bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prescribing Trends for Acne Vulgaris Visits in the United States
Authors: Perche Patrick , Peck Gabrielle , Robinson Lillian , Grada Ayman , Fleischer Alan , Feldman Steven
Published: January 2023

Acne vulgaris is the most common reason for pediatric patients and third most common reason for adult patients to seek care from a dermatologist in the US. However, referring providers may be reluctant to initiate patients on acne treatment or certain prescriptions. We assessed over-the-counter (OTC) and prescription acne (antibiotic and non-antibiotic) treatment rates to characterize differences by patient demographics and provider specialty. The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NAMCS) was analyzed for all acne therapies prescribed for at least 10 unweighted visits between 1993 and 2016 (most recent years available). Prescription rates varied by age, with younger patients more likely to receive a prescription; insurance status, with privately insured patients more likely to receive a prescription; and across and within specialties, with dermatologists more likely to recommend a prescription medication than family medicine and pediatric providers. Among all forms of antibiotics for acne vulgaris, oral minocycline was the most commonly prescribed antibiotic by dermatologists, followed by oral doxycycline. Oral minocycline was also the most common antibiotic prescribed by family physicians, followed by oral doxycycline and oral clindamycin, respectively. Pediatricians appeared to be less likely to prescribe oral antibiotics for acne. The OTC topical antimicrobial benzoyl peroxide was the most utilized drug for acne among pediatricians, and it was also the most commonly recommended OTC drug for acne among dermatologists, family physicians, and pediatricians.
Comparison of Intake of Food Groups Based on Dietary Inflammatory Index (DII) and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in the Middle-Age Population of Lower Silesia: Results of the PURE Poland Study
Authors: Szypowska Alicja , Regulska-Ilow Bożena , Zatońska Katarzyna , Szuba Andrzej
Published: January 2023

Chronic inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of many non-infectious diseases, including cardiovascular diseases (CVD), a leading cause of death in Europe. The aim of the study was to assess the inflammatory potential of the diets of participants enrolled in the Polish arm of the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study, evaluate the association between the dietary inflammatory index (DII) score with the dietary content, and to determine the correlation of DII score with selected anthropometric parameters and biochemical risk factors for CVD. Diets were assessed with the Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ). Among participants with pro-inflammatory diets, we reported higher mean values of triglycerides (TG), fasting glucose (FG), atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), and the Castelli’s risk index (CRI) in the group of men and women, and higher waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) in the group of women. Pro-inflammatory diets were associated with higher intake of refined grains, sweets, juices, red meat, high-fat cheese and cream, alcohol, fats except for vegetable oils, potatoes, sugar and honey, French fries, fried fish, and processed/high-fat poultry. Moreover, study participants with pro-inflammatory diets consumed more milk, low-fat dairy, and eggs associated with unhealthy dietary habits, but this should not be considered as an independent CVD risk factor. Anthropometric and biochemical outcomes were more favorable among study participants who consumed more vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, raisins, pulses, low-fat poultry, and tea. However, association of beverage consumption with dietary inflammatory potential requires further study.
Unraveling Hepatic Metabolomic Profiles and Morphological Outcomes in a Hybrid Model of NASH in Different Mouse Strains
Authors: Bacil Gabriel P. , Romualdo Guilherme R. , Piagge Priscila M. F. D. , Cardoso Daniel R. , Vinken Mathieu , Cogliati Bruno , Barbisan Luís F.
Published: January 2023

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) encompasses nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and affects 25% of the global population. Although a plethora of experimental models for studying NASH have been proposed, still scarce findings regarding the hepatic metabolomic/molecular profile. In the present study, we sought to unravel the hepatic metabolomic profile of mice subjected to a hybrid model of NASH, by combining a Western diet and carbon tetrachloride administration, for 8 weeks, in male C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice. In both mouse strains, the main traits of NASH—metabolic (glucose intolerance profile), morphologic (extensive microvesicular steatosis and fibrosis, lobular inflammation, and adipose tissue-related inflammation/hypertrophy), and molecular (impaired Nrf2/NF-κB pathway dynamics and altered metabolomic profile)—were observed. The hepatic metabolomic profile revealed that the hybrid protocol impaired, in both strains, the abundance of branched chain-aromatic amino acids, carboxylic acids, and glycosyl compounds, that might be linked to the Nrf2 pathway activation. Moreover, we observed a strain-dependent hepatic metabolomic signature, in which the tricarboxylic acid metabolites and pyruvate metabolism were dissimilarly modulated in C57BL/6J and BALB/c mice. Thus, we provide evidence that the strain-dependent hepatic metabolomic profile might be linked to the distinct underlying mechanisms of NASH, also prospecting potential mechanistic insights into the corresponding disease.
Ether Lipid-Mediated Antioxidant Defense in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Jové Mariona , Mota-Martorell Natàlia , Obis Èlia , Sol Joaquim , Martín-Garí Meritxell , Ferrer Isidre , Portero-Otin Manuel , Pamplona Reinald
Published: January 2023

