bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interface Engineering of SRu-mC3N4 Heterostructures for Enhanced Electrochemical Hydrazine Oxidation Reactions
Authors: Munde Ajay , Sharma Priti , Dhawale Somnath , Kadam Ravishankar G. , Kumar Subodh , Kale Hanumant B. , Filip Jan , Zboril Radek , Sathe Bhaskar R. , Gawande Manoj B.
Published: December 2022

Hydrazine oxidation in single-atom catalysts (SACs) could exploit the efficiency of metal atom utilization, which is a substitution for noble metal-based electrolysers that results in reduced overall cost. A well-established ruthenium single atom over mesoporous carbon nitride (SRu-mC3N4) catalyst is explored for the electro-oxidation of hydrazine as one of the model reactions for direct fuel cell reactions. The electrochemical activity observed with linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) confirmed that SRu-mC3N4 shows an ultra-low onset potential of 0.88 V vs. RHE, and with a current density of 10 mA/cm2 the observed potential was 1.19 V vs. RHE, compared with mesoporous carbon nitride (mC3N4) (1.77 V vs. RHE). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and chronoamperometry (i-t) studies on SRu-mC3N4 show a smaller charge-transfer resistance (RCt) of 2950 Ω and long-term potential, as well as current stability of 50 h and 20 mA/cm2, respectively. Herein, an efficient and enhanced activity toward HzOR was demonstrated on SRu-mC3N4 from its synergistic platform over highly porous C3N4, possessing large and independent active sites, and improving the subsequent large-scale reaction.
Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Derived Apoptotic Bodies: Biological Functions and Therapeutic Potential
Authors: Tang Huixue , Luo Huikun , Zhang Zihan , Yang Di
Published: December 2022

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are non-hematopoietic progenitor cells with self-renewal ability and multipotency of osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic differentiation. MSCs have appeared as a promising approach for tissue regeneration and immune therapies, which are attributable not only to their differentiation into the desired cells but also to their paracrine secretion. MSC-sourced secretome consists of soluble components including growth factors, chemokines, cytokines, and encapsulated extracellular vesicles (EVs). Apoptotic bodies (ABs) are large EVs (diameter 500𠀓2000 nm) harboring a variety of cellular components including microRNA, mRNA, DNA, protein, and lipids related to the characteristics of the originating cell, which are generated during apoptosis. The released ABs as well as the genetic information they carry are engulfed by target cells such as macrophages, dendritic cells, epithelial cells, and fibroblasts, and subsequently internalized and degraded in the lysosomes, suggesting their ability to facilitate intercellular communication. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of the biological functions and therapeutic potential of MSC-derived ABs, including immunomodulation, tissue regeneration, regulation of inflammatory response, and drug delivery system.
Trifloroside Induces Bioactive Effects on Differentiation, Adhesion, Migration, and Mineralization in Pre-Osteoblast MC3T3E-1 Cells
Authors: Yun Hyung-Mun , Kim Bomi , Park Ji Eun , Park Kyung-Ran
Published: December 2022

Gentianae Scabrae Radix is used in traditional medicine and is known to possess bioactive compounds, including secoiridoid glycosides, flavonoids, lignans, and triterpenes. Trifloroside (TriFs) is a secoiridoid glycoside known for its antioxidant activity; however, its other effects have not been studied. In the present study, we investigated the biological effects of TriFs isolated from the roots of Gentianae Scabrae Radix using pre-osteoblast MC3T3E-1 cells. No cellular toxicity was observed with 1 μM TriFs, whereas 5–100 μM TriFs showed a gradual increase in cell viability. Alkaline phosphatase staining and microscopic observations revealed that 1–10 μM TriFs stimulated osteogenic activity during early osteoblast differentiation. Trifloroside also increased mineral apposition during osteoblast maturation. Biochemical analyses revealed that TriFs promoted nuclear RUNX2 expression and localization by stimulating the major osteogenic BMP2-Smad1/5/8-RUNX2 pathway. Trifloroside also increased p-GSK3β, β-catenin, p-JNK, and p-p38, but not Wnt3a, p-AKT, and p-ERK. Moreover, TriFs increased the MMP13 levels and promoted cell migration and adhesion. In contrast, TriFs-induced osteoblast differentiation and maturation had negligible effects on autophagy and necrosis. Our findings suggest that TriFs induces osteogenic effects through differentiation, adhesion, migration, and mineral apposition. Therefore, TriFs is suggested as a potential drug target in osteoblast-mediated bone diseases.
Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Hormones Impair Pig Fertilization and Preimplantation Embryo Development via Inducing Oviductal Epithelial Apoptosis: An In Vitro Study
Authors: An Jin-Song , Wang Guo-Liang , Wang Dong-Ming , Yang Yong-Qing , Wu Jia-Shun , Zhao Ying-Qi , Gong Shuai , Tan Jing-He
Published: December 2022

