bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring Clinical Trials to Manage Firefighters’ Sleep Quality: A PRISMA Compliant Systematic Review
Authors: Alves Sara , Vaz Josiana , Fernandes Adília
Published: February 2023

Sleep research has grown over the past decades and investigators are deeply involved in studying sleep and its impact on human health and body regulation. Despite the understanding that insufficient sleep is strongly linked to the development of several disorders, unsatisfactory sleep exposes health and safety to innumerous risks. The present study aims to review and analyze the main results of clinical trials, registered at ClinicalTrials.gov and ICTRT databases, and developed construct strategies to improve sleep quality on firefighters and enhance professionals’ sleep and health conditions. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO under number CRD42022334719. Trials registered between first registry and 2022 were included. We retrieved 11 registered clinical trials; seven met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. A relation between sleep disorders, shift work, and occupational health problems was found, and retrieved trials showed that sleep education programs can improve sleep quality and sleep hygiene. Science has already recognized sleep’s importance for metabolic functioning and survivorship. Nevertheless, it continues to play a major role in discovering methods to diminish the problems faced. Strategies contemplating sleep education, or intervention, should be presented to fire services to tackle this problem and promote healthier and safer environments.
Healthy City Community Space-Oriented Structural Planning and Management Optimization under COVID-19
Authors: Yang Ya , Jiang Zhengyu , Hou Yawei , Wang Huaxing , Wang Zeyu
Published: February 2023

This work studies ways of Healthy City Construction (HCC) and Urban Governance Optimization (UGO) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific urban community space planning structure is proposed following a literature review on the healthy city’s theoretical basis and historical development. Then, the proposed HCC-oriented community space structure is tested by surveying residents’ physical and mental health and infectious risk using a questionnaire survey and Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO). Specifically, the particle fitness is calculated according to the original data conditions, and the community space with the highest fitness is determined. Based on the calculation, the community space’s neighbors are investigated from different aspects through a questionnaire survey on patients’ daily activities and community health security coverage. The results showed that: (1) The score of daily activities of community patients with respiratory diseases was 2312 before the implementation of the proposed community structure and 2715 after the implementation. Therefore, the service quality of residents increases after implementation. (2) The proposed HCC-oriented community space structure improves the physical self-control ability of chronic patients and helps them reduce their pain. This work aims to create a people-oriented healthy city community space, improve the city’s “immune system,” and regenerate the energy and environmental sustainability of the urban living environment.
Relationality: The Role of Connectedness in the Social Ecology of Resilience
Authors: Kan Wing Shan , Lejano Raul P.
Published: February 2023

Previous work has focused on the role of social capital on resilience. However, this research tends to search for civic and other organizations, often formal institutionalized groups which, when they are not found, leads to questions about how social networks are possibly governed. Without formal organizational structures to govern these networks, how is pro-environmental/pro-social behavior sustained. In this article, we focus on a diffused mechanism for collective action, which is referred to as relationality. Relationality is a theory that underscores how social connectedness, through mechanisms of empathy, foster collective action in noncentralized modes of network governance. The concept of relationality addresses important issues not considered by the literature on social capital --so being, we will refer to relational elements as relational capital. Relational capital constitutes a type of asset that communities can activate vis-a-vis environmental and other perturbation. As we describe, the evidence for relationality as an important mechanism for sustainability and resilience is accumulating.
A Comparative Study of Periodontal Health Status between International and Domestic University Students in Japan
Authors: Abe Masanobu , Ohsato Ai , Fujihara Yuko , Hoshi Kazuto , Yanagimoto Shintaro
Published: February 2023

Background: In our previous study, international university students showed a significantly higher dental caries morbidity rate than domestic students. On the other hand, the periodontal health status of international university students has not been clarified yet. In this study, we compared the periodontal health status of international and domestic university students in Japan. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of the clinical data of the university students that visited a dental clinic in the division for health service promotion at a university in Tokyo for screening between April 2017 and March 2019. Bleeding on probing (BOP), calculus deposition and probing pocket depth (PPD) were investigated. Results: The records of 231 university students (79 international and 152 domestic university students) were analyzed; 84.8% of international students were from Asian countries (n = 67). The international university students showed a higher percentage of BOP than domestic students (49.4% and 34.2%, respectively: p < 0.05) and they showed more extensive calculus deposition (calculus grading score [CGS]) than domestic university students (1.68 and 1.43, respectively: p < 0.01), despite no significant difference in PPD. Conclusions: The current study shows that international university students have poorer periodontal health than domestic students in Japan, even though the result might include many uncertainties and possible biases. To prevent severe periodontitis in the future, regular checkups and thorough oral health care are essential for the university students, especially those from foreign countries.
Pill Box Text Identification Using DBNet-CRNN
Authors: Xiang Liuqing , Wen Hanyun , Zhao Ming
Published: February 2023

