bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combined effects of exercise and different levels of acute hypoxic severity: A randomized crossover study on glucose regulation in adults with overweight
Authors: Tee Chris Chow Li , Parr Evelyn B. , Cooke Matthew B. , Chong Mee Chee , Rahmat Nurhamizah , Md Razali Mohd Rizal , Yeo Wee Kian , Camera Donny M.
Published: April 2023

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of manipulating hypoxic severity with low-intensity exercise on glucose regulation in healthy overweight adults.

Methods: In a randomized crossover design, 14 males with overweight (age: 27 ± 5 years; body mass index (BMI) 27.1 ± 1.8 kg⋅m2) completed three exercise trials involving 60 min aerobic exercise cycling at 90% lactate threshold in normoxia (NM, FiO2 = 20.9%), moderate hypoxia (MH, FiO2 = 16.5%) and high hypoxia (HH, FiO2 = 14.8%). A post-exercise oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed. Venous blood samples were analyzed for incremental area under the curve (iAUC), plasma glucose and insulin, as well as exerkine concentrations (plasma apelin and fibroblast growth factor 21 [FGF-21]) pre- and post-exercise. A 24-h continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) was used to determine interstitial glucose concentrations. Heart rate, oxygen saturation (SpO2) and perceptual measures were recorded during exercise.

Results: Post-exercise OGTT iAUC for plasma glucose and insulin concentrations were lower in MH vs. control (p = 0.02). Post-exercise interstitial glucose iAUC, plasma apelin and FGF-21 were not different between conditions. Heart rate was higher in HH vs. NM and MH, and MH vs. NM (p < 0.001), while SpO2 was lower in HH vs. NM and MH, and MH vs. NM (p < 0.001). Overall perceived discomfort and leg discomfort were higher in HH vs. NM and MH (p < 0.05), while perceived breathing difficulty was higher in HH vs. NM only (p = 0.003).

Conclusion: Compared to higher hypoxic conditions, performing acute aerobic-based exercise under moderate hypoxia provided a more effective stimulus for improving post-exercise glucose regulation while concomitantly preventing excessive physiological and perceptual stress in healthy overweight adults.
The relationship between self-esteem and mobile phone addiction among college students: The chain mediating effects of social avoidance and peer relationships
Authors: Chen Chunmei , Shen Yuanyi , Lv Shuai , Wang Bo , Zhu Yujie
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Mobile phone addiction has a negative impact on the physical and mental health of college students, which has attracted extensive attention from scholars.

Methods

In this study, we investigated the mechanism of the influence of self-esteem on mobile phone addiction among 694 college students using the Self-Esteem Scale, the Mobile Phone. Addiction Scale, the Peer Relationship Scale and the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale.

Results

The results showed that (1) self-esteem significantly and negatively predicted mobile phone addiction; (2) self-esteem influenced mobile phone addiction through the mediating effect of social avoidance; (3) self-esteem influenced mobile phone addiction through the mediating effect of peer relationships; and (4) social avoidance and peer relationships played a chain mediating role in the influence of self-esteem on mobile phone addiction.

Discussion

These findings can help researchers and educators better understand the underlying mechanisms of the relationship between self-esteem and mobile phone addiction and to provide practical and effective operational suggestions for the prevention and intervention of mobile phone addiction among college students.
Children infected vs. uninfected with COVID-19: Differences in parent reports of the use of mobile phones to calm children, routines, parent–child relationship, and developmental outcomes
Authors: Lau Eva Yi Hung , Li Jian-Bin , Chan Derwin King Chung
Published: April 2023

Children were suggested to be at lower risk of developing the severe form of the COVID-19. However, children infected with COVID-19 may be more likely to experience biopsychosocial stressors associated with the pandemic and display poorer developmental outcomes. The current study is among the first to compare children infected and uninfected with COVID-19 on outcomes related to parents’ use of mobile phones to calm children, routines, parent–child relationship, externalizing and internalizing problems, prosocial behavior, gratitude, and happiness. A total of 1,187 parents (88.6% mothers) of children aged 5 to 12 completed an online survey between April 2022 and May 2022 when schools were suspended during the 5th wave of resurgence in Hong Kong. Our findings showed no substantial differences in various psychological, social, emotional, and behavioral outcomes between infected and uninfected children. Our findings can be used to educate parents to reduce their fear and anxieties associated with their children’s COVID-19 infection. Our findings also suggested that support during the pandemic should be provided to children and families regardless of whether children have been infected with COVID-19.
Global trends and performances in diabetic retinopathy studies: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Xiao Huan , Tang Jinfan , Zhang Feng , Liu Luping , Zhou Jing , Chen Meiqi , Li Mengyue , Wu Xiaoxiao , Nie Yingying , Duan Junguo
Published: April 2023

Objective

The objective of this study is to conduct a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to identify and evaluate global trends in diabetic retinopathy (DR) research and visualize the focus and frontiers of this field.

