bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching Lighting Design for Cultural Heritage in the Digital and Pandemic Era: Experiencing New and Old Techniques
Authors: Siniscalco Andrea , Bellia Laura , Marchesi Lisa
Published: October 2021

In the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic, the world of cultural heritage has had to cope with the closures of museums and dedicated structures. In this dramatic context, the digitisation of assets represented a partial solution to guarantee the fruition of the world’s cultural heritage. Even in the context of teaching, the pandemic represented a challenging moment. This contribution presents three different university teaching experiences focused on lighting for cultural heritage. The workshops described were held before, on horseback, and amid the pandemic. The differences are contextualised in the Italian regulatory and methodological framework. Attention is also paid to the digitisation of assets regarding the lighting design verification of the students’ project proposals. The teaching approach, the procedures, the material presented by the students, and the revision methodology are described. The comparison between the three editions allows for evaluations of the main problems encountered in the different contexts and when the used procedures were instead strong points. The use of three-dimensional simulation, initially designed exclusively for lighting verification, has also proved crucial in the communication of students’ works, demonstrating once more that in the future, the information technologies will be able to help those who deal with cultural assets to expand the catchment area and to enhance the communication of sites and museum structures.
Did Dionysius of Fourna Follow the Material Recipes Described in His Own Treatise? A First Analytical Investigation of Four of His Panel Paintings
Authors: Mafredas Thomas , Kouloumpi Eleni , Boyatzis Stamatis C.
Published: October 2021

A research protocol based on imaging techniques and physicochemical analyses was designed and carried out in order to investigate the construction technology of four panel paintings produced by a very important 18th century artist, hieromonk Dionysius from Fourna. Dionysius was the first painter of the post-Byzantine period who wrote an artists’ manual for the Eastern Orthodox painting art: he recorded and described in his treatise ‘Hermeneia of Art Painting’ the materials and construction techniques of the 18th century Christian painting. The contribution of Dionysius and his ‘Hermeneia of the Painting Art’ is decisive because it gathers all the previously scattered advice and guidelines about the construction of panel paintings and the information quoted by him is probably the only official recorded source of Eastern Orthodox art technology. In this context, four panel paintings signed by Dionysius were selected for scientific research: it is the first time that an effort is made to analytically characterize the materials used by the hieromonk, to recognize the construction technology, and examine whether it follows the recipes included in his manuscript or not.
Precipitation and Potential Evapotranspiration Temporal Variability and Their Relationship in Two Forest Ecosystems in Greece
Authors: Stefanidis Stefanos , Alexandridis Vasileios
Published: October 2021

The assessment of drought conditions is important in forestry because it affects forest growth and species diversity. In this study, temporal variability and trends of precipitation (P), potential evapotranspiration (PET), and their relationship (P/PET) were examined in two selected forest ecosystems that present different climatic conditions and vegetation types due to their location and hypsometric zone. The study area includes the forests of Pertouli and Taxiarchis, which are managed by the Aristotle University Forest Administration and Management Fund. The Pertouli is a coniferous forest in Central Greece with a maximum elevation of 2073 m a.s.l, and Taxiarchis is a broadleaved forest in Northern Greece with a maximum elevation of 1200 m a.s.l. To accomplish the goals of the current research, long–term (1974–2016) monthly precipitation and air temperature data from two mountainous meteorological were collected and processed. The PET was estimated using a parametric model based on simplified formulation of the Penman–Monteith equation rather than the commonly used Thornthwaite approach. Seasonal and annual precipitation, potential evapotranspiration (PET), and their ratio (P/PET) values were subjected to Mann–Kendall tests to assess the possible upward or downward trends, and Sen’s slope method was used to estimate the trends magnitude. The results indicated that the examined climatic variables vary greatly between seasons. In general, negative trends were detected for the precipitation time series of Pertouli, whereas positive trends were found in Taxiarchis; both were statistically insignificant. In contrast, statistically significant positive trends were reported for PET in both forest ecosystems. These circumstances led to different drought conditions between the two forests due to the differences of their elevation. Regarding Pertouli, drought trend analysis indicated downward trends for annual, winter, spring, and summer values, whereas autumn showed a slight upward trend. In addition, the average magnitude trend per decade was approximately −2.5%, −3.5%, +4.8%, −0.8%, and +3.3% for annual, winter, autumn, spring, and summer seasons, respectively. On the contrary, the drought trend and the associated magnitude per decade for the Taxiarchis forest were found to be as follows: annual (+2.2%), winter (+6.2%), autumn (+9.2%), spring (+1.0%), and summer (−5.0%). The performed statistical test showed that the reported trend was statistically insignificant at a 5% significance level. These results may be a useful tool as a forest management practice and can enhance the adaptation and resilience of forest ecosystems to climate change.
Geospatial Least Squares Support Vector Regression Fused with Spatial Weight Matrix
Authors: Wang Haiqi , Li Liuke , Che Lei , Kong Haoran , Wang Qiong , Wang Zhihai , Xu Jianbo
Published: October 2021

