bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
18 Years of Medication-Related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw (MRONJ) Research: Where Are We Now?—An Umbrella Review
Authors: Sacco Roberto , Calasans-Maia Monica Diuana , Woolley Julian , Akintola Oladapo , de Almeida Barros Mourão Carlos Fernando , Moraschini Vittorio , Kushnerev Evgeny , Acocella Alessandro , Obisesan Olamide , Yates Julian
Published: September 2021

Background: Osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) is a condition affecting patients exposed to medications used to treat benign and malignant conditions of bone tissue. Many studies have highlighted that ONJ is a severe condition, which is very challenging to manage, especially in individuals with oncologic disease. The aim of this umbrella review is to analyze all available interventional and non-interventional systematic reviews published on medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) and summarize this evidence. Material and methods: A multi-database search (PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL) was performed to identify related multi-language papers published from January 2003 until June 2021. An additional manual search was also performed in systematic review registries (PROSPERO, INPLASY, JBI and OFS) to identify possible missing reviews. Data were extracted from relevant papers and analyzed according to the outcomes selected in this review. Results: The search generated 25 systematic reviews eligible for the analysis. The total number of patients included in the analysis was 80,840. Of the reviews, 64% (n = 16) were non-interventional and 36% (n = 9) were interventional. Study designs included case series 20.50% (n = 140), retrospective cohort studies 12.30% (n = 84) and case reports 12.20% (n = 83). It was unclear what study design was used for 277 studies included in the 25 systematic reviews. Conclusions: The data reviewed confirmed that the knowledge underpinning MRONJ in the last 20 years is still based on weak evidence. This umbrella review highlighted a widespread low-level quality of studies and many poorly designed reviews.
Radiobiological Outcomes, Microdosimetric Evaluations and Monte Carlo Predictions in Eye Proton Therapy
Authors: Petringa Giada , Calvaruso Marco , Conte Valeria , Bláha Pavel , Bravatà Valentina , Cammarata Francesco Paolo , Cuttone Giacomo , Forte Giusi Irma , Keta Otilija , Manti Lorenzo , Minafra Luigi , Petković Vladana , Petrović Ivan , Richiusa Selene , Fira Aleksandra Ristić , Russo Giorgio , Cirrone Giuseppe Antonio Pablo
Published: September 2021

CATANA (Centro di AdroTerapia ed Applicazioni Nucleari Avanzate) was the first Italian protontherapy facility dedicated to the treatment of ocular neoplastic pathologies. It is in operation at the LNS Laboratories of the Italian Institute for Nuclear Physics (INFN-LNS) and to date, 500 patients have been successfully treated. Even though proton therapy has demonstrated success in clinical settings, there is still a need for more accurate models because they are crucial for the estimation of clinically relevant RBE values. Since RBE can vary depending on several physical and biological parameters, there is a clear need for more experimental data to generate predictions. Establishing a database of cell survival experiments is therefore useful to accurately predict the effects of irradiations on both cancerous and normal tissue. The main aim of this work was to compare RBE values obtained from in-vitro experimental data with predictions made by the LEM II (Local Effect Model), Monte Carlo approaches, and semi-empirical models based on LET experimental measurements. For this purpose, the 92.1 uveal melanoma and ARPE-19 cells derived from normal retinal pigmented epithelium were selected and irradiated in the middle of clinical SOBP of the CATANA proton therapy facility. The remarkable results show the potentiality of using microdosimetric spectrum, Monte Carlo simulations and LEM model to predict not only the RBE but also the survival curves.
Autonomous Penetration Testing Based on Improved Deep Q-Network
Authors: Zhou Shicheng , Liu Jingju , Hou Dongdong , Zhong Xiaofeng , Zhang Yue
Published: September 2021

Penetration testing is an effective way to test and evaluate cybersecurity by simulating a cyberattack. However, the traditional methods deeply rely on domain expert knowledge, which requires prohibitive labor and time costs. Autonomous penetration testing is a more efficient and intelligent way to solve this problem. In this paper, we model penetration testing as a Markov decision process problem and use reinforcement learning technology for autonomous penetration testing in large scale networks. We propose an improved deep Q-network (DQN) named NDSPI-DQN to address the sparse reward problem and large action space problem in large-scale scenarios. First, we reasonably integrate five extensions to DQN, including noisy nets, soft Q-learning, dueling architectures, prioritized experience replay, and intrinsic curiosity model to improve the exploration efficiency. Second, we decouple the action and split the estimators of the neural network to calculate two elements of action separately, so as to decrease the action space. Finally, the performance of algorithms is investigated in a range of scenarios. The experiment results demonstrate that our methods have better convergence and scaling performance.
Auxiliary Information-Enhanced Recommendations
Authors: Wang Shoujin , Wan Wanggen , Qu Tong , Dong Yanqiu
Published: September 2021

