bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Quantification of Myocyte Disarray in Human Cardiac Tissue
Authors: Giardini Francesco , Lazzeri Erica , Vitale Giulia , Ferrantini Cecilia , Costantini Irene , Pavone Francesco S. , Poggesi Corrado , Bocchi Leonardo , Sacconi Leonardo
Published: November 2021

Proper three-dimensional (3D)-cardiomyocyte orientation is important for an effective tension production in cardiac muscle. Cardiac diseases can cause severe remodeling processes in the heart, such as cellular misalignment, that can affect both the electrical and mechanical functions of the organ. To date, a proven methodology to map and quantify myocytes disarray in massive samples is missing. In this study, we present an experimental pipeline to reconstruct and analyze the 3D cardiomyocyte architecture in massive samples. We employed tissue clearing, staining, and advanced microscopy techniques to detect sarcomeres in relatively large human myocardial strips with micrometric resolution. Z-bands periodicity was exploited in a frequency analysis approach to extract the 3D myofilament orientation, providing an orientation map used to characterize the tissue organization at different spatial scales. As a proof-of-principle, we applied the proposed method to healthy and pathologically remodeled human cardiac tissue strips. Preliminary results suggest the reliability of the method: strips from a healthy donor are characterized by a well-organized tissue, where the local disarray is log-normally distributed and slightly depends on the spatial scale of analysis; on the contrary, pathological strips show pronounced tissue disorganization, characterized by local disarray significantly dependent on the spatial scale of analysis. A virtual sample generator is developed to link this multi-scale disarray analysis with the underlying cellular architecture. This approach allowed us to quantitatively assess tissue organization in terms of 3D myocyte angular dispersion and may pave the way for developing novel predictive models based on structural data at cellular resolution.
Interactions Between Environment and Genetic Diversity in Perennial Grass Phenology: A Review of Processes at Plant Scale and Modeling
Authors: Rouet Simon , Barillot Romain , Leclercq Denis , Bernicot Marie-Hélène , Combes Didier , Escobar-Gutiérrez Abraham , Durand Jean-Louis
Published: November 2021

In perennial grasses, the reproductive development consists of major phenological stages which highly determine the seasonal variations of grassland biomass production in terms of quantity and quality. The reproductive development is regulated by climatic conditions through complex interactions subjected to high genetic diversity. Understanding these interactions and their impact on plant development and growth is essential to optimize grassland management and identify the potential consequences of climate change. Here, we review the main stages of reproductive development, from floral induction to heading, i.e., spike emergence, considering the effect of the environmental conditions and the genetic diversity observed in perennial grasses. We first describe the determinants and consequences of reproductive development at individual tiller scale before examining the interactions between plant tillers and their impact on grassland perenniality. Then, we review the available grassland models through their ability to account for the complexity of reproductive development and genetic × environmental interactions. This review shows that (1) The reproductive development of perennial grasses is characterized by a large intraspecific diversity which has the same order of magnitude as the diversity observed between species or environmental conditions. (2) The reproductive development is determined by complex interactions between the processes of floral induction and morphogenesis of the tiller. (3) The perenniality of a plant is dependent on the reproductive behavior of each tiller. (4) Published models only partly explain the complex interactions between morphogenesis and climate on reproductive development. (5) Introducing more explicitly the underlying processes involved in reproductive development in models would improve our ability to anticipate grassland behavior in future growth conditions.
Connecting the Dots Between Mindset and Impostor Phenomenon, via Fear of Failure and Goal Orientation, in Working Adults
Authors: Noskeau Rebecca , Santos Angeli , Wang Weiwei
Published: November 2021

This study aims to investigate the relationship between mindset and impostor phenomenon, via the explanatory role of fear of failure and goal orientation in the work domain. Only one known study has previously connected mindset and impostor phenomenon in the scientific literature among females in a university setting. Data was collected from 201 working adults, with a roughly equal male-female ratio, from a range of sectors in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and United States. Participants completed an online survey comprising the Implicit Theories of Intelligence Scale, the Performance Failure Appraisal Inventory, Work Domain Goal Orientation Instrument, and the Clance Impostor Phenomenon Scale (CIPS). We tested a serial-parallel mediation model using structural equation modeling. The results suggest that people with a fixed mindset tend to experience more impostor phenomenon at work and this relationship is predominantly explained by their fear of failure. Further, when employees are also motivated by a performance avoid goal orientation, the relationship increases in strength. This indirect relationship suggests that staff training, and coaching interventions designed to increase people’s belief that they can develop their abilities results in a reduction of their fear of failure and in their motivation to want to avoid showing their inability at work. The results also suggest cultivating environments that promote a growth mindset and learning goal orientation, alongside the safety to fail, could lessen the negative effects of having a fixed mindset, reduce fear of failure, and alleviate impostor phenomenon’s negative impact on employee career development and wellbeing.
The Effect of the Online and Offline Blended Teaching Mode on English as a Foreign Language Learners’ Listening Performance in a Chinese Context
Authors: Jiang Yuhong , Chen Yingying , Lu Jiasheng , Wang Yiqing
Published: November 2021

