bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Colon Cancer Pharmacogenetics: A Narrative Review
Authors: Alfaro Alfaro Álvaro Esteban , Murillo Castillo Brayan , Cordero García Eugenia , Tascón Javier , Morales Ana I.
Published: August 2022

Currently, metastatic colon cancer is treated with monotherapeutic regimens such as folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX), capecitabine and oxaliplatin (CapeOX), and leucovorin, fluorouracil, and irinotecan hydrochloride (FOLFIRI). Other treatments include biological therapies and immunotherapy with drugs such as bevacizumab, panitumumab, cetuximab, and pembrolizumab. After the research, it was found that some mutations make those treatments not as effective in all patients. In this bibliographic review, we investigated the pharmacogenetic explanations for how mutations in the genes coding for rat sarcoma virus (RAS) and rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (RAF) reduce the effectiveness of these treatments and allow the continued proliferation of tumors. Furthermore, we note that patients with mutations in the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPDY) gene usually require lower doses of therapies such as 5-fluorouracyl (5-FU) and capecitabine to avoid severe adverse effects. Some other mutations in the thymidylate synthase gene (TSYM), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase gene (MTHFR), and ATP binding cassette transporter B (ABCB1 and ABCB2) affect efficacy and security of the treatments. It is important to address the clinical implication of the oncologist in the study of gene mutations than can influence in the antitumoral response and safety of colon cancer treatments.
Drug Utilization and Potential Drug-Drug Interactions within an Intensive Care Unit at a University Tertiary Care Hospital in Egypt
Authors: Obeid Dima F. , Karara Adel H.
Published: August 2022

There are few reports on drug utilization and drug-drug interactions in Intensive Care Units (ICUs) in Egypt. A total of 94 patients participated in this retrospective observational study. Patient’s medical records were used to collect demographics, medical history, admission and discharge dates and medications used. The mean ± SD of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores was 9.9 ± 4.4 and the median length of stay was 7 days (range 1–47 days). The total number of prescribed medications ranged from 4–29 with a mean ± SD of 14.1 ± 5.5 medications per patient. The top three most prescribed categories belonged to (1) anti-infective agents (23.9%); (2) electrolyte, caloric and water balance agents (14.6%); and (3) blood formation, coagulation and thrombosis (11.3%). The proton pump inhibitor, esomeprazole, was the most frequently prescribed medication accounting for 6.5% of total prescriptions, followed by clindamycin and magnesium sulfate each accounting for 3.5% of total prescriptions. The potential Drug-Drug Interactions (pDDIs) showed a total of 968 pDDIs with a mean ± SD (range) of 10.2 ± 9.4 (0–43) pDDIs per patient: severe (contraindicated) (3), major (178), moderate (618) and minor (169). Overall, the drug utilization patterns in this study were consistent with ICU drug utilization from other countries in the region. The implementation of clinical decision support systems and the involvement of clinical pharmacists may help improve medication safety.
Photo-Writable Sulfide Glasses Used to Fabricate Core-Clad Fiber Doped with Pr3+ for Mid-IR Luminescence
Authors: Carcreff Julie , Nazabal Virginie , Troles Johann , Boussard-Plédel Catherine , Masselin Pascal , Starecki Florent , Braud Alain , Camy Patrice , Le Coq David
Published: August 2022

With the ultimate goal of developing rare-earth doped chalcogenide fiber fabrication for sensing, amplification, and laser applications, a core/clad germanium-gallium sulfide fiber doped with Pr3+ has been fabricated. The compositions of the core and the clad were selected to ensure the positive ∆n by adding CdI2 and CsCl, respectively, in the GeS2-Ga2S3 matrix. The choice of these compositions was also justified from experimental parameters, including characteristic temperatures and viscosity. Moreover, the permanent photo writability of the sulfide glass family by a femtosecond laser is investigated from the perspective of Bragg grating photo-inscription. Structural investigations by Raman spectroscopy are presented and the effect of the Pr3+ rare-earth ion on the structure is underlined. Finally, the emission of the step-index fiber, made by the rod-in-tube technique between 3.1 µm and 5.5 µm (by pumping at 1.55 µm), is demonstrated.
Design and Optimization of a Compact Ultra-Broadband Polarization Beam Splitter for the SCL-Band Based on a Thick Silicon Nitride Platform
Authors: Patsamanis Georgios , Ketzaki Dimitra , Chatzitheocharis Dimitrios , Vyrsokinos Konstantinos
Published: August 2022

The polarization beam splitter is an essential photonic integrated circuit in applications where a high-performing on-chip polarization diversity scheme is required. The lower refractive index contrast of the silicon nitride material platform compared to silicon-on-insulator constitutes the separation of polarized light states a challenging task since for this purpose a large difference between the effective refractive indices of the fundamental TE and TM modes is highly desirable. In this paper, we present the design and optimization analysis of an ultra-broadband polarization beam splitter based on a thick silicon nitride platform through extensive 3D-FDTD simulations. The proposed device exploits two different Si3N4 thicknesses that enable the discrimination of the two polarizations at the proximity of an 800 nm thick slot and a 470 nm thick strip waveguide via directional coupling. The proposed two-stage PBS achieves higher than 30.6 dB polarization extinction ratio (PER) for both TE and TM polarizations across a 130 nm span at the SCL-band. The dimensions of the PBS are 94 × 14 μm2 and the insertion losses are calculated to be lower than 0.8 dB for both polarizations. The fabrication tolerance of the device is also discussed.
Endophytic Bacillus subtilis SR22 Triggers Defense Responses in Tomato against Rhizoctonia Root Rot
Authors: Rashad Younes M. , Abdalla Sara A. , Sleem Mohamed M.
Published: August 2022