Sequential recommendations have attracted increasing attention from both academia and industry in recent years. They predict a given user’s next choice of items by mainly modeling the sequential relations over a sequence of the user’s interactions with the items. However, most of the existing sequential recommendation algorithms mainly focus on the sequential dependencies between item IDs within sequences, while ignoring the rich and complex relations embedded in the auxiliary information, such as items’ image information and textual information. Such complex relations can help us better understand users’ preferences towards items, and thus benefit from the recommendations. To bridge this gap, we propose an auxiliary information-enhanced sequential recommendation algorithm called memory fusion network for recommendation (MFN4Rec) to incorporate both items’ image and textual information for sequential recommendations. Accordingly, item IDs, item image information and item textual information are regarded as three modalities. By comprehensively modelling the sequential relations within modalities and interaction relations across modalities, MFN4Rec can learn a more informative representation of users’ preferences for more accurate recommendations. Extensive experiments on two real-world datasets demonstrate the superiority of MFN4Rec over state-of-the-art sequential recommendation algorithms.
HMD-Based VR Tool for Traffic Psychological Examination: Conceptualization and Design Proposition
Authors: Juřík Vojtěch , Linkov Václav , Děcký Petr , Klečková Sára , Chvojková Edita
Published: September 2021

In the present theoretical paper, the current body of knowledge regarding the use of wearable virtual reality (VR) technologies for traffic psychological examination (TPE) is introduced, critically discussed and a specific application is suggested. The combination of wearable head-mounted displays for VR with an interactive and cost-effective haptic driving interface is emphasized as a valid and viable platform for a driving skills psychological assessment, which is in several aspects superior to standard TPE as well as driving simulators. For this purpose, existing psychological examination methods and psychological phenomena relevant in the process of driving are discussed together with VR technology’s properties and options. Special focus is dedicated to situation awareness as a crucial, but currently hardly measurable construct, where VR in combination with embedded eye-tracking (ET) technology represents a promising solution. Furthermore, the suitability and possibilities of these VR tools for valid traffic psychological examination are analyzed and discussed. Additionally, potentially desirable measures for driving assessment based on recent advances of VR are outlined and practical applications are suggested. The aim of this article is to bring together recent advances in TPE, VR and ET; revise previous relevant studies in the field; and to propose concept of the cost effective, mobile and expandable HMD-based driving simulator, which can be suitable for an ecologically valid driving assessment and follow-up TPE in common practice.
A Feedrate-Constraint Method for Continuous Small Line Segments in CNC Machining Based on Nominal Acceleration
Authors: Guo Peng , Wang Ronghua , Shen Zhebin , Zhang Haorong , Zhang Peng , Lou Fei , Li Hengbo , Wu Yijie
Published: September 2021

When the CNC machining of continuous small line segments is performed, the direction of the machine tool movement will change abruptly at the corner of adjacent line segments. Therefore, a reasonable constraint on the feedrate at the corner is the prerequisite for achieving high-speed and high-precision machining. To achieve this goal, a feedrate-constraint method based on the nominal acceleration was proposed. The proposed method obtains the predicted value of acceleration during the machining process by the machining trajectory prediction and acceleration filtering. Then, the feedrate at the corner is constrained, according to the predicted acceleration. Specifically, for any corner of adjacent line segments, the proposed method assumes that the CNC machining of a short path centered on the corner is carried out at a constant feedrate. First, the actual machining trajectory is predicted according to the transfer function of the servo system. Then, the nominal acceleration, when the CNC machining is carried out to the corner, is calculated and processed by a low-pass FIR filter. Last, the feedrate-constraint value at the corner is obtained according to the nominal acceleration and the preset normal acceleration. The advantage of the proposed method is that it can be used for different machining paths consisting of long segments or continuous small segments and it has no special requirement for the accuracy of the machining path. As a result, the feedrate-constraint value obtained is reasonable and the smooth machining process can be ensured. The simulation results in both 2D and 3D machining paths show that the proposed method is insensitive to the length of the line segment and the angle of the corner, and the calculated feedrate-constraint value is close to the theoretical value, which has good stability and versatility. In contrast, the feedrate-constraint values obtained by conventional methods change abruptly along the machining path, especially in the 3D simulation, which will damage the machining quality. The experiment was performed on a three-axis CNC machine tool controlled by a self-developed controller, and a free-form surface workpiece was machined by a conventional feedrate-constraint method and the proposed method, respectively. The experimental results showed that the proposed method can make the feedrate of the machining process higher and more stable. Then, machining defects such as overcutting and undercutting can be avoided and the machining quality can be improved. Therefore, the article proposes a new method to constrain the feedrate at the corner of continuous small line segments, which can improve the machining efficiency and quality of the CNC machining.
Optimizing Non-Glare Zone Width of Adaptive Driving Beam (ADB) Using Fuzzy Logic Control
Authors: Chen Yihong , Ahmadi Arash , Ahamed Mohammed Jalal
Published: September 2021

