bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrous Cerium Dioxide-Based Materials as Solid-Contact Layers in Potassium-Selective Electrodes
Authors: Lenar Nikola , Piech Robert , Paczosa-Bator Beata
Published: March 2022

This paper introduces hydrous cerium dioxide applied for the first time as a solid-contact layer in ion-selective electrodes. Cerium dioxide belongs to the group of metal oxides that exhibit both redox activity and a large surface area and therefore was considered to be an appropriate material for the solid-contact layer in potentiometric sensors. The material was examined both standalone and as a component of composite materials (with the addition of carbon nanomaterial or conducting polymer). Three cerium dioxide-based materials were tested as solid-contact layers in potentiometric sensors in the context of their microstructure, wettability, and electrical properties. The addition of hydrous cerium dioxide was shown to enhance the properties of carbon nanotubes and poly(3-octylthiophene-2,5-diyl) by increasing the value of electrical capacitance (798 μF and 112 μF for hCeO2-NTs and hCeO2-POT material, respectively) and the value of contact angle (100° and 120° for hCeO2-NTs and hCeO2-POT material, respectively). The proposed sensor preparation method is easy, without the need to use an advanced apparatus or specific conditions, and fast; sensors can be prepared within an hour. Designed hCeO2-based electrodes exhibit competitive linear range and potential stability within the wide range of pH values (2.0–11.5). Designed electrodes are dedicated to potassium determination in environmental and clinical samples.
Image Processing Procedure to Evaluate Inclusion Dissolution in a Slag Observed by High-Temperature Confocal Scanning Laser Microscopy
Authors: Ramesh Babu Shashank , Preisser Nikolaus , Michelic Susanne Katharina
Published: March 2022

In situ study of the inclusion dissolution behavior in a slag utilizing high-temperature confocal scanning laser microscopy helps to understand the phenomenon of the removal of non-metallic inclusions from liquid steel before the casting process. The current work introduces an image processing procedure to automate and measure the inclusion diameter during its dissolution. Silica and alumina particle dissolution were considered as they appear differently when suspended in the slag (bubble-like transparent and solid-like opaque, respectively). The procedure consists of two parts: (1) morphological isolation and construction of the inclusion, and (2) inclusion diameter calculation. The inclusion diameters could be successfully measured over a series of images and showed good agreement with the manually measured diameters. The image processing procedure has the advantages of significant time saving and standardization compared to manual measurements.
A Review of Recovery of Palladium from the Spent Automobile Catalysts
Authors: Xu Bin , Chen Yufeng , Zhou Yujuan , Zhang Bangsheng , Liu Guiqing , Li Qian , Yang Yongbin , Jiang Tao
Published: March 2022

The spent automobile catalysts (SAC) is the major secondary source of palladium and the production of SAC is increasing rapidly over years. The price of palladium keeps rising over the years, which demonstrates its preciousness and urgent industrial demand. Recovering palladium from the spent automobile catalysts benefits a lot from economic and environmental protection aspects. This review aims to provide some new considerations of recovering palladium from the spent automotive catalysts by summarizing and discussing both hydrometallurgical and pyrometallurgical methods. The processes of pretreatment, leaching/extraction, and separation/recovery of palladium from the spent catalysts are introduced, and related reaction mechanisms and process flows are given, especially detailed for hydrometallurgical methods. Hydrometallurgical methods such as chloride leaching with oxidants possess a high selectivity of palladium and low consumption of energy, and are cost-effective and flexible for different volume feeds compared with pyrometallurgical methods. The recovery ratios of palladium and other platinum-group metals should be the focus of competition since their prices have been rapidly increased over the years, and hence more efficient extractants with high selectivity of palladium even in the complexed leachate should be proposed in the future.
Yet Another Approach to Fatigue Crack Growth Simulation
Authors: Zobec Peter , Klemenc Jernej
Published: March 2022

The analysis of a material that is subjected to variable loads is a complex subject and generally treated separately by fatigue and fracture mechanics. We present an attempt to extend the validity of conventional fatigue approach (here strain-life) in the scope fracture. This was achieved by introducing a zero thickness cohesive contact element coupled with a damage parameter that was developed from material observations of strain controlled fatigue experiments. The presented simulation framework results in a predictable crack growth direction on a compact tension specimen, although further experimentation is needed to validate the proposed approach.
Editorial for the Special Issue on Magnetic and Spin Devices
Authors: Sverdlov Viktor , Jutong Nuttachai
Published: March 2022

As scaling of semiconductor devices displays signs of saturation, the focus of research in microelectronics shifts towards finding new computing paradigms based on novel physical principles [...]
Study on Interfacial Bonding Properties of NiTi/CuSn10 Dissimilar Materials by Selective Laser Melting
Authors: Song Changhui , Hu Zehua , Xiao Yunmian , Li Yang , Yang Yongqiang
Published: March 2022

