bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Ability of Airborne Microalgae and Cyanobacteria to Survive and Transfer the Carcinogenic Benzo(a)pyrene in Coastal Regions
Authors: Wiśniewska Kinga A. , Lewandowska Anita U. , Śliwińska-Wilczewska Sylwia , Staniszewska Marta , Budzałek Gracjana
Published: April 2023

Air pollution has been a significant problem threatening human health for years. One commonly reported air pollutant is benzo(a)pyrene, a dangerous compound with carcinogenic properties. Values which exceed normative values for benzo(a)pyrene concentration in the air are often noted in many regions of the world. Studies on the worldwide spread of COVID-19 since 2020, as well as avian flu, measles, and SARS, have proven that viruses and bacteria are more dangerous to human health when they occur in polluted air. Regarding cyanobacteria and microalgae, little is known about their relationship with benzo(a)pyrene. The question is whether these microorganisms can pose a threat when present in poor quality air. We initially assessed whether cyanobacteria and microalgae isolated from the atmosphere are sensitive to changes in PAH concentrations and whether they can accumulate or degrade PAHs. The presence of B(a)P has significantly affected both the quantity of cyanobacteria and microalgae cells as well as their chlorophyll a (chl a) content and their ability to fluorescence. For many cyanobacteria and microalgae, an increase in cell numbers was observed after the addition of B(a)P. Therefore, even slight air pollution with benzo(a)pyrene is likely to facilitate the growth of airborne cyanobacteria and microalgae. The results provided an assessment of the organisms that are most susceptible to cellular stress following exposure to benzo(a)pyrene, as well as the potential consequences for the environment. Additionally, the results indicated that green algae have the greatest potential for degrading PAHs, making their use a promising bioremediation approach. Kirchneriella sp. demonstrated the highest average degradation of B(a)P, with the above-mentioned research indicating it can even degrade up to 80% of B(a)P. The other studied green algae exhibited a lower, yet still significant, B(a)P degradation rate exceeding 50% when compared to cyanobacteria and diatoms.
A Deep-Learning-Computed Cancer Score for the Identification of Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Area Based on a Six-Colour Multiplex Immunofluorescence Panel
Authors: Dievernich Axel , Stegmaier Johannes , Achenbach Pascal , Warkentin Svetlana , Braunschweig Till , Neumann Ulf Peter , Klinge Uwe
Published: April 2023

Liver cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed and fatal cancers worldwide, with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) being the most common primary liver cancer. Hundreds of studies involving thousands of patients have now been analysed across different cancer types, including HCC, regarding the effects of immune infiltrates on the prognosis of cancer patients. However, for these analyses, an unambiguous delineation of the cancer area is paramount, which is difficult due to the strong heterogeneity and considerable inter-operator variability induced by qualitative visual assessment and manual assignment. Nowadays, however, multiplex analyses allow the simultaneous evaluation of multiple protein markers, which, in conjunction with recent machine learning approaches, may offer great potential for the objective, enhanced identification of cancer areas with further in situ analysis of prognostic immune parameters. In this study, we, therefore, used an exemplary five-marker multiplex immunofluorescence panel of commonly studied markers for prognosis (CD3 T, CD4 T helper, CD8 cytotoxic T, FoxP3 regulatory T, and PD-L1) and DAPI to assess which analytical approach is best suited to combine morphological and immunohistochemical data into a cancer score to identify the cancer area that best matches an independent pathologist’s assignment. For each cell, a total of 68 individual cell features were determined, which were used as input for 4 different approaches for computing a cancer score: a correlation-based selection of individual cell features, a MANOVA-based selection of features, a multilayer perceptron, and a convolutional neural network (a U-net). Accuracy was used to evaluate performance. With a mean accuracy of 75%, the U-net was best capable of identifying the cancer area. Although individual cell features showed a strong heterogeneity between patients, the spatial representations obtained with the computed cancer scores delineate HCC well from non-cancer liver tissues. Future analyses with larger sample sizes will help to improve the model and enable direct, in-depth investigations of prognostic parameters, ultimately enabling precision medicine.
Association between Eruption Sequence of Posterior Teeth, Dental Crowding, Arch Dimensions, Incisor Inclination, and Skeletal Growth Pattern
Authors: García-Gil Marta , Alarcón José Antonio , Cacho Alberto , Yañez-Vico Rosa , Palma-Fernández Juan C. , Martin Conchita
Published: April 2023

