bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Bibliometric Analysis and Overall Review of the New Technology and Development of Unmanned Surface Vessels
Authors: Yang Peijie , Xue Jie , Hu Hao
Published: January 2024

With the significant role that Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) could play in industry, the military and the transformation of ocean engineering, a growing research interest in USVs is attracted to their innovation, new technology and automation. Yet, there has been no comprehensive review grounded in bibliometric analysis, which concentrates on the most recent technological advancements and developments in USVs. To provide deeper insight into the relevant research trends, this study employs a bibliometric analysis to examine the basic features of the literature from 2000 to 2023, and identifies the key research hotspots and modeling techniques by reviewing their current statuses and the recent efforts made in these areas. Based on the analysis of the temporal and spatial trends, disciplines and journals’ distribution, institutions, authors and citations, the publications relating to the new technology of USVs are assessed based on their keywords and the term analysis in the literature; six future research directions are proposed, including enhanced intelligence and autonomy, highly integrated sensor systems and multi-modal task execution, extended endurance and resilience, satellite communication and interconnectivity, eco-friendly and sustainable practices and safety and defense. The scientific literature is reviewed in a systematic way using a comparative analysis of existing tools, and the results greatly contribute to understanding the overall situation of new technology in USVs. This paper is enlightening to students, international scholars and institutions, as it can facilitate partnerships between industry and academia to allow for concerted efforts to be made in the domain of USVs.
Six New Species of Agaricus (Agaricaceae, Agaricales) from Northeast China
Authors: Wang Shi-En , Bau Tolgor
Published: January 2024

Agaricus belongs to Agaricaceae and is one of the most well-known macrofungi, with many edible species. More than 300 Agaricus specimens were collected during a three-year macrofungal resource field investigation in Northeast China. Based on morphological observations and multi-gene (ITS + nrLSU + tef1-a) phylogenetic analyses, six new Agaricus species, i.e., Agaricus aurantipileatus, A. daqinggouensis, A. floccularis, A. griseopileatus, A. sinoagrocyboides, and A. velutinosus, were discovered. These new species belong to four sections within different subgenera: A. (subg. Agaricus) sect. Agaricus, A. (subg. Flavoagaricus) sect. Arvenses, A. (subg. Minores) sect. Minores, and A. (subg. Pseudochitonia) sect. Xanthodermatei. Morphological descriptions, line illustrations, and basidiomata photographs of these new species are provided, and their differences from similar species are discussed.
The Impact of Different Value Types on Environmentally Responsible Behavior: An Empirical Study from Residents of National Park Communities in China
Authors: Zhang Yechen , Zhao Yafei , Zhang Hongmei , Zheng Shanting , Yao Jingjing
Published: January 2024

The construction of China’s national park system is an important part of the ecological civilization development strategy, and the behavior of the subjects in the national park has a great impact on its sustainable development. Environmentally responsible behavior (ERB) is considered an important aspect of national park management, and the impact of an individual’s held value on environmental behavior has received much attention. However, the assigned value (AV) of community residents in national park-specific situations has not been concerned, which is often closely related to resident behavior within national park. Therefore, we took the residents of four gateway communities (Qixi town, Hetian town, Changhong town, and Suzhuang town) in Qianjiangyuan national park (QNP), Zhejiang province as research subjects. Based on the value-belief-norm (VBN) model representing individual values, this study integrates the perceived social value of ecosystem services in the national park among community residents and analyzes their impact on ERB. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS 23.0, and the structural model was validated using SmartPLS based on Partial Least Squares Regression. The research findings revealed that (1) the assigned value has a significant positive influence on the environmentally responsible behavior of community residents; (2) pro-environment personal norms are the strongest predictive variable of environmentally responsible behavior; and (3) biosphere value, altruistic value and personal norms have significant positive influence on the formation of the assigned value of community residents.
Heterogeneity, Differentiation Mechanisms and Social Effects of Urban Residential Space in China’s Large Cities: A Case Study of Wuhan
Authors: Cai Wenjie , Shen Zhiqi
Published: January 2024

Different choices of living space for urban residents are concrete reflections of a social class divide. Emerging residential space differentiation is a critical issue in Chinese cities. This paper aims to explore the current situations and mechanisms of residential spatial differentiation, and reveal its social responses in Chinese cities. Taking Wuhan, the largest city in central China, as an example, this research divides the residential space based on social resource structures. It analyzes and compares spatial differentiation and influencing factors of different residential areas and houses with different prices in Wuhan by spatial differentiation indicators and geographic detector. The results show that residential areas are divergent due to differences in urban resource spatial structure, with few and concentrated high-quality residential areas. The spatial differentiation level of different residential areas also varies, with central location, landscape, educational resources, and other dominant scarce resources being the key to residential spatial differentiation in most of China’s big cities. In addition, residential spatial differentiation can lead to issues including housing wealth inequality, resource deprivation, and class identity solidification. In the end, this paper puts forward policy implications on alleviating residential spatial differentiation and optimizing allocation of residential resources.
4-(2-(5-(2-(tert-Butoxycarbonyl)hydrazinecarbonyl)-2-methylthiophen-3-yl)cyclopent-1-enyl)-5-methylthiophene-2-carboxylic Acid
Authors: Matković Marija
Published: January 2024

