bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Numerical and Experimental Analysis of the Oil Flow in a Planetary Gearbox
Authors: Mastrone Marco Nicola , Hildebrand Lucas , Paschold Constantin , Lohner Thomas , Stahl Karsten , Concli Franco
Published: January 2023

The circular layout and the kinematics of planetary gearboxes result in characteristic oil flow phenomena. The goal of this paper is to apply a new remeshing strategy, based on the finite volume method, on the numerical analysis of a planetary gearbox and its evaluation of results as well as its validation. The numerical results are compared with experimental data acquired on the underlying test rig with high-speed camera recordings. By use of a transparent housing cover, the optical access in the front region of the gearbox is enabled. Different speeds of the planet carrier and immersion depths are considered. A proper domain partitioning and a specifically suited mesh-handling strategy provide a highly efficient numerical model. The open-source software OpenFOAM® is used.
Correction: Martinović et al. Mathematical Considerations for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Navigation in the Magnetic Field of Two Parallel Transmission Lines. Appl. Sci. 2021, 11, 3323
Authors: Martinović Dean , Bogdan Stjepan , Kovačić Zdenko
Published: January 2023

The authors wish to make the following changes to their paper [...]
Acknowledgment to the Reviewers of Aquaculture Journal in 2022
Authors:   Aquaculture Journal Editorial Office
Published: January 2023

High-quality academic publishing is built on rigorous peer review [...]
Use of the WASPAS Method to Select Suitable Helicopters for Aerial Activity Carried Out by the Military Police of the State of Rio de Janeiro
Authors: de Assis Gustavo Soares , dos Santos Marcos , Basilio Marcio Pereira
Published: January 2023

Using a multi-criteria decision support method (WASPAS) to analyze and rank alternatives, this article proposes a method to assist in the selection of helicopter models that are the most suitable for police air activity in the State of Rio de Janeiro. A robust technical basis for defining the essential requirements of an aircraft is established, and solutions that can ensure the effective and safe execution of missions are indicated. Helicopter models were evaluated by considering predefined criteria, and the weights of these criteria were attributed using a questionnaire that was administered to pilots and aerostatic operators of Public Air Units (UAP) in several states of the federation. As a result of the evaluation of the 15 helicopter models used by police services in the State of Rio de Janeiro, the modeling with the WASPAS method ranked the Sikorsky UH-60 (Black Hawk) model in first place, the Leonardo AW 139 model in second place, and the Bell 412 model in third place. Based on the available data, we suggest that a comparative study integrating the Entropy and CRITIC methods be conducted to measure the weights of the criteria associated with the application of other multi-criteria techniques, such as COMET, MACAB, SPOTIS, VIKOR, SAPEVO, and PROMETHEE.
Spinel-Structured, Multi-Component Transition Metal Oxide (Ni,Co,Mn)Fe2O4−x as Long-Life Lithium-Ion Battery Anode Material
Authors: Dong Lishan , Wang Zigang , Li Yongyan , Jin Chao , Dong Fangbing , Zhao Weimin , Qin Chunling , Wang Zhifeng
Published: January 2023

Metal oxide anode materials are affected by severe volume expansion and cracking in the charging/discharging process, resulting in low capacity and poor cycle stability, which limits their application in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein, a new strategy is uncovered for a preparing spinel-structured, multi-component transition metal oxide, (Ni,Co,Mn)Fe2O4−x, with oxygen vacancies as an LIB anode material. The as-fabricated material presented excellent reversible capacity and cycling stability, delivering a discharge capacity of 1240.2 mAh g−1 at 100 mA g−1 for 200 cycles and then at 300 mA g−1 for 300 additional cycles. It presented extremely long cycle stability even at 2 A g−1, revealing 650.5 mAh g−1 after 1200 cycles. The good lithium storage capacity can be ascribed to the entropy stabilization effect, the multi-cation synergistic effect, abundant oxygen vacancies and the spinel structure. This study provides a new opportunity to fabricate and optimize conversion-type anodes for LIBs with satisfactory electrochemical performance.
Nucleolar Architecture Is Modulated by a Small Molecule, the Inositol Pyrophosphate 5-InsP7
Authors: Sahu Soumyadip , Gordon Jacob , Gu Chunfang , Sobhany Mack , Fiedler Dorothea , Stanley Robin E. , Shears Stephen B.
Published: January 2023

