bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Confinement Affect Treatment Dropout Rates in Patients With Gambling Disorder? A Nine-Month Observational Study
Authors: Baenas Isabel , Etxandi Mikel , Codina Ester , Granero Roser , Fernández-Aranda Fernando , Gómez-Peña Mónica , Moragas Laura , Rivas Sandra , Potenza Marc N. , Håkansson Anders , del Pino-Gutiérrez Amparo , Mora-Maltas Bernat , Valenciano-Mendoza Eduardo , Menchón José M. , Jiménez-Murcia Susana
Published: December 2021

Background and Aims: COVID-19 pandemic and confinement have represented a challenge for patients with gambling disorder (GD). Regarding treatment outcome, dropout may have been influenced by these adverse circumstances. The aims of this study were: (a) to analyze treatment dropout rates in patients with GD throughout two periods: during and after the lockdown and (b) to assess clinical features that could represent vulnerability factors for treatment dropout.

Methods: The sample consisted of n=86 adults, mostly men (n=79, 91.9%) and with a mean age of 45years old (SD=16.85). Patients were diagnosed with GD according to DSM-5 criteria and were undergoing therapy at a Behavioral Addiction Unit when confinement started. Clinical data were collected through a semi-structured interview and protocolized psychometric assessment. A brief telephone survey related to COVID-19 concerns was also administered at the beginning of the lockdown. Dropout data were evaluated at two moments throughout a nine-month observational period (T1: during the lockdown, and T2: after the lockdown).

Results: The risk of dropout during the complete observational period was R=32/86=0.372 (37.2%), the Incidence Density Rate (IDR) ratio T2/T1 being equal to 0.052/0.033=1.60 (p=0.252). Shorter treatment duration (p=0.007), lower anxiety (p=0.025), depressive symptoms (p=0.045) and lower use of adaptive coping strategies (p=0.046) characterized patients who abandoned treatment during the lockdown. Briefer duration of treatment (p=0.001) and higher employment concerns (p=0.044) were highlighted in the individuals who dropped out after the lockdown. Treatment duration was a predictor of dropout in both periods (p=0.005 and p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusion: The present results suggest an impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on treatment dropout among patients with GD during and after the lockdown, being treatment duration a predictor of dropout. Assessing vulnerability features in GD may help clinicians identify high-risk individuals and enhance prevention and treatment approaches in future similar situations.
Public Emotional and Coping Responses to the COVID-19 Infodemic: A Review and Recommendations
Authors: Ying Weijun , Cheng Cecilia
Published: December 2021

Since its onset in early 2020, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has adversely affected not only the physical but also the mental health of people worldwide. Healthcare professionals and laypersons have sought to learn more about this novel and highly transmissible disease to better understand its etiology, treatment, and prevention. However, information overload and misinformation related to COVID-19 have elicited considerable public anxiety and created additional health threats. Collectively, these problems have been recognized by the World Health Organization as an “infodemic.” This review provides an overview of the global challenges posed by the COVID-19 infodemic, and used the psychological entropy model as a guiding framework to explicate the potential causes of the infodemic and identify potential solutions to mitigate impacts on public health. We first examine the role of anxiety in information processing and then delineate the adverse impacts of the infodemic. Finally, we propose strategies to combat the infodemic at the public, community, and individual levels.
Structure of Negative Symptoms in Schizophrenia: An Unresolved Issue
Authors: Russo Manuela , Repisti Selman , Blazhevska Stoilkovska Biljana , Jerotic Stefan , Ristic Ivan , Mesevic Smajic Eldina , Uka Fitim , Arenliu Aliriza , Bajraktarov Stojan , Dzubur Kulenovic Alma , Injac Stevovic Lidija , Priebe Stefan , Jovanovic Nikolina
Published: December 2021

Background: Negative symptoms are core features of schizophrenia and very challenging to be treated. Identification of their structure is crucial to provide a better treatment. Increasing evidence supports the superiority of a five-factor model (alogia, blunted affect, anhedonia, avolition, and asociality as defined by the NMIH-MATRICS Consensus); however, previous data primarily used the Brief Negative Symptoms Scale (BNSS). This study, including a calibration and a cross-validation sample (n = 268 and 257, respectively) of participants with schizophrenia, used the Clinical Assessment Interview for Negative Symptoms (CAINS) to explore the latent structure of negative symptoms and to test theoretical and data-driven (from this study) models of negative symptoms.

Methods: Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was carried out to investigate the structure of negative symptoms based on the CAINS. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) tested in a cross-validation sample four competing theoretical (one-factor, two-factor, five-factor, and hierarchical factor) models and two EFA-derived models.

Result: None of the theoretical models was confirmed with the CFA. A CAINS-rated model from EFA consisting of five factors (expression, motivation for recreational activities, social activities, vocational, and close/intimate relationships) was an excellent fit to the data (comparative fix index = 0.97, Tucker–Lewis index = 0.96, and root mean square error of approximation = 0.07).

