bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical study of defect localization in additive manufactured short fiber reinforced composites with diffuse ultrasonic wave inspection
Authors: Peng Yue , Xu Hongxuan , Sun Jingguo , Zuo Jiancun , Zhu Qi
Published: November 2022

The structures of short fiber reinforced composites become designable from macroscopic to microscopic due to the advancement in additive manufacturing technologies. The diffuse ultrasonic wave inspection benefits from information from multiple scattering processes, which is suitable for the quality assurance of complex structures. This study established a two-dimensional wave propagation model assuming the decoupling of the fiber volume into the fiber distribution matrix in the plane and the local fiber fraction along the thickness axis. The k-space pseudospectral method was applied to calculate the diffuse wave fields. The defect inspection process was studied numerically based on the Locadiff technique for additive-manufactured short-fiber reinforced composites. The stretching method provided the same average distance but a smaller relative deviation to the defect than the doublet method. The localization resolution improved significantly for the initial increment of the number of transmitters; limited improvement can be achieved further. Localization results fluctuated when the transmitter combination groups were distant from the defect. This method worked well with the isotropic and quasi-isotropic plates, while an oversimplification was found for the unidirectional fiber structure.
Differences of energy adaptation strategies in Tupaia belangeri between Pianma and Tengchong region by metabolomics of liver: Role of warmer temperature
Authors: Feng Jiahong , Jia Ting , Wang Zhengkun , Zhu Wanlong
Published: November 2022

Global warming is becoming the future climate trend and will have a significant impact on small mammals, and they will also adapt at the physiological levels in response to climate change, among which the adaptation of energetics is the key to their survival. In order to investigate the physiological adaptation strategies in Tupaia belangeri affected by the climate change and to predict their possible fate under future global warming, we designed a metabonomic study in T. belangeri between two different places, including Pianma (PM, annual average temperature 15.01°C) and Tengchong (TC, annual average temperature 20.32°C), to analyze the differences of liver metabolite. Moreover, the changes of resting metabolic rate, body temperature, uncoupling protein 1content (UCP1) and other energy indicators in T. belangeri between the two places were also measured. The results showed that T. belangeri in warm areas (TC) reduced the concentrations of energy metabolites in the liver, such as pyruvic acid, fructose 6-phosphate, citric acid, malic acid, fumaric acid etc., so their energy metabolism intensity was also reduced, indicating that important energy metabolism pathway of glycolysis and tricarboxylic acid cycle (TCA) pathway reduced in T. belangeri from warmer habitat. Furthermore, brown adipose tissue (BAT) mass, UCP1 content and RMR in TC also decreased significantly, but their body temperature increased. All of the results suggested that T. belangeri adapt to the impact of warm temperature by reducing energy expenditure and increasing body temperature. In conclusion, our research had broadened our understanding of the physiological adaptation strategies to cope with climate change, and also provided a preliminary insight into the fate of T. belangeri for the future global warming climate.
Energy metabolism in skeletal muscle cells from donors with different body mass index
Authors: Katare Parmeshwar B. , Dalmao-Fernandez Andrea , Mengeste Abel M. , Hamarsland Håvard , Ellefsen Stian , Bakke Hege G. , Kase Eili Tranheim , Thoresen G. Hege , Rustan Arild C.
Published: November 2022

Obesity and physical inactivity have a profound impact on skeletal muscle metabolism. In the present work, we have investigated differences in protein expression and energy metabolism in primary human skeletal muscle cells established from lean donors (BMI<25 kg/m2) and individuals with obesity (BMI>30 kg/m2). Furthermore, we have studied the effect of fatty acid pretreatment on energy metabolism in myotubes from these donor groups. Alterations in protein expression were investigated using proteomic analysis, and energy metabolism was studied using radiolabeled substrates. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis showed that glycolytic, apoptotic, and hypoxia pathways were upregulated, whereas the pentose phosphate pathway was downregulated in myotubes from donors with obesity compared to myotubes from lean donors. Moreover, fatty acid, glucose, and amino acid uptake were increased in myotubes from individuals with obesity. However, fatty acid oxidation was reduced, glucose oxidation was increased in myotubes from subjects with obesity compared to cells from lean. Pretreatment of myotubes with palmitic acid (PA) or eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) for 24 h increased glucose oxidation and oleic acid uptake. EPA pretreatment increased the glucose and fatty acid uptake and reduced leucine fractional oxidation in myotubes from donors with obesity. In conclusion, these results suggest that myotubes from individuals with obesity showed increased fatty acid, glucose, and amino acid uptake compared to cells from lean donors. Furthermore, myotubes from individuals with obesity had reduced fatty acid oxidative capacity, increased glucose oxidation, and a higher glycolytic reserve capacity compared to cells from lean donors. Fatty acid pretreatment enhances glucose metabolism, and EPA reduces oleic acid and leucine fractional oxidation in myotubes from donor with obesity, suggesting increased metabolic flexibility after EPA treatment.
Emerging adults’ digital technology engagement and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Chase Gregory E. , Brown Morgan T. , Jensen Michaeline
Published: November 2022