Inositol pyrophosphates (PP-InsPs); are a functionally diverse family of eukaryotic molecules that deploy a highly-specialized array of phosphate groups as a combinatorial cell-signaling code. One reductive strategy to derive a molecular-level understanding of the many actions of PP-InsPs is to individually characterize the proteins that bind them. Here, we describe an alternate approach that seeks a single, collective rationalization for PP-InsP binding to an entire group of proteins, i.e., the multiple nucleolar proteins previously reported to bind 5-InsP7 (5-diphospho-inositol-1,2,3,4,6-pentakisphosphate). Quantitative confocal imaging of the outer nucleolar granular region revealed its expansion when cellular 5-InsP7 levels were elevated by either (a) reducing the 5-InsP7 metabolism by a CRISPR-based knockout (KO) of either NUDT3 or PPIP5Ks; or (b), the heterologous expression of wild-type inositol hexakisphosphate kinase, i.e., IP6K2; separate expression of a kinase-dead IP6K2 mutant did not affect granular volume. Conversely, the nucleolar granular region in PPIP5K KO cells shrank back to the wild-type volume upon attenuating 5-InsP7 synthesis using either a pan-IP6K inhibitor or the siRNA-induced knockdown of IP6K1+IP6K2. Significantly, the inner fibrillar volume of the nucleolus was unaffected by 5-InsP7. We posit that 5-InsP7 acts as an ‘electrostatic glue’ that binds together positively charged surfaces on separate proteins, overcoming mutual protein–protein electrostatic repulsion the latter phenomenon is a known requirement for the assembly of a non-membranous biomolecular condensate.
Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling and Resistance to Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors: From Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer to Other Cancers
Authors: Muto Satoshi , Enta Akio , Maruya Yoshiyuki , Inomata Sho , Yamaguchi Hikaru , Mine Hayato , Takagi Hironori , Ozaki Yuki , Watanabe Masayuki , Inoue Takuya , Yamaura Takumi , Fukuhara Mitsuro , Okabe Naoyuki , Matsumura Yuki , Hasegawa Takeo , Osugi Jun , Hoshino Mika , Higuchi Mitsunori , Shio Yutaka , Hamada Kazuyuki , Suzuki Hiroyuki
Published: January 2023

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The standard of care for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without driver-gene mutations is a combination of an anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody and chemotherapy, or an anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibody and an anti-CTLA-4 antibody with or without chemotherapy. Although there were fewer cases of disease progression in the early stages of combination treatment than with anti-PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies alone, only approximately half of the patients had a long-term response. Therefore, it is necessary to elucidate the mechanisms of resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Recent reports of such mechanisms include reduced cancer-cell immunogenicity, loss of major histocompatibility complex, dysfunctional tumor-intrinsic interferon-γ signaling, and oncogenic signaling leading to immunoediting. Among these, the Wnt/β-catenin pathway is a notable potential mechanism of immune escape and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. In this review, we will summarize findings on these resistance mechanisms in NSCLC and other cancers, focusing on Wnt/β-catenin signaling. First, we will review the molecular biology of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, then discuss how it can induce immunoediting and resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors. We will also describe other various mechanisms of immune-checkpoint-inhibitor resistance. Finally, we will propose therapeutic approaches to overcome these mechanisms.
Effects of Transient Administration of the NMDA Receptor Antagonist MK-801 in Drosophila melanogaster Activity, Sleep, and Negative Geotaxis
Authors: Moulin Thiago C. , Stojanovic Tijana , Rajesh Rasika P. , Pareek Tirusha , Donzelli Laura , Williams Michael J. , Schiöth Helgi B.
Published: January 2023

MK-801, also called dizocilpine, is an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist widely used in animal research to model schizophrenia-like phenotypes. Although its effects in rodents are well characterised, little is known about the outcomes of this drug in other organisms. In this study, we characterise the effects of MK-801 on the locomotion, sleep, and negative geotaxis of the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. We observed that acute (24 h) and chronic (7 days) administration of MK-801 enhanced negative geotaxis activity in the forced climbing assay for all tested concentrations (0.15 mM, 0.3 mM, and 0.6 mM). Moreover, acute administration, but not chronic, increased the flies’ locomotion in a dose-dependent matter. Finally, average sleep duration was not affected by any concentration or administration protocol. Our results indicate that acute MK-801 could be used to model hyperactivity phenotypes in Drosophila melanogaster. Overall, this study provides further evidence that the NMDA receptor system is functionally conserved in flies, suggesting the usefulness of this model to investigate several phenotypes as a complement and replacement of the rodent models within drug discovery.
Deep Learning to Classify AL versus ATTR Cardiac Amyloidosis MR Images
Authors: Germain Philippe , Vardazaryan Armine , Labani Aissam , Padoy Nicolas , Roy Catherine , El Ghannudi Soraya
Published: January 2023

The aim of this work was to compare the classification of cardiac MR-images of AL versus ATTR amyloidosis by neural networks and by experienced human readers. Cine-MR images and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) images of 120 patients were studied (70 AL and 50 TTR). A VGG16 convolutional neural network (CNN) was trained with a 5-fold cross validation process, taking care to strictly distribute images of a given patient in either the training group or the test group. The analysis was performed at the patient level by averaging the predictions obtained for each image. The classification accuracy obtained between AL and ATTR amyloidosis was 0.750 for cine-CNN, 0.611 for Gado-CNN and between 0.617 and 0.675 for human readers. The corresponding AUC of the ROC curve was 0.839 for cine-CNN, 0.679 for gado-CNN (p < 0.004 vs. cine) and 0.714 for the best human reader (p < 0.007 vs. cine). Logistic regression with cine-CNN and gado-CNN, as well as analysis focused on the specific orientation plane, did not change the overall results. We conclude that cine-CNN leads to significantly better discrimination between AL and ATTR amyloidosis as compared to gado-CNN or human readers, but with lower performance than reported in studies where visual diagnosis is easy, and is currently suboptimal for clinical practice.
Osteopontin and Cancer: Insights into Its Role in Drug Resistance
Authors: Hao Chengcheng , Lane Jane , Jiang Wen G.
Published: January 2023

