bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Presenting a Multispectral Image Sensor for Quantification of Total Polyphenols in Low-Temperature Stressed Tomato Seedlings Using Hyperspectral Imaging
Authors: Kang Ye Seong , Ryu Chan Seok , Kang Jeong Gyun
Published: July 2024

Hyperspectral imaging was used to predict the total polyphenol content in low-temperature stressed tomato seedlings for the development of a multispectral image sensor. The spectral data with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 5 nm were merged to obtain FWHMs of 10 nm, 25 nm, and 50 nm using a commercialized bandpass filter. Using the permutation importance method and regression coefficients, we developed the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (Lasso) regression models by setting the band number to ≥11, ≤10, and ≤5 for each FWHM. The regression model using 56 bands with an FWHM of 5 nm resulted in an R2 of 0.71, an RMSE of 3.99 mg/g, and an RE of 9.04%, whereas the model developed using the spectral data of only 5 bands with a FWHM of 25 nm (at 519.5 nm, 620.1 nm, 660.3 nm, 719.8 nm, and 980.3 nm) provided an R2 of 0.62, an RMSE of 4.54 mg/g, and an RE of 10.3%. These results show that a multispectral image sensor can be developed to predict the total polyphenol content of tomato seedlings subjected to low-temperature stress, paving the way for energy saving and low-temperature stress damage prevention in vegetable seedling production.
THz Generation by Two-Color Plasma: Time Shaping and Ultra-Broadband Polarimetry
Authors: Paparo Domenico , Martinez Anna , Rubano Andrea , Houard Jonathan , Hideur Ammar , Vella Angela
Published: July 2024

The generation of terahertz radiation via laser-induced plasma from two-color femtosecond pulses in air has been extensively studied due to its broad emission spectrum and significant pulse energy. However, precise control over the temporal properties of these ultra-broadband terahertz pulses, as well as the measurement of their polarization state, remain challenging. In this study, we review our latest findings on these topics and present additional results not previously reported in our earlier works. First, we investigate the impact of chirping on the fundamental wave and the effect of manipulating the phase difference between the fundamental wave and the second-harmonic wave on the properties of generated terahertz pulses. We demonstrate that we can tune the time shape of terahertz pulses, causing them to reverse polarity or become bipolar by carefully selecting the correct combination of chirp and phase. Additionally, we introduce a novel technique for polarization characterization, termed terahertz unipolar polarimetry, which utilizes a weak probe beam and avoids the systematic errors associated with traditional methods. This technique is effective for detecting polarization-structured terahertz beams and the longitudinal component of focused terahertz beams. Our findings contribute to the improved control and characterization of terahertz radiation, enhancing its application in fields such as nonlinear optics, spectroscopy, and microscopy.
A Machine Learning Approach to Predict Radiation Effects in Microelectronic Components
Authors: Morilla Fernando , Vega Jesús , Dormido-Canto Sebastián , Romero-Maestre Amor , de-Martín-Hernández José , Morilla Yolanda , Martín-Holgado Pedro , Domínguez Manuel
Published: July 2024

This paper presents an innovative technique, Advanced Predictor of Electrical Parameters, based on machine learning methods to predict the degradation of electronic components under the effects of radiation. The term degradation refers to the way in which electrical parameters of the electronic components vary with the irradiation dose. This method consists of two sequential steps defined as ‘recognition of degradation patterns in the database’ and ‘degradation prediction of new samples without any kind of irradiation’. The technique can be used under two different approaches called ‘pure data driven’ and ‘model based’. In this paper, the use of Advanced Predictor of Electrical Parameters is shown for bipolar transistors, but the methodology is sufficiently general to be applied to any other component.
Fault Diagnosis and Prediction System for Metal Wire Feeding Additive Manufacturing
Authors: Xie Meng , Shi Zhuoyong , Yue Xixi , Ding Moyan , Qiu Yujiang , Jia Yetao , Li Bobo , Li Nan
Published: July 2024

In the process of metal wire and additive manufacturing, due to changes in temperature, humidity, current, voltage, and other parameters, as well as the failure of machinery and equipment, a failure may occur in the manufacturing process that seriously affects the current situation of production efficiency and product quality. Based on the demand for monitoring of the key impact parameters of additive manufacturing, this paper develops a parameter monitoring and prediction system for the additive manufacturing feeding process to provide a basis for future fault diagnosis. The fault diagnosis and prediction system for metal wire supply and additive manufacturing utilizes STM 32 as its core, enabling the capture and transmission of temperature, humidity, current, and voltage data. The upper computer system, designed on the LabVIEW 2019 virtual instrument platform, incorporates an LSTM neural network model and facilitates a connection between LabVIEW and MATLAB 2019 to achieve the prediction function. The monitoring and prediction system established in this study is intended to provide basic research assistance in the field of fault diagnosis.
Towards Mass-Scale IoT with Energy-Autonomous LoRaWAN Sensor Nodes
Authors: Rosa Roberto La , Boulebnane Lokman , Pagano Antonino , Giuliano Fabrizio , Croce Daniele
Published: July 2024

