques and different hyperparameters to identify the most efficient architecture. Experiments were conducted using a standard benchmark dataset named the North Texas Dataset. This research achieved a state-of-the-art correlation value of 92.5 percent. The proposed model’s accuracy has significant implications for education as it has the potential to save educators considerable time and effort, while providing a reliable and fair evaluation for students, ultimately leading to improved learning outcomes.
An Actinic Keratosis Auxiliary Diagnosis Method Based on an Enhanced MobileNet Model
Authors: Li Shiyang , Li Chengquan , Liu Qicai , Pei Yilin , Wang Liyang , Shen Zhu
Published: June 2023

Actinic keratosis (AK) is a common precancerous skin lesion with significant harm, and it is often confused with non-actinic keratoses (NAK). At present, the diagnosis of AK mainly depends on clinical experience and histopathology. Due to the high difficulty of diagnosis and easy confusion with other diseases, this article aims to develop a convolutional neural network that can efficiently, accurately, and automatically diagnose AK. This article improves the MobileNet model and uses the AK and NAK images in the HAM10000 dataset for training and testing after data preprocessing, and we performed external independent testing using a separate dataset to validate our preprocessing approach and to demonstrate the performance and generalization capability of our model. It further compares common deep learning models in the field of skin diseases (including the original MobileNet, ResNet, GoogleNet, EfficientNet, and Xception). The results show that the improved MobileNet has achieved 0.9265 in accuracy and 0.97 in Area Under the ROC Curve (AUC), which is the best among the comparison models. At the same time, it has the shortest training time, and the total time of five-fold cross-validation on local devices only takes 821.7 s. Local experiments show that the method proposed in this article has high accuracy and stability in diagnosing AK. Our method will help doctors diagnose AK more efficiently and accurately, allowing patients to receive timely diagnosis and treatment.
Quantification of Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Lipid Mediators in Long-Term Cryopreserved and Freeze-Dried Preserved Human Amniotic Membrane
Authors: Vrkoslav Vladimir , Smeringaiova Ingrida , Smorodinova Natalia , Svobodova Alzbeta , Strnad Stepan , Jackson Catherine Joan , Burkert Jan , Jirsova Katerina
Published: June 2023

The aim of this study was to compare concentrations of endogenous N-acylethanolamine (NAE) lipid mediators—palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and anandamide (AEA)—in fresh, decontaminated, cryopreserved, and freeze-dried amniotic membrane (AM) allografts, thereby determining whether AM’s analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficiency related to NAEs persists during storage. The concentrations of NAEs were measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Indirect fluorescent immunohistochemistry was used to detect the PEA PPAR-α receptor. The concentrations of PEA, OEA, and AEA were significantly higher after decontamination. A significant decrease was found in cryopreserved AM compared to decontaminated tissue for PEA but not for OEA and AEA. However, significantly higher values for all NAEs were detected in cryopreserved samples compared to fresh tissue before decontamination. The freeze-dried AM had similar values to decontaminated AM with no statistically significant difference. The nuclear staining of the PPAR-α receptor was clearly visible in all specimens. The stability of NAEs in AM after cryopreservation was demonstrated under tissue bank storage conditions. However, a significant decrease, but still higher concentration of PEA compared to fresh not decontaminated tissue, was found in cryopreserved, but not freeze-dried, AM. Results indicate that NAEs persist during storage in levels sufficient for the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. This means that cryopreserved AM allografts released for transplant purposes before the expected expiration (usually 3–5 years) will still show a strong analgesic effect. The same situation was confirmed for AM lyophilized after one year of storage. This work thus contributed to the clarification of the analgesic effect of NAEs in AM allografts.
Suppressing Chondrocyte Hypertrophy to Build Better Cartilage
Authors: Shigley Christian , Trivedi Jay , Meghani Ozair , Owens Brett D. , Jayasuriya Chathuraka T.
Published: June 2023

