bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical trial simulation to evaluate tenofovir disoproxil fumarate/emtricitabine HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis dosing during pregnancy
Authors: Scott Rachel K. , Yu Yifan , Marzinke Mark A. , Coleman Jenell S. , Hendrix Craig W. , Bies Robert
Published: October 2023

Objective

To evaluate upward-adjustment of tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF)/emtricitabine (FTC) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) dosing during pregnancy in order to maintain target plasma concentrations associated with HIV protection.

Design

Population pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling and clinical trial simulation (CTS).

Material and methods

We developed population pharmacokinetic models for TFV and FTC using data from the Partners Demonstration Project and a PK study of TDF/FTC among cisgender women by Coleman et al., and performed an in-silico simulation. Pregnancy-trimester was identified as a significant covariate on apparent clearance in the optimized final model. We simulated 1,000 pregnant individuals starting standard daily oral TDF/FTC (300 mg/200 mg) prior to pregnancy. Upon becoming pregnant, simulated patients were split into two study arms: one continuing standard-dose and the other receiving double standard-dose throughout pregnancy.

Results

Standard-dose trough TFV concentrations were significantly lower in pregnancy compared to pre-pregnancy, with 34.0%, 43.8%, and 65.1% of trough plasma concentrations below the lower bound of expected trough concentrations presumed to be the protective threshold in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters, respectively. By comparison, in the simulated double-dose group, 10.7%, 14.4%, and 27.8% of trough concentrations fell below the estimated protective thresholds in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd trimesters, respectively. The FTC trough plasma concentration during pregnancy was also lower than pre-pregnancy, with 45.2% of the steady-state trough concentrations below the estimated protective trough concentrations of FTC. In the pregnancy-adjusted double-dose group, 24.1% of trough plasma concentrations were lower than protective levels.

Conclusions

Our simulation shows >50% of research participants on standard dosing would have 3rd trimester trough plasma TFV concentrations below levels associated with protection. This simulation provides the quantitative basis for the design of prospective TDF/FTC studies during pregnancy to evaluate the safety and appropriateness of pregnancy-adjusted dosing.
Sexual function after radical cystectomy in males with bladder carcinoma: a six-year longitudinal single-centre study
Authors: Pronk Claudia E. , Albers Leonore F. , Kuijper Lothar D. J. , Hendricksen Kees , Nicolai Melianthe P. J.
Published: October 2023

Introduction

Little is known about the long-term effects on sexual function (SF) after radical cystectomy (RC) in bladder carcinoma (BC) patients.

Aim

To assess the course of SF in BC patients who underwent RC, and individual characteristics that influence the sexual outcome during a six-year follow-up.

Methods

In this longitudinal study, 62 BC patients treated with RC were included between 2008 and 2022. Patients filled out validated questionnaires as part of the regular care at baseline, three months, six months, 12 months and thereafter yearly post RC.

Outcome measures

To determine the sexual function, the International Index of Erectile Function questionnaire was filled in and a linear mixed model for repeated measures was conducted. The analysed clinical variables included sexual preserving cystectomy (SPC), age, type of diversion, treatment, comorbidities, tumour status, smoking habits, patient status and open- or robot-assisted RC. A Generalised Linear Mixed Model was used to evaluate the impact on Quality of Life with the QLQ-C30 questionnaire.

Results

After an initial decrease of sexual function post-RC, no change in SF was seen during the six years of follow-up. A statistically significant difference in sexual health was found between SPC and standard RC (p=0.015), which was time-dependent. Patients with an orthotopic ileal neobladder experienced a significantly better SF than those with a Bricker’s ileal conduit (p=<0.001). A younger age also seemed to yield beneficial outcomes regarding SF (p=0.004). Other analysed clinical variables did not influence the course of SF. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between Quality of Life- and SF scores (p=0.004). Robot-assisted RC resulted in higher Global Health scores than open RC (p=0.001).

Conclusions

RC has a severe impact on sexual function. Although SPC, collinear with the use of an orthotopic ileal neobladder and younger patient age show better outcomes in SF, erectile dysfunction post-RC is moderate to severe in the vast majority of patients.
Encouraging participant embodiment during VR-assisted public speaking training improves persuasiveness and charisma and reduces anxiety in secondary school students
Authors: Valls-Ratés Ïo , Niebuhr Oliver , Prieto Pilar
Published: October 2023

Practicing public speaking to simulated audiences created in virtual reality environments is reported to be effective for reducing public speaking anxiety. However, little is known about whether this effect can be enhanced by encouraging the use of gestures during VR-assisted public speaking training. In the present study two groups of secondary schools underwent a three-session public speaking training program in which they delivered short speeches to VR-simulated audiences. One group was encouraged to “embody” their speeches through gesture while the other was given no instructions regarding the use of gesture. Before and after the training sessions participants underwent respectively a pre- and a post-training session, which consisted of delivering a similar short speech to a small live audience. At pre- and post-training sessions, participants’ levels of anxiety were self-assessed, their speech performances were rated for persuasiveness and charisma by independent raters, and their verbal output was analyzed for prosodic features and gesture rate. Results showed that both groups significantly reduced their self-assessed anxiety between the pre- and post-training sessions. Persuasiveness and charisma ratings increased for both groups, but to a significantly greater extent in the gesture-using group. However, the prosodic and gestural features analyzed showed no significant differences across groups or from pre-to post-training speeches. Thus, our results seem to indicate that encouraging the use of gesture in VR-assisted public speaking practice can help students be more charismatic and their delivery more persuasive before presenting in front of a live audience.
Using multisensory virtual reality nature immersion as a therapeutic modality for improving HRV and cognitive functions in post-traumatic stress disorder: a pilot-study
Authors: De Jesus Junior Belmir Jose , Perreault Léa , Lopes Marilia K. S. , Roberge Marie-Claude , Oliveira Alcyr A. , Falk Tiago H.
Published: October 2023