With the rapid development of digitalisation, multimedia and network-based communication technology, all walks of life are undergoing change and development driven by the application of the internet to conventional industries. Especially because of the outbreak of coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19), English teaching and learning modes are undergoing revolutionary changes worldwide (Wong et al., 2020). Online courses and materials have become the norm for students, and combined with offline English learning activities, an online and offline blended learning mode has ultimately emerged (Graham, 2006;Whittaker, 2013). Whereas blended learning has been considered in several contexts, it has been less investigated in the field of blended English learning mode for the listening comprehension ability and emotional experiences of young learners of Chinese English as a foreign language (EFL) while doing the tasks. Thus, this study focussed on the achievement and experience of Chinese EFL junior high school students during blended learning using Quizlet software as the online learning tool. This study aimed to explore the following: (1) the effect of the online and offline blended mode on the learning outcomes of students and (2) the experience of students while engaging with blended tasks in terms of their learning interest, attitude, and strategy use in English listening learning. A 4-month teaching intervention involving the online and offline blended mode was conducted in English listening classes. Adopting mixed-methods qualitative and quantitative research, this study examined the engagement process of two classes of students and analysed data from their English listening tests and follow-up in-depth interviews. The results suggested that the blended activity was conducive to enhancing the listening performance of students. Moreover, the attitudes of students toward English listening learning shifted from a relatively negative engagement to a more positive one. Meanwhile, the interest of students grew and their learning strategies became more diversified. These findings have implications for English teaching and learning activity design for young learners.
Flow as a Key Predictor of Subjective Well-Being Among Chinese University Students: A Chain Mediating Model
Authors: Wu Jun , Xie Mei , Lai Yao , Mao Yanhui , Harmat Laszlo
Published: November 2021

The present study investigated a conceptual model by testing flow experience and subjective well-being of university students during Coronavirus Diseas-19 (COVID-19)viaconsidering their underlying mechanisms of academic self-efficacy and self-esteem. A total of 1,109 Chinese university students completed a questionnaire containing scales of subjective well-being, flow, academic self-efficacy, and self-esteem. Results yielded from the structural equation modeling analysis indicated a significant and positive association between flow experience and subjective well-being, and such an association was sequentially mediated by academic self-efficacy and self-esteem. Findings also provided empirical evidence for the proposed model highlighting the significant role of flow experience at the higher educational context in predicting subjective well-being of Chinese university students, and how such a relation can be supported by suggested mediating roles academic self-efficacy and self-esteem played.
Identified Motivation as a Key Factor for School Engagement During the COVID-19 Pandemic-Related School Closure
Authors: Combette Léa Tân , Camenen Etienne , Rotge Jean-Yves , Schmidt Liane
Published: November 2021

On March 16, 2020, French schools suddenly closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and middle school students were asked to study from home with no direct interactions with teachers or classmates. However, school plays an important role in the development of social, intellectual, and mental competencies and can counteract the negative effects of adverse life events on learning and early school dropout. In this study, we investigated how the unusual context of school closure during the COVID-19 pandemic affected school engagement. Specifically, we focused on inter-individual differences in the motivational determinants of school engagement. We thus performed an online survey of 170 students focusing on the time spent on mathematics assignments, motivation regulation, implicit theories of intelligence, such as adopting a growth or a fixed mindset about his/her intellectual abilities, and optimism. Importantly, the students participated in the online survey during the first lockdown period, with schools closed (T1), and the second lockdown period, with schools remaining open (T2). During T1, identified motivation positively predicted the time spent on math homework assignments: the more the students thought that working on math exercises was useful for their future life, the more time they spent studying. Importantly, the link between identified motivation and school engagement was specific to T1, when schools were closed, as indicated by a significant interaction between identified motivations by type of lockdown. These results suggest that having self-determined motivation is of particular importance when students are deprived of social and intellectual interactions with classmates and teachers. This finding paves the way toward the development of wise rational interventions that target identified motivation and can be applied during challenging societal times and adverse, common life events to keep students engaged with school.
Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Organization Big Five Scale
Authors: Meng Yong , Yu Boxiang , Li Chaoping , Lan Yuanmei
Published: November 2021

This study translates the Organization Big Five Scale (ORG-B5) into Chinese and tests its reliability and validity. In Study 1 (N=406), the ORG-B5 was translated into Chinese, and an exploratory factor analysis established the scale’s factorial validity. In Study 2 (N=391), confirmatory factor analyses found that the five-factor correlation model fit the data best. The results from the configural, metric, and scalar invariance models also demonstrate that the ORG-B5 is equivalent across gender, age, and work tenure. The relationship between ORG-B5 and related constructs was also explored further. This study argues that the Chinese version of ORG-B5 provides researchers with a psychometrically sound and efficient tool to assess the Big Five personality traits within organizations in the Chinese context.
More Than Morningness: The Effect of Circadian Rhythm Amplitude and Stability on Resilience, Coping, and Sleep Duration
Authors: Di Milia Lee , Folkard Simon
Published: November 2021

