bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unexpected reaction of “wild-type” gastrointestinal stromal tumor to imatinib: case report and literature review
Authors: He Yang , Da Mingxu , Fan Chuanlei , Tao Pengxian
Published: January 2024

Background

Most of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) are driven by mutations in the KIT/PDGFRA genes and can benefit from TKIs treatment. However, a small subset of GIST (10%-15%) are called “wild-type” GISTs due to the lack of these mutations. Theoretically, they would not benefit from TKIs treatment and may even develop resistance. Therefore, this unexpected response may challenge inherent perceptions. Herein, we present a case of giant wild-type GIST exhibiting an unexpected response to imatinib(IM), followed by laparoscopic surgical resection. Subsequently, potential underlying mechanisms are discussed.

Case description

This case describes a 57-year-old man who presented with abdominal pain for two weeks. CT revealed a massive lesion near the splenic hilum along the greater curvature of the stomach, concurrently involving the splenic hilar vessels and surrounding lymph nodes. Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration biopsy confirmed it is a mesenchymal spindle cell tumor,GIST. Due to the enormous volume and local invasion, neoadjuvant chemotherapy was initially considered. After 6 months of IM 400 mg/d, CT imaging revealed marked changes in tumor heterogeneity and a significant reduction in volume. Subsequently, laparoscopic surgical resection was performed. Postoperative pathological examination, immunohistochemistry, and genetic testing collectively confirmed it is a wild-type GIST.The patient recovered well and was discharged on the 6th day after surgery, with continued oral IM(400 mg/d) after discharge. No recurrence was observed during follow-up until the publication of this report.

Conclusion

This unexpected response suggests that wild-type GISTs may benefit from TKIs treatment, and the potential mechanisms warrant further investigation. Additionally, true wild-type GIST may not be discerned due to current limitations of Next-Generation Sequencing(NGS). Therefore, for advanced/high-risk GIST, additional genetic analysis can be performed after negative NGS results.
Redetermination of PD-L1 expression after chemio-radiation in locally advanced PDL1 negative NSCLC patients: retrospective multicentric analysis
Authors: Ciammella Patrizia , Cozzi Salvatore , Borghetti Paolo , Galaverni Marco , Nardone Valerio , Ruggieri Maria Paola , Sepulcri Matteo , Scotti Vieri , Bruni Alessio , Zanelli Francesca , Piro Roberto , Tagliavini Elena , Botti Andrea , Iori Federico , Alì Emanuele , Bennati Chiara , Tiseo Marcello
Published: January 2024

Background

Chemoradiation therapy (CRT) is the treatment of choice for locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Several clinical trials that combine programmed cell death 1 (PD1) axis inhibitors with radiotherapy are in development for patients with LA-NSCLC. However, the effect of CRT on tumor cells programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression is unknown.

Methods

In this multicentric retrospective study, we analyzed paired NSCLC specimens that had been obtained pre- and post-CRT. PD-L1 expression on tumor cells was studied by immunohistochemistry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility, risk of complications, and clinical relevance of performing re-biopsy after CRT in patients with PD-L1 negative LA-NSCLC.

Results

Overall, 31 patients from 6 centers with PD-L1 negative LA-NSCLC were analyzed. The percentage of tumor cells with PD-L1 expression significantly increased between pre- and post-CRT specimens in 14 patients (45%). Nine patients had unchanged PD-L1 expression after CRT, in five patients the rebiopsy material was insufficient for PD-L1 analysis and in two patients no tumor cells at rebiopsy were found. The post-rebiopsy complication rate was very low (6%). All patients with positive PD-L1 re-biopsy received Durvalumab maintenance after CRT, except one patient who had a long hospitalization for tuberculosis reactivation. Median PFS of patients with unchanged or increased PD-L1 expression was 10 and 16.9 months, respectively.

Conclusion

CRT administration can induce PD-L1 expression in a considerable fraction of PD-L1 negative patients at baseline, allowing them receiving the maintenance Durvalumab in Europe. Hence, after a definitive CRT, PD-L1 redetermination should be considered in patients with LA-NSCLC PD-L1 negative, to have a better selection of maintenance Durvalumab candidates.
Impact of systemic hypoxia and blood flow restriction on mechanical, cardiorespiratory, and neuromuscular responses to a multiple-set repeated sprint exercise
Authors: Solsona Robert , Dériaz Roméo , Albert Simon , Chamoux Maxime , Lloria-Varella Jaume , Borrani Fabio , Sanchez Anthony M. J.
Published: January 2024

Introduction: Repeated sprint cycling exercises (RSE) performed under systemic normobaric hypoxia (HYP) or with blood flow restriction (BFR) are of growing interest. To the best of our knowledge, there is no stringent consensus on the cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular responses between systemic HYP and BFR during RSE. Thus, this study assessed cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular responses to multiple sets of RSE under HYP or with BFR.

Methods: According to a crossover design, fifteen men completed RSE (three sets of five 10-s sprints with 20 s of recovery) in normoxia (NOR), HYP, and with bilaterally-cuffed BFR at 45% of resting arterial occlusive pressure during sets in NOR. Power output, cardiorespiratory and neuromuscular responses were assessed.

