bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Safe Sialidase Production by the Saprophyte Oerskovia paurometabola: Gene Sequence and Enzyme Purification
Authors: Eneva Rumyana , Engibarov Stephan , Gocheva Yana , Mitova Simona , Arsov Alexander , Petrov Kaloyan , Abrashev Radoslav , Lazarkevich Irina , Petrova Penka
Published: December 2022

Sialidase preparations are applied in structural and functional studies on sialoglycans, in the production of sialylated therapeutic proteins and synthetic substrates for use in biochemical research, etc. They are obtained mainly from pathogenic microorganisms; therefore, the demand for apathogenic producers of sialidase is of exceptional importance for the safe production of this enzyme. Here, we report for the first time the presence of a sialidase gene and enzyme in the saprophytic actinomycete Oerskovia paurometabola strain O129. An electrophoretically pure, glycosylated enzyme with a molecular weight of 70 kDa was obtained after a two-step chromatographic procedure using DEAE cellulose and Q-sepharose. The biochemical characterization showed that the enzyme is extracellular, inductive, and able to cleave α(2→3,6,8) linked sialic acids with preference for α(2→3) bonds. The enzyme production was strongly induced by glycomacropeptide (GMP) from milk whey, as well as by sialic acid. Investigation of the deduced amino acid sequence revealed that the protein molecule has the typical six-bladed β-propeller structure and contains all features of bacterial sialidases, i.e., an YRIP motif, five Asp-boxes, and the conserved amino acids in the active site. The presence of an unusual signal peptide of 40 amino acids was predicted. The sialidase-producing O. paurometabola O129 showed high and constant enzyme production. Together with its saprophytic nature, this makes it a reliable producer with high potential for industrial application.
Nanocellulose from Spanish Harvesting Residues to Improve the Sustainability and Functionality of Linerboard Recycling Processes
Authors: De Haro-Niza Jorge , Rincón Esther , Gonzalez Zoilo , Espinosa Eduardo , Rodríguez Alejandro
Published: December 2022

The hornification processes undergone by the fibers in the paper industry recycling processes lead to the loss of properties of the final products, which exhibit poor mechanical properties. Among the most promising solutions is the reinforcement of secondary fibers with cellulose nanofibers. The present work addresses two important issues: the efficient production of cellulose nanofibers from scarcely exploited agricultural wastes such as horticultural residues and vine shoots, and their application as a reinforcement agent in recycled linerboard recycling processes. The effect of the chemical composition and the pretreatment used on the nanofibrillation efficiency of the fibers was analyzed. Chemical pretreatment allowed a significantly higher nanofibrillated fraction (45–63%) than that produced by mechanical (18–38%), as well as higher specific surface areas (>430 m2/g). The application of the nanofibers as a reinforcing agent in the recycled linerboard considerably improved the mechanical properties (improvements of 15% for breaking length, 220–240% for Young’s modulus and 27% for tear index), counteracting the loss of mechanical properties suffered during recycling when using chemically pretreated cellulose nanofibers from horticultural residues and vine shoots. It was concluded that this technology surpasses the mechanical reinforcement produced by conventional mechanical refining used in the industry and extends the number of recycling cycles of the products due to the non-physical modification of the fibers.
Plasmonic Nanostructures for Broadband Solar Absorption Based on Synergistic Effect of Multiple Absorption Mechanisms
Authors: Su Junli , Liu Dingquan , Sun Leihao , Chen Gang , Ma Chong , Zhang Qiuyu , Li Xingyu
Published: December 2022

The growing attention to solar energy has motivated the development of highly efficient solar absorbers. In this study, a high-performance meta-structure solar absorber (MSSA) based on a tungsten truncated cone structure combined with a film resonator structure has been proposed and demonstrated numerically. The designed structure exhibits over 97.1% total solar absorption efficiency and less than 8.5% total thermal emissivity under the condition of one solar concentration, hence reaching 91.6% photothermal conversion efficiency at 100 °C. In addition, the proposed MSSA achieves promisingly high spectrum absorptance of over 97.8% in the ultraviolet, visible and near-infrared regions (280–1700 nm). Based on the simulation analysis, the enhanced light absorption is attributed to the synergistic effect of the magnetic polaritons (MPs) on the nanostructured metal surface, the cavity plasmon resonance between the truncated cones that can form light-trapping structures, the magnetic field resonance of the metal–insulator–metal (MIM) optical resonator and the inherent loss of tungsten. The impedance of the absorber is well matched with free space. Furthermore, the optimized absorber shows great potential in solar thermophotovoltaic applications that require wide-angle polarization-independent ultra-broadband light response characteristics.
Investigation into SiO2 Etching Characteristics Using Fluorocarbon Capacitively Coupled Plasmas: Etching with Radical/Ion Flux-Controlled
Authors: Jeong Won-nyoung , Lee Young-seok , Cho Chul-hee , Seong In-ho , You Shin-jae
Published: December 2022

