bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Better Nitrogen Fertilizer Management Improved Mchare Banana Productivity and Profitability in Northern Highlands, Tanzania
Authors: Meya Akida I. , Swennen Rony , Ndakidemi Patrick A. , Mtei Kelvin M. , Merckx Roel
Published: May 2023

Declining land productivity is a major problem constraining banana (Musa spp.) production in Tanzania. Banana fruit yield consequently reaches only 15% of the potential, primarily due to inadequate soil nutrient replenishment. Improving farmers’ soil nutrient replenishment strategy in banana home gardens, which relies on applications of cattle manure only, by mixing with inorganic fertilizer resources can increase land productivity and can improve the overall profitability of banana production in the country. Experiments were conducted at Tarakea, Lyamungo, and Tengeru to determine the effects of organic fertilizer resources (animal manure and crop residue) and their combination with inorganic fertilizer resources on the productivity and profitability of Mchare banana production. Banana fruit yield differed significantly among the experimental sites, with drier areas of Tengeru recording, on average, 19.6 t ha−1 year−1, while the more humid areas of Lyamungo recorded, on average, 39.3 ha−1 year−1. Mchare banana plants grown under sole inorganic fertilizer produced significantly low yields (33.0 t ha−1 year−1) compared with those fertilized with cattle manure only, which lifted the yields to 38.8 t ha−1 year−1, but the latter required more labor input. Soil nitrogen (N) fertilization via cattle manure + mineral fertilizer gave the highest average banana fruit yield (43.0 t ha−1 year−1) across the sites, and reduced fertilization costs by 32%. Subsequently, this integrated fertilization technique generated the highest average net benefits in all sites and both cropping cycles. Thus, the findings of this study form a basis to improve land productivity and profitability in banana-based home gardens in the study area by directing more labor input to good soil N management.
The Role of Empathic Concern and Gender on Interspecific Contagious Yawning in Humans
Authors: Gallup Andrew C. , Wozny Sabina M.
Published: May 2023

Interspecific contagious yawning (CY), whereby yawns from one species trigger yawning in different species, has now been reported across various taxa. This response to human yawning appears common among animals in captivity and has been interpreted as an empathic response towards human handlers/caregivers. A recent study found that humans also display interspecific CY, though this response was not modulated by proxies of empathic processing (i.e., phylogenetic relatedness or social closeness to the animals). Here, we explored this relationship more explicitly by assessing how interspecific CY to yawns from common household pets relates to self-reported empathic concern. Participants (N = 103) completed a survey measuring empathic concern and then reported on their yawning behavior following exposure to a control condition or yawning images either from domesticated cats or domesticated dogs. The results provide further evidence for interspecific CY in humans, but empathic concern was negatively predictive of this response. There was also no sex difference in interspecific CY, though when comparing the sexes across CY conditions, women reported a higher frequency of yawning in response to dog yawns, and men reported a higher frequency of yawning in response to cat yawns. Overall, these findings do not support a strong connection between interspecific CY and empathy or emotional contagion.
Cold Atmospheric Plasma Exerts Antimicrobial Effects in a 3D Skin Model of Cutaneous Candidiasis
Authors: Fink Sarah , Fischer Michael , Spange Sebastian , Beier Oliver , Horn Kerstin , Tittelbach Jörg , Wiegand Cornelia
Published: May 2023

Cutaneous candidiasis is characterized by an overgrowth of Candida leading to skin inflammation and infection. Similar to bacteria, Candida can develop tolerance to common antifungal drugs. Cold atmospheric plasma (CAP), with its proven antimicrobial properties, offers a promising alternative to the prevailing methods. Because of plasma heterogeneity each new device must be tested individually for its effectiveness. Antimicrobial activity is usually studied using planktonic microorganisms or animal models, making it difficult to extrapolate the results to the human system. Therefore, a 3D skin model of cutaneous candidiasis for the antimicrobial testing of CAP was established. First, the reaction of the 3D-skin model to Candida infection was examined using various histological and molecular–biological methods. Infection with C. albicans resulted in increased expression and secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and augmented expression of antimicrobial peptides. Within 48 h, hyphal growth spread throughout the model and caused tissue damage. Second, the CAP treatment was employed. It was shown that CAP significantly reduced the spread of the yeast in the infected skin models as well as decreased the expression and secretion of the infection markers. The plasma device exhibited a high antifungal activity by completely inhibiting hyphal growth and reducing inflammation at the highest treatment duration.
Chronic Suppressive Antibiotic Treatment for Staphylococcal Bone and Joint Implant–Related Infections
Authors: Ceccarelli Giancarlo , Perciballi Beatrice , Russo Alessandro , Martini Paolo , Marchetti Francesco , Capparuccia Marco Rivano , Iaiani Giancarlo , Fabris Silvia , Ciccozzi Massimo , Villani Ciro , Venditti Mario , D’Ettorre Gabriella , De Meo Daniele
Published: May 2023

