bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bridging the Chemical Profile and Biomedical Effects of Scutellaria edelbergii Essential Oils
Authors: Shah Muddaser , Bibi Shabana , Kamal Zul , Al-Sabahi Jamal Nasser , Alam Tanveer , Ullah Obaid , Murad Waheed , Rehman Najeeb Ur , Al-Harrasi Ahmed
Published: August 2022

The present study explored chemical constituents of Scutellaria edelbergii essential oils (SEEO) for the first time, extracted through hydro-distillation, and screened them against the microbes and free radicals scavenging effect, pain-relieving, and anti-inflammatory potential employing standard techniques. The SEEO ingredients were noticed via Gas Chromatography-Mass-Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis and presented fifty-two bioactive compounds contributed (89.52%) with dominant volatile constituent; 3-oxomanoyl oxide (10.09%), 24-norursa-3,12-diene (8.05%), and methyl 7-abieten-18-oate (7.02%). The MTT assay via 96 well-plate and agar-well diffusion techniques against various microbes was determined for minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), IC50, and zone of inhibitions (ZOIs). The SEEO indicated considerable antimicrobial significance against tested bacterial strains viz. Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Enterococcus faecalis and the fungal strains Fusarium oxysporum and Candida albicans. The free radicals scavenging potential was noticed to be significant in 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) as compared to 2,2′-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzotiazolin-6-sulfonic acid (ABTS) assays with IC50 = 125.0 ± 0.19 µg/mL and IC50 = 153.0 ± 0.31 µg/mL correspondingly; similarly, the antioxidant standard in the DPPH assay was found efficient as compared to ABTS assay. The SEEO also offered an appreciable analgesic significance and presented 54.71% in comparison with standard aspirin, 64.49% reduction in writhes, and an anti-inflammatory potential of 64.13%, as compared to the standard diclofenac sodium inhibition of 71.72%. The SEEO contain bioactive volatile ingredients with antimicrobial, free radical scavenging, pain, and inflammation relieving potentials. Computational analysis validated the anti-inflammatory potential of selected hit “methyl 7-abieten-18-oate” as a COX-2 enzyme inhibitor. Docking results were very good in terms of docked score (−7.8704 kcal/mol) and binding interactions with the functional residues; furthermore, MD simulation for 100 ns has presented a correlation with docking results with minor fluctuations. In silico, ADMET characteristics supported that methyl 7-abieten-18-oate could be recommended for further investigations in clinical tests and could prove its medicinal status as an anti-inflammatory drug.
COX-2 Expression in Hepatocytes Improves Mitochondrial Function after Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Fuertes-Agudo Marina , Luque-Tévar María , Cucarella Carme , Brea Rocío , Boscá Lisardo , Quintana-Cabrera Rubén , Martín-Sanz Paloma , Casado Marta
Published: August 2022

Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) is a key enzyme in prostanoid biosynthesis. The constitutive hepatocyte expression of COX-2 has a protective role in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury (IRI), decreasing necrosis, reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, and increasing autophagy and antioxidant and anti-inflammatory response. The physiopathology of IRI directly impacts mitochondrial activity, causing ATP depletion and being the main source of ROS. Using genetically modified mice expressing human COX-2 (h-COX-2 Tg) specifically in hepatocytes, and performing I/R surgery on the liver, we demonstrate that COX-2 expression has a beneficial effect at the mitochondrial level. Mitochondria derived from h-COX-2 Tg mice livers have an increased respiratory rate associated with complex I electron-feeding pathways compared to Wild-type (Wt) littermates, without affecting complex I expression or assembly. Furthermore, Wt-derived mitochondria show a loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) that correlates to increased proteolysis of fusion-related OPA1 through OMA1 protease activity. All these effects are not observed in h-COX-2 Tg mitochondria, which behave similarly to the Sham condition. These results suggest that COX-2 attenuates IRI at a mitochondrial level, preserving the proteolytic processing of OPA1, in addition to the maintenance of mitochondrial respiration.
Genetic Variation in Antioxidant Response Modulates the Level of Oxidative Stress in Youth with Type 1 Diabetes and Poor Glycemic Control
Authors: Morandi Anita , Corradi Massimiliano , Zusi Chiara , Piona Claudia , Costantini Silvia , Marigliano Marco , Maffeis Claudio
Published: August 2022

Background: The minor allele of the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) rs2364723 of NFE2L2, a gene encoding a master antioxidant transcription factor, has been associated with poor cardiovascular outcomes and with complications of type 2 diabetes. We assessed the association between rs2364723 of NFE2L2 and oxidative stress in children/adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D). Methods: In 384 children/adolescents with T1D (age 15.7 ± 3.2 years, 207 males), we assessed the oxidative stress by measuring the concentration of derivatives of reactive oxygen metabolites (d-ROMs) and we genotyped the rs2364723 SNP by real time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The concentration of d-ROMs was 372.8 ± 64.6 Carratelli units. The minor genotype (CC) of rs2364723 at NFE2L2 was associated with higher concentration of derivatives of d-ROMs in the subgroup with HbA1c ≥ 8% (B = 47.85, p for genotype ∗ HbA1c interaction = 0.019). Conclusions: The carriers of the minor genotype of rs2364723 may have increased oxidative stress compared to their counterparts with other genotypes, especially in case of poor glycemic control. This observation needs to be replicated and confirmed in larger independent cohorts of youth with T1D.
Evaluation of Metamorphic Testing for Edge Detection in MRI Brain Diagnostics
Authors: Jafari Fakeeha , Nadeem Aamer , Zaman Qamar uz
Published: August 2022

