bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antioxidant Effect of Ocimum basilicum Essential Oil and Its Effect on Cooking Qualities of Supplemented Chicken Nuggets
Authors: Nadeem Hafiz Rehan , Akhtar Saeed , Ismail Tariq , Qamar Muhammad , Sestili Piero , Saeed Wisha , Azeem Muhammad , Esatbeyoglu Tuba
Published: September 2022

A commonly observed chicken meat issue is its lipid oxidation that leads to deterioration of its organoleptic and nutritional properties and its further-processed products. Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) is one of the traditional culinary herbs exhibiting food preservation properties. The current study investigated the essential oil composition, antioxidant activity and in vitro cytotoxic capacity of the essential oil of basil indigenous to Pakistan. GC–MS analysis of the essential oil revealed the presence of 59 compounds that constituted 98.6% of the essential oil. O. basilicum essential oil (OB-EO) exhibited excellent antioxidant activity, i.e., IC50 5.92 ± 0.15 µg/mL as assayed by the DPPH assay, 23.4 ± 0.02 µmoL Fe/g by FRAP, and 14.6 ± 0.59% inhibition by H2O2. The brine shrimp lethality assay identified an average mortality of ~18% with OB-EO at 10–1000 µg/mL, while that of the same concentration range of the standard drug (etoposide) was 72%. OB-EO was found to be non-toxic to HeLa and PC-3 cell lines. TBARS contents were significantly decreased with increase of OB-EO in chicken nuggets. The lowest TBARS contents were recorded in nuggets supplemented with 0.3% OB-EO, whereas the highest overall acceptability score was marked to the treatments carrying 0.2% OB-EO. The results suggest OB-EO as a promising carrier of bioactive compounds with a broad range of food preservation properties, and which has a sensory acceptability threshold level for chicken nuggets falling between 0.2-0.3% supplementation. Future research must investigate the antibacterial impact of OB-EO on meat products preserved with natural rather than synthetic preservatives.
Sp1-Mediated Prdx6 Upregulation Leads to Clasmatodendrosis by Increasing Its aiPLA2 Activity in the CA1 Astrocytes in Chronic Epilepsy Rats
Authors: Kim Ji-Eun , Lee Duk-Shin , Kang Tae-Cheon
Published: September 2022

Clasmatodendrosis is an autophagic astroglial degeneration (a non-apoptotic (type II) programmed cell death) whose underlying mechanisms are fully understood. Peroxiredoxin-6 (Prdx6), the “non-selenium glutathione peroxidase (NSGPx)”, is the only member of the 1-cysteine peroxiredoxin family. Unlike the other Prdx family, Prdx6 has multiple functions as glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and acidic calcium-independent phospholipase (aiPLA2). The present study shows that Prdx6 was upregulated in CA1 astrocytes in chronic epilepsy rats. 2-Cyano-3,12-dioxo-oleana-1,9(11)-dien-28-oic acid methyl ester (CDDO-Me) and N-acetylcysteine (NAC, a precursor of glutathione) ameliorated clasmatodendrosis accompanied by reduced Prdx6 level in CA1 astrocytes. Specificity protein 1 (Sp1) expression was upregulated in CA1 astrocyte, which was inhibited by mithramycin A (MMA). MMA alleviated clasmatodendrosis and Prdx6 upregulation. Sp1 expression was also downregulated by CDDO-Me and NAC. Furthermore, 1-hexadecyl-3-(trifluoroethgl)-sn-glycerol-2 phosphomethanol (MJ33, a selective inhibitor of aiPLA2 activity of Prdx6) attenuated clasmatodendrosis without affecting Prdx6 expression. All chemicals shortened spontaneous seizure duration but not seizure frequency and behavioral seizure severity in chronic epilepsy rats. Therefore, our findings suggest that Sp1 activation may upregulate Prdx6, whose aiPLA2 activity would dominate over GPx activity in CA1 astrocytes and may lead to prolonged seizure activity due to autophagic astroglial degeneration.
Kynurenine Pathway of Tryptophan Metabolism Is Associated with Hospital Mortality in Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome: A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Chiu Li-Chung , Tang Hsiang-Yu , Fan Chun-Ming , Lo Chi-Jen , Hu Han-Chung , Kao Kuo-Chin , Cheng Mei-Ling
Published: September 2022

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) involves dysregulated immune-inflammatory responses, characterized by severe oxidative stress and high mortality. Metabolites modulating the inflammatory and immune responses may play a central role in the pathogenesis of ARDS. Most biogenic amines may induce the production of reactive oxygen species, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and programmed cell death. We conducted a prospective study on metabolic profiling specific to the amino acids and biogenic amines of 69 patients with ARDS. Overall, hospital mortality was 52.2%. Between day 1 and day 7 after ARDS onset, plasma kynurenine levels and the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio were significantly higher among non-survivors than in survivors (all p < 0.05). Urine metabolic profiling revealed a significantly higher prevalence of tryptophan degradation and higher concentrations of metabolites downstream of the kynurenine pathway among non-survivors than among survivors upon ARDS onset. Cox regression models revealed that plasma kynurenine levels and the plasma kynurenine/tryptophan ratio on day 1 were independently associated with hospital mortality. The activation of the kynurenine pathway was associated with mortality in patients with ARDS. Metabolic phenotypes and modulating metabolic perturbations of the kynurenine pathway could perhaps serve as prognostic markers or as a target for therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing oxidative stress and mortality in ARDS.
Peroxiredoxin 2 Ameliorates AβO-Mediated Autophagy by Inhibiting ROS via the ROS–NRF2–p62 Pathway in N2a-APP Swedish Cells
Authors: Jin Wei , Kam Min Kyoung , Lee Sung Woo , Park Young-Ho , Lee Hong Jun , Lee Dong-Seok
Published: September 2022

