bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fill in the blank for fashion complementary outfit product Retrieval: VISUM summer school competition
Authors: Castro Eduardo , Ferreira Pedro M. , Rebelo Ana , Rio-Torto Isabel , Capozzi Leonardo , Ferreira Mafalda Falcão , Gonçalves Tiago , Albuquerque Tomé , Silva Wilson , Afonso Carolina , Gamelas Sousa Ricardo , Cimarelli Claudio , Daoudi Nadia , Moreira Gabriel , Yang Hsiu-yu , Hrga Ingrid , Ahmad Javed , Keswani Monish , Beco Sofia
Published: December 2022

Every year, the VISion Understanding and Machine intelligence (VISUM) summer school runs a competition where participants can learn and share knowledge about Computer Vision and Machine Learning in a vibrant environment. 2021 VISUM’s focused on applying those methodologies in fashion. Recently, there has been an increase of interest within the scientific community in applying computer vision methodologies to the fashion domain. That is highly motivated by fashion being one of the world’s largest industries presenting a rapid development in e-commerce mainly since the COVID-19 pandemic. Computer Vision for Fashion enables a wide range of innovations, from personalized recommendations to outfit matching. The competition enabled students to apply the knowledge acquired in the summer school to a real-world problem. The ambition was to foster research and development in fashion outfit complementary product retrieval by leveraging vast visual and textual data with domain knowledge. For this, a new fashion outfit dataset (acquired and curated by FARFETCH) for research and benchmark purposes is introduced. Additionally, a competitive baseline with an original negative sampling process for triplet mining was implemented and served as a starting point for participants. The top 3 performing methods are described in this paper since they constitute the reference state-of-the-art for this particular problem. To our knowledge, this is the first challenge in fashion outfit complementary product retrieval. Moreover, this joint project between academia and industry brings several relevant contributions to disseminating science and technology, promoting economic and social development, and helping to connect early-career researchers to real-world industry challenges.
Multi-characteristic overcurrent relay of feeder protection for minimum tripping times and self-protection
Authors: Reda Abdallah , Abdelgawad Amal F. , Elsayed Mohamed I. , Al-Dousar Fhaid B.
Published: December 2022

The main goal of this study is to propose new characteristics to an REF 615 model (overcurrent and earth fault relay) that is used for feeder protection in an actual radial system of an Egyptian Substation. When studying fault current, both light and heavy loads as well as fault locations are considered based on the radial nature of the network. The proposed algorithm relies on simultaneously activating the three settings of REF 615 OC relay, with the three settings being set on the respective normal inverse (NI), very inverse (VI) and definite time (DMT) curves. The relay’s operating area is divided into two areas. The VI curve functions as a backup for NI in the first area, whereas the NI curve functions as a backup for VI in the second area. The novelty of this study is the proposed model’s ability to handle relay failure through its self-protection, which increases the network’s protection level and minimizes the relay operating time by about 41.07% for rapid response to a fault. The presence of self-backup protection can minimize the coordination time interval between the main protection and backup protection (CTI) by about 77.98%. The ETAP software is used to investigate the actual radial system and in the analysis of the protection coordination.
Neuropeptide Y and its receptors in prostate cancer: associations with cancer invasiveness and perineural spread
Authors: Sigorski Dawid , Wesołowski Wojciech , Gruszecka Agnieszka , Gulczyński Jacek , Zieliński Piotr , Misiukiewicz Sara , Kitlińska Joanna , Iżycka-Świeszewska Ewa
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is a pleiotropic peptide, which is involved in many biological mechanisms important in regulation of cell growth and survival. The aim of this study was a comprehensive analysis of the NPY system in prostate pathology.

Methods

The study was based on immunohistochemical analysis of NPY and its receptors, Y1R, Y2R and Y5R, in tissue samples from benign prostate (BP), primary prostate cancer (PCa) and PCa bone metastases. Tissue microarray (TMA) technique was employed, with analysis of multiple cores from each specimen. Intensity of the immunoreactivity and expression index (EI), as well as distribution of the immunostaining in neoplastic cells and stromal elements were evaluated. Perineural invasion (PNI) and extraprostatic extension (EPE) were areas of special interests. Moreover, a transwell migration assay on the LNCaP PCa cell line was used to assess the chemotactic properties of NPY.

Results

Morphological analysis revealed homogeneous membrane and cytoplasmic pattern of NPY staining in cancer cells and its membrane localization with apical accentuation in BP glands. All elements of the NPY system were upregulated in pre-invasive prostate intraepithelial neoplasia, PCa and metastases. EI and staining intensity of NPY receptors were significantly higher in PCa then in BP with correlation between Y2R and Y5R. The strength of expression of the NPY system was further increased in the PNI and EPE areas. In bone metastases, Y1R and Y5R presented high expression scores.