One of the richest tissues in lipid content and diversity of the human body is the brain. The human brain is constitutively highly vulnerable to oxidative stress. This oxidative stress is a determinant in brain aging, as well as in the onset and progression of sporadic (late-onset) Alzheimer’s disease (sAD). Glycerophospholipids are the main lipid category widely distributed in neural cell membranes, with a very significant presence for the ether lipid subclass. Ether lipids have played a key role in the evolution of the human brain compositional specificity and functionality. Ether lipids determine the neural membrane structural and functional properties, membrane trafficking, cell signaling and antioxidant defense mechanisms. Here, we explore the idea that ether lipids actively participate in the pathogenesis of sAD. Firstly, we evaluate the quantitative relevance of ether lipids in the human brain composition, as well as their role in the human brain evolution. Then, we analyze the implications of ether lipids in neural cell physiology, highlighting their inherent antioxidant properties. Finally, we discuss changes in ether lipid content associated with sAD and their physiopathological implications, and propose a mechanism that, as a vicious cycle, explains the potential significance of ether lipids in sAD.
S-Propargyl-Cysteine Ameliorates Peripheral Nerve Injury through Microvascular Reconstruction
Authors: Xi Haiyan , Wang Chenye , Li Qixiu , Ye Qing , Zhu Yizhun , Mao Yicheng
Published: January 2023

Microvascular reconstruction is essential for peripheral nerve repair. S-Propargyl-cysteine (SPRC), the endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) donor, has been reported to promote angiogenesis. The aim of this study is to utilize the pro-angiogenic ability of SPRC to support peripheral nerve repair and to explore the potential mechanisms. The effects and mechanisms of SPRC on angiogenesis and peripheral nerve repair were examined under hypoxic condition by establishing a sciatic nerve crushed injury model in mice and rats, and a hypoxia model in human umbilical vascular endothelial cells (HUVECs) in vitro. We found that SPRC accelerated the function recovery of the injured sciatic nerve and alleviated atrophy of the gastrocnemius muscle in mice. It facilitated the viability of Schwann cells (SCs), the outgrowth and myelination of regenerated axons, and angiogenesis in rats. It enhanced the viability, proliferation, adhesion, migration, and tube formation of HUVECs under hypoxic condition. SPRC activated sirtuin1 (SIRT1) expression by promoting the production of endogenous H2S, and SIRT1 negatively regulated Notch signaling in endothelial cells (ECs), thereby promoting angiogenesis. Collectively, our study has provided important evidence that SPRC has an effective role in peripheral nerve repair through microvascular reconstruction, which could be a potentially effective medical therapy for peripheral nerve injury.
Exercise Restores Hypothalamic Health in Obesity by Reshaping the Inflammatory Network
Authors: Della Guardia Lucio , Codella Roberto
Published: January 2023

Obesity and overnutrition induce inflammation, leptin-, and insulin resistance in the hypothalamus. The mediobasal hypothalamus responds to exercise enabling critical adaptions at molecular and cellular level that positively impact local inflammation. This review discusses the positive effect of exercise on obesity-induced hypothalamic dysfunction, highlighting the mechanistic aspects related to the anti-inflammatory effects of exercise. In HFD-fed animals, both acute and chronic moderate-intensity exercise mitigate microgliosis and lower inflammation in the arcuate nucleus (ARC). Notably, this associates with restored leptin sensitivity and lower food intake. Exercise-induced cytokines IL-6 and IL-10 mediate part of these positive effect on the ARC in obese animals. The reduction of obesity-associated pro-inflammatory mediators (e.g., FFAs, TNFα, resistin, and AGEs), and the improvement in the gut–brain axis represent alternative paths through which regular exercise can mitigate hypothalamic inflammation. These findings suggest that the regular practice of exercise can restore a proper functionality in the hypothalamus in obesity. Further analysis investigating the crosstalk muscle–hypothalamus would help toward a deeper comprehension of the subject.
Impact of Lactic Acid Bacteria Fermentation on Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activity of Avocado Leaf Extracts
Authors: De Montijo-Prieto Soumi , Razola-Díaz María del Carmen , Barbieri Federica , Tabanelli Giulia , Gardini Fausto , Jiménez-Valera Maria , Ruiz-Bravo Alfonso , Verardo Vito , Gómez-Caravaca Ana Mª
Published: January 2023