Conclusions: This study cannot support recent data on the superiority of the five-factor model defined by the NMIH-MATRICS consensus and suggests that an alternative model might be a better fit. More research to confirm the structure of negative symptoms in schizophrenia, and careful methodological consideration, should be warranted before a definitive model can put forward and shape diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.
Trauma and Transgression in Nature-Based Leisure
Authors: Dietsch Alia M. , Jazi Everly , Floyd Myron F. , Ross-Winslow Danielle , Sexton Natalie R.
Published: December 2021

The following article contains language, including discussion of racialized trauma, violent oppression, and more, that could trigger strong emotions and other physiological reactions. Our intent is not to retraumatize anyone, but to instead center the voices and experiences of people who have transgressed significant historical trauma and long sought lasting change and equitable outcomes for all.
The Influence of Climate Attitudes and Subjective and Social Norms on Supermarket Consumers' Intention Toward Climate-Friendly Food Consumption
Authors: Emberger-Klein Agnes , Schöps Johanna , Menrad Klaus
Published: December 2021

Consumers can reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by changing their individual diets. Moreover, several studies showed that a positive intention to make climate-friendly food choices can be found among private consumers. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to analyze the factors, which influence supermarket consumers' behavioral intentions toward climate-friendly food consumption. For the analysis data from a face-to-face in-store survey in the southern Germany was used. The study was able to verify a large positive effect of Climate Attitudes and a medium positive effect of Subjective and social Norms on consumers' behavioral intention toward climate-friendly food consumption using an extended model of the Theory of Reasoned Action and structural equation modeling to analyze the data. However, the presumed direct effect of Perceived Behavioral Competency on this issue could not be proven. Based on the results strategies for the enhancement of climate-friendly food consumption are suggested.
Performance and Agreement Between WGS Variant Calling Pipelines Used for Bovine Tuberculosis Control: Toward International Standardization
Authors: Lorente-Leal Víctor , Farrell Damien , Romero Beatriz , Álvarez Julio , Juan Lucía de , Gordon Stephen V.
Published: December 2021

Whole genome sequencing (WGS) and allied variant calling pipelines are a valuable tool for the control and eradication of infectious diseases, since they allow the assessment of the genetic relatedness of strains of animal pathogens. In the context of the control of tuberculosis (TB) in livestock, mainly caused by Mycobacterium bovis, these tools offer a high-resolution alternative to traditional molecular methods in the study of herd breakdown events. However, despite the increased use and efforts in the standardization of WGS methods in human tuberculosis around the world, the application of these WGS-enabled approaches to control TB in livestock is still in early development. Our study pursued an initial evaluation of the performance and agreement of four publicly available pipelines for the analysis of M. bovis WGS data (vSNP, SNiPgenie, BovTB, and MTBseq) on a set of simulated Illumina reads generated from a real-world setting with high TB prevalence in cattle and wildlife in the Republic of Ireland. The overall performance of the evaluated pipelines was high, with recall and precision rates above 99% once repeat-rich and problematic regions were removed from the analyses. In addition, when the same filters were applied, distances between inferred phylogenetic trees were similar and pairwise comparison revealed that most of the differences were due to the positioning of polytomies. Hence, under the studied conditions, all pipelines offer similar performance for variant calling to underpin real-world studies of M. bovis transmission dynamics.
Collaboration among Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises as Part of Internationalization: A Systematic Review
Authors: Guimarães Luciana Gondim de Almeida , Blanchet Pierre , Cimon Yan
Published: December 2021

This article performs a systematic review of the research literature on the forms of collaboration among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) so that they reach the foreign market, since there is a lack of research focusing on the collaborative relationship between national companies as a strategic option for accessing the foreign market. In addition, we analyzed the articles to conceptually synthesized the elements that make up the business models of these collaborative forms of operating in the foreign market. Likewise, we analyzed real cases of collaborative processes among SMEs for the foreign market and highlight the contributions of governments in promoting actions to support these collaborations. We also show some directions for future research that were pointed out by the articles.
Strength Evaluation and Failure Analysis of the Vortex Reducer under Overspeed Condition
Authors: Ma Mengdi , Wei Dasheng , Wang Yanrong , Li Di , Zhang Hui
Published: December 2021

Rotating parts of aeroengines need to have a high speed margin according to the civil aviation airworthiness regulations. Previous studies on burst speed are based on mechanical properties of standard specimens. In this paper, a new method for predicting burst speed by means of a tensile test of a simulative specimen is proposed, and the predicted results are compared with the traditional method. The results show that the stress gradient of the designed simulative specimen and the assessment location of vortex reducer are in good agreement, which indicates that they have similar stress characteristics. The burst speed predicted by the new method is greater than the traditional method. Both prediction methods can provide a reference for such a structure in the design stage. In addition, the overspeed test of a vortex reducer is carried out, and the results verify that it still has sufficient strength reserves at 120% relative speed.
Development of New Rice (Oryza. sativa L.) Breeding Lines through Marker-Assisted Introgression and Pyramiding of Brown Planthopper, Blast, Bacterial Leaf Blight Resistance, and Aroma Genes
Authors: Wang Xuan , Guo Xinying , Ma Xixi , Luo Liang , Fang Yaoyu , Zhao Neng , Han Yue , Wei Zheng , Liu Fang , Qin Baoxiang , Li Rongbai
Published: December 2021