Within the past decade, parents, scientists, and policy makers have sought to understand how digital technology engagement may exacerbate or ameliorate young people’s mental health symptoms, a concern that has intensified amidst the COVID-19 pandemic. Previous research has been far from conclusive, and a lack of research consensus may stem in part from widely varying measurement strategies (including subjective and objective measurement) around digital technology engagement. In a cross-sectional study of 323 university students, the present study seeks to understand the ways in which youth engagement with digital technology – across subjective and objective measurements, weekday and weekend distinctions, and social and non-social uses – is associated with mental health (as measured by depression, loneliness, and multidimensional mood and anxiety). The present study also tested a differential susceptibility hypothesis to examine whether COVID-19 related social isolation might exacerbate the potential harms or helps of digital technology engagement. Results yielded few observed associations between digital technology engagement and mental health, with little evidence of detrimental effects of observed or perceived time spent on digital technology. Rather, those significant findings which did emerge underscore potential protections conferred by social connections with friends (both online and offline), and that the loneliest students may be the most likely to be reaching out for these types of connections. It is important that the field move beyond crude (largely self-reported) measures of screen time to instead understand how and to what effect youth are using digital technologies, especially during the social corridor of emerging adulthood.
Role of fantasy in emotional clarity and emotional regulation in empathy: A preliminary study
Authors: Shiota Shoichi , Nomura Michio
Published: November 2022

Fantasy is the experience of identifying with characters in movies, novels, plays, and other fictional situations. In social contexts, individuals take on the perspective of others by sensing their emotions through empathy. During this process, perspective-taking and emotional sharing affect one’s metacognition, which deals with the distinction between and the understanding of one’s emotions (clarity) and their regulation (repair); previous studies have primarily focused on these processes. However, perspective-taking—considering another individual’s viewpoint—requires one to imagine their outlook; it also induces emotional responses. This study examined the role of fantasy in clarity and repair in metacognition, for which data derived from 475 Japanese participants were analyzed. The results of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index showed that fantasy was positively associated with clarity and repair in the Trait Meta-Mood Scale; these relationships were moderated by perspective-taking and personal distress. Our results revealed that the emotions experienced within oneself might be understood as the distinction between “imagining” (through their imagination; e.g., internal or mental pictures) and “imaging” (from an image; e.g., external pictures). Individuals imagine their immersion into others using lower-level automatic body sensations (emotional contagion), and the accompanying negative emotions are regulated by metacognition.
The quantitative evaluation of subjective satisfaction with digital media in L2 acquisition in younger adults: A study from Europe, Asia, and Latin America
Authors: Pikhart Marcel , Klimova Blanka , Al-Obaydi Liqaa Habeb , Dziuba Szymon , Cierniak-Emerych Anna
Published: November 2022

Foreign language learning has recently been transferred into an online or hybrid mode and this has brought many challenges for both the teachers and the students. Thus, the purpose of this study is to explore students’ subjective satisfaction with the use of digital media in their L2 acquisition conducted online, as well as to provide specific recommendations for meeting students’ needs in digital media L2 instruction. This is large-scale comparative research conducted in the Czech Republic, Poland, Romania, Iraq, and Malaysia. The data were collected through an online questionnaire in May, June, and July 2021 in the given countries. The findings reveal that students’ subjective satisfaction that is related to students’ attitudes toward the online learning process, the general usefulness of language, the role of the teacher, and the matters that affect the general process of teaching and learning all gained the positive answers. Whereas the items that are related to students’ subjective satisfaction toward language skills, digital-based reading, the effectiveness of online education over face-to-face, and communicating with teachers and peers via social media are all gained negative results. These results need further analysis but they can be an impetus for much larger research and further implications to optimize L2 acquisition.
What determines the performance of small and medium-sized enterprises supply chain financing? A qualitative comparative analysis of fuzzy sets based on the technology–organization–environment framework
Authors: Duan Weichang , Hu Hanzhou , Zhang Yuting
Published: November 2022

With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the globe, small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs’) survival space has been increasingly constrained, and their financing challenges and costly concerns have also become more evident. With the emergence of the supply chain financing model, the problem of difficult financing for SMEs has been effectively alleviated. How to effectively improve the performance of supply chain financing for SMEs is a hot issue of common concern for both business and academic circles. This paper used 90 SMEs involved in supply chain financing business for a case study based on the “Technology–Organization–Environment” (TOE) framework, using fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), and explored the linkage effects of technology, organization, and environmental conditions on SMEs’ performance in improving supply chain financing and their path choices. The study found that: (1) individual conditions do not constitute a necessary condition for high/low supply chain financing performance. However, technical level preconditions play a more important role in shaping the high supply chain financing performance of firms. (2) The three preconditions at the technological, organizational, and environmental levels work together to form a diverse set of conditions that drive the high supply chain financing performance of firms. That is, the paths driving the high supply chain financing performance of SMEs are characterized by “different routes to the same destination.” There are three different models: “technology-supply chain capability-driven,” “IT-supply chain capability-driven,” and “IS-supply chain capability-driven.” (3) The degree of application of corporate information technology, information sharing capability, and supply chain capability, and the lack of environmental competitiveness are the reasons for the generation of the low supply chain financing performance of SMEs. The above research findings can provide a direct theoretical basis for enterprise supply chain financing practice and are of great practical significance in guiding Chinese SMEs on how to improve their supply chain financing performance.
Assessment of theory of mind in Tunisian verbal children with autism spectrum disorder
Authors: Jelili Selima , Halayem Soumeyya , Rajhi Olfa , Abbes Zeineb , Mansour Hajer Ben , Ouanes Sami , Taamallah Amal , Ennaifer Selima , Ben Yahia Houda , Ghazzei Melek , Nabli Ahmed , Hajri Malek , Fakhfakh Radhouane , Mrabet Ali , Bouden Asma
Published: November 2022