Cancer is one of the leading causes of mortality worldwide. Currently, drug resistance is the main obstacle in cancer treatments with the underlying mechanisms of drug resistance yet to be fully understood. Osteopontin (OPN) is a member of the integrin binding glycophosphoprotein family that is overexpressed in several tumour types. It is involved in drug transport, apoptosis, stemness, energy metabolism, and autophagy, which may contribute to drug resistance. Thus, understanding the role of OPN in cancer drug resistance could be important. This review describes the OPN-based mechanisms that might contribute to cancer drug resistance, demonstrating that OPN may be a viable target for cancer therapy to reduce drug resistance in sensitive tumours.
Timeline of Developmental Defects Generated upon Genetic Inhibition of the Retinoic Acid Receptor Signaling Pathway
Authors: Teletin Marius , Mark Manuel , Wendling Olivia , Vernet Nadège , Féret Betty , Klopfenstein Muriel , Herault Yann , Ghyselinck Norbert B.
Published: January 2023

It has been established for almost 30 years that the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) signalling pathway plays essential roles in the morphogenesis of a large variety of organs and systems. Here, we used a temporally controlled genetic ablation procedure to precisely determine the time windows requiring RAR functions. Our results indicate that from E8.5 to E9.5, RAR functions are critical for the axial rotation of the embryo, the appearance of the sinus venosus, the modelling of blood vessels, and the formation of forelimb buds, lung buds, dorsal pancreatic bud, lens, and otocyst. They also reveal that E9.5 to E10.5 spans a critical developmental period during which the RARs are required for trachea formation, lung branching morphogenesis, patterning of great arteries derived from aortic arches, closure of the optic fissure, and growth of inner ear structures and of facial processes. Comparing the phenotypes of mutants lacking the 3 RARs with that of mutants deprived of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) synthesising enzymes establishes that cardiac looping is the earliest known morphogenetic event requiring a functional ATRA-activated RAR signalling pathway.
In Silico Protein Structure Analysis for SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines Using Deep Learning
Authors: Matsuzaka Yasunari , Yashiro Ryu
Published: January 2023

Protein three-dimensional structural analysis using artificial intelligence is attracting attention in various fields, such as the estimation of vaccine structure and stability. In particular, when using the spike protein in vaccines, the major issues in the construction of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines are their weak abilities to attack the virus and elicit immunity for a short period. Structural information about new viruses is essential for understanding their properties and creating effective vaccines. However, determining the structure of a protein through experiments is a lengthy and laborious process. Therefore, a new computational approach accelerated the elucidation process and made predictions more accurate. Using advanced machine learning technology called deep neural networks, it has become possible to predict protein structures directly from protein and gene sequences. We summarize the advances in antiviral therapy with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and extracellular vesicles via computational analysis.
A Bioinspired Cownose Ray Robot for Seabed Exploration
Authors: Bianchi Giovanni , Maffi Lorenzo , Tealdi Michele , Cinquemani Simone
Published: January 2023

This article presents the design and the experimental tests of a bioinspired robot mimicking the cownose ray. These fish swim by moving their large and flat pectoral fins, creating a wave that pushes backward the surrounding water so that the fish is propelled forward due to momentum conservation. The robot inspired by these animals has a rigid central body, housing motors, batteries, and electronics, and flexible pectoral fins made of silicone rubber. Each of them is actuated by a servomotor driving a link inside the leading edge, and the traveling wave is reproduced thanks to the flexibility of the fin itself. In addition to the pectoral fins, two small rigid caudal fins are present to improve the robot’s maneuverability. The robot has been designed, built, and tested underwater, and the experiments have shown that the locomotion principle is valid and that the robot is able to swim forward, perform left and right turns, and do floating or diving maneuvers.
Hybrid Momentum Compensation Control by Using Arms for Bipedal Dynamic Walking
Authors: Gao Zhifa , Chen Xuechao , Yu Zhangguo , Han Lianqiang , Zhang Jintao , Huang Gao
Published: January 2023

Biped robots swing their legs alternately to achieve highly dynamic walking, which is the basic ability required for them to perform tasks. However, swinging of the swinging leg in the air will disturb the interaction between the supporting leg and the ground and affect the upper body’s balance during dynamic walking. To allow the robot to use its own intrinsic motion characteristics to maintain stable movement like a human when its lower limbs are affected by unknown disturbances during dynamic walking, the ability to use its arms to resist disturbances is essential. This article presents a hybrid momentum compensation control method for torque-controlled biped robots to adapt to unknown disturbances during dynamic walking. First, a hybrid angular momentum and linear momentum regulator is designed to compensate for the disturbance caused by the swinging leg. Second, based on real-time dynamic state changes of the legs, a mixed-momentum quadratic programming controller is designed to realize stable dynamic walking. The proposed method allows the force-controlled robot to maintain its balance while walking down an unknown platform, and it maintains good straightness in the forward direction of dynamic motion. The proposed method’s effectiveness is verified experimentally on the BHR-B2 force-controlled biped robot platform.
SGC-CAMKK2-1: A Chemical Probe for CAMKK2
Authors: Wells Carrow , Liang Yi , Pulliam Thomas L. , Lin Chenchu , Awad Dominik , Eduful Benjamin , O’Byrne Sean , Hossain Mohammad Anwar , Catta-Preta Carolina Moura Costa , Ramos Priscila Zonzini , Gileadi Opher , Gileadi Carina , Couñago Rafael M. , Stork Brittany , Langendorf Christopher G. , Nay Kevin , Oakhill Jonathan S. , Mukherjee Debarati , Racioppi Luigi , Means Anthony R. , York Brian , McDonnell Donald P. , Scott John W. , Frigo Daniel E. , Drewry David H.
Published: January 2023