Brown planthopper, blast, and bacterial blight are the main biotic stressors of rice and can cause a massive loss in rice production. Aroma is an important character of rice quality. It is of far-reaching significance to breed resistant and high-quality varieties using germplasms with objective genes. In this study, the introgression and pyramiding of brown planthopper (BPH), blast, and bacterial leaf blight (BLB) resistance genes and aroma genes into elite rice maintainers and restorers were conducted through conventional cross-breeding coupled with the marker-assisted selection (MAS) breeding method. Single-plant selection was performed from F2 onwards to select desirable recombinants possessing alleles of interest with suitable phenotypes. Respective linked markers were used in each generation from intercrossing to the F7 generation for tracking the presence of targeted genes. A total of 74 improved lines (ILs) have been developed which possess a combination of 1 to 4 genes for BPH, blast, and BLB resistance and aroma. These ILs showed moderate to high resistance to multiple biotic stresses (BPH, blast and BLB) or aromatic fragrance without obvious negative effects on agronomic traits. As multiple resistance and aromatic traits have become significant objectives in rice breeding, these resistance and/or aroma gene introgressed or pyramided lines have important application prospects. Core ideas: (1) marker-assisted breeding was used to pyramid multiple genes for an elite breeding line; (2) improved lines with the introgression of 1–4 genes were developed to achieve high resistance against various biotic stresses and aroma; (3) new lines were used as donor parents to introgress multiple genes in other genetic backgrounds.
Mild Salinity Stimulates Biochemical Activities and Metabolites Associated with Anticancer Activities in Black Horehound (Ballota nigra L.)
Authors: Younessi-Hamzekhanlu Mehdi , Dibazarnia Zahra , Oustan Shahin , Vinson Teniyah , Katam Ramesh , Mahna Nasser
Published: December 2021

Black horehound (Ballota nigra L.) is one of the most important medicinal plants, as a rich source of health-promoting essential oils and metabolites. Salinity stress affects plant development and alters antioxidant activity and plant metabolite composition. The present research aimed to study the effect of salinity on physiological and biochemical changes and metabolites of B. nigra under greenhouse and in vitro culture conditions. The plants were treated with different concentrations of NaCl (25, 50, 75, 100 mM), and morphological characteristics of the plant were measured. The growth-related traits and soil plant analysis development (SPAD) were decreased both in vivo and in vitro. Additionally, increased salt concentration negatively affected the cell membrane integrity. The total phenolic content and flavonoids of plants growing in the greenhouse increased by 21% at 50 mM of NaCl, but the amounts decreased significantly at higher stress levels (100 mM of NaCl). Antioxidant activity was also measured. Among the NaCl treatments, the most increased DPPH scavenging activities (IC50) under greenhouse and in vitro conditions were detected at mild salinity stress, but the activity significantly decreased in higher salinity treatments (i.e., 75 and 100 mM). In general, with increasing the salinity level to 75 mM, the activities of CAT and APX were significantly upregulated in both greenhouse and in vitro culture conditions. A correlation between total phenolics and flavonoids contents as well as antioxidant activity was obtained. Salinity level caused a shift in the metabolite expression. Mild salinity stress elevated the metabolites involved in anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities, such as β-ionone and caryophyllene oxide. However, the higher salt stress resulted in a significant reduction in their expression. Differential expression of metabolites to various levels of salt stress can be further exploited for the in vitro biosynthesis of metabolites.
Genetic Basis of Follicle Development in Dazu Black Goat by Whole-Transcriptome Sequencing
Authors: Xu Lu , Liu Chengli , Na Risu , Zhang Weiyi , He Yongmeng , Yuan Ying , Zhang Haoyuan , Han Yanguo , Zeng Yan , Si Weijiang , Wang Xiao , Huang Chaonan , Zeng Shiqi , Zhao Yongju , Zhao Zhongquan , Huang Yongfu , E Guangxin
Published: December 2021

The follicle development (FD) is an important factor determining litter size in animals. Recent studies have found that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) play an important role in FD. In particular, the role of the regulatory mechanism of competing endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) that drive FD has attracted increasing attention. Therefore, this study explored the genetic basis of goat FD by obtaining the complete follicular transcriptome of Dazu black goats at different developmental stages. Results revealed that 128 messenger RNAs (mRNAs), 4 long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), 49 microRNAs (miRNAs), and 290 circular RNAs (circRNAs) were significantly differentially expressed (DE) between large and small follicles. Moreover, DEmRNAs were enriched in many signaling pathways related to FD, as well as GO terms related to molecular binding and enzyme activity. Based on the analysis of the ceRNA network (CRN), 34 nodes (1 DElncRNAs, 10 DEcircRNAs, 14 DEmiRNAs, and 9 DEmRNAs) and 35 interactions (17 DEcircRNAs–DEmRNAs, 2 DElncRNAs–DEmiRNAs, and 16 DEmRNA–DEmiRNAs) implied that the CRN could be involved in the FD of goats. In conclusion, we described gene regulation by DERNAs and lncRNA/circRNA–miRNA–mRNA CRNs in the FD of goats. This study provided insights into the genetic basis of FD in precise transcriptional regulation.
Identification of Genes Related to Cold Tolerance and Novel Genetic Markers for Molecular Breeding in Taiwan Tilapia (Oreochromis spp.) via Transcriptome Analysis
Authors: Chu Pei-Yun , Li Jia-Xian , Hsu Te-Hua , Gong Hong-Yi , Lin Chung-Yen , Wang Jung-Hua , Huang Chang-Wen
Published: December 2021