Rhizoctonia root rot is one of the most destructive diseases of tomato and other crops. The biocontrol of plant diseases using endophytic bacteria has gained significant attention due to their distinct advantages compared with the free-living ones, as well as their new unexplored and unique properties. Endophytic Bacillus subtilis SR22 represents a promising and more effective biocontrol and growth-promoting agent for tomato plants than the free-living agents, being an ecofriendly and sustainable tool in modern agriculture. In this study, the direct antagonistic activity of B. subtilis SR22 was investigated against Rhizoctonia solani in vitro. The biocontrol activity of B. subtilis SR22 against Rhizoctonia root rot of tomato was also investigated. Effects on the level of the transcriptional expression of defense-related genes, biochemical responses, and the vegetative growth of tomato plants were also studied. The dual culture test showed 51% inhibition in the mycelial growth of R. solani due to B. subtilis SR22, indicating its potent antagonistic behavior. Using a GC-MS analysis, twenty bioactive compounds were detected to be produced by B. subtilis SR22, including chlorogenic acid, pyrrolo [1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione, hexahydro, propyl thioglycolic acid, phthalic acid, and 2,3-butanediol. Under greenhouse conditions, the application of B. subtilis SR22 led to a reduction (up to 51%) in Rhizoctonia root rot of tomato. Furthermore, an upregulation in the expression of the responsive factor JERF3 (10.9-fold) and the defense-related genes POD (9.1-fold) and PR1 (4.5-fold) in tomato plants was recorded due to the application of B. subtilis SR22. In addition, this treatment enhanced the total phenolic content (76.8%) and activity of the antioxidant enzymes POD (56%) and PPO (29.2%) in tomato roots, indicating its resistance-inducing effect on tomato plants. Moreover, this treatment enhanced most of the evaluated growth parameters in tomato plants (up to 35%). We can conclude that B. subtilis SR22 is a promising biocontrol agent and growth promoter in tomato plants against Rhizoctonia root rot. An evaluation of the formulation and field application of this bio-agent is necessary in future studies.
Comparative Analysis of Tolerance to Salt Stress and Water Deficit in Two Invasive Weeds of the Genus Erigeron (Asteraceae)
Authors: Bellache Manel , Torres-Pagan Natalia , Verdeguer Mercedes , Llinares Josep V. , Benfekih Leila Allal , Sestras Radu E. , Vicente Oscar , Sestras Adriana F. , Boscaiu Monica
Published: August 2022

Erigeron bonariensis and E. sumatrensis are two noxious weeds present in many parts of the world. Their tolerance to salinity and water deficit was analysed at the seed germination stage and during vegetative development. Seed germination was tested in solutions with different concentrations of NaCl and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Growth parameters, photosynthetic pigments, ion accumulation, and antioxidant mechanisms were analysed in plants that were subjected to increasing NaCl solutions, or severe water deficit by completely restricting irrigation. Seed germination was mostly affected by NaCl, but less by PEG in both species. E. bonariensis had a faster germination in all treatments and maintained a higher percentage of germination under the highest concentration of salt applied. Growth responses were similar in the two species, both being more affected by higher salt concentrations than by water deficit. The main differences in the responses of the two species to stress regard K+ and proline concentration. K+ in roots decreased under salt stress in E. sumatrensis, but remained constant in leaves, whereas in E. bonariensis increased in roots and leaves in salt-stressed plants. Proline concentration increased in all E. bonariensis plants under salt stress, but only in those under the highest salt concentration in E. sumatrensis. The results obtained indicate that the two species are relatively tolerant to water deficit and medium salinity but are susceptible to high NaCl concentrations.
Chemical Composition and Histochemical Localization of Essential Oil from Wild and Cultivated Rhaponticum carthamoides Roots and Rhizomes
Authors: Todorova Velislava , Ivanova Stanislava , Georgieva Yoana , Nalbantova Vanya , Karcheva-Bahchevanska Diana , Benbassat Niko , Savova Martina S. , Georgiev Milen I. , Ivanov Kalin
Published: August 2022