The serine/threonine protein kinase calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CAMKK2) plays critical roles in a range of biological processes. Despite its importance, only a handful of inhibitors of CAMKK2 have been disclosed. Having a selective small molecule tool to interrogate this kinase will help demonstrate that CAMKK2 inhibition can be therapeutically beneficial. Herein, we disclose SGC-CAMKK2-1, a selective chemical probe that targets CAMKK2.
Removal of Ammonium Ions from Aqueous Solutions Using Alkali-Activated Analcime as Sorbent
Authors: Runtti Hanna , Sundhararasu Elavarasi , Pesonen Janne , Tuomikoski Sari , Hu Tao , Lassi Ulla , Kangas Teija
Published: January 2023

Five alkali-activated analcime (ANA) sorbents (ANA-MK 1, ANA 2, ANA 3, ANA-MK 4, and ANA-MK 5) were developed for ammonium (NH4+) ion removal. Acid treatment and calcination were used as pre-treatments for analcime, and metakaolin (MK) was used as a blending agent in three sorbents. Sorption experiments were performed to evaluate the effects of sorbent dosage (1–20 g L−1), initial NH4+ ion concentration (5–1000 g L−1), and contact time (1 min–24 h). ANA-MK 1, ANA 2, and ANA-MK 4 were the most efficient sorbents for NH4+ ion removal, with a maximum experimental sorption uptake of 29.79, 26.00, and 22.24 mg g−1, respectively. ANA 3 and ANA-MK 5 demonstrated lower sorption capacities at 7.18 and 12.65 mg g−1, respectively. The results for the sorption of NH4+ ions onto the alkali-activated analcime surfaces were modeled using several isotherms. The Langmuir, Freundlich, Sips, and Bi-Langmuir isotherms were the best isotherm models to represent the studied systems. The results of the kinetic studies showed the maximum NH4+ ion removal percentage of the sorbents was ~80%, except for ANA-MK 5, which had a ~70% removal. Moreover, the pseudo-first-order, pseudo-second-order, and Elovich models were applied to the experimental data. The results showed that the sorption process for ANA-MK 1, ANA 2, ANA 3, and ANA-MK 4 followed the Elovich model, whereas the pseudo-second-order model provided the best correlation for ANA-MK 5.
Electron Transfer Rates in Solution: Toward a Predictive First Principle Approach
Authors: Leo Anna , Ambrosio Francesco , Landi Alessandro , Peluso Andrea
Published: January 2023

Using a very recently proposed theoretical model, electron transfer rates in solution are calculated from first principles for different donor-acceptor pairs in tetrahydrofuran. We show that this approach, which integrates tunneling effects into a classical treatment of solvent motion, is able to provide reliable rate constants and their temperature dependence, even in the case of highly exergonic reactions, where Marcus’ theory usually fails.
Garlic (Allium sativum L.) as an Ally in the Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
Authors: Zugaro Silvana , Benedetti Elisabetta , Caioni Giulia
Published: January 2023

For centuries, garlic (Allium sativum) has been used both as a traditional remedy for most health-related ailments and for culinary purposes. Current preclinical investigations have suggested that dietary garlic intake has beneficial health effects, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, antiobesity, antidiabetic, antiallergic, cardioprotective, and hepatoprotective effects. Its therapeutic potential is influenced by the methods of use, preparation, and extraction. Of particular importance is the Aged Garlic Extract (AGE). During the aging process, the odorous, sour, and irritating compounds in fresh raw garlic, such as allicin, are naturally converted into stable and safe compounds that have significantly greater therapeutic effects than fresh garlic. In AGE, S-allylcysteine (SAC) and S-allylmercaptocysteine (SAMC) are the major water-soluble organosulfurized compounds (OSCs). SAC has been extensively studied, demonstrating remarkable antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory capacities. Recently, AGE has been suggested as a promising candidate for the maintenance of immune system homeostasis through modulation of cytokine secretion, promotion of phagocytosis, and activation of macrophages. Since immune dysfunction plays an important role in the development and progress of various diseases, given the therapeutic effects of AGE, it can be thought of exploiting its immunoregulatory capacity to contribute to the treatment and prevention of chronic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).
Artificial Neural Networks as Artificial Intelligence Technique for Energy Saving in Refrigeration Systems—A Review
Authors: Pérez-Gomariz Mario , López-Gómez Antonio , Cerdán-Cartagena Fernando
Published: January 2023

The refrigeration industry is an energy-intensive sector. Increasing the efficiency of industrial refrigeration systems is crucial for reducing production costs and minimizing CO2 emissions. Optimization of refrigeration systems is often a complex and time-consuming problem. This is where technologies such as big data and artificial intelligence play an important role. Nowadays, smart sensorization and the development of IoT (Internet of Things) make the massive connection of all kinds of devices possible, thereby enabling a new way of data acquisition. In this scenario, refrigeration systems can be measured comprehensively by acquiring large volumes of data in real-time. Then, artificial neural network (ANN) models can use the data to drive autonomous decision-making to build more efficient refrigeration systems.
Polyacrylic-Co-Maleic-Acid-Coated Magnetite Nanoparticles for Enhanced Removal of Heavy Metals from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Mlih Rawan , Suazo-Hernández Jonathan , Liang Yan , Tombácz Etelka , Bol Roland , Klumpp Erwin
Published: January 2023