By 2030, it is expected that a trillion things will be connected. In such a scenario, the power required for the trillion nodes would necessitate using trillions of batteries, resulting in maintenance challenges and significant management costs. The objective of this research is to contribute to sustainable wireless sensor nodes through the introduction of an energy-autonomous wireless sensor node (EAWSN) designed to be an energy-autonomous, self-sufficient, and maintenance-free device, to be suitable for long-term mass-scale internet of things (IoT) applications in remote and inaccessible environments. The EAWSN utilizes Low-Power Wide Area Networks (LPWANs) via LoRaWAN connectivity, and it is powered by a commercial photovoltaic cell, which can also harvest ambient light in an indoor environment. Storage components include a capacitor of 2 mF, which allows EAWSN to successfully transmit 30-byte data packets up to 560 m, thanks to opportunistic LoRaWAN data rate selection that enables a significant trade-off between energy consumption and network coverage. The reliability of the designed platform is demonstrated through validation in an urban environment, showing exceptional performance over remarkable distances.
Rainfall Observation Leveraging Raindrop Sounds Acquired Using Waterproof Enclosure: Exploring Optimal Length of Sounds for Frequency Analysis
Authors: Hwang Seunghyun , Jun Changhyun , De Michele Carlo , Kim Hyeon-Joon , Lee Jinwook
Published: July 2024

This paper proposes a novel method to estimate rainfall intensity by analyzing the sound of raindrops. An innovative device for collecting acoustic data was designed, capable of blocking ambient noise in rainy environments. The device was deployed in real rainfall conditions during both the monsoon season and non-monsoon season to record raindrop sounds. The collected raindrop sounds were divided into 1 s, 10 s, and 1 min intervals, and the performance of rainfall intensity estimation for each segment length was compared. First, the rainfall occurrence was determined based on four extracted frequency domain features (average of dB, frequency-weighted average of dB, standard deviation of dB, and highest frequency), followed by a quantitative estimation of the rainfall intensity for the periods in which rainfall occurred. The results indicated that the best estimation performance was achieved when using 10 s segments, corresponding to the following metrics: accuracy: 0.909, false alarm ratio: 0.099, critical success index: 0.753, precision: 0.901, recall: 0.821, and F1 score: 0.859 for rainfall occurrence classification; and root mean square error: 1.675 mm/h, R2: 0.798, and mean absolute error: 0.493 mm/h for quantitative rainfall intensity estimation. The proposed small and lightweight device is convenient to install and manage and is remarkably cost-effective compared with traditional rainfall observation equipment. Additionally, this compact rainfall acoustic collection device can facilitate the collection of detailed rainfall information over vast areas.
Real-Time Monitoring of Cable Sag and Overhead Power Line Parameters Based on a Distributed Sensor Network and Implementation in a Web Server and IoT
Authors: Nicola Claudiu-Ionel , Nicola Marcel , Sacerdoțianu Dumitru , Pătru Ion
Published: July 2024

Based on the need for real-time sag monitoring of Overhead Power Lines (OPL) for electricity transmission, this article presents the implementation of a hardware and software system for online monitoring of OPL cables. The mathematical model based on differential equations and the methods of algorithmic calculation of OPL cable sag are presented. Considering that, based on the mathematical model presented, the calculation of cable sag can be done in different ways depending on the sensors used, and the presented application uses a variety of sensors. Therefore, a direct calculation is made using one of the different methods. Subsequently, the verification relations are highlighted directly, and in return, the calculation by the alternative method, which uses another group of sensors, generates both a verification of the calculation and the functionality of the sensors, thus obtaining a defect observer of the sensors. The hardware architecture of the OPL cable online monitoring application is presented, together with the main characteristics of the sensors and communication equipment used. The configurations required to transmit data using the ModBUS and ZigBee protocols are also presented. The main software modules of the OPL cable condition monitoring application are described, which ensure the monitoring of the main parameters of the power line and the visualisation of the results both on the electricity provider’s intranet using a web server and MySQL database, and on the Internet using an Internet of Things (IoT) server. This categorisation of the data visualisation mode is done in such a way as to ensure a high level of cyber security. Also, the global accuracy of the entire OPL cable sag calculus system is estimated at 0.1%. Starting from the mathematical model of the OPL cable sag calculation, it goes through the stages of creating such a monitoring system, from the numerical simulations carried out using Matlab to the real-time implementation of this monitoring application using Laboratory Virtual Instrument Engineering Workbench (LabVIEW).
Dispersive Liquid–Liquid Micro Extraction: An Analytical Technique Undergoing Continuous Evolution and Development—A Review of the Last 5 Years
Authors: Notardonato Ivan , Avino Pasquale
Published: July 2024

