bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cable-Driven Unmanned Aerial Manipulator Systems for Water Sampling: Design, Modeling, and Control
Authors: Ding Li , Zhu Guibing , Li Yangmin , Wang Yaoyao
Published: July 2023

The unmanned aerial manipulator (UAM) is a kind of aerial robot that combines a quadrotor aircraft and an onboard manipulator. This paper focuses on the problems of structure design, system modeling, and motion control of an UAM applied for water sampling. A novel, light, cable-driven UAM has been designed. The drive motors installed in the base transmit the force and motion remotely through cables, which can reduce the inertia ratio of the manipulator. The Newton–Euler method and Lagrangian method are adopted to establish the quadrotor model and manipulator model, respectively. External disturbances, model uncertainty, and joint flexibility are also accounted for in the two submodels. The quadrotor and manipulator are controlled separately to ensure the overall accurate aerial operation of the UAM. Specifically, a backstepping control method is designed with the disturbance observer (BC-DOB) technique for the position loop and attitude loop control of the quadrotor. A backstepping integral fast terminal sliding mode control based on the linear extended state observer (BIFTSMC-LESO) has been developed for the manipulator to provide precise manipulation. The DOB and LESO serve as compensators to estimate the external disturbances and model uncertainty. The Lyapunov theory is used to ensure the stability of the two controllers. Three simulation cases are conducted to test the superior performance of the proposed quadrotor controller and manipulator controller. All the results show that the proposed controllers provide better performances than other traditional controllers, which can complete the task of water quality sampling well.
UAV Localization in Low-Altitude GNSS-Denied Environments Based on POI and Store Signage Text Matching in UAV Images
Authors: Liu Yu , Bai Jing , Wang Gang , Wu Xiaobo , Sun Fangde , Guo Zhengqiang , Geng Hujun
Published: July 2023

Localization is the most important basic information for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) during their missions. Currently, most UAVs use GNSS to calculate their own position. However, when faced with complex electromagnetic interference situations or multipath effects within cities, GNSS signals can be interfered with, resulting in reduced positioning accuracy or even complete unavailability. To avoid this situation, this paper proposes an autonomous UAV localization method for low-altitude urban scenarios based on POI and store signage text matching (LPS) in UAV images. The text information of the store signage is first extracted from the UAV images and then matched with the name of the POI data. Finally, the scene location of the UAV images is determined using multiple POIs jointly. Multiple corner points of the store signage in a single image are used as control points to the UAV position. As verified by real flight data, our method can achieve stable UAV autonomous localization with a positioning error of around 13 m without knowing the exact initial position of the UAV at take-off. The positioning effect is better than that of ORB-SLAM2 in long-distance flight, and the positioning error is not affected by text recognition accuracy and does not accumulate with flight time and distance. Combined with an inertial navigation system, it may be able to maintain high-accuracy positioning for UAVs for a long time and can be used as an alternative to GNSS in ultra-low-altitude urban environments.
Comparative Performance Evaluation of Conventional and Folded Detector Structures: Application to Perovskite X-ray Detectors
Authors: Ray Robin , Kabir M. Z.
Published: July 2023

The imaging performance of a semiconductor radiation imaging detector critically depends on its photoconductor layer thickness. The conventional detector structure (i.e., a photoconductor layer is sandwiched between two parallel electrodes) needs a strict design criterion on photoconductor thickness as compared to folded detector structure for optimizing the detective quantum efficiency (DQE), which is the most important imaging performance. In this paper, the DQE performance of both folded and conventional detector structures is analyzed by incorporating the quantum noise due to random charge carrier trapping in the photoconductor layer in the cascaded linear system model. An analytical expression for the variance of incomplete charge collection in folded structure is also developed. The optimum values of photoconductor layer thickness and spacing between electrodes for maximizing the DQE under various combinations of exposure, electronic noise and charge carrier transport parameters are investigated. The folded structure provides a design flexibility for achieving DQE higher than 0.7 by adjusting the distance between electrodes without compromising the quantum efficiency while the maximum possible DQE in conventional structure can be even below 0.3 for certain values of material and detector parameters.
Effective Event Extraction Method via Enhanced Graph Convolutional Network Indication with Hierarchical Argument Selection Strategy
Authors: Liu Zheng , Li Yimeng , Zhang Yu , Weng Yu , Yang Kunyu , Chaomurilige
Published: July 2023

As one of foundation technologies for massive data processing for AI, event mining is attracting more and more attention, mainly including event detection (event trigger identification and event classification) and argument extraction. At present, EE-GCN is one of the most effective methods for event detection. However, since EE-GCN only focuses on event detection, complete event multi-tuple extraction needs to be improved. Inspired by the EE-GCN event detection method, this paper proposes an effective event extraction method via graph convolutional network indication with a hierarchical argument selection strategy. The method mainly includes the following steps. (1) Based on the ACE2005 argument extraction template, a new argument extraction template is established for the Baidu event extraction dataset. (2) The trigger events and event classification detected by EE-GCN are used as indicators to determine the argument extraction template, and the alternative arguments are extracted via named entity recognition based on the determined template. (3) Making full use of the side information of EE-GCN graph to solve the local and global correlation degree, and based on the local and global correlation degrees, the final argument multi-tuple is determined. (4) Finally, several experiments are conducted on the Baidu event extraction dataset to compare the proposed method with other methods. The experimental results show that the proposed method has improved the accuracy and completeness of the event extraction compared to other existing methods.
Smart Antenna Optimization Techniques for Wireless Applications
Authors: Suriyan Kannadhasan , Nagarajan R. , Ghinea George
Published: July 2023

