bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carvacrol prevents acrylamide-induced oxidative and inflammatory liver damage and dysfunction in rats
Authors: Cerrah Serkan , Ozcicek Fatih , Gundogdu Betul , Cicek Betul , Coban Taha Abdulkadir , Suleyman Bahadir , Altuner Durdu , Bulut Seval , Suleyman Halis
Published: April 2023

Background: Acrylamide causes hepatotoxicity with the effect of oxidative stress and inflammatory processes. Carvacrol is a monoterpenic phenol with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.

Aims: To determine the effects of carvacrol on oxidative liver injury induced by acrylamide administration in rats.

Methods: Rats were divided into three groups of six animals each: healthy group acrylamide group (ACR), and acrylamide + carvacrol group (TACR). First, carvacrol (50 mg/kg) was administered intraperitoneally to the CACR group. One hour later, acrylamide (20 mg/kg) was given orally to the ACR and CACR groups. This procedure was performed for 30 days, after which the animals were sacrificed. The malondialdehyde (MDA) and total glutathione (tGSH) levels, total oxidant (TOS) and total antioxidant status (TAS), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1beta (IL-1β), and nuclear factor kappa b (NF-κB) were measured in the excised liver tissues. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were determined in blood serum samples. Liver tissues were also examined histopathologically.

Results: In the ACR group, malondialdehyde, TOS, ALT, AST levels, and NF-κB, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels were found to be high, and tGSH and total antioxidant status levels were low. In addition, diffuse degenerative changes and necrosis in hepatocytes, and moderate inflammation in the portal region were detected in the liver tissues of the ACR group. While carvacrol prevented the biochemical changes induced by acrylamide, it also alleviated the damage in the histological structure.

Conclusion: Carvacrol may be used for liver damage caused by acrylamide.
Genome-wide identification and analyses of cotton high-affinity nitrate transporter 2 family genes and their responses to stress
Authors: Pu Yuanchun , Wang Peilin , Abbas Mubashir , Khan Muhammad Aamir , Xu Jiangling , Yang Yejun , Zhou Ting , Zheng Kai , Chen Quanjia , Sun Guoqing
Published: April 2023

Nitrate transporters (NRTs) are crucial for the uptake, use, and storage of nitrogen by plants. In this study, 42 members of the GhNRT2 (Nitrate Transporter 2 family) were found in the four different cotton species. The conserved domains, phylogenetic relationships, physicochemical properties, subcellular localization, conserved motifs, gene structure, cis-acting elements, and promoter region expression patterns of these 42 members were analyzed. The findings confirmed that members of the NRT2 family behaved typically, and subcellular localization tests confirmed that they were hydrophobic proteins that were mostly located on the cytoplasmic membrane. The NRT2 family of genes with A.thaliana and rice underwent phylogenetic analysis, and the results revealed that GhNRT2 could be divided into three groups. The same taxa also shared similar gene structure and motif distribution. The composition of cis-acting elements suggests that most of the expression of GhNRT2 may be related to plant hormones, abiotic stress, and photoreactions. The GhNRT2 gene was highly expressed, mainly in roots. Drought, salt, and extreme temperature stress showed that GhNRT2 gene expression was significantly up-regulated or down-regulated, indicating that it may be involved in the stress response of cotton. In general, the genes of the NRT2 family of cotton were comprehensively analyzed, and their potential nitrogen uptake and utilization functions in cotton were preliminarily predicted. Additionally, we provide an experimental basis for the adverse stress conditions in which they may function.
Conceptual framework for management or transmission of knowledge in companies: A systematic review
Authors: Pereira Cláudia , Delgoulet Catherine , Santos Marta
Published: April 2023

The literature on knowledge management as a broad area, typically studied under the scope of business management, and on knowledge transmission as a process, often studied under the scope of work psychology and ergonomics, although extensive, lacks a synthesis regarding the dimensions involved in knowledge management or transmission practices in workplaces. Thus, this study aims to systematize the existing programs for management or transmission of knowledge in workplaces and to develop a conceptual framework to support their design and implementation in this context. Thereto, the study resorts to the main scientific approaches that address knowledge management and knowledge transmission (business management and work psychology/ergonomics). The methodology followed a systematic review to identify and analyse the programs concerning the management or transmission of knowledge implemented in professional contexts, nearly from the beginning of the 21st century, considering the two scientific approaches. The analysis of the 28 articles shows what defines the implemented practices, their impact, and the role assumed by HR. The results demonstrate differences and similarities between the two approaches which guided the dimensions included in the conceptual framework. This study makes advances for both the scientific field, bringing different scientific discourses closer together by acknowledging their strengths; and for practitioners, through the possibility of improving the understanding of the application scope of the concepts of knowledge management and knowledge transmission, as well as supporting their action in workplaces.
Awareness, use, and need of smart care for older adults: A comparative study based on a survey in Macao, China
Authors: Lou Shiyan , Liu Hong
Published: April 2023

Introduction:

With population aging, taking care of the older adults has become a challenge for many countries and regions, and smart care for older adults is considered as a solution to this problem. Need is an important factor that determines whether the model of smart care for older adults can be efficiently promoted and ultimately help in effective senior care.