Over the years, monitoring the quality of the environment, food, and human health has emerged as a fundamental objective of scientific investigation. Various analytical techniques have been devised and continually refined to ensure a high standard of living. Among these methods, dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction (DLLME) stands out as a widely used approach to conduct analytical evaluations and pre-concentrations of chemical compounds. This review provides an account of the evolution of DLLME over the past five years (2018–2023). The Scopus search engine was used to search for scientific articles. The selection of relevant articles was carried out according to the criteria described below. Emphasis was placed on the evolution that DLLME has undergone over the years by integrating it with other pre-concentration methods in order to amplify the concentration factor and improve analytical precision. Factors such as solvent dispersion and extraction, dispersion formation, and the recovery of the solvent containing the extracted analytes were examined. Additionally, derivatization systems were evaluated to refine both qualitative and quantitative analysis. These efforts aim to introduce methods that are safe for operators, environmentally friendly, and economical. This review evaluates the advantages and disadvantages displayed by the evolution of this technique in the phases before, during, and after its application.
The Needs of Women Using Homelessness Services: The Results of Collaborative Research in London
Authors: Bretherton Joanne , Pleace Nicholas
Published: July 2024

This paper explores the results of a study conducted in collaboration with the homelessness sector in central London and an academic team. Data were collected on 134 women who used homelessness services in an area of central London during a nine-day window. In addition, fully anonymised service history records, covering an average period of 85 months, were reviewed with the consent of another 59 women with lived experience of homelessness. Nine women also agreed to in-depth interviews. Five key stakeholders in policy and practice were also interviewed. The research supports the findings of earlier research into the gender dynamics of homelessness. The results highlight the presence of a high-cost, high-risk population of women who are characterised by sustained and recurrent experience of homelessness, housing exclusion, and deprivation and who make repeated and sustained use of homelessness and other services without escaping homelessness. Strong associations between domestic abuse and women’s homelessness are evident in the results of the research, again echoing the results of earlier work. The possibilities of developing new strategic responses to women’s homelessness, including specialised forms of Housing First, are considered.
The Universal Periodic Review and the Ban on Intersex Genital Mutilation in an African Context
Authors: Ravesloot Saskia Caroline Irene
Published: July 2024

The Universal Periodic Review (UPR) assesses the human rights records of all 193 UN Member States against the benchmark of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its core human rights treaties. To date, more than 100,000 recommendations have been provided to states under review (SUR) from peer Member States. Less than 1% address the rights of intersex persons. Western countries issue most of these cases, followed by the Latin American and Caribbean countries. African and Asian countries formulate a negligible number. This asymmetric data might mistakenly support the assumption that Western countries care more about the rights of intersex persons than non-Western countries. However, the recent groundbreaking Resolution on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Intersex Persons in Africa calls upon its states’ parties to stop nonconsensual genital normalisation practices on intersex persons and considers these practices as mutilation. Intersex genital mutilation (IGM) stands as a profound human rights infringement experienced by intersex individuals, who undergo medical interventions often performed on their healthy bodies. The primary objective of such interventions is to enforce conformity to prevailing medical and sociocultural norms pertaining to binary genders. I argue that Member States formulating recommendations advocating for the ban on IGM should consider contextualised factors, especially with regards to “informed consent”. This approach aims to enhance the persuasiveness of recommendations and increase the likelihood of their acceptance by SUR. Through the analysis of twenty-nine IGM-related UPR recommendations, this article addresses the effectiveness of the UPR in discussing intersex rights and the ban on IGM, with a focus on Africa.
Detraining’s Effects on Cardiorespiratory Fitness and Maximal and Explosive Strength in Army Soldiers: Does Age Matter?
Authors: Arce-Álvarez Alexis , Zaio Ángelo , Salazar-Ardiles Camila , Álvarez Cristian , Merino-Muñoz Pablo , Vasquez-Muñoz Manuel , Izquierdo Mikel , Castro Mauricio , Andrade David C.
Published: July 2024

Purpose: This study investigated the impact of four weeks of age-dependent detraining on army soldiers’ cardiorespiratory fitness and maximal and explosive strength. Methods: Fourteen volunteer tactical athletes participated, divided into two age groups (20 to 29 and 30 to 40 years). Before and after the detraining period, we assessed their anthropometric measurements (weight, height, body mass index, fat mass, and fat-free mass), cardiorespiratory fitness (maximal oxygen uptake [VO2max] and ventilatory thresholds [VT1 and VT2]), and kinematic properties during a single-leg counter-moving jump (CMJ) test for both the dominant and non-dominant legs. Two-way ANOVA followed by the Holm–Sidak post hoc test was used. Results: The anthropometric and cardiovascular variables did not show significant differences between the groups. However, both groups exhibited a significantly reduced maximum time and speed at the VO2max. Furthermore, the flight time and maximum height during the CMJ significantly decreased in the non-dominant leg for both age groups. Notably, the dominant leg’s concentric impulse (CI) significantly reduced during the CMJ, but this effect was observed only in the 30–40 age group. There were significant differences between the two age groups. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that four weeks of detraining negatively impacts aerobic fitness and muscular strength, independently of age. However, the dominant leg may be more susceptible to detraining effects in army soldiers aged 30–40. Furthermore, as a perspective, our results strongly suggest that a detraining period could affect successful missions (aerobic performance deterioration), as well as promote a muscle imbalance between the legs, which could encourage muscle injuries and endanger combat missions.
Changes in the Expression of Inflammatory Genes Induced by Chronic Exercise in the Adipose Tissue: Differences by Sex
Authors: Sanchis Paula , Ezequiel-Rodriguez Aida , Sánchez-Oliver Antonio Jesús , Suarez-Carmona Walter , Lopez-Martín Sergio , García-Muriana Francisco José , González-Jurado José Antonio
Published: July 2024