In Alzheimer’s disease, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated by the deposition of amyloid-beta oligomers (AβOs), which represent one of the important causes of neuronal cell death. Additionally, AβOs are known to induce autophagy via ROS induction. Previous studies have shown that autophagy upregulation aggravates neuronal cell death. In this study, the effects of peroxiredoxin 2 (Prx2), a member of the peroxidase family of antioxidant enzymes, on regulating AβO-mediated autophagy were investigated. Prx2 decreased AβO-mediated oxidative stress and autophagy in N2a-APPswe cells. Further, we examined the relationship between the neuronal protective effect of Prx2 and a decrease in autophagy. Similar to the effects of N-acetyl cysteine, Prx2 decreased AβO-induced ROS and inhibited p62 protein expression levels by downregulating the activation of NRF2 and its translocation to the nucleus. In addition, treatment with 3-methyladenine, an autophagy inhibitor, ameliorates neuronal cell death. Overall, these results demonstrate that the Prx2-induced decrease in autophagy was associated with the inhibition of ROS via the ROS–NRF2–p62 pathway in N2a-APPswe cells. Therefore, our results revealed that Prx2 is a potential therapeutic target in anti-Alzheimer therapy.
Ginsenoside CK Inhibits the Early Stage of Adipogenesis via the AMPK, MAPK, and AKT Signaling Pathways
Authors: Oh Jung-Mi , Chun Sungkun
Published: September 2022

Obesity is considered a health hazard in part due to the associated multiple diseases. As rates of obesity continue to increase, a new strategy for its prevention and treatment is required. Compound-K, an active ingredient in ginseng, possesses antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer properties. Although ginseng has used as various therapeutics, its potential ability to alleviate metabolic diseases by regulating adipocyte differentiation is still unknown. In this study, we found that CK treatment significantly inhibited lipid droplet and adipogenesis by downregulating the mRNA expression of C/ebpα, Ppar-γ, Fabp4, Srebp1, and adiponectin as well as protein levels of C/EBPα, PPAR-γ, and FABP4. CK also decreased the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), while it increased endogeneous antioxidant enzymes such as catalase, glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) 3 and SOD2. We observed that CK treatment suppressed the expression of cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and cyclin B1 during the mitotic clonal expansion (MCE) of adipocyte differentiation, and it arrested adipocytes at the G2/M stage due to the increased expression of p21 and p27. CK decreased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and p38 and protein kinase B (AKT) in early-stage adipogenesis. In addition, the inhibition of adipogenesis by CK significantly increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC). Interestingly, AMPK pharmacological inhibition with Dorsomorphin limited the effect of CK on suppressing PPAR-γ expression in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells. Our results suggest that CK exerts anti-adipogenic effects in 3T3-L1 cells through the activation of AMPK and inhibition of ERK/p38 and AKT signaling pathways.
Suppressive Effect of Fraxetin on Adipogenesis and Reactive Oxygen Species Production in 3T3-L1 Cells by Regulating MAPK Signaling Pathways
Authors: Lee Woonghee , Song Gwonhwa , Bae Hyocheol
Published: September 2022

Recent studies have identified obesity as one of the world’s most serious chronic disorders. Adipogenesis, in which preadipocytes are differentiated into mature adipocytes, has a decisive role in establishing the number of adipocytes and determining the lipid storage capacity of adipose tissue and fat mass in adults. Fat accumulation in obesity is implicated with elevated oxidative stress in adipocytes induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS). Adipogenesis regulation by inhibiting adipogenic differentiation and ROS production has been selected as the strategy to treat obesity. The conventional anti-obesity drugs allowed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration have severe adverse effects. Therefore, various natural products have been developed as a solution for obesity, suppressing adipogenic differentiation. Fraxetin is a major component extracted from the stem barks of Fraxinus rhynchophylla, with various bioactivities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antioxidant, and antibacterial functions. However, the effect of fraxetin on adipogenesis is still not clearly understood. We studied the pharmacological functions of fraxetin in suppressing lipid accumulation and its underlying molecular mechanisms involving 3T3-L1 preadipocytes. Moreover, increased ROS production induced by a mixture of insulin, dexamethasone, and 3-isobutylmethylxanthine (MDI) in 3T3-L1 was attenuated by fraxetin during adipogenesis. These effects were regulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways. Therefore, our findings imply that fraxetin possesses inhibitory roles in adipogenesis and can be a potential anti-obesity drug.
Effects of Gamma-Tocotrienol on Partial-Body Irradiation-Induced Intestinal Injury in a Nonhuman Primate Model
Authors: Garg Sarita , Garg Tarun K. , Miousse Isabelle R. , Wise Stephen Y. , Fatanmi Oluseyi O. , Savenka Alena V. , Basnakian Alexei G. , Singh Vijay K. , Hauer-Jensen Martin
Published: September 2022

