bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Optimization of a Centrifugal Maglev Blood Pump Through Design Variations
Authors: Wu Peng , Huo Jiadong , Dai Weifeng , Wu Wei-Tao , Yin Chengke , Li Shu
Published: June 2021

Centrifugal blood pumps are usually designed with secondary flow paths to avoid flow dead zones and reduce the risk of thrombosis. Due to the secondary flow path, the intensity of secondary flows and turbulence in centrifugal blood pumps is generally very high. Conventional design theory is no longer applicable to centrifugal blood pumps with a secondary flow path. Empirical relationships between design variables and performance metrics generally do not exist for this type of blood pump. To date, little scientific study has been published concerning optimization and experimental validation of centrifugal blood pumps with secondary flow paths. Moreover, current hemolysis models are inadequate in an accurate prediction of hemolysis in turbulence. The purpose of this study is to optimize the hydraulic and hemolytic performance of an inhouse centrifugal maglev blood pump with a secondary flow path through variation of major design variables, with a focus on bringing down intensity of turbulence and secondary flows. Starting from a baseline design, through changing design variables such as blade angles, blade thickness, and position of splitter blades. Turbulent intensities have been greatly reduced, the hydraulic and hemolytic performance of the pump model was considerably improved. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) combined with hemolysis models were mainly used for the evaluation of pump performance. A hydraulic test was conducted to validate the CFD regarding the hydraulic performance. Collectively, these results shed light on the impact of major design variables on the performance of modern centrifugal blood pumps with a secondary flow path.
The Lotus japonicus NPF3.1 Is a Nodule-Induced Gene That Plays a Positive Role in Nodule Functioning
Authors: Vittozzi Ylenia , Nadzieja Marcin , Rogato Alessandra , Radutoiu Simona , Valkov Vladimir Totev , Chiurazzi Maurizio
Published: June 2021

Nitrogen-fixing nodules are new organs formed on legume roots as a result of the beneficial interaction with the soil bacteria, rhizobia. Proteins of the nitrate transporter 1/peptide transporter family (NPF) are largely represented in the subcategory of nodule-induced transporters identified in mature nodules. The role of nitrate as a signal/nutrient regulating nodule functioning has been recently highlighted in the literature, and NPFs may play a central role in both the permissive and inhibitory pathways controlling N2-fixation efficiency. In this study, we present the characterization of the Lotus japonicus LjNPF3.1 gene. LjNPF3.1 is upregulated in mature nodules. Promoter studies show transcriptional activation confined to the cortical region of both roots and nodules. Under symbiotic conditions, Ljnpf3.1-knockout mutant’s display reduced shoot development and anthocyanin accumulation as a result of nutrient deprivation. Altogether, LjNPF3.1 plays a role in maximizing the beneficial outcome of the root nodule symbiosis.
Valuing Liberty or Equality? Empathetic Personality and Political Intolerance of Harmful Speech
Authors: Harell Allison , Hinckley Robert , Mansell Jordan
Published: June 2021

Political tolerance is a core democratic value, yet a long-standing research agenda suggests that citizens are unwilling to put this value into practice when confronted by groups that they dislike. One of the most disliked groups, especially in recent times, are those promoting racist ideologies. Racist speech poses a challenge to the ideal of political tolerance because it challenges another core tenet of democratic politics – the value of equality. How do citizens deal with threats to equality when making decisions about what speech they believe should be allowed in their communities? In this article, we contribute to the rich literature on political tolerance, but focus on empathy as a key, and understudied, personality trait that should be central to how – and when – citizens reject certain types of speech. Empathy as a cognitive trait relates to one’s capacity to accurately perceive the feeling state of another person. Some people are more prone to worry and care about the feelings of other people, and such empathetic people should be most likely to reject speech that causes harm. Using a comparative online survey in Canada (n = 1,555) and the United States (n = 1627) conducted in 2017, we examine whether empathetic personalities - as measured by a modified version of the Toronto Empathy Scale - predict the tolerance of political activities by “least-liked” as well as prejudicially motivated groups. Using both a standard least-liked political tolerance battery, as well as a vignette experiment that manipulates group type, we test whether higher levels of trait empathy negatively correlate with tolerance of racist speech. Our findings show that empathy powerfully moderates the ways in which citizens react to different forms of objectionable speech.
Is Self-Determined Motivation a Useful Agent to Overcome Perceived Exercise Barriers in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus?
Authors: Kang Heon Jin , Wang John Chee Keng , Burns Stephen Francis , Leow Melvin Khee-Shing
Published: June 2021

