bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simultaneous Detection of CO2 and CH4 Using a DFB Diode Laser-Based Absorption Spectrometer
Authors: Wu Xu , Du Yulong , Shi Shijian , Jiang Cong , Deng Xueliang , Zhu Song , Jin Xiaolong , Li Jingsong
Published: September 2022

In this paper, an attractive gas sensing technique based on fiber optical sensing ideal was developed for the detection of multi-gas species simultaneously. Calibration-free laser absorption spectroscopy (LAS) was used and combined with a multi-pass optical absorption cell, two fiber-coupled near-infrared (NIR) distributed feedback (DFB) diode lasers are used and coupled into a single optical path for measuring CO2 and CH4 absorption spectra simultaneously. The optimal sampling pressure, laser tuning characteristics, spectral sampling points, and potential optical interference are theoretically and experimentally investigated in detail. The results indicated that the proposed technique has good reliability and has been successfully demonstrated for ambient CO2 and CH4 detection by using a single sample cell and detector. An Allan–Werle deviation analysis shows that detection limits of 0.12 ppm for CH4 and 35.97 ppm for CO2 can be obtained with an integration time of 181 s and 166 s, respectively. The proposed technique can be expanded to measure more molecules simultaneously by combing laser array and may pave a new way for developing a low-cost and ultra-compact multi-gas laser spectroscopy sensing system.
Partial Obstruction of Ventricular Catheters Affects Performance in a New Catheter Obstruction Model of Hydrocephalus
Authors: Lee Seunghyun , Vinzani Michael , Romero Bianca , Chan Alvin , Castañeyra-Ruiz Leandro , Muhonen Michael
Published: September 2022

Objective: One of the major causes of cerebral ventricular shunt failure is proximal catheter occlusion. We describe a novel ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow replicating system that assesses pressure and flow responses to varying degrees of catheter occlusion. Methods: Ventricular catheter performance was assessed during conditions of partial and complete occlusion. The catheters were placed into a three-dimensionally-printed phantom ventricular replicating system. Artificial CSF was pumped through the ventricular system at a constant rate of 1 mL/min to mimic CSF flow, with the proximal end of the catheter in the phantom ventricle. Pressure transducer and flow rate sensors were used to measure intra-phantom pressure, outflow pressure, and CSF flow rates. The catheters were also inserted into silicone tubing and pressure was measured in the same manner for comparison with the phantom. Results: Pressure measured in the ventricle phantom did not change when the outflow of the ventricular catheter was partially occluded. However, the intraventricular phantom pressure significantly increased when the outflow catheter was 100% occluded. The flow through the catheter showed no significant difference in rate with any degree of partial occlusion of the catheter. At the distal end of the partially occluded catheters, there was less pressure compared with the nonoccluded catheters. This difference in pressure in partially occluded catheters correlated with the percentage of catheter hole occlusion. Conclusions: Our model mimics the physiological dynamics of the CSF flow in partially and completely obstructed ventricular catheters. We found that partial occlusion of the catheter had no effect on the CSF flow rate, but did reduce outflow pressure from the catheter.
Secondary Narcolepsy as Worsening Sign in a Pediatric Case of Optic Pathway Glioma
Authors: Laus Beatrice , Caroleo Anna Maria , Colafati Giovanna Stefania , Carai Andrea , Moavero Romina , Ferilli Michela Ada Noris , Valeriani Massimiliano , Mastronuzzi Angela , Cacchione Antonella
Published: September 2022

Narcolepsy, a neurologic disorder that leads to excessive daytime sleepiness, may represent a rare consequence of neoplastic lesions involving the sellar/parasellar and hypothalamic regions, the anatomical areas responsible for wakefulness. Optic pathway gliomas represent the most common neoplasm of these regions and present an excellent overall survival, while long-term neurologic impairments, such as visual loss, endocrinopathies, or sleep disorders, are the principal causes of morbidity. In this case report, we describe a non-NF1 patient suffering from a very extensive optical pathway glioma, who several years after the diagnosis in a radiological condition of stable disease, presented with severe narcolepsy, a rare complication, that led to the death of the patient.
Fruit and Vegetable Intake Is Associated with Food Knowledge among Children Aged 9–14 Years in Southwestern Ontario, Canada
Authors: McEachern Louise W. , Ismail Mariam R. , Seabrook Jamie A. , Gilliland Jason A.
Published: September 2022

Interventions to improve dietary quality and intake of fruits and vegetables (FV) among Canadian children have had modest success, and it has been suggested that food knowledge could be key to improvement. Programs have been criticized for insufficiently connecting food knowledge with food skills and decision making about dietary intake. The objective of this study was to investigate factors associated with FV consumption by elementary school children, aged 9–14 years, in Ontario, Canada, including food knowledge, socioeconomic status, sociodemographic characteristics, and the food environment. In 2017–2019, a cross-sectional survey was administered to 2443 students at 60 elementary schools across Southwestern Ontario (SWO), Canada. A parent survey was used to validate self-reported sociodemographic variables. The mean intake of FV reported by these participants was 2.6 (SD 1.1) and 2.4 (SD 1.2) servings/day, respectively. A FV intake below WHO guidelines was reported by 40.7% of respondents. Knowledge score, child age, and parent employment status significantly predicted higher reported intake of FV. This study shows that FV intake among this population group is low, and increased intake is associated with higher food knowledge. To encourage healthy eating, school-based food and nutrition programs that incorporate multiple components and emphasize food literacy are needed.
The Assessment of School Lunches in the Form of Food Packs during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Latvia
Authors: Beitane Ilze , Iriste Sandra
Published: September 2022