Exposure to high doses of radiation, accidental or therapeutic, often results in gastrointestinal (GI) injury. To date, there are no therapies available to mitigate GI injury after radiation exposure. Gamma-tocotrienol (GT3) is a promising radioprotector under investigation in nonhuman primates (NHP). We have shown that GT3 has radioprotective function in intestinal epithelial and crypt cells in NHPs exposed to 12 Gy total-body irradiation (TBI). Here, we determined GT3 potential in accelerating the GI recovery in partial-body irradiated (PBI) NHPs using X-rays, sparing 5% bone marrow. Sixteen rhesus macaques were treated with either vehicle or GT3 24 h prior to 12 Gy PBI. Structural injuries and crypt survival were examined in proximal jejunum on days 4 and 7. Plasma citrulline was assessed using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Crypt cell proliferation and apoptotic cell death were evaluated using Ki-67 and TUNEL staining. PBI significantly decreased mucosal surface area and reduced villous height. Interestingly, GT3 increased crypt survival and enhanced stem cell proliferation at day 4; however, the effects seemed to be minimized by day 7. GT3 did not ameliorate a radiation-induced decrease in citrulline levels. These data suggest that X-rays induce severe intestinal injury post-PBI and that GT3 has minimal radioprotective effect in this novel model.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Genes Associated with Oxidative Stress in Chronic Rhinosinusitis Patients with Nasal Polyps: Identifying Novel Genes Involved in Nasal Polyposis
Authors: Tsai Yih-Jeng , Hsu Yu-Ting , Ma Ming-Chieh , Wu Chun-Kuang , Luo Sheng-Dean , Wu Wen-Bin
Published: September 2022

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is a complicated inflammatory disease, and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. While some reactive oxygen/nitrogen species-related gene products are reported to participate in CRSwNP, a systemic and full analysis of oxidative-stress-associated genes in CRSwNP has not been extensively studied. Therefore, this study sought to catalog the gene-expression patterns related to oxidative stress and antioxidant defense in control and CRSwNP patients. In total, 25 control and 25 CRSwNP patients were recruited. The distribution and expression of 4-hydroxynonenal and 3-nitrotyrosine as markers of oxidative stress—which is represented by lipid peroxidation and the protein nitration of tyrosine residues in CRSwNP nasal polyps (NPs)—were more apparently increased than those found in the control nasal mucosae, as determined by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The expression of 84 oxidative-stress-related genes in nasal mucosae and NP tissues was analyzed via real-time PCR, which showed that 19 genes and 4 genes were significantly up- and downregulated, respectively; among them, inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) were notably upregulated, whereas lactoperoxidase (LPO), myeloperoxidase (MPO), and superoxide dismutase 3 (SOD3) were highly downregulated. Changes in the mRNA and protein levels of these redox proteins were confirmed with a customized, real-time PCR array and RT-PCR analysis, as well as Western blotting and IHC assays. A receiver operating characteristic curve analysis further suggested that LPO, MPO, SOD3, HO-1, and iNOS are possible endotype predictors of CRSwNP development. Collectively, we present an oxidative-stress-related gene profile of CRSwNP NP tissues, providing evidence that the systemic changes in oxidative stress and the antioxidative defense system, including novel iNOS, heme peroxidases, and other genes, are closely linked to CRSwNP pathology, development, and progression.
Anti-Aging Effect and Mechanism of Proanthocyanidins Extracted from Sea buckthorn on Hydrogen Peroxide-Induced Aging Human Skin Fibroblasts
Authors: Liu Xinying , Xing Yi , Yuen Michael , Yuen Tina , Yuen Hywel , Peng Qiang
Published: September 2022

Oxidative stress is the leading cause of skin aging damage. Excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cells induced by hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) triggers a decrease in collagen synthesis and an increase in collagen degradation, which are biomarkers of skin aging. We evaluated the potential protective mechanism of Sea buckthorn proanthocyanidins (SBP) against the oxidative stress-induced skin aging process from multiple aspects. We treated human skin fibroblasts (HSFs) with 300 µmoL/L of H2O2 for 24 h, followed by 25, 50, and 100 µg/mL of SBP for 24 h. The results showed that SBP could enhance the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione (GSH), effectively remove excess ROS, and significantly improve the changes in cell morphology and viability caused by excessive ROS in skin cells. In addition, SBP could promote the synthesis of Col I in aging HSFs through the TGF-β1/Smads pathway and inhibit the degradation of Col I by regulating the MMPs/TIMPs system, thereby maintaining the stability of the ECM structure to achieve anti-aging purposes. Finally, we studied the migration ability of SBP, and the results showed that 100 µg/mL of SBP was most conducive to the cell migration of senescent cells, laying a foundation for follow-up animal experiments. These results will increase the application value of SBP in the cosmetic and antioxidative functional food industries.
Interference Expression of StMSD Inhibited the Deposition of Suberin and Lignin at Wounds of Potato Tubers by Reducing the Production of H2O2
Authors: Ren Ying-Yue , Jiang Hong , Ma Li , Yang Jiang-Wei , Si Huai-Jun , Bai Jiang-Ping , Prusky Dov , Bi Yang
Published: September 2022

