bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rapid Weight Loss Practices in Grapplers Competing in Combat Sports
Authors: Ranisavljev Marijana , Kuzmanovic Jovan , Todorovic Nikola , Roklicer Roberto , Dokmanac Milorad , Baic Mario , Stajer Valdemar , Ostojic Sergej M. , Drid Patrik
Published: February 2022

Background

Grappling is a wrestling style that combines different techniques such as freestyle wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, sambo, and others. As with other combat sports, it requires categorizing the athletes in weight classes, which leads to the use of certain methods to lose body weight in a short amount of time which poses a serious threat to athletes’ health and wellbeing. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the most widespread rapid weight loss (RWL) methods and sources of influence used by grappling athletes.

Methods

A total of 145 athletes took part in the study by voluntarily filling out a questionnaire regarding their weight loss techniques and methods. They were divided into two groups, male (27.7 ± 5.2 years, 1.76 ± 0.13 m, and 82.1 ± 20 kg) and female (27.33 ± 6.3 years, 1.65 ± 0.08 m, and 64.3 ± 10.4 kg), for further statistical analysis. After calculating descriptive statistics for all the variables, a t-test was conducted for gender differences in weight loss and weight regain, and a chi-square test measured the diversity in techniques and source of influence.

Results

Out of 145 participants, 120 athletes (85.2%) reported engaging in rapid weight loss prior to weigh-in. Coaches (52.4 and 59%) and teammates (42.6 and 22.1%) seemed to be the most influential on their rapid weight-loss strategies, whereas physicians (17.1 and 17.9%) and parents (23.2 and 23.1%) were the least influential. A statistical difference between men and women (p = 0.05) was found when teammates were a source of influence (42.6 and 21.1%, respectively). Regarding the methods used, both groups practiced gradual dieting (85.4 and 79.5%) as the most prevalent, followed by increased exercise (79 and 66.6%) and sauna (78.7 and 66.6%). Moreover, men trained in plastic suits significantly more often than women (67.1 vs. 41%, p = 0.01).

Conclusion

Rapid weight loss is detrimental to athletes’ health and wellbeing. Hence, it is crucial to find and implement methods that will control and ultimately limit its use in combat sports. Physicians and nutritionists need to be closely linked with the staff, collaborate and supervise the weight cutting.
Genomic Comparisons and Phenotypic Diversity of Dickeya zeae Strains Causing Bacterial Soft Rot of Banana in China
Authors: Zhang Jingxin , Arif Mohammad , Shen Huifang , Sun Dayuan , Pu Xiaoming , Hu John , Lin Birun , Yang Qiyun
Published: February 2022

Bacterial soft rot of banana, caused by Dickeya zeae, is spreading rapidly in important banana growing areas in China and seriously threatens banana production. In this study, we sequenced the high-quality complete genomes of three typical banana strains, MS1 (size: 4,831,702-bp; genome coverages: 538x), MS_2014 (size: 4,740,000-bp; genome coverages: 586x) and MS_2018 (size: 4,787,201-bp; genome coverages: 583x), isolated in 2009, 2014, and 2018, respectively. To determine their genomic and phenotypic diversity with respect to their hosts of origin, they were compared with other D. zeae strains, including another representative banana strain MS2 from China. The sequenced strains were similar in utilization of carbon source and chemical substrates, and general genomic features of GC content, and tRNA and rRNA regions. They were also conserved in most virulence determinants, including gene-encoding secretion systems, plant cell wall degrading enzymes, and exopolysaccharides. We further explored their genomic diversity in the predicted genomic islands (GIs). These GIs were rich in integrases and transposases, where some genomic dissimilarity was observed in the flagellar gene cluster and several secondary metabolite gene clusters. Different constituents of core biosynthetic modules were found within the bacteriocin and aryl polyene (APE) pigment gene clusters, and the strains from banana showed different phenotypes with respect to antibiosis effects and colony pigmentation. Additionally, clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR) and prophage elements, such as type I-F and III-A CRISPR arrays and an intact prophage of MS1-P5, contributed to bacterial diversity. Phylogenetic tree analysis and genome-genome nucleotide comparison confirmed the genomic divergence among the strains isolated from banana. Considering these characteristics, MS2 and MS_2014 probably diverged later than MS1, while MS_2018 was different and more similar to foreign strains isolated from other hosts in several characteristics. Strain MS_2018 caused severe symptoms on banana varieties previously considered moderately resistant or moderately susceptible, including varieties of Cavendish (Musa AAA) and Plantain (Musa ABB). Our study of genomic and phenotypic diversity raises public attention to the risk of spreading new pathogenic variants within banana growing regions and supports development of predictive strategies for disease control.
Influence of Border-Keepers’ Support on Work-Family Enrichment of Preschool Teachers in China: The Mediating Role of Work-Family Boundary Flexibility
Authors: Peng Qian , Lian Chongyan , Zhang Limin
Published: February 2022

