bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hearing Loss in Cancer Patients with Skull Base Tumors Undergoing Pencil Beam Scanning Proton Therapy: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: Bachtiary Barbara , Veraguth Dorothe , Roos Nicolaas , Pfiffner Flurin , Leiser Dominic , Pica Alessia , Walser Marc , von Felten Stefanie , Weber Damien C.
Published: August 2022

To assess the incidence and severity of changes in hearing threshold in patients undergoing high-dose pencil-beam-scanning proton therapy (PBS-PT). This retrospective cohort study included fifty-one patients (median 50 years (range, 13–68)) treated with PBS-PT for skull base tumors. No chemotherapy was delivered. Pure tone averages (PTAs)were determined before (baseline) and after PBS-PT as the average hearing thresholds at frequencies of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz. Hearing changes were calculated as PTA differences between pre-and post-PBS-PT. A linear mixed-effects model was used to assess the relationship between the PTA at the follow-up and the baseline, the cochlea radiation dose intensity, the increased age, and the years after PBS-PT. Included patients were treated for chordoma (n = 24), chondrosarcoma (n = 9), head and neck tumors (n = 9), or meningioma (n = 3), with a mean tumor dose of 71.1 Gy (RBE) (range, 52.0–77.8), and a mean dose of 37 Gy (RBE) (range, 0.0–72.7) was delivered to the cochleas. The median time to the first follow-up was 11 months (IQR, 5.5–33.7). The PTA increased from a median of 15 dB (IQR 10.0–25) at the baseline to 23.8 (IQR 11.3–46.3) at the first follow-up. In the linear mixed-effect model, the baseline PTA (estimate 0.80, 95%CI 0.64 to 0.96, p ≤ 0.001), patient’s age (0.30, 0.03 to 0.57, p = 0.029), follow-up time (2.07, 0.92 to 3.23, p ≤ 0.001), and mean cochlear dose in Gy (RBE) (0.34, 0.21 to 0.46, p ≤ 0.001) were all significantly associated with an increase in PTA at follow-up. The applied cochlear dose and baseline PTA, age, and time after treatment were significantly associated with hearing loss after proton therapy.
The Prognostic Impact of Quitting Smoking at or around Diagnosis on the Survival of Patients with Gastrointestinal Cancers: A Systematic Literature Review
Authors: Caini Saverio , Del Riccio Marco , Vettori Virginia , Raimondi Sara , Assedi Melania , Vignati Silvano , Bonaccorsi Guglielmo , Cattaruzza Maria Sofia , Bellerba Federica , Vagnoni Giulia , Duroni Giacomo , Gandini Sara
Published: August 2022

Cigarette smoking is a strong risk factor for the occurrence of gastrointestinal cancers, and a substantial proportion of newly diagnosed patients is made up of active smokers, yet the impact of smoking cessation at or around diagnosis on the clinical course of these cancers (whose prognosis is often unfavourable) has never been summarized to date. We reviewed studies published until 30 April 2022 that investigated whether smoking cessation at or around diagnosis favourably affects the clinical course of gastrointestinal cancers patients. Six studies were included for colorectal cancer patients, which provided limited yet suggestive evidence that quitters may have longer disease-specific survival compared to continued smokers. Only one study each focused on patients with gastric or HBV-positive liver cancer (both reporting a survival advantage for quitters vs. continued smokers), while we found no eligible studies for patients with cancer at other sites within the digestive system. More research is urgently needed to expand the evidence on the topic, given the potentially major clinical implications for these patients. Moreover, health professionals should provide the necessary smoking cessation support to any smoker who is undergoing diagnostic work-up or treatment for gastrointestinal cancer.
Padi2/3 Deficiency Alters the Epigenomic Landscape and Causes Premature Differentiation of Mouse Trophoblast Stem Cells
Authors: Ballasy Noura N. , Bering Elizabeth A. , Kokorudz Caroline , Radford Bethany N. , Zhao Xiang , Dean Wendy , Hemberger Myriam
Published: August 2022

Histone citrullination is a relatively poorly studied epigenetic modification that involves the irreversible conversion of arginine residues into citrulline. It is conferred by a small family of enzymes known as protein arginine deiminases (PADIs). PADI function supports the pluripotent state of embryonic stem cells, but in other contexts, also promotes efficient cellular differentiation. In the current study, we sought to gain deeper insights into the possible roles of PADIs in mouse trophoblast stem cells (TSCs). We show that Padi2 and Padi3 are the most highly expressed PADI family members in TSCs and are rapidly down-regulated upon differentiation. Padi2/3 double knockout (DKO) TSCs express lower levels of stem cell transcription factors CDX2 and SOX2 and are prone to differentiate into extremely large trophoblast giant cells, an effect that may be mediated by centrosome duplication defects. Interestingly, Padi2/3 DKO TSCs display alterations to their epigenomic landscape, with fewer H3K9me3-marked chromocentric foci and globally reduced 5-methylcytosine levels. DNA methylation profiling identifies that this effect is specifically evident at CpG islands of critical trophoblast genes, such as Gata3, Peg3, Socs3 and Hand1. As a consequence of the hypomethylated state, these factors are up-regulated in Padi2/3 DKO TSCs, driving their premature differentiation. Our data uncover a critical epigenetic role for PADI2/3 in safeguarding the stem cell state of TSCs by modulating the DNA methylation landscape to restrict precocious trophoblast differentiation.
Screening Biophysical Sensors and Neurite Outgrowth Actuators in Human Induced-Pluripotent-Stem-Cell-Derived Neurons
Authors: Pai Vaibhav P. , Cooper Ben G. , Levin Michael
Published: August 2022

