bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Research on the Path Planning Algorithm of a Manipulator Based on GMM/GMR-MPRM
Authors: Cheng Qiang , Zhang Wei , Liu Hongshuai , Zhang Ying , Hao Lina
Published: August 2021

Autonomous, flexible, and human–robot collaboration are the key features of the next-generation robot. Such unstructured and dynamic environments bring great challenges in online adaptive path planning. The robots have to avoid dynamic obstacles and follow the original task path as much as possible. A robust and efficient online path planning method is required accordingly. A method based on the Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM), Gaussian Mixture Regression (GMR), and the Probabilistic Roadmap (PRM) is proposed to overcome the above difficulties. During the offline stage, the GMM was used to model teaching data, and it can represent the offline-demonstrated motion and constraints. The optimal solution was encoded in the mean value, while the environmental constraints were encoded in the variance value. The GMR generated a smooth path with variance as the resample space according to the GMM of the teaching data. This representation isolated the old environment model with the novel obstacle. During the online stage, a Modified Probabilistic Roadmap (MPRM) was used to plan the motion locally. Because the GMM provides the distribution of all the feasible motion, the sampling space of the MPRM was generated by the variable density resampling method, and then, the roadmap was constructed according to the Euclidean and Probability Distance (EPD). The Dijkstra algorithm was used to search for the feasible path between the starting point and the target point. Finally, shortcut pruning and B-spline interpolation were used to generate a smooth path. During the simulation experiment, two obstacles were added to the recurrent scene to indicate the difference from the teaching scene, and the GMM/GMR-MPRM algorithm was used for path planning. The result showed that it can still plan a feasible path when the recurrent scene is not the same as the teaching scene. Finally, the effectiveness of the algorithm was verified on the IRB1200 robot experiment platform.
Analytical Framework of CP-Free Multiuser OFDM System for Coordinated Multi-Point at mmWave
Authors: Sadique Joarder Jafor , Sabuj Saifur Rahman , Ullah Shaikh Enayet , Hossain Md. Akbar , Raad Raad , Islam Md. Rabiul , Kouzani Abbas Z. , Mahmud M. A. Parvez
Published: August 2021

In this paper, a coordinated multipoint joint transmission (CoMP-JT) framework at mmWave for a cyclic prefix (CP)-free multiuser OFDM wireless communication system is developed and analyzed. The aim is to provide high-quality service to cell-edge users; otherwise, the cell-users would suffer from significant signal degradation due to undesired interference. The impact of complex Hadamard transform with block diagonalization channel precoding for multiuser interference reduction and designed subcarrier mapping for out-of-band (OOB) reduction are investigated. In addition, the paper studied the input back-off-aided high-power amplifier for peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) reduction and forward error correction channel coding for improved bit error rate (BER) for cell-edge users at mmWave frequencies. Moreover, signal-to-interference-noise ratio and ergodic achievable rate are estimated both in the presence and absence of CoMP-JT-based transmission technique to verify their significance in terms of transmitted power. Numerical investigations showed an OOB reduction of 312 dB, PAPR reduction from 17.50 dB to 7.66 dB, and improved BER of 1×10−3 in 16-QAM for a signal-to-noise ratio of −6 dB. Hence, the simulation results demonstrated the effectiveness of the developed system.
Overview of an Experimental Program for Development of Yield Surfaces Tracing Method
Authors: Štefan Jan , Parma Slavomír , Marek René , Plešek Jiří , Ciocanel Constantin , Feigenbaum Heidi
Published: August 2021

This paper develops an experimental technique to evaluate the initial yield surfaces of metallic materials, as well as to study their evolution during plastic flow. The experimental tracing of yield surfaces is necessary for deriving and calibrating more robust phenomenological models of directional distortional hardening. Such models can be used to characterize the behavior of structures experiencing complicated and demanding loading modes, such as multiaxial ratcheting. The experimental technique developed in this work uses thin-walled tubular specimens, along with a servo-hydraulic machine, under various modes of tension/compression and torque. Identification of the onset of plastic flow is based on a small proof equivalent plastic strain evaluated from the outputs of a contact biaxial extensometer firmly attached to a specimen surface. This allows for evaluation of both the initial yield surface, as well as theevolved yield surface after a plastic prestrain. Throughout a test, continuous and fully automatized evaluation of elastic moduli and proof plastic strain is assured through algorithms written in C# language. The current technique is shown to provide promising results to effectively capture the yield surfaces of conventional metallic materials.
Deep Contrast Learning Approach for Address Semantic Matching
Authors: Chen Jian , Chen Jianpeng , She Xiangrong , Mao Jian , Chen Gang
Published: August 2021

Address is a structured description used to identify a specific place or point of interest, and it provides an effective way to locate people or objects. The standardization of Chinese place name and address occupies an important position in the construction of a smart city. Traditional address specification technology often adopts methods based on text similarity or rule bases, which cannot handle complex, missing, and redundant address information well. This paper transforms the task of address standardization into calculating the similarity of address pairs, and proposes a contrast learning address matching model based on the attention-Bi-LSTM-CNN network (ABLC). First of all, ABLC use the Trie syntax tree algorithm to extract Chinese address elements. Next, based on the basic idea of contrast learning, a hybrid neural network is applied to learn the semantic information in the address. Finally, Manhattan distance is calculated as the similarity of the two addresses. Experiments on the self-constructed dataset with data augmentation demonstrate that the proposed model has better stability and performance compared with other baselines.
A Boosted 3-D PCA Algorithm Based on Efficient Analysis Method
Authors: Lee Kyung-Min , Lin Chi-Ho
Published: August 2021