Previous studies show that stressful events after ovulation in sows significantly impaired the embryo cleavage with a significant elevation of blood cortisol. However, the effects of corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol on fertilization and embryo development remain to be specified, and whether they damage pig embryos directly or indirectly is unclear. This study demonstrated that embryo development was unaffected when pig parthenotes were cultured with different concentrations of CRH/ACTH/cortisol. However, embryo development was significantly impaired when the embryos were cocultured with pig oviductal epithelial cells (OECs) in the presence of CRH/cortisol or cultured in medium that was conditioned with CRH/cortisol-pretreated OECs (CRH/cortisol-CM). Fertilization in CRH/cortisol-CM significantly increased the rates of polyspermy. CRH and cortisol induced apoptosis of OECs through FAS and TNFα signaling. The apoptotic OECs produced less growth factors but more FASL and TNFα, which induced apoptosis in embryos. Pig embryos were not sensitive to CRH because they expressed no CRH receptor but the CRH-binding protein, and they were tolerant to cortisol because they expressed more 11-beta hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 2 (HSD11B2) than HSD11B1. When used at a stress-induced physiological concentration, while culture with either CRH or cortisol alone showed no effect, culture with both significantly increased apoptosis in OECs. In conclusion, CRH and cortisol impair pig fertilization and preimplantation embryo development indirectly by inducing OEC apoptosis via the activation of the FAS and TNFα systems. ACTH did not show any detrimental effect on pig embryos, nor OECs.
The Dynamics of Cryptococcus neoformans Cell and Transcriptional Remodeling during Infection
Authors: Freitas Gustavo J. C. , Gouveia-Eufrasio Ludmila , Emidio Eluzia C. P. , Carneiro Hellem C. S. , de Matos Baltazar Ludmila , Costa Marliete C. , Frases Susana , de Sousa Araújo Glauber R. , Paixão Tatiane A. , Sossai Brunno G. , Caza Melissa , Kronstad James W. , Peres Nalu T. A. , Santos Daniel A.
Published: December 2022

The phenotypic plasticity of Cryptococcus neoformans is widely studied and demonstrated in vitro, but its influence on pathogenicity remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the dynamics of cryptococcal cell and transcriptional remodeling during pulmonary infection in a murine model. We showed that in Cryptococcus neoformans, cell size reduction (cell body ≤ 3 µm) is important for initial adaptation during infection. This change was associated with reproductive fitness and tissue invasion. Subsequently, the fungus develops mechanisms aimed at resistance to the host’s immune response, which is determinant for virulence. We investigated the transcriptional changes involved in this cellular remodeling and found an upregulation of transcripts related to ribosome biogenesis at the beginning (6 h) of infection and a later (10 days) upregulation of transcripts involved in the inositol pathway, energy production, and the proteasome. Consistent with a role for the proteasome, we found that its inhibition delayed cell remodeling during infection with the H99 strain. Altogether, these results further our understanding of the infection biology of C. neoformans and provide perspectives to support therapeutic and diagnostic targets for cryptococcosis.
Microwave Plasma Assisted Aerosol Deposition (μ-PAD) for Ceramic Coating Applications
Authors: Jang Soo Ouk , Cho Changhyun , Kim Ji Hun , Kang In Je , Chang Hyonu , Park Hyunjae , Lee Kyungmin , Kim Dae Gun , Seok Hye Won
Published: December 2022

To improve plasma and chemical resistance on various vacuum components used for semiconductor manufacturing equipment, various ceramic coating techniques have been applied. Among these methods for ceramic coating, the well-known atmospheric plasma spray (APS) is advantageous for providing thick film (100 µm or more) deposition. However, there are problems associated with the phase transition of the coating film and poor film quality due to formation of voids. To solve these problems, the aerosol deposition (AD) method has been developed. This method provides nice ceramic film quality. However, the coating rate is quite slow and has difficulty producing thick films (>30 µm). To overcome these limitations, microwave plasma-assisted aerosol deposition (μ-PAD) is applied at low vacuum conditions without the AD nozzle. This method uses a microwave plasma source during the AD process. After enduring a long-term durability test, as a trial run, μ-PAD has been applied on the actual process site. With the Al2O3 powder, μ-PAD shows a coating rate that is 12 times higher than the AD method. In addition, the formation of a thicker film (96 µm) deposition has been demonstrated. On the other hand, the coating film hardness, porosity, adhesion, and withstand voltage characteristics were confirmed to be less than the AD method.
Medicinal Chemistry of Quinazolines as Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Agents
Authors: Zayed Mohamed F.
Published: December 2022

Quinazoline is an essential scaffold, known to be linked with various biological activities. Some of the prominent biological activities of this system are analgesic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypertensive, anti-bacterial, anti-diabetic, anti-malarial, sedative–hypnotic, anti-histaminic, anti-cancer, anti-convulsant, anti-tubercular, and anti-viral activities. This diversity in the pharmacological response of the quinazoline system has encouraged medicinal chemists to study and discover this system and its multitude of potential against several biological activities. Many of these studies have successfully investigated the structure–activity relationship to explore the specific structural features of their biological targets. The developing understanding of quinazoline derivatives and their biological targets presents opportunities for the discovery of novel therapeutics. This review represents different aspects of medicinal chemistry, including drug design, structure–activity relationship, and the mode of action of some analgesic and anti-inflammatory quinazoline compounds. It pays comprehensive attention to the analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities of quinazolines from the viewpoint of drug discovery and its development.
Relationship between Internet Addiction, Personality Factors, and Emotional Distress among Adolescents in Malaysia
Authors: Fu Soh Chou , Pang Nicholas Tze Ping , Wider Walton
Published: December 2022

