bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Primary hepatic lymphoma of MALT type mimicking hepatic adenoma treated by hepatectomy: a case report and literature review
Authors: Wang Ren-long , Wang Jia , Li Yong-sheng , Wang Yuan , Su Qiong
Published: May 2023

Background

Primary hepatic lymphoma (PHL) is a rare malignant tumor. Extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of the mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) is an indolent lymphoma occurring at extranodal sites. The stomach is the most common organ affected by MALT lymphoma, whereas liver-related lymphoma is rarely reported. Its atypical clinical presentation often delays the diagnosis. Owing to the rarity of PHL, identifying its optimal treatment still remains a challenge. Herein, we report a case of PHL of the MALT type mimicking hepatic adenoma that was treated by hepatectomy without chemotherapy and review the scarce literature. Our findings suggest that surgery is an alternative approach to cure patients with localized hepatic lymphoma.

Case summary

A 55-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital because of upper abdominal discomfort, and a liver lesion was detected by computed tomography. She did not have nausea, fever, fatigue, jaundice, weakness, night sweats, or weight loss before admission. And her previous medical history was unremarkable. There were no positive signs on physical examination. Based on her preoperative examination including magnetic resonance imaging, the liver lesion was suspected to be a hepatic adenoma; however, the possibility of it being a malignancy like hepatocellular carcinoma was not excluded. Therefore, a decision of resection of the lesion was made. During the operation, hepatectomy of segment 4b and cholecystectomy were performed. The patient recovered well; however, after postoperative pathological examination, the lesion was diagnosed as a hepatic lymphoma of MALT type. The patient was reluctant to undergo chemotherapy or radiotherapy. At 18-month follow-up, no significant recurrence was observed, indicating that the treatment had a curative effect.

Conclusion

Notably, primary hepatic lymphoma of MALT type is a rare, low-grade B-cell malignancy. Making an accurate preoperative diagnosis of this disease is usually difficult, and liver biopsy is an appropriate avenue to improve the diagnostic accuracy. In patients with a localized tumor lesion, hepatectomy followed by chemotherapy or radiotherapy should be considered to achieve better outcomes. Although this study describes an unusual type of hepatic lymphoma mimicking a benign tumor, it has its inherent limitations. More clinical studies are required to establish guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of this rare disease.
Antibacterial and wound-healing action of Ulmo honey (Eucryphia cordifolia) of differing degrees of purity
Authors: Muñoz Mariela , del Sol Mariano , Vásquez Bélgica
Published: May 2023

Introduction

Antibacterial properties of honey vary according to its floral origin; few studies report the percentage of pollen types in honey, making it difficult to reproduce and compare the results. This study compares the antibacterial and wound-healing properties of three kinds of monofloral Ulmo honey with different percentages of pollen from Eucryphia cordifolia.

Methods

The pollen percentage of the honey was determined by melissopalynological analysis, and they were classified into three groups: M1 (52.77% of pollen from Eucryphia cordifolia), M2 (68.41%), and M3 (82.80%). They were subjected to chemical analysis and agar diffusion test against Staphylococcus aureus. A total of 20 healthy adult guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus) of both sexes were randomly assigned to four groups for experimental burn skin wound (uninfected) production and treatment with Ulmo honey. On day 10 post-injury, biopsies were obtained, and histological analysis was performed to assess wound-healing capacity following the treatment with honey.

Results

The chemical analysis showed that M3 differed significantly from M1 in terms of pH (P = 0.020), moisture (P = 0.020), total sugars (P = 0.034), and total solids (P = 0.020). Both strains of Staphylococcus aureus were susceptible to M1 and M2 at 40% w/v but were resistant to M3 at all concentrations. All groups (I–IV) were in the initial proliferative phase, with complete or partial re-epithelialization of the epidermis.

Discussion

The antibacterial activity showed a wide range of variation in the different types of honey studied, with no significant differences between wound healing and pollen percentage in the groups studied. Higher pH and the absence of Tineo in M3 conferred a lower antibacterial capacity but not a lower wound healing capacity. Despite its variability in the percentage of Eucryphia cordifolia like primary pollen in Ulmo's monofloral honey, this has the same properties in relation to wound healing.
Prognostic indicators for feline craniofacial trauma: a retrospective study of 114 cases
Authors: Kelley Jennifer L. , Hoyer Naomi K. , Rao Sangeeta , Rawlinson Jennifer E.
Published: May 2023

