bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kozak Similarity Score Algorithm Identifies Alternative Translation Initiation Codons Implicated in Cancers
Authors: Gleason Alec C. , Ghadge Ghanashyam , Sonobe Yoshifumi , Roos Raymond P.
Published: September 2022

Ribosome profiling and mass spectroscopy have identified canonical and noncanonical translation initiation codons (TICs) that are upstream of the main translation initiation site and used to translate oncogenic proteins. There have previously been conflicting reports about the patterns of nucleotides that surround noncanonical TICs. Here, we use a Kozak Similarity Score algorithm to find that nearly all of these TICs have flanking nucleotides closely matching the Kozak sequence. Remarkably, the nucleotides flanking alternative noncanonical TICs are frequently closer to the Kozak sequence than the nucleotides flanking TICs used to translate the gene’s main protein. Of note, the 5′ untranslated region (5‘UTR) of cancer-associated genes with an upstream TIC tend to be significantly longer than the same region in genes not associated with cancer. The presence of a longer-than-typical 5′UTR increases the likelihood of ribosome binding to upstream noncanonical TICs, and may be a distinguishing feature of a number of genes overexpressed in cancer. Noncanonical TICs that are located in the 5′UTR, although thought by some to be disadvantageous and suppressed by evolution, may translate oncogenic proteins because of their flanking nucleotides.
Cysteine-Encapsulated Liposome for Investigating Biomolecular Interactions at Lipid Membranes
Authors: Nguyen Trang Thi Thuy , Haam Seungjoo , Park Joon-Seo , Lee Sang-Wha
Published: September 2022

The development of a strategy to investigate interfacial phenomena at lipid membranes is practically useful because most essential biomolecular interactions occur at cell membranes. In this study, a colorimetric method based on cysteine-encapsulated liposomes was examined using gold nanoparticles as a probe to provide a platform to report an enzymatic activity at lipid membranes. The cysteine-encapsulated liposomes were prepared with varying ratios of 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) and cholesterol through the hydration of lipid films and extrusions in the presence of cysteine. The size, composition, and stability of resulting liposomes were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectrophotometry. The results showed that the increased cholesterol content improved the stability of liposomes, and the liposomes were formulated with 60 mol % cholesterol for the subsequent experiments. Triton X-100 was tested to disrupt the lipid membranes to release the encapsulated cysteine from the liposomes. Cysteine can induce the aggregation of gold nanoparticles accompanying a color change, and the colorimetric response of gold nanoparticles to the released cysteine was investigated in various media. Except in buffer solutions at around pH 5, the cysteine-encapsulated liposomes showed the color change of gold nanoparticles only after being incubated with Triton X-100. Finally, the cysteine-encapsulated liposomal platform was tested to report the enzymatic activity of phospholipase A2 that hydrolyzes phospholipids in the membrane. The hydrolysis of phospholipids triggered the release of cysteine from the liposomes, and the released cysteine was successfully detected by monitoring the distinct red-to-blue color change of gold nanoparticles. The presence of phospholipase A2 was also confirmed by the appearance of a peak around 690 nm in the UV-vis spectra, which is caused by the cysteine-induced aggregation of gold nanoparticles. The results demonstrated that the cysteine-encapsulated liposome has the potential to be used to investigate biological interactions occurring at lipid membranes.
Systematic Characterization of the OSCA Family Members in Soybean and Validation of Their Functions in Osmotic Stress
Authors: Liu Congge , Wang Hong , Zhang Yu , Cheng Haijing , Hu Zhangli , Pei Zhen-Ming , Li Qing
Published: September 2022

Since we discovered OSCA1, a hyperosmolarity-gated calcium-permeable channel that acted as an osmosensor in Arabidopsis, the OSCA family has been identified genome-wide in several crops, but only a few OSCA members’ functions have been experimentally demonstrated. Osmotic stress seriously restricts the yield and quality of soybean. Therefore, it is essential to decipher the molecular mechanism of how soybean responds to osmotic stress. Here, we first systematically studied and experimentally demonstrated the role of OSCA family members in the osmotic sensing of soybean. Phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, protein domains and structures analysis revealed that 20 GmOSCA members were divided into four clades, of which members in the same cluster may have more similar functions. In addition, GmOSCA members in clusters III and IV may be functionally redundant and diverged from those in clusters I and II. Based on the spatiotemporal expression patterns, GmOSCA1.6, GmOSCA2.1, GmOSCA2.6, and GmOSCA4.1 were extremely low expressed or possible pseudogenes. The remaining 16 GmOSCA genes were heterologously overexpressed in an Arabidopsis osca1 mutant, to explore their functions. Subcellular localization showed that most GmOSCA members could localize to the plasma membrane (PM). Among 16 GmOSCA genes, only overexpressing GmOSCA1.1, GmOSCA1.2, GmOSCA1.3, GmOSCA1.4, and GmOSCA1.5 in cluster I could fully complement the reduced hyperosmolality-induced [Ca2+]i increase (OICI) in osca1. The expression profiles of GmOSCA genes against osmotic stress demonstrated that most GmOSCA genes, especially GmOSCA1.1, GmOSCA1.2, GmOSCA1.3, GmOSCA1.4, GmOSCA1.5, GmOSCA3.1, and GmOSCA3.2, strongly responded to osmotic stress. Moreover, overexpression of GmOSCA1.1, GmOSCA1.2, GmOSCA1.3, GmOSCA1.4, GmOSCA1.5, GmOSCA3.1, and GmOSCA3.2 rescued the drought-hypersensitive phenotype of osca1. Our findings provide important clues for further studies of GmOSCA-mediated calcium signaling in the osmotic sensing of soybean and contribute to improving soybean drought tolerance through genetic engineering and molecular breeding.
Glial Cell-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Al-Ghraiybah Nour F. , Wang Junwei , Alkhalifa Amer E. , Roberts Andrew B. , Raj Ruchika , Yang Euitaek , Kaddoumi Amal
Published: September 2022