Current clinical strategies for restoring cartilage defects do not adequately consider taking the necessary steps to prevent the formation of hypertrophic tissue at injury sites. Chondrocyte hypertrophy inevitably causes both macroscopic and microscopic level changes in cartilage, resulting in adverse long-term outcomes following attempted restoration. Repairing/restoring articular cartilage while minimizing the risk of hypertrophic neo tissue formation represents an unmet clinical challenge. Previous investigations have extensively identified and characterized the biological mechanisms that regulate cartilage hypertrophy with preclinical studies now beginning to leverage this knowledge to help build better cartilage. In this comprehensive article, we will provide a summary of these biological mechanisms and systematically review the most cutting-edge strategies for circumventing this pathological hallmark of osteoarthritis.
Investigation of Stent Prototypes for the Eustachian Tube in Human Donor Bodies
Authors: Rosenbusch Lena , Schuon Robert , Wilfling Tamara , Krüger Philipp , Lebahn Kerstin , John Samuel , Sahmel Olga , Grabow Niels , Schulze Marko , Wree Andreas , Schmitz Klaus-Peter , Stein Tobias , Lenarz Thomas , Paasche Gerrit
Published: June 2023

Chronic otitis media is often connected to Eustachian tube dysfunction. As successful treatment cannot be guaranteed with the currently available options, the aim is to develop a stent for the Eustachian tube (ET). Over the course of this development, different prototypes were generated and tested in ex vivo experiments. Four different prototypes of an ET stent and one commercially available coronary stent were implanted in the ET of seven human donor bodies. The position of the stents was verified by cone beam CT. The implanted ETs were harvested, embedded in resin and ground at 200 µm steps. Resulting images of the single steps were used to generate 3D models. The 3D models were then evaluated regarding position of the stent in the ET, its diameters, amount of squeezing, orientation of the axes and other parameters. Virtual reconstruction of the implanted ET was successful in all cases and revealed one incorrect stent placement. The cross-section increased for all metal stents in direction from the isthmus towards the pharyngeal orifice of the ET. Depending on the individual design of the metal stents (open or closed design), the shape varied also between different positions along a single stent. In contrast, the cross-section area and shape remained constant along the polymeric prototype. With the current investigation, insight into the behavior of different prototypes of ET stents was gained, which can help in defining the specifications for the intended ET stent.
Thermostable Human Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (TS-bFGF) Engineered with a Disulfide Bond Demonstrates Superior Culture Outcomes in Human Pluripotent Stem Cell
Authors: Kim Sejong , Kang Geun-Ho , Lim Kyung Min , Shin Yeokyung , Song Kwonwoo , Park Sangrok , An Jongyub , Kim Dae Young , Shin Hang-Cheol , Cho Ssang-Goo
Published: June 2023

Human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into various tissues and are an essential source of various disease models and therapeutics. Various growth factors are required in order to culture pluripotent stem cells, among which basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) is essential for maintaining stem cell ability. However, bFGF has a short half-life (8 h) under normal mammalian cell culture conditions, and its activity decreases after 72 h, posing a serious problem in the production of high-quality stem cells. Here, we evaluated the various functions of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) by utilizing an engineered thermostable bFGF (TS-bFGF) that is thermally stable and maintains activity longer under mammalian culture conditions. PSCs cultured with TS-bFGF showed better proliferation, stemness, morphology, and differentiation than cells cultured with wild-type bFGF. In light of the importance of stem cells in a wide range of applications in the medical and biotechnology fields, we anticipate that TS-bFGF, as a thermostable and long-acting bFGF, can play a key role in securing high-quality stem cells through various sets of stem cell culture processes.
Visualization of Cell Membrane Tension Regulated by the Microfilaments as a “Shock Absorber” in Micropatterned Cells
Authors: Wang Xianmeng , Li Na , Zhang Zhengyao , Qin Kairong , Zhang Hangyu , Shao Shuai , Liu Bo
Published: June 2023

