bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Performance Improvement of a Highly Loaded Transonic Centrifugal Compressor with Tandem Impeller and Freeform Blade Configuration
Authors: Li Ziliang , Wu Yanhui , Lu Xingen
Published: December 2022

A highly loaded transonic centrifugal compressor is aerodynamically designed and numerically investigated. The objectives are to improve the compressor efficiency by using tandem impeller configuration and 3D free-formed blade design concepts. This approach has the potential to control both the transonic and distorted flows within impeller passages. The results suggest that employing the tandem impeller configuration can significantly improve the compressor efficiency by 1.4%. The efficiency gain is mainly contributed by the improved uniformity of the impeller discharge flow achieved when the newly generated inducer-shed vortices rearrange the secondary flow pattern. In addition, the location of the impeller passage shock moves downstream due to the potential effect within the tandem impeller and locally changes the back pressure of the inducer. These factors mitigate flow losses in the impeller and diffuser. Furthermore, the 3D design concepts of forward blade sweep and negative lean are employed in the tandem impeller configuration. The forward sweep design of the inducer weakens flow acceleration before the passage shock, and the negative lean design optimizes the secondary flow pattern, which yield an additional compressor efficiency improvement of 0.7%. The study conducted in this paper provides a valuable reference for future advanced transonic centrifugal compressor designs.
Financial Hazard Prediction Due to Power Outages Associated with Severe Weather-Related Natural Disaster Categories
Authors: Ali Rafal , Khosa Ikramullah , Armghan Ammar , Arshad Jehangir , Rabbani Sajjad , Alsharabi Naif , Hamam Habib
Published: December 2022

Severe weather conditions not only damage electric power infrastructure, and energy systems, but also affect millions of users, including residential, commercial or industrial consumers. Moreover, power outages due to weather-related natural disasters have been causing financial losses worth billions of US dollars. In this paper, we analyze the impact of power outages on the revenue of electric power suppliers, particularly due to the top five weather-related natural disasters. For this purpose, reliable and publicly available power outage events data are considered. The data provide the time of the outage event, the geographic region, electricity consumption and tariffs, social and economic indicators, climatological annotation, consumer category distribution, population and land area, and so forth. An exploratory analysis is carried out to reveal the impact of weather-related disasters and the associated electric power revenue risk. The top five catastrophic weather-related natural disaster categories are investigated individually to predict the related revenue loss. The most influencing parameters contributing to efficient prediction are identified and their partial dependence on revenue loss is illustrated. It was found that the electric power revenue associated with weather-related natural disasters is a function of several parameters, including outage duration, number of customers, tariffs and economic indicators. The findings of this research will help electric power suppliers estimate revenue risk, as well as authorities to make risk-informed decisions regarding the energy infrastructure and systems planning.
Design and Testing of Apparatus for Producing Dry Fog
Authors: Ochowiak Marek , Matuszak Magdalena , Włodarczak Sylwia , Krupińska Andżelika
Published: December 2022

Dry fog is a specific form of aerosol that is used in many branches of industry and many aspects of everyday life. It can be used, inter alia, to disinfect rooms or to control the level of humidity. One of its greatest advantages is undoubtedly its ability to work in the vicinity of electrical devices. Although the process of its formation and the very phenomenon of its occurrence are extremely simple things to describe, there are still many aspects that can be discovered, which are the focus of research by scientists around the world. One of the main parameters that influence the production process of dry fog is the pressure of the supplied gas, as well as the environmental conditions in which the aerosol is formed. This work focuses on the production of dry fog with the use of the designed and constructed apparatus, the structure of which is based on a jet nebulizer. The test and measurement stand is equipped with a compressor with a built-in pressure gauge for reading air pressure, a valve that allows the flow to be regulated, and an air supply and heating device that operates at various power values. The aim of this research was to check the impact of the power that is supplied to the system, as well as the impact of changing selected parameters such as gas pressure (which is one of the required media), on the liquid spraying process. The analysis of the results obtained during the experimental tests was based on the photographic method and allowed the mean Sauter volume–surface diameters of the obtained droplets to be compared. The analysis also showed that an increase in the power of the air supply and heating device translates directly into an increase in the ambient temperature in which the dry fog is formed, and contributes to the reduction of the diameter of the generated droplets. Changing the pressure of the atomized gas has a direct impact on the size of droplets in the generated aerosol—the higher the pressure, the smaller the droplets.
The Effect of a Comprehensive Corrective Exercise Program on Kyphosis Angle and Balance in Kyphotic Adolescents
Authors: Elpeze Gönül , Usgu Günseli
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a comprehensive corrective exercise program on the kyphosis angle and balance in kyphotic adolescents. A total of 62 male adolescents (between the ages of 10 and 18, mean BMI 21.7 kg/m2) with a thoracic kyphosis (TK) angle of ≥ 50° were divided into three groups using the simple randomization method: CCEP (comprehensive corrective exercise program), TEP (thoracic exercise program) and control group. The CCEP program consisted of corrective exercises plus postural perception training (PPT). Exercise programs were applied for 40–50 min, 3 days a week for 12 weeks. The kyphosis angle was measured using a flexible ruler, and balance was assessed using the Romberg index obtained from pedobarography. After training, a highly significant reduction in the kyphosis angle was observed in the CCEP and TEP groups (p < 0.001). Comparison among the groups showed a greater reduction in the kyphosis angle in the CCEP group (p < 0.020). Postural perception improved in the CCEP group versus other groups (p < 0.001). Improvement of the Romberg index (balance) was found only in the CCEP group upon within-group comparison (p < 0.001), with no difference among the groups (p > 0.05). The use of postural perception in combination with corrective exercise programs for thoracic kyphosis represents a comprehensive approach, and PPT can increase the effectiveness of the intervention.
Abdominal Lymphadenopathy: Hypothesize Cat-Scratch Disease and Avoid Abdominal Excisional Biopsy
Authors: Filipponi Valeria , Trasarti Stefania , Maccioni Francesca , Zippi Maddalena , Busato Ludovica , Arienzo Francesca , Biglietto Mario , Saullo Paolina , Giordano Carla , Caronna Roberto
Published: December 2022