In recent years, antenna design has received a lot of attention [...]
Order-Aware Uncertainty Minimization Network for Fast High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging with Unpaired Data
Authors: Gu Yunlong , Cao Ying , Wang Li , Chen Qijian , Zhu Yuemin
Published: July 2023

Diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) is an indispensable technique in today’s neurological research, but its signal acquisition time is extremely long due to the need to acquire signals in multiple diffusion gradient directions. Supervised deep learning methods often require large amounts of complete data to support training, whereas dMRI data are difficult to obtain. We propose a deep learning model for the fast reconstruction of high angular resolution diffusion imaging in data-unpaired scenarios. Firstly, two convolutional neural networks were designed for the recovery of k-space and q-space signals, while training with unpaired data was achieved by reducing the uncertainty of the prediction results of different reconstruction orders. Then, we enabled the model to handle noisy data by using graph framelet transform. To evaluate the performance of our model, we conducted detailed comparative experiments using the public dataset from human connectome projects and compared it with various state-of-the-art methods. To demonstrate the effectiveness of each module of our model, we also conducted reasonable ablation experiments. The final results showed that our model has high efficiency and superior reconstruction performance.
Survey: An Overview of Lightweight RFID Authentication Protocols Suitable for the Maritime Internet of Things
Authors: Mudra Glen , Cui Hui , Johnstone Michael N.
Published: July 2023

The maritime sector employs the Internet of Things (IoT) to exploit many of its benefits to maintain a competitive advantage and keep up with the growing demands of the global economy. The maritime IoT (MIoT) not only inherits similar security threats as the general IoT, it also faces cyber threats that do not exist in the traditional IoT due to factors such as the support for long-distance communication and low-bandwidth connectivity. Therefore, the MIoT presents a significant concern for the sustainability and security of the maritime industry, as a successful cyber attack can be detrimental to national security and have a flow-on effect on the global economy. A common component of maritime IoT systems is Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology. It has been revealed in previous studies that current RFID authentication protocols are insecure against a number of attacks. This paper provides an overview of vulnerabilities relating to maritime RFID systems and systematically reviews lightweight RFID authentication protocols and their impacts if they were to be used in the maritime sector. Specifically, this paper investigates the capabilities of lightweight RFID authentication protocols that could be used in a maritime environment by evaluating those authentication protocols in terms of the encryption system, authentication method, and resistance to various wireless attacks.
Identification of Glucagon Secretion Patterns during an Oral Glucose Tolerance Test
Authors: Shahidehpour Andrew , Rashid Mudassir , Askari Mohammad Reza , Ahmadasas Mohammad , Cinar Ali
Published: July 2023

Impaired glucagon secretion is a major component of glucose intolerance in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). Glucagon secretion exhibits heterogenous patterns in individuals and across glucose tolerance diagnoses. Characterization of the range of glucagon secretion patterns can help clinicians personalize diabetes care based on glucagon characteristics in addition to glucose and insulin profiles. A total of 102 subjects with normal glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance, and T2D had their glucagon profiles recorded in response to an oral glucose tolerance test. Shapelet analysis was used to identify the most descriptive patterns of early glucagon secretion, and spectral biclustering was employed to identify biclusters of associated subjects and shapelets. The dynamics of glucose, insulin, and glucagon secretion in each cluster were evaluated to identify overall patterns, and the characteristics of the subjects in each cluster were compared. Three clusters were chosen to represent the glucagon patterns. Membership in these three clusters was interpreted based on the presence or lack of extrema in the first 30 min after oral carbohydrate intake. Cluster 1 (n = 23) had a minimum at 30 min and only negative trends. Cluster 2 had a minimum at 10 min and a maximum at 20 min (n = 25). Cluster 3 (n = 40) had a maximum at 10 min and a minimum at 20 min. Subjects in cluster 1 had the lowest average fasting plasma glucose (90.17 mg/dL) and average age (41.39 years) and the highest HOMA-beta score (87.5%), while subjects in cluster 2 had the highest average fasting plasma glucose (102.56 mg/dL) and average age (53.16 years) and the lowest HOMA-beta score (55.77%). Characterization of glucagon dynamics, in addition to glucose and insulin, can aid in personalized treatment approaches and provide greater insight about the underlying dysfunction in glucose regulation.
Isolation, Screening, and Identification of Alkaline Protease-Producing Bacteria and Application of the Most Potent Enzyme from Bacillus sp. Mar64
Authors: Kotb Essam , Alabdalall Amira H. , Alsayed Mariam A. , Alghamdi Azzah I. , Alkhaldi Eida , AbdulAzeez Sayed , Borgio J. Francis
Published: July 2023