Background: We conducted research to investigate the effects of the eruption sequence of posterior teeth, arch dimensions, and incisor inclination on dental crowding. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional analytic study was performed on 100 patients (54 boys and 46 girls; mean ages: 11.69 and 11.16 years, respectively). Seq1 (canine-3-/second premolar-5-) or Seq2 (5/3) eruption sequences were recorded in maxilla, and Seq3 (canine-3-/first premolar-4-) or Seq4 (4/3) eruption sequences in mandible; tooth size, available space, tooth size-arch length discrepancy (TS-ALD), arch lengths, incisor inclination and distance, and skeletal relationship were noted. Results: The most common eruption sequences in the maxilla and mandible were Seq1 (50.6%), and Seq3 (52.1%), respectively. In the maxilla, posterior tooth sizes were larger in crowded cases. In the mandible, anterior and posterior tooth sizes were larger in crowded patients. No relationship between incisor variables and the maxillo-mandibular relationship and dental crowding was found. A negative correlation between inferior TS-ALD and the mandibular plane was found. Conclusions: Seq1 and Seq 2 in the maxilla and Seq 3 and Seq 4 in the mandible were equally prevalent. An eruption sequence of 3–5 in the maxilla and 3–4 in the mandible is more likely to cause crowding.
Incomplete Kawasaki Disease with Peripheral Facial Nerve Palsy and Lung Nodules: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Maglione Marco , Barlabà Annalisa , Grieco Michela , Cosimi Rosaria , Di Nardo Giangiacomo , Di Marco Giovanni Maria , Gelzo Monica , Castaldo Giuseppe , Tucci Celeste , Iodice Raffaella Margherita , Lonardo Maria Concetta , Tipo Vincenzo , Giannattasio Antonietta
Published: April 2023

The diagnosis of Kawasaki disease (KD) is challenging and often delayed mainly in case of young infants and in presence of an incomplete disease and atypical features. Facial nerve palsy is one of the rare neurologic symptoms of KD, associated with a higher incidence of coronary arteries lesions and may be an indicator of a more severe disease. Here, we describe a case of lower motor neuron facial nerve palsy complicating KD and perform an extensive literature review to better characterize clinical features and treatment of patients with KD-associated facial nerve palsy. The patient was diagnosed at the sixth day of disease and presented extensive coronary artery lesions. A prompt treatment with intravenous immunoglobulins, aspirin and steroids obtained a good clinical and laboratory response, with resolution of facial nerve palsy and improvement of coronary lesions. The incidence of facial nerve palsy is 0.9–1.3%; it is often unilateral, transient, more frequent on the left and seemingly associated with coronary impairment. Our literature review showed coronary artery involvement in the majority of reported cases (27/35, 77%) of KD with facial nerve palsy. Unexplained facial nerve palsy in young children with a prolonged febrile illness should prompt consideration of echocardiography to exclude KD and start the appropriate treatment.
Advances in the Research on Plant WRKY Transcription Factors Responsive to External Stresses
Authors: Wang Hongli , Cheng Xi , Yin Dongmei , Chen Dongliang , Luo Chang , Liu Hua , Huang Conglin
Published: April 2023

The WRKY transcription factors are a class of transcriptional regulators that are ubiquitous in plants, wherein they play key roles in various physiological activities, including responses to stress. Specifically, WRKY transcription factors mediate plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses through the binding of their conserved domain to the W-box element of the target gene promoter and the subsequent activation or inhibition of transcription (self-regulation or cross-regulation). In this review, the progress in the research on the regulatory effects of WRKY transcription factors on plant responses to external stresses is summarized, with a particular focus on the structural characteristics, classifications, biological functions, effects on plant secondary metabolism, regulatory networks, and other aspects of WRKY transcription factors. Future research and prospects in this field are also proposed.
Infliximab Inhibits Colitis Associated Cancer in Model Mice by Downregulating Genes Associated with Mast Cells and Decreasing Their Accumulation
Authors: Wang Dan-Yang , Ohnuma Shinobu , Suzuki Hideyuki , Ishida Masaharu , Ishii Kentaro , Hirosawa Takashi , Hirashima Tomoaki , Murakami Megumi , Kobayashi Minoru , Kudoh Katsuyoshi , Haneda Sho , Musha Hiroaki , Naitoh Takeshi , Unno Michiaki
Published: April 2023

Inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs), such as Crohn’s disease or ulcerative colitis, can be treated with anti TNF-alpha (TNF-α) antibodies (Abs), but they also put patients with IBDs at risk of cancer. We aimed to determine whether the anti TNF-α Ab induces colon cancer development in vitro and in vivo, and to identify the genes involved in colitis-associated cancer. We found that TNF-α (50 ng/mL) inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCT8 and COLO205 colon cancer cell lines and that anti TNF-α Ab neutralized TNF-α inhibition in vitro. The effects of anti TNF-α Ab, infliximab (10 mg/kg) were investigated in mouse models of colitis-associated cancer induced by intraperitoneally injected azoxymethane (AOM: 10 mg/kg)/orally administered dextran sodium sulfate (DSS: 2.5%) (AOM/DSS) in vivo. Infliximab significantly attenuated the development of colon cancer in these mice. Microarray analyses and RT-qPCR revealed that mast cell protease 1, mast cell protease 2, and chymase 1 were up-regulated in cancer tissue of AOM/DSS mice; however, those mast cell related genes were downregulated in cancer tissue of AOM/DSS mice with infliximab. These results suggested that mast cells play a pivotal role in the development of cancer associated with colitis in AOM/DSS mice.
Role of Some microRNA/ADAM Proteins Axes in Gastrointestinal Cancers as a Novel Biomarkers and Potential Therapeutic Targets—A Review
Authors: Kalita Agnieszka , Sikora-Skrabaka Magdalena , Nowakowska-Zajdel Ewa
Published: April 2023

