bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
How the COVID-19 Pandemic Changed the Work of Managers: Case Study of Economic Managers
Authors: Veselovská Lenka , Hudáková Lucia
Published: May 2023

The COVID-19 pandemic has fundamentally changed the business environment in many sectors. This study analyzes how the pandemic and the resulting global economic crisis have influenced changes in management. The aim was to explore changes in the dominance of management functions through the lens of economic managers in various companies. A case study approach was adopted to achieve the research objective. The sample file consisted of 238 managers from various operational fields in the Slovak Republic. A new methodology was created to measure the overall changes. An indicator of the rate of change in the dominance of the management functions was calculated. The index consists of two factors: changes in the time devoted to each management function during the pandemic, and changes in the importance of basic activities performed within the individual management function. This study provides an overview of all industries and describes the changes in the context of a company’s revenue development during the pandemic. It was discovered that the centralization of strategic decision making was significantly underestimated. Up to 78.69% of managers working in companies whose revenues decreased during the pandemic increased the time devoted to planning, and 90.98% of them decreased the time devoted to leading people.
Protecting Apricot Orchards with Rain Shelters Reduces Twig Blight Damage Caused by Monilinia spp. and Makes It Possible to Reduce Fungicide Use
Authors: Brun Laurent , Combe Freddy , Gros Christophe , Walser Pascal , Saudreau Marc
Published: May 2023

Blossom and twig blight, caused by Monilinia spp., is the main disease in apricot trees. In this study, we installed transparent rain shelters in apricot orchards to study their influence on the modification of the microclimate at the level of the tree canopy and on the reduction in moniliosis damage in twigs. Rain shelters significantly reduced the leaf wetness time measured within the foliage compared to the unsheltered trees (a reduction of between 43% and 67%). However, very few differences were observed in the daily averaged air temperature (up to 6%) and daily averaged air relative humidity (up to 1%). In the first experiment, on the apricot variety Bergarouge® (CEP Innovation, Lyon, France), moniliosis damage on twigs in the absence of phytosanitary protection was reduced by up to 62% for the trees provided with rain protection compared to the trees that did not receive rain shelters. A second experiment, involving five apricot tree varieties, made it possible to verify that fungicide protection could be reduced for the trees protected by rain covers, reducing moniliosis damage on twigs compared to full fungicide protection combined without rain protection. Finally, a third experiment comprising two apricot tree varieties has shown that in organic orchards, rain protection provides protection against moniliosis (twig blight) that is equivalent to an organic farming fungicide protection programme based on the use of copper sulphate and calcium polysulphide.
Road Transport: A Review of Its Effects on the Welfare of Piglets
Authors: Zappaterra Martina , Faucitano Luigi , Nanni Costa Leonardo
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this review is to present the best available scientific knowledge on key effects of pre-transport and transport factors influencing the response of piglets to transport stress and post-transport recovery. To date, research on piglet transportation particularly focused on the effects of season (i.e., heat and cold stress), vehicle design features (ventilation type and deck/compartment location), space allowance and transport duration, and piglet genetics. More specifically, in this review the effect of transport duration has been dealt with through its impact on death rate, behaviour and physiological response, and feeling of hunger and thirst. Based on the available literature, clear conclusions can be drawn on the vulnerability of piglets to heat stress during transport. Both short and long transportation have an effect on piglet welfare, with effects being biased by the genetic background, ambient conditions and vehicle design. Further studies investigating the impact of factors such as vehicle design, truck stocking density and environment, piglet genetic background, and weaning age are needed.
Integrated Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal Low-Temperature Tolerance Mechanism in Giant Freshwater Prawn Macrobrachium rosenbergii
Authors: Tu Haihui , Peng Xin , Yao Xinyi , Tang Qiongying , Xia Zhenglong , Li Jingfen , Yang Guoliang , Yi Shaokui
Published: May 2023

Water temperature, as an important environmental factor, affects the growth and metabolism of aquatic animals and even their survival. The giant freshwater prawn (GFP) Macrobrachium rosenbergii is a kind of warm-water species, and its survival temperature ranges from 18 °C to 34 °C. In this study, we performed transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses to clarify the potential molecular mechanism of responding to low-temperature stress in adult GFP. The treatments with low-temperature stress showed that the lowest lethal temperature of the GFP was 12.3 °C. KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that the differentially expressed genes and metabolites were both enriched in lipid and energy metabolism pathways. Some key genes, such as phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and fatty acid synthase, as well as the content of the metabolites dodecanoic acid and alpha-linolenic acid, were altered under low-temperature stress. Importantly, the levels of unsaturated fatty acids were decreased in LS (low-temperature sensitive group) vs. Con (control group). In LT (low-temperature tolerant group) vs. Con, the genes related to fatty acid synthesis and degradation were upregulated to cope with low-temperature stress. It suggested that the genes and metabolites associated with lipid metabolism and energy metabolism play vital roles in responding to low-temperature stress. This study provided a molecular basis for the selection of a low-temperature tolerant strain.
The Recovery Time between Early Mild Stress and Final Acute Stress Affects Survival Rate, Immunity, Health, and Physiology of Oscar (Astronotus ocellatus)
Authors: Zare Mahyar , Heidari Elaheh , Hosseini Choupani Seyedeh Mahsa , Akhavan Sobhan R. , Rombenso Artur , Esmaeili Noah
Published: May 2023