Adaptive driving beam (ADB) is an advanced vehicle forward-lighting system that automatically adapts its beam patterns to create a non-glare zone around vehicles, providing good long-range visibility for the driver without causing an uncomfortable glare for other road users. The performance of the ADB system is affected by the non-glare zone width. A narrow non-glare zone could create indirect glare in the side rearview mirrors of preceding vehicles during sharp turns while widening it results in poor road illumination. This research studies the trade-off relationship between glare and road illumination when altering the width of the non-glare zone in different driving scenarios. The study is conducted by using virtual driving simulation tools to simulate an ADB vehicle on four S-curve roads with minimum curvatures varying from 25 m to 100 m. Lux data are collected and processed using a fuzzy logic controller to mimic a human test driver to find the best non-glare zone width for balancing the trade-off. The research developed a design methodology allowing for a better understanding of the effect adjusting the width of the ADB non-glare zone has on ADB performance and improved ADB non-glare zone width optimum control system design.
Extraction of Aloesin from Aloe vera Rind Using Alternative Green Solvents: Process Optimization and Biological Activity Assessment
Authors: Añibarro-Ortega Mikel , Pinela José , Ćirić Ana , Lopes Elsa , Molina Adriana K. , Calhelha Ricardo C. , Soković Marina , Ferreira Olga , Ferreira Isabel C. F. R. , Barros Lillian
Published: September 2021

Aloesin is an aromatic chromone with increasing applications in the cosmetic and health food industries. To optimize its extraction from the Aloe vera leaf rind, the independent variables time (10–210 min), temperature (25–95 °C) and organic solvent composition (0–100%, w/w) were combined in a central composite design coupled with response surface methodology. The solvents consisted of binary mixtures of water with ethanol, propylene glycol, or glycerol. The aloesin levels quantified in each extract were used as response for optimization. The theoretical models were fitted to the experimental data, statistically validated, and used to obtain the optimal extraction conditions. Then, a dose–response analysis of the solid/liquid ratio (S/L) was performed under the optimal conditions determined for each alcohol–water system and revealed that a linear improvement in extraction efficiency can be achieved by increasing the S/L ratio by up to 40 g/L. This analysis also allowed to experimentally validate the predictive models. Furthermore, the aloesin-rich extracts revealed antioxidant activity through thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) formation inhibition, antimicrobial effects against bacterial and fungal strains, and no toxicity for PLP2 cells. Overall, this study provided optimal extraction conditions for the recovery of aloesin from Aloe vera rind through an eco-friendly extraction process and highlighted its bioactive potential.
Long-Term Pharmacokinetics of Dalbavancin in ABSSSI and Osteoarticular Settings: A Real-Life Outpatient Context
Authors: De Nicolò Amedeo , Stroffolini Giacomo , Antonucci Miriam , Mula Jacopo , De Vivo Elisa Delia , Cusato Jessica , Palermiti Alice , Cariti Giuseppe , Di Perri Giovanni , Corcione Silvia , De Rosa Francesco Giuseppe , D’Avolio Antonio
Published: September 2021

Dalbavancin is a lipoglycopeptide approved for treatment of Gram-positive infections of skin and skin-associated structures (ABSSSI). Currently, off-label use at high dosages for osteoarticular infections deserves attention. This work aimed to study the long-term plasma pharmacokinetics of dalbavancin in outpatients with ABSSSI or osteoarticular infections, treated either with one or two 1500 mg doses of dalbavancin. A liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method was used to measure total dalbavancin concentrations in plasma samples. The results were analyzed through a non-compartmental analysis (NCA). Breakpoint minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was used to calculate AUC/MIC and T > MIC parameters, adjusted by 93% protein binding. A total of 14 patients were enrolled, 11 with osteoarticular infection and 3 with ABSSSI. Long-term pharmacokinetics showed median T > MIC (0.125 mg/L) of 11.9 and 13.7 weeks for single and dual dose, respectively. Similarly, median AUC0-2w/MIC ratios of 20,590 and 31,366 were observed for single and dual dose regimens, respectively. No adverse events were observed, and treatment success was achieved in 12/14 patients. Failure was associated with the worst clinical conditions, bone infections, and single dose. The results of this study show that dalbavancin exposure exceeds previously suggested pharmacodynamic targets. Optimization of these targets is needed for the osteoarticular setting.
Chronic Lithium Treatment Affects Anxious Behaviors and theExpression of Serotonergic Genes in Midbrain Raphe Nuclei of Defeated Male Mice
Authors: Smagin Dmitry A. , Kovalenko Irina L. , Galyamina Anna G. , Belozertseva Irina V. , Tamkovich Nikolay V. , Baranov Konstantin O. , Kudryavtseva Natalia N.
Published: September 2021

There is experimental evidence that chronic social defeat stress is accompanied by the development of an anxiety, development of a depression-like state, and downregulation of serotonergic genes in midbrain raphe nuclei of male mice. Our study was aimed at investigating the effects of chronic lithium chloride (LiCl) administration on anxiety behavior and the expression of serotonergic genes in midbrain raphe nuclei of the affected mice. A pronounced anxiety-like state in male mice was induced by chronic social defeat stress in daily agonistic interactions. After 6 days of this stress, defeated mice were chronically treated with saline or LiCl (100 mg/kg, i.p., 2 weeks) during the continuing agonistic interactions. Anxiety was assessed by behavioral tests. RT-PCR was used to determine Tph2, Htr1a, Htr5b, and Slc6a4 mRNA expression. The results revealed anxiolytic-like effects of LiCl on social communication in the partition test and anxiogenic-like effects in both elevated plus-maze and social interaction tests. Chronic LiCl treatment upregulated serotonergic genes in midbrain raphe nuclei. Thus, LiCl effects depend on the treatment mode, psycho-emotional state of the animal, and experimental context (tests). It is assumed that increased expression of serotonergic genes is accompanied by serotonergic system activation and, as a side effect, by higher anxiety.
Liquid Biopsy for EGFR Mutation Analysis in Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients: Thoughts Drawn from a Real-Life Experience
Authors: Ulivi Paola , Petracci Elisabetta , Canale Matteo , Priano Ilaria , Capelli Laura , Calistri Daniele , Chiadini Elisa , Cravero Paola , Rossi Alice , Delmonte Angelo , Crinò Lucio , Bronte Giuseppe
Published: September 2021