The dissimilar materials bonding of NiTi alloy with shape memory effect (SME) and CuSn10 alloy with good ductility, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity can be used in aerospace, circuits, etc. In order to integrate NiTi and CuSn10 with greatly different physical and chemical properties by selective laser melting (SLM), the effects of forming interlayers with different SLM process parameters were explored in this study. The defects, microstructure, and component diffusion at the interface were also analyzed. Columnar grain was found along the molten pool boundary of the interfacial region, and grains in the interfacial region were refined. Elements in the interfacial region had a good diffusion. Phase identifying of the interface showed that Ni4Ti3 was generated. The analysis showed that the columnar grain, refined grains in the interfacial region, and a certain amount of Ni4Ti3 could strengthen the interfacial bonding. This study provides a theoretical basis for forming NiTi/CuSn10 dissimilar materials structural members.
Evaluation of Selected Bacteria and Yeast for Probiotic Potential in Poultry Production
Authors: Dixon Beverly , Kilonzo-Nthenge Agnes , Nzomo Maureen , Bhogoju Sarayu , Nahashon Samuel
Published: March 2022

Performance and efficiency of feed utilization in poultry is highly influenced by gut health, which is dependent on intestinal microbial balance. Probiotics are live microbial feed supplements or viable microorganisms that beneficially affect the host animal by improving its gastrointestinal tract (GIT) microbial balance. However, their mode of action and suitable GIT environment favoring their colonization of the GIT is obscure. The probiotic properties of Lactobacillus plantarum, Bifidobacterium longum, and Saccharomyces boulardii were evaluated. These microbes were tested in vitro against gastrointestinal conditions for survivability and their ability to attach to the intestinal mucosa. The ability of the microbes to tolerate and survive varying pH levels and bile concentrations was assessed. The microbes were challenged with a pH of 2 to 7 for 5 h and bile concentrations of 1 to 3% for 6 hrs. The microbes were sampled hourly to evaluate growth or decline in colony-forming units (CFU). B. longum, L. Plantarum, and S. boulardii exhibited significantly higher CFU (p < 0.05) at a pH range of 5 to 7, 4 to 7, and 2 to 7, respectively, when compared with other pH levels. L. plantarum had much higher colony-forming units per mL within each pH level, except at pH 2 where S. boulardii was the only microbe to survive over time. While L. plantarum and S. boulardii were able to tolerate the various bile concentrations, B. longum and L. plantarum showed remarkable ability to attach to the intestinal mucosa and to inhibit pathogenic microbes.
Comparison of Syngas-Fermenting Clostridia in Stirred-Tank Bioreactors and the Effects of Varying Syngas Impurities
Authors: Oliveira Luis , Rückel Anton , Nordgauer Lisa , Schlumprecht Patric , Hutter Elina , Weuster-Botz Dirk
Published: March 2022

In recent years, syngas fermentation has emerged as a promising means for the production of fuels and platform chemicals, with a variety of acetogens efficiently converting CO-rich gases to ethanol. However, the feasibility of syngas fermentation processes is related to the occurrence of syngas impurities such as NH3, H2S, and NOX. Therefore, the effects of defined additions of NH4+, H2S, and NO3− were studied in autotrophic batch processes with C. autoethanogenum, C. ljungdahlii, and C. ragsdalei while applying continuously gassed stirred-tank bioreactors. Any initial addition of ammonium and nitrate curbed the cell growth of the Clostridia being studied and reduced the final alcohol concentrations. C. ljungdahlii showed the highest tolerance to ammonium and nitrate, whereas C. ragsdalei was even positively influenced by the presence of 0.1 g L−1 H2S. Quantitative goals for the purification of syngas were identified for each of the acetogens studied in the used experimental setup. Syngas purification should in particular focus on the NOX impurities that caused the highest inhibiting effect and maintain the concentrations of NH3 and H2S within an acceptable range (e.g., NH3 < 4560 ppm and H2S < 108 ppm) in order to avoid inhibition through the accumulation of these impurities in the bioreactor.
Solution Equilibrium Studies on Salicylidene Aminoguanidine Schiff Base Metal Complexes: Impact of the Hybridization with L-Proline on Stability, Redox Activity and Cytotoxicity
Authors: Dömötör Orsolya , May Nóra V. , Gál G. Tamás , Spengler Gabriella , Dobrova Aliona , Arion Vladimir B. , Enyedy Éva A.
Published: March 2022

The proton dissociation processes of two tridentate salicylidene aminoguanidine Schiff bases (SISC, Pro-SISC-Me), the solution stability and electrochemical properties of their Cu(II), Fe(II) and Fe(III) complexes were characterized using pH-potentiometry, cyclic voltammetry and UV-visible, 1H NMR and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic methods. The structure of the proline derivative (Pro-SISC-Me) was determined by X-ray crystallography. The conjugation of L-proline to the simplest salicylidene aminoguanidine Schiff base (SISC) increased the water solubility due to its zwitterionic structure in a wide pH range. The formation of mono complexes with both ligands was found in the case of Cu(II) and Fe(II), while bis complexes were also formed with Fe(III). In the complexes these tridentate ligands coordinate via the phenolato O, azomethine N and the amidine N, except the complex [Fe(III)L2]+ of Pro-SISC-Me in which the (O,N) donor atoms of the proline moiety are coordinated beside the phenolato O, confirmed by single crystal X-ray crystallographic analysis. This binding mode yielded a stronger Fe(III) preference for Pro-SISC-Me over Fe(II) in comparison to SISC. This finding is also reflected in the lower redox potential value of the iron-Pro-SISC-Me complexes. The ligands alone were not cytotoxic against human colon cancer cell lines, while complexation of SISC with Cu(II) resulted in moderate activity, unlike the case of its more hydrophilic counterpart.
Essential Oils Derived from Cistus Species Activate Mitochondria by Inducing SIRT1 Expression in Human Keratinocytes, Leading to Senescence Inhibition
Authors: Ledrhem Merieme , Nakamura Miku , Obitsu Miyu , Hirae Kinue , Kameyama Jun , Bouamama Hafida , Gadhi Chemseddoha , Katakura Yoshinori
Published: March 2022

