bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Utility of Ugandan genomic selection cassava breeding populations for prediction of cassava viral disease resistance and yield in West African clones
Authors: Ozimati Alfred A. , Esuma Williams , Manze Francis , Iragaba Paula , Kanaabi Michael , Ano Chukwuka Ugochukwu , Egesi Chiedozie , Kawuki Robert S.
Published: November 2022

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) is a staple crop for ~800 million people in sub-Saharan Africa. Its production and productivity are being heavily affected by the two viral diseases: cassava brown streak disease (CBSD) and cassava mosaic disease (CMD), impacting greatly on edible root yield. CBSD is currently endemic to central, eastern and southern Africa, if not contained could spread to West Africa the largest cassava producer and consumer in the continent. Genomic selection (GS) has been implemented in Ugandan cassava breeding for accelerated development of virus resistant and high yielding clones. This study leveraged available GS training data in Uganda for pre-emptive CBSD breeding in W. Africa alongside CMD and fresh root yield (FRW). First, we tracked genetic gain through the current three cycles of GS in Uganda. The mean genomic estimated breeding values (GEBVs), indicated general progress from initial cycle zero (C0) to cycle one (C1) and cycle two (C2) for CBSD traits and yield except for CMD. Secondly, we used foliar data of both CBSD and CMD, as well as harvest root necrosis and yield data to perform cross-validation predictions. Cross-validation prediction accuracies of five GS models were tested for each of the three GS cycles and West African (WA) germplasm as a test set. In all cases, cross-validation prediction accuracies were low to moderate, ranging from -0.16 to 0.68 for CBSD traits, -0.27 to 0.57 for CMD and -0.22 to 0.41 for fresh root weight (FRW). Overall, the highest prediction accuracies were recorded in C0 for all traits tested across models and the best performing model in cross-validation was G-BLUP. Lastly, we tested the predictive ability of the Ugandan training sets to predict CBSD in W. African clones. In general, the Ugandan training sets had low prediction accuracies for all traits across models in West African germplasm, varying from -0.18 to 0.1. Based on the findings of this study, the cassava breeding program in Uganda has made progress through application of GS for most target traits, but the utility of the training population for pre-emptive breeding in WA is limiting. In this case, efforts should be devoted to sharing Ugandan germplasm that possess resistance with the W. African breeding programs for hybridization to fully enable deployment of genomic selection as a pre-emptive CBSD breeding strategy in W. Africa.
Identification and characterization of Colletotrichum fioriniae and C. fructicola that cause anthracnose in pecan
Authors: Chang Jun , Zhai Fengyan , Zhang Yabo , Wang Di , Shu Jinping , Yao Xiaohua
Published: November 2022

Pecan (Carya illinoinensis Wang. K. Koch) is a deciduous tree of the Juglandaceae family with important economic value worldwide. Anthracnose of the pecan leaves and shuck is a devastating disease faced by pecan-growing areas in China. However, the causal species occurring on pecan remain largely unidentified. we collected samples of diseased pecan from the provinces of China, Leaves and fruits affected by anthracnose were sampled and subjected to fungus isolation, The morphological characters of all strains were observed and compared; Multi-locus phylogenetic analyses [Internally transcribed spacer (ITS), Actin (ACT), Calmodulin (CAL), Chitin synthase (CHS1), Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), and b-tubulin (TUB2)] were performed on selected representative strains; examine their pathogenicity on leaves of pecan.The results showed that: (1) resulting in a total of 11 Colletotrichum isolates, Two Colletotrichum species were identifified to be C. fioriniae and C. fructicola; (2) Pathogenicity tests revealed that both species caused black spots on pecan leaves and fruit, The virulence of the different isolates varied substantially, with C. fioriniae PCJD179 being the most virulent; (3) The susceptibility levels of pecan tree varieties, ‘Mahan’ and ‘Kanza’, were determined, No significant differences were observed in the lesion sizes produced by the various isolates in ‘Kanza’, while there were signifificant differences in ‘Mahan’. This study is thefifirst to determine that C. fructicola and C. fioriniaecan cause anthracnose in pecan in China. It improves the understanding of the species that cause anthracnose in pecan and provides useful information for the effective control of this disease in China.
Reconsidering children’s illness uncertainty and management experiences with female Japanese cancer survivors
Authors: Ishii Yu , Endo Toshihiko
Published: November 2022

The aim of this study is to examine the illness uncertainties (IU) that children experience and the ways they manage them in order to construct a long-term, comprehensive developmental care for children with illness. Semi-structured, in-person interviews were conducted with six Japanese female adolescent cancer survivors, all recruited from the same hospital in Tokyo, Japan. Using directed content analysis, all transcriptions that fell under the definition “the person is unable to construct the meaning of an illness related event of her/his self or another, and is aware of the state” were coded with the codes defined from the data, which were then cross-referenced with the existing literature. The results indicated new aspects of children’s IU; uncertainties regarding hospitalization and the necessity to distinguish and examine IU with and without answers. In terms of IU management, we discuss the informative value “role models,” and depict how uncertainty acceptance may be a new form of solution.
Pathways to reimagining commercial health insurance in India
Authors: Ashraf Hasna , Ghosh Indradeep , Kumar Nishanth , Nambiar Anjali , Prasad Sowmini
Published: November 2022

