bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Investigation of Several Physicochemical Characteristics, as well as the Fatty Acid Profile of Ice Cream Samples Containing Oleogel, Various Stabilizers, and Emulsifiers
Authors: Ozdemir Cihat
Published: May 2023

This study investigated the possible usage of beeswax oleogels instead of milk fat as a fat source in ice cream production and konjac gum as a stabilizer instead of salep. For this aim, 12 different ice cream samples were prepared using various fat and oil sources (milk fat and oleogel), stabilizers (salep and konjac gum), and emulsifiers (monoglyceride (MG), palsgaard (PG), and none emulsifier emulsifier-free (NE)). It was determined that the overrun ratio in ice cream samples containing milk fat was higher than in oleogel and the viscosity of the ice cream mix containing palsgaard and oleogel was greater than that of the other treatments (milk fat, MG, and NE). While the first dripping time of the samples with PG and konjac gum was longer compared to the samples without emulsifier (NE) and Monoglyceride (MG), the complete melting times of the samples were close to each other. Whereas the dissolution rate of the samples with salep was higher than that of konjac gum, the fat destabilization ratios of the samples with oleogel and konjac gum were lower than those of milk fat and salep. The fat destabilization ratio of samples containing PG as an emulsifier was statistically higher (p <0.01) than that of samples containing MG and NE. It was found that the unsaturated fatty acid (C18:1, C18:2, and C18:3) content of the samples containing oleogel was significantly higher (p <0.01) than that of the samples containing milk fat. However, butyric and caproic acids, which are aliphatic fatty acids, were found to be deficient in the samples to which oleogel was added instead of milk fat. As to the microscopic appearance, while water and oil particles were not homogeneously dispersed in the ice cream samples with oleogel, they were fully homogeneously dispersed in the milk fat-added ice cream samples. In addition, it was determined that panelists preferred the C samples (milk fat as fat source, salep and PG as emulsifier).Among the samples with added oleogel as oil source, they liked the J sample more (oleogel as fat source,conjak gum and none emulgator). Therefore, the C and J samples can be recommended for consumption
Exploring the Potential Impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on International Students in Higher Education: Generative AI, Chatbots, Analytics, and International Student Success
Authors: Wang Ting , Lund Brady D. , Marengo Agostino , Pagano Alessandro , Mannuru Nishith Reddy , Teel Zoë A. , Pange Jenny
Published: May 2023

The use of artificial intelligence (AI) applications in education has the potential to revolutionize the learning experience for international students, who face unique challenges when studying in a foreign country. This paper explores various examples of AI applications in education and their potential impact on international students. AI applications such as personalized learning experiences, adaptive testing, predictive analytics, and chatbots for learning and research are examined for their potential to improve learning efficiency and provide customized education support. It also explores the significant risks and limitations associated with AI technologies, such as privacy, cultural differences, language proficiency, and ethical implications. To maximize the potential benefits of AI applications in higher education, it is crucial to implement appropriate safeguards and regulations. This paper provides a starting point for research on the potential impact of artificial intelligence on international students’ educational experiences and how AI may be integrated into educational administration and learning processes.
Constitution of a Camelina sativa L. Synthetic Population and Agronomic Comparison between Spring and Winter Cultivation in North Italy
Authors: Ghidoli Martina , Frazzini Sara , Benedetti Stefano De , Sangiorgio Stefano , Landoni Michela , Scarafoni Alessio , Rossi Luciana , Pilu Roberto
Published: May 2023

In recent years, the interest in increasingly sustainable agriculture has also turned attention towards new crops which could enter the food chain as new protein and oil sources or that can be used as new cover crops. In this scenario, Camelina sativa is a perfect crop to study. Camelina is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Brassicaceae which is interesting for its oil content, since the seeds contain about 40% of oils, with a high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (30-40% alpha linolenic acid, 15-25 % linoleic acid, 15% oleic acid and about 15% eicosenoic acid). It is a hexaploid species (2n = 40, genome size ~782 Mb) characterized by rapid growth, short life cycle (85-100 days for spring varieties, 190-210 for autumn varieties) and low input cultivation needs. All these traits make it suitable for use in marginal areas. However, its use in feed and food is limited by the presence of glucosinolates (GLS). GLS are sulfur molecules involved in plant defense. In recent years, they have been studied not only as anti-nutritionals, but also for their anti-carcinogenic effects against chronic inflammatory and heart diseases and for their use as natural pesticides. Given the recent interest in camelina and its highly nutritious oil, eight pure lines and a synthetic population were compared in two different growing periods, spring and winter. In this work, the genetic materials were characterized for different phenotypic traits, yields and yield components, bromatological and glucosinolate content. The results confirmed that in North Italy camelina has higher yields if cultivated in the autumn-winter period (about 2 t/ha vs 0.6 t/ha), furthermore, a negative correlation was found between spring and winter yields, indicating that varieties that produce more in winter cultivation produce less in spring cultivation. Moreover, to our knowledge, it is the first work in which a synthetic population of Camelina sativa has been tested and proved to be a valid solution for use in various environments both for its adaptability and for the low content of glucosinolates (about 17 mmol/ kg).
Flavonoids’ Effects on Cancer, Cardiovascular and Neurodegenerative Diseases: Role of NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Authors: Barreca Maria Magdalena , Alessandro Riccardo , Corrado Chiara
Published: May 2023