This study investigated how the time interval between the last EMS (netting) and the acute confinement stress (AC stress) at the end of the experiment can influence growth, haematology, blood biochemistry, immunological response, antioxidant system, liver enzymes, and stress response of oscar (Astronotus ocellatus; 5.7 ± 0.8 g). Nine experimental treatments were tested, as follows: Control, Stress28 (EMS in weeks two and eight), Stress27 (EMS in weeks two and seven), Stress26 (EMS in weeks two and six), Stress25 (EMS in weeks two and five), Stress24 (EMS in week two and four), Stress23 (EMS in week two and three), Stress78 (EMS in week seven and eight), and Stress67 (EMS in week six and seven). After the nine-week experimental period, while it was not significant, fish exposed to Stress78 (26.78 g) and Stress67 (30.05 g) had the lowest growth rates. After AC stress, fish exposed to Stress78 (63.33%) and Control (60.00%) showed the lowest survival rate. The Stress78 fish displayed low resilience, illustrated by values of blood performance, LDL, total protein, lysozyme, ACH50, immunoglobin, complement component 4, complement component 3, cortisol, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and alanine aminotransferase. In conclusion, gathering consecutive stress and not enough recovery time in the Stress78 group negatively affected stress responsiveness and the health of oscar.
Cydonia oblonga Mill. Pulp Callus Inhibits Oxidative Stress and Inflammation in Injured Cells
Authors: Gubitosa Federica , Fraternale Daniele , De Bellis Roberta , Gorassini Andrea , Benayada Leila , Chiarantini Laura , Albertini Maria Cristina , Potenza Lucia
Published: May 2023

The pharmacological activity of a callus extract from the pulp of Cydonia oblonga Mill., also known as quince, was investigated in murine macrophage (RAW 264.7) and human keratinocyte (HaCaT) cell lines. In particular, the anti-inflammatory activity of C. oblonga Mill. pulp callus extract was assessed in lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 by the Griess test and in LPS-treated HaCaT human keratinocytes by examining the expression of genes involved in the inflammatory process, including nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), nuclear factor-kappa-B inhibitor alfa (ikBα), and intercellular adhesion molecule (ICAM). The antioxidant activity was evaluated by quantizing the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in the hydrogen peroxide and tert-butyl hydroperoxide-injured HaCaT cell line. The obtained results indicate that C. oblonga callus from fruit pulp extract has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities, suggesting its possible application in delaying and preventing acute or chronic diseases associated with aging or in the treatment of wound dressing.
Antioxidant Activities of Natural Compounds from Caribbean Plants to Enhance Diabetic Wound Healing
Authors: Accipe Laura , Abadie Alisson , Neviere Remi , Bercion Sylvie
Published: May 2023

Diabetic wound healing is a global medical challenge. Several studies showed that delayed healing in diabetic patients is multifactorial. Nevertheless, there is evidence that excessive production of ROS and impaired ROS detoxification in diabetes are the main cause of chronic wounds. Indeed, increased ROS promotes the expression and activity of metalloproteinase, resulting in a high proteolytic state in the wound with significant destruction of the extracellular matrix, which leads to a stop in the repair process. In addition, ROS accumulation increases NLRP3 inflammasome activation and macrophage hyperpolarization in the M1 pro-inflammatory phenotype. Oxidative stress increases the activation of NETosis. This leads to an elevated pro-inflammatory state in the wound and prevents the resolution of inflammation, an essential step for wound healing. The use of medicinal plants and natural compounds can improve diabetic wound healing by directly targeting oxidative stress and the transcription factor Nrf2 involved in the antioxidant response or the mechanisms impacted by the elevation of ROS such as NLRP3 inflammasome, the polarization of macrophages, and expression or activation of metalloproteinases. This study of the diabetic pro-healing activity of nine plants found in the Caribbean highlights, more particularly, the role of five polyphenolic compounds. At the end of this review, research perspectives are presented.
Priority of Emergency Vehicle Dynamic Right-Of-Way Control Method in Networked Environment
Authors: Kuang Zhihui , Zhao Xin , Feng Lei
Published: May 2023

This paper proposes a dynamic right-of-way priority control approach for emergency vehicles (PDR-EVs) to improve their efficiency on basic road sections in the city based on a cooperative vehicle infrastructure system. Specifically, a movable physical function area was set in front of the EVs to prohibit connected vehicles (CVs) from entering a lane or to request them to change lanes to avoid a collision. Setting up a dynamic monitoring area at the EV’s front end affords real-time monitoring of the CV’s headway distribution in the inner lane. Moreover, a lane change request is sent when the CVs enter the buffer area, and the traversal search method predicts the optimal time and rate of speed to change the lane change and guides the CVs ahead of the EVs to merge into the target gap. Extensive simulations using the SUMO platform revealed that the priority of the dynamic right-of-way (PDR) control method reduced the average delay of the EVs by more than 70%, given that the road saturation did not exceed 0.8 and hardly increased the delay of the CVs (not more than 8%). Moreover, the simulations revealed that the long buffer area was suitable for low-volume conditions, and the short one was suitable for high-volume conditions. The proposed methodology fully employs the road space resources and enhances the EV’s operating efficiency on basic road sections while considering the CV’s operating efficiency.
ROV State Estimation Using Mixture of Gaussian Based on Expectation-Maximization Cubature Particle Filter
Authors: Wang Biao , Chen Chunhao , Jiang Zhe , Zhao Yu
Published: May 2023