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are some of the most common cancers in the world and their number is increasing. Their etiology and pathogenesis are still unclear. ADAM proteins are a family of transmembrane and secreted metalloproteinases that play a role in cancerogenesis, metastasis and neoangiogenesis. MicroRNAs are small single-stranded non-coding RNAs that take part in the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Some ADAM proteins can be targets for microRNAs. In this review, we analyze the impact of microRNA/ADAM protein axes in GI cancers.
Surface Structure and Properties of Hydroxyapatite Coatings on NiTi Substrates
Authors: Marchenko Ekaterina S. , Dubovikov Kirill M. , Baigonakova Gulsharat A. , Gordienko Ivan I. , Volinsky Alex A.
Published: April 2023

Hydroxyapatite coatings were deposited for 1, 2, and 3 h on NiTi substrates using plasma-assisted radio frequency sputtering. The matrix consisted of NiTi B2 and NiTi B19’ phases and Ti2Ni, Ni3Ti, and Ni4Ti3 intermetallic compounds. The surface coating was monoclinic hydroxyapatite. Increasing the deposition time to 3 h made it possible to form a dense hydroxyapatite layer without visible defects. The phase contrast maps showed that the coating consisted of round grains of different fractions, with the smallest grains in the sample deposited for 3 h. The wettability tests showed that the coating deposited for 3 h had the highest surface energy, reflected in the proliferation density of the MCF-7 cell line.
Enhancement of Thermoelectric Performance for InTe by Selective Substitution and Grain Size Modulation
Authors: Zhou Menghui , Li Juan , Dong Guoying , Gao Shufang , Feng Jianghe , Liu Ruiheng
Published: April 2023

The different masses, ionic radii, and chemical valences of the nonequivalent crystallographic sites of thermoelectric (TE) compounds provide an effective way to modulate the thermoelectric performance by selective substitution. In this work, the selective substitution of In+ by Pb for the binary InTe material monotonically reduces the carrier concentration, which is greatly beneficial to the mechanism investigation of serious grain boundary scattering (GBS). This is the first time this point has been mentioned with regard to InTe material. As a result, we found that GBS was dominated by the grain size when the carrier concentration was higher than 0.7 × 1019 cm−3 but was inversely governed by the carrier concentration when the carrier was situated at a lower density. In particular, the occupation of Pb on the targeted In+ site could further reduce the lattice thermal conductivity. Finally, In0.9999Pb0.0001Te achieved the improved power factor and average zT value, which could contribute to high-power generation below a medium temperature. This effect of increasing the carrier concentration on the suppression of GBS sheds light on the possibility of improving electron mobility by increasing the carrier concentration.
Exploitation of the Concept of Vicariance to Predict the Space Group of Lithiated Manganese or Cobalt Oxides
Authors: Prosini Pier Paolo
Published: April 2023

In this work, a machine learning program was used to predict the crystal structure of lithiated manganese or cobalt oxides based only on their chemical composition. The composition and crystal structure of lithiated iron oxides were used as trial matrix. To assign the crystal structure, the Euclidean distance between the stoichiometric coefficients of the elements of the compound under testing and the trial compound was calculated. The softmax function was used to convert this distance into a probability distribution. The compound under test was assigned the space group of the training compound that appeared with the highest percentage. The logarithmic cross-entropy loss was used in evaluating the forecast results. The results showed that the program, for logarithmic cross-entropy loss values between 0.2 and 0.3, can predict the crystalline group with an accuracy of about 0.67. In the same range, sensitivity and precision values are placed in a range between 0.6 and 0.8, respectively, and the F1_Score reaches values above 0.62.
Crystalline Nanodomains at Multifunctional Two-Dimensional Liquid–Metal Hybrid Interfaces
Authors: Karbalaei Akbari Mohammad , Siraj Lopa Nasrin , Zhuiykov Serge
Published: April 2023

Two-dimensional (2D) liquid–metal (LM) heterointerfaces with their tunable physicochemical characteristics are emerging platforms for the development of multifunctional hybrid nanostructures with numerous functional applications. From this perspective, the functionalization of LM galinstan nanoparticles (NPs) with crystalline nanodomains is a promising approach toward the synthesis of novel 2D hybrid LM heterointerfaces with unprecedented properties. However, the decoration of LM heterointerfaces with desired nanocrystalline structures is a challenging process due to simultaneous and intensive interactions between liquid–metal-based structures and metallic nanodomains. The present study discloses a facile and functional method for the growth of crystalline nanodomains at LM heterointerfaces. In this sonochemical-assisted synthesis method, acoustic waves provide the driving force for the growth of ultra-fine crystalline nanodomains on the surface of galinstan NPs. The galinstan NPs were initially engulfed within carbon nanotube (CNT) frameworks, to prevent intensive reactions with surrounding environment. These CNT frameworks furthermore separate galinstan NPs from the other products of sonochemistry reactions. The following material characterization studies demonstrated the nucleation and growth of various types of polycrystalline structures, including Ag, Se, and Nb nanodomains on 2D heterointerfaces of galinstan NPs. The functionalized galinstan NPs showed tunable electronic and photonic characteristics originated from their 2D hybrid interfaces.
Room and Elevated Temperature Sliding Friction and Wear Behavior of Al0.3CoFeCrNi and Al0.3CuFeCrNi2 High Entropy Alloys
Authors: Kadhim Dheyaa F. , Koricherla Manindra V. , Scharf Thomas W.
Published: April 2023