Cistus L. is a genus of dicotyledonous perennial herbaceous plants. Cistus species have been commonly used in folk medicine in the Mediterranean region. In the present study, the biological activities of essential oils derived from Cistus species (Cistus laurifolius, C. monspeliensis, C. creticus, and C. salviifolius) were evaluated. Essential oils derived from C. laurifolius and C. monspeliensis were found to augment the expression of SIRT1, an anti-aging gene, in the normal culture of HaCaT cells. Furthermore, these essential oils increased the number and size of mitochondria and augmented their activity. These effects were thought to be caused by the up- and downregulated expression of MITOL and Drp1 in HaCaT cells, respectively, in response to the essential oil treatment. In addition, these essential oils were found to attenuate ultraviolet-B-induced mitochondrial damage and cellular senescence in HaCaT cells. These findings indicate that essential oils derived from C. laurifolius and C. monspeliensis may inhibit skin aging through mitochondrial regulation via SIRT1 activation.
New Triazolyl N^N Bidentate Rh(III), Ir(III), Ru(II) and Os(II) Complexes: Synthesis and Characterization, Probing Possible Relations between Cytotoxicity with Transfer Hydrogenation Efficacy and Interaction with Model Biomolecules
Authors: Chu William K. , Rono Charles K. , Makhubela Banothile C. E.
Published: March 2022

Cisplatin and other metallodrugs have realised great success in clinical chemotherapeutic applications as anticancer drugs. However, severe toxicity to healthy cells and non-selectivity to cancer cells remains a challenge, warranting the further search for alternative agents. Herein, we report the anticancer potential of a series of complexes of the general formula [MCl(p-cym)(k2-N^N-L)]+ X− and [MCl(Cp*)(k2-N^N-L)]+ X−, where M is the metal centre (Ru(II), Os(II), Rh(III) or Ir(III)), L = 1-benzyl-4-pyridinyl-1-H-1,2,3-triazole for L1 and 1-picolyl-4-pyridinyl-1-H-1,2,3-triazole for L2 and X− = Cl−, BF4−, BPh4−. When evaluated for activity against some cancerous and non-cancerous cell lines (namely, HeLa, HEK293, A549 and MT4 cancer cells and the normal healthy kidney cells (BHK21)), most of the compounds displayed poor cytotoxicities against cancer cells except for complexes C2 ([RuCl(p-cym)(k2-N^N-L1)]+ BPh4−, EC50 = 9–16 µM and SI = 14), C7 ([RuCl(p-cym)(k2-N^N-L2)]+ BPh4−, EC50 = 17–53 µM and SI = 4) and C11 ([IrCl(Cp*)(k2-N^N-L2)]+ BF4−, EC50 < 5 µM and SI > 10). Selected complexes C1 ([RuCl(p-cym)(k2-N^N-L1)]+ BF4−), C5 ([IrCl(Cp*)(k2-N^N-L1)]+ BF4−) and C11 showed significant interactions with model biomolecules such as guanosine-5′-monophosphate (5′-GMP), bovine serum albumin (BSA) and amino acids under physiological conditions, possibly through carbenylation and N-coordination with 5′-GMP, N-coordination with L-Histidine and L-proline. While the compounds showed good activities in reducing pyruvate to lactate, there was no direct correlation between catalytic transfer hydrogenation of pyruvate and the observed cytotoxic activities. As observed in this work, the marked influence of single atom replacement in ligand may provide a pivotal approach to improving the cytotoxicity and fine-tuning the selectivity to cancer cells.
Near-Interface Defects in Graphene/H-BN In-Plane Heterostructures: Insights into the Interfacial Thermal Transport
Authors: Zhang Nana , Zhou Baoming , Li Dongbo , Qi Dongfeng , Wu Yongling , Zheng Hongyu , Yang Bing
Published: March 2022