Results: Average peak and mean powers were lower in BFR (dz = 0.87 and dz = 1.23, respectively) and HYP (dz = 0.65 and dz = 1.21, respectively) compared to NOR (p < 0.001). The percentage decrement of power output was greater in BFR (dz = 0.94) and HYP (dz = 0.64) compared to NOR (p < 0.001), as well as in BFR compared to NOR (p = 0.037, dz = 0.30). The percentage decrease of maximal voluntary contraction of the knee extensors after the session was greater in BFR compared to NOR and HYP (p = 0.011, dz = 0.78 and p = 0.027, dz = 0.75, respectively). Accumulated ventilation during exercise was higher in HYP and lower in BFR (p = 0.002, dz = 0.51, and p < 0.001, dz = 0.71, respectively). Peak oxygen consumption was reduced in HYP (p < 0.001, dz = 1.47). Heart rate was lower in BFR during exercise and recovery (p < 0.001, dz = 0.82 and p = 0.012, dz = 0.43, respectively). Finally, aerobic contribution was reduced in HYP compared to NOR (p = 0.002, dz = 0.46) and BFR (p = 0.005, dz = 0.33).

Discussion: Thus, this study indicates that power output during RSE is impaired in HYP and BFR and that BFR amplifies neuromuscular fatigue. In contrast, HYP did not impair neuromuscular function but enhanced the ventilatory response along with reduced oxygen consumption.
Progress and prospects in harnessing wild relatives for genetic enhancement of salt tolerance in rice
Authors: Padmavathi Guntupalli , Bangale Umakanth , Rao K. Nagendra , Balakrishnan Divya , Arun Melekote Nagabhushan , Singh Rakesh Kumar , Sundaram Raman Meenakshi
Published: January 2024

Salt stress is the second most devastating abiotic stress after drought and limits rice production globally. Genetic enhancement of salinity tolerance is a promising and cost-effective approach to achieve yield gains in salt-affected areas. Breeding for salinity tolerance is challenging because of the genetic complexity of the response of rice plants to salt stress, as it is governed by minor genes with low heritability and high G × E interactions. The involvement of numerous physiological and biochemical factors further complicates this complexity. The intensive selection and breeding efforts targeted towards the improvement of yield in the green-revolution era inadvertently resulted in the gradual disappearance of the loci governing salinity tolerance and a significant reduction in genetic variability among cultivars. The limited utilization of genetic resources and narrow genetic base of improved cultivars have resulted in a plateau in response to salinity tolerance in modern cultivars. Wild species are an excellent genetic resource for broadening the genetic base of domesticated rice. Exploiting novel genes of underutilized wild rice relatives to restore salinity tolerance loci eliminated during domestication can result in significant genetic gain in rice cultivars. Wild species of rice, Oryza rufipogon and Oryza nivara, have been harnessed in the development of a few improved rice varieties like Jarava and Chinsura Nona 2. Furthermore, increased access to sequence information and enhanced knowledge about the genomics of salinity tolerance in wild relatives has provided an opportunity for the deployment of wild rice accessions in breeding programs, while overcoming the cross-incompatibility and linkage drag barriers witnessed in wild hybridization. Pre-breeding is another avenue for building material that are ready for utilization in breeding programs. Efforts should be directed towards systematic collection, evaluation, characterization, and deciphering salt tolerance mechanisms in wild rice introgression lines and deploying untapped novel loci to improve salinity tolerance in rice cultivars. This review highlights the potential of wild relatives of Oryza to enhance tolerance to salinity, track the progress of work, and provide a perspective for future research.
Non-destructive assessment of soluble solids content in kiwifruit using hyperspectral imaging coupled with feature engineering
Authors: Xu Wei , Wei Liangzhuang , Cheng Wei , Yi Xiangwei , Lin Yandan
Published: January 2024

The maturity of kiwifruit is widely gauged by its soluble solids content (SSC), with accurate assessment being essential to guarantee the fruit’s quality. Hyperspectral imaging offers a non-destructive alternative to traditional destructive methods for SSC evaluation, though its efficacy is often hindered by the redundancy and external disturbances of spectral images. This study aims to enhance the accuracy of SSC predictions by employing feature engineering to meticulously select optimal spectral features and mitigate disturbance effects. We conducted a comprehensive investigation of four spectral pre-processing and nine spectral feature selection methods, as components of feature engineering, to determine their influence on the performance of a linear regression model based on ordinary least squares (OLS). Additionally, the stacking generalization technique was employed to amalgamate the strengths of the two most effective models derived from feature engineering. Our findings demonstrate a considerable improvement in SSC prediction accuracy post feature engineering. The most effective model, when considering both feature engineering and stacking generalization, achieved an RMSEp of 0.721, a MAPEp of 0.046, and an RPDp of 1.394 in the prediction set. The study confirms that feature engineering, especially the careful selection of spectral features, and the stacking generalization technique are instrumental in bolstering SSC prediction in kiwifruit. This advancement enhances the application of hyperspectral imaging for quality assessment, offering benefits that extend across the agricultural industry.
Testing the bipolar assumption of Singer-Loomis Type Deployment Inventory for Korean adults using classification and multidimensional scaling
Authors: Lee Sangin , Kim Jongwan
Published: January 2024