Due to the increasingly complex objects and massive information involved in spatial statistics analysis, least squares support vector regression (LS-SVR) with a good stability and high calculation speed is widely applied in regression problems of geospatial objects. According to Tobler’s First Law of Geography, near things are more related than distant things. However, very few studies have focused on the spatial dependence between geospatial objects via SVR. To comprehensively consider the spatial and attribute characteristics of geospatial objects, a geospatial LS-SVR model for geospatial data regression prediction is proposed in this paper. The 0–1 type and numeric-type spatial weight matrices are introduced as dependence measures between geospatial objects and fused into a single regression function of the LS-SVR model. Comparisons of the results obtained with the proposed and conventional models and other traditional models indicate that fusion of the spatial weight matrix can improve the prediction accuracy. The proposed model is more suitable for geospatial data regression prediction and enhances the ability of geospatial phenomena to explain geospatial data.
Computer Vision and Machine Learning for Tuna and Salmon Meat Classification
Authors: Medeiros Erika Carlos , Almeida Leandro Maciel , Filho José Gilson de Almeida Teixeira
Published: October 2021

Aquatic products are popular among consumers, and their visual quality used to be detected manually for freshness assessment. This paper presents a solution to inspect tuna and salmon meat from digital images. The solution proposes hardware and a protocol for preprocessing images and extracting parameters from the RGB, HSV, HSI, and L*a*b* spaces of the collected images to generate the datasets. Experiments are performed using machine learning classification methods. We evaluated the AutoML models to classify the freshness levels of tuna and salmon samples through the metrics of: accuracy, receiver operating characteristic curve, precision, recall, f1-score, and confusion matrix (CM). The ensembles generated by AutoML, for both tuna and salmon, reached 100% in all metrics, noting that the method of inspection of fish freshness from image collection, through preprocessing and extraction/fitting of features showed exceptional results when datasets were subjected to the machine learning models. We emphasize how easy it is to use the proposed solution in different contexts. Computer vision and machine learning, as a nondestructive method, were viable for external quality detection of tuna and salmon meat products through its efficiency, objectiveness, consistency, and reliability due to the experiments’ high accuracy.
Experimental Study on Performance Enhancement of a Photovoltaic Module Using a Combination of Phase Change Material and Aluminum Fins—Exergy, Energy and Economic (3E) Analysis
Authors: Agyekum Ephraim Bonah , PraveenKumar Seepana , Alwan Naseer T. , Velkin Vladimir Ivanovich , Adebayo Tomiwa Sunday
Published: October 2021

The electrical performance of a photovoltaic (PV) module is hugely affected by its temperature. This study proposed a passive cooling mechanism for the cooling of a PV panel. The proposed cooling system is made up of a combination of aluminum fins and paraffin wax integrated at the PV panel’s rear side. The average temperature for the cooled panel for the entire period of the experiment is 36.62 °C against 48.75 °C for the referenced PV module. This represents an average reduction of 12.13 °C for the cooled panel. The average power for the cooled panel is 12.19 W against 10.95 W for the referenced module which is 11.33% improvement. The electrical efficiencies for the cooled panel and the referenced modules are 14.30% and 13.60%, respectively, representing an improvement of 5.15% in the electrical efficiency. The cooled solar PV module had an average exergy efficiency of 7.99% compared to 5.61% for the referenced module. In terms of the economics, the results from the computations show that LCOE of the cooled panel can range between 0.198 and 0.603 $/kWh, while that of the referenced module ranges from 0.221–0.671 $/kWh depending on the number of days it operates.
Acute and Chronic Exercise Effects on Human Memory: What We Know and Where to Go from Here
Authors: Loprinzi Paul D. , Roig Marc , Etnier Jennifer L. , Tomporowski Phillip D. , Voss Michelle
Published: October 2021

Although the acquisition, storage, and retrieval of memories was once thought to happen within a single memory system with multiple processes operating on it, it is now believed that memory is comprised of both distinct and interacting brain systems [...]
Mitochondrial Genotoxicity of Hepatitis C Treatment among People Who Inject Drugs
Authors: Durand Mélusine , Nagot Nicolas , Nhu Quynh Bach Thi , Vallo Roselyne , Thuy Linh Le Thi , Duong Huong Thi , Thanh Binh Nguyen , Rapoud Delphine , Quillet Catherine , Tran Hong Thi , Michel Laurent , Tuyet Thanh Nham Thi , Hai Oanh Khuat Thi , Hai Vinh Vu , Feelemyer Jonathan , Perre Philippe Vande , Jarlais Don Des , Minh Khue Pham , Laureillard Didier , Molès Jean-Pierre
Published: October 2021

