bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Airway Thiol-NO Adducts as Determinants of Exhaled NO
Authors: Pophal Megan , Grimmett Zachary W. , Chu Clara , Margevicius Seunghee , Raffay Thomas , Ross Kristie , Jafri Anjum , Giddings Olivia , Stamler Jonathan S. , Gaston Benjamin , Reynolds James D.
Published: September 2021

Thiol-NO adducts such as S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO) are endogenous bronchodilators in human airways. Decreased airway S-nitrosothiol concentrations are associated with asthma. Nitric oxide (NO), a breakdown product of GSNO, is measured in exhaled breath as a biomarker in asthma; an elevated fraction of expired NO (FENO) is associated with asthmatic airway inflammation. We hypothesized that FENO could reflect airway S-nitrosothiol concentrations. To test this hypothesis, we first studied the relationship between mixed expired NO and airway S-nitrosothiols in patients endotracheally intubated for respiratory failure. The inverse (Lineweaver-Burke type) relationship suggested that expired NO could reflect the rate of pulmonary S-nitrosothiol breakdown. We thus studied NO evolution from the lungs of mice (GSNO reductase −/−) unable reductively to catabolize GSNO. More NO was produced from GSNO in the −/− compared to wild type lungs. Finally, we formally tested the hypothesis that airway GSNO increases FENO using an inhalational challenge model in normal human subjects. FENO increased in all subjects tested, with a median t1/2 of 32.0 min. Taken together, these data demonstrate that FENO reports, at least in part, GSNO breakdown in the lungs. Unlike GSNO, NO is not present in the lungs in physiologically relevant concentrations. However, FENO following a GSNO challenge could be a non-invasive test for airway GSNO catabolism.
An Approach for the Relationship Analysis between Social Events and the Stock Market during the Pandemic
Authors: Zhou Ruogu , Hua Jie , Chi Xin , Ren Xiao , Hua Shuyang
Published: September 2021

COVID-19 is the latest among the many pandemics in the last few decades in the world, and it has stricken the global economy severely. It has consequently affected the stock market, which affects the economy of the country to a great extent. Some research has managed to analyse the impacts on the stock market during the outbreak; however, few of them have been related to relationship analytics. Here, we proposed a methodology based on pure data analytics, which gathers two types of data, event and stock index in China, to explore their relationship through analysing the stock index’s shift in reacting to pertinent social events, hence revealing insights into how events affect fluctuations in stock indices. The results showed that the relationship does exist in most cases. However, the closeness of the relationship may also be associated with the location of the stock company and other factors such as its geographical, political, and local authority considerations. This study may potentially assist stakeholders in adjusting their investments in the stock market.
The Effect of Neuropathy and Diabetes Type on Multisegment Foot Kinematics: A Cohort Study on 70 Participants with Diabetes
Authors: Caravaggi Paolo , Giacomozzi Claudia , Lullini Giada , Marchesini Giulio , Baccolini Luca , Ortolani Maurizio , Sacco Isabel C. N. , Berti Lisa , Leardini Alberto
Published: September 2021

While lower limb biomechanics of people with diabetes are well described, the effects of diabetes type and of peripheral neuropathy on foot joint kinematics have not been addressed in depth. A total of 70 patients with type 1 (n = 25) and type 2 (n = 45) diabetes mellitus, with and without peripheral neuropathy, underwent functional evaluation via gait analysis using an established multisegment foot kinematic model. ANCOVA was performed to assess differences in foot joints’ range of motion (ROM) between groups with diabetes and a control group by accounting for the effects of age, body mass index (BMI) and normalized walking speed. Statistical parametric mapping was used to assess differences in temporal patterns of foot joint motion across normalized gait cycle. Small but significant correlations were found between age, BMI, speed and foot joints’ ROM. Regardless of diabetes type and presence of neuropathy, all subgroups with diabetes showed limited ROM at the midtarsal and tarsometatarsal joints. Increased midtarsal joint dorsiflexion and adduction was associated with increased tarsometatarsal joint plantarflexion. After accounting for the effect of covariates, diabetes is associated with reduced ROM and to alterations of the kinematic patterns, especially at the midtarsal and tarsometatarsal joints, irrespective of type and neuropathy.
Botulinum Neurotoxins (BoNTs) and Their Biological, Pharmacological, and Toxicological Issues: A Scoping Review
Authors: Corsalini Massimo , Inchingolo Francesco , Dipalma Gianna , Wegierska Angelika Elzbieta , Charitos Ioannis Alexandros , Potenza Maria Assunta , Scarano Antonio , Lorusso Felice , Inchingolo Alessio Danilo , Montagnani Monica , Santacroce Luigi
Published: September 2021