The finding of lymphadenopathy is usually the consequence of a benign infection, although a neoplastic origin must always be excluded. Through a careful anamnesis, physical examination, and serological tests several differential diagnoses are frequently possible. Nevertheless, sometimes an excisional biopsy of superficial lymph nodes is required, which is the best means to reach a definitive diagnosis. More concerns arise when lymphadenopathy is only abdominal/retroperitoneal: percutaneous biopsy is often inconclusive and the excisional node biopsy becomes a surgical procedure, certainly indicated in case of malignancy but avoidable in case of inflammatory diseases. We present the case of a 30-year-old man with a deep iliac lymphadenopathy who was evaluated at the Hematological Unit of Sapienza University of Rome. The enlargement of an iliac lymph node is quite unusual for an infectious disease. Although symptoms such as pain, fever, and chills suggested it was the case, cat-scratch disease was not hypothesized. Radiological investigations did not exclude a malignant disease and a laparoscopic excisional biopsy was scheduled, but the slight improvement of his spontaneous symptoms suggested a careful follow-up. Given the lack of disappearance of lymphadenopathy, the lack of diagnosis, and an ipsilateral superficial (inguinal) lymph node with similar ultrasonographic and radiological features, the patient underwent biopsy, which disclosed a diagnosis of cat-scratch disease, avoiding more invasive surgical procedures.
Electron and Photon Interactions with Bio (Related) Molecules
Authors: Ferreira da Silva Filipe
Published: December 2022

Part of the energy deposited in biological tissue by high-energy radiation is converted to secondary electrons. The knowledge at the molecular level on radiation interaction with biological species has increased due to the contributions of many different scientists working on radiation physics and radiation chemistry. The intention of this Special Issue on electron and photon interactions with (bio) molecules is to bring together different areas of knowledge that focus on radiation interactions with matter.
Unraveling the Structural Changes in the DNA-Binding Region of Tumor Protein p53 (TP53) upon Hotspot Mutation p53 Arg248 by Comparative Computational Approach
Authors: Balasundaram Ambritha , Doss C. George Priya
Published: December 2022

The vital tissue homeostasis regulator p53 forms a tetramer when it binds to DNA and regulates the genes that mediate essential biological processes such as cell-cycle arrest, senescence, DNA repair, and apoptosis. Missense mutations in the core DNA-binding domain (109–292) simultaneously cause the loss of p53 tumor suppressor function and accumulation of the mutant p53 proteins that are carcinogenic. The most common p53 hotspot mutation at codon 248 in the DNA-binding region, where arginine (R) is substituted by tryptophan (W), glycine (G), leucine (L), proline (P), and glutamine (Q), is reported in various cancers. However, it is unclear how the p53 Arg248 mutation with distinct amino acid substitution affects the structure, function, and DNA binding affinity. Here, we characterized the pathogenicity and protein stability of p53 hotspot mutations at codon 248 using computational tools PredictSNP, Align GVGD, HOPE, ConSurf, and iStable. We found R248W, R248G, and R248P mutations highly deleterious and destabilizing. Further, we subjected all five R248 mutant-p53–DNA and wt-p53–DNA complexes to molecular dynamics simulation to investigate the structural stability and DNA binding affinity. From the MD simulation analysis, we observed increased RMSD, RMSF, and Rg values and decreased protein–DNA intermolecular hydrogen bonds in the R248-p53–DNA than the wt-p53–DNA complexes. Likewise, due to high SASA values, we observed the shrinkage of proteins in R248W, R248G, and R248P mutant-p53–DNA complexes. Compared to other mutant p53–DNA complexes, the R248W, R248G, and R248P mutant-p53–DNA complexes showed more structural alteration. MM-PBSA analysis showed decreased binding energies with DNA in all five R248-p53–DNA mutants than the wt-p53–DNA complexes. Henceforth, we conclude that the amino acid substitution of Arginine with the other five amino acids at codon 248 reduces the p53 protein’s affinity for DNA and may disrupt cell division, resulting in a gain of p53 function. The proposed study influences the development of rationally designed molecular-targeted treatments that improve p53-based therapeutic outcomes in cancer.
Butyrate Lowers Cellular Cholesterol through HDAC Inhibition and Impaired SREBP-2 Signalling
Authors: Bridgeman Stephanie , Woo Hon Chiu , Newsholme Philip , Mamotte Cyril
Published: December 2022