The underwater motion of the ROV is affected by various environmental factors, such as wind, waves, and currents. The complex relationship between these disturbance variables results in non-Gaussian noise distribution, which cannot be handled by the classical Kalman filter. For the accurate and real-time observation of ROV climbing, and, at the same time, to reduce the influence of the uncertainty of the noise distribution, the ROV state filter is designed based on the mixture of Gaussian model theory with the expectation-maximization cubature particle filter (EM-MOGCPF). The EM-MOGCPF considers different sensor measurement noises, and the addition of mixture of Gaussian (MOG) improves the fineness and real-time properties, while the expectation-maximization (EM) reduces the complexity of the algorithm. To estimate the ROV xyz-axis and yaw angular states, we establish a four-degree-of-freedom (4-DOF) ROV kinetics model, which uses a simulation platform for multiple sea state degrees. The results show that the EM-MOGCPF effectively improves the estimation accuracy and exhibits strong adaptability to nonlinear and non-Gaussian environments. We believe that this algorithm holds promise in solving the state estimation challenge in these difficult environments.
A New Way of Cataloging Research through Grounded Theory
Authors: Navas Gustavo , Yagüe Agustín
Published: May 2023

Grounded theory (GT) has been extensively used in social studies through surveys and interviews. However, its application in software development has not been appropriately categorized, limiting its in-depth study in this field. Additionally, the qualitative analysis provided by GT is in increasing demand in software engineering, presenting a significant opportunity to further investigate this topic. This article discusses the identification and analysis of key GT elements beyond traditional data sources, such as research results, engineering artifacts, and written documents, and introduces the role of basic coding, master core category, and the theory emerging, thus showing a way to present the results of GT studies in software development. The study provides valuable insights for researchers and practitioners interested in applying GT in software development. The article also explores the crucial role of constant comparison until saturation and the challenges it presents. Additionally, the integration of Glaserian grounded theory (GGT) with systematic mapping study (SMS) is examined, resulting in a novel approach called Glaserian systematic mapping study (GSMS), which defines saturation through three equations, providing a set of components that satisfactorily categorize GT in software development. This article discusses the identification and analysis of key grounded theory (GT) elements beyond traditional data sources in the context of software development.
Precise Configuring of Actuators/Sensors for Active Control of Sound Quality in Cabs with Modal Vibration Energy and LA-PSO
Authors: Huang Yizhe , Zhang Huizhen , Zhao Kaiyang , Xu Enyong , Huang Qibai , Wang Jun
Published: May 2023

Active control of structural modal vibration is an effective strategy to enhance the sound quality of cabs in commercial vehicles. However, accurate determination of the positioning and quantity of modal active control sensors and actuators is crucial for cabs with intricate structures, owing to the presence of multiorder modes and their coupling. The study presented herein focuses on the cab of a commercial vehicle and contemplates the features of the irregular large-space structure of the cab. By capitalizing on the modal frequency and mode shape of the cab, utilizing the piezoelectric control principle and modal vibration energy as the assessment index, an advanced multimode composite control criterion is postulated to ascertain the configuration of primary sensors and actuators. The particle swarm optimization (PSO) objective function is constructed to accomplish the optimal position matching of the actuator/sensor, using the multimodal surface velocity vector of the vibration sensor as the core parameter. Furthermore, an improved linear adaptive particle swarm optimization (LA-PSO) technique is advanced to satisfy the requirements of optimal convergence performance and accuracy of the complex cab structure. The optimization culminates in a 9 × 9 multichannel active control scheme for determining the optimal position of the actuators/sensors. This investigation provides a technical foundation for the active control of sound quality in automotive cabs and presents an innovative method for implementing effective noise control systems in large-scale machinery and equipment.
A Fuzzy-Based Emotion Detection Method to Classify the Relevance of Pleasant/Unpleasant Emotions Posted by Users in Reviews of Service Facilities
Authors: Cardone Barbara , Di Martino Ferdinando , Miraglia Vittorio
Published: May 2023

Many sentiment analysis methods have been proposed recently to evaluate, through the Web, the perceptions of users and their satisfaction with the use of products and services; these approaches have been applied in various fields in which it is necessary to evaluate, for example, the degree of appreciation of a product or a service or political orientations or emotional states following an event or the occurrence of a phenomenon. On the other hand, these methods are based on natural language processing models needed to capture information hidden in comments, which generally require a high computational cost which can affect their performance; for this reason, review-collecting providers prefer to synthetically evaluate user satisfaction by considering a score on a numerical scale entered by users. To overcome this criticality, we propose an emotion detection method based on a light fuzzy-based document classification model to capture the relevance of pleasant and unpleasant emotions expressed by users in their reviews of service facilities. This method is implemented in a geo-computational framework and tested to evaluate the satisfaction of customers of theater venues located in the municipality of Naples (Italy). A fuzzy-based approach is used to classify user satisfaction according to the relevance of the emotional categories of pleasant and unpleasant. We show that our emotion detection method refines service feature pleasure assessments expressed on scales by users in their reviews.
Reducing Lumbar Flexion in a Repetitive Lifting Task: Comparison of Leukotape and Kinesio Tape and Their Effect on Lumbar Proprioception
Authors: Grütters Kim , Narciss Susanne , Beaudette Shawn M. , Oppici Luca
Published: May 2023