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an information-rich research tool used in diagnostics using image processing applications (IPAs), and the results are utilized in machine learning. Therefore, testing of IPAs for credible results is vital. A deficient IPA would cause the related taxonomies of the machine learning to be defective as well and diagnosis will not be perfect. Accurate disease detection by IPA, without surgical intervention, leads to improved quality of treatment. Current challenges for testing of IPA include an absence of a test oracle. One way to alleviate the test oracle problem is metamorphic testing which identifies the specific properties called metamorphic relations of the system under test. Previously metamorphic testing approaches have been applied and evaluated on IPAs, but there is no previous work on evaluation of metamorphic testing on MRI images. In this work, we have evaluated effectiveness of metamorphic testing on edge detection of MRI images. The aim of this study is to determine which metamorphic relations are more effective for metamorphic testing of edge detection in MRI images such as T1, T2 and flair images. Our results show that the fault detection rate of MR4 is highest and MR2 is the lowest among all type of MRI images at the threshold of 0.95.
Synthesis of Nitrogen-Doped Graphene Quantum Dots from Sucrose Carbonization
Authors: Rocha Ana Paula de Mello , Alayo Marco Isaías , da Silva Davinson Mariano
Published: August 2022

The synthesis of carbon-based quantum dots has been widely explored in the literature in recent years. However, despite the fact that synthesis processes to obtain highly efficient carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with redshifted photoluminescence (PL) have been improved, few works have exploited sucrose in the synthesis of GQDs with high PL efficiency. In this work, sucrose, which is a widely available non-toxic saccharide, was used as a precursor of GQDs. Initially, sucrose was carbonized in sulfuric acid, and thereafter, the material obtained was treated in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). Nitrogen doping was also performed in this work through an additional step involving the treatment of carbonized sucrose in nitric acid reflux. Nitrogen-doped GQDs (N-GQDs) showed tunable PL dependent on the excitation wavelength. It was also verified that the intensity of the emission in the red region was much higher in the N-GQDs in comparison with that in undoped GQDs. X-Ray Diffraction, Raman, FTIR, TEM, and AFM analyzes were also performed to obtain greater structural details of the obtained GQDs.
Anthraquinone Rhein Exhibits Antibacterial Activity against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Dell’Annunziata Federica , Folliero Veronica , Palma Francesca , Crudele Valeria , Finamore Emiliana , Sanna Giuseppina , Manzin Aldo , De Filippis Anna , Galdiero Massimiliano , Franci Gianluigi
Published: August 2022

Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) represents an important pathogen of clinical relevance, causing a wide variety of symptoms. The broad distribution of multidrug-resistant strains necessarily demands new antibacterial agents for the treatment of S. aureus infections. The aim of this study was to assess the antibacterial activity of plant-derived compounds, pure 4,5″-dihydroxy-anthraquinone-2-carboxylic acid (Rhein), against standard and clinical isolated S. aureus strains. The hemolysis and 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays were used to determine the cytotoxicity on human erythrocytes and bronchial epithelial cells after treatment with Rhein. The antibacterial effect was assessed via disk diffusion test, broth microdilution methods, time-killing assays and live–dead evaluation (50–0.39 µg/mL). Rhein effect on the hemolytic activity of α-toxin and catalase were estimated. Moreover, crystal violet (CV) assay evaluated its impact on biofilm biomass. The compound exhibited 50% cytotoxic concentration (CC50) and 50% hemolysis concentration (EC50) of 43.6 and >50 µg/mL, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of Rhein was 12.5 µg/mL for all tested strains, exerting bacteriostatic action. MIC and sub-MIC concentrations of Rhein significantly reduced hemolytic and catalase activities, impairing the major virulence factors of S. aureus strains. Rhein also reduced biofilm biomass in a dose-dependent manner, reaching rates of about 50% eradication at a dose of 50 µg/mL. These findings suggest that Rhein could represent a promising therapeutic option for the treatment of S. aureus infections.
Safety Risk Assessment of Highway Bridge Construction Based on Cloud Entropy Power Method
Authors: Li Qingfu , Zhou Jianpeng , Feng Jinghe
Published: August 2022