Prosthetic joint infection (PJI) and fracture-related infection (FRI) are difficult-to-treat conditions in patients with severe comorbidity or significant surgical risk. In cases not eligible for standard strategy, debridement procedures with the retention of prosthesis or internal fixation device, combined with long-term antibiotic treatment and subsequent indefinite chronic oral antimicrobial suppression (COAS), can be the only reasonable choice. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of COAS and its follow-up in the management of these cases. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of 16 patients with a follow-up of at least 6 months (mean age 75 yo, 9F, 7M, 11 PJI, 5 FRI). All microbiological isolates were tetracycline-susceptible staphylococci and for this reason a minocycline-based COAS was adopted after debridement and 3 months of antibiogram-guided antibiotic treatment. Patient monitoring was carried out on a clinical basis, with bimonthly execution of the inflammation indices and serial radiolabeled leukocyte scintigraphy (LS). The overall median time of COAS follow-up was 15 months (min 6–max 30). Moreover, 62.5% of patients were still taking COAS with no relapse after cure at the last evaluation available. Clinical failure with a relapse of the infection was observed in 37.5% of patients; interestingly, 50% of them had previously stopped COAS due to side effects of the antibiotic used. In the COAS follow-up, a combination of clinical, laboratory and LS evaluation seems to monitor the infection properly. COAS can be considered as an interesting approach in patients not suitable for standard treatments of PJI or FRI but it requires careful monitoring.
Vulnerability of Buildings to Meteorological Hazards: A Web-Based Application Using an Indicator-Based Approach
Authors: Papathoma-Köhle Maria , Ghazanfari Ahmadreza , Mariacher Roland , Huber Werner , Lücksmann Timo , Fuchs Sven
Published: May 2023

Recent events have demonstrated the devastating impact of meteorological hazards on buildings and infrastructure. The possible effects of climate change on their frequency and intensity but also the rise in the value of assets may increase future risks significantly. It is crucial, therefore, for decision-makers to analyze these risks, focusing on the vulnerability of the built environment to reduce future consequences and the associated costs. However, limited studies focus on the vulnerability of buildings to meteorological hazards. The aim of the present paper is to introduce an indicator-based vulnerability assessment approach for buildings subject to three meteorological hazards (windstorms, heavy rainfall, and hail). The selection of vulnerability indicators (e.g., material, roof shape, etc.) was based on a thorough literature review. The results of an expert survey were analyzed using M-MACBETH software, and the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) was used to weigh each indicator according to the expert opinions and to aggregate them into an index. A web-based application was developed that gives homeowners and other end-users the opportunity to assess the vulnerability of specific buildings by indicating the municipality, the building type, and other building characteristics. The web-application is publicly available and free of charge. The resulting index is a valuable tool for decision-makers, homeowners, authorities, and insurance companies. However, the availability of empirical damage data from real events could contribute to enhancing the performance of the presented approach.
Novel Methods of AI-Based Gait Analysis in Post-Stroke Patients
Authors: Rojek Izabela , Prokopowicz Piotr , Dorożyński Janusz , Mikołajewski Dariusz
Published: May 2023

Research on gait function assessment is important not only in terms of the patient’s mobility, but also in terms of the patient’s current and future quality of life, ability to achieve health goals, family life, study and/or work, and participation in society. The main methods used herein include a literature review and an analysis of our own original research and concepts. This study used the historical data of 92 ischemic stroke patients (convenience trial) undergoing two kinds of rehabilitation. An artificial neural network, fractal analysis, and fuzzy analysis were used to analyze the results. Our findings suggest that artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic, and multifractal analysis are useful for building simple, low-cost, and efficient computational tools for gait analysis, especially in post-stroke patients. The novelty lies in the simultaneous application of the three aforementioned technologies to develop a computational model for the analysis of a patient’s post-stroke gait. The contribution of this work consists not only in its proposal of a new and useful clinical tool for gait assessment, even in the most severe post-stroke cases, but also in its attempt to offer a comprehensive computational explanation of observed gait phenomena and mechanisms. We conclude by anticipating more advanced and broader future applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in gait analysis, especially in post-stroke patients.
An Investigation into the Influence of a New Building on the Response of a Sheet Pile Wall Adjacent to an Existing Buried Pipe
Authors: Towfeek Ahmed Rushdy , Ali Mahrous A. M. , Kim Jong-Gwan , Abdellah Wael R.
Published: May 2023

