bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Influencing factors of early childhood teachers’ disaster preparedness
Authors: Lee Young-Ran , Park Sun-Nam , Lee Mi-Ran , Nam Eunjeong
Published: November 2023

Background

The risk of disasters and infectious diseases continues to persist in modern times. Children are a vulnerable group in disaster prevention and management due to their limited ability to cope on their own. Hence, the role and disaster preparedness capacity of early childhood teachers (ECTs) is vital for children’s protection.

Objectives

This study aims to explore how ECTs can improve their personal resilience to adapt to and overcome disasters as part of early childhood education and care (ECEC). To this end, this study examined the effects of ECTs’ self-efficacy, resilience, disaster awareness, COVID-19 stress, and work-related stress on their disaster preparedness.

Results

According to the outcomes of disaster preparedness of ECTs based on their general and job characteristics, full-time employees and principals scored significantly higher in work-related disaster preparedness (WrDP) compared to part-time workers and general and assistant teachers, respectively. Resilience and WrDP were identified as influencing factors of general disaster preparedness (GdP), with an explanatory power of 26.4%. GdP and self-efficacy were identified as influencing factors of WrDP, with an explanatory power of 25.7%.

Discussion

According to the findings, ECTs’ self-efficacy and GdP must be improved, followed by developing strategies to strengthen their resilience and WrDP. Doing so would ensure the safety and disaster preparedness of ECTs and infants who have low self-care capacity.
Mini review: Advances and challenges in CAR-T cell therapy: from early chimeric antigen receptors to future frontiers in oncology
Authors: Ceballos Candela , Viguria Mª Cruz , Panizo Carlos , Rodríguez-Madoz Juan Roberto , Prósper Felipe
Published: November 2023

Cell therapy utilizing chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) in conjunction with immune cells, primarily T lymphocytes, is known as CAR-T cell therapy. This innovative approach is revolutionizing the landscape of oncohaematology by precisely targeting specific antigens for elimination. However, despite its promising prospects, CAR-T therapy presents several challenges, including a notable rate of disease relapse, intricate pathologies impeding widespread adoption, prolonged manufacturing timelines, and substantial costs. Looking forward, ongoing research and progress aim to address these challenges to mitigate these constraints, underlining the continuous efforts to enhance the efficacy and accessibility of this transformative therapy
Predicting the Future: How Does a Weather Forecast Work?
Authors: Holmberg Emma , Hallgren Christoffer , Messori Gabriele
Published: November 2023

Accurate weather forecasts are very useful, because they tell people what kind of weather to expect in the next few days. But how can we predict what will happen in the future? This article will explain how meteorologists, the people who study and work with the conditions that happen in the atmosphere, predict tomorrow’s weather. To help you understand weather predictions, we will first explain how changes in the atmosphere result in various types of weather. In this article, we will tell you how meteorologists turn knowledge of the conditions in the atmosphere into a weather forecast, just like you see in the news or on a weather app!
Tomato plant extract (Lycopersicon esculentum) obtained from agroindustrial byproducts and its antifungal activity against Fusarium spp.
Authors: Isidro-Requejo Luis M. , Márquez-Ríos Enrique , Del Toro-Sánchez Carmen L. , Ruiz-Cruz Saúl , Valero-Garrido Daniel , Suárez-Jiménez Guadalupe M.
Published: November 2023

Phytopathogenic fungi are a constant danger in the production of different crops around the world, especially in melons, since they can cause significant economic losses during the harvest, affecting the quality and shelf life. In recent years, producers have increasingly used chemical pesticides indiscriminately, causing environmental problems and damage to public health. For this reason, phytopathogenic fungi become more resistant. However, it is essential to guarantee the safety, quality, and shelf life of food after harvest, during transportation, storage and marketing. The presence of fungi in food can cause diseases transmitted through the production of toxins. Most producers depend on the discriminated use of chemical pesticides, which is a great challenge to guarantee food safety and sustainable agricultural production. To solve this problem, some extracts derived from tomato plants after harvest containing bioactive compounds have been implemented. These compounds can be natural antifungal agents as they contain phenols, flavonoids, and vitamins. Bioactive compounds emerge as a sustainable and safe opportunity in the search for new antifungal and antimicrobial agents. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the in vitro antifungal activity of whole tomato plant extracts on three phytopathogenic fungi. The research findings indicated that a concentration of 74.7 μg/mL of TPE resulted in a complete inhibition of mycelial growth in Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium graminearum, and Fusarium verticillioides. Additionally, TPE exhibited both fungistatic and fungicidal effects on these Fusarium species, with a MIC50 of 30.7, 31.5, and 29.5, and a MFC of 82.4, 78.6, and 75.8 μg/mL, respectively. As a result, this study suggests that TPE can be considered as an environmentally friendly solution for extracting tomato plants, which can be applied to the surface of whole fruits or incorporated into semi-processed foods.
Determinants of Residential Satisfaction During the Initial Stage of the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Case of Xiangyang City, China
Authors: Yuan Dinghuan , Yu Haoyuan , Lin Wenyi , Zha Lisi
Published: November 2023

Objectives: To explore the impacts of psychological character strengths, self-efficacy, and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases on residential satisfaction at the initial stage of the COVID-19 pandemic in China.