In this paper, we propose a boosted 3-D PCA algorithm based on an efficient analysis method. The proposed method involves three steps that improve image detection. In the first step, the proposed method designs a new analysis method to solve the performance problem caused by data imbalance. In the second step, a parallel cross-validation structure is used to enhance the new analysis method further. We also design a modified AdaBoost algorithm to improve the detector accuracy performance of the new analysis method. In order to verify the performance of this system, we experimented with a benchmark dataset. The results show that the new analysis method is more efficient than other image detection methods.
Effectiveness of Hyaluronan Autocross-Linked-Based Gel in the Prevention of Peritendinous Adherence Following Tenolysis
Authors: Marchesini Andrea , De Francesco Francesco , Pangrazi Pier Paolo , Senesi Letizia , Campodonico Andrea , Riccio Valentina , Geuna Stefano , Zavan Barbara , Riccio Michele
Published: August 2021

Peritendinous adhesions are a frequent occurrence following tenolysis and present a major clinical challenge regarding prevention and management, with no recovery assured from conservative or surgical approaches. Herein, we investigated the effectiveness of Hyaloglide®, a hyaluronan gel-based product with a novel autocross-linked technology, in a rabbit model affected by tenolysis on the flexor digitorum communis tendon (FDC). A 1.5-cm-long scrubbing of the tendon surface was performed bilaterally to induce peritendinous adhesion on FDC of 30 animals with subsequent application of Hyaloglide® on the surrounding injured area, in one randomly chosen tendon. The contralateral tendon was treated with saline solution as the control. We sacrificed the rabbit models after 45 days of surgery and quantitatively assessed the generation of peritendinous adherence and regeneration of the tendon sheaths using histological (hematossyline-eosine, masson’s trichromic), histomorphometrical (Tang score, Soslowsky Svesson, and Cook score), light electron microscopic, and gene expression investigations. Four rabbits were devoted to biomechanical analysis. Peritendinous adhesions were limited in Hyaloglide®-treated tendons; moreover, well-regenerated tendon sheaths were observed conversely to untreated tendons presenting with extensive areas of adhesions on the tendon surface. Histomorphometrical analysis revealed an adhesion score (Tang score) significantly better in the treated group (p = 0.001 *) compared to the control group. Moreover, the Soslowsky, Svensson, and Cook score parameters revealed a significantly improved regeneration for fiber structure, cellularity, and vascularity in the treated group (p = 0.001 *). No differences were reported for cartilaginous formation (p = 0.08). Gene expression analysis showed a significant increase in collagen type I expression in the treated group compared to the control group, while metalloprotease 1 and 9 were significantly increased in the control group. Biomechanical analysis did not show significant differences in both groups. Hyaloglide® treatment was safe and well-tolerated, generating improved tissue status. Local application of Hyaloglide® prevents adhesion formation after tenolysis and promotes normal healing with regeneration of the synovial sheath in a rabbit model.
Experimental Evaluation and Theoretical Optimization of an Indirect Solar Dryer with Forced Ventilation under Tropical Climate by an Inverse Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Moheno-Barrueta M. , Tzuc O. May , Martínez-Pereyra G. , Cardoso-Fernández V. , Rojas-Blanco L. , Ramírez-Morales E. , Pérez-Hernández G. , Bassam A.
Published: August 2021

In this theoretical–experimental study is presented a hybridization strategy based on the application of an inverse artificial neural network model (ANNi) coupled with metaheuristic optimization algorithms to optimize the drying velocity (vd) of an active indirect solar dryer for plantain and taro (Colocasia antiquorum). In the experimental stage, both fruits were evaluated in periods from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. under a humid tropical climate region, varying the voltage of the air extractor fan (at 6 V, 9 V, and 12 V) to control the fan velocity. The experimental results showed that the maximum drying velocities were reached at 9 V, achieving a drying velocity of 1.5, 0.9, and 0.55 g/min, with a total drying time of 465 min for the taro, and 1.46, 1.46, and 0.36 g/min, with a total drying time of 495 min, for the plantain. As a result of the drying curves, it was observed that the drying velocity is higher in taro than in plantain. Subsequently, an artificial neural network (ANN) architecture was trained using the database generated from the solar dryer’s experimental stage. Six environmental variables and one operational variable were considered as the model’s inputs, feeding the ANN to estimate the drying velocity (vd), obtaining a linear regression coefficient R = 0.9822 between the experimental and simulated data. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the impact of all the input variables. A hybrid strategy based on ANNi was developed and evaluated with three metaheuristic optimization algorithms; the best result was obtained by genetic algorithms (ANNi-GA) with an error percentage of 0.83% and an average computational time of 4.3 s. The scope of this optimization strategy was to obtain a theoretical result that allows predicting the behavior of the dryer and improving its performance for its practical application in future work through the implementation in development boards. Lastly, the optimization strategy presented is not limited to indirect solar dryers and opens a research window for evaluating other solar drying technologies.
Investigation of Climate Change on Unsaturated Porous Media via a Discrete Thermo-Hydro-Mechanical Model
Authors: Varnosfaderani Alireza Mokhtari , Haghighi Ehsan Motevali , Gatmiri Behrouz , Na Seonhong
Published: August 2021