During the pandemic, Latvian schools switched to remote learning which required looking for solutions to provide state-funded school lunches for pupils at home. The aim of study was to analyse the type of support received by pupils for provision of school lunches, the compliance of the composition of food packs with Latvian healthy diet recommendations and parental assessment of the food packs received. With the help of the questionnaire data on the composition of food packs, parental assessment was obtained by interviewing 1495 parents of pupils in grades 1–4 (age 6–11 years). The composition of food packs was evaluated in accordance with the recommendations for a healthy diet. Food packs were the main choice for the provision of school lunches in all regions (90.70%). The emphasis in the food packs was on protein-rich products like canned meat and meat products (93.36%) and milk (91.37%). 81.71% of food packs contained both vegetables and fruits. Food packs covered basic needs but improvements would be needed. The parents appreciated the support received, 90% of them rated it as positive/partially positive. In the event of a pandemic recurrence, the state would need to work with food producers to provide smaller packaging of products for food packs to ensure food diversity.
Cytokines Profile and Lung Function in Children with Obesity and Asthma: A Case Control Study
Authors: Maffeis Laura , Agostoni Carlo V. , Marafon Denise Pires , Terranova Leonardo , Giavoli Claudia , Milani Gregorio P. , Lelii Mara , Madini Barbara , Marchisio Paola , Patria M. Francesca
Published: September 2022

The existence of common inflammatory biomarkers linking obesity and asthma in children has been hypothesized. Nevertheless, laboratory and clinical characteristics of children with obesity and asthma are still poorly defined. The primary aim of the present study is to investigate the lung function and the cytokine profile, in children with obesity and asthma. In this prospective, cross-sectional pilot study, pulmonary function tests, biochemical parameters, and serum cytokines levels were compared in three groups of 28 children each, matched for age and sex. Obese children showed normal forced spirometry values except an increased distal airway resistance in subjects with obesity and no asthma. Both groups including obese children showed higher leptin and IL-10 levels and lower adiponectin and TNF-alpha levels compared to children with no obesity and asthma. IL-33 and TGF-beta1 levels were higher in children with obesity and asthma vs. children with normal weight and asthma. Finally, IL-6 was undetectable in approximately 70% of obese children with no asthma, in 57% obese asthmatic children and in 100% of children with normal-weight and asthma. Children with obesity and asthma show the most striking cytokine profile, suggesting a pro-inflammatory role of fat mass in asthma development.
Deep Ocean Water Minerals Promotes the Growth and Cordycepin Production of Cordyceps militaris Fruiting Bodies through Proteomics Regulation
Authors: Lin Chang-Hong , Huang Hsin-Lun , Chen Yen-Hsun , Lee Chun-Lin
Published: September 2022

Deep ocean water (DOW) is rich in mineral nutrients, and our previous studies have confirmed that it promotes fungal growth and metabolite production. Cordycepin is a functional metabolite of Cordyceps with anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties. Although Cordyceps militaris can produce a large amount of cordycepin when DOW is used as the culture water, no study has explored the relevant regulatory mechanism through which DOW increases the adenosine and cordycepin contents. Therefore, in this study, we used 2D electrophoresis and proteomic analysis to investigate the effects of DOW with different mineral compositions on proteins in the fruiting bodies of C. militaris and to explore how DOW regulates cordycepin biosynthesis. The results indicated that the use of DOW with high magnesium and calcium contents can increase the production of cordycepin from 6.62 mg/g to 11.40 mg/g by C. militaris fruiting bodies. According to the 2D electrophoresis and proteomic analysis results of the fruiting body proteins of C. militaris cultured with DOW with different concentrations, the expression of 17 and 9 proteins was proportional to the cordycepin content and the concentration of DOW, respectively. Magnesium, sulfate, and other minerals of DOW stimulated the production of cordycepin by promoting the glycolytic pathway, producing more ATP and adenosine. It also increased the production of nucleic acids and adenosine by promoting the pentose phosphate pathway and methionine cycle, thereby promoting the growth and cordycepin production of fruiting bodies.
Infliximab and Plant-Based Diet as First-Line Therapy Followed by Corticosteroid Therapy for Severe Ulcerative Colitis: A Case Report
Authors: Chiba Mitsuro , Tsuji Tsuyotoshi , Masai Rie , Odashima Masaru , Sageshima Masato
Published: September 2022

