bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant and DNA-Protective Activity of an Extract Originated from Kalamon Olives Debittering
Authors: Kourti Maria , Alvanou Maria V. , Skaperda Zoi , Tekos Fotis , Papaefstathiou Georgios , Stathopoulos Panagiotis , Kouretas Demetrios
Published: February 2023

Table olives are a major component of the Mediterranean diet and are associated with many beneficial biological activities, which are mainly related to their phenolic compounds. Olive fruit debittering process defines the quantitative and qualitative composition of table olives in biophenols. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant capacity and DNA-protective activity of an extract originated from brine samples, according to the Greek style debbitering process of Kalamon olive fruits. The main phenolic components determined in the brine extract were hydroxytyrosol (HT), verbascoside (VERB) and tyrosol (T). The in vitro cell-free assays showed strong radical scavenging capacity from the extract, therefore antioxidant potential. At cellular level, human endothelial cells (EA.hy296) and murine myoblasts (C2C12) were treated with non-cytotoxic concentrations of the brine extract and the redox status was assessed by measuring glutathione (GSH), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid peroxidation levels (TBARS). Our results show cell type specific response, exerting a hormetic reflection at endothelial cells. Finally, in both cell lines, pre-treatment with brine extract protected from H2O2-induced DNA damage. In conclusion, this is the first holistic approach highlighted table olive wastewaters from Kalamon- Greek style debittering process, as valuable source of bioactive compounds, which could have interesting implications for the development of new products in food or other industries.
Association between Dietary and Supplemental Antioxidants Intake and Lung Cancer Risk: Evidence from a Cancer Screening Trial
Authors: Yang Jiaqi , Qian Sicheng , Na Xiaona , Zhao Ai
Published: February 2023

Previous studies provided inconsistent results on the effects of antioxidant nutrient intake on lung cancer prevention. We aimed to evaluate the association between antioxidant consumption from food and supplemental sources and lung cancer incidence. Data were obtained from the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian (PLCO) cancer screening trial. A total of 98,451 participants were included in the data analysis. We used a multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between antioxidant intake and lung cancer risk. Dose-response assessments for individual nutrients were conducted. We also selected the model for the best combination of antioxidants for reducing lung cancer risk using machine learning methods. After the median follow-up of 12.2 years, 1642 new cases were identified. Intake of the calculated HRs indicated a trend for a higher quartile of food-based Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (fCDAI) associated with a lower lung cancer risk after adjusting for covariates (HRQ4vs.Q1 = 0.64, 95% CI: 0.52, 0.79; P for trend < 0.001). Protective effects of dietary antioxidant intake were observed across all individual antioxidant micronutrients except magnesium. Random forests model suggested the dietary intake group of α-carotene, magnesium, vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, selenium, lutein, and zeaxanthin, and β-carotene had the most favorable effects on lung cancer prevention. Higher consumption of antioxidants from food sources has a protective effect against lung cancer, while no effects were shown in the supplemental group. It is recommended to consume a combination of various antioxidants due to the potential benefits from the interaction, while more research should be performed to investigate the underlying mechanisms of antioxidant synergic effects on lung cancer risk reduction.
Ozone-Induced Biochemical and Molecular Changes in Vitis vinifera Leaves and Responses to Botrytis cinerea Infections
Authors: Modesti Margherita , Marchica Alessandra , Pisuttu Claudia , Risoli Samuele , Pellegrini Elisa , Bellincontro Andrea , Mencarelli Fabio , Tonutti Pietro , Nali Cristina
Published: February 2023

To investigate how plants cope with multi-stress conditions, we analyzed the biochemical and molecular changes of Vitis vinifera leaves subjected to single or sequential double stresses (infection by Botrytis cinerea (Bc) and ozone (O3, 100 ppb for 3 h) treatment). In Bc+/O3− leaves, the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) induction (observed at 12 and 24 h from the end of treatment (FET)) triggered a production of ethylene (Et; +35% compared with Bc−/O3− leaves), which was preceded by an increase of salicylic acid (SA; +45%). This result confirms a crosstalk between SA- and Et-related signaling pathways in lesion spread. The ozone induced an early synthesis of Et followed by jasmonic acid (JA) and SA production (about 2-fold higher), where Et and SA signaling triggered reactive oxygen species production by establishing a feedback loop, and JA attenuated this cycle by reducing Et biosynthesis. In Bc+ + O3+ leaves, Et peaked at 6 and 12 h FET, before SA confirmed a crosstalk between Et- and SA-related signaling pathways in lesion propagation. In O3+ + Bc+ leaves, the H2O2 induction triggered an accumulation of JA and Et, demonstrating a synergistic action in the regulation of defence reactions. The divergence in these profiles suggests a rather complex network of events in the transcriptional regulation of genes involved in the systemic acquired resistance.
Molecular Hydrogen Prevents Osteoclast Activation in a Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis Zebrafish Scale Model
Authors: Carnovali Marta , Banfi Giuseppe , Mariotti Massimo
Published: February 2023

