bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibiogram Profile and Detection of Resistance Genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa Recovered from Hospital Wastewater Effluent
Authors: Okafor Joan U. , Nwodo Uchechukwu U.
Published: October 2023

The nosocomial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) is characterized by increased prevalence in hospital wastewater and is a public health concern. Untreated wastewater severely challenges human health when discharged into nearby aquatic ecosystems. The antibiogram profiles and resistance genes of P. aeruginosa were evaluated in this study. Wastewater effluents were obtained from a hospital within a six-month sampling period. After the samples were processed and analysed, P. aeruginosa was identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) by amplifying OprI and OprL genes. The Kirby–Bauer diffusion technique was employed to check the susceptibility profiles of P. aeruginosa which were further interpreted using CLSI guidelines. A total of 21 resistance genes were investigated among the isolates. The sum of 81 positive P. aeruginosa were isolated in this study. This study’s mean count of Pseudomonas aeruginosa ranged from 2.4 × 105 to 6.5 × 105 CFU/mL. A significant proportion of the isolates were susceptible to imipenem (93%), tobramycin (85%), norfloxacin (85%), aztreonam (70%), ciprofloxacin (51%), meropenem (47%), levofloxacin (43%), and gentamicin (40%). Meanwhile, a low susceptibility was recorded for amikacin and ceftazidime. The overall multiple antibiotics resistance index (MARI) ranged from 0.3 to 0.9, with 75% of the multidrug-resistant isolates. The assessment of β-lactam-resistant genes revealed blaOXA-1 (3.7%) and blaSHV (2.4%). The frequency of carbapenem genes was 6.6% for blaIMP, 6.6% for blaKPC, 6.6% for blaoxa-48, 2.2% for blaNDM-1, 2.2% for blaGES, and 2.2% for blaVIM. Of the aminoglycoside genes screened, 8.6% harboured strA, 11.5% harboured aadA, and 1.5% harboured aph(3)-Ia(aphA1). Only one non-β-lactamase gene (qnrA) was detected, with a prevalence of 4.9%. The findings of this study revealed a high prevalence of multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa and resistance determinants potentially posing environmental health risks.
Emergence and Genomic Features of a mcr-1 Escherichia coli from Duck in Hungary
Authors: Szmolka Ama , Gellért Ákos , Szemerits Dóra , Rapcsák Fanni , Spisák Sándor , Adorján András
Published: October 2023

Plasmids carrying high-risk resistance mechanisms in pathogenic E. coli have gained particular attention in veterinary medicine, especially since the discovery of the colistin resistance gene, mcr-1. Here, we provide the first evidence of its emergence and describe the complete mcr-1 plasmid sequence of a multi-resistant avian pathogenic E. coli (APEC) strain from waterfowl in Hungary. Whole-genome sequencing analysis and core-genome MLST were performed to characterize the genome structure of the mcr-1 plasmid and to reveal the phylogenetic relation between the Hungarian duck strain Ec45-2020 and the internationally circulating mcr-1-positive E. coli strains from poultry and humans. Results showed that plasmid pEc45-2020-33kb displayed a high level of genome identity with mcr-1 plasmids of IncX4 type widespread among human, animal and food reservoirs of enteric bacteria of public health. The mcr-1-positive E. coli strain Ec45-2020 belongs to the ST162 genotype, considered as one of the globally disseminated zoonotic genotypes of MDR E. coli. In accordance with international findings, our results underline the importance of continuous surveillance of enteric bacteria with high-risk antimicrobial resistance genotypes, including neglected animals, such as waterfowls, as possible reservoirs for the colistin resistance gene mcr-1.
Staphylococcus aureus Adaptation to the Skin in Health and Persistent/Recurrent Infections
Authors: Gehrke Ana-Katharina E. , Giai Constanza , Gómez Marisa I.
Published: October 2023

Staphylococcus aureus is a microorganism with an incredible capability to adapt to different niches within the human body. Approximately between 20 and 30% of the population is permanently but asymptomatically colonized with S. aureus in the nose, and another 30% may carry S. aureus intermittently. It has been established that nasal colonization is a risk factor for infection in other body sites, including mild to severe skin and soft tissue infections. The skin has distinct features that make it a hostile niche for many bacteria, therefore acting as a strong barrier against invading microorganisms. Healthy skin is desiccated; it has a low pH at the surface; the upper layer is constantly shed to remove attached bacteria; and several host antimicrobial peptides are produced. However, S. aureus is able to overcome these defenses and colonize this microenvironment. Moreover, this bacterium can very efficiently adapt to the stressors present in the skin under pathological conditions, as it occurs in patients with atopic dermatitis or suffering chronic wounds associated with diabetes. The focus of this manuscript is to revise the current knowledge concerning how S. aureus adapts to such diverse skin conditions causing persistent and recurrent infections.
TTH-Net: Two-Stage Transformer–CNN Hybrid Network for Leaf Vein Segmentation
Authors: Song Peng , Yu Yonghong , Zhang Yang
Published: October 2023