Background: Liquid biopsy analysis for EGFR detection in cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from NSCLC patients has become routine. The aim of this study was to explore its applicability in clinical practice. Methods: We collected data of EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with liquid biopsy analysis. Data included test timing, concomitant tissue re-biopsy, therapy change, histology, stage, smoking habits, gender and age. All analyses were performed via a real-time PCR method to analyze EGFR mutations at exons 18, 19, 20 and 21. Variant allele frequency was performed for patients with available sequential EGFR mutation analysis in cfDNA. Overall survival was analyzed through the Kaplan–Meier method. We designed flow charts to show the real-life application of liquid biopsy. Results: We found that liquid biopsy is used in treatment-naïve patients as an alternative to EGFR detection in tumor tissue, and in patients with positive or negative EGFR from tumor biopsy. The majority of liquid biopsy analyses were performed in NSCLC patients who were disease progressive during TKI therapy. The presence of EGFR mutation in cfDNA was associated with a worse prognosis. In two patients, VAF of EGFR mutations in cfDNA was concordant with tumor volume changes. Conclusion: These findings suggest that liquid biopsy for EGFR detection can continue to be useful.
Robert’s Intragastric Alcohol-Induced Gastric Lesion Model as an Escalated General Peripheral and Central Syndrome, Counteracted by the Stable Gastric Pentadecapeptide BPC 157
Authors: Gojkovic Slaven , Krezic Ivan , Vranes Hrvoje , Zizek Helena , Drmic Domagoj , Batelja Vuletic Lovorka , Milavic Marija , Sikiric Suncana , Stilinovic Irma , Simeon Paris , Knezevic Mario , Kolak Toni , Tepes Marijan , Simonji Karol , Strbe Sanja , Nikolac Gabaj Nora , Barisic Ivan , Oreskovic Emma Grace , Lovric Eva , Kokot Antonio , Skrtic Anita , Boban Blagaic Alenka , Seiwerth Sven , Sikiric Predrag
Published: September 2021

We redefined Robert’s prototypical cytoprotection model, namely the intragastric administration of 96% alcohol in order to generate a general peripheral and central syndrome similar to that which occurs when major central or peripheral veins are occluded in animal models. With this redefinition, we used Robert’s model to examine the cytoprotective effects of the stable gastric pentadecapeptide BPC 157. The intragastric administration of alcohol induced gastric lesions, intracranial (superior sagittal sinus) hypertension, severe brain swelling and lesions, portal and vena caval hypertension, aortal hypotension, severe thrombosis, inferior vena cava and superior mesenteric vein congestion, azygos vein failure (as a failed collateral pathway), electrocardiogram disturbances, and heart, lung, liver and kidney lesions. The use of BPC 157 therapy (10 µg/kg or 10 ng/kg given intraperitoneally 1 min after alcohol) counteracted these deficits rapidly. Specifically, BPC 157 reversed brain swelling and superior mesenteric vein and inferior vena caval congestion, and helped the azygos vein to recover, which improved the collateral blood flow pathway. Microscopically, BPC 157 counteracted brain (i.e., intracerebral hemorrhage with degenerative changes of cerebral and cerebellar neurons), heart (acute subendocardial infarct), lung (parenchymal hemorrhage), liver (congestion), kidney (congestion) and gastrointestinal (epithelium loss, hemorrhagic gastritis) lesions. In addition, this may have taken place along with the activation of specific molecular pathways. In conclusion, these findings clarify and extend the theory of cytoprotection, offer an approach to its practical application, and establish BPC 157 as a prospective cytoprotective treatment.
The 24-h Movement Compositions in Weekday, Weekend Day or Four-Day Periods Differentially Associate with Fundamental Movement Skills
Authors: Roscoe Clare M. P. , Duncan Michael J. , Clark Cain C. T.
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between weekday, weekend day and four-day physical activity (PA) behaviours and fundamental movement skills (FMS) in British preschool children from a low socio-economic status background using compositional data analysis (CoDA). One hundred and eighty-five preschool children aged 3–4 years provided objectively assessed PA and sedentary behaviour (SB) data (GENEActiv accelerometer) and FMS (TGMD-2). The association of 24-h movement behaviours with FMS was explored using CoDA and isotemporal substitution (R Core Team, 3.6.1). When data were considered compositionally (SB, light PA (LPA), moderate and vigorous PA (MVPA)) and adjusted for age, BMI and sex, the weekday-derived composition predicted total motor competence (r2 = 0.07), locomotor (r2 = 0.08) and object control skills (r2 = 0.09); the weekend day-derived composition predicted total motor competence (r2 = 0.03) and object control skills (r2 = 0.03), the 4-day-derived composition predicted total motor competence (r2 = 0.07), locomotor (r2 = 0.07) and object control skills (r2 = 0.06) (all p < 0.05). Reallocation of 5 min of LPA at the expense of any behaviour was associated with significant improvements in total motor competence, locomotor and object control skills; for weekend-derived behaviours, MVPA was preferential. Considering movement behaviours over different time periods is required to better understand the effect of the 24-h movement composition on FMS in preschool children.
Parents and Peers in Child and Adolescent Development: Preface to the Special Issue on Additive, Multiplicative, and Transactional Mechanisms
Authors: Harrist Amanda W. , Criss Michael M.
Published: September 2021

