bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cross-Subject Classification of Effectiveness in Performing Cognitive Tasks Using Resting-State EEG
Authors: Steiner Helen , Mikheev Ilya , Martynova Olga
Published: May 2023

A high level of mathematical education is often associated with high effectiveness in solving cognitive problems and professional success. It is known that cognitive processes are accompanied by specific bioelectric activity in the brain and success in mathematical education as a behavioral phenotype is also reflected in EEG both during mental activity and at rest. This study tested the potential to distinguish volunteers with an advanced level of education in mathematics (AM) from individuals with a basic level of education in mathematics (BM) based on the frequency parameters of the resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded before the start of cognitive tasks. Further, the volunteers were divided into two groups, highly successful and moderately successful, according to their task-solving performance. The Light Gradient Boosting Machine learning algorithm was used for cross-subject classification based on the power spectral density of seven EEG frequency bands. It most accurately recognized and differentiated EEG of highly successful from highly successful BM subjects. The results indicate that success in solving tasks in combination with a high level of education in mathematics can be reflected in or predicted by the specific rhythmic activity of the brain at rest.
Interface Behavior Analysis of Different Geomembrane Liner Systems Based on PIV Techniques
Authors: Gao Junli , Wang Jiajun
Published: May 2023

The interfacial friction performance of the liner system has an important influence on the overall stability of modern landfills, but the interface of the liner system using conventional geomembranes may have problems such as shear failure and slip along the liner system. Accordingly, the concept of a ribbed geomembrane was proposed. Based on the laboratory model tests, the variation laws of p–s curves and the additional stress of sand were studied under different values of shape, rib spacing, and rib height. A series of particle image velocimetry (PIV) analyses of sand particles were performed to provide insight into the reinforcement mechanism of the ribbed geomembrane liner system. The results indicated that the ribbed geomembrane could obviously improve the stability of the liner system compared with the smooth geomembrane. The ribbed geomembrane formed an indirect influence area with sand in a specific range. The ribbed geomembrane with optimal values of rib spacing and rib height was beneficial to reduce the settlement of the upper sand and the stress redistribution of the sand particles.
Urbanization Process: A Simulation Method of Urban Expansion Based on RF-SNSCNN-CA Model
Authors: Liu Minghao , Liao Xiangli , Chen Chun
Published: May 2023

One of the focal points in Geographic Information Science (GIS) is to uncover the spatial distribution patterns of geographical phenomena. In response to the insufficient spatial feature learning concerning neighborhoods in traditional machine learning-based Cellular Automata (CA) models for land use change, this study couples the Random Forest (RF) model and the Spatially Non-Stationary Convolutional Neural Network (SNSCNN) model to the CA model. The resulting RF-SNSCNN-CA model considers the issue of spatial non-stationarity by incorporating attention mechanisms. Using observed urban land change data from 2010 to 2017 in the 21 districts of Chongqing’s main city as an example, two sets of experiments comprising eight scenarios were designed to verify the neighborhood effects. The results demonstrate that the proposed RF-SNSCNN-CA model achieves an Overall Accuracy (OA) of 97.82%, Kappa of 0.7683, and Figure of Merit (FoM) of 0.3836. The study reveals the following findings. Firstly, the RF-SNSCNN-CA model integrates the dual advantages of traditional machine learning and deep learning models, in which SNSCNN improves by the combined effect of channel and spatial attention mechanisms improves the learning of neighborhood features; secondly, the machine learning-like urban sprawl CA modeling process, regardless of the approach taken to obtain development suitability, cannot completely replace the learning of the neighborhood part; lastly, the use of traditional neighborhood modeling methods may produce suppression of simulation results and make the model inadequately learn spatial features.
Electrochemical Behavior of Mixed Cu Powder and LiCl/Li13In3-Coated Li Powder Anodes in Lithium Metal Secondary Batteries
Authors: Choi Sanghyeon , Kim Byung Hyuk , Yoon Woo Young
Published: May 2023

A novel anode consisting of a mixture of Cu powder and LiCl/Li13In3-coated Li powder was developed and tested for use in Li metal secondary batteries (LMSBs). The aim was to improve the electrochemical performance as suppress dendrite formation and volume change on the Li metal electrode. A LiCl/Li13In3 composite film was deposited on the surface of Li powder particles using a facile liquid treatment method. The coated Li powder was mixed with Cu powder to produce a Li–Cu composite electrode (LCE) for LMSBs. It has been proven through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and analysis of the coating layer using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and depth profile analysis that LiCl/Li13In3 has formed well on the surface of the Li powder. The coated LCE exhibited improved electrochemical properties in both the symmetric cell and full cell tests. Through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement, it has been determined that after 50 cycles, the impedance of the coated LCE is 98 Ω. In particular, even when a large amount of Li was used (40%, 1544 mAh g−1), it exhibited improved electrochemical behavior over 50 cycles in a symmetric cell test. In addition, in a full cell test with LiV3O8 as a cathode at a 2 C rate, the capacity retention was 96% after 50 cycles. SEM images showed that dendrite growth and volume change were suppressed by the novel electrode architecture.
Perspectives on Big Data, Cloud-Based Data Analysis and Machine Learning Systems
Authors: Marozzo Fabrizio , Talia Domenico
Published: May 2023