Leaf vein segmentation is crucial in species classification and smart agriculture. The existing methods combine manual features and machine learning techniques to segment coarse leaf veins. However, the extraction of the intricate patterns is time consuming. To address the issues, we propose a coarse-to-fine two-stage hybrid network termed TTH-Net, which combines a transformer and CNN to accurately extract veins. Specifically, the proposed TTH-Net consists of two stages and a cross-stage semantic enhancement module. The first stage utilizes the Vision Transformer (base version) to extract globally high-level feature representations. Based on these features, the second stage identifies fine-grained vein features via CNN. To enhance the interaction between the two stages, a cross-stage semantic enhancement module is designed to integrate the strengths of the transformer and CNN, which also improves the segmentation accuracy of the decoder. Extensive experiments on the public dataset LVN are conducted, and the results prove that TTH-Net has significant advantages over other methods in leaf vein segmentation.
Strength Analysis of an Open Car Body with Honeycomb Elements during Ro-Ro Transportation
Authors: Gerlici Juraj , Lovska Alyona , Fomin Oleksij , Dižo Ján , Blatnický Miroslav
Published: October 2023

This article presents the determination of the bearing structure loads of an open car during ro-ro transportation. A special solution for an open car is the application of elastic, viscous honeycomb panels in the frame. This engineering solution can decrease the load of the bearing structure of an open car during interactions with multiple-use lashing devices. This article presents the mathematic modelling of the dynamic load of an open car during ro-ro transportation. This calculation is based on the most popular load diagrams for the bearing structure of an open car applied for sea transportation, namely the rolling motion and the turning motion of a train ferry approaching a dock. It was found that the application of honeycomb panels can decrease the dynamic load of a rail car in comparison to a standard structure by about 25%. The results of the strength calculation of the bearing structure of an open car demonstrated that the maximum equivalent stresses do not exceed the allowable values and are 30% lower than the stresses that emerging in the standard structure. The conducted research can be used by engineers who are concerned about safe and environmentally friendly transportation via train ferries and more efficient ro-ro transportation.
Influence of Game Space on the Design of Wheelchair Basketball Tasks
Authors: Hernández-Beltrán Víctor , Ibáñez Sergio J. , Espada Mário C. , Gamonales José M.
Published: October 2023

The design and organization of the training tasks in Wheelchair Basketball (WB) determine the load to which the players are exposed. Therefore, the aims of the present study were twofold: (a) to identify the existing associations between the pedagogical variables and the game space that define the training tasks by a coach of a professional WB team using the integral analysis system of training tasks (SIATE) tool, and (b) to analyze the self-defined profile of the two coaches. A total of 46 tasks coded during two months of coaching were analyzed. The following questionnaires were used to determine the coaches’ self-defined profile: (i) Coach Orientation Questionnaire; (ii) Coach Knowledge and Skills Questionnaire; (iii) Coach Decision Questionnaire; and (iv) Coach Planning Style Questionnaire. The results reported a relationship between the playing space and the design of the tasks defined by the pedagogical variables. Positional situations in WB are mainly used for 1 × 0 tasks, during warm-up, by means of simple and unopposed application games. In the same way, 1 × 0 tasks are used in midfield game situations. On the other hand, coaches use the round-trip court in more complex game situations, 4 × 4 and 5 × 5, in which attack and defense contents are worked together, by means of specific complex games of numerical equality for the training of collective technical–tactical attacking schemes. Planning and evaluation of the training sessions provide knowledge regarding the evolution of the physical condition and load to which the players are exposed. The WB coaches should handle a wide repertoire of general and specific contents to improve the quality of training sessions, and consequently, the performance in the game.
Left Ventricular Ejection Time Estimation from Blood Pressure and Photoplethysmography Signals Based on Tidal Wave
Authors: Evdochim Lucian , Dobrescu Dragoș , Dobrescu Lidia , Stanciu Silviu , Halichidis Stela
Published: October 2023

Left ventricular ejection time (LVET) is an important parameter for assessing cardiovascular disorders. In a medical office, it is typically measured using the Tissue Doppler Imaging technique, but new wearable devices have led to a growing interest in integrating this parameter into them, increasing accessibility to personalized healthcare for users and patients. In the cardiovascular domain, photoplethysmography (PPG) is a promising technology that shares two distinctive features with invasive arterial blood pressure (ABP) tracing: the tidal wave (TDW) and the dicrotic wave (DCW). In the early years of cardiovascular research, the duration of the dicrotic point was initially linked to the ending phase of left ventricular ejection. Subsequent studies reported deviations from the initial association, suggesting that the ejection period is related to the tidal wave feature. In this current study, we measured left ventricular ejection time in both ABP and PPG waveforms, considering recent research results. A total of 27,000 cardiac cycles were analyzed for both afore-mentioned signals. The reference value for ejection time was computed based on the T-wave segment duration from the electrocardiogram waveform. In lower blood pressure, which is associated with decreased heart contractility, the results indicated an underestimation of −29 ± 19 ms in ABP and an overestimation of 18 ± 31 ms in PPG. On the other side of the spectrum, during increased contractility, the minimum errors were −3 ± 18 ms and 4 ± 33 ms, respectively. Since the tidal wave feature is strongly affected by arterial tree compliance, the population evaluation results indicate a Pearson’s correlation factor of 0.58 in the ABP case, and 0.53 in PPG. These findings highlight the need for advanced compensation techniques, in particular for PPG assessment, to achieve clinical-grade accuracy.
Multiphase Conjugate Heat Transfer Analyses on the Assembly Situation of Rotary Shaft Seals
Authors: Hannss Jacqueline , Grün Jeremias , Olbrich Christoph , Feldmeth Simon , Bauer Frank
Published: October 2023