Flavonoids are polyphenolic phytochemical compounds found in many plants, fruits, vegetables, and leaves. They have a multitude of medicinal applications due to their anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidative, anti-viral, and anti-carcinogenic properties. Furthermore, they also have neuroprotective and cardioprotective effects. Their biological properties depend on the chemical structure of flavonoids, their mechanism of action, and their bioavailability. The flavonoid’s beneficial effects have been proven for a variety of diseases. In the last few years, it is demonstrated that flavonoids’ effects are mediated by inhibiting the NF-κB (Nuclear Factor-κB) pathway. In this review, we have summarized the effects of some flavonoids on the most common diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative human diseases. In particular, here we collected all recent studies describing plant-derived flavonoids’ protective and prevention role, by specifically focusing their action on the NF-κB signaling pathway.
Morphological and Physiological Response of Tomato to Sole and Combined Application of Vermicompost and Chemical Fertilizers
Authors: Qasim Muhammad , Ju Jing , Zhao Hai Tao , Bhatti Saleem Maseeh , Saleem Gulnaz , Memon Saima Parveen , Ali Shahzaib , Younas Muhammad Usama , Rajput Nimra , Jamali Zameer Hussain
Published: May 2023

Chemical fertilizers are commonly used to meet the nutritional demands of the crops and boost their yield. However, their high costs and excessive application in soils increases the cost of production and have negative effects on the soil and environmental health. Vermicompost is an organic amendment that can potentially lessen the dependence on chemical fertilizers with additional advantages of sustainable nutrient supply to crops and maintaining soil health. To evaluate the potential of two diverse vermicomposts, sole and combined application of these vermicomposts with reduced rates of chemical fertilizers were used for tomato cultivation in a field study. The results indicated that vermicompost produced from cow dung combined with chemical fertilizers proved to be more effective in improving tomatoes' growth, physiology, yield and nutritional attributes. Combined application of vermicompost and chemical fertilizer significantly improved root length (21.6%), plant height (167%), SPAD value (13.5%),chlorophyll 'a' (96%), chlorophyll 'b' (161%), relative water content (16%), membrane stability index (18%), carotenoid (87%), yield (82%), photosynthetic rate (148%), and fruit diameter (83%) protein (89%), fat (27.5%), fiber (12%), vitamin C (52%), calcium (54%), magnesium (117%), phosphorus (38%), potassium (128%), as compared to control treatment (NP applied). In addition, significant improvements in different soil physico-chemical properties were also pragmatic. The results suggest that vermicompost application with reduced doses of chemical fertilizers can be used to improve crop yield and soil physico-chemical properties.
On the Applicability of Quantum Machine Learning
Authors: Raubitzek Sebastian , Mallinger Kevin
Published: May 2023

In this article, we investigate the applicability of quantum machine learning for classification tasks using two quantum classifiers from the Qiskit Python environment: the Variational Quantum Classifier (VQC) and the Quantum Kernel Estimator (QKE). We test the performance of these classifiers on six widely known and publicly available benchmark datasets and examine how their performance varies depending on the number of samples for artificially generated test classification data sets.
Metabolic Pathway Pairwise-Based Signature as a Potential Non-Invasive Diagnostic Marker in AD patients
Authors: Feng Yunwen , Chen Xingyu , Zhang Xiaohua Douglas , Huang Chen
Published: May 2023

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an incurable neurodegenerative disorder. Early screening, particularly in blood has been regarded as an effective approach for AD diagnosis and prevention. In addition, metabolic dysfunction has been demonstrated to be closely related to AD, which might be reflected in whole blood transcriptome. Hence, we hypothesized that establishment of diagnostic model based on metabolic signatures of blood is a workable strategy. To the end, we initially constructed metabolic pathway pairwise (MPP) signatures to characterize the interplay among metabolic pathways. Then, a series of bioinformatic methodologies, e.g., differential expression analysis, functional enrichment analysis, and network analysis, etc. were used to investigate the molecular mechanism behind AD. Moreover, an unsupervised clustering analysis based on the MPP signature profile via Non-Negative Matrix Factorization (NMF) algorithm was utilized to stratify AD patients. Finally, aimed at distinguishing AD patients from non-AD group, a metabolic pathway-pairwise scoring system (MPPSS) was established using multi-machine learning methods. As a result, many metabolic pathways correlated to AD were disclosed, including oxidative phosphorylation and fatty acid biosynthesis, etc. NMF clustering analysis divided AD patients into two subgroups (S1 and S2), which exhibit distinct activities of metabolism and immunity. Typically, oxidative phosphorylation in S2 exhibits a lower activity than that in S1 and non-AD group, suggesting the patients in S2 might possess a more compromised brain metabolism. Additionally, Immune infiltration analysis showed that the patients in S2 might have phenomena of immune suppression, compared with S1 and non-AD group. These findings indicated that S2 probably have a more severe progression of AD. Finally, MPPSS could achieve an AUC of 0.73 in training dataset, 0.71 in testing dataset and an AUC of 0.82 on weighted average in five external validation datasets. Overall, our study successfully established a novel metabolism-based scoring system for AD diagnosis using blood transcriptome, and provided new insight into the molecular mechanism of metabolic dysfunction implicated in AD.
A Taxonomic Survey of Physics-Informed Machine Learning
Authors: Ghosh Preetam , Pateras Joseph , Rana Pratip
Published: May 2023