In this paper we explore how India's growing commercial health insurance (CHI) segment can be reformed to deliver adequate financial protection and good health outcomes. We lay out key issues in the demand- and supply-sides of the insurance market that need to be addressed for CHI to be more aligned toward universal health coverage (UHC). On the demand side, we identify a consumer who strays far from the rational actor paradigm and therefore one whose needs require a fundamentally different approach than the one that commercial health insurance in India has so far taken. We lay out precisely the different stages involved in bringing a consumer to the insurance market and the conditions under which that consumer is likely to purchase insurance. On the supply side, we describe the many concerns that a new entrant into the commercial health insurance market must grapple with. We conclude with a set of pathways that brings the two sides of the market together to shed light on possible pathways for reform in the commercial health insurance sector in India. Despite the many challenges that this sector faces in India, we believe that there is room for optimism, and with the right amount of regulatory foresight, even room for radical transformation.
Bibliometric analysis of functional dyspepsia research trends over the past 20 years
Authors: Wang Xinai , Liu Hao , Li Wenjing , Xiao Hongling
Published: November 2022

Background

Functional dyspepsia is one of the most common functional gastrointestinal disorders that affects the physical health and quality of life of many people. Its status as a chronic disease has received continued attention in the field of gastrointestinal research.

Objective

Bibliometric methods using network analysis were used to identify developments and research trends in functional dyspepsia with a view to informing and orienting further in-depth research on functional dyspepsia.

Method

Bibliometric methods were used to analyze the documents on functional dyspepsia published from 2002 to 2022 retrieved from Web of Science Core Collection on 1 July 2022, import literature data into Excel and VOSviewer, and extract relevant information to analyze and visualize the annual number of publications, authors, organizations, countries, journals published, citations, and keywords.

Results

A total of 3,532 documents were retrieved, and the abstracts of each remaining documents were read one by one after four duplicate documents were removed, and 2,220 documents were included after screening, with a fluctuating growth trend. Tack J ranked first with 171 documents, followed by Talley NJ (n = 167). The top three organizations in terms of number of publications were Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (n = 131), Mayo Clinic (n = 127), and the University of Newcastle (n = 91). The most prolific country was the United States with 499 documents. The three journals with the highest number of publications are “Neurogastroenterology and Motility” (n = 218), “Alimentary pharmacology & therapeutics” (n = 101), and “Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology” (n = 90). The top three most cited documents were “Functional gastroduodenal disorders,” “Childhood Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: Child/Adolescent,” and “The Serotonin Signaling System: From Basic Understanding to Drug Development for Functional GI Disorders.” Frequency counts and network co-occurrences of keywords reveal trends in this field, including “gastric emptying,” “anxiety,” “acupuncture,” and “ghrelin.”

Conclusion

The study of the mechanism of gut–brain interaction in functional dyspepsia and the combination of non-pharmacological treatment and pharmacological treatment may be the future research hotspots and trends. Our findings are helpful to comprehensively review the research history of FD and provide reference for researchers in this field to further study.
Public awareness and attitudes toward biobank and sample donation: A regional Chinese survey
Authors: Gao Zhaolin , Huang Yanxia , Yao Fei , Zhou Ziyu
Published: November 2022

Background

The biobank is an extraordinary aid to research and scientific progress. Public involvement in biobanks, necessary for their development, is limited due to inadequate knowledge of biobanking and concerns about sample donation. This study explores the effectiveness of different publicity methods in improving participants' willingness to donate, and assesses public motivations and concerns. It aims to identify an efficient method of improving participants' awareness of biobanking and promoting sample donation.

Methods

A structured 20-item questionnaire was formulated to evaluate participants' knowledge of and attitudes toward biobanks and sample donation. In total, 1,500 questionnaires were disseminated to three groups of 500 participants who received, respectively, picture-based promotional material, text-based promotional material, or who attended a biobank-related lecture. Of these, 945 completed questionnaires were received. All the participants completed the questionnaires twice, before and after the corresponding publicity education.

Results

After each of the three methods of publicity based on text, pictures and a lecture, respondents' willingness to donate samples was significantly increased (P < 0.001), the lecture being more effective than the other two methods (P = 0.001). Participants with a medical background were more willing to donate biospecimens after publicity than those without medical backgrounds (P < 0.005) but had common motivations for donation including altruism and aiding medical research. The main concern hindering respondents' willingness to donate was the security of personal information.

Conclusion

Different types of biobank-related publicity based on text material, pictorial material and a lecture all improved respondents' willingness to donate and reduced concerns regarding sample donation. Medical background was a critical factor affecting attitudes toward sample donation after publicity. The results of this study suggest strategies that may popularize biobanks and enhance sample donation, further promoting the development of biobanks.
Association between nocturnal sleep duration and the risk of hyperuricemia among Chinese government employees: A cross-sectional study
Authors: An Yanni , Li Xuping , Ouyang Feiyun , Xiao Shuiyuan
Published: November 2022

Objectives

Evidence has shown that nocturnal sleep duration is associated with the risk of hyperuricemia, yet the findings are inconsistent. Thus, we aimed at exploring the association between nocturnal sleep duration and the risk of hyperuricemia in Chinese government employees.