COVID-19 has significantly affected the mental health of adolescents, thus increasing the emotional distress among them. Studies have reported that heavy Internet use during COVID-19 was linked with poor mental health among adolescents. Additionally, it was found that personality factors are linked with mental health in general. Although past literature has reported the effect of personality factors on mental health, there are limited studies examining the underlying mechanisms among Malaysian adolescents. Therefore, the current study offers an understanding of the intervening role of personality factors in the relationship between Internet addiction and emotional distress among adolescents in Malaysia. This study also aimed to determine the prevalence of Internet addiction and emotional distress (depression, stress, and anxiety) among adolescents in Malaysia. There are a total of 500 participants from 7 secondary schools who range from 13 to 19 years of age. This was a cross-sectional study, and 3 valid questionnaires were used: The Internet Addiction Test (IAT), the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21), and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory (TIPI). Partial least square structure equation modelling (SmartPLS) was used to analyse the mediation models. The results showed that the prevalence of Internet addiction among adolescents was 29.6% and the prevalence of depression, anxiety, and stress among adolescents were 64.8%, 78%, and 51.4%, respectively. Furthermore, mediation analysis showed only emotional stability mediated the relationship between Internet addiction and emotional distress, but not openness to experience, extraversion, conscientiousness, or agreeableness. It is proposed that mental health providers should focus on providing emotion-related interventions to adolescents confronting COVID-19 challenges, ultimately improving mental health.
MicroRNA-10 Family Promotes the Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition in Renal Fibrosis by the PTEN/Akt Pathway
Authors: Wang Chaokun , Shuai Yichen , Zhao Chuan , Yang Fengrui , Su Weilian , Ning Zhifen , Li Guoxia
Published: December 2022

Renal fibrosis (RF) is a common reason for renal failure, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a vital mechanism that promotes the development of RF. It is known that microRNA-10 (miR-10) plays an important role in cancer EMT; however, whether it takes part in the EMT process of RF remains unclear. Therefore, we established an in vivo model of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), and an in vitro model using TGF-β1, to investigate whether and how miR-10a and miR-10b take part in the EMT of RF. In addition, the combinatorial effects of miR-10a and miR-10b were assessed. We discovered that miR-10a and miR-10b are overexpressed in UUO mice, and miR-10a, miR-10b, and miRs-10a/10b knockout attenuated RF and EMT in UUO-treated mouse kidneys. Moreover, miR-10a and miR-10b overexpression combinatorially promoted RF and EMT in TGF-β1-treated HK-2 cells. Inhibiting miR-10a and miR-10b attenuated RF and EMT induced by TGF-β1. Mechanistically, miR-10a and miR-10b suppressed PTEN expression by binding to its mRNA3′-UTR and promoting the Akt pathway. Moreover, PTEN overexpression reduced miR-10a and miR-10b effects on Akt phosphorylation (p-Akt), RF, and EMT in HK-2 cells treated with TGF-β1. Taken together, miR-10a and miR-10b act combinatorially to negatively regulate PTEN, thereby activating the Akt pathway and promoting the EMT process, which exacerbates RF progression.
Effects of Tillage Intensity, Cover Crop Species and Cover Crop Biomass on N-Fluxes, Weeds and Oat Yields in an Organic Field Experiment in Germany
Authors: Grosse Meike , Haase Thorsten , Heß Jürgen
Published: December 2022

The non-turning or only superficial turning of soil is considered to be a gentle tillage method. Nevertheless, conventional ploughs are widely used in organic farming for crop production reasons. For the further development of reduced tillage, and up to no tillage, the effects of three cover crop species and their incorporation with different tillage intensities on nitrogen (N) dynamics, weed emergence and the yield of the subsequent main crop, oats, were examined in a repeated organic one-year trial. Sinapis alba, Trifolium resupinatum, Vicia sativa and bare fallow were tested and incorporated using (1) a plough (PL), (2) reduced tillage (RT), (3) mulching + drilling (MD) and (4) direct drilling (DD). V. sativa was the most promising cover crop in combination with RT, MD and DD. In Trial 1, the soil mineral N content and oat yields after the introduction of V. sativa were on a similar level as those in the PL treatments, and weeds were not yield-limiting there. In Trial 2, the biomass production of V. sativa was only about half of that of Trial 1 and did not offer sufficient weed control, but V. sativa was still successful in the RT treatments. In both trials, the yield differences were more pronounced between the cover crop treatments after RT than after PL. RT, therefore, was more dependent on an adequate cover crop species than PL. The no-till method was not only dependent on an adequate cover crop species but also on its proper biomass production for sufficient weed control.
Growth Mechanism of Ice Lens in Saturated Clay Considering Surface Charge
Authors: Liu Xiaoyan , Cheng Hua , Chen Hanqing , Wang Xiaoyun , Guo Longhui
Published: December 2022