(1) In recent years, with China’s increasing investment in the transportation industry, the construction of highways and bridges has flourished, bringing great convenience to people’s lives. At the same time, there are many uncertain factors in the process of bridge construction, being prone to construction risks. In order to meet the requirements of sustainable development, it is necessary to accurately evaluate the safety risk level of bridge construction. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a new scientific safety risk evaluation system for highway bridge construction. (2) Methods. Based on the relevant standards and specifications, this paper establishes a highway bridge construction safety risk evaluation index system, and then uses the cloud entropy weight method to objectively weight each risk index, using cloud model theory to conduct a risk assessment, and through the cloud model images directly determine the overall risk level of bridge construction, and the level of risk indicators. (3) Results. Applying this method to the construction safety risk assessment of a particular bridge, the overall construction risk level of the bridge is obtained as “level 4”, and the risk levels of the four first-level indicators are also all “level 4”. (4) Conclusions. The cloud entropy weight method proposed in this paper and the traditional AHP-Extenics method are applied to a bridge construction safety risk evaluation, and the evaluation results obtained are consistent. However, this paper uses the cloud model to improve the entropy weight method in order to calculate the weights, which fully reflects the objectivity of the assignment. The cloud model is used for evaluation, and the risk level of indicators can be determined visually with images.
Editorial for Special Issue on ‘Light–Particle Interaction: Thermoplasmonics, Photoacoustics, Photochemistry, and Their Applications’
Authors: Ren Yatao , Gao Renxi
Published: August 2022

With the rapid development of nanotechnology, there has been an increasing interest in the research and applications of nanomaterials [...]
Aeroacoustic Optimization Design of the Middle and Upper Part of Pantograph
Authors: Guo Jing , Tan Xiao-Ming , Yang Zhi-Gang , Xue Yu-Qi , Shen Ya-Nan , Wang Hao-Wei
Published: August 2022

The pantograph is the main noise source of high-speed trains, of which the middle and upper parts of the pantograph account for about 50% of the whole noise energy. Taking CRH380BL pantograph as the basic prototype, three aerodynamic noise reduction measures of opening, slotting, and airfoil are introduced to build a new pantograph, and their aeroacoustic performances are comprehensively investigated through large eddy simulation (LES) and Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings (FW-H) equation method. The research results show that the open upper and lower arms (ULA) can reduce the downstream vorticity intensity and vortex structure scale, which in turn reduces the noise source intensity, thus reducing their radiated noise by approximately 1.1 dBA. The slotted ULA reduce the size of the rear vortex structure but increase the vorticity intensity, so it is difficult to effectively control their radiated noise. The airfoil bow head reduces the vorticity intensity and vortex structure scale behind it, and avoids periodic vortex shedding, thereby reducing its noise source intensity, thus reducing its radiated noise by about 1.2 dBA.
Perception of Translucency and Glossiness: Influence of the Optical Scattering Properties on Sensory Evaluation
Authors: Kono Takahiro , Konno Yusaku , Kanayama Hidekazu , Shimamura Kohei , Rajagopalan Uma Maheswari , Asano Chihiro , Takahashi Tadahito , Shundo Akihito , Yamada Jun
Published: August 2022

In the cosmetics industry, fine particles suspended or dispersed in a medium are widely used. Optical properties of the medium can be an indicator for evaluating the performance of cosmetic product, such as the ultraviolet protection capacity of sunscreens and also its appearance. However, the relationship between the optical properties and the appearance of the product has not been clarified. In this study, dispersions of fine particles with titanium dioxide or zinc oxide were used as scattering medium to clarify the relation between their scattering properties and changes in visual perception. For visual perception, sensory tests with human panelists were performed using a custom-designed apparatus to inspect the samples and evaluate the two visual sensory quantities, “glossiness” and “translucency”. The sensory test employed Thurston’s one-pair comparison method, and a total of 18 panelists were asked to evaluate the samples. The sensory tests showed that the translucency became stronger as the scattering coefficient decreased. On the other hand, only the samples in the group with the highest scattering coefficient showed a slightly low glossiness. In contrast, the other samples showed little difference in glossiness due to the difference in scattering coefficients. The results of this study indicate that the appearance of cosmetics products can be influenced by controlling the scattering properties of the medium.
Research on Design Pattern Detection Method Based on UML Model with Extended Image Information and Deep Learning
Authors: Wang Lei , Song Tian , Song Hui-Na , Zhang Shuai
Published: August 2022

Detecting relevant design patterns from system design or source code helps software developers and maintainers understand the ideas behind the design of large-scale, highly complicated software systems, thereby improving the quality of software systems. Currently, design pattern detection based on machine learning has become a hot research direction. Scholars have proposed many design pattern detection methods based on machine learning. However, most of the existing literature only reports the utilization of traditional machine learning algorithms such as KNN, decision trees, ANN, SVM, etc., which require manual feature extraction and feature selection. It is very difficult to find suitable and effective features for the detection of design patterns. In the previous research, we have initially explored a design pattern detection method based on graph theory and ANN. Based on the research work done, we speculate that if we can realize the end-to-end design pattern detection from system design or source code to design pattern with the help of the powerful automatic feature extraction and other advantages of deep learning, the detection effect can be further improved. This paper intends to first explore a UML model that extends image information, called colored UML, so as to transform the design pattern detection problem into an image classification problem; on this basis, the positive and negative sample sets and the system to be recognized are all expressed in the form of colored UML models, the convolutional neural network VGGNet is used to train the data set to extract features, and the extracted features are trained by the SVM for binary classification to judge the pattern instances. Experiments were carried out on three open-source projects. We used three non-machine learning design pattern detection methods and five design pattern detection methods based on traditional machine learning algorithms, as well as the method in this paper. In general, the method proposed in this paper achieved higher precision and recall, and for different programs and their patterns, the precision and recall were stable at more than 85% in most cases. The experimental results demonstrate that this paper can achieve a better effect in recognizing design patterns. The research is, therefore, of both theoretical significance and application value.
Mortality Associated with Extreme Heat in Washington State: The Historical and Projected Public Health Burden
Authors: Arnold Logan , Scheuerell  Mark D. , Busch Isaksen  Tania
Published: August 2022