Self-report tools that measure circadian rhythms have focused primarily on phase. We add to the sparse literature on assessing amplitude and stability. We randomly recruited 1,163 participants who completed several measures. The correlation between the LV scale (amplitude) and FR scale (stability) was −0.12 (p < 0.01). As expected, amplitude was negatively associated with phase (r = −0.64, p < 0.01) while stability showed a weak link with phase (r = 0.07, p < 0.05). Structural equation modeling suggested a close model-fit of the factor structure in the sample (RMSEA = 0.033). The LV scale explained 22% of the variance, while the FR scale explained 23%. Scale reliability was satisfactory for the LV scale (0.68) and good for the FR scale (0.73). Participants with low amplitude or flexible rhythms reported significantly better resilience, coping, and required less daily sleep. We constructed a composite circadian categorical variable to combine the best attributes from the LV and FR scales; participants with both low amplitude and flexible rhythms, reported significantly better resilience, coping, and less sleep need. We found rhythm amplitude decreased with age, while stability remained constant.
Physiological Considerations to Support Podium Performance in Para-Athletes
Authors: Gee Cameron M. , Lacroix Melissa A. , Stellingwerff Trent , Gavel Erica H. , Logan-Sprenger Heather M. , West Christopher R.
Published: November 2021

The twenty-first century has seen an increase in para-sport participation and the number of research publications on para-sport and the para-athlete. Unfortunately, the majority of publications are case reports/case series or study single impairment types in isolation. Indeed, an overview of how each International Paralympic Committee classifiable impairment type impact athlete physiology, health, and performance has not been forthcoming in the literature. This can make it challenging for practitioners to appropriately support para-athletes and implement evidence-based research in their daily practice. Moreover, the lack of a cohesive publication that reviews all classifiable impairment types through a physiological lens can make it challenging for researchers new to the field to gain an understanding of unique physiological challenges facing para-athletes and to appreciate the nuances of how various impairment types differentially impact para-athlete physiology. As such, the purpose of this review is to (1) summarize how International Paralympic Committee classifiable impairments alter the normal physiological responses to exercise; (2) provide an overview of “quick win” physiological interventions targeted toward specific para-athlete populations; (3) discuss unique practical considerations for the para-sport practitioner; (4) discuss research gaps and highlight areas for future research and innovation, and (5) provide suggestions for knowledge translation and knowledge sharing strategies to advance the field of para-sport research and its application by para-sport practitioners.
Burnout Syndrome in Brazilian Medical Doctors: A Cross-Sectional Examination of Risk and Protective Factors
Authors: Becker Natalia Dalla Costa , Carlos da Rocha Adilson , Follador Franciele Aní Caovilla , Wendt Guilherme Welter , Ferreto Lirane Elize Defante , Fortes Paulo Nunes , Amorim João Paulo Arruda
Published: November 2021

Objectives:This investigation sought to identify the prevalence of Burnout Syndrome (BS) among Brazilian medical doctors (BS) and the associations with risk factors and protective factors.

Methods:Out of 206 registered MD from a medium-sized municipality, 121 were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Convenience sampling was used. Based on Cohen'sf2, a power of 98% and a 0.05 alpha was achieved. MD responded to sociodemographic questions and to the Portuguese-version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Human Services Survey (MBI). Risk and protective factors linked with BS were examined with regression analyses.

Results:The age of the participants ranged from 25 to 69 years (M = 40.89; SD = 10.13) and 73.6% were male. The prevalence of BS was 7.5%. Differential aspects were related to BS. For instance, while not reporting satisfaction with the institution (β = 16.16,p< 0.001) and not practicing physical exercise (β = 7.39,p= 0.014) were associated with higher scores in the BS composite score, those who did not intend to change their careers (β = −17.15,p< 0.001) and participants who saw mental health specialists (β = −8.99,p= 0.007) scored lower, accounting for nearly a half of the BS composite score (R2= 46%).

Conclusion:The prevalence of BS in this study falls within the range previously reported among healthcare professionals (i.e., 2.6–11.8%). Moreover, data suggested that commitment with the occupation and with the participant's own mental health could boost reactions against the deleterious effects of the BS. In this sense, organizations can develop strategies for preventing BS, a process that is known to be chronic and, to some extent, preventable.
Certifying Gender Equality in Research: Lessons Learnt From Athena SWAN and Total E-Quality Award Schemes
Authors: Tzanakou Charikleia , Clayton-Hathway Kate , Humbert Anne Laure
Published: November 2021

