bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simulated Corn Earworm, Helicoverpa zea, Injury in an Indeterminate Soybean Cultivar at Various Growth Stages under Non-Irrigated Conditions in the Southern United States
Authors: Coelho Mariane , Cook Donald R. , Catchot Angus L. , Gore Jeff , Lourenção André L. , Baldin Edson L. L.
Published: September 2020

Soybean is considered one of the most valuable crops in the United States of America. Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) is among several insect pests which are associated with soybean, damaging leaves when infestations occur during the vegetative stages, and flowers and pods during the reproductive stages, which can directly impact yield. Artificial fruit removal is a method used to understand insect damage and to adjust action levels for control. The objective of this work was to evaluate the impact of five levels of fruit removal (0%, 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) at four stages (R2, R3, R4 and R5) on maturity and yield of soybean. These methods were used to simulate H. zea damage under controlled conditions in non-irrigated environments, during 2016 and 2017. There was a significant interaction between fruit removal timing and fruit removal level for the percentage of non-senesced main stems and abscised leaves. For soybean yield, there was no significant interaction between fruit removal timing and fruit removal level. Plots that received fruit removal treatments at R5 had significantly lower soybean yields compared to plots that received damage at other growth stages and the nontreated control. Plots with 100% fruit removal had significantly lower yields compared to plots that received any of the other fruit removal treatments. These data demonstrate that indeterminate midmaturity group IV soybeans that are commonly grown in the midsouthern region of the United States may be able to compensate for even severe levels of fruit loss early during the reproductive portion of the growing season if favorable growing conditions occur.
Variation of Phenotypic Traits in Twelve Bambara Groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) Genotypes and Two F2 Bi-Parental Segregating Populations
Authors: Gao Xiuqing , Bamba Aliyu Siise Abdullah , Kundy Aloyce Callist , Mateva Kumbirai Ivyne , Chai Hui Hui , Ho Wai Kuan , Musa Mukhtar , Mayes Sean , Massawe Festo
Published: September 2020

Underutilised species such as bambara groundnut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) have the potential to contribute significantly to meeting food and nutritional needs worldwide. We evaluated phenotypic traits in twelve bambara groundnut genotypes from East, West and Southern Africa and Southeast Asia and two F2 bi-parental segregating populations derived from IITA-686 ×Tiga Nicuru and S19-3 ×DodR to determine phenotypic trait variation and their potential contribution to the development of improved crop varieties. All phenotypic traits in twelve genotypes were significantly influenced (p < 0.01) by genotypes. Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that PC1 accounted for 97.33% variation and was associated with four genotypes collected from East and Southern Africa. PC2 accounted for 2.48% of the variation and was associated with five genotypes collected from East, West and Southern Africa. Transgressive segregation for a number of traits was observed in the two F2 bi-parental populations, as some individual lines in the segregating populations showed trait values greater or less than their parents. The variability between twelve genotypes and the two F2 bi-parental segregating populations and the negative relationship between plant architectural traits and yield related traits provide resources for development of structured populations and breeding lines for bambara groundnut breeding programme.
Fertigation of Maize with Digestate Using Drip Irrigation and Pivot Systems
Authors: Guido Viviana , Finzi Alberto , Ferrari Omar , Riva Elisabetta , Quílez Dolores , Herrero Eva , Provolo Giorgio
Published: September 2020

Digestate is a nutrient-rich fertilizer and appropriate techniques are required for its application during the maize season to reduce losses and increase the nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). The performance of two different fertigation techniques (drip irrigation and pivot) were assessed using the digestate liquid fraction. A two-year field test was carried out at two different sites in Lombardy, northern Italy. At each site, fertigation with pivot (P-F, site 1) or drip (D-F, site 2) systems was compared to reference fields where the same irrigation techniques without addition of digestate were used. During the two seasons, the performance of the fertigation systems, amount of fertilizers used, soil nitrogen content, yields, and nitrogen content of the harvested plants were monitored. The digestate application averaged 5 m3/ha per fertigation event with P-F and 4.9 m3/ha with D-F corresponding, respectively, to 28 and 23 kg N/ha. Both irrigation systems were suitable for fertigation provided that the digestate was adequately filtrated. Our results suggest that fertigation with digestate, if properly managed, can be applied during the growing season up to the full amount of nitrogen required by the crop.
Overcoming Intrinsic and Acquired Resistance Mechanisms Associated with the Cell Wall of Gram-Negative Bacteria
Authors: Impey Rachael E. , Hawkins Daniel A. , Sutton J. Mark , Soares da Costa Tatiana P.
Published: September 2020

