bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Early Hemorrhagic Transformation after Reperfusion Therapy in Patients with Acute Ischemic Stroke: Analysis of Risk Factors and Predictors
Authors: Iancu Aida , Buleu Florina , Chita Dana Simona , Tutelca Adrian , Tudor Raluca , Brad Silviu
Published: May 2023

Background: The standard reperfusion therapy for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is considered to be thrombolysis, but its application is limited by the high risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT). This study aimed to analyze risk factors and predictors of early HT after reperfusion therapy (intravenous thrombolysis or mechanical thrombectomy). Material and methods: Patients with acute ischemic stroke who developed HT in the first 24 h after receiving rtPA thrombolysis or performing mechanical thrombectomy were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into two groups, respectively, the early-HT group and the without-early-HT group based on cranial computed tomography performed at 24 h, regardless of the type of hemorrhagic transformation. Results: A total of 211 consecutive patients were enrolled in this study. Among these patients, 20.37% (n = 43; age: median 70.00 years; 51.2% males) had early HT. Multivariate analysis of independent risk factors associated with early HT found that male gender increased the risk by 2.7-fold, the presence of baseline high blood pressure by 2.4-fold, and high glycemic values by 1.2-fold. Higher values of NIHSS at 24 h increased the risk of hemorrhagic transformation by 1.18-fold, while higher values of ASPECTS at 24 h decreased the risk of hemorrhagic transformation by 0.6-fold. Conclusions: In our study, male gender, baseline high blood pressure, and high glycemic values, along with higher values of NIHSS were associated with the increased risk of early HT. Furthermore, the identification of early-HT predictors is critical in patients with AIS for the clinical outcome after reperfusion therapy. Predictive models to be used in the future to select more careful patients with a low risk of early HT need to be developed in order to minimize the impact of HT associated with reperfusion techniques.
Current Role of Endoscopic Endonasal Approach for Craniopharyngiomas: A 10-Year Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Comparison with the Open Transcranial Approach
Authors: Figueredo Luisa F. , Martínez Andrea L. , Suarez-Meade Paola , Marenco-Hillembrand Lina , Salazar Andrés Felipe , Pabon Daniela , Guzmán Juan , Murguiondo-Perez Renata , Hallak Hana , Godo Alex , Sandoval-Garcia Carolina , Ordoñez-Rubiano Edgar G. , Donaldson Angela , Chaichana Kaisorn L. , Peris-Celda María , Bendok Bernard R. , Samson Susan L. , Quinones-Hinojosa Alfredo , Almeida Joao Paulo
Published: May 2023

In recent years, the endoscopic endonasal approach (EEA) for craniopharyngiomas has proven to be a safe option for extensive tumor resection, with minimal or no manipulation of the optic nerves and excellent visualization of the superior hypophyseal branches when compared to the Transcranial Approach (TCA). However, there is an ongoing debate regarding the criteria for selecting different approaches. To explore the current results of EEA and discuss its role in the management of craniopharyngiomas, we performed MEDLINE, Embase, and LILACS searches from 2012 to 2022. Baseline characteristics, the extent of resection, and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed through an X2 and Fisher exact test, and a comparison between quantitative variables through a Kruskal–Wallis and verified with post hoc Bonferroni. The tumor volume was similar in both groups (EEA 11.92 cm3, -TCA 13.23 cm3). The mean follow-up in months was 39.9 for EEA and 43.94 for TCA, p = 0.76). The EEA group presented a higher visual improvement rate (41.96% vs. 25% for TCA, p < 0.0001, OR 7.7). Permanent DI was less frequent with EEA (29.20% vs. 67.40% for TCA, p < 0.0001, OR 0.2). CSF Leaks occurred more frequently with EEA (9.94% vs. 0.70% for TCA, p < 0.0001, OR 15.8). Recurrence rates were lower in the EEA group (EEA 15.50% vs. for TCA 21.20%, p = 0.04, OR 0.7). Our results demonstrate that, in selected cases, EEA for resection of craniopharyngiomas is associated with better results regarding visual preservation and extent of tumor resection. Postoperative CSF leak rates associated with EEA have improved compared to the historical series. The decision-making process should consider each person’s characteristics; however, it is noticeable that recent data regarding EEA justify its widespread application as a first-line approach in centers of excellence for skull base surgery.
Self-Relevance Moderates the Relationship between Depressive Symptoms and Corrugator Activity during the Imagination of Personal Episodic Events
Authors: Faul Leonard , Rothrock Jane M. , LaBar Kevin S.
Published: May 2023

