bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Experimental Safety Analysis for Transplanting Device of the 4-Bar Link Type Semi-Automatic Vegetable Transplanter
Authors: Sri Markumningsih , Hwang Seok-Joon , Nam Ju-Seok
Published: August 2022

The goal of this research was to analyze the load and safety of the transplanting device of the 4-bar link type semi-automatic vegetable transplanter under different workload conditions. To measure the strain at the transplanting device, a load measurement system was developed using 15 strain gauges. Field tests were conducted at 4 levels of engine speeds (750, 1000, 1250, and 1500 rpm) and 10 levels of the planting distance (0.29–0.47 m). The static safety factor was defined as the ratio between the strength of the material and the maximum stress in the transplanting device. The calculated stress data were converted from the time domain to the frequency domain using the rain-flow counting methods and Goodman’s Equation. The sum of fatigue damage was acquired based on the Palmgren–Miner’s rule. It was observed that the stresses increased with increasing engine speed and planting distance. The results show the higher engine speed and the longer planting distance will decrease the static safety factor and fatigue life. The static safety factor value was more than 1.0 for all locations and all working conditions. The minimum fatigue life was 49,153.3 h at link A (S_14), under the working condition of engine speed 750 rpm and planting distance of 0.35 m.
Effects of Decreasing Fishmeal as Main Source of Protein on Growth, Digestive Physiology, and Gut Microbiota of Olive Flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus)
Authors: Seo Bong-Seung , Park Su-Jin , Hwang So-Yeon , Lee Ye-In , Lee Seung-Han , Hur Sang-Woo , Lee Kyeong-Jun , Nam Taek-Jeong , Song Jin-Woo , Kim Jae-Sig , Jang Won-Je , Choi Youn-Hee
Published: August 2022

In olive flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus), growth performance, expression of growth-related factors, digestive physiology, and gut microbiota were assessed under farm conditions in the fish fed diets with low levels of fishmeal. Four experimental diets were prepared, FM70 [control (CON), 70% fishmeal], FM45 (45% fishmeal), FM35A (35% fishmeal), and FM35B (35% fishmeal + insect meal), and fed to the fish for five months. The CON-fed fish had the highest plasma GH, but IGF-1 and hepatic IGF-1 mRNA expression of the olive flounder fed diets with low-fishmeal levels did not significantly differ among diets. The intestinal villus length, muscular thickness, and the number of goblet cells were statistically similar, and ocular examination of hepatopancreas showed no discernable difference in all experimental diets. The chymotrypsin content of FM35B-fed fish is significantly lower, but trypsin and lipase contents are similar. The diversity of gut microbiota did not differ among groups, although the FM35B group had a higher composition of Firmicutes. Thus, a diet with reduced fishmeal content and several alternative protein sources can be used as feed ingredients in feed formulation for olive flounder reared under typical aquaculture farm conditions.
Chicken Protein S Gene Regulates Adipogenesis and Affects Abdominal Fat Deposition
Authors: Guo Lijin , Huang Weiling , Zhang Siyu , Huang Yulin , Xu Yibin , Wu Ruiquan , Fang Xiang , Xu Haiping , Nie Qinghua
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: Excessive abdominal fat deposition in broilers not only causes feed waste but also leads to a series of metabolic diseases. It has gradually become a new breeding goal of the broiler industry to improve growth rates and to reduce abdominal fat rates. In a previous study, PROS1 was highly expressed in low-abdominal fat broilers, suggesting a potential role in broilers adipogenesis. However, the function of PROS1 in preadipocytes and its association with abdominal fat traits need to be characterized. (2) Methods: qRT-PCR and Western Blot were used to quantify gene expression at the RNA and protein levels; flow cytometry and EdU were carried out to detect cell proliferation; and a GLM analysis was used to determine the association between PROS1 SNPs and carcass traits. (3) Results: PROS1 was downregulated in high-abdominal fat chicken; PROS1 contributed preadipocyte proliferation but suppressed preadipocyte differentiation; and the SNPs in the PROS1 5′ flank were significantly associated with the abdominal fat weight rate. (4) Conclusions: Chicken PROS1 is able to suppress adipogenesis, and its polymorphisms are associated with the abdominal fat weight rate, which can be considered the molecular markers for chicken breeding, indicating that PROS1 is an effective potential gene in regulating abdominal fat deposition.
Comparison of Sources and Methods for the Isolation of Equine Adipose Tissue-Derived Stromal/Stem Cells and Preliminary Results on Their Reaction to Incubation with 5-Azacytidine
Authors: Trachsel Dagmar S. , Stage Hannah J. , Rausch Sebastian , Trappe Susanne , Söllig Katharina , Sponder Gerhard , Merle Roswitha , Aschenbach Jörg R. , Gehlen Heidrun
Published: August 2022

