bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Body Composition in Karate: A Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry Study
Authors: Cavedon Valentina , Milanese Chiara , Sacristani Franco , Zancanaro Carlo
Published: January 2023

Karate is a widely practiced combat sport. Karatekas’ body composition has typically been obtained in small groups using skinfolds or bioelectric impedance. In this work, we assessed three-compartment body composition using the accurate dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry technique (QDR Horizon, Hologic) in a large sample (n = 58; 74% males) of black belt karatekas. Stature-adjusted body composition indices (fat mass index; fat-free mass index; bone mineral apparent density) were calculated. The Student’s t-test was used for group–group analysis. Correlation was assessed using the Pearson’s r. The ability of fat-free soft tissue mass to predict bone mineral content and areal bone mineral density was assessed with linear regression. Reference mean and quartile values for whole-body and regional body composition were obtained for the male athletes. The body composition indices were generally more favorable in the male than female karatekas. The bone mineral apparent density was similar in the males and females at all sites except the right leg. The fat-free soft tissue mass predicted the bone mineral content and areal bone mineral density with good accuracy (R2 = 0.542–0.827; p < 0.001 for all models). The data presented in this paper are expected to be of use for karate coaches, physical trainers, and participants interested in assessing and monitoring athletes’ body composition.
Research on the Complex Characteristics of Urban Subway Network and the Identification Method of Key Lines
Authors: Pan Yilei , Chang Mengying , Feng Shumin , Hao Dongsheng
Published: January 2023

Based on the complex network theory, we established a topological network of the Beijing subway under Space L, Space P, and Space C. Then, we analyzed the complex characteristics of the subway network under each topological network, proposed the global impact indexes (including aggregation impact coefficient, path length impact coefficient, network efficiency impact coefficient, and connectivity impact coefficient), and interline impact indexes (including degree centrality impact coefficient, near-centrality impact coefficient and intermediate centrality impact coefficient, the higher the value, the more obvious the effect on other lines; degree centrality sensitivity coefficient, near-centrality sensitivity coefficient and intermediate centrality sensitivity coefficient, the higher the value, the more vulnerable to the impact of other lines). At the global and local levels, it is possible to analyze the effect of different lines on the global situation and other lines. The concept of the “line importance index” is proposed to identify the key lines in the Beijing subway network. The network is characterized by scale-free and small-world characteristics under Space P, and scale-free network characteristics but no small-world characteristics under Space L and Space C. Subway Line 10, Line 9, Line 1, Line 2, and Line 5 are the five subway lines with the highest importance. Subway Line S1, Changping Line, Xijiao Line, Capital Airport Line, and Daxing International Airport Line are the five subway lines with the lowest importance.
MSLCFinder: An Algorithm in Limited Resources Environment for Finding Top-k Elephant Flows
Authors: Dai Xianlong , Cheng Guang , Yu Ziyang , Zhu Ruixing , Yuan Yali
Published: January 2023

Encrypted traffic accounts for 95% of the total traffic in the backbone network environment with Tbps bandwidth. As network traffic becomes more and more encrypted and link rates increase in modern networks, the measurement of encrypted traffic relies more on collecting and analyzing massive network traffic data that can be separated from the support of high-speed network traffic measurement technology. Finding top-k elephant flows is a critical task with many applications in congestion control, anomaly detection, and traffic engineering. Owing to this, designing accurate and fast algorithms for online identification of elephant flows becomes more and more challenging. Existing methods either use large-size counters, i.e., 20 bit, to prevent overflows when recording flow sizes or require significant space overhead to measure the sizes of all flows. Thus, we adopt a novel strategy, called count-with-uth-level-sampling, in this paper, to find top-k elephant flows in limited resource environments. Moreover, the proposed algorithm, called MSLCFinder, incurs lightweight counter and uth-level multi-sampling with small, constant processing for millions of flows. Experimental results show that MSLCFinder can achieve more than 97% precision with an extremely limited hardware resource. Compared to the state-of-the-art, our method realizes the statistics and filtering of millions of data streams with less memory.
How Does Exposure to Changing Opinions or Reaffirmation Opinions Influence the Thoughts of Observers and Their Trust in Robot Discussions?
Authors: Itahara Hiroki , Kimoto Mitsuhiko , Iio Takamasa , Shimohara Katsunori , Shiomi Masahiro
Published: January 2023

This study investigated how exposure to changing or reaffirmation opinions in robot conversations influences the impressions of observers and their trust in media. Even though the provided conversational contents include the same amount of information, their order, positive/negative attitudes, and discussion styles change their perceived impressions. We conducted a web survey using video stimuli, where two robots discussed Japan’s first state of emergency response to the COVID-19 pandemic. We prepared two patterns of opinion changes to a different side (positive–negative and negative–positive) and two patterns of opinion reaffirmation (positive–positive and negative–negative) with identical information contents; we only modified their order. The experimental results showed that exposure to opinion changes from the positive side (i.e., negative–positive) or positive opinion reaffirmation (positive–positive) effectively provides positive and fair impressions. Exposure to an opinion that became negative (i.e., positive–negative) effectively provided negative and fair impressions, although negative opinion reaffirmation (negative–negative) led to significantly less trust in media.
Construction, Test and Application of a Tungsten Metallogene Named MGW11: Case Studies in China
Authors: Li Jie , Gong Qingjie , Zhang Bimin , Liu Ningqiang , Wu Xuan , Yan Taotao , Li Xiaolei , Wu Yuan
Published: January 2023