In the past 2 decades, many Certification and Award schemes (CAS) related to gender equality, diversity and inclusion have emerged in the higher education, research and industry sectors. According to a recent report, there are as many as 113 CAS which have been identified across Europe and beyond. These CAS aim at addressing inequalities in relation to the grounds of sex, gender, race, sexual orientation, and disability among others. The high number of CAS, and their continued growth, has taken place in parallel to the shift of policies and efforts from “fixing individuals” to “fixing the system.” In these schemes, gender equality is often understood as a structural, systemic challenge, with a recognition that advancing gender equality is complex and requires drivers and interventions at micro, meso and macro level. Studies focused on analysing and evaluating gender equality initiatives in higher education have been scarce, and often limited to specific schemes. This paper aims to fill this gap by providing a better understanding of the CAS landscape through comparing two of the main gender equality schemes used by research-performing organisations in Europe Athena SWAN (in the UK) and Total E-Quality Award (in Germany). Based on qualitative interviews with stakeholders across Europe and document analysis, this paper focuses on strengths, challenges faced by and the impact of these CAS. This comparative exercise highlights particular learning points that can inform potential reviews of existing schemes and/or the development of new schemes such as a Europe-wide scheme. The latter is the focus of a Horizon 2020 project entitled CASPER (Certification-Award Systems to Promote Gender Equality in Research), which aims at making recommendations to the European Commission as to the feasibility of a Europe-wide CAS for gender equality in research organisations.
Comparison of the Safety and Efficacy of Laparoscopic Left Lateral Hepatectomy and Open Left Lateral Hepatectomy for Hepatolithiasis: A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Wang Xiaoji , Chen Ai , Fu Qiurong , Cai Chunping
Published: November 2021

Background: Intrahepatic duct (IHD) stones, also known as hepatolithiasis, refers to any intrahepatic stones of the left and right hepatic ducts. It is a benign biliary tract disease with a high recurrence rate, with many complications, and difficulty in radical cure. The aim of this review and meta-analysis is to compare the safety and efficacy of the laparoscopic left lateral hepatectomy (LLLH) and open left lateral hepatectomy (OLLH) for IHD stones.

Methods: Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane, WangFang Data, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) regarding the comparison of LLLH and OLLH in the treatment of hepatolithiasis. Standard mean difference (SMD), odds ratio (OR), and 95% CI were calculated using the random-effects model or fixed-effects model according to the heterogeneity between studies.

Results: From January 01, 2001 to May 30, 2021, 1,056 articles were retrieved, but only 13 articles were finally included for the meta-analysis. The results showed that compared to the OLLH group, LLLH resulted in smaller surgical incision, less intraoperative blood loss, faster postoperative recovery, and fewer postoperative complications (surgical incision: SMD = −3.76, 95% CI: −5.40, −2.12; intraoperative blood loss: SMD = −0.95, 95% CI: −1.69, −0.21; length of hospital stay: SMD = −1.56, 95% CI: −2.37, −0.75; postoperative complications: OR = 0.45, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.78).

Conclusions: In the treatment of hepatolithiasis, compared with OLLH, LLLH has the advantages of less intraoperative blood loss, smaller incisions, less postoperative complications, shorter hospital stay, shorter time to first postoperative exhaust, and postoperative ambulation, and rapid postoperative recovery.
Isolation and Phylogenetic Analysis of Reemerging Pseudorabies Virus Within Pig Populations in Central China During 2012 to 2019
Authors: Zheng Hui-Hua , Bai Yi-Lin , Xu Tong , Zheng Lan-Lan , Li Xin-Sheng , Chen Hong-Ying , Wang Zhen-Ya
Published: November 2021

To understand the biological characteristics of the reemerging pseudorabies virus (PRV) strains, a total of 392 tissue samples were collected from diseased pigs during reemerging PR outbreaks between 2012 and 2019 on farms in central China where swine had been immunized with Bartha-K61 and 51 (13. 01%) were positive for the gE gene by PCR. Sixteen PRV strains were isolated and caused clinical symptoms and death in mice. Subsequently, gE, gC, gB, and gD complete genes were amplified from the 16 PRV isolates and sequenced. Phylogenetic analysis based on these four gene sequences shows that the 16 PRV isolates were more closely related to the Chinese PRV variants (after 2012) but genetically differed from early Chinese PRV isolates (before 2012). Sequence analysis reveals that PRV isolates exhibited amino acid insertions, substitutions, or deletions compared with early Chinese PRV isolates and European–American PRV strains. In addition, this is the first report that eight isolates (8/16) in this study harbor a unique amino acid substitution at position 280 (F to L) of the gC protein, and six isolates have an amino acid substitution at position 338 (A to V) of the gD protein compared with the Chinese PRV variants. The emulsion containing inactivated PRV NY isolate could provide complete protection against the NY isolate. This study might enrich our understanding of the evolution of reemerging PRV strains as well as pave the way for finding a model virus to develop a novel vaccine based on reemerging PRV strains.
Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) Markers for Potato: An Effective Tool for Increased Genetic Gains
Authors: Kante Moctar , Lindqvist-Kreuze Hannele , Portal Leticia , David Maria , Gastelo Manuel
Published: November 2021