SiO2 etching characteristics were investigated in detail. Patterned SiO2 was etched using radio-frequency capacitively coupled plasma with pulse modulation in a mixture of argon and fluorocarbon gases. Through plasma diagnostic techniques, plasma parameters (radical and electron density, self-bias voltage) were also measured. In this work, we identified an etching process window, where the etching depth is a function of the radical flux. Then, pulse-off time was varied in the two extreme cases: the lowest and the highest radical fluxes. It was observed that increasing pulse-off time resulted in an enhanced etching depth and the reduced etching depth respectively. This opposing trend was attributed to increasing neutral to ion flux ratio by extending pulse-off time within different etching regimes.
Changes in the Epidemiology of Respiratory Pathogens in Children during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lamrani Hanchi Asmae , Guennouni Morad , Ben Houmich Toufik , Echchakery Mohamed , Draiss Ghizlane , Rada Noureddine , Younous Said , Bouskraoui Mohamed , Soraa Nabila
Published: December 2022

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a significant decrease in non-COVID-19 respiratory illnesses were observed, suggesting that the implementation of measures against COVID-19 affected the transmission of other respiratory pathogens. The aim of this study was to highlight the changes in the epidemiology of respiratory pathogens in children during the COVID-19 pandemic. All children with Severe Acute respiratory illness admitted to the pediatric departments between January 2018 and December 2021 with negative COVID-19 PCR, were enrolled. The detection of respiratory pathogens was made by the Film Array Respiratory Panel. A total of 902 respiratory specimens were tested. A significantly lower positivity rate during the COVID-19 period was found (p = 0.006), especially in infants under 6 months (p = 0.008). There was a substantial absence of detection of Respiratory Syncytial Virus and Influenza A during the winter season following the outbreak of the pandemic (p < 0.05; p = 0.002 respectively). An inter-seasonal resurgence of Respiratory Syncytial Virus was noted. Human Rhinovirus was detected throughout the year, and more prevalent in winter during COVID-19 (p = 0.0002). These changes could be explained by the impact of the implementation of preventive measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic on the transmission of respiratory pathogens in children.
Preparation and Evaluation of Modified Chitosan Nanoparticles Using Anionic Sodium Alginate Polymer for Treatment of Ocular Disease
Authors: Bhosale Vaishnavi A. , Srivastava Vaibhavi , Valamla Bhavana , Yadav Rati , Singh Shashi Bala , Mehra Neelesh Kumar
Published: December 2022

Mucoadhesive nanoparticles offer prolonged drug residence time at the corneal epithelium by adhering to the mucous layer of the eye. Here, in this research investigation, voriconazole-loaded chitosan mucoadhesive nanoparticles (VCZ-MA-NPs) were modified to mucous-penetrating nanoparticles (VCZ-MP-NPs) by coating them with anionic polymer sodium alginate. The ionic gelation method was utilized to prepare mucoadhesive chitosan nanoparticles, which were further coated with sodium alginate to obtain the surface properties essential for mucous penetration. The developed VCZ-MA-NPs and VCZ-MP-NPs were evaluated extensively for physicochemical delineation, as well as in vitro and ex vivo studies. The particle size, polydispersity index, and ζ potential of the VCZ-MA-NPs were discovered to be 116 ± 2 nm, 0.23 ± 0.004, and +16.3 ± 0.9 mV, while the equivalent values for VCZ-MP-NPs were 185 ± 1 nm, 0.20 ± 0.01, and −24 ± 0.9 mV, respectively. The entrapment efficiency and drug loading were obtained as 88.06%±1.29% and 7.27% ± 0.95% for VCZ-MA-NPs and 91.31% ± 1.05% and 10.38% ± 0.87% for VCZ-MP-NPs, respectively. The formulations were found to be stable under different conditions (4 °C, 25 °C, and 40 °C). Chitosan nanoparticles and modified nanoparticles showed a spherical and smooth morphology under electron microscopic imaging. An excised caprine cornea was used for the ex vivo permeation study, exhibiting 58.98% ± 0.54% and 70.02% ± 0.61% drug permeation for VCZ-MA-NPs and VCZ-MP-NPs, respectively. The findings revealed that the mucous-penetrating nanoparticles could effectively pass through the corneal epithelium, thus overcoming the mucous barrier and fungal layer of the eye, which highlights their potential in the treatment of fungal keratitis.
Altered Blood–Brain Barrier Dynamics in the C9orf72 Hexanucleotide Repeat Expansion Mouse Model of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: Pan Yijun , Kagawa Yoshiteru , Sun Jiaqi , Turner Bradley J. , Huang Cheng , Shah Anup D. , Schittenhelm Ralf B. , Nicolazzo Joseph A.
Published: December 2022

For peripherally administered drugs to reach the central nervous system (CNS) and treat amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), they must cross the blood–brain barrier (BBB). As mounting evidence suggests that the ultrastructure of the BBB is altered in individuals with ALS and in animal models of ALS (e.g., SOD1G93A mice), we characterized BBB transporter expression and function in transgenic C9orf72 BAC (C9-BAC) mice expressing a hexanucleotide repeat expansion, the most common genetic cause of ALS. Using an in situ transcardiac brain perfusion technique, we identified a 1.4-fold increase in 3H-2-deoxy-D-glucose transport across the BBB in C9-BAC transgenic (C9) mice, relative to wild-type (WT) mice, which was associated with a 1.3-fold increase in brain microvascular glucose transporter 1 expression, while other general BBB permeability processes (passive diffusion, efflux transporter function) remained unaffected. We also performed proteomic analysis on isolated brain microvascular endothelial cells, in which we noted a mild (14.3%) reduction in zonula occludens-1 abundance in C9 relative to WT mice. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted trends in changes to various BBB transporters and cellular metabolism. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate altered BBB function in a C9orf72 repeat expansion model of ALS, which has implications on how therapeutics may access the brain in this mouse model.
Unraveling Genomic Regions Controlling Root Traits as a Function of Nitrogen Availability in the MAGIC Wheat Population WM-800
Authors: Schmidt Laura , Nagel Kerstin A. , Galinski Anna , Sannemann Wiebke , Pillen Klaus , Maurer Andreas
Published: December 2022