Taiwan tilapia is one of the primary species used in aquaculture practices in Taiwan. However, as a tropical fish, it is sensitive to cold temperatures that can lead to high mortality rates during winter months. Genetic and broodstock management strategies using marker-assisted selection and breeding are the best tools currently available to improve seed varieties for tilapia species. The purpose of this study was to develop molecular markers for cold stress-related genes using digital gene expression analysis of next-generation transcriptome sequencing in Taiwan tilapia (Oreochromis spp.). We constructed and sequenced cDNA libraries from the brain, gill, liver, and muscle tissues of cold-tolerance (CT) and cold-sensitivity (CS) strains. Approximately 35,214,833,100 nucleotides of raw sequencing reads were generated, and these were assembled into 128,147 unigenes possessing a total length of 185,382,926 bp and an average length of 1446 bp. A total of 25,844 unigenes were annotated using five protein databases and Venny analysis, and 38,377 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and 65,527 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. Furthermore, from the 38-cold tolerance-related genes that were identified using differential gene expression analysis in the four tissues, 13 microsatellites and 37 single nucleotide polymorphism markers were identified. The results of the genotype analysis revealed that the selected markers could be used for population genetics. In addition to the diversity assessment, one of the SNP markers was determined to be significantly related to cold-tolerance traits and could be used as a molecular marker to assist in the selection and verification of cold-tolerant populations. The specific genetic markers explored in this study can be used for the identification of genetic polymorphisms and cold tolerance traits in Taiwan tilapia, and they can also be used to further explore the physiological and biochemical molecular regulation pathways of fish that are involved in their tolerance to environmental temperature stress.
Inflammatory Mediation of Heat Stress-Induced Growth Deficits in Livestock and Its Potential Role as a Target for Nutritional Interventions: A Review
Authors: Most Micah S. , Yates Dustin T.
Published: December 2021

Heat stress is detrimental to well-being and growth performance in livestock, and systemic inflammation arising during chronic heat stress contributes to these poor outcomes. Sustained exposure of muscle and other tissues to inflammation can impair the cellular processes that facilitate muscle growth and intramuscular fat deposition, thus reducing carcass quality and yield. Climate change is expected to produce more frequent extreme heat events, increasing the potential impact of heat stress on sustainable livestock production. Feedlot animals are at particularly high risk for heat stress, as confinement limits their ability to seek cooling from the shade, water, or breeze. Economically practical options to circumvent heat stress in feedlot animals are limited, but understanding the mechanistic role of inflammation in heat stress outcomes may provide the basis for treatment strategies to improve well-being and performance. Feedlot animals receive formulated diets daily, which provides an opportunity to administer oral nutraceuticals and other bioactive products to mitigate heat stress-induced inflammation. In this review, we examine the complex associations between heat stress, systemic inflammation, and dysregulated muscle growth in meat animals. We also present evidence for potential nutraceutical and dietary moderators of inflammation and how they might improve the unique pathophysiology of heat stress.
What Makes Consumers Purchase Fresh Eggs in Supermarkets: The Effect of Unrealistic Choice Set Matters
Authors: Yang Shang-Ho , Nugraha Widya Satya
Published: December 2021

Eggs are the crucial component of daily meals for almost everyone in Taiwan, while the multi-attributes of fresh egg products generate the challenges of marketing and promotions in supermarkets. This study analyzes the market segmentation and consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) for fresh egg attributes (i.e., color, traceability, animal welfare, brand, and price). In particular, the effect of the unrealistic choice set is considered in this study. The data collection was distributed near markets, schools, and train stations across Taiwan from July to September in 2020. A total of 1115 valid responses were collected, and the Latent Class Model was used. Results show that fresh egg products in supermarkets reveal a strong preference for animal welfare label with the highest WTP, which is about 64.2 NT$ (≈US$ 2.29). Furthermore, traceability label, farm brand, and brown-color egg still exhibit positive WTP of about 33.4 NT$ (≈US$ 1.19), 32.6 NT$ (≈US$ 1.16), and 32.5 NT$ (≈US$ 1.16) in supermarkets, respectively. However, including the unrealistic choice set can potentially alter the final outcomes, and it provides a good example for researchers who may have the same situation. This research helps to know more about the complexity of attributes for fresh egg products in supermarkets, so marketers would be able to adopt the effective marketing strategies for fresh egg products in supermarkets.
Evaluation of an Innovative and Sustainable Pre-Commercial Compound as Replacement of Fish Meal in Diets for Rainbow Trout during Pre-Fattening Phase: Effects on Growth Performances, Haematological Parameters and Fillet Quality Traits
Authors: Acar Ümit , Giannetto Alessia , Giannetto Daniela , Kesbiç Osman Sabri , Yılmaz Sevdan , Romano Alessandro , Tezel Rifat , Türker Ali , Güllü Kenan , Fazio Francesco
Published: December 2021

