bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effectiveness of microcurrent therapy and botulinum therapy in patients with erythematous-telangiectatic subtype of rosacea
Authors: Egorova O. A.
Published: June 2020

The article presents current data on etiology and pathogenesis rosacea, listed endogenous and exogenous provoking factors. The pathogenetic justification given of the use of botulinum toxin type A in erythematosus-teleangiectatic subtype rosacea. A study involving 32 patients with ETP was carried out, during which a combination treatment was used – a course of microcurrent therapy followed by botulinum therapy by mesotechnics (in two different breedings). According to the results of the study, a pronounced clinical effect was established in patients. The results were evaluated using an analog VAS scale as well as DIQL. We came to conclusions about the effectiveness of combined use of microcurrent therapy and botulinum therapy in erythematosus-teleangiectatic subtype rosacea and the feasibility of further study of this issue.
Antipruritic therapy as main component of improving quality of life of patients with dermatoses
Authors: Kruglova L. S. , Pereverzina N. O. , Kovalenko Yu. A.
Published: June 2020

Itchy skin, a symptom of various diseases, present in 54.4 % of patients with skin pathologies, is a rather difficult task when choosing a therapy.

Material and methods. Under observation were 45 patients (27 women and 18 men) with various dermatoses, accompanied by itching. All patients received Neotanin therapy (cream and spray) with standard topical therapy. Efficiency assessment was carried out taking into account the indices Prurindex, BRS, dermatological status indices for each nosology (SCORAD, EASI, PASI), and DIC.

Results. In patients with idiopathic skin itching, Prurindex decreased by 100 % by the end of 3rd weeks, BRS – by 96.8 %. In atopic dermatitis, the SCORAD index decreased by 78.3 %, BRS index reduced by 91.9 %, Prurindex index decreased by 95.4 %. With eczema, the EASI index decreased by 96.1 %, the BRS and Prurindex index were reduced by 100 %. In psoriasis, the PASI index decreased by 86.5 %, BRS index – by 90.8 %, Prurindex index – by 94.2 %.

Conclusions. The use of the topical Neotanin as monotherapy for idiopathic pruritus, as a part of comprehensive treatment for atopic dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, significantly improves the quality of life of patients.
Follow-up of melanocytic lesions with use of dermoscopy (literature review)
Authors: Sergeev Yu. Yu. , Sergeev V. Yu. , Mordovtseva V. V.
Published: June 2020

Regular follow-up is the most important preventive measure in patients with high risk for the development of melanoma. Particular attention is required for patients with dysplastic nevus syndrome, in which numerous lesions must be differentiated from malignant melanoma. General principles of monitoring of clinically atypical melanocytic lesions with the use of dermoscopy and indications for a diagnostic biopsy are discussed in the article.
Porokeratosis: clinical manifestations and treatment options
Authors: Yakovlev A. B. , Golanova O. A.
Published: June 2020

Porokeratosis is a rare disease with an autosomal dominant type of inheritance. It is customary to distinguish classic Mibelli porokeratosis, as well as disseminated and localized variations of the course of dermatosis, which differ in genetic predisposition, trigger factors, and treatment approaches. The article describes the variants of the disease – eruptive itchy papular malformation that occurs on the extremities against the background of microcirculation disorders and giant, developed on the skin of the trunk. The main methods of treatment of porokeratosis are also described.
Ischemic cardiopathy in medicine practice
Authors: Chuvileva V. A. , Skvortsov V. V. , Eryomina G. V.
Published: June 2020

Ischemic cardiopathy is a clinical morphological variant of IHD. It occurs due to chronic ischemia of the myocardial sites. It is characterized by the angiosclerosis of the vessels of the microvasculature, cardiosclerosis, dilatation and eccentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle, progressive heart failure.
Therapy of severe acute gastrointestinal injury: main stages and role of pharmaconutrients
Authors: Machulina I. A. , Shestopalov A. E. , Evdokimov E. A.
Published: June 2020

Acute gastrointestinal injury develops in more than half of all patients in the intensive care unit, regardless of the underlying pathology. Determining the stage of acute gastrointestinal injury is necessary to choose the appropriate strategy of intensive therapy, leading to the fast gastrointestinal function recovery. The described strategy of intensive therapy, certain approaches to enteral therapy allow to improve prognosis and to reduce the duration of the disease among patients with severe gastrointestinal injury.
Importance of biochemical markers in routine oncological practice (according to materials of clinical recommendations)
Authors: Markovich A. A. , Lyubimova N. V. , Kovalenko E. I. , Bagrova S. G. , Besova N. S. , Emelyanova G. S. , Gorbunova V. A. , Artamonova E. V.
Published: June 2020

Background. The diagnostics of neuroendocrine tumors (NET) is complex due to many factors such as the heterogeneity of the tumors themselves, different localization of the tumor process, and the presence of severe hormonal syndromes. A special place in the diagnostic search is given to the study of biochemical markers which are conditionally divided into universal and specific ones.