Methods:

Based on a survey among older adults and their caregivers in Macao, this paper conducted comparative and correlation studies on the awareness, use, and need of smart care goods and services for older adults.

Results:

Differences appeared among the groups based on the different categories and items of goods and services. The respondents’ awareness, use, and need of smart senior care were generally low, and levels were lower among older adults than among caregivers; older adults were more concerned about spiritual needs, while the caregivers were more concerned about the health and safety of older adults. Correlation studies showed that awareness of smart senior care was positively related to its use, and these two variables were positively correlated to the need for smart senior care.

Implications:

This paper fills in the research gap on the need for smart senior care and can help to promote matching supply and demand to enhance the development of the smart senior care industry.
Sentiment analysis for measuring hope and fear from Reddit posts during the 2022 Russo-Ukrainian conflict
Authors: Guerra Alessio , Karakuş Oktay
Published: April 2023

This article proposes a novel lexicon-based unsupervised sentiment analysis method to measure the “hope” and “fear” for the 2022 Ukrainian-Russian Conflict. Reddit.com is utilized as the main source of human reactions to daily events during nearly the first 3 months of the conflict. The top 50 “hot” posts of six different subreddits about Ukraine and news (Ukraine, worldnews, Ukraina, UkrainianConflict, UkraineWarVideoReport, and UkraineWarReports) along with their relative comments are scraped every day between 10th of May and 28th of July, and a novel data set is created. On this corpus, multiple analyzes, such as (1) public interest, (2) Hope/Fear score, and (3) stock price interaction, are employed. We use a dictionary approach, which scores the hopefulness of every submitted user post. The Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) algorithm of topic modeling is also utilized to understand the main issues raised by users and what are the key talking points. Experimental analysis shows that the hope strongly decreases after the symbolic and strategic losses of Azovstal (Mariupol) and Severodonetsk. Spikes in hope/fear, both positives and negatives, are present not only after important battles, but also after some non-military events, such as Eurovision and football games.
Mobilizing registry data for quality improvement: A convergent mixed-methods analysis and application to spinal cord injury
Authors: Krysa Jacqueline A. , Pohar Manhas Kiran J. , Loyola-Sanchez Adalberto , Casha Steve , Kovacs Burns Katharina , Charbonneau Rebecca , Ho Chester , Papathanassoglou Elizabeth
Published: April 2023

Introduction

The rising prevalence of complex chronic conditions and growing intricacies of healthcare systems emphasizes the need for interdisciplinary partnerships to advance coordination and quality of rehabilitation care. Registry databases are increasingly used for clinical monitoring and quality improvement (QI) of health system change. Currently, it is unclear how interdisciplinary partnerships can best mobilize registry data to support QI across care settings for complex chronic conditions.

Purpose

We employed spinal cord injury (SCI) as a case study of a highly disruptive and debilitating complex chronic condition, with existing registry data that is underutilized for QI. We aimed to compare and converge evidence from previous reports and multi-disciplinary experts in order to outline the major elements of a strategy to effectively mobilize registry data for QI of care for complex chronic conditions.

Methods

This study used a convergent parallel-database variant mixed design, whereby findings from a systematic review and a qualitative exploration were analyzed independently and then simultaneously. The scoping review used a three-stage process to review 282 records, which resulted in 28 articles reviewed for analysis. Concurrent interviews were conducted with multidisciplinary-stakeholders, including leadership from condition-specific national registries, members of national SCI communities, leadership from SCI community organizations, and a person with lived experience of SCI. Descriptive analysis was used for the scoping review and qualitative description for stakeholder interviews.

Results

There were 28 articles included in the scoping review and 11 multidisciplinary-stakeholders in the semi-structured interviews. The integration of the results allowed the identification of three key learnings to enhance the successful design and use of registry data to inform the planning and development of a QI initiative: enhance utility and reliability of registry data; form a steering committee lead by clinical champions; and design effective, feasible, and sustainable QI initiatives.

Conclusion

This study highlights the importance of interdisciplinary partnerships to support QI of care for persons with complex conditions. It provides practical strategies to determine mutual priorities that promote implementation and sustained use of registry data to inform QI. Learnings from this work could enhance interdisciplinary collaboration to support QI of care for rehabilitation for persons with complex chronic conditions.
Doctor-diagnosed sleep disorders in the United States: Prevalence and impact of tobacco smoke exposure and vitamin D deficiency. A population-based study
Authors: Kum-Nji Philip , Taylor Samuel , Tanwi Bah
Published: April 2023

Background and purpose:

We determined the prevalence of physician-diagnosed sleep disorder and its association with tobacco smoke exposure and vitamin D deficiency.

Methods

The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) of 2011–2012 data base was used for the study. Subjects were asked two questions: “Ever told your doctor you had trouble sleeping?” and “Ever told by doctor have sleep disorder?” The answer “yes” to the second question indicated presence of a doctor-diagnosed sleep disorder (DSD) and “no” indicated its absence. Tobacco smoke exposure was defined by serum cotinine levels while vitamin D levels were measured by serum 25(OH) D. Eight selected variables included in the analyses were BMI, age, gender, smoking exposure, vitamin D levels, income, insurance, and race. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine if tobacco smoke exposure and Vitamin D were each predictive of DSD.