The aim of the study was to determine the potential and sustainable use of pre-commercial product ITTINSECT™ APS V1 as a major protein source in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) diets. A 60-day feeding experiment was conducted to potentially use ITTINSECT as fish meal replacement in the diets of rainbow trout. Five isonitrogenous in dry matter (38% crude protein) and isolipidic (15% crude lipid) diets were produced: a control diet (fishmeal-based) (ITT0) and four experimental diets replacing fishmeal by 25 (ITT25), 50 (ITT50), 75 (ITT75) and 100 (ITT100) %, with ITTINSECT™ APS V1. Triplicate tanks, containing 15 fish each (65.81 ± 1.26 g), were hand-fed to apparent satiation twice every day during the experiment. At the end of the feeding trial, significantly higher growth performance was observed in the group fed ITTM25 and ITTM50 diets. This performance was supported by growth-related gene expressions analyzed in muscle; significantly higher GH and IGF-I genes expression levels were determined in ITT25 and ITT50 when compared to control (ITT0) (p < 0.05). While no significant differences were found between the hematology values (p > 0.05), serum total protein, globulins and glucose levels were significantly different between experimental groups (p < 0.05). In addition to this, the immune-related genes such as TNF-α, IL8 and IL1-β expression levels were determined to be significantly different (p < 0.05). In conclusion, in order to achieve the best growth performance in rainbow trout and enhance sustainable aquaculture practices, replacement of fish meal with up to 50% ITTINSECT™ APS V1 in diets for rainbow trout is suggested.
Environmental Impacts and Immobilization Mechanisms of Cadmium, Lead and Zinc in Geotechnical Composites Made from Contaminated Soil and Paper-Ash
Authors: Đurić Marija , Oprčkal Primož , Zalar Serjun Vesna , Pranjić Alenka Mauko , Ščančar Janez , Milačič Radmila , Mladenovič Ana
Published: December 2021

Paper-ash is used for remediation of heavily contaminated soils with metals, but remediation efficiency after longer periods has not been reported. To gain insights into the mechanisms of immobilization of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and znic (Zn), a study was performed in the laboratory experiment in uncontaminated, artificially contaminated, and remediated soils, and these soils treated with sulfate, to mimic conditions in contaminated soil from zinc smelter site. Remediation was performed by mixing contaminated soil with paper-ash to immobilize Cd, Pb, and Zn in the geotechnical composite. Partitioning of Cd, Pb, and Zn was studied over one year in seven-time intervals applying the sequential extraction procedure and complementary X-ray diffraction analyses. This methodological approach enabled us to follow the redistribution of Cd, Pb, and Zn over time, thus, to studying immobilization mechanisms and assessing the remediation efficiency and stability of newly formed mineral phases. Cd, Pb, and Zn were effectively immobilized by precipitation of insoluble hydroxides after the addition of paper-ash and by the carbonization process in insoluble carbonate minerals. After remediation, Cd, Pb, and Zn concentrations in the water-soluble fraction were well below the limiting values for inertness: Cd by 100 times, Pb by 125 times, and Zn by 10 times. Sulfate treatment did not influence the remediation efficiency. Experimental data confirmed the high remediation efficiency and stability of insoluble Cd, Pb, and Zn mineral phases in geotechnical composites.
Effects of Post-Treatment to Improve the Surface Quality of 3D Printing Cement Mold Casting
Authors: Chun Seung-Yeop , Lee Geumyeon , Kim Su-jin , Jeong Bora , Shin Jeehoon , Cho Inkyung , Kim Hong-Dae , Lee Heesoo , Kim Taewook
Published: December 2021

Powder bed 3D printing can be applied to sandcasting mold manufacturing to ensure high quality and economy through process innovation. In this study, refractory alumina cement was used as an aqueous binder to ensure high-temperature thermal stability to minimize the addition of organic matter to reduce gas generation. In addition, spherical silica sand, the study material, was selected to a size of 30 µm to improve the casting mold resolution. To improve the surface quality through the post-treatment process, we confirmed the change in the surface roughness of the mold depending on the surface treatment of colloidal silica and the presence or absence of heat treatment, and finally made the mold through actual casting. Changes in the surface roughness and flowability of the cast body after mold post-treatment were confirmed. For aluminum castings, the shrinkage rate and surface roughness were confirmed in a box-shaped mold via gravity casting, and the flowability of the molten metal in the mold was confirmed in a hand-shaped mold. There was a change in the roughness and porosity of the mold, owing to the post-treatment, and the influence of the surface roughness and flowability of the cast body during actual casting was confirmed.
Common Data Model and Database System Development for the Korea Biobank Network
Authors: Ko Soo-Jeong , Choi Wona , Kim Ki-Hoon , Lee Seo-Joon , Min Haesook , Oh Seol-Whan , Choi In Young
Published: December 2021