Methods

Diabetic retinopathy-related publications from the establishment of the Web of Science (WOS) through 1 November 2022 were retrieved for qualitative and quantitative analyses. This study analyzed annual publication counts, prolific countries, institutions, journals, and the top 10 most cited literature. The findings were presented through descriptive statistics. VOSviewer 1.6.17 was used to exhibit keywords with high frequency and national cooperation networks, while CiteSpace 5.5.R2 displayed the timeline and burst keywords for each term.

Results

A total of 10,709 references were analyzed, and the number of publications continuously increased over the investigated period. America had the highest h-index and citation frequency, contributing to the most influence. China was the most prolific country, producing 3,168 articles. The University of London had the highest productivity. The top three productive journals were from America, and Investigative Ophthalmology Visual Science had the highest number of publications. The article from Gulshan et al. (2016; co-citation counts, 2,897) served as the representative and symbolic reference. The main research topics in this area were incidence, pathogenesis, treatment, and artificial intelligence (AI). Deep learning, models, biomarkers, and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of DR were frontier hotspots.

Conclusion

Bibliometric analysis in this study provided valuable insights into global trends in DR research frontiers. Four key study directions and three research frontiers were extracted from the extensive DR-related literature. As the incidence of DR continues to increase, DR prevention and treatment have become a pressing public health concern and a significant area of research interest. In addition, the development of AI technologies and telemedicine has emerged as promising research frontiers for balancing the number of doctors and patients.
Exploration of the COVID-19 pandemic at the neighborhood level in an intra-urban setting
Authors: Schmitz Tillman , Lakes Tobia , Manafa Georgianna , Lambio Christoph , Butler Jeffrey , Roth Alexandra , Savaskan Nicolai
Published: April 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic represents a worldwide threat to health. Since its onset in 2019, the pandemic has proceeded in different phases, which have been shaped by a complex set of influencing factors, including public health and social measures, the emergence of new virus variants, and seasonality. Understanding the development of COVID-19 incidence and its spatiotemporal patterns at a neighborhood level is crucial for local health authorities to identify high-risk areas and develop tailored mitigation strategies. However, analyses at the neighborhood level are scarce and mostly limited to specific phases of the pandemic. The aim of this study was to explore the development of COVID-19 incidence and spatiotemporal patterns of incidence at a neighborhood scale in an intra-urban setting over several pandemic phases (March 2020–December 2021). We used reported COVID-19 case data from the health department of the district Berlin-Neukölln, Germany, additional socio-demographic data, and text documents and materials on implemented public health and social measures. We examined incidence over time in the context of the measures and other influencing factors, with a particular focus on age groups. We used incidence maps and spatial scan statistics to reveal changing spatiotemporal patterns. Our results show that several factors may have influenced the development of COVID-19 incidence. In particular, the far-reaching measures for contact reduction showed a substantial impact on incidence in Neukölln. We observed several age group-specific effects: school closures had an effect on incidence in the younger population (< 18 years), whereas the start of the vaccination campaign had an impact primarily on incidence among the elderly (> 65  years). The spatial analysis revealed that high-risk areas were heterogeneously distributed across the district. The location of high-risk areas also changed across the pandemic phases. In this study, existing intra-urban studies were supplemented by our investigation of the course of the pandemic and the underlying processes at a small scale over a long period of time. Our findings provide new insights for public health authorities, community planners, and policymakers about the spatiotemporal development of the COVID-19 pandemic at the neighborhood level. These insights are crucial for guiding decision-makers in implementing mitigation strategies.
Causal relationships of neonatal jaundice, direct bilirubin and indirect bilirubin with autism spectrum disorder: A two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis
Authors: Chen Li-wen , Zhang Yi , Xu Dou-dou , Wang Yang , Gao Hui
Published: April 2023

Background

Multiple systematic reviews and meta-analyses have examined the association between neonatal jaundice and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) risk, but their results have been inconsistent. This may be because the included observational studies could not adjust for all potential confounders. Mendelian randomization study can overcome this drawback and explore the causal relationship between the both.

Methods

We used the data of neonatal jaundice, direct bilirubin (DBIL), indirect bilirubin (IBIL), and ASD collected by genome-wide association study (GWAS) to evaluate the effects of neonatal jaundice, DBIL and IBIL on ASD by using a two-sample Mendelian randomized (MR). The inverse variance-weighted method (IVW) was the main method of MR analysis in this study. Weighted median method, MR-Egger regression and mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) test were used for sensitivity analysis.

Results

There was no evidence of an effect of neonatal jaundice (OR, 1.002, 95% CI, 0.977–1.027), DBIL (OR, 0.970, 95% CI, 0.884–1.064) and IBIL (OR, 1.074, 95% CI, 0.882–1.308) on ASD risk by IVW test. In the weighted median method, MR-Egger regression and leave-one-out analysis, the results were robust and no heterogeneity or pleiotropy was observed.

