bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elevated Fat Intake Increases Body Weight and the Risk of Overweight and Obesity among Chinese Adults: 1991–2015 Trends
Authors: Wang Liang , Wang Huijun , Zhang Bing , Popkin Barry M. , Du Shufa
Published: October 2020

Studies on fat intake and obesity have been inconclusive. This study examined the associations between dietary fat intake and body weight and the risk of overweight and obesity in China. We used data from 23,859 adults aged 20–60 years who participated in the China Health and Nutrition Survey, an ongoing open-cohort study, from 1991 to 2015. We collected detailed dietary data by conducting three 24-h dietary recalls and weighing foods and condiments in household inventories. We examined the associations between fat intake and body weight, body mass index (BMI), and the risk of overweight and obesity with random-effects linear or logistic regression models for panel data. The Chinese population’s fat intake, percentage of energy intake from fat, and prevalence of high-fat diets (energy intake from fat > 30%) increased from 68.5 g per day (g/d), 23.1%, and 22.4%, respectively, in 1991 to 79.3 g/d, 35.6%, and 67.2%, respectively, in 2015. The prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 12.3% to 37.3% during the same period. Fat intake, percentage of energy intake from fat, and a high-fat diet were positively associated with body weight, BMI, and the risk of overweight and obesity in both sexes (p < 0.001) after adjustment for nonfat energy intake, physical activity, and socioeconomic status. Increased fat intake and high-fat diets were associated with increased body weight, BMI, and risk of overweight and obesity. These findings could have a significant impact on Chinese policies and interventions to control overweight and obesity.
Protective Effects of (E)-β-Caryophyllene (BCP) in Chronic Inflammation
Authors: Scandiffio Rosaria , Geddo Federica , Cottone Erika , Querio Giulia , Antoniotti Susanna , Gallo Maria Pia , Maffei Massimo E. , Bovolin Patrizia
Published: October 2020

(E)-β-caryophyllene (BCP) is a bicyclic sesquiterpene widely distributed in the plant kingdom, where it contributes a unique aroma to essential oils and has a pivotal role in the survival and evolution of higher plants. Recent studies provided evidence for protective roles of BCP in animal cells, highlighting its possible use as a novel therapeutic tool. Experimental results show the ability of BCP to reduce pro-inflammatory mediators such as tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), thus ameliorating chronic pathologies characterized by inflammation and oxidative stress, in particular metabolic and neurological diseases. Through the binding to CB2 cannabinoid receptors and the interaction with members of the family of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), BCP shows beneficial effects on obesity, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease/nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) liver diseases, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, pain and other nervous system disorders. This review describes the current knowledge on the biosynthesis and natural sources of BCP, and reviews its role and mechanisms of action in different inflammation-related metabolic and neurologic disorders.
Estimation of Sodium and Potassium Intake: Current Limitations and Future Perspectives
Authors: Ginos Bigina N.R. , Engberink Rik H.G. Olde
Published: October 2020

Globally, average dietary sodium intake is double the recommended amount, whereas potassium is often consumed in suboptimal amounts. High sodium diets are associated with increased cardiovascular and renal disease risk, while potassium may have protective properties. Consequently, patients at risk of cardiovascular and renal disease are urged to follow these recommendations, but dietary adherence is often low due to high sodium and low potassium content in processed foods. Adequate monitoring of intake is essential to guide dietary advice in clinical practice and can be used to investigate the relationship between intake and health outcomes. Daily sodium and potassium intake is often estimated with 24-h sodium and potassium excretion, but long-term balance studies demonstrate that this method lacks accuracy on an individual level. Dietary assessment tools and spot urine collections also exhibit poor performance when estimating individual sodium and potassium intake. Collection of multiple consecutive 24-h urines increases accuracy, but also patient burden. In this narrative review, we discuss current approaches to estimating dietary sodium and potassium intake. Additionally, we explore alternative methods that may improve test accuracy without increasing burden.
Magnesium Absorption in Intestinal Cells: Evidence of Cross-Talk between EGF and TRPM6 and Novel Implications for Cetuximab Therapy
Authors: Pietropaolo Giuseppe , Pugliese Daniela , Armuzzi Alessandro , Guidi Luisa , Gasbarrini Antonio , Rapaccini Gian Lodovico , Wolf Federica I. , Trapani Valentina
Published: October 2020

Hypomagnesemia is very commonly observed in cancer patients, most frequently in association with therapy with cetuximab (CTX), a monoclonal antibody targeting the epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR). CTX-induced hypomagnesemia has been ascribed to renal magnesium (Mg) wasting. Here, we sought to clarify whether CTX may also influence intestinal Mg absorption and if Mg supplementation may interfere with CTX activity. We used human colon carcinoma CaCo-2 cells as an in vitro model to study the mechanisms underlying Mg transport and CTX activity. Our findings demonstrate that TRPM6 is the key channel that mediates Mg influx in intestinal cells and that EGF stimulates such influx; consequently, CTX downregulates TRPM6-mediated Mg influx by interfering with EGF signaling. Moreover, we show that Mg supplementation does not modify either the CTX IC50 or CTX-dependent inhibition of ERK1/2 phosphorylation. Our results suggest that reduced Mg absorption in the intestine may contribute to the severe hypomagnesemia that occurs in CTX-treated patients, and Mg supplementation may represent a safe and effective nutritional intervention to restore Mg status without impairing the CTX efficacy.
Associations of Vitamin D Deficiency, Parathyroid hormone, Calcium, and Phosphorus with Perinatal Adverse Outcomes. A Prospective Cohort Study
Authors: Pérez-Castillo Íñigo María , Rivero-Blanco Tania , León-Ríos Ximena Alejandra , Expósito-Ruiz Manuela , López-Criado María Setefilla , Aguilar-Cordero María José
Published: October 2020

Vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy has been linked to perinatal adverse outcomes. Studies conducted to date have recommended assessing interactions with other vitamin D-related metabolites to clarify this subject. We aimed to evaluate the association of vitamin D deficiency during early pregnancy with preterm birth. Secondary outcomes included low birth weight and small for gestational age. Additionally, we explored the role that parathyroid hormone, calcium and phosphorus could play in the associations. We conducted a prospective cohort study comprising 289 pregnant women in a hospital in Granada, Spain. Participants were followed-up from weeks 10–12 of gestation to postpartum. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D, parathyroid hormone, calcium, and phosphorus were measured within the first week after recruitment. Pearson’s χ2 test, Mann–Whitney U test, binary and multivariable logistic regression models were used to explore associations between variables and outcomes. 36.3% of the participants were vitamin D deficient (<20 ng/mL). 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration was inversely correlated with parathyroid hormone (ρ = −0.146, p = 0.013). Preterm birth was associated with vitamin D deficiency in the multivariable model, being this association stronger amongst women with parathyroid hormone serum levels above the 80th percentile (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 6.587, 95% CI (2.049, 21.176), p = 0.002). Calcium and phosphorus were not associated with any studied outcome. Combined measurement of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and parathyroid hormone could be a better estimator of preterm birth than vitamin D in isolation.
Education or Provision? A Comparison of Two School-Based Fruit and Vegetable Nutrition Education Programs in the Netherlands
Authors: Verdonschot Angeliek , de Vet Emely , van Rossum Jolien , Mesch Anouk , Collins Clare E. , Bucher Tamara , Haveman-Nies Annemien
Published: October 2020

A healthy diet is important for optimal child growth and development. School-based opportunities to encourage children to achieve healthy eating behaviors should be explored. Nutrition education programs can provide school children with classroom-based nutrition education and access to fruits and vegetables (FV). However, the effectiveness of specific program components implemented separately has not yet been comprehensively evaluated. The current study examined effectiveness of individual components of two programs targeting primary school children (n = 1460, n = 37 schools) aged 7–12 years. Nutrition knowledge and FV consumption were measured using a student questionnaire, and presence of school food policies was measured in the teachers’ questionnaire. A quasi-experimental design with three arms compared: (1) schools that implemented both programs: FV provision + education (n = 15), (2) schools that implemented the FV provision program only (n = 12), (3) schools that did not implement either program (n = 10). Outcomes were assessed pre-intervention (T0), during the intervention (T1), and 6 months post-intervention (T2). Results indicated a significant increase in nutrition knowledge for children attending schools that had participated in both programs, compared to control schools (p < 0.01), but no significant increase in FV intake. In schools without food policies, FV provision alone contributed to an increase in child FV intake (p < 0.05).
New Insights on the Mobility of Viral and Host Non-Coding RNAs Reveal Extracellular Vesicles as Intriguing Candidate Antiviral Targets
Authors: Wower Iwona K. , Brandebourg Terry D. , Wower Jacek
Published: October 2020

Intercellular communication occurring by cell-to-cell contacts and via secreted messengers trafficked through extracellular vehicles is critical for regulating biological functions of multicellular organisms. Recent research has revealed that non-coding RNAs can be found in extracellular vesicles consistent with a functional importance of these molecular vehicles in virus propagation and suggesting that these essential membrane-bound bodies can be highjacked by viruses to promote disease pathogenesis. Newly emerging evidence that coronaviruses generate non-coding RNAs and use extracellular vesicles to facilitate viral pathogenicity may have important implications for the development of effective strategies to combat COVID-19, a disease caused by infection with the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2. This article provides a short overview of our current understanding of the interactions between non-coding RNAs and extracellular vesicles and highlights recent research which supports these interactions as potential therapeutic targets in the development of novel antiviral therapies.
Covid-19: Fat, Obesity, Inflammation, Ethnicity, and Sex Differences
Authors: Krams Indrikis A. , Luoto Severi , Rantala Markus J. , Jõers Priit , Krama Tatjana
Published: October 2020