An ever-growing world population demands to be fed in the future and environmental protection and climate change need to be taken into account. An important factor here is nitrogen uptake efficiency (NUpE), which is influenced by the root system (the interface between plant and soil). To understand the natural variation of root system architecture (RSA) as a function of nitrogen (N) availability, a subset of the multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) winter wheat population WM-800 was phenotyped under two contrasting N treatments in a high-throughput phenotyping system at the seedling stage. Fourteen root and shoot traits were measured. Subsequently, these traits were genetically analyzed using 13,060 polymorphic haplotypes and SNPs in a genome-wide association study (GWAS). In total, 64 quantitative trait loci (QTL) were detected; 60 of them were N treatment specific. Candidate genes for the detected QTL included NRT1.1 and genes involved in stress signaling under N−, whereas candidate genes under N+ were more associated with general growth, such as mei2 and TaWOX11b. This finding may indicate (i) a disparity of the genetic control of root development under low and high N supply and, furthermore, (ii) the need for an N specific selection of genes and genotypes in breeding new wheat cultivars with improved NUpE.
Biocontrol of Plant Diseases by Means of Antagonist Microorganisms, Biostimulants and Induced Resistance as Alternatives to Chemicals
Authors: Llorens Eugenio , Agustí-Brisach Carlos
Published: December 2022

Plant diseases are one of the biggest problems in conventional agriculture as they reduce both yield and crop value [...]
Identification of Peanut AhMYB44 Transcription Factors and Their Multiple Roles in Drought Stress Responses
Authors: Liu Yonghui , Shen Yue , Liang Man , Zhang Xuyao , Xu Jianwen , Shen Yi , Chen Zhide
Published: December 2022

MYB transcription factors (TFs) comprise a large gene family that plays an important role in plant growth, development, stress responses, and defense regulation. However, their functions in peanut remain to be further elucidated. Here, we identified six AhMYB44 genes (AhMYB44-01/11, AhMYB44-05/15, and AhMYB44-06/16) in cultivated peanut. They are typical R2R3-MYB TFs and have many similarities but different expression patterns in response to drought stress, suggesting different functions under drought stress. Homologous genes with higher expression in each pair were selected for further study. All of them were nuclear proteins and had no self-transactivation activity. In addition, we compared the performances of different lines at germination, seedling, and adult stages under drought stress. After drought treatment, the overexpression of AhMYB44-11 transgenic plants resulted in the longest root length at the seedling stage. Levels of proline, soluble sugar and chlorophyll, and expression levels of stress-related genes, including P5CS1, RD29A, CBF1, and COR15A, were higher than those of the wild type (WT) at the adult stage. While the overexpression of AhMYB44-16 significantly increased the drought sensitivity of plants at all stages, with differential ABA content, the expression levels of the ABA-related genes PP2CA and ABI1 were significantly upregulated and those of ABA1 and ABA2 were significantly downregulated compared with the WT. AhMYB44-05 showed similar downregulated expression as AhMYB44-16 under drought stress, but its overexpression in Arabidopsis did not significantly affect the drought resistance of transgenic plants. Based on the results, we propose that AhMYB44-11 plays a role as a positive factor in drought tolerance by increasing the transcription abundance of stress-related genes and the accumulation of osmolytes, while AhMYB44-16 negatively regulates drought tolerance through its involvement in ABA-dependent stress response pathways.
Mutation in the Endo-β-1,4-glucanase (KORRIGAN) Is Responsible for Thick Leaf Phenotype in Sorghum
Authors: Mendu Lavanya , Jalathge Gayani , Dhillon Kamalpreet Kaur , Singh Nagendra Pratap , Balasubramanian Vimal Kumar , Fewou Rebecca , Gitz Dennis C. , Chen Junping , Xin Zhanguo , Mendu Venugopal
Published: December 2022

Sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] is an important crop for food, feed, and fuel production. Particularly, sorghum is targeted for cellulosic ethanol production. Extraction of cellulose from cell walls is a key process in cellulosic ethanol production, and understanding the components involved in cellulose synthesis is important for both fundamental and applied research. Despite the significance in the biofuel industry, the genes involved in sorghum cell wall biosynthesis, modification, and degradation have not been characterized. In this study, we have identified and characterized three allelic thick leaf mutants (thl1, thl2, and thl3). Bulked Segregant Analysis sequencing (BSAseq) showed that the causal mutation for the thl phenotype is in endo-1,4-β-glucanase gene (SbKOR1). Consistent with the causal gene function, the thl mutants showed decreased crystalline cellulose content in the stem tissues. The SbKOR1 function was characterized using Arabidopsis endo-1,4-β-glucanase gene mutant (rsw2-1). Complementation of Arabidopsis with SbKOR1 (native Arabidopsis promoter and overexpression by 35S promoter) restored the radial swelling phenotype of rsw2-1 mutant, proving that SbKOR1 functions as endo-1,4-β-glucanase. Overall, the present study has identified and characterized sorghum endo-1,4-β-glucanase gene function, laying the foundation for future research on cell wall biosynthesis and engineering of sorghum for biofuel production.
Residual Life Prediction of XLPE Distribution Cables Based on Time-Temperature Superposition Principle by Non-Destructive BIS Measuring on Site
Authors: Shan Bingliang , Du Chengqian , Cheng Junhua , Wang Wei , Li Chengrong
Published: December 2022