Potato virus Y (PVY) and Phytophthora infestans (Mont.) de Bary that causes potato late blight (LB), pose serious constraints to cultivated potatoes due to significant yield reduction, and phenotyping for resistance remains challenging. Breeding operations for vegetatively propagated crops can lead to genotype mislabeling that, in turn, reduces genetic gains. Low-density and low-cost molecular marker assessment for phenotype prediction and quality control is a viable option for breeding programs. Here, we report on the development of kompetitive allele specific PCR (KASP) markers for LB and PVY resistance, and for routine quality control assessment of different breeding populations. Two KASP markers for LB resistance and two for PVY Ryadg were validated with an estimated assay power that ranged between 0.65 and 0.88. The developed QC KASP markers demonstrated the capability of discriminating tetraploid calls in breeding materials, including full-sibs and half-sibs. Routine implementation of the developed markers in a breeding program would assist with better allocation of resources and enable precise characterization of breeding material, thereby leading to increased genetic gains.
Correction: De Conti et al. Histological Lesions and Replication Sites of PCV3 in Naturally Infected Pigs. Animals 2021, 11, 1520
Authors: De Conti Elisa Rigo , Resende Talita Pilar , Marshall-Lund Lacey , Rovira Albert , Vannucci Fabio Augusto
Published: November 2021

The authors wish to make the following correction to this paper [...]
Damage Identification in Hangers of Through-Arch Bridges Using Static Deflection Difference at the Anchorage Point
Authors: Wang Weiwei , Su Mubiao
Published: November 2021

This study proposes a new damage identification method for hangers of arch bridges using the static deflection difference at the anchorage point of the hanger and the tie-beam. The relationship between the ratio of cable tension loss and the deflection difference at the anchorage point is studied. For the first time, the deflection difference influence matrix for hanger damage identification is defined. The static deflection change parameter is formulated as a function of the deflection difference influence matrix and the ratio of cable tension loss. The study shows that the percentage of cable tension loss can be obtained from the changes in static deflection at the anchorage point and the deflection difference influence matrix. Therefore, by observing a plot of the ratio of cable tension loss, the damage locations can be identified conveniently. Numerical and laboratory studies show that this method can accurately locate the damaged hanger of through-arch bridges under various scenarios. The proposed damage detection method has a clear theoretical base and is simple to operate, and it is suitable for practical engineering.
A Speech Preprocessing Method Based on Perceptually Optimized Envelope Processing to Increase Intelligibility in Reverberant Environments
Authors: Fallah Ali , van de Par Steven
Published: November 2021

Speech intelligibility in public places can be degraded by the environmental noise and reverberation. In this study, a new near-end listening enhancement (NELE) approach is proposed in which using a time varying filter jointly enhances the onsets and reduces the overlap masking. For optimization, some look-ahead in clean speech and prior knowledge of room impulse response (RIR) are required. In this method, by optimizing a defined cost function, the Spectro-Temporal Envelope of reverb speech is optimized to be as close as possible to that of clean speech. In this cost function, onsets of speech are optimized with increased weight. This approach is different from overlap-masking ratio (OMR) and speech enhancement (OE) approaches (Grosse, van de Par, 2017, J. Audio Eng. Soc., Vol. 65 (1/2), pp. 31–41) that only consider previous frames in each time slot for determining the time variant filtering. The SRT measurements show that the new optimization framework enhances the speech intelligibility up to 2 dB more that OE.
Numerical Assessment of the Hybrid Approach for Simulating Three-Dimensional Flow and Advective Transport in Fractured Rocks
Authors: Yu Yun-Chen , Lee I-Hsien , Ni Chuen-Fa , Shen Yu-Hsiang , Tong Cong-Zhang , Wu Yuan-Chieh , Lo Emilie
Published: November 2021

This study presents a hybrid approach for simulating flow and advective transport dynamics in fractured rocks. The developed hybrid domain (HD) model uses the two-dimensional (2D) triangular mesh for fractures and tetrahedral mesh for the three-dimensional (3D) rock matrix in a simulation domain and allows the system of equations to be solved simultaneously. This study also illustrates the HD model with two numerical cases that focus on the flow and advective transport between the fractures and rock matrix. The quantitative assessments are conducted by comparing the HD results with those obtained from the discrete fracture network (DFN) and equivalent continuum porous medium (ECPM) models. Results show that the HD model reproduces the head solutions obtained from the ECPM model in the simulation domain and heads from the DFN model in the fractures in the first case. The particle tracking results show that the mean particle velocity in the HD model can be 7.62 times higher than that obtained from the ECPM mode. In addition, the developed HD model enables detailed calculations of the fluxes at intersections between fractures and cylinder objects in the case and obtains relatively accurate flux along the intersections. The solutions are the key factors to evaluate the sources of contaminant released from the disposal facility.
Mineralogy of the Mudeungsan Tuff (Republic of Korea) Using Synchrotron X-ray Powder Diffraction and Rietveld Quantitative Analysis
Authors: Seoung Donghoon , Kim Pyosang , Kim Hyeonsu , Lee Hyunseung , Huh Min , Lee Hyunwoo , Lee Yongmoon
Published: November 2021