Antioxidants represent a powerful tool for many human diseases and, in particular, molecular hydrogen has unique characteristics that make it a very promising therapeutic agent against osteoporosis. Zebrafish scales offer an innovative model in which new therapeutic approaches against secondary osteoporosis are tested. Scale bone loss obtained by prednisolone (PN) treatment is characterized by increased osteoclast activity and decreased osteoblast activity highlighted with bone enzymatic assays. We used this read-out system to test the therapeutic effects of hydrogen-rich water (HRW), an innovative antioxidant approach. HRW prevented osteoclast activation and bone loss in PN-treated fish scales, as verified by both biochemical and histochemical tartrate-resistant alkaline phosphatase assays. On the other hand, HRW treatment did not prevent PN-dependent osteoblast suppression, as measured by alkaline phosphatase activity. Moreover, HRW treatment did not facilitate the reparation of resorption lacunae induced in scales by PN. Our study highlighted a specific effect of HRW on adult osteoclast activity but not in osteoblasts, introducing an intriguing new antioxidant preventive approach against osteoporosis.
A Novel Method of Production Line Bearing Fault Diagnosis Based on 2D Image and Cross-Domain Few-Shot Learning
Authors: Wang Tong , Chen Changzheng , Dong Xingjun , Liu Hanrui
Published: February 2023

Data-driven intelligent fault diagnosis has made considerable strides. However, collecting sufficient fault information in real production data is extremely challenging. Therefore, a novel method of bearing fault diagnosis based on two-dimensional (2D) images and cross-domain few-shot learning is proposed. Initially, the approach uses multiscale morphology to convert the bearing’s one-dimensional (1D) vibration signal into a 2D image, which preserves the whole information. Second, to address the issue of limited bearing fault data, we extend a substantial amount of natural image knowledge to the converted 2D image based on the improved cross-domain few-shot learning method. A distance-based classifier is employed to prevent the problem of overfitting owing to insufficient data to improve the approach’s classification capacity with few samples. The experimental results demonstrate that, with the limited dataset provided, our method outperforms other prevalent methods and has high feasibility and certain engineering applications.
Practical Approach for Assessing Wetting-Induced Slope Failure
Authors: Adiguna Glenn Adriel , Wijaya Martin , Rahardjo Paulus Pramono , Sugianto Andy , Satyanaga Alfrendo , Hamdany Abdul Halim
Published: February 2023

Ignoring the role of soil suction and implementing unsaturated soil mechanics when assessing slope stability in Indonesia is a common practice. One of the main reasons is due to the precognition that incorporating soil suction means using higher shear strength, which leads to less conservative analysis, while it is difficult to practically obtain accurate input parameters for unsaturated soil analysis. However, a number of slope failures occur all over the world due to rainfall, which becomes evidence that ignoring the role of soil suction may not necessarily lead to a conservative result. On 9 January 2021, rainfall-induced slope failure occurred at Cimanggung after four hours of heavy rainfall and killed 32 people. Many of them were injured, and houses were destroyed. This event shows the significance of considering the interaction between infiltration and soil suction when conducting slope stability analysis. Difficulties in obtaining input parameters for unsaturated soil analysis experimentally hindered practitioners in applying unsaturated soil mechanics. While the parameters can be estimated, it is always of question whether the estimated parameters are sufficiently accurate for practical purposes. In this paper, conventional site investigations were carried out while unsaturated soil parameters were estimated to study the mechanism which triggers the landslide that occurred at Cimanggung. It will be shown that estimating unsaturated soil parameters can be practically accurate and manage to capture the failure mechanism such as critical rainfall duration and critical slip surface.
A Multi-Domain Model for Variable Gap Iron-Cored Wireless Power Transmission System
Authors: Reato Federico Maria , Cinquemani Simone , Ricci Claudio , Misfatto Jan , Calzaferri Matteo
Published: February 2023

Wireless power transfer (WPT) devices represent one of the most efficient and increasingly used technologies for the transfer of data and power in the near-field range. This work analyzes and describes a new type of device: a ferrite-cored, variable gap, high-frequency power and data transfer system. The classic theoretical models existing in the literature for near-field communication (NFC) and WPT devices have foreseen a lumped-parameters characterization based on the representation of an equivalent circuit model (ECM). The strict interdependence between the different physical domains has clearly increased the difficulty in predicting the behavior of the device, due to the unwanted continuous and chaotic variation of the parameters. The proposed paper aims to provide a general and reliable multi-physics model based on the co-simulation of a Spice®-based ECM analysis and the ESRF Radia®-based 3D finite volume methodology (3DFVM), placing particular emphasis on the intrinsic sensitivity with respect to variables that cannot be directly controlled, such as the variation of the air gap between the coupled coils interfaces. Furthermore, this work outlines a detailed and effective experimental methodology for the estimation of static and dynamic electro-magnetic parameters and the validation of the numerical models in both the time and frequency domain, through the analysis of a real coupled WPT device.
16-Channel Wavelength Division Multiplexers Based on Subwavelength Grating
Authors: Bai Yawen , Wang Lin , Zhang Lei , Wang Pengfei , Peng Bo
Published: February 2023