The present study examined performance in Theory of Mind (ToM) in a group of 31 Arabic-speaking verbal children (7–12 years-old) with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), in comparison with neurotypical controls (NT) matched for age and for cognitive abilities. An innovative task in a digital format named “The Tunisian Social Situations Instrument” (TSSI) was used and allowed us to study four different subdomains of ToM: attribution of intention and epistemic ToM (cognitive ToM), affective ToM, and detection of faux pas (advanced ToM). Our study showed impairments in ToM in children with ASD, similar to those reported in the literature. Our findings additionally suggested that affective and advanced ToM, specifically the detection of faux pas, might be more challenging for ASD children than other components of ToM. Future studies with larger number of children may lead us to specify which subdomains are the most impaired in order to develop specific tools targeting these specific impairments.
High morbidity and mortality associated with primary bloodstream infections among pediatric patients with cancer at a Guatemalan tertiary referral hospital
Authors: Mukkada Sheena , Melgar Mario , Bullington Craig , Chang Alicia , Homsi Maysam R. , Gonzalez Miriam L. , Antillon Federico , Su Yin , Tang Li , Caniza Miguela A.
Published: November 2022

Infectious complications remain major contributors to adverse outcomes in patients treated for non-communicable disease, particularly in resource limited settings. We performed a 5-year retrospective study of primary bloodstream infections at a dedicated pediatric oncology center in Guatemala. Two hundred and twelve episodes occurring in 194 unique patients qualified for inclusion. Patients required intensive care unit admission in 55% of episodes and death occurred in 24% of episodes. Despite subspecialty support in infectious diseases, poor outcomes, including prolonged hospitalization and mortality, were frequent. Our findings suggest that investments in laboratory and clinical data collection are critical to understanding the contributors to poor outcomes and therefore to improving the quality of bloodstream infection management in resource limited settings.
Glycemic control and the risk of tuberculosis in patients with diabetes: A cohort study in a Mediterranean city
Authors: Antonio-Arques Violeta , Caylà Joan A. , Real Jordi , Moreno-Martinez Antonio , Orcau Àngels , Mauricio Didac , Mata-Cases Manel , Julve Josep , Navas Mendez Elena , Puig Treserra Rai , Millet Joan Pau , Del Val García Jose Luis , Vlacho Bogdan , Franch-Nadal Josep
Published: November 2022

Background

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the leading chronic diseases globally and one of the most common causes of death, morbidity, and poor quality of life. According to the WHO, DM is also one of the main risk factors for developing active tuberculosis (TB). Subjects with DM are at a higher risk of infections, in addition to frequent micro and macrovascular complications, and therefore sought to determine whether poor glycemic control is linked to a higher risk of developing TB.

Methods

We used a retrospective cohort of diabetic subjects to predict the incidence of TB. All DM patients were recruited from Ciutat Vella (the inner-city of Barcelona) from January 2007 until December 2016, with a follow-up period until December 2018 (≥2 years). Data were extracted from Barcelona's Primary Care medical record database - SIDIAP, and linked to the Barcelona TB Control Program. The incidence of TB and the impact of glycemic control were estimated using time-to-event curves analyzed by Cox proportional hazard regression. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), unadjusted and adjusted by potential confounding variables, were also assessed, which included age, sex, diabetes duration, macrovascular and microvascular signs, BMI, smoking habit, alcohol consumption and geographical origin.

Results

Of 8,004 DM patients considered for the study (equating to 68,605 person-years of follow-up), 84 developed TB [incidence rate = 70 (95% CI: 52–93) per 100,000 person-years]. DM subjects with TB were younger (mean: 52.2 vs. 57.7 years old), had higher values of glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) (7.66 vs. 7.41%) and total triglycerides (122 vs. 105 mg/dl), and had twice the frequency of diabetic nephropathy (2.08 vs. 1.18%). The calculated incidence rate increased with increasing HbA1c: 120.5 (95% CI 77.2–179.3) for HbA1c ≥ 7.5%, 143 (95% CI 88.3–218.1) for HbA1c ≥ 8% and 183.8 (95% CI 105–298) for HbA1c ≥ 9%. An increase in the risk of TB was also observed according to a poorer optimization of glycemic control: adjusted HR 1.80 (95% CI 0.60–5.42), 2.06 (95% CI 0.67–6.32), and 2.82 (95% CI 0.88–9.06), respectively.