Mudeungsan (Mount Mudeung) is an extinct volcano located in the southwestern part of South Korea that was formed in the Late Cretaceous period. This mountain, 1187 m above sea level, is adjacent to Gwangju Metropolitan City, which has a large population (about 1.4 million) and volcanic rocks, including columnar joints, which form various types of outcrops. Although this mountain was listed as a national geopark in 2014 and a UNESCO Global Geopark in 2018, much basic research has yet to be carried out. In particular, there are no mineralogical studies of volcanic rock samples despite the well-preserved variety of volcanic rocks. For this study, X-ray diffraction analysis was conducted using rock samples from Mudeungsan columnar joints known as tuff. We report that the rocks are mostly dacite, mainly composed of quartz, plagioclase, and sanidine through Rietveld quantitative analysis. In particular, α-cristobalite, a crystalline polymorph of silica, appears in the columnar joint rocks, indicating that Mudeungsan experienced an explosive eruption during the formation of the mountain.
A Novel Tradeoff Analysis between Traffic Congestion and Packing Density of Interconnection Networks for Massively Parallel Computers
Authors: Rahman M M Hafizur , Al-Naeem Mohammed , Ghowanem Mohammed Mustafa , Hossain Eklas
Published: November 2021

From disaster prevention to mitigation, drug analysis to drug design, agriculture to food security, IoT to AI, and big data analysis to knowledge or sentiment mining, a high computation power is a prime necessity at present. As such, massively parallel computer (MPC) systems comprising a large number of nodes are gaining popularity. To interconnect these huge numbers of nodes efficiently, hierarchical interconnection networks are an attractive and feasible option. A Tori-connected flattened butterfly network (TFBN) has been proposed by the authors in a prior work for future generation MPC systems. In the previous study, the static network performance and static cost-effectiveness were evaluated. In this research, a novel trade-off factor named message traffic congestion vs. packing density trade-off factor has been proposed, which characterizes the message congestion in the network and its packing density. The factor is used to statically assess the suitability of the implementation of an interconnection network. The message traffic density, packing density, and new factor have been evaluated for the proposed network and similar competitive networks such as TTN, TESH, 2D-Mesh, 3D-Mesh, 2D-Torus, and 3D-Torus. It has been found that the performance of the TFBN is superior to the other networks.
Hybrid Nearest-Neighbor Ant Colony Optimization Algorithm for Enhancing Load Balancing Task Management
Authors: Mbarek Fatma , Mosorov Volodymyr
Published: November 2021

Many computer problems that arise from real-world circumstances are NP-hard, while, in the worst case, these problems are generally assumed to be intractable. Existing distributed computing systems are commonly used for a range of large-scale complex problems, adding advantages to many areas of research. Dynamic load balancing is feasible in distributed computing systems since it is a significant key to maintaining stability of heterogeneous distributed computing systems (HDCS). The challenge of load balancing is an objective function of optimization with exponential complexity of solutions. The problem of dynamic load balancing raises with the scale of the HDCS and it is hard to tackle effectively. The solution to this unsolvable issue is being explored under a particular algorithm paradigm. A new codification strategy, namely hybrid nearest-neighbor ant colony optimization (ACO-NN), which, based on the metaheuristic ant colony optimization (ACO) and an approximate nearest-neighbor (NN) approaches, has been developed to establish a dynamic load balancing algorithm for distributed systems. Several experiments have been conducted to explore the efficiency of this stochastic iterative load balancing algorithm; it is tested with task and nodes accessibility and proved to be effective with diverse performance metrics.
Influence of Drift on Robot Repeatability and Its Compensation
Authors: Vocetka Michal , Bobovský Zdenko , Babjak Jan , Suder Jiří , Grushko Stefan , Mlotek Jakub , Krys Václav , Hagara Martin
Published: November 2021

This paper presents an approach to compensate for the effect of thermal expansion on the structure of an industrial robot and thus to reduce the repeatability difference of the robot in cold and warm conditions. In contrast to previous research in this area that deals with absolute accuracy, this article is focused on determining achievable repeatability. To unify and to increase the robot repeatability, the measurements with highly accurate sensors were performed under different conditions on an industrial robot ABB IRB1200, which was equipped with thermal sensors, mounted on a pre-defined position around joints. The performed measurements allowed to implement a temperature-based prediction model of the end effector positioning error. Subsequent tests have shown that the implemented model used for the error compensation proved to be highly effective. Using the methodology presented in this article, the impact of drift can be reduced by up to 89.9%. A robot upgraded with a compensation principle described in this article does not have to be warmed up as it works with the same low repeatability error in the entire range of the achievable temperatures.
Effects of the Configuration of Trailing Edge on the Flutter of an Elongated Bluff Body
Authors: Feng Jie , Wu Buchen , Laima Shujin
Published: November 2021

