bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association between Obesity and Intake of Different Food Groups among Japanese with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus—Japan Diabetes Clinical Data Management Study (JDDM68)
Authors: Hatta Mariko , Horikawa Chika , Takeda Yasunaga , Ikeda Izumi , Yoshizawa Morikawa Sakiko , Kato Noriko , Kato Mitsutoshi , Yokoyama Hiroki , Kurihara Yoshio , Maegawa Hiroshi , Fujihara Kazuya , Sone Hirohito
Published: July 2022

Background: We investigated the association between various food groups and obesity in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes. Methods: 2070 patients with type 2 diabetes who attended 26 diabetes clinics throughout Japan were analyzed and were divided into obese and non-obese groups. Intakes of food groups determined by a food frequency questionnaire were compared. Odds ratios for obesity for quartiles of individual food groups were calculated using a logistic regression model. Results: Non-obese patients consumed a larger variety of food groups than obese patients, with the diets of non-obese individuals closer to the traditional Japanese diet characterized by fish, seaweed, and soybeans/soy products. Among 21 food groups, low vegetable intake and high sweets intake were the most strongly associated with obesity in both men and women. Low intake of both fruits and vegetables and the combination of high intake of sweets and low intake of fruits were associated with obesity. Conclusions: Food groups and their combinations that were strongly associated with obesity in Japanese patients with type 2 diabetes were identified. Our findings also suggested an inverse association between the traditional Japanese diet and obesity.
Physical Complaints Decrease after Following a Few-Foods Diet in Children with ADHD
Authors: Pelsser Lidy , Stobernack Tim , Frankena Klaas
Published: July 2022

Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms may significantly decrease after following a few-foods diet (FFD). The results of a small randomised controlled trial (RCT) showed that co-occurring physical complaints in children with ADHD decreased as well. To further investigate the effect of an FFD on physical complaints, we analysed unpublished data from previously published studies (i.e., ‘Impact of Nutrition on Children with ADHD’ [INCA], an RCT, and ‘Biomarker Research in ADHD: the Impact of Nutrition’ [BRAIN], an open-label trial). In both trials, the association between an FFD, ADHD, and 21 individual physical complaints was assessed. Children either followed a 5-week FFD (the INCA FFD group and BRAIN participants) or received healthy food advice (the INCA control group). The ADHD rating scale and a physical complaint questionnaire were filled in at the start and end of the trials. The INCA results showed, for 10 of 21 complaints, a clinically relevant reduction in the FFD group compared to the control group. The open-label BRAIN results confirmed the outcomes of the FFD group. No association was detected between the decrease in physical complaints and the decrease in ADHD symptoms. The results point toward an association between the FFD and a decrease in thermoregulation problems, gastrointestinal complaints, eczema, and sleep problems.
Application of a Modified Healthy Eating Index (HEI-Flex) to Compare the Diet Quality of Flexitarians, Vegans and Omnivores in Germany
Authors: Bruns Anja , Mueller Mattea , Schneider Inga , Hahn Andreas
Published: July 2022

Interest in plant-based nutrition has steadily increased in the western world in the recent years. The number of people following a meat-reduced, flexitarian diet is growing continuously. However, little is known about the diet quality of flexitarians compared to vegans or omnivores. Therefore, in this cross-sectional study, the food intake of 94 participants aged between 25–45 years was recorded via a validated food frequency questionnaire and 28 self-designed questions about the consumption of plant-based alternatives. An adapted Healthy Eating Index, HEI-flex, was developed to evaluate the diet quality of flexitarians, vegans and omnivores. Higher score points (SP) of the HEI-flex are associated with higher compliance with the official diet recommendations (Vmax = 100 SP). Finally, flexitarians scored significantly more highly when compared to omnivores (54 ± 8 vs. 47 ± 9 SP; p = 0.008) but lower than vegans (54 ± 8 vs. 61 ± 10 SP; p = 0.010). The results showed that the HEI-flex is a useful tool for assessing and comparing the diet quality of flexitarians, vegans and omnivores. Despite the consumption of highly processed plant-based alternatives, reduction in meat and meat products seems to be accompanied by increased overall diet quality.
Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance Is Inversely Related to Incident Advanced Liver Fibrosis in Patients with Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Authors: Lee Jun-Hyuk , Kwon Yu-Jin , Park Kyongmin , Lee Hye Sun , Park Hoon-Ki , Han Jee Hye , Ahn Sang Bong
Published: July 2022

