bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ACCOUNTING FOR WORKS OF ART AND COLLECTIONS – TANGIBLE FIXED ASSETS – IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CZECH LEGISLATION IN FORCE AND THE PROPOSAL OF NEW ACCOUNTING PROCEDURES
Authors: KABOURKOVÁ KRISTINA
Published: April 2023

The paper deals with the analysis of current Czech accounting procedures in the case of accounting for the works of art and collections, which are tangible fixed assets. The aim of paper is to assess the current accounting procedures of this issue and the proposal of new procedures. The method of process analysis examines the valid methodological procedures and characterizes their pros and cons. It has been found out that charging the works of art, which are tangible fixed assets, is in contradiction to the Accounting Act in accordance with the Czech legislation in force, as the result is not a faithful representation of the current value of entity’s assets. The works of art – tangible fixed assets, are represented in acquisition price in accounting. If the works of art are a part of structure, they are depreciated simultaneously with it. If they are represented independently, their value never changes in accounting in the course of time. Current accounting fails to reflect the increase of artwork value in the course of time. Therefore, it fails to provide a true image of entity’s assets and financial situation. The advantage of this way of charging is a fact that it is not demanding for an entity in terms finance and labor. New accounting procedures, which would enable the representation of the current artwork value, both its increase and its decrease, e.g. damage, are proposed in the paper. It would be possible to account for the increased market value on the basis of expert opinion in the given asset account in relation to the account in the group 58 in the 4th account class. It would be possible to account for the temporary decreased value with the help of adjustments, in the case of a permanent value decrease, in accordance with the expert opinion, the value of the given asset account would decrease in relation to the account in the group 54. The pros and cons of the proposed methodology are defined. The user would obtain current information about the value and structure of given entity’s assets. However, the adoption of the new methodology would be significantly demanding for an entity in terms finance and time.
Exosomes’ Role in the Early Diagnosis, Progression, and Therapy of Oral and Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors:   Faculty of Dentistry, Near East University, Nicosia, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus., Anvar Yaldasadat , Al-Haideri Maysoon ,   College of Pharmacy, Cihan University-Erbil , Kurdistan Region, Iraq., Mohammad Talar Ahmad Merza ,   Hawler Medical University, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacology, Kurdistan Region-Iraq, Erbil, Iraq., Chartrand Max Stanley ,   DigiCare Behavioral Research, Casa Grande, AZ, USA., Pathak Yashwant ,   Taneja College of Pharmacy, University of South Florida Tampa, FL 33612, USA., Khademnezhad Sahar ,   Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Medicine, School of Dentistry, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran
Published: April 2023

Oral cancer includes about 2% of all malignancies, whereas the most prevalent kind is Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC), which constitutes for 90% of oral cancers with a poor prognosis and a superior local relapse. Since OSCC often spreads to lymph nodes in its advanced stages, the investigation of new treatment methods should be prioritized. Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma (HNSCC) is one of the predominant malignant tumors influencing human health as a result of late diagnosis and a superior rate of invasion. HNSCC patients have an overall poor survival rate despite recent improvements in treatment techniques. Hence, developing more efficient strategies continues to be a major concern. Small membrane vesicles known as exosomes are found in bodily fluids and are produced by endosomes. They have a range of mRNAs, non-coding RNAs, proteins, circular RNAs, ribosomal RNAs, tsRNAs, and piRNAs. Regulating the tumor microenvironment by exosomes provides the conditions for cancer expansion, and the transfer of their constituents to target cells is associated with the colonization, metastasis, and proliferation of OSCC and HNSCC. In the current study, we examine the part exosomes play in the emergence and identification of OSCC and HNSCC, besides their possible use in the therapy of these cancers.
Development of Music Program Based on Co-op Co-op Model using Metaverse: Focusing on the 2022 Revised Curriculum
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Park Hyunjin , Yi Sooyon
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study is to apply digital technology to the education according to 2022 revised educational curriculum, it is to develop music program for cooperative learning by use of metaverse platform and build a virtual space. The method of this study developed a music program and built a virtual education space according to Walker’s model of platfrom, deliberation and design stages. This study reviewed previous studies and theoretical backgrounds, and developed music programs and evaluation tools based on Co-op Co-op model. A virtual space was built using the metaverse. ZEP platform to explore the possibility of utilization. The music programs in virtual space were built as a classroom, a cooperative classroom for group activity and music museum. Active participation in these virtual learning spaces suggested the possibility of increasing digital literacy, cooperative communication competency. In future, it is expected that research will be conducted to verify effectiveness through applying for educational field and to explore efficient utilization methods.
A Case Study on the Promotion of Sharing Liberal Arts Curriculum in Regional-Based Universities
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Lee Yeonjoo , Yoo Jisung
Published: April 2023