Craniofacial traumatic injuries contribute significantly to the morbidity and mortality of domestic felines. Previous studies focused on feline craniofacial injuries have investigated the origin of injury, injuries sustained, and effectiveness of diagnostic tools. The aim of the study is to identify prognostic indicators for feline craniofacial trauma patients and determine their association with negative and positive outcomes. The Veterinary Committee on Trauma (VetCOT) Trauma Registry and Dentistry and Oral Surgery Case Logs were utilized to identify feline craniofacial trauma cases that were presented to Colorado State University’s Veterinary Teaching Hospital between 2014 and 2020. Prognostic indicators evaluated included: etiology of injury, signalment (age and sex), the Modified Glascow Coma Scale (MGCS), Animal Trauma Triage (ATT) scores, craniofacial examination findings, diagnostic imaging technique, and injuries identified via imaging. Outcomes were determined via patient status upon discharge. Outcomes were grouped into the following categories: survival to discharge at initial presentation to CSU Urgent Care (SDIP), survival to discharge after injury treatment/repair by CSU DOSS or another specialty service (SDTX), euthanized due to grave prognosis at initial presentation (EUGP), euthanized due to financial limitations at initial presentation (EUF), and euthanized due to grave prognosis and financial limitations (EUGP + EUF). The continuous data was described using means and standard deviations. To determine the associations of various groupings of clinical signs and imaging findings with outcome a principal component analysis was performed. Patient sex, trauma etiology, cumulative MGCS and ATT scores on initial presentation and clinical signs on initial presentation were identified as prognostic indicators with intact males, vehicular and animal altercations, lower MGCS cumulative scores, higher ATT scores and the presence of altered mentation identified as negative prognostic indicators. Prognostic indicators for feline craniofacial trauma can be associated with outcomes and help guide clinical decision making.
Predictors of Digital Competence of Public University Employees and the Impact on Innovative Work Behavior
Authors: Carvalho Larissa Pinon de , Poleto Thiago , Ramos Camila Carvalho , Rodrigues Fernando de Assis , de Carvalho Victor Diogho Heuer , Nepomuceno Thyago Celso Cavalcante
Published: May 2023

Digital competence plays an important role in higher education. The literature highlights the adoption and use of digital competence for the development of educational services in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs), but it is still necessary to understand its influence on the innovative behavior of the public official. This study aims to investigate the influence of digital competence, based on the predictors’ infrastructure, integration, and digital management, on innovative work behaviors. The research was applied to 540 public employees of a Federal Institution of Higher Education (IFES) in northern Brazil. The response rate for this study was 33.5%. The Structural Equation Modeling approach by Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) was used. Empirical findings confirm that public employees with a high level of perception of digital competence more often develop challenging work to generate new innovative behaviors at work. This research was limited to investigating the influence of digital competence on innovative work behaviors of public employees of a Brazilian IFES. Future studies may address other contextual factors in this relationship. One of the practical implications is the need for managers in the education sector to support the construction of guidelines for educational and technological innovation to expand innovative behavior at work.
A Multiregional Agricultural Machinery Scheduling Method Based on Hybrid Particle Swarm Optimization Algorithm
Authors: Huang Huang , Cuan Xinwei , Chen Zhuo , Zhang Lina , Chen Hao
Published: May 2023

The reasonable scheduling of agricultural machinery can avoid their purposeless flow during the operational service and reduce the scheduling cost of agricultural machinery service centers. In this research, a multiregional agricultural machinery scheduling model with a time window was established considering the timeliness of agricultural machinery operation. This model was divided into two stages: In the first stage, regions were divided through the Voronoi diagram, and farmlands were distributed to intraregional service centers. In the second stage, the model was solved using the hybrid particle swarm optimization (HPSO). The algorithm improves the performance of the algorithm by introducing a crossover, mutation, and particle elimination mechanism, and by using a linear differential to reduce the inertia weight and trigonometric function learning factor. Next, the accuracy and effectiveness of the algorithm are verified by different experimental samples. The results show that the algorithm can effectively reduce the scheduling cost, and has the advantages of strong global optimization ability, high stability, and fast convergence speed. Subsequent algorithm comparison proves that HPSO has better performance in different situations, can effectively solve the scheduling problem, and provides a reasonable scheduling scheme for multiarea and multifarmland operations.
Insecticide Use by Small-Scale Ugandan Cassava Growers: An Economic Analysis
Authors: Bayiyana Irene , Bua Anton , Ozimati Alfred , Mugisha Johnny , Colvin John , Omongo Christopher Abu
Published: May 2023

Cassava is the second most important source of calories in Sub-Saharan Africa. It is subject to economically important yield losses from viral diseases, including cassava brown streak disease and cassava mosaic disease. These diseases are vectored by cassava whitefly, so improved approaches for whitefly and disease control are needed to enable smallholder farmers to protect their cassava crops. To investigate the economic viability of insecticide applications against whitefly, the effect of four insecticide application regimes on three cassava genotypes (NASE 3, NASE 12, MKUMBA) and a local landrace were evaluated, for different farmer groups. Data were collected from researcher–farmer managed fields and descriptive statistics were analyzed. Insecticide and personal protective equipment were the major costs for those farmers that applied insecticide and the dipping treatment had a marginal rate of return of 1.66 (166%), demonstrating that this option was the most profitable and effective. While insecticide users incurred more production costs, they also accrued more profit than non-insecticide users, especially if insecticide was applied at early stages of cassava growth. There is a clear need, therefore, to strengthen the commercialization of cassava crop through plant protection measures such as judicious insecticide application on susceptible varieties, so as to increase yield and crop quality.
Restoring Soil Cover and Plant Communities with Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi as an Essential Component of DSS for Environmental Safety Management in Post-Industrial Landscapes
Authors: Shu Chang , Ruda Mariia , Dzhumelia Elvira , Shybanova Alla , Kochan Orest , Levkiv Mariana
Published: May 2023