All living cells maintain a charge distribution across their cell membrane (membrane potential) by carefully controlled ion fluxes. These bioelectric signals regulate cell behavior (such as migration, proliferation, differentiation) as well as higher-level tissue and organ patterning. Thus, voltage gradients represent an important parameter for diagnostics as well as a promising target for therapeutic interventions in birth defects, injury, and cancer. However, despite much progress in cell and molecular biology, little is known about bioelectric states in human stem cells. Here, we present simple methods to simultaneously track ion dynamics, membrane voltage, cell morphology, and cell activity (pH and ROS), using fluorescent reporter dyes in living human neurons derived from induced neural stem cells (hiNSC). We developed and tested functional protocols for manipulating ion fluxes, membrane potential, and cell activity, and tracking neural responses to injury and reinnervation in vitro. Finally, using morphology sensor, we tested and quantified the ability of physiological actuators (neurotransmitters and pH) to manipulate nerve repair and reinnervation. These methods are not specific to a particular cell type and should be broadly applicable to the study of bioelectrical controls across a wide range of combinations of models and endpoints.
Transcriptomic Analysis of Testicular Gene Expression in a Dog Model of Experimentally Induced Cryptorchidism
Authors: Jhun Hyunjhung , Lee Won-Young , Park Jin-Ki , Hwang Sun-Goo , Park Hyun-Jung
Published: August 2022

Cryptorchidism, a condition in which testes fail to descend from the abdomen into the scrotum, is a risk factor for infertility and germ cell cancer. Normally, tight junctions between adjacent Sertoli cells in the testes form a blood–testes barrier that regulates spermatogenesis; however, the effect of cryptorchidism on tight junctions is not well-understood. We established a model of heat-induced testicular damage in dogs using surgical cryptorchidism. We sequenced RNA to investigate whether certain transcripts are expressed at higher rates in heat-damaged versus normally descended testes. Claudins, cell adhesion molecules, were relatively highly expressed in cryptorchid testes: claudins 2, 3, 5, 11, and 18 were significantly increased in cryptorchid testes and reduced by orchiopexy. SOX9-positive Sertoli cells were present in the seminiferous tubules in both cryptorchid and control testes. Using real-time PCR and Western blot analysis to compare Sertoli cells cultured at 34 °C and 37 °C, we found that Sertoli cell claudins 2, 3, 5, 11, and 18 were significantly increased at 37 °C; however, accumulation was higher in the G0/G1 phase in Sertoli cells cultured at 34 °C. These results indicate that testicular hyperthermia caused by cryptorchidism affects claudin expression, regulated germ cell death, and the proliferation of Sertoli cells.
Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Individuals with Diabetic Kidney Disease: A Systematic Review
Authors: Flemming Nicole , Pernoud Laura , Forbes Josephine , Gallo Linda
Published: August 2022

Mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic kidney disease (DKD). Compared to the vast body of evidence from preclinical in vitro and in vivo studies, evidence from human studies is limited. In a comprehensive search of the published literature, findings from studies that reported evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction in individuals with DKD were examined. Three electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, and Scopus) were searched in March 2022. A total of 1339 articles were identified, and 22 articles met the inclusion criteria. Compared to non-diabetic controls (NDC) and/or individuals with diabetes but without kidney disease (DC), individuals with DKD (age ~55 years; diabetes duration ~15 years) had evidence of mitochondrial dysfunction. Individuals with DKD had evidence of disrupted mitochondrial dynamics (11 of 11 articles), uncoupling (2 of 2 articles), oxidative damage (8 of 8 articles), decreased mitochondrial respiratory capacity (1 of 1 article), decreased mtDNA content (5 of 6 articles), and decreased antioxidant capacity (3 of 4 articles) compared to ND and/or DC. Neither diabetes nor glycemic control explained these findings, but rather presence and severity of DKD may better reflect degree of mitochondrial dysfunction in this population. Future clinical studies should include individuals closer to diagnosis of diabetes to ascertain whether mitochondrial dysfunction is implicated in the development of, or is a consequence of, DKD.
QCM Measurements of RH with Nanostructured Carbon-Based Materials: Part 2-Experimental Characterization
Authors: Fort Ada , Lo Grasso Anna , Mugnaini Marco , Panzardi Enza , Parri Lorenzo , Vignoli Valerio , Viti Cecilia , Al-Hamry Ammar , Kanoun Olfa
Published: August 2022