Rigid leukotape applied to the skin of the trunk dorsum, superficial to the lumbar paraspinals, has been shown to reduce lumbar flexion in repetitive lifting, with the potential to reduce the risk of injury in jobs requiring the handling of material. It is unclear which mechanism underpins this reduction, and whether a tape with more elastic properties (i.e., kinesio tape) can yield similar results. In this study, twelve participants were randomly allocated into two groups, and practiced a repetitive lifting task with either leukotape or kinesio tape applied to the skin of their trunk dorsum. The participants also performed a sagittal plane repositioning task to assess changes in lumbar proprioception. The results showed a small reduction in lumbar flexion in the kinesio tape group and a moderate reduction in the leukotape group, and suggested a reduction in repositioning errors in the kinesio tape group only. We suggest that leukotape may correct the movement and improve performance during a flexion-based task, while kinesio tape may improve lumbar proprioception and promote learning. These results have implications for the choice and use of wearable textiles aiming to reduce injury risks in the manual handling industry.
Non-Destructive Assessment of the Functional Diameter and Hydrodynamic Roughness of Additively Manufactured Channels
Authors: Chandrabalan Lokesh , Baier Markus , Meloni Roberto , Pieri Marco , Ammannato Luca , Del Puglia Eugenio , Carmignato Simone
Published: May 2023

Metal additive manufacturing, particularly laser powder bed fusion, is increasingly used in the gas turbine industry for the fabrication of channels with small diameters for conformal cooling and flow passage applications. A critical challenge in this context lies in evaluating aspects such as the geometrical and hydraulic diameters, the effective area and the roughness on the internal surface of the channel that affects the flow functionality. This paper proposes a new method to evaluate the geometrical and functional equivalent diameters, i.e., the hydraulic diameter of cylindrical channels and the mean surface topography height on the internal channel surface, using X-ray computed tomography. The developed methods were validated with experimental flow tests, considering the mean surface topography height to be equivalent to the hydrodynamic sand grain roughness, thereby determining the hydraulic diameter and the associated effective area. The method is a much faster approach to determining the available hydraulic diameter compared to flow tests and offers the possibility of evaluating the internal surface characteristics, with discrepancies between the two approaches being less than ±3%.
Enhancing the Interlaminar Shear Strength and Void Control of 3D-Printed Continuous Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced Polymer Composites Using a Robotic Magnetic Compaction Force-Assisted Additive Manufacturing (MCFA-AM) Process and Carbon-Nanofiber Z-Threads
Authors: Islam Mohammad Rakibul , Taylor Wyatt , Warren Ryan , Hsiao Kuang-Ting
Published: May 2023

Three-dimensional (3D) printing with continuous carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (C-CFRP) composites is under increasing development, as it offers more versatility than traditional molding processes, such as the out-of-autoclave-vacuum bag only (OOA-VBO) process. However, due to the layer-by-layer deposition of materials, voids can form between the layers and weaken some of the parts’ properties, such as the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS). In this paper, a novel mold-less magnetic compaction force-assisted additive manufacturing (MCFA-AM) method was used to print carbon nanofiber (CNF) z-threaded CFRP (ZT-CFRP) laminates with significantly improved ILSS and reduced void content compared to traditional C-CFRP laminates, which are printed using a no-pressure 3D-printing process (similar to the fused-deposition-modeling process). The radial flow alignment (RFA) and resin-blending techniques were utilized to manufacture a printing-compatible fast-curing ZT-CFRP prepreg tape to act as the feedstock for a MCFA-AM printhead, which was mounted on a robotic arm. In terms of the ILSS, the MCFA-AM method coupled with ZT-CFRP nanomaterial technology significantly outperformed the C-CFRP made with both the traditional no-pressure 3D-printing process and the OOA-VBO molding process. Furthermore, the mold-less MCFA-AM process more than doubled the production speed of the OOA-VBO molding process. This demonstrates that through the integration of new nanomaterials and 3D-printing techniques, a paradigm shift in C-CFRP manufacturing with significantly better performance, versatility, agility, efficiency, and lower cost is achievable.
Special Issue on Unsupervised Anomaly Detection
Authors: Goldstein Markus
Published: May 2023

Anomaly detection (also known as outlier detection) is the task of finding instances in a dataset which deviate markedly from the norm [...]
Evaluation of PBL Parameterization Schemes in WRF Model Predictions during the Dry Season of the Central Amazon Basin
Authors: Mantovani Júnior José Antonio , Aravéquia José Antonio , Carneiro Rayonil Gomes , Fisch Gilberto
Published: May 2023

Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) parameterization schemes are employed to handle subgrid-scale processes on atmospheric models, playing a key role in accurately representing the atmosphere. Recent studies have shown that PBL schemes are particularly fundamental to the depiction of PBL height (PBLH), especially over the Amazon. In the present study, we investigated the performance of PBL schemes on the representation of meteorological variables, turbulent fluxes, PBL vertical structures, and PBLH over the central Amazon basin under dry conditions, taking advantage of observations from the Observations and Modeling of the Green Ocean Amazon campaign (GoAmazon2014/5) for validation and evaluation. Numerical experiments were carried out within the WRF model using eight PBL schemes for two dry periods from 2014 (typical year) and 2015 (El-Niño year), and results from the 1-km resolution domain were directly compared to hourly in situ observations. In general, all PBL schemes present good performance to reproduce meteorological variables, with nonlocal (local) PBL schemes producing better performance in the 2014 (2015) study period. All PBL schemes in general overestimate (>100%) daytime turbulent fluxes. Thermodynamic (daytime) vertical structures are better predicted than mechanical (nocturnal) ones. The local MYNN2.5 scheme showed the overall best performance for PBLH prediction, mainly at night.
Virtual Reality-Based Digital Twins: A Case Study on Pharmaceutical Cannabis
Authors: Spyrou Orestis , Hurst William , Verdouw Cor
Published: May 2023

Digital Twins are digital equivalents of real-life objects. They allow producers to act immediately in case of (expected) deviations and to simulate effects of interventions based on real-life data. Digital Twin and eXtended Reality technologies (including Augmented Reality, Mixed Reality and Virtual Reality technologies), when coupled, are promising solutions to address the challenges of highly regulated crop production, namely the complexity of modern production environments for pharmaceutical cannabis, which are growing constantly as a result of legislative changes. Cannabis farms not only have to meet very high quality standards and regulatory requirements but also have to deal with high production and market uncertainties, including energy considerations. Thus, the main contributions of the research include an architecture design for eXtended-Reality-based Digital Twins for pharmaceutical cannabis production and a proof of concept, which was demonstrated at the Wageningen University Digital Twins conference. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit 30 participants who provided feedback on the application. The findings indicate that, despite 70% being unfamiliar with the concept, 80% of the participants were positive regarding the innovation and creativity.
Soil Bacterial Communities from Three Agricultural Production Systems in Rural Landscapes of Palmira, Colombia
Authors: Rugeles-Silva Paula Andrea , Londoño Jairo Andrés , Sánchez de Prager Marina , Muñoz Flórez Jaime Eduardo , López-Álvarez Diana
Published: May 2023

Soils play important roles in the proper functioning of agroecosystems. Using molecular characterization methods such as metabarcoding, soils from eight farms (57 samples) belonging to three production system types—agroecological (two farms with twenty-two sampling points), organic (three farms with twenty-one sampling points), and conventional (three farms with fourteen sampling points)—were compared from the rural villages of El Arenillo and El Mesón in Palmira, Colombia. Amplification and sequencing of the hypervariable V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene was performed using next-generation sequencing (Illumina MiSeq) to estimate the bacterial composition and the alpha and beta diversity present. Across all soil samples, we found 2 domains (Archaea and Bacteria), 56 phylum, 190 classes, 386 orders, 632 families, and 1101 genera to be present. The most abundant phyla in the three systems were Proteobacteria, (agroecological 28%, organic 30%, and conventional 27%), Acidobacteria (agroecological 22%, organic 21%, and conventional 24%), and Verrucomicrobia (agroecological 10%, organic 6%, and conventional 13%). We found 41 nitrogen-fixing and phosphate-dissolving genera which promote growth and pathogens. Alpha and beta diversity indices were very similar across the three agricultural production systems, as reflected by shared amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) among them, likely due to the proximity of the sampling sites and recent management changes.
Influence of Gelatin Source and Bloom Number on Gelatin Methacryloyl Hydrogels Mechanical and Biological Properties for Muscle Regeneration
Authors: Aljaber Mohammad B. , Verisqa Fiona , Keskin-Erdogan Zalike , Patel Kapil D. , Chau David Y. S. , Knowles Jonathan C.
Published: May 2023