Huge amounts of digital data are continuously generated and collected from different sources, such as sensors, cameras, in-vehicle infotainment, smart meters, mobile devices, social media platforms, and web applications and services [...]
Effect of Low Light Stress on Distribution of Auxin (Indole-3-Acetic Acid) between Shoot and Roots and Development of Lateral Roots in Barley Plants
Authors: Korobova Alla , Ivanov Ruslan , Timergalina Leila , Vysotskaya Lidiya , Nuzhnaya Tatiana , Akhiyarova Guzel , Kusnetsov Victor , Veselov Dmitry , Kudoyarova Guzel
Published: May 2023

Depending on their habitat conditions, plants can greatly change the growth rate of their roots. However, the mechanisms of such responses remain insufficiently clear. The influence of a low level of illumination on the content of endogenous auxins, their localization in leaves and transport from shoots to roots were studied and related to the lateral root branching of barley plants. Following two days’ reduction in illumination, a 10-fold reduction in the emergence of lateral roots was found. Auxin (IAA, indole-3-acetic acid) content decreased by 84% in roots and by 30% in shoots, and immunolocalization revealed lowered IAA levels in phloem cells of leaf sections. The reduced content of IAA found in the plants under low light suggests an inhibition of production of this hormone under these conditions. At the same time, two-fold downregulation of the LAX3 gene expression, facilitating IAA influx into the cells, was detected in the roots, as well as a decline in auxin diffusion from shoots through the phloem by about 60%. It was suggested that the reduced emergence of lateral roots in barley under a low level of illumination was due to a disturbance of auxin transport through the phloem and down-regulation of the genes responsible for auxin transport in plant roots. The results confirm the importance of the long distance transport of auxins for the control of the growth of roots under conditions of low light. Further study of the mechanisms that control the transport of auxins from shoots to roots in other plant species is required.
The Effects of a High-Fat Diet on Inflammatory Bowel Disease
Authors: Dang Yuan , Ma Chunxiang , Chen Kexin , Chen Yiding , Jiang Mingshan , Hu Kehan , Li Lili , Zeng Zhen , Zhang Hu
Published: May 2023

The interactions among diet, intestinal immunity, and microbiota are complex and play contradictory roles in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). An increasing number of studies has shed light on this field. The intestinal immune balance is disrupted by a high-fat diet (HFD) in several ways, such as impairing the intestinal barrier, influencing immune cells, and altering the gut microbiota. In contrast, a rational diet is thought to maintain intestinal immunity by regulating gut microbiota. In this review, we emphasize the crucial contributions made by an HFD to the gut immune system and microbiota.
Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence for Pathogen Identification and Antibiotic Resistance Detection: Advancing Diagnostics for Urinary Tract Infections
Authors: Harris Mohammed
Published: May 2023

Machine learning is being increasingly applied in various aspects of medicine. The availability of large amounts of digital health records has enabled researchers to apply machine learning algorithms to tackle different medical problems. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are common bacterial infections that are prone to being misdiagnosed and over-treated with antibiotics. For appropriate tailored antibiotic therapy, new diagnostic methods providing rapid pathogen identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing are urgently needed. In this review, we first discuss emerging technologies that have employed machine learning models to deliver speedy diagnostic results, particularly for urinary tract infections. We then explore how machine learning models are enabling sequence-based diagnostics by predicting antibiotic resistances from genome sequencing data. Finally, we examine different studies that apply machine learning to electronic health records to improve UTI diagnosis, to reduce antibiotic use and guide treatments without urine culture, and to reduce clinical workload and unnecessary hospital visits.
Influence of Muscle Mass and Strength on Bone Mineralisation with Consideration of Sclerostin Concentration
Authors: Patalong-Wójcik Martyna , Golara Anna , Zając Katarzyna , Sokołowska Alicja , Kozłowski Mateusz , Tołoczko-Grabarek Aleksandra , Krzyścin Mariola , Brodowska Agnieszka , Janiec Agnieszka , Myszka Aleksandra , Cymbaluk-Płoska Aneta , Sowińska-Przepiera Elżbieta
Published: May 2023

Osteoporosis is a disease characterised by a reduction in bone strength due to increased porosity and impaired mineralisation. In our study, we investigated whether muscle strength and mass exert a significant effect on bone mineral density in young adult women. We also tested whether sclerostin can be used as an indicator in the assessment of bone mineralisation. The study included 111 patients. All patients had their bone mineral density determined in the L1–L4 section of the lumbar spine and in the whole skeleton. The parameters of fat mass (FM), lean body mass (LBM) and visceral fat mass (VF) were also determined. Metabolic activity of osteocytes was assessed by measuring the serum sclerostin concentration. There was a statistically significant association of both hands’ muscle strength with all parameters expressing bone mineralisation. A statistically significant relationship was also obtained between BMD L1–L4 and the body mass components (FM, LBM). Sclerostin levels in the study did not differ between groups with normal and reduced bone mineral density. Muscle strength assessment may be a potential exponent of reduced bone mineral density, also used clinically in young adult women. The utility of sclerostin in the clinical assessment of bone mineralisation has not been demonstrated.
Opponent Hitting Behavior Prediction and Ball Location Control for a Table Tennis Robot
Authors: Ji Yunfeng , Mao Yue , Suo Fangfei , Hu Xiaoyi , Hou Yunfeng , Yuan Ye
Published: May 2023