The physicochemical properties of ligand-coated nanoparticles make them superior adsorbents for heavy metals from water. In this study, we investigate the adsorption potential of novel polyacrylic-co-maleic-acid-coated magnetite nanoparticles (PAM@MNP) to remove Pb2+ and Cu2+ from an aqueous solution. We argue that modifying the surface of MNP with PAM enhances the physicochemical stability of MNP, improving its ability to remove heavy metals. The adsorption kinetics data show that PAM@MNP attained sorption equilibrium for Pb2+ and Cu2+ after 60 min. The kinetics data are fitted accurately by the pseudo-first-order kinetic model. The calculated Langmuir adsorption capacities are 518.68 mg g−1 and 179.81 mg g−1 for Pb2+ and Cu2+, respectively (2.50 mmol g−1 and 2.82 mmol g−1 for Pb2+ and Cu2+, respectively). The results indicate that PAM@MNP is a very attractive adsorbent for heavy metals and can be applied in water remediation technologies.
Preserving Privacy of Classified Authentic Satellite Lane Imagery Using Proxy Re-Encryption and UAV Technologies
Authors: Nagasree Yarajarla , Rupa Chiramdasu , Akshitha Ponugumati , Srivastava Gautam , Gadekallu Thippa Reddy , Lakshmanna Kuruva
Published: January 2023

Privacy preservation of image data has been a top priority for many applications. The rapid growth of technology has increased the possibility of creating fake images using social media as a platform. However, many people, including researchers, rely on image data for various purposes. In rural areas, lane images have a high level of importance, as this data can be used for analyzing various lane conditions. However, this data is also being forged. To overcome this and to improve the privacy of lane image data, a real-time solution is proposed in this work. The proposed methodology assumes lane images as input, which are further classified as fake or bona fide images with the help of Error Level Analysis (ELA) and artificial neural network (ANN) algorithms. The U-Net model ensures lane detection for bona fide lane images, which helps in the easy identification of lanes in rural areas. The final images obtained are secured by using the proxy re-encryption technique which uses RSA and ECC algorithms. This helps in ensuring the privacy of lane images. The cipher images are maintained using fog computing and processed with integrity. The proposed methodology is necessary for protecting genuine satellite lane images in rural areas, which are further used by forecasters, and researchers for making interpretations and predictions on data.
Analysis of Potential Risk Factors for Multidrug-Resistance at a Burn Unit
Authors: Cabral Luís , Rodrigues Leonor , Tavares Ana H. , Tomé Gonçalo , Caetano Marisa , Chaves Catarina , Afreixo Vera
Published: January 2023

Background: Infections by multidrug-resistant (MDR) microorganisms are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in burn patients. This study aimed to analyze the evolution of MDR bacteria over a five-year period at Coimbra Burns Unit (CBU) in Portugal, seeking to assess the possible associations of specific bacteria with presumed risk factors. Methods: The data obtained consisted of identified bacteria present in any microbiological sample from each patient (including blood, central venous catheter, urine, tracheal aspirate and/or wound exudate). Univariate models and a multivariate model were constructed for each of the MDR bacteria species that infected at least 50 patients or that had five or more MDR strains. Statistical hypothesis tests with a p-value less than 0.05 were considered significant. Results: Of a total of 341 samples obtained, 107 were MDR, corresponding to 10 species. Globally, there was no significant variation in MDR bacteria frequency over the period under analysis. Some risk factors and/or trends were identified for some species, but none was linked to all of them. Conclusions: The risks for the development of MDR in bacteria in burn patients are multifactorial, mainly linked to longer hospital stays, the use of invasive devices and inadequate antimicrobial treatment. However, the influence of these risks regarding specific bacterial species is not straightforward and may rely on individual characteristics, type of treatment and/or local prevalent flora. Due to the severity of multidrug-resistant infections, continued microbiological surveillance with the aid of rapid diagnostic tests and prompt institution of appropriate antimicrobial therapy are crucial to improving outcomes for burn patients.
Liquidity Creation and Economic Growth: Are They Monotonically Related? Evidence from MENA Countries
Authors: Almeshari Ali , Bin Dato Haji Yahya Mohamed Hisham , Bin Kamarudin Fakarudin , Abd Hamid Sha’ari
Published: January 2023

Over the period 2000–2019, we reexamine the connection between finance, as measured by one of the primary banking sector functions—liquidity creation (LC)—and economic growth (EG) in 10 MENA countries panel. In a scenario seen as a dynamic heterogeneous panel, pooled mean group estimates demonstrate that LC and EG may have a favourable long-run connection while also having no influence in the short-run. In addition, results reveal an inverted U-shaped link between LC and EG over the short-term and long-term. This indicates that an excess of financial resources may be counterproductive to development in MENA nations.
Model Proposal for Service Quality Assessment of Higher Education: Evidence from a Developing Country
Authors: Valencia-Arias Alejandro , Cartagena Rendón Claudio , Palacios-Moya Lucia , Benjumea-Arias Martha , Pelaez Cavero Julia Beatriz , Moreno-López Gustavo , Gallegos-Ruiz Ada Lucia
Published: January 2023

