bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Vitamin A on Antioxidant and Intestinal Barrier Function of Broilers Co-Infected with Coccidia and Clostridium perfringens
Authors: Li Peng , Liu Chengao , Niu Junlong , Zhang Yuanke , Li Changwu , Zhang Zhengfan , Guo Shuangshuang , Ding Bingying
Published: December 2022

Necrotic enteritis (NE) impairs poultry production and causes great economic loss. The nutritional regulation of diets has the potential to alleviate NE. The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with vitamin A (VA) on the antioxidant and intestinal barrier function of broilers co-infected with coccidia and C. perfringens (CCP). In a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement, 336 one-day-old Ross 308 broilers were divided into four treatments with two levels of VA (0 or 12,000 IU/kg) and challenged with or without CCP. The animal trial lasted for 42 days. The results showed that dietary supplemental VA improved body weight gain (BWG) and the feed intake (FI), and the FI was negatively affected by CCP. Additionally, the levels of catalase (CAT) in the serum, total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), and CAT in the jejunum and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the liver decreased with the CCP challenge (p < 0.05). The mRNA levels of SOD, CAT, GSH-Px1, and GSH-Px3 in the liver and jejunum were upregulated by the CCP challenge (p < 0.05). In addition, the level of serum diamine oxidase (DAO), and the mRNA level of ZO-1 were also upregulated with the CCP challenge. Dietary supplementation with VA contributed to the intestinal villi height and the mRNA level of Mucin-2 in the jejunum (p < 0.05). Additionally, dietary VA had the ability to alleviate the upregulation of SOD in the liver and SOD, CAT, GSH-Px1, GSH-Px3, ZO-1, and claudin-1 in the jejunum with the CCP challenge (p < 0.05). However, the mRNA level of GSH-Px3 and the levels of SOD in the liver and jejunum were downregulated with the VA supplementation in the diet. In conclusion, dietary VA improved the growth performance and the intestinal barrier function; nonetheless, it failed to alleviate the negative effects of CCP on the antioxidant function in broilers.
Diagnosis and Antibiotic Treatment of Urinary Tract Infections in Danish General Practice: A Quality Assessment
Authors: Saust Laura Trolle , Siersma Volkert , Lykkegaard Jesper , Bjerrum Lars , Hansen Malene Plejdrup
Published: December 2022

Rational antibiotic treatment of urinary tract infections (UTI) is important. To improve the quality of antibiotic treatment of UTI, it is essential to obtain insight into diagnostic approaches and prescribing patterns in general practice. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of diagnostics and treatment of UTI in general practice by means of quality indicators (QIs). QIs provide a quantitative measure of quality and are defined by a numerator (the number of patients receiving a specific investigation or treatment) and a denominator (the number of patients included in the quality assessment). For adult patients with suspected UTI, practices registered the following: age, sex, risk factors, symptoms and signs, examinations, diagnosis and treatment. The levels of the QIs were compared with their corresponding standards. Half of the patients diagnosed with lower UTI or pyelonephritis fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for UTI: characteristic UTI symptoms and clear signs of bacteriuria, respectively. Urinalysis was performed for nearly all patients, including patients without characteristic symptoms of UTI. One-fourth of the patients with suspected lower UTI were treated with antibiotics despite no urinalysis and nearly half received antibiotics despite an inconclusive dipstick test. Pivmecillam was the preferred antibiotic. The findings of this study indicate that there is room for improvement in the management of UTI in Danish general practice.
The Distribution of Mobile Colistin-Resistant Genes, Carbapenemase-Encoding Genes, and Fluoroquinolone-Resistant Genes in Escherichia coli Isolated from Natural Water Sources in Upper Northeast Thailand
Authors: Tabut Pongthep , Yongyod Rapeepan , Ungcharoen Ratchadaporn , Kerdsin Anusak
Published: December 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is considered a serious problem in many countries, including Thailand. AMR and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) could transfer between humans, animals, and the environment causing a threat to human health. This study described the antibiotic resistance of Escherichia coli (E. coli) from surface water, wastewater, and discharge water in the Namsuay watershed in upper northeast Thailand. The water samples were collected in the dry and wet seasons. The 113 E. coli isolates were confirmed using a polymerase chain reaction and examined for their antibiotic susceptibility, ARGs, and genetic relationship. The results indicated that E. coli was resistant to the following classes of antibiotics: fluoroquinolone, third-generation cephalosporin, polymyxin, and carbapenem. The isolates carried the mcr-1, mcr-8, mcr-9, blaoxa-48-like, aac(6′)-bl-cr, qepA, and oqxAB genes. Phylogroup B1 was a predominant group among the E. coli in the study. In addition, the E. coli isolates from the discharge water (a hospital and a fish farm) had a higher prevalence of antibiotic resistance and harboured more ARGs than the other water sample sources. The presence of antibiotic-resistant E. coli and ARG contamination in the natural water source reflected an AMR management issue that could drive strategic policy regarding the active surveillance and prevention of AMR contamination.
Machine Learning Based Signaling DDoS Detection System for 5G Stand Alone Core Network
Authors: Park Seongmin , Cho Byungsun , Kim Dowon , You Ilsun
Published: December 2022