Wavelength Division Multiplexing (WDM) plays an important role in optical interconnection. In this paper, a 16-channel WDM device is designed on a Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) substrate by using a sub-wavelength grating (SWG) structure, which can cover O-band and C-band at the same time, and the output channel is reversely coupled from the main waveguide to realize wavelength demultiplexing. The simulation results show that the loss of our 16-channel wavelength demultiplexing device is less than 0.5 dB and the crosstalk is less than 17 dB. When WDM is performed in O-band, the transmission loss of the C-band in the bus waveguide is less than 0.05 dB and is insensitive to the grating duty cycle, with good process tolerance. The footprint of the device is 200 μm × 150 μm, and the size of the single-channel filter is 200 μm × 2 μm, which can realize WDM with large bandwidth in a compact structure.
Investigation of Microservice-Based Workflow Management Solutions for Industrial Automation
Authors: Represa Jaime Garcia , Larrinaga Felix , Varga Pal , Ochoa William , Perez Alain , Kozma Dániel , Delsing Jerker
Published: February 2023

In an era ruled by data and information, engineers need new tools to cope with the increased complexity of industrial operations. New architectural models for industry enable open communication environments, where workflows can play a major role in providing flexible and dynamic interactions between systems. Workflows help engineers maintain precise control over their factory equipment and Information Technology (IT) services, from the initial design stages to plant operations. The current application of workflows departs from the classic business workflows that focus on office automation systems in favor of a manufacturing-oriented approach that involves direct interaction with cyber-physical systems (CPSs) on the shop floor. This paper identifies relevant industry-related challenges that hinder the adoption of workflow technology, which are classified within the context of a cohesive workflow lifecycle. The classification compares the various workflow management solutions and systems used to monitor and execute workflows. These solutions have been developed alongside the Eclipse Arrowhead framework, which provides a common infrastructure for designing systems according to the microservice architectural principles. This paper investigates and compares various solutions for workflow management and execution in light of the associated industrial requirements. Further, it compares various microservice-based approaches and their implementation. The objective is to support industrial stakeholders in their decision-making with regard to choosing among workflow management solutions.
Roadmap to Reasoning in Microservice Systems: A Rapid Review
Authors: Abdelfattah Amr S. , Cerny Tomas
Published: February 2023

Understanding software systems written by others is often challenging. When we want to assess systems to reason about them, i.e., to understand dependencies, analyze evolution trade-offs, or to verify conformance to the original blueprint, we must invest broad efforts. This becomes difficult when considering decentralized systems. Microservice-based systems are mainstream these days; however, to observe, understand, and manage these systems and their properties, we are missing fundamental tools that would derive various simplified system abstract perspectives. Microservices architecture characteristics yield many advantages to system operation; however, they bring challenges to their development and deployment lifecycles. Microservices urge a system-centric perspective to better reason about the system evolution and its quality attributes. This process review paper considers the current system analysis approaches and their possible alignment with automated system assessment or with human-centered approaches. We outline the necessary steps to accomplish holistic reasoning in decentralized microservice systems. As a contribution, we provide a roadmap for analysis and reasoning in microservice-based systems and suggest that various process phases can be decoupled through the introduction of system intermediate representation as the trajectory to provide various system-centered perspectives to analyze various system aspects. Furthermore, we cover different technical-based reasoning strategies and metrics in addition to the human-centered reasoning addressed through alternative visualization approaches. Finally, a system evolution is discussed from the perspective of such a reasoning process to illustrate the impact analysis evaluation over system changes.
Acoustic Material Monitoring in Harsh Steelplant Environments
Authors: Husaković Adnan , Mayrhofer Anna , Abbas Ali , Strasser Sonja
Published: February 2023

This paper provides novel insights into the robustness of machine learning and signal-processing-based acoustic material classification for material transport in modern iron- and steelmaking. The proposed method is designed to deal with the specific harsh and challenging environmental conditions encountered in steel plants. Robust classification depends on the dataset and its contamination with noise. The present work investigates the application of noise detection together with classification algorithms and shows the impact on classification performance. Four contributions are addressed: (i) an evaluation of an outlier detection method for time series, which is based on the short-term enhanced root mean square value RMS (RMSe), (ii) a comparison of different artificial neural network (ANN) structures applied for acoustic classification of material classes, (iii) results on the test dataset splits and (iv) evaluation of the robustness of proposed convolutional neural network (CNN) architecture against environmental disturbances such as the adversarial dropping sound of contaminants. With the combination of preprocessing and CNN on a material transport process dataset, we show an improvement of the overall classification accuracy. It proves the significance of preprocessing a contaminated dataset and the applicability of CNN for real-world acoustic sensoring systems.
Examining the Amount of Particulate Matter (PM) Emissions in Urban Areas
Authors: Šarkan Branislav , Gnap Jozef , Loman Michal , Harantová Veronika
Published: February 2023

