bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Attention-Based Spatial–Temporal Convolution Gated Recurrent Unit for Traffic Flow Forecasting
Authors: Zhang Qingyong , Chang Wanfeng , Yin Conghui , Xiao Peng , Li Kelei , Tan Meifang
Published: June 2023

Accurate traffic flow forecasting is very important for urban planning and traffic management. However, this is a huge challenge due to the complex spatial–temporal relationships. Although the existing methods have researched spatial–temporal relationships, they neglect the long periodic aspects of traffic flow data, and thus cannot attain a satisfactory result. In this paper, we propose a novel model Attention-Based Spatial–Temporal Convolution Gated Recurrent Unit (ASTCG) to solve the traffic flow forecasting problem. ASTCG has two core components: the multi-input module and the STA-ConvGru module. Based on the cyclical nature of traffic flow data, the data input to the multi-input module are divided into three parts, near-neighbor data, daily-periodic data, and weekly-periodic data, thus enabling the model to better capture the time dependence. The STA-ConvGru module, formed by CNN, GRU, and attention mechanism, can capture both temporal and spatial dependencies of traffic flow. We evaluate our proposed model using real-world datasets and experiments show that the ASTCG model outperforms the state-of-the-art model.
Correspondence between the Energy Equipartition Theorem in Classical Mechanics and Its Phase-Space Formulation in Quantum Mechanics
Authors: Marulanda Esteban , Restrepo Alejandro , Restrepo Johans
Published: June 2023

In classical physics, there is a well-known theorem in which it is established that the energy per degree of freedom is the same. However, in quantum mechanics, due to the non-commutativity of some pairs of observables and the possibility of having non-Markovian dynamics, the energy is not equally distributed. We propose a correspondence between what is known as the classical energy equipartition theorem and its counterpart in the phase-space formulation in quantum mechanics based on the Wigner representation. Further, we show that in the high-temperature regime, the classical result is recovered.
Exploring a New Application of Construct Specification Equations (CSEs) and Entropy: A Pilot Study with Balance Measurements
Authors: Melin Jeanette , Fridberg Helena , Hansson Eva Ekvall , Smedberg Daniel , Pendrill Leslie
Published: June 2023

Both construct specification equations (CSEs) and entropy can be used to provide a specific, causal, and rigorously mathematical conceptualization of item attributes in order to provide fit-for-purpose measurements of person abilities. This has been previously demonstrated for memory measurements. It can also be reasonably expected to be applicable to other kinds of measures of human abilities and task difficulty in health care, but further exploration is needed about how to incorporate qualitative explanatory variables in the CSE formulation. In this paper we report two case studies exploring the possibilities of advancing CSE and entropy to include human functional balance measurements. In case study I, physiotherapists have formulated a CSE for balance task difficulty by principal component regression of empirical balance task difficulty values from Berg’s Balance Scale transformed using the Rasch model. In case study II, four balance tasks of increasing difficulty due to diminishing bases of support and vision were briefly investigated in relation to entropy as a measure of the amount of information and order as well as physical thermodynamics. The pilot study has explored both methodological and conceptual possibilities and concerns to be considered in further work. The results should not be considered as fully comprehensive or absolute, but rather open up for further discussion and investigations to advance measurements of person balance ability in clinical practice, research, and trials.
The Structure Entropy-Based Node Importance Ranking Method for Graph Data
Authors: Liu Shihu , Gao Haiyan
Published: June 2023

Due to its wide application across many disciplines, how to make an efficient ranking for nodes in graph data has become an urgent topic. It is well-known that most classical methods only consider the local structure information of nodes, but ignore the global structure information of graph data. In order to further explore the influence of structure information on node importance, this paper designs a structure entropy-based node importance ranking method. Firstly, the target node and its associated edges are removed from the initial graph data. Next, the structure entropy of graph data can be constructed by considering the local and global structure information at the same time, in which case all nodes can be ranked. The effectiveness of the proposed method was tested by comparing it with five benchmark methods. The experimental results show that the structure entropy-based node importance ranking method performs well on eight real-world datasets.
Duration of the Membership in the World Trade Organization and Aid for Trade Flows
Authors: Gnangnon Sena Kimm
Published: June 2023

In examining the effect of membership in the World Trade Organization (WTO) on the amounts of Aid for Trade (AfT) that accrue to developing countries, Lee et al. (2015) (The World Economy, 38, 2015 and 1462) have found that developing country members of the World Trade Organization (WTO) received higher AfT flows than non-WTO developing members. The present paper deepens the analysis by Lee et al. (2015) by investigating the effect of the duration of WTO membership on the amounts of AfT flows that accrue to recipient countries. The duration of membership in the WTO captures both the membership in the WTO and the time spent by a country in the organization. The main argument in this analysis is that the duration of WTO membership matters more than the mere WTO membership for the degree of liberalization in AfT recipient countries’ trade regimes and their participation in international trade, the latter being a critical determinant of the AfT flows supplied by donors. This analysis has relied on a panel dataset of 136 countries over the period from 2002 to 2019, and the two-step generalized method of moments estimator. It has established that countries receive higher AfT flows as their membership duration increases, and the amounts of these resource inflows increase as recipient countries further liberalize their trade regime and further participate in international trade. Additionally, the effect of the duration of WTO membership on total AfT flows depends on donor-countries’ commercial self-interest in recipient countries, including the latter’s economic growth performance and endowment in natural resources.
Designing Engineering Courses with Embedded Virtual and Real Experimentations
Authors: Maxworth Ashanthi
Published: June 2023