Materials and methods. Chromogranin A (CGA) is a universal marker that in most cases identifies tumors of a neuroendocrine nature and is characterized by the best combination of diagnostic sensitivity and specificity. Pancreatic polypeptide (PP) and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) are determined in addition to CGA in pancreatic tumors and in low-grade forms of neuroendocrine cancer. Specific markers, serum serotonin and its metabolite in daily urine 5-hydroxyindolacetic acid (5-GIUC), are the generally recognized specific markers for diagnosing of carcinoid syndrome. Other specific markers such as gastrin, insulin, glucagon, and others, are associated with certain hyperfunctional syndromes and are being investigated to confirm their presence. The article presents generalized recommendations for the use of biochemical markers, taking into account the existing clinical signs, syndromes, and types of NETs. To monitor the course of the tumor process and evaluate the effectiveness of treatment in patients with an established diagnosis of NET, it is recommended to determine the biochemical markers with increased basal levels. At the same time, there is a need to standardize the survey timing. For more accurate monitoring and interpretation of data, serial marker studies should be performed with the same test systems used in the same specialized laboratory.
New standards for measuring the diffusion capacity of the lungs by carbon monoxide by single breath method
Authors: Nekludova G. V. , Chernyak A. V.
Published: June 2020

The article provides an overview of the technical capabilities and updated standards for the study of diffusion capacity of the lungs using diagnostic systems using rapidly responding gas analyzers (RGA analyzers — rapidly responding gas analyzers) of carbon monoxide and indicator gas, presented by a joint working group of the European Respiratory Society (ERC) and the American Thoracic Society (ATS).
Diagnosis of thoracic aortic diseases. Part 1. Role of echocardiography in dianosis of chronic atherosclerotic lesions and aneurysms
Authors: Bartosh-Zelenaya S. Yu. , Naiden T. V.
Published: June 2020

Current review focuses on the diagnostic aspects of chronic aortic diseases, including atherosclerotic lesions and aneurysms. The diagnostic competence of echocardiography (both transthoracic and transesophageal) is considered; echocardiographic criteria for making tactical decisions are given, including indications for surgical treatment; the main parameters for dynamic assessment are determined.
Figurative comparisons and eponims in functional diagnostics. Part 2. Echocardiography
Authors: Zaikina N. V. , Agafonova L. V. , Zaikina M. P.
Published: June 2020

This article is a continuation of the series ‘Figurative comparisons and eponyms in functional diagnostics’ systematized figurative comparisons and eponyms used in echocardiography. The contribution of great scientists to medicine is reflected here. They left their names in the name of the medical terms that they discovered (the names of diseases and syndromes, normal and pathological structures of the heart) in the form of eponymous names: Doppler, Menkeberg, Lambl Eustachio, Chiari, Valsalva, Fallo, Ebstein, Botallo, Lutembacher, Marfan, Barlow and others. Figurative comparisons are also described: ‘fish mouth’, ‘mercedes’, ‘smiley’, ‘hockey stick’, ‘dagger’, ‘scream of a seagull’, ‘candle flame’, ‘bull’s eye’, ‘snow storm’, etc. The terms given in the article have not only scientific, but also applied meaning. The terms will be useful and interesting to medical students, residents graduate students and practical doctors (doctors of functional and ultrasound diagnostics, cardiologists). This article will help test and possibly update their knowledge.
Üniversite Öğrencilerinde Saldırganlık ve Dindarlık İlişkisi
Authors: Karslı Necmi
Published: June 2020

Psikolojik, biyolojik ve sosyo-kültürel pek çok kaynağı olan saldırganlık günümüzün en önemli sorunlardan birisidir. Saldırganlık çok boyutlu bir problem olduğundan dolayı, çözümü de çok yönlü olarak ele alınmalıdır. Saldırganlığı önleyici en önemli yaklaşımlardan birisi dindir. Din anlam, vicdan, merhamet, sabır ve empati duygularını geliştirerek, ödül ve ceza mekanizmaları ile duygu ve davranışlarda kontrollü olma kabiliyeti kazandırmaktadır. Bu araştırmanın amacı üniversite öğrencilerinde dindarlık ve saldırganlık ilişkisi tespit etmektir. Araştırmanın örneklemi Karadeniz Teknik Üniversitesi Edebiyat Fakültesi Tarih, Sosyoloji, Türk Dili ve Edebiyatı bölümleri ile Trabzon Üniversitesi İlahiyat Fakültesi’nde öğrenim görmekte olan 507 genç bireyden oluşmaktadır. Araştırmada veri toplama araçları olarak Buss-Perry Saldırganlık Ölçeği, İçsel Dini Motivasyon Ölçeği ve Ok-Dini Tutum Ölçeği kullanılmıştır. Araştırmada toplanan verilerin analizi sonucunda şu bulgular elde edilmiştir. Kadınların saldırganlık düzeyi erkeklerinkinden daha düşüktür. Sigara kullanım sıklığı ile saldırganlık arasında pozitif yönlü ilişki bulunmuştur. İçsel dini motivasyon ve dini tutum ile saldırganlık arasında ise negatif yönlü ilişkiler tespit edilmiştir. Araştırma güncel bir sorun olan saldırganlığın önlemesinde dindarlığın geliştirilmesinin önemini ortaya koymuştur.
Soru-Cevap İlişkisi Bağlamında Olgunun Tamimi
Authors: Yüksek Muhammed İsa
Published: June 2020