The main purpose of this study is to reveal the growth mechanism of ice lens in saturated clay. The deformation and fracturing of clay skeletons caused by ice crystal growth during the freezing process are gradually discussed, and a theoretical model for the whole process of ice lens growth considering the surface charge is proposed. Firstly, the electrical properties of clay surfaces and the pore structure characteristics of frozen clay are introduced, and the stress of pore walls during the growth of single pore ice crystals is calculated. Secondly, the values of parameters in the theoretical formula of separation pressure between adjacent clay particles are given when considering the linear elasticity of clay. Finally, the formation mechanism of the new lens is described, and the crack growth velocity equation is given. This paper shows that: there is a good consistency between the soil tensile strength of the macroscopic dimension and the intergranular separation pressure of the molecular dimension in judging the production conditions of the new lens; the formation of the new ice lens is the result of the destruction of the pore structure and the propagation of cracks caused by the growth of ice crystals, and more pore freezing can be caused only when the infiltration path of the ice crystals is formed in the pore structure. In order to verify the model, the ultimate compressive strength of soil calculated in this study was compared with the existing test results, and the rationality and correctness of the model are discussed. This study is of great significance to accurately understand the frost heave process.
First Principles Study of Double Boron Atoms Supported on Graphitic Carbon Nitride (g-C3N4) for Nitrogen Electroreduction
Authors: Wang Xiaoxia , Lin Lin , Li Baihai
Published: December 2022

Electrocatalytic reduction of N2 provides a clean, sustainable way for NH3 production. Efficient catalysts thus play a key role but remain a long-term challenge. In this study, the catalytic activity of double boron supported on graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) for a N2 reduction reaction (NRR) is explored by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Our results show that double boron atoms embedded in g-C3N4 with coordination of four N atoms and two boron atoms exhibits an excellent NRR performance with negligible energy consumption for adding hydrogen to *N2, while a moderate ΔG of 0.58 eV for the formation of the second NH3 suggests this catalyst is a potential candidate for N2 fixation.
Structural and Spectroscopic Features of the Bixbyite-Type Yttrium Scandate Doped by Rare-Earth Ions
Authors: Dobretsova Elena , Alimov Olimkhon , Guryev Denis , Voronov Valery , Rusanov Sergey , Kashin Vitaly , Kutovoy Sergey , Vlasov Viktor , Badyanova Lubov , Novikov Ivan , Tsvetkov Vladimir
Published: December 2022

Yttrium scandate crystal fiber has been obtained through laser-heated pedestal growth. The crystal belongs to a bixbyite crystal structure and crystallizes in Ia3¯ space group. X-ray diffraction method shows a lattice parameter of a = 10.228(1) Å. Factor-group analysis of YScO3 Raman spectra points to high degree of disorder in crystal structure of the new compound. Spectral-kinetic investigation of the crystal fibers doped by rare-earth ions points to the presence of two independent active optical centers of rare-earth ions. Moreover, the character of rare-earth impurities’ distribution is independent on a rare-earth ionic radius size.
Study on Gemological Characteristics and Inclusions of Yellow Topaz
Authors: Song Zixiong , Guo Qingfeng , Liao Libing
Published: December 2022

Topaz is a kind of mineral with variable composition and a common gemstone variety. Because of its wide distribution and rich colors, it has attracted the attention of scholars around the world. In this paper, the composition, spectral, and gemological characteristics of yellow topaz were systematically characterized, and the dark inclusions inside the samples were discussed and analyzed. The results show that the yellow topaz has a glassy luster, transparent, with a refractive index of 1.609–1.617 and a birefringence of 0.008. The topaz sample has columnar crystal shape and a typical rhomboid cross section. The infrared spectral characteristic absorption peaks of yellow topaz mainly appear near 3649, 3426, 950, 628, 550, and 457 cm−1. The characteristic absorption peaks for Raman spectra are mainly at 937, 404, and 267 cm−1. The UV-vis spectra of all samples only had strong absorption bands in the range of 200–300 nm. The results of XRF and EMPA showed that the contents of Al2O3 and SiO2 in the samples were 52.79 (wt%) and 29.55 (wt%), respectively, and it was reasonable to speculate that the chromogenic element of the yellow color was iron. The inclusions in yellow topaz samples are mainly fluid inclusions, healing cracks, and albite. This paper has enriched the gemological characteristics of topaz and can provide theoretical data for the research and marketization of topaz.
Shared Landscapes: Optimising Conservation Strategies Using Tiger and Elephant Sympatry in India
Authors: Menon Vivek , Bhattacharyya Kamalika , Sinha Samir Kumar , Tiwari Sandeep Kumar , Kaul Rahul
Published: December 2022