Engineering requires solid mathematical knowledge in addition to hands-on experience. At the same time, finding the right balance between mathematics and applications is challenging. This paper presents the implementation of virtual and real experiments in three math-heavy engineering courses at the University of Southern Maine. These courses were Communications Engineering, Antennas, and Plasma Engineering. Furthermore, the virtual experiments implemented were MATLAB R2022b simulations, HFSS simulations, and videos. The real experimentation included antenna building, a software-defined radio project, a 3D printing project, and a case study analysis. These virtual and real experiments were distributed between the aforementioned three courses. Based on student feedback, having these virtual and real experiments aided their learning process and students enjoyed having hardware experiments embedded in a course.
Rail Surface Defect Detection Based on Image Enhancement and Improved YOLOX
Authors: Zhang Chunguang , Xu Donglin , Zhang Lifang , Deng Wu
Published: June 2023

During the long and high-intensity railway use, all kinds of defects emerge, which often produce light to moderate damage on the surface, which adversely affects the stable operation of trains and even endangers the safety of travel. Currently, models for detecting rail surface defects are ineffective, and self-collected rail surface images have poor illumination and insufficient defect data. In light of the aforementioned problems, this article suggests an improved YOLOX and image enhancement method for detecting rail surface defects. First, a fusion image enhancement algorithm is used in the HSV space to process the surface image of the steel rail, highlighting defects and enhancing background contrast. Then, this paper uses a more efficient and faster BiFPN for feature fusion in the neck structure of YOLOX. In addition, it introduces the NAM attention mechanism to increase image feature expression capability. The experimental results show that the detection of rail surface defects using the algorithm improves the mAP of the YOLOX network by 2.42%. The computational volume of the improved network increases, but the detection speed can still reach 71.33 fps. In conclusion, the upgraded YOLOX model can detect rail surface flaws with accuracy and speed, fulfilling the demands of real-time detection. The lightweight deployment of rail surface defect detection terminals also has some benefits.
An Advanced Non-Interrupted Internal Calibration Model Based on Azimuth Modulation and Waveform Diversity for SAR Systems
Authors: Liang Da , Pang Xiaoyu
Published: June 2023

Internal calibration, designed for obtaining the gain and phase errors introduced by the fluctuations of the electronic instruments, is an essential operation to guarantee the imaging performance of modern synthetic aperture radar (SAR) systems. However, in most of the current internal calibration schemes, the internal calibration processes interrupt the normal SAR data acquisition, which results in a loss of azimuth samples and degradation of the SAR image quality. To this end, an advanced non-interrupted internal calibration model is proposed, performing the internal calibration during nominal data acquisitions. The calibration signals and echoes are orthogonal and are received simultaneously. Then, they can be separated by postprocessing via the waveform diversity concept. Two schemes based on the proposed model are demonstrated via theoretical analysis and simulation experiments. The proposed model can achieve a considerable signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and reduce the influence of calibration signals on echoes, which have some potential applications for future SAR missions.
Sign Language Translation: A Survey of Approaches and Techniques
Authors: Liang Zeyu , Li Huailing , Chai Jianping
Published: June 2023

Sign language is the main communication way for deaf and hard-of-hearing (i.e., DHH) people, which is unfamiliar to most non-deaf and hard-of-hearing (non-DHH) people. To break down the communication barriers between DHH and non-DHH people and to better promote communication among DHH individuals, we have summarized the research progress on sign language translation. We provide the necessary background on sign language translation and introduce its four subtasks (i.e., sign2gloss2text, sign2text, sign2(gloss+text), and gloss2text). We distill the basic mode of sign language translation (SLT) and introduce the transformer-based framework of SLT. We analyze the main challenges of SLT and propose possible directions for its development.
A 52-to-57 GHz CMOS Phase-Tunable Quadrature VCO Based on a Body Bias Control Technique
Authors: Lee Seongmin , Lee Yongho , Shin Hyunchol
Published: June 2023