Large areas become unsuitable for full-fledged life after mining activity. To improve the state of environmental safety of post-industrial landscapes and the rational use of disturbed territories, a Decision Support System (DSS) should be created. This system should also contain proposals for restoring the soil cover and plant communities that are proposed in this article. The purpose of this study is to determine the influence of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on the process of vegetation formation in the post-industrial landscape of a sulfur quarry. During reclamation works in human-made ecotopes, vegetation has already formed there in a certain way due to natural succession processes. We assessed the level of vegetation self-restoration and, on the basis of the obtained data, the need and direction of phytoreclamation in relation to specific ecotopes. The set of restoration of soil cover and plant communities makes it possible to solve the problem of reusing post-industrial landscapes. The positive effect of the treatment of seedlings with a spore remedy of arbuscular, mycorrhizal fungi on the studied breeds’ height increase was observed. In the process of the revitalization of disturbed landscapes through the mycorrhization of planting material, there is a tendency to restore and increase phytodiversity at the floristic and coenotic levels.
Evaluation of Field Germination of Soybean Breeding Crops Using Multispectral Data from UAV
Authors: Kurbanov Rashid , Panarina Veronika , Polukhin Andrey , Lobachevsky Yakov , Zakharova Natalia , Litvinov Maxim , Rebouh Nazih Y. , Kucher Dmitry E. , Gureeva Elena , Golovina Ekaterina , Yatchuk Pavel , Rasulova Victoria , Ali Abdelraouf M.
Published: May 2023

The use of multispectral aerial photography data contributes to the study of soybean plants by obtaining objective data. The evaluation of field germination of soybean crops was carried out using multispectral data (MSD). The purpose of this study was to develop ranges of field germination of soybean plants according to multispectral survey data from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for three years (2020, 2021, and 2022). As part of the ground-based research, the number of plants that sprang up per unit area was calculated and expressed as a percentage of the seeds sown. A DJI Matrice 200 Series v2 unmanned aerial vehicle and a MicaSense Altum multispectral camera were used for multispectral aerial photography. The correlation between ground-based and multispectral data was 0.70–0.75. The ranges of field germination of soybean breeding crops, as well as the vegetation indices (VIs) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), normalized difference red edge index (NDRE), and chlorophyll index green (ClGreen) were calculated according to Sturges’ rule. The accuracy of the obtained ranges was estimated using the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE). The MAPE values did not exceed 10% for the ranges of the NDVI and ClGreen vegetation indices, and were no more than 18% for the NDRE index. The final values of the MAPE for the three years did not exceed 10%. The developed software for the automatic evaluation of the germination of soybean crops contributed to the assessment of the germination level of soybean breeding crops using multispectral aerial photography data. The software considers data of the three vegetation indices and calculated ranges, and creates an overview layer to visualize the germination level of the breeding plots. The developed method contributes to the determination of field germination for numerous breeding plots and speeds up the process of breeding new varieties.
Interacting Effects of CO2, Temperature, and Nitrogen Supply on Photosynthetic, Root Growth, and Nitrogen Allocation of Strawberry at the Fruiting Stage
Authors: Yu Minna , Sun Peng , Huang Xinyi , Zha Zhuoyue , Wang Xin , Mantri Nitin , Lou Heqiang , Jiang Bo , Shen Zonggen , Sun Yanfang , Lu Hongfei
Published: May 2023

To efficiently improve the productivity of strawberries under growing environmental change, the photosynthesis, root growth, and nitrogen allocation of strawberries (Fragaria × ananassa Duch. cv. Toyonoka) were investigated in a factorial design of CO2, temperature, and nitrogen supply. Elevated CO2 decreased the maximum CO2 assimilation rate (Amax), maximum CO2 carboxylation capacity per unit leaf area (Vcmax), and maximum CO2 carboxylation capacity per unit leaf mass (Vcm-m) by 20%, 24%, and 44%, respectively. Meanwhile, it reduced the SPAD value, maximal fluorescence level in the dark-adapted state (Fm), and maximal photochemical efficiency of PSII (Fv/Fm). Moreover, root branches, root number, root dry weight, and nitrogen-use efficiency were further increased in response to elevated CO2 under low nitrogen. When elevated CO2 was applied together with nitrogen nutrients, the Vcm-m and root nitrogen concentration (RNC) declined by 32% and 12%, respectively, but the total root dry weight (TRDW) increased by 88%. If the nitrogen nutrient was individually applied, the TRDW decreased by 16%, while the RNC increased by 21%. When the high temperature was individually applied, the TRDW increased by 104%, but the RNC decreased by 5%. Overall, elevated CO2 exacerbated photosynthetic down-regulation and significantly affected nitrogen redistribution among strawberry organs, reducing leaf nitrogen concentration and accelerating leaf senescence. However, it could increase seed quantity and improve its quality as well. In other words, under nitrogen-deficient conditions, elevated CO2 could improve the survival of offspring via the cost of the mother plant’s growth capacity.
In Vitro Activities of Ceftobiprole, Dalbavancin, Tedizolid and Comparators against Clinical Isolates of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Associated with Skin and Soft Tissue Infections
Authors: Maraki Sofia , Mavromanolaki Viktoria Eirini , Stafylaki Dimitra , Iliaki-Giannakoudaki Evangelia , Hamilos George
Published: May 2023

Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) are associated with significant morbidity and healthcare costs, especially when caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Vancomycin is a preferred antimicrobial therapy for the management of complicated SSTIs (cSSTIs) caused by MRSA, with linezolid and daptomycin regarded as alternative therapeutic options. Due to the increased rates of antimicrobial resistance in MRSA, several new antibiotics with activity against MRSA have been recently introduced in clinical practice, including ceftobiprole, dalbavancin, and tedizolid. We evaluated the in vitro activities of the aforementioned antibiotics against 124 clinical isolates of MRSA obtained from consecutive patients with SSTIs during the study period (2020–2022). Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) for vancomycin, daptomycin, ceftobiprole, dalbavancin, linezolid and tedizolid were evaluated by the MIC Test Strip using Liofilchem strips. We found that when compared to the in vitro activity of vancomycin (MIC90 = 2 μg/mL), dalbavancin possessed the lowest MIC90 (MIC90 = 0.094 μg/mL), followed by tedizolid (MIC90 = 0.38 μg/mL), linezolid, ceftobiprole, and daptomycin (MIC90 = 1 μg/mL). Dalbavancin demonstrated significantly lower MIC50 and MIC90 values compared to vancomycin (0.064 vs. 1 and 0.094 vs. 2, respectively). Tedizolid exhibited an almost threefold greater level of in vitro activity than linezolid, and also had superior in vitro activity compared to ceftobiprole, daptomycin and vancomycin. Multidrug-resistant (MDR) phenotypes were detected among 71.8% of the isolates. In conclusion, ceftobiprole, dalbavancin and tedizolid exhibited potent activity against MRSA and are promising antimicrobials in the management of SSTIs caused by MRSA.
The Fate of Oxidative Strand Breaks in Mitochondrial DNA
Authors: Trombly Genevieve , Said Afaf Milad , Kudin Alexei P. , Peeva Viktoriya , Altmüller Janine , Becker Kerstin , Köhrer Karl , Zsurka Gábor , Kunz Wolfram S.
Published: May 2023

Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) is particularly vulnerable to somatic mutagenesis. Potential mechanisms include DNA polymerase γ (POLG) errors and the effects of mutagens, such as reactive oxygen species. Here, we studied the effects of transient hydrogen peroxide (H2O2 pulse) on mtDNA integrity in cultured HEK 293 cells, applying Southern blotting, ultra-deep short-read and long-read sequencing. In wild-type cells, 30 min after the H2O2 pulse, linear mtDNA fragments appear, representing double-strand breaks (DSB) with ends characterized by short GC stretches. Intact supercoiled mtDNA species reappear within 2–6 h after treatment and are almost completely recovered after 24 h. BrdU incorporation is lower in H2O2-treated cells compared to non-treated cells, suggesting that fast recovery is not associated with mtDNA replication, but is driven by rapid repair of single-strand breaks (SSBs) and degradation of DSB-generated linear fragments. Genetic inactivation of mtDNA degradation in exonuclease deficient POLG p.D274A mutant cells results in the persistence of linear mtDNA fragments with no impact on the repair of SSBs. In conclusion, our data highlight the interplay between the rapid processes of SSB repair and DSB degradation and the much slower mtDNA re-synthesis after oxidative damage, which has important implications for mtDNA quality control and the potential generation of somatic mtDNA deletions.
Correction: Park, J.H.; Liaw, J.J.-L. Nonsurgical Correction of Anterior Crossbite with Extra-Radicular Miniscrews—A Case Report. Appl. Sci. 2022, 12, 11719
Authors: Park Jae Hyun , Liaw Johnny Joung-Lin
Published: May 2023

In the original publication [...]
Estimating the Measurement Uncertainty of the Number of Vehicles in a Car Park Using an Indirect Method
Authors: Stawowy Marek , Rosiński Adam , Perlicki Krzysztof , Wilczewski Grzegorz , Czarnecki Tomasz
Published: May 2023

The main problem with counting vehicles in rest areas in Europe and America is the overflowing of parking lots in the rest areas. Thus it is impossible to count parked vehicles with traditional, direct methods, which use cameras and Lidar (light detection and ranging) to detect the presence of vehicles in individual parking spots. The solution to this problem may be an indirect method which uses cameras to count the vehicles entering and leaving the rest area and which sorts the vehicles into categories. This article introduces a method for determining car park occupancy in rest areas using indirect measurement and evaluates the uncertainty of this method for determining the occupancy. This indirect method counts the vehicles entering and leaving the car park and sorts the vehicles into categories. The difference between the number of vehicles that entered and the number of vehicles that left in a given time gives the number of vehicles occupying the car park, i.e., the parking space demand for a given time. This demand will vary over time. In order to register the vehicles entering and leaving, mains-free supply video cameras were installed next to the entrance and exit. The counting and categorizing could be conducted organoleptically, semi-automatically, or using an image computer analysis using artificial intelligence networks. Because the difference between the number of vehicles entering and leaving is calculated over a long period, a relative error (regarding car park capacity) might be grave even when the counting errors are minor. The authors will show how the certainty of this indirect counting method can be improved.
Multi-Factor Analysis on the Stability of High Slopes in Open-Pit Mines
Authors: Cao Hui , Ma Gaotong , Liu Peng , Qin Xiushan , Wu Chunping , Lu Jin
Published: May 2023