Approximately half of an adult human’s body weight is made up of muscles. Thus, restoring the functionality and aesthetics of lost muscle tissue is critical. The body is usually able to repair minor muscle injuries. However, when volumetric muscle loss occurs due to tumour extraction, for instance, the body will form fibrous tissue instead. Gelatin methacryloyl (GelMA) hydrogels have been applied for drug delivery, tissue adhesive, and various tissue engineering applications due to their tuneable mechanical properties. Here, we have synthesised GelMA from different gelatin sources (i.e., porcine, bovine, and fish) with varying bloom numbers, which refers to the gel strength, and investigated for the influence of the source of gelatin and the bloom number on biological activities and mechanical properties. The results indicated that the source of the gelatin and variable bloom numbers have an impact on GelMA hydrogel properties. Furthermore, our findings established that the bovine-derived gelatin methacryloyl (B-GelMA) has better mechanical properties than the other varieties composed of porcine and fish with 60 kPa, 40 kPa, and 10 kPa in bovine, porcine, and fish, respectively. Additionally, it showed a noticeably greater swelling ratio (SR) ~1100% and a reduced rate of degradation, improving the stability of hydrogels and giving cells adequate time to divide and proliferate to compensate for muscle loss. Furthermore, the bloom number of gelatin was also proven to influence the mechanical properties of GelMA. Interestingly, although GelMA made of fish had the lowest mechanical strength and gel stability, it demonstrated excellent biological properties. Overall, the results emphasise the importance of gelatin source and bloom number, allowing GelMA hydrogels to have a wide range of mechanical and excellent biological properties and making them suitable for various muscle tissue regeneration applications.
Collagens Regulating Adipose Tissue Formation and Functions
Authors: Jääskeläinen Iida , Petäistö Tiina , Mirzarazi Dahagi Elahe , Mahmoodi Mahdokht , Pihlajaniemi Taina , Kaartinen Mari T. , Heljasvaara Ritva
Published: May 2023

The globally increasing prevalence of obesity is associated with the development of metabolic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, dyslipidemia, and fatty liver. Excess adipose tissue (AT) often leads to its malfunction and to a systemic metabolic dysfunction because, in addition to storing lipids, AT is an active endocrine system. Adipocytes are embedded in a unique extracellular matrix (ECM), which provides structural support to the cells as well as participating in the regulation of their functions, such as proliferation and differentiation. Adipocytes have a thin pericellular layer of a specialized ECM, referred to as the basement membrane (BM), which is an important functional unit that lies between cells and tissue stroma. Collagens form a major group of proteins in the ECM, and some of them, especially the BM-associated collagens, support AT functions and participate in the regulation of adipocyte differentiation. In pathological conditions such as obesity, AT often proceeds to fibrosis, characterized by the accumulation of large collagen bundles, which disturbs the natural functions of the AT. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on the vertebrate collagens that are important for AT development and function and include basic information on some other important ECM components, principally fibronectin, of the AT. We also briefly discuss the function of AT collagens in certain metabolic diseases in which they have been shown to play central roles.
Association of the rs3039851 Insertion/Deletion in the Gene PPP3R1, Which Encodes the Regulatory Calcineurin Subunit B Type 1, with Left Ventricular Mass in Polish Full-Term Newborns
Authors: Gorący Iwona , Łoniewska Beata , Lewandowska Klaudyna , Boroń Agnieszka , Grzegorczyk Małgorzata , Nowak Robert , Clark Jeremy Simon C. , Ciechanowicz Andrzej
Published: May 2023

Background: The five base-pair (bp) insertion/deletion (rs3039851) polymorphism in the PPP3R1 gene, which encodes calcineurin subunit B type 1, has been found to be associated with left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) in hypertensive patients and in athletes. The aim of this study is to analyze the possible association between PPP3R1:rs3039851 polymorphism and left ventricular mass (LVM) in full-term healthy newborns. Methods: The study group consisted of 162 consecutive, full-term, healthy newborns. Two-dimensional M-mode echocardiography was used to assess LVM. The PPP3R1:rs3039851 polymorphism was identified by PCR-RFLP in genomic DNA extracted from cord blood leukocytes. Results: No significant differences were found between newborns homozygous for the reference allele (5I/5I, n = 135) and newborns carrying at least one 5D allele (n = 27) for LVM standardized for body mass, body length or body surface area (LVM/BM, LVM/BL or LVM/BSA, respectively). However, the frequency of PPP3R1:rs3039851 genotypes with a 5D allele (5I/5D + 5D/5D) among newborns with the largest LVM/BM or LVM/BSA (upper tertile) was statistically significantly higher compared with the prevalence in individuals with the lowest values of both indices (lower tertile). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the PPP3R1:rs3039851 polymorphism may contribute to subtle variation in left ventricular mass at birth.
Nicotine Administration Augments Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Progression in Rats
Authors: Hadzikadunic Hana , Sjælland Tea Bøvling , Lindholt Jes S. , Steffensen Lasse Bach , Beck Hans Christian , Kavaliunaite Egle , Rasmussen Lars Melholt , Stubbe Jane
Published: May 2023

Inflammation and elastin degradation are key hallmarks in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). It has been acknowledged that activation of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (α7nAChRs) attenuates inflammation, termed the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway (CAP). Thus, we hypothesize that low-dose nicotine impairs the progression of elastase-induced AAAs in rats by exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative stress properties. Male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent surgical AAA induction with intraluminal elastase infusion. We compared vehicle rats with rats treated with nicotine (1.25 mg/kg/day), and aneurysm progression was monitored by weekly ultrasound images for 28 days. Nicotine treatment significantly promoted AAA progression (p = 0.031). Additionally, gelatin zymography demonstrated that nicotine significantly reduced pro-matrix metalloproteinase (pro-MMP) 2 (p = 0.029) and MMP9 (p = 0.030) activity in aneurysmal tissue. No significant difference was found in the elastin content or the score of elastin degradation between the groups. Neither infiltrating neutrophils nor macrophages, nor aneurysmal messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines, differed between the vehicle and nicotine groups. Finally, no difference in mRNA levels of markers for anti-oxidative stress or the vascular smooth muscle cells’ contractile phenotype was observed. However, proteomics analyses of non-aneurysmal abdominal aortas revealed that nicotine decreased myristoylated alanine-rich C-kinase substrate and proteins, in ontology terms, inflammatory response and reactive oxygen species, and in contradiction to augmented AAAs. In conclusion, nicotine at a dose of 1.25 mg/kg/day augments AAA expansion in this elastase AAA model. These results do not support the use of low-dose nicotine administration for the prevention of AAA progression.
Point-of-Care Testing of the MTF1 Osteoarthritis Biomarker Using Phenolphthalein-Soaked Swabs
Authors: Park So Yeon , Chae Dong-Sik , Lee Jae Sun , Cho Byung-Ki , Lee Nae Yoon
Published: May 2023

