bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comprehensive Evaluation and Transcriptome Analysis Reveal the Salt Tolerance Mechanism in Semi-Wild Cotton (Gossypium purpurascens)
Authors: Peng Zhen , Rehman Abdul , Li Xiawen , Jiang Xuran , Tian Chunyan , Wang Xiaoyang , Li Hongge , Wang Zhenzhen , He Shoupu , Du Xiongming
Published: August 2023

Elevated salinity significantly threatens cotton growth, particularly during the germination and seedling stages. The utilization of primitive species of Gossypium hirsutum, specifically Gossypium purpurascens, has the potential to facilitate the restoration of genetic diversity that has been depleted due to selective breeding in modern cultivars. This investigation evaluated 45 G. purpurascens varieties and a salt-tolerant cotton variety based on 34 morphological, physiological, and biochemical indicators and comprehensive salt tolerance index values. This study effectively identified a total of 19 salt-tolerant and two salt-resistant varieties. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing of a salt-tolerant genotype (Nayanmian-2; NY2) and a salt-sensitive genotype (Sanshagaopao-2; GP2) revealed 2776, 6680, 4660, and 4174 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under 0.5, 3, 12, and 24 h of salt stress. Gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that the DEGs exhibited significant enrichment in biological processes like metabolic (GO:0008152) and cellular (GO:0009987) processes. MAPK signaling, plant-pathogen interaction, starch and sucrose metabolism, plant hormone signaling, photosynthesis, and fatty acid metabolism were identified as key KEGG pathways involved in salinity stress. Among the DEGs, including NAC, MYB, WRKY, ERF, bHLH, and bZIP, transcription factors, receptor-like kinases, and carbohydrate-active enzymes were crucial in salinity tolerance. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) unveiled associations of salt-tolerant genotypes with flavonoid metabolism, carbon metabolism, and MAPK signaling pathways. Identifying nine hub genes (MYB4, MYB105, MYB36, bZIP19, bZIP43, FRS2 SMARCAL1, BBX21, F-box) across various intervals offered insights into the transcriptional regulation mechanism of salt tolerance in G. purpurascens. This study lays the groundwork for understanding the important pathways and gene networks in response to salt stress, thereby providing a foundation for enhancing salt tolerance in upland cotton.
Melatonin Attenuates Oxidative Stress-Induced Apoptosis of Bovine Ovarian Granulosa Cells by Promoting Mitophagy via SIRT1/FoxO1 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Xu Gaoqing , Dong Yangyunyi , Wang Zhe , Ding He , Wang Jun , Zhao Jing , Liu Hongyu , Lv Wenfa
Published: August 2023

Oxidative-stress-induced apoptosis of granulosa cells is considered to be a main driver of follicular atresia. Increasing evidence suggests a protective effect of melatonin against oxidative damage but the mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of melatonin on mitophagy and apoptosis of bovine ovarian granulosa cells under oxidative stress, and to clarify the mechanism. Our results indicate that melatonin inhibited H2O2-induced apoptosis and mitochondrial injury of bovine ovarian granulosa cells, as revealed by decreased apoptosis rate, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, Ca2+ concentration, and cytochrome C release and increased mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm). Simultaneously, melatonin promoted mitophagy of bovine ovarian granulosa cells through increasing the expression of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), PARKIN, BECLIN1, and LC3II/LC3I; decreasing the expression of sequestosome 1 (SQSMT1); and promoting mitophagosome and lysosome fusion. After treatment with a mitophagy inhibitor CsA, we found that melatonin alleviated apoptosis and mitochondrial injury through promoting mitophagy in bovine ovarian granulosa cells. Furthermore, melatonin promoted the expression of silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1) and decreased the expression level of forkhead transcription factors class O (type1) (FoxO1). By treatment with an SIRT1 inhibitor EX527 or FoxO1 overexpression, the promotion of melatonin on mitophagy as well as the inhibition on mitochondrial injury and apoptosis were reversed in bovine ovarian granulosa cells. In conclusion, our results suggest that melatonin could promote mitophagy to attenuate oxidative-stress-induced apoptosis and mitochondrial injury of bovine ovarian granulosa cells via the SIRT1/FoxO1 signaling pathway.
Unique Gut Microbiome Signatures among Adult Patients with Moderate to Severe Atopic Dermatitis in Southern Chinese
Authors: Wang Yiwei , Hou Jinpao , Tsui Joseph Chi-Ching , Wang Lin , Zhou Junwei , Chan Un Kei , Lo Claudia Jun Yi , Siu Pui Ling Kella , Loo Steven King Fan , Tsui Stephen Kwok Wing
Published: August 2023