In this study, thirty-seven alkaline protease-producing bacteria were recovered from different regions of Saudi Arabia. The proteolytic strain with the highest productivity was identified as Bacillus sp. Mar64. Maximum productivity of Mar64P alkaline protease was reached at 60 h, pH 9.0, and 45 °C using 1% tyrosine and 0.5% maltose as nitrogen and carbon supplies, respectively. Specific activity was intensified to 8.5-fold with a recovery of 12.4% and SDS—PAGE revealed one band at 28 kDa after enzyme purification. Mar64P was maximally active at 55 °C and pH 11.0 with thermal stability up to 70 °C and pH stability at 7.0–12.0 for 1 h. It was inhibited by EDTA and unaffected by PMSF, therefore tentatively classified as metalloprotease-type. Storage efficacy was effective for up to eight weeks and it was durable in presence of organic solvents (20%, v/v) such as acetonitrile, acetone, and isopropanol upto to 15 days. The enzyme was compatible with dry detergents at both low and high temperature, in addition, was successful in removing various stains such as blood, egg yolk, chocolate, tea, coffee, and sweat. Furthermore, it was successful in removing skin hairs and hydrolyzing gelatin of waste X-ray films. Collectively, due to these unique properties, Mar64P could be considered an environmentally friendly candidate in both detergent and leather industries.
Study on the Image Processing Methods for a Flame Exposed to an Incense Smoke Environment
Authors: Sun Biao , Zhang Weishan , Wang Wei , Hao Danping
Published: July 2023

Identification of flames to detect fires is hindered by the smoke generated from Chinese incense in traditional temples. Especially during holiday periods, smoke presents a large influence on the effectiveness of image-based flame identification. To have a deep understanding of the incense smoke impacting the flame outline, a series of tests were conducted to study the flame, varying incense smoke concentration and test time, respectively. It is found that when the flame is exposed to a thin incense smoke environment, nearly all the methods used for flame identification are effective. When the flame is surrounded by thick smoke, the flame image after treating by the self-adaptive image histogram equalization method is blurry. When the retinex algorithm is used for image treatment, the blue color near the flame is detected, which enlarges the flame area detection. The retinex algorithm can be used to obtain a clear flame outline even when the flame is exposed to a cloud of thick smoke. This is important for flame identification in the traditional Chinese temples where the thick smoke surrounds them, especially during national holiday periods. This work attempts to provide a potential method for flame identification and improve the safety level of historic buildings.
Experiments on Steam Injection into Preformed Steam Chambers of Various Shapes for Maximum Condensate Recovery
Authors: Medina Abraham , García Diego Benjamin , López Villa Abel , Castillo-Morales Benjamin , Polupan Georgiy
Published: July 2023

Recently, in a previous study, we experimentally showed the existence of an optimal injected steam mass flow rate, per unit length, ϕopt, which produces the maximal recovery of condensate in a preformed steam chamber with an elliptical cross section of a horizontal semi-major axis. Mutatis mutandis, in this work, we present experimental studies in preformed steam chambers: one elliptical and the other circular. In both cases, we also found the existence of unique optimal values. These configurations try to recreate the steam condensation at a given time-lapse, as it would occur during the growth stage of the steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) process: a method used in the recovery of heavy and extra-heavy oil from homogeneous reservoirs. Finding the optimal mass flow rates in the actual recovery process could be useful in the design of optimized SAGD processes.
Green Assessment of Phenolic Acid Composition and Antioxidant Capacity of Advanced Potato Mutant Lines through UPLC-qTOF-MS/MS Quantification
Authors: Gomez-Urios Clara , Kalaydzhiev Hristo , Blesa Jesus , Esteve Maria Jose , Nacheva Emiliya , Iserliyska Dida , Tomlekova Nasya
Published: July 2023

Potatoes are one of the most consumed crops worldwide. They contain a high amount of bioactive compounds such as phenolic compounds and vitamins with important antioxidant activities, which makes this crop of high biological value for human health. The goal of this research was to biochemically evaluate polyphenol levels and antioxidant capacities in parent and control genotypes compared to advanced mutant potato lines in the M1V8 generation. This will reveal the genetic changes that result from induced mutagenesis. The quantified compounds and the evaluated antioxidant activity boost the health benefits of consuming the improved mutant potatoes. In the present study, the phenolic composition and antioxidant activity of eighteen mutant and initial potato genotypes were analyzed by UPLC-qTOF-MS/MS and the ORAC method, respectively. In each of the hybrid combinations, mutant lines with an improved phenolic compound profile were observed. Representative samples from the third hybrid combination had notable increases in phenolic compound concentrations, as well as the presence of metabolites not found in the parental lines. With one exception, the remaining nine mutants showed significantly higher antioxidant capacities. The results will be used in future potato breeding programs, with participation of the valuable mutant lines containing new phenolic substances not present in the initial genotypes.
Detection of Chili Foreign Objects Using Hyperspectral Imaging Combined with Chemometric and Target Detection Algorithms
Authors: Shu Zhan , Li Xiong , Liu Yande
Published: July 2023