Rhaponticum carthamoides (Willd.) Iljin is not only a source of phytosteroids and flavonoids, but is also source of essential oil (EO). This study evaluated the volatile metabolic constituents and histochemical localization of root and rhizome essential oils (EOs) from R. carthamoides populations wild-grown in Russia and cultivated in Bulgaria. The performed histochemical analysis confirmed the presence of lipophilic substances in the secretory ducts of the examined roots and rhizomes. Both EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and further analyzed by gas chromatography with mass detection. The results showed differences between the chemical compositions of both EOs. Forty-six components were tentatively identified in R. carthamoides oil from the wild population, with β-selinene (4.77%), estragole (6.32%), D-carvone (6.37%), cyperene (8.78%), and ledene oxide (11.52%) being the major constituents. In the EO isolated from cultivated R. carthamoides, twenty-three compounds were tentatively identified, with humulene (7.68%), β-elemene (10.76%), humulene-1,2-epoxide (11.55%), ledene oxide (13.50%), and δ-elemene (19.08%) predominating. This is the first report describing the histolocalization and chemical profile of EO from R. carthamoides cultivated in Bulgaria. Further research on the cultivation of R. carthamoides in Bulgaria would affect the relationship between its chemical composition and pharmacological effects.
Analysis of Chlorogenic Acid in Sweet Potato Leaf Extracts
Authors: Chiu Chun-Hui , Lin Kuan-Hung , Lin Hsin-Hung , Chu Wen-Xin , Lai Yung-Chang , Chao Pi-Yu
Published: August 2022

Sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is one of the most important food crops worldwide, with leaves of different varieties showing purple, green and yellow, and these leaves provide a dietary source of nutrients and various bioactive compounds. The objective of this study was to identify the active constituents of chlorogenic acids (CGAs) in different methanolic extract of leaves of three varieties of sweet potato (purple CYY 98-59, green Taoyuan 2, and yellow CN 1927-16) using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. Genotype-specific metabolite variations were observed; CGAs and three isomeric peaks were detected in sweet potato leaf extracts (SPLEs). Among them, the yellow SPLE contained the highest contents of 3,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,5-di-CQA) and 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (3,4-di-CQA), followed by the green SPLE, whereas the purple SPLE retained lower 3,5-di-CQA content compared to yellow and green SPLEs. All three SPLEs contained lower 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid (4,5-di-CQA) and CGA contents compared to 3,5-di-CQA and 3,4-di-CQA, although CGA constituents were not significantly different in genotypes, whereas purple SPLE contained higher 4,5-di-CQA content compared to yellow and green SPLEs. This study indicates that SPLs marketed in Taiwan vary widely in their biological potentials and may impart different health benefits to consumers.
Identification of Soil Properties Associated with the Incidence of Banana Wilt Using Supervised Methods
Authors: Olivares Barlin O. , Vega Andrés , Calderón María A. Rueda , Rey Juan C. , Lobo Deyanira , Gómez José A. , Landa Blanca B.
Published: August 2022

Over the last few decades, a growing incidence of Banana Wilt (BW) has been detected in the banana-producing areas of the central zone of Venezuela. This disease is thought to be caused by a fungal–bacterial complex, coupled with the influence of specific soil properties. However, until now, there was no consensus on the soil characteristics associated with a high incidence of BW. The objective of this study was to identify the soil properties potentially associated with BW incidence, using supervised methods. The soil samples associated with banana plant lots in Venezuela, showing low (n = 29) and high (n = 49) incidence of BW, were collected during two consecutive years (2016 and 2017). On those soils, sixteen soil variables, including the percentage of sand, silt and clay, pH, electrical conductivity, organic matter, available contents of K, Na, Mg, Ca, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, S and P, were determined. The Wilcoxon test identified the occurrence of significant differences in the soil variables between the two groups of BW incidence. In addition, Orthogonal Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (OPLS-DA) and the Random Forest (RF) algorithm was applied to find soil variables capable of distinguishing banana lots showing high or low BW incidence. The OPLS-DA model showed a proper fitting of the data (R2Y: 0.61, p value < 0.01), and exhibited good predictive power (Q2: 0.50, p value < 0.01). The analysis of the Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves by RF revealed that the combination of Zn, Fe, Ca, K, Mn and Clay was able to accurately differentiate 84.1% of the banana lots with a sensitivity of 89.80% and a specificity of 72.40%. So far, this is the first study that identifies these six soil variables as possible new indicators associated with BW incidence in soils of lacustrine origin in Venezuela.
Isolation and In Silico Inhibitory Potential against SARS-CoV-2 RNA Polymerase of the Rare Kaempferol 3-O-(6″-O-acetyl)-Glucoside from Calligonum tetrapterum
Authors: Suleimen Yerlan M. , Jose Rani A. , Mamytbekova Gulnur K. , Suleimen Raigul N. , Ishmuratova Margarita Y. , Dehaen Wim , Alsfouk Bshra A. , Elkaeed Eslam B. , Eissa Ibrahim H. , Metwaly Ahmed M.
Published: August 2022

The phytochemical constituents of Calligonum tetrapterum Jaub. & Spach (Family Polygonaceae) were studied for the first time. The study resulted in the isolation of the rare flavonol glycoside, kaempferol 3-O-(6″-O-acetyl)-glucoside,(K3G-A). The potential inhibitive activity of K3G-A toward SARS-CoV-2 was investigated utilizing several in silico approaches. First, molecular fingerprints and structural similarity experiments were carried out for K3G-A against nine co-crystallized ligands of nine proteins of SARS-CoV-2 to reveal if there is a structural similarity with any of them. The conducted studies showed the high similarity of K3G-A and remdesivir, the co-crystallized ligand of SARS-CoV-2 RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (PDB ID: 7BV2), RdRp. To validate these findings, a DFT study was conducted and confirmed the proposed similarity on the electronic and orbital levels. The binding of K3G-A against RdRp was confirmed through molecular docking studies exhibiting a binding energy of −27.43 kcal/mol, which was higher than that of remdesivir. Moreover, the RdRp-K3G-A complex was subjected to several MD studies at 100 ns that authenticated the accurate mode of binding and the correct dynamic behavior. Finally, in silico ADMET and toxicity evaluation of K3G-A was conducted and denoted the safety and the drug-likeness of K3G-A. In addition to K3G-A, two other metabolites were isolated and identified to be kaempferol (K) and β-sitosterol (β-S).
Study on the Propagation Process Characteristics of Anisotropic Acoustic Waves in Shale Gas Well with the Reflection Rule of Lateral Fractures
Authors: Fan Heng , Zhang Shengyue , Fan Shuai , Li Dongfeng , Zhao Zhifeng
Published: August 2022

