bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gelatin reduced Graphene Oxide Nanosheets as Kartogenin Nanocarrier Induces Rat ADSCs Chondrogenic Differentiation Combining with Autophagy Modification
Authors: Jiao Delong , Wang Jing , Yu Wenting , Zhang Ning , Zhang Ke , Bai Yuxing
Published: February 2021

Biocompatible reduced graphene oxide (rGO) could deliver drugs for synergistically stimulating stem cells directed differentiation with influences on specific cellular activities. Here, we prepared a biodegradable gelatin reduced graphene oxide (rGO@Ge) to evaluate its functions in promoting rat adipose derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADSCs) chondrogenic differentiation through delivering kartogenin (KGN) into the stem cell efficiently. The optimum KGN concentration (approximately 1 μM) that promoted the proliferation and chondrogenic differentiation of ADSCs was clarified by a series of experiments, including immunofluorescent (IF) staining (Sox-9, Col II), alcian blue (Ab) staining, toluidine blue (Tb) staining and real-time quantitative PCR analysis of the chondrogenic markers. Meanwhile, the biocompatibility of rGO@Ge was evaluated to clearly define the nonhazardous concentration range, and the drug loading and releasing properties of rGO@Ge were tested with KGN for its further application in inducing ADSCs chondrogenic differentiation. Furthermore, the mechanism of rGO@Ge entering ADSCs was investigated by the different inhibitors that are involved in the endocytosis of the nanocarrier, and the degradation of the rGO@Ge in ADSCs was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The synergistic promoting effect of rGO@Ge nanocarrier on ADSCs chondrogenesis with KGN was also studied by the IF, Ab, Tb stainings and PCR analysis of the chondrogenic markers. Finally, the intracellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and autophagy induced by KGN/rGO@Ge complex composites were tested in details for clarification on the correlation between the autophagy and chondrogenesis in ADSCs induced by rGO@Ge. All the results show that rGO@Ge as a biocompatible nanocarrier can deliver KGN into ADSCs for exerting a pro-chondrogenic effect and assist the drug to promote ADSCs chondrogenesis synergistically through modification of the autophagy in vitro, which promised its further application in repairing cartilage defect in vivo.
Comparison of Ultrasonic Non-Contact Air-Coupled Techniques for Characterization of Impact-Type Defects in Pultruded GFRP Composites
Authors: Asokkumar Aadhik , Jasiūnienė Elena , Raišutis Renaldas , Kažys Rymantas Jonas
Published: February 2021

This article compares different air-coupled ultrasonic testing methods to characterize impact-type defects in a pultruded quasi-isotropic glass fiber-reinforced plastic (GFRP) composite plate. Using the air-coupled transducers, comparisons among three methods were performed, namely, bulk-wave through transmission, single-side access using guided waves, and ultrasonic-guided wave tomography. The air coupled through transmission technique can determine the size and shape of impact-type defects with a higher resolution, but with the consequence of time consumption and, more importantly, the necessity of access to both sides of the sample. The guided wave technique on the other hand, allows a single-side inspection and is relatively fast. It can be used to determine the size of the defect using ultrasonic B-scan, but the exact shape of the defect will be compromised. Thus, in this article, to determine the shape of the defect, application of the parallel beam tomographic reconstruction technique using guided Lamb waves is demonstrated. Furthermore, a numerical finite element simulation was performed to study the effects of guided wave propagation in the composite sample and interaction with the internal defect. Lastly, the results from the experiments of different techniques were compared according to possibilities of defect sizing and determination of its shape.
Advances in Drug Delivery Nanosystems Using Graphene-Based Materials and Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Jampilek Josef , Kralova Katarina
Published: February 2021

Carbon is one of the most abundant elements on Earth. In addition to the well-known crystallographic modifications such as graphite and diamond, other allotropic carbon modifications such as graphene-based nanomaterials and carbon nanotubes have recently come to the fore. These carbon nanomaterials can be designed to help deliver or target drugs more efficiently and to innovate therapeutic approaches, especially for cancer treatment, but also for the development of new diagnostic agents for malignancies and are expected to help combine molecular imaging for diagnosis with therapies. This paper summarizes the latest designed drug delivery nanosystems based on graphene, graphene quantum dots, graphene oxide, reduced graphene oxide and carbon nanotubes, mainly for anticancer therapy.
Poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) and Salicylic Acid Polymeric Prodrug Grafted onto Medical Silicone to Obtain a Novel Thermo- and pH-Responsive Drug Delivery System for Potential Medical Devices
Authors: Cornejo-Bravo José M. , Palomino Kenia , Palomino-Vizcaino Giovanni , Pérez-Landeros Oscar M. , Curiel-Alvarez Mario , Valdez-Salas Benjamín , Bucio Emilio , Magaña Héctor
Published: February 2021