Conclusion

The results of our study suggest that the NPY system is involved in PCa, starting from early stages of its development to disseminated states of the disease, and participates in the invasion of PCa into the auto and paracrine matter.
The performance assessment framework (PPAFR) for RPA implementation in a loan application process using process mining
Authors: Šperka Roman , Halaška Michal
Published: December 2022

When a company decides to automate its business processes by means of RPA (Robotic Process Automation), there are two fundamental questions that need to be answered. Firstly, what activities should the company automate and what characteristics make them suitable for RPA. The aim of the presented research is to design and demonstrate a data-driven performance framework assessing the impact of RPA implementation using process mining (PPAFR). Firstly, we comment on and summarise existing trends in process mining and RPA. Secondly, we describe research objectives and methods following the Design Science Research Methodology. Then, we identify critical factors for RPA implementation and design process stages of PPAFR. We demonstrate the design on real data from a loan application process. The demonstration consists of a process discovery using process mining methods, process analysis, and process simulation with assessment of RPA candidates. Based on the research results, a redesign of the process is proposed with emphasis on RPA implementation. Finally, we discuss the usefulness of PPAFR by helping companies to identify potentially suitable activities for RPA implementation and not overestimating potential gains. Obtained results show that within the loan application process, waiting times are the main causes of extended cases. If the waiting times are generated internally, it will be much easier for the company to address them. If the automation is focused mainly on processing times, the impact of automation on the overall performance of the process is insignificant or very low. Moreover, the research identified several characteristics which have to be considered when implementing RPA due to the impact on the overall performance of the process.
FDA-Validated Ecofriendly Chromatographic Methods for Simultaneous Determination of Gemcitabine and Sorafenib: Applications to Pharmacokinetics
Authors: Sharkawi Marco M. Z. , Mohamed Norhan R. , El-Saadi Mohammed T. , Amin Noha H.
Published: December 2022

Combination therapy of gemcitabine and sorafenib is synergistically effective and well tolerated in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In this study, the pharmacokinetic parameters of both gemcitabine and sorafenib were estimated after intra-peritoneal administration in rats using novel, green and sensitive RP-HPLC and TLC-densitometric methods where sildenafil used as an internal standard. Firstly, the developed RP-HPLC method achieved on ZORBAX Eclipse Plus C18 (4.6 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) using a mixture of methanol: 40 mM ammonium acetate solution. On the other hand, the developed TLC-densitometric method was achieved on TLC plates using a developing system of methanol: ethyl acetate (3: 7, by volume) and scanning wave length at 260 nm. Additionally, the developed methods were validated according to FDA guidelines. Moreover, the developed methods were successfully used to study the pharmacokinetic parameters of both gemcitabine and sorafenib after administration of each drug alone and co-administration in rats. The results presented that drug–drug interaction between drugs happened when administrated together affecting the pharmacokinetic parameters of each other. The proposed methods, being ecofriendly, accurate, and sensitive, may become the corner stone for further clinical studies of the studied drugs determinations applied on humans.
International Law for a Time of Monsters: ‘White Genocide’, The Limits of Liberal Legalism, and the Reclamation of Utopia
Authors: Loefflad Eric
Published: December 2022

For critical legal scholars, the ongoing far-right assault upon the liberal status quo poses a distinct dilemma. On the one hand, the desire to condemn the far-right is overwhelming. On the other hand, such condemnations are susceptible to being appropriated as a validation of the very liberalism that critical theorists have long questioned. In seeking to transcend this dilemma, my focus is on the discourse of ‘white genocide’ — a commonplace belief amongst the far-right/white nationalists that ‘whites’, as a discrete group, are facing demographic destruction as a result of deliberate policy choices. Such a belief has motivated acts of extreme violence. While libel to dismissal by experts on mainstream understandings of genocide, namely international criminal lawyers, I argue that this ‘white genocide’ discourse deserves careful scrutiny as a jurisprudential and socio-legal phenomenon that reveals key weaknesses in present modalities of liberal justification. Drawing upon an array of recent critical theories, I show how a liberalism unable to face its own decline enables the very far-right assertions it purports to oppose. Thus, given liberalism’s failure to act as a neutral arbiter, an alternative approach for those opposing the far-right is to develop a vision of politics and society that confront believers in ‘white genocide’ on a more substantive level. This, I argue, forces the far-right’s opponents to disavow liberal scepticism towards utopian transformation as well as the juridical understandings and institutions that allow this scepticism to durably persist.
Social inclusion revisited: sheltered living institutions for people with intellectual disabilities as communities of difference
Authors: Bredewold Femmianne , van der Weele Simon
Published: December 2022

The dominant idea in debates on social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities is that social inclusion requires recognition of their ‘sameness’. As a result, most care providers try to enable people with intellectual disabilities to live and participate in ‘normal’ society, ‘in the community’. In this paper, we draw on (Pols, Medicine Health Care and Philosophy 18:81–90, 2015) empirical ethics of care approach to give an in-depth picture of places that have a radically different take on what social inclusion for people with intellectual disabilities looks like: places known as ‘sheltered living institutions’. We argue these places can be seen as ‘communities of difference’ catered to the specific needs and capacities of the residents. We then contend that these communities raise questions about what a good life for people with intellectual disabilities looks like and where and how it ought to be realised; questions not posed very often, as they get muzzled by the dominant rhetoric of normalisation and the emphasis on sameness.
Looking for COVID side effects in the EU through the analysis of health and behavioural profiles
Authors: Grané Aurea , Albarrán Irene , Peran Diego
Published: December 2022