In animal studies, HDAC inhibitors such as butyrate have been reported to reduce plasma cholesterol, while conferring protection from diabetes, but studies on the underlying mechanisms are lacking. This study compares the influence of butyrate and other HDAC inhibitors to that of statins on cholesterol metabolism in multiple cell lines, but primarily in HepG2 hepatic cells due to the importance of the liver in cholesterol metabolism. Sodium butyrate reduced HepG2 cholesterol content, as did sodium valproate and the potent HDAC inhibitor trichostatin A, suggesting HDAC inhibition as the exacting mechanism. In contrast to statins, which increase SREBP-2 regulated processes, HDAC inhibition downregulated SREBP-2 targets such as HMGCR and the LDL receptor. Moreover, in contrast to statin treatment, butyrate did not increase cholesterol uptake by HepG2 cells, consistent with its failure to increase LDL receptor expression. Sodium butyrate also reduced ABCA1 and SRB1 protein expression in HepG2 cells, but these effects were not consistent across all cell types. Overall, the underlying mechanism of cell cholesterol lowering by sodium butyrate and HDAC inhibition is consistent with impaired SREBP-2 signalling, and calls into question the possible use of butyrate for lowering of serum LDL cholesterol in humans.
A Greek National Cross-Sectional Study on Myotonic Dystrophies
Authors: Papadimas Georgios K. , Papadopoulos Constantinos , Kekou Kyriaki , Kartanou Chrisoula , Kladi Athina , Nitsa Evangelia , Sofocleous Christalena , Tsanou Evangelia , Sarmas Ioannis , Kaninia Stefania , Chroni Elisabeth , Tsivgoulis Georgios , Kimiskidis Vasilios , Arnaoutoglou Marianthi , Stefanis Leonidas , Panas Marios , Koutsis Georgios , Karadima Georgia , Traeger-Synodinos Joanne
Published: December 2022

Myotonic Dystrophies (DM, Dystrophia Myotonia) are autosomal dominant inherited myopathies with a high prevalence across different ethnic regions. Despite some differences, mainly due to the pattern of muscle involvement and the age of onset, both forms, DM1 and DM2, share many clinical and genetic similarities. In this study, we retrospectively analyzed the medical record files of 561 Greek patients, 434 with DM1 and 127 with DM2 diagnosed in two large academic centers between 1994–2020. The mean age at onset of symptoms was 26.2 ± 15.3 years in DM1 versus 44.4 ± 17.0 years in DM2 patients, while the delay of diagnosis was 10 and 7 years for DM1 and DM2 patients, respectively. Muscle weakness was the first symptom in both types, while myotonia was more frequent in DM1 patients. Multisystemic involvement was detected in the great majority of patients, with cataracts being one of the most common extramuscular manifestations, even in the early stages of disease expression. In conclusion, the present work, despite some limitations arising from the retrospective collection of data, is the first record of a large number of Greek patients with myotonic dystrophy and emphasizes the need for specialized neuromuscular centers that can provide genetic counseling and a multidisciplinary approach.
Metformin Attenuates Inflammation and Fibrosis in Thyroid-Associated Ophthalmopathy
Authors: Xu Zhihui , Ye Huijing , Xiao Wei , Sun Anqi , Yang Shenglan , Zhang Te , Sha Xiaotong , Yang Huasheng
Published: December 2022

The pathogenesis of thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is still unclear, and therapeutic drugs have great limitations. As metformin has multiple therapeutic effects in many autoimmune diseases, we explored the effects of metformin on TAO in an in vitro fibroblast model. We used orbital connective tissues and fibroblasts that were obtained from TAO patients and normal controls. The activity of adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the levels of inflammatory or fibrotic factors were examined by immunofluorescence (IF) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), cytokine quantification by enzyme-linked immunosorbent sssay (ELISA), IF, and western blotting (WB) were used to measure the expression of factors related to inflammation, fibrosis, and autophagy. To determine the anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic mechanisms of metformin, we pretreated cells with metformin, 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxamide 1-β-D-ribofuranoside (AICAR, an AMPK activator) or compound C (CC, an AMPK inhibitor) for 24 h and used WB to verify the changes in protein levels in the AMPK/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway. We determined that the low activity of AMPK in the periorbital tissue of TAO patients may be closely related to the occurrence and development of inflammation and fibrosis, and metformin exerts multiple effects by activating AMPK in TAO. Furthermore, we suggest that AMPK may be a potential target of TAO therapy.
Effect to Therapy of Sodium-Iodine Symporter Expression by Alpha-Ray Therapeutic Agent via Sodium/Iodine Symporter
Authors: Kaneda-Nakashima Kazuko , Shirakami Yoshifumi , Watabe Tadashi , Ooe Kazuhiro , Yoshimura Takashi , Toyoshima Atsushi , Wang Yang , Haba Hiromitsu , Fukase Koichi
Published: December 2022

This study confirmed the effect of sodium/iodine symporter (NIS) expression on existing drugs by in vitro and in vivo tests using cultured cell lines. The tumor growth inhibitory effect of sodium astatide ([211At]NaAt) was evaluated by in vitro and in vivo tests using human thyroid cancer cells (K1, K1/NIS and K1/NIS-DOX). NIS expression in cancer cells was controlled using the Tet-On system. [131I]NaI was used as control existing drug. From the results of the in vitro studies, the mechanism of [211At]NaAt uptake into thyroid cancer cells is mediated by NIS, analogous to [131I]NaI, and the cellular uptake rate correlates with the expression level of NIS. [211At]NaAt’s ability to inhibit colony formation was more than 10 times that of [131I]NaI per becquerel (Bq), and [211At]NaAt’s DNA double-strand breaking (DSB) induction was more than ten times that of [131I]NaI per Bq, and [211At]NaAt was more than three times more cytotoxic than [131I]NaI (at 1000 kBq each). In vivo studies also showed that the tumor growth inhibitory effect of [211At]NaAt depended on NIS expression and was more than six times that of [131I]NaI per Bq.
Analysis of the Type 4 Effectome across the Genus Rickettsia
Authors: Aspinwall Joseph A. , Brayton Kelly A.
Published: December 2022