During the production of open-pit mines, the stability of slopes can be affected by various factors such as structural surfaces, production blasting vibrations, and mining areas. In this study, the researchers focused on the slope of the open-pit mine at Yinshan and employed UAV mapping technology to conduct an on-site geological engineering investigation. Information on the yield, trace length, spacing, and density of the structural surface of the south slope was obtained. The researchers also carried out vibration blasting tests in combination with the production blasting activities in the mine to determine the blasting vibration attenuation law and whether the blasting vibration speed met safety specifications. Additionally, numerical simulation methods were used to examine the influence of the mining area on the stability of the current slope and the designed excavation slope. The slope stability was evaluated using the limit equilibrium method, and the researchers separately discussed the influence of self-weight load and self-weight load plus blasting vibration force on the stability of the high slope of the open pit. The results showed the following: (1) The rock mass structural plane in the south slope of the mining area was mainly dominated by a medium-large dip structural plane, and three faults and joint fissures in the investigation area combined to form cutting and sliding surfaces in the rock mass that were prone to collapse and sliding. (2) The maximum blasting vibration speed met safety requirements. (3) There was no large range of plastic zone damage in the entire slope, and the overall stability of the slope was good. (4) The present slope was relatively stable when considering only self-weight stress and the blasting vibration force. However, there was a certain risk of instability in the design of the excavation slope.
Seismic Behaviour of CFST Space Intersecting Nodes in an Oblique Mesh
Authors: Zhao Jun , Wang Feicheng , Yang Bai , Ma Bin
Published: May 2023

The design of intersecting nodes in high-rise oblique mesh structures is a critical issue. The existing research on the intersecting nodes of oblique meshes mainly focuses on plane intersecting nodes and monotonic axial compression loads. The plane intersecting nodes cannot consider the contribution of the node’s out-of-plane angle and floor beam to the node’s out-of-plane stiffness in actual structures. In this paper, numerical analysis using ABAQUS was conducted to investigate the mechanical performance of space intersecting nodes of oblique meshes (OMSIN) under cyclic axial tension and compression loads, to provide a reference for the engineering application of oblique mesh structures in seismic regions. Six parameters were considered: the space intersecting angle, the plane angle symmetry coefficient, the plane intersecting angle, the out-of-plane constraint restraint, the steel content of the cross-section, and the concrete strength. The study showed that changes in the thickness of the steel tube wall are unfavourable for the uniform transmission of stress. Increasing the space intersecting angle significantly weakened the seismic performance, and the space angle affects the failure mode of the node. Asymmetric arrangements of the upper and lower plane angles caused nonlinear development of out-of-plane. The ultimate load and overall compressive stiffness of the specimen were positively correlated with the plane angle, and vertical constraints should be applied to the node position of components with plane angles greater than or equal to 70°. The out-of-plane constraint was a key factor affecting the seismic performance of the node, and it was proportional to the ultimate load of the component. In structural design, if the aim is to improve the mechanical performance of the component by increasing the steel content, more enormous out-of-plane constraints should be set to control plane external displacement strictly. The concrete strength is proportional to the ultimate axial load and axial stiffness, and its influence on the mechanical performance in the axial tension direction is not significant. Finally, a dimensionless skeleton curve model of the node was established. The existing formula for the bearing capacity of CFST columns was fitted to obtain the calculation formula for the axial yield and ultimate load of the OMSIN under cyclic loads.
Theoretical and Simulation Analysis of a Thin Film Temperature Sensor Error Model for In Situ Detection in Near Space
Authors: Wang Guoyan , Hu Chun , Zheng Dezhi
Published: May 2023

Near space environment is the airspace at 20–100 km, where complex conditions such as low temperature, low pressure, high wind speed, and solar radiation exist. Temperature, as one of the most important meteorological parameters, is crucial for space activities. However, the accuracy of traditional temperature sensors is low, and the influence of complex environments makes the error of conventional temperature measurement methods more extensive. Therefore, we designed a new microbridge temperature sensor to reduce solar radiation and achieve a fast response. Additionally, through simulation analysis, we investigated the three factors influencing the temperature errors of Joule heat, solar radiation heat, and aerodynamic heat. Additionally, the influence of temperature error is reduced by optimizing the installation position of the sensor. The error value in the actual measurement value is removed through the temperature error model to realize the high-accuracy detection of the near space temperature.
The Effect of Scaling Building Configuration Blast Experiments on Positive Phase Blast Wave Parameters
Authors: Gabriel Sherlyn , Denny Jack , Chung Kim Yuen Steeve , Langdon Genevieve S. , Govender Reuben A.
Published: May 2023