The impacts of climate change on unsaturated porous media have been investigated through the coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical analysis by leveraging a discrete fracture model. The transport of gas and liquid phases in unsaturated porous media is captured under non-isothermal conditions. The balance principles of moisture energy and mass are associated with crack propagation. The temperature-dependent degree of saturation and permeability of water are incorporated into fracture based on the cubic law. Numerical examples are designed to evaluate the applicability of the proposed model against climate change. First, a double-notch plate domain is used to identify the sensitivity of various material properties on crack propagation associated with mechanical loading. Then, a masonry wall of drying under thermal action is studied to investigate its degradation by mimicking climatic load conditions. The results of numerical tests demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed model for practical application well.
A Unified Approach for the Control of Power Electronics Converters. Part II: Tracking
Authors: Garcia Germain , Lopez-Santos Oswaldo , Martinez-Salamero Luis
Published: August 2021

This paper extends the results recently proposed in Part I of this research work focused on the stabilization of power electronic converters. This second part is devoted to cases in which the underlying control problems can be translated into tracking control problems. This is the case for DC-AC converters whose output must track a sinusoidal reference signal. The idea is to tackle the problem in a unified manner in order to avoid as much as possible the use of approximations and to exploit all the mathematical properties of the corresponding switched models. The case in which measurable or non-measurable perturbations are present is considered. The proposed techniques are illustrated for two particular DC-AC converters simulated using the PSIM software.
Classification of Electricity Consumption Behavior Based on Improved K-Means and LSTM
Authors: Li Hua , Hu Bo , Liu Yubo , Yang Bo , Liu Xuefang , Li Guangdi , Wang Zhenyu , Zhou Bowen
Published: August 2021

Power big data-based artificial intelligence or data mining methods, which can be used to analyze electricity consumption behavior, have been widely applied to provide targeted marketing services for electricity consumers. However, the traditional clustering algorithm has difficulty in judging new electricity consumption patterns. Deep neural networks usually need large amounts of labeled data. However, there are few comparable electricity consumption features or basic data, and the labeled data cannot meet the actual needs. Therefore, an intelligent classification framework for electricity consumption behavior based on an improved k-means and long short-term memory (LSTM) is proposed, which not only extracts features effectively, but also establishes a mapping relationship between unlabeled electricity consumption behavior characteristics and user types. The features can be labeled to train the deep neural network to judge the electricity consumption behavior of new users. Firstly, nine typical characteristics were selected from aspects including electricity price sensitivity and load fluctuation rate. Secondly, the k value and initial clustering centers of the k-means algorithm were optimized. Thirdly, the users were labelled based on the clustering results, together with the features, and a dataset was formed, which was input into LSTM to train the classification model. Finally, the analysis of users in Shenyang, China, showed the results based on the proposed method were consistent with the actual situation. Moreover, compared to other methods, the efficiency and accuracy were higher.
Influence of Building Information Modeling (BIM) Implementation in High-Rise Buildings towards Sustainability
Authors: Manzoor Bilal , Othman Idris , Kang Jong Man , Geem Zong Woo
Published: August 2021

To secure full benefits without jeopardizing project feasibility, sustainability standards in high-rise building design should be included at all phases of the decision-making process. However, there are limited empirical studies on the influence of building information modeling (BIM) implementation in high-rise buildings. Implementing BIM is a viable technique to improve high-rise building sustainability performance. Therefore, the aim of this research is to explore the influence of BIM implementation in high-rise buildings by integrating the exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) approaches. Following a detailed review of the literature to identify critical success factors (CSFs) for BIM implementation, empirical evidence was gathered through a questionnaire survey with 205 stakeholders in construction projects. The EFA revealed five components, namely, productivity, visualization, coordination, sustainability, and safety improvement, all of which have a significant impact on the long-term construction of high-rise buildings. Moreover, SEM was conducted to develop the model for high-rise buildings. However, it has been revealed that awareness and usage level of BIM technology in high-rise buildings still appears to be limited. This scenario paves the way for future researchers to develop more models in the domain of high-rise buildings in order to improve sustainable development.
Visual Performance Assessment of Videos—A Case Study of the Game “Spot the Difference”
Authors: Lin Po-Hung , Chen Hung-Jen , Wang Zhi-Qian
Published: August 2021