Based on the acoustic wave finite element (AWFE) method, one can establish an AWFE method and study the influence of mechanical parameters on the shale reservoir acoustic wave propagation characteristics. The different crack characteristics and different crack multi-physical coupling phenomena are studied by using the AWFE method on shale gas reservoir cracks. To calculate the shape and position along the crack near a side borehole, the model parameters are compared with the simulation results. The reflection waveform characteristics of adjacent cracks are studied by using the AWFE method. By considering the borehole axis of symmetry, for an acoustic impedance discontinuous interface on one side of the two-dimensional axisymmetric AWFE, one can establish a borehole cross-crack and an arc cross-crack reflection interface model with the AWFE method. By processing the waveform data received by different receiving points under the same source distance, the parameters, such as the reflection wave time and the distribution laws of the crack in the shale reservoir, are obtained. To verify the validity of the research method, the propagation of a reflected acoustic wave from the reservoir fracture by the filling with different media was also studied. The results show that a reflection wave arrival time changing with the source ordinate and present law, by side borehole fracture morphology, showed a suitable consistency. The well cross-crack angle range is 10~20°, according to the wave arrival time calculated by the side borehole fracture dip. For the acoustic signal propagation in the shale formation anisotropy, they found that an acoustic signal is always in the direction of the elastic modulus, with a further larger spread, a location of maximum amplitude, and a 45-degree direction to the axis of symmetry. In the lateral and longitudinal distance from an acoustic source of the same two receiver signal waves, the receiver vibration amplitude is bigger, and there is less attenuation. With the increase in the anisotropic index, the inside ovality amplitude distribution of the signal amplitude in this model is higher. When a side borehole has an arc crack and a reflected wave to time to obtain the coordinates of a reflecting interface and to compare with the results of the calculation model, the crack in the center position, and the reflection point coordinates, the relative error is less than 5%. Finally, the AWFE method could provide a new idea for the identification of the crack properties and also could be an inverse calculation of the position and morphological characteristics of fractures near the side borehole.
Calculation of Parasitic Capacitance to Analyze Shaft Voltage of Electric Motor with Direct-Oil-Cooling System
Authors: Kim Chan-Ho , Jun Sung-Bae , Yoon Han-Joon , Kim Nam-Ho , Jung Ho-Chang , Kim Rae-Eun , Jung Sang-Yong
Published: August 2022

In modern electric vehicles, electrical failure has become a critical problem that reduces the lifetime of traction motors. Moreover, traction motors with high-voltage and high-speed systems for a high power density have been aggravating the shaft voltage problems. This study identifies that direct-oil-cooling systems exacerbate this problem. To address this, an analytical method for calculating parasitic capacitance is proposed to determine the effects of cooling oil in a traction motor with a direct-oil-cooling system. Capacitance equivalent circuits are configured based on whether the slot is submerged in the cooling oil. In addition, an electric field decomposition method is applied to analyze the distortion of the electric field by the structure of the conduction parts in the motor. The results indicate that the parasitic capacitances of the traction motor are increased by the influence of the cooling oil resulting in an increase in the shaft voltage.
Effects of Alkaline-Reduced Water on Exercise-Induced Oxidative Stress and Fatigue in Young Male Healthy Adults
Authors: Lee Mihyun , Fadriquela Ailyn , Antonio Jayson M. , Kim Cheol-Su , Cho Il-Young , Kim Ka-Eun , An Wan-Sik , Jang Hong-Young , Bajgai Johny , Lee Kyu-Jae
Published: August 2022

Regular physical activity confers health benefits and improves the general quality of life. Recently, alkaline-reduced water (ARW) consumption has garnered increasing attention in the field of sports. ARW effectively inhibits the oxidative stress generated in cells during high-intensity exercises; however, whether it exerts similar effects during exhaustive exercises remains unknown. This study was designed as a randomized, controlled, crossover, double-blind clinical trial with a single intervention of ARW intake (pH 9.5, 10 mL/kg body weight) after intense exercise. The participants were divided into two groups, wherein they consumed either purified water (PW group) or ARW (ARW group). Blood samples were collected before exercise, immediately after exercise, and 15 min after drinking water. The serum levels of oxidative stress markers and fatigue markers were determined. The results showed that ROS (p < 0.01) and NO levels (p < 0.001) were significantly decreased after ARW intake, and the reduction was more pronounced than that in the PW group. Interestingly, the increase in GPx and MDA levels was mediated by ARW intake (both p < 0.05) after exercise. The levels of fatigue markers, such as lactate (p < 0.001), lactate dehydrogenase (p < 0.001), and phosphate (p < 0.001), were significantly reduced in both groups, with ARW intervention showing more decreased markers. The correlation analysis results showed that ARW may help maintain homeostatic conditions for ROS, antioxidant systems, and fatigue markers. These findings indicate that ARW consumption is effective in reducing oxidative stress and fatigue following exhaustive exercise and that ARW could be used as an antioxidant and anti-fatigue supplement after exhaustive physical exercise.
Experimental Investigation on the Machinability of PCBN Chamfered Tool in Dry Turning of Gray Cast Iron
Authors: Yin Ganggang , Shen Jianyun , Wu Ze , Wu Xian , Jiang Feng
Published: August 2022

Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tools are widely used for hard machining of various ferrous materials. The edge structure of the PCBN cutting tool greatly affects the machining performance. In this paper, dry turning experiments were conducted on gray cast iron with a PCBN chamfered tool. Both the cutting temperature and the cutting force were measured, and then the surface quality and tool wear mechanisms were analyzed in detail. It was found that the cutting temperature and cutting force increased with the increase in feed rate, depth of cut, and cutting speed. The surface roughness firstly decreased, and then increased with an increase in feed rate. The minimum surface roughness was obtained with a feed rate of 0.15 mm/r which exceeded the tool chamfer width. The PCBN tool wear mode was mainly micro notches on the rake face and micro chipping on the tool chamfer, while the adhesion wear mechanism was the main tool wear mechanism.
Hole-Making in D2-Grade Steel Tool by Electric-Discharge Machining through Non-Conventional Electrodes
Authors: Rafaqat Madiha , Mufti Nadeem Ahmad , Ahmed Naveed , Rehman Ateekh Ur , AlFaify Abdullah Yahia , Farooq Muhammad Umar , Saleh Mustafa
Published: August 2022

A low material removal rate and a high tool wear rate are two major concerns among the research and development community of electric-discharge machining. From the literature, it is evident that several researchers have attempted to improve the material removal rate and minimize the tool wear rate by different means, such as parametric optimizations, powder mixing in the dielectric, induced vibrations in the electrode and/or workpiece, etc. Herein, an attempt is made to make use of a non-conventional electrode with a relief angle along with the taper angle of the machined feature and perform electric-discharge machining on D2-steel using copper as an electrode material. Preliminary level mathematical models were developed and validated for sparking the area of each non-conventional electrode’s design type. Three-stage experimentation was performed to identify the most appropriate electrode design. An approximately 70% improvement in the material removal rate, an around 45–50% reduction in the tool wear rate, and a nearly 10% reduction in the taper angle were realized with the newly designed non-conventional electrode. Similarly, to validate the machining performance, the most appropriate identified electrode design was used for each workpiece of different thicknesses. The confirmatory experimental results revealed that the identified electrode design is not only limited to a specific workpiece thickness but is well-suited for varying workpiece thicknesses as well.
Contemporary Tools for the Cure against Pernicious Microorganisms: Micro-/Nanorobots
Authors: Ozaydin Mustafa Sami , Doganturk Lorin , Ulucan-Karnak Fulden , Akdogan Ozan , Erkoc Pelin
Published: August 2022

One of the most pressing concerns to global public health is the emergence of drug-resistant pathogenic microorganisms due to increased unconscious antibiotic usage. With the rising antibiotic resistance, existing antimicrobial agents lose their effectiveness over time. This indicates that newer and more effective antimicrobial agents and methods should be investigated. Many studies have shown that micro-/nanorobots exhibit promise in the treatment of microbial infections with their great properties, such as the intrinsic antimicrobial activities owing to their oxidative stress induction and metal ion release capabilities, and effective and autonomous delivery of antibiotics to the target area. In addition, they have multiple simultaneous mechanisms of action against microbes, which makes them remarkable in antimicrobial activity. This review focuses on the antimicrobial micro-/nanorobots and their strategies to impede biofilm formation, following a brief introduction of the latest advancements in micro-/nanorobots, and their implementations against various bacteria, and other microorganisms.
Achieving a Sensing Body: Visualization and Bodily Attention in Alternative Spiritual Practices
Authors: Dansac Yael
Published: August 2022

This article explores the learning process to develop a sensing body through visualization and bodily attention in alternative spiritual practices held at Brittany’s megaliths, located in northwest France. Drawing on the sensory ethnography approach, this article argues that participants achieve the experience of their sensing body following four main actions: Practicing visualization techniques to interact with summoned entities, learning another sensory language, establishing relationships between bodily techniques and somatic imagery, and cultivating and verbalizing bodily sensations. Collected data provide an understanding of practitioners’ elaboration of a meaningful experience, while also suggesting how meditative and bodily techniques partake in these activities.
A Novel Quick-Response Eigenface Analysis Scheme for Brain–Computer Interfaces
Authors: Choi Hojong , Park Junghun , Yang Yeon-Mo
Published: August 2022

