bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Vitamin K2 (Menaquinone-7) Reverses Age-Related Structural and Cognitive Deterioration in Naturally Aging Rats
Authors: Elkattawy Hany A. , Ghoneim Fatma M. , Eladl Mohamed Ahmed , Said Eman , Ebrahim Hasnaa Ali , El-Shafey Mohamed , Asseri Saad Mohamed , El-Sherbiny Mohamed , Alsalamah Reem Hamoud , Elsherbiny Nehal M. , Hadhod Shimaa
Published: March 2022

Aging is a naturally occurring process inevitably affecting each living human. The brain is adversely affected by aging with increased risks of developing various neurological disorders. Thus, it is essential to investigate practical approaches that can counteract the impact of aging on the brain. Vitamin K2 (Vit. K2) is a naturally occurring vitamin with reported valuable therapeutic effects. The current study highlights the role of Vit. K2 administration in counteracting age-related changes in the brain using naturally aging rats. Three-month-old rats were assigned to two groups: an ageing control group receiving a drug vehicle and an ageing group orally gavaged with Vit. K2 (30 mg/kg, once daily 5 days per week). Treatment was continued for 17 months. Ten three-month-old rats were used as the adult control. Vit. K2 improved functional performance, reduced social anxiety, depressive-like behavior, and enhanced memory performance with concomitant preservation of hippocampal and cerebral cortex tyrosine hydroxylase expression. Biochemically, Vit. K2 administration restored oxidative-anti-oxidative homeostasis in the brain. Vit. K2 modulated inflammatory signaling, as evidenced by suppression in the brain of NLRP3, caspase-1, Il-1β, TNFα, IL-6, and CD68 expression. Concomitantly, histopathological examination revealed consistent hippocampal and cerebral cortex improvement. Thus, it can be inferred that Vit K2 can slow down age-related changes in the brain associated with modulation of NLRP3/caspase-1/Nrf-2 signaling.
Tamarillo Polyphenols Encapsulated-Cubosome: Formation, Characterization, Stability during Digestion and Application in Yoghurt
Authors: Diep Tung Thanh , Yoo Michelle Ji Yeon , Rush Elaine
Published: March 2022

Tamarillo extract is a good source of phenolic and anthocyanin compounds which are well-known for beneficial antioxidant activity, but their bioactivity maybe lost during digestion. In this study, promising prospects of tamarillo polyphenols encapsulated in cubosome nanoparticles prepared via a top-down method were explored. The prepared nanocarriers were examined for their morphology, entrapment efficiency, particle size and stability during in vitro digestion as well as potential fortification of yoghurt. Tamarillo polyphenol-loaded cubosomes showed cubic shape with a mean particle size of 322.4 ± 7.27 nm and the entrapment efficiency for most polyphenols was over 50%. The encapsulated polyphenols showed high stability during the gastric phase of in vitro digestion and were almost completely, but slowly released in the intestinal phase. Addition of encapsulated tamarillo polyphenols to yoghurt (5, 10 and 15 wt% through pre- and post-fermentation) improved the physicochemical and potential nutritional properties (polyphenols concentration, TPC) as well as antioxidant activity. The encapsulation of tamarillo polyphenols protected against pH changes and enzymatic digestion and facilitated a targeted delivery and slow release of the encapsulated compounds to the intestine. Overall, the cubosomal delivery system demonstrated the potential for encapsulation of polyphenols from tamarillo for value-added food product development with yoghurt as the vehicle.
In-Gel Assay to Evaluate Antioxidant Enzyme Response to Silver Nitrate and Silver Nanoparticles in Marine Bivalve Tissues
Authors: Lorusso Candida , Calisi Antonio , Sarà Gianluca , Dondero Francesco
Published: March 2022

Silver is back in vogue today as this metal is used in the form of nanomaterials in numerous commercial products. We have developed in-gel electrophoretic techniques to measure the activity of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and used the same techniques in combination with HSP70 Western blot analysis to evaluate the effects of nanomolar amounts of silver nitrate and 5 nm alkane-coated silver nanoparticles in tissues of the marine bivalve Mytilus galloprovincialis (Lam.) exposed for 28 days in mesocosms. Our results showed a negligible effect for nanosilver exposure and dose-dependent effects for the nitrate form.
Assessment of the Impact of the Tipstim® Device Application and the Study Position on Motor Coordination and Grip Strength of the Affected Upper Limb Post-Ischemic Stroke—A Randomized Parallel Crossover Trial
Authors: Olczak Anna , Truszczyńska-Baszak Aleksandra
Published: March 2022