Botulinum toxins or neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most potent neurotoxins known, and are currently extensively studied, not only for their potential lethality, but also for their possible therapeutic and cosmetic uses. Currently, seven types of antigenically distinct toxins are known and characterized, produced by a rod-shaped bacterium, Clostridium botulinum. Human poisoning by botulism (presenting with severe neuromuscular paralytic disease) is usually caused by toxins A, B, E, and F type. Poisoning from contaminated food preparations is the most common cause of noniatrogenic botulism. The spores are highly resistant to heat but are easily destroyed at 80 °C for thirty minutes. Type A and B toxins are resistant to digestion by the enzymes of the gastrointestinal system. After their entry, BoNTs irreversibly bind to cholinergic nerve endings and block the release of acetylcholine from the synapses. In contrast, in wound botulism, the neurotoxin is instead product by the growth of C. botulium in infected tissues. The contamination by BoNT inhalation does not occur by a natural route but it is certainly the most dangerous. It can be caused by the dispersion of the botulinum toxin in the atmosphere in the form of an aerosol and therefore can be deliberately used for bioterrorist purposes (e.g., during CBRN (chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear) unconventional events). In addition, BoNTs are currently used to treat a variety of diseases or alleviate their symptoms, such as the onabotulinumtoxinA for migraine attacks and for cosmetic use. Indeed, this paper aims to report on updated knowledge of BoNTs, both their toxicological mechanisms and their pharmacological action.
Sustainability Outlook of Thermochemical-Based Second-Generation Biofuel Production: Exergy Assessment
Authors: Meramo Samir , Puello Plinio , Rodríguez Julio
Published: September 2021

Since the last century, the idea of replacing traditional fossil sources with renewable alternatives has attracted much attention. As a result, auspicious renewable biofuels, such as biohydrogen or bio-oil, have emerged as suitable options. This study provides some knowledge on combining process design, modeling, and exergy analysis as a united framework to support decision making in energy-based projects. The assessment also included a final evaluation, considering sustainability indicators to evaluate process performance. Feedstock selection is crucial for producing bio-oil and hydrogen for process sustainability; this aspect is discussed, considering second-generation sources. Second-generation bio-oil and biohydrogen production are assessed and compared under the proposed framework. Process simulation was performed using ASPEN PLUS. Exergy analysis was developed using data generated in the process simulation stage, containing material and energy balances, thermodynamic properties, chemical reactions, etc. A mathematical formulation for the exergy analysis shows the exergy of utilities, waste, exergy efficiency, and exergy intensity of both processes, based on the same functional unit (1 kg of product). The sustainability evaluation included quantifying side parameters, such as the renewability index, energy efficiency, or global warming potential. The results indicate that pyrolysis obtained the highest resource exergy efficiency (11%), compared to gasification (3%). The exergy intensity shows that more exergy is consumed in the gasification process (4080.21 MJ/kg) than pyrolysis (18.64 MJ/kg). Similar results are obtained for total irreversibility (327.41 vs. 48.75 MJ/kg) and exergy of wastes (51.34 vs. 18.14 MJ/kg).
Equivalent Analysis of Thermo-Dynamic Blow-Off Impulse under X-ray Irradiation
Authors: Wang Dengwang , Gao Yong , Chen Wei , Zhang Jing , Wang Sheng
Published: September 2021

X-ray thermodynamic effect is an important damage mode for spacecraft. Blow-off impulse as the main thermodynamic damage parameter has been widely studied by combining laboratory and numerical simulations. In this paper, most calculations and analyses have been carried out by using the self-developed software RAMA, including the equivalent calculation of blow-off impulse of monoenergetic and blackbody X-ray, and soft/hard blackbody X-ray irradiated at different incidence angles of LY-12 aluminium target. The results show that the characteristic mono-energetic X-ray can be exploited to simulate the blow-off impulse of the blackbody X-ray under certain conditions as a feasible equivalent method for the equal-flux and equal-impulse relations between mono-energetic and intense pulse blackbody of blow-off impulse. Moreover, the equivalent thermodynamic effect can be achieved between the point source radiation and parallel X-ray of X-ray. Furthermore, the cosine distribution of blow-off impulse is conducive to designing and calculating X-ray radiation load of hard aluminium corresponding to 1–5 keV blackbody spectrum. The mentioned results can be referenced for pulse X-ray simulation source and enhance the fidelity of the thermal-mechanical effect by electron beam. It is noteworthy that the study on the thermodynamic effects of intense pulsed X-ray is of high significance.
Korean Panax Ginseng Reduces Orthodontic Tooth Movement in Rats
Authors: Talebian Reza , Mollabashi Vahid , Motaghedifard Arezoo , Gruber Reinhard
Published: September 2021