We developed infliximab and a plant-based diet as first-line (IPF) therapies for severe ulcerative colitis (UC). It increased the remission rate and decreased the colectomy rate compared to those of current standards. We encountered a case with severe UC in which the consecutive use of IPF therapy and corticosteroid therapy was required to induce remission. A 21-year-old male worker developed diarrhea, abdominal pain, marked weight loss from 70 to 55 kg, and anorexia. He was diagnosed with severe ulcerative colitis. IPF therapy was initiated. Improvement in symptoms and biomarkers was seen soon after the first infusion of infliximab (300 mg). Further improvement in symptoms was observed after both the second and third infliximab infusions. Loose stool and abdominal pain on defecation were still present, however, and biomarkers were above the reference range. Therefore, oral prednisolone (40 mg/day) was consecutively initiated. This resulted in clinical and endoscopic remission. In conclusion, we present a severe UC case in which the response to IPF therapy was insufficient. Consecutive oral prednisolone successfully induced remission. This new stepwise modality will make IPF therapy the first-choice therapy for severe UC.
Cross-Cultural Adaptation of the Instrument “Nurse–Physician Relationship Survey: Impact of Disruptive Behavior in Patient Care” to the Spanish Context
Authors: Moreno-Leal Pedro , Leal-Costa César , Díaz-Agea José Luis , Jiménez-Ruiz Ismael , Suarez-Cortés María , De Souza Oliveira Adriana Catarina
Published: September 2022

Disruptive behavior in the healthcare context has an impact on patient care, healthcare personnel, and the health organization, and it also influences the therapeutic relationship, communication process, and adverse events. However, there is a lack of instruments that could be used for its analysis in the hospital care environment in the Spanish context. The objective of the study was to culturally adapt and perform a content validation of the tool “Nurse–Physician Relationship Survey: Impact of Disruptive Behavior on Patient Care”, to the Spanish content (Spain). An instrumental study was conducted, which included an analysis of conceptual and semantic equivalence. A panel of experts analyzed the translations, by analyzing the Content Validity Index (CVI) of the group of items in the scale through the Relevance Index (RI) and the Pertinence Index (PI). Only a single item obtained an RI value of 0.72, although with PI value of 0.81, with consensus reached for not deleting this item. The CVI of all the items was >0.80 for the mean value of the RI, as well as the PI. The instrument was adapted to the Spanish context and is adequate for evaluating the disruptive behaviors on nurse–physician relationships and its impact on patient care. However, the importance of continuing the analysis of the rest of the psychometric properties in future studies is underlined.
Validation of a Natural Language Processing Algorithm for the Extraction of the Sleep Parameters from the Polysomnography Reports
Authors: Rahman Mahbubur , Nowakowski Sara , Agrawal Ritwick , Naik Aanand , Sharafkhaneh Amir , Razjouyan Javad
Published: September 2022

Background: There is a need to better understand the association between sleep and chronic diseases. In this study we developed a natural language processing (NLP) algorithm to mine polysomnography (PSG) free-text notes from electronic medical records (EMR) and evaluated the performance. Methods: Using the Veterans Health Administration EMR, we identified 46,093 PSG studies using CPT code 95,810 from 1 October 2000–30 September 2019. We randomly selected 200 notes to compare the accuracy of the NLP algorithm in mining sleep parameters including total sleep time (TST), sleep efficiency (SE) and sleep onset latency (SOL), wake after sleep onset (WASO), and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) compared to visual inspection by raters masked to the NLP output. Results: The NLP performance on the training phase was >0.90 for precision, recall, and F-1 score for TST, SOL, SE, WASO, and AHI. The NLP performance on the test phase was >0.90 for precision, recall, and F-1 score for TST, SOL, SE, WASO, and AHI. Conclusions: This study showed that NLP is an accurate technique to extract sleep parameters from PSG reports in the EMR. Thus, NLP can serve as an effective tool in large health care systems to evaluate and improve patient care.
Obesity as a Risk Factor for Severe COVID-19 in Hospitalized Patients: Epidemiology and Potential Mechanisms
Authors: Aburto Scarleth , Cisterna Mischka , Acuña Javiera , Ruíz Camila , Viscardi Sharon , Márquez José Luis , Villano Ines , Letelier Pablo , Guzmán Neftalí
Published: September 2022

SARS-CoV-2 infection is a global public health problem, causing significant morbidity and mortality. Evidence shows that obesity is a recognized risk factor for hospitalization, admission to critical care units, and the development of serious complications from COVID-19. This review analyzes the available epidemiological evidence that relates obesity to a higher risk of severity and mortality from COVID-19, examining the possible pathophysiological mechanisms that explain this phenomenon on a cellular and molecular level.
Mental Health Benefits of a Traditional Vegetative Biofeedback Therapy Online Program during the COVID-19 Lockdown: A Controlled Trial
Authors: Rodrigues Jorge Magalhães , Santos Catarina , Ventura Cristina , Machado Jorge
Published: September 2022

Mandatory lockdown resulting from a pandemic may be effective against the physical impact of the virus; however, the resulting mental strains can lead to the development of several mental disturbances. Taijiquan and Qigong are considered traditional vegetative biofeedback therapies that allow the practitioner to control the functions and processes of the body through specific movements or stances, breathing techniques, and meditative exercises. This study aims to understand if these techniques can be applied as an online distance therapeutic option to reduce the psychological impact of home confinement and social distancing. Sixty-four participants were recruited and allocated to three groups. The experienced and novice Taijiquan and Qigong participants’ groups received the intervention for 8 weeks while the control group did not receive any intervention. The outcomes were psychological well-being and psychological distress levels and were assessed by the Mental Health Inventory and a written interview. The experienced Taijiquan and Qigong participants achieved significant improvements in psychological well-being and psychological distress. Novice Taijiquan and Qigong participants achieved a significant improvement in anxiety levels. Additionally, the control group showed a significant decrease in psychological well-being. This study suggests that this distance online program of Taijiquan and Qigong is feasible and may benefit the mental health of participants during a lockdown.
Comparison of Regionalisation Techniques for Peak Streamflow Estimation in Small Catchments in the Pilbara, Australia
Authors: Flatley Alissa , Rutherfurd Ian
Published: September 2022