The brain–computer interface (BCI) is used to understand brain activities and external bodies with the help of the motor imagery (MI). As of today, the classification results for EEG 4 class BCI competition dataset have been improved to provide better classification accuracy of the brain computer interface systems (BCIs). Based on this observation, a novel quick-response eigenface analysis (QR-EFA) scheme for motor imagery is proposed to improve the classification accuracy for BCIs. Thus, we considered BCI signals in standardized and sharable quick response (QR) image domain; then, we systematically combined EFA and a convolution neural network (CNN) to classify the neuro images. To overcome a non-stationary BCI dataset available and non-ergodic characteristics, we utilized an effective neuro data augmentation in the training phase. For the ultimate improvements in classification performance, QR-EFA maximizes the similarities existing in the domain-, trial-, and subject-wise directions. To validate and verify the proposed scheme, we performed an experiment on the BCI dataset. Specifically, the scheme is intended to provide a higher classification output in classification accuracy performance for the BCI competition 4 dataset 2a (C4D2a_4C) and BCI competition 3 dataset 3a (C3D3a_4C). The experimental results confirm that the newly proposed QR-EFA method outperforms the previous the published results, specifically from 85.4% to 97.87% ± 0.75 for C4D2a_4C and 88.21% ± 6.02 for C3D3a_4C. Therefore, the proposed QR-EFA could be a highly reliable and constructive framework for one of the MI classification solutions for BCI applications.
UAV Localization Algorithm Based on Factor Graph Optimization in Complex Scenes
Authors: Dai Jun , Liu Songlin , Hao Xiangyang , Ren Zongbin , Yang Xiao
Published: August 2022

With the increasingly widespread application of UAV intelligence, the need for autonomous navigation and positioning is becoming more and more important. To solve the problem that UAV cannot perform localization in complex scenes, a new multi-source fusion framework factor graph optimization algorithm is used for UAV localization state estimation in this paper, which is based on IMU/GNSS/VO multi-source sensors. Based on the factor graph model and the iSAM incremental inference algorithm, a multi-source fusion model of IMU/GNSS/VO is established, including the IMU pre-integration factor, IMU bias factor, GNSS factor, and VO factor. Mathematical simulations and validations on the EuRoC dataset show that, when the selected sliding window size is 30, the factor graph optimization (FGO) algorithm can not only meet the requirements of real time and accuracy at the same time, but it also achieves a plug-and-play function in the event of local sensor failures. Finally, compared with the traditional federated Kalman algorithm and the adaptive federated Kalman algorithm, the positioning accuracy of the FGO algorithm in this paper is improved by 1.5–2-fold, and can effectively improve autonomous navigation system robustness and flexibility in complex scenarios. Moreover, the multi-source fusion framework in this paper is a general algorithm framework that can satisfy other scenarios and other types of sensor combinations.
SimpleTrack: Rethinking and Improving the JDE Approach for Multi-Object Tracking
Authors: Li Jiaxin , Ding Yan , Wei Hua-Liang , Zhang Yutong , Lin Wenxiang
Published: August 2022

Joint detection and embedding (JDE) methods usually fuse the target motion information and appearance information as the data association matrix, which could fail when the target is briefly lost or blocked in multi-object tracking (MOT). In this paper, we aim to solve this problem by proposing a novel association matrix, the Embedding and GioU (EG) matrix, which combines the embedding cosine distance and GioU distance of objects. To improve the performance of data association, we develop a simple, effective, bottom-up fusion tracker for re-identity features, named SimpleTrack, and propose a new tracking strategy which can mitigate the loss of detection targets. To show the effectiveness of the proposed method, experiments are carried out using five different state-of-the-art JDE-based methods. The results show that by simply replacing the original association matrix with our EG matrix, we can achieve significant improvements in IDF1, HOTA and IDsw metrics, and increase the tracking speed of these methods by around 20%. In addition, our SimpleTrack has the best data association capability among the JDE-based methods, e.g., 61.6 HOTA and 76.3 IDF1, on the test set of MOT17 with 23 FPS running speed on a single GTX2080Ti GPU.
Lightweight Compound Scaling Network for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Segmentation from MR Images
Authors: Liu Yi , Han Guanghui , Liu Xiujian
Published: August 2022

Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a category of tumours with a high incidence in head-and-neck. To treat nasopharyngeal cancer, doctors invariably need to perform focal segmentation. However, manual segmentation is time consuming and laborious for doctors and the existing automatic segmentation methods require large computing resources, which makes some small and medium-sized hospitals unaffordable. To enable small and medium-sized hospitals with limited computational resources to run the model smoothly and improve the accuracy of structure, we propose a new LW-UNet network. The network utilises lightweight modules to form the Compound Scaling Encoder and combines the benefits of UNet to make the model both lightweight and accurate. Our model achieves a high accuracy with a Dice coefficient value of 0.813 with 3.55 M parameters and 7.51 G of FLOPs within 0.1 s (testing time in GPU), which is the best result compared with four other state-of-the-art models.
Measurement of Linear Springs’ Stiffness Factor Using Ultrasonic Sensing
Authors: Zhang Zhongwei , Zhang Xiyan , Ma Bohui , Ding Mengyao , Zhu Bowen , Tong Dezheng
Published: August 2022