Background: Devising a program to increase physical activity (PA)/exercise behavior in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) can meet with limited effectiveness in real-world settings because of the variety of barriers to PA/exercise that individuals need to overcome. An alternative approach is to explore whether targeting motivation as a facilitator may be effective to increase PA/exercise. This study aimed to understand attitudes toward perceived barriers to PA/exercise by examining individual levels of motivation, grounded on self-determination theory, in patients with T2DM. Methods: This study used an integrated approach combining qualitative and quantitative analysis. Sixteen patients with T2DM were grouped (n = 8 for each group) into either a higher self-motivation (HSM) or lower self-motivation (LSM) group via the Relative Autonomy Index. Thematic and deductive analysis were used to identify attitudes based on ten preconceived barrier themes: apathy, dislike, no priority, lack of support, health problems, lack of knowledge, unfavorable environment, tiredness, lack of time, and financial constraints. Quantitative analysis was to assess statistical differences in the volume of PA/exercise across the two groups, and a mixed-methods analysis was employed to highlight unique cases. Results: Patients in the HSM group expressed positive attitudes toward barriers to PA/exercise, while patients in the LSM group expressed a greater degree of hindrance. Although regular PA/exercise is necessary for T2DM management, patients with LSM considered PA/exercise a lesser priority displaying negative attitudes such as apathy and dislike. Conversely, patients with HSM placed greater emphasis on the benefits of PA/exercise regardless of apathy and dislike. Lack of time and health problems were commonly reported in both groups. The volume of PA/exercise corresponded to motivation levels, but there were some unique cases which arose from active commuting habits and severe health problems. Conclusion: These findings provide insights on how attitudes to perceived barriers to PA/exercise differ by levels of motivation. One insight was that examining motivation should be an essential consideration when designing practical strategies to overcome PA/exercise barriers in patients with T2DM. Lack of time and health problems exist regardless of motivation levels. Future research requires a tailored approach to managing barriers to PA/exercise in patients with T2DM.
Risk-Aversion for Negative Health Outcomes May Promote Individual Compliance to Containment Measures in Covid-19 Pandemic
Authors: Cerami Chiara , Galandra Caterina , Santi Gaia Chiara , Dodich Alessandra , Cappa Stefano Francesco , Vecchi Tomaso , Crespi Chiara
Published: June 2021

First-person experience of stressful life events can change individuals' risk attitudes, driving to increased or decreased risk perception. This shift to more risk-averse or risk-loving behaviors may find a correlate in the individual psycho-socio-emotional profile. To this purpose, we aimed to estimate the relationship between differences in risk-taking attitudes toward possible negative health outcomes and psycho-socio-emotional dimensions modulating the experience of life-threatening situations, in the context of the Covid-19 pandemic. In March 2020, we launched the PsyCovid Study (https://wprn.org/item/428452) to assess psycho-socio-emotional changes due to Covid-19 pandemic in the Italian population. Additionally, we distributed to 130 participants the Covid-19 Risk Task, including monetary and health-related stimuli, estimating a measure of risk-aversion toward health and classifying participants on the basis of their risk-attitude profiles. The set of psycho-socio-emotional variables was reduced to three PCA components: Proactivity, Isolation, Inactivity. The individual degree of risk-aversion toward negative health outcomes was directly related to Proactivity, encasing empathic, social support and positive coping strategies, which may prompt individuals to put in place self-protection strategies toward possible negative health consequences. These findings indicate that a risk-averse profile toward possible negative health outcomes may be associated to higher levels of individual prosocial and proactive dispositions, possibly making individuals' more compliant with the social and hygienic guidelines and, thus, reducing their exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Favorable Working Conditions Related to Health Behavior Among Nurses and Care Assistants in Sweden—A Population-Based Cohort Study
Authors: Helgesson Magnus , Marklund Staffan , Gustafsson Klas , Aronsson Gunnar , Leineweber Constanze
Published: June 2021

Objective: To analyze the associations between favorable physical and psychosocial work factors and health behavior among healthcare employees (nurses and care assistants) with health complaints.

Methods: The study was based on seven iterations (2001–2013) of a biennial Swedish work environment survey linked with data from public registers. In all, 7,180 healthcare employees, aged 16–64 years, who had reported health complaints, were included. Health behavior was operationalized through four combinations of sickness absence (SA) and sickness presence (SP): ‘good health behavior' (Low SP/Low SA), ‘recovery behavior' (Low SP/High SA), ‘risk behavior' (High SP/Low SA), and ‘poor health behavior' (High SP/High SA). Odds ratios (OR) were calculated by multinomial logistic regression with 95% confidence intervals (CI).

Results: After adjusting for socio-demographic factors, those who rarely worked in strenuous postures had an increased probability of having ‘good health behavior' (OR range: nurses 1.72–2.02; care assistants 1.46–1.75). Those who rarely experienced high job demands had increased odds for having ‘good health behavior' (OR: nurses 1.81; OR range: care assistants 1.67–2.13), while having good job control was found to be related to ‘good health behavior' only among care assistants (OR range 1.30–1.68). In the full model, after also considering differences in health, none of the work environment indicators affected ‘good health behavior' among nursing professionals. Among care assistants, rarely having heavy physical work and having low psychosocial demands remained significantly associated with ‘good health behavior' (OR range: 1.24–1.58) and ‘recovery behavior' (OR range: 1.33–1.70). No associations were found between favorable work environment factors and ‘risk behavior' among the two groups of employees. However, positive assessments of the work situation were associated with ‘good health behavior,' even after controlling for all confounders for both groups (OR range: 1.43–2.69).

