bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Isolation, Antimicrobial Resistance Phenotypes, and Virulence Genes of Bordetella bronchiseptica From Pigs in China, 2018–2020
Authors: Zhang Yue , Yang Hao , Guo Long , Zhao Mengfei , Wang Fei , Song Wenbo , Hua Lin , Wang Lei , Liang Wan , Tang Xibiao , Peng Zhong , Wu Bin
Published: June 2021

Bordetella bronchiseptica is a leading cause of respiratory diseases in pigs. However, epidemiological data of B. bronchiseptica in pigs particularly in China, the largest pig rearing country in the world is still limited. We isolated 181 B. bronchiseptica strains from 4259 lung samples of dead pigs with respiratory diseases in 14 provinces in China from 2018 to 2020. The average isolation rate of this 3-year period was 4.25% (181/4259). Antimicrobial susceptibility testing performed by disc diffusion method revealed that most of the B. bronchiseptica isolates in this study were resistant to ampicillin (83.98%), while a proportion of isolates were resistant to cefotaxime (30.39%%), chloramphenicol (12.71%), gentamicin (11.60%), florfenicol (11.60%), tetracycline (8.84%), amoxicillin (8.29%), tobramycin (6.63%), ceftriaxone (4.97%), and cefepime (0.55%). There were no isolates with resistant phenotypes to imipenem, meropenem, polymyxin B, ciprofloxacin, enrofloxacin, and amikacin. In addition, ~13.18% of the isolates showed phenotypes of multidrug resistance. Detection of antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) by PCR showed that 16.57% of the B. bronchiseptica isolates in this study was positive to aac(3)-IV, while 3.87%, 2.21%, 1.10%, 0.55%, 0.55%, and 0.55% of the isolates were positive to aac6'-Ib, rmtA, blaTEM, blaSHV, oqxB, and tetA, respectively. Detection of virulence factors encoding genes (VFGs) by conventional PCR showed that over 90% of the pig B. bronchiseptica isolates in this study were positive to the five VFGs examined (fhaB, 97.24%; prn, 91.16%; cyaA, 98.34%; dnt, 98.34%; betA, 92.82%). These results demonstrate B. bronchiseptica as an important pathogen associated with pig respiratory disorders in China. The present work contributes to the current understanding of the prevalence, antimicrobial resistance and virulence genes of B. bronchiseptica in pigs.
Decompressive Pathology in Cetaceans Based on an Experimental Pathological Model
Authors: Velázquez-Wallraf Alicia , Fernández Antonio , Caballero Maria José , Møllerløkken Andreas , Jepson Paul D. , Andrada Marisa , Bernaldo de Quirós Yara
Published: June 2021

Decompression sickness (DCS) is a widely known clinical syndrome in human medicine, mainly in divers, related to the formation of intravascular and extravascular gas bubbles. Gas embolism and decompression-like sickness have also been described in wild animals, such as cetaceans. It was hypothesized that adaptations to the marine environment protected them from DCS, but in 2003, decompression-like sickness was described for the first time in beaked whales, challenging this dogma. Since then, several episodes of mass strandings of beaked whales coincidental in time and space with naval maneuvers have been recorded and diagnosed with DCS. The diagnosis of human DCS is based on the presence of clinical symptoms and the detection of gas embolism by ultrasound, but in cetaceans, the diagnosis is limited to forensic investigations. For this reason, it is necessary to resort to experimental animal models to support the pathological diagnosis of DCS in cetaceans. The objective of this study is to validate the pathological results of cetaceans through an experimental rabbit model wherein a complete and detailed histopathological analysis was performed. Gross and histopathological results were very similar in the experimental animal model compared to stranded cetaceans with DCS, with the presence of gas embolism systemically distributed as well as emphysema and hemorrhages as primary lesions in different organs. The experimental data reinforces the pathological findings found in cetaceans with DCS as well as the hypothesis that individuality plays an essential role in DCS, as it has previously been proposed in animal models and human diving medicine.
Ending Commercial Lion Farming in South Africa: A Gap Analysis Approach
Authors: Green Jennah , Jakins Catherine , Waal Louise de , D’Cruze Neil
Published: June 2021

African lions (Panthera leo) are commercially farmed across South Africa for sport hunting, tourism, and the international bone trade, primarily in Southeast Asia. Despite its legal status, South Africa’s growing lion farming industry is a contentious issue. In 2020 a high-level panel was initiated to review the policies, legislation, and management regarding the breeding, hunting, trade, and handling of four wildlife species, including lions. In May 2021, it was announced that the government intends to amend existing permit conditions to prohibit lion breeding and tourism interactions with captive lions, as well as to stop issuing permits to new entrants into the industry, effectively ending lion farming. In order to follow this line of action, a comprehensive, well-managed plan will be necessary to execute a responsible exit from the industry as it currently stands. Using a “gap analysis” management tool, we aim to: (1) outline some of the key considerations regarding the current state of the lion farming industry in South Africa; and (2) propose specific action steps that could be taken within five key areas (regulation, animal welfare, health and safety, equitability, and conservation) to help inform a responsible transition away from this type of wildlife farming in the biodiversity economy. For our gap analysis, we conducted a semi-systematic literature search to compile key background information about the current state of the industry. This information was then used to identify corresponding desired management states, and steps that could facilitate a successful phase out of lion farming in South Africa. We hope our approach helps identify key considerations for a responsible transition and can help aid decisions during the management of this process.
Oxidative Stress as A Mechanism for Functional Alterations in Cardiac Hypertrophy and Heart Failure
Authors: Shah Anureet K. , Bhullar Sukhwinder K. , Elimban Vijayan , Dhalla Naranjan S.
Published: June 2021

