bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Imaging the Effects of Whole-Body Vibration on the Progression of Hepatic Steatosis by Quantitative Ultrasound Based on Backscatter Envelope Statistics
Authors: Fang Jui , Lai Ming-Wei , Cheng Hao-Tsai , Cristea Anca , Zhou Zhuhuang , Tsui Po-Hsiang
Published: March 2022

Hepatic steatosis causes nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Whole-body vibration (WBV) has been recommended to allow patients who have difficulty engaging in exercise to improve the grade of hepatic steatosis. This study proposed using ultrasound parametric imaging of the homodyned K (HK) distribution to evaluate the effectiveness of WBV treatments in alleviating hepatic steatosis. Sixty mice were assigned to control (n = 6), sedentary (n = 18), WBV (n = 18), and exercise (swimming) (n = 18) groups. Mice were fed a high-fat diet to induce hepatic steatosis and underwent the intervention for 4, 8, and 16 weeks. Ultrasound scanning was performed in vivo on each mouse after the interventions for ultrasound HK imaging using the parameter μ (the scatterer clustering parameter). Histopathological examinations and the intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test were carried out for comparisons with ultrasound findings. At the 16th week, WBV and exercise groups demonstrated lower body weights, glucose concentrations, histopathological scores (steatosis and steatohepatitis), and μ parameters than the control group (p < 0.05). The steatosis grade was significantly lower in the WBV group (mild) than in the exercise group (moderate) (p < 0.05), corresponding to a reduction in the μ parameter. A further analysis revealed that the correlation between the steatosis grade and the μ parameter was 0.84 (p < 0.05). From this animal study we conclude that WBV may be more effective than exercise in reducing the progression of hepatic steatosis, and ultrasound HK parametric imaging is an appropriate method for evaluating WBV’s effect on hepatic steatosis.
Cavity-Enhanced Frequency Comb Vernier Spectroscopy
Authors: Lu Chuang , Morville Jerome , Rutkowski Lucile , Senna Vieira Francisco , Foltynowicz Aleksandra
Published: March 2022

Vernier spectroscopy is a frequency comb-based technique employing optical cavities for filtering of the comb and for enhancement of the interaction length with the sample. Depending on the ratio of the cavity free spectral range and the comb repetition rate, the cavity transmits either widely spaced individual comb lines (comb-resolved Vernier spectroscopy) or groups of comb lines, called Vernier orders (continuous-filtering Vernier spectroscopy, CF-VS). The cavity filtering enables the use of low-resolution spectrometers to resolve the individual comb lines or Vernier orders. Vernier spectroscopy has been implemented using various near- and mid-infrared comb sources for applications ranging from trace gas detection to precision spectroscopy. Here, we present the principles of the technique and provide a review of previous demonstrations of comb-resolved and continuous-filtering Vernier spectroscopy. We also demonstrate two new implementations of CF-VS: one in the mid-infrared, based on a difference frequency generation comb source, with a new and more robust detection system design, and the other in the near-infrared, based on a Ti:sapphire laser, reaching high sensitivity and the fundamental resolution limit of the technique.
A Fast and Blind Chromatic Dispersion Estimation Based on Stepwise Optimal Order Search Method in Fractional Domain
Authors: Sun Xiaoyong , Su Shaojing , Guo Xiaojun , Wei Junyu
Published: March 2022

A fast and low-complexity blind chromatic dispersion (CD) estimation method is proposed by a stepwise optimal order search of fractional Fourier transform (FrFT) in coherent optical communications. The method can track the cumulative dispersion over time in future dynamic and flexible scenarios. The validity of the FrFT method is verified by analogy to the field of CD estimation from the energy concentration property of the chirp signal, and the estimation equation of the CD value is obtained by parameter transformation. Numerical simulations have been carried out in the CD range of 1600 ps/nm to 32,000 ps/nm for 28 GBaud PM-QPSK and 14 GBaud PM-16QAM signals. The results show that the proposed algorithm achieves a high CD estimation accuracy with an average estimation error of less than 50 ps/nm within the 4096 sampling points and an order search interval of 0.0001. The effects of the polarization mode dispersion, optical signal-to-noise ratio and nonlinearity on CD estimation performance are discussed. In addition, the stepwise optimal order search method can achieve the purpose of greatly reducing the computational complexity under the premise of ensuring the accuracy of CD estimation.
Peptide-Enabled Nanocomposites Offer Biomimetic Reconstruction of Silver Diamine Fluoride-Treated Dental Tissues
Authors: Woolfolk Sarah Kay , Cloyd Aya Kirahm , Ye Qiang , Boone Kyle , Spencer Paulette , Snead Malcolm L. , Tamerler Candan
Published: March 2022