The global increase in multi-drug-resistant bacteria is severely impacting our ability to effectively treat common infections. For Gram-negative bacteria, their intrinsic and acquired resistance mechanisms are heightened by their unique cell wall structure. The cell wall, while being a target of some antibiotics, represents a barrier due to the inability of most antibacterial compounds to traverse and reach their intended target. This means that its composition and resulting mechanisms of resistance must be considered when developing new therapies. Here, we discuss potential antibiotic targets within the most well-characterised resistance mechanisms associated with the cell wall in Gram-negative bacteria, including the outer membrane structure, porins and efflux pumps. We also provide a timely update on the current progress of inhibitor development in these areas. Such compounds could represent new avenues for drug discovery as well as adjuvant therapy to help us overcome antibiotic resistance.
Prevalence and Antibiotic Resistance of ESKAPE Pathogens Isolated in the Emergency Department of a Tertiary Care Teaching Hospital in Hungary: A 5-Year Retrospective Survey
Authors: Benkő Ria , Gajdács Márió , Matuz Mária , Bodó Gabriella , Lázár Andrea , Hajdú Edit , Papfalvi Erika , Hannauer Peter , Erdélyi Péter , Pető Zoltán
Published: September 2020

Antibiotic treatments initiated on Emergency Departments (ED) are empirical. Therefore, knowledge of local susceptibility patterns is important. Despite this, data on expected pathogens and their resistance profile are scarce from EDs internationally. The study aim was to assess the epidemiology and resistance patterns of bacterial isolates from a tertiary-care ED over 5 years, focusing on ESKAPE bacteria (including the Enterobacterales group). After removal of duplicates, n = 6887 individual bacterial isolates were recovered, out of which n = 4974 (72.22%) were ESKAPE isolates. E. coli was the most frequent isolate (2193, 44.1%), followed by the Klebsiella genus (664; 13.4%). The third most frequent isolate was S. aureus (561, 11.3%). In total, multi-drug resistance (MDR) was present in 23.8% and was most prevalent in A. baumanii (65.5%), P. mirabilis (42.7%), and K. pneumoniae (32.6%). MRSA was isolated in 19.6%, while ESBL-producing Enterobacterales in 17.7%, and these were associated with remarkably higher resistance to other antibacterials as well. Difficult-to-treat resistance (DTR) was detected in 0.5%. The frequent isolation of some ESKAPE bacteria and the detected considerable acquired resistance among ED patients raise concern. The revealed data identified problematic pathogens and will guide us to set up the optimal empiric antibiotic protocol for clinicians.
Progress Overview of Bacterial Two-Component Regulatory Systems as Potential Targets for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy
Authors: Hirakawa Hidetada , Kurushima Jun , Hashimoto Yusuke , Tomita Haruyoshi
Published: September 2020

Bacteria adapt to changes in their environment using a mechanism known as the two-component regulatory system (TCS) (also called “two-component signal transduction system” or “two-component system”). It comprises a pair of at least two proteins, namely the sensor kinase and the response regulator. The former senses external stimuli while the latter alters the expression profile of bacterial genes for survival and adaptation. Although the first TCS was discovered and characterized in a non-pathogenic laboratory strain of Escherichia coli, it has been recognized that all bacteria, including pathogens, use this mechanism. Some TCSs are essential for cell growth and fitness, while others are associated with the induction of virulence and drug resistance/tolerance. Therefore, the TCS is proposed as a potential target for antimicrobial chemotherapy. This concept is based on the inhibition of bacterial growth with the substances acting like conventional antibiotics in some cases. Alternatively, TCS targeting may reduce the burden of bacterial virulence and drug resistance/tolerance, without causing cell death. Therefore, this approach may aid in the development of antimicrobial therapeutic strategies for refractory infections caused by multi-drug resistant (MDR) pathogens. Herein, we review the progress of TCS inhibitors based on natural and synthetic compounds.
Impairment of PGC-1 Alpha Up-Regulation Enhances Nitrosative Stress in the Liver during Acute Pancreatitis in Obese Mice
Authors: Rius-Pérez Sergio , Torres-Cuevas Isabel , Monsalve María , Miranda Francisco J. , Pérez Salvador
Published: September 2020

Acute pancreatitis is an inflammatory process of the pancreatic tissue that often leads to distant organ dysfunction. Although liver injury is uncommon in acute pancreatitis, obesity is a risk factor for the development of hepatic complications. The aim of this work was to evaluate the role of PGC-1α in inflammatory response regulation in the liver and its contribution to the detrimental effect of obesity on the liver during acute pancreatitis. For this purpose, we induced acute pancreatitis by cerulein in not only wild-type (WT) and PGC-1α knockout (KO) mice, but also in lean and obese mice. PGC-1α levels were up-regulated in the mice livers with pancreatitis. The increased PGC-1α levels were bound to p65 to restrain its transcriptional activity toward Nos2. Lack of PGC-1α favored the assembly of the p65/phospho-STAT3 complex, which promoted Nos2 expression during acute pancreatitis. The increased transcript Nos2 levels and the pro-oxidant liver status caused by the down-regulated expression of the PGC-1α-dependent antioxidant genes enhanced nitrosative stress and decreased energy charge in the livers of the PGC-1α KO mice with pancreatitis. It is noteworthy that the PGC-1α levels lowered in the obese mice livers, which increased the Nos2 mRNA expression and protein nitration levels and decreased energy charge during pancreatitis. In conclusion, obesity impairs PGC-1α up-regulation in the liver to cause nitrosative stress during acute pancreatitis.
Rats Genetically Selected for High Aerobic Exercise Capacity Have Elevated Plasma Bilirubin by Upregulation of Hepatic Biliverdin Reductase-A (BVRA) and Suppression of UGT1A1
Authors: Hinds Terry D. , Creeden Justin F. , Gordon Darren M. , Spegele Adam C. , Britton Steven L. , Koch Lauren G. , Stec David E.
Published: September 2020