Kur’ân’daki bazı âyetler, belirli olaylar ve sorular üzerine inmiştir. Tefsir ilminde bu olay ve sorulara sebeb-i nüzul denir. Âyetlerin arka planını yansıtan bu bilgiler, Kur’ân’ın anlaşılmasına katkı sunan önemli argümanlardır. Soru ihtiva eden sebeb-i nüzullerin âyetlerle olan ilişkisi, olay ihtiva eden sebeb-i nüzullerin hükümlerle olan irtibatından daha bağlayıcıdır. Çünkü dinin anlaşılması ve yaşanması hususunda bir ihtiyaç sebebiyle şârie sorulan sorunun beyan edilmesi gerekir. Bu husus, Hz. Peygamber’e sorulan bir soruya cevap olarak gelen hitabın kapsamını da gündeme getirir. Bu açıdan Kur’ân’da Hz. Peygamber’e sorulan sorular üzerine inen âyetlerin analiz edilmesi önem arz etmektedir.
Kur’ân’da on üç yerde يسألونك ... قل kalıbı ile Hz. Peygamber’e birtakım sorular yöneltildiği belirtilmekte ve bunlara cevap verilmektedir. Bu soruların dokuzu ahkâmla, beşi ise gayb ile ilgilidir. Gayba dair sorular geçmiş, hal ve gelecekle alakalıdır. Bu âyetlerde gaybla ilgili mahiyet soruları cevapsız bırakılmış, sadece keyfiyetle ilgili bilgiler verilmiştir. Geçmişte yaşamış bir şahsiyet olarak Zülkarneyn’e dair soru ise Kur’ân’ın kendi anlatı üslubu içerisinde müphem ifadelerle ibret ve öğüt temaları içerisinde cevaplanmıştır. Ahkâmla ilgili sorular, aile hukukundan savaş hukukuna, yenmesi helal olan yiyeceklerden içki ve kumara kadar İslâm toplumunun karakterisitik özelliklerini belirleyen temel meselelerden müteşekkildir. Bunlara dönük cevaplar da soruların odaklandığı tikel olaylardan yola çıkarak evrensel hukuk normları vaz etmektedir. Ayrıca bazı cevaplarda sorulara dönük tarizler de vardır.
Bu çalışma يسألونك ... قل kalıbı ile gelen sorular ve cevapları ile sınırlıdır. Sorular ve cevaplar, ahkam-gayb başlıkları ile tasnif edilmiştir. İlgili âyetler analiz edilirken kaynaklarda geçen sebeb-i nüzullerin hemen hepsi aktarılmaya çalışılmıştır. Makalenin hacmi göz önünde bulundurularak âyetlerin konuları sadece soru-cevap ilişkisi bakımından mevzu bahis edilmiştir. Çalışmada, يسألونك ... قل kalıbı ile işaret edilen soruların Kur’ân’ın evrensel cevaplara geçerken kullandığı bir üslup özelliği olduğu sonucuna ulaşılmıştır.
EVALUATION OF EMERGENCY RADICAL SURGICAL INTERVENTIONS IN PATIENTS WITH COMPLICATED COLORECTAL CANCER
Authors: Shaeva S. N. , Achkasov S. I.
Published: June 2020

OBJECTIVE: to evaluate oncological outcomes of surgical procedures performed in emergency conditions for complicated colorectal cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: we studied data of 1098 patients who underwent emergency surgery for complicated colorectal cancer in hospitals of Smolensk during the period from 2001 to 2013. RESULTS: 888 pathology reports of specimen assessment were analyzed. In 33 (11,5%) of 286 cases of rectal cancer distal resection margin was positive and 102 (35,7%) cases were CRM(+). Tumor growth was also registered at the distal margin in 4 (6%) of 67 patients with rectosigmoid cancer. In the majority of cases (68,1%) the lymph node harvest did not exceed 3. 12 or more lymph nodes were assessed in 50 (5,6%) of888 removed specimens only. CONCLUSION: The analysis of treatment results revealed that inadequate number of lymph nodes examined as well as R1 resection affected cancer-specific survival.
Microflora in the Reproductive Tract of Cattle: A Review
Authors: Appiah Michael , Wang Jun , Lu Wenfa
Published: June 2020

There are microbial communities in and on the bodies of all multicellular organisms, and this microbiota can have a significant impact on the biology of the host. Most studies have focused on the microbiome of the skin, mouth, and gut, whereas relatively little is known about the reproductive microbiome. From the perspective of the bovine reproductive tract, uterine diseases such as metritis and endometritis are traditionally viewed to result only from interactions occurring between the host animal and pathogens originating from either the environment or ascension from the vagina. This outdated opinion has been refuted by recent advanced studies that propose that, in addition to bacteria colonization through the extrinsic and ascending pathways to the vagina, bacteria can also move from the gut to the uterus, which is also associated with reproductive tract disorders. This has led to the concept of the “endogenous route hypothesis”, which has vital inferences for comprehending the etiology of metritis and endometritis. Furthermore, it has opened up the possibility of developing new prophylactic and therapeutic agents as alternatives to antimicrobial agents. In addition, the unveiling of next-generation sequencing technology makes it more convenient to perform detailed sequencing and analysis of data on the cervical, vaginal, and uterine flora and to further study uncultured bacteria in these niches—most importantly, the cervical niche, which previously was thought to have lower bacterial complexity. Research conducted to date has proven that the composition of microflora in a community varies widely between environmental sites, host niches, and health status. Furthermore, it has also been suggested that the occurrence of endometritis in the dairy and beef cattle reproductive tract is neither casual nor indirect but multifactorial. Whether disturbance in the variety of the microflora in the reproductive tract (dysbiosis) has a role in determining the sensitivity to metritis and endometritis is not yet known. This article outlines the current progress in understanding the microflora with regards to the bovine reproductive tract. The compositions of microflora in various niches of the reproductive tract are briefly elucidated. In addition, the functional role of these microflora communities in the reproductive tract is discussed, with particular emphasis on the association of bacterial flora with reproductive disorders and failures. Finally, prophylaxis and therapeutic approaches based on the new comprehension of the effects of antimicrobials, probiotics, and bacteriophages on the composition of the reproductive tract microflora are also considered.
Modeling the Dynamic Response of Plant Growth to Root Zone Temperature in Hydroponic Chili Pepper Plant Using Neural Networks
Authors: Aji Galih Kusuma , Hatou Kenji , Morimoto Tetsuo
Published: June 2020