Arid and semi-arid regions typically lack high-resolution river gauging data causing difficulties in understanding rainfall-runoff patterns. A common predictive method for discharge estimation within ungauged catchments is regional flood frequency estimation (RFFE), deriving peak discharge estimates from similar, gauged catchments and applying them to the catchment of interest. The majority of RFFE equations are developed for larger catchments where flow events may be larger and of greater interest. We test a series of RFFE methods derived for the Pilbara region, applying them to new ungauged small catchments under 10 km2. Rainfall values are derived from a guideline Australian design rainfall database, Australian Rainfall and Runoff 2019 (ARR2019) which was recently updated with an additional 30 years of rainfall data. RFFE equations are compared to a direct rainfall model to evaluate their performance within small catchments, identifying key limitations and considerations when modelling small headwater catchments.
Capture Mechanism of Cadmium in Agricultural Soil Via Iron-Modified Graphene
Authors: Wang Hongrui , Hu Junping , Zhou Wentao , Long Pan , Ma Xin , Zhang Feng , Wu Yuping , Wu Xiongwei , Dai Jiayu , Fu Zhiqiang
Published: September 2022

Cadmium (Cd) contamination in agricultural soils has caused extensive concern to researchers. Biochar with iron-compound modifications could give rise to the synergistic effect for Cd restriction. However, the related capture mechanism based on physicochemical properties is unclear. In this study, first principles calculations are proposed to explore the adsorption ability and potential mechanism of the ferric hydroxide modified graphene (Fe@G) for capturing CdCl2. The simulation results show that the adsorption energy to CdCl2 could enhance to −1.60 eV when Fe(OH)3 is introduced on graphene. Subsequently, analyses of electronic properties demonstrated a significant electron transfer between Cd s-orbital and O p-orbital, thereby leading to strong adsorption energy. This theoretical study not only identifies a powerful adsorption material for Cd reduction in agricultural soils and reveals the capture mechanism of Fe@G for Cd but also provides a foundation and strategy for Cd reduction in agricultural soils.
Advanced Application of Planar Chiral Heterocyclic Ferrocenes
Authors: Musikhina Alexandra A. , Serebrennikova Polina O. , Zabelina Olga N. , Utepova Irina A. , Chupakhin Oleg N.
Published: September 2022

This manuscript is reviewing the superior catalytic activity and selectivity of ferrocene ligands in a wide range of reactions: reduction of ketones, hydrogenation of olefins, hydroboration, cycloaddition, enantioselective synthesis of biaryls, Tsuji–Trost allylation. Moreover, the correlation between a ligand structure and its catalytic activity is discussed in this review.
Life-Space Activities Are Associated with the Prognosis of Older Adults with Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Hashimoto Kakeru , Hirashiki Akihiro , Oya Koharu , Sugioka Junpei , Tanioku Shunya , Sato Kenji , Ueda Ikue , Itoh Naoki , Kokubo Manabu , Shimizu Atsuya , Kagaya Hitoshi , Kondo Izumi
Published: September 2022

Life-space activities are a measure of daily activity level. Here, we examined the association between life-space activities and prognosis in 129 cardiovascular diseases (CVD) patients 65 years of age or older (average age, 79.2 ± 7.6 years; mean left ventricular ejection fraction, 56.7 ± 13.2%) who had been admitted to our hospital for worsening CVD. Subjects were followed, and the primary endpoints were cardiovascular hospitalization and cardiovascular death. Receiver operating characteristic analysis produced a cutoff value for life-space assessment (LSA) score for increased risk of cardiovascular hospitalization for two years of 53.0 points (sensitivity, 55.9%; specificity, 82.1%). Kaplan–Meier analysis using this cutoff value revealed that the rates of cardiovascular hospitalization and cardiovascular death were significantly higher in subjects with an LSA score below the cutoff than in those with a score above the cutoff (both p < 0.001). Cox proportional analysis revealed that low LSA score was independently associated with cardiovascular hospitalization (HR, 2.540; 95% CI, 1.135–5.680; p = 0.023) and cardiovascular death (HR, 15.223; 95% CI, 1.689–137.180; p = 0.015), even after adjusting for age, sex, left ventricular ejection fraction, and log-transformed brain natriuretic peptide level. Thus, life-space activities are associated with prognosis in older adults with CVD.
Short- and Mid-Term Outcomes of Stenting in Patients with Isolated Distal Internal Carotid Artery Stenosis or Post-Surgical Restenosis
Authors: Nguyen Dat Tin , Bérczi Ákos , Nyárády Balázs Bence , Szőnyi Ádám , Philippovich Márton , Dósa Edit
Published: September 2022