Based on nonequilibrium molecular dynamics (NEMD) and nonequilibrium Green’s function simulations, the interfacial thermal conductance (ITC) of graphene/h-BN in-plane heterostructures with near-interface defects (monovacancy defects, 585 and f5f7 double-vacancy defects) is studied. Compared to pristine graphene/h-BN, all near-interface defects reduce the ITC of graphene/h-BN. However, differences in defective structures and the wrinkles induced by the defects cause significant discrepancies in heat transfer for defective graphene/h-BN. The stronger phonon scattering and phonon localization caused by the wider cross-section in defects and the larger wrinkles result in the double-vacancy defects having stronger energy hindrance effects than the monovacancy defects. In addition, the approximate cross-sections and wrinkles induced by the 585 and f5f7 double-vacancy defects provide approximate heat hindrance capability. The phonon transmission and vibrational density of states (VDOS) further confirm the above results. The double-vacancy defects in the near-interface region have lower low-frequency phonon transmission and VDOS values than the monovacancy defects, while the 585 and f5f7 double-vacancy defects have similar low-frequency phonon transmission and VDOS values at the near-interface region. This study provides physical insight into the thermal transport mechanisms in graphene/h-BN in-plane heterostructures with near-interface defects and provides design guidelines for related devices.
Pilot Double-Blind Randomised Controlled Trial: Effects of Jejunal Nutrition on Postprandial Distress in Diabetic Gastropathy (J4G Trial)
Authors: Carneiro Lucianno , White Jonathan , Parker Helen , Hoad Caroline , Tucker Emily , Marciani Luca , Gowland Penny , Gazis Tasso , Walker Marjorie , Fox Mark
Published: March 2022

Nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in diabetic patients are often attributed to diabetic gastropathy (DG). Post-pyloric (“jejunal”) enteral nutrition (JN) may improve nutrition and glycaemia in difficult cases. The acute effects of JN on postprandial symptoms and gastric function in DG patients has not been studied. DG patients with moderate to severe symptoms (gastroparesis cardinal symptom index (GCSI) > 27), diabetic controls without symptoms (DC; GCSI < 14) and healthy controls (HV) were entered into a randomized, double blind controlled trial. JN with liquid nutrient (2 kcal/min) or water was infused for 60 min prior to ingestion of a standardized mixed solid/liquid test meal. Outcomes included postprandial symptoms and effects on gastrointestinal (GI)–peptide hormones and gastric emptying (GE) assessed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Nine DG, nine DC and twelve HV were recruited. DG patients reported more symptoms after meals than other groups (p < 0.05). Post-prandial symptoms were reduced after JN in DG patients (p < 0.01). GE was more rapid after JN in DG and DC patients (p < 0.05). JN induced a GI–peptide response in all subjects; however, this was less pronounced in diabetic groups. JN has beneficial effects on DG patients’ symptoms after a meal. The mechanism is not primarily mediated by effects on GE, but appears to involve other aspects of GI function, including visceral sensitivity.
Primary Care of the Person Living with HIV
Authors: Kasten Mary J.
Published: March 2022

Life-changing progress has been made over the past 30 years in the treatment of HIV infection. HIV has transformed from an illness that resulted in one complication after another and nearly always resulted in death to a chronic illness that for most patients is more easily managed than diabetes or heart disease. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is now simple and well-tolerated. The most important priority of HIV treatment is ensuring that people living with HIV stay on continuous, effective ART. ART, although not curative, suppresses the virus and allows the immune system to recover. Even when the CD4 count remains low, suppressive ART helps prevent opportunistic infections and other HIV related complications. (1) Suppressive ART is important not only to the individual living with HIV health but is an important public health goal since people living with HIV will not transmit HIV to their sexual partners if their viral load is undetectable. (2) A respectful, culturally appropriate patient–provider relationship is one of the most important factors in keeping people living with HIV engaged in care. (3) Persons living with HIV deserve both excellent HIV and primary care. Some communities have providers that are experts in both, but often people living with HIV receive the best care by collaboration between their primary care provider and an HIV expert. This article is written to help primary care givers who are not HIV experts provide appropriate primary care to their patients who are living with HIV and emphasizes issues that deserve additional attention in people living with HIV compared to the general population
Evolution of the Anther Gland in Early-Branching Papilionoids (ADA Clade, Papilionoideae, Leguminosae)
Authors: Leite Viviane Gonçalves , Teixeira Simone Pádua , Sartori Ângela Lúcia Bagnatori , Mansano Vidal Freitas
Published: March 2022

Papilionoideae is the most diverse subfamily of Leguminosae, especially in terms of floral morphology. The ADA clade shows some exciting floral features among papilionoids, such as anther glands. However, the evolution of the anther glands in such early-branching papilionoids remains unknown. Thus, we compared the occurrence, distribution, morphology, and evolutionary history of the anther glands in species of the ADA clade. Floral buds and/or flowers in 50 species were collected from herbarium specimens and investigated using scanning electron and light microscopy and reconstruction of ancestral character states. The anther apex has a secretory cavity, secretory duct, and phenolic idioblast. The lumen shape of the cavity and duct is closely related to the shape of the anther apex. The oval lumen is located between two thecae, the spherical lumen in the prominent anther apex and the elongated lumen in anthers with a long apex. The occurrence of cavities/ducts in the anther in only two phylogenetically closely related subclades is a unifying character -state. The floral architecture is not correlated with cavity/ducts in the anther but is possibly related to the type of pollinator. Future research needs to combine floral morphology and pollination systems to understand the evolution of floral designs and their diversification.
Light and Plant Growth Regulators on In Vitro Proliferation
Authors: Cavallaro Valeria , Pellegrino Alessandra , Muleo Rosario , Forgione Ivano
Published: March 2022