Higher education institutions must generate added value through the continuous improvement of services offered to the academic community. Students’ needs and expectations must be met to increase their satisfaction within the system. Bearing this in mind, this paper proposes a service quality assessment model for higher education institutions in developing countries. In total, 845 questionnaires were self-administered by university students. The instrument was composed of 119 closed questions. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was applied to create the proposed model. An 18-component model resulted from the data analysis, with an emphasis on academic aspects, infrastructure, web services, wellbeing, and financial procedures. It is expected that higher education institutions in other developing countries may validate, replicate, and adapt this model to their needs.
Effects of a Complex Physical Activity Program on Children’s Arithmetic Problem Solving and Arithmetic Reasoning Abilities
Authors: Greco Gianpiero , Poli Luca , Carvutto Roberto , Patti Antonino , Fischetti Francesco , Cataldi Stefania
Published: January 2023

Research has shown that higher levels of physical activity are associated with better cognitive performance in children. However, the benefits of physical activity on academic achievement and specifically on mathematics performance need to be further explored. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of a complex physical activity (CPA) intervention program, including cognitive involvement, on children’s mathematics performance. The participants were 128 children (aged 12–13 years) attending third grade in three middle schools. They were randomly allocated into a CPA intervention (n = 64) or a waitlist control group (n = 64), the latter of which was given a regular and easy-to-perform activity program. At baseline and after the intervention, students’ physical fitness was measured using a battery of standardized motor tests (20 m shuttle run test, curl-up test, push-up test, and sit and reach test). In addition, the AC-MT 11-14 test was administered to allow a standardized and comprehensive assessment of arithmetic problem-solving and arithmetic reasoning abilities. In comparison to the control, the intervention group showed significant improvements (p < 0.001) in comprehension and production (d = 1.88), arithmetic reasoning (d = 2.50), and problem solving (d = 1.32), as well as in 20 m shuttle run test (d = 1.81), push-up test (d = 1.88), curl-up (d = 3.52), and sit and reach (d = 2.52). No significant changes were found in the control group. In conclusion, findings showed that a 12-week CPA intervention program can improve mathematical performance in children in the third grade of middle school. CPA intervention may be an effective method to improve academic performance and avoid student failure.
Humor and Attachment: Exploring the Relationships between Insecure Attachment and the Comic Styles
Authors: Dionigi Alberto , Duradoni Mirko , Vagnoli Laura
Published: January 2023

In this study, the relationship between individuals’ insecure attachment styles and eight comic styles was explored. A sample of 636 Italian adults (206 males, 428 females, 2 non-binary), aged 18 to 81 years (M = 41.44; DS = 13.44) completed an online survey to investigate the relationship between insecure attachment styles, namely anxious and avoidant, and the eight comic styles, clustered into lighter style (fun, benevolent humor, wit, nonsense) and darker style (irony, satire, sarcasm, cynicism). The findings of this research indicated the lighter and darker styles were differently related to the anxious and avoidant styles. The anxious attachment was negatively related to both benevolent humor and wit and positively with irony. The avoidant style was positively associated with nonsense and sarcasm, while no other relationship emerged. This research indicated that attachment orientations are associated with individual differences in the detailed differentiation of humor-related styles.
Impact of Ni Content on the Electrochemical Performance of the Co-Free, Li and Mn-Rich Layered Cathode Materials
Authors: Qi Gongshin , Hu Jiazhi , Balogh Michael , Wang Lei , Darbar Devendrasinh , Li Wei
Published: January 2023

Li and Mn-rich layered cathode (LLC) materials show great potential as the next generation cathode materials because of their high, practical and achievable specific capacity of ~250 mAh/g, thermal stability and lower raw material cost. However, LLC materials suffer from degradation of specific capacity, voltage fading due to phase transformation upon cycling and transition-metal dissolution, which presents a significant barrier for commercialization. Here, we report the effects of Ni content on the electrochemical performance, structural and thermal stability of a series of Co-free, LLC materials (Li1.2NixMn0.8-xO2, x = 0.12, 0.18, 0.24, 0.30 and 0.36) synthesized via a sol-gel method. Our study shows that the structure of the material as well as the electrochemical and thermal stability properties of the LLC materials are strongly dependent on the Ni or Mn content. An increase in the Ni to Mn ratio results in an increase in the average discharge voltage and capacity, as well as improved structural stability but decreased thermal stability.
Improving the Performance of Cold-Start Recommendation by Fusion of Attention Network and Meta-Learning
Authors: Liu Shilong , Liu Yang , Zhang Xiaotong , Xu Cheng , He Jie , Qi Yue
Published: January 2023

The cold-start problem has always been a key challenge in the recommendation research field. As a popular method to learn a learner that can rapidly adapt to a new task through a small number of updates, meta-learning is considered to be a feasible algorithm to reduce the error of cold-start recommendation. However, meta-learning does not take the diverse interests of users into account, which limits the performance improvement in cold-start scenarios. In this paper, we proposed a new model for a cold-start recommendation, which combines the attention mechanism and meta learning. This method enhances the ability of modeling the personalized user interest by learning the weights between users and items based on the attention mechanism and then improves the performance of the cold-start recommendation. We validated the model with two publicly available datasets in the recommendation field. Compared with the three benchmark methods, the proposed model reduces the mean absolute error by at least 2.3% and the root mean square error of 2.5%.
A Multi-Beam XL-MIMO Testbed Based on Hybrid CPU-FPGA Architecture
Authors: Fang Tianhao , Gao Yangyang , Suo Chaoju , Sun Gangle , Chen Pengyu , Xiao Wei , Wang Wenjin
Published: January 2023