Although obesity is known to be a risk factor for COVID-19 severity, there is an urgent need to distinguish between different kinds of fat—visceral and subcutaneous fat—and their inflammation status in COVID-19. These different fat types have partially diverging biochemical roles in the human body, and they are differentially associated with SARS-CoV-2, which targets the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) for cell entry. ACE2 is highly expressed in adipose tissue, especially in visceral fat, suggesting an important role for this tissue in determining COVID-19 disease severity. In this perspective article, we discuss group differences in the amount of visceral fat levels and the extent of inflammation in adipocytes of visceral fat tissue, which may, in part, drive population, cross-national, ethnic, and sex differences in COVID-19 disease. It is vital to steer the scientific community’s attention to the effects of visceral fat in creating individual and population differences in COVID-19 severity. This can help researchers unravel the reasons for the reported population, ethnic, and sex differences in COVID-19 severity and mortality.
Topical Administration of Cannabidiol: Influence of Vehicle-Related Aspects on Skin Permeation Process
Authors: Casiraghi Antonella , Musazzi Umberto M. , Centin Giorgio , Franzè Silvia , Minghetti Paola
Published: October 2020

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-psychoactive cannabinoid isolated from Cannabis sativa which, given its claimed beneficial properties and therapeutic potential, has lately aroused considerable attention from the scientific community. Starting from the little literature evidence, the main purpose of this study was to investigate the topical administration of CBD, with particular focus on the influence of vehicle-related aspects on the skin permeation process. This could provide useful information for the design of suitable drug delivery systems which could be used in developing topical medicines and cosmetics. In vitro human skin permeation studies were conducted using modified Franz diffusion cells to compare the performance of four solutions and two semisolid formulations. The Hildebrand solubility parameter was used to better understand the thermodynamic aspects implied in the partitioning process of the cannabinoid compound into the skin. It was interestingly found that a hydrophilic gel, mostly consisting of propylene glycol (79%, w/w), can be an optimal choice for the topical administration of CBD. Moreover, the feasibility of the preparation of CBD-loaded (trans)dermal patches, made with new printing technology, was also demonstrated.
Quinolizidine-Derived Lucanthone and Amitriptyline Analogues Endowed with Potent Antileishmanial Activity
Authors: Tonelli Michele , Sparatore Anna , Basilico Nicoletta , Cavicchini Loredana , Parapini Silvia , Tasso Bruno , Laurini Erik , Pricl Sabrina , Boido Vito , Sparatore Fabio
Published: October 2020

Leishmaniases are neglected diseases that are endemic in many tropical and sub-tropical Countries. Therapy is based on different classes of drugs which are burdened by severe side effects, occurrence of resistance and high costs, thereby creating the need for more efficacious, safer and inexpensive drugs. Herein, sixteen 9-thioxanthenone derivatives (lucanthone analogues) and four compounds embodying the diarylethene substructure of amitriptyline (amitriptyline analogues) were tested in vitro for activity against Leishmania tropica and L. infantum promastigotes. All compounds were characterized by the presence of a bulky quinolizidinylalkyl moiety. All compounds displayed activity against both species of Leishmania with IC50 values in the low micromolar range, resulting in several fold more potency than miltefosine, comparable to that of lucanthone, and endowed with substantially lower cytotoxicity to Vero-76 cells, for the best of them. Thus, 4-amino-1-(quinolizidinylethyl)aminothioxanthen-9-one (14) and 9-(quinolizidinylmethylidene)fluorene (17), with selectivity index (SI) in the range 16–24, represent promising leads for the development of improved antileishmanial agents. These two compounds also exhibited comparable activity against intramacrophagic amastigotes of L. infantum. Docking studies have suggested that the inhibition of trypanothione reductase (TryR) may be at the basis (eventually besides other mechanisms) of the observed antileishmanial activity. Therefore, these investigated derivatives may deserve further structural improvements and more in-depth biological studies of their mechanisms of action in order to develop more efficient antiparasitic agents.
Preclinical and Clinical Applications of Biomaterials in the Enhancement of Wound Healing in Oral Surgery: An Overview of the Available Reviews
Authors: Picciolo Giacomo , Peditto Matteo , Irrera Natasha , Pallio Giovanni , Altavilla Domenica , Vaccaro Mario , Picciolo Giuseppe , Scarfone Alessandro , Squadrito Francesco , Oteri Giacomo
Published: October 2020

Oral surgery has undergone dramatic developments in recent years due to the use of biomaterials. The aim of the present review is to provide a general overview of the current biomaterials used in oral surgery and to comprehensively outline their impact on post-operative wound healing. A search in Medline was performed, including hand searching. Combinations of searching terms and several criteria were applied for study identification, selection, and inclusion. The literature was searched for reviews published up to July 2020. Reviews evaluating the clinical and histological effects of biomaterials on post-operative wound healing in oral surgical procedures were included. Review selection was performed by two independent reviewers. Disagreements were resolved by a third reviewer, and 41 reviews were included in the final selection. The selected papers covered a wide range of biomaterials such as stem cells, bone grafts, and growth factors. Bioengineering and biomaterials development represent one of the most promising perspectives for the future of oral surgery. In particular, stem cells and growth factors are polarizing the focus of this ever-evolving field, continuously improving standard surgical techniques, and granting access to new approaches.
Study of Friction Force in Electrodynamic Rail Accelerator: Experiment and Interpretation Using FEM Modelling
Authors: Tichý Tomáš , Zemen Jan , Dražan Libor , Racek František , Papež Václav , Doležel Ivo
Published: October 2020