This study was conducted as a basic study to review shared subjects and methods necessary for sharing liberal arts education by regional-based universities. It targeted liberal arts education courses at three universities in Chungbuk, which form a consensus on regional-based shared universities. In order to supplement the tribal curriculum with mutual strengths, the liberal arts curriculum of each university was compared and analyzed, and the strong and tribal curriculum were extracted and presented. In addition, the evaluation and method of sharing liberal arts were investigated through a survey on students' perceptions of sharing liberal arts subjects. As a result, students preferred the 'video recording method' as the sharing method of shared curriculum, and the 'Pass/Non-pass' method was selected by the most students as the evaluation method. This study is meaningful in suggesting implications for subject selection, evaluation, and sharing methods when regional-based universities promote cultural sharing in the future.
Social Network Analysis on Xenophobia Recognized by Local Residents in Tourist Destinations: Focusing on Comparative Analysis of Overtourism Situation and COVID-19 Situation
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Han Jinseok , Im Chunyeun
Published: April 2023

This study conducted a social network analysis based on the perception of local residents in tourist destinations for a more in-depth study of the Xenophobia phenomenon. Semantic network analysis, one of the big data analysis methods, was applied. An analysis of the difference between the period of overtourism and the period of Covid 19 was conducted.As a result, in the situation of overtourism, the phenomenon of Genopovia was more dominant among considerations of the genopovian phenomenon and economic situation. In the Covid-19 situation, the difference was drawn that the consideration of the economic situation was more dominant among the considerations of the Xenophobic phenomenon and the economic situation. Theoretically, by conducting Xenophobic research in the field of tourism, it contributed to the external expansion of research in the field of tourism on hate phenomena. In practice, the basis for this was provided to prepare countermeasures to the government, local governments, and the tourism industry.
The Effect of Learning Agility on E-learning Flow in University Student in the Department of Military Studies
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Kim Seounghyun , Choi Soonwon
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate the effect of learning agility on e-learning flow in university student in the department of military studies. For this purpose, a structured questionnaire was conducted using verified diagnostic tools such as Park Jeong-yeol (2019) for 221 college students, and then analyzed using the SPSS 26 statistical package program. As a result of multiple regression analysis of learning agility and its sub-elements as an influence variable and learning flow as an outcome variable, the effect of learning agility on learning immersion was significant, and 'critical reflection' had a positive effect on the sub-factor. This means that learning agility and e-learning flow can be improved through an increase in activities (for critical reflecting). It can be interpreted as reflecting the characteristics of the university student in the Department of Military Studies, which provides both higher education and vocational education at the same time. The significance, implications, limitations, and future research directions of other studies were discussed.
A Study on the Participation of Visual Impaired People in Video Production Program
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Kim Haekyoung , Auy Unkyoung , kim Jiwon
Published: April 2023

The purpose of this study was to examine what the experiences of visually impaired people participating in video production programs mean to them. In this paper, we used participation observation records, and comments from interviews by eight blind people who participated in the barrier-free video production program. After that, 9 categories and 23 concepts were derived as a result of collecting and analyzing transcription data. First, we found that the visually impaired people were self-depressed by negative thinking that they were making visual-centered video production, before participating in the program. Second, the visually impaired people had a positive experience of thinking about the direction of developmental growth while participating in the program. and felt the joy of learning in the process of using devices or magnetizing experiences without a purpose. Third, they discovered hope hidden by disability, set new goals, and attempted to plan. Based on these research results, implications for education for visually impaired people to demonstrate their capabilities and experience in various ways beyond the limitations of disability were presented.
Exploring the Possibility of Online Theater Performance through the TOE Framework
Authors:   The Korean Society of Culture and Convergence, Jun Jongwoo , Kim Doingil , Lee Daehyun
Published: April 2023

This study explores the possibility of performing a play non-face-to-face. As a result of the in-depth interview study, non-face-to-face performances were necessary and online performance is possible even with the current technology. It can be a useful method for people who have physical mobility difficulties. However, they pointed out the lack of a sense of realism. The difference from on-site performances was pointed out as a problem. The technology of hologram is necessary which was impossible due to economic problems. Respondents said the need of the government or business support. Most respondents responded that they would do if profits were guaranteed. Although the theatrical world values tradition and shows resistance to change, they thought that introducing new technology was essential in the long run. Along with external support, they thought it was necessary to introduce a platform exclusively for plays.
Review on the Gamma Function and Error Correction
Authors: Annamalai Chinnaraji
Published: April 2023

This paper presents a newly extended gamma function for positive real number x≥1 and correct the error in the existing gamma function. The newly extended gamma function is a special function to compute the factorial for positive real values by the integral.
A small-diameter vascular graft immobilized peptides for capturing endothelial colony-forming cells
Authors: Tang Yaqi , Yin Lu , Gao Shuai , Long Xiaojing , Du Zhanhui , Zhou Yingchao , Zhao Shuiyan , Cao Yue , Pan Silin
Published: April 2023