Wind-tunnel experiments are performed to investigate the effects of trailing-edge reattachment on the flutter behaviors of spring-suspended trailing-edge-changeable section models. Different Trailing edges (TE) were fixed at the back of a body to adjust reattachment of the vortex. A laser-displacement system was used to acquire the vibration signals. The relationship between flutter characteristics and TEs that affects the wake mode was analyzed. The results show that the motion of the wake vortex has a certain correlation with the flutter stability of the bridge deck. Limit cycle flutter (LCF) occurs to a section model with a 30° TE, whose amplitude gradually increases as the wind speed increases, and the vibration develops into a hard flutter when the wind speed is 12.43 m/s. A section model with 180 TE reaches a hard flutter when the wind speed is 15.31 m/s, without the stage of LCF. As the TE becomes more and more blunt, the critical wind speed, Us, gradually increases, meaning the flutter stability gradually increases. The results reveal that LCF may still occur to the bridge section with a streamlined front edge, and, in some cases, it also may have a range of wind speeds in which LCF occurs.
Iterative Methods for the Biomechanical Evaluation of Corneal Response. A Case Study in the Measurement Phase
Authors: Gómez Carmelo , Piñero David P. , Paredes Manuel , Alió Jorge L. , Cavas Francisco
Published: November 2021

The number of corneal surgeries steadily grew in recent years and boosted the development of corneal biomechanical models. These models can contribute to simulating surgery by reducing associated risks and the need for secondary interventions due to ectasias or other problems related to correcting other diseases. Biomechanical models are based on the geometry obtained with corneal topography, which is affected by intraocular pressure and material properties. Knowledge of stress distribution in the measurement phase is a key factor for improving the accuracy of in silico mechanical models. In this work, the results obtained by two different methods: prestress method and displacements method were compared to evaluate the stress and strain distribution in a general geometric model based on the Navarro eye geometry and two real corneal geometries. The results show that both methods are equivalent for the achievement of the stress distribution in the measurement phase. Stress distribution over the corneal geometry in the measurement phase is a key factor for accurate biomechanical simulations, and these simulations could help to develop patient-specific models and reduce the number of secondary interventions in clinical practice.
Far-Red Chlorophyll Fluorescence Radiance Tracks Photosynthetic Carbon Assimilation Efficiency of Dark Reactions
Authors: Liu Zhunqiao , Guo Chenhui , Bai Yanwen , Zhang Nina , Yu Qiang , Zhao Feng , Lu Xiaoliang
Published: November 2021

Solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) observations from space have shown close relationships with terrestrial photosynthesis rates. SIF originates from the light reactions of photosynthesis, whereas carbon fixation takes place during the dark reactions of photosynthesis. Questions remain regarding whether SIF is able to track changes in the efficiency of the dark reactions in photosynthesis. Using concurrent measurements of leaf-scale gas exchange, pulse amplitude-modulated (PAM) fluorescence, and fluorescence spectral radiances, we found that both far-red fluorescence radiances and PAM fluorescence yields responded rapidly to changes in photosynthetic carbon assimilation due to changes in environmental factors or induced stomatal closure under constant light conditions. Uncertainties in outgoing and incoming irradiance mismatch for SIF measurements may very likely obscure the contributions of the dark reactions, thereby causing the inconsistent findings previously reported, which were no change in far-red SIF and PAM fluorescence yields after clear reductions in the photosynthetic carbon assimilation efficiency of dark reactions. Our results confirm that high-quality SIF measurements have the potential to provide insights into the dark reactions of photosynthesis. This study is particularly relevant for better interpreting satellite SIF observations that are obtained under roughly constant overpass times and relatively stable light intensities.
A Novel Feature Selection Based on VMD and Information Gain for Pipe Blockages
Authors: Zhu Xuefeng , Feng Zao , Wu Jiande , Deng Weiquan
Published: November 2021

Targeting the challenge of determining the degree of blockage in buried pipelines and the difficulty of effectively extracting blockage features, a blockage detection method integrating variational mode decomposition (VMD) and information gain is proposed. Acoustic impulse response signals were obtained by deconvolving the output signals of the system, which were then subjected to VMD to obtain 12 components in different frequency ranges. Next, information gain (IG) was introduced to characterize the 12 components quantitatively, through which the components containing rich information about the pipe conditions were selected out. Meanwhile, sound pressure level conversion was performed on the selected components to amplify any changes in the sound field. Finally, the root mean square entropy (RMSE) was calculated to constitute the feature eigenvectors, which were input into Random Forests (RF) classifier for defect identification of pipeline. As the experimental results demonstrate, the proposed method is capable of determining the degree of blockage effectively in the running state. Meanwhile, it can also eliminate the interference of functional parts such as lateral connections during the identification process, thereby improving the identification accuracy. The present study has shown both theoretical significance and application value in the field of defect detection and recognition.
Near-Surface Geological Structure Seismic Wave Imaging Using the Minimum Variance Spatial Smoothing Beamforming Method
Authors: Peng Ming , Wang Dengyi , Liu Liu , Liu Chengcheng , Shi Zhenming , Ma Fuan , Shen Jian
Published: November 2021