Caries is the most ubiquitous infectious disease of mankind, and early childhood caries (ECC) is the most prevalent chronic disease in children worldwide, with the resulting destruction of the teeth recognized as a global health crisis. Recent the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for the use of silver diamine fluoride (SDF) in dentistry offers a safe, accessible, and inexpensive approach to arrest caries progression in children with ECC. However, discoloration, i.e., black staining, of demineralized or cavitated surfaces treated with SDF has limited its widespread use. Targeting SDF-treated tooth surfaces, we developed a biohybrid calcium phosphate nanocomposite interface building upon the self-assembly of synthetic biomimetic peptides. Here, an engineered bifunctional peptide composed of a silver binding peptide (AgBP) is covalently joined to an amelogenin derived peptide (ADP). The AgBP provides anchoring to the SDF-treated tooth tissue, while the ADP promotes rapid formation of a calcium phosphate isomorph nanocomposite mimicking the biomineralization function of the amelogenin protein. Our results demonstrate that the bifunctional peptide was effective in remineralizing the biomineral destroyed by caries on the SDF-treated tooth tissues. The proposed engineered peptide approach offers a biomimetic path for remineralization of the SDF-treated tissues producing a calcium phosphate nanocomposite interface competent to be restored using commonly available adhesive dental composites.
Tri-Layered Vascular Grafts Guide Vascular Cells’ Native-like Arrangement
Authors: Yuan Xingyu , Li Wen , Yao Bin , Li Zhao , Kong Deling , Huang Sha , Zhu Meifeng
Published: March 2022

Bionic grafts hold great promise for directing tissue regeneration. In vascular tissue engineering, although a large number of synthetic grafts have been constructed, these substitutes only partially recapitulated the tri-layered structure of native arteries. Synthetic polymers such as poly(l-lactide-co-ε-caprolactone) (PLCL) possess good biocompatibility, controllable degradation, remarkable processability, and sufficient mechanical strength. These properties of PLCL show great promise for fabricating synthetic vascular substitutes. Here, tri-layered PLCL vascular grafts (TVGs) composed of a smooth inner layer, circumferentially aligned fibrous middle layer, and randomly distributed fibrous outer layer were prepared by sequentially using ink printing, wet spinning, and electrospinning techniques. TVGs possessed kink resistance and sufficient mechanical properties (tensile strength, elastic modulus, suture retention strength, and burst pressure) equivalent to the gold standard conduits of clinical application, i.e., human saphenous veins and human internal mammary arteries. The stratified structure of TVGs exhibited a visible guiding effect on specific vascular cells including enhancing endothelial cell (EC) monolayer formation, favoring vascular smooth muscle cells’ (VSMCs) arrangement and elongation, and facilitating fibroblasts’ proliferation and junction establishment. Our research provides a new avenue for designing synthetic vascular grafts with polymers.
Estimating the Shear Resistance of Flocculated Kaolin Aggregates: Effect of Flocculation Time, Flocculant Dose, and Water Quality
Authors: Pérez Kevin , Toro Norman , Jeldres Matías , Gálvez Edelmira , Robles Pedro , Alvarado Omar , Toledo Pedro G. , Jeldres Ricardo I.
Published: March 2022

The resistance of kaolin aggregates to shearing in water clarification and recovery operations is a critical input in designing thickener feed wells. A recently formulated but already available criterion is used to determine the shear strength of flocculated kaolin aggregates. The flocculant is a high molecular weight anionic polyelectrolyte. The resistance of the aggregates is evaluated as a function of flocculation time, flocculant dosage, and water quality. The determination is based on a standardized experimental method. First, the time evolution of the average size of kaolin flocs is measured when aggregates are exposed to incremental shear rates from a predetermined base value. Then, the results are fitted to a pseudo-first-order model that allows deriving a characteristic value of the shear rate of rupture associated with the upper limit of the strength of the aggregates. In seawater, at a given dose of flocculant, the strength of the aggregates increases with time up to a maximum; however, at longer times, the resistance decreases until it settles at a stable value corresponding to stable aggregates in size and structure. A higher flocculant dosage leads to stronger aggregates due to more bridges between particles and polymers, leading to a more intricate and resistant particle network. In industrial water with very low salt content, the resistance of the kaolin aggregates is higher than in seawater for the same dose of flocculant. The salt weakens the resistance of the aggregates and works against the efficiency of the flocculant. The study should be of practical interest to concentration plants that use seawater in their operations.
Biomimetic Liquid Crystal Cilia and Flagella
Authors: van Raak Roel J. H. , Broer Dirk J.
Published: March 2022

Cilia and flagella are a vital part of many organisms. Protozoa such as paramecia rely on the collective and coordinated beating of tubular cilia or flagella for their transport, while mammals depend on the ciliated linings of their bronchia and female reproductive tracts for the continuity of breathing and reproduction, respectively. Over the years, man has attempted to mimic these natural cilia using synthetic materials such as elastomers doped with magnetic particles or light responsive liquid crystal networks. In this review, we will focus on the progress that has been made in mimicking natural cilia and flagella using liquid crystal polymers. We will discuss the progress that has been made in mimicking natural cilia and flagella with liquid crystal polymers using techniques such as fibre drawing, additive manufacturing, or replica moulding, where we will put additional focus on the emergence of asymmetrical and out-of-plane motions.
Research on Void Dynamics during In Situ Consolidation of CF/High-Performance Thermoplastic Composite
Authors: Song Qinghua , Liu Weiping , Chen Jiping , Zhao Dacheng , Yi Cheng , Liu Ruili , Geng Yi , Yang Yang , Zheng Yizhu , Yuan Yuhui
Published: March 2022