Combining synthetic polymers and biomacromolecules prevents the occurrence of thrombogenicity and intimal hyperplasia in small-diameter vascular grafts (SDVGs). In the present study, an electrospinning poly (L)-lactic acid (PLLA) bilayered scaffold is developed to prevent thrombosis after implantation by promoting the capture and differentiation of endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs). The scaffold consists of an outer PLLA scaffold and an inner porous PLLA biomimetic membrane combined with heparin (Hep), peptide Gly-Gly-Gly-Arg-Glu-Asp-Val (GGG-REDV), and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and contact angle goniometry were performed to determine successful synthesis. The tensile strength of the outer layer was obtained using the recorded stress/strain curves, and hemocompatibility was evaluated using the blood clotting test. The proliferation, function, and differentiation properties of ECFCs were measured on various surfaces. Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the morphology of ECFCs on the surface. The outer layer of scaffolds exhibited a similar strain and stress performance as the human saphenous vein via the tensile experiment. The contact angle decreased continuously until it reached 56° after REDV/VEGF modification, and SEM images of platelet adhesion showed a better hemocompatibility surface after modification. The ECFCs were captured using the REDV + VEGF + surface successfully under flow conditions. The expression of mature ECs was constantly increased with the culture of ECFCs on REDV + VEGF + surfaces. SEM images showed that the ECFCs captured by the REDV + VEGF + surface formed capillary-like structures after 4 weeks of culture. The SDVGs modified by REDV combined with VEGF promoted ECFC capture and rapid differentiation into ECs, forming capillary-like structures in vitro. The bilayered SDVGs could be used as vascular devices that achieved a high patency rate and rapid re-endothelialization.
Glucose determination in human serum by applying inner filter effect quenching mechanism of upconversion nanoparticles
Authors: Chen Xiaojiao , Yang Zhiying , Chen Qiong , Zhang Youyu
Published: April 2023

Accurate blood glucose determination is essential to the clinical diagnosis and management of diabetes. This work establishes an inner filter effect (IFE) strategy between upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) and quinone-imine complex for glucose monitoring in human serum simply and efficiently. In this system, the enzyme glucose oxidase (GOx) catalyzes the reaction of glucose into hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and gluconic acid when compulsion by oxygen. In the presence of horseradish peroxidase (HRP), the produced H2O2 can catalytically oxidize phenol and 4-amino antipyrine (4-AAP) to generate quinone-imine products. The purple-colored quinone-imine complex effectively absorbed the fluorescence of NaYF4:Yb3+, Er3+ UCNPs, leading to the strong fluorescence quenching of UCNPs through IFE. Thus, a new approach was established for glucose monitoring by determining the fluorescence intensity. Under the optimal condition, this approach shows better linearity to glucose from 2–240 μmol/L with a low detection limit at 1.0 μmol/L. Owing to the excellent fluorescence property and background-free interference of the UCNPs, the biosensor was applied for glucose measurements in human serum and got a satisfactory result. Furthermore, this sensitive and selective biosensor revealed great potential for the quantitative analysis of blood glucose or different kinds of H2O2-involved biomolecules for the application of clinical diagnosis.
Understanding neural development and diseases using CRISPR screens in human pluripotent stem cell-derived cultures
Authors: Ahmed Mai , Muffat Julien , Li Yun
Published: April 2023

The brain is arguably the most complex part of the human body in form and function. Much remains unclear about the molecular mechanisms that regulate its normal and pathological physiology. This lack of knowledge largely stems from the inaccessible nature of the human brain, and the limitation of animal models. As a result, brain disorders are difficult to understand and even more difficult to treat. Recent advances in generating human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs)-derived 2-dimensional (2D) and 3-dimensional (3D) neural cultures have provided an accessible system to model the human brain. Breakthroughs in gene editing technologies such as CRISPR/Cas9 further elevate the hPSCs into a genetically tractable experimental system. Powerful genetic screens, previously reserved for model organisms and transformed cell lines, can now be performed in human neural cells. Combined with the rapidly expanding single-cell genomics toolkit, these technological advances culminate to create an unprecedented opportunity to study the human brain using functional genomics. This review will summarize the current progress of applying CRISPR-based genetic screens in hPSCs-derived 2D neural cultures and 3D brain organoids. We will also evaluate the key technologies involved and discuss their related experimental considerations and future applications.
A highly sensitive colorimetric approach based on tris (bipyridine) Ruthenium (II/III) mediator for the enzymatic detection of phenylalanine
Authors: Messina Maria Anna , Maugeri Ludovica , Forte Giuseppe , Ruggieri Martino , Petralia Salvatore
Published: April 2023

The accurate monitoring of phenylalanine concentration plays a prominent role in the treatment of phenylketonuria (PKU). In this study, we present an enzymatic assay based on Phenylalanine Dehydrogenase/NAD+ and tris (bipyridine) Ruthenium (II/III) as a colorimetric mediator for the detection of Phenylalanine concentration. The amount of amino acid was quantitatively recognized by optical absorption measurements at 452 nm through the conversion of Ru (byp)33+ to Ru (byp)32+, which is induced by the neoformed NADH. A detection limit of 0.33 µM, a limit of quantification of 1.01 µM, and a sensitivity of 36.6 a.u nM−1 were obtained. The proposed method was successfully tested using biological specimens from patients affected by hyperphenylalaninemia. The proposed enzymatic assay showed a high selectivity, making it a promising alternative for the development of versatile assays for the detection of phenylalanine in diluted serums.
Spectrum sensing-focused cognitive radio network for 5G revolution
Authors: Ali Farhan , Yigang He
Published: April 2023