The growing global consumption of avocados, associated with contents including bioactive compounds with numerous health-promoting properties, is producing a large amount of agro wastes around the world. Different management approaches are available for the recovery of bioactive compounds from wastes as potential ingredients for use in the production of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Lactic acid fermentation can be used to exploit nutritional potential and add value to agro wastes. In this study, fermentations with lactic acid bacteria were carried out in avocado leaves, and the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity were determined by DPPH and FRAP assays from hydroalcoholic extracts obtained from fermented avocado leaves. Fifteen new phenolic compounds were identified for the first time in avocado leaves by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS. L. plantarum CECT 748T and P. pentosaceus CECT 4695T showed the highest antioxidant activity. The sum of phenolic compounds was increased by 71, 62, 55 and 21% in fermentations with P. pentosaceus CECT 4695T, L. brevis CECT 5354, P. acidilactici CECT 5765T and L. plantarum CECT 9567, respectively, while it was reduced in the fermentation with L. plantarum 748T by 21% as demonstrated by HPLC-ESI-TOF-MS. Biotransformations induced by bacterial metabolism modified the phenolic compound profile of avocado leaves in a strain-specific-dependent manner. P. pentosaceus CECT 4695T significantly increased kaempferol, P. pentosaceus 4695T, L. brevis 5354 and L. plantarum 9567 increased rutin, and dihydro-p-coumaric acid was increased by the five selected lactic acid bacteria. Total flavonoids were highly increased after fermentations with the five selected lactic acid bacteria but flavonoid glucosides were decreased by L. plantarum 748T, which was related to its higher antioxidant activity. Our results suggest that lactic acid bacteria led the hydrolysis of compounds by enzymatic activity such as glycosidases or decarboxylase and the release of phenolics bound to the plant cell wall, thus improving their bioavailability.
Aflatoxin B1 Induced Oxidative Stress and Gut Microbiota Disorder to Increase the Infection of Cyprinid Herpesvirus 2 in Gibel Carp (Carassius auratus gibelio)
Authors: Xue Mingyang , Fu Miao , Zhang Mengwei , Xu Chen , Meng Yan , Jiang Nan , Li Yiqun , Liu Wenzhi , Fan Yuding , Zhou Yong
Published: January 2023

Aflatoxin contamination of food and water is a serious problem worldwide. This study investigated the defensive ability of gibel carp exposed to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) by challenging it with cyprinid herpesvirus 2 (CyHV-2) infection. The data showed that AFB1 exposure significantly increased the mortality of CyHV-2-infected gibel carp, and enhanced the viral load in the fish liver, kidney, and spleen. The oxidative-antioxidant balance suggested that AFB1 induced severe oxidative stress, including increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels in the AFB1 exposed group, and the reduced activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione-S-transferase (GST) and catalase (CAT) in the AFB1 exposed group. Meanwhile, the related expression of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and the type 1 interferon (IFN1) were noticeably down-regulated, but caspase-1 was up-regulated, after exposure to AFB1, demonstrating that fish are unable to avoid the virus infection. It should be noted that the intestinal microbiota diversity and richness were lower in the AFB1 exposed group, and the composition of intestinal microbiota was affected by AFB1, resulting in the higher abundance of bacteria (such as Aeromonas and Bacteroides) and the lower abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria (such as Cetobacterium and Clostridium) in the AFB1 exposed group. This research provides insight into the possibility that AFB1 may increase the susceptibility of C. gibelio to CyHV-2 infection, and thus amplify the viral outbreak to endanger ecological safety in aquatic environment.
Effect of Dietary Supplemented with Mulberry Leaf Powder on Growth Performance, Serum Metabolites, Antioxidant Property and Intestinal Health of Weaned Piglets
Authors: Ma Jiayu , Wang Jian , Jin Xiaoyun , Liu Sujie , Tang Shaofeng , Zhang Zhenghua , Long Shenfei , Piao Xiangshu
Published: January 2023

Background: The study aimed to explore the effect of mulberry leaf powder (MP) on the performance, serum metabolites and antioxidant property, as well as intestinal health, of weaned piglets. A total of 120 healthy piglets weighing 8.43 ± 1.91 kg (Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire); weaned at 28 d) were chosen and classified into four treatments with three replicates of 10 piglets each based on a randomized complete block design (barrow:gilt = 1:1). The diet treatments were a corn–soybean meal basal diet added with 0% (Ctrl), 2% (MP_2), 4% (MP_4) and 6% MP (MP_6), respectively. The feeding experiment was 28 days in total. The feeding period lasted for 28 days in total. Results: The diet supplemented with 2% MP had no detrimental effects on the growth performance, immunity, enzyme capacity and inflammatory factors, as well as intestinal barrier function. MP_2 is capable of decreasing the levels of serum D-lactic acid and lactate dehydrogenase, enhancing the superoxide dismutase capacity in the liver and diminishing the potential pathogenic bacteria Allisonella in the colon. However, compared with MP_2, MP_6 had unfavorable effects on the average daily gain and average daily feed intake; the concentration of serum non-esterified fatty acids; the activities of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase and the capacity of lipase and amylase, as well as the intestinal barrier function-related mRNA expression of occludin, claudin-1 and mucin-2 in piglets. Conclusion: Taken together, piglets fed with 2% MP had no adverse effect and was capable of improving the serum metabolites, enhancing the antioxidant capacity (SOD) and lowering the potential pathogenic bacteria of the hindgut (Allisonella). However, the highest concentration of MP (6%) may cause detrimental effects for piglets, which are probably associated with the higher antinutritional factors and fiber. Therefore, the dietary supplementation of 2% MP for piglets may be advisable.
Individual and Combined Antioxidant Activity of Spices and Spice Phenolics
Authors: Hossain Mohammad B. , Ahmed Lubna , Martin-Diana Anna Belen , Brunton Nigel P. , Barry-Ryan Catherine
Published: January 2023

