bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Risk Factors and Management Approaches for Staple Line Leaks Following Sleeve Gastrectomy: A Single-Center Retrospective Study of 402 Patients
Authors: Verras Georgios-Ioannis , Mulita Francesk , Lampropoulos Charalampos , Kehagias Dimitrios , Curwen Oliver , Antzoulas Andreas , Panagiotopoulos Ioannis , Leivaditis Vasileios , Kehagias Ioannis
Published: September 2023

Sleeve gastrectomy (SG) has gained ever-increasing popularity among laparoscopic surgeons involved in bariatric surgery. This single-institution, retrospective cohort study aims to evaluate the prevalence of postoperative staple line leakage (PSLL) after LSG and identify risk factors for its development. We included patient data that underwent LSG at our institution for a span of 17 years—starting in January 2005 and ending in December 2022. We set the investigation of correlations of patient-related factors (age, weight, BMI, smoking status, presence of diabetes mellitus) with the occurrence of postoperative leaks. A total of 402 patients were included in our study. Of them, 26 (6.46%) developed PSLL. In total, 19 (73%) patients underwent percutaneous drainage and 14 patients (53.8%) were treated with intraluminal endoscopic stenting. Finally, five patients (19.2%) were treated with endoscopic clipping of the defect. Operative management was required in only one patient. There were no statistically significant differences in patient age, mean weight at the time of operation, and mean BMI. Abnormal drain amylase levels were associated with earlier detection of PSLL. More consideration needs to be given to producing a consensus regarding the management of PSLL, prioritizing nonoperative management with the combination of percutaneous drainage and endoscopic stenting as the safest and most efficient approach.
Serum Levels of S100B Protein and Myelin Basic Protein as a Potential Biomarkers of Recurrent Depressive Disorders
Authors: Levchuk Lyudmila A. , Roschina Olga V. , Mikhalitskaya Ekaterina V. , Epimakhova Elena V. , Simutkin German G. , Bokhan Nikolay A. , Ivanova Svetlana A.
Published: September 2023

Nowadays, nervous tissue damage proteins in serum are considered promising drug targets and biomarkers of Mood Disorders. In a cross-sectional naturalistic study, the S100B, MBP and GFAP levels in the blood serum were compared between two diagnostic groups (patients with Depressive Episode (DE, n = 28) and patients with Recurrent Depressive Disorder (RDD, n = 21)), and healthy controls (n = 25). The diagnostic value of serum markers was assessed by ROC analysis. In the DE group, we did not find changed levels of S100B, MBP and GFAP compared with controls. In the RDD group, we found decreased S100B level (p = 0.011) and increased MBP level (p = 0.015) in comparison to those in healthy controls. Provided ROC analysis indicates that MBP contributes to the development of a DE (AUC = 0.676; 95%Cl 0.525–0.826; p = 0.028), and S100B and MBP have a significant effect on the development of RDD (AUC = 0.732; 95%Cl 0.560–0.903; p = 0.013 and AUC = 0.712; 95%Cl 0.557–0.867; p = 0.015, correspondingly). The study of serum markers of nervous tissue damage in patients with a current DE indicates signs of disintegration of structural and functional relationships, dysfunction of gliotransmission, and impaired secretion of neurospecific proteins. Modified functions of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes are implicated in the pathophysiology of RDD.
Multi-Label Classification of Chest X-ray Abnormalities Using Transfer Learning Techniques
Authors: Kufel Jakub , Bielówka Michał , Rojek Marcin , Mitręga Adam , Lewandowski Piotr , Cebula Maciej , Krawczyk Dariusz , Bielówka Marta , Kondoł Dominika , Bargieł-Łączek Katarzyna , Paszkiewicz Iga , Czogalik Łukasz , Kaczyńska Dominika , Wocław Aleksandra , Gruszczyńska Katarzyna , Nawrat Zbigniew
Published: September 2023

In recent years, deep neural networks have enabled countless innovations in the field of image classification. Encouraged by success in this field, researchers worldwide have demonstrated how to use Convolutional Neural Network techniques in medical imaging problems. In this article, the results were obtained through the use of the EfficientNet in the task of classifying 14 different diseases based on chest X-ray images coming from the NIH (National Institutes of Health) ChestX-ray14 dataset. The approach addresses dataset imbalances by introducing a custom split to ensure fair representation. Binary cross entropy loss is utilized to handle the multi-label difficulty. The model architecture comprises an EfficientNet backbone for feature extraction, succeeded by sequential layers including GlobalAveragePooling, Dense, and BatchNormalization. The main contribution of this paper is a proposed solution that outperforms previous state-of-the-art deep learning models average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve—AUC-ROC (score: 84.28%). The usage of the transfer-learning technique and traditional deep learning engineering techniques was shown to enable us to obtain such results on consumer-class GPUs (graphics processing units).
Planning for Socio-Ecological Conservation in South African Nature Reserves: Model of Influences on the Attitudes of Proximate Communities
Authors: Queiros Dorothy Ruth
Published: September 2023