Exercise in humans and animals increases plasma bilirubin levels, but the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. In the present study, we utilized rats genetically selected for high capacity running (HCR) and low capacity running (LCR) to determine pathways in the liver that aerobic exercise modifies to control plasma bilirubin. The HCR rats, compared to the LCR, exhibited significantly higher levels of plasma bilirubin and the hepatic enzyme that produces it, biliverdin reductase-A (BVRA). The HCR also had reduced expression of the glucuronyl hepatic enzyme UGT1A1, which lowers plasma bilirubin. Recently, bilirubin has been shown to activate the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα), a ligand-induced transcription factor, and the higher bilirubin HCR rats had significantly increased PPARα-target genes Fgf21, Abcd3, and Gys2. These are known to promote liver function and glycogen storage, which we found by Periodic acid–Schiff (PAS) staining that hepatic glycogen content was higher in the HCR versus the LCR. Our results demonstrate that exercise stimulates pathways that raise plasma bilirubin through alterations in hepatic enzymes involved in bilirubin synthesis and metabolism, improving liver function, and glycogen content. These mechanisms may explain the beneficial effects of exercise on plasma bilirubin levels and health in humans.
Detecting Suspicious Texts Using Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: Sharif Omar , Hoque Mohammed Moshiul , Kayes A. S. M. , Nowrozy Raza , Sarker Iqbal H.
Published: September 2020

Due to the substantial growth of internet users and its spontaneous access via electronic devices, the amount of electronic contents has been growing enormously in recent years through instant messaging, social networking posts, blogs, online portals and other digital platforms. Unfortunately, the misapplication of technologies has increased with this rapid growth of online content, which leads to the rise in suspicious activities. People misuse the web media to disseminate malicious activity, perform the illegal movement, abuse other people, and publicize suspicious contents on the web. The suspicious contents usually available in the form of text, audio, or video, whereas text contents have been used in most of the cases to perform suspicious activities. Thus, one of the most challenging issues for NLP researchers is to develop a system that can identify suspicious text efficiently from the specific contents. In this paper, a Machine Learning (ML)-based classification model is proposed (hereafter called STD) to classify Bengali text into non-suspicious and suspicious categories based on its original contents. A set of ML classifiers with various features has been used on our developed corpus, consisting of 7000 Bengali text documents where 5600 documents used for training and 1400 documents used for testing. The performance of the proposed system is compared with the human baseline and existing ML techniques. The SGD classifier ‘tf-idf’ with the combination of unigram and bigram features are used to achieve the highest accuracy of 84.57%.
Phytochemical Characterization of Blue Honeysuckle in Relation to the Genotypic Diversity of Lonicera sp.
Authors: Gawroński Jacek , Żebrowska Jadwiga , Pabich Marzena , Jackowska Izabella , Kowalczyk Krzysztof , Dyduch-Siemińska Magdalena
Published: September 2020

The phytochemical characteristic analysis of a group of 30 haskap berry genotypes was carried out bearing in mind the concern for the consumption of food with high nutraceutical value that helps maintain good health. Phytochemical fruit composition and antioxidant activity were assessed by the Folin–Ciocalteau, spectrophotometric, DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) as well as ABTS (2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) method. Evaluation of antioxidant activity was referred to as the Trolox equivalent. The observed differences in the content of phenolics, flavonoids, vitamin C and antioxidant activity allowed us to select genotypes which, due to the high level of the analyzed compounds, are particularly recommended in everyone’s diet. In addition, the analysis of the prospects of increasing the analyzed phytochemical properties, estimated by parameters such as heritability and genetic progress, indicates the effectiveness of breeding in relation to each of the analyzed traits. The results of the presented research can be used in the implementation of future breeding programs for this valuable species.
Selection of Posture for Time-Trial Cycling Events
Authors: Polanco Alejandra P. , Muñoz Luis E. , Doria Alberto , Suarez Daniel R.
Published: September 2020

