bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oral health behavior and oral health service utilization among cancer patients in China: A multicenter cross-sectional study
Authors: An Ran , Wu Zitong , Liu Meizi , Zhao Yaqin , Chen Wenfeng
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Oral health plays an important role in overall health. But there is scarce information available on oral health behavior and oral health service utilization among cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate oral health behavior and oral health service utilization among different population groups of cancer patients in China.

Methods

A multicenter cross-sectional study in three tertiary hospitals was conducted to explore the oral health behaviors and oral health service utilization of 162 cancer patients in China.

Results

We investigated a total of 162 cancer patients, 81 from urban and rural areas, respectively. The participant’s ages ranged from 18 and 82 years, mean age was 44.62 years (SD = 15.72). Overall, cancer patients have poor oral health behaviors and limited oral health service utilization. There were statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) between urban and rural cancer patients in terms of oral health behaviors, including brushing methods, the use of fluoride toothpaste, the use of dental floss, dental caries, and bleeding gums while brushing teeth. As for oral health service utilization, there were significant differences (p < 0.05) between urban and rural cancer patients on regular dental cleaning, the reasons for visiting a dental clinic, and whether they took the initiative to learn about oral health.

Conclusion

The study findings suggest that cancer patients had poor oral health behaviors and limited oral health service utilization, and rural patients perform poorer than their urban counterparts. Oral health education should be provided to cancer patients to improve their oral health behaviors and oral health service utilization.
Cell-free circulating tumor RNAs in plasma as the potential prognostic biomarkers in colorectal cancer
Authors: Jin Nana , Kan Chau-Ming , Pei Xiao Meng , Cheung Wing Lam , Ng Simon Siu Man , Wong Heong Ting , Cheng Hennie Yuk-Lin , Leung Wing Wa , Wong Yee Ni , Tsang Hin Fung , Chan Amanda Kit Ching , Wong Yin Kwan Evelyn , Cho William Chi Shing , Chan John Kwok Cheung , Tai William Chi Shing , Chan Ting-Fung , Wong Sze Chuen Cesar , Yim Aldrin Kay-Yuen , Yu Allen Chi-Shing
Published: April 2023

Background

Cell free RNA (cfRNA) contains transcript fragments from multiple cell types, making it useful for cancer detection in clinical settings. However, the pathophysiological origins of cfRNAs in plasma from colorectal cancer (CRC) patients remain unclear.

Methods

To identify the tissue-specific contributions of cfRNAs transcriptomic profile, we used a published single-cell transcriptomics profile to deconvolute cell type abundance among paired plasma samples from CRC patients who underwent tumor-ablative surgery. We further validated the differentially expressed cfRNAs in 5 pairs of CRC tumor samples and adjacent tissue samples as well as 3 additional CRC tumor samples using RNA-sequencing.

Results

The transcriptomic component from intestinal secretory cells was significantly decreased in the in-house post-surgical cfRNA. The HPGD, PACS1, and TDP2 expression was consistent across cfRNA and tissue samples. Using the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) CRC datasets, we were able to classify the patients into two groups with significantly different survival outcomes.

Conclusions

The three-gene signature holds promise in applying minimal residual disease (MRD) testing, which involves profiling remnants of cancer cells after or during treatment. Biomarkers identified in the present study need to be validated in a larger cohort of samples in order to ascertain their possible use in early diagnosis of CRC.
Management of children with hemophilia A on emicizumab who need surgery
Authors: Belletrutti Mark , Bhatt Mihir , Samji Nasrin
Published: April 2023

The introduction of emicizumab into the treatment regime of persons with hemophilia A has dramatically reduced frequency of bleeding in patients with and without inhibitors. However, in children with Hemophilia A (CwHA) who require surgical or other invasive procedures, additional treatment with factor replacement or other hemostatic agents may still be needed to prevent intraoperative or postoperative bleeding. This review will look at the reported outcomes in CwHA on emicizumab who have had surgery and propose recommendations for the best perioperative management of major and minor procedures.
Vitamin C and vitamin D3 alleviate metabolic-associated fatty liver disease by regulating the gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism via the gut-liver axis
Authors: Chen Qingling , Zhao Lili , Mei Ling , Zhao Xiaotong , Han Ping , Liu Jie , Meng Chao , Li Ruifang , Zhong Rui , Wang Kai , Li Jia
Published: April 2023

Background: Previous studies have demonstrated that both vitamin C (VC) and vitamin D3 (VD3) have therapeutic potential against metabolic disorders, including obesity, diabetes, and metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). However, it is unclear whether VC supplementation is associated with improving the intestinal flora and regulating the metabolism of bile acids via the gut-liver axis in MAFLD. There is still no direct comparison or combination study of these two vitamins on these effects.

Methods: In this study, we employed biochemical, histological, 16S rDNA-based microbiological, non-targeted liver metabolomic, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses to explore the intervening effect and mechanism of VC and VD3 on MAFLD by using a high-fat diet (HFD)-induced obese mouse model.