Antiviral nucleoside analogues (ANA) are newly used therapeutics acting against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). This class of drug is well known to exhibit toxicity on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). People who inject drugs (PWID) are particularly affected by HCV infection and cumulated mitotoxic drug exposure from HIV treatments (antiretrovirals, ARV) and other illicit drugs. This study aims to explore the impact of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) treatments on mtDNA among PWID. A total of 470 actively injecting heroin users were included. We used quantitative PCR on whole blood to determine the mitochondrial copy number per cell (MCN) and the proportion of mitochondrial DNA deletion (MDD). These parameters were assessed before and after DAA treatment. MDD was significantly increased after HCV treatment, while MCN did not differ. MDD was even greater when subjects were cotreated with ARV. In multivariate analysis, we identified that poly-exposure to DAA and daily heroin injection or regular consumption of methamphetamines were positively associated with high MCN loss while DAA and ARV treatments or methadone use were identified as risk factors for having mtDNA deletion. These observations deserve attention since they were previously associated with premature cell ageing or cell transformation and therefore call for a long-term follow-up.
Effects of Warm-Up on Sprint Swimming Performance, Rating of Perceived Exertion, and Blood Lactate Concentration: A Systematic Review
Authors: Czelusniak Olivia , Favreau Emily , Ives Stephen J.
Published: October 2021

(1) Background: warm-ups precede physical exertion and has been shown to have positive and negative effects on performance. Positive effects include elevating body temperature, heart rate, and VO2. Negative effects include increasing fatigue and blood lactate concentration. The most effective warm-up format is still unknown, particularly in competitive swimming. The purpose of this systematic review was to determine the most beneficial warm-up for maximal performance in sprint swimming events; (2) Methods: a structured search was carried out following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic review and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines in the PubMed, SportDiscus, and Google Scholar databases until March 2021. Studies with double-blind and randomized designs in which different types of warm-up were compared to each other or an identical placebo condition (no warm-up) were considered. Fourteen published studies were included. The effects of warm-up on sprint swimming performance, rating of perceived exertion (RPE) and blood lactate concentration (La−) were investigated. (3) Results: in half of the studies, swimmers performed significantly better after a regular warm-up; however, the effect of warm-up on performance was small. Warm-ups had a medium to large effect on RPE and a small to medium effect on La−. (4) Conclusions: the findings of this review suggest that warm-ups do influence performance, although the magnitude is small. Future studies are needed in larger populations to clarify whether warm ups improve swim performance, to what extent, and the potential role of variables related to participant characteristics and swimming competitions.
3D Printing of Biomass–Fungi Composite Material: Effects of Mixture Composition on Print Quality
Authors: Bhardwaj Abhinav , Rahman Al Mazedur , Wei Xingjian , Pei Zhijian , Truong David , Lucht Matt , Zou Na
Published: October 2021

It is known that 3D printing can facilitate greater design flexibility in the printing of custom shapes for packaging and construction applications using biomass–fungi composite materials. The feasibility of this new method was demonstrated by a preliminary experiment, the results of which were reported in a journal publication in 2020. As a follow-up, this paper reports on an experimental study on the relationship between the mixture composition (i.e., the psyllium husk powder content) and print quality using this new method. Four mixtures were prepared by varying the amounts of psyllium husk powder (in grams) added to 400 mL of water. The ratios (g/mL) of psyllium husk powder weight (wp) over volume of water (vw) for the mixtures were 0, 1:40, 2:40, and 3:40. Each mixture also contained 100 g of biomass–fungi material and 40 g of whole wheat flour. The print quality of the samples was evaluated based on the extrudability and shape stability. The results showed that mixtures without any psyllium husk powder were not extrudable. An increase in the ratio of psyllium husk powder to water from 1:40 to 2:40 resulted in improved print quality; however, when the psyllium husk powder to water ratio was increased to 3:40, the extrudability became worse. This phenomenon was explained by analyzing the rheological properties of the mixtures.
A Systematic Survey of Characteristic Features of Yeast Cell Death Triggered by External Factors
Authors: Grosfeld Erika V. , Bidiuk Victoria A. , Mitkevich Olga V. , Ghazy Eslam S. M. O. , Kushnirov Vitaliy V. , Alexandrov Alexander I.
Published: October 2021

Cell death in response to distinct stimuli can manifest different morphological traits. It also depends on various cell death signaling pathways, extensively characterized in higher eukaryotes but less so in microorganisms. The study of cell death in yeast, and specifically Saccharomyces cerevisiae, can potentially be productive for understanding cell death, since numerous killing stimuli have been characterized for this organism. Here, we systematized the literature on external treatments that kill yeast, and which contains at least minimal data on cell death mechanisms. Data from 707 papers from the 7000 obtained using keyword searches were used to create a reference table for filtering types of cell death according to commonly assayed parameters. This table provides a resource for orientation within the literature; however, it also highlights that the common view of similarity between non-necrotic death in yeast and apoptosis in mammals has not provided sufficient progress to create a clear classification of cell death types. Differences in experimental setups also prevent direct comparison between different stimuli. Thus, side-by-side comparisons of various cell death-inducing stimuli under comparable conditions using existing and novel markers that can differentiate between types of cell death seem like a promising direction for future studies.
Diagnostic Methods and Risk Factors for Severe Disease and Mortality in Blastomycosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study
Authors: O’Dowd Timothy R. , Mc Hugh Jack W. , Theel Elitza S. , Wengenack Nancy L. , O’Horo John C. , Enzler Mark J. , Vergidis Paschalis
Published: October 2021