In this study, processing–structure–property relations were systematically investigated at room and elevated temperatures for two FCC Al0.3CoFeCrNi and Al0.3CuFeCrNi2 high-entropy alloys (HEAs), also known as complex concentrated alloys (CCAs), prepared by conventional arc-melting. It was determined that both alloys exhibit FCC single-phase solid solution structure. Micro-indentation and sliding wear tests were performed to study the hardness and tribological behavior and mechanisms at room and elevated temperatures. During room-temperature sliding, both alloys exhibit similar friction behavior, with an average steady-state coefficient of friction (COF) of ~0.8. Upon increasing sliding temperatures to 300 °C, the average COF decreased to a lowest value of ~0.3 for Al0.3CuFeCrNi2. Mechanistic wear studies showed this was due to the low interfacial shear strength tribofilms formed inside the wear tracks. Raman spectroscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy determined the tribofilms were predominantly composed of binary oxides and multi-element solid solution oxides. While the tribofilms at elevated temperatures lowered the COF values, the respective wear rates in both alloys were higher compared to room-temperature sliding, due to thermal softening during 300 °C sliding. Thus, these single FCC-phase HEAs provide no further benefit in wear resistance at elevated temperatures, and likely will have similar implications for other single FCC-phase HEAs.
Assessing Biodiversity Conditions in Cocoa Agroforests with a Rapid Assessment Method: Outcomes from a Large-Scale Application in Ghana
Authors: Oliveira Sandra , Raneri Jessica E. , Weise Stephan F.
Published: April 2023

Cocoa fields in West Africa traditionally kept other tree species to provide shade for cocoa trees and obtain food and other products. Measuring other trees is paramount to monitoring environmental conditions in cocoa agroforests, but it has been difficult to apply at a large scale. This study presents the results of a rapid assessment method applied in Ghana, developed to measure non-cocoa tree characteristics based on easily observed parameters using sample surveys and mapping tools. We collected data from over 8700 cocoa farms and evaluated their biodiversity performance based on 6 indicators classified according to recommended thresholds to benefit biodiversity conditions. Our results show that species richness, shade cover, and potential for tree succession have the lowest proportions of fields with the recommended levels, with variations among regions and districts. The methodological procedure allowed us to identify priority areas and indicators falling behind desirable thresholds, which can inform training and management approaches regarding biodiversity-friendly practices in cocoa fields tailored to the needs of the farmers. The analysis procedure was developed with open-access automated routines, allowing for easy updates and replication to other areas, as well as for other commodities, enabling comparisons at different spatial scales and contributing to monitoring biodiversity over time.
Immersion Time Determines Performance of Artificial Habitats in Commercial Harbours by Changing Biodiversity of Colonising Invertebrate Assemblages
Authors: Varenne Alix , Richardson Laura E. , Radford Andrew N. , Rossi Francesca , Lecaillon Gilles , Gudefin Anaïs , Bérenger Lucas , Abadie Etienne , Boissery Pierre , Lenfant Philippe , Simpson Stephen D.
Published: April 2023

In highly modified coastal environments, such as commercial harbours, the installation of artificial habitats has garnered support as a means of enhancing local biological recruitment and connectivity. The success of these measures depends largely on the patterns of species colonisation. Using post-installation monitoring data, we compared the composition of assemblages of invertebrates colonising artificial habitats that were immersed for different periods (~6 vs. ~18 months) in three commercial harbours along the French Mediterranean coast. The artificial habitats were colonised by taxonomically diverse invertebrate assemblages of ecological and economic importance, including molluscs, crustaceans, and echinoids. Composition differed significantly with the immersion time of the artificial habitats, with total abundance, species richness, and evenness being significantly higher after ~18 than after ~6 months of immersion, indicating that long periods are necessary to enrich these new habitats with economically and ecologically important species. These results can inform restoration protocols and emphasise the value of post-installation monitoring programs.
Checklist of the Mammal Collection Preserved at the University of Palermo under the Framework of the National Biodiversity Future Center
Authors: Lo Brutto Sabrina , Badalucco Antonina , Iacovera Rocco , Cilli Elisabetta , Sarà Maurizio
Published: April 2023