We determined the relationships between metabolic score for IR (METS-IR), triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, and homeostatic model assessment for IR (HOMA-IR) and incident advanced liver fibrosis (ALF) and assessed the abilities of the three IR indicators to predict ALF in patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in adults with NAFLD who were aged 40–69 years old. Among 2218 participants with NAFLD at baseline, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve for predicting ALF of the METS-IR was 0.744 (0.679–0.810), significantly higher than that of TyG index (0.644 (0.569–0.720)) or that of HOMA-IR (0.633 (0.556–0.710)). Among 1368 patients with NAFLD and without ALF at baseline, 260 (19.0%) patients with NAFLD progressed to ALF during the 16-year follow-up period. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression analysis revealed that the adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) for incident ALF in the highest tertiles of METS-IR, TyG index, and HOMA-IR compared with the lowest tertile of each IR indicator were 0.5 (0.36–0.91), 0.7 (0.49–1.00), and 1.01 (0.71–1.42), respectively. METS-IR was inversely associated with ALF in patients with NAFLD, which cautiously suggests that the risk of ALF may need to be evaluated when metabolic parameters improve in individuals with NAFLD.
Numerical Simulations of Dark Matter Admixed Neutron Star Binaries
Authors: Emma Mattia , Schianchi Federico , Pannarale Francesco , Sagun Violetta , Dietrich Tim
Published: July 2022

Multi-messenger observations of compact binary mergers provide a new way to constrain the nature of dark matter that may accumulate in and around neutron stars. In this article, we extend the infrastructure of our numerical-relativity code BAM to enable the simulation of neutron stars that contain an additional mirror dark matter component. We perform single star tests to verify our code and the first binary neutron star simulations of this kind. We find that the presence of dark matter reduces the lifetime of the merger remnant and favors a prompt collapse to a black hole. Furthermore, we find differences in the merger time for systems with the same total mass and mass ratio, but different amounts of dark matter. Finally, we find that electromagnetic signals produced by the merger of binary neutron stars admixed with dark matter are very unlikely to be as bright as their dark matter-free counterparts. Given the increased sensitivity of multi-messenger facilities, our analysis gives a new perspective on how to probe the presence of dark matter.
Etodolac Fortified Sodium Deoxycholate Stabilized Zein Nanoplatforms for Augmented Repositioning Profile in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Assessment of Bioaccessibility, Anti-Proliferation, Pro-Apoptosis and Oxidant Potentials in HepG2 Cells
Authors: Kammoun Ahmed K. , Hegazy Maha A. , Khedr Alaa , Awan Zuhier Ahmed , Khayat Maan T. , Al-Sawahli Majid Mohammad
Published: July 2022

This work aimed to enhance the purposing profile of Etodolac (ETD) in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) HepG2 cells using sodium deoxycholate stabilized zein nanospheres (ETD-SDZN NSs). ETD-SDZN NSs were formulated using the nan-precipitation method and were characterized, in particular, in terms of mean particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency, colloidal stability and bioaccessibility. Estimations of cytotoxicity, cellular uptake, cell cycle progression, Annexin-V staining, mRNA expression of apoptotic genes and oxidative stress evaluations were conducted. The ETD-SDZN NSs selected formula obtained an average particle size of 113.6 ± 7.4 nm, a zeta potential value of 32.7 ± 2.3 mV, an encapsulation efficiency of 93.3 ± 5.2%, enhanced bioaccessibility and significantly reduced IC50 against HepG2 cells, by approximately 13 times. There was also enhanced cellular uptake, accumulation in G2-M phase and elevated percentage cells in pre-G1 phase, significant elevated mRNA expression of P53, significant reduced expression of Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1) and Cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) with enhanced oxidative stress by reducing glutathione reductase (GR) level, ameliorated reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and lipid peroxidation outputs. ETD-SDZN NSs obtained a supreme cell death-inducing profile toward HepG2 cells compared to free ETD. The method of formulation was successful in acquiring the promising profile of ETD in HCC as a therapeutic molecule due to ameliorated cellular uptake, proapoptotic and oxidant potentials.
Antibladder Cancer Effects of Excavatolide C by Inducing Oxidative Stress, Apoptosis, and DNA Damage In Vitro
Authors: Yang Che-Wei , Chien Tsu-Ming , Yen Chia-Hung , Wu Wen-Jeng , Sheu Jyh-Horng , Chang Hsueh-Wei
Published: July 2022

Excavatolide C (EXCC) is a bioactive compound derived from the gorgonian octocoral Briareum excavatum, and its anticancer effects are rarely addressed, particularly for bladder cancer. This investigation aimed to explore the potential impacts of EXCC on inhibiting the proliferation of three kinds of bladder cancer cells (5637, BFTC905, and T24). EXCC inhibits bladder cancer cell proliferation based on 48 h ATP assay. This antiproliferation function is validated to be oxidative stress dependent. Cellular and mitochondrial oxidative stresses were upregulated by EXCC, accompanied by depleting glutathione and mitochondrial membrane potential. These antiproliferation and oxidative stress events were suppressed by N-acetylcysteine (NAC), indicating that EXCC has an oxidative stress-regulating function for antiproliferation of bladder cancer cells. Oxidative stress-related responses such as apoptosis, caspase activation, and DNA damage were upregulated by EXCC and reverted by NAC. Taken together, the antiproliferation function of EXCC provides a potential treatment against bladder cancer cells via oxidative stress modulation.
Proposed Scheme for Ultra-Flat Optical Frequency Comb Generation Based on Dual-Drive Mach–Zehnder Modulators and Bidirectional Recirculating Frequency Shifting in Single Loop
Authors: Liu Yu , Wu Shibao
Published: July 2022