The paper presents experimental data and a model of an electromagnetic rail accelerator. The model includes an equivalent circuit, magnetic field in the system and movement of the projectile (that is solved separately) which is computed numerically. The main results are compared with our experimental data and friction force during acceleration is evaluated.
Effects of Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria on the Content of Abscisic Acid and Salt Resistance of Wheat Plants
Authors: Arkhipova Tatiana , Martynenko Elena , Sharipova Guzel , Kuzmina Ludmila , Ivanov Igor , Garipova Margarita , Kudoyarova Guzel
Published: October 2020

Although salinity inhibits plant growth, application of appropriate rhizosphere bacteria can diminish this negative effect. We studied one possible mechanism that may underlie this beneficial response. Wheat plants were inoculated with Bacillus subtilis IB-22 and Pseudomonas mandelii IB-Ki14 and their consequences for growth, water relations, and concentrations of the hormone abscisic acid (ABA) were followed in the presence of soil salinity. Salinity alone increased ABA concentration in wheat leaves and roots and this was associated with decreased stomatal conductance, but also with chlorophyll loss. Bacterial treatment raised ABA concentrations in roots, suppressed accumulation of leaf ABA, decreased chlorophyll loss, and promoted leaf area and transpiration. However, water balance was maintained due to increased water uptake by inoculated plants, brought about in part by a larger root system. The effect may be the outcome of ABA action since the hormone is known to maintain root extension in stressed plants. Root ABA concentration was highest in salt-stressed plants inoculated with B. subtilis and this contributed to greater root hydraulic conductivity. We conclude that bacteria can raise salt resistance in wheat by increasing root ABA, resulting in larger root systems that can also possess enhanced hydraulic conductivity thereby supporting better-hydrated leaves.
Polystyrene-Based Nanocomposites with Different Fillers: Fabrication and Mechanical Properties
Authors: Moskalyuk Olga A. , Belashov Andrey V. , Beltukov Yaroslav M. , Ivan’kova Elena M. , Popova Elena N. , Semenova Irina V. , Yelokhovsky Vladimir Y. , Yudin Vladimir E.
Published: October 2020

The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the elastic properties of polystyrene-based nanocomposites filled with different types of inclusions: small spherical particles (SiO2 and Al2O3), alumosilicates (montmorillonite, halloysite natural tubules and mica), and carbon nanofillers (carbon black and multi-walled carbon nanotubes). Block samples of composites with different filler concentrations were fabricated by melt technology, and their linear and non-linear elastic properties were studied. The introduction of more rigid particles led to a more profound increase in the elastic modulus of a composite, with the highest rise of about 80% obtained with carbon fillers. Non-linear elastic moduli of composites were shown to be more sensitive to addition of filler particles to the polymer matrix than linear ones. A non-linearity modulus βs comprising the combination of linear and non-linear elastic moduli of a material demonstrated considerable changes correlating with those of the Young’s modulus. The changes in non-linear elasticity of fabricated composites were compared with parameters of bulk non-linear strain waves propagating in them. Variations of wave velocity and decay decrement correlated with the observed enhancement of materials’ non-linearity.
Effect of Different Bond Parameters on the Mechanical Properties of FRP and Concrete Interface
Authors: Mensah Comfort , Wang Zhenqing , Bonsu Alex Osei , Liang Wenyan
Published: October 2020

This paper presents double shear tests performed to investigate factors influencing the bond behavior between basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP), glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) laminate, and concrete blocks. In detail, thirty-six twin concrete blocks strengthened with the aforementioned FRP types were tested to evaluate the influence of FRP length, width, and thickness, and their bonding behavior. The 2D-DIC (digital image correlation) technique and several strain gauges bonded along the laminate were used to measure the strain distributions of the FRP-to-concrete interface. The failure mode, ultimate load, load–slip, strain distribution, and bond–slip relationships between the laminates and concrete were analyzed. Furthermore, bond–slip curves were compared with some other existing literature models. The results from the experiment showed that the ultimate load, peak bond stress, and slip increased with the increase in the BFRP and GFRP laminates length, width, and thickness. The values of peak shear stress and the corresponding maximum shear slip were significantly different because of the above-mentioned factors’ influence on them. The bond interface that contributes to the bearing of the shear load may grow to an extent and later shift from the loaded end when debonding progresses. Finally, the fractured surfaces of the failed FRP laminates were examined using scanning electron microscope (SEM), revealing that FRP rupture, debonding in concrete, and debonding in an adhesive–concrete interface were the main failure types.
Cross-Linking Optimization for Electrospun Gelatin: Challenge of Preserving Fiber Topography
Authors: Campiglio Chiara Emma , Ponzini Selene , De Stefano Paola , Ortoleva Giulia , Vignati Lorenzo , Draghi Lorenza
Published: October 2020