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) actively participates in the wound stress of plants. However, whether StMSD mediates the generation of H2O2 and the deposition of suberin polyphenolic and lignin at potato tuber wounds is elusive. In this study, we developed the StMSD interference expression of potato plants and tubers by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. The StSOD expression showed a marked downregulation in StMSD-interference tubers, especially StCSD2 and StCSD3. The content of O2•− exhibited a noticeable increase together with the inhibition in H2O2 accumulation. Moreover, the gene expression levels of StPAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) and StC4H (cinnamate-4-hydroxylase) were downregulated in StMSD-interference tubers, and less suberin polyphenolic and lignin depositions at the wounds were observed. Taken together, the interference expression of StMSD can result in less suberin polyphenolic and lignin deposition by inhibiting the disproportionation of O2•− to H2O2 and restraining phenylpropanoid metabolism in tubers.
Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) Attenuates Oxidative Stress and Alveolar Bone Damage in Experimental Periodontitis in Rats
Authors: dos Santos Vinicius Ruan Neves , Frazão Deborah Ribeiro , Ferreira Railson de Oliveira , Mendes Paulo Fernando Santos , Baia-da-Silva Daiane Claydes , Souza-Monteiro Deiweson , Bittencourt Leonardo Oliveira , de Moura João Daniel Mendonça , Perdigão José Messias , Teixeira Bruno José Brito , Varela Everton Luiz Pompeu , Balbinot Gabriela de Souza , Percário Sandro , Rogez Herve , Rösing Cassiano Kuchenbecker , Collares Fabrício Mezzomo , Lima Rafael Rodrigues
Published: September 2022

Açaí (Euterpe oleracea Mart.) juice is rich in phenolic compounds with high antioxidant capacity. It has been observed that the use of antioxidants may be an additional strategy to nonsurgical periodontal therapy as well as to prevent alveolar bone loss. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of açaí supplementation on experimental periodontitis in rats. Twenty male Rattus norvegicus (Wistar) rats were assigned into control, açaí, experimental periodontitis, and experimental periodontitis with açaí supplementation groups. Periodontitis was induced by placing ligatures around the lower first molars. Animals in the açaí groups received 0.01 mL/g of clarified açaí juice for 14 days by intragastric gavage. At the end of the experimental period, blood was collected to assess the reduced glutathione (GSH), Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and lipid peroxidation (TBARS) levels. Moreover, hemimandibles were analyzed by micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) for alveolar bone loss and bone quality. Açaí supplementation increased blood total antioxidant capacity and decreased lipid peroxidation. It also reduced alveolar bone loss when compared to the experimental periodontitis group. Moreover, clarified açaí per se modulated the oxidative biochemistry and bone microstructure. Thus, açaí may be considered a viable alternative for managing periodontal oxidative stress and preventing alveolar bone loss.
Aniba canelilla (Kunth) Mez (Lauraceae) Essential Oil: Effects on Oxidative Stress and Vascular Permeability
Authors: Cardoso Eloise K. Serrão , Kubota Karen , Luz Diandra Araújo , Mendes Paulo Fernando S. , Figueiredo Pablo Luis B. , Lima Rafael Rodrigues , Maia Cristiane S. Ferraz , Fontes-Júnior Enéas Andrade
Published: September 2022

The present study aimed to investigate the antioxidant activity of Aniba canelilla (kunth) Mez (Lauraceae) essential oil (AcEO), exploring its potential for prevention and/or treatment of oxidative stress and associated inflammatory process. With this aim, Wistar rats (n = 6/group) were pre-treated intraperitoneally with saline (0.9%) or AcEO (2 or 5 mg/kg) for 5 days. One hour after the last dose, inflammation and oxidative stress were induced by carrageenan (0.3 mg/kg; ip.) administration. Total antioxidant capacity, reduced glutathione (GSH) and lipid peroxidation levels, protein concentration, and leukocyte migration were evaluated in peritoneal fluid. Lipid peroxidation was also evaluated in plasma. Carrageenan strongly reduced the peritoneal antioxidant capacity and GSH concentration, increasing peritoneal and plasma lipid peroxidation. It also promoted increased plasma leakage and leukocyte migration. Treatment with AcEO (2 and 5 mg/kg), whose major constituent was 1-nitro-2-phenylethane (77.5%), increased the peritoneal antioxidant capacity and GSH concentrations, and reduced lipid peroxidation, both peritoneal and plasma, thus inhibiting the carrageenan-induced oxidative imbalance. AcEO also reduced the carrageenan-induced plasma leakage and leukocyte migration. These data demonstrate the AcEO antioxidant activity and its ability to modulate plasma leakage and leukocyte migration, confirming its potential for treating diseases associated with inflammation and oxidative stress.
Effect of Bio-Electrochemical Treatment of Hydroponic Effluent on the Nutrient Content
Authors: Bryszewski Kamil Łukasz , Rodziewicz Joanna , Janczukowicz Wojciech
Published: September 2022