In this series of two papers, the humidity sensing of a carbon nanotube (CNT) network-based material is transduced and studied through quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements. To this aim, quartzes functionalized with different amounts of sensing material were realized, exposed to different humidity levels, and characterized. In this second paper, the experimental results are presented and discussed. The sensing mechanisms are elucidated exploiting the theory presented in the first paper of this series. The presented results show that the investigated material functionalization induces a large response of QCM to humidity in terms of resonant frequency even at low RH levels, with a sensitivity of about 12 Hz/%RH (at RH < 30% and room temperature and 10 ug of deposited SWCNT solution) and an increase in sensitivity in the high RH range typical of nanostructured film. Regarding the response in terms of motional resistance, a large response is obtained only at intermediate and high humidity levels, confirming that condensation of water in the film plays an important role in the sensing mechanism of nanostructured materials.
The Assessment of the Psychomotor Profile in Children: Preliminary Psychometric Analysis of the Portuguese Version of the Batterie d’Evaluation des Fonctions Neuropsychomotrices de L’enfant (NPmot.pt)
Authors: Amorim Nídia De , Parreiral José , Santos Sofia
Published: August 2022

Psychomotor assessment is an expanding research field. A deep knowledge of the typical development will allow for better child-centered planning. Due to the scarcity of psychomotor assessment instruments validated in Portugal, our research aims to perform a preliminary analysis of the psychometric properties of the Portuguese version of the Battery for Neuropsychomotor functions evaluation (NPmot.pt). The NPmot.pt was translated and adapted to the Portuguese language/culture and applied to 200 children, 4–12 years old (6 y 10 m ± 0 y 4 m), with (n = 150) and without developmental disorders, attending regular school. For content validity, nine experts classified all items according to their relevance, clarity, simplicity and ambiguity. All indexes (IVC > 0.78) pointed out the representativeness of indicators, corroborated by experts proportion agreement (>0.42), and Cohen’s kappa scores (0.02 > k < 0.95). Reliability was confirmed through internal consistency, with Cronbach alphas/split-half (α > 0.45) and temporal reliability (test-retest technique, 0.45 > r < 0.99). Construct validity was analyzed through domains and domains-total correlations, tending to moderate to strong (0.31 > r < 0.92); exploratory factor analysis pointed out an eight-factor solution, explaining 88.5% of the total variance. For discriminant validity, we conducted a comparative study between children with and without developmental disorders that revealed significant differences (p < 0.05). The NPmot.pt seems to confirm validity and reliability for Portugal; however, more studies are needed.
New and Old Challenges in Pediatric Health Policies
Authors: Vassilakou Tonia
Published: August 2022

Pediatric Health Policies represent a complex context, which integrates various aspects of children’s health and well-being, along the continuum of fetal life, infancy, childhood and adolescence [...]
Exploring ENSO-Induced Anomalies over North America in Historical and Future Climate Simulations That Use HadGEM2-ESM Output to Drive WRF
Authors: Shepherd Tristan , Coburn Jacob J. , Barthelmie Rebecca J. , Pryor Sara C.
Published: August 2022

Projected changes to the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) climate mode have been explored using global Earth system models (ESMs). Regional expressions of such changes have yet to be fully advanced and may require the use of regional downscaling. Here, we employ regional climate modeling (RCM) using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model at convection-permitting resolution and nested in output from the HadGEM2 ESM. We quantify ENSO teleconnections to temperature and precipitation anomalies in historical and future climate scenarios over eastern North America. Two paired simulations are run, a strong El Niño (positive ENSO phase) and a weak La Niña (negative ENSO phase), for the historical and future years. The HadGEM2 direct output and HadGEM2-WRF simulation output are compared to the anomalies derived from the NOAA ENSO Climate Normals dataset. The near-surface temperature and precipitation differences by ENSO phase, as represented by the HadGEM2-WRF historical simulations, show a poor degree of association with the NOAA ENSO Climate Normals, in part because of the large biases in the HadGEM2 model. Downscaling with the WRF model does improve the agreement with the observations, and large discrepancies remain. The model chain HadGEM2-WRF reverses the sign of the ENSO phase response over eastern North America under simulations of the future climate with high greenhouse gas forcing, but due to the poor agreement with the NOAA ENSO Climate Normals it is difficult to assign confidence to this prediction.
Effect of Powder Particle Size and Shape on Appearance and Performance of Titanium Coatings Prepared on Mild Steel by Plasma Cladding
Authors: Wang Shicheng , Gao Wei , Hu Kangkai , Li Zhengyi , He Weining , Yu Hongying , Sun Dongbai
Published: August 2022

The preparation of Ti coatings on mild steel can both effectively improve the corrosion resistance of the substrate and reduce the application cost of Ti, which is an effective measure to improve the service performance of mild steel in the marine environment. Plasma cladding technology is an efficient method for preparing metal coatings, and the type of powder is a key process parameter for coating preparation. In this work, high-performance Ti coatings are prepared on the surface of mild steel by plasma cladding technology, and the effects of different particle sizes and shapes of Ti powders on the surface morphology, microstructure and properties of the coatings are studied. The results show that powder particle size and sphericity are the key factors affecting the morphology, structure and service performance of Ti coatings. After 1000 h of salt spray test, the spherical powder cladding coatings only suffer slight corrosion, while the irregular shape powder coating is more severely corroded. Powder cladding with moderate powder particle size and good sphericity have a smoother coating and fewer defects. Ti powders with different particle sizes and shapes all have the diffusion of Fe element during the cladding process. The surface of Ti coating prepared by spherical powder are dominated by α-Ti and Fe0.2Ti0.8 phases, while the surface of Ti coating prepared by irregular shape powder is dominated by FeTi and Ti2Fe. The interface between the coating and the substrate shows metallurgical bonding, and the increase in Ti-Fe brittle phase will deteriorate the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of the coating. The shear strength of coatings prepared from spherical Ti powders of 75–150 μm can reach 105.18 MPa, the corrosion potential is the most positive (−0.2206 V), and the self-corrosion current density is the lowest (6.220 × 10−8 A/cm2).
Morphology and Structure of Al2O3 + Graphene Low-Friction Composite Coatings
Authors: Miszczak Sebastian , Pietrzyk Bożena
Published: August 2022