We designed an ultrasonic testing instrument that consisted of a single-chip microcomputer module, a digital display module, and an ultrasonic sensor module, which conveniently eliminated the troubles faced by the traditional Jolly’s scale. For comparison purpose, three linear springs’ stiffness factors were measured by Jolly’s scale and by our ultrasonic testing instrument. We found that our instrument could more conveniently and in real time display the distance values between the ultrasonic ranging module and the horizontal bottom plate when loading different weights. By processing these distance data, we found that our instrument was more convenient for obtaining the linear springs’ stiffness factors and that the results were more accurate than those of Jolly’s scale. This study verified that our instrument can accurately realize the performance of Jolly’s scale under diverse temperatures and humidity levels with high data reliability and perfect stability.
Communication Technologies for Interoperable Smart Microgrids in Urban Energy Community: A Broad Review of the State of the Art, Challenges, and Research Perspectives
Authors: Reddy Gogulamudi Pradeep , Kumar Yellapragada Venkata Pavan , Chakravarthi Maddikera Kalyan
Published: August 2022

In modern urban energy communities, diverse natured loads (homes, schools, hospitals, malls, etc.) are situated in the same locality and have self-electricity generation/management facilities. The power systems of these individual buildings are called smart microgrids. Usually, their self-electricity generation is based on renewable energy sources, which are uncertain due to their environmental dependency. So, the consistency of self-energy generation throughout the day is not guaranteed; thus, the dependency on the central utility grid is continued. To solve this, researchers have recently started working on interoperable smart microgrids (ISMs) for urban communities. Here, a central monitoring and control station captures the energy generation/demand information of each microgrid and analyzes the availability/requirement, thereby executing the energy transactions among these ISMs. Such local energy exchanges among the ISMs reduce the issues with uncertain renewable energy and the dependency on the utility grid. To establish such useful ISMs, a well-established communication mechanism has to be adopted. In this view, this paper first reviews various state-of-the-art developments related to smart grids and then provides extensive insights into communication standards and technologies, issues/challenges, and future research perspectives for ISM implementation. Finally, a discussion is presented on advanced wireless technology, called LoRa (Long Range), and a modern architecture using the LoRa technology to establish a communication network for ISMs is proposed.
Cyber-Threat Detection System Using a Hybrid Approach of Transfer Learning and Multi-Model Image Representation
Authors: Ullah Farhan , Ullah Shamsher , Naeem Muhammad Rashid , Mostarda Leonardo , Rho Seungmin , Cheng Xiaochun
Published: August 2022

Currently, Android apps are easily targeted by malicious network traffic because of their constant network access. These threats have the potential to steal vital information and disrupt the commerce, social system, and banking markets. In this paper, we present a malware detection system based on word2vec-based transfer learning and multi-model image representation. The proposed method combines the textual and texture features of network traffic to leverage the advantages of both types. Initially, the transfer learning method is used to extract trained vocab from network traffic. Then, the malware-to-image algorithm visualizes network bytes for visual analysis of data traffic. Next, the texture features are extracted from malware images using a combination of scale-invariant feature transforms (SIFTs) and oriented fast and rotated brief transforms (ORBs). Moreover, a convolutional neural network (CNN) is designed to extract deep features from a set of trained vocab and texture features. Finally, an ensemble model is designed to classify and detect malware based on the combination of textual and texture features. The proposed method is tested using two standard datasets, CIC-AAGM2017 and CICMalDroid 2020, which comprise a total of 10.2K malware and 3.2K benign samples. Furthermore, an explainable AI experiment is performed to interpret the proposed approach.
Automatic Optical Inspection System for Wire Color Sequence Detection
Authors: Tsai Tsung-Han , Cheng Chun-Sheng
Published: August 2022

Given the huge demand for wire in today’s society, the quality of the wire is especially required. To control the quality of the produced wire, the industry has a great desire for automated optical inspection technology. This technology is a high-speed and highly accurate optical image inspection system that uses mechanical sensing equipment to replace the human eye as the inspection method and simulates manual operation by means of a robotic arm. In this paper, a high-performance algorithm for the automated optical inspection of wire color sequence is proposed. This paper focuses on the design of a high-speed wire color sequence detection that can automatically adapt to different kinds of wires and recognition situations, such as a single wire with only one color, and one or two wires covered with aluminum foil. To be further able to successfully inspect even if the wire is short in the screen and the two wires are close to each other, we calculate the horizontal gradient of the wires by edge detection and morphological calculation and identify the types and color sequences of the wires in the screen by a series of discriminative mechanisms. Experimental results show that this method can achieve good accuracy while maintaining a good computation speed.
Monitoring Fish Freshness in Real Time under Realistic Conditions through a Single Metal Oxide Gas Sensor
Authors: Zambotti Giulia , Capuano Rosamaria , Pasqualetti Valentina , Soprani Matteo , Gobbi Emanuela , Di Natale Corrado , Ponzoni Andrea
Published: August 2022

The realization of an unobtrusive and effective technology able to track fish freshness in real time and inform on its edibility is highly demanded, but still unachieved. In the present paper, we address this issue through a single metal oxide gas sensor working in temperature modulation mode. The system can work without an external reference air source, which is an appealing feature for its possible integration in domestic refrigerators. Tests were carried out using fresh sea bream fillets as case study and working both inside the refrigerator and at room temperature. Parallel gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and microbiological characterization indicated the marked dependence of both the microbiological condition and the gas-phase composition from the individual sample and from the storage temperature. Despite such a large variability, which may be expected in real applications, the proposed system provided similar responses whenever the total bacterial population approached and exceeded the edibility threshold of 107 CFU/g.
Calibration-Free 3D Indoor Positioning Algorithms Based on DNN and DIFF
Authors: Yang Jingmin , Deng Shanghui , Xu Li , Zhang Wenjie
Published: August 2022