Explosions in an urban setting can have a significant negative impact. There is a need to further understand the loading effects caused by the blast’s interaction with structures. In conjunction with this, the effects of scaling and understanding the limitations of laboratory experiments are equally important given the cost incurred for full-scale experiments. The aim of this study was to determine the scaling effects on blast wave parameters found for reduced-scale urban blast scenario laboratory experiments. This paper presents the results of numerical modelling and physical experiments on detonating cuboidal PE-4 charges and measuring the pressure in direct line of sight and at three distinct positions around the corner of a small-scale “building” parallel to the rear wall. Two scales were used, namely 75% and 100%. Inter-scaling between 75% and 100% worked fairly well for positions shielded by the corner of the wall. Additionally, the lab-scale results were compared to similar (but not identical) field trials at an equivalent scale of 250%. The comparison between lab-scale idealised testing and the larger-scale field trials published by Gajewksi and Sielicki in 2020, indicated sensitivity to factors such as detonator positioning, explosive material, charge confinement/mounting, building surface roughness, and environment.
Combining Kano’s Model, IPA, and FMEA to Evaluate Service Quality Risk for Bus Service: Case of Bangkok Bus Service
Authors: Hu Kai-Chieh , Salim Vera
Published: May 2023

Although the past research results have provided many effective tools for evaluating public bus service quality, they still lack the concept of risk. This study assessed the quality risk for city bus service by constructing a quality risk assessment model that integrated Kano’s model, IPA, and FMEA. The online questionnaire was distributed to commuters who use BMTA’s bus service in Bangkok with 429 samples. This study analyzed the service quality attributes of bus services via Kano’s model, an IPA, and an FMEA. For the results of Kano’s model, this study identified nine one-dimensional and three attractive attributes. The results of the IPA showed that the safety of boarding and disembarking from the bus, the cleanliness of vehicles, and the punctuality of buses according to the schedule were the top three attributes that had a large gap between importance and satisfaction. According to the results of the FMEA, the safety of boarding and disembarking from the bus, the cleanliness of vehicles, and the punctuality of buses according to the schedule were the top three attributes that had a high service quality risk and considered a priority improvement. These attributes belonged to interaction with passengers, tangible service equipment, and operating management support dimensions. Therefore, the government should take action and improve service quality to make Bangkok commuters consider switching from driving cars to using a bus. Finally, this study provides practical improvement strategies for managers to improve passenger experiences and enhance the quality of bus services.
Sliding Mode Regulation of a Boost Circuit for DC-Biased Sinusoidal Power Conversion
Authors: Rivera Jorge , Ortega-Cisneros Susana , Rosas-Caro Julio C. , Ruíz-Martínez Omar-Fernando
Published: May 2023

The boost converter is mostly used as a DC–DC converter, but two boost converter power stages can be configured to perform the DC–AC conversion. In this case, the control system of the power stage must be designed for trajectory tracking (instead of regulation), which brings interesting challenges. This work deals with the design of a higher-order sliding mode output regulator for a DC-biased sinusoidal power conversion problem on a single boost converter stage of a boost inverter for asymptotic trajectory tracking of the voltage capacitor. The steady-state reference signal for the inductor current is proposed as an approximated solution of the well-known Francis–Isidori–Byrnes equations. The used approach is the direct control of the output, where the nonminimum phase variable, i.e., an adequate sliding function, stabilizes the current through the inductor. Lastly, by means of real-time experimentation, the good performance of the proposed control strategy is verified.
A Deep Learning Technique for Optical Inspection of Color Contact Lenses
Authors: Kim Tae-yun , Park Dabin , Moon Heewon , Hwang Suk-seung
Published: May 2023

Colored contact lenses have gained popularity in recent years. However, their production process is plagued by low efficiency, which is attributed to the complex nature of the lens color patterns. The manufacturing process involves multiple complex steps that can introduce defects or inconsistencies into the contact lenses. Moreover, manual inspection of a considerable number of contact lenses that are produced inefficiently in terms of consistency and quality by humans is prevalent. Alternatively, automatic optical inspection (AOI) systems have been developed to perform quality-control checks on colored contact lenses. However, their accuracy is limited due to the increasing complexity of the lens color patterns. To address these issues, convolutional neural networks have been used to detect and classify defects in colored contact lenses. This study aims to provide a comprehensive guide for AOI systems using artificial intelligence in the colored contact lens manufacturing process, including the benefits and challenges of using these systems. Further, future research directions to achieve a classification accuracy of >95%, which is the human recognition rate, are explored.
High-Performance Wearable Bi2Te3-Based Thermoelectric Generator
Authors: Xing Yubing , Tang Kechen , Wang Jiang , Hu Kai , Xiao Yani , Lyu Jianan , Li Junhao , Liu Yutian , Zhou Peng , Yan Yonggao , Yang Dongwang
Published: May 2023