Methods

A total of 10,321 government employees aged 20–60 years were collected from the Cohort Study on Chronic Diseases among Government Employees in Hunan Province, China. Sleep duration was self-reported. And serum uric acid levels >420 μmol/L in men and >360 μmol/L in women were considered hyperuricemia. The association between nocturnal sleep duration and hyperuricemia risk was examined utilizing multivariate logistic regression models. To further examine the connection between nocturnal sleep duration and serum uric acid levels, multiple linear regression analyses were utilized.

Results

The prevalence of hyperuricemia was 17.2%. The results of logistic regression demonstrated that, in contrast to participants whose sleep duration was 7–8 h, those who slept for <7 h had an elevated risk of hyperuricemia (OR = 1.343, 95%CI: 1.126, 1.601). Further stratified analysis revealed that this association was still observed in those without obesity (OR = 1.365; 95%CI: 1.127, 1.655), hypertension (OR = 1.290, 95%CI: 1.054, 1.578), or diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.361, 95%CI: 1.136, 1.631). Multiple linear regression showed that shorter sleep duration (< 7 h) was positively correlated with serum uric acid levels. In comparison to individuals who slept for 7–8 h, those with sleep duration of fewer than 7 h had serum uric acid levels that were 7.231 μmol/L (95% CI: 2.875, 11.588) higher.

Conclusion

Short nocturnal sleep duration (< 7 h) was associated with a higher risk of hyperuricemia, especially in participants without obesity, hypertension, or diabetes mellitus. Besides, short nocturnal sleep duration was related to greater uric acid levels.
A 3-year retrospective study of unintended pregnancy in a developed multi-ethnic Asian community: A call for better healthcare system for family planning
Authors: Quak Xin En Stephanie , Sultana Rehena , Aau Wai Keong , Goh Chin Chin , Tan Ngiap Chuan
Published: November 2022

Background

Women of childbearing age may face unintended pregnancy (UP). They are usually referred by primary care professionals (PCPs) to gynecologists to manage their UP in countries where abortion is legalized. The study aimed to determine the prevalence, demographic profiles, and associated factors of women in a developed community seeking referrals from PCPs for their UP.

Methods

The sociodemographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records of pregnant multi-ethnic Asian women at eight Singapore public primary care clinics from July 2017 to June 2020. Their demographic profiles were reviewed and compared among women of different age bands using appropriate statistical tests. Logistic regression was used to identify the factors associated with UP referrals.

Results

Among 9,794 gravid women, 974 of them requested gynecologist referrals to terminate UP over the 3-year period, constituting a prevalence of 9.94%. The mean age of women requesting such referrals was 29.7 ± 7 years. There were 10.7% with more than one prior unintended pregnancy and 15.7% were foreigners. The majority of these women were married, neither required social assistance nor had comorbidities. Only 2.9% of them were known to be prescribed contraceptives. A multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that women of Indian ethnicity, single, aged below 20 years and above 40 years, were more likely to request referrals for UP.

Conclusion

One in 10 gravid women had sought referrals for UP, especially adolescents and older women, and Indian ethnicity. An accessible community-based healthcare service to educate and counsel women on family planning is urgently needed to reduce the incidence of UP.
Interactions between arsenic exposure, high-fat diet and NRF2 shape the complex responses in the murine gut microbiome and hepatic metabolism
Authors: Schiro Gabriele , Liu Pengfei , Dodson Matthew , Zhang Donna D. , Ghishan Fayez K. , Barberán Albert , Kiela Pawel R.
Published: November 2022

Inorganic arsenic (iAs) exposure has been associated to various detrimental effects such as development of metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes via oxidative stress and induced prolonged activation of the NRF2 transcription factor. Such effects can be aggravated by poor dietary habits. The role of gut microbiota in promoting metabolic changes in response to arsenic has yet to be precisely defined. To address the complexity of the interactions between diet, NFE2L2/NRF2, and gut microbiota, we studied the chronic effects of iAs exposure in wild-type (WT) and Nrf2-/- mice fed normal (ND) vs. high-fat diet (HFD), on the gut microbial community in the context of hepatic metabolism. We demonstrate that all treatments and interactions influenced bacteria and metabolic profiles, with dietary differences causing a strong overlap of responses between the datasets. By identifying five metabolites of known microbial origin and following their fate across treatments, we provide examples on how gut microbial products can participate in the development of iAs and HFD-induced metabolic disease. Overall, our results underline the importance of the microbial community in driving gut-liver-cross talk during iAs and HFD exposure.
Effects of network connectivity on viscoelastic relaxation in transient networks using experimental approach
Authors: Katashima Takuya , Kudo Ryota , Onishi Ryoya , Naito Mitsuru , Nagatoishi Satoru , Miyata Kanjiro , Tsumoto Kouhei , Chung Ung-Il , Sakai Takamasa
Published: November 2022