Rotary shaft seals prevent the exchange of fluid at shaft passages. Their function and service life depend decisively on the temperature in the contact area between the sealing edge and the shaft. Since the temperature depends on both the generation of frictional heat in the contact area and the heat transfer to the surrounding sealing system, the design of the sealing system is crucial. Within the scope of this work, multiphase conjugate heat-transfer analyses were performed considering different assembly situations. The computed results were presented and contrasted to experimental data. This resulted in a valid model for predicting the temperature in the sealing system, which provided insight into the influence of the sealing surroundings on the contact temperature.
Development of Prediction Method for Dimensional Stability of 3D-Printed Objects
Authors: Min Kyung-Eun , Jang Jae-Won , Shin Jesik , Kim Cheolhee , Yi Sung
Published: October 2023

Fused deposition modeling (FDM), as one of the additive manufacturing processes, is known for strong layer adhesion suitable for prototypes and end-use items. This study used a multiple regression model and statistical analysis to explore the dimensional accuracy of FDM objects. Factors such as inclination angle, layer thickness, support space, and raster angle were examined. Machine learning models (Gaussian process regression (GPR), support vector machines (SVM), and artificial neural network (ANN)) predicted dimensions using 81 datapoints. The mean squared dimensional error (MSDE) between the measured and designed surface profiles was selected as an output for the dimensional accuracy. Support spacing, layer thickness, and raster angle were determined to be statistically significant, and all factors were confirmed as significant predictors. The coefficients of determination for multiple linear regression, GPR, SVM, and ANN models were 76%, 98%, 93%, and 99%, respectively. The mean absolute errors (MAEs)—errors between the measured and the predicted MSDEs—were 0.020 mm and 0.034 mm, respectively, for GPR and SVM models. The MAEs for ANN models were 0.0055 mm for supporting cases and 2.1468 × 10−5 mm for non-supporting cases.
Research on the Development Mechanism of Three Kinds of Cracks in Rock Cutting
Authors: Ma Juntao , Ling Xue , Zhou Qin , Wang Zhiqiao , Liu Hongjie
Published: October 2023

In order to study the mechanism of crack propagation in rock cutting, experiments and discrete element numerical simulation of rock cutting at different depths were adopted in this paper. The rock fragmentation can be divided into mini-size fragmentation and normal-size fragmentation from a size viewpoint. The discrete element method (DEM) is used to further investigate the mechanism of normal size fragmentation at different depths and record the process of crack initiation and propagation. Additionally, the paper characterizes the process of crack initiation and examines the representative rock fragmentation. According to the mechanism of crack development, rock fragmentation can be divided into three categories: conventional failure, fracture failure, and damage failure. The fragmentation of three kinds of failure has one common point. To form semi-dislodged rock fragmentation, the macroscopic shear cracks are first formed. Subsequently, the tensile failure at weak places causes fragmentation ejection. Therefore, the mechanism of fragmentation generation in rock cutting is investigated in terms of crack initiation and extension. In this study, the fracture phenomenon of previous rock cutting experiments is reproduced by an experiment, and the failure process is analyzed in detail by the discrete element method, which reveals the essence of producing fragment phenomena and summarizes the fracture phenomenon and damage crack propagation mechanism in rock cutting.
A Three-Dimensional Design to Study the Shock Waves of Linear Cascade with Reduced Mass Flow Requirements
Authors: Dumitrescu Oana , Gall Mihnea , Drăgan Valeriu
Published: October 2023

This paper presents the development of high-specific-speed mixed flow/centrifugal compressor vaned diffusers. Specifically, the design of a test rig that will make the visualization of shock waves on diffuser vanes manageable is addressed in the current study. In this particular case, linearization of an existing state-of-the-art compressor stage was used. For the computational modeling, a series of RANS analyses were conducted to examine the flow characteristics of the two cases explored: a complete transonic cascade and an idealized periodic passage. The distinct behavior exhibited by each vane passage within the entire cascade offers the opportunity to analyze the shockwave structures across a mass flow range of ±9% around the design point. Overall, the pressure coefficient distributions and flow field patterns appear to align with the single-passage conditions, although there are some minor lateral wall influences, particularly in the first passage close to the suction lateral wall. However, because of the nature of the flow, which is characterized by high velocity and density differences near the vanes, the equivalent mass flow per individual passage was difficult to estimate. This may also be attributed to the small endwall axial vortices; nonetheless, for the purposes of this paper, this was of little consequence.
An Edge-Guided Deep Learning Solar Panel Hotspot Thermal Image Segmentation Algorithm
Authors: Wang Fangbin , Wang Zini , Chen Zhong , Zhu Darong , Gong Xue , Cong Wanlin
Published: October 2023

