bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Cell Culture of Rhus coriaria L.: A Standardized Phytocomplex Rich of Gallic Acid Derivatives with Antioxidant and Skin Repair Activity
Authors: Pressi Giovanna , Bertaiola Oriana , Guarnerio Chiara , Barbieri Elisa , Rigillo Giovanna , Governa Paolo , Biagi Marco , Guzzo Flavia , Semenzato Alessandra
Published: January 2022

This study focused on the biological evaluation and chemical characterization of a new ingredient obtained by in vitro cell culture of Rhus coriaria L. An in vitro plant cell culture method permits to cultivate plant in a short period of time and to obtain extract with a high safety profile for the consumer, free from heavy metals, pesticides, aflatoxins, bacterial or fungal contamination. Through the selection of specific cell culture media, it was possible to obtain a Rhus coriaria cell line with a high content of gallic acid derivatives. The Rhus coriaria L. phytocomplex (RC-P), containing 7.6% w/w of acid gallic derivatives, was obtained by drying of plant cell biomass after 14 days of growth in the final selected culture medium. UPLC-ESI-MS and UPLC-DAD analysis allowed to identify numerous gallic acid derivatives, such as galloyl hexose, trigalloyl hexose and high molecular weight galloyl derivatives, and to quantify their overall content. The antioxidant activity of the RC-P was tested by DPPH assay and the wound healing activity was evaluated using a scratch wound healing test on human keratinocytes and fibroblasts. This work showed that RC-P could be a new effective cosmetic ingredient with antioxidant and skin repair activity.
Optical Properties of InGaN/GaN QW with the Same Well-Plus-Barrier Thickness
Authors: Xu Huan , Hou Xin , Chen Lan , Mei Yang , Zhang Baoping
Published: January 2022

Optical properties of wurtzite violet InGaN/GaN quantum well (QW) structures, with the same well-plus-barrier thickness, grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) on c-plane sapphire substrates, were investigated using temperature-dependent photoluminescence (TDPL) and excitation-power-dependent photoluminescence (PDPL). Two samples were compared: one had a thicker well (InGaN/GaN 3/5 nm); the other had a thicker barrier (InGaN/GaN 2/6 nm). It was found that the GaN barrier thickness in the InGaN/GaN MQWs plays an important role in determining the optical characteristics of the MQWs. The peak energy of the two samples varied with temperature in an S-shape. The thicker-barrier sample had a higher turning point from blueshift to redshift, indicating a stronger localization effect. From the Arrhenius plot of the normalized integrated PL intensity, it was found that the activation energy of the nonradiative process also increased with a thicker barrier thickness. The radiation recombination process was dominated in the sample of the thicker barrier, while the non-radiation process cannot be negligible in the sample of the thicker well.
The Influence of Ion Beam Bombardment on the Properties of High Laser-Induced Damage Threshold HfO2 Thin Films
Authors: Xi Yingxue , Zhao Jiwu , Zhang Jin , Zhang Changming , Wu Qi
Published: January 2022

HfO2 thin films were deposited on BK-7 glass substrates using an electron beam evaporation deposition (EBD) technique and then post-treated with argon and oxygen ions at an ion energy ranging from 800 to 1200 eV. The optical properties, laser damage resistance, and surface morphology of the thin films exposed to Ar ions and O2 ions at various energies were studied. It was found that the two ion post-treatment methods after deposition were effective for improving the LIDT of HfO2 thin films, but the mechanism for the improvement differs. The dense thin films highly resistant to laser damage can be obtained through Ar ion post-treatment at a certain ion energy. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of thin films after O2 ion post-treatment was higher in comparison to those irradiated with Ar ion at the same ion energy.
Shock Properties of One Unsaturated Clay and Its Equation of State Up to 30 GPa
Authors: Ran Xianwen , Zou Xuan , Zhou Jingyuan , Tang Wenhui
Published: January 2022

The complicated composition of unsaturated clay, e.g., solid mineral particles, water, and air, makes it difficult to get its precise equation of state (EOS) over a wide pressure range. In this paper, the high-pressure EOS of unsaturated clay was discussed at the mesoscale. With the original clay extracted from the southern suburbs of Luoyang city, China, three unsaturated clays with moisture contents of 0%, 8%, and 15%, respectively, were remolded. Their Hugoniot parameters in the pressure range of 0–30 GPa were measured using a one-stage or two-stage light gas gun. With the measured Hugoniot parameters, a high-pressure EOS of the unsaturated clay up to 30 GPa was developed and it is in good agreement with the experimental data.
Trophic Niche Dynamics and Diet Partitioning of King Crab Lithodes santolla in Chile’s Sub-Antarctic Water
Authors: Andrade Claudia , Rivera Cristóbal , Daza Erik , Almonacid Eduardo , Ovando Fernanda , Morello Flavia , Pardo Luis Miguel
Published: January 2022

