bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Musculoskeletal disorders among secondary school teachers in Douala, Cameroon: The effect of the practice of physical activities
Authors: Mekoulou Ndongo Jerson , Bika Lele Elysée Claude , Guessogo Wiliam Richard , Meche Laurence Patricia , Ayina Ayina Clarisse Noel , Guyot Jessica , Zengue Babette , Lobe Tanga Marie Yvonne , Owana Manga Léon Jules , Temfemo Abdou , Barth Nathalie , Bongue Bienvenu , Mandengue Samuel Honoré , Assomo Ndemba Peguy Brice
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) represent an important threat to public health in both developed and developing countries, and are present in many occupational sectors including education. Regular practice of physical activity (PA) is known elicit preventive effects on the occurrence of MSDs.

Objective

This study aimed at determining the prevalence of MSDs and the preventive impact of PA on their occurrence among secondary school teachers.

Participants and Methods

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 179 teachers in five government secondary schools in Douala, Cameroon. The Nordic and Ricci-Gagnon questionnaires were used to determine MSDs and to assess the level of PA, respectively.

Results

The 12-month and 7-day prevalence of MSD (PMSD-12m and PMSD-7d) were 84.3% and 69.3%, respectively. The most affected body regions by MSDs were neck (PMSD-12m = 54.2%, PMSD-7d = 33.5%), lower back (PMSD-12m = 43%, PMSD-7d = 33%), and shoulders (PMSD-12m = 35%, PMSD-7d = 22.9%). Compared to female, males were protected against MSDs during the last 12 months (OR = 0.37; 95% CI 0.16–0.93; p = 0.04). The risk of MSDs during the last seven days was higher in teachers aged 30-40 years (OR = 2.86; 95% CI 1.14–7.14; p = 0.02) and 40-50 years (OR = 4.28; 95% CI 1.49–16.29; p = 0.008) than those under 30 years. This risk was tripled in inactive teachers (OR = 3.07; 95% CI 1.40–6.78; p = 0.005), compared to their active counterparts.

Conclusion

MSDs are prevalent among secondary school teachers and associated with aging, gender, and lower level of PA
Co-designing resources to support the transition from child to adult health services for young people with cerebral palsy: A design thinking approach
Authors: Fortune Jennifer , Burke Jessica , Dillon Conor , Dillon Sally , O’Toole Sharon , Enright Ann , Flynn Annmarie , Manikandan Manjula , Kroll Thilo , Lavelle Grace , Ryan Jennifer M.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Design thinking is a human-centred process that aims to identify the needs of end-users and iteratively develop solutions. Involving end-users in the development and design of solutions may enhance effectiveness by increasing focus on the needs of the target population. This paper describes the process of co-designing resources to support the transition from child-centred to adult-orientated health services using a design thinking approach.

Methods

Five co-design workshops were conducted remotely with a young person advisory group and parent advisory group. A design thinking process guided by the Stanford D.School approach was used to understand the transition needs of young people and their parents and iteratively develop solutions to improve end-user experience.

Results

Eight resource prototypes were generated: (1) designated transition coordinator, (2) digital stories of transition experience (3) written informational support (4) transition website, (5) transition checklists and worksheets (6) transition app, (7) transition programme or course and (8) educational programme for health professionals.

Conclusion

Design thinking is a feasible approach to identify, characterise and prioritise resources collaboratively with end-user partners.
Models for magnetospheric mass density and average ion mass including radial dependence
Authors: Denton Richard E. , Takahashi Kazue , Min Kyungguk , Hartley David P. , Nishimura Yukitoshi , Digman Matthew C.
Published: December 2022

Analytical models for magnetospheric mass density, ρm, and average ion mass, M, were created from a database of ρm and electron density, ne, values from six spacecraft missions by making use of the Eureqa nonlinear genetic regression algorithm. All values of ρm were determined from Alfvén frequencies, and the values of ne were determined from plasma wave or spacecraft potential data. Models of varying complexity are listed. The most complex models appearing in this paper are capable of modeling ρm within a factor of 1.81, and M within a factor of 1.34 if ne is used as an input parameter, or within a factor of 1.45 if ne is not used. The most important parameters for modeling ρm are L, the solar EUV index F10.7, magnetic local time, MLT, the geomagnetic activity index Kp, and the solar wind dynamic pressure, Pdyn. The very simplest model for M depends on Kp. In more complex models for M including ne, the most important parameters are ne with L, F10.7, and Pdyn or Kp. In more complex models for M not including ne, the most important parameters are Kp, MLT, F10.7, L, and the auroral electrojet index, AE. Explanations for most of the dependencies are given. We also demonstrate the danger of calculating spatial dependence without taking account of different conditions sampled in different regions. Here we avoid that problem by using multivariant models.
Use of medicinal plants as feed additives in the diets of Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and the African Sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) in Southern Africa
Authors: Mbokane Esau Matthews , Moyo Ngonidzashe Adreck Gukuta
Published: December 2022

Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) and the African Sharptooth catfish (Clarias gariepinus) are the most farmed freshwater fish species in Southern Africa. However, production in the freshwater aquaculture sector has remained low due to, among other key factors, high cost of feeds, disease outbreaks, and poor sexual development in broodstock. Small-scale farmers are affected the most because they often lack resources and cannot afford expensive commercial diets, antimicrobials, and synthetic hormones needed to regulate reproduction. Among the proposed solutions, the inclusion of medicinal plants as feed additives is the most promising alternative to enhance growth performance, disease resistance and reproduction in fish. Plants contain various compounds such as polyphenols, carbohydrates, amino acids, flavonoids, alkaloids, tannins, organic acids, volatile oils, polysaccharides, minerals, and vitamins, some of which are necessary for growth and improving immunity or overall wellbeing in fish and other animals. However, the utilization of plants as feed additives in aquafeeds is still limited in Southern Africa. This paper reviews the potential role that medicinal plants can play as feed additives in order to promote growth performance, immunity, disease resistance, and reproduction in the culture of O. mossambicus and C. gariepinus in Southern Africa. The objective was to consolidate information about plants that can be specifically applied in freshwater aquaculture in Southern Africa by highlighting their availability and efficacy as either growth promoters or immunostimulants or fertility enhancer.
Utility of Deep Learning Algorithms in Initial Flowering Period Prediction Models
Authors: Jiao Guanjie , Shentu Xiawei , Zhu Xiaochen , Song Wenbo , Song Yujia , Yang Kexuan
Published: December 2022

The application of a deep learning algorithm (DL) can more accurately predict the initial flowering period of Platycladus orientalis (L.) Franco. In this research, we applied DL to establish a nationwide long-term prediction model of the initial flowering period of P. orientalis and analyzed the contribution rate of meteorological factors via Shapely Additive Explanation (SHAP). Based on the daily meteorological data of major meteorological stations in China from 1963–2015 and the observation of initial flowering data from 23 phenological stations, we established prediction models by using recurrent neural network (RNN), long short-term memory (LSTM) and gated recurrent unit (GRU). The mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and coefficient of determination (R2) were used as training effect indicators to evaluate the prediction accuracy. The simulation results show that the three models are applicable to the prediction of the initial flowering of P. orientalis nationwide in China, with the average accuracy of the GRU being the highest, followed by LSTM and the RNN, which is significantly higher than the prediction accuracy of the regression model based on accumulated air temperature. In the interpretability analysis, the factor contribution rates of the three models are similar, the 46 temperature type factors have the highest contribution rate with 58.6% of temperature factors’ contribution rate being higher than 0 and average contribution rate being 5.48 × 10−4, and the stability of the contribution rate of the factors related to the daily minimum temperature factor has obvious fluctuations with an average standard deviation of 8.57 × 10−3, which might be related to the plants being sensitive to low temperature stress. The GRU model can accurately predict the change rule of the initial flowering, with an average accuracy greater than 98%, and the simulation effect is the best, indicating that the potential application of the GRU model is the prediction of initial flowering.
Development of Quality Requirements of Chemical Analytical Measurements
Authors: Ambrus Árpád , Szenczi-Cseh Júlia , Doan Vy Vy N. , Domak Zsuzsanna , Gönczöl Tímea , Lörincz Anna , Miklós Gabriella , Nagy Attila , Szemanné-Dobrik Henriett , Vásárhelyi Adrienn
Published: December 2022

The development of quality requirements for the analyses of chemical contaminants is reviewed from the formation of the first association of analytical chemists in 1884. Without attempting to give complete coverage, it is shown that the elaboration of quality systems is commanded by the needs of the industry and international trade. Progress along the line of the initial inter-laboratory comparison, methods validated with collaborative tests, and development of internationally harmonized guidelines and protocols to perform complex studies aiming to improve the accuracy and reliability of the results facilitate international trade, and protect consumer health, as well as the environment. The international cooperation for limiting the replication of various (e.g., analytical, toxicological) tests is promoted by multilateral agreements that are also supported by legal obligations. Notwithstanding, the rapid development of requirements and guidance documents provides only the frame for obtaining accurate, defendable results. The production of such results is the duty of the laboratory management, analysts, and study personnel who play the decisive role and bear full responsibility for the samples analyzed.
Current and Emerging Treatment Options for Multidrug Resistant Escherichia coli Urosepsis: A Review
Authors: Walker Mikaela M. , Roberts Jason A. , Rogers Benjamin A. , Harris Patrick N. A. , Sime Fekade B.
Published: December 2022

Escherichia coli is a versatile commensal and pathogenic member of the human microflora. As the primary causative pathogen in urosepsis, E. coli places an immense burden on healthcare systems worldwide. To further exacerbate the issue, multi drug resistance (MDR) has spread rapidly through E. coli populations, making infections more troublesome and costlier to treat. This paper aimed to review the literature concerning the development of MDR in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) and explore the existing evidence of current and emerging treatment strategies. While some MDR strains maybe treated with β-lactam-β-lactamase inhibitor combinations as well as cephalosporins, cephamycin, temocillin and fosfomycin, current treatment strategies for many MDR UPEC strains are reliant on carbapenems. Carbapenem overreliance may contribute to the alarming dissemination of carbapenem-resistance amongst some UPEC communities, which has ushered in a new age of difficult to treat infections. Alternative treatment options for carbapenem resistant UPEC may include novel β-lactam-β-lactamase or carbapenemase inhibitor combinations, cefiderocol, polymyxins, tigecycline, aminoglycosides or fosfomycin. For metallo-β-lactamase producing strains (e.g., NDM, IMP-4), combinations of cefazidime-avibacam with aztreonam have been used. Additionally, the emergence of new antimicrobials brings new hope to the treatment of such infections. However, continued research is required to successfully bring these into the clinic for the treatment of MDR E. coli urosepsis.
T2Bacteria and T2Resistance Assays in Critically Ill Patients with Sepsis or Septic Shock: A Descriptive Experience
Authors: Giacobbe Daniele Roberto , Crea Francesca , Morici Paola , Magnasco Laura , Di Pilato Vincenzo , Briano Federica , Willison Edward , Pincino Rachele , Dettori Silvia , Tutino Stefania , Esposito Simone , Coppo Erika , Dentone Chiara , Portunato Federica , Mikulska Malgorzata , Robba Chiara , Vena Antonio , Battaglini Denise , Brunetti Iole , Ball Lorenzo , Pelosi Paolo , Marchese Anna , Bassetti Matteo
Published: December 2022