Conclusions

We found that neonatal jaundice, DBIL and IBIL were not associated with ASD in this study. However, this paper did not explore the effect of severity and duration of jaundice on ASD in different ethnic populations, which may require further research.
Impact of media trust and personal epidemic experience on epidemic prevention behaviors in the context of COVID-19: A cross-sectional study based on protection motivation theory
Authors: Zhang Dan , Su Fan , Meng Xiaoxia , Zhang Zhixin
Published: April 2023

Objective

This study aimed to elucidate the impact of media trust on epidemic prevention motivation and behaviors based on the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and to evaluate the moderation effect of personal epidemic experience, which focused on the differences in two groups with or without epidemic experience.

Methods

The exogenous constructs and PMT model and scale were constructed through literature analysis, and a web-based questionnaire survey was conducted among 428 individuals aged above 18 years in China. Statistical analysis and hypothesis testing were performed in SPSS 26 and SmartPLS 3.

Results

Traditional media trust accounted for the largest weight in media trust (w = 0.492, p-value < 0.001), followed by social media (w = 0.463, p-value < 0.001), and interpersonal communication (w = 0.290, p-value < 0.001). Media trust was positively and significantly related to both threat appraisal (β = 0.210, p-value < 0.001) and coping appraisal (β = 0.260, p-value < 0.001). Threat appraisal (β = 0.105, p-value < 0.05) and coping appraisal (β = 0.545, p-value < 0.001) were positively and significantly related to epidemic prevention motivation, which positively and significantly related to epidemic prevention behaviors (β = 0.492, p-value < 0.001). The R2 values of epidemic prevention motivation and behavior are 0.350 and 0.240, respectively, indicating an acceptable explanation. Multiple-group analysis revealed five significant differences in paths between the two groups, indicating personal epidemic experience acting as a slight moderator on these paths.

Conclusion

Traditional media trust and social media trust were the important elements in COVID-19 prevention and control, and public health departments and governments should ensure the accuracy and reliability of information from traditional and social media. Simultaneously, the media should balance threat information and efficacy information in order to generate the public’s prevention motivation and behaviors.
Forty years of anthropogenic nutrient pressures: agriculture and domestic nitrogen and phosphorus inventory in view of sustainable nutrient management
Authors: Malagó Anna , Bouraoui Fayçal
Published: April 2023

Nitrogen and phosphorus are key to human life and crop production. However, excessive nutrient losses from agriculture affect air, soil, and water quality, with significant negative effects on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Domestic nutrient emissions, in particular untreated wastewater, also negatively affect water ecosystems. European policies had a crucial role in contrasting nutrient pollution, but the assessment of the impact of these regulations requires an understanding of nutrient inputs and losses from land to sea. In this study, we quantified nutrient inputs in a cross-continental domain (Europe–Africa–Asia) in all regions discharging into the European seas. We reconstructed the time series for the 1979–2019 periods of high spatial resolution anthropogenic nutrient pressures including nitrogen atmospheric deposition, mineral fertilizers and organic N and P fertilizers, N and P from sewer connection, and improved and unconnected systems from urban and rural populations. We investigated regional differences and how existing legislation has affected nutrient inputs.
Short-Arc Horizon-Based Optical Navigation by Total Least-Squares Estimation
Authors: Deng Huajian , Wang Hao , Liu Yang , Jin Zhonghe
Published: April 2023

Horizon-based optical navigation (OPNAV) is an attractive solution for deep space exploration missions, with strong autonomy and high accuracy. In some scenarios, especially those with large variations in spacecraft distance from celestial bodies, the visible horizon arc could be very short. In this case, the traditional Christian–Robinson algorithm with least-squares (LS) estimation is inappropriate and would introduce a large mean residual that can be even larger than the standard deviation (STD). To solve this problem, a simplified measurement covariance model was proposed by analyzing the propagation of measurement errors. Then, an unbiased solution with the element-wise total least-squares (EW-TLS) algorithm was developed in which the measurement equation and the covariance of each measurement are fully considered. To further simplify this problem, an approximate generalized total least-squares algorithm (AG-TLS) was then proposed, which achieves a non-iterative solution by using approximate measurement covariances. The covariance analysis and numerical simulations show that the proposed algorithms have impressive advantages in the short-arc horizon scenario, for the mean residuals are always close to zero. Compared with the EW-TLS algorithm, the AG-TLS algorithm trades a negligible accuracy loss for a huge reduction in execution time and achieves a computing speed comparable to the traditional algorithm. Furthermore, a simulated navigation scenario reveals that a short-arc horizon can provide reliable position estimates for planetary exploration missions.
Estimation of Macro and Micronutrients in Persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) cv. ‘Rojo Brillante’ Leaves through Vis-NIR Reflectance Spectroscopy
Authors: Acosta Maylin , Visconti Fernando , Quiñones Ana , Blasco José , de Paz José Miguel
Published: April 2023

