bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chickpeas’ Tolerance of Drought and Heat: Current Knowledge and Next Steps
Authors: Karalija Erna , Vergata Chiara , Basso Marcos Fernando , Negussu Miriam , Zaccai Michele , Grossi-de-Sa Maria Fatima , Martinelli Federico
Published: September 2022

The global increase in temperature and associated meteorological disruptions, such as the earlier onset of high temperatures and disruptions in precipitation, are becoming severely limiting factors in crop cultivation. Chickpea, as a cool season crop, is under the direct influence of heat and drought stress that is not only affecting this crop in its podding stage but, with current climate trends, the drought and heat are now also affecting earlier stages, such as flowering. The deteriorating effects of heat and droughts include reduced flowering, abortion of flowers and absence of podding; thus, this is severely affecting crop yield. Further research has been conducted to identify the genes correlated to higher stress tolerance and to utilize them in developing more tolerant varieties. Different alleviation approaches have been also tested and it has been determined that some positive effects can be seen in supplementation with Zn through melioration of water relations, seed priming and some transgenic and genome editing approaches. Breeding strategies for future chickpea varieties have been focused on the identification of varieties with more tolerant traits for an improved yield under stressed conditions. In this review, we have reviewed recent strategies and biotechnological approaches that have been used with chickpea crops to address the two major abiotic stresses (heat and drought) linked to future climate change.
Plant Responses to Stress and Environmental Stimulus
Authors: Signorelli Santiago
Published: September 2022

Plants respond to diverse environmental stimuli such as light, nutrients, temperature, and oxygen, which shape their growth and fate [...]
Fibrinolysis in Dogs with Intracavitary Effusion: A Review
Authors: Zoia Andrea , Drigo Michele , Caldin Marco , Simioni Paolo , Piek Christine J.
Published: September 2022

Physiologic fibrinolysis is a localized process in which stable fibrin strands are broken down by plasmin in response to thrombosis. Plasmin activation can also take place separately from the coagulation process, resulting in pathologic fibrinolysis. When plasmin activation exceeds the neutralizing capacity of plasmin inhibitors, severe bleeding can potentially take place. Although the processes which regulate coagulation and fibrinolysis in the blood are well known, it is less clear as to what extent the same processes take place in the body cavities and whether they influence systemic hemostasis. The results of the studies herein cited demonstrate that coagulation followed by fibrinogenolytic/fibrinolytic activity takes place in all kinds of canine ascitic and pleural fluids. Moreover, systemic clotting abnormalities suggesting primary fibrinolysis/primary hyperfibrinolysis (i.e., elevated plasma fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products [FDPs] and normal D-dimer concentrations with fibrinogen concentrations ≤ 100 mg/dL or above this cut-off, respectively) occur in dogs with intracavitary effusion. Enhanced fibrinolytic activity in dogs with intracavitary effusion can also be detected using rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM), although the degree of agreement between ROTEM and FDPs, D-dimer and fibrinogen concentrations is poor. Finally, contrary to the thrombotic events commonly documented in some humans and cats with cardiac diseases, bleeding tendencies due to primary fibrinolysis/primary hyperfibrinolysis have been documented in dogs with cardiogenic ascites.
Compost Barns: A Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Silva Gustavo Guimaraes Bessa Santos , Ferraz Patrícia Ferreira Ponciano , Damasceno Flávio Alves , Zotti Maria Luísa Appendino Nunes , Barbari Matteo
Published: September 2022

The objective of this study was to evaluate the main scientific studies addressing the topic of compost barns in recent years, highlighting the main journals, authors, countries, organizations, and keywords associated with the publications and trends in this type of research through a bibliometric analysis. For this analysis, publications (articles and literature reviews) addressing compost barns were obtained from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. A total of 108 studies published between 2007 and April 2022 were included. A greater number of publications was observed starting in 2017, with 2021 having the largest number of publications. The Journal of Dairy Science was the most highly cited journal. Marcia I. Endres was the author with the greatest academic impact. The most influential country was the United States, followed by Brazil. Among the organizations that have published studies on compost barns, the Federal University of Lavras, and the University of Florence had the largest numbers of publications. In conclusion, this bibliometric analysis allowed us to evaluate the scientific evolution, research, and publishing tendencies of studies on the compost barn animal housing system, and the results make it possible to deduce current trends in scientific research and publications.
Effect of Tributyrin on Growth Performance and Pathway by which Tributyrin Regulates Oligopeptide Transporter 1 in Juvenile Grass Carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus)
Authors: He Zhimin , Liu Na , Cai Yuyang , Yang Na , Li Gen , Xiao Yang , Zhou Xiaomei , Cao Shenping , Qu Fufa , Tang Jianzhou , Liu Suchun , Liu Zhen
Published: September 2022