This study examined the effect of bio-electrochemical treatment processes on nitrogen and phosphorus removal, but it also evaluated the impact of the treatment processes on the concentration of other nutrients present in hydroponic effluent. A bio-electrochemical reactor (BER) was used in the experiment to treat effluent from the hydroponic cultivation of tomatoes. It was stated that the nitrogen removal efficiency decreased with increasing current density. The study showed that an electric current density of 0.63 A/m2 ensured the lowest effluent nitrate concentration. The nitrogen removal efficiency ranged from 41.6%-R1 (density of 0.63 A/m2) to 8.9%-R4 (density of 5 A/m2). Electric current density higher than 1.25 A/m2 resulted in lower total nitrogen removal efficiency. The total phosphorus removal efficiency increased with increasing electric current density. The phosphorus removal efficiency was the lowest—95.1%—in the R1 reactor, whereas it was the highest in R4—99.1%. The concentration of the other elements in the effluent was determined. The content of molybdenum, boron, sulphates, and potassium did not meet the acceptable norms for discharging hydroponic effluent into the environment. The study showed that bio-electrochemical processes taking place in BER caused secondary contamination of hydroponic wastewater with molybdenum ions.
BIM for Facilities Management: An Investigation into the Asset Information Delivery Process and the Associated Challenges
Authors: Tsay Gustavo Salles , Staub-French Sheryl , Poirier Érik
Published: September 2022

The most common problem facility managers face is information accessibility. While BIM has been posited as a potential solution to increase the quality and availability of asset information to support facilities management (FM), few studies have captured the challenging aspects of developing and delivering this information within the context of real-world projects with owner-defined information requirements. Based on three longitudinal ethnographic case studies that included a set of comprehensive and formal information requirements within the supply contracts, this research contributes to a better understanding of the BIM-enabled asset information delivery process and its challenges by (1) characterizing the process in eight main activities with examples, and (2) mapping the challenges of using BIM for FM that have been identified in the literature and establishing connections between them. The results demonstrate that even with the early involvement of owners through the development of information requirements, several challenges still prevent owners from taking full advantage of BIM. There is still a limited understanding of how BIM can effectively support existing FM activities and how it impacts current design and construction processes in practice, which compromises the definition of clear and efficient information requirements. In that sense, the support provided by industry standards and guidelines remains limited. The contextualized understanding of the proposed BIM-enabled asset information delivery process and its challenges will help owners and facility managers with the decision-making process regarding the development of their information requirements, preventing inefficiencies and unrealistic expectations.
Development and Comparison of Ten Differential-Evolution and Particle Swarm-Optimization Based Algorithms for Discount-Guaranteed Ridesharing Systems
Authors: Hsieh Fu-Shiung
Published: September 2022

Savings on transportation costs provide an important incentive for shared mobility models in smart cities. Therefore, the problem of maximizing cost savings has been extensively studied in the ridesharing literature. Most studies on ridesharing focus on the maximization of the overall savings on transportation costs. However, the maximization of the overall savings on transportation costs may satisfy users’ expectations for cost savings. For people to adopt ridesharing as a means to reduce costs, a minimal expected cost savings discount must be offered. There is obviously a gap between the existing studies and the real problems faced by service providers. This calls for the development of a study to formulate a ridesharing model that guarantees the satisfaction of a minimal expected cost savings discount. In this paper, we considered a discount-guaranteed ridesharing model that ensures the provision of a minimal expected cost savings discount to ridesharing participants to improve users’ satisfaction with the ridesharing service in terms of cost savings. The goal was to maximize the overall cost savings under certain capacity, spatial, and time constraints and the constraint that the discount offered to ridesharing participants could be no lower than the minimal expected cost savings discount. Due to the complexity of the optimization problem, we adopted two evolutionary computation approaches, differential evolution and particle swarm optimization, to develop ten algorithms for solving the problem. We illustrated the proposed method by an example. The results indicated that the proposed method could guarantee that the discount offered to ridesharing participants was greater than or equal to the minimal expected cost savings discount. We also conducted two series of experiments to assess the performance and efficiency of the different solution algorithms. We analyzed the results to provide suggestions for selecting the appropriate solution algorithm based on its performance and efficiency.
A Seismic Phase Recognition Algorithm Based on Time Convolution Networks
Authors: Han Zhenhua , Li Yu , Guo Kai , Li Gang , Zheng Wen , Liu Hongfu
Published: September 2022

Over recent years, frequent earthquakes have caused huge losses in human life and property. Rapid and automatic earthquake detection plays an important role in earthquake warning systems and earthquake operation mechanism research. Temporal convolution networks (TCNs) are frameworks that use expansion convolution and expansion, which have large and temporal receptive fields and can adapt to time series data. Given the excellent performance of temporal convolution networks using time series data, this paper proposes a deep learning framework based on the temporal convolution network model, which can be used to detect and obtain the accurate start times of seismic phases. In addition, a convolutional neural network (CNN) was added to the temporal convolution network model to automatically extract the deep features of seismic waves and the expansion convolution of each level was added to optimize its structure, which not only reduced the experimental parameters but also produced high-precision seismic phase detection results. Finally, the model was compared to the TCN, CNN-LSTM, SELD-TCN and the traditional AR-AIC methods. Our experimental results showed that the S-TCN method demonstrated great advantages in the accuracy and performance of seismic phase detection.
Assembly Deviation Analysis of New Integrated TBM Disc Cutter and Design of the Supporting Cutter-Changing Robot End-Effector
Authors: Chen Hao , Li Hao , Huo Junzhou , Yang Bowen , Yang Fan
Published: September 2022