Ginseng, a herbal plant, is rich in pharmacologically active ginsenosides capable of promoting bone regeneration and of reducing inflammatory osteolysis. Ginseng was therefore proposed to reduce the catabolic changes during periodontitis. Here, we tested the capability of ginseng to modulate orthodontic tooth movement (OTM). To this aim, 55 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly distributed into five groups: (I) a normal group without any interventions; (II) an untreated OTM serving as a control; and (III, IV, and V) treated OTMs receiving daily oral administrations of 75, 150, and 300 mg/kg of a standardized extract from the roots of Korean Panax ginseng G115 for three weeks, respectively. The molar tooth was moved towards the incisor during three weeks followed by measurements of the distance between the first and the second molars. Moreover, the impact of OTM and ginseng extracts on body weight was determined. Our data showed that, compared with the OTM control, 150 and 300 mg/kg of G115 ginseng extract significantly decreased the OTM from 0.87 mm (min 0.69; max 0.96) to 0.53 (min 0.42, max 0.62; p = 0.002) and 0.36 (min 0.27, max 0.43; p < 0.0001), respectively. Moreover, 150 and 300 mg/kg of G115 significantly lowered the body weights of the rats when compared with the respective controls (p = 0.002 and p < 0.0001, respectively). These findings suggest that extracts from Panax ginseng are capable of reducing orthodontic tooth movement in rats and is associated with a decrease in body weight.
Stability Analysis and Augmentation Design of a Bionic Multi-Section Variable-Sweep-Wing UAV Based on the Centroid Self-Trim Compensation Morphing
Authors: Ma Hang , Ge Yuxue , Song Bifeng , Pei Yang
Published: September 2021

In this study, a design scheme for a high-aspect-ratio bionic multi-section variable-sweep wing unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) that utilizes the reverse coordinated change in the sweep angle of the inner and outer wing sections is proposed, which improves the aerodynamic performance and realizes the self-trim compensation of the wing’s centroid. According to the layout characteristics of this type of UAV, a reasonable distribution design of the wingspan ratio of the inner and outer sections is explored, to reduce the impact of aerodynamic center movement and moment of inertia change. The calculation and analysis results show that the coordinated variable-sweep scheme can significantly improve the influence of sweep angle change on the longitudinal static stability margin of UAVs with a high aspect ratio. The coordinated sweep angle change in the inner and outer wing sections can not only reduce the drag during high-speed flight, but also play a significant role in improving the performance of the aircraft at different stages in the mission profile. Appropriately increasing the wingspan proportion of the inner section can reduce the trim resistance of the V-tail, reduce the thrust of the engine, and increase the range and duration of the UAV. From the perspective of stability change, the multi-section variable-sweep wing UAV with a wingspan ratio of the inner and outer sections that is between 1.41 and 1.78 has better dynamic stability performance. Among them, the UAV with a wingspan ratio of the inner and outer sections that is equal to 1.41 has better longitudinal stability performance, while the UAV with a wingspan ratio of the inner and outer sections that is equal to 1.78 has better lateral/directional stability performance.
Demystifying MLOps and Presenting a Recipe for the Selection of Open-Source Tools
Authors: Ruf Philipp , Madan Manav , Reich Christoph , Ould-Abdeslam Djaffar
Published: September 2021

Nowadays, machine learning projects have become more and more relevant to various real-world use cases. The success of complex Neural Network models depends upon many factors, as the requirement for structured and machine learning-centric project development management arises. Due to the multitude of tools available for different operational phases, responsibilities and requirements become more and more unclear. In this work, Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) technologies and tools for every part of the overall project pipeline, as well as involved roles, are examined and clearly defined. With the focus on the inter-connectivity of specific tools and comparison by well-selected requirements of MLOps, model performance, input data, and system quality metrics are briefly discussed. By identifying aspects of machine learning, which can be reused from project to project, open-source tools which help in specific parts of the pipeline, and possible combinations, an overview of support in MLOps is given. Deep learning has revolutionized the field of Image processing, and building an automated machine learning workflow for object detection is of great interest for many organizations. For this, a simple MLOps workflow for object detection with images is portrayed.
Online Efficiency Optimization and Speed Sensorless Control of Single-Phase Induction Motors
Authors: Golsorkhi Mohammad S. , Binandeh Hadi , Savaghebi Mehdi
Published: September 2021

Single phase induction motors (SPIM) are widely used in residential and commercial applications. Enhancement of efficiency of SPIMs can lead to huge energy savings. This paper presents a novel mechanical sensorless control method for SPIM drives. In this method, a machine learning algorithm is used to estimate the slip based on the ratio of main and auxiliary winding currents. To enhance the efficiency, the terminal voltage is reduced under light load conditions. The optimal operating voltage is implicitly obtained by equating the ratio of main and auxiliary winding currents to its optimum value. This optimal operating point is first calculated based on the frequency from a lookup table and then updated by using gradient descent algorithm. This way, the optimal operating point is realized despite motor parameter variations. The proposed scheme is suitable for low-power applications where working at different speeds and load torques is demanded, such as ventilation systems and various household appliances. Simulation results are presented to verify the efficacy of the proposed method.
A Histogram-Based Low-Complexity Approach for the Effective Detection of COVID-19 Disease from CT and X-ray Images
Authors: Scarpiniti Michele , Sarv Ahrabi Sima , Baccarelli Enzo , Piazzo Lorenzo , Momenzadeh Alireza
Published: September 2021