Although heart failure due to a wide variety of pathological stimuli including myocardial infarction, pressure overload and volume overload is associated with cardiac hypertrophy, the exact reasons for the transition of cardiac hypertrophy to heart failure are not well defined. Since circulating levels of several vasoactive hormones including catecholamines, angiotensin II, and endothelins are elevated under pathological conditions, it has been suggested that these vasoactive hormones may be involved in the development of both cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. At initial stages of pathological stimuli, these hormones induce an increase in ventricular wall tension by acting through their respective receptor-mediated signal transduction systems and result in the development of cardiac hypertrophy. Some oxyradicals formed at initial stages are also involved in the redox-dependent activation of the hypertrophic process but these are rapidly removed by increased content of antioxidants in hypertrophied heart. In fact, cardiac hypertrophy is considered to be an adaptive process as it exhibits either normal or augmented cardiac function for maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis. However, exposure of a hypertrophied heart to elevated levels of circulating hormones due to pathological stimuli over a prolonged period results in cardiac dysfunction and development of heart failure involving a complex set of mechanisms. It has been demonstrated that different cardiovascular abnormalities such as functional hypoxia, metabolic derangements, uncoupling of mitochondrial electron transport, and inflammation produce oxidative stress in the hypertrophied failing hearts. In addition, oxidation of catecholamines by monoamine oxidase as well as NADPH oxidase activation by angiotensin II and endothelin promote the generation of oxidative stress during the prolonged period by these pathological stimuli. It is noteworthy that oxidative stress is known to activate metallomatrix proteases and degrade the extracellular matrix proteins for the induction of cardiac remodeling and heart dysfunction. Furthermore, oxidative stress has been shown to induce subcellular remodeling and Ca2+-handling abnormalities as well as loss of cardiomyocytes due to the development of apoptosis, necrosis, and fibrosis. These observations support the view that a low amount of oxyradical formation for a brief period may activate redox-sensitive mechanisms, which are associated with the development of cardiac hypertrophy. On the other hand, high levels of oxyradicals over a prolonged period may induce oxidative stress and cause Ca2+-handling defects as well as protease activation and thus play a critical role in the development of adverse cardiac remodeling and cardiac dysfunction as well as progression of heart failure.
Comparison Method of Biomechanical Analysis of Trans-Tibial Amputee Gait with a Mechanical Test Machine Simulation
Authors: Lecomte Christophe , Ármannsdóttir Anna Lára , Starker Felix , Briem Kristin , Brynjólfsson Sigurður
Published: June 2021

Energy-storing-and-returning prosthetic feet are frequently recommended for lower limb amputees. Functional performance and stiffness characteristics are evaluated by state-of-the-art biomechanical testing, while it is common practice for design engineers and researchers to use test machines to measure stiffness. The correlation between user-specific biomechanical measures and machine evaluation has not been thoroughly investigated, and mechanical testing for ramps is limited. In this paper, we propose a novel test method to assess prosthetic foot stiffness properties in the sagittal plane. First, biomechanical data were collected on five trans-tibial users using a variable stiffness prosthetic foot on a split-belt treadmill. Gait trials were performed on level ground and on an incline and a decline of 7.5°. The same prosthetic foot was tested on a roll-over test machine for the three terrains. The sagittal ankle moment and angle were compared for the two test methods. The dorsiflexion moment and angle were similar, while more variability was observed in the plantarflexion results. A good correlation was found for level-ground walking, while decline walking showed the largest differences in the results of the maximum angles. The roll-over test machine is a useful tool to speed up design iterations with a set design goal prior to user testing.
Cultural Heritage Restoration of a Hemispherical Vault by 3D Modelling and Projection of Video Images with Unknown Parameters and from Unknown Locations
Authors: Herraez Jose , Denia Jose L. , Priego Enrique , Navarro Pablo , Martin Maria T. , Rodriguez Jaime
Published: June 2021

Reverse engineering applied to architectural restoration for the reconstruction of structural surfaces depends on metric precision. Sometimes there are elements on these surfaces whose value is even higher than the building itself. This is the case for many churches whose ceilings have pictorial works of art. Reconstruction requires the existence of some identifiable remainder and/or a surface geometry that enables mathematical development. In our case, the vault has an irregular hemispherical geometry (without possible mathematical development), and there are no significant remains of the painting (which was destroyed by a fire). Through the 3D modelling of the irregular vault and two historic frames with a camera of unknown geometry, an inverse methodology is designed to project the original painting without metric deformations. For this, a new methodology to locate the camera positions is developed. After, a 3D virtual mathematical model of the complete image on the vault is calculated, and from it, partial 3D virtual images are automatically calculated depending on the variable unknown positions of the video cannons (distributed along the upper corridor of the apse) that will project them (visually forming a perfect complete 3D image).
Semi-Active Magnetic Levitation System for Education
Authors: Pujol-Vázquez Gisela , Vargas Alessandro N. , Mobayen Saleh , Acho Leonardo
Published: June 2021