Automated fiber placement (AFP) in situ consolidation of continuous CF/high-performance thermoplastic composite is the key technology for efficient and low-cost manufacturing of large thermoplastic composites. However, the void in the in situ composite is difficult to eliminate because of the high pressure and the short consolidation time; the void content percentage consequently is the important defect that determines the performance of the thermoplastic composite parts. In this paper, based on the two-dimensional Newtonian fluid extrusion flow model, the void dynamics model and boundary conditions were established. The changes of the void content percentage were predicted by the cyclic iteration method. It was found that the void content percentage increased gradually along the direction of the layers’ thickness. With the increasing of the laying speed, the void content percentage increased gradually. With the increasing of the pressure of the roller, the void content percentage gradually decreased. When the AFP speed was 11 m/min and the pressure of the compaction roller reached 2000 N, the void content percentage of the layers fell below 2%. It was verified by the AFP test that the measured results of the layers’ thickness were in good agreement with the predicted results of the model, and the test results of the void content percentage were basically equivalent to the predicted results at different AFP speeds, which indicates that the kinetic model established in this paper is representative to predict the void content percentage. According to the metallographic observation, it was also found that the repeated pressure of the roller was helpful to reduce the void content percentage.
Research on the Prediction Method of the Areas of Fluorine Chemical Pipeline Susceptible to Erosion
Authors: Fang Zhou , Shi Puan , Fu Junjie , Song Ce , Yuan Jun , Deng Jin
Published: March 2022

A prediction method applicable to erosion-prone areas of fluorine chemical pipelines is herein proposed. By summarizing the common working conditions in the fluorine chemical industry, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model for industrial pipelines is established, and three-dimensional numerical calculations of the flow field in the pipelines are carried out to analyze the characteristics of the hydrodynamic parameters and phase distribution in the flow field, as well as the erosion rate distribution in different areas of the pipelines. The areas in the pipeline that are susceptible to erosion are predicted based on the results. The method has universal applicability and has been applied in many large petrochemical companies. It achieves the function of predicting the areas of severe pipeline erosion in a scientifically sound manner. This paper also details the application of the method in a distillation oil and gas pipeline of a large oil and gas company in western China.
Islamic Hermeneutics of Nonviolence: Key Concepts and Methodological Steps
Authors: Mokrani Adnane
Published: March 2022

The article traces the key concepts and methodological steps that make an Islamic theology of nonviolence plausible. It offers the tools for a critical reading of classical texts, “sacred” history, and globalized modernity. The article deals with the theology of nonviolence as part of modern and contemporary theologies: those of religious pluralism, feminism and liberation, which are interconnected and share the same hermeneutical knots and challenges. Nonviolence theology can be considered the big umbrella that includes all these aspects. It is a postcolonial approach, nurtured by Sufism, that aims to liberate theology from past and present power claims and build the bases for radical reform.
Special Issue “Quantitative Risk Assessment in Life, Health and Pension Insurance”
Authors: Bacinello Anna Rita
Published: March 2022

The high volatility in financial markets, together with the ultra-low interest rates environment and the increased expectation of life, constitute serious threats for providers of long-term investment guarantees and lifelong benefits [...]
Assimilation of SMAP Products for Improving Streamflow Simulations over Tropical Climate Region—Is Spatial Information More Important Than Temporal Information?
Authors: Le Manh-Hung , Nguyen Binh Quang , Pham Hung T. , Patil Amol , Do Hong Xuan , Ramsankaran RAAJ , Bolten John D. , Lakshmi Venkataraman
Published: March 2022

Streamflow is one of the key variables in the hydrological cycle. Simulation and forecasting of streamflow are challenging tasks for hydrologists, especially in sparsely gauged areas. Coarse spatial resolution remote sensing soil moisture products (equal to or larger than 9 km) are often assimilated into hydrological models to improve streamflow simulation in large catchments. This study uses the Ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) technique to assimilate SMAP soil moisture products at the coarse spatial resolution of 9 km (SMAP 9 km), and downscaled SMAP soil moisture product at the higher spatial resolution of 1 km (SMAP 1 km), into the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to investigate the usefulness of different spatial and temporal resolutions of remotely sensed soil moisture products in streamflow simulation and forecasting. The experiment was set up for eight catchments across the tropical climate of Vietnam, with varying catchment areas from 267 to 6430 km2 during the period 2017–2019. We comprehensively evaluated the EnKF-based SWAT model in simulating streamflow at low, average, and high flow. Our results indicated that high-spatial resolution of downscaled SMAP 1 km is more beneficial in the data assimilation framework in aiding the accuracy of streamflow simulation, as compared to that of SMAP 9 km, especially for the small catchments. Our analysis on the impact of observation resolution also indicates that the improvement in the streamflow simulation with data assimilation is more significant at catchments where downscaled SMAP 1 km has fewer missing observations. This study is helpful for adding more understanding of performances of soil moisture data assimilation based hydrological modelling over the tropical climate region, and exhibits the potential use of remote sensing data assimilation in hydrology.
Anthropogenic Illumination as Guiding Light for Nocturnal Bird Migrants Identified by Remote Sensing
Authors: Weisshaupt Nadja , Leskinen Matti , Moisseev Dmitri N. , Koistinen Jarmo
Published: March 2022