Introduction: Immersive virtual reality (VR) applications are burgeoning within healthcare as they promote high levels of engagement. Notwithstanding, existing solutions only stimulate two of our five senses (audio and visual), thus may not be optimal in the sense of promoting immersion and of “being present”. In this paper, we explore the benefits of an immersive multisensory experience as a therapeutic modality for participants suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: In addition to 360-degree videos and corresponding natural sounds, nature smells are also presented by means of a portable ION 2 scent diffusion device attached to an Oculus Quest 2 VR head-mounted display. A 3-week 12-sessions protocol was applied to a sample of 20 participants diagnosed with PTSD.

Results and discussion: We report the outcomes seen from a battery of qualitative metrics, including cognitive functioning tests, psychological symptoms, severity of PTSD, and several self-reported questionnaires and heart rate variability (HRV) metrics. Results are compared not only between pre-and post intervention, but also after a 3-month follow-up period. Results suggest a decrease in the severity of PTSD, as well as improvements in processing speed and sustained attention post-intervention, but also sustained decrease in the severity of PTSD and in dissociative tendencies at the 3-month follow-up. Overall, participants rated the experience as highly immersive and produced very mild to no symptoms of cybersickness, thus corroborating the feasibility and usefulness of the proposed multisensory immersive VR tool for reducing PTSD symptoms.
Respecifying social change: the obsolescence of practices and the transience of technology
Authors: Mlynář Jakub , Arminen Ilkka
Published: October 2023

This article proposes that social change, a fundamental topic in sociological theory, can be productively revisited by attending to studies in ethnomethodology and conversation analysis (EM/CA). We argue that the corpus of EM/CA research, from the 1960s until the present day, provides details of the constitutive and identifying aspects of practices and activities that gradually transform into descriptions of obsolescent practices and activities, and that this corpus can be revisited to learn about the ways people used to do things. Taking landline and mobile telephony as a case in point, we show that the subtle details of conversational practices are anchored in the technology used as part of the contemporary lifeworld, and that they stand for the particularities of routine social structures of their time period. We also discuss the temporal aspects of the competences required on the part of members and analysts to make sense of encountered practices in terms of their ordinary recognizability and interactional consequentiality, pointing to the anchoring of social life in its historical time. Finally, we conclude by considering different ways of respecifying social change by attending to various kinds of historicity and obsolescence of social praxis.
Queer(y)ing aging—potentialities and problems in applying Queer Theory to studies of aging and later life
Authors: King Andrew , Hall Matthew
Published: October 2023

Queer Theory is a radically deconstructionist perspective within the humanities and social sciences. Since its initial emergence in the late 1980s and early 1990s in the field of sexualities studies, Queer Theory has increasingly been used to challenges normative notions of self, identity, temporality and the nature of being, more broadly. Whilst Queer Theory has been utilized, to some extent, in gerontology and aging studies, this article makes an original contribution to this endeavor, assessing the potentiality and problems with queer(y)ing three aspects of aging: chronology; cognition; and frailty and vulnerability. To achieve this, the article draws on ideas from some key Queer theorical writers, existing studies of queer aging and illustrates theoretical points with qualitative data collected from two LGBTQ+ projects to illustrate. The article also considers problems with Queer Theory in challenging normativities associated with aging. It is concluded that despite problems, Queer Theory remains an important and valuable theoretical approach for disturbing and challenging many of the norms and understandings that shape and constrain older LGBTQ+ people's lives, in particular, and therefore have importance for how we think and understand aging and later life sociologically.
Crowdsourcing priorities: a new participatory ex-ante framework for crop improvement
Authors: Occelli Martina , Rubin Deborah , Tufan Hale Ann
Published: October 2023