In this study, we explored whether the Korean version of Singer Loomis Type Deployment Inventory II (K-SLTDI) captures the opposing tendencies of Jung’s theory of psychological type. The types are Extroverted Sensing, Extroverted Intuition, Extroverted Feeling, Extroverted Thinking, Introverted Sensing, Introverted Intuition, Introverted Feeling, and Introverted Thinking. A nationwide online survey was conducted in South Korea. We performed multidimensional scaling and classification analyses based on 521 Korean adult profiles with eight psychological types to test the bipolarity assumption. The results showed that the Procrustes-rotated four-dimensional space successfully represented four types of opposing tendencies. Moreover, the bipolarity assumption in the four dimensions of Jungian typology was tested and compared between lower and higher psychological distress populations via cluster analysis. Lastly, we explored patterns of responses in lower and higher psychological distress populations using intersubject correlation. Both similarity analyses and classification results consistently support the theoretical considerations on the conceptualization of Jung’s type in independent order that the types could be derived without bipolar assumption as Singer and Loomis expected in their Type Development Inventory. Limitations in our study include the sample being randomly selected internet users during the COVID−19 pandemic, despite excellence in the use of the internet in the general Korean population.
The effect of psychological distance on intertemporal choice of the reward processing: an eye-tracking investigation
Authors: Li Yujie , Chu Xiaoyi
Published: January 2024

This study employed eye-tracking technology to investigate how varying dimensions of psychological distance–temporal, probability, and social–affect intertemporal choice. Across three experiments, participants were asked to select between two intertemporal options while their eye movements were monitored. Findings revealed inconsistent impacts of different psychological distances on intertemporal decision-making. Increased temporal and social distances led to a preference for larger delayed rewards (Studies 1 and 3), whereas an increase in probability distance did not significantly alter choice preferences (Study 2). The research also highlighted a general pattern in information processing; as psychological distance widened, participants showed a tendency toward dimension-specific processing in making intertemporal decisions.
Attitudes in music practice: a survey exploring the self-regulated learning processes of advanced Brazilian and Portuguese musicians
Authors: dos Santos Silva Camilla , Araújo Marcos Vinícius , Marinho Helena
Published: January 2024

Introduction

This study aimed to investigate the Self-Regulated Learning behaviors of advanced Brazilian and Portuguese musicians and how these processes vary in terms of gender, nationality, musical instrument, quantity of practice, expertise, and professional experience.

Methods

300 participants fully completed the 22-item questionnaire “Attitudes in music practice”. The sample comprised of 54.3% males, 44.0% females, and 1% non-binary; 0.7% did not respond. 68.0% (n = 204) were Brazilian, and 32.0% (n = 96) were Portuguese. The mean age was 32.70 years old (SD = 11.261), the mode was 22 years old, with a range of 18 to 66 years. Data analysis procedure included exploratory factor analysis, internal consistency, independent sample t test, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and chi-square tests.

Results

Exploratory Factor Analysis generated three factors: Practice Organization, Personal Resources, and External Resources. The results report there are no differences in SRL scores in terms of gender, nationality, and musical instrument. However, One-way ANOVA test results convey differences in SRL scores and the quantity of practice and expertise with those musicians who reported practicing for longer periods scoring more highly than participants who declared spending less time on daily practice.

Discussion

The results for the expertise variables suggest that more experienced and older musicians scored higher in Personal Resources and lower in External Resources indicating that, as musicians gain in experience, their metacognitive processes become more evident than the social factors of their performance.
Analysis of respirable dust exposure data collected at a Zambian copper mine between 2017 and 2022
Authors: Sifanu Mwaba , Kalebaila Kennedy K. , Hayumbu Patrick , Nabiwa Lubinda , Linde Stephanus J. L.
Published: January 2024

Mine workers are occupationally exposed to respirable dust, which can cause irreversible lung diseases and controlling exposure concentrations to as low as reasonably practicable is, therefore, essential. To implement exposure reduction strategies and adequately manage exposure to hazardous chemicals, exposure needs to be measured and recorded according to a standard exposure management plan. This study aimed to assess the available respirable dust exposure data measured between 2017 and 2022 in various work areas and job categories at two mining shafts and a concentrator plant of a Zambian copper mine. Additionally, the monitoring program implemented at the mine was assessed for appropriateness. Descriptive data analysis was used to create an exposure matrix comprising 253 exposure measurements. Approximately 5.6% of the measured concentrations exceeded the South African time-weighted average occupational exposure limit (TWA-OEL) of 3 mg/m3. The geometric means of respirable dust exposure for shaft A, shaft B and the concentrator plant were 0.44 mg/m3, 0.44 mg/m3, and 0.68 mg/m3, respectively. The work areas with the highest maximum exposure results were the tipping area (18.0 mg/m3) at shaft A, the sump and waste bin (8.05 mg/m3) at shaft B and the screening (10.8 mg/m3), secondary crusher (14.0 mg/m3), foreign ore bin (4.43 mg/m3), and tertiary crusher (5.07 mg/m3) areas at the concentrator plant. It was found that the monitoring strategy implemented at the mine was flawed and did not collect a sufficient number of samples in each area during each year to make rigorous statistical assessment possible. This study highlights the sampling strategy’s shortcomings and recommends adopting a standardized monitoring strategy, such as EN689, to improve the respirable dust monitoring program at the mine. Additionally, this strategy can be implemented across Zambia and, if implemented correctly, it has the potential to be improve exposure monitoring across the country as no standard sampling strategy is currently enforced by the Government.
Risk factors for recurrent disease after resection of solitary fibrous tumor: a systematic review
Authors: Tolstrup Johan , Loya Anand , Aggerholm-Pedersen Ninna , Preisler Louise , Penninga Luit
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare soft tissue tumor found at any site of the body. The treatment of choice is surgical resection, though 10%–30% of patients experience recurrent disease. Multiple risk factors and risk stratification systems have been investigated to predict which patients are at risk of recurrence. The main goal of this systematic review is to create an up-to-date systematic overview of risk factors and risk stratification systems predicting recurrence for patients with surgically resected SFT within torso and extremities.