Migrant birds rely on environmental and celestial cues for navigation and orientation during their journeys. Adverse weather, such as heavy rain or fog, but also thick layers of low-level clouds, affect visibility and can challenge birds’ ability to orientate. Therefore, birds typically favour certain meteorological conditions for migration. Photopollution from artificial lights outdoors and radiated from buildings is known to negatively affect nocturnal migrants’ flight behaviour and trajectories, which may lead to collisions with human infrastructure. Positive effects of artificial light have been identified in some stationary birds, e.g., for extended foraging hours, though not during migration. In the present study, we show the effect of artificial light on the concentration and flight directions of migrating birds during overcast conditions in the peri-urban woodland in Southern Finland. Overcast conditions, by low-level clouds, prompted birds to migrate at low altitudes. Instead of spatially homogenous large-scale migration patterns, birds were observed to adapt their flight directions, in accordance with the artificial lights of the urbanized area. By using dual- and single-polarisation weather radar data we were able to study small-scale patterns of bird movements under the influence of low-level cloud layers. These cases show the remarkable capability of the existing weather radar networks to study bird migration.
Differentiate Soybean Response to Off-Target Dicamba Damage Based on UAV Imagery and Machine Learning
Authors: Vieira Caio Canella , Sarkar Shagor , Tian Fengkai , Zhou Jing , Jarquin Diego , Nguyen Henry T. , Zhou Jianfeng , Chen Pengyin
Published: March 2022

The wide adoption of dicamba-tolerant (DT) soybean has led to numerous cases of off-target dicamba damage to non-DT soybean and dicot crops. This study aimed to develop a method to differentiate soybean response to dicamba using unmanned-aerial-vehicle-based imagery and machine learning models. Soybean lines were visually classified into three classes of injury, i.e., tolerant, moderate, and susceptible to off-target dicamba. A quadcopter with a built-in RGB camera was used to collect images of field plots at a height of 20 m above ground level. Seven image features were extracted for each plot, including canopy coverage, contrast, entropy, green leaf index, hue, saturation, and triangular greenness index. Classification models based on artificial neural network (ANN) and random forest (RF) algorithms were developed to differentiate the three classes of response to dicamba. Significant differences for each feature were observed among classes and no significant differences across fields were observed. The ANN and RF models were able to precisely distinguish tolerant and susceptible lines with an overall accuracy of 0.74 and 0.75, respectively. The imagery-based classification model can be implemented in a breeding program to effectively differentiate phenotypic dicamba response and identify soybean lines with tolerance to off-target dicamba damage.
Temperature and Moisture Sounding Performance of Current and Prospective Microwave Instruments under All-Sky Conditions
Authors: Maddy Eric S. , Bunin Stacy , Mikles Valerie J. , Shahroudi Narges , Shiotani Bungo , Boukabara Sid-Ahmed
Published: March 2022

We provide consistent theoretical and empirical assessments of the major driving factors of the information content and retrieval performance for current and potential future microwave (MW) sounders. For the specific instrument concepts assessed, we find that instrument noise is a major driver, impacting vertical resolution as measured by the degrees of freedom for signal as much as 50%. We also observe diminished performance in the 118 GHz temperature sounding band as compared to the 50–60 GHz band, which is largely due to the increased sensor noise in the assessed 118 GHz sensor for comparable channels—a reduction in the performance gap between 118 GHz and 50 GHz bands can be obtained with a reduction of instrument noise in the 118 GHz temperature sounding channels. As expected, scene-type also significantly impacts the vertical resolution, emphasizing the importance of separating clear, cloudy, rainy, and icy conditions when evaluating instrument performance.
Tropospheric and Surface Nitrogen Dioxide Changes in the Greater Toronto Area during the First Two Years of the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Zhao Xiaoyi , Fioletov Vitali , Alwarda Ramina , Su Yushan , Griffin Debora , Weaver Dan , Strong Kimberly , Cede Alexander , Hanisco Thomas , Tiefengraber Martin , McLinden Chris , Eskes Henk , Davies Jonathan , Ogyu Akira , Sit Reno , Abboud Ihab , Lee Sum Chi
Published: March 2022

We present tropospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2) changes observed by the Canadian Pandora measurement program in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Canada, and compare the results with surface NO2 concentrations measured via in situ instruments to assess the local emission changes during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the City of Toronto, the first lockdown period started on 15 March 2020, and continued until 24 June 2020. ECMWF Reanalysis v5 (ERA-5) wind information was used to facilitate the data analysis and reveal detailed local emission changes from different areas of the City of Toronto. Evaluating seven years of Pandora observations, a clear NO2 reduction was found, especially from the more polluted downtown Toronto and airport areas (e.g., declined by 35% to 40% in 2020 compared to the 5-year mean value from these areas) during the first two years of the pandemic. Compared to the sharp decline in NO2 emissions in 2020, the atmospheric NO2 levels in 2021 started to recover, but are still below the mean values in pre-pandemic time. For some sites, the pre-pandemic NO2 local morning rush hour peak has still not returned in 2021, indicating a change in local traffic and commuter patterns. The long-term (12 years) surface air quality record shows a statistically significant decline in NO2 with and without April to September 2020 observations (trend of −4.1%/yr and −3.9%/yr, respectively). Even considering this long-term negative trend in NO2, the observed NO2 reduction (from both Pandora and in situ) in the early stage of the pandemic is still statistically significant. By implementing the new wind-based validation method, the high-resolution satellite instrument (TROPOMI) can also capture the local NO2 emission pattern changes to a good level of agreement with the ground-based observations. The bias between ground-based and satellite observations during the pandemic was found to have a positive shift (5–12%) than the bias during the pre-pandemic period.
Inter- and Intra-Annual Glacier Elevation Change in High Mountain Asia Region Based on ICESat-1&2 Data Using Elevation-Aspect Bin Analysis Method
Authors: Shen Cong , Jia Li , Ren Shaoting
Published: March 2022