The use of rapid molecular tests may anticipate the identification of causative agents and resistance determinants in the blood of critically ill patients with sepsis. From April to December 2021, all intensive care unit patients with sepsis or septic shock who were tested with the T2Bacteria and T2Resistance assays were included in a retrospective, single center study. The primary descriptive endpoints were results of rapid molecular tests and concomitant blood cultures. Overall, 38 combinations of T2Bacteria and T2Resistance tests were performed. One or more causative agent(s) were identified by the T2Bacteria assay in 26% of episodes (10/38), whereas negative and invalid results were obtained in 66% (25/38) and 8% (3/38) of episodes, respectively. The same pathogen detected by the T2Bacteria test grew from blood cultures in 30% of cases (3/10). One or more determinant(s) of resistance were identified by the T2Resistance assay in 11% of episodes (4/38). Changes in therapy based on T2Bacteria and/or T2Resistance results occurred in 21% of episodes (8/38). In conclusion, T2Bacteria/T2Resistance results can influence early treatment decisions in critically ill patients with sepsis or septic shock in real-life practice. Large, controlled studies remain necessary to confirm a favorable impact on patients’ outcomes and antimicrobial stewardship interventions.
Alternatives Therapeutic Approaches to Conventional Antibiotics: Advantages, Limitations and Potential Application in Medicine
Authors: Alaoui Mdarhri Hiba , Benmessaoud Rachid , Yacoubi Houda , Seffar Lina , Guennouni Assimi Houda , Hamam Mouhsine , Boussettine Rihabe , Filali-Ansari Najoie , Lahlou Fatima Azzahra , Diawara Idrissa , Ennaji Moulay Mustapha , Kettani-Halabi Mohamed
Published: December 2022

Resistance to antimicrobials and particularly multidrug resistance is one of the greatest challenges in the health system nowadays. The continual increase in the rates of antimicrobial resistance worldwide boosted by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic poses a major public health threat. Different approaches have been employed to minimize the effect of resistance and control this threat, but the question still lingers as to their safety and efficiency. In this context, new anti-infectious approaches against multidrug resistance are being examined. Use of new antibiotics and their combination with new β-lactamase inhibitors, phage therapy, antimicrobial peptides, nanoparticles, and antisense antimicrobial therapeutics are considered as one such promising approach for overcoming bacterial resistance. In this review, we provide insights into these emerging alternative therapies that are currently being evaluated and which may be developed in the future to break the progression of antimicrobial resistance. We focus on their advantages and limitations and potential application in medicine. We further highlight the importance of the combination therapy approach, wherein two or more therapies are used in combination in order to more effectively combat infectious disease and increasing access to quality healthcare. These advances could give an alternate solution to overcome antimicrobial drug resistance. We eventually hope to provide useful information for clinicians who are seeking solutions to the problems caused by antimicrobial resistance.
Characterization of the Composition Variation of Healthy Human Gut Microbiome in Correlation with Antibiotic Usage and Yogurt Consumption
Authors: Yan Shaofei , Zhang Xiaofan , Jia Xiaofang , Zhang Jiguo , Han Xiaomin , Su Chang , Zhao Jianyun , Gou Wanglong , Xu Jin , Zhang Bing
Published: December 2022

Antibiotic usage and yogurt consumption are the major interventions for gut microbiota, yet their shared characteristics and disparities in healthy human gut microbiome remain unclear. This study aimed to decipher the composition changes among healthy humans, comparing antibiotic usage and yogurt consumption. The relative bacterial abundances of 1113 fecal samples were collected from an ongoing, population-based longitudinal cohort study in China that covered lifestyle, diet, disease status and physical measurements, and biological indicators of participants were obtained by the sequencing of 16S rRNA. The samples were divided into three groups, which were antibiotic users (122), yogurt consumers (497) and controls (494), where data visualization, alpha diversity, beta diversity and LEfSe analysis were conducted. At the family level, the relative abundances of Streptococcaceae, Enterobacteriaceae and Enterococcaceae families in antibiotic users increased almost 50%, 70% and 200%, respectively, while yogurt consumption also increased relative abundances of Streptococcaceae and Enterococcaceae, but not Enterobacteriaceae. Alpha diversity analyses suggested that the microbiome of the antibiotic usage and yogurt consumption groups exhibited an alpha diversity lower than that of the control. LEfSe analysis showed that, at the family level, the number of biomarkers in the yogurt consumption and antibiotic usage group were respectively 5 and 7, lower than that of the control (13). This study demonstrated the importance in considering the potential assistance of yogurt consumption on ARG gene transfer from commensal bacteria to pathogens in the human gut, which may pose a risk for human health. Antibiotic usage and yogurt consumption share more identical changes on healthy human gut flora than disparities. Therefore, in order to understand the potential risks of antibiotic usage and yogurt consumption on antibiotic resistance transmission in human gut microbiota, further research needs to be undertaken.
In Vitro and In Silico Evaluation of the Antimicrobial and Antioxidant Potential of Thymus pulegioides Essential Oil
Authors: Jianu Călin , Rusu Laura-Cristina , Muntean Iulia , Cocan Ileana , Lukinich-Gruia Alexandra Teodora , Goleț Ionuț , Horhat Delia , Mioc Marius , Mioc Alexandra , Șoica Codruța , Bujancă Gabriel , Ilie Adrian Cosmin , Muntean Delia
Published: December 2022