This paper presents a 52-to-57 GHz CMOS quadrature voltage-controlled oscillator (QVCO) with a novel I/Q phase tuning technique based on a body bias control method. The QVCO employs an in-phase injection-coupling (IPIC) network comprising four diode-connected FETs for the quadrature phase generation. The I/Q phase error is calibrated by controlling the body bias voltage offset of the QVCO’s four core FETs. This technique effectively covers a wide range of I/Q phase error between −13.4° and +10.7°. It also minimally induces the unwanted variations in the phase noise, current dissipation, and oscillation frequency, which were found to be only 0.4 dB, 0.07%, and 36 MHz, respectively. After the IPIC-QVCO, a phase-tunable two-stage LO buffer employing a 3-bit switched-capacitor bank was added for additional phase tuning, leading to the extension of the phase tuning range up to −22.7–+20.0°. The proposed QVCO is implemented in a 40 nm RF CMOS process. The measured results show that the QVCO covers a frequency band from 52.4 to 57.6 GHz while consuming 26.2 mW. The phase noise and the figure-of-merit of the QVCO are −91.8 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset and −172.4 dBc/Hz, respectively. We also realized a fully integrated 55 GHz quadrature RF transmitter employing the phase-tunable QVCO and LO generator. The effectiveness of the proposed phase-tunable LO generator was confirmed by verifying the image rejection ratio (IRR) calibration at the RF output.
Metal-Supported Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: A Review of Recent Developments and Problems
Authors: Opakhai Serikzhan , Kuterbekov Kairat
Published: June 2023

The design of metal-supported solid oxide fuel cells (MS-SOFCs) has again aroused interest in recent years due to their low cost of materials, strength, and resistance to thermal cycling, as well as the advantages of manufacturability. MS-SOFCs are promising electrochemical devices for hydrogen energy. Compared to SOFCs, where ceramic electrodes or electrolytes are used as a carrier base, they are of great interest due to their fast start-up capability, greater reliability, mechanical stability, and resistance to the thermal cycle. MS-SOFCs have many advantages over conventional ceramic-based SOFCs, with the selection of metal-based electrode materials (anode, cathode) and their degradation processes being some of the biggest challenges facing researchers. Therefore, this review reports on the state of the latest research on MS-SOFCs with various structures, discusses the corresponding electrode materials and their existing problems, and puts forward topical issues that need to be addressed in MS-SOFCs.
Novel Spinel Nanomaterials for Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution Reactions: An Overview
Authors: Walake Swapnali , Jadhav Yogesh , Kulkarni Atul
Published: June 2023

The energy demand generated by fossil fuels is increasing day by day, and it has drastically increased after the COVID-19 pandemic as industries and household utilities rejuvenate. Renewable sources are thus becoming more essential as easily available, alternative methods of low-cost energy generation. Among these renewables, solar energy, i.e., solar power, is a promising energy source and can be used for solar-based H2 evolution because H2 technology is a leading source of eco-friendly electricity generation, and most of the worldwide efforts to develop this method involve heterogeneous catalysis for H2 evolution via water splitting and its storage, i.e., using a fuel cell. In the current scenario, there is a need to develop a stable, recyclable, and reusable heterogeneous catalyst system, which is a great challenge. In the current study, we have focused on novel ferrite magnetic nanomaterials for recyclable and reusable robust photocatalysis. Moreover, discussions of the factors contributing to the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution, low-cost synthesis techniques, and prospects for making them ideal photocatalysts are uncommon in the literature. The study will impart possible approaches for the design and development of novel ferrite nanomaterials and their nanocomposites for H2 generation in the forthcoming years.
Long-Term Scenarios of Indonesia Power Sector to Achieve Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) 2060
Authors: Kanugrahan Satria Putra , Hakam Dzikri Firmansyah
Published: June 2023

This study aims to assess the feasibility of achieving Indonesia’s net-zero emissions target by 2060 through a model of future power generation using renewable energy sources using the Low Emissions Analysis Platform (LEAP) software. There are five projected power generation scenarios in this research: the reference (REF) scenario, the conservative (CON) scenario, the moderate (MOD) scenario, the progressive (PRO) scenario, and the advanced (ADV) scenario. The availability of renewable energy technology differentiates each scenario. The ADV scenario, which utilizes nuclear power and energy storage, achieves the 100% renewable energy target by 2060 at the lowest total cost. However, the costs of CON and MOD are not significantly higher. Indonesia should decommission existing fossil fuel power plants and construct more renewable energy power plants to achieve the net-zero emissions target. Based on the simulation, biomass energy is the least favorable type of energy. Solar becomes an option only when other renewable energies are at their maximum potential capacity. Furthermore, nuclear energy and energy storage is essential for Indonesia to achieve the renewable target.
Prothymosin-Alpha, a Novel and Sensitive Biomarker of the Inflammatory and Insulin-Resistant Statuses of Obese Individuals: A Pilot Study Involving Humans
Authors: Greco Marta , Mirabelli Maria , Tocci Vera , Mamula Yelyzaveta , Salatino Alessandro , Brunetti Francesco , Dragone Francesco , Sicilia Luciana , Tripolino Omar , Chiefari Eusebio , Foti Daniela , Brunetti Antonio
Published: June 2023