Glaciers are sensitive indicators of climate change and have a significant influence on regional water cycle, human survival and social development. Global warming has led to great changes in glaciers over the High Mountain Asia (HMA) region. Glacier elevation change is a measure of glacier mass balance driven by the processes of energy and mass exchange between the glacier surface and the atmosphere which are influenced by climatic factors and glacier surface properties. In this study, we estimated the inter-annual and intra-annual elevation changes of glaciers in the HMA region in 2003–2020 using Ice, Cloud and land Elevation Satellite (ICESat) data and Shuttle Radar Terrain Mission (SRTM) digital elevation model (DEM) data by developing an “elevation-aspect bin analysis method” that considered the difference of glacier elevation changes in different elevations and aspects of glacier topography. The results showed that: (1) The inter-annual change of glacier elevation in 2003–2020 had large spatial heterogeneity. Glacier elevation reduction mainly occurred in the marginal region of the HMA with the maximum decline in the Nyainqentanglha region, while glacier elevation showed increase in the West Kunlun of inner HMA regions in 2003–2020. The glacier elevation change rate showed an accelerating reduction trend in most of the HMA regions, except in the west HMA where the glacier elevation reduction rate showed slowdown tendency. Specifically, the glacier elevation change rate in the entire HMA was −0.21 ± 0.12 m/year in 2003–2008 and −0.26 ± 0.11 m/year in 2003–2020, respectively. (2) The intra-annual change of HMA glacier elevation in 2019 and 2020 showed obvious spatiotemporal heterogeneity, and the glacier thickening period was gradually delayed from the marginal area to the inner area of the HMA. The glaciers in the western marginal part of the HMA (the Tienshan Mountains, Pamir and Hindu Kush and Spiti Lahaul) and Karakoram thickened in winter or spring, the glaciers in the Nyainqentanglha Mountains exhibited spring accumulation. The glaciers in West Kunlun accumulated in two time periods, i.e., from March to June and from July to September. The glaciers in the Inner Tibetan Plateau and Bhutan and Nepal areas experienced spring or summer accumulation, especially in June or July. Moreover, we found that the inter-annual and intra-annual change of glacier elevation could be explained by the changes in temperature and precipitation. A similar analysis can be extended to mountain glaciers in other regions of the world, and glacier change trends could be further explored over a longer time span with the continuous operation of ICESat-2.
An NDVI Retrieval Method Based on a Double-Attention Recurrent Neural Network for Cloudy Regions
Authors: Jing Ran , Duan Fuzhou , Lu Fengxian , Zhang Miao , Zhao Wenji
Published: March 2022

NDVI is an important parameter for environmental assessment and precision agriculture that well-describes the status of vegetation. Nevertheless, the clouds in optical images often result in the absence of NDVI information at key growth stages. The integration of SAR and optical image features will likely address this issue. Although the mapping of different data sources is complex, the prosperity of deep learning technology provides an alternative approach. In this study, the double-attention RNN architecture based on the recurrent neural network (RNN) and attention mechanism is proposed to retrieve NDVI data of cloudy regions. Overall, the NDVI is retrieved by the proposed model from two aspects: the temporal domain and the pixel neighbor domain. The performance of the double-attention RNN is validated through different cloud coverage conditions, input ablation, and comparative experiments with various methods. The results conclude that a high retrieval accuracy is guaranteed by the proposed model, even under high cloud coverage conditions (R2 = 0.856, RMSE = 0.124). Using SAR images independently results in poor NDVI retrieval results (R2 = 0.728, RMSE = 0.141) with considerable artifacts, which need to be addressed with auxiliary data, such as IDM features. Temporal and pixel neighbor features play an important role in improving the accuracy of NDVI retrieval (R2 = 0.894, RMSE = 0.096). For the missing values of NDVI data caused by cloud coverage, the double-attention RNN proposed in this study provides a potential solution for information recovery.
An Experimental Feasibility Study Evaluating the Adequacy of a Sportswear-Type Wearable for Recording Exercise Intensity
Authors: Marutani Yoshihiro , Konda Shoji , Ogasawara Issei , Yamasaki Keita , Yokoyama Teruki , Maeshima Etsuko , Nakata Ken
Published: March 2022