“Spot the Difference” is a well-known game where players must find subtle differences between two almost identical pictures. If “Spot the Difference” is designed for videos, what is the difference between videos and pictures? If the performance of videos is measured by an eye tracker, what scan paths will be conducted? In this study, we explored this game using a video to conduct a visual performance evaluation. Twenty-five subjects were recruited in a full-factorial experiment to investigate the effect of background (with background, without background), video type (animation, text), and arrangement (left-to-right, top-to-bottom) on searching, eye tracking performance, and visual fatigue. The results showed that the video type had a significant effect on the accuracy and subjective visual fatigue, with the accuracy and subjective visual fatigue for animation being better than for text. The results also indicated that the arrangement had a significant effect on the number of fixations, where top-to-bottom arrangement brought a higher number of fixations. The background had a significant effect on accuracy and subjective visual fatigue, where the accuracy and subjective visual fatigue without a background was better than with a background. For the analysis of the scan path, a denser scan path was found in text than in animation, in top-to-bottom arrangement than in left-to-right arrangement, and without a background than with a background. In the future, game manufacturers should use the results of this research to design different “Spot the Difference” videos. When designing a simple game, an animation without a background and involving a left-to-right arrangement was recommended. When designing a difficult game, the opposite settings should be used.
Motion Classification and Features Recognition of a Traditional Chinese Sport (Baduanjin) Using Sampled-Based Methods
Authors: Li Hai , Yap Hwa Jen , Khoo Selina
Published: August 2021

This study recognized the motions and assessed the motion accuracy of a traditional Chinese sport (Baduanjin), using the data from the inertial sensor measurement system (IMU) and sampled-based methods. Fifty-three participants were recruited in two batches to participate in the study. Motion data of participants practicing Baduanjin were captured by IMU. By extracting features from motion data and benchmarking with the teacher’s assessment of motion accuracy, this study verifies the effectiveness of assessment on different classifiers for motion accuracy of Baduanjin. Moreover, based on the extracted features, the effectiveness of Baduanjin motion recognition on different classifiers was verified. The k-Nearest Neighbor (k-NN), as a classifier, has advantages in accuracy (more than 85%) and a short average processing time (0.008 s) during assessment. In terms of recognizing motions, the classifier One-dimensional Convolutional Neural Network (1D-CNN) has the highest accuracy among all verified classifiers (99.74%). The results show, using the extracted features of the motion data captained by IMU, that selecting an appropriate classifier can effectively recognize the motions and, hence, assess the motion accuracy of Baduanjin.
Analyses of the Compositions, Antioxidant Capacities, and Tyrosinase-Inhibitory Activities of Extracts from Two New Varieties of Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat Using Four Solvents
Authors: Chen Yen Hua , Yan Sheng Lei , Wu Jane Yii , Hsieh Chang Wei , Wang Sue Hong , Tsai Ming Shiun
Published: August 2021

Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat is traditionally used as both medicine and food in China. In this study, extracts of C. morifolium Ramat Hang Ju No. 1 (No. 1) and No. 2 (No. 2) were produced using four different solvents: 95% ethanol, ethyl acetate, n-hexane and distilled water. In total, eight types of extracts were analyzed for extraction yields and total flavonoids, polyphenols, glycans, reducing sugars, and chlorogenic acids. The antioxidant capacities and tyrosinase-inhibitory activities of these extracts were also determined. Among them, the ethanolic extract of No. 1 (No. 1A) had the highest levels of total flavonoids (16.71 mg rutin equivalent/g dry weight (DW)), polyphenols (7.07 mg gallic acid equivalent/g DW), and chlorogenic acids (6595.46 μg/g DW) and the water extract of No. 1 (No. 1D) had the highest levels of total glycans (9.24 mg/g DW), and reducing sugars (23.32 μg/g DW). In terms of antioxidant capacity, No. 1A (1.0 mg/mL) demonstrated the best 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging activity (96.2 ± 0.4%), ferrous ion chelating ability (55.44 ± 0.03%), and reducing power (0.988 ± 0.003). No. 1D (1.0 mg/mL) showed the highest tyrosinase inhibitory activity (39.34 ± 0.03%). From these results, high levels of total flavonoids and polyphenols correlate with antioxidant capacity. Moreover, high levels of total chlorogenic acid in No. 1A and No. 1D correlate with high levels of tyrosinase inhibitory activity. Therefore, No. 1A has the potential to be used in daily health drinks, foods and skin whitening products. These results can be applied to similar flower plant extracts.
Fine-Resolution WRF Simulation of Stably Stratified Flows in Shallow Pre-Alpine Valleys: A Case Study of the KASCADE-2017 Campaign
Authors: de Bode Michiel , Hedde Thierry , Roubin Pierre , Durand Pierre
Published: August 2021

In an overall approach aiming at the development and qualification of various tools designed to diagnose and/or forecast the flows at the local scale in complex terrain, we qualified a numerical model based on the WRF platform and operated in a two-way nested domain mode, down to a horizontal resolution of 111 m for the smallest domain. The area in question is the Cadarache valley (CV), in southeast France, which is surrounded by hills and valleys of various sizes. The CV dimensions (1 km wide and 100 m deep) favor the development of local flows greatly influenced by the diurnal cycle and are prone to thermal stratification, especially during stable conditions. This cycle was well documented due to permanent observations and dedicated field campaigns. These observations were used to evaluate the performance of the model on a specific day among the intensive observation periods carried out during the KASCADE-2017 campaign. The model reproduced the wind flow and its diurnal cycle well, notably at the local CV scale, which constitutes considerable progress with respect to the performances of previous WRF simulations conducted in this area with kilometric resolution, be it operational weather forecasts or dedicated studies conducted on specific days. The diurnal temperature range is underestimated however, together with the stratification intensity of the cold pool observed at night. Consequently, the slope drainage flows along the CV sidewalls are higher in the simulation than in the observations, and the resulting scalar fields (such as specific humidity) are less heterogeneous in the model than in the observations.
Characterization of Dadih: Traditional Fermented Buffalo Milk of Minangkabau
Authors: Arnold Marcellus , Rajagukguk Yolanda Victoria , Gramza-Michałowska Anna
Published: August 2021