The study was designed to analyze and evaluate the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of the essential oils of Thymus pulegioides L. grown in Western Romania. Thymus pulegioides L. essential oil (TPEO) was extracted by steam distillation (0.71% v/w) using a Craveiro-type apparatus. GC-MS investigation of the TPEO identified 39 different compounds, representing 98.46% of total oil. Findings revealed that thymol (22.89%) is the main compound of TPEO, followed by para-cymene (14.57%), thymol methyl ether (11.19%), isothymol methyl ether (10.45%), and beta-bisabolene (9.53%). The oil exhibits good antibacterial effects; C. parapsilosis, C. albicans, S. pyogenes, and S. aureus were the most sensitive strains. The antioxidant activity of TPEO was evaluated by peroxide and thiobarbituric acid value, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH), [2,2′-azinobis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) diammonium] (ABTS) radical scavenging assay, and beta-carotene/linoleic acid bleaching testing. The antioxidative data recorded reveal, for the first time, that TPEO inhibits primary and secondary oxidation products, in some particular conditions, better than butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) with significant statistical difference (p < 0.05). Moreover, TPEO antioxidant capabilities in DPPH and ABTS assays outperformed alpha-tocopherol (p < 0.001) and delta-tocopherol (p < 0.001). Molecular docking analysis revealed that one potential target correlated with the TPEO antimicrobial activity was d-alanine-d-alanine ligase (DDl). The best scoring ligand, linalyl anthranilate, shared highly similar binding patterns with the DDl native inhibitor. Furthermore, molecular docking analysis also showed that the main constituents of TPEO are good candidates for xanthine oxidase and lipoxygenase inhibition, making the essential oil a valuable source for protein-targeted antioxidant compounds. Consequently, TPEO may represent a new potential source of antioxidant and antibacterial agents with applicability in the food and pharmaceutic industries.
Role of FOXO3a Transcription Factor in the Regulation of Liver Oxidative Injury
Authors: Jin Hong , Zhang Li , He Jun , Wu Min , Jia Li , Guo Jiabin
Published: December 2022

Oxidative stress has been identified as a key mechanism in liver damage caused by various chemicals. The transcription factor FOXO3a has emerged as a critical regulator of redox imbalance. Multiple post-translational changes and epigenetic processes closely regulate the activity of FOXO3a, resulting in synergistic or competing impacts on its subcellular localization, stability, protein–protein interactions, DNA binding affinity, and transcriptional programs. Depending on the chemical nature and subcellular context, the oxidative-stress-mediated activation of FOXO3a can induce multiple transcriptional programs that play crucial roles in oxidative injury to the liver by chemicals. Here, we mainly review the role of FOXO3a in coordinating programs of genes that are essential for cellular homeostasis, with an emphasis on exploring the regulatory mechanisms and potential application of FOXO3a as a therapeutic target to prevent and treat liver oxidative injury.
Evaluation of the Effect of Sage (Salvia officinalis L.) Preparations on Selected Quality Characteristics of Vacuum-Packed Chicken Meatballs Containing Mechanically Separated Meat
Authors: Cegiełka Aneta , Chmiel Marta , Hać-Szymańczuk Elżbieta , Pietrzak Dorota
Published: December 2022

The aim of this study was to compare the effects of various forms of sage (Salvia officinalis L.) preparations on the quality characteristics of vacuum-packed chicken meatballs containing mechanically separated meat (MSM) from chickens during storage (+4 °C, 14 days). The meatballs tested in this study were prepared as follows: (1) without the addition of sage (control), (2) with 1.0% of dried sage (SD), (3) with 2.0% of 40% (v/v) sage ethanol extract (SEE40), (4) with 2.0% of 70% (v/v) sage ethanol extract (SEE70), and (5) with 0.1% of sage essential oil (SEO). The meatballs were assessed at weekly intervals for lipid oxidation, microbial quality, color parameters, selected organoleptic attributes, and other quality features. During storage, the lipid oxidation processes in the meatballs were slowed down by all the tested sage preparations, but the most effective slowdown was caused by sage ethanol extracts. On day 14, the values of thiobarbituric-acid-reactive substances determined in the SEE40 and SEE70 products (0.210 mg malondialdehyde [MDA]/kg and 0.233 mg MDA/kg, respectively) were significantly (p < 0.05) lower than that in the control (0.659 mg MDA/kg). Considering all the investigated microbial groups, the best antimicrobial activity was observed in the SEE70 and SEO products. On day 14, there were no significant (p > 0.05) changes in the aroma of the tested chicken meatballs, and only the SEO product showed significantly (p < 0.05) poorer appearance and color than the control. In conclusion, among the various sage preparations used in vacuum-packed chicken meatballs with MSM, SEE70 may be recommended to manufacturers.
Multi-Feature Behavior Relationship for Multi-Behavior Recommendation
Authors: Mu Xiaodong , Zeng Zhaoju , Shen Danyao , Zhang Bo
Published: December 2022