Diarylethene (DAE) molecular photoswitches draw attention as building units in the preparation of diverse photoactive molecules. An interesting class of these molecules are photoactive peptides. A way to build DAE moiety into peptides/peptidomimetics is via DAE amino acids, an example of which has been demonstrated in bioactive cyclic peptides, wherein the DAE Fmoc-amino acid was prepared and used. Herein, the preparation of DAE Boc-amino acid is presented using a modified method of synthesis. This contribution to the DAE amino acid collection could be useful in the further enhancement of diversity in designing different routes to photoactive peptides.
Experimental Investigation of the Size Effect on Roller-Compacted Hydraulic Asphalt Concrete under Different Strain Rates of Loading
Authors: Meng Xiao , Liu Yunhe , Ning Zhiyuan , Dong Jing , Liang Gang
Published: January 2024

Asphalt concrete is widely used in hydraulic structure facilities as an impermeable structure in alpine cold regions, and its dynamic mechanical properties are influenced by the strain rate and specimen size. However, the specimen size has an important effect on mechanical properties; few systematic studies have investigated on the size effect of hydraulic asphalt concrete (HAC) under dynamic or static loading rates. In the present study, four sizes of cylindrical roller-compacted hydraulic asphalt concrete (RCHAC) specimens with heights of 50 mm, 100 mm, 150 mm, and 200 mm were prepared and tested under different loading rates ranging from 10−5 s−1 to 10−2 s−1 to investigate the size effects of mechanical properties and failure modes at the temperature of 5 °C. The effect of strain rate on the size effects of the compressive strength and the elastic modulus of RCHAC have also been explored. These tests indicate that when the specimen size increases, the compressive strength and failure degree decrease, while the elastic modulus increases. When the height increases from 50 mm to 200 mm, the compressive strength at different strain rates decreased by more than 50%. Furthermore, the elastic modulus increased by about 211.8% from 0.51 GPa to 1.59 GPa at a strain rate of 10−5 s−1, and increased by 150% from 5.08 GPa to 12.71 GPa at a strain rate of 10−2 s−1. As the strain rate increases, the variation trends with the size of the compressive strength, elastic modulus, and failure degree are distinctly intensified. A modified dynamic size effect law, which incorporates both the specimen size and strain rate, is proposed and verified to illustrate the dynamic size effect for the RCHAC under different loading rates.
New Insights into Pore Structure and Hydraulic Conductivity of Sodium Hydroxide Alkali-Activated Slag through Advanced Modelling
Authors: Sirotti Marco , Carette Jérôme , Staquet Stéphanie
Published: January 2024

The study of alkali-activated slag (AAS) is motivated by the need for more sustainable alternatives to Portland cement (PC) within the construction industry. Specifically, AAS offers good mechanical and chemical properties. However, the influence of the activator on its pore structure and hydraulic conductivity remains unclear. Both pore structure and hydraulic conductivity are key parameters in understanding the drying process and could potentially explain the high drying shrinkage observed so far. The present study aims to investigate the pore size distribution and hydraulic conductivity of six distinct AAS/sodium hydroxide mortar compositions, with a particular emphasis on the effect of varying the activator’s molarity and the solution-to-binder ratio (s/b). This research uses the mass variation in different relative humidity (RH) conditions from experimental tests to model the pore surface area, the pore size distribution, and the hydraulic conductivity. From the results, it emerges that increasing the molarity from 0.5 to 8 M reduces the open porosity and refines the pore structure, while increasing the s/b from 0.5 to 0.8 increases the open porosity while refining the pore structure. In addition, high molarity compositions are not suitable for testing in high RH and natural carbonation conditions due to the occurrence of deliquescence. Moreover, the main drying mechanism in AAS is water vapour transport even at high relative humidity, contrary to what was observed in the literature for PC. Finally, the hydraulic conductivity of alkali-activated slag presents a minimum of around 85% RH against the 60–70% RH for PC, causing AAS to dry faster when the relative humidity decreases from 85 to 50%.
Determination of Material and Fracture Properties of a Case-Hardened Planet Gear and Its Homogenisation Method to Obtain the Damage Mechanism Caused by Fragment Ingestion
Authors: Jeßberger Julia , Fischer Christian , Rinderknecht Stephan
Published: January 2024