The latest reorganization of the Vertebrate collections preserved at the “Pietro Doderlein” Museum of Zoology of the University of Palermo (Italy) has made it possible to draw up a check-list of the Mammal taxa present in the stuffed (M), fluid-preserved (ML) and anatomical (AN) collections. The intervention was planned under the National Biodiversity Future Center (NBFC) agenda, focused on the enhancement of Italian natural history museums. The growing interest in museum collections strongly demands databases available to the academic and policy world. In this paper, we record 679 specimens belonging to 157 specific taxa arranged in 58 families and 16 orders. Most of the species (75.1%) come from the Palaearctic Region (southern Mediterranean and North Africa), with a minority of taxa coming from the Afrotropical (7.8%), Neotropical (4.6%), Indo-Malayan (3.4%) and Australasian (1%) regions. Among the 24% of the taxa listed in the IUCN categories as threatened (VU, EN, CR, RE) the specimens of the Sicilian wolf, a regional endemic subspecies that became extinct in the last century, stand out. Even if small (<1000 specimens), the collection of mammals of the Museum of Zoology is an important asset for research on biodiversity in the Mediterranean area, representing an international reference for those wishing to conduct morphological and genetic studies in this area.
Research on Interface Design of Interactive Response System App with Different Learning Styles
Authors: Chen Shih-Chieh , Lin Hsiao-Yi
Published: April 2023

This paper discusses the interaction between students (humans) and an interaction response system (IRS) app (machine) in the teaching context and explores the interface usability and interactive experience design through the experimental method. The experiment mainly explored the differences in the use of the IRS app by learners with different learning styles. A total of 72 subjects were recruited for the experiment, of which the four learning styles (diverger, assimilator, converger, and accommodator) and the two kinds of information architecture (deep/shallow) are discussed respectively. With operating time performance and use experience as dependent variables, the relationship between variables was explored. The results of this study are as follows: in the learning style factor, subjects of the reflection and observation type responded faster to vibration; in the information architecture factor, with the deep information architecture, it took longer for page switching as more pages needed to be switched, and thus the operation performance was poor. According to the results of the two-stage experiment, the following design suggestions are proposed. It is expected that the research results can contribute to the fields of interactive experience design and teaching technology.
Cardiac Troponin I in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous and Surgical Myocardial Revascularization: Comparison of Analytical Methods
Authors: Vendramini Sabrina Pacheco do Amaral , Strunz Célia Maria Cássaro , Hueb Whady Armindo , Mansur Antonio de Padua
Published: April 2023

The myocardial infarction (MI) types 4a and 5 guidelines recommend cardiac troponin (cTn) diagnostic decision limits of 5 and 10 times the 99th percentile, respectively. Different cTn kits elicit different responses, so the MI diagnosis is still challenging. The study aimed to establish the cutoff values and the accuracy of three different cTnI kits in the diagnosis of post-procedural MI. We analyzed 115 patients with multivessel stable chronic coronary artery disease; 26 underwent percutaneous coronary intervention, and 89 underwent coronary artery bypass graft. Delayed-enhancement magnetic resonance imaging was performed before and after each intervention for definitive MI diagnoses. Two contemporary and one high-sensitivity cTnI immunoassays were used. ROC curves determined the accuracy of each assay. Low accuracy was observed after applying the current guidelines recommendations. The three cTnI assays accuracies improved when adjusted by the new ROC cutoffs, reaching 82% for MI type 5 for all assays, and 78%, 88%, and 87% for MI type 4 for Siemens, Beckman, and Abbott, respectively. The ultrasensitive and contemporary tests’ accuracy for MI types 4a and 5 diagnoses are equivalent when adjusted for these new cutoffs. The hs-cTnI assays had lower accuracy than contemporary tests for MI types 4a and 5 diagnoses.
High Non-Cardiac Death Incidence Should Be a Limitation of Drug-Eluting Stents Implantation? Insights from Recent Randomized Data
Authors: Rodriguez Alfredo E. , Fernandez-Pereira Carlos , Mieres Juan Ramon , Rodriguez-Granillo Alfredo Matias
Published: April 2023

Despite the introduction of drug-eluting stents (DES) significantly improved the efficacy and safety of percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI), particularly in a high-risk group of patients, the gap between PCI with his competitor’s coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG) and/or optimal medical treatment alone was not reduced. In this revision, we highlighted the fact that in recent years landmark randomized studies reported at mid and long-term follow-ups a high incidence of non-cardiac death, cancer incidence, or both in the DES group of patients. The overall incidence of non-cardiac death was significantly higher in the DES vs. the comparator arm: 5.5% and 3.8%, respectively, p = 0.000018, and non-cardiac death appears to be more divergent between DES vs. the comparator at the extended follow-up to expenses of the last one. One of these trials reported five times greater cancer incidence in the DES arm at late follow-up, 5% vs. 0.7% p < 0.0018. We review the potential reason for these unexpected findings, although we can discard that DES biology could be involved in it. Until all these issues are resolved, we propose that DES implantation should be tailored accorded patient age, life expectancy, and lesion complexity.
Deep Learning-Based Algorithm for Automatic Detection of Pulmonary Embolism in Chest CT Angiograms
Authors: Grenier Philippe A. , Ayobi Angela , Quenet Sarah , Tassy Maxime , Marx Michael , Chow Daniel S. , Weinberg Brent D. , Chang Peter D. , Chaibi Yasmina
Published: April 2023