This paper describes how to construct a low-cost magnetic levitation system (MagLev). The MagLev has been intensively used in engineering education, allowing instructors and students to learn through hands-on experiences of essential concepts, such as electronics, electromagnetism, and control systems. Built from scratch, the MagLev depends only on simple, low-cost components readily available on the market. In addition to showing how to construct the MagLev, this paper presents a semi-active control strategy that seems novel when applied to the MagLev. Experiments performed in the laboratory provide comparisons of the proposed control scheme with the classical PID control. The corresponding real-time experiments illustrate both the effectiveness of the approach and the potential of the MagLev for education.
Backstepping Control of an Unmanned Helicopter Subjected to External Disturbance and Model Uncertainty
Authors: Zhao Wenlong , Meng Zhijun , Wang Kaipeng , Zhang Haoyu
Published: June 2021

A helicopter is a highly nonlinear system. Its mathematical model is difficult to establish accurately, especially the complicated flapping dynamics. In addition, the forces and moments exerted on the fuselage are very vulnerable to external disturbances like wind gust when flying in the outdoor environment. This paper proposes a composite control scheme which consists of a nonlinear backstepping controller and an extended state observer (ESO) to handle the above problems. The stability of the closed-loop system can be guaranteed based on Lyapunov theory. The external disturbances and model nonlinearities are treated as a lumped disturbance. Meanwhile, the ESO is employed to compensate the influence by estimating the lumped disturbance in real-time. Numerical simulation results are presented to demonstrate that the algorithm can achieve accurate and agile attitude tracking under the external wind gust disturbances even with model uncertainties. When coming to the flight test, a block dropping device was designed to generate a quantifiable and replicable disturbance, and the experimental results indicate that the algorithm introduced above can reject the external disturbance rapidly and track the given attitude command precisely.
Study on Gage Widening Methods for Small-Radius Curves
Authors: Wang Pu , Si Daolin , Wang Shuguo , Yi Qiang
Published: June 2021

Existing gage widening standards and the influence of gage widening on the curve passing performance of trains and rail wear were examined. The existing gage widening theory can determine the minimum curve radius that needs to be widened, the widening value required by curves with different radii, and whether multiaxle locomotives can pass small-radius curves. However, it does not quantify the influence of the gage widening value on the curve passing performance and track maintenance workload. The range of the minimum curve radius that needs to be widened is 220–350 m, whereas some countries adopt a radius of 600 m; the maximum gage widening range is 15–20 mm, and few countries adopt gage widening values exceeding 30 mm. When the gage widening value increases from 0 to 10 mm, the lateral force of the curved wheel or rail with a radius less than 300 m is reduced by 16–20%, and that with a radius exceeding 300 m is reduced by 10–15%. The results of this study reveal that using proper gage widening values can reduce the lateral force of the wheel or rail and improve the curve passing performance. In the rail lifecycle, the implementation of the current gage widening standard requires only one gage adjustment operation, whereas the implementation of the original gage widening standard requires doubling gage adjustment operations.
Path Planning Method for UAVs Based on Constrained Polygonal Space and an Extremely Sparse Waypoint Graph
Authors: Majeed Abdul , Hwang Seong Oun
Published: June 2021

Finding an optimal/quasi-optimal path for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) utilizing full map information yields time performance degradation in large and complex three-dimensional (3D) urban environments populated by various obstacles. A major portion of the computing time is usually wasted on modeling and exploration of spaces that have a very low possibility of providing optimal/sub-optimal paths. However, computing time can be significantly reduced by searching for paths solely in the spaces that have the highest priority of providing an optimal/sub-optimal path. Many Path Planning (PP) techniques have been proposed, but a majority of the existing techniques equally evaluate many spaces of the maps, including unlikely ones, thereby creating time performance issues. Ignoring high-probability spaces and instead exploring too many spaces on maps while searching for a path yields extensive computing-time overhead. This paper presents a new PP method that finds optimal/quasi-optimal and safe (e.g., collision-free) working paths for UAVs in a 3D urban environment encompassing substantial obstacles. By using Constrained Polygonal Space (CPS) and an Extremely Sparse Waypoint Graph (ESWG) while searching for a path, the proposed PP method significantly lowers pathfinding time complexity without degrading the length of the path by much. We suggest an intelligent method exploiting obstacle geometry information to constrain the search space in a 3D polygon form from which a quasi-optimal flyable path can be found quickly. Furthermore, we perform task modeling with an ESWG using as few nodes and edges from the CPS as possible, and we find an abstract path that is subsequently improved. The results achieved from extensive experiments, and comparison with prior methods certify the efficacy of the proposed method and verify the above assertions.
3D Printing of Thermoresponsive Hydrogel Laden with an Antimicrobial Agent towards Wound Healing Applications
Authors: Nizioł Martyna , Paleczny Justyna , Junka Adam , Shavandi Amin , Dawiec-Liśniewska Anna , Podstawczyk Daria
Published: June 2021