The recognition process of natural scenes is complicated at present, and images themselves may be complex owing to the special features of natural scenes. In this study, we use the detection and recognition of pill box text as an application scenario and design a deep-learning-based text detection algorithm for such natural scenes. We propose an end-to-end graphical text detection and recognition model and implement a detection system based on the B/S research application for pill box recognition, which uses DBNet as the text detection framework and a convolutional recurrent neural network (CRNN) as the text recognition framework. No prior image preprocessing is required in the detection and recognition processes. The recognition result from the back-end is returned to the front-end display. Compared with traditional methods, this recognition process reduces the complexity of preprocessing prior to image detection and improves the simplicity of the model application. Experiments on the detection and recognition of 100 pill boxes demonstrate that the proposed method achieves better accuracy in text localization and recognition results than the previous CTPN + CRNN method. The proposed method is significantly more accurate and easier to use than the traditional approach in terms of both training and recognition processes.
The Local Awareness-Raising of Public Mental Health in the Capital City of Poland through Launch of Local Alliance against Depression
Authors: Toczyski Piotr
Published: February 2023

The goal of this brief report is to show the specificity of building local alliances against depression in an Eastern European country within and after the series of 2021 lockdowns. It will be described in the form of a short communication piece. The semi-peripheral specificity of Poland adds some insights which will be useful for other leaders of similar alliances globally. This short report can be read as a higher resolution of the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD) method activities known from other recent works. We want to answer the question of how to begin the activity and launch such an alliance in the semi-peripheral context of non-Western Europe.
Does Digitization Promote Green Innovation? Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Chuanlin , Yan Guowan , Ou Juan
Published: February 2023

Green innovation is an important strategy in seeking sustainable competitive advantages. This paper investigates the impact of enterprise digitization on green innovation and its mechanisms. We find that enterprise digital transformation has a significant effect on the promotion of green innovation. This positive effect mainly stems from the advantage of resource reallocation generated by enterprise digitalization that can alleviate financing constraints and raise risk-taking levels. Furthermore, the level of economic development strengthens the impact of enterprise digitization on green innovation, and the positive relationship between enterprise digitization and green innovation is stronger in regions with stronger environmental regulation and higher intellectual property protection, as well as in state-owned and heavily polluting enterprises. Digitization can optimize resource utilization, strengthen the capacity of green innovation in pollution reduction and promote the clean production of enterprises. Our results show that enterprise digitization plays a positive role in innovation activities. Furthermore, our results show that enterprise digitization plays a positive role in innovation activities.
GALSTM-FDP: A Time-Series Modeling Approach Using Hybrid GA and LSTM for Financial Distress Prediction
Authors: Al Ali Amal , Khedr Ahmed M. , El Bannany Magdi , Kanakkayil Sakeena
Published: February 2023

Despite the obvious benefits and growing popularity of Machine Learning (ML) technology, there are still concerns regarding its ability to provide Financial Distress Prediction (FDP). An accurate FDP model is required to avoid financial risk at the lowest possible cost. However, in the Internet era, financial data are exploding, and they are being coupled with other kinds of risk data, making an FDP model challenging to operate. As a result, researchers presented several novel FDP models based on ML and Deep Learning. Time series data is are important to reflect the multi-source and heterogeneous aspects of financial data. This paper gives insight into building a time-series model and forecasting distress far in advance of its occurrence. To build an efficient FDP model, we provide a hybrid model (GALSTM-FDP) that incorporates LSTM and GA. Unlike other previous studies, which established models that predicted distress probability only within one year, our approach predicts distress two years ahead. This research integrates GA with LSTM to find the optimum hyperparameter configuration for LSTM. Using GA, we focus on optimizing architectural aspects for modeling the optimal network based on prediction accuracy. The results showed that our algorithm outperforms other state-of-the-art methods in terms of predictive accuracy.
Linear Friction Welding of Abrasion Resistant CPM 15V Tool Steel to an Alloyed Carbon Shovel-Tooth Steel
Authors: Zambrano Oscar A. , Gholipour Javad , Wanjara Priti , Jiang Jiaren (Jimmy)
Published: February 2023

Alloyed carbon steels used in ground engaging tools (GETs), such as shovel-teeth, can withstand high working loads, but their wear resistance is inadequate for abrasive operations in the mining industry. Different approaches to engineer protective surfaces on GETs for improving wear resistance have been developed over the years, but the effectiveness of the applied abrasive resistance layer has been limited by the maximum thickness that can be realized reliably. Considering wear requirements for GETs to reach end-of-life without requiring unscheduled maintenance for after-failure repairs, a minimum thickness of 25 mm has been postulated for the abrasive resistance surface layer, which is roughly four times greater than the thickness of overlays currently manufacturable by weld deposition technologies. Thus, in this study, a novel approach for conceiving thick abrasive surface protection layers—that are unlimited in thickness—on GETs is presented. The method involves applying solid-state linear friction welding and was demonstrated to be feasible for joining abrasive-resistant CPM 15V tool steel to an alloyed carbon steel (extracted from a shovel-tooth). After welding, the integrity of the joints was examined microscopically using optical and scanning electron microscopy to understand the microstructural characteristics, as well as through microhardness and tensile testing to evaluate the performance. A high frequency welding condition was identified that provided integral bonding (i.e., without voids and cracking) at the interface between the CPM 15V tool steel and alloyed carbon shovel-tooth steel. In the as-welded condition, the measured hardness profiles across the joints showed minor softening of both base materials in the heat-affected zone just adjacent to the weld center; this was attributed to over aging of the tempered martensite structures of CPM 15V tool steel and alloyed carbon shovel-tooth steel. The maximum tensile strength of the joint (553 MPa) provides evidence for the viability of linear friction welding technology for joining protective surface materials on GETs.
Living Arrangement Intentions of Adult Migrant Children toward Their Left-Behind Rural Parents in China
Authors: Feng Jianxi , Tang Shuangshuang
Published: February 2023