More than two years after the great outbreak of COVID suffered in almost the whole world, and in particular in Europe, we have gradually learned about the direct effects of this virus on our health and what consequences it can have if we become infected. However, this pandemic also had great economic and social consequences that affected people in an indirect way, which we can call COVID side effects. In this work we carried out an innovative type of analysis based on the concept of archetypoids in order to find extreme observations in a database of mixed-type data and used them to classify individuals yielding to different health and behavioural profiles in coping with the COVID outbreak in the EU. We use data from the first COVID-19 Survey of the SHARE project (Survey on Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe). The resulting profiles are easier to interpret than others based on central observations, and help to understand how the situations of restrictions and lock-downs affected people since the outbreak of the pandemic. Another key point of the work was to analyse how determinant are some aspects such as gender, age group or even geographical location in how each person experienced the pandemic. The method that we propose is wide enough to be used in other health and wellbeing surveys.
Accuracy and infinity: a dilemma for subjective Bayesians
Authors: Kelley Mikayla , Neth Sven
Published: December 2022

We argue that subjective Bayesians face a dilemma: they must offend against the spirit of their permissivism about rational credence or reject the principle that one should avoid accuracy dominance.
Native and invasive bunchgrasses have different responses to trail disturbance on California coastal prairies
Authors: Luong Justin C. , Villanueva Elisha M. , Bauman Tori A.
Published: December 2022

Ecosystems often experience small-scale disturbances through recreational foot and bike traffic. The intermediate disturbance hypothesis predicts that frequent disturbances in grasslands can negatively impact native species and lead to invasion by disturbance-adapted, non-native species. Disturbance studies often examine intentional or unintended larger scale disturbances, but do not commonly focus on common small-scale disturbances such as those caused by trampling along trails. As such, we were interested in how trail disturbance affects the vegetative growth and reproductive output ofin situnative (Danthonia californicaBol. andStipa pulchraHitchc.) and invasive (Dactylis glomerataL. andHolcus lanatusL.) perennial bunchgrasses commonly found on California coastal prairies. We measured the basal circumference and seed production of plants located on-trail and off-trail on five coastal prairies in Santa Cruz, CA, USA. We hypothesized that native grasses located on-trail would have lower growth and reproductive output and non-native grasses would be unaffected. We found that native and non-native plants had differences in growth and reproductive output on-trail and off-trail.S. pulchrahad lower reproductive potential (via culm sterility) with trail disturbance, whereas both native grasses showed evidence of compensatory growth on-trail. Invasive non-nativeD. glomerataandH. lanatusgrowth was unaffected by trail disturbance, butH. lanatushad lower reproductive output on-trail. Results suggest that it may be prudent to restore trails with disturbance tolerant species likeD. californicaand use less tolerant species likeS. pulchrafurther into the central habitat space.
Subclinical and latent cardiac dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea and effectiveness of continuous positive airway pressure
Authors: Kanda Takahiro , Tawarahara Kei , Kato Haruta , Ishibashi Humimaro , Nakamura Naoki , Tokonami Yuki , Matsukura Gaku , Ozeki Mariko , Ukigai Hiroshi , Takeuchi Ryosuke
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with various cardiovascular disorders. This study aimed to investigate the effects of OSA on left ventricular (LV) function in patients with OSA who were at risk for heart failure but who had not yet developed structural heart changes. The study also sought to determine the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in these patients.

Methods

In a retrospective study, consecutive patients with polysomnographic OSA (apnea-hypopnea index [AHI] >5) were categorized into mild (AHI < 15), moderate (15 ≤ AHI < 30), and severe OSA (AHI ≥ 30) groups. The subjects were patients with OSA and at risk for heart failure who had not yet developed structural heart changes. All study participants underwent echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle tracking analysis, and their global longitudinal strain (GLS) was calculated.

Results

Of 275 patients, there were 31 with mild, 92 with moderate, and 152 with severe OSA. Of patients with moderate to severe OSA (AHI ≥ 20), 206 started CPAP and 92 patients underwent follow-up echocardiogram and speckle tracking echo analysis (median period of CPAP use: 283 days [258 to 391]). GLS was significantly reduced in patients with moderate and severe OSA compared with mild OSA (−17.8±3.1 vs. −18.0±2.6 vs. −19.3±2.8%, p=0.038). The proportion of patients with GLS ≥ −18% was significantly higher among the patients with moderate to severe OSA than among those with mild OSA. GLS improved after CPAP therapy in patients with moderate to severe OSA (GLS: −18.1±2.7% to −19.0±2.8%, p=0.004). Significant improvement in GLS was confirmed, particularly among patients with good CPAP adherence.