Rickettsia are obligate intracellular bacteria primarily carried by arthropod hosts. The genus Rickettsia contains several vertebrate pathogens vectored by hematophagous arthropods. Despite the potential for disease, our understanding of Rickettsias are limited by the difficulties associated with growing and manipulating obligate intracellular bacteria. To aid with this, our lab conducted an analysis of eight genomes and three plasmids from across the genus Rickettsia. Using OPT4e, a learning algorithm-based program designed to identify effector proteins secreted by the type 4 secretion system, we generated a putative effectome for the genus. We then consolidated effectors into homolog sets to identify effectors unique to Rickettsia with different life strategies or evolutionary histories. We also compared predicted effectors to non-effectors for differences in G+C content and gene splitting. Based on this analysis, we predicted 1571 effectors across the genus, resulting in 604 homolog sets. Each species had unique homolog sets, while 42 were present in all eight species analyzed. Effectors were flagged in association with pathogenic, tick and flea-borne Rickettsia. Predicted effectors also varied in G+C content and frequency of gene splitting as compared to non-effectors. Species effector repertoires show signs of expansion, degradation, and horizontal acquisition associated with lifestyle and lineage.
Sensory Involvement in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Rubio Miguel A. , Herrando-Grabulosa Mireia , Navarro Xavier
Published: December 2022

Although amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is pre-eminently a motor disease, the existence of non-motor manifestations, including sensory involvement, has been described in the last few years. Although from a clinical perspective, sensory symptoms are overshadowed by their motor manifestations, this does not mean that their pathological significance is not relevant. In this review, we have made an extensive description of the involvement of sensory and autonomic systems described to date in ALS, from clinical, neurophysiological, neuroimaging, neuropathological, functional, and molecular perspectives.
The Novel Gallium Aminobisphenolate Initiator of the Ring-Opening Copolymerization of L-Lactide and ε-Caprolactone: A Computational Study
Authors: Zabalov Maxim V. , Mankaev Badma N. , Egorov Mikhail P. , Karlov Sergey S.
Published: December 2022

Density functional theory (DFT) simulations of ring-opening copolymerization of ε-caprolactone (CL) and L-lactide (LA) in presence of novel gallium complex on aminobis (phenolate) ligand are conducted. The initial steps of polymerization of CL and LA as well as the first steps of propagation which led to LGa-LA-LA-OMe, LGa-LA-CL-OMe, LGa-CL-LA-OMe, or LGa-CL-CL-OMe derivatives have been analyzed in detail. According to these data, the studied catalyst is a rare example of a catalyst in which, during copolymerization, the polymerization of CL should proceed faster than LA. Thus, we predict the formation of a mainly block copolymer poly(CL-block-LA) using this catalyst.
In-Hospital Mortality and Risk Prediction in Minimally Invasive Sutureless versus Conventional Aortic Valve Replacement
Authors: Santarpino Giuseppe , Lorusso Roberto , Peivandi Armin Darius , Atzeni Francesco , Avolio Maria , Dell’Aquila Angelo Maria , Speziale Giuseppe
Published: December 2022

Objective. Available evidence suggests that a minimally invasive approach with the use of sutureless bioprostheses has a favorable impact on the outcome of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR). Methods. From 2010 to 2019, 2732 patients underwent conventional AVR through median sternotomy with a stented bioprosthesis (n = 2048) or minimally invasive AVR with a sutureless bioprosthesis (n = 684). Results. Using the propensity score, 206 patients in each group were matched, and the matched groups were well balanced regarding preoperative risk factors. Both unmatched and matched patients of the sutureless + minimally invasive group showed significantly shorter cross-clamp times and longer ICU stay. In-hospital mortality was the only outcome measure that was confirmed in both analyses, and was higher in the stented + conventional group (2.54% and 2.43% in unmatched and matched patients, respectively) compared with the sutureless + minimally invasive group (0.88% and 0.97% in unmatched and matched patients, respectively) (p = 0.0047 and p < 0.0001, respectively). No differences in postoperative pacemaker implantation were recorded in matched patients of both groups (n = 2 [1%] in the stented + conventional group vs. n = 4 [2%] in the sutureless + minimally invasive group; p = 0.41). The discrimination power of EuroSCORE II was not confirmed in the sutureless + minimally invasive group, yielding an area under the ROC curve of 0.568. Conclusions. Minimally invasive sutureless AVR has a favorable impact on the immediate outcome and is associated with significantly lower in-hospital mortality rates compared with conventional AVR, resulting in the absence of the discrimination power of EuroSCORE II for predicting AVR outcomes.
Role of Candida albicans in Oral Carcinogenesis
Authors: Ayuningtyas Nurina Febriyanti , Mahdani Fatma Yasmin , Pasaribu Togu Andrie Simon , Chalim Muhammad , Ayna Visilmi Kaffah Putri , Santosh Arvind Babu Rajendra , Santacroce Luigi , Surboyo Meircurius Dwi Condro
Published: December 2022