Conservation planning models need to be more inclusive, considering both social and ecological dimensions in order to achieve sustainable conservation. To do this, stakeholders need to understand the communities that border protected areas, which involves insight into attitudes. This research therefore aimed to determine what influences the attitudes of local communities towards protected areas, culminating in a model. The research was conducted at three case study sites across South Africa, each involving a nature reserve and a proximate local community. Multiple qualitative methods were used to gather data from the local community and protected area staff around different aspects that influence attitudes. Following cross-case analysis, meta-themes were identified that formed the building blocks of the model and informed the accompanying practical recommendations regarding implementation thereof. The model outlines the centrality of relationships between local communities and park stakeholders, which are impacted by benefits, costs, facilitators and detractors. It also outlines how positive attitudes can be fostered through practical actions. As communities receive and perceive the benefits of living alongside wildlife, there is potential for positivity to improve while simultaneously achieving biodiversity conservation that is supported by the community. In line with adaptive management, users can test and adapt the model, continually aiming for conservation planning that is more community-based.
Does Labor Aging Inhibit Farmers’ Straw-Returning Behavior? Evidence from Rural Rice Farmers in Southwest China
Authors: Zhou Wenfeng , Yang Yan , He Jia , Xu Dingde
Published: September 2023

As a typical green production technology, straw return affects environmental pollution control and waste recycling. However, in reality, farmers are not active in returning straw to the field. This study constructed a theoretical analysis of farmers’ straw-returning behavior under the conditions of labor aging, socialization service, and environmental regulation. Based on the survey data from 540 households in the Province of Sichuan, we empirically study the relationship between labor aging and farmers’ straw-returning behavior by using the binary logistic regression model and explore the moderating effects of socialization service and environmental regulation on labor aging and straw-returning behavior. The results show that: (1) Aging laborers in rural households constitute a higher proportion, accounting for 29% of the rural household labor force. However, there is limited enthusiasm among farmers to adopt straw returning to the field, with only 65% of farmers adopting this technology. (2) The labor aging hinders farmers’ straw-returning behavior. Specifically, under other fixed conditions, the behavior of straw returning decreases by 0.647 units when the labor aging increases by one unit. (3) Socialization services and economic incentives can mitigate the adverse effects of labor aging on straw-returning behavior, while mandatory constraints do not. (4) The heterogeneity analysis shows that labor aging has a stronger inhibitory effect on straw-returning behavior when the land scale of farmers is lower than the average level and the area is not plain.
The Role of “Nostalgia” in Environmental Restorative Effects from the Perspective of Healthy Aging: Taking Changchun Parks as an Example
Authors: Yan Tianjiao , Leng Hong , Yuan Qing
Published: September 2023

Aging and elderly health issues have always been the focus of attention, both within and outside the industry. With the introduction of the national “14th Five-Year Plan” for healthy aging, it is urgent to address how to implement this plan. Among them, the restorative environment is an important part of implementing healthy aging. For older adults, “nostalgia” is a common emotional experience, and “nostalgia therapy” is also commonly used for mental health recovery, which has important significance for healthy aging. However, although existing research on “nostalgia” has already involved local attachment and the environment, there are few studies that use space as a carrier in the context of environmental restorative effects. Therefore, from the perspective of healthy aging, combined with structural equation modeling, this study took four parks in Changchun City as examples to explore the role of “nostalgia” in the restorative effect of the park environment. It found that, firstly, both the “nostalgia inclination” influenced by individual conditions and the “landscape perception” influenced by landscape quality had a positive impact on the “nostalgia affection”; secondly, nostalgia affection and place attachment were important mediating factors for environmental restorative effects, and the pathways of “landscape perception → nostalgic affection → environmental restorative effects”, “landscape perception → place attachment → environmental restorative effects”, and “landscape perception → nostalgic affection → place attachment → environmental restorative effects” all existed. Based on the above path exploration, corresponding spatial optimization ideas for effectively improving the health level of older adults have been provided.
Pluractionality of Events in Macuxi: A Morpho-Syntactic and Semantic Analysis
Authors: Antono Gregory , Miguel Makusi Francisco França , Costa Isabella Coutinho , Lima Suzi
Published: September 2023

This paper discusses how pluractionality is expressed in Macuxi (Cariban), a South American Indigenous language spoken in Brazil, Guyana and Venezuela. Cross-linguistically, the multiplicity of an action can be expressed by means of specialized pluractional morphemes affixed on verbs, via adverbs, or by reduplication. Previous work on Macuxi claimed that the iterative suffix -pîtî indicates a multiplicity of actions, whereas verbal reduplication is mentioned but scarcely described, and is associated with the interpretation of multiple events. Based on data from context-based elicitation, we show that verbal reduplication is impacted by Aktionsart (activity and semelfactive verbs, which denote unbounded, atelic events, have a higher tendency to be reduplicated) and that reduplicated verbs are often associated with an intensity interpretation. On the other hand, the suffix -pîtî functions as a pluractional marker that encodes a multiplicity of events and is predictable via a Lasersohnian analysis.
Strategies of Indefiniteness Marking in Central Sicilian—Evidence from the Dialect of Delia
Authors: Di Caro Vincenzo Nicolò
Published: September 2023