The extracellular stress signal transmits along the cell membrane–cytoskeleton–focal adhesions (FAs) complex, regulating the cell function through membrane tension. However, the mechanism of the complex regulating membrane tension is still unclear. This study designed polydimethylsiloxane stamps with specific shapes to change the actin filaments’ arrangement and FAs’ distribution artificially in live cells, visualized the membrane tension in real time, and introduced the concept of information entropy to describe the order degree of the actin filaments and plasma membrane tension. The results showed that the actin filaments’ arrangement and FAs’ distribution in the patterned cells were changed significantly. The hypertonic solution resulted in the plasma membrane tension of the pattern cell changing more evenly and slowly in the zone rich in cytoskeletal filaments than in the zone lacking filaments. In addition, the membrane tension changed less in the adhesive area than in the non-adhesive area when destroying the cytoskeletal microfilaments. This suggested that patterned cells accumulated more actin filaments in the zone where FAs were difficult to generate to maintain the stability of the overall membrane tension. The actin filaments act as shock absorbers to cushion the alternation in membrane tension without changing the final value of membrane tension.
A Narrative Review of Non-Pharmacological Strategies for Managing Sarcopenia in Older Adults with Cardiovascular and Metabolic Diseases
Authors: Ispoglou Theocharis , Wilson Oliver , McCullough Deaglan , Aldrich Luke , Ferentinos Panagiotis , Lyall Gemma , Stavropoulos-Kalinoglou Antonios , Duckworth Lauren , Brown Meghan A. , Sutton Louise , Potts Alexandra J. , Archbold Victoria , Hargreaves Jackie , McKenna Jim
Published: June 2023

This narrative review examines the mechanisms underlying the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and metabolic diseases (MDs), along with their association with sarcopenia. Furthermore, non-pharmacological interventions to address sarcopenia in patients with these conditions are suggested. The significance of combined training in managing metabolic disease and secondary sarcopenia in type II diabetes mellitus is emphasized. Additionally, the potential benefits of resistance and aerobic training are explored. This review emphasises the role of nutrition in addressing sarcopenia in patients with CVD or MDs, focusing on strategies such as optimising protein intake, promoting plant-based protein sources, incorporating antioxidant-rich foods and omega-3 fatty acids and ensuring sufficient vitamin D levels. Moreover, the potential benefits of targeting gut microbiota through probiotics and prebiotic fibres in sarcopenic individuals are considered. Multidisciplinary approaches that integrate behavioural science are explored to enhance the uptake and sustainability of behaviour-based sarcopenia interventions. Future research should prioritise high-quality randomized controlled trials to refine exercise and nutritional interventions and investigate the incorporation of behavioural science into routine practices. Ultimately, a comprehensive and multifaceted approach is essential to improve health outcomes, well-being and quality of life in older adults with sarcopenia and coexisting cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.
Isoallopregnanolone Inhibits Estrus Cycle-Dependent Aggressive Behavior
Authors: Bäckström Torbjörn , Bengtsson Sara K. S. , Sjöstedt Jessica , Malinina Evgenya , Johansson Maja , Ragagnin Gianna , Ekberg Karin , Lundgren Per
Published: June 2023

