bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Non-Invasive Assessment of Mild Stress-Induced Hyperthermia by Infrared Thermography in Laboratory Mice
Authors: Blenkuš Urša , Gerós Ana Filipa , Carpinteiro Cristiana , Aguiar Paulo de Castro , Olsson I. Anna S. , Franco Nuno Henrique
Published: January 2022

Stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) is a physiological response to acute stressors in mammals, shown as an increase in core body temperature, with redirection of blood flow from the periphery to vital organs. Typical temperature assessment methods for rodents are invasive and can themselves elicit SIH, affecting the readout. Infrared thermography (IRT) is a promising non-invasive alternative, if shown to accurately identify and quantify SIH. We used in-house developed software ThermoLabAnimal 2.0 to automatically detect and segment different body regions, to assess mean body (Tbody) and mean tail (Ttail) surface temperatures by IRT, along with temperature (Tsc) assessed by reading of subcutaneously implanted PIT-tags, during handling-induced stress of pair-housed C57BL/6J and BALB/cByJ mice of both sexes (N = 68). SIH was assessed during 10 days of daily handling (DH) performed twice per day, weekly voluntary interaction tests (VIT) and an elevated plus maze (EPM) at the end. To assess the discrimination value of IRT, we compared SIH between tail-picked and tunnel-handled animals, and between mice receiving an anxiolytic drug or vehicle prior to the EPM. During a 30 to 60 second stress exposure, Tsc and Tbody increased significantly (p < 0.001), while Ttail (p < 0.01) decreased. We did not find handling-related differences. Within each cage, mice tested last consistently showed significantly higher (p < 0.001) Tsc and Tbody and lower (p < 0.001) Ttail than mice tested first, possibly due to higher anticipatory stress in the latter. Diazepam-treated mice showed lower Tbody and Tsc, consistent with reduced anxiety. In conclusion, our results suggest that IRT can identify and quantify stress in mice, either as a stand-alone parameter or complementary to other methods.
Associations between Dairy Herds’ Qualitative Behavior and Aspects of Herd Health, Stockperson and Farm Factors—A Cross-Sectional Exploration
Authors: Ebinghaus Asja , Matull Katharina , Knierim Ute , Ivemeyer Silvia
Published: January 2022

The affective state is an integrated aspect of farm animal welfare, which is understood as the animals’ perception of their living environment and of their internal biological functioning. The aim of this cross-sectional study was to explore animal-internal and external factors potentially influencing dairy cows’ affective state. For this purpose, qualitative behavior assessments (QBA) describing the animals’ body language were applied at herd level on 25 dairy farms. By means of principal component analysis (PCA), scores of PC1 (QBAscores) were determined for further analyses. From monthly milk recordings (MR) one year retrospectively, prevalences of udder and metabolic health impairments were calculated. Factors of housing, management, and human-animal contact were recorded via interviews and observations. A multivariable regression was calculated following a univariable preselection of factors. No associations were found between MR indicators and QBAscores. However, more positive QBAscores were associated with bedded cubicles or straw yards compared to raised cubicles, increased voluntary stockperson contact with the cows, and fixation of cows during main feeding times, the latter contributing to the explanatory model, but not being significant. These results underline the importance of lying comfort, positive human-animal relationship and reduction of competition during feeding for the well-being of dairy cows.
Effect of Music on Stress Parameters in Dogs during a Mock Veterinary Visit
Authors: King Tammie , Flint Hannah E. , Hunt Alysia B. G. , Werzowa Walter T. , Logan Darren W.
Published: January 2022

Veterinary visits can be stressful for dogs, but how their wellbeing changes during a visit is not well understood. Music therapy has been successfully used in clinical practice to alleviate stress and anxiety in people. The present study aimed to understand how canine stress changes during a veterinary visit, establish the effect of music, and highlight measures which may be of practical use. In a randomized crossover design, dogs were exposed to no music and a bespoke piece of classical music at a tempo designed to match their resting heart rate during a mock veterinary visit. Dogs were scored as more “afraid” during the physical examination compared to when they were in the hospital kennel (p < 0.001). Salivary cortisol, IgA, and infrared temperature all increased significantly (p < 0.05) from baseline to post-kennel and post-examination, with no effect of music treatment. Core body temperature (p = 0.010) and the odds of ‘relaxed’ lips (p = 0.020) were lower when dogs were exposed to music compared to control visits. Overall, dogs experienced changes in physiology and behavior, indicative of increased stress, over the course of the visit. Additional research is required to further understand the effect that bespoke music may have in alleviating canine stress during veterinary visits.
Thermographic Screening of Beef Cattle Metatarsal Growth Plate Lesions
Authors: Fabbri Giorgia , Gianesella Matteo , Tessari Rossella , Bassini Andrea , Morgante Massimo , Contiero Barbara , Faillace Vanessa , Fiore Enrico
Published: January 2022

