bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HLA-G and CD152 Expression Levels Encourage the Use of Umbilical Cord Tissue-Derived Mesenchymal Stromal Cells as an Alternative for Immunosuppressive Therapy
Authors: Zoehler Bernardo , Fracaro Letícia , Boldrini-Leite Lidiane Maria , da Silva José Samuel , Travers Paul J. , Brofman Paulo Roberto Slud , Bicalho Maria da Graça , Senegaglia Alexandra Cristina
Published: April 2022

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) have been used in immunosuppressive therapy due to their therapeutic effects, with the HLA-G molecule seeming to play a fundamental role. This work evaluated alternative MSC sources to bone marrow (BM), namely, umbilical cord tissue (UC), adipose tissue (AD) and dental pulp tissue (DP), and the influence of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and hypoxia on the cultivation of these cells for use in immunosuppression therapies. Expression of costimulatory markers CD40, CD80 and CD86 and immunosuppressive molecules CD152 and HLA-G was analyzed. Lymphocyte inhibition assays were also performed. Sequencing of the HLA-G gene from exons 1 to 5 was performed using next-generation sequencing to determine the presence of alleles. UC-derived MSCs (UCMSCs) expressed higher CD152 and HLA-G1 under standard cultivation. UCMSCs and DP-derived MSCs (DPSCs) secreted similar levels of HLA-G5. All MSC sources inhibited the proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs); growth under regular versus hypoxic conditions resulted in similar levels of inhibition. When IFN-γ was added, PBMC growth was inhibited to a lesser extent by UCMSCs. The HLA-G*01:04:01:01 allele appears to generate a more efficient MSC response in inhibiting lymphocyte proliferation. However, the strength of this conclusion was limited by the small sample size. UCMSCs are an excellent alternative to BM in immunosuppressive therapy: they express high concentrations of inhibitory molecules and can be cultivated without stimuli, which minimizes cost.
Modern Metaproteomics: A Unique Tool to Characterize the Active Microbiome in Health and Diseases, and Pave the Road towards New Biomarkers—Example of Crohn’s Disease and Ulcerative Colitis Flare-Ups
Authors: Henry Céline , Bassignani Ariane , Berland Magali , Langella Olivier , Sokol Harry , Juste Catherine
Published: April 2022

Thanks to the latest developments in mass spectrometry, software and standards, metaproteomics is emerging as the vital complement of metagenomics, to make headway in understanding the actual functioning of living and active microbial communities. Modern metaproteomics offers new possibilities in the area of clinical diagnosis. This is illustrated here, for the still highly challenging diagnosis of intestinal bowel diseases (IBDs). Using bottom-up proteomics, we analyzed the gut metaproteomes of the same twenty faecal specimens processed either fresh or after a two-month freezing period. We focused on metaproteomes of microbial cell envelopes since it is an outstanding way of capturing host and host–microbe interaction signals. The protein profiles of pairs of fresh and frozen-thawed samples were closely related, making feasible deferred analysis in a distant diagnosis centre. The taxonomic and functional landscape of microbes in diverse IBD phenotypes—active ulcerative colitis, or active Crohn’s disease either with ileo-colonic or exclusive colonic localization—differed from each other and from the controls. Based on their specific peptides, we could identify proteins that were either strictly overrepresented or underrepresented in all samples of one clinical group compared to all samples of another group, paving the road for promising additional diagnostic tool for IBDs.
FK506-Binding Protein 11 Is a Novel Plasma Cell-Specific Antibody Folding Catalyst with Increased Expression in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Authors: Preisendörfer Stefan , Ishikawa Yoshihiro , Hennen Elisabeth , Winklmeier Stephan , Schupp Jonas C. , Knüppel Larissa , Fernandez Isis E. , Binzenhöfer Leonhard , Flatley Andrew , Juan-Guardela Brenda M. , Ruppert Clemens , Guenther Andreas , Frankenberger Marion , Hatz Rudolf A. , Kneidinger Nikolaus , Behr Jürgen , Feederle Regina , Schepers Aloys , Hilgendorff Anne , Kaminski Naftali , Meinl Edgar , Bächinger Hans Peter , Eickelberg Oliver , Staab-Weijnitz Claudia A.
Published: April 2022

Antibodies are central effectors of the adaptive immune response, widespread used therapeutics, but also potentially disease-causing biomolecules. Antibody folding catalysts in the plasma cell are incompletely defined. Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a fatal chronic lung disease with increasingly recognized autoimmune features. We found elevated expression of FK506-binding protein 11 (FKBP11) in IPF lungs where FKBP11 specifically localized to antibody-producing plasma cells. Suggesting a general role in plasma cells, plasma cell-specific FKBP11 expression was equally observed in lymphatic tissues, and in vitro B cell to plasma cell differentiation was accompanied by induction of FKBP11 expression. Recombinant human FKBP11 was able to refold IgG antibody in vitro and inhibited by FK506, strongly supporting a function as antibody peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase. Induction of ER stress in cell lines demonstrated induction of FKBP11 in the context of the unfolded protein response in an X-box-binding protein 1 (XBP1)-dependent manner. While deficiency of FKBP11 increased susceptibility to ER stress-mediated cell death in an alveolar epithelial cell line, FKBP11 knockdown in an antibody-producing hybridoma cell line neither induced cell death nor decreased expression or secretion of IgG antibody. Similarly, antibody secretion by the same hybridoma cell line was not affected by knockdown of the established antibody peptidyl-prolyl isomerase cyclophilin B. The results are consistent with FKBP11 as a novel XBP1-regulated antibody peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase and indicate significant redundancy in the ER-resident folding machinery of antibody-producing hybridoma cells.
The Role of Transglutaminase 2 in the Radioresistance of Melanoma Cells
Authors: Aepler Julia , Wodtke Johanna , Wodtke Robert , Haase-Kohn Cathleen , Löser Reik , Pietzsch Jens , Hauser Sandra
Published: April 2022