The effect of network connectivity on viscoelastic relaxation in transient networks with well-defined structures (Tetra-PEG slime) was experimentally evaluated and compared to bond dissociation kinetics. To control the connectivity and discuss the pure effect precisely, we mixed the precursors in off-stoichiometric ratio. With decreasing network connectivity, the viscoelastic relaxation time accelerated and became shorter than the bond dissociation time. With increasing polymer concentration, the connectivity at which the viscoelastic relaxation time matched the dissociation time shifted to the high-connectivity region. The dependence of viscoelastic relaxation on connectivity can be adequately explained within the framework of the lifetime of a backbone. The backbone has numerous breakage points in low-connectivity region nearby the gelation point, resulting in a shorter lifetime than the dissociation time. However, the Rubinstein-Semenov model based on backbone relaxation does not predict the concentration dependence, suggesting that the formation of the network in the dilute/semi-dilute region deviates from a random branching process. These findings provide a crucial foundation for the molecular comprehension of transient network materials.
Dental Plaque: Bacterial Shenanigans Above and Below the Gumline
Authors: Wing Jason T. F. , Fenno J. Christopher , Foxman Betsy , Rickard Alexander H.
Published: November 2022

Every morning and every night you clean your teeth. Your dentist tells you to do it, your family does it, and even your pets might do it using a special food or toy. Cleaning is done to remove dental plaque that accumulates over time on teeth, above and below the gumline. What is dental plaque and why is it important to remove? In this article, we provide an overview of dental plaque: what it is and why it forms, how dental plaque can hurt your teeth and gums, and what you can do to protect your teeth and gums. We hope this article inspires you to keep up with your own oral health and perhaps encourages you to consider a career in dentistry or the oral health sciences.
Towards an AI-based understanding of the solar wind: A critical data analysis of ACE data
Authors: Bouriat S. , Vandame P. , Barthélémy M. , Chanussot J.
Published: November 2022

All artificial intelligence models today require preprocessed and cleaned data to work properly. This crucial step depends on the quality of the data analysis being done. The Space Weather community increased its use of AI in the past few years, but a thorough data analysis addressing all the potential issues is not always performed beforehand. Here is an analysis of a largely used dataset: Level-2 Advanced Composition Explorer’s SWEPAM and MAG measurements from 1998 to 2021 by the ACE Science Center. This work contains guidelines and highlights issues in the ACE data that are likely to be found in other space weather datasets: missing values, inconsistency in distributions, hidden information in statistics, etc. Amongst all specificities of this data, the following can seriously impact the use of algorithms:

Histograms are not uniform distributions at all, but sometime Gaussian or Laplacian. Algorithms will be inconsistent in the learning samples as some rare cases will be underrepresented. Gaussian distributions could be overly brought by Gaussian noise from measurements and the signal-to-noise ratio is difficult to estimate.

Models will not be reproducible from year to year due to high changes in histograms over time. This high dependence on the solar cycle suggests that one should have at least 11 consecutive years of data to train the algorithm.

Rounding of ion temperatures values to different orders of magnitude throughout the data, (probably due to a fixed number of bits on which measurements are coded) will bias the model by wrongly over-representing or under-representing some values.

There is an extensive number of missing values (e.g., 41.59% for ion density) that cannot be implemented without pre-processing. Each possible pre-processing is different and subjective depending on one’s underlying objectives

A linear model will not be able to accurately model the data. Our linear analysis (e.g., PCA), struggles to explain the data and their relationships. However, non-linear relationships between data seem to exist.

Data seem cyclic: we witness the apparition of the solar cycle and the synodic rotation period of the Sun when looking at autocorrelations.

Some suggestions are given to address the issues described to enable usage of the dataset despite these challenges.
3D-printed guides for cervical pedicle screw placement in primary spine tumor: Case report and technical description
Authors: Marengo Nicola , Di Perna Giuseppe , Baldassarre Bianca Maria , Cofano Fabio , De Marco Raffaele , Zeppa Pietro , Petrone Salvatore , Ajello Marco , Garbossa Diego , Zenga Francesco
Published: November 2022

Introduction

For spine surgeons, dealing with unstable cervical spine has been usually challenging, and this becomes more difficult when facing a primary craniovertebral junction tumor. Primary spine tumor surgery should always include column reconstruction in order to guarantee biomechanical stability of the spine, but surgeons should always be aware that instrumentations could create interferences with postoperative radiations. However, although carbon fiber instrumentations have started to be used in thoracolumbar oncology for few years, these options are still not available for cervical spine. In the reported case, the adopted strategy to obtain adequate column reconstruction was based on the idea of reducing the amount of titanium needed for posterior fixation and maximizing the distance between the radiation target and titanium rods.

Case report and aim

We present the case of a 53-year-old woman harboring a craniovertebral junction chordoma. A short occipito-C3 construct was selected. Specifically, titanium cervical pedicle screws were placed by using a new technology consisting in patient-tailored and customized 3D-printed guides. The aim of this case report is to determine the feasibility and safety of 3D-printed guides for cervical pedicle screw (CPS) positioning, even in the case of cervical spine tumor.