This paper explores a solution to safeguard buried pipes located near constructions in the Al-Bisri region of Assiut Governorate by utilizing the concept of the characteristic damage state. This issue has escalated due to the increasing rate of construction activity near pipelines, resulting in a multitude of legal disputes. This study investigates the behavior of buried pipes when influenced by newly constructed buildings using the finite element method. The paper employs two-dimensional models of a 12-story reinforced concrete building with a raft foundation and a series of piles supporting the buried pipe. In this study, we used the PLAXIS software, a 2D plane strain program, to conduct numerical investigations. The soil was idealized using the Mohr–Coulomb model with a 15-node triangular element, while the piles and structures were idealized with a five-node isoperimetric beam element. The point of contact between the beam and the soil was represented by the interface element. Our research examined the distance between the pipe and the footing edge and the distance between the piles and the footing edge. The finite element model results provided nodal displacements and element straining actions for analysis. The results shed light on the behavior of the sheet pile wall and sewage pipe in various situations. The largest bending moment in the sewage pipe was seen in the absence of piling, in contrast, to pile support at Rx = 0.75. The bending moment in the pipe expanded and always occurred at the same location as Rx rose. The clay layer next to the pipe’s lateral deformation was significantly reduced after piling, with the greatest deformation occurring at Rx = 0.
Study of Electrical Neural Stimulation Effects Using Extraneural and Intraneural Electrodes
Authors: Stefano Mattia , Cordella Francesca , Cozza Giulia , Ciancio Anna Lisa , Zollo Loredana
Published: May 2023

Sensory feedback restoration in upper-limb neuroprosthetics can significantly enhance amputees’ quality of life. Neural interfaces allow the elicitation of sensory information through current stimuli. Stimulation studies can be useful to evaluate the electric potential distribution into the nerve in response to a current stimulus and therefore the activation of fibers. In this paper, hybrid FEM-Neuron computational models are used to study nerve fiber activation in different nerve models that resemble the human median nerve. To conduct a comprehensive study, the variability in fascicular topography and different configurations of active sites of two types of electrodes (intraneural and extraneural) has been considered. Furthermore, the simulation results (in terms of the percentage of fiber activation in nerve fascicles, their location in the nerve section models, and the order of their activation when the stimulus increases) are evaluated according to the sensation intensity perceived by a human amputee in an experimental trial. The obtained results let us infer the effect of using intraneural and extraneural electrodes on the number and position of activated fascicles when the minimum values of electric charges considered in the experimental trial are used, and the dependence of the order of fiber activation into the fascicles on the current stimulus.
Millimeter Wave Radar Range Bin Tracking and Locking for Vital Sign Detection with Binocular Cameras
Authors: Dai Jiale , Yan Jiahui , Qi Yaolong
Published: May 2023

Millimeter wave radars in frequency-modulated continuous wave (FMCW) systems are widely used in the field of noncontact life signal detection; however, large errors still persist when determining the distance dimension of the target to be measured with the radar echo signal. The processing of the signals in the target environment is blind. We propose a method of using binocular vision to lock the distance dimension of the radar life signal and to determine the target distance by using the principle of the binocular camera parallax method, as this reduces the influence of the noise in the environment when determining the distance dimension of the target to be measured. First, the Yolo (you only look once: unified, real-time object detection) v5s neural network is used to call the binocular camera to detect the human body, where the resolution of the single lens is 1280 × 1200, and the DeepSORT (deep simple online real-time tracking) algorithm is used to extract the features of the target and track and register them. Additionally, the binocular vision parallax ranging method is used to detect the depth information of the target, search for the depth information in the range-dimensional FFT (frequency Fourier transform) spectrum of the radar echo signal, and take the spectral peak with the largest energy within the search range to determine it as the target. Then, the target is measured, the range gate of the target is determined, and the life signal is then separated through operations such as phase information extraction, unwrapping, and filtering. The test results showed that this method can be used to directionally separate and register corresponding life signals in a multiliving environment. By conducting an analysis using the Pearson correlation coefficient, we found that the correlation between the breathing frequency collected using this method and a breathing sensor reached 84.9%, and the correlation between the heartbeat frequency and smart bracelet results reached 93.6%. The target range gate was locked to separate and match the life signal.
Experimental Study on the Mechanical Properties of Xinyang Red Clay Improved by Lime and Fly Ash
Authors: Tang Hui , Yang Ziquan , Zhu Hongtao , Dong Haoqiang
Published: May 2023

There is limited research on the utilization of lime and fly ash for improving the mechanical properties of red clay soils. This study investigates the physical and mechanical properties of modified red clay with single fly ash, single lime, and mixed cases using various experimental tests, such as direct shear tests, unconfined compression tests, etc. Scanning electron microscopy was also used to analyze the microstructure of the modified red clay. The findings indicate that the incorporation of lime and fly ash resulted in a decrease in the liquid limit, plasticity index, and maximum dry density of the modified soils, while increasing the plastic limit and optimum water content. The enhancement of lateritic soils by lime and fly ash was primarily attributed to the generation of gel substances from the active ingredients, which improved the soil microstructure and increased its strength. The case study in this paper provides a new perspective on soil improvement.
Construction and Identification of a Food-Grade Recombinant Cyberlindnera jadinii Strain Expressing Lignin Peroxidase
Authors: Gong Gaowa , He Qiburi , Wan Tingting , Bai Sule , Hu He , Yu Peng
Published: May 2023