Conclusion

Diabetic subjects with worse glycemic control show a trend toward a higher risk of developing TB.
The rate of acute kidney injury (AKI) alert detection by the attending physicians was associated with the prognosis of patients with AKI
Authors: Shi Yu , Wang Hai , Bai Ling , Wu Yuan , Zhang Li , Zheng Xin , Lv Jun-hua , Pei Hong-hong , Bai Zheng-hai
Published: November 2022

Introduction

Early identification of AKI was always considered to improve patients' prognosis. Some studies found that AKI early warning tools didn't affect patients' prognosis. Therefore, additional studies were necessary to explore the reasons.

Methods

This study was a secondary analysis of a multicenter randomized controlled trial that found electronic health record warnings for AKI did not influence patients' prognoses. Univariate, multivariate, subgroup, curve fitting, and threshold effect analysis were used to explore the association between AKI warnings detected by attending physicians and the patient's prognosis.

Results

A total of 6,030 AKI patients were included in the study. The patients were classified into two groups based on the rate of AKI alerts detected by attending physicians: the partial group (n = 5,377), and the complete group (n = 653). In comparison to the partial group, the complete group significantly decreased 14-day AKI progression, 14-day dialysis, and 14-day mortality, with adjusted ORs of 0.48 (0.33, 0.70), 0.26 (0.09, 0.77), and 0.53 (0.33, 0.84) respectively, and the complete group significantly improve the discharge to home, with an OR value of 1.50 (1.21, 1.87). When the rate of AKI alerts detected by the attending physicians as a continuity variable, we found that the rate of alerts seen by attending physicians was associated with 14-day mortality and the discharge to home, with adjusted ORs of 1.76 (1.11, 2.81) and 1.42 (1.13, 1.80). The sensitivity analysis, curve-fitting analysis, and threshold effect analysis also showed that the rate of alert seen by the attending physician was correlated with the patient's prognosis.

Conclusion

The rate of AKI alert detection by attending physician were related to the patient's prognosis. The higher the rate of AKI alert detection by attending physicians, the better the prognosis of patients with AKI.
Implementing value-based healthcare using a digital health exchange platform to improve pregnancy and childbirth outcomes in urban and rural Kenya
Authors: Dohmen Peter , De Sanctis Teresa , Waiyaiya Emma , Janssens Wendy , Rinke de Wit Tobias , Spieker Nicole , Van der Graaf Mark , Van Raaij Erik M.
Published: November 2022

Maternal and neonatal mortality rates in many low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) are still far above the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3. Value-based healthcare (VBHC) has the potential to outperform traditional supply-driven approaches in changing this dismal situation, and significantly improve maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH) outcomes. We developed a theory of change and used a cohort-based implementation approach to create short and long learning cycles along which different components of the VBHC framework were introduced and evaluated in Kenya. At the core of the approach was a value-based care bundle for maternity care, with predefined cost and quality of care using WHO guidelines and adjusted to the risk profile of the pregnancy. The care bundle was implemented using a digital exchange platform that connects pregnant women, clinics and payers. The platform manages financial transactions, enables bi-directional communication with pregnant women via SMS, collects data from clinics and shares enriched information via dashboards with payers and clinics. While the evaluation of health outcomes is ongoing, first results show improved adherence to evidence-based care pathways at a predictable cost per enrolled person. This community case study shows that implementation of the VBHC framework in an LMIC setting is possible for MNCH. The incremental, cohort-based approach enabled iterative learning processes. This can support the restructuring of health systems in low resource settings from an output-driven model to a value based financing-driven model.
Study on the communication effect of the social livestream of cabin hospitals' construction process during the COVID-19 outbreak
Authors: Yu Hualong , Yu Guang , Li Yijun , Li Tong
Published: November 2022

When the world is recovering from the chaos that COVID-19 creates, the epidemic is still posing challenges to the public health system and communication. However, a case of information communication during the COVID-19 outbreak can provide a reference for the current information promulgate strategy in China. In January 2020, CCTV broadcasted the construction of two cabin hospitals on a 24-h Livestream (24H-LS), creating a remarkable viewing effect. We conducted a quantitative analysis based on the number of views, social media communication, and internet search index. We collected posts and comment data of the 24H-LS audience and related topics on Weibo, using sentiment classification and word frequency analysis to study the communication effect of 24H-LS from three perspectives: perception effect, psychology, and subject issue. The results show that, first, 24H-LS has attracted extensive public attention on the Internet and social media after its launch. Second, the public's perception of the risks of the COVID-19 outbreak and its uncertainty has decreased after watching the 24H-LS. At the same time, the positive emotions of the public have been enhanced to a certain extent. Third, through subject analysis, we found that the public had high participation and strong interaction in 24H-LS, which produced collective symbols and emotions. The study shows that through 24H-LS, a new information form, the media can effectively convey important information and resolve the public's fear and anxiety.
Cervical cancer in Nepal: Current screening strategies and challenges
Authors: Narasimhamurthy Mohan , Kafle Santhosh Upadhyaya
Published: November 2022