Crosslinked polyethylene (XLPE) distribution cables are prone to segmented thermal aging after long-term operation owing to the large spatial spans and complex operating environments, and accurate residual life prediction of each aging cable segment could provide a theoretical basis and reference for performance monitoring, maintenance and the replacement of cables. Existing studies mainly focus on the residual life prediction methods for uniform aging cables, which are not suitable for segmented-aging cables. In this paper, a residual life prediction method for segmented-aging XLPE distribution cables based on the time-temperature superposition principle (TTSP) by non-destructive BIS measuring on site was proposed. Firstly, the applicability of the TTSP in the transformation of the changing process of elongation at break (EAB) of XLPE at different thermal aging temperatures was verified based on the Arrhenius equation. Secondly, to better simulate the thermal aging process under working conditions, XLPE cables were subjected to accelerated external stress aging at 140 °C for different aging times, and the corresponding changing process of EAB along with aging time was further measured. The relationship between the EAB of XLPE cables and aging time was well fitted by an equation, which could be used as a reference curve to predict the thermal aging trends and residual life of service-aged XLPE cables. After that, a calculation method for the transformation of the changing process of EAB of XLPE at different thermal aging temperatures was proposed, in which the corresponding multiplicative shift factor could be obtained based on the TTSP instead of the Arrhenius equation extrapolation. Moreover, the availability of the above calculation method was further proved by accelerated thermal aging experiments at 154 °C; the results show that the prediction error for the cable’s EAB is no more than 3.15% and the prediction error for residual life is within 10% in this case. Finally, the realization of non-destructive residual life prediction combined with BIS measuring on site was explained briefly.
Dynamic Chaotic Opposition-Based Learning-Driven Hybrid Aquila Optimizer and Artificial Rabbits Optimization Algorithm: Framework and Applications
Authors: Wang Yangwei , Xiao Yaning , Guo Yanling , Li Jian
Published: December 2022

Aquila Optimizer (AO) and Artificial Rabbits Optimization (ARO) are two recently developed meta-heuristic optimization algorithms. Although AO has powerful exploration capability, it still suffers from poor solution accuracy and premature convergence when addressing some complex cases due to the insufficient exploitation phase. In contrast, ARO possesses very competitive exploitation potential, but its exploration ability needs to be more satisfactory. To ameliorate the above-mentioned limitations in a single algorithm and achieve better overall optimization performance, this paper proposes a novel chaotic opposition-based learning-driven hybrid AO and ARO algorithm called CHAOARO. Firstly, the global exploration phase of AO is combined with the local exploitation phase of ARO to maintain the respective valuable search capabilities. Then, an adaptive switching mechanism (ASM) is designed to better balance the exploration and exploitation procedures. Finally, we introduce the chaotic opposition-based learning (COBL) strategy to avoid the algorithm fall into the local optima. To comprehensively verify the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed work, CHAOARO is compared with the original AO, ARO, and several state-of-the-art algorithms on 23 classical benchmark functions and the IEEE CEC2019 test suite. Systematic comparisons demonstrate that CHAOARO can significantly outperform other competitor methods in terms of solution accuracy, convergence speed, and robustness. Furthermore, the promising prospect of CHAOARO in real-world applications is highlighted by resolving five industrial engineering design problems and photovoltaic (PV) model parameter identification problem.
Discrete and Continuous Glucose Monitoring Systems: The Point of View of a Patient Affected by Type-1 Diabetes
Authors: Trucillo Paolo
Published: December 2022

This work represents the point of view of a diabetic patient with an indirect experience in this specific field of research. As a chemical engineer and researcher in drug carrier production, he has always approached type-1 diabetes (T1D) in a scientific manner. Therefore, this work represents a description of almost 20 years of this illness treatment using a multi-injection insulin system, compared with the experience acquired with a newly adopted micro-infusion system, allowing automatized insulin administration. The use of the continuous system reduced significantly the Hb1Ac average values, from 8.8% to 6.6%, in less than 2 years. Moreover, a full 24 h control guaranteed the almost total elimination of the hypoglycemia risk, thanks to the automated control system, that can stop insulin administration in order to prevent critical situations. It is also important to note that the point of view underlined in this work does not presume to be that of a doctor or of a researcher who works closely in the field of medicine or diabetology. However, the author wants to highlight that doctors could try to educate patients to a scientific approach to treat illnesses correctly. The author experienced the very common difficulties related to the use of insulin with multi-injection administration for many years; then, he was proposed to start treatment with the automated pump mechanism. In this work, the author provides comments on the physical and psychological advantages and disadvantages of both insulin release systems, in order to define their impact on a patient’s daily life. This work may also represent a vademecum for patients during the beginning of diabetes treatment, helped by the constant support and advice of a medical doctor.
Sharp Probability Tail Estimates for Portfolio Credit Risk
Authors: Collamore Jeffrey F. , de Silva Hasitha , Vidyashankar Anand N.
Published: December 2022

