bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modified Montmorillonite Improved Growth Performance of Broilers by Modulating Intestinal Microbiota and Enhancing Intestinal Barriers, Anti-Inflammatory Response, and Antioxidative Capacity
Authors: Wang Qi , Zhan Xiaoli , Wang Baikui , Wang Fei , Zhou Yuanhao , Xu Shujie , Li Xiang , Tang Li , Jin Qian , Li Weifen , Gong Li , Fu Aikun
Published: September 2022

This study aims to explore the effects of modified montmorillonite (MMT, copper loading) on the growth performance, gut microbiota, intestinal barrier, antioxidative capacity and immune function of broilers. Yellow-feathered broilers were randomly divided into control (CTR), modified montmorillonite (MMT), and antibiotic (ANTI) groups. Results revealed that MMT supplementation increased the BW and ADG and decreased the F/R during the 63-day experiment period. 16S rRNA sequencing showed that MMT modulated the cecal microbiota composition of broilers by increasing the relative abundance of two phyla (Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes) and two genera (Bacteroides and Faecalibacterium) and decreasing the abundance of genus Olsenella. MMT also improved the intestinal epithelial barrier indicated by the up-regulated mRNA expression of claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1 and the increased length of microvilli in jejunum and the decreased levels of DAO and D-LA in serum. In addition, MMT enhanced the immune function indicated by the increased levels of immunoglobulins, the decreased levels of MPO and NO, the down-regulated mRNA expression of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, and the up-regulated mRNA expression of IL-4 and IL-10. Moreover, MMT down-regulated the expression of jejunal TLRs/MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway-related genes (TLR2, TLR4, Myd88, TRAF6, NF-κB, and iNOS) and related proteins (TRAF6, p38, ERK, NF-κB, and iNOS). In addition, MMT increased the antioxidant enzyme activities and the expression of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway-related genes and thereby decreased the apoptosis-related genes expression. Spearman’s correlation analysis revealed that Bacteroides, Faecalibacterium, and Olsenella were related to the inflammatory index (MPO and NO), oxidative stress (T-AOC, T-SOD, and CAT) and intestinal integrity (D-LA and DAO). Taken together, MMT supplementation improved the growth performance of broilers by modulating intestinal microbiota, enhancing the intestinal barrier function, and improving inflammatory response, which might be mediated by inhibiting the TLRs/MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway, and antioxidative capacity mediated by the Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway.
Design, Characterization, and Anticancer and Antimicrobial Activities of Mucoadhesive Oral Patches Loaded with Usnea barbata (L.) F. H. Wigg Ethanol Extract F-UBE-HPMC
Authors: Popovici Violeta , Matei Elena , Cozaru Georgeta Camelia , Bucur Laura , Gîrd Cerasela Elena , Schröder Verginica , Ozon Emma Adriana , Mitu Mirela Adriana , Musuc Adina Magdalena , Petrescu Simona , Atkinson Irina , Rusu Adriana , Mitran Raul-Augustin , Anastasescu Mihai , Caraiane Aureliana , Lupuliasa Dumitru , Aschie Mariana , Dumitru Eugen , Badea Victoria
Published: September 2022

The oral cavity’s common pathologies are tooth decay, periodontal disease, and oral cancer; oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most frequent oral malignancy, with a high mortality rate. Our study aims to formulate, develop, characterize, and pharmacologically investigate the oral mucoadhesive patches (F-UBE-HPMC) loaded with Usnea barbata (L.) F.H. Wigg dry ethanol extract (UBE), using HPMC K100 as a film-forming polymer. Each patch contains 312 µg UBE, with a total phenolic content (TPC) of 178.849 µg and 33.924 µg usnic acid. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) were performed for their morphological characterization, followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Pharmacotechnical evaluation involved the measurement of the specific parameters for mucoadhesive oral patches as follows: weight uniformity, thickness, folding endurance, tensile strength, elongation, moisture content, pH, disintegration time, swelling rate, and ex vivo mucoadhesion time. Thus, each F-UBE-HPMC has 104 ± 4.31 mg, a pH = 7.05 ± 0.04, a disintegration time of 130 ± 4.14 s, a swelling ratio of 272 ± 6.31% after 6 h, and a mucoadhesion time of 102 ± 3.22 min. Then, F-UBE-HPMCs pharmacological effects were investigated using brine shrimp lethality assay (BSL assay) as a cytotoxicity prescreening test, followed by complex flow cytometry analyses on blood cell cultures and oral epithelial squamous cell carcinoma CLS-354 cell line. The results revealed significant anticancer effects by considerably increasing oxidative stress and blocking DNA synthesis in CLS-354 cancer cells. The antimicrobial potential against Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 25923, Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27353, Candida albicans ATCC 10231, and Candida parapsilosis ATCC 22019 was assessed by a Resazurin-based 96-well plate microdilution method. The patches moderately inhibited both bacteria strains growing and displayed a significant antifungal effect, higher on C. albicans than on C. parapsilosis. All these properties lead to considering F-UBE-HPMC suitable for oral disease prevention and therapy.
Carob Extract Supplementation Together with Caloric Restriction and Aerobic Training Accelerates the Recovery of Cardiometabolic Health in Mice with Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: de la Fuente-Fernández Maria , de la Fuente-Muñoz Mario , Román-Carmena Marta , Amor Sara , García-Redondo Ana Belén , Blanco-Rivero Javier , González-Hedström Daniel , Espinel Alberto E. , García-Villalón Ángel Luís , Granado Miriam
Published: September 2022