Methods: To achieve the study aim, we collected data from 281 observations from Xiangyang City, China, via an online survey. Data were analyzed using linear regression.

Results: Character strengths and the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases significantly impacted residential satisfaction. While self-efficacy did not directly impact residential satisfaction, it moderated the relationship between the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and residential satisfaction. The control variables of social trust and shared value positively impacted residential satisfaction, and their influence on residential satisfaction was higher than that of character strengths. The sociodemographic variables of marriage, age, educational attainment, and housing area per capita also impacted residential satisfaction significantly. However, strong ties and weak ties became insignificant variables due to social distancing strategies.

Conclusion: The study findings offer insights for local governments to enhance residential satisfaction in the community to avoid social panic during unpredictable threats or future pandemics.
Variability in Estimating Crop Model Genotypic Parameters: The Impact of Different Sampling Methods and Sizes
Authors: Ma Xintian , Wang Xiangyi , He Yingbin , Zha Yan , Chen Huicong , Han Shengnan
Published: November 2023

Generic parameter calibration for crop growth models is a very important step in model use. However, studies of the effect of sample size and sampling methods on the calibration and validation of genotypic parameters have seldom been conducted. Scientists commonly apply the hold-out (HO) method, by default, to deal with samples for calibration and validation in the practice of model use. In this paper, we applied the hold-out, cross-validation (CA), and bootstrapping (BS) methods with different sample sizes to analyze the influence of sampling methods and sample size on the final calibration results of genotypic parameters. The results showed that, (1) overall, CA and BS performed better than HO at most observation stations. However, there was great variability in the calibration and validation results obtained from the three methods. (2) Because of data quality differences, we could not conclude that the more samples there were, the greater the validation accuracy of the three methods. (3) The CV of the genotypic parameter values for the three methods and sample sizes varied greatly. Thus, when genotypic parameter calibration is performed, both sampling methods and sample size should be considered.
Population Dynamics of a Declining White-Tailed Deer Population in the Southern Appalachian Region of the United States
Authors: Edge Adam C. , Rosenberger Jacalyn P. , Killmaster Charlie H. , Johannsen Kristina L. , Osborn David A. , Miller Karl V. , D’Angelo Gino J.
Published: November 2023

Although generally abundant, white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) populations in the southeastern United States have recently experienced several localized declines attributed to reduced fawn recruitment following the establishment of coyotes (Canis latrans). The Southern Appalachians is a mountainous region suggested to be experiencing white-tailed deer declines, as harvest numbers and hunter success rates have substantially decreased in northern Georgia since 1979. Low fawn survival (16%) was also recently documented in the Chattahoochee National Forest (CNF) in northern Georgia, necessitating further examination. We radio-collared 14 yearling and 45 adult female white-tailed deer along with 71 fawns during 2018–2020 in the CNF to estimate field-based vital rates (i.e., survival and fecundity) and parameterize stage-structured population models. We projected population growth rates (λ) over 10 years to evaluate the current rate of decline and various other management scenarios. Our results indicated that the observed population would decline by an average of 4.0% annually (λ = 0.960) under current conditions. Only scenarios including antlerless harvest restrictions in addition to improved fawn survival resulted in positive growth (λ = 1.019, 1.085), suggesting these measures are likely necessary for population recovery in the region. This approach can be applied by wildlife managers to inform site-specific management strategies.
Effect of Fermented Artemisia argyi on Egg Quality, Nutrition, and Flavor by Gut Bacterial Mediation
Authors: Zhou Min , Zheng Lingyan , Geng Tuo , Wang Yunfan , Peng Mijun , Hu Fengyang , Zhao Jing , Wang Xuesong
Published: November 2023