Conclusion

Moderate to severe OSA is associated with LV dysfunction and can be significantly improved by CPAP therapy.
Composite nanofiber formation using a mixture of cellulose acetate and activated carbon for oil spill treatment
Authors: Elmaghraby Nehad A. , Omer Ahmed M. , Kenawy El-Refaie , Gaber Mohamed , Ragab Safaa , Nemr Ahmed El
Published: December 2022

Oil and organic pollutants are significant disasters affecting the aquatic ecosystem and human health. A novel nanofiber composite from cellulose acetate/activated carbon (CA/AC) was successfully fabricated by the electrospinning technique. CA/AC nanofiber composites were prepared from 10% (w/v) polymer solutions dissolving in DMA/acetone ratio 1:3 (v/v) with adding three different percentages of AC (3.7, 5.5, and 6.7%) to the total weight of CA. The prepared CA/AC nanofiber composite morphology reveals randomly oriented bead-free fibers with submicron fiber diameter. CA/AC nanofiber composites were further characterized by TGA, DSC, and surface area analysis. Water uptake was investigated for fabricated fibers at different pH. Oil adsorption was conducted in both static (oil only) and dynamic (oil/water) systems to estimate the adsorption capacity of prepared composites to treat heavy and light machine oils. The results showed increased oil adsorption capacity incorporating activated carbon into CA nanofiber mats. The maximum sorption capacity reached 8.3 and 5.5 g/g for heavy and light machine oils obtained by CA/AC5.5 (AC, 5.5%). A higher oil uptake was reported for the CA/AC composite nanofibers and showed a constant sorption capacity after the second recycles in the reusability test. Of isotherm models, the most applicable model was the Freundlich isotherm model. The result of kinetic models proved the fit of the pseudo-second-order kinetic model to the adsorption system.
A Perception-Augmented Hidden Markov Model for Parent–Child Relations in Families of Youth with Type 1 Diabetes
Authors: Lu Ruijin , Nansel Tonja R. , Chen Zhen
Published: December 2022

In youth with Type 1 diabetes, adherence to medical treatment regimens requires the involvement of both parent and child. A clinic-integrated behavioral intervention in the Family Management of Diabetes (FMOD) trial was shown to be effective in controlling deterioration in glycemic level; yet the mechanism remains unknown. It is possible that the effectiveness is through improved parent–child relation. To investigate whether the intervention improves parent–child relations, we proposed a novel approach that allows differential perceptions of parent and child toward the unobserved parent–child relationship. Leveraging manifesto data collected from both parent and child in the FMOD trial, the proposed approach extended a standard hidden Markov model by inserting a layer of parent- and child-specific hidden states. We took a Bayesian perspective to estimation and developed an efficient computational algorithm to sample from the joint posterior distribution. Extensive simulations were conducted to demonstrate the performance of the proposed modeling framework. Application to the FMOD trial data reveals that families in the intervention arm are more likely to stay in the Harmonious parent–child relation state and less likely to transition from Harmonious to Indifferent state. Compared to parent, child tends to have a more heterogeneous perception of the parent–child relation.
One Website to Gather them All: Usability Testing of the New German SKin Cancer INFOrmation (SKINFO) Website—A Mixed-methods Approach
Authors: Steeb Theresa , Brütting Julia , Reinhardt Lydia , Hoffmann Julia , Weiler Nina , Heppt Markus V. , Erdmann Michael , Doppler Astrid , Weber Christiane , Schadendorf Dirk , Meier Friedegund , Berking Carola ,   on behalf of the German Skin Cancer Council
Published: December 2022

Skin cancer patients increasingly search the internet to acquire disease-related information. However, information on the internet may be misleading. Recently, SKINFO has been launched, a website exclusively created for German-speaking skin cancer patients providing information as well as additional resources of verified quality. Here, we describe the results of the first usability test of SKINFO using a mixed-methods approach. Ten adult patients with skin cancer were recruited for usability testing in the skin cancer units of the University Hospitals of Erlangen and Dresden, Germany. Testing consisted of three different scenarios where patients were asked to find specific information on the SKINFO website guided by the think-aloud method. Descriptive analysis and content analyses were performed. All patients would recommend SKINFO and appreciated its content, design, and structure. Think-aloud analysis identified the topics layout, navigation, and content and structure which would benefit from refinement. Major criticism included the navigation through the website, and the desire for more specific information addressing patients’ relatives and the latest, up-to-date information. Overall, usability testing showed that the unique web-based information platform has the potential to support patients coping with skin cancer and thus strengthen informed decision-making.
Preparation of nano zero-valent aluminum for one-step removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions: cost analysis for scaling-up and artificial intelligence
Authors: Sadek Ahmed H. , Mostafa Mohamed K.
Published: December 2022

Methylene blue (MB) is a heterocyclic aromatic dye that is difficult to biodegrade due to its complex chemical structure. In this study, chemically prepared nano zero-valent aluminum (nZVAl) was investigated for the first time for one-step removal of MB from aqueous solutions under different experimental factors (pH, dosage, time, MB concentration, stirring rate, temperature, detergents, and ionic strength). The prepared nZVAl material was characterized using XRD, TEM, SEM, EDS, and FTIR. Results indicated that at an initial MB concentration of 10 mg/L, pH 10, nZVAl dosage 1.0 g/L, stirring rate 200 rpm, and temperature 30 °C, the removal efficiency of approximately 99.0% was achieved within an equilibrium time of 90 min. An improvement in MB removal efficiency was observed in the presence of inorganic salts, while the presence of detergents resulted in a reduction in MB removal efficiency. The isotherm adsorption data were best fitted by the Freundlich isotherm model (R2: 0.9569), while the kinetic data were well described by the pseudo-second-order (PSO) model (R2: 0.9999). Based on the thermodynamic study, the MB adsorption process is physically diffusion-controlled. The adsorption of MB onto nZVAl was accurately described using an artificial neural network (ANN) with a structure of 11–10–1 and R2 of 0.97. The overall cost of scaling up the adsorption unit to be used for MB removal from aqueous solutions under the optimum conditions is about US$1.31/m3. Consequently, this study opens the door for other researchers to test nZVAl in treating real textile wastewater.
Effect of different managements with drip irrigation (tape)
Authors: Amini Najafabadi Mazaher , Fatahi Nafchi Rouhallah , Salami Hamidreza , Vanani Hamid Raeisi , Ostad-Ali-Askari Kaveh
Published: December 2022