The cognitive radio network (CRN), an instrumental part of the next-generation wireless communication systems, is mainly dependent on spectrum sensing to function properly. The radio spectrum can help in clean energy transition and load capacity factors by providing a more efficient and accurate spectrum utilization. By using it, the number of spectrums that is used for communication can be optimized, which can reduce the amount of energy consumed by the network. Additionally, 5G radio spectrum sensing can be used to identify and classify different types of signals, which can help reduce the amount of interference in the network and improve the efficiency of energy utilization. It can also allow for the digitization of clean energy infrastructure and facilitate better decision-making processes that take into account environmental impacts while optimizing energy use because of its efficient characteristics like non-linearity, detection, scalability, robustness, generalization, non-stationarity in wireless environments, dynamic entity, weighted sum of Gaussian functions centered at specific frequencies, and robustness against noise and interference. It can adapt to noise and interference by adjusting its parameters, and this allows accurate distinguishing between primary and secondary users in the wireless spectrum, which is why a radial basis function is a popular choice for spectrum sensing in 5G networks. Radial basis function networks (RBFNs) can work better in 5G spectrum sensing for better signal classification, dynamic adaptation, fast detection, faster decision-making, and improved noise and interference reduction. One of the most sought-after goals in the field of wireless research is the creation of spectrum-sensing technology that is dependable and intelligent because multilayer learning approaches are inappropriate for dealing with time-series data due to the higher misclassification rate and inherent computational complexity. To address this, the study proposed the radial basis function network that learns the temporal aspects from spectral data and makes use of additional environmental statistics such as frequency, efficiency, energy, spectrum allocation, distance, and duty-cycle time, which are considered environmental data that may be used to fine-tune sensor performance. The scheme is simulated with real-time parameters, and the results are quite promising in terms of evaluation parameters.
Predicting individual-specific cardiotoxicity responses induced by tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Authors: Shim Jaehee V. , Xiong Yuguang , Dhanan Priyanka , Dariolli Rafael , Azeloglu Evren U. , Hu Bin , Jayaraman Gomathi , Schaniel Christoph , Birtwistle Marc R. , Iyengar Ravi , Dubois Nicole C. , Sobie Eric A.
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Tyrosine kinase inhibitor drugs (TKIs) are highly effective cancer drugs, yet many TKIs are associated with various forms of cardiotoxicity. The mechanisms underlying these drug-induced adverse events remain poorly understood. We studied mechanisms of TKI-induced cardiotoxicity by integrating several complementary approaches, including comprehensive transcriptomics, mechanistic mathematical modeling, and physiological assays in cultured human cardiac myocytes.

Methods: Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) from two healthy donors were differentiated into cardiac myocytes (iPSC-CMs), and cells were treated with a panel of 26 FDA-approved TKIs. Drug-induced changes in gene expression were quantified using mRNA-seq, changes in gene expression were integrated into a mechanistic mathematical model of electrophysiology and contraction, and simulation results were used to predict physiological outcomes.

Results: Experimental recordings of action potentials, intracellular calcium, and contraction in iPSC-CMs demonstrated that modeling predictions were accurate, with 81% of modeling predictions across the two cell lines confirmed experimentally. Surprisingly, simulations of how TKI-treated iPSC-CMs would respond to an additional arrhythmogenic insult, namely, hypokalemia, predicted dramatic differences between cell lines in how drugs affected arrhythmia susceptibility, and these predictions were confirmed experimentally. Computational analysis revealed that differences between cell lines in the upregulation or downregulation of particular ion channels could explain how TKI-treated cells responded differently to hypokalemia.

Discussion: Overall, the study identifies transcriptional mechanisms underlying cardiotoxicity caused by TKIs, and illustrates a novel approach for integrating transcriptomics with mechanistic mathematical models to generate experimentally testable, individual-specific predictions of adverse event risk.
A novel signature of cuproptosis-related lncRNAs predicts prognosis in glioma: Evidence from bioinformatic analysis and experiments
Authors: Chen Di , Xu Yuan , Gao Xueping , Zhu Xuqiang , Liu Xianzhi , Yan Dongming
Published: April 2023

Background: Glioma patients often experience unfavorable outcomes and elevated mortality rates. Our study established a prognostic signature utilizing cuproptosis-associated long non-coding RNAs (CRLs) and identified novel prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for glioma.