Cyclists usually define their posture according to performance and comfort requirements. However, when modifying their posture, cyclists experience a trade-off between these requirements. In this research, an optimization methodology is developed to select the posture of cyclists giving the best compromise between performance and comfort. Performance was defined as the race time estimated from the power delivery capacity and resistive forces. Comfort was characterized using pressure and vibration indices. The optimization methodology was implemented to select the aerobars’ height for five cyclists riding on 20-km time-trial races with different wind speed and road grade conditions. The results showed that the reduction of the aerobars’ height improved the drag area (−10.7% ± 3.1%) and deteriorated the power delivery capacity (−9.5% ± 5.4%), pressure on the saddle (+16.5% ± 11.5%), and vibrations on the saddle (+6.5% ± 4.0%) for all the tested cyclists. It was observed that the vibrations on the saddle imposed the greatest constraint for the cyclists, limiting the feasible exposure time and, in some cases, modifying the result obtained if the posture was selected considering only performance. It was concluded that optimal posture selection should be performed specifically for each cyclist and race condition due to the dependence of the results on these factors.
An Intelligent System-on-a-Chip for a Real-Time Assessment of Fuel Consumption to Promote Eco-Driving
Authors: Mata-Carballeira Óscar , Díaz-Rodríguez Mikel , del Campo Inés , Martínez Victoria
Published: September 2020

Pollution that originates from automobiles is a concern in the current world, not only because of global warming, but also due to the harmful effects on people’s health and lives. Despite regulations on exhaust gas emissions being applied, minimizing unsuitable driving habits that cause elevated fuel consumption and emissions would achieve further reductions. For that reason, this work proposes a self-organized map (SOM)-based intelligent system in order to provide drivers with eco-driving-intended driving style (DS) recommendations. The development of the DS advisor uses driving data from the Uyanik instrumented car. The system classifies drivers regarding the underlying causes of non-optimal DSs from the eco-driving viewpoint. When compared with other solutions, the main advantage of this approach is the personalization of the recommendations that are provided to motorists, comprising the handling of the pedals and the gearbox, with potential improvements in both fuel consumption and emissions ranging from the 9.5% to the 31.5%, or even higher for drivers that are strongly engaged with the system. It was successfully implemented using a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) device of the Xilinx ZynQ programmable system-on-a-chip (PSoC) family. This SOM-based system allows for real-time implementation, state-of-the-art timing performances, and low power consumption, which are suitable for developing advanced driving assistance systems (ADASs).
Development of Injectable Thermosensitive Chitosan-Based Hydrogels for Cell Encapsulation
Authors: Stanzione Antonella , Polini Alessandro , La Pesa Velia , Romano Alessandro , Quattrini Angelo , Gigli Giuseppe , Moroni Lorenzo , Gervaso Francesca
Published: September 2020

The three-dimensional complexity of the native extracellular matrix (ECM) suggests switching from 2D to 3D culture systems for providing the cells with an architecture more similar to the physiological environment. Reproducing the three-dimensionality in vitro can guarantee beneficial effects in terms of cell growth, adhesion, proliferation, and/or their differentiation. Hydrogels have the same tailorable physico-chemical and biological characteristics as ECM materials. In this study, we propose a thermoresponsive chitosan-based hydrogel that gels thanks to the addition of organic and inorganic salt solutions (beta-glycerolphosphate and sodium hydrogen carbonate) and is suitable for cell encapsulation allowing obtaining 3D culture systems. Physico-chemical analyses showed that the hydrogel formulations jellify at physiological conditions (37 °C, pH 7.4), are stable in vitro up to three weeks, have high swelling ratios and mechanical stiffness suitable for cellular encapsulation. Moreover, preliminary biological tests underlined the pronounced biocompatibility of the system. Therefore, these chitosan-based hydrogels are proposed as valid biomaterials for cell encapsulation.
A Nonlinear Robust Sliding Mode Controller with Auxiliary Dynamic System for the Hovering Flight of a Tilt Tri-Rotor UAV
Authors: He Guang , Yu Li , Huang Huaping , Wang Xiangke
Published: September 2020

The tilt tri-rotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) has three flight modes: the hover mode, the transition mode, and the fixed-wing mode. Controller design in the hover mode is the premise of realizing stable flight of this kind of UAV. Due to the particular structure with odd rotors and strong nonlinearity, the modeling and control of the tilt tri-rotor UAV remain an active and ongoing research topic. To overcome these problems and achieve stable flight control, this paper proposes a sliding mode-based nonlinear control scheme for the hovering flight of a tilt tri-rotor UAV, consisting of position control, attitude control, and control allocation. First, the mathematical model of the UAV is given by using the Newton–Euler formulation. Second, a cascade flight controller consisting of the position controller and the attitude controller is developed based on sliding mode control (SMC). For the position controller, an auxiliary dynamic system composed of the hyperbolic tangent functions is introduced to the SMC approach for constraining the output magnitude of the thrust and the reference attitudes. Besides, a disturbance observer is applied to the attitude controller to alleviate the chattering and improve robustness. Furthermore, according to the structural characteristics of the tilt tri-rotor UAV, a control allocation algorithm is developed to map the virtual control quantities calculated by the cascade flight controller to the actual actuators. Simulations are conducted to verify the robustness against the external disturbances and parameter variations, and the performance comparisons with two other control schemes are also given. Finally, the experiment is also carried out to validate the performance of the proposed control scheme.
Contactless Localization of Premature Laminar–Turbulent Flow Transitions on Wind Turbine Rotor Blades in Operation
Authors: Gleichauf Daniel , Sorg Michael , Fischer Andreas
Published: September 2020