Conventional irrigation methods to new methods have been altered with respect to reduction of water resources and climate change. Considering the corn cultivation development, applying modern irrigation methods namely drip irrigation with the aim of improving the efficiency of water consumption as well as the zone under cultivation has been investigated. In this research, the performance of corn (SC 704) in various managements of drip irrigation (by strip method) both in single-row and double-row planting patterns was considered with a variety of densities. This test was carried out on random complete blocks in the form of a 3-repetitive Split Design in Isfahan-Iran during the years 2018–2019. Four irrigation levels containing: 80, 100 and 120% of full water requirement with drip irrigation (strip) and 100% of water requirement with normal drip irrigation were utilized. The results indicated that applying the aforementioned drip tapes and different surface treatments with soil and water monitoring, the water consumption of corn seasonal irrigation can be saved by 81, 71, 61, 52 and 36% compared to normal drip irrigation without soil, water and root monitoring, respectively. Seasonal yield (Kc), the yield response coefficient (Ky), and pan coefficient (Kp) for corn were 0.80, 0.76 and 0.97, respectively.
4E investigation of solar-driven RO and RRO osmotic desalination systems from water, energy, and environment relevance perspective: a comparative approach
Authors: Naminezhad Alireza , Mehregan Mahmood
Published: December 2022

In this paper, two osmotic desalination systems, namely, plug reverse osmosis (RO) and recirculation reverse osmosis (RRO) systems integrated with solar and organic Rankine cycle (ORC), have been presented. These systems are modeled and optimized from energy, exergy, economic, and environmental perspectives. The objective functions are the concentration disposal index (CDI) and unit cost of the product (fresh water) (UPC). The results show that the RO cycle has an optimal configuration grounded on max (CDI) and min (UPC). At identical UPC, the environmental effects of the RO system were less than those of the RRO. This is attributed to higher recovery with increasing temperature of discharged water into the sea in a smaller area and at a higher rate. For the RO system, the values for CDI, exergy efficiency, and fresh water production are 0.193, 45.6%, and 13.1 m3/h for R245ca fluid. Also, the share of RO and RRO in the total TAC costs is 19.44% and 17.33%, respectively. The R245ca working fluid is selected for both cycles, which is more productive than the other fluids. The results show that more than 50% recovery is achieved for the SW30HR-320 membrane at the optimum for the RO system.
Reactive red-141 removal from synthetic solutions by γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles: process modeling, kinetic, and isotherm studies
Authors: Bonyadi Ziaeddin , Fouladi Zeinab , Robatjazi Akram , Zahmatkesh Anbarani Mohaddeseh
Published: December 2022

Azo dyes can cause problems such as allergies, mutagenicity, allergies, and carcinogenesis in humans in addition to having ecological effects in aquatic environments. This study emphasizes the removal of RR-141 by γ-Al2O3 NPs from the aqueous solution. To obtain the optimum conditions of RR-141 removal using the BBD model, the main factors such as the initial RR-141 level (10–70 mg/L), pH (3–9), contact time (10–70 min), and γ-Al2O3 NPs dose (0.2–0.8 g/L) were tested. According to the quadratic model, the highest removal rate (97.74%) was found at the pH of 4.81, the contact time of 51.61 min, the γ-Al2O3 NPs dose of 0.38 g/L, and the RR-141 level of 10 mg/L. The RR-141 removal follows the pseudo-second-order and Langmuir models. The highest absorption capacity for RR-141 was 40.65 mg/g. The results of this study showed that γ-Al2O3 NPs significantly removed RR-141 from aqueous solution.
Assessment of heavy metal pollution in water and its effect on Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) in Mediterranean Lakes: a case study at Mariout Lake
Authors: El-Degwy Amira A. , Negm Nabel A. , El-Tabl Abdou S. , Goher Mohamed E.
Published: December 2022