The nutritional functions of tributyrin (TB) have been extensively studied, but questions remain regarding its influence on the growth of juvenile grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus) and the regulation pathway to PepT1 in the intestine of grass carp. To answer the remaining questions, feeding trials, cell trials, and peritoneal injection trials were conducted in this study. The results showed that an appropriate level of TB (0.5 g/kg and 1.0 g/kg) supplementation in feed significantly promoted the growth performance of juvenile grass carp. The expressions of intestine genes (CDX2, SP1 and PepT1) related to oligopeptide transportation increased in the 0.5 g/kg TB group of feeding trials and both the 5 mM and 10 mM TB groups of the intestine cell trials, respectively. Subsequently, the injection trials of inhibitors CDX2 and SP1 demonstrated that the inhibition of CDX2 or SP1 decreased the mRNA expression of PepT1. Finally, the results of independent or combined treatments of TB and the inhibitors suggested that CDX2/SP1 mediated TB regulation on PepT1. These findings may help us to better understand the functions of TB on growth and PepT1 oligopeptide transportation, which could be modulated by dietary TB through the CDX2/SP1-PepT1 pathway in juvenile grass carp.
Insight into the Fecal Microbiota Signature Associated with Growth Specificity in Korean Jindo Dogs Using 16S rRNA Sequencing
Authors: Choi So-Young , Choi Bong-Hwan , Cha Ji-Hye , Lim Yeong-Jo , Sheet Sunirmal , Song Min-Ji , Ko Min-Jeong , Kim Na-Yeon , Kim Jong-Seok , Lee Seung-Jin , Oh Seok-Il , Park Won-Cheoul
Published: September 2022

Gut microbiomes are well recognized to serve a variety of roles in health and disease, even though their functions are not yet completely understood. Previous studies have demonstrated that the microbiomes of juvenile and adult dogs have significantly different compositions and characteristics. However, there is still a scarcity of basic microbiome research in dogs. In this study, we aimed to advance our understanding by confirming the difference in fecal microbiome between young and adult dogs by analyzing the feces of 4-month and 16-month-old Jindo dogs, a domestic Korean breed. Microbiome data were generated and examined for the two age groups using 16S rRNA analysis. Comparison results revealed that the 16-month-old group presented a relatively high distribution of Bacteroides, whereas the 4-month-old group presented a comparatively high distribution of the Lactobacillus genus. Microbial function prediction analyses confirmed the relative abundance of lipid metabolism in 4-month-old dogs. In 16-month-old dogs, glucose metabolism was determined using microbial function prediction analyses. This implies that the functional microbiome changes similarly to the latter in adults compared with childhood. Overall, we discovered compositional and functional variations between genes of the gut microbial population in juveniles and adults. These microbial community profiles can be used as references for future research on the microbiome associated with health and development in the canine population.
Effect of Cooling Blanket on the Heat Stress of Horses in Hot and Humid Environments
Authors: Ojima Yuki , Torii Suzuka , Maeda Yosuke , Matsuura Akihiro
Published: September 2022

Heat stress is serious problem for livestock. While riding horses and racehorses spend the majority of their days in stalls, there are few reports on effective methods for reducing stall heat stress. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an ice horse blanket in hot and humid environments. Twenty healthy horses were measured first without the blanket (C) and then measured with the blanket (IB), or vice versa, in a cross-over trial. The blanket was designed to keep cooling the front back, the rear back, and the loin. Skin surface temperature, respiratory rate, rectal temperature, and plasma cortisol level in both C and IB were measured at 10:00, 12:30, and 15:00. The skin surface temperature of the front back was decreased with cooling time in IB, whereas it was not changed in C. Similarly, heart rate, respiratory rate, and plasma cortisol level also decreased only in IB. The blanket used in the present study had the advantage of allowing for gentle cooling of the horse’s body without the use of water or fans. Applying this methodology should enable effective reduction of heat stress not only in horses but also in other mammals kept in barns.
Guanidinylated Polymyxins as Outer Membrane Permeabilizers Capable of Potentiating Rifampicin, Erythromycin, Ceftazidime and Aztreonam against Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Ramirez Danzel Marie , Ramirez Danyel , Arthur Gilbert , Zhanel George , Schweizer Frank
Published: September 2022

Polymyxins are considered a last-line treatment against infections caused by multidrug-resistant (MDR) Gram-negative bacteria. In addition to their use as a potent antibiotic, polymyxins have also been utilized as outer membrane (OM) permeabilizers, capable of augmenting the activity of a partner antibiotic. Several polymyxin derivatives have been developed accordingly, with the objective of mitigating associated nephrotoxicity. The conversion of polymyxins to guanidinylated derivatives, whereby the L-γ-diaminobutyric acid (Dab) amines are substituted with guanidines, are described herein. The resulting guanidinylated colistin and polymyxin B (PMB) exhibited reduced antibacterial activity but preserved OM permeabilizing properties that allowed potentiation of several antibiotic classes. Rifampicin, erythromycin, ceftazidime and aztreonam were particularly potentiated against clinically relevant MDR Gram-negative bacteria. The potentiating effects of guanidinylated polymyxins with ceftazidime or aztreonam were further enhanced by adding the β-lactamase inhibitor avibactam.
Novel Cinnamaldehyde Derivatives Inhibit Peripheral Nerve Degeneration by Targeting Schwann Cells
Authors: Chun Yoo Lim , Park Ki-Hoon , Pallavi Badvel , Eom Won-Joon , Park Chan , Huh Youngbuhm , Lee Yeonjoo , Lee Jimin , Kim Sang Hoon , Yeo Seung Geun , Chung Hyung-Joo , Kim Byeong-Seon , Jeong Na Young , Jung Junyang
Published: September 2022