Physiological particularities of the equine heart justify the development of an in vitro model suitable for investigations of the species-specific equine cardiac electrophysiology. Adipose tissue-derived stromal/stem cells (ASCs) could be a promising starting point from which to develop such a cardiomyocyte (CM)-like cell model. Therefore, we compared abdominal, retrobulbar, and subcutaneous adipose tissue as sources for the isolation of ASCs applying two isolation methods: the collagenase digestion and direct explant culture. Abdominal adipose tissue was most suitable for the isolation of ASCs and both isolation methods resulted in comparable yields of CD45-/CD34-negative cells expressing the mesenchymal stem cell markers CD29, CD44, and CD90, as well as pluripotency markers, as determined by flow cytometry and real-time quantitative PCR. However, exposure of equine ASCs to 5-azacytidine (5-AZA), reportedly inducing CM differentiation from rats, rabbits, and human ASCs, was not successful in our study. More precisely, neither the early differentiation markers GATA4 and NKX2-5, nor the late CM differentiation markers TNNI3, MYH6, and MYH7 were upregulated in equine ASCs exposed to 10 µM 5-AZA for 48 h. Hence, further work focusing on the optimal conditions for CM differentiation of equine stem cells derived from adipose tissue, as well as possibly from other origins, are needed.
The Peptide Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase (MsrAB) of Haemophilus influenzae Repairs Oxidatively Damaged Outer Membrane and Periplasmic Proteins Involved in Nutrient Acquisition and Virulence
Authors: Nasreen Marufa , Nair Remya Purushothaman , McEwan Alastair G. , Kappler Ulrike
Published: August 2022

Sulfoxide-damage repair mechanisms are emerging as essential for the virulence of bacterial pathogens, and in the human respiratory pathogen Haemophilus influenzae the periplasmic MsrAB peptide methionine sulfoxide reductase is necessary for resistance to reactive chlorine species such as hypochlorite. Additionally, this enzyme has a role in modulating the host immune response to infection. Here, we have analysed the enzymatic properties of MsrAB, which revealed that both domains of the protein are catalytically active, with the turnover number of the MsrA domain being 50% greater than that for the MsrB domain. MsrAB was active with small molecular sulfoxides as well as oxidised calmodulin, and maximal activity was observed at 30°C, a temperature close to that found in the natural niche of H. influenzae, the nasopharynx. Analyses of differential methionine oxidation identified 29 outer membrane and periplasmic proteins that are likely substrates for MsrAB. These included the LldD lactate dehydrogenase and the lipoprotein eP4 that is involved in NAD and hemin metabolism in H. influenzae. Subsequent experiments showed that H. influenzae MsrAB can repair oxidative damage to methionines in purified eP4 with up to 100% efficiency. Our work links MsrAB to the maintenance of different adhesins and essential metabolic processes in the H. influenzae, such as NAD metabolism and access to L-lactate, which is a key growth substrate for H. influenzae during infection.
Antioxidant Effects of a Polyphenol-Rich Dietary Supplement Incorporating Pinus massoniana Bark Extract in Healthy Older Adults: A Two-Arm, Parallel Group, Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial
Authors: Ferguson Jessica J. A. , Oldmeadow Christopher , Bentley David , Garg Manohar L.
Published: August 2022

Oxidative stress is a key physiological phenomenon underpinning the ageing process and plays a major developmental role in age-associated chronic diseases. This study investigated the antioxidant effects of a polyphenol-rich dietary supplement containing Pinus massoniana bark extract (PMBE) in healthy older adults. In a double-blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial, participants were randomised (in a 1:1 ratio) to receive a 50 mL/day dietary supplement containing placebo (0 mg PMBE) or PMBE (1322 mg PMBE) for 12 weeks. The primary outcome was fasting plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) concentrations and secondary outcomes were plasma inflammatory markers. MDA concentrations significantly reduced following PMBE for 6 weeks (−1.19 nmol/mL, 95%CI −1.62, −0.75, p < 0.001) and 12 weeks (−1.35 nmol/mL, 95%CI −1.74, −0.96, p < 0.001) compared to baseline. MDA did not significantly change after the placebo. MDA levels at 6 and 12 weeks were significantly lower following PMBE compared to placebo (p < 0.001). At 12 weeks in the PMBE group, fibrinogen concentrations significantly reduced (−0.25 g/L, 95%CI −0.39, −0.11; p < 0.0001) and interleukin-6 significantly increased compared to placebo (0.30 pg/mL, 95%CI 0.02, 0.59; p < 0.05). PMBE in a polyphenol-rich dietary supplement reduced oxidative stress in healthy older adults. Further studies are warranted to investigate the antioxidant capacity of PMBE in conditions with heightened oxidative stress, such as osteoarthritis, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, or other lifestyle related diseases.
Optimization of a Nature-Inspired Shape for a Vertical Axis Wind Turbine through a Numerical Model and an Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Blanco Damota Javier , Rodríguez García Juan de Dios , Couce Casanova Antonio , Telmo Miranda Javier , Caccia Claudio Giovanni , Galdo María Isabel Lamas
Published: August 2022

The present work proposes an artificial neural network (ANN) to analyze vertical axis wind turbines of the Savonius type. These turbines are appropriate for low wind velocities due to their low starting torque. Nevertheless, their efficiency is too low. In order to improve the efficiency, several modifications are analyzed. First of all, an innovative blade profile biologically inspired is proposed. After that, the influence of several parameters such as the aspect ratio, overlap, and twist angle was analyzed through a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model. In order to characterize the most appropriate combination of aspect ratio, overlap, and twist angle, an artificial neural network is proposed. A data set containing 125 data points was obtained through CFD. This data set was used to develop the artificial neural network. Once established, the artificial neural network was employed to analyze 793,881 combinations of different aspect ratios, overlaps, and twist angles. It was found that the maximum power coefficient, 0.3263, corresponds to aspect ratio 7.5, overlap/chord length ratio 0.1125, and twist angle 112°. This corresponds to a 32.4% increment in comparison to the original case analyzed with aspect ratio 1, overlap 0, and twist angle 0.
Simulation of the Fracturing Process of Inclusions Embedded in Rock Matrix under Compression
Authors: Yu Chaoyun , Gong Bin , Wu Na , Xu Penglei , Bao Xiankai
Published: August 2022