Thermoresponsive hydrogel-based wound dressings with an incorporated antimicrobial agent can be fabricated employing 3D printing technology. A novel printable ink containing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAAm) precursors, sodium alginate (ALG), methylcellulose (MC) that is laden with a mixture of octenidine dihydrochloride and 2-phenoxyethanol (Octenisept®, OCT) possess accurate printability and shape fidelity. This study also provides the protocol of ink’s use for the 3D printing of hydrogel scaffolds. The hydrogel’s physicochemical properties and drug release profiles from the hydrogel specimens to the external solution have been determined at two temperatures (20 and 37 °C). The release test showed a sustained OCT delivery into ultrapure water and the PBS solution. The temperature-responsive hydrogel exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Candida albicans, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and demonstrated non-cytotoxicity towards fibroblasts. The thermoresponsive behavior along with biocompatibility, antimicrobial activity, and controlled drug release make this hydrogel a promising class of materials for wound dressing applications.
Long-Term Clinical Behavior and Complications of Intentionally Tilted Dental Implants Compared with Straight Implants Supporting Fixed Restorations: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Cortés-Bretón Brinkmann Jorge , García-Gil Ignacio , Pedregal Patricia , Peláez Jesús , Prados-Frutos Juan Carlos , Suárez María Jesús
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study was to assess the long-term clinical behavior of straight implants in comparison with intentionally tilted dental implants (ITDI) supporting fixed restorations in partial or total edentulous arches, analyzing implant survival and success rates, complications, and marginal bone loss (MBL) after >5 years of function. An electronic search was conducted in five electronic databases (MEDLINE/Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials) supplemented by a manual search. The electronic and manual search identified 1853 articles, of which 8 articles were selected for analysis. Out of a total of 3987 dental implants, 2036 were axial dental implants and 1951 tilted. Similar results were found in implant survival or overall implant success rates. Moreover, no statistically significant differences were found in MBL (p = 0.369; MD 0.116 mm (−0.137; 0.369) 95% CI) The prosthodontic/biological complications reported in the articles were very diverse and irregularly distributed. This systematic review suggests that there is no difference between tilted compared with straight dental implants in the medium-long term (>5 years). However, further research is needed to generate long-term data and confirm the present review’s findings.
A Pan-Inhibitor for Protein Arginine Methyltransferase Family Enzymes
Authors: Iyamu Iredia D. , Al-Hamashi Ayad A. , Huang Rong
Published: June 2021

Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) play important roles in transcription, splicing, DNA damage repair, RNA biology, and cellular metabolism. Thus, PRMTs have been attractive targets for various diseases. In this study, we reported the design and synthesis of a potent pan-inhibitor for PRMTs that tethers a thioadenosine and various substituted guanidino groups through a propyl linker. Compound II757 exhibits a half-maximal inhibition concentration (IC50) value of 5 to 555 nM for eight tested PRMTs, with the highest inhibition for PRMT4 (IC50 = 5 nM). The kinetic study demonstrated that II757 competitively binds at the SAM binding site of PRMT1. Notably, II757 is selective for PRMTs over a panel of other methyltransferases, which can serve as a general probe for PRMTs and a lead for further optimization to increase the selectivity for individual PRMT.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Human FOXO3 Reveal Intrinsically Disordered Regions Spread Spatially by Intramolecular Electrostatic Repulsion
Authors: Weinzierl Robert O.J.
Published: June 2021

The human transcription factor FOXO3 (a member of the ‘forkhead’ family of transcription factors) controls a variety of cellular functions that make it a highly relevant target for intervention in anti-cancer and anti-aging therapies. FOXO3 is a mostly intrinsically disordered protein (IDP). Absence of knowledge of its structural properties outside the DNA-binding domain constitutes a considerable obstacle to a better understanding of structure/function relationships. Here, I present extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulation data based on implicit solvation models of the entire FOXO3/DNA complex, and accelerated MD simulations under explicit solvent conditions of a central region of particular structural interest (FOXO3120–530). A new graphical tool for studying and visualizing the structural diversity of IDPs, the Local Compaction Plot (LCP), is introduced. The simulations confirm the highly disordered nature of FOXO3 and distinguish various degrees of folding propensity. Unexpectedly, two ‘linker’ regions immediately adjacent to the DNA-binding domain are present in a highly extended conformation. This extended conformation is not due to their amino acid composition, but rather is caused by electrostatic repulsion of the domains connected by the linkers. FOXO3 is thus an IDP present in an unusually extended conformation to facilitate interaction with molecular interaction partners.
Structure and Dynamics of Oxidized Lipoproteins In Vivo: Roles of High-Density Lipoprotein
Authors: Itabe Hiroyuki , Sawada Naoko , Makiyama Tomohiko , Obama Takashi
Published: June 2021