Research to deal with distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks was kicked off from long ago and has seen technological advancement along with an extensive 5G footprint. Prior studies, and still newer ones, in the realm of DDoS attacks in the 5G environment appear to be focused primarily on radio access network (RAN) and voice service network, meaning that there is no attempt to mitigate DDoS attacks targeted on core networks (CN) by applying artificial intelligence (AI) in modeling. In particular, such components of a CN as the Access and Mobility Management Function (AMF), Session Management Function (SMF), and User Plane Function (UPF), all being principal functions enabled to provide 5G services as base stations do, provide expansive connectivity with geographically very large area coverage that cannot be matched by the base stations. Moreover, to complete re-registration for one UE, required messages in protocols Packet Forwarding Control Protocol (PFCP) and HTTP/2 are approximately 40 in number. This implies that a DDoS attack targeting the CN has, once accomplished, a greater than expected impact, when compared to DDoS attacks targeting the RAN. Therefore, security mechanisms for the CN must be put into practice. This research proposes a method, along with a threat detection system, to mitigate signaling DDoS attacks targeted on 5G SA (standalone) CNs. It is verified that the use of fundamental ML classifiers together with preprocessing with entropy-based analysis (EBA) and statistics-based analysis (SBA) enables us to proactively react against signaling DDoS attacks. Additionally, the evaluation results manifest that the random forest achieves the best detection performance, with an average accuracy of 98.7%.
Prediction of Health Problems Using Deep Learning Images and Bio-Signals
Authors: Lee Min-Hye , Mun Hyung-Jin , Kang Sun-Kyoung
Published: December 2022

We propose a study to predict health abnormalities by analyzing body temperature and the heart rate variability parameters of pulse waves. The research method firstly selects fever by applying a deep learning model to thermal images, and secondly, extracts heart rate variability from pulse waves through a photo-plethysmograph sensor. It analyzes the relevance of body temperature and health status by dividing the presence or absence of fever cases and comparing parameters related to autonomic nerves and stress cases. As a result of the experiment, the control group with normal body temperature had a mean pulse variability of 37.65, SDNN of 64.83, and RMSSD of 42.24. In contrast, in the experimental group, which consisted of individuals with fever, the average pulse variability was 31.91, the SDNN was 42.34, and the RMSSD was 26.80. Our research expects to be applicable to a thermal imaging system that can measure body temperature and bio-signals together and show the predicted results of health status for fever cases.
Toward Accessible Hearing Care: The Development of a Versatile Arabic Word-in-Noise Screening Tool: A Pilot Study
Authors: Alokaily Ahmad O. , Alqabbani Abdulaziz F. , Aleid Adham , Alhussaini Khalid
Published: December 2022

Speech-in-noise tests are used to assess the ability of the human auditory system to perceive speech in a noisy environment. Early diagnosis of hearing deficits helps health professionals to plan for the most appropriate management. However, hospitals and auditory clinics have a shortage of reliable Arabic versions of speech-in-noise tests. Additionally, access to specialized healthcare facilities is associated with socioeconomic status. Hence, individuals with compromised socioeconomic status do not have proper access to healthcare. Thus, In the current study, a mobile and cost-effective Arabic speech-in-noise test was developed and tested on 30 normal-hearing subjects, and their ability to perceive words-in-noise was evaluated. Moreover, a comparison between two different background noises was explored (multi-talker babble noise and white noise). The results revealed a significant difference in the thresholds between the two types of background noises. The percent-correct scores ranged from 100% to 54.17% for the white background noise and 91.57% to 50% for the multi-talker babble background noise. The proposed Arabic word-in-noise screening tool has the potential to be used effectively to screen for deteriorated speech perception abilities, particularly in low-resource settings.
Machine Learning-Based Security Pattern Recognition Techniques for Code Developers
Authors: Zaharia Sergiu , Rebedea Traian , Trausan-Matu Stefan
Published: December 2022

Software developers represent the bastion of application security against the overwhelming cyber-attacks which target all organizations and affect their resilience. As security weaknesses which may be introduced during the process of code writing are complex and matching different and variate skills, most applications are launched intrinsically vulnerable. We have advanced our research for a security scanner able to use automated learning techniques based on machine learning algorithms to recognize patterns of security weaknesses in source code. To make the scanner independent on the programming language, the source code is converted to a vectorial representation using natural language processing methods, which are able to retain semantical traits of the original code and at the same time to reduce the dependency on the lexical structure of the program. The security flaws detection performance is in the ranges accepted by software security professionals (recall > 0.94) even when vulnerable samples are very low represented in the dataset (e.g., less than 4% vulnerable code for a specific CWE in the dataset). No significant change or adaptation is needed to change the source code language under scrutiny. We apply this approach on detecting Common Weaknesses Enumeration (CWE) vulnerabilities in datasets provided by NIST (Test suites–NIST Software Assurance Reference Dataset).
Spatial Variability in Land Subsidence and Its Relation to Groundwater Withdrawals in the Choshui Delta
Authors: Ku Cheng-Yu , Liu Chih-Yu , Lu Hsueh-Chuan
Published: December 2022