The impact of obesity on adipose tissue function is well acknowledged, but the role of physical exercise in regulating inflammatory markers and gene expression in obese individuals remains uncertain. This study aims to investigate the effects of chronic exercise on inflammatory gene expression in adipose tissue and to explore sex differences in response to exercise. The study involved 29 obese participants (13 men, 16 women) aged 38 to 54 years with a mean BMI of 36.05 ± 4.99 kg/m2. Participants underwent an 8-week concurrent training program comprising three weekly sessions of ~60 min each. The sessions included joint mobility exercises, cardiovascular activation, and cardiorespiratory resistance exercises at medium to low intensity. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy of abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue was performed for gene expression analysis using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The study demonstrated that chronic exercise modulates the expression of pro-inflammatory genes in subcutaneous adipose tissue, particularly ADIPOR2 (p = 0.028), leptin (p = 0.041), and IFNg (p = 0.040) (downregulated). Interestingly, regardless of sex, the exercise programs had an independent effect on pro-inflammatory genes. Overall, this study provides insight into the role of chronic exercise in modulating adipose tissue gene expression in obese individuals. Further research involving both sexes is recommended to tailor exercise interventions for better outcomes.
CSR, Digital Transformation, and Internal Control: Three-Way Interaction Effect on the Firm Value of Chinese Listed Companies
Authors: Yoo Jae Wook , Fan Bu , Chang Yu Jin
Published: July 2024

CSR has become a key issue for the qualitative growth of the Chinese economy, while digital transformation has emerged as a crucial strategy for enhancing company competitiveness. Thus, the complex impact of CSR and digital transformation on the firm value is an important research topic. This study analyzes the moderating effect of digital transformation and the three-way interaction effect of internal control on the CSR–firm value relationship. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis of Chinese listed companies shows a significant positive relationship between CSR and the firm value and a positive moderating effect of digital transformation on the CSR–firm value relationship. According to the three-way interaction analysis results, internal control strengthens the moderating effect of digital transformation, which strengthens the positive relationship between CSR and the firm value. This study has academic value as the first to present and empirically analyze a research model on the complementary effects of CSR, DT, and internal control on the firm value. It also presents corporate strategies to respond to changes in the business environment and provides political implications for promoting corporate and social development together.
Temperature and Dissolved Oxygen Drive Arsenic Mobility at the Sediment—Water Interface in the Lake Taihu
Authors: Zeng Liqing , Yang Fan , Chen Yuyan , Chen Songmei , Xu Mei , Gu Chongyu
Published: July 2024

In this study examining the effects of temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) on arsenic (As) release at the sediment–water interface (SWI), it was found that an increase in temperature promoted the formation of an anaerobic environment and the reduction and desorption of As fractions within the sediments. A temperature of 32 °C was the most favorable condition for As release at the SWI, and low DO conditions aggravated this process. Even under high DO conditions, the release of sediment As was significantly accelerated under high-temperature conditions, allowing dissolved As to rapidly migrate to the overlying water. In this process, the release of As from sediments was a consequence of the transformation of As fractions in the sediments.
Research Progress on Micro (Nano)Plastics Exposure-Induced miRNA-Mediated Biotoxicity
Authors: Chen Ting , Lin Qizhuan , Gong Changyong , Zhao Haiyang , Peng Renyi
Published: July 2024

Micro- and nano-plastics (MNPs) are ubiquitously distributed in the environment, infiltrate organisms through multiple pathways, and accumulate, thus posing potential threats to human health. MNP exposure elicits changes in microRNAs (miRNAs), long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), thereby precipitating immune, neurological, and other toxic effects. The investigation of MNP exposure and its effect on miRNA expression has garnered increasing attention. Following MNP exposure, circRNAs serve as miRNA sponges by modulating gene expression, while lncRNAs function as competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) by fine-tuning target gene expression and consequently impacting protein translation and physiological processes in cells. Dysregulated miRNA expression mediates mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and oxidative stress, thereby increasing the risk of neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer. This tract, blood, urine, feces, placenta, and review delves into the biotoxicity arising from dysregulated miRNA expression due to MNP exposure and addresses the challenges encountered in this field. This study provides novel insights into the connections between MNPs and disease risk.
Optimization of Photothermal Catalytic Reaction of Ethyl Acetate and NO Catalyzed by Biochar-Supported MnOx-TiO2 Catalysts
Authors: Wang Hongqiang , Zhang Huan , Wang Luye , Mo Shengpeng , Zhou Xiaobin , Zhu Yinian , Zhu Zongqiang , Fan Yinming
Published: July 2024