Background: Blastomycosis can cause severe disease with progressive respiratory failure and dissemination even in immunocompetent individuals. We sought to evaluate risk factors for severe disease and mortality using clinical and laboratory data within a large health system in an endemic area. Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study of patients diagnosed with blastomycosis at all Mayo Clinic sites from 1 January 2004 through 31 March 2020. Diagnosis was established by culture, histopathology/cytopathology, serology, antigen testing, or PCR. Disease was categorized as mild for patients treated in the outpatient setting, moderate for hospitalized patients who did not require intensive care, and severe for patients admitted to the intensive care unit. Logistic regression was used to evaluate risk factors for severe disease. A Cox proportional hazards model was constructed to evaluate mortality. Findings: We identified 210 patients diagnosed with blastomycosis. Mean age was 51 years (range, 6–84). Most subjects were male (71.0%). Extrapulmonary disease was confirmed in 24.8%. In this cohort, 40.5% of patients had mild disease, 37.6% had moderate disease, and 21.9% had severe disease. Independent risk factors for severe disease were neutrophilia (odds ratio (OR) 3.35 (95% CI 1.53–7.35), p = 0.002) and lymphopenia (OR 3.34 (95% CI 1.59–7.03), p = 0.001). Mortality at 90 days was 11.9%. Median time from diagnosis to death was 23 days (interquartile range 8–31 days). Independent risk factors for mortality were age (OR 1.04 (95% CI 1.01–1.08), p = 0.009), neutrophilia (OR 2.84 (95% CI 1.04–7.76), p = 0.041), and lymphopenia (OR 4.50 (95% CI 1.67–12.11), p = 0.003). Blastomyces immunodiffusion had an overall sensitivity of 39.6% (95% CI 30.1–49.8). Sensitivity was higher among those who were tested 4 weeks or longer after the onset of symptoms. Urine Blastomyces antigen had a significantly higher sensitivity of 80.8% (95% CI 68.1–89.2) compared to serology. There was a trend towards higher antigen concentration in patients with severe disease. The sensitivity of PCR from respiratory specimens was 67.6% (95% CI 50.1–85.5). Conclusion: In this cohort, we did not find an association between pharmacologic immunosuppression and disease severity. Lymphopenia at diagnosis was an independent risk factor for mortality. This simple marker may aid clinicians in determining disease prognosis.
An Affirmative Approach to Teaching Critical Data Studies
Authors: Sylvia J. J.
Published: October 2021

This article proposes an affirmative theoretical framework for teaching students about social media, algorithms, and critical data studies and offers a concrete example of an assignment that can be used to help students better understand how social media sites impact our processes of subjectivation, or how we are created as subjects. This pedagogical approach is situated within larger conversations about how to best approach media literacy, digital literacy, and other emerging 21st century literacies. Drawing upon a pedagogical action research methodology, this article analyzes student projects and reflections to determine how one can actively participate in one’s own processes of subjectivation as they relate to social media, as well as what factors facilitate or limit this ability. I argue that a deeper understanding of how platforms and algorithms function increases one’s ability to intervene in their own processes of subjectivation. Further, I analyze student projects to demonstrate how the assignment helped students better conceptualize the ways that their data were being captured and then used by Facebook. This analysis showed that the inherent for-profit nature of the Facebook platform limits the possibility of intervention ability by design. These results suggest that new approaches to social media platforms, such as those that are non-profit or for the public good, might open further opportunities for more creative interventions. These experimentations at both the level of the user and the platform align well with an affirmative critical theory approach of experimentation and counter-actualization.
Decoding Rural Space Reconstruction Using an Actor-Network Methodological Approach: A Case Study from the Yangtze River Delta, China
Authors: Liu Haoyu , Weng Dalai , Liu Hongguang
Published: October 2021

Using actor-network theory (ANT), this paper explores the process and mechanisms of rural space reconstruction in China in the post-urbanization era. In the context of urban–rural integration development in China, villages have become diversified. They are not only the living spaces of villagers, but they are also consumption spaces of urban residents. Through a case study of a typical village in the Yangtze River Delta, this study highlights that the actor-network of rural spatial reconstruction includes heterogeneous actors, such as the village committee, villagers, governments, tourism enterprises, makers, housing, and landscape—among which the Lishui Government is the key actor. Therefore, this paper argues that China’s rural space reconstruction is greatly dependent on external resources such as government policy support or enterprise investment. In the future, promoting public participation will be necessary to realize villages’ endogenous transformation and development.
Using Telemedicine to Monitor the Patient with Chronic Respiratory Failure
Authors: Ambrosino Nicolino , Pierucci Paola
Published: October 2021