New medical devices with anti-inflammatory properties are critical to prevent inflammatory processes and infections in medical/surgical procedures. In this work, we present a novel functionalization of silicone for medical use with a polymeric prodrug and a thermosensitive polymer, by graft polymerization (gamma rays), for the localized release of salicylic acid, an analgesic, and anti-inflammatory drug. Silicone rubber (SR) films were functionalized in two stages using graft polymerization from ionizing radiation (60Co). The first stage was grafting poly(N-vinylcaprolactam) (PNVCL), a thermo-sensitive polymer, onto SR to obtain SR-g-PNVCL. In the second stage, poly(2-methacryloyloxy-benzoic acid) (P2MBA), a polymeric prodrug, was grafted to obtain (SR-g-PNVCL)-g-P2MBA. The degree of functionalization depended on the concentrations of monomers and the irradiation dose. The films were characterized by attenuated total reflectance Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM–EDX), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and contact angle. An upper critical solution temperature (UCST) of the films was demonstrated by the swelling degree as a temperature function. (SR-g-PNVCL)-g-P2MBA films demonstrated hydrolysis-mediated drug release from the polymeric prodrug, pH, and temperature sensitivity. GC–MS confirmed the presence of the drug (salicylic acid), after polymer hydrolysis. The concentration of the drug in the release media was quantified by HPLC. Cytocompatibility and thermo-/pH sensitivity of functionalized medical silicone were demonstrated in cancer and non-cancer cells.
Comparison of the Phytochemical Properties, Antioxidant Activity and Cytotoxic Effect on HepG2 Cells in Mongolian and Taiwanese Rhubarb Species
Authors: Jargalsaikhan Ganbolor , Wu Jin-Yi , Chen Yen-Chou , Yang Ling-Ling , Wu Ming-Shun
Published: February 2021

The Mongolian rhubarb—Rheum undulatum L. (RU)—and Rumex crispus L. (RC)—a Taiwanese local rhubarb belonging to the family of Polygonaceae—are principal therapeutic materials in integrative medicine due to their rich quantities of bioactive compounds; however, their phytochemical and antioxidant properties, and anti-cancer activity is poorly investigated. Furthermore, the phytochemical characteristics of both species may be affected by their different geographical distribution and climatic variance. The current study aimed to compare RU with RC extracts in different polarity solvents (n-hexane, ethyl acetate, acetone, ethanol, and water) for their phytochemical contents including the total phenolic content (TPC), total anthraquinone content (TAC), total flavonoid content (TFC), antioxidant and free radical scavenging capacities, and anticancer ability on the HepG2 cell. Except for the n-hexane extract, all of the RU extracts had considerably higher TPCs than RC extracts, ranging from 8.39 to 11.16 mg gallic acid equivalent (GAE) per gram of dry weight, and the TPCs of each extract were also significantly correlated with their antioxidant capacities by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays (p < 0.05). Moreover, there was no remarkable association between the antioxidant capacities and either TACs or TFCs in both the RU and RC extracts. Besides, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis revealed that both the RU and RC extracts contained chrysophanol, emodin, and physcion, and those bioactive compounds were relatively higher in the n-hexane solvent extracts. Additionally, we observed different levels of dose-dependent cytotoxic effects in all the extracts by cell viability assay. Notably, the ethanol extract of RU had a compelling cytotoxic effect with the lowest half-maximum inhibition concentration (IC50-171.94 ± 6.56 µg/mL at 48 h) among the RU extracts than the ethanol extract of RC. Interestingly, the ethanol extract of RU but not RC significantly induced apoptosis in the human liver cancer cell line, HepG2, with a distinct pattern in caspase-3 activation, resulting in increased PARP cleavage and DNA damage. In summary, Mongolian Rhubarb, RU, showed more phytochemical contents, as well as a higher antioxidant capacity and apoptotic effect to HepG2 than RC; thus, it can be exploited for the proper source of natural antioxidants and liver cancer treatment in further investigation.
Milk Fat Globule Membrane Supplementation in Children: Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis
Authors: Ambrożej Dominika , Dumycz Karolina , Dziechciarz Piotr , Ruszczyński Marek
Published: February 2021

(1) Background: Milk fat globule membrane (MFGM), composing fat droplets responsible for lipid transport in breast milk, has been shown to possess immunological and antimicrobial effects. Standard formulas (SF) are devoid of MFGMs during the production process. The study’s aim was to evaluate the safety and benefits of MFGMs supplementation in children. (2) Methods: We searched four databases for randomized controlled trials evaluating the supplementation of MFGMs in children. Growth parameters were chosen as the primary outcome. (3) Results: Twenty-four publications of seventeen studies were included. Meta-analyses assessing the primary outcomes at the age of 4 months included four studies (814 children) comparing the MFGM-supplemented formulas and SF, and two trials (549 children) comparing the MFGM-supplemented formulas and breastfeeding. The primary outcomes were non-inferior in all the experimental MFGM formulas compared to SF, or even represented more similar results to breastfed infants. The promising effects, including a lower incidence of acute otitis media and improved cognitive development, cannot be firmly confirmed due to the small amount of existing evidence. No significant adverse effects were reported in any of the assessed products. (4) Conclusions: The available data signaled beneficial effects and a good safety profile, requiring future research with well-designed trials.
Energy Drinks and Sports Performance, Cardiovascular Risk, and Genetic Associations; Future Prospects
Authors: Gutiérrez-Hellín Jorge , Varillas-Delgado David
Published: February 2021