The number of “left-behind” rural elderly has been increasing in China. Although rural elderly support has been examined, the existing studies mainly reveal the current living arrangements of the rural elderly and the actual support that adult migrant children provide for their old parents. The rural migrants’ intended living arrangements for their “left-behind” parents have rarely been investigated. Therefore, the paper aims to investigate the pattern of and explore the underlying decision-making involved in living arrangements that adult migrant children intend to provide for their “left-behind” aging parents in the countryside. It is assumed that living arrangements were the functions of adult migrants’ residency plan for the future, their socioeconomic status and cultural values towards “filial piety”. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Jiangsu province to test the assumptions. One-way ANOVA and Tukey post-hoc tests were used to examine the disparities of the socioeconomic characteristics among the seven options of living arrangements. The results show that most of the rural migrants wanted to change their parents’ current “left-behind” status. They preferred to live together with their elderly parents in rural hometowns. A significant proportion of the respondents consider settling in cities adjacent to their rural hometowns. Rural migrants’ intended living arrangements for their left-behind parents are mediated by their future expectations, caring attitudes and financial circumstances. Institutional barriers for, and the disadvantageous status of, the rural migrants are the main impact factors.
Can Differently Stabilized Silver Nanoparticles Modify Calcium Phosphate Precipitation?
Authors: Inkret Suzana , Ćurlin Marija , Smokrović Kristina , Kalčec Nikolina , Peranić Nikolina , Maltar-Strmečki Nadica , Domazet Jurašin Darija , Dutour Sikirić Maja
Published: February 2023

Calcium phosphates (CaPs) composites with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) attract attention as a possible alternative to conventional approaches to combating orthopedic implant-associated infections. Although precipitation of calcium phosphates at room temperatures was pointed out as an advantageous method for the preparation of various CaP-based biomaterials, to the best of our knowledge, no such study exists for the preparation of CaPs/AgNP composites. Motivated by this lack of data in this study we investigated the influence of AgNPs stabilized with citrate (cit-AgNPs), poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP-AgNPs), and sodium bis(2-ethylhexyl) sulfosuccinate (AOT-AgNPs) in the concentration range 5–25 mg dm−3 on the precipitation of CaPs. The first solid phase to precipitate in the investigated precipitation system was amorphous calcium phosphate (ACP). The effect of AgNPs on ACP stability was significant only in the presence of the highest concentration of AOT-AgNPs. However, in all precipitation systems containing AgNPs, the morphology of ACP was affected, as gel-like precipitates formed in addition to the typical chain-like aggregates of spherical particles. The exact effect depended on the type of AgNPs. After 60 min of reaction time, a mixture of calcium-deficient hydroxyapatite (CaDHA) and a smaller amount of octacalcium phosphate (OCP) formed. PXRD and EPR data point out that the amount of formed OCP decreases with increasing AgNPs concentration. The obtained results showed that AgNPs can modify the precipitation of CaPs and that CaPs properties can be fine-tuned by the choice of stabilizing agent. Furthermore, it was shown that precipitation can be used as a simple and fast method for CaP/AgNPs composites preparation which is of special interest for biomaterials preparation.
Morphology, Micromechanical, and Macromechanical Properties of Novel Waterborne Poly(urethane-urea)/Silica Nanocomposites
Authors: Gajdošová Veronika , Špírková Milena , Aguilar Costumbre Yareni , Krejčíková Sabina , Strachota Beata , Šlouf Miroslav , Strachota Adam
Published: February 2023

Morphology, macro-, and micromechanical properties of novel poly(urethane-urea)/silica nanocomposites were analyzed by electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, and microindentation. The studied nanocomposites were based on a poly(urethane-urea) (PUU) matrix filled by nanosilica, and were prepared from waterborne dispersions of PUU (latex) and SiO2. The loading of nano-SiO2 was varied between 0 (neat matrix) and 40 wt% in the dry nanocomposite. The prepared materials were all formally in the rubbery state at room temperature, but they displayed complex elastoviscoplastic behavior, spanning from stiffer elastomeric type to semi-glassy. Because of the employed rigid and highly uniform spherical nanofiller, the materials are of great interest for model microindentation studies. Additionally, because of the polycarbonate-type elastic chains of the PUU matrix, hydrogen bonding in the studied nanocomposites was expected to be rich and diverse, ranging from very strong to weak. In micro- and macromechanical tests, all the elasticity-related properties correlated very strongly. The relations among the properties that related to energy dissipation were complex, and were highly affected by the existence of hydrogen bonding of broadly varied strength, by the distribution patterns of the fine nanofiller, as well as by the eventual locally endured larger deformations during the tests, and the tendency of the materials to cold flow.
Viscoelastic Properties of Polymeric Microneedles Determined by Micromanipulation Measurements and Mathematical Modelling
Authors: Zhang Zhihua , Du Guangsheng , Sun Xun , Zhang Zhibing
Published: February 2023