This paper is meant as a contribution to the research project on variation and optionality in the determiner system in Italo-Romance, with novel data from the Sicilian dialect of Delia. The study is based on fieldwork interviews and the construction of a small corpus of 850 observations by 24 native speakers of Deliano (mean age: 36.37; age range: 19–72). The participants were asked to (i) describe in Deliano a 3 min videotape of an Italian speaking woman during her shopping session at a supermarket and (ii) talk about their own shopping routines in Deliano. These activities were designed mainly to detect the following strategies to express indefiniteness: (i) ART, i.e., a definite article with an indefinite interpretation; (ii) ZERO, a zero determiner for bare nouns; (iii) DI+ART, the so-called “partitive article”; (iv) pseudo-partitives such as ‘a bit of’; (v) the grammaticalised cardinal ‘two’; and (vi) the grammaticalised cardinal ‘four’. The data confirm (i) the preference for ZERO in negative episodic sentences in the past; (ii) the general lack of bare DI and DI+ART, and of certo ‘certain’ used as an indefinite; (iii) the use of different specialised forms of pseudo-partitive ‘a bit of’ in older speakers of Deliano; (iv) the neutralisation of this pseudo-partitive specialisation and the consequent emergence of some true optionality in younger speakers.
Quantitative Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced Magnetic Resonance Parameters Could Predict International Society of Urological Pathology Risk Groups of Prostate Cancers on Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Chang Chun-Bi , Lin Yu-Chun , Wong Yon-Cheong , Lin Shin-Nan , Lin Chien-Yuan , Lin Yu-Han , Sheng Ting-Wen , Yang Lan-Yan , Wang Li-Jen
Published: September 2023

Background: The International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) grade and positive surgical margins (PSMs) after radical prostatectomy (RP) may reflect the prognosis of prostate cancer (PCa) patients. This study aimed to investigate whether DCE-MRI parameters (i.e., Ktrans, kep, and IAUC) could predict ISUP grade and PSMs after RP. Method: Forty-five PCa patients underwent preoperative DCE-MRI. The clinical characteristics and DCE-MRI parameters of the 45 patients were compared between the low- and high-risk (i.e., ISUP grades III-V) groups and between patients with or without PSMs after RP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify the significant predictors of placement in the high-risk group and PSMs. Results: The DCE parameter Ktrans-max was significantly higher in the high-risk group than in the low-risk group (p = 0.028) and was also a significant predictor of placement in the high-risk group (odds ratio [OR] = 1.032, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.005–1.060, p = 0.021). Patients with PSMs had significantly higher prostate-specific antigen (PSA) titers, positive biopsy core percentages, Ktrans-max, kep-median, and kep-max than others (all p < 0.05). Of these, positive biopsy core percentage (OR = 1.035, 95% CI = 1.003–1.068, p = 0.032) and kep-max (OR = 1.078, 95% CI = 1.012–1.148, p = 0.020) were significant predictors of PSMs. Conclusion: Preoperative DCE-MRI parameters, specifically Ktrans-max and kep-max, could potentially serve as preoperative imaging biomarkers for postoperative PCa prognosis based on their predictability of PCa risk group and PSM on RP, respectively.
Improved Breast Cancer Classification through Combining Transfer Learning and Attention Mechanism
Authors: Ashurov Asadulla , Chelloug Samia Allaoua , Tselykh Alexey , Muthanna Mohammed Saleh Ali , Muthanna Ammar , Al-Gaashani Mehdhar S. A. M.
Published: September 2023

Breast cancer, a leading cause of female mortality worldwide, poses a significant health challenge. Recent advancements in deep learning techniques have revolutionized breast cancer pathology by enabling accurate image classification. Various imaging methods, such as mammography, CT, MRI, ultrasound, and biopsies, aid in breast cancer detection. Computer-assisted pathological image classification is of paramount importance for breast cancer diagnosis. This study introduces a novel approach to breast cancer histopathological image classification. It leverages modified pre-trained CNN models and attention mechanisms to enhance model interpretability and robustness, emphasizing localized features and enabling accurate discrimination of complex cases. Our method involves transfer learning with deep CNN models—Xception, VGG16, ResNet50, MobileNet, and DenseNet121—augmented with the convolutional block attention module (CBAM). The pre-trained models are finetuned, and the two CBAM models are incorporated at the end of the pre-trained models. The models are compared to state-of-the-art breast cancer diagnosis approaches and tested for accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score. The confusion matrices are used to evaluate and visualize the results of the compared models. They help in assessing the models’ performance. The test accuracy rates for the attention mechanism (AM) using the Xception model on the “BreakHis” breast cancer dataset are encouraging at 99.2% and 99.5%. The test accuracy for DenseNet121 with AMs is 99.6%. The proposed approaches also performed better than previous approaches examined in the related studies.
Nutrition Therapy in Critically Ill Patients with Liver Disease: A Narrative Review
Authors: Hidalgo-Blanco Miguel Ángel , Lopez-Delgado Juan Carlos , Sarria-Guerrero José Antonio
Published: September 2023