In the acute phase of stroke, most patients have reduced efficiency of the upper limb and in the chronic phase more than half of these patients still have a deficit in the mobility of the upper limb. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of using the tipstim® device and the tested position of the body and affected upper limb on parameters of motor coordination and grip strength in patients after an ischemic stroke. A randomized, parallel crossover study was conducted in the Rehabilitation Department. The study included 29 people aged 68 ± 9.2 years, 5–7 weeks after ischemic stroke. Patients were randomly assigned to two parallel groups (A/B = 15 people and B/A = 14 people). In each of them, the patient received both experimental (A = tipstim®) and control (B = placebo effect) treatment in a specific order. The HandTutor was used to measure the parameters of motor coordination (maximum range of motion and frequency of motion). We also used an electronic dynamometer to measure the handgrip strength. The patients were examined in two positions: sitting (unstable) and lying with the trunk and affected upper limb stabilized. Results: The analysis showed smaller differences between the measurements in the A/B group than in the B/A group, both without stabilization and with stabilization (wrist Hz = p ˂ 0.001; fingers 2–5 Hz = p ˂ 0.001; handgrip strength = p ˂ 0.049 and p ˂ 0.003). When comparing the influence of the tested position on the results of motor coordination and the handgrip strength, statistically significant differences were found in the placebo group in a stable position (Hz wrist p = 0.007, MaxROM wrist = 0.038, HzF5 = 0.039, MaxROM F4 = 0.035, HzF3 = 0.035, MaxROM F3 = 0.010, HzF2 = 0.049). Conclusions: Repeated use of the tipstim® device did not improve the tested parameters. A significant improvement in the results of coordination of movements and grip strength is possible in a stable position, lying down.
Effect of Hemp Seed Oil Addition on the Rheological Properties of Dough and Bread
Authors: Ropciuc Sorina , Apostol Laura Carmen , Damian Cristina , Prisacaru Ancuța Elena
Published: March 2022

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of hemp seed oil on the rheological properties of the dough and the properties of white and black wheat flour bread. In this work, the dough was obtained from wheat flour types 550, 650, and 1350 to which hemp seed oil was added in percentages ranging from 0–15% (flour-based). The empirical and fundamental rheological properties of the dough were characterization using an alveograph test and a rotational rheometer. The rheological properties determined by the alveograph test indicated a correlation between the dough extensibility index and the bread volume. The obtained results led to the conclusion that the addition of oil in the dough, at a maximum percentage of 15%, modifies rheological properties by decreasing the modulus of viscosity and elasticity. Textural properties were used to determine hardness, springiness, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness. The hardness and softness of the bread decreased as the percentage of added oil increased and the elasticity of the bread samples increased with the addition of more oil. Supplementing bread with oil has led to improved textural features and sensory scores. Generally, the best quality was obtained at the optimum usage level of 5–10% hemp oil.
A BIM Based Framework for Damage Segmentation, Modeling, and Visualization Using IFC
Authors: Artus Mathias , Alabassy Mohamed Said Helmy , Koch Christian
Published: March 2022

Paper-based data acquisition and manual transfer between incompatible software or data formats during inspections of bridges, as done currently, are time-consuming, error-prone, cumbersome, and lead to information loss. A fully digitized workflow using open data formats would reduce data loss, efforts, and the costs of future inspections. On the one hand, existing studies proposed methods to automatize data acquisition and visualization for inspections. These studies lack an open standard to make the gathered data available for other processes. On the other hand, several studies discuss data structures for exchanging damage information among different stakeholders. However, those studies do not cover the process of automatic data acquisition and transfer. This study focuses on a framework that incorporates automatic damage data acquisition, transfer, and a damage information model for data exchange. This enables inspectors to use damage data for subsequent analyses and simulations. The proposed framework shows the potentials for a comprehensive damage information model and related (semi-)automatic data acquisition and processing.
Maximum Power Extraction from a Standalone Photo Voltaic System via Neuro-Adaptive Arbitrary Order Sliding Mode Control Strategy with High Gain Differentiation
Authors: Anjum Muhammad Bilal , Khan Qudrat , Ullah Safeer , Hafeez Ghulam , Fida Adnan , Iqbal Jamshed , Albogamy Fahad R.
Published: March 2022

In this work, a photovoltaic (PV) system integrated with a non-inverting DC-DC buck-boost converter to extract maximum power under varying environmental conditions such as irradiance and temperature is considered. In order to extract maximum power (via maximum power transfer theorem), a robust nonlinear arbitrary order sliding mode-based control is designed for tracking the desired reference, which is generated via feed forward neural networks (FFNN). The proposed control law utilizes some states of the system, which are estimated via the use of a high gain differentiator and a famous flatness property of nonlinear systems. This synthetic control strategy is named neuro-adaptive arbitrary order sliding mode control (NAAOSMC). The overall closed-loop stability is discussed in detail and simulations are carried out in Simulink environment of MATLAB to endorse effectiveness of the developed synthetic control strategy. Finally, comparison of the developed controller with the backstepping controller is done, which ensures the performance in terms of maximum power extraction, steady-state error and more robustness against sudden variations in atmospheric conditions.
The Effects of Train Passes on Dwell Time Delays in Sweden
Authors: Tiong Kah Yong , Palmqvist Carl-William , Olsson Nils O. E.
Published: March 2022