The southern king crab Lithodes santolla is one of the most economically important fishery species in the southern waters of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. A combination of stomach content and stable isotope analyses was used to reveal the potential dietary characteristics, isotopic niche, overlap among maturity stages and sexes, and trophic relationships of an L. santolla population in the Nassau Bay, Cape Horn region. Stable isotope analyses indicated that L. santolla assimilated energy from a basal carbon source, the giant kelp Macrocystis pyrifera, forming the trophic baseline of the benthic food web. Moreover, the trophic position of L. santolla varied among late juveniles and adults, suggesting that the southern king crab does undergo an ontogenetic diet shift. L. santolla exhibited intraspecific isotopic niche variation, reflecting niche differentiation which allows the species to partition resources. The trophic relationships of L. santolla with the associated fauna suggested some potential interactions for food resources/habitat use when they are limited. This study is the first attempt to characterize the trophic dynamics of the southern king crab in the Cape Horn area and, by generating more data, contributes to the conservation of the king crab population and the long-term management of local fisheries that rely on this resource.
Assessing SARS-CoV-2 Neutralizing Antibodies after BNT162b2 Vaccination and Their Correlation with SARS-CoV-2 IgG Anti-S1, Anti-RBD and Anti-S2 Serological Titers
Authors: Ramos Angélica , Cardoso Maria João , Ribeiro Luís , Guimarães João Tiago
Published: January 2022

The humoral response through neutralizing antibodies (NAbs) is a key component of the immune response to COVID-19. However, the plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT), the gold standard for determining NAbs, is technically demanding, time-consuming and requires BSL-3 conditions. Correlating the NAbs and total antibodies levels, assessed by generalized and automated serological tests, is crucial. Through a commercial surrogate virus neutralization test (sVNT), we aimed to evaluate the production of SARS-CoV-2 NAbs in a set of vaccinated healthcare workers and to correlate these NAbs with the SARS-CoV-2 IgG anti-S1, anti-RBD and anti-S2 serological titers. We found that 6 months after vaccination, only 74% maintain NAbs for the Wuhan strain/UK variant (V1) and 47% maintain NAbs for the South African and Brazil variants (V2). Through Spearman’s correlation, we found the following correlations between the percentage of inhibition of NAbs and the SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant (Abbott Laboratories, Chicago, IL, USA) and BioPlex 2200 SARS-CoV-2 IgG Panel (Bio-Rad, Hercules, CA, USA) immunoassays: rho = 0.87 (V1) and rho = 0.73 (V2) for anti-S1 assessed by Abbott assay; rho = 0.77 (V1) and rho = 0.72 (V2) for anti-S1, rho = 0.88 (V1) and rho = 0.82 (V2) for anti-RBD, and rho = 0.68 (V1) and rho = 0.60 (V2) for anti-S2 assessed by BioPlex assay (p < 0.001 for all). In conclusion, we found a strong correlation between this fast, user-friendly, mobile and bio-safe sVNT and the serological immunoassays.
Preclinical Validation of a Novel Injection-Molded Swab for the Molecular Assay Detection of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: Ghezzi Chiara E. , Hartigan Devon R. , Hardick Justin P. , Gore Rebecca , Adelfio Miryam , Diaz Anyelo R. , McGuinness Pamela D. , Robinson Matthew L. , Buchholz Bryan O. , Manabe Yukari C.
Published: January 2022

During the COVID-19 public health emergency, many actions have been undertaken to help ensure that patients and health care providers have timely and continued access to high-quality medical devices to respond effectively. The development and validation of new testing supplies and equipment, including collection swabs, has helped to expand the availability and capability for various diagnostic, therapeutic, and protective medical devices in high demand during the COVID-19 emergency. Here, we report the initial validation of a new injection-molded anterior nasal swab, ClearTip™, that was experimentally validated in a laboratory setting as well as in independent clinical studies in comparison to gold standard flocked swabs. We have also developed an in vitro anterior nasal tissue model which offers a novel, efficient, and clinically relevant validation tool to replicate the clinical swabbing workflow with high fidelity, while being accessible, safe, reproducible, and time- and cost-effective. ClearTip™ displayed greater inactivated virus release in the benchtop model, confirmed by its greater ability to report positive samples in a small clinical study in comparison to flocked swabs. We also quantified the detection of biological materials, as a proxy for viral material, in multi-center pre-clinical and clinical studies which showed a statistically significant difference in one study and a reduction in performance in comparison to flocked swabs. Taken together, these results emphasize the compelling benefits of non-absorbent injection-molded anterior nasal swabs for COVID-19 detection, comparable to standard flocked swabs. Injection-molded swabs, as ClearTip™, could have the potential to support future swab shortages, due to its manufacturing advantages, while offering benefits in comparison to highly absorbent swabs in terms of comfort, limited volume collection, and potential multiple usage.
Identification of the First Single GSDME Exon 8 Structural Variants Associated with Autosomal Dominant Hearing Loss
Authors: Mansard Luke , Vaché Christel , Bianchi Julie , Baudoin Corinne , Perthus Isabelle , Isidor Bertrand , Blanchet Catherine , Baux David , Koenig Michel , Kalatzis Vasiliki , Roux Anne-Françoise
Published: January 2022