Background: Advances in management have improved mortality of individuals with chronic respiratory failure (CRF), leading to an increase in need for long-term oxygen therapy and/or ventilatory support. These individuals require frequent visits and monitoring of their physiological parameters as well as of the functioning of their devices, such as ventilators or oxygen concentrators. Telemedicine is a clinical application of Information Communication Technology connecting patients to specialised care consultants. This narrative review aims to explore the current available telemonitoring options for individuals with CRF and reported or potential results. Methods: The research focused on EMBASE, CINALH, PubMed, and Scopus databases. Papers published between 2003 and 2021 in English were considered. Results: Different sensors, transmission devices and systems, and interventions are used with promising but not conclusive clinical results. However, legal problems are still unsolved, and economic advantages for health care systems, although potentially high, are still under debate. Conclusions: Telemonitoring systems for individuals with CRF are increasingly used; with promising results still to be clarified, legal, economical and organisational issues must be defined.
A Maximum Flow-Based Approach to Prioritize Drugs for Drug Repurposing of Chronic Diseases
Authors: Islam Md. Mohaiminul , Wang Yang , Hu Pingzhao
Published: October 2021

The discovery of new drugs is required in the time of global aging and increasing populations. Traditional drug development strategies are expensive, time-consuming, and have high risks. Thus, drug repurposing, which treats new/other diseases using existing drugs, has become a very admired tactic. It can also be referred to as the re-investigation of the existing drugs that failed to indicate the usefulness for the new diseases. Previously published literature used maximum flow approaches to identify new drug targets for drug-resistant infectious diseases but not for drug repurposing. Therefore, we are proposing a maximum flow-based protein–protein interactions (PPIs) network analysis approach to identify new drug targets (proteins) from the targets of the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) drugs and their associated drugs for chronic diseases (such as breast cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)) treatment. Experimental results showed that we have successfully turned the drug repurposing into a maximum flow problem. Our top candidates of drug repurposing, Guanidine, Dasatinib, and Phenethyl Isothiocyanate for breast cancer, IBD, and COPD were experimentally validated by other independent research as the potential candidate drugs for these diseases, respectively. This shows the usefulness of the proposed maximum flow approach for drug repurposing.
The Log Exponential-Power Distribution: Properties, Estimations and Quantile Regression Model
Authors: Korkmaz Mustafa Ç. , Altun Emrah , Alizadeh Morad , El-Morshedy M.
Published: October 2021

Recently, bounded distributions have attracted attention. These distributions are frequently used in modeling rate and proportion data sets. In this study, a new alternative model is proposed for modeling bounded data sets. Parameter estimations of the proposed distribution are obtained via maximum likelihood method. In addition, a new regression model is defined under the proposed distribution and its residual analysis is examined. As a result of the empirical studies on real data sets, it is observed that the proposed regression model gives better results than the unit-Weibull and Kumaraswamy regression models.
Exact Formulation and Analysis for the Bi-Objective Insular Traveling Salesman Problem
Authors: Miranda-Gonzalez Pablo A. , Maturana-Ross Javier , Blazquez Carola A. , Cabrera-Guerrero Guillermo
Published: October 2021

This paper aims at studying the Bi-Objective Insular Traveling Salesman Problem (BO-InTSP), which searches for a set of efficient, single visit sequences to collect (or distribute) freight from a set of islands. In this problem, the selection of ports (nodes) to be visited at each island, along with the associated port visit sequence, are optimized simultaneously, while the maritime transportation costs and the ground transportation costs inside the islands are minimized with a bi-objective perspective. This approach is employed since these costs are of a conflictive nature. A previous Approximated Formulation of the BO-InTSP relies on aggregating the actual demand locations within each island in a certain number of centroids for computing the ground transportation costs. Conversely, this paper proposes and develops a novel Exact Formulation for the problem based on the actual demand locations, instead of aggregating the demand inside the islands. Additionally, a systematic evaluation approach is developed to compare the two alternative formulations with different levels of demand aggregation inside the islands, considering the bi-objective nature of the problem. The results reveal that the novel Exact Formulation significantly outperforms the previous aggregated approach in terms of the solutions quality and computational resources.
A Security-Mediated Encryption Scheme Based on ElGamal Variant
Authors: Tea Boon Chian , Kamel Ariffin Muhammad Rezal , Abd. Ghafar Amir Hamzah , Asbullah Muhammad Asyraf
Published: October 2021

Boneh et al. introduced mediated RSA (mRSA) in 2001 in an attempt to achieve faster key revocation for medium-sized organizations via the involvement of a security mediator (SEM) as a semi-trusted third party to provide partial ciphertext decryption for the receiver. In this paper, a pairing-free security mediated encryption scheme based on an ElGamal variant is proposed. The scheme features a similar setting as in the mediated RSA but with a different underlying primitive. We show that the proposed security mediated encryption scheme is secure indistinguishably against chosen-ciphertext attack (IND-CCA) in the random oracle via the hardness assumption of the computational Diffie-Hellman (CDH) problem.
On Rings of Weak Global Dimension at Most One
Authors: Tuganbaev Askar
Published: October 2021