The present study investigated the interaction effects (additive, synergistic, and antagonistic) of different groups of spices, their constituent phenolic compounds, and synthetic antioxidants on the total phenol (TP) content and antioxidant activity, as measured by the ferric-reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) of the mixtures. The results showed that there was an additive effect in all the groups studied, except for the group containing turmeric or curcumin. The groups containing turmeric or curcumin showed a moderate synergistic effect. Among the groups of spices, the highest summated TP (50.6 mg GAE/mL) and FRAP (106.2 mg Trolox/mL) values were observed in the group containing clove, cinnamon, pimento, rosemary, oregano, and cardamom. In the case of the groups of pure phenolics, the highest summated TP (364.96 mg GAE/mL) and FRAP (1124.25 mg Trolox/mL) values were observed in the group containing eugenol, acetyl eugenol, caffeic acid, and protocatechuic acid. The summated and combined TP and FRAP values of the samples correlated highly with the correlation coefficients (r2) of 0.976 and 0.988, respectively, inferring an additive nature of the interaction effect in most of the groups studied. The interactions of phenolics in mixtures are very complex, being affected by a number of factors, and requires more investigations. The current study will add considerable knowledge to the existing literature to understand the diversity and mechanisms of interactions.
City Ditty: An Immersive Soundscape Sketchpad for Professionals of the Built Environment
Authors: Yanaky Richard , Tyler Darcy , Guastavino Catherine
Published: January 2023

Soundscape planning remains a challenge to many urban practitioners due in part to a scarcity of soundscape design tools. While many sound planning tools exist, they are generally geared towards acousticians rather than professionals of the built environment (e.g., urban designers, planners, or landscape architects). This paper walks through the user-centered design process for the development and evaluation of a new soundscape design tool, City Ditty. A User-Centered Design approach was utilized to identify and develop functionalities that would benefit urban practitioners that do not currently specialize in sound. This began with a literature review of existing soundscape tools, followed by a user needs assessment with professionals of the built environment, consisting of a workshop including focus groups, tech demos, and a collaborative soundscape design exercise. These results funneled into the development of City Ditty: an immersive soundscape sketchpad that facilitates rapid audio-visual prototyping of urban soundscapes. To make City Ditty accessible to users with no expertise in sound, we developed a sound awareness session that walks the user through 36 tasks. These hands-on tasks illustrate soundscape design principles while serving as instructions on how to use the many functions of City Ditty, e.g., listen to the city soundscape at different times of the day, pedestrianize the city centre, modify permissible construction times, and add birdfeeders to attract sounds of nature. A usability study was conducted with six participants to evaluate the tool using Desktop Virtual Reality, determine new functionalities, and determine how to best facilitate user engagement in order to encourage adoption by practitioners. The direction of future soundscape tools is discussed.
GDReBase: A Knowledge Base for Relations between Human Gut Microbes and Diseases Based on Deep Learning
Authors: Xu Haolei , Li Xin , Dai Xiaolong , Liu Chunhao , Wang Dongxiao , Zheng Chenghao , Liu Kaihua , Liu Sitong , Zeng Yufei , Song Ziyang , Cui Shanzhu , Xu Yongdong
Published: January 2023

Gut microbes play a prominent role in many aspects of human health, as seen through the increasing number of related studies. The accumulation of intestinal-flora-related studies enables us to better understand the various relationships between human gut microbes and other factors that affect the human body. However, the existing database does not meet the requirements of scientists to browse or retrieve the latest and most comprehensive published data. Thus, a knowledge base containing data related to gut microbes with updates occurring in real time would be highly valuable. We present a knowledge base of consistently curated relationships between human gut microbes and disease. By continuously and automatically collecting papers published in mainstream journals and using deep learning and NLP methods for entity relationship identification, GDReBase has now integrated 3674 diseases, 687 microbes, 7068 relationships, and 13,553 pieces of evidence from 518,286 papers, a figure that will continue to grow. GDReBase is a convenient and comprehensive resource for gut microbiology research and can be accessed free of charge.
The Effect and the Potential Use of Magnetic–Dam Barrier in Guided Bone Regeneration: A Laboratory Study
Authors: Memè Lucia , Bambini Fabrizio , Gallusi Gianni , Sartini Davide , Pozzi Valentina , Emanuelli Monica , Strappa Enrico M. , Mummolo Stefano
Published: January 2023

Guided bone regeneration (GBR) has been shown to be an optimal technique to accelerate the bone regeneration process thanks to the action of membrane barriers that promote tissue healing through the process of osteogenesis, inducing the repopulation with osteoprogenitor cells that prevent the invasion of non-osteogenic tissue. However, current membranes, such as expanded polytetrafluoroethylene or rubber dam, have some disadvantages that could potentially reduce the effectiveness of GBR. Recently, some scaffolds with magnetic properties have been tested to promote rapid osteogenesis. The aim of this laboratory study was to evaluate the intensity of the magnetic field generated by a custom-made rubber dam magnetised with neodymium-iron-boron (Nd2F14B) (three layers of latex filled with Nd2F14B powder on the inner surface) and to understand the effects of such a membrane on cell viability. A magnetic field of 750 G, 400 G, and 900 G was generated on the surface and on the long and wide sides of 3 and 2 cm in contact with the rubber dam. At a distance of 1 mm from the magnetic dam, a magnetic field of 300 G, 150 G, and 400 G was measured on the surface and on the long and wide sides of the rubber dam, respectively. After 72 h, the MG-63 osteoblast-like line showed a slight decrease in cell proliferation (85 ± 10) compared with the unmodified dam (95 ± 6) and the cell control population. According to our findings, this magnetic cofferdam is able to generate a static magnetic field and significantly affect cell proliferation in contrast to other nonabsorbable membranes. Further laboratory studies and subsequent clinical trials are needed to evaluate the significant improvements that can be achieved by using this type of magnetic rubber dam in GBR.
Modeling, Design and Suspension Force Analysis of a Novel AC Six-Pole Heteropolar Hybrid Magnetic Bearing
Authors: Wu Chao , Li Shanshou
Published: January 2023

