bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Findings in Chinese Patients With Parkinson's Disease: A Content Analysis From the SML Study
Authors: Qian Yiwei , Zhang Yi , He Xiaoqin , Xu Shaoqing , Yang Xiaodong , Mo Chengjun , Lu Xiaomeng , Qiu Mengjuan , Xiao Qin
Published: February 2021

Social media listening (SML) is a new process for obtaining information from social media platforms to generate insights into users' experiences and has been used to analyze discussions about a multitude of diseases. To understand Parkinson's disease patients' unmet needs and optimize communication between doctors and patients, social media listening was performed to investigate concerns in Chinese patients. A comprehensive search of publicly available social media platforms with Chinese-language content posted between January 2005 and April 2019 in mainland China was performed using defined Parkinson's disease-related terms. After multiple steps of machine screening were performed, a series of posts were derived. The content was summarized and classified manually to analyze and map psychological insights, and descriptive statistics were applied to aggregate findings. A total of 101,899 patient-related posts formed the basis of this study. The topics mainly focused on motor symptoms (n = 54,983), choice of pharmaceutical drugs (n = 45,203) and non-motor symptoms (n = 44,855). The most common symptoms mentioned were tremor (54.5%), pain (22.9%), and rigidity (22.1%). Psychological burden (51%) and work/social burden (48%) were the most concerning burdens for patients and their families. The compound levodopa (43%) and dopamine agonists (23%) were the most common options for the patients, while concerns about new-generation anti-Parkinson's disease medication increased. The portraits of patients suggested varying characteristics across different periods and advocate for personalized service from doctors. In the management of patients, it is imperative to plan individualized therapy and education strategies as well as strategies for social support.
The Design and Development of a Personalized Leisure Time Physical Activity Application Based on Behavior Change Theories, End-User Perceptions, and Principles From Empirical Data Mining
Authors: Sporrel Karlijn , De Boer Rémi D. D. , Wang Shihan , Nibbeling Nicky , Simons Monique , Deutekom Marije , Ettema Dick , Castro Paula C. , Dourado Victor Zuniga , Kröse Ben
Published: February 2021

Introduction: Many adults do not reach the recommended physical activity (PA) guidelines, which can lead to serious health problems. A promising method to increase PA is the use of smartphone PA applications. However, despite the development and evaluation of multiple PA apps, it remains unclear how to develop and design engaging and effective PA apps. Furthermore, little is known on ways to harness the potential of artificial intelligence for developing personalized apps. In this paper, we describe the design and development of the Playful data-driven Active Urban Living (PAUL): a personalized PA application.

Methods: The two-phased development process of the PAUL apps rests on principles from the behavior change model; the Integrate, Design, Assess, and Share (IDEAS) framework; and the behavioral intervention technology (BIT) model. During the first phase, we explored whether location-specific information on performing PA in the built environment is an enhancement to a PA app. During the second phase, the other modules of the app were developed. To this end, we first build the theoretical foundation for the PAUL intervention by performing a literature study. Next, a focus group study was performed to translate the theoretical foundations and the needs and wishes in a set of user requirements. Since the participants indicated the need for reminders at a for-them-relevant moment, we developed a self-learning module for the timing of the reminders. To initialize this module, a data-mining study was performed with historical running data to determine good situations for running.

Results: The results of these studies informed the design of a personalized mobile health (mHealth) application for running, walking, and performing strength exercises. The app is implemented as a set of modules based on the persuasive strategies “monitoring of behavior,” “feedback,” “goal setting,” “reminders,” “rewards,” and “providing instruction.” An architecture was set up consisting of a smartphone app for the user, a back-end server for storage and adaptivity, and a research portal to provide access to the research team.

Conclusions: The interdisciplinary research encompassing psychology, human movement sciences, computer science, and artificial intelligence has led to a theoretically and empirically driven leisure time PA application. In the current phase, the feasibility of the PAUL app is being assessed.
Safety and Efficacy of Pancreaticoduodenectomy in Octogenarians
Authors: Huang Yeqian , Damodaran Prabha Ramesh , Chua Terence C. , Arena Jennifer , Kotecha Krishna , Mittal Anubhav , Gill Anthony J. , Samra Jaswinder S.
Published: February 2021

Backgrounds: Pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) remains the only hope of a cure in selected patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAC). With an aging population, there will be an increasing number of very elderly patients being diagnosed with PAC of whom a selected proportion would be suitable for PD. However, the literature on outcomes of elderly patients after PD remains ambiguous. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the safety and efficacy of PD in octogenarians with PAC.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of 304 patients with PAC undergoing PD. Patients were divided into two age groups using age of 80 years old as the cut-off.

Results: Overall mortality and major morbidity rates were 0.5 and 18.5%, respectively. The octogenarian group had a higher rate of mortality (6.3%, n = 1, p < 0.001), a higher rate of major morbidity (37.5%, n = 6, p = 0.042) and a longer hospital stay (p = 0.035). However, median survival of octogenarians was 15.6 months. Multivariate analysis showed age was not identified as a prognostic factor for major morbidity and overall survival.