Demand-led approaches to crop breeding involve ranking priorities across different disciplines and stakeholder categories, but the implications of decisions made during varietal development are frequently understood only years later. Breeding teams must work a priori to rank crop improvement priorities and product concepts considering the context of the current, and ideally future, environmental, production and market conditions that a variety will be entering upon release. We propose PEEP (Participatory Ex-antE framework for Plant breeding), a new ex-ante framework, as a methodological tool for priority setting in plant breeding. PEEP leverages two elements: the usage of a heterodox methodological approach and the strong emphasis on the participation of knowledge-rich stakeholders. PEEP ranks crop improvement impacts based on a heterogenous set of environmental, social, and economic benefits and it employs a recursive and tailored multi-stakeholder approach to relate crop improvement impacts and product concepts. PEEP builds on the need to engage technical as well as practical knowledge and utilizes a tailored engagement strategy for each knowledge-rich stakeholder involved. The outcome is an assessment that ranks crop improvement impacts and breeding product concepts according to designed set of criteria. PEEP is scalable, gender inclusive, and crop agnostic. The results of PEEP are ex-ante recommendations for breeding teams in National Agriculture Research centers (NARs) and CGIAR centers alike. This methods manuscript describes the theoretical foundations of PEEP and its four phases of implementation.
Effect of TCDD exposure in adult female and male mice on the expression of miRNA in the ovaries and testes and associated reproductive functions
Authors: Hall Alina , Mattison Donald , Singh Narendra , Chatzistamou Ioulia , Zhang Jiajia , Nagarkatti Mitzi , Nagarkatti Prakash
Published: October 2023

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) is an environmental contaminant found widely across the world. While animal and human studies have shown that exposure to TCDD may cause significant alterations in the reproductive tract, the effect of TCDD on the expression of miRNA in the reproductive organs has not been previously tested. In the current study, we exposed adult female or male mice to TCDD or vehicle and bred them to study the impact on reproduction. The data showed that while TCDD treatment of females caused no significant change in litter size, it did alter the survival of the pups. Also, TCDD exposure of either the male or female mice led to an increase in the gestational period. While TCDD did not alter the gross morphology of the ovaries and testes, it induced significant alterations in the miRNA expression. The ovaries showed the differential expression of 426 miRNAs, of which 315 miRNAs were upregulated and 111 miRNA that were downregulated after TCDD exposure when compared to the vehicle controls. In the testes, TCDD caused the differential expression of 433 miRNAs, with 247 miRNAs upregulated and 186 miRNAs downregulated. Pathway analysis showed that several of these dysregulated miRNAs targeted reproductive functions. The current study suggests that the reproductive toxicity of TCDD may result from alterations in the miRNA expression in the reproductive organs. Because miRNAs also represent one of the epigenetic pathways of gene expression, our studies suggest that the transgenerational toxicity of TCDD may also result from dysregulation in the miRNAs.
Training and validation of a novel non-invasive imaging system for ruling out malignancy in canine subcutaneous and cutaneous masses using machine learning in 664 masses
Authors: Dank Gillian , Buber Tali , Rice Anna , Kraicer Noa , Hanael Erez , Shasha Tamir , Aviram Gal , Yehudayoff Amir , Kent Michael S.
Published: October 2023

Objective

To train and validate the use of a novel artificial intelligence-based thermal imaging system as a screening tool to rule out malignancy in cutaneous and subcutaneous masses in dogs.

Animals

Training study: 147 client-owned dogs with 233 masses. Validation Study: 299 client-owned dogs with 525 masses. Cytology was non-diagnostic in 94 masses, resulting in 431 masses from 248 dogs with diagnostic samples.

Procedures

The prospective studies were conducted between June 2020 and July 2022. During the scan, each mass and its adjacent healthy tissue was heated by a high-power Light-Emitting Diode. The tissue temperature was recorded by the device and consequently analyzed using a supervised machine learning algorithm to determine whether the mass required further investigation. The first study was performed to collect data to train the algorithm. The second study validated the algorithm, as the real-time device predictions were compared to the cytology and/or biopsy results.

Results

The results for the validation study were that the device correctly classified 45 out of 53 malignant masses and 253 out of 378 benign masses (sensitivity = 85% and specificity = 67%). The negative predictive value of the system (i.e., percent of benign masses identified as benign) was 97%.

Clinical relevance

The results demonstrate that this novel system could be used as a decision-support tool at the point of care, enabling clinicians to differentiate between benign lesions and those requiring further diagnostics.
Condom Use among HIV-Positive Postnatal Women in Primary Health Care Facilities in Tshwane Sub-District 1, Gauteng Province, South Africa
Authors: Kgoele Mpho , Rammopo Modikwe , Oguntibeju Oluwafemi O.
Published: October 2023