The substitution of ethyl acetate for ammonia in NH3-SCR provides a novel strategy for the simultaneous removal of VOCs and NO. In this study, three distinct types of biochar were fabricated through pyrolysis at 700 °C. MnOx and TiO2 were sequentially loaded onto these biochar substrates via a hydrothermal process, yielding a family of biochar-based catalysts with optimized dosages. Upon exposure to xenon lamp irradiation at 240 °C, the biochar catalyst designated as 700-12-3GN, derived from Ginkgo shells, demonstrated the highest catalytic activity when contrasted with its counterparts prepared from moso bamboo and loofah. The conversion efficiencies for NO and ethyl acetate (EA) peaked at 73.66% and 62.09%, respectively, at a catalyst loading of 300 mg. The characterization results indicate that the 700-12-3GN catalyst exhibits superior activity, which can be attributed to the higher concentration of Mn4+ and Ti4+ species, along with its superior redox properties and suitable elemental distribution. Notably, the 700-12-3GN catalyst has the smallest specific surface area but the largest pore volume and average BJH pore size, indicating that the specific surface area is not the predominant factor affecting catalyst performance. Instead, pore volume and average BJH pore diameter appear to be the more influential parameters. This research provides a reference and prospect for the resource utilization of biochar and the development of photothermal co-catalytic ethyl acetate and NO at low cost.
Inducing Toxicity in the Neurological System by Environmental Pollutants
Authors: Camacho Irene , Fragoeiro Isabel , Neto Daniel
Published: July 2024

There is a growing body of evidence that exposure to multiple air pollutants may cause dysfunction of the central nervous system (CNS) [...]
A Machine-Learning-Driven Pathophysiology-Based New Approach Method for the Dose-Dependent Assessment of Hazardous Chemical Mixtures and Experimental Validations
Authors: Limbu Sarita , Glasgow Eric , Block Tessa , Dakshanamurthy Sivanesan
Published: July 2024

Environmental chemicals, such as PFAS, exist as mixtures and are frequently encountered at varying concentrations, which can lead to serious health effects, such as cancer. Therefore, understanding the dose-dependent toxicity of chemical mixtures is essential for health risk assessment. However, comprehensive methods to assess toxicity and identify the mechanisms of these harmful mixtures are currently absent. In this study, the dose-dependent toxicity assessments of chemical mixtures are performed in three methodologically distinct phases. In the first phase, we evaluated our machine-learning method (AI-HNN) and pathophysiology method (CPTM) for predicting toxicity. In the second phase, we integrated AI-HNN and CPTM to establish a comprehensive new approach method (NAM) framework called AI-CPTM that is targeted at refining prediction accuracy and providing a comprehensive understanding of toxicity mechanisms. The third phase involved experimental validations of the AI-CPTM predictions. Initially, we developed binary, multiclass classification, and regression models to predict binary, categorical toxicity, and toxic potencies using nearly a thousand experimental mixtures. This empirical dataset was expanded with assumption-based virtual mixtures, compensating for the lack of experimental data and broadening the scope of the dataset. For comparison, we also developed machine-learning models based on RF, Bagging, AdaBoost, SVR, GB, KR, DT, KN, and Consensus methods. The AI-HNN achieved overall accuracies of over 80%, with the AUC exceeding 90%. In the final phase, we demonstrated the superior performance and predictive capability of AI-CPTM, including for PFAS mixtures and their interaction effects, through rigorous literature and statistical validations, along with experimental dose-response zebrafish-embryo toxicity assays. Overall, the AI-CPTM approach significantly improves upon the limitations of standalone AI models, showing extensive enhancements in identifying toxic chemicals and mixtures and their mechanisms. This study is the first to develop a hybrid NAM that integrates AI with a pathophysiology method to comprehensively predict chemical-mixture toxicity, carcinogenicity, and mechanisms.
Multiomics Analysis Reveals Gut Virome–Bacteria–Metabolite Interactions and Their Associations with Symptoms in Patients with IBS-D
Authors: Xie Peiwei , Luo Mei , Fan Jiahui , Xiong Lishou
Published: July 2024