To improve the palatability of Artemisia argyi, fermented A. argyi (AAF) were prepared by Lactobacillus plantarum and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which were used in the hen industry subsequently. Six hundred hens were randomly divided into three groups: control (A), dietary supplementation AAF at a low level (B), and dietary supplementation AAF at a high level (C). After feeding for four months, egg production, egg quality, egg nutrition, egg flavor, plasma biochemical parameters, intestinal histology, and microbiome of the gut contents were analyzed among the three tested groups. Interestingly, 5–6 percentage points elevation in the laying rates were observed in the AAF-supplemented groups in comparison to the control, accompanied with a 5 g increase in daily feed consumption. Since no alteration in egg/body weights was detected, laying performance enhancement was the main effect of dietary supplementation AAF. Meanwhile, the compositions of the egg amino acids and fatty acids changed as the feed inclusion AAF changed, e.g., His and linoleic acid decreased almost 0.1 and 0.5 g/100 g, respectively, while oleic acid increased almost 0.4 g/100 g. In addition, although no significant difference was detected (p > 0.05), the β-diversity of the gut microbiota decreased as the diet addition of AAF decreased, and probiotics (Faecalibacterium, Prevotellaceae, Intestinimonas, and Lachnospiraceae) were the dominant keystone species under AAF treatments. These probiotics were well associated with the egg nutrition component variations based on the correlation analysis, as the Sankey plot showed. Furthermore, the results of headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry manifested that the egg volatile components varied (e.g., the contents of acetone, 4-methyl-3-penten-2-one, 1-hydroxy-2-propanone, ethyl acetate, ethyl octanoate, ethanol, and 2-butanol in the B and C groups were higher than in the A group) and separated clearly as daily supplementation AAF, indicating AAF hugely contributed to the egg flavor variation. Due to no significant differences noticed between the B and C groups, dietary supplementation AAF at a relative low level was enough to serve as a feed attractant in the hen industry for real feeding.
Effects of Maternal Supplementation with Organic Trace Minerals including Zinc, Manganese, Copper, and Cobalt during the Late and Post-Partum Periods on the Health and Immune Status of Japanese Black Calves
Authors: Ramah Amany , Kato Tomohiro , Shinya Urara , Baakhtari Mahmoud , Imatake Shoichiro , Jadi Arvendi Rachma , Yasuda Masahiro
Published: November 2023

In this study, we evaluated the effects of supplementation of the maternal diet with organic trace minerals including Zn (zinc), Mn (manganese), Cu (copper), and Co (cobalt) on the health and immune status of beef calves. We examined 19 pregnant cows, which were divided into a group of 9 cows fed a basal diet (control) and 10 cows fed a diet with organic trace minerals (treated). Cows were fed for a period of 45 days before the predicted calving date until 45 days after calving. The number of treatments needed for respiratory and digestive diseases within 14 days of birth was significantly lower in the treated group (p < 0.05) than the control group. In addition, the concentration of serum zinc in the treated group on day 1 was significantly higher (p < 0.05) than that in the control group. The numbers of CD4+ and CD8+ cells in the treated group on days 30 and 60 were significantly increased (p < 0.01) compared with those in the control group, as was the number of γδ T cells on days 1 and 30 (p < 0.05). The number of IgM+ cells in the treated group on days 30 and 60 was significantly increased (p < 0.01) compared with that in the control group, as was the number of MHC class II+ cells on day 60 (p < 0.01). The number of NK cells in the treated group on day 60 was also significantly increased (p < 0.05) compared with that in the control group. The expression levels of mRNAs encoding interlukin-2 (IL-2), interlukin-4 (IL-4), interlukin-12 (IL-12), and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the treated group were significantly higher than those in the control group (p < 0.05) on days 1 and 60. The results indicate that maternal supplementation with trace minerals is a promising approach for producing highly disease-resistant calves and enhancing calf immunity.
Antibiotic Resistance and Therapy for Helicobacter pylori Infection
Authors: Smith Stella I. , Yamaoka Yoshio
Published: November 2023

Approximately half of the world’s population is estimated to be infected with Helicobacter pylori [...]
Antifungal Biofilm Inhibitory Effects of Combinations of Diclofenac and Essential Oils
Authors: Barbarossa Alexia , Rosato Antonio , Carrieri Antonio , Tardugno Roberta , Corbo Filomena , Clodoveo Maria Lisa , Fracchiolla Giuseppe , Carocci Alessia
Published: November 2023

Systemic fungal infections have risen in recent decades and most of them are caused by Candida species, which are becoming increasingly resistant to conventional antifungal drugs. Biofilm production has been considered the most common growth form of Candida cells and is associated with a high level of antifungal resistance. At present, international research reports on the antifungal activity of non-traditional antimicrobial drugs and their potential use against life-threatening resistant fungal infections. Indeed, drug repurposing has led to the consideration of well-known compounds as a last-line therapy. The goal of this work is to evaluate the potential synergistic antifungal biofilm activity of new combinations between diclofenac sodium salt (DSS), a widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), with the essential oils (EOs) of Mentha piperita, Pelargonium graveolens, and Melaleuca alternifolia, whose antifungal activity has been well documented over the years. The in vitro antifungal activity of DSS and EOs was determined on different Candida strains. Susceptibility testing and the synergism of DSS and EOs versus biofilm cells was performed by using the broth microdilution assay and checkerboard methods. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (sMIC50) of DSS alone ranged from 1.25 to 2.05 mg/mL for all the strains considered. These values significantly decreased when the drug was used in combination with the EOs. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) was lower than 0.5 for almost all the associations, thus indicating a significant synergism, particularly for the DSS–Pelargonium graveolens combination towards the Candida strains examined. These preliminary results show that the combination of the EOs with DSS improves the antifungal activity on all the tested Candida strains, significantly lowering the concentrations of the components used and thus allowing any toxic effects to be overcome.
Unexpected Inhibitory Effect of Octenidine Dihydrochloride on Candida albicans Filamentation by Impairing Ergosterol Biosynthesis and Disrupting Cell Membrane Integrity
Authors: Fang Ting , Xiong Juan , Wang Li , Feng Zhe , Hang Sijin , Yu Jinhua , Li Wanqian , Feng Yanru , Lu Hui , Jiang Yuanying
Published: November 2023