Recirculating frequency shifting has attracted much attention for its advantages in the generation of the flexible and high-quality optical frequency comb. A new scheme of ultra-flat optical frequency comb generation system based on single-loop bidirectional recirculating frequency shift is proposed and studied in this paper. The generation system employs two pairs of dual-drive Mach–Zehnder modulators and several polarization devices. Compared with the method of single-loop unidirectional recirculation frequency shift, under the same cycles, the number of comb lines generated by the proposed method is doubled, and the generated optical frequency combs have less noise accumulation and better flatness. The theoretical model is established, and the proposed scheme is verified by software simulation. A 111-line optical frequency comb with the spacing of 12.5 GHz, the flatness of 0.76 dB, and the optical signal-to-noise ratio of 27.39 dB was obtained by adopting the proposed scheme.
Prescription Stimulants in College and Medical Students: A Narrative Review of Misuse, Cognitive Impact, and Adverse Effects
Authors: Edinoff Amber N. , Nix Catherine A. , McNeil Shawn E. , Wagner Sarah E. , Johnson Catherine A. , Williams Brooke C. , Cornett Elyse M. , Murnane Kevin S. , Kaye Adam M. , Kaye Alan D.
Published: July 2022

Stimulants are effective in treating attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Psychiatrist Charles Bradley first made this discovery in 1937 when he found that children treated with amphetamines showed improvements in school performance and behavior. Between 1995 and 2008, stimulants to treat ADHD increased six-fold among American adults and adolescents at an annual rate of 6.5%. Stimulants without a prescription, known as nonmedical use or misuse, have also increased. The highest rates of nonmedical prescription drug misuse in the United States are seen most notably in young adults between 18 and 25 years, based on data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in 2021. Aside from undergraduate students, nonmedical prescription stimulant use is prevalent among medical students worldwide. A recent literature review reported the utilization of stimulants without a prescription in 970 out of 11,029 medical students. The percentages of medical students across the country misusing stimulants varied from 5.2% to 47.4%. Academic enhancement, reported in 50% to 89% of college students with stimulant misuse, is the most common reason for nonmedical stimulant use. With the increasing use of stimulants among adolescents and adults, it is unclear what long-term outcomes will be since little data are available that describe differences in how side effects are experienced for prescribed and non-prescribed users. The present narrative review focuses on these adverse effects in this population and the reasonings behind misuse and nonmedical use.
Challenges and Evolution of Water Level Monitoring towards a Comprehensive, World-Scale Coverage with Remote Sensing
Authors: Machefer Mélissande , Perpinyà-Vallès Martí , Escorihuela Maria José , Gustafsson David , Romero Laia
Published: July 2022

Surface water availability is a fundamental environmental variable to implement effective climate adaptation and mitigation plans, as expressed by scientific, financial and political stakeholders. Recently published requirements urge the need for homogenised access to long historical records at a global scale, together with the standardised characterisation of the accuracy of observations. While satellite altimeters offer world coverage measurements, existing initiatives and online platforms provide derived water level data. However, these are sparse, particularly in complex topographies. This study introduces a new methodology in two steps (1) teroVIR, a virtual station extractor for a more comprehensive global and automatic monitoring of water bodies, and (2) teroWAT, a multi-mission, interoperable water level processor, for handling all terrain types. L2 and L1 altimetry products are used, with state-of-the-art retracker algorithms in the methodology. The work presents a benchmark between teroVIR and current platforms in West Africa, Kazakhastan and the Arctic: teroVIR shows an unprecedented increase from 55% to 99% in spatial coverage. A large-scale validation of teroWAT results in an average of unbiased root mean square error ubRMSE of 0.638 m on average for 36 locations in West Africa. Traditional metrics (ubRMSE, median, absolute deviation, Pearson coefficient) disclose significantly better values for teroWAT when compared with existing platforms, of the order of 8 cm and 5% improved respectively in error and correlation. teroWAT shows unprecedented excellent results in the Arctic, using an L1 products-based algorithm instead of L2, reducing the error by almost 4 m on average. To further compare teroWAT with existing methods, a new scoring option, teroSCO, is presented, measuring the quality of the validation of time series transversally and objectively across different strategies. Finally, teroVIR and teroWAT are implemented as platform-agnostic modules and used by flood forecasting and river discharge methods as relevant examples. A review of various applications for miscellaneous end-users is given, tackling the educational challenge raised by the community.
Remote Sensing and Mineralogical Analyses: A First Application to the Highly Active Hydrothermal Discharge Area of Pisciarelli in the Campi Flegrei Volcanic Field (Italy)
Authors: Caputo Teresa , Mormone Angela , Marino Ermanno , Balassone Giuseppina , Piochi Monica
Published: July 2022