Parents and peers play critical roles in the socialization of children and adolescents, yet investigations on the role played by parents vs. peers have been largely separate for many years. To address this problem, we invited leading scholars in the field to collectively tell a complex story of the part that parents and peers together play in the development of children and adolescents. The resulting Special Issue is a collection of papers highlighting current conceptualizations and empirical work in this area, with a focus on additive, multiplicative, and transactional mechanisms that link parent and peer relational contexts to each other and to child/adolescent social and emotional development. Two papers present new conceptual models, six illustrate empirical work in the field, and one paper that provides a comprehensive review of the literature. The stories that are conveyed in the issue are both innovative and complex.
Head Growth and Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants with Surgical Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Spontaneous Intestinal Perforation
Authors: Shin Seung-Han , Kim Ee-Kyung , Kim Seh-Hyun , Kim Hyun-Young , Kim Han-Suk
Published: September 2021

Spontaneous intestinal perforation (SIP) and surgical necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) are intestinal conditions requiring surgical intervention in preterm infants. We aimed to compare the head growth and neurodevelopment of preterm infants with SIP and surgical NEC. A retrospective single-center study was performed in preterm infants born at less than 32 weeks of gestation and who had undergone surgery for NEC or SIP. Data from the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development 3rd Edition (Bayley-III) at 24 months of corrected age (CA) and the Korean Ages and Stages Questionnaire (K-ASQ) or Korean Developmental Screening Test (K-DST) at 36 months were collected. Among 82 eligible infants, 60 infants had surgical NEC, and 22 infants were diagnosed with SIP. Head growth was faster until CA 4 months in preterm infants with SIP than in those with surgical NEC. At 36 months, abnormal findings in the K-ASQ or K-DST were more prevalent in the NEC group than in the SIP group in the gross motor (48.2% vs. 0%, p = 0.015), fine motor (40.7% vs. 0%, p = 0.037), cognitive (55.6% vs. 12.5%, p = 0.047), and social domains (44.4% vs. 0%, p = 0.032). More studies evaluating the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm infants with surgical NEC and SIP are required.
Hybrid Hydrogen–PV–e-Mobility Industrial Energy Community Concept—A Technology Feasibility Study
Authors: Vokony Istvan
Published: September 2021

As renewable energy sources are spreading, the problems of energy usage, transport and storage arise more frequently. In order that the performance of energy producing units from renewable sources, which have a relatively low efficiency, should not be decreased further, and to promote sustainable energy consumption solutions, a living lab conception was elaborated in this project. At the pilot site, the produced energy (by PV panels, gas turbines/engines) is stored in numerous ways, including hydrogen production. The following uses of hydrogen are explored: (i) feeding it into the national natural gas network; (ii) selling it at a H-CNG (compressed natural gas) filling station; (iii) using it in fuel cells to produce electricity. This article introduces the overall implementation plan, which can serve as a model for the hybrid energy communities to be established in the future.
Expanded Microchannel Heat Exchanger: Finite Difference Modeling
Authors: Denkenberger David , Pearce Joshua , Brandemuehl Michael , Alverts Mitchell , Zhai John
Published: September 2021

A finite difference model of a heat exchanger (HX) considered maldistribution, axial conduction, heat leak, and the edge effect, all of which are needed to model a high effectiveness HX. An HX prototype was developed, and channel height data were obtained using a computerized tomography (CT) scan from previous work along with experimental results. This study used the core geometry data to model results with the finite difference model, and compared the modeled and experimental results to help improve the expanded microchannel HX (EMHX) prototype design. The root mean square (RMS) error was 3.8%. Manifold geometries were not put into the model because the data were not available, so impacts of the manifold were investigated by varying the temperature conditions at the inlet and exit of the core. Previous studies have not considered the influence of heat transfer in the manifold on the HX effectiveness when maldistribution is present. With no flow maldistribution, manifold heat transfer increases overall effectiveness roughly as would be expected by the greater heat transfer area in the manifolds. Manifold heat transfer coupled with flow maldistribution for the prototype, however, causes a decrease in the effectiveness at high flow rate, and an increase in effectiveness at low flow rate.
Fake News Data Exploration and Analytics
Authors: Awan Mazhar Javed , Yasin Awais , Nobanee Haitham , Ali Ahmed Abid , Shahzad Zain , Nabeel Muhammad , Zain Azlan Mohd , Shahzad Hafiz Muhammad Faisal
Published: September 2021