Railway traffic is growing, resulting in a highly interconnected train network. Due to the interdependence between trains’ activities, a better understanding of train passes and their effects can ensure dispatching decisions made have minimum risk of delays. The impacts of train pass on dwell time delays were investigated using historical Swedish railway operation data. Three scenarios were considered by combining the scheduled and actual operations: passes that happened as scheduled, unscheduled passes that happened in operation, and scheduled passes that were cancelled. A logistic regression model was used to explore the effects of these passes on delays. The findings show that train passes rarely occurred as scheduled, more frequently they are cancelled or unscheduled. This implies that some adjustments are required to assure the timetable’s feasibility. This study also found that the odds of delays for the cancelled pass was about 9.80 times lower than scheduled pass but 2.6 times more often for an unscheduled pass than a scheduled pass. The different types of train passes were quantified using an odds ratio to make comparisons easier for dispatching decision-making. The approach used in this study can be extended to other types of train movements, such as the meeting of trains, as well as other delay-influencing factors.
Meta-Analysis of a New Georeferenced Database on Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Western and Central Mediterranean Seafood
Authors: De Giovanni Andrea , Abondio Paolo , Frapiccini Emanuela , Luiselli Donata , Marini Mauro
Published: March 2022

The aim of this work was to collect and harmonize the results of several studies achieved over the years, in order to obtain a database of georeferenced observations on polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Western and Central Mediterranean seafood. For each observation, some information on the taxonomy and the ecology of the sampled species are reported, as well as details on the investigated hydrocarbon, and spatial and temporal information on sampling. Moreover, two health risk indexes were calculated for each record and included in the database. Through several statistical methods, we conducted a meta-analysis of the data on some of the species in this database, identifying trends that could be related to the biology of the investigated organisms, as well as to the physico-chemical properties of each hydrocarbon and to the oceanographic characteristic of this part of the Mediterranean. The analysis of the data showed that, at a consumption rate like the one typical of the Italian population, seafood caught from the area considered in the present work seems to pose a minimal risk to health. However, we also found evidence of an increasing trend of PAH concentrations in Mediterranean mussels, pointing to the need for constant monitoring.
Camille Bryen Avant-Gardist/Abhumanist: A Reappraisal of an Artist Who Called Himself the “Best-Known of the Unknown”
Authors: Slavkova Iveta
Published: March 2022

French artist and poet Camille Bryen (1907–1977) is usually, and always very briefly, cited as a member of the post-Second World War (1939–1945) lyrical abstraction trend in Paris, often designated as Ecole de Paris or Nouvelle Ecole de Paris, Tachisme, or Informel. Bryen painted hybrids of plants, animals, rocks, and humans, mixing the organic with the inorganic, evoking cellular agglomerations, geological structures, or prehistorical drawings. He emphasized the materiality and the process through thick impasto, visible brushstrokes, and automatic drawing. Along with other abstract painters in post-war Paris, Bryen’s work is usually associated with vague humanist interpretations and oversimplified existentialism. If the above statement is true for a number of his peers, it does not correspond to the way he envisaged his art, and art in general. His views are reflected in his intense theoretical reflection revolving around the term of “Abhumanism”, too often completely ignored in the critical literature. Coined by his close friend, the playwright and writer Jacques Audiberti, Abhumanism claimed the inconsistency of a fallacious and pretentious humanism faced with the rawness and cruelty of recent history, and called for a revision of the humanist subject, including anthropocentrism. Both men considered art, namely painting, as a salvatory vitalist “abhumanist” act. In this paper, which is the first consistent publication on Bryen in English, I will argue that Abhumanism is essential for the understanding of the artist’s work because, separating him from the School of Paris, it is, first, harmonious with his artistic production—paintings and writings; second, it clarifies Bryen’s place in the history of the avant-garde, in the wake of Dada and Surrealism. This essay will contribute to the re-evaluation not only of Bryen’s still underestimated œuvre, but more largely to the reappraisal of the artistic life in Paris after the Second World War.
Small but Mighty—Exosomes, Novel Intercellular Messengers in Neurodegeneration
Authors: Kumari Meena , Anji Antje
Published: March 2022

Exosomes of endosomal origin are one class of extracellular vesicles that are important in intercellular communication. Exosomes are released by all cells in our body and their cargo consisting of lipids, proteins and nucleic acids has a footprint reflective of their parental origin. The exosomal cargo has the power to modulate the physiology of recipient cells in the vicinity of the releasing cells or cells at a distance. Harnessing the potential of exosomes relies upon the purity of exosome preparation. Hence, many methods for isolation have been developed and we provide a succinct summary of several methods. In spite of the seclusion imposed by the blood–brain barrier, cells in the CNS are not immune from exosomal intrusive influences. Both neurons and glia release exosomes, often in an activity-dependent manner. A brief description of exosomes released by different cells in the brain and their role in maintaining CNS homeostasis is provided. The hallmark of several neurodegenerative diseases is the accumulation of protein aggregates. Recent studies implicate exosomes’ intercellular communicator role in the spread of misfolded proteins aiding the propagation of pathology. In this review, we discuss the potential contributions made by exosomes in progression of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Understanding contributions made by exosomes in pathogenesis of neurodegeneration opens the field for employing exosomes as therapeutic agents for drug delivery to brain since exosomes do cross the blood–brain barrier.
Different HSP90 Inhibitors Exert Divergent Effect on Myxoid Liposarcoma In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Vannas Christoffer , Andersson Lisa , Dolatabadi Soheila , Ranji Parmida , Lindén Malin , Jonasson Emma , Ståhlberg Anders , Fagman Henrik , Åman Pierre
Published: March 2022