Oral carcinogenesis is also dependent on the balance of the oral microbiota. Candida albicans is a member oral microbiota that acts as an opportunistic pathogen along with changes in the epithelium that can predispose to premalignancy and/or malignancy. This systematic review uses the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses guidelines to analyze the role of Candida albicans in the process of oral carcinogenesis. Eleven articles qualified inclusion criteria, matched keywords, and provided adequate information about the carcinogenesis parameters of Candida albicans in oral cancer. Candida albicans in oral carcinogenesis can be seen as significant virulent factors for patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) or potentially malignant disorder (OPMD) with normal adjacent mucosa. Candida albicans have a role in the process of oral carcinogenesis concerning morphological phenotype changes in cell structure and genotype and contribute to the formation of carcinogenic substances that can affect cell development towards malignancy.
Recognition of Underwater Materials of Bionic and Natural Fishes Based on Blue-Green Light Reflection
Authors: Jiang Heng , Zhang Cuicui , Huang Renliang , Qi Wei , Su Rongxin
Published: December 2022

Thanks to the advantages of low disturbance, good concealment and high mobility, bionic fishes have been developed by many countries as equipment for underwater observation and data collection. However, differentiating between true and bionic fishes has become a challenging task. Commonly used acoustic and optical technologies have difficulty in differentiating bionic fishes from real ones due to their high similarity in shape, size, and camouflage ability. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a novel idea for bionic fish recognition based on blue-green light reflection, which is a powerful observation technique for underwater object detection. Blue-green light has good penetration under water and thus can be used as a signal carrier to recognize bionic fishes of different surface materials. Three types of surface materials representing bionic fishes, namely titanium alloy, carbon fiber, and nylon, are investigated in this paper. We collected 1620 groups of blue-green light reflection data of these three kinds of materials and for two real fishes. Following this, three machine learning algorithms were utilized for recognition among them. The recognition accuracy can reach up to about 92.22%, which demonstrates the satisfactory performance of our method. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first work to investigate bionic fish recognition from the perspective of surface material difference using blue-green light reflection.
A Pyramid Semi-Autoregressive Transformer with Rich Semantics for Sign Language Production
Authors: Cui Zhenchao , Chen Ziang , Li Zhaoxin , Wang Zhaoqi
Published: December 2022

As a typical sequence to sequence task, sign language production (SLP) aims to automatically translate spoken language sentences into the corresponding sign language sequences. The existing SLP methods can be classified into two categories: autoregressive and non-autoregressive SLP. The autoregressive methods suffer from high latency and error accumulation caused by the long-term dependence between current output and the previous poses. And non-autoregressive methods suffer from repetition and omission during the parallel decoding process. To remedy these issues in SLP, we propose a novel method named Pyramid Semi-Autoregressive Transformer with Rich Semantics (PSAT-RS) in this paper. In PSAT-RS, we first introduce a pyramid Semi-Autoregressive mechanism with dividing target sequence into groups in a coarse-to-fine manner, which globally keeps the autoregressive property while locally generating target frames. Meanwhile, the relaxed masked attention mechanism is adopted to make the decoder not only capture the pose sequences in the previous groups, but also pay attention to the current group. Finally, considering the importance of spatial-temporal information, we also design a Rich Semantics embedding (RS) module to encode the sequential information both on time dimension and spatial displacement into the same high-dimensional space. This significantly improves the coordination of joints motion, making the generated sign language videos more natural. Results of our experiments conducted on RWTH-PHOENIX-Weather-2014T and CSL datasets show that the proposed PSAT-RS is competitive to the state-of-the-art autoregressive and non-autoregressive SLP models, achieving a better trade-off between speed and accuracy.
Linear-Nonlinear Switching Active Disturbance Rejection Speed Controller for Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motors
Authors: Qu Ying , Zhang Bin , Chu Hairong , Yang Xiaoxia , Shen Honghai , Zhang Jingzhong
Published: December 2022

To combine the advantages of linear active disturbance rejection control (LADRC) and nonlinear active disturbance rejection control (NLADRC) and improve the contradiction between the response speed and control precision caused by the limitation of parameter α in NLADRC, a linear-nonlinear switching active disturbance rejection control (SADRC) strategy based on linear-nonlinear switching extended state observer (SESO) and linear-nonlinear switching state error feedback control law (SSEF) is proposed in this paper. First, the reasons for the performance differences between LADRC and NLADRC are analysed from a theoretical point of view, then a linear-nonlinear switching function (SF) that can change the switching point by adjusting its parameters is constructed and then propose SESO and SSEF based on this function. Subsequently, the convergence range of the observation error of the SESO is derived, and the stability of the closed-loop system with the application of SSEF is also demonstrated. Finally, the proposed SADRC control strategy is applied to a 707 W permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) experimental platform, and both the dynamic and static characteristics of SADRC are verified. The experimental results show that the proposed SADRC control strategy can well combine the performance advantages of LADRC and NLADRC and can better balance the response speed and control precision and has a better capacity for disturbance rejection, which has potential application in engineering practise.
An Improved Method Based on Bluetooth Low-Energy Fingerprinting for the Implementation of PEPS System
Authors: Bonavolontà Francesco , Liccardo Annalisa , Schiano Lo Moriello Rosario , Caputo Enzo , de Alteriis Giorgio , Palladino Angelo , Vitolo Giuseppe
Published: December 2022