GSDME, also known as DFNA5, is a gene implicated in autosomal dominant nonsyndromic hearing loss (ADNSHL), affecting, at first, the high frequencies with a subsequent progression over all frequencies. To date, all the GSDME pathogenic variants associated with deafness lead to skipping of exon 8. In two families with apparent ADNSHL, massively parallel sequencing (MPS) integrating a coverage-based method for detection of copy number variations (CNVs) was applied, and it identified the first two causal GSDME structural variants affecting exon 8. The deleterious impact of the c.991-60_1095del variant, which includes the acceptor splice site sequence of exon 8, was confirmed by the study of the proband’s transcripts. The second mutational event is a complex rearrangement that deletes almost all of the exon 8 sequence. This study increases the mutational spectrum of the GSDME gene and highlights the crucial importance of MPS data for the detection of GSDME exon 8 deletions, even though the identification of a causal single-exon CNV by MPS analysis is still challenging.
Recent Developments in Phenotypic and Molecular Diagnostic Methods for Antimicrobial Resistance Detection in Staphylococcus aureus: A Narrative Review
Authors: Sanchini Andrea
Published: January 2022

Staphylococcus aureus is an opportunistic pathogen responsible for a wide range of infections in humans, such as skin and soft tissue infections, pneumonia, food poisoning or sepsis. Historically, S. aureus was able to rapidly adapt to anti-staphylococcal antibiotics and become resistant to several classes of antibiotics. Today, methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) is a multidrug-resistant pathogen and is one of the most common bacteria responsible for hospital-acquired infections and outbreaks, in community settings as well. The rapid and accurate diagnosis of antimicrobial resistance in S. aureus is crucial to the early initiation of directed antibiotic therapy and to improve clinical outcomes for patients. In this narrative review, I provide an overview of recent phenotypic and molecular diagnostic methods for antimicrobial resistance detection in S. aureus, with a particular focus on MRSA detection. I consider methods for resistance detection in both clinical samples and isolated S. aureus cultures, along with a brief discussion of the advantages and the challenges of implementing such methods in routine diagnostics.
Isolated Splenic Metastasis of Primary Lung Cancer Presented as Metachronous Oligometastatic Disease—A Case Report
Authors: Reljic Milorad , Tadic Boris , Stosic Katarina , Mitrovic Milica , Grubor Nikola , Kmezic Stefan , Ceranic Miljan , Milosavljevic Vladimir
Published: January 2022

Modern oncology practice and new antitumor drugs prolonged disease-free intervals in patients with lung cancer. Patients with distant metastatic disease are treated only with palliative intent. The International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, in the 8th edition of the TNM classification, for the first time includes oligometastatic disease as a clinical state that describes the patients with distant metastasis, limited in number and organ sites, who may have more indolent biology. In this paper, we present a case of a 56-year-old man who was admitted to our clinic regarding a radiologically diagnosed splenic lesion of uncertain nature, and who underwent a left upper lobectomy for primary lung cancer 12 years before. After a detailed radiological diagnosis, it was concluded that it is highly suspected metastatic lesion of the spleen and the patient underwent a splenectomy. While no definitive protocols exist on the management of isolated splenic metastasis from lung cancer, splenectomy, in suitable patients, with reasonable survival expectations, improves patient disease-free survival and can prevent potentially life-threatening complications, such as splenic rupture. 18F-FDG PET has very high sensitivity and specificity for differentiating benign and malignant splenic lesions especially in patients who are in the follow up protocol due to primary malignancy.
Microbial Translocation and Perinatal Asphyxia/Hypoxia: A Systematic Review
Authors: Matara Dimitra-Ifigeneia , Pouliakis Abraham , Xanthos Theodoros , Sokou Rozeta , Kafalidis Georgios , Iliodromiti Zoi , Boutsikou Theodora , Iacovidou Nicoletta , Salakos Christos
Published: January 2022

The microbiome is vital for the proper function of the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the maintenance of overall wellbeing. Gut ischemia may lead to disruption of the intestinal mucosal barrier, resulting in bacterial translocation. In this systematic review, according to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis) guidelines, we constructed a search query using the PICOT (Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome, Time) framework. Eligible studies reported in PubMed, up to April 2021 were selected, from which, 57 publications’ data were included. According to these, escape of intraluminal potentially harmful factors into the systemic circulation and their transmission to distant organs and tissues, in utero, at birth, or immediately after, can be caused by reduced blood oxygenation. Various factors are involved in this situation. The GIT is a target organ, with high sensitivity to ischemia–hypoxia, and even short periods of ischemia may cause significant local tissue damage. Fetal hypoxia and perinatal asphyxia reduce bowel motility, especially in preterm neonates. Despite the fact that microbiome arouse the interest of scientists in recent decades, the pathophysiologic patterns which mediate in perinatal hypoxia/asphyxia conditions and gut function have not yet been well understood.
How Many Times Can One Go Back to the Drawing Board before the Accurate Diagnosis and Surgical Treatment of Glucagonoma?
Authors: Martin Carmen Sorina , Parfeni Ovidiu Dumitru , Popa Liliana Gabriela , Mihai Mara Madalina , Terzea Dana , Herlea Vlad , Gherghe Mirela , Adam Razvan , Alnuaimi Osama , Calu Valentin , Miron Adrian , Negoita Silvius , Nitipir Cornelia , Fica Simona
Published: January 2022