The therapeutic options for patients with relapsed or metastatic myxoid liposarcoma (MLS) remain scarce and there is currently no targeted therapy available. Inhibition of the HSP90 family of chaperones has been suggested as a possible therapeutic option for patients with MLS. However, the clinical effect of different HSP90 inhibitors vary considerably and no comparative study in MLS has been performed. Here, we evaluated the effects of the HSP90 inhibitors 17-DMAG, AUY922 and STA-9090 on MLS cell lines and in an MLS patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model. Albeit all drugs inhibited in vitro growth of MLS cell lines, the in vivo responses were discrepant. Whereas 17-DMAG inhibited tumor growth, AUY922 surprisingly led to increased tumor growth and a more aggressive morphological phenotype. In vitro, 17-DMAG and STA-9090 reduced the activity of the MAPK and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways, whereas AUY922 led to a compensatory upregulation of downstream ERK. Furthermore, all three tested HSP90 inhibitors displayed a synergistic combination effect with trabectidin, but not with doxorubicin. In conclusion, our results indicate that different HSP90 inhibitors, albeit having the same target, can vary significantly in downstream effects and treatment outcomes. These results should be considered before proceeding into clinical trials against MLS or other malignancies.
Antibacterial Effect of Silver Nanoparticles Is Stronger If the Production Host and the Targeted Pathogen Are Closely Related
Authors: Singh Priyanka , Mijakovic Ivan
Published: March 2022

Microbial resistance to antibiotics is one of the key challenges that lead to the search for alternate antimicrobial treatment approaches. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are well known for their antimicrobial effects against a wide variety of drug-resistant microorganisms. AgNPs can be synthesized using microbial hosts, using a green and economical synthesis route, which produces extremely stable and highly active nanoparticles. Such green AgNPs are coated with a biological coating often referred to as a corona, originating from the production microorganism. In this study, we asked whether the composition of the biological corona might influence the antimicrobial activity of green AgNPs. To investigate this, we produced AgNPs in Pseudomonas putida KT2440 and Escherichia coli K12 MG1655, and tested them against pathogen species from the corresponding genera. AgNPs exhibited a size range of 15–40 nm for P. putida and 30–70 nm for E. coli, and both types of nanoparticles were surrounded by a thick biological corona layer, providing extreme stability. The nanoparticles remained stable over long periods and exhibited negative zeta potential values. P-AgNPs (obtained from P. putida) were tested against pathogenic Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1, and E-AgNPs (obtained from E. coli) were tested against pathogenic Escherichia coli UTI 89. Antimicrobial studies were conducted by Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), live/dead staining and SEM analysis. MBC of P-AgNPs against P. aeruginosa was 1 μg/mL, and MBC of E-AgNPs against E. coli UTI 89 was 8 μg/mL. In both cases, the MBC values were superior to those of green AgNPs produced in organisms unrelated to the target pathogens, available in the literature. Our results suggest that NPs produced in microorganisms closely related to the target pathogen may be more effective, indicating that the composition of the biological corona may play a crucial role in the antimicrobial mechanism of AgNPs.
Thermo-Energy Performance of Lightweight Steel Framed Constructions: A Case Study
Authors: Moga Ligia , Petran Ioan , Santos Paulo , Ungureanu Viorel
Published: March 2022

The building sector continues to play an essential role in reducing worldwide energy consumption. The reduced consumption is accompanied by stricter regulation for the thermotechnical design of the building envelope. The redefined nearly Zero Energy Building levels that will come into force for each member state will pressure designers to rethink the constructive details so that mandatory levels can be reached, without increasing the construction costs over an optimum level but at the same time reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The paper aims to illustrate the main conclusions obtained in assessing the thermo-energy performance of a steel-framed building representing a holistically designed modular laboratory located in a moderate continental temperate climate, characteristic of the south-eastern part of the Pannonian Depression with some sub-Mediterranean influences. An extensive numerical simulation of the main junctions was performed. The thermal performance was established in terms of the main parameters, the adjusted thermal resistances and global thermal insulation coefficient. Further on, the energy consumption for heating was established, and the associated energy rating was in compliance with the Romanian regulations. A parametric study was done to illustrate the energy performance of the investigated case in the five representative climatic zones from Romania. An important conclusion of the research indicates that an emphasis must be placed on the thermotechnical design of Light Steel Framed solutions against increased thermal bridge areas caused by the steel’s high thermal conductivity for all building components to reach nZEB levels. Nevertheless, the results indicate an exemplary behaviour compared to classical solutions, but at the same time, the need for an iterative redesign so that all thermo-energy performance indicators are achieved.
Mothers’ Resilience: Experiences of Intimate Partner Violence Survivors at Work
Authors: Showalter Kathryn , Maguire-Jack Kathryn , McCloskey Rebecca
Published: March 2022