Imbalance of the immune system caused by alterations of the gut microbiome is considered to be a critical factor in the pathogenesis of infant eczema, but the exact role of the gut microbiome in adult atopic dermatitis (AD) patients remains to be clarified. To investigate the differences of the gut microbiome between adult AD patients and healthy individuals, stool samples of 234 adults, containing 104 AD patients and 130 healthy subjects, were collected for 16S rRNA gene amplicon. Altered structure and metabolic dysfunctions of the gut microbiome were identified in adult AD patients. Our results illustrated that the adult AD patients were more likely to have allergies, particularly non-food allergies. In addition, the gut microbiome composition of the AD and normal groups were considerably different. Moreover, Romboutsia and Clostridi-um_sensu_stricto_1 was enriched in the normal group, whereas Blautia, Butyricicoccus, Lachnoclostridium, Eubacterium_hallii_group, Erysi-pelatoclostridium, Megasphaera, Oscillibacter, and Flavonifractor dominated in the AD group. Additionally, purine nucleotide degradation pathways were significantly enriched in the AD group, and the enrichment of proteinogenic amino acid biosynthesis pathways was found in the normal group. This study provides insights into new therapeutic strategies targeting the gut microbiome for AD and evidence for the involvement of the gut–skin axis in AD patients.
Axonal Regrowth of Olfactory Sensory Neurons In Vitro
Authors: Sipione Rebecca , Liaudet Nicolas , Rousset Francis , Landis Basile N. , Hsieh Julien Wen , Senn Pascal
Published: August 2023

One of the most prevalent causes of olfactory loss includes traumatic brain injury with subsequent shearing of olfactory axons at the level of the cribriform plate (anterior skull base). Scar tissue at this level may prevent axonal regrowth toward the olfactory bulb. Currently, there is no cure for this debilitating and often permanent condition. One promising therapeutic concept is to implant a synthetic scaffold with growth factors through the cribriform plate/scar tissue to induce neuroregeneration. The first step toward this goal is to investigate the optimum conditions (growth factors, extracellular matrix proteins) to boost this regeneration. However, the lack of a specifically tailored in vitro model and an automated procedure for quantifying axonal length limits our ability to address this issue. The aim of this study is to create an automated quantification tool to measure axonal length and to determine the ideal growth factors and extracellular proteins to enhance axonal regrowth of olfactory sensory neurons in a mouse organotypic 2D model. We harvested olfactory epithelium (OE) of C57BL/6 mice and cultured them during 15 days on coverslips coated with various extracellular matrix proteins (Fibronectin, Collagen IV, Laminin, none) and different growth factors: fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), nerve growth factor (NGF), retinoic acid (RA), transforming growth factor β (TGFβ), and none. We measured the attachment rate on coverslips, the presence of cellular and axonal outgrowth, and finally, the total axonal length with a newly developed automated high-throughput quantification tool. Whereas the coatings did not influence attachment and neuronal outgrowth rates, the total axonal length was enhanced on fibronectin and collagen IV (p = 0.001). The optimum growth factor supplementation media to culture OE compared to the control condition were as follows: FGF2 alone and FGF2 from day 0 to 7 followed by FGF2 in combination with NGF from day 7 to 15 (p < 0.0001). The automated quantification tool to measure axonal length outperformed the standard Neuron J application by reducing the average analysis time from 22 to 3 min per specimen. In conclusion, robust regeneration of murine olfactory neurons in vitro can be induced, controlled, and efficiently measured using an automated quantification tool. These results will help advance the therapeutic concept closer toward preclinical studies.
A Comprehensive Study of ChatGPT: Advancements, Limitations, and Ethical Considerations in Natural Language Processing and Cybersecurity
Authors: Alawida Moatsum , Mejri Sami , Mehmood Abid , Chikhaoui Belkacem , Isaac Abiodun Oludare
Published: August 2023

This paper presents an in-depth study of ChatGPT, a state-of-the-art language model that is revolutionizing generative text. We provide a comprehensive analysis of its architecture, training data, and evaluation metrics and explore its advancements and enhancements over time. Additionally, we examine the capabilities and limitations of ChatGPT in natural language processing (NLP) tasks, including language translation, text summarization, and dialogue generation. Furthermore, we compare ChatGPT to other language generation models and discuss its applicability in various tasks. Our study also addresses the ethical and privacy considerations associated with ChatGPT and provides insights into mitigation strategies. Moreover, we investigate the role of ChatGPT in cyberattacks, highlighting potential security risks. Lastly, we showcase the diverse applications of ChatGPT in different industries and evaluate its performance across languages and domains. This paper offers a comprehensive exploration of ChatGPT’s impact on the NLP field.
Understanding the Vicious Circle of Pain, Physical Activity, and Mental Health in Lipedema Patients—A Response Surface Analysis
Authors: Aitzetmüller-Klietz Marie-Luise , Busch Lena , Hamatschek Matthias , Paul Matthias , Schriek Carsten , Wiebringhaus Philipp , Aitzetmüller-Klietz Matthias , Kückelhaus Maximilian , Hirsch Tobias
Published: August 2023