Condoms have been and are still an important part of HIV preventative measures worldwide, and many countries have designed programmes that encourage their use. Consistent and correct condom use among HIV-positive individuals is important in preventing multiple infections. Hence, the uptake and determining factors associated with condom use were investigated in this study. This study was aimed at determining the level of, and factors associated with, condom use among HIV-positive postnatal women in primary health care facilities in Tshwane sub-district 1, Gauteng Province, South Africa. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 326 HIV-positive postnatal women aged between 15 and 50 years who were conveniently selected and voluntarily participated in the study. A self-developed pretested questionnaire was used to collect data on level of condom use and factors associated with its use from the selected participants. Statistical tests of correlation were then used to determine the association between frequency of condom use during sexual encounter and condom use at last sexual encounter with the independent variables. Regular condom use during sexual encounters was reported by 63.2% of the participants while 83% of the participants reported using a condom at their last sexual encounter. Frequency of condom use during sexual encounter was found to be associated with employment status (p < 0.05), residence (p < 0.001), number of children (p < 0.05), first HIV diagnosis (p < 0.05) and disclosure of HIV status to partner (p < 0.05). Condom use at last sexual encounter was also found to have a significant statistical association with level of education (p < 0.05) and the ability to negotiate condom use (p < 0.001). A good proportion of the participants used condoms regularly. Interventions to improve condom use among this population should focus on female empowerment by investing in their education, and economic empowerment to improve their economic status, which, in turn, would help the women to better negotiate condom use. The other factors mentioned above should also be considered when developing health education policies and programmes about condom use amongst HIV-positive postnatal women.
Genotype Prevalence of Lactose Deficiency, Vitamin D Deficiency, and the Vitamin D Receptor in a Chilean Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cohort: Insights from an Observational Study
Authors: Pérez-Jeldres Tamara , Bustamante M. , Segovia-Melero Roberto , Aguilar Nataly , Magne Fabien , Ascui Gabriel , Uribe Denisse , Azócar Lorena , Hernández-Rocha Cristián , Estela Ricardo , Silva Verónica , De La Vega Andrés , Arriagada Elizabeth , Gonzalez Mauricio , Onetto Gian-Franco , Escobar Sergio , Baez Pablo , Zazueta Alejandra , Pavez-Ovalle Carolina , Miquel Juan , Álvarez-Lobos Manuel
Published: October 2023

Lactose intolerance (LI) and vitamin D deficiency (VDD) have been linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). We conducted an observational study in 192 Chilean IBD patients to investigate the prevalence of a specific gene variant (LCT-13910 CC genotype) associated with LI and the prevalence of VDD/Vitamin D Receptor (VDR) gene variants. Blood samples were analyzed using Illumina’s Infinium Global Screening Array. The LCT-13910 CC genotype was found in 61% of IBD patients, similar to Chilean Hispanic controls and lower than Chilean Amerindian controls. The frequency of the LCT-13910-C allele in Chilean IBD patients (0.79) was comparable to the general population and higher than Europeans (0.49). Regarding VDR and VDD variants, in our study, the rs12785878-GG variant was associated with an increased risk of IBD (OR = 2.64, CI = 1.61–4.32; p-value = 0.001). Sixty-one percent of the Chilean IBD cohort have a genetic predisposition to lactose malabsorption, and a significant proportion exhibit genetic variants associated with VDD/VDR. Screening for LI and VDD is crucial in this Latin American IBD population.
Genetic and Functional Modifications Associated with Ovarian Cancer Cell Aggregation and Limited Culture Conditions
Authors: Grieco Joseph P. , Compton Stephanie L. E. , Davis Grace N. , Guinan Jack , Schmelz Eva M.
Published: October 2023

The aggregation of cancer cells provides a survival signal for disseminating cancer cells; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms have yet to be elucidated. Using qPCR gene arrays, this study investigated the changes in cancer-specific genes as well as genes regulating mitochondrial quality control, metabolism, and oxidative stress in response to aggregation and hypoxia in our progressive ovarian cancer models representing slow- and fast-developing ovarian cancer. Aggregation increased the expression of anti-apoptotic, stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), angiogenic, mitophagic, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging genes and functions, and decreased proliferation, apoptosis, metabolism, and mitochondrial content genes and functions. The incorporation of stromal vascular cells (SVF) from obese mice into the spheroids increased DNA repair and telomere regulatory genes that may represent a link between obesity and ovarian cancer risk. While glucose had no effect, glutamine was essential for aggregation and supported proliferation of the spheroid. In contrast, low glucose and hypoxic culture conditions delayed adhesion and outgrowth capacity of the spheroids independent of their phenotype, decreased mitochondrial mass and polarity, and induced a shift of mitochondrial dynamics towards mitophagy. However, these conditions did not reduce the appearance of polarized mitochondria at adhesion sites, suggesting that adhesion signals that either reversed mitochondrial fragmentation or induced mitobiogenesis can override the impact of low glucose and oxygen levels. Thus, the plasticity of the spheroids’ phenotype supports viability during dissemination, allows for the adaptation to changing conditions such as oxygen and nutrient availability. This may be critical for the development of an aggressive cancer phenotype and, therefore, could represent druggable targets for clinical interventions.
Nondestructive Detection and Early Warning of Pavement Surface Icing Based on Meteorological Information
Authors: Li Jilu , Ma Hua , Shi Wei , Tan Yiqiu , Xu Huining , Zheng Bin , Liu Jie
Published: October 2023

Monitoring and warning of ice on pavement surfaces are effective means to improve traffic safety in winter. In this study, a high-precision piezoelectric sensor was developed to monitor pavement surface conditions. The effects of the pavement surface temperature, water depth, and wind speed on pavement icing time were investigated. Then, on the basis of these effects, an early warning model of pavement icing was proposed using an artificial neural network. The results showed that the sensor could detect ice or water on the pavement surface. The measurement accuracy and reliability of the sensor were verified under long-term vehicle load, temperature load, and harsh natural environment using test data. Moreover, pavement temperature, water depth, and wind speed had a significant nonlinear effect on the pavement icing time. The effect of the pavement surface temperature on icing conditions was maximal, followed by the effect of the water depth. The effect of the wind speed was moderate. The model with a learning rate of 0.7 and five hidden units had the best prediction effect on pavement icing. The prediction accuracy of the early warning model exceeded 90%, permitting nondestructive and rapid detection of pavement icing based on meteorological information.
Preparation of Enzyme-Soluble Swim Bladder Collagen from Sea Eel (Muraenesox cinereus) and Evaluation Its Wound Healing Capacity
Authors: Li Hangting , Tian Jing , Cao Hongjie , Tang Yunping , Huang Fangfang , Yang Zuisu
Published: October 2023