A ring R is of weak global dimension at most one if all submodules of flat R-modules are flat. A ring R is said to be arithmetical (resp., right distributive or left distributive) if the lattice of two-sided ideals (resp., right ideals or left ideals) of R is distributive. Jensen has proved earlier that a commutative ring R is a ring of weak global dimension at most one if and only if R is an arithmetical semiprime ring. A ring R is said to be centrally essential if either R is commutative or, for every noncentral element x∈R, there exist two nonzero central elements y,z∈R with xy=z. In Theorem 2 of our paper, we prove that a centrally essential ring R is of weak global dimension at most one if and only is R is a right or left distributive semiprime ring. We give examples that Theorem 2 is not true for arbitrary rings.
Stability Analysis of SEIRS Epidemic Model with Nonlinear Incidence Rate Function
Authors: Shao Pengcheng , Shateyi Stanford
Published: October 2021

This paper addresses the global stability analysis of the SEIRS epidemic model with a nonlinear incidence rate function according to the Lyapunov functions and Volterra-Lyapunov matrices. By creating special conditions and using the properties of Volterra-Lyapunov matrices, it is possible to recognize the stability of the endemic equilibrium (E1) for the SEIRS model. Numerical results are used to verify the presented analysis.
Improved Mixed-Integer Linear Programming Model for Short-Term Scheduling of the Pressing Process in Multi-Layer Printed Circuit Board Manufacturing
Authors: Laisupannawong Teeradech , Intiyot Boonyarit , Jeenanunta Chawalit
Published: October 2021

The pressing process is a part of the fabrication process of multi-layer printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturing. This paper presents the application of a new mixed-integer linear programming model to the short-term scheduling of the pressing process. The objective was to minimize the makespan. The proposed model is an improvement from our previous model in the literature. The size complexity of the proposed model is better than that of the previous model, whereby the number of variables, constraints, and the dimensionality of variables in the previous model are reduced. To compare their performance, problems from literature and additional generated test problems were solved. The proposed model was shown to outperform the previous model in terms of computational complexity. It can verify a new optimal solution for some problems. For the problems that could not be solved optimally, the proposed model could find the incumbent solution using much less computational time than the previous model, and the makespan of the incumbent solution from the proposed model was better than or equal to that of the previous model. The proposed model can be a good option to provide an optimal schedule for the pressing process in any PCB industry.
A Fully Resolved Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of the Boundary Layer Flow of an Aqueous Nanoliquid Comprising Gyrotactic Microorganisms over a Stretching Sheet: The Validity of Conventional Similarity Models
Authors: Hosseini Zahra Shah , Abidi Awatef , Mohammadi Sajad , Mehryan Seyed Abdollah Mansouri , Hulme Christopher
Published: October 2021

When materials are processed in the form of sheets that are stretched, cooling is often required. Coolants have been developed to maximize the rate of heat transfer away from the sheet, including by adding nanoparticles and microorganisms to control the physical properties of the fluid. Such coolants perform well, but the interaction between them and the sheet is not yet fully understood. Most of the articles found in the literature have used similarity models to solve the set of governing equations. In this method, the governing equations can be mapped into a set of 1-D equations and solved easily. However, care should be taken when using this method as the validity of this method is ensured only in the fully developed region, far away enough from the extrusion slit. The present study, therefore, aims to explore the reliability of a similarity model by comparing it with a full computational fluid dynamics (CFD) approach. In this work, the boundary layer flow of a nanoliquid comprising gyrotactic microorganisms in both the developed and undeveloped regions of a stretching sheet is studied using computational fluid dynamics with the finite difference approach, implemented using FORTRAN. The results of the CFD method are compared against the similarity analysis results for the length of the developed and undeveloped regions. This study, for the first time, distinguishes between the undeveloped and fully developed regions and finds the region in which the similarity analysis is valid. The numerical results show that the critical Reynolds numbers for the boundary layers of the concentration of the nano-additives and of density of the microorganisms are equal. To achieve an agreement between the CFD and the similarity model within 5%, the Grashof number for the hydrodynamic boundary layer must be <4 × 104. Increasing the bioconvection Rayleigh number leads to a decrease in the skin friction coefficient. The length of the region in which the microorganism’s density is not fully developed remains approximately constant for 103 < Gr < 105. Nonetheless, this length reduces significantly when the Grashof number increases from 105 to 106. The reduced Nusselt number, Nur, increases when the density difference of the microorganisms increases.
A Climate-Mathematical Clustering of Rainfall Stations in the Río Bravo-San Juan Basin (Mexico) by Using the Higuchi Fractal Dimension and the Hurst Exponent
Authors: Benavides-Bravo Francisco Gerardo , Martinez-Peon Dulce , Benavides-Ríos Ángela Gabriela , Walle-García Otoniel , Soto-Villalobos Roberto , Aguirre-López Mario A.
Published: October 2021