Extreme heat is one of the most important pathways illustrating the connection between climate and human health, and climate change is expected to exacerbate this public health issue. This study first used a case-crossover analysis to characterize the historical (1980–2018) association between summertime heat and non-traumatic mortality in Washington State. A separate analysis was conducted for each of the state’s ten climate divisions to produce distinct exposure–response curves expressing odds of mortality as a function of humidex. Stratified analyses were used to assess the impact of age, sex, race/ethnicity, and select causes of death, and the reported results are pooled across all divisions using meta-analysis. The historical heat–mortality relationship was combined with climate projections to estimate the impact of climate change on heat-related deaths in 2030, 2050, and 2080 under two warming scenarios. The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence intervals of mortality at the 99th percentile of humidex compared to the 50th percentile did not include the null value in four climate divisions (E Olympic Cascade Foothills, NE Olympic San Juan, Northeastern, and Puget Sound Lowlands). The statewide odds of mortality are 8% higher (6%, 10%) on 99th percentile days compared to 50th percentile days, driven primarily by an OR of 1.09 (1.06, 1.11) in the Puget Sound Lowlands. Risk is higher for women than men and for Blacks than Whites. Risk increases with age and for diabetic, circulatory, cardiovascular, ischemic, cerebrovascular, and respiratory deaths. The 95% confidence intervals of projected heat-attributable mortality did not overlap with zero in three climate divisions (E Olympic Cascade Foothills, NE Olympic San Juan, and Puget Sound Lowlands). In these three divisions, the average percent increase in heat-attributable mortality across both warming scenarios is 35%, 35%, and 603% in 2030, 2050, and 2080, respectively. This research is the most extensive study of heat-related mortality in Washington to date and can help inform public health initiatives aiming to improve present and future health outcomes in the state.
Assessment of Tropical Cyclone Rainfall from GSMaP and GPM Products and Their Application to Analog Forecasting in the Philippines
Authors: Bagtasa Gerry
Published: August 2022

Tropical cyclone (TC) rainfall is both a resource and a hazard in the Philippines. Observation of its spatiotemporal distribution is necessary for water and disaster mitigation management. This study evaluated the performance of two high-resolution satellite precipitation datasets—the GSMaP and GPM-IMERG—in estimating accumulated TC rainfall in the Philippines from 2000 to 2021. TC rain is defined as rainfall within 5° of a TC center. Several estimation algorithms were included in the assessment. The uncalibrated near-real-time GSMaP_NRT and early version GPM_ER, the reanalysis GSMaP_RNL, and the gauge-calibrated GSMaP_G and GPM_G. The assessment shows the worst scores for the uncalibrated GSMaP_NRT and GSMaP_RNL, followed by GPM_ER with station correlation coefficient (CC) values of 0.63, 0.67, and 0.73, respectively, compared to GSMaP_G CC of 0.79 and GPM_G CC of 0.77. GSMaP_G and GPM_G also gave the least bias and error, with a consistently high (>0.6) probability of detection (POD) and Pierce skill score (PSS) up to rainfall of 300 mm. In addition to the evaluation, the GSMaP_G and GPM_G were used in the analog forecasting of TC rain. Analog forecasting is based on the principle that past weather conditions can occur again. In TC rain analog forecasting, past TCs with similar intensities and tracks are assumed to bring similar rainfall amounts and distribution as a current TC. Composite mean TC rainfall from historical satellite precipitation estimations was produced to create TC rain forecasts. Results show the analog TC rain forecasts generally captured the spatial distribution of TC rain and performed better than the uncalibrated GSMaP_NRT, with a mean station correlation of 0.62–0.67, POD greater than 0.7, and positive PSS indicating good skills. However, forecasts have a false alarm ratio greater than 0.8 for 150 mm rain and have difficulty producing extreme rainfall (>250 mm).
Quantifying the Space-Time Variations of Water Demands for Major Crops in Hebei Province, China
Authors: Li Mengna , Shi Mengxia , Zhang Jiaxiao , Qi Yunjiao , Lei Yongdeng
Published: August 2022