Mariout Lake is one of the Northern Nile-Delta Lakes in Egypt that receives agricultural, industrial and domestic effluents through several drains. The present study aims to evaluate the levels of some heavy metals (HMs) in water and edible parts of Oreochromis niloticus in Mariout Lake, in addition to studying several pollution indices and potential human health risks. The levels of the studied HMs in water were in the order of Fe > Zn > Mn > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cd. However, results of the pollution index, that concerns the effect of individual metal, concluded that Cd and Pb in water had serious pollution effects for aquatic life, while Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn had not any pollution effects at different locations in the lake. The indices of the composite effects of all HMs (Metal Index and Heavy Metal Pollution Index) indicated the high pollution of Mariout Lake water, which may cause adverse effects on fish and different aquatic organisms. On the other side, the bioaccumulation factors of HMs in edible parts of O. niloticus were in the order of Zn > Cd > Cu > Ni > Pb > Mn > Fe. Although the target hazard quotient for all metals was less than the non-hazardous limit (THQ < 1), the non-carcinogenic hazard index (HI = 1.24) was classified in the moderate hazard risk level (1 < HI < 10) indicating low potential adverse effects on the exposed population due to consumption of O. niloticus caught from Mariout Lake.
Prediction of groundwater level fluctuations using artificial intelligence-based models and GMS
Authors: Mohammed Khabat Star , Shabanlou Saeid , Rajabi Ahmad , Yosefvand Fariborz , Izadbakhsh Mohammad Ali
Published: December 2022

Groundwater level fluctuations are one of the main components of the hydrogeological cycle and one of the required variables for many water resources operation models. The numerical models can estimate groundwater level (GWL) based on extensive statistics and information and using complex equations in any area. But one of the most important challenges in analyzing and predicting groundwater depletion in water management is the lack of reliable and complete data. For this reason, the use of artificial intelligence models with high predictive accuracy and due to the need for less data is inevitable. In recent years, the use of different numerical models has been noticed as an efficient solution. These models are able to estimate groundwater levels in any region based on extensive statistics and information and also various field experiments such as pumping tests, geophysics, soil and land use maps, topography and slope data, different boundary conditions and complex equations. In the current research, first, by using available statistics, information and maps, the groundwater level fluctuations of the Sonqor plain are simulated by the GMS model, and the accuracy of the model is evaluated in two stages of calibration and validation. Then, due to the need for much less data volume in artificial intelligence-based methods, the GA-ANN and ICA-ANN hybrid methods and the ELM and ORELM models are utilized. The results display that the output of the ORELM model has the best fit with observed data with a correlation coefficient equal to 0.96, and it also has the best and closest scatter points around the 45 degrees line, and in this sense, it is considered as the most accurate model. To ensure the correct selection of the best model, the Taylor diagram is also used. The results demonstrate that the closest point to the reference point is related to the ORELM method. Therefore, to predict the groundwater level in the whole plain, instead of using the complex GMS model with a very large volume of data and also the very time-consuming process of calibration and verification, the ORELM model can be used with confidence. This approach greatly helps researchers to predict groundwater level variations in dry and wet years using artificial intelligence with high accuracy instead of numerical models with complex and time-consuming structures.
Removal of toxic metals from aqueous phase using cacao pod husk biochar in the era of green chemistry
Authors: Abbey Comfort Yaa Boatemaa , Duwiejuah Abudu Ballu , Quianoo Albert Kojo
Published: December 2022

Cacao pod husk biochar was used as an adsorbent for the adsorption of toxic metals from aqueous phase. Cacao pod husk signifies a readily available source of eco-friendly and low-cost adsorbent in Sub-Saharan Africa that has scarcely been paid attention to. The experiment was conducted in a monosystem to determine how cacao pod husk biochar can efficiently adsorb lead (Pb2+), mercury (Hg2+) and cadmium (Cd2+) from aqueous phase. The experiment was conducted with 100 mL of varied toxic metal concentrations of the aqueous phase with a contact time of 60 min and a constant rotary speed of 14.8 U/min. The removal efficiency of cacao pod husk biochar for Pb2+, Hg2+ and Cd2+ ranged from 99.20 to 99.94%, 99.97 to 99.99%, and 99.85 to 99.99%, respectively. Freundlich adsorption isotherm was favourable for the adsorption of toxic metals onto the cacao pod husk biochar. The toxic metals had a stronger binding affinity to the cacao pod husk biochar. Hence, cacao pod husk was efficient for toxic metals elimination.
Inverse modeling application for aquifer parameters estimation using a precise simulation–optimization model
Authors: Sahranavard Hamed , Mohtashami Ali , Mohtashami Ehsan , Akbarpour Abolfazl
Published: December 2022

In this research, a simulation–optimization (S/O) model is used in order to estimate aquifer parameters on two aquifers. In this model, meshless local Petrov–Galerkin (MLPG) is used for simulation purpose and modified teaching–learning-based optimization (MTLBO) algorithm is engaged as optimization model. Linking these two powerful models generates a S/O model named MLPG-MTLBO. The proposed model is applied on two aquifers: a standard and a real field aquifer. In standard aquifer, parameters are only transmissivity coefficients in x and y direction for three zones. The acquired results by MLPG-MTLBO are really close to true values. This fact presents the power of MLPG-MTLBO inverse model. Therefore, it is applied on field aquifer. Unconfined aquifer of Birjand recognized as real case study. Parameters which are needed to be estimated are specific yields and hydraulic conductivity coefficients. These parameters are computed by MLPG-MTLBO and entered to the groundwater flow model. The achieved groundwater table compared with observation data and RMSE is calculated. RMSE value is 0.356 m; however, this error criterion for MLPG and FDM is 0.757 m and 1.197 m, respectively. This means that estimation is precise and makes the RMSE to reduce from 0.757 to 0.356 m, and also, MLPG-MTLBO is an accurate model for this aim.
Thin film hydration versus modified spraying technique to fabricate intranasal spanlastic nanovesicles for rasagiline mesylate brain delivery: Characterization, statistical optimization, and in vivo pharmacokinetic evaluation
Authors: Ali Mohamed Mahmoud , Shoukri Raguia Aly , Yousry Carol
Published: December 2022