Candida albicans filamentation plays a significant role in developing both mucosal and invasive candidiasis, making it a crucial virulence factor. Consequently, exploring and identifying inhibitors that impede fungal hyphal formation presents an intriguing approach toward antifungal strategies. In line with this anti-filamentation strategy, we conducted a comprehensive screening of a library of FDA-approved drugs to identify compounds that possess inhibitory properties against hyphal growth. The compound octenidine dihydrochloride (OCT) exhibits potent inhibition of hyphal growth in C. albicans across different hyphae-inducing media at concentrations below or equal to 3.125 μM. This remarkable inhibitory effect extends to biofilm formation and the disruption of mature biofilm. The mechanism underlying OCT’s inhibition of hyphal growth is likely attributed to its capacity to impede ergosterol biosynthesis and induce the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), compromising the integrity of the cell membrane. Furthermore, it has been observed that OCT demonstrates protective attributes against invasive candidiasis in Galleria mellonella larvae through its proficient eradication of C. albicans colonization in infected G. mellonella larvae by impeding hyphal formation. Although additional investigation is required to mitigate the toxicity of OCT in mammals, it possesses considerable promise as a potent filamentation inhibitor against invasive candidiasis.
Towards Hyper-Relevance in Marketing: Development of a Hybrid Cold-Start Recommender System
Authors: Fernandes Leonor , Miguéis Vera , Pereira Ivo , e Oliveira Eduardo
Published: November 2023

Recommender systems position themselves as powerful tools in the support of relevance and personalization, presenting remarkable potential in the area of marketing. The cold-start customer problematic presents a challenge within this topic, leading to the need of distinguishing user features and preferences based on a restricted set of transactional information. This paper proposes a hybrid recommender system that aims to leverage transactional and portfolio information as indicating characteristics of customer behaviour. Four independent systems are combined through a parallelised weighted hybrid design. The first individual system utilises the price, target age, and brand of each product to develop a content-based recommender system, identifying item similarities. Secondly, a keyword-based content system uses product titles and descriptions to identify related groups of items. The third system utilises transactional data, defining similarity between products based on purchasing patterns, categorised as a collaborative model. The fourth system distinguishes itself from the previous approaches by leveraging association rules, using transactional information to establish antecedent and precedence relationships between items through a market basket analysis. Two datasets were analysed: product portfolio and transactional datasets. The product portfolio had 17,118 unique products and the included 4,408,825 instances from 2 June 2021 until 2 June 2022. Although the collaborative system demonstrated the best evaluation metrics when comparing all systems individually, the hybridisation of the four systems surpassed each of the individual systems in performance, with a 8.9% hit rate, 6.6% portfolio coverage, and with closer targeting of customer preferences and smaller bias.
Strategies for Enhancing Extracellular Electron Transfer in Environmental Biotechnology: A Review
Authors: Hazzan Oluwadamilola Oluwatoyin , Zhao Biyi , Xiao Yong
Published: November 2023

Extracellular electron transfer (EET) is a biological mechanism that plays a crucial role in various bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) and has substantial implications for renewable energy production. By utilizing the metabolic capacities of exoelectrogens, BESs offer a viable and environmentally friendly approach to electricity generation and chemical production; however, the diminished effectiveness of EET remains a hindrance to their optimal application in practical contexts. This paper examines the various strategies that have the potential to be employed to enhance the efficiency of EET systems and explores the potential for the integration of BESs technology with contemporary technologies, resulting in the development of an enhanced and sustainable system. It also examines how quorum sensing, electrode modifications, electron shuttles, and mediators can aid in improving EET performance. Many technological innovations, such as additive manufacturing, the science of nanotechnology, the technique of genetic engineering, computational intelligence, and other combinations of technologies that can be used to augment the efficacy of BESs are also discussed. Our findings will help readers understand how BESs, though an evolving technology, can play an important role in addressing our environmental concerns. Technical constraints are identified, and future directions in the field of EET are suggested.
Deformation Law of Tunnels Using Double-Sidewall Guide Pit Method under Different Excavation Sequences
Authors: Ruan Yanmei , Luo Xu , Li Jin , Li Yang , Lin Shan , Ling Chengkun , Yuan Bingxiang
Published: November 2023