Based on work-family border theory and work-home resource theory (W-HR), this paper examines the impact of border keeper’s support (organizational support and family support) on work-family enrichment and whether or how work-family boundary flexibility mediates the relationship between border keeper’s support and work-family enrichment. A sample of 504 preschool teachers in Guangdong province, China completed questionnaires. The research results show a two-way process of work-family enrichment for preschool teachers in China. Organizational support was directly and significantly correlated with work-to-family enrichment (WFE), and family support was significantly and directly correlated with family-to-work enrichment (FWE). Organizational support had no significant positive predictive effect on work boundary flexibility which has a significant positive predictive effect on WFE. Family support had a significant positive predictive effect on family boundary flexibility which had a significant positive predictive effect on the FWE. In addition, the study found that family boundary flexibility mediates the relationships between family support and FWE whereas work boundary flexibility did not mediate the relationships between organizational support and WFE. The above research results are partly consistent with the existing research, and partly inconsistent, which is related to the profound influence of traditional culture in Chinese society and the current situation of preschool teachers in China. Such findings have important implications for improving the work-family enrichment of preschool teachers.
How to Effectively Display Sponsorship Information: The Influences of External Time Cues and Information Type on Individuals’ Evaluations
Authors: Zhang Yuan
Published: February 2022

Time, an important, yet scarce resource in daily living, affects cognition, decision-making, and behavior in various ways. For instance, in marketing practice, time-bound strategies are often employed to influence consumer behavior. Thus, understanding and mastering a target market from a temporal perspective can contribute to the ease with which marketers and businesses formulate marketing strategies. Accordingly, this research conducts three studies to explore the influence of temporal framing as an external time cue on the evaluation of sponsorship-linked marketing campaigns. The studies show that future-framed participants adopted a global processing style. In this context, providing information about the sponsoring brand and sponsored event induced a more positive evaluation of future campaigns. However, in a past-frame context, participants were less likely to adopt a global processing style. Here, providing brand sponsor information alone increased the likelihood of a positive evaluation of past campaigns. Ultimately, the findings provide a theoretical basis for decision-making utilizing the influence of activities and events to enhance brand image.
Research Trends and Development Patterns in Language Testing Over the Past Three Decades: A Bibliometric Study
Authors: Dong Manxia , Gan Cenyu , Zheng Yaqiu , Yang Runsheng
Published: February 2022

This study used bibliometric data from Language Testing, a prestigious international peer-reviewed journal in the language testing field, to investigate research trends and development patterns in language testing. The bibliometric information included the number of publications, the most frequently researched test types and topics, the most cited publications and authors (as measured by references), the most prolific countries/regions and institutions and the most frequently collaborating countries/regions. The results showed that interest in language testing has increased over time and that regional tests and international tests have been major concerns, while classroom tests/assessments have received less attention. Research topics were wide-ranging and addressed almost all language testing related issues, among which validity/validation received the highest interest across periods. Moreover, the publications were produced by a wide range of countries/regions and institutions and included collaborative research spanning various institutions and regions, although collaborative publications across countries were relatively scarce. Based on the findings of this study, implications and suggestions have been highlighted for future research, academic agencies and this journal.
Framing and Tailoring Prefactual Messages to Reduce Red Meat Consumption: Predicting Effects Through a Psychology-Based Graphical Causal Model
Authors: Catellani Patrizia , Carfora Valentina , Piastra Marco
Published: February 2022

Effective recommendations on healthy food choice need to be personalized and sent out on a large scale. In this paper, we present a model of automatic message selection tailored on the characteristics of the recipient and focused on the reduction of red meat consumption. This model is obtained through the collaboration between social psychologists and artificial intelligence experts. Starting from selected psychosocial models on food choices and the framing effects of recommendation messages, we involved a sample of Italian participants in an experiment in which they: (a) filled out a first questionnaire, which was aimed at detecting the psychosocial antecedents of the intention to eat red/processed meat; (b) read messages differing as to the framing of the hypothetical consequences of reducing (gain, non-loss) versus not reducing (non-gain, loss) red/processed meat consumption; (c) filled out a second questionnaire, which was aimed at detecting participants’ reaction to the messages, as well as any changes in their intention to consume red/processed meat. Data collected were then employed to learn both the structure and the parameters of a Graphical Causal Model (GCM) based on a Dynamic Bayesian Network (DBN), aimed to predicting the potential effects of message delivery from the observation of the psychosocial antecedents. Such probabilistic predictor is intended as the basis for developing automated interactions strategies using Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) techniques. Discussion focuses on how to develop automatic interaction strategies able to foster mindful eating, thanks to (a) considering the psychosocial characteristics of the people involved; (b) sending messages tailored on these characteristics; (c) adapting interaction strategies according to people’s reactions.
Are Psychiatrists Trained to Address the Mental Health Needs of Young People Transitioning From Child to Adult Services? Insights From a European Survey
Authors: Russet Frederick , Humbertclaude Veronique , Davidovic Vrljicak Nikolina , Dieleman Gwen C. , Dodig-Ćurković Katarina , Franic Tomislav , Gerritsen Suzanne E. , de Girolamo Giovanni , Hendrickx Gaelle , Kerbage Hala , McNicholas Fiona , Maras Athanasios , Paramala Santosh , Paul Moli , Schandrin Aurélie , Schulze Ulrike M. E. , Street Cathy , Tuomainen Helena , Wolke Dieter , Singh Swaran P. , Tremmery Sabine , Purper-Ouakil Diane
Published: February 2022

Background

In mental health, transition refers to the pathway of young people from child and adolescent to adult services. Training of mental health psychiatrists on transition-related topics offers the opportunity to improve clinical practice and experiences of young people reaching the upper age limit of child and adolescent care.