Conclusion: Age alone should not be an exclusion criterion for consideration of PD. With careful selection, PD can be safely performed in octogenarians. Elderly patients should be referred to a specialized unit for an objective assessment to determine the suitability for this aggressive but potential curative approach.
Distribution of GnRH and Kisspeptin Immunoreactivity in the Female Llama Hypothalamus
Authors: Berland Marco , Paiva Luis , Santander Lig Alondra , Ratto Marcelo Héctor
Published: February 2021

Llamas are induced non-reflex ovulators, which ovulate in response to the hormonal stimulus of the male protein beta-nerve growth factor (β-NGF) that is present in the seminal plasma; this response is dependent on the preovulatory gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) release from the hypothalamus. GnRH neurones are vital for reproduction, as these provide the input that controls the release of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) from the pituitary gland. However, in spontaneous ovulators, the activity of GnRH cells is regulated by kisspeptin neurones that relay the oestrogen signal arising from the periphery. Here, we investigated the organisation of GnRH and kisspeptin systems in the hypothalamus of receptive adult female llamas. We found that GnRH cells exhibiting different shapes were distributed throughout the ventral forebrain and some of these were located in proximity to blood vessels; sections of the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) displayed the highest number of cells. GnRH fibres were observed in both the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) and median eminence (ME). We also detected abundant kisspeptin fibres in the MBH and ME; kisspeptin cells were found in the arcuate nucleus (ARC), but not in rostral areas of the hypothalamus. Quantitative analysis of GnRH and kisspeptin fibres in the ME revealed a higher innervation density of kisspeptin than of GnRH fibres. The physiological significance of the anatomical findings reported here for the ovulatory mechanism in llamas is still to be determined.
First Molecular Evidence and Genetic Characterization of Ovine Herpesvirus 2 in Multiple Animal Species in India
Authors: Kumar Naveen , Sood Richa , Pateriya Atul K. , Venkatesakumar E. , Ramprabhu R. , Dixit Roma , Bhatia Sandeep , Singh Vijendra Pal
Published: February 2021

Ovine herpesvirus 2 (OvHV-2) is the causative agent of sheep-associated malignant catarrhal fever (SA-MCF), a highly fatal disease syndrome that predominantly affects susceptible hosts of the order Artiodactyla. In this study, an in-depth clinico-molecular investigation of SA-MCF disease in a morbid 50-days-old cattle calf (Bos taurus indicus) and asymptomatic infection in the in-contact reservoir hosts, sheep (Ovis aries), and goat (Capra hircus) housed on a farm located in the Southern India is reported. An OIE recommended SA-MCF type-specific PCR confirmed the etiological agent as OvHV-2. The genetic characterization and phylogenetic analyses based on the glycoprotein B (gB) gene indicate that three genetic variants of OvHV-2 had infected the animal cluster of this study. As the OvHV-2 infection eventually lead to the death of the cattle calf, and the fact that its gB sequence carried four unique amino acid substitutions (N169S, L594P, I645V, and V730A), an investigation of these substitutions impact on its stability and molecular flexibility was carried out. The mapping of these amino acid substitutions on the three-dimensional structure of gB coupled with supplementary investigations showed that these substitutions conveyed the molecular flexibility to the gB, at the cost of its stability. Future studies would be to investigate whether these gB substitutions have any impact on membrane fusion activity using a virus-free cell-to-cell membrane fusion assay. The study also highlights the importance of adopting stringent biosecurity measures where mixed animal farming is a common practice.
Relationship between Delayed Leaf Senescence (Stay-Green) and Agronomic and Physiological Characters in Maize (Zea mays L.)
Authors: Chibane Nadia , Caicedo Marlon , Martinez Susana , Marcet Purificación , Revilla Pedro , Ordás Bernardo
Published: February 2021

Stay-green (SG) is a term used to describe genotypes that have delayed leaf senescence as compared to reference genotypes. SG could be favorable for grain yield, silage yield and quality, double exploitation (grain for feed and stover for bioenergy), stress resistance, etc. However, some studies show contradictory results regarding the influence of senescence or SG in the uptake and remobilization of nutrients and the yield and moisture of stover and grain. This experiment is aimed to study the impact of senescence in grain and stover yield and moisture in inbred lines of maize and assess the potential of SG genotypes for double exploitation. We also study the influence of senescence in the uptake of N and remobilization of dry matter and N from stover to grain. We evaluated 16 maize inbred lines with contrasting expression of senescence in the field at two locations in Galicia in 2017. We confirmed that SG is functional, meaning that the SG genotypes maintained photosynthesis activity for a lengthy period. Coordinated with a delayed senescence, the grain filling of the SG genotypes was 9 days longer than NSG genotypes. SG genotypes took up more N after flowering, although the remobilization of N and, in general, of dry matter from stover to kernels was less efficient. However, the higher uptake compensated the poor remobilization, and the final effect of SG on the N content of the kernels was favorable. SG was also favorable for kernel weight and the kernels of SG genotypes were 20% heavier than for NSG. The stover yield was also higher in the SG genotypes, indicating a potential of SG for breeding for double purpose (grain for feed and stover for bioenergy).
Establishing Cell Lines from Fresh or Cryopreserved Tissue from the Great Crested Newt (Triturus cristatus): A Preliminary Protocol
Authors: Strand Julie , Callesen Henrik , Pertoldi Cino , Purup Stig
Published: February 2021