Results

Of 5,470 subjected aged 16 to 80+ years about 9% had doctor-diagnosed sleep disorder (DSD). In a multiple regression analysis, active tobacco smoking was predictive of DSD (OR 1.92; 95% CI = 1.38–2.69), while passive smoke exposure was not, even after controlling for all the other significant variables (OR 0.93; 95% CI = 0.57–1.52). The other variables significantly associated with DSD were by order of importance BMI (P < 0.001), Age (P < 0.001) and race (P ≤ 0.001). Vitamin D deficiency was not predictive of DSD.

Conclusion

The prevalence of physician-diagnosed DSD was about 9%. Active smoking but not passive smoking as defined by cotinine levels was significantly associated with DSD. Vitamin D was not predictive of DSD. Future studies are therefore needed to demonstrate whether smoking cessation could help reduce DSD.
Estimating flight trajectories of breaking balls from four-seam fastballs
Authors: Kimura Arata , Nakashima Hirotaka , Kuroyanagi Shuntaro , Ando Yuka , Liao Penhao , Sakurai Shinji
Published: April 2023

It is widely acknowledged that understanding the physical mechanics of the flight trajectories of four-seam fastballs and breaking balls is crucial for players and coaches to enhance pitching performance. The characteristics of the flight trajectories of four-seam fastballs and breaking balls have been revealed; however, the relationship between them has not been examined. Here, we show the characteristics of the flight trajectory of breaking balls from the four-seam fastballs. We found that the direction of the deviation of the curveballs could be generally predicted from that of the four-seam fastballs. We also found that the limits of the deviation of the sliders can be determined from the direction of the deviation of the four-seam fastball. This study revealed the deviation of the breaking ball from the four-seam fastballs, which clearly showed the differences in the characteristics between curveballs and sliders. This study moved forward with the description of the physical properties of each pitch type and allowed us to obtain valuable insights and practical implications.
Can elderly patients regain their preoperative functional level after distal radius fracture type A? Results from a fracture register study using PROM
Authors: Von Matthey F. , Rammensee J. , Müller M. , Biberthaler P. , Abel H.
Published: April 2023

Introduction

Although distal radius fractures (DRFs) are the most common fractures of the human body, there are still ongoing debates concerning the treatment for type A fractures, especially in elderly patients. In spite of good clinical outcomes, it remains unclear whether elderly patients, especially, could regain the preoperative functional level of the wrist. Therefore, we have quantified wrist function within a retrospective study design using patient-reported outcome measures (PROM) and we have analyzed the influence of age between control and patient collective and young vs. old, respectively.

Patients and methods

The retrospective study included all patients with a surgically treated DRF type A and a control group of healthy patients, age and gender matched. The function of the wrist was examined by using a self-assessment questionnaire called the Munich Wrist Questionnaire (MWQ) according to the patient-related outcome measurements PROM.

Results

We could enroll 110 patients and controls, and the average follow-up was 66 months. Subgroup matching induced similar age group distribution: in both groups, 7 individuals <30 years, 67 between 31 and 64 years, 29 between 65 and 79 years, and 7 individuals >80 years, were enrolled, respectively. In the fracture group, women were significantly older than men (59 ± 15 vs. 47 ± 17 (M ± SD). There was no significant difference between the control and the patient groups (96 ± 6 vs. 95 ± 7). The function was significantly different between controls and patients <30 years (100 ± 1 vs. 98 ± 2). In the control group, there was a functional difference in the age group <30 compared with 65–79 and >80 and in the age group 30–64 compared with 65–79 and >80. In the control group, the function was found to be significantly decreasing with advancing age, whereas in the patient group, this influence was absent. A correlation analysis showed a worse function with increasing age in the control group and therefore a negative correlation. In the fracture group, a similar result could not be obtained.

Discussion

Age has a relevant influence on wrist function. Although the wrist function decreases significantly with aging, in the patient group, this influence is absent, and the functional results after surgery are excellent. Even elderly patients can regain their preoperative functional level.
Study on Space–Time Evolution Law and Mechanism of Instability Failure of Deep High-Stress Overburden Rock
Authors: Wang Xinfeng , Zhang Qiao , Liu Wengang , Wei Youyu , Jiang Tian , Hao Fuxu
Published: April 2023