Results: Treatment of mice with VC and VD3 efficiently reversed the characteristics of MAFLD, such as obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, hepatic steatosis, and inflammation. VC and VD3 showed similar beneficial effects as mentioned above in HFD-induced obese mice. Interestingly, VC and VD3 reshaped the gut microbiota composition; improved gut barrier integrity; ameliorated oxidative stress and inflammation in the gut-liver axis; inhibited bile acid salt reflux-related ASBT; activated bile acid synthesis-related CYP7A1, bile acid receptor FXR, and bile acid transportation-related BSEP in the gut-liver axis; and improved bile secretion, thus decreasing the expression of FAS in the liver and efficiently ameliorating MAFLD in mice.

Conclusion: Together, the results indicate that the anti-MAFLD activities of VC and VD3 are linked to improved gut-liver interactions via regulation of the gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism, and they may therefore prove useful in treating MAFLD clinically.
Physiological effects of regular CrossFit® training and the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic—A systematic review
Authors: Meier Nicole , Schlie Jennifer , Schmidt Annette
Published: April 2023

CrossFit®is a functional fitness training program known for its day-to-day varying “Workouts of the Day” (WOD). In accordance with the ‘CrossFit®Level 1 Training Guide’, regular CrossFit® training sessions consist of Warm-up, Mobility, Skill/Power training, WOD, and Cool-down. Despite the fast-growing and widespread popularity, data on the practical implementation of the training program based on scientific evidence are rare. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to systematically review the existing literature on the physiological effects of regular CrossFit®training in full extent instead of stand-alone WODs and to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the training behavior of CrossFit®athletes. A systematic search was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines in April 2022 and updated in July 2022 using the following databases: PubMed, SPORTDiscus, Scopus, and Web of Science. Using the keyword “CrossFit”, 1,264 records were found. Based on the eligibility criteria, 12 studies are included and separated by topics: acute-short term physiological response (n = 8), and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (n = 4). The results show that studies of regular training sessions were rarely conducted and contradicted the existing knowledge of the physiological demands [e.g., heart rate (HR)] of CrossFit®. In detail, included studies demonstrate that training sessions last 30–60 min and provide a progressive increase in cardiovascular load up to maximal effort activity (>90% HRmax), differing from stand-alone WODs exclusively at high-intensity. Also, scarce research exists on COVID-19-pandemic-induced effects on training behavior, and studies are of moderate to low quality. There is still a lack of comprehensive analyses on the acute physiological effects of regular training sessions and the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in the scientific literature. Moreover, the inconsistent terminology used in CrossFit®research complicates generalized conclusions. Therefore, future research on the training methodology of CrossFit®needs to overcome terminological inequalities and examine scientifically the implementation of the concept by considering regular training sessions under practical settings.
Long- and short-term acclimation of the photosynthetic apparatus to salinity in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. The role of Stt7 protein kinase
Authors: Devadasu Elsinraju , Kanna Sai Divya , Neelam Satyabala , Yadav Ranay Mohan , Nama Srilatha , Akhtar Parveen , Polgár Tamás F. , Ughy Bettina , Garab Győző , Lambrev Petar H. , Subramanyam Rajagopal
Published: April 2023

Salt stress triggers an Stt7-mediated LHCII-phosphorylation signaling mechanism similar to light-induced state transitions. However, phosphorylated LHCII, after detaching from PSII, does not attach to PSI but self-aggregates instead. Salt is a major stress factor in the growth of algae and plants. Here, our study mainly focuses on the organization of the photosynthetic apparatus to the long-term responses of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii to elevated NaCl concentrations. We analyzed the physiological effects of salt treatment at a cellular, membrane, and protein level by microscopy, protein profile analyses, transcripts, circular dichroism spectroscopy, chlorophyll fluorescence transients, and steady-state and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. We have ascertained that cells that were grown in high-salinity medium form palmelloids sphere-shaped colonies, where daughter cells with curtailed flagella are enclosed within the mother cell walls. Palmelloid formation depends on the presence of a cell wall, as it was not observed in a cell-wall-less mutant CC-503. Using the stt7 mutant cells, we show Stt7 kinase-dependent phosphorylation of light-harvesting complex II (LHCII) in both short- and long-term treatments of various NaCl concentrations—demonstrating NaCl-induced state transitions that are similar to light-induced state transitions. The grana thylakoids were less appressed (with higher repeat distances), and cells grown in 150 mM NaCl showed disordered structures that formed diffuse boundaries with the flanking stroma lamellae. PSII core proteins were more prone to damage than PSI. At high salt concentrations (100–150 mM), LHCII aggregates accumulated in the thylakoid membranes. Low-temperature and time-resolved fluorescence spectroscopy indicated that the stt7 mutant was more sensitive to salt stress, suggesting that LHCII phosphorylation has a role in the acclimation and protection of the photosynthetic apparatus.
Post-anthesis supplementary irrigation improves grain yield and nutritional quality of drip-irrigated rice (Oryza sativa L.)
Authors: Wang Xiangbin , Zhang Xinjiang , Liu Linghui , Liu Xiaowu , Feng Guorui , Wang Juan , Yin Yong-an , Wei Changzhou
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Approximately 50% of irrigation water is saved during drip-irrigation of rice, which has tremendous potential for water-saving agriculture, particularly in areas where water resources are scarce. However, the grain yield and quality of drip-irrigated rice are adversely affected.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the effects of different irrigation strategies on the grain yield and quality of drip-irrigated rice using field experiments. Four irrigation treatments were studied: whole growing season flooding (FI), whole growing season normal drip irrigation (DI, soil relative moisture (RSM) was maintained in the range of 90-100%), pre-anthesis drip irrigation and post-anthesis water stress (SAF, the RSM was maintained in the range of 80-90% after anthesis), pre-anthesis drip irrigation, and post-anthesis flooding (FAF).