Nutrition therapy in critically ill patients with liver disease represents a challenge for Intensive Care Units (ICUs). Nutritional status is correlated with the degree of hepatic dysfunction and the presence of malnutrition worsens outcomes in these patients. The nutritional risk that critically ill patients represent, together with the pathophysiological alterations of liver disease, especially in terms of nutrition intake and protein depletion, leads to malnutrition and sarcopenia. Nutrition therapy improves the survival of these patients; however, this is challenging since they more frequently experience difficulties with nutrition delivery. In consequence, both evaluation of nutritional status and an individualized approach seem mandatory for achieving nutrition objectives. The present narrative review discusses the importance of nutrition therapy, the recommendations of contemporary clinical practice guidelines, and a practical approach to provide the best possible nutrition therapy in patients with liver disease admitted to ICUs.
Numerical Investigation of Elastic Layer Effects in Wheel–Rail Rolling Contact
Authors: Yan Ziquan , Deng Xiangyun , Ni Yi-Qing , Sun Linlin
Published: September 2023

In railway systems, layered structures could be induced in wheel–rail contact interfaces due to several causes, such as head hardening, work hardening, plastic deformation, and mechanical or thermal excursion-induced phase transformation. This study proposes an explicit finite element (FE) method for investigating elastic layer effects in wheel–rail rolling contact. The proposed method is first validated by comparing its solution with that of Kalker’s boundary element method (BEM) when the layer is not present, with a focus on the tractive rolling contact. To investigate general layer effects, the rail is assumed to consist of two layers, i.e., the top layer and the matrix material. The top layer is assumed to have different elastic moduli from the matrix material and then the top elastic layer effects on contact characteristics such as contact stress, contact patch, and subsurface stress are investigated. Different layer thicknesses are also considered. It is observed that a harder layer tends to introduce larger contact pressure and surface shear stress, but a smaller contact patch. A harder layer also produces larger subsurface stresses. A thicker layer may intensify these effects. The results suggest that in engineering applications, the analysis of wheel–rail rolling contact consequences such as wear and rolling contact fatigue (RCF) may need to consider the layered structures using appropriate methods.
Effects of AH3 and AFt on the Hydration–Hardening Properties of the C4A3S¯-CS¯-H2O System
Authors: Li Xuefeng , Liu Songhui , Zhang Haibo , Li Haiyan , Guan Xuemao
Published: September 2023

This study aimed to reveal the effects of the hydration products AH3 and AFt phases on the hydration and hardening properties of calcium sulfoaluminate (CSA) cement. In addition, the effects of anhydrite (CS¯) and gypsum (CS¯H2) on the properties of CSA cement were compared. Calcium sulfoaluminate (C4A3S¯) was synthesized with analytical reagents, and the C4A3S¯-CS¯-H2O system with different molar ratios of CS¯ and C4A3S¯ was established. The phase compositions and contents of AFt and AH3 were determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Rietveld quantitative phase analysis, and thermogravimetric analysis (TG). The effects of pore structure and hydration product morphology on mechanical properties were analyzed by mercury intrusion porosity (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the compressive strength exhibited a correlation with the AH3 content. In the case of relatively sufficient anhydrite or gypsum, C4A3S¯ has a high degree of hydration, and the AH3 content can be considered to contribute more to the strength of the hardened cement paste. When anhydrite was selected, the combined and interlocked AFt crystals were covered or wrapped by a large amount of AH3. The mechanical properties of the hardened cement paste mixed with anhydrite were better than those of that mixed with gypsum.
Marginal Adaptation of In Vitro Class II Restorations Made Out of Bulk or Conventional Composite Using Single- or Multi-Layered Techniques
Authors: Dietschi Didier , Askari Mustafa , Rossier Isaline , Caseiro Luciana , Krejci Ivo , Leprince Julian Gregoire , Di Bella Enrico , Ardu Stefano
Published: September 2023