Sportswear-type wearables with integrated inertial sensors and electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes have been commercially developed. We evaluated the feasibility of using a sportswear-type wearable with integrated inertial sensors and electrocardiogram (ECG) electrodes for evaluating exercise intensity within a controlled laboratory setting. Six male college athletes were asked to wear a sportswear-type wearable while performing a treadmill test that reached up to 20 km/h. The magnitude of the filtered tri-axial acceleration signal, recorded by the inertial sensor, was used to calculate the acceleration index. The R-R intervals of the ECG were used to determine heart rate; the external validity of the heart rate was then evaluated according to oxygen uptake, which is the gold standard for physiological exercise intensity. Single regression analysis between treadmill speed and the acceleration index in each participant showed that the slope of the regression line was significantly greater than zero with a high coefficient of determination (walking, 0.95; jogging, 0.96; running, 0.90). Another single regression analysis between heart rate and oxygen uptake showed that the slope of the regression line was significantly greater than zero, with a high coefficient of determination (0.96). Together, these results indicate that the sportswear-type wearable evaluated in this study is a feasible technology for evaluating physical and physiological exercise intensity across a wide range of physical activities and sport performances.
Ideal Combinations of Acceleration-Based Intensity Metrics and Sensor Positions to Monitor Exercise Intensity under Different Types of Sports
Authors: Chen Wei-Han , Chiang Chun-Wei , Fiolo Nicholas J. , Fuchs Philip X. , Shiang Tzyy-Yuang
Published: March 2022

This study quantified the strength of the relationship between the percentage of heart rate reserve (%HRR) and two acceleration-based intensity metrics (AIMs) at three sensor-positions during three sport types (running, basketball, and badminton) under three intensity conditions (locomotion speeds). Fourteen participants (age: 24.9 ± 2.4 years) wore a chest strap HR monitor and placed three accelerometers at the left wrist (non-dominant), trunk, and right shank, respectively. The %HRR and two different AIMs (Player Load per minute [PL/min] and mean amplitude deviation [MAD]) during exercise were calculated. During running, both AIMs at the shank and PL at the wrist had strong correlations (r = 0.777–0.778) with %HRR; while other combinations were negligible to moderate (r = 0.065–0.451). For basketball, both AIMs at the shank had stronger correlations (r = 0.604–0.628) with %HRR than at wrist (r = 0.536–0.603) and trunk (r = 0.403–0.463) with %HRR. During badminton exercise, both AIMs at shank had stronger correlations (r = 0.782–0.793) with %HRR than those at wrist (r = 0.587–0.621) and MAD at trunk (r = 0.608) and trunk (r = 0.314). Wearing the sensor on the shank is an ideal position for both AIMs to monitor external intensity in running, basketball, and badminton, while the wrist and using PL-derived AIM seems to be the second ideal combination.
Resource Allocation and 3D Deployment of UAVs-Assisted MEC Network with Air-Ground Cooperation
Authors: Huang Jinming , Xu Sijie , Zhang Jun , Wu Yi
Published: March 2022

Equipping an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a mobile edge computing (MEC) server is an interesting technique for assisting terminal devices (TDs) to complete their delay sensitive computing tasks. In this paper, we investigate a UAV-assisted MEC network with air–ground cooperation, where both UAV and ground access point (GAP) have a direct link with TDs and undertake computing tasks cooperatively. We set out to minimize the maximum delay among TDs by optimizing the resource allocation of the system and by three-dimensional (3D) deployment of UAVs. Specifically, we propose an iterative algorithm by jointly optimizing UAV–TD association, UAV horizontal location, UAV vertical location, bandwidth allocation, and task split ratio. However, the overall optimization problem will be a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem, which is hard to deal with. Thus, we adopt successive convex approximation (SCA) and block coordinate descent (BCD) methods to obtain a solution. The simulation results have shown that our proposed algorithm is efficient and has a great performance compared to other benchmark schemes.
Feature Analysis and Extraction for Specific Emitter Identification Based on the Signal Generation Mechanisms of Radar Transmitters
Authors: Liu Yilin , Li Shengyong , Lin Xiaohong , Gong Hui , Li Hongke
Published: March 2022

In this study, a feature analysis and extraction method was proposed for specific emitter identification based on the signal generation mechanisms of radar transmitters. The generation of radar signals by radar transmitters was analyzed theoretically and experimentally. In the analysis, the main source of unintentional modulation in radar signals was identified, and the frequency stabilization of the solid-state frequency source, the nonlinear characteristics of the radio frequency amplifier chain, and the envelope of the pulse front edge were extracted as features for specific emitter identification. Subsequently, these characteristics were verified through simulation. The results revealed that the features extracted by this method exhibit “fingerprint characteristics” and can be used to identify specific radar emitters.
Precoder and Decoder Co-Designs for Radar and Communication Spectrum Sharing
Authors: Cui Yuanhao , Koivunen Visa , Jing Xiaojun
Published: March 2022