The global COVID-19 pandemic certainly has posed one of the more difficult challenges for researchers in the current century. The development of an automatic diagnostic tool, able to detect the disease in its early stage, could undoubtedly offer a great advantage to the battle against the pandemic. In this regard, most of the research efforts have been focused on the application of Deep Learning (DL) techniques to chest images, including traditional chest X-rays (CXRs) and Computed Tomography (CT) scans. Although these approaches have demonstrated their effectiveness in detecting the COVID-19 disease, they are of huge computational complexity and require large datasets for training. In addition, there may not exist a large amount of COVID-19 CXRs and CT scans available to researchers. To this end, in this paper, we propose an approach based on the evaluation of the histogram from a common class of images that is considered as the target. A suitable inter-histogram distance measures how this target histogram is far from the histogram evaluated on a test image: if this distance is greater than a threshold, the test image is labeled as anomaly, i.e., the scan belongs to a patient affected by COVID-19 disease. Extensive experimental results and comparisons with some benchmark state-of-the-art methods support the effectiveness of the developed approach, as well as demonstrate that, at least when the images of the considered datasets are homogeneous enough (i.e., a few outliers are present), it is not really needed to resort to complex-to-implement DL techniques, in order to attain an effective detection of the COVID-19 disease. Despite the simplicity of the proposed approach, all the considered metrics (i.e., accuracy, precision, recall, and F-measure) attain a value of 1.0 under the selected datasets, a result comparable to the corresponding state-of-the-art DNN approaches, but with a remarkable computational simplicity.
Exploring Frontiers of 4D X-ray Tomography
Authors: Yashiro Wataru , Voegeli Wolfgang , Kudo Hiroyuki
Published: September 2021

In the 4D world of three-dimensional (3D) space plus time that we live in, there is a vast blue ocean in the spatio-temporal domain of micrometers and milliseconds that has never been accessed even with the most advanced measurement technology, and it is expected to be full of various non-equilibrium phenomena. In this paper, we review recent advances in synchrotron hard X-ray tomography we have made that can be used to explore the 4D frontier.
Multiparameter Determination of Thin Liquid Urea-Water Films
Authors: van der Kley Sani , Goet Gabriele , Schmidt Anna , Einspieler Valentina , Wagner Steven
Published: September 2021

In this work, wavelengths were determined for the robust and simultaneous measurement of film thickness, urea concentration and fluid temperature. Film parameters such as film thickness, film temperature and the composition of the film are typically dynamically and interdependently changing. To gain knowledge of these quantities, a measurement method is required that offers a high temporal resolution while being non-intrusive so as to not disturb the film as well as the process conditions. We propose the extension of the FMLAS method, which was previously validated for the film thickness measurement of thin liquid films, to determine temperatures and concentrations using an adapted evaluation approach.
Applicability and Analysis of the Results of Non-Contact Methods in Determining the Vertical Displacements of Timber Beams
Authors: Kovačič Boštjan , Štraus Luka , Držečnik Mateja , Pučko Zoran
Published: September 2021

Determining the displacements and consequent deformations of structures is a demanding branch of engineering. Displacements are most often determined by geodetic methods, among which high-precision non-contact methods have recently taken the lead. Engineering geodesy is an indispensable part of construction projects. In the desire for efficient and fast measurements, the technology of terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and the use of robotic total station (RTS) and other geodetic methods are becoming more and more useful for engineers. In the presented study, we focused on the measurement and comparison of vertical displacements with various mentioned equipment and the determination of the influence of meteorological conditions on the displacements of timber beams that we used to perform the experiment. Measurements were performed both in the laboratory and outdoors. A novelty in the work was the use of a TLS scanner to determine the evaluation of small value displacements and the analysis of the usability of geodetic measuring equipment. In the Materials and Methods section, we describe the equipment used and the characteristics of the beams. The Results section describes the experimental outcomes, which include the performance of experimental analysis of vertical displacements of timber beams under different meteorological conditions. Altogether, the results consist of geodetic measurements and the processing of measured data. The results of measurements of vertical displacements with a terrestrial laser scanner were compared with the results obtained with a robotic total station were evaluated and compared with the displacements calculated from static analysis and the results of other methods used.
Estimating Specific Patient Organ Dose for Chest CT Examinations with Monte Carlo Method
Authors: Yang Yang , Zhuo Weihai , Zhao Yiyang , Xie Tianwu , Wang Chuyan , Liu Haikuan
Published: September 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to preliminarily estimate patient-specific organ doses in chest CT examinations for Chinese adults, and to investigate the effect of patient size on organ doses. Methods: By considering the body-size and body-build effects on the organ doses and taking the mid-chest water equivalent diameter (WED) as a body-size indicator, the chest scan images of 18 Chinese adults were acquired on a multi-detector CT to generate the regional voxel models. For each patient, the lungs, heart, and breasts (glandular breast tissues for both breasts) were segmented, and other organs were semi-automated segmented based on their HU values. The CT scanner and patient models simulated by MCNPX 2.4.0 software (Los Alamos National LaboratoryLos Alamos, USA) were used to calculate lung, breast, and heart doses. CTDIvol values were used to normalize simulated organ doses, and the exponential estimation model between the normalized organ dose and WED was investigated. Results: Among the 18 patients in this study, the simulated doses of lung, heart, and breast were 18.15 ± 2.69 mGy, 18.68 ± 2.87 mGy, and 16.11 ± 3.08 mGy, respectively. Larger patients received higher organ doses than smaller ones due to the higher tube current used. The ratios of lung, heart, and breast doses to the CTDIvol were 1.48 ± 0.22, 1.54 ± 0.20, and 1.41 ± 0.13, respectively. The normalized organ doses of all the three organs decreased with the increase in WED, and the normalized doses decreased more obviously in the lung and the heart than that in the breasts. Conclusions: The output of CT scanner under ATCM is positively related to the attenuation of patients, larger-size patients receive higher organ doses. The organ dose normalized by CTDIvol was negatively correlated with patient size. The organ doses could be estimated by using the indicated CTDIvol combined with the estimated WED.
Formation and Failure Mechanism of the Xinfangzi Landslide in Chongqing City (China)
Authors: Zhang Kaiqiang , Wang Luqi , Zhang Wengang , Zhang Zhihua , Zhou Hao
Published: September 2021