The nutritional diagnosis of crops is carried out through costly elemental analyses of different plant organs, particularly leaves, in the laboratory. However, visible and near-infrared (Vis-NIR) spectroscopy of unprocessed plant samples has a high potential as a faster, non-destructive, environmental-friendly alternative to elemental analyses. In this work, the potential of this technique to estimate the concentrations of macronutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and magnesium (Mg), and micronutrients such as iron (Fe), manganese (Mn) and boron (B), in persimmon (Diospyros kaki L.) ‘Rojo Brillante’ leaves, has been investigated. Throughout the crop cycle variable rates of N and K were applied to obtain six nutritional status levels in persimmon trees in an experimental orchard. Then, leaves were systematically sampled throughout the cropping season from the different nutritional levels and spectral reflectance measurements were acquired in the 430–1040 nm wavelength range. The concentrations of nutrients were determined by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) for P, K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and B after microwave digestion, while the Kjeldahl method was used for N. Then, partial least squares regression (PLS-R) was used to model the concentrations of these nutrients from the reflectance measurements of the leaves. The model was calibrated using 75% of the samples while the remaining 25% were left as the independent test set for external validation. The results of the test set indicated an acceptable validation for most of the nutrients, with determination coefficients (R2) of 0.74 for N and P, 0.54 for K, 0.77 for Ca, 0.60 for Mg, 0.39 for Fe, 0.69 for Mn and 0.83 for B. These findings support the potential use of Vis-NIR spectrometric techniques as an alternative to conventional laboratory methods for the persimmon nutritional status diagnosis although more research is needed to know how the models developed one year perform in ensuing years.
Determination of Total Carotenoids and β-Carotene in Germplasm of Pumpkin Caboclo (Cucurbita maxima)
Authors: Barboza Michele , Lima Fernanda Larisse dos Santos , Ribeiro Rayanne Maria Paula , Pereira Carla Caroline Alves , Santos Manoel Galdino dos , Silveira Flávio Pereira da Mota , Nascimento Aline Kelly Queiroz do , Passos Ana Beatriz Rocha de Jesus , Chagas Paulo Sérgio Fernandes das , Ribeiro João Everthon da Silva , Lima John Victor Lucas , Júnior José Travassos dos Santos , Nunes Glauber Henrique de Sousa , Silveira Lindomar Maria da , Júnior Aurélio Paes Barros
Published: April 2023

The genus Cucurbita has been mentioned as a good source of carotenoids, including β-carotene, which is a precursor of vitamin A. However, the variability observed for the genus denotes the individual need to invest in the species. An experiment was carried out with the aim of evaluating the content of total carotenoids and β-carotene in C. maxima germplasm. Treatments consisted of 23 accessions and two commercial cultivars of C. maxima. The content of total carotenoids, β-carotene, and the pulp color of the accessions were evaluated. Clustering was performed, and the components of genotypic variance, mean heritability, and accuracy were calculated. The grouping led to the formation of four groups where the total carotenoid content influenced the formation the most. There was no difference in color parameters. High variability was observed for total carotenoids in the studied genotypes (22.28 µg/g to 49.58 µg/g) and β-carotene (7.81 µg/g to 13.75 µg/g). Accessions CMAX-09, CMAX-10, CMAX-12, CMAX-13, and CMAX-14 showed the highest levels of total carotenoids and β-carotene.
Animal-Assisted Interventions and Animal Welfare—An Exploratory Survey in Germany
Authors: Ameli Katharina , Braun Theresa F. , Krämer Stephanie
Published: April 2023

Background: Animals play a crucial role in social occupational fields. The positive effects of animals are described in theory and practice. However, the significance of animal welfare in animal-assisted intervention settings has not yet been extensively researched, so that the aim of this explorative study was to investigate the perception and significance as well as the understanding of animal welfare and its implementation on the part of professionals working with animals. Methods: In the present project, 270 animal-assisted professionals from Germany were interviewed about their individual perceptions of animal welfare and their implementation of animal welfare with the help of questionnaires with closed questions (5-point agreement scale) and open questions. The quantitative data were analyzed using the statistical software SPSS and MS Excel. The qualitative data were analyzed using thematic coding. Results: The quantitative and qualitative results show that animal welfare poses high importance for people working in animal-assisted interventions. The structure and design of assignments, animal-related aspects and conditions, and education and knowledge are mentioned as generally relevant conditions for ensuring animal welfare from the perspective of animal-assisted intervention practitioners. In addition, different concrete courses of action to ensure animal welfare are described, which are characterized as stopping or changing the setting at different levels. Conclusions: Animal welfare plays a central role for professionals working with animals. However, further studies are necessary in order to record other animal welfare-relevant aspects in the animal-assisted interventions, depending on the respective animal species, and to examine the implementation of animal welfare-related measures.
Factors Affecting Thoroughbred Online Auction Prices in Non/Post-Racing Careers
Authors: Camp Madalynn , Kibler Michelle L. , Ivey Jennie L. Z. , Thompson Jada M.
Published: April 2023