To support more users and higher data rates in future communication networks, the extremely large-scale massive multiple-input multiple-output (XL-MIMO) is considered a promising technique. The booming research on XL-MIMO necessitates a reconfigurable XL-MIMO testbed that can be used to validate new research ideas in real wireless environments and collect data for XL-MIMO channel characteristics analysis. To provide such a reliable and convenient testbed, we designed a multi-beam XL-MIMO testbed based on the hybrid CPU-FPGA architecture and channel calibration schemes. The ability to customize modules makes our testbed a convenient verification platform for future communication systems. Moreover, numerous trial measurement results in the indoor near-field scenario with moderate user equipment (UE) mobility are presented, and the excellent performance indicates that our testbed is an ideal platform for the evaluation of XL-MIMO-related algorithms.
Impact of Retinal Vessel Image Coherence on Retinal Blood Vessel Segmentation
Authors: S Alqahtani Saeed , Soomro Toufique A. , Jandan Nisar Ahmed , Ali Ahmed , Irfan Muhammad , Rahman Saifur , Aldhabaan Waleed A. , Khairallah Abdulrahman Samir , Abuallut Ismail
Published: January 2023

Retinal vessel segmentation is critical in detecting retinal blood vessels for a variety of eye disorders, and a consistent computerized method is required for automatic eye disorder screening. Many methods of retinal blood vessel segmentation are implemented, but these methods only yielded accuracy and lack of good sensitivity due to the coherence of retinal blood vessel segmentation. Another main factor of low sensitivity is the proper technique to handle the low-varying contrast problem. In this study, we proposed a five-step technique for assessing the impact of retinal blood vessel coherence on retinal blood vessel segmentation. The proposed technique for retinal blood vessels involved four steps and is known as the preprocessing module. These four stages of the pre-processing module handle the retinal image process in the first stage, uneven illumination and noise issues using morphological operations in the second stage, and image conversion to grayscale using principal component analysis (PCA) in the third step. The fourth step is the main step of contributing to the coherence of retinal blood vessels using anisotropic diffusion filtering and testing their different schemes and get a better coherent image on the optimized anisotropic diffusion filtering. The last step included double thresholds with morphological image reconstruction techniques to produce a segmented image of the vessel. The performances of the proposed method are validated on the publicly available database named DRIVE and STARE. Sensitivity values of 0.811 and 0.821 on STARE and DRIVE respectively meet and surpass other existing methods, and comparable accuracy values of 0.961 and 0.954 on STARE and DRIVE databases to existing methods. This proposed new method for retinal blood vessel segmentations can help medical experts diagnose eye disease and recommend treatment in a timely manner.
Experimental Investigation of the Influence of Metallic Coatings on Yarn Pull-Out Behavior in Kevlar® Fabrics
Authors: Roark Julie , Thomas Frank D. , Sockalingam Subramani , Kempf Julia , Christy Dan , Haas Derek , O’Brien Daniel J. , Senecal Kris J. , Crittenden Scott R.
Published: January 2023

This work reports yarn pull-out studies of commercially available Kevlar® KM2+ individual yarns coated with metallic layers (copper, aluminum, aluminum nitride and silver) via a directed vapor deposition process. The uncoated control and metal-coated Kevlar® yarns are hand-woven into fabric swatches for quasi-static pull-out experiments. To perform these experiments, a yarn pull-out fixture is custom-designed and fabricated to apply transverse pre-tension to the fabric. Three levels of transverse pre-tensions are studied at 100 N, 200 N, and 400 N. The results showed that both peak pull-out force and energy absorption during the pull-out process increase with increase in transverse pre-tension. All the metal-coated groups showed an approximately 200% increase in peak pull-out force and a 20% reduction in tenacity compared to uncoated control. Furthermore, all the metal-coated groups showed an increase in energy absorption, with aluminum-coated yarns showing the highest increase of 230% compared to control. These results suggest enhanced frictional interactions during yarn pull-out in metal-coated yarns compared to uncoated control as evidenced by the surface roughness profile of individual fibers and inter-yarn frictional calculations.
Electrochemical Oxidation of Pb II Using Carbon Electrodes Doped with Nanocellulose-FeOx
Authors: Gomez-Rojas Araceli G. , Macclesh del Pino-Perez Luis Alejandro , Castro-Guerrero Carlos Fernando , Ramos-Galvan Claudia Esmeralda , Morales-Cepeda Ana Beatriz
Published: January 2023

With TEMPO oxidation, it was possible to incorporate iron nanostructures into a cellulose nanofiber matrix. FTIR spectra showed the functional groups present in the films. The combination of both iron and CNF confers to the films good electrochemical activity; the electrochemical characterization (CV) showed that they present stability in the reduction process at a potential of 0–1 V, with the materials with 5% and 10% being the most active. The Pb reduction process shows that the 5% film is the material with the highest oxidizing capacity.
Independence Effects of Heat and Ash on Forest Soil Nematode-Trapping Fungi Communities
Authors: She Rong , Wang Hai-Qing , Fornacca Davide , Li Fei-Teng , Zhang Fa , Yang Yao-Quan , Zhou Fa-Ping , Yang Xiao-Yan , Xiao Wen
Published: January 2023