In order to explore the fracture law and structural evolution characteristics of overlying strata in deep high-stress mining, according to the geometric characteristics and mechanical causes of overlying strata in different mining stages of the stope, four stages of overlying strata structure model are established and analyzed in turn. According to the characteristics of the overburden load transfer path in the deep high-stress stope, the fracture law and macroscopic mechanical response of overburden are analyzed by MATLAB and PFC2D numerical simulation method. The evolution model of overburden structure and load transfer in ‘four stages and three modes’ of the deep high-stress stope is constructed, and the stage fracture effect of ‘beam, plate and arch’ is put forward. The results show that the overburden rock is a fixed beam structure before the initial weighting. After the initial weighting, it evolves into a plate structure with three sides fixed and one side simply supported. After the periodic weighting, the overburden rock structure further evolves into a plate structure with one side fixed and three sides simply supported. After full mining, the overburden rock forms an arch structure, and the load is transmitted by the beam–plate–arch path. The findings of the study provide an important basis for exploring the nature of overburden transport and load transfer in deep high-stress quarries and strengthening overburden prevention and control.
Towards the Integration of Security Practices in Agile Software Development: A Systematic Mapping Review
Authors: Valdés-Rodríguez Yolanda , Hochstetter-Diez Jorge , Díaz-Arancibia Jaime , Cadena-Martínez Rodrigo
Published: April 2023

Software development must be based on more than just the experience and capabilities of your programmers and your team. The importance of obtaining a quality product lies in the risks that can be exploited by software vulnerabilities, which can jeopardize organizational assets, consumer confidence, operations, and a broad spectrum of applications. Several methods, techniques, and models have been suggested and developed to address software security. However, only a few have solid evidence for creating secure software applications. The main objective of this paper is to survey the literature for methods or models suitable for considering the integration of security in all or some of the phases of the software development life cycle and which ones are most considered or neglected. This study represents the beginning of research to generate a methodology that integrates security practices in agile software development, allowing inexperienced developers to create more secure applications.
Advanced Electronic and Optoelectronic Sensors, Applications, Modelling and Industry 5.0 Perspectives
Authors: Massaro Alessandro
Published: April 2023

This review will focus on advances in electronic and optoelectronic technologies by through the analysis of a full research and industrial application scenario. Starting with the analysis of nanocomposite sensors, and electronic/optoelectronic/mechatronic systems, the review describes in detail the principles and the models for finding possible implementations of Industry 5.0 applications. The study then addresses production processes and advanced detection systems integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms. Specifically, the review introduces new research topics in Industry 5.0 about AI self-adaptive systems and processes in electronics, robotics and production management. The paper proposes also new Business Process Modelling and Notation (BPMN) Process Mining (PM) workflows, and a simulation of a complex Industry 5.0 manufacturing framework. The performed simulation estimates the diffusion heat parameters of a hypothesized production-line layout, describing the information flux of the whole framework. The simulation enhances the technological key elements, enabling an industrial upscale in the next digital revolution. The discussed models are usable in management engineering and informatics engineering, as they merge the perspectives of advanced sensors with Industry 5.0 requirements. The goal of the paper is to provide concepts, research topics and elements to design advanced production network in manufacturing industry.
A Survey of OCR in Arabic Language: Applications, Techniques, and Challenges
Authors: Faizullah Safiullah , Ayub Muhammad Sohaib , Hussain Sajid , Khan Muhammad Asad
Published: April 2023

Optical character recognition (OCR) is the process of extracting handwritten or printed text from a scanned or printed image and converting it to a machine-readable form for further data processing, such as searching or editing. Automatic text extraction using OCR helps to digitize documents for improved productivity and accessibility and for preservation of historical documents. This paper provides a survey of the current state-of-the-art applications, techniques, and challenges in Arabic OCR. We present the existing methods for each step of the complete OCR process to identify the best-performing approach for improved results. This paper follows the keyword-search method for reviewing the articles related to Arabic OCR, including the backward and forward citations of the article. In addition to state-of-art techniques, this paper identifies research gaps and presents future directions for Arabic OCR.
Determination of Reliability of Selected Case Furniture Constructions
Authors: Kłos Robert , Langová Nadežda
Published: April 2023

The reliability of furniture constitutes one of the most important features taken into consideration when buying furniture. However, to evaluate furniture reliability, furniture manufacturers often rely on their own experiences and common patterns without the usage of specialized tools. The presented work aimed to develop a mathematical apparatus to be used in a specially created web application that would enable the calculation of the reliability of the selected furniture joints and whole case furniture structures. This paper describes the functionality features of the newly created web application, which could be used in the furniture industry practice providing a valuable support tool for engineering works. In this paper, the reliability calculations are presented for the examples of furniture eccentric joints and case-type furniture made of those joints. Two different materials, namely MDF and laminated three-layer particleboard, of 18 mm are considered. The achieved results confirm the higher reliability of the furniture eccentric joints made of MDF of 18 mm in comparison to the furniture eccentric joints made of particleboard of the same thickness. The calculations of reliability for the analyzed construction of furniture confirmed also that the reliability improved when the parallel reliability structure was adapted. That was the case for both the MDF and laminated three-layer particleboard.
Local Non-Similar Solution for Non-Isothermal Electroconductive Radiative Stretching Boundary Layer Heat Transfer with Aligned Magnetic Field
Authors: Ferdows Mohammad , Barmon Ashish , Bég Osman Anwar , Shamshuddin MD , Sun Shuyu
Published: April 2023