The coexistence of radar and communication systems is necessary to facilitate new wireless systems and services due to the shortage of the useful radio spectrum. Moreover, changes in spectrum regulation will be introduced in which the spectrum is allocated in larger chunks and different radio systems need to share the spectrum. For example, 5G NR, LTE and Wi-Fi systems have to share the spectrum with S-band radars. Managing interference is a key task in coexistence scenarios. Cognitive radio and radar technologies facilitate using the spectrum in a flexible manner and sharing channel awareness between the two subsystems. In this paper, we propose a nullspace-based joint precoder–decoder design for coexisting multicarrier radar and multiuser multicarrier communication systems. The maximizing signal interference noise ratio (max-SINR) criterion and interference alignment (IA) constraints are employed in finding the precoder and decoder. By taking advantage of IA theory, a maximum degree of freedom upper bound for the K+1-radar-communication-user interference channel can be achieved. Our simulation studies demonstrate that interference can be practically fully canceled in both communication and radar systems. This leads to improved detection performance in radar and a higher rate in communication subsystems. A significant performance gain over a nullspace-based precoder-only design is also obtained.
Migrants’ Health Policies and Access to Health Care in Portugal within the European Framework
Authors: Casquilho-Martins Inês , Ferreira Soraia
Published: March 2022

Migratory flows have a specific influence in the European and Portuguese demographic context. Societies’ commitment to ensure fundamental rights of all citizens and migrants includes the promotion of health. This study aims to describe migrants’ health policies and access to the health system in Portugal within the European framework. We carried out a mixed methods approach, analyzing health policies in European Union countries and public health key indicators from statistical secondary data collected from Eurostat and Migrant Integration Policy Index. This data was complemented with a survey applied to immigrants living in Portugal. Portugal is a European country known for its favorable immigrant integration policies and has developed access to the health care system. However, our study has shown that greater investment is needed to overcome limitations or social inequalities which inhibit migrants’ access. Additionally, we sought to present a comparative analysis between Portugal and European Union countries, which can contribute to improve health systems within the current crisis.
Application of Protein Toxins as Cell Biological and Pharmacological Tools
Authors: Johannes Ludger
Published: March 2022

Protein toxins from bacteria and plants are a serious threat to human and animal health [...]
Challenges and Requirements in High-Precision Nuclear Astrophysics Experiments
Authors: Gyürky György
Published: March 2022

In the 21th century astronomical observations, as well as astrophysical models, have become impressively precise. For a better understanding of the processes in stellar interiors, the nuclear physics of astrophysical relevance—known as nuclear astrophysics—must aim for similar precision, as such precision is not reached yet in many cases. This concerns both nuclear theory and experiment. In this paper, nuclear astrophysics experiments are put in focus. Through the example of various parameters playing a role in nuclear reaction studies, the difficulties of reaching high precision and the possible solutions are discussed.
Attitude of Health Care Workers and Medical Students towards Vaccination against COVID-19
Authors: Jankowska-Polańska Beata , Sarzyńska Kathie , Czwojdziński Eddie , Świątoniowska-Lonc Natalia , Dudek Krzysztof , Piwowar Agnieszka
Published: March 2022

The role of medical personnel in promoting vaccination and pro-health attitudes seems to be of key importance for protection against COVID-19. The aim of the study was to assess the attitudes of health care workers and students of medical faculties towards preventive vaccinations against COVID-19. A cross-sectional online self-administered survey was conducted among 497 people. The questions concerned attitudes towards vaccination as well as concerns about the side effects of the vaccine and contracting COVID-19. A positive attitude to vaccination was observed in 82% of the respondents. More than 54% respondents were concerned about side effects after COVID-19 vaccination. Medical students under 26 years had a more positive attitude towards COVID-19 vaccination, twice as high as among health care workers OR (95%Cl): 2.20 (1.03–4.66) vs. 4.06 (2.54–6.48), respectively. Students were more concerned than nurses about adverse effects of COVID-19 vaccine 3.8 (3.2–4.1) vs. 3.0 (2.7–3.5) and contracting the virus (1.7 (1.2–2.5) vs. 1.2 (1.0–2.0). Medical students had a more positive attitude toward vaccination than nursing students 4.2 (3.9–4.3) vs. 3.7 (3.3–4.3). In conclusion, predictors of positive attitudes toward vaccination were medical student status and young age.
An Appropriate Genetic Approach for Improving Reproductive Traits in Crossbred Thai–Holstein Cattle under Heat Stress Conditions
Authors: Fathoni Akhmad , Boonkum Wuttigrai , Chankitisakul Vibuntita , Duangjinda Monchai
Published: March 2022

Thailand is a tropical country affected by global climate change and has high temperatures and humidity that cause heat stress in livestock. A temperature–humidity index (THI) is required to assess and evaluate heat stress levels in livestock. One of the livestock types in Thailand experiencing heat stress due to extreme climate change is crossbred dairy cattle. Genetic evaluations of heat tolerance in dairy cattle have been carried out for reproductive traits. Heritability values for reproductive traits are generally low (<0.10) because environmental factors heavily influence them. Consequently, genetic improvement for these traits would be slow compared to production traits. Positive and negative genetic correlations were found between reproductive traits and reproductive traits and yield traits. Several selection methods for reproductive traits have been introduced, i.e., the traditional method, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and genomic selection (GS). GS is the most promising technique and provides accurate results with a high genetic gain. Single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) has higher accuracy than the multi-step equivalent for fertility traits or low-heritability traits.
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES AS AN EFFECTIVE QUALITY MONITORING TOOL OF HIGHER MEDICAL EDUCATION
Authors: DOROKHOVA N.
Published: March 2022