Typical parallel fractures are often observed in the outcrops of inclusions in the field. To reveal the failure mechanism of inclusions embedded in rock matrix, a series of heterogeneous models are established and tested based on the damage mechanics, statistical strength theory, and continuum mechanics. The results show that, with the spacing between two adjacent fractures decreasing, the stress is firstly transferred from negative to positive, then from positive to negative. Stress transition is profound for the fracture spacing. Meanwhile, three types of fractures, i.e., consecutive fracture, non-consecutive fracture, and debonding fracture, are found, which are consistent with the observed modes in the field. Multiple inclusions are often fractured easier than an isolated inclusion due to the stress disturbance between inclusions and newly generated fractures. Either in single or multiple inclusions, tensile stresses inside the inclusions are the main driving force for fracture initiation and propagation. Besides, although the material heterogeneity has a small effect on the stress variation, it has an evident impact on the fracturing mode of inclusions. The stiffness ratio is critical for the stress transition and failure pattern; the interface debonding occurs earlier than the fracture initiation inside the inclusion when the stiffness ratio is relatively high. Additionally, the inclusions content only affects the sequence of fracture initiation rather than the final fracture spacing pattern.
Parameter Optimization and Experimental Study on Tool-Vibration-Assisted Pulsed Electrochemical Machining of γ-TiAl TNM Blades
Authors: Liu Jia , Liu Yan , Zhang Zhe , Wang Hao
Published: August 2022

Electrochemical machining (ECM) is one of the main methods for manufacturing gamma-titanium aluminum (γ-TiAl) alloy blades of new-type aero-engines. Tool-vibration-assisted pulsed electrochemical machining (VPECM) is an important method to improve the manufacturing accuracy. In order to determine the influence of processing parameters on the VPECM quality of γ-TiAl TNM alloys, multi-field simulations with different parameter combinations of peak voltage, feed rate, duty cycle, and tool vibration frequency were carried out. The influence of bubble rate and temperature increase on the conductivity distribution in the machining gap under different parameter combinations was analyzed. Then, orthogonal experiments with the above four processing parameters were carried out. The experimental results of surface roughness, replication accuracy, and average current density in the pulse width were interpreted by a grey relational analysis, and the best parameter combination was determined. Finally, four blade-shaped γ-TiAl TNM alloy specimens were processed by using the optimized parameter combination, which had good replication accuracy and surface quality.
Predicting the Survival of Primary Biliary Cholangitis Patients
Authors: Ferreira Diana , Neto Cristiana , Lopes José , Duarte Júlio , Abelha António , Machado José
Published: August 2022

Primary Biliary Cholangitis, which is thought to be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors, is a slow-growing chronic autoimmune disease in which the human body’s immune system attacks healthy cells and tissues and gradually destroys the bile ducts in the liver. A reliable diagnosis of this clinical condition, followed by appropriate intervention measures, can slow the damage to the liver and prevent further complications, especially in the early stages. Hence, the focus of this study is to compare different classification Data Mining techniques, using clinical and demographic data, in an attempt to predict whether or not a Primary Biliary Cholangitis patient will survive. Data from 418 patients with Primary Biliary Cholangitis, following the Mayo Clinic’s research between 1974 and 1984, were used to predict patient survival or non-survival using the Cross Industry Standard Process for Data Mining methodology. Different classification techniques were applied during this process, more specifically, Decision Tree, Random Tree, Random Forest, and Naïve Bayes. The model with the best performance used the Random Forest classifier and Split Validation with a ratio of 0.8, yielding values greater than 93% in all evaluation metrics. With further testing, this model may provide benefits in terms of medical decision support.
Baby Food Jars as a Dietary Source of Essential (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Mo, Mn) and Toxic Elements (Al, Cd, Pb, B, Ba, V, Sr, Li, Ni)
Authors: González-Suárez Santiago , Paz-Montelongo Soraya , Niebla-Canelo Daniel , Alejandro-Vega Samuel , González-Weller Dailos , Rubio-Armendáriz Carmen , Hardisson Arturo , Gutiérrez-Fernández Ángel J.
Published: August 2022

Baby food from jars is made of meat, vegetables or fruits, and might be a valuable source of essential elements such as Na or K. However, these infant products could also be a source of toxic elements such as Al or Cd, which are dangerous to infants. In total, 45 samples of various kinds of baby food in jars (meat, vegetables, fruit and mixed) were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (ICP OES) with the aim of evaluating the daily intake of essential elements (K, Na, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn, Cu, Co, Mo, Mn) and dietary exposure to toxic elements (Al, Cd, Pb, B, Ba, V, Sr, Li, Ni). Mixed jars registered the highest concentrations of Na, Ca, Zn, Fe. Al (8.22 ± 8.97 mg/kg wet weight) stands out in vegetable jars. In total, 130 g/day of mixed jars fulfills daily Zn and Ca requirements. These consumption scenarios (130 g/day, 250 g/day) supposed high Mn intakes (40 times higher than the recommended value), which could pose a risk to infants’ health. Pb, Ni, Cd and Al intakes exceed the maximum values. It is recommended to avoid the daily consumption of these products since it can pose a risk to the health of infants. Chemical compounds studied in this article: Nitric acid (PubChem: CID 944).
Remote Sensing and GIS in Environmental Monitoring
Authors: Parra Lorena
Published: August 2022