Particulate matter significantly contributes to environmental pollution, negatively affects human health and irreparably damages all living things. The purpose of the research is to help determine the concentration of particulate matter in metropolitan areas. Three measuring stations in a city in central Slovakia were selected for the research. The sites were located at the main bus terminal, near primary schools, and at a railway crossing. Each station formed a measuring point. During the investigation, we monitored the amount of flying dust; at the same time, the intensity of traffic in the vicinity of the measuring stations was monitored. The research made it possible to determine the link between the volume of traffic and the concentration of particulate matter. The level of dependence between the concentration of particulate matter and the volume was first evaluated based on correlation coefficients. From the results of the research, it is possible to consider the dependence of the concentration of pollutants and the intensity of traffic as high. For each measurement, the correlation coefficient values were above 0.7 and, in some cases, exceeded 0.9, which can be considered very high levels of dependence. The highest level of pollution was detected at the bus station where the concentration of PM10 exceeded the value of 83 μg/m3 and the concentration of PM2.5 was at a level exceeding the limit of 16 μg/m3. This evidence can be considered very negative due to the high occurrence of people in this place. Different concentrations of particulate matter can also be monitored at other measuring points. According to research results, metropolitan road transport has a significant impact on the concentration of particulate matter, which have an adverse effect on nearby pedestrians.
IoT-Based Cotton Plant Pest Detection and Smart-Response System
Authors: Azfar Saeed , Nadeem Adnan , Ahsan Kamran , Mehmood Amir , Almoamari Hani , Alqahtany Saad Said
Published: February 2023

IoT technology and drones are indeed a step towards modernization. Everything from field monitoring to pest identification is being conducted through these technologies. In this paper, we consider the issue of smart pest detection and management of cotton plants which is an important crop for an agricultural country. We proposed an IoT framework to detect insects through motion detection sensors and then receive an automatic response using drones based targeted spray. In our proposed method, we also explored the use of drones to improve field surveillance and then proposed a predictive algorithm for a pest detection response system using a decision-making theory. To validate the working behavior of our framework, we have included the simulation results of the tested scenarios in the cup-carbon IoT simulator. The purpose of our work is to modernize pest management so that farmers can not only attain higher profits but can also increase the quantity and quality of their crops.
A Powerful Joint Modulation and STBC Identification Algorithm for Multiuser Uplink SC-FDMA Transmissions
Authors: Marey Mohamed , Mostafa Hala
Published: February 2023

Owing to the rapid development and broad adoption of multiple antenna communication systems over the past few years, space-time block coding (STBC) identification has emerged as a crucial responsibility for smart radios. The majority of previous analysis of STBC identification assumed that the utilized modulation schemes for single-user and uncoded broadcasts were known. This paper investigates the challenge of joint STBC and modulation identification for uplink transmissions with numerous users in single-carrier frequency division multiple access (SC-FDMA) systems using coded transmissions. Multi-user channel estimation brings us one step closer to implementing the proposed design in real-world systems. We additionally employ the channel decoder’s deliverables, which are common in many real-world systems, to enhance the identifying and estimating procedures. Mathematical findings prove that a recursive approach can be utilized to tackle the maximum likelihood (ML) problem of simultaneous STBC and modulation identification with channel estimation. Distinguishing the superimposed signals that originate at the base-station (BS) is accomplished with the use of the space-alternating generalized expectation-maximization (SAGE) algorithm. After that, an expectation-maximization (EM) engine is deployed to make the necessary adjustments to the parameters being considered for each user. The success of the above-mentioned architecture for usage in practical applications is demonstrated by the simulation results obtained under various conditions.
A Preliminary Investigation of Mobile Respiratory Function Testing in Western Australian Communities
Authors: Czarniak Petra , Watkins Kim , Foy Finbarr , Parsons Richard , Hall Graham L. , Sunderland Bruce
Published: February 2023

Although underutilized, spirometry is essential in the diagnosis and management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma. This study aimed to investigate a mobile (i.e., transportable) lung function testing (LFT) services in two metropolitan and two rural clinics in Western Australia. Individuals attending a mobile LFT clinic in 2021 were invited to complete questionnaires at baseline and after 6–8 weeks. Questionnaires were completed by 59/74 (79.7%) respondents (mean age 62.5 ± 14.2 years); most were female (35/59; 59.3%). A history of asthma was reported in 50.9% (30/59) and COPD in 18.6% (11/59) of respondents [13.6% (8/59) reported both]. At baseline, most (22/30; 73.3%) had asthma control test scores ≤19 (mean 16.6; range 8.0–25.0); at follow-up, 16/31 (51.6%) had scores ≤19 (mean score 18.0; range 6.0–25.0). Of the 11 diagnosed with COPD at baseline, the mean Clinical COPD Questionnaire and COPD assessment test scores were greater at follow-up (1.9 vs. 2.3; and: 10.3 vs. 14.7 respectively), reflecting worsening disease. Most participants (57/59; 96.6%) were satisfied with the LFT experience. The role of mobile LFT services to optimize the diagnosis and management of chronic lung disease and to minimize patient burden requires further investigation to improve short term patient outcomes.
Automated Assessment of Radiographic Bone Loss in the Posterior Maxilla Utilizing a Multi-Object Detection Artificial Intelligence Algorithm
Authors: Vollmer Andreas , Vollmer Michael , Lang Gernot , Straub Anton , Kübler Alexander , Gubik Sebastian , Brands Roman C. , Hartmann Stefan , Saravi Babak
Published: February 2023