Conclusions: ‘Good health behavior' and ‘recovery behavior' among care assistants were associated with favorable physical and psychosocial working conditions even when health was considered. This implies that reduced sickness presence and sickness absence among care assistants can be achieved through improved physical and psychosocial working conditions.
Rationale and Design of a Panel Study Investigating Six Health Effects of Airborne Pollen: The EPOCHAL Study
Authors: Bürgler Alexandra , Glick Sarah , Hartmann Karin , Eeftens Marloes
Published: June 2021

Background: While airborne pollen is widely recognized as a seasonal cause of sneezing and itchy eyes, its effects on pulmonary function, cardiovascular health, sleep quality, and cognitive performance are less well-established. It is likely that the public health impact of pollen may increase in the future due to a higher population prevalence of pollen sensitization as well as earlier, longer, and more intense pollen seasons, trends attributed to climate change. The effects of pollen on health outcomes have previously been studied through cross-sectional design or at two time points, namely preceding and within the period of pollen exposure. We are not aware of any observational study in adults that has analyzed the dose-response relationship between daily ambient pollen concentration and cardiovascular, pulmonary, cognitive, sleep, or quality of life outcomes. Many studies have relied on self-reported pollen allergy status rather than objectively confirming pollen sensitization. In addition, many studies lacked statistical power due to small sample sizes or were highly restrictive with their inclusion criteria, making the findings less transferable to the “real world.”

Methods: The EPOCHAL study is an observational panel study which aims to relate ambient pollen concentration to six specific health domains: (1) pulmonary function and inflammation; (2) cardiovascular outcomes (blood pressure and heart rate variability); (3) cognitive performance; (4) sleep; (5) health-related quality of life (HRQoL); and (6) allergic rhinitis symptom severity. Our goal is to enroll 400 individuals with diverse allergen sensitization profiles. The six health domains will be assessed while ambient exposure to pollen of different plants naturally varies. Health data will be collected through six home nurse visits (at approximately weekly intervals) as well as 10 days of independent tracking of blood pressure, sleep, cognitive performance, HRQoL, and symptom severity by participants. Through repeated health assessments, we aim to uncover and characterize dose-response relationships between exposure to different species of pollen and numerous acute health effects, considering (non-)linearity, thresholds, plateaus and slopes.

Conclusion: A gain of knowledge in pollen-health outcome relationships is critical to inform future public health policies and will ultimately lead toward better symptom forecasts and improved personalized prevention and treatment.
Field Trial on 5G New Radio Over Satellite
Authors: Völk Florian , Schwarz Robert T. , Knopp Andreas
Published: June 2021

5G New Radio (NR) is the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) radio access technology for the next generation mobile communications network. A major evolution of 5G constitutes the integration of non-terrestrial networks including geostationary and low Earth orbit satellites. The seamless integration of satellites in the terrestrial mobile network requires significant adaptations within the radio access network and the development of new features in the core network to cope with the specific satellite channel characteristics. To date, the 5G control and data plane has been standardized to handle only continuous backhaul communication between the network components. However, a mobile satellite enabled next generation Node B (gNB) located in a vehicle or in a moving aerial platform needs to be able to handle frequent backhaul outages of various duration as well as longer signal delays as opposed to short terrestrial connections via fiber. In this paper, we report the results of an over-the-air (OTA) field trial comprising a mobile edge node connected to the 5G standalone core network components over a geostationary satellite. We analyze Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) acceleration and GPRS Tunneling Protocol (GTP)/TCP/Internet Protocol (IP) header compression features through the GTP. Moreover, the influence of short and long interruptions in the communication between the edge node and the central components on the entire system performance is investigated. The header compression and TCP acceleration modules were implemented on the satellite modems and are now part of the protocol stack of these devices. The results show up to 12% higher data rates for the 5G user equipment (UE), on a 1.5 MHz single carrier return link compared to deactivated TCP acceleration and header compression. We increased the data rate by 20% on the 4.5 MHz DVB-S2X forward link between the UE and 5G core. Moreover, our measurements reveal that even satellite-enabled gNB mobility is possible with the current Release 15 standard. After a short outage of the satellite connection due to shadowing, the UE can successfully re-establish the user plane connection to the core network. Our results will facilitate the full integration of satellite components in 5G through open and standard solutions.
Integrating Oral PrEP Into Family Planning Services for Women in Sub-saharan Africa: Findings From a Multi-Country Landscape Analysis
Authors: Bhavaraju Neeraja , Wilcher Rose , Regeru Regeru Njoroge , Mullick Saiqa , Mahaka Imelda , Rodrigues Jessica , Mason Jennifer , Schueller Jane , Torjesen Kristine
Published: June 2021