To overcome the deficiencies in segmenting hot spots from thermal infrared images, such as difficulty extracting the edge features, low accuracy, and a high missed detection rate, an improved Mask R-CNN photovoltaic hot spot thermal image segmentation algorithm has been proposed in this paper. Firstly, the edge image features of hot spots were extracted based on residual neural networks. Secondly, by combining the feature pyramid structure, an edge-guided feature pyramid structure was designed, and the hot spot edge features were injected into a Mask R-CNN network. Thirdly, an infrared spatial attention module was introduced into the Mask R-CNN network when feature extraction and the infrared features of the detected hot spots were enhanced. Fourthly, the size ratio of the candidate frames was adjusted self-adaptively according to the structural characteristics of the aspect ratio of the hot spots. Finally, the validation experiments were conducted, and the results demonstrated that the hot spot contours of thermal infrared images were enhanced through the algorithm proposed in this paper, and the segmentation accuracy was significantly improved.
A General Overview of Overhead Multi-Station Multi-Shuttle Systems and the Innovative Applications Trend in Vietnam
Authors: Truong Thuy Duy , Khuu Nguyen Huu Loc , Le Quoc Dien , Vu Tran Thanh Cong , Tran Hoa Binh , Vo Tuong Quan
Published: October 2023

Research and development on a global scale have been conducted on overhead hoist transportation systems (OHTSs) in recent years. The majority of these systems are utilized in manufacturing facilities that are either semiautomated or fully automated. By using stochastic models to evaluate medication distribution and product delivery processes in automated delivery systems, hospitals can reduce patient waiting times and drug response times. Warehouses are being transformed into fully automated fulfillment factories by using conveyors and shelf-lifting mobile robots, which reduce waiting times and improve efficiency. Modern warehouses are increasingly becoming fully automated fulfillment facilities as a response to the significant development of e-commerce. A significant number of organizations are using mobile robots or conveyor systems to transport shelves. The parts-to-picker model is used to transport stock-keeping units (SKUs) to stationary pickers at picking workstations. The aim of this study is to analyze and organize the relationship between transportation system families. They are utilized in various fields, such as warehouses, hospitals, airports, cross-dockings, etc. Furthermore, this study categorizes a range of synchronization issues that arise from minor variations in workstation configurations within different warehouse settings. Next, we identify a multistation ATS (automatic transportation system) that switches lines to different stations by using overhead conveyors and active line-switching devices. Vietnam’s automated freight problem can be solved with this potential solution. Our study’s findings suggest that enhancing the workstation layout can significantly enhance throughput performance. As a result, the benefits of synchronization can surpass those provided by other well-studied decision tasks.
Dynamic Canonical Data Model: An Architecture Proposal for the External and Data Loose Coupling for the Integration of Software Units
Authors: Ruíz-Ceniceros Juan Antonio , Aguilar-Calderón José Alfonso , Tripp-Barba Carolina , Zaldívar-Colado Aníbal
Published: October 2023

Integrating third-party and legacy systems has become a critical necessity for companies, driven by the need to exchange information with various entities such as banks, suppliers, customers, and partners. Ensuring data integrity, keeping integrations up-to-date, reducing transaction risks, and preventing data loss are all vital aspects of this complex task. Achieving success in this endeavor, which involves both technological and business challenges, necessitates the implementation of a well-suited architecture. This article introduces an architecture known as the Dynamic Canonical Data Model through Agnostic Messages. The proposal addresses the integration of loosely coupled software units, mainly when dealing with internal and external data integration. To illustrate the architecture’s components, a case study from the Mexican Logistics Company Paquetexpress is presented. This organization manages integrations across several platforms, including SalesForce and Oracle ERP, with clients like Amazon, Mercado Libre, Grainger, and Afull. Each of these incurs costs ranging from USD 30,000 to USD 36,000, with consultants from firms such as Quanam, K&F, TSOL, and TekSi playing a crucial role in their execution. This consumes much time, making maintenance costs considerably high when clients request data transmission or type changes, particularly when utilizing tools like Oracle Integration Cloud (OIC) or Oracle Service Bus (OSB). The article provides insights into the architecture’s design and implementation in a real-world scenario within the delivery company. The proposed architecture significantly reduces integration and maintenance times and costs while maximizing scalability and encouraging the reuse of components. The source code for this implementation has been registered in the National Registry of Copyrights in Mexico.
Heat Transfer Investigation in Plus-Shaped Enclosure Using Power Law Fluid: A Finite Element Approach
Authors: Chuhan Imran Shabir , Li Jing , Guo Ziyu , Yaqub Muhammad , Manan Malik Abdul
Published: October 2023