Periodontitis is one of the most prevalent diseases worldwide. The degree of radiographic bone loss can be used to assess the course of therapy or the severity of the disease. Since automated bone loss detection has many benefits, our goal was to develop a multi-object detection algorithm based on artificial intelligence that would be able to detect and quantify radiographic bone loss using standard two-dimensional radiographic images in the maxillary posterior region. This study was conducted by combining three recent online databases and validating the results using an external validation dataset from our organization. There were 1414 images for training and testing and 341 for external validation in the final dataset. We applied a Keypoint RCNN with a ResNet-50-FPN backbone network for both boundary box and keypoint detection. The intersection over union (IoU) and the object keypoint similarity (OKS) were used for model evaluation. The evaluation of the boundary box metrics showed a moderate overlapping with the ground truth, revealing an average precision of up to 0.758. The average precision and recall over all five folds were 0.694 and 0.611, respectively. Mean average precision and recall for the keypoint detection were 0.632 and 0.579, respectively. Despite only using a small and heterogeneous set of images for training, our results indicate that the algorithm is able to learn the objects of interest, although without sufficient accuracy due to the limited number of images and a large amount of information available in panoramic radiographs. Considering the widespread availability of panoramic radiographs as well as the increasing use of online databases, the presented model can be further improved in the future to facilitate its implementation in clinics.
Experimental and Numerical Studies on the Impact Energy Absorption of Cutting Shear Rings
Authors: Yao Shujian , Wang Yanjing , Sun Chengming , Feng Xingmin , Zhao Nan
Published: February 2023

To improve the passive safety of the collision process, we designed a kind of energy absorption device based on cutting shear rings (CSR). It can be installed in a limited space, overcoming the characteristic of traditional energy absorption devices that cannot play their advantages in a narrow space, and it will not be accompanied by the splashing of chips in the process of energy absorption. The impact energy absorption characteristics of the shear rings outside the energy absorption rods are analyzed. The feasibility of the finite element method to study the device’s characteristics is demonstrated through the combination of the drop hammer test and numerical simulation. At the same time, the device’s responses under nine different working cases are simulated, and the impact energy absorption characteristics of the shear rings are analyzed. Moreover, the effects of shear ring thickness and spacing on the device are also analyzed. The results show that there are several peak forces during the energy absorption process, and each peak force is accompanied by the failure of the shear ring. The shear rings’ thickness correlates positively with energy absorption and peak force. But the spacing of shear rings only affects the number of peak forces. There is a linear trend between the shear rings’ spacing and energy absorption, and the slope of the trend increases with the increase in thickness.
Special Issue on Worker Safety in Agricultural Systems
Authors: Manetto Giuseppe , Cerruto Emanuele , Longo Domenico , Papa Rita
Published: February 2023

Farming is one of the most hazardous industries, with a high level of accidents affecting the sustainability and viability of the sector [...]
Single-Layered Biosynthesized Copper Oxide (CuO) Nanocoatings as Solar-Selective Absorber
Authors: Welegergs G. G. , Gebretinsae H. G. , Tsegay M. G. , Mtshali Christopher , Mongwaketsia Nametso , Cloete Karen , Nuru Z. Y. , Dube S. , Maaza M.
Published: February 2023

Herein, spectrally selective single-layered CuO nanocoatings were successfully demonstrated via green synthesis and deposited on stainless steel (SS) substrates using a spin coater at 700, 800, 900, and 1000 rpm. The morphological, structural, and compositional analyses of the obtained nanocoatings were studied using SEM, XRD, EDX, and Raman spectroscopy. The SEM images show nanorod-like structure surfaces with dense surface morphology. The XRD patterns confirmed the presence of peaks indexed to a monoclinic structural phase of CuO. The EDX spectra clearly revealed the presence of Cu and O elements, and XPS spectra showed peaks of Cu2p and O1s core levels, which are typical characteristics of Cu (II) and O(II), respectively, in CuO. The Raman spectra showed peaks at 305, 344, and 642 cm−1 attributed to Raman active (Ag+2Bg) modes for Cu-O stretching. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) determined the content of the elements and the changes in the thicknesses of the coatings with the rotational speed (RS) of the spin coater. The elemental content of Cu and O atoms were, respectively, 54 and 46%. The thicknesses were calculated to be 1.406 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (296.3 nm), 1.286 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (271.0 nm), 1.138 × 1018 atoms/cm2 (239.8 nm), and 0.985 × 1015 atoms/cm2 (207.5 nm) at 700, 800, 900 and 1000 rpm, respectively. The optical properties of the CuO nanocoatings were characterized using UV–Vis–NIR and FTIR spectrometers; its vital solar selectivity parameters of solar absorptance (α) and emissivity (ε) were evaluated in the ranges of 0.3–2.5 and 2.5–20 µm wavelengths, respectively. The obtained coatings exhibited solar parameters (α = 0.90, and ε = 0.31) associated with 700 rpm due to an intrinsic and interference-induced absorption as well as higher attenuation of light.
A Review of Innovative Electromagnetic Technologies for a Totally Artificial Heart
Authors: Andriollo Mauro , Fanton Enrico , Tortella Andrea
Published: February 2023