Results

The results showed that grain yield, harvest index, seed setting rate and 1000 grain weight in DI and SAF were significantly lower than in FI and FAF. These parameters were not significantly different between FI and FAF but were significantly greater in DI than in SAF. Compared with FI and FAF, the source capacity, source activity time, and sink activity of DI and SAF decreased, and the sink-source difference increased. The sink-source difference had a significant negative correlation with rice yield and 1000 grain weight. The activities of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, starch branching enzyme, and amylopectin content in grains in the middle panicles of FAF were significantly higher than those of DI and SAF. SAF resulted in increased amylose/amylopectin ratio and total protein content in grains but decreased proportion of glutenin in total protein. Irrigation after anthesis of drip-irrigated rice narrowed the difference between sink sources in rice plants, increased the grain yield and harvest index by 29.2% and 11%, respectively, compared to DI, increased water productivity by 19% compared to FI, and improved the grain quality of drip-irrigated rice.

Discussion

This study highlights that post-anthesis sufficient irrigation of drip-irrigated rice plays a positive role in maintaining the source-sink balance. This study serves as a foundation for the development of more effective rice farming methods that conserve water, while increasing the grain yield and quality of drip-irrigated rice.
The framework for systematic reviews on psychological risk factors for persistent somatic symptoms and related syndromes and disorders (PSY-PSS)
Authors: Hüsing Paul , Smakowski Abigail , Löwe Bernd , Kleinstäuber Maria , Toussaint Anne , Shedden-Mora Meike C.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Numerous psychological factors are believed to play a pivotal role in the development and maintenance of persistent somatic symptoms (PSS) in all fields of medicine. However, very few of these factors have been empirically investigated in relation to PSS. The aim of this study is firstly to propose a framework and define search terms for systematic reviews on the empirical evidence and diagnostic value of psychological risk factors for PSS and PSS-related outcomes (PSY-PSS). Secondly, the application of the framework is illustrated using the example of a systematic review on the relevance of psychological factors in somatic symptom disorders (SSD; DSM-5) and bodily distress disorders (BDD; ICD-11).

Methods

Following a narrative review approach, two comprehensive lists of search terms to identify studies in (1) relevant patient groups with PSS and (2) relevant psychological factors were generated by reviewing the current literature and employing an iterative process of internal revision and external expert feedback.

Results

We identified 83 relevant symptoms, syndromes and disorders for which we defined a total of 322 search terms (list 1). We further comprised 120 psychological factors into 42 subcategories and 7 main categories (list 2). The introduced lists can be combined to conduct systematic reviews on one or more specific psychological factors in combination with any symptom, syndrome or disorder of interest. A protocol of the application of this framework in a systematic review and meta-analysis on psychological etiological factors of SSD and BDD is presented following the PRISMA guidelines.

Discussion

This framework will help to gather systematic evidence on psychological factors in order to improve the understanding of the etiology of PSS, to refine future diagnostic conceptualizations of PPS, and to develop optimized mechanism-based interventions for individuals with PPS and related syndromes and disorders.
Comparison of two frailty indices in predicting life-threatening morbidity and mortality among older patients undergoing elective high-risk abdominal surgery
Authors: Li Chun-Qing , Kong Hao , Xu Zhen-Zhen , Ma Jia-Hui , Li Xue-Ying
Published: April 2023

Background

Frailty predicts an increased risk of postoperative morbidity and mortality. Comparison of the predictive performance between two deficit accumulation models of frailty, the modified frailty index (mFI) and the revised-Risk Analysis Index (RAI-rev), is poorly understood. This study compared the predictive abilities of the above two frailty indices in predicting life-threatening morbidity and mortality among older patients following elective high-risk abdominal surgery.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study extracted perioperative data of older patients (age ≥65 years) undergoing elective high-risk abdominal surgery at a single institution between January 2018 and December 2020. Preoperative frailty was screened by mFI and RAI-rev scoring systems. The primary outcome was the composite of postoperative life-threatening morbidity and mortality during hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the association of the two frailty indices with the primary outcome. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was employed to test the predictive performances of the two frailty instruments in predicting the composite primary outcome. The difference between the area under the curves (AUCs) was assessed by DeLong’s test.