The double-sidewall guide pit method finds extensive application in the construction of large cross-section tunnels in soft rock strata due to its minimal disruption to the surrounding rock, thereby enhancing tunnel stability. To investigate the loading and deformation patterns of the surrounding rock and tunnel support using the double-sidewall guide pit method, this study compares the impacts of various construction sequences on surface settlement, surrounding rock stress, and lining stress using indoor model tests. The experimental results show that after excavating the upper guide hole on one side, the excavation of the lower guide hole on the same side is carried out. The upper and lower support structures form a closed loop, and the structure can better constrain the surrounding rock and control the deformation of the surrounding rock, whereas the lower structure can share the stresses suffered by the upper structure. Therefore, compared with the upper and lower excavation methods, the surface settlement caused by the left and right excavation methods is smaller, the disturbance to the surrounding rock is smaller, and the supporting structure is more evenly and stably stressed in the excavation process.
Developing an Intelligent Recommendation System for Non-Information and Communications Technology Major University Students
Authors: Kim TaeYoung , Lim JongBeom
Published: November 2023

Various services and applications based on information and communications technology (ICT) are converging with cultural aspects of historical implementations. At the same time, developing a convergence course for non-ICT majors is becoming increasingly popular in universities. In this paper, we develop an AI application course for non-ICT major university students toward convergence with recommendation systems and Silk Road studies. Based on our five-year research on the martial arts, dance, and play of seven Silk Road countries, we have created and categorized an accessible database for 177 items in those countries. For our convergence course, we measure the similarity between the items for summary and perform collaborative filtering based on alternating least squares (ALS) matrix factorization so that our prototyped intelligent recommendation engine can predict the items in which a user might be interested. The course is designed to teach non-ICT major university students not only historical aspects of the Silk Road but also implementation aspects of recommendation systems with web services.
Foreign-Object Detection in High-Voltage Transmission Line Based on Improved YOLOv8m
Authors: Wang Zhenyue , Yuan Guowu , Zhou Hao , Ma Yi , Ma Yutang
Published: November 2023

The safe operation of high-voltage transmission lines ensures the power grid’s security. Various foreign objects attached to the transmission lines, such as balloons, kites and nesting birds, can significantly affect the safe and stable operation of high-voltage transmission lines. With the advancement of computer vision technology, periodic automatic inspection of foreign objects is efficient and necessary. Existing detection methods have low accuracy because foreign objects attached to the transmission lines are complex, including occlusions, diverse object types, significant scale variations, and complex backgrounds. In response to the practical needs of the Yunnan Branch of China Southern Power Grid Co., Ltd., this paper proposes an improved YOLOv8m-based model for detecting foreign objects on transmission lines. Experiments are conducted on a dataset collected from Yunnan Power Grid. The proposed model enhances the original YOLOv8m by incorporating a Global Attention Module (GAM) into the backbone to focus on occluded foreign objects, replacing the SPPF module with the SPPCSPC module to augment the model’s multiscale feature extraction capability, and introducing the Focal-EIoU loss function to address the issue of high- and low-quality sample imbalances. These improvements accelerate model convergence and enhance detection accuracy. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed model achieves a 2.7% increase in mAP_0.5, a 4% increase in mAP_0.5:0.95, and a 6% increase in recall.
The Mulberry Juice Fermented by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum O21: The Functional Ingredient in the Formulations of Fruity Jellies Based on Different Gelling Agents
Authors: Szydłowska Aleksandra , Zielińska Dorota , Sionek Barbara , Kołożyn-Krajewska Danuta
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to investigate the effects of adding probiotics, prebiotics, and different types of jelly agents on a few key quality attributes of potentially functional mulberry jellies throughout a 10-day storage period at 4 °C. Mullbery juice was separately fermented at 37 °C for 24 h using Lactiplantibacillus plantarum O21; it was a favorable matrix for the proliferation of probiotics. Lactic acid fermentation positively affected the total anthocyanin concentration of investigated products. Also, antioxidant capacities of mulberry juices were improved by L. plantarum O21 fermentation. The results showed that the applied prebiotic–inulin addition and agar–agar addition, as a gelling agent in recipes of potentially functional mulberry jellies, were proved to be beneficial technological solutions, both in fresh and stored products, and obtained an appropriate, high number of LAB bacteria, good sensory quality, and beneficial antioxidant properties.
Developable Ruled Surfaces Generated by the Curvature Axis of a Curve
Authors: Taş Ferhat , Ziatdinov Rushan
Published: November 2023