Background: Obesity constitutes a chronic, low-grade inflammatory status that predisposes people to the development of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic complications. Hypoxia, a main pathological feature of visceral fat in obese individuals, has been shown to affect the secretome of murine 3T3-L1 adipose cells, causing the upregulation of prothymosin-alpha (ProT-α), which is a protein with immunomodulatory functions that was originally found in the thymus. The aim of this case–control observational study was to measure the circulating levels of ProT-α in obese and lean individuals and determine whether such levels are correlated with inflammatory and metabolic parameters. Methods: Sixty-one obese patients (BMI ≥ 30 Kg/m2) and fifty-one age-matched, lean controls (BMI 18.5–24.9 Kg/m2) were recruited in the Endocrinology Unit (“Mater-Domini”) of the University Hospital of Catanzaro, Italy. The exclusion criteria included affliction with acute and systemic inflammatory states (i.e., leukocytosis), recent infectious diseases or vaccinations, obesity complications (i.e., type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases), hepatic or renal failure, pregnancy and lactation, cancer, use of drugs or alcohol, and smoking. Apart from routine biochemical determinations, serum samples were screened for the presence of ProT-α using an ELISA method and for the presence of a panel of inflammatory cytokines and growth factors via a multiparametric chemiluminescence micro-array. Results: Between the age-matched groups, no statistically significant differences were shown in relation to fasting glucose, HbA1c, liver function tests, lipid profiles, circulating interleukins (IL)-1α, -1β, -2, -4, -8, and -10, MCP-1, TNF-α, VEGF and EGF. Instead, significantly higher median levels were observed in obese patients vs. lean controls with respect to fasting insulin levels (p < 0.001), a classic insulin resistance marker, and IL-6 (p = 0.004). In addition, ProT-α levels were significantly and considerably higher in obese patients compared to lean controls (median ProT-α, 600.0 vs. 411.5 pg/mL, p = 0.004) and showed a moderate to strong positive relationship with fasting insulin levels and selected cytokines (i.e., TNF-α and IL-8). Conclusions: An increase in circulating levels of ProT-α is linked with obesity and can be detected before any clinical cardiometabolic complications develop. ProT-α may represent a novel and sensitive biomarker for inflammation and insulin resistance in obese individuals.
Effectiveness of the Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine against COVID-19-Associated Hospitalizations among Lebanese Adults ≥75 Years Old—Lebanon, April–May 2021
Authors: Farah Zeina , Haddad Nadine , Abou El Naja Hala , Saleh Majd , Mrad Pamela , Ghosn Nada
Published: June 2023

In Lebanon, the nationwide vaccination against COVID-19 was launched in February 2021 using the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine and prioritizing elderly people, persons with comorbidities, and healthcare workers. Our study aims to estimate the post-introduction vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in preventing COVID-19 hospitalizations among elderly people ≥75 years old in Lebanon. A case–control study design was used. Case patients were Lebanese, ≥75 years old, and hospitalized with positive PCR results during April–May 2021, and randomly selected from the database of the Epidemiological Surveillance Unit at the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH). Each case patient was matched by age and locality to two controls. The controls were hospitalized, non-COVID-19 patients, randomly selected from the MOPH hospital admission database. VE was calculated for fully (2 doses ≥14 days) and partially vaccinated (≥14 days of the first or within 14 days of the second dose) participants using multivariate logistic regression. A total of 345 case patients and 814 controls were recruited. Half were females, with a mean age of 83 years. A total of 14 case patients (5%) and 143 controls (22%) were fully vaccinated. A bivariate analysis showed a significant association with gender, month of confirmation/hospital admission, general health, chronic medical conditions, main income source, and living arrangement. After adjusting for a month of hospital admission and gender, the multivariate analysis yielded a VE of 82% (95% CI = 69–90%) against COVID-19-associated hospitalizations for those fully vaccinated and 53% (95% CI = 23–71%) for those partially vaccinated. Our study shows that the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is effective in reducing the risk for COVID-19-associated hospitalizations of Lebanese elderly people (≥75 years old). Additional studies are warranted to explore VE in reducing hospitalizations for younger age groups, as well as reducing COVID-19 infections.
The Compound Forest–Medicinal Plant System Enhances Soil Carbon Utilization
Authors: Yu Yaohong , Lin Xi , Guo Yundan , Guan Zhuizhui , Tan Jinhao , Chen Dong , Su Yan , Li Jiyue , Qiu Quan , He Qian
Published: June 2023

The sensible use of forest resources and the sound management of forests have become increasingly important throughout the years. In keeping with the trend, a composite forestry operation model has emerged. Traditional Chinese culture and forest management are particularly intertwined in China. Thus, use of the forest–medicine compound management model is recommended. The majority of research on the management of forest–medicine compounds has focused on how to grow more effective medicinal plants, ignoring the effects of the chemicals used on the soil environment, particularly the soil micro-environment. A forest–medicine system was established in South China to investigate the impacts of planting Aspidistra elatior on the variety of rhizospheric microorganisms and their ability to use carbon sources. In the plots with or without A. elatior, three dominant plants (Castanopsis hystrix, Psychotria rubra, and Ficus hirta) grew soil rhizosphere microbes, which were analyzed using Biolog EcoPlates. The study found that planting medicinal plants in the understory improved the soil’s nutritional content, increased the inter-root microbial communities of other medicinal plants, and enhanced the microbes’ ability to use soil carbon sources. The forest–medicine complex model, which rationalizes the use of forest clearings and generates economic and ecological benefits, can significantly increase the quantity of dominant microorganisms and enhance the enrichment of other species, resulting in a positive impact on the soil environment. These findings suggest that the forest–medicine compound management model can improve the use of soil carbon sources throughout the forest system.
Forest Conversion Changes Soil Particulate Organic Carbon and Mineral-Associated Organic Carbon via Plant Inputs and Microbial Processes
Authors: Gao Fei , Cui Xiaoyang , Chen Mengdie , Sang Ying
Published: June 2023