Geochemical gene is a new promising concept proposed recently in the discrimination and traceability of geological materials and is also a useful tool to recognize geochemical anomalies in mineral exploration. Based on the lithogenes of LG01 and LG03, geological materials can be classified into nine types of LG_CR compositionally. With respect to geological materials with 11 types of LG_CR, in order to eliminate the lithological influence and to further narrow the prospecting target area, a tungsten metallogene named MGW11 is proposed for geochemical tungsten exploration after the tungsten metallogene MGW. Six weathering profiles of 11 types of LG_CR developed on granitic intrusions in different areas in China are selected to test the stable properties such as heredity and inheritance of MGW11 and MGW. The results indicate that MGW11 and MGW metallogenes illustrate stable properties during rock weathering regardless of weathering degrees, although gene variations of MGW11 and MGW are also observed during extreme weathering. Based on the regional geochemistry survey data in the Lianyang area in south China, where stream sediments are mostly 11 types of LG_CR compositionally, geochemical maps of mineralization similarities of MGW11 and MGW are contoured, and the anomaly areas are determined on the mineralization similarity value of ≥40%. Comparing the tungsten deposits and anomaly areas determined on MGW11 and MGW metallogenes spatially, a total of six polymetallic W deposits recognized in the study area are all located in the anomaly areas. Therefore, mineralization similarities of MGW11 and MGW can be viewed as useful integrated indices on geochemical tungsten exploration. In areas with 11 types of LG_CR compositionally, anomaly areas determined on the MGW11 are smaller than those on the MGW, which indicates that MGW11 is more efficient than MGW in targeting W deposits during tungsten prospecting because of the elimination of the lithological influence.
Seasonal Changes in Atmospheric Optical Turbulence in a Near Maritime Environment Using Turbulence Flux Measurements
Authors: Peralta Alexander , Nelson Charles , Brownell Cody
Published: January 2023

Light propagation through the atmosphere is affected by fluctuations in the refractive index along the path of propagation, called optical turbulence. In the atmospheric surface layer, these fluctuations are due mostly to turbulent mixing of variations in temperature. To this end, a characterization of the atmospheric surface layer above the water in Maryland, USA, is presented. Meteorological data were collected from a sensor array comprising two sonic anemometers and an infrared gas analyzer (IRGASON) over the 12-month period from January to December, 2021. The instruments were positioned vertically at heights of approximately 4 m, 6 m, and 8 m above the water. The temperature structure parameter CT2 was calculated and scaled using Monin–Obukhov assumptions. We find that the distribution of atmospheric stability presents as an approximately normal distribution during the winter and early spring, but is skewed negatively during the summer and late fall. We hypothesize that this could be due to a more stable stratification of the underlying water during summer months. Under unstable (−z/L) conditions, turbulent quantities including the temperature structure parameter scale in a manner consistent with the literature, but with generally better agreement during the summer months. Additionally, the CT2 estimations appear more consistent during the summer months across all values of (z/L). Under stable (+z/L) conditions, there are wide variations in CT2, which is also consistent with the literature.
A Methodology of Retrieving Volume Emission Rate from Limb-Viewed Airglow Emission Intensity by Combining the Techniques of Abel Inversion and Deep Learning
Authors: Duann Yi , Chang Loren C. , Lin Chi-Yen , Hsieh Yueh-Chun , Wen Yun-Cheng , Lin Charles C. H. , Liu Jann-Yenq
Published: January 2023

The conversion of airglow intensity to volume emission rate (VER) is a common method for studying the ionosphere, but the contribution of the intensity conversion process to the uncertainty in estimated electron or ion density is significant. The Abel inversion is a commonly used method for retrieving VERs from vertical profiles of airglow intensities accumulated along the rays horizontally at the tangent point, but it requires that the intensities converge to zero at their uppermost height, which is often not the case due to observational limitations. In this study, we present a method for optimizing the retrieval of VER from satellite-measured airglow intensities using the techniques of deep learning and Abel inversion. This method can be applied to fill in unobserved or discontinuous observations in airglow intensity profiles with the Chapman function, allowing them to be used with the Abel inversion to determine VERs. We validate the method using limb 135.6 nm airglow emission intensity data from the NASA Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) mission. Our training process involves using three hidden layers with varying numbers of neurons, and we compare the performance of the best-performing deep learning models to Abel-transformed results from real-time observations. The combination of Abel inversion and deep learning has the potential to optimize the process of converting intensity to VER and improve the capacity for analyzing ionospheric observations.
Secondary Organic Aerosol Formation from Semi-Volatile and Intermediate Volatility Organic Compounds in the Fall in Beijing
Authors: Zhang Yuan , Fan Jingsen , Song Kai , Gong Yuanzheng , Lv Daqi , Wan Zichao , Li Tianyu , Zhang Chaoyi , Lu Sihua , Chen Shiyi , Zeng Limin , Guo Song
Published: January 2023