Asian elephants (Elephas maximus) and tigers (Panthera tigris) share the same landscape in India. Elephants, which range over 239,171 km2, occupy 45.5% of the 433,261 km2 habitat that tigers inhabit. Equally, at least 40% of elephant corridors are used by tigers. A shared landscape offers opportunities for careful, integrated management strategies with shared resources. The species are protected differently in India, with tiger reserves being legal entities dedicated to the protection of tigers and their habitats, and Elephant Reserves being management units with no legal standing. With additional disparities in financial supports to tiger reserves—which receive 10 times more money than elephant reserves—it is obvious that the elephant reserves are being treated inequitably. Since the two species coexist in the same landscapes, efforts to protect tigers can help to make up for elephant conservation gaps and optimise the use of conservation resources by tweaking a few management and policy practices. In addition, the overlay of tigers using elephant corridors can efficiently secure habitat linkages for both species.
Species- and Trait-Based Reconstructions of the Hydrological Regime in a Tropical Peatland (Central Sumatra, Indonesia) during the Holocene Using Testate Amoebae
Authors: Tsyganov Andrey N. , Malysheva Elena A. , Mazei Yuri A. , Anggi Hapsari K. , Behling Hermann , Sabiham Supiandi , Biagioni Siria , Krashevska Valentyna
Published: December 2022

Paleoecological reconstructions of hydrological regimes in tropical peatlands during the Holocene are important for the estimation of their responses to changing environments. However, the application of some widely used proxies, such as testate amoebae, is hampered by poor knowledge of their morphology and ecological preferences in the region. The aim of this study is to describe the morphospecies composition of sub-fossil testate amoebae in deposits of a tropical peatland in Central Sumatra (Indonesia) during the Holocene and reconstruct the hydrological regime using morphospecies- and functional-trait-based approaches. In total, 48 testate amoeba morphospecies were observed. Based on morphospecies composition, we distinguished three main periods of peatland development (13,400–8000, 8000–2000, 2000 cal yr BP–present). The application of the morphospecies-based transfer function provided a more reliable reconstruction of the water regime in comparison to the functional trait-based one. The weak performance of the latter might be related to the poor preservation of shells and the greater variation in the functional traits in sub-fossil communities as compared to the training set and linear modeling approach. These results call for future studies on the functional and morphospecies composition of testate amoebae in a wider range of tropical peatlands to improve the quality of hydrological reconstructions.
Foraging Patterns of Non-Territorial Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca): A Case of Successful Adaptation
Authors: Demerdzhiev Dimitar , Angelov Ivaylo , Dobrev Dobromir
Published: December 2022

The Optimal Foraging Theory predicts that, to maximize fitness, animals adapt their foraging strategy that provides the most benefit for the lowest cost, maximizing the net energy gained. While the diet of many breeding raptor populations is well known, studies on the foraging patterns of non-territorial birds of prey (floaters) are scarce. In this study, we examined the foraging pattern of non-territorial Eastern Imperial Eagle, scrutinizing different aspects of its feeding ecology and behavior. We built a simple model of the optimal foraging strategy of floater eagles including the success of foraging as a currency as well as environmental factors such as seasons, type of prey, habitat, foraging techniques, and eagle age as a limitation affecting the foraging efficiency of birds. We found that floaters focused their diet exclusively on European Souslik, accounting for almost half (44.2%) of the eagle’s prey. Diet differences between floaters and breeders were due to higher Souslik and carrion consumption and lower Hedgehog predation by floater eagles. The diet diversity of breeding eagles (H = 3.297) was much higher than that of floaters (H = 1.748). Our model suggested that the foraging mode, habitat type, and season best explained the feeding success of non-territorial eagles (ΔAIC = 0.00, w = 0.42). Of all explanatory factors, “Kleptoparasitism” (β2 = −4.35), “Rodents” (β2 = −4.52), “Pasture” (β2 = 2.96), “Wheat” (β2 = 4.41), “In the air” (β2 = 4.16), and “Other habitats” (β2 = 4.17) had a pronounced effect. The factors “Spring–summer season” (β2 = −0.67) and “European Souslik” (β2 = −2.76) had a marginal effect in our models. Generally, the mean success rate of attack modes used by non-territorial eagles was 0.54 ± 0.50. Floaters successfully obtained food through: kleptoparasitism (43.10%), carrion feeding (24.14%), and high soar with vertical stoop (14.66%). Several important issues for the conservation of non-territorial Eastern Imperial Eagles arose from our research. The strong relation of floaters with the European Souslik calls for specific conservation measures aimed at the conservation of this type of prey and the restoration and appropriate management of its grassland habitats. The importance of the scavenging behavior of juvenile birds requires increased control of the use of poison baits and subsequent prosecution by state institutions. Protecting the most important temporary areas, improving institutional control against the use of poison baits, and intensifying awareness-raising campaigns among pigeon-fanciers and hunters are also of crucial importance for effective species conservation.
A Comparative Analysis of the State-of-the-Art Methods for Multifunctional Bio-Inspired Design and an Introduction to Domain Integrated Design (DID)
Authors: Velivela Pavan , Zhao Yaoyao
Published: December 2022