In this article, the characterization of land subsidence with the spatial variability of soil formation and groundwater withdrawals in Choshui delta, Taiwan, is presented. Levelling surveys, borehole logging, multi-layer compaction monitoring network, multi-layer groundwater level monitoring network, and the electricity consumption of wells in the study area are adopted. Various factors, including the percentage of coarse-grained soil, percentage of fine-grained soil, length of average maximum drainage path, percentage of agricultural land use, electricity consumption of wells, and accumulated depth of land subsidence, are applied. Thematic maps based on these factors are established using geographic information system spatial analysis. A principal component analysis (PCA) is then employed to obtain the dominant factors for land subsidence. The results indicate that the largest subsidence rate is observed in the region that has both a high electricity consumption of wells and a large percentage of fine-grained soil. The PCA results reveal that the electricity consumption of wells is highly correlated with the accumulated depth of land subsidence. The first principal component is the acquired factor causing land subsidence, such as the excessive withdrawal of groundwater. The second principal component is the congenital factor causing land subsidence, which corresponds to fine sand, silty and clayey soils.
Modification of Fatty Acid Composition of Escherichia coli by Co-Expression of Fatty Acid Desaturase and Thioesterase from Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Pu Yihan , Cao Yujin , Xian Mo
Published: December 2022

Fatty acid composition has an important influence on the fluidity of biological membranes, which is a key factor for the survival of Escherichia coli. With the aim to modify fatty acid composition in this experimentally friendly microorganism, the AtFab2 gene, encoding the Arabidopsis thaliana fatty acid desaturase, was expressed separately and jointly with AtFatA, a fatty acid thioesterase of the same plant origin. The expression of ATFab2 desaturase resulted in an enhancement of cis-vaccenic acid (18:1Δ11) contents, while amounts of palmitioleic acid (16:1Δ9) accumulated by E. coli were increased by 130% for the expression of the AtFatA thioesterase. In the final engineered strain co-expressing AtFab2 and AtFatA, the percentage of palmitic acid (16:0), the most abundant saturated fatty acid found in E. coli, was reduced to 29.9% and the ratio of unsaturated fatty acid to saturated fatty acid reached 2:1. Free fatty acids accounted for about 40% of total fatty acid profiles in the recombinant strain expressing both two genes, and the unsaturated fatty acid contents reached nearly 75% in the free fatty acid profiles. The increase of unsaturated fatty acid level might provide some implication for the construction of cold tolerant strains.
Geographical Variation in Body Size and the Bergmann’s Rule in Andrew’s Toad (Bufo andrewsi)
Authors: Jiang Ying , Zhao Li , Luan Xiaofeng , Liao Wenbo
Published: December 2022

Environmental variation likely modifies the life-history traits of vertebrates. As ectothermic vertebrates, it is possible that the body size of amphibians is impacted by environmental conditions. Here, we firstly quantified age and body size variation in the Andrew’s toad (Bufo andrewsi) across the Hengduan Mountains. Then, we examined the environmental correlates of this variation based on the literature and our unpublished data on the age and body size of the Andrew’s toad from 31 populations distributed in southwestern China. Although our analysis revealed significant variations in age and body size across B. andrewsi populations, neither latitude nor altitude correlated with this variability in age and body size. We found that age at sexual maturity, mean age, and longevity increased with decreasing annual mean temperature, whereas age at sexual maturity increased with decreasing temperature seasonality, implying that temperature was a crucial habitat characteristic that modulated age structure traits. Moreover, we revealed positive associations between age structure and UV-B seasonality, and negative relationships between both mean age and longevity and precipitation seasonality. We also found that body size increased with increasing precipitation in the driest month and UV-B seasonality. However, body size did not covary with temperature, signifying no support for Bergmann’s rule. These findings help us to understand amphibians’ abilities to adapt to environmental variation, which is particularly important in order to provide a theorical basis for their conservation.
Interorgan Metabolism of Ganglioside Is Altered in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Rivas Serna Irma Magaly , Beveridge Michelle , Wilke Michaelann , Ryan Edmond A. , Clandinin Michael Thomas , Mazurak Vera Christine
Published: December 2022

GM3 is implicated in cell signaling, inflammation and insulin resistance. The intestinal mucosa metabolizes ganglioside and provides gangliosides for uptake by peripheral tissues. Gangliosides downregulate acute and chronic inflammatory signals. It is likely that transport of intestinal derived gangliosides to other tissues impact the same signals characteristic of inflammatory change in other chronic conditions such as Type 2 Diabetes (T2DM). The postprandial ceramide composition of GM3 and other gangliosides in plasma and chylomicrons has not been examined in T2DM. The present study assessed if diet or T2DM alters ganglioside components in plasma and chylomicrons secreted from the intestinal mucosa after a meal. GD1, GD3, and GM3 content of chylomicrons and plasma was determined by LC/triple quad MS in non-diabetic (control) and T2DM individuals in the fasting and postprandial state after 2 days of consuming a low or high fat diet in a randomized blinded crossover design. Diet fat level did not alter baseline plasma or chylomicron ganglioside levels. Four hours after the test meal, plasma monounsaturated GD3 was 75% higher, plasma saturated GD3 was 140% higher and plasma polyunsaturated GM3 30% lower in diabetic subjects compared to control subjects. At 4 h, chylomicron GD1 was 50% lower in T2DM compared to controls. The proportion of d34:1 in GD3 was more abundant and d36:1 in GD1 less abundant in T2DM compared to control subjects at 4 h. The present study indicates that T2DM alters ceramide composition of ganglioside available for uptake by peripheral tissues.
Gold Nanoparticles-MWCNT Based Aptasensor for Early Diagnosis of Prostate Cancer
Authors: Alnaimi Aseel , Al-Hamry Ammar , Makableh Yahia , Adiraju Anurag , Kanoun Olfa
Published: December 2022