Lameness represents one of the main causes of decreased productive performance and impaired animal welfare in the bovine industry. Young beef bulls are predisposed to develop diseases of the growing skeleton, especially growth plate lesions. Early diagnosis is indispensable for ensuring correct treatment, fast recovery and reduction losses. However, when dealing with beef cattle, this is not always possible. Fast and reliable diagnostic imaging techniques are necessary to improve dealing with lameness in beef animals. The aim of the present study was to examine the potential of thermographic imaging as a non-invasive tool for rapidly screening beef bulls for the presence of growth plate lesions. Here, 20 Charolais and Limousine beef bulls affected by growth plate lesions in one of the rear limbs were selected. IRT was performed on both hind limbs using a digital infrared camera (ThermaCam T420 Model, Flir Systems, Boston, MA, USA), prior to radiographic imaging and clinical examination. The temperature of healthy and affected limbs was measured in two regions: the area correspondent to the growth plate (AR01) and the whole area of the metatarsus (AR02). Growth plate lesions were found to increase the maximum, mean, and minimum temperatures in AR01; and the mean and maximum temperatures in AR02, therefore, indicating the potential of IRT as a reliable, practical tool for screening growth plate lesions in beef bulls.
Engineering an Enhanced EGFR Engager: Humanization of Cetuximab for Improved Developability
Authors: Goulet Dennis R. , Chatterjee Soumili , Lee Wai-Ping , Waight Andrew B. , Zhu Yi , Mak Amanda Nga-Sze
Published: January 2022

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase whose proliferative effects can contribute to the development of many types of solid tumors when overexpressed. For this reason, EGFR inhibitors such as cetuximab can play an important role in treating cancers such as colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer. Cetuximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody containing mouse variable regions that bind to EGFR and prevent it from signaling. Although cetuximab has been used clinically since 2004 to successfully control solid tumors, advances in protein engineering have created the opportunity to address some of its shortcomings. In particular, the presence of mouse sequences could contribute to immunogenicity in the form of anti-cetuximab antibodies, and an occupied glycosylation site in FR3 can contribute to hypersensitivity reactions and product heterogeneity. Using simple framework graft or sequence-/structure-guided approaches, cetuximab was humanized onto 11 new frameworks. In addition to increasing humanness and removing the VH glycosylation site, dynamic light scattering revealed increases in stability, and bio-layer interferometry confirmed minimal changes in binding affinity, with patterns emerging across the humanization method. This work demonstrates the potential to improve the biophysical and clinical properties of first-generation protein therapeutics and highlights the advantages of computationally guided engineering.
Molecular Detection of Colistin Resistance mcr-1 Gene in Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Isolated from Chicken
Authors: Uddin Md Bashir , Alam Mohammad Nurul , Hasan Mahmudul , Hossain S. M. Bayejed , Debnath Mita , Begum Ruhena , Samad Mohammed A. , Hoque Syeda Farjana , Chowdhury Md. Shahidur Rahman , Rahman Md. Mahfujur , Hossain Md. Mukter , Hassan Mohammad Mahmudul , Lundkvist Åke , Järhult Josef D. , El Zowalaty Mohamed E. , Ahmed Syed Sayeem Uddin
Published: January 2022

Zoonotic and antimicrobial-resistant Escherichia coli (hereafter, E. coli) is a global public health threat which can lead to detrimental effects on human health. Here, we aim to investigate the antimicrobial resistance and the presence of mcr-1 gene in E. coli isolated from chicken feces. Ninety-four E. coli isolates were obtained from samples collected from different locations in Bangladesh, and the isolates were identified using conventional microbiological tests. Phenotypic disk diffusion tests using 20 antimicrobial agents were performed according to CLSI-EUCAST guidelines, and minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) were determined for a subset of samples. E. coli isolates showed high resistance to colistin (88.30%), ciprofloxacin (77.66%), trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (76.60%), tigecycline (75.53%), and enrofloxacin (71.28%). Additionally, the pathotype eaeA gene was confirmed in ten randomly selected E. coli isolates using primer-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The presence of mcr-1 gene was confirmed using PCR and sequencing analysis in six out of ten E. coli isolates. Furthermore, sequencing and phylogenetic analyses revealed a similarity between the catalytic domain of Neisseria meningitidis lipooligosaccharide phosphoethanolamine transferase A (LptA) and MCR proteins, indicating that the six tested isolates were colistin resistant. Finally, the findings of the present study showed that E. coli isolated from chicken harbored mcr-1 gene, and multidrug and colistin resistance. These findings accentuate the need to implement strict measures to limit the imprudent use of antibiotics, particularly colistin, in agriculture and poultry farms.
Effect of Different Piperacillin-Tazobactam Dosage Regimens on Synergy of the Combination with Tobramycin against Pseudomonas aeruginosa for the Pharmacokinetics of Critically Ill Patients in a Dynamic Infection Model
Authors: Tait Jessica R. , Bilal Hajira , Rogers Kate E. , Lang Yinzhi , Kim Tae-Hwan , Zhou Jieqiang , Wallis Steven C. , Bulitta Jürgen B. , Kirkpatrick Carl M. J. , Paterson David L. , Lipman Jeffrey , Bergen Phillip J. , Roberts Jason A. , Nation Roger L. , Landersdorfer Cornelia B.
Published: January 2022