Opportunely arranged micro/nano-scaled fibers represent an extremely attractive architecture for tissue engineering, as they offer an intrinsically porous structure, a high available surface, and an ideal microtopography for guiding cell migration. When fibers are made with naturally occurring polymers, matrices that closely mimic the architecture of the native extra-cellular matrix and offer specific chemical cues can be obtained. Along this track, electrospinning of collagen or gelatin is a typical and effective combination to easily prepare fibrous scaffolds with excellent properties in terms of biocompatibility and biomimicry, but an appropriate cross-linking strategy is required. Many common protocols involve the use of swelling solvents and can result in significant impairment of fibrous morphology and porosity. As a consequence, the efforts for processing gelatin into a fiber network can be vain, as a film-like morphology will be eventually presented to cells. However, this appears to be a frequently overlooked aspect. Here, the effect on fiber morphology of common cross-linking protocols was analyzed, and different strategies to improve the final morphology were evaluated (including alternative solvents, cross-linker concentration, mechanical constraint, and evaporation conditions). Finally, an optimized, fiber-preserving protocol based on carbodiimide (EDC) chemistry was defined.
Microwave Foaming of Materials: An Emerging Field
Authors: Zubair Mukarram , Ferrari Rebecca , Alagha Omar , Mu’azu Nuhu Dalhat , Blaisi Nawaf I. , Ateeq Ijlal Shahrukh , Manzar Mohammad Saood
Published: October 2020

In the last two decades, the application of microwave heating to the processing of materials has to become increasingly widespread. Microwave-assisted foaming processes show promise for industrial commercialization due to the potential advantages that microwaves have shown compared to conventional methods. These include reducing process time, improved energy efficiency, solvent-free foaming, reduced processing steps, and improved product quality. However, the interaction of microwave energy with foaming materials, the effects of critical processing factors on microwave foaming behavior, and the foamed product’s final properties are still not well-explored. This article reviews the mechanism and principles of microwave foaming of different materials. The article critically evaluates the impact of influential foaming parameters such as blowing agent, viscosity, precursor properties, microwave conditions, additives, and filler on the interaction of microwave, foaming material, physical (expansion, cellular structure, and density), mechanical, and thermal properties of the resultant foamed product. Finally, the key challenges and opportunities for developing industrial microwave foaming processes are identified, and areas for potential future research works are highlighted.
Tributary Channel Width Effect on the Flow Behavior in Trapezoidal and Rectangular Channel Confluences
Authors: Azma Aliasghar , Zhang Yongxiang
Published: October 2020

Channel confluences happen commonly in water transport networks and natural rivers. Utilizing a 3D CFD code, a series of numerical simulations were performed using a large eddy simulation turbulence model to investigate the effect of the variations in tributary channel width and the transverse geometrical shape of the main channel on the flow parameters and vertical structure in a T-shape confluence. The code was calibrated using the experimental data from the literature. Flow parameters were considered in ratios of tributary width to the main channel width in trapezoidal and rectangular channels. Results indicate that decreasing the width ratio of the tributary channel to the main channel significantly affects the flow structure in the confluence. Generally, it increases the width and length of the main recirculation zone. It also increases the maximum velocity near the bed, especially in cases with a trapezoidal shape. Besides, it highly affects the structure and formation of the recirculation zone in trapezoidal channels.
Room Temperature Ferroelastic Creep Behavior of Porous (La0.6Sr0.4)0.95Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ
Authors: Arnauda Barbara , Akbari-Fakhrabadi Ali , Orlovskaya Nina , Meruane Viviana , Araki Wakako
Published: October 2020

The time-dependent deformation of porous (La0.6Sr0.4)0.95Co0.2Fe0.8O3-δ (LSCF) under constant uniaxial compressive stress at room temperature has been studied. Both axial and lateral stress–strain deformation curves clearly show the non-linear ferroelastic behavior of LSCF perovskite during compression. The ferroelastic characteristics of deformation curves such as coercive stress and apparent loading moduli decrease when the porosity of the samples increases. Ferroelastic creep deformations at applied stresses of 25 and 50 MPa demonstrate that stress and porosity are influencing factors on creep deformation, which increases with increasing stress and porosity. A negative creep or axial expansion and lateral contraction were observed in the sample with 35% porosity under 50-MPa constant compression stress.
A Combined Machine Learning and Residual Analysis Approach for Improved Retrieval of Shallow Bathymetry from Hyperspectral Imagery and Sparse Ground Truth Data
Authors: Alevizos Evangelos
Published: October 2020

Mapping shallow bathymetry by means of optical remote sensing has been a challenging task of growing interest in recent years. Particularly, many studies exploit earlier empirical models together with the latest multispectral satellite imagery (e.g., Sentinel 2, Landsat 8). However, in these studies, the accuracy of resulting bathymetry is (a) limited for deeper waters (>15 m) and/or (b) is being influenced by seafloor type albedo. This study explores further the capabilities of hyperspectral satellite imagery (Hyperion), which provides several spectral bands in the visible spectrum, along with existing reference bathymetry. Bathymetry predictors are created by applying the semi-empirical approach of band ratios on hyperspectral imagery. Then, these predictors are fed to machine learning regression algorithms for predicting bathymetry. Algorithm performance is being further compared to bathymetry predictions from multiple linear regression analysis. Following the initial predictions, the residual bathymetry values are interpolated by applying the Ordinary Kriging method. Then, the predicted bathymetry from all three algorithms along with their associated residual grids is used as predictors at a second processing stage. Validation results show that by using a second stage of processing, the root-mean-square error values of predicted bathymetry is being improved by ≈1 m even for deeper water (up to 25 m). It is suggested that this approach is suitable for (a) contributing wide-scale, high-resolution shallow bathymetry toward the goals of the Seabed 2030 program and (b) as a coarse resolution alternative to effort-consuming single-beam sonar or costly airborne bathymetric laser surveying.
Enhanced Redundant Measurement-Based Kalman Filter for Measurement Noise Covariance Estimation in INS/GNSS Integration
Authors: Ge Baoshuang , Zhang Hai , Fu Wenxing , Yang Jianbing
Published: October 2020