Method

We prepared the review following the updated Prisma guidelines for systematic reviews (PRISMA-P). Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane Library, WHO international trial registry platform and ClinicalTrials.gov were systematically searched up to December 2022. All English studies describing risk factors for recurrence after resected SFT were included. We excluded SFT in the central nervous system and the oto-rhino-laryngology region.

Results

Eighty-one retrospective studies were identified. Different risk factors including age, symptoms, sex, resection margins, anatomic location, mitotic index, pleomorphism, hypercellularity, necrosis, size, dedifferentiation, CD-34 expression, Ki67 index and TP53-expression, APAF1-inactivation, TERT promoter mutation and NAB2::STAT6 fusion variants were investigated in a narrative manner. We found that high mitotic index, Ki67 index and presence of necrosis increased the risk of recurrence after surgically resected SFT, whereas other factors had more varying prognostic value. We also summarized the currently available different risk stratification systems, and found eight different systems with a varying degree of ability to stratify patients into low, intermediate or high recurrence risk.

Conclusion

Mitotic index, necrosis and Ki67 index are the most solid risk factors for recurrence. TERT promoter mutation seems a promising component in future risk stratification models. The Demicco risk stratification system is the most validated and widely used, however the G-score model may appear to be superior due to longer follow-up time.

Systematic Review Registration

CRD42023421358.
Wooden Rehearsal Rooms from the Construction Process to the Musical Performance
Authors: Cairoli Maria
Published: January 2024

Rehearsal rooms play an important role in musicians’ activities to obtain the best results during a performance in front of an audience. Numerous rehearsal rooms are located in complex buildings, such as opera houses and cultural centers, where new research outcomes have led to increasingly complex projects and construction phases. Furthermore, technical complexity has also increased due to the large quantity of used materials and the innovation level of the process. In this context, a new methodology becomes mandatory to control the indoor air quality and the acoustic quality in rehearsal rooms. This paper aims to offer a procedure for rehearsal rooms for large ensembles during the construction and life cycle phases to optimize the indoor environmental quality according to different types of ensembles and repertoires. In particular, rehearsal rooms with wood panel cladding are considered. The proposed methodology is controlled by a digital twin (DT) based on building information modeling (BIM), integrated with acoustic measurements, sensors and actuators aimed at implementing the database in real time. A case study is presented, in which the cladding system is described, the new methodology is applied, and the results are compared with the criteria suggested in the standard ISO 23591.
Optimizing Exoskeleton Assistance: Muscle Synergy-Based Actuation for Personalized Hip Exoskeleton Control
Authors: Ma Yehao , Liu Dewei , Yan Zehao , Yu Linfan , Gui Lianghong , Yang Canjun , Yang Wei
Published: January 2024

Exoskeleton robots hold promising prospects for rehabilitation training in individuals with weakened muscular conditions. However, achieving improved human–machine interaction and delivering customized assistance remains a challenging task. This paper introduces a muscle synergy-based human-in-the-loop (HIL) optimization framework for hip exoskeletons to offer more personalized torque assistance. Initially, we propose a muscle synergy similarity index to quantify the similarity of synergy while walking with and without the assistance of an exoskeleton. By integrating surface electromyography (sEMG) signals to calculate metrics evaluating muscle synergy and iteratively optimizing assistance parameters in real time, a muscle synergy-based HIL optimized torque configuration is presented and tested on a portable hip exoskeleton. Iterative optimization explores the optimal and suboptimal assistance torque profiles for six healthy volunteers, simultaneously testing zero torque and predefined assistance configurations, and verified the corresponding muscle synergy similarity indices through experimental testing. In our validation experiments, the assistance parameters generated through HIL optimization significantly enhance muscle synergy similarity during walking with exoskeletal assistance, with an optimal average of 0.80 ± 0.04 (mean ± std), marking a 6.3% improvement over prior assistive studies and achieving 96.4% similarity compared with free walking. This demonstrates that the proposed muscle synergy-based HIL optimization can ensure robotic exoskeleton-assisted walking as “natural” as possible.
Effects of Root Trace Nitrogen Reduction in Arid Areas on Sucrose–Starch Metabolism of Flag Leaves and Grains and Yield of Drip-Irrigated Spring Wheat
Authors: Ma Yilin , Wang Haiqi , Liu Jianguo , Wang Rongrong , Che Ziqiang
Published: January 2024