In the automotive field, the introduction of keyless access systems is revolutionizing car entry techniques currently dominated by a physical key. In this context, this paper investigates the possible use of smartphones to create a PEPS (Passive Entry Passive Start) system using the BLE (Bluetooth Low-Energy) Fingerprinting technique that allows, along with a connection to a low-cost BLE micro-controllers network, determining the driver’s position, either inside or outside the vehicle. Several issues have been taken into account to assure the reliability of the proposal; in particular, (i) spatial orientation of each microcontroller-based BLE node which ensures the best performance at 180° and 90° referred to as the BLE scanner and the advertiser, respectively; (ii) data filtering techniques based on Kalman Filter; and (iii) definition of new network topology, resulting from the merger of two standard network topologies. Particular attention has been paid to the selection of the appropriate measurement method capable of assuring the most reliable positioning results by means of the adoption of only six embedded BLE devices. This way, the global accuracy of the system reaches 98.5%, while minimum and maximum accuracy values relative to the individual zones equal, respectively, to 97.3% and 99.4% have been observed, thus confirming the capability of the proposed method of recognizing whether the driver is inside or outside the vehicle.
Diversity and Structure of Vegetation Rhizosphere Bacterial Community in Various Habitats of Liaohekou Coastal Wetlands
Authors: Liu Yinchu , Guo Zhen , Zhang Peidong , Du Jun , Gao Ping , Zhang Zhiwei
Published: December 2022

Coastal wetlands are a type of unique ecosystem, in which rhizosphere microorganisms of vegetation play a significant role in the overall ecology. Rhizosphere soil samples from the vegetation of Liaohekou Coastal Wetlands, Northeast China (40°54′44″ N, 121°47′51″ E), were collected in seven habitats (Suaeda and Phragmites community in different coverage, aquaculture ponds and farmland biotopes) to evaluate the diversity and structure of bacterial community using high throughput sequencing. Soil physicochemical characteristics and bacterial communities were found to be affected by vegetation coverage by ANOVA tests. As and Ni were the main heavy metal variables affecting the bacterial communities as demonstrated by RDA tests, while NO3−-N were important variables in nutrient factors. Proteobacteria was the predominant phylum in all soils. Gillisia and Woeseia were the two most dominant genera peculiarly in Suaeda and Phragmites community. Meanwhile SparCC showed that Woeseia play a dominant role in wetland rhizosphere bacterial communities. The Chemoheterotrophic function was dominant in all communities with FAPROTAX results, while in wetland the cycle of Sulfur and Nitrogen were significantly affected by vegetation type and coverage. In conclusion, this study revealed the structural composition and diversity of rhizosphere bacterial communities under different vegetation types and coverage. This research could help deepen our understanding of the microbial ecology on the wetlands and provide information on bacterial communities in various habitats.
Peter Rossdale et la reproduction équine : histoire d’un visionnaire, “the great catalyst”
Authors: Chavatte-Palmer Pascale , Hess-Dudan Françoise
Published: December 2022

Le Dr. Peter Rossdale (1927-2021) a exercé toute sa vie à Newmarket, en Angleterre. Fondateur de la plus importante clinique équine d’Europe, il est aussi l’un des grands contributeurs à la modernisation de la médecine vétérinaire équine, en particulier en périnatalogie. Son apport à cette discipline résulte de sa recherche clinique mais aussi de multiples collaborations scientifiques avec le monde vétérinaire et médical dans le monde entier. Auteur de multiples ouvrages destinés à la profession, il est à l’origine de l’association britannique des vétérinaires équins (British Equine Veterinary Association). Il a été l’éditeur de Equine veterinary journal pendant 30 ans et créé Equine veterinary education. Son parcours remarquable illustre sa vision de la profession vétérinaire alliant médecine vétérinaire de pointe, recherche clinique et diffusion des connaissances aux étudiants et aux professionnels de la filière équine.
Regard vétérinaire sur la COVID-19
Authors: Jegou Jean-Pierre
Published: December 2022

Le déroulé de la pandémie de la Covid-19 n’a pas surpris les vétérinaires, habitués aux épizooties et aux coronaviroses. La première maladie à coronavirus identifiée fut la bronchite infectieuse aviaire. Cinquante ans après, l’espèce porcine fut atteinte de gastro-entérites à coronavirus que des vaccins échouèrent à prévenir. Ce fut un variant moins pathogène, mais très contagieux qui engendra une immunité collective efficace. Si les vaccins à ARNm préviennent les formes graves de la Covid-19, certains variants du SARS-CoV-2 y échappent, nécessitant la mise en place de des mesures barrières de biosécurité. L’agent de la «grippe russe » serait peut-être l’ancêtre d’origine bovine du betacoronavirus OC43 qui, de nos jours, provoque des rhumes saisonniers chez les humains. Est-ce ce scénario que nous réserve le variant omicron du SARS-CoV-2 ? Prévenir les débordements de nouveaux réservoirs animaux vers les êtres humains nécessitera une collaboration plus étroite entre acteurs de la santé et de l’environnement, selon une vision «One Health » .
Pasteur, son neveu, et la science vétérinaire
Authors: Schwartz Maxime
Published: December 2022