Purpose: Since the prompt recognition of acute pulmonary embolism (PE) and the immediate initiation of treatment can significantly reduce the risk of death, we developed a deep learning (DL)-based application aimed to automatically detect PEs on chest computed tomography angiograms (CTAs) and alert radiologists for an urgent interpretation. Convolutional neural networks (CNNs) were used to design the application. The associated algorithm used a hybrid 3D/2D UNet topology. The training phase was performed on datasets adequately distributed in terms of vendors, patient age, slice thickness, and kVp. The objective of this study was to validate the performance of the algorithm in detecting suspected PEs on CTAs. Methods: The validation dataset included 387 anonymized real-world chest CTAs from multiple clinical sites (228 U.S. cities). The data were acquired on 41 different scanner models from five different scanner makers. The ground truth (presence or absence of PE on CTA images) was established by three independent U.S. board-certified radiologists. Results: The algorithm correctly identified 170 of 186 exams positive for PE (sensitivity 91.4% [95% CI: 86.4–95.0%]) and 184 of 201 exams negative for PE (specificity 91.5% [95% CI: 86.8–95.0%]), leading to an accuracy of 91.5%. False negative cases were either chronic PEs or PEs at the limit of subsegmental arteries and close to partial volume effect artifacts. Most of the false positive findings were due to contrast agent-related fluid artifacts, pulmonary veins, and lymph nodes. Conclusions: The DL-based algorithm has a high degree of diagnostic accuracy with balanced sensitivity and specificity for the detection of PE on CTAs.
Quantum Central Limit Theorems, Emergence of Classicality and Time-Dependent Differential Entropy
Authors: Kieu Tien D.
Published: April 2023

We derive some quantum central limit theorems for the expectation values of macroscopically coarse-grained observables, which are functions of coarse-grained Hermitian operators consisting of non-commuting variables. Thanks to the Hermiticity constraints, we obtain positive-definite distributions for the expectation values of observables. These probability distributions open some pathway for the emergence of classical behaviours in the limit of an infinitely large number of identical and non-interacting quantum constituents. This is in contradistinction to other mechanisms of classicality emergence due to environmental decoherence and consistent histories. The probability distributions thus derived also enable us to evaluate the non-trivial time-dependence of certain differential entropies.
Federated Learning Based Fault Diagnosis Driven by Intra-Client Imbalance Degree
Authors: Zhou Funa , Yang Yi , Wang Chaoge , Hu Xiong
Published: April 2023

Federated learning is an effective means to combine model information from different clients to achieve joint optimization when the model of a single client is insufficient. In the case when there is an inter-client data imbalance, it is significant to design an imbalanced federation aggregation strategy to aggregate model information so that each client can benefit from the federation global model. However, the existing method has failed to achieve an efficient federation strategy in the case when there is an imbalance mode mismatch between clients. This paper aims to design a federated learning method guided by intra-client imbalance degree to ensure that each client can receive the maximum benefit from the federation model. The degree of intra-client imbalance, measured by gain of a class-by-class model update on the federation model based on a small balanced dataset, is used to guide the designing of federation strategy. An experimental validation for the benchmark dataset of rolling bearing shows that a 23.33% improvement of fault diagnosis accuracy can be achieved in the case when the degree of imbalance mode mismatch between clients is prominent.
Phytoplankton Diversity and Bioindication of the Lakes in the Burabay National Natural Park, Northern Kazakhstan
Authors: Barinova Sophia , Krupa Elena , Khitrova Yelena
Published: April 2023

The problem of assessing the impact of pollution in protected areas prompted us to apply a combined method of bioindication and spatial mapping of phytoplankton data from six lakes in the Burabay National Nature Park in Northern Kazakhstan. The issue of monitoring planning was quite acute for this landscape-homogeneous area among the Kulunda steppes. Phytoplankton in each of the six lakes was collected in the summer season of 2019 at a total of 54 sampling stations. In total, 139 species of algae and cyanobacteria from seven taxonomic phyla were found in the phytoplankton of the Burabay Park during the study period. Three phyla were the richest in species: diatoms, green algae, and cyanobacteria. Based on species richness, abundance, and biomass, as well as bioindicators and calculated indices of organic pollution and toxic effects, the current ecological state of the lake was assessed as being under the influence of pollution, of the mesotrophic type and with a high capacity for self-purification. Statistical mapping, calculated by the correlation of the species composition and categories of indicators, revealed the zones of anthropogenic impact located on the shores of the lake, and the water of the lakes as weakly alkaline, quality classes 2–3. An increase in the number of cyanobacteria in coastal communities was revealed, which may be associated with an increase in the biogenic load on the lake ecosystems. The results of the analysis and mapping of indicators revealed that two major factors regulated phytoplankton: salinity and organic pollution. The sources of organic pollution are mostly associated with the intake of substances from the coastal zone, where resorts, roads, and settlements are located.
Attitudes and Perceptions of School Principals about the Contribution of Evaluation to the Efficient Operation of Schools Both at the Administrative and Educational Levels
Authors: Brinia Vasiliki , Katsionis Christos , Gkouma Andriani , Vrekousis Ioannis
Published: April 2023