At 2:00 a.m. on 1 July 2020, after several days of continuous heavy rainfall, the Xinfangzi landslide occurred in Zhengping Village, Ganshui Town, Qijiang District, Chongqing City, China. The area of the landslide was about 3.85 × 104 m2 and the volume was about 71.22 × 104 m3. The Xinfangzi landslide can be defined as a push-type landslide. Specifically, the main sliding area pushed the front squeezing area, causing it to slide laterally. The entire slip path of the landslide was a broken line, while the right edge and the front shear outlet position slipped loosely in a circular arc. In this study, finite element numerical calculations were used to compare and analyze the multisection plastic deformation of the landslide under natural and rainfall conditions based on field investigations. The formation and failure characteristics of the Xinfangzi landslide were further revealed. The results show that the cross and longitudinal sections of the landslide were in a critical state of instability under natural and rainfall conditions. A compound section was established along the slip path based on the cross and longitudinal sections. Due to the extrusion of the trailing edge of the landslide, the compound section’s leading edge was in a state of instability under natural conditions. Under rainfall conditions, the increase in the unit weight of the sliding mass was superimposed on the compound section, which amplified the thrust of the trailing edge and further accelerated the overall sliding process of the landslide. Based on the macroscopic deformation of the landslide, it was found that the sliding of the trailing edge of the landslide is the key factor promoting the failure of the front edge, and local slump is possible under rainfall conditions.
Performance of Filter Bags Used in Industrial Pulse-Jet Baghouses in Wood-Based Panels Furniture Factory
Authors: Dembiński Czesław , Potok Zbigniew , Dolny Stanisław , Kminiak Richard , Rogoziński Tomasz
Published: September 2021

The study specifies the value of the dust resistance coefficient in the process of wood dust filtration in a pilot-scale test stand. The experiments were carried out for one type of filter material—polyester with a PP film previously used in different production lines. Filter bags from the filtering installation of the processing line for narrow surfaces of furniture panels of the honeycomb structure with a chipboard frame, HDF, natural veneer cladding, and a line of CNC drilling machines, were taken into account. Before the pilot-scale tests, the bags had been in use in industrial installations from zero to nine months. All tests were performed under identical filtration conditions. The values of the dust resistance coefficient depend on the operating time and the conditions in which filtration is carried out in an industrial plant, and increased from 6507 s−1 to 10,208 s−1 for the bags from the filter of the narrow surfaces processing line and to 29,729 s−1 for the bags from the filter of the drilling line. The most important factor influencing the properties of the filter bag in the process of wood dust filtration in an industrial filter is the cleaning pulses frequency.
Variational Bayesian Approach to Condition-Invariant Feature Extraction for Visual Place Recognition
Authors: Oh Junghyun , Eoh Gyuho
Published: September 2021

As mobile robots perform long-term operations in large-scale environments, coping with perceptual changes becomes an important issue recently. This paper introduces a stochastic variational inference and learning architecture that can extract condition-invariant features for visual place recognition in a changing environment. Under the assumption that a latent representation of the variational autoencoder can be divided into condition-invariant and condition-sensitive features, a new structure of the variation autoencoder is proposed and a variational lower bound is derived to train the model. After training the model, condition-invariant features are extracted from test images to calculate the similarity matrix, and the places can be recognized even in severe environmental changes. Experiments were conducted to verify the proposed method, and the experimental results showed that our assumption was reasonable and effective in recognizing places in changing environments.
Bacterial Biofilm Growth on Various Dental Stabilization Systems for Avulsed and Luxated Teeth
Authors: Mona Mahmoud , Walker Clay , Shaddox Luciana M. , Pileggi Roberta
Published: September 2021