We evaluated piperacillin-tazobactam and tobramycin regimens against Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from critically ill patients. Static-concentration time-kill studies (SCTK) assessed piperacillin-tazobactam and tobramycin monotherapies and combinations against four isolates over 72 h. A 120 h-dynamic in vitro infection model (IVM) investigated isolates Pa1281 (MICpiperacillin 4 mg/L, MICtobramycin 0.5 mg/L) and CR380 (MICpiperacillin 32 mg/L, MICtobramycin 1 mg/L), simulating the pharmacokinetics of: (A) tobramycin 7 mg/kg q24 h (0.5 h-infusions, t1/2 = 3.1 h); (B) piperacillin 4 g q4 h (0.5 h-infusions, t1/2 = 1.5 h); (C) piperacillin 24 g/day, continuous infusion; A + B; A + C. Total and less-susceptible bacteria were determined. SCTK demonstrated synergy of the combination for all isolates. In the IVM, regimens A and B provided initial killing, followed by extensive regrowth by 72 h for both isolates. C provided >4 log10 CFU/mL killing, followed by regrowth close to initial inoculum by 96 h for Pa1281, and suppressed growth to <4 log10 CFU/mL for CR380. A and A + B initially suppressed counts of both isolates to <1 log10 CFU/mL, before regrowth to control or starting inoculum and resistance emergence by 72 h. Overall, the combination including intermittent piperacillin-tazobactam did not provide a benefit over tobramycin monotherapy. A + C, the combination regimen with continuous infusion of piperacillin-tazobactam, provided synergistic killing (counts <1 log10 CFU/mL) of Pa1281 and CR380, and suppressed regrowth to <2 and <4 log10 CFU/mL, respectively, and resistance emergence over 120 h. The shape of the concentration–time curve was important for synergy of the combination.
Genetic Polymorphisms of MnSOD Modify the Impacts of Environmental Melamine on Oxidative Stress and Early Kidney Injury in Calcium Urolithiasis Patients
Authors: Liu Chia-Chu , Wu Chia-Fang , Lee Yung-Chin , Huang Tsung-Yi , Huang Shih-Ting , Wang Hsun-Shuan , Jhan Jhen-Hao , Huang Shu-Pin , Li Ching-Chia , Juan Yung-Shun , Hsieh Tusty-Jiuan , Tsai Yi-Chun , Chen Chu-Chih , Wu Ming-Tsang
Published: January 2022

Environmental melamine exposure increases the risks of oxidative stress and early kidney injury. Manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD), glutathione peroxidase, and catalase can protect the kidneys against oxidative stress and maintain normal function. We evaluated whether their single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) could modify melamine’s effects. A total of 302 patients diagnosed with calcium urolithiasis were enrolled. All patients provided one-spot overnight urine samples to measure their melamine levels, urinary biomarkers of oxidative stress and renal tubular injury. Median values were used to dichotomize levels into high and low. Subjects carrying the T allele of rs4880 and high melamine levels had 3.60 times greater risk of high malondialdehyde levels than those carrying the C allele of rs4880 and low melamine levels after adjustment. Subjects carrying the G allele of rs5746136 and high melamine levels had 1.73 times greater risk of high N-Acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase levels than those carrying the A allele of rs5746136 and low melamine levels. In conclusion, the SNPs of MnSOD, rs4880 and rs5746136, influence the risk of oxidative stress and renal tubular injury, respectively, in calcium urolithiasis patients. In the context of high urinary melamine levels, their effects on oxidative stress and renal tubular injury were further increased.
Computational Investigation of a Novel Box-Wing Aircraft Concept
Authors: Hasan Mehedi , Redonnet Stephane , Hernadi Andras
Published: January 2022

With regard to the current needs for greener aviation, this study focuses on a novel concept of Box-Wing Aircraft (BWA). Labelled SmartLiner (BWA/SL), this conceptual aircraft comes as a triplane comprising backward and forward swept wings. The aerodynamic performance and structural characteristics of this BWA/SL aircraft are here explored through numerical simulation, using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) and Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI). The computational approach is first validated using NASA’s Common Research Model (CRM) aircraft, which is then taken as a reference solution against which to compare the aero-structural merits of the BWA/SL concept. Results show that, although its design is still preliminary and lacks optimization, the BWA/SL aircraft exhibits very decent aerodynamic performance, with higher lifting capacities and a reasonable lift-to-drag ratio. Moreover, thanks to the closed frame of its peculiar planform, it demonstrates superior structural characteristics, including under extreme loading scenarios. Based on this preliminary analysis and considering the room left for its further optimization, this conceptual aircraft thus appears as a potentially promising alternative for the development of more environmentally friendly airliners.
Algorithm to Estimate the Capacity Reserve of Existing Masonry Arch Railway Bridges
Authors: Brighenti Francesca , Possidente Luca , Zonta Daniele
Published: January 2022

Most railway masonry arch bridges were designed according to codes that predate the 1950s; therefore, assessing their load-carrying capacity to comply with current codes is of the utmost importance. Nonetheless, acquiring the necessary information to conduct in-depth analyses is expensive and time consuming. In this article, we propose an expeditious procedure to conservatively assess the Load Rating Factor of masonry arch railway bridges based on a minimal set of information: the span, rise-to-span ratio, and design code. This method consists in applying the Static Theorem to determine the most conservative arch geometry compatible with the original design code; assuming this conservative geometrical configuration, the load rating factor, with respect to a different design load, is estimated. Using this algorithm, a parametric analysis was carried out to evaluate the Load Rating Factor of old arch bridges in respect of the modern freight load of the Trans-European Conventional Rail System, for different spans, rise-to-span ratios, and original design codes. The results are reported in easy-to-use charts, and summarized in simple, practical rules, which can help railway operators to rank their bridges based on capacity deficit.
Seismic Wave Propagation Characteristics and Their Effects on the Dynamic Response of Layered Rock Sites
Authors: Dong Lihu , Song Danqing , Liu Guangwei
Published: January 2022