Nature is a continuous source of inspiration for scientists and engineers for creating innovative products. In the past decade, many methods, frameworks, and tools have been developed to support the design and development of biologically inspired products. This research provides an overview of the current state-of-the-art bio-inspired design methods and identifies that there is a need for the development of methods to support multifunctionality in design. Although there are several methods that assist in the development of multifunctional designs inspired by biology, there is still a gap identified in the emulation and integration of biological features to achieve multifunctional bio-inspired designs. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the current methods for multifunctional bio-inspired design based on nine specific criteria and, in the end, introduces a new design method called Domain Integrated Design (DID) that will further aid in the generation of multifunctional design concepts inspired from biology.
Microvascular Changes after Scleral Buckling for Rhegmatogenous Retinal Detachment: An Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Study
Authors: Fallico Matteo , Longo Antonio , Avitabile Teresio , Alosi Pietro , Grillo Marco , Castellino Niccolò , Bonfiglio Vincenza , Reibaldi Michele , Pignatelli Francesco , Russo Andrea
Published: December 2022

This retrospective study aimed to investigate macular microvascular alterations after successful scleral buckling (SB) for rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD). Nineteen eyes with macula-on RRD and 18 eyes with macula-off RRD were included. In all cases, an encircling band was placed. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was performed at baseline and postoperatively. Changes in the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area and vessel density (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were the primary outcomes. Correlations between OCTA findings and clinical variables were considered secondary outcomes. In both the macula-on and macula-off groups, the FAZ area was comparable with controls. In the macula-on group, VD in the whole SCP was lower compared with controls at both baseline (p < 0.001) and 6 months (p = 0.03), but showed a significant increase after surgery (p = 0.004). In the macula-off group, postoperative VD in both whole SCP and whole DCP was lower compared with controls (p < 0.001). In the macula-on group, there was an inverse correlation between axial length increase and SCP VD change (r = −0.508; p = 0.03). These findings demonstrated microvascular alterations after SB for RRD. However, VD impairment seems to be mitigated after surgery. A greater increase in postoperative axial length was associated with a poorer VD outcome.
Rare Case of a Peripheral Giant Cell Granuloma of the Jaw as First Manifestation of Primary Hyperparathyroidism
Authors: Buchholzer Samanta , Lombardi Tommaso
Published: December 2022

Giant cell granulomas (GCG) are uncommon benign tumor-like lesions mostly arising in the oro-facial area. They are more common in women and occur in patients younger than 30 years. Lesions restricted to the bone are referred to as central giant cell granulomas (CGCG), and those developing primarily on soft tissues are termed peripheral giant cell granulomas (PGCG). Both types are histologically identical. The combination of both clinical examination and radiography allows for the differentiation of those two variants. On rare occasions GCG, and especially CGCG, may develop in relation to hypercalcemia linked to hyperparathyroidism (HPT). In those cases, the GCG treatment prognosis is closely linked to the HPT management. Therefore, patients diagnosed with a GCG must be investigated to search for an HPT. Reported herein is a rare clinical case of a mandibular PGCG which led to the diagnosis of primary HPT.
Complex Roles of NEIL1 and OGG1: Insights Gained from Murine Knockouts and Human Polymorphic Variants
Authors: Lloyd R. Stephen
Published: December 2022

DNA glycosylases promote genomic stability by initiating base excision repair (BER) in both the nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. Several of these enzymes have overlapping substrate recognition, through which a degree of redundancy in lesion recognition is achieved. For example, OGG1 and NEIL1 both recognize and release the imidazole-ring-fragmented guanine, FapyGua as part of a common overall pathway to cleanse the genome of damaged bases. However, these glycosylases have many differences, including their differential breadth of substrate specificity, the contrasting chemistries through which base release occurs, the subsequent steps required to complete the BER pathway, and the identity of specific protein-binding partners. Beyond these differences, the complexities and differences of their in vivo biological roles have been primarily elucidated in studies of murine models harboring a knockout of Neil1 or Ogg1, with the diversity of phenotypic manifestations exceeding what might have been anticipated for a DNA glycosylase deficiency. Pathologies associated with deficiencies in nuclear DNA repair include differential cancer susceptibilities, where Ogg1-deficient mice are generally refractory to carcinogenesis, while deficiencies in Neil1-deficient mice confer cancer susceptibility. In contrast to NEIL1, OGG1 functions as a key transcription factor in regulating inflammation and other complex gene cascades. With regard to phenotypes attributed to mitochondrial repair, knockout of either of these genes results in age- and diet-induced metabolic syndrome. The adverse health consequences associated with metabolic syndrome can be largely overcome by expression of a mitochondrial-targeted human OGG1 in both wild-type and Ogg1-deficient mice. The goal of this review is to compare the roles that NEIL1 and OGG1 play in maintaining genomic integrity, with emphasis on insights gained from not only the diverse phenotypes that are manifested in knockout and transgenic mice, but also human disease susceptibility associated with polymorphic variants.
Experiences of Parents and Teachers with Virtual Classrooms during the COVID-19 Restrictions: A Study Focusing on Inclusive Education in Malaysia
Authors: Phua Chu Yun , Chua Kah Heng , Bong Way Kiat
Published: December 2022