When conducting an analysis of nature’s time series, such as meteorological ones, an important matter is a long-range dependence to quantify the global behavior of the series and connect it with other physical characteristics of the region of study. In this paper, we applied the Higuchi fractal dimension and the Hurst exponent (rescaled range) to quantify the relative trend underlying the time series of historical data from 17 of the 34 weather stations located in the Río Bravo-San Juan Basin, Mexico; these data were provided by the National Water Commission CONAGUA) in Mexico. In this way, this work aims to perform a comparative study about the level of persistency obtained by using the Higuchi fractal dimension and Hurst exponent for each station of the basin. The comparison is supported by a climate clustering of the stations, according to the Köppen classification. Results showed a better fitting between the climate of each station and its Higuchi fractal dimension obtained than when using the Hurst exponent. In fact, we found that the more the aridity of the zone the more the persistency of rainfall, according to Higuchi’s values. In turn, we found more relation between the Hurst exponent and the accumulated amount of rainfall. These are relations between the climate and the long-term persistency of rainfall in the basin that could help to better understand and complete the climatological models of the study region. Trends between the fractal exponents used and the accumulated annual rainfall were also analyzed.
Predicting Rice Production in Central Thailand Using the WOFOST Model with ENSO Impact
Authors: Hensawang Saruda , Injan Sittisak , Varnakovida Pariwate , Humphries Usa
Published: October 2021

The World Food Studies Simulation Model (WOFOST) model is a daily crop growth and yield forecast model with interactions with the environment, including soil, agricultural management, and especially climate conditions. An El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon directly affected climate change and indirectly affected the rice yield in Thailand. This study aims to simulate rice production in central Thailand using the WOFOST model and to find the relationship between rice yield and ENSO. The meteorological data and information on rice yields of Suphan Buri 1 variety from 2011 to 2018 in central Thailand were used to study the rice yields. The study of rice yield found that the WOFOST model was able to simulate rice yield with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) value of 752 kg ha−1, with approximately 16% discrepancy. The WOFOST model was able to simulate the growth of Suphan Buri 1 rice, with an average discrepancy of 16.205%, and Suphan Buri province had the least discrepancy at 6.99%. Most rice yield simulations in the central region were overestimated (except Suphan Buri) because the model did not cover crop damage factors such as rice disease or insect damage. The WOFOST model had good relative accuracy and could respond to estimates of rice yields. When an El Niño phenomenon occurs at Niño 3.4, it results in lower-than-normal yields of Suphan Buri 1 rice in the next 8 months. On the other hand, when a La Niña phenomenon occurs at Niño 3.4, Suphan Buri 1 rice yields are higher than normal in the next 8 months. An analysis of the rice yield data confirms the significant impact of ENSO on rice yields in Thailand. This study shows that climate change leads to impacts on rice production, especially during ENSO years.
Gray Matter Changes in Juvenile Myoclonic Epilepsy. A Voxel-Wise Meta-Analysis
Authors: Kazis Dimitrios , Petridis Foivos , Chatzikonstantinou Symela , Karantali Eleni , Jamali Rabee , Chowdhury Rumana , Duta Raluca , Luca Alina-Costina , Ciobica Alin , Mavroudis Ioannis
Published: October 2021

Background and Objectives. Juvenile myoclonic epilepsy (JME) is an idiopathic generalized epileptic syndrome, with a genetic basis clinically identified by myoclonic jerks of the upper limbs upon awaking, generalized tonic-clonic seizures and less frequent absences. Although the brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is by definition normal, computer-based Voxel-Based morphometry studies have shown a number of volumetric changes in patients with juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. Thus, the aim of the present Voxel-Wise Meta-Analysis was to determine the most consistent regional differences of gray matter volume between JME patients and healthy controls. Materials and Methods. The initial search returned 31 studies. After excluding reviews and studies without control groups or without detailed peak coordinates, 12 studies were finally included in the present meta-analysis. The total number of JME patients was 325, and that of healthy controls was 357. Results. Our study showed a statistically significant increase of the gray matter in the left median cingulate/paracingulate gyri, the right superior frontal gyrus, the left precentral gyrus, the right supplementary motor area and left supplementary motor area. It also showed a decrease in the gray matter volume in the left thalamus, and in the left insula. Conclusions. Our findings could be related to the functional deficits and changes described by previous studies in juvenile myoclonic epilepsy. In this way, the volumetric changes found in the present study could be related to the impaired frontal lobe functions, the emotional dysfunction and impaired pain empathy, and to the disrupted functional connectivity of supplementary motor areas described in JME. It additionally shows changes in the volume of the left thalamus, supporting the theory of thalamocortical pathways being involved in the pathogenesis of juvenile myoclonic epilepsy.
Microstructure and Failure Processes of Reactor Pressure Vessel Austenitic Cladding
Authors: Štefan Jan , Siegl Jan , Adámek Jan , Kopřiva Radim , Falcník Michal
Published: October 2021