Microneedles, including dissolvable ones made from biocompatible and biodegradable materials, have been widely studied and can potentially be used for transdermal drug delivery, disease diagnosis (sampling), skin care, etc. Characterizing their mechanical properties is essential, as being mechanically strong enough to pierce the skin barrier is one of the most fundamental and crucial requirements for them. The micromanipulation technique was based on compressing single microparticles between two flat surfaces to obtain force and displacement data simultaneously. Two mathematical models had already been developed to calculate the rupture stress and apparent Young’s modulus, which can identify variations of these parameters in single microneedles within a microneedle patch. In this study, a new model has been developed to determine the viscoelasticity of single microneedles made of hyaluronic acid (HA) with a molecular weight of 300 kDa loaded with lidocaine by using the micromanipulation technique to gather experimental data. The modelling results from the micromanipulation measurements suggest that the microneedles were viscoelastic and their mechanical behaviour was strain-rate dependent, which implies that the penetration efficiency of viscoelastic microneedles can be improved by increasing their piercing speed into the skin.
A Simple and Convenient Method for Preparing Fluorine-Free Durable Superhydrophobic Coatings Suitable for Multiple Substrates
Authors: Xu Bin , Zhou Yinping , Gan Shichang , Xu Qinqin , Hou Maohua , Lu Congda , Ni Zhongjin
Published: February 2023

Superhydrophobic coatings have attracted a lot of attention due to their excellent self-cleaning and anti-fouling capabilities. However, the preparation processes for several superhydrophobic coatings are intricate and expensive, which restricts their usefulness. In this work, we present a straightforward technique for creating durable superhydrophobic coatings that can be applied to a variety of substrates. The addition of C9 petroleum resin to a styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) solution lengthens the SBS backbone and undergoes a cross-linking reaction to form a dense spatial cross-linked structure, improving the storage stability, viscosity, and aging resistance of the SBS. The combined solution functions as a more stable and effective adhesive. Using a two-step spraying technique, the hydrophobic silica (SiO2) nanoparticles solution was applied to the surface to create durable nano-superhydrophobic coatings. Additionally, the coatings have excellent mechanical, chemical, and self-cleaning stability. Furthermore, the coatings have wide application prospects in the fields of water–oil separation and corrosion prevention.
Influence of Si and SiC Coating on the Microstructures and Mechanical Properties of C/C Bolts
Authors: Sun Guodong , Tan Zhiqiang , Zhang Qing , Zhang Yi , Li Xuqin , Tian Qinglai , Tang Yuxing
Published: February 2023

High−performance bolts made of carbon/carbon (C/C) composites are necessary for connecting thermally−insulating structural components of aerospace vehicles. To enhance the mechanical properties of the C/C bolt, a new silicon infiltration−modified C/C (C/C−SiC) bolt was developed via vapor silicon infiltration. The effects of silicon infiltration on microstructure and mechanical properties were systematically studied. Findings reveal that dense and uniform SiC−Si coating has been formed after silicon infiltration of the C/C bolt, strongly bonding with the C matrix. Under tensile stress, the C/C−SiC bolt undergoes a tensile failure of studs, while the C/C bolt is subject to the pull−out failure of threads. The breaking strength of the former (55.16 MPa) is 26.83% higher than the failure strength of the latter (43.49 MPa). Under double−sided shear stress, both the crushing of threads and the shear failure of studs occur within two bolts. As a result, the shear strength of the former (54.73 MPa) exceeds that of the latter (43.88 MPa) by 24.73%. According to CT and SEM analysis, matrix fracture, fiber debonding, and fiber bridging are the main failure modes. Therefore, a mixed coating formed by silicon infiltration can effectively transfer loads from coating to carbon matrix and carbon fiber, thereby enhancing the load−bearing capacity of C/C bolts.
Study on Optimization of Drilling Parameters for Laminated Composite Materials
Authors: Yu Jiali , Chen Tao , Zhao Yiming
Published: February 2023