To investigate the seismic response of layered rock sites, a multidomain analysis method was proposed. Three finite element models with infinite element boundaries for layered sites were analysed. The results of this multidomain analysis show that stratum properties and elevation have an impact on wave propagation characteristics and the dynamic response of layered sites. Compared with the rock mass, the overlying gravel soil has a greater dynamic amplification effect at the sites. A time domain analysis parameter PGA(IMF) was proposed to analyse the effects of different strata on the seismic magnification effect of layered sites, and its application was also discussed in comparison with PGA. According to the frequency domain analysis, the interface of the rock mass strata has a low impact on the Fourier spectrum characteristics of the sites, but gravel soil has a great magnification effect on the spectrum amplitude in the high-frequency band (≥30 Hz) of waves. Moreover, the stratum properties have a great influence on the shape and peak value of the Hilbert energy and marginal spectrum at layered sites. When waves propagate from hard rock to soft rock, the peak value of the Hilbert energy spectrum changes from single to multiple peaks; then, in gravelly soil, the Hilbert energy spectral peak, its nearby amplitude and the amplitude in the high-frequency band (28–36 Hz) are obviously amplified. The frequency components and amplitude of the marginal spectrum become more abundant and larger from rock to gravelly soil in the high-frequency band (28–35 Hz).
Biospeckle Activity of Highbush Blueberry Fruits Infested by Spotted Wing Drosophila (Drosophila suzukii Matsumura)
Authors: Janaszek-Mańkowska Monika , Ratajski Arkadiusz , Słoma Jacek
Published: January 2022

In this study, the potential of the biospeckle phenomenon for detecting fruit infestation by Drosophila suzukii was examined. We tested both graphical and analytical approaches to evaluate biospeckle activity of healthy and infested fruits. As a result of testing the qualitative approach, a generalized difference method proved to be better at identifying infested areas than Fujii’s method. Biospeckle activity of healthy fruits was low and increased with infestation development. It was found that the biospeckle activity index calculated from spatial-temporal speckle correlation of THSP was the best discriminant of healthy fruits and fruits in two different stages of infestation development irrespective of window size and pixel selection strategy adopted to create the THSP. Other numerical indicators of biospeckle activity (inertia moment, absolute value of differences, average differences) distinguished only fruits in later stage of infestation. Regular values of differences turned out to be of no use in detecting infested fruits. We found that to provide a good representation of activity it was necessary to use a strategy aimed at random selection of pixels gathered around the global maximum of biospeckle activity localized on the graphical outcome. The potential of biospeckle analysis for identification of highbush blueberry fruits infested by D. suzukii was confirmed.
Powder Bed Selective Laser Processing of Alumina: Scanning Strategies Investigation
Authors: Abdelmoula Mohamed , Küçüktürk Gökhan , Juste Enrique , Petit Fabrice
Published: January 2022

Powder Bed Selective Laser Processing (PBSLP) is a promising technique for the additive manufacturing of alumina. For the method’s success, PBSLP process parameters such as laser power, scanning speed, hatching distance, and scanning strategies need to be investigated. This paper focuses on studying the scanning strategies’ effects on the PBSLP of alumina numerically and experimentally. Scanning strategies such as linear with different orientation, concentric, and islands were investigated. A numerical model was developed in which the PBSLP parameters, scanning strategy effects, and interpreting the experimental results could be observed. The numerical model proved its ability to reach the proper process parameters instead of using experimental trails which are time and cost consuming. For relative density, the island strategy succeeded to print alumina samples with a high relative density reaching 87.8%. However, there are round passages formed inside the samples that remain a barrier for the island strategy to be effectively used in PBSLP of alumina. Both linear and concentric strategies achieved a relative density of 75% and 67%, respectively. Considering the top surface roughness, samples printed with linear strategies gave low top surface roughness compared to the island and concentric strategies. Linear-45° is considered the effective strategy among the studied strategies as it achieved good relative density and low roughness at top and side surfaces. For PBSLP of alumina, new scanning strategies should be considered, and this study presents a new scanning strategy that is mainly based on space filling mathematical curves and should be studied in future work.
Preparation and Characterisation of Cellulose Nanocrystal/Alginate/Polyethylene Glycol Diacrylate (CNC/Alg/PEGDA) Hydrogel Using Double Network Crosslinking Technique for Bioprinting Application
Authors: Asohan Anusha Wei , Hashim Rokiah , Ku Ishak Ku Marsilla , Abdul Hamid Zuratul Ain , Jasme Nurshafiqah , Bustami Yazmin
Published: January 2022