Before the internet, people acquired their news from the radio, television, and newspapers. With the internet, the news moved online, and suddenly, anyone could post information on websites such as Facebook and Twitter. The spread of fake news has also increased with social media. It has become one of the most significant issues of this century. People use the method of fake news to pollute the reputation of a well-reputed organization for their benefit. The most important reason for such a project is to frame a device to examine the language designs that describe fake and right news through machine learning. This paper proposes models of machine learning that can successfully detect fake news. These models identify which news is real or fake and specify the accuracy of said news, even in a complex environment. After data-preprocessing and exploration, we applied three machine learning models; random forest classifier, logistic regression, and term frequency-inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) vectorizer. The accuracy of the TFIDF vectorizer, logistic regression, random forest classifier, and decision tree classifier models was approximately 99.52%, 98.63%, 99.63%, and 99.68%, respectively. Machine learning models can be considered a great choice to find reality-based results and applied to other unstructured data for various sentiment analysis applications.
Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. Fruits: Chromatographic Analysis of Seasonal and Geographical Variation in Bioactive Compounds
Authors: Vilkickyte Gabriele , Raudone Lina
Published: September 2021

Vaccinium vitis-idaea L. (lingonberry) fruits are promising sources of bioactive components with high potential in biomedical applications. Selection in plant breeding, determination of perspective wild clones with optimal growing conditions, and appropriate harvesting time leading to standardized extracts are key factors for achieving phytochemical quality to meet consumer’s needs. In the present study, lingonberry fruits collected along different phenological stages and from different geographical locations were analyzed for the composition of 56 constituents using validated chromatographic techniques. Early stages of lingonberries vegetation were determined as the best stages for obtaining high levels of most phenolics and triterpenoids, while the end of berry vegetation could be chosen as the optimal harvesting time in terms of anthocyanins. Furthermore, intensified continuous biosynthesis of triterpenoids and phenolic acids precursors after vegetation season in the winter sample was observed. Chemodiversity of lingonberries was affected by geographical factors as well as climatic and edaphic conditions, indicating different favorable growing conditions for the accumulation of particular compounds. Present findings could serve for breeders to obtain the highest yields of desirable lingonberry constituents, relevant in food and pharmaceutical industries.
Analysis of Food Safety Management Systems in the Beef Meat Processing and Distribution Chain in Uganda
Authors: Jeffer Siya Balaam , Kassem Issmat I. , Kharroubi Samer A. , Abebe Gumataw Kifle
Published: September 2021

Meat production is an essential component in food security and the economy in Uganda. However, food safety concerns pose a challenge to public health in Uganda and impede access to regional and global markets. Here, food safety management (FSM) practices in the Ugandan beef supply chain were evaluated. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in major slaughterhouses (n = 3), butcher shops (n = 184), and supermarkets (n = 25) in Uganda’s capital, Kampala. The three slaughterhouses had low scores in core control and assurance activities of FSM. Packaging interventions were weak in all the slaughterhouses, while only one slaughterhouse had a functional cooling facility. Supermarkets implemented better hygienic and preventative practices in comparison to butcher shops. However, both sourced from slaughterhouses that had low-to-poor hygiene practices, which weakened the efforts implemented in the supermarkets. Furthermore, most butcher shops did not offer training to meat handlers on HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point)-based practices. The low food safety performance in the supply chain was primarily attributed to poor sanitation, hygiene, and handling practices. Therefore, HACCP-based training and robust preventive, intervention, and monitoring systems are needed in the Ugandan beef supply chain to benefit public health and increase competitiveness.
Effect of High Hydrostatic Pressure Processing on the Anthocyanins Content, Antioxidant Activity, Sensorial Acceptance and Stability of Jussara (Euterpe edulis) Juice
Authors: de Oliveira Andressa Alves , Torres Alexandre Guedes , Perrone Daniel , Monteiro Mariana
Published: September 2021

Jussara (Euterpe edulis) fruit is a strong candidate for exportation due to its high content of anthocyanins. However, its rapid perishability impairs its potential for further economic exploration, highlighting the relevance of producing ready-to-drink juices by applying innovative processing, such as high hydrostatic pressure (HHP). The effect of HHP (200, 350, and 500 MPa for 5, 7.5, and 10 min) on anthocyanins content and antioxidant activity (AA) by FRAP and TEAC assays, and the most effective HHP condition on overall sensory acceptance and stability of jussara juice, were investigated. While mild pressurization (200 MPa for 5 min) retained anthocyanins and AA, 82% of anthocyanins content and 46% of TEAC values were lost at the most extreme pressurization condition (500 MPa for 10 min). The addition of 12.5% sucrose was the ideal for jussara juice consumer acceptance. No significant difference was observed for overall sensory acceptance scores of unprocessed (6.7) and HHP-processed juices (6.8), both juices being well-accepted. However, pressurization was ineffective in promoting the retention of anthocyanins and AA in jussara juice stored at refrigeration temperature for 60 days, probably due to enzymatic browning.
Sargahydroquinoic Acid Suppresses Hyperpigmentation by cAMP and ERK1/2-Mediated Downregulation of MITF in α-MSH-Stimulated B16F10 Cells
Authors: Azam Mohammed Shariful , Kim Jae-Il , Choi Chang Geun , Choi Jinkyung , Lee Bonggi , Kim Hyeung-Rak
Published: September 2021