Nepal has a high burden of cervical cancer primarily due to a limited screening program. Most present with advanced cervical disease. Despite no national cervical cancer control program, Nepal's Ministry of Health and Population has taken many initiatives with various international collaborations in screening, vaccination, and treating pre-invasive and invasive cancer. However, the existing prevention and treatment modalities are dismally inadequate to meet the targets of WHO's cervical cancer eliminative initiative by 2030. We provide an overview of the Ministry of Health and Population, Nepal's efforts to tackle the growing cervical cancer burden in the country. We discuss the challenges and potential solutions that could be practical and augment screening uptakes, such as single-dose vaccination and HPV DNA tests. The screen-and-treat approach on the same day could potentially address treatment delays and follow-up loss after testing positive. Our narrative summary highlights existing and innovative strategies, unmet needs, and collaborations required to achieve elimination across implementation contexts.
Differences between remote and analog design thinking through the lens of distributed cognition
Authors: Wolferts Daniel , Stein Elisabeth , Bernards Ann-Kathrin , Reiners René
Published: November 2022

Due to the huge surge in remote work all over the world caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, today's work is largely defined by tools for information exchange as well as new complex problems that must be solved. Design Thinking offers a well-known and established methodological approach for iterative, collaborative and interdisciplinary problem solving. Still, recent circumstances shed a new light on how to facilitate Design Thinking activities in a remote rather than an analog way. Due to Design Thinking's high production of artifacts and its focus on communication and interaction between team members, the theory of Distributed Cognition, specifically the Distributed Cognition for Teamwork (DiCoT) framework, provides an interesting perspective on the recent going-remote of Design Thinking activities. For this, we first highlight differences of analog vs. remote Design Thinking by analyzing corresponding literature from the recent years. Next, we apply the DiCoT framework to those findings, pointing out implications for practical facilitation of Design Thinking activities in an analog and remote setting. Finally, we discuss opportunities through artificial intelligence-based technologies and methods.
Leptospira borgpetersenii serovar Hardjo and Leptospira santarosai serogroup Pyrogenes isolated from bovine dairy herds in Puerto Rico
Authors: Hamond Camila , Dirsmith Katherine L. , LeCount Karen , Soltero Fred V. , Rivera-Garcia Sarai , Camp Patrick , Anderson Tammy , Hicks Jessica A. , Galloway Renee , Sutherland Graham , Schafer Ilana J. , Goris Marga G. A. , van der Linden Hans , Stuber Tod , Bayles Darrell O. , Schlater Linda K. , Nally Jarlath E.
Published: November 2022

Leptospirosis is one of the most common zoonotic diseases in the world and endemic in the Caribbean Islands. Bovine leptospirosis is an important reproductive disease. Globally, cattle are recognized as a reservoir host forL. borgpeterseniiserovar Hardjo, which is transmittedviaurine, semen, and uterine discharges, and can result in abortion and poor reproductive performance. The dairy industry in Puerto Rico comprises up to 25% of agriculture-related income and is historically the most financially important agricultural commodity on the island. In this study, we report the isolation of two different pathogenicLeptospiraspecies, from two different serogroups, from urine samples collected from dairy cows in Puerto Rico:L. borgpeterseniiserogroup Sejroe serovar Hardjo andL. santarosaiserogroup Pyrogenes. Recovered isolates were classified using whole-genome sequencing, serotyping with reference antisera and monoclonal antibodies, and immunoblotting. These results demonstrate that dairy herds in Puerto Rico can be concurrently infected with more than one species and serovar ofLeptospira, and that bacterin vaccines and serologic diagnostics should account for this when applying intervention and diagnostic strategies.
Ensembles of Random SHAPs
Authors: Utkin Lev , Konstantinov Andrei
Published: November 2022

The ensemble-based modifications of the well-known SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method for the local explanation of a black-box model are proposed. The modifications aim to simplify the SHAP which is computationally expensive when there is a large number of features. The main idea behind the proposed modifications is to approximate the SHAP by an ensemble of SHAPs with a smaller number of features. According to the first modification, called the ER-SHAP, several features are randomly selected many times from the feature set, and the Shapley values for the features are computed by means of “small” SHAPs. The explanation results are averaged to obtain the final Shapley values. According to the second modification, called the ERW-SHAP, several points are generated around the explained instance for diversity purposes, and the results of their explanation are combined with weights depending on the distances between the points and the explained instance. The third modification, called the ER-SHAP-RF, uses the random forest for a preliminary explanation of the instances and determines a feature probability distribution which is applied to the selection of the features in the ensemble-based procedure of the ER-SHAP. Many numerical experiments illustrating the proposed modifications demonstrate their efficiency and properties for a local explanation.
A Survey on Non-Destructive Smart Inspection of Wind Turbine Blades Based on Industry 4.0 Strategy
Authors: Dimitrova Mariya , Aminzadeh Ahmad , Meiabadi Mohammad Saleh , Sattarpanah Karganroudi Sasan , Taheri Hossein , Ibrahim Hussein
Published: November 2022