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder; it is the most common cause of dementia and has no treatment. It is characterized by two pathological hallmarks, the extracellular deposits of amyloid beta (Aβ) and the intraneuronal deposits of Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Yet, those two hallmarks do not explain the full pathology seen with AD, suggesting the involvement of other mechanisms. Neuroinflammation could offer another explanation for the progression of the disease. This review provides an overview of recent advances on the role of the immune cells’ microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation. In AD, microglia and astrocytes become reactive by several mechanisms leading to the release of proinflammatory cytokines that cause further neuronal damage. We then provide updates on neuroinflammation diagnostic markers and investigational therapeutics currently in clinical trials to target neuroinflammation.
Reactive Nitrogen Species and Male Reproduction: Physiological and Pathological Aspects
Authors: Dutta Sulagna , Sengupta Pallav , Das Sanghamitra , Slama Petr , Roychoudhury Shubhadeep
Published: September 2022

Reactive nitrogen species (RNS), like reactive oxygen species (ROS), are useful for sustaining reproductive processes such as cell signaling, the regulation of hormonal biosynthesis, sperm capacitation, hyperactivation, and acrosome reaction. However, endogenous levels of RNS beyond physiological limits can impair fertility by disrupting testicular functions, reducing gonadotropin production, and compromising semen quality. Excessive RNS levels cause a variety of abnormalities in germ cells and gametes, particularly in the membranes and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and severely impair the maturation and fertilization processes. Cell fragmentation and developmental blockage, usually at the two-cell stage, are also connected with imbalanced redox status of the embryo during its early developmental stage. Since high RNS levels are closely linked to male infertility and conventional semen analyses are not reliable predictors of the assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes for such infertility cases, it is critical to develop novel ways of assessing and treating oxidative and/or nitrosative stress-mediated male infertility. This review aims to explicate the physiological and pathological roles of RNS and their relationship with male reproduction.
Genome-Wide Association Study in Bread Wheat Identifies Genomic Regions Associated with Grain Yield and Quality under Contrasting Water Availability
Authors: Govta Nikolai , Polda Iris , Sela Hanan , Cohen Yafit , Beckles Diane M. , Korol Abraham B. , Fahima Tzion , Saranga Yehoshua , Krugman Tamar
Published: September 2022

The objectives of this study were to identify genetic loci in the bread wheat genome that would influence yield stability and quality under water stress, and to identify accessions that can be recommended for cultivation in dry and hot regions. We performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using a panel of 232 wheat accessions spanning diverse ecogeographic regions. Plants were evaluated in the Israeli Northern Negev, under two environments: water-limited (D; 250 mm) and well-watered (W; 450 mm) conditions; they were genotyped with ~71,500 SNPs derived from exome capture sequencing. Of the 14 phenotypic traits evaluated, 12 had significantly lower values under D compared to W conditions, while the values for two traits were higher under D. High heritability (H2 = 0.5–0.9) was observed for grain yield, spike weight, number of grains per spike, peduncle length, and plant height. Days to heading and grain yield could be partitioned based on accession origins. GWAS identified 154 marker-trait associations (MTAs) for yield and quality-related traits, 82 under D and 72 under W, and identified potential candidate genes. We identified 24 accessions showing high and/or stable yields under D conditions that can be recommended for cultivation in regions under the threat of global climate change.
The Multifaceted Role of Signal Peptide-CUB-EGF Domain-Containing Protein (SCUBE) in Cancer
Authors: Kumar Shashank , Prajapati Kumari Sunita , Gupta Sanjay
Published: September 2022

Signal peptide, CUB, and EGF-like domain-containing proteins (SCUBE) are secretory cell surface glycoproteins that play key roles in the developmental process. SCUBE proteins participate in the progression of several diseases, including cancer, and are recognized for their oncogenic and tumor suppressor functions depending on the cellular context. SCUBE proteins promote cancer cell proliferation, angiogenesis, invasion, or metastasis, stemness or self-renewal, and drug resistance. The association of SCUBE with other proteins alters the expression of signaling pathways, including Hedgehog, Notch, TGF-β/Smad2/3, and β-catenin. Further, SCUBE proteins function as potential prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for breast cancer, renal cell carcinoma, endometrial carcinoma, and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. This review presents key features of SCUBE family members, and their structure and functions, and highlights their contribution in the development and progression of cancer. A comprehensive understanding of the role of SCUBE family members offers novel strategies for cancer therapy.
On Exploiting Rating Prediction Accuracy Features in Dense Collaborative Filtering Datasets
Authors: Spiliotopoulos Dimitris , Margaris Dionisis , Vassilakis Costas
Published: September 2022