Physics-informed machine learning (PIML) refers to the emerging area of extracting physically relevant solutions to complex multiscale modeling problems and has enjoyed significant interest from the research community. This paper discusses the recent critical advancements in the PIML domain. Novel methods and applications of domain decomposition in physics-informed neural networks (PINN) in particular are highlighted. Additionally, we explore recent Works toward utilizing neural operator learning to intuit relationships in physics systems traditionally modeled by sets of complex governing equations and solved with expensive differentiation techniques. Finally, expansive applications of traditional physics-informed machine learning and potential limitations are discussed. In addition to summarizing recent work, we propose a novel taxonomic structure to catalog physics-informed machine learning based on how the physics-information is derived and injected into the machine learning process. The taxonomy assumes the explicit objectives of facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration in methodology, thereby promoting a wider characterization of what types of physics-problems are served by the physics-informed learning machines, and assisting in identifying apt targets for future work. To summarize, the major twofold goal of this work is to summarize recent advancements and introduce a taxonomic catalog for applications of physics-informed machine learning.
A VEGFB-Based Peptidomimetic Inhibits VEGFR2-Mediated PI3K/Akt/mTOR and PLCγ/ERK Signaling and Elicits Apoptotic, Antiangiogenic, and Antitumor Activities
Authors: Namjoo Mohadeseh , Ghafoori Hossein , Assareh Elham , Aref Amir Reza , Mostafavi Ebrahim , Hamrahi Mohsen Ali , Balalaei Saeed , Broussy Sylvain , Asghari S. Mohsen
Published: May 2023

Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) mediates VEGFA signaling mainly through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and PLCγ/ERK1/2 pathways. Here we unveil a peptidomimetic (VGB3) based on the interaction between VEGFB and VEGFR1 that unexpectedly binds and neutralizes VEGFR2. Investigation of the cyclic and linear structures of VGB3 using receptor binding and cell proliferation assays, molecular docking, and evaluation of antiangiogenic and antitumor activities in the 4T1 mouse mammary tumor model showed that loop formation is essential for peptide functionality. VGB3 inhibited proliferation and tubulogenesis of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), accounting for the abrogation of VEGFR2, p-VEGFR2 and, subsequently, PI3K/AKT/mTOR and PLCγ/ERK1/2 pathways. In 4T1 cells, VGB3 inhibited cell proliferation, VEGFR2 expression and phosphorylation, PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, FAK/Paxillin, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition cascade. The apoptotic effects of VGB3 on HUVE and 4T1 cells were inferred from annexin-PI and TUNEL staining and activation of P53, caspase-3, caspase-7, and PARP1, which mechanistically occurred through the intrinsic pathway mediated by Bcl2 family members, Cytochrome c, Apaf-1 and caspase-9, and extrinsic pathway via death receptors and caspase-8. These data indicate that binding regions shared by VEGF family members may be important in developing novel pan-VEGFR inhibitors that are highly relevant in the pathogenesis of angiogenesis-related diseases.
Knowledge, Attitude, And Practices Regarding Menstrual Hygiene Among Girls in Ghizer, Gilgit, Pakistan
Authors: Shah Sanober Fazal , Punjani Neelam Saleem , Rizvi Syeda Naghma , Sheikh Sana Sadiq , Jan Rafat
Published: May 2023

Introduction Menstrual hygiene is a critical issue encountered by women and girls of the reproductive age, which negatively affects their health and empowerment. It is still deemed a taboo in several parts of the world and girls hesitate to discuss menstruation with their family members, friends, or schoolteachers, which creates hurdles when they attain their menarche. Girls residing in rural areas encounter more problems, since they lack proper resources, and knowledge to manage their menstruation in school as well as at home. Methods The descriptive cross-sectional design was used to assess the study questions. The consecutive sampling techniques was applied to recruit 300 female participants from remote area of Gilgit, Pakistan, who were 13- to 22-year-old. A pre-tested questionnaire was utilized to collect the data, and to analyze the data the SPSS version 21.0 was used. Results The study found that more than half of the participants had poor level of knowledge, practices, and negative attitude towards menstrual hygiene. This could be because of many cultural and social taboos attached to menstrual hygiene. Conclusions The study concluded that the study participants were not knowledgeable about menstrual hygiene. They had poor practices and attitude regarding menstrual hygiene. Hence, it is recommended that frequent sessions should be conducted by health care workers to enhance the knowledge of parents, teachers, and young girls, to increase the positive attitude and practices regarding menstrual hygiene. Keywords menstruation, knowledge, attitude, practices, Adolescents
Centers of Endemism and the Potential of Zoos and Botanical Gardens in Conservation of Endemics
Authors: Hobohm Carsten , Barker Nigel Paul
Published: May 2023