Conclusion

CPS could represent a good solution by providing strong biomechanical purchase and tailored 3D-printed guides could increase the safety and the accuracy of this challenging screw placement, even in oncological patients.
Effect of anesthetics on postoperative nausea and vomiting after peripheral vascular surgery in end-stage renal disease patients: A retrospective observational study
Authors: Cho Ho Bum , Park Sun Young , Kim Nayoung , Choi Sang Jin , Song Sanghoon , Yoo Jae Hwa , Kim Mun Gyu , Chung Ji Won
Published: November 2022

Background

Propofol-based total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) is considered a prophylactic approach to decrease postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Despite general anesthesia commonly being performed in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients, PONV in ESRD patients has not been well-described. We investigated PONV in peripheral vascular surgery under general anesthesia in ESRD patients.

Methods

To compare PONV between propofol-based TIVA and anesthesia with volatile anesthetics, we collected retrospective data from patients who underwent peripheral vascular surgery under general anesthesia from July 2018 to April 2020. We performed univariable and multivariable analyses, including factors that could be associated with PONV and those previously shown to affect PONV.

Result

A total of 1,699 peripheral vascular surgeries under general anesthesia in ESRD patients were eligible for analysis. Based on the multivariable analysis, TIVA (odds ratio [OR], 0.45; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.35–0.60; P < 0.001) significantly decreased PONV. Female sex (OR, 1.85; 95% CI, 1.44–2.38; P < 0.001) and anesthetic duration (OR, 1.01; 95% CI, 1.00–1.01; P < 0.001) were associated with increased PONV.

Conclusion

Propofol-based TIVA is the most influential factor decreasing PONV after peripheral vascular surgery in ESRD patients. Anesthesiologists can apply propofol-based TIVA as an alternative to anesthesia with volatile anesthetics.
Supplementation of graded levels of rumen-protected choline to a pelleted total mixed ration did not improve the growth and slaughter performance of fattening lambs
Authors: Huo Qin , Sun Xuezhao , Wu Tingting , Li Zelin , Jonker Arjan , You Peihua , Li Rongquan , Li Jianping , Tian Wannian , Li Changsheng , Wang Chunqing , He Yuhua , Rugoho Innocent , Cheng Long , You Meng
Published: November 2022

Choline is an essential nutrient in ruminant diets, which contributes to the fundamental biological functions of the animal. However, choline is easily degraded in the rumen before it can be absorbed. Rumen-protected choline (RPC) supplementation might support the fast growth of ruminants. This study aimed to investigate the effects of supplementing graded levels of RPC in a pelleted total mixed ration for fattening lambs. Sixty three-month-old male Small Tail Han and northeast fine wool sheep hybrid lambs with a liveweight of 15.3 ± 1.8 kg (mean ± SD) were fed designated diets and randomly assigned into five treatment groups (n = 12 per group). The five treatments were the rate of RPC supplementation at 0, 1.25, 2.50, 3.75, and 5.00 g (equivalent to 0, 0.31, 0.63, 0.94, and 1.25 g of choline chloride, respectively)/kg basal diet and the RPC-supplemented feed was offered for 112 days after 12 days of adaptation. Average daily gain, dry matter intake, and nutrient digestibility were similar across treatments. The rumen pH was quadratically significant among treatments, with the lowest and highest pH observed from the 2.5 and 5 g/kg RPC supplement groups, respectively (P = 0.02). After feeding, the ruminal ammonia concentrations among treatments were different (P < 0.05), with the highest value observed from the 5 g/kg RPC supplement group. Microbial crude protein level was different, with the highest value recorded from the 0 g/kg RPC supplement group (P = 0.028). A linear effect (P < 0.05) was observed from short-chain fatty acid values among treatments before and after feeding. Serum albumin (P = 0.003) and albumin/globulin ratio (P = 0.002) had a quadratic effect, with the highest value found in the 0 g/kg RPC supplement group. Abdominal fat was higher in RPC-supplemented groups (P < 0.05) compared to the control group. Drip loss was 65% higher in RPC-supplemented groups compared to the control group (P = 0.012). Overall, the study results showed an effect of RPC on ruminal parameters, but the supplementation of low-level RPC did not improve the growth and slaughter performance of fattening lambs.
Characteristics of a Fluidic Oscillator with Low Frequency and Low Speed and Its Application to Stall Margin Improvement
Authors: Liu Zhuoqi , Pan Tianyu , Wang Shiqi , Yan Zhaoqi
Published: November 2022

Active flow control methods are commonly used in expanding the operating range of compressors. Indeed, unsteady active control methods are the main focus of researchers due to their effectiveness. For constructing an unsteady active control system, reliable actuators are significant. To compare with conventional actuators such as synthetic jet actuators and rotating valves, fluidic oscillators have structurally robust characteristics and can generate self-excited and self-sustained oscillating jets, which leads to its higher applicability in compressors under severe working conditions. Thus, to explore the feasibility of unsteady active control systems by the usage of fluidic oscillators, a low-frequency and low-speed oscillator is first designed and experimentally studied for improving the stability of a low-speed axial flow compressor. During the experiments, a special casing is designed to install 15 uniformly distributed oscillators in the tip region of compressor. Based on the unsteady micro injections of the rotor tip with rotor rotation frequency, the results indicate that the frequency/period of oscillators are flexible, in which the values are decoupled with the variation of inlet pressure. When the inlet-to-outlet pressure ratio of the oscillator is in the range of 1.1~2.0, the maximum velocity ranges from 30 m/s to 80 m/s. Moreover, the mass flow rate of the single oscillator only varies from 0.017‰ to 0.059‰ from the designed compressor mass flow rate. For the improvement of the compressor stall margin, the value is 3.45% when the total mass flow of oscillators is 0.08% of the designed compressor mass flow.
Early Detection of Coffee Leaf Rust Caused by Hemileia vastatrix Using Multispectral Images
Authors: Soares Analis da Silva , Vieira Bruno Sérgio , Bezerra Thalita Almeida , Martins George Deroco , Siquieroli Ana Carolina Silva
Published: November 2022