Methods

National psychiatrist's organizations or experts from 21 European countries were surveyed 1/ to describe the status of transition in adult psychiatry (AP) and child and adolescent psychiatry (CAP) postgraduate training in Europe; 2/ to explore the amount of cross-training between both specialties. This survey was a part of the MILESTONE project aiming to study and improve the transition process of young people at the service boundary.

Results

Transition was a mandatory topic in the AP curriculum of 1/19 countries (5%) and in the CAP curriculum of 4/17 countries (24%). Most topics relevant for transition planning were addressed during AP training in 7/17 countries (41%) to 10/17 countries (59%), and during CAP training in 9/11 countries (82%) to 13/13 countries (100%). Depending on the training models, theoretical education in CAP was mandatory during AP training in 94% (15/16) to 100% of the countries (3/3); and in AP during CAP training in 81% (13/16) to 100% of the countries (3/3). Placements were mandatory in CAP during AP training in 67% (2/3) to 71% of the countries (12/17); and in AP during CAP training in 87% (13/15) to 100% of the countries (3/3).

Discussion and Conclusion

Specific training about transition is limited during CAP and AP postgraduate training in Europe. Cross-training between both specialties offers a basis for improved communication between child and adult services but efforts should be sustained in practical training. Recommendations are provided to foster further development and meet the specific needs of young people transitioning to adult services.
The Mechanism, Clinical Efficacy, Safety, and Dosage Regimen of Atomoxetine for ADHD Therapy in Children: A Narrative Review
Authors: Fu Di , Wu Dan-Dan , Guo Hong-Li , Hu Ya-Hui , Xia Ying , Ji Xing , Fang Wei-Rong , Li Yun-Man , Xu Jing , Chen Feng , Liu Qian-Qi
Published: February 2022

Atomoxetine, a selective norepinephrine (NE) reuptake inhibitor, was approved for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) treatment in children, adolescents and adults. We searched the database PubMed/MEDLINE (2000 to October 1, 2021). Only publications in English were considered. Atomoxetine inhibits the presynaptic norepinephrine transporter (NET), preventing the reuptake of NE throughout the brain along with inhibiting the reuptake of dopamine in specific brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC). The novel mechanism of atomoxetine also includes several new brain imaging studies and animal model studies. It is mainly metabolized by the highly polymorphic drug metabolizing enzyme cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6). Atomoxetine is effective and generally well tolerated. ADHD is often accompanied by multiple comorbidities. A series of studies have been published suggesting that atomoxetine is effective in the treatment of ADHD symptoms for children with various types of comorbidity. In some cases, it is possible that atomoxetine may have a positive influence on the symptoms of comorbidities. Atomoxetine can be administered either as a single daily dose or split into two evenly divided doses, and has a negligible risk of abuse or misuse. The latest guideline updated that clinical dose selection of atomoxetine was recommended based on both CYP2D6 genotype and the peak concentration. To have a more comprehensive understanding of atomoxetine, this review sets the focus on the mechanism, clinical efficacy and dosage regimen in detail, and also touches on those studies regarding adverse reactions of atomoxetine.
Surveillance of Domestic Violence Using Text Mining Outputs From Australian Police Records
Authors: Karystianis George , Adily Armita , Schofield Peter W. , Wand Handan , Lukmanjaya Wilson , Buchan Iain , Nenadic Goran , Butler Tony
Published: February 2022

In Australia, domestic violence reports are mostly based on data from the police, courts, hospitals, and ad hoc surveys. However, gaps exist in reporting information such as victim injuries, mental health status and abuse types. The police record details of domestic violence events as structured information (e.g., gender, postcode, ethnicity), but also in text narratives describing other details such as injuries, substance use, and mental health status. However, the voluminous nature of the narratives has prevented their use for surveillance purposes. We used a validated text mining methodology on 492,393 police-attended domestic violence event narratives from 2005 to 2016 to extract mental health mentions on persons of interest (POIs) (individuals suspected/charged with a domestic violence offense) and victims, abuse types, and victim injuries. A significant increase was observed in events that recorded an injury type (28.3% in 2005 to 35.6% in 2016). The pattern of injury and abuse types differed between male and female victims with male victims more likely to be punched and to experience cuts and bleeding and female victims more likely to be grabbed and pushed and have bruises. The four most common mental illnesses (alcohol abuse, bipolar disorder, depression schizophrenia) were the same in male and female POIs. An increase from 5.0% in 2005 to 24.3% in 2016 was observed in the proportion of events with a reported mental illness with an increase between 2005 and 2016 in depression among female victims. These findings demonstrate that extracting information from police narratives can provide novel insights into domestic violence patterns including confounding factors (e.g., mental illness) and thus enable policy responses to address this significant public health problem.
The Social Bifurcation of Reality: Symmetrical Construction of Knowledge in Science-Trusting and Science-Distrusting Discourses
Authors: Rughiniş Cosima , Flaherty Michael G.
Published: February 2022