Transglutaminase 2 (TG2) is a protein expressed in many tissues that exerts numerous, sometimes contradictory, intra- and extracellular functions, under both physiological and pathophysiological conditions. In the context of tumor progression, it has been found to be involved in cell adhesion, DNA repair mechanisms, induction of apoptosis, and mesenchymal transdifferentiation, among others. Here, we hypothesized that TG2 also contributes to the radioresistance of two human melanoma cell lines, A375 and MeWo, which can be seen to differ in their basal TG2 biosynthesis by examining their proliferation and clonal expansion after irradiation. For this purpose, cellular TG2 biosynthesis and TG2 activity were modulated by transfection-induced overexpression or TG2 knock-out and application of TG2-selective inhibitors. Proliferation and clonal expansion of TG2-overexpressing cells was not enhanced over wildtype cells, suggesting that increased TG2 biosynthesis does not further enhance the radioresistance of melanoma cells. Conversely, TG2 knock-out in A375 cells reduced their proliferation, as well as clonal and spheroidal expansion after irradiation, which indicates a contribution of TG2 to the radioresistance of melanoma cells. Since TG1, TG3, and partly also, TG6 biosynthesis was detectable in A375 and MeWo cells, it can be assumed that these other members of the TG family may exert a partially compensatory effect.
Apoptotic and DNA Damage Effect of 1,2,3,4,6-Penta-O-galloyl-beta-D-glucose in Cisplatin-Resistant Non-Small Lung Cancer Cells via Phosphorylation of H2AX, CHK2 and p53
Authors: Kim Ji-Hyun , Im Eunji , Lee Jihyun , Lee Hyo-Jung , Sim Deok Yong , Park Ji Eon , Ahn Chi-Hoon , Kwon Hyeon Hee , Shim Bum Sang , Kim Bonglee , Kim Sung-Hoon
Published: April 2022

Herein, the apoptotic mechanism of 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-D-glucopyranose (PGG) was examined in cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells. PGG significantly reduced viability; increased sub-G1 accumulation and the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT) dUTP Nick-End Labeling (TUNEL)-positive cells; induced the cleavage of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), caspases (8,9,3,7), B-cell lymphoma protein 2 (Bcl-2)-associated X (Bax) and phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN); and attenuated the expression of p-AKT, X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP), Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and survivin in A549/cisplatin-resistant (CR) and H460/CR cells. Notably, PGG activated p53, p-checkpoint kinase 2 (CHK2) and p-H2A histone family member X (p-H2AX), with increased levels of DNA damage (DSBs) evaluated by highly expressed pH2AX and DNA fragmentation registered on comet assay, while p53 knockdown reduced the ability of PGG to reduce viability and cleave caspase 3 and PARP in A549/CR and H460/CR cells. Additionally, PGG treatment suppressed the growth of H460/CR cells in Balb/c athymic nude mice with increased caspase 3 expression compared with the cisplatin group. Overall, PGG induces apoptosis in cisplatin-resistant lung cancer cells via the upregulation of DNA damage proteins such as γ-H2AX, pCHK2 and p53.
Skeletal Muscle Pathological Fat Infiltration (Myosteatosis) Is Associated with Higher Mortality in Patients with Cirrhosis
Authors: Ebadi Maryam , Tsien Cynthia , Bhanji Rahima A. , Dunichand-Hoedl Abha R. , Rider Elora , Motamedrad Maryam , Mazurak Vera C. , Baracos Vickie , Montano-Loza Aldo J.
Published: April 2022

Myosteatosis (pathological fat accumulation in muscle) is defined by lower mean skeletal muscle radiodensity in CT. We aimed to determine the optimal cut-offs for myosteatosis in a cohort of 855 patients with cirrhosis. CT images were used to determine the skeletal muscle radiodensity expressed as Hounsfield Unit (HU). Patients with muscle radiodensity values below the lowest tertile were considered to have myosteatosis. Competing-risk analysis was performed to determine associations between muscle radiodensity and pre-transplant mortality. Muscle radiodensity less than 33 and 28 HU in males and females, respectively, were used as cut-offs to identify myosteatosis. In the univariate analysis, cirrhosis etiology, MELD score, refractory ascites, variceal bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, sarcopenia and myosteatosis were predictors of mortality. Myosteatosis association with mortality remained significant after adjusting for confounding factors (sHR 1.47, 95% CI 1.17–1.84, p = 0.001). Patients with concurrent presence of myosteatosis and sarcopenia constituted 17% of the patient population. The cumulative incidence of mortality was the highest in patients with concomitant sarcopenia and myosteatosis (sHR 2.22, 95% CI 1.64–3.00, p < 0.001). In conclusion, myosteatosis is common in patients with cirrhosis and is associated with increased mortality. The concomitant presence of myosteatosis and sarcopenia is associated with worse outcomes.
Recent Advances in the Preparation of Barium Sulfate Nanoparticles: A Mini-Review
Authors: Ketegenov Tlek , Kamunur Kaster , Batkal Aisulu , Gani Diana , Nadirov Rashid
Published: April 2022