Fiber-reinforced resin matrix composites have been widely used in aerospace, construction, transportation and other industries due to their excellent mechanical properties and flexible structural design. However, due to the influence of the molding process, the composites are easily delaminated, which greatly reduces the structural stiffness of the components. This is a common problem in the processing of fiber-reinforced composite components. In this paper, through the combination of finite element simulation analysis and experimental research, drilling parameter analysis was carried out for prefabricated laminated composites, and the influence of different processing parameters on the processing axial force was qualitatively compared. The inhibition rule of variable parameter drilling on the damage propagation of initial laminated drilling was explored, which further improves the drilling connection quality of composite panels with laminated materials.
Effect of Calcination Temperature and Time on the Synthesis of Iron Oxide Nanoparticles: Green vs. Chemical Method
Authors: Abdullah Johar Amin Ahmed , Jiménez-Rosado Mercedes , Guerrero Antonio , Romero Alberto
Published: February 2023

Nowadays, antioxidants and antibacterial activity play an increasingly vital role in biosystems due to the biochemical and biological reactions that involve free radicals and pathogen growth, which occur in many systems. For this purpose, continuous efforts are being made to minimize these reactions, including the use of nanomaterials as antioxidants and bactericidal agents. Despite such advances, iron oxide nanoparticles still lack knowledge regarding their antioxidant and bactericidal capacities. This includes the investigation of biochemical reactions and their effects on nanoparticle functionality. In green synthesis, active phytochemicals give nanoparticles their maximum functional capacity and should not be destroyed during synthesis. Therefore, research is required to establish a correlation between the synthesis process and the nanoparticle properties. In this sense, the main objective of this work was to evaluate the most influential process stage: calcination. Thus, different calcination temperatures (200, 300, and 500 °C) and times (2, 4, and 5 h) were studied in the synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles using either Phoenix dactylifera L. (PDL) extract (green method) or sodium hydroxide (chemical method) as the reducing agent. The results show that calcination temperatures and times had a significant influence on the degradation of the active substance (polyphenols) and the final structure of iron oxide nanoparticles. It was found that, at low calcination temperatures and times, the nanoparticles exhibited small sizes, fewer polycrystalline structures, and better antioxidant activities. In conclusion, this work highlights the importance of green synthesis of iron oxide nanoparticles due to their excellent antioxidant and antimicrobial activities.
A Gradient-Based Optimizer with a Crossover Operator for Distribution Static VAR Compensator (D-SVC) Sizing and Placement in Electrical Systems
Authors: Moustafa Ghareeb , Elshahed Mostafa , Ginidi Ahmed R. , Shaheen Abdullah M. , Mansour Hany S. E.
Published: February 2023

A gradient-based optimizer (GBO) is a recently inspired meta-heuristic technique centered on Newton’s gradient-based approach. In this paper, an advanced developed version of the GBO is merged with a crossover operator (GBOC) to enhance the diversity of the created solutions. The merged crossover operator causes the solutions in the next generation to be more random. The proposed GBOC maintains the original Gradient Search Rule (GSR) and Local Escaping Operator (LEO). The GSR directs the search to potential areas and aids in its convergence to the optimal answer, while the LEO aids the searching process in avoiding local optima. The proposed GBOC technique is employed to optimally place and size the distribution static VAR compensator (D-SVC), one of the distribution flexible AC transmission devices (D-FACTS). It is developed to maximize the yearly energy savings via power losses concerning simultaneously different levels of the peak, average, and light loadings. Its relevance is tested on three distribution systems of IEEE 33, 69, and 118 nodes. Based on the proposed GBOC, the outputs of the D-SVCs are optimally varying with the loading level. Furthermore, their installed ratings are handled as an additional constraint relating to two compensation levels of 50% and 75% of the total reactive power load to reflect a financial installation limit. The simulation applications of the proposed GBOC declare great economic savings in yearly energy losses for the three distribution systems with increasing compensation levels and iterations compared to the initial case. In addition, the effectiveness of the proposed GBOC is demonstrated compared to several techniques, such as the original GBO, the salp swarm algorithm, the dwarf mongoose algorithm, differential evolution, and honey badger optimization.
A Review on Nature-Inspired Algorithms for Cancer Disease Prediction and Classification
Authors: Yaqoob Abrar , Aziz Rabia Musheer , Verma Navneet Kumar , Lalwani Praveen , Makrariya Akshara , Kumar Pavan
Published: February 2023

In the era of healthcare and its related research fields, the dimensionality problem of high-dimensional data is a massive challenge as it is crucial to identify significant genes while conducting research on diseases like cancer. As a result, studying new Machine Learning (ML) techniques for raw gene expression biomedical data is an important field of research. Disease detection, sample classification, and early disease prediction are all important analyses of high-dimensional biomedical data in the field of bioinformatics. Recently, machine-learning techniques have dramatically improved the analysis of high-dimension biomedical data sets. Nonetheless, researchers’ studies on biomedical data faced the challenge of vast dimensions, i.e., the vast features (genes) with a very low sample space. In this paper, two-dimensionality reduction methods, feature selection, and feature extraction are introduced with a systematic comparison of several dimension reduction techniques for the analysis of high-dimensional gene expression biomedical data. We presented a systematic review of some of the most popular nature-inspired algorithms and analyzed them. The paper is mainly focused on the original principles behind each of the algorithms and their applications for cancer classification and prediction from gene expression data. Lastly, the advantages and disadvantages of nature-inspired algorithms for biomedical data are evaluated. This review paper may guide researchers to choose the most effective algorithm for cancer classification and prediction for the satisfactory analysis of high-dimensional biomedical data.
A New Multi-Level Grid Multiple-Relaxation-Time Lattice Boltzmann Method with Spatial Interpolation
Authors: Liu Zhixiang , Li Shengyong , Ruan Jun , Zhang Wenbo , Zhou Liping , Huang Dongmei , Xu Jingxiang
Published: February 2023