Multi-behavior recommendation aims to model the interaction information of multiple behaviors to enhance the target behavior’s recommendation performance. Despite progress in recent research, it is challenging to represent users’ preferences using the multi-feature behavior information of user interactions. In this paper, we propose a Multi-Feature Behavior Relationship for Multi-Behavior Recommendation (MFBR) framework, which models the multi-behavior recommendation problem from both sequence structure and graph structure perspectives for user preference prediction of target behaviors. Specifically, the MFBR model is designed with a sequence encoder and a graph encoder to construct behavioral representations of different aspects of the user; the correlations between behaviors are modeled by a behavioral relationship encoding layer, and the importance of different behaviors is finally learned in order to construct the final representation of user preferences. Experimental validation conducted on two real-world recommendation datasets shows that our MFBR consistently outperforms state-of-the-art methods.
A Cloud-Native Web Application for Assisted Metadata Generation and Retrieval: THESPIAN-NER
Authors: Bombini Alessandro , Alkhansa Ahmad , Cappelli Laura , Felicetti Achille , Giacomini Francesco , Costantini Alessandro
Published: December 2022

Within the context of the Competence Centre for the Conservation of Cultural Heritage (4CH) project, the design and deployment of a platform-as-a-service cloud infrastructure for the first European competence centre of cultural heritage (CH) has begun, and some web services have been integrated into the platform. The first integrated service is the INFN-CHNet web application for FAIR storage of scientific analysis on CH: THESPIAN-Mask. It is based on CIDOC-CRM-compatible ontology and CRMhs, describing the scientific metadata. To ease the process of metadata generation and data injection, another web service has been developed: THESPIAN-NER. It is a tool based on a deep neural network for named entity recognition (NER), enabling users to upload their Italian-written report files and obtain labelled entities. Those entities are used as keywords either to serve as (semi)automatically custom queries for the database, or to fill (part of) the metadata form as a descriptor for the file to be uploaded. The services have been made freely available in the 4CH PaaS cloud platform.
Edge Restoration of a 3D Building Model Based on Oblique Photography
Authors: Che Defu , He Kai , Qiu Kehan , Liu Yining , Ma Baodong , Liu Quan
Published: December 2022

Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) oblique photography technology is widely used in a variety of fields because of its excellent efficiency, realism, and low cost of manufacturing. However, due to the influence of lighting, occlusion, weak textures, and other factors in aerial images, the modeling results can have the problem of an incorrect structure that is inconsistent with the real scene. The edge line of a building is the main external expression of its structure. Whether the edge line is straight or not will directly affect the realism of the building, so the restoration of the edge line can improve the realism of the building. In this study, we proposed and developed a method for the restoration of the edge line of a 3D building model based on triangular mesh cutting. Firstly, the feature line of the edge line was drawn using human–computer interaction, and axis-aligned bounding box (AABB) collision detection was carried out around the feature line to determine the triangular patches to be cut. Then, the triangular cutting algorithm was used to cut the triangular patches projected onto the plane. Finally, the structure and texture of the 3D building model were reconstructed. This method allowed us to actualize the physical separation of continuous triangulation; the triangulation around the edge line was cut, and the plane was fitted. This method was able to improve cutting accuracy and edge flatness and enhance the edge features of buildings and the rendering quality of models. The experimental results showed that the edge restoration method proposed in this paper is reliable and that it can effectively improve the building rendering effect of a 3D building model based on UAV oblique photography and can also enhance the realism of the model.
Fusion of Bilateral 2DPCA Information for Image Reconstruction and Recognition
Authors: Wang Jing , Zhao Mengli , Xie Xiao , Zhang Li , Zhu Wenbo
Published: December 2022

Being an efficient image reconstruction and recognition algorithm, two-dimensional PCA (2DPCA) has an obvious disadvantage in that it treats the rows and columns of images unequally. To exploit the other lateral information of images, alternative 2DPCA (A2DPCA) and a series of bilateral 2DPCA algorithms have been proposed. This paper proposes a new algorithm named direct bilateral 2DPCA (DB2DPCA) by fusing bilateral information from images directly—that is, we concatenate the projection results of 2DPCA and A2DPCA together as the projection result of DB2DPCA and we average between the reconstruction results of 2DPCA and A2DPCA as the reconstruction result of DB2DPCA. The relationships between DB2DPCA and related algorithms are discussed under some extreme conditions when images are reshaped. To test the proposed algorithm, we conduct experiments of image reconstruction and recognition on two face databases, a handwritten character database and a palmprint database. The performances of different algorithms are evaluated by reconstruction errors and classification accuracies. Experimental results show that DB2DPCA generally outperforms competing algorithms both in image reconstruction and recognition. Additional experiments on reordered and reshaped databases further demonstrate the superiority of the proposed algorithm. In conclusion, DB2DPCA is a rather simple but highly effective algorithm for image reconstruction and recognition.
Understanding the Influence of AST-JS for Improving Malicious Webpage Detection
Authors: Rozi Muhammad Fakhrur , Ozawa Seiichi , Ban Tao , Kim Sangwook , Takahashi Takeshi , Inoue Daisuke
Published: December 2022