Objective: Testing the influence of various restorative materials (conventional or bulkfill composites) and filling techniques (single- or multi-layered techniques) on the in vitro marginal adaptation of large class II direct composites with supra and sub-gingival margins subjected to thermomechanical loading (TML). Methods: A total of 40 prepared teeth were attributed randomly to five experimental groups. In Group 1, restorations were made of multi-layered high-viscosity conventional composite (Tetric EvoCeram); in Groups 2 and 3, restorations were made of a high viscosity bulkfill composite (Tetric EvoCeram Bulk Fill) applied in one (Group 2) or three layers (Group 3); in Groups 4 and 5, restorations were made of a flowable bulkfill composite (SDR flow) applied in one (Group 4) or two layers (Group 5), covered with a layer of high-viscosity conventional composite (Ceram-X Universal). A single adhesive (OptiBond FL) was used in all groups. All specimens were submitted to a staged TML comprising three phases (2 × 500,000 and 1,000,000 cycles) at 50 N with 3350 thermal cycles (5 to 55 °C) every 500,000 cycles. The tooth–restoration interfaces on proximal surfaces were evaluated quantitatively by scanning electron microscopy, before and after each TML phase, hence at three timepoints (T0, T1, T2 and T3). The following segments were considered for evaluation: proximal, vertical enamel margins (assessed individually on both restoration sides), cervical enamel (restoration side above CEJ) and cervical dentin margin (restoration side below the CEJ). Results: TML induced a significant reduction in continuous adaptation at both enamel and dentin margins in all groups, with percentages of continuous margins ranging from 75.2 to 91.8% at T0, and decreasing to values ranging from 21.3 to 73.9% at T3. Both composite systems and layering protocols had a significant influence on marginal adaptation of the restorations, with statistical associations depending on the restoration group and the timepoint considered. Defective margins in enamel were all of a cohesive nature with micro-fractures, while in dentin, interfacial gaps were the main defect observed. Conclusions/Clinical significance: The present results highlighted significant degradation of marginal adaption after long-term in vitro fatigue test using materials even with high-viscosity conventional resin composites, applied with a proper layering approach in medium–large sub-gingival cavities. While no significant differences were observed at the dentin cervical margins, there was a tendency for better adaptation at the enamel margin when using a higher modulus material with a multi-layered technique.
Piezoresistive Effect of Conductive and Non-Conductive Fillers in Bi-Layer Hybrid CNT Composites under Extreme Strain
Authors: Kim Won-Jin , Nam Kun-Woo , Kang Byung-Ho , Park Sung-Hoon
Published: September 2023

Polymers mixed with conductive fillers hold significant potential for use in stretchable and wearable sensor devices. Enhancing the piezoresistive effect and mechanical stability is critical for these devices. To explore the changes in the electrical resistance under high strains, typically unachievable in single-layer composites, bi-layer structures were fabricated from carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and EcoFlex composites to see unobservable strain regions. Spherical types of non-conductive fillers composed of polystyrene and conductive filler, coated with Ni and Au on non-conductive fillers, were used as secondary fillers to improve the piezoresistive sensitivity of composites, and their respective impact on the conductive network was compared. The electrical and mechanical properties were examined in the static state to understand the impact of these secondary fillers. The changes in the electrical resistance under 100% and 300% tensile strain, and their dependence on the inherent electrical properties of the secondary fillers, were also investigated. Single-layer CNT composites proved incapable of withstanding 300% strain, whereas the bi-layer structures proved resilient. By implementing cyclic stretching tests, contrary to non-conductive fillers, reduced piezoresistive influence of the conductive secondary filler under extreme strain conditions could be observed.
Numerical Study on Residual Stresses and Plastic Strains in Cold-Formed High-Strength Steel Circular Hollow Sections
Authors: Yao Ye , Quach Wai-Meng
Published: September 2023

This paper presents a numerical investigation on the residual stresses and co-existent equivalent plastic strains in cold-formed high-strength steel (CFHSS) circular hollow sections (CHS) by using an advanced finite element (FE)-based method. In this method, the entire manufacturing process of the CFHSS CHS was modeled numerically. The accuracy of the numerical predictions of equivalent plastic strains and residual stresses in the CFHSS CHS was verified by comparing the predictions with the existing test results of both the residual stress measurement and load-end shortening response of the stub column. By using the FE-based method, the effects of high-frequency electric resistance welding on the residual stresses and the stub column response were investigated. The through-thickness variations of both the equivalent plastic strains and residual stresses in CFHSS CHS, which are difficult to measure in the laboratory, were explored numerically. Finally, the effect of cold work (which is quantified by the equivalent plastic strains and residual stresses) on the stub column response of CFHSS CHS tubes was evaluated. It can be found that the equivalent plastic strains and longitudinal residual stresses are generally uniform around the cross-section of CFHSS CHS. The transverse and longitudinal residual stresses are generally uniform across each half-thickness, with the inner half-thickness under compression and the outer half-thickness under tension. The results also demonstrate that both the plastic strains and residual stresses may significantly affect the cross-section capacities of CFHSS CHS.
Evolution Law of Structural Form and Heat Transfer Performance of Thermal Insulation System
Authors: Zhou Shuang-Xi , Li Jian-Xin , Bao Shu-Feng , Ding Yang , Wei Yong-Qi , She An-Ming , Guo Zhen-Zhen , Dong Jing-Liang
Published: September 2023