Carob, the fruit of Ceratonia siliqua L. exerts antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects and could be a useful strategy for the treatment and/or prevention of metabolic syndrome (MetS). The aim of this study was to analyze whether supplementation with a carob fruit extract (CSAT+®), alone or in combination with aerobic training, accelerates the recovery of cardiometabolic health in mice with MetS subjected to a caloric restriction. For this purpose, mice were fed with a high fat (58% kcal from fat)/high sugar diet for 23 weeks to induce MetS. During the next two weeks, mice with MetS were switched to a diet with a lower caloric content (25% kcal from fat) supplemented or not with CSAT+® (4.8%) and/or subjected to aerobic training. Both caloric reduction and aerobic training improved the lipid profile and attenuated MetS-induced insulin resistance measured as HOMA-IR. However, only supplementation with CSAT+® enhanced body weight loss, increased the circulating levels of adiponectin, and lowered the plasma levels of IL-6. Moreover, CSAT+® supplementation was the only effective strategy to reduce the weight of epidydimal adipose tissue and to improve insulin sensitivity in the liver and in skeletal muscle. Although all interventions improved endothelial function in aorta segments, only supplementation with CSAT+® reduced obesity-induced hypertension, prevented endothelial dysfunction in mesenteric arteries, and decreased the vascular response of aorta segments to the vasoconstrictor AngII. The beneficial cardiometabolic effects of CSAT+® supplementation, alone or in combination with aerobic training, were associated with decreased mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory markers such as MCP-1, TNFα, IL-1β, and IL-6 and with increased gene expression of antioxidant enzymes, such as GSR, GPX-3, and SOD-1 in the liver, gastrocnemius, retroperitoneal adipose tissue, and aorta. In conclusion, supplementation with CSAT+®, alone or in combination with aerobic training, to mice with MetS subjected to caloric restriction for two weeks enhances body weight loss, improves the lipid profile and insulin sensitivity, and exerts antihypertensive effects through its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties.
Silk Bionanocomposites for Organic Dye Absorption and Degradation
Authors: Belda Marín Cristina , Egles Christophe , Landoulsi Jessem , Guénin Erwann
Published: September 2022

Organic dyes are extensively used in the textile, paper and paint industries, among others. However, the lack of efficient treatment of disposals leads to the release of these toxic molecules into the environment, which has an enormous impact on living organisms. Dye absorption is the most common approach used to tackle this problem. However, the ideal solution should include dye degradation and absorbent regeneration, reducing the environmental impact of the procedure. Dye degradation can be achieved by catalysis. Recently, silk fibroin (SF) has been shown to have incredible absorbent properties. Herein, we characterized the capacity of SF hydrogels to absorb methylene blue (MB), an extensively used cationic organic dye. Moreover, the effect of a pretreatment of the SF hydrogel at different pH and ionic environments is also studied. Interestingly, opposite behaviors are observed when absorbing MB or brilliant blue (an anionic dye), suggesting an electrostatic-based interaction. Furthermore, the regeneration of a MB-saturated SF hydrogel by immersion in acidic pH and its further reuse were evaluated. Finally, the SF hydrogel was coupled with a gold nanoparticle catalyst, which resulted in a material able to absorb and catalyze the MB reduction by sodium borohydride in situ, leading to dye degradation. Overall, this work presents a biodegradable reusable material able to absorb and reduce MB in aqueous media.
AnyPlace: Automatic Gaze Alignment of the Teleported Avatar for MR Collaborative Environments
Authors: Chung Jin-Ho , Jo Dongsik
Published: September 2022

Tele-conference systems are widely used as a form of communication media between remote sites. In order to overcome the limitations of video-based tele-conference systems with the continued technological innovations in mixed reality (MR), the use of a three-dimensional teleported avatar, in which a remote participant is teleported into a local environment, would be an effective future tele-conference system that would allow natural movement and interaction in the same location. However, technical difficulties must be resolved to enable control of the teleported avatar adapted to the environmental differences of the remote location and the user’s situation. This paper presents a novel method to adjust automatic gaze alignment of the teleported avatar with matching in the local site for MR collaborative environments. We ran comparative validation experiments to measure spatial accuracy of the gaze and evaluate the user’s communication efficiency using our method. In a quantitative experiment, the degree of gaze matching error in various environments was found to form a mirror-symmetrical U-shape, and the necessity of gaze matching gain was also recognized. Additionally, our experimental study showed that participants felt a greater co-presence during communication than in an idle situation without conversation.
Machine Learning Applications in Surface Transportation Systems: A Literature Review
Authors: Behrooz Hojat , Hayeri Yeganeh M.
Published: September 2022