The traditional multi-level grid multiple-relaxation-time lattice Boltzmann method (MRT-LBM) requires interpolation calculations in time and space. It is a complex and computationally intensive process. By using the buffer technique, this paper proposes a new multi-level grid MRT-LBM which requires only spatial interpolation calculations. The proposed method uses a center point format to store multi-level grid information. The grid type determination in the flow field calculation domain is done using the axis aligned bounding box (AABB) triangle overlap test. According to the calculation characteristics of MRT-LBM, the buffer grid is proposed for the first time at the interface of different levels of grids, which is used to remove the temporal interpolation calculation and simplify the spatial interpolation calculation. The corresponding multi-level grid MRT-LBM algorithm is also presented for two-dimensional and three-dimensional flow field calculation problems. For the two-dimensional problem of flow around a circular cylinder, the simulation results show that a four-level grid MRT-LBM proposed in this paper can accurately obtain the aerodynamic coefficients and Strouhal number at different Reynolds numbers, and it has about 1/9 of the total number of grids as a single-level grid MRT-LBM and is 6.76 times faster. For the three-dimensional flow calculation problem, the numerical experiments of flow past a sphere are simulated to verify the numerical precision of the presented method at Reynolds numbers = 100, 200, 250, 300, and 1000. With the streamlines and velocity contours, it is demonstrated that the multi-level grid MRT-LBM can be calculated accurately even at the interface of different size grids.
The Role of Antibiotic Use in Third Molar Tooth Extractions: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Torof Elham , Morrissey Hana , Ball Patrick A.
Published: February 2023

Background and Objectives: Anecdotal evidence suggested variation in practices for antibiotic prescribing around dental procedures including route of administration of antibiotics, timing of the course prescribed (before, after or both), length of course prescribed, narrow vs. broad spectrum agents prescribed, use of single or combination of antibiotics, and the use of loading doses. This review aims to investigate this disparity of practices and the absence of global and local recent consensus on the most appropriate antibiotic interventions around invasive dental procedures. Material and methods: Following PRISMA-P© methodology, a systematic review of randomised controlled clinical trials was designed, reviewed, and entered on the PROSPERO© website prior to commencement. Ethics approval was gained from the University of Wolverhampton Committee. Searches were performed using PubMed©, Science Direct™, and the Cochrane Database, plus the bibliographies of studies identified. They investigated studies examining the efficacy and safety of any antibiotic regimen tested, independent of regimen used, versus a placebo, control, or no therapy, on outcomes in post third molar extraction. Results: The primary outcome of interest was postoperative infection and secondary outcomes were other post-surgical related complications of infectious nature and antibiotic adverse events. Sixteen RCTs were identified that met the selection criteria. Antibiotic use was reported to be safe, causing few adverse events. Meta-analysis of infection events showed antibiotics reduced the risk of an infection by 69%, but routine use for prophylaxis in uncomplicated procedures was not supported, and their role in patients with comorbidities or impaired immunity remains controversial. The effect on the incidence of dry socket showed no difference based upon regimen used. No significant benefit was found with respect to reduction of intraoral inflammation, wound dehiscence, haematoma, and lymphadenopathy. Conclusion: The effect on postoperative pain reduction was inconclusive. Routine use of antibiotics around M3 extraction procedures is not supported, but their use in the presence of co-morbidities and or immunosuppression remains controversial to be confirmed by future studies.
Posture-Induced Intraocular Pressure Changes after iStent Inject W Combined with Phacoemulsification in Open Angle Glaucoma Patients
Authors: Iwasaki Kentaro , Arimura Shogo , Orii Yusuke , Inatani Masaru
Published: February 2023

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the posture-induced intraocular pressure (IOP) changes after iStent inject W combined with phacoemulsification procedure in Japanese patients with open-angle glaucoma. Materials and Methods: We prospectively evaluated the posture-induced IOP changes after surgery. The primary outcome was the posture-induced IOP changes postoperatively. Secondary outcome measures included postoperative complications, visual acuity, visual field, and corneal endothelial cell density. Results: This study completed the prospective observation for 15 eyes (15 patients). The mean preoperative IOP with the Goldmann applanation tonometer was 16.0 ± 2.6 mm Hg with a mean glaucoma medication usage of 2.5 ± 1.2, which decreased to 14.4 ± 2.4 mm Hg (p = 0.14) and 0.5 ± 0.9 medications (p < 0.01), respectively, 12 months postoperatively. The mean baseline IOP with the ICare was 12.0 ± 2.7 mmHg in the sitting position, which significantly increased to 15.2 ± 3.8 mmHg in the lateral decubitus position (p < 0.01). This postural IOP difference was 3.2 ± 2.2 mmHg and 3.2 ± 2.4 mmHg at baseline and 12 months postoperatively, respectively, with no significant changes (p > 0.99). Conclusions: iStent inject W combined with cataract surgery reduced the IOP and the number of glaucoma medications during short-term follow-ups with high safety. However, iStent inject W did not affect the degree of posture-induced IOP changes.
Damping Analysis of High Damping MgO/Mg Composites in Anelastic and Microplastic Deformation
Authors: Wan Diqing , Yang Fan , Hu Jiajun , Dong Shaoyun , Tang Hao , Wang Yu , Xue Yandan , Han Guoliang , Kang Jie , Xu Jingwen , Zeng Guanmei
Published: February 2023