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in emergency remote teaching in many countries. In Malaysia, not all households were prepared for remote teaching. This has caused some groups of students to be left out. Therefore, in this study we aim to investigate the experiences of parents and teachers concerning inclusiveness of the education delivered via virtual classrooms during the pandemic time in Malaysia. Questionnaires were distributed online to gather feedback from parents, teachers and anyone having both roles. 379 respondents completed the questionnaire. The findings indicate that stable Internet access, adequate information and communications technology (ICT) competencies among teachers and parents, and a more holistic role of the Ministry of Education could contribute to implementing a more inclusive remote teaching. Statistical data showing significant associations suggest that parents and teachers having master’s degree and above tended to be more concerned with providing inclusive remote teaching to the students. Readiness in making virtual classrooms more inclusive was higher among those teaching science and mathematics subjects than those teaching art and humanities subjects. An implication of this study is to guide the implementation of digital teaching and learning in the future, considering the involvement of policy makers, researchers, teachers, and parents.
SARIMA: A Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average Model for Crime Analysis in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Noor Talal H. , Almars Abdulqader M. , Alwateer Majed , Almaliki Malik , Gad Ibrahim , Atlam El-Sayed
Published: December 2022

Crimes have clearly had a detrimental impact on a nation’s development, prosperity, reputation, and economy. The issue of crime has become one of the most pressing concerns in societies, thus reducing the crime rate has become an increasingly critical task. Recently, several studies have been proposed to identify the causes and occurrences of crime in order to identify ways to reduce crime rates. However, few studies have been conducted in Saudi Arabia technological solutions based on crime analysis. The analysis of crime can help governments identify hotspots of crime and monitor crime distribution. This study aims to investigate which Saudi Arabian areas will experience increased crime rates in the coming years. This research helps law enforcement agencies to effectively utilize available resources in order to reduce crime rates. This paper proposes SARIMA model which focuses on identifying factors that affect crimes in Saudi Arabia, estimating a reasonable crime rate, and identifying the likelihood of crime distribution based on various locations. The dataset used in this study is obtained from Saudi Arabian official government channels. There is detailed information related to time and place along with crime statistics pertaining to different types of crimes. Furthermore, the new proposed method performs better than other traditional classifiers such as Linear Regression, XGB, and Random Forest. Finally, SARIMA model has an MAE score of 0.066559, which is higher than the other models.
Semi-Supervised Group Emotion Recognition Based on Contrastive Learning
Authors: Zhang Jiayi , Wang Xingzhi , Zhang Dong , Lee Dah-Jye
Published: December 2022

The performance of all learning-based group emotion recognition (GER) methods depends on the number of labeled samples. Although there are lots of group emotion images available on the Internet, labeling them manually is a labor-intensive and cost-expensive process. For this reason, datasets for GER are usually small in size, which limits the performance of GER. Considering labeling manually is challenging, using limited labeled images and a large number of unlabeled images in the network training is a potential way to improve the performance of GER. In this work, we propose a semi-supervised group emotion recognition framework based on contrastive learning to learn efficient features from both labeled and unlabeled images. In the proposed method, the unlabeled images are used to pretrain the backbone by a contrastive learning method, and the labeled images are used to fine-tune the network. The unlabeled images are then given pseudo-labels by the fine-tuned network and used for further training. In order to alleviate the uncertainty of the given pseudo-labels, we propose a Weight Cross-Entropy Loss (WCE-Loss) to suppress the influence of the samples with unreliable pseudo-labels in the training process. Experiment results on three prominent benchmark datasets for GER show the effectiveness of the proposed framework and its superiority compared with other competitive state-of-the-art methods.
Hybrid Convolutional Network Combining 3D Depthwise Separable Convolution and Receptive Field Control for Hyperspectral Image Classification
Authors: Lin Chengle , Wang Tingyu , Dong Shuyan , Zhang Qizhong , Yang Zhangyi , Gao Farong
Published: December 2022

Deep-learning-based methods have been widely used in hyperspectral image classification. In order to solve the problems of the excessive parameters and computational cost of 3D convolution, and loss of detailed information due to the excessive increase in the receptive field in pursuit of multi-scale features, this paper proposes a lightweight hybrid convolutional network called the 3D lightweight receptive control network (LRCNet). The proposed network consists of a 3D depthwise separable convolutional network and a receptive field control network. The 3D depthwise separable convolutional network uses the depthwise separable technique to capture the joint features of spatial and spectral dimensions while reducing the number of computational parameters. The receptive field control network ensures the extraction of hyperspectral image (HSI) details by controlling the convolution kernel. In order to verify the validity of the proposed method, we test the classification accuracy of the LRCNet based on three public datasets, which exceeds 99.50% The results show that compare with state-of-the-art methods, the proposed network has competitive classification performance.
Industrial Fault Detection Based on Discriminant Enhanced Stacking Auto-Encoder Model
Authors: Liu Bowen , Chai Yi , Jiang Yutao , Wang Yiming
Published: December 2022