Surface transportation has evolved through technology advancements using parallel knowledge areas such as machine learning (ML). However, the transportation industry has not yet taken full advantage of ML. To evaluate this gap, we utilized a literature review approach to locate, categorize, and synthesize the principal concepts of research papers regarding surface transportation systems using ML algorithms, and we then decomposed them into their fundamental elements. We explored more than 100 articles, literature review papers, and books. The results show that 74% of the papers concentrate on forecasting, while multilayer perceptions, long short-term memory, random forest, supporting vector machine, XGBoost, and deep convolutional neural networks are the most preferred ML algorithms. However, sophisticated ML algorithms have been minimally used. The root-cause analysis revealed a lack of effective collaboration between the ML and transportation experts, resulting in the most accessible transportation applications being used as a case study to test or enhance a given ML algorithm and not necessarily to enhance a mobility or safety issue. Additionally, the transportation community does not define transportation issues clearly and does not provide publicly available transportation datasets. The transportation sector must offer an open-source platform to showcase the sector’s concerns and build spatiotemporal datasets for ML experts to accelerate technology advancements.
Special Issue on Interaction between Nanoparticles and Plants
Authors: Kurczynska Ewa
Published: September 2022

Nanotechnology is an extremely rapidly developing field that provides important elements to our daily life; however, it can also pose a threat to living organisms, including plants [...]
A Study on the Channel Expansion VAE for Content-Based Image Retrieval
Authors: Lee Kyounghak , Lee Yeonghun , Ko Hyung-Hwa , Kang Minsoo
Published: September 2022

Content-based image retrieval (CBIR) focuses on video searching with fine-tuning of pre-trained off-the-shelf features. CBIR is an intuitive method for image retrieval, although it still requires labeled datasets for fine-tuning due to the inefficiency caused by annotation. Therefore, we explored an unsupervised model for feature extraction of image contents. We used a variational auto-encoder (VAE) expanding channel of neural networks and studied the activation of layer outputs. In this study, the channel expansion method boosted the capability of image retrieval by exploring more kernels and selecting a layer of comparatively activated object region. The experiment included a comparison of channel expansion and visualization of each layer in the encoder network. The proposed model achieved (52.7%) mAP, which outperformed (36.5%) the existing VAE on the MNIST dataset.
Oxidative Stress and Antioxidant Enzymes Activity after Cycling at Different Intensity and Duration
Authors: Awang Daud D. Maryama , Ahmedy Fatimah , Baharuddin Dayang Marshitah Pg , Zakaria Zainul Amiruddin
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to compare the effects of intensity (I) and duration (D) on the oxidative stress marker (malondialdehyde, MDA) and the responses of the antioxidant enzymes (catalase, CAT; glutathione peroxidase, GPx; superoxide dismutase, SOD) among sedentary adults. In a crossover design, 25 sedentary adults performed nine cycling exercise sessions with a constant load of 50%, 60%, and 70% VO2peak for 10-, 20-, and 30-min each. Plasma MDA, CAT, GPx, and SOD activity were measured before and immediately after each exercise session. Results show that MDA concentration and SOD activity increased significantly immediately after exercise at all intensities and durations, except SOD decreased significantly at 70% V˙O2pk for 30 min. CAT activities also increased significantly after exercise at 50% V˙O2pk for 10 and 20 min but decreased at 60% V˙O2pk for 30 min and at 70% V˙O2pk for all durations. GPx activity decreased significantly after 20 and 30 min at all intensity levels. In conclusion, our results show that cycling at 50%, 60%, and 70% V˙O2pk for 10, 20, and 30 min increased oxidative stress and antioxidant activities, but with different responses. These findings suggest that the starting exercise intensity for sedentary adults should not exceed 70% V˙O2pk.
Extensive Discussions of the Eddy Dissipation Concept Constants and Numerical Simulations of the Sandia Flame D
Authors: He Di , Yu Yusong , Ma Hao , Liang Hongbo , Wang Chaojun
Published: September 2022

The indisputable wide use of the Eddy Dissipation Concept (EDC) implies that the resulting mean reaction rate is reasonably well modeled. To model turbulent combustions, an amount of EDC constants that differ from the original values was proposed. However, most of them were used without following the nature of the model or considering the effects of the modification. Starting with the energy cascade and the EDC models, the exact original primary and secondary constants are deduced in detail in this work. The mean reaction rate is then formulated from the primary constants or the secondary constants. Based on the physical meaning of fine structures, the limits of the EDC constants are presented and can be used to direct the EDC constant modifications. The effects of the secondary constant on the mean reaction rate are presented and the limiting turbulence Reynolds number used for the validity of EDC is discussed. To show the effects of the constants of the EDC model on the mean reaction rate, 20 combinations of the primary constants are used to simulate a laboratory-scale turbulent jet flame, i.e., Sandia Flame D. After a thorough and careful comparison with experiments, case 8, with a secondary constant of 6 and primary constants of 0.1357 and 0.11, can aptly reproduce this flame, except for in the over-predicted mean OH mass fraction.
Broadband Tunable Passively Q-Switched Erbium-Doped ZBLAN Fiber Laser Using Fe3O4-Nanoparticle Saturable Absorber
Authors: Cai Kaidi , Zhang Xin , Wang Xi , Tong Cunzhu , Wang Lijun
Published: September 2022