JavaScript-based attacks injected into a webpage to perpetrate malicious activities are still the main problem in web security. Recent works have leveraged advances in artificial intelligence by considering many feature representations to improve the performance of malicious webpage detection. However, they did not focus on extracting the intention of JavaScript content, which is crucial for detecting the maliciousness of a webpage. In this study, we introduce an additional feature extraction process that can capture the intention of the JavaScript content of the webpage. In particular, we developed a framework for obtaining a JavaScript representation based on the abstract syntax tree for JavaScript (AST-JS), which enriches the webpage features for a better detection model. Moreover, we investigated the influence of our proposed feature on improving the model’s performance by using the Shapley additive explanation method to define the significance of each feature category compared to our proposed feature. The evaluation shows that adding the AST-JS feature can improve the performance for detecting malicious webpage compared to previous work. We also found that AST significantly influences performance, especially for webpages with JavaScript content.
Research on the Trajectory and Operational Performance of Wheel Loader Automatic Shoveling
Authors: Chen Yanhui , Jiang Heng , Shi Gang , Zheng Te
Published: December 2022

In the automatic shoveling operation of wheel loaders, the shovel trajectory has a significant influence on the operation’s performance. In order to obtain a suitable shovel trajectory and optimize the automatic shovel performance of the loader, we developed a test platform for the operational performance of loaders. Nine parallel shoveling trajectories of different depths were designed according to the coordination shoveling method. The formula for calculating the operational performance is established. The automatic shoveling test is performed according to the designed trajectory to obtain the real-time shoveling parameters, which are then combined with the calculation formula to calculate the operating parameters of the loader. Finally, the actual range of operational performance parameters is calculated by the normal distribution. The test results show that the trajectory with a shovel depth of 400 mm is the optimal trajectory. It was also verified by comparing manually controlled shoveling with it. With only a 1% difference in the full bucket rate, the operation time of automatic shoveling was 15.3% less than manually controlled shoveling, fuel consumption was 4.7% less, the energy consumption of practical work performed was 10.7% more, and maximum operation resistance was 20.5% lower. Therefore, the operational performance of the loader following this trajectory for shoveling meets the actual requirements.
Research on Hard, Transparent and Hydrophobic Coating on PMMA Sheet
Authors: Wu Guoqing , Chen Xiaoping , Xie Xuanyu , Zhang Pu , Ge Shenyu , Chen Wei , Zeng Xian , Wang Ruoye
Published: December 2022

In this paper, nano SiO2 particles modified organic silane coatings were successfully prepared to aim at the application of the self-cleaning coating on PMMA substrate for deep-sea optical windows. The chemicals, surface microstructure, wettability, hardness, adhesion, transparency, water scouring resistance as well as microorganism attachment rate of the coatings were investigated. The results showed that adding SiO2 nanoparticles into the organic silicon coating can effectively improve the hydrophobicity due to generating a micro-nano structure surface. However, excessive addition would result in a decrease in hydrophobicity, adhesion, as well as transparency, due to the inorganic SiO2 particle destroying the integrity of the organic coating. The optimal coating was obtained by adding 0.5 wt% nano SiO2 particles, which possessed a water contact angle of 114.2°, hardness of 4H, adhesion level of 0, and visible light transmittance of 0.886. After 40-h water scouring, the water contact angle decreased to 108.3° and the visible light transmittance decreased to 0.839, suggesting good water scouring resistance. The microorganism attachment rate of the S05 coating was 0.17% after a 6 h immersion test, which was about half that of the PMMA substrate.
Combustion and Explosion Characteristics of Pulverised Wood, Valorized with Mild Pyrolysis in Pilot Scale Installation, Using the Modified ISO 1 m3 Dust Explosion Vessel
Authors: Saeed Muhammad Azam , Niedzwiecki Lukasz , Arshad Muhammad Yousaf , Skrinsky Jan , Andrews Gordon E. , Phylaktou Herodotos N.
Published: December 2022

Biomass is a renewable energy source with great potential worldwide and in the European Union. However, valorization is necessary to turn many types of waste biomass into a tradable commodity that has the potential to replace coal in power plants without significant modifications to firing systems. Mild pyrolysis, also known as torrefaction, is a thermal valorization process of low-quality biomass that could be suitable for such a purpose. In this work, typical Spruce-Pine-Fir residues from a sawmill were tested in terms of the explosion and flame propagation properties. The ISO 1 m3 dust explosion vessel was used, with a modified and calibrated dust dispersion system that could cope with very coarse particles. The deflagration index, Kst, was higher for the torrefied sample, with a peak at 36 bar m/s compared with 27 for the raw biomass. The peak flame speeds were similar for both samples, reaching 1 m/s. The peak Pmax/Pi was between 7.3 and 7.4 bar for both untreated and torrefied biomass. The mechanism for coarse particle combustion is considered to be influenced by the explosion-induced wind blowing the finer fractions ahead of the flame, which burns first, subsequently devolatilizing the coarser fractions.
Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Sound Absorption Characteristics of Rebonded Polyurethane Foam
Authors: Mitrevska Milica Jovanoska , Mickovski Viktor , Samardzioska Todorka , Iannace Gino
Published: December 2022