In recent decades, remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS) have become valuable environmental monitoring tools [...]
Experimental Investigation on Self-Excited Thermoacoustic Instability in a Rijke Tube
Authors: Luo Liezhao , Li Ting , Deng Jiangge , Zhao Runzhou , Wang Jinkui , Xu Lijun
Published: August 2022

The experimental investigations into the thermoacoustic instability in a Rijke tube are presented. In order to capture the dynamics of the temperature, a single-ended tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) technique was developed, with a measurement rate of 5 kHz. The temperature was found to fluctuate periodically at a dominant frequency of 230 Hz, corresponding to the fundamental frequency of the Rijke tube used in the experiment. The flame chemiluminescence was detected by a high-speed camera to demonstrate flame response to thermoacoustic instability. It was evident that the flame front stretched regularly and had jagged edges. To quantitate the fluctuations of chemiluminescence intensity, the relative area was defined. According to the result, the intensity also oscillated at 230 Hz. Furthermore, the same feature was found in regard to pressure at the exit of the Rijke tube. Compared with temperature and chemiluminescent intensity, the pressure oscillations presented the most approximate standard waveform, as they suffered the least disruptions. The results indicated that the dominant frequencies of temperature, chemiluminescent intensity and pressure were consistent, in accordance with the fundamental frequency of the Rijke tube in the experiment. In addition, etalon effects on the TDLAS signals were mitigated efficiently by a lowpass filter.
A Novel K-Means Clustering Method for Locating Urban Hotspots Based on Hybrid Heuristic Initialization
Authors: Li Yiping , Zhou Xiangbing , Gu Jiangang , Guo Ke , Deng Wu
Published: August 2022

With rapid economic and demographic growth, traffic conditions in medium and large cities are becoming extremely congested. Numerous metropolitan management organizations hope to promote the coordination of traffic and urban development by formulating and improving traffic development strategies. The effectiveness of these solutions depends largely on an accurate assessment of the distribution of urban hotspots (centers of traffic activity). In recent years, many scholars have employed the K-Means clustering technique to identify urban hotspots, believing it to be efficient. K-means clustering is a sort of iterative clustering analysis. When the data dimensionality is large and the sample size is enormous, the K-Means clustering algorithm is sensitive to the initial clustering centers. To mitigate the problem, a hybrid heuristic “fuzzy system-particle swarm-genetic” algorithm, named FPSO-GAK, is employed to obtain better initial clustering centers for the K-Means clustering algorithm. The clustering results are evaluated and analyzed using three-cluster evaluation indexes (SC, SP and SSE) and two-cluster similarity indexes (CI and CSI). A taxi GPS dataset and a multi-source dataset were employed to test and validate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm in comparison to the Random Swap clustering algorithm (RS), Genetic K-means algorithm (GAK), Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) based K-Means, PSO based constraint K-Means, PSO based Weighted K-Means, PSO-GA based K-Means and K-Means++ algorithms. The comparison findings demonstrate that the proposed algorithm can achieve better clustering results, as well as successfully acquire urban hotspots.
Specific Test Design for the In-Depth Technique Analysis of Elite Karate Competitors with the Application of Kinematic Sensors
Authors: Vuković Vesna , Koropanovski Nenad , Marković Stefan , Kos Anton , Dopsaj Milivoj , Umek Anton
Published: August 2022

Karate fighters are under constant pressure to find adequate scoring solutions in ever-changing combat conditions. Thus, technique improvement at high levels of mastery demands a novel approach to key data acquisition and in-depth analysis of more than just the impact phase in punch execution. With the aim of describing the kinematic and temporal structure of a reverse punch in the developmental phase, two wireless sensors were used for the acquisition of selected quantities in ten modalities performed by a continental and world medallist. The results show that the timeline of kinematic parameters may be a reliable factor regarding the efficiency of the reverse punch. The obtained hand results show a tendency towards maintaining greater levels of stability in comparison to the body. Additionally, the differences between parameters in relation to applied tests that replicated training and combat conditions were noted. The highest acceleration values were obtained in sliding motion preceding RP, with a partner holding chest punch pad, both static (7.35 ± 0.47 g0) and dynamic (6.99 ± 1.23 g0) tests. The same applies for velocity (8.39 ± 0.14 and 7.30 ± 1.28 m/s). The obtained results indicate the need for specific testing and an individual approach in the analysis of the techniques of elite competitors, along with the use of sensors in data acquisition. Such an approach may help improve the training and competition practice of karate fighters.
Computational Modelling and Simulation of Fluid Structure Interaction in Aortic Aneurysms: A Systematic Review and Discussion of the Clinical Potential
Authors: Mourato André , Valente Rodrigo , Xavier José , Brito Moisés , Avril Stéphane , de Sá José César , Tomás António , Fragata José
Published: August 2022