The importance of clinical information related to specimens is increasing due to the research on human biological specifications being conducted worldwide. In order to utilize data, it is necessary to define the range of data and develop a standardized system for collected resources. The purpose of this study is to establish clinical information standardization and to allow clinical information management systems to improve the utilization of biological specifications. The KBN CDM, consisting of 18 tables and 177 variables, was developed. The clinical information codes were mapped in standard terms. The 27 diseases in the group were collected from 17 biobanks, and all disorders not belonging to the group were standardized and loaded. We also developed a system that provides statistical visualization screens and data retrieval tools for data collection. This study developed a unified management system to model KBN CDM that collects standardized data, manages clinical information, and shares the information systematically. Through this system, all participating biobanks can be integrated into one system for integrated management and research.
Application of a Geotextile in the Treatment of Post-Subsidence in Karst Areas
Authors: Wu Di , Luo Chen , Li Yuankun , Yang Yanxin , Liang Yihuai , Wu Jianjian
Published: December 2021

The use of a geotextile to treat subgrade subsidence after subsidence has occurred is investigated in this paper. To optimize the anchorage length and buried depth of the geotextile and evaluate the influences of the two factors on subgrade subsidence treatment, finite element analysis is performed and validated with existing model tests. The soil pressure, displacement, tensile force and deformation of the geotextile are studied. The results showed that the geotextile prevented an upward development of subsidence and stabilized the upper soil. The increase of the anchorage length of the geotextile transferred greater soil pressure from the subsidence to a stable area, induced a greater tensile force in the geotextile, and resulted in less soil displacement. As the anchorage length of the geotextile increased from 375 mm to 1500 mm, the surface settlement was effectively reduced from 1.05% to 34.18% when comparing to the situation without a geotextile. As the buried depth of the geotextile increased from 2 m to 6 m, the percentage of surface settlement was effectively reduced from 29.14% to 65.91% when comparing with the settlement corresponding to a buried depth of 2 m. It is suggested that the anchorage length of a geotextile should be the length of the subsidence with respect to width and that the buried depth of the geotextile should be 3–4 m for subsidence treatment. This provides insight into the treatment of sinkholes using geosynthetic approaches in karst areas.
Bearing Capacity of Footings on Rock Masses Using Flow Laws
Authors: Alencar Ana , Galindo Ruben , Olalla Marañón Claudio , Melentijevic Svetlana
Published: December 2021

The influence of the non-associative flow law on the bearing capacity of shallow foundations on rock masses is, in general, a subject that is not discussed in the field of rock mechanics. The calculation methods of bearing capacity usually do not define which flow law is adopted and, in some methods, the associative flow rule is assumed without knowing how that hypothesis influences the bearing capacity of the rock mass. In this paper, the study of the influence of the dilatancy angle on the bearing capacity of shallow foundations on rock masses is presented. The variation of the bearing capacity with the associative flow law and the non-associative flow law with zero dilatancy angle is studied using the finite difference method and by considering the influence of the self-weight of rock material. The calculations confirm the great influence of the flow law on the bearing capacity and a correction coefficient is proposed, which makes it possible to estimate the variation of the bearing capacity of the rock mass in terms of the function of the flow law for the hypothesis of weightless rock masses.
Mechanical Properties of ASTM A572 Grades 50 and 60 Steels at High Temperatures
Authors: Lee Su-Hyeon , Choi Byong-Jeong
Published: December 2021

Studies involving the mechanical properties of high-strength steel (HSS) at elevated temperatures have received considerable attention in recent years. However, current research on HSS at high temperatures is lacking. As a result, the design of fire-protective steel structures with high standards is not sufficiently conservative or safe. This study investigates the effect that elevated temperatures have on the mechanical properties of ASTM A572 Gr. 50 and 60 steels. Reduction factors for the yield strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus were derived and compared with the standard (AISC, EN1993-1-2) and previous studies (NIST). This study also provides extensive data on the reduction factors for the yield strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus of mild steel (MS), HSS, and very-high-strength steel (VHSS). The reduction factor for the yield strength was analyzed by expanding the strain level up to 20%. Equations for the yield strength, tensile strength, and elastic modulus were proposed. In future studies, various strains should be analyzed according to the grade of the steel, with the derivation of a reduction factor that considers the plastic strain of the steel. Hence, the findings reported in this study generated a database that can be applied to fire safety design or performance-based fire-resistant design.
Exploring Channel Properties to Improve Singing Voice Detection with Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Gui Wenming , Li Yukun , Zang Xian , Zhang Jinglan
Published: December 2021