Knowledge about ecological conditions and processes in centers of endemism (CoEs) is still limited with respect to various systematic groups of organisms, ecosystem types, ecological conditions and ecosystem functions. Endemics and CoEs play a prominent role in nature conservation monitoring and management, and in the organization of zoos, aquaria and botanical gardens. We review the meaning of different groups of organisms and indicators for the characterization of endemic-rich regions, the importance of heterogeneity in space, continuity in time, isolation and ex-situ management for the survival of endemic and threatened species. Currently, conversion of land cover and land use change are the most important causes of biodiversity decline and extinction risk of endemic and endangered species concentrated in CoEs. These are followed by climate change, including severe weather, and then natural processes such as volcanism, landslides or tsunamis. For conservation purposes the management of zoos, aquaria, botanical gardens, of regional land use, and social aspects of the diversity of endemics and CoEs have to be taken into account as well. We need better answers to questions about the relationship between ecoregions, CoEs and regional awareness of biodiversity, which is linked with human culture including the management of zoos, aquaria and botanical gardens, aesthetics, wellbeing, health and trade.
Analytical Model for Evaluating the Reliability of Vias and Plated Through-Hole Pads on the PCB
Authors: Korobkov Maksim A. , Vasilyev Fedor V. , Khomutskaya Olga V.
Published: May 2023

Nowadays there is a need to increase the density of interconnections on printed circuit boards (PCBs). Does this mean that the only way out for quality PCB manufacturing is to proportional increase in precision of equipment, or is there another way? One of the main constraints to increasing the density of PCB interconnections is the transition holes. As the number of conductive layers increases, the number of vias increases and they cover a significant space on the PCB. On the other hand, reducing the size of the vias is limited by the capability of spatial alignment of the PCB stack during manufacturing. There are standards that set limits for the design of contact pads on a PCB (IPC-A-600G, IPC-6012B). However, depending on the precision of production, the contact pads may be of poor quality. This raises the issue of determining the reliability of a contact pad with defined parameters at the design stage, taking into account manufacturing capabilities. This research proposes an analytical method for evaluation of reliability of a via or plated through-hole based on calculation of its probability of production in accordance with the current standards. On the basis of the method a model was developed both for the case of a contact pad without any conductors connected to it (nonfunctional contact pad) and for the real case with a connected conductor. The model estimates the probability of making an acceptable via for a given reliability class depending on parameters such as the conductor width (minimum permissible and usable), drilled hole diameter and pad diameter, as well as the accuracy of the drilling operation. The analysis of the modeling results showed that for the real case, a reduction in the reliability class would insignificantly affect the probability of making an acceptable via due to the tight limitation on the connection place of the conductor and the contact pad. In conclusion, we propose an algorithm for determining the optimal parameters of teardrops to minimize the negative impact of the conductor on the reliability of the vias.
Luminescent Properties of Polycarbonate Methacrylates Containing Organic Fluorescent Dyad
Authors: Matveeva I.A. , Shashkova V.T. , Lyubimov A.V. , Lyubimova G.V. , Koltsova L.S. , Shienok A.I. , Zaichenko N.L. , Levin Peter P.
Published: May 2023

The luminescent properties of photocured aliphatic and aromatic network polycarbonate methacrylates containing organic fluorescent dyad have been studied. The dyad molecule includes two photosensitive fragments – tetraarylimidazole with a hydroxy group and azomethinocoumarin, in each of which excited state intramolecular proton transfer occurs, which leads to the appearance of two emissions - blue and green. It was established that the ratio of the intensities of these emissions depends on the excitation wavelength, as well as on the length, flexibility and polarity of the matrix oligomeric bridges.
A Comprehensive Framework for Industrial Sticker Information Recognition using Advanced OCR and Object Detection Techniques
Authors: Monteiro Gabriella Rabelo , Camelo Leonardo Yuto , Aquino Gustavo Aquino , Fernandes Rubens de Andrade , Gomes Raimundo Cláudio Souza , Printes André Luiz , Torné Israel Gondres , Azevedo Nádila Silva , Figueiredo Carlos Mauricio Serodio , Nogueira da Silva Heitor Lifsitch , Oliveira Jozias Parente
Published: May 2023

Recent advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Deep Learning (DL), and computer vision have revolutionized various industrial processes through image classification and object detection. State-of-the-art Optical Character Recognition (OCR) and Object Detection (OD) technologies, such as YOLO and PaddleOCR, have emerged as powerful solutions for addressing challenges in recognizing textual and non-textual information on printed stickers. However, a well-established framework integrating these cutting-edge technologies for industrial applications still needs to be discovered. In this paper, we propose an innovative framework that combines advanced OCR and OD techniques to automate visual inspection processes in an industrial context. Our primary contribution is a comprehensive framework adept at detecting and recognizing textual and non-textual information on printed stickers within a company, harnessing the latest AI tools and technologies for sticker information recognition. Our experiments reveal an overall macro accuracy of 0.88 for the sticker OCR across three distinct patterns. Furthermore, the proposed system goes beyond traditional Printed Character Recognition (PCR) by extracting supplementary information, such as barcodes and QR codes present in the image, significantly streamlining industrial workflows and minimizing manual labor demands.
Foliar Application of Chitosan Accelerates Wound Periderm Formation with an Intensified Deposition of Suberin Polyphenolics and Lignin at the Wound Site in Potato Tubers
Authors: Zhu Yan , Zhang Wei , Zhao Yuan Shou , Chen Fu , Zhu Fu peng , Yang Ji peng , Ge Xiang zhen , Gong Wen juan , Cui Rui tong , Sheng Wen jun
Published: May 2023