Aortic aneurysm is a cardiovascular disease related to the alteration of the aortic tissue. It is an important cause of death in developed countries, especially for older patients. The diagnosis and treatment of such pathology is performed according to guidelines, which suggest surgical or interventional (stenting) procedures for aneurysms with a maximum diameter above a critical threshold. Although conservative, this clinical approach is also not able to predict the risk of acute complications for every patient. In the last decade, there has been growing interest towards the development of advanced in silico aortic models, which may assist in clinical diagnosis, surgical procedure planning or the design and validation of medical devices. This paper details a comprehensive review of computational modelling and simulations of blood vessel interaction in aortic aneurysms and dissection, following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). In particular, the following questions are addressed: “What mathematical models were applied to simulate the biomechanical behaviour of healthy and diseased aortas?” and “Why are these models not clinically implemented?”. Contemporary evidence proves that computational models are able to provide clinicians with additional, otherwise unavailable in vivo data and potentially identify patients who may benefit from earlier treatment. Notwithstanding the above, these tools are still not widely implemented, primarily due to low accuracy, an extensive reporting time and lack of numerical validation.
A Hybrid Search Using Genetic Algorithms and Random-Restart Hill-Climbing for Flexible Job Shop Scheduling Instances with High Flexibility
Authors: Escamilla-Serna Nayeli Jazmin , Seck-Tuoh-Mora Juan Carlos , Medina-Marin Joselito , Barragan-Vite Irving , Corona-Armenta José Ramón
Published: August 2022

This work presents a novel hybrid algorithm called GA-RRHC based on genetic algorithms (GAs) and a random-restart hill-climbing (RRHC) algorithm for the optimization of the flexible job shop scheduling problem (FJSSP) with high flexibility (where every operation can be completed by a high number of machines). In particular, different GA crossover and simple mutation operators are used with a cellular automata (CA)-inspired neighborhood to perform global search. This method is refined with a local search based on RRHC, making computational implementation easy. The novel point is obtained by applying the CA-type neighborhood and hybridizing the aforementioned two techniques in the GA-RRHC, which is simple to understand and implement. The GA-RRHC is tested by taking four banks of experiments widely used in the literature and comparing their results with six recent algorithms using relative percentage deviation (RPD) and Friedman tests. The experiments demonstrate that the GA-RRHC is a competitive method compared with other recent algorithms for instances of the FJSSP with high flexibility. The GA-RRHC was implemented in Matlab and is available on Github.
Levels of IL-23/IL-17 Axis in Plasma and Gingival Tissue of Periodontitis Patients According to the New Classification
Authors: Rodríguez-Montaño Ruth , Ruiz-Gutiérrez Alondra del Carmen , Martínez-Rodríguez Vianeth María del Carmen , Gómez-Sandoval Juan Ramón , Guzmán-Flores Juan Manuel , Becerra-Ruiz Julieta Sarai , Zamora-Perez Ana Lourdes , Guerrero-Velázquez Celia
Published: August 2022

Background: Periodontitis (P) is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the destruction of periodontium support tissue generated by different immuno-inflammatory mechanisms, including the RANK/RANKL/OPG and the IL-23/IL-17 axis. Methods: The study was performed with healthy subjects (HS) and patients with periodontitis. Plasma samples were obtained from peripheral blood and the gingival tissue (GT) during periodontal surgery. The ELISA technique was used to evaluate the levels of IL-23, IL-17A, IL-23R, and IL-17RA. Results: In the plasma, a significant decrease in IL-17A was observed in patients with periodontitis than HS. In the GT, IL-23, IL-17A, and IL-17RA levels were increased in periodontitis patients; on the contrary, IL-23R levels were decreased in periodontitis patients when compared with HS. Finally, several positive correlations were found: soluble IL-17RA (sIL-17RA) levels in plasma between the percentage of radiographic bone loss (RBL%), and IL-23 with IL-17A in gingival tissue. Conclusions: The detection of the IL-23/IL-17A axis in gingival tissue and plasma provides us with more information on the behavior of this axis in a localized way in the periodontal microenvironment, in contrast to the systemic levels evaluated according to the new classification of periodontitis.
Analyzing Brain Waves of Table Tennis Players with Machine Learning for Stress Classification
Authors: Tsai Yu-Hung , Wu Sheng-Kuang , Yu Shyr-Shen , Tsai Meng-Hsiun
Published: August 2022

Electroencephalography (EEG) has been widely used in the research of stress detection in recent years; yet, how to analyze an EEG is an important issue for upgrading the accuracy of stress detection. This study aims to collect the EEG of table tennis players by a stress test and analyze it with machine learning to identify the models with optimal accuracy. The research methods are collecting the EEG of table tennis players using the Stroop color and word test and mental arithmetic, extracting features by data preprocessing and then making comparisons using the algorithms of logistic regression, support vector machine, decision tree C4.5, classification and regression tree, random forest, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). The research findings indicated that, in three-level stress classification, XGBoost had an 86.49% accuracy in the case of the generalized model. This study outperformed other studies by up to 11.27% in three-level classification. The conclusion of this study is that a stress detection model that was built with the data on the brain waves of table tennis players could distinguish high stress, medium stress, and low stress, as this study provided the best classifying results based on the past research in three-level stress classification with an EEG.
Alendronate Prevents Early Periprosthetic Bone Loss in Cementless Total Hip Arthroplasty Better Than Simvastatin
Authors: Apostu Dragos , Oltean-Dan Daniel , Mester Alexandru , Maxim Andrei , Tigu Adrian Bogdan , Benea Horea Rares Ciprian , Cosma Dan , Piciu Doina
Published: August 2022