This study describes a successful protocol for establishing cell lines from the threatened Triturus cristatus in terms of collection, preparing, establishing, cryopreserving, thawing and quality checking. Different parameters such as media, media change, fresh vs. cryopreserved tissue and seeding density were tested to optimize culture conditions for this species. With fresh tissue, no considerable differences in the use of two different media were found, but with cryopreserved tissue, a combination of ITS (insulin/transferrin/selenite) and 2-mercaptoethanol had a positive effect on growth. Real-time measurements on the cell lines were used, for the first time in amphibian cells, to investigate the effect of different treatments such as media change with or without washing. Media change had a positive impact on the cells, whereas the effect was negative when combined with washing. It is concluded that establishment of cell lines is possible from the great crested newt, especially when using fresh tissue, but much more challenging if the tissue has been cryopreserved. Real-time measurement during cell culture is a useful tool to visualize the sensitivity of amphibian cells during different culture treatments.
Influence of Yeast Products on Modulating Metabolism and Immunity in Cattle and Swine
Authors: Burdick Sanchez Nicole C. , Broadway Paul R. , Carroll Jeffery A.
Published: February 2021

Nutritional supplementation has been used by livestock producers for many years in order to increase animal performance, improve animal health, and reduce negative effects associated with enteric and/or respiratory pathogens. Supplements such as yeast and yeast-based products have broad applications across many livestock production systems, including poultry, aquaculture, cattle, and swine and have been shown to benefit animal production at various stages. These benefits include improvement in milk production, weight gain and feed conversion, as well as immune function. Initial research into the mode of action for these effects has focused on stimulation of the immune system by the β-glucan fractions of yeast. However, emerging studies have revealed that some of the beneficial effects of yeast products may stem from altering metabolism, including the availability of glucose and fatty acids. These changes in metabolism, and potentially energy availability, may partially explain differences in immune function observed in yeast-supplemented livestock, as the energy demands of an activated immune system are extremely high. Thus, this paper explores the influence of yeast products on metabolism in cattle and swine, and how changes in metabolism and energy availability may contribute to improvements in immune function in supplemented animals.
Supplementation with Proline Improves Haemato-Biochemical and Reproductive Indicators in Male Rabbits Affected by Environmental Heat-Stress
Authors: Abdelnour Sameh A. , Al-Gabri Naif A. , Hashem Nesrein M. , Gonzalez-Bulnes Antonio
Published: February 2021

Twenty-four adult rabbit bucks (n = 6 per treatment) were fed a basal diet supplemented with 0 (control), 50, 100, and 150 mg proline/kg dry matter (DM) diet for 12 weeks to determine possible usefulness for alleviating the negative impact of environmental heat stress on redox status, haemato-biochaemical attributes and semen quality. There were significant dose–response effects, with increments in levels of dietary proline (LDP) quadratically improving red blood cell counts (p = 0.017), rectal temperature (p = 0.009), and respiratory rate (p < 0.001). Increasing LDP cubically affected superoxide dismutase activity in blood plasma (p = 0.012) and total antioxidant capacity in both blood and seminal plasma (p < 0.001 and p = 0.006, respectively). The optimal response was observed at 30 and 80 mg proline/kg DM for blood and seminal plasma, respectively. With regards to homeostasis indexes, increments in LDP cubically modified blood plasma concentrations of total protein (p = 0.002) and albumin (p < 0.001), with an optimal response found at 70 mg proline/kg DM. A linear relationship (p = 0.005) was also observed between LDP and blood plasma glucose concentrations, with the optimal response being found at 100 mg proline/kg DM. Increasing LDP also showed positive effects on reproductive traits, with quadratic increases in blood plasma testosterone and cortisol concentrations (p < 0.001; optimal responses at 50 and 60 mg proline/kg DM, respectively), a positive linear relationship with in libido, ejaculate volume, sperm concentration and total sperm count (p < 0.001 for all; optimal responses observed at 100 mg proline/kg DM) and a quadratic increase in total functional sperm fraction (p < 0.001; optimal response at 70 mg proline mg/kg DM). Hence, the optimal positive effects of dietary proline supplementation on redox status, blood metabolites, and reproductive traits of rabbit bucks may be achieved at 50–100 mg/kg DM.
High Frequency and Diversity of Tetracycline Resistance Genes in the Microbiota of Broiler Chickens in Tunisia
Authors: Di Francesco Antonietta , Salvatore Daniela , Sakhria Sonia , Catelli Elena , Lupini Caterina , Abbassi Mohamed Salah , Bessoussa Ghaith , Ben Yahia Salma , Ben Chehida Noureddine
Published: February 2021