Thermographic flow visualization enables a noninvasive detection of the laminar–turbulent flow transition and allows a measurement of the impact of surface erosion and contamination due to insects, rain, dust, or hail by quantifying the amount of laminar flow reduction. The state-of-the-art image processing is designed to localize the natural flow transition as occurring on an undisturbed blade surface by use of a one-dimensional gradient evaluation. However, the occurrence of premature flow transitions leads to a high measurement uncertainty of the localized transition line or to a completely missed flow transition detection. For this reason, regions with turbulent flow are incorrectly assigned to the laminar flow region, which leads to a systematic deviation in the subsequent quantification of the spatial distribution of the boundary layer flow regimes. Therefore, a novel image processing method for the localization of the laminar–turbulent flow transition is introduced, which provides a reduced measurement uncertainty for sections with premature flow transitions. By the use of a two-dimensional image evaluation, local maximal temperature gradients are identified in order to locate the flow transition with a reduced uncertainty compared to the state-of-the-art method. The transition position can be used to quantify the reduction of the laminar flow regime surface area due to occurrences of premature flow transitions in order to measure the influence of surface contamination on the boundary layer flow. The image processing is applied to the thermographic measurement on a wind turbine of the type GE 1.5 sl in operation. In 11 blade segments with occurring premature flow transitions and a high enough contrast of the developed turbulence wedge, the introduced evaluation was able to locate the flow transition line correctly. The laminar flow reduction based on the evaluated flow transition position located with a significantly reduced systematic deviation amounts to 22% for the given measurement and can be used to estimate the reduction of the aerodynamic lift. Therefore, the image processing method introduced allows a more accurate estimation of the effects of real environmental conditions on the efficiency of wind turbines in operation.
Effects of Slurry Applied with Soil Conditioners and Mineral Fertilizers on Fiber Fraction Content in Festulolium braunii (K. Richt.) A. Camus
Authors: Wiśniewska-Kadżajan Beata , Stefaniak Grzegorz
Published: September 2020

This paper deals with the effects of slurry, soil conditioners, and mineral fertilizers on Festulolium braunii fiber content. The field studies with three replications and a completely randomized design lasted two years (2016–2017). The effects of slurry applied on its own or in combination with mineral fertilizers and with two products improving soil properties was tested on the Sulino cultivar of F. braunii, a forage grass species. The results of the studies demonstrated that crude fiber content of F. braunii significantly varied across harvests. The treatment also significantly affected neutral detergent fiber (NDF) fraction content in the biomass. Due to an interaction effect, its amounts in grass treated with the combination of slurry and UGmax, a product improving soil properties, increased by 10% when compared to plants treated with slurry only, and the addition of Humus Active, another product improving soil properties, increased it by 7%, while the addition of mineral fertilizers did so by only 4%. The amounts of acid detergent fiber (ADF) in F. braunii significantly varied across growing seasons. However, none of the research factors significantly affected the amounts of acid detergent lignin (ADL).
Taylor Bird Swarm Algorithm Based on Deep Belief Network for Heart Disease Diagnosis
Authors: Alhassan Afnan M. , Wan Zainon Wan Mohd Nazmee
Published: September 2020

Contemporary medicine depends on a huge amount of information contained in medical databases. Thus, the extraction of valuable knowledge, and making scientific decisions for the treatment of disease, has progressively become necessary to attain effective diagnosis. The obtainability of a large amount of medical data leads to the requirement of effective data analysis tools for extracting constructive knowledge. This paper proposes a novel method for heart disease diagnosis. Here, the pre-processing of medical data is done using log-transformation that converts the data to its uniform value range. Then, the feature selection process is performed using sparse fuzzy-c-means (FCM) for selecting significant features to classify medical data. Incorporating sparse FCM for the feature selection process provides more benefits for interpreting the models, as this sparse technique provides important features for detection, and can be utilized for handling high dimensional data. Then, the selected features are given to the deep belief network (DBN), which is trained using the proposed Taylor-based bird swarm algorithm (Taylor-BSA) for detection. Here, the proposed Taylor-BSA is designed by combining the Taylor series and bird swarm algorithm (BSA). The proposed Taylor-BSA–DBN outperformed other methods, with maximal accuracy of 93.4%, maximal sensitivity of 95%, and maximal specificity of 90.3%, respectively.
Effects of Achilles Tendon Moment Arm Length on Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy
Authors: Miyamoto Takuma , Shinohara Yasushi , Matsui Tomohiro , Kurokawa Hiroaki , Taniguchi Akira , Kumai Tsukasa , Tanaka Yasuhito
Published: September 2020

Insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) is caused by traction force of the tendon. The effectiveness of the suture bridge technique in correcting it is unknown. We examined the moment arm in patients with IAT before and after surgery using the suture bridge technique, in comparison to that of healthy individuals. We hypothesized that the suture bridge method influences the moment arm length. An IAT group comprising 10 feet belonging to 8 patients requiring surgical treatment for IAT were followed up postoperatively and compared with a control group comprising 15 feet of 15 healthy individuals with no ankle complaints or history of trauma or surgery. The ratio of the moment arm (MA) length/foot length was found to be statistically significant between the control group, the IAT group preoperatively and the IAT group postoperatively (p < 0.01). Despite no significant difference in the force between the control and preoperative IAT groups, a significantly higher force to the Achilles tendon was observed in the IAT group postoperatively compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that a long moment arm may be one of the causes of IAT, and the suture bridge technique may reduce the Achilles tendon moment arm.
Applying Real-Time Travel Times to Estimate Fire Service Coverage Rate for High-Rise Buildings
Authors: Liu Dingli , Xu Zhisheng , Yan Long , Wang Feiyue
Published: September 2020

Frequent high-rise building fires have posed serious threats to urban public safety. In this study, real-time travel times extracted from online maps were applied to estimate fire service coverage rates for high-rise buildings. Firstly, the minimum fire apparatus requirement for high-rise building “at least 1 water fire truck and 1 aerial fire truck should arrive at the fire scene of high-rise building within 240 s” was proposed. Then, a dynamic estimation model of fire service coverage rate for high-rise buildings was established. To validate the model, 5146 high-rise buildings, 61 water fire trucks, and 56 aerial fire trucks in Changsha were selected as case studies. The results show that the total effective coverage rate and total average travel time in Changsha are 20.43% and 421.95 s, respectively. There are 10,840 water fire trucks and 6192 aerial fire trucks in China. Based on the average number of water fire trucks and aerial fire trucks per high-rise building, it can be estimated that the total effective coverage rate in China may not exceed 60.00%. Due to limited fire resources and frequent traffic congestion, only partial high-rise buildings can be effectively covered by fire services, whether in Changsha or China.
Comparative Studies on Two Types of OSB Boards Obtained from Mixed Resinous and Fast-growing Hard Wood
Authors: Lunguleasa Aurel , Dumitrascu Adela-Eliza , Ciobanu Valentina-Doina
Published: September 2020

The paper aims to compare the oriented strand boards (OSBs) made in the laboratory from a mixture of softwood species to those made from hardwood species, followed by their comparison to European and industry standards. In this regard, the main properties of the panels made in the laboratory were determined, including density, absorption, and swelling in thickness, modulus of elasticity, modulus of rupture, and internal bond. The analysis of the properties of swelling (24 h) and absorption (24 h) revealed that the mixture of softwood species was slightly better thanthe hardwood one. It was also shown that the panels manufactured from the mixture of hardwood species had better mechanical properties than those made of the softwood mixture (modulus of rupture (MOR) = 43.48 N/mm2, modulus of elasticity (MOE) = 7253 N/mm, and internal bond (IB) = 1.57 N/mm2). Additionally, the comparative analysis of properties indicates that the density is highly significant in determining the MOE values of the OSBs. This will allow softwood speciestobe replaced with other species of soft and fast-growing deciduous trees such as willow, birch, and poplar in the manufacture of oriented strand boards.
Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of Palatal Coverage on Implant Retained Maxillary Overdentures
Authors: Fernandez Monica A. , Subramanian N. , Nawrocki M. , Nawrocki A. , Craighead J. , Clark A. , O’Neill E. , Esquivel-Upshaw J.
Published: September 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine stress levels on supporting structures of implant-retained overdentures as a function of varying degrees of palatal coverage using finite element analysis modeling at different loading angles. Materials and Methods: ABAQUS®-software was used to perform finite element analysis on eight overdenture models with three and four implants and with and without palatal coverage designs. Loads were applied perpendicular and 45º to the implants. Von Mises stress was measured to determine bone stress. A one-way ANOVA determined which model caused the most stress to the maxillary bone. Results: Palatal coverage increased stress to anterior implant in three implant (p = 0.08) models but decreased stress to all implants in four implant models (p = 0.43). Distal implants received more stress than anterior implants for all models. There was no significant difference between a full palate and no palate coverage overdenture prosthesis when a bar was added under axial loading (p = 0.954). Under non-axial loading, a decrease in stress was noted with the bar in all areas except the anterior implant site. Conclusions: Palatal coverage may not be necessary when applying a pure axial load. The addition of a bar decreased stress at loading.
Development of an Intelligent Tutoring System Using Bayesian Networks and Fuzzy Logic for a Higher Student Academic Performance
Authors: Eryılmaz Meltem , Adabashi Afaf
Published: September 2020