Potato tubers are susceptible to wounding during post-harvest processes, leading to quality decline, perishability and large economic losses. In this study, the potato cultivar, ‘Longshu No.7’, was foliar-sprayed with 3% chitosan (w/v) three times during the pre-harvest period after flowering to evaluate the effect of foliar spraying with chitosan on suberization processing at wounds of harvested potato tubers. Our results demonstrate that foliar-sprayed with chitosan significantly reduced wound-induced fresh weight loss and dry rot disease index by 37.34% and 41.60% on the 28 day after wounding, respectively. Foliar-sprayed with chitosan accelerated the deposition of suberin polyphenolics and lignin at the wound sites of potato tubers with the formation of thicker cell layers. This occurred with increased localized activities of key enzymes in the suberin polyphenolics and lignin pathways, including phenylalanine ammonia lyase, 4-coumaryl-coenzyme A ligase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase and peroxidase (33.90–64.32%), as well as the contents of cinnamic acid, sinapic acid, flavonoids, lignins and total phenolics (19.70–23.46%) at wound sites of potato tubers on the 7 day after wounding. Our results indicated that foliar application of chitosan accelerated wound-induced suberization of potato tubers and could mitigate post-harvest product damages.
A Novel-Structure LC Resonant Passive Wireless Sensor for NO2 Sensing
Authors: Liu Zhiyang , Shen Yanbai , Zhao Sikai , Bai Jinzhou , Ma Ruixue , Gao Shuling , Liu Wengang , Zhao Qiang
Published: May 2023

This work presents an LC resonant passive wireless gas sensor with a novel structure designed to mitigate the negative impact of substrate. The LC sensor antenna with the new structure and the reader antenna were designed and optimized utilizing HFSS software to improve the transfer efficiency. The superiority of the designed structure compared with the general ones is highlighted and verified. The change in the substrate capacitance has essentially no interference with the parameters to be measured of the LC sensor. The sensor with the new structure was prepared by combining etching and sputtering methods. The structure of the ZnO nanowires (NWs) was characterized to confirm their high purity and wurtzite crystal structure. The LC gas sensors demonstrated excellent wireless sensing performance including a low detection limit of 0.5 ppm NO2, high response of 1.058 and outstanding stability at 180 °C. The developed new sensor structure not only prevented interference from the substrate during gas sensing testing, but also expanded the choice of sensor substrates, playing a critical role in the development of sensors based on LC resonance principle.
Implementing and Improving CBMZ-MAM3 Chemistry and Aerosol Modules in the Regional Climate Model WRF-CAM5: An Evaluation over the Western US and Eastern North Pacific
Authors: Wu Xiaokang , Feng Yan , He Cenlin , Kumar Rajesh , Ge Cui , Painemal David , Xu Yangyang
Published: May 2023

The representation of aerosols in climate-chemistry models is important for air quality and climate change research, but it can require significant computational resources. To overcome this, simpler modules such as modal aerosol modules with three lognormal modes (MAM3) can be used. In this study, the coupling of the Carbon Bond Mechanism, version Z (CBMZ), and MAM3 chemistry modules in WRF-CAM5 was improved by adding biomass-burning emissions to both gas- and particle-phase chemistry and incorporating a conversion mechanism between volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and secondary organic carbons (SOCs). The study conducted six simulations over the western U.S. and northeastern Pacific region and compared the model’s performance with observational benchmarks such as reanalysis, ground-based, and satellite data. The results showed that the model with enhanced chemistry capabilities had a 31% and 58% reduction in root-mean-square errors (RMSE) for black carbon (BC) and organic carbon (OC) surface concentrations, respectively. The earlier release of the WRF-CAM5 version had two deficiencies that were addressed in this study. This research highlights the importance of accurate aerosol representation in climate-chemistry models for improving accuracy and reducing errors in simulations.
AOA Critical Issues Symposium: Shaping the Impact of Artificial Intelligence within Orthopaedic Surgery
Authors: Patel Alpesh A. , Schwab Joseph H. , Amanatullah Derek F. , Divi Srikanth N.
Published: May 2023

Artificial intelligence (AI) is a broad term that is widely used but inconsistently understood. It refers to the ability of any machine to exhibit human-like intelligence by making decisions, solving problems, or learning from experience. With its ability to rapidly process large amounts of information, AI has already transformed many industries such as entertainment, transportation, and communications through consumer-facing products and business-to-business applications. Given its potential, AI is also anticipated to impact the practice of medicine and the delivery of health care. Interest in AI-based techniques has grown rapidly within the orthopaedic community, resulting in an increasing number of publications on this topic. Topics of interest have ranged from the use of AI for imaging interpretation to AI-based techniques for predicting postoperative outcomes.