Adaptive Kalman filters (AKF) have been widely applied to the inertial navigation system (INS)/global navigation satellite system (GNSS) integrated navigation system. However, the traditional AKF methods suffer from the problems of filtering instability or covariance underestimation, especially when the GNSS measurement disturbances occur. In this paper, an enhanced redundant measurement-based AKF is developed to improve the filtering performance. The scheme is based on the mutual difference sequence derived from the redundant measurement of INS. By using the mutual difference sequence, the measurement noise covariance can be estimated without being affected by the inaccuracy estimates, hence avoiding the risk of filtering divergence. In addition, the kernel density estimation is used to estimate the GNSS measurement noise’s probability density to detect whether the Gaussian properties of the measurement noise are maintained. When the noise statistics are far from Gaussian distribution, the difference sequence will be modeled as an autoregressive process using the Burg’s method. The real variance of the difference sequence can then be updated relying on the autoregressive model in order to avoid the covariance underestimation. A field experiment was carried out to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. The test results demonstrate that the proposed method can effectively mitigate the GNSS measurement disturbances and improve the accuracy of the navigation solution.
Deep Transfer Learning for Vulnerable Road Users Detection using Smartphone Sensors Data
Authors: Elhenawy Mohammed , Ashqar Huthaifa I. , Masoud Mahmoud , Almannaa Mohammed H. , Rakotonirainy Andry , Rakha Hesham A.
Published: October 2020

As the Autonomous Vehicle (AV) industry is rapidly advancing, the classification of non-motorized (vulnerable) road users (VRUs) becomes essential to ensure their safety and to smooth operation of road applications. The typical practice of non-motorized road users’ classification usually takes significant training time and ignores the temporal evolution and behavior of the signal. In this research effort, we attempt to detect VRUs with high accuracy be proposing a novel framework that includes using Deep Transfer Learning, which saves training time and cost, to classify images constructed from Recurrence Quantification Analysis (RQA) that reflect the temporal dynamics and behavior of the signal. Recurrence Plots (RPs) were constructed from low-power smartphone sensors without using GPS data. The resulted RPs were used as inputs for different pre-trained Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) classifiers including constructing 227 × 227 images to be used for AlexNet and SqueezeNet; and constructing 224 × 224 images to be used for VGG16 and VGG19. Results show that the classification accuracy of Convolutional Neural Network Transfer Learning (CNN-TL) reaches 98.70%, 98.62%, 98.71%, and 98.71% for AlexNet, SqueezeNet, VGG16, and VGG19, respectively. Moreover, we trained resnet101 and shufflenet for a very short time using one epoch of data and then used them as weak learners, which yielded 98.49% classification accuracy. The results of the proposed framework outperform other results in the literature (to the best of our knowledge) and show that using CNN-TL is promising for VRUs classification. Because of its relative straightforwardness, ability to be generalized and transferred, and potential high accuracy, we anticipate that this framework might be able to solve various problems related to signal classification.
LED Wristbands for Cell-Based Crowd Evacuation: An Adaptive Exit-Choice Guidance System Architecture
Authors: Lopez-Carmona Miguel A. , Paricio-Garcia Alvaro
Published: October 2020

Cell-based crowd evacuation systems provide adaptive or static exit-choice indications that favor a coordinated group dynamic, improving evacuation time and safety. While a great effort has been made to modeling its control logic by assuming an ideal communication and positioning infrastructure, the architectural dimension and the influence of pedestrian positioning uncertainty have been largely overlooked. In our previous research, a cell-based crowd evacuation system (CellEVAC) was proposed that dynamically allocates exit gates to pedestrians in a cell-based pedestrian positioning infrastructure. This system provides optimal exit-choice indications through color-based indications and a control logic module built upon an optimized discrete-choice model. Here, we investigate how location-aware technologies and wearable devices can be used for a realistic deployment of CellEVAC. We consider a simulated real evacuation scenario (Madrid Arena) and propose a system architecture for CellEVAC that includes: a controller node, a radio-controlled light-emitting diode (LED) wristband subsystem, and a cell-node network equipped with active Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) devices. These subsystems coordinate to provide control, display, and positioning capabilities. We quantitatively study the sensitivity of evacuation time and safety to uncertainty in the positioning system. Results showed that CellEVAC was operational within a limited range of positioning uncertainty. Further analyses revealed that reprogramming the control logic module through a simulation optimization process, simulating the positioning system’s expected uncertainty level, improved the CellEVAC performance in scenarios with poor positioning systems.
An fMRI Compatible Smart Device for Measuring Palmar Grasping Actions in Newborns
Authors: Lo Presti Daniela , Dall’Orso Sofia , Muceli Silvia , Arichi Tomoki , Neumane Sara , Lukens Anna , Sabbadini Riccardo , Massaroni Carlo , Caponero Michele Arturo , Formica Domenico , Burdet Etienne , Schena Emiliano
Published: October 2020