In the present research, the enzyme-facilitated collagen from sea eel (Muraenesox cinereus) swim bladder was isolated, and the collagen characteristics were analyzed. Then, the collagen sponge was prepared and its potential mechanism in promoting skin wound healing in mice was further investigated. Collagen was obtained from the swim bladder of sea eels employing the pepsin extraction technique. Single-factor experiments served as the basis for the response surface method (RSM) to optimize pepsin concentration, solid-liquid ratio, and hydrolysis period. With a pepsin concentration of 2067 U/g, a solid-liquid ratio of 1:83 g/mL, and a hydrolysis period of 10 h, collagen extraction achieved a yield of 93.76%. The physicochemical analysis revealed that the extracted collagen belonged to type I collagen, and the collagen sponge displayed a fibrous structure under electron microscopy. Furthermore, in comparison to the control group, mice treated with collagen sponge dressing exhibited elevated activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and decreased levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), interleukin (IL)-1β, interleukin (IL)-6, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α. The collagen sponge dressing effectively alleviated inflammation in the wound area, facilitating efficient repair and rapid healing of the skin tissue. During the initial phase of wound healing, the group treated with collagen sponge dressing exhibited an enhancement in the expressions of cluster of differentiation (CD)31, epidermal growth factor (EGF), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, and type I collagen, leading to an accelerated rate of wound healing. In addition, this collagen sponge dressing could also downregulate the expressions of CD31, EGF, and type I collagen to prevent scar formation in the later stage. Moreover, this collagen treatment minimized oxidative damage and inflammation during skin wound healing and facilitated blood vessel formation in the wound. Consequently, it exhibits significant potential as an ideal material for the development of a skin wound dressing.
Space Target Tracking with the HRRP Characteristic-Aided Filter via Space-Based Radar
Authors: Zheng Shuyu , Jiang Libing , Yang Qingwei , Zhao Yingjian , Wang Zhuang
Published: October 2023

Approaching space target tracking is a typical and challenging mission in the space situational awareness (SSA) field. As the space-based radar is able to monitor the space targets of interest full-weather all-time, the space-based radar system is utilized in this paper. However, most multi-target tracking (MTT) filters in target tracking studies merely utilize the location or narrow measurements, and many potentially valuable electromagnetic scattering characteristics are missed, which leads to space target false tracking problems. The space-based radar transmits a wide-band signal, and the measured high-resolution range profile (HRRP) information is an effective characteristic for different target discrimination. Therefore, the HRRP characteristics of space targets are implemented into the update recursion of the MTT filter, which can be utilized to improve the tracking performance. Then, to predict the target HRRP sequence, the geometrical theory of diffraction (GTD) model is utilized. Additionally, a modified spatial spectrum method with a novel covariance matrix is designed to improve the scattering parameter estimation accuracy. Finally, an adapting threshold is devised for merging the Gaussian mixture (GM) components weights. The proposed threshold is on the basis of the proposed HRRP characteristic-aided probability hypothesis density (PHD) filter, and it can tackle the problem of space target discrimination. Simulation results validate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed probability hypothesis density (HGI-PHD) filter aided by HRRP information and improved with GM weights.
A Front-End Circuit for Two-Wire Connected Resistive Sensors with a Wire-Resistance Compensation
Authors: Reverter Ferran
Published: October 2023

In this article, a novel front-end circuit for remote two-wire resistive sensors that is insensitive to the wire resistances is proposed and experimentally characterized. The circuit relies on an OpAmp-based current source with a square-wave excitation, two twin diodes in the feedback path, and a low-pass filter at the output. Using such a circuit topology, the output is a DC voltage proportional to the sensor resistance and independent of the wire resistances. A prototype was built measuring resistances that correspond to a Pt100 thermal sensor and with different values of wire resistance. The experimental results show that the output voltage is almost insensitive to both the wire resistances and their mismatch, with a relative error (with respect to the case with null parasitic resistance) in the range of 0.01–0.03% Full-Scale Span (FSS). In addition, the proposed circuit shows a remarkable linearity (around 0.01% FSS), and again this is independent of the presence and also of the mismatch of the wire resistances.
Graph Reinforcement Learning-Based Decision-Making Technology for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles: Framework, Review, and Future Trends
Authors: Liu Qi , Li Xueyuan , Tang Yujie , Gao Xin , Yang Fan , Li Zirui
Published: October 2023