One of the essential factors in the root zone environment that affects plant growth is temperature. Determining the optimal root zone temperature condition in a hydroponic system during cultivation could lead to an improvement in plant growth. An optimal control strategy can be determined by identifying the eco-physiological process using a dynamic model. However, it is difficult to develop a dynamic model of the responses of plant growth to root zone temperature because the eco-physiological processes of plants are quite complicated. We propose an intelligent approach that can deal with this complex system. Non-linear autoregressive with exogenous input (NARX) neural networks were used to develop a dynamic model of the responses of plant growth to root zone temperature. The responses of chili pepper plant growth as affected by root zone temperature were measured during 60 days of cultivation inside a growth chamber using a non-destructive and continuous system based on a load cell. Five datasets of dynamic responses of plant growth were obtained for system identification. The results suggest that the application of a neural network is useful for modeling the dynamic response of plant growth to root zone temperature in hydroponic cultivation, with promising performance.
Effect of Salinity on Seed Germination and Seedling Development of Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) Genotypes
Authors: Rajabi Dehnavi Ahmad , Zahedi Morteza , Ludwiczak Agnieszka , Cardenas Perez Stefany , Piernik Agnieszka
Published: June 2020

Salinity is one of the most important abiotic stresses that negatively affects plant growth and development around the world. It has been reported that approximately 19.5% of all irrigated land and 2.1% of dry land is affected by salt stress, and these percentages continue to increase. Sorghum, a C4 plant, is the fifth most important cereal in the world. Numerous studies reported that there are high genetic variations in sorghum. These genetic variations can be monitored to search for the most salt-tolerant genotypes. Therefore, the aim of our study was to investigate the responses of ten sorghum genotypes to different levels of salinity. We focused on germination and seedling growth as the most critical stages of plant development. In our research we included germination percentage, germination index, mean germination time, seedling vigor index, seedlings’ shoot and root lengths, fresh and dry seedling weight, and salinity tolerance indices. For data assessment we applied two-way ANOVA, non-metric multidimensional scaling, and hierarchical agglomerative classification. Our results demonstrate that salinity was responsible for 98% of the variation in assessed parameters, whereas genotype effect accounted for only 2% of the documented variation. It can be concluded that seedling traits can be used as a valid criterion for the selection of genotypes with a better tolerance to salinity stress.
Long-Term Phenotypic and Proteomic Changes Following Vitrified Embryo Transfer in the Rabbit Model
Authors: Garcia-Dominguez Ximo , Marco-Jiménez Francisco , Peñaranda David S. , Vicente José Salvador
Published: June 2020

Nowadays, assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are considered valuable contributors to our past, but a future without their use is inconceivable. However, in recent years, several studies have evidenced a potential impact of ART on long-term development in mammal species. To date, the long-term follow-up data are still limited. So far, studies have mainly focused on in vitro fertilization or in vitro culture, with information from gametes/embryos cryopreservation field being practically missing. Herein, we report an approach to determine whether a vitrified embryo transfer procedure would have long-term consequences on the offspring. Using the rabbit as a model, we compared animals derived from vitrified-transferred embryos versus those naturally conceived, studying the growth performance, plus the weight throughout life, and the internal organs/tissues phenotype. The healthy status was assessed over the hematological and biochemical parameters in peripheral blood. Additionally, a comparative proteomic analysis was conducted in the liver tissue to investigate molecular cues related to vitrified embryo transfer in an adult tissue. After vitrified embryo transfer, birth weight was increased, and the growth performance was diminished in a sex-specific manner. In addition, vitrified-transferred animals showed significantly lower body, liver and heart weights in adulthood. Molecular analyses revealed that vitrified embryo transfer triggers reprogramming of the liver proteome. Functional analysis of the differentially expressed proteins showed changes in relation to oxidative phosphorylation and dysregulations in the zinc and lipid metabolism, which has been reported as possible causes of a disturbed growth pattern. Therefore, we conclude that vitrified embryo transfer is not a neutral procedure, and it incurs long-term effects in the offspring both at phenotypic and molecular levels. These results described a striking example of the developmental plasticity exhibited by the mammalian embryo.
Application of a Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram and Its Relationship with Gait in a Convenience Sample of 60 Riding Horses
Authors: Dyson Sue , Pollard Danica
Published: June 2020

A Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram (RHpE) comprising 24 behaviours has been developed to facilitate the identification of musculoskeletal pain. The aim was to further test the RHpE by its application to a convenience sample (n = 60) of sports horses and riding school horses in regular work and assumed by their owners to be working comfortably. All horses performed a purpose-designed dressage-type test of 8.5 min duration in walk, trot and canter, with their normal rider. The RHpE was applied retrospectively to video recordings acquired in a standardised fashion. Seventy-three percent of horses were lame (≤ grade 2/8) on one or more limbs; 47% had gait abnormalities in canter. Ridden Horse Pain Ethogram scores ranged from 3 to 16/24 (median 9); rider skill score ranged from 2.5 to 8/10 (median 4.75). The effect of horse age, breed, sex, work-discipline, epaxial muscle hypertonicity or pain, an ill-fitting saddle, rider skill score, the presence of lameness or gait abnormalities in canter on the RHpE score was assessed using Poisson regression. Two variables were retained in the final multivariable analysis, rider skill score as a continuous variable (p < 0.001), and lameness (p = 0.008). A RHpE score ≥8 was a good indicator of the presence of musculoskeletal pain.
Effects of Ethanol–Diesel on the Combustion and Emissions from a Diesel Engine at a Low Idle Speed
Authors: Kim Ho Young , Ge Jun Cong , Choi Nag Jung
Published: June 2020