We experimentally demonstrate a passively Q-switched wavelength tunable 2.8 μm erbium-doped fiber laser. Fe3O4 nanoparticles deposited on a gold mirror are used as a saturable absorber (SA). Stable Q-switched pulses within the tunable range of 2710–2810 nm are obtained. At the wavelength of 2760 nm, a maximum Q-switched output power of 188 mW is achieved with a repetition rate of 115.8 kHz and a pulse width of 1.3 μs. The corresponding pulse energy is 1.68 μJ. This demonstration shows the ability of Fe3O4 to function as a broadband mid-infrared SA.
Analyzing Zone-Based Registration under 2-Step Paging in Mobile Communication Network
Authors: Tumurkhuyag Zagdsuren , Baek Jang Hyun
Published: September 2022

In this study, we have considered zone-based registration (ZBR), which is the most widely adopted type in mobile communication networks. Based on a performance comparison between one-zone-based registration (1ZR) and two-zone-based registration (2ZR), 2ZR is known to be superior to 1ZR in most cases. However, the existing studies on the comparison of 1ZR and 2ZR have a critical problem: The basic assumption in 1ZR is that the entire zone is paged simultaneously when a call arrives, whereas, in 2ZR, the zone is paged by two steps. With these different paging schemes, a proper comparison cannot be made. Therefore, in this study, we analyzed the performance of 1ZR by adopting 2-step paging (2SP) such as 2ZR for a proper performance comparison under equivalent conditions. This study also presents an analytical model of assigning paging areas under 2SP in 1ZR when the zone consists of multiple cells. Considering the mobility characteristics assumed in the previous studies on 2ZR, we have presented the mobility model for movement among cells in a zone, obtained the steady-state probability of each cell by using the Markov chain model to calculate the paging cost under 2SP, and ultimately calculated the total signaling cost. Through various numerical results, it was observed that, when 1ZR also adopts 2SP such as 2ZR, 1ZR can be superior to 2ZR in many cases. In conclusion, by adopting 2SP in both 1ZR and 2ZR, it would be possible to reduce the total signaling cost by selecting the better 1ZR and 2ZR while considering traffic changes.
Design of a NARX-ANN-Based SP Controller for Control of an Irrigation Main Canal Pool
Authors: Hernandez-Lopez Ybrain , Rivas-Perez Raul , Feliu-Batlle Vicente
Published: September 2022

The management of irrigation main canals are studied in this research. One way of improving this is designing an efficient automatic control system of the water that flows through the canal pools, which is usually carried out by PI controllers. However, since canal pools are systems with large time delays and nonlinear hydrodynamics, these PIs are tuned in a very conservative way so that the closed-loop instability that may appear depending on the chosen operation regime is avoided. These controllers are inefficient because they have slow time responses. In order to obtain faster responses that remain stable independently of the operation regime, a control system that combines a Smith predictor, which is appropriate to control linear systems with large time delays, with a NARX artificial neural network (ANN), that models the nonlinear dynamics of the pools, is proposed. By applying system identification procedures, two nonlinear NARX-ANN-based models and a linear mathematical model of a real canal pool were obtained. These models were applied to implement a modified NARX-ANN-based SP controller and a conventional linear SP controller. Experimental results on our real canal pool showed that our modified NARX-ANN-based SP controller overcomes conventional linear SP controllers in both setpoint tracking and load disturbance rejection.
A Trickster in Drag: Vlad Mamyshev-Monroe’s Aesthetic of Camp
Authors: Lipovetsky Mark
Published: September 2022

The article discusses an artistic method of the post-Soviet artist Vlad Mamyshev-Monroe (1969–2013) as the nexus of several traditions embedded in modernist legacy. His main genre is remastered (scratched) photographs depicting him impersonating various historical and fictional characters, from Marylyn Monroe (whom he considered his alter ego) to Hitler, Jesus Christ, and Putin. His art and artistically designed image creatively develop the tradition of modernist life-creation (zhiznetvorchestvo), which he enriches by camp, thus becoming a pioneer of this elusive sensibility in post-Soviet culture. Camp, in turn, facilitates Mamyshev-Monroe’s self-fashioning as the trickster whose transgressivity and ambivalence absorb his queerness and drag spectacles, and whose hyperperformativity manifests itself in his performative art. The article analyzes how Mamyshev-Monroe appropriates various cultural material in the trickster’s way by using camp for its critique and deconstruction. The case of Mamyshev-Monroe is especially important since it demonstrates the limits of the trickster’s transgression that resists its instrumentalization by the authoritarian state.
Lag Effect of Temperature and Humidity on COVID-19 Cases in 11 Chinese Cities
Authors: Feng Fengliu , Ma Yuxia , Cheng Bowen , Zhang Yifan , Li Heping , Qin Pengpeng
Published: September 2022

The global transmission of COVID-19 has caused considerable health burdens, and epidemiological studies have proven that temperature and humidity play an important role in the transmission of infectious respiratory diseases. This effect may not be immediate and can be delayed by days to weeks. In this study, the comprehensive effect of temperature and humidity on COVID-19 was evaluated using the discomfort index (DI). We analyzed the lag effect of the DI on COVID-19 from 21 January to 29 February 2020 in 11 Chinese cities by designing a generalized additive model (GAM). We classified the 11 Chinese cities into southern cities and northern cities to compare the potential effects in these two types of cities. The results reveal that the DI had the same negative correlation and different lag effects on daily COVID-19 cases. There was a significant negative correlation between the DI and daily COVID-19 cases (p < 0.05), except in Wuhan. The lag effect was stronger in the cities located further north. In northern cities, each unit decrease in the DI increased the COVID-19 risk from 7 to 13 lag days. In southern China, each unit decrease in the DI increased the COVID-19 risk from 0 to 7 lag days, especially in Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
How Should a Numerical Weather Prediction Be Used: Full Field or Anomaly? A Conceptual Demonstration with a Lorenz Model
Authors: Du Jun , Deng Guo
Published: September 2022