Continuous two-dimensional boundary layer heat transfer in an electroconductive Newtonian fluid from a stretching surface that is biased by a magnetic field aligned with thermal radiation is the subject of this study. The effects of magnetic induction are induced because the Reynolds number is not small. The sheet is traveling with a temperature and velocity that are inversely related to how far away from the steady edge it is from the plane in which it is traveling. We also imposed external velocity u=uex=Dxp in the boundary. The necessary major equations are made dimensionless by the local non-similarity transformation and become a system of non-linear ordinary differential equations after being transformed from non-linear partial differential equations. The subsequent numerical solution of the arisen non-dimensional boundary value problem utilizes a sixth-order Runge–Kutta integration scheme and Nachtsheim–Swigert shooting iterative technique. A good correlation is seen when the solutions are compared to previously published results from the literature. Through the use of graphical representation, the physical impacts of the fluid parameters on speed, induced magnetic field, and temperature distribution are carried out. Furthermore, the distributions for skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number are also studied for different scenarios. The skin friction coefficient and local Nusselt number are observed to increase with greater values of the temperature exponent parameter and velocity exponent parameter. However, as heat radiation increases, the local Nusselt number decreases even though temperatures are noticeably higher. The study finds applications in magnetic polymer fabrication systems.
Human-Focused Digital Twin Applications for Occupational Safety and Health in Workplaces: A Brief Survey and Research Directions
Authors: Park Jin-Sung , Lee Dong-Gu , Jimenez Jesus A. , Lee Sung-Jin , Kim Jun-Woo
Published: April 2023

Occupational safety and health is among the most challenging issues in many industrial workplaces, in that various factors can cause occupational illness and injury. Robotics, automation, and other state-of-the-art technologies represent risks that can cause further injuries and accidents. However, the tools currently used to assess risks in workplaces require manual work and are highly subjective. These tools include checklists and work assessments conducted by experts. Modern Industry 4.0 technologies such as a digital twin, a computerized representation in the digital world of a physical asset in the real world, can be used to provide a safe and healthy work environment to human workers and can reduce occupational injuries and accidents. These digital twins should be designed to collect, process, and analyze data about human workers. The problem is that building a human-focused digital twin is quite challenging and requires the integration of various modern hardware and software components. This paper aims to provide a brief survey of recent research papers on digital twins, focusing on occupational safety and health applications, which is considered an emerging research area. The authors focus on enabling technologies for human data acquisition and human representation in a virtual environment, on data processing procedures, and on the objectives of such applications. Additionally, this paper discusses the limitations of existing studies and proposes future research directions.
Playing in the Camps: Performative Practices in the Migrant Camps of Southern Italy
Authors: Ruffini Rosaria
Published: April 2023

The article addresses the role of performative practices in the informal camps and shantytowns in southern Italy, where many sub-Saharan migrants live. In these settlements, creation and performative expressions take various forms: an organic and unplanned one, which gives shape to multiple improvised languages; one supported, sustained, and often directed and managed by associations; and finally, one produced by non-migrant artists who see the camps as a challenging field of research to situate their works. These three forms (of/with/on) bring several critical issues concerning the role played by migrants, the dynamics of appropriation and agency, and the power relations with local associations, professional artists, and political activists, which intersect in complex ways. The article addresses these different artistic experiences, considering strategies of self-representation, artistic legitimacy, and authorship. Finally, it analyses how performative practices become a primary political tool for facing spatial segregation and racial discrimination.
Antecedents and Consequences of Streamer Trust in Livestreaming Commerce
Authors: Tian Bowen , Chen Jinye , Zhang Jie , Wang Wei , Zhang Leibao
Published: April 2023

Livestreaming commerce has become the mainstream of e-commerce in recent years. The key difference between livestreaming commerce and traditional e-commerce lies in the presence of the streamer. However, there are few studies that examine the significant role of streamer trust in the focal context. In our study, based on the cognitive-affective-conative (C-A-C) framework, we develop a research model to explore antecedents of streamer trust and its important role in influencing consumers’ purchasing behavior. Using the survey method, we find that (1) antecedents, including interactivity, informativeness, personal impulsiveness as well as the attitude toward livestreaming shopping are positively associated with streamer trust; (2) streamer trust is positively associated with consumers’ purchasing intention; (3) livestreaming value has significant moderating effects on interactivity and informativeness but not on personal impulsiveness and attitude toward livestreaming shopping. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
Tactical Knowledge by Decision Making and Motor Efficiency of Young Football Players in Different Playing Positions during a Three-a-Side Small-Sided Game
Authors: Matos Rui , Moreira Carlos , Alves Emília , Teixeira José Eduardo , Rodrigues Filipe , Monteiro Diogo , Antunes Raul , Forte Pedro
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study was to compare the tactical knowledge of young football players in different playing positions during a three-a-side small-sided game (SSG). Observational data was collected from 71 players (M = 12.16; SD = 1.55 years): 11 goalkeepers, 22 defenders, 15 midfielders, and 23 forwards. In total, 4 min of three-a-side SSGs (GR + 3 vs. 3 + GR) were recorded to assess tactical performance using a digital camera (GoPro Hero 6® version 02.01). The SSGs were performed on a field with a constant area (36 × 27 m). Video analyses were performed using LongoMatch® version 1.5.9 to record football performance; we then assessed tactical performance by using the Football Tactical Assessment System (Fut-Sat). This instrument evaluates the average of well-defined action indexes for each game in decision making principle and motor skills, specifically: (i) Decision Making Index (DMI); (ii) Motor Effectiveness Index (MEI); (iii) Effectiveness Index (I). The indexes were calculated by the ratio between the correct actions and the total. The Kruskal–Wallis test was used to evaluate differences between playing positions. The results showed that tactical performance by principles seems to be significantly different according to playing position. Differences were found between defenders and forwards (H = −11.92; p = 0.03) and defenders and midfielders (H = −16.13; p = 0.01) in contention principle. In conclusion, tactical knowledge of training based on the principles of the game can help coaches and players better understand and predict each player’s actions during the game.
Occupational Health and Diseases in Built Environment
Authors: Sunindijo Riza Yosia
Published: April 2023