With the increased incidence of traumatic injuries and the advanced understanding of the periodontal and alveolar healing process, teeth splinting has become a common practice for stabilizing traumatized teeth. Consequently, several splinting materials and techniques have been introduced in the past few years. Despite the detrimental role of bacterial biofilm on healing, the level of biofilm development on these material surfaces has not been well investigated. Bacterial biofilms are severely detrimental for periodontal healing of avulsed and luxated teeth. Thus, biofilm growth becomes a critical factor in selecting the material of choice for dental splints. In this study, we aim to assess the level of oral biofilm growth on four different splinting systems: Ribbond©, orthodontic NiTi wire, monofilament fishing line, and Titanium Trauma Splint. A total of 72 extracted anterior teeth were divided into four groups. We splinted six rows of three teeth each per group. The teeth selected were caries-free and periodontitis-free at the time of extraction. To assess biofilm growth, a supragingival dental plaque sample was cultured and directly inoculated into all groups. After 7 days, bacterial growth was quantified by live/dead fluorescent microscopy assay and colony forming unit counts (CFU). Using one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s post hoc tests, we demonstrated that all splint systems allowed for bacterial growth. However, the Titanium Trauma Splint (TTS) allowed for the least amount of biofilm growth compared to other splint systems.
Regenerative Healing of Chitosan Scaffold Impregnated with Simvastatin in Repairing Furcal Perforation
Authors: Alsawah Ghaliah M. , Alsheddi Manal , Al-Madi Ebtissam M. , Al-Obaida Mohammad I.
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the healing of furcation when repaired with Chitosan (CS) scaffold impregnated or not with Simvastatin (SIM) compared with CollaCote (CL) in goat premolar teeth. Root canal treatment was performed in 52 mandibular premolars followed by furcal perforation induction. The perforation was repaired with CL, CS, or CS with SIM after leaving it untreated for 4 weeks. White mineral trioxide aggregate was carried into the furcal site followed by a 2–3 mm resin-modified glass ionomer. The perforation was left untreated, and the access cavity was left open without coronal filling in the control group. The animals were sacrificed after one and three months. Block sections of the premolars were prepared and examined histologically to evaluate the inflammation and type of healing. Hard tissue formation was found in CL, CS, and CS/SIM groups in both periods. At one month, no significant differences were detected among the experimental groups, whereas at three months, CS without SIM showed significantly better performance compared to CL and CS/SIM groups (p = 0.040). Therefore, repairing furcal perforation with CS scaffolds shows desirable biological responses and healing characteristics in favor of bone regeneration at three months.
Automated Vehicle’s Overtaking Maneuver with Yielding to Oncoming Vehicles in Urban Area Based on Model Predictive Control
Authors: Zhang Yan , Shen Xun , Raksincharoensak Pongsathorn
Published: September 2021

The rapid development of automated driving technology has brought many emerging technologies. The collision avoidance (CA) function by braking and/or steering maneuver of advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), which contributes to the improvement of the safety of automated vehicles, has been playing an important role in recent modern passenger cars and commercial vehicles. When an automated vehicle needs to avoid multiple obstacles at the same time, consuming travel time and safety assurance of CA need to be carefully considered especially in the case related to unpredictable motion of obstacles. This paper proposes a feasible solution to this situation by controlling speed and the steering wheel angle. The proposed motion re-planning based on post-encroachment time (PET) provides a judgment of a function which calculates the possibility of unavoidable road accidents. Then the path re-planning layer of a novel two-layer model predictive control (TL-MPC) will re-plan a local trajectory and give a reference acceleration. Finally, the path tracking layer outputs steering wheel angle to follow the trajectory under the premise of ensuring safety constraints. The proposed control system is evaluated by co-simulations of MATLAB/Simulink and CarSim software. The results show that for various conditions of post-encroachment time, the ego vehicle adopting the proposed strategy will conduct reasonable behavior re-planning and consequently successfully avoid obstacles.
Multi-Media Exposure to Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons at Lake Chaohu, the Fifth Largest Fresh Water Lake in China: Residual Levels, Sources and Carcinogenic Risk
Authors: Qin Ning , He Wei , He Qishuang , Kong Xiangzhen , Liu Wenxiu , Wang Qin , Xu Fuliu
Published: September 2021

The residual levels of 16 priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in environment media and freshwater fish were collected and measured from Lake Chaohu by using Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Potential atmospheric sources were identified by molecular diagnostic ratios and the positive matrix factorization (PMF) method. PAH exposure doses through inhalation, intake of water and freshwater fish ingestion were estimated by the assessment model recommended by US EPA. The carcinogenic risks of PAH exposure were evaluated by probabilistic risk assessment and Monte Carlo simulation. The following results were obtained: (1) The PAH16 levels in gaseous, particulate phase, water and fish muscles were 59.4 ng·m−3, 14.2 ng·m−3, 170 ng·L−1 and 114 ng·g−1, respectively. No significant urban-rural difference was found between two sampling sites except gaseous BaPeq. The relationship between gaseous PAHs and PAH in water was detected by the application of Spearman correlation analysis. (2) Three potential sources were identified by the PMF model. The sources from biomass combustions, coal combustion and vehicle emission accounted for 43.6%, 30.6% and 25.8% of the total PAHs, respectively. (3) Fish intake has the highest lifetime average daily dose (LADD) of 3.01 × 10−6 mg·kg−1·d−1, followed by the particle inhalation with LADD of 2.94 × 10−6 mg·kg−1·d−1. (4) As a result of probabilistic cancer risk assessment, the median ILCRs were 3.1 × 10−5 to 3.3 × 10−5 in urban and rural residents, which were lower than the suggested serious level but higher than the acceptable level. In summary, the result suggests that potential carcinogenic risk exists among residents around Lake Chaohu. Fish ingestion and inhalation are two major PAH exposure pathways.
Characteristics of Agricultural Droughts and Spatial Stratified Heterogeneity and Dependence of Dominant Factors in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China
Authors: Yang Simin , Quan Quan , Liang Weijia , Liu Tiejun
Published: September 2021