One of the typical goals of collaborative filtering algorithms is to produce rating predictions with values very close to what real users would give to an item. Afterward, the items having the largest rating prediction values will be recommended to the users by the recommender system. Collaborative filtering algorithms can be applied to both sparse and dense datasets, and each of these dataset categories involves different kinds of risks. As far as the dense collaborative filtering datasets are concerned, where the rating prediction coverage is, most of the time, very high, we usually face large rating prediction times, issues concerning the selection of a user’s near neighbours, etc. Although collaborative filtering algorithms usually achieve better results when applied to dense datasets, there is still room for improvement, since in many cases, the rating prediction error is relatively high, which leads to unsuccessful recommendations and hence to recommender system unreliability. In this work, we explore rating prediction accuracy features, although in a broader context, in dense collaborative filtering datasets. We conduct an extensive evaluation, using dense datasets, widely used in collaborative filtering research, in order to find the associations between these features and the rating prediction accuracy.
Extending the Technology Acceptance Model 3 to Incorporate the Phenomenon of Warm-Glow
Authors: Saravanos Antonios , Zervoudakis Stavros , Zheng Dongnanzi
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we extend the third evolution of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM3) to incorporate warm-glow with the aim of understanding the role this phenomenon plays on user adoption decisions. Warm-glow is the feeling of satisfaction or pleasure (or both) that is experienced by individuals after they do something “good” for their fellow human. Two constructs—perceived extrinsic warm-glow (PEWG) and perceived intrinsic warm-glow (PIWG)—were incorporated into the TAM3 model to measure the two dimensions of user-experienced warm-glow, forming what we refer to as the TAM3 + WG model. An experimental approach was taken to evaluate the suitability of the proposed model (i.e., TAM3 + WG). A vignette was created to present users with a hypothetical technology designed to evoke warm-glow in participants. Our TAM3 + WG model was found to be superior in terms of fit to the TAM3 model. Furthermore, the PEWG and PIWG constructs were confirmed to be unique within the original TAM3 model. The findings indicate that the factors that have the greatest influence on consumer decisions are (in decreasing order) perceived usefulness (PU), PIWG, subjective norm (SN), and PEWG. Additionally, a higher PEWG resulted in the technology being perceived as more useful. In other words, both extrinsic and intrinsic warm-glow play a prominent role in user decisions as to whether or not to adopt a particular technology.
Ultra-Reliable Low-Latency Communications: Unmanned Aerial Vehicles Assisted Systems
Authors: Osama Mohamed , Ateya Abdelhamied A. , Ahmed Elsaid Shaimaa , Muthanna Ammar
Published: September 2022

Ultra-reliable low-latency communication (uRLLC) is a group of fifth-generation and sixth-generation (5G/6G) cellular applications with special requirements regarding latency, reliability, and availability. Most of the announced 5G/6G applications are uRLLC that require an end-to-end latency of milliseconds and ultra-high reliability of communicated data. Such systems face many challenges since traditional networks cannot meet such requirements. Thus, novel network structures and technologies have been introduced to enable such systems. Since uRLLC is a promising paradigm that covers many applications, this work considers reviewing the current state of the art of the uRLLC. This includes the main applications, specifications, and main requirements of ultra-reliable low-latency (uRLL) applications. The design challenges of uRLLC systems are discussed, and promising solutions are introduced. The virtual and augmented realities (VR/AR) are considered the main use case of uRLLC, and the current proposals for VR and AR are discussed. Moreover, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are introduced as enablers of uRLLC. The current research directions and the existing proposals are discussed.
Strategic Assessment of Cyber Security Contenders to the Brazilian Agribusiness in the Beef Sector
Authors: Trinks Virgínia de Melo Dantas , Albuquerque Robson de Oliveira , Nunes Rafael Rabelo , Mota Gibran Ayupe
Published: September 2022

The current international commercial structure places Brazilian Agribusiness in constant conflict to protect its interests before other nations in the global market. Technological innovations are used in all stages from the simplest production tasks, up to the design of negotiation tactics at high-level affairs. This paper has the objective of finding Brazilian contenders in the beef market with cyber capabilities and commercial interest to act in favor of their interests. To construct such a list, a review of the literature on Threat and Cyber Threat Intelligence is presented, followed by a background presentation of how embedded technology is in nowadays agriculture and supply chains in general, and the real necessity for those sectors to be seen as critical infrastructure by governments in general. Also as background information recent cyber attack cases and attacker countries are shown. A Step-by-Step multidisciplinary method is presented that involves the extent of international trade, the interest on specific markets, and the intersection of country cyber capacity index. After applying the method and criteria generated a list of five contender countries. The method may be replicated and/or applied, considering adequate data source assessment and following specifics of each sector.
Chasing Flies: The Use of Wingbeat Frequency as a Communication Cue in Calyptrate Flies (Diptera: Calyptratae)
Authors: Pinto Julie , Magni Paola A. , O’Brien R. Christopher , Dadour Ian R.
Published: September 2022