Accumulating evidence suggests depression is associated with blunted reactivity to positive and negative stimuli, known as emotion context insensitivity (ECI). However, ECI is not consistently observed in the literature, suggesting moderators that influence its presence. We propose self-relevance as one such moderator, with ECI most apparent when self-relevance is low. We examined this proposal by measuring self-report and facial electromyography (EMG) from the corrugator muscle while participants (n = 81) imagined hypothetical scenarios with varying self-relevance and recalled autobiographical memories. Increased depressive symptoms on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale were associated with less differentiated arousal and self-relevance ratings between happy, neutral, and sad scenarios. EMG analyses further revealed that individuals with high depressive symptoms exhibited blunted corrugator reactivity (reduced differentiation) for sad, neutral, and happy scenarios with low self-relevance, while corrugator reactivity remained sensitive to valence for highly self-relevant scenarios. By comparison, in individuals with low depressive symptoms, corrugator activity differentiated valence regardless of stimulus self-relevance. Supporting a role for self-relevance in shaping ECI, we observed no depression-related differences in emotional reactivity when participants recalled highly self-relevant happy or sad autobiographical memories. Our findings suggest ECI is primarily associated with blunted reactivity towards material deemed low in self-relevance.
The Role of Renewable Energy as a ‘Green Growth’ Strategy for the Built Environment
Authors: Gorji Ali A. , Martek Igor
Published: May 2023

Green growth has emerged as a strategy for addressing environmental concerns while also promoting economic development. This study assesses the impact of renewable energy technologies and policies on green growth in the built environment. It investigates 20 developed and 20 developing countries from 2010 to 2021. Panel data estimators such as generalized least squares and generalized method of moments are employed. The results reveal that the contribution of renewable energy sectors to green growth varies between developed and developing countries. In developed countries, solar, wind, and biomass capacities have facilitated green growth, while hydroelectric capacities have not. By contrast, in developing countries, wind capacity has not been effective, while other sectors show a positive contribution. The study also confirms the criticality of judicious renewable energy policies in stimulating investment and technological innovation required for a sustainable built environment.
Experimental, Theoretical and Numerical Research Progress on Dynamic Behaviors of RC Structural Members
Authors: Li Rouhan , Gao Mao , Li Hongnan , Li Chao , Wang Debin
Published: May 2023

In this paper, research on dynamic behaviors of RC structural members was reviewed using experimental, theoretical and numerical perspectives. First, in a basic overview, measurement methods, main conclusions and current limitations of available dynamic loading tests were presented. Then, theoretical studies on the dynamic constitutive models of RC materials, the dynamic increase factor (DIF) model for concrete and reinforced steel and proposed modified models of dynamic behavior parameters at the structural member level were summarized. Finally, the available modeling approach and method for incorporating dynamic effects in numerical simulations of RC structures were reviewed. Moreover, the work involved a brief introduction to a dynamic hysteretic model established using experimental data, which was designed to provide an alternative approach to the commonly-used DIF method for considering these dynamic effects. This paper, therefore, aimed to provide a valuable reference for experimental studies and numerical simulations on the dynamic behaviors of RC structures—while also putting forward issues that need to be addressed by future work.
Seismic Fragility Assessment of SMRFs Equipped with TMD Considering Cyclic Deterioration of Members and Nonlinear Geometry
Authors: Hemmati Khollari Mohammad Reza , Asadi Azita , Tajammolian Hamed
Published: May 2023

This paper presents seismic fragility curves to assess the effect of far-field ground motions on the behavior of high-rise steel moment resisting frame (SMRF) structures equipped with Tuned Mass Damper, considering the cyclic deterioration of members and P-Delta effect in the nonlinear region. For this purpose, three 8-, 20-, and 30-story SMRF structures are selected, 44 earthquake record sets are extracted from the FEMA P-695, Incremental Dynamic Analysis (IDA) is operated, and four structural damage states are considered through the framework of HAZUS, including slight, moderate, extensive, and complete. Maximum structural inter-story drift and floor acceleration are employed to quantify the damage states, and spectral acceleration is used as the intensity measure. Results show that the Tuned Mass Damper can reduce the probability of damage under earthquake excitation in all damage states for both structural and non-structural elements. The decline varies from 4.0% to 20.0%, depending on the ground motion intensity level, based on engineering demand parameters. Moreover, it is clear that nonlinear properties and component deterioration under cyclic excitation can affect structural response in all damage states, which concerns the obtained curves.
Science Mapping the Knowledge Domain of Construction Workers’ Safety Behavior
Authors: Cheng Baoquan , Wei Yuhu , Li Hujun , Huang Jianling , Chen Huihua
Published: May 2023