Lipedema is a widespread disease with painful accumulations of subcutaneous fat in the legs and arms. Often, obesity co-occurs. Many patients suffer from impairment in mobility and mental health. Obesity and mental health in turn can be positively influenced by physical activity. In this study, we aimed to examine the interrelations between pain and physical activity on mental health in lipedema patients. In total, 511 female lipedema patients (age M = 40.16 ± 12.45 years, BMI M = 33.86 ± 7.80 kg/m2) filled in questionnaires measuring pain, physical activity, and mental health (PHQ-9; WHOQOL-BREF with subscales mental, physical, social, environmental, and overall health). Response surface analyses were calculated via R statistics. The explained variance was high for the model predicting depression severity (R2 = 0.18, p < 0.001) and physical health (R2 = 0.30, p < 0.001). Additive incongruence effects of pain and physical activity on depression severity, mental, physical, and overall health were found (all p < 0.001). In our study, physical activity and pain synergistically influenced physical, mental, and overall health. The pain not only led to low mental health but also interfered with the valuable potential of engaging in physical activity in lipedema patients.
Editorial Highlights from the Comorbidities and Complications of Cerebral Palsy Special Issue
Authors: Cooper Monica S , Imms Christine
Published: August 2023

Cerebral palsy is a life-long condition and the most common cause of physical disability in childhood [...]
Emerging Role of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty in Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Disease—Insights from the 2022 ESC Guidelines
Authors: Banaszkiewicz Marta , Kurzyna Paweł , Kubikowska Nina , Mucha Magda , Rudnik Aleksander , Gąsecka Aleksandra , Pietrasik Arkadiusz , Grabowski Marcin , Jaguszewski Miłosz J. , Kasprzyk Piotr , Kędzierski Piotr , Ciećwierz Dariusz , Żuk Grzegorz , Szwed Piotr , Piłka Michał , Florczyk Michał , Kurzyna Marcin , Darocha Szymon
Published: August 2023

In this article, we discuss the topic of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease (CTEPD) and the growing role of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) in its treatment. We present the pathophysiology of CTEPD which arises from an incomplete resolution of thrombi in the pulmonary arteries and leads to stenosis and occlusion of the vessels. The article focuses mainly on the chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) subpopulation for which prognosis is very poor when left untreated. We describe a multimodal approach to treating CTEPH, including pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), BPA, and pharmacological therapies. Additionally, the benefits of pharmacological pre-treatment before BPA and the technical aspects of the procedure itself are outlined. It is emphasized that BPA does not replace PEA but serves as a complementary treatment option for eligible patients. We summarized efficacy and treatment goals including an improvement in functional and biochemical parameters before and after BPA. Patients who received pre-treatment with riociguat prior to BPA exhibited a notable reduction in the occurrence of less severe complications. However, elderly patients are still perceived as an especially vulnerable group. It is shown that the prognosis of patients undergoing BPA is similar to PEA in the first years after the procedure but the long-term prognosis of BPA still remains unclear. The 2022 ESC/ERS guidelines highlight the significant role of BPA in the multimodal treatment of CTEPH, emphasizing its effectiveness and recommending its consideration as a therapeutic option for patients with CTEPD, both with and without pulmonary hypertension. This review summarizes the available evidence for BPA, patient selection, procedural details, and prognosis and discusses the potential future role of BPA in the management of CTEPH.
Effect of Ultra-Lightweight High-Ductility Cementitious Composite in Steel–Concrete–Steel (SCS) Plate to Mitigate Ship Slamming Loads
Authors: Mousavi Seyed Sina , Askarian Khoob Abolfath
Published: August 2023

Bottom slamming loads cause considerable local damage to a ship’s body and reduce the ship’s structural performance against harsh sea waves. Although extensive studies have worked on stiffening elements to compensate for local damage due to slamming loads, few studies have concentrated on the ship’s body itself while using new generations of composite plates. Accordingly, a numerical study is conducted to determine the effect of using ultra-lightweight high-ductility cementitious composite in steel–concrete–steel (SCS) composite plate to mitigate bottom slamming loads. A large-scale model of the ship using SCS composite plates is modelled in Abaqus software, and fluid–solid (FSI) interaction is precisely modelled using the Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) method. The results show that using the CEL method with a large-scale 3D model precisely simulates FSI by providing a 6.5% deviation from the experimental result. Moreover, using an SCS plate when considering ultra-lightweight high-ductility cementitious composite results in a considerable reduction (around 95%) in the maximum strain of the ship body and, accordingly, reduces local damage so that, although about 22% of the strain of the outer layer is transferred to the inner part of the ship body containing only steel plate, almost 0% stress transfer is observed for the SCS-based ship’s structure.
Ability Emotional Intelligence and Subjective Happiness in Adolescents: The Role of Positive and Negative Affect
Authors: Llamas-Díaz Desirée , Cabello Rosario , Gómez-Leal Raquel , Gutiérrez-Cobo María José , Megías-Robles Alberto , Fernández-Berrocal Pablo
Published: August 2023

Adolescence is an increasingly vulnerable period for the onset of affective disorders and other mental health issues that can significantly impact an individual’s subjective well-being. This study aims to examine the relationship between emotional intelligence (ability EI), measured with a performance-based instrument, and Subjective Happiness in adolescents. It also explores the mediating role of positive (PA) and negative affect (NA) in this association and the moderating role of gender. The sample consisted of 333 first-year secondary school students from five centers in Spain, with an average age of 12.11 years (SD = 0.64), ranging from 11–14 years. Path analysis revealed an indirect effect (through NA and PA jointly) of Total Ability EI on Subjective Happiness and a positive direct effect that was observed only in females. Furthermore, this association was explored through various branches of ability EI. The results of this study suggest that interventions aimed at improving emotional abilities in adolescents while modulating the intensity of their emotions could significantly impact their overall well-being.
Total Intravenous Anesthesia Protocol for Decreasing Unacceptable Movements during Cerebral Aneurysm Clipping with Motor-Evoked Potential Monitoring: A Historical Control Study and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Park Yong-Seok , Koo Yong-Seo , Ha Seungil , Lee Sangho , Sim Ji-Hoon , Kim Joung Uk
Published: August 2023