Primary forest conversion greatly influences soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration. However, our understanding of how primary forest conversion affects SOC fractions and chemical component evenness remains limited. We examined how primary forest conversion (from primary mixed broadleaved Korean pine forest to secondary broadleaved forest and coniferous plantation) affects free particulate OC (POC), aggregate-occluded POC, mineral-associated OC (MAOC), and their chemical component evenness via plant inputs (e.g., litter and fine roots) and microbial properties (e.g., microbial biomass and residue C) in Northeast China. Primary forest conversion led to a large increase in litter and fine root quality (lower C/N ratio), SOC, and MBC of secondary forests and a reduction in litter and fine root quantity and quality, SOC, MBC, and microbial residue C of plantations, which drove changes in POC and MAOC. As a result, after conversion to secondary forests, free POC decreased by 20.3% and aggregate-occluded POC increased by 57.2%. After conversion to plantations, free POC increased by 49.1%, while aggregate-occluded POC and MAOC decreased by 42.4% and 9.0%, respectively. Free POC was negatively correlated with fine root biomass. Aggregate-occluded POC and MAOC were positively correlated with litter and fine root quality, MBC, and microbial residue C. Meanwhile, forest conversion decreased the evenness of free and aggregate-occluded POC chemical components in secondary forests, with O-alky C being higher and aromatic C being lower, while MAOC was not affected by forest conversion. The evenness of free and aggregate-occluded POC chemical components was associated with litter and fine root quality, and that of MAOC was associated with MBC and microbial residue C. High-quality plant inputs benefit OC sequestration in soil aggregates and MAOM through microbial assimilation and residue accumulation after primary forest conversion. Future forest management should consider tree species with high-quality input as a possible compensation for climate change by sequestering more OC in soil aggregates.
Effects of Yogurt with Carao (Cassia grandis) on Intestinal Barrier Dysfunction, α-glycosidase Activity, Lipase Activity, Hypoglycemic Effect, and Antioxidant Activity
Authors: Aleman Ricardo S. , Marcia Jhunior , Page Ryan , Kazemzadeh Pournaki Shirin , Martín-Vertedor Daniel , Manrique-Fernández Víctor , Montero-Fernández Ismael , Aryana Kayanush
Published: June 2023

Cell inflammation disrupts intestinal barrier functions and may cause disorders related to a leaky gut, possibly leading to diabetes. The objective of this study was to determine if carao (Cassia grandis) incorporated into yogurt enhances in vitro intestinal barrier function. To achieve this goal, Caco-2 cells were used as a model of intestinal barrier permeability. Caco-2 cells were treated with cytokines (interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, interferon-γ, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)) and yogurt with carao yogurt (CY) at different doses (1.3 g/L, 2.65 g/L, and 5.3 g/L). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain and immunofluorescence microscopy were applied to evaluate the expression and localization of tight junction proteins. Functional effects of the formulation of yogurt supplemented with carao were also evaluated in terms of the antioxidant activity, the α-glycosidase activity, and lipase inhibitory properties. In addition, the hypoglycemic potential was validated in vivo in a rat model. Compared to the control yogurt, Caco-2 TEER (transepithelial electrical resistance evaluation) by yogurt with 5.3 g/L of carao was significantly lower (p < 0.05) after 48 h. Yogurt with 5.3 g/L of carao had a considerably lower permeability (p < 0.05) than control yogurt in FD and LY flux. Yogurt with 5.3 g/L of carao enhanced the localization of ZO-1. Carao addition into yogurt increased the flavonoid content, apparent viscosity, lipase inhibition activity, and α-glycosidase activity. The rats fed with the yogurt with 5.3 g/L of carao demonstrated a higher blood glucose modulation.
Task-Aware Meta Learning-Based Siamese Neural Network for Classifying Control Flow Obfuscated Malware
Authors: Zhu Jinting , Jang-Jaccard Julian , Singh Amardeep , Watters Paul A. , Camtepe Seyit
Published: June 2023