This article proposes a conceptual framework to study the social bifurcation of reality in polarized science-trusting and science-distrusting lay worldviews, by analyzing and integrating five concepts: science work, number work, emotion work, time work, and boundary work. Despite the epistemological asymmetry between accounts relying on mainstream science and science-distrusting or denialist ones, there are symmetrical social processes contributing to the construction of lay discourses. Through conceptual analysis, we synthesize an alternative to the deficit model of contrarian discourses, replacing the model of social actors as “defective scientists” with a focus on their culturally competent agency. The proposed framework is useful for observing the parallel construction of polarized realities in interaction and their ongoing articulation through hinge objects, such as vaccines, seatbelts, guns, or sanitary masks in the Covid-19 context. We illustrate the framework through a comparative approach, presenting arguments and memes from contemporary online media in two controversies: namely, vaccine-trusting versus vaccine-distrusting views and Covid-convinced versus Covid-suspicious discourses.
Strawberry Water Content Estimation and Ripeness Classification Using Hyperspectral Sensing
Authors: Raj Rahul , Cosgun Akansel , Kulić Dana
Published: February 2022

We propose data-driven approaches to water content estimation and ripeness classification of the strawberry fruit. A narrowband hyperspectral spectroradiometer was used to collect reflectance signatures from 43 strawberry fruits at different ripeness levels. Then, the ground truth water content was obtained using the oven-dry method. To estimate the water content, 674 and 698 nm bands were selected to create a normalized difference strawberry water content index. The index was used as an input to a logarithmic model for estimating fruit water content. The model for water content estimation gave a correlation coefficient of 0.82 and Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 0.0092 g/g. For ripeness classification, a Support Vector Machine (SVM) model using the full spectrum as input achieved over 98% accuracy. Our analysis further show that, in the absence of the full spectrum data, using our proposed water content index as input, which uses reflectance values from only two frequency bands, achieved 71% ripeness classification accuracy, which might be adequate for certain applications with limited sensing resources.
Comparison of lncRNA Expression in the Uterus between Periods of Embryo Implantation and Labor in Mice
Authors: Zhao Zijiao , Chen Lu , Cao Maosheng , Chen Tong , Huang Yiqiu , Wang Nan , Zhang Boqi , Li Fangxia , Chen Kaimin , Yuan Chenfeng , Li Chunjin , Zhou Xu
Published: February 2022

Uterine function during pregnancy is regulated mainly by progesterone (P4) and estrogen (E2). Serum P4 levels are known to fluctuate significantly over the course of pregnancy, especially during embryo implantation and labor. In this study, pregnant mice at E0.5, E4.5, E15.5, and E18.5 (n = 3/E) were used for an RNA-Seq-based analysis of mRNA and lncRNA expression. In this analysis, 1971 differentially expressed (DE) mRNAs, 493 known DE lncRNAs, and 1041 novel DE lncRNAs were found between E0.5 and E4.5 at the embryo implantation stage, while 1149 DE mRNAs, 192 known DE lncRNAs, and 218 novel DE lncRNAs were found between E15.5 and E18.5 at the labor stage. The expression level of lncRNA-MMP11 was significantly downregulated by P4 treatment on MSM cells, while lncRNA-ANKRD37 was significantly upregulated. Notably, 117 DE mRNAs, 19 known DE lncRNAs, and 31 novel DE lncRNAs were commonly expressed between the two stages, indicating that these mRNAs and lncRNAs may be directly or indirectly regulated by P4.
Effect of Pre-Exposure to Chlorine Dioxide on the Susceptibility of Fecal Coliforms to Antibiotics
Authors: Quansah Joycelyn , Gazula Himabindu , Liu Da , Chen Jinru
Published: February 2022

Adaptive exposure to sub-lethal concentrations of sanitizers was previously reported to offer cross-protection to bacteria against antibiotics. This study was undertaken to determine whether the pre-exposure of fecal coliforms to suboptimal concentrations of a chemical sanitizer, chlorine dioxide (ClO2), alters their susceptibility to certain antibiotics. Fecal coliforms isolated from fresh fruit packing facilities (n = 12) were adapted in ½ or ¼ of the manufacturer-recommended concentration of ClO2. The susceptibility of the adapted and non-adapted cells to 13 different antibiotics was determined by observing the changes in their minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs). The results showed that preadaptation to the suboptimal concentrations of ClO2, in general, either decreased or did not change the MICs of the antibiotics against selected fecal coliform isolates, with only two exceptions; preadaptation increased the MICs of kanamycin against two of the fecal coliform isolates, and of nalidixic acid against one of the fecal coliform isolates. The results suggest that the use of ClO2 has a relatively low risk of inducing the resistance of fecal coliforms to antibiotics.
National Monitoring of Veterinary-Dispensed Antimicrobials for Use on Pig Farms in Austria: 2015–2020
Authors: Firth Clair L. , Fuchs Reinhard , Fuchs Klemens
Published: February 2022