Methods: The expression profiles and related data of glioma patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas, an accessible online database. We then constructed a prognostic signature using CRLs and evaluated the prognosis of glioma patients by means of Kaplan-Meier survival curves and receiver operating characteristic curves. A nomogram based on clinical features was employed to predict the individual survival probability of glioma patients. Functional enrichment analysis was conducted to identify crucial CRL-related enriched biological pathways. The role of LEF1-AS1 in glioma was validated in two glioma cell lines (T98 and U251).

Results: We developed and validated a prognostic model for glioma with 9 CRLs. Patients with low-risk had a considerably longer overall survival (OS). The prognostic CRL signature may serve independently as an indicator of prognosis for glioma patients. In addition, functional enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment of multiple immunological pathways. Notable differences were observed between the two risk groups in terms of immune cell infiltration, function, and immune checkpoints. We further identified four drugs based on their different IC50 values from the two risk groups. Subsequently, we discovered two molecular subtypes of glioma (cluster one and cluster two), with the cluster one subtype exhibiting a remarkably longer OS compared to the cluster two subtype. Finally, we observed that inhibition of LEF1-AS1 curbed the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells.

Conclusion: The CRL signatures were confirmed as a reliable prognostic and therapy response indicator for glioma patients. Inhibition of LEF1-AS1 effectively suppressed the growth, migration, and invasion of gliomas; therefore, LEF1-AS1 presents itself as a promising prognostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for glioma.
Long-term effects of lumacaftor/ivacaftor on paranasal sinus abnormalities in children with cystic fibrosis detected with magnetic resonance imaging
Authors: Wucherpfennig Lena , Wuennemann Felix , Eichinger Monika , Seitz Angelika , Baumann Ingo , Stahl Mirjam , Graeber Simon Y. , Zhao Shengkai , Chung Jaehi , Schenk Jens-Peter , Alrajab Abdulsattar , Kauczor Hans-Ulrich , Mall Marcus A. , Sommerburg Olaf , Wielpütz Mark O.
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) usually presents with nasal congestion, rhinorrhea and anosmia impacts quality of life in cystic fibrosis (CF). Especially mucopyoceles pathognomonic for CRS in CF may cause complications such as spread of infection. Previous studies using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated early onset and progression of CRS from infancy to school age in patients with CF, and mid-term improvements of CRS in preschool and school-age children with CF treated with lumacaftor/ivacaftor for at least 2 months. However, long-term data on treatment effects on paranasal sinus abnomalities in preschool and school-age children with CF are lacking.

Methods: 39 children with CF homozygous for F508del (mean age at baseline MRI 5.9 ± 3.0 years, range 1-12 years) underwent MRI before (MRI1) and about 7 months after starting lumacaftor/ivacaftor and then annually (median 3 follow-up MRI, range 1–4) (MRI2-4). MRI were evaluated using the previously evaluated CRS-MRI score with excellent inter-reader agreement. For intraindividual analysis ANOVA mixed-effects analysis including Geisser-Greenhouse correction and Fisher’s exact test, and for interindividual group analysis Mann-Whitney test were used.

Results: The CRS-MRI sum score at baseline was similar in children starting lumacaftor/ivacaftor in school age and children starting therapy at preschool age (34.6 ± 5.2 vs.32.9 ± 7.8, p = 0.847). Mucopyoceles were the dominant abnormality in both, especially in maxillary sinus (65% and 55%, respectively). In children starting therapy in school age the CRS-MRI sum score decreased longitudinally from MRI1 to MRI2 (−2.1 ± 3.5, p < 0.05), MRI3 (−3.0 ± 3.7, p < 0.01) and MRI4 (−3.6 ± 4.7, p < 0.01), mainly due to a decrease in the mucopyoceles subscore (−1.0 ± 1.5, p = 0.059; −1.2 ± 2.0, p < 0.05; −1.6 ± 1.8, p < 0.01; and −2.6 ± 2.8, p = 0.417, respectively). In children starting lumacaftor/ivacaftor in preschool age, the CRS-MRI sum score remained stable under therapy over all three follow-up MRI (0.6 ± 3.3, p = 0.520; 2.4 ± 7.6, p = 0.994; 2.1 ± 10.5, p > 0.999 and −0.5 ± 0.5, p = 0.740; respectively).

Conclusion: Longitudinal paranasal sinus MRI shows improvements in paranasal sinus abnormalities in children with CF starting lumacaftor/ivacaftor therapy at school age. Further, MRI detects a prevention of an increase in paranasal sinus abnormalities in children with CF starting lumacaftor/ivacaftor therapy at preschool age. Our data support the role of MRI for comprehensive non-invasive therapy and disease monitoring of paranasal sinus abnormalities in children with CF.
Lymphoscintigraphic alterations in lower limbs in women with lipedema in comparison to women with overweight/obesity
Authors: Chachaj Angelika , Dudka Ilona , Jeziorek Małgorzata , Sowicz Monika , Adaszyńska Agnieszka , Szuba Andrzej
Published: April 2023

Introduction: Lipedema is a bilateral enlargement of the legs due to abnormal depositions of subcutaneous fat. Recent studies using lymphoscintigraphy documented that lipedema associates with lymphatic alterations. It is still not known, whether non-lipedema obesity also leads to similar lymphoscintigraphic changes within lower legs. Clinically, both, lipedema and obesity may progress to secondary lymphedema. The aim of the study was to evaluate lymphoscintigraphy of lower limbs in women with lipedema in comparison to overweight/obese women.