The hitting position and velocity control for table tennis robots have been investigated widely in the literature. However, most of the studies conducted do not consider the opponent’s hitting behaviors, which may reduce hitting accuracy. This paper proposes a new table tennis robot framework that returns the ball based on the opponent’s hitting behaviors. Specifically, we classify the opponent’s hitting behaviors into four categories: forehand attacking, forehand rubbing, backhand attacking, and backhand rubbing. A tailor-made mechanical structure that consists of a robot arm and a two-dimensional slide rail is developed such that the robot can reach large workspaces. Additionally, a visual module is incorporated to enable the robot to capture opponent motion sequences. Based on the opponent’s hitting behaviors and the predicted ball trajectory, smooth and stable control of the robot’s hitting motion can be obtained by applying quintic polynomial trajectory planning. Moreover, a motion control strategy is devised for the robot to return the ball to the desired location. Extensive experimental results are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy.
fNIRS-Based Differences in Cortical Activation during Tool Use, Pantomimed Actions, and Meaningless Actions between Children with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Authors: Su Wan-Chun , Culotta McKenzie , Mueller Jessica , Tsuzuki Daisuke , Bhat Anjana
Published: May 2023

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have difficulties with tool use and pantomime actions. The current study utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to examine the neural mechanisms underlying these gestural difficulties. Thirty-one children with and without ASD (age (mean ± SE) = 11.0 ± 0.6) completed a naturalistic peg-hammering task using an actual hammer (hammer condition), pantomiming hammering actions (pantomime condition), and performing meaningless actions with similar joint motions (meaningless condition). Children with ASD exhibited poor praxis performance (praxis error: TD = 17.9 ± 1.7; ASD = 27.0 ± 2.6, p < 0.01), which was significantly correlated with their cortical activation (R = 0.257 to 0.543). Both groups showed left-lateralized activation, but children with ASD demonstrated more bilateral activation during all gestural conditions. Compared to typically developing children, children with ASD showed hyperactivation of the inferior parietal lobe and hypoactivation of the middle/inferior frontal and middle/superior temporal regions. Our findings indicate intact technical reasoning (typical left-IPL activation) but atypical visuospatial and proprioceptive processing (hyperactivation of the right IPL) during tool use in children with ASD. These results have important implications for clinicians and researchers, who should focus on facilitating/reducing the burden of visuospatial and proprioceptive processing in children with ASD. Additionally, fNIRS-related biomarkers could be used for early identification through early object play/tool use and to examine neural effects following gesture-based interventions.
Damage Zone of the Reinforced Concrete Beam under Rectangular Explosive Contact Explosions
Authors: Zhao Lijun , Hao Yongping , Wang Qiuyang , Yang Chaozhi , Yao Huangwei , Jia Xin
Published: May 2023

This paper investigates the damaged area of a reinforced concrete beam under rectangular explosive contact explosion, through full-scale beam tests and numerical simulation. The calculation equation of beam surface load distribution based on equivalent impulse is established, with a consideration of the effect of the length and height of rectangular explosive on the load distribution, and the calculation equation of beam damage area is further proposed. Through changing the mass of the rectangular TNT explosive (1~6 kg) and the shape of the 1 kg rectangular explosive, 5 cases of the test were carried out on a full-scale reinforced concrete beam. The damaged area of the beam is divided into three parts: blasting crater, damage span of the front face, and damage span of the bottom face. The RHT (Riedel–Hiermaier–Thoma) material model is used to simulate concrete for numerical simulation. Curve fitting was performed based on the numerical simulation results. With the prediction of the load distribution on the beam surface, the size of the surface crushing area and the span of the damaged area are calculated; the section resistance function of the beam is introduced to calculate the depth of the blasting crater; and the correlation curve between the damaged span of the front face, the depth of the blasting crater, and the mass of the block TNT is established. The local damage to the beam under the contact explosion load can be evaluated more accurately when the mass of the rectangular TNT is 1~6 kg.
BIM-Based Automated Code Compliance Checking System in Malaysian Fire Safety Regulations: A User-Friendly Approach
Authors: Ismail Aimi Sara , Ali Kherun Nita , Iahad Noorminshah A. , Kassem Mukhtar A. , Al-Ashwal Najib Taher
Published: May 2023