Chilies undergo multiple stages from field production to reaching consumers, making them susceptible to contamination with foreign materials. Visually similar foreign materials are difficult to detect manually or using color sorting machines, which increases the risk of their presence in the market, potentially affecting consumer health. This paper aims to enhance the detection of visually similar foreign materials in chilies using hyperspectral technology, employing object detection algorithms for fast and accurate identification and localization to ensure food safety. First, the samples were scanned using a hyperspectral camera to obtain hyperspectral image information. Next, a spectral pattern recognition algorithm was used to classify the pixels in the images. Pixels belonging to the same class were assigned the same color, enhancing the visibility of foreign object targets. Finally, an object detection algorithm was employed to recognize the enhanced images and identify the presence of foreign objects. Random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), and minimum distance classification algorithms were used to enhance the hyperspectral images of the samples. Among them, RF algorithm showed the best performance, achieving an overall recognition accuracy of up to 86% for randomly selected pixel samples. Subsequently, the enhanced targets were identified using object detection algorithms including R-CNN, Faster R-CNN, and YoloV5. YoloV5 exhibited a recognition rate of over 96% for foreign objects, with the shortest detection time of approximately 12 ms. This study demonstrates that the combination of hyperspectral imaging technology, spectral pattern recognition techniques, and object detection algorithms can accurately and rapidly detect challenging foreign objects in chili peppers, including red stones, red plastics, red fabrics, and red paper. It provides a theoretical reference for online batch detection of chili pepper products, which is of significant importance for enhancing the overall quality of chili pepper products. Furthermore, the detection of foreign objects in similar particulate food items also holds reference value.
The Impact of Social Well-Being on Population Diet Nutritional Value and Antiradical Status
Authors: Gorbachev Victor , Nikitin Igor , Velina Daria , Zhuchenko Natalia , Kosenkov Alexander N. , Sokolov Andrey , Zavalishin Igor , Stolyarova Alla , Nikulchev Evgeny
Published: July 2023

The paper presents the result of assessing the antiradical status of consumers (in the context of Russia) in connection with their well-being. This approach is based on a multistage study, in which the results of sociological surveys were applied, as well as estimates of the antiradical potential (ARP) of diets obtained using neural networks, bootstrapping the chemical composition of diets, and calculating reference values using mathematical models. The paper presents data collected from residents living in the territories of at least 21 regions and cities of Russia: Magadan, Saint Petersburg, Moscow, Krasnodar, Lipetsk, Vladivostok, Novosibirsk, Omsk, Voronezh, etc. A total of 1001 people were interviewed, which, according to our calculations, gives a margin of error in value of approximately 3.1%. To calculate the lack of vitamins in the diets of residents of the Russian Federation, data on the chemical composition of food products from the FNDDS database were used. The assessment of dietary habits showed a lack of vitamins below the recommended level in 73% of Russians for vitamin D, 59% for retinol, 38% for β-carotenes, 13% for vitamin E, and 6% for ascorbic acid. The study showed that at least 36% of the Russian population has a low antiradical status, while it was found that “poor” consumers are more likely to consume economically more expensive foods (in terms of their nutritional value). The “poor” segments of the population consume 180–305% more canned food and 38–68% more sweet carbonated drinks than other social groups, but their consumption of vegetables is 23–48% lower. On the contrary, “wealthy” consumers consume 17–25% more complex (varied) dishes, 10–68% more fresh vegetables, and 8–39% more fish. From the obtained values it follows that consumers with low levels of ARP in their diets are in a group with an increased probability of a number of “excess” diseases (diseases of the cardiovascular system, obesity, etc.). In general, the ARP values of food consumed for low-income segments of the population were 2.3 times lower (the ratio was calculated as the percentage of consumers below the level of 11,067 equivalents necessary for the disposal of free radicals generated in the human body per day) than for those who can afford expensive food (consumers with high income). A simple increase in consumption of unbalanced foods, in our opinion, will only contribute to the entry of these consumers into the “average diet trap”. All this makes it imperative to develop comprehensive measures to create a new concept of public catering; otherwise, we can expect a reduction in both the health of the population and the performance of the economy of the whole country.
Transcriptome Analysis of Protocatechualdehyde against Listeria monocytogenes and Its Effect on Chicken Quality Characteristics
Authors: Liao Sichen , Tian Lu , Qi Qi , Hu Lemei , Wang Minmin , Gao Chang , Cui Haoyue , Gai Zhongchao , Gong Guoli
Published: July 2023