Conventional methodology in the field for the sampling of coffee leaf rust, caused by Hemileia vastatrix, has proven to be impractical. This paper proposes a method for the early detection of this disease, which is the most significant pathogen of coffee plants worldwide, using multispectral images acquired using a Mapir Survey3W camera and an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). For this purpose, 160 coffee seedlings of the coffee cultivar ‘Mundo Novo’ were inoculated with urediniospores of H. vastatrix and compared with 160 control (non-inoculated) seedlings to determine the most favorable interval for distinguishing healthy and infected plants. The 320 seedlings were placed on a dark surface to perform the imaging flights. In vitro analyses of the physiological parameters of 20 specimens were then performed for each condition (inoculated/non-inoculated) to obtain the hyperspectral curves, and this process was repeated three times at 15, 30, and 45 days after inoculation (DAI). Based on the simulated hyperspectral curves, a discrepancy between the red and near-infrared (NIR) bands was identified at 15 DAI, with the inoculated plants showing greater absorption in the red band and a greater spectral response in the NIR band. Thus, multispectral images were able to distinguish H. vastatrix infection in coffee seedlings at an asymptomatic stage (15 DAI) using a support vector machines (SVM) algorithm. Detection accuracy was 80% and the Kappa index of agreement was moderate (0.6). The early detection of this pathogen in the field using low-cost technology can be an important tool for the monitoring of coffee leaf rust and, consequently, a more sustainable management of the pathogen, causing farmers to make applications of chemical fungicides only when necessary.
Evaluation of Responses of Potato Cultivars to Potato Spindle Tuber Viroid and to Mixed Viroid/Viral Infection
Authors: Afanasenko Olga S. , Lashina Nina M. , Mironenko Nina V. , Kyrova Elena I. , Rogozina Elena V. , Zubko Natalia G. , Khiutti Aleksander V.
Published: November 2022

Potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) is a harmful quarantine disease with wide geographic distribution. To date, experimentally proved resistance or tolerance of potato cultivars to PSTVd has not been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate responses to four PSTVd strains of 39 modern potato cultivars of different origin. Four PSTVd strains of different origin, the intermediate VP35, VP87, and two sever strains FP10-13 and NicTr-3, deposited in GenBank, were used. Transcripts of these strains were used to inoculate tomato plants of the cv. Rutgers. Before PSTVd inoculation with tomato sap, all plants were tested for viral infection by ELISA. The presence of PSTVd in infected plants was verified by RT-PCR as well as by RT-qPCR at sixty days post-inoculation (dpi). The strain-specificity in the response of cultivars to viroid infection was revealed. Five cultivars were identified in which, after the first inoculation of plants with all PSTVd strains, normal in shape tubers were formed. All plants of the next generation derived from infected but normally shaped tubers showed strong symptoms of disease. PSTVd and mixed viroid/viral infection (PVY + PSTVd, PVM + PSTVd, and PVY + PVS + PSTVd) led to a significant decrease in the number and weight of tubers in most of the cultivars studied.
Non-Thermal Plasma as an Alternative to Enhance the Early Growth Structures in Lentil Plants
Authors: Gutiérrez-León Diana Guadalupe , Serrano-Ramírez Tomás , López-Callejas Régulo , Rodríguez-Méndez Benjamín Gonzalo
Published: November 2022

The scarcity and contamination of water, aggravated by the effects of Climate Change, endanger the food supply, cause health problems to humans, and are a critical concern. New research has been carried out to improve the quality of water used in the agricultural sector. One of them is the technology of non-thermal plasma (NTP) generated by corona discharges using air as a working gas. In this study, the NTP is applied directly and causing the activation to three water sources: potable, wastewater from poultry farming, and rain, on the legume “lentil.” The results show that the NTP applied to the different water conditions modifies the legume structure, obtaining a better germination and growth rate. In particular, it found that the best condition to stimulate the plant structure growth is using wastewater from poultry activities, which NTP activates. Likewise, it identified the internalization of pathogenic microorganisms such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium since the early development of the plant. The bacteria reduction after NTP application is detected due to the effect of the reactive species generated by the NTP. The NTP application for water activation can represent an alternative to solve the demand for food since the development of the structures of legumes, particularly of lentils, is promoted.
Recombinant Photolyase-Thymine Alleviated UVB-Induced Photodamage in Mice by Repairing CPD Photoproducts and Ameliorating Oxidative Stress
Authors: Wang Zhaoyang , Li Ziyi , Lei Yaling , Liu Yuan , Feng Yuqing , Chen Derong , Ma Siying , Xiao Ziyan , Hu Meirong , Deng Jingxian , Wang Yuxin , Zhang Qihao , Huang Yadong , Yang Yan
Published: November 2022

Cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers (CPDs) are the main mutagenic DNA photoproducts caused by ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation and represent the major cause of photoaging and skin carcinogenesis. CPD photolyase can efficiently and rapidly repair CPD products. Therefore, they are candidates for the prevention of photodamage. However, these photolyases are not present in placental mammals. In this study, we produced a recombinant photolyase-thymine (rPHO) from Thermus thermophilus (T. thermophilus). The rPHO displayed CPD photorepair activity. It prevented UVB-induced DNA damage by repairing CPD photoproducts to pyrimidine monomers. Furthermore, it inhibited UVB-induced ROS production, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory responses, and apoptosis. UVB-induced wrinkle formation, epidermal hyperplasia, and collagen degradation in mice skin was significantly inhibited when the photolyase was applied topically to the skin. These results demonstrated that rPHO has promising protective effects against UVB-induced photodamage and may contribute to the development of anti-UVB skin photodamage drugs and cosmetic products.
In Vitro Study Comparing Retention of Custom Post and Cores Fabricated Using Conventional, CAD/CAM Milling and 3D-Printing Techniques
Authors: Alqarni Hatem , AlHelal Abdulaziz A. , Jekki Rami , Kattadiyil Mathew T. , Sayed Mohammed E. , Jain Saurabh , Vahdati Seyed Aliakbar , Dehom Salem
Published: November 2022

This study aimed to evaluate the differences in the retention of custom-cast non-precious post and cores (CCNPPCs) (control group), custom-milled titanium post and cores (CMTPCs), custom-printed titanium post and cores (CPTPCs), and custom-milled zirconia post and cores (CMZPCs), and to evaluate their mode of failure. The tested null hypothesis was that there were no differences in the retention of the various custom post and cores tested. A total of 80 post-and-core patterns were made using pattern resin and were divided into four groups: Group 1—fabricated via conventional casting using a non-precious casting alloy; Group 2—fabricated using a computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) subtractive technique using titanium; Group 3—fabricated using a CAD/CAM additive (3D printing) technique using titanium; and Group 4—fabricated using a CAD/CAM subtractive technique using zirconia. The post and cores were cemented with resin cement and a universal pull-out test was used to check the retention. The data were statistically analyzed using one-way ANOVA tests, post hoc tests, and Tukey’s adjustment for multiple comparisons. The pull-out test revealed higher retention values for CPTPCs and CMTPCs. When compared with CMZPCs, the conventional CCNPPCs revealed significantly better retention values (p < 0.05). Cohesive failure was observed in Groups 1, 2, and 4. However, Group 3 revealed a mixed type of failure. The CCNPPCs revealed clinically acceptable values, while the CPTPC and CMTPC groups revealed better overall values of retention and time to failure. The titanium alloy was assessed to be a promising choice for fabricating dental post-and-core restorations.
Trajectory Prediction of Marine Moving Target Using Deep Neural Networks with Trajectory Data
Authors: Zheng Xiao , Peng Xiaodong , Zhao Junbao , Wang Xiaodong
Published: November 2022

The position prediction of marine moving targets based on historical trajectories is an important assistance procedure for marine reconnaissance and surveillance. Limited by satellite access period, space-based historic trajectory data have sparse and uneven intervals. However, most current time-series prediction methods require uniform time intervals. For non-uniform time series data, common processing methods first use the interpolation algorithm to fit historical data, and then carry out predictions based on equal interval data after the uniform sample. The disadvantage is that the accuracy of the interpolation data will limit the prediction accuracy. In addition, the time-series prediction methods represented by the grey model (GM) and autoregressive model (ARM) can only deal with equal-interval time prediction, in which it is hard to satisfy the prediction demand of non-equidistant time. Aiming at the limitations of most time series prediction methods and meeting the requirement of long-term variable duration prediction, a novel trajectory prediction method for sparse and non-uniform time series data based on deep neural networks is proposed. Firstly, to maximize the mining of the original data features, the moving behavior features are extracted from the raw historical track data by calculating the information of position, velocity, and position change for feature extension. Then, because of the temporal coherence of the track data, and inspired by the design idea of local correlation of the convolutional neural network (CNN), the CNN model is used to excavate the navigation rules to achieve position prediction. Finally, training of the network model is accomplished based on historical track samples. The experiments are carried out based on the space-borne automatic identification system (AIS) observation data. Experimental results illustrate that the method behaves better than other methods with the superiority of lower requirements for sampling, stronger adaptability to data characteristics, and higher forecasting accuracy for long-term prediction. When applied to the satellite search of marine moving targets, the track prediction has the potential to reduce the uncertainty of target location and guide satellite searching missions, thereby significantly improving the searching efficiency of targets.
Multiscale Backcast Convolution Neural Network for Traffic Flow Prediction in The Frequency Domain
Authors: Wang Shuying , Zhang Yinong , Fu En , Tang Shaohu
Published: November 2022