A forecast from a numerical weather prediction (NWP) model can be decomposed into model climate and anomaly. Each part contributes to forecast error. To avoid errors from model climate, an anomaly, rather than a full field, should be used in a model. Model climate is replaced by the observed climate to reconstruct a new forecast for application. Using a Lorenz model, which has similar error characteristics to an NWP model, the following results were obtained. (a) The new anomaly-based method can significantly and steadily increase forecast accuracy throughout the entire forecast period (28 model days). On average, the total forecast error was reduced ~25%, and the correlation was increased by ~100–200%. The correlation improvement increases with the increasing of forecast length. (b) The method has different impacts on different types of error. Bias error was almost eliminated (over 90% in reduction). However, the change in flow-dependent error was mixed: a slight reduction (~5%) for model day 1–14 forecasts and increase (~15%) for model day 15–28 forecasts on average. The larger anomaly forecast error leads to the worsening of flow-dependent error. (c) Bias error stems mainly from model climate prediction, while flow-dependent error is largely associated with anomaly forecast. The method works more effectively for a forecast that has larger bias and smaller flow-dependent error. (d) A more accurate anomaly forecast needs to be constructed relative to model climate rather than observed climate by taking advantage of cancelling model systematic error (i.e., perfect-model assumption). In principle, this approach can be applicable to any model-based prediction.
Characteristics of Photochemical Reactions with VOCs Using Multivariate Statistical Techniques on Data from Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations
Authors: Wu Edward Ming-Yang , Kuo Shu-Lung
Published: September 2022

This study assesses the concentrations of the 54 ozone precursors (all being volatile organic compounds (VOCs)) detected at the four photochemical assessment monitoring stations that are part of the air quality monitoring network in the Kaohsiung-Pingtung area in Taiwan. Factor and cluster analyses of the multivariate statistical analysis are performed to explore the interrelationship among the 10 VOCs of relatively higher concentrations selected from the 54 ozone precursors to identify significant factors affecting ozone pollution levels in the study area. Moreover, the multivariate statistical analysis can faithfully reflect why the study area has been affected by photochemical pollution. First, results of the factor analysis suggest that the factors affecting how photochemical reactions occur in the study area can be divided into the following: “pollution from mobile sources”, “pollution from stationary sources”, and “pollution from energy sources”. Among them, mobile sources have the greatest impact on photochemical pollution levels. Second, the impacts of photochemical pollution on air quality in the study area can be classified into four clusters via cluster analysis. Each cluster represents how the 10 VOCs affect air quality, with different characteristics, and how they contribute to photochemical pollution in the study area. If there are more types and samples of photochemical pollutants when performing a multivariate statistical analysis, the analysis results will be more stable. This study adopts data on VOC monitoring over a period of nearly two years, which can effectively improve the validity and reliability of the factor analysis results, while helping environmental agencies review the effectiveness of air quality management in the future and serving as reference for the effectiveness of reducing photochemical pollution in the atmosphere.
Retrieval of Road Surface (Bridge Deck) Temperature near 0 °C Based on Random Forest Model
Authors: Wang Chuanhui , Jia Beixi , Zhou Jianping , Feng Lei , Chen Jian
Published: September 2022

Based on the road surface (bridge deck) temperature, relative humidity, air temperature, wind speed and precipitation observed at two road surface meteorological stations and two bridge deck meteorological stations, as well as subsurface temperature at different depths observed at Hefei meteorological station, the independent variables are selected to establish the relationship between these factors and road surface temperature, using random forest and stepwise regression. The performance of these two methods was compared, and the importance of each factor was analyzed. Results show that the road surface (bridge deck) temperature linearly correlates with air temperature. In the case of low air temperature conditions (air temperature ≤ 8 °C), the road surface temperature is mainly higher than air temperature observed at the same station, and the bridge deck temperature is mainly lower than air temperature. In the retrieving of road surface temperature and bridge deck temperature, the random forest algorithm has lower mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE) than the stepwise regression algorithm, especially in the retrieving of road surface temperature. MAE of road surface temperature retrieved by random forest on two bridge deck stations is reduced by 0.19 °C and 0.26 °C compared with the stepwise regression, and RMSE is reduced by 0.33 °C and 0.49 °C, respectively. The bias in the retrievals can be originated from the model itself and the error in the observations. Among the factors in the random forest model, air temperature is the most important. Meanwhile, there are differences in the importance of each factor in the retrieval of road surface temperature and bridge deck temperature. The subsurface temperature is more important in retrieving road surface temperature, while humidity and wind speed are generally more important to bridge deck temperature. It should be noted that due to the limitation of the observations, this study did not consider the net radiative flux, and the influence of net radiative flux on bridge deck and road surface temperature may be different.
Design of Perovskite-Type Fluorides Cathodes for Na-ion Batteries: Correlation between Structure and Transport
Authors: Montalbano Michele , Callegari Daniele , Anselmi Tamburini Umberto , Tealdi Cristina
Published: September 2022