Tetracycline resistance is still considered one of the most abundant antibiotic resistances among pathogenic and commensal microorganisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of tetracycline resistance (tet) genes in broiler chickens in Tunisia, and this was done by PCR. Individual cloacal swabs from 195 broiler chickens were collected at two slaughterhouses in the governorate of Ben Arous (Grand Tunis, Tunisia). Chickens were from 7 farms and belonged to 13 lots consisting of 15 animals randomly selected. DNA was extracted and tested for 14 tet genes. All the lots examined were positive for at least 9 tet genes, with an average number of 11 tet genes per lot. Of the 195 animals tested, 194 (99%) were positive for one or more tet genes. Tet(L), tet(M) and tet(O) genes were found in 98% of the samples, followed by tet(A) in 90.2%, tet(K) in 88.7% and tet(Q) in 80%. These results confirm the antimicrobial resistance impact in the Tunisian poultry sector and suggest the urgent need to establish a robust national antimicrobial resistance monitoring plan. Furthermore, the molecular detection of antibiotic resistance genes directly in biological samples seems to be a useful means for epidemiological investigations of the spread of resistance determinants.
Antibacterial Effect of High-Purity Nisin Alone and in Combination with D-Amino Acids or Chlorhexidine in an Endodontic-Like Biofilm Model
Authors: Pinheiro Ericka T. , Karygianni Lamprini , Attin Thomas , Thurnheer Thomas
Published: February 2021

New strategies to eradicate endodontic biofilms are needed. Therefore, we evaluated the effect of high-purity nisin alone and in combination with D-amino acids (D-AAs) or chlorhexidine (CHX) against an “endodontic-like” biofilm model. Biofilms were grown on hydroxyapatite discs for 64 h and treated with nisin, eight D-AAs mixture, nisin + eight D-AAs, 2% CHX, and nisin + 2% CHX. After the 5 min and 24 h treatments, biofilm cells were harvested and total colony-forming units were counted. Differences between groups were tested by two-way ANOVA followed by Tukey’s multiple comparisons test (p < 0.05). Nisin and D-AAs, alone or in combination, were not effective in reducing bacteria after short or long exposure times. After 5 min, treatment with 2% CHX and nisin + 2% CHX resulted in 2 and 2.4-log cell reduction, respectively, compared with the no treatment control (p < 0.001). After 24 h, 2% CHX and nisin + 2% CHX drastically reduced bacterial counts. In conclusion, high-purity nisin alone or in combination with D-AAs did not show antibacterial activity against multispecies biofilms. Moreover, combined treatment using nisin and CHX showed similar antibiofilm activity compared with the use of CHX alone.
Influence of Post-Flowering Climate Conditions on Anthocyanin Profile of Strawberry Cultivars Grown from North to South Europe
Authors: Krüger Erika , Will Frank , Kumar Keshav , Celejewska Karolina , Chartier Philippe , Masny Agnieszka , Mott Daniela , Petit Aurélie , Savini Gianluca , Sønsteby Anita
Published: February 2021

The effect of cultivar and environmental variations and their interaction on anthocyanin components of strawberry were assessed for six cultivars grown in five locations from North to South of Europe in two different years. To evaluate the impact of latitude- and altitude-related factors, daily mean (Tmean), maximum (Tmax) and minimum (Tmin) temperature and global radiation accumulated for 3, 5, 10 and 15 days before fruit sampling, was analyzed. In general, fruits grown in the south were more enriched in total anthocyanin and pelargonidin-3-glucoside (pel-3-glc), the most abundant anthocyanin in strawberry. Principal component analysis (PCA) provided a separation of the growing locations within a cultivar due to latitudinal climatic differences, temporary weather changes before fruit collection and cultivation technique. PCA also depicted different patterns for anthocyanin distribution indicating a cultivar specific reaction on the environmental factors. The linear regression analysis showed that pel-3-glc was relatively less affected by these factors, while the minor anthocyanins cyanidin-3-glucoside, cyanidin-3-(6-O-malonyl)-glucoside, pelargonidin-3-rutinoside and pelargonidin-3-(6-O-malonoyl)-glucoside were sensitive to Tmax. The global radiation strongly increased cya-3-mal-glc in ‘Frida’ and pel-3-rut in ‘Frida’ and ‘Florence’. ‘Candonga’ accumulated less pel-3-glc and total anthocyanin with increased global radiation. The anthocyanin profiles of ‘Gariguette’ and ‘Clery’ were unaffected by environmental conditions.
Improving the Accuracy of Analytical Relationships for Mechanical Properties of Permeable Metamaterials
Authors: Hedayati Reza , Ghavidelnia Naeim , Sadighi Mojtaba , Bodaghi Mahdi
Published: February 2021