With the construction of intelligent transportation systems in recent years, intelligent methods for the prediction of traffic flow are becoming more and more important, and accurate prediction plays a key role in enabling downstream scheduling algorithms. However, the accuracy of most current forecasting algorithms remains unsatisfactory. Because traffic depends on the time of the day and varies throughout the week, such as during peak commuting periods as opposed to other times, traffic flow data show evident cyclical patterns. We capitalize on this notion and propose a multiscale convolutional feedback network for frequency prediction based on frequency angle. We combine multiscale convolution (MSC) with dilated convolution, and increase the convolutional receptive field by expanding cavity size while retaining similar parameterization costs, and achieve multiscale convolution with kernels referring to different receptive fields. At the same time, we incorporate an autoencoding module by assigning the same set of hidden features to input reconstruction and output prediction, which results in enhanced stability of features within the hidden layers. When we tested our approach on the Traffic dataset, our model achieved the best performance as assessed via the three indicators measured using mean squared error (MSE), mean absolute error (MAE), and correlation coefficient (CORR), with improvements of 3.818%, 2.472% and, 0.1515%, respectively.
Practical Application of Sustainable Road Structure: Mechanical and Environmental Approach
Authors: Kowalski Karol J. , Bańkowski Wojciech , Król Jan B. , Andersen Birgitte Holt , Komkova Anastasija , Casado Barrasa Raquel
Published: November 2022

The principles of the circular economy are the basic determinants of the sustainable development of road construction. This paper presents a field study with a new concept of asphalt pavement structure with ecologically oriented attributes, significantly reducing the asphalt pavement carbon footprint while achieving a level of long-term performance comparable or greater than that of conventional pavement structures. The sustainable pavement consists of the introduction of a BIO-additive that allows for the integration of higher percentage of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) as an alternative to the traditional asphalt mixtures. In the sub-base the use of construction and demolition waste was adopted. The results were obtained from a full-sized test section of the road structure divided for reference and eco-innovative cases. Mechanistic analyses were performed for materials and pavement structure based on laboratory tests and on-site assessment. The new eco-design solution was subjected to a comprehensive LCA and LCCA analysis and summarised by SWOT assessment.
ERACE: Toward Facilitating Exploit Generation for Kernel Race Vulnerabilities
Authors: Liu Danjun , Wang Pengfei , Zhou Xu , Wang Baosheng
Published: November 2022

Since a large number of Linux kernel vulnerabilities are discovered every year, many vulnerabilities cannot be patched in time. Security vendors often prioritize patching high-risk vulnerabilities, and the ratings of vulnerabilities need to be evaluated based on factors such as exploitability and the scope of influence. However, evaluating exploitability is challenging and time-consuming, especially for race vulnerabilities, whose exploitation process is complicated and the success rate of exploitation is low, making them more likely to be overlooked. In this paper, we propose a new framework, called ERACE, to facilitate the process of exploiting kernel race vulnerabilities. Given a program called a proof of concept (PoC) that can trigger a race vulnerability, ERACE first applies a combination of dynamic and static analysis techniques to locate the instruction that causes the race. Then, it applies code instrumentation and static analysis to determine the timing relationship between the race instructions and the triggering type of the vulnerability and records the vulnerability context information. Next, it uses backward taint analysis to identify checkpoints that can be used to determine whether the race condition and heap spraying are satisfied and records the system calls to which the checkpoints belong. Finally, we can generate exploits based on the information collected above. To demonstrate the utility of ERACE, we tested it on 23 real-world vulnerabilities. As a result, we successfully detected the race points of 19 vulnerabilities, the timing relationship among the race instructions, and the triggering types of 17 vulnerabilities and succeeded in generating exploits for 13 vulnerabilities. ERACE can effectively help security researchers simplify the analysis process of kernel race vulnerabilities, select appropriate exploitation methods, and use checkpoints to increase the success rates of exploitations.
Analytical Prediction of Molten Pool Dimensions in Powder Bed Fusion Considering Process Conditions-Dependent Laser Absorptivity
Authors: Wang Wenjia , Ning Jinqiang , Garmestani Hamid , Liang Steven Y.
Published: November 2022

This research proposes an analytical method for the prediction of molten pool size in laser-based powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing with the consideration of process conditions-dependent absorptivity. Under different process conditions, the melting modes in LPBF are different, which induces the difference in laser absorptivity. An empirical model of absorptivity was used to calculate the laser absorptivity under various process conditions. An analytical point-moving heat source model was employed to calculate the temperature distribution of the build-in LPBF, with absorptivity, material properties, and process conditions as inputs. The molten pool width, length, and depth were determined by comparing the predicted temperature profile with the melting temperature of the material. To validate the proposed method, the predicted molten pool width, and depth of Ti6Al4V were compared with the reported experimental measurements under various process conditions. The predicted molten pool widths were very close to the measured results, and the predictions of molten pool depth were also acceptable. The computational time of the presented model is less than 200s, which shows better computational efficiency than most methods based on numerical iterations, such as the finite element method (FEM). The sensitivity of molten pool width and depth to normalized enthalpy w also discussed. The presented analytical method can be a potential tool for the research of molten pool size and related defects in LPBF.