This paper explored the relationship between acidic sulfate alteration, geostructural frameworks, and geomorphological changes that can be observed in active volcanic hydrothermal systems. The target area was Pisciarelli in the Campi Flegrei volcano, where diffuse acidic sulfate alteration and hydrothermal dynamics have been growing since 2012, causing a progressive deterioration of landscapes. Terrestrial Laser Scanner (TLS), photogrammetry of proximity survey, geological field work, mineralogical and geochemical analysis with Optical Microscopy (OM), electron microscopy, and energy dispersive micro-analysis (BSEM-EDS) and X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) to characterize (and monitor) altered rock outcrops were repeatedly carried out in the area. We present the multi-temporal acquisition and analysis referring to Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) datasets (2014 survey) with 3D-point clouds obtained from the Structure for Motion (SfM) photogrammetry (2021 survey) with a high-resolution digital camera aimed at evaluating volumetric changes on the mostly damaged and altered fault scarp. For each survey, we obtained a vertical Digital Elevation Model (DEM) and a true color RGB orthomosaic that provided the setting of the area at the different times and its evolution through their comparison. Changing sites were examined in the field and characterized for mineralogical and geochemical purposes. The investigated slope lost up to about 4 m3 of deposits between 2014 and 2021, mostly related to hydrothermal alteration induced by gas emissions and meteoric infiltration. Our methodological approach appears promising to evaluate evolution and rock-fall susceptibility of solfataric terrains subjected to hydrothermal dynamics.
Remote Monitoring of Atmospheric and Hydrophysical Characteristics of the Water Surface Based on Microwave Radiometric Measurements
Authors: Varotsos Costas , Mkrtchyan Ferdenant , Soldatov Vladimir
Published: July 2022

This work summarizes the main characteristics of atmospheric and hydro-physical parameters of the water surface derived from microwave radiometric data. First, current knowledge based on experimental measurements and model calculations of emissivity of the atmosphere and water surface in the microwave spectrum is presented. Emphasis is placed on remote radio-physical methods that have the peculiarity of being related to atmospheric radio-transparency which is one of the main advantages of the microwave radiometric method compared to optical and infrared methods. A detailed presentation is attempted with specific examples of classification of water surface phenomena using software modules included in the system used for the processing of data of radio-physical experiments by the Cosmos-1500 satellite. In addition, the statistical characteristics of the “spotting” of radio-brightness temperatures obtained for the most informative thresholds are analyzed and it is argued that these characteristics for the Pacific areas can also be used to detect abnormal phenomena on the water surface of the Mediterranean Sea. Finally, it is emphasized that the results obtained from this work make it possible to rapidly evaluate various parameters such as temperature, water surface waves, foam formation areas, etc., providing predictions and allocating irregular areas.
Analysis of the Characteristics and Evolution Mechanisms of a Bow-Shaped Squall Line in East China Observed with Dual-Polarization Doppler Radars
Authors: Wu Bin , Wei Ming , Li Yanfang , Wang Zhangwei , Du Shuang , Zhao Chen
Published: July 2022

To gain a deeper understanding of the formation and evolutionary mechanisms of a bow-shaped squall line (BSL) that occurred in East China on 10 May 2021, observations from S-band dual-polarization radars, a disdrometer and other instruments are used to investigate the characteristics and evolution of the kinematic, microphysical and radar echo structure within the squall line during its formative and mature stages. The results are as follows. The updraft induced by upper-level divergence and vertical thermal instability induced by the cold source at the middle and top of the troposphere provided environmental conditions suitable for the formation and strengthening of a squall line. The characteristics of the vertical vorticity at the leading edge of the squall line provided a good indication of its echo structure and evolutionary trend. The mechanism behind a new echo phenomenon—double high-differential reflectivity (ZDR) bands—observed in plan position indicator scans produced by the dual-polarization radar is investigated from the kinematic and microphysical structural perspectives. The evolutionary characteristics of the microphysical structure of the bulk of the squall line and its trailing stratiform cloud region are analyzed based on the quasi-vertical profiles retrieved from the S-band dual-polarization radar in Quzhou. Moreover, a conceptual model describing this type of BSL with a trailing region of stratiform rain in the warm sector is developed to provide technical support for the monitoring and early warning of BSLs.
Development of a Novel Burned-Area Subpixel Mapping (BASM) Workflow for Fire Scar Detection at Subpixel Level
Authors: Xu Haizhou , Zhang Gui , Zhou Zhaoming , Zhou Xiaobing , Zhang Jia , Zhou Cui
Published: July 2022