The highly technical and data-driven nature of orthopaedic surgery creates the potential for AI, and its subdisciplines machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL), to fundamentally transform our understanding of musculoskeletal care. However, AI-based techniques are not well known to most orthopaedic surgeons, nor are they taught with the same level of insight and critical thinking as traditional statistical methodology. With a clear understanding of the science behind AI-based techniques, orthopaedic surgeons will be able to identify the potential pitfalls of the application of AI to musculoskeletal health. Additionally, with increased understanding of AI, surgeons and their patients may have more trust in the results of AI-based analytics, thereby expanding the potential use of AI in clinical care and amplifying the impact it could have in improving quality and value. The purpose of this American Orthopaedic Association (AOA) symposium was to facilitate understanding and development of AI and AI-based techniques within orthopaedic surgery by defining common terminology related to AI, demonstrating the existing clinical utility of AI, and presenting future applications of AI in surgical care.
Coinfection of Melioidosis and Tuberculosis Causing Infective Lumbar Spondylodiscitis
Authors: Jain Mantu , Ratna Harish V.K. , Mohanty Srujana , Padhi Somanath , Tripathy Sujit
Published: May 2023

Case:

A 63-year-old farmer who is a known diabetic and chronic alcoholic presented with lower back pain and neurological weakness of lower limbs present for the past 3 months. His acute phase reactants were very high, and magnetic resonance imaging displayed L4-L5 vertebral involvement with epidural, paravertebral, and bilateral psoas abscesses. Cultures of an ultrasound-guided aspiration from the psoas were positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei, and a nucleic acid amplification test also detected Mycobacterium tuberculosis. He underwent posterior decompression and fixation, and intraoperative biopsy confirmed a granulomatous reaction. He received appropriate antibiotics for both diseases. At 1 year, he showed healing on radiographic imaging, with independent ambulation status.

Conclusion:

The coexistence of melioidosis and tuberculosis is rare, and as far as we know, a case of infective spondylodiscitis has not been reported. In patients with infective spondylodiscitis, every attempt should be made to confirm the diagnosis before starting empirical antitubercular treatment (ATT).
Correction of Static Posterior Shoulder Subluxation by Restoring Normal Scapular Anatomy Using Acromion and Glenoid Osteotomies
Authors: Gerber Christian , Sigrist Bastian , Hochreiter Bettina
Published: May 2023

Case:

A 40-year-old man presented with progressive shoulder pain, associated with static posterior subluxation and mild eccentric glenohumeral osteoarthritis. Compared with a mean statistical shape model of a normal shoulder, the patient's acromion was abnormally high and horizontal, and the glenoid abnormally inclined inferiorly and minimally retroverted. Restoration of normal scapular anatomy using 3-dimensional planned acromial and glenoid osteotomies led to recentering of the joint and full shoulder function up to 24 months postoperatively.

Conclusion:

The correction of associated acromial and glenoid malformation can revert early static posterior subluxation of the shoulder. Whether successful recentering prevents progression of osteoarthritis remains to be established.
Telerehabilitation intervention in transitional care for people with COVID-19: Pre-post study with a non-equivalent control group
Authors: Reis Neuza , Dias Maria José Costa , Sousa Luís , Canedo Filipa , Rico Miguel Toscano , Henriques Maria Adriana , Baixinho Cristina Lavareda
Published: May 2023

SARS-CoV-2 infection and its resulting sequelae have increased the prevalence of people with respiratory symptoms, with impacts on functional capacity, quality of life, anxiety, depression, and mental health. To mitigate this problem, one challenge has been the design and implementation of interventions that simultaneously allow for education, rehabilitation, and monitoring of people with long COVID, at a time when health services were on the verge of rupture due to the volume of people with active COVID and in need of intensive care. Telerehabilitation emerged as a mode for providing rehabilitative care that brought professionals closer to patients and enabled continuity of care. The present study aimed to evaluate the results of a telerehabilitation intervention for people with injuries associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection in hospital-community transitions, considering degree of dependence in performing activities of daily living, respiratory symptoms, fatigue, gait capacity, muscle strength, and anxiety and depression. A pre-post study with a non-equivalent control group was carried out with a total of 49 participants (intervention group n=24; control group n=25). The post-intervention results showed an increase in saturation, a decrease in heart rate, an improvement in the impact of post-COVID functionality, a decrease in fatigue, a decrease in perceived effort, and a decrease in depressive and anxiety symptoms. The telerehabilitation intervention, which combined educational strategies with respiratory and motor rehabilitation, helped improve global functionality and self-care, with clinical and functional impacts.
Size does not matter: natural history and sexual dimorphism of the striped hog-nosed skunk (Carnivora, Mephitidae) in protected and anthropised landscapes of a Neotropical ecosystem
Authors: Machado Giulianny Alves , de Azevedo Fernanda Cavalcanti , Freitas-Junior Mozart Caetano , Lima Caio Filipe da Mota , Cavalcanti Gitana Nunes , Cunha Andre de almeida , Facure Katia Gomes , Lemos Frederico Gemesio
Published: May 2023