Before a new type of engine is introduced into civil aviation, it must comply with various safety regulations. These regulations include the analysis of secondary damage caused by the re-ingestion of a tooth fragment. The purpose is to prevent crack propagation through the gear rim, which would lead to catastrophic failure. In this context, identification of the initial crack location is crucial to determine the crack propagation path. Therefore, this paper presents a technique to determine and validate a constitutive material model and fracture locus for case-hardened spur gears. As the modelling of the surface-hardened layer is computationally intensive, it is necessary to homogenise the model. This paper comprehensively reviews and discusses the associated effects and errors. To determine the plastic behaviour of the case-hardened external gear (30CrNiMo8) and the nitrided internal gear (35CrAlNi7-10), the widely acknowledged Johnson–Cook material model is implemented using compression and Vickers indenter tests to define the necessary parameters. The fracture locus implementation is also based on the Johnson–Cook method and an axial shift of the fracture locus based on the hardness profile of the spur gears is determined by quasi-static pulsator tests. For validation, a project-specific gearbox test rig is used, enabling consistent ingestion of defined fragments. In addition, to check the likelihood of a tooth flank crack and to validate the results, a simplified ingestion experiment is performed.
Possibilities of Increasing the Durability of Punches Used in the Forging Process in Closed Dies of Valve Forgings by Using Alternative Materials from Tool Steels and Sintered Carbides
Authors: Hawryluk Marek , Janik Marta , Gronostajski Zbigniew , Barełkowki Artur , Zwierzchowski Maciej , Lachowicz Marzena , Ziemba Jacek , Marzec Jan
Published: January 2024

This study refers to an analysis of the durability of forging tools applied in the second operation of producing a valve forging from the chromium–nickel steel, NC3015. Due to the extreme working conditions of the tools, caused by cyclic thermo-mechanical loads, the average durability of tools made from tool steel WLV (1.2365) equals about 1500 forgings. An in-depth, complex analysis was performed on the technology, using macroscopic tests combined with a measurement of the wear/allowance on the tool working surface through 3D scanning; microstructural tests by means of light microscopy; observations of the changes taking place on the working surface with a scanning electron microscope; microhardness measurements; and multi-variant numerical simulations. It was established that the key issue is the proper selection of the process technological parameters, such as the input material and tool temperature, friction, lubrication, tribological parameters, type of tool material, or punch design, because even small changes made to them significantly affect the service life of forging punches. Therefore, to increase the durability of the forging dies, alternative materials made of W360, as well as two high speed steels, S600 and S705, were applied. However, the implemented punch materials did not bring the assumed effect of increased durability, as the highest average durability of steel W60 equaled only 1500 forgings, whereas in the case of the tool steels, this was below 900 forgings. For this reason, at the further stage, punches with sintered carbide inserts were introduced, which made it possible to significantly improve the durability up to the level of as many as 20,000 forgings, which, at the same time, points to a promising direction of further studies on the use of materials and solutions of this type.
Effect of Donor Nb(V) Doping on the Surface Reactivity, Electrical, Optical and Photocatalytic Properties of Nanocrystalline TiO2
Authors: Kuranov Dmitriy , Grebenkina Anastasia , Bogdanova Alexandra , Platonov Vadim , Polomoshnov Sergey , Krivetskiy Valeriy , Rumyantseva Marina
Published: January 2024

In this work, we primarily aimed to study the Nb(V) doping effect on the surface activity and optical and electrical properties of nanocrystalline TiO2 obtained through flame-spray pyrolysis. Materials were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and IR, UV and visible spectroscopy. The mechanism of surface reaction with acetone was studied using in situ DRIFTs. It was found that the TiO2-Nb-4 material demonstrated a higher conversion of acetone at a temperature of 300 °C than pure TiO2, which was due to the presence of more active forms of chemisorbed oxygen, as well as higher Lewis acidity of the surface. Conduction activation energies (Eact) were calculated for thin films based on TiO2-Nb materials. The results of the MB photobleaching experiment showed a non-monotonic change in the photocatalytic properties of materials with an increase in Nb(V) content, which was caused by a combination of factors, such as specific surface area, phase composition, concentration of charge carriers as well as their recombination due to lattice point defects.
Functional Electrostimulation System for a Prototype of a Human Hand Prosthesis Using Electromyography Signal Classification by Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Orona-Trujillo Laura , Chairez Isaac , Alfaro-Ponce Mariel
Published: January 2024

Functional electrical stimulation (FES) has been proven to be a reliable rehabilitation technique that increases muscle strength, reduces spasms, and enhances neuroplasticity in the long term. However, the available electrical stimulation systems on the market produce stimulation signals with no personalized voltage–current amplitudes, which could lead to muscle fatigue or incomplete enforced therapeutic motion. This work proposes an FES system aided by machine learning strategies that could adjust the stimulating signal based on electromyography (EMG) information. The regulation of the stimulated signal according to the patient’s therapeutic requirements is proposed. The EMG signals were classified using Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and a least-squares boosting ensemble model with an accuracy of 91.87% and 84.7%, respectively, when a set of 1200 signals from six different patients were used. The classification outcomes were used as input to a second regression machine learning algorithm that produced the adjusted electrostimulation signal required by the user according to their own electrophysiological conditions. The output of the second network served as input to a digitally processed electrostimulator that generated the necessary signal to be injected into the extremity to be treated. The results were evaluated in both simulated and robotized human hand scenarios. These evaluations demonstrated a two percent error when replicating the required movement enforced by the collected EMG information.
Simultaneous Estimation of Vehicle Sideslip and Roll Angles Using an Event-Triggered-Based IoT Architecture
Authors: Viadero-Monasterio Fernando , García Javier , Meléndez-Useros Miguel , Jiménez-Salas Manuel , Boada Beatriz López , López Boada María Jesús
Published: January 2024