Transition metal-based sodium fluoro-perovskite of general formula NaMF3 (M = Fe, Mn, and Co) were investigated as cathode materials for rechargeable Na-ion batteries. Preliminary results indicated Na-ion reversible intercalation but highlighted the need to find optimization strategies to improve conductivity and to modulate the operating voltages within experimentally accessible electrolytes’ stability windows, in order to fully exploit their potential as high-voltage cathodes. In this study, we combined experimental and computational techniques to investigate structures, defects, and intercalation properties of the NaFe1-xMnxF3 and NaCo1-xMnxF3 systems. Through the use of a simple solvothermal synthesis, we demonstrated the possibility to modulate the sample’s morphology in order to obtain fine and dispersed powder samples. The structural results indicated the formations of two solid solutions with a perovskite structure over the entire compositional range investigated. Atomistic simulations suggested that Na-ion diffusion in these systems was characterized by relatively high migration barriers and it was likely to follow three-dimensional paths, thus limiting the effect of anti-site defects. The correlation between structural and computational data highlighted the possibility to modulate both ionic and electronic conductivity as a function of the composition.
Application of Elicitors, as Conventional and Nano Forms, in Viticulture: Effects on Phenolic, Aromatic and Nitrogen Composition of Tempranillo Wines
Authors: Pérez-Álvarez Eva P. , Sáenz de Urturi Itziar , Rubio-Bretón Pilar , Marín-San Román Sandra , Murillo-Peña Rebeca , Parra-Torrejón Belén , Ramírez-Rodríguez Gloria B. , Delgado-López José M. , Garde-Cerdán Teresa
Published: September 2022

The phenolic, aromatic and nitrogen composition of a wine determines its organoleptic profile and quality. Elicitors have been used as a tool to stimulate the plant’s defense systems, favoring the synthesis of secondary metabolites. In this pioneering study, the elicitor methyl jasmonate in conventional form (MeJ) and in nanoparticle form (ACP-MeJ), with a concentration ten times lower, was applied in a Tempranillo vineyard over two seasons. The phenolic, nitrogen and volatile composition and the sensory properties of the MeJ-based wines were determined. The results showed that the effects of foliar applications of MeJ modify the wine composition. Thus, although the total concentration of most of the groups of phenolic compounds was not altered, several compounds, such as petunidin-3-glucoside, quercetin-3-glucoside, epigallocatechin and most of the stilbenes, increased, in both years, in the treated wines. Amino acids were influenced differently in each of the years studied, and volatile compounds generally did not improve in the treated wines. However, the ACP-MeJ wines were the best rated by the tasters, highlighting their equilibrium on the taste and their genuineness and odor quality. Therefore, foliar applications of ACP-MeJ can be considered a useful tool to improve wine quality.
Building Protein Atomic Models from Cryo-EM Density Maps and Residue Co-Evolution
Authors: Bouvier Guillaume , Bardiaux Benjamin , Pellarin Riccardo , Rapisarda Chiara , Nilges Michael
Published: September 2022

Electron cryo-microscopy (cryo-EM) has emerged as a powerful method by which to obtain three-dimensional (3D) structures of macromolecular complexes at atomic or near-atomic resolution. However, de novo building of atomic models from near-atomic resolution (3–5 Å) cryo-EM density maps is a challenging task, in particular because poorly resolved side-chain densities hamper sequence assignment by automatic procedures at a lower resolution. Furthermore, segmentation of EM density maps into individual subunits remains a difficult problem when the structure of the subunits is not known, or when significant conformational rearrangement occurs between the isolated and associated form of the subunits. To tackle these issues, we have developed a graph-based method to thread most of the C-α trace of the protein backbone into the EM density map. The EM density is described as a weighted graph such that the resulting minimum spanning tree encompasses the high-density regions of the map. A pruning algorithm cleans the tree and finds the most probable positions of the C-α atoms, by using side-chain density when available, as a collection of C-α trace fragments. By complementing experimental EM maps with contact predictions from sequence co-evolutionary information, we demonstrate that this approach can correctly segment EM maps into individual subunits and assign amino acid sequences to backbone traces to generate atomic models.
Percutaneous Treatment Approaches in Atrial Fibrillation: Current Landscape and Future Perspectives
Authors: Theofilis Panagiotis , Oikonomou Evangelos , Antonopoulos Alexios S. , Siasos Gerasimos , Tsioufis Konstantinos , Tousoulis Dimitris
Published: September 2022