Glucagonomas are neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) that arise from the alpha cells of the pancreatic islets. They are typically slow-growing tumors associated with abnormal glucagon secretion, resulting in one or more non-specific clinical features, such as necrolytic migratory erythema (NME), diabetes, diarrhea, deep vein thrombosis, weight loss, and depression. Here, we report the case of a 44-year-old male with a history of diabetes mellitus, presenting with a pruritic and painful disseminated cutaneous eruption of erythematous plaques, with scales and peripheral pustules, misdiagnosed as disseminated pustular psoriasis and treated for 2 years with oral retinoid and glucocorticoids. During this period, the patient complained of weight loss of 32 kg and diarrhea and developed deep vein thrombosis. These symptoms, together with an inadequate response to therapy of the skin lesions, led to the reassessment of the initial diagnosis. Laboratory tests confirmed elevated plasma glucagon levels (>1000 pg/mL) and computed tomography (CT) scans revealed a 35/44 mm tumor in the pancreatic tail. Due to considerable disease complications and the COVID-19 pandemic, the surgical removal of the tumor was delayed for nearly 2 years. During this time, somatostatin analogue therapy efficiently controlled the glucagonoma syndrome and likely prevented tumor progression. As in other functional pancreatic NETs, the early clinical recognition of hormonal hypersecretion syndrome and the multidisciplinary approach are the keys for best patient management.
Special Issue “Advancement in Breast Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology”
Authors: Di Grezia Graziella
Published: January 2022

A multimodality approach in breast imaging is a unique solution to guarantee to the patient a complete diagnosis [...]
Sudden Cardiac Death and Ex-Situ Post-Mortem Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Morphological Study Based on Diagnostic Correlation Methodology
Authors: Bertozzi Giuseppe , Cafarelli Francesco Pio , Ferrara Michela , Di Fazio Nicola , Guglielmi Giuseppe , Cipolloni Luigi , Manetti Federico , La Russa Raffaele , Fineschi Vittorio
Published: January 2022

During the last years, post-mortem imaging has gradually been assumed within research in the field of forensic pathology. This role appears to be clearly and simply applied in the trauma field with the use of conventional radiography or Post Mortem Computed Tomography (PMCT). Recently, particular attention was paid to cardiovascular imaging using Post Mortem Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PMMRI). The present experimental study aims to: (i) confirm the efficacy of a Post Mortem Cardiac Resonance Imaging (PMCRI) study protocol for the study of human hearts collected during the autopsy; (ii) apply the defined protocol on subjects who died of “SCD (sudden cardiac death)”, to identify alterations that could guide subsequent sampling. Two hearts of healthy subjects (A: male 22 years; B: female 26 years), who died from causes other than SCD were collected and compared to hearts that belonged to SCD individuals (C: male, 47 years old; D: female, 44 years old; E: male; 72 years old). The exams were performed on a 1.5 T scanner (Philips Intera Achieva, Best, the Netherlands) on hearts collected during autopsy and after a 30-day formalin fixation. Two readers analyzed the obtained images blindly and after randomization. From the comparison between the data from imaging and the macroscopic and histological investigations carried out, the present study proved the effectiveness of a PMMRI protocol to study ex-situ hearts. Moreover, it suggested the following semeiology in post-mortem SCD cases: the hyperintense area with indistinct margins in the Short Tau Inversion Recovery (STIR) sequence was linked to edema or area of pathological fibers, whereas the hypointense area in the T2-FFE sequences was linked to fibrosis. PMMRI can provide a valuable benefit to post-mortem investigations, helping to distinctly improve the success rate of histological sampling and investigations, which remains the gold standard in the diagnosis of sudden death.
Evaluation of Clinical and Immunohistochemical Factors Relating to Melanoma Metastasis: Potential Roles of Nestin and Fascin in Melanoma
Authors: Yamamoto Yumiko , Hayashi Yoshihiro , Sakaki Hideyuki , Murakami Ichiro
Published: January 2022

For melanoma treatment, an early diagnosis and a complete resection of the primary tumor is essential. In addition, detection of factors that may be related to metastasis is indispensable. A total of 30 Japanese patients with Stage I or II melanoma, diagnosed according to the classification of the American Joint Committee on Cancer, are included in this study. Clinical background (sex, onset age, primary tumor area, existence of remaining cancer cells at the resected tissue margin, and treatment after the primary surgery) and immunohistochemical staining (Nestin and Fascin) on the resected tissue were examined to detect factors statistically related to metastasis. The analysis result has shown that older onset age and positive immunohistochemical expressions of Nestin and Fascin are statistically related to metastasis. To facilitate meticulous observation of Nestin and Fascin expression at different timing (e.g., onset and metastasis), double immunofluorescence staining was performed. Nestin is a class VI intermediate filament protein, initially detected in neural stem cells. Fascin is an actin-bundling protein which regulates cell adhesion, migration and invasion. Nestin and Fascin are suggested to relate to melanoma metastasis, however, the potential role of Fascin is controversial. Analysis of variations in Fascin expression detected in this study may contribute to further investigations concerning potential roles of Fascin for progression of melanoma. This is the first study to report double immunofluorescent staining of Nestin and Fascin in melanoma. Nestin and Fascin double-positive melanoma cells were detected.
Comparison of FDG PET/CT and Bone Marrow Biopsy Results in Patients with Diffuse Large B Cell Lymphoma with Subgroup Analysis of PET Radiomics
Authors: Han Eun Ji , O Joo Hyun , Yoon Hyukjin , Ha Seunggyun , Yoo Ie Ryung , Min Jae Won , Choi Joon-Il , Choi Byung-Ock , Park Gyeongsin , Lee Han Hee , Jeon Young-Woo , Min Gi-June , Cho Seok-Goo
Published: January 2022