Plant tissue cultures depend entirely upon artificial light sources for illumination. The illumination should provide light in the appropriate regions of the electromagnetic spectrum for photomorphogenic responses and photosynthetic metabolism. Controlling light quality, irradiances and photoperiod enables the production of plants with desired characteristics. Moreover, significant money savings may be achieved using both more appropriate and less consuming energy lamps. In this review, the attention will be focused on the effects of light characteristics and plant growth regulators on shoot proliferation, the main process in in vitro propagation. The effects of the light spectrum on the balance of endogenous growth regulators will also be presented. For each light spectrum, the effects on proliferation but also on plantlet quality, i.e., shoot length, fresh and dry weight and photosynthesis, have been also analyzed. Even if a huge amount of literature is available on the effects of light on in vitro proliferation, the results are often conflicting. In fact, a lot of exogenous and endogenous factors, but also the lack of a common protocol, make it difficult to choose the most effective light spectrum for each of the large number of species. However, some general issues derived from the analysis of the literature are discussed.
Synthesis of Alginate Nanogels with Polyvalent 3D Transition Metal Cations: Applications in Urease Immobilization
Authors: Saxena Abhishek , Sharda Shivani , Kumar Sumit , Kumar Benu , Shirodkar Sheetal , Dahiya Praveen , Sahney Rachana
Published: March 2022

Biocompatible nanogels are highly in demand and have the potential to be used in various applications, e.g., for the encapsulation of sensitive biomacromolecules. In the present study, we have developed water-in-oil microemulsions of sodium alginate sol/hexane/Span 20 as a template for controlled synthesis of alginate nanogels, cross-linked with 3d transition metal cations (Mn2+, Fe3+, and Co2+). The results suggest that the stable template of 110 nm dimensions can be obtained by microemulsion technique using Span 20 at concentrations of 10mM and above, showing a zeta potential of −57.3 mV. A comparison of the effects of the cross-links on the morphology, surface charge, protein (urease enzyme) encapsulation properties, and stability of the resulting nanogels were studied. Alginate nanogels, cross-linked with Mn2+, Fe3+, or Co2+ did not show any gradation in the hydrodynamic diameter. The shape of alginate nanogels, cross-linked with Mn2+ or Co2+, were spherical; whereas, nanogels cross-linked with Fe3+ (Fe–alginate) were non-spherical and rice-shaped. The zeta potential, enzyme loading efficiency, and enzyme activity of Fe–alginate was the highest among all the nanogels studied. It was found that the morphology of particles influenced the percent immobilization, loading capacity, and loading efficiency of encapsulated enzymes. These particles are promising candidates for biosensing and efficient drug delivery due to their relatively high loading capacity, biocompatibility, easy fabrication, and easy handling.
Rheology Applied to Microgels: Brief (Revision of the) State of the Art
Authors: Echeverría Coro , Mijangos Carmen
Published: March 2022

The ability of polymer microgels to rapidly respond to external stimuli is of great interest in sensors, lubricants, and biomedical applications, among others. In most of their uses, microgels are subjected to shear, deformation, and compression forces or a combination of them, leading to variations in their rheological properties. This review article mainly refers to the rheology of microgels, from the hard sphere versus soft particles’ model. It clearly describes the scaling theories and fractal structure formation, in particular, the Shih et al. and Wu and Morbidelli models as a tool to determine the interactions among microgel particles and, thus, the viscoelastic properties. Additionally, the most recent advances on the characterization of microgels’ single-particle interactions are also described. The review starts with the definition of microgels, and a brief introduction addresses the preparation and applications of microgels and hybrid microgels.
Effect of Different CAD/CAM Milling and 3D Printing Digital Fabrication Techniques on the Accuracy of PMMA Working Models and Vertical Marginal Fit of PMMA Provisional Dental Prosthesis: An In Vitro Study
Authors: Sidhom Marina , Zaghloul Hanaa , Mosleh Ihab El-Sayed , Eldwakhly Elzahraa
Published: March 2022

Background: Minimal evidence exists on the efficacy of different digital manufacturing techniques in the fabrication of precise dental working models and provisional prosthesis. Aim of study: The objective was to evaluate the effect of two digital fabrication techniques (CAD/CAM milling and 3D printing) on the accuracy of PMMA working models and marginal fit of PMMA provisional prosthesis. Materials and methods: Two abutment teeth of modified typodont were prepared. A reference stone model was fabricated, and an optical impression was performed to obtain a CAD reference model. Four CAM milled working models and four printed working models were fabricated. CAD software was used to design the provisional prostheses. Group A tested four milled provisional prosthesis, and group B tested four 3D printed prosthesis. The 3D accuracy of working models was assessed by superimposition of the control reference working model on the CAD test working model. A stereo-optical microscope was used to assess vertical marginal fit of the provisional dental prosthesis. Student’s t and Mann–Whitney U tests were utilized to compare the two groups. Results: Results showed no statistically significant difference between the two tested groups. Conclusion: The two digital working model fabrication techniques recorded comparable accuracy. Similarly, 3D printed provisional prosthesis showed comparable marginal fit to the CAD/CAM milled ones.
A Hybrid Multi-Target Path Planning Algorithm for Unmanned Cruise Ship in an Unknown Obstacle Environment
Authors: Yu Jiabin , Liu Guandong , Xu Jiping , Zhao Zhiyao , Chen Zhihao , Yang Meng , Wang Xiaoyi , Bai Yuting
Published: March 2022