To investigate the effect of nitrogen (N) application on the carbon metabolism and yield of flag leaves and grains of spring wheat under drip irrigation in Xinjiang, a split-zone design was adopted from 2020 to 2021, with strong-gluten wheat, Xinchun 37 (XC37), and medium-gluten wheat, Xinchun 6 (XC 6), as the main zones and different nitrogen application rates as the sub-zones. Four nitrogen application rates of 0, 210, 255, and 300 kg·ha−1 (CK2, B1, A1, and CK1, respectively) were set to analyze and compare the nitrogen response of key enzyme activity, soluble sugar, and sucrose and starch content in flag leaves and grains to control yield formation. The results showed that with the increase in nitrogen application, the activities of sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and sucrose synthase (SS) in flag leaves; the activities of SS, adenosine diphosphate glucose pyrophosphorylase (ADPG-PPase), soluble starch synthase (SSS), granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS), and starch branching enzyme (SBE) in grains; the contents of soluble sugar and sucrose in the flag leaves; and the yield, all first increased and then decreased. There is a significant difference between A1 (255 kg·ha−1) and the CK1 (300 kg·ha−1), B1 (210 kg·ha−1), and CK2 (0 kg·ha−1) treatments under the above indicators, with increases of 8–158%, 9–155%, 8–53%, 5–63%, 3–86%, 3–57%, 9–79%, 9–197%, and 9–113%, as well as higher levels of amylose, amylopectin, and total starch content than other treatments by 2–30%, 11–84%, and 8–63%, respectively. Correlation and stepwise regression analyses indicated highly a significant positive correlation between the yield and soluble sugar and sucrose of flag leaves and grains, as well as their key enzymes and starch. Among them, soluble sugar in grains, amylopectin, and sucrose in grains have the greatest impact on the yield of XC37, determining 85% of its yield. SSS, soluble sugars in grains, amylopectin, and SBE have the greatest impact on the yield of XC 6, determining 80% of its yield. The starch showed a highly significant positive correlation with ADPG-PPase, SSS, GBSS, and SBE. There was a significant interaction effect between the nitrogen application rate and variety, with better performance observed in Xinchun 37 compared to Xinchun 6. Under drip irrigation conditions in arid areas, a nitrogen application of 255 kg·ha−1 can effectively regulate the metabolism of sucrose to starch in the flag leaves and grains of spring wheat, which is conducive to the accumulation of starch in grains and the formation of yield.
Optimized Tomato Production in Chinese Solar Greenhouses: The Impact of an East–West Orientation and Wide Row Spacing
Authors: Li Yiman , Henke Michael , Zhang Dalong , Wang Chuanqing , Wei Min
Published: January 2024

Experimental studies were conducted on the cultivation of tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) at Shandong Agricultural University, China, from 2022 to 2023. Three cultivation patterns were designed as follows: a north–south orientation with a row spacing of 1.40 m (NS-1.4m), a north–south orientation with a row spacing of 1.80 m (NS-1.8m) and an east–west orientation with a row spacing of 1.80 m (EW-1.8m). A functional–structural plant model using the open source interactive modeling platform of GroIMP was constructed for the cultivation of tomatoes. The growth of plants as well as the light distribution and light interception capacity of the crop canopy were simulated and analyzed. The impacts of these cultivation patterns on the growth, photosynthetic characteristics, fruit ripening time, quality and yield of tomato plants were analyzed. The studies revealed that compared with the NS-1.4m treatment, the canopy light interception of tomato plants under the NS-1.8m and EW-1.8m treatments increased by 6.08% and 9.80% in a winter–spring crop and 6.80% and 19.76% in an autumn–winter crop, respectively. Their plant height, leaf area, aboveground dry matter accumulation, leaf net photosynthesis rate as well as the lycopene, vitamin C and sugar–acid ratio of the fruit all exhibited increasing trends, while fruit ripening was accelerated. The yield of the NS-1.8m and EW-1.8m treatments increased by 3.92% and 6.18% in a winter–spring crop and 4.17% and 9.78% in an autumn–winter crop, respectively. Structural equation modeling was used to further analyze the data, confirming that the cultivation of an east–west orientation with wide row spacing is beneficial for tomato cultivation in Chinese solar greenhouses. This cultivation pattern maximizes the canopy’s light interception, thus leading to improved fruit quality and yield. Overall, this study provides valuable insights for optimizing the cultivation pattern of solar greenhouse crops.
Fatigue Damage Evaluation of Aviation Aluminum Alloy Based on Strain Monitoring
Authors: Wu Jun , Wang Wen , Lu Minghui , Hu Yu
Published: January 2024

A metal fatigue damage model is established in this study by employing real-time strain monitoring to evaluate the damage state of metal materials. The fatigue life simulation, based on crystal plasticity finite element analysis, establishes the constitutive relationship between strain and damage before microcrack initiation in the low-cycle fatigue state of aerospace aluminum alloy. Subsequently, a comprehensive analysis of the strain–damage relationship is conducted under various stress conditions. Electron backscattering diffraction analysis (EBSD) is used to examine the fatigue damage state of the grooved specimen before initiating fatigue cracks at various stages. This analysis validates the metal fatigue damage model proposed in this paper and is based on strain monitoring, contributing to the enhanced confirmation of the model’s accuracy.
Improving Time Study Methods Using Deep Learning-Based Action Segmentation Models
Authors: Gudlin Mihael , Hegedić Miro , Golec Matija , Kolar Davor
Published: January 2024