Whether FDG PET/CT can replace bone marrow biopsy (BMBx) is undecided in patients with diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL). We compared the visual PET findings and PET radiomic features, with BMBx results. A total of 328 patients were included; 269 (82%) were PET-negative and 59 (18%) were PET-positive for bone lesions on visual assessment. A fair degree of agreement was present between PET and BMBx findings (ĸ = 0.362, p < 0.001). Bone involvement on PET/CT lead to stage IV in 12 patients, despite no other evidence of extranodal lesion. Of 35 discordant PET-positive and BMBx-negative cases, 22 (63%) had discrete bone uptake on PET/CT. A total of 144 patients were eligible for radiomic analysis, and two grey-level zone-length matrix derived parameters obtained from the iliac crests showed a trend for higher values in the BMBx-positive group compared to the BMBx-negative group (mean 436.6 ± 449.0 versus 227.2 ± 137.8, unadjusted p = 0.037 for high grey-level zone emphasis; mean 308.8 ± 394.4 versus 135.7 ± 97.2, unadjusted p = 0.048 for short-zone high grey-level emphasis), but statistical significance was not found after multiple comparison correction. Visual FDG PET/CT assessment and BMBx results were discordant in 17% of patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL, and the two tests are complementary in the evaluation of bone involvement.
Simulating the Intraoral Aging of Dental Bonding Agents: A Narrative Review
Authors: Vilde Tomas , Stewart Cameron , Finer Yoav
Published: January 2022

Despite their popularity, resin composite restorations fail earlier and at higher rates than comparable amalgam restorations. One of the reasons for these rates of failure are the properties of current dental bonding agents. Modern bonding agents are vulnerable to gradual chemical and mechanical degradation from a number of avenues such as daily use in chewing, catalytic hydrolysis facilitated by salivary or bacterial enzymes, and thermal fluctuations. These stressors have been found to work synergistically, all contributing to the deterioration and eventual failure of the hybrid layer. Due to the expense and difficulty in conducting in vivo experiments, in vitro protocols meant to accurately simulate the oral environment’s stressors are important in the development of bonding agents and materials that are more resistant to these processes of degradation. This narrative review serves to summarize the currently employed methods of aging dental materials and critically appraise them in the context of our knowledge of the oral environment’s parameters.
Factors Associated with School Effectiveness: Detection of High- and Low-Efficiency Schools through Hierarchical Linear Models
Authors: García-Jiménez Jesús , Torres-Gordillo Juan-Jesús , Rodríguez-Santero Javier
Published: January 2022

School effectiveness is a topic of interest addressed by numerous research projects focused on clarifying which variables contribute to the explanation of educational performance. This research aims to find out to what extent social, cultural, and academic variables at the student and school levels, as perceived by families, influence performance, and to evaluate the relevance of high residual and gross score criteria in the selection of effective or ineffective schools. Census data from diagnostic evaluations of the Mathematical Reasoning and Linguistic Communication of students in a certain Spanish region, over five academic years, have been used. The multilevel hierarchical analyses carried out have enabled the detection of centers of high and low efficiency, as well as the identification of which factors, related to the idiosyncrasy of the students and the educational center they attend, significantly influence the performance of the students. It was concluded that the socioeconomic and cultural level of the families, the family expectations, the commitment to reading and the educational agreement were significant variables in the explanation of the students’ educational performance, and that the residual score of the educational centers was a valid criterion to estimate their level of effectiveness once the socio-cultural factors have been controlled.
AMROFloor: An Efficient Aging Mitigation and Resource Optimization Floorplanner for Virtual Coarse-Grained Runtime Reconfigurable FPGAs
Authors: Li Zeyu , Huang Zhao , Wang Quan , Wang Junjie
Published: January 2022

With the rapid reduction of CMOS process size, the FPGAs with high-silicon accumulation technology are becoming more sensitive to aging effects. This reduces the reliability and service life of the device. The offline aging-aware layout planning based on balance stress is an effective solution. However, the existing methods need to take a long time to solve the floorplanner, and the corresponding layout solutions occupy many on-chip resources. To this end, we proposed an efficient Aging Mitigation and Resource Optimization Floorplanner (AMROFloor) for FPGAs. First, the layout solution is implemented on the Virtual Coarse-Grained Runtime Reconfigurable Architecture, which contributes to avoiding rule constraints for placement and routing. Second, the Maximize Reconfigurable Regions Algorithm (MRRA) is proposed to quickly determine the RRs’ number and size to save the solving time and ensure an effective solution. Furthermore, the Resource Combination Algorithm (RCA) is proposed to optimize the on-chip resources, reducing the on-Chip Resource Utilization (CRU) while achieving the same aging relief effect. Experiments were simulated and implemented on Xilinx FPGA. The results demonstrate that the AMROFloor method designed in this paper can extend the Mean Time to Failure (MTTF) by 13.8% and optimize the resource overhead by 19.2% on average compared to the existing aging-aware layout solutions.
Research on Design and Monitoring of a Development Index of an Industrial Internet Platform Based on a Fixed-Base Index Method
Authors: Dou Keqin , Li Jun , Zhou Yong
Published: January 2022