The heterogeneity of wireless receiving devices, co-channel interference, and multi-path effect make the received signal strength indication (RSSI) of Wi-Fi fluctuate greatly, which seriously degrades the RSSI-based positioning accuracy. Signal strength difference (DIFF), a calibration-free solution for handling the received signal strength variance between diverse devices, can effectively reduce the negative impact of signal fluctuation. However, DIFF also leads to the explosion of the RSSI data dimension, expanding the number of dimensions from m to Cm2, which reduces the positioning efficiency. To this end, we design a data hierarchical processing strategy based on a building-floor-specific location, which effectively improves the efficiency of high-dimensional data processing. Moreover, based on a deep neural network (DNN), we design three different positioning algorithms for multi-building, multi-floor, and specific-location respectively, extending the indoor positioning from the single plane to three dimensions. Specifically, in the stage of data preprocessing, we first create the original RSSI database. Next, we create the optimized RSSI database by identifying and deleting the unavailable data in the RSSI database. Finally, we perform DIFF processing on the optimized RSSI database to create the DIFF database. In the stage of positioning, firstly, we design an improved multi-building positioning algorithm based on a denoising autoencoder (DAE). Secondly, we design an enhanced DNN for multi-floor positioning. Finally, the newly deep denoising autoencoder (DDAE) used for specific location positioning is proposed. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithms have better positioning efficiency and accuracy compared with the traditional machine learning algorithms and the current advanced deep learning algorithms.
Sparse Space Shift Keying Modulation with Enhanced Constellation Mapping
Authors: Wang Tiebin , Huang Kaiyuan , Liu Min , He Ranran
Published: August 2022

For reducing the switching frequency between the radio frequency (RF) chain and transmit antennas, a class of new sparse space shift keying modulation (SSSK) schemes are presented. This new class is proposed to simplify hardware implementation, through carefully designing the spatial constellation mapping pattern. Specifically, different from traditional space shift keying modulation (SSK), the proposed SSSK scheme utilizes more time slots to construct a joint design of time and spatial domain SSK modulation, while maintaining the special structure of single RF chain. Since part of the multi-dimension constellations of SSSK concentrate the energy in less time slots, the RF-switching frequency is effectively reduced due to the sparsity introduced in the time domain. Furthermore, through theoretical analysis, we obtain the closed-form expression of the bit error probability for the SSSK scheme, and demonstrate that slight performance gain can be achieved compared to traditional SSK with reduced implementation cost. Moreover, we integrate transmit antenna selection (TAS) to achieve considerable performance gain. Finally, simulation results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed SSSK scheme compared to its traditional counterpart.
Evaluations of 3D-Printed Surgical Mask Tension Release Bands for Common COVID-19 Use with Biomechanics, Sensor Array System, and Finite Element Analysis
Authors: Su Kuo-Chih , Wang Chun-Hsiang , Yen Yu-Chun
Published: August 2022

A mask is one of the most basic protections to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. Surgical mask tension release bands (SMTRBs) are commonly used to ease the pain caused by prolonged mask use. However, the structural strength of SMTRBs and the effect that wearing masks with SMTRBs has on the face are unclear. Thus, this study assessed the mechanics of seven different types of 3D-printed SMTRBs. In this study, a tensile testing machine, a sensor array system, and finite element analysis were used to evaluate the mechanisms of seven SMTRBs. The tensile testing machine was applied to measure the breaking strength, elongation, stiffness, and rupture of the band. The sensor array system was used to calculate the pressure on the face when the band was used together with the mask. Finite element analysis was applied to evaluate the level of stress on the SMTRB structure when each of the seven bands was subjected to external force. The results demonstrated that thick SMTRBs put more pressure on the face but had greater structural strength. The thinner bands did not break easily; however, the mask ear loops tended to slip off more often. In addition, the size of the band hook affected the magnitude of the external force. This study provides a biomechanical reference for the future design of SMTRBs.
A High-Sensitivity Gravimetric Biosensor Based on S1 Mode Lamb Wave Resonator
Authors: Luo Tiancheng , Liu Wenjuan , Wen Zhiwei , Xie Ying , Tong Xin , Cai Yao , Liu Yan , Sun Chengliang
Published: August 2022

The development of MEMS acoustic resonators meets the increasing demand for in situ detection with a higher performance and smaller size. In this paper, a lithium niobate film-based S1 mode Lamb wave resonator (HF-LWR) for high-sensitivity gravimetric biosensing is proposed. The fabricated resonators, based on a 400-nm X-cut lithium niobate film, showed a resonance frequency over 8 GHz. Moreover, a PMMA layer was used as the mass-sensing layer, to study the performance of the biosensors based on HF-LWRs. Through optimizing the thickness of the lithium niobate film and the electrode configuration, the mass sensitivity of the biosensor could reach up to 74,000 Hz/(ng/cm2), and the maximum value of figure of merit (FOM) was 5.52 × 107, which shows great potential for pushing the performance boundaries of gravimetric-sensitive acoustic biosensors.