In recent years, there has been a significant integration of advanced technology into the automotive industry, aimed primarily at enhancing safety and ride comfort. While a notable proportion of these driver-assist systems focuses on skid prevention, insufficient attention has been paid to addressing other crucial scenarios, such as rollovers. The accurate estimation of slip and roll angles plays a vital role in ensuring vehicle control and safety, making these parameters essential, especially with the rise of modern technologies that incorporate networked communication and distributed computing. Furthermore, there exists a lag in the transmission of information between the various vehicle systems, including sensors, actuators, and controllers. This paper outlines the design of an IoT architecture that accurately estimates the sideslip angle and roll angle of a vehicle, while addressing network transmission delays with a networked control system and an event-triggered communication scheme. Experimental results are presented to validate the performance of the IoT architecture proposed. The event-triggered scheme of the IoT solution is used to decrease data transmission and prevent network overload.
The Shape Parameter in the Shifted Surface Spline—A Sharp and Friendly Approach
Authors: Luh Lin-Tian
Published: January 2024

This is a continuation of our previous study on the shape parameter contained in the shifted surface spline. We insist that the data points be purely scattered without meshes and the domain can be of any shape when conducting function interpolation by shifted surface splines. We also endeavor to make our approach easily accessible for scientists, not only mathematicians. However, the space of interpolated functions is smaller than that used before, leading to sharper function approximation. This function space has particular significance in numerical partial differential equations, especially for equations whose solutions lie in Sobolev space. Although the Fourier transform is deeply involved, scientists without a background in Fourier analysis can easily understand and use our approach.
The Budgeted Labeled Minimum Spanning Tree Problem
Authors: Cerulli Raffaele , D'Ambrosio Ciriaco , Serra Domenico , Sorgente Carmine
Published: January 2024

In order to reduce complexity when designing multi-media communication networks, researchers often consider spanning tree problems defined on edge-labeled graphs. The earliest setting addressed in the literature aims to minimize the number of different media types, i.e., distinct labels, used in the network. Despite being extensively addressed, such a setting completely ignores edge costs. This led to the definition of more realistic versions, where budgets for the total cost, or the number of distinct labels allowed, were introduced. In this paper, we introduce and prove the NP-hardness of the Budgeted Labeled Minimum Spanning Tree problem, consisting in minimizing the cost of a spanning tree while satisfying specified budget constraints for each label type. This problem combines the challenges of cost efficiency and label diversity within a fixed budgetary framework, providing a more realistic and practical approach to network design. We provide three distinct mathematical programming formulations of the problem and design a Lagrangian approach to derive tighter lower bounds for the optimal solution of the problem. The performances of the proposed methods are assessed by conducting a series of computational experiments on a variety of randomly generated instances, which showed how the complexity of the problem increases as the size of the network, as well as the number of labels, increase and the budget restrictions are tightened.
Second-Order Approximate Reflection Coefficient of Thin Interbeds with Vertical Fractures
Authors: Cui Shiwei , Sun Ya , Wang Pu
Published: January 2024

The horizontal fractures in the strata will close in the compaction effect of overlying strata, while the vertical cracks are widely developed, which can be equivalent to HTI (transverse isotropy with a horizontal axis of symmetry) medium. When an S-wave propagates into HTI media, the shear wave will divide into two types of waves: a fast S-wave and slow S-wave. When the strata of HTI are thin and overlapping, called the thin interbeds model, the wave field exhibits complex primary reflections, converted waves, and multiples. We introduce a new second-order approximation of the total reflection coefficient, with the incidence angle lower than the critical angle in thin-interbed HTI media using a recursive algorithm. We verify the effectiveness of the second-order approximation by analyzing the energy of multiples. Comparing the second-order approximate solution that degenerates the HTI medium into isotropic and Kennett’s exact solution, we find that our solution has an accuracy of over 99.9% in any azimuth, with the incidence angle lower than the critical angle under P-wave incidence. However, our solution of the SP wave field is suitable for incidence azimuth angles between 0–75° and 120–180°, with the lowest accuracy occurring at an incidence angle of 25° and a relative error of 6.4%. The approximate solution in the SS wave field has the same applicable range as the SP wave, with the maximum error of 6.3% occurring at the incident angle of 1°. This new second-order approximate formula for the total reflection coefficient of thin interbeds composed of HTI helps us to understand the reflection characteristics of complex thin interbeds. It also lays a theoretical foundation for the development of AVO (Amplitude Versus Offset) analysis and inversion techniques for lithological and stratigraphic oil and gas reservoirs.
Deduction of the Dimensionless Groups and Type Curves of Temperature Profiles in Two-Layer Soils with Water Flow at Depth
Authors: Alhama Iván , Jiménez-Valera José Antonio , Cánovas Manuel , Alhama Francisco
Published: January 2024