Peripheral nerve degeneration (PND) is a preparative process for peripheral nerve regeneration and is regulated by Schwann cells, a unique glial cell in the peripheral nervous system. Dysregulated PND induces irreversible peripheral neurodegenerative diseases (e.g., diabetic peripheral neuropathy). To develop novel synthetic drugs for these diseases, we synthesized a set of new cinnamaldehyde (CAH) derivatives and evaluated their activities in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. The 12 CAH derivatives had phenyl or naphthyl groups with different substitution patterns on either side of the α,β-unsaturated ketone. Among them, 3f, which had a naphthaldehyde group, was the most potent at inhibiting PND in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo. To assess their interactions with transient receptor potential cation channel subfamily A member 1 (TRPA1) as a target of CAH, molecular docking studies were performed. Hydrophobic interactions had the highest binding affinity. To evaluate the underlying pharmacological mechanism, we performed bioinformatics analysis of the effect of 3f on PND based on coding genes and miRNAs regulated by CAH, suggesting that 3f affects oxidative stress in Schwann cells. The results show 3f to be a potential lead compound for the development of novel synthetic drugs for the treatment of peripheral neurodegenerative diseases.
Quercus acuta Thunb. Suppresses LPS-Induced Neuroinflammation in BV2 Microglial Cells via Regulating MAPK/NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway
Authors: Kim Jae Kwang , Yang Hye Jin , Go Younghoon
Published: September 2022

Microglial activation-mediated neuroinflammation is associated with the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, the management of microglial cell activation and their inflammatory response is an important therapeutic approach for preventing neurodegenerative diseases. Quercus acuta Thunb. (QA) (Fagaceae) is a tree found in Korea, China, and Japan. The current study investigated the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of QA and its mechanism of action in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Pretreatment with a methanol extract of dried QA stems (QAE) inhibited the production of nitric oxide and proinflammatory cytokines and decreased the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase, cyclooxygenase-2 in LPS-stimulated BV2 microglial cells. Furthermore, it inhibited the phosphorylation and degradation of inhibitory κBα and decreased the nuclear translocation and phosphorylation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Moreover, QAE inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase, p38 and c-Jun N-terminal kinase, which is known as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). Additionally, QAE treatment increased heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling, thereby ameliorating LPS-induced intracellular hydrogen peroxide production. Finally, it was found that catechin and taxifolin, two phytochemicals of QAE, also reduced the expression of inflammatory mediators. These findings suggest that QA is beneficial for preventing microglia-mediated neuroinflammatory response through the inhibition of NF-κB, MAPK and the activation of Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathways.
Expression Analysis of a Novel Oxidoreductase Glutaredoxin 2 in Black Tiger Shrimp, Penaeus monodon
Authors: Fan Rui , Li Yundong , Yang Qibin , Jiang Song , Huang Jianhua , Yang Lishi , Chen Xu , Zhou Falin , Jiang Shigui
Published: September 2022

Glutaredoxin (Grx) is a glutathione-dependent oxidoreductase that is an important component of the redox system in organisms. However, there is a serious lack of sequence information and functional validation related to Grx in crustaceans. In this study, a novel Grx was identified in Penaeus monodon (PmGrx2). The full-length cDNA of PmGrx2 is 998 bp, with an open reading frame (ORF) of 441 bp, encoding 119 amino acids. Sequence alignment showed that PmGrx2 had the highest identity with Grx2 of Penaeus vannamei at 96.64% and clustered with Grx2 of other crustaceans. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that PmGrx2 was expressed in all examined tissues, with higher expression levels in the stomach and testis. PmGrx2 was continuously expressed during development and had the highest expression level in the zygote stage. Both ammonia-N stress and bacterial infection could differentially induce the expression of PmGrx2 in hepatopancreas and gills. When PmGrx2 was inhibited, the expression of antioxidant enzymes was suppressed, the degree of apoptosis increased, and the GSH content decreased with the prolongation of ammonia-N stress. Inhibition of PmGrx2 resulted in shrimp being exposed to a greater risk of oxidative damage. In addition, an SNP locus was screened on the exons of PmGrx2 that was significantly associated with an ammonia-N-stress-tolerance trait. This study suggests that PmGrx2 is involved in redox regulation and plays an important role in shrimps’ resistance to marine environmental stresses.
Mask-Aware Semi-Supervised Object Detection in Floor Plans
Authors: Shehzadi Tahira , Hashmi Khurram Azeem , Pagani Alain , Liwicki Marcus , Stricker Didier , Afzal Muhammad Zeshan
Published: September 2022