Mothers who experience intimate partner violence can be resilient in maintaining employment during periods of abuse. The current qualitative study examines mothers’ experiences of abusive workplace disruptions as well as helpful responses from workplaces. Two main research questions are addressed: 1. What ways do abusive partners use issues related to children to disrupt mothers’ employment? 2. How do workplaces respond to mothers experiencing IPV? How do mothers show resilience? Mothers (n = 18) receiving services for abuse explained that abusive partners disrupted their work through compromising or withholding childcare, manipulating them through children, and jeopardizing child safety during work hours. However, mothers showed resilience when coworkers extend housing, childcare, and genuine concern for their situations. Implications for researchers, practitioners, and employers of survivors are discussed.
Wildfires vs. Sustainable Forest Partitioning
Authors: Sargentis G.-Fivos , Ioannidis Romanos , Bairaktaris Ioannis , Frangedaki Evangelia , Dimitriadis Panayiotis , Iliopoulou Theano , Koutsoyiannis Demetris , Lagaros Nikos D.
Published: March 2022

There is a widespread perception that every year wildfires are intensifying on a global scale, something that is often used as an indicator of the adverse impacts of global warming. However, from the analysis of wildfires that have occurred in the US, Canada, and Mediterranean countries, a trend that justifies this perception could not be identified. Arguably, instead of blaming climate change, research on the mitigation of wildfires should be re-directed to forest management policy and practices. Forests are admirable and complex natural ecosystems, and fires, albeit devastating, can be attributed to both human activity and to natural processes that contribute to their rebirth, with the latter constituting an intrinsic and perpetual process of the forest ecosystem. Other than their important ecological value, forests are, in the 21st century, also a capital resource, for many people’s livelihoods depend on them. In this study, we proposed a method for taking mitigation measures against wildfires based on the partitioning of forests, considering both the protection of the ecosystem and the inhabitants and aiming to utilize their co-dependent nature for the general protection and preservation of forests. As a case study, we analyzed the current devastating fire in Euboea (occurred in August 2021), initially in terms of the spatio-temporal progression of the actual wildfire that lasted several days and then by examining how an implementation of the proposed method in the study area could contribute to both the recovery of the ecosystem and the enhancement of the quality of life of the inhabitants as well as their long-term protection.
Systemic Therapy and Its Surgical Implications in Patients with Resectable Liver Colorectal Cancer Metastases. A Report from the Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference
Authors: Ahmed Shahid , Bosma Nicholas , Moser Michael , Ahmed Shahida , Brunet Bryan , Davies Janine , Doll Corinne , Dueck Dorie-Anna , Kim Christina A. , Ji Shuying , Le Duc , Lee-Ying Richard , Lim Howard , McGhie John Paul , Mulder Karen , Park Jason , Ravi Deepti , Renouf Daniel J. , Schellenberg Devin , Wong Ralph P. W. , Zaidi Adnan
Published: March 2022

The Western Canadian Gastrointestinal Cancer Consensus Conference (WCGCCC) convened virtually on 4 November 2021. The WCGCCC is an interactive multi-disciplinary conference attended by health care professionals, including surgical, medical, and radiation oncologists; pathologists; radiologists; and allied health care professionals from across four Western Canadian provinces, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, who are involved in the care of patients with gastrointestinal cancer. They participated in presentation and discussion sessions for the purpose of developing recommendations on the role of systemic therapy and its optimal sequence in patients with resectable metastatic colorectal cancer.
TongueCaps: An Improved Capsule Network Model for Multi-Classification of Tongue Color
Authors: Ni Jinghong , Yan Zhuangzhi , Jiang Jiehui
Published: March 2022

Tongue color is an important part of tongue diagnosis. The change of tongue color is affected by pathological state of body, blood rheology, and other factors. Therefore, physicians can understand a patient’s condition by observing tongue color. Currently, most studies use machine learning, which is time consuming and labor intensive. Other studies use deep learning based on convolutional neural network (CNN), but the affine transformation of CNN is less robust and easily loses the spatial relationship between features. Recently, Capsule Networks (CapsNet) have been proposed to overcome these problems. In our work, CapsNet is used for tongue color research for the first time, and improved model TongueCaps is proposed, which combines the advantage of CapsNet and residual block structure to achieve end to end tongue color classification. We conduct experiments on 1371 tongue images; TongueCaps achieve accuracy is 0.8456, sensitivity is 0.8474, and specificity is 0.9586. In addition, the size of TongueCaps is 8.11 M, and FLOPs is 1,335,342, which are smaller than CNN in comparison models. Experiments have confirmed that the CapsNet can be used for tongue color research, and improved model TongueCaps, in this paper, is superior to other comparison models in terms of accuracy, specificity and sensitivity, computational complexity, and size of model.
Design of a Service for Hospital Internal Transport of Urgent Pharmaceuticals via Drones
Authors: De Silvestri Sara , Pagliarani Mirco , Tomasello Filippo , Trojaniello Diana , Sanna Alberto
Published: March 2022