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the thermal behavior of power law fluid within a plus-shaped cavity under the influence of natural convection, also taking into account the Darcy number and magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The problem is formulated as a system of partial differential equations considering the power law fluid’s rheological behavior. The left-side walls are maintained at a specific low temperature while the lower and the right-side walls have uniform maximum temperatures. The boundary condition is designed to enhance heat transfer efficiency within the cavity, utilizing advanced thermal insulation methodologies. Finite element method (FEM) simulations are conducted, and a grid independence test is performed to validate the results. The impact of relevant parameters on the variation in momentum and thermal distributions is investigated using streamline and isothermal contour plots. The results indicate that as the Rayleigh number increases, the kinetic energy also increases, whereas the viscosity and circulation zones expand with an increase in the power law index. The Nusselt number exhibits a higher value in the shear-thinning case (n = 0.7) compared to the Newtonian (n = 1) and shear-thickening (n = 1.2) cases. This empirical observation underscores the vital role that fluid rheology plays in molding the overall heat transfer performance within the cavity. The study concludes that there is a distinct correlation between the heat transfer rate and the Rayleigh number (Ra). As Ra increases, there is a significant improvement in the heat transfer rate within the flow domain. Furthermore, the fluid behavior and heat transfer performance within the cavity are significantly influenced by the presence of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) and the Darcy effect.
Adaptive Locomotion Learning for Quadruped Robots by Combining DRL with a Cosine Oscillator Based Rhythm Controller
Authors: Zhang Xiaoping , Wu Yitong , Wang Huijiang , Iida Fumiya , Wang Li
Published: October 2023

Animals have evolved to adapt to complex and uncertain environments, acquiring locomotion skills for diverse surroundings. To endow a robot’s animal-like locomotion ability, in this paper, we propose a learning algorithm for quadruped robots based on deep reinforcement learning (DRL) and a rhythm controller that is based on a cosine oscillator. For a quadruped robot, two cosine oscillators are utilized at the hip joint and the knee joint of one leg, respectively, and, finally, eight oscillators form the controller to realize the quadruped robot’s locomotion rhythm during moving. The coupling between the cosine oscillators of the rhythm controller is realized by the phase difference, which is simpler and easier to realize when dealing with the complex coupling relationship between different joints. DRL is used to help learn the controller parameters and, in the reward function design, we address the challenge of terrain adaptation without relying on the complex camera-based vision processing but based on the proprioceptive information, where a state estimator is introduced to achieve the robot’s posture and help finally utilize the food-end coordinate. Experiments are carried out in CoppeliaSim, and all of the flat, uphill and downhill conditions are considered. The results show that the robot can successfully accomplish all the above skills and, at the same time, with the reward function designed, the robot’s pitch angle, yaw angle and roll angle are very small, which means that the robot is relatively stable during walking. Then, the robot is transplanted to a new scene; the results show that although the environment is previously unencountered, the robot can still fulfill the task, which demonstrates the effectiveness and robustness of this proposed method.
The Problem of Machine Part Operations Optimal Scheduling in the Production Industry Based on a Customer’s Order
Authors: Mitić Predrag , Petrović Savić Suzana , Djordjevic Aleksandar , Erić Milan , Sukić Enes , Vidojević Dejan , Stefanovic Miladin
Published: October 2023

This research focuses on small- and medium-sized businesses that provide machining or other process services but do not produce their own products. Their daily manufacturing schedule varies according to client needs. Small- and medium-sized businesses strive to operate in these circumstances by extending their customer base and creating adequate production planning targets. Their resources are limited, including the technical and technological components of their equipment, tools, people resources, time, and capacities. As a result, planning operations with the present resources of small- and medium-sized businesses in the midst of the global economic crisis is a widespread issue that must be addressed. This study seeks to offer a novel mathematical optimization model based on a genetic algorithm to address job shop scheduling and capacity planning difficulties in small- and medium-sized businesses, therefore improving performance management and production planning procedures. On the basis of the created optimization model, an appropriate software solution, and quantitative data concerning the job shop scheduling and capacity planning challenges of manufacturing operations in small- and medium-sized businesses, the study findings will be obtained. The practical implications include the establishment and development of a decision support system based on the genetic algorithm optimization method, which may improve the effectiveness of the flexible job shop scheduling problem and capacity planning in the production planning process. The given model and the application of the differential precedence preservative crossover operator within genetic algorithms are what constitute the novelty of this study.
Ultimate Compressive Strength of H-Section Stub Columns Subject to Random Pitting Corrosion Damage
Authors: Wang Fangyuan , Wang Renhua , Ju Jianjun
Published: October 2023