Wearable thermoelectric generators (w-TEGs) convert thermal energy into electrical energy to realize self-powering of intelligent electronic devices, thus reducing the burden of battery replacement and charging, and improving the usage time and efficiency of electronic devices. Through finite element simulation, this study successfully designed high-performance thermoelectric generator and made it into wearable thermoelectric module by adopting “rigid device—flexible connection” method. It was found that higher convective heat transfer coefficient (h) on cold-end leads to larger effective temperature difference (ΔTeff) and better power generation performance of device in typical wearable scenario. Meanwhile, at same h on the cold-end, longer TE leg length leads to larger ΔTeff established at both ends of device, larger device output power (Pout) and open-circuit voltage (Uoc). However, when the h increases to a certain level, optimization effect of increasing TE leg length on device power generation performance will gradually diminish. For devices with fixed temperature difference between two ends, longer TE leg length leads to higher resistance of TEGs, resulting in lower device Pout but slight increase in Uoc. Finally, sixteen 16 × 4 × 2 mm2 TEGs (L = 1.38 mm, W = 0.6 mm) and two modules were fabricated and tested. At hot end temperature Th = 33 °C and cold end temperature Tc = 30 °C, the actual maximum Pout of the TEG was about 0.2 mW, and the actual maximum Pout of the TEG module was about 1.602 mW, which is highly consistent with the simulated value. This work brings great convenience to research and development of wearable thermoelectric modules and provides new, environmentally friendly and efficient power solution for wearable devices.
A Traffic Crash Warning Model for BOT E-Tolling Operations Based on Predictions Using a Data Association Framework
Authors: Ho Sheng-Chih , Yen Kuo-Chi , Wang Chung-Yung , Sun Yu
Published: May 2023

As a result of the increasing use of artificial intelligence technology in transportation, numerous real-time crash prediction techniques have been developed. In the context of highway traffic management, machine learning models and classifiers are used to analyze electronic toll collection (ETC) and vehicle detector (VD) data to predict crash occurrences. However, traffic accidents are influenced by multiple factors, such as traffic speed differences, traffic density, and weather conditions, and direct associations may not exist between sensor data and crash incidents. Therefore, data integration and association methods must be used to examine ETC and VD data through traffic flow theories, to extract key data from datasets and to facilitate model training. In this study, a data association method and framework combined with deep learning was proposed to construct a crash prediction and warning model for national highways in Taiwan. The results revealed a model accuracy of 94%, indicating that the model had a low error rate and was suitable for the prediction of traffic accidents. Overall, this study provides referential data for the Freeway Bureau of Taiwan to conduct comprehensive assessments and develop strategies for crash prevention.
Lutheran Apocalyptic Imagery in the Orthodox Context
Authors: Paolicchi Anita
Published: May 2023

Dürer’s Apocalypse was undoubtedly the prototype for the many apocalyptic representations that suddenly appeared in Central Europe by the end of the sixteenth century: the influence of Dürer’s Apocalypse extended far beyond the German borders, towards Western, Southern and Eastern countries. The Apocalypse text is extremely rich in symbols so that it could easily be enriched with additional meanings: Cranach’s reworking of Dürer’s iconographic model in the 1520s, under Luther’s personal guidance, became a key instrument of transmission of the Lutheran doctrine and anti-papal criticism. The reception of these prototypes in the Orthodox world followed different routes, as two different works of art can prove, namely, a cycle of frescoes on Mount Athos and a series of Gospel book covers made at the end of the seventeenth century by an unidentified Transylvanian Saxon Lutheran goldsmith. In the latter, the Cranach prototype, which was originally made with the purpose of transmitting the Lutheran doctrine, was brilliantly adapted by the goldsmith to a different context. The comparative analysis of the same scene by Dürer, Cranach and the Transylvanian goldsmith can be useful to show how art could be employed to transmit a religious and political message while adapting it to the specific needs and characteristics of a culturally and religiously different context.
On Graphs with c2-c3 Successive Minimal Laplacian Coefficients
Authors: Xu Yue , Gong Shi-Cai
Published: May 2023

Let G be a graph of order n and L(G) be its Laplacian matrix. The Laplacian polynomial of G is defined as P(G;λ)=det(λI−L(G))=∑i=0n(−1)ici(G)λn−i, where ci(G) is called the i-th Laplacian coefficient of G. Denoted by Gn,m the set of all (n,m)-graphs, in which each of them contains n vertices and m edges. The graph G is called uniformly minimal if, for each i(i=0,1,…,n), H is ci(G)-minimal in Gn,m. The Laplacian matrix and eigenvalues of graphs have numerous applications in various interdisciplinary fields, such as chemistry and physics. Specifically, these matrices and eigenvalues are widely utilized to calculate the energy of molecular energy and analyze the physical properties of materials. The Laplacian-like energy shares a number of properties with the usual graph energy. In this paper, we investigate the existence of uniformly minimal graphs in Gn,m because such graphs have minimal Laplacian-like energy. We determine that the c2(G)-c3(G) successive minimal graph is exactly one of the four classes of threshold graphs.
Therapeutic Effects of Robotic-Exoskeleton-Assisted Gait Rehabilitation and Predictive Factors of Significant Improvements in Stroke Patients: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Lee Yi-Heng , Ko Li-Wei , Hsu Chiann-Yi , Cheng Yuan-Yang
Published: May 2023