In this study, we aimed to prepare and characterise hydrogel formulations using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), alginate (Alg), and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA). The CNC/Alg/PEGDA formulations were formed using a double network crosslinking approach. Firstly, CNC was extracted from oil palm trunk, and the size and morphology of the CNCs were characterised using TEM analysis. Secondly, different formulations were prepared using CNCs, Alg, and PEGDA. The mixtures were crosslinked with Ca2+ ions and manually extruded using a syringe before being subjected to UV irradiation at 365 nm. The shear-thinning properties of the formulations were tested prior to any crosslinking, while the determination of storage and loss modulus was conducted post extrusion after the Ca2+ ion crosslink using a rheometer. For the analysis of swelling behaviour, the constructs treated with UV were immersed in PBS solution (pH 7.4) for 48 h. The morphology of the UV crosslinked construct was analysed using SEM imaging. The extracted CNC exhibited rod-like structures with an average diameter and length of around 7 ± 2.4 and 113 ± 20.7 nm, respectively. Almost all CNC/Alg/PEGDA formulations (pre-gel formulation) displayed shear-thinning behaviour with the power-law index η < 1, and the behaviour was more prominent in the 1% [w/v] Alg formulations. The CNC/Alg/PEGDA with 2.5% and 4% [w/v] Alg displayed a storage modulus dominance over loss modulus (G′ > G″) which suggests good shape fidelity. After the hydrogel constructs were subjected to UV treatment at 365 nm, only the F8 construct [4% CNC: 4% Alg: 40% PEGDA] demonstrated tough and flexible characteristics that possibly mimic the native articular cartilage property due to a similar water content percentage (79.5%). In addition, the small swelling ratio of 4.877 might contribute to a minimal change of the 3D construct’s geometry. The hydrogel revealed a rough and wavy surface, and the pore size ranged from 3 to 20 µm. Overall, the presence of CNCs in the double network hydrogel demonstrated importance and showed positive effects towards the fabrication of a potentially ideal 3D bioprinted scaffold.
Safe and Scalable Polyethylene Glycol-Assisted Hydrothermal Synthesis and Laser Cooling of 10%Yb3+:LiLuF4 Crystals
Authors: Dobretsova Elena A. , Pant Anupum , Xia Xiaojing , Gariepy Rachel E. , Pauzauskie Peter J.
Published: January 2022

Rare earth doped lithium fluorides are a class of materials with a wide variety of optical applications, but the hazardous reagents used in their synthesis often restrict the amount of product that can be created at one time. In this work, 10%Yb3+:LiLuF4 (Yb:LLF) crystals have been synthesized through a safe and scalable polyethylene glycol (PEG)-assisted hydrothermal method. A combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and photoluminescence (PL) measurements were used to characterize the obtained materials. The influence of reaction temperature, time, fluoride source, and precursor amount on the shape and size of the Yb:LLF crystals are also discussed. Calibrated PL spectra of Yb3+ ions show laser cooling to more than 15 K below room temperature in air and 5 K in deionized water under 1020 nm diode laser excitation measured at a laser power of 50 mW.
Skin Depigmenting Agents in Anti-Aging Cosmetics: A Medicinal Perspective on Emerging Ingredients
Authors: Resende Diana I. S. P. , Ferreira Marta S. , Lobo José M. S. , Sousa Emília , Almeida Isabel F.
Published: January 2022

Human skin aging results from intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Uneven pigmentation is one of the major changes of extrinsic aging. Many compounds have been tested for depigmenting activity but only a few are actually used by the cosmetic industry, which is continually looking for new ingredients. In this study, the trends in the use of skin depigmenting ingredients in a panel of anti-aging formulations commercialized in the Portuguese pharmacy market were analyzed, by comparing the composition of the products marketed in 2011 with products launched or reformulated in 2018 (59% and 74%, respectively). The analysis of the top 12 ingredients put forward three novelties for 2018: tranexamic acid, bakuchiol, and 4-butylresorcinol. Regarding their mechanisms of action, tranexamic acid inhibits melanin synthesis through inhibition of the plasminogen/plasmin system. Bakuchiol depigmenting efficacy was attributed to the ability to block both α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone and tyrosinase activation, while 4-butylresorcinol exerts its action through the inhibition of both tyrosinase and tyrosinase-related protein-1 (TRP-1). Industry-optimized and efficient synthetic methodologies that embrace green chemistry, reducing the environmental impact, are commonly used. This analysis aims to bring insights to both formulators, involved in the development of depigmenting cosmetic products, and chemists performing the synthesis of new and existing compounds intended for this purpose.
A Framework for the Evaluation of the Cultural Heritage Information Ontology
Authors: Tibaut Andrej , Guerra de Oliveira Sara
Published: January 2022

The intelligent management of built cultural heritage, including heritage buildings, requires common semantics in the form of standardized ontologies to achieve semantic interoperability. Foundational ontologies should be reused when building new ontologies, as they provide high-level terms; however, candidate foundational ontologies should be evaluated for quality and pitfalls. Simple metrics (e.g., number of concepts) are easy to obtain with existing tools. Complex metrics such as quality of ontology structure, functional adequacy, transferability, reliability, compatibility, maintainability, and operability, are defined in recent ontology evaluation frameworks; however, these do not evaluate interoperability features. The paper proposes an improved framework for an automated ontology evaluation based on the OQuaRE framework. Our approach improved some of the metrics of the OQuaRE framework and introduced three metrics for assessing the interoperability of the ontology in question (Externes, Composability, and Aggregability). In the experimental section, the framework is validated in an evaluation of cultural heritage information ontology (CIDOC CRM—ISO 12217:2014) with the use of new software for ontology evaluation. The detailed results reveal that the ontology is minimally acceptable and that the improved evaluation framework efficiently integrated interoperability metrics. Recommendations for the improvement of the cultural heritage information ontology are described in the Discussion and Conclusions section.
Search for Tissue Equivalent Materials Based on Exposure and Energy Absorption Buildup Factor Computations
Authors: Kadri Omrane , Alfuraih Abdulrahman
Published: January 2022