In this study, detailed experiments were conducted on the combustion and exhaust characteristics of ethanol–diesel blended fuels. The four-stroke four-cylinder common-rail direct injection diesel engine was used. The experiment was carried out at 750 rpm at a low speed idle, and a 40 Nm engine load was applied to simulate the operation of the accessories during the low idle operation of the actual vehicles. The test fuels were four types of ethanol-blended fuel. The ethanol blending ratios were 0% (DE_0) for pure diesel, and 3% (DE_3), 5% (DE_5) and 10% (DE_10) for 3%, 5% and 10% ethanol mixtures (by vol.%). Blending ethanol with diesel fuel increased the maximum combustion pressure by up to 4.1% compared with that of pure diesel fuel, and the maximum heat release rate increased by 13.5%. The brake specific fuel consumption (BSFC) increased, up to 5.9%, as the ethanol blending ratio increased, while the brake thermal efficiency (BTE) for diesel-ethanol blended fuels remained low, and was maintained at 23.8%. The coefficient of variation (COV) of the indicated mean effective pressure (IMEP) was consistently lower than 1% when ethanol was blended. The blending of ethanol increased the ignition delay from a 12.0 degree crank angle (°CA) at DE_0 to 13.7 °CA at DE_10, and the combustion duration was reduced from 21.5 °CA at DE_0 to 20.8 °CA at DE_10. When ethanol blending was applied, nitrogen oxides (NOx) reduced to 93.5% of the level of pure diesel fuel, the soot opacity decreased from 5.3% to 3% at DE_0, and carbon monoxide increased (CO) by 27.4% at DE_10 compared with DE_0. The presence of hydrocarbon (HC) decreased to 50% of the level of pure diesel fuel, but increased with a further increase in the ethanol blending ratio. The mean size of the soot particulates was reduced by 26.7%, from 33.9 nm for pure diesel fuel, DE_0, to 24.8 nm for DE_10.
Cooperative Path Planning for Aerial Recovery of a UAV Swarm Using Genetic Algorithm and Homotopic Approach
Authors: Liu Yongbei , Qi Naiming , Yao Weiran , Zhao Jun , Xu Song
Published: June 2020

To maximize the advantages of being low-cost, highly mobile, and having a high flexibility, aerial recovery technology is important for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) swarms. In particular, the operation mode of “launch-recovery-relaunch” will greatly improve the efficiency of a UAV swarm. However, it is difficult to realize large-scale aerial recovery of UAV swarms because this process involves complex multi-UAV recovery scheduling, path planning, rendezvous, and acquisition problems. In this study, the recovery problem of a UAV swarm by a mother aircraft has been investigated. To solve the problem, a recovery planning framework is proposed to establish the coupling mechanism between the scheduling and path planning of a multi-UAV aerial recovery. A genetic algorithm is employed to realize efficient and precise scheduling. A homotopic path planning approach is proposed to cover the paths with an expected length for long-range aerial recovery missions. Simulations in representative scenarios validate the effectiveness of the recovery planning framework and the proposed methods. It can be concluded that the recovery planning framework can achieve a high performance in dealing with the aerial recovery problem.
Real Time In Vivo Confocal Microscopic Analysis of the Enamel Remineralization by Casein Phosphopeptide-Amorphous Calcium Phosphate (CPP-ACP): A Clinical Proof-of-Concept Study
Authors: Contaldo Maria , Di Stasio Dario , della Vella Fedora , Lauritano Dorina , Serpico Rosario , Santoro Rossella , Lucchese Alberta
Published: June 2020

Enamel defects (EDs) are qualitative and/or quantitative disturbances of the dental surface. To date, the responsiveness to remineralizing treatments has been studied ex vivo, on dental sections from extracted teeth. The present research aims to establish if in vivo reflectance confocal laser scanning microscopy is able to visualize the changes in the enamel architecture on living teeth, before, during and after remineralizing treatments by casein phosphopeptide-amorphous calcium phosphate (CPP-ACP). As proof-of-concept study, 17 consecutive children affected by EDs were enrolled and 38 EDs were considered. A CPP-ACP mousse was applied twice a week for 6 weeks and clinical and microscopic images were collected before, during and after the treatment for evaluating the changes occurred. For in vivo microscopic imaging, a reflectance confocal laser scanning microscope (RCM) for in vivo use was adopted. In this study RCM was proven to be able to visualize in vivo and at microscopic resolution the changes occurred during the remineralizing processes without needing for dental extractions and histopathological procedures. This in vivo RCM capability could encourage its clinical application in monitoring responsiveness to enamel therapies.
Analysis of Optimal Flight Parameters of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for Detecting Potholes in Pavements
Authors: Romero-Chambi Eduardo , Villarroel-Quezada Simón , Atencio Edison , Muñoz-La Rivera Felipe
Published: June 2020