Developing automated code compliance checking systems is becoming increasingly complex—to the extent of challenging the implementation of these systems. This paper addresses the need to develop an automated system that prioritises user accessibility. Accordingly, the study aims to develop a system through a semi-automated rule translation process and the utilisation of BIM models in native file format. A total of 256 fire safety clauses in Malaysian regulations were translated through logic-based approaches (classification technique, decomposition through semantic mark-up method, and interview method), which further assisted in identifying the necessary BIM properties. A visual programming language was then utilised to demonstrate the proof-of-concept prototype. The classification technique and semantic mark-up method were established and structured in this study by developing a framework and flowchart to provide specific guidelines for formalizing the clauses. The semi-automated translation process encouraged the participation of relevant regulatory experts and provided more user accessibility compared to existing studies. This study also offered more practicality for designers to employ the system by utilizing native BIM model data representation. High mean scores ranging from 4.09 to 4.96 were obtained for the validation process, which affirmed the feasibility of the BIM-based Automated System for Malaysian Code Compliance Checking (BIMSMACC) to assist designers.
Cytokine-Induced Myeloid-Derived Suppressor Cells Demonstrate Their Immunoregulatory Functions to Prolong the Survival of Diabetic Mice
Authors: Li Tung-Teng , Lin Chun-Liang , Chiang Meihua , He Jie-Teng , Hung Chien-Hui , Hsieh Ching-Chuan
Published: May 2023

Type 1 diabetes is an inflammatory state. Myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs) originate from immature myeloid cells and quickly expand to control host immunity during infection, inflammation, trauma, and cancer. This study presents an ex vivo procedure to develop MDSCs from bone marrow cells propagated from granulocyte–macrophage-colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β cytokines expressing immature morphology and high immunosuppression of T-cell proliferation. The adoptive transfer of cytokine-induced MDSCs (cMDSCs) improved the hyperglycemic state and prolonged the diabetes-free survival of nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice with severe combined immune deficiency (SCID) induced by reactive splenic T cells harvested from NOD mice. In addition, the application of cMDSCs reduced fibronectin production in the renal glomeruli and improved renal function and proteinuria in diabetic mice. Moreover, cMDSCs use mitigated pancreatic insulitis to restore insulin production and reduce the levels of HbA1c. In conclusion, administering cMDSCs propagated from GM-CSF, IL-6, and IL-1β cytokines provides an alternative immunotherapy protocol for treating diabetic pancreatic insulitis and renal nephropathy.
The Role of Toll and Nonnuclear NF-κB Signaling in the Response to Alcohol
Authors: Atkinson Nigel S.
Published: May 2023

An understanding of neuroimmune signaling has become central to a description of how alcohol causes addiction and how it damages people with an AUD. It is well known that the neuroimmune system influences neural activity via changes in gene expression. This review discusses the roles played by CNS Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling in the response to alcohol. Also discussed are observations in Drosophila that show how TLR signaling pathways can be co-opted by the nervous system and potentially shape behavior to a far greater extent and in ways different than generally recognized. For example, in Drosophila, TLRs substitute for neurotrophin receptors and an NF-κB at the end of a TLR pathway influences alcohol responsivity by acting non-genomically.
The Applicability of a 2-Transcript Signature to Identify Bacterial Infections in Children with Febrile Neutropenia
Authors: Aasa Johannes , Tiselius Eva , Sinha Indranil , Edman Gunnar , Wahlund Martina , Hedengren Shanie Saghafian , Nilsson Anna , Berggren Anna
Published: May 2023

Febrile neutropenia is a common complication during chemotherapy in paediatric cancer care. In this setting, clinical features and current diagnostic tests do not reliably distinguish between bacterial and viral infections. Children with cancer (n = 63) presenting with fever and neutropenia were recruited for extensive microbiological and blood RNA sampling. RNA sequencing was successful in 43 cases of febrile neutropenia. These were classified as having probable bacterial infection (n = 17), probable viral infection (n = 13) and fever of unknown origin (n = 13) based on microbiological defined infections and CRP cut-off levels. RNA expression data with focus on the 2-transcript signature (FAM89A and IFI44L), earlier shown to identify bacterial infections with high specificity and sensitivity, was implemented as a disease risk score. The median disease risk score was higher in the probable bacterial infection group, −0.695 (max 2.795; min −5.478) compared to the probable viral infection group −3.327 (max 0.218; min −7.861), which in ROC analysis corresponded to a sensitivity of 0.88 and specificity of 0.54 with an AUC of 0.80. To further characterise the immune signature, analysis of significantly expressed genes and pathways was performed and upregulation of genes associated to antibacterial responses was present in the group classified as probable bacterial infection. Our results suggest that the 2-transcript signature may have a potential use as a diagnostic tool to identify bacterial infections in immunosuppressed children with febrile neutropenia.
Sperm Cryopreservation Today: Approaches, Efficiency, and Pitfalls
Authors: Ozimic Sanja , Ban-Frangez Helena , Stimpfel Martin
Published: May 2023