Building thermal insulation and energy conservation have become urgent problems in the field of civil engineering because they are important for achieving the goal of carbon neutralization. Thermal conductivity is an important index for evaluating the thermal insulation of materials. To study the influence of different porosity levels on the thermal conductivity of materials, this paper established a random distribution model using MATLAB and conducted a comparative analysis using COMSOL finite element software and classical theoretical numerical calculation formulas. The thermal conductivity of composite materials was determined based on a theoretical calculation formula and COMSOL software simulations, and the theoretical calculation results and simulation results were compared with the measured thermal conductivity of the composites. Furthermore, the influence of the width of the gaps between the materials on the heat transfer process was simulated in the fabricated roof structure. The results showed the following: (1) The thermal conductivity values calculated using the Zimmerman model were quite different from those calculated using the Campbell-Allen model and those calculated using the COMSOL software; (2) The thermal conductivity values calculated using the theoretical calculation formula were lower than the measured data, and the maximum relative error was more than 29%. The COMSOL simulation results were in good agreement with the measured data, and the relative error was less than 5%; (3) When the gap width was less than 60 mm, it increased linearly with the heat transfer coefficient. The heat transfer coefficient increased slowly when the gap width was greater than 60 mm. This was mainly due to the thermal bridge effect inside the insulation system. Based on these research results, a thermal insulation system was prepared in a factory.
Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Biomaterials
Authors: Kret Paulina , Bodzon-Kulakowska Anna , Drabik Anna , Ner-Kluza Joanna , Suder Piotr , Smoluch Marek
Published: September 2023

The science related to biomaterials and tissue engineering accounts for a growing part of our knowledge. Surface modifications of biomaterials, their performance in vitro, and the interaction between them and surrounding tissues are gaining more and more attention. It is because we are interested in finding sophisticated materials that help us to treat or mitigate different disorders. Therefore, efficient methods for surface analysis are needed. Several methods are routinely applied to characterize the physical and chemical properties of the biomaterial surface. Mass Spectrometry Imaging (MSI) techniques are able to measure the information about molecular composition simultaneously from biomaterial and adjacent tissue. That is why it can answer the questions connected with biomaterial characteristics and their biological influence. Moreover, this kind of analysis does not demand any antibodies or dyes that may influence the studied items. It means that we can correlate surface chemistry with a biological response without any modification that could distort the image. In our review, we presented examples of biomaterials analyzed by MSI techniques to indicate the utility of SIMS, MALDI, and DESI—three major ones in the field of biomaterials applications. Examples include biomaterials used to treat vascular system diseases, bone implants with the effects of implanted material on adjacent tissues, nanofibers and membranes monitored by mass spectrometry-related techniques, analyses of drug-eluting long-acting parenteral (LAPs) implants and microspheres where MSI serves as a quality control system.
Analysis of Novel Porosity–Water-to-Binder Index for Prediction of Strength, Stiffness and Durability for Cemented Soils
Authors: Baldovino Jair Arrieta , Nuñez de la Rosa Yamid E. , Palma Calabokis Oriana
Published: September 2023

The initial weight and volume relationships are crucial factors in determining the strength, stiffness, and durability of cement-stabilized soils. The porosity/binder ratio has been widely used as a control parameter for stabilized soil mixtures. However, this approach does not take into consideration the water content used during the stabilization process, which can impact the strength and durability of the final product. To address this issue, this paper introduces the porosity–water/binder relationship as a new parameter to predict the strength, stiffness (Go), and durability against wetting–drying cycles of artificially cemented soils. The strengths, Go, and accumulated losses of mass (ALM) of different stabilized soils were compared based on this new parameter, and the comprehensive results were analyzed to demonstrate its effectiveness. The findings indicate that the new parameter is a suitable design parameter for soil–lime, soil–cement, and geopolymerized soil mixtures. Furthermore, it was determined that the water content has no effect on the splitting tensile strength to compressive strength ratio. The results of this study offer valuable insights into the optimization of stabilized soils and the development of improved soil stabilization processes.
Framework to Estimate Operating Intention for a Leader–Follower Robot
Authors: Lyu Zihang , Koyanagi Ken’ichi , Nagahara Katsuki , Masuta Hiroyuki , Li Fengyu , Almassri Ahmed , Tsukagoshi Takuya , Noda Kentaro , Oshima Toru
Published: September 2023

The teleoperation feature of a leader–follower robot is used to operate the robot in a working environment that is dangerous to the operator. This paper proposes a method for estimating the intended operation of the operator of the leader–follower robot and generating behaviors for the follower robot. By generating partially autonomous robot behavior, our proposed method decreases the burden on the operator and realizes a safe controller that is robust against misoperation or disturbances. Owing to the impact of misoperation on estimation and the potential for unintended movement of the follower robot, our proposed estimation method relies on historical values of intended operation. The proposed method was verified through simulation using real operation inputs to the leader system based on practical scenarios, including misoperation.
A New Kinematic Synthesis Model of Spatial Linkages for Designing Motion and Identifying the Actual Dimensions of a Double Ball Bar Test Based on the Data Measured
Authors: Liao Zuping , Tang Shouchen , Wang Delun
Published: September 2023