Antimicrobial use in livestock production systems is increasingly scrutinised by consumers, stakeholders, and the veterinary profession. In Austria, veterinarians dispensing antimicrobials for use in food-producing animals have been required to report these drugs since 2015. Here, we describe the national monitoring systems and the results obtained for Austrian pig production over a six-year period. Antimicrobial dispensing is described using the mass-based metric, milligrams per population correction unit (mg/PCU) and the dose-based metric, Defined Daily Dose (DDDvet) per year and divided into the European Medicines Agency’s prudent use categories. Pig production was divided into breeding units, fattening farms, farrow-to-finish farms, and piglet-rearing systems. Over all six years and all pig production systems, the mean amount of antimicrobials dispensed was 71.6 mg/PCU or 2.2 DDDvet per year. Piglet-rearing systems were found to have the highest levels of antimicrobial dispensing in DDDvet, as well as the largest proportion of Category B antimicrobials, including polymyxins. Although progress has been made in promoting a more prudent use of antimicrobials in veterinary medicine in Austria, further steps need to be taken to proactively improve animal health and prevent disease to reduce the need for antimicrobials, particularly those critically important for human medicine, in the future.
Enhanced Cardiac CaMKII Oxidation and CaMKII-Dependent SR Ca Leak in Patients with Sleep-Disordered Breathing
Authors: Arzt Michael , Drzymalski Marzena A. , Ripfel Sarah , Meindl Sebastian , Biedermann Alexander , Durczok Melanie , Keller Karoline , Mustroph Julian , Katz Sylvia , Tafelmeier Maria , Lebek Simon , Flörchinger Bernhard , Camboni Daniele , Wittmann Sigrid , Backs Johannes , Schmid Christof , Maier Lars S. , Wagner Stefan
Published: February 2022

Background: Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with increased oxidant generation. Oxidized Ca/calmodulin kinase II (CaMKII) can contribute to atrial arrhythmias by the stimulation of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca release events, i.e., Ca sparks. Methods: We prospectively enrolled 39 patients undergoing cardiac surgery to screen for SDB and collected right atrial appendage biopsies. Results: SDB was diagnosed in 14 patients (36%). SDB patients had significantly increased levels of oxidized and activated CaMKII (assessed by Western blotting/specific pulldown). Moreover, SDB patients showed a significant increase in Ca spark frequency (CaSpF measured by confocal microscopy) compared with control subjects. CaSpF was 3.58 ± 0.75 (SDB) vs. 2.49 ± 0.84 (no SDB) 1/100 µm−1s−1 (p < 0.05). In linear multivariable regression models, SDB severity was independently associated with increased CaSpF (B [95%CI]: 0.05 [0.03; 0.07], p < 0.001) after adjusting for important comorbidities. Interestingly, 30 min exposure to the CaMKII inhibitor autocamtide-2 related autoinhibitory peptide normalized the increased CaSpF and eliminated the association between SDB and CaSpF (B [95%CI]: 0.01 [−0.1; 0.03], p = 0.387). Conclusions: Patients with SDB have increased CaMKII oxidation/activation and increased CaMKII-dependent CaSpF in the atrial myocardium, independent of major clinical confounders, which may be a novel target for treatment of atrial arrhythmias in SDB.
The “Skin Effect” Assessment of Chloride Ingress into Concrete Based on the Identification of Effective and Apparent Diffusivity
Authors: Perkowski Zbigniew , Szweda Zofia
Published: February 2022

The method of assessment of the “skin effect” for chloride ingress into concrete has been proposed, based on the inverse problem for the identification of at-surface variability of chloride diffusivity under fully saturated conditions. For this purpose, experimental results of 180-day diffusion tests of five types of concrete were used, which allowed the calculation of their chloride apparent diffusivity (taking into account the chloride binding by the cement matrix) and effective diffusivity (relating to the transport of free chloride ions in the pore liquid). The tested concrete samples with a water to cement ratio of 0.5 differed only in the type of cement (high early strength Portland, low-alkali normal early strength Portland, ash Portland, blast furnace, and pozzolanic). In order to effectively describe the chloride binding isotherm, a first-degree non-uniform spline function was used. Finally, the “skin effect” depth at the untreated outer surface of the concrete samples was estimated up to about 5 mm when analyzing space variability of apparent chloride diffusivity for four types of concrete with low-alkali normal early strength Portland, ash Portland, blast furnace, and pozzolanic cement. In this respect, the “skin effect” on the concrete with high early strength Portland cement was not detected.
Study on Mid-Infrared Energy Conversion of a Doubly Resonant Optical Parametric Oscillator Using Aperiodically Poled Lithium Niobate
Authors: Wang Zijian , Li Bingyang , Wang Yuheng , Han Renzhe , Yang Yaru , Yu Yongji , Jin Guangyong
Published: February 2022

This paper presents an external-cavity dual-wavelength mid-infrared multiple optical parametric oscillator based on a single MgO:APLN crystal, which is pumped by a pulsed 1.064 μm laser. The output power and beam qualities of parametric lasers at different repetition rates and transmittance were studied. When the pump power of the 1.064 μm laser was 34.5 W, the repetition rate was 63 kHz, the maximum output powers of 2.79 W@3.30 μm and 4.92 W@3.84 μm were obtained with the transmittance T = 60%@1.57 μm, corresponding to optical–optical conversion efficiencies of 8.1% and 14.3%, respectively. Meanwhile, the beam qualities of two mid-infrared laser beams were effectively optimized and the pulse widths of 9.72 ns@3.30 μm and 9.67 ns@3.84 μm were obtained synchronously.
A Filtering Method for Suppressing the Lift-Off Interference in Magnetic Flux Leakage Detection of Rail Head Surface Defect
Authors: Jia Yinliang , Lu Yichen , Xiong Longhui , Zhang Yuhua , Wang Ping , Zhou Huangjian
Published: February 2022