Oxidative modification of lipoproteins is implicated in the occurrence and development of atherosclerotic lesions. Earlier studies have elucidated on the mechanisms of foam cell formation and lipid accumulation in these lesions, which is mediated by scavenger receptor-mediated endocytosis of oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). Mounting clinical evidence has supported the involvement of oxLDL in cardiovascular diseases. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is known as anti-atherogenic; however, recent studies have shown circulating oxidized HDL (oxHDL) is related to cardiovascular diseases. A modified structure of oxLDL, which was increased in the plasma of patients with acute myocardial infarction, was characterized. It had two unique features: (1) a fraction of oxLDL accompanied oxHDL, and (2) apoA1 was heavily modified, while modification of apoB, and the accumulation of oxidized phosphatidylcholine (oxPC) and lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC) was less pronounced. When LDL and HDL were present at the same time, oxidized lipoproteins actively interacted with each other, and oxPC and lysoPC were transferred to another lipoprotein particle and enzymatically metabolized rapidly. This brief review provides a novel view on the dynamics of oxLDL and oxHDL in circulation.
Application of Raman Spectroscopic Methods in Food Safety: A Review
Authors: Petersen Marlen , Yu Zhilong , Lu Xiaonan
Published: June 2021

Food detection technologies play a vital role in ensuring food safety in the supply chains. Conventional food detection methods for biological, chemical, and physical contaminants are labor-intensive, expensive, time-consuming, and often alter the food samples. These limitations drive the need of the food industry for developing more practical food detection tools that can detect contaminants of all three classes. Raman spectroscopy can offer widespread food safety assessment in a non-destructive, ease-to-operate, sensitive, and rapid manner. Recent advances of Raman spectroscopic methods further improve the detection capabilities of food contaminants, which largely boosts its applications in food safety. In this review, we introduce the basic principles of Raman spectroscopy, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS), and micro-Raman spectroscopy and imaging; summarize the recent progress to detect biological, chemical, and physical hazards in foods; and discuss the limitations and future perspectives of Raman spectroscopic methods for food safety surveillance. This review is aimed to emphasize potential opportunities for applying Raman spectroscopic methods as a promising technique for food safety detection.
Fluoro-Substituted Metal Phthalocyanines for Active Layers of Chemical Sensors
Authors: Klyamer Darya , Bonegardt Dmitry , Basova Tamara
Published: June 2021

Metal phthalocyanines bearing electron-withdrawing fluorine substituents were synthesized a long time ago, but interest in the study of their films has emerged in recent decades. This is due to the fact that, unlike unsubstituted phthalocyanines, films of some fluorinated phthalocyanines exhibit the properties of n-type semiconductors, which makes them promising candidates for application in ambipolar transistors. Apart from this, it was shown that the introduction of fluorine substituents led to an increase in the sensitivity of phthalocyanine films to reducing gases. This review analyzes the state of research over the last fifteen years in the field of applications of fluoro-substituted metal phthalocyanines as active layers of gas sensors, with a primary focus on chemiresistive ones. The active layers on the basis of phthalocyanines with fluorine and fluorine-containing substituents of optical and quartz crystal microbalance sensors are also considered. Attention is paid to the analysis of the effect of molecular structure (central metal, number and type of fluorine substituent etc.) on sensor properties of fluorinated phthalocyanine films.
Learning to Cycle: Are Physical Activity and Birth Order Related to the Age of Learning How to Ride a Bicycle?
Authors: Mercê Cristiana , Branco Marco , Catela David , Lopes Frederico , Rodrigues Luis Paulo , Cordovil Rita
Published: June 2021

The present article aimed to verify whether the age at which children learn to ride a bicycle is related to their physical activity or birth order. Data were collected from an online structured survey between November 2019 and June 2020. A total of 8614 responses were obtained from 22 countries. The results reveal significant differences in learning age depending on the frequency of physical activity (F(5, 7235) = 35.12, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.24). People who engaged in physical activity less than twice a month learned to cycle later (M = 7.5 ± 5.3 years) than people who engaged in physical activity on a daily basis (M = 5.7 ± 2.2 years) (p < 0.001). There were also significant differences in learning age according to birth order (F(2, 3008) = 7.31, p = 0.00, ηp2 = 0.005). Only children had the highest learning age (M = 5.5 ± 2.4 years), whereas those who were born last had the lowest, (M = 5.1 ± 1.9 years) (p = 0.013). Creating opportunities for children to be engaged in play and physical activity and social modulation through their older siblings seem to be key conditions to encourage children to learn how to ride a bicycle from a young age and to foster their motor development.
Tin Disulfide-Coated Microfiber for Humidity Sensing with Fast Response and High Sensitivity
Authors: Liang Aijie , Ming Jingyuan , Zhu Wenguo , Guan Heyuan , Han Xinyang , Zhang Shuo , Lin Yuxin , Dong Jiangli , Huang Yaoming , Qiu Wentao , Lu Huihui , Zheng Huadan , Zhang Yi , Yu Jianhui , Chen Zhe , Peng Ganding
Published: June 2021