Malware authors apply different techniques of control flow obfuscation, in order to create new malware variants to avoid detection. Existing Siamese neural network (SNN)-based malware detection methods fail to correctly classify different malware families when such obfuscated malware samples are present in the training dataset, resulting in high false-positive rates. To address this issue, we propose a novel task-aware few-shot-learning-based Siamese Neural Network that is resilient against the presence of malware variants affected by such control flow obfuscation techniques. Using the average entropy features of each malware family as inputs, in addition to the image features, our model generates the parameters for the feature layers, to more accurately adjust the feature embedding for different malware families, each of which has obfuscated malware variants. In addition, our proposed method can classify malware classes, even if there are only one or a few training samples available. Our model utilizes few-shot learning with the extracted features of a pre-trained network (e.g., VGG-16), to avoid the bias typically associated with a model trained with a limited number of training samples. Our proposed approach is highly effective in recognizing unique malware signatures, thus correctly classifying malware samples that belong to the same malware family, even in the presence of obfuscated malware variants. Our experimental results, validated by N-way on N-shot learning, show that our model is highly effective in classification accuracy, exceeding a rate >91%, compared to other similar methods.
Predicting the Continuous Spatiotemporal State of Ground Fire Based on the Expended LSTM Model with Self-Attention Mechanisms
Authors: Wang Xinyu , Wang Xinquan , Zhang Mingxian , Tang Chun , Li Xingdong , Sun Shufa , Wang Yangwei , Li Dandan , Li Sanping
Published: June 2023

Fire spread prediction is a crucial technology for fighting forest fires. Most existing fire spread models focus on making predictions after a specific time, and their predicted performance decreases rapidly in continuous prediction due to error accumulation when using the recursive method. Given that fire spread is a dynamic spatiotemporal process, this study proposes an expanded neural network of long short-term memory based on self-attention (SA-EX-LSTM) to address this issue. The proposed model predicted the combustion image sequence based on wind characteristics. It had two detailed feature transfer paths, temporal memory flow and spatiotemporal memory flow, which assisted the model in learning complete historical fire features as well as possible. Furthermore, self-attention mechanisms were integrated into the model’s forgetting gates, enabling the model to select the important features associated with the increase in fire spread from massive historical fire features. Datasets for model training and testing were derived from nine experimental ground fires. Compared with the state-of-the-art spatiotemporal prediction models, SA-EX-LSTM consistently exhibited the highest predicted performance and stability throughout the continuous prediction process. The experimental results in this paper have the potential to positively impact the application of spatiotemporal prediction models and UAV-based methods in the field of fire spread prediction.
Food Safety Controls during Bulk Food Preparation—An Observational Analysis
Authors: Hartantyo Sri Harminda Pahm , Selvaraj Renuka , Ho Jiaying , Oh Jia Quan , Er Jun Cheng , Li Angela , Aung Kyaw Thu
Published: June 2023

Seeing the palpable impact of food poisoning associated with catering operations, we surveyed caterers with and without past hygiene violations to examine staffing, food safety practices and correlations with microbial counts in food and the processing environment. Past infringements did not negatively impact the current execution of food safety measures nor the microbial quality of food. In preference to added stringencies for errant operators, we discuss alternative efforts to augment food safety, as well as the policy implications thereof.
Circ_PIAS1 Promotes the Apoptosis of ALV-J Infected DF1 Cells by Up-Regulating miR-183
Authors: Yang Ting , Qiu Lingling , Chen Shihao , Wang Zhixiu , Jiang Yong , Bai Hao , Bi Yulin , Chen Guohong , Chang Guobin
Published: June 2023

(1) Background: circRNAs are closed circular molecules with covalent bonds generated by reverse shearing, which have high stability and have different manifestations in different tissues, cells, or physiological conditions and play important roles in various disease processes and physiological processes. In addition, circ_PIAS1 has been screened out and verified, and the bioinformatics analyzed in previous studies. In this study, we investigated the function of circ_PIAS1 and studied its role in ALV-J infection to provide a basis for the role of circRNA in ALV-J infection. (2) Methods: the effect of circ_PIAS1 on apoptosis during ALV-J infection was studied by flow cytometry and detection of apoptotic gene expression, and miR-183 was screened by a biotin-labeled RNA pull-down technique. After overexpression and inhibition of miR-183, the effect of miR-183 on apoptosis in the process of ALV-J infection was studied by flow cytometry and detection of apoptotic gene expression. (3) Results: after overexpression of circ_PIAS1, flow cytometry and apoptotic gene expression showed that circ_PIAS1 promoted apoptosis. The results of RNA pull-down showed that 173 miRNAs could bind to circ_PIAS1, and circ_PIAS1 up-regulated the expression of miR-183. On the other hand, the same results were obtained whether miR-183 was overexpressed or inhibited that miR-183 affected ALV-J infection by promoting cell apoptosis. (4) Conclusions: circ_PIAS1 up-regulated the expression of miR-183 and influenced ALV-J infection by promoting cell apoptosis.
Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Effect of Lignin on Storage Roots Formation in Two Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) Cultivars
Authors: Du Taifeng , Qin Zhen , Zhou Yuanyuan , Zhang Lei , Wang Qingmei , Li Zongyun , Hou Fuyun
Published: June 2023