Past efforts to improve health and safety performance in the construction sector tended to focus more on the safety aspect, particularly on reducing and eliminating physical injuries [...]
Tuning the Structure and Acidity of Pt/Hierarchical SSZ-32 Catalysts to Boost the Selective Hydroisomerization of n-Hexadecane
Authors: Yang Xinyue , Zhao Wenli , Liu Linlin , Niu Xiaopo , Wang Qingfa
Published: April 2023

Developing highly selective and efficient bifunctional catalysts is an important issue for the hydroisomerization of long-chain n-alkanes. It is vital to tailor the balance of isomerization and cracking reactions in hydroisomerization. Herein, a bifunctional Pt/hierarchical SSZ-32 catalyst was fabricated with a sequential desilication–dealumination treatment to boost the selective hydroisomerization of n-hexadecane (C16). The pore structure and acid sites of SSZ-32 zeolite were tailored. More mesopore and Brønsted acid sites were generated, and the ratio of weak to strong Brønsted acidity (Bw/Bs) was increased by the sequential desilication–dealumination. The generated hierarchical structure had little effect on the selectivity of the reaction pathways of hydroisomerization versus cracking. The ratio of isomers/cracking products increased almost linearly with the increase in the Bw/Bs ratios. Meanwhile, the synergetic effect of the hierarchical structure and acidity regulation promoted the selectivity of monobranched i-C16 products. Therefore, the resulting Pt/SSZ-0.6AS exhibited the highest activity with a total isomer yield of 71.5% at 255 °C and the enhanced formation mechanism of monobranched isomers occurred via the pore mouth.
International Adoption of Children with Special Needs in Spain
Authors: Hernanz Lobo Alicia , Berzosa Sánchez Arantxa , Escolano Lucía , Pérez Muñoz Sara , Gerig Nathalia , Sainz Talía , Mellado Peña María Jose , García López Hortelano Milagros
Published: April 2023

International adoption has declined in recent years, although the adoption of children with special needs has arisen. We aim to describe our experience in the international adoption of children with special needs and to analyze the concordance between the pathologies included in pre-adoption reports and the diagnosis made upon arrival. We conducted a retrospective descriptive study including internationally adopted children with special needs evaluated at a reference Spanish unit between 2016 and 2019. Epidemiological and clinical variables were collected from medical records, and pre-adoption reports were compared to established diagnoses following their evaluation and complementary tests. Fifty-seven children were included: 36.8% females, a median age of 27 months [IQR:17–39], mostly coming from China (63.2%) and Vietnam (31.6%). The main pathologies described in the pre-adoption reports were congenital surgical malformations (40.3%), hematological (22.6%), and neurological (24.6%). The initial diagnosis that motivated the international adoption via special needs was confirmed in 79% of the children. After evaluation, 14% were diagnosed with weight and growth delay, and 17.5% with microcephaly, not previously reported. Infectious diseases were also prevalent (29.8%). According to our series, the pre-adoption reports of children with special needs appear accurate, with a low rate of new diagnoses. Pre-existing conditions were confirmed in almost 80% of cases.
The Role of Multidimensional Indices for Mortality Prediction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Authors: Kotlyarov Stanislav
Published: April 2023