Racehorse welfare is a prominent, public issue which affects nearly every aspect of the racing industry. Thoroughbred care after race career completion has garnered increasing attention from the equine industry, general public, and animal welfare groups alike. As the average racehorse’s career lasts just 4.5 years, owner demand for thoroughbreds is essential for post-race careers and acceptable welfare standards. This study utilized data from and hedonic pricing models to analyze buyer demand for thoroughbreds sold in online auctions held from 2012 to 2020. The results indicate buyer preferences for age (p < 0.01), sex (p < 0.05), and organization registration (p < 0.05), with bid price premiums for age and registration status (USEF, USEA, USHJA, etc.) and price discounts for mares compared to geldings and horses listed for non-competition careers (trail, p < 0.01). The results of this study confirm and quantify the value potential buyers place on thoroughbreds offered for sale in sport disciplines. The findings may help non-profit organizations charged with rehoming off the track thoroughbreds and reduce the number of unwanted thoroughbreds by illustrating the desired traits and skills within the equine market, thus improving welfare optics overall.
The Interplay between Intracellular Iron Homeostasis and Neuroinflammation in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Authors: Lee Jaewang , Hyun Dong-Hoon
Published: April 2023

Iron is essential for life. Many enzymes require iron for appropriate function. However, dysregulation of intracellular iron homeostasis produces excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction and causes devastating effects on cells, leading to ferroptosis, an iron-dependent cell death. In order to protect against harmful effects, the intracellular system regulates cellular iron levels through iron regulatory mechanisms, including hepcidin–ferroportin, divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1)–transferrin, and ferritin–nuclear receptor coactivator 4 (NCOA4). During iron deficiency, DMT1–transferrin and ferritin–NCOA4 systems increase intracellular iron levels via endosomes and ferritinophagy, respectively. In contrast, repleting extracellular iron promotes cellular iron absorption through the hepcidin–ferroportin axis. These processes are regulated by the iron-regulatory protein (IRP)/iron-responsive element (IRE) system and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Meanwhile, excessive ROS also promotes neuroinflammation by activating the nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB). NF-κB forms inflammasomes, inhibits silent information regulator 2-related enzyme 1 (SIRT1), and induces pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β). Furthermore, 4-hydroxy-2,3-trans-nonenal (4-HNE), the end-product of ferroptosis, promotes the inflammatory response by producing amyloid-beta (Aβ) fibrils and neurofibrillary tangles in Alzheimer’s disease, and alpha-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease. This interplay shows that intracellular iron homeostasis is vital to maintain inflammatory homeostasis. Here, we review the role of iron homeostasis in inflammation based on recent findings.
Object-Tracking Algorithm Combining Motion Direction and Time Series
Authors: Su Jianjun , Wu Chenmou , Yang Shuqun
Published: April 2023

Object tracking using deep learning is a crucial research direction within intelligent vision processing. One of the key challenges in object tracking is accurately predicting the object’s motion direction in consecutive frames while accounting for the reliability of the tracking results during template updates. In this work, we propose an innovative object-tracking algorithm that leverages both motion direction and time series information. We propose a loss function that guides the tracking model to learn the direction of object motion between consecutive frames, resulting in improved object localization accuracy. Furthermore, to enhance the algorithm’s ability to discriminate the reliability of tracking results and improve the quality of template updates, the proposed approach includes an attention mechanism-based tracking result reliability scoring module, which takes into account the time series of tracking results. Compressive experiment evaluation on four datasets shows our algorithm effectively improves the performances of object tracking. The ablation experiments and qualitative analysis prove the effectiveness of the proposed module and loss function.
Techno-Economic Potential of Plasma-Based CO2 Splitting in Power-to-Liquid Plants
Authors: Kaufmann Samuel Jaro , Rößner Paul , Renninger Stephan , Lambarth Maike , Raab Moritz , Stein Jan , Seithümmer Valentin , Birke Kai Peter
Published: April 2023

Mitigating climate change requires the development of technologies that combine energy and transport sectors. One of them is the production of sustainable fuels from electricity and carbon dioxide (CO2) via power-to-liquid (PtL) plants. As one option for splitting CO2, plasma-based processes promise a high potential due to their flexibility, scalability, and theoretically high efficiencies. This work includes a modeling and techno-economic analysis. A crucial element is the process of the joint project PlasmaFuel, in which two plasma technologies are included in a PtL plant to produce synthetically sulfur-free marine diesel. The results are divided into three scenarios, which differ in the use of different boundary conditions and thus represent different degrees of technology development. The evaluation results in process efficiencies from 16.5% for scenario 2018/20 to 27.5% for scenario 2050, and net production costs between EUR 8.5/L and EUR 3.5/L. Furthermore, the techno-economic potential is mapped in order to open up development steps in the direction of costs below EUR 2.0/L. The present work allows statements regarding system integration and the industrial use of the plasma-based process.; moreover, conclusions can be drawn towards the most important levers in terms of process optimization.
A New Method of Investigation of the Orientation of Galaxies in Clusters in the Absence of Information on Their Morphological Types
Authors: Godłowski Włodzimierz , Mrzygłód Błażej
Published: April 2023