Among female rats, some individuals show estrus cycle-dependent irritability/aggressive behaviors, and these individual rats may be used as a model for premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). We wanted to investigate if these behaviors are related to the estrus cycle phase containing moderately increased levels of positive GABA-A receptor-modulating steroids (steroid-PAM), especially allopregnanolone (ALLO), and if the adverse behavior can be antagonized. The electrophysiology studies in this paper show that isoallopregnanolone (ISO) is a GABA-A-modulating steroid antagonist (GAMSA), meaning that ISO can antagonize the agonistic effects of positive GABA-A receptor-modulating steroids in both α1β2γ2L and α4β3δ GABA-A receptor subtypes. In this study, we also investigated whether ISO could antagonize the estrus cycle-dependent aggressive behaviors in female Wistar rats using a resident–intruder test. Our results confirmed previous reports of estrus cycle-dependent behaviors in that 42% of the tested rats showed higher levels of irritability/aggression at diestrus compared to those at estrus. Furthermore, we found that, during the treatment with ISO, the aggressive behavior at diestrus was alleviated to a level comparable to that of estrus. We noticed an 89% reduction in the increase in aggressive behavior at diestrus compared to that at estrus. Vehicle treatment in the same animals showed a minimal effect on the diestrus-related aggressive behavior. In conclusion, we showed that ISO can antagonize Steroid-PAM both in α1β2γ2L and α4β3δ GABA-A receptor subtypes and inhibit estrus cycle-dependent aggressive behavior.
The Effect of Narrow-Band Ultraviolet B Phototherapy on Free and Total Vitamin D Serum Levels in Mild to Severe Plaque Psoriasis
Authors: Elmelid Andrea , Siekkeri Vandikas Maria , Gillstedt Martin , Osmancevic Amra , Alsterholm Mikael
Published: June 2023

Vitamin D plays an important role in skin inflammation in psoriasis. The beneficial effects of ultraviolet light B (UVB) phototherapy in psoriasis are partly attributed to UVB-induced increase of vitamin D levels. In clinical practice, total 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels are measured to assess sufficiency, but it might be more accurate to measure free 25(OH)D levels. The aim of this study was to measure free serum 25(OH)D levels in psoriasis patients before and after phototherapy and to investigate if free 25(OH)D correlates stronger to disease severity than total 25(OH)D. Twenty adults (>18 years) with psoriasis were included for treatment with narrow-band UVB (NB-UVB) phototherapy for 10–12 weeks. Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) were used to assess disease severity. Serum levels of total 25(OH)D, free 25(OH)D, and 1,25(OH)2D were measured before and after NB-UVB. Total 25(OH)D, free 25(OH)D, 1,25(OH)2D and the percentage of free 25(OH)D increased after NB-UVB, and PASI and VAS improved. The increase in total and free 25(OH)D remained significant when stratifying for vitamin D confounders. No correlations between disease severity and vitamin D levels were found. Total and free 25(OH)D levels were positively correlated before and after NB-UVB. NB-UVB is an effective treatment for mild to severe plaque psoriasis and increases not only total but also free 25(OH)D levels, as well as the percentage of free 25(OH)D, suggesting an increased bioavailability of skin-produced vitamin D.
Move Your Body, Boost Your Brain: The Positive Impact of Physical Activity on Cognition across All Age Groups
Authors: Festa Felice , Medori Silvia , Macrì Monica
Published: June 2023

While the physical improvements from exercise have been well documented over the years, the impact of physical activity on mental health has recently become an object of interest. Physical exercise improves cognition, particularly attention, memory, and executive functions. However, the mechanisms underlying these effects have yet to be fully understood. Consequently, we conducted a narrative literature review concerning the association between acute and chronic physical activity and cognition to provide an overview of exercise-induced benefits during the lifetime of a person. Most previous papers mainly reported exercise-related greater expression of neurotransmitter and neurotrophic factors. Recently, structural and functional magnetic resonance imaging techniques allowed for the detection of increased grey matter volumes for specific brain regions and substantial modifications in the default mode, frontoparietal, and dorsal attention networks following exercise. Here, we highlighted that physical activity induced significant changes in functional brain activation and cognitive performance in every age group and could counteract psychological disorders and neural decline. No particular age group gained better benefits from exercise, and a specific exercise type could generate better cognitive improvements for a selected target subject. Further research should develop appropriate intervention programs concerning age and comorbidity to achieve the most significant cognitive outcomes.
Perspectives and Implications of Coanda Effect in Aneurysms
Authors: Saceleanu Vicentiu-Mircea , Covache-Busuioc Razvan-Adrian , Glavan Luca-Andrei , Corlatescu Antonio-Daniel , Ciurea Alexandru Vlad
Published: June 2023