Né le 27 décembre 1822, Pasteur a débuté sa carrière scientifique en 1848. Ce n’est qu’en 1860 que les vétérinaires ont commencé à s’intéresser à lui, lors de sa réfutation de la théorie de la génération spontanée. Cet intérêt allait s’accroître lors des controverses sur l’origine des maladies contagieuses. Alors que Pasteur défendait l’idée que celles-ci, comme les fermentations, devaient être causées par des microorganismes, de nombreux vétérinaires, derrière Henri Bouley, récusaient cette idée. Cependant, Bouley ainsi que beaucoup d’autres, convaincus par les expériences de Pasteur sur le charbon des moutons, abandonnèrent en 1877 l’idée du caractère spontané de ces maladies. Dès lors, Bouley, ainsi que nombre de ses collègues apportèrent un soutien précieux aux recherches de Pasteur sur les vaccins contre le choléra des poules, le charbon, le rouget du porc et la rage. Dans quelques cas, malheureusement, Pasteur ne rendit pas l’hommage qu’ils auraient mérité à des vétérinaires qui avaient joué un rôle de précurseur sur des sujets comme le vaccin contre le charbon (Toussaint) ou la rage (Galtier). Parmi les vétérinaires qui ont côtoyé Pasteur, se détache Edmond Nocard, qui fut véritablement LE vétérinaire de l’équipe de Pasteur. Adrien Loir, neveu par alliance de Pasteur, recruté initialement pour suppléer le bras paralysé de son oncle, qui avait subi un AVC en 1868, allait devenir le principal ambassadeur de la science vétérinaire pasteurienne dans le monde. Il allait porter la bonne parole pasteurienne dans des pays aussi divers que la Russie, l’Australie, la Tunisie, la Rhodésie (Zimbabwe), l’Argentine, le Brésil et le Canada. Bien qu’il soit titulaire d’un doctorat en médecine, ses patients ou sujets d’étude devaient être plus souvent des animaux que des êtres humains. Bien entendu il se consacra dans certains de ces pays à lutter contre la rage, mais, par exemple, il introduisit les vaccinations contre le charbon et la péripneumonie contagieuse bovine en Australie, préconisa des mesures de protection des chevaux contre la dourine au Canada. Une grande partie de son activité concerna la lutte contre les nuisibles par exemple les lapins en Australie, les termites en Rhodésie du Sud ou les rats au Havre où il créa un «haras » de chats ratiers. Loir, comme son oncle Pasteur étaient convaincus que les médecines humaine et vétérinaire ne devaient faire qu’une.
A small-N study of body weight during free-feeding in the brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula)
Authors: Cameron Kristie E. , Bizo Lewis A. , Starkey Nicola J.
Published: December 2022

Animals in captivity can develop physiological characteristics such as obesity that could negatively affect their health. In the captive brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula), it is unknown what effect long-term free-feeding has on body weight. In this study, which took place over 12 months, three possums were fed according to a free-feeding regime. Food intake was measured daily, and the possums were weighed every four days. The possums all gained weight but showed bouts of stable body weights across the year. Stability was evaluated using mathematical models. It was concluded that long-term free-feeding is not recommended for animals-in-waiting for use in operant experiments to mitigate weight gain due to overeating.
RELATION BETWEEN SERVICE QUALITY AND CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
Authors: Ratnasari Agatha Septianna Sri , Wijaya Antonny , Yeniyati Prisca
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this research is to analyze the relation between service qualityand customer satisfaction within Musi Charitas Catholic University. The result of thisstudy will help management to improve service quality and satisfaction among thestudents and hopefully all variables will also fit and match with university values i.e.CHAMPION. 300 questionnaires were distributed to the students from 4 facultiesusing convenience sampling technique, but only 214 questionnaires available to beprocessed. The result shows that Service Quality 61,6% significantly have positiveimpact related to customer satisfaction, and the rest of it 38,4% related with otherfactors.
KINERJA DIPENGARUHI OLEH KEPEMIMPINAN MELALUI MOTIVASI KARYAWAN PT. CIBUBUR INDAH MOTOR/HONDA CIBUBUR
Authors: Silitonga SE MM Dr. P Eddy Sanusi
Published: December 2022

To find out employee performance is influenced by leadership throughemployees motivation of PT. Cibubur Indah Motor/Honda Cibubur. This research was conducted on employees of PT. Cibubur Indah Motor (Honda Cibubur). The data collection method used is by distributing closed questionnaires. In this study, researchers used a saturated sample method where samples were used from all members of the population. For data analysis models researchers use path analysis tests. The results showed that leadership has a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Motivation has a positive and significant effect on employee performance. Leadership has a positive and significant effect on motivation. And leadership affects employee performance through motivation at PT Cibubur Indah Motor (Honda Cibubur).
PENGARUH RETURN ON ASSET DAN CURRENT RATIO TERHADAP DIVIDEND PAYOUT RATIO DI PERUSAHAAN SUB SEKTOR MAKANAN DAN MINUMAN YANG TERDAFTAR DI BURSA EFEK INDONESIA
Authors: Fadila Nabiya Saski , Sunartiyo Sunartiyo
Published: December 2022