The cryopreservation of human spermatozoa has been an option for patients undergoing chemo or radiotherapies since the late 1950s. Presently, there are different techniques for the cryopreservation of spermatozoa. The most commonly used techniques are programmable slow freezing and freezing on liquid nitrogen vapors, while the use of vitrification is still not accepted as clinically relevant. Although there have been many improvements, the ideal technique for achieving better post-thaw sperm quality continues to be a mystery. A major obstacle during cryopreservation is the formation of intracellular ice crystals. Cryodamage generated by cryopreservation causes structural and molecular alterations in spermatozoa. Injuries can happen because of oxidative stress, temperature stress, and osmotic stress, which then result in changes in the plasma membrane fluidity, motility, viability, and DNA integrity of the spermatozoa. To prevent cryodamage as much as possible, cryoprotectants are added, and in some clinical trial cases, even antioxidants that may improve post-thaw sperm quality are added. This review discusses cryopreservation techniques, cryodamage on molecular and structural levels, and cryoprotectants. It provides a comparison of cryopreservation techniques and describes recent advances in those techniques.
Mindfulness, Subjective Cognitive Functioning, Sleep Timing and Time Expansion during COVID-19 Lockdown: A Longitudinal Study in Italy
Authors: Fabbri Marco
Published: May 2023

During the COVID-19 lockdown, a distortion of time passage has been widely reported in association with a change in daily rhythm. However, several variables related to these changes have not been considered. The purpose of the present study was to assess the changes in dispositional mindfulness, time experience, sleep timing and subjective memory functioning. A longitudinal study was conducted on 39 Italian adults (53.85% males; 35.03 ± 14.02 years) assessing mindfulness, ad hoc questions of sleep habits during workdays and free days, chronotypes, subjective time experience, and memory functioning before (December 2019–March 2020) and during (April 2020–May 2020) the first Italian COVID-19 lockdown. Participants reported delayed sleep timing, a slowdown in the perception of the present time, a decrease of time pressure, and an increase in the feeling of time expansion/boredom. In addition to correlations between mindfulness, memory functioning, and subjective sleep duration during workdays, a mediation model showed that changes in the dispositional mindfulness determined a delay of bedtime during workdays through the mediation effect of increased feeling of time expansion/boredom. This finding highlighted the role of mindfulness in reducing the feeling of time expansion/boredom for regulating the sleep timing. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Application of DFT and TD-DFT on Langmuir Adsorption of Nitrogen and Sulfur Heterocycle Dopants on an Aluminum Surface Decorated with Magnesium and Silicon
Authors: Mollaamin Fatemeh , Monajjemi Majid
Published: May 2023

In this study, we investigated the abilities of nitrogen and sulfur heterocyclic carbenes of benzotriazole, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 8-hydroxyquinoline, and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol regarding adsorption on an Al-Mg-Si alloy toward corrosion inhibition of the surface. Al-Si(14), Al-Si(19), and Al-Si(21) in the Al-Mg-Si alloy surface with the highest fluctuation in the shielding tensors of the “NMR” spectrum generated by intra-atomic interaction directed us to the most influence in the neighbor atoms generated by interatomic reactions of N → Al, O → Al, and S → Al through the coating and adsorbing process of Langmuir adsorption. The values of various thermodynamic properties and dipole moments of benzotriazole, 2-mercaptobenzothiazole, 8-hydroxyquinoline, and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole-5-thiol adsorbed on the Al-Mg-Si increased by enhancing the molecular weight of these compounds as well as the charge distribution between organic compounds (electron donor) and the alloy surface (electron acceptor). Finally, this research can build up our knowledge of the electronic structure, relative stability, and surface bonding of various metal alloy surfaces, metal-doped alloy nanosheets, and other dependent mechanisms such as heterogeneous catalysis, friction lubrication, and biological systems.
High Species Richness of Decapod Crustaceans on an Urban Rocky Shore Beach
Authors: Rodríguez-Hidalgo Mikel , Cervera Juan Lucas , Cuesta Jose A.
Published: May 2023

The rocky intertidal shore of La Caleta, an urban beach located in Cádiz (SW Spain), was surveyed for decapod crustaceans over a year. Samplings were taken monthly (March 2015 to February 2016) in three differentiated zones during the spring low tides of every month at five sites, differentiated according to the hydrodynamic regimes and intertidal levels. A qualitative sampling (present/absent) was carried out by visual identification (minimally invasive), and only those specimens with uncertain identification were collected by hand, studied at the laboratory, or identified using their DNA barcode. A total of 44 species were identified. Comparison with species richness of decapod crustaceans in other Atlantic and Mediterranean intertidal or subtidal ecosystems (including protected areas) shows higher values in La Caleta, a surprising fact considering the type of habitat and its placement (an urban and unprotected shore).
A Fast Deep Learning ECG Sex Identifier Based on Wavelet RGB Image Classification
Authors: Cabra Lopez Jose-Luis , Parra Carlos , Forero Gonzalo
Published: May 2023