Robotic-exoskeleton-assisted gait rehabilitation improves lower limb strength and functions in post-stroke patients. However, the predicting factors of significant improvement are unclear. We recruited 38 post-stroke hemiparetic patients whose stroke onsets were <6 months. They were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group receiving a regular rehabilitation program, and an experimental group receiving in addition a robotic exoskeletal rehabilitation component. After 4 weeks of training, both groups showed significant improvement in the strength and functions of their lower limbs, as well as health-related quality of life. However, the experimental group showed significantly better improvement in the following aspects: knee flexion torque at 60°/s, 6 min walk test distance, and the mental subdomain and the total score on a 12-item Short Form Survey (SF-12). Further logistic regression analyses showed that robotic training was the best predictor of a greater improvement in both the 6 min walk test and the total score on the SF-12. In conclusion, robotic-exoskeleton-assisted gait rehabilitation improved lower limb strength, motor performance, walking speed, and quality of life in these stroke patients.
Enhancing the Accuracy of Measuring DEP Force Applied on Cells by Considering the Friction Effect
Authors: Khouzestani Alireza , Hojjat Yousef , Tavalaee Marziyeh , Sadeghian Hesam , Nasr-Esfahani Mohammad Hossein
Published: May 2023

The Dielectrophoresis (DEP) phenomenon has been widely used for cell separation in recent years. The experimental measurement of the DEP force is one of the concerns of scientists. This research presents a novel method for more accurately measuring the DEP force. The innovation of this method is considered the friction effect, which has been neglected in previous studies. For this purpose, first, the direction of the microchannel was aligned with the electrodes. As there was no DEP force in this direction, the release force of the cells caused by the fluid flow equaled the friction force between the cells and the substrate. Then, the microchannel was aligned perpendicular to the direction of the electrodes, and the release force was measured. The net DEP force was obtained by the difference between the release forces of these two alignments. In the experimental tests, the DEP force, when applied to the sperm and white blood cell (WBC), was measured. The WBC was used to validate the presented method. The experimental results showed that the forces applied by DEP to WBC and human sperm were 42 pN and 3 pN, respectively. On the other hand, with the conventional method, these figures were as high as 72 pN and 4 pN due to neglecting the friction force. The compression between the simulation results in COMSOL Multiphysics and the experiments determined the new approach to be valid and capable of use in any cell, such as sperm.
Innovative Environmental Chamber Construction for Accurate Thermal Performance Evaluation of Building Envelopes in Varied Climates
Authors: Palani Hevar , Karatas Aslihan
Published: May 2023

The testing of multi-layer building envelopes was performed using an environmental chamber following the ASTM C1363 and ISO 8990 standards. However, performing such tests in accordance with the standards by an accredited laboratory can be extremely costly, and many laboratories have waiting lists of several months. This is a significant cost for researchers and building material testing companies in the construction industry. Therefore, the goal of this study was to design, construct, and test a portable environmental chamber for building envelopes to validate the accuracy and the efficiency of the built environmental chamber to measure the thermal performance (i.e., R-value) of wall panels at extreme climate conditions (i.e., −20 °C and 80 °C). The results indicated that the built environmental chamber is capable of maintaining the steady state temperature inside the chamber during the hot climate condition test of 65 °C (150 °F) within ±0.5 °C and during the cold climate condition test of −16 °C (3 °F) within ±1 °C, meeting the requirement of the ASTM C1363-19 standard. The results also indicated that the built environmental chamber is capable of measuring the R-value of building envelopes under hot climate conditions with an accuracy of ±0.73 ft2·°F h/BTU (±0.129 m2 °C/W) and under cold climate conditions with an accuracy of ±1.02 ft2 °C·h/BTU (±0.180 m2 °C/W). This university-based testing program allows companies to test several building envelopes at a relatively low cost and minimum wait duration. Additionally, such an environmental chamber can be used for the accurate evaluation of innovative designs to determine promising designs and to refine wall specimen prototypes for manufactured materials.
Welding Residual Stress Elimination Technique in the Top Chord of Main Truss of Steel Truss Bridge
Authors: Piao Long , Yuan Jianfeng , Ma Niujing , Yue Changqi , Wang Ronghui , Zheng Gangbing
Published: May 2023

The large-amplitude fluctuations of ultrasound in high-energy ultrasonic stress relieving cause the crystal grains or lattices in the high residual stress zone to vibrate or creep alternately. This triggers secondary effects such as ultrasonic softening and dislocation movement. The sound field also produces periodic shock waves or intermittent shock waves, which form local pressure gradients at the wave front. These pressure gradients cause local heating of the grain boundary, accelerating material softening and promoting slip between grains, ultimately resulting in residual stress elimination. This technique was applied to detect the welding residual stress of the upper chord of the main truss of Sanguantang Bridge by using an ultrasonic stress meter. After the measurement, it was found that the welding residual stress in some areas was too large, and the welding residual stress needed to be eliminated. The welding seam was re-inspected after the residual stress relief operation was completed. The test results showed a maximum reduction rate of 63.91% and an average overall reduction rate ranging from 24.52% to 37.23%. The reduction effect is more significant in areas with higher welding residual stress.