The accurate detection of burned forest area is essential for post-fire management and assessment, and for quantifying carbon budgets. Therefore, it is imperative to map burned areas accurately. Currently, there are few burned-area products around the world. Researchers have mapped burned areas directly at the pixel level that is usually a mixture of burned area and other land cover types. In order to improve the burned area mapping at subpixel level, we proposed a Burned Area Subpixel Mapping (BASM) workflow to map burned areas at the subpixel level. We then applied the workflow to Sentinel 2 data sets to obtain burned area mapping at subpixel level. In this study, the information of true fire scar was provided by the Department of Emergency Management of Hunan Province, China. To validate the accuracy of the BASM workflow for detecting burned areas at the subpixel level, we applied the workflow to the Sentinel 2 image data and then compared the detected burned area at subpixel level with in situ measurements at fifteen fire-scar reference sites located in Hunan Province, China. Results show the proposed method generated successfully burned area at the subpixel level. The methods, especially the BASM-Feature Extraction Rule Based (BASM-FERB) method, could minimize misclassification and effects due to noise more effectively compared with the BASM-Random Forest (BASM-RF), BASM-Backpropagation Neural Net (BASM-BPNN), BASM-Support Vector Machine (BASM-SVM), and BASM-notra methods. We conducted a comparison study among BASM-FERB, BASM-RF, BASM-BPNN, BASM-SVM, and BASM-notra using five accuracy evaluation indices, i.e., overall accuracy (OA), user’s accuracy (UA), producer’s accuracy (PA), intersection over union (IoU), and Kappa coefficient (Kappa). The detection accuracy of burned area at the subpixel level by BASM-FERB’s OA, UA, IoU, and Kappa is 98.11%, 81.72%, 74.32%, and 83.98%, respectively, better than BASM-RF’s, BASM-BPNN’s, BASM-SVM’s, and BASM-notra’s, even though BASM-RF’s and BASM-notra’s average PA is higher than BASM-FERB’s, with 89.97%, 91.36%, and 89.52%, respectively. We conclude that the newly proposed BASM workflow can map burned areas at the subpixel level, providing greater accuracy in regards to the burned area for post-forest fire management and assessment.
Long-Distance Multi-Vehicle Detection at Night Based on Gm-APD Lidar
Authors: Ding Yuanxue , Qu Yanchen , Sun Jianfeng , Du Dakuan , Jiang Yanze , Zhang Hailong
Published: July 2022

Long-distance multi-vehicle detection at night is critical in military operations. Due to insufficient light at night, the visual features of vehicles are difficult to distinguish, and many missed detections occur. This paper proposes a two-level detection method for long-distance nighttime multi-vehicles based on Gm-APD lidar intensity images and point cloud data. The method is divided into two levels. The first level is 2D detection, which enhances the local contrast of the intensity image and improves the brightness of weak and small objects. With the confidence threshold set, the detection result greater than the threshold is reserved as a reliable object, and the detection result less than the threshold is a suspicious object. In the second level of 3D recognition, the suspicious object area from the first level is converted into the corresponding point cloud classification judgment, and the object detection score is obtained through comprehensive judgment. Finally, the object results of the two-level recognition are merged into the final detection result. Experimental results show that the method achieves a detection accuracy of 96.38% and can effectively improve the detection accuracy of multiple vehicles at night, which is better than the current state-of-the-art detection methods.
Quality-of-Service-Centric Design and Analysis of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles
Authors: Jha Sudhanshu Kumar , Prakash Shiv , Rathore Rajkumar Singh , Mahmud Mufti , Kaiwartya Omprakash , Lloret Jaime
Published: July 2022

Recent years have witnessed rapid development and great indignation burgeoning in the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) field. This growth of UAV-related research contributes to several challenges, including inter-communication from vehicle to vehicle, transportation coverage, network information gathering, network interworking effectiveness, etc. Due to ease of usage, UAVs have found novel applications in various areas such as agriculture, defence, security, medicine, and observation for traffic-monitoring applications. This paper presents an innovative drone system by designing and developing a blended-wing-body (BWB)-based configuration for next-generation drone use cases. The proposed method has several benefits, including a very low interference drag, evenly distributed load inside the body, and less radar signature compared to the state-of-the-art configurations. During the entire procedure, a standard design approach was followed to optimise the BWB framework for next-generation use cases by considering the typically associated parameters such as vertical take-off and landing and drag and stability of the BWB. Extensive simulation experiments were performed to carry out a performance analysis of the proposed model in a software-based environment. To further confirm that the model design of the BWB-UAV is fit to execute the targeted missions, the real-time working environments were tested through advanced numerical simulation and focused on avoiding cost and unwanted wastages. To enhance the trustworthiness of this said computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, grid convergence test-based validation was also conducted. Two different grid convergence tests were conducted on the induced velocity of the Version I UAV and equivalent stress of the Version II UAV. Finite element analysis-based computations were involved in estimating structural outcomes. Finally, the mesh quality was obtained as 0.984 out of 1. The proposed model is very cost-effective for performing a different kind of manoeuvring activities with the help of its unique design at reasonable mobility speed and hence can be modelled for high-speed-based complex next-generation use cases.
Learning-Based Slip Detection for Robotic Fruit Grasping and Manipulation under Leaf Interference
Authors: Zhou Hongyu , Xiao Jinhui , Kang Hanwen , Wang Xing , Au Wesley , Chen Chao
Published: July 2022