Magnetic flux leakage (MFL) detection is a common nondestructive detection method which is usually used to detect the surface defects of steel pipes and rails. To suppress the interference of lift-off on the detection signal of the defects in rail head surfaces, a filtering method is proposed according to the distribution characteristics of the defect leakage magnetic field (LMF) in different directions. The sensor array is used to confirm the reference signal according to the difference between the signals in x and z directions. The installation mode of the sensors is deduced according to the distribution of the defect LMF. The experimental results show that this method can effectively suppress the lift-off interference in the MFL signal of the defects in the rail head surfaces.
Comparison of Selection Criteria for Model Selection of Support Vector Machine on Physiological Data with Inter-Subject Variance
Authors: Choi Minho , Jeong Jae Jin
Published: February 2022

Support vector machines (SVMs) utilize hyper-parameters for classification. Model selection (MS) is an essential step in the construction of the SVM classifier as it involves the identification of the appropriate parameters. Several selection criteria have been proposed for MS, but their usefulness is limited for physiological data exhibiting inter-subject variance (ISV) that makes different characteristics between training and test data. To identify an effective solution for the constraint, this study considered a leave-one-subject-out cross validation-based selection criterion (LSSC) with six well-known selection criteria and compared their effectiveness. Nine classification problems were examined for the comparison, and the MS results of each selection criterion were obtained and analyzed. The results showed that the SVM model selected by the LSSC yielded the highest average classification accuracy among all selection criteria in the nine problems. The average accuracy was 2.96% higher than that obtained with the conventional K-fold cross validation-based selection criterion. In addition, the advantage of the LSSC was more evident for data with larger ISV. Thus, the results of this study can help optimize SVM classifiers for physiological data and are expected to be useful for the analysis of physiological data to develop various medical decision systems.
Atrial Fibrillation and Anterior Cerebral Artery Absence Reduce Cerebral Perfusion: A De Novo Hemodynamic Model
Authors: Hunter Timothy J. , Joseph Jermiah J. , Anazodo Udunna , Kharche Sanjay R. , McIntyre Christopher W. , Goldman Daniel
Published: February 2022

Background: Atrial fibrillation is a prevalent cardiac arrhythmia and may reduce cerebral blood perfusion augmenting the risk of dementia. We hypothesize that geometric variations in the cerebral arterial structure called the Circle of Willis (CoW) play an important role in influencing cerebral perfusion. The objective of this work was to develop a novel cardio-cerebral lumped parameter hemodynamic model to investigate the role of CoW variants on cerebral blood flow dynamics under atrial fibrillation conditions. Methods: A computational blood flow model was developed by coupling whole-body and detailed cerebral circulation descriptions, modified to represent six common variations of the CoW. Cerebral blood flow dynamics were simulated in common CoW variants, under control and imposed atrial fibrillation conditions. Risk was assessed based on the frequency of beat-wise hypoperfusion events, and sensitivity analysis was performed with respect to this model output. Results: It was found that the geometry of the CoW influenced the frequency of hypoperfusion events at different heart rates, with the variant missing a P1 segment having the highest risk. Sensitivity analysis revealed that intrinsic heart rate is most associated with the considered outcome. Conclusions: Our results suggest that CoW geometry plays an important role in influencing cerebral hemodynamics during atrial fibrillation. The presented study may assist in guiding our future clinical-imaging research.
Trademark Image Similarity Detection Using Convolutional Neural Network
Authors: Alshowaish Hayfa , Al-Ohali Yousef , Al-Nafjan Abeer
Published: February 2022

A trademark is any recognizable sign that identifies products/services and distinguishes them from others. Many regional and international intellectual property offices are dedicated to dealing with trademark registration processes. The registration process involves examining the trademark to ensure there is no confusion or interference similarity to any other prior registered trademark. Due to the increasing number of registered trademarks annually, the current manual examining approach is becoming insufficient and more susceptible to human error. As such, there is potential for machine learning applications and deep learning, in particular, to enhance the examination process by providing an automated image detection system to be used by the examiners to facilitate and improve the accuracy of the examination process. Therefore, this paper proposed a trademark similarity detection system using deep-learning techniques to extract image features automatically in order to retrieve a trademark based on shape similarity. Two pretrained convolutional neural networks (VGGNet and ResNet) were individually used to extract image features. Then, their performance was compared. Subsequently, the extracted features were used to calculate the similarity between a new trademark and each of those registered using the Euclidean distance. Thereafter, the system retrieved the most similar trademark to the query according to the smallest distances. As a result, the system achieved an average rank of 67,067.788, a normalized average rank of 0.0725, and a mean average precision of 0.774 on the Middle East Technical University dataset, which displays a promising application in detecting trademark similarity.
Enhancement-Mode Heterojunction Vertical β-Ga2O3 MOSFET with a P-Type Oxide Current-Blocking Layer
Authors: Huang Yuwen , Xie Xiaoping , Zhang Zeyulin , Dong Peng , Li Zhe , Chen Dazheng , Zhu Weidong , Zhao Shenglei , Feng Qian , Zhang Jincheng , Zhang Chunfu , Hao Yue
Published: February 2022