Breath monitoring is significant in assessing human body conditions, such as cardiac and pulmonary symptoms. Optical fiber-based sensors have attracted much attention since they are immune to electromagnetic radiation, thus are safe for patients. Here, a microfiber (MF) humidity sensor is fabricated by coating tin disulfide (SnS2) nanosheets onto the surface of MF. The small diameter (~8 μm) and the long length (~5 mm) of the MF promise strong interaction between guiding light and SnS2. Thus, a small variation in the relative humidity (RH) will lead to a large change in optical transmitted power. A high RH sensitivity of 0.57 dB/%RH is therefore achieved. The response and recovery times are estimated to be 0.08 and 0.28 s, respectively. The high sensitivity and fast response speed enable our SnS2-MF sensor to monitor human breath in real time.
Nutritional Properties of Camelids and Equids Fresh and Fermented Milk
Authors: Polidori Paolo , Cammertoni Natalina , Santini Giuseppe , Klimanova Yulia , Zhang Jing-Jing , Vincenzetti Silvia
Published: June 2021

Milk is considered a complete food because all of the nutrients important to fulfill a newborn’s daily requirements are present, including vitamins and minerals, ensuring the correct growth rate. A large amount of global milk production is represented by cow, goat, and sheep milks; these species produce about 87% of the milk available all over the world. However, the milk obtained by minor dairy animal species is a basic food and an important family business in several parts of the world. Milk nutritional properties from a wide range of minor dairy animal species have not been totally determined. Hot temperatures and the lack of water and feed in some arid and semi-arid areas negatively affect dairy cows; in these countries, milk supply for local nomadic populations is provided by camels and dromedaries. The nutritional quality in the milk obtained from South American camelids has still not been completely investigated, the possibility of creating an economic resource for the people living in the Andean highlands must be evaluated. Both mare and donkey milks show a chemical composition very similar to human milk, and they represent a good replacer of cows’ milk for infants nutrition, especially for children affected by cow milk proteins allergy. In this review, differences and similarities in the quality parameters of milk from minor dairy animals, such as camelids and equids, have been compared.
Information Quality Assessment for Data Fusion Systems
Authors: Becerra Miguel A. , Tobón Catalina , Castro-Ospina Andrés Eduardo , Peluffo-Ordóñez Diego H.
Published: June 2021

This paper provides a comprehensive description of the current literature on data fusion, with an emphasis on Information Quality (IQ) and performance evaluation. This literature review highlights recent studies that reveal existing gaps, the need to find a synergy between data fusion and IQ, several research issues, and the challenges and pitfalls in this field. First, the main models, frameworks, architectures, algorithms, solutions, problems, and requirements are analyzed. Second, a general data fusion engineering process is presented to show how complex it is to design a framework for a specific application. Third, an IQ approach, as well as the different methodologies and frameworks used to assess IQ in information systems are addressed; in addition, data fusion systems are presented along with their related criteria. Furthermore, information on the context in data fusion systems and its IQ assessment are discussed. Subsequently, the issue of data fusion systems’ performance is reviewed. Finally, some key aspects and concluding remarks are outlined, and some future lines of work are gathered.
Insidious-Onset Indurated Plaques on the Shins
Authors: Agrawal Rishi , Knabel Daniel , Fernandez Anthony P.
Published: June 2021

A 64-year old male presented with a several-year history of an insidious-onset tender, itchy and xerotic rash on his lower legs. Past medical history was significant for Graves’ disease and Graves’ ophthalmopathy. The examination revealed peau d’orange-appearing plaques on his shins clinically consistent with pretibial myxedema. A punch biopsy showed separation of collagen bundles with extensive dermal mucin deposition, confirming the diagnosis of pretibial myxedema. After initially failing treatment with a topical clobetasol 0.05% ointment, the patient switched to regular pentoxifylline and triamcinolone 0.1% ointment under occlusion. He remains under follow-up.
Diagnostic Value of Whole-Body MRI Short Protocols in Bone Lesion Detection in Multiple Myeloma Patients
Authors: Ippolito Davide , Giandola Teresa , Maino Cesare , Gandola Davide , Ragusi Maria , Brambilla Paolo , Bonaffini Pietro Andrea , Sironi Sandro
Published: June 2021

The aim of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of short whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (WBMRI) protocols for the overall assessment of bone marrow involvement in patients with multiple myeloma (MM), in comparison with standard whole-body MRI protocol. Patients with biopsy-proven MM, who underwent a WBMRI with full-body coverage (from vertex to feet) were retrospectively enrolled. WBMRI images were independently evaluated by two expert radiologists, in terms of infiltration patterns (normal, focal, diffuse, and combined), according to location (the whole skeleton was divided into six anatomic districts: skull, spine, sternum and ribs, upper limbs, pelvis and proximal two-thirds of the femur, remaining parts of lower limbs) and lytic lesions number (<5, 5–20, and >20). The majority of patients showed focal and combined infiltration patterns with bone lesions predominantly distributed in the spine and pelvis. As skull and lower limbs are less frequently involved by focal bone lesions, excluding them from the standard MRI protocol allows to obtain a shorter protocol, maintaining a good diagnostic value.
Random Walks with Invariant Loop Probabilities: Stereographic Random Walks
Authors: Montero Miquel
Published: June 2021