Portfolio credit risk is often concerned with the tail distribution of the total loss, defined to be the sum of default losses incurred from a collection of individual loans made out to the obligors. The default for an individual loan occurs when the assets of a company (or individual) fall below a certain threshold. These assets are typically modeled according to a factor model, thereby introducing a strong dependence both among the individual loans, and potentially also among the multivariate vector of common factors. In this paper, we derive sharp tail asymptotics under two regimes: (i) a large loss regime, where the total number of defaults increases asymptotically to infinity; and (ii) a small default regime, where the loss threshold for an individual loan is allowed to tend asymptotically to negative infinity. Extending beyond the well-studied Gaussian distributional assumptions, we establish that—while the thresholds in the large loss regime are characterized by idiosyncratic factors specific to the individual loans—the rate of decay is governed by the common factors. Conversely, in the small default regime, we establish that the tail of the loss distribution is governed by systemic factors. We also discuss estimates for Value-at-Risk, and observe that our results may be extended to cases where the number of factors diverges to infinity.
Research on the Fault Diagnosis Method of an Internal Gear Pump Based on a Convolutional Auto-Encoder and PSO-LSSVM
Authors: Liao Jian , Zheng Jianbo , Chen Zongbin
Published: December 2022

The raw signals produced by internal gear pumps are susceptible to noises brought on by mechanical vibrations and the surrounding environment, and the sample count collected during the various operating periods is not distributed evenly. Accurately diagnosing faults in internal gear pumps is significantly complicated by these factors. In light of these issues, accelerated life testing was performed in order to collect signals from an internal gear pump during various operating periods. Based on the architecture of a convolutional auto-encoder network, preprocessing of the signals in the various operating periods was performed to suppress noise and enhance operating period-representing features. Thereafter, variational mode decomposition was utilized to decompose the preprocessed signal into multiple intrinsic mode functions, and the multi-scale permutation entropy value was extracted for each intrinsic mode function to form a feature set. The feature set was subsequently divided into a training set and a test set, with the training set being trained to utilize a particle swarm optimization–least squares support vector machine network. For pattern recognition, the test set samples were fed into the trained model. The results demonstrated a 99.2% diagnostic accuracy. Compared to other methods of fault diagnosis, the proposed method is more effective and accurate.
An Efficient End-to-End Multitask Network Architecture for Defect Inspection
Authors: Zhang Chunguang , Yang Heqiu , Ma Jun , Chen Huayue
Published: December 2022

Recently, computer vision-based methods have been successfully applied in many industrial fields. Nevertheless, automated detection of steel surface defects remains a challenge due to the complexity of surface defects. To solve this problem, many models have been proposed, but these models are not good enough to detect all defects. After analyzing the previous research, we believe that the single-task network cannot fully meet the actual detection needs owing to its own characteristics. To address this problem, an end-to-end multi-task network has been proposed. It consists of one encoder and two decoders. The encoder is used for feature extraction, and the two decoders are used for object detection and semantic segmentation, respectively. In an effort to deal with the challenge of changing defect scales, we propose the Depthwise Separable Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling module. This module can obtain dense multi-scale features at a very low computational cost. After that, Residually Connected Depthwise Separable Atrous Convolutional Blocks are used to extract spatial information under low computation for better segmentation prediction. Furthermore, we investigate the impact of training strategies on network performance. The performance of the network can be optimized by adopting the strategy of training the segmentation task first and using the deep supervision training method. At length, the advantages of object detection and semantic segmentation are tactfully combined. Our model achieves mIOU 79.37% and mAP@0.5 78.38% on the NEU dataset. Comparative experiments demonstrate that this method has apparent advantages over other models. Meanwhile, the speed of detection amount to 85.6 FPS on a single GPU, which is acceptable in the practical detection process.
Experimental Investigations into Using Motion Capture State Feedback for Real-Time Control of a Humanoid Robot
Authors: Popescu Mihaela , Mronga Dennis , Bergonzani Ivan , Kumar Shivesh , Kirchner Frank
Published: December 2022

Regardless of recent advances, humanoid robots still face significant difficulties in performing locomotion tasks. Among the key challenges that must be addressed to achieve robust bipedal locomotion are dynamically consistent motion planning, feedback control, and state estimation of such complex systems. In this paper, we investigate the use of an external motion capture system to provide state feedback to an online whole-body controller. We present experimental results with the humanoid robot RH5 performing two different whole-body motions: squatting with both feet in contact with the ground and balancing on one leg. We compare the execution of these motions using state feedback from (i) an external motion tracking system and (ii) an internal state estimator based on inertial measurement unit (IMU), forward kinematics, and contact sensing. It is shown that state-of-the-art motion capture systems can be successfully used in the high-frequency feedback control loop of humanoid robots, providing an alternative in cases where state estimation is not reliable.
An Overview of Sensors for Long Range Missile Defense
Authors: Fontana Simone , Di Lauro Federica
Published: December 2022