It is yet unknown how the formation of an aneurysm inside the human body occurs. Thus, understanding and analyzing the Coanda effect will result in a better overview of the overall fluid mechanics that develop inside such a structure, leading not only to better treatment plans, but also to diminished postoperative risks. This paper presents how the fluid behaves in this situation, and takes into consideration how this physical phenomenon influences the hemodynamics inside numerous anatomical regions, located in the central nervous system, where aneurysms usually develop. Analyzing the three main areas in which cerebral aneurysms form, the Coanda effect can potentially lead to the rupture of the aneurysm by changing the blood flow trajectory; this should be taken into consideration when choosing a treatment plan, especially in postoperative care. In addition, there are other factors that can influence the evolution of an aneurysm, such as its shape, size, localization and the patient’s health condition. Understanding and analyzing the Coanda effect will result in a better overview of the overall fluid mechanics that develop inside such a structure, leading not only to better treatment plans, but also to diminished postoperative risks.
Energy Consumption and Carbon Emission Analysis of Typical Regeneration Methods for Asphalt Pavements
Authors: Mao Jie , Zhu Yongqiang , Chen Qiwei , Yu Huayang
Published: June 2023

A quantitative evaluation was conducted on the energy consumption and carbon emissions during the asphalt pavement regeneration process, and the energy consumption and emission ratios during the construction and raw material production stages of the cold and hot regeneration process were obtained. This study applies the theory of life cycle assessment to propose an evaluation framework and calculation method suitable for quantitatively evaluating the environmental impact of the asphalt pavement regeneration process. Firstly, based on the life cycle evaluation theory, the evaluation framework and calculation method applicable to the quantitative study of the environmental impact of asphalt pavement regeneration processes are discussed, and the calculation formulae for the comprehensive energy consumption and comprehensive carbon emission of asphalt pavement regeneration are derived. It is found that the energy consumption and emission in the hot regeneration process account for 50~70% of the total process in the construction stage, and 50~65% of the total process in the cold regeneration process in the raw material production stage. Compared with the milling and resurfacing process, the energy consumption and carbon emission of the asphalt pavement regeneration process are reduced by about 16~66%, and the carbon emission is reduced by about 14~53%, so the energy saving and emission reduction benefits are more significant. The amount of RAP mixing, transportation distance of raw materials and pavement regeneration depth have a great influence on the energy consumption and emission of pavement regeneration. It can provide scientific guidance for the quantitative evaluation of the environmental impact of asphalt pavement regeneration, with a view to providing energy-saving and emission reduction level data support for technology improvement and engineering decisions.
A Review on Mechanical and Structural Performances of Precast Concrete Buildings
Authors: Chang Ruijie , Zhang Ning , Gu Quan
Published: June 2023

In recent decades, precast concrete buildings have undergone significant development, attracting considerable academic attention to their mechanical performances. Unlike cast-in-situ buildings, precast buildings are assembled on site by connecting precast components using mechanical devices or on-site casted joints, which makes the connections particularly important for overall structural performances. This study presents a comprehensive review of the mechanical performances of precast buildings, with a specific focus on various types of connections and their structural properties. This study reviews the mechanical performances of building connections using dry, wet, and/or hybrid methods between pre-manufactured components, e.g., beam–column joints, wall–panel connections, and column/wall–foundation connections. Both experimental and numerical investigations are reviewed. The paper provides a valuable reference regarding the mechanical performances of precast concrete buildings.
Evaluation of the Seismic Behavior of RC Buildings through the Direct Modeling of Masonry Infill Walls
Authors: Nour Abdelkader , Bourdim Sidi Mohammed El-Amine , Terki Hassaine Mohammed Issam Eddine
Published: June 2023