The potential for barium sulphate nanoparticles to be used in a variety of important fields has sparked a lot of attention. Methods for obtaining this material by milling (top-down approach) are not very popular due to the difficulty of controlling the size and shape of particles, as well as changes in their physicochemical properties during milling. More promising is the bottom-up approach, which is the interaction of Ba2+ and SO42− ions in a liquid environment. Direct precipitation is the simplest method; however, it does not allow control of the particle size. Microemulsions, microreactors membrane dispersion, as well as spinning disc reactors are used to overcome drawbacks of direct precipitation and allow control of particle size and shape. This is ensured mainly by intensive controlled micromixing of the precursors with concentrations close to saturated ones. The present review focuses on recent advances in the production of barium sulfate nanoparticles using various approaches, as well as their advantages and limitations. The issues of scaling up the techniques are also considered, and promising methods for obtaining BaSO4 nanoparticles are also discussed.
Potentiometric Determination of Moxifloxacin by Solid-Contact ISEs in Wastewater Effluents
Authors: Abdel-Gawad Sherif A. , Arab Hany H. , Albassam Ahmed A.
Published: April 2022

In recent years, the use of ion-selective membranes in the sensing and assessment of environmental contaminants has become a critical goal. Using sodium tetraphenylborate (TPB) and phosphotungstic acid (PTA) as ion-pairing agents, two sensitive and selective sensors were manufactured to evaluate the electrochemical response of moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MOX). The optimal electrochemical behavior was attained by fine-tuning all assay parameters. The manufactured membranes’ performance was optimal in a pH range from 1.0 to 5.0 with a linearity between 1 × 10−6 M and 1 × 10−2 M. The MOX–TPB and MOX–PTA membrane electrodes have Nernstian slopes of 59.2 ± 0.60 mV/decade and 58.4 ± 0.50 mV/decade, respectively. The proposed method was used to determine MOX in its pure form as well as real pharmaceutical wastewater effluents. The fabricated electrodes were effectively applied for the sensitive and selective determination of MOX in actual wastewater effluents without the need for any pre-treatment processes.
Qualitative and Quantitative Micro-CT Analysis of Natal and Neonatal Teeth
Authors: Bijle Mohammed Nadeem , Mallineni Sreekanth Kumar , Tsoi James
Published: April 2022

The objective of this study was to characterize natal and neonatal teeth using micro-computed tomography. A total of 4 natal and 11 neonatal teeth were used for the analysis. The reconstructed scans were assessed for the maximum enamel/dentin thickness and mineral density (MD). The scanned specimens were 3D reconstructed to qualitatively determine the surface topography. The dentin thickness was two-fold greater than enamel thickness for both natal and neonatal teeth (p < 0.05). The cervical third enamel MD remained undetermined in natal and neonatal teeth. The dentin MD at the cervical third for neonatal teeth was significantly lower than the incisal and middle third dentin (p < 0.05). Similarly, the dentin MD at the cervical third of neonatal teeth was significantly lower than the cervical third dentin MD of natal teeth (p < 0.05). Our qualitative analysis suggests that the cervical thirds of both natal and neonatal teeth are peculiar of an anomalous structure, with neonatal teeth showing an irregular outline. Under the conditions of the present study, it can be concluded that the neonatal teeth studied exhibited a distinguishable aberrant structure compared to the natal teeth. Therefore, the natal teeth unfold as a more organized, three-dimensional structure compared to the neonatal teeth.
Interdisciplinary Collaborative Care to Manage Total Pain in Children with Cancer
Authors: Moody Karen M.
Published: April 2022

The pain and suffering of children with cancer became national news in the winter of 2000 with the publication of Wolfe’s landmark paper in the New England Journal of Medicine, “Symptoms and Suffering Children with Cancer” [...]
Chemical Reaction Networks’ Programming for Solving Equations
Authors: Shang Ziwei , Zhou Changjun , Zhang Qiang
Published: April 2022

The computational ability of the chemical reaction networks (CRNs) using DNA as the substrate has been verified previously. To solve more complex computational problems and perform the computational steps as expected, the practical design of the basic modules of calculation and the steps in the reactions have become the basic requirements for biomolecular computing. This paper presents a method for solving nonlinear equations in the CRNs with DNA as the substrate. We used the basic calculation module of the CRNs with a gateless structure to design discrete and analog algorithms and realized the nonlinear equations that could not be solved in the previous work, such as exponential, logarithmic, and simple triangle equations. The solution of the equation uses the transformation method, Taylor expansion, and Newton iteration method, and the simulation verified this through examples. We used and improved the basic calculation module of the CRN++ programming language, optimized the error in the basic module, and analyzed the error’s variation over time.
Facile Route to Achieve Self-Supported Cu(OH)2/Ni3S2 Composite Electrode on Copper Foam for Enhanced Capacitive Energy Storage Performance
Authors: Lv Sa , Geng Peiyu , Chi Yaodan , Wang Huan , Chu Xuefeng , Chen Gongda , Shang Wenshi , Wang Chao , Yang Jia , Cheng Zhifei , Yang Xiaotian
Published: April 2022