To improve the radial suspension force of heteropolar hybrid magnetic bearing (HMB), a novel AC six-pole heteropolar HMB is proposed. Firstly, the structure, magnetic circuit, and suspension force generation principle are introduced and analyzed. Secondly, the equivalent magnetic circuits are established. The mathematical models of magnetic resistances, air gap magnetic fluxes, and levitation force are derived by node magnetomotive force (MMF) method. The main parameters of prototype heteropolar HMB, such as outer and inner air-gap length, winding turns, and permanent magnets, are designed. Then, the analysis model is established by MagNet 3D. The magnetic circuit, air-gap flux density, suspension mechanism, force-current relationships, force-displacement relationships, and force coupling characteristics are analyzed and calculated. Finally, the experimental system was built to test the levitation force and levitation displacement waveforms. The research results have shown that the proposed novel six-pole heteropolar HMB has a reasonable structure and magnetic circuit. The design method is also proven to be correct. Furthermore, it is compared with the traditional heteropolar six-pole HMB, the maximum suspension forces in the X and Y directions are increased by 1.96 and 2.02 times, respectively.
Comparing a Fuzzy Hybrid Approach with Invariant MGCFA to Study National Identity
Authors: Martín Juan Carlos , Indelicato Alessandro
Published: January 2023

National identity studies diverge on several issues, such as the number of factors and their respective items’ adscription. Multi-Group Confirmatory Factor Analysis (MGCFA) is the standard method applied to cross-national datasets. Differences between groups can be the result of measurement artefacts. We argue that these problems can be better addressed by an alternative approach that builds a synthetic indicator named Relative National Identity Synthetic Indicator (RNISI), based on a Fuzzy Hybrid Analysis (FHA). The study aims to shed some light on the study of the latent variable national identity by comparing two methodologies: the classic method most often used (MGCFA) and the Fuzzy-Hybrid Approach, which, to our knowledge, has not been previously applied. This empirical study was based on a dataset from across ten countries using two waves (2003 and 2013) of the International Social Survey Programme (ISSP). The FHA results were compared with those obtained by two MGCFA models in which national identity was built as a second-order construct that depends on the ethnic, ancestry and civic first-order latent variables. The comparison lets us conclude that FHA can be considered a valid tool to measure the national identity by groups, and to provide additional information in form of elasticity figures. These figures can be employed to analyse the indicator’s sensitivity by group and for each of the items included in the national identity construct.
Scour Detection with Monitoring Methods and Machine Learning Algorithms—A Critical Review
Authors: Tola Sinem , Tinoco Joaquim , Matos José C. , Obrien Eugene
Published: January 2023

Foundation scour is a widespread reason for the collapse of bridges worldwide. However, assessing bridges is a complex task, which requires a comprehensive understanding of the phenomenon. This literature review first presents recent scour detection techniques and approaches. Direct and indirect monitoring and machine learning algorithm-based studies are investigated in detail in the following sections. The approaches, models, characteristics of data, and other input properties are outlined. The outcomes are given with their advantages and limitations. Finally, assessments are provided at the synthesis of the research.
Cryptographic Protocol with Keyless Sensors Authentication for WBAN in Healthcare Applications
Authors: Delgado-Vargas Kevin Andrae , Gallegos-Garcia Gina , Escamilla-Ambrosio Ponciano Jorge
Published: January 2023

Nowadays, technological advances provide people with more facilities and luxuries in life. Medicine is no exception; for example, different wireless sensors can be used to monitor patients’ state of health. These sensors are used in the so-called Wireless Body Area Networks (WBAN), to improve the efficiency of doctor-patient activities at any time, in any body area, and anywhere. However, health data contains sensitive information that becomes a critical issue requiring special attention when transmitted within a WBAN. In other words, WBAN must be protected from malicious devices that intercept, alter or access without authorization or even deny the health information being transmitted. In this article, we present the design of a new cryptographic protocol that guarantees three security services, authentication, confidentiality, and integrity by securing sensitive information communication through a WBAN. We also consider a keyless sensors authentication method to distinguish whether or not the devices are placed on the same individual’s body. A formal analysis of the protocol is carried out using cryptographic protocol verification tools to guarantee its correct construction and that it provides appropriate security.
Blockchain-Based Decentralized Federated Learning Method in Edge Computing Environment
Authors: Liu Song , Wang Xiong , Hui Longshuo , Wu Weiguo
Published: January 2023