The consumption of energy drinks (e.g., containing caffeine and taurine) has increased over the last decade among adolescents and athletes to enhance their cognitive level and improve intellectual and athletic performance. Numerous studies have shown that drinking moderate doses of such drinks produces beneficial effects, as they considerably boost the sporting performance of elite athletes in various sports, including both endurance and explosive events. However, apart from their ergogenic effects, the regular consumption of energy drinks also increases blood pressure and consequently incites problems such as hypertension, tachycardia, and nervousness, all of which can lead to cardiovascular disorders. A potential positive correlation between genetics and the moderate consumption of energy drinks and athletic performance has recently been reported; notwithstanding, a better understanding of the genetic variants involved in metabolism is a key area for future research to optimize the dose of energy drink consumed and obtain the maximal ergogenic effect in elite sports. The aim of this literature review, therefore, is to present the results of recent studies, classifying them according to the differences in the associations between energy drinks and: (i) Athletic performance; (ii) cardiovascular risk factors while practicing sports; and (iii) genetic associations and future prospects between the consumption of energy drinks and performance.
Relationship between the Gut Microbiome and Osteoarthritis Pain: Review of the Literature
Authors: Sánchez Romero Eleuterio A. , Meléndez Oliva Erika , Alonso Pérez José Luis , Martín Pérez Sebastián , Turroni Silvia , Marchese Lorenzo , Villafañe Jorge Hugo
Published: February 2021

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of chronic pain in Europe (34%), representing a great economic and social cost to society. There are studies that suggest an intestine–brain–articulation axis and hint at the existence of low-grade intestinal inflammation in OA, which would be related to an alteration of the microbiota and to the impairment of the epithelial barrier, with leakage of the microbial components. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to review the association between gut microbiome and pain in the OA population through a review of the literature. Methods: A literature search was conducted to identify all available studies on the association between the gut microbiome and pain in the OA population, with no publication date limit until September 2020 and no language limit, in the MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases. Results: Only three of 2084 studies detected and analyzed by performing the proposed searches in the detailed databases, were finally selected for this review, of which one was with and two were without intervention. These studies only weakly support a relationship between the gut microbiome and OA, specifically a correlation between certain taxa or microbial products and the inflammatory landscape and severity of OA symptoms, including knee pain. Conclusions: Despite encouraging results, this review highlights the paucity of high-quality studies addressing the potential role of the gut microbiome in OA-related pain, along with the disparity of the techniques used so far, making it impossible to draw firm conclusions on the topic.
Dairy-Derived Emulsifiers in Infant Formula Show Marginal Effects on the Plasma Lipid Profile and Brain Structure in Preterm Piglets Relative to Soy Lecithin
Authors: Henriksen Nicole L. , Aasmul-Olsen Karoline , Venkatasubramanian Ramakrishnan , Nygaard Mikkel K. E. , Sprenger Richard R. , Heckmann Anne B. , Ostenfeld Marie S. , Ejsing Christer S. , Eskildsen Simon F. , Müllertz Anette , Sangild Per T. , Bering Stine B. , Thymann Thomas
Published: February 2021

Breastfed infants have higher intestinal lipid absorption and neurodevelopmental outcomes compared to formula-fed infants, which may relate to a different surface layer structure of fat globules in infant formula. This study investigated if dairy-derived emulsifiers increased lipid absorption and neurodevelopment relative to soy lecithin in newborn preterm piglets. Piglets received a formula diet containing soy lecithin (SL) or whey protein concentrate enriched in extracellular vesicles (WPC-A-EV) or phospholipids (WPC-PL) for 19 days. Both WPC-A-EV and WPC-PL emulsions, but not the intact diets, increased in vitro lipolysis compared to SL. The main differences of plasma lipidomics analysis were increased levels of some sphingolipids, and lipid molecules with odd-chain (17:1, 19:1, 19:3) as well as mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acyl chains (16:1, 20:1, 20:3) in the WPC-A-EV and WPC-PL groups and increased 18:2 fatty acyls in the SL group. Indirect monitoring of intestinal triacylglycerol absorption showed no differences between groups. Diffusor tensor imaging measurements of mean diffusivity in the hippocampus were lower for WPC-A-EV and WPC-PL groups compared to SL indicating improved hippocampal maturation. No differences in hippocampal lipid composition or short-term memory were observed between groups. In conclusion, emulsification of fat globules in infant formula with dairy-derived emulsifiers altered the plasma lipid profile and hippocampal tissue diffusivity but had limited effects on other absorptive and learning abilities relative to SL in preterm piglets.
Evaluation of the Antiviral Activity of Sitagliptin-Glatiramer Acetate Nano-Conjugates against SARS-CoV-2 Virus
Authors: Alhakamy Nabil A. , Ahmed Osama A. A. , Ibrahim Tarek S. , Aldawsari Hibah M. , Eljaaly Khalid , Fahmy Usama A. , Alaofi Ahmed L. , Caraci Filippo , Caruso Giuseppe
Published: February 2021