Injury can occur during intraoperative transcranial motor-evoked potential (MEP) monitoring caused by patient movement related to insufficient neuromuscular blocking agent use. Here, we evaluated the incidence of unacceptable movements in patients undergoing intraoperative MEP monitoring following our anesthetic protocol. We reviewed the anesthesia records of 419 patients who underwent unruptured cerebral aneurysm clipping with intraoperative MEP monitoring. The anesthetic protocol included target-controlled infusion with a fixed effect-site propofol concentration of 3 μg/mL and an adjustable effect-site remifentanil concentration of 10–12 ng/mL. We compared our findings of the intraoperative parameters and incidence of spontaneous movement and respiration with those of published meta-analysis studies. Spontaneous movement and respiration occurred in one (0.2%) patient each. The meta-analysis included six studies. The pooled proportions of spontaneous movement and respiration were 6.9% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3–16.5%) and 4.1% (95% CI, 0.5–14.1%), respectively. The proportion of spontaneous movement in our study was significantly lower than that in previous studies (p = 0.013), with no significant difference in spontaneous respiration (p = 0.097). Following our center’s anesthesia protocol during cerebral aneurysm clipping resulted in a low incidence of spontaneous respiration and movement, indicating its safety for patients undergoing intraoperative MEP monitoring.
Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Survey-Based Study on a Sample of Italian Physicians’ Opinions on Telemedicine
Authors: Tozzo Pamela , Delicati Arianna , Marcante Beatrice , Catelan Dolores , Caenazzo Luciana
Published: August 2023

Telemedicine was born out of the need to ensure clinical evaluation and personal care regardless of the physical presence of the healthcare professional nearby. Information technologies have been vital during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure medical care and avoid the contagion between patients and clinicians. Accordingly, telecare services multiplied worldwide and gained paramount importance. The present work aims to collect field-based opinions about Telemedicine and ethics among Italian physicians. We developed a web-based questionnaire that was administered to Italian physicians from 1 May to 15 June 2022. The questionnaire was distributed as a link to Google Forms via social networks/instant messaging applications to groups of graduated and qualified physicians. A total of 180 physicians answered the questionnaire (with an age range from 25 to 68 years old). Physicians belonging to the medical area of expertise appear to more frequently use new technologies in comparison to other specialties. The vast majority believe that it is appropriate to use Telemedicine for monitoring and follow-up but not for evaluating a new patient. Concerns about changes in the physician–patient relationship, informed consent, digital barrier, and privacy and data protection also emerged. Finally, telehealth is thought to be a potential useful tool for the future by the majority of respondents but proper training for physicians is therefore needed.
Artificial Intelligence-Based Methods for Precision Cardiovascular Medicine
Authors: Mohsen Farida , Al-Saadi Balqees , Abdi Nima , Khan Sulaiman , Shah Zubair
Published: August 2023

Precision medicine has the potential to revolutionize the way cardiovascular diseases are diagnosed, predicted, and treated by tailoring treatment strategies to the individual characteristics of each patient. Artificial intelligence (AI) has recently emerged as a promising tool for improving the accuracy and efficiency of precision cardiovascular medicine. In this scoping review, we aimed to identify and summarize the current state of the literature on the use of AI in precision cardiovascular medicine. A comprehensive search of electronic databases, including Scopes, Google Scholar, and PubMed, was conducted to identify relevant studies. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 28 studies were included in the review. We found that AI is being increasingly applied in various areas of cardiovascular medicine, including the diagnosis, prognosis of cardiovascular diseases, risk prediction and stratification, and treatment planning. As a result, most of these studies focused on prediction (50%), followed by diagnosis (21%), phenotyping (14%), and risk stratification (14%). A variety of machine learning models were utilized in these studies, with logistic regression being the most used (36%), followed by random forest (32%), support vector machine (25%), and deep learning models such as neural networks (18%). Other models, such as hierarchical clustering (11%), Cox regression (11%), and natural language processing (4%), were also utilized. The data sources used in these studies included electronic health records (79%), imaging data (43%), and omics data (4%). We found that AI is being increasingly applied in various areas of cardiovascular medicine, including the diagnosis, prognosis of cardiovascular diseases, risk prediction and stratification, and treatment planning. The results of the review showed that AI has the potential to improve the performance of cardiovascular disease diagnosis and prognosis, as well as to identify individuals at high risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. However, further research is needed to fully evaluate the clinical utility and effectiveness of AI-based approaches in precision cardiovascular medicine. Overall, our review provided a comprehensive overview of the current state of knowledge in the field of AI-based methods for precision cardiovascular medicine and offered new insights for researchers interested in this research area.
The Relationship between Rural Sustainability and Land Use: A Bibliometric Review
Authors: Liu Leng , Liu Bo , Song Wei , Yu Hao
Published: August 2023