The proper functioning of connected and autonomous vehicles (CAVs) is crucial for the safety and efficiency of future intelligent transport systems. Meanwhile, transitioning to fully autonomous driving requires a long period of mixed autonomy traffic, including both CAVs and human-driven vehicles. Thus, collaborative decision-making technology for CAVs is essential to generate appropriate driving behaviors to enhance the safety and efficiency of mixed autonomy traffic. In recent years, deep reinforcement learning (DRL) methods have become an efficient way in solving decision-making problems. However, with the development of computing technology, graph reinforcement learning (GRL) methods have gradually demonstrated the large potential to further improve the decision-making performance of CAVs, especially in the area of accurately representing the mutual effects of vehicles and modeling dynamic traffic environments. To facilitate the development of GRL-based methods for autonomous driving, this paper proposes a review of GRL-based methods for the decision-making technologies of CAVs. Firstly, a generic GRL framework is proposed in the beginning to gain an overall understanding of the decision-making technology. Then, the GRL-based decision-making technologies are reviewed from the perspective of the construction methods of mixed autonomy traffic, methods for graph representation of the driving environment, and related works about graph neural networks (GNN) and DRL in the field of decision-making for autonomous driving. Moreover, validation methods are summarized to provide an efficient way to verify the performance of decision-making methods. Finally, challenges and future research directions of GRL-based decision-making methods are summarized.
Post Disaster Damage Assessment Using Ultra-High-Resolution Aerial Imagery with Semi-Supervised Transformers
Authors: Singh Deepank Kumar , Hoskere Vedhus
Published: October 2023

Preliminary damage assessments (PDA) conducted in the aftermath of a disaster are a key first step in ensuring a resilient recovery. Conventional door-to-door inspection practices are time-consuming and may delay governmental resource allocation. A number of research efforts have proposed frameworks to automate PDA, typically relying on data sources from satellites, unmanned aerial vehicles, or ground vehicles, together with data processing using deep convolutional neural networks. However, before such frameworks can be adopted in practice, the accuracy and fidelity of predictions of damage level at the scale of an entire building must be comparable to human assessments. Towards this goal, we propose a PDA framework leveraging novel ultra-high-resolution aerial (UHRA) images combined with state-of-the-art transformer models to make multi-class damage predictions of entire buildings. We demonstrate that semi-supervised transformer models trained with vast amounts of unlabeled data are able to surpass the accuracy and generalization capabilities of state-of-the-art PDA frameworks. In our series of experiments, we aim to assess the impact of incorporating unlabeled data, as well as the use of different data sources and model architectures. By integrating UHRA images and semi-supervised transformer models, our results suggest that the framework can overcome the significant limitations of satellite imagery and traditional CNN models, leading to more accurate and efficient damage assessments.
The Age of Information in Wireless Cellular Systems: Gaps, Open Problems, and Research Challenges
Authors: Zhbankova Elena , Khakimov Abdukodir , Markova Ekaterina , Gaidamaka Yuliya
Published: October 2023

One of the critical use cases for prospective fifth generation (5G) cellular systems is the delivery of the state of the remote systems to the control center. Such services are relevant for both massive machine-type communications (mMTC) and ultra-reliable low-latency communications (URLLC) services that need to be supported by 5G systems. The recently introduced the age of information (AoI) metric representing the timeliness of the reception of the update at the receiver is nowadays commonly utilized to quantify the performance of such services. However, the metric itself is closely related to the queueing theory, which conventionally requires strict assumptions for analytical tractability. This review paper aims to: (i) identify the gaps between technical wireless systems and queueing models utilized for analysis of the AoI metric; (ii) provide a detailed review of studies that have addressed the AoI metric; and (iii) establish future research challenges in this area. Our major outcome is that the models proposed to date for the AoI performance evaluation and optimization deviate drastically from the technical specifics of modern and future wireless cellular systems, including those proposed for URLLC and mMTC services. Specifically, we identify that the majority of the models considered to date: (i) do not account for service processes of wireless channel that utilize orthogonal frequency division multiple access (OFDMA) technology and are able to serve more than a single packet in a time slot; (ii) neglect the specifics of the multiple access schemes utilized for mMTC communications, specifically, multi-channel random access followed by data transmission; (iii) do not consider special and temporal correlation properties in the set of end systems that may arise naturally in state monitoring applications; and finally, (iv) only few studies have assessed those practical use cases where queuing may happen at more than a single node along the route. Each of these areas requires further advances for performance optimization and integration of modern and future wireless provisioning technologies with mMTC and URLLC services.
Robotic-Assisted Rehabilitation for Post-Stroke Shoulder Pain: A Systematic Review
Authors: Gnasso Rossana , Palermi Stefano , Picone Antonio , Tarantino Domiziano , Fusco Giampiero , Messina Maria Michelina , Sirico Felice
Published: October 2023

Post-stroke shoulder pain (PSSP) is a debilitating consequence of hemiplegia, often hindering rehabilitation efforts and further limiting motor recovery. With the advent of robotic-assisted therapies in neurorehabilitation, there is potential for innovative interventions for PSSP. This study systematically reviewed the current literature to determine the effectiveness of robotic-assisted rehabilitation in addressing PSSP in stroke patients. A comprehensive search of databases was conducted, targeting articles published up to August 2023. Studies were included if they investigated the impact of robotic-assisted rehabilitation on PSSP. The outcome of interest was pain reduction. The risk of bias was assessed using the Cochrane database. Of the 187 initially identified articles, 3 studies met the inclusion criteria, encompassing 174 patients. The reviewed studies indicated a potential benefit of robotic-assisted rehabilitation in reducing PSSP, with some studies also noting improvements in the range of motion and overall motor function. However, the results varied across studies, with some showing more significant benefits than others, because these use different protocols and robotic equipment.
Spatial Analysis of Mountain and Lowland Anoa Habitat Potential Using the Maximum Entropy and Random Forest Algorithm
Authors: Ardiani Diah , Jaelani Lalu Muhamad , Aldiansyah Septianto , Tambunan Mangapul Parlindungan , Indrawan Mochamad , Wibowo Andri A.
Published: October 2023