Random walks with invariant loop probabilities comprise a wide family of Markov processes with site-dependent, one-step transition probabilities. The whole family, which includes the simple random walk, emerges from geometric considerations related to the stereographic projection of an underlying geometry into a line. After a general introduction, we focus our attention on the elliptic case: random walks on a circle with built-in reflexing boundaries.
Assessing Earthquake Forecast Performance Based on b Value in Yunnan Province, China
Authors: Wang Rui , Chang Ying , Miao Miao , Zeng Zhiyi , Chen Hongyan , Shi Haixia , Li Danning , Liu Lifang , Su Youjin , Han Peng
Published: June 2021

Many studies have shown that b values tend to decrease prior to large earthquakes. To evaluate the forecast information in b value variations, we conduct a systematic assessment in Yunnan Province, China, where the seismicity is intense and moderate–large earthquakes occur frequently. The catalog in the past two decades is divided into four time periods (January 2000–December 2004, January 2005–December 2009, January 2010–December 2014, and January 2015–December 2019). The spatial b values are calculated for each 5-year span and then are used to forecast moderate-large earthquakes (M ≥ 5.0) in the subsequent period. As the fault systems in Yunnan Province are complex, to avoid possible biases in b value computation caused by different faulting regimes when using the grid search, the hierarchical space–time point-process models (HIST-PPM) proposed by Ogata are utilized to estimate spatial b values in this study. The forecast performance is tested by Molchan error diagram (MED) and the efficiency is quantified by probability gain (PG) and probability difference (PD). It is found that moderate–large earthquakes are more likely to occur in low b regions. The MED analysis shows that there is considerable precursory information in spatial b values and the forecast efficiency increases with magnitude in the Yunnan Province. These results suggest that the b value might be useful in middle- and long-term earthquake forecasts in the study area.
A Novel Time-Sensitive Composite Similarity Model for Multivariate Time-Series Correlation Analysis
Authors: Liang Mengxia , Wang Xiaolong , Wu Shaocong
Published: June 2021

Finding the correlation between stocks is an effective method for screening and adjusting investment portfolios for investors. One single temporal feature or static nontemporal features are generally used in most studies to measure the similarity between stocks. However, these features are not sufficient to explore phenomena such as price fluctuations similar in shape but unequal in length which may be caused by multiple temporal features. To research stock price volatilities entirely, mining the correlation between stocks should be considered from the point view of multiple features described as time series, including closing price, etc. In this paper, a time-sensitive composite similarity model designed for multivariate time-series correlation analysis based on dynamic time warping is proposed. First, a stock is chosen as the benchmark, and the multivariate time series are segmented by the peaks and troughs time-series segmentation (PTS) algorithm. Second, similar stocks are screened out by similarity. Finally, the rate of rising or falling together between stock pairs is used to verify the proposed model’s effectiveness. Compared with other models, the composite similarity model brings in multiple temporal features and is generalizable for numerical multivariate time series in different fields. The results show that the proposed model is very promising.
Physical Layer Intercept Probability in Wireless Sensor Networks over Fisher–Snedecor \({\mathcal{F}}\) Fading Channels
Authors: Maričić Srđan , Milošević Nenad , Drajić Dejan , Milić Dejan , Anastasov Jelena
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we analyze the physical layer security (PLS) of an arbitrarily dimensioned wireless sensor network (WSN) in the presence of an unauthorized attacker. Various scheduling schemes have been exploited in order to enhance the secure transmission of reliable links impaired by Fisher–Snedecor F fading. The path loss among active nodes is also considered. The exact intercept probability expressions are derived recalling an optimal scheduling scheme (OS), a scheduling policy based on a specific cumulative distribution function (CS), and round-robin scheduling as a baseline. The asymptotic behavior of the intercept metric is also presented in a simpler form with acceptable accuracy. The secrecy diversity orders are defined and the security–reliability tradeoff of WSN is specified. Numerical results are provided to demonstrate the interplay of various main/wiretap channel conditions, the distances among nodes, the number of active sensors, and the average main-to-eavesdropper’s signal ratio in order to upgrade the quality of the WSN secrecy performance. Additionally, the impact of the outage probability on the intercept probability is defined for a variety of scenarios under which either the CS or OS scheme could be selected as suitable for PLS enhancement. The obtained results are verified by independent Monte Carlo simulations.
Multi-Scale Feature Fusion with Adaptive Weighting for Diabetic Retinopathy Severity Classification
Authors: Fan Runze , Liu Yuhong , Zhang Rongfen
Published: June 2021