Faced with substantial environmental, societal, and economic challenges, the matters of rural sustainability and land use have emerged as pivotal global concerns. Amidst the rapid phenomenon of urbanization, the escalating requisites for sustenance, energy, and natural resources have engendered profound pressure upon rural landscapes and ecosystems. The attainment of sustainability within rural regions assumes a paramount role, encompassing not only the advancement of these rural domains but also holding pivotal significance in addressing critical global concerns such as climate change, biodiversity depletion, and the eradication of poverty. In order to gain a thorough understanding of the implications associated with rural sustainability and land use, this study undertakes a bibliometric analysis of 1746 articles sourced from the Web of Science database. The analysis unveils a multitude of pivotal revelations. Primarily, the domain exhibits a conspicuous trajectory of expansion in publications spanning the period from 1990 to 2023, thereby alluding to a substantial reservoir of potential for subsequent advancement. Secondly, high-frequency keywords encompass sustainability, land use, agriculture, ecosystem services, and China. Thirdly, the field encompasses four primary research directions, namely the impact of rural land use and land cover changes on biodiversity, adaptive capacity, and vulnerability in rural sustainable development; the interplay between rural land use changes and rural agricultural development; and land management for rural sustainability. Fourthly, the evolution of research hotspots focuses on three main areas: rural sustainability and biodiversity conservation and ecosystem services, rural sustainability and land management and impacts, and the impacts of climate change and human activities on rural sustainability. Finally, future research should focus on sustainable multifunctional agriculture and rural land management, continue to pay attention to the social dimensions of rural sustainability, and emphasize the role of ecosystem services and natural capital in sustainable rural development. The results of this study can provide a reference for grasping the current situation, research directions, and development trends in the field of rural sustainability and land use.
Cytogenetic Studies on Genoprotective Effect of Rosa damascena Mill. Hydrosol in Plant and Lymphocyte Test Systems
Authors: Gateva Svetla , Jovtchev Gabriele , Angelova Tsveta , Gerasimova Tsvetelina , Dobreva Ana , Mileva Milka
Published: August 2023

Bulgarian Rosa damascena Mill. is has been known since ancient times for its high-quality oil, hydrosol, and other aromatic products. Rose hydrosol has various biological activities, but no research on its anticytotoxic/antigenotoxic effects exists. This study aimed to assess its defense potential against the genotoxin N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine and to test its cytotoxic/genotoxic activity in plant and human lymphocyte test systems. Endpoints for cytotoxicity (mitotic index and nuclear division index) and genotoxicity (chromosome aberration and micronuclei) were used. Hydrosol was applied as a single treatment in concentrations ranging from 3% to 20% (4 h) to assess its cytotoxic and genotoxic effects. Its protective potential against MNNG was tested by applying an experimental scheme involving (i) conditioning treatment with non-toxic or slightly toxic concentrations of hydrosol, followed by genotoxin challenge (50 μg/mL) with a 4 h intertreatment time and (ii) treatment with hydrosol and mutagen with no time between the treatments. Hydrosol induces low cytotoxicity and clastogenicity, demonstrating cytoprotective/genoprotective effects against the mutagen in both applied test systems. The hydrosol defense potential was expressed by a more than twofold reduction in both chromosomal aberrations and micronuclei and by enhancing the mitotic activity compared with that of the mutagen, regardless of the experimental conditions. The results are promising for further hydrosol applications in pharmaceutical and medical practice.
Experimental and Numerical Study on Dynamic Response of Foam-Nickel Sandwich Panels under Near-Field Blast Loading
Authors: Xu Pengzhao , Zhao Ning , Chang Yukun , Cui Shaokang , Shi Kunlin , Zhang Bao
Published: August 2023

The explosion products, such as shock waves, fragments and heat energy formed by explosion, act on the plate structure, which may cause structural damage, material failure and even phase transformation of material. In this paper, the damage mechanism and protective effect of near-field blast load on sandwich structure based on foam-nickel core material were studied. Firstly, the near-field explosion test was conducted to investigate the blast response of the foam-nickel sandwich structure subjected to blast shock from 8701 explosive at near-field position. The deformation characteristics and stress history of the sandwich structure on the acting location of blast load were carefully investigated via experimental methods. A finite element model of near-field explosion was established for effective numerical modelling of the dynamic behaviour of the sandwich structure using the explicit dynamics software ANSYS/LS-DYNA for more comprehensive investigations of the blast shock response of the sandwich structure. The finite element model is reasonable and validated by mesh independence verification and comparing the simulated response behaviour to that from the experimental results for the sandwich structure subjected to near-field blast load. On this basis, the damage mechanism and protection effect of the near-field explosion impact on foam-nickel cores with different density and porosity are simulated more systematically. The investigated results from the experiments and a series of numerical simulations show the large deformation effect due to the extensive energy absorption, which suggests that the sandwich structure based on foam-nickel core material may be expected to become a new choice of protective structure under near-field blast load.
Study on the Evolution Behavior of Humidity Fields in Cement Concrete Pavements of a Coastal Airport During Early Stages in Humid and Hot Areas
Authors: Chai Min , Hu Changbin , Wang Lijuan , Chen Tao
Published: August 2023