Expanding the knowledge on natural history of Carnivores allows to understand mechanisms species developed for survival and improve decision making aiming conservation. Studies on eco-morphological aspects of skunks, asConepatus amazonicus, are scarce and from small samples. We assessed roadkill individuals, faeces, camera trap records, and biometric data to describe the feeding ecology, activity period and morphology of skunks in agroecosystems and protected areas in the Brazilian Savanna. Invertebrates represented critical items in the diet in agroecosystems and protected areas, and due an intermediate niche breadth (0.545) skunks cannot be classified as specialists or generalists. Males and females have total niche overlap (0.94), and the diversity of items was not affected by proximity to urban centres. Animals develop their activities during the night, with 93% (n = 71) of records from sunset to sunrise. Males (2.56 kg) are 30% heavier than females (1.96 kg), suggesting sexual dimorphism forC. amazonicust= -3.7151; d.f. = 29;P < 0.0001). Foot size and dentition were also larger in males, corroborating the sexual selection hypothesis. Behavioural and morphological adaptations favour predation on insects, prey of low physical resistance, that are also available in environments modified for agriculture. This is the first study to report sexual dimorphism inC. amazonicus. Our results fill a gap in the knowledge of a species that plays unique role in ecosystem function, suggesting skunks represent the primary small-sized omnivorous-insectivorous occupying the Savanna.
Multi-nutrient fertilization-based analysis of fruit quality and mineral elements composition during fruit development in Merlot
Authors: Wang Xiaolong , Zhang Zhengwen , Zhong Xiaomin , Ji Xiaohao , Shi Xiangbin , Liu Chang , Wang Zhiqiang , Wang Hai bo
Published: May 2023

[Purpose] Mineral elements are very important to plant growth and development, and the proper supply of mineral elements in soil and the optimum range of mineral elements in plant are necessary to guarantee the optimal yield and quality of fruit trees. The application of NPKCaMg fertilizers to fruit trees is frequently insufficient or excessive, which not only causes environmental degradation, but also reduces yield and quality of fruit.
[Methods] In order to assess the effects of different fertilizers on biological-related traits of grape fruit and responses to nutritional elements, grapevine (Merlot) was treated with multi-nutrient fertilization for 4 consecutive growing seasons in 2018–2021 at Penglai, Yantai in China.
[Results] The principal component analysis showed that the T11 treatment was the appropriate type and rate of fertilizer for this experiment. A 24.29%-35.20% reduction in fertilizer application with T11 treatment (N3P3K1Ca2Mg4) increased HGW, SN, TSS, SP, SFI, and ST, by 3.28%-12.84%, 3.76%-20.03%, 1.11%-14.95%, 2.16%-23.69%, 11.00%-32.78%, 1.07%-23.35%, respectively, compared to T14 (N4P2K3Ca1Mg4), T16 (N4P4K1Ca3Mg2), T13 (N4P1K4Ca2Mg3) and T15 (N4P3K2Ca4Mg1) treatment. The process of flower and fruiting behavior, the floral organs have a large demand for NPK. The requirement for K and B during the growth and development of the fruit was higher than that of other mineral elements. Excess K in soil enhanced the competitive inhibition of Ca uptake by Merlot. The optimum ranges of mineral element content for PP, PFI, PFD, SP and ST in Merlot were mainly related to the grape varieties and nutritional diagnosis methods.
[Conclusions] In conclusion, careful selection of NPKCaMg fertilizer supply to soil and optimum range of mineral elements in plant are important basis for proper growth and development of vine.
A Qualitative Exploration of People's Experiences on Social Media
Authors: Jasim Mahmood , Daneshzand Foroozan , Carpendale Sheelagh , Mahyar Narges
Published: May 2023

Social media is becoming an inseparable component of our daily lives --- with the promise of providing an avenue for building connections with others worldwide. However, persuasive media coverage suggests that in reality, online social media is falling short of promises to provide a space for meaningful connections and interactions. Given that the landscape of social media is ever-changing, it is important to periodically probe into people's social media experiences to identify the challenges and nuances of how people make connections with others and experience the content that social media provides. To explore people's social media experiences, in this work, we conducted a qualitative exploratory study in which we took a two-pronged approach: (1) we created two small technology probes to elicit people’s thoughts and comments on how alternative features and functionalities could change how they use social media, and (2) conducted one-on-one creativity sessions to encourage our 16 study participants to explore how social media impact their lives and how it might transform in the future. The participants openly and enthusiastically discussed their experiences, connections, and agency on social media. Our findings suggest that the participants want features to increase expressivity, the ability to control content curation, and opportunities to make connections beyond what current social media platforms provide. We discuss the impact of privacy and anonymity in shaping social media experiences as well as the tension among agency, relevance, content curation, and echo chambers.
Temporal dynamic of plant-soil feedback during biological invasion depended on soil environmental context
Authors: Li Yang-Ping , Feng Yu-Long , Li Wei-Tao , Li Ju
Published: May 2023