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in China has become an urgent health and economic challenge. There is a current race for developing strategies to treat and/or prevent COVID-19 worldwide. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the strain of coronavirus that causes COVID-19. The aim of the present work was to evaluate the efficacy of the combined complex (nano-conjugates) of two FDA-approved drugs, sitagliptin (SIT) and glatiramer acetate (GA), against a human isolate of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. SIT-GA nano-conjugates were prepared according to a full three-factor bilevel (23) factorial design. The SIT concentration (mM, X1), GA concentration (mM, X2), and pH (X3) were selected as the factors. The particle size (nm, Y1) and zeta potential (mV, Y2) were assessed as responses. Characterization of the optimized formula for the Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was carried out. In addition, the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) in Vero-E6 epithelial cells previously infected with the virus was investigated. The results revealed that the optimized formula of the prepared complex was a 1:1 SIT:GA molar ratio at a pH of 10, which met the required criteria with a desirability value of 0.878 and had a particle size and zeta potential at values of 77.42 nm and 27.67 V, respectively. The SIT-GA nano-complex showed antiviral potential against an isolate of SARS-CoV-2 with IC50 values of 16.14, 14.09, and 8.52 µM for SIT, GA, and SIT-GA nano-conjugates, respectively. Molecular docking has shown that the formula’s components have a high binding affinity to the COVID 3CL protease, essential for coronavirus replication, paralleled by 3CL protease inhibition (IC50 = 2.87 µM). An optimized formulation of SIT-GA could guarantee both enhanced deliveries to target cells and improved cellular uptake. Further clinical studies are being carried out to validate the clinical efficacy of the optimized formulation against SARS-CoV-2.
Population Pharmacokinetics of Palbociclib in a Real-World Situation
Authors: Royer Bernard , Kaderbhaï Courèche , Fumet Jean-David , Hennequin Audrey , Desmoulins Isabelle , Ladoire Sylvain , Ayati Siavoshe , Mayeur Didier , Ilie Sivia , Schmitt Antonin
Published: February 2021

Palbociclib is an oral cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor that is used in combination with aromatase inhibitors in the treatment of postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer. Its metabolism profile is associated with an important interpatient variability. We performed a population pharmacokinetics study of palbociclib in women routinely followed in a cancer center. One hundred and fifty-one samples were analyzed. The sampling times after administration ranged from 0.9 to 75 h and the samples were taken between 1 and 21 days after the beginning of the palbociclib cycle. Palbociclib was determined using a validated mass spectrometry method. The best model that described the concentrations was a one-compartment model with first-order absorption and an absorption lag time. Interindividual variability could only be estimated on the clearance and the first-order absorption. Creatinine clearance was found to be a significant covariate for the apparent clearance. No significant covariates could be observed with the first-order absorption. First-order absorption and absorption lag times were difficult to assess because of the constraints linked to the real-world setting due to the small number of samples used during the absorption process. However, palbociclib apparent clearance was satisfactorily estimated. Population pharmacokinetics (POP PK) with palbociclib could help to optimize dosing.
Supramolecular Functionalizable Linear–Dendritic Block Copolymers for the Preparation of Nanocarriers by Microfluidics
Authors: Abad Miriam , Martínez-Bueno Alejandro , Mendoza Gracia , Arruebo Manuel , Oriol Luis , Sebastián Víctor , Piñol Milagros
Published: February 2021

Hybrid linear–dendritic block copolymers (LDBCs) having dendrons with a precise number of peripheral groups that are able to supramolecular bind functional moieties are challenging materials as versatile polymeric platforms for the preparation of functional polymeric nanocarriers. PEG2k-b-dxDAP LDBCs that are based on polyethylene glycol (PEG) as hydrophilic blocks and dendrons derived from bis-MPA having 2,6-diacylaminopyridine (DAP) units have been efficiently synthesized by the click coupling of preformed blocks, as was demonstrated by spectroscopic techniques and mass spectrometry. Self-assembly ability was first checked by nanoprecipitation. A reproducible and fast synthesis of aggregates was accomplished by microfluidics optimizing the total flow rate and phase ratio to achieve spherical micelles and/or vesicles depending on dendron generation and experimental parameters. The morphology and size of the self-assemblies were studied by TEM, Cryogenic Transmission Electron Microscopy (cryo-TEM), and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). The cytotoxicity of aggregates synthesized by microfluidics and the influence on apoptosis and cell cycle evaluation was studied on four cell lines. The self-assemblies are not cytotoxic at doses below 0.4 mg mL−1. Supramolecular functionalization using thymine derivatives was explored for reversibly cross-linking the hydrophobic blocks. The results open new possibilities for their use as drug nanocarriers with a dynamic cross-linking to improve nanocarrier stability but without hindering disassembly to release molecular cargoes.
New Directions in Youth and Young Adult Ministry Leadership: Where Have We Been and More Importantly Where Are We Headed?
Authors: McCorquodale Charlotte
Published: February 2021

Catholic youth and young adult ministries have evolved vastly since they began in the 1930s. Throughout this ministry’s history, a story of change is told. This article will explore three questions. First, what does the history of this ministry tell us about the future? This will include an examination of the past twenty years of research and trends on youth and young adult ministry and the ministry leaders serving them. Second, what are the current realities informing our new directions? Third, what are the new directions being called for regarding the Catholic Church’s ministry to youth and young adults, and those that serve this ministry? Undoubtedly, Christus Vivit has shaped this conversation, and a large part of this direction includes a call for evangelization and accompaniment. Regardless, the key to moving in a new direction is understanding both the framework or characteristics for the pastoral ministry and the evolved role responsibilities of youth and young adult ministry leaders.
Locating and Dating Land Cover Change Events in the Renosterveld, a Critically Endangered Shrubland Ecosystem
Authors: Moncrieff Glenn R.
Published: February 2021