The analysis of the orientation of galaxies is one of the most widely used tools in the fields of extragalactic astronomy and cosmology, enabling the verification of structure formation scenarios in the universe. It is based on the statistical analysis of the distribution of angles, giving the spatial orientation of galaxies in space. In order to obtain the correct analysis results, one is obliged to take into account the Holmberg effect and the fact that galaxies are oblate spheroids, with the real axis ratio depending on the morphological type. However, most of the astronomical data available today do not contain information about the morphological types of galaxies. The analysis of sufficiently numerous observational data allows one to calculate the estimated frequency of the occurrence of given morphological types used in the proposed method. As a part of this, on the basis of these frequencies, simulations were performed, which enabled us to recognize new angle distributions used in orientation studies. These distributions already contain information on the frequency of the appearance of galaxies of particular morphological types in clusters, allowing for more accurate results of the statistical tests carried out during the analysis. The method is an extension of results developed in in our previous investigations.
Probabilistic Models for the Shear Strength of RC Deep Beams
Authors: Li Zhenjun , Liu Xi , Kou Dawei , Hu Yi , Zhang Qingrui , Yuan Qingxi
Published: April 2023

A new shear strength determination of reinforced concrete (RC) deep beams was proposed by using a statistical approach. The Bayesian–MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo) method was introduced to establish a new shear prediction model and to improve seven existing deterministic models with a database of 645 experimental data. The bias correction terms of deterministic models were described by key explanatory terms identified by a systematic removal process. Considering multi-parameters, the Gibbs sampling was used to solve the high dimensional integration problem and to determine optimum and reliable model parameters with 50,000 iterations for probabilistic models. The model continuity and uncertainty for key parameters were quantified by the partial factor that was investigated by comparing test and model results. The partial factor for the proposed model was 1.25. The proposed model showed improved accuracy and continuity with the mean and coefficient of variation (CoV) of the experimental-to-predicted results ratio as 1.0357 and 0.2312, respectively.
Partitioning of Dissolved Organic Carbon, Major Elements, and Trace Metals during Laboratory Freezing of Organic Leachates from Permafrost Peatlands
Authors: Ivanova Irina S. , Shirokova Liudmila S. , Rols Jean-Luc , Pokrovsky Oleg S.
Published: April 2023

Climate change is likely to modify the freezing–thawing cycles in soils and surface waters of permafrost-affected and subarctic regions. However, the change of solution chemical composition during ice formation and the evolution of the remaining fluids remain very poorly known. Towards a better understanding of dissolved (<0.45 µm) organic carbon, as well as major and trace element behavior in permafrost peatland environments, here we performed laboratory freezing of peat leachates, from complete freezing to complete thawing, in order to quantify the partitioning of solutes between the aqueous solution and the remaining ice. Freezing experiments were conducted, with and without polyurethane insulation. Two main types of experiments involved (i) progressive freezing, when we started from liquid leachates (filtered <0.45 µm) and allowed them to freeze at −18 °C, and (ii) progressive thawing, where first, we froze solid a series of <0.45 µm filtered leachates and then monitored their thawing at room temperature, 20 °C. We hypothesized the existence of two main groups of solutes, behaving conservatively or non-conservatively during freezing, depending on their incorporation into the ice or their ability to coagulate in the form of insoluble minerals or amorphous materials in the fluid phase. An unexpected result of this work was that, despite a sizable degree of element concentration in the remaining fluid and possible coagulation of organic, organo-mineral, and inorganic compounds, the freezing and subsequent thawing produced final concentrations of most solutes which were not drastically different from the initial concentrations in the original leachates prior to freezing. This demonstrates the high stability of dissolved (<0.45 µm) organic carbon, iron, aluminum, and some trace metals to the repetitive freezing and thawing of surface waters in permafrost peatlands.
Convolved Feature Vector Based Adaptive Fuzzy Filter for Image De-Noising
Authors: Habib Muhammad , Hussain Ayyaz , Rehman Eid , Muzammal Syeda Mariam , Cheng Benmao , Aslam Muhammad , Jilani Syeda Fizzah
Published: April 2023