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) is one of the most important crops with high storage roots yield. The formation and expansion rate of storage root (SR) plays a crucial role in the production of sweet potato. Lignin affects the SR formation; however, the molecular mechanisms of lignin in SR development have been lacking. To reveal the problem, we performed transcriptome sequencing of SR harvested at 32, 46, and 67 days after planting (DAP) to analyze two sweet potato lines, Jishu25 and Jishu29, in which SR expansion of Jishu29 was early and had a higher yield. A total of 52,137 transcripts and 21,148 unigenes were obtained after corrected with Hiseq2500 sequencing. Through the comparative analysis, 9577 unigenes were found to be differently expressed in the different stages in two cultivars. In addition, phenotypic analysis of two cultivars, combined with analysis of GO, KEGG, and WGCNA showed the regulation of lignin synthesis and related transcription factors play a crucial role in the early expansion of SR. The four key genes swbp1, swpa7, IbERF061, and IbERF109 were proved as potential candidates for regulating lignin synthesis and SR expansion in sweet potato. The data from this study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the impact of lignin synthesis on the formation and expansion of SR in sweet potatoes and proposes several candidate genes that may affect sweet potato yield.
Meg8-DMR as the Secondary Regulatory Region Regulates the Expression of MicroRNAs While It Does Not Affect Embryonic Development in Mice
Authors: Zhang Liang , Han Zhengbin , He Hongjuan , Zhang Ximeijia , Zhang Mengyan , Li Boran , Wu Qiong
Published: June 2023

Meg8-DMR is the first maternal methylated DMR to be discovered in the imprinted Dlk1-Dio3 domain. The deletion of Meg8-DMR enhances the migration and invasion of MLTC-1 depending on the CTCF binding sites. However, the biological function of Meg8-DMR during mouse development remains unknown. In this study, a CRISPR/Cas9 system was used to generate 434 bp genomic deletions of Meg8-DMR in mice. High-throughput and bioinformatics profiling revealed that Meg8-DMR is involved in the regulation of microRNA: when the deletion was inherited from the mother (Mat-KO), the expression of microRNA was unchanged. However, when the deletion occurred from the father (Pat-KO) and homozygous (Homo-KO), the expression was upregulated. Then, differentially expressed microRNAs (DEGs) were identified between WT with Pat-KO, Mat-KO, and Homo-KO, respectively. Subsequently, these DEGs were subjected to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) term enrichment analysis to explore the functional roles of these genes. In total, 502, 128, and 165 DEGs were determined. GO analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly enriched in axonogenesis in Pat-KO and Home-KO, while forebrain development was enriched in Mat-KO. Finally, the methylation levels of IG-DMR, Gtl2-DMR, and Meg8-DMR, and the imprinting status of Dlk1, Gtl2, and Rian were not affected. These findings suggest that Meg8-DMR, as a secondary regulatory region, could regulate the expression of microRNAs while not affecting the normal embryonic development of mice.
Integrated Schumann Resonance Intensity as an Indicator of the Global Thunderstorm Activity
Authors: Hayakawa Masashi , Galuk Yuriy P. , Nickolaenko Alexander P.
Published: June 2023

This paper addresses the accuracy of estimates for the contemporary level of global thunderstorm activity found from the synchronous records of integrated Schumann resonance (SR) intensity at two high-latitude observatories in the Northern and Southern hemispheres. The results are based on numerical simulations of electromagnetic fields in the frequency band of the global (Schumann) resonance in the Earth–ionosphere cavity characterized by a realistic conductivity profile in the middle atmosphere. The credible distribution is used for global thunderstorm activity in space and time. The paired observatory locations are considered either at the geographic poles or at Svalbard and the Antarctic Peninsula. The seasonal variations in the spatial distribution of global thunderstorms are adopted from the OTD satellite observations. The diurnal variations imply the spatial and temporal distribution of lightning strokes measured by the WWLLN network for an arbitrarily chosen date of 18 January 2022. The results obtained suggest that simultaneous records of the integrated SR intensity at Svalbard and in Antarctica provide errors below 3% in the diurnal variations of global thunderstorm activity with a temporal resolution of 10 min. The seasonal changes in global thunderstorm intensity are estimated with an error of ~10%. Since the level of global thunderstorm activity varies by a factor of two on the both time scales, the estimates confirm the appropriate accuracy of the estimate of thunderstorm activity from the concurrent measurements at the high-latitude SR observatories in the Arctic and Antarctic.
Geologically-Driven Migration of Landmines and Explosive Remnants of War—A Feature Focusing on the Western Balkans
Authors: Baselt Ivo , Skejic Adis , Zindovic Budo , Bender Jens
Published: June 2023

Landmines and explosive remnants of war are still present in the Western Balkans and remain a deadly legacy of the hostilities at the end of the 20th century. Over the years, several incidents have occurred in Bosnia and Herzegovina, in Serbia, and in Croatia where intact ordnance has caused injuries and fatalities. Floods, torrential flows, and gravitational mass movements pose a particular threat. Landmines and explosive remnants of war are mobilized and displaced into previously uncontaminated areas. We first discuss the historical and technical background of this hazardous situation. We then show which hydro-morphological processes are responsible for the mobilization and displacement. We then illustrate how a prediction of the likely contaminated areas can be obtained. We show that the problem can only be tackled using a stochastic-deterministic model. However, for the eventual development of risk-hazard maps, preliminary work using laboratory experiments and field surveys is required. The article, therefore, proposes a novel approach to the problem in an international research project. The aim would be to produce risk-hazard maps that can be used by elected decision-makers, administrative authorities, and emergency personnel in affected municipalities.
Exploring the Relationship between (De-)Centralized Health Care Delivery, Client-Centeredness, and Health Outcomes—Results of a Retrospective, Single-Center Study of Transgender People Undergoing Vaginoplasty
Authors: Koehler Andreas , Strauss Bernhard , Briken Peer , Fisch Margit , Soave Armin , Riechardt Silke , Nieder Timo O.
Published: June 2023