Hebei Province is a typical water-scarce agricultural region in North China. Quantifying the water demands of major crops and their variations in this region is crucial for the sustainable use of agricultural water resources. Based on meteorological data and crop growth parameters of 21 national weather stations in Hebei Province from 2007 to 2017, this study analyzed the crop water requirement, irrigation water demand, and water deficit index and their dynamic changes for several grain and vegetable crops including winter wheat, summer maize, soybean, potato, tomato, cucumber, eggplant, cowpea, Chinese cabbage, cabbage, and carrot. In addition, regional total irrigation water demands of these water-intensive crops were estimated. The results indicated that, except for summer maize, the crop water requirements and irrigation water demands of grain crops during the growth periods were mostly higher than those of vegetable crops. Winter wheat and cabbage had the highest water deficits among grain and vegetable crops, respectively, while summer maize had the lowest water deficits. Temporally, the irrigation water demands of winter wheat, summer maize, cabbage, and eggplant have increased for years, along with the increase in planting areas. Spatially, the total irrigation water demand in the southeast of Hebei Province was higher than that in the northwest, and the total irrigation water demand of winter wheat was much higher than that of the other crops. To mitigate water scarcity while ensuring food security, the planting areas of crops with higher yields and lower water consumptions, including summer maize, potato, cabbage, and carrot could be appropriately expanded. In contrast, the scale of water-intensive crops such as winter wheat and tomato should be strictly controlled. Our findings will be of great significance for constructing sustainable water-saving cropping systems in a changing climate.
A Study on Groupoids, Ideals and Congruences via Cubic Sets
Authors: Lee Jeong-Gon , Mostafa Samy , Baek Jong-Il , Han Sang-Hyeon , Hur Kul
Published: August 2022

The inclusion, the intersection and the union between cubic sets are each defined in two ways. From this point of view, we introduce the concepts of cubic subgroupoids, cubic ideals, cubic subgroups, and cubic congruences as two types, respectively, and discuss their various properties. In particular, we give a relationship between the set of all cubic normal subgroups of a group and all cubic congruences on the group.
Feature Selection Methods for Extreme Learning Machines
Authors: Fu Yanlin , Wu Qing , Liu Ke , Gao Haotian
Published: August 2022

Extreme learning machines (ELMs) have gained acceptance owing to their high efficiency and outstanding generalization ability. As a key component of data preprocessing, feature selection methods can decrease the noise or irrelevant data for ELMs. However, ELMs still do not have their own practical feature selection method for their special mechanism. In this study, we proposed a feature selection method for the ELM, named FELM. The proposed algorithm achieves highly efficient dimensionality reduction due to the feature ranking strategy. The FELM can simultaneously complete the feature selection and classification processes. In addition, by incorporating a memorization–generalization kernel into the FELM, the nonlinear case of it is issued (called FKELM). The FKELM can achieve high classification accuracy and extensive generalization by applying the property of memorization of training data. According to the experimental results on different artificial and benchmark datasets, the proposed algorithms achieve significantly better classification accuracy and faster training than the other methods.
Monoclonal Antibodies for Bacterial Pathogens: Mechanisms of Action and Engineering Approaches for Enhanced Effector Functions
Authors: Vacca Fabiola , Sala Claudia , Rappuoli Rino
Published: August 2022

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy has opened a new era in the pharmaceutical field, finding application in various areas of research, from cancer to infectious diseases. The IgG isoform is the most used therapeutic, given its long half-life, high serum abundance, and most importantly, the presence of the Fc domain, which can be easily engineered. In the infectious diseases field, there has been a rising interest in mAbs research to counteract the emerging crisis of antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Various pathogens are acquiring resistance mechanisms, inhibiting any chance of success of antibiotics, and thus may become critically untreatable in the near future. Therefore, mAbs represent a new treatment option which may complement or even replace antibiotics. However, very few antibacterial mAbs have succeeded clinical trials, and until now, only three mAbs have been approved by the FDA. These failures highlight the need of improving the efficacy of mAb therapeutic activity, which can also be achieved with Fc engineering. In the first part of this review, we will describe the mechanisms of action of mAbs against bacteria, while in the second part, we will discuss the recent advances in antibody engineering to increase efficacy of pre-existing anti-bacterial mAbs.
Emotional Brain Network Community Division Study Based on an Improved Immunogenetic Algorithm
Authors: Zhao Renjie , Zhang Tao , Zhou Shichao , Huang Liya
Published: August 2022

Emotion analysis has emerged as one of the most prominent study areas in the field of Brain Computer Interface (BCI) due to the critical role that the human brain plays in the creation of human emotions. In this study, a Multi-objective Immunogenetic Community Division Algorithm Based on Memetic Framework (MFMICD) was suggested to study different emotions from the perspective of brain networks. To improve convergence and accuracy, MFMICD incorporates the unique immunity operator based on the traditional genetic algorithm and combines it with the taboo search algorithm. Based on this approach, we examined how the structure of people’s brain networks alters in response to different emotions using the electroencephalographic emotion database. The findings revealed that, in positive emotional states, more brain regions are engaged in emotion dominance, the information exchange between local modules is more frequent, and various emotions cause more varied patterns of brain area interactions than in negative brain states. A brief analysis of the connections between different emotions and brain regions shows that MFMICD is reliable in dividing emotional brain functional networks into communities.
Listening to 15 Hz Binaural Beats Enhances the Connectivity of Functional Brain Networks in the Mental Fatigue State—An EEG Study
Authors: Wang Xinlu , Lu Hongliang , He Yang , Sun Kewei , Feng Tingwei , Zhu Xia
Published: August 2022