Recently, graphene and its derivatives have been of particular interest as a solid lubricant to reduce friction. The aim of this study was to investigate the morphology and structure of low-friction Al2O3 coatings containing reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Using two types of rGO, alumina coatings were produced by the sol–gel dip-coating method and characterized in terms of morphology and structure using SEM and AFM microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that composite Al2O3 + rGO coatings had diversified morphology depending on the type of graphene used. The dip-coating method used for deposition had a large impact on the morphology and contributed to the orderly arrangement of rGO nanoplates in the coating matrices. It was also shown that there is a correlation between the shape and spatial orientation of nanoplates and the tribological properties of coatings. The structural studies showed differences in the number of graphene defects in the coatings, which may indicate the chemical bonding of graphene with the alumina matrices. These differences may also be responsible for divergences in the tribological properties of the coatings depending on the type of graphene. All our findings indicate the key role of an appropriate balance between the parameters of composite coating production in terms of the desired tribological properties.
Fabrication of Yb:YAG Transparent Ceramic by Vacuum Sintering Using Monodispersed Spherical Y2O3 and Al2O3 Powders
Authors: Li Jinsheng , Liu Xin , Wu Lei , Ji Haipeng , Dong Liang , Sun Xudong , Qi Xiwei
Published: August 2022

In the present work, Yb:YAG (yttrium aluminum garnet) transparent ceramics were fabricated using monodispersed spherical Y2O3, Al2O3 powders and commercial Yb2O3 nano-powder as raw materials, adding 0.5 wt% tetraethyl orthosilicae (TEOS) through the solid-state method and vacuum sintering technology. The prepared monodispersed Y2O3 and Al2O3 powders adopted by homogeneous co-precipitation showed improved mixing uniformity and lead to the reduced defect of the YAG powders. After sintering in vacuum at 1700 °C for 10 h, the (Y1−xYbx)AG (x = 0, 0.01, 0.10) ceramics with high transparency were obtained. Analysis of the densification rate, micromorphology, and optical properties of the ceramics suggests that the performance of the Yb:YAG ceramics is independent of the doping amount of Yb. Moreover, when the Y2O3, Al2O3, and Yb2O3 mixtures were laid aside for some time in the air after milling and drying, the performances of the as-prepared Yb:YAG ceramics would be affected distinctively. It is likely because the Y2O3 is easily hydrolyzed to Y(OH)3, Y(OH)2+ and Y2(OH)24+, which impinged the sintering activity of the powder mixture.
Comparative Study on the Degradation of Two Self-Polishing Antifouling Coating Systems with Copper-Based Antifouling Agents
Authors: Zhang Hanlu , Cao Jingyi , Sun Li , Kong Fabao , Tang Jianhua , Zhao Xuhui , Tang Yuming , Zuo Yu
Published: August 2022

The degradation processes of two self-polishing antifouling coatings containing copper-based agents (CuSCN and Cu2O) in 3.5% NaCl solution and the protection effect of the coating systems were studied by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscope (SEM/EDS) methods. The results demonstrate that after immersion for 1525 d at room temperature, the two coating systems still have very good protection property for the 5083 Al alloy substrate, manifesting by the high value of the low-frequency impedance. Alternate high and low temperature immersion test (45 °C 12 h + 25 °C 12 h) leads to serious damage to the antifouling topcoat, and the failure is mainly manifested by many micro-pores and micro-cracks. Because the CuSCN antifouling agent particle has bigger diameter and slightly higher solubility than that of Cu2O agent, the micro-pores established after the agents dissolved and released during the hydrolysis process of the antifouling coating are relatively larger, which results in more decrease in the impedance and a worse protective property of the coating system for the substrate.
Analysis of the Causes of Differences between the Upper and Lower Surfaces of Electroless Ni–P Coating on LZ91 Magnesium–Lithium Alloy
Authors: Pei Shi-Feng , Li Si-Qi , Zhong Liang , Cui Kai-Fang , Yang Jun , Yang Zhi-Gang
Published: August 2022