Background and Objectives: Cementless total hip arthroplasty leads to an early periprosthetic bone loss, which can impair the osseointegration process and lead to a femoral implant migration during early weight-bearing. An altered osseointegration process can lead to aseptic loosening, which is the most frequent late complication in these surgical procedures. The objective of this study was to compare the effect of alendronate and simvastatin in the prevention of early periprosthetic bone loss found in osteoporotic patients. This can lead to earlier weight-bearing in patients, as well as reduce the rate of aseptic loosening. Materials and Methods: Forty-five patients undergoing cementless total hip arthroplasty were equally distributed into three groups: group I (alendronate), group II (simvastatin), and group III (control). The alendronate group received 5 mg of alendronate postoperatively, daily for 8 weeks, and the simvastatin group received 20 mg daily for 4 weeks postoperatively, followed by 40 mg daily for 4 weeks. We determined bone mineral density (BMD), as well as bone serum markers beta cross-laps (β-CTx) and alkaline phosphatase (ALPL) preoperatively, 4 weeks postoperatively, and 8 weeks postoperatively. All patients were not allowed to fully bear weight for 6 weeks postoperatively. Results: Alendronate statistically significantly increases the BMD at one month postoperatively compared to the control group in Gruen zones 5 and 6 (p = 0.042 and p = 0.039). Overall, the BMD was higher in the alendronate group compared to the control group at one month postoperatively (p = 0.043). Alendronate decreased β-CTx bone serum marker compared to control at one month and two months (p = 0.024 and p = 0.012). Moreover, alendronate showed a higher decrease in β-CTx compared to simvastatin at both timelines (p = 0.028 and p = 0.03, respectively). Conclusions: The study shows that alendronate administration following cementless total hip arthroplasty offers better protection against periprosthetic bone loss compared to simvastatin.
Experimental Study on the Effects of L(+)-Ascorbic Acid Treatment to the ESR Signals of Human Fingernails
Authors: Gonzales Chryzel Angelica B. , Ajimura Ryogo , Yasuda Hiroshi
Published: August 2022

The effects of L(+)-ascorbic acid (AA) (an antioxidant commonly known as vitamin C) on the electron spin resonance (ESR) signals from fingernails were examined in relation to X-ray and UV irradiation. The ESR signal intensity, stability, and sensitivity to radiation were measured under different storage conditions. The experimental results indicated that the behavior of the increase in the ESR intensity of the AA samples varied depending on the storage and location conditions, showing sensitivity to light and signal instability at room temperature. It was found that the AA treatment caused a large increase in the peak-to-peak intensities with continuous signal growth with storage time, which may provide an enhancement to the radiation-dependent signal in fingernails. It was also suggested that the use of AA for pre-treatment could sufficiently remove the disturbing signals induced by heat or UV light exposure, which is expected to improve the reliability of radiation dosimetry using fingernails. Further studies with different antioxidant conditions are needed to better characterize the complex changes of the ESR signals from fingernails.
Meeting 24 h Movement Guidelines and Health-Related Quality of Life in Youths during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: López-Gil José Francisco , Tremblay Mark S. , Tapia-Serrano Miguel Ángel , Tárraga-López Pedro Juan , Brazo-Sayavera Javier
Published: August 2022

Limitations in the use of public spaces have impacted the frequency and duration of movement behaviours (physical activity, sedentary behaviour, sleep) and outdoor activities of children and adolescents. Whether pandemic-induced changes in movement behaviours are related to the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of children and adolescents is unknown. The aim of the current study was to examine the association between meeting 24 h movement guidelines and HRQoL during the COVID-19 lockdown among children and adolescents. Data from 1099 3–17-year-old children and adolescents from Spain and Brazil were analysed. An online questionnaire was used to collect parent-reported information concerning physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration. For the assessment of HRQoL, the EQ-5D-Y proxy version was used. The highest prevalence of reported problems was related to the ‘worries/sadness/unhappiness’ factor, where 36.3% of participants declared to have at least ‘some problems’. Participants meeting the 24 h guidelines had a higher HRQoL score compared with those who did not (91.9 ± 2.5 vs. 84.3 ± 0.5, respectively; p < 0.05). The current study shows that children and adolescents that met 24 h movement guidelines presented a higher HRQoL during the COVID-19 lockdown, providing support for the promotion of healthy movement behaviours—especially during a pandemic.
Adaptive Neural Network for a Stabilizing Shunt Active Power Filter in Distorted Weak Grids
Authors: Asadi Yousef , Eskandari Mohsen , Mansouri Milad , Chaharmahali Sajjad , Moradi Mohammad H. , Tahriri Mohammad Sajjad
Published: August 2022