Introduction: It is clear that mental fatigue can have many negative impacts on individuals, such as impairing cognitive function or affecting performance. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of sound interventions in combating mental fatigue. Method: The subjects were assessed on various scales, a psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) task, and a 3 min resting-state electroencephalogram (EEG), followed by a 20 min mental fatigue–inducing task (Time Load Dual Back, TloadDback), during which subjects in different condition groups listened to either 15 Hz binaural beats, 40 Hz binaural beats, relaxing music, or a 240 Hz pure tone. After the mental fatigue–inducing task, subjects were again assessed on various scales, a PVT task, and a 3 min resting-state EEG. Results: After the fatigue-inducing task, there was no significant difference between the four groups on the scales or the PVT task performance. In TloadDback, the accuracy rate of the 40 Hz binaural beats group and the relaxing music group decreased in the middle stage of the task, while the 15 Hz binaural beats group and the 240 Hz pure tone group remained unchanged in all stages of the task. The EEG results showed that after fatigue inducement, the average path length of the 15 Hz binaural beats group decreased, and local efficiency showed an increasing tendency, indicating enhanced brain network connectivity. Meanwhile, the 240 Hz pure tone group showed enhanced functional connectivity, suggesting a state of mental fatigue in the group. Conclusions: The results of this study show that listening to 15 Hz binaural beats is a proven intervention for mental fatigue that can contribute to maintaining working memory function, enhancing brain topological structure, and alleviating the decline in brain function that occurs in a mentally fatigued state. As such, these results are of great scientific and practical value.
Antecedents of Subjective Health among Korean Senior Citizens Using Archival Data
Authors: Moon Joonho , Woo Seoryeon , Shim Jimin , Lee Won Seok
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to investigate the determinants of subjective health among South Korean senior citizens. Secondary data for the year 2018 was used from the Senior Citizen Research Panel data collected by the Korea Employment Information Service. A total of 3822 valid observations were analyzed. The dependent variable was subjective health, and the independent variables were religion participation, social gathering participation, economic activity, food expenditure, leisure expenditure, travel frequency, and art watching frequency. Descriptive analysis, correlation matrix, and independent t-test were carried out for data analysis. Multiple linear regression analysis was employed using assets, age, and gender as control variables to test the research hypotheses. The results indicate that all the proposed attributes have a significant positive impact on the subjective health of Korean senior citizens, with implications for policy making.
Physical Exercise and Undergraduate Students’ Subjective Well-Being: Mediating Roles of Basic Psychological Need Satisfaction and Sleep Quality
Authors: Lin Sen , Li Liming , Zheng Dong , Jiang Libiao
Published: August 2022

This study aimed to examine the association between physical exercise and subjective well-being among undergraduate students, as well as its underlying mechanism—the potential mediating roles of basic psychological need satisfaction and sleep quality—from the perspective of self-determination theory. A sample of 770 undergraduate students (mean age was 19.90 ± 1.15 years old; 464 women) were recruited voluntarily to complete a set of measures examining physical exercise habits, psychological need satisfaction in exercise, sleep quality, and subjective well-being. The results indicated that (1) physical exercise was positively associated with undergraduate students’ subjective well-being; (2) psychological need satisfaction and sleep quality could significantly mediate this relation, which contained three pathways—the independent mediating effects of sleep quality and basic psychological need satisfaction and the sequential mediating effect of them. These findings not only reveal the mediating mechanism underlying the relation between physical exercise and subjective well-being by integrating the psychological and physical factors together but also provide an empirical basis for formulating prevention and intervention programs aimed at promoting the health and subjective well-being of undergraduate students.
The Shear Behavior of Insulated Precast Concrete Sandwich Panels Reinforced with BFRP
Authors: Liu Xia , Wang Xin , Yang Tan , Wu Zhishen
Published: August 2022

Typical insulated precast concrete sandwich panel (PCSP) systems are composed of two concrete wythes separated by a layer of insulation. The structural behavior of insulated PCSP systems heavily depends on elements between two wythes known as connectors, which ensure they work as a whole. Double shear tests were carried out on 58 insulated PCSP specimens reinforced with basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) connectors; failure modes, load displacement curves and bearing capacity of BFRP connectors were obtained. Effects of diameter, insulation thickness, installation angle, layout spacing and combined action on shear capacity were analyzed. The results show that the span ratio of the connector was suggested to be less than 15, and the angle of the connector should be set to 60° or 75° for suitable stiffness and bearing capacity with an abundant safety margin. The shear capacity decreases slightly with the increase in the connectors’ spacing while the overall impact is small. The shear force of connectors in a plane or spatial combination can be calculated according to that of one single connector. Moreover, the shear capacity model of BFRP connectors proposed in this paper provides a favorable design option for insulated PCSP systems using BFRP connectors.
Estimating Heating Load in Residential Buildings Using Multi-Verse Optimizer, Self-Organizing Self-Adaptive, and Vortex Search Neural-Evolutionary Techniques
Authors: Nejati Fatemeh , Tahoori Nayer , Sharifian Mohammad Amin , Ghafari Alireza , Nehdi Moncef L.
Published: August 2022