Aims Plant-soil feedback (PSF), which may vary across space and time, is considered an important mechanism in biological invasion. However, it is still unclear how PSF change during biological invasion in heterogeneous environmental background.Methods Here, we measured the effects of soil microbial communities on the invasive species Ageratina adenophora and soil fungal communities at 24 sites with different invasion periods in two forest gaps with contrasting soil environmental backgrounds. The dominance of A. adenophora (cover and aboveground biomass) and diversity of native species at these sites were evaluated.Results In the lightly disturbed forest gaps, A. adenophora showed strong a positive response to their soil biota relative to sterilized soil (total PSFs), but a negative response to their own soil biota relative to other species’ soil biota (specific PSFs), which increased over their residence time. However, in the severely disturbed forest gaps, the invader had strong positive specific PSFs, which were maintained over a long invasion history. Higher resistance against soil pathogens may contribute to long-term maintenance of positive specific PSFs. Correspondingly, the diversity, richness of native species and dominance of A. adenophora did not significantly change during biological invasion in the lightly disturbed gap whereas in the severely disturbed gap, native species declined, and A. adenophora dominance increased after a long invasion.Conclusions These findings indicate that changes in PSFs may contribute to changes in the dominance and impact of invasive species in forest, and also highlight the need to consider the habitat context when studying PSFs.
Ultrafast unidirectional on-chip heat transfer
Authors: Jia Baohua , Yang Junbo , Liu Miao , Wang Tanhe , Wang Zhaoyang , Guo Chunsheng , Lin Keng-Te , Lin Han
Published: May 2023

Effective and rapid heat transfer is critical to improving electronic components' performance and operational stability, particularly for miniaturized devices with high heat dissipation demands. However, current thermal manipulation approaches, including the recent advancement in thermal metamaterials, cannot realize fast and unidirectional control of the heat flow path. In addition, any defects in thermal conductive materials cause a significant decrease in thermal conductivity, severely degrading heat transfer performance. Here, we demonstrate a new approach to achieve ultrafast unidirectional on-chip heat transfer. Using silicon-based valley photonic crystals (VPCs), we have realized robust unidirectional heat transfer through thermal radiation in the infrared wavelength region. This approach can facilitate heat transfer through arbitrarily designed heat flow paths with near-unity heat transmission efficiency independent of temperature. Furthermore, the design exhibits defect immune heat transfer capability due to the unique properties of VPC structures. It opens new possibilities in heat transfer without the inherent limitations of conventional conductive heat transfer mechanism, which inevitably heats up the entire devices, causing severe performance degradation and energy waste. The design is fully CMOS compatible, thus, will find broad applications, particularly in heat dissipation for integrated optoelectronic devices.
Levels of leucaena hay (Leucaena leucocephala leucocephala) associated with cactus pear (Nopalea cochenilifera Salm Dyck) in diets for crossbred steers
Authors: Rodrigues Weudes Andrade , DAVID GABRIEL SANTOS SOUZA , Teixeira Fábio Andrade , Azevêdo José Augusto Gomes , Santos Ariomar Rodrigues dos , Nogueira Messias de Sousa , Pires Aureliano José Vieira
Published: May 2023

Our objective was to evaluate the effects of leucaena hay combined with cactus pear on the nutritional parameters and nitrogen metabolism of crossbred steers. Eight crossbred steers, with an average age of 12 months, initial weight of 267.5 ± 15 kg, were distributed into two simultaneous 4x4 Latin squares according to a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement, in which the first factor evaluated two different proportions of inclusion of hay from leucena (50 or 70% dry matter basis), and the second factor was the total replacement of ground corn grain with cactus pear. Data were analyzed by the MIXED procedure of SAS. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. There was lower dry matter (DM) intake (P < 0.05) in animals fed 70% hay. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) between the factors for DM digestibility, in which the animals fed cactus pear did not differ regardless of the inclusion of leucaena, but for animals without cactus pear, the greater inclusion of leucaena hay decreases DM digestibility. The inclusion of cactus decreased (P < 0.05) free water intake. On the other hand, there was interaction (P < 0.05) for total water intake, in which the animals fed without cactus pear presented similarity for this, while in the inclusion of cactus pear, the animals fed 70% of leucaena presented higher water intake. Also, lower values (P < 0.05) of chewing (number/bolus and number/d) were observed for animals fed cactus pear.
Measurement of Mouse Head and Neck Tumors by Automated Analysis of CBCT Images
Authors: Court Benjamin Van , Neupert Brooke , Nguyen Diemmy , Ross Richard , Knitz Michael , Karam Sana
Published: May 2023

Animal experiments are often used to determine effects of drugs and other biological conditions on cancer progression, but poor accuracy and reproducibility of established tumor measurement methods make results unreliable. In orthotopic mouse models of head and neck cancer, tumor volumes approximated from caliper measurements are conventionally used to compare groups, but geometrical challenges make the procedure imprecise. To address this, we developed software to better measure these tumors by automated analysis of cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scans. This allows for analyses of tumor shape and growth dynamics that would otherwise be too inaccurate to provide biological insight. Monitoring tumor growth by calipers and imaging in parallel, we find that caliper measurements of small tumors are weakly correlated with actual tumor volume and highly susceptible to experimenter bias. The method presented provides a unique window to sources of error in a foundational aspect of preclinical head and neck cancer research and a valuable tool to mitigate them.