Robotic harvesting research has seen significant achievements in the past decade, with breakthroughs being made in machine vision, robot manipulation, autonomous navigation and mapping. However, the missing capability of obstacle handling during the grasping process has severely reduced harvest success rate and limited the overall performance of robotic harvesting. This work focuses on leaf interference caused slip detection and handling, where solutions to robotic grasping in an unstructured environment are proposed. Through analysis of the motion and force of fruit grasping under leaf interference, the connection between object slip caused by leaf interference and inadequate harvest performance is identified for the first time in the literature. A learning-based perception and manipulation method is proposed to detect slip that causes problematic grasps of objects, allowing the robot to implement timely reaction. Our results indicate that the proposed algorithm detects grasp slip with an accuracy of 94%. The proposed sensing-based manipulation demonstrated great potential in robotic fruit harvesting, and could be extended to other pick-place applications.
Tracking Multiple Targets Using Bearing-Only Measurements in Underwater Noisy Environments
Authors: Kim Jonghoek
Published: July 2022

This article handles tracking multiple targets using bearing-only measurements in underwater noisy environments. For tracking multiple targets in underwater noisy environments, the Gaussian Mixture Probability Hypothesis Density (GM-PHD) filter provides good performance with its low computational load. Bearing-only measurements are passive and do not provide position information of a target. Note that the nonlinearity of the bearing-only measurements can be handled by Extended Kalman Filters (EKF) when applying the GM-PHD filter. However, range uncertainty of the target is large for bearing-only measurements. Thus, a single EKF leads to poor performance when it is applied in the GM-PHD. In this article, every bearing measurement gives birth to multiple target samples, which are distributed considering the feasible range of the passive sensor. Thereafter, every target sample is updated utilizing the measurement update step of the EKF. In this way, we run multiple EKFs associated to multiple target samples, instead of running a single EKF. To the best of our knowledge, our article is novel in tracking multiple targets in noisy environments, using the observer with bearing-only measurements. The effectiveness of the proposed GM-PHD is verified utilizing MATLAB simulations.
Multimodal Feature Fusion Method for Unbalanced Sample Data in Social Network Public Opinion
Authors: Zhao Jian , Dong Wenhua , Shi Lijuan , Qiang Wenqian , Kuang Zhejun , Xu Dawei , An Tianbo
Published: July 2022

With the wide application of social media, public opinion analysis in social networks has been unable to be met through text alone because the existing public opinion information includes data information of various modalities, such as voice, text, and facial expressions. Therefore multi-modal emotion analysis is the current focus of public opinion analysis. In addition, multi-modal emotion recognition of speech is an important factor restricting the multi-modal emotion analysis. In this paper, the emotion feature retrieval method for speech is firstly explored and the processing method of sample disequilibrium data is then analyzed. By comparing and studying the different feature fusion methods of text and speech, respectively, the multi-modal feature fusion method for sample disequilibrium data is proposed to realize multi-modal emotion recognition. Experiments are performed using two publicly available datasets (IEMOCAP and MELD), which shows that processing multi-modality data through this method can obtain good fine-grained emotion recognition results, laying a foundation for subsequent social public opinion analysis.
Impact of EEG Frequency Bands and Data Separation on the Performance of Person Verification Employing Neural Networks
Authors: Plucińska Renata , Jędrzejewski Konrad , Waligóra Marek , Malinowska Urszula , Rogala Jacek
Published: July 2022

The paper is devoted to the study of EEG-based people verification. Analyzed solutions employed shallow artificial neural networks using spectral EEG features as input representation. We investigated the impact of the features derived from different frequency bands and their combination on verification results. Moreover, we studied the influence of a number of hidden neurons in a neural network. The datasets used in the analysis consisted of signals recorded during resting state from 29 healthy adult participants performed on different days, 20 EEG sessions for each of the participants. We presented two different scenarios of training and testing processes. In the first scenario, we used different parts of each recording session to create the training and testing datasets, and in the second one, training and testing datasets originated from different recording sessions. Among single frequency bands, the best outcomes were obtained for the beta frequency band (mean accuracy of 91 and 89% for the first and second scenarios, respectively). Adding the spectral features from more frequency bands to the beta band features improved results (95.7 and 93.1%). The findings showed that there is not enough evidence that the results are different between networks using different numbers of hidden neurons. Additionally, we included results for the attack of 23 external impostors whose recordings were not used earlier in training or testing the neural network in both scenarios. Another significant finding of our study shows worse sensitivity results in the second scenario. This outcome indicates that most of the studies presenting verification or identification results based on the first scenario (dominating in the current literature) are overestimated when it comes to practical applications.
Ruellia tuberosa Ethyl Acetate Leaf Extract Induces Apoptosis and Cell Cycle Arrest in Human Breast Cancer Cell Line, MCF-7
Authors: Lem Fui Fui , Cheong Bo Eng , Teoh Peik Lin
Published: July 2022