Herein, a Cu(OH)2/Ni3S2 composite was successfully prepared through facile two-step electrodeposition. As the electrode substrate and the only copper source, the copper foam underwent surface oxidation by galvanostatic deposition technology to form Cu(OH)2, and the subsequent coverage of Ni3S2 was achieved by potentiostatic deposition. The Cu(OH)2 acts as a skeleton, providing support for Ni3S2 growth, thus providing more abundant electrochemical active sites. By virtue of the in situ growth strategy and the synergy of different components, the optimized Cu(OH)2/Ni3S2 electrode illustrates significantly enhanced pseudocapacitance performance, with an areal specific capacitance of 11.43 F cm−2 at 2 mA cm−2, good coulombic efficiency of 94.55%, and remarkable cyclic stability (83.33% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles).
Diffusiophoresis of a Soft Particle as a Model for Biological Cells
Authors: Ohshima Hiroyuki
Published: April 2022

We derive the general expression for the diffusiophoretic mobility of a soft particle (i.e., polyelectrolyte-coated hard particle) in a concentration gradient of electrolytes for the case in which the particle’s core size is large enough compared with the Debye length. Therefore, the particle surface can be regarded as planar, and the electrolyte concentration gradient is parallel to the core surface. The obtained expression can be applied for arbitrary values of the fixed charge density of the polyelectrolyte layer and the surface charge density of the particle core. We derive approximate analytic mobility expressions for soft particles of three types, i.e., (i) weakly charged soft particles, (ii) soft particles with a thick polyelectrolyte layer, in which the equilibrium electric potential deep inside the polyelectrolyte layer is equal to the Donnan potential, and (iii) soft particles with an uncharged polymer layer of finite thickness.
Fast Lead-Free Humidity Sensor Based on Hybrid Halide Perovskite
Authors: Djokić Veljko , Andričević Pavao , Kollár Márton , Ciers Anastasiia , Arakcheeva Alla , Vasiljević Milica , Damjanović Dragan , Forró László , Horváth Endre , Ivšić Trpimir
Published: April 2022

An environmentally friendly analog of the prominent methylammonium lead halide perovskite, methylammonium bismuth bromide (MA3Bi2Br9), was prepared and investigated in the form of powder, single crystals and nanowires. Complete characterization via synchrotron X-ray diffraction data showed that the bulk crystal does not incorporate water into the structure. At the same time, water is absorbed on the surface of the crystal, and this modification leads to the changes in the resistivity of the material, thus making MA3Bi2Br9 an excellent candidate for use as a humidity sensor. The novel sensor was prepared from powder-pressed pellets with attached carbon electrodes and was characterized by being able to detect relative humidity over the full range (0.7–96% RH) at ambient temperature. Compared to commercial and literature values, the response and recovery times are very fast (down to 1.5 s/1.5 s).
Microstructure and Superelastic Properties of FeNiCoAlTi Single Crystals with the <100> Orientation under Tension
Authors: Tseng Li-Wei , Chen Chih-Hsuan , Tzeng Yu-Chih , Lee Po-Yu , Lu Nian-Hu , Chumlyakov Yury
Published: April 2022

The microstructure and superelastic response of an Fe41Ni28Co17Al11.5Ti2.5 (at.%) single crystal along the <100> orientation was investigated under tension at room temperature after aging at 600 °C for 24 h. From the superelastic results, the samples aged at 600 °C for 24 h exhibited 4.5% recoverable strain at room temperature. The digital image correlation (DIC) method was used to observe the strain distribution during the 6.5% applied strain loading. The DIC results showed that the strain was uniformly distributed during the loading and unloading cycles. Only one martensite variant was observed from the DIC results. This was related to the aging heat treatment times. The martensite morphology became a single variant with a longer aging time. The thermo-magnetization results indicated that the phase transformation and temperature hysteresis was around 36 °C. Increasing the magnetic field from 0.05 to 7 Tesla, the transformation temperatures increased. The maximum magnetization was 160 emu/g under the magnetic field of 7 Tesla. From the transmission electron microscopy results, the L12 precipitates were around 10 nm in size, and they were high in Ni content and low in Fe content.
Light-Induced Structures and Microparticle Transportation in a Free-Surface Frustrated Chiral Nematic Film
Authors: Shvetsov Sergey A. , Orlova Tetiana , Emelyanenko Alexander V.
Published: April 2022

Local illumination with a light beam leads to thermo-orientational processes in a frustrated chiral nematic film with a free surface. Light-induced hydrodynamic flow and orientational structure create an adaptive platform for the collection, translation and rotation of suspended spherical microparticles. The demonstrated approach has potential applications in soft robotics, micro-object delivery systems, and other micro- and nanotechnologies.
Monochorionic Diamniotic Twins with Bordering Cord Insertions: Images and Outcome
Authors: Pop Lucian G. , Piron Madalina , Radoi Viorica , Bacalbasa Nicolae , Toader Oana D.
Published: April 2022

Twin pregnancy contributes to perinatal mortality, particularly monochorionic diamniotic twin pregnancy. Placental abnormalities are much more common in twin pregnancies than in singletons. In MCDA pregnancy, vascular anastomoses are always present and are accountable for severe complications such as Twin-to-Twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS). In TTTS, umbilical cords are usually inserted at a distance from each other. We present a rare type of MCDA pregnancy, TTTS gr 1 case with bordering umbilical cord insertions.
Fast Segmentation of Metastatic Foci in H&E Whole-Slide Images for Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Khalil Muhammad-Adil , Lee Yu-Ching , Lien Huang-Chun , Jeng Yung-Ming , Wang Ching-Wei
Published: April 2022