Singing voice detection is still a challenging task because the voice can be obscured by instruments having the same frequency band, and even the same timbre, produced by mimicking the mechanism of human singing. Because of the poor adaptability and complexity of feature engineering, there is a recent trend towards feature learning in which deep neural networks play the roles of feature extraction and classification. In this paper, we present two methods to explore the channel properties in the convolution neural network to improve the performance of singing voice detection by feature learning. First, channel attention learning is presented to measure the importance of a feature, in which two attention mechanisms are exploited, i.e., the scaled dot-product and squeeze-and-excitation. This method focuses on learning the importance of the feature map so that the neurons can place more attention on the more important feature maps. Second, the multi-scale representations are fed to the input channels, aiming at adding more information in terms of scale. Generally, different songs need different scales of a spectrogram to be represented, and multi-scale representations ensure the network can choose the best one for the task. In the experimental stage, we proved the effectiveness of the two methods based on three public datasets, with the accuracy performance increasing by up to 2.13 percent compared to its already high initial level.
Annual Cost and Loss Minimization in a Radial Distribution Network by Capacitor Allocation Using PSO
Authors: Bilal Muhammad , Shahzad Mohsin , Arif Muhammad , Ullah Barkat , Hisham Suhaila Badarol , Ali Syed Saad Azhar
Published: December 2021

Increasing power demand from passive distribution networks has led to deteriorated voltage profiles and increased line flows. This has increased the annual operations and installation costs due to unavoidable reinforcement equipment. This work proposes the reduction in annual costs by optimal placement of capacitors used to alleviate power loss in radial distribution networks (RDNs). The optimization objective function is formulated for the reduction in operation costs by (i) reducing the active and reactive power losses, and (ii) the cost and installation of capacitors, necessary to provide the reactive power support and maintain the voltage profile. Initially, the network buses are ranked according to two loss sensitivity indices (LSIs), i.e., active loss sensitivity with respect to node voltage (LSI1) and reactive power injection (LSI2). The sorted bus list is then fed to the particle swarm optimization (PSO) for solving the objective function. The efficacy of the proposed work is tested on different IEEE standard networks (34 and 85 nodes) for different use cases and load conditions. In use case 1, the values finalized by the algorithm are selected without considering their market availability, whereas in use case 2, market-available capacitor sizes close to the optimal solution are selected. Furthermore, the static and seasonal load profiles are considered. The results are compared with recent methods and have shown significant improvement in terms of annual cost, losses and line flows reduction, and voltage profile.
Experimental Investigation of Clearance Influences on Cage Motion and Wear in Ball Bearings
Authors: Wen Baogang , Wang Meiling , Zhang Xu , Zhai Jingyu , Sun Wei
Published: December 2021

Clearances of cages in ball bearings, including pocket and guiding clearances, play a vital role in the stability and reliability of bearings. In this paper, experiments on the cage motion and wear were carried out to investigate the influence of clearances in ball bearings. Firstly, the cages with a series of pocket and guiding clearances were specially designed and tested for prescribed operating conditions on a bearing test rig in which the cage motions were measured, and corresponding wear was also observed. Then, the normalized trajectory, waveform, and spectra of cage motion were constructed and compared to illustrate the effects of clearances on the cage motion and then to establish the relationship between cage motion and wear. Results reveal that the cage motion and wear are both significantly affected by its clearances. The increment of cage guiding clearance makes the whirl trajectories of the cage regular and the motion frequency of cage motion significantly change. However, the increment of cage pocket clearance make the whirl trajectories change from well-defined patterns to complicated ones, and the frequency of cage motion apparently changes. Additionally, the bearing wear is closely related to the cage motion. If the inner ring frequency is of domination for the cage motion, the cage guiding surface will wear seriously. While cage motion is dominated by two times cage frequency in spectrum domain, the cage pocket will wear more seriously.
Dynamic Analysis of a Spherical Parallel Robot Used for Brachial Monoparesis Rehabilitation
Authors: Geonea Ionut Daniel , Tarnita Daniela , Pisla Doina , Carbone Giuseppe , Bolcu Alexandru , Tucan Paul , Georgescu Marius , Tarniță Danut Nicolae
Published: December 2021

This paper presents studies on the dynamic analysis of the ASPIRE robot, which was designed for the medical recovery of brachial monoparesis. It starts from the virtual model of the existing version of the ASPIRE robot, which is analysed kinematically and dynamically by numerical simulations using the MSC.ADAMS software. For this purpose, this paper presents theoretical aspects regarding the kinematics and dynamics of the markers attached to the flexible bodies built in a specifically developed MSC.ADAMS model. Three simulation hypotheses are considered: (a) rigid kinematic elements without friction in couplings, (b) rigid kinematic elements with friction in couplings, and (c) kinematic elements as deformable solids with friction in couplings. Experimental results obtained by using the physical prototype of ASPIRE are presented. Results such as the connecting forces in the kinematic joints and the torques necessary to operate the ASPIRE robot modules have been obtained by dynamic simulation in MSC.ADAMS and compared with those determined experimentally. The comparison shows that the allure of the variation curve of the moment obtained by simulation is similar to that obtained experimentally. The difference between the maximum experimental value and that obtained by simulation is less than 1%. A finite element analysis (FEA) of the structurally optimized flexion/extension robot module is performed. The results demonstrate the operational safety of the ASPIRE robot, which is structurally capable of supporting the stresses to which it is subjected.
Towards a More Reliable Interpretation of Machine Learning Outputs for Safety-Critical Systems Using Feature Importance Fusion
Authors: Rengasamy Divish , Rothwell Benjamin C. , Figueredo Grazziela P.
Published: December 2021