Human sex recognition with electrocardiogram signals is an emerging area in machine learning, mostly oriented toward neural network approaches. It might be the beginning of a field of heart behavior analysis focused on sex. However, a person’s heartbeat changes during daily activities, which could compromise the classification. In this paper, with the intention of capturing heartbeat dynamics, we divided the heart rate into different intervals, creating a specialized identification model for each interval. The sexual differentiation for each model was performed with a deep convolutional neural network from images that represented the RGB wavelet transformation of ECG pseudo-orthogonal X, Y, and Z signals, using sufficient samples to train the network. Our database included 202 people, with a female-to-male population ratio of 49.5–50.5% and an observation period of 24 h per person. As our main goal, we looked for periods of time during which the classification rate of sex recognition was higher and the process was faster; in fact, we identified intervals in which only one heartbeat was required. We found that for each heart rate interval, the best accuracy score varied depending on the number of heartbeats collected. Furthermore, our findings indicated that as the heart rate increased, fewer heartbeats were needed for analysis. On average, our proposed model reached an accuracy of 94.82% ± 1.96%. The findings of this investigation provide a heartbeat acquisition procedure for ECG sex recognition systems. In addition, our results encourage future research to include sex as a soft biometric characteristic in person identification scenarios and for cardiology studies, in which the detection of specific male or female anomalies could help autonomous learning machines move toward specialized health applications.
Toward Positive Energy Districts by Urban–Industrial Energy Exchange
Authors: Shafiee Roudbari Erfan , Menon Ramanunni Parakkal , Kantor Ivan , Eicker Ursula
Published: May 2023

The concept of Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) has emerged as a promising approach to achieving sustainable urban development. PEDs aim to balance the energy demand and supply within a district while reducing the carbon footprint and promoting renewable energy sources. Urban–Industrial Symbiosis (UIS) is another approach that involves the exchange of energy and resources between industrial processes and nearby urban areas to increase efficiency and reduce waste. Combining the concepts of PED and UIS can create self-sufficient, sustainable, and resilient districts. As the analysis and implementation of such systems are barely studied in North America, this research study was structured to fill the gap by evaluating the financial and environmental advantages of this combination. This study proposes a methodology to design a heat transmission system; then, it is applied to the case of a paper-making factory and a multifunctional heritage building in Montreal, Canada. The results show that the building’s new heating system can generate sufficient heat while emitting near-zero direct emissions. Overall, this paper argues that combining the concepts of PED and UIS can lead to a more sustainable and resilient urban area, and provides a roadmap for achieving this goal.
An Adaptive Early Stopping Technique for DenseNet169-Based Knee Osteoarthritis Detection Model
Authors: Al-rimy Bander Ali Saleh , Saeed Faisal , Al-Sarem Mohammed , Albarrak Abdullah M. , Qasem Sultan Noman
Published: May 2023

Knee osteoarthritis (OA) detection is an important area of research in health informatics that aims to improve the accuracy of diagnosing this debilitating condition. In this paper, we investigate the ability of DenseNet169, a deep convolutional neural network architecture, for knee osteoarthritis detection using X-ray images. We focus on the use of the DenseNet169 architecture and propose an adaptive early stopping technique that utilizes gradual cross-entropy loss estimation. The proposed approach allows for the efficient selection of the optimal number of training epochs, thus preventing overfitting. To achieve the goal of this study, the adaptive early stopping mechanism that observes the validation accuracy as a threshold was designed. Then, the gradual cross-entropy (GCE) loss estimation technique was developed and integrated to the epoch training mechanism. Both adaptive early stopping and GCE were incorporated into the DenseNet169 for the OA detection model. The performance of the model was measured using several metrics including accuracy, precision, and recall. The obtained results were compared with those obtained from the existing works. The comparison shows that the proposed model outperformed the existing solutions in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and loss performance, which indicates that the adaptive early stopping coupled with GCE improved the ability of DenseNet169 to accurately detect knee OA.
Colposcopy Accuracy and Diagnostic Performance: A Quality Control and Quality Assurance Survey in Italian Tertiary-Level Teaching and Academic Institutions—The Italian Society of Colposcopy and Cervico-Vaginal Pathology (SICPCV)
Authors: Origoni Massimo , Cantatore Francesco , Sopracordevole Francesco , Clemente Nicolò , Spinillo Arsenio , Gardella Barbara , De Vincenzo Rosa , Ricci Caterina , Landoni Fabio , Di Meo Maria Letizia , Ciavattini Andrea , Di Giuseppe Jacopo , Preti Eleonora , Iacobone Anna Daniela , Carriero Carmine , Dellino Miriam , Capodanno Massimo , Perino Antonino , Miglioli Cesare , Insolia Luca , Barbero Maggiorino , Candiani Massimo
Published: May 2023