Prostate cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed male malignancies and can be detected by prostate-specific antigen (PSA) as a biomarker. To detect PSA, several studies have proposed using antibodies, which are not economical and require a long reaction time. In this study, we propose to use self-assembled thiolated single-strand DNA on electrodes functionalized by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) modified with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to realize a low-cost label-free electrochemical biosensor. In this regard, the PSA aptamer was immobilized via electrostatic adsorption on the surface of a screen-printed MWCNT/AuNPs electrode. The immobilization process was enhanced due to the presence of Au nanoparticles on the surface of the electrode. Surface characterization of the electrode at different stages of modification was performed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and contact angle for surface tension properties. The results showed an increase in surface roughness due to the absorbance of the aptamer on the electrode surfaces. The developed sensor has an extended linear range of 1–100 ng/mL, and a very low limit of detection down to 1 pg/mL. In addition, the reaction has a binding time of only five minutes on the developed electrodes. Investigations of the biosensor selectivity against several substances revealed an efficient selectivity for PSA detection. With this approach, low-cost biosensors with high sensitivity can be realized which have a wide linearity range and a low limit of detection, which are necessary for the early detection of prostate cancer.
Resistin Promotes Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Metastasis through TLR4-Mediated Activation of p38 MAPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Zhang Zongmeng , Du Jinlin , Xu Qihua , Li Yuyu , Zhou Sujin , Zhao Zhenggang , Mu Yunping , Zhao Allan Z. , Cao Su-Mei , Li Fanghong
Published: December 2022

NPC is a type of malignant tumor with a high risk of local invasion and early distant metastasis. Resistin is an inflammatory cytokine that is predominantly produced from the immunocytes in humans. Accumulating evidence has suggested a clinical association of circulating resistin with the risk of tumorigenesis and a relationship between blood resistin levels and the risk of cancer metastasis. In this study, we explored the blood levels and the role of resistin in NPC. High resistin levels in NPC patients were positively associated with lymph node metastasis, and resistin promoted the migration and invasion of NPC cells in vitro. These findings were also replicated in a mouse model of NPC tumor metastasis. We identified TLR4 as a functional receptor in mediating the pro-migratory effects of resistin in NPC cells. Furthermore, p38 MAPK and NF-κB were intracellular effectors that mediated resistin-induced EMT. Taken together, our results suggest that resistin promotes NPC metastasis by activating the TLR4/p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathways.
10th Anniversary of Catalysts: Molecular Catalysis
Authors: Nomura Kotohiro , Mancuso Raffaella , Ohkuma Takeshi , Ragaini Fabio , Kotora Martin , Grassi Alfonso , Redshaw Carl , Pombeiro Armando , Fujita Ken-ichi , Capacchione Carmine , Manabe Kei , Cadierno Victorio
Published: December 2022

On the occasion of this Special Issue, I would like to present an editorial message on this good occasion [...]
Experimental and Theoretical Study of Forced Synchronization of Self-Oscillations in Liquid Ferrocolloid Membranes
Authors: Chekanov Vladimir , Kovalenko Anna , Kandaurova Natalya
Published: December 2022

A ferrocolloid is a suspension of nanometer-sized ferromagnetic particles (magnetite) in a carrier liquid (kerosene). A unique feature of a ferrocolloid is the fact that layers consisting of densely packed particles are formed near the electrode surface under the influence of an external electric field. Each layer is a liquid membrane, and its formation significantly affects the various properties of the system. For example, the development of a unique phenomenon in a ferrocolloid is self-organization (self-oscillations and autowaves). The applied external periodic force leads to a change (capture) of the frequency of the autowave process-forced synchronization of autowaves. The experimentally obtained synchronization was investigated by the method of electrically controlled interference. After multiple experiments and theoretical studies, a physical mechanism for the synchronization of the autowave process in a cell with a ferrocolloid was proposed for the first time. A mathematical model of forced synchronization of autowaves, which is described by a system of nonlinear differential equations, was proposed for the first time as well. Adding an external periodic force into the model led to a change in the frequency of autowaves; synchronization by an external force was confirmed by computational experiments.
Elastic Constitutive Relationship of Metallic Materials Containing Grain Shape
Authors: Lan Zhiwen , Shao Hanjie , Zhang Lei , Yan Hong , Huang Mojia , Zhao Tengfei
Published: December 2022