At present, the replacement of disc cutters of the tunnel boring machine (TBM) is a very important and difficult manual operation. It is meaningful to study disc cutters of TBM replacement with a robot. In this paper, the machining and assembly deviation of the new integrated disc cutter developed by our research group is modeled and analyzed using the improved Jacobian–Torsor model, and the analysis results are verified by experiments. On this basis, aiming at the possible radial deviation and angle deviation in the working process of a robot replacing TBM disc cutters, a cutter-changing robot end-effector composed of a guiding mechanism, a flexible connecting mechanism and a universal wrench is designed for the disassembly and assembly of the new integrated disc cutter, and scaled-down models were made for the experiment. The test results show that when there is a radial deviation of 19.21% or an angle deviation of 11° between the fastening bolt and the end-effector of the robot, the robot end-effector can complete the docking with the fastening bolt.
Numerical Study on Isokinetic Samplers with Different Nozzle Geometries
Authors: Cho Min-Cheol , Yu Ji-Hong , Ko Dong-Shin , Noh Jung-Hun
Published: September 2022

When collecting dust samples from coal-fired power plant chimneys, a nozzle specially designed with an inlet shape of circle type is used for constant velocity suction. However, it is cumbersome to use nozzles with different areas depending on the flow rate. In this study, the effect of the nozzle inlet shape of the isokinetic sampler on the performance of constant velocity suction was evaluated through simulation. The simulations were conducted using the realizable k−ε model, which is known to be suitable for separation flow analysis for particles of 1–50 μm. The turbulent flow fully developed before reaching the inlet of the sampling probe, and the flow rate was set under the condition that the uniformity was secured at approximately 92% at least. The aspiration ratio was employed for evaluating the degree of constant velocity aspiration of the isokinetic sampling probe. It was found that the larger the particle diameter and the faster the flow rate, the larger the aspiration ratio for both the circular and ellipsoidal inlets. In particular, compared with the circular inlet, the aspiration ratio of the sampler with ellipsoidal inlet was closer to 1 in the free-flow velocity range, from 5 to 15 m/s. For this reason, if the ellipsoidal inlet nozzle is used by adjusting only the length parallel to the major axis, the maintenance cost is expected to be reduced compared to the circle-type nozzle.
Special Issue on Applied Artificial Neural Networks
Authors: Gestal Marcos
Published: September 2022

Over the years there have been many attempts to understand, and subsequently imitate, the way that humans try to solve problems, so it can help to artificially achieve the same kind of intelligent behavior [...]
Parametric Method and Building Information Modeling-Based Cost Estimation Model for Construction Cost Prediction in Architectural Planning
Authors: Yang Seung-Won , Moon Seong-Wan , Jang Hangyeol , Choo Seungyeon , Kim Sung-Ah
Published: September 2022

Economic feasibility and cost analysis in the preliminary planning stage of early-phase construction projects have a significant impact on project management and implementation. However, while estimating the construction cost per unit area, the existing approaches do not account for factors other than the area-related information, causing estimation error. Therefore, a construction cost estimation model that can be utilized in the early phase of a construction project is developed in this study based on BIM in the architectural planning stage. Moreover, goodness of fit and accuracy of the model were verified through a validation method considering the BIM design process. The proposed model showed higher accuracy than the conventional models in terms of the floor area. Furthermore, it was possible to confirm the model performance based on the cost estimation accuracy range presented by the AACE. In addition, the developed model can generate estimation results corresponding to Class 1–3, a subsequent construction project stage. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of jointly considering the processes related to construction cost estimation and indicate that parameters other than the floor area need to be considered for construction cost estimation in the early phase of a construction project.
Numerical Modeling of an Impinging Jet Flow inside a Thermal Cut Kerf Using CFD and Schlieren Method
Authors: Tuladhar Upendra , Ahn Sang-Hyun , Cho Dae-Won , Kim Dae-Hwan , Ahn Seokyoung , Kim Seonmin , Bae Seung-Hoon , Park Tae-Kook
Published: September 2022

The dynamics of high-pressure gas flow injected through a nozzle during a thermal cutting process has an important effect on cutting performance. In this study, an actual gas flow condition inside a cut kerf of a plasma cut sample was simulated by considering various geometric features of the cut kerf, such as kerf width difference and cutting length difference between the top and bottom surfaces. A prototype cut kerf shape was fabricated using a transparent material. A gas flow shadowgraph from inside the fabricated cut kerf was observed using the Schlieren method. In addition, image processing was performed on images obtained with the Schlieren method before and after gas injection, which were used to validate the numerical simulation models. The effect of turbulent viscosity in various turbulent models was studied using computational fluid dynamics analyses. The results confirmed that the k–ω turbulent model was the most suitable turbulent model for the geometry used in this study. The simulation results for this model were qualitatively consistent with the reported experimental measurements.
Relevance of the Operator’s Experience in Conditioning the Static Computer-Assisted Implantology: A Comparative In Vitro Study with Three Different Evaluation Methods
Authors: Pellegrino Gerardo , Lizio Giuseppe , D’Errico Filippo , Ferri Agnese , Mazzoni Annalisa , Bianco Federico Del , Stefanelli Luigi Vito , Felice Pietro
Published: September 2022