Evaluating teachers and educational work is now mandatory in the Greek educational system. The current study aims at investigating the attitudes and perceptions of principals of Piraeus Secondary Education units regarding the contributions of this evaluation law to the orderly functioning of schools in terms of administrative and educational aspects. For this qualitative research, a semi-structured interview was chosen as the results collection method. The interview questions included respondents’ demographic information and interview questions corresponding to three thematic axes according to the research questions. The convenience sample consisted of twelve (12) principals of secondary school units from the greater Piraeus area. All interviewed principals recognized the need for the evaluation process in education and agreed on the importance of their roles and responsibilities for the effectiveness of the proper functioning of their units. Nine respondents underlined the need for training teachers on new technologies, six considered internal evaluation reports as a means of weaknesses identification and improvement and five believed the evaluation imposed by the Ministry of Education creates negative feelings. As concluded, evaluation is of great educational importance, as it contributes to teachers’ professional development and schools’ educational quality improvement. However, when implemented suddenly or imposed by the state, it causes pressure, stress, fear, nervousness, and insecurity.
Experiences of Epistemic Injustice among Minority Language Students Aged 6–16 in the Nordics: A Literature Review
Authors: Wee Hana L. , Karkkulainen Evelyn A. , Tateo Luca
Published: April 2023

Background: Scandinavian education systems are recognized as being particularly inclusive. Nevertheless, an inclusive approach to education risks adopting a patronizing attitude that silences the voices of the very people who should be included. To discuss the role of epistemic justice in inclusion, we investigated current knowledge about the epistemic injustice experienced by students from immigrant backgrounds in Scandinavia; teacher perceptions of those students; and whether such perceptions influence student–teacher interactions. Do these perceptions lead to disparities? Method: A literature review was conducted focused on studies about the Nordic countries; teacher perceptions of students from immigrant backgrounds aged 6–16; and student–teacher interaction. The corpus included papers in English and the Nordic languages. Eight papers were included and rated by two independent authors. Results: The findings show that teacher perceptions of students from immigrant backgrounds influence student–teacher interaction in both verbal and non-verbal ways. The negative perceptions that teachers held of students from immigrant backgrounds led to experiences of epistemic injustice and epistemic exclusion. The literature provided no information on disparities in special needs education or assessment. Conclusions: Due to the limited literature on this topic, further research needs to be undertaken in order to fully understand experiences of epistemic injustice in schools. Further research into why students from immigrant backgrounds feel excluded and why they are lagging behind is also required.
An Adaptive Layered Clustering Framework with Improved Genetic Algorithm for Solving Large-Scale Traveling Salesman Problems
Authors: Xu Haiyang , Lan Hengyou
Published: April 2023

Traveling salesman problems (TSPs) are well-known combinatorial optimization problems, and most existing algorithms are challenging for solving TSPs when their scale is large. To improve the efficiency of solving large-scale TSPs, this work presents a novel adaptive layered clustering framework with improved genetic algorithm (ALC_IGA). The primary idea behind ALC_IGA is to break down a large-scale problem into a series of small-scale problems. First, the k-means and improved genetic algorithm are used to segment the large-scale TSPs layer by layer and generate the initial solution. Then, the developed two phases simplified 2-opt algorithm is applied to further improve the quality of the initial solution. The analysis reveals that the computational complexity of the ALC_IGA is between O(nlogn) and O(n2). The results of numerical experiments on various TSP instances indicate that, in most situations, the ALC_IGA surpasses the compared two-layered and three-layered algorithms in convergence speed, stability, and solution quality. Specifically, with parallelization, the ALC_IGA can solve instances with 2×105 nodes within 0.15 h, 1.4×106 nodes within 1 h, and 2×106 nodes in three dimensions within 1.5 h.
Attenuation Characterization of Terahertz Waves in Foggy and Rainy Conditions at 0.1–1 THz Frequencies
Authors: Liao Xi , Fan Linjie , Wang Yang , Yu Ziming , Wang Guangjian , Li Xianjin , Zhang Jie
Published: April 2023

Investigating the absorption and scattering effects of atmospheric particles, i.e., raindrops and fog droplets, is required to establish a comprehensive and accurate channel model. However, for long-distance communication in outdoor scenarios, research on the propagation characterization of fog and rain attenuation in the terahertz (THz) band is insufficient. In this study, fog and rain attenuation characterization with different conditions are characterized. First, fog attenuation at different temperatures and diverse visibility is explored using Rayleigh approximation theory and Mie theory. The results demonstrate that visibility and frequency have a stronger effect than temperature on fog attenuation. Then, rain attenuation as a function of rainfall rate is theoretically determined using Mie theory and the Joss, M-P, and Weibull distribution. The results show that rainfall rate and frequency have greater impact than raindrop distribution on rain attenuation. There are large differences in rainfall attenuation under diverse distributions. Accurate fog and rainfall attenuation information can be used to better estimate path loss and the link budget for terahertz communication in outdoor scenarios.
Failure Detection Techniques on the Demand Side of Smart and Sustainable Compressed Air Systems: A Systematic Review
Authors: Borg Massimo , Refalo Paul , Francalanza Emmanuel
Published: April 2023