Methods: 51 women (in the mean age of 43.3 ± 13.56) with the diagnosis of lipedema and 31 women (in the mean age of 44.7 ± 13.48) with overweight/obesity were enrolled into the study. Women in both study groups had no clinical signs of lymphedema. The groups were matched by mean volume of their legs, calculated using the formula for a truncated cone. Lymphoscintigraphy was evaluated in every women qualitatively. Body composition parameters were assessed using bioelectric impedance analysis (BIA).

Results: Lymphoscintigraphic alterations within lower extremities were similar in both, lipedema and overweight/obese groups and were present in majority of women in both study groups. The most common lymphoscintigraphic alteration in both groups were additional lymphatic vessels (in the lipedema group observed in 76.5% of patients and in the overweight/obesity group – in 93.5%). Visualization of popliteal lymph nodes and dermal backflow were observed respectively in 33% and in 5.9% in the group with lipedema and in 45.2% and in 9.7% in the overweight/obesity group. There were significant relationships between severity of lymphoscintigraphic alterations and weight, lean body mass (LBM), total body water (TBW), volume of both legs and thigh circumference in the lipedema group. Such relationships were absent in the overweight/obesity group.

Discussion: Our study indicates that lymphatic alterations are present before development to clinically visible secondary lymphedema in both conditions, lipedema and overweight/obesity. In majority of women from both study groups they indicate rather an overload of the lymphatic system than insufficiency. Lymphoscintigraphic alterations are similar in both groups, therefore, lymphoscintigraphy is not a diagnostic tool that might distinguish lipedema from overweight/obesity.
Older postmenopausal women with lower lean mass have hypermethylated sites in the PI3K-Akt pathway
Authors: Correia Igor Massari , da Silva Rodrigues Guilherme , Noronha Natália Yumi , Watanabe Lígia Moriguchi , Luciano de Almeida Mariana , Sobrinho Andressa Crystine da Silva , Nonino Carla Barbosa , Bueno Júnior Carlos Roberto
Published: April 2023

Introduction: The decrease in lean mass is directly related to the loss of independence, muscle strength, and worse quality of life over the years. Although the genetic determinants of muscle mass were well recognized, recent literature has been uncovering new epigenetic factors affecting the state of muscular tissue. This study aimed to verify differences in the DNA methylation profile among Brazilian postmenopausal women aged 50–70 years according to the lean mass evaluation.

Methods: A cross-sectional study comprised 40 women aged 50–70 years. After K-means cluster analysis the 40 participants were divided into two groups, the Lower Lean Mass group with 20 participants (61.1 ± 4.6 years) and the Higher Lean Mass group with 20 participants (60.7 ± 3.2 years). Lean mass was measured by dual-energy X-ray emission densitometry (DEXA). The participants' DNA was extracted using the Salting Out technique and subsequently, the Illumina 850k EPIC Infinium Methylation BeadChip was performed to obtain methylation data.

Results: We obtained 1,913 differentially methylated sites (p ≤ 0.005 of β > 5% and β < −5%) in a total of 979 genes between groups (p ≤ 0.005; −5% > β > 5%). In addition, the PI3K-Akt pathway had the greatest power of significance with an FDR of 4.6 × 10–3.

Conclusion: Our results demonstrate a differentiation between specific sites of different genes, which have essential functions in body composition and energy metabolism, supporting future studies that aim to relate lean mass with epigenetics.
Can Self-Similarity Processes Be Reflected by the Power-Law Dependencies?
Authors: Nigmatullin Raoul R. , Sabatier Jocelyn
Published: April 2023

This work was greatly influenced by the opinions of one of the authors (JS), who demonstrated in a recent book that it is important to distinguish between “fractal models” and “fractal” (power-law) behaviors. According to the self-similarity principle (SSP), the authors of this study completely distinguish between independent “fractal” (power-law) behavior and the “fractal models”, which result from the solution of equations incorporating non-integer differentiation/integration operators. It is feasible to demonstrate how many random curves resemble one another and how they can be predicted by functions with real and complex-conjugated power-law exponents. Bellman’s inequality can be used to demonstrate that the generalized geometric mean, not the arithmetic mean, which is typically recognized as the fundamental criterion in the signal processing field, corresponds to the global fitting minimum. To highlight the efficiency of the proposed algorithms, they are applied to two sets of data: one without a clearly expressed power-law behavior, the other containing clear power-law dependence.
Line Clipping in 3D: Overview, Techniques and Algorithms
Authors: Matthes Dimitrios , Drakopoulos Vasileios
Published: April 2023