H-section columns with random pitting corrosion exhibit localized damage, making it imperative to conduct a thorough assessment in order to guarantee their long-term structural safety and integrity. This paper presents a method for constructing finite element models of randomly pitted H-section stub columns. The accuracy of the models was first validated against existing experiments. Various scenarios, accounting for different levels of pitting intensities and locations of corrosion occurrence, were considered, to elucidate the mechanisms of the reduction in ultimate strength and stiffness, as well as the failure of columns. Additionally, the influence of the width-to-thickness ratio of the plate on the ultimate strength of stub columns was also taken into account. A method to address the thickness loss resulting from random pitting corrosion was proposed for the ultimate strength assessment of randomly pitted stub columns, and its accuracy was verified based on the Chinese and European Standards. An empirical formula was proposed and verified upon the results of numerous stochastic simulations of randomly pitted H-section columns. The results demonstrated that for axially loaded H-section stub columns, both ultimate strength and stiffness decrease significantly and nonlinearly with the increase in the degree of pitting damage. Corrosion can change the failure mode of a stub column by inducing local buckling in a plate that initially satisfies the buckling criterion before the overall column failure.
Adaptive Marginal Multi-Target Bayes Filter without Need for Clutter Density for Object Detection and Tracking
Authors: Liu Zongxiang , Zhou Chunmei , Luo Junwen
Published: October 2023

The random finite set (RFS) approach for multi-target tracking is widely researched because it has a rigorous theoretical basis. However, many prior parameters such as the clutter density, survival probability and detection probability of the target, pruning threshold, merging threshold, initial state of the birth object and its error covariance matrix are required in the standard RFS-based filters. In real application scenes, it is difficult to obtain these prior parameters. To address this problem, an adaptive marginal multi-target Bayes filter without the need for clutter density is proposed. This filter obviates the need for prior clutter density and survival probability. Instead of using the prior initial states of newborn targets and their error covariance matrices, it uses two scans of observations to generate the initial states of potential birth targets and their error covariance matrices according to the least squares technique. Simulation results reveal that the proposed adaptive filter has smaller OSPA and OSPA(2) errors as well as less cardinality error than the adaptive RFS-based filters. The OSPA and OSPA(2) errors have been reduced by more than 20% compared to those of the adaptive RFS-based filters.
Theoretical Calculation and Experimental Verification of Wind-Driven Rain Aerodynamic Forces on the Bridge Main Beam
Authors: Lei Xu , Shen Lian , Chen Zhengqing , Zhang Xuewen , Wei Chenglong , Han Yan
Published: October 2023

Regarding the issue of changes in the aerodynamic force of the bridge main beam under the action of wind-driven rain, this article explores the changes in air density caused by rainfall, the calculation theory of raindrop impact force and its simplified mass-weighted equivalent method (MWEM), and the calculation method of water accumulation thickness on the surface of the main beam. The calculation shows that the changes in air density caused by rainfall can be ignored, and the error of the MWEM increases with the increase in rainfall intensity; however, even at a rainfall intensity of 709 mm/h, the deviations in the MWEM value of the horizontal and vertical raindrop impact force is only about +5% and −4%, respectively. Then, based on the above analysis, a calculation model for the aerodynamic three-component forces of the main beam caused by rainfall under the action of wind-driven rain is provided. Finally, taking two typical main beam sections as an example, static three-component force tests are carried out on the main beam model under different rainfall intensities. The experimental results show that the drag coefficient variations obtained through the MWEM are in good agreement with experimental data, which proves the correctness of the theoretical model of the raindrop impact force. But for the lift and torque coefficient, the differences between theoretical and experimental values are much more significant than the drag coefficient, and it increases with the increase in rain intensity. It can be seen that the surface ponding model and influence of rainfall intensity need to be further explored. In summary, the theoretical calculation method for the additional aerodynamic force of wind-driven rain on the main beam proposed in this article is convenient and practical, and it can provide a certain reference for the rapid safety assessment of bridges under extreme meteorological conditions.
Deep Learning Methods for Omics Data Imputation
Authors: Huang Lei , Song Meng , Shen Hui , Hong Huixiao , Gong Ping , Deng Hong-Wen , Zhang Chaoyang
Published: October 2023

One common problem in omics data analysis is missing values, which can arise due to various reasons, such as poor tissue quality and insufficient sample volumes. Instead of discarding missing values and related data, imputation approaches offer an alternative means of handling missing data. However, the imputation of missing omics data is a non-trivial task. Difficulties mainly come from high dimensionality, non-linear or non-monotonic relationships within features, technical variations introduced by sampling methods, sample heterogeneity, and the non-random missingness mechanism. Several advanced imputation methods, including deep learning-based methods, have been proposed to address these challenges. Due to its capability of modeling complex patterns and relationships in large and high-dimensional datasets, many researchers have adopted deep learning models to impute missing omics data. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the currently available deep learning-based methods for omics imputation from the perspective of deep generative model architectures such as autoencoder, variational autoencoder, generative adversarial networks, and Transformer, with an emphasis on multi-omics data imputation. In addition, this review also discusses the opportunities that deep learning brings and the challenges that it might face in this field.
Hypoxia-Induced Changes in L-Cysteine Metabolism and Antioxidative Processes in Melanoma Cells
Authors: Rydz Leszek , Wróbel Maria , Janik Klaudia , Jurkowska Halina
Published: October 2023