The vertical heterojunction Ga2O3 MOSFET (Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Field-Effect Transistor) with the p-type oxide as the current-blocking layer (CBL) is investigated for the first time using SILVACO simulation software. The results show that the threshold voltage of the device is easily positive, which means that the device works in the enhancement mode. By adjusting the doping concentration (from 2 × 1017 cm−3 to 2 × 1018 cm−3) and thickness (from 0.4 um to 2 um) of p-SnO CBL, the threshold voltage is around from 2.4 V to 2.8 V and the breakdown voltage of the device can be increased from 361 V to 518 V. Compared with the original homojunction Ga2O3 vertical MOSFET with CBL, the p-SnO CBL can greatly improve the performance of the device. Other p-type oxides are also investigated as the CBL and show promising performances. This work has a certain guiding significance for the design of a vertical enhanced current-blocking layer MOSFET device and for the development of a Ga2O3 heterojunction power device.
Combining Unsupervised Approaches for Near Real-Time Network Traffic Anomaly Detection
Authors: Carrera Francesco , Dentamaro Vincenzo , Galantucci Stefano , Iannacone Andrea , Impedovo Donato , Pirlo Giuseppe
Published: February 2022

The 0-day attack is a cyber-attack based on vulnerabilities that have not yet been published. The detection of anomalous traffic generated by such attacks is vital, as it can represent a critical problem, both in a technical and economic sense, for a smart enterprise as for any system largely dependent on technology. To predict this kind of attack, one solution can be to use unsupervised machine learning approaches, as they guarantee the detection of anomalies regardless of their prior knowledge. It is also essential to identify the anomalous and unknown behaviors that occur within a network in near real-time. Three different approaches have been proposed and benchmarked in exactly the same condition: Deep Autoencoding with GMM and Isolation Forest, Deep Autoencoder with Isolation Forest, and Memory Augmented Deep Autoencoder with Isolation Forest. These approaches are thus the result of combining different unsupervised algorithms. The results show that the addition of the Isolation Forest improves the accuracy values and increases the inference time, although this increase does not represent a relevant problematic factor. This paper also explains the features that the various models consider most important for classifying an event as an attack using the explainable artificial intelligence methodology called Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP). Experiments were conducted on KDD99, NSL-KDD, and CIC-IDS2017 datasets.
Dracocephalum palmatum S. and Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. Originating from Yakutia: A High-Resolution Mass Spectrometric Approach for the Comprehensive Characterization of Phenolic Compounds
Authors: Okhlopkova Zhanna M. , Razgonova Mayya P. , Pikula Konstantin S. , Zakharenko Alexander M. , Piekoszewski Wojciech , Manakov Yuri A. , Ercisli Sezai , Golokhvast Kirill S.
Published: February 2022

Dracocephalum palmatum S. and Dracocephalum ruyschiana L. contain a large number of target analytes, which are biologically active compounds. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) in combination with an ion trap (tandem mass spectrometry) was used to identify target analytes in extracts of D. palmatum S. and D. ruyschiana L. originating from Yakutia. The results of initial studies revealed the presence of 114 compounds, of which 92 were identified for the first time in the genus Dracocephalum. New identified metabolites belonged to 17 classes, including 16 phenolic acids and their conjugates, 18 flavones, 5 flavonols, 2 flavan-3-ols, 1 flavanone, 2 stilbenes, 10 anthocyanins, 1 condensed tannin, 2 lignans, 6 carotenoids, 3 oxylipins, 2 amino acids, 3 sceletium alkaloids, 3 carboxylic acids, 8 fatty acids, 1 sterol, and 3 terpenes, along with 6 miscellaneous compounds. It was shown that extracts of D. palmatum are richer in the spectrum of polyphenolic compounds compared with extracts of D. ruyschiana, according to a study of the presence of these compounds in extracts, based on the results of mass spectrometric studies.
Metabolic Syndrome and Its Components among Taxi Drivers in the City of Tshwane, South Africa
Authors: Mabetwa Eaglet Moditsa , Mokwena Kebogile Elizabeth , Mphekgwana Peter Modupi , Modjadji Perpetua
Published: February 2022

The occupation of taxi driving predisposes drivers to health risks, including obesity, cardiovascular and metabolic disorders. Although individual components of metabolic syndrome (MetS) are documented, data is scarce on concurrent metabolic disturbances among commercial drivers. The prevalence of MetS and its components were determined in a cross-sectional study among taxi drivers (n = 362) in the City of Tshwane, South Africa. Sociodemographic, occupational, and lifestyle factors were assessed using a structured questionnaire. Anthropometry, blood pressure, and glucose were measured. MetS was defined based on BMI strata, hypertension, and glucose levels. Data was analyzed using SPSS. The mean age of taxi drivers was 42 ± 10.9 years. Overall prevalence of MetS was 17.1%, with higher prevalence observed among older taxi drivers (24.2%) and those with longer experience in the industry (22.9%). Individual components of MetS were obesity (36%), hypertension (36%) and diabetes (46%), while smoking (30%), alcohol use (59%), and physical inactivity (71%) were observed. MetS was associated with duration in the taxi industry, and family history of diabetes among taxi drivers. The presence of MetS and its components among taxi drivers calls for early identification of cardiometabolic risks in the taxi industry and efforts towards achieving a healthier workforce.
Vibration from Electric Hand-Held Harvesters for Olives
Authors: Cerruto Emanuele , Manetto Giuseppe
Published: February 2022