Ruled surfaces play an important role in various types of design, architecture, manufacturing, art, and sculpture. They can be created in a variety of ways, which is a topic that has been the subject of a lot of discussion in mathematics and engineering journals. In geometric modelling, ideas are successful if they are not too complex for engineers and practitioners to understand and not too difficult to implement, because these specialists put mathematical theories into practice by implementing them in CAD/CAM systems. Some of these popular systems such as AutoCAD, Solidworks, CATIA, Rhinoceros 3D, and others are based on simple polynomial or rational splines and many other beautiful mathematical theories that have not yet been implemented due to their complexity. Based on this philosophy, in the present work, we investigate a simple method of generating ruled surfaces whose generators are the curvature axes of curves. We show that this type of ruled surface is a developable surface and that there is at least one curve whose curvature axis is a line on the given developable surface. In addition, we discuss the classifications of developable surfaces corresponding to space curves with singularities, as these curves and surfaces are most often avoided in practical design. Our research also contributes to the understanding of the singularities of developable surfaces and, in their visualisation, proposes the use of environmental maps with a circular pattern that creates flower-like structures around the singularities.
The Interaction between Congruency and Numerical Ratio Effects in the Nonsymbolic Comparison Test
Authors: Kuzmina Yulia , Marakshina Julia , Lobaskova Marina , Zakharov Ilya , Tikhomirova Tatiana , Malykh Sergey
Published: November 2023

The nonsymbolic comparison task is used to investigate the precision of the Approximate Number Sense, the ability to process discrete numerosity without counting and symbols. There is an ongoing debate regarding the extent to which the ANS is influenced by the processing of non-numerical visual cues. To address this question, we assessed the congruency effect in a nonsymbolic comparison task, examining its variability across different stimulus presentation formats and numerical proportions. Additionally, we examined the variability of the numerical ratio effect with the format and congruency. Utilizing generalized linear mixed-effects models with a sample of 290 students (89% female, mean age 19.33 years), we estimated the congruency effect and numerical ratio effect for separated and intermixed formats of stimulus presentation, and for small and large numerical proportions. The findings indicated that the congruency effect increased in large numerical proportion conditions, but this pattern was observed only in the separated format. In the intermixed format, the congruency effect was insignificant for both types of numerical proportion. Notably, the numerical ratio effect varied for congruent and incongruent trials in different formats. The results may suggest that the processing of visual non-numerical parameters may be crucial when numerosity processing becomes noisier, specifically when numerical proportion becomes larger. The implications of these findings for refining the ANS theory are discussed.
Drainage Performance of Long Longitudinal Slope and High Safety Permeable Asphalt Pavement
Authors: Liu Haocheng , Xu Bin , Wang Hongshan , Gao Aodong , Yu Xuefeng , Ping Shujiang , Zhang Shiqing
Published: November 2023

Permeable asphalt pavement refers to an asphalt mixture layer with an air void content of more than 18% and internal water permeability and drainage capabilities that can quickly drain away water on the road surface, improve rainy day travel safety, and improve ride comfort. This paper aims to explore the optimal asphalt mixture design for long longitudinal slope pavement (referred to as the FAM mixture). By using CT scanning technology to analyze the air void content of different rotated and compacted asphalt mixture specimens and extensively testing and evaluating the performance of permeable pavement mixtures, the following conclusions are drawn: Based on the research philosophy of functional integration, a new asphalt mixture gradation suitable for long longitudinal slope roads is proposed, with the optimal key factor composition being: 0.075 mm passing rate of 7%, 2.36 mm passing rate of 20%, 9.5 mm passing rate of 55%, and an oil-stone ratio of 4.8%. The FAM mixture was divided into three parts for air void analysis, with the upper part having a slightly higher air void content than the lower part. The air void distribution diagram of the FAM mixture is concave, with higher air void rate curves on both sides and a lower middle curve. Through dynamic modulus testing, the strength requirement for the road asphalt mixture in the pavement structure design was evaluated. It was found that at high temperature conditions (50 °C), the minimum dynamic modulus value of the FAM mixture was 323 MPa, with a peak value of 22,746 MPa at a temperature of −10 °C and a frequency of 25 HZ. The dynamic modulus value at high temperature conditions is lower than at low temperature conditions, while the dynamic modulus value at high frequency conditions is higher than at low frequency conditions. This study provides useful information and experimental data for the design of new asphalt mixtures for long longitudinal slope roads and has conducted in-depth research on the air void distribution and performance of the mixture, providing strong support for related research fields and practical applications.
The Effect of Bottom Reinforcement Spacers on Reinforced Concrete Structures Loaded by Explosion
Authors: Zezulová Eva , Dubec Branislav , Dvořák Petr , Fládr Josef , Cibulová Klára
Published: November 2023