The direct modeling of masonry infill walls on many buildings, based on damage recorded by various past earthquakes, has become increasingly necessary in order to identify the seismic behavior of these elements, which constitute an important part of reinforced concrete buildings. In this paper, several 3D models were analyzed by the nonlinear static (pushover) method, when ignoring, and when considering, masonry infill walls. The finite element software SAP analyzed the proposed models. These models represent low and mid-rise reinforced concrete buildings infilled with double-leaf hollow bricks. The properties of materials used in Algeria, either in the frame elements or the infill elements, were used. The results obtained were compared according to two parameters, the natural time period of the building and the pushover curve, by varying the values of the dead load and the concrete compressive strength. The results were discussed according to the suggested parameters. The results showed that indirect modeling of such walls, either by taking assumptions embedded in the seismic behavior factor or by means of the macro-modal, can lead to a poor appreciation of the seismic behavior of such buildings. Consequently, direct modeling of walls by the infill of the real void showed acceptable results to some extent. This contributes greatly towards understanding the seismic behavior of this type of building.
Waste Plastic Recycling Upgrade Design Nanogenerator for Catalytic Degradation of Pollutants
Authors: Zhang Qian , Peng Qiyu , Li Wenbin , Liu Yanzhang , Wang Xiaoxiong
Published: June 2023

In recent years, electrocatalytic degradation of pollutants based on nanogenerators has gradually emerged. Compared with the huge energy consumption of traditional electrocatalysis, this method can effectively use displacement current to induce charge transfer and complete catalysis, so it can directly use the existing water flow energy and other energy sources in nature. This work will explain the basic principles, methods, and measurement methods of preparing nanogenerators from waste plastics, as well as the classification of electrocatalytic principles and methods relative to nanogenerators, which provides important support for the research in this emerging field. At the same time, the analysis based on this knowledge will also lay the foundation for future design.
A DFT Study of the Copolymerization of Methyl Vinyl Sulfone and Ethylene Catalyzed by Phosphine–Sulfonate and α-Diimine Palladium Complexes
Authors: Zhu Ling , Li Shuang , Kang Xiaohui , Zhang Wenzhen , Luo Yi
Published: June 2023

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were comparatively carried out to reveal the origins of different catalytic performances from phosphine–benzene sulfonate (A, [{P^O}PdMe(L)] (P^O = Κ2-P,O-Ar2PC6H4SO3 with Ar = 2-MeOC6H4)) and α-diimine (B, [{N^N}PdMe(Cl)] (N^N = (ArN=C(Me)-C(Me)=NAr) with Ar = 2,6-iPr2C6H3)) palladium complexes toward the copolymerization of ethylene and methyl vinyl sulfone (MVS). Having achieved agreement between theory and experiment, it was found that the favorable 2,1-selective insertion of MVS into phosphine–sulfonate palladium complex A was due to there being less structural deformations in the catalyst and monomer. Both the MVS and ethylene insertions were calculated, and the former was found to be more favorable for chain initiation and chain propagation. In the case of α-diimine palladium system B, the resulting product of the first MVS insertion was quite stable, and the stronger O-backbiting interaction hampered the insertion of the incoming ethylene molecule. These computational results are expected to provide some hints for the design of transition metal copolymerization catalysts.
Synthesis of Dual Z-Scheme CuBi2O4/Bi2Sn2O7/Sn3O4 Photocatalysts with Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance for the Degradation of Tetracycline under Visible Light Irradiation
Authors: Xu Jingjing , Zhu Yanlin , Liu Zeyu , Teng Xueyu , Gao Haiqing , Zhao Yaxin , Chen Mindong
Published: June 2023

The dual Z-scheme heterojunction CuBi2O4/Bi2Sn2O7/Sn3O4(CBS) was successfully constructed through in situ growth methods, and its photocatalytic performance was evaluated via degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride under visible light. Out of all samples, CBS-2 exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity, with an apparent rate constant of 2.34, 20.16, and 44.17 times that of Bi2Sn2O7, CuBi2O4, and Sn3O4, respectively. Even after four cycles, the photocatalytic efficiency remained above 85%. The improvement can be attributed to the construction of the Z-scheme heterojunction, which effectively promotes the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers. The possible photocatalytic degradation mechanism of dual Z-scheme heterojunction CBS was deduced based on the theory of free radical capture and energy band.