To address the issue of poor corrosion resistance of the Mg–Li alloy, electroless Ni–P plating was used to create a protective coating. However, there were significant differences between the upper and lower surface coatings, which were summarized as follows: (1) compared with the lower surface, the longitudinal differences between different areas of the upper surface coating were larger; and (2) the denseness of the upper surface coating was insufficient in areas where the insoluble phase was concentrated, resulting in significantly lower corrosion resistance of the upper surface coating than the lower surface. Resolving these differences could compensate for the defects of the upper surface coating so as to improve the overall corrosion resistance of the material. Therefore, in this paper, the deposition process of Ni–P was observed and speculated, and the reasons for these differences were analyzed in combination with experimental phenomena. Based on these, two optimization measures were proposed. The SEM observation results showed that the differences between the upper and lower surface coatings were significantly reduced after optimization. The results of potentiodynamic polarization tests and EIS tests showed that the optimized upper surface coating had good corrosion resistance similar to the lower surface coating.
The Study of Mathematical Models and Algorithms for Face Recognition in Images Using Python in Proctoring System
Authors: Nurpeisova Ardak , Shaushenova Anargul , Mutalova Zhazira , Zulpykhar Zhandos , Ongarbayeva Maral , Niyazbekova Shakizada , Semenov Alexander , Maisigova Leila
Published: August 2022

The article analyzes the possibility and rationality of using proctoring technology in remote monitoring of the progress of university students as a tool for identifying a student. Proctoring technology includes face recognition technology. Face recognition belongs to the field of artificial intelligence and biometric recognition. It is a very successful application of image analysis and understanding. To implement the task of determining a person’s face in a video stream, the Python programming language was used with the OpenCV code. Mathematical models of face recognition are also described. These mathematical models are processed during data generation, face analysis and image classification. We considered methods that allow the processes of data generation, image analysis and image classification. We have presented algorithms for solving computer vision problems. We placed 400 photographs of 40 students on the base. The photographs were taken at different angles and used different lighting conditions; there were also interferences such as the presence of a beard, mustache, glasses, hats, etc. When analyzing certain cases of errors, it can be concluded that accuracy decreases primarily due to images with noise and poor lighting quality.
An Anomaly Detection Model for Oil and Gas Pipelines Using Machine Learning
Authors: Aljameel Sumayh S. , Alomari Dorieh M. , Alismail Shatha , Khawaher Fatimah , Alkhudhair Aljawharah A. , Aljubran Fatimah , Alzannan Razan M.
Published: August 2022

Detection of minor leaks in oil or gas pipelines is a critical and persistent problem in the oil and gas industry. Many organisations have long relied on fixed hardware or manual assessments to monitor leaks. With rapid industrialisation and technological advancements, innovative engineering technologies that are cost-effective, faster, and easier to implement are essential. Herein, machine learning-based anomaly detection models are proposed to solve the problem of oil and gas pipeline leakage. Five machine learning algorithms, namely, random forest, support vector machine, k-nearest neighbour, gradient boosting, and decision tree, were used to develop detection models for pipeline leaks. The support vector machine algorithm, with an accuracy of 97.4%, overperformed the other algorithms in detecting pipeline leakage and thus proved its efficiency as an accurate model for detecting leakage in oil and gas pipelines.
Hirsutism, Normal Androgens and Diagnosis of PCOS
Authors: Spritzer Poli Mara , Marchesan Lucas Bandeira , Santos Betânia Rodrigues , Fighera Tayane Muniz
Published: August 2022

Hirsutism is defined as the presence of terminal hair with male pattern distribution in women. While in the general population, hirsutism affects around 4–11% of women, it is the main manifestation of hyperandrogenism in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), with a prevalence estimated at 65–75%. Hirsutism in PCOS is associated with both androgen excess and individual response of the pilosebaceous unit to androgens. The modified Ferriman–Gallwey (mFG) scoring system has been widely used in clinical practice to visually score excessive terminal hair, thus standardizing hirsutism evaluation and facilitating data comparison. Although a universal mFG score cutoff would be useful for comparisons, ethnic variations, as well as skin type and other factors, should be considered when evaluating hirsutism in distinct populations. In turn, androgen levels, measured by conventional techniques, have been shown to correlate poorly with the severity of hirsutism. Indeed, while most women with PCOS and hirsutism also have higher than reference values for serum androgen levels, some of them may not present with biochemical hyperandrogenism, representing a challenge to the diagnosis of PCOS. In this article, we critically review this not uncommon condition in women with PCOS presenting with hirsutism but normal androgen levels.
A Differential Diagnosis of Unusual Gastric Ulcer
Authors: Sung Soo-Yoon , Choi Hyun Ho , Seo Kyung Jin
Published: August 2022

The endoscopic findings of diffuse large B cell lymphoma have various presentations. In our case, the patient had developed multiple elevated central ulceration lesions, and the peripheral elevated portion had a heaped-up margin. The margin had a sharp, smooth edge that was not infiltrative and could be confused with a simple gastric ulcer. Endoscopists should be aware of the possibility of multiple lymphoma ulcers with heaped-up margins. We present some unusual endoscopic features of lymphoma, which are easily misdiagnosed as gastric ulcers.
Criteria for Diagnosis of Polycystic Ovary Syndrome during Adolescence: Literature Review
Authors: Peña Alexia S. , Codner Ethel , Witchel Selma
Published: August 2022