The grain shape and orientation distribution of metal sheets at mesoscales are usually irregular, which has an impact on the elastic properties of metal materials. A grain shape function (GSF) is constructed to represent the shape of grains. The expansion coefficient of GSF on the basis of the Wigner D function is called the shape coefficient. In this paper, we study the influence of average grain shape on the elastic constitutive relation of orthogonal polycrystalline materials, and obtain a new expression of the elastic constitutive relation of polycrystalline materials containing grain shape effects. The seven string method is proposed to fit the shape of irregular grains. Experiments show that the GSF can better describe the shape of irregular grains. Using the microscopic images of the grains, we carried out the experimental measurement of micro and macrostrain at grain scale. The experimental results show that the grain shape parameter (slenderness ratio) is consistent with the theoretical results of the material macroscopic mechanical properties.
Electromagnetic Metasurfaces: Insight into Evolution, Design and Applications
Authors: Singh Khushboo , Ahmed Foez , Esselle Karu
Published: December 2022

Metasurfaces have emerged as game-changing technology ranging from microwaves to optics. This article provides a roadmap to the evolution of electromagnetic metasurfaces with a focus on their synthesis techniques, materials used for their design and their recent and futuristic applications. A broad classification is provided, and the design principle is elaborated. The efficient and economical use of available computational resources is imperative to work with state-of-the-art metasurface systems. Hence, optimization becomes an integral part of metasurface design. Several optimization methodologies reported to date have been discussed. An extensive study on the current research database gathered a comprehensive understanding of meta-atom topologies and the preferred fabrication technologies. The study concludes with a critical analysis and highlights existing and future research challenges to be addressed.
Performance of the Deep Neural Network Ciloctunet, Integrated with Open-Source Software for Ciliary Muscle Segmentation in Anterior Segment OCT Images, Is on Par with Experienced Examiners
Authors: Straßer Torsten , Wagner Sandra
Published: December 2022

Anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT), being non-invasive and well-tolerated, is the method of choice for an in vivo investigation of ciliary muscle morphology and function. The analysis requires the segmentation of the ciliary muscle, which is, when performed manually, both time-consuming and prone to examiner bias. Here, we present a convolutional neural network trained for the automatic segmentation of the ciliary muscle in AS-OCT images. Ciloctunet is based on the Freiburg U-net and was trained and validated using 1244 manually segmented OCT images from two previous studies. An accuracy of 97.5% for the validation dataset was achieved. Ciloctunet’s performance was evaluated by replicating the findings of a third study with 180 images as the test data. The replication demonstrated that Ciloctunet performed on par with two experienced examiners. The intersection-over-union index (0.84) of the ciliary muscle thickness profiles between Ciloctunet and an experienced examiner was the same as between the two examiners. The mean absolute error between the ciliary muscle thickness profiles of Ciloctunet and the two examiners (35.16 µm and 45.86 µm) was comparable to the one between the examiners (34.99 µm). A statistically significant effect of the segmentation type on the derived biometric parameters was found for the ciliary muscle area but not for the selective thickness reading (“perpendicular axis”). Both the inter-rater and the intra-rater reliability of Ciloctunet were good to excellent. Ciloctunet avoids time-consuming manual segmentation, thus enabling the analysis of large numbers of images of ample study cohorts while avoiding possible examiner biases. Ciloctunet is available as open-source.
Systemic Lymphadenopathic Mastocytosis with Eosinophilia
Authors: Im Soyoung , Kim Jeong-A , Park Gyeongsin , Cho Uiju
Published: December 2022

Systemic mastocytosis is a neoplastic proliferation of mast cells that most frequently involves cutaneous sites. Mastocytosis involves various extracutaneous sites, but the lymph node is rare. We present an interesting image of systemic mastocytosis in the lymph node with marked eosinophilia. It is a rare subtype of systemic mastocytosis requiring high suspicion levels for the correct diagnosis.
Analysis of Drawings on Representations of COVID-19 among Senior High School Students: Case of the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab Region, Morocco
Authors: Maskour Lhoussaine , El Batri Bouchta , Oubit Sidi Mohamed , Jeronen Eila , Agorram Boujemaa , Bouali Rahma
Published: December 2022