Land cover change is the leading cause of global biodiversity decline. New satellite platforms allow for monitoring of habitats in increasingly fine detail, but most applications have been limited to forested ecosystems. I demonstrate the potential for detailed mapping and accurate dating of land cover change events in a highly biodiverse, Critically Endangered, shrubland ecosystem—the Renosterveld of South Africa. Using supervised classification of Sentinel 2 data, and subsequent manual verification with very high resolution imagery, I locate all conversion of Renosterveld to non-natural land cover between 2016 and 2020. Land cover change events are further assigned dates using high temporal frequency data from Planet labs. A total area of 478.6 hectares of Renosterveld loss was observed over this period, accounting for 0.72% of the remaining natural vegetation in the region. In total, 50% of change events were dated to within two weeks of their actual occurrence, and 87% to within two months. The Renosterveld loss identified here is almost entirely attributable to conversion of natural vegetation to cropland through ploughing. Change often preceded the planting and harvesting seasons of rainfed annual grains. These results show the potential for new satellite platforms to accurately map land cover change in non-forest ecosystems, and detect change within days of its occurrence. There is potential to use this and similar datasets to automate the process of change detection and monitor change continuously.
SEVIRI Aerosol Optical Depth Validation Using AERONET and Intercomparison with MODIS in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Ajtai Nicolae , Mereuta Alexandru , Stefanie Horatiu , Radovici Andrei , Botezan Camelia , Zawadzka-Manko Olga , Stachlewska Iwona , Stebel Kerstin , Zehner Claus
Published: February 2021

This paper presents the validation results of Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) retrieved from the Spinning Enhanced Visible Infrared Radiometer (SEVIRI) data using the near-real-time algorithm further developed in the frame of the Satellite-based Monitoring Initiative for Regional Air quality (SAMIRA) project. The SEVIRI AOD was compared against multiple data sources: six stations of the Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) in Romania and Poland, three stations of the Aerosol Research Network in Poland (Poland–AOD) and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data overlapping Romania, Czech Republic and Poland. The correlation values between a four-month dataset (June–September 2014) from SEVIRI and the closest temporally available data for both ground-based and satellite products were identified. The comparison of the SEVIRI AOD with the AERONET AOD observations generally shows a good correlation (r = 0.48–0.83). The mean bias is 0.10–0.14 and the root mean square error RMSE is between 0.11 and 0.15 for all six stations cases. For the comparison with Poland–AOD correlation values are 0.55 to 0.71. The mean bias is 0.04–0.13 and RMSE is between 0.10 and 0.14. As for the intercomparison to MODIS AOD, correlations values were generally lower (r = 0.33–0.39). Biases of −0.06 to 0.24 and RMSE of 0.04 to 0.28 were in good agreement with the ground–stations retrievals. The validation of SEVIRI AOD with AERONET results in the best correlations followed by the Poland–AOD network and MODIS retrievals. The average uncertainty estimates are evaluated resulting in most of the AOD values falling above the expected error range. A revised uncertainty estimate is proposed by including the observed bias form the AERONET validation efforts.
Real-Time Hyperspectral Data Transmission for UAV-Based Acquisition Platforms
Authors: Melián José M. , Jiménez Adán , Díaz María , Morales Alejandro , Horstrand Pablo , Guerra Raúl , López Sebastián , López José F.
Published: February 2021

Hyperspectral sensors that are mounted in unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) offer many benefits for different remote sensing applications by combining the capacity of acquiring a high amount of information that allows for distinguishing or identifying different materials, and the flexibility of the UAVs for planning different kind of flying missions. However, further developments are still needed to take advantage of the combination of these technologies for applications that require a supervised or semi-supervised process, such as defense, surveillance, or search and rescue missions. The main reason is that, in these scenarios, the acquired data typically need to be rapidly transferred to a ground station where it can be processed and/or visualized in real-time by an operator for taking decisions on the fly. This is a very challenging task due to the high acquisition data rate of the hyperspectral sensors and the limited transmission bandwidth. This research focuses on providing a working solution to the described problem by rapidly compressing the acquired hyperspectral data prior to its transmission to the ground station. It has been tested using two different NVIDIA boards as on-board computers, the Jetson Xavier NX and the Jetson Nano. The Lossy Compression Algorithm for Hyperspectral Image Systems (HyperLCA) has been used for compressing the acquired data. The entire process, including the data compression and transmission, has been optimized and parallelized at different levels, while also using the Low Power Graphics Processing Units (LPGPUs) embedded in the Jetson boards. Finally, several tests have been carried out to evaluate the overall performance of the proposed design. The obtained results demonstrate the achievement of real-time performance when using the Jetson Xavier NX for all the configurations that could potentially be used during a real mission. However, when using the Jetson Nano, real-time performance has only been achieved when using the less restrictive configurations, which leaves room for further improvements and optimizations in order to reduce the computational burden of the overall design and increase its efficiency.
Classification of Critical Levels of CO Exposure of Firefigthers through Monitored Heart Rate
Authors: Sebastião Raquel , Sorte Sandra , Fernandes José M. , Miranda Ana I.
Published: February 2021