The gut microbiota is involved in the pathogenesis of diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), but few studies have focused on the role of the gut virome in IBS-D. We aimed to explore the characteristics of the gut virome in patients with IBS-D, its interactions with bacteria and metabolites, and the associations between gut multiomics profiles and symptoms. This study enrolled twelve patients with IBS-D and eight healthy controls (HCs). The stool samples were subjected to metavirome sequencing, 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and untargeted metabolomic analysis. The participants completed relevant scales to assess the severity of their gastrointestinal symptoms, depression, and anxiety. The results revealed unique DNA and RNA virome profiles in patients with IBS-D with significant alterations in the abundance of contigs from Siphoviridae, Podoviridae, Microviridae, Picobirnaviridae, and Tombusviridae. Single-omics co-occurrence network analyses demonstrated distinct differences in the gut virus, bacteria, and metabolite network patterns between patients with IBS-D and HCs. Multiomics networks revealed that short-chain fatty acid-producing bacteria occupied more core positions in IBS-D networks, but had fewer links to viruses. Amino acids and their derivatives exhibit unique connectivity patterns and centrality features within the IBS-D network. The gastrointestinal and psychological symptom factors of patients with IBS-D were highly clustered in the symptom–multiomics network compared with those of HCs. Machine learning models based on multiomics data can distinguish IBS-D patients from HCs and predict the scores of gastrointestinal and psychological symptoms. This study provides insights into the interactions among gut viruses, bacteria, metabolites, and clinical symptoms in patients with IBS-D, indicating further classification and personalized treatment for IBS-D.
Retrospective Study of 222 Dogs Suffering from Food-Responsive Enteropathy—Correlation with Clinical Variables, Diet and Breed
Authors: Candellone Alessia , Raviri Gaia , Saettone Vittorio , Didier Martine , Rossi Giacomo , Marchegiani Andrea , Gavazza Alessandra , Di Cerbo Alessandro , Cerquetella Matteo
Published: July 2024

Food-responsive enteropathy (FRE) is the most frequent form of canine chronic inflammatory enteropathy (CIE). It can be diagnosed if, after excluding known causes of diarrhea, clinical signs resolve or significantly improve after an appropriate dietary trial. No universal diet can resolve the clinical signs in every case of FRE, as genetic predisposition and environment (e.g., the possible role of the diet feed before the disease onset) are suggested as possible players. The study aimed to retrospectively evaluate the possible correlations between disease, diet, and breed in a large cohort of dogs (n = 222) suffering from FRE. Throughout the study, dogs differed based on dietary options: commercial diet group, homemade diet group, and mixed diet group. Diet, breed, age, body weight, body condition score (BCS), fecal score (FS), canine chronic enteropathy activity index (CCECAI), and selected clinical signs were variably evaluated at T0 and at final time (FT—based on response to the diet[s], but between 30 and 60 days). Significant differences between T0 and FT were found regarding FS, BCS, and CCECAI, as well as between age, BCS, and CCECAI at FT with the FS at FT. The CCECAI at FT was significantly directly correlated only with the shift from a mixed to a homemade diet. Finally, the multiple linear regression analysis between the covariables of different breeds versus clinical response to the dietary trials did not highlight any difference except for the passage from commercial to mixed diet in a specific subgroup of breeds. The present study reports the clinical progression in 222 dogs suffering from FRE, and it could represent a reference for the variables investigated, considering the large number of patients included.
Bacterial Contamination and Antimicrobial Resistance in Two-Spotted (Gryllus bimaculatus) and House (Acheta domesticus) Cricket Rearing and Harvesting Processes
Authors: Mitchaothai Jamlong , Grabowski Nils T. , Lertpatarakomol Rachakris , Trairatapiwan Tassanee , Lukkananukool Achara
Published: July 2024

Food safety for cricket production is a crucial factor in producing edible crickets with safety for consumers and sustainability for two-spotted (Gryllus bimaculatus) as well as house (Acheta domesticus) cricket production. This study was conducted by simultaneously rearing two cricket species, comprising two-spotted crickets (G. bimaculatus) and house crickets (A. domesticus). A total of 16 rearing crates were used for the present study, which were allocated into 8 rearing crates for each studied cricket species, including paper egg cartons. Cricket eggs were incubated in the rearing crates. Once the crickets hatched, tap water and powdered feed were provided ad libitum throughout the experiment. At the end of this study (35 and 42 days for the two-spotted and house crickets, respectively), all crickets were harvested, rinsed in tap water, and boiled in water for 5 min. During the rearing and harvesting processes, samples were collected from various potential contamination points for bacteria, including E. coli and Salmonella spp. There were samples of the initial input (feed, drinking water, and staff hands), rearing environment (water pipe, crate wall, living cartons, frass, and cricket surface), and harvesting crickets (harvested, washed, and boiled crickets), with a 2-week sampling interval, except for the last round of sampling for the two-spotted crickets. Subsequently, all samples were submitted to isolate and identify contaminated bacteria. The samples from the last round of sampling for both kinds of crickets were submitted to quantify the level of contamination for E. coli and Salmonella spp., including antimicrobial resistance by the disk diffusion method for the positive isolate. The results showed that bacterial contamination was found in the rearing of both cricket species, primarily involving Klebsiella spp. and Enterobacter spp., mainly found in prepared drinking water and the water pipes of drinking water supply equipment, which are potential sources of contamination with cricket frass. E. coli was found in 4.8% and 4.3% of the two-spotted and house crickets, respectively, while no presence of Salmonella spp. was detected in any submitted samples. The quantification of E. coli and Salmonella spp. indicated E. coli contamination near the water pipe and the frass of two-spotted crickets, but Salmonella spp. was undetectable in both two-spotted and house crickets. The antimicrobial resistance of isolated E. coli mainly involved penicillin G, amoxicillin, ampicillin, erythromycin, lincomycin, and tiamulin. Thus, good farm management with proper sanitation practices (such as cleaning and keeping the environment dry), as well as boiling crickets during the harvesting process, may help ensure the safety of edible cricket production.
Extension Mechanism of Water-Conducting Cracks in the Thick and Hard Overlying Strata of Coal Mining Face
Authors: Wei Dong , Gu Helong , Wang Chungang , Wang Hao , Zhu Haoyu , Guo Yuyang
Published: July 2024