Droughts have significantly damaged the environment of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. In this study, the region was divided into two subregions. Soil moisture was used as the basic parameter to analyze the characteristics of agricultural droughts. Based on a geographical detector, the spatial stratified heterogeneity in different seasons was discussed. Moreover, the copula joint functions of characteristics and dominant factors of agricultural droughts were constructed. Based on the Soil Moisture Anomaly Percentage Index (SMAPI), the results demonstrate that the climate tendency rate of droughts in the summer and in spring in Subregion I shows an increasing trend, while it decreases in the autumn and winter. In Subregion II, the climate tendency rate of droughts in different seasons has no significant change. Through geographical detection, the single factor detection illustrates that temperature and Precipitation Conversion Efficiency (PCE) show the highest explanatory power in different subregions. The interactive detection also demonstrates the explanatory powers of the combination of the PCE and temperature, respectively. The t-copula function describes the correlation coefficients of the SMAPI with the PCE and temperature, with the optimal tail dependence. In short, agricultural droughts are most significantly affected by temperature and the PCE, and their balance has a significant impact on agricultural droughts.
A 479-Year Early Summer Temperature Reconstruction Based on Tree-Ring in the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau, China
Authors: Zhang Yu , Li Jinjian , Zheng Zeyu , Zeng Shenglan
Published: September 2021

Due to the lack of long-term climate records, our understanding of paleoclimatic variability in the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is still limited. In this study, we developed a tree-ring width (TRW) chronology based on tree-ring cores collected from our study site, southeastern TP. This chronology responded well to the mean maximum temperatures of May–June and was thus used to reconstruct early summer (May–June) maximum temperature during the period 1541–2019. The reconstruction explained 33.6% of the climatic variance during the calibration period 1962–2019. There were 34 extremely warm years (7.2% of total years) and 36 extremely cold years (7.5% of total years) during the reconstruction period. The spatial correlation analysis and the comparison with other local temperature reconstructions confirmed the reliability and representativeness of our reconstruction. The results of the ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) analysis indicated quasi-oscillations of 2.9–4.2 years, 4.5–8.3 years, 11.1–15.4 years, 20–33.3 years, 50.4 years, 159.7 years, and 250 years in this temperature reconstruction which may be associated with ENSO cycles, solar activity, and PDO.
Tri-Base Synergy in Sulfuric Acid-Base Clusters
Authors: Xie Hong-Bin , Elm Jonas
Published: September 2021

Synergistic effects between different bases can greatly enhance atmospheric sulfuric acid (SA)-base cluster formation. However, only the synergy between two base components has previously been investigated. Here, we extend this concept to three bases by studying large atmospherically relevant (SA)3(base)3 clusters, with the bases ammonia (A), methylamine (MA), dimethylamine (DMA), trimethylamine (TMA) and ethylenediamine (EDA). Using density functional theory—ωB97X-D/6-31++G(d,p)—we calculate the cluster structures and vibrational frequencies. The thermochemical parameters are calculated at 29,815 K and 1 atm, using the quasi-harmonic approximation. The binding energies of the clusters are calculated using high level DLPNO-CCSD(T0)/aug-cc-pVTZ. We find that the cluster stability in general depends on the basicity of the constituent bases, with some noteworthy additional guidelines: DMA enhances the cluster stability, TMA decreases the cluster stability and there is high synergy between DMA and EDA. Based on our calculations, we find it highly likely that three, or potentially more, different bases, are involved in the growth pathways of sulfuric acid-base clusters.
Comparative Phenotypic and Agronomic Assessment of Transgenic Potato with 3R-Gene Stack with Complete Resistance to Late Blight Disease
Authors: Byarugaba Arinaitwe Abel , Baguma Gerald , Jjemba Douglas Mutebi , Faith Aharinta Kenneth , Wasukira Arthur , Magembe Eric , Njoroge Anne , Barekye Alex , Ghislain Marc
Published: September 2021

Transgenic potato event Vic.172, expressing three naturally occurring resistance genes (R genes) conferring complete protection against late blight disease, was evaluated for resistance to late blight, phenotypic characterization, and agronomic performance in field conditions at three locations during three seasons in Uganda. These trials were conducted by comparison to the variety Victoria from which Vic.172 derives, using identical fungicide treatment, except when evaluating disease resistance. During all seasons, the transgenic event Vic.172 was confirmed to have complete resistance to late blight disease, whereas Victoria plants were completely dead by 60–80 days after planting. Tubers from Vic.172 were completely resistant to LB after artificial inoculation. The phenotypic characterization included observations of the characteristics and development of the stems, leaves, flowers, and tubers. Differences in phenotypic parameters between Vic.172 and Victoria were not statistically significant across locations and seasons. The agronomic performance observations covered sprouting, emergence, vigor, foliage growth, and yield. Differences in agronomic performance were not statistically significant except for marketable yield in one location under high productivity conditions. However, yield variation across locations and seasons was not statistically significant, but was influenced by the environment. Hence, the results of the comparative assessment of the phenotype and agronomic performance revealed that transgenic event Vic.172 did not present biologically significant differences in comparison to the variety Victoria it derives from.
Oral Glucose Load and Human Cutaneous Microcirculation: An Insight into Flowmotion Assessed by Wavelet Transform
Authors: Silva Henrique , Šorli Jernej , Lenasi Helena
Published: September 2021