This paper is dedicated to an experimental program focused on the evaluation of microstructure and failure mechanisms of WWER 440 type nuclear reactor pressure vessel cladding made from Sv 08Kh19N10G2B stainless steel. Static fracture toughness tests performed on standard precracked single edge bend specimens revealed extreme variations in fracture toughness values, J0.2. Fractured halves of test specimens were subject to detailed fractographic and metallographic analyses in order to identify the causes of this behavior and to determine the relationship between local microstructure, failure mode and fracture toughness. Results indicated that fracture toughness of the cladding was adversely affected by the brittle cracking of sigma particles which caused a considerable decrease in local ductile tearing resistance. Extreme variations in relative amounts of sigma phase, as well as the extreme overall structural heterogeneity of the cladding determined in individual specimens, provided a reasonable explanation for variations in fracture toughness values.
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Untargeted Lipidomics Analysis: Practical Guidelines
Authors: Smirnov Dmitrii , Mazin Pavel , Osetrova Maria , Stekolshchikova Elena , Khrameeva Ekaterina
Published: October 2021

Lipidomics is a newly emerged discipline involving the identification and quantification of thousands of lipids. As a part of the omics field, lipidomics has shown rapid growth both in the number of studies and in the size of lipidome datasets, thus, requiring specific and efficient data analysis approaches. This paper aims to provide guidelines for analyzing and interpreting lipidome data obtained using untargeted methods that rely on liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to detect and measure the intensities of lipid compounds. We present a state-of-the-art untargeted LC-MS workflow for lipidomics, from study design to annotation of lipid features, focusing on practical, rather than theoretical, approaches for data analysis, and we outline possible applications of untargeted lipidomics for biological studies. We provide a detailed R notebook designed specifically for untargeted lipidome LC-MS data analysis, which is based on xcms software.
3D Organoids: An Untapped Platform for Studying Host–Microbiome Interactions in Esophageal Cancers
Authors: Flashner Samuel , Yan Kelley S. , Nakagawa Hiroshi
Published: October 2021

The microbiome is an emerging key co-factor in the development of esophageal cancer, the sixth leading cause of cancer death worldwide. However, there is a paucity of data delineating how the microbiome contributes to the pathobiology of the two histological subtypes of esophageal cancer: esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and esophageal adenocarcinoma. This critical knowledge gap is partially due to inadequate modeling of host–microbiome interactions in the etiology of esophageal cancers. Recent advances have enabled progress in this field. Three dimensional (3D) organoids faithfully recapitulate the structure and function of the normal, preneoplastic, and neoplastic epithelia of the esophagus ex vivo and serve as a platform translatable for applications in precision medicine. Elsewhere in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract, the co-culture of 3D organoids with the bacterial microbiome has fostered insight into the pathogenic role of the microbiome in other GI cancers. Herein, we will summarize our current understanding of the relationship between the microbiome and esophageal cancer, discuss 3D organoid models of esophageal homeostasis, review analogous models of host–microbiome interactions in other GI cancers, and advocate for the application of these models to esophageal cancers. Together, we present a promising, novel approach with the potential to ameliorate the burden of esophageal cancer-related morbidity and mortality via improved prevention and therapeutic interventions.
Novel Insights for Metabiotics Production by Using Artisanal Probiotic Cultures
Authors: Pihurov Marina , Păcularu-Burada Bogdan , Cotârleţ Mihaela , Vasile Mihaela Aida , Bahrim Gabriela Elena
Published: October 2021

Wild probiotic consortia of microorganisms (bacteria and yeasts) associated in the artisanal cultures’ microbiota (milk kefir grains, water kefir grains and kombucha) are considered valuable promoters for metabiotics (prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics and paraprobiotics) production. The beneficial effects of the fermented products obtained with the artisanal cultures on human well-being are described by centuries and the interest for them is continuously increasing. The wild origin and microbial diversity of these above-mentioned consortia give them extraordinary protection capacity against microbiological contaminants in unusual physico-chemical conditions and unique fermentative behaviour. This review summarizes the state of the art for the wild artisanal cultures (milk and water kefir grains, respectively, kombucha—SCOBY), their symbiotic functionality, and the ability to ferment unconventional substrates in order to obtain valuable bioactive compounds with in vitro and in vivo beneficial functional properties. Due to the necessity of the bioactives production and their use as metabiotics in the modern consumer’s life, artisanal cultures are the perfect sources able to biosynthesize complex functional metabolites (bioactive peptides, antimicrobials, polysaccharides, enzymes, vitamins, cell wall components). Depending on the purposes of the biotechnological fermentation processes, artisanal cultures can be used as starters on different substrates. Current studies show that the microbial synergy between bacteria—yeast and/or bacteria—offers new perspectives to develop functional products (food, feeds, and ingredients) with a great impact on life quality.