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common sustained arrhythmia in clinical practice, represents a major cause of morbidity and mortality, with an increasing prevalence. Pharmacologic treatment remains the cornerstone of its management through rhythm and rate control, as well as the prevention of thromboembolism with the use of oral anticoagulants. Recent progress in percutaneous interventional approaches have provided additional options in the therapeutic arsenal, however. The use of the different catheter ablation techniques can now lead to long arrhythmia-free intervals and significantly lower AF burden, thus reducing the rate of its complications. Particularly encouraging evidence is now available for patients with persistent AF or concomitant heart failure, situations in which catheter ablation could even be a first-line option. In the field of stroke prevention, targeting the left atrial appendage with percutaneous device implantation may reduce the risk of thromboembolism to lower rates than that predicted with conventional ischemic risk scores. Left atrial appendage occlusion through the approved Watchman or Amplatzer devices is a well-established, efficacious, and safe method, especially in high-ischemic and bleeding risk patients with contraindications for oral anticoagulation.
Relationship between Renal Function, Fibrin Clot Properties and Lipoproteins in Anticoagulated Patients with Atrial Fibrillation
Authors: Ding Wern Yew , Davies Ian G. , Gupta Dhiraj , Lip Gregory Y. H.
Published: September 2022

Background: Mechanisms by which chronic kidney disease (CKD) influences fibrin clot properties in atrial fibrillation (AF) remain ill-defined. We aimed to investigate the effects of AF and CKD on fibrin clot properties and lipoproteins, and determine the relationship between these factors. Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study of patients recruited from cardiology services in Liverpool between September 2019 and October 2021. Primary groups consisted of anticoagulated AF patients with and without CKD in a 1:1 ratio. Control group comprised anticoagulated patients without AF or CKD. Fibrin clot properties were analysed using turbidity and permeation assays. Detailed lipoprotein characteristics, including total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), small dense LDL and oxidised LDL, were measured. Results: Fifty-six anticoagulated patients were enrolled (median age 72.5; 34% female); 46 with AF (23 with CKD and 23 without CKD) and 10 controls. AF was associated with changes in three indices of fibrin clot properties using PTT (Tlag 314 vs. 358 s, p = 0.047; Abspeak 0.153 vs. 0.111 units, p = 0.031; Tlysis50% 884 vs. 280 s, p = 0.047) and thrombin reagents (Tlag 170 vs. 132 s, p = 0.031; Tmax 590 vs. 462 s, p = 0.047; Tpeak50% 406 vs. 220 s, p = 0.005) while the concomitant presence of CKD led to changes in fibrin clot properties using kaolin (Tlag 1072 vs. 1640 s, p = 0.003; Tmax 1458 vs. 1962 s, p = 0.005; Tpeak50% 1294 vs. 2046, p = 0.008) and PPP reagents (Tlag 566 vs. 748 s, p = 0.044). Neither of these conditions were associated with changes in fibrin clot permeability. Deteriorating eGFR was significantly correlated to the speed of clot formation, and CKD was independently associated with unfavourable clot properties (Tlag −778, p = 0.002; Tmax −867, p = 0.004; Tpeak50% −853, p = 0.004 with kaolin reagent). AF alone was not associated with changes in lipoprotein distribution while AF patients with CKD had lower total cholesterol, LDL-C and small dense LDL due to the presence of other risk factors. No significant relationship was observed between fibrin clot properties and lipoprotein distribution. Conclusions: There are important changes that occur in fibrin clot properties with AF and CKD that may account for the increased risk of thromboembolic complications. However, these changes in fibrin clot properties were not attributable to alterations in lipoprotein distribution.
A Parallel Feature Fusion Network Combining GRU and CNN for Motor Imagery EEG Decoding
Authors: Gao Siheng , Yang Jun , Shen Tao , Jiang Wen
Published: September 2022

In recent years, deep-learning-based motor imagery (MI) electroencephalography (EEG) decoding methods have shown great potential in the field of the brain–computer interface (BCI). The existing literature is relatively mature in decoding methods for two classes of MI tasks. However, with the increase in MI task classes, decoding studies for four classes of MI tasks need to be further explored. In addition, it is difficult to obtain large-scale EEG datasets. When the training data are limited, deep-learning-based decoding models are prone to problems such as overfitting and poor robustness. In this study, we design a data augmentation method for MI-EEG. The original EEG is slid along the time axis and reconstructed to expand the size of the dataset. Second, we combine the gated recurrent unit (GRU) and convolutional neural network (CNN) to construct a parallel-structured feature fusion network to decode four classes of MI tasks. The parallel structure can avoid temporal, frequency and spatial features interfering with each other. Experimenting on the well-known four-class MI dataset BCI Competition IV 2a shows a global average classification accuracy of 80.7% and a kappa value of 0.74. The proposed method improves the robustness of deep learning to decode small-scale EEG datasets and alleviates the overfitting phenomenon caused by insufficient data. The method can be applied to BCI systems with a small amount of daily recorded data.
Feasibility of Screening Programs for Domestic Violence in Pediatric and Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services: A Literature Review
Authors: Arigliani Elena , Aricò Miriam , Cavalli Gioia , Aceti Franca , Sogos Carla , Romani Maria , Ferrara Mauro
Published: September 2022