The article, based on the analysis of theoretical literature and own practical experience, characterizes the essence and features of digital technologies as an effective tool for monitoring the quality of higher medical education. There are digital tools that will be effective in any type of monitoring (pedagogical, professional and educational): digital services for questionnaires Google Forms, WebAnketa, Survio and a virtual board Padlet. It was found that digital tools and their content are the information basis for quality management of education at Poltava State Medical University, aimed at obtaining prompt and reliable information about the quality of training of students in educational programs, the conditions for achieving qualitatively new educational results. Monitoring information system based on digital services for questionnaires and feedback, comments, suggestions from students, teachers, stakeholders should become a holistic management tool that will collect, store, process, disseminate information about the activities of PDMU, determine the state of training of higher education and higher education. , as well as evaluate the quality of educational programs.
ANALISA PENGURANGAN KADAR AIR MADU KLANCENG MENGGUNAKAN METODE DEHUMIDIFIKASI
Authors: Sagaf Muhammad , Syakhroni Akhmad , Khoiriyah Nuzulia
Published: March 2022

Madu memiliki kandungan nutrisi yang sangat lengkap yang terdiri dari gula dan enzim kompleks yang memungkinkan terjadinya reaksi biokimia. Penurunan kadar air madu merupakan salah satu cara untuk mencegah terjadinya fermentasi. Pada penelitian ini digunakan metode dehumidifikasi untuk melihat pengaruhnya terhadap penurunan kadar air madu klanceng. Penelitian dilakukan dengan variasi parameter suhu, luas penampang dan waktu terhadap penurunan kadar air madu. Hasil penelitian dianalisa menggunakan regresi linear dan didapat penurunan kadar air sebesar 0,1% untuk setiap kenaikan suhu dehumidifikasi sebesar 1 °C, penurunan kadar air sebesar 0,0083% untuk setiap peningkatan luas penampang sebesar 1 cm2, dan penurunan kadar air sebesar 0,0167% untuk setiap kenaikan waktu proses selama 1 menit.
Influence of Exam Stress on the Development of Stress-Induced Diseases of Cardiovascular System among Students
Authors: Авагимян А.А. , Хачатрян Р.Х. , Оганов Р.Г. , Саррафзадеган Н. , Чернова А.А. , Ивашкина М.Г. , Ионов А.Ю.
Published: March 2022

На сегодняшний день стресс является установленным фактором риска развития сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний, в то время как предотвращение его патогенного воздействия является нерешенной, ургентной проблемой современной превентивной кардиологии, социологии и педагогики. Данная тема активно изучается ведущими научно-исследовательскими центрами, причем как медицинского, так и социального профиля.Данный обзор мировой литературы посвящен именно влиянию экзаменационного стресса на студентов, так как данная группа популяции является более подверженной стрессовым воздействиям. Следовательно, несмотря на то, что уровень заболеваемости среди образованного населения является более низким, среди представителей данной возрастной группы происходит закладка патоморфологических и патофизиологических изменений, которыепри сочетании с другими факторами риска или независимо от них могут стать инициаторами развития различных сердечно-сосудистых заболеваний и осложнений, от субклинического атеросклероза до постинфарктного кардиосклероза, от синусовой тахикардии до стрессиндуцированной кардиомиопатии Такоцубо (болезнь разбитого сердца).

Today, stress is a revealed risk factor of development of cardiovascular diseases, while prevention of its pathogenic effects is unresolved, urgent problem of modern preventive cardiology, which is actively studied by the leading research centers, both medical and social.This review of the world literature is devoted to the impact of exam stress among students, because this population is more susceptible to stress. Consequently, among the representatives of this age group, there are pathomorphological and pathophysiological changes that (when combined with other risk factors or independently) can initiate the development of various cardiovascular complications, from subclinical atherosclerosis to post-infarction cardiosclerosis and stress induced Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (broken heart disease).
Pengaruh Dosis Tepung Biji Sirsak (Annona muricata L.) Terhadap Mortalitas Hama Gudang (Sitophilus oryzae L) Pada Beras Hitam (Oryza sativa L)
Authors: Indra Indra , Budiasih R. , Masnenah Endeh , Ria Elly Roosma
Published: March 2022

Sitophilus oryzae L is a beetle pest that attacks black rice grains during storage, causing the rice to become damaged and reducing the quantity and quality of black rice. One of the efforts to control beetle pests in    black rice storage warehouses is the use of soursop seed flour. The aim of this research to study and obtain the dosage of soursop seed flour which gives the best effect on mortality, the amount of imago, percentage of damage and percentage of weight loss of black rice (Oryza sativa L). The experiment was conducted at the Faculty Of Agriculture of Winaya Mukti, Tanjungsari, Sumedang, in July to September 2020. The experiment used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with six treatments and four replication, consist of : A = 0 g/100 g black rice seeds, B = 2 g/100 g black rice seeds, C = 4 g/100 g black  rice seeds, D = 6 g/100 g black rice seeds, E = 8 g/100 g black rice seeds and F = 10 g/100 g black rice seeds. The results showed that soursop seed flour had a good effect on mortality and the amount of S. oryzae L. imago, percentage of damage, and percentage of weight loss of black rice (O. sativa L).The dose of soursop seed flour 2 g/100 g black rice, effectively  increased mortality, suppressed the amount of imago S. oryzae L. , percentage of damage and percentage of weight loss of black rice (O. sativa L)