Ruellia tuberosa L. has been previously shown to possess antioxidant and antiproliferative activities on cancer cells but its underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. This study aimed to elucidate the mode of action underlying this inhibitory effect on MCF-7 using ethyl acetate extract obtained after liquid-liquid partition of methanol crude extract. Antiproliferative effect of R. tuberosa ethyl acetate leaf extract (RTEAL) was evaluated using MTT assay. Its ability to induce apoptosis was assessed by DNA ladder formation, JC-1, Annexin V, and methylene blue staining assays. Perturbation of cell cycle progression was determined using flow cytometry. RTEAL was found to selectively inhibit the proliferation of MCF-7 cells with the IC50 value of 28 µg/mL. Morphological changes such as nuclear fragmentation and chromatin condensation were observed although DNA laddering was undetected in agarose gel. RTEAL-induced apoptotic pathways by inhibiting the expression of anti-apoptotic BCL-2 while upregulating pro-apoptotic BAX, caspase 7 and caspase 8. RTEAL also caused cell cycle arrests at the S and G2/M phase and dysregulation of cell cycle regulators. These findings collectively demonstrate that RTEAL extract inhibited cell growth by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest, suggesting its therapeutic potential against breast cancer.
Tracking Progress towards the International Safeguards for Children in Sport
Authors: Wilson Amy Lorraine , Rhind Daniel J. A.
Published: July 2022

In 2018, a review was conducted to explore sporting organisations’ use of global safeguarding policies. Due to an increase in the number of organisations now adopting these policies, it is thought that an up-to-date review should be conducted to reinstate what is known. As such, this study aims to assess the current state of sporting organisations on the adoption and implementation of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport. Global organisations were contacted to take part in an online questionnaire which explored their use of the International Safeguards for Children in Sport and adopted a novel use for the activation states theory. Results indicated an international, multi-sector use of the International Safeguards as well as supported the relevancy of these Safeguards. There was some stabilisation in activation states since the last review whilst others have progressed from reactive to active. Similarly, thematic analysis highlighted multiple key indicators important in creating a broader impact through safeguarding, such as an increase in disclosures. Furthermore, the results appear to support the newly developed Safeguarding Culture in Sport model. Overall, this research appears to demonstrate an improvement in organisations’ engagement with safeguarding but also highlights areas where this can be further improved.
How to Alleviate Hotel Employees’ Job Stress in the Associations between Job Stressors and Its Consequences
Authors: Yoo Dong Yoon
Published: July 2022

This study investigates the relationship between job insecurity, job stress, and the psychological well-being of hotel employees, and the moderating effect of emotional regulation control on the causal relationship between job stress and psychological well-being. A valid sample of 428 employees was used from three five-star hotels and two four-star hotels in Seoul and Busan, South Korea, for hypothesis testing. After confirming the construct validity and reliability of all measurements, a structural equation modeling and multi-group analysis examine the postulated hypotheses. The findings are as follows: (1) the positive effect of job insecurity on job stress is significant; (2) job stress negatively and significantly mediates the linkage between hotel employees’ job insecurity and psychological well-being, while the direct effect of job insecurity on psychological is not significant; (3) the negative relationship between hotel employees’ job stress and psychological well-being is dramatically alleviated by the seeking support strategy; (4) hotel employees’ active coping strategy also has a palliative negative effect of job stress on psychological well-being; (5) however, avoidance is not an effective strategy for stress relief in the context of hotel employees’ job stress and well-being due to the COVID-19 and job insecurity.
Sustainable Real Estate and Resilient Cities: Management, Assessment and Innovations
Authors: De Paola Pierfrancesco , Tajani Francesco , Locurcio Marco , Di Liddo Felicia
Published: July 2022

Production and consumption activities have determined a weakness of the sustainable real estate economy [...]
Heterogeneous Dynamic Correlation Research among Industrial Structure Distortion, Two-Way FDI and Carbon Emission Intensity in China
Authors: You Jiansheng , Ding Guohan , Zhang Liyuan
Published: July 2022

The increase in carbon emissions year by year poses a severe challenge to the high-quality development and sustainability of China’s economy. How to reduce the intensity of carbon emissions has become a prominent issue to promote green growth. Based on the provincial panel data from 2011 to 2020, this paper uses Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA), the spatial econometric model and intermediary effect test as analysis methods. The following results are drawn. Firstly, China’s industrial structure distortion index shows a downward trend. The industrial structure distortion index is the highest in the west of China, followed by the middle of China and is the lowest in the east of China. Secondly, the distortion of the industrial structure will not only lead to the increase in local carbon emission intensity but also produce reverse spillover to adjacent areas. Thirdly, the results of intermediary effect analysis show that industrial structure distortion can affect the transmission mechanism of carbon emission intensity by affecting two-way FDI. This paper has a profound practical significance for promoting the process of industrial upgrading by insisting on developing foreign trade to achieve carbon emission reduction. The main innovation of this paper is to put forward the concept of industrial structure distortion and bring it into a unified research framework with two-way FDI and carbon emission intensity.
Waste Management in Qatar: A Systematic Literature Review and Recommendations for System Strengthening
Authors: Mariyam Sabah , Cochrane Logan , Zuhara Shifa , McKay Gordon
Published: July 2022