Given the increasing tensions between world powers, missile defense is a topic that is more relevant than ever. However, information on the subject is often fragmented, confusing and untrustworthy. On the other hand, we believe that an informed overview of the current status is important for decision makers and citizens alike. A missile is essentially a guided rocket and therefore the term can be used to describe a very wide range of weapon systems. In this paper, we focus on long-range and intercontinental threats, which we believe are more important and problematic to defend against. We provide an overview of the two most common types of sensors, space-based infrared sensors and radars, and highlight their peculiarities and, most importantly, their drawbacks that severely limit their effectiveness.
Robust Testing of Paired Outcomes Incorporating Covariate Effects in Clustered Data with Informative Cluster Size
Authors: Dutta Sandipan
Published: December 2022

Paired outcomes are common in correlated clustered data where the main aim is to compare the distributions of the outcomes in a pair. In such clustered paired data, informative cluster sizes can occur when the number of pairs in a cluster (i.e., a cluster size) is correlated to the paired outcomes or the paired differences. There have been some attempts to develop robust rank-based tests for comparing paired outcomes in such complex clustered data. Most of these existing rank tests developed for paired outcomes in clustered data compare the marginal distributions in a pair and ignore any covariate effect on the outcomes. However, when potentially important covariate data is available in observational studies, ignoring these covariate effects on the outcomes can result in a flawed inference. In this article, using rank based weighted estimating equations, we propose a robust procedure for covariate effect adjusted comparison of paired outcomes in a clustered data that can also address the issue of informative cluster size. Through simulated scenarios and real-life neuroimaging data, we demonstrate the importance of considering covariate effects during paired testing and robust performances of our proposed method in covariate adjusted paired comparisons in complex clustered data settings.
Human Resources, Investor Composition and Performance of Venture Funds: Focused on the Stakeholders of Venture Funds
Authors: Shin Sang-Jun , Cho Keun-Tae
Published: December 2022

This study aims to understand the effect of the human resources and investor composition of venture funds on fund performances in Korea. It was conducted on 235 venture funds and revealed that the fund manager retention period, retention rate and investors’ number affected fund performance. Blind funds showed the same results with overall funds, whereas project funds, performance was affected only by the fund manager retention period. Funds operated by general partners, which manpower is not major shareholders, showed the same result as the overall ones. This study provides the basis for government planning venture policies and investors establishing funds’ evaluation criteria.
Green Growth or Gray Growth: Measuring Green Growth Efficiency of the Manufacturing Industry in China
Authors: Lv Xiaofei , Lu Xiaoli
Published: December 2022

The manufacturing industry has created a rapid evolution of the economy, but it has also negatively impacted the ecosystem. A better understanding of the manufacturing industry in green growth is crucial to achieving the sustainability goals in China’s high-quality development stage and is better for identifying the impact of scale effect or technological effect in EKC. In this research, a super-efficiency slacks-based measure model is proposed to evaluate the green growth efficiency of 27 manufacturing industries, and a Luenberger index method is adopted to interpret the driving forces of efficiency. The results demonstrate that green growth efficiency in the manufacturing industry shows a fluctuating upward trend, and more than 60% of the industries are in a gray growth state. The growth of green growth efficiency mainly depends on the pulling effect of technological dividends brought by technological progress, rather than the improvement of technical efficiency. As the industry heterogeneity is analyzed, technology-intensive industries still dominate in the process of manufacturing industry and have shown a significant upward trend. Finally, some suggestions are proposed from the perspective of the government and enterprises.
SARS-CoV-2: An Updated Review Highlighting Its Evolution and Treatments
Authors: Zhang Xirui , Yuan Hao , Yang Zipeng , Hu Xiaoyu , Mahmmod Yasser S. , Zhu Xiaojing , Zhao Cuiping , Zhai Jingbo , Zhang Xiu-Xiang , Luo Shengjun , Wang Xiao-Hu , Xue Mengzhou , Zheng Chunfu , Yuan Zi-Guo
Published: December 2022

Since the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, pharmaceutical companies and researchers worldwide have worked hard to develop vaccines and drugs to end the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The potential pathogen responsible for Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), SARS-CoV-2, belongs to a novel lineage of beta coronaviruses in the subgenus arbovirus. Antiviral drugs, convalescent plasma, monoclonal antibodies, and vaccines are effective treatments for SARS-CoV-2 and are beneficial in preventing infection. Numerous studies have already been conducted using the genome sequence of SARS-CoV-2 in comparison with that of other SARS-like viruses, and numerous treatments/prevention measures are currently undergoing or have already undergone clinical trials. We summarize these studies in depth in the hopes of highlighting some key details that will help us to better understand the viral origin, epidemiology, and treatments of the virus.
Exploring Critical Factors Associated with Completion of Childhood Immunisation in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alabadi Marwa , Alashoor Tawfiq , Aldawood Omran , Qanbar Zainab , Aldawood Zakariya
Published: December 2022