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease, which accompanies pain and inconvenience in daily life owing to degradation of cartilage and adjacent tissues. In this study, we propose a simple point-of-care testing (POCT) kit for the detection of the MTF1 OA biomarker to achieve on-site clinical diagnosis of OA. The kit contains an FTA card for patient sample treatments, a sample tube for loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP), and a phenolphthalein-soaked swab for naked eye detection. The MTF1 gene was isolated from synovial fluids using an FTA card and amplified using the LAMP method at 65 °C for 35 min. A test part of the phenolphthalein-soaked swab was decolorized in the presence of the MTF1 gene due to the pH change after the LAMP, but the color remained pink in the absence of the MTF1 gene. The control part of the swab served as a reference color in relation to the test part. When real-time LAMP (RT-LAMP), gel electrophoresis, and colorimetric detection of the MTF1 gene were performed, the limit of detection (LOD) was confirmed at 10 fg/μL, and the overall processes were completed in 1 h. The detection of an OA biomarker in the form of POCT was reported for the first time in this study. The introduced method is expected to serve as a POCT platform directly applicable by clinicians for easy and rapid identification of OA.
Intelligent Modeling of Edge Components of Prefabricated Shear Wall Structures Based on BIM
Authors: Li Shushan , Li Siyuan , Hu Jinxin , Shi Yongxin , Li Hongmei , Chen Aijiu , Xie Wei
Published: May 2023

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital tool that can be used to create three-dimensional models of components. BIM technology, with its parameterized modeling scheme, can effectively address design changes. The use of BIM technology in prefabricated shear wall structures can significantly enhance component design accuracy and production efficiency. The Tekla software offers significant advantages in BIM deepening design. By utilizing the C# language, secondary development of the Tekla software, and the development of an intelligent modeling program for the edge components of prefabricated shear wall structures, the deepening design efficiency of such structures can be improved. The creation of BIM models is a crucial step in program development. Different types of reinforcements require various modeling methods, which, when combined with the design specifications of concrete structures, can be compiled to create the fine reinforcement model. This allows for the automatic creation of three-dimensional reinforcement models: “linear-shaped,” “T-shaped,” and “L-shaped” joints of the edge member. The BIM visualization characteristics can then display the three-dimensional model of the steel bar of the edge member in the cast-in-place area, deriving the engineering quantity of the steel bar for the production and construction of the prefabricated members. The modeling program’s development concept can serve as a reference for similar engineering applications, promoting the intelligent development of prefabricated building design and enhancing the efficiency of design and construction.
Friction and Cohesion Interface Shear Factors of Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) Cast on Hardened Conventional Concrete
Authors: Abo El-Khier Mostafa , Morcous George
Published: May 2023

In composite structures, interface shear resistance is a critical design criterion for transferring forces between interconnected elements at the contact surface. Recently, Ultra-High-Performance Concrete (UHPC) applications in construction have been growing rapidly due to superior mechanical and durability properties; however, there is no guidance on how to predict the interface shear resistance of UHPC cast on hardened conventional concrete (CC). This paper presents the experimental and analytical investigations conducted to develop friction and cohesion factors of the shear friction theory for UHPC cast on hardened CC in composite sections. Push-off shear tests and slant shear tests were conducted to evaluate and validate the effect of interface surface texture, interface reinforcement ratio, CC and UHPC compressive strength, and fiber presence. A friction factor of 1.0 was adopted—as in the current code provisions—while a cohesion factor of 3.45 MPa (0.5 ksi) between UHPC cast on intentionally roughened hardened CC was proposed, which is significantly higher than that in the current code provisions of CC. Also, increasing the interface shear reinforcement ratio increased the interface shear resistance significantly and resulted in a more ductile failure. Neither UHPC compressive strength nor the presence of steel fibers had a significant effect on the interface shear resistance of UHPC cast on hardened CC.
Long Short-Term Memory Network for Predicting Wind-Induced Vibration Response of Lightning Rod Structures
Authors: Zhao Guifeng , Xing Kaifeng , Wang Yang , Qian Hui , Zhang Meng
Published: May 2023