Results

1,132 older patients (mean age, 73.4 ± 6.2 years; 63.9% male) were included. Of these, 107 (9.5%) developed postoperative life-threatening morbidity and mortality. In multivariable logistic regression analyses, rising continuous frailty scores (mFI: adjusted OR 1.319 per 0.09-point increase in score, 95% CI 1.151–1.511, p < 0.001; RAI-rev: adjusted OR 1.052 per 1-point increase in score, 95% CI 1.018–1.087, p = 0.002) as well as dichotomized frailty measures (mFI ≥0.27: adjusted OR 2.059, 95% CI 1.328–3.193, p = 0.001; RAI-rev ≥45: adjusted OR 1.862, 95% CI 1.188–2.919, p = 0.007) were associated with increased odds of the primary outcome separately. ROC curve analysis showed that the discrimination of mFI and RAI-rev scores for the life-threatening morbidity and mortality was poor and comparable (AUC: 0.598 [95% CI 0.569–0.627] vs. 0.613 [95% CI 0.583–0.641]; DeLong’s test: Z = 0.375, p = 0.7075).

Conclusion

High mFI and RAI-rev scores were associated with an increased risk of life-threatening morbidity and mortality in older patients undergoing elective high-risk abdominal surgery. However, both frailty indices displayed poor discrimination for postoperative life-threatening morbidity and mortality.
The effect of group support psychotherapy on adherence to anti-retroviral therapy and viral suppression among HIV positive young people: Study protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial
Authors: Nakimuli-Mpungu Etheldreda , Wamala Kizito , Nalugya Joyce Sserunjoji , Nakanyike Caroline , Iya Jane , Bakeera Kitaka Sabrina , Diana Namuli Justine , Akimana Benedict , Nachega Jean B. , Mills Edward J. , Seggane Musisi
Published: April 2023

Background

Several studies have demonstrated an association between psychological risk factors and HIV disease progression. However, there is limited information on the use of psychological interventions to improve HIV treatment outcomes in young people living with HIV.

Objective

This pilot trial aims to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary effectiveness of group support psychotherapy in improving adherence to anti-retroviral therapy and viral suppression in young people living with HIV in Uganda.

Methods

We recruited 120 young people with HIV, aged 10–18 years, who had non-viral suppression 6 months after initiating first-line anti-retroviral therapy (ART) from community based HIV clinics in Kitgum district, northern Uganda. Participants were randomly assigned to receive GSP plus IAC (N = 60) or IAC alone (N = 60). Primary outcomes will be indicators of feasibility and acceptability as well as preliminary effectiveness of GSP in improving ART adherence and viral suppression analysed by intention to treat using cluster-adjusted t tests and permutation tests. Secondary outcomes will be measures of depression, anxiety and cost-effectiveness.

Results

The trial has been approved by the Makerere College of Health Sciences School of Health Sciences Research Ethics Committee, and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology. Recruitment began in June 2021 and 120 young people living with HIV with their adult caregivers have been recruited to the trial. An analysis of baseline and 6-month data is in progress. The results of this trial will not only be presented at national and international conferences but also submitted for publication in peer-reviewed journals and as a report to the funding agencies.

Conclusions

This pilot trial will provide critical evidence to support the ongoing mental health integration into routine HIV care in Uganda.

Trial Registration

Pan African Clinical Trials Registry (PACTR): 202006601935462
Humans, robots and artificial intelligences reconfiguring urban life in a crisis
Authors: Valdez Miguel , Cook Matthew
Published: April 2023

Autonomous urban robots were introduced in Milton Keynes (MK), UK, in 2018 to automate on-demand grocery delivery. Two years later the COVID-19 pandemic rendered routine activities such as delivering groceries or visiting the supermarket unexpectedly unsafe for humans. The ensuing disruption provided opportunities to investigate the potentialities of robotic and autonomous systems to provide cities with resources for coping with unexpected situations such as pandemics, heatwaves and blizzards and ultimately to transform and reinforce urban flows, leading to new ways of living in the city that arise as a result of emerging human-robot constellations. The crisis accelerated the ongoing transformation in human-robot relationships and made its tensions and potentials visible. The case of MK suggests that the cognitive capabilities of urban AIs are not to be found exclusively in computer bits and human neurons but arise from encounters and contexts, with institutions, policies, practices and even the materiality of the city itself being crucial to the emergence of urban AI.
In vitro evaluation of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HOKKAIDO strain, effective lactic acid bacteria for calf diarrhea
Authors: Ikehata Mari , Konnai Satoru , Okagawa Tomohiro , Abe Kentaro , Honma Mitsuru , Kitamura Toru , Maekawa Naoya , Suzuki Yasuhiko , Murata Shiro , Ohashi Kazuhiko
Published: April 2023