Integration of HIV and family planning (FP) services is a renewed focus area for national policymakers, donors, and implementers in sub-Saharan Africa as a result of high HIV incidence among general-population women, especially adolescent girls and young women (AGYW), and the perception that integrating HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) into FP services may be an effective way to provide comprehensive HIV and FP services to this population. We conducted a focused desk review to develop a PrEP-FP integration framework across five key categories: plans and policies, resource management, service delivery, PrEP use, and monitoring and reporting. The framework was refined via interviews with 30 stakeholders across seven countries at varying stages of oral PrEP rollout: Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, South Africa, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. After refining the framework, we developed a PrEP-FP integration matrix and assessed country-specific progress to identify common enablers of and barriers to PrEP-FP integration. None of the countries included in our analysis had made substantial progress toward integrated PrEP-FP service delivery. Although the countries made progress in one or two categories, integration was often impeded by lack of advancement in other areas. Our framework offers policymakers, program implementers, and health care providers a road map for strategically assessing and monitoring progress toward PrEP-FP integration in their contexts.
An Unusual Histology for a Lung Nodule: A Case Report of Primary Pulmonary Paraganglioma
Authors: Mazzucco Alessandra , Poirè Eleonora , Leporati Andrea , Chiari Matteo , Moneghini Laura , Ghilardi Giorgio , Baisi Alessandro
Published: June 2021

Introduction: Primary pulmonary paraganglioma is a rare tumor with few cases reported in literature and unspecific clinical presentation.

Case Presentation: A 49-year-old woman presented to our department with an incidental finding of a pulmonary mass at chest X-ray and no associated clinical symptom. The CT scan and the FDG-PET showed mild uptake of contrast, but a definitive diagnosis was only possible after surgery through histopathological examination.

Conclusion: Paragangliomas originating in the pulmonary tissue are generally non-functioning masses discovered incidentally in otherwise asymptomatic patients. Surgery appears to be the best treatment option, with only radiologic follow-up necessary afterwards.
Long-Term Grow-Out Affects Campylobacter jejuni Colonization Fitness in Coincidence With Altered Microbiota and Lipid Composition in the Cecum of Laying Hens
Authors: Asakura Hiroshi , Nakayama Tatsuya , Yamamoto Shiori , Izawa Kazuki , Kawase Jun , Torii Yasushi , Murakami Satoshi
Published: June 2021

Campylobacter jejuni is one of the leading causes of gastrointestinal illness worldwide and is mainly transmitted from chicken through the food chain. Previous studies have provided increasing evidence that this pathogen can colonize and replicate in broiler chicken during its breeding; however, its temporal kinetics in laying hen are poorly understood. Considering the possible interaction between C. jejuni and gut microbiota, the current study was conducted to address the temporal dynamics of C. jejuni in the cecum of laying hen over 40 weeks, with possible alteration of the gut microbiota and fatty acid (FA) components. Following oral infection with C. jejuni 81-176, inocula were stably recovered from ceca for up to 8 weeks post-infection (p.i.). From 16 weeks p.i., most birds became negative for C. jejuni and remained negative up to 40 weeks p.i. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analyses revealed that most of the altered relative rRNA gene abundances occurred in the order Clostridiales, in which increased relative rRNA gene abundances were observed at >16 weeks p.i. in the families Clostridiaceae, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Peptococcaceae. Lipidome analyses revealed increased levels of sterols associated with bile acid metabolisms in the cecum at 16 and/or 24 weeks p.i. compared with those detected at 8 weeks p.i., suggesting that altered microbiota and bile acid metabolism might underlie the decreased colonization fitness of C. jejuni in the gut of laying hens.
West Nile Virus Seroprevalence in a Selected Donkey Population of Namibia
Authors: Molini Umberto , Franzo Giovanni , Nel Hannah , Khaiseb Siegfried , Ntahonshikira Charles , Chiwome Bernard , Baines Ian , Madzingira Oscar , Monaco Federica , Savini Giovanni , D'Alterio Nicola
Published: June 2021

West Nile Virus (WNV) is a mosquito-borne virus enzootically maintained in birds. However, it can incidentally infect other species, leading to sometimes severe clinical consequences like in horses and especially human beings. Despite the topic relevance, the presence and distribution of WNV are currently unknown in Namibia. Several countries implement surveillance systems based on virus detection in birds, mosquitoes, and vertebrate species including horses. The present study aimed to fill this knowledge gap by serologically evaluating WNV exposure in Namibian donkeys, whose population is remarkably bigger than the horse one. Forty-seven out of 260 sampled animals showed neutralizing antibodies against WNV (18.07% [95% CI = 13.59–23.30%]), demonstrating its circulation in all country territory, although, with apparent regional differences. On the contrary, no association with animal age or sex could be identified. The present study demonstrates the widespread presence of WNV in Namibia as well as the practical utility and effectiveness of donkeys as sentinels for infection surveillance. Due to clinical relevance, vaccination campaigns should be considered for horses of high economic or genetic value. Additionally, the burden of WNV infection on human health should be carefully evaluated.
The Difference in Subjective Experience Related to Acoustic Treatments in an Ordinary Public Room: A Case Study
Authors: Arvidsson Emma , Nilsson Erling , Bard Hagberg Delphine , Karlsson Ola
Published: June 2021