Polyurethane foam (PUF) is an exceptionally adaptable product that has a variety of applications—it can be found almost everywhere. Due to such high utilization, the amount of polyurethane foam waste generated each year is growing over time. Rebonding polyurethane foam waste is a suitable way to progress towards a circular economy. In this paper, the prospect of using rebonded polyurethane foam (RPUF) in noise control applications is examined. An experimental study was carried out on RPUFs with various thicknesses and densities. The sound absorption coefficients at normal incidence and air resistivity were measured. The five-parameter Johnson-Champoux-Allard (JCA) model was adopted for the simulation of the porous layer. The remaining unknown parameters of the JCA model were estimated by inverse acoustic characterization based on fitting the transfer matrix method (TMM) model of an unbounded porous layer with rigid backing to the experimentally obtained sound absorption coefficients. Furthermore, sound absorption coefficients were calculated for a wide range of sample thicknesses, as well as for different air gap thicknesses between the wall and the porous layer. For some of the considered RPUFs, a sound absorption coefficient above 0.8 was achieved over a wide frequency range.
Linear Diophantine Fuzzy Fairly Averaging Operator for Suitable Biomedical Material Selection
Authors: Farid Hafiz Muhammad Athar , Kausar Rukhsana , Riaz Muhammad , Marinkovic Dragan , Stankovic Miomir
Published: December 2022

Nowadays, there is an ever-increasing diversity of materials available, each with its own set of features, capabilities, benefits, and drawbacks. There is no single definitive criteria for selecting the perfect biomedical material; designers and engineers must consider a vast array of distinct biomedical material selection qualities. The goal of this study is to establish fairly operational rules and aggregation operators (AOs) in a linear Diophantine fuzzy context. To achieve this goal, we devised innovative operational principles that make use of the notion of proportional distribution to provide an equitable or fair aggregate for linear Diophantine fuzzy numbers (LDFNs). Furthermore, a multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach is built by combining recommended fairly AOs with evaluations from multiple decision-makers (DMs) and partial weight information under the linear Diophantine fuzzy paradigm. The weights of the criterion are determined using incomplete data with the help of a linear programming model. The enhanced technique might be used in the selection of compounds in a variety of applications, including biomedical programmes where the chemicals used in prostheses must have qualities similar to those of human tissues. The approach presented for the femoral component of the hip joint prosthesis may be used by orthopaedists and practitioners who will choose bio-materials. This is due to the fact that biomedical materials are employed in many sections of the human body for various functions.
Knocking Out the Transcription Factor OsNAC092 Promoted Rice Drought Tolerance
Authors: Wang Bo , Wang Yiheng , Yu Wancong , Wang Luping , Lan Qingkuo , Wang Yong , Chen Chengbin , Zhang Yong
Published: December 2022

Environmental drought stress threatens rice production. Previous studies have reported that related NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC) transcription factors play an important role in drought stress. Herein, we identified and characterized OsNAC092, encoding an NAC transcription factor that is highly expressed and induced during drought tolerance. OsNAC092 knockout lines created using the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (Cas9) system exhibited increased drought resistance in rice. RNA sequencing showed that the knockout of OsNAC092 caused a global expression change, and differential gene expression is chiefly associated with “response to light stimulus,” “MAPK signaling pathway,” “plant hormone signal transduction,” “response to oxidative stress,” “photosynthesis,” and “water deprivation.” In addition, the antioxidants and enzyme activities of the redox response were significantly increased. OsNAC092 mutant rice exhibited a higher ability to scavenge more ROS and maintained a high GSH/GSSG ratio and redox level under drought stress, which could protect cells from oxidant stress, revealing the importance of OsNAC092 in the rice’s response to abiotic stress. Functional analysis of OsNAC092 will be useful to explore many rice resistance genes in molecular breeding to aid in the development of modern agriculture.
Assessment of Fish Diversity in the Ma’an Archipelago Special Protected Area Using Environmental DNA
Authors: Wang Yuqing , Li Xunmeng , Zhao Xu , Chen Jianqu , Wang Zhenhua , Chen Lili , Zhang Shouyu , Wang Kai
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to investigate the practical validity of the environmental DNA (eDNA) method for evaluating fish composition and diversity in different habitats. We evaluated the fish composition and diversity characteristics of seven different habitats in the Ma’an Archipelago Special Protected Area in April 2020. The results showed that a total of twenty-seven species of fishes belonging to six orders, eighteen families, and twenty-three genera of the Actinopterygii were detected in the marine waters of the Ma’an Archipelago Special Protected Area. The dominant species in each habitat were Larimichthys crocea, Paralichthys olivaceus, and Lateolabrax maculatus. The mussel culture area had the highest number of species, with 19 fish species, while the offshore bulk load shedding platform had the lowest number of species, with 12 fish species. The rest of the habitat was not significantly different. The results showed that the mussel culture area had the highest diversity index (average value of 2.352 ± 0.161), and the offshore bulk load shedding platform had the lowest diversity index (average value of 1.865 ± 0.127); the rest of the habitat diversity indices did not differ significantly. A comparison with historical surveys showed that the eDNA technique can detect species not collected by traditional methods such as gillnets and trawls. Our study demonstrates the role of eDNA technology in obtaining fish diversity in different habitats and provides a theoretical basis for the continuous monitoring and management of fish biodiversity in protected areas.
Evaluation of Gastrocnemius Motor Evoked Potentials Induced by Trans-Spinal Magnetic Stimulation Following Tibial Nerve Crush in Rats
Authors: Michel-Flutot Pauline , Jesus Isley , Mansart Arnaud , Bonay Marcel , Lee Kun-Ze , Auré Karine , Vinit Stéphane
Published: December 2022