This study was performed on human primary (WM115) and metastatic (WM266-4) melanoma cell lines developed from the same individual. The expression of proteins involved in L-cysteine metabolism (sulfurtransferases, and cystathionine β-synthase) and antioxidative processes (thioredoxin, thioredoxin reductase-1, glutathione peroxidase, superoxide dismutase 1) as well as the level of sufane sulfur, and cell proliferation under hypoxic conditions were investigated. Hypoxia in WM115 and WM266-4 cells was confirmed by induced expression of carbonic anhydrase IX and 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase 4 by the RT-PCR and Western blot methods. It was shown that, under hypoxic conditions the inhibition of WM115 and WM266-4 melanoma cell proliferation was associated with decreased expression of thioredoxin reductase-1 and cystathionine β-synthase. These two enzymes may be important therapeutic targets in the treatment of melanoma. Interestingly, it was also found that in normoxia the expression and activity of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase in metastatic WM266-4 melanoma cells was significantly higher than in primary melanoma WM115 cells.
Thoracic Dorsal Root Ganglion Application of Resiniferatoxin Reduces Myocardial Ischemia-Induced Ventricular Arrhythmias
Authors: Yamaguchi Tomoki , Salavatian Siamak , Kuwabara Yuki , Hellman Abigail , Taylor Bradley K. , Howard-Quijano Kimberly , Mahajan Aman
Published: October 2023

Background: A myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (IR) injury activates the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons. The activation of TRPV1 DRG neurons triggers the spinal dorsal horn and the sympathetic preganglionic neurons in the spinal intermediolateral column, which results in sympathoexcitation. In this study, we hypothesize that the selective epidural administration of resiniferatoxin (RTX) to DRGs may provide cardioprotection against ventricular arrhythmias by inhibiting afferent neurotransmission during IR injury. Methods: Yorkshire pigs (n = 21) were assigned to either the sham, IR, or IR + RTX group. A laminectomy and sternotomy were performed on the anesthetized animals to expose the left T2–T4 spinal dorsal root and the heart for IR intervention, respectively. RTX (50 μg) was administered to the DRGs in the IR + RTX group. The activation recovery interval (ARI) was measured as a surrogate for the action potential duration (APD). Arrhythmia risk was investigated by assessing the dispersion of repolarization (DOR), a marker of arrhythmogenicity, and measuring the arrhythmia score and the number of non-sustained ventricular tachycardias (VTs). TRPV1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) expressions in DRGs and CGRP expression in the spinal cord were assessed using immunohistochemistry. Results: The RTX mitigated IR-induced ARI shortening (−105 ms ± 13 ms in IR vs. −65 ms ± 11 ms in IR + RTX, p = 0.028) and DOR augmentation (7093 ms2 ± 701 ms2 in IR vs. 3788 ms2 ± 1161 ms2 in IR + RTX, p = 0.020). The arrhythmia score and VT episodes during an IR were decreased by RTX (arrhythmia score: 8.01 ± 1.44 in IR vs. 3.70 ± 0.81 in IR + RTX, p = 0.037. number of VT episodes: 12.00 ± 3.29 in IR vs. 0.57 ± 0.3 in IR + RTX, p = 0.002). The CGRP expression in the DRGs and spinal cord was decreased by RTX (DRGs: 6.8% ± 1.3% in IR vs. 0.6% ± 0.2% in IR + RTX, p < 0.001. Spinal cord: 12.0% ± 2.6% in IR vs. 4.5% ± 0.8% in IR + RTX, p = 0.047). Conclusions: The administration of RTX locally to thoracic DRGs reduces ventricular arrhythmia in a porcine model of IR, likely by inhibiting spinal afferent hyperactivity in the cardio–spinal sympathetic pathways.
Trait and State Anxiety Effects on Mismatch Negativity and Sensory Gating Event-Related Potentials
Authors: Ioakeimidis Vasileios , Lennuyeux-Comnene Laura , Khachatoorian Nareg , Gaigg Sebastian B. , Haenschel Corinna , Kyriakopoulos Marinos , Dima Danai
Published: October 2023

We used the auditory roving oddball to investigate whether individual differences in self-reported anxiety influence event-related potential (ERP) activity related to sensory gating and mismatch negativity (MMN). The state-trait anxiety inventory (STAI) was used to assess the effects of anxiety on the ERPs for auditory change detection and information filtering in a sample of thirty-six healthy participants. The roving oddball paradigm involves presentation of stimulus trains of auditory tones with certain frequencies followed by trains of tones with different frequencies. Enhanced negative mid-latency response (130–230 ms post-stimulus) was marked at the deviant (first tone) and the standard (six or more repetitions) tone at Fz, indicating successful mismatch negativity (MMN). In turn, the first and second tone in a stimulus train were subject to sensory gating at the Cz electrode site as a response to the second stimulus was suppressed at an earlier latency (40–80 ms). We used partial correlations and analyses of covariance to investigate the influence of state and trait anxiety on these two processes. Higher trait anxiety exhibited enhanced MMN amplitude (more negative) (F(1,33) = 14.259, p = 6.323 × 10−6, ηp2 = 0.302), whereas state anxiety reduced sensory gating (F(1,30) = 13.117, p = 0.001, ηp2 = 0.304). Our findings suggest that high trait-anxious participants demonstrate hypervigilant change detection to deviant tones that appear more salient, whereas increased state anxiety associates with failure to filter out irrelevant stimuli.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging Biomarkers of Punding in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Mao Chenglu , Zhang Yang , Jiang Jialiu , Qin Ruomeng , Ye Qing , Zhu Xiaolei , Wu Jiayong
Published: October 2023