Hyperpigmentation diseases of the skin require topical treatment with depigmenting agents. We investigated the hypopigmented mechanisms of sargahydroquinoic acid (SHQA) in alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-stimulated B16F10 cells. SHQA reduced cellular tyrosinase (TYR) activity and melanin content in a concentration-dependent manner and attenuated the expression of TYR and tyrosinase-related protein 1 (TRP1), along with their transcriptional regulator, microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF). SHQA also suppressed α-MSH-induced cellular production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), which inhibited protein kinase A (PKA)-dependent cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB) activation. Docking simulation data showed a potential binding affinity of SHQA to the regulatory subunit RIIβ of PKA, which may also adversely affect PKA and CREB activation. Moreover, SHQA activated ERK1/2 signaling in B16F10 cells, stimulating the proteasomal degradation of MITF. These data suggest that SHQA ameliorated hyperpigmentation in α-MSH-stimulated B16F10 cells by downregulating MITF via PKA inactivation and ERK1/2 phosphorylation, indicating that SHQA is a potent therapeutic agent against skin hyperpigmentation disorders.
Impact of Gluten-Free Sorghum Bread Genotypes on Glycemic and Antioxidant Responses in Healthy Adults
Authors: dos Reis Gallo Lorenza Rodrigues , Reis Caio Eduardo Gonçalves , Mendonça Márcio Antônio , da Silva Vera Sônia Nunes , Pacheco Maria Teresa Bertoldo , Botelho Raquel Braz Assunção
Published: September 2021

Sorghum is used to provide good quality gluten-free products due to phytochemicals and low glycemic index (GI). This study aimed to determine the chemical composition, the antioxidant activity and capacity, and the glycemic and insulinemic responses of gluten-free (GF) sorghum bread. GF bread samples were produced with three different sorghum genotypes. The samples were analyzed for chemical composition, resistant starch and dietary fiber content; antioxidant activity by ORAC; antioxidant capacity by FRAP; GI; and insulinemic responses. This double-blind, crossover, randomized clinical trial was conducted with 10 healthy men aged 28.0 ± 4.9 years (77.6 ± 11.7 kg and 24.2 ± 2.3 kg/m2). All sorghum bread showed significantly more fiber than rice bread (control). Brown sorghum bread was classified as low GI, bronze and white as medium GI, and control as high GI. Brown sorghum bread presented a low carbohydrate content, a significant amount of fiber, and a significantly lower 3 h AUC glucose response than those of the control, aside from the highest antioxidant activity value (p ≤ 0.001). Therefore, brown sorghum was superior to other genotypes analyzed in this study, and its production should be encouraged to provide gluten-free products with a better nutritional profile. More research is required to explore the effects of different sorghum genotypes in food products on human health.
The Evolutionary Relevance of Social Learning and Transmission in Non-Social Arthropods with a Focus on Oviposition-Related Behaviors
Authors: Nieberding Caroline M. , Marcantonio Matteo , Voda Raluca , Enriquez Thomas , Visser Bertanne
Published: September 2021

Research on social learning has centered around vertebrates, but evidence is accumulating that small-brained, non-social arthropods also learn from others. Social learning can lead to social inheritance when socially acquired behaviors are transmitted to subsequent generations. Using oviposition site selection, a critical behavior for most arthropods, as an example, we first highlight the complementarities between social and classical genetic inheritance. We then discuss the relevance of studying social learning and transmission in non-social arthropods and document known cases in the literature, including examples of social learning from con- and hetero-specifics. We further highlight under which conditions social learning can be adaptive or not. We conclude that non-social arthropods and the study of oviposition behavior offer unparalleled opportunities to unravel the importance of social learning and inheritance for animal evolution.
A Systematic Review of Artificial Intelligence Public Datasets for Railway Applications
Authors: Pappaterra Mauro José , Flammini Francesco , Vittorini Valeria , Bešinović Nikola
Published: September 2021