In ordinary public rooms absorbent ceilings are normally used. However, reflective material such as diffusers can also be useful to improve the acoustic performance for this type of environment. In this study, different combinations of absorbers and diffusers have been used. The study investigates whether a test group of 29 people perceived sound in an ordinary room differently depending on the type of treatment. Comparisons of the same position in a room for different configurations as well as different positions within one configuration were made. The subjective judgements were compared to the room acoustic measures T20, C50 and G and the difference in the values of these parameters. It was found that when evaluating the different positions in a room, the configuration including diffusers was perceived to a greater extent as being similar in the different positions in the room when compared to the configuration with absorbers on the walls. It was also seen that C50 was the parameter that mainly affected the perception, with the difference needing to be 2 dB to recognize a difference. However, the room acoustic measurements could not fully explain the differences obtained in perception. In addition, the subjective sound image created by different types of treatments was also shown to have an important impact on the perception.
Effects of Short-Term Rice Straw Return on the Soil Microbial Community
Authors: Wang Enze , Lin Xiaolong , Tian Lei , Wang Xinguang , Ji Li , Jin Feng , Tian Chunjie
Published: June 2021

Rice straw is a byproduct of agricultural production and an important agricultural resource. However, rice straw has not yet been effectively used, and incorrect treatment methods (such as burning in the field) can cause serious damage to the environment. Studies have shown that straw returning is beneficial to soil, but there have been few studies focused on the effect of the amount of short-term straw returned on the soil microbial community. This study evaluates 0%, 50%, 75%, and 100% rice straw returned to the field on whether returning different amounts of straw in the short term would affect the diversity and composition of the soil microbial community and the correlation between bacteria and fungi. The results show that the amount of straw returned to the field is the main factor that triggers the changes in the abundance and composition of the microbial community in the paddy soil. A small amount of added straw (≤50% straw added) mainly affects the composition of the bacterial community, while a larger amount of added straw (>50% straw added) mainly affects the composition of the fungal community. Returning a large amount of straw increases the microbial abundance related to carbon and iron cycles in the paddy soil, thus promoting the carbon and iron cycle processes to a certain extent. In addition, network analysis shows that returning a large amount of straw also increases the complexity of the microbial network, which may encourage more microbes to be niche-sharing and comprehensively improve the ecological environment of paddy soil. This study may provide some useful guidance for rice straw returning in northeast China.
Analysis of the Forecast Price as a Factor of Sustainable Development of Agriculture
Authors: Tatarintsev Maxim , Korchagin Sergey , Nikitin Petr , Gorokhova Rimma , Bystrenina Irina , Serdechnyy Denis
Published: June 2021

Analysis of the rise in prices for consumer goods is a state’s priority task. The state assumes the obligation to regulate pricing in all spheres of consumption. First of all, the prices for essential commodities to which agricultural products belong are analyzed. The article shows the changes in prices for consumer goods of agricultural products (sugar) during a pandemic. The analysis of forecasting prices for sugar and its impact on the development of its production is carried out. The construction of the forecast model was based on extrapolation. The structure of a forecast model for price changes was based on the analysis of the time series of the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) class. This model consists of an autoregressive model and a moving average model. A forecast of the volume of domestic sugar transportation by rail has been completed. The algorithms implemented this model for searching for initial approximations and optimal parameters for the predictive model. The Hirotsugu Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was used to select the best model. The algorithms were implemented in the Python programming language. The quality check of the description was performed with a predictive model of actual data. An economic interpretation of the rise in sugar prices and proof of the forecast’s truth obtained from a financial point of view were carried out.
Seeding Rate Effects on Hybrid Spring Wheat Yield, Yield Components, and Quality
Authors: Schmitz Peder K. , Ransom Joel K.
Published: June 2021

Agronomic practices, such as planting date, seeding rate, and genotype, commonly influence hard red spring wheat (HRSW, Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.) production. Determining the agronomic optimum seeding rate (AOSR) of newly developed hybrids is needed as they respond to seeding rates differently from inbred cultivars. The objectives of this research were to determine the AOSR of new HRSW hybrids, how seeding rate alters their various yield components, and whether hybrids offer increased end-use quality, compared to conventional cultivars. The performance of two cultivars (inbreds) and five hybrids was evaluated in nine North Dakota environments at five seeding rates in 2019−2020. Responses to seeding rate for yield and protein yield differed among the genotypes. The AOSR ranged from 3.60 to 5.19 million seeds ha−1 and 2.22 to 3.89 million seeds ha−1 for yield and protein yield, respectively. The average AOSR for yield for the hybrids was similar to that of conventional cultivars. However, the maximum protein yield of the hybrids was achieved at 0.50 million seeds ha−1 less than that of the cultivars tested. The yield component that explained the greatest proportion of differences in yield as seeding rates varied was kernels spike−1 (r = 0.17 to 0.43). The end-use quality of the hybrids tested was not superior to that of the conventional cultivars, indicating that yield will likely be the determinant of the economic feasibility of any future released hybrids.
An Intelligent Baby Monitor with Automatic Sleeping Posture Detection and Notification
Authors: Khan Tareq
Published: June 2021