Wind turbines are known to be the most efficient method of green energy production, and wind turbine blades (WTBs) are known as a key component of the wind turbine system, with a major influence on the efficiency of the entire system. Wind turbine blades have a quite manual production process of composite materials, which induces various types of defects in the blade. Blades are susceptible to the damage developed by complex and irregular loading or even catastrophic collapse and are expensive to maintain. Failure or damage to wind turbine blades not only decreases the lifespan, efficiency, and fault diagnosis capability but also increases safety hazards and maintenance costs. Hence, non-destructive testing (NDT) methods providing surface and subsurface information for the blade are indispensable in the maintenance of wind turbines. Damage detection is a critical part of the inspection methods for failure prevention, maintenance planning, and the sustainability of wind turbine operation. Industry 4.0 technologies provide a framework for deploying smart inspection, one of the key requirements for sustainable wind energy production. The wind energy industry is about to undergo a significant revolution due to the integration of the physical and virtual worlds driven by Industry 4.0. This paper aims to highlight the potential of Industry 4.0 to help exploit smart inspections for sustainable wind energy production. This study is also elaborated by damage categorization and a thorough review of the state-of-the-art non-destructive techniques for surface and sub-surface inspection of wind turbine blades.
Diverse COVID-19 CT Image-to-Image Translation with Stacked Residual Dropout
Authors: Lee Kin , Chin Renee
Published: November 2022

Machine learning models are renowned for their high dependency on a large corpus of data in solving real-world problems, including the recent COVID-19 pandemic. In practice, data acquisition is an onerous process, especially in medical applications, due to lack of data availability for newly emerged diseases and privacy concerns. This study introduces a data synthesization framework (sRD-GAN) that generates synthetic COVID-19 CT images using a novel stacked-residual dropout mechanism (sRD). sRD-GAN aims to alleviate the problem of data paucity by generating synthetic lung medical images that contain precise radiographic annotations. The sRD mechanism is designed using a regularization-based strategy to facilitate perceptually significant instance-level diversity without content-style attribute disentanglement. Extensive experiments show that sRD-GAN can generate exceptional perceptual realism on COVID-19 CT images examined by an experiment radiologist, with an outstanding Fréchet Inception Distance (FID) of 58.68 and Learned Perceptual Image Patch Similarity (LPIPS) of 0.1370 on the test set. In a benchmarking experiment, sRD-GAN shows superior performance compared to GAN, CycleGAN, and one-to-one CycleGAN. The encouraging results achieved by sRD-GAN in different clinical cases, such as community-acquired pneumonia CT images and COVID-19 in X-ray images, suggest that the proposed method can be easily extended to other similar image synthetization problems.
Unveiling Human Proteome Signatures of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction
Authors: Sebastião Maria J. , Almeida Henrique V. , Serra Margarida , Hamdani Nazha , Saraiva Francisca , Lourenço André P. , Barros António S. , Vasques-Nóvoa Francisco , Leite-Moreira Adelino , Alves Paula M. , Falcão-Pires Inês , Gomes-Alves Patrícia
Published: November 2022

Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a highly prevalent but still poorly understood clinical entity. Its current pathophysiological understanding supports a critical role of comorbidities and their chronic effect on cardiac function and structure. Importantly, despite the replication of some HFpEF phenotypic features, to this day, experimental models have failed to bring new effective therapies to the clinical setting. Thus, the direct investigation of HFpEF human myocardial samples may unveil key, and possibly human-specific, pathophysiological mechanisms. This study employed quantitative proteomic analysis by advanced mass spectrometry (SWATH–MS) to investigate signaling pathways and pathophysiological mechanisms in HFpEF. Protein-expression profiles were analyzed in human left ventricular myocardial samples of HFpEF patients and compared with a mixed control group. Functional analysis revealed several proteins that correlate with HFpEF, including those associated with mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and inflammation. Despite the known disease heterogeneity, proteomic profiles could indicate a reduced mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation and fatty-acid oxidation capacity in HFpEF patients with diabetes. The proteomic characterization described in this work provides new insights. Furthermore, it fosters further questions related to HFpEF cellular pathophysiology, paving the way for additional studies focused on developing novel therapies and diagnosis strategies for HFpEF patients.
Alteration of Gut Immunity and Microbiome in Mixed Granulocytic Asthma
Authors: Gu Bon-Hee , Rim Chae-Yun , Lee Sangjin , Kim Tae-Yong , Joo Sang-Seok , Lee Sang-Jin , Park Han-Ki , Kim Myunghoo
Published: November 2022