Dadih or dadiah is traditional fermented buffalo milk of Minangkabau, which occurs spontaneously. Dadih is commonly served as ampiang dadih, or other dishes. The microbiota found in dadih are dominated by lactic acid bacteria, and yeasts are also found. The lactic acid bacteria provide functional value, such as antimicrobial, hypocholesterolemic, antimutagenic, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties, as well as being the source of γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) as an anti-stress agent and folate. Nevertheless, many challenges were observed in dadih production, including the limitation of buffalo milk production due to decreasing populations of buffalo in the last two decades, unstandardized dadih production due to the spontaneous fermentation in natural bamboo tubes, and safety problems as no heat treatment is applied in the production of dadih. These problems impede the development of dadih production, thus is it important to improve buffalo cultivation through artificial insemination programs, using different types of milk and pasteurization processes in dadih production, and incubator development to accelerate the fermentation period.
Effect of Vibrio-Derived Extracellular Protease vEP-45 on the Blood Complement System
Authors: Kwon So Hyun , Park Jung Eun , Cho Yeong Hee , Lee Jung Sup
Published: August 2021

Vibrio vulnificus is a pathogenic bacterium that can causes wound infections and fetal septicemia. We have reported that V. vulnificus ATCC29307 produces an extracellular zinc-metalloprotease (named vEP-45). Our previous results showed that vEP-45 can convert prothrombin to active thrombin and also activate the plasma kallikrein/kinin system. In this study, the effect of vEP-45 on the activation of the complement system was examined. We found that vEP-45 could proteolytically convert the key complement precursor molecules, including C3, C4, and C5, to their corresponding active forms (e.g., C3a, C3b, C4a, C4b, and C5a) in vitro cleavage assays. C5b production from C5 cleavage mediated by vEP-45 was not observed, whereas the level of C5a was increased in a dose-dependent manner compared to that of the non-treated control. The cleavage of the complement proteins in human plasma by vEP-45 was also confirmed via Western blotting. Furthermore, vEP-45 could convert C3 and C5 to active C3a and C5a as a proinflammatory mediator, while no cleavage of C4 was observed. These results suggest that vEP-45 can activate the complement system involved in innate immunity through an alternative pathway.
A Model of the Early Visual System Based on Parallel Spike-Sequence Detection, Showing Orientation Selectivity
Authors: Santos-Mayo Alejandro , Moratti Stephan , de Echegaray Javier , Susi Gianluca
Published: August 2021

Since the first half of the twentieth century, numerous studies have been conducted on how the visual cortex encodes basic image features. One of the hallmarks of basic feature extraction is the phenomenon of orientation selectivity, of which the underlying neuronal-level computational mechanisms remain partially unclear despite being intensively investigated. In this work we present a reduced visual system model (RVSM) of the first level of scene analysis, involving the retina, the lateral geniculate nucleus and the primary visual cortex (V1), showing orientation selectivity. The detection core of the RVSM is the neuromorphic spike-decoding structure MNSD, which is able to learn and recognize parallel spike sequences and considerably resembles the neuronal microcircuits of V1 in both topology and operation. This structure is equipped with plasticity of intrinsic excitability to embed recent findings about V1 operation. The RVSM, which embeds 81 groups of MNSD arranged in 4 oriented columns, is tested using sets of rotated Gabor patches as input. Finally, synthetic visual evoked activity generated by the RVSM is compared with real neurophysiological signal from V1 area: (1) postsynaptic activity of human subjects obtained by magnetoencephalography and (2) spiking activity of macaques obtained by multi-tetrode arrays. The system is implemented using the NEST simulator. The results attest to a good level of resemblance between the model response and real neurophysiological recordings. As the RVSM is available online, and the model parameters can be customized by the user, we propose it as a tool to elucidate the computational mechanisms underlying orientation selectivity.
The Significance of Utilizing A Corticotomy on Periodontal and Orthodontic Outcomes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gao Jonathan , Nguyen Trung , Oberoi Snehlata , Oh Heesoo , Kapila Sunil , Kao Richard T. , Lin Guo-Hao
Published: August 2021