Introduction: Transgender health care interventions (e.g., gender-affirming surgery) support transgender and gender-diverse people to transition to their gender and are delivered in both centralized (by one interdisciplinary institution) and decentralized settings (by different institutions spread over several locations). In this exploratory study, we investigated the relationship between centralized and decentralized delivery of transgender health care, client-centeredness, and psychosocial outcomes. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 45 clients undergoing vaginoplasty at one medical center was conducted. Mann–Whitney U tests assessed differences regarding five dimensions of client-centeredness and psychosocial outcomes between the health care delivery groups. To address shortcomings regarding the small sample size, we applied a rigorous statistical approach (e.g., Bonferroni correction) to ensure that we only identified predictors that were actually related to the outcomes. Results: All aspects of client-centered care were scored average or high. Decentralized delivery of care was more client-centered in terms of involvement in care/shared decision-making and empowerment. However, participants from decentralized health care delivery settings scored lower on psychosocial health (p = 0.038–0.005). Conclusions: The factor of (de-)centralized health care delivery appears to have a significant impact on the provision of transgender health care and should be investigated by future research.
Clinical Cancer Research in South America and Potential Health Economic Impacts
Authors: de Oliveira Avellar William , Ferreira Édria Aparecida , Vieira Ana Carolina Rodrigues Alves , de Melo Andreia Cristina , Aran Veronica
Published: June 2023

Background: Increased global cancer incidence rates have led to a growing demand for cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as basic and clinical research on the subject. The expansion of clinical cancer trials beyond the borders of highly developed countries has aided the arrival of these assessments in South American countries. In this context, this study’s objective is to highlight clinical cancer trial profiles developed and sponsored by pharmaceutical companies and conducted in South American countries from 2010 to 2020. Methods: This study comprises descriptive and retrospective research conducted following a search for clinical trials (phases I, II and III), registered at clinicaltrials.gov, carried out in Latin American countries and sponsored by pharmaceutical companies (“Argentina”, “Brazil”, “Chile”, “Peru”, “Colombia”, “Ecuador”, “Uruguay”, “Venezuela”, “Paraguay”, “Bolivia”), registered between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2020. A total of 1451 clinical trials were retrieved, of which 200 trials unrelated to cancer were excluded and 646 duplicates were removed, leading to a final total of 605 clinical trials employing qualitative and quantitative analyses. Results: A 122% increase in the number of clinical trial registrations from 2010 to 2020 was noted, with a prevalence of phase III studies (431 trials of a total of 605). Lung (119), breast (100), leukemia (42), prostate (39) and melanoma (32) were the main cancers tested for new drugs. Conclusions: The data reported herein indicate the need for strategic basic and clinical research planning that considers South American epidemic cancer profiles.
Literature Review—Transthoracic Echocardiography, Computed Tomography Angiography, and Their Value in Clinical Decision Making and Outcome Predictions in Patients with COVID-19 Associated Cardiovascular Complications
Authors: Warpechowski Jędrzej , Olichwier Adam , Golonko Aleksandra , Warpechowski Marcin , Milewski Robert
Published: June 2023

The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic posed a great threat to the world’s healthcare systems. It resulted in the development of new methods and algorithms for the diagnosis and treatment of both COVID-19 and its complications. Diagnostic imaging played a crucial role in both cases. Among the most widely used examinations are transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and computed tomography angiography (CTA). Cardiovascular complications in COVID-19 are frequently associated with a severe inflammatory response, which results in acute respiratory failure, further leading to severe complications of the cardiovascular system. Our review aims to discuss the value of TTE and CTA in clinical decision making and outcome prediction in patients with COVID-19-associated cardiovascular complications. Our review revealed the high clinical value of various TTE findings and their association with mortality and the prediction of patients’ clinical outcomes, especially when used with other laboratory parameters. The strongest association between increased mortality and findings in TTE was observed for tachycardia and decreased left ventricular ejection fraction (odds ratio (OR) 24.06) and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion/pulmonary artery systolic pressure ratio (TAPSE/PASP ratio) < 0.31 mm/mmHg (OR 17.80). CTA is a valuable tool in diagnosing COVID-19-associated pulmonary embolism, but its association with mortality and its predictive role should always be combined with laboratory findings and patients’ medical history. D-dimers > 3000 ng/mL were found as the strongest predictors of pulmonary embolism (PE) (OR 7.494). Our review indicates the necessity for an active search for cardiovascular complications in patients with severe COVID-19, as they are linked with an increased probability of fatal outcomes.