Accelerating the innovation and development of the Industrial Internet Platform is inevitably necessary for the integration of new-generation information technology and the manufacturing industry. It is also the key point for promoting the construction of manufacturing power and network power. In this paper, based on the comprehensive analysis of the relevant problems of China’s Industrial Internet Platform development monitoring, the development index of the Industrial Internet Platform is designed. Taking a typical domestic Industrial Internet Platform as an example, the development index of the Industrial Internet Platform in 2018, 2019, and 2020 are comprehensively calculated in this paper. The results show that China’s Industrial Internet Platform is rapidly growing in many aspects, such as industrial equipment cloud and industrial APP. There is a large space for improving the industrial knowledge accumulation reuse and the application promotion of small/medium-sized enterprises. The results in this paper can provide scientific suggestions and practical references for the government, enterprises, scientific research institutions, which is of great significance in promoting the healthiness and sustainability of the Industrial Internet Platform.
Semantic Conceptual Framework for Environmental Monitoring and Surveillance—A Case Study on Forest Fire Video Monitoring and Surveillance
Authors: Šerić Ljiljana , Ivanda Antonia , Bugarić Marin , Braović Maja
Published: January 2022

This paper presents a semantic conceptual framework and definition of environmental monitoring and surveillance and demonstrates an ontology implementation of the framework. This framework is defined in a mathematical formulation and is built upon and focused on the notation of observation systems. This formulation is utilized in the analysis of the observation system. Three taxonomies are presented, namely, the taxonomy of (1) the sampling method, (2) the value format and (3) the functionality. The definition of concepts and their relationships in the conceptual framework clarifies the task of querying for information related to the state of the environment or conditions related to specific events. This framework aims to make the observation system more queryable and therefore more interactive for users or other systems. Using the proposed semantic conceptual framework, we derive definitions of the distinguished tasks of monitoring and surveillance. Monitoring is focused on the continuous assessment of an environment state and surveillance is focused on the collection of all data relevant for specific events. The proposed mathematical formulation is implemented in the format of the computer readable ontology. The presented ontology provides a general framework for the semantic retrieval of relevant environmental information. For the implementation of the proposed framework, we present a description of the Intelligent Forest Fire Video Monitoring and Surveillance system in Croatia. We present the implementation of the tasks of monitoring and surveillance in the application domain of forest fire management.
Multi-Scale Memetic Image Registration
Authors: Cocianu Cătălina Lucia , Uscatu Cristian Răzvan
Published: January 2022

Many technological applications of our time rely on images captured by multiple cameras. Such applications include the detection and recognition of objects in captured images, the tracking of objects and analysis of their motion, and the detection of changes in appearance. The alignment of images captured at different times and/or from different angles is a key processing step in these applications. One of the most challenging tasks is to develop fast algorithms to accurately align images perturbed by various types of transformations. The paper reports a new method used to register images in the case of geometric perturbations that include rotations, translations, and non-uniform scaling. The input images can be monochrome or colored, and they are preprocessed by a noise-insensitive edge detector to obtain binarized versions. Isotropic scaling transformations are used to compute multi-scale representations of the binarized inputs. The algorithm is of memetic type and exploits the fact that the computation carried out in reduced representations usually produces promising initial solutions very fast. The proposed method combines bio-inspired and evolutionary computation techniques with clustered search and implements a procedure specially tailored to address the premature convergence issue in various scaled representations. A long series of tests on perturbed images were performed, evidencing the efficiency of our memetic multi-scale approach. In addition, a comparative analysis has proved that the proposed algorithm outperforms some well-known registration procedures both in terms of accuracy and runtime.
Novel Motor-Kinetic-Energy-Based Power Pulsation Buffer Concept for Single-Phase-Input Electrolytic-Capacitor-Less Motor-Integrated Inverter System
Authors: Haider Michael , Bortis Dominik , Zulauf Grayson , Kolar Johann W. , Ono Yasuo
Published: January 2022