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is one of the most common endocrine conditions in women. PCOS may be more challenging to diagnose during adolescence due to an overlap with the physiological events of puberty, which are part of the diagnostic criteria in adult women. This review focuses on the evidence available in relation to PCOS diagnostic criteria for adolescents. Adolescent PCOS should be diagnosed using two main criteria irregular -menstrual cycles (relative to number of years post-menarche) and hyperandrogenism (clinical and/or biochemical); after excluding other conditions that mimic PCOS. Accurate definitions of the two main criteria will decrease challenges/controversies with the diagnosis and provide timely diagnosis during adolescence to establish early management. Despite the attempts to create accurate diagnostic criteria and definitions, this review highlights the limited research in this area, especially in the follow up of adolescents presenting with one diagnostic feature that are called “at risk of PCOS”. Studies in adolescents continue to use the Rotterdam diagnostic criteria that uses pelvic ultrasound. This is inappropriate, because previous and emerging data that show many healthy adolescents have polycystic ovarian morphology in the early years post-menarche. In the future, anti-Müllerian hormone levels might help support PCOS diagnosis if adolescents meet two main criteria.
A Systems Analysis of Energy Usage and Effectiveness of a Counter-Unmanned Aerial System Using a Cyber-Attack Approach
Authors: Lee Chee Hoe , Thiessen Christian , Van Bossuyt Douglas L. , Hale Britta
Published: August 2022

Existing counter-unmanned aerial system (C-UAS) defensive mechanisms rely heavily on radio frequency (RF) jamming techniques that require a large amount of energy to operate. The effects of RF jamming result in undesirable consequences, such as the jamming of other nearby friendly radio devices as well as the increase in RF footprint for local operators. Current cybersecurity analysis of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) UASs have revealed multiple vulnerabilities that give rise to opportunities to conduct C-UAS operations in the cyber domain. This is achieved by performing cyber-attacks on adversarial UASs through hijacking the device-specific communication’s link on a narrow RF band and without the need for broad-spectrum RF energy bursts during C-UAS operations, which can result in lower energy usage to accomplish the same outcome. This article validates the cyber-attack C-UAS (CyC-UAS) concept through reviewing recent C-UAS operational experimental scenarios and conducting analysis on the collected data. Then, a simulation model of a defense facility is constructed to analyze and validate specific mission scenarios of interest and several proposed concepts of operation. A comparison of the energy requirements between CyC-UAS and existing C-UAS techniques is performed to assess energy efficiency and trade-offs of different C-UAS approaches. In this article, the comparison of energy requirements between the CyC-UAS prototype and existing C-UAS products that utilize RF jamming methods reveals that CyC-UAS achieves significant energy savings while not affecting other telecommunication devices operating at the same frequencies. While both the C-UAS techniques adopt the denial-of-service strategy, the CyC-UAS is able to achieve the same mission by consuming much less energy. Therefore, the CyC-UAS concept shows promise as a new, lower energy, and lower collateral damage approach to defending against UAS.
Examining the Adoption of Drones and Categorisation of Precision Elements among Hungarian Precision Farmers Using a Trans-Theoretical Model
Authors: Bai Attila , Kovách Imre , Czibere Ibolya , Megyesi Boldizsár , Balogh Péter
Published: August 2022

This article discusses the use of drones in Hungary and considers their future penetration, based on the responses to a nationally representative 2021 questionnaire among 200 large-scale farmers engaged in precision farming and in crop production. Both the applied trans-theoretical model (with ordinal logit regression model) and the questionnaire design are suitable for comparison with the results of a similar survey in Germany. In this study, similar results were found for farm size, age, main job and education, but the evidence that higher education in agriculture has the largest positive effect on the use of drones is a novelty. The frequency values obtained for adopting precision technology elements are not fully suitable for classification due to interpretational shortcomings. The use of drones within precision technologies is no longer negligible (17%), but is nevertheless expected to grow significantly due to continuous innovation and the selective application of inputs. The state could play a major role in future uptake, particularly in the areas of training and harmonisation of legislation.
Dissipative, Entropy Production Systems across Condensed Matter and Interdisciplinary Classical vs. Quantum Physics
Authors: Gadomski Adam
Published: August 2022

This Special Issue collected ten papers addressing a range of topics in condensed matter and interdisciplinary classical vs [...]
The Combination of Serious Gaming and Immersive Virtual Reality through the Constructivist Approach: An Application to Teaching Architecture
Authors: Capecchi Irene , Borghini Tommaso , Barbierato Elena , Guazzini Andrea , Serritella Elena , Raimondi Tommaso , Saragosa Claudio , Bernetti Iacopo
Published: August 2022

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) has proven to be a technology that can benefit the dissemination of cultural content. In 2019 was the five hundredth anniversary of the death of Leonardo Da Vinci. Given the few works that develop IVR technologies to explain the genius of the master, we decided to take advantage of the opportunity to learn about the master through the use of new technologies. To build an IVR application that aims to spread knowledge, it is necessary to define an educational paradigm and the type of application. Given the domain of the application and the need to convey complex/novel topics, the IVR application developed in this study is based on the constructivist framework and creates a serious game (SG). In order to explain Leonardo Da Vinci’s thinking and design approach, we decided to focus on urban planning and architecture studies by explaining the projects envisioned by Leonardo da Vinci. This paper investigates whether an IVR-SG application maintains the fundamental characteristics underlying disclosure processes, such as immersivity and a sense of presence. Two secondary school classes experienced this by evaluating the application through a psychometric questionnaire. The results show that immersivity and a sense of presence were evaluated positively.
Factor Structure and Psychometric Properties of Brief COPE in Russian Schoolteachers
Authors: Pavlova Anna , Marakshina Julia , Vasin Georgy , Ismatullina Victoria , Kolyasnikov Pavel , Adamovich Timofey , Malykh Artem , Tabueva Anna , Zakharov Ilya , Lobaskova Marina , Malykh Sergey
Published: August 2022