Purpose: This systematic review compares the clinical and radiographic outcomes for patients who received only a corticotomy or periodontal accelerated osteogenic orthodontics (PAOO) with those who received a conventional orthodontic treatment. Methods: An electronic search of four databases and a hand search of peer-reviewed journals for relevant articles published in English between January 1980 and June 2021 were performed. Human clinical trials of ≥10 patients treated with a corticotomy or PAOO with radiographic and/or clinical outcomes were included. Meta-analyses were performed to analyze the weighted mean difference (WMD) and confidence interval (CI) for the recorded variables. Results: Twelve articles were included in the quantitative analysis. The meta-analysis revealed a localized corticotomy distal to the canine can significantly increase canine distalization (WMD = 1.15 mm, 95% CI = 0.18–2.12 mm, p = 0.02) compared to a conventional orthodontic treatment. In addition, PAOO also showed a significant gain of buccal bone thickness (WMD = 0.43 mm, 95% CI = 0.09–0.78 mm, p = 0.01) and an improvement of bone density (WMD = 32.86, 95% CI = 11.83–53.89, p = 0.002) compared to the corticotomy group. Conclusion: Based on the findings of the meta-analyses, the localized use of a corticotomy can significantly increase the amount of canine distalization during orthodontic treatment. Additionally, the use of a corticotomy as a part of a PAOO procedure significantly increases the rate of orthodontic tooth movement and it is accompanied by an increased buccal bone thickness and bone density compared to patients undergoing a conventional orthodontic treatment.
Assessment of Cardiovascular Risk in Women with Periodontal Diseases According to C-reactive Protein Levels
Authors: Da Venezia Claudia , Hussein Nayib , Hernández Marcela , Contreras Johanna , Morales Alicia , Valdés Macarena , Rojas Francisca , Matamala Loreto , Hernández-Ríos Patricia
Published: August 2021

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are highly prevalent non-communicable diseases worldwide. Periodontitis may act as a non-traditional cardiovascular risk (CVR) factor, linked by a low-grade systemic inflammation mediated by C-reactive protein (CRP). Patients with periodontitis reported higher serum CRP levels; however, a CRP systemic and periodontal correlation in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and its CVR impact have been barely studied. We aimed to assess the association between periodontal diseases and CVR in a group of adult women, based on serum high-sensitivity CRP (hs-CRP) levels; and secondly, to determine the association between serum and GCF CRP levels. Gingival crevicular fluid and blood samples were obtained from women with periodontitis, gingivitis, and healthy controls. Serum and GCF CRP were determined by turbidimetric method and Luminex technology, respectively. Data were analyzed and adjusted by CVR factors. All women presented moderate CVR, without an evident association between serum hs-CRP levels and periodontal diseases. While serum hs-CRP concentrations did not significantly differ between groups, patients with gingivitis and periodontitis showed higher CRP levels in GCF, which positively correlated to CRP detection in serum.
17β-Estradiol Increases APE1/Ref-1 Secretion in Vascular Endothelial Cells and Ovariectomized Mice: Involvement of Calcium-Dependent Exosome Pathway
Authors: Lee Yu-Ran , Joo Hee-Kyoung , Lee Eun-Ok , Kim Sungmin , Jin Hao , Choi Yeon-Hee , Kim Cuk-Seong , Jeon Byeong-Hwa
Published: August 2021

Apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease-1/redox factor-1 (APE1/Ref-1) is a multifunctional protein that can be secreted, and recently suggested as new biomarker for vascular inflammation. However, the endogenous hormones for APE1/Ref-1 secretion and its underlying mechanisms are not defined. Here, the effect of twelve endogenous hormones on APE1/Ref-1 secretion was screened in cultured vascular endothelial cells. The endogenous hormones that significantly increased APE1/Ref-1 secretion was 17β-estradiol (E2), 5?-dihydrotestosterone, progesterone, insulin, and insulin-like growth factor. The most potent hormone inducing APE1/Ref-1 secretion was E2, which in cultured endothelial cells, E2 for 24 h increased APE1/Ref-1 secretion level of 4.56 ± 1.16 ng/mL, compared to a basal secretion level of 0.09 ± 0.02 ng/mL. Among the estrogens, only E2 increased APE1/Ref-1 secretion, not estrone and estriol. Blood APE1/Ref-1 concentrations decreased in ovariectomized (OVX) mice but were significantly increased by the replacement of E2 (0.39 ± 0.09 ng/mL for OVX vs. 4.67 ± 0.53 ng/mL for OVX + E2). E2-induced APE1/Ref-1secretion was remarkably suppressed by the estrogen receptor (ER) blocker fulvestrant and intracellular Ca2+ chelator 1,2-Bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N′,N′-tetraacetic acid tetrakis (acetoxymethyl ester) (BAPTA-AM), suggesting E2-induced APE1/Ref-1 secretion was dependent on ER and intracellular calcium. E2-induced APE1/Ref-1 secretion was significantly inhibited by exosome inhibitor GW4869. Furthermore, APE1/Ref-1 level in CD63-positive exosome were increased by E2. Finally, fluorescence imaging data showed that APE1/Ref-1 co-localized with CD63-labled exosome in the cytoplasm of cells upon E2 treatment. Taken together, E2 was the most potent hormone for APE1/Ref-1 secretion, which appeared to occur through exosomes that were dependent on ER and intracellular Ca2+. Furthermore, hormonal effects should be considered when analyzing biomarkers for vascular inflammation.
Differential Susceptibility or Diathesis-Stress: Testing the Moderating Role of Temperament and Cortisol Levels between Fathers’ Parenting and Children’s Aggressive Behavior
Authors: Pascual-Sagastizabal Eider , del Puerto-Golzarri Nora , Azurmendi Aitziber
Published: August 2021