Research has been growing on object detection using semi-supervised methods in past few years. We examine the intersection of these two areas for floor-plan objects to promote the research objective of detecting more accurate objects with less labeled data. The floor-plan objects include different furniture items with multiple types of the same class, and this high inter-class similarity impacts the performance of prior methods. In this paper, we present Mask R-CNN-based semi-supervised approach that provides pixel-to-pixel alignment to generate individual annotation masks for each class to mine the inter-class similarity. The semi-supervised approach has a student–teacher network that pulls information from the teacher network and feeds it to the student network. The teacher network uses unlabeled data to form pseudo-boxes, and the student network uses both label data with the pseudo boxes and labeled data as the ground truth for training. It learns representations of furniture items by combining labeled and label data. On the Mask R-CNN detector with ResNet-101 backbone network, the proposed approach achieves a mAP of 98.8%, 99.7%, and 99.8% with only 1%, 5% and 10% labeled data, respectively. Our experiment affirms the efficiency of the proposed approach, as it outperforms the previous semi-supervised approaches using only 1% of the labels.
Does Age, Experience and Body Fat Have an Influence on the Performance of Handball Referees?
Authors: Belcic Ivan
Published: September 2022

The purpose of the study was to determine the correlation of quality of the refereeing in handball with the morphological characteristics of referees, along with their age and experience. Subjects are 16 pairs (N = 32) of top-level handball referees in Croatia (age 34.66 ± 6.44, height 184.02 ± 5.87 cm, body mass 91.14 ± 10.61 kg, body fat 19.20 ± 3.94% and body mass index 26.91 ± 2.47 kg/m²) which have conducted morphological measures and tests for determination of their morphological status in the first part of the study. In the second part of the study, referees were evaluated in top-level handball matches to determine if their morphological status had an influence on the quality of refereeing. The correlation of quality of the refereeing with body fat was tested and there is no significant correlation (p = 0.75). Pearson’s correlation coefficient proves that total experience in refereeing does not have an influence on the quality of refereeing (r = 0.30), and neither does the age of referees (r = 0.23). Experience of refereeing in the highest rank has a statistically significant influence on the quality of refereeing (r = 0.62). Existing elimination criteria (measurement of morphological characteristics and functional abilities at official tests) that referees must satisfy at official seminars before the beginning and in the middle of the season make the selection of referees. Based on these facts, it is concluded that the existing selection of referees is good and there is no great variability among them, considering their morphological characteristics. Experience in refereeing is significant for the quality of refereeing, especially experience in the highest level of competition.
Strategies for the Sustainable Management of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Waste
Authors: Gómez-López María Dolores , El Bied Oumaima , Beltrá Juan Carlos , Yanardağ İbrahim Halil , Gómez Cristina , Faz Ángel , Zornoza Raúl
Published: September 2022

The organic fraction of municipal waste, OFMW, management is one of the main concerns for urban waste managers in developed countries. Composting this biodegradable urban waste and using the compost in agricultural activities is a quickly growing method and is a viable option to manage urban waste in both the developed and the developing world. This research presents the example of the management proposal for Cartagena city in Spain, in which the technical and environment feasibility has been studied. This work aimed to evaluate the composting of a mixture of different residues, namely organic waste, pruning, and Posidonia oceanica (L.) Delile, which was collected from the beaches of the municipality while cleaning. Mixtures 1, M1 (composed of 20% OFMW and 40% pruning and seaweed) and 3, M3 (composed of 30% OFMW and 70% pruning) proved to be the best to reach the ideal compost (1.23-0.08-1.28 NPK and 2.22-0.33-3.45 NPK, respectively). An extreme mixture, M2, was evaluated (50% PO; 50% pruning) but poor results were obtained due to a non-optimal initial C/N by not containing OFMW. At the same time, the volumes by urban nucleus and the viability of different composting strategies have been studied, proposing that 180,000 inhabitants use the centralized composting plant and almost 31,000 inhabitants use self-composting and community composting. Considering the carbon footprint of this management, the value was 50% lower than the total management in a centralized plant. Moreover, the final use of compost is optimum with self-composting and community composting because it is nearest to agricultural consumptions, also reducing the transport of the final product.
Experimental Study on Failure Mechanism and Mode of Fly-Ash Dam Slope Triggered by Rainfall Infiltration
Authors: Niu Hong-Kai , Li Qiang , Zhang Li-Ting , Li Xin , Wang Jun-Tao
Published: September 2022

The fly-ash dam is used to store the fly ash discharged from the thermal power plant. A fly-ash dam is a special slope built with fly ash, and rainfall infiltration is an important reason to induce the landslide of this kind of slope. In this paper, the laboratory tests of different slope ratios and initial seepage fields under rainfall were carried out, aimed at studying the failure mechanism, failure mode, triggering mechanism, and influence factors for the slope instability of the fly ash dam slope under rainfall infiltration. The results show that: (I) Three failure mechanisms were found in the tests: sliding failure, runoff erosion, and flow-slide failure. Due to the low density of fly ash, runoff erosion is more likely to occur under rainfall. Differently from clay slope, flow slide is an important failure mechanism of fly ash slope under rainfall. (II) Local erosion damages caused by runoff erosion and flow slide are the important triggering factors of the fly-ash dam slope failure under rainfall. (III) Three failure modes were observed in the test: the overall sliding failure of the slope, the retrogressive landslide caused by multi-stage local sliding, and the gradual erosion failure of the slope (caused by the combined action of runoff erosion and flow slide). (IV) The slope ratio has an important influence on the failure mode. With the decrease in slope ratio, the failure mode evolves from sliding failure to flow-slide failure and runoff erosion failure. The greater the slope ratio, the more obvious the sliding failure characteristics; the lower the slope rate, the greater the runoff erosion damage. The existence of an internal seepage field in the slope intensifies the occurrence of flow slide.
Experimental Analysis of the Current Sensor Fault Detection Mechanism Based on Cri Markers in the PMSM Drive System
Authors: Jankowska Kamila , Dybkowski Mateusz
Published: September 2022