Each year, 275 million children worldwide are exposed to domestic violence (DV) and suffer negative mental and physical health consequences; however, only a small proportion receive assistance. Pediatricians and child psychiatrists can play a central role in identifying threatened children. We reviewed experiences of DV screening in pediatric and child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) to understand its feasibility and provide clues for its implementation. We performed bibliographic research using the Sapienza Library System, PubMed, and the following databases: MEDLINE, American Psychological Association PsycArticles, American Psychological Association PsycInfo, ScienceDirect, and Scopus. We considered a 20-year interval when selecting the articles and we included studies published in English between January 2000 and March 2021. A total of 23 out of 2335 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria. We found that the prevalence of disclosed DV ranged from 4.2% to 48%, with most prevalence estimates between 10% and 20%. Disclosure increases with a detection plan, which is mostly welcomed by mothers (70–80% acceptance rates). Written tools were used in 55% of studies, oral interviews in 40%, and computer instruments in 20%. Mixed forms were used in three studies (15%). The most used and effective tool appeared to be the Conflict Tactics Scale (CTS) (30% of studies). For young children, parental reports are advisable and written instruments are the first preference; interviews can be conducted with older children. Our research pointed out that the current literature does not provide practical clinical clues on facilitating the disclosure in pediatric clinics and CAMHS. Further studies are needed on the inpatient population and in the field of children psychiatry.
Preliminary Study of Efficacy and Safety of Self-Administered Virtual Exposure Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder vs. Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy
Authors: Stefaniak Izabela , Hanusz Krzysztof , Mierzejewski Paweł , Bieńkowski Przemysław , Parnowski Tadeusz , Murawiec Sławomir
Published: September 2022

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most frequent mental disorders. Exposure to virtual reality can be a solution complementing standard CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) or can be used as an independent therapeutic tool. The study’s objective was to assess the safety and efficacy of using self-administered virtual reality exposure vs. CBT and CBT with virtual exposure. We assessed the efficacy of the applied intervention with the Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). We compared three groups: CBT (n = 25), CBT + VR (n = 29), and self-administered therapy without aid of a therapist (n = 19). The results indicated that all three groups showed changes on the LSAS. The simple effect analysis showed that there were no differences between experimental conditions at T0 (session 1) and T1 (session 9) and that the only significant difference occurred at T2 (session 14). The pairwise comparisons showed that the participants in the VR condition scored higher on the LSAS score during the measurement at T2 than participants in CBT condition. Our study has several limitations. The presented initial study shows that the methods of CBT for social anxiety used so far are also effective, while the VR tool for self-therapy requires further research.
A Review on the Research and Development of Solar-Assisted Heat Pump for Buildings in China
Authors: Lin Yaolin , Bu Zhenyan , Yang Wei , Zhang Haisong , Francis Valerie , Li Chun-Qing
Published: September 2022

The building sector accounts for over 40% of global energy consumption. The utilization of renewable energy systems such as the solar-assisted heat pump (SAHP) in buildings has been shown to improve building energy efficiency and achieve carbon neutrality. This paper presents a review of the research and development of solar-assisted heat pumps for buildings in China. It firstly introduces the different stages of solar-assisted heat pump research. Secondly, the research on different types of heat pumps, the core components of heat pumps, the computer software used, and the economic feasibility evaluation of solar-assisted heat pumps are presented. Thirdly, the application of SAHPs in practical projects is examined and relevant regulations, standards, and policies for solar-assisted heat pump development in China are highlighted. Finally, recommendations for the future development of solar-assisted heat pumps in China are suggested.
Research on Construction Performance Evaluation of Robot in Wooden Structure Building Method
Authors: Wang Lu , Naito Takao , Leng Yi , Fukuda Hiroatsu , Zhang Tao
Published: September 2022

Robots have been increasingly involved in global construction and are considered one of the most promising solutions for the reform of the construction industry. The superiority of the robotic construction process compared to the present stage of actual construction with predominantly human participation is mainly reflected in the high efficiency and high accuracy of its construction, thus improving the benefits to the natural, economic, and social environment and significantly changing the current construction labor market. At present, the development and application of robotic construction technology worldwide are mostly at the laboratory stage and are not applied to actual construction projects on a large scale. In this paper, we explore the methods and steps of robotic involvement in the construction of a complete timber building through the reconstruction of a completed timber building, from the design process and construction process to the final evaluation of construction efficiency. Finally, by comparing the advantages and disadvantages of the two design and construction methods, manual construction and robotic construction, the problems and difficulties in current robotic construction and the opportunities and challenges faced by robotic automation in the construction industry are identified.
Energy Dissipation and Performance Assessment of the Connected Structure with a One-Side Damping Layer
Authors: Liu Liangkun , Zheng Yuze , Pan Zhaodong , Lyu Qing
Published: September 2022

Due to aesthetic demands and the necessity for multi-functionality, a unique structure with one or multiple links connecting adjacent buildings has attracted the attention of researchers. In order to improve vibration control, this study investigates the seismic mitigation performance of a connected structure with a one-side damping layer. The simplified shear model is employed to derive the structure’s motion equation. Based on the Kanai-Tajimi filtered spectrum model, the seismic response variances are calculated using the Lyapunov equation. To investigate the seismic energy distribution and mitigation performance, three models of the connected structure with a damping layer are analyzed using the index of the mean kinetic energy. The results shows that the stiffness and damping coefficient affects the vibration energy, while the excessive stiffness of the damping layer is shown to be detrimental to the damping effects. In sum, the novel connected structure shows excellent damping ability and effectively reduces the vibration energy. Damping layers placed at a lower position with a stiffer structure are shown to enhance the damping effect and lead to more energy dissipation through the damping layer. Thus, this study concludes that the introduction of a One-Side damping layer into the connected structure is an excellent alternative strategy for adjusting the energy distribution of the connected structure and meeting the design requirements.