This study investigates the psychometric properties of brief COPE in Russian schoolteachers. A total of 773 (91% female; M = 43, SD = 9.79) teachers participated in the study. Principal component analysis (PCA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were applied to assess the psychometric properties of the brief COPE. The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) was used to assess the construct validity. The main result of the current research is a revised structure for the brief COPE consisting of six sub-scales: «socio-emotional support», «religion», «acceptance», «problem-focused coping», «avoidance», and «humor». The goodness-of-fit criteria were as follows: SRMR = 0.054, RMSEA = 0.064, CFI = 0.888, and TLI = 869. Overall, the Russian version of the brief COPE shows acceptable psychometric properties and may be applied by researchers, school administrators, and psychologists; however, the reliability of the “avoidance” scale is doubtful and must be considered before application.
Standing Posture in Motor and Cognitive Dual-Tasks during Smartphone Use: Linear and Nonlinear Analysis of Postural Control
Authors: Saraiva Marina , Fernandes Orlando J. , Vilas-Boas João Paulo , Castro Maria António
Published: August 2022

Analysis of the center of pressure (CoP) during cognitive or motor dual-tasking is widely used to characterize postural control. Most studies use traditional measures of CoP to quantify postural control, but given its complexity, nonlinear analysis of CoP is of growing interest in the area. This study aims to analyze CoP behavior in healthy young adults during standing posture performance while simultaneously performing motor or cognitive tasks on a smartphone, using linear and nonlinear analysis of CoP. Thirty-six healthy participants (23.08 ± 3.92 years) were found eligible for this study. They performed a single task (ST), cognitive dual-task (cog-DT), and motor dual-task (mot-DT). The total excursion of CoP, displacement of CoP in the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral directions, mean total velocity of CoP, and mean anterior-posterior and medial-lateral velocities of CoP were measured with a force plate. Approximate entropy (ApEn) of the anterior-posterior (ApEn-AP) and medial-lateral (ApEn-ML) displacement of CoP were also calculated. The results showed that dual-task costs for the total excursion, displacement in the anterior-posterior direction, mean total velocity, and mean anterior-posterior velocity of CoP were greater during the cog-DT than the mot-DT (p < 0.05). In the nonlinear analysis of the CoP, there was no difference (p > 0.05) between the cog-DT and mot-DT for ApEn values of the anterior-posterior and medial-lateral time series of the CoP. Both linear and nonlinear analyses showed differences between the cog-DT and ST (p < 0.05), revealing a decline in postural control during the cog-DT compared with the ST. In conclusion, performing a cog-DT causes sway impairments and lower postural control efficacy compared with motor single and dual-tasks. Furthermore, both linear and nonlinear analyses were able to distinguish between conditions.
A Novel Non-Isolated Step-Up DC/AC Inverter with Less Switches
Authors: Chen Chao , Wu Tao , Gu Yixing , Shi Changli
Published: August 2022

In order to solve the problem of leakage current and step-up voltage capability associated with the single-phase single-stage non-isolated inverter, a new topology is proposed in this paper. The proposal has the advantages of less switch components, high step-up voltage capability and no leakage current. The three operation modes are discussed and the modulation strategy is designed. Finally, the prototype of the proposed new single-phase single-stage non-isolated inverter is established. The TMS320F28335 DSP and Xilinx XC6SLX9 FPGA are used to provide the system with digital control. The experimental results show that the proposed inverter achieved the boosted ability as well as the sinusoidal output voltage, whose total harmonic distortion is well below 5%, which meets the IEEE Std. 519-2014.
A Systematic Method to Generate Effective STLs for the In-Field Test of CAN Bus Controllers
Authors: da Silva Felipe Augusto , Cantoro Riccardo , Hamdioui Said , Sartoni Sandro , Sauer Christian , Sonza Reorda Matteo
Published: August 2022

In order to match the strict reliability requirements mandated by regulations and standards adopted in the automotive sector, as well as other domains where safety is a major concern, the in-field testing of the most critical devices, including microcontrollers and systems on chip, is a crucial task. Since the controller area network (CAN) bus is widely used in the automotive domain, the corresponding controller ubiquitously appears in all these devices. This paper presents a generic and systematic methodology to develop an effective in-field test procedure for CAN controllers based on a functional approach (i.e., on the adoption of self-test libraries). The method can be customized to match the requirements coming from different scenarios, and allows the test engineer to maximize the achieved fault coverage in terms of structural faults in the different cases. The experimental results we gathered on a representative CAN controller model show that, given two typical testing scenarios, we are able to detect 84.28% and 87.62% of stuck-at faults, respectively, hence demonstrating the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Multi-Objective Navigation Strategy for Guide Robot Based on Machine Emotion
Authors: Chen Dan , Ge Yuncong
Published: August 2022