Plastic spacers create a linear and systemic weakening of the structure. The extreme loading of the structure tests the structure itself to its load-bearing limit or even locally exceeds this limit, thus revealing all its weak points, which are the spacers. Nevertheless, the influence of the spacers is not included in the design calculation of the reinforced concrete element. In addition, products intended as spacers for the placement of reinforcement do not belong to the specific families of construction products covered by a harmonized standard of European parliament regulation. For these reasons, it is not required to demonstrate any characteristics of these products. This fact allows the use of arbitrary spacers’ shapes and materials. As shown by the experiment carried out, the use of commonly used plastic liners will result in a weakening of the cross-section. The normal assessment of the ultimate or serviceability limit state is not affected by this weakening. An example of an experiment carried out where this problem was captured is the subject of this paper. With Europe’s current deteriorated safety situation, understanding the influence of spacers in blast-loaded reinforced concrete structures on structural failure is important, and it is appropriate to further address this issue. Based on this experiment, it is not possible to accurately identify the causes of the explosion cracks. In order to determine with certainty the effect of spacers on the strength of the structure under abnormal blast loadings, research needs to focus on this area. In the field experimental measurements and numerical simulations, it was found that the use of linear spacers has an effect on crack formation under the blast action of the tested slab.
Experimental Study on the Impact Resistance of Polymer-Modified Steel Fiber-Reinforced Recycled Aggregate Concrete
Authors: Xia Dongtao , Wang Yu , Ren Kangning
Published: November 2023

Recycled aggregate concrete (RAC), composed of aggregates sourced from construction solid waste, has garnered significant attention owing to its notable environmental friendliness. In this study, waterborne epoxy resin (WER) and steel fibers (SFs) were introduced into the RAC to enhance its performance. Orthogonal tests were meticulously designed, with the substitution rate of recycled aggregate (RA), SF dosage and WER dosage as variable factors, to comprehensively analyze the splitting tensile strength and impact resistance of concrete. The impact resistance of concrete was investigated via the drop weight test method. Furthermore, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was employed to scrutinize the microstructure of concrete, investigating the modification mechanism of WER. The results indicated that the addition of SFs exerted the most pronounced influence on the properties of RAC. As the addition of SFs increased from 0 to 1.0%, there were significant enhancements in the splitting tensile strength and impact energy of the specimens. WER exhibited notable improvements, primarily on the splitting tensile strength, while demonstrating an adverse effect on the impact resistance. Utilizing the Weibull distribution theory, the results of the impact tests were fitted and analyzed to predict the impact life of different mixtures. The predicted results showed high correlations with the measured values.
Correction: Tumarkin et al. Composite Metamaterial: Ferrite Matrix with Ferroelectric Inclusions. Coatings 2023, 13, 117
Authors: Tumarkin Andrey , Tyurnina Natalya , Tyurnina Zoya , Sinelshchikova Olga , Drozdovsky Andrey , Gagarin Alexander , Sapego Evgeny , Karamov Artem , Bogdan Alexey
Published: November 2023

The authors were not aware of errors made in the proofreading phase, and, hence, wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
WFRE-YOLOv8s: A New Type of Defect Detector for Steel Surfaces
Authors: Huang Yao , Tan Wenzhu , Li Liu , Wu Lijuan
Published: November 2023

During the production of steel, in view of the manufacturing engineering, transportation, and other factors, a steel surface may produce some defects, which will endanger the service life and performance of the steel. Therefore, the detection of defects on a steel surface is one of the indispensable links in production. The traditional defect detection methods have trouble in meeting the requirements of high detection accuracy and detection efficiency. Therefore, we propose the WFRE-YOLOv8s, based on YOLOv8s, for detecting steel surface defects. Firstly, we change the loss function to WIoU to address quality imbalances between data. Secondly, we newly designed the CFN in the backbone to replace C2f to reduce the number of parameters and FLOPs of the network. Thirdly, we utilized RFN to complete a new neck RFN to reduce the computational overhead and, at the same time, to fuse different scale features well. Finally, we incorporate the EMA attention module into the backbone to enhance the extraction of valuable features and improve the detection accuracy of the model. Extensive experiments are carried out on the NEU-DET to prove the validity of the designed module and model. The mAP0.5 of our proposed model reaches 79.4%, which is 4.7% higher than that of YOLOv8s.
A Novel Combining Method for Composite Groove Structure Fabrication
Authors: Huang Shuhai , Chang Cheng , Liu Jiaqi , Tong Shouwei , Sun Shouzheng , Han Zhenyu , Chen Qiang , Ran Xudong
Published: November 2023

A composite groove structure with high specific strength and light weight has great potential in industrial application, but few studies on this have been carried out due to the fact that it is difficult to fabricate by one of the existing methods. The purpose of this work was to propose a novel method combining 3D printing and filament winding to manufacture the groove structure and study the link between its mechanical strength needs and fabrication parameters. Specifically, filament winding and 3D printing were used to fabricate the cylinder part and complex ring slot part of the groove structure, which is difficult to fabricate by winding. The combining method took advantage of the winding’s high efficiency and the printing’s high forming degree of freedom. The specimen was taken from the structure and submitted to a short beam test to determine its interlaminar shear strength, whereas thermal tests were carried out to evaluate its mechanical performance under high temperature. The interlaminar shear strength reached 6.694 MPa at a fiber orientation of 90°, a heating temperature of 245 °C and a thickness of 0.5 mm. The SEM photo showed some voids and gaps and typical failure in the failed specimen. DMA and TGA were carried out to investigate the performance under high temperature, from which the storage modulus lost half to 120 °C. Overall, the proposed combining novel method offers a new direction in the fabrication of continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composites’ groove structure.
The Development of Soft Skills through Music in Educational Contexts: A Systematic Review
Authors: Diz-Otero Mario , Pino-Juste Margarita , Esteve-Faubel Jose María , Domínguez-Lloria Sara
Published: November 2023