The internal transport of medical goods in a hospital heavily relies on human resources that carry the materials on foot. Such mode of transport may be affected by inefficiencies, e.g., due to bottlenecks, and other logistic challenges. Thus, it may benefit from the use of unmanned aircraft systems in several aspects. Such a scenario introduces specific criticalities for healthcare organizations in densely populated areas and below congested airspace, such as the Milan metropolitan area. The authors applied a co-creation methodology to design a highly automated drone service for the delivery of pharmaceuticals at San Raffaele Hospital, Milan, Italy. The needs of the main users were identified by means of semi-structured interviews and visualization material. Based on those outcomes, a drone service was designed and validated with the main users. It emerged that the main gain point of such a service would be increasing hospital logistics efficiency. The risks tied to the operations (e.g., tampering of the delivery container) were evaluated and appropriate mitigations were identified (e.g., use of tamper-evident seals or mechatronic locks). The information required by the digital system offering the needed logistics functions was analyzed for future development. Recent conceptual and regulatory advancements in the field of Urban Air Mobility (UAM) in Europe were elaborated to outline the digital ecosystem in which aviation and non-aviation actors would exchange information to ensure operations’ efficiency, safety and regulatory compliance.
Analyzing Impact of Types of UAV-Derived Images on the Object-Based Classification of Land Cover in an Urban Area
Authors: Park Geonung , Park Kyunghun , Song Bonggeun , Lee Hungkyu
Published: March 2022

The development of UAV sensors has made it possible to obtain a diverse array of spectral images in a single flight. In this study, high-resolution UAV-derived images of urban areas were employed to create land cover maps, including car-road, sidewalk, and street vegetation. A total of nine orthoimages were produced, and the variables effective in producing UAV-based land cover maps were identified. Based on analyses of the object-based images, 126 variables were derived by computing 14 statistical values for each image. The random forest (RF) classifier was used to evaluate the priority of the 126 variables. This was followed by optimizing the RF through variable reduction and by comparing the initial and optimized RF, the utility of the high-priority variable was evaluated. Computing variable importance, the most influential variables were evaluated in the order of normalized digital surface model (nDSM), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), land surface temperature (LST), soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI), blue, green, red, rededge. Finally, no significant changes between initial and optimized RF in the classification were observed from a series of analyses even though the reduced variables number was applied for the classification.
A Novel Combined Control Strategy for a Two-Stage Parallel Full-Wave ZCS Quasi Resonant Boost Converter for PV-Based Battery Charging Systems with Maximum Power Point Tracking
Authors: Sabzehgar Reza , Ghali Rami , Fajri Poria
Published: March 2022

This work deals with the design and validation of a combined control strategy to satisfy the requirements for both soft switching and Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) for a Photo Voltaic based (PV-based) battery charging system. The proposed controller is employed for a two-stage parallel full-wave Zero Current Switching (ZCS) quasi resonant boost converter to obtain maximum voltage using Perturb and Observation (P&O) method. The controller utilizes frequency modulation to regulate the output voltage, considering any changes experienced due to the intermittent nature of the PV system. Operating principles of the tow-stage parallel boost converter are thoroughly analyzed, and Matlab Simscape toolbox and its real-time workshop capability is utilized to evaluate the performance of the proposed controller for a battery charging system.
Crowd Monitoring in Smart Destinations Based on GDPR-Ready Opportunistic RF Scanning and Classification of WiFi Devices to Identify and Classify Visitors’ Origins
Authors: Berenguer Alberto , Ros David Fernández , Gómez-Oliva Andrea , Ivars-Baidal Josep A. , Jara Antonio J. , Laborda Jaime , Mazón Jose-Norberto , Perles Angel
Published: March 2022

Crowd monitoring was an essential measure to deal with over-tourism problems in urban destinations in the pre-COVID era. It will play a crucial role in the pandemic scenario when restarting tourism and making destinations safer. Notably, a Destination Management Organisation (DMO) of a smart destination needs to deploy a technological layer for crowd monitoring that allows data gathering in order to count visitors and distinguish them from residents. The correct identification of visitors versus residents by a DMO, while privacy rights (e.g., Regulation EU 2016/679, also known as GDPR) are ensured, is an ongoing problem that has not been fully solved. In this paper, we describe a novel approach to gathering crowd data by processing (i) massive scanning of WiFi access points of the smart destination to find SSIDs (Service Set Identifier), as well as (ii) the exposed Preferred Network List (PNL) containing the SSIDs of WiFi access points to which WiFi-enabled mobile devices are likely to connect. These data enable us to provide the number of visitors and residents of a crowd at a given point of interest of a tourism destination. A pilot study has been conducted in the city of Alcoi (Spain), comparing data from our approach with data provided by manually filled surveys from the Alcoi Tourist Info office, with an average accuracy of 83%, thus showing the feasibility of our policy to enrich the information system of a smart destination.
Fabrication of Large-Area Short-Wave Infrared Array Photodetectors under High Operating Temperature by High Quality PtS2 Continuous Films
Authors: Zhang Yichen , Feng Qingliang , Hao Rui , Zhang Mingjin
Published: March 2022