In this paper, a convolved feature vector based adaptive fuzzy filter is proposed for impulse noise removal. The proposed filter follows traditional approach, i.e., detection of noisy pixels based on certain criteria followed by filtering process. In the first step, proposed noise detection mechanism initially selects a small layer of input image pixels, convolves it with a set of weighted kernels to form a convolved feature vector layer. This layer of features is then passed to fuzzy inference system, where fuzzy membership degrees and reduced set of fuzzy rules play an important part to classify the pixel as noise-free, edge or noisy. Noise-free pixels in the filtering phase remain unaffected causing maximum detail preservation whereas noisy pixels are restored using fuzzy filter. This process is carried out traditionally starting from top left corner of the noisy image to the bottom right corner with a stride rate of one for small input layer and a stride rate of two during convolution. Convolved feature vector is very helpful in finding the edge information and hidden patterns in the input image that are affected by noise. The performance of the proposed study is tested on large data set using standard performance measures and the proposed technique outperforms many existing state of the art techniques with excellent detail preservation and effective noise removal capabilities.
Cost-Aware Optimization of Optical Add-Drop Multiplexers Placement in Packet-Optical xHaul Access Networks
Authors: Klinkowski Mirosław , Jaworski Marek
Published: April 2023

This work concentrates on the problem of optimizing the cost of a passive wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) optical network used as a transport network for carrying the xHaul packet traffic between a set of remote radio sites and a central hub in a 5G radio access network (RAN). In this scope, we investigate the flexible use of optical add-drop multiplexers (OADMs) for the aggregation of traffic from a number of remote sites, where the type/capacity of optical devices—OADMs and optical multiplexers (MUXs)—is selected in accordance with the traffic demand. The approach is referred to as Flex-O. To this end, we formulate the xHaul network planning problem consisting in the joint provisioning of transmission paths (TPs) between the remote sites and the hub with optimized selection and placement of OADMs on the paths and proper selection of MUXs at the ends of the TPs. The problem formulation takes into accounts the optical power budget that limits the maximum transmission distance in a function of the amount and type of optical devices installed on the TPs. The network planning problem is modeled and solved as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) optimization problem. Several network scenarios are analyzed to evaluate the cost savings from the flexible (optimized) use of OADMs. The scenarios differ in terms of the availability of OADMs and the capacity of the WDM devices applied on the TPs. The numerical experiments performed in three mesh networks of different size show that the cost savings of up to between 35 and 45% can be achieved if the selection of OADMs is optimized comparing to the networks in which either single-type OADMs are used or the OADMs are not applied.
Physical Exercise in Sports Sciences and Rehabilitation: Physiology, Clinical Applications and Real Practice
Authors: de Sire Alessandro , Ozyemisci Taskiran Ozden
Published: April 2023

Physical exercise has long been recognized as a cornerstone of health promotion, disease prevention, and rehabilitation [...]
Complementing Solutions for Facility Location Optimization via Video Game Crowdsourcing and Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Vargas-Santiago Mariano , León-Velasco Diana A. , Marcelín Jiménez Ricardo , Morales-Rosales Luis Alberto
Published: April 2023

The facility location problem (FLP) is a complex optimization problem that has been widely researched and applied in industry. In this research, we proposed two innovative approaches to complement the limitations of traditional methods, such as heuristics, metaheuristics, and genetic algorithms. The first approach involves utilizing crowdsourcing through video game players to obtain improved solutions, filling the gap in existing research on crowdsourcing for FLP. The second approach leverages machine learning techniques, specifically prediction methods, to provide an efficient exploration of the solution space. Our findings indicate that machine learning techniques can complement existing solutions by providing a more comprehensive approach to solving FLP and filling gaps in the solution space. Furthermore, machine learning predictive models are efficient for decision making and provide quick insights into the system’s behavior. In conclusion, this research contributes to the advancement of problem-solving techniques and has potential implications for solving a wide range of complex, NP-hard problems in various domains.
The Employment of the Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) Microscopy Sensor for the Detection of Individual Extracellular Vesicles and Non-Biological Nanoparticles
Authors: Sharar Nour , Wüstefeld Konstantin , Talukder Rahat Morad , Skolnik Julija , Kaufmann Katharina , Giebel Bernd , Börger Verena , Nolte Friedrich , Watzl Carsten , Weichert Frank , Hergenröder Roland , Shpacovitch Victoria
Published: April 2023

A wide-field surface plasmon resonance (SPR) microscopy sensor employs the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon to detect individual biological and non-biological nanoparticles. This sensor enables the detection, sizing, and quantification of biological nanoparticles (bioNPs), such as extracellular vesicles (EVs), viruses, and virus-like particles. The selectivity of bioNP detection does not require biological particle labeling, and it is achieved via the functionalization of the gold sensor surface by target-bioNP-specific antibodies. In the current work, we demonstrate the ability of SPR microscopy sensors to detect, simultaneously, silica NPs that differ by four times in size. Employed silica particles are close in their refractive index to bioNPs. The literature reports the ability of SPR microscopy sensors to detect the binding of lymphocytes (around 10 μm objects) to the sensor surface. Taken together, our findings and the results reported in the literature indicate the power of SPR microscopy sensors to detect bioNPs that differ by at least two orders in size. Modifications of the optical sensor scheme, such as mounting a concave lens, help to achieve homogeneous illumination of a gold sensor chip surface. In the current work, we also characterize the improved magnification factor of the modified SPR instrument. We evaluate the effectiveness of the modified and the primary version of the SPR microscopy sensors in detecting EVs isolated via different approaches. In addition, we demonstrate the possibility of employing translation and rotation stepper motors for precise adjustments of the positions of sensor optical elements—prism and objective—in the primary version of the SPR microscopy sensor instrument, and we present an algorithm to establish effective sensor–actuator coupling.
A Heterogeneous Sample of a Spanish Tinnitus Cohort
Authors: Cuesta María , Cobo Pedro
Published: April 2023