Tissue equivalent materials (TEM) are frequently used in research as a means to determine the delivered dose to patients undergoing various therapeutic procedures. They are used in routine quality assurance and quality control procedures in diagnostic and therapeutic physics. However, very few materials that are tissue equivalent have been developed for use in research at the low photon energies involved in diagnosis radiology. The objective of this study is to describe a series of TEMs designed to radiographically imitate human tissue at diagnostic photon energies. TEMs for adipose, cortical bone, fat, lung, and muscle tissues were investigated in terms of energy absorption and exposure buildup factors for photon energy range 15–150 keV and for penetration depths up to 40 mean free path. BUF was computed based on GP-fitting method. Moreover, we also compared some radiological properties, including the total attenuation and the energy-absorption attenuation, the effective atomic number, and the CT number at 30, 100, and 120 kVp. We found that SB3, Glycerol trioleate, and MS15 perfectly mimic cortical bone, fat, and muscle tissues, respectively. Additionally, AP6 and Stracey latex are good TEM for adipose and lung tissues, respectively. The results of this work should be useful in radiation diagnosis and dosimetry applications for the large physician researcher community.
MLLP-VRAIN Spanish ASR Systems for the Albayzín-RTVE 2020 Speech-to-Text Challenge: Extension
Authors: Baquero-Arnal Pau , Jorge Javier , Giménez Adrià , Iranzo-Sánchez Javier , Pérez Alejandro , Garcés Díaz-Munío Gonçal Vicent , Silvestre-Cerdà Joan Albert , Civera Jorge , Sanchis Albert , Juan Alfons
Published: January 2022

This paper describes the automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems built by the MLLP-VRAIN research group of Universitat Politècnica de València for the Albayzín-RTVE 2020 Speech-to-Text Challenge, and includes an extension of the work consisting of building and evaluating equivalent systems under the closed data conditions from the 2018 challenge. The primary system (p-streaming_1500ms_nlt) was a hybrid ASR system using streaming one-pass decoding with a context window of 1.5 seconds. This system achieved 16.0% WER on the test-2020 set. We also submitted three contrastive systems. From these, we highlight the system c2-streaming_600ms_t which, following a similar configuration as the primary system with a smaller context window of 0.6 s, scored 16.9% WER points on the same test set, with a measured empirical latency of 0.81 ± 0.09 s (mean ± stdev). That is, we obtained state-of-the-art latencies for high-quality automatic live captioning with a small WER degradation of 6% relative. As an extension, the equivalent closed-condition systems obtained 23.3% WER and 23.5% WER, respectively. When evaluated with an unconstrained language model, we obtained 19.9% WER and 20.4% WER; i.e., not far behind the top-performing systems with only 5% of the full acoustic data and with the extra ability of being streaming-capable. Indeed, all of these streaming systems could be put into production environments for automatic captioning of live media streams.
On-Road Driver Emotion Recognition Using Facial Expression
Authors: Xiao Huafei , Li Wenbo , Zeng Guanzhong , Wu Yingzhang , Xue Jiyong , Zhang Juncheng , Li Chengmou , Guo Gang
Published: January 2022

With the development of intelligent automotive human-machine systems, driver emotion detection and recognition has become an emerging research topic. Facial expression-based emotion recognition approaches have achieved outstanding results on laboratory-controlled data. However, these studies cannot represent the environment of real driving situations. In order to address this, this paper proposes a facial expression-based on-road driver emotion recognition network called FERDERnet. This method divides the on-road driver facial expression recognition task into three modules: a face detection module that detects the driver’s face, an augmentation-based resampling module that performs data augmentation and resampling, and an emotion recognition module that adopts a deep convolutional neural network pre-trained on FER and CK+ datasets and then fine-tuned as a backbone for driver emotion recognition. This method adopts five different backbone networks as well as an ensemble method. Furthermore, to evaluate the proposed method, this paper collected an on-road driver facial expression dataset, which contains various road scenarios and the corresponding driver’s facial expression during the driving task. Experiments were performed on the on-road driver facial expression dataset that this paper collected. Based on efficiency and accuracy, the proposed FERDERnet with Xception backbone was effective in identifying on-road driver facial expressions and obtained superior performance compared to the baseline networks and some state-of-the-art networks.
Is Diffusion Tensor Imaging-Guided Radiotherapy the New State-of-the-Art? A Review of the Current Literature and Technical Insights
Authors: Colman Jordan , Mancini Laura , Manolopoulos Spyros , Gupta Meetakshi , Kosmin Michael , Bisdas Sotirios
Published: January 2022

Despite the increasing precision of radiotherapy delivery, it is still frequently associated with neurological complications. This is in part due to damage to eloquent white matter (WM) tracts, which is made more likely by the fact they cannot be visualised on standard structural imaging. WM is additionally more vulnerable than grey matter to radiation damage. Primary brain malignancies also are known to spread along the WM. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is the only in vivo method of delineating WM tracts. DTI is an imaging technique that models the direction of diffusion and therefore can infer the orientation of WM fibres. This review article evaluates the current evidence for using DTI to guide intracranial radiotherapy and whether it constitutes a new state-of-the-art technique. We provide a basic overview of DTI and its known applications in radiotherapy, which include using tractography to reduce the radiation dose to eloquent WM tracts and using DTI to detect or predict tumoural spread. We evaluate the evidence for DTI-guided radiotherapy in gliomas, metastatic disease, and benign conditions, finding that the strongest evidence is for its use in arteriovenous malformations. However, the evidence is weak in other conditions due to a lack of case-controlled trials.
A Hierarchical Sparse Discriminant Autoencoder for Bearing Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Zeng Mengjie , Li Shunming , Li Ranran , Lu Jiantao , Xu Kun , Li Xianglian , Wang Yanfeng , Du Jun
Published: January 2022