Peripheral nerve injuries induce long-lasting physiological and severe functional impairment due to motor, sensory, and autonomic denervation. Preclinical models allow us to study the process of nerve damage, evaluate the capacity of the peripheral nervous system for spontaneous recovery, and test diagnostic tools to assess the damage and subsequent recovery. Methods: In this study on Sprague–Dawley rats, we: (1) compared the use of two different anesthetics (isoflurane and urethane) for the evaluation of motor evoked potentials (MEPs) induced by trans-spinal magnetic stimulation (TSMS) in gastrocnemius and brachioradialis muscles; (2) monitored the evolution of gastrocnemius MEPs by applying paired-pulse stimulation to evaluate the neuromuscular junction activity; and (3) evaluated the MEP amplitude before and after left tibialis nerve crush (up to 7 days post-injury under isoflurane anesthesia). The results showed that muscle MEPs had higher amplitudes under isoflurane anesthesia, as compared with urethane anesthesia in the rats, demonstrating higher motoneuronal excitability under isoflurane anesthesia evaluated by TSMS. Following tibial nerve crush, a significant reduction in gastrocnemius MEP amplitude was observed on the injured side, mainly due to axonal damage from the initial crush. No spontaneous recovery of MEP amplitude in gastrocnemius muscles was observed up to 7 days post-crush; even a nerve section did not induce any variation in residual MEP amplitude, suggesting that the initial crush effectively severed the axonal fibers. These observations were confirmed histologically by a drastic reduction in the remaining myelinated fibers in the crushed tibial nerve. These data demonstrate that TSMS can be reliably used to noninvasively evaluate peripheral nerve function in rats. This method could therefore readily be applied to evaluate nerve conductance in the clinical environment.
Rapid and Highly Efficient Genetic Transformation and Application of Interleukin-17B Expressed in Duckweed as Mucosal Vaccine Adjuvant
Authors: Tan Xiao , Chen Shuang , Fang Yang , Liu Penghui , Hu Zhubin , Jin Yanling , Yi Zhuolin , He Kaize , Li Xing , Zhao Leyi , Wang Hongning , Zhao Hai
Published: December 2022

Molecular farming utilizes plants as a platform for producing recombinant biopharmaceuticals. Duckweed, the smallest and fastest growing aquatic plant, is a promising candidate for molecular farming. However, the efficiency of current transformation methods is generally not high in duckweed. Here, we developed a fast and efficient transformation procedure in Lemna minor ZH0403, requiring 7–8 weeks from screening calluses to transgenic plants with a stable transformation efficiency of 88% at the DNA level and 86% at the protein level. We then used this transformation system to produce chicken interleukin-17B (chIL-17B). The plant-produced chIL-17B activated the NF-κB pathway, JAK-STAT pathway, and their downstream cytokines in DF-1 cells. Furthermore, we administrated chIL-17B transgenic duckweed orally as an immunoadjuvant with mucosal vaccine against infectious bronchitis virus (IBV) in chickens. Both IBV-specific antibody titer and the concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) were significantly higher in the group fed with chIL-17B transgenic plant. This indicates that the duckweed-produced chIL-17B enhanced the humoral and mucosal immune responses. Moreover, chickens fed with chIL-17B transgenic plant demonstrated the lowest viral loads in different tissues among all groups. Our work suggests that cytokines are a promising adjuvant for mucosal vaccination through the oral route. Our work also demonstrates the potential of duckweed in molecular farming.
Vascular Niche Facilitates Acquired Drug Resistance to c-Met Inhibitor in Originally Sensitive Osteosarcoma Cells
Authors: Tang Weifeng , Zhang Yu , Zhang Haixia , Zhang Yan
Published: December 2022

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common primary bone tumor in children and adolescents characterized by drug resistance and poor prognosis. As one of the key oncogenes, c-Met is recognized as a promising therapeutic target for OS. In this report, we show that c-Met inhibitor PF02341066 specifically killed OS cells with highly phosphorylated c-Met in vitro. However, the inhibitory effect of PF02341066 was abrogated in vivo due to interference from the vascular niche. OS cells adjacent to microvessels or forming vascular mimicry suppressed c-Met expression and phosphorylation. Moreover, VEGFR2 was activated in OS cells and associated with acquired drug resistance. Dual targeting of c-Met and VEGFR2 could effectively shrink the tumor size in a xenograft model. c-Met-targeted therapy combined with VEGFR2 inhibition might be beneficial to achieve an ideal therapeutic effect in OS patients. Together, our results confirm the pivotal role of tumor heterogeneity and the microenvironment in drug response and reveal the molecular mechanism underlying acquired drug resistance to c-Met-targeted therapy.