The development of natural antimicrobial agents offers new strategies for food preservation due to the health hazards associated with the spoilage of meat products caused by microbial contamination. In this paper, the inhibitory mechanism of protocatechualdehyde (PCA) on Listeria monocytogenes was described, and its effect on the preservation of cooked chicken breast was evaluated. The results showed that the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of PCA on L. monocytogenes was 0.625 mg/mL. Secondly, PCA destroyed the integrity of the L. monocytogenes cell membrane, which was manifested as a decrease in membrane hyperpolarization, intracellular ATP level, and intracellular pH value. Field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG-SEM) observed a cell membrane rupture. Transcriptome analysis showed that PCA may inhibit cell growth by affecting amino acid, nucleotide metabolism, energy metabolism, and the cell membrane of L. monocytogenes. Additionally, it was discovered that PCA enhanced the color and texture of cooked chicken breast meat while decreasing the level of thiobarbituric acid active substance (TBARS). In conclusion, PCA as a natural antibacterial agent has a certain reference value in extending the shelf life of cooked chicken breast.
On the Global Well-Posedness and Orbital Stability of Standing Waves for the Schrödinger Equation with Fractional Dissipation
Authors: Wang Jingqun , Liu Jiangen , Tian Lixin
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we are concerned with the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation. We extend the result of Guo and Huo and prove that the Cauchy problem of the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation is global well-posed in H32−γ(R) with 12≤γ<1. In view of the complexity of the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation itself, the local smoothing effect and maximal function estimates are not enough for presenting the global well-posedness for the nonlinear fractional Schrödinger equation. In this paper, we use a suitably iterative scheme and complete the global well-posed result for Equation (R). Moreover, we obtain the orbital stability of standing waves for the above equations via establishing the profile decomposition of bounded sequences in Hs(RN) (0<s<1) with N≥2.
Exploration of Hermite–Hadamard-Type Integral Inequalities for Twice Differentiable h-Convex Functions
Authors: Vivas-Cortez Miguel , Samraiz Muhammad , Ghaffar Muhammad Tanveer , Naheed Saima , Rahman Gauhar , Elmasry Yasser
Published: July 2023

The significance of fractional calculus cannot be underestimated, as it plays a crucial role in the theory of inequalities. In this paper, we study a new class of mean-type inequalities by incorporating Riemann-type fractional integrals. By doing so, we discover a novel set of such inequalities and analyze them using different mathematical identities. This particular class of inequalities is introduced by employing a generalized convexity concept. To validate our work, we create visual graphs and a table of values using specific functions to represent the inequalities. This approach allows us to demonstrate the validity of our findings and further solidify our conclusions. Moreover, we find that some previously published results emerge as special consequences of our main findings. This research serves as a catalyst for future investigations, encouraging researchers to explore more comprehensive outcomes by using generalized fractional operators and expanding the concept of convexity.
High-Performing Conductive Hydrogels for Wearable Applications
Authors: Omidian Hossein , Chowdhury Sumana Dey
Published: July 2023

Conductive hydrogels have gained significant attention for their extensive applications in healthcare monitoring, wearable sensors, electronic devices, soft robotics, energy storage, and human–machine interfaces. To address the limitations of conductive hydrogels, researchers are focused on enhancing properties such as sensitivity, mechanical strength, electrical performance at low temperatures, stability, antibacterial properties, and conductivity. Composite materials, including nanoparticles, nanowires, polymers, and ionic liquids, are incorporated to improve the conductivity and mechanical strength. Biocompatibility and biosafety are emphasized for safe integration with biological tissues. Conductive hydrogels exhibit unique properties such as stretchability, self-healing, wet adhesion, anti-freezing, transparency, UV-shielding, and adjustable mechanical properties, making them suitable for specific applications. Researchers aim to develop multifunctional hydrogels with antibacterial characteristics, self-healing capabilities, transparency, UV-shielding, gas-sensing, and strain-sensitivity.
Beta Caryophyllene-Loaded Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Topical Management of Skin Disorders: Statistical Optimization, In Vitro and Dermatokinetic Evaluation
Authors: Ghazwani Mohammed , Hani Umme , Alqarni Mohammed H. , Alam Aftab
Published: July 2023

This work aimed to overcome the disadvantages of the oral administration of beta-caryophyllene and boost efficiency by developing a nanostructured lipid carrier for topical administration of the drug in skin disorders. The heat emulsification method was utilized to produce beta-caryophyllene-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers. The newly created formulation was examined for its particle size, entrapment efficiency, and zeta potential after being improved using the Box–Behnken Design. The chosen formulation underwent tests to determine its ex vivo skin retention, dermatokinetic, in vitro release, antioxidant, and confocal laser scanning microscopy study. The findings of the characterization of the nanostructured lipid carriers demonstrated that the particles had a spherical form and a size of 210.86 nm (0.263 polydispersity index). The entrapment efficiency was determined to be 86.74%, and the zeta potential was measured to be −26.97 mV. The in vitro release investigation showed that nanostructure lipid carriers were capable of releasing regulated amounts of beta-caryophyllene for up to 24 hrs. In comparison to the traditional gel formulation, the ex vivo investigation demonstrated a 1.94-fold increase in the skin’s capacity to retain the substance. According to the findings of the study, nanostructure lipid carriers loaded with beta-caryophyllene have the potential to be investigated for use as a topical administration method in skin disorders with enhanced skin retention and effectiveness.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Power-Mix Gel (ppm)—An Orthobiologic Optimization Protocol Rich in Growth Factors and Fibrin
Authors: Lana José Fábio , Purita Joseph , Everts Peter Albert , De Mendonça Neto Palmerindo Antonio Tavares , de Moraes Ferreira Jorge Daniel , Mosaner Tomas , Huber Stephany Cares , Azzini Gabriel Ohana Marques , da Fonseca Lucas Furtado , Jeyaraman Madhan , Dallo Ignacio , Santos Gabriel Silva
Published: July 2023