Calf diarrhea adversely affects growth and sometimes results in mortality, leading to severe economic losses to the cattle industry. Antibiotics are useful in the treatment against bacterial diarrhea, but not against viral, protozoan, and antibiotic-resistant bacterial diarrhea. Therefore, there are growing requirements for a novel control method for calf diarrhea. Probiotics have been considered promising candidates for preventive and supportive therapy for calf diarrhea for many years. A recent study has revealed that Lactiplantibacillus plantarum HOKKAIDO strain (Lp-HKD) reduces intestinal pathology and the severity of diarrhea in bovine rotavirus (BRV)-infected calves. Lp-HKD is known to enhance the function of human immune cells and expected to be used as probiotics for humans. Therefore, it is hypothesized that Lp-HKD modulates antiviral immune response in cattle and provide the clinical benefits in BRV-infected calves. However, the detailed mechanism of Lp-HKD-induced immunomodulation remains unknown. Thus, this study aimed to elucidate the immunomodulatory and antiviral effects of Lp-HKD in cattle. Cultivation assay of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) showed that live and heat-killed Lp-HKD stimulates the production of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-10, and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) from PBMCs. Stimulation by heat-killed Lp-HKD yielded stronger cytokine production than stimulation by the live Lp-HKD. Additionally, CD14+ monocytes were identified as major producers of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10 under Lp-HKD stimulation; however, IFN-γ was mainly produced from immune cells other than CD14+ monocytes. Depletion of CD14+ monocytes from the PBMCs cultivation strongly decreased cytokine production induced by heat-killed Lp-HKD. The inhibition of toll-like receptor (TLR) 2/4 signaling decreased IL-1β and IL-6 production induced by live Lp-HKD and IL-1β, IL-6, and IFN-γ production induced by heat-killed Lp-HKD. Furthermore, live or heat-killed Lp-HKD also activated T cells and their production of IFN-γ and tumor necrosis factor-α. Then, culture supernatants of bovine PBMCs treated with heat-killed Lp-HKD demonstrated antiviral effects against BRV in vitro. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that Lp-HKD activates the functions of bovine immune cells via TLR2/4 signaling and exerts an antiviral effect against BRV through the induction of antiviral cytokines. Lp-HKD could be useful for the prevention and treatment of calf diarrhea through its immune activating effect.
An Optimization-Based High-Precision Flexible Online Trajectory Planner for Forklifts
Authors: Sun Yizhen , Yang Junyou , Zhang Zihan , Shu Yu
Published: April 2023

There are numerous prospects for automated unmanned forklifts in the fields of intelligent logistics and intelligent factories. However, existing unmanned forklifts often operate according to offline path planning first followed by path tracking to move materials. This process does not meet the needs of flexible production in intelligent logistics. To solve this problem, we proposed an optimized online motion planner based on the output of the state grid as the original path. Constraints such as vehicle kinematics; dynamics; turning restriction at the end of the path; spatial safety envelope; and the position and orientation at the starting point and the ending point were considered during path optimization, generating a precise and smooth trajectory for industrial forklifts that satisfied non-holonomic vehicle constraints. In addition, a new rapid algorithm for calculating the spatial safety envelope was proposed in this article, which can be used for collision avoidance and as a turning-angle constraint term for path smoothing. Finally, a simulation experiment and real-world tray-insertion task experiment were carried out. The experiments showed that the proposal was effective and accurate via online motion planning and the tracking of automated unmanned forklifts in a complicated environment and that the proposal fully satisfied the needs of industrial navigation accuracy.
Inchworm Motors and Beyond: A Review on Cooperative Electrostatic Actuator Systems
Authors: Albukhari Almothana , Mescheder Ulrich
Published: April 2023

Having benefited from technological developments, such as surface micromachining, high-aspect-ratio silicon micromachining and ongoing miniaturization in complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) technology, some electrostatic actuators became widely used in large-volume products today. However, due to reliability-related issues and inherent limitations, such as the pull-in instability and extremely small stroke and force, commercial electrostatic actuators are limited to basic implementations and the micro range, and thus cannot be employed in more intricate systems or scaled up to the macro range (mm stroke and N force). To overcome these limitations, cooperative electrostatic actuator systems have been researched by many groups in recent years. After defining the scope and three different levels of cooperation, this review provides an overview of examples of weak, medium and advanced cooperative architectures. As a specific class, hybrid cooperative architectures are presented, in which besides electrostatic actuation, another actuation principle is used. Inchworm motors—belonging to the advanced cooperative architectures—can provide, in principle, the link from the micro to the macro range. As a result of this outstanding potential, they are reviewed and analyzed here in more detail. However, despite promising research concepts and results, commercial applications are still missing. The acceptance of piezoelectric materials in some industrial CMOS facilities might now open the gate towards hybrid cooperative microactuators realized in high volumes in CMOS technology.
Numerical Analysis of the Effects of Grooved Stator Vanes in a Radial Turbine Operating at High Pressure Ratios Reaching Choked Flow
Authors: Galindo José , Tiseira Andrés , Navarro Roberto , Inhestern Lukas Benjamin , Echavarría Juan David
Published: April 2023

The flow through the stator vanes of a variable geometry turbocharger turbine can reach supersonic conditions and generates a shock wave on the stator vanes, which has a potential impact on the flow loss as well as on unsteady aerodynamic interaction. The shock wave causes a sudden increase in pressure and can lead to boundary separation and strong excitation force, besides pressure fluctuation in the rotor blades. Thus, in this study, the flat surface of the vanes of a commercial variable geometry turbocharger turbine has been modified to analyze the effects of two grooved surfaces configuration using CFD simulations. The results reveal that the grooves change the turbine efficiency, especially at higher speed, where the increase in the efficiency is between 2% and 6% points. Additionally, the load fluctuation around the rotor leading edge can be reduced and minimize the factors that compromise the integrity of the turbine. Furthermore, the grooves reduce the supersonic pocket developed on the suction side of the vane and diminish the shock wake intensity. Evaluating the effectiveness of the available energy usage in the turbine, on the one hand, at lower speed, the fraction of energy at the inlet destinated to produce power does not change significantly with a grooved surface on the stator vanes. On the other hand, at higher speed and higher pressure ratio with 5 grooves occurs the most effective approach of the maximum energy.
Retrofitting and Testing of a Pull-Type Small-Grain Combine Harvester
Authors: Tian Yuyuan , Leis Kyle , Zeng Zhiwei
Published: April 2023