Clipping algorithms essentially compute the intersection of the clipping object and the subject, so to go from two to three dimensions we replace the two-dimensional clipping object by the three-dimensional one (the view frustum). In three-dimensional graphics, the terminology of clipping can be used to describe many related features. Typically, “clipping” refers to operations in the plane that work with rectangular shapes, and “culling” refers to more general methods to selectively process scene model elements. The aim of this article is to survey important techniques and algorithms for line clipping in 3D, but it also includes some of the latest research performed by the authors.
Experimental Study of the Bending Behaviour of the Neovius Porous Structure Made Additively from Aluminium Alloy
Authors: Monkova Katarina , Monka Peter Pavol , Žaludek Milan , Beňo Pavel , Hricová Romana , Šmeringaiová Anna
Published: April 2023

Porous materials bring components not only direct advantages in the form of lightening of constructions, saving of production materials, or improvement of physical properties, but also secondary advantages, which are manifested as a result of their daily use, e.g., in aviation and the automotive industry, which is manifested in saving fuel and, thus, environmental protection. The aim of this article is to examine the influence of the volume ratio of a complex porous structure, the so-called Neovius, on bending properties. Samples with five different relative weights of 15, 20, 25, 30, and 50% (±1%) were fabricated from AlSi10Mg aluminum alloy by Direct Laser Metal Sintering (DLMS) technology. A three-point bending test until specimen failure was performed at ambient temperature on a Zwick/Roell 1456 universal testing machine. The dependences of the bending forces on the deflection were recorded. The maximum stresses, energy absorption, and ductility indexes were calculated to compare the bending behavior of beams filled with this type of complex cellular structure. The results showed that Neovius, with a relative weight of 50%, was much more brittle compared to the other samples, while the Neovius structure, with a relative weight of 30%, appeared to be the most suitable structure for bent components among those tested. This study is a contribution not only to the development of the space and aviation industry but also to the expansion of the knowledge base in the field of material sciences. This know-how can also provide a basis for defining boundary conditions in the simulation of behavior and numerical analyses of 3D-printed lightweight components.
Effect of Structural Materials on Monopropellant Thruster Propulsion Performance in Micro Scale
Authors: Huh Jeongmoo , Park Ki Sun
Published: April 2023

This paper reports on the effect of structural materials on heat loss-associated propulsion performance degradation of monopropellant thrusters in the micro scale. In order to address the effect of fabrication materials on heat loss, propellant flow characteristics, and propulsion performance, a conjugate heat transfer numerical study has been conducted considering several practical substrate candidates for microthrusters. The results were analyzed with respect to the thermal diffusivity of the materials, which revealed different propulsion performance characteristics and inner nozzle flow characteristics due to varying amounts of heat loss, depending on the microfabrication materials used and propellant enthalpies. Regardless of propellant enthalpies, however, there was a dramatic degradation in the amount of the thrust produced with respect to thermal diffusivity, particularly in the range of low thermal diffusivity. Glass, among the material types compatible with fabrication processes in regard to microthrusters, exhibited a 4% degradation in thrust performance for the 50 mN class microthruster considered, with the least degradation, while copper, with 7% degradation, exhibited the greatest amount of degradation among the materials considered. With varying chamber pressure and Mach number at the nozzle exit depending on structural materials, the results also indicated the necessity of heat loss consideration in a microthruster design process.
Optimal Design and Analysis of a High-Load Supersonic Compressor Based on a Surrogate Model
Authors: Zhou Shiji , Zhao Shengfeng , Zhou Chuangxin , Wu Yunfeng , Yuan Hang , Lu Xingen
Published: April 2023

To explore the internal flow mechanism and improve the performance of a supersonic compressor, an efficient global optimization design method was developed for an axial flow compressor and applied in the optimization design of a prototype supersonic compressor. Based on the multiple circular arc (MCA) blade parameters, the method can be used to parameterize the elementary stage of the blade. The optimized solution is obtained by changing the elementary stage and stacking lines of the blade during the optimization process. It has the advantages of fewer optimization variables, strong physical intuition, and a smooth surface. The optimization results show that a change in the rotor blade shape parameters has a significant effect on the compressor efficiency under design conditions, while a change in the skewed-swept parameters of the stator is the main factor that improves the compressor’s performance under near-stall conditions. Further numerical results show that the optimized rotor changes the form of the shock, weakens the degree of shock boundary layer interference, inhibits the radial migration flow of the supersonic rotor, reduces the loss of the rotor blade top, and improves the performance of the compressor under design conditions. The stator’s optimization restrains the generation of a concentrated shedding vortex at the root of the blades and greatly improves the stall margin of the compressor. Finally, the total pressure ratio and flow rate are less than 1% of the values based on the prototype operating conditions, the design mass flow of the optimized high-load supersonic compressor is increased by 0.25%, the isentropic efficiency is increased by 1.05%, and the stall margin is enhanced by 3.5%, thus verifying the effectiveness of the optimization method.
Flight Control Law for Stabilizing Transient Response of the Aircraft during Gun Firing
Authors: Ji Chang-ho , Kim Chongsup , Kim Byoung Soo
Published: April 2023