The motor integration of singe-phase-supplied Variable-Speed Drives (VSDs) is prevented by the significant volume, short lifetime, and operating temperature limit of the electrolytic capacitors required to buffer the pulsating power grid. The DC-link energy storage requirement is eliminated by using the kinetic energy of the motor as a buffer. The proposed concept is called the Motor-Integrated Power Pulsation Buffer (MPPB), and a control technique and structure are detailed that meet the requirements for nominal and faulted operation with a simple reconfiguration of existing controller blocks. A 7.5 KW, motor-integrated hardware demonstrator validated the proposed MPPB concept and loss models for a scroll compressor drive used in auxiliary railway applications. The MPPB drive with a front-end CISPR 11/Class A EMI filter, PFC rectifier stage, and output-side inverter stage achieved a power density of 0.91 KW L−1 (15 W in−3). The grid-to-motor-shaft efficiency exceeded 90% for all loads over 5 kW or 66% of nominal load, with a worst-case loss penalty over a conventional system of only 17%.
Investigation on High-Efficiency Beam-Wave Interaction for Coaxial Multi-Beam Relativistic Klystron Amplifier
Authors: Sun Limin , Huang Hua , Li Shifeng , Liu Zhengbang , He Hu , Xiang Qifan , He Ke , Fang Xianghe
Published: January 2022

To significantly improve the electronic efficiency of coaxial multi-beam relativistic klystron amplifier (CMB-RKA), the physical process of beam-wave interaction and parameters that affect efficiency was studied. First, the high efficiency of beam-wave interaction was discussed by simulating the efficiency versus the parameters (frequency of cavity, drift tube length between cavities, and external quality factor of output cavity), in the one-dimensional (1-D) large-signal simulation software. Moreover, the further physical process of beam-wave interaction was analyzed through simulating the current modulation factor and the number of particles at the entrance of the output cavity, in the three-dimensional (3-D) particle in cell simulation software. Last, with the optimal parameters in 3-D simulations, the CMB-RKA, which has 14 electron beams with a total current of 4.2 kA (14 × 300 A), can generate an output power of 1.02 GW with a saturation gain of 55.6 dB and an efficiency of 48.7%, when beam voltage is 500 kV, which indicated the CMB-RKA can achieve high efficiency for high-power microwave radiation.
Fog-Computing-Based Cyber–Physical System for Secure Food Traceability through the Twofish Algorithm
Authors: Awan Kamran Ahmad , Din Ikram Ud , Almogren Ahmad , Kim Byung-Seo
Published: January 2022

The Internet is an essential part of daily life with the expansion of businesses for maximizing profits. This technology has intensely altered the traditional shopping style in online shopping. Convenience, quick price comparison, saving traveling time, and avoiding crowds are the reasons behind the abrupt adoption of online shopping. However, in many situations, the product provided does not meet the quality, which is the primary concern of every customer. To ensure quality product provision, the whole food supply chain should be examined and managed properly. In food traceability systems, sensors are used to gather product information, which is forwarded to fog computing. However, the product information forwarded by the sensors may not be similar, as it can be modified by intruders/hackers. Moreover, consumers are interested in the product location, as well as its status, i.e., manufacturing date, expiry date, etc. Therefore, in this paper, data and account security techniques were introduced to efficiently secure product information through the Twofish algorithm and dual attestation for account verification. To improve the overall working, the proposed mechanism integrates fog computing with novel modules to efficiently monitor the product, along with increasing the efficiency of the whole working process. To validate the performance of the proposed system, a comparative simulation was performed with existing approaches in which Twofish showed notably better results in terms of encryption time, computational cost, and the identification of modification attacks.
A Hybrid Driver Fatigue and Distraction Detection Model Using AlexNet Based on Facial Features
Authors: Anber Salma , Alsaggaf Wafaa , Shalash Wafaa
Published: January 2022

Modern cities have imposed a fast-paced lifestyle where more drivers on the road suffer from fatigue and sleep deprivation. Consequently, road accidents have increased, becoming one of the leading causes of injuries and death among young adults and children. These accidents can be prevented if fatigue symptoms are diagnosed and detected sufficiently early. For this reason, we propose and compare two AlexNet CNN-based models to detect drivers’ fatigue behaviors, relying on head position and mouth movements as behavioral measures. We used two different approaches. The first approach is transfer learning, specifically, fine-tuning AlexNet, which allowed us to take advantage of what the model had already learned without developing it from scratch. The newly trained model was able to predict drivers’ drowsiness behaviors. The second approach is the use of AlexNet to extract features by training the top layers of the network. These features were reduced using non-negative matrix factorization (NMF) and classified with a support vector machine (SVM) classifier. The experiments showed that our proposed transfer learning model achieved an accuracy of 95.7%, while the feature extraction SVM-based model performed better, with an accuracy of 99.65%. Both models were trained on a simulated NTHU Driver Drowsiness Detection dataset.
Power Quality Monitoring Strategy Based on an Optimized Multi-Domain Feature Selection for the Detection and Classification of Disturbances in Wind Generators
Authors: Elvira-Ortiz David A. , Saucedo-Dorantes Juan J. , Osornio-Rios Roque A. , Morinigo-Sotelo Daniel , Antonino-Daviu Jose A.
Published: January 2022