Grasping is one of the first dominant motor behaviors that enable interaction of a newborn infant with its surroundings. Although atypical grasping patterns are considered predictive of neuromotor disorders and injuries, their clinical assessment suffers from examiner subjectivity, and the neuropathophysiology is poorly understood. Therefore, the combination of technology with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) may help to precisely map the brain activity associated with grasping and thus provide important insights into how functional outcomes can be improved following cerebral injury. This work introduces an MR-compatible device (i.e., smart graspable device (SGD)) for detecting grasping actions in newborn infants. Electromagnetic interference immunity (EMI) is achieved using a fiber Bragg grating sensor. Its biocompatibility and absence of electrical signals propagating through the fiber make the safety profile of the SGD particularly favorable for use with fragile infants. Firstly, the SGD design, fabrication, and metrological characterization are described, followed by preliminary assessments on a preterm newborn infant and an adult during an fMRI experiment. The results demonstrate that the combination of the SGD and fMRI can safely and precisely identify the brain activity associated with grasping behavior, which may enable early diagnosis of motor impairment and help guide tailored rehabilitation programs.
Improved Distorted Configuration Space Path Planning and Its Application to Robot Manipulators
Authors: Xie Yangmin , Zhou Rui , Yang Yusheng
Published: October 2020

Real-time obstacle avoidance path planning is critically important for a robot when it operates in a crowded or cluttered workspace. At the same time, the computational cost is a big concern once the degree of freedom (DOF) of a robot is high. A novel path planning strategy, the distorted configuration space (DC-space) method, was proposed and proven to outperform the traditional search-based methods in terms of computational efficiency. However, the original DC-space method did not sufficiently consider the demands on automatic planning, convex space preservation, and path optimization, which makes it not practical when applied to the path planning for robot manipulators. The treatments for the problems mentioned above are proposed in this paper, and their applicability is examined on a three DOFs robot. The experiments demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed improved distorted configuration space (IDCS) method on rapidly finding an obstacle-free path. Besides, the optimized IDCS method is presented to shorten the generated path. The performance of the above algorithms is compared with the classic Rapidly-exploring Random Tree (RRT) searching method in terms of their computation time and path length.
Electrochemical Detection and Point-of-Care Testing for Circulating Tumor Cells: Current Techniques and Future Potentials
Authors: Lu Chunyang , Han Jintao , Sun Xiaoyi , Yang Gen
Published: October 2020

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are tumor cells that escaped from the primary tumor or the metastasis into the blood and they play a major role in the initiation of metastasis and tumor recurrence. Thus, it is widely accepted that CTC is the main target of liquid biopsy. In the past few decades, the separation of CTC based on the electrochemical method has attracted widespread attention due to its convenience, rapidness, low cost, high sensitivity, and no need for complex instruments and equipment. At present, CTC detection is not widely used in the clinic due to various reasons. Point-of-care CTC detection provides us with a possibility, which is sensitive, fast, cheap, and easy to operate. More importantly, the testing instrument is small and portable, and the testing does not require specialized laboratories and specialized clinical examiners. In this review, we summarized the latest developments in the electrochemical-based CTC detection and point-of-care CTC detection, and discussed the challenges and possible trends.
An Overview of IoT Sensor Data Processing, Fusion, and Analysis Techniques
Authors: Krishnamurthi Rajalakshmi , Kumar Adarsh , Gopinathan Dhanalekshmi , Nayyar Anand , Qureshi Basit
Published: October 2020

In the recent era of the Internet of Things, the dominant role of sensors and the Internet provides a solution to a wide variety of real-life problems. Such applications include smart city, smart healthcare systems, smart building, smart transport and smart environment. However, the real-time IoT sensor data include several challenges, such as a deluge of unclean sensor data and a high resource-consumption cost. As such, this paper addresses how to process IoT sensor data, fusion with other data sources, and analyses to produce knowledgeable insight into hidden data patterns for rapid decision-making. This paper addresses the data processing techniques such as data denoising, data outlier detection, missing data imputation and data aggregation. Further, it elaborates on the necessity of data fusion and various data fusion methods such as direct fusion, associated feature extraction, and identity declaration data fusion. This paper also aims to address data analysis integration with emerging technologies, such as cloud computing, fog computing and edge computing, towards various challenges in IoT sensor network and sensor data analysis. In summary, this paper is the first of its kind to present a complete overview of IoT sensor data processing, fusion and analysis techniques.
An IoT Hardware Platform Architecture for Monitoring Power Grid Systems Based on Heterogeneous Multi-Sensors
Authors: Nguyen Phuoc Duc , Vo Hieu Quang , Le Linh Ngoc , Eo SeokJin , Kim LokWon
Published: October 2020