In the quest for industrial efficiency, human performance within manufacturing systems remains pivotal. Traditional time study methods, reliant on direct observation and manual video analysis, are increasingly inadequate, given technological advancements. This research explores the automation of time study methods by deploying deep learning models for action segmentation, scrutinizing the efficacy of various architectural strategies. A dataset, featuring nine work activities performed by four subjects on three product types, was collected from a real manufacturing assembly process. Our methodology hinged on a two-step video processing framework, capturing activities from two perspectives: overhead and hand-focused. Through experimentation with 27 distinctive models varying in viewpoint, feature extraction method, and the architecture of the segmentation model, we identified improvements in temporal segmentation precision measured with the F1@IoU metric. Our findings highlight the limitations of basic Transformer models in action segmentation tasks, due to their lack of inductive bias and the limitations of a smaller dataset scale. Conversely, the 1D CNN and biLSTM architectures demonstrated proficiency in temporal data modeling, advocating for architectural adaptability over mere scale. The results contribute to the field by underscoring the interplay between model architecture, feature extraction method, and viewpoint integration in refining time study methodologies.
Use of Artificial Intelligence in Design, Development, Additive Manufacturing, and Certification of Multifunctional Composites for Aircraft, Drones, and Spacecraft
Authors: Ghimire Ritesh , Raji Asokan
Published: January 2024

Multifunctional composites provide more than one function from the same part. The anisotropy, material, and process characterization challenges and the lack of standardization on the 3D-printed multifunctional carbon composites make it difficult for application into aerospace. The current solutions for additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and additively manufactured monofunctional and multifunctional composites are not mature enough for safety-critical applications. A new approach is proposed to explore the use of machine learning (ML) in the design, development, AM, testing, and certification of multifunctional composites for aircraft, unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and spacecraft. In this work, an artificial neural network (ANN) architecture is proposed. An AM-embedded building block approach integrates the complete lifecycle of aircraft, UAS, and spacecraft using ANN to support the continued operational safety (COS) of aircraft, spacecraft, and UAS. The proposed method exploits the power of ANN on the metadata for the characterization of multifunctional material properties and processes and the mapping of the failure modes compared with the predicted models and history. This paper provides an in-depth analysis and explanation of the new methods needed to overcome the existing barriers, problems, and situations.
Audio-Visual Action Recognition Using Transformer Fusion Network
Authors: Kim Jun-Hwa , Won Chee Sun
Published: January 2024

Our approach to action recognition is grounded in the intrinsic coexistence of and complementary relationship between audio and visual information in videos. Going beyond the traditional emphasis on visual features, we propose a transformer-based network that integrates both audio and visual data as inputs. This network is designed to accept and process spatial, temporal, and audio modalities. Features from each modality are extracted using a single Swin Transformer, originally devised for still images. Subsequently, these extracted features from spatial, temporal, and audio data are adeptly combined using a novel modal fusion module (MFM). Our transformer-based network effectively fuses these three modalities, resulting in a robust solution for action recognition.
Acoustic Applications of a Foamed Geopolymeric-Architected Metamaterial
Authors: Ciaburro Giuseppe , Iannace Gino , Ricciotti Laura , Apicella Antonio , Perrotta Valeria , Aversa Raffaella
Published: January 2024

The paper compares and evaluates the influence of the presence of perforations on the sound absorption coefficient (SAC) of a negative stiffness metamaterial based on a foamed ceramic geopolymer. Chemical–physical, microstructural, dynamic–mechanical, and sound characterisations are presented. A rigid, lightweight geopolymeric porous material has been prepared using an inorganic/organic monomeric mixture containing oligomeric sialates and siloxanes foamed with aluminium powder. This process results in an amorphous rigid light foam with an apparent 180 Kg/m3 density and a 78% open-pore. The viscoelastic characterisation by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) carried out from 10−3 to 103 Hz indicates the behaviour of a mechanical metamaterial with negative stiffness enabling ultrahigh energy absorption at straining frequencies from 300 to 1000 Hz. The material loss factor (the ratio of dissipative/elastic shear moduli) is about 0.03 (essentially elastic behaviour) for frequencies up to 200 Hz to suddenly increase up to a value of six at 1000 Hz (highly dissipative behaviour). The corresponding storage and loss moduli were 8.2 MPa and 20 MPa, respectively. Impedance tube acoustic absorption measurements on perforated and unperforated specimens highlighted the role of perforation-resonant cavities in enhancing sound absorption efficiency, particularly within the specified frequency band where the mass of the negative stiffness foamed geopolymer matrix magnifies the dissipation effect. In the limits of a still exploratory and comparative study, we aimed to verify the technological transfer potentiality of using architected metamaterials in sustainable building practices.
Applications of Nanomaterials in RFID Wireless Sensor Components
Authors: Roh Sojeong , Nguyen Trong Danh , Lee Jun Seop
Published: January 2024