The incidental sound produced by the oscillation of insect wings during flight provides an opportunity for species identification. Calyptrate flies include some of the fastest and most agile flying insects, capable of rapid changes in direction and the fast pursuit of conspecifics. This flight pattern makes the continuous and close recording of their wingbeat frequency difficult and limited to confined specimens. Advances in sound editor and analysis software, however, have made it possible to isolate low amplitude sounds using noise reduction and pitch detection algorithms. To explore differences in wingbeat frequency between genera and sex, 40 specimens of three-day old Sarcophaga crassipalpis, Lucilia sericata, Calliphora dubia, and Musca vetustissima were individually recorded in free flight in a temperature-controlled room. Results showed significant differences in wingbeat frequency between the four species and intersexual differences for each species. Discriminant analysis classifying the three carrion flies resulted in 77.5% classified correctly overall, with the correct classification of 82.5% of S. crassipalpis, 60% of C. dubia, and 90% of L. sericata, when both mean wingbeat frequency and sex were included. Intersexual differences were further demonstrated by male flies showing significantly higher variability than females in three of the species. These observed intergeneric and intersexual differences in wingbeat frequency start the discussion on the use of the metric as a communication signal by this taxon. The success of the methodology demonstrated differences at the genus level and encourages the recording of additional species and the use of wingbeat frequency as an identification tool for these flies.
Shift of Host Range for the Immature Stages of the Lanternfly, Pyrops watanabei (Matsumura) (Hemiptera, Fulgoridae) Native to Taiwan
Authors: Hsu Meng-Hao , Yang Yueh-Lin , Wu Meng-Ling , Wang Liang-Jong
Published: September 2022

Although Pyrops watanabei is a species native to Taiwan, many fundamental aspects of the species are still poorly documented. Populations of the lanternfly in locations of northern Taiwan were found in abundance and were suitable for the conduction of an investigation from 1 July 2021 to 30 June 2022. We established the shift in the main host plants with different developmental stages. The occurrence of immature individuals on Heptapleurum heptaphyllum increased with age from eggs to nymphs in the third instar; however, it declined from the fourth instar onwards due to a shift in preference to Triadica sebifera. In 2021, the earliest detection of an egg mass was on 1 July. More eggs were recorded in August, and some could be found in September and October of the same year. In 2022, we found an egg mass on 28 June. In August 2021, nymphs in the first and second instars were detected. Then, nymphs in the third and fourth instars appeared after September and October 2021, respectively. Furthermore, nymphs in the fifth instar were sighted as late as March 2022. Finally, this study will provide a basis for further evaluation of the impact of invasion of Pyrops candelaria on the ecology of Pyrops watanabei.
Toxicities and Cross-Resistance of Imidacloprid, Acetamiprid, Emamectin Benzoate, Spirotetramat, and Indoxacarb in Field Populations of Culex quinquefasciatus (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: Kamran Muhammad , Shad Sarfraz Ali , Binyameen Muhammad , Abbas Naeem , Anees Muhammad , Shah Rizwan Mustafa , Hafez Abdulwahab M.
Published: September 2022

Culex quinquefasciatus is a major vector of several pathogens and is capable of breeding in various aquatic habitats. The extensive and injudicious use of synthetic chemicals against the mosquito species has led to the problem of insecticide resistance. To explore this resistance in detail, toxicity bioassays of imidacloprid, acetamiprid, emamectin benzoate, spirotetramat, and indoxacarb were performed on five Cx. quinquefasciatus field populations from Pakistan in addition to a laboratory susceptible strain. Compared with the susceptible strain, results for the five Cx. quinquefasciatus field populations were as follows: susceptibility to high resistance against imidacloprid (resistance ratio (RR): 0.09–11.18), susceptibility to moderate resistance against acetamiprid (RR: 0.39–8.00), susceptibility to emamectin benzoate (RR: 0.002–0.020), susceptibility to spirotetramat (RR: 0.01–0.07), and low to high resistance against indoxacarb (RR: 3.00–118.00). Correlation analyses revealed a significant positive correlation between imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and spirotetramat median lethal concentration (LC50) values, indicating the possibility of cross-resistance. In contrast, there were no significant correlations between the LC50 values of other tested insecticides, indicating the possible absence of cross-resistance. These results can assist public health authorities, medical entomologists, and pest managers to manage the insecticide resistance of Cx. quinquefasciatus as well as the associated pollution and human health issues.
Tissue-Engineered Models of the Human Brain: State-of-the-Art Analysis and Challenges
Authors: Tarricone Giulia , Carmagnola Irene , Chiono Valeria
Published: September 2022