In the common hydrogeologic scenarios of horizontal groundwater flow and a water table below the surface, the steady-state 2D thermal field resulting from the coupling between water flow and heat flow and transport gives rise to a vertical temperature profile that develops progressively over a finite extent of the domain. Beyond this region, the temperature profiles are linear and independent of horizontal position. Such profiles are related to the groundwater velocity so they can be usefully used to estimate this velocity in the form of an inverse problem. By non-dimensionalization of the governing equations and boundary conditions, this manuscript formally derives the precise dimensionless groups governing the main unknowns of the problem, namely, (i) extent of the profile development region, (ii) time required for the steady-state temperature profile solution to be reached and (iii) the temperature–depth profiles themselves at each horizontal position of the development region. After verifying the mathematical dependencies of these unknowns on the deduced dimensionless groups, and by means of a large number of accurate numerical simulations, the type curves related to the horizontal extension of the development of the steady-state profiles, the characteristic time to develop such profiles and the dimensionless vertical temperature profiles inside the characteristic region are derived. These universal graphs can be used for the estimation of groundwater horizontal velocities from temperature–depth measurements.
Integrability and Dynamic Behavior of a Piezoelectro-Magnetic Circular Rod
Authors: Albalawi Sarah M. , Elmandouh Adel A. , Sobhy Mohammed
Published: January 2024

The present work strives to explore some qualitative analysis for the governing equation describing the dynamic response of a piezoelectro-magnetic circular rod. As a result of the integrability study of the governed equation, which furnishes valuable insights into its structure, solutions, and applications in various fields, we apply the well-known Ablowitz–Ramani–Segur (ARS) algorithm to prove the non-integrability of the governed equation in a Painlevé sense. The qualitative theory for planar integrable systems is applied to study the bifurcation of the solutions based on the values of rod material properties. Some new solutions for the governing equation are presented and they are categorized into solitary and double periodic functions. We display a 3D representation of the solutions in addition to investigating the influence of wave velocity on the obtained solution for the particular material of the rod.
Mathematical Modeling on a Physics-Informed Radial Basis Function Network
Authors: Stenkin Dmitry , Gorbachenko Vladimir
Published: January 2024

The article is devoted to approximate methods for solving differential equations. An approach based on neural networks with radial basis functions is presented. Neural network training algorithms adapted to radial basis function networks are proposed, in particular adaptations of the Nesterov and Levenberg-Marquardt algorithms. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithms is demonstrated for solving model problems of function approximation, differential equations, direct and inverse boundary value problems, and modeling processes in piecewise homogeneous media.
Switch-Transformer Sentiment Analysis Model for Arabic Dialects That Utilizes a Mixture of Experts Mechanism
Authors: Baniata Laith H. , Kang Sangwoo
Published: January 2024

In recent years, models such as the transformer have demonstrated impressive capabilities in the realm of natural language processing. However, these models are known for their complexity and the substantial training they require. Furthermore, the self-attention mechanism within the transformer, designed to capture semantic relationships among words in sequences, faces challenges when dealing with short sequences. This limitation hinders its effectiveness in five-polarity Arabic sentiment analysis (SA) tasks. The switch-transformer model has surfaced as a potential substitute. Nevertheless, when employing one-task learning for their training, these models frequently face challenges in presenting exceptional performances and encounter issues when producing resilient latent feature representations, particularly in the context of small-size datasets. This challenge is particularly prominent in the case of the Arabic dialect, which is recognized as a low-resource language. In response to these constraints, this research introduces a novel method for the sentiment analysis of Arabic text. This approach leverages multi-task learning (MTL) in combination with the switch-transformer shared encoder to enhance model adaptability and refine sentence representations. By integrating a mixture of experts (MoE) technique that breaks down the problem into smaller, more manageable sub-problems, the model becomes skilled in managing extended sequences and intricate input–output relationships, thereby benefiting both five-point and three-polarity Arabic sentiment analysis tasks. The proposed model effectively identifies sentiment in Arabic dialect sentences. The empirical results underscore its exceptional performance, with accuracy rates reaching 84.02% for the HARD dataset, 67.89% for the BRAD dataset, and 83.91% for the LABR dataset, as demonstrated by the evaluations conducted on these datasets.
Fine-Tuned Cardiovascular Risk Assessment: Locally Weighted Salp Swarm Algorithm in Global Optimization
Authors: Mohammed Shahad Ibrahim , Hussein Nazar K. , Haddani Outman , Aljohani Mansourah , Alkahya Mohammed Abdulrazaq , Qaraad Mohammed
Published: January 2024

The Salp Swarm Algorithm (SSA) is a bio-inspired metaheuristic optimization technique that mimics the collective behavior of Salp chains hunting for food in the ocean. While it demonstrates competitive performance on benchmark problems, the SSA faces challenges with slow convergence and getting trapped in local optima like many population-based algorithms. To address these limitations, this study proposes the locally weighted Salp Swarm Algorithm (LWSSA), which combines two mechanisms into the standard SSA framework. First, a locally weighted approach is introduced and integrated into the SSA to guide the search toward locally promising regions. This heuristic iteratively probes high-quality solutions in the neighborhood and refines the current position. Second, a mutation operator generates new positions for Salp followers to increase randomness throughout the search. In order to assess its effectiveness, the proposed approach was evaluated against the state-of-the-art metaheuristics using standard test functions from the IEEE CEC 2021 and IEEE CEC 2017 competitions. The methodology is also applied to a risk assessment of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Seven optimization strategies of the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) classifier are evaluated and compared to the proposed LWSSA-XGBoost model. The proposed LWSSA-XGBoost achieves superior prediction performance with 94% F1 score, 94% recall, 93% accuracy, and 93% area under the ROC curve in comparison with state-of-the-art competitors. Overall, the experimental results demonstrate that the LWSSA enhances SSA’s optimization ability and XGBoost predictive power in automated CVD risk assessment.
On the Properties of a Newly Susceptible, Non-Seriously Infected, Hospitalized, and Recovered Subpopulation Epidemic Model
Authors: Legarreta Carmen , De la Sen Manuel , Alonso-Quesada Santiago
Published: January 2024