Permeable porous implants must satisfy several physical and biological requirements in order to be promising materials for orthopaedic application: they should have the proper levels of stiffness, permeability, and fatigue resistance approximately matching the corresponding levels in bone tissues. This can be achieved using designer materials, which exhibit exotic properties, commonly known as metamaterials. In recent years, several experimental, numerical, and analytical studies have been carried out on the influence of unit cell micro-architecture on the mechanical and physical properties of metamaterials. Even though experimental and numerical approaches can study and predict the behaviour of different micro-structures effectively, they lack the ease and quickness provided by analytical relationships in predicting the answer. Although it is well known that Timoshenko beam theory is much more accurate in predicting the deformation of a beam (and as a result lattice structures), many of the already-existing relationships in the literature have been derived based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory. The question that arises here is whether or not there exists a convenient way to convert the already-existing analytical relationships based on Euler–Bernoulli theory to relationships based on Timoshenko beam theory without the need to rewrite all the derivations from the start point. In this paper, this question is addressed and answered, and a handy and easy-to-use approach is presented. This technique is applied to six unit cell types (body-centred cubic (BCC), hexagonal packing, rhombicuboctahedron, diamond, truncated cube, and truncated octahedron) for which Euler–Bernoulli analytical relationships already exist in the literature while Timoshenko theory-based relationships could not be found. The results of this study demonstrated that converting analytical relationships based on Euler–Bernoulli to equivalent Timoshenko ones can decrease the difference between the analytical and numerical values for one order of magnitude, which is a significant improvement in accuracy of the analytical formulas. The methodology presented in this study is not only beneficial for improving the already-existing analytical relationships, but it also facilitates derivation of accurate analytical relationships for other, yet unexplored, unit cell types.
Development of a Maintenance and Spare Parts Distribution Model for Increasing Aircraft Efficiency
Authors: Gallego-García Sergio , Gejo-García Javier , García-García Manuel
Published: February 2021

Maintenance management plays a key role in many industries, as maintenance determines the availability of systems, influences their lifespan, impacts customer satisfaction, and as a result affects overall investment profitability. In this context, the aviation industry seeks models to improve efficiency. Researchers seek to provide conceptual models that help to shape the industry’s operations. Spare parts management plays a fundamental role in aviation, considering the predominance of planned maintenance. In this study, we analyzed the impact of the distribution network design for spare parts management and the fixed and dynamic planned maintenance intervals on the overall efficiency of an aircraft fleet. We present a conceptual model considering a variety of topics, such as distribution network design, that have been managed to a limited extent based on maintenance management. A simulation model was developed by applying the conceptual model for the aviation industry considering an aircraft fleet over its whole life cycle. The simulation model provides results concerning the impact of the distribution network, maintenance intervals, and other key factors on the efficiency of the aircraft fleet. The simulation enables a comparison of different distribution networks and maintenance strategies to decide which of them is the best fit for each spare part. The approach we propose enables companies and managers to make decisions informed by a centralized tool with all the relevant factors concerning the maintenance management of an aircraft fleet over its life cycle. As a result, managers are provided with a conceptual and simulation model for the assessment of future what-if scenarios based on aggregated databases from multiple sources without delays and with a dynamic vision of the relevant relationships between factors.
Evaluating the Real-World NOx Emission from a China VI Heavy-Duty Diesel Vehicle
Authors: Li Peng , Lü Lin
Published: February 2021

The manufacturers of China VI heavy-duty vehicles were required to conduct in-service conformity (ISC) tests by using a portable emissions measurement system (PEMS). The moving averaging window (MAW) method was used to evaluate the NOx emission required by the China VI emission standard. This paper presented the results of four PEMS tests of a China VI (step B) N3 category vehicle. Our analyses revealed that the real NOx emission of the test route was much higher than the result evaluated by the MAW method. We also found the data produced during the urban section of a PEMS test was completely excluded from the evaluation based on the current required boundary conditions. Therefore, in order to ensure the objectivity of the evaluation, this paper proposed three different evaluation methods. Method 1 merely set the power threshold as 10% for valid MAWs; Method 2 reclassified the MAWs into “Urban MAWs”, “Rural MAWs” and “Motorway MAWs” according to the vehicle speed. Method 3 reclassified the MAWs into “Hot MAWs” and “Cold MAWs” according to engine coolant temperature. The NOx emission evaluation results for Method 1 were not satisfactory, but those for Method 2 and Method 3 were close to the real NOx emission, the errors were all within ±10%.
Multidimensional Emotion Recognition Based on Semantic Analysis of Biomedical EEG Signal for Knowledge Discovery in Psychological Healthcare
Authors: Wang Ling , Liu Hangyu , Zhou Tiehua , Liang Wenlong , Shan Minglei
Published: February 2021

Electroencephalogram (EEG) as biomedical signal is widely applied in the medical field such as the detection of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, etc. Moreover, by analyzing the EEG-based emotions, the mental status of individual can be revealed for further analysis on the psychological causes of some diseases such as cancer, which is considered as a vital factor on the induction of certain diseases. Therefore, once the emotional status can be correctly analyzed based on EEG signal, more healthcare-oriented applications can be furtherly carried out. Currently, in order to achieve efficiency and accuracy, diverse amounts of EEG-based emotions recognition methods generally extract features by analyzing the overall characteristics of signal, along with optimization strategy of channel selection to minimize the information redundancy. Those methods have been proved their effectiveness, however, there still remains a big challenge when applied with single channel information for emotion recognition task. Therefore, in order to recognize multidimensional emotions based on single channel information, an emotion quantification analysis (EQA) method is proposed to objectively analyze the semantically similarity between emotions in valence-arousal domains, and a multidimensional emotion recognition (EMER) model is proposed on recognizing multidimensional emotions according to the partial fluctuation pattern (PFP) features based on single channel information, and result shows that even though semantically similar emotions are proved to have similar change patterns in EEG signals, each single channel of 4 frequency bands can efficiently recognize 20 different emotions with an average accuracy above 93% separately.
Hexapod Robot Gait Switching for Energy Consumption and Cost of Transport Management Using Heuristic Algorithms
Authors: Luneckas Mindaugas , Luneckas Tomas , Kriaučiūnas Jonas , Udris Dainius , Plonis Darius , Damaševičius Robertas , Maskeliūnas Rytis
Published: February 2021