Breast cancer is the leading cause of death for women globally. In clinical practice, pathologists visually scan over enormous amounts of gigapixel microscopic tissue slide images, which is a tedious and challenging task. In breast cancer diagnosis, micro-metastases and especially isolated tumor cells are extremely difficult to detect and are easily neglected because tiny metastatic foci might be missed in visual examinations by medical doctors. However, the literature poorly explores the detection of isolated tumor cells, which could be recognized as a viable marker to determine the prognosis for T1NoMo breast cancer patients. To address these issues, we present a deep learning-based framework for efficient and robust lymph node metastasis segmentation in routinely used histopathological hematoxylin–eosin-stained (H–E) whole-slide images (WSI) in minutes, and a quantitative evaluation is conducted using 188 WSIs, containing 94 pairs of H–E-stained WSIs and immunohistochemical CK(AE1/AE3)-stained WSIs, which are used to produce a reliable and objective reference standard. The quantitative results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves 89.6% precision, 83.8% recall, 84.4% F1-score, and 74.9% mIoU, and that it performs significantly better than eight deep learning approaches, including two recently published models (v3_DCNN and Xception-65), and three variants of Deeplabv3+ with three different backbones, namely, U-Net, SegNet, and FCN, in precision, recall, F1-score, and mIoU (p<0.001). Importantly, the proposed system is shown to be capable of identifying tiny metastatic foci in challenging cases, for which there are high probabilities of misdiagnosis in visual inspection, while the baseline approaches tend to fail in detecting tiny metastatic foci. For computational time comparison, the proposed method takes 2.4 min for processing a WSI utilizing four NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1080Ti GPU cards and 9.6 min using a single NVIDIA Geforce GTX 1080Ti GPU card, and is notably faster than the baseline methods (4-times faster than U-Net and SegNet, 5-times faster than FCN, 2-times faster than the 3 different variants of Deeplabv3+, 1.4-times faster than v3_DCNN, and 41-times faster than Xception-65).
Doppler and Spectral Ultrasound of Sacroiliac Joints in Pediatric Patients with Suspected Juvenile Spondyloarthritis
Authors: Falsetti Paolo , Conticini Edoardo , Gaggiano Carla , Baldi Caterina , Tarsia Maria , Bardelli Marco , Gentileschi Stefano , D’Alessandro Roberto , Al Khayyat Suhel Gabriele , Cartocci Alessandra , Fabiani Claudia , Cantarini Luca , Mazzei Maria Antonietta , Frediani Bruno
Published: April 2022

Background: Power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) with spectral wave analysis (SWA) has been compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in documenting active sacroiliitis in early spondyloarthritis (SpA) but, to date, PDUS/SWA has not been yet applied to the study of sacroiliac joints (SIJs) in children. Methods: A group of 20 children (13 F/7 M, mean age 14.2 y) with suspected juvenile SpA (jSpA) underwent PDUS/SWA and, subsequently, MRI of the SIJs. SIJs PDUS scoring and resistance index (RI) of the SIJs flows were recorded. The accuracy of PDUS/SWA for the diagnosis of active sacroiliitis was evaluated, with MRI as the gold standard. Results: PDUS signals were detected in 19 patients and 30 SIJs. Bone marrow edema (BME) lesions on MRI were detected in 12 patients (diagnosed as jSpA) and 22 SIJs. PDUS scoring on SIJs were higher in patients with a final diagnosis of jSpA (p = 0.003). On SWA, the mean RIs in patients with or without final diagnosis of active sacroiliitis were, respectively, 0.604 and 0.767 (p = 0.005) at joint level. A RI < 0.55 and PDUS > 1 showed the higher specificity for sacroiliitis (AUROC curve 0.854 for PDUS and 0.920 for RI). SIJs PDUS/SWA showed an overall concordance of 82.35%, with substantial agreement (k = 0.627) with MRI on the diagnosis of sacroiliitis. Conclusions: In children with sacroiliitis, PDUS demonstrates a rich vascularization into SIJs and low RIs (<0.55) have high specificity for this condition. SIJs PDUS/SWA could be useful as a screening method in children with suspected jSpA.
Novel Drone Design Using an Optimization Software with 3D Model, Simulation, and Fabrication in Drone Systems Research
Authors: MohamedZain Ahmed. O. , Chua Huangshen , Yap Kianmeng , Uthayasurian Pavithren , Jiehan Teoh
Published: April 2022

This paper presents the design of a small size Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) using the 3DEXPERIENCE software. The process of designing the frame parts involves many methods to ensure the parts can meet the requirements while conforming to safety and industry standards. The design steps start with the selection of materials that can be used for the drone, which are polylactic acid (PLA), acrylonitrile styrene acrylate (ASA), and acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). The drone frame consists of four main parts, which are the center top cover (50 g), the side top cover (10 g), the middle cover (30 g), and the drone’s arm (80 g). A simulation was carried out to determine the stress, displacement, and weight of the drone’s parts. Additionally, a trade-off study was conducted to finalize the shapes of the parts and the various inputs based on their priorities. The outcome of this new design can be represented in design concepts, which involve the use of the snap hook function to assemble two body parts together, namely the middle cover and the center top cover, without the need of an additional fastener.
Survey on Self-Supervised Learning: Auxiliary Pretext Tasks and Contrastive Learning Methods in Imaging
Authors: Albelwi Saleh
Published: April 2022