When machine learning supports decision-making in safety-critical systems, it is important to verify and understand the reasons why a particular output is produced. Although feature importance calculation approaches assist in interpretation, there is a lack of consensus regarding how features’ importance is quantified, which makes the explanations offered for the outcomes mostly unreliable. A possible solution to address the lack of agreement is to combine the results from multiple feature importance quantifiers to reduce the variance in estimates and to improve the quality of explanations. Our hypothesis is that this leads to more robust and trustworthy explanations of the contribution of each feature to machine learning predictions. To test this hypothesis, we propose an extensible model-agnostic framework divided in four main parts: (i) traditional data pre-processing and preparation for predictive machine learning models, (ii) predictive machine learning, (iii) feature importance quantification, and (iv) feature importance decision fusion using an ensemble strategy. Our approach is tested on synthetic data, where the ground truth is known. We compare different fusion approaches and their results for both training and test sets. We also investigate how different characteristics within the datasets affect the quality of the feature importance ensembles studied. The results show that, overall, our feature importance ensemble framework produces 15% less feature importance errors compared with existing methods. Additionally, the results reveal that different levels of noise in the datasets do not affect the feature importance ensembles’ ability to accurately quantify feature importance, whereas the feature importance quantification error increases with the number of features and number of orthogonal informative features. We also discuss the implications of our findings on the quality of explanations provided to safety-critical systems.
Enhancing SERS Intensity by Coupling PSPR and LSPR in a Crater Structure with Ag Nanowires
Authors: Ryu Jae-Hoon , Lee Ha Young , Lee Jeong-Yeon , Kim Han-Sol , Kim Sung-Hyun , Ahn Hyung Soo , Ha Dong Han , Yi Sam Nyung
Published: December 2021

The sensitive characteristics of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) can be applied to various fields, and this has been of interest to many researchers. Propagating surface plasmon resonance (PSPR) was initially utilized but, recently, it has been studied coupled with localized surface plasmon resonance that occurs in metal nanostructures. In this study, a new type of metal microstructure, named crater, was used for generating PSPR and Ag nanowires (AgNWs) for the generation of LSPR. A crater structure was fabricated on a GaAs (100) wafer using the wet chemical etching method. Then, a metal film was deposited inside the crater, and AgNWs were uniformly coated inside using the spray coating method. Metal films were used to enhance the electromagnetic field when coupled with AgNWs to obtain a high SERS intensity. The SERS intensity measured inside the crater structure with deposited AgNWs was up to 17.4 times higher than that of the flat structure with a deposited Ag film. These results suggest a new method for enhancing the SERS phenomenon, and it is expected that a larger SERS intensity can be obtained by fine-tuning the crater size and diameter and the length of the AgNWs.
Characterisation of a Cold Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Torch for Medical Applications: Demonstration of Device Safety
Authors: Bennett Adam , Urayama Takuya , Papangelis Konstantinos , Yuen Peter , Yu Nan
Published: December 2021

The safety and effectiveness of plasma devices are of crucial importance for medical applications. This study presents the novel design of an atmospheric plasma torch (SteriPlas) and its characterisation. The SteriPlas was characterised to ascertain whether it is safe for application on human skin. The emission spectrum discharged from the SteriPlas was shown to be the same as the emission from the MicroPlaSter Beta. The UV emitted from the SteriPlas was measured, and the effective irradiance was calculated. The effective irradiance enabled the determination of the maximum UV exposure limits, which were shown to be over two hours: significantly longer than the current two-minute treatment time. The use of an extraction system with a higher flow rate appears to reduce slightly the effective irradiance at the treatment area. The NOx and ozone emissions were recorded for both SteriPlas configurations. The NOx levels were shown to be orders of magnitude lower than their safety limits. The ozone emissions were shown to be safe 25 mm from the SteriPlas cage. A discussion of how safety standards differ from one regulatory body to another is given.
Tuning Potassium Fertilization to Improve pH and Acidity in Glera Grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) under a Warming Climate
Authors: Marcuzzo Patrick , Gaiotti Federica , Lucchetta Marco , Lovat Lorenzo , Tomasi Diego
Published: December 2021

Potassium concentration in grape berries can affect acidity and pH in must and wines. Under the current warming scenario, where preserving equilibrated value for these grape parameters is increasingly challenging, K fertilization could represent a tool to manage grape composition. In this study, the effect of potassium fertilization was investigated over 4 years (2013–2016) in field-grown grapevines (Vitis vinifera cv. Glera). Four different potassium rates (0, 15, 30, 60 kg K2O ha−1 year−1) were tested and agronomic responses, grape quality as well as K concentration in the berry were recorded over the four years. At harvest, yield parameters and total soluble solids were unaffected by potassium fertilization. On the contrary, the titratable acidity of the musts was increased by the higher rate of potassium (K60), and both tartaric and malic acids showed higher values when the K rate was higher. K fertilization did not affect the pH, as all the treatments displayed comparable pH values and in an optimal range for winemaking. Overall, in our experimental conditions, medium potassium inputs showed better results on Glera grape quality compared to low K rates, by promoting higher titratable acidity levels without altering the pH in musts.