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology, capable of wirelessly processing large amounts of information, is gaining attention with the advancement of IoT technology. RFID systems can be utilized as Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) technology by introducing sensing materials responsive to external environmental stimuli. To achieve effective information communication and sensing capabilities, various types of nanomaterials are being used as various components of RFID sensors. This paper provides an overview of the RFID sensor system and the nanomaterials used in their composition. Polymers that can achieve flexibility are attracting more attention as user-friendly substrates as demand for them increases in the wearable market. Additionally, advancements in inkjet printing technology, allowing cost-effective and simple production of components, introduce inks and manufacturing methods utilizing various nanomaterials such as metal nanoparticles, carbon materials, and composites. Furthermore, nanomaterials utilized as sensing materials enable the detection of various external environments with high sensitivity and a wide detection range. Consequently, RFID sensor systems that achieve wireless detection in a variety of environments are actively utilized in many applications. By analyzing the current research progress and problems faced in RFID sensor technology, this paper suggests future research directions for its development as a next-generation wireless sensor system.
Organizational Processes for Adopting Breakthrough Technology: Text Mining of AI Perception among Japanese Firms
Authors: Hoshino Yusuke , Hirao Takashi
Published: January 2024

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become popular worldwide after technological breakthroughs in the early 2010s. Accordingly, many organizations and individuals have been using AI for various applications. Previous research has been dominated by case studies regarding the industrial use of AI, although how time-series changes affect users’ perceptions has not been clarified yet. This study analyzes time-series changes in AI perceptions through text mining from nonfinancial information obtained from Japanese firms’ disclosures. The main findings of this study are as follows: first, perceptions of AI vary across industries; second, the business sector has progressed through the stages of recognition, investment, strategization, commercialization, and monetization. This transition is concurrent with each category’s evolving interpretation of the innovator theory proposed by Rogers (2003), to some extent. Third, it took approximately a decade from the breakthrough technology to the monetization by Japanese firms. Our findings underline the importance of speeding up the organizational process through intervention and contribution to the areas regarding “diffusion of innovation” and perceptual characteristics.
Radar, Lightning, and Synoptic Observations for a Thunderstorm on 7 January 2012 during the CHUVA-Vale Campaign
Authors: Ribeiro João Gabriel Martins , Mattos Enrique Vieira , Reboita Michelle Simões , Enoré Diego Pereira , da Costa Izabelly Carvalho , Albrecht Rachel Ifanger , Gonçalves Weber Andrade , Oliveira Rômulo Augusto Jucá
Published: January 2024

Thunderstorms can generate intense electrical activity, hail, and result in substantial economic and human losses. The development of very short-term forecasting tools (nowcasting) is essential to provide information to alert systems in order to mobilize most efficiently the population. However, the development of nowcasting tools depends on a better understanding of the physics and microphysics of clouds and lightning formation and evolution. In this context, the objectives of this study are: (a) to describe the environmental conditions that led to a genesis of a thunderstorm that produce hail on 7 January 2012, in the Metropolitan Area of São Paulo (MASP) during the CHUVA-Vale campaign, and (b) to evaluate the thunderstorm microphysical properties and vertical structure of electrical charge. Data from different sources were used: field campaign data, such as S-band radar, and 2- and 3-dimensional lightning networks, satellite data from the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite-13 (GOES-13), the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), and reanalysis of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis v5 (ERA5). The thunderstorm developed in a region of low-pressure due to the presence of a near-surface inverted trough and moisture convergence, which favored convection. Convective Available Potential Energy (CAPE) of 1053.6 J kg−1 at the start of the thunderstorm indicated that strong convective energy was present. Microphysical variables such as Vertically Integrated Liquid water content (VIL) and Vertically Integrated Ice (VII) showed peaks of 140 and 130 kg m−2, respectively, before the hail reached the surface, followed by a decrease, indicating content removal from within the clouds to the ground surface. The thunderstorm charge structure evolved from a dipolar structure (with a negative center between 4 and 6 km and a positive center between 8 and 10 km) to a tripolar structure (negative center between 6 and 7.5 km) in the most intense phase. The first lightning peak (100 flashes in 5 min−1) before the hail showed that there had been a lightning jump. The maximum lightning occurred around 18:17 UTC, with approximately 350 flashes 5 min−1 with values higher than 4000 sources 500 m−1 in 5 min−1. Likewise, the vertical cross-sections indicated that the lightning occurred ahead of the thunderstorm’s displacement (maximum reflectivity), which could be useful in predicting these events.
In Vitro Osteogenesis Study of Shell Nacre Cement with Older and Young Donor Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem/Stromal Cells
Authors: Wilson Bridget Jeyatha , Owston Heather Elizabeth , Iqbal Neelam , Giannoudis Peter V. , McGonagle Dennis , Pandit Hemant , Philipose Pampadykandathil Lizymol , Jones Elena , Ganguly Payal
Published: January 2024