Erecting underground structures in regions with unidentified weak layers, cavities, and faults is highly dangerous and potentially disastrous. An efficient and accurate near-surface exploration method is thus of great significance for guiding construction. In near-surface detection, imaging methods suffer from artifacts that the complex structure caused and a lack of efficiency. In order to realize a rapid, accurate, robust near-surface seismic imaging, a minimum variance spatial smoothing (MVSS) beamforming method is proposed for the seismic detection and imaging of underground geological structures under a homogeneous assumption. Algorithms such as minimum variance (MV) and spatial smoothing (SS), the coherence factor (CF) matrix, and the diagonal loading (DL) methods were used to improve imaging quality. Furthermore, it was found that a signal advance correction helped improve the focusing effect in near-surface situations. The feasibility and imaging quality of MVSS beamforming are verified in cave models, layer models, and cave-layer models by numerical simulations, confirming that the MVSS beamforming method can be adapted for seismic imaging. The performance of MVSS beamforming is evaluated in the comparison with Kirchhoff migration, the DAS beamforming method, and reverse time migration. MVSS beamforming has a high computational efficiency and a higher imaging resolution. MVSS beamforming also significantly suppresses the unnecessary components in seismic signals such as S-waves, surface waves, and white noise. Moreover, compared with basic delay and sum (DAS) beamforming, MVSS beamforming has a higher vertical resolution and adaptively suppresses interferences. The results show that the MVSS beamforming imaging method might be helpful for detecting near-surface underground structures and for guiding engineering construction.
Application of Association Rules Analysis in Mining Adverse Drug Reaction Signals
Authors: Wei Jianxiang , Dai Jimin , Zhao Yingya , Han Pu , Zhu Yunxia , Huang Weidong
Published: November 2021

Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) are increasingly becoming a serious public health problem. Spontaneous reporting systems (SRSs) are an important way for many countries to monitor ADRs produced in the clinical use of drugs, and they are the main data source for ADR signal detection. The traditional signal detection methods are based on disproportionality analysis (DPA) and lack the application of data mining technology. In this paper, we selected the spontaneous reports from 2011 to 2018 in Jiangsu Province of China as the research data and used association rules analysis (ARA) to mine signals. We defined some important metrics of the ARA according to the two-dimensional contingency table of ADRs, such as Confidence and Lift, and constructed performance evaluation indicators such as Precision, Recall, and F1 as objective standards. We used experimental methods based on data to objectively determine the optimal thresholds of the corresponding metrics, which, in the best case, are Confidence = 0.007 and Lift = 1. We obtained the average performance of the method through 10-fold cross-validation. The experimental results showed that F1 increased from 31.43% in the MHRA method to 40.38% in the ARA method; this was a significant improvement. To reduce drug risk and provide decision making for drug safety, more data mining methods need to be introduced and applied to ADR signal detection.
Machine Learning Technique to Improve an Impedance Matching Characteristic of a Bent Monopole Antenna
Authors: Choo Jaeyul , Pho Thi Ha Anh , Kim Yong-Hwa
Published: November 2021

We designed the wire monopole antenna bent at three points by applying a machine learning technique to achieve a good impedance matching characteristic. After performing the deep neural network (DNN)-based training, we validated our machine learning model by evaluating mean squared error and R-squared score. Considering the mean squared error of about zero and R-squared score of about one, the performance prediction by the resulting machine learning model showed a high accuracy compared with that by the numerical electromagnetic simulation. Finally, we interpreted the operating principle of the antennas with a good impedance matching characteristic by analyzing equivalent circuits corresponding to their structures. The accomplished works in this research provide us with the possibility to use the machine learning technique in the antenna design.
Analysis of Potential Factors Influencing China’s Regional Sustainable Economic Growth
Authors: Li Mingxing , Sun Hongzheng , Agyeman Fredrick Oteng , Heydari Mohammad , Jameel Arif , Salah ud din Khan Hira
Published: November 2021

The purpose of this article is to screen out the most important factors affecting China’s economic growth. Based on a literature review and relevant financial theoretical knowledge, China’s economic growth factors are selected from international and domestic aspects. Four methods, including least squares estimation, stepwise regression, ridge regression estimation, and Lasso regression, are used to screen and optimize 12 variables and analyze the degrees of influence empirically. The study finds that consumption levels and the development of the tertiary industry play significant roles in promoting China’s economic growth. Additionally, financial development and industrialization promote China’s economic growth, although in a gradual manner.