The COVID-19 outbreak has brought to the forefront the importance of predicting and controlling an epidemic outbreak with policies such as vaccination or reducing social contacts. This paper studies an SIHR epidemic model characterized by susceptible (S), non-seriously infected (I), hospitalized (H), and recovered (R) subpopulations, and dynamic vaccination; vaccination itself and H are fed back, and its dynamics are also determined by a free-design time-dependent function and parameters. From a theoretical analysis, the well-posedness of the model is demonstrated; positivity and the disease-free (Pdf) and endemic (Pee) equilibrium points are analyzed. The controlled reproduction number (Rc) is proved to be a threshold for the local asymptotic stability of Pdf and the existence Pee; when Rc<1 (Rc>1), then Pdf is (not) locally asymptotically stable and Pee does not (does) exist. Simulations have been carried out with data concerning COVID-19 where the importance of keeping Rc<1 to prevent the disease spreading and future deaths is highlighted. We design the control input, since it can be easily adapted to match the user specification, to obtain impulsive and regular vaccination and fulfill the condition Rc<1.
Chemoproteomics Reveals USP5 (Ubiquitin Carboxyl-Terminal Hydrolase 5) as Promising Target of the Marine Polyketide Gracilioether A
Authors: Capuano Alessandra , D’Urso Gilda , Aliberti Michela , Ruggiero Dafne , Terracciano Stefania , Festa Carmen , Tosco Alessandra , Chini Maria Giovanna , Lauro Gianluigi , Bifulco Giuseppe , Casapullo Agostino
Published: January 2024

Mass spectrometry-based chemical proteomic approaches using limited proteolysis have become a powerful tool for the identification and analysis of the interactions between a small molecule (SM) and its protein target(s). Gracilioether A (GeA) is a polyketide isolated from a marine sponge, for which we aimed to trace the interactome using this strategy. DARTS (Drug Affinity Responsive Target Stability) and t-LiP-MS (targeted-Limited Proteolysis-Mass Spectrometry) represented the main techniques used in this study. DARTS was applied on HeLa cell lysate for the identification of the GeA target proteins, and t-LiP-MS was employed to investigate the protein’s regions involved in the binding with GeA. The results were complemented through the use of binding studies using Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) and in silico molecular docking experiments. Ubiquitin carboxyl-terminal hydrolase 5 (USP5) was identified as a promising target of GeA, and the interaction profile of the USP5-GeA complex was explained. USP5 is an enzyme involved in the pathway of protein metabolism through the disassembly of the polyubiquitin chains on degraded proteins into ubiquitin monomers. This activity is connected to different cellular functions concerning the maintenance of chromatin structure and receptors and the degradation of abnormal proteins and cancerogenic progression. On this basis, this structural information opens the way to following studies focused on the definition of the biological potential of Gracilioether A and the rational development of novel USP5 inhibitors based on a new structural skeleton.
Clinical Review of Hypertensive Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Lasica Ratko , Djukanovic Lazar , Vukmirovic Jovanka , Zdravkovic Marija , Ristic Arsen , Asanin Milika , Simic Dragan
Published: January 2024

Although acute heart failure (AHF) is a common disease associated with significant symptoms, morbidity and mortality, the diagnosis, risk stratification and treatment of patients with hypertensive acute heart failure (H-AHF) still remain a challenge in modern medicine. Despite great progress in diagnostic and therapeutic modalities, this disease is still accompanied by a high rate of both in-hospital (from 3.8% to 11%) and one-year (from 20% to 36%) mortality. Considering the high rate of rehospitalization (22% to 30% in the first three months), the treatment of this disease represents a major financial blow to the health system of each country. This disease is characterized by heterogeneity in precipitating factors, clinical presentation, therapeutic modalities and prognosis. Since heart decompensation usually occurs quickly (within a few hours) in patients with H-AHF, establishing a rapid diagnosis is of vital importance. In addition to establishing the diagnosis of heart failure itself, it is necessary to see the underlying cause that led to it, especially if it is de novo heart failure. Given that hypertension is a precipitating factor of AHF and in up to 11% of AHF patients, strict control of arterial blood pressure is necessary until target values are reached in order to prevent the occurrence of H-AHF, which is still accompanied by a high rate of both early and long-term mortality.
Techniques and Technologies to Improve Vein Graft Patency in Coronary Surgery
Authors: Gemelli Marco , Addonizio Mariangela , Geatti Veronica , Gallo Michele , Dixon Lauren K. , Slaughter Mark S. , Gerosa Gino
Published: January 2024