Lignin peroxidase is one of a series of enzymes involved in lignin degradation and is secreted by white-rot fungi. However, white-rot fungi have a long growth cycle and low enzyme activity, which limits their application. An efficient and stable heterologous expression system might be the solution to overcome these critical limitations. In this study, the lignin peroxidase gene of white-rot fungus (Phanerodontia chrysosporium) was cloned and heterologously expressed in the food-grade yeast Cyberlindnera jadinii for the first time. The strain ZHMX4 expressing lignin peroxidase was constructed, and its genetic stability, enzyme activity and phenotypic analysis were evaluated. ZHMX4 retained and maintained genetic stability for up to 100 generations. Its lignin peroxidase activity reached a maximum at 96 h with 68.52 U/L. Phenotypic analysis (Biolog) showed obvious changes in the substrate metabolism of the engineered strain compared to Cyberlindnera jadinii. Thus, ZHMX4 is a food-grade genetically engineered strain with great potential for lignin degradation. This study successfully expressed lignin peroxidase in Cyberlindnera jadinii as a new approach for the biodegradation of lignin. These findings should be useful for further academic studies, industrial applications of lignin peroxidase and construction of artificial white-rot fungi.
In-Situ Monitoring and Numerical Analysis of Deformation in Deep Foundation Pit Support: A Case Study in Taizhou
Authors: Liu Junding , Ye Jiangnan , Shen Xinyu , Yu Jing , Wu Tao , Yuan Ji , Ye Qian , Wang Shifang , He Haijie
Published: May 2023

With the increasing prevalence of deep foundation pit projects in modern urban construction, the deformation control of the associated support structures is crucial to ensuring construction safety. Despite the growing importance of this issue, research on deep foundation pit excavation in soft soil areas near the sea is limited. This study investigates the deformation characteristics and impact of a geometrically complex deep foundation pit project in Taizhou, utilizing both long-term in-situ monitoring and numerical simulation. The results of this study indicated that the maximum horizontal displacement of the foundation pit was approximately within the depth range of 5 m, with a value of 34.5 mm. The maximum settlement of both the top of the pit and the surrounding structures were determined to be less than 25 mm, confirming the safety of the excavation process. The excavation process of the foundation pit was simulated and analyzed by the Midas GTS finite element software. The results showed a similar variation pattern to the measured results, but the numerical results were generally lower than the measured values. This study provides valuable insights into the deformation characteristics of deep foundation pit excavation in soft soil areas and serves as a reference for future projects in similar conditions.
Investigating Gravitational Slope Deformations with COSMO-SkyMed-Based Differential Interferometry: A Case Study of San Marco dei Cavoti
Authors: Khalili Mohammad , Bausilio Giuseppe , Di Muro Chiara , Zampelli Sebastiano , Di Martire Diego
Published: May 2023

Landslides pose significant risks to towns and villages in Southern Italy, including the San Marco dei Cavoti hamlet (Benevento, Campania), where settlements have expanded into areas threatened by landslides, leading to property damage, disruption to the social fabric and loss of life. This study aims to investigate the surface deformations in the area using Differential Interferometry SAR (DInSAR) analysis on COSMO-SkyMed radar imagery and to assess the potential implications for landslide activity. The DInSAR analysis methodology allowed us to obtain high-precision results presented as time series diagrams and maps of cumulative displacement for the study area. Furthermore, the displacement rates derived from the DInSAR analysis were decomposed into vertical and horizontal components to provide better insights into the slope processes and their potential impacts on the San Marco dei Cavoti hamlet. Our significant findings revealed active slope movements and the uphill enlargement of previously inventoried landslides threatening the San Marco dei Cavoti hamlet. These insights contribute to a better understanding of the landslide dynamics in the region and highlight the areas that may require further investigation or intervention measures. In conclusion, this study demonstrates the effectiveness of DInSAR analysis in providing valuable insights into landslide dynamics and informing potential mitigation measures for at-risk communities. This technique could be applied to other landslide-prone regions to support informed decision-making and enhance the safety and resilience of affected communities.
Green Sweet Pepper Fruit and Peduncle Detection Using Mask R-CNN in Greenhouses
Authors: López-Barrios Jesús Dassaef , Escobedo Cabello Jesús Arturo , Gómez-Espinosa Alfonso , Montoya-Cavero Luis-Enrique
Published: May 2023

In this paper, a mask region-based convolutional neural network (Mask R-CNN) is used to improve the performance of machine vision in the challenging task of detecting peduncles and fruits of green sweet peppers (Capsicum annuum L.) in greenhouses. One of the most complicated stages of the sweet pepper harvesting process is to achieve a precise cut of the peduncle or stem because this type of specialty crop cannot be grabbed and pulled by the fruit since the integrity and value of the product are compromised. Therefore, accurate peduncle detection becomes vital for the autonomous harvesting of sweet peppers. ResNet-101 combined with the feature pyramid network (FPN) architecture (ResNet-101 + FPN) is adopted as the backbone network for feature extraction and object representation enhancement at multiple scales. Mask images of fruits and peduncles are generated, focused on green sweet pepper, which is the most complex color variety due to its resemblance to the background. In addition to bounding boxes, Mask R-CNN provides binary masks as a result of instance segmentation, which would help improve the localization process in 3D space, the next phase of the autonomous harvesting process of sweet peppers, since it isolates the pixels belonging to the object and demarcates its boundaries. The prediction results of 1148 fruits on 100 test images showed a precision rate of 84.53%. The prediction results of 265 peduncles showed a precision rate of 71.78%. The mean average precision rate with an intersection over union at 50 percent (mAP@IoU=50) for model-wide instance segmentation was 72.64%. The average detection time for sweet pepper fruit and peduncle using high-resolution images was 1.18 s. The experimental results show that the proposed implementation manages to segment the peduncle and fruit of the green sweet pepper in real-time in an unmodified production environment under occlusion, overlap, and light variation conditions with effectiveness not previously reported for simultaneous 2D detection models of peduncles and fruits of green sweet pepper.
Amorphous Calcium Magnesium Fluoride Phosphate—Novel Material for Mineralization in Preventive Dentistry
Authors: Unosson Erik , Feldt Daniel , Xia Wei , Engqvist Håkan
Published: May 2023