The examination of construction workers’ safety behavior (CWSB) is a critical factor in mitigating the occurrence of construction accidents. This study conducted a scientometric and critical review of 3280 CWSB-related articles indexed in the Web of Science database. Scientometric analyses (e.g., co-authorship, co-word, co-citation, citation-burst analysis, and clustering) objectively visualized the current research landscape, while the critical review identified key research topics and challenges within the CWSB research. The findings reveal that over half of CWSB research originates from three countries: the USA, China, and Australia. Concurrently, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, the City University of Hong Kong, and the University of Michigan stand out as the most productive institutions in the CWSB domain. It is noteworthy that China shows a high burst strength in 2022–2023, indicating that the development of the CWSB field in China is gaining global attention. The terms ‘performance’, ‘model’, and ‘management’ appear with the highest frequency, while keywords such as ‘deep learning’ and ‘simulation’ have experienced an increase in citations in recent years. Furthermore, 13 co-citation clusters were identified, with cluster analysis and critical reviews converging on three principal research themes: ‘conception and dimension’, ‘critical influence factors’, and ‘emerging technologies’. This study also proposes three research gaps and potential avenues for future investigation, including a comprehensive understanding of CWSB impact mechanisms, the long-term efficacy of safety interventions, and the incorporation of novel technologies into safety programs. This review offers valuable insights into extant CWSB research and pinpoints emerging trends within this research area. It provides essential information for industry policymakers, researchers, and practitioners in the global CWSB context and assists stakeholders in identifying and comprehending trends and patterns.
How Does the Presentation of Energy Performance Affect the Price of Houses? A Case Study of Detached Houses in Stockholm, Sweden
Authors: Wilhelmsson Mats
Published: May 2023

Our study aims to analyse whether the capitalisation of a property’s energy performance is affected by how it is presented. In place since 2002, there is an EU directive mandating the introduction of an energy performance certificate (EPC) when selling detached houses. This directive was implemented in Sweden in 2009. We analyse how EPC capitalised on housing prices during 2012–2018 for detached houses in Stockholm. This was previously carried out, but our contribution is to analyse both the effect of energy rating or labelling (A–G) and energy consumption (kWh/m²). How energy performance is communicated or displayed to potential buyers conveys that the format, style, and content of energy performance information may influence how buyers perceive its value and impact on the property’s market price. We have information on energy rating, consumption, or both for selected properties. This allows us to test the hypothesis that how energy performance is presented affects pricing. We also tested whether information affects different age cohorts differently. The results indicate that how energy performance is presented and visualised is important and that information about rating and consumption might be considered as a substitute for each other. It is also clear that the capitalisation effect differs depending on the age of the building.
Serrate RNA Effector Molecule (SRRT) Is Associated with Prostate Cancer Progression and Is a Predictor of Poor Prognosis in Lethal Prostate Cancer
Authors: Gamallat Yaser , Choudhry Muhammad , Li Qiaowang , Rokne Jon George , Alhajj Reda , Abdelsalam Ramy , Ghosh Sunita , Arbet Jaron , Boutros Paul C. , Bismar Tarek A.
Published: May 2023

Arsenite-resistance protein 2, also known as serrate RNA effector molecule (ARS2/SRRT), is known to be involved in cellular proliferation and tumorigenicity. However, its role in prostate cancer (PCa) has not yet been established. We investigated the potential role of SRRT in 496 prostate samples including benign, incidental, advanced, and castrate-resistant patients treated by androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). We also explored the association of SRRT with common genetic aberrations in lethal PCa using immunohistochemistry (IHC) and performed a detailed analysis of SRRT expression using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA PRAD) by utilizing RNA-seq, clinical information (pathological T category and pathological Gleason score). Our findings indicated that high SRRT expression was significantly associated with poor overall survival (OS) and cause-specific survival (CSS). SRRT expression was also significantly associated with common genomic aberrations in lethal PCa such as PTEN loss, ERG gain, mutant TP53, or ATM. Furthermore, TCGA PRAD data revealed that high SRRT mRNA expression was significantly associated with higher Gleason scores, PSA levels, and T pathological categories. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of RNAseq data from the TCGA PRAD cohort indicated that SRRT may play a potential role in regulating the expression of genes involved in prostate cancer aggressiveness. Conclusion: The current data identify the SRRT’s potential role as a prognostic for lethal PCa, and further research is required to investigate its potential as a therapeutic target.
Genetic Variants Associated with Longitudinal Cognitive Performance in Older Breast Cancer Patients and Controls
Authors: Nudelman Kelly , Nho Kwangsik , Zhang Michael , McDonald Brenna C. , Zhai Wanting , Small Brent J. , Wegel Claire E. , Jacobsen Paul B. , Jim Heather S. L. , Patel Sunita K. , Graham Deena M. A. , Ahles Tim A. , Root James C. , Foroud Tatiana , Breen Elizabeth C. , Carroll Judith E. , Mandelblatt Jeanne S. , Saykin Andrew J.
Published: May 2023