Airport pavements are prone to early defects during the construction phase, and their early performance during the construction phase is significantly affected by the external temperature field. This article takes the concrete pavement of Xiamen Xiang’an New Airport as an example and uses a three-dimensional (3D) humidity simulation program for cement concrete pavement to study the evolution behavior of the early stage humidity field of the pavement in a humid and hot climate environment. The results indicate that the evolution law of the humidity field of the concrete pavement slab was consistent with the environmental field, presenting a 24 h periodic variation. The environmental field had a significant impact on the humidity of the surface layer of the pavement slab, and the humidity decreased rapidly with time. There was a humidity gradient on both the horizontal plane and the cutting plane of the slab, the horizontal humidity was concentrated from the boundary into the middle of the slab, and the sectional humidity was concentrated from the top to the bottom of the slab. Environmental parameters, construction parameters, and material and structural parameters all influenced humidity through humidity exchange or by changing the saturated vapor pressure inside the slab. The humidity field was most sensitive to environmental humidity and maintenance methods, but less sensitive to material parameters and structural parameters. Through analysis, it is advisable to avoid hot seasons, choose periods of increased environmental humidity, adopt appropriate maintenance methods during construction to reduce humidity stress on the slab, and therefore decrease early stage deterioration and improve service life.
High-Precision Detection Algorithm for Metal Workpiece Defects Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Xu Xiujin , Zhang Gengming , Zheng Wenhe , Zhao Anbang , Zhong Yi , Wang Hongjun
Published: August 2023

Computer vision technology is increasingly being widely applied in automated industrial production. However, the accuracy of workpiece detection is the bottleneck in the field of computer vision detection technology. Herein, a new object detection and classification deep learning algorithm called CSW-Yolov7 is proposed based on the improvement of the Yolov7 deep learning network. Firstly, the CotNet Transformer structure was combined to guide the learning of dynamic attention matrices and enhance visual representation capabilities. Afterwards, the parameter-free attention mechanism SimAM was introduced, effectively enhancing the detection accuracy without increasing computational complexity. Finally, using WIoUv3 as the loss function effectively mitigated many negative influences during training, thereby improving the model’s accuracy faster. The experimental results manifested that the mAP@0.5 of CSW-Yolov7 reached 93.3%, outperforming other models. Further, this study also designed a polyhedral metal workpiece detection system. A large number of experiments were conducted in this system to verify the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed algorithm.
Analysis of a Collision-Affected M/GI/1/ /N Retrial Queuing System Considering Negative Customers and Transmission Errors
Authors: Xu Wei , Liu Liwei , Li Linhong , Wang Zhen , Wittevrongel Sabine
Published: August 2023

This paper considers a retrial G-queue with collisions, transmission errors, and a finite number of sources, where service and repair time are both general distributions. The number of sources (terminals) is finite and a source cannot generate new requests until the channel (server) finishes its work, i.e., the rate at which new primary requests are generated varies inversely with the number of data frame (customer) in the system. A collision occurs when service requests arrive at a busy channel, and transmission errors prevent data frames from leaving the system after completing service. Two types of arrivals are considered. Negative customers will break down the system in the busy state and remove the customer under service. The application of our model is indicated, with a particular emphasis on communication networks such as the local-area networks (LAN) with CSMA/CD protocol. Recursive formulas have been derived to calculate the stationary joint distributions and the Laplace transform of reliability function by applying the discrete transformations method along with the supplementary variables technique (SVT). Furthermore, the comparative performance and reliability analysis have been conducted numerically. Numerical examples are provided to investigate the sensitivity of different parameters on performance measures and reliability indicators.
On the Equilibrium in a Queuing System with Retrials and Strategic Arrivals
Authors: Borodina Alexandra , Mazalov Vladimir
Published: August 2023

This paper considers a callback single-server system with an orbit and a First-Come First-Served (FCFS) service discipline. Customers (users, clients) that encounter a busy server are sent into orbit and then have the option to retry service after an exponential period of time. In addition, each customer entering the system uses a strategy and must independently decide when to arrive in the system within a fixed admission period of time so that the expected sojourn time is minimal. We interpret the arrival process as a Nash equilibrium solution of a noncooperative game when the arrival intensity is completely described by an unknown distribution function, and then we propose a way to find an equilibrium for the case when the client’s waiting time for service is obviously limited. The analytical solution for the equilibrium is illustrated numerically for two-person and three-person games.
Single-Machine Maintenance Activity Scheduling with Convex Resource Constraints and Learning Effects
Authors: Wei Zong-Jun , Wang Li-Yan , Zhang Lei , Wang Ji-Bo , Wang Ershen
Published: August 2023