In this experimental study, an intelligent tutoring system called the fuzzy Bayesian intelligent tutoring system (FB-ITS), is developed by using artificial intelligence methods based on fuzzy logic and the Bayesian network technique to adaptively support students in learning environments. The effectiveness of the FB-ITS was evaluated by comparing it with two other versions of an Intelligent Tutoring System (ITS), fuzzy ITS and Bayesian ITS, separately. Moreover, it was evaluated by comparing it with an existing traditional e-learning system. In order to evaluate whether the academic performance of the students in different learning groups differs or not, analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was used based on the students’ pre-test and post-test scores. The study was conducted with 120 undergraduate university students. Results showed that students who studied using FB-ITS had significantly higher academic performance on average compared to other students who studied with the other systems. Regarding the time taken to perform the post-test, the results indicated that students who used the FB-ITS needed less time on average compared to students who used the traditional e-learning system. From the results, it could be concluded that the new system contributed in terms of the speed of performing the final exam and high academic success.
Integrated Geothermal Energy Systems for Small-Scale Combined Heat and Power Production: Energy and Economic Investigation
Authors: Morrone Pietropaolo , Algieri Angelo
Published: September 2020

In recent years, an increasing interest in geothermal energy has been registered in both the scientific community and industry. The present work aims to analyse the energy performance and the economic viability of an innovative high-efficiency geothermal-driven integrated system for a combined heat and power (CHP) application. The system consists of a heat exchanger (HEX) and a transcritical organic Rankine cycle (ORC) that work in parallel to exploit a high-temperature geothermal source (230 °C) and satisfy the energy demand of a commercial centre located in Southern Italy. The ORC and HEX sub-units can operate at partial load to increase the system flexibility and to properly react to continuous changes in energy request. A lumped model was developed to find the proper operating conditions and to evaluate the energy production on an hourly basis over the whole year. In particular, a multi-variable optimisation was implemented to find the most suitable configuration and a 101.4 kWel ORC was selected while the HEX nominal power was 249.5 kWth. The economic viability of the integrated system was evaluated in terms of net present value and payback period and different operating strategies were compared: thermal-driven, electric-driven, and a mixed strategy. The latter turned out to be the best solution according to both energy and economic criteria, with electric and thermal self-consumptions larger than 90%, with no heat dumping and a payback time close to five years.
Recent Advances in Laser-Induced Surface Damage of KH2PO4 Crystal
Authors: Chen Mingjun , Ding Wenyu , Cheng Jian , Yang Hao , Liu Qi
Published: September 2020

As a hard and brittle material, KDP crystal is easily damaged by the irradiation of laser in a laser-driven inertial confinement fusion device due to various factors, which will also affect the quality of subsequent incident laser. Thus, the mechanism of laser-induced damage is essentially helpful for increasing the laser-induced damage threshold and the value of optical crystal elements. The intrinsic damage mechanism of crystal materials under laser irradiation of different pulse duration is reviewed in detail. The process from the initiation to finalization of laser-induced damage has been divided into three stages (i.e., energy deposition, damage initiation, and damage forming) to ensure the understanding of laser-induced damage mechanism. It is clear that defects have a great impact on damage under short-pulse laser irradiation. The burst damage accounts for the majority of whole damage morphology, while the melting pit are more likely to appear under high-fluence laser. The three stages of damage are complementary and the multi-physics coupling technology needs to be fully applied to ensure the intuitive prediction of damage thresholds for various initial forms of KDP crystals. The improved laser-induced damage threshold prediction can provide support for improving the resistance of materials to various types of laser-induced damage.
Development of New Mg- or Sr-Containing Bioactive Interfaces to Stimulate Osseointegration of Metallic Implants
Authors: Jinga Sorin-Ion , Toma Vladut-Petru , Constantinoiu Izabela , Banciu Adela , Banciu Daniel-Dumitru , Busuioc Cristina
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this study resides in the design and deposition of several types of bioactive interfaces with complex composition, targeting a superior osseointegration of bone implants. The experimental approach is framed by two oxide systems, SiO2‒CaO‒P2O5‒ZnO‒MgO and SiO2‒CaO‒P2O5‒ZnO‒SrO, while the percentage values were established as optimised solutions for ensuring wear resistance, bioactivity and beneficial effects on cell metabolism and reproduction. Moreover, two methods dedicated to fils growth (pulsed laser deposition and spin coating) were explored as potential variants for coating the bioinert materials and providing a transitional anchoring layer between the artificial substitute and host tissue. The obtained layers were evaluated as vitroceramic in nature, nanostructured in morphology and bioactive in relation to the physiological environment. The response of human fetal osteoblasts placed in contact with the new engineered surfaces was characterized by a significant proliferation from 1 to 4 days, which validates their suitability for hard tissue applications.
Copper Price Prediction Using Support Vector Regression Technique
Authors: Astudillo Gabriel , Carrasco Raúl , Fernández-Campusano Christian , Chacón Máx
Published: September 2020