Background: There have been no published genome-wide studies of the genetics of cancer- and treatment-related cognitive decline (CRCD); the purpose of this study is to identify genetic variants associated with CRCD in older female breast cancer survivors. Methods: Analyses included white non-Hispanic women with non-metastatic breast cancer aged 60+ (N = 325) and age-, racial/ethnic group-, and education-matched controls (N = 340) with pre-systemic treatment and one-year follow-up cognitive assessment. CRCD was evaluated using longitudinal domain scores on cognitive tests of attention, processing speed, and executive function (APE), and learning and memory (LM). Linear regression models of one-year cognition included an interaction term for SNP or gene SNP enrichment*cancer case/control status, controlling for demographic variables and baseline cognition. Results: Cancer patients carrying minor alleles for two SNPs, rs76859653 (chromosome 1) in the hemicentin 1 (HMCN1) gene (p = 1.624 × 10−8), and rs78786199 (chromosome 2, p = 1.925 × 10−8) in an intergenic region had lower one-year APE scores than non-carriers and controls. Gene-level analyses showed the POC5 centriolar protein gene was enriched for SNPs associated with differences in longitudinal LM performance between patients and controls. Conclusions: The SNPs associated with cognition in survivors, but not controls, were members of the cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase family, that play important roles in cell signaling, cancer risk, and neurodegeneration. These findings provide preliminary evidence that novel genetic loci may contribute to susceptibility to CRCD.
LRP1 Deficiency Promotes Mitostasis in Response to Oxidative Stress: Implications for Mitochondrial Targeting after Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Velmurugan Gopal V. , Hubbard W. Brad , Prajapati Paresh , Vekaria Hemendra J. , Patel Samir P. , Rabchevsky Alexander G. , Sullivan Patrick G.
Published: May 2023

The brain undergoes oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction following physiological insults such as Traumatic brain injury (TBI), ischemia-reperfusion, and stroke. Pharmacotherapeutics targeting mitochondria (mitoceuticals) against oxidative stress include antioxidants, mild uncouplers, and enhancers of mitochondrial biogenesis, which have been shown to improve pathophysiological outcomes after TBI. However, to date, there is no effective treatment for TBI. Studies have suggested that the deletion of LDL receptor-related protein 1 (LRP1) in adult neurons or glial cells could be beneficial and promote neuronal health. In this study, we used WT and LRP1 knockout (LKO) mouse embryonic fibroblast cells to examine mitochondrial outcomes following exogenous oxidative stress. Furthermore, we developed a novel technique to measure mitochondrial morphometric dynamics using transgenic mitochondrial reporter mice mtD2g (mitochondrial-specific Dendra2 green) in a TBI model. We found that oxidative stress increased the quantity of fragmented and spherical-shaped mitochondria in the injury core of the ipsilateral cortex following TBI, whereas rod-like elongated mitochondria were seen in the corresponding contralateral cortex. Critically, LRP1 deficiency significantly decreased mitochondrial fragmentation, preserving mitochondrial function and cell growth following exogenous oxidative stress. Collectively, our results show that targeting LRP1 to improve mitochondrial function is a potential pharmacotherapeutic strategy against oxidative damage in TBI and other neurodegenerative diseases.
Spontaneous Osteogenic Differentiation of Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells by Tuna-Bone-Derived Hydroxyapatite Composites with Green Tea Polyphenol-Reduced Graphene Oxide
Authors: Kang Moon Sung , Park Rowoon , Jo Hyo Jung , Shin Yong Cheol , Kim Chang-Seok , Hyon Suong-Hyu , Hong Suck Won , Oh Junghwan , Han Dong-Wook
Published: May 2023