Growing evidence suggests that there is an essential link between the gut and lungs. Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease and is considered a heterogeneous disease. While it has been documented that eosinophilic asthma affects gut immunity and the microbiome, the effect of other types of asthma on the gut environment has not been examined. In this study, we utilized an OVA/poly I:C-induced mixed granulocytic asthma model and found increased Tregs without significant changes in other inflammatory cells in the colon. Interestingly, an altered gut microbiome has been observed in a mixed granulocytic asthma model. We observed an increase in the relative abundance of the Faecalibaculum genus and Erysipelotrichaceae family, with a concomitant decrease in the relative abundance of the genera Candidatus arthromitus and Streptococcus. The altered gut microbiome leads to changes in the abundance of genes associated with microbial metabolism, such as glycolysis. We found that mixed granulocytic asthma mainly affects the gut microbial composition and metabolism, which may have important implications in the severity and development of asthma and gut immune homeostasis. This suggests that altered gut microbial metabolism may be a potential therapeutic target for patients with mixed granulocytic asthma.
Low-Grade Ovarian Stromal Tumors with Genetic Alterations of the Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway That Is Crucial in Ovarian Follicle Development and Regulation
Authors: Zhang Gloria , Michener Chad M. , Yang Bin
Published: November 2022

The Wnt signaling pathway is important in the normal development and regulation of ovarian follicles throughout the lifecycle of females. Dysregulation of the Wnt signaling pathway, genetically or epigenetically, with subsequent activation of β-catenin has been implicated in tumorigenesis of a spectrum of ovarian neoplasms, from benign to malignant. We review the recent findings of the Wnt signaling pathway involved in regulating normal physiologic processes of the ovarian follicle cycle. We also review the β-catenin mutations in a family of low-grade ovarian stromal tumors, focusing on characterizing their shared morphological features and the utility of immunohistochemistry of β-catenin in facilitating the accurate diagnosis of these ovarian stromal tumors. The Wnt signaling pathway is one of the most critical mechanisms in regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, and morphogenesis. The Wnt signaling pathway comprises a diverse group of glycoproteins that serve as ligands and bind to transmembrane Frizzled family receptors. The ligand-receptor interactions activate the pathway and govern the downstream signaling cascades, ultimately affecting the transcriptional control of the cellular cytoskeleton, organelle dynamics, epithelial-mesenchymal interaction, and tissue remodeling in the ovary. Wnt signaling consists of two major pathways: a canonical pathway that is β-catenin-dependent and a non-canonical Wnt pathway that is β-catenin-independent. Canonical Wnt signaling is governed by the interaction of β-catenin with other molecules to regulate cellular decisions related to proliferation and differentiation. Recent studies have demonstrated that the Wnt signaling pathway plays important roles in the development and regulation of ovarian folliculogenesis and oogenesis.
Dental and Dental Hygiene Students’ Knowledge and Capacity to Discriminate the Developmental Defects of Enamel: A Self-Submitted Questionnaire Survey
Authors: Cagetti Maria Grazia , Salerno Claudia , Bontà Giuliana , Bisanti Anna , Maspero Cinzia , Tartaglia Gianluca Martino , Campus Guglielmo
Published: November 2022

Background: A prompt and accurate diagnosis of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) is mandatory for proper treatment management. This cross-sectional survey, designed and carried out using anonymous self-administered questionnaires, aimed to assess dental and dental hygiene students’ knowledge and their capability to identify different enamel development defects. Methods: The questionnaire consisted of twenty-eight closed-ended questions. Two different samples of undergraduate students were selected and enrolled: a group of dental hygiene (GDH) students and a group of dental (GD) students. A multivariate logistic regression was performed by adopting the correct answers as explanatory variables to assess the difference between the two groups. Results: Overall, 301 completed questionnaires were analyzed: 157 from the GDH and 144 from the GD. The dental student group showed better knowledge than the GDH of enamel hypomineralization and hypoplasia (p = 0.03 for both). A quarter (25.25%) of the total sample correctly identified the period of development of dental fluorosis with a statistically significant difference between the groups (p < 0.01). Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) was identified as a genetic disease by 64.45% of the sample, with a better performance from the GD (p = 0.01), while no statistical differences were found between the groups regarding molar incisor hypomineralization. Multivariate analysis showed that AI (OR = 0.40, [0.23;0.69], p < 0.01) and caries lesion (OR = 0.58, [0.34;0.94], p = 0.03) were better recognized by the GD. Conclusions: Disparities exist in the knowledge and management of DDE among dental and dental hygiene students in Italy; however, significant knowledge gaps were found in both groups. Education on the diagnosis and treatment of DDE during the training for dental and dental hygiene students needs to be strongly implemented.
Visual Feedback and Virtual Reality in Gait Rehabilitation of Hemiparetic Children and Teenagers after Acquired Brain Injury: A Pilot Study
Authors: Panzeri Daniele , Genova Chiara , Poggi Geraldina , Strazzer Sandra , Biffi Emilia
Published: November 2022