Neurological disorders affect billions of people across the world, making the discovery of effective treatments an important challenge. The evaluation of drug efficacy is further complicated because of the lack of in vitro models able to reproduce the complexity of the human brain structure and functions. Some limitations of 2D preclinical models of the human brain have been overcome by the use of 3D cultures such as cell spheroids, organoids and organs-on-chip. However, one of the most promising approaches for mimicking not only cell structure, but also brain architecture, is currently represented by tissue-engineered brain models. Both conventional (particularly electrospinning and salt leaching) and unconventional (particularly bioprinting) techniques have been exploited, making use of natural polymers or combinations between natural and synthetic polymers. Moreover, the use of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) has allowed the co-culture of different human brain cells (neurons, astrocytes, oligodendrocytes, microglia), helping towards approaching the central nervous system complexity. In this review article, we explain the importance of in vitro brain modeling, and present the main in vitro brain models developed to date, with a special focus on the most recent advancements in tissue-engineered brain models making use of iPSCs. Finally, we critically discuss achievements, main challenges and future perspectives.
Image-Based Finite Element Modeling Approach for Characterizing In Vivo Mechanical Properties of Human Arteries
Authors: Wang Liang , Maehara Akiko , Lv Rui , Guo Xiaoya , Zheng Jie , Billiar Kisten L. , Mintz Gary S. , Tang Dalin
Published: September 2022

Mechanical properties of the arterial walls could provide meaningful information for the diagnosis, management and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. Classically, various experimental approaches were conducted on dissected arterial tissues to obtain their stress–stretch relationship, which has limited value clinically. Therefore, there is a pressing need to obtain biomechanical behaviors of these vascular tissues in vivo for personalized treatment. This paper reviews the methods to quantify arterial mechanical properties in vivo. Among these methods, we emphasize a novel approach using image-based finite element models to iteratively determine the material properties of the arterial tissues. This approach has been successfully applied to arterial walls in various vascular beds. The mechanical properties obtained from the in vivo approach were compared to those from ex vivo experimental studies to investigate whether any discrepancy in material properties exists for both approaches. Arterial tissue stiffness values from in vivo studies generally were in the same magnitude as those from ex vivo studies, but with lower average values. Some methodological issues, including solution uniqueness and robustness; method validation; and model assumptions and limitations were discussed. Clinical applications of this approach were also addressed to highlight their potential in translation from research tools to cardiovascular disease management.
Development and Physicochemical Characterization of Eugenia brejoensis Essential Oil-Doped Dental Adhesives with Antimicrobial Action towards Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Pereira Maury Luz , Santos Danyelle Cristina Pereira , Soares Júnior Carlos Alberto Mendes , Bazan Tamyris Alicely Xavier Nogueira , Bezerra Filho Clovis Macêdo , Silva Márcia Vanusa da , Correia Maria Tereza dos Santos , Cardenas Andres Felipe Millan , Siqueira Fabiana Suelen Figuerêdo de , Carvalho Edilausson Moreno , Fronza Bruna Marin , André Carolina Bosso , Nascimento da Silva Luis Claudio , Galvão Lívia Câmara de Carvalho
Published: September 2022

Dental caries is a multifactorial, biofilm-dependent infectious disease that develops when detrimental changes occur in the oral cavity microenvironment. The antimicrobial and antivirulence properties of the essential oil obtained from the leaves of Eugenia brejoensis Mazine (EBEO) have been reported against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Herein, the antimicrobial action of EBEO towards Streptococcus mutans is reported, along with the development and characterization of dental adhesives doped with. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of EBEO were determined against S. mutans, while its toxicity was analyze using Tenebrio molitor larvae. EBEO (MIC and 10×MIC) was incorporated into the Ambar Advanced Polymerization System® (Ambar APS), a two-step total-etch adhesive system (FGM Dental Group), and the antibiofilm action was evaluated. The reflective strength, modulus of elasticity, degree of conversion, and maximum rate of polymerization of each adhesive were also determined. The MIC and MBC values of EBEO against S. mutans were 62.5 µg/mL. The tested concentrations of EBEO were non-toxic to T. molitor larvae. The formation of S. mutans biofilms was significantly inhibited by EBEO and EBEO-coated resin discs (p < 0.05). Importantly, EBEO incorporation did not affect the mechanical and physicochemical properties in relation to oil-free adhesive version. EBEO showed strong antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against S. mutans, no toxicity effect against T. molitor larvae, and did not jeopardize the physical-chemical properties tested.
Using Computer Vision to Track Facial Color Changes and Predict Heart Rate
Authors: Khanal Salik Ram , Sampaio Jaime , Exel Juliana , Barroso Joao , Filipe Vitor
Published: September 2022