In the recent years, deep learning has been widely used in process monitoring due to its strong ability to extract features. However, with the increasing layers of the deep network, the compression of features by the deep model will lead to the loss of some valuable information and affect the model’s performance. To solve this problem, a fault detection method based on a discriminant enhanced stacked auto-encoder is proposed. An enhanced stacked auto-encoder network structure is designed, and the original data is added to each hidden layer in the model pre-training process to solve the problem of information loss in the feature extraction process. Then the self-encoding network is combined with spectral regression kernel discriminant analysis. The fault category information is introduced into the features to optimize the features and enhance the discrimination of the extracted features. The Euclidean distance is used for fault detection based on the extracted features. From the Tennessee Eastman process experiment, it can be found that the detection accuracy of this method is about 9.4% higher than that of the traditional stacked auto-encoder method.
A Novel Ensemble Weight-Assisted Yolov5-Based Deep Learning Technique for the Localization and Detection of Malaria Parasites
Authors: Paul Sumit , Batra Salil , Mohiuddin Khalid , Miladi Mohamed Nadhmi , Anand Divya , A. Nasr Osman
Published: December 2022

The traditional way of diagnosing malaria takes time, as physicians have to check about 5000 cells to produce the final report. The accuracy of the final report also depends on the physician’s expertise. In the event of a malaria epidemic, a shortage of qualified physicians can become a problem. In the manual method, the parasites are identified by visual identification; this technique can be automated with the use of new algorithms. There are numerous publicly available image datasets containing the intricate structure of parasites, and deep learning algorithms can recognize these complicated patterns in the images. This study aims to identify and localize malaria parasites in the photograph of blood cells using the YOLOv5 model. In this research, a publicly available malaria trophozoite dataset is utilized which contains 1182 data samples. YOLOv5, with the novel technique of weight ensemble and traditional transfer learning, is trained using this dataset, and the results were compared with the other object detection models—for instance, Faster RCNN, SSD net, and the hybrid model. It was observed that YOLOv5 with the ensemble weights yields better results in terms of precision, recall, and mAP values: 0.76, 0.78, and 0.79, respectively. The mAP score closer to 1 signifies a higher confidence in localizing the parasites. This study is the first implementation of ensemble YOLOv5 in the malaria parasite detection field. The proposed ensemble model can detect the presence of malaria parasites and localize them with bounding boxes better than previously used models.
A Review of the Optimization and Control Techniques in the Presence of Uncertainties for the Energy Management of Microgrids
Authors: Cabrera-Tobar Ana , Massi Pavan Alessandro , Petrone Giovanni , Spagnuolo Giovanni
Published: December 2022

This paper reviews the current techniques used in energy management systems to optimize energy schedules into microgrids, accounting for uncertainties for various time frames (day-ahead and real-time operations). The current uncertainties affecting applications, including residential, commercial, virtual power plants, electric mobility, and multi-carrier microgrids, are the main subjects of this article. We outline the most recent modeling approaches to describe the uncertainties associated with various microgrid applications, such as prediction errors, load consumption, degradation, and state of health. The modeling approaches discussed in this article are probabilistic, possibilistic, information gap theory, and deterministic. Then, the paper presents and compares the current optimization techniques, considering the uncertainties in their problem formulations, such as stochastic, robust, fuzzy optimization, information gap theory, model predictive control, multiparametric programming, and machine learning techniques. The optimization techniques depend on the model used, the data available, the specific application, the real-time platform, and the optimization time. We hope to guide researchers to identify the best optimization technique for energy scheduling, considering the specific uncertainty and application. Finally, the most challenging issues to enhance microgrid operations, despite uncertainties by considering new trends, are discussed.
Fault Ride-Through Techniques for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Generator Wind Turbines (PMSG-WTGs): A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Morgan Ernest F. , Abdel-Rahim Omar , Megahed Tamer F. , Suehiro Junya , Abdelkader Sobhy M.
Published: December 2022

Global warming and rising energy demands have increased renewable energy (RE) usage globally. Wind energy has become the most technologically advanced renewable energy source. Wind turbines (WTs) must ride through faults to ensure power system stability. On the flip side, permanent magnet synchronous generators (PMSG)-based wind turbine power plants (WTPPs) are susceptible to grid voltage fluctuations and require extra regulations to maintain regular operations. Due to recent changes in grid code standards, it has become vital to explore alternate fault ride-through (FRT) methods to ensure their capabilities. This research will ensure that FRT solutions available via the Web of Science (WoS) database are vetted and compared in hardware retrofitting, internal software control changes, and hybrid techniques. In addition, a bibliometric analysis is provided, which reveals an ever-increasing volume of works dedicated to the topic. After that, a literature study of FRT techniques for PMSG WTs is carried out, demonstrating the evolution of these techniques over time. This paper concludes that additional research is required to enhance FRT capabilities in PMSG wind turbines and that further attention to topics, such as machine learning tools and the combination of FRT and wind power smoothing approaches, should arise in the following years.