The purpose of this study was to determine The effect of return and current ratio on dividen payour ratio, the effect of return on asset on dividen payour ratio, and the effect of current ratio on dividen payour ratio. This research uses quantitative data analysis technique. Sampling using purposive samping method using certain criteria. The result of this study indicate that return on assets and current ratio have an influence on the dividens payour ratio, return on assets has an influence on the dividens payour ratio, and current ratio has an influence on the dividens payour ratio for the Food and Beverage Sub Sector Companies Registered In Indonesia Stock Exchange
Koordinat Dönüşüm Parametrelerinin Uygulama Alanı Dışında Uygunluğunun Araştırılması
Authors: KIRICI YILDIRIM Ulku , GÜNAYDIN Nisanur , ŞİŞMAN Yasemin
Published: December 2022

Koordinat sistemi bir noktanın yeryüzündeki konumunu sayısal olarak ifade etmemize yaramaktadır. Ülkemizde ve Dünya’da koordinat sistemleri zaman içerisinde teknolojik gelişmelere bağlı olarak değişiklik göstermişlerdir. Farklı sistemler ile üretilmiş haritaların ortak projelerde kullanılabilmesi için koordinat sistemlerinin birbirleriyle ilişkilendirilmesi gerekir. Koordinat dönüşümünde iki sistemde ortak olan uygun dağılımdaki nokta koordinatları kullanılarak bölgesel olarak tanımlanan geometrik ilişki ile dönüşüm parametreleri elde edilir. Koordinat dönüşümü işleminde elde edilen bölgesel dönüşüm parametreleri kullanılarak çalışma alanında birçok noktanın dönüşümü yapılır. Bu çalışmanın amacı bölgesel koordinat dönüşüm parametrelerinin uygulama alanı dışında uygunluğunun araştırılmasıdır. Bu amaç için çalışma alanı olarak Türkiye’nin en büyük illerinden biri olan Erzurum ili seçilmiştir. Erzurum ilindeki her ilçe için dönüşüm parametreleri hesaplanmıştır. Hesaplanan dönüşüm parametrelerinin diğer ilçelere uygulanabilirliği araştırılmış ve sonuçlar analiz edilerek yorumlanmıştır.
Implementation of Early Breastfeeding Initiation and Bounding Attachment for Postpartum Mothers at Halilulik Hospital In 2021: A Qualitative Study
Authors: Naibaho Flora
Published: December 2022

Breastfeeding is a knowledge that has existed for a long time and has an important role in maintaining human life (Astuti, 2013). Babies really need BA This situation is very important for babies to be able to adapt to their new environment. This research is operational research with a qualitative approach. This research will provide an analysis of matters relating to the implementation of IMD and BA in pregnant women at HALILULIK RSKM by using a systems approach. The place for this implementation analysis research is at the Halilulik RSKM. This research activity will be carried out in August September 2021. The subjects for this study were pregnant women (Bumil), health workers in the Midwifery Unit, namely doctors in charge, heads of rooms, midwives and nurses. HALILULIK RSKM did not find any problems in planning, organizing, controlling while for implementation problems were found because they were related to BPJS. Collaboration is needed between health institutions, especially related hospitals, to include the importance of implementing IMD and BA as hospital activity programs and policies for maternal health and especially for the growth and development of babies.
The University of Santo Tomas Hospital (USTH) 2022 Institutional Chest Pain Pathway: Approach to Diagnosis, Risk Stratification, and Management
Authors: Tarranza Jannah Lee , Bongon Christine Joy , Valdez Maria Monica , Tiopianco John Paul , Reyes Alexander , Ona John Patrick , Reyes Don Robespierre , Ramirez Marcellus Francis , De Lara Aileen Cynthia , Mendoza Clarissa , de Guzman Wilson Tan , Zacarias Manuel , Caguioa Eduardo S , Yamamoto Milagros
Published: December 2022

This clinical pathway for the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients presenting with acute chest pain, including acute coronary syndromes, provides recommendations and algorithms for clinicians to diagnose, risk stratify, and manage acute chest pain in adult patients. The writing committee reviewed existing international and local guidelines. Modifications to the algorithm following face-to-face and virtual meetings resulted in expert decisions written as recommendations and presented in a flow diagram format. The USTH Chest Pain Pathway provides guidance based on current guidelines and recommendations on assessing and evaluating acute chest pain, tailored to local needs and institution-specific facilities. We recommend its use to ensure quality patient care in the hospital. Key Words: angina pectoris, acute chest pain, acute coronary syndrome, clinical decision pathway, diagnostic pathway, risk stratification, emergency care
Středověké sídliště u Suchomast na Berounsku: k proměnám sídelní struktury a práci s neželeznými kovy ve venkovském prostředí
Authors: Štefan Ivo , Zavřel Jan , Taibl Pavel
Published: December 2022

Povrchová prospekce a následný archeologický výzkum prokázaly západně od obce Suchomasty na Berounsku existenci rozsáhlého středověkého sídliště fungujícího přibližně od přelomu 9. a 10. století až do závěru 15. století. Povrchovými sběry byly na části jeho plochy získány četné hrudky, slitky a několik fragmentů předmětů z neželezných kovů, z nichž nejzajímavější je část malého zvonu. Tyto nálezy spolehlivě dokládají intenzivní metalurgické aktivity. Na základě výsledků analýz chemického složení vybraných artefaktů a slitků a zhodnocení sídelně-historických souvislostí je hypoteticky klademe někam do 12. či 13. století. Studie se pokouší zařadit sídliště u Suchomast do širších regionálních sídelně-historických souřadnic a ukazuje, že nabízí jeden z příkladů složité proměny struktury venkovského sídliště v průběhu středověku.