Pavement maintenance seeks to provide optimal service conditions. Before maintenance, it is necessary to know the condition of the pavement by inspection, a crucial step in deciding on the repair to be carried out. In this sense, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) seem to be an economic substitute compared to the ground laser scanner for pavement inspection tasks. This research seeks to develop a method to measure potholes using 3D models generated with photographs acquired by a UAV and process them using a software based on the Structure from Motion-MultiView Stereo (SfM–MVS) technique. The contribution of this document is the proposal of recommendations for the acquisition of photographs for the realization of the models. To develop these recommendations, an experiment was carried out to evaluate the accuracy in the reconstruction of 3D models using images obtained from the variation and combination of flight planning parameters and data capture. Then, to validate these recommendations, a bumpy section of pavement was modeled using the SfM–MVS method. The results show that for heights of 10 and 15 m the use of this methodology is applicable for the measurement of the width and depth of potholes.
An Integrated Decision Support Model for Evaluating Public Transport Quality
Authors: Moslem Sarbast , Alkharabsheh Ahmad , Ismael Karzan , Duleba Szabolcs
Published: June 2020

Big cities suffer from serious complex problems such as air pollution, congestion, and traffic accidents. Developing public transport quality in such cities is considered an efficient remedy to obviate these critical issues. This paper aims to determine the significant supply quality criteria of public transportation. As a methodology, a hybrid Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) combined with the Best Worst Method (BWM) is applied. The proposed model is basically a hierarchy structure with at least a 5 × 5 pairwise comparison matrix or larger. A real-world complex problem was examined to validate the created model (public transport quality improvement). An urban bus transport system in the Jordanian capital city, Amman, was used as a case study; three stakeholder groups (passengers, nonpassengers, and representatives of the local government) participated in the evaluation process. The conventional Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) leads to weak consistency in the case of existing 5 × 5 pairwise comparison matrices or larger, particularly in estimating complex problems. To avoid this critical issue in AHP, we used Best Worst Method (BWM) comparisons, which make the evaluation process easier for decision makers; moreover, it saves survey time and provides more consistency when compared to AHP pairwise comparisons. The model adopted highlighted the most significant service quality criteria that influence urban bus transport systems. Furthermore, the sensitivity analysis conducted detected the stability of the criteria ranking in the three levels of the hierarchical structure. Since the proposed AHP–BWM model (which is the sole example of this sort of combination) is independent from the decision attributes, it can be applied to arbitrary hierarchically structured decision problems with a relatively large number of pairwise comparisons.
Hardware Acceleration of Tsunami Wave Propagation Modeling in the Southern Part of Japan
Authors: Lavrentiev Mikhail , Lysakov Konstantin , Marchuk Andrey , Oblaukhov Konstantin , Shadrin Mikhail
Published: June 2020

In order to speed up the calculation of tsunami wave propagation, the field-programmable gate array (FPGA) microchip is used. This makes it possible to achieve valuable performance gain with a modern regular personal computer. The two half-step MacCormack scheme was used herein for numerical approximation of the shallow water system. We studied the distribution of tsunami wave maximal heights along the coast of the southern part of Japan. In particular, the dependence of wave maximal heights on the particular tsunami source location was investigated. Synthetic 100 × 200 km sources have realistic parameters corresponding to this region. As observed numerically, only selected parts of the entire coast line are subject to dangerous tsunami wave amplitudes. The particular locations of such areas strongly depend on the location of the tsunami source. However, the extreme tsunami heights in some of those areas can be attributed to local bathymetry. The proposed hardware acceleration to compute tsunami wave propagation can be used for rapid (say, in a few minutes) tsunami wave danger evaluation for a particular village or industrial unit on the coast.
Optimizing Vehicle Routing for Simultaneous Delivery and Pick-Up Considering Reusable Transporting Containers: Case of Convenience Stores
Authors: Gong Intaek , Lee Kyungho , Kim Jaewon , Min Yunhong , Shin KwangSup
Published: June 2020

Previous studies have proposed various frameworks and algorithms to optimize routes to reduce total transportation cost, which accounts for over 29.4% of overall logistics costs. However, it is very hard to find cases in which mathematical models or algorithms are applied to practical business environment cases which require reusable packaging, especially daily operating logistics services like convenience store support systems. Most previous studies have considered developing an optimal algorithm which can solve the mathematical problem within a practical amount of time while satisfying all constraints, such as the capacity of delivery and pick-up, and hard or soft time windows. For daily delivery and pick-up services, like those supporting several convenience stores, it is required to consider the unit transporting the container, as well as the demand, capacity of trucks, travel distance, and traffic congestion. In particular, reusable transport containers and trays should be regarded as important assets of logistics centers. However, if the mathematical model focuses on only satisfying constraints related to delivery and not considering the cost of trays, it is often to leave the empty trays on the pick-up points when there is not enough space in the track. In this study, we propose a mathematical model for optimizing delivery and pick-up plans by extending the general vehicle routing problem of simultaneous delivery and pick-up with time windows, while considering left-over cost. With numerical experiments it has been proved that the proposed model may reduce the total delivery cost. Also, it seems possible to apply the proposed approach to the various logistics businesses which require reusable transport containers like shipping containers, refrigerating containers, trays, and pallets.
Alterations in Surface Roughness and Chemical Characteristics of Sandblasted and Acid-Etched Titanium Implants after Irradiation with Different Diode Lasers
Authors: Kim Hak-Ki , Park Su-Yeon , Son Keunbada , Kim Yong-Gun , Yu Won-Jae , Lee Kyu-Bok , Lee Jae-Mok
Published: June 2020