The aim of this paper is to review existing publicly available and open artificial intelligence (AI) oriented datasets in different domains and subdomains of the railway sector. The contribution of this paper is an overview of AI-oriented railway data published under Creative Commons (CC) or any other copyright type that entails public availability and freedom of use. These data are of great value for open research and publications related to the application of AI in the railway sector. This paper includes insights on the public railway data: we distinguish different subdomains, including maintenance and inspection, traffic planning and management, safety and security and type of data including numerical, string, image and other. The datasets reviewed cover the last three decades, from January 1990 to January 2021. The study revealed that the number of open datasets is very small in comparison with the available literature related to AI applications in the railway industry. Another shortcoming is the lack of documentation and metadata on public datasets, including information related to missing data, collection schemes and other limitations. This study also presents quantitative data, such as the number of available open datasets divided by railway application, type of data and year of publication. This review also reveals that there are openly available APIs—maintained by government organizations and train operating companies (TOCs)—that can be of great use for data harvesting and can facilitate the creation of large public datasets. These data are usually well-curated real-time data that can greatly contribute to the accuracy of AI models. Furthermore, we conclude that the extension of AI applications in the railway sector merits a centralized hub for publicly available datasets and open APIs.
A Fully Remote Diagnostic and Treatment Pathway in Patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Single Centre Experience
Authors: Bikov Andras , Khalil Safia , Gibbons Meg , Bentley Andrew , Jones David , Bokhari Saba
Published: September 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic led to significant delays in the diagnostic and management pathway of patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA). During the first wave of COVID-19, our department adopted a fully remote diagnostic (home cardiorespiratory polygraphy) and treatment (autoset continuous positive airway pressure, CPAP) approach. As a novel mode of service delivery, our aim was to evaluate our pathway and analyse factors associated with adherence to CPAP. We analysed the first 300 patients (51 ± 13 years, 48% men) who were set up on remote CPAP between 20 May 2020 and 11 September 2020. The associations between CPAP usage at 90 days and age, gender, body mass index, disease severity, Epworth Sleepiness Scale and comorbidities were investigated with linear and logistic regression analyses. A total of 124 patients (41.3%) were fully-adherent to CPAP therapy, defined as CPAP usage ≥ 4 h on ≥ 70% of the days. Only driving status was associated with adherence to CPAP. Patients who were adherent at 28 days were more likely to stay adherent at 90 days (3.77 odd ratio /3.10–4.45/ 95% confidence interval). We have shown that a fully remote diagnostic and treatment pathway for patients with OSA can be successfully delivered, and our preliminary outcomes of adherence to CPAP are comparable with published data.
Endovascular Use of Cyanoacrylate-Lipiodol Mixture for Peripheral Embolization: Properties, Techniques, Pitfalls, and Applications
Authors: Comby Pierre-Olivier , Guillen Kévin , Chevallier Olivier , Lenfant Marc , Pellegrinelli Julie , Falvo Nicolas , Midulla Marco , Loffroy Romaric
Published: September 2021

Endovascular embolization agents are particles and fluids that can be released into the bloodstream through a catheter to mechanically and/or biologically occlude a target vessel, either temporarily or permanently. Vascular embolization agents are available as solids, liquids, and suspensions. Although liquid adhesives (glues) have been used as embolic agents for decades, experience with them for peripheral applications is generally limited. Cyanoacrylates are the main liquid adhesives used for endovascular interventions and have a major role in managing vascular abnormalities, bleeding, and many vascular diseases. They can only be injected as a mixture with ethiodized oil, which provides radiopacity and modulates the polymerization rate. This review describes the characteristics, properties, mechanisms of action, modalities of use, and indications of the cyanoacrylate-Lipiodol® combination for peripheral embolization.
Mortality, Risk Factors and Risk Assessment after Periprosthetic Femoral Fractures—A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: El Khassawna Thaqif , Knapp Gero , Scheibler Nadja , Malhan Deeksha , Walter Nike , Biehl Christoph , Alt Volker , Heiss Christian , Rupp Markus
Published: September 2021

Periprosthetic femoral fracture (PFF) is a devastating complication. Here, the authors aimed to determine the influence of the timing of surgery as a risk factor for mortality and poor postoperative outcome in patients suffering from PFF. A retrospective descriptive analysis of patients treated for PFF between January 2010 and March 2018 was performed. In addition to patient and treatment characteristics, we assessed mortality rates and postoperative functional outcome by using the Harris Hip and WOMAC score. One-year mortality after PFF was 10.7%. Delayed surgery after 48 h did not negatively influence mortality after PFF. The postoperative hospital stay did not influence the mortality rate, nor did it correlate with medical scores of comorbidities, general health or functionalities. Cementation of stem correlated negatively with the WOMAC score. Deceased patients had a higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) score, while American society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) scores did not show a significant difference. There were no differences between ORIF and revision arthroplasty. In conclusion, delayed surgery after 48 h does not negatively influence mortality after PFF. The CCI seems to be a suitable tool to assess patients’ risk for increased mortality after PFF, while the usually used ASA score is not able to achieve a relevant risk assessment.
The North Equatorial Countercurrent East of the Dateline, Its Variations and Its Relationship to the El Niño Event
Authors: Wijaya Yusuf Jati , Wisha Ulung Jantama , Hisaki Yukiharu
Published: September 2021

Using forty years (1978–2017) of Ocean Reanalysis System 4 (ORAS4) dataset, the purpose of this study is to investigate the fluctuation of the North Equatorial Countercurrent (NECC) to the east of the dateline in relation to the presence of three kinds of El Niño events. From spring (MAM) through summer (JJA), we found that the NECC was stronger during the Eastern Pacific El Niño (EP El Niño) and the MIX El Niño than during the Central Pacific El Niño (CP El Niño). When it comes to winter (DJF), on the other hand, the NECC was stronger during the CP and MIX El Niño and weaker during the EP El Niño. This NECC variability was affected by the fluctuations of thermocline depth near the equatorial Pacific. Moreover, we also found that the seasonal southward shift of the NECC occurred between winter and spring, but the shift was absent during the CP and MIX El Niño events. This meridional shift was strongly affected by the local wind stress.