Wind generation has recently become an essential renewable power supply option. Wind generators are integrated with electrical machines that require correct functionality. However, the increasing use of non-linear loads introduces undesired disturbances that may compromise the integrity of the electrical machines inside the wind generator. Therefore, this work proposes a five-step methodology for power quality disturbance detection in grids with injection of wind farm energy. First, a database with synthetic signals is generated, to be used in the training process. Then, a multi-domain feature estimation is carried out. To reduce the problematic dimensionality, the features that provide redundant information are eliminated through an optimized feature selection performed by means of a genetic algorithm and the principal component analysis. Additionally, each one of the characteristic feature matrices of every considered condition are modeled through a specific self-organizing map neuron grid so they can be shown in a 2-D representation. Since the SOM model provides a pattern of the behavior of every disturbance, they are used as inputs of the classifier, based in a softmax layer neural network that performs the power quality disturbance detection of six different conditions: healthy or normal, sag or swell voltages, transients, voltage fluctuations and harmonic distortion. Thus, the proposed method is validated using a set of synthetic signals and is then tested using two different sets of real signals from an IEEE workgroup and from a wind park located in Spain.
A New Method of Dynamic Horizontal Fragmentation for Multimedia Databases Contemplating Content-Based Queries
Authors: Castro-Medina Felipe , Rodríguez-Mazahua Lisbeth , López-Chau Asdrúbal , Cervantes Jair , Alor-Hernández Giner , Machorro-Cano Isaac , Arrioja-Rodríguez Mario Leoncio
Published: January 2022

The proper storage and management of multimedia data is a topic of great interest to industry and academia. Database fragmentation plays a fundamental role as a mechanism to guarantee cost reduction and improve response time performance in distributed data management environments. Multimedia database access patterns are constantly changing; due to this, it is important that the partitioning schemes also adapt to these changes. Dynamic fragmentation techniques offer this advantage and represent a reduction of the tasks that an administrator must perform and the complete autonomy to determine when to carry out a new fragmentation based on a cost model. This work proposes a new method of dynamic horizontal fragmentation for multimedia databases, including a way to contemplate content-based queries in the creation of new fragments. The use of content-based queries is on the rise, as multimedia elements are often presented within databases, and for this reason new fragmentation strategies must include this aspect to provide better-performing schemas. The method included in this research is placed within a current web application called XAMANA. We performed some experiments to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Long-Term Effects of Climate and Litter Chemistry on Rates and Stable Fractions of Decomposing Scots Pine and Norway Spruce Needle Litter—A Synthesis
Authors: Berg Björn , Lönn Mikael
Published: January 2022

We have reviewed information on early-, late- and limit-value decomposition stages for litter of Norway spruce (Picea abies) and Scots pine (Pinus silvestris). This synthesis covers c 16 studies/papers made along a climatic gradient; range in mean annual temperature (MAT) from −1 to +7 °C and mean annual precipitation (MAP) from 425 to 1070 mm. Scots pine has an early stage dominated by carbohydrate decomposition and a late stage dominated by decomposition of lignin; Norway spruce has just one stage dominated by lignin decomposition. We used data for annual mass loss to identify rate-regulating factors in both stages; climate data, namely, MAT and MAP, as well as substrate properties, namely, nitrogen (N), acid unhydrolyzable residue (AUR), manganese (Mn). Early-stage decomposition for Scots pine litter was dominated positively by MAT; the late stage was dominated negatively by MAT, N, and AUR, changing with decomposition stage; there was no effect of Mn. Norway spruce litter had no early stage; decomposition in the lignin-dominated stage was mainly negative to MAP, a negative relationship to AUR and non-significant relationships to N and MAT. Mn had a positive relationship. Limit values for decomposition, namely, the accumulated mass loss at which decomposition is calculated to be zero, were related positively to Mn and AUR for Scots pine litter and negatively to AUR for Norway spruce litter. With different sets of rate-regulating factors as well as different compounds/elements related to the limit values, the decomposition patterns or pathways are different.
Declining Growth Response of Siberian Spruce to Climate Variability on the Taiga–Tundra Border in the Putorana Mountains (Northwest Siberia)
Authors: Fleischer Peter , Pichler Viliam , Merganič Ján , Gömöryová Erika , Homolák Marián , Fleischer Peter
Published: January 2022

Global warming is most pronounced at high latitudes where temperatures increase twice as fast as the global average. Boreal forest growth is generally limited by low temperatures, so elevated temperature is supposed to enhance biomass production and carbon sequestration. A large amount of evidence has recently shown inconsistent responses of tree growth derived from annual tree rings to increasing temperature. We studied Siberian spruce growth in the remote and isolated Putorana Mts, Western Siberia in populations at its natural distribution limit. Tree ring cores were sampled along vertical transect in 100, 200 and 350 m a.s.l. as the aim was to identify the tree growth rate at different altitudes. Detailed sampling site descriptions served to identify possible factors controlling the growth rate in extremely heterogeneous environments. Monthly climate data for the period 1900–2020 were extracted from the gridded CRU database. Tree ring chronologies confirmed long-lasting limited growth, and despite high year-to-year ring width variability, synchronous growth at vertical study sites dominantly controlled by climate. The positive tree ring growth response to summer temperature was significant for most of the 20th century but dramatically changed in recent decades, when unusually warm summers were reported. There was no, or even a negative growth rate correlation with precipitation, which indicates a sufficient water supply at the study sites. Elevated temperature in this region with a continental climate might turn the study localities to water-limited areas with many negative consequences on tree growth and related ecosystem services.