This paper describes novel and innovative amorphous calcium magnesium fluoride phosphate (ACMFP) core-shell microparticles that may be applied in preventive dentistry for the prevention of caries and the treatment of dentin hypersensitivity. The particles can be synthesized with varied fluoride content, up to approximately 6 wt%, without any observable differences in morphology or crystallinity. Fluoride release from the particles is correlated to the fluoride content, and the particles are readily converted to fluoride-substituted hydroxyapatite or fluorapatite in a simulated saliva solution. The remineralization and dentin tubule occlusion potential of the particles was evaluated in vitro on acid-etched dentin specimens, and treatment with the ACMFP particles resulted in complete tubule occlusion and the formation of a dense mineralization layer. The acid resistance of the mineralization layer was improved compared to treatment with analogous particles without fluoride inclusion. A cross-sectional evaluation of dentin specimens after treatment revealed the formation of high aspect ratio fluorapatite crystals and poorly crystalline hydroxyapatite, respectively. The particles of the current study provide a single source vehicle of readily available calcium, phosphate, and fluoride ions for the potential remineralization of carious lesions as well as exposed dentin tubules for the reduction of hypersensitivity.
Recognizing Urban Functional Zones by GF-7 Satellite Stereo Imagery and POI Data
Authors: Sun Zhenhui , Li Peihang , Wang Dongchuan , Meng Qingyan , Sun Yunxiao , Zhai Weifeng
Published: May 2023

The identification of urban functional zones (UFZs) is crucial for urban planning and optimizing industrial layout. Fusing remote sensing images and social perception data is an effective way to identify UFZs. Previous studies on UFZs recognition often ignored band information outside the red–green–blue (RGB), especially three-dimensional (3D) urban morphology information. In addition, the probabilistic methods ignore the potential semantic information of Point of Interest (POI) data. Therefore, we propose an “Image + Text” multimodal data fusion framework for UFZs recognition. To effectively utilize the information of Gaofen-7(GF-7) stereo images, we designed a semi-transfer UFZs recognition model. The transferred model uses the pre-trained model to extract the deep features from RGB images, and a small self-built convolutional network is designed to extract the features from RGB bands, near-infrared (NIR) band, and normalized digital surface model (nDSM) generated by GF-7. Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) is employed to extract POI semantic features. The fusion features of the deep features of the GF-7 image and the semantic features of POI are fed into a classifier to identify UFZs. The experimental results show that: (1) The highest overall accuracy of 88.17% and the highest kappa coefficient of 83.91% are obtained in the Beijing Fourth Ring District. (2) nDSM and NIR data improve the overall accuracy of UFZs identification. (3) POI data significantly enhance the recognition accuracy of UFZs, except for shantytowns. This UFZs identification is simple and easy to implement, which can provide a reference for related research. However, considering the availability of POI data distribution, other data with socioeconomic attributes should be considered, and other multimodal fusion strategies are worth exploring in the future.
A Novel Approach for Improving Guitarists’ Performance Using Motion Capture and Note Frequency Recognition
Authors: Elashmawi Walaa H. , Emad John , Serag Ahmed , Khaled Karim , Yehia Ahmed , Mohamed Karim , Sobeah Hager , Ali Ahmed
Published: May 2023

New guitarists face multiple problems when first starting out, and these mainly stem from a flood of information that they are presented with. Students also typically struggle with proper pitch frequency recognition and accurate left-hand motion. A variety of relevant solutions have been suggested in the existing literature; however, the majority have ultimately settled on two approaches. The first is finger motion capture, wherein researchers focus on extracting finger positions through analyzing images and videos. The second is note frequency recognition, wherein researchers focus on analyzing notes and frequencies from audio recordings. This paper proposes a novel hybrid solution that includes both finger motion capture and note frequency recognition in order to conduct a full assessment and give feedback on a guitarist’s performance. To classify hand positions, several classification algorithms are tested. The random forest algorithm obtained superior results, with an accuracy of 99% for overall hand movement and an average of 97.5% for the classification of each finger. Meanwhile, two algorithms were tested for note recognition, where the harmonic product spectrum (HPS) approach obtained the highest accuracy of 95%.
Surfactant-Modified Construction Waste Bricks for the Removal of Diclofenac from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Zhang Ziyang , Jin Xiao , Chen Hongrui , Zhang Xiaoran , Tan Chaohong , Bai Xiaojuan , Gong Yongwei
Published: May 2023