In this study, MgO/Mg composites were prepared using direct melt oxidation to verify the effects of elastic deformation and microplastic deformation on the damping properties. It was found that the composites have high damping properties at a certain strain amplitude, which indicated that the damping properties of the magnesium matrix were effectively enhanced by the in situ-synthesized oxide particle. In addition, other damping mechanisms different from the G–L dislocation damping mechanism exist in MgO/Mg composites, i.e., the damping mechanism of the microplastic deformation, leading to a model of microplastic deformation damping established and its mechanistic analysis.
Maackia amurensis Rupr. et Maxim.: Supercritical CO2 Extraction and Mass Spectrometric Characterization of Chemical Constituents
Authors: Razgonova Mayya P. , Cherevach Elena I. , Tekutyeva Lyudmila A. , Fedoreyev Sergey A. , Mishchenko Natalia P. , Tarbeeva Darya V. , Demidova Ekaterina N. , Kirilenko Nikita S. , Golokhvast Kirill
Published: February 2023

Three types of extraction were used to obtain biologically active substances from the heartwood of M. amurensis: supercritical CO2 extraction, maceration with EtOH, and maceration with MeOH. The supercritical extraction method proved to be the most effective type of extraction, giving the highest yield of biologically active substances. Several experimental conditions were investigated in the pressure range of 50–400 bar, with 2% of ethanol as co-solvent in the liquid phase at a temperature in the range of 31–70 °C. The most effective extraction conditions are: pressure of 100 bar and a temperature of 55 °C for M. amurensis heartwood. The heartwood of M. amurensis contains various polyphenolic compounds and compounds of other chemical groups with valuable biological activity. Tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI—ion trap) was applied to detect target analytes. High-accuracy mass spectrometric data were recorded on an ion trap equipped with an ESI source in the modes of negative and positive ions. The four-stage ion separation mode was implemented. Sixty-six different biologically active components have been identified in M. amurensis extracts. Twenty-two polyphenols were identified for the first time in the genus Maackia.
New Type of Tannins Identified from the Seeds of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. by HPLC-ESI-MS/MS
Authors: Li Jun , Chen Lin , Jiang Hua , Li Min , Wang Lu , Li Jia-Xing , Wang Yue-Yue , Guo Qing-Xia
Published: February 2023

There is a lack of information on the compound profile of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc. seeds. This greatly affects their optimal utilization. In our preliminary study, we found that the extract of the seeds displayed a strong positive reaction to the FeCl3 solution, indicating the presence of polyphenols. However, to date, only nine polyphenols have been isolated. In this study, HPLC-ESI-MS/MS was employed to fully reveal the polyphenol profile of the seed extracts. A total of 90 polyphenols were identified. They were classified into nine brevifolincarboxyl tannins and their derivatives, 34 ellagitannins, 21 gallotannins, and 26 phenolic acids and their derivatives. Most of these were first identified from the seeds of C. officinalis. More importantly, five new types of tannins were reported for the first time: brevifolincarboxyl-trigalloyl-hexoside, digalloyl-dehydrohexahydroxydiphenoyl (DHHDP)-hexdside, galloyl-DHHDP-hexoside, DHHDP-hexahydroxydiphenoyl(HHDP)-galloyl-gluconic acid, and peroxide product of DHHDP-trigalloylhexoside. Moreover, the total phenolic content was as high as 79,157 ± 563 mg gallic acid equivalent per 100 g in the seeds extract. The results of this study not only enrich the structure database of tannins, but also provide invaluable aid to its further utilization in industries.
Evaluation of Antipsychotic Drugs’ Stability in Oral Fluid Samples
Authors: Gameiro Carina , Gonçalves Joana , Soares Sofia , Rosado Tiago , Araujo André R. T. S. , Passarinha Luís A. , Barroso Mário , Gallardo Eugenia
Published: February 2023