(1) Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the most important respiratory diseases. It is characterised by a progressive course with individual differences in clinical presentation and prognosis. The use of multidimensional indices such as the BODE, eBODE, BODEX, CODEX, ADO, and Charlson Comorbidity Index has been proposed to predict the survival rate of COPD patients. However, there is limited research on the prognostic significance of these indices in predicting long-term survival rates in patients with COPD. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the prognostic value of the BODE, eBODE, BODEX, CODEX, ADO, COTE and Charlson Comorbidity Index in predicting 5- and 10-year survival in patients with COPD. (2) Methods: A total of 170 patients were included in the study and their clinical and functional characteristics of COPD progression, such as dyspnoea, body mass index and spirometry data, were evaluated. A Kaplan–Meier survival analysis was used to calculate 5- and 10-year survival rates. The predictive value of each index was assessed using Cox proportional hazards regression models. (3) Results: The 5-year survival rate was 62.35% and the 10-year survival rate was 34.70%. The BODE, eBODE, BODEX, CODEX, ADO, COTE and Charlson Comorbidity Index were all significantly associated with the 10-year survival rate of COPD patients (p < 0.05). The hazard ratios (HRs) for these indices were as follows: BODE (HR = 1.30, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.21–1.39); eBODE (HR = 1.29, 95% CI 1.21–1.37); BODEX (HR = 1.48, 95% CI 1.35–1.63); CODEX (HR = 1.42, 95% CI 1.31–1.54); COTE (HR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.36–1.75); ADO (HR = 1.41, 95% CI 1.29–1.54); and Charlson Comorbidity Index (HR = 1.35, 95% CI 1.22–1.48). (4) Conclusions: The multidimensional indices are a useful clinical tool for assessing the course and prognosis of COPD. These indices can be used to identify patients at a high risk of mortality and guide the management of COPD patients.
Pregnancy Outcomes, Immunophenotyping and Immunohistochemical Findings in a Cohort of Pregnant Patients with COVID-19—A Prospective Study
Authors: Adam Ana-Maria , Popa Radu-Florin , Vaduva Cristian , Georgescu Costinela Valerica , Adam Gigi , Melinte-Popescu Alina-Sinziana , Popa Cristina , Socolov Demetra , Nechita Aurel , Vasilache Ingrid-Andrada , Mihalceanu Elena , Harabor AnaMaria , Melinte-Popescu Marian , Harabor Valeriu , Neagu Anca , Socolov Razvan
Published: April 2023

(1) Background: SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy could determine important maternal and fetal complications. We aimed to prospectively assess placental immunohistochemical changes, immunophenotyping alterations, and pregnancy outcomes in a cohort of patients with COVID-19; (2) Methods: 52 pregnant patients admitted to a tertiary maternity center between October 2020 and November 2021 were segregated into two equal groups, depending on the presence of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Blood samples, fragments of umbilical cord, amniotic membranes, and placental along with clinical data were collected. Descriptive statistics and a conditional logistic regression model were used for data analysis; (3) Results: Adverse pregnancy outcomes such as preterm labor and neonatal intensive care unit admission did not significantly differ between groups. The immunophenotyping analysis indicated that patients with moderate–severe forms of COVID-19 had a significantly reduced population of T lymphocytes, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells (only numeric), CD4+/CD8+ index, B lymphocytes, and natural killer (NK) cells. Our immunohistochemistry analysis of tissue samples failed to demonstrate positivity for CD19, CD3, CD4, CD8, and CD56 markers; (4) Conclusions: Immunophenotyping analysis could be useful for risk stratification of pregnant patients, while further studies are needed to determine the extent of immunological decidual response in patients with various forms of COVID-19.
Dipeptidyl Amino-Peptidase 3 (DPP3) as an Early Marker of Severity in a Patient Population with Cardiogenic Shock
Authors: Innelli Pasquale , Lopizzo Teresa , Paternò Giovanni , Bruno Noemi , Radice Rosa Paola , Bertini Pietro , Marabotti Alberto , Luzi Giampaolo , Stabile Eugenio , Di Fazio Aldo , Pittella Giuseppe , Paternoster Gianluca
Published: April 2023

Dipeptidyl amino-peptidase 3 (DPP3) is an aminopeptidase that is released into circulation upon cell death. DPP3 is involved in the degradation of angiotensins, enkephalines, and endomorphines. It has been shown that circulating DPP3 (cDPP3) plasma concentration increases in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients and correlates with high mortality risk. Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening syndrome associated with organ hypoperfusion. One of the common causes of CS is acute myocardial infarction (AMI). This study aimed to investigate if cDPP3 levels are associated with CS severity and the need for ventilation in patients suffering from CS. Fifteen patients with CS were included in this study. Six patients were invasively ventilated. The values of cDPP3 were higher in ventilated patients than in non-ventilated patients at admission, 3 h, and 24 h after admission in the intensive care unit. Patients with pulmonary hypertension at admission also showed high cDPP3 values at all time points. Furthermore, high cDPP3 levels were associated with reduced stroke volume. Our results suggest that cDPP3 could predict CS progression and guide therapy escalation.
A Two-Switch SEPIC-Based Nonisolated Three-Port Converter Featuring High Step-Up Gain for Solar PV Applications
Authors: Zhang Yingying , Li Siqi , Wang Yusheng , Wang Jinhai , Chen Zhiwei , Huang Yunzhi
Published: April 2023