To solve the problem of traversal multi-target path planning for an unmanned cruise ship in an unknown obstacle environment of lakes, this study proposed a hybrid multi-target path planning algorithm. The proposed algorithm can be divided into two parts. First, the multi-target path planning problem was transformed into a traveling salesman problem, and an improved Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) algorithm was used to calculate the multi-target cruise sequence. The improved GWO algorithm optimized the convergence factor by introducing the Beta function, which can improve the convergence speed of the traditional GWO algorithm. Second, based on the planned target sequence, an improved D* Lite algorithm was used to implement the path planning between every two target points in an unknown obstacle environment. The heuristic function in the D* Lite algorithm was improved to reduce the number of expanded nodes, so the search speed was improved, and the planning path was smoothed. The proposed algorithm was verified by experiments and compared with the other four algorithms in both ordinary and complex environments. The experimental results demonstrated the strong applicability and high effectiveness of the proposed method.
IoT Based Smart Monitoring of Patients’ with Acute Heart Failure
Authors: Umer Muhammad , Sadiq Saima , Karamti Hanen , Karamti Walid , Majeed Rizwan , NAPPI Michele
Published: March 2022

The prediction of heart failure survivors is a challenging task and helps medical professionals to make the right decisions about patients. Expertise and experience of medical professionals are required to care for heart failure patients. Machine Learning models can help with understanding symptoms of cardiac disease. However, manual feature engineering is challenging and requires expertise to select the appropriate technique. This study proposes a smart healthcare framework using the Internet-of-Things (IoT) and cloud technologies that improve heart failure patients’ survival prediction without considering manual feature engineering. The smart IoT-based framework monitors patients on the basis of real-time data and provides timely, effective, and quality healthcare services to heart failure patients. The proposed model also investigates deep learning models in classifying heart failure patients as alive or deceased. The framework employs IoT-based sensors to obtain signals and send them to the cloud web server for processing. These signals are further processed by deep learning models to determine the state of patients. Patients’ health records and processing results are shared with a medical professional who will provide emergency help if required. The dataset used in this study contains 13 features and was attained from the UCI repository known as Heart Failure Clinical Records. The experimental results revealed that the CNN model is superior to other deep learning and machine learning models with a 0.9289 accuracy value.
DeepEdge: A Novel Appliance Identification Edge Platform for Data Gathering, Capturing and Labeling
Authors: Wang Zilin , Wang Wei , Zhang Ziyou , Hu Fei , Xia Xingyi , Chen Liangyin
Published: March 2022

With the development of the Internet of Things for smart grid, the requirement for appliance monitoring has become an important topic. The first and most important step in appliance monitoring is to identify the type of appliance. Most of the existing appliance identification platforms are cloud based, thus they consume large computing resources and memory. Therefore, it is necessary to explore an edge identification platform with a low cost. In this work, a novel appliance identification edge platform for data gathering, capturing and labeling is proposed. Experiments show that this platform can achieve an average appliance identification accuracy of 98.5% and improve the accuracy of non-intrusive load disaggregation algorithms.
Map-Matching-Based Localization Using Camera and Low-Cost GPS for Lane-Level Accuracy
Authors: Sadli Rahmad , Afkir Mohamed , Hadid Abdenour , Rivenq Atika , Taleb-Ahmed Abdelmalik
Published: March 2022

For self-driving systems or autonomous vehicles (AVs), accurate lane-level localization is a important for performing complex driving maneuvers. Classical GNSS-based methods are usually not accurate enough to have lane-level localization to support the AV’s maneuvers. LiDAR-based localization can provide accurate localization. However, the price of LiDARs is still one of the big issues preventing this kind of solution from becoming wide-spread commodity. Therefore, in this work, we propose a low-cost solution for lane-level localization using a vision-based system and a low-cost GPS to achieve high precision lane-level localization. Experiments in real-world and real-time demonstrate that the proposed method achieves good lane-level localization accuracy, outperforming solutions based on only GPS.
Screen-Printed Voltammetric Sensors—Tools for Environmental Water Monitoring of Painkillers
Authors: Tyszczuk-Rotko Katarzyna , Kozak Jędrzej , Czech Bożena
Published: March 2022

The dynamic production and usage of pharmaceuticals, mainly painkillers, indicates the growing problem of environmental contamination. Therefore, the monitoring of pharmaceutical concentrations in environmental samples, mostly aquatic, is necessary. This article focuses on applying screen-printed voltammetric sensors for the voltammetric determination of painkillers residues, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol, and tramadol in environmental water samples. The main advantages of these electrodes are simplicity, reliability, portability, small instrumental setups comprising the three electrodes, and modest cost. Moreover, the electroconductivity, catalytic activity, and surface area can be easily improved by modifying the electrode surface with carbon nanomaterials, polymer films, or electrochemical activation.
Possible Applications of Edge Computing in the Manufacturing Industry—Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Kubiak Kacper , Dec Grzegorz , Stadnicka Dorota
Published: March 2022