Although deep learning algorithms have achieved significant progress in a variety of domains, they require costly annotations on huge datasets. Self-supervised learning (SSL) using unlabeled data has emerged as an alternative, as it eliminates manual annotation. To do this, SSL constructs feature representations using pretext tasks that operate without manual annotation, which allows models trained in these tasks to extract useful latent representations that later improve downstream tasks such as object classification and detection. The early methods of SSL are based on auxiliary pretext tasks as a way to learn representations using pseudo-labels, or labels that were created automatically based on the dataset’s attributes. Furthermore, contrastive learning has also performed well in learning representations via SSL. To succeed, it pushes positive samples closer together, and negative ones further apart, in the latent space. This paper provides a comprehensive literature review of the top-performing SSL methods using auxiliary pretext and contrastive learning techniques. It details the motivation for this research, a general pipeline of SSL, the terminologies of the field, and provides an examination of pretext tasks and self-supervised methods. It also examines how self-supervised methods compare to supervised ones, and then discusses both further considerations and ongoing challenges faced by SSL.
Design, Development, and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Serious Game for School Fire Preparedness Training
Authors: Mystakidis Stylianos , Besharat Jeries , Papantzikos George , Christopoulos Athanasios , Stylios Chrysostomos , Agorgianitis Spiros , Tselentis Dimitrios
Published: April 2022

Immersive virtual reality (VR) is a technology that can be effective for procedural skills training through game-based simulations such as serious games. The current study describes the instructional design, development, and evaluation of the FSCHOOL fire preparedness serious game in a cave automatic virtual environment (CAVE-VR) for elementary school teachers. The main game mechanics include a storytelling scenario, enhanced realism, freedom of movement, levels, and points corresponding to the learning mechanics of instruction, action, simulation, discovery, repetition, and imitation. The game was developed in Unity 3D with the help of the Fire Dynamics Simulator and a script to emulate and visualize fire propagation. The game featured three levels to respond to school fire safety regulations and was evaluated by elementary school teachers (N = 33) in Greece. A comparative quantitative study was conducted with experimental and control groups. The results indicate that the VR serious game is appropriate for training, providing challenge, enjoyment, and mastery.
Exploring Relationships between Professional Development and Teachers’ Enactments of Project-Based Learning
Authors: Farrow JeanMarie , Kavanagh Sarah , Samudra Preeti
Published: April 2022

This paper examines whether teachers’ prior professional development (PD) in Project-Based Learning (PBL) significantly related to teachers’ enactments of PBL practices within the classroom. Teachers (N = 40) were recruited based on their commitment to enacting PBL in their classrooms. Teachers were surveyed regarding the extent to which they had experienced prior PD in PBL and asked to submit two videos of their classroom instruction. Videos were coded according to teachers’ quality enactment of PBL practices during instruction. Results suggest that teachers who had prior PD in PBL enacted more structure-driven PBL practices (e.g., setting up and managing projects) and incorporated more collaboration practices. However, for other purpose-driven practices of PBL (e.g., supporting student choice, supporting students to make personal connections), teachers with prior PD were no different from teachers without prior PD. The results suggest that teachers may need more intensive and fine-grained, practice-based PD in purpose-driven PBL practices.
M-ary Phase Position Shift Keying Demodulation Using Stacked Denoising Sparse Autoencoders
Authors: Lu Conghui , Chen Peng , Zhong Hua , Wang Mengyuan
Published: April 2022

A deep-learning based detector for M-ary phase position shift keying (MPPSK) systems is proposed in this paper. The major components of this detector include a special impact filter, a stacked denoising sparse autoencoder (DSAE), which was trained in unsupervised learning to extract features from the modulation signals, and a softmax classifier. The features learned by the stacked DSAE were then used to train the softmax classifier to demodulate the received signals into M classes. The architecture presented herein was trained and tested on a simple dataset extended by adding Gaussian noise only. The results from the theoretical analysis and simulation show that the detection performance of the proposed scheme is superior to that of existing detectors.
A Wideband mmWave Microstrip Patch Antenna Based on Zero-Mode and TM-Mode Resonances
Authors: Luo Yong , Gu Yunlong , Zhang Hao , Xu Jiayou , Qian Feng , Yang Guangli , Cui Hengrong
Published: April 2022

Millimeter wave (mmWave) antennas for 5G communication require wide bandwidth, directional radiation patterns, low-profile design and multi-layer compatibility for module-level integration. In this paper, we introduce a method of loading shorting pins to a patch antenna to generate extra zero-modes. By merging the 2nd zero-mode, TM01 mode, 3rd zero-mode and TM20 mode in the frequency spectrum, a wide bandwidth varying from 23 to 34 GHz (relative bandwidth of 38.6%) and with a low-profile of 0.762 mm (0.07λ0, where λ0 is the wavelength at a middle frequency of 28.5 GHz) can be obtained. Based on this wideband patch antenna, a 4 × 2 antenna array is obtained with the ±40° scanning performance. Theoretical analysis, full-wave simulations and experimental performances are presented, validating the effectiveness of this method to achieve a wideband performance in a mmWave band. It can be applied to 5G communication systems using mmWave bands.
A Realistic, Flexible and Extendible Network Emulation Platform for Space Networks
Authors: Hou Dongxu , Zhao Kanglian , Li Wenfeng , Du Sidan
Published: April 2022