The current technological advances have pushed the quantification of exercise intensity to new era of physical exercise sciences. Monitoring physical exercise is essential in the process of planning, applying, and controlling loads for performance optimization and health. A lot of research studies applied various statistical approaches to estimate various physiological indices, to our knowledge, no studies found to investigate the relationship of facial color changes and increased exercise intensity. The aim of this study was to develop a non-contact method based on computer vision to determine the heart rate and, ultimately, the exercise intensity. The method was based on analyzing facial color changes during exercise by using RGB, HSV, YCbCr, Lab, and YUV color models. Nine university students participated in the study (mean age = 26.88 ± 6.01 years, mean weight = 72.56 ± 14.27 kg, mean height = 172.88 ± 12.04 cm, six males and three females, and all white Caucasian). The data analyses were carried out separately for each participant (personalized model) as well as all the participants at a time (universal model). The multiple auto regressions, and a multiple polynomial regression model were designed to predict maximum heart rate percentage (maxHR%) from each color models. The results were analyzed and evaluated using Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), F-values, and R-square. The multiple polynomial regression using all participants exhibits the best accuracy with RMSE of 6.75 (R-square = 0.78). Exercise prescription and monitoring can benefit from the use of these methods, for example, to optimize the process of online monitoring, without having the need to use any other instrumentation.
Towards More Accurate and Complete Heterogeneous Iris Segmentation Using a Hybrid Deep Learning Approach
Authors: Meng Yuan , Bao Tie
Published: September 2022

Accurate iris segmentation is a crucial preprocessing stage for computer-aided ophthalmic disease diagnosis. The quality of iris images taken under different camera sensors varies greatly, and thus accurate segmentation of heterogeneous iris databases is a huge challenge. At present, network architectures based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs) have been widely applied in iris segmentation tasks. However, due to the limited kernel size of convolution layers, iris segmentation networks based on CNNs cannot learn global and long-term semantic information interactions well, and this will bring challenges to accurately segmenting the iris region. Inspired by the success of vision transformer (VIT) and swin transformer (Swin T), a hybrid deep learning approach is proposed to segment heterogeneous iris images. Specifically, we first proposed a bilateral segmentation backbone network that combines the benefits of Swin T with CNNs. Then, a multiscale feature information extraction module (MFIEM) is proposed to extract multiscale spatial information at a more granular level. Finally, a channel attention mechanism module (CAMM) is used in this paper to enhance the discriminability of the iris region. Experimental results on a multisource heterogeneous iris database show that our network has a significant performance advantage compared with some state-of-the-art (SOTA) iris segmentation networks.
Soil Layers Impact Lithocarpus Soil Microbial Composition in the Ailao Mountains Subtropical Forest, Yunnan, China
Authors: Liu Sijia , Wu Jiadong , Wang Haofei , Lukianova Anna , Tokmakova Anna , Jin Zhelun , Tan Shuxian , Chen Sisi , Wang Yue , Du Yuxin , Miroshnikov Konstantin A. , Xie Jianbo
Published: September 2022

Plant litter decomposition is a complex, long-term process. The decomposition of litterfall is a major process influencing nutrient balance in forest soil. The soil microbiome is exceptionally diverse and is an essential regulator of litter decomposition. However, the microbiome composition and the interaction with litterfall and soil remain poorly understood. In this study, we examined the bacterial and fungal community composition of Lithocarpus across soil samples from different sampling seasons. Our results displayed that the microbiome assembly along the soil layer is influenced predominantly by the soil layer rather than by the sampling season. We identified that the soil layer strongly affected network complexity and that bacterial and fungal microbiomes displayed different patterns in different soil layers. Furthermore, source tracking and community composition analysis indicated that there are significantly different between soil and litter. Moreover, our results demonstrate that few dominant taxa (2% and 4% of bacterial and fungal phylotypes) dominated in the different soil layers. Hydnodontaceae was identified as the most important biomarker taxa for humic fragmented litter fungal microbiome and Nigrospora and Archaeorhizomycetaceae for organic soil and the organic mineral soil layer, and the phylum of Acidobacteria for the bacteria microbiome. Our work provides comprehensive evidence of significant microbiome differences between soil layers and has important implications for further studying soil microbiome ecosystem functions.
Deep Neural Network-Evaluated Thermal Conductivity for Two-Phase WC-M (M = Ag, Co) Cemented Carbides
Authors: Wen Shiyi , Li Xiaoguang , Wang Bo , Tan Jing , Liu Yuling , Lv Jian , Tan Zhuopeng , Yin Lei , Du Yong
Published: September 2022

DNN (Deep Neural Network) is one kind of method for artificial intelligence, which has been applied in various fields including the exploration of material properties. In the present work, DNN, in combination with the 10-fold cross-validation, is applied to evaluate and predict the thermal conductivities for two-phase WC-M (M = Ag, Co) cemented carbides. Multi-layer DNNs were established by learning the measured thermal conductivities for the WC-Ag and WC-Co systems. It is observed that there are local-minimum regions for the loss functions during training and testing the DNNs, and the presently utilized Adam optimizer is valid for breaking the local-minimum regions. The good agreements between the DNN-evaluated thermal conductivities and the measured ones manifest that the DNNs were well trained and tested. Moreover, another 1000 input data points were randomly generated for the established DNNs to predict the thermal conductivities for WC-Ag and WC-Co systems, respectively. Compared with the thermal conductivities predicted by the previously developed physical model, the presently established DNNs show similarly robust predicting ability. Concerning the efficiency, it is demonstrated in the present work that machine learning is promising to explore the material properties, especially in the high-dimensional parameter space, more efficiently than previous models, and thus can considerably contribute to the corresponding material design with less time consumption and costs.
Aluminum Bronze/Udimet 500 Composites Prepared by Electron-Beam Additive Double-Wire-Feed Manufacturing
Authors: Zykova Anna , Chumaevskii Andrey , Panfilov Aleksandr , Vorontsov Andrey , Nikolaeva Aleksandra , Osipovich Kseniya , Gusarova Anastasija , Chebodaeva Valentina , Nikonov Sergey , Gurianov Denis , Filippov Andrey , Dobrovolsky Artem , Kolubaev Evgeny , Tarasov Sergei
Published: September 2022