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of diode laser irradiation with different wavelengths on the surface roughness (Ra) and chemical composition of sandblasted and acid-etched (SLA) titanium implants. Three types of diode lasers with different wavelengths were irradiated on the titanium implants at output powers of 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 W. The mean Ra values for all spots were measured using a scanning probe microscope. Analysis of variance tests were performed to verify the differences in the Ra between groups according to the type of lasers or power out (α = 0.05). For analyzing chemical composition, atomic and weight percent ratios of titanium, oxygen, and carbon were measured using energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The mean Ra of titanium disc was higher in the 3.0-W output than in 1.0-W or 2.0-W output, but there was no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). In EDS analysis, it was difficult to find a clear difference in the titanium, oxygen, and carbon element ratios between the laser-irradiated and nonirradiated groups. The irradiation of diode laser with 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 W output for 15 s decontaminated the SLA titanium surface without damage. However, additional clinical trials will be needed to verify the results of the present study.
Investigation of a Radial Turbine Design for a Utility-Scale Supercritical CO2 Power Cycle
Authors: El Samad Tala , Amaral Teixeira Joao , Oakey John
Published: June 2020

This paper presents the design procedure and analysis of a radial turbine design for a mid-scale supercritical CO 2 power cycle. Firstly, thermodynamic analysis of a mid-range utility-scale cycle, similar to that proposed by NET Power, is established while lowering the turbine inlet temperature to 900 ∘ C in order to remove cooling complexities within the radial turbine passages. The cycle conditions are then considered for the design of a 100 MW t h power scale turbine by using lower and higher fidelity methods. A 510 mm diameter radial turbine, running at 21,409 rpm, capable of operating within a 5% range of the required cycle conditions, is designed and presented. Results from computational fluid dynamics simulations indicate the loss mechanisms responsible for the low-end value of the turbine total-to-total efficiency which is 69.87%. Those include shock losses at stator outlet, incidence losses at rotor inlet, and various mixing zones within the passage. Mechanical stress calculations show that the current blade design flow path of the rotor experiences tolerable stress values, however a more detailed re-visitation of disc design is necessitated to ensure an adequate safety margin for given materials. A discussion of the enabling technologies needed for the adoption of a mid-size radial turbine is given based on current advancements in seals, bearings, and materials for supercritical CO 2 cycles.
Off-Grid Power Plant Load Management System Applied in a Rural Area of Africa
Authors: Wang Xinlin , Rhee Herb S. , Ahn Sung-Hoon
Published: June 2020

To address the energy shortage problem in rural areas, significant attention has been paid to off-grid solar power plants. However, ensuring the security of these plants, improving the utilization rate of energy and, finally, proposing a sustainable energy development scheme for rural areas are still challenges. Under this, this work proposes a novel regression model-based stand-alone power plant load management system. This not only shows great potential in increasing load prediction in the real-time process but also provides effective anomaly detection for improving energy efficiency. The proposed predictor is a hybrid model that can effectively reduce the influence of fitting problems. Meanwhile, the proposed detector exhibits an efficient pattern matching process. That is, for the first time, a support vector machine (SVM) and the fruit fly optimization algorithm (FOA) are combined and applied to the field of energy consumption anomaly detection. This method was applied to manage the load of an off-grid solar power plant in a rural area in Tanzania with more than 50 households. In this paper, both the prediction and detection of our method are proven to exhibit better results than those of some previous works, and a comprehensive discussion on the establishment of a real-time energy management system has also been proposed.
Comparison of PCR Primers for Analyzing Denitrifying Microorganisms in the Hyporheic Zone
Authors: Kim Heejung
Published: June 2020

In this study, the specific amplifications of six denitrification-associated genes using PCR(Polymerase Chain Reaction) primer sets were compared. Thereafter, the PCR primer sets that were determined to be suitable for each denitrification-associated gene were used to test samples from sixteen aqueous environments (three from groundwater, three from stream water, and ten from hyporheic zone water). The specific amplification was determined using PCR primer sets for denitrification-associated genes and nucleic acids from eleven types of strains. NosZ was the most frequently amplified gene from the nucleic acid of type, with a specific band seen in all eleven strains. The specific band amplification and PCR time of the strains were analyzed to select one PCR primer set for each gene. The selected PCR primer sets were used to analyze sixteen samples from the aqueous environments in which denitrifying microorganisms were expected to be present. Specific bands of narG, nirS, and nosZ were most frequently observed in the hyporheic water samples. The results showed that microorganisms containing nirG (involved in the reduction of nitrate to nitrite), nirS (involved in the reduction of nitrite to nitric oxide), and nosZ (involved in the reduction of nitrous oxide to nitrogen gas) were the most abundant in the hyporheic zone samples used in this study.
Biodegradation of Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Soil: Isolation and Characterization of Bacterial Strains from Oil Contaminated Soil
Authors: Wang Runkai , Wu Baichun , Zheng Jin , Chen Hongkun , Rao Pinhua , Yan Lili , Chai Fei
Published: June 2020