Wide attention has been drawn to the application of space networks (SN) in recent years. Compared with terrestrial networks, SN have a set of unique characteristics, e.g., a long propagation delay, time-varying channel quality, and dynamic link connection, which causes the inapplicability of mature terrestrial networking technologies. Therefore, the focus of SN application is to innovate and break through a series of key networking technologies and protocols. Network emulation is critical for evaluation and verification in the research of networking technologies and protocols. This paper concentrates on designing an emulation platform which provides a realistic, flexible, and extensible experimental environment for the SN. The architecture of platform includes four components, namely the logical plane, control plane, data plane and measurement plane. Container technology is adopted to flexibly symbolize network nodes. The emulation method of dynamic connection relationships and time-varying link characteristics between pairwise nodes are considered so as to realize the real space environment and arbitrary topology. Furthermore, an extensible structure is described to emulate large-scale scenarios and access external emulation resources. Finally, experiment results show that the proposed platform is capable of emulating diverse, dynamic, and complex SN scenarios with high precision.
Research on Stability Control Method of Electro-Mechanical Actuator under the Influence of Lateral Force
Authors: Wu Shuai , Zhou Yong , Zhang Jianxin , Ma Shangjun , Lian Yunxiao
Published: April 2022

This paper takes a multi-stage Electro-mechanical Actuator (EMA) as the research object, analyzes the lateral force of the multi-stage EMA in the vertical state, and the overall mathematical model of the multi-stage EMA system. Firstly, a permanent magnet synchronous motor module is built in JMAG according to the engineering requirements. Then, the electrical control part and mechanical transmission part of the multi-stage EMA are established in AMESim, and the ideal motor module in AMESim is replaced with the motor model designed by JMAG to construct the overall model of the multi-stage EMA. The dynamic simulation model of lateral force is established in ADAMS to accurately simulate the impact of wind load on EMA in the actual environment, and this model is introduced into AMESim instead of the lead screw and nut module in AMESim. The improved active disturbance rejection control (ADRC) is used to replace the speed loop and positional loop in the traditional three closed-loop control, and the whole system stability servo control of multi-stage EMA is co-simulated. Finally, the experiment of the designed control method is carried out by LabVIEW. The result of the experiment shows that the multi-stage EMA system can effectively suppress the lateral force under the active disturbance rejection control and ensure the stable operation of the multi-stage EMA system. In addition, the system built by the co-simulation method is closer to real working conditions than the traditional mathematical model. The control parameters in the simulation can be effectively transplanted to the actual system with only minor adjustment to meet the engineering requirements.
User-Centric Privacy for Identity Federations Based on a Recommendation System
Authors: Villarán Carlos , Beltrán Marta
Published: April 2022

Specifications such as SAML, OAuth, OpenID Connect and Mobile Connect are essential for solving identification, authentication and authorisation in contexts such as mobile apps, social networks, e-commerce, cloud computing or the Internet of Things. However, end-users relying on identity providers to access resources, applications or services lose control over the Personally Identifiable Information (PII) they share with the different providers composing identity federations. This work proposes a user-centric approach based on a recommendation system to support users in making privacy decisions such as selecting service providers or choosing their privacy settings. The proposed Privacy Advisor gives end-users privacy protection by providing personalised recommendations without compromising the identity federations’ functionalities or requiring any changes in their underlying specifications. A proof of concept of the proposed recommendation system is presented to validate and evaluate its utility and feasibility.
Edge Computing for Internet of Things
Authors: Lee Kevin , Man Ka Lok
Published: April 2022

The Internet of Things (IoT) is maturing and becoming an established and vital technology [...]
Real-Time Facial Expression Recognition Using Deep Learning with Application in the Active Classroom Environment
Authors: Dukić David , Sovic Krzic Ana
Published: April 2022

The quality of a teaching method used in a classroom can be assessed by observing the facial expressions of students. To automate this, Facial Expression Recognition (FER) can be employed. Based on the recognized emotions of students, teachers can improve their lectures by determining which activities during the lecture evoke which emotions and how these emotions are related to the tasks solved by the students. Previous work mostly addresses the problem in the context of passive teaching, where teachers present while students listen and take notes, and usually in online courses. We take this a step further and develop predictive models that can classify emotions in the context of active teaching, specifically a robotics workshop, which is more challenging. The two best generalizing models (Inception-v3 and ResNet-34) on the test set were combined with the goal of real-time emotion prediction on videos of workshop participants solving eight tasks using an educational robot. As a proof of concept, we applied the models to the video data and analyzed the predicted emotions with regard to activities, tasks, and gender of the participants. Statistical analysis showed that female participants were more likely to show emotions in almost all activity types. In addition, for all activity types, the emotion of happiness was most likely regardless of gender. Finally, the activity type in which the analyzed emotions were the most frequent was programming. These results indicate that students’ facial expressions are related to the activities they are currently engaged in and contain valuable information for teachers about what they can improve in their teaching practice.
Partial Atrous Cascade R-CNN
Authors: Cheng Mofan , Fan Cien , Chen Liqiong , Zou Lian , Wang Jiale , Liu Yifeng , Yu Hu
Published: April 2022