Bone void-filling cements are one of the preferred materials for managing irregular bone voids, particularly in the geriatric population who undergo many orthopedic surgeries. However, bone marrow mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (BM-MSCs) of older-age donors often exhibit reduced osteogenic capacity. Hence, it is crucial to evaluate candidate bone substitute materials with BM-MSCs from the geriatric population to determine the true osteogenic potential, thus simulating the clinical situation. With this concept, we investigated the osteogenic potential of shell nacre cement (SNC), a bone void-filling cement based on shell nacre powder and ladder-structured siloxane methacrylate, using older donor BM-MSCs (age > 55 years) and young donor BM-MSCs (age < 30 years). Direct and indirect cytotoxicity studies conducted with human BM-MSCs confirmed the non-cytotoxic nature of SNC. The standard colony-forming unit-fibroblast (CFU-F) assay and population doubling (PD) time assays revealed a significant reduction in the proliferation potential (p < 0.0001, p < 0.05) in older donor BM-MSCs compared to young donor BM-MSCs. Correspondingly, older donor BM-MSCs contained higher proportions of senescent, β-galactosidase (SA-β gal)-positive cells (nearly 2-fold, p < 0.001). In contrast, the proliferation capacity of older donor BM-MSCs, measured as the area density of CellTrackerTM green positive cells, was similar to that of young donor BM-MSCs following a 7-day culture on SNC. Furthermore, after 14 days of osteoinduction on SNC, scanning electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) showed that the amount of calcium and phosphorus deposited by young and older donor BM-MSCs on SNC was comparable. A similar trend was observed in the expression of the osteogenesis-related genes BMP2, RUNX2, ALP, COL1A1, OMD and SPARC. Overall, the results of this study indicated that SNC would be a promising candidate for managing bone voids in all age groups.
Long-Read Sequencing and De Novo Genome Assembly Pipeline of Two Plasmodium falciparum Clones (Pf3D7, PfW2) Using Only the PromethION Sequencer from Oxford Nanopore Technologies without Whole-Genome Amplification
Authors: Delandre Océane , Lamer Ombeline , Loreau Jean-Marie , Papa Mze Nasserdine , Fonta Isabelle , Mosnier Joel , Gomez Nicolas , Javelle Emilie , Pradines Bruno
Published: January 2024

Antimalarial drug resistance has become a real public health problem despite WHO measures. New sequencing technologies make it possible to investigate genomic variations associated with resistant phenotypes at the genome-wide scale. Based on the use of hemisynthetic nanopores, the PromethION technology from Oxford Nanopore Technologies can produce long-read sequences, in contrast to previous short-read technologies used as the gold standard to sequence Plasmodium. Two clones of P. falciparum (Pf3D7 and PfW2) were sequenced in long-read using the PromethION sequencer from Oxford Nanopore Technologies without genomic amplification. This made it possible to create a processing analysis pipeline for human Plasmodium with ONT Fastq only. De novo assembly revealed N50 lengths of 18,488 kb and 17,502 kb for the Pf3D7 and PfW2, respectively. The genome size was estimated at 23,235,407 base pairs for the Pf3D7 clone and 21,712,038 base pairs for the PfW2 clone. The average genome coverage depth was estimated at 787X and 653X for the Pf3D7 and PfW2 clones, respectively. This study proposes an assembly processing pipeline for the human Plasmodium genome using software adapted to large ONT data and the high AT percentage of Plasmodium. This search provides all the parameters which were optimized for use with the software selected in the pipeline.
Defining Melanoma Immune Biomarkers—Desert, Excluded, and Inflamed Subtypes—Using a Gene Expression Classifier Reflecting Intratumoral Immune Response and Stromal Patterns
Authors: Mlynska Agata , Gibavičienė Jolita , Kutanovaitė Otilija , Senkus Linas , Mažeikaitė Julija , Kerševičiūtė Ieva , Maskoliūnaitė Vygantė , Rupeikaitė Neda , Sabaliauskaitė Rasa , Gaiževska Justina , Suveizdė Karolina , Kraśko Jan Aleksander , Dobrovolskienė Neringa , Paberalė Emilija , Žymantaitė Eglė , Pašukonienė Vita
Published: January 2024

The spatial distribution of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) defines several histologically and clinically distinct immune subtypes—desert (no TILs), excluded (TILs in stroma), and inflamed (TILs in tumor parenchyma). To date, robust classification of immune subtypes still requires deeper experimental evidence across various cancer types. Here, we aimed to investigate, define, and validate the immune subtypes in melanoma by coupling transcriptional and histological assessments of the lymphocyte distribution in tumor parenchyma and stroma. We used the transcriptomic data from The Cancer Genome Atlas melanoma dataset to screen for the desert, excluded, and inflamed immune subtypes. We defined subtype-specific genes and used them to construct a subtype assignment algorithm. We validated the two-step algorithm in the qPCR data of real-world melanoma tumors with histologically defined immune subtypes. The accuracy of a classifier encompassing expression data of seven genes (immune response-related: CD2, CD53, IRF1, and CD8B; and stroma-related: COL5A2, TNFAIP6, and INHBA) in a validation cohort reached 79%. Our findings suggest that melanoma tumors can be classified into transcriptionally and histologically distinct desert, excluded, and inflamed subtypes. Gene expression-based algorithms can assist physicians and pathologists as biomarkers in the rapid assessment of a tumor immune microenvironment while serving as a tool for clinical decision making.