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the prime cause of blindness in people who suffer from diabetes. Automation of DR diagnosis could help a lot of patients avoid the risk of blindness by identifying the disease and making judgments at an early stage. The main focus of the present work is to propose a feasible scheme of DR severity level detection under the MobileNetV3 backbone network based on a multi-scale feature of the retinal fundus image and improve the classification performance of the model. Firstly, a special residual attention module RCAM for multi-scale feature extraction from different convolution layers was designed. Then, the feature fusion by an innovative operation of adaptive weighting was carried out in each layer. The corresponding weight of the convolution block is updated in the model training automatically, with further global average pooling (GAP) and division process to avoid over-fitting of the model and removing non-critical features. In addition, Focal Loss is used as a loss function due to the data imbalance of DR images. The experimental results based on Kaggle APTOS 2019 contest dataset show that our proposed method for DR severity classification achieves an accuracy of 85.32%, a kappa statistic of 77.26%, and an AUC of 0.97. The comparison results also indicate that the model obtained is superior to the existing models and presents superior classification performance on the dataset.
Interface Converters for Residential Battery Energy Storage Systems: Practices, Difficulties and Prospects
Authors: Galkin Ilya A. , Blinov Andrei , Vorobyov Maxim , Bubovich Alexander , Saltanovs Rodions , Peftitsis Dimosthenis
Published: June 2021

Recent trends in building energy systems such as local renewable energy generation have created a distinct demand for energy storage systems to reduce the influence and dependency on the electric power grid. Under the current market conditions, a range of commercially available residential energy storage systems with batteries has been produced. This paper addresses the area of energy storage systems from multiple directions to provide a broader view on the state-of-the-art developments and trends in the field. Present standards and associated limitations of storage implementation are briefly described, followed by the analysis of parameters and features of commercial battery systems for residential applications. Further, the power electronic converters are reviewed in detail, with the focus on existing and perspective non-isolated solutions. The analysis covers well-known standard topologies, including buck-boost and bridge, as well as emerging solutions based on the unfolding inverter and fractional/partial power converters. Finally, trends and future prospects of the residential battery storage technologies are evaluated.
Characterization of Particle Emissions from a DGEN 380 Small Turbofan Fueled with ATJ Blends
Authors: Jasiński Remigiusz , Kurzawska Paula , Przysowa Radosław
Published: June 2021

The fine particulate matter (PM) emitted from jet aircraft poses a serious threat to the environment and human health which can be mitigated by using biofuels. This paper aims to quantify PM emissions from a small turbofan fueled with the alcohol to jet (ATJ) synthetic kerosene and its various blends (5%, 20%, and 30% of ATJ) with Jet A-1 fuel. Emissions from a turbofan engine (DGEN 380) with a high bypass ratio, applicable in small private jets, were studied. Among the four fuels tested, the PM-number emission index (EIN) was the lowest for the ATJ 30% blend. EIN for ATJ 30% dropped from 1.1 × 1017 to 4.7 × 1016 particles/kg of fuel. Burning alternative fuel blends reduced the particle mass emissions over the entire range of fuel flow by at least 117 mg/kg of fuel. The particles formed in the nucleation mechanism dominate PM emission, which is characteristic of jet engines. Thus, number-based particle size distributions (PSDs) exhibit a single mode log-normal distribution. The highest values of EIN were found for Jet A-1 neat compared to other fuels. The use of the ATJ additive did not cause significant changes in the size of the particles from nucleation mode. However, a magnitude reduction of nucleation mode was found with the increase in the ATJ ratio.
Metamaterial-Based Sub-Microwave Electromagnetic Field Energy Harvesting System
Authors: Nowak Mikołaj
Published: June 2021

This paper presents the comprehensive analysis of the sub-microwave, radio frequency band resonant metastructures’ electromagnetic properties with a particular emphasis on the possibility of their application in energy harvesting systems. Selected structures based on representative topologies of metamaterials have been implemented in the simulation environment. The models have been analyzed and their substitute average electromagnetic parameters (absorption, reflection, transmission and homogenized permeability coefficients) have been determined. On the basis of simulation research, prototypes of electromagnetic field two-dimensional absorbers have been manufactured and verified experimentally in the proposed test system. The absorber has been implemented as a component of the low-cost energy harvesting system with a high-frequency rectifier and a voltage multiplier, obtaining usable DC energy from the electromagnetic field in certain frequency bands. The energy efficiency of the system has been determined and the potential application in energy harvesting technology has been assessed.
A Comparative Study of Adaptive Filtering Strategies for Hybrid Energy Storage Systems in Electric Vehicles
Authors: Nguyen Hoai-Linh T. , Nguyễn Bảo-Huy , Vo-Duy Thanh , Trovão João Pedro F.
Published: June 2021

Hybrid energy storage systems (HESSs) including batteries and supercapacitors (SCs) are a trendy research topic in the electric vehicle (EV) context with the expectation of optimizing the vehicle performance and battery lifespan. Active and semi-active HESSs need to be managed by energy management strategies (EMSs), which should be realized on real-time onboard platforms. A widely used approach is the filter-based EMS thanks to its simplicity and effectiveness. However, one question that always arises with these algorithms is how to determine the appropriate constant cut-off frequency. To tackle this challenge, this paper proposed three adaptive schemes for the filtering strategies based on the SC “ability” and evaluated their performance during the vehicle operation via an intensive comparative study. Offline simulation and experimental validation using signal hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) emulation showed that the proposed adaptive filtering EMS can reduce the battery rms current considerably. Specifically, the SC-energy-based, SOC-based, and voltage-based algorithms minimized the battery rms by up to 69%, 66%, and 64%, respectively, when compared to a pure battery EV in a fluctuating driving condition such as the urban Artemis cycle.