The industrial sector is a crucial economic pillar, seeing annual increases in the production output. In the last few years, a greater emphasis has been placed on the efficient and sustainable use of resources within industry. The use of compressed air in this field is hence gaining interest. These systems have numerous benefits, such as relative low investment costs and reliability; however, they suffer from low-energy efficiency and are highly susceptible to faults. Conventional detection systems, such as ultrasonic leak detection, can be used to identify faults. However, these methods are time consuming, meaning that leakages are often left unattended, contributing to additional energy wastage. Studies published in this area often focus on the supply side rather than the demand side of pneumatic systems. This paper offers a novel review based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) methodology of fault detection methods on the demand side of compressed air systems, leading towards a comprehensive understanding of smart and sustainable pneumatic systems. Fifty-three studies were classified and reviewed under the following three areas: (a) demand parameters which help in identifying fault sources; (b) approaches taken to analyse the parametric data; and (c) the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in pneumatic fault monitoring systems. This review shows that fault detection on the demand side has received greater importance in the last five years and that data analysis is crucial for AI to be implemented correctly. Nevertheless, it is clear that further research in this sector is essential, in order to investigate more complex systems. It is envisaged that this study can promote the adoption of such systems, contributing to an energy-efficient and cost-effective industry.
Electromechanical Coupling Dynamic Characteristics of the Dual-Motor Electric Drive System of Hybrid Electric Vehicles
Authors: Ge Shuaishuai , Hou Shuang , Yao Mingyao
Published: April 2023

The electric mode is the main operational mode of dual-motor hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), so the reliability of the dual-motor electric drive system (DEDS) is particularly important. To research the electromechanical coupling mechanism of the DEDS of HEVs, firstly, considering the time-varying mesh stiffness of gears and the nonlinear characteristics of inverters, an electromechanical coupling dynamics model of the DEDS was established, including the permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) and the gear transmission system. Then, the electromechanical coupled dynamic characteristics of the DEDS in the single-motor and dual-motor drive modes were analyzed under steady-state and impact load conditions, respectively. The results show that the motor stator current frequency is modulated by the complicated gear meshing frequency, and the operation state of the gear transmission system can thus be monitored in the stator current. Impact load causes the instantaneous torsional vibration of the transmission system dominated by the first-order natural frequency, and the vibration characteristic frequency appears in the form of a side frequency in the stator current signal; moreover, compared with the single-motor drive mode, the speed synchronization error in the dual-motor drive mode will aggravate torsional vibration in the gear system. The impact energy of the gear system caused by external impact load can be suppressed by reducing the speed synchronization error.
Impacts of Different Operation Conditions and Geological Formation Characteristics on CO2 Sequestration in Citronelle Dome, Alabama
Authors: Fathi Ebrahim , Arcentales Danilo , Belyadi Fatemeh
Published: April 2023

Major concerns of carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration in subsurface formations are knowledge of the well injectivity and gas storage capacity of the formation, the CO2 pressure and saturation plume extensions during and after injection, and the risks associated with CO2 leakage and fault reactivation. Saline reservoirs are considered as one of the target formations for CO2 sequestration through structural, residual, dissolution, and mineral trapping mechanisms. The boundary condition of the saline reservoir dictates the pressure and saturation plume extension of the injected supercritical CO2 that could expand over large distances. This can lead to sources of risk, e.g., leakage and/or fault reactivation due to presence of wells, thief zones, and geological discontinuities. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop a model that describes how risk-related performance metrics (i.e., the CO2 saturation plume size, the pressure differential plume area, and the pressure differential at specific locations) vary as a function of the size of injection, time following injection, injection operations, and geologic environment. In this study, a systematic reservoir modeling studies of anthropogenic CO2 sequestration in Citronelle dome, Alabama, was performed where all relevant scenarios and conditions to address the questions of the saturation and pressure plume size in the area of review (AoR) and post-injection site care (PISC) are considered. The objective for this study was firstly to systematically simulate CO2 sequestration, i.e., saturation dynamics, and pressure behavior over a range of operational and geological conditions and to derive conclusions about the factors influencing saturation and pressure plume size, post-injection behavior, and the risk associated with them, by developing third-generation reduced order models (ROMs) for reservoir behavior. Finally, to assess the uncertainty associated with our studies, Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) together with an experimental design technique, i.e., Plackett–Burman design, was used. Application of Pareto charts and respond surfaces enabled us to determine the most important parameters impacting saturation and pressure plume sizes and to quantify the auto- and cross-correlation among different parameters in both history-matched and upscaled models.
Double Dual High Step-Up Power Converter with Reduced Stored Energy
Authors: Robles-Campos Hector R. , Valderrabano-Gonzalez Antonio , Rosas-Caro Julio C. , Gabbar Hossam A. , Babaiahgari Bhanu
Published: April 2023

This paper introduces a dual-switchhigh step-up DC-DC power converter. The proposed converter features a high step-up voltage gain, relatively low cumulative stored energy over its inductors, low voltage stress on the active switches, and high efficiency, even at a relatively high duty ratio. An assessment of the proposed converter against conventional boost and a high step-up power converter is presented in terms of steady-state time, voltage gain, stored energy over its inductors, and efficiency. The assessment shows a reduction of 81.25% and 62.5% of stored energy in inductors to comply with the same operational conditions. Simulation and experimental results are provided to validate the benefits of the proposed dual-switch high step-up power converter.