The aim was to evaluate the outcome of stenting in patients with isolated distal internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis or post-surgical restenosis, as no data are currently available in the literature. Sixty-six patients (men, N = 53; median age: 66 [IQR, 61–73] years) with ≥50% distal ICA (re)stenosis were included in this single-center retrospective study. The narrowest part of the (re)stenosis was at least 20 mm from the bifurcation in all patients. Patients were divided into two etiological groups, atherosclerotic (AS, N = 40) and post-surgical restenotic (RES, N = 26). Postprocedural neurological events were observed in two patients (5%) in the AS group and in two patients (7.7%) in the RES group. The median follow-up time was 40 (IQR, 18–86) months. Three patients (7.5%) in the AS group had an in-stent restenosis (ISR) ≥ 50%, but none in the RES group. Three patients (7.5%) in the AS group and seven patients (26.9%) in the RES group died. None of the deaths in the RES group were directly related to stenting itself. The early neurological complication rate of stenting due to distal ICA (re)stenoses is acceptable. However, the mid-term mortality rate of stenting for distal ICA post-surgical restenoses is high, indicating the vulnerability of this subgroup.
Construction of Knowledge Graph for Flag State Control (FSC) Inspection for Ships: A Case Study from China
Authors: Gan Langxiong , Chen Qiaohong , Zhang Dongfang , Zhang Xinyu , Zhang Lei , Liu Chengyong , Shu Yaqing
Published: September 2022

The flag state control (FSC) inspection is an important measure to ensure maritime safety. However, it is difficult to improve ship safety management efficiency using data mining due to the scattered and multi-source ship inspection knowledge. In this paper, the emerging knowledge graph technology is used to integrate multi-source knowledge for the FSC inspection. Firstly, an ontology model is built to systematically describe the knowledge and guide the construction of the data layer of the knowledge graph. Then, the BERT-BiGRU-CRF model is used to extract entities from the unstructured data of the FSC inspection. The extracted results are associated with structured and semi-structured data and stored in the graph database Neo4j to construct the knowledge graph. In addition, a case study of the FSC inspection knowledge graph of Dafeng Port in Yancheng, China, is conducted to verify the strength of the proposed method. The results show that the knowledge graph can correlate trivial knowledge and benefit the efficiency of the FSC inspection. Moreover, the knowledge graph can reflect the deficiency characteristics of ships and support the safety management of water transportation.
Agonistic Behaviour and Sound Production during Male–Male Varunid Crabs (Cyrtograpsus angulatus, Dana 1851) Encounters
Authors: Ceraulo Maria , Sal Moyano María Paz , Bazterrica María Cielo , Hidalgo Fernando José , Snitman Solana , Papale Elena , Buscaino Giuseppa , Gavio María Andrea
Published: September 2022

Crustacean sounds are the main contributor to shallow water soundscape biophonic components. Here, we investigate the sound production of Cyrtograpsus angulatus, one of the most important intertidal decapods of the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. Underwater audio and video were recorded during encounters among male pairs. Two kinds of experimental settings were conducted involving same size (SS) and different-size (DS) male crabs. Behavioural states, behavioural events and sound emission were investigated. SS spent more time in contact and still behaviour and showing competitive interactions than did DS. Crabs presented body displays involving chelae, legs, and maxillae movements with the same frequency in both settings. Our results demonstrate the production of impulsive sounds in male C. angulatus with high rates during contact and still behaviour (specifically during agonistic interactions and body displays without contact between individuals). Furthermore, we were able to describe behaviour-related variability within impulsive sounds. These outcomes provide a better understanding of the role and behavioural context of these sounds in the natural soundscape.
How to Improve Quality of Crowdsourced Cadastral Surveys
Authors: Apostolopoulos Konstantinos , Potsiou Chryssy
Published: September 2022

The potential for introducing voluntary citizen participation, combined with mobile services, for cadastral data collection for a systematic first registration has been thoroughly investigated and even implemented in some official projects. This data collection procedure can technically be ac-complished safely, but results have shown that many participants have difficulty in identifying the land parcels (location, shape and size) on the base-map (orthophoto, air-photo, etc.) correctly. Either they have to ask the assistance of a private professional, or there is a high risk that a number of errors may appear in the submitted crowdsourced data. This paper investigates how to improve the quality of such crowdsourced cadastral data, by adding to the base-map any available and relevant geospatial and descriptive information that may help the participants to correctly identify their land parcel. In particular, the research investigates and suggests (a) which types of available geospatial information should be added to the base-map and by whom (professionals or a group of trained volunteers), and (b) the necessary quality controls that must be made in the compilation of the advanced crowdsourced base-map—a case study follows to assess the suggested proposal. In addition, this paper provides an updated version of the crowdsourced methodology for cadastral surveys as modelled by the authors in an earlier stage of their research. This updated version briefly includes all quality controls needed to ensure the quality of a modern cadastre that the authors will further investigate in a subsequent stage.
Preparation Technology of Stretchable Electrode Based on Laser Cutting
Authors: Dong Liang , Fan Kangqi , Feng Yuhang , Zhao Mengxi , Qin Xingmeng , Zhu Zhaofei , Li Chen
Published: September 2022