This study aimed to enhance the efficiency of construction waste bricks (PRBPs) in removing diclofenac (DFC) by preparing surfactant-modified waste bricks (CCBPs) as adsorbents. The properties of the adsorbents were analyzed, and the parameters related to the adsorption process were examined. The findings demonstrate that the addition of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) significantly improved the ability of the waste bricks to adsorb DCF. The pH values affected the adsorption behavior, with the adsorption decreasing as the pH increased. The adsorption process followed the pseudo-first-order kinetic equation, and the rate of adsorption was fast. The Langmuir model was used to fit the adsorption isotherms. According to the adsorption thermodynamics, the adsorption of DCF onto both adsorbents was exothermic, and it was more favorable at lower temperatures. The adsorption capacity of the CCBPs decreased sharply as the KCl concentration increased. The mechanism of adsorption might be explained by the interplay of the π-π interaction, surface complexation, and electrostatic interaction. This study offers a new method for removing micropollutants from aqueous solutions using waste bricks, thus extending the scope of their reuse applications.
Treatment Effects of Miniscrew-Assisted Rapid Palatal Expansion in Adolescents Using Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
Authors: Park Jung Jin , Kim Kyung-A , Kim Hye-Rin , Hong Sung Ok , Kang Yoon-Goo
Published: May 2023

This study aimed to analyze the treatment effects of miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion using dental cone-beam computed tomography (CT) in adolescents. The study group comprised 20 patients who underwent cone-beam CT before and after miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE). Paired t-test and analysis of variance were used to analyze significant differences before and after treatment. Skeletal and dentoalveolar measurements indicated highly significant differences, with these expansions increasing progressively in the downward direction. The extent of anterior midpalatal suture expansion was significantly greater than that of the posterior part. Significant expansion was observed at the nasal width and inter-zygomaticomaxillary suture distance. MARPE can expand the craniofacial skeletal structure to the uppermost nasal bone and lateral to the zygomaticomaxillary sutures. The expansion was greater in the lower maxillary part, demonstrating an overall triangular maxillary expansion. The midpalatal suture opening was greater in the anterior than in the posterior side, whereas the posterior suture opening proportion was higher than that of the conventional rapid palatal expansion previously reported.
An Ontology Development Methodology Based on Ontology-Driven Conceptual Modeling and Natural Language Processing: Tourism Case Study
Authors: Haridy Shaimaa , Ismail Rasha M. , Badr Nagwa , Hashem Mohamed
Published: May 2023

Ontologies provide a powerful method for representing, reusing, and sharing domain knowledge. They are extensively used in a wide range of disciplines, including artificial intelligence, knowledge engineering, biomedical informatics, and many more. For several reasons, developing domain ontologies is a challenging task. One of these reasons is that it is a complicated and time-consuming process. Multiple ontology development methodologies have already been proposed. However, there is room for improvement in terms of covering more activities during development (such as enrichment) and enhancing others (such as conceptualization). In this research, an enhanced ontology development methodology (ON-ODM) is proposed. Ontology-driven conceptual modeling (ODCM) and natural language processing (NLP) serve as the foundation of the proposed methodology. ODCM is defined as the utilization of ontological ideas from various areas to build engineering artifacts that improve conceptual modeling. NLP refers to the scientific discipline that employs computer techniques to analyze human language. The proposed ON-ODM is applied to build a tourism ontology that will be beneficial for a variety of applications, including e-tourism. The produced ontology is evaluated based on competency questions (CQs) and quality metrics. It is verified that the ontology answers SPARQL queries covering all CQ groups specified by domain experts. Quality metrics are used to compare the produced ontology with four existing tourism ontologies. For instance, according to the metrics related to conciseness, the produced ontology received a first place ranking when compared to the others, whereas it received a second place ranking regarding understandability. These results show that utilizing ODCM and NLP could facilitate and improve the development process, respectively.
Electrodeposited rGO/AuNP/MnO2 Nanocomposite-Modified Screen-Printed Carbon Electrode for Sensitive Electrochemical Sensing of Arsenic(III) in Water
Authors: Wu Yanqing , Zhang Tao , Su Lishen , Wu Xiaoping
Published: May 2023