It is of great significance for coal safety production and water resource protection in the Yuheng mining area to master the evolution law of water-conducting fractures under the condition of thick and hard overburden. This research focuses on the 2102 fully mechanized mining face in the Balasu Coal Mine as the research background. The fracture evolution and strata movement characteristics in thick and hard overlying strata are simulated and analyzed by combining numerical simulation with physical simulation, and the formation mechanism of a water-conducting fracture in the overlying strata is revealed and verified by field measurements of the development height of “two zones”. The results show that the anisotropy of fracture propagation in low-position overlying strata is high, and the fracture propagation in high-position overlying strata is mainly vertical, which indicates characteristics of leapfrog development. The number and development height of fractures undergo the change–growth process of “slow–rapid–uniform”. Multiple rock strata together form a complex force chain network with multiple strong chain arches. The local stress concentration leads to the initiation of micro-cracks in contact fractures, and the cracks gradually penetrate from bottom to top and then the strong chain arches are broken. The water-conducting cracks in overlying strata show a dynamic expansion process of “local micro-cracks–jumping cracks–through cracks–water-conducting cracks”. The fracture between the caving zone and fracture zone presents obvious layered characteristics, the overall shape of the water-conducting fracture zone is “saddle-shaped”, and the maximum development height lags behind the coal mining face by about 180 m. Through the observation of water injection leakage and borehole TV observation of three boreholes under underground construction, combined with the results of water pressure tests, it is comprehensively determined that the height of the water-conducting fracture zone is 103.68~107.58, and the fracture–production ratio is 31.42~32.60, which is basically consistent with the results of numerical simulation and physical simulation. This research provides theoretical guidance and a scientific basis for coal mine water disaster prevention under similar geological conditions.
A Review of Key Technologies for Environment Sensing in Driverless Vehicles
Authors: Huo Yuansheng , Zhang Chengwei
Published: July 2024

Environment perception technology is the most important part of driverless technology, and driverless vehicles need to realize decision planning and control by virtue of perception feedback. This paper summarizes the most promising technology methods in the field of perception, namely visual perception technology, radar perception technology, state perception technology, and information fusion technology. Regarding the current development status in the field, the development of the main perception technology is mainly the innovation of information fusion technology and the optimization of algorithms. Multimodal perception and deep learning are becoming popular. The future of the field can be transformed by intelligent sensors, promote edge computing and cloud collaboration, improve system data processing capacity, and reduce the burden of data transmission. Regarding driverless vehicles as a future development trend, the corresponding technology will become a research hotspot.
Research on Unmanned Vehicle Path Planning Based on the Fusion of an Improved Rapidly Exploring Random Tree Algorithm and an Improved Dynamic Window Approach Algorithm
Authors: Wang Shuang , Li Gang , Liu Boju
Published: July 2024

Aiming at the problem that the traditional rapidly exploring random tree (RRT) algorithm only considers the global path of unmanned vehicles in a static environment, which has the limitation of not being able to avoid unknown dynamic obstacles in real time, and that the traditional dynamic window approach (DWA) algorithm is prone to fall into a local optimum during local path planning, this paper proposes a path planning method for unmanned vehicles that integrates improved RRT and DWA algorithms. The RRT algorithm is improved by introducing strategies such as target-biased random sampling, adaptive step size, and adaptive radius node screening, which enhance the efficiency and safety of path planning. The global path key points generated by the improved RRT algorithm are used as the subtarget points of the DWA algorithm, and the DWA algorithm is optimized through the design of an adaptive evaluation function weighting method based on real-time obstacle distances to achieve more reasonable local path planning. Through simulation experiments, the fusion algorithm shows promising results in a variety of typical static and dynamic mixed driving scenarios, can effectively plan a path that meets the driving requirements of an unmanned vehicle, avoids unknown dynamic obstacles, and shows higher path optimization efficiency and driving stability in complex environments, which provides strong support for an unmanned vehicle’s path planning in complex environments.
A Novel Robust H∞ Control Approach Based on Vehicle Lateral Dynamics for Practical Path Tracking Applications
Authors: Wang Jie , Wang Baichao , Liu Congzhi , Zhang Litong , Li Liang
Published: July 2024