Deep-learning-based segmentation methods have achieved excellent results. As two main tasks in computer vision, instance segmentation and semantic segmentation are closely related and mutually beneficial. Spatial context information from the semantic features can also improve the accuracy of instance segmentation. Inspired by this, we propose a novel instance segmentation framework named partial atrous cascade R-CNN (PAC), which effectively improves the accuracy of the segmentation boundary. The proposed network innovates in two aspects: (1) A semantic branch with a partial atrous spatial pyramid extraction (PASPE) module is proposed in this paper. The module consists of atrous convolution layers with multi-dilation rates. By expanding the receptive field of the convolutional layer, multi-scale semantic features are greatly enriched. Experiments shows that the new branch obtains more accurate segmentation contours. (2) The proposed mask quality (MQ) module scores the intersection over union (IoU) between the predicted mask and the ground truth mask. Benefiting from the modified mask quality score, the quality of the segmentation results is judged credibly. Our proposed network is trained and tested on the MS COCO dataset. Compared with the benchmark, it brings consistent and noticeable improvements in the case of using the same backbone.
In-Memory Computing Architecture for a Convolutional Neural Network Based on Spin Orbit Torque MRAM
Authors: Huang Jun-Ying , Syu Jing-Lin , Tsou Yao-Tung , Kuo Sy-Yen , Chang Ching-Ray
Published: April 2022

Recently, numerous studies have investigated computing in-memory (CIM) architectures for neural networks to overcome memory bottlenecks. Because of its low delay, high energy efficiency, and low volatility, spin-orbit torque magnetic random access memory (SOT-MRAM) has received substantial attention. However, previous studies used calculation circuits to support complex calculations, leading to substantial energy consumption. Therefore, our research proposes a new CIM architecture with small peripheral circuits; this architecture achieved higher performance relative to other CIM architectures when processing convolution neural networks (CNNs). We included a distributed arithmetic (DA) algorithm to improve the efficiency of the CIM calculation method by reducing the excessive read/write times and execution steps of CIM-based CNN calculation circuits. Furthermore, our method also uses SOT-MRAM to increase the calculation speed and reduce power consumption. Compared with CIM-based CNN arithmetic circuits in previous studies, our method can achieve shorter clock periods and reduce read times by up to 43.3% without the need for additional circuits.
Research on a Carbon Emission Calculation Model and Method for an Underground Fully Mechanized Mining Process
Authors: Li Benzheng , Shi Yongkui , Hao Jian , Ma Chengyun , Pang Chuming , Yang Huidi
Published: April 2022

With the ratification of the Paris Agreement at the Paris Climate Conference, reducing carbon emissions has become a global interest. Coal is one of the main industries causing carbon emissions; thus, quantifying carbon emissions from coal mining is an important step in reducing these emissions. Firstly, based on the life cycle idea, in this paper, we define the Carbon Emission Boundary of the fully mechanized coal mining method. Secondly, the carbon emission accounting model (B-R model) of fully mechanized coal mining is established, which includes the total amount of carbon emissions and the carbon emissions of each mining link during the mining process. The Fifth-II mining area of the Jinda Coal Mine in Tengzhou City is taken as an example. We collect the relevant data on carbon emissions in the mining process of the Jinda Coal Mine, and the B-R model is used to obtain the carbon emissions in the mining process of this mining area. Finally, the feasibility of the B-R model is further verified according to the international authoritative carbon emission IPCC calculation method and the China Coal Production Enterprises Greenhouse Gas Emissions Accounting Methodology and Reporting Guide. The results show that the B-R model in this paper is feasible and that the greatest amount of carbon emissions arises from the coal breaking link and coal transportation, which provides a basis for other coal mines to calculate carbon emissions. The B-R model lays a foundation for coal mines to formulate a carbon emission reduction system.
Impact of the KKL Correlation Model on the Activation of Thermal Energy for the Hybrid Nanofluid (GO+ZnO+Water) Flow through Permeable Vertically Rotating Surface
Authors: Rizk Doaa , Ullah Asad , Ikramullah  , Elattar Samia , Alharbi Khalid Abdulkhaliq M. , Sohail Mohammad , Khan Rajwali , Khan Alamzeb , Mlaiki Nabil
Published: April 2022

The thermal energy transfer characteristics during hybrid nanofluid migration are studied in the presence of a variable magnetic field, heat source, and radiation. The flow is governed by the conservation laws of mass, momentum, and energy, whereas it is modeled by the coupled set of nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). Suitable similarity transformations are employed to convert the developed set of PDEs to a nonlinear system of coupled ordinary differential equations (ODEs). The simplified system of ODEs is solved by using the well-established analytical procedure of homotopy analysis method (HAM). The effects of varying the strength of the physical parameters on the thermal energy transfer during hybrid nanofluid motion between two plates in which one of the plate is porous, rotating, as well as stretching are investigated through tables and two-dimensional graphs. The porosity is modeled through the Koo–Kleinstreuer model (KKL) correlation. The analysis reveals that the skin friction and Nusselt number augment with the increasing strength of the magnetic field and nanomaterials’ concentrations. The gradient in the fluid velocity has a dual dependence on the strength of the applied magnetic field and Grashof number and drops with the higher values of the unsteadiness parameter. The fluid velocity constricts with the enhancing magnetic field due to higher Lorentz forces, and it also drops with the increasing rotation rate. The enhancing buoyancy associated with higher Grashof number values augments the fluid velocity. The fluid’s temperature rises with the augmenting nanomaterial concentrations, Eckert number, nonsteadiness, heat source strength, and radiation parameter, while it drops with the higher Grashof number and Prandtl number. The applied technique of the HAM shows good convergence over a wide range of the convergent parameter. This work has potential applications in the development of efficient thermal energy transfer systems.