In recent years, federated learning has been able to provide an effective solution for data privacy protection, so it has been widely used in financial, medical, and other fields. However, traditional federated learning still suffers from single-point server failure, which is a frequent issue from the centralized server for global model aggregation. Additionally, it also lacks an incentive mechanism, which leads to the insufficient contribution of local devices to global model training. In this paper, we propose a blockchain-based decentralized federated learning method, named BD-FL, to solve these problems. BD-FL combines blockchain and edge computing techniques to build a decentralized federated learning system. An incentive mechanism is introduced to motivate local devices to actively participate in federated learning model training. In order to minimize the cost of model training, BD-FL designs a preference-based stable matching algorithm to bind local devices with appropriate edge servers, which can reduce communication overhead. In addition, we propose a reputation-based practical Byzantine fault tolerance (R-PBFT) algorithm to optimize the consensus process of global model training in the blockchain. Experiment results show that BD-FL effectively reduces the model training time by up to 34.9% compared with several baseline federated learning methods. The R-PBFT algorithm can improve the training efficiency of BD-FL by 12.2%.
Disappearance of Mountain Glaciers in East Asian Monsoon Region since Onset of the Last Glacial Period
Authors: Liu Rui , Zang Shuying , Zhao Lin , Wang Chunlei , Zhang Boxiong , Wu Xiaodong
Published: January 2023

Discussing the development and shrinkage process of glaciers is of great significance for the in–depth comprehension of regional environmental evolution and predicting global changes. However, there is little understanding of the developmental and retreat processes of mountain glaciers during the Late Quaternary (150 ka) in the East Asian Monsoon region. Using the latest chronological glacial data from eastern China, Taiwan, the Russian Far East, and the Japanese islands of Hokkaido and Honshu, which are all regions impacted by the East Asian Monsoon, we screened reliable glacial age data. This study compiled and compared the age sequences of the different mountain glaciations (dating techniques included optically–stimulated luminescence (OSL), thermoluminescence (TL), electron spin resonance (ESR), U–series (U), cosmogenic nuclides (10Be/CRN), carbon–14 (14C) and potassium–argon (K–Ar), etc.). Based on the evolutionary features of the glaciations in these mountains, by comparison with the marine isotope stage (MIS) environment, the influence of monsoonal circulation patterns on the regional development of glaciers was analyzed. This study determined that Japanese mountain glacial stages since 150 ka are the most complete in the East Asian Monsoon region, having developed during MIS 6–1. Taiwanese mountain glaciers developed during MIS 4–1, but glacial stages in continental East Asia were relatively short, with glaciers first developing only during MIS 3b–1. The reason for this this phenomenon is that the tectonic uplift in different subregions was significantly different; on the other hand, it is also related to the difference of precipitation between land and sea in monsoon climate. By comparing the glacial glaciations in the East Asian Monsoon region with western China, we found that there were significant differences between the extent, onset time, and length of glacial periods. Since the Last Glacial Period, precipitation levels have become transitional and concentrated during the summer months, and temperatures have been continuously changing as a result of the many periodic changes in the East Asian Monsoon. From the Early Last Glacial Period (MIS 4) to the Middle Last Glacial Period (MIS 3b) to the Last Glacial Period (MIS 2/LGM–YD), climatic conditions increasingly restricted the development of glaciers; the regional environment continued to warm until glaciers completely disappeared during the Late Holocene.
Punctuation Restoration with Transformer Model on Social Media Data
Authors: Bakare Adebayo Mustapha , Anbananthen Kalaiarasi Sonai Muthu , Muthaiyah Saravanan , Krishnan Jayakumar , Kannan Subarmaniam
Published: January 2023

Several key challenges are faced during sentiment analysis. One major problem is determining the sentiment of complex sentences, paragraphs, and text documents. A paragraph with multiple parts might have multiple sentiment values. Predicting the overall sentiment value for this paragraph will not produce all the information necessary for businesses and brands. Therefore, a paragraph with multiple sentences should be separated into simple sentences. With a simple sentence, it will be effective to extract all the possible sentiments. Therefore, to split a paragraph, that paragraph must be properly punctuated. Most social media texts are improperly punctuated, so separating the sentences may be challenging. This study proposes a punctuation-restoration algorithm using the transformer model approach. We evaluated different Bidirectional Encoder Representations from Transformers (BERT) models for our transformer encoding, in addition to the neural network used for evaluation. Based on our evaluation, the RobertaLarge with the bidirectional long short-term memory (LSTM) provided the best accuracy of 97% and 90% for restoring the punctuation on Amazon and Telekom data, respectively. Other evaluation criteria like precision, recall, and F1-score are also used.
Towards Accurate Children’s Arabic Handwriting Recognition via Deep Learning
Authors: Bin Durayhim Anfal , Al-Ajlan Amani , Al-Turaiki Isra , Altwaijry Najwa
Published: January 2023