Intermediate volatility organic compounds (IVOCs) and semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) have recently been proposed as important precursors of secondary organic aerosol (SOA). In the present work, 97 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and 80 intermediate volatility and semi-volatile organic compounds (IVOCs and SVOCs) were measured by online gas chromatography-mass spectrometer/flame ionization detection (GC-MS/FID), and offline thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometer (TD-GC-MS), respectively. The average concentration of speciated VOCs, IVOCs, and SVOCs were 22.36 ± 9.02 μg m−3, 1.01 ± 0.32 μg m−3, and 0.10 ± 0.17 μg m−3. Alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are the main compounds of total S/IVOCs. With the increase in molecular weight, the concentrations decreased in the gas phase, while increasing in the particle phase. Vehicular emission is the most significant source according to the carbon preference index (CPI) and the carbon of the most abundant alkane (Cmax). The yield method was used to estimate SOA from the oxidation of VOCs and S/IVOCs. The estimated SOA mass from IVOCs and SVOCs (0.70 ± 0.57 μg m−3) was comparable to that of VOCs (0.62 ± 0.61 μg m−3), and the oxidation of PAHs and alkanes took up 28.70 ± 8.26% and 51.97 ± 20.77% of the total SOA estimation, respectively. Compared to previous work, our study provided detailed molecular information of ambient S/IVOC species and elucidated their importance on SOA formation. Despite their low concentration, S/IVOCs species are important SOA precursors which shared comparable contribution compared with VOCs.
Fuzzy Differential Subordination for Meromorphic Function Associated with the Hadamard Product
Authors: El-Deeb Sheza M. , Alb Lupaş Alina
Published: January 2023

This paper is related to fuzzy differential subordinations for meromorphic functions. Fuzzy differential subordination results are obtained using a new operator which is the combination Hadamard product and integral operator for meromorphic function.
Chemical, Physicochemical, Microbiological, Bioactive, and Sensory Characteristics of Cow and Donkey Milk Kefir during Storage
Authors: Aroua Mohamed , Ben Haj Koubaier Hayet , Bouacida Saoussen , Ben Saïd Samia , Mahouachi Mokhtar , Salimei Elisabetta
Published: January 2023

This study aimed to evaluate essential traits of donkey’s milk and cow’s milk kefir during storage for 28 days at +4 °C. The results showed that the pH decreases significantly during fermentation from 6.75 ± 0.045 to 4.22 ± 0.062 for cow’s milk and from 7.01 ± 0.011 to 4.28 ± 0.030 for donkey’s milk. Acidity values increased significantly during storage from 63 ± 2.08 °D to 170 ± 2.80 °D for cow’s milk and from 92 ± 1.0 °D to 163 ± 1.30 °D for donkey’s milk (p < 0.05). A significant variation in total solids was observed during storage. Stability in protein content was observed for kefirs during storage time. While the level of lactose decreased significantly during storage, the fat content did not vary in kefirs during storage time at 4 °C. For microbiological properties, donkey milk kefir presents a significant difference (p < 0.05) compared to bovine kefir. Donkey’s milk always contains the lowest average germs, suggesting a better microbiological quality than cow’s milk samples. The fermented milks showed an interesting antioxidant activity measured by the DPPH and ABTS assays, which were improved during storage. The Aeromonas hydrophila was the most sensitive bacterium to the action of kefir samples. Results from the sensorial test show that participants prefer kefirs freshly prepared than those stored after 28 days at 4 °C. In conclusion, related to its unique bioactive activities and microbiological properties, donkey’s milk could be an interesting kefir fermentation source materials alternative.
Fibroblasts Impair Migration and Antitumor Activity of NK-92 Lymphocytes in a Melanoma-on-Chip Model
Authors: Iaia Ilenia , Brancato Virginia , Caballero David , Reis Rui L. , Aglietta Massimo , Sangiolo Dario , Kundu Subhas C.
Published: January 2023

Adoptive cell therapy in solid tumors, such as melanoma, is impaired, but little is known about the role that the fibroblasts present in the tumor microenvironment could exert. However, the mechanism at play is not well understood, partly due to the lack of relevant pre-clinical models. Three-dimensional culture and microfluidic chips are used to recapitulate the dynamic interactions among different types of cells in the tumor microenvironment in controlled and physiological settings. In this brief report, we propose a reductionist melanoma-on-a-chip model for evaluating the essential role of fibroblasts in the antitumor activity of lymphocytes. To this end, 3D melanoma spheroids were monocultured and co-cultured with human dermal fibroblasts and the NK-92 cell migration towards the tumor compartment was tested in a commercially available microfluidic device. Utilizing confocal microscopy, we observed the different recruitment of NK-92 cells in the presence and absence of fibroblasts. Our results show that fibroblasts’ presence inhibits immune effector recruiting by exploiting a 3D pre-clinical tumor model.
A Novel Baseline Removal Paradigm for Subject-Independent Features in Emotion Classification Using EEG
Authors: Ahmed Md. Zaved Iqubal , Sinha Nidul , Ghaderpour Ebrahim , Phadikar Souvik , Ghosh Rajdeep
Published: January 2023