Numerous scientific studies confirm that music is a tool to improve and develop interpersonal skills. These skills, such as leadership, teamwork, communication, interpersonal skills, or coordination. are essential at present and their acquisition is necessary to adapt to a constantly changing society. The aim of this study is to analyze the contribution of music to the development of soft skills in educational contexts. To achieve the objective of the study, a systematic review of the last five years was carried out to find the existing empirical evidence. Among the main results, we observed that soft skills improve when they are developed through music in educational contexts, concluding that educational interventions with music allow for participants to develop these skills.
Using an Artificial-Intelligence-Generated Program for Positive Efficiency in Filmmaking Education: Insights from Experts and Students
Authors: Yang Wei , Lee Hyemin , Wu Ronghui , Zhang Ru , Pan Younghwan
Published: November 2023

In recent years, despite the widespread success of artificial intelligence (AI) across various domains, its full potential in the field of education, particularly in filmmaking education, remains largely untapped. The purpose of this study is to explore the application of AI-generated programs in filmmaking education to address existing shortcomings in curriculum design. We employed a comprehensive approach, starting with an extensive review of existing filmmaking courses and AI-recommended courses. Subsequently, two rounds of in-depth interviews were conducted, involving both experts and students, to gain profound insights. We utilized user journey maps to visualize the participants’ experiences and feedback, complemented by a mixed-methods analysis approach for a comprehensive data assessment. The study revealed that both the experts and the students derived positive benefits from AI-recommended courses. This research not only provides a fresh perspective on the practical applications of AI in filmmaking education but also offers insights for innovation in the field of education. Theoretically, this study establishes a new foundation for the application of AI in education. In practice, it opens up new possibilities for filmmaking education and promotes the development of cutting-edge teaching methods. Despite limitations in sample size and geographical scope, this study underscores the immense potential of AI in filmmaking education. It provides directions for future research to deepen our understanding of AI’s impact on education.
Development of Bleeding Artificial Intelligence Detector (BLAIR) System for Robotic Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Checcucci Enrico , Piazzolla Pietro , Marullo Giorgia , Innocente Chiara , Salerno Federico , Ulrich Luca , Moos Sandro , Quarà Alberto , Volpi Gabriele , Amparore Daniele , Piramide Federico , Turcan Alexandru , Garzena Valentina , Garino Davide , De Cillis Sabrina , Sica Michele , Verri Paolo , Piana Alberto , Castellino Lorenzo , Alba Stefano , Di Dio Michele , Fiori Cristian , Alladio Eugenio , Vezzetti Enrico , Porpiglia Francesco
Published: November 2023

Background: Addressing intraoperative bleeding remains a significant challenge in the field of robotic surgery. This research endeavors to pioneer a groundbreaking solution utilizing convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The objective is to establish a system capable of forecasting instances of intraoperative bleeding during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) and promptly notify the surgeon about bleeding risks. Methods: To achieve this, a multi-task learning (MTL) CNN was introduced, leveraging a modified version of the U-Net architecture. The aim was to categorize video input as either “absence of blood accumulation” (0) or “presence of blood accumulation” (1). To facilitate seamless interaction with the neural networks, the Bleeding Artificial Intelligence-based Detector (BLAIR) software was created using the Python Keras API and built upon the PyQT framework. A subsequent clinical assessment of BLAIR’s efficacy was performed, comparing its bleeding identification performance against that of a urologist. Various perioperative variables were also gathered. For optimal MTL-CNN training parameterization, a multi-task loss function was adopted to enhance the accuracy of event detection by taking advantage of surgical tools’ semantic segmentation. Additionally, the Multiple Correspondence Analysis (MCA) approach was employed to assess software performance. Results: The MTL-CNN demonstrated a remarkable event recognition accuracy of 90.63%. When evaluating BLAIR’s predictive ability and its capacity to pre-warn surgeons of potential bleeding incidents, the density plot highlighted a striking similarity between BLAIR and human assessments. In fact, BLAIR exhibited a faster response. Notably, the MCA analysis revealed no discernible distinction between the software and human performance in accurately identifying instances of bleeding. Conclusion: The BLAIR software proved its competence by achieving over 90% accuracy in predicting bleeding events during RARP. This accomplishment underscores the potential of AI to assist surgeons during interventions. This study exemplifies the positive impact AI applications can have on surgical procedures.