In recent years, the rapid development of robot technology means more kinds of robots appear in life and they are applied in different fields of society. Service robots are mainly used to provide convenience for human beings. Guide robots are a kind of service robot, which can replace manual instruction and guidance. However, most of the existing studies provide a preset guidance trajectory for the guiding robot, or they let the user choose the next target point for position guidance, which is a lack of intelligence. To solve the above problems, a robot navigation strategy based on machine emotion is proposed. Firstly, the machine emotion of the guide robot is established according to the user’s emotional state and environmental information. Then, the machine emotion and current location information are used to estimate the user’s intention, i.e., the most desired next target point. Finally, the classical indoor path planning method and obstacle avoidance method are employed to calculate a passable path between the target point and the current position. Simulation results show that the proposed strategy can execute different navigation strategies according to user emotion. The navigation strategy proposed in this paper has been tested on Pepper robot and received good feedback from the subjects.
Blockchain for Food Tracking
Authors: Mendi Arif Furkan
Published: August 2022

A food shortage, which has increased with the climate crisis, will be one of the biggest problems of the world, together with water scarcity, in the future and will damage the sustainability of the food supply system. With the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, food resources are decreasing, and food prices are rising all over the world. The decrease in food sources increases the importance of food tracking even more. The exorbitant price increases after the COVID-19 pandemic are the most concrete indicators of this. Blockchain-based food tracking systems will be of critical importance because they will prevent exorbitant price increases with their contribution to food tracking processes, such as reliability and transparency. In this study, the establishment of a blockchain-based food tracking system in Turkey, its operation, and its results will be discussed. It was concluded that 97.54% of the participants using the established system found the application useful and wanted such an application to become widespread. In addition, comparing the performance data of the established blockchain-based system with other blockchain infrastructures, a value of 0.038 s for latency is 435 times better than Ethereum, one of the most popular blockchain infrastructures. A transmission per second value of 285, reception per second value of 335, and CPU load rate value of 19.22 are obtained with the proposed system.
A Monitoring System Based on NB-IoT and BDS/GPS Dual-Mode Positioning
Authors: Xie Zhibo , Zhang Ruihua , Fang Juanni , Zheng Liyuan
Published: August 2022

Monitoring system is widely used to detect the environment parameters such as temperature, humidity and position information in cold chain logistic, modern agriculture, hospital and so on. Poor position precision, high communication cost, high packet loss rate are the main problems in current monitoring system. To solve these problems, the paper presents a new monitoring system based on Narrow Band Internet of Things (NB-IoT) and BeiDou system/Global System Position (BDS/GPS) dual-mode positioning. Considering the position precision, a dual-mode positioning circuit based on at6558 is designed, and the calculation formula of the positioning information of the monitored target has been derived. Subsequently, a communication network based on wh-nb75-ba NB-IoT module is designed after compared with the LoRa technology. According to the characteristics of high time correlation of sensor data, an adaptive optimal zero suppression (AOZS) compression algorithm is proposed to improve the efficiency of data transmission. Experiments prove the feasibility and effectiveness of the system from the aspects of measurement accuracy, positioning accuracy and communication performance. The temperature and humidity error are less than 1 °C and 5% RH respectively with the selected sensor chips. The position error is decided by several factors, including the number of satellites used for positioning, the monitored target moving speed and NB-IoT module lifetime period. When the monitored target is stationary, the positioning error is about 2 m, which is less than that of the single GPS or BDS mode. When the monitored target moves, the position error will increase. But the error is still less than that of the single GPS or BDS mode. Then the AOZS compression algorithm is used in actually experiment. The compression ratio (CR) of it is about 10% when the data amount increasing. In addition, the packet loss rate test experiment proves the high reliability of the proposed system.
Increasing Drilling Speed by Absorption and Hydraulic Supercharging of Drill String in Formation Containing Hydrogen Sulfide: A Case Study
Authors: Liu Yongwang , Chen Xiaoyuan , Niu Yixiang , Guan Zhichuan , Wang Wei , Liu Chuanfu
Published: August 2022

Increasing drilling speed and shortening the well construction period are the goals of the drilling field. The use of downhole speed-up tools has been noted for its advantages such as no additional cost, no change in drilling equipment and no impact on normal drilling operations. However, conventional downhole speed-up tools cannot meet the needs when the drilled formation contains hydrogen sulfide. Then, the technology test on increasing drilling speed by absorption and hydraulic supercharging of drill string in hydrogen sulfide formation was carried out in well Wanweiye1 (WWY1), Anhui Province, China. The results show that: firstly, the speed-up device by absorption and hydraulic supercharging of drill string can be used in the formation containing hydrogen sulfide, and can still perform normal drilling operations with a hydrogen sulfide concentration of 567 ppm; secondly, the speed-up technology by absorption and hydraulic supercharging of drill string has a significant speed-raising effect in the region containing hydrogen sulfide and can raise the speed by 62.5% to 92.05%; thirdly, the speed-up device by absorption and hydraulic supercharging of drill string can meet the needs of high density killing fluid. Once the well WWY1 suffered an overflow, the device did not affect the killing operation when the killing fluid density reached 2.2 g/cm3 and killing time reached 104.8 h.