Platelet- and fibrin-rich orthobiologic products, such as autologous platelet concentrates, have been extensively studied and appreciated for their beneficial effects on multiple conditions. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and its derivatives, including platelet-rich fibrin (PRF), have demonstrated encouraging outcomes in clinical and laboratory settings, particularly in the treatment of musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis (OA). Although PRP and PRF have distinct characteristics, they share similar properties. The relative abundance of platelets, peripheral blood cells, and molecular components in these orthobiologic products stimulates numerous biological pathways. These include inflammatory modulation, augmented neovascularization, and the delivery of pro-anabolic stimuli that regulate cell recruitment, proliferation, and differentiation. Furthermore, the fibrinolytic system, which is sometimes overlooked, plays a crucial role in musculoskeletal regenerative medicine by regulating proteolytic activity and promoting the recruitment of inflammatory cells and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in areas of tissue regeneration, such as bone, cartilage, and muscle. PRP acts as a potent signaling agent; however, it diffuses easily, while the fibrin from PRF offers a durable scaffolding effect that promotes cell activity. The combination of fibrin with hyaluronic acid (HA), another well-studied orthobiologic product, has been shown to improve its scaffolding properties, leading to more robust fibrin polymerization. This supports cell survival, attachment, migration, and proliferation. Therefore, the administration of the “power mix” containing HA and autologous PRP + PRF may prove to be a safe and cost-effective approach in regenerative medicine.
KIT 1 (Keep in Touch) Project—Televisits for Cancer Patients during Italian Lockdown for COVID-19 Pandemic: The Real-World Experience of Establishing a Telemedicine System
Authors: Casà Calogero , Corvari Barbara , Cellini Francesco , Cornacchione Patrizia , D’Aviero Andrea , Reina Sara , Di Franco Silvia , Salvati Alessandra , Colloca Giuseppe Ferdinando , Cesario Alfredo , Patarnello Stefano , Balducci Mario , Morganti Alessio Giuseppe , Valentini Vincenzo , Gambacorta Maria Antonietta , Tagliaferri Luca
Published: July 2023

To evaluate the adoption of an integrated eHealth platform for televisit/monitoring/consultation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: During the lockdown imposed by the Italian government during the COVID19 pandemic spread, a dedicated multi-professional working group was set up in the Radiation Oncology Department with the primary aim of reducing patients’ exposure to COVID-19 by adopting de-centralized/remote consultation methodologies. Each patient’s clinical history was screened before the visit to assess if a traditional clinical visit would be recommended or if a remote evaluation was to be preferred. Real world data (RWD) in the form of patient-reported outcomes (PROMs) and patient reported experiences (PREMs) were collected from patients who underwent televisit/teleconsultation through the eHealth platform. Results: During the lockdown period (from 8 March to 4 May 2020) a total of 1956 visits were managed. A total of 983 (50.26%) of these visits were performed via email (to apply for and to upload of documents) and phone call management; 31 visits (1.58%) were performed using the eHealth system. Substantially, all patients found the eHealth platform useful and user-friendly, consistently indicating that this type of service would also be useful after the pandemic. Conclusions: The rapid implementation of an eHealth system was feasible and well-accepted by the patients during the pandemic. However, we believe that further evidence is to be generated to further support large-scale adoption.
A Retrospect of the Special Issue “Second Edition of Innovative Solutions for Oral Healthcare”
Authors: Lupi Saturnino Marco
Published: July 2023

Medicine and oral health are constantly progressing through a series of small advancements that, together, lead to significant discoveries and breakthroughs [...]
The Crisis in the Nursing Labour Market: Canadian Policy Perspectives
Authors: Baumann Andrea , Crea-Arsenio Mary
Published: July 2023

The labour market for care professionals has experienced significant changes, resulting in critical shortages globally. Nurses represent the largest share of health workers worldwide; nonetheless, an estimated 13 million more nurses will be needed over the next 10 years. Prior to the pandemic, the domestic supply of nurses in Canada had not kept pace with the ever-increasing demand for services. Pre-pandemic age- and needs-based forecasting models have estimated shortages in an excess of 100,000 nurses nationwide by 2030. While COVID-19 has accelerated the demand for and complexity of service requirements, it has also resulted in losses of healthcare professionals due to an increased sick leave, unprecedented burnout and retirements. This paper examines key factors that have contributed to nursing supply issues in Canada over time and provides examples of policy responses to the present shortage facing the healthcare system. To provide adequate care, the nursing workforce must be stabilized and—more importantly—recognized as critical to the health of the population.
Botulinum Toxin for Drooling in Adults with Diseases of the Central Nervous System: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Chen Chih-Rung , Su Yu-Chi , Chen Hui-Chuan , Lin Yu-Ching
Published: July 2023