This paper presents the new synthesis models of spatial linkages for designing measurement motion functions and ranges and identifying the actual dimension parameters. The spatial five-bar linkage is first introduced for the kinematic model of a double ball bar test of a two-axis rotary table. To design the ideal measurement motion and motion range of the double ball bar test, a novel saddle synthesis model of a spatial four-bar linkage RRSS is readily presented. Based on the output data measured from the double ball bar test, a new saddle synthesis model of a spatial five-bar linkage RRSPS is logically proposed for identifying their actual dimensions. Finally, three test cases and their results indicate that the new synthesis models presented in the paper can conveniently and efficiently calculate the measurement motion function and range and accurately identify the actual dimensions of the double ball bar test, which provides a suitable mathematical model for improving the accuracy of the double ball bar tests of a two-axis rotary table of machine tools.
Urban Platooning Combined with Dynamic Traffic Lights
Authors: Altamimi Husam , Varga István , Tettamanti Tamás
Published: September 2023

Platooning is generally known as a control method for driving a group of connected and automated vehicles in motorway context. Nevertheless, platoon control might also work on urban roads. One possible strategy to increase overall road traffic performance and to reduce congestion in urban traffic networks is to combine platooning with traffic signal control at intersections. The traffic flow can be maximized with coordinated scheduling of traffic signals together with platooning activities, resulting in decreased travel times and fuel consumption. This paper investigates several aspects of this combined control, such as the procedures for coordination and communication between platooning vehicles and traffic signals. Efficient algorithms are suggested to optimize platoon formation and dissolution at junctions and to change traffic signal phases depending on platoon arrival and departure times. The proposed solutions have been tested and verified with SUMO, a high-fidelity microscopic traffic simulator.
Materials, Weaving Parameters, and Tensile Responses of Woven Textiles
Authors: Patti Antonella , Acierno Domenico
Published: September 2023

Fabrics have been recognized as a necessary component of daily life due to their involvement in garments, home textiles, and industrial textiles. The mechanical performance of textiles was considered essential to meet the end-user requirements for strength and durability. The purpose of this work was to provide an overview of the textile structures and tensile strengths of woven textiles. Different types of textile structures, depending on the weaving methods (woven, braided, knitted, non-woven) and the most common architectures of woven fabrics (plain weave, twill and sateen), were presented. Common materials constituting the textiles’ structures and a comparison in terms of the density, Young’s modulus and tensile strength between natural (plant-based, animal-based, and mineral-based) and synthetic fibers were reported. The mechanical properties of woven textiles were presented for neat and coated textiles, primarily in terms of the tensile strength. Depending on the cases, typical regions in the load–displacement curve (i.e., crimp, elastic, non-linear failure, thread fracture) were highlighted. The impact of the architecture, yarn distance and size, and yarn twisting on the tensile strength of woven fabrics was then illustrated.
Project Group Program Generation and Decision Making Method Integrating Coupling Network and Hesitant Fuzzy
Authors: Qian Liwei , Dou Yajie , Gong Chang , Xu Xiangqian , Tan Yuejin
Published: September 2023

Modern urban construction relies on a large number of projects. Project groups are an effective way to manage a large number of projects. In view of the current lack of scientific methods for constructing and evaluating project group programs, which are mainly based on subjective experience, this article proposes a scientific method for project group program generation and decision-making. The method proposed in this article applies a multi-layer coupling network to the modeling of project groups and divides projects into planning projects and execution projects to form a heterogeneous coupling network. Then, starting from the principle of project information dissemination, the evaluation indicators of the project group program were defined, and finally, the hesitant fuzzy decision-making method was used to assist in decision making. This article can provide a new method for project group construction and management, and provide strong support for the construction of smart cities and digital governments.
UDCO-SAGiMEC: Joint UAV Deployment and Computation Offloading for Space–Air–Ground Integrated Mobile Edge Computing
Authors: Xu Yinghao , Deng Fukang , Zhang Jianshan
Published: September 2023

Computation-intensive applications offloading is challenging, especially in the designated regions where communication infrastructure is absent or compromised. In this paper, we present a Space–Air–Ground integrated Mobile Edge Computing (SAGiMEC) system for these regions to provide quality computational services, where the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) act as in-fight edge servers to provide low-latency edge computing and the satellite provides resident cloud computing. A joint optimization problem is formulated considering UAV deployment, ground device (GD) access, and computation offloading to minimize the system average response latency. To cope with the problem’s complexity, we propose a Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) and Greedy Strategy (GS)-based algorithm (PSO&GS) to obtain an approximate optimal solution. Extensive simulations validate the convergence of the proposed algorithm. Numerical results show that the proposed approach has excellent convergence, and the system average response latency is about 0.65x–0.85x that of the benchmark algorithm.
The Third Type of Chaos in a System of Adaptively Coupled Phase Oscillators with Higher-Order Interactions
Authors: Emelianova Anastasiia A. , Nekorkin Vladimir I.
Published: September 2023