Wearable electronics have showed their profound impact in military, sports, medical and other fields, but their large-scale applications are still limited due to high manufacturing costs. As an advanced micro-fabrication process, laser processing technology has the advantages of high speed, high flexibility, strong controllability, environmental protection and non-contact in preparing micro-nano structures of wearable electronics. In this paper, a 355 nm ultraviolet laser was used to pattern the copper foil pasted on the flexible substrate, and the interconnection electrodes and wires were constructed. A processing method of multi-parallel line laser cutting and high-speed laser scanning is proposed to separate and assist in peeling off excess copper foil. The process parameters are optimized. A stretchable 3 × 3 light-emitting diode (LED) array was prepared and its performance was tested. The results showed that the LED array can work normally under the conditions of folding, bending and stretching, and the stretch rate can reach more than 50%. A stretchable temperature measurement circuit that can be attached to a curved surface was further fabricated, which proves the feasibility of this process in the fabrication of small-scale flexible wearable electronic devices. Requiring no wet etching or masking process, the proposed process is an efficient, simple and low-cost method for the fabrication of stretchable circuits.
Application of a Variant of Mountain Pass Theorem in Modeling Real Phenomena
Authors: Meghea Irina
Published: September 2022

Mountain Pass Theorem (MPT) is an important result in variational methods with multiple applications in partial differential equations involved in mathematical physics. Starting from a variant of MPT, a new result concerning the existence of the solution for certain mathematical physics problems involving p-Laplacian and p-pseudo-Laplacian has been obtained. Based on the main theorem, the existence, possibly the uniqueness, and characterization of solutions for models such as nonlinear elastic membrane, glacier sliding, and pseudo torsion problem have been obtained. The novelty of the work consists of the formulation of the central result under weaker conditions requested by the chosen variant of MPT, the proof of this statement, and its application in solving above mentioned problems. While the expressions of such Dirichlet and/or von Neumann problems were already completed, this proposed solving method suggests some specific numerical methods to construct the appropriate solution. A general goal of this paper is the extension of the applicative pallet of this way to construct the solutions encountered in modeling real processes developed within new emerging technologies.
Towards Quantum Noise Squeezing for 2-Micron Light with Tellurite and Chalcogenide Fibers with Large Kerr Nonlinearity
Authors: Sorokin Arseny A. , Leuchs Gerd , Corney Joel F. , Kalinin Nikolay A. , Anashkina Elena A. , Andrianov Alexey V.
Published: September 2022

Squeezed light—nonclassical multiphoton states with fluctuations in one of the quadrature field components below the vacuum level—has found applications in quantum light spectroscopy, quantum telecommunications, quantum computing, precision quantum metrology, detecting gravitational waves, and biological measurements. At present, quantum noise squeezing with optical fiber systems operating in the range near 1.5 μm has been mastered relatively well, but there are no fiber sources of nonclassical squeezed light beyond this range. Silica fibers are not suitable for strong noise suppression for 2 µm continuous-wave (CW) light since their losses dramatically deteriorate the squeezed state of required lengths longer than 100 m. We propose the generation multiphoton states of 2-micron 10-W class CW light with squeezed quantum fluctuations stronger than −15 dB in chalcogenide and tellurite soft glass fibers with large Kerr nonlinearities. Using a realistic theoretical model, we numerically study squeezing for 2-micron light in step-index soft glass fibers by taking into account Kerr nonlinearity, distributed losses, and inelastic light scattering processes. Quantum noise squeezing stronger than −20 dB is numerically attained for a customized As2Se3 fibers with realistic parameters for the optimal fiber lengths shorter than 1 m. For commercial As2S3 and customized tellurite glass fibers, the expected squeezing in the −20–−15 dB range can be reached for fiber lengths of the order of 1 m.
Instability of Viscoelastic Liquid Sheets in a Transverse Electric Field
Authors: Niu Lu , Deng Xiangdong
Published: September 2022

The temporal linear instability of a viscoelastic liquid sheet moving around an inviscid gas in a transverse electrical field is analyzed. The fluid is described by the leaky dielectric model, which is more complex than existing models and enables a characterization of the liquid electrical properties. In addition, the liquid is assumed to be viscoelastic, and the dimensionless dispersion relation of the sinuous and varicose modes between the wavenumber and the temporal growth rate can be derived as a 3 × 3 matrix. According to this relationship, the effects of the liquid properties on the sheet instability are determined. The results suggest that, as the electrical Euler number and the elasticity number increase and the time constant ratio decreases, the sheet becomes more unstable. Finally, an energy budget approach is adopted to investigate the instability mechanism for the sinuous mode.
Riemann-Liouville Fractional Inclusions for Convex Functions Using Interval Valued Setting
Authors: Stojiljković Vuk , Ramaswamy Rajagopalan , Ashour Abdelnaby Ola A. , Radenović Stojan
Published: September 2022

In this work, various fractional convex inequalities of the Hermite–Hadamard type in the interval analysis setting have been established, and new inequalities have been derived thereon. Recently defined p interval-valued convexity is utilized to obtain many new fractional Hermite–Hadamard type convex inequalities. The derived results have been supplemented with suitable numerical examples. Our results generalize some recently reported results in the literature.
On Some Properties of Addition Signed Cayley Graph Σn∧
Authors: Wardak Obaidullah , Dhama Ayushi , Sinha Deepa
Published: September 2022