Automatic handwriting recognition has received considerable attention over the past three decades. Handwriting recognition systems are useful for a wide range of applications. Much research has been conducted to address the problem in Latin languages. However, less research has focused on the Arabic language, especially concerning recognizing children’s Arabic handwriting. This task is essential as the demand for educational applications to practice writing and spelling Arabic letters is increasing. Thus, the development of Arabic handwriting recognition systems and applications for children is important. In this paper, we propose two deep learning-based models for the recognition of children’s Arabic handwriting. The proposed models, a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a pre-trained CNN (VGG-16) were trained using Hijja, a recent dataset of Arabic children’s handwriting collected in Saudi Arabia. We also train and test our proposed models using the Arabic Handwritten Character Dataset (AHCD). We compare the performance of the proposed models with similar models from the literature. The results indicate that our proposed CNN outperforms the pre-trained CNN (VGG-16) and the other compared models from the literature. Moreover, we developed Mutqin, a prototype to help children practice Arabic handwriting. The prototype was evaluated by target users, and the results are reported.
Postural Reactions to External Mediolateral Perturbations: A Review
Authors: Borkowski Rafał , Błażkiewicz Michalina
Published: January 2023

Background: Mediolateral perturbations caused by external pulling and pushing forces can occur in everyday living. Although the loss of balance can appear in all directions, coping with frontal plane perturbations is more challenging. In literature, it is common to compare postural responses between the elderly and the young, but the accurate description of reactions in the young is lacking. This manuscript aims to review all previous papers investigating how healthy young adults deal with mediolateral perturbations in a standing position, including reviewing the methodology, outcomes, and sequence of responses in these studies. Methods: A systematic review was conducted of papers published from 1999 to 2022. The databases searched were PubMed, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and EBSCO. Eight publications met the inclusion criteria. Results: There is no consensus on the methodology for conducting this type of research and how to collect the data, as it varies between authors. Many papers lack an accurate description and justification of the magnitude of imposed perturbations. It has been shown that the first joint torque and muscle response on perturbation may not be produced by active and voluntary muscle contraction, but are due to tissue stiffness. Such stiffness-based balance control does not directly involve the CNS and provides an immediate and appropriate corrective response. Conclusions: Postural reactions to mediolateral perturbations are a complicated process that still need further, systematized investigation.
Insight into the Impact of Food Processing and Culinary Preparations on the Stability and Content of Plant Alkaloids Considered as Natural Food Contaminants
Authors: Casado Natalia , Casado-Hidalgo Gema , González-Gómez Lorena , Morante-Zarcero Sonia , Sierra Isabel
Published: January 2023

Pyrrolizidine alkaloids, tropane alkaloids and opium alkaloids are natural plant toxins that have recently gained special interest in food safety due to their concerning occurrence in many foods and feeds. Although a legislation for these alkaloids has recently been established, the concentration levels of these toxins in food exceed in many cases the maximum limit established by the competent authorities. Moreover, these regulations only establish maximum limits of these compounds for certain raw materials, but processed products are generally not considered. However, it is important to correctly assess the potential health risk of these alkaloids through the diet. Accordingly, this review aims to provide insight into these alkaloids and give an overview on how food processing and culinary preparation can influence their content and stability. For this purpose, the most relevant works that address the effect of heat treatment, fermentation, infusion preparation (transfer rate) and other treatments (milling, washing and soaking) on these natural toxins are reviewed. To date, this research field has been scarcely studied and many of the results published are contradictory, so it is not always possible to establish conclusive findings. In many cases, this is due to a lack of experimental design and exhaustive control of the different variables that may affect these treatments and preparations. Likewise, considering the transformation of these alkaloids into toxic degradation products it is also of high interest. Therefore, further studies are needed to delve deeper into the stability of these toxins and to understand how their content may be affected by the transformation of contaminated raw materials into processed products, so that the risk exposure of the population to these alkaloids through diet can be determined more precisely. Hence, this topic constitutes a research line of great interest for future works with many challenges to be resolved.
Distributed Event-Triggered Synchronization for Complex Cyber–Physical Networks under DoS Attacks
Authors: Huang Xiaojie , Xia Yunxia , Ding Da-Wei
Published: January 2023

With the continuous development of the networked society, the ability of cyber attackers is becoming increasingly intelligent, posing a huge threat to complex cyber–physical networks (CCPNs). Therefore, how to design a security strategy for CCPNs under attack has become an urgent problem to be solved, which promotes our work. The problem of the distributed event-triggered synchronization of CCPNs in the presence of denial-of-service (DoS) attacks is investigated in this paper. Firstly, a distributed event-triggered controller is designed such that all nodes of networks are synchronized without DoS attacks by relieving the communication occupancy rate of limited bandwidths. Meanwhile, Zeno and singular triggering behaviors are excluded to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed event-triggered strategy. Secondly, in view of the continuous switching of CCPNs topologies caused by DoS attacks, an event-triggered control (ETC) strategy is proposed to ensure the synchronization of CCPNs under DoS attacks. Meanwhile, the frequency and duration of tolerable DoS attacks that can ensure the stability of the systems are calculated. Finally, two examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Field-Testing a Proteomics-Derived Machine-Learning Model for Predicting Coral Bleaching Susceptibility
Authors: Mayfield Anderson B. , Lin Chiahsin
Published: January 2023