Artificial intelligence (AI) has brought lots of excitement to our day-to-day lives. Some examples are spam email detection, language translation, etc. Baby monitoring devices are being used to send video data of the baby to the caregiver’s smartphone. However, the automatic understanding of the data was not implemented in most of these devices. In this research, AI and image processing techniques were developed to automatically recognize unwanted situations that the baby was in. The monitoring device automatically detected: (a) whether the baby’s face was covered due to sleeping on the stomach; (b) whether the baby threw off the blanket from the body; (c) whether the baby was moving frequently; (d) whether the baby’s eyes were opened due to awakening. The device sent notifications and generated alerts to the caregiver’s smartphone whenever one or more of these situations occurred. Thus, the caregivers were not required to monitor the baby at regular intervals. They were notified when their attention was required. The device was developed using NVIDIA’s Jetson Nano microcontroller. A night vision camera and Wi-Fi connectivity were interfaced. Deep learning models for pose detection, face and landmark detection were implemented in the microcontroller. A prototype of the monitoring device and the smartphone app were developed and tested successfully for different scenarios. Compared with general baby monitors, the proposed device gives more peace of mind to the caregivers by automatically detecting un-wanted situations.
Population Pharmacokinetics and Significant Under-Dosing of Anti-Tuberculosis Medications in People with HIV and Critical Illness
Authors: Rao Prakruti S. , Moore Christopher C. , Mbonde Amir A. , Nuwagira Edwin , Orikiriza Patrick , Nyehangane Dan , Al-Shaer Mohammad H. , Peloquin Charles A. , Gratz Jean , Pholwat Suporn , Arinaitwe Rinah , Boum Yap , Mwanga-Amumpaire Juliet , Houpt Eric R. , Kagan Leonid , Heysell Scott K. , Muzoora Conrad
Published: June 2021

Critical illness from tuberculosis (TB) bloodstream infection results in a high case fatality rate for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Critical illness can lead to altered pharmacokinetics and suboptimal drug exposures. We enrolled adults living with HIV and hospitalized with sepsis, with and without meningitis, in Mbarara, Uganda that were starting first-line anti-TB therapy. Serum was collected two weeks after enrollment at 1-, 2-, 4-, and 6-h post-dose and drug concentrations quantified by validated LC-MS/MS methods. Non-compartmental analyses were used to determine total drug exposure, and population pharmacokinetic modeling and simulations were performed to determine optimal dosages. Eighty-one participants were enrolled. Forty-nine completed pharmacokinetic testing: 18 (22%) died prior to testing, 13 (16%) were lost to follow-up and one had incomplete testing. Isoniazid had the lowest serum attainment, with only 4.1% achieving a target exposure over 24 h (AUC0–24) of 52 mg·h/L despite appropriate weight-based dosing. Simulations to reach target AUC0–24 found necessary doses of rifampin of 1800 mg, pyrazinamide of 2500–3000 mg, and for isoniazid 900 mg or higher. Given the high case fatality ratio of TB-related critical illness in this population, an early higher dose anti-TB therapy should be trialed.
Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Resistance of TiAl6V4 Alloy Produced with SLM Technique and Used for Customized Mesh in Bone Augmentations
Authors: De Angelis Nicola , Solimei Luca , Pasquale Claudio , Alvito Lorenzo , Lagazzo Alberto , Barberis Fabrizio
Published: June 2021

Bone augmentation procedures represent a real clinical challenge. One option is the use of titanium meshes. Additive manufacturing techniques can provide custom-made devices in titanium alloy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the material used, which can influence the outcomes of the bone augmentation procedure. Specific test samples were obtained from two different manufacturers with two different shapes: surfaces without perforations and with calibrated perforations. Three-point bending tests were run as well as internal friction tests to verify the Young’s modulus. Test samples were placed in two different buffered solutions and analyzed with optical microscopy. A further SEM analysis was done to observe any microstructural modification. Three-point flexural tests were conducted on 12 specimens. Initial bending was observed at lower applied stresses for the perforated samples (503 MPa) compared to non-perforated ones (900 MPa); the ultimate flexural strength was registered at 513 MPa and 1145 MPa for perforated and non-perforated samples, respectively. Both microscopic analyses (optical and SEM) showed no significant alterations. Conclusions: A normal masticatory load cannot modify the device. Chemical action in the case of exposure does not create macroscopic and microscopic alterations of the surface.
Study on the Combined Effect of Multiple Passive Energy-Saving Methods for Rural Houses with Cold Alleys
Authors: Yao Xingbo , Han Shuo , Dewancker Bart Julien
Published: June 2021