Emotion plays a vital role in understanding the affective state of mind of an individual. In recent years, emotion classification using electroencephalogram (EEG) has emerged as a key element of affective computing. Many researchers have prepared datasets, such as DEAP and SEED, containing EEG signals captured by the elicitation of emotion using audio–visual stimuli, and many studies have been conducted to classify emotions using these datasets. However, baseline power removal is still considered one of the trivial aspects of preprocessing in feature extraction. The most common technique that prevails is subtracting the baseline power from the trial EEG power. In this paper, a novel method called InvBase method is proposed for removing baseline power before extracting features that remain invariant irrespective of the subject. The features extracted from the baseline removed EEG data are then used for classification of two classes of emotion, i.e., valence and arousal. The proposed scheme is compared with subtractive and no-baseline-correction methods. In terms of classification accuracy, it outperforms the existing state-of-art methods in both valence and arousal classification. The InvBase method plus multilayer perceptron shows an improvement of 29% over the no-baseline-correction method and 15% over the subtractive method.
COVID-19 Pathology Sheds Further Light on Balance between Neutrophil Proteases and Their Inhibitors
Authors: Silva Vasuki , Radic Marko
Published: January 2023

Excessive neutrophil influx and activation in lungs during infections, such as manifest during the ongoing SARS CoV-2 pandemic, have brought neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) and the concomitant release of granule contents that damage surrounding tissues into sharp focus. Neutrophil proteases, which are known to participate in NET release, also enable the binding of the viral spike protein to cellular receptors and assist in the spread of infection. Blood and tissue fluids normally also contain liver-derived protease inhibitors that balance the activity of proteases. Interestingly, neutrophils themselves also express the protease inhibitor alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), the product of the SERPINA-1 gene, and store it in neutrophil cytoplasmic granules. The absence of AAT or mutations in the SERPINA-1 gene promotes lung remodeling and fibrosis in diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and increases the risk of allergic responses. Recent observations point to the fact that reduced activity of AAT presents a major susceptibility factor for severe COVID-19. Here, we focus attention on the mechanism of neutrophil elastase (NE) in NET release and its inhibition by AAT as an additional factor that may determine the severity of COVID-19.
Screening of Tumor Antigens and Construction of Immune Subtypes for mRNA Vaccine Development in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Li Hong-Xia , Liu Tian-Run , Tu Zhao-Xu , Xie Chu-Bo , Wen Wei-Ping , Sun Wei
Published: January 2023

Background: A growing number of clinical studies have confirmed that mRNA vaccines are effective in the treatment of malignant tumors; however, their efficacy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has not been determined. This study aimed to identify the potential antigens of HNSCC for mRNA vaccine development and further distinguish the immune subtypes of HNSCC to select suitable patients for vaccination. Methods: We obtained gene expression profiles and corresponding clinical information of HNSCC from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). We visualized the genetic alterations of potential antitumor antigens using cBioPortal and obtained the immune gene set from Immport. The correlation between the expression of the identified antigens and the infiltration of antigen-presenting cells was visualized by Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER). We evaluated the potential biological functions of different samples and described the immune landscape. Results: Increased expression of three potential tumor antigens, CCR4, TMCO1, and SPACA4, associated with superior prognoses and infiltration of antigen-presenting cells, was identified in HNSCC. Three immune subtypes (C1–C3) with different molecular, cellular, and clinical characteristics were defined. Patients with C3 tumor had a better prognosis, representing an immune “cold” phenotype, which may be more suitable for mRNA vaccination. In addition, different immune characteristics were observed among the three immune subtypes, including markers of immune cells, mutation burden, expression of immune checkpoints, and immune modulators. Finally, the immune landscape of HNSCC showed a high degree of heterogeneity between individual patients. Conclusion: CCR4, TMCO1, and SPACA4 may be potential antigens for developing mRNA vaccines against HNSCC, especially for patients with C3 tumor. This study could provide a theoretical basis for the development of an mRNA vaccine against HNSCC.
Genetic Ablation of the Nutrient Sensor Ogt in Endocrine Progenitors Is Dispensable for β-Cell Development but Essential for Maintenance of β-Cell Mass
Authors: Wong Alicia , Akhaphong Brian , Baumann Daniel , Alejandro Emilyn U.
Published: January 2023