Given the widespread decline of coral reefs, temperature-focused models have been generated to predict when and where bleaching events may occur (e.g., Coral Reef Watch). Although such algorithms are adept at forecasting the onset of bleaching in many areas, they suffer from poor predictive capacity in regions featuring corals that have adapted or acclimatized to life in marginal environments, such as reefs of the Florida Keys (USA). In these locales, it may instead be preferred to use physiological data from the corals themselves to make predictions about stress tolerance. Herein proteomic data from both laboratory and field samples were used to train neural networks and other machine-learning models to predict coral bleaching susceptibility in situ, and the models’ accuracies were field-tested with massive corals (Orbicella faveolata) sampled across a 2019 bleaching event. The resulting artificial intelligence was capable of accurately predicting whether or not a coral would bleach in response to high temperatures based on its protein signatures alone, meaning that this approach could consequently be of potential use in delineating O. faveolata climate resilience.
Design and Dynamic Analysis of the Wire-Line Coring Robot for Deep Lunar Rocks
Authors: Wen Yufeng , Zhang Guoqing , Xie Heping , Gao Mingzhong , Zhang Xu , Wang Yaohui , Li Cunbao
Published: January 2023

Deep lunar rocks carry geological information about the primitive Moon and are of great scientific value. In this paper, a coring robot for deep lunar rocks was proposed for the lunar environment based on the wire-line sampling device. This robot consists of the coring executor on the ground to assist in coring tube replacement and sample storage and the wireline self-excavating coring (WSC) robot for active drilling underground, which can provide autonomous deep coring on the moon. Subsequently, based on Prandtl’s failure mechanism and the prediction equations of the mechanical properties of the lunar soil, the mathematical relationship between the ultimate support force and the depth of the support point of the WSC robot was constructed. Additionally, the drilling scheme of the WSC robot at different depths was also determined. The constraint model of the impact module was established, and the structural parameters were optimized through non-linear programming to achieve the maximum impact energy. Simulations of the impact process were then carried out in explicit dynamics. The simulation results show that the optimized impact module can effectively drill through the lunar rocks. This result validates, to some extent, the drilling capability of the WSC robot in lunar rocks. The research work can provide technical reference and theoretical support for deep coring lunar rocks.
TeleFE: A New Tool for the Tele-Assessment of Executive Functions in Children
Authors: Rivella Carlotta , Ruffini Costanza , Bombonato Clara , Capodieci Agnese , Frascari Andrea , Marzocchi Gian Marco , Mingozzi Alessandra , Pecini Chiara , Traverso Laura , Usai Maria Carmen , Viterbori Paola
Published: January 2023

In recent decades, the utility of cognitive tele-assessment has increasingly been highlighted, both in adults and in children. The present study aimed to present TeleFE, a new tool for the tele-assessment of EF in children aged 6–13. TeleFE consists of a web platform including four tasks based on robust neuropsychological paradigms to evaluate inhibition, interference suppression, working memory, cognitive flexibility, and planning. It also includes questionnaires on EF for teachers and parents, to obtain information on the everyday functioning of the children. As TeleFE allows the assessment of EF both remotely and in-person, a comparison of the two modalities was conducted by administering TeleFE to 1288 Italian primary school children. A series of ANOVA was conducted, showing no significant effect of assessment modality (p > 0.05 for all the measures). In addition, significant differences by class emerged for all the measures (p < 0.001 for all the measures except p = 0.008 for planning). Finally, a significant sex effect emerged for inhibition (p < 0.001) and for the reaction times in both interference control (p = 0.013) and cognitive flexibility (p < 0.001), with boys showing a lower inhibition and faster reaction times. The implications of these results along with the indications for the choice of remote assessment are discussed.
Special Issue on Improving the Environmental Performances of Maritime Transport and Ports
Authors: Giuffrida Nadia , Twrdy Elen , Ignaccolo Matteo
Published: January 2023

In recent years, we have witnessed an increase in maritime freight transport, leading to great economic performance for the ports and regions in which they are located; this has also led to an increase in related externalities, with environmental issues occurring during all the phases of navigation, and especially at terminals [...]
Evaluation and Economics of Shale Gas Reserves in the Flysch-Eocene Formation of the Jaca Basin
Authors: Valle-Falcones Laura M. , Grima-Olmedo Carlos , Rodríguez-Pons Esparver Ramón , Zamarro-Toves Enrique
Published: January 2023

The new international outlook for the gas sector suggests evaluating exploitable reserves in previously unconsidered areas including hydraulic fracturing technology. In order to estimate the amount of gas in the Jaca Flysch formation, the analysis of geological and geophysical logs and the volumetric method have been used. It has been taking into account the part of the formation likely to contain gas, the porosity (2.65%) calculated from sonic logs with Wyllie’s equation, the water saturation (35.3%) with Archie’s formula, and the initial gas formation volume factor (Bgi), estimated with MHA-P3 software with the reservoir pressure/temperature data 3600 psi/90 °C. The economic analysis of each well has been carried out based on three options, without stimulation, with 50% and 100% stimulation by fracking, and five possible construction costs (7.5–15 MM€). The impact of the use of the fracking technology on the production of the well is about 48%. The production rate and the economic impact that its exploitation would have on the domestic demand for natural gas has been analyzed, resulting in a significant contribution to the national energy mix of between 10–20% of consumption for several years.