Hemiparesis as a term refers to a neurological disorder that can be extremely variable, especially with regard to walking abilities. Few works have assessed the use of virtual reality and biofeedback in children and adolescents with hemiparesis. The aim of this study is to provide insights about the rehabilitation of hemiparetic children and teenagers with visual biofeedback in a virtual reality environment. Six hemiparetic subjects (mean age 13.13 years, age range (7–18), 4 males) received 20 personalized rehabilitation GRAIL (Gait Real-time Analysis Interactive Lab) sessions plus 20 sessions of traditional physiotherapy. After an initial evaluation of rehabilitation needs, training focused on gait pattern correction (GP), walking endurance (WE), or gross motor functions (GMFs). All subjects were assessed for their gait analysis by GRAIL, the Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM), and the 6–Minute Walking Test (6MWT) before and after rehabilitation. All subjects reached their rehabilitation goals, save for one who showed reduced collaboration. In addition, 4 subjects reached a better GP, 3 subjects reported improvements in WE, and 2 subjects improved in GMF. This personalized training with visual biofeedback delivered in a VR setting appears to be effective in modifying motor control and improving gait pattern, in addition to resistance and functional activities, in subjects with hemiparesis.
Large-Scale Survey of Missing Deciduous Anterior Teeth on Medical Examination at the Age of 3.5 Years
Authors: Otsuchi Tsutomu , Ogaya Yuko , Suehiro Yuto , Okawa Rena , Nakano Kazuhiko
Published: November 2022

Tooth anomalies in childhood may negatively affect the healthy development of the dentition and occlusion; hence, it is important to examine the actual oral condition at an early stage. The present study was performed to understand the state of missing deciduous anterior teeth in children aged 3.5 years who underwent dental checkups in Matsubara City. In total, 3508 children received oral examinations, and items such as erupted deciduous teeth and teeth anomalies were recorded. Among these children, those with missing anterior deciduous teeth were selected, and their details were analyzed. In the 216 children, there were 266 missing anterior deciduous teeth. Congenitally missing anterior deciduous teeth were observed in 80 children, and fused teeth were observed in 128 children. The missing teeth were predominantly located in the mandible and occurred more frequently on the right side. The most common reason for acquired missing teeth was trauma, and no cases of spontaneous loss due to systemic disease were found in this study. Screening for various tooth anomalies is expected to play an important role in cultivating a better understanding of the oral cavity of children, developing healthy dentitions, and contributing to the early detection of some systemic diseases.
The Effect of Robot-Led Distraction during Needle Procedures on Pain-Related Memory Bias in Children with Chronic Diseases: A Pilot and Feasibility Study
Authors: Rheel Emma , Vervoort Tine , Malfliet Anneleen , van der Werff ten Bosch Jutte , Debulpaep Sara , Robberechts Wiert , Maes Evelyn , Mostaqim Kenza , Noel Melanie , Ickmans Kelly
Published: November 2022

The current study evaluated the feasibility and preliminary clinical impact of robot-led distraction during needle procedures in children with chronic diseases on pain-related memories. Participants were 22 children (8–12 years old) diagnosed with a chronic disease (e.g., chronic immune deficiency) and undergoing a needle procedure as part of their routine treatment. Children were randomized to the experimental group (i.e., robot-led distraction) or control group (i.e., usual care). For feasibility, we evaluated study- and needle-procedure-related characteristics, intervention fidelity and acceptability, and nurse perceptions of the intervention. Primary clinical outcomes included children’s memory bias for pain intensity and pain-related fear (1 week later). Results indicated that intervention components were >90% successful. Overall, the robot-led distraction intervention was perceived highly acceptable by the children, while nurse perceptions were mixed, indicating several challenges regarding the intervention. Preliminary between-group analyses indicated a medium effect size on memory bias for pain intensity (Hedges’ g = 0.70), but only a very small effect size on memory bias for pain-related fear (Hedges’ g = 0.09), in favor of the robot-led distraction intervention. To summarize, while feasible, certain challenges remain to clinically implement robot-led distraction during needle procedures. Further development of the intervention while accounting for individual child preferences is recommended.
Pro-Inflammatory Oral Microbiota in Juvenile Spondyloarthritis: A Pilot Study
Authors: Stoll Matthew L , Wang Jue , Kau Chung How , Pierce Margaret Kathy , Morrow Casey D , Geurs Nicolaas C
Published: November 2022

The role of the microbiota in the pathogenesis of arthritis is gaining increasing attention. While multiple studies have queried the intestinal microbiota, very few have analyzed the contents of the oral microbiota. In this pilot study, we obtained salivary and sub-gingival specimens from a cohort of six healthy controls and five children with well-controlled spondyloarthritis (SpA) and performed 16S sequencing on bacteria obtained from both habitats. The Quantitative Insight into Microbial Ecology tool suite was used to generate operational taxonomic units, Phyloseq was used for diversity analyses, and DeSeq2 was used to compare abundances while adjusting for multiple comparisons. A repeat specimen was obtained from one subject during a flare. Clustering based upon diagnosis was observed from both habitats, with decreased alpha diversity seen within the plaque obtained from the patients vs. controls. Among the differentially abundant taxa were statistically significantly increased plaque Fusobacterium and salivary Rothia mucilaginosa among the patients compared to the controls. Additionally, the abundance of plaque Fusobacterium increased in one patient at the time of a flare. Our data suggest that the oral cavity may harbor bacteria involved in the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis; additional studies are warranted.