Partial discharge (PD) is a major indicator of various failures in power grid systems. PD exhibits a physical occurrence where a localized electrical discharge happens in insulation materials. This phenomenon causes damage to the insulating parts and, in various circumstances, leads to complete insulation breakdown. As a consequence, it can produce more costly outcomes such as abrupt outages or lost production. Therefore, PD detection plays a vital role in preventing insulation failure. In this work, we propose a system that utilizes heterogeneous sensors for the PD detection along with multi-sensor interface, real-time advanced denoise processing, flexible system operation, and Bluetooth-low-energy (BLE)-based ad hoc communication. Among the variety of heterogeneous sensors, several are developed by the application of nanomaterials and nanotechnology, thus outperforming the regular types. The proposed system successfully identifies the presence of PD from sensor signals using a microprocessor-based processing system and effectively performs an advanced denoising technique based on the wavelet transform through field-programmable-gate-array (FPGA)-based programmable logics. With the development of the system, we aim to achieve a solution with low cost, high flexibility and efficiency, and ease of deployment for the monitoring of power grid systems.
Improved Renoprotection in Diabetes with Combination Therapy of Coccinia indica Leaf Extract and Low-Dose Pioglitazone
Authors: Basavarajappa Girish Meravanige , Nanjundan Prem Kumar , Alabdulsalam Abdulrahim , Asif Afzal Haq , Shekharappa Hema Tyavanige , Anwer Md. Khalid , Nagaraja Sreeharsha
Published: October 2020

Background: The metabolic changes associated with diabetes can lead to nephropathy eventually resulting in end-stage renal disease. Current antidiabetic therapies do not effectively prevent the onset of diabetic kidney diseases as well as progression. Aim: To evaluate the effect of Coccinia indica leaf extract alone and in combination with pioglitazone, an antihyperglycemic agent was used to modulate the progressive kidney damage induced by type 2 diabetes in rats. Hypotheses: Pioglitazone causes severe adverse effects when administered for long-term therapy. The hypotheses in this study is to examine the renoprotective effect of Coccinia indica leaf extract (200 mg/kg p.o.) when co-administered with low-dose pioglitazone (7 mg/kg) in type-2-diabetes-induced nephropathy in rats and simultaneously evaluate the hypoglycemic response as well. Methods: Rats (Males, Sprague Dawley) were kept on a high-fat diet and were given a single dose of streptozotocin (35 mg/kg, i.p.) to induce diabetic nephropathy. Treatment groups received either Coccinia indica leaf extract or pioglitazone or pioglitazone with Coccinia indica extract, fenofibrate, or lisinopril for 7 weeks. Blood glucose, antioxidant status, triglycerides, total cholesterol, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, and proteinuria levels were estimated and compared with the normal control and disease control (untreated) groups. Results: The untreated diabetic rats showed increased blood glucose levels, lipid profiles, and renal oxidative stress, along with an increase in nephropathy markers such as blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, and proteinuria. Histopathological examination revealed glomerular damage. Combination treatment with Coccinia indica leaf extract and a low dose of pioglitazone normalized the nephropathic markers as well as histopathological changes. Conclusion: Coccinia indica leaf extract when co-administered with a low dose of pioglitazone as antidiabetic therapy showed good glycemic control and a beneficial renoprotective effect. Combination therapy would lower the dose of pioglitazone and also protect kidneys from drug-induced toxicity as observed from normalized nephropathic markers in a diabetic rat model.
Degradation of Oxytetracycline in Aqueous Solutions: Application of Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Advanced Oxidative Processes
Authors: Giler-Molina José Miguel , Zambrano-Intriago Luis Angel , Quiroz-Fernández Luis Santiago , Napoleão Daniella Carla , dos Santos Vieira Judite , Simões Oliveira Nelson , Rodríguez-Díaz Joan Manuel
Published: October 2020

Oxytetracycline is one of the antibiotics most frequently used in the Shrimp Industry during the control of bacterial diseases. These emerging pollutants, which appear in low concentrations, are persistent and alternative treatments and are required for their elimination. The degradation of oxytetracycline was evaluated in an aqueous solution by applying homogeneous (UV/H2O2 and photo-Fenton) and heterogeneous (UV/TiO2/H2O2) advanced oxidative processes (AOPs). The studies were carried out using a bench reactor with short-wave ultraviolet lamps (UV-C). We quantified the extent to which the degradation of the drug had been efficient by employing highly efficient liquid chromatography (HPLC) and a PDA detector with a wavelength of 354 nm and a C18 column. The best results were obtained when applying the UV/H2O2 treatment, which attained a degradation of 97% under the initial conditions of a dose of 8 µL of H2O2 and 120 min of radiation. The pseudo-first order kinetic model proposed by Chan and Chu showed that the experimental results had an adequate fit, with values greater than R2 ≥ 0.95. Toxicity tests were applied to verify the effect of AOPs employed, when the drug was present in low concentrations. The test results demonstrated a decrease in the root growth of the species Lactuca sativa and Daucus carota.