A cost-effective harvesting method and equipment for small-scale farms is essential to ensure the viability and sustainability of their operations. This study aims to retrofit and test a pull-type combine harvester for effective and efficient operations in small grains. A 1960s-era functional combine harvester was retrofitted with a stripper header rotor in place of the sickle bar cutting system to increase the harvesting capacity. Preliminary field testing found that the original header auger and feeder house could not handle the changed crop composition at an increased capacity and did not properly convey the grain from the auger to the feeder house and onto the threshing system. Therefore, redesign modifications were conducted for the auger and feeder house to help increase the efficiency and capacity required to use the stripper header. Various design concepts were proposed, analyzed, and prototyped in this study. The machine performance of the material-conveying efficiency of the wheat-material-other-than-grain mixture was evaluated at various material throughput rates. The results showed that the auger shim and feeder house paddle redesign increased the efficiency from 80.68% to 98.56%, as compared to the original machine configuration. The cost-effective and high-performance pull-type combine harvester proposed in this study has a high potential in solving the bottleneck problem of local production of small grains by small-scale farming operations.
Matrix Metalloproteinase 13 Is Associated with Age-Related Choroidal Neovascularization
Authors: González-Zamora Jorge , Hernandez María , Recalde Sergio , Bezunartea Jaione , Montoliu Ana , Bilbao-Malavé Valentina , Llorente-González Sara , García-Layana Alfredo , Fernández-Robredo Patricia
Published: April 2023

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of severe vision loss in older individuals in developed countries. Despite advances in our understanding of AMD, its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) have been proposed to play a role in AMD development. In this study, we aimed to characterize MMP-13 in AMD. We used retinal pigment epithelial cells, a murine model of laser-induced choroidal neovascularization, and plasma samples from patients with neovascular AMD to conduct our study. Our results show that MMP13 expression significantly increased under oxidative stress conditions in cultured retinal pigment epithelial cells. In the murine model, MMP13 was overexpressed in both retinal pigment epithelial cells and endothelial cells during choroidal neovascularization. Additionally, the total MMP13 levels in the plasma of patients with neovascular AMD were significantly lower than those in the control group. This suggests a reduced diffusion from the tissues or release from circulating cells in the bloodstream, given that the number and function of monocytes have been reported to be deficient in patients with AMD. Although more studies are needed to elucidate the role of MMP13 in AMD, it could be a promising therapeutic target for treating AMD.
Classification of Virtual Harassment on Social Networks Using Ensemble Learning Techniques
Authors: Azeez Nureni Ayofe , Fadhal Emad
Published: April 2023

Background: Internet social media platforms have become quite popular, enabling a wide range of online users to stay in touch with their friends and relatives wherever they are at any time. This has led to a significant increase in virtual crime from the inception of these platforms to the present day. Users are harassed online when confidential information about them is stolen, or when another user posts insulting or offensive comments about them. This has posed a significant threat to online social media users, both mentally and psychologically. Methods: This research compares traditional classifiers and ensemble learning in classifying virtual harassment in online social media networks by using both models with four different datasets: seven machine learning algorithms (Nave Bayes NB, Decision Tree DT, K Nearest Neighbor KNN, Logistics Regression LR, Neural Network NN, Quadratic Discriminant Analysis QDA, and Support Vector Machine SVM) and four ensemble learning models (Ada Boosting, Gradient Boosting, Random Forest, and Max Voting). Finally, we compared our results using twelve evaluation metrics, namely: Accuracy, Precision, Recall, F1-measure, Specificity, Matthew’s Correlation Coefficient (MCC), Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient KAPPA, Area Under Curve (AUC), False Discovery Rate (FDR), False Negative Rate (FNR), False Positive Rate (FPR), and Negative Predictive Value (NPV) were used to show the validity of our algorithms. Results: At the end of the experiments, For Dataset 1, Logistics Regression had the highest accuracy of 0.6923 for machine learning algorithms, while Max Voting Ensemble had the highest accuracy of 0.7047. For dataset 2, K-Nearest Neighbor, Support Vector Machine, and Logistics Regression all had the same highest accuracy of 0.8769 in the machine learning algorithm, while Random Forest and Gradient Boosting Ensemble both had the highest accuracy of 0.8779. For dataset 3, the Support Vector Machine had the highest accuracy of 0.9243 for the machine learning algorithms, while the Random Forest ensemble had the highest accuracy of 0.9258. For dataset 4, the Support Vector Machine and Logistics Regression both had 0.8383, while the Max voting ensemble obtained an accuracy of 0.8280. A bar chart was used to represent our results, showing the minimum, maximum, and quartile ranges. Conclusions: Undoubtedly, this technique has assisted in no small measure in comparing the selected machine learning algorithms as well as the ensemble for detecting and exposing various forms of cyber harassment in cyberspace. Finally, the best and weakest algorithms were revealed.
Patient–Robot Co-Navigation of Crowded Hospital Environments
Authors: Kodur Krishna , Kyrarini Maria
Published: April 2023