The Anoa is a wild animal endemic to Sulawesi that looks like a small cow. Anoa are categorized as vulnerable to extinction on the IUCN red list. There are two species of Anoa, namely Lowland Anoa (Bubalus depressicornis) and Mountain Anoa (Bubalus quarlesi). In this study, a comparison of potential habitat models for Anoa species was conducted using Machine Learning algorithms with the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) and Random Forest (RF) methods. This modeling uses eight environmental variables. Where based on the results of Bubalus quarlesi potential habitat modeling, the RF 75:25 model is the best algorithm with the highest variable contribution, namely humidity of 82.444% and a potential area of 5% of Sulawesi Island, with an Area Under Curve (AUC) of 0.987. Meanwhile, the best Bubalus depressicornis habitat potential model is the RF 70:30 algorithm, with the highest variable contribution, namely population of 88.891% and potential area of 36% of Sulawesi Island, with AUC 0.967. This indicates that Anoa extinction is very sensitive to the presence of humidity and human population levels.
Overtime employment in enterprises
Authors:   LLC ", Vdovina I. ,   Modern foundry technologies"
Published: October 2023

The topic of overtime employment is very relevant for modern Russian realities. For many companies and their employees, this is a rather painful issue, since the rules for overtime compensation are not always marked in advance. Very often there are situations where the main problem lies in the field of interpersonal communications. In the article, the author examines the identified problems on the part of the HR service of the enterprise.
EFEKTIVITAS MEDIA PERMATA KITA TERHADAP PENGETAHUAN DAN SIKAP IBU TENTANG POLA ASUH MAKAN PADA BALITA
Authors: Syarifa Rusyaida , Novelasari Novelasari , Nadira Nindy Audia , Widdefrita Widdefrita , Hayati Neni Fitra
Published: October 2023

Berdasarkan penimbangan massal bulan Agustus 2021, terdapat 40 orang dari 85 balita di Nagari Sirukam Jorong Ganting, Kabupaten Solok, Provinsi Sumatera Barat teridentifikasi mengalami masalah gizi meliputi stunting, gizi kurang, resiko gizi lebih dan obesitas. Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui efektivitas Media PERMATA KITA (permainan ular tangga dan kartu pintar) terhadap skor pengetahuan dan sikap ibu tentang pola asuh makan pada balita di Jorong Ganting, Nagari Sirukam. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian mix method dengan 2 pendekatan yaitu kuantitatif, menggunakan quasi experiment dengan desain one group pre-test post-test dan kualitatif, menggunakan studi kasus eksploratif. Penelitian ini dilakukan pada bulan September 2022 sampai dengan Juni 2023. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah ibu balita dengan teknik pengambilan sampel secara total sampling sebanyak 87 orang. Informan pada penelitian kualitatif yaitu ibu balita, kader posyandu, ahli bahasa, ahli desain, pemegang program gizi dan promosi kesehatan Puskesmas Sirukam. Data dikumpulkan menggunakan kuesioner dan pedoman wawancara. Pengolahan data dilakukan menggunakan program SPSS secara univariat dan bivariat dengan uji Wilcoxon. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, diperoleh kenaikan nilai rata-rata pengetahuan ibu balita sebelum dan sesudah dilakukan intervensi sebesar 13,96 dan sikap sebesar 3,51. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan terdapat efektivitas media PERMATA KITA terhadap pengetahuan (p=0,0001) dan sikap (p=0,0001). Kesimpulan penelitian adalah media PERMATA KITA efektif terhadap peningkatan skor pengetahuan dan sikap ibu tentang pola asuh makan pada balita di Jorong Ganting, Nagari Sirukam.
SITE SELECTION FOR ENGINEERING STRUCTURES AND EARTHQUAKE
Authors: Leventeli Yasemin
Published: October 2023