In this paper the current sensor fault detector for the permanent-magnet synchronous motor drive system has been presented. The solution is a known method used for induction motor drive systems, tested by authors in simulation for the PMSM drive system. The application is based on the current markers, which enable not only failure detection, but also the location of said failures. Detector operation is based only on the analysis of measurements from current sensors and does not require additional information about other state variables. The aim of the work is to present simulation and experimental studies in field-oriented control (FOC) for the tested current sensor fault detector for various operating conditions of the drive system—variable speed and load.
An Explainable Artificial Intelligence Approach for Detecting Empathy in Textual Communication
Authors: Montiel-Vázquez Edwin Carlos , Ramírez Uresti Jorge Adolfo , Loyola-González Octavio
Published: September 2022

Empathy is a necessary component of human communication. However, it has been largely ignored in favor of other concepts such as emotion and feeling in Affective computing. Research that has been carried out regarding empathy in computer science lacks a method of measuring empathy based on psychological research. Likewise, it does not present an avenue for expanding knowledge regarding this concept. We provide a comprehensive study on the nature of empathy and a method for detecting it in textual communication. We measured empathy present in conversations from a database through volunteers and psychological research. Subsequently, we made use of a pattern-based classification algorithm to predict the Empathy levels in each conversation. Our research contributions are: the Empathy score, a metric for measuring empathy in texts; Empathetic Conversations, a database containing conversations with their respective Empathy score; and our results. We show that an explicative pattern-based approach (PBC4cip) is, to date, the best approach for detecting empathy in texts. This is by measuring performance in both nominal and ordinal metrics. We found a statistically significant difference in performance for our approach and other algorithms with lower performance. In addition, we show the advantages of interpretability by our model in contrast to other approaches. This is one of the first approaches to measuring empathy in texts, and we expect it to be useful for future research.
Novel Application of Infrared Radiation Therapy: Spirit Identity Powder-Generated Far Infrared Radiation Inhibits the Proliferation of Human Male Liver Cancer Cells by Activating the Transmembrane Attack Complex
Authors: Kim Hong-Bae , Park Jae-Heung
Published: September 2022

Far infrared radiation (FIR) has been primarily used as a therapeutic modality for its inhibitory effect on the proliferation of cancer cells. Previous studies have focused on the inhibitory effects of FIR on mitochondrial metabolism, neglecting its effect on cancer cell membranes. In this study, we investigated the biological inhibitory effect of FIR on the membrane of liver cancer cells. We fabricated an FIR radiator (power density of 37.2 mW/cm2, emissivity of 92.3%) using spirit identity (SI) powder and irradiated liver cancer cells for 3 h for 3 days, resulting in decreased cell viability and ATP production in irradiated cells. To corroborate the mechanism underlying the inhibitory effect on the cell membrane, we performed transcriptional analyses of mRNA and protein expression. Transcriptional analysis showed activation of transmembrane signaling receptors in the gene ontology and systemic lupus erythematosus in the KEGG pathway. The mRNA results showed significantly high expression of membrane attack complex (MAC), and protein analysis results showed a higher expression of proteins C7 and C8β than C5 and C6. Thus, SI powder-generated FIR can inhibit the proliferation of liver cancer cells by activating the MAC in the cell membrane.
Machine Learning Sequential Methodology for Robot Inverse Kinematic Modelling
Authors: Tagliani Franco Luis , Pellegrini Nicola , Aggogeri Francesco
Published: September 2022

The application of robots is growing in most countries, occupying a relevant place in everyday environments. Robots are still affected by errors due to their limitations, which may compromise the final performance. Accurate trajectories and positionings are strict requirements that robots have to satisfy and may be studied by the inverse kinematic (IK) formulation. The IK conventional numerical techniques are computationally intensive procedures, focusing on the robot joint values simultaneously and increasing the complexity of the solution identification. In this scenario, Machine Learning strategies may be adopted to achieve effective and robust manipulator’s IK formulation due to their computational efficiency and learning ability. This work proposes a machine learning (ML) sequential methodology for robot inverse kinematics modeling, iterating the model prediction at each joint. The method implements an automatic Denavit-Hartenberg (D-H) parameters formulation code to obtain the forward kinematic (FK) equations required to produce the robot dataset. Moreover, the artificial neural network (ANN) architecture is selected as a structure and the number of layers in combination with the hidden neurons per layer is defined by an offline optimization phase based on the genetic algorithm (GA) technique for each joint. The ANN is implemented with the following settings: scaled conjugate gradient as training function and the mean squared error as the loss function. Different network architectures are examined to validate the IK procedure, ranging from global to sequential and considering the computation direction (from end-effector or from basement). The method is validated in the simulated and experimental laboratory environment, considering articulated robots. The sequential method exhibits a reduction of the mean squared error index of 42.7–56.7%, compared to the global scheme. Results show the outstanding performance of the IK model in robot joint space prediction, with a residual mean absolute error of 0.370–0.699 mm in trajectory following 150.0–200.0 mm paths applied to a real robot.
A Reversible Data-Hiding Method with Prediction-Error Expansion in Compressible Encrypted Images
Authors: Motomura Ryota , Imaizumi Shoko , Kiya Hitoshi
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes a novel reversible data-hiding method in encrypted images to achieve both a high hiding capacity and good compression performance. The proposed method can also decrypt marked encrypted images without data extraction, so marked images containing a payload can be derived from marked encrypted images. A perceptual encryption algorithm proposed for an encryption-then-compression framework is used to generate compressible encrypted images. In addition, a predictor with high accuracy and a prediction-error expansion and histogram shifting method are used for data hiding. Consequently, the proposed method can compress marked encrypted images without loss using image coding standards and achieve a high hiding rate. Experimental results show the effectiveness of the method in terms of hiding capacity or marked-image quality and lossless compression efficiency.
Special Issue on Promising Materials and Technologies for Solid Oxide Electrochemical Devices
Authors: Dunyushkina Liliya
Published: September 2022