Previously we utilized a murine model to demonstrate that Ogt deletion in pancreatic progenitors (OgtKOPanc) causes pancreatic hypoplasia, partly mediated by a reduction in the Pdx1-expressing pancreatic progenitor pool. Here, we continue to explore the role of Ogt in pancreas development by deletion of Ogt in the endocrine progenitors (OgtKOEndo). At birth OgtKOEndo, were normoglycemic and had comparable pancreas weight and α-cell, and β-cell mass to littermate controls. At postnatal day 23, OgtKOEndo displayed wide ranging but generally elevated blood glucose levels, with histological analyses showing aberrant islet architecture with α-cells invading the islet core. By postnatal day 60, these mice were overtly diabetic and showed significant loss of both α-cell and β-cell mass. Together, these results highlight the indispensable role of Ogt in maintenance of β-cell mass and glucose homeostasis.
Specific Alteration of Branched-Chain Amino Acid Profile in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Authors: Paczkowska Katarzyna , Rachoń Dominik , Berg Andrzej , Rybka Jacek , Kapczyńska Katarzyna , Bolanowski Marek , Daroszewski Jacek
Published: January 2023

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrinopathies in reproductive age women; it is a complex health issue with numerous comorbidities. Attention has recently been drawn to amino acids as they are molecules essential to maintain homeostasis. The aim of the study was to investigate the branch chain amino acid (BCAA) profile in women with PCOS. A total of 326 women, 208 diagnosed with PCOS and 118 healthy controls, participated in the study; all the patients were between 18 and 40 years old. Anthropometrical, biochemical and hormonal parameters were assessed. Gas-liquid chromatography combined with tandem mass spectrometry was used to investigate BCAA levels. Statistical analysis showed significantly higher plasma levels of BCAAs (540.59 ± 97.23 nmol/mL vs. 501.09 ± 85.33 nmol/mL; p < 0.001) in women with PCOS. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were found between BCAA and BMI, HOMA-IR, waist circumference and total testosterone levels. In the analysis of individuals with abdominal obesity, there were significant differences between PCOS and controls in BCAA (558.13 ± 100.51 vs. 514.22 ± 79.76 nmol/mL) and the concentrations of all the analyzed amino acids were higher in the PCOS patients. Hyperandrogenemia in PCOS patients was associated with significantly higher leucine, isoleucine and total BCAA levels. The increase of BCAA levels among PCOS patients in comparison to healthy controls might be an early sign of metabolic alteration and a predictive factor for other disturbances.
Patient-Derived Primary Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts Mediate Resistance to Anti-Angiogenic Drug in Ovarian Cancers
Authors: Sulaiman Raed , De Pradip , Aske Jennifer C. , Lin Xiaoqian , Dale Adam , Koirala Nischal , Gaster Kris , Espaillat Luis Rojas , Starks David , Dey Nandini
Published: January 2023

Ovarian cancers rank first in both aggressiveness and dismal prognosis among gynecological neoplasms. The poor outcome is explained by the fact that most patients present with late-stage disease and progress through the first line of treatment. Ovarian neoplasms, especially epithelial ovarian cancers, are diagnosed at advanced/metastatic stages, often with a high angiogenesis index, one of the hallmarks of ovarian cancers with rapid progression and poor outcome as resistance to anti-angiogenic therapy develops. Despite therapy, the metastatic progression of aggressive ovarian cancer is a spectacularly selective function of tumor cells aided and abetted by the immune, mesenchymal and angiogenic components of the tumor microenvironment (TME) that enforces several pro-metastatic event(s) via direct and indirect interactions with stromal immune cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), and vascular endothelial cells. Since transdifferentiation of tumor endothelium is one of the major sources of CAFs, we hypothesized that ovarian CAF plays a critical role in resisting anti-angiogenic effects via direct crosstalk with endothelium and hence plays a direct role in the development of resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs. To test the hypothesis, we set up a hybrid ex vivo model for co-culture comprising Patient-Derived ex vivo primary CAFs from ovarian tumor samples and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC). Patient-Derived CAFs were characterized by the mRNA and protein expression of positive (SMA, S100A4, TE-7, FAP-A, CD90/THY1), negative (EpCAM, CK 8,18, CD31, CD44, CD45), functional (PDGFRA, TGFB1, TGFB2, TGFRA) and immunological markers (PD-L1, PD-L2, PD-1) associated with CAFs by qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, Western blot, and ICC. Data from our HUVEC-on-CAF ex vivo Hybrid Co-Culture (HyCC) study demonstrate the pro-angiogenic effect of Patient-Derived ovarian CAFs by virtue of their ability to resist the effect of anti-angiogenic drugs, thereby aiding the development of resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs. Ascertaining direct experimental proof of the role of CAFs in developing resistance to specific anti-angiogenic drugs will provide an opportunity to investigate new drugs for counteracting CAF resistance and "normalizing/re-educating" TME in aggressive ovarian cancers. Our data provide a unique experimental tool for the personalized testing of anti-angiogenic drugs, positively predicting the development of future resistance to anti-angiogenic drugs well before it is clinically encountered in patients.
Teaching Nature and Architecture: Student-Led Account of Biomimicry Innovations in the Tropics
Authors: Arumugam Girirajan , Abidin Siti Norzaini Zainal , Kusumo Camelia May Li , Jain Anuj
Published: January 2023