Aggression is a multidimensional behavior that could be caused by different biopsychosocial variables. The aim of this study was to explore whether temperament, cortisol and sex moderate the relation between fathers’ parenting style and aggressive behavior in school-aged children, and whether this corresponds to differential susceptibility or diathesis-stress. Participants were 158 children (88 boys and 70 girls) aged 8 years. Aggressive behavior was measured using the Direct and Indirect Aggression Scale and fathers informed about their child’s temperament and their own parenting style through the Children’s Behavior Questionnaire and the Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire (respectively). Children’s’ baseline saliva cortisol levels were analyzed through an enzyme immunoassay technique. The results revealed that high cortisol levels moderated the relation between fathers’ low levels of authoritative parenting and boys’ aggression. Moreover, high negative emotionality moderated the relation between permissive paternal parenting and girls’ aggressive behavior, with both these relations being consistent with the diathesis-stress theory.
Volume Stability of Cement Paste Containing Limestone Fines
Authors: Khatib Jamal , Ramadan Rawan , Ghanem Hassan , Elkordi Adel
Published: August 2021

The common cause of cracking in cement paste is shrinkage due to different reasons, such as loss of water and chemical reactions. Incorporating limestone fines (LF) as a cement replacement can affect the shrinkage of the paste. To examine this effect, five paste mixes were prepared with 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20% LF as a cement replacement and with a water-to-binder ratio (w/b) of 0.45. Four volume stability tests were conducted for each paste: chemical, autogenous and drying shrinkage and expansion. Chemical shrinkage was tested each hour for the first 24 h and thereafter every 2 days for a total period of 90 days. The drying shrinkage, autogenous shrinkage and expansion were monitored every 2 days until 90 days. The results showed that replacing 15% LF enhanced the chemical shrinkage of the paste. However, autogenous shrinkage of the paste was found to increase between 0 and 10% LF and decline sharply at 15 and 20% LF. Drying shrinkage was found to increase with the increase in LF content. Expansion exhibited little variation between 0 and 10% LF and an increase for replacement above 15% LF. These results are discussed in terms of the formation of hydration products and self-desiccation due to hydration.
Can Ultrasound Elastography Discriminate between Rectal Adenoma and Cancer? A Systematic Review
Authors: Loft Martina Kastrup , Pedersen Malene Roland Vils , Rahr Hans Bjarke , Rafaelsen Søren Rafael
Published: August 2021

Background: Rectal cancer is a common malignancy. Since the introduction of bowel-screening programs, the number of patients with advanced adenomas and early rectal cancer has increased. Despite improved diagnostics, the discrimination between rectal adenomas and early rectal cancer (i.e., pT1–T2) remains challenging. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of endorectal ultrasound (ERUS) elastography in discriminating rectal adenomas from cancer. Method: Using PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was performed on PubMed, Embase, and MEDLINE databases. Studies evaluating the primary staging of rectal adenomas and cancer using ERUS elastography were included. Results: Six studies were identified; three evaluated the discrimination between adenomas and cancer; two evaluated adenomas and early rectal cancer (i.e., pT1–T2); one evaluated performance on different T categories. All studies reported increased diagnostic accuracy of ERUS elastography compared to ERUS. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy ranged 0.93–1.00, 0.83–1.00 and 0.91–1.00, respectively, when discriminating adenomas from cancer. In the differentiation between adenomas and early rectal cancer, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 0.82–1.00, 0.86–1.00 and 0.84–1.00, respectively. Conclusion: Elastography increases the accuracy of ERUS and may provide valuable information on malignant transformation of rectal lesions.
Non-Coding RNAs in Pancreatic Cancer Diagnostics and Therapy: Focus on lncRNAs, circRNAs, and piRNAs
Authors: Li Yiwei , Al Hallak Mohammed Najeeb , Philip Philip A. , Azmi Asfar S. , Mohammad Ramzi M.
Published: August 2021