Solid oxide electrochemical devices, such as fuel cells, electrolyzers, pumps, sensors, etc [...]
XAI Systems Evaluation: A Review of Human and Computer-Centred Methods
Authors: Lopes Pedro , Silva Eduardo , Braga Cristiana , Oliveira Tiago , Rosado Luís
Published: September 2022

The lack of transparency of powerful Machine Learning systems paired with their growth in popularity over the last decade led to the emergence of the eXplainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) field. Instead of focusing solely on obtaining highly performing models, researchers also develop explanation techniques that help better understand the system’s reasoning for a particular output. An explainable system can be designed, developed, and evaluated from different perspectives, which enables researchers from different disciplines to work together on this topic. However, the multidisciplinary nature of XAI systems creates new challenges for condensing and structuring adequate methodologies to design and evaluate such systems. This paper presents a survey of Human-centred and Computer-centred methods to evaluate XAI systems. We propose a new taxonomy to categorize XAI evaluation methods more clearly and intuitively. This categorization gathers knowledge from different disciplines and organizes the evaluation methods according to a set of categories that represent key properties of XAI systems. Possible ways to use the proposed taxonomy in the design and evaluation of XAI systems are also discussed, alongside with some concluding remarks and future directions of research.
Calculation of 1/f Fluctuation from Sound Signal and Comfort Evaluation
Authors: Kato Taro , Kitamura Takuya , Maehara Fumiya , Uchino Daigo , Ogawa Kazuki , Ikeda Keigo , Endo Ayato , Kato Hideaki , Narita Takayoshi , Furui Mitsuaki
Published: September 2022

Providing a comfortable sound for users is an important factor for high-value products. Therefore, many studies have investigated pleasant sound levels for developing and manufacturing new products. Notably, sounds containing 1/f fluctuations provide a relaxing effect in humans. There are many studies on the influence of sound signals, including 1/f fluctuations; however, the verification of fluctuations, including sound signals, has not been performed. In this study on fluctuation, the discrete Fourier transform was used to directly calculate the time of the sound signal. We evaluated the duration of music and the 1/f fluctuation via the discrete Fourier transform using the time history of the music data. Furthermore, we investigated the relaxation effect of music containing a 1/f fluctuation. We determined a person’s comfort according to the difference in the calculated fluctuation coefficient by subjectively evaluating the comfort felt by people when listening to music with two different fluctuation coefficients, and we examined the improvement in the fluctuation coefficient and human comfort.
Hysteresis in Engineering Systems
Authors: Noori Mohammad , Altabey Wael A.
Published: September 2022

The phenomenon of hysteresis in engineering systems has been with us for ages and has been attracting the attention of many investigators for a long time [...]
3D Point Cloud Generation Based on Multi-Sensor Fusion
Authors: Han Yulong , Sun Haili , Lu Yue , Zhong Ruofei , Ji Changqi , Xie Si
Published: September 2022

Traditional precise engineering surveys adopt manual static, discrete observation, which cannot meet the dynamic, continuous, high-precision and holographic fine measurements required for large-scale infrastructure construction, operation and maintenance, where mobile laser scanning technology is becoming popular. However, in environments without GNSS signals, it is difficult to use mobile laser scanning technology to obtain 3D data. We fused a scanner with an inertial navigation system, odometer and inclinometer to establish and track mobile laser measurement systems. The control point constraints and Rauch-Tung-Striebel filter smoothing were fused, and a 3D point cloud generation method based on multi-sensor fusion was proposed. We verified the method based on the experimental data; the average deviation of positioning errors in the horizontal and elevation directions were 0.04 m and 0.037 m, respectively. Compared with the stop-and-go mode of the Amberg GRP series trolley, this method greatly improved scanning efficiency; compared with the method of generating a point cloud in an absolute coordinate system based on tunnel design data conversion, this method improved data accuracy. It effectively avoided the deformation of the tunnel, the sharp increase of errors and more accurately and quickly processed the tunnel point cloud data. This method provided better data support for subsequent tunnel analysis such as 3D display, as-built surveying and disease system management of rail transit tunnels.
Explainable Fuzzy AI Challenge 2022: Winner’s Approach to a Computationally Efficient and Explainable Solution
Authors: Mishra Sunny , Shukla Amit K. , Muhuri Pranab K.
Published: September 2022

An explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) agent is an autonomous agent that uses a fundamental XAI model at its core to perceive its environment and suggests actions to be performed. One of the significant challenges for these XAI agents is performing their operation efficiently, which is governed by the underlying inference and optimization system. Along similar lines, an Explainable Fuzzy AI Challenge (XFC 2022) competition was launched, whose principal objective was to develop a fully autonomous and optimized XAI algorithm that could play the Python arcade game “Asteroid Smasher”. This research first investigates inference models to implement an efficient (XAI) agent using rule-based fuzzy systems. We also discuss the proposed approach (which won the competition) to attain efficiency in the XAI algorithm. We have explored the potential of the widely used Mamdani- and TSK-based fuzzy inference systems and investigated which model might have a more optimized implementation. Even though the TSK-based model outperforms Mamdani in several applications, no empirical evidence suggests this will also be applicable in implementing an XAI agent. The experimentations are then performed to find a better-performing inference system in a fast-paced environment. The thorough analysis recommends more robust and efficient TSK-based XAI agents than Mamdani-based fuzzy inference systems.
Sosnowskyi Hogweed-Based Hard Carbons for Sodium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Lakienko Grigorii P. , Bobyleva Zoya V. , Apostolova Maria O. , Sultanova Yana V. , Dyakonov Andrey K. , Zakharkin Maxim V. , Sobolev Nikita A. , Alekseeva Anastasia M. , Drozhzhin Oleg A. , Abakumov Artem M. , Antipov Evgeny V.
Published: September 2022

Sodium-ion battery technology rapidly develops in the post-lithium-ion landscape. Among the variety of studied anode materials, hard carbons appear to be the realistic candidates because of their electrochemical performance and relative ease of production. This class of materials can be obtained from a variety of precursors, and the most ecologically important and interesting route is the synthesis from biomass. In the present work, for the first time, hard carbons were obtained from Heracleum sosnowskyi, a highly invasive plant, which is dangerous for humans and can cause skin burns but produces a large amount of green biomass in a short time. We proposed a simple synthesis method that includes the pretreatment stage and further carbonization at 1300 °C. The effect of the pretreatment of giant hogweed on the hard carbon electrochemical properties was studied. Obtained materials demonstrate >220 mAh g−1 of the discharge capacity, high values of the initial Coulombic efficiency reaching 87% and capacity retention of 95% after 100 charge-discharge cycles in sodium half-cells. Key parameters of the materials were examined by means of different analytical, spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. The possibility of using the giant hogweed-based hard carbons in real batteries is demonstrated with full sodium-ion cells with NASICON-type Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode material.
New Data on Nephron Microanatomy and Ultrastructure of Senegal Bichir (Polypterus senegalus)
Authors: Flerova Ekaterina Aleksandrovna , Evdokimov Evgeniy Georgievich
Published: September 2022

This study presents new data on the microanatomy and ultrastructure of Polypterus senegalus nephrons. It was shown that the diameter and ultrastructure of renal corpuscles, a well-developed neck segment, and ultrastructure of two types of epithelial cells of the proximal tubule are ancestral signs of the modern population of P. senegalus associated with habitat conditions in the aquatic environment. The outer diameter of the tubules, the height of the epitheliocytes, the presence of two types of epithelial cells of the intermediate and distal tubules of the corresponding ultrastructure, and a large area of nephrogenic tissue are progressive features of the modern population of P. senegalus, associated with adaptation to air respiration and periodic terrestrial migrations, which were formed at the early stages of evolution of P. senegalus convergently with lungfish and amphibians.
Why the Ala-His-His Peptide Is an Appropriate Scaffold to Remove and Redox Silence Copper Ions from the Alzheimer’s-Related Aβ Peptide
Authors: Gonzalez Paulina , Sabater Laurent , Mathieu Emilie , Faller Peter , Hureau Christelle
Published: September 2022

The progressive, neurodegenerative Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most widespread dementia. Due to the ageing of the population and the current lack of molecules able to prevent or stop the disease, AD will be even more impactful for society in the future. AD is a multifactorial disease, and, among other factors, metal ions have been regarded as potential therapeutic targets. This is the case for the redox-competent Cu ions involved in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) when bound to the Alzheimer-related Aβ peptide, a process that contributes to the overall oxidative stress and inflammation observed in AD. Here, we made use of peptide ligands to stop the Cu(Aβ)-induced ROS production and we showed why the AHH sequence is fully appropriate, while the two parents, AH and AAH, are not. The AHH peptide keeps its beneficial ability against Cu(Aβ)-induced ROS, even in the presence of ZnII-competing ions and other biologically relevant ions. The detailed kinetic mechanism by which AHH could exert its action against Cu(Aβ)-induced ROS is also proposed.
Anti-Phosphatidylethanolamine and Anti-Phosphatidylserine Antibodies—Association with Renal Involvement, Atherosclerosis, Cardiovascular Manifestations, Raynaud Phenomenon and Disease Activity in Polish Patients with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Authors: Fischer Katarzyna , Przepiera-Będzak Hanna , Brzosko Iwona , Sawicki Marcin , Walecka Anna , Brzosko Marek
Published: September 2022