The built environment has a huge carbon footprint, and decarbonizing it is essential in driving our sustainability efforts. We take the approach of biomimicry by working with Master of Architecture students from Taylor’s University in Malaysia. The students partake in a 14-week Nature and Architecture design module at the university where they develop biomimicry solutions for the built environment with a focus on sustainability. The students undergo a three-step process of scoping the design problem in the tropical climate and urban context, researching the biological literature, abstracting design ideas, and finally, developing prototypes. The module presents an opportunity for students to study nature and immerse in experiential learning in the megadiverse geographies of Malaysia and wider tropical southeast Asia. This paper describes the student works developed in various module runs from 2017 to 2022 under the supervision of the authors. Selected student projects were analyzed thematically, curated, and classified by frequently occurring themes. Finally, their design implications and challenges faced are presented. We found the following five themes to be most commonly chosen by the students—thermoregulation, structure making, water management, daylighting and ventilation, and transport and mobility. Lastly, we also conducted postgraduation student surveys on their learnings from the module. Through our synthesis, we discuss how student works can bridge the gap of applying biomimicry into practice and the limitations thereof in mainstreaming the practice in the built environment of tropical southeast Asia.
Recent Developments of Silk-Based Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine Applications: A Special Focus on the Advancement of 3D Printing
Authors: Shabbirahmed Asma Musfira , Sekar Rajkumar , Gomez Levin Anbu , Sekhar Medidi Raja , Hiruthyaswamy Samson Prince , Basavegowda Nagaraj , Somu Prathap
Published: January 2023

Regenerative medicine has received potential attention around the globe, with improving cell performances, one of the necessary ideas for the advancements of regenerative medicine. It is crucial to enhance cell performances in the physiological system for drug release studies because the variation in cell environments between in vitro and in vivo develops a loop in drug estimation. On the other hand, tissue engineering is a potential path to integrate cells with scaffold biomaterials and produce growth factors to regenerate organs. Scaffold biomaterials are a prototype for tissue production and perform vital functions in tissue engineering. Silk fibroin is a natural fibrous polymer with significant usage in regenerative medicine because of the growing interest in leftovers for silk biomaterials in tissue engineering. Among various natural biopolymer-based biomaterials, silk fibroin-based biomaterials have attracted significant attention due to their outstanding mechanical properties, biocompatibility, hemocompatibility, and biodegradability for regenerative medicine and scaffold applications. This review article focused on highlighting the recent advancements of 3D printing in silk fibroin scaffold technologies for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering.
Label-Free, Portable, and Color-Indicating Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Test Kit for Acute Myocardial Infarction by Spectral Analysis and Naked-Eye Observation
Authors: Chen Fu-Lun , Shang Li-Dan , Lin Yen-Chung , Chang Bo-Yen , Hsiao Yu-Cheng
Published: January 2023

The early diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction is difficult in patients with nondiagnostic characteristics. Acute myocardial infarction with chest pain is associated with increased mortality. This study developed a portable test kit based on cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs) for the rapid detection of AMI through eye observation at home. The test kit was established on dimethyloctadecyl[3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]ammonium chloride-coated substrates covered by a CLC-binding antibody. Cardiac troponin I (cTnI) is a major biomarker of myocardial cellular injury in human blood. The data showed that the concentration of cTnI was related to light transmittance in a positive way. The proposed CLC test kit can be operated with a smartphone; therefore, it has high potential for use as a point-of-care device for home testing. Moreover, the CLC test kit is an effective and innovative device for the rapid testing of acute myocardial infarction-related diseases through eye observation, spectrometer, or even smartphone applications.
Monitoring Neuromuscular Activity during Exercise: A New Approach to Assessing Attentional Focus Based on a Multitasking and Multiclassification Network and an EMG Fitness Shirt
Authors: B. Wong Aslan , Chen Diannan , Chen Xia , Wu Kaishun
Published: January 2023

Strengthening muscles can reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass, maintain independence while aging, manage chronic conditions, and improve balance, reducing the risk of falling. The most critical factor inducing effectiveness in strength training is neuromuscular connection by adopting attentional focus during training. However, this is troublesome for end users since numerous fitness tracking devices or applications do not provide the ability to track the effectiveness of users’ workout at the neuromuscular level. A practical approach for detecting attentional focus by assessing neuromuscular activity through biosignals has not been adequately evaluated. The challenging task to make the idea work in a real-world scenario is to minimize the cost and size of the clinical device and use a recognition system for muscle contraction to ensure a good user experience. We then introduce a multitasking and multiclassification network and an EMG shirt attached with noninvasive sensing electrodes that firmly fit to the body’s surface, measuring neuron muscle activity during exercise. Our study exposes subjects to standard free-weight exercises focusing on isolated and compound muscle on the upper limb. The results of the experiment show a 94.79% average precision at different maximum forces of attentional focus conditions. Furthermore, the proposed system can perform at different lifting weights of 67% and 85% of a person’s 1RM to recognize individual exercise effectiveness at the muscular level, proving that adopting attentional focus with low-intensity exercise can activate more upper-limb muscle contraction.
Engineering a SERS Sensing Nanoplatform with Self-Sterilization for Undifferentiated and Rapid Detection of Bacteria
Authors: Cao Jun , Zhu Wei , Zhou Ji , Zhao Bai-Chuan , Pan Yao-Yu , Ye Yong , Shen Ai-Guo
Published: January 2023