Quality Control (QC) and Quality Assurance (QA) principles are essential for effective cervical cancer prevention. Being a crucial diagnostic step, colposcopy’s sensitivity and specificity improvements are strongly advocated worldwide since inter- and intra-observer differences are the main limiting factors. The objective of the present study was the evaluation of colposcopy accuracy through the results of a QC/QA assessment from a survey in Italian tertiary-level academic and teaching hospitals. A web-based, user-friendly platform based on 100 colposcopic digital images was forwarded to colposcopists with different levels of experience. Seventy-three participants were asked to identify colposcopic patterns, provide personal impressions, and indicate the correct clinical practice. The data were correlated with a panel of experts’ evaluation and with the clinical/pathological data of the cases. Overall sensitivity and specificity with the threshold of CIN2+ accounted for 73.7% and 87.7%, respectively, with minor differences between senior and junior candidates. Identification and interpretation of colposcopic patterns showed full agreement with the experts’ panel, ranging from 50% to 82%, in some instances with better results from junior colposcopists. Colposcopic impressions correlated with a 20% underestimation of CIN2+ lesions, with no differences linked to level of experience. Our results demonstrate the good diagnostic performance of colposcopy and the need for improving accuracy through QC assessments and adhesion to standard requirements and recommendations.
Imaging of Bioprosthetic Valve Dysfunction after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Implantation
Authors: Alwan Louhai , Bernhard Benedikt , Brugger Nicolas , de Marchi Stefano F. , Praz Fabien , Windecker Stephan , Pilgrim Thomas , Gräni Christoph
Published: May 2023

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has become the standard of care in elderly high-risk patients with symptomatic severe aortic stenosis. Recently, TAVI has been increasingly performed in younger-, intermediate- and lower-risk populations, which underlines the need to investigate the long-term durability of bioprosthetic aortic valves. However, diagnosing bioprosthetic valve dysfunction after TAVI is challenging and only limited evidence-based criteria exist to guide therapy. Bioprosthetic valve dysfunction encompasses structural valve deterioration (SVD) resulting from degenerative changes in the valve structure and function, non-SVD resulting from intrinsic paravalvular regurgitation or patient–prosthesis mismatch, valve thrombosis, and infective endocarditis. Overlapping phenotypes, confluent pathologies, and their shared end-stage bioprosthetic valve failure complicate the differentiation of these entities. In this review, we focus on the contemporary and future roles, advantages, and limitations of imaging modalities such as echocardiography, cardiac computed tomography angiography, cardiac magnetic resonance imaging, and positron emission tomography to monitor the integrity of transcatheter heart valves.
Pregnancy and Gastric Cancer: A Narrative Review
Authors: Constantin Adrian , Constantin Roxana , Achim Florin , Socea Bogdan , Predescu Dragos
Published: May 2023

Cases of digestive cancers diagnosed during pregnancy are rare. The increasing prevalence of pregnancy in women aged 30–39 years (and not exceptionally 40–49 years) could explain the frequent co-occurrence of cancers and pregnancy. The diagnosis of digestive cancers in pregnancy is difficult due to the overlap between neoplasm symptomatology and the clinical picture of pregnancy. A paraclinical evaluation may also be difficult depending on the trimester of the pregnancy. Diagnosis is also delayed by practitioners’ hesitation to use invasive investigations (imaging, endoscopy, etc.) due to fetal safety concerns. Therefore, digestive cancers are often diagnosed during pregnancy in advanced stages, where complications such as occlusions, perforations, and cachexia have already arisen. In this review, we highlight the epidemiology, clinical aspects, paraclinical evaluation, and particularities of the diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer during pregnancy.
Schrödinger’s What is Life?—Complexity, Cognition and the City
Authors: Portugali Juval
Published: May 2023

This paper draws attention to four central concepts in Schrödinger’s ‘What is Life?’ that have not, as yet, received sufficient attention in the domain of complexity: delayed entropy, free energy, order out of order and aperiodic crystal. It then demonstrates the important role the four elements play in the dynamics of complex systems by elaborating on their implications for cities as complex systems.
Towards Intercultural Education: Exploring Perceptions of Cultural Diversity and Identities of Adolescents Living in the Border Area between Spain and Morocco
Authors: Gallego-Noche Beatriz , Goenechea Cristina , Gómez-Ruiz Miguel Ángel , Machín-Alvarez Macarena
Published: May 2023

Borders are complex spaces of relationships and interpretations built from the perspective of cultural diversity. The complexity of these spaces concerns the ways in which they are created, experienced and questioned by the people who inhabit them. They are considered spaces of exclusion but also of educational opportunities. This research aims to explore how adolescents who live at the border area between Spain and Morocco value cultural diversity and different aspects related to the construction of their identities. The cities of Algeciras and La Línea in Spain and Tangier and Tetouan in Morocco were selected, and a questionnaire in Arabic and Spanish was administered to a total sample of 751 adolescents, obtaining a significant sample of the adolescent population (confidence level greater than 95% and estimation error less than 2%). The data were statistically analysed using the SPSS Statistics V24 software programme. The results show significant differences between the Moroccan and Spanish adolescents regarding their perceptions of cultural diversity and how it can be a source of conflict; how they shape their identities and identify with the ways of life and habits of the neighbouring country; and how religion influences their cultural identities.
Modeling and Compensation of Inertial Sensor Errors in Measurement Systems
Authors: Zheng Tao , Xu Aigong , Xu Xinchao , Liu Mingyue
Published: May 2023