China’s rural houses are mostly courtyard-style independent houses. Such houses have certain characteristics, e.g., small mutual influences between houses, strong transformation flexibility, and an easier approach to using the natural environment to develop passive energy-saving characteristics. Therefore, rural houses have large energy-saving potential. In this study, for the first time, the cold alleys between buildings were used as an energy source for passive cooling and ventilation. Traditional houses in Shuhe, China, were used as a case study. The cold alleys in the settlements were used to compensate for the natural conditions in summer, and the cold air in the cold alley was introduced into each room using hot-press ventilation and by employing an accumulation effect from a corresponding patio. The room was ventilated and cooled, and air ducts were used to connect the rooms on both sides of the patio to improve the cooling efficiency. The research variables included the existence or non-existence of wall heat radiation (WHR), and the importance and influence of the WHR on the indoor conditions were verified. The cold air trapped in the new system formed an air partition wall, effectively blocking the direct influence of solar radiation on the room, reducing the heat transfer rate of the residential wall, and consuming part of the heat. In winter, based on using air ducts as supporting members, a glass roof was added to the patio, which improved the heat storage capacity of the patio and turned it into a constant-temperature heater for heating the building interior. Based on calculations, in the new system without WHR, the annual cooling load reduction was 55,417.33 kWh. With WHR, the annual cooling load reduction was 28,537.57 kWh. The annual cooling load of the air insulation wall of the new system was reduced to 1133.7 kWh. In winter, using the glass roof to increase the heat storage capacity of the patio reduced the heating load to 54,537.78 kWh.
Key Action Mechanisms of Intentional Mistuning
Authors: Sánchez-Álvarez Jose Joaquin , Martel Carlos
Published: June 2021

Intentional mistuning is a common procedure to decrease the uncontrolled vibration amplification effects of the (unavoidable) random mistuning, and to reduce the sensitivity to it. The idea is to introduce an intentional mistuning pattern that is small, but much larger than the existing random mistuning. The frequency of adjacent blades is moved apart by the intentional mistuning, reducing the blade-to-blade coupling and, thus, the effect of the random mistuning. In order to clearly show the action mechanisms of intentional mistuning, we focus in this work in a quite simple configuration: forced response of a blade dominated modal family in a mistuned rotor with linear material damping. The problem is analysed using the asymptotic mistuning model methodology. A more reduced order model is derived that allows us to understand the relevant parameters behind the effect of intentional mistuning, and gives a simple expression for the estimation of its beneficial effect. The results from the reduced model are checked against detailed FEM simulations of two mistuned rotors.
Marginal Adaptation Assessment for Two Composite Layering Techniques Using Dye Penetration, AFM, SEM and FTIR: An In-Vitro Comparative Study
Authors: Chisnoiu Andrea Maria , Moldovan Marioara , Sarosi Codruta , Chisnoiu Radu Marcel , Rotaru Doina Iulia , Delean Ada Gabriela , Pastrav Ovidiu , Muntean Alexandrina , Petean Ioan , Tudoran Lucian Barbu , Pastrav Mihaela
Published: June 2021

Do the new, modern dental resin composites improve the sealing in cavities restorations? The present study was designed to compare the effect of two different, but most used layering techniques of the dental composite in reducing the marginal microleakage when a brand-new material is used; Class I black cavities were prepared on 120 human extracted teeth and then restored using oblique and horizontal layering technique. The dye penetration analysis, the atomic force microscopy (AFM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) together with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) technique were used to assess the adaptation of the restorative material to the dental structures. Some better results were obtained for oblique layering technique, but the differences to the other method have not been statistically validated. The composite layering technique still remains an open quest and, moreover, in vivo studies should be designed in order to assess microleakage in real conditions of the oral environment.
Modeling of Tunneling Total Loads Based on Symbolic Regression Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Liting , Zhang Qian , Zhou Siyang , Liu Shanglin
Published: June 2021