Novel composite CuA19Mn2/Udimet-500 alloy walls with different content of the Udimet 500 were built using electron-beam double-wire-feed additive manufacturing. Intermixing both metals within the melted pool resulted in dissolving nickel and forcing out the aluminum from bronze. The resulting phases were NiAl particles and grains, M23C6/NiAl core/shell particles and Cu-Ni-Al solid solution. Precipitation of these phases resulted in the increased hardness and tensile strength as well as reduced ductility of the composite alloys. Such a hardening resulted in improving the wear resistance as compared to that of source aluminum bronze.
Customized Titanium Mesh for Guided Bone Regeneration with Autologous Bone and Xenograft
Authors: Bertran Faus Anna , Cordero Bayo José , Velasco-Ortega Eugenio , Torrejon-Moya Aina , Fernández-Velilla Francesca , García Fernando , López-López José
Published: September 2022

The augmentation of the alveolar crest after the loss of one or several teeth can be carried out using different bone augmentation techniques. These techniques include bone distraction, ridge expansion, bone block grafts, etc. Guided bone regeneration is an alternative to increase the volume of the hard tissues for the subsequent placement of the implants in the optimal three-dimensional position. The objective of this paper is to show a case report of the use of customized titanium mesh for posterior vertical bone regeneration. Case report and Results: A 59-year-old woman comes to rehabilitate edentulous spaces with implants. After taking the anamnesis and the intra and extraoral exploration, a vertical and horizontal bone defect is observed in the third quadrant. After the radiological study with CBCT, a bone height of 6.04 mm to the inferior alveolar nerve and a width of the bone crest of 3.95 mm was observed. It was decided to carry out a regeneration with a preformed titanium mesh (Avinent®, Santpedor, Spain) and four microscrews (Avinent®, Santpedor, Spain). The flap was closed without tension. Regular check-ups were performed without complications. At 7 months, the mesh was removed and two osteoingrated implants (Avinent®, Santpedor, Spain) were placed with a torque greater than 45 N/cm and an ISQ of 82 and 57 N/cm, respectively. The bone gain obtained was 1.84 and 1.92 mm in width and 4.2 and 3.78 mm in height for positions 3.5 and 3.6. The newly formed bone, obtained by trephine, was well-structured and histologically indistinguishable from the previous bone. Conclusion: The use of a customized pre-formed titanium mesh together with the mixture of autologous bone and xenograft is a feasible and predictable technique for vertical bone regeneration.
Procedure of Eliminating Porosity in Grey Cast Iron with Low Sulphur Content
Authors: Dorula Józef , Kopyciński Dariusz , Guzik Edward , Szczęsny Andrzej
Published: September 2022

This study shows that the inoculation process of a molten alloy is crucial in disposing of porosity-type defects. A thermal analysis is used to assess the physico-chemical state of a molten alloy, which can be an indicator of the inoculation effect. A modern thermal analysis should be able to perform a quick data-analysis and provide information about any possible problems in a casting if it is poured with the analysed alloy. The time of the transmission of this information depends on whether we can make a decision and introduce changes to the metallurgical process. An important piece of information that can be obtained in this way is a message about the possibility of the appearance of porosity in a cast iron casting. In such a situation, an operator can react by applying an additional dose of inoculant. The porosity that is indicated by the thermal analysis systems can be either gaseous or shrinkage in nature. The research that is presented in this paper is based on two industrial castings that are made of cast iron with reduced sulphur content, in which shrinkage porosity occurred and was detected during the mechanical machining of the castings. As a result of laboratory tests in which iron powder was introduced along with an inoculant, a mixture was developed that, when applied under industrial conditions, eliminated the porosity defects by increasing the number of austenite dendrites. The ITACA thermal analysis system was used at each stage of the research, which allowed for the faster and more precise determination of the appropriate amount of the inoculant mixture that was used.
Evaluating Flexural Performance of Repaired Reinforced Concrete Beams under Static and Repeated Loading Using Non-Destructive Methods
Authors: Wang Boyu , Gupta Rishi
Published: September 2022