Intelligent multi-purpose robotic assistants have the potential to assist nurses with a variety of non-critical tasks, such as object fetching, disinfecting areas, or supporting patient care. This paper focuses on enabling a multi-purpose robot to guide patients while walking. The proposed robotic framework aims at enabling a robot to learn how to navigate a crowded hospital environment while maintaining contact with the patient. Two deep reinforcement learning models are developed; the first model considers only dynamic obstacles (e.g., humans), while the second model considers static and dynamic obstacles in the environment. The models output the robot’s velocity based on the following inputs; the patient’s gait velocity, which is computed based on a leg detection method, spatial and temporal information from the environment, the humans in the scene, and the robot. The proposed models demonstrate promising results. Finally, the model that considers both static and dynamic obstacles is successfully deployed in the Gazebo simulation environment.
Knowledge-Aware Enhanced Network Combining Neighborhood Information for Recommendations
Authors: Wang Xiaole , Qin Jiwei , Deng Shangju , Zeng Wei
Published: April 2023

In recent years, the application of knowledge graphs to alleviate cold start and data sparsity problems of users and items in recommendation systems, has aroused great interest. In this paper, in order to address the insufficient representation of user and item embeddings in existing knowledge graph-based recommendation methods, a knowledge-aware enhanced network, combining neighborhood information recommendation (KCNR), is proposed. Specifically, KCNR first encodes prior information about the user–item interaction, and obtains the user’s different knowledge neighbors by propagating them in the knowledge graph, and uses a knowledge-aware attention network to distinguish and aggregate the contributions of the different neighbors in the knowledge graph, as a way to enrich the user’s description. Similarly, KCNR samples multiple-hop neighbors of item entities in the knowledge graph, and has a bias to aggregate the neighborhood information, to enhance the item embedding representation. With the above processing, KCNR can automatically discover structural and associative semantic information in the knowledge graph, and capture users’ latent distant personalized preferences, by propagating them across the knowledge graph. In addition, considering the relevance of items to entities in the knowledge graph, KCNR has designed an information complementarity module, which automatically shares potential interaction characteristics of items and entities, and enables items and entities to complement the available information. We have verified that KCNR has excellent recommendation performance through extensive experiments in three real-life scenes: movies, books, and music.
Parameter Analysis on Seismic Response of Long Lined Tunnel by 2.5D Substructure Method
Authors: Zhang Qi , Zhao Mi , Huang Jingqi , Du Xiuli
Published: April 2023

When the numerical analysis of a long lined tunnel is carried out, the calculation amount of the finite element model becomes restricted large-scale parameter analysis. In this paper, an efficient and high-precision 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) frequency-domain finite element method is used to simulate the three-dimensional response of tunnels under the action of oblique incident plane seismic waves. This method can save calculations and avoid the boundary effect caused by the longitudinal truncation of the tunnel. The 2.5D zigzag-paraxial boundary is developed. The artificial boundary is attached to the structure’s surface. The substructure method for oblique plane seismic waves is established. Comparing the substructure method with the analytical solution, the correctness of the site response is verified first. The accuracy of the 2.5D finite element substructure method is further verified. The parameter analysis of different incident angles and conversion angles shows that the underground tunnel does not reach the maximum of structural seismic response when the seismic wave is vertically incident. The location of the soil–rock interface on the tunnel is further discussed. The results show that when the underground tunnel crosses the location of the soil–rock interface, the seismic response of the tunnel will be amplified.
Effectiveness of Virtual Reality-Based Early Postoperative Rehabilitation after Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review with Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: García-Sánchez Manuel , García-Robles Paloma , Osuna-Pérez María Catalina , Lomas-Vega Rafael , Obrero-Gaitán Esteban , Cortés-Pérez Irene
Published: April 2023

Virtual reality-based rehabilitation (VRBR) is being used in rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). This meta-analysis assesses the effect of immediate and/or maintained effect of VRBR (alone or in combination with conventional therapy (CT) in TKA recovery. To perform this meta-analysis, we searched in PubMed, SCOPUS, WOS, CINAHL, and PEDro until 5 February 2023. We included randomized controlled trials that assessed the effect of VRBR in improving knee pain and function, dynamic balance, range of motion (ROM), and strength, among others, after TKA. The pooled effect was calculated with Cohen’s standardized mean difference (SMD) with a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Twelve studies, providing data from 997 participants (69.9 ± 8.1 years old), were included. At post-immediate assessment, VRBR is effective in improving knee pain (SMD = −0.36; 95% CI −0.56 to −0.17), knee function (SMD = −0.51; 95% CI −0.75 to −0.27), dynamic balance (SMD = −0.59; 95% CI −1.02 to −0.15), knee flexion ROM (SMD = 0.4; 95% CI 0.17 to 0.62), and extension strength (SMD = 0.43; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.68). Our findings showed that immersive and non-immersive VRBR is effective to be used after TKA, and the effect on knee pain and function may be maintained over 3 or 6 months. A high level of satisfaction and adherence to VRBR was reported.
Automated Segmentation to Make Hidden Trigger Backdoor Attacks Robust against Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Ali Saqib , Ashraf Sana , Yousaf Muhammad Sohaib , Riaz Shazia , Wang Guojun
Published: April 2023