Since the coronavirus COVID-19 was identified as an international public health emergency in 2020, many studies on the perceptions of students in higher education have been published concerning it. Although young students’ perceptions also influence decision making and actions, their perceptions of COVID-19 have, so far, been little studied. Therefore, to increase knowledge about their understanding of COVID-19, a cross-sectional and descriptive study was conducted as a drawing survey in two schools in the Dakhla-Oued Eddahab region, Morocco. The participants were 94 high school students (aged 14–19). The drawings were analyzed by inductive and deductive content analysis. The findings show that the majority of the students knew the archetypal representation of COVID-19. They had a good grasp of the COVID-19, how it spreads, and how to stop it from spreading. Some students were aware of the potential dangers associated with COVID-19. Admittedly, misrepresentations related to fear and unfamiliarity with COVID-19 lead to mental health issues that undermine the key factors in students’ academic success. Younger children’s representations were dominated by magical thinking that reduces COVID-19 to preventive measures. Overall, the results made it possible to deduce that COVID-19 is strongly associated with terms that are both characteristic and socially valued (disease, prevention, barrier measures, etc.) and, conversely, with rather negative terms (fear of dying, anxiety, sadness, helplessness, etc.). The identification of these representations is very useful because they make it possible to apprehend and understand the attitudes and behaviors of these students, which, therefore, implies the need to define the appropriate teaching methods to try to align these behaviors with the behaviors desired.
Use of Social Networks in University Studies: A Peruvian Case Study
Authors: Puma-Chavez Nataly , Quispe-Escobar Jheidys , Hurtado-Mazeyra Alejandra , Llorente Cejudo Carmen Llorente
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the degree of addiction to social networks among students at a Peruvian university. The sample consisted of 3026 students (1768 females, 58.4%; 1258 males, 41.6%) from three different fields of study: social sciences, engineering, and biomedical sciences. Data were collected using the Social Media Addiction Scale–Student Form (SMA–SF), which was previously adapted to the Peruvian context, establishing four dimensions: satisfaction/tolerance, problems, obsession with being informed and need to be connected. Among the results obtained, it is possible to highlight factors that influence the use of social networks, such as, that their use varied according to age, year of university studies, gender, and area of study; in addition, significant differences in gender were observed, with men using them more for various activities and expressing feelings about their use. Engineering and Social Science students were more likely to show feelings towards networks than Biomedical Science students, among others. Students in the 16–20 age range showed greater expressions of feelings about the use of social networks than those in other age ranges.
Relationships between Spirituality, Happiness, and Prosocial Bystander Behavior in Bullying—The Mediating Role of Altruism
Authors: García-Vázquez Fernanda Inéz , Durón-Ramos Maria Fernanda , Pérez-Rios Rubén , Pérez-Ibarra Ricardo Ernesto
Published: December 2022

Positive psychology is vital in increasing prosocial behavior and reducing bullying. However, limited studies have analyzed the influence of positive personal characteristics on the prosocial behaviors of bystanders in bullying. The present study examined direct and indirect relationships between spirituality, happiness, altruism, and prosocial bystander behavior in bullying. Participants in this study were 685 students from Northwestern Mexico; 51% were male and 49% female, between 12 and 18 years old (M = 14.3 years, SD = 1.68). A structural equation model (SEM) was calculated. The results indicate that happiness and altruism were related to prosocial bystander behavior. Spirituality and happiness have an indirect relationship by increasing prosocial bystander behavior through the positive effects of altruism. The SEM explained 48% of the variance of the prosocial bystander. The implications for improving defensive behavior in bullying and reducing school violence are discussed.
Large Signal Stability Criteria Combined with a 3D Region of Asymptotic Stability Method for Islanded AC/DC Hybrid Microgrids
Authors: Liu Xinbo , Zhu Zhenkang , Shi Junfu , Song Xiaotong , Zhou Jinghua
Published: December 2022

Large disturbances frequently happen in isolated AC/DC Hybrid Microgrids. Unfortunately, constant power loads (CPLs) with negative impedance characteristics are equivalent to positive feedback, resulting in an increase in large disturbances. The system can easily become unstable. Consequently, large signal stability criteria are proposed in this paper. Combined with a three-dimensional region of asymptotic stability (3D RAS) method for islanded AC/DC Hybrid Microgrids, important parameters to increase stability margins were determined. Firstly, mixed potential theory was used to derive a large-signal stability criterion. The criteria gave constraints on filtering parameters, CPL power, power of the battery to charge and discharge, AC resistive loads, and DC bus voltage. Then, Lyapunov functions were constructed, and the Lasalle invariance principle was adopted to achieve 3D RAS. When large disturbances emerged, and simultaneously voltage and current varied in 3D RAS, the system always obtained stability and reached new steady-state equilibrium points. Finally, according to comparisons, bigger capacitances of the DC bus capacitor and the AC capacitor, larger battery discharging power and smaller charging power could significantly increase stability margins of islanded Microgrids. Simulations and experimental data have shown that the large signal stability criteria and the 3D RAS work.
Multiple-Intelligent Reflective Surfaces (Multi-IRSs)-Based NOMA System
Authors: Al-Abbasi Ziad Qais , Farhan Laith , Alhumaima Raad S.
Published: December 2022

Recent research has introduced the notion of an Intelligent Reflective Surface (IRS) so as to boost the source–destination communication environment. IRS refers to a plane that consists of a number of passive elements that have a smaller size than the wavelength of the incident signal. Those elements use reflection to beam-form and to forward the incident radio signals toward the intended destination without power consumption. This article examines the performance of an IRS-based non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) system, and adopts the idea of using multiple IRS planes. It additionally investigates improving the performance of an IRS-NOMA combination through proposing various solutions that include optimizing the overall number of the IRS elements as a first step. After that, a closed form expression is derived for the considered IRS-NOMA system to determine the optimal number of the reflective elements. Secondly, the paper utilizes a new approach termed as multiple-IRS-based NOMA. This encompasses using multiple reflective planes (multi-IRS) along with IRS-NOMA, to boost the received signal characteristics, especially in situations where it is there a weak or no direct link between the source and the destination. An energy efficiency-spectral efficiency (EE-SE) trade-off is likewise presented, so as to have a complete view of the IRS-NOMA performance, along with the proposed solutions. The obtained simulation results depicts that IRS-NOMA is better than the existing orthogonal techniques. In addition, the results confirm that exploiting multiple IRSs offers a considerable gain in performance, as it enhances the conditions of the propagation environment. In specific, the considered case of a two IRS surfaces-assisted NOMA system offers higher performance levels than the case of a single IRS surface-assisted NOMA system.
VMD–RP–CSRN Based Fault Diagnosis Method for Rolling Bearings
Authors: Jiang Yuanyuan , Xie Jinyang
Published: December 2022