The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of manual expertise on static computer-aided implantology (s-CAI) in terms of accuracy and operative timings. After the cone-beam CT (CBCT) scanning of eleven mandibular models, a full-arch rehabilitation was planned, and two different skilled operators performed s-CAI. The distances between the virtual and actual implant positions were calculated considering the three spatial vectorial axes and the three-dimensional Euclidean value for the entry (E) and apical (A) points, along with the axis orientation differences (Ax). These values emerged from the overlapping of the pre-op CBCT to post-op CBCT data (method 1), from scanning the data from the laboratory scanner (method 2), and from the intra-oral scanner (method 3) and were correlated with the operators’ expertise and operative timings. The mean values for accuracy from the three methods were: E = 0.57 (0.8, 0.45, 0.47) mm, A = 0.6 (0.8, 0.48, 0.49) mm, and Ax 1.04 (1.05,1.03,1.05) ° for the expert operator; and E = 0.8 (0.9, 0.87, 0.77), A = 0.95 (1.02, 0.95, 0.89), and Ax =1.64 (1.78, 1.58, 1.58) for the novice. The mean value of the operative timings was statistically inferior for the expert operator (p < 0.05), with an improved accuracy over time for both operators. A significant difference (p < 0.05) emerged between method 1 and methods 2 and 3 for seven of the nine variables, without differences between the evaluations from the two scanners. The support from digital surgical guides does not eliminate the importance of manual expertise for the reliability and the shortening of the surgical procedure, and it requires a learning pathway over time.
Assistive Robot with an AI-Based Application for the Reinforcement of Activities of Daily Living: Technical Validation with Users Affected by Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Authors: Nasri Nadia , López-Sastre Roberto J. , Pacheco-da-Costa Soraya , Fernández-Munilla Iván , Gutiérrez-Álvarez Carlos , Pousada-García Thais , Acevedo-Rodríguez Francisco Javier , Maldonado-Bascón Saturnino
Published: September 2022

In this work, we propose the first study of a technical validation of an assistive robotic platform, which has been designed to assist people with neurodevelopmental disorders. The platform is called LOLA2 and it is equipped with an artificial intelligence-based application to reinforce the learning of daily life activities in people with neurodevelopmental problems. LOLA2 has been integrated with an ROS-based navigation system and a user interface for healthcare professionals and their patients to interact with it. Technically, we have been able to embed all these modules into an NVIDIA Jetson Xavier board, as well as an artificial intelligence agent for online action detection (OAD). This OAD approach provides a detailed report on the degree of performance of a set of daily life activities that are being learned or reinforced by users. All the human–robot interaction process to work with users with neurodevelopmental disorders has been designed by a multidisciplinary team. Among its main features are the ability to control the robot with a joystick, a graphical user interface application that shows video tutorials with the activities to reinforce or learn, and the ability to monitor the progress of the users as they complete tasks. The main objective of the assistive robotic platform LOLA2 is to provide a system that allows therapists to track how well the users understand and perform daily tasks. This paper focuses on the technical validation of the proposed platform and its application. To do so, we have carried out a set of tests with four users with neurodevelopmental problems and special physical conditions under the supervision of the corresponding therapeutic personnel. We present detailed results of all interventions with end users, analyzing the usability, effectiveness, and limitations of the proposed technology. During its initial technical validation with real users, LOLA2 was able to detect the actions of users with disabilities with high precision. It was able to distinguish four assigned daily actions with high accuracy, but some actions were more challenging due to the physical limitations of the users. Generally, the presence of the robot in the therapy sessions received excellent feedback from medical professionals as well as patients. Overall, this study demonstrates that our developed robot is capable of assisting and monitoring people with neurodevelopmental disorders in performing their daily living tasks.
Helicopter Takeoff and Landing Point Location in Cities for Emergency Services
Authors: Hu Bin , Chen Xingyuan , Han Songchen
Published: September 2022

In low-altitude rescue, civilian helicopters, relying on their speed, efficiency and flexibility, play at center stage. Due to the terrain restrictions of the disaster area, it is difficult for helicopters to carry out safe and efficient rescue in cities. In order to facilitate emergency rescue, fixed helicopter takeoff and landing points for rescue missions must be selected strategically and wisely. However, the traditional method is to analyze the satellite data and conduct field surveys manually, which is rather subjective. A scientific, simple and efficient method of location selection is in urgent need. This paper analyzes the normativeness of the location of the helicopter’s take-off and landing point and establishes a model of the slope and undulation of the landing site. It utilizes ArcGIS software to build layers and selects for the terrain element models that meet the specifications. It also studies the rescue radius commonly used in the world and then maximizes the location range of the take-off and landing point based on the greedy algorithm. Considering the construction cost, the final optimized site selection result is obtained. The results show that the use of GIS space technology can effectively select suitable take-off and landing points and gain valuable time for low-altitude rescue.
Effect of Process Variables for Reducing Assist Gas Pressure in 50 mm-Thick Stainless Steel Underwater Laser Cutting
Authors: Kim Ryoonhan , Lee Su-Jin , Choi Jungsoo , Shin Dongsig , Kim Jong-Do
Published: September 2022