A narrow bandgap of a few layers of platinic disulfide (PtS2) has shown great advantages in large-area array photodetectors for wide spectra photodetection, which is necessary for infrared imaging and infrared sensing under extreme conditions. The photodetection performance of two dimensional materials is highly dependent on the crystalline quality of the film, especially under high operating temperatures. Herein, we developed large area uniform array photodetectors using a chemical vapor deposition grown on PtS2 films for short-wave infrared photodetection at high operating temperature. Due to the high uniformity and crystalline quality of as-grown large area PtS2 films, as-fabricated PtS2 field effect transistors have shown a broadband photo-response from 532 to 2200 nm with a wide working temperature from room temperature to 373 K. The photo-responsivity (R) and specific detectivity (D*) of room temperature and 373 K are about 3.20 A/W and 1.24 × 107 Jones, and 839 mA/W and 6.1 × 106 Jones, at 1550 nm, respectively. Our studies pave the way to create an effective strategy for fabricating large-area short-wave infrared (SWIR) array photodetectors with high operating temperatures using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) grown PtS2 films.
Optimal Power Allocation with Sectored Cells for Sum-Throughput Maximization in Wireless-Powered Communication Networks Based on Hybrid SDMA/NOMA
Authors: Maeng Juhyun , Dahouda Mwamba Kasongo , Joe Inwhee
Published: March 2022

Wireless-powered communication networks (WPCNs) consist of wireless devices (WDs) that transmit information to the hybrid access point (HAP). In this situation, there is interference among WDs that is considered to be noise and causes information loss because of adjacent signals. Moreover, power is limited and can be lost if transmission distance is long. This paper studies sum-throughput maximization with sectored cells for WPCN. We designed a downlink (DL) energy beamforming by sector based on the hybrid space division multiple access (SDMA) and nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) approach to maximize the sum throughput. First, a cell is divided into several sectors, and signals from each sector are transmitted to each antenna of the HAP, so that the signals are not adjacent. Further, the HAP decodes the overlapping information of each sector. Next, power allocation is optimized by sector. To optimize power allocation, a constrained optimization problem is formulated and then converted into a nonconstraint optimization problem using the interior penalty method. The optimal solution derives the maximal value to the problem. Power for each sector is optimally allocated according to this optimal solution. Under this consideration, sum-throughput maximization is performed by optimally allocating DL energy beamforming by sector. We analyzed sum throughput and fairness, and then compared them according to the number of sectors. Performance results show that the proposed optimal power allocation by sector using hybrid SDMA/NOMA outperforms the existing equal power allocation by sector in terms of the sum throughput while fairness is also maintained. Moreover, the performance difference between the hybrid approach and SDMA, which optimally allocates power by sector, was about 1.4 times that of sum throughput on average, and the hybrid approach was dominant. There was also no difference in fairness performance.
Impact of Hybrid Ventilation Strategies in Energy Savings of Buildings: In Regard to Mixed-Humid Climate Regions
Authors: Park Kyung-Yong , Woo Deok-Oh , Leigh Seung-Bok , Junghans Lars
Published: March 2022

It has been identified that improving building energy efficiency is an effective method to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Although standards have been established to satisfy a building’s minimum energy demand while ensuring the comfort of its residents, they are difficult to implement in mixed-humid regions. This study proposes a hybrid ventilation strategy that can comprehensively reduce cooling, heating, and ventilation energy in mixed-humid climate regions to significantly decrease the primary energy demand and reduce the impact of buildings on the environment. This study evaluated the changes in energy saving potential and thermal comfort according to the extension of the natural ventilation period and passive strategies, such as decentralized ventilation. Changes in indoor air temperature, operative temperature, and PMV for each strategy were analyzed. As a result, extending the natural ventilation and the decentralized ventilation strategies can save 32% and 34% of the building’s energy, respectively. Considering that electricity is the main energy source for cooling in Korea, the extension of the natural ventilation period was judged to be the best approach from the perspective of primary energy demand. The results can be used to predict changes in building energy demand and thermal comfort and select an appropriate ventilation strategy based on occupant information obtained using Internet of Things.
Ensemble Learning-Based Reactive Power Optimization for Distribution Networks
Authors: Zhu Ruijin , Tang Bo , Wei Wenhai
Published: March 2022

Reactive power optimization of distribution networks is of great significance to improve power quality and reduce power loss. However, traditional methods for reactive power optimization of distribution networks either consume a lot of calculation time or have limited accuracy. In this paper, a novel data-driven-based approach is proposed to simultaneously improve the accuracy and reduce calculation time for reactive power optimization using ensemble learning. Specifically, k-fold cross-validation is used to train multiple sub-models, which are merged to obtain high-quality optimization results through the proposed ensemble framework. The simulation results show that the proposed approach outperforms popular baselines, such as light gradient boosting machine, convolutional neural network, case-based reasoning, and multi-layer perceptron. Moreover, the calculation time is much lower than the traditional heuristic methods, such as the genetic algorithm.
Mathematical Modeling of Hydraulic Fracture Formation and Cleaning Processes
Authors: Smirnov Nickolay , Li Kairui , Skryleva Evgeniya , Pestov Dmitriy , Shamina Anastasia , Qi Chengzhi , Kiselev Alexey
Published: March 2022