In this study, we isolated seven strains (termed BY1–7) from polluted soil at an oil station and evaluated their abilities to degrade total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs). Following 16 rRNA sequence analysis, the strains were identified as belonging to the genera Bacillus, Acinetobacter, Sphingobium, Rhodococcus, and Pseudomonas, respectively. Growth characterization studies indicated that the optimal growth conditions for the majority of the strains was at 30 °C, with a pH value of approximately 7. Under these conditions, the strains showed a high TPH removal efficiency (50%) after incubation in beef extract peptone medium for seven days. Additionally, we investigated the effect of different growth media on growth impact factors that could potentially affect the strains’ biodegradation rates. Our results suggest a potential application for these strains to facilitate the biodegradation of TPH-contaminated soil.
Magnetic Bead-Based Electrochemical Immunoassays On-Drop and On-Chip for Procalcitonin Determination: Disposable Tools for Clinical Sepsis Diagnosis
Authors: Molinero-Fernández Águeda , Moreno-Guzmán María , López Miguel Ángel , Escarpa Alberto
Published: June 2020

Procalcitonin (PCT) is a known protein biomarker clinically used for the early stages of sepsis diagnosis and therapy guidance. For its reliable determination, sandwich format magnetic bead-based immunoassays with two different electrochemical detection approaches are described: (i) disposable screen-printed carbon electrodes (SPE-C, on-drop detection); (ii) electro-kinetically driven microfluidic chips with integrated Au electrodes (EMC-Au, on-chip detection). Both approaches exhibited enough sensitivity (limit of detection (LOD) of 0.1 and 0.04 ng mL−1 for SPE-C and EMC-Au, respectively; cutoff 0.5 ng mL−1), an adequate working range for the clinically relevant concentrations (0.5–1000 and 0.1–20 ng mL−1 for SPE-C and EMC-Au, respectively), and good precision (RSD < 9%), using low sample volumes (25 µL) with total assay times less than 20 min. The suitability of both approaches was successfully demonstrated by the analysis of human serum and plasma samples, for which good recoveries were obtained (89–120%). Furthermore, the EMC-Au approach enabled the easy automation of the process, constituting a reliable alternative diagnostic tool for on-site/bed-site clinical analysis.
Recent Advances in Cellulose-Based Biosensors for Medical Diagnosis
Authors: Kamel Samir , A. Khattab Tawfik
Published: June 2020

Cellulose has attracted much interest, particularly in medical applications such as advanced biosensing devices. Cellulose could provide biosensors with enhanced biocompatibility, biodegradability and non-toxicity, which could be useful for biosensors. Thus, they play a significant role in environmental monitoring, medical diagnostic tools, forensic science, and foodstuff processing safety applications. This review summarizes the recent developments in cellulose-based biosensors targeting the molecular design principles toward medical detection purposes. The recognition/detection mechanisms of cellulose-based biosensors demonstrate two major classes of measurable signal generation, including optical and electrochemical cellulosic biosensors. As a result of their simplicity, high sensitivity, and low cost, cellulose-based optical biosensors are particularly of great interest for including label-free and label-driven (fluorescent and colorimetric) biosensors. There have been numerous types of cellulose substrates employed in biosensors, including several cellulose derivatives, nano-cellulose, bacterial cellulose, paper, gauzes, and hydrogels. These kinds of cellulose-based biosensors were discussed according to their preparation procedures and detection principle. Cellulose and its derivatives with their distinctive chemical structure have demonstrated to be versatile materials, affording a high-quality platform for accomplishing the immobilization process of biologically active molecules into biosensors. Cellulose-based biosensors exhibit a variety of desirable characteristics, such as sensitivity, accuracy, convenience, quick response, and low-cost. For instance, cellulose paper-based biosensors are characterized as being low-cost and easy to operate, while nano-cellulose biosensors are characterized as having a good dispersion, high absorbance capacity, and large surface area. Cellulose and its derivatives have been promising materials in biosensors which could be employed to monitor various bio-molecules, such as urea, glucose, cell, amino acid, protein, lactate, hydroquinone, gene, and cholesterol. The future interest will focus on the design and construction of multifunctional, miniaturized, low-cost, environmentally friendly, and integrated biosensors. Thus, the production of cellulose-based biosensors is very important.
Importance of the Role of ω-3 and ω-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in the Progression of Brain Cancer
Authors: Montecillo-Aguado Mayra , Tirado-Rodriguez Belen , Tong Zhen , Vega Owen M. , Morales-Martínez Mario , Abkenari Shaheen , Pedraza-Chaverri José , Huerta-Yepez Sara
Published: June 2020

Brain cancer is one of the most malignant types of cancer in both children and adults. Brain cancer patients tend to have a poor prognosis and a high rate of mortality. Additionally, 20–40% of all other types of cancer can develop brain metastasis. Numerous pieces of evidence suggest that omega-3-polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-PUFAs) could potentially be used in the prevention and therapy of several types of cancer. PUFAs and oxylipins are fundamental in preserving physiological events in the nervous system; it is, therefore, necessary to maintain a certain ratio of ω-3 to ω-6 for normal nervous system function. Alterations in PUFAs signaling are involved in the development of various pathologies of the nervous system, including cancer. It is well established that an omega-6-polyunsaturated fatty acid (ω-6 PUFA)-rich diet has a pro-tumoral effect, whereas the consumption of an ω-3 rich diet has an anti-tumoral effect. This review aims to offer a better understanding of brain cancer and PUFAs and to discuss the role and impact of PUFAs on the development of different types of brain cancer. Considering the difficulty of antitumor drugs in crossing the blood–brain barrier, the therapeutic role of ω-3/ω-6 PUFAs against brain cancer would be a good alternative to consider. We highlight our current understanding of the role of PUFAs and its metabolites (oxylipins) in different brain tumors, proliferation, apoptosis, invasion, angiogenesis, and immunosuppression by focusing on recent research in vitro and in vivo.