In this paper, the single-machine scheduling problems under the common and slack due date assignments are studied, where the actual processing time of the job needs to consider some factors, such as convex resource allocation, maintenance activity, and learning effects. The goal of this study is to find the optimal sequence, maintenance activity location, resource allocation and common due date (flow allowance). The objective function is (1) to minimize the sum of scheduling cost (including the weighted sum of earliness, tardiness and common due date (flow allowance), where the weights are position-dependent weights) and resource consumption cost, and (2) to minimize the scheduling cost under the resource consumption cost which is bounded. We prove that these problems can be solved in polynomial time.
Regression Analysis of Dependent Current Status Data with Left Truncation
Authors: Zhang Mengyue , Zhao Shishun , Hu Tao , Xu Da , Sun Jianguo
Published: August 2023

Current status data are encountered in a wide range of applications, including tumorigenic experiments and demographic studies. In this case, each subject has one observation, and the only information obtained is whether the event of interest happened at the moment of observation. In addition to censoring, truncating is also very common in practice. This paper examines the regression analysis of current status data with informative censoring times, considering the presence of left truncation. In addition, we propose an inference approach based on sieve maximum likelihood estimation (SMLE). A copula-based approach is used to describe the relationship between the failure time of interest and the censoring time. The spline function is employed to approximate the unknown nonparametric function. We have established the asymptotic properties of the proposed estimator. Simulation studies suggest that the developed procedure works well in practice. We also applied the developed method to a real dataset derived from an AIDS cohort research.
An Approach to Solving Direct and Inverse Scattering Problems for Non-Selfadjoint Schrödinger Operators on a Half-Line
Authors: Kravchenko Vladislav V. , Murcia-Lozano Lady Estefania
Published: August 2023

In this paper, an approach to solving direct and inverse scattering problems on the half-line for a one-dimensional Schrödinger equation with a complex-valued potential that is exponentially decreasing at infinity is developed. It is based on a power series representation of the Jost solution in a unit disk of a complex variable related to the spectral parameter by a Möbius transformation. This representation leads to an efficient method of solving the corresponding direct scattering problem for a given potential, while the solution to the inverse problem is reduced to the computation of the first coefficient of the power series from a system of linear algebraic equations. The approach to solving these direct and inverse scattering problems is illustrated by several explicit examples and numerical testing.
Contention-Free Scheduling for Single Preemption Multiprocessor Platforms
Authors: Baek Hyeongboo , Lee Jaewoo
Published: August 2023

The Contention-Free (CF) policy has been extensively researched in the realm of real-time multi-processor scheduling due to its wide applicability and the performance enhancement benefits it provides to existing scheduling algorithms. The CF policy improves the feasibility of executing other real-time tasks by assigning the lowest priority to a task at a moment when it is guaranteed not to miss its deadline during the remaining execution time. Despite its effectiveness, existing studies on the CF policy are largely confined to preemptive scheduling, leaving the efficiency and applicability of limited preemption scheduling unexplored. Limited preemption scheduling permits a job to execute to completion with a limited number of preemptions, setting it apart from preemptive scheduling. This type of scheduling is crucial when preemption or migration overheads are either excessively large or unpredictable. In this paper, we introduce SP-CF, a single preemption scheduling approach that incorporates the CF policy. SP-CF allows a preemption only once during each job’s execution, following a priority demotion under the CF policy. We also propose a new schedulability analysis method for SP-CF to determine whether each task is executed in a timely manner and without missing its deadline. Through simulation experiments, we demonstrate that SP-CF can significantly enhance the schedulability of the traditional rate-monotonic algorithm and the earliest deadline first algorithm.
Three Years of COVID-19 on Orthopaedic Trauma; Are We Going Back to Normality?
Authors: Candela Vittorio , Proietti Riccardo , Polizzotti Giuseppe , Rionero Marco , Gumina Stefano
Published: August 2023

Background and Objective: On March 2020, our country became a protected area due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The consequences of COVID-19 on trauma surgery were great. We aimed to evaluate the activity of the Trauma Centre of a highly populated suburban area over 30 days starting from the first day of restrictions, to compare it with the same period of 2019 and 2022 and to evaluate whether a progressive return to normality has taken place. Materials and Methods: All patients older than 18 years managed in our Trauma Unit between 8 March 2020 and 8 April 2020 (the first COVID-19 period) were compared to the same period of 2019 (a COVID-19 free period) and 2022 (the second COVID-19 period). Clinical records were examined. Five categories of diagnoses and six mechanisms of injury were distinguished. Results: There were 1351 patients [M:719–F:632; mean age (SD):49.9 (18.7)], 451 [M:228–F:223; mean age (SD):55.9 (18.4)] and 894 [M:423–F:471;mean age (SD):54.1 (16.7)] in the COVID-19 free and in the first and second COVID-19 periods, respectively (p < 0.05). In 2020, the most significant decrease was registered for sprains/subluxations (80%); contusions decrease by 77% while fractures decrease only by 37%. The lowest reduction was found for dislocations (26%). In 2022, dislocations decreased by only 16% and both fractures and sprains decreased by about 30% with respect to the pre-pandemic period. Patients with minor trauma (contusions) were half compared to 2019. Accidental falls remain the most frequent mechanism of injury. The incidence of proximal femur, proximal humerus and distal radius fractures remained almost unchanged during both pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. Conclusions: COVID-19 has markedly altered orthopaedic trauma. Injuries related to sports and high energy trauma/traffic accidents drastically reduced in 2020; however, we are slowly going back to normality: the same injuries increased in 2022 due to the progressive easing of restrictions. Elderly fractures related to accidental falls remained unchanged.
Mixed Eccrine Cutaneous Tumor with Folliculo–Sebaceous Differentiation: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Kisova Dimitrinka , Dikov Tihomir , Ivanova Vesela , Stoyanov Hristo , Yordanova Greta
Published: August 2023