Herein, a simple and portable electrochemical sensor based on a reduced graphene oxide/gold nanoparticle/manganese dioxide (rGO/AuNP/MnO2) nanocomposite-modified screen-printed carbon electrode (SPCE) was constructed by the facile stepwise electrodeposition method and used for electrochemical detection of As(III). The resultant electrode was characterized for its morphological, structural, and electrochemical properties using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). From the morphologic structure, it can be clearly observed that the AuNPs and MnO2 alone or their hybrid were densely deposited or entrapped in thin rGO sheets on the porous carbon surface, which may favor the electro-adsorption of As(III) on the modified SPCE. It is interesting that the nanohybrid modification endows the electrode with a significant decrease in charge transfer resistance and an increase in electroactive specific surface area, which dramatically increases the electro-oxidation current of As(III). This improved sensing ability was ascribed to the synergistic effect of gold nanoparticles with excellent electrocatalytic property and reduced graphene oxide with good electrical conductivity, as well as the involvement of manganese dioxide with a strong adsorption property in the electrochemical reduction of As(III). Under optimized conditions, the sensor can detect As(III) via square wave anodic stripping voltammetry (SWASV) with a low limit of detection of 2.4 μg L−1 and a linear range of 25–200 μg L−1. The proposed portable sensor shows the advantages of a simple preparation procedure, low cost, good repeatability, and long-term stability. The feasibility of rGO/AuNPs/MnO2/SPCE for detecting As(III) in real water was further verified.
Fe3O4@Au Core–Shell Magnetic Nanoparticles for the Rapid Analysis of E. coli O157:H7 in an Electrochemical Immunoassay
Authors: Bazsefidpar Shayesteh , Freitas Maria , Pereira Clara R. , Gutiérrez Gemma , Serrano-Pertierra Esther , Nouws Henri P. A. , Matos María , Delerue-Matos Cristina , Blanco-López María Carmen
Published: May 2023

Escherichia coli (E. coli) O157:H7 is a pathogenic bacterium that causes serious toxic effects in the human gastrointestinal tract. In this paper, a method for its effective analytical control in a milk sample was developed. To perform rapid (1 h) and accurate analysis, monodisperse Fe3O4@Au magnetic nanoparticles were synthesized and used in an electrochemical sandwich-type magnetic immunoassay. Screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPCE) were used as transducers, and electrochemical detection was performed by chronoamperometry using a secondary horseradish peroxidase-labeled antibody and 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine. This magnetic assay was used to determine the E. coli O157:H7 strain in the linear range from 20 to 2 × 106 CFU/mL, with a limit of detection of 20 CFU/mL. The selectivity of the assay was tested using Listeria monocytogenes p60 protein, and the applicability of the assay was assessed by analyzing a commercial milk sample, demonstrating the usefulness of the synthesized nanoparticles in the developed magnetic immunoassay.
Development and Validation of the Father-Love Absence Scale for Adolescents
Authors: Xiang Yanhui , Zhou Yue
Published: May 2023

Although father love is vital for the positive growth of the child, there is currently no reliable tool to assess the psychological absence of fathers. Therefore, the current study aims to develop an instrument to measure adolescents’ experiences of father-love absence from a psychological absence perspective. According to the fundamental psychological diathesis assumption, the father-love absence scale (FLAS) was developed based on expert panel discussions. A total of 2592 junior high school student participants were surveyed, and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted to determine the items for the formal scale. The results showed that the 18-item FLAS consisted of four factors, which were emotional absence (EA), cognitive absence (CA), behavioral absence (BA), and volitional absence (VA). In conclusion, the FLAS demonstrated satisfactory reliability and validity, and this scale is a valuable tool for assessing father-love absence.
The Study of the Effects of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs) on Concrete Compressive Strength at High Temperatures Using Artificial Neural Network Model
Authors: Ramzi Sanaz , Moradi Mohammad , Hajiloo Hamzeh
Published: May 2023

In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was developed to predict the compressive strength of concrete containing supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) at high temperatures. For this purpose, 500 experimental results were collected from the available literature. The effective parameters in the model are the volumes of coarse and fine aggregates, water, cement, coarse-aggregate type, percentage SCMs as the cement replacement, temperature levels, and test methods. The proposed ANN model was developed at a correlation coefficient of 0.966. A parametric study was conducted to evaluate the impact of the combined effects of input parameters (aggregate types and SCM content) on the relative compressive strength of concrete at high temperatures. It was shown that siliceous aggregate has a better performance by producing stronger bonds with cement paste than calcareous aggregates. The optimum SCM contents depend on the aggregate types. The optimum silica fume (SF) content for concrete with a water-to-binder ratio of 0.6 subjected to high temperatures is 8% and 3% for siliceous and calcareous concrete, respectively. The analysis of the ANN model has provided a conclusive understanding of the concrete behaviour at high temperatures.
Development of a Joint Penalty Signal for Building Energy Flexibility in Operation with Power Grids: Analysis and Case Study
Authors: Kırant Mitić Tuğçin , Voss Karsten
Published: May 2023

Electricity generation from renewable energy reduces greenhouse gas emissions and, in the long term, the cost of electricity in power grids. However, there is currently no strong positive correlation between greenhouse gas intensity and electricity spot prices in Germany, despite increasing renewable energy penetration. Therefore, energy flexibility programs that rely on demand response may not be fully effective in reducing carbon emissions unless the energy market aligns consistently with carbon emission factors. To address this issue, we propose a model for joint signals consisting of power grid climate gas intensity and price signals that can achieve both environmental and economic benefits for building energy flexibility applications. Next, to assess the maximum possible flexibility hours from the grid side, we explore penalty signal threshold limits with daily and biweekly aggregation. Using a case study, we analyze energy flexibility with joint signals to explore their effect on greenhouse gas emissions and building operation cost. Our results suggest that joint signals can be more effective than a single type of signal in promoting energy flexibility.
New Approach to Design and Assess Metaverse Environments for Improving Learning Processes in Higher Education: The Case of Architectural Construction and Rehabilitation
Authors: Onecha Belén , Cornadó Còssima , Morros Jordi , Pons Oriol
Published: May 2023