Pancreatic cancer is an aggressive malignance with high mortality. The lack of early diagnosis and effective therapy contributes to the high mortality of this deadly disease. For a long time being, the alterations in coding RNAs have been considered as major targets for diagnosis and treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, with the advances in high-throughput next generation of sequencing more alterations in non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have been discovered in different cancers. Further mechanistic studies have demonstrated that ncRNAs such as long noncoding RNAs (lncRNA), circular RNAs (circRNA) and piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) play vital roles in the regulation of tumorigenesis, tumor progression and prognosis. In recent years, increasing studies have focused on the roles of ncRNAs in the development and progression of pancreatic cancer. Novel findings have demonstrated that lncRNA, circRNA, and piRNA are critically involved in the regulation of gene expression and cellular signal transduction in pancreatic cancer. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of roles of lncRNA, circRNA, and piRNA in the diagnosis and prognosis of pancreatic cancer, and molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of these ncRNAs and related signaling in pancreatic cancer therapy. The information provided here will help to find new strategies for better treatment of pancreatic cancer.
Efficacy of Fulvestrant in Women with Hormone-Resistant Metastatic Breast Cancer (mBC): A Canadian Province Experience
Authors: Andrahennadi Samitha , Sami Amer , Haider Kamal , Chalchal Haji Ibraheem , Le Duc , Ahmed Osama , Manna Mita , El-Gayed Ali , Wright Philip , Ahmed Shahid
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Fulvestrant has demonstrated efficacy in hormone receptor positive (HR+) metastatic breast cancer (mBC), both in first-and second-line settings. In clinical practice, however, fulvestrant has been used as a later-line therapy. This study assessed the efficacy of fulvestrant in women with mBC in early-versus later-line therapy. Methods: This retrospective cohort study assessed Saskatchewan women with HR+ mBC who received fulvestrant between 2003–2019. A multivariate Cox proportional survival analysis was performed. Results: One hundred and eighty-six women with a median age of 63.5 years were identified—178 (95.6%) had hormone-resistant mBC, 57.5% had visceral disease, and 43.0% had received chemotherapy before fulvestrant. 102 (54.8%) women received ≤2-line-therapy, and 84 (45.2%) received ≥3 line-therapy before fulvestrant. The median time to progression (TTP) was 12 months in the early-treatment vs. 6 months in the later-treatment group, p = 0.015. Overall survival (OS) from the start of fulvestrant was 26 months in the early-treatment group vs. 16 months in the later-treatment group, p = 0.067. On multivariate analysis, absence of visceral metastasis, HR: 0.70 (0.50–0.99), was significantly correlated with better TTP, whereas post-fulvestrant chemotherapy, HR: 0.32 (0.23–0.47), clinical benefit from fulvestrant, HR: 0.44 (0.30–0.65), and absence of visceral metastasis, HR: 0.70 (0.50–0.97), were correlated with better OS. Conclusions: Fulvestrant has demonstrated efficacy as both early-and later-line therapy in hormone-resistant mBC. Our results show that women with clinical benefit from fulvestrant, who received post-fulvestrant chemotherapy, or had non-visceral disease, had better survival.
Obesity as a Risk Factor for Prostate Cancer Mortality: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of 280,199 Patients
Authors: Rivera-Izquierdo Mario , Pérez de Rojas Javier , Martínez-Ruiz Virginia , Pérez-Gómez Beatriz , Sánchez María-José , Khan Khalid Saeed , Jiménez-Moleón José Juan
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study was to systematically review all evidence evaluating obesity as a prognostic factor for PC mortality. Cohort and case-control studies reporting mortality among PC patients stratified by body mass index (BMI) were included. The risk of mortality among obese patients (BMI ≥ 30) was compared with the risk for normal weight (BMI < 25) patients, pooling individual hazard ratios (HR) in random-effects meta-analyses. Reasons for heterogeneity were assessed in subgroup analyses. Dose-response associations for BMI per 5 kg/m2 change were assessed. Among 7278 citations, 59 studies (280,199 patients) met inclusion criteria. Obesity was associated with increased PC-specific mortality (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.10–1.28, I2: 44.4%) and all-cause mortality (HR: 1.09, 95% CI: 1.00–1.18, I2: 43.9%). There was a 9% increase (95% CI: 5–12%, I2: 39.4%) in PC-specific mortality and 3% increase (95% CI: 1–5%, I2: 24.3%) in all-cause mortality per 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI. In analyses restricted to the higher quality subgroup (NOS ≥ 8), obesity was associated with increased PC-specific mortality (HR: 1.24, 95% CI: 1.14–1.35, I2: 0.0%) and maintained the dose-response relationship (HR: 1.11 per 5 kg/m2 increase in BMI, 95% CI: 1.07–1.15, I2: 26.6%). Obesity had a moderate, consistent, temporal, and dose-response association with PC mortality. Weight control programs may have a role in improving PC survival.
Clostridium thermocellum as a Promising Source of Genetic Material for Designer Cellulosomes: An Overview
Authors: Ha-Tran Dung Minh , Nguyen Trinh Thi My , Huang Chieh-Chen
Published: August 2021

Plant biomass-based biofuels have gradually substituted for conventional energy sources thanks to their obvious advantages, such as renewability, huge quantity, wide availability, economic feasibility, and sustainability. However, to make use of the large amount of carbon sources stored in the plant cell wall, robust cellulolytic microorganisms are highly demanded to efficiently disintegrate the recalcitrant intertwined cellulose fibers to release fermentable sugars for microbial conversion. The Gram-positive, thermophilic, cellulolytic bacterium Clostridium thermocellum possesses a cellulolytic multienzyme complex termed the cellulosome, which has been widely considered to be nature’s finest cellulolytic machinery, fascinating scientists as an auspicious source of saccharolytic enzymes for biomass-based biofuel production. Owing to the supra-modular characteristics of the C. thermocellum cellulosome architecture, the cellulosomal components, including cohesin, dockerin, scaffoldin protein, and the plentiful cellulolytic and hemicellulolytic enzymes have been widely used for constructing artificial cellulosomes for basic studies and industrial applications. In addition, as the well-known microbial workhorses are naïve to biomass deconstruction, several research groups have sought to transform them from non-cellulolytic microbes into consolidated bioprocessing-enabling microbes. This review aims to update and discuss the current progress in these mentioned issues, point out their limitations, and suggest some future directions.