Objective. To evaluate the association between anti-phosphatidylethanolamine (aPE) and anti-phosphatidylserine (aPS) antibodies and cardiovascular risk, organ involvement and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Methods. We studied 93 SLE patients and 30 controls. We analyzed levels of anti-phospholipid antibodies, including aPS and aPE, the profiles of antinuclear, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic (ANCA) and anti-endothelial antibodies, carotid intima-media thickness (cITM) and atherosclerotic plaque presence, ankle-brachial and high resistance indices, atherosclerotic risk factors, organ manifestations and treatment. Results. Levels of aPS and aPE were significantly higher in SLE patients in comparison with the controls (p = 0.038 and p = 0.044, respectively). aPS was associated with the risk of Raynaud’s phenomenon (p = 0.021) development. aPE increased the risk of renal involvement (p = 0.049), cerebral stroke (p = 0.050), high vlues of cIMT (p = 0.041) development as well as occurrence of selected serological markers associated with activity of the disease such as anti-double stranded DNA (p = 0.021). The long duration of regular smoking (p = 0.021) and the high number of cigarettes/day (p = 0.015) were significantly associated with the risk of aPE occurrence. Conclusions. Patients with aPS and aPE are at risk of vascular involvement. Especially the presence of aPE may significantly increase the risk of thrombotic complications development in SLE patients without classical serological markers of APS. Finally, aPE might be used as a marker of disease activity and risk of renal injury development in this patient group. The classical atherosclerotic markers including lipid indices play an important role in complex analysis of cardiovascular risk in lupus patients and enable to identify patients at the highest risk and implement effective preventive, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
Radical Mediated Rapid In Vitro Formation of c-Type Cytochrome
Authors: Ibrahim Sheikh Muhammad , Ben Aoun Sami , Nakajima Hiroshi , Kooli Fethi , Watanabe Yoshihito
Published: September 2022

A cytochrome c552 mutant from Thermus thermophilus HB8 (rC552 C14A) was reported, where the polypeptide with replaced Cys14 by alanine, overexpressed in the cytosol of E. coli. The apo-form of the C14A mutant (apo-C14A) without the original prosthetic group was obtained by simple chemical treatments that retained compact conformation amenable to reconstitution with heme b and zinc(II)-protoporphyrin(IX), gradually followed by spontaneous formation of a covalent bond between the polypeptide and porphyrin ring in the reconstituted apo-C14A. Further analysis suggested that the residual Cys11 and vinyl group of the porphyrin ring linked through the thiol-ene reaction promoted by light under ambient conditions. In this study, we describe the kinetic improvement of the covalent bond formation in accordance with the mechanism of the photoinduced thiol-ene reaction, which involves a thiyl radical as a reaction intermediate. Adding a radical generator to the reconstituted C14A mutant with either heme-b or zinc(II) porphyrin accelerated the bond-forming reaction, which supported the involvement of a radical species in the reaction. Partial observation of the reconstituted C14A in a dimer form and detection of sulfuryl radical by EPR spectroscopy indicated a thiyl radical on Cys11, a unique cysteinyl residue in rC552 C14A. The covalent bond forming mediated by the radical generator was also adaptable to the reconstituted apo-C14A with manganese(II)-protoporphyrin(IX), which also exhibits light-mediated covalent linkage formation. Therefore, the radical generator extends the versatility of producing c-type-like cytochrome starting from a metallo-protoporphyrin(IX) and the apo-C14A instantaneously.
Fibrillin-1 Regulates Arteriole Integrity in the Retina
Authors: Alonso Florian , Li Ling , Fremaux Isabelle , Reinhardt Dieter Peter , Génot Elisabeth
Published: September 2022

Fibrillin-1 is an extracellular matrix protein that assembles into microfibrils that provide critical functions in large blood vessels and other tissues. Mutations in the fibrillin-1 gene are associated with cardiovascular, ocular, and skeletal abnormalities in Marfan syndrome. Fibrillin-1 is a component of the wall of large arteries but has been poorly described in other vessels. We examined the microvasculature in the retina using wild type mice and two models of Marfan syndrome, Fbn1C1041G/+ and Fbn1mgR/mgR. In the mouse retina, fibrillin-1 was detected around arterioles, in close contact with the basement membrane, where it colocalized with MAGP1. Both a mutation in fibrillin-1 or fibrillin-1 underexpression characteristically altered the microvasculature. In Fbn1C1041G/+ and Fbn1mgR/mgR mice, arterioles were enlarged with reduced MAGP1 deposition and focal loss of smooth muscle cell coverage. Losartan, which prevents aortic enlargement in Fbn1C1041G/+ mice, prevented smooth muscle cell loss and vessel leakiness when administrated in a preventive mode. Moreover, losartan also partially rescued the defects in a curative mode. Thus, fibrillin-1/MAGP1 performs essential functions in arteriolar integrity and mutant fibrillin-1-induced defects can be prevented or partially rescued pharmacologically. These new findings could have implications for people with Marfan syndrome.