Due to the prospect of using walking robots in an impassable environment for tracked or wheeled vehicles, walking locomotion is one of the most remarkable accomplishments in robotic history. Walking robots, however, are still being deeply researched and created. Locomotion over irregular terrain and energy consumption are among the major problems. Walking robots require many actuators to cross different terrains, leading to substantial consumption of energy. A robot must be carefully designed to solve this problem, and movement parameters must be correctly chosen. We present a minimization of the hexapod robot’s energy consumption in this paper. Secondly, we investigate the reliance on power consumption in robot movement speed and gaits along with the Cost of Transport (CoT). To perform optimization of the hexapod robot energy consumption, we propose two algorithms. The heuristic algorithm performs gait switching based on the current speed of the robot to ensure minimum energy consumption. The Red Fox Optimization (RFO) algorithm performs a nature-inspired search of robot gait variable space to minimize CoT as a target function. The algorithms are tested to assess the efficiency of the hexapod robot walking through real-life experiments. We show that it is possible to save approximately 7.7–21% by choosing proper gaits at certain speeds. Finally, we demonstrate that our hexapod robot is one of the most energy-efficient hexapods by comparing the CoT values of various walking robots.
Simulink Model of a Thermoelectric Generator for Vehicle Waste Heat Recovery
Authors: Burnete Nicolae Vlad , Mariasiu Florin , Moldovanu Dan , Depcik Christopher
Published: February 2021

More than 50% of the energy released through combustion in the internal combustion engine (ICE) is rejected to the environment. Recovering only a part of this energy can significantly improve the overall use of resources and the economic efficiency of road transport. One solution to recoup a part of this otherwise wasted thermal energy is to use thermoelectric generator (TEG) modules for the conversion of heat directly into electricity. To aid in development of this technology, this effort covers the derivation of a respectively simple steady-state Simulink model that can be utilized to estimate and optimize TEG system performance for ICEs. The model was validated against experimental data found in literature utilizing water cooling for the cold side. Overall, relatively good agreement was found with the maximum error in generated power around 10%. Following, it was investigated whether air can be used as a cooling medium. It was established that, at the same temperature as the water (18.4 °C), a flow velocity of 13.1 m/s (or 47.2 km/h) is required to achieve a similar cold junction temperature and power output. Subsequently using the model with air cooling, the performance of a TEG installed on a heavy-duty vehicle traveling at 50, 80, 90, and 120 km/h under different ambient temperatures was analyzed. It was determined that both a lower temperature and a higher flow velocity can improve power output. A further increase of the power output requires a larger temperature gradient across the module, which can be achieved by a higher heat input on the hot side.
Non-Invasive Testing of Physical Systems Using Topological Sensitivity
Authors: Higuera María , Perales José M. , Rapún María-Luisa , Vega José M.
Published: February 2021

A review of available results on non-destructive testing of physical systems, using the concept of topological sensitivity, is presented. This mathematical tool estimates the sensitivity of a set of measurements in some given sensors, distributed along the system, to defects/flaws that produce a degradation of the system. Such degradation manifests itself on the properties of the system. The good performance of this general purpose post-processing method is reviewed and illustrated in some applications involving non-destructive testing. These applications include structural health monitoring, considering both elastodynamic ultrasonic guided Lamb waves and active infrared thermography. Related methods can also be used in other fields, such as diagnosis/prognosis of engineering devices, which is also considered.
The Usage of the Harmony Search Algorithm for the Optimal Design Problem of Reinforced Concrete Retaining Walls
Authors: Arama Zülal Akbay , Kayabekir Aylin Ece , Bekdaş Gebrail , Kim Sanghun , Geem Zong Woo
Published: February 2021

In this paper, the Harmony Search (HS) algorithm is utilized to perform single and multivariate parametric studies to acquire the optimization of both size and cost of reinforced concrete (RC) retaining walls embedded in pure frictional soils. The geotechnical properties of the backfill and foundation soil such as shear strength angle, unit weight, and the ultimate bearing pressure of the soil have been used to create different cases for evaluating the effects of site properties on the size and cost of the wall. The change of depth of excavation and surcharge loading condition is fictionalized for generating different environmental conditions for all envisaged soil profiles to predict possible rates of influences. The unit cost of the concrete has also been evaluated as a variant to show the economic constraints on the selection of structural materials. The results of the analyses represent the integrated influences of different significant parameters on the achievement of minimum cost-dimension optimization. Besides, a well-known commercial geotechnical engineering software is used to compare the appropriateness of the suggested designs in terms of both the attainment of geotechnical stability and the structural requirements. Consequently, this study can guide both researchers and designers to select the proper and optimal sections of RC-retaining wall systems with simultaneous analyses of parameters that are influenced by the design process. Furthermore, the optimization results indicate that a significant cost reduction may be achieved when compared with the traditional pre-design method.
Constructing More Complete Control Flow Graphs Utilizing Directed Gray-Box Fuzzing
Authors: Zhu Kailong , Lu Yuliang , Huang Hui , Yu Lu , Zhao Jiazhen
Published: February 2021