Smoke inhalation poses a serious health threat to firefighters (FFs), with potential effects including respiratory and cardiac disorders. In this work, environmental and physiological data were collected from FFs, during experimental fires performed in 2015 and 2019. Extending a previous work, which allowed us to conclude that changes in heart rate (HR) were associated with alterations in the inhalation of carbon monoxide (CO), we performed a HR analysis according to different levels of CO exposure during firefighting based on data collected from three FFs. Based on HR collected and on CO occupational exposure standards (OES), we propose a classifier to identify CO exposure levels through the HR measured values. An ensemble of 100 bagged classification trees was used and the classification of CO levels obtained an overall accuracy of 91.9%. The classification can be performed in real-time and can be embedded in a decision fire-fighting support system. This classification of FF’ exposure to critical CO levels, through minimally-invasive monitored HR, opens the possibility to identify hazardous situations, preventing and avoiding possible severe problems in FF’ health due to inhaled pollutants. The obtained results also show the importance of future studies on the relevance and influence of the exposure and inhalation of pollutants on the FF’ health, especially in what refers to hazardous levels of toxic air pollutants.
Size- and Time-Dependent Particle Removal Efficiency of Face Masks and Improvised Respiratory Protection Equipment Used during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Pogačnik Krajnc Anja , Pirker Luka , Gradišar Centa Urška , Gradišek Anton , Mekjavic Igor B. , Godnič Matej , Čebašek Metod , Bregant Tina , Remškar Maja
Published: February 2021

Size- and time-dependent particle removal efficiency (PRE) of different protective respiratory masks were determined using a standard aerosol powder with the size of particles in the range of an uncoated SARS-CoV-2 virus and small respiratory droplets. Number concentration of particles was measured by a scanning mobility particle sizer. Respiratory protective half-masks, surgical masks, and cotton washable masks were tested. The results show high filtration efficiency of FFP2, FFP3, and certified surgical masks for all sizes of tested particles, while protection efficiency of washable masks depends on their constituent fabrics. Measurements showed decreasing PRE of all masks over time due to transmission of nanoparticles through the mask-face interface. On the other hand, the PRE of the fabric is governed by deposition of the aerosols, consequently increasing the PRE.
Independent Component Extraction from the Incomplete Coordinate Time Series of Regional GNSS Networks
Authors: Feng Tengfei , Shen Yunzhong , Wang Fengwei
Published: February 2021

Independent component analysis (ICA) is one of the most effective approaches in extracting independent signals from a global navigation satellite system (GNSS) regional station network. However, ICA requires the involved time series to be complete, thereby the missing data of incomplete time series should be interpolated beforehand. In this contribution, a modified ICA is proposed, by which the missing data are first recovered based on the reversible property between the original time series and decomposed principal components, then the complete time series are further processed with FastICA. To evaluate the performance of the modified ICA for extracting independent components, 24 regional GNSS network stations located in North China from 2011 to 2019 were selected. After the trend, annual and semiannual terms were removed from the GNSS time series, the first two independent components captured 17.42, 18.44 and 17.38% of the total energy for the North, East and Up coordinate components, more than those derived by the iterative ICA that accounted for 16.21%, 17.72% and 16.93%, respectively. Therefore, modified ICA can extract more independent signals than iterative ICA. Subsequently, selecting the 7 stations with less missing data from the network, we repeatedly process the time series after randomly deleting parts of the data and compute the root mean square error (RMSE) from the differences of reconstructed signals before and after deleting data. All RMSEs of modified ICA are smaller than those of iterative ICA, indicating that modified ICA can extract more exact signals than iterative ICA.
Pentacyanoammineferrate-Based Non-Enzymatic Electrochemical Biosensing Platform for Selective Uric Acid Measurement
Authors: Jeon Won-Yong , Lee Chang-Jun , Sut Tun Naw , Kim Hyug-Han , Choi Young-Bong
Published: February 2021

The electrochemical-based detection of uric acid (UA) is widely used for diagnostic purposes. However, various interfering species such as ascorbic acid, dopamine, and glucose can affect electrochemical signals, and hence there is an outstanding need to develop improved sensing platforms to detect UA with high selectivity. Herein, we report a pentagonal mediator-based non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensing platform to selectively measure UA in the presence of interfering species. The working electrode was fabricated by electrodepositing polymerized 1-vinylimidazole (PVI), which has an imidazole ligand, onto indium tin oxide (ITO), and then conjugating nickel ions to the PVI-coated ITO electrode. Electrode performance was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements and integrated together with pentacyanoammineferrate, which can bind to the amine groups of UA and function as an electron transferring mediator. The experimental results showed a wide linear range of UA concentration-dependent responses and the multi-potential step (MPS) technique facilitated selective detection of UA in the presence of physiologically relevant interfering species. Altogether, these findings support that pentacyanoammineferrate-based non-enzymatic electrodes are suitable biosensing platforms for the selective measurement of UA, and such approaches could potentially be extended to other bioanalytes as well.
Decoding of Ankle Joint Movements in Stroke Patients Using Surface Electromyography
Authors: Noor Afaq , Waris Asim , Gilani Syed Omer , Kashif Amer Sohail , Jochumsen Mads , Iqbal Javaid , Niazi Imran Khan
Published: February 2021