This article presents the results of research with the main goal of identifying possible applications of edge computing (EC) in industry. This study used the methodology of systematic literature review and text mining analysis. The main findings showed that the primary goal of EC is to reduce the time required to transfer large amounts of data. With the ability to analyze data at the edge, it is possible to obtain immediate feedback and use it in the decision-making process. However, the implementation of EC requires investments not only in infrastructure, but also in the development of employee knowledge related to modern computing methods based on artificial intelligence. As the results of the analyses showed, great importance is also attached to energy consumption, both in ongoing production processes and for the purposes of data transmission and analysis. This paper also highlights problems related to quality management. Based on the analyses, we indicate further research directions for the application of edge computing and associated technologies that are required in the area of intelligent resource scheduling (for flexible production systems and autonomous systems), anomaly detection and resulting decision making, data analysis and transfer, knowledge management (for smart designing), and simulations (for autonomous systems).
Recognizing Solo Jazz Dance Moves Using a Single Leg-Attached Inertial Wearable Device
Authors: Stančin Sara , Tomažič Sašo
Published: March 2022

We present here a method for recognising dance moves in sequences using 3D accelerometer and gyroscope signals, acquired by a single wearable device, attached to the dancer’s leg. The recognition entails dance tempo estimation, temporal scaling, a wearable device orientation-invariant coordinate system transformation, and, finally, sliding correlation-based template matching. The recognition is independent of the orientation of the wearable device and the tempo of dancing, which promotes the usability of the method in a wide range of everyday application scenarios. For experimental validation, we considered the versatile repertoire of solo jazz dance moves. We created a database of 15 authentic solo jazz template moves using the performances of a professional dancer dancing at 120 bpm. We analysed 36 new dance sequences, performed by the professional and five recreational dancers, following six dance tempos, ranging from 120 bpm to 220 bpm with 20 bpm increment steps. The recognition F1 scores, obtained cumulatively for all moves for different tempos, ranged from 0.87 to 0.98. The results indicate that the presented method can be used to recognise repeated dance moves and to assess the dancer’s consistency in performance. In addition, the results confirm the potential of using the presented method to recognise imitated dance moves, supporting the learning process.
RDCTrans U-Net: A Hybrid Variable Architecture for Liver CT Image Segmentation
Authors: Li Lingyun , Ma Hongbing
Published: March 2022

Segmenting medical images is a necessary prerequisite for disease diagnosis and treatment planning. Among various medical image segmentation tasks, U-Net-based variants have been widely used in liver tumor segmentation tasks. In view of the highly variable shape and size of tumors, in order to improve the accuracy of segmentation, this paper proposes a U-Net-based hybrid variable structure—RDCTrans U-Net for liver tumor segmentation in computed tomography (CT) examinations. We design a backbone network dominated by ResNeXt50 and supplemented by dilated convolution to increase the network depth, expand the perceptual field, and improve the efficiency of feature extraction without increasing the parameters. At the same time, Transformer is introduced in down-sampling to increase the network’s overall perception and global understanding of the image and to improve the accuracy of liver tumor segmentation. The method proposed in this paper tests the segmentation performance of liver tumors on the LiTS (Liver Tumor Segmentation) dataset. It obtained 89.22% mIoU and 98.91% Acc, for liver and tumor segmentation. The proposed model also achieved 93.38% Dice and 89.87% Dice, respectively. Compared with the original U-Net and the U-Net model that introduces dense connection, attention mechanism, and Transformer, respectively, the method proposed in this paper achieves SOTA (state of art) results.
A Study on the Impact of Population Age Structure Change on Economic Growth in China
Authors: Liu Zhiwei , Fang Yonglei , Ma Lei
Published: March 2022

In the process of changes in total population, structure, and spatial distribution, it is essential to investigate the inner rules of the harmonious correlation between population and development. Thus, this study examines the correlation between demographic variables (e.g., delayed retirement, total fertility rate, and life expectancy) and economic development in China based on the overlapping generations (OLG) model and numerical simulation method. The findings reveal the following: (1) total social output level positively correlates with survival probability; (2) the contribution of the aging labor force (retirement age delay) to the total output is significant and an essential source of sustainable economic growth; (3) aggregate output increases first and then decreases with the increase in individual pension contributions rate, and the correlation between the two is a ∩-shaped curve. The policy implications of this study are that China’s economic transformation is a general trend, which should promote the upgrading of the demographic dividend from quantitative type to qualitative type and tap the human capital potential to increase the capital-based demographic dividend and activate the gender dividend.
Key Performance Indicators of Common Carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) Wintering in a Pond and RAS under Different Feeding Schemes
Authors: Eljasik Piotr , Panicz Remigiusz , Sobczak Małgorzata , Sadowski Jacek
Published: March 2022

Overwintering impacts common carp performance, yet the nature of changes is not known. The aim of the study was to compare the zootechnical and key performance indicators (KPI) of Cyprinus carpio wintering in a pond with no supplementary feeding (MCF), in a Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) fed typical (30% of protein and 8% of fat) carp diet (AFC), and in a RAS fed high protein (42%) and fat (12%) diet (ABF). The analysis showed that ABF fish had the highest final body weight and the Fulton’s condition factor, as well as the lowest food conversion rate compared with AFC and MCF fish. Histomorphological assessment revealed that MCF fish had thinner skin layers, a depleted population of mucous cells in skin, an excessive interlamellar mass in the gills, and no supranuclear vacuoles in the intestine compared to fish from RAS. At the molecular level, higher transcript levels of il-1β and il-6 transcripts were found in the gills of MCF than in fish from RAS. The transcript level of the intestinal muc5b was the highest in ABF fish. Relative expression of il-1β and il-6 in gills were presumably the highest due to lamellar fusions in MCF fish. Described KPIs may assist carp production to ensure sustainability and food security in the European Union.
Transforming Linear Production Chains into Circular Value Extended Systems
Authors: Scheel Carlos , Bello Bernardo
Published: March 2022