Microcirculation in vivo has been assessed using non-invasive technologies such as laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). In contrast to chronic hyperglycemia, known to induce microvascular dysfunction, the effects of short-term elevations in blood glucose on microcirculation are controversial. We aimed to assess the impact of an oral glucose load (OGL) on the cutaneous microcirculation of healthy subjects, quantified by LDF and coupled with wavelet transform (WT) as an interpretation tool. On two separate occasions, sixteen subjects drank either a glucose solution (75 g in 250 mL water) or water (equal volume). LDF signals were obtained in two anatomical sites (forearm and finger pulp) before and after each load (pre-load and post-load, respectively), in resting conditions and during post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH). The WT allowed decomposition of the LDF signals into their spectral components (cardiac, respiratory, myogenic, sympathetic, endothelial NO-dependent). The OGL blunted the PORH response in the forearm, which was not observed with the water load. Significant differences were found for the cardiac and sympathetic components in the glucose and water groups between the pre-load and post-load periods. These results suggest that an OGL induces a short-term subtle microvascular impairment, probably involving a modulation of the sympathetic nervous system.
Surface Modulation of Graphene Oxide for Amidase Immobilization with High Loadings for Efficient Biocatalysis
Authors: Xu Kongliang , Wang Bin , Si Chenlu , Lin Chaoping , Zheng Renchao , Zheng Yuguo
Published: September 2021

As a type of important and versatile biocatalyst, amidase immobilization on solid materials has received broad attention with its relatively easy procedure and available reusability. However, current porous supports have suffered from limited loadings, and it is highly desired to develop a new type of material with abundant space so as to ensure a high loading of amidase. Here, graphene oxide was adopted as the support for amidase immobilization, which showed the highest loading capacity for amidase (~3000 mg/g) to date. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first case of amidase immobilized on graphene oxide. Through surface modulation via reducing the contents of oxygen-containing functional groups, activity recovery of immobilized amidase increased from 67.8% to 85.3%. Moreover, surface-modulated graphene oxide can efficiently uptake amidase under a wide range of pH, and the maximum loading can reach ~3500 mg/g. The resultant biocomposites exhibit efficient biocatalytic performance for asymmetric synthesis of a chiral amino acid (i.e., L-4-fluorophenylglycine, an intermediate of aprepitant).
Time-Dependent Reduction of Calcium Oscillations in Adipose-Derived Stem Cells Differentiating towards Adipogenic and Osteogenic Lineage
Authors: Torre Enrico C. , Bicer Mesude , Cottrell Graeme S. , Widera Darius , Tamagnini Francesco
Published: September 2021

Adipose-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (ASCs) are multipotent stem cells which can differentiate into various cell types, including osteocytes and adipocytes. Due to their ease of harvesting, multipotency, and low tumorigenicity, they are a prime candidate for the development of novel interventional approaches in regenerative medicine. ASCs exhibit slow, spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations and the manipulation of Ca2+ signalling via electrical stimulation was proposed as a potential route for promoting their differentiation in vivo. However, the effects of differentiation-inducing treatments on spontaneous Ca2+ oscillations in ASCs are not yet fully characterised. In this study, we used 2-photon live Ca2+ imaging to assess the fraction of cells showing spontaneous oscillations and the frequency of the oscillation (measured as interpeak interval—IPI) in ASCs undergoing osteogenic or adipogenic differentiation, using undifferentiated ASCs as controls. The measurements were carried out at 7, 14, and 21 days in vitro (DIV) to assess the effect of time in culture on Ca2+ dynamics. We observed that both time and differentiation treatment are important factors associated with a reduced fraction of cells showing Ca2+ oscillations, paralleled by increased IPI times, in comparison with untreated ASCs. Both adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation resulted in a reduction in Ca2+ dynamics, such as the fraction of cells showing intracellular Ca2+ oscillations and their frequency. Adipogenic differentiation was associated with a more pronounced reduction of Ca2+ dynamics compared to cells differentiating towards the osteogenic fate. Changes in Ca2+ associated oscillations with a specific treatment had already occurred at 7 DIV. Finally, we observed a reduction in Ca2+ dynamics over time in untreated ASCs. These data suggest that adipogenic and osteogenic differentiation cell fates are associated with specific changes in spontaneous Ca2+ dynamics over time. While this observation is interesting and provides useful information to understand the functional correlates of stem cell differentiation, further studies are required to clarify the molecular and mechanistic correlates of these changes. This will allow us to better understand the causal relationship between Ca2+ dynamics and differentiation, potentially leading to the development of novel, more effective interventions for both bone regeneration and control of adipose growth.