Rasagiline mesylate (RM) is a monoamine oxidase inhibitor that is commonly used to alleviate the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. However, it suffers from low oral bioavailability due to its extensive hepatic metabolism in addition to its hydrophilic nature which limits its ability to pass through the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and reach the central nervous system where it exerts its pharmacological effect. Thus, this study aims to form RM-loaded spanlastic vesicles for intranasal (IN) administration to overcome its hepatic metabolism and permit its direct delivery to the brain. RM-loaded spanlastics were prepared using thin film hydration (TFH) and modified spraying technique (MST). A 23factorial design was constructed to study and optimize the effects of the independent formulation variables, namely, Span type, Span: Brij 35 ratio, and sonication time on the vesicles᾽ characteristics in each preparation technique. The optimized system prepared using MST (MST 2) has shown higher desirability factor with smaller PS and higher EE%; thus, it was selected for further in vivo evaluation where it revealed that the extent of RM distribution from the intranasally administered spanlastics to the brain was comparable to that of the IV drug solution with significantly high brain-targeting efficiency (458.47%). These results suggest that the IN administration of the optimized RM-loaded spanlastics could be a promising, non-invasive alternative for the efficient delivery of RM to brain tissues to exert its pharmacological activities without being dissipated to other body organs which subsequently may result in higher pharmacological efficiency and better safety profile.

Graphical Abstract
Accurate trajectory tracking control with adaptive neural networks for omnidirectional mobile robots subject to unmodeled dynamics
Authors: da Silva Lima Gabriel , Moreira Victor Ramon Firmo , Bessa Wallace Moreira
Published: December 2022

Omnidirectional mobile robots have gained a lot of attention in recent years due to their maneuverability capabilities. However, ensuring accurate trajectory tracking with this class of robots is still challenging control system designers. In this work, a novel intelligent controller is introduced for accurate trajectory tracking of omnidirectional robots subject to unstructured uncertainties. An adaptive neural network is adopted within a Lyapunov-based nonlinear control scheme to deal with frictional forces and other unmodeled dynamics or external disturbances that may occur. Online learning, rather than supervised offline training, is employed to allow the robot to learn on its own how to compensate for uncertainties and disturbances by interacting with the environment. The adoption of a combined error signal as the single input in the neural network significantly reduces the computational complexity of the disturbance compensation scheme and enables the resulting intelligent controller to be implemented in the embedded hardware of mobile robots. The boundedness and convergence properties of the proposed control scheme are proved by means of a Lyapunov-like stability analysis. The effectiveness of the proposed intelligent controller is numerically evaluated and experimentally validated using an omnidirectional mobile robot. The comparative analyses of the obtained results show that the adoption of an intelligent compensation scheme based on adaptive neural networks allows reductions of more than $$95\%$$

95
%

in the tracking error, thus guaranteeing an accurate tracking and confirming the great superiority of the proposed control strategy.
Porous space — biomimetic of tafoni in computational design
Authors: Ye Wei , Chen Shuhua , Zhao Xiayu , Xu Weiguo
Published: December 2022

Porous urban spaces not only improve interactions, but also increase natural ventilation. Weathered rocks are where porous spaces exist in nature. This paper investigates the biomimicry of tafoni, a type of weathered rock that contains pores of varying sizes. The formation of tafoni inspires architectural design, but its complex shape makes manual modeling challenging. The objective of studying the biomimetics of tafoni is to apply its benefits to design applications. Using biomimetic techniques, computation algorithms for tafoni morphogenesis are developed. This paper investigates the inherent characteristics of tafoni and reclassifies them based on architectural geometric elements. It then describes the reclassified tafoni and explains the formation process. This paper develops a 3D evolutionary algorithm and a 2.5D descriptive algorithm based on diagrams. After a comparison, the 2.5D algorithm is chosen because it is more controllable and operable for computational design. This paper also conducts experiments on the results obtained by the 2.5D algorithm to demonstrate its adaptability and architectural design application potential, as well as its application schemes in various design disciplines, including urban planning, architectural design, and landscape design. This paper proposes an algorithm that can be utilized in various fields of computational design. It is computationally efficient while retaining its biological form.
Parabrachial-to-parasubthalamic nucleus pathway mediates fear-induced suppression of feeding in male mice
Authors: Nagashima Takashi , Tohyama Suguru , Mikami Kaori , Nagase Masashi , Morishima Mieko , Kasai Atsushi , Hashimoto Hitoshi , Watabe Ayako M.
Published: December 2022