Heat input and ash residues are main components of vegetation fire disturbances. Understanding the distinct impacts of heat and ash on soil microorganisms is crucial to comprehend and predict the induced changes in soil ecosystem composition and dynamics following different types of fire disturbances. This study’s main goal was to track the dynamic shifts in the community of soil nematode-trapping fungi (NTF) following the separate disturbances of heat and ash by means of a specifically designed experiment conducted in the field. Four simulated fire treatments, one treatment reproducing natural burning, and one control treatment were taken into account. Every ten days following the disturbance, soil samples from each treatment were collected, and soil NTF and physicochemical characteristics were measured. The results showed that: (1) Heat drastically decreased the number of strains and heavily altered the NTF community, but it also encouraged the emergence of new NTF species. Instead, no overt changes were observed in the treatment that just experienced the addition of ash on the soil. (2) When compared to treatments that received only heat input, the lower strain count of NTF recovered more quickly in the natural burning treatment which was affected by both heat and ash input. These findings suggest that the disruptive effect of fire heat on soil NTF biomass may be counterbalanced by the emergence of new species and the repairing capabilities of new nutrients introduced by ash residue. In the future, both conventional and cutting-edge techniques should be considered in research designs to better understand the ecological role of fire disturbances occurring at different intensities, as well as the mechanisms that make soil ecosystems resilient to fire, in particular the role of new species.
Commercial Quality, Biological Indices and Biochemical Composition of Queen Scallop Aequipecten opercularis in Culture
Authors: Kovačić Ines , Žunec Ante , Matešković Mauro , Burić Petra , Iveša Neven , Štifanić Mauro , Frece Jadranka
Published: January 2023

Market demand for scallops has considerably increased in recent decades. Although natural populations of scallops are vulnerable, the queen scallop, Aequipecten opercularis, can represent a possible alternative to at-risk species. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of seawater parameters on the commercial quality, biological indices and nutritional quality of the scallop A. opercularis in 1900 L tanks in ex situ conditions. The condition index (CI) and meat yield (MY) peaked in autumn (89.92% and 40.29%, respectively). The muscle index (MI) showed the highest peak during the winter season (5.96%), while the gonadosomatic index (GSI) (34.06%) peaked in the spring months. Protein content (6.89–9.56 g/100 g), lipids (2.58–2.79 g/100 g) and carbohydrates (0.12–0.33 g/100 g) varied during the study period. Seasonal fluctuations in seawater temperature and pH negatively influenced the CI, MY and protein and lipid content, while positively affecting carbohydrate and moisture content. The most suitable period of the year for the consumption of the scallop A. opercularis was found to be the winter and spring periods, when the scallops achieved their highest nutritional value. It can be stated from this study that queen scallops in the Adriatic Sea have a high nutritional quality and that they can be proposed for higher human consumption.
Dietary Acrylamide Exposure and Cancer Risk: A Systematic Approach to Human Epidemiological Studies
Authors: Başaran Burhan , Çuvalcı Burcu , Kaban Güzin
Published: January 2023

Acrylamide, identified by the International Cancer Research Center as a possible carcinogenic compound to humans, is a contaminant formed as a result of the thermal process in many foods, such as coffee, French fries, biscuits and bread, which are frequently consumed by individuals in their daily lives. The biggest concern about acrylamide is that the health risks have not yet been fully elucidated. For this reason, many studies have been carried out on acrylamide in the food, nutrition and health equation. This study focused on epidemiological studies examining the associations between dietary acrylamide exposure and cancer risk. For this purpose, articles published in PubMed, Isı Web of Knowledge, Scopus and Science Direct databases between January 2002 and April 2022 were systematically examined using various keywords, and a total of 63 articles were included in the study. Although some studies on reproductive, urinary, gastrointestinal, respiratory and other systems and organs stated that there is a positive relationship between dietary acrylamide exposure and cancer risk, many publications did not disclose a relationship in this direction. Studies examining the relationship between dietary acrylamide exposure and cancer should be planned to include more people and foods in order to obtain more reliable results. Making research plans in this way is very important in terms of guiding health policies to be formed in the future.
Recent Advances in Cellulose-Based Hydrogels: Food Applications
Authors: Nath Pinku Chandra , Debnath Shubhankar , Sharma Minaxi , Sridhar Kandi , Nayak Prakash Kumar , Inbaraj Baskaran Stephen
Published: January 2023

In the past couple of years, cellulose has attracted a significant amount of attention and research interest due to the fact that it is the most abundant and renewable source of hydrogels. With increasing environmental issues and an emerging demand, researchers around the world are focusing on naturally produced hydrogels in particular due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability, and abundance. Hydrogels are three-dimensional (3D) networks created by chemically or physically crosslinking linear (or branching) hydrophilic polymer molecules. Hydrogels have a high capacity to absorb water and biological fluids. Although hydrogels have been widely used in food applications, the majority of them are not biodegradable. Because of their functional characteristics, cellulose-based hydrogels (CBHs) are currently utilized as an important factor for different aspects in the food industry. Cellulose-based hydrogels have been extensively studied in the fields of food packaging, functional food, food safety, and drug delivery due to their structural interchangeability and stimuli-responsive properties. This article addresses the sources of CBHs, types of cellulose, and preparation methods of the hydrogel as well as the most recent developments and uses of cellulose-based hydrogels in the food processing sector. In addition, information regarding the improvement of edible and functional CBHs was discussed, along with potential research opportunities and possibilities. Finally, CBHs could be effectively used in the industry of food processing for the aforementioned reasons.