An earthquake is a natural event and it is quite easy and beneficial to convert it to wealth rather than disaster. A strong earthquake exerts its catastrophe on the buildings/structures found in the soil grounds. There is not even a single case study that creates catastrophe where structures/buildings are erected on/in the rocky ground whose extensive planar discontinuities are free of expansive clay minerals. Every strong earthquake has proven this reality.
The last earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 hit Pazarcik/Kahramanmaras/Turkey on the 6th of February. The epicenter is at the fertile soil plain of the township Çigdemtepe (Crocushill)/Pazarcik which has been erected on the weak rock of clayey limestone. Despite that, casualty (the number of dead and injured) is zero in the township of Crocushill) whereas a very severe disaster has occurred in (a) Battalgazi and (b) Harran soil plains which are orderly 160 and 200 km away from the epicenter. The reasons behind this fact are “the seismic energy attenuates in strong rock over a thousand times more than that in thick (t>20 m) soil mantle” and “wave velocity in rock is practically 30 times higher than that in saturated soil”. It should also be noted that there is no liquefaction in the rock.
If the locations of engineering structures are chosen other than irrigable agricultural areas, fertile soils and possible landslide areas, no problems will be encountered. It is not important where and when the earthquake will occur, but where it will collapse. These hazardous areas also overlap with agricultural areas.
CALCULATION OF BEARING CAPACITY OF PILES DURING THE RECONSTRUCTION OF THE LOOP BRIDGE – ZENICA
Authors: Talić Zlatan , Beganović Nejra
Published: October 2023

The study is based on the rehabilitation of the loop bridge - Zenica and on the calculation of the bearing capacity of the piles in programs Plaxis 2D and GEO 5.
In the practical part of the work, the calculation of the bearing capacity of the pile in Plaxis 2D, the calculation of the load capacity of the pile in GEO 5 are given.
In the discussion of the results, the calculations in the mentioned programs are presented, on the basis of which the comparisons of the same results are presented in the conclusions.
DMT TESTING IN LANDSLIDE AREA. A CASE HISTORY: TODI’S HILL (UMBRIA, ITALY)
Authors: Totani Ferdinando , Totani Gianfranco , Tomei Valentina
Published: October 2023

The paper analyzes the results of the in situ Dilatometer test (DMT) in a representative slide area in OC clays.
The method for detecting slip surface in OC clays is based on the DMT – Kd profile, which exhibits Kd drop to the value Kd≃2 in the slip zones .
Features of the method, believed of pratical interest, are:
- fast response so avoiding the wait required by inclinometer measurements;
- the ability to detect quiescent slip surfaces not revealed by inclinometers;
- some ability to evaluate the effects of loosening and remoulding due to sliding on mechanical properties of the soil mass above the slip surfaces.
To sound the validity of such “method” in practice, a series of 8 DMT soundings, each 45 m long, was performed in a slope of the Todi’s Hill, notorious for recurrent slips.
The paper presents the results of DMT tests in this analyzed slope and shows the Kd profiles obtained.
Are summarized all the Kd≃ 2 depths an indicated a set of slip surfaces reconstructed passing through these depths.
The study of this landslide was concluded with the following steps:
- profile of pore pressure u were obtained at numerous depths during the DMT soundings by DMTC tests . They show that the u are markedly non hydrostatic.
- Back analyses were carried out for the seat of slip surfaces reconstructed.
EXECUTION OF VARIOUS GEOTECHNICAL WORKS FOR CHALLENGING PROJECTS IN SWEDEN AND SLOVENIA
Authors: Thurner Robert , Lešnik Davorin
Published: October 2023

The city of Gothenburg in western Sweden is currently experiencing the construction of one of the biggest infrastructure projects in the country - The West Link (Västlänken). The West Link is an eight km double track railway project, of which six km will run through underground tunnels.
The project is split into five different sections, which were awarded and being executed individually. The widely varied geological profile of the area consisting of weak to very weak clay (often referred as ‘quick clay’) and silty, sandy and gravelly moraine along with challenging local conditions like existing waterways, traffic routes and buildings require a range of soil improvements and shoring system solutions suiting the local conditions. Keller has been executing Dry deep soil mixing (DDSM) to stabilize the quick clay to facilitate excavation and jet grouting for water sealing and excavation support in addition to soil improvement purposes. Execution of uplift piles over a flowing river, drilled steel piles at the bottom of excavation pit as foundation support, drilled steel pile wall and sheet piling for excavation support are other examples of geotechnical solutions executed as customized to site requirements.
The knowledge gained from challenging international projects is further applied to key local projects, such as those in Slovenia, where the advantages of developed geotechnical technologies and procedures are leveraged in the most effective ways. Two significant projects have recently been executed using this approach. Firstly, ground improvement works were undertaken for the new Central Correctional Facilities Project in Ljubljana, involving the use of premixed vibro concrete columns (PVCC). This project was carried out on an abandoned quarry that had been filled with construction waste over the past few decades. The second project involves landslide prevention measures, specifically the reconstruction of an existing anchored wall on a highway near Maribor. To address this, longer and higher capacity geotechnical anchors were installed at heights of up to 8 meters.
Obstacles to achieving in-court settlements: Perspective of Czech judicial practice
Authors: Holas Jan , Lavický Petr
Published: October 2023

In-court settlement is often considered not only socially but also economically advantageous resolution of legal disputes as it is typically less costly for governments and parties to the dispute than a judgment. Using data from a survey experiment administered via computer assisted web interviews with 450 judges and 500 attorneys, we investigate reasons for the low settlement rate and appropriate procedures to increase this rate. We find that a significant factor influencing the settlement probability is the type of case (e. g., passenger transport, loan contracts, insurance). We also find that oral preparation of court hearing, making the parties to the dispute acquainted with the legal opinion of the court as well as the attorney’s support for the parties to settle the dispute have an impact on settlement probabilities.