The development of a convenient, sensitive, rapid and self-sterilizing biosensor for microbial detection is important for the prevention and control of foodborne diseases. Herein, we designed a surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing nanoplatform based on a capture–enrichment–enhancement strategy to detect bacteria. The gold−Azo@silver−cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (Au−Azo@Ag−CTAB) SERS nanotags were obtained by optimizing the synthesis process conditions. The results showed that the modification of CTAB enabled the nanotags to bind to different bacteria electrostatically. This SERS sensing nanoplatform was demonstrated to be fast (15 min), accurate and sensitive (limit of detection (LOD): 300 and 400 CFU/mL for E. coli and S. aureus, respectively). Of note, the excellent endogenous antibacterial activity of CTAB allowed the complete inactivation of bacteria after the assay process, thus effectively avoiding secondary contamination.
Highly Sensitive Readout Interface for Real-Time Differential Precision Measurements with Impedance Biosensors
Authors: Neshani Sara , Momeni Kasra , Chen Degang J. , Neihart Nathan M.
Published: January 2023

Field deployment is critical to developing numerous sensitive impedance transducers. Precise, cost-effective, and real-time readout units are being sought to interface these sensitive impedance transducers for various clinical or environmental applications. This paper presents a general readout method with a detailed design procedure for interfacing impedance transducers that generate small fractional changes in the impedance characteristics after detection. The emphasis of the design is obtaining a target response resolution considering the accuracy in real-time. An entire readout unit with amplification/filtering and real-time data acquisition and processing using a single microcontroller is proposed. Most important design parameters, such as the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), common-mode-to-differential conversion, digitization configuration/speed, and the data processing method are discussed here. The studied process can be used as a general guideline to design custom readout units to interface with various developed transducers in the laboratory and verify the performance for field deployment and commercialization. A single frequency readout unit with a target 8-bit resolution to interface differentially placed transducers (e.g., bridge configuration) is designed and implemented. A single MCU is programmed for real-time data acquisition and sine fitting. The 8-bit resolution is achieved even at low SNR levels of roughly 7 dB by setting the component values and fitting algorithm parameters with the given methods.
Discriminatory Brain Processes of Native and Foreign Language in Children with and without Reading Difficulties
Authors: Azaiez Najla , Loberg Otto , Lohvansuu Kaisa , Ylinen Sari , Hämäläinen Jarmo A. , Leppänen Paavo H. T.
Published: January 2023

The association between impaired speech perception and reading difficulty has been well established in native language processing, as can be observed from brain activity. However, there has been scarce investigation of whether this association extends to brain activity during foreign language processing. The relationship between reading skills and neuronal speech representation of foreign language remains unclear. In the present study, we used event-related potentials (ERPs) with high-density EEG to investigate this question. Eleven- to 13-year-old children typically developed (CTR) or with reading difficulties (RD) were tested via a passive auditory oddball paradigm containing native (Finnish) and foreign (English) speech items. The change-detection-related ERP responses, the mismatch response (MMR), and the late discriminative negativity (LDN) were studied. The cluster-based permutation tests within and between groups were performed. The results showed an apparent language effect. In the CTR group, we found an atypical MMR in the foreign language processing and a larger LDN response for speech items containing a diphthong in both languages. In the RD group, we found unstable MMR with lower amplitude and a nonsignificant LDN response. A deficit in the LDN response in both languages was found within the RD group analysis. Moreover, we observed larger brain responses in the RD group and a hemispheric polarity reversal compared to the CTR group responses. Our results provide new evidence that language processing differed between the CTR and RD groups in early and late discriminatory responses and that language processing is linked to reading skills in both native and foreign language contexts.
Carbon Emissions of Assembly Buildings Constrained by Flexible Resource: A Study on Cost Optimization
Authors: Guo Feng , Zhang Yuzhuo , Chang Chunguang , Yu Yang
Published: January 2023

The construction industry is a high-energy-consumption industry. Nearly 40% of global carbon emissions derive from the construction industry. Prefabricated assembly technology is an effective means of carbon emission reduction, but the incremental cost of prefabricated components is much more expensive than that of cast-in-place components. It is not conducive for enterprises to choose prefabricated assembly technology to decrease emissions. Most of the current studies focus on the carbon-reduction effect of prefabricated assembled buildings, and there are fewer studies related to the impact of cost factors on enterprises’ participation in building carbon reduction. The cost factor will affect the choice of prefabricated assembly technology to reduce carbon emissions. Therefore, it is necessary to analyze the relationship between carbon emissions and costs in prefabricated buildings. Aiming at this problem, this paper proposes a dual-objective method to optimize cost and carbon emissions by using the improved optimization algorithm to solve the problem. Through the analysis of actual cases, the results show that when the prefabrication rate is 35–40%, enterprises can obtain a better carbon-emission-reduction effect by appropriately increasing the cost. When the prefabrication rate is higher than 40%, the carbon-reduction effect that can be obtained by greatly increasing the cost is limited. Therefore, when enterprises decide a prefabrication range of 35–40%, they are able to obtain the maximum carbon-reduction effect with the minimum cost. This study can provide a reference for the government to formulate relevant policies with energy conservation and emission reductions in prefabricated buildings and also can provide a reference for enterprises to make decisions between carbon emission reduction and cost.
Modelling Approaches of Life Cycle Cost–Benefit Analysis of Road Infrastructure: A Critical Review and Future Directions
Authors: Vagdatli Theodora , Petroutsatou Kleopatra
Published: January 2023