Background/Introduction: Cutaneous mixed tumor is a rare benign neoplasm that exhibits a wide range of metaplastic changes and differentiation in the epithelial, myoepithelial, and stromal components, which is often confused with various other skin lesions. Case report: We present an unusual case of a 58-year-old woman with a mixed tumor of the upper lip, previously misdiagnosed as adnexal carcinoma on a preoperative biopsy. The excision biopsy shows a well-circumscribed lesion composed of various cells and structures featuring folliculo–sebaceous differentiation embedded in a prominent chondromyxoid stroma. The immunohistochemical study proves the various lineages of differentiation and classifies the neoplasm as the less common eccrine subtype of cutaneous mixed tumor. Discussion: The common embryologic origin of the folliculo–sebaceous apocrine complex leads to a great histological variety of cellular components of mixed tumors and the formation of structures that resemble established types of adnexal neoplasms, which could be a diagnostic pitfall, especially on a small incision biopsy.
Microstructure and Properties of Electromigration of Sn58Bi/Cu Solder Joints with Different Joule Thermal Properties
Authors: Gao Yijie , Zhang Keke , Zhang Chao , Wang Yuming , Chen Weiming
Published: August 2023

Electromigration is one of the most important research issues affecting the reliability of solder joints. Current-induced Joule heating affects the electromigration behavior of solder joints. Solder joints with different cross-sectional areas were designed to obtain different Joule heating properties. The effects of the interfacial intermetallic compound (IMC) and mechanical properties of Sn58Bi/Cu solder joints were studied for different Joule heating properties. The results showed that as the cross-sectional area of the Sn58Bi/Cu solder joints increased, the Joule heating of the joint increased. The anode IMC thickness of the joint thickened and transformed into a planar shape. The Bi migrated to the anode region to form a Bi-rich layer and gradually increased in thickness. The cathode IMC thickness first increased, then decreased, and gradually dissolved. The Sn-rich layer formed near the solder side and gradually increased in thickness, with microcracks occurring when the cross-sectional area of the joint increased to 0.75 mm2. The joint shear fracture path moved from the soldering zone near the cathode IMC layer to the interfacial IMC layer. The fracture mechanism of the joint changed from a mixed brittle/tough fracture, dominated by deconstruction and secondary cracking, to a brittle fracture dominated by deconstruction. The joint shear strength was reduced by 60.9% compared to that in the absence of electromigration.
Effects of Powder Characteristics and Chemical Composition on the Properties of 25Cr7Ni Stainless Steel Fabricated by Laser-Powder Bed Fusion and Evaluation of Process Simulation
Authors: Akilan Arulselvan Arumugham , Kumar Swapnil , Shaikh Mohammad Qasim , Enneti Ravi K. , Atre Sundar V.
Published: August 2023

The 25Cr7Ni stainless steel alloy system is gaining increasing interest in the oil and gas industry because of its combination of high strength and corrosion resistance properties. However, very few studies on the effects of starting powder attributes and chemical composition on the as-printed properties of 25Cr7Ni stainless steel fabricated through laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF) exist in the literature. This study examined the influence of powder attributes and chemical composition on the samples from gas atomized and water atomized 25Cr7Ni stainless steel powders, fabricated through L-PBF, on their as-printed microstructure and properties. The mechanical properties that were examined included ultimate tensile strength (UTS), elongation (%), and hardness. The corrosion behavior was also studied using linear sweep voltammetry in 3.5 wt.% NaCl solution. The evolved phases were characterized using optical and scanning electron microscopy, as well as through X-ray diffraction. The gas atomized powders, with their spherical and uniform morphology, yielded as-printed parts of higher relative densities when compared to water atomized powders, with irregular morphology due to better powder bed compaction. The higher densification obtained in the L-PBF samples from gas atomized powders translated into the highest UTS, hardness, and yield strength among the L-PBF samples from water atomized powders and wrought–annealed 25Cr7Ni stainless steel. The presence of higher amounts of N and Mn in the chemical composition of the gas atomized powders over water atomized powders promoted the presence of retained austenite in the corresponding L-PBF samples. Higher amounts of Mo, combined with austenite content, yielded a higher corrosion resistance in the L-PBF samples from the gas atomized powder than in the L-PBF samples from the water atomized powders. The latter part of the work is focused on the evaluation of simulation parameters for analyzing the fabrication procedure for the L-PBF process using Simufact software. For a given set of process parameters, Simufact provides the distortion and internal stresses developed in the printed parts as output. The present study sought to evaluate the process simulation by comparing the experimental observations in terms of the part distortion achieved in a stainless steel cube fabricated through L-PBF with Simufact process simulation obtained using the same set of process parameters.