A total artificial heart (TAH) represents a challenge in medical science to provide a survival perspective for patients with severe cardiac problems. Although cardiac transplantation represents the optimal therapeutic solution for end-stage heart failure, its application is limited by organ shortages. However, innovative technologies that can fit the operation and constraints of a physical heart are now under experimentation, making the target of a reliable and minimally invasive TAH much closer. The electromagnetic devices involved in system supply and actuation could potentially improve patient quality of life and expectancy. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the operating principle, ratings, and key performance of the main electromagnetic components, with a particular focus on actuators that emulate the pumping effect of the heart ventricles. Linear oscillating actuators are very promising for their compactness and straightforward integration; therefore, an exhaustive overview considering both the single and the dual-mover configurations is worth being carried out. Taking a cue on the projects under development and after a detailed literature investigation, the pros and cons of the different solutions are discussed with the purpose of providing a critical analysis of the state-of-the-art.
Method for Prevention of Liquefaction Caused by Earthquakes Using Grouting Applicable to Existing Structures
Authors: Yoon Jong Chan , Son Su Won , Kim Jin Man
Published: February 2023

Ground liquefaction is causing great damage to the structure of land during earthquakes. Accordingly, various liquefaction damage reduction methods have been studied and developed. However, most of the ground liquefaction prevention methods have limitations in their application to existing structures. Therefore, in this study, a ground liquefaction damage reduction method, applicable to existing structures, was studied using the grouting method. A 1-G shaking table test was performed, and the ground was created with Jumunjin standard sand. A two-story model structure was manufactured by applying the similarity law, and an input wave applied a sinusoidal motion with an acceleration level of 0.6 g and a frequency of 10 Hz. The grouting chemical was produced by mixing water and cement, and the effect of reducing structural damage was analyzed according to various mixing ratios; in addition, the separation distance between the grouting chemical injection point and the structure was analyzed. As a result of the analysis, when the ground was reinforced by applying the grouting method, the settlement of the structure was about 84% smaller than when the ground was not reinforced, and the mixing ratio with the smallest settlement was 0.45. In addition, when there was no separation distance between the structure and the grouting chemical injection point, it was confirmed that the effect of reducing structural damage was the greatest. These research results will be used as basic data for developing a grouting method applicable to existing structures in the future.
Performance Assessment of the Medium Frequency R-Mode Baltic Testbed at Sea near Rostock
Authors: Rizzi Filippo Giacomo , Grundhöfer Lars , Gewies Stefan , Ehlers Tobias
Published: February 2023

Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are the primary source of position, navigation and timing (PNT) information in the maritime domain. Nevertheless, there is a pressing need for alternative absolute position information to serve as a backup when GNSS is not trustworthy or usable. One possible alternative navigation system is the terrestrial Ranging Mode, also known as the R-Mode. It reuses medium frequency (MF) radio beacons and base stations of the very high frequency data exchange system (VDES) for the transmission of synchronised signals in the service areas of those stations. A large-scale R-Mode testbed is available in the southern Baltic Sea with eight MF radio beacons transmitting R-Mode signals. These signals suffer the self-interference generated by the reflection of the radio wave from the ionosphere at night. The reflected signal, known as the sky wave in the literature, is a form of multipath, which decreases the accuracy of the system. In our work, we present the analysis of measurements obtained with the research vessel Deneb. The horizontal accuracy achieved in the optimal condition was 15.1 m (95%), whereas under the sky wave, the accuracy decreased to 55.3 m. The results are a starting point for the further development of the MF R-Mode system.
Fermented Gold Kiwi Prevents and Attenuates Chronic Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice via Suppression of Inflammatory Responses
Authors: Choi Jihye , Lee Sangmin , Choi Hwal , Lee Jeonghyeon , Lee Nayong , Oh Hyunjeong , Kwon Hyuckse , Kwon Jungkee
Published: February 2023

Excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of liver disease and liver-related death. Ninety percent of alcohol consumed is broken down in the liver; excessive consumption destroys liver cells and causes stress. The gold kiwi contains more vitamin C than the green kiwi, and various studies have reported that the gold kiwi boosts digestive health. Fermented gold kiwi (FGK) was made using two lactic acids. It contains many more bioactive compounds than fresh gold kiwi. Mice were first given FGK (50, 125, and 250 mg/kg b.w.) and then given a 5 g/kg alcohol solution (50% w/v) for 2 weeks. The results indicate that the FGK promoted hepatic function by significantly decreasing the serum ethanol and aldehyde levels and downgrading the serum TC and TG levels. The FGK attenuated alcohol-induced oxidative stress and improved alcohol metabolism by controlling the ADH and ALDH levels in murine liver tissue. In addition, the FGK significantly reduced the concentration of inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6) in mouse serum and liver tissue. The overexpression of inflammatory mediators (iNOS, COX-2) was also decreased in the FGK groups. This study demonstrates that FGK exerts a protective effect against alcohol-induced liver damage by improving alcohol metabolism and increasing anti-inflammatory activity. This finding suggests that FGK might be developed into a functional food treatment against alcohol-induced liver disease.
Dental Trauma Epidemiology in Primary Dentition: A Cross-Sectional Retrospective Study
Authors: Fitzgibbon Raquel , Carli Elisabetta , Piana Gabriela , Montevecchi Marco , Bagattoni Simone
Published: February 2023

Our aim was to investigate the epidemiology of dental trauma (DT) injuries in primary teeth, a health hazard issue that is often neglected by the public health care system. The records of 298 children who attended the Unit of Dental Care for Special Needs Patients and Pediatric Dentistry, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy and had suffered a DT between January 2011 and December 2021 were examined to assess age, gender, cause and place of the DT, type of lesion and teeth involved. The chi-squared test was used to compare categorical variables. A total of 265 children (89%) suffered a single trauma, and 33 (11%) suffered from repeated DT. A total of 511 teeth (mean 1.7 ± 0.5) experienced dental trauma. Most of the trauma occurred in the 2–3 years range (153 DT, 30%). The most affected teeth were the upper central incisors (n = 388; 76%). The DT involved periodontal tissue in 316 teeth (62%) and hard dental tissue in 262 cases (51%). DT in primary teeth is commonly caused by accidental falls at home, occurs most frequently to toddlers’ upper central incisors, and usually affects tooth-supporting structures. Clinicians should be aware of the most frequent DT and be updated concerning treatment guidelines.
What Changes Occur in the Brain of Veteran? A Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Study
Authors: Urbanik Andrzej , Kucybała Iwona , Guła Przemysław , Brożyna Maciej , Guz Wiesław
Published: February 2023

The aims of this study were to assess the common anomalies in the MRI examinations of the heads of soldiers as well as to compare the relative concentration of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) metabolites in the brains of soldiers with those of healthy age-matched controls. Overall, 54 professional male soldiers were included in the study group and 46 healthy, age-matched males were in the control group. The relative values of N-acetylaspartate (NAA), choline (Cho), and myoinositol (mI) to creatine (Cr) were assessed. The mean relative concentrations of metabolites were compared between the study and the control group, separately for the frontal and occipital lobes, as well as between the right and left hemispheres within the study group only. The most frequent findings in the head MRI of the soldiers were: asymmetric lateral ventricles and dilated perivascular spaces, enlargement of the subarachnoid spaces, and the presence of cavum septum pellucidum and cavum vergae; the high frequency of sinus disease should also be noted. In the frontal lobes, the mI/Cr ratio was significantly higher (p = 0.005), while the NAA/Cr ratio was lower (p = 0.001), in the group of soldiers (vs. the study group). In the occipital lobes, the NAA/Cr ratio was significantly lower (p = 0.005) in the military personnel and there was a tendency to a higher mI/Cr ratio in the soldiers’ occipital lobes (p = 0.056) (vs. the study group). Comparing the metabolites between the left and right hemispheres in soldiers preferring a right shooting position, a significantly higher mI/Cr (p < 0.001) ratio was observed in the right frontal lobe (vs. the left) and a markedly lower NAA/Cr (p = 0.003) in the right occipital lobe (vs. the left). These changes are associated with astrogliosis and neuronal loss, presumably secondary to repetitive mild traumatic brain injury.
Application of Helicopter-Borne and Ground–Airborne Electromagnetic Detection to Tunnel Engineering Investigation
Authors: Zhang Tianyu , Zhang Chunran , Long Donghui , Wang Yanzhang , Zhou Haigen , Wang Shilong , Li Gang , Li Haoran , Zhou Fengdao , Jiang Chuandong
Published: February 2023