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to determine whether the drooling of adult patients with diverse central nervous system diseases can be treated with botulinum toxin type A. (2) Methods: The Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and Embase were all searched for studies that fit the inclusion criteria. The patients in the studies had to be adults (>18 years old), and the studies had to be randomized placebo-controlled trials, controlled trials, or prospective studies. Each study had to have enough quantifiable data available for meta-analysis. The primary outcome measure was the Drooling Severity and Frequency Scale (DSFS). (3) Results: The meta-analysis comprised three studies. A statistically significant difference in DSFS score between the treatment and control groups was observed in the meta-analysis, with an overall standardized mean difference of −0.9377 (95% CI, −1.2919 to −0.5836; p < 0.0001). A total of seven studies were ineligible for inclusion in the meta-analysis and were only assessed as qualitative data. All qualitative studies showed a significant reduction in DSFS score a few weeks or months after the injection of botulinum toxin. (4) Conclusions: Botulinum toxin type A is safe and effective as a treatment for drooling in adult patients with central nervous system diseases.
Nurse–Patient Communication and Relationship When Wearing Personal Protective Equipment: Nurses’ Experience in a COVID-19 Ward
Authors: Gualandi Raffaella , Ivziku Dhurata , Caruso Rosario , Di Giacinto Chiara , Lommi Marzia , Tartaglini Daniela , De Benedictis Anna
Published: July 2023

Little is known about which communication strategies nurses carried out and whether the nurse–patient relationship has been altered due to the mandated use of personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study describes how nurse–patient communication and relationships took place from the point of view of nurses engaged in caring for patients with COVID-19. A qualitative descriptive study design following COREQ guidelines was conducted. Semi-structured telephone interviews with nurses working in the COVID ward of an Italian university hospital were performed between September 2020 and June 2021. Ten nurses were recruited using convenience sampling. One overarching theme, three main themes, and nine sub-themes were identified. The overarching theme ‘The in-out relationship: ‘in here and out there’ and ‘inside me and out of me’ included the main themes ‘A closed system different from normal’, ‘Uncovering meaningful human gestures’, and ‘A deep experience to live’’. The relational nature of nursing—where ‘me and you’ and the context are the main elements—leads nurses to find new ways of interacting and communicating with patients, even in a new situation that has never been experienced. Enhancing human gestures, thinking about new contexts of care, and educating new generations to maintain human-to-human interaction, regardless of the context of care, are the directives to be explored for creating the future of nursing care.
Exploring University Students’ Justifications for Making Metacognitive Judgments of Learning
Authors: Kolovelonis Athanasios
Published: July 2023

The accuracy of students’ judgments has important implications for their learning and performance in educational settings. However, little is known about how students make these judgments. This study explored university students’ justifications for making their judgments of learning in a developmental psychology course. Two independent samples were involved, including a total number of 115 senior sport students. Participants responded to a knowledge test and provided their judgments at the local (Sample 1) or at the global level (Sample 2) and then provided their justifications for making these judgments. Students’ justifications for making their judgments were classified in ten categories, including the study of the learning materials, the confidence for answering (or not) correctly, the memory, the general knowledge, the knowledge of the answer and a general reference to common sense, experience, lectures, and judgment. Variations in the frequency of these justifications were found across the local and the global level, low and high accurate students, and low and high performers. These results are discussed regarding their theoretical and practical implications for undergraduate students’ learning.
Sensory Evaluation and Spectra Evolution of Two Kiwifruit Cultivars during Cold Storage
Authors: Afonso Andreia M. , Guerra Rui , Cruz Sandra , Antunes Maria D.
Published: July 2023

Kiwifruit consumption has increased due to its rich nutritional properties. Although ‘Hayward’ continues to be the main cultivar, others, such as yellow fleshed ‘Jintao’, are of increasing interest. The objective of this research was to evaluate the acceptability and storage performance of these two cultivars. Sensory evaluation of green ‘Hayward’ and yellow ‘Jintao’ kiwifruit were performed along cold storage for three seasons/years to follow the organoleptic characteristics through ripening, as well as the acquisition of their spectra by Vis-NIR. For ‘Jintao’ were performed two sensory evaluations per year at 2.5- and 4.5-months’ storage and for ‘Hayward’ at 2.5-, 4.5- and 5.5-months’ storage. The nonparametric Mann–Whitney test and Kruskal–Wallis ANOVA were performed to test the significant differences between the mean ranks among the storage time. A non-metric multidimensional scaling plot method using the ALSCAL algorithm in a seven-point Likert scale was applied to determine the relationships in the data, and a new approach using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was tested. The last revealed that, for both cultivars, sweetness, acidity and texture were the variables with better scores for General flavor. Aroma was also important on ‘Jintao’. A strong correlation between soluble solids content (SSC) and reflectance was found for both cultivars, with the 635–780 nm range being the most important. Regarding firmness, a good correlation with reflectance spectra was observed, particularly in ‘Hayward’ kiwifruit. Based on these results, Vis-NIR can be an objective alternative to explore for determination of the optimum eating-ripe stage.
Quantitatively Determine the Iron Content in the Fruit of ‘Huangguan’ Pear Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Li Liangjun , Li Chen , Fang Jing , Chen Xiaolong , Qin Wen , Zhang Hanhan , Xu Jing , Jia Bing , Heng Wei , Jin Xiu , Liu Li
Published: July 2023