The tunneling total load is one of the core control parameters for safe and efficient construction using tunneling machines. However, because the tunneling process involves complex coupling relationships between the equipment and the local geology, theoretical derivation is difficult. The development of tunneling data detection and acquisition technology has led to extensive load modeling based on data analysis and machine learning. However, it is difficult to obtain an explicit interpretable model that satisfies certain physical rules. In this paper, a modeling method based on symbolic regression is proposed. The method mainly includes three modules: construction of π quantities, feature selection, and model training. Through dimensional analysis, the π quantities are constructed so as to impose physical constraints on the training process. Feature selection based on a nonlinear random forest model is used to improve the modeling efficiency. Finally, an explicit nonlinear load model is obtained using symbolic regression, which satisfies the basic equilibrium theory of mechanics and the dimensional rules of physics. The proposed approach is compared with general linear regression and an artificial neural network. The results show that the proposed method produces a load model that is interpretable and accurate, providing an excellent reference for construction excavation.
Comparison of Aqueous- and Non-Aqueous-Based Binder Polymers and the Mixing Ratios for Zn//MnO2 Batteries with Mildly Acidic Aqueous Electrolytes
Authors: Fitz Oliver , Ingenhoven Stefan , Bischoff Christian , Gentischer Harald , Birke Kai Peter , Saracsan Dragos , Biro Daniel
Published: June 2021

Considering the literature for aqueous rechargeable Zn//MnO2 batteries with acidic electrolytes using the doctor blade coating of the active material (AM), carbon black (CB), and binder polymer (BP) for the positive electrode fabrication, different binder types with (non-)aqueous solvents were introduced so far. Furthermore, in most of the cases, relatively high passive material (CB+BP) shares ~30 wt% were applied. The first part of this work focuses on different selected BPs: polyacrylonitrile (PAN), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), styrene butadiene rubber (SBR), cellulose acetate (CA), and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR). They were used together with (non-)aqueous solvents: DI-water, methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). By performing mechanical, electrochemical and optical characterizations, a better overall performance of the BPs using aqueous solvents was found in aqueous 2 M ZnSO4 + 0.1 M MnSO4 electrolyte (i.e., BP LA133: 150 mAh·g−1 and 189 mWh·g−1 @ 160 mA·g−1). The second part focuses on the mixing ratio of the electrode components, aiming at the decrease of the commonly used passive material share of ~30 wt% for an industrial-oriented electrode fabrication, while still maintaining the electrochemical performance. Here, the absolute CB share and the CB/BP ratio are found to be important parameters for an application-oriented electrode fabrication (i.e., high energy/power applications).
Genome-Wide Analysis of Codon Usage Patterns of SARS-CoV-2 Virus Reveals Global Heterogeneity of COVID-19
Authors: Khattak Saadullah , Rauf Mohd Ahmar , Zaman Qamar , Ali Yasir , Fatima Shabeen , Muhammad Pir , Li Tao , Khan Hamza Ali , Khan Azhar Abbas , Ngowi Ebenezeri Erasto , Wu Dong-Dong , Ji Xin-Ying
Published: June 2021

The ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease COVID-19 is significantly implicated by global heterogeneity in the genome organization of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The causative agents of global heterogeneity in the whole genome of SARS-CoV-2 are not well characterized due to the lack of comparative study of a large enough sample size from around the globe to reduce the standard deviation to the acceptable margin of error. To better understand the SARS-CoV-2 genome architecture, we have performed a comprehensive analysis of codon usage bias of sixty (60) strains to get a snapshot of its global heterogeneity. Our study shows a relatively low codon usage bias in the SARS-CoV-2 viral genome globally, with nearly all the over-preferred codons’ A.U. ended. We concluded that the SARS-CoV-2 genome is primarily shaped by mutation pressure; however, marginal selection pressure cannot be overlooked. Within the A/U rich virus genomes of SARS-CoV-2, the standard deviation in G.C. (42.91% ± 5.84%) and the GC3 value (30.14% ± 6.93%) points towards global heterogeneity of the virus. Several SARS-CoV-2 viral strains were originated from different viral lineages at the exact geographic location also supports this fact. Taking all together, these findings suggest that the general root ancestry of the global genomes are different with different genome’s level adaptation to host. This research may provide new insights into the codon patterns, host adaptation, and global heterogeneity of SARS-CoV-2.
The Role of Oxidative Stress in NAFLD–NASH–HCC Transition—Focus on NADPH Oxidases
Authors: Gabbia Daniela , Cannella Luana , De Martin Sara
Published: June 2021

A peculiar role for oxidative stress in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and its transition to the inflammatory complication non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), as well as in its threatening evolution to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), is supported by numerous experimental and clinical studies. NADPH oxidases (NOXs) are enzymes producing reactive oxygen species (ROS), whose abundance in liver cells is closely related to inflammation and immune responses. Here, we reviewed recent findings regarding this topic, focusing on the role of NOXs in the different stages of fatty liver disease and describing the current knowledge about their mechanisms of action. We conclude that, although there is a consensus that NOX-produced ROS are toxic in non-neoplastic conditions due to their role in the inflammatory vicious cycle sustaining the transition of NAFLD to NASH, their effect is controversial in the neoplastic transition towards HCC. In this regard, there are indications of a differential effect of NOX isoforms, since NOX1 and NOX2 play a detrimental role, whereas increased NOX4 expression appears to be correlated with better HCC prognosis in some studies. Further studies are needed to fully unravel the mechanisms of action of NOXs and their relationships with the signaling pathways modulating steatosis and liver cancer development.