Lightning rod structures are susceptible to wind loads due to their high slenderness ratio, high flexibility, and light weight. The wind-induced dynamic response of a lightning rod is critical for structural safety and reliability. The traditional methods for this response, including observation and simulation, focus on structural health monitoring (SHM), wind tunnel tests (WTTs), or fluid–structure interaction (FSI) simulations. However, all these approaches require considerable financial or computational investment. Additionally, problems such as data loss or data anomalies in the sensor monitoring process often occur during SHM or WTTs. This paper proposes an algorithm based on a long short-term memory (LSTM) network to predict the wind-induced dynamic response and to solve the problem of data link fracture caused by abnormal sensor data transmission or wind-induced damage to lightning rod structures under different wind speeds. The effectiveness and applicability of the proposed framework are demonstrated using actual monitoring data. Root-mean-squared error (RMSE), determination of coefficient (R2), variance accounted for (VAF), and the refined Willmott index (RWI) are employed as performance assessment indices for the proposed network model. At the same time, the random forest algorithm is adopted to analyze the correlation between the data of the different measurement points on the lightning rod structure. The results show that the LSTM method proposed in this paper has a high accuracy for the prediction of “missing” strain data during lightning rod strain monitoring under wind speeds of 15.81~31.62 m/s. Even under the extreme wind speed of 31.62 m/s, the values of RMSE, MAE, R2, RWI and VAF are 0.24053, 0.18213, 0.94539, 0.88172 and 0.94444, respectively, which are within the acceptable range. Using the data feature importance analysis function, it is found that the predicted strain data of the measurement point on the top part of the lightning rod structure are closely related to the test strain data of the two adjacent sections of the structure, and the effect of the test strain data of the measurement points that are far from the predicted measurement point can be ignored.
Resistance of Gable Structure of Nuclear Island to Progressive Collapse in Conventional Island Shield Building of Nuclear Power Plants
Authors: Pei Qiang , Qi Pengfei , Ma Fenghai , Cui Di , Xue Zhicheng , Ding Yu
Published: May 2023

The gable wall of the conventional island of a nuclear power plant carries various pipeline loads connecting the nuclear island and the conventional island. If the gable wall collapses and is damaged due to the progressive collapse of the main plant structure of the conventional island, it will directly threaten the safety of the nuclear island. Therefore, it is of great significance to systematically study the resistance of the gable structure of the nuclear island to progressive collapse for the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Based on the SAP2000 finite element analysis platform, this paper established a model of the reinforced concrete frame structure of the first span of the shield building on the conventional island of a nuclear power plant, including the gable. According to the alternate path method, the node displacement and bearing capacity responses were used to determine the critical components in the gable, and single column failures of the top four in importance were selected as different analysis conditions. Nonlinear static and dynamic methods were used to analyze the displacement, internal force change, hinge sequence of the gable structure on the side of the nuclear island, and the ability of the gable to resist progressive collapse. The analysis results showed that the gable structure of the nuclear island had good resistance to progressive collapse under four single column failure conditions, whether by nonlinear static or dynamic analysis, and the overall vertical displacement obtained by the nonlinear static analysis was larger than that obtained by the dynamic analysis.
Computer-Vision and Machine-Learning-Based Seismic Damage Assessment of Reinforced Concrete Structures
Authors: Xu Yang , Li Yi , Zheng Xiaohang , Zheng Xiaodong , Zhang Qiangqiang
Published: May 2023

Seismic damage assessment of reinforced concrete (RC) structures is a vital issue for post-earthquake evaluation. Conventional onsite inspection depends greatly on subjective judgments and engineering experiences of human inspectors, and the efficiency is limited to large-scale urban areas. This study proposes a computer-vision and machine-learning-based seismic damage assessment framework for RC structures. A refined Park-Ang model is built to express the coupled effects of structural ductility and energy dissipation, which reflects the nonlinear seismic damage accumulation and generates a synthetical seismic damage indicator within 0~1 using hysteretic curve data. A deep neural network is established to regress the damage indicator using damage-related and design-related parameters as inputs. The results show that the correlation coefficients between the predicted and actual seismic damage index exceed 0.98, and the predicted seismic damage index is unbiased and stable without overfitting. Furthermore, the effectiveness, robustness, and generalization ability of the proposed method are verified.
Effect of the Preparation Method on Cu-MOR/g-C3N4 for Direct Methanol Synthesis from Methane Oxidation by Photothermal Catalysis
Authors: Hao Jun-Cai , Zhang Rui-Xin , Ren Miao , Zhao Jia-Xuan , Gao Zhi-Hua , Liu Lei , Zhang Zhu-Xia , Zuo Zhi-Jun
Published: May 2023

Copper-based zeolite catalysts are widely used in methanol synthesis from methane oxidation, but their photothermal catalytic properties have seldom been explored. This study examines the effect of the preparation method on Cu-based zeolite composite graphite-phase carbon nitride catalysts (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4) for direct methanol synthesis from methane oxidation by photothermal catalysis. Four different preparation methods are employed: liquid phase ion exchange (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-IE), isovolumetric impregnation (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-IM), solid-state ion exchange (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-GR), and hydrothermal synthesis (Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-HT). Cu-MOR/g-C3N4-IE shows the highest methanol yield (3.09 μmol h−1 gcat−1) due to strong interactions between the CuxOy species and g-C3N4, as well as smaller interfacial charge transfer forces. This study provides a new method for the design and synthesis of catalysts for the conversion of methane.