Although some traditional autoencoders and their extensions have been widely used in the research of intelligent fault diagnosis of rotating parts, their feature extraction capabilities are limited without label information. In response to this problem, this research proposes a hierarchical sparse discriminant autoencoder (HSDAE) method for fault diagnosis of rotating components, which is a new semi-supervised autoencoder structure. By considering the sparsity of autoencoders, a hierarchical sparsity strategy was proposed to improve the stacked sparsity autoencoders, and the particle swarm optimization algorithm was used to obtain the optimal sparsity parameters to improve network performance. In order to enhance the classification of the autoencoder, a class aggregation and class separability strategy was used, which is an additional discriminative distance that was added as a penalty term in the loss function to enhance the feature extraction ability of the network. Finally, the reliability of the proposed method was verified on the bearing data set of Case Western Reserve University and the bearing data set of the laboratory test platform. The results of comparison with other methods show that the HSDAE method can enhance the feature extraction ability of the network and has reliability and stability for different data sets.
Air Pollution Role as Risk Factor of Cardioinhibitory Carotid Hypersensitivity
Authors: Piccirillo Gianfranco , Moscucci Federica , Magrì Damiano
Published: January 2022

Little is known about the impact of air pollution on neuroautonomic system. The authors have investigated possible influence of air pollution and outdoor temperature on the carotid sinus hypersensitivity (CSH), as main cause of neurally mediated syncope in forty-years-old subjects and older. Pollutants’ concentrations and outdoor temperature of days in which 179 subjects with recurrent syncope underwent carotid sinus massage (CSM) were analyzed. Before this manoeuvre, cardiovascular control by short period heart and blood pressure spectral duration of segment between the end of P and R ECG-waves (PeR) were registred; RR variability on the same short period ECG recordings and their spectral coherence were also analyzed. CSH was found in 57 patients (28 with cardioinhibitory response and 29 subjects showed vasodepressor reaction), while 122 subjects had a normal response. CSM performed during high ozone concentrations was associated with slightly higher risk of cardioinhibitory response (odd ratio 1.012, 95% CI 1.001–1.023, p < 0.05), but neither this or other polluting agent nor outdoor temperature seemed to influence autonomic control in basal resting condition. Thus, ozone seemed to influence response to the CSM in CSH patients and it is probably able to facilitate a cardioinhibitory response, perhaps through an increase of nerve acetylcholine release. P→PR coherence could be useful in predicting a sinus cardioinhibitory hypersensitivity in those cases when CSM is contraindicated.
In-Depth Analysis of Physicochemical Properties of Particulate Matter (PM10, PM2.5 and PM1) and Its Characterization through FTIR, XRD and SEM–EDX Techniques in the Foothills of the Hindu Kush Region of Northern Pakistan
Authors: Usman Farooq , Zeb Bahadar , Alam Khan , Huang Zhongwei , Shah Attaullah , Ahmad Iftikhar , Ullah Sami
Published: January 2022

The current study investigates the variation and physicochemical properties of ambient particulate matter (PM) in the very important location which lies in the foothills of the Hindu Kush ranges in northern Pakistan. This work investigates the mass concentration, mineral content, elemental composition and morphology of PM in three size fractions, i.e., PM1, PM2.5 and PM10, during the year of 2019. The collected samples were characterized by microscopic and spectroscopic techniques like Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. During the study period, the average temperature, relative humidity, rainfall and wind speed were found to be 17.9 °C, 65.83%, 73.75 mm and 0.23 m/s, respectively. The results showed that the 24 h average mass concentration of PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 were 64 µgm−3, 43.9 µgm−3 and 22.4 µgm−3, respectively. The 24 h concentration of both PM10 and PM2.5 were 1.42 and 2.92 times greater, respectively, than the WHO limits. This study confirms the presence of minerals such as wollastonite, ammonium sulphate, wustite, illite, kaolinite, augite, crocidolite, calcite, calcium aluminosilicate, hematite, copper sulphate, dolomite, quartz, vaterite, calcium iron oxide, muscovite, gypsum and vermiculite. On the basis of FESEM-EDX analysis, 14 elements (O, C, Al, Si, Mg, Na, K, Ca, Fe, N, Mo, B, S and Cl) and six groups of PM (carbonaceous (45%), sulfate (13%), bioaerosols (8%), aluminosilicates (19%), quartz (10%) and nitrate (3%)) were identified.
Substance Flow Analysis of Zinc in Two Preheater–Precalciner Cement Plants and the Associated Atmospheric Emissions
Authors: Li Zhonggen , Huang Yiming , Li Xinyu , Wang Guan , Wang Qingfeng , Sun Guangyi , Feng Xinbin
Published: January 2022