In response to the problems of low accuracy and poor noise immunity of the traditional fault diagnosis method for rolling bearing fault diagnosis due to the complex and variable operating conditions of rolling bearings and the large noise interference during bearing signal acquisition, a rolling bearing fault diagnosis model based on VMD–RP–CSRN is proposed. Firstly, the initial feature extraction of the bearing signal is carried out by variational modal decomposition (VMD), which is then converted into a two-dimensional image with fault features by recurrent plot (RP) coding, and then the feature images are input to a channel split residual network (CSRN) for feature extraction and fault classification. In order to verify the accuracy and noise immunity of the proposed method for the diagnosis of bearing faults under complex working conditions, experiments on the selection of parameters in the CSRN model were conducted on the bearing dataset of Jiangnan University, and experiments on the diagnosis of bearing faults under complex working conditions and noise immunity of CSRN were carried out and compared with other commonly used methods. The proposed bearing fault diagnosis method based on VMD–RP–CSRN combines VMD and RP to retain the fault features in the original signal to the maximum extent and stress the hidden features in the signal. The proposed channel split operation realizes the extraction of hidden features by selecting the main operating channel of the three-channel feature image, and makes more fault features participate in the feature extraction of the diagnosis model. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method is at least 1.2% better than the comparison method, and has better noise immunity. In addition, experiments on the fault diagnosis capability of the model with different data set sizes and the diagnosis of variable speed bearing data by the model show that the proposed method has better generalization performance and diagnosis capability.
Modeling Speech Emotion Recognition via Attention-Oriented Parallel CNN Encoders
Authors: Makhmudov Fazliddin , Kutlimuratov Alpamis , Akhmedov Farkhod , Abdallah Mohamed S. , Cho Young-Im
Published: December 2022

Meticulous learning of human emotions through speech is an indispensable function of modern speech emotion recognition (SER) models. Consequently, deriving and interpreting various crucial speech features from raw speech data are complicated responsibilities in terms of modeling to improve performance. Therefore, in this study, we developed a novel SER model via attention-oriented parallel convolutional neural network (CNN) encoders that parallelly acquire important features that are used for emotion classification. Particularly, MFCC, paralinguistic, and speech spectrogram features were derived and encoded by designing different CNN architectures individually for the features, and the encoded features were fed to attention mechanisms for further representation, and then classified. Empirical veracity executed on EMO-DB and IEMOCAP open datasets, and the results showed that the proposed model is more efficient than the baseline models. Especially, weighted accuracy (WA) and unweighted accuracy (UA) of the proposed model were equal to 71.8% and 70.9% in EMO-DB dataset scenario, respectively. Moreover, WA and UA rates were 72.4% and 71.1% with the IEMOCAP dataset.
Parallelism-Aware Channel Partition for Read/Write Interference Mitigation in Solid-State Drives
Authors: Lim Hyun Jo , Shin Dongkun , Han Tae Hee
Published: December 2022

The advancement of multi-level cell technology that enables storing multiple bits in a single NAND flash memory cell has increased the density and affordability of solid-state drives (SSDs). However, increased latency asymmetry between read and write (R/W) intensifies the severity of R/W interference, so reads cannot be processed for a long time owing to the extended flash memory resource occupancy of writing. Existing flash translation layer (FTL)-level mitigation techniques can allocate flash memory resources in a balanced manner taking R/W interference into account; however, due to the inefficient utilization of parallel flash memory resources, the effect on performance enhancement is restrictive. From the perspectives of the predicted access pattern and available concurrency of flash memory resources, we propose a parallelism-aware channel partition (PACP) scheme that prevents SSD performance degradation caused by R/W interference. Moreover, an additional performance improvement is achieved by reallocating interference-vulnerable page using leveraged garbage collection (GC) migration. The evaluation results showed that compared with the existing solution, PACP reduced the average read latency by 11.6% and average write latency by 6.0%, with a negligible storage overhead.
COVID-19 and Bell’s Palsy
Authors: Tranchito Eve N. , Goslawski Amanda , Cabrera Claudia I. , Rabbani Cyrus C. , Fowler Nicole M. , Li Shawn , Thuener Jason E. , Lavertu Pierre , Rezaee Rod P. , Teknos Theodoros N. , Tamaki Akina
Published: December 2022

There are various neurological manifestations of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Recent data suggest a connection between hemifacial paralysis, or Bell’s palsy, and COVID-19. Although the etiology of Bell’s palsy is unknown, the leading proposed etiology is viral in nature. Since the onset of the pandemic, numerous studies have investigated the relationship between Bell’s palsy, COVID-19 infection, and COVID-19 vaccination. The researchers studied the current literature on the topic of COVID-19 as it relates to Bell’s palsy.
Optimization of Cellulosic Fiber Extraction from Parsley Stalks and Utilization as Filler in Composite Biobased Films
Authors: Cakmak Hulya , Dekker Matthijs
Published: December 2022