Predicting copper price is essential for making decisions that can affect companies and governments dependent on the copper mining industry. Copper prices follow a time series that is nonlinear and non-stationary, and that has periods that change as a result of potential growth, cyclical fluctuation and errors. Sometimes, the trend and cyclical components together are referred to as a trend-cycle. In order to make predictions, it is necessary to consider the different characteristics of a trend-cycle. In this paper, we study a copper price prediction method using support vector regression (SVR). This work explores the potential of the SVR with external recurrences to make predictions at 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 days into the future in the copper closing price at the London Metal Exchange. The best model for each forecast interval is performed using a grid search and balanced cross-validation. In experiments on real data sets, our results obtained indicate that the parameters (C, ε, γ) of the model support vector regression do not differ between the different prediction intervals. Additionally, the amount of preceding values used to make the estimates does not vary according to the predicted interval. Results show that the support vector regression model has a lower prediction error and is more robust. Our results show that the presented model is able to predict copper price volatilities near reality, as the root-mean-square error (RMSE) was equal to or less than the 2.2% for prediction periods of 5 and 10 days.
Application of k0-INAA Method in Preliminary Characterization of KRISS Urban Airborne Particulate Matter Certified Reference Material
Authors: Cho Hana , Dasari Kishore B. , Lim Myung Chul , Sun Gwang Min , Jaćimović Radojko , Yim Yong-Hyeon
Published: September 2020

We report comprehensive elemental composition studies on the average urban airborne particulate matters (PMs) collected in the Greater Seoul area, Korea, in 2019 to identify regional and chronological characteristics of the sample as a candidate for certified reference material (CRM), using k0-based single comparator instrumental neutron activation analysis (k0-INAA). The method was successfully validated by comparing the analysis result of a similar matrix CRM (SRM 1648a urban particulate matter) of National Institute of Standards and Technology, USA, with corresponding certified values. The same methodology was applied to determine various elements in candidate environmental materials for future CRM development, including the urban PMs and incineration ashes, to investigate the possibility of using k0-INAA for certification of relevant reference materials. In total, 46 elements in the urban PM sample were analyzed and their concentration levels were compared with the urban PMs collected in the 1970s in St. Louis, USA. Urban PMs of Korea Research Institute of Standards and Science in 2019 contain significantly lower levels of hazardous elements, such as As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb, as compared to those of the 1970s, which can be attributed to the reduced air pollution by environmental regulation and technological innovation. The potential major source of urban airborne PMs was also discussed.
Intensity of the Formation of Defects in Residential Buildings with Regards to Changes in Their Reliability
Authors: Konior Jarosław , Sawicki Marek , Szóstak Mariusz
Published: September 2020

Defining the basic determinants of the level of reliability with regards to the use of residential buildings and determining the function of the intensity of their characteristic defects are important issues concerning renovation strategy. The distribution of the exploitation time of residential buildings, the function of their reliability, and the distribution of the defect intensity of examined buildings are interdependent terms. Therefore, it can be assumed that the defect intensity of an object will be higher with an increase in its exploitation time. However, it is neither an increase reflecting the length of the building’s service life nor the value directly proportional to its age. The article presents a model and method of testing the defects and reliability of a representative group of traditional downtown residential buildings, which were erected in Wroclaw, Poland at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries. A basic conclusion was drawn regarding the mechanism of damage of residential buildings: for the period of using the facility, in which the time of correct operation until failure has an exponential distribution, the average remaining time of failure-free operation is unchanged at any time. It was confirmed that the tested residential buildings, after a certain period of failure-free operation, fulfil their functions, just like new buildings. The optimal moment of renovation occurs after the end of the second period of operation, before the period of rapid wear. The study of the course of the damage intensity function over time reflects the wear process of a residential building in a representative sample of downtown residential buildings that were erected using traditional methods. Defining the average duration of the correct failure-free operation of an object by the reliability function, which determines the probability with which the correct operation time of an object will be longer than its age, has a practical application in the exploitation of a residential building and its components.
Robust Design Optimization and Emerging Technologies for Electrical Machines: Challenges and Open Problems
Authors: Orosz Tamás , Rassõlkin Anton , Kallaste Ants , Arsénio Pedro , Pánek David , Kaska Jan , Karban Pavel
Published: September 2020

The bio-inspired algorithms are novel, modern, and efficient tools for the design of electrical machines. However, from the mathematical point of view, these problems belong to the most general branch of non-linear optimization problems, where these tools cannot guarantee that a global minimum is found. The numerical cost and the accuracy of these algorithms depend on the initialization of their internal parameters, which may themselves be the subject of parameter tuning according to the application. In practice, these optimization problems are even more challenging, because engineers are looking for robust designs, which are not sensitive to the tolerances and the manufacturing uncertainties. These criteria further increase these computationally expensive problems due to the additional evaluations of the goal function. The goal of this paper is to give an overview of the widely used optimization techniques in electrical machinery and to summarize the challenges and open problems in the applications of the robust design optimization and the prospects in the case of the newly emerging technologies.