Vein grafts are the most used conduits in coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), even though many studies have suggested their lower patency compared to arterial alternatives. We have reviewed the techniques and technologies that have been investigated over the years with the aim of improving the quality of these conduits. We found that preoperative and postoperative optimal medical therapy and no-touch harvesting techniques have the strongest evidence for optimizing vein graft patency. On the other hand, the use of venous external support, endoscopic harvesting, vein preservation solution and anastomosis, and graft configuration need further investigation. We have also analyzed strategies to treat vein graft failure: when feasible, re-doing the CABG and native vessel primary coronary intervention (PCI) are the best options, followed by percutaneous procedures targeting the failed grafts.
Revolutionizing Blood Collection: Innovations, Applications, and the Potential of Microsampling Technologies for Monitoring Metabolites and Lipids
Authors: Bossi Eleonora , Limo Elena , Pagani Lisa , Monza Nicole , Serrao Simone , Denti Vanna , Astarita Giuseppe , Paglia Giuseppe
Published: January 2024

Blood serves as the primary global biological matrix for health surveillance, disease diagnosis, and response to drug treatment, holding significant promise for personalized medicine. The diverse array of lipids and metabolites in the blood provides a snapshot of both physiological and pathological processes, with many routinely monitored during conventional wellness checks. The conventional method involves intravenous blood collection, extracting a few milliliters via venipuncture, a technique limited to clinical settings due to its dependence on trained personnel. Microsampling methods have evolved to be less invasive (collecting ≤150 µL of capillary blood), user-friendly (enabling self-collection), and suitable for remote collection in longitudinal studies. Dried blood spot (DBS), a pioneering microsampling technique, dominates clinical and research domains. Recent advancements in device technology address critical limitations of classical DBS, specifically variations in hematocrit and volume. This review presents a comprehensive overview of state-of-the-art microsampling devices, emphasizing their applications and potential for monitoring metabolites and lipids in blood. The scope extends to diverse areas, encompassing population studies, nutritional investigations, drug discovery, sports medicine, and multi-omics research.
Effects of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons on the Composition of the Soil Bacterial Communities in the Tidal Flat Wetlands of the Yellow River Delta of China
Authors: Qi Yue , Wu Yuxuan , Zhi Qiuying , Zhang Zhe , Zhao Yilei , Fu Gang
Published: January 2024

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are pervasive organic pollutants in coastal ecosystems, especially in tidal flat wetlands. However, the mechanisms through which PAHs impact the soil bacterial communities of wetlands featuring a simple vegetation structure in the Yellow River Delta (China) remain largely unclear. In this study, we examined soil samples from two sites featuring a single vegetation type (Suaeda salsa) in the Yellow River Delta. Specifically, we investigated the impacts of PAHs on the diversity and composition of soil bacteria communities through high-throughput 16 S rRNA sequencing. PAHs significantly increased the soil organic carbon content but decreased the total phosphorus content (p = 0.02). PAH contamination notably reduced soil bacterial community α diversity (Shannon index) and β diversity. Furthermore, PAHs significantly altered the relative abundance of bacterial phyla, classes, and genera (p < 0.05). Specifically, PAHs increased the relative abundance of the bacterial phyla Acidobacteriota and Gemmatimonadota (p < 0.05), while decreasing the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Desulfobacterota, and Firmicutes compared to the control wetland (p < 0.05). Moreover, PAHs and certain soil properties [total nitrogen (TN), soil organic carbon (SOC), total phosphorus (TP), and total salt (TS)] were identified as key parameters affecting the community of soil bacteria, with the abundance of specific bacteria being both negatively and positively affected by PAHs, SOC, and TN. In summary, our findings could facilitate the identification of existing environmental problems and offer insights for improving the protection and management of tidal flat wetland ecosystems in the Yellow River Delta of China.
Simultaneous Differential Detection of H5, H7, H9 and Nine NA Subtypes of Avian Influenza Viruses via a GeXP Assay
Authors: Luo Sisi , Xie Zhixun , Li Meng , Li Dan , Zhang Minxiu , Ruan Zhihua , Xie Liji , Wang Sheng , Fan Qing , Zhang Yanfang , Huang Jiaoling , Zeng Tingting
Published: January 2024