Atmospheric emission of heavy metals from different anthropogenic sources is a great concern to human beings due to their toxicities. In order to disclose the emission levels and the distribution patterns of zinc (Zn) in the modern cement industry with respect to its low boiling point (~900 °C) comparing to the high-temperature (1450 °C) clinker production process, solid samples representing the input and output flow of Zn during the entire production process in two preheater–precalciner cement plants (CPs) were collected and analyzed. For the first time, it was found that the behaviour of Zn inside different precalciner CPs was similar despite a huge difference in the Zn inputs to the CPs; namely, almost all the Zn input was output in clinker, which was then mixed with different additives and retarder to make cement products. The high-temperature clinkerisation process would incorporate Zn into the aluminosilicate of clinker. As a result, there was no enrichment of Zn during clinker production and the atmospheric emission factor was relatively low at 0.002%, or 1.28–9.39 mg Zn·t−1 clinker. Our result for the atmospheric Zn emissions from CPs was much lower than most previous reports, implying the CPs were not a crucial Zn emission source. However, the higher load of Zn in some raw/alternative materials—like nonferrous smelting slag with a Zn content of ~2%—could greatly increase the content of Zn in clinker and cement products. Therefore, further investigation on the environmental stability of Zn in such Zn-laden cement and concrete should be carried out.
Validation of the Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire: Japanese Version
Authors: Takabatake So , Takahashi Mariko , Kabaya Kayoko , Sekiya Yoshimasa , Sekiya Kenichi , Harata Ikuma , Kondo Masaki , Akechi Tatsuo
Published: January 2022

This study aimed to develop and validate a Japanese version of the Tinnitus Acceptance Questionnaire (TAQ), an instrument that measures the process of intentional acceptance of adverse experiences associated with tinnitus. A total of 125 patients with chronic tinnitus from multiple institutions participated in this study. Participants completed the Japanese versions of the TAQ, Tinnitus Handicap Inventory, Valuing Questionnaire, Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. A second TAQ was administered 1–2 weeks later. Because the model fitted poorly in confirmatory factor analysis, exploratory factor analysis was conducted, which yielded a two-factor structure that was divided into forward and reversed item groups. Hypotheses regarding criterion and construct validity were clearly supported. A high Cronbach’s α coefficient value was obtained for the TAQ total score (0.88). The interclass correlation coefficient for test–retest reliability was within the acceptable range (0.95). The results of the exploratory factor analysis were considered to be due to artifacts caused by the characteristics of the Japanese language. The present study confirmed the validity and reliability of the Japanese version of the TAQ in measuring tinnitus-specific receptivity.
Riboflavin and Its Effect on Dentin Bond Strength: Considerations for Clinical Applicability—An In Vitro Study
Authors: Beck Franziska , Ilie Nicoleta
Published: January 2022

Bioactive collagen crosslinkers propose to render the dentin hybrid layer less perceptive to hydrolytic challenge. This study aims to evaluate whether bond strength of dental resin composite to dentin benefits from riboflavin (RB)-sensitized crosslinking when used in a clinically applicable protocol. A total of 300 human dentin specimens were prepared consistent with the requirements for a macro-shear bond test. RB was applied on dentin, either incorporated in the primer (RBp) of a two-step self-etch adhesive or as an aqueous solution (RBs) before applying the adhesive, and blue light from a commercial polymerization device was used for RB photoactivation. Bonding protocol executed according to the manufacturer’s information served as control. Groups (n = 20) were tested after 1 week, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months or 1 year immersion times (37 °C, distilled water). The different application methods of RB significantly influenced bond strength (p < 0.001) with a medium impact (η2p = 0.119). After 1 year immersion, post hoc analysis identified a significant advantage for RB groups compared to RBp (p = 0.018), which is attributed to a pH-/solvent-dependent efficiency of RB-sensitized crosslinking, stressing the importance of formulation adjustments. We developed an application protocol for RB-sensitized crosslinking with emphasis on clinical applicability to test its performance against a gold-standard adhesive, and are confident that, with a few adjustments to the application solution, RB-sensitized crosslinking can improve the longevity of adhesive restorations in clinics.
The COVID-19 Infection Diffusion in the US and Japan: A Graph-Theoretical Approach
Authors: Davahli Mohammad Reza , Karwowski Waldemar , Fiok Krzysztof , Murata Atsuo , Sapkota Nabin , Farahani Farzad V. , Al-Juaid Awad , Marek Tadeusz , Taiar Redha
Published: January 2022

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was first discovered in China; within several months, it spread worldwide and became a pandemic. Although the virus has spread throughout the globe, its effects have differed. The pandemic diffusion network dynamics (PDND) approach was proposed to better understand the spreading behavior of COVID-19 in the US and Japan. We used daily confirmed cases of COVID-19 from 5 January 2020 to 31 July 2021, for all states (prefectures) of the US and Japan. By applying the pandemic diffusion network dynamics (PDND) approach to COVID-19 time series data, we developed diffusion graphs for the US and Japan. In these graphs, nodes represent states and prefectures (regions), and edges represent connections between regions based on the synchrony of COVID-19 time series data. To compare the pandemic spreading dynamics in the US and Japan, we used graph theory metrics, which targeted the characterization of COVID-19 bedhavior that could not be explained through linear methods. These metrics included path length, global and local efficiency, clustering coefficient, assortativity, modularity, network density, and degree centrality. Application of the proposed approach resulted in the discovery of mostly minor differences between analyzed countries. In light of these findings, we focused on analyzing the reasons and defining research hypotheses that, upon addressing, could shed more light on the complex phenomena of COVID-19 virus spread and the proposed PDND methodology.