(1) Background: surveillance data from the Saudi Ministry of Health shows that the Kingdom’s large-scale immunisation programme has significantly reduced the mortality and morbidity of the target diseases among children. In this study, we review relevant literature and test a number of hypotheses related to the association between demographic, socio-economic, clinic-related, and parents-related variables and completion of childhood immunisation. In doing so, this study identifies critical factors associated with completion of childhood immunisation and presents important implications to healthcare practitioners, particularly in Saudi Arabia; (2) Literature review: a systematic literature review was conducted to understand what is currently published concerning parents’ immunisation compliance in Saudi Arabia and the factors associated with immunisation compliance. (3) Methods: from March to May 2022, an online survey was administered to parents attending one of the 27 primary health care (PHC) centres in Qatif. Data from parents (n = 353) were analysed using exploratory factor analysis, correlation, and a series of OLS and logistic regression models; (4) Results: parental (child) age was negatively (positively) associated with the completion status of childhood immunisation (both p < 0.05). Parents with positive attitudes, social norms, perceptions towards immunisation, and those working in private companies were more likely to immunise their children (all p < 0.05). Conversely, living in an apartment building, walking to PHCs, waiting longer at PHCs, and having higher knowledge of immunisation were negatively associated with the completion of childhood immunisation (all p < 0.05); (5) Conclusions: several factors that positively or negatively influence the completion of childhood immunisation have been identified. Future studies may investigate the causal link between these factors and parental decision-making regarding childhood immunisation.
Protein composition of blood of young cattle of beef breeds
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Kurgan State Agricultural Academy named after T. S. Maltsev», Russia, Kurgan region, Lesnikovo, Alekseeva E. I. , Leshchuk T. L. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Kurgan State Agricultural Academy named after T. S. Maltsev», Russia, Kurgan region, Lesnikovo, Lushnikov N. A. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Kurgan State Agricultural Academy named after T. S. Maltsev», Russia, Kurgan region, Lesnikovo, Kostomakhin N. M. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education «Russian State Agrarian University – Moscow Timiryazev Agricultural Academy», Russia, Moscow
Published: December 2022

It is possible to achieve an increase in beef production in Russia with the rational use of the available breed resources of beef cattle. The formation of meat productivity of animals depends on the growth and development of young animals, but at the same time it is important to study hematological indicators that give a certain idea of the patterns of changes in the body. The purpose of the research was to study the protein composition of the blood of young cattle of beef breeds. Research was carried out in farms in the Kurgan region on steers and heifers of Aberdeen-Angus and Hereford breeds during weaning (7 months) and at 12 months of age. For analysis blood samples were taken from animals from the jugular vein, which was examined in the laboratory of the Department of Chemistry and Examination of Food Products at the Kurgan State Agricultural Academy named after T. S. Maltsev. The article presents the results of studies of the protein composition of the blood serum of young animals of Aberdeen Angus and Hereford breeds depending on their age. It was found that the total protein content was less than the reference value in Hereford steers and Aberdeen Angus heifers during weaning period (7 months), and in Hereford heifers at 12 months of age, which indicates a decrease in metabolism in the body. The concentration of albumins in all the studied animals was normal. In heifers of Hereford breed at the age of 7 and 12 months, in steers of the same breed at 12 months a low content of β-globulins was revealed. The number of γ-globulins in animals of all groups was normal, with the exception of Hereford steers (12 months) where the indicator was higher than normal rate.
PEMBANGUNAN WEBSITE SEBAGAI SARANA INFORMASI DI SDN 158 BABAKAN SARI BABAKAN SURABAYA
Authors: Meilani Elsa
Published: December 2022

Informasi tentang pendidikan menjadi suatu kebutuhan umum bagi masyarakat Indonesia. dengan menggunakan internet penyampaian informasi dapat dilakukan dengan cepat, untuk mendukung kegiatan pendidikan yang dilakukan di SDN 158 dalam penyampaian informasi. pemanfaatan media sosial dalam menyampaikan informasi sudah cukup baik, namun terdapat beberapa kekurangan diantaranya tidak dapat menyertakan file dan juga keterbatasan jumlah karakter. pembangunan website informasi dirasa perlu untuk menangani hal tersebut, dengan adanya website informasi dapat melengkapi pengumuman yang dilakukan di media sosial dengan menyertakan link ke website informasi yang telah dibuat untuk mendapatkan detail pengumuman yang diberikan oleh sekolah
Peningkatan Kemampuan dan Pengetahuan Dalam Bidang Kecerdasan Buatan Untuk Komunitas Sacode Papua
Authors: Sugeng Sugeng
Published: December 2022