Highly maneuverable fighter aircraft are equipped with various weapons including a gun firing system for successful air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. In the gun firing system, the muzzle is usually positioned at an offset from the centerline of the aircraft to facilitate maintainability and accessibility on the ground, to ensure the pilot’s visibility, and to avoid vibrations. However, this mounting position causes the repulsive force for gun firing to generate a moment around the center of gravity and distorts the aircraft’s attitude, degrading the accuracy of the target point. In this paper, we propose the application of an additional augmentation control method, as a hybrid INDI control, that combines model- and sensor-based incremental nonlinear dynamic inversion (INDI) controls to minimize the maximum overshoot of transient response of the aircraft during gun firing. As a result of the frequency- and time-domain evaluation, the additional augmentation control can effectively reduce the transient response during gun firing. In addition, this control method is more robust against uncertainties, and its structure is simple compared to the conventional open-loop type gun compensation control since it does not require any gain scheduling according to flight conditions.
EfficientPNet—An Optimized and Efficient Deep Learning Approach for Classifying Disease of Potato Plant Leaves
Authors: Nazir Tahira , Iqbal Muhammad Munwar , Jabbar Sohail , Hussain Ayyaz , Albathan Mubarak
Published: April 2023

The potato plant is amongst the most significant vegetable crops farmed worldwide. The output of potato crop production is significantly reduced by various leaf diseases, which poses a danger to the world’s agricultural production in terms of both volume and quality. The two most destructive foliar infections for potato plants are early and late blight triggered by Alternaria solani and Phytophthora infestans. In actuality, farm owners predict these problems by focusing primarily on the alteration in the color of the potato leaves, which is typically problematic owing to uncertainty and significant time commitment. In these circumstances, it is vital to develop computer-aided techniques that automatically identify these disorders quickly and reliably, even in their early stages. This paper aims to provide an effective solution to recognize the various types of potato diseases by presenting a deep learning (DL) approach called EfficientPNet. More specifically, we introduce an end-to-end training-oriented approach by using the EfficientNet-V2 network to recognize various potato leaf disorders. A spatial-channel attention method is introduced to concentrate on the damaged areas and enhance the approach’s recognition ability to effectively identify numerous infections. To address the problem of class-imbalanced samples and to improve network generalization ability, the EANet model is tuned using transfer learning, and dense layers are added at the end of the model structure to enhance the feature selection power of the model. The model is tested on an open and challenging dataset called PlantVillage, containing images taken in diverse and complicated background conditions, including various lightning conditions and the different color changes in leaves. The model obtains an accuracy of 98.12% on the task of classifying various potato plant leaf diseases such as late blight, early blight, and healthy leaves in 10,800 images. We have confirmed through the performed experiments that our approach is effective for potato plant leaf disease classification and can robustly tackle distorted samples. Hence, farmers can save money and harvest by using the EfficientPNet tool.
Waterlogging Effects on Soybean Physiology and Hyperspectral Reflectance during the Reproductive Stage
Authors: Adegoye Grace A. , Olorunwa Omolayo J. , Alsajri Firas A. , Walne Charles H. , Wijewandana Chaturika , Kethireddy Swatantra R. , Reddy Krishna N. , Reddy K. Raja
Published: April 2023

In humid climates, waterlogging from excessive rainfalls can be a major limiting factor for soybean production, particularly during the reproductive stage. However, there is a limited understanding of how soybean growth and physiology respond to waterlogging during this critical stage. Here, we investigated the effects of waterlogging and subsequent reoxygenation on the growth, physiology, yields, and leaf hyperspectral reflectance traits of the soybean cultivar ‘Asgrow AG5332’. The crop was grown to stage R1 (initial flowering) in outdoor pot culture conditions, and then waterlogged for 16 days. The flooded pots were drained and continuously monitored for recovery for an additional 16 days. The results showed that soil oxygen levels declined rapidly to zero in about 5 days after waterlogging, and slowly recovered in about 5–16 days. However, it did not reach the same level as the control plants, which maintained an oxygen concentration of 18%. Increasing waterlogging duration negatively affected leaf chlorophyll index, water potential, and stomatal conductance, with a consequent decline in the photosynthetic rate. Further, decreased photosynthetic rate, leaf area, and mineral nutrients resulted in lower biomass and seed yield. Pod dry weight and leaf number were the most and least sensitive parameters, respectively, decreasing by 81% and 15% after 16 days of waterlogging. Waterlogged plants also had higher reflectance in the PAR, blue, green, and red regions, and lower reflectance in the near-infrared, tissue, and water band regions, indicating changes in chemistry and pigment content. The current study reveals that the soybean crop is susceptible to waterlogging during the reproductive stage, due to poor recovery of soil oxygen levels and physiological parameters. Understanding and integrating the growth, physiology, and hyperspectral reflectance data from this study could be used to develop improved cultivars to ensure the stability of soybean production in waterlogging-prone areas.