Feeding behavior is adaptively regulated by external and internal environment, such that feeding is suppressed when animals experience pain, sickness, or fear. While the lateral parabrachial nucleus (lPB) plays key roles in nociception and stress, neuronal pathways involved in feeding suppression induced by fear are not fully explored. Here, we investigate the parasubthalamic nucleus (PSTN), located in the lateral hypothalamus and critically involved in feeding behaviors, as a target of lPB projection neurons. Optogenetic activation of lPB-PSTN terminals in male mice promote avoidance behaviors, aversive learning, and suppressed feeding. Inactivation of the PSTN and lPB-PSTN pathway reduces fear-induced feeding suppression. Activation of PSTN neurons expressing pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP), a neuropeptide enriched in the PSTN, is sufficient for inducing avoidance behaviors and feeding suppression. Blockade of PACAP receptors impaires aversive learning induced by lPB-PSTN photomanipulation. These findings indicate that lPB-PSTN pathway plays a pivotal role in fear-induced feeding suppression.
Polarity and chirality control of an active fluid by passive nematic defects
Authors: Sciortino Alfredo , Neumann Lukas J. , Krüger Timo , Maryshev Ivan , Teshima Tetsuhiko F. , Wolfrum Bernhard , Frey Erwin , Bausch Andreas R.
Published: December 2022

Much like passive materials, active systems can be affected by the presence of imperfections in their microscopic order, called defects, that influence macroscopic properties. This suggests the possibility to steer collective patterns by introducing and controlling defects in an active system. Here we show that a self-assembled, passive nematic is ideally suited to control the pattern formation process of an active fluid. To this end, we force microtubules to glide inside a passive nematic material made from actin filaments. The actin nematic features self-assembled half-integer defects that steer the active microtubules and lead to the formation of macroscopic polar patterns. Moreover, by confining the nematic in circular geometries, chiral loops form. We find that the exact positioning of nematic defects in the passive material deterministically controls the formation and the polarity of the active flow, opening the possibility of efficiently shaping an active material using passive defects.
Flow dynamics through discontinuous clogs of rigid particles in tapered microchannels
Authors: Majekodunmi Olukayode T. , Hashmi Sara M.
Published: December 2022

Suspended particles flowing through complex porous spaces exhibit clogging mechanisms determined by factors including their size, deformability, and the geometry of the confinement. This study describes the clogging of rigid particles in a microfluidic device made up of parallel microchannels that taper from the inlet to the outlet, where the constriction width is approximately equal to the particle size. This converging geometry summarizes the dynamics of clogging in flow channels with constrictions that narrow over multiple length scales. Our novel approach allows the investigation of suspension flow dynamics in confined systems where clogs are formed both by sieving and bridging mechanisms simultaneously. Here, flow tests are conducted at constant driving pressures for different particle volume fractions, and a power-law decay which appears to be peculiar to the channels’ tapered geometry is observed in all cases. Compared to non-tapered channels, the power-law behavior shows flowrate decay is significantly weaker in tapered channels. This weaker flowrate decay is explained by the formation of discontinuous clogs within each channel. Micrographs of the clogged channels reveal clogs do not grow continuously from their initial positions around the channels’ outlet. Rather, new clogs spanning the width of the channel at their points of inception are successively formed as the cake grows toward the inlet area in each microchannel. The results show changes in particle volume fraction at constant driving pressure affect the clogging rate without impacting the underlying dynamics. Unexpectedly, analyses of the particles packing behavior in the microchannels, and post-clogging permeability of the microfluidic devices, reveal the presence of two distinct regimes of driving pressure, though only a small portion of the total device volume and channels surface area are occupied by clogs, regardless of the particle volume fraction. This novel investigation of discontinuous clogging over multiple particle diameters provides unique insights into additional mechanisms to control flow losses in filtration and other confined systems.
Effectiveness of an adapted physical activity intervention on health-related physical fitness in adolescents with intellectual disability: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Sun Yan , Yu Siyue , Wang Aiwei , Chan Hardaway Chun-Kwan , Ou Alison Xiaoting , Zhang Dexing , Xie Yaojie , Fong Shirley S. M. , Gao Yang
Published: December 2022

This study aimed to examine the effects of an adapted physical activity (APA) intervention on health-related physical fitness (HRPF) in adolescents with intellectual disability (ID). With a randomized controlled trial design, adolescents aged 12–18 years, with mild and moderate ID, and being overweight and obese were recruited and randomly assigned to either an intervention or a control group. The APA intervention consisted of overall moderate intensity aerobic and resistance exercise, with a duration of 45 min/session, a frequency of 2 sessions/week, and lasting for 9 months. A negative control was involved, in which participants received no treatment. Changes in four fitness tests, including the 9-min run/walk, handgrip strength, 30-s sit-ups, and sit-and-reach tests, were assessed between the groups using general linear models. A total of 57 participants (39 in the intervention group and 18 in the control group) completed the study. Significant mean differences in changes in the 9-min run/walk test (413.6 m [95% CI 146.72 m, 680.41 m], p = 0.003) and the right-side sit-and-reach test (2.2 cm [95% CI 0.37 cm, 4.09 cm], p = 0.020) respectively were observed in the intervention group, compared to the control group. No significant between-group improvement was observed for the handgrip strength and the 30-s sit-ups tests. The APA intervention induced beneficial effects on cardiorespiratory fitness and potential beneficial effects on flexibility for adolescents with ID. However, no significant effects of this intervention on muscular strength and endurance were observed in this study. Future studies should consider involving effective exercises in interventions to improve muscular strength and endurance.