This paper proposes a robust lateral control scheme for the path tracking of autonomous vehicles. Considering the discrepancies between the model parameters and the actual values of the vehicle and the fluctuation of parameters during driving, the norm-bounded uncertainty is utilized to deal with the uncertainty of model parameters. Because some state variables in the model are difficult to measure, an H∞ observer is designed to estimate state variables and provide accurate state information to improve the robustness of path tracking. An H∞ state feedback controller is proposed to suppress system nonlinearity and uncertainty and produce the desired steering wheel angle to solve the path tracking problem. A feedforward control is designed to deal with road curvature and further reduce tracking errors. In summary, a path tracking method with H∞ performance is established based on the linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique, and the gains in observer and controller can be obtained directly. The hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) test is built to validate the real-time processing performance of the proposed method to ensure excellent practical application potential, and the effectiveness of the proposed control method is validated through the utilization of urban road and highway scenes. The experimental results indicate that the suggested control approach can track the desired trajectory more precisely compared with the model predictive control (MPC) method and make tracking errors within a small range in both urban and highway scenarios.
Method of microbial decontamination of endodontic absorbent paper points: a randomised experimental study
Authors: Pavlovskaya O. A. , Kachanova O. A. , Volobuev V. V. , Mitropanova M. N. , Gazarova A. R. , Zobenko V. Y. , Uvarova A. G.
Published: July 2024

Relevance. One of the challenges in endodontic treatment is preventing the presence or introduction of pathogenic flora into the root canal. Modern treatment protocols aim to maintain aseptic conditions throughout all stages of treatment. Before the final sealing of the root canal, it is dried using endodontic paper points (absorbers). Using previously opened packages of absorbers can pose a risk of contamination by environmental microorganisms.

Purpose. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of microbial decontamination of endodontic absorbent paper points using various ultraviolet (UV) irradiation treatments.

Materials and methods. The study used standard endodontic absorbent paper points, manufactured by compressing paper into cone shapes of various sizes, designed to remove residual moisture from the root canal. The experiment was conducted at the subdivisions of KubSMU of the Ministry of Health of Russia. During the study, absorbers were placed in a bactericidal UV chamber for 1, 3, and 7 days according to the study design. Subsequently, the paper points were immersed in nutrient media and incubated. Results were recorded daily by visually checking for signs of microbial growth (turbidity, sediment, flakes, and other changes in the media). Decontamination was considered complete in the absence of microbial growth in all test tubes. The comparison of the number of positive results was performed using the analysis of four-field contingency tables (comparison of percentage shares in two groups) using the Chi-square test with Yates' correction for independent groups and the McNemar test for dependent groups using Statistica 8.0 software (StatSoft, USA).

Results. Analysis of the results from culturing the test samples in nutrient media confirms the safe use of endodontic absorbent paper points immediately after opening the commercial package. In the model used, microbial growth was observed in 22.2% of cases on various media. No positive results for bacterial or fungal contamination were found in samples after treatment. Comparison of the proportion of positive contamination results showed a statistically significant difference according to the McNemar test (p = 0.027). Similarly, a statistically significant difference in the proportions of positive contamination results was observed when comparing with the control group using the Chi-square test with Yates' correction for independent samples (p = 0.009).

Conclusion. The study demonstrated that using a UV chamber for storing and decontaminating endodontic absorbent paper points is effective after just one day, significantly reducing the risk of microbial complications in endodontic treatment.
Application of the twin-block appliance combined with braces in the treatment of a patient with distal occlusion
Authors: Gromova S. N. , Tokaeva Y. A. , Lukashchuk Y. O. , Razumny V. A. , Zubareva T. O. , Koledaeva A. K.
Published: July 2024

Relevance. Distal occlusion is one of the most frequently encountered anomalies in orthodontic practice among patients with both temporary and permanent dentitions. When selecting a treatment method for this anomaly, it is crucial to consider several significant factors, including the craniofacial stage of skeletal maturity and the type of jaw growth. Special attention should be given to the method of treating patients with incomplete skeletal growth using a twin-block appliance, followed by continued orthodontic treatment with fixed orthodontic appliances (braces).

Clinical case description. This article presents a clinical case of treating a patient with distal occlusion in the peripubertal stage of skeletal growth, which is the most optimal for the initial stage of orthodontic treatment.

Conclusion. Sequential treatment of distal occlusion during the pubertal growth spurt using a twin-block appliance and braces allows achieving the most physiological jaw relationship, ensuring proper functioning of the dentoalveolar system and harmonious development of the body as a whole.