Adaptive network models arise when describing processes in a wide range of fields and are characterized by some specific effects. One of them is mixed dynamics, which is the third type of chaos in addition to the conservative and dissipative types. In this work, we consider a more complex type of connections between network elements—simplex, or higher-order adaptive interactions. Using numerical simulation methods, we analyze various characteristics of mixed dynamics and compare them with the case of pairwise couplings. We found that mixed dynamics in the case of simplex interactions is characterized by a very high similarity of a chaotic attractor to a chaotic repeller, as well as a stronger closeness of the sum of the Lyapunov exponents of the attractor and repeller to zero. This means that in the case of three elements, the conservative properties of the system are more pronounced than in the case of two.
Region-Aware Deep Feature-Fused Network for Robust Facial Landmark Localization
Authors: Lin Xuxin , Liang Yanyan
Published: September 2023

In facial landmark localization, facial region initialization usually plays an important role in guiding the model to learn critical face features. Most facial landmark detectors assume a well-cropped face as input and may underperform in real applications if the input is unexpected. To alleviate this problem, we present a region-aware deep feature-fused network (RDFN). The RDFN consists of a region detection subnetwork and a region-wise landmark localization subnetwork to explicitly solve the input initialization problem and derive the landmark score maps, respectively. To exploit the association between tasks, we develop a cross-task feature fusion scheme to extract multi-semantic region features while trading off their importance in different dimensions via global channel attention and global spatial attention. Furthermore, we design a within-task feature fusion scheme to capture the multi-scale context and improve the gradient flow for the landmark localization subnetwork. At the inference stage, a location reweighting strategy is employed to transform the score maps into 2D landmark coordinates. Extensive experimental results demonstrate that our method has competitive performance compared to recent state-of-the-art methods, achieving NMEs of 3.28%, 1.48%, and 3.43% on the 300W, AFLW, and COFW datasets, respectively.
Atrophy and Inflammatory Changes in Salivary Glands Induced by Oxidative Stress after Exposure to Drugs and Other Chemical Substances: A Systematic Review
Authors: Ungureanu Loredana Beatrice , Grădinaru Irina , Ghiciuc Cristina Mihaela , Amălinei Cornelia , Gelețu Gabriela Luminița , Petrovici Cristina Gabriela , Stănescu Raluca Ștefania
Published: September 2023

Background and Objectives: Oxidative stress is involved in the alterations at the level of salivary glands, being the cause of oral pathologies like xerostomia, periodontitis, gingivitis, leucoplakia, and cancer. It is known that antioxidants can reverse changes induced by drugs or other chemicals in some organs, but the question is whether these substances can reduce or revert the effects of oxidative stress at the salivary gland level. Our aim was to find histopathological data at the level of salivary glands supporting the hypothesis of the reversal of oxidative stress-induced changes after the treatment with substances with antioxidant effect. Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted in PubMed, Science Direct, and Springer databases, including research articles on oxidative stress histological aspects and oxidative stress biomarkers induced by drugs or other chemicals on salivary glands. Results: Out of 1756 articles, 25 articles were selected with data on tissue homogenate used for biochemical analysis of oxidative and antioxidative markers, along with routine hematoxylin eosin (HE) and immunohistochemical analysis used for histopathological and immunohistochemical diagnosis. Drugs (antineoplastic drugs, antibiotics, and analgesics), alcohol, heavy metals, and fluoride can cause oxidative stress, resulting in morphological changes in different tissues, including in salivary glands. There are many antioxidants but only a few were evaluated regarding the effects on salivary glands in animal studies, such as hesperidin and selenium, which can reverse the damage induced by cyclophosphamide; 10-dehydrogingerdione (10-DHGD), a compound extracted from ginger, which has a protective effect against the oxidative stress and apoptosis induced by tramadol; and glycyrrhizic acid, which may repair the injuries incurred after the administration of sodium nitrite. Conclusions: Substances such as hesperidin, selenium, 10-dehydrogingerdione, and glycyrrhizic acid are antioxidants with proven restorative effects on salivary glands for the damage induced by oxidative stress after exposure to drugs and other chemical substances; however, demonstrating their similar effects in human salivary glands is challenging.
Recrystallization and Anisotropy of AZ31 Magnesium Alloy by Asynchronous Rolling
Authors: Niu Wenyong , Wang Dongxiao , Wang Guiqiao , Li Jianping
Published: September 2023

In this study, the microstructure and mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloy were investigated through asynchronous rolling. The results demonstrate that the rolled sample exhibits a refined grain structure with a significant presence of continuous dynamic recrystallization. Notably, as the roll speed ratio increases, the grain refinement becomes more apparent. For the sample with a roll speed ratio of 1.3, the tensile strength in the rolling direction (RD) reaches 273 MPa, while the elongation measures 20.2%. Similarly, in the transverse direction (TD), the tensile strength reaches 282 MPa, accompanied by an elongation of 18.9%. These values indicate a substantial improvement in elongation compared to conventional rolling processes. The enhanced elongation can be attributed to two primary factors. Firstly, recrystallization contributes to a grain refinement recrystallization ratio of 86%, promoting improved mechanical properties. Secondly, the recrystallized grains induce a favorable Schmidt factor, further supporting elongation. Overall, the findings of this research highlight the benefits of asynchronous rolling in refining the microstructure and enhancing the mechanical properties of AZ31 magnesium alloy.