Stroke is a cerebrovascular disease (CVD), which results in hemiplegia, paralysis, or death. Conventionally, a stroke patient requires prolonged sessions with physical therapists for the recovery of motor function. Various home-based rehabilitative devices are also available for upper limbs and require minimal or no assistance from a physiotherapist. However, there is no clinically proven device available for functional recovery of a lower limb. In this study, we explored the potential use of surface electromyography (sEMG) as a controlling mechanism for the development of a home-based lower limb rehabilitative device for stroke patients. In this experiment, three channels of sEMG were used to record data from 11 stroke patients while performing ankle joint movements. The movements were then decoded from the sEMG data and their correlation with the level of motor impairment was investigated. The impairment level was quantified using the Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA) scale. During the analysis, Hudgins time-domain features were extracted and classified using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) and artificial neural network (ANN). On average, 63.86% ± 4.3% and 67.1% ± 7.9% of the movements were accurately classified in an offline analysis by LDA and ANN, respectively. We found that in both classifiers, some motions outperformed others (p < 0.001 for LDA and p = 0.014 for ANN). The Spearman correlation (ρ) was calculated between the FMA scores and classification accuracies. The results indicate that there is a moderately positive correlation (ρ = 0.75 for LDA and ρ = 0.55 for ANN) between the two of them. The findings of this study suggest that a home-based EMG system can be developed to provide customized therapy for the improvement of functional lower limb motion in stroke patients.
Automatic Modulation Recognition Based on a DCN-BiLSTM Network
Authors: Liu Kai , Gao Wanjun , Huang Qinghua
Published: February 2021

Automatic modulation recognition (AMR) is a significant technology in noncooperative wireless communication systems. This paper proposes a deep complex network that cascades the bidirectional long short-term memory network (DCN-BiLSTM) for AMR. In view of the fact that the convolution operation of the traditional convolutional neural network (CNN) loses the partial phase information of the modulated signal, resulting in low recognition accuracy, we first apply a deep complex network (DCN) to extract the features of the modulated signal containing phase and amplitude information. Then, we cascade bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) layers to build a bidirectional long short-term memory model according to the extracted features. The BiLSTM layers can extract the contextual information of signals well and address the long-term dependence problems. Next, we feed the features into a fully connected layer. Finally, a softmax classifier is used to perform classification. Simulation experiments show that the performance of our proposed algorithm is better than that of other neural network recognition algorithms. When the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) exceeds 4 dB, our model’s recognition rate for the 11 modulation signals can reach 90%.
OPTIMIZING THE STRUCTURE OF THE CAR FLEET LLC SG «RISAN» CARRYING OUT TRANSPORTATION OF MASS CONSTRUCTION CARGO ON THE BASIS OF COST ANALYSIS
Authors:   Penza State University of Architecture and Construction, DOMKE E.R. , ZHESTKOVA S.A. ,   Penza State University of Architecture and Construction, BARSUKOVA A.I. ,   Penza State University of Architecture and Construction
Published: February 2021

The results of improving the rolling stock fleet that transports mass construction cargo in the company SG «Risan» on the basis of cost analysis are presented. The economic efficiency of the proposed solutions is determined.
PERSPECTIVES OF THE AUTOMATED APPROACH TO THE DIAGNOSING VEHICLE’S MALFUNCTIONS AS THE ONLINE HELP FOR THE DRIVER
Authors:   LLC «Pragmatica», KUDRYAVTSEV A.A. , BAKULOV P.A. ,   LLC «Pragmatica», VLASOV V.M. ,   Moscow Automobile and Road Construction State University
Published: February 2021

The article contains a retrospective of the vehicle’s complexity as the factor for the availabil-ity to diagnose and repair the vehicle by it’s owner. A statistic is gathered and analyzed the mal-function of which parts of the vehicle are repaired most of all. And which symptoms can be trans-lated by the driver to diagnose the malfunction and act accordingly. A remote expert system is sug-gested as the tool for the remote Internet-service for making the driver’s diagnosis more relevant.
PROSPECTS FOR THE USE OF HIGH-ENTROPY ALLOYS FOR RESTORING MACHINE PARTS BY ATMOSPHERIC PLASMA DEPOSITION
Authors:   Voronezh State Forestry Engineering University, KADIRMETOV A.M. , POPOV D.A. ,   Voronezh State Forestry Engineering University, SNYATKOV E.V. ,   Voronezh State Forestry Engineering University
Published: February 2021

A brief analysis of the most common methods for producing multicomponent alloys, including high-entropy alloys (HES), is presented in terms of their use as an alternative to coatings made of traditional structural metal materials. Preliminary studies of the microstructure and phase compo-sition of the coating obtained by plasma deposition of FeCoCrAlTiCuMo powder in the equiatom-ic ratio of components are presented. The results of the research showed the possibility of obtain-ing a multicomponent single-phase solid solution by plasma sputtering and indicated the feasibil-ity of its further study.
INFLUENCE OF SOLAR RADIATION ON THE MICROCLIMATE IN THE CAR INTERIOR IN THE SUMMER
Authors:   LLC «SBM Service center», YAKUNIN I.N. , IANUCHKOV M.R. ,   Orenburg State University
Published: February 2021