Harmonics destructively impact the performance and stability of power systems. This paper proposes the development of a stable shunt active power filter (SAPF) for harmonics mitigation. The proper and stable operation of the SAPF control system requires the determination of the current reference, phase angle synchronization, and DC-link voltage regulation. This paper uses an artificial neural network (ANN) and one of its sub-methods, the adaptive linear neuron (ADALINE), to determine the current reference. However, determining the current reference requires providing a stable phase angle, which is a fundamental challenge in distorted grids because harmonics created in the grid cause phase angle synchronization problems, due to malfunction of the conventional phase-locked loop (PLL). These things considered, the weak grid connection imposes an instability issue due to the poor performance of the conventional PLL when the grid impedance is high. In this paper, a robust synchronous filter (RSF) is adopted, which separates the harmonic from the main component to provide harmonics-free signals for the PLL. Using RSF, a robust synchronizer quasi-static filter (RSQSF) PLL model is designed, which is effective in dealing with harmonics in weak-grid conditions. MATLAB Simulink was used to check the validation and effectiveness of the proposed control structure. The results show a reduction in harmonics generated in the grid by 86.7% for nonlinear load with a balanced source, 84% for nonlinear load with an unbalanced source under grid impedance, and 80.46% for the nonlinear load with an unbalanced source under weak-grid conditions.
Blockchain Applications in Agriculture: A Scoping Review
Authors: Sendros Andreas , Drosatos George , Efraimidis Pavlos S. , Tsirliganis Nestor C.
Published: August 2022

Blockchain is a distributed, immutable ledger technology initially developed to secure cryptocurrency transactions. Following its revolutionary use in cryptocurrencies, blockchain solutions are now being proposed to address various problems in different domains, and it is currently one of the most “disruptive” technologies. This paper presents a scoping review of the scientific literature for exploring the current research area of blockchain applications in the agricultural sector. The aim is to identify the service areas of agriculture where blockchain is used, the blockchain technology used, the data stored in it, its combination with external databases, the reason it is used, and the variety of agricultural products, as well as the level of maturity of the respective approaches. The study follows the PRISMA-ScR methodology. The purpose of conducting these scoping reviews is to identify the evidence in this field and clarify the key concepts. The literature search was conducted in April 2021 using Scopus and Google Scholar, and a systematic selection process identified 104 research articles for detailed study. Our findings show that in the field, although still in the early stages, with the majority of the studies in the design phase, several experiments have been conducted, so a significant percentage of the work is in the implementation or piloting phase. Finally, our research shows that the use of blockchain in this domain mainly concerns the integrity of agricultural production records, the monitoring of production steps, and the monitoring of products. However, other varied and remarkable blockchain applications include incentive mechanisms, a circular economy, data privacy, product certification, and reputation systems. This study is the first scoping review in this area, following a formal systematic literature review methodology and answering research questions that have not yet been addressed.
Finite Element Analysis of the Distribution Parameters of a Metal Dot Array in a SAW Gyroscope
Authors: Chen Hengbiao , Lu Mengjiao , Meng Lili , Wang Wen , Shao Xiuting
Published: August 2022

A surface acoustic wave (SAW) gyroscope has many unique advantages, but a low detection sensitivity limits its development. Previous studies have shown that adding a metal dot array to the acoustic wave propagation path of the SAW delay line can enhance the Coriolis force and further improve sensitivity. Therefore, in order to optimize the detection sensitivity performance of the sensor, 128°YX-LiNbO3, ST-X Quartz and X112°Y-LiTaO3 piezoelectric substrates were selected by finite element method to analyze the influence of the metal dot array size on the SAW gyroscopic effect in this paper. The most suitable metal dot size for 128°YX-LiNbO3 and X112°Y-LiTaO3 obtained by simulation are 5/16λ and 1/16λ, respectively; for example, when the normalized angular velocity is 1 × 10−3, the SAW gyroscopic effect factor g of the two piezoelectric substrates distributing the optimum size metal dots can reach 22.4 kHz and 5.2 kHz. For ST-X quartz, there is a threshold between the rotation speed of the substrate and the optimum size of the metal dot. When the rotating speed is lower than the threshold, the SAW gyroscopic effect is strongest when the metal dot size is 3/16λ; otherwise, the SAW gyroscopic effect is strongest when the size is 11/16λ. These research results provide new ideas for improvement of the SAW gyroscope.
Rapid Temperature Control in Melt Extrusion Additive Manufacturing Using Induction Heated Lightweight Nozzle
Authors: Oskolkov Alexander A. , Bezukladnikov Igor I. , Trushnikov Dmitriy N.
Published: August 2022

An approach for improving and maintaining consistent fusion quality of the deposited material during FDM 3d-printing is proposed. This approach is based on the nozzle temperature control during the printing process to adjust the polymer extrusion temperature with a speed and accuracy adequate to the FDM process. High frequency induction heating of the lightweight nozzle (<1 g) was used. To control the temperature of a lightweight nozzle, the resonant temperature measurement method based on the analysis of the high frequency eddy currents is proposed. To determine the parameters of the nozzle and the inductor as a plant, a FEM model of the inductive heating of the nozzle and a simulated model of a serial-parallel resonant circuit containing inductor were developed. Linearization of the automatic control system was performed to ensure the equal quality of regulation when operating in a wide temperature range. The quality of regulation, stability of the system, and coefficients of the PID controller were evaluated using a simulated model of the control system. A number of test samples were printed from various materials, and tensile stress testing was carried out. The developed control method reduces the nozzle temperature control error from 20 to 0.2 °C and decreases control delay by more than six times.
Improving Hardware in LUT-Based Mealy FSMs
Authors: Barkalov Alexander , Titarenko Larysa , Krzywicki Kazimierz
Published: August 2022