Cost–benefit analysis (CBA) is considered an effective evaluation method for fostering optimal decision making and ranking of road infrastructures over decades. This paper introduces a comprehensive systematic literature review focusing on CBA’s methodological perspective for identifying its current modelling approaches and scrutinizing their key features and encompassed tools. Fifty-six relevant studies were extracted from Web of Science, Scopus and Google Scholar from 2005 until 2020. Initially, the bibliometric analysis presents an overall illustration of the most significant CBA concepts. The descriptive statistics determined eight distinct modelling categories used for CBA implementation, each encompassing three different modelling approaches for capturing the data risk assessment (deterministic or probabilistic), CBA’s parameters interactive behavior (static or dynamic) and the considered economies (microeconomic or macroeconomic). In-depth content analysis led to the interpretation of the current status of extant models and the identification of three main knowledge gaps: the absence of the CBA’s inputs updating into a probabilistic environment, the deficiency of a dynamic interdependent framework and the necessity of homogenous cost datasets for road projects. Future research directions and a conceptual framework for modelling CBA into a microeconomic, probabilistic and dynamic environment are proposed providing decision-makers with new avenues for more reliable CBA modelling.
Research on Parametric Vibration of a Steel Truss Corridor under Pedestrians Excitation Considering the Time-Delay Effect
Authors: Chen Zhou , Wen Jiahao , Deng Deyuan , Dai Wei , Chen Siyuan , Lu Hanwen , Liu Lingfei
Published: January 2023

With the development of the Steel Truss Corridor (STC) toward long-span and gentle development, human-induced vibration often causes large lateral vibration problems and time-delay effects of the STC, which will have a non-negligible impact on the dynamic performance of the STC. In this paper, the parametric vibration model proposed by Piccardo is improved, and the nonlinear dynamic equation of the STC is established considering the longitudinal–lateral walking force coupled parametric vibration with the time-delay effect. Taking the Millennium STC as an example, the mechanism of lateral vibration under the time-delay effect is discussed by the numerical calculation method, and the influence of the time-delay effect on its dynamic response is analyzed. The results show that: considering the time-delay effect, when the frequency ratio θ/2Ω = 1, the value of the time-delay coefficient has no effect on the critical number of STCs in the parametric resonance region. As θ/2Ω moves away from 1, the more significant the effect. When the STC begins to excite the parametric resonance phenomenon, the existence of the time-delay effect will change the time for the STC to reach a stable amplitude and suppress the lateral vibration of the STC. When the STC generates parametric vibration, the value of the time-delay coefficient has no effect on the nonlinear dynamic response of the STC. For STCs in both the nonparametric resonance region and the critical region, there is a pair of staggered critical bifurcation time-delay coefficients, which increase or decrease the vibration response.
Investigation into the Large Deformation Mechanism and Control Technology of Variable Cross-Section Tunnel in Layered Mudstone Stratum
Authors: Fan Shengyuan , Song Zhanping , Li Xu , Zhang Yuwei , Liu Lianbaichao
Published: January 2023

Buildings (structures) with various structural forms are becoming increasingly prevalent and are encountering more challenging engineering issues. Field investigations, laboratory tests, and numerical simulations were used to study the disaster-causing mechanism and the control technology for a variable cross-section tunnel passing through layered, expansive mudstone stratum. The deformation and stress characteristics of the surrounding rock and supporting structure were examined by both numerical simulation and field monitoring. The results indicated that the stress was more complex at different section positions; the rock and supporting structure underwent substantially more deformation and stress in the broadened sections. The mean values of the surrounding rock’s horizontal convergence and vault settlement in the broadened section were 15.71% and 16.36% higher than those in the general section, respectively, and the value of lining stress was 35.51% higher. Additionally, the simulation results under the improved construction measures matched the measured results. The maximum deformation and stress of the surrounding rock were reduced by 16.95% and 40.04%, respectively, under the improved scheme, while the lining stress was reduced by 45.38%. The stress state of the secondary lining was significantly improved; in particular, the tensile stress in the lining structure under the original construction scheme was converted into a compressive state under the new measures, fully utilizing the bearing effect. Finally, the rationality and effectiveness of the adopted reinforcement measures were evaluated, and the experiences and lessons learned were summarized to provide insights for preventing similar incidents from reoccurring.