Billions of tons of waste are generated annually, with the amount of waste rapidly increasing and its management expected to worsen. Qatar is a small and wealthy country in the Arabian Peninsula that is undergoing enormous economic and urban development. This study presents the results of a systematic literature review on waste management in Qatar and offers recommendations for system strengthening based on an analysis of the available evidence. The PRISMA guidelines were followed to review literature from the ProQuest and SCOPUS platforms, from which 82 unique publications were analyzed according to ten themes. The results draw upon diverse disciplinary and research focus areas related to waste management, ranging from the generation of value-added products from wastes to the role of religion in waste management awareness. The main recommendations emerging from the available evidence include the need for a holistic approach to address increasing waste generation, which must include diverse stakeholders such as government entities, researchers, and broad community representation for decision making as well as raising awareness for behavior change. Additionally, the main waste types, including construction, food, plastic, and electronic wastes, require specific attention since the cause of generation and type of management varies accordingly. The rise of interest in improving waste management, in particular to work toward meeting the targets of the Qatar National Vision and the National Development Strategy should bring about positive outcomes for strengthening waste management systems.
Real Estate Developers as Agents in the Simulation of Urban Sprawl
Authors: Hinojoza-Castro Geovanna , Gómez-Delgado Montserrat , Plata-Rocha Wenseslao
Published: July 2022

Urban expansion is one of the processes that generates the greatest impact on the distribution of land uses, leading to important territorial changes. Its evolution has become a highly relevant object of analysis and studies on the subject have gradually advanced from a focus on patterns of land use and cover, towards a more detailed analysis of the dynamic interactions between all the actors involved in these processes. Among the agents usually included as an active and decisive part of these dynamics are the real estate developers. This study aims to analyze these agents, identify their behavioral patterns, and categorize and better understand them. For this, a qualitative approach was employed, in which a structured questionnaire elaborated from the point of view of an expert was administrated to the real estate developers in the area of the Henares urban–industrial corridor, between Madrid and Guadalajara, where important processes of urban expansion have taken place. The information obtained from an interview with an expert and the questionnaire revealed important information about the work of real estate developers and will be of great help in the elaboration of an Agent-Based Model to simulate and analyze urban growth. This process is crucial to determine in a more empirical way the different decision rules that are necessary to develop this type of model.
The Hotspots and Trends in the Literature on Cleaner Production: A Visualized Analysis Based on Citespace
Authors: Jiang Yuguo , Li Min , Dennis Asante , Liao Xin , Ampaw Enock Mintah
Published: July 2022

Cleaner production (CP) has emerged as a new concept to cope with the astronomical environmental degradation associated with the expanding scope of industrialization. We conducted a review of the scientific data on the conceptualization of “cleaner production” using published documents from the 2011–2021 period. Data were extracted from the CNKI and WOS databases—two major databases based in China and the United States, respectively. Citespace software was used to track the developmental process and trend of future research on cleaner production. We report the following findings: (1) While the literature on cleaner production in CNKI is decreasing, the literature in WOS has been increasing annually. (2) Even though clear instances of different research priorities exist between WOS and CNKI, the research problems addressed in the two databases, however, are mostly common. In terms of research collaboration, WOS is more likely to accept papers with cross-institutional authorship. The study further identified that there is no aggregation effect between Chinese research institutions. (3) In WOS, the Journal of Cleaner Production is the most popular journal for researchers, and in CNKI the Chinese Journal of Agricultural Resources and Regional Planning leads in CP publications. (4) Regarding the research hotspots, there are obvious differences between WOS and CNKI. Finally, we put forward the future prospects for cleaner production research.
Regional Implications of the Circular Economy and Food Greentech Companies
Authors: Scaffidi Federica
Published: July 2022

Important advances have been made in food waste recycling and the circular economy. Many organizations are developing new technologies and innovative products that use food waste and food byproducts. This paper explores some of these greentech companies and social enterprises in Europe and discusses the regional implications of greentech with a specific focus on Southern Europe. Two examples from the region of Sicily (Italy) were studied. This research involved comparative and qualitative research methods, with semi-structured interviews. It includes an analysis of the regional implications for Sicily and a community impact analysis (CIA). The results show the current and potential regional implications, specifically focusing on the social, cultural, economic and environmental impacts that they have. Furthermore, the results show the pecuniary and non-pecuniary impacts on the local community for the short, medium and long term. This research represents a starting point for future research and highlights the value of investment in greentech.