The main contribution of this paper is a novel design method reducing the number of look-up table (LUT) elements in the circuits of three-block Mealy finite-state machines (FSMs). The proposed method is based on using codes of collections of outputs (COs) for representing both FSM state variables and outputs. The interstate transitions are represented by output collections generated during two adjacent cycles of FSM operation. To avoid doubling the number of variables encoding of COs, two registers are used. The first register keeps a code of CO produced in the current cycle of operation; the code of a CO produced in the previous cycle is kept in the second register. There is given a synthesis example with applying the proposed method. The results of the research are shown. The research is conducted using the CAD tool Vivado by Xilinx. The experiments prove that the proposed approach allows reducing the hardware compared with such known methods as auto and one-hot of Vivado, and JEDI. Additionally, the proposed approach gives better results than a method based on the simultaneous replacement of inputs and encoding of COs. Compared to circuits of the three-block FSMs, the LUT counts are reduced by an average of 7.21% without significant reduction in the performance. Our approach loses in terms of power consumption (on average 9.62%) and power–time products (on average 10.44%). The gain in LUT counts and area–time products increases with the increase in the numbers of FSM states and inputs.
Effects of Low-Frequency Oscillation at Different Latitudes on Summer Precipitation in Flood and Drought Years in Southern China
Authors: Liu Lu , Li Liping , Zhu Guanhua
Published: August 2022

Based on the daily precipitation data from 753 meteorological stations provided by the National Meteorological Information Center (China) and the daily reanalysis data from NCEP/NCAR and ERA5 during the period from 1980 to 2020, the low-frequency (LF) precipitation characteristics of the typical summer flood and drought years in southern China and their relation to the LF atmospheric circulation at different latitudes are compared and analyzed, and extended-range forecasting signals are given. The results show that: (a) In both flood and drought years, summer precipitation in southern China is controlled by 10–20 day oscillation (quasi-biweekly oscillation, QBWO); (b) LF convection is active in southern China in both flood and drought years, but the convective center is southward in flood years, and the vertical meridional circulation is stronger. The key circulation systems of 500 hPa LF height field in flood and drought years include LF “two ridges and one trough” and LF “+”, “−”, “+” East Asia Pacific (EAP) teleconnection wave train in mid-high latitudes of Eurasia. However, the “two ridges and one trough” in flood years are more westward and meridional than in drought years, and the LF Subtropical High is stronger and more extensive, with more significant westward extension; (c) In flood (drought) years, there is northerly and then westerly (central westerly) dry-cold, northeasterly wet-cold, southwesterly (none), and southeasterly (including southerly across the equator) wet-warm water vapor channels. The sources of dry and wet cold air in flood (drought) years are located near Novaya Zemlya (the eastern West Siberian Plain), the Yellow Sea, and the Bohai Sea (Sea of Japan). Additionally, the sources of wet-warm water vapor include the Arabian Sea, the Bay of Bengal, the western Pacific Ocean, and the sea area of northeastern Australia (the western Pacific Ocean and the northern sea area of Australia); and (d) The LF predictive signals of outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) appear on −11 days, while the signals of the 500 hPa height field are on −9 days. There are both westward and eastward propagation predictive signals in flood years, and only westward spread signals in drought years.
Temporal and Spatial Variation of Land Surface Temperature in Recent 20 Years and Analysis of the Effect of Land Use in Jiangxi Province, China
Authors: Xiong Qiongbing , Chen Wenbo , Luo Shiqi , He Lei , Li Haifeng
Published: August 2022

Under the background of global warming, it is of great significance to study the temporal and spatial evolution of land surface temperature (LST) on long-time scale and the impacts of land use in the fields of urban thermal environment and regional climate change. Based on MODIS LST long time series remote sensing data, the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of pixel-wise LST in Jiangxi Province, the middle inland province of China from 2000 to 2020 were analyzed by using Theil-Sen + Mann-Kendall, coefficient of variation and Hurst index, and the response of LST to land use was identified by combining the contribution and diversity index. The results showed as follows: (1) LST was generally distributed as "high in Middle-East-West-South and low in North-northwest-southeast direction". LST showed an overall downward trend, indicating a weakening of the warming trend. The dynamic trend of LST was characterized by more descending than ascending tendency. The dynamic stability showed a coexistence of high and low fluctuation tendency, with a higher proportion of medium and low fluctuation areas having obvious spatial differences. The overall dynamic sustainability was characterized by uncertainty of future change trend. (2) The LST were strongly affected by land use in the past 20 years. Firstly, the areas of high LST were mostly located in construction land and unused land, while the areas of low LST were mostly in water area and forest land. However, forest land and water area of high temperature were gradually turned to construction land later on. Secondly, the land use structure and pattern had an strong effects on LST. With the increase of the area proportion of different land use, the LST showed significant differences. The more complex the spatial pattern of land use, the more obvious its impact on LST. The research results will provide some reference for the regions with the same characteristics as Jiangxi Province to deal with LST under the background of global climate change.