In the field of surveying and mapping, inertial sensor deterministic errors are poorly understood, and error calibration and compensation are not carried out. Thus, in this study, the effects of three types of deterministic errors (i.e., bias, scale factor error, and installation error) in a conventional inertial measurement unit (IMU) error model on a navigation system are theoretically deduced and verified by simulation. Subsequently, navigation experiments are carried out to investigate the effects of the three deterministic errors on the navigation system. The experimental results show that the gyro bias has the strongest influence on the navigation and positioning accuracy of the system. Consequently, we designed a two-position continuous calibration scheme to calibrate the IMU. The calibration scheme can simultaneously calibrate the bias error of the gyroscope and the accelerometer. When calibrating the bias error of the 0.005°/h order of magnitude, the maximum relative error is 13.16%, and the rest of the calibration relative errors are less than 10%, which verifies the effectiveness of the calibration path designed in this paper. The system is compensated by using the IMU bias calibration results, and the navigation experiment results show that the position accuracy and heading accuracy are improved by 72.68% and 79.65%, respectively, through the calibration and compensation of IMU bias error. Therefore, the position and heading accuracy of the system will be greatly improved by calibrating and compensating the bias error through the two-position calibration path before the IMU is used.
Comprehensive Review on Thin Film Homojunction Solar Cells: Technologies, Progress and Challenges
Authors: Saif Omar M. , Elogail Yasmine , Abdolkader Tarek M. , Shaker Ahmed , Zekry Abdelhalim , Abouelatta Mohamed , Salem Marwa S. , Fedawy Mostafa
Published: May 2023

With the aim of achieving high efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and reliability of solar cells, several technologies have been studied. Recently, emerging materials have appeared to replace Si-based cells, seeking economic fabrication of solar cells. Thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) are considered strong candidates for this mission, specifically perovskite-based solar cells, reporting competitive power convergence efficiencies reaching up to 25.7%. Substantial efforts have been invested in experimental and research work to surpass the Si-based cells performance. Simulation analysis is a major tool in achieving this target by detecting design problems and providing possible solutions. Usually, a TFSC adopts p-i-n heterojunction architecture by employing carrier transport materials along with the absorber material in order to extract the photogenerated electrons and holes by realizing a built-in electric field. Eventually, this dependency of conventional heterojunction TFSCs on carrier transport layers results in cost-ineffective cells and increases the possibility of device instability and interface problems. Thus, the design of p-n homojunction TFSCs is highly desirable as an essential direction of structural innovation to realize efficient solar cell operation. In this review, a summary of the fundamentals of TFSC materials, recent design and technology progress, and methodologies for improving the device performance using experimental research studies will be discussed. Further, simulation analysis will be provided by demonstrating the latest research work outcomes, highlighting the major achievements and the most common challenges facing thin film homojunction solar cell structures and the methods to improve them.
Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Tenebrio molitor (Mealworm) Using Nuruk Extract Concentrate and an Evaluation of Its Nutritional, Functional, and Sensory Properties
Authors: Chewaka Legesse Shiferaw , Park Chan Soon , Cha Youn-Soo , Desta Kebede Taye , Park Bo-Ram
Published: May 2023

Enzymatic protein hydrolysis is a well-established method for improving the quality of dietary proteins, including edible insects. Finding effective enzymes from natural sources is becoming increasingly important. This study used nuruk extract concentrate (NEC), an enzyme-rich fermentation starter, to produce protein hydrolysate from defatted Tenebrio molitor (also called mealworm, MW). The nutritional, functional, and sensorial properties of the hydrolysate were then compared to those obtained using commercial proteases (alcalase and flavourzyme). The protease activities of the crude nuruk extract (CNE), NEC, alcalase, and flavourzyme were 6.78, 12.71, 11.07, and 12.45 units/mL, respectively. The degree of hydrolysis and yield of MW hydrolysis by NEC were 15.10 and 35.92% (w/w), respectively. MW hydrolysate was obtained using NEC and had a significantly higher free amino acid content (90.37 mg/g) than alcalase (53.01 mg/g) and flavourzyme (79.64 mg/g) hydrolysates. Furthermore, the NEC hydrolysis of MW increased the antioxidant and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitory activity, with IC50 values of 3.07 and 0.15 mg/mL, respectively. The enzymatic hydrolysis also improved sensory properties, including umaminess, sweetness, and saltiness. Overall, this study found that the NEC hydrolysis of MW outperformed commercial proteases regarding nutritional quality, sensory attributes, and biological activity. Therefore, nuruk could potentially replace commercial proteases, lowering the cost of enzymatic protein hydrolysis.
Relative Controllability of ψ-Caputo Fractional Neutral Delay Differential System
Authors: Muthuvel Kothandapani , Sawangtong Panumart , Kaliraj Kalimuthu
Published: May 2023

The aim of this work is to analyze the relative controllability and Ulamn–Hyers stability of the ψ-Caputo fractional neutral delay differential system. We use neutral ψ-delayed perturbation of the Mitttag–Leffler matrix function and Banach contraction principle to examine the Ulam–Hyers stability of our considered system. We formulate the Grammian matrix to establish the controllability results of the linear fractonal differential system. Further, we employ the fixed-point technique of Krasnoselskii’s type to establish the sufficient conditions for the relative controllability of a semilinear ψ-Caputo neutral fractional system. Finally, the theoretical study is validated by providing an application.