Using ANN algorithms to address optimization problems has substantially benefited recent research. This study assessed the heating load (HL) of residential buildings’ heating, ventilating, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network is utilized in association with the MVO (multi-verse optimizer), VSA (vortex search algorithm), and SOSA (self-organizing self-adaptive) algorithms to solve the computational challenges compounded by the model’s complexity. In a dataset that includes independent factors like overall height and glazing area, orientation, wall area, compactness, and the distribution of glazing area, HL is a goal factor. It was revealed that metaheuristic ensembles based on the MVOMLP and VSAMLP metaheuristics had a solid ability to recognize non-linear relationships between these variables. In terms of performance, the MVO-MLP model was considered superior to the VSA-MLP and SOSA-MLP models.
Behavior of Waste Glass Powder in Concrete Deep Beams with Web Openings
Authors: El-Mandouh Mahmoud A. , Hu Jong-Wan , Abd El-Maula Ahmed S.
Published: August 2022

Waste Glass Powder (WGP) could be used as a cement replacement additive to manufacture concrete and solving the problem of environmental pollution. The experimental program was made up of ten simply supported reinforced High-Strength Concrete (HSC) deep beams tested under static loadings. Five beams were with WGP, while the other five beams were without WGP. Eight beams had web openings while two reference beams were without openings. The principal studied parameters were the effect of using WGP, and the location and size of web openings. Using the three-dimensional finite element computer program ABAQUS, a numerical simulation for comparing the shear strength and behavior of tested deep beams has been suggested. The comparison between experimental failure loads of studied beams with that estimated by the Strut-and-Tie model was carried out. Three codes of practice were used to make this comparison: the American Concrete Institute (ACI 318-19), the New Zealand Code (NZS-06), and the Japan Society of Civil Engineering (JSCE-07). The results showed that using WGP in similar deep beams with web openings enhances the cracking shear strength (by about 17–25%) and the ultimate shear strength (by about 12–41%). The improvement in the ultimate failure load could be attributed to the developed concrete microstructures caused by WGP’s very fine grains, producing further gel, and decreasing the number of voids in the concrete matrix. The suggested finite element simulation accurately predicts the behavior of HSC deep beams with and without WGP beams and with web openings.
Characterization of a New Marine Leucine Dehydrogenase from Pseudomonas balearica and Its Application for L-tert-Leucine Production
Authors: Guo Zewang , Chen Denghui , Xiong Qi , Liang Miao , Li Pengfei , Gong Zehui , Qiu Junzhi , Zhang Liaoyuan
Published: August 2022

Leucine dehydrogenase (LeuDH) has emerged as the most promising biocatalyst for L-tert-leucine (L-Tle) production via asymmetric reduction in trimethylpyruvate (TMP). In this study, a new LeuDH named PbLeuDH from marine Pseudomonas balearica was heterologously over-expressed in Escherichia coli, followed by purification and characterization. PbLeuDH possessed a broad substrate scope, displaying activities toward numerous L-amino acids and α-keto acids. Notably, compared with those reported LeuDHs, PbLeuDH exhibited excellent catalytic efficiency for TMP with a Km value of 4.92 mM and a kcat/Km value of 24.49 s−1 mM−1. Subsequently, L-Tle efficient production was implemented from TMP by whole-cell biocatalysis using recombinant E. coli as a catalyst, which co-expressed PbLeuDH and glucose dehydrogenase (GDH). Ultimately, using a fed-batch feeding strategy, 273 mM (35.8 g L−1) L-Tle was achieved with a 96.1% yield and 2.39 g L−1 h−1 productivity. In summary, our research provides a competitive biocatalyst for L-Tle green biosynthesis and lays a solid foundation for the realization of large-scale L-Tle industrial production.
Mango Seed-Derived Hybrid Composites and Sodium Alginate Beads for the Efficient Uptake of 2,4,6-Trichlorophenol from Simulated Wastewater
Authors: Jabeen Asma , Kamran Urooj , Noreen Saima , Park Soo-Jin , Bhatti Haq Nawaz
Published: August 2022

In this study, mango seed shell (MS)-based hybrid composite and composite beads (FeCl3-NaBH4/MS and Na-Alginate/MS) were designed. Batch and column experimental analyses were performed for the uptake of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol (2,4,6-TCP) from wastewater. The physicochemical characteristics of both composites were also examined. From the batch adsorption experiments, the best adsorption capacities of 28.77 mg/g and 27.42 mg/g were observed in basic media (pH 9–10) at 308 K for FeCl3-NaBH4/MS and 333 K for Na-Alginate/MS with 25 mg/L of 2,4,6-TCP concentration for 120 min. The rate of reaction was satisfactorily followed by the pseudo-second-order kinetics. Equilibrium models revealed that the mechanism of reaction followed the Langmuir isotherm. The thermodynamic study also indicated that the nature of the reaction was exothermic and spontaneous with both adsorbents. Desorption experiments were also carried out to investigate the reliability and reusability of the composites. Furthermore, the efficiency of the adsorbents was checked in the presence of different electrolytes and heavy metals. From the batch experimental study, the FeCl3-NaBH4/MS composite proved to be the best adsorbent for the removal of the 2,4,6-TCP pollutant, hence it is further selected for fixed-bed column experimentation. The column study data were analyzed using the BDST and Thomas models and the as-selected FeCl3-NaBH4/MS hybrid composites showed satisfactory results for the fixed-bed adsorption of the 2,4,6-TPC contaminants.
Back to School: Academic Functioning and Educational Needs among Youth with Acquired Brain Injury
Authors: Vanderlind W. Michael , Demers Lauren A. , Engelson Georgina , Fowler Rollen C. , McCart Melissa
Published: August 2022