Deterioration of concrete structures is one of the major issues faced by the construction industry. Repair and rehabilitation are necessary to extend the service life of such structures. This study aims to investigate the effect of repair material type, length of repaired region, and loading regime on the structural characteristics of the repaired reinforced concrete (RC) beams. To achieve this goal, a total of 30 repaired and non-repaired RC beams were prepared and tested under static and repeated loading conditions. Three types of sounding-based non-destructive test (NDT) methods are employed to determine the material deterioration and sub-surface delamination after repeated loading. Results showed that under static loading conditions, full-length repaired beams had better performance than 1/3-span repaired beams. Beams repaired with cementitious repair mortar containing modified binder and cementitious repair concrete in full length had a yield strength that was 14% and 9%, respectively, higher than that of beams repaired in 1/3 span. All RC beams with full-span repair outperformed the intact beams. After repeated loading, beams repaired with cementitious repair with modified binder over full length showed a 14% improvement in yield strength compared to control samples. It was found that repair materials that had a high compressive and flexural strength are beneficial. The resonant frequency drops correlate well with the yield strength results. The formulas proposed by Canadian Standards Association (CSA) 23.3 can effectively predict the moment resistance of both intact (control) and repaired RC beams. The ratio of experimental moment resistance values to its predictions ranges from 0.91 to 1.04.
Strength Properties of 316L and 17-4 PH Stainless Steel Produced with Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Kedziora Slawomir , Decker Thierry , Museyibov Elvin , Morbach Julian , Hohmann Steven , Huwer Adrian , Wahl Michael
Published: September 2022

The number of additive manufacturing methods and materials is growing rapidly, leaving gaps in the knowledge of specific material properties. A relatively recent addition is the metal-filled filament to be printed similarly to the fused filament fabrication (FFF) technology used for plastic materials, but with additional debinding and sintering steps. While tensile, bending, and shear properties of metals manufactured this way have been studied thoroughly, their fatigue properties remain unexplored. Thus, the paper aims to determine the tensile, fatigue, and impact strengths of Markforged 17-4 PH and BASF Ultrafuse 316L stainless steel to answer whether the metal FFF can be used for structural parts safely with the current state of technology. They are compared to two 316L variants manufactured via selective laser melting (SLM) and literature results. For extrusion-based additive manufacturing methods, a significant decrease in tensile and fatigue strength is observed compared to specimens manufactured via SLM. Defects created during the extrusion and by the pathing scheme, causing a rough surface and internal voids to act as local stress risers, handle the strength decrease. The findings cast doubt on whether the metal FFF technique can be safely used for structural components; therefore, further developments are needed to reduce internal material defects.
Designing for Shape Memory in Additive Manufacturing of Cu–Al–Ni Shape Memory Alloy Processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion
Authors: Pérez-Cerrato Mikel , Fraile Itziar , Gómez-Cortés José Fernando , Urionabarrenetxea Ernesto , Ruiz-Larrea Isabel , González Iban , Nó María Luisa , Burgos Nerea , San Juan Jose M.
Published: September 2022

Shape memory alloys (SMAs) are functional materials that are being applied in practically all industries, from aerospace to biomedical sectors, and at present the scientific and technologic communities are looking to gain the advantages offered by the new processing technologies of additive manufacturing (AM). However, the use of AM to produce functional materials, like SMAs, constitutes a real challenge due to the particularly well controlled microstructure required to exhibit the functional property of shape memory. In the present work, the design of the complete AM processing route, from powder atomization to laser powder bed fusion for AM and hot isostatic pressing (HIP), is approached for Cu–Al–Ni SMAs. The microstructure of the different processing states is characterized in relationship with the processing parameters. The thermal martensitic transformation, responsible for the functional properties, is analyzed in a comparative way for each one of the different processed samples. The present results demonstrate that a final post–processing thermal treatment to control the microstructure is crucial to obtain the expected functional properties. Finally, it is demonstrated that using the designed processing route of laser powder bed fusion followed by a post–processing HIP and a final specific thermal treatment, a satisfactory shape memory behavior can be obtained in Cu–Al–Ni SMAs, paving the road for further applications.
Investigation of the Durability of Gaskets in Contact with Bio- and Aviation Fuels
Authors: Romanik Grzegorz , Rogula Janusz , Regucki Paweł
Published: September 2022

Care for the natural environment, which can be observed in the tightening of emission standards, has enforced the search for new fuels, especially renewable sources of natural origin. The article presents the results of theoretical and experimental considerations on the impact of aviation biofuels on the materials used for sealing flange joints. The fuel type selected for the test is compatible with aviation fuels. Fuels have been enriched with a bio-additive that changes the technical and physical properties of the fuel. The tested gaskets were made of soft, aramid-elastomeric materials that were flat in shape and without reinforcement. Their commercial names are AFO and AFM. Tests were carried out with the use of a simple flange joint with a fuel reservoir at 373 K. Both fuel loss and the pressure drop on the gasket were measured during a 1000 h period of time. The experiments showed that the seals preserved the technical parameters in the presence of the tested fuels. The fuel loss did not exceed the accepted limits, which demonstrates the suitability of the tested materials for utilization with new types of fuel. However, no unequivocal conclusions can be drawn about the positive or negative impact of bio-additives on the sealing material due to the fact that both an improvement and deterioration in tightness under certain circumstances were observed. Based on the experimental data, a mathematical model was proposed that makes it possible to predict the service life of the gaskets in flange joints in contact with the investigated types of fuel. The potential application of the research results is practical information about the impact of biofuel on the gasket, and hence the information about the possibility of using traditional sealing materials in a new application—for sealing installations for the production, transmission and storage of biofuels.