While dismantling nuclear power plants, the reactor vessel internal is cut underwater using mechanical and thermal cutting. In laser thermal cutting, assist gas must be used to remove melted metal; consequently, a large number of radioactive aerosols can be generated. To reduce the generation of aerosols, the assist gas pressure should be lowered. However, below the pressure limit, the molten metal is not well-removed from the cut surface and fails to cut. In this study, an assist gas visualization experiment was performed to find a condition for the gas to flow well inside the cut surface, even at low pressures. The top kerf width, nozzle type, distance between nozzle and specimen, and assist gas pressure were selected as process parameters, and in the case of large top kerf width condition, assist gas was able to penetrate deeply. In the actual laser-cutting experiment, the laser beam focus position was set to −20 mm and −30 mm. In the case of −30 mm, the top kerf width was widened due to the characteristics of the laser beam profile, and cutting was successful even though the assist gas pressure was lowered by 20%.
Ecological Design with the Use of Selected Inventive Methods including AI-Based
Authors: Dostatni Ewa , Mikołajewski Dariusz , Dorożyński Janusz , Rojek Izabela
Published: September 2022

Creative thinking is an inherent process in the creation of innovations. Imagination is employed to seek creative solutions. This article presents research results on the use of inventive methods to develop an eco-friendly product. A household appliance was selected as the object of research. The article deals with issues relating to eco-design, eco-innovation, and inventory. The process of selecting inventive methods was presented. Selected inventive methods used to develop the product concept were briefly characterized. Creativity sessions were conducted using the methods of brainstorming, stimulating, reverse brainstorming, word games, and superpositions. The effect of these activities is the concept for an eco-innovative product. A product design was developed that is highly recyclable and environmentally friendly. An ecological analysis of the designed product, including AI-based (artificial neural networks), was carried out, which showed the legitimacy of the actions taken to develop an environmentally friendly product. The novelty of the proposed approach consists of combining the use of research data, with new methods for their analysis using both traditional and artificial intelligent tools, to create a transparent and scalable product design. To date, this approach is unique and has no equivalent in the literature. Despite higher manufacturing costs, the more environmentally friendly refrigerator is cheaper in operation (consumes less energy) due to the ecological solutions incorporated into its design.
Metadata Quality for Biobanks
Authors: Shekhovtsov Volodymyr A. , Eder Johann
Published: September 2022

The mission of biobanks is to provide biological material and data for medical research. Reproducible medical studies of high quality require material and data with established quality. Metadata, defined as data that provides information about other data, represents the content of biobank collections, particularly which data accompanies the stored samples and which quality the available data features. The quality of biobank metadata themselves, however, is currently neither properly defined nor investigated in depth. We list the properties of biobanks that are most important for metadata quality management and emphasize both the role of biobanks as data brokers, which are responsible not for the quality of the data itself but for the quality of its representation, and the importance of supporting the search for biobank collections when the sample data is not accessible. Based on an intensive review of metadata definitions and definitions of quality characteristics, we establish clear definitions of metadata quality attributes and their metrics in a design science approach. In particular, we discuss the quality measures accuracy, completeness, coverage, consistency, timeliness, provenance, reliability, accessibility, and conformance to expectations together with their respective metrics. These definitions are intended as a foundation for establishing metadata quality management systems for biobanks.
An Assessment Model for Air Passenger Risk Classification
Authors: Zhou Hang , Xue Yuting , Jiang Ziqi , Cai Fanger , Li Weicong
Published: September 2022

In order to solve the problem of passenger risk classification, an assessment model for air passenger risk classification based on the analytic hierarchy process and improved fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is constructed. The existing index systems are improved by the comprehensive method. The index system of passenger risk assessment is established, which includes 23 indexes from five aspects: basic background, personal status, economic situation, personal conduct and civil aviation travel. In addition, the weight of each index is determined by the analytic hierarchy process. An improved method of determining fuzzy relation matrixes is proposed. The single factor evaluation vectors of discrete indexes can be determined according to the results of probability statistics, and the single factor evaluation vectors of continuous indexes are calculated by fitting function. Then the assessment model for passenger risk classification based on the improved fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method is established. According to the characteristic analysis of civil aviation passengers and terrorists, typical passenger samples of high, medium and low risk are set to verify the model. The results show that the evaluation results of typical passenger samples are consistent with the basic assumptions. The model is suitable for risk classification assessment of air passengers. Moreover, the tedious evaluation process is reduced compared with the traditional fuzzy comprehensive evaluation method.
A Survey of Photoplethysmography and Imaging Photoplethysmography Quality Assessment Methods
Authors: Desquins Théo , Bousefsaf Frédéric , Pruski Alain , Maaoui Choubeila
Published: September 2022

Photoplethysmography is a method to visualize the variation in blood volume within tissues with light. The signal obtained has been used for the monitoring of patients, interpretation for diagnosis or for extracting other physiological variables (e.g., pulse rate and blood oxygen saturation). However, the photoplethysmography signal can be perturbed by external and physiological factors. Implementing methods to evaluate the quality of the signal allows one to avoid misinterpretation while maintaining the performance of its applications. This paper provides an overview on signal quality index algorithms applied to photoplethysmography. We try to provide a clear view on the role of a quality index and its design. Then, we discuss the challenges arising in the quality assessment of imaging photoplethysmography.