Punding is a rare condition triggered by dopaminergic therapy in Parkinson’s disease (PD), characterized by a complex, excessive, repetitive, and purposeless abnormal movement, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. We aimed to assess the brain structure alterations related to punding by using multipametric magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Thirty-eight PD patients (19 with punding and 19 without punding) from the Parkinson’s Progression Marker Initiative (PPMI) were included in this study. Cortical thickness was assessed with FreeSurfer, and the integrity of white matter fiber tracts and network topologies were analyzed by using FMRIB Software Library (FSL) and Pipeline for Analyzing braiN Diffusion imAges (PANDA). PD patients with punding showed a higher apathy score and more severe cortical atrophy in the left superior parietal, right inferior parietal, and right superior frontal gyrus, and worse integrity of the right cingulum cingulate tract compared to those without punding. On the other hand, no significant difference in structural network topologies was detected between the two groups. These data suggest that the specific area of destruction may be an MRI biomarker of punding risk, and these findings may have important implications for understanding the neural mechanisms of punding in PD.
Hindbrain Stimulation Modulates Object Recognition Discrimination Efficiency and Hippocampal Synaptic Connections
Authors: Heath Alesha , Madore Michelle , Diaz Karina , McNerney M. Windy
Published: October 2023

(1) Background: The cerebellum is well known to have functionalities beyond the control of motor function. However, brain stimulation studies have not explored the potential of this region to impact downstream processes which are imperative to multiple neurological conditions. Our study aimed to look at preliminary evidence that hindbrain-targeted repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in mice could alter motor, cognitive and anxiety measures; (2) Methods: Male B6129SF2/J mice (n = 16) were given rTMS (n = 9) over lambda at 10 Hz for 10 min or Sham (n = 7) for 14 consecutive days. Mice then underwent a battery of behavioral measures. (3) Results: In the object recognition test, only rTMS-treated mice distinguished between the novel object at 5 min, whereas those that received Sham treatment continued to improve discrimination from 5 to 10 min. Additionally, over the 10 min test phase, rTMS-stimulated mice explored the objects less than the Sham mice. This was accompanied by increased colocalization of presynaptic and postsynaptic markers in the hippocampus in the rTMS mice (4) Conclusions: Hindbrain rTMS stimulation elicits improved processing speed in the object recognition test via structural plasticity mechanisms in the hippocampus and could provide additional ways of targeting these important substructures of the brain.
The Influence of Green Product Type, Message Framing, and Anticipated Pride on Green Consumption Behavior: An Event-Related Potential (ERP) Study
Authors: Zhang Guanfei , Li Jin , Tan Min , Zhong Yiping
Published: October 2023

Different types of green products require different marketing approaches to promote individual green purchasing behaviors. Previous studies have focused only on the effects of message framing on the promotion of different types of green products; however, little is known about the role of underlying emotions. Using event-related potentials (ERPs), this study investigated the neural responses to message framings and anticipated pride in green product types to assess their level of influence on green consumption. Participants in this study were randomly assigned to the anticipated pride versus control groups, and asked to make green consumption decisions involving different types (self- vs. other-interested) of green products, utilizing both gain and loss framing. The behavioral results demonstrated that participants in the anticipated pride group made more green product purchase choices than those in the control group. The ERP results showed that within the loss framing of the control group, other-interested green products induced larger N400 and smaller late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes than self-interested green products, whereas the results showed the opposite trend for the anticipated pride group. These results indicate that although individuals might have biases in their motivation that lead them to focus on self-interested green products, anticipating pride reduces cognitive conflicts and increases their motivation to focus on other-interested green products in the context of loss.
Strategy for the Mix Design of Building Earthen Materials Made of Quarry By-Products
Authors: Audren Mathieu , Guihéneuf Simon , Le Borgne Tangi , Rangeard Damien , Perrot Arnaud
Published: October 2023

The use of quarry by-products can enable the commercialization of a clay building material (reconstituted earth) thanks to minimal valorized and perennial stocks of materials. This study shows that quarry by-products can be used to mix design a clay-based building material for the manufacture of CEB. These soils are composed of quarry tailing and clayey muds. Proctor and dry compressive strength tests have shown that the proportion of mud that achieves the highest possible compressive strength is a balance between increasing density through the aggregate arrangement, increasing clay activity, and decreasing density through the increase in water content. These tests resulted in the formulation of materials with compressive strengths of 5.8 MPa and 8.4 MPa at densities of 2135 kg/m3 and 2178 kg/m3. The influence of mud incorporation on the material granulometry and on its characteristics was also studied. Moreover, a model allowing us to link the compressive strength, the clay activity, and the dry density is proposed for the materials composed of quarry by-products. This model enables us to facilitate the mix design and the standardization of the earth material.