Olive harvesting is the most expensive cultivation operation in areas where full mechanization is not possible due to structural conditions such as low tree density, old trees, irregular spacing, and terraced fields, which are very frequent in many small Italian farms. Under these conditions the use of hand-held vibrating harvesters is quite wide spread, because they are capable of approximately three times the productivity of workers using manual harvesting methods. Unfortunately, the use of these machines exposes the operators to hand-arm vibration risk and acceleration values are affected by several factors, including harvester kinematics, rod material and geometry, and load conditions. In this study several models of electrical portable harvesters, obtained by combining six harvester heads and four rods (one telescopic), were tested under idling and load conditions, measuring acceleration values on the rod, near the hand positions. Assuming the use of the machinery for 4 h per day, the result is a level of daily vibration exposure A(8) for the most exposed hand ranging from about 11 to 40 m/s2, much higher than the daily exposure limit value of 5 m/s2 stated by the European Directive 2002/44/EC. With the same harvester head, reduction in vibration may be achieved by using carbon fiber rods rather than aluminum ones or by increasing the rod diameter. The most significant reduction is achievable by designing harvester heads whose kinematics inherently incorporate oscillation compensation.
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Arts in 2021
Authors:   Arts Editorial Office
Published: February 2022

Rigorous peer-reviews are the basis of high-quality academic publishing [...]
Self-DNA Exposure Induces Developmental Defects and Germline DNA Damage Response in Caenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Germoglio Marcello , Adamo Adele , Incerti Guido , Cartenì Fabrizio , Gigliotti Silvia , Storlazzi Aurora , Mazzoleni Stefano
Published: February 2022

All organisms, from bacteria to mammals, sense and respond to foreign nucleic acids to fight infections in order to survive and preserve genome integrity across generations. The innate immune system is an evolutionarily conserved defence strategy. Complex organisms have developed various cellular processes to respond to and recognise not only infections, i.e., pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), but also to sense injury and tissue dysfunctions, i.e., damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). Mis-localized self-DNA can be sensed as DAMP by specific DNA-sensing pathways, and self-DNA chronic exposure can be detrimental to the organisms. Here, we investigate the effects of dietary delivered self-DNA in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. The hermaphrodite worms were fed on Escherichia coli genomic libraries: a C. elegans library (self) and a legume (Medicago truncatula) library (non-self). We show that the self-library diet affects embryogenesis, larval development and gametogenesis. DNA damage and activation of p53/CEP-1-dependent apoptosis occur in gonadal germ cells. Studies of self-DNA exposure in this model organism were not pursued up to now. The genetic tractability of C. elegans will help to identify the basic molecular pathways involved in such mechanisms. The specificity of the adverse effects associated with a self-DNA enriched diet suggests applications in biological pest control approaches.
Reference Percentiles for Bioelectrical Phase Angle in Athletes
Authors: Campa Francesco , Thomas Diana Maria , Watts Krista , Clark Nicholas , Baller Daniel , Morin Thomas , Toselli Stefania , Koury Josely Correa , Melchiorri Giovanni , Andreoli Angela , Mascherini Gabriele , Petri Cristian , Sardinha Luis Bettencourt , Silva Analiza Monica
Published: February 2022

The present study aimed to develop reference values for bioelectrical phase angle in male and female athletes from different sports. Overall, 2224 subjects participated in this study [1658 males (age 26.2 ± 8.9 y) and 566 females (age 26.9 ± 6.6 y)]. Participants were categorized by their sport discipline and sorted into three different sport modalities: endurance, velocity/power, and team sports. Phase angle was directly measured using a foot-to-hand bioimpedance technology at a 50 kHz frequency during the in-season period. Reference percentiles (5th, 15th, 50th, 85th, and 95th) were calculated and stratified by sex, sport discipline and modality using an empirical Bayesian analysis. This method allows for the sharing of information between different groups, creating reference percentiles, even for sports disciplines with few observations. Phase angle differed (men: p < 0.001; women: p = 0.003) among the three sport modalities, where endurance athletes showed a lower value than the other groups (men: vs. velocity/power: p = 0.010, 95% CI = −0.43 to −0.04; vs. team sports: p < 0.001, 95% CI = −0.48 to −0.02; women: vs. velocity/power: p = 0.002, 95% CI = −0.59 to −0.10; vs. team sports: p = 0.015, 95% CI = −0.52 to −0.04). Male athletes showed a higher phase angle than female athletes within each sport modality (endurance: p < 0.01, 95% CI = 0.63 to 1.14; velocity/power: p < 0.01, 95% CI = 0.68 to 1.07; team sports: p < 0.01, 95% CI = 0.98 to 1.23). We derived phase angle reference percentiles for endurance, velocity/power, and team sports athletes. Additionally, we calculated sex-specific references for a total of 22 and 19 sport disciplines for male and female athletes, respectively. This study provides sex- and sport-specific percentiles for phase angle that can track body composition and performance-related parameters in athletes.