Pengambdian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat yang akan dilakukan adalah melakukan pelatihan ketrampilan pemrograman terhadap anak-anak muda yang tergabung dalam komunitas SaCode Papua. Komunitas SaCode Papua beranggotakan anak-anak muda yang sedang belajar diperguruan tinggi di Papua maupun yang berada diluar Papua. Komunitas ini saat ini hanya melakukan dan memberikan pelatihan pada anggota SaCode berupa pelatihan tentang pengembangan aplikasi Android, pembuatan website dan pengenalan dasar-dasar pemrograman. Banyak dai anggota SaCode yang ingin mengembangkan diri dalam bidang lain untuk meningkatkan kemampuan dan siap bersaing didunia kerja nantinya. Untuk itu Pengabdian dan Pemberdayaan masyarakat yang akan dilakukan akan berfokus pada pelatihan kecerdasan buatan. Kecerdasan buatan banyak dimanfaatkan dunia industri saat ini. Sehingga selain keterampilan membuat aplikasi android dan web diharapakan anak-anak komunitas Sacode akan memiliki kemampuan lebih dibidang kecerdasan buatan. Pengabdian dan Pemberdayaan Masyarakat dilaksanakan dua kali pertemuan selama dua pekan. Dimana setiap pertemuan dilakukan dengan durasi selama 2 jam. Dengan melakukan pelatihan rutin selama dua pekan maka dapat dilihat bahwa menurut data hasil kuesioner tentang pengenalan dan pemrogram kecerdasan buatan bahwa kegiatan ini dapat meningkatkan pengetahuan dan kemampuan dalam pengetahuan dalam kecerdasan buatan bagi anggota komunitas SaCode Papua.
Impactos da fraqueza muscular na marcha de pacientes com Esclerose Múltipla
Authors: Pereira dos Santos Beatriz , Lôbo Corrêa Paulo Fernando
Published: December 2022

Introdução. A Esclerose Múltipla (EM) é uma doença desmielinizante que atinge o sistema nervoso central e se desenvolve de forma inflamatória e crônica. Pode apresentar diferentes manifestações clínicas que dependerão da região afetada. Manifestações clínicas que podem comprometer a marcha do paciente e consequentemente a sua independência. Objetivo. Analisar a correlação da velocidade e o desempenho no Timed 25-foot Walk (T25FW) com a força dos músculos de quadril, joelho e tornozelo. Método. Estudo observacional transversal analítico, realizado no Serviço de Análise do Movimento do Centro Estadual de Reabilitação e Readaptação Dr. Henrique Santillo (CRER). Que avaliou indivíduos com diagnóstico confirmado de EM, de ambos os sexos, acima de 18 anos, capazes de realizar a marcha sem nenhum auxílio. Foi mensurado a força muscular de membros inferiores (MMII), a velocidade da marcha e o desempenho no T25FW. Resultados. Participaram do estudo 50 indivíduos com idades entre 28 e 70 anos, em diferentes fases da evolução da EM, tempo de diagnóstico entre 2 a 27 anos. Observou-se uma correlação positiva moderada entre a força muscular e a velocidade, para os músculos flexores de quadril e joelho, tibial anterior e extensor longos dos dedos. Houve correlação negativa moderada entre a força muscular e o desempenho no T25FW, para os músculos flexores e abdutores de quadril, flexores e extensores do joelho, e tibial anterior. Conclusão. Os resultados deste estudo sugerem que a fraqueza muscular em alguns grupos dos MMII de pacientes com EM prejudicam a velocidade da marcha e o desempenho no T25FW.
Trauma and Congregations: Surveying Congregations on Trauma Frequency, Educational Preparedness, Competency, and Experiences
Authors: Erin Albin Hill  , Gaynor I. Yancey
Published: December 2022

Congregations throughout the nation are often the first responders when an individual or family needs extra support and care after a traumatic experience. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, church leaders were tasked with providing extra pastoral care in a unique way that kept every individual physically safe. A survey was completed to learn more about the educational preparedness of pastors specific to trauma, frequency of conversations about trauma before and during COVID-19, competency of church leaders before and during COVID-19, and experiences of collective trauma within congregations. This article focuses on the results of that survey to bring awareness to the lived experiences of church leaders and congregants when dealing with trauma
A Congregational Social Worker’s Role in Benevolence Ministry: A Case Study of Five Models
Authors: Ward John Willis , Gregory Jones Jess
Published: December 2022

Benevolence is often a way for the church to engage with the local community, however, churches often struggle with how to do so most effectively. This paper provides a description of five church models from Baptist congregations in Central Texas. This paper will summarize each church’s approach and synthesize the approaches to form recommendations for congregational social work, including roles of the social worker in the congregation and suggestions for how churches might work with social workers to enhance and better articulate policies and practices around benevolence ministries. A highlight of the literature surrounding congregational community ministries will also be included. This article aims to advance the role of social workers in congregations and giving tangible tools for both social work and congregational engagement with benevolence funds.
Viet Nam : nécessité, originalité et ajustements du socialisme
Authors: Fourniau Charles
Published: December 2022

L’auteur s’efforce d’étudier l’expérience vietnamienne de construction du socialisme en mettant l’accent sur les racines historiques, le dynamisme national et les conditions propres dans lesquelles elle se développe. Il s’agit d’un processus global où le politique, l’économique et le culturel sont étroitement associés et où l’aide extérieure est habilement intégrée à une démarche largement endogène. L’auteur fait état des multiples tâtonnements et insiste particulièrement sur les difficultés rencontrées en 1979-80 et les décisions d’ajustements qui en découlèrent.
Mongolie, voie non capitaliste
Authors: Legrand Jacques
Published: December 2022

Mongolia, a non-capitalist way.

The author recalls the history of Mongolia since 1921 and exposes the ideological, political and cultural choices which define the outline, the content and the steps of the movement of the Mongolian society in the stage of its non-capitalistic development (until the middle of the century). He shows how this experience refers in its originality, to the necessity of appropriate ways to developement and to the political conditions of their quest by the people in countries fighting for their national liberation as and when the colonial system is dismembered and collapsing.