H5, H7 and H9 are the most important subtypes of avian influenza viruses (AIVs), and nine neuraminidase (NA) subtypes (N1–N9) of AIVs have been identified in poultry. A method that can simultaneously detect H5, H7, H9 and the nine NA subtypes of AIVs would save time and effort. In this study, 13 pairs of primers, including 12 pairs of subtype-specific primers for detecting particular subtypes (H5, H7, H9 and N1–N9) and one pair of universal primers for detecting all subtypes of AIVs, were designed and screened. The 13 pairs of primers were mixed in the same reaction, and the 13 target genes were simultaneously detected. A GeXP assay using all 13 pairs of primers to simultaneously detect H5, H7, H9 and the nine NA subtypes of AIVs was developed. The GeXP assay showed specific binding to the corresponding target genes for singlet and multiplex templates, and no cross-reactivity was observed between AIV subtypes and other related avian pathogens. Detection was observed even when only 102 copies of the 13 target genes were present. This study provides a high-throughput, rapid and labor-saving GeXP assay for the simultaneous rapid identification of three HA subtypes (H5, H7 and N9) and nine NA subtypes (N1–N9) of AIVs.
The Phylogeny and Metabolic Potentials of a Lignocellulosic Material-Degrading Aliiglaciecola Bacterium Isolated from Intertidal Seawater in East China Sea
Authors: Zhang Hongcai , Wang Zekai , Yu Xi , Cao Junwei , Bao Tianqiang , Liu Jie , Sun Chengwen , Wang Jiahua , Fang Jiasong
Published: January 2024

Lignocellulosic materials are composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin and are one of the most abundant biopolymers in marine environments. The extent of the involvement of marine microorganisms in lignin degradation and their contribution to the oceanic carbon cycle remains elusive. In this study, a novel lignin-degrading bacterial strain, LCG003, was isolated from intertidal seawater in Lu Chao Harbor, East China Sea. Phylogenetically, strain LCG003 was affiliated with the genus Aliiglaciecola within the family Alteromonadaceae. Metabolically, strain LCG003 contains various extracellular (signal-fused) glycoside hydrolase genes and carbohydrate transporter genes and can grow with various carbohydrates as the sole carbon source, including glucose, fructose, sucrose, rhamnose, maltose, stachyose and cellulose. Moreover, strain LCG003 contains many genes of amino acid and oligopeptide transporters and extracellular peptidases and can grow with peptone as the sole carbon and nitrogen source, indicating a proteolytic lifestyle. Notably, strain LCG003 contains a gene of dyp-type peroxidase and strain-specific genes involved in the degradation of 4-hydroxy-benzoate and vanillate. We further confirmed that it can decolorize aniline blue and grow with lignin as the sole carbon source. Our results indicate that the Aliiglaciecola species can depolymerize and mineralize lignocellulosic materials and potentially play an important role in the marine carbon cycle.
Invasive Fungal Infections in Children with Acute Leukemia: Epidemiology, Risk Factors, and Outcome
Authors: Gal Etzioni Tamar Ruth , Fainshtain Nurit , Nitzan-Luques Adi , Goldstein Gal , Weinreb Sigal , Temper Violeta , Korem Maya , Averbuch Dina
Published: January 2024

Invasive fungal infections (IFI) cause morbidity and mortality in children with acute leukemia (AL). We retrospectively collected data on febrile neutropenic episodes (FNE) in AL children (2016–2021) and assessed factors associated with proven/probable IFI. Ninety-three children developed 339 FNE. Seventeen (18.3%) children developed 19 proven/probable IFI (11 yeast; eight molds). The proven/probable yeast IFI rate was 6/52 (11.5%) in children who belong to the high risk for IFI category (HR-IFI-AL: high-risk acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL), acute myeloid leukemia, relapse); and 5/41 (12.2%) in the non-HR-IFI-AL category (standard/intermediate risk ALL). The proven/probable mold IFI rate was 7/52 (13.5%) in HR-IFI-AL children and 1/41 (2.4%) in the non-HR-IFI-AL category. In the multivariable analysis, underlying genetic syndrome, oral mucositis, and older age were significantly associated with proven/probable IFI, while a longer time since AL diagnosis was protective. Two of 13 (15.4%) HR-IFI-AL children died because of IFI. The elevated risks of proven/probable mold IFI and the associated mortality in HR-IFI-AL children, and high risk of invasive candidiasis in the non-HR-IFI-AL group, emphasize the need for the close monitoring of local epidemiology and the adjustment of practices accordingly.
The Natural and Clinical History of Plague: From the Ancient Pandemics to Modern Insights
Authors: Bennasar-Figueras Antoni
Published: January 2024

The human pathogen Yersinia pestis is responsible for bubonic, septicemic, and pneumonic plague. A deeply comprehensive overview of its historical context, bacteriological characteristics, genomic analysis based on ancient DNA (aDNA) and modern strains, and its impact on historical and actual human populations, is explored. The results from multiple studies have been synthesized to investigate the origins of plague, its transmission, and effects on different populations. Additionally, molecular interactions of Y. pestis, from its evolutionary origins to its adaptation to flea-born transmission, and its impact on human and wild populations are considered. The characteristic combinations of aDNA patterns, which plays a decisive role in the reconstruction and analysis of ancient genomes, are reviewed. Bioinformatics is fundamental in identifying specific Y. pestis lineages, and automated pipelines are among the valuable tools in implementing such studies. Plague, which remains among human history’s most lethal infectious diseases, but also other zoonotic diseases, requires the continuous investigation of plague topics. This can be achieved by improving molecular and genetic screening of animal populations, identifying ecological and social determinants of outbreaks, increasing interdisciplinary collaborations among scientists and public healthcare providers, and continued research into the characterization, diagnosis, and treatment of these diseases.