Different schools of thought, theories, and concepts have been developed to diminish the social and environmental impact that the take–make–dispose linear economic model has produced. Such is the case of industrial ecology (IE) and circular economy (CE). However, the principles and guidelines in IE literature are focused more on resource efficiency without considering the social externalities. In the same sense, CE literature has not brought clear guidance about how to circularize linear businesses and is mainly focused on recycling strategies, which could be the least profitable and attractive option among the circular business models (CBM). Based on the sustainable wealth creation through disruptive innovation and enabling technologies (SWIT) framework and the business model framework, we have developed a roadmap to transform linear value chains into an industrial ecology cluster of zero-waste chains and enabling institutions called a circular value extended system (CVES), which is able to exploit non-usual business opportunities of waste and residue revaluation. This systemic approach opens the possibilities of creating a socially inclusive, environmentally resilient, and economically viable system of capital. A case study is presented to clarify the design process and application of the framework. Our contribution entails guidelines to transform linear value chains into a cluster of circular economy systems capable of producing sustainable increasing returns to benefit multiple regional stakeholders.
A Contribution to Sustainable Product Development Using the Example of Battery Electric Vehicles
Authors: Glönkler Vivien , Reick Benedikt , Stetter Ralf , Till Markus , Pfeil Markus
Published: March 2022

Currently, a consensus in the scientific community can be observed that it is necessary to reduce the carbon footprint and the use of fossil resources in order to ensure the ongoing well-being of humanity and our planet. Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can contribute to this reduction, as they can use energy from sustainable sources as well as store it in order to enable individual mobility. Still, as long as sustainable energy is not available in abundance and a share of our energy still is generated using fossil sources, it is important to consider the energy consumption of these BEVs in greater detail. BEVs may actually consume more energy than necessary due to an architecture borrowed from non-BEVs, due to their drive-train topology, due to many individual product development issues and last but not least because they are not operated at their highest efficiency. This paper addresses the evaluation of a specific sustainable product development process for BEVs. The study is based on detailed energy consumption simulations of smaller BEVs with different drive train technologies. A general consideration of sustainability and utility based on the design choices, as well as of societal consequences, leads to requirements and challenges for sustainable product development. A digital product development process is described, which addresses these challenges.
Assessment of Soil Quality Status and the Ecological Risk in the Baia Mare, Romania Area
Authors: Sur Ioana Monica , Micle Valer , Polyak Evelyn Terez , Gabor Timea
Published: March 2022

Industrial activities in the Baia Mare, Romania area have generated strong pollution, and the impact on soil quality in the neighboring areas of the city remains unclear. The aim of the research is to investigate samples of soil from Baia Mare in order to determine the quality of the soil and also the ecological risk of the soil. This study presents among the first studies using the ecological risk assessment methodology on the soil from the Baia Mare area and aims to serve as scientific support for future studies and research. Evaluation of the soil quality state was performed by determining the physical-chemical characteristics of the soil (pH, texture, structure, and concentration of metals). Evaluation of the anthropic activity from the studied areas was conducted by determining the pollution indices: Cf; Cd, PLI, Er, and PERI. The results of this study indicate that the surface soils have very high concentrations of metals (Cd: 3.5–14.4 mg kg−1; Cu: 9.4–361.5 mg kg−1; Pb: 29.7–1973 mg kg−1), with exceedances of the limit values established in the Romanian legislation. Results regarding the degree of contamination, the PLI pollution load index (1.3–14.9), and the PERI potential ecological risk index (733.9–4686) indicate that soils in the studied area have a very high degree of pollution.
Bibliometric Mapping of Research on Life Cycle Assessment of Olive Oil Supply Chain
Authors: Blanco Ileana , De Bellis Luigi , Luvisi Andrea
Published: March 2022

The olive oil supply chain and even its individual stages have been extensively investigated through life cycle assessment (LCA) in recent decades. Most practices of the olive oil supply chain have been associated with negative environmental effects, such as soil degradation, carbon dioxide emissions, air and ground pollution, and depletion of groundwater. The current work aimed to perform a bibliometric analysis, through a science mapping approach, coupled with a review on the life cycle assessment (LCA) studies of the olive oil sector, with relevance to the environmental impacts of agricultural and industrial practices of this food sector. A total of 110 documents published in 2008–2021 were analyzed and discussed. More than 78% of documents were released from 2015. The main Scopus categories relating to the topic analyzed were environmental sciences (25%), energy (18%), and engineering (17%). The most productive countries were Italy, Spain, and Greece. The cluster analysis identified three main research topics related to the “agricultural phase”, “oil extraction”, and “waste management and by-product valorization”. Most of the recent publications focused on the application of LCA to evaluate the environmental impact of innovative agricultural practices, sustainable control of parasites and weeds, wastes, and by-products valorization within a circular economy.