The effectiveness of the hydraulic fracturing procedure is crucially dependent on the stage of fracture planning and design. Forecasting fracture behavior in rock formations characterized by non-uniform toughness is a serious challenge. In the present paper, a planar-3D model considering the rock’s non-uniform fracture toughness has been developed for the uneven propagation of a hydraulic fracture. The series of numerical experiments were designed to study the effect of inhomogenous fracture toughness. The results show that the fracture toughness contract significantly controls the overall direction of fracture propagation, and a combination of toughness contrast and the proportion between the pay zone and barrier zone determine the fracture profile: from almost circular with or without a pair of narrow wedges when the proportion is small to almost rectangular otherwise. This paper also discusses the process of cleaning a fracture from hydraulic fracturing fluid by oil. Using numerical modeling on the basis of the constructed mathematical model, a relationship is established between the quality of hydraulic fracture cleaning and the geometrical parameters of the fracture and the region filled with the hydraulic fracturing fluid. The results of numerical experiments show that while fracturing fluid is more viscous than oil, the length of the fracture has a greater influence on the cleaning process than the viscosity of the fracturing fluid.
Geothermal Resources and ATES Potential of Mesozoic Reservoirs in the North German Basin
Authors: Frick Maximilian , Kranz Stefan , Norden Ben , Bruhn David , Fuchs Sven
Published: March 2022

Mesozoic sandstone aquifers in the North German Basin offer significant potential to provide green and sustainable geothermal heat as well as large-scale storage of heat or chill. The determination of geothermal and subsurface heat storage potentials is still afflicted with obstacles due to sparse and partly uncertain subsurface data. Relevant data include the structural and depositional architecture of the underground and the detailed petrophysical properties of the constituting rocks; both are required for a detailed physics-based integrated modeling and a potential assessment of the subsurface. For the present study, we combine recently published basin-wide structural interpretations of depth horizons of the main stratigraphic formations, with temperature data from geological and geostatistical 3D models (i.e., CEBS, GeotIS). Based on available reservoir sandstone facies data, additional well-log-based reservoir lithology identification, and by providing technical boundary conditions, we calculated the geothermal heat in place and the heat storage potential for virtual well doublet systems in Mesozoic reservoirs. This analysis reveals a large potential for both geothermal heating and aquifer thermal energy storage in geologically favorable regions, and in many areas with a high population density or a high heat demand. Given the uncertainties in the input data, the applied methods and the combination of data from different sources are most powerful in identifying promising regions for economically feasible subsurface utilization, and will help decrease exploration risks when combined with detailed geological site analysis beforehand.
Novel Developments on Stimuli-Responsive Probiotic Encapsulates: From Smart Hydrogels to Nanostructured Platforms
Authors: Garcia-Brand Andres J. , Quezada Valentina , Gonzalez-Melo Cristina , Bolaños-Barbosa Angie D. , Cruz Juan C. , Reyes Luis H.
Published: March 2022

Biomaterials engineering and biotechnology have advanced significantly towards probiotic encapsulation with encouraging results in assuring sufficient bioactivity. However, some major challenges remain to be addressed, and these include maintaining stability in different compartments of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT), favoring adhesion only at the site of action, and increasing residence times. An alternative to addressing such challenges is to manufacture encapsulates with stimuli-responsive polymers, such that controlled release is achievable by incorporating moieties that respond to chemical and physical stimuli present along the GIT. This review highlights, therefore, such emerging delivery matrices going from a comprehensive description of addressable stimuli in each GIT compartment to novel synthesis and functionalization techniques to currently employed materials used for probiotic’s encapsulation and achieving multi-modal delivery and multi-stimuli responses. Next, we explored the routes for encapsulates design to enhance their performance in terms of degradation kinetics, adsorption, and mucus and gut microbiome interactions. Finally, we present the clinical perspectives of implementing novel probiotics and the challenges to assure scalability and cost-effectiveness, prerequisites for an eventual niche market penetration.
Large-Eddy Simulation of a Classical Hydraulic Jump: Influence of Modelling Parameters on the Predictive Accuracy
Authors: Mukha Timofey , Almeland Silje Kreken , Bensow Rickard E.
Published: March 2022

Results from large-eddy simulations of a classical hydraulic jump at inlet Froude number two are reported. The computations were performed using the general-purpose finite-volume-based code OpenFOAM®, and the primary goal was to evaluate the influence of the modelling parameters on the predictive accuracy, as well as establish the associated best-practice guidelines. A benchmark simulation was conducted on a grid with a 1 mm-cell-edge length to validate the solver and provide a reference solution for the parameter influence study. The remaining simulations covered different selections of the modelling parameters: geometric vs. algebraic interface capturing, three mesh resolution levels, and four choices of the convective flux interpolation scheme. Geometric interface capturing led to better accuracy, but deteriorated the numerical stability and increased the simulation times. Interestingly, numerical dissipation was shown to systematically improve the results, both in terms of accuracy and stability. Strong sensitivity to the grid resolution was observed directly downstream of the toe of the jump.
New Strategies for Innovative and Enhanced Meat and Meat Products
Authors: Delgado-Pando Gonzalo , Pintado Tatiana
Published: March 2022

New strategies in the field of meat and meat product development are certainly needed in order to overcome not only the health-related problems these products might contribute to, but also from the perspectives of sustainability and the economy [...]