We define an addition signed Cayley graph on a unitary addition Cayley graph Gn represented by Σn∧, and study several properties such as balancing, clusterability and sign compatibility of the addition signed Cayley graph Σn∧. We also study the characterization of canonical consistency of Σn∧, for some n.
Easy Intra-Operative Localization of Pulmonary Nodules during Uniportal Video-Assisted Thoracoscopy: Experience with Hydrogel Plugs at Our Institution
Authors: Longo Filippo , Grasso Rosario Francesco , Tacchi Giovanni , Frasca Luca , Faiella Eliodoro , Crucitti Pierfilippo
Published: September 2022

Background: The diffusion of lung cancer screening programs has increased the detection of both solid and ground-glass opacity (GGO) sub-centimetric lesions, leading to the necessity for histological diagnoses. A percutaneous CT-guided biopsy may be challenging, thus making surgical excision a valid diagnostic alternative. CT-guided hydrogel plug deployment (BioSentry®) was recently proposed to simplify intraoperative nodule localization. Here, we report our initial experience. Methods: We evaluated 62 patients with single, small, peripheral, non-subpleural pulmonary GGO that was suspicious for cancer. All lesions were preoperatively marked, using CT-guidance, with a hydrogel plug (BioSentry®). Then, a uniportal video-assisted thoracoscopy (uniVATS) wedge resection was performed. If cancer was confirmed at the frozen section, a major lung resection was then performed. The study’s end points were the rates of intraoperative localization and of successful resection. Results: The hydrogel plug was correctly placed in 54 of the 62 cases, leading to an effective resection of the target lesion. In the remaining eight cases, the plug was displaced, and so the identification of pleural erosions due to the previous percutaneous procedure guided the resection. The uniVATS resection success rate was 98.3%. Conclusions: CT-guided hydrogel plug placement allowed for the successful detection of lung GGOs and resection with the uniVATS approach. This device allowed us to obtain lung cancer diagnoses and successfully treat 85.4% of cases.
Current Challenges and Pitfalls in Soil Metagenomics
Authors: Leite Marcio F. A. , van den Broek Sarah W. E. B. , Kuramae Eiko E.
Published: September 2022

Soil microbial communities are essential components of agroecological ecosystems that influence soil fertility, nutrient turnover, and plant productivity. Metagenomics data are increasingly easy to obtain, but studies of soil metagenomics face three key challenges: (1) accounting for soil physicochemical properties; (2) incorporating untreated controls; and (3) sharing data. Accounting for soil physicochemical properties is crucial for better understanding the changes in soil microbial community composition, mechanisms, and abundance. Untreated controls provide a good baseline to measure changes in soil microbial communities and separate treatment effects from random effects. Sharing data increases reproducibility and enables meta-analyses, which are important for investigating overall effects. To overcome these challenges, we suggest establishing standard guidelines for the design of experiments for studying soil metagenomics. Addressing these challenges will promote a better understanding of soil microbial community composition and function, which we can exploit to enhance soil quality, health, and fertility.
Antibiofilm Efficacy of Quercetin against Vibrio parahaemolyticus Biofilm on Food-Contact Surfaces in the Food Industry
Authors: Roy Pantu , Song Min , Jeon Eun , Kim Soo , Park Shin
Published: September 2022

Vibrio parahaemolyticus, one of the most common foodborne pathogenic bacteria that forms biofilms, is a persistent source of concern for the food industry. The food production chain employs a variety of methods to control biofilms, although none are completely successful. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of quercetin as a food additive in reducing V. parahaemolyticus biofilm formation on stainless-steel coupons (SS) and hand gloves (HG) as well as testing its antimicrobial activities. With a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 220 µg/mL, the tested quercetin exhibited the lowest bactericidal action without visible growth. In contrast, during various experiments in this work, the inhibitory efficacy of quercetin at sub-MICs levels (1/2, 1/4, and 1/8 MIC) against V. parahaemolyticus was examined. Control group was not added with quercetin. With increasing quercetin concentration, swarming and swimming motility, biofilm formation, and expression levels of target genes linked to flagellar motility (flaA, flgL), biofilm formation (vp0952, vp0962), virulence (VopQ, vp0450), and quorum-sensing (aphA, luxS) were all dramatically suppressed. Quercetin (0–110 μg/mL) was investigated on SS and HG surfaces, the inhibitory effect were 0.10–2.17 and 0.26–2.31 log CFU/cm2, respectively (p < 0.05). Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) corroborated the findings because quercetin prevented the development of biofilms by severing cell-to-cell contacts and inducing cell lysis, which resulted in the loss of normal cell shape. Additionally, there was a significant difference between the treated and control groups in terms of motility (swimming and swarming). According to our research, quercetin produced from plants should be employed as an antibiofilm agent in the food sector to prevent the growth of V. parahaemolyticus biofilms. These results indicate that throughout the entire food production chain, bacterial targets are of interest for biofilm reduction with alternative natural food agents in the seafood industry.
MicroRNA and Metabolic Profiling of a Primary Ovarian Neuroendocrine Carcinoma Pulmonary-Type Reveals a High Degree of Similarity with Small Cell Lung Cancer
Authors: Miglietta Stefano , Girolimetti Giulia , Marchio Lorena , Sollazzo Manuela , Laprovitera Noemi , Coluccelli Sara , De Biase Dario , De Leo Antonio , Santini Donatella , Kurelac Ivana , Iommarini Luisa , Ghelli Anna , Campana Davide , Ferracin Manuela , Perrone Anna Myriam , Gasparre Giuseppe , Porcelli Anna Maria
Published: September 2022