Food waste is an abundant source of cellulose which can be extracted via mild alkali treatment. The extraction conditions of cellulose fibers can be optimized for reduced chemical and energy use and optimal functionality. This study focused on the optimization of alkali extraction of lignocellulosic fiber from parsley stalks by building an experimental design with the response surface method with alkali concentration (2, 6, and 10%, w/v), fiber:alkali ratio (0.02, 0.035, and 0.05; w/v) and extraction temperature (40, 70, and 100 °C) as independent variables, in order to evaluate the effects of extraction conditions on fiber yield and composition of parsley stalks extract (PSE). Following the optimization, PSE and untreated fibers (PF) were incorporated as filler into gum Arabic–sodium alginate-based films, and film properties such as water vapor permeability, optical and thermal properties, Fourier transform infrared spectra and surface morphology of the films were analyzed for evaluating the compatibility of these fillers with the composite film matrix. The optimal extraction conditions were determined as 2% alkali, sample:alkali ratio of 0.0276 and extraction temperature of 40 °C. PSE extracted at optimal conditions was added to the composite films, and water vapor permeability and optical properties were improved by up to 10% PSE compared to films with PF.
Effects of Drying Methods on Taste Components and Flavor Characterization of Cordyceps militaris
Authors: Zhang Man , Xing Suhui , Fu Cuncun , Fang Fan , Liu Jun , Kan Juan , Qian Chunlu , Chai Qingqing , Jin Changhai
Published: December 2022

The influences of four drying methods (hot air drying (HAD), vacuum freeze drying (VFD), vacuum drying (VD) and intermittent microwave combined with hot air drying (MW-HAD)) on the taste profile and flavor characteristic of Cordyceps militaris were investigated. MW-HAD samples had the highest levels of umami taste 5′-nucleotides, bitter taste amino acids, and equivalent umami concentration (EUC) value. The aroma fingerprints and differences of dried Cordyceps militaris were established by GC-MS with odor activity values (OAVs) and GC-IMS with principal component analysis (PCA). GC-MS data showed that the predominant volatiles of dried samples were aldehydes, alcohols, and ketones. VFD samples had the highest amount of total aroma compounds and C8 compounds. Moreover, 21 aroma-active components (OAVs ≥ 1) were the main contributors to the flavor of dried Cordyceps militaris. The OAVs of 1-octen-3-one and 3-octanone associated with mushroom-like odor in VFD were significantly higher than other samples. Furthermore, a significant difference in flavor compounds of four dried samples was also clearly demonstrated by GC-IMS analysis with PCA. GC-IMS analysis revealed that VFD samples had the most abundant flavor compounds. Overall, MW-HAD was an effective drying method to promote umami taste, and VFD could superiorly preserve volatiles and characteristic aroma compounds in dried Cordyceps militaris.
Improving Student Feedback Literacy in e-Assessments: A Framework for the Higher Education Context
Authors: Wongvorachan Tarid , Bulut Okan , Tsai Yi-Shan , Lindner Marlit A.
Published: December 2022

For students, feedback received from their instructors can make a big difference in their learning by translating their assessment performance into future learning opportunities. To date, researchers have proposed various feedback literacy frameworks, which concern one’s ability to interpret and use feedback for their learning, to promote students’ feedback engagement by repositioning them as active participants in the learning process. However, the current feedback literacy frameworks have not been adapted to digital or e-Assessment settings despite the increasing use of e-Assessments (e.g., computer-based tests, intelligent tutoring systems) in practice. To address this gap, this conceptual paper introduces a feedback literacy model in the context of e-Assessments to present an intersection between e-Assessment features and the ecological model of feedback literacy for more effective feedback practices in digital learning environments. This paper could serve as a guideline to improve feedback effectiveness and its perceived value in e-Assessment to enhance student feedback literacy.
Analysis of Marine Microplastic Pollution of Disposable Masks under COVID-19 Epidemic—A DPSIR Framework
Authors: Song Ge , Cao Hu , Liu Lanyi , Jin Min
Published: December 2022

Marine microplastic pollution (MMP) is becoming one of the most pressing environmental problems facing humanity today. The novel coronavirus epidemic has raised the issue of environmental contamination caused by large-scale improper disposal of medical waste such as disposable masks (DMs). To assess the impact of MMP caused by DMs and to seek solutions for the prevention and control of MMP, this study uses the Driving force-Pressure-State-Impact-Response (DPSIR) framework to establish a causal chain of MMP caused by DMs. The conclusion shows that the novel coronavirus epidemic has led to a surge in the use of DMs, which has brought pressure on resource constraints and environmental pollution at the same time. Improperly DMs enter the environment and eventually transform into MMP, which not only endangers the marine ecological system but also poses potential human health risks as well as economic and social hazards. In addition, further research on environmentally friendly masks (cloth masks and biodegradable masks) is essential to mitigate the environmental damage caused by the large-scale global use of DMs. This study provides a scientific and theoretical basis for the assessment of MMP from discarded DMs, and the findings of this study will provide a reference for the formulation of relevant policies.