This research paper has defined and applied a new approach to develop and optimize augmented reality-based metaverse environments for learning construction and rehabilitation in architectural studies. This research paper is part of a broader project that aims to improve the learning process of architectural students by approaching construction and rehabilitation realities to the classroom in a feasible and pedagogical way. The approach has been applied successfully to develop a new environment with augmented reality that allows teachers to carry out activities using computers, tablets, cellphones and smartphone headsets in classrooms. Students’ satisfaction regarding the new environment is high, though there is room for improvement. The assessment of this new environment has involved both questionnaires and a multicriteria decision-making method which have holistically evaluated the new proposal by achieving complementary results. The main advantages of this new environment are in terms of application and inclusion, while its weaknesses will be solved in future steps that will introduce both mixed reality, to enlarge students’ perception and comprehension, as well as neuroeducation, to diminish students’ potential annoyances and dissatisfaction.
Practical Utility of Liquid Biopsies for Evaluating Genomic Alterations in Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Jeong Seung-Hwan , Kyung Dongsoo , Yuk Hyeong Dong , Jeong Chang Wook , Lee Wookjae , Yoon Jung-Ki , Kim Hwang-Phill , Bang Duhee , Kim Tae-You , Lim Yoojoo , Kwak Cheol
Published: May 2023

Traditional tissue-based assessments of genomic alterations in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) can be challenging. To evaluate the real-world clinical utility of liquid biopsies for the evaluation of genomic alterations in CRPC, we preemptively collected available plasma samples and archival tissue samples from patients that were being treated for clinically confirmed CRPC. The cell-free DNA (cfDNA) and tumor tissue DNA were analyzed using the AlphaLiquid®100-HRR panel. Plasma samples from a total of 87 patients were included in this study. Somatic mutations from cfDNA were detected in 78 (89.7%) patients, regardless of the presence of overt metastasis or concomitant treatment given at the time of plasma sample collection. Twenty-three patients were found to have known deleterious somatic or germline mutations in HRR genes from their cfDNA. Archival tissue samples from 33 (37.9%) patients were available for comparative analysis. Tissue sequencing was able to yield an NGS result in only 51.5% of the tissue samples. The general sensitivity of cfDNA for detecting somatic mutations in tissues was 71.8%, but important somatic/germline mutations in HRR genes were found to have a higher concordance (100%). Liquid biopsies can be a reasonable substitute for tissue biopsies in CRPC patients when evaluating genomic alterations.
Transfer-Learning Deep Radiomics and Hand-Crafted Radiomics for Classifying Lymph Nodes from Contrast-Enhanced Computed Tomography in Lung Cancer
Authors: Laqua Fabian Christopher , Woznicki Piotr , Bley Thorsten A. , Schöneck Mirjam , Rinneburger Miriam , Weisthoff Mathilda , Schmidt Matthias , Persigehl Thorsten , Iuga Andra-Iza , Baeßler Bettina
Published: May 2023

Objectives: Positron emission tomography (PET) is currently considered the non-invasive reference standard for lymph node (N-)staging in lung cancer. However, not all patients can undergo this diagnostic procedure due to high costs, limited availability, and additional radiation exposure. The purpose of this study was to predict the PET result from traditional contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) and to test different feature extraction strategies. Methods: In this study, 100 lung cancer patients underwent a contrast-enhanced 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT scan between August 2012 and December 2019. We trained machine learning models to predict FDG uptake in the subsequent PET scan. Model inputs were composed of (i) traditional “hand-crafted” radiomics features from the segmented lymph nodes, (ii) deep features derived from a pretrained EfficientNet-CNN, and (iii) a hybrid approach combining (i) and (ii). Results: In total, 2734 lymph nodes [555 (20.3%) PET-positive] from 100 patients [49% female; mean age 65, SD: 14] with lung cancer (60% adenocarcinoma, 21% plate epithelial carcinoma, 8% small-cell lung cancer) were included in this study. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) ranged from 0.79 to 0.87, and the scaled Brier score (SBS) ranged from 16 to 36%. The random forest model (iii) yielded the best results [AUC 0.871 (0.865–0.878), SBS 35.8 (34.2–37.2)] and had significantly higher model performance than both approaches alone (AUC: p < 0.001, z = 8.8 and z = 22.4; SBS: p < 0.001, z = 11.4 and z = 26.6, against (i) and (ii), respectively). Conclusion: Both traditional radiomics features and transfer-learning deep radiomics features provide relevant and complementary information for non-invasive N-staging in lung cancer.