Youth with a history of traumatic or non-traumatic acquired brain injury are at increased risk for long-lasting cognitive, emotional, behavioral, social, and physical sequelae post-injury. Such sequelae have great potential to negatively impact this population’s academic functioning. Consistently, poorer academic achievement and elevated need for educational supports have been well-documented among youth with a history of acquired brain injury. The current paper reviews the literature on neuropsychological, psychiatric, and academic outcomes of pediatric acquired brain injury. A discussion of special education law as it applies to this patient population, ongoing limitations within the field, and a proposal of solutions are also included.
The Relationship between Anemia and Helicobacter Pylori Infection in Children
Authors: Lupu Ancuta , Miron Ingrith Crenguta , Cianga Anca Lavinia , Cernomaz Andrei Tudor , Lupu Vasile Valeriu , Munteanu Dragos , Ghica Dragos Catalin , Fotea Silvia
Published: August 2022

(1) Background: Many studies suggest that Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection is associated with a higher prevalence of anemia. The aim of this study is to explore this fact for a pediatric population from the northeast of Romania; (2) Methods: A correlational retrospective study between infection with H. pylori and anemia was performed on a group of 542 children in a pediatric gastroenterology regional center in Northeast Romania; (3) Results: Out of 542 children with confirmed H. pylori infection, microcytic hypochromic anemia was present in 48 children, of whom 7 (14.5%) also had iron deficiency.; (4) Conclusions: The study results demonstrate a significant association of H. pylori infection with iron-deficiency anemia and iron deficiency in children in accordance with the results established in the published literature. Although the direct relationship between them it is not clear yet, prevention represents one of the first clinical measures that need to be implemented when encountering a refractory moderate to severe iron-deficiency anemia and, especially, when associated with gastrointestinal tract symptoms.
Potential Benefits of Daytime Naps on Consecutive Days for Motor Adaptation Learning
Authors: Murata Yusuke , Nishida Masaki , Ichinose Atsushi , Suyama Shutaro , Youn Sumi , Shioda Kohei
Published: August 2022

Daytime napping offers benefits for motor memory learning and is used as a habitual countermeasure to improve daytime functioning. A single nap has been shown to ameliorate motor memory learning, although the effect of consecutive napping on motor memory consolidation remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the effect of daytime napping over multiple days on motor memory learning. Twenty university students were divided into a napping group and no-nap (awake) group. The napping group performed motor adaption tasks before and after napping for three consecutive days, whereas the no-nap group performed the task on a similar time schedule as the napping group. A subsequent retest was conducted one week after the end of the intervention. Significant differences were observed only for speed at 30 degrees to complete the retention task, which was significantly faster in the napping group than in the awake group. No significant consolidation effects over the three consecutive nap intervention periods were confirmed. Due to the limitations of the different experimental environments of the napping and the control group, the current results warrant further investigation to assess whether consecutive napping may benefit motor memory learning, which is specific to speed.
Face Detection & Recognition from Images & Videos Based on CNN & Raspberry Pi
Authors: Zamir Muhammad , Ali Nouman , Naseem Amad , Ahmed Frasteen Areeb , Zafar Bushra , Assam Muhammad , Othman Mahmoud , Attia El-Awady
Published: August 2022

The amount of multimedia content is growing exponentially and a major portion of multimedia content uses images and video. Researchers in the computer vision community are exploring the possible directions to enhance the system accuracy and reliability, and these are the main requirements for robot vision-based systems. Due to the change of facial expressions and the wearing of masks or sunglasses, many face recognition systems fail or the accuracy in recognizing the face decreases in these scenarios. In this work, we contribute a real time surveillance framework using Raspberry Pi and CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) for facial recognition. We have provided a labeled dataset to the system. First, the system is trained upon the labeled dataset to extract different features of the face and landmark face detection and then it compares the query image with the dataset on the basis of features and landmark face detection. Finally, it compares faces and votes between them and gives a result that is based on voting. The classification accuracy of the system based on the CNN model is compared with a mid-level feature extractor that is Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) and the state-of-the-art face detection and recognition methods. Moreover, the accuracy in recognizing the faces in the cases of wearing a mask or sunglasses or in live videos is also evaluated. The highest accuracy achieved for the VMU, face recognition, and 14 celebrity datasets is 98%, 98.24%, 89.39%, and 95.71%, respectively. Experimental results on standard image benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed research in accurate face recognition compared to the state-of-the-art face detection and recognition methods.