The Cedaya-S340 Holgutu Highway Construction Project is located in the Mongolian Autonomous Prefecture of Bayingolin in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is an important traffic channel that connects Luntai County and Hejing County at the southern foot of Tianshan Mountains. As the major component of the highway project, the Huola Mountain Tunnel has a sharp topographic relief, and, therefore, commonly used land geophysical detection instruments cannot work on it. Therefore, we conducted a qualitative survey on the ground-to-air and airborne electromagnetic detection methods used at the Huola Mountain Tunnel site to provide basic data for the design of highway tunnels. The geophysical survey summarized the ground–airborne frequency-domain electromagnetic method (GAFEM) and the helicopter-borne time-domain electromagnetic method (HTEM) developed by Jilin University, and measured 15 measuring lines. Apparent resistivity imaging was performed for each section, and the results were consistent. This study comprehensively analyzed the apparent resistivity profile and geological mapping data. Then, the study inferred the major stratigraphic boundaries, fault fracture zones, rock fragmentation, weakness, karst development, and water content in accordance with background value, low-resistivity anomaly shape, low-resistivity anomaly value, and gradient value in the apparent resistivity profile. Finally, the study identified the scope of two main low-resistivity anomalies, located at the tunnel entrance and exit, respectively, which are basically consistent with the known fault location. The results of this study show that on the basis of the apparent resistivity maps of GAFEM and HTEM, the overall distribution law is basically consistent with site landform, hydrogeology, tectonic geology, and aerial image data. The results provide guidance for the construction of the Huola Mountain Tunnel and ensure the construction safety and progress of the tunnel.
Self-Supervised Learning for the Distinction between Computer-Graphics Images and Natural Images
Authors: Wang Kai
Published: February 2023

With the increasing visual realism of computer-graphics (CG) images generated by advanced rendering engines, the distinction between CG images and natural images (NIs) has become an important research problem in the image forensics community. Previous research works mainly focused on the conventional supervised learning framework, which usually requires a good quantity of labeled data for training. To our knowledge, we study, for the first time in the literature, the utility of the self-supervised learning mechanism for the forensic classification of CG images and NIs. The idea is to make use of a large number of readily available unlabeled data, along with a self-supervised training procedure on a well-designed pretext task for which labels can be generated in an automatic and convenient way without human manual labeling effort. Differing from existing self-supervised methods, based on pretext tasks targeted at image understanding, or based on contrastive learning, we propose carrying out self-supervised training on a forensics-oriented pretext task of classifying authentic images and their modified versions after applying various manipulations. Experiments and comparisons showed the effectiveness of our method for solving the CG forensics problem under different evaluation scenarios. Our proposed method outperformed existing self-supervised methods in all experiments. It could sometimes achieve comparable, or better, performance. compared with a state-of-the-art fully supervised method under difficult evaluation scenarios with data scarcity and a challenging forensic problem. Our study demonstrates the utility and potential of the self-supervised learning mechanism for image forensics applications.
In Vitro Synovial Membrane 3D Model Developed by Volumetric Extrusion Bioprinting
Authors: Petretta Mauro , Villata Simona , Scozzaro Marika Pia , Roseti Livia , Favero Marta , Napione Lucia , Frascella Francesca , Pirri Candido Fabrizio , Grigolo Brunella , Olivotto Eleonora
Published: February 2023

(1) Background: Synovial tissue plays a fundamental role in inflammatory processes. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms regulating healthy and diseased synovium functions, as in rheumatic diseases, is crucial to discovering more effective therapies to minimize or prevent pathological progress. The present study aimed at developing a bioartificial synovial tissue as an in vitro model for drug screening or personalized medicine applications using 3D bioprinting technology. (2) Methods: The volumetric extrusion technique has been used to fabricate cell-laden scaffolds. Gelatin Methacryloyl (GelMA), widely applied in regenerative medicine and tissue engineering, was selected as a bioink and combined with an immortalized cell line of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (K4IM). (3) Results: Three different GelMA formulations, 7.5–10–12.5% w/v, were tested for the fabrication of the scaffold with the desired morphology and internal architecture. GelMA 10% w/v was chosen and combined with K4IM cells to fabricate scaffolds that showed high cell viability and negligible cytotoxicity for up to 14 days tested by Live & Dead and lactate dehydrogenase assays. (4) Conclusions: We successfully 3D bioprinted synoviocytes-laden scaffolds as a proof-of-concept (PoC) towards the fabrication of a 3D synovial membrane model suitable for in vitro studies. However, further research is needed to reproduce the complexity of the synovial microenvironment to better mimic the physiological condition.
The Role of PET and SPECT Imaging in Prostate Cancer Targeted Alpha Therapy: When and How?
Authors: Frantellizzi Viviana , Ricci Maria , Cimini Andrea , Filippi Luca , Conte Miriam , De Feo Maria Silvia , De Vincentis Giuseppe
Published: February 2023

This review discusses the current state of Targeted Alpha Therapy (TAT) in prostate cancer, particularly in mCRPCT (metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer). This review describes the widely used Radium-223 and the novel trend in the TAT field with a special focus on prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-based alpha therapy. With this in-depth discussion on the growing field of PSMA-based alpha therapy, we aim also to analyze the most useful diagnostic tools in the patient selection and in the treatment monitoring. We explored the diagnostic tools used in clinical practice and in research settings in order to clarify the imaging procedures that may support the PSMA-based TAT management, including both the patient’s selection and the therapy response monitoring, with a special focus on diagnostic PSMA-PET/CT imaging. Further multicenter trials are needed, but a better understanding of the strengths and limitations of molecular imaging in PSMA-based TAT management may help in creating an effective therapeutic algorithm for mCRPC and designing a rational approach to treatment.