‘Huangguan’ pear has excellent quality, strong adaptability, and good socioeconomic value. Iron is one of the important trace elements in plants, and iron imbalance seriously affects the growth and development of pear trees and reduces their economic benefits. If the iron content in pear fruit can be easily and non-destructively detected using modern technology during the critical period of fruit development, it will undoubtedly help guide actual production. In this study, ‘Huangguan’ pear fruit was used as the research object, and the possibility of using the more convenient near-infrared spectroscopy (900~1700 nm) technology for nondestructive detection of the iron content in the peel and pulp of ‘Huangguan’ pear was explored. First, 12 algorithms were used to preprocess the original spectral data, and based on the original and the preprocessed spectral data, partial least squares regression and gradient boosting regression tree algorithms were used. A full-band prediction model of the iron content in the peel and pulp of ‘Huangguan’ pear was established, and the genetic algorithm was used to extract characteristic wavelengths, establish a characteristic wavelength prediction model, and evaluate the prediction effect of each model according to the coefficient of determination R² and the relative analysis error RPD. After comparison, we found that the prediction model with the best prediction of the iron content in the peel and pulp of ‘Huangguan’ pear reaches class A, and the prediction effect is good and meets expectations. This experiment shows that the use of near-infrared spectroscopy can achieve better prediction of the iron content in the peel and pulp of ‘Huangguan’ pear.
Warm Rain Analysis from Remote Sensing Data in the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona for 2015–2022
Authors: Rigo Tomeu
Published: July 2023

The Metropolitan Area of Barcelona is one of the most densely populated European regions. The hydrological conditions are very extreme, as are those of the Mediterranean Basin, with long drought periods. The management of water systems is one of the priorities, implying the understanding of the whole life cycle of water. One of the worst-known steps in this cycle corresponds to the rainfall events occurring between warm and cold periods, with quasi-tropical precipitation but with little or no lightning activity. This manuscript relies on the analysis of this type of precipitation for 2015–2022 for characterization and modelling to provide the signatures that can help diagnose these events in real time. The comparison of cold convective and warm rain events thorough radar, lightning and numerical weather prediction data has allowed us to find the main differences between both types. Warm rain events are predominant in the region, with more than 70% cases exceeding 10 mm of daily precipitation. The maritime influence is crucial in most of the warm rain episodes.
Streamflow Trends in Central Chile
Authors: Sangüesa Claudia , Pizarro Roberto , Ingram Ben , Balocchi Francisco , García-Chevesich Pablo , Pino Juan , Ibáñez Alfredo , Vallejos Carlos , Mendoza Romina , Bernal Alejandra , Valdés-Pineda Rodrigo , Pérez Felipe
Published: July 2023

The availability of water in Chile has shown signs of decline in recent decades. This is problematic because Chile’s economy depends on mining, forestry, and agricultural activities, all limited by the availability of water resources. In this study, daily, monthly and annual flows in 31 basins located in the arid–semiarid zones (29°12′ S–33°58′ S) and in the humid–subhumid zones (34°43′ S–38°30′ S) of Chile were evaluated using the Mann–Kendall trend test and the quantile–Kendall procedure during three periods: 1984–2021 (31 stations), 1975–2021 (20 stations), and 1969–2021 (18 stations). Results showed that, at the annual level, trends were predominantly negative in both climatic zones and over the three periods analyzed. In the arid–semiarid zone, a higher frequency of annual significant negative trends was found in maximum flows in 1969–2021 and 1975–2021, compared to the last period under study. The humid–subhumid zone showed significant annual negative trends in all series analyzed. At the monthly level, on the other hand, the arid-semiarid zone showed a decrease in significant negative trends as the number of years analyzed increased, for all flow types. The humid–subhumid zone did not indicate a similar defined pattern. Likewise, the quantile–Kendall procedure showed a reduction in the significant trends as the length of the time series was increased in the arid-semiarid zone, but no such pattern was observed in the humid–subhumid zone. Furthermore, a relationship was observed for the PDO and the summer month flows for both zones. Consequently, it is concluded that the flow trends are generally negative, and their statistical significance depends on the period studied.
A Layered and Parallelized Method of Eventual Model Checking
Authors: Phyo Yati , Aung Moe Nandi , Do Canh Minh , Ogata Kazuhiro
Published: July 2023

Termination or halting is an important system requirement that many systems should satisfy and can be expressed in linear temporal logic as eventual properties. We devised a divide-and-conquer approach to eventual model checking in order to reduce the state space explosion in model checking. The idea of the technique is to split an original model checking problem for eventual properties into multiple smaller model checking problems and handle each smaller one. Due to the nature of the divide-and-conquer approach, each smaller model checking problem can essentially be tackled independently. Hence, this paper proposes a parallel technique/tool based on a master–worker pattern for the divide-and-conquer approach to model checking eventual properties. We carry out some experiments to show the effectiveness of our parallel technique/tool, which can somewhat enhance the running performance to a certain extent when conducting model checking for eventual properties.