Antipsychotics have narrow therapeutic windows, and their monitoring in biological fluids is therefore important; consequently, stability in those fluids must be investigated during method development and validation. This work evaluates the stability of chlorpromazine, levomepromazine, cyamemazine, clozapine, haloperidol, and quetiapine in oral fluid (OF) samples, using the dried saliva spots (DSS) sampling approach and gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry. Since many parameters can influence the stability of the target analytes, design of experiments was adopted to check the crucial factors that affect that stability in a multivariate fashion. The studied parameters were the presence of preservatives at different concentrations, temperature, light, and time. It was possible to observe that antipsychotic stability improved when OF samples in DSS were stored at 4 °C, with a low ascorbic acid concentration, and in the absence of light. With these conditions, chlorpromazine and quetiapine were stable for 14 days, clozapine and haloperidol were stable for 28 days, levomepromazine remained stable for 44 days, and cyamemazine was stable for the entire monitored period (146 days). This is the first study that evaluates the stability of these antipsychotics in OF samples after application to DSS cards.
Chemotaxonomic Variation in Volatile Component Contents in Ancient Platycladus orientalis Leaves with Different Tree Ages in Huangdi Mausoleum
Authors: Cui Bei , Zheng Tao , Deng Ping , Zhang Sheng , Zhao Zhong
Published: February 2023

To gain insight into the differences in the composition and volatile components content in ancient Platycladus orientalis leaves with different tree ages in Huangdi Mausoleum, the volatile components were identified by headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (HS–SPME–GC–MS) method. The volatile components were statistically analyzed by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis, and the characteristic volatile components were screened. The results exhibited that a total of 72 volatile components were isolated and identified in 19 ancient Platycladus orientalis leaves with different tree ages, and 14 common volatile components were screened. Among them, the contents of α-pinene (6.40–16.76%), sabinene (1.11–7.29%), 3-carene (1.14–15.12%), terpinolene (2.17–4.95%), caryophyllene (8.04–13.53%), α-caryophyllene (7.34–14.41%), germacrene D (5.27–12.13%), (+)-Cedrol (2.34–11.30%) and α-terpinyl acetate (1.29–25.68%) were relatively higher (>1%), accounting for 83.40–87.61% of the total volatile components. Nineteen ancient Platycladus orientalis trees were clustered into three groups through the HCA method based on the 14 common volatile components content. Combined with the results of OPLS–DA analysis, (+)-cedrol, germacrene D, α-caryophyllene, α-terpinyl acetate, caryophyllene, β-myrcene, β-elemene and epiglobulol were the differential volatile components to distinguish ancient Platycladus orientalis with different tree ages. The results revealed that the composition of the volatile components in ancient Platycladus orientalis leaves with different tree ages was different, showing different aroma characteristics, which provided a theoretical reference for the differential development and application of volatile components in ancient Platycladus orientalis leaves.
Phytomediated Silver Nanoparticles (AgNPs) Embellish Antioxidant Defense System, Ameliorating HLB-Diseased ‘Kinnow’ Mandarin Plants
Authors: Umair Raza Muhammad , Abasi Fozia , Shahbaz Muhammad , Ehsan Maria , Seerat Wajiha , Akram Abida , Raja Naveed Iqbal , Mashwani Zia ur-Rehman , Hassan Hammad Ul , Proćków Jarosław
Published: February 2023

Citrus production is harmed worldwide by yellow dragon disease, also known as Huanglongbing (HLB), or citrus greening. As a result, it has negative effects and a significant impact on the agro-industrial sector. There is still no viable biocompatible treatment for Huanglongbing, despite enormous efforts to combat this disease and decrease its detrimental effects on citrus production. Nowadays, green-synthesized nanoparticles are gaining attention for their use in controlling various crop diseases. This research is the first scientific approach to examine the potential of phylogenic silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to restore the health of Huanglongbing-diseased ‘Kinnow’ mandarin plants in a biocompatible manner. AgNPs were synthesized using Moringa oleifera as a reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent and characterized using different characterization techniques, i.e., UV–visible spectroscopy with a maximum average peak at 418 nm, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with a size of 74 nm, and energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), which confirmed the presence of silver ions along with different elements, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy served to confirm different functional groups of elements. Exogenously, AgNPs at various concentrations, i.e., 25, 50, 75, and 100 mgL−1, were applied against Huanglongbing-diseased plants to evaluate the physiological, biochemical, and fruit parameters. The findings of the current study revealed that 75 mgL−1 AgNPs were most effective in boosting the plants’ physiological profiles, i.e., chl a, chl b, total chl, carotenoid content, MSI, and RWC up to 92.87%, 93.36%, 66.72%, 80.95%, 59.61%, and 79.55%, respectively; biochemical parameters, i.e., 75 mgL−1 concentration decreased the proline content by up to 40.98%, and increased the SSC, SOD, POD, CAT, TPC, and TFC content by 74.75%, 72.86%, 93.76%, 76.41%, 73.98%, and 92.85%, respectively; and fruit parameters, i.e., 75 mgL−1 concentration increased the average fruit weight, peel diameter, peel weight, juice weight, rag weight, juice pH, total soluble solids, and total sugarby up to 90.78%, 8.65%, 68.06%, 84.74%, 74.66%, 52.58%, 72.94%, and 69.69%, respectively. These findings enable us to develop the AgNP formulation as a potential citrus Huanglongbing disease management method.