A two-switch nonisolated DC–DC three-port converter (TPC) based on a modified SEPIC circuit with a high voltage gain is introduced and a unified power control strategy is proposed in this article. The proposed TPC is integrated with one low-voltage input and one high-voltage port and is suitable for photovoltaic (PV) applications. The operating principle of this TPC is analyzed in detail and then its static voltage gain is determined. In addition, the advantage of using a modified SEPIC circuit is that fewer components are employed compared to a similar topology. Furthermore, the state space method is adopted to analyze this multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) system and then a small signal model is built to design an appropriate control strategy. Finally, the proposed 100 W TPC connects a solar PV energy storage system to a load demonstrating efficiency ranging from 85% to 94%. Moreover, the steady- and dynamic-state performances of this TPC are verified in the SimStar MT3200 HIL platform, which illustrates the feasibility of the proposed TPC and its power control strategy for solar PV applications.
Remote Sensing Image Road Extraction Network Based on MSPFE-Net
Authors: Wei Zhiheng , Zhang Zhenyu
Published: April 2023

Road extraction is a hot task in the field of remote sensing, and it has been widely concerned and applied by researchers, especially using deep learning methods. However, many models using convolutional neural networks ignore the attributes of roads, and the shape of the road is banded and discrete. In addition, the continuity and accuracy of road extraction are also affected by narrow roads and roads blocked by trees. This paper designs a network (MSPFE-Net) based on multi-level strip pooling and feature enhancement. The overall architecture of MSPFE-Net is encoder-decoder, and this network has two main modules. One is a multi-level strip pooling module, which aggregates long-range dependencies of different levels to ensure the connectivity of the road. The other module is the feature enhancement module, which is used to enhance the clarity and local details of the road. We perform a series of experiments on the dataset, Massachusetts Roads Dataset, a public dataset. The experimental data showed that the model in this paper was better than the comparison models.
Mapping the Emergent Trends in Industrial Augmented Reality
Authors: Voinea Gheorghe-Daniel , Gîrbacia Florin , Duguleană Mihai , Boboc Răzvan Gabriel , Gheorghe Carmen
Published: April 2023

Augmented reality (AR) is a rapidly developing technology with the potential to revolutionize various sectors of industry by integrating digital information with the real world. This paper presents an overview of the emergent trends in industrial augmented reality (IAR) over the past five years. The study utilizes a comprehensive literature review analysis of industrial studies (searched on two scientific databases: Scopus and Clarivate Web of Science) to map the evolution of IAR trends from 2018 to 2022. The results revealed ten trending topics of AR application: Industry 4.0, artificial intelligence, smart manufacturing, industrial robots, digital twin, assembly, Internet of Things, visualization, maintenance, and training. Each topic is discussed in detail, providing insight into existing applications and research trends for each application field.
Codeformer: A GNN-Nested Transformer Model for Binary Code Similarity Detection
Authors: Liu Guangming , Zhou Xin , Pang Jianmin , Yue Feng , Liu Wenfu , Wang Junchao
Published: April 2023

Binary code similarity detection is used to calculate the code similarity of a pair of binary functions or files, through a certain calculation method and judgment method. It is a fundamental task in the field of computer binary security. Traditional methods of similarity detection usually use graph matching algorithms, but these methods have poor performance and unsatisfactory effects. Recently, graph neural networks have become an effective method for analyzing graph embeddings in natural language processing. Although these methods are effective, the existing methods still do not sufficiently learn the information of the binary code. To solve this problem, we propose Codeformer, an iterative model of a graph neural network (GNN)-nested Transformer. The model uses a Transformer to obtain an embedding vector of the basic block and uses the GNN to update the embedding vector of each basic block of the control flow graph (CFG). Codeformer iteratively executes basic block embedding to learn abundant global information and finally uses the GNN to aggregate all the basic blocks of a function. We conducted experiments on the OpenSSL, Clamav and Curl datasets. The evaluation results show that our method outperforms the state-of-the-art models.
Detection of Inferior Vena Cava in Ultrasound Scans through a Deep Learning Model
Authors: Policastro Piero , Chiarion Giovanni , Ponzio Francesco , Ermini Leonardo , Civera Stefania , Albani Stefano , Musumeci Giuseppe , Roatta Silvestro , Mesin Luca
Published: April 2023

Ultrasound (US) scans of inferior vena cava (IVC) are widely adopted by healthcare providers to assess patients’ volume status. Unfortunately, this technique is extremely operator dependent. Recently, new techniques have been introduced to extract stable and objective information from US images by automatic IVC edge tracking. However, these methods require prior interaction with the operator, which leads to a waste of time and still makes the technique partially subjective. In this paper, two deep learning methods, YOLO (You only look once) v4 and YOLO v4 tiny networks, commonly used for fast object detection, are applied to identify the location of the IVC and to recognise the either long or short axis view of the US scan. The output of these algorithms can be used to remove operator dependency, to reduce the time required to start an IVC analysis, and to automatically recover the vein if it is lost for a few frames during acquisition. The two networks were trained with frames extracted from 18 subjects, labeled by 4 operators. In addition, they were also trained on a linear combination of two frames that extracted information on both tissue anatomy and movement. We observed similar accuracy of the two models in preliminary tests on the entire dataset, so that YOLO v4 tiny (showing much lower computational cost) was selected for additional cross-validation in which training and test frames were taken from different subjects. The classification accuracy was approximately 88% when using original frames, but it reached 95% when pairs of frames were processed to also include information on tissue movements, indicating the importance of accounting for tissue motion to improve the accuracy of our IVC detector.