Small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma is most frequently found in the lung (SCLC), but it has been also reported, albeit with a very low incidence, in the ovary. Here, we analyze a case of primary small cell carcinoma of the ovary of pulmonary type (SCCOPT), a rare and aggressive tumor with poor prognosis, whose biology and molecular features have not yet been thoroughly investigated. The patient affected by SCCOPT had a residual tumor following chemotherapy which displayed pronounced similarity with neuroendocrine tumors and lung cancer in terms of its microRNA expression profile and mTOR-downstream activation. By analyzing the metabolic markers of the neoplastic lesion, we established a likely glycolytic signature. In conclusion, this in-depth characterization of SCCOPT could be useful for future diagnoses, possibly aided by microRNA profiling, allowing clinicians to adopt the most appropriate therapeutic strategy.
Nutritional Imbalances in Polish Children with Coeliac Disease on a Strict Gluten-Free Diet
Authors: Szaflarska-Popławska Anna , Dolińska Aleksandra , Kuśmierek Magdalena
Published: September 2022

Currently, the only treatment for coeliac disease (CD) is a strict, lifelong gluten-free diet (GFD); however, their completeness with regard to energy and macro- and micronutrients remains poorly understood. Paediatric studies are often limited by a low quality and a lack of controls, and their findings should be interpreted with caution. The aim of the present study was to evaluate nutritional imbalances in children with CD on a strict GFD. Methods: A single-centre prospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 48 children with CD (33 girls, mean age 11.8 ± 3.68 years) on a strict GFD (mean duration 5.02 ± 3.87 years) were compared with 50 non-coeliac subjects (26 girls, mean age 10.2 ± 3.97 years). In both groups, anthropometric measurements (body height, weight and BMI) and laboratory tests (haemoglobin level, calcium and magnesium serum concentration, folic acid, vitamin B1, B2, B6 and B12 level) were checked. Additionally, in coeliac subjects, a 3-day food record for energy and macro- and micronutrient intake assessment were determined, and the values were compared to those in non-CD participants and the dietary reference intake (DRI) standards. Results: The CD children were more likely to demonstrate significantly lower serum vitamin B1 and folic acid levels compared to controls (p = 0.01 and p = 0.002, respectively). Although mean serum calcium values were within normal ranges, they were significantly lower in CD subjects than controls (p = 0.01). Mean calcium, folic acid and vitamin D intake was below the dietary recommendations in the CD group (69.9%, 71.2% and 68.9% DRI, respectively) but did not differ significantly between CD and non-coeliac subjects. In turn, the mean supply of proteins and carbohydrates in the CD group substantially exceeded the recommended levels (190.3% and 189.4% DRI, respectively) but was similar to controls. A significantly higher number of CD children were classified as underweight, and a significantly lower number as overweight or obese, compared with controls (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Although children with CD receive nutritional education at diagnosis, a GFD often does not provide a balanced set of macro- and micronutrients. This is mainly due to unhealthy dietary habits, as commonly observed in the general population. Children with CD should be informed that while their diet should be free of gluten, it should nevertheless cover all their nutrition requirements in the long term.
Generation of Three-Mode Entanglement Based on Parametric Amplifiers Using Quantum Entanglement Swapping
Authors: Wang Hailong , Ru Ning , Lin Pingwei
Published: September 2022

Quantum entanglement swapping is one of the most promising quantum techniques to create or manipulate large-scale multi-mode entanglement between two distant quantum entangled systems. In this work, a scheme for the generation of three-mode entanglement based on parametric amplifiers using quantum entanglement swapping has been proposed. The newly generated three-mode entanglement is always present in the whole power gain region from parametric amplifiers and its dependence on transmission loss and feedforward gain is also investigated. In addition, the effects of power gain, transmission loss, and feedforward gain on the two-mode entanglement of the three pairs in the newly generated three-mode entanglement have also been analysed in detail. The results presented here may find some practical applications in quantum secure communication.
Computational Design of Highly-Sensitive Graphene-Based Multilayer SPR Biosensor
Authors: Mousavi-Kiasari Seyyed Mohammad Ghasem , Rashidi Kamyar , Fathi Davood , Taleb Hussein , Mirjalili Seyed Mohammad , Faramarzi Vahid
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we present a set of optimal graphene-based multilayer surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensors for highly sensitive detection of biomolecules. To optimize the biosensor structure, we employed a multi-objective gray wolf optimizer (MOGWO) to maximize the sensitivity and minimize the structure full width at half maximum (FWHM). The main advantages of the optimized structures are high sensitivity, low FWHM, as well as easy implementation. We developed an algorithm that enables us to achieve nine different optimized structures. The best sensitivity, FWHM and FOM are obtained equal to 264.6°/RIU (for the structure #5), 1.905° and 56.6/RIU (for the structure #8), respectively. The results of this paper pave the way for the development of highly-sensitive SPR biosensors.