Taking into account heterogeneity has been highly recommended in tinnitus studies both to disentangle all diverse factors that can contribute to their complexity and to design personalized treatments. To this aim, a heterogeneous sample of 270 tinnitus subjects is analyzed considering the gender (male/female), hearing condition (hearing-impaired/normal-hearing), and tinnitus severity (compensated/decompensated) subgroups. Two categorical variables (tinnitus laterality and tinnitus sound type) and four quantitative variables (average auditory threshold, age of tinnitus onset, tinnitus frequency, and tinnitus severity) are used. The percentages (for categorical variables) and mean values (for quantitative variables) of the whole sample are compared with these of each subgroup. Furthermore, correlational and hypothesis testing is applied to calculate the correlation coefficients and statistical significance, respectively. The results show that the male and female subgroups contrast in the sound type and frequency of their tinnitus, hearing-impaired and normal-hearing individuals differ, in addition, in their average auditory threshold, and the compensated/decompensated tinnitus subgroup provides significantly distinct values in tinnitus laterality and tinnitus sound.
Sensitivity Analysis of Deflection Variation of the Cable-Stayed Bridge to the Cable Damage
Authors: Yang Yanxiao , Su Mubiao , Liu Heng
Published: April 2023

In the context of a single-tower cable-stayed bridge, the effects of the ambient temperature change, stiffness degradation of the main beam and cable damage on the deflection of the main girder under the action of self-weight are investigated. To explore the possibility of identifying cable damage based on the deflection of the main girder, the results show that before and after the cable damage, the variation of the deflection difference of the girder has obvious characteristics: under the action of dead weight, the distribution curve of the deflection difference of the girder is obviously twisted at the anchorage point of the damaged cable and reaches a peak, and the peak value increases with the increase of the cable damage degree. The deterioration of the girder’s performance will make the change of the girder’s deflection more sensitive to the cable damage. The ambient temperature change has a great influence on the deflection of the girder but has no obvious influence on the deflection difference of the girder before and after the cable damage.
Development and Investigation of Repair Self-Sensing Composites Using S-CNT
Authors: Kim Youngmin , Seo Soo-Yeon , Yun Hyun-Do , Lee Gun-Cheol , Hong Seongwon
Published: April 2023

This study analyzed the mechanical and electrical characteristics of repair self-sensing composites. In order to ensure homogeneous dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the repair mortar, porous powder was impregnated with the liquid MWCNT, dried, and then pulverized. This CNT powder was named S-CNT, and a repair self-sensing cement composite was fabricated using it with different dosages, by weight, of 3, 6, and 9%. Mechanical and electrical performances of the developed materials were investigated through flexural, compressive, and bonding strengths, dry shrinkage, porosity, and fractional change in resistance (FCR) tests. There was little difference in terms of strength, between the three different composites made with the different dosages of S-CNT. The strength of the composite with 9% of S-CNT was even higher than that of the plain specimen. As a result of measuring drying shrinkage, conducted to evaluate the effect of improving dispersion, the length change rate decreased as the amount of S-CNT increased. As a result of the porosity results of the specimens incorporating the same mass of CNT as S-CNT, it was confirmed that the dispersibility was clearly improved. In addition, as an electrical characteristic, when the S-CNT mixed specimen was repeatedly loaded with a bending load, FCR appeared, confirming the self-sensing performance.
A Recent Review on Cancer Nanomedicine
Authors: Giri Paras Mani , Banerjee Anurag , Layek Buddhadev
Published: April 2023

Cancer is one of the most prevalent diseases globally and is the second major cause of death in the United States. Despite the continuous efforts to understand tumor mechanisms and various approaches taken for treatment over decades, no significant improvements have been observed in cancer therapy. Lack of tumor specificity, dose-related toxicity, low bioavailability, and lack of stability of chemotherapeutics are major hindrances to cancer treatment. Nanomedicine has drawn the attention of many researchers due to its potential for tumor-specific delivery while minimizing unwanted side effects. The application of these nanoparticles is not limited to just therapeutic uses; some of them have shown to have extremely promising diagnostic potential. In this review, we describe and compare various types of nanoparticles and their role in advancing cancer treatment. We further highlight various nanoformulations currently approved for cancer therapy as well as under different phases of clinical trials. Finally, we discuss the prospect of nanomedicine in cancer management.