The value of illumination in the cabin is determined, at which there is a sharp deterioration in the situation in the cabin. The results of the study can be used to determine the optimal darken-ing of windows, the effectiveness of the use of athermal coatings and the operation of the climate plant.
FEATURES OF PASSENGER TRANSPORT DEMAND PLANNING IN THE CONTEXT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Authors:   Don State Technical University, BULATOVA O.U.
Published: February 2021

Сurrently, we are witnessing the reaction of the world community to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are also observing how subjects in all areas of the economy respond to current challenges using innovative approaches. Urban passenger transport is one of the most important factors in the development of the economy and social life of the population. Restoring transport infrastruc-ture is a long-term and time-consuming process. Modeling transport systems is key to understand-ing how quickly and effectively the transport system adapts to new realities after the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. If until recently, models were created with an eye to 20 years, at present their relevance is barely enough for 5 years due to the unpredictability of the behavior of transport us-ers. Passenger traffic will decrease, which may increase the popularity of walking and сycling.
PROBLEMS OF IMPLEMENTING INTELLIGENT TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS IN REGIONS
Authors:   Orel State University, NOVIKOV A.N. , EREMIN S.V. ,   Krasnoyarsk Administration, KULEV A.V. ,   Orel State University, LOMAKIN D.O. ,   Orel State University
Published: February 2021

The development of intelligent transport systems (ITS) is one of the most important areas in improving transport infrastructure in the Russian Federation, as this allows: to optimize the distri-bution of vehicle flows along the road network; improve road capacity through better traffic man-agement; increase the level of road safety and reduce the likelihood of accidents; improve envi-ronmental safety; Organize effective traffic management options for road accidents, as well as or-ganize activities that facilitate traffic management; Rationalize options for granting priority to different modes of transport. The creation of ITS is based on a system approach, designing ITS based on the integration of various systems. ITS design principles include modernization and reengineering of existing transport systems. However, the development of these systems has a num-ber of common problems for most regions, without which it is impossible to create an effectively functioning ITS.
THE PROJECT OF TRAFFIC ORGANIZATION AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE CITY OF SHAKHTY FROM THE M-4 "DON" HIGHWAY
Authors:   Don State Technical University, KALMYKOVA O.M. , DANILOV S.E. ,   Don State Technical University
Published: February 2021

The analysis of the existing traffic was carried out, a new scheme of traffic organization at the intersection of Mayakovsky street - Chkalov street was proposed, calculations of traffic light cycles at these intersections were carried out, taking into account the introduction of new traffic light objects. The results of the research will solve a number of problems of the road complex of the city of Shakhty to improve the transport and operational condition of the existing network of pub-lic roads of local importance and structures on them. To bring technical parameters and levels of engineering equipment of roads in compliance with the reached sizes of intensity of traffic.
SOLUTION OF THE TRAVELING SALESMAN PROBLEM WITH A LIMITED DELIVERY TIME UNDER CONDITIONS DEVELOPMENT OF DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES IN TRANSPORT
Authors:   Orel State University, DUDNIK T.A. , BODROV A.S. ,   Orel State University, KOLPAKOVA S.V. ,   Orel State University, LEVSHINA K.V. ,   Orel State University
Published: February 2021

The solution of the traveling salesman problem by the Clark-Wright method with limited de-livery time using the capabilities of cartographic electronic services is considered. The service standard (the time of order delivery to the last customer on the route) is calculated, which is a limi-tation in the task.
A Systmatic Literature Review
Authors: Sukma Dias Irawati , Setiawan Indra , Purba Humiras Hardi
Published: February 2021

Overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) is an approach used to measure the productivity of equipment or machines. The aim of this paper is to identify review and analyze the OEE approach. More specific knowledge about OEE has grown rapidly. Much research on OEE is carried out in various industries to measure the productivity of equipment or machines. This paper involves a review study of 30 papers related to OEE implementation in various industries. This paper contains the results of many different aspects. These aspects include focus is an industry. Focus number of distribution by country and focus year of publication. This paper is useful for all types of industrial sectors to find solutions to problems with equipment or machine performance. This paper also provides an advantage for future researchers to add insight and reference for OEE-related studies in various industries.
Relative clauses and subject inversion in Chokwe, Kaonde, Lunda and Luvale
Authors: Kawasha Boniface
Published: February 2021

Subject inversion in Bantu non-subject relative clauses has been attributed to the form and the prosodic status of the relative markers. The canonical subject-verbobject word order (SVO) is maintained in languages with ''independent words'' as relative markers, and verb-subject inversion takes place in languages where the relative markers are prefixes attached onto the verb (Giv6n 1972, Meeussen 1978, Demuth & Harford 1999, Harford & Demuth 1999). While Kaonde and Lunda appear to support empirically this analysis, it cannot extend to other Bantu languages like Chokwe and Luvale. In the latter languages, subject inversion is obligatorily in non-subject relative clauses even though they are marked by independent words.