Control Flow Graphs (CFGs) provide fundamental data for many program analyses, such as malware analysis, vulnerability detection, code similarity analysis, etc. Existing techniques for constructing control flow graphs include static, dynamic, and hybrid analysis, which each having their own advantages and disadvantages. However, due to the difficulty of resolving indirect jump relations, the existing techniques are limited in completeness. In this paper, we propose a practical technique that applies static analysis and dynamic analysis to construct more complete control flow graphs. The main innovation of our approach is to adopt directed gray-box fuzzing (DGF) instead of coverage-based gray-box fuzzing (CGF) used in the existing approach to generate test cases that can exercise indirect jumps. We first employ a static analysis to construct the static CFGs without indirect jump relations. Then, we utilize directed gray-box fuzzing to generate test cases and resolve indirect jump relations by monitoring the execution traces of these test cases. Finally, we combine the static CFGs with indirect jump relations to construct more complete CFGs. In addition, we also propose an iterative feedback mechanism to further improve the completeness of CFGs. We have implemented our technique in a prototype and evaluated it through comparing with the existing approaches on eight benchmarks. The results show that our prototype can resolve more indirect jump relations and construct more complete CFGs than existing approaches.
Transport and Exchange Processes in the Atmosphere over Mountainous Terrain: Perspectives and Challenges for Observational and Modelling Systems, from Local to Climate Scales
Authors: Zardi Dino , Rotach Mathias W.
Published: February 2021

This Editorial offers an overview of the results presented in the series of coordinated articles included in the Atmosphere special issue on Atmospheric Processes over Complex Terrain. In particular, the variety of approaches and methods, as well as the main outcomes of recent progress in the field, are outlined, along with open questions and challenges for future developments. The possible outreach of future research in the field is also pointed out, especially in connection with the ongoing international cooperation initiative Multi-scale transport and exchange processes in the atmosphere over mountains programme and experiment (TEAMx).
Perceptual and Physiological Responses to Carbohydrate and Menthol Mouth-Swilling Solutions: A Repeated Measures Cross-Over Preliminary Trial
Authors: Best Russ , Maulder Peter S. , Berger Nicolas
Published: February 2021

Carbohydrate and menthol mouth-swilling have been used to enhance exercise performance in the heat. However, these strategies differ in mechanism and subjective experience. Participants (n = 12) sat for 60 min in hot conditions (35 °C; 15 ± 2%) following a 15 min control period, during which the participants undertook three 15 min testing blocks. A randomised swill (carbohydrate; menthol; water) was administered per testing block (one swill every three minutes within each block). Heart rate, tympanic temperature, thermal comfort, thermal sensation and thirst were recorded every three minutes. Data were analysed by ANOVA, with carbohydrate intake controlled for via ANCOVA. Small elevations in heart rate were observed after carbohydrate (ES: 0.22 ± 90% CI: −0.09–0.52) and water swilling (0.26; −0.04–0.54). Menthol showed small improvements in thermal comfort relative to carbohydrate (−0.33; −0.63–0.03) and water (−0.40; from −0.70 to −0.10), and induced moderate reductions in thermal sensation (−0.71; from −1.01 to −0.40 and −0.66; from −0.97 to −0.35, respectively). Menthol reduced thirst by a small to moderate extent. These effects persisted when controlling for dietary carbohydrate intake. Carbohydrate and water may elevate heart rate, whereas menthol elicits small improvements in thermal comfort, moderately improves thermal sensation and may mitigate thirst; these effects persist when dietary carbohydrate intake is controlled for.
Exosomes and Extracellular Vesicles in Myeloid Neoplasia: The Multiple and Complex Roles Played by These “Magic Bullets”
Authors: Bernardi Simona , Farina Mirko
Published: February 2021

Extracellular vesicles (exosomes, in particular) are essential in multicellular organisms because they mediate cell-to-cell communication via the transfer of secreted molecules. They are able to shuttle different cargo, from nucleic acids to proteins. The role of exosomes has been widely investigated in solid tumors, which gave us surprising results about their potential involvement in pathogenesis and created an opening for liquid biopsies. Less is known about exosomes in oncohematology, particularly concerning the malignancies deriving from myeloid lineage. In this review, we aim to present an overview of immunomodulation and the microenvironment alteration mediated by exosomes released by malicious myeloid cells. Afterwards, we review the studies reporting the use of exosomes as disease biomarkers and their influence in response to treatment, together with the recent experiences that have focused on the use of exosomes as therapeutic tools. The further development of new technologies and the increased knowledge of biological (exosomes) and clinical (myeloid neoplasia) aspects are expected to change the future approaches to these malignancies.
Special Issue “Role of NRF2 in Disease: Novel Molecular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Approaches”
Authors: Lastres-Becker Isabel
Published: February 2021