The successful outcomes of deep learning (DL) algorithms in diverse fields have prompted researchers to consider backdoor attacks on DL models to defend them in practical applications. Adversarial examples could deceive a safety-critical system, which could lead to hazardous situations. To cope with this, we suggested a segmentation technique that makes hidden trigger backdoor attacks more robust. The tiny trigger patterns are conventionally established by a series of parameters encompassing their DNN size, location, color, shape, and other defining attributes. From the original triggers, alternate triggers are generated to control the backdoor patterns by a third party in addition to their original designer, which can produce a higher success rate than the original triggers. However, the significant downside of these approaches is the lack of automation in the scene segmentation phase, which results in the poor optimization of the threat model. We developed a novel technique that automatically generates alternate triggers to increase the effectiveness of triggers. Image denoising is performed for this purpose, followed by scene segmentation techniques to make the poisoned classifier more robust. The experimental results demonstrated that our proposed technique achieved 99% to 100% accuracy and helped reduce the vulnerabilities of DL models by exposing their loopholes.
Personalized Privacy Protection-Preserving Collaborative Filtering Algorithm for Recommendation Systems
Authors: Cheng Bin , Chen Ping , Zhang Xin , Fang Keyu , Qin Xiaoli , Liu Wei
Published: April 2023

With the rapid development of ubiquitous data collection and data analysis, data privacy in a recommended system is facing more and more challenges. Differential privacy technology can provide strict privacy protection while reducing the risk of privacy leakage, but it also introduces unwanted noise, which makes the performance of the recommender system worsen. Among different users, the degree of their sensitivity to privacy is usually different. Thus, through considering the impact of users’ personalized requirements, the collaborative filtering algorithm can be designed to reduce the amount of unwanted noise. Taking the above assertions into account, we propose a collaborative filtering algorithm based on personalized privacy protection. First, it locally classifies ratings by privacy sensitivity on the user side, then utilizes the random flip mechanism to protect the privacy-sensitive ratings. Then, after the server catches the perturbed rating data, we reconstruct the joint item-item distribution through the Bayesian estimation method. Experimental results show that our proposed algorithm can significantly improve the recommendation performance of recommendation systems while protecting users’ privacy.
Numerical Study on Cross-Linked Cold Plate Design for Thermal Management of High-Power Lithium-Ion Battery
Authors: Yang Huizhu , Wang Zehui , Li Mingxuan , Ren Fengsheng , Ma Binjian
Published: April 2023

Liquid cooling strategies such as cold plates have been widely employed as an effective approach for battery thermal management systems (BTMS) due to their high cooling capacity and low power consumption. The structural design of the cold plates is the key factor that directly determines the thermal performance of the liquid cooling system. In this study, seven Z-type parallel channel cold plate and two novel cross-linked channel cold plate designs are proposed for the cooling of high-power lithium-ion batteries using two different cooling strategies. The average battery temperature, battery temperature uniformity and energy consumption of all designs are firstly analyzed holistically by three-dimensional conjugated simulation under the scheme of continuous cooling. Two selected designs that demonstrated superior performance (i.e., a Z-type parallel channel cold plate with 8-branches and an improved cross-linked channel design) are further analyzed to explore their integrative performance under different cooling schemes. The results show that within a battery temperature limit of 40 °C, employing the delayed cooling strategy can save 23% energy consumption compared to the continuous cooling strategy. Besides, the cold plate with an improved cross-linked channel configuration requires 13% less pumping power and provides a better temperature uniformity than the Z-type parallel channel cold plate with 8-branches. These results are of great significance to advance the cooling design of BTMS.
Is There a Similarity in Serum Cytokine Profile between Patients with Periodontitis or 2019-Novel Coronavirus Infection?—A Scoping Review
Authors: Mootha Archana
Published: April 2023

On 11 March 2020, the WHO declared a global emergency as a result of the ‘novel coronavirus infection’, which emerged from Wuhan, China, and rapidly spread across international borders. There is vast evidence that supports a direct link between oral cavities and this systemic circulation, but it is still unclear if oral conditions like periodontitis influenced the COVID-19 disease outcome. This scoping review highlights the fact that both periodontitis and COVID-19 independently increase serum pro-inflammatory cytokine levels, however there is a lack of documentation on if this biochemical profile synergizes with COVID-19 and/or periodontal severity in the same individuals. The purpose of this scoping review is to accumulate existing data on the serums IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in COVID-19 and periodontitis patients and check if periodontitis negatively impacts the COVID-19 outcome, educating the population about the implications of COVID-19-related complications on their oral health, and vice versa, and motivating patients towards oral hygiene maintenance.