This Special Issue on NRF2 (https://www [...]
Neuroimmune Response Mediated by Cytokines in Natural Scrapie after Chronic Dexamethasone Treatment
Authors: Guijarro Isabel M. , Garcés Moisés , Andrés-Benito Pol , Marín Belén , Otero Alicia , Barrio Tomás , Carmona Margarita , Ferrer Isidro , Badiola Juan J. , Monzón Marta
Published: February 2021

The actual role of prion protein-induced glial activation and subsequent cytokine secretion during prion diseases is still incompletely understood. The overall aim of this study is to assess the effect of an anti-inflammatory treatment with dexamethasone on different cytokines released by neuroglial cells that are potentially related to neuroinflammation in natural scrapie. This study emphasizes the complex interactions existent among several pleiotropic neuromodulator peptides and provides a global approach to clarify neuroinflammatory processes in prion diseases. Additionally, an impairment of communication between microglial and astroglial populations mediated by cytokines, mainly IL-1, is suggested. The main novelty of this study is that it is the first one assessing in situ neuroinflammatory activity in relation to chronic anti-inflammatory therapy, gaining relevance because it is based on a natural model. The cytokine profile data would suggest the activation of some neurotoxicity-associated route. Consequently, targeting such a pathway might be a new approach to modify the damaging effects of neuroinflammation.
Electronic Health Interventions in the Case of Multiple Sclerosis: From Theory to Practice
Authors: Scholz Maria , Haase Rocco , Schriefer Dirk , Voigt Isabel , Ziemssen Tjalf
Published: February 2021

(1) Background: eHealth interventions play a growing role in shaping the future healthcare system. The integration of eHealth interventions can enhance the efficiency and quality of patient management and optimize the course of treatment for chronically ill patients. In this integrative review, we discuss different types of interventions, standards and advantages of quality eHealth approaches especially for people with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). (2) Methods: The electronic databases PubMed, Cochrane and Web of Science were searched to identify potential articles for eHealth interventions in pwMS; based on 62 articles, we consider different ways of implementing health information technology with various designs. (3) Results: There already exist some eHealth interventions for single users with a single-use case, interventions with a social setting, as well as eHealth interventions that integrate various single and social interventions and even those that may be used additionally for complex use cases. A key determinant of consumer acceptance is a high-quality user-centric design for healthcare practitioners and pwMS. In pwMS, the different neurological disabilities should be considered, and particular attention must be paid to the course of the treatment and the safety processes of each treatment option. (4) Conclusion: Depending on the field of application and the respective users, interventions are designed for single, social, integrated or complex use. In order to be accepted by their target group, interventions must be beneficial and easy to use.
Hydrophilic/Hydrophobic Silane Grafting on TiO2 Nanoparticles: Photocatalytic Paint for Atmospheric Cleaning
Authors: Kim Jong-Ho , Hossain Sayed Mukit , Kang Hui-Ju , Park Heeju , Tijing Leonard , Park Geun Woo , Suzuki Norihiro , Fujishima Akira , Jun Young-Si , Shon Ho Kyong , Kim Geon-Joong
Published: February 2021

In this study, anatase titania was utilized to prepare a durable photocatalytic paint with substantially enhanced photoactivity towards NO oxidation. Consequently, to alleviate the choking effect of photocatalytic paint and incorporate self-cleaning properties, the parent anatase titania was modified with Al(OH)3 and a number of organosilane (tetraethyl orthosilicate, propyltrimethoxysilane, triethoxy(octadecyl)silane, and trimethylchlorosilane) coatings. A facile hydrolysis approach in ethanol was employed to coat the parent titania. To facilitate uniform dispersion in photocatalytic paint and strong bonding with the prevailing organic matrix, it is necessary to avail both hydrophobic and hydrophilic regions on the titania surface. Therefore, during the preparation of modified titania, the weight proportion of the total weight of alkyl silane and trimethylchlorosilane was adjusted to a ratio of 1:1. As the parent titania has few hydrophilic portions on the surface, tetraethyl orthosilicate was coated with an organic silane having an extended alkyl group as a hydrophobic group and tetraethyl orthosilicate as a hydrophilic group. When these two silane mixtures are hydrolyzed simultaneously and coated on the surface of parent titania, a portion containing a large amount of tetraethyl orthosilicate becomes hydrophilic, and a part containing an alkyl silane becomes hydrophobic. The surface morphology and the modified titania’s optical attributes were assessed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) analysis. Based on the advanced characterizations, the NO removal mechanism of the modified titania is reported. The modified titania coated at 20 wt.% on the ceramic substrate was found to remove ~18% of NO under one h of UV irradiation. An extensive UV durability test was also carried out, whereby the coated surface with modified titania was exposed to 350 W/m2 of UV irradiance for 2 weeks. The results indicated that the coated surface appeared to preserve the self-cleaning property even after oil spraying. Hence, facile hydrolysis of multiple organosilane in ethanol could be a viable approach to design the coating on anatase titania for the fabrication of durable photoactive paint.