In recent years, bone tissue engineering (BTE) has made significant progress in promoting the direct and functional connection between bone and graft, including osseointegration and osteoconduction, to facilitate the healing of damaged bone tissues. Herein, we introduce a new, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective method for synthesizing reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and hydroxyapatite (HAp). The method uses epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) as a reducing agent to synthesize rGO (E-rGO), and HAp powder is obtained from Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus). The physicochemical analysis indicated that the E-rGO/HAp composites had exceptional properties for use as BTE scaffolds, as well as high purity. Moreover, we discovered that E-rGO/HAp composites facilitated not only the proliferation, but also early and late osteogenic differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs). Our work suggests that E-rGO/HAp composites may play a significant role in promoting the spontaneous osteogenic differentiation of hMSCs, and we envision that E-rGO/HAp composites could serve as promising candidates for BTE scaffolds, stem-cell differentiation stimulators, and implantable device components because of their biocompatible and bioactive properties. Overall, we suggest a new approach for developing cost-effective and environmentally friendly E-rGO/HAp composite materials for BTE application.
Modeling and Simulation of a TFET-Based Label-Free Biosensor with Enhanced Sensitivity
Authors: Choudhury Sagarika , Baishnab Krishna Lal , Guha Koushik , Jakšić Zoran , Jakšić Olga , Iannacci Jacopo
Published: May 2023

This study discusses the use of a triple material gate (TMG) junctionless tunnel field-effect transistor (JLTFET) as a biosensor to identify different protein molecules. Among the plethora of existing types of biosensors, FET/TFET-based devices are fully compatible with conventional integrated circuits. JLTFETs are preferred over TFETs and JLFETs because of their ease of fabrication and superior biosensing performance. Biomolecules are trapped by cavities etched across the gates. An analytical mathematical model of a TMG asymmetrical hetero-dielectric JLTFET biosensor is derived here for the first time. The TCAD simulator is used to examine the performance of a dielectrically modulated label-free biosensor. The voltage and current sensitivity of the device and the effects of the cavity size, bioanalyte electric charge, fill factor, and location on the performance of the biosensor are also investigated. The relative current sensitivity of the biosensor is found to be about 1013. Besides showing an enhanced sensitivity compared with other FET- and TFET-based biosensors, the device proves itself convenient for low-power applications, thus opening up numerous directions for future research and applications.
Novel Robust Internal Calibration Procedure for Precise FT-IR Measurements of Nitrogen Impurities in Diamonds
Authors: Khmelnitsky Roman , Kovalchuk Oleg , Gorevoy Alexey , Danilov Pavel , Pomazkin Daniil , Kudryashov Sergey
Published: May 2023

FT-IR spectroscopy is the basic finger-print method for qualitative and quantitative analysis of nitrogen, boron, and hydrogen impurities in natural and synthetic diamonds. In quantitative measurements of impurity concentrations, external standard samples are required for the calibration procedure during the analysis. In this study, the double-phonon mid-IR absorption coefficient of optical phonons of the diamond host matrix, the robust internal mid-IR absorption standard, was accurately measured for tens of diverse diamond samples, thus enabling precise calibrated measurements of ultra-low detectable impurity concentrations.
Evaluating the Efficacy of Different DEMs for Application in Flood Frequency and Risk Mapping of the Indian Coastal River Basin
Authors: Gangani Parth , Mangukiya Nikunj K. , Mehta Darshan J. , Muttil Nitin , Rathnayake Upaka
Published: May 2023

Floods are among the most occurring natural hazards that cause severe damage to infrastructure and loss of life. In India, southern Gujarat is affected during the monsoon season, facing multiple flood events in the Damanganga basin. As the basin is one of the data-scarce regions, evaluating the globally available dataset for flood risk mitigation studies in the Damanganga basin is crucial. In the present study, we compared four open-source digital elevation models (DEMs) (SRTM, Cartosat-1, ALOS-PALSAR, and TanDEMX) for hydrodynamic (HD) modeling and flood risk mapping. The simulated HD models for multiple flood events using HEC-RAS v6.3 were calibrated by adopting different roughness coefficients based on land-use land cover, observed water levels at gauge sites, and peak flood depths in the flood plain. In contrast to the previous studies on the Purna river basin (the neighboring basin of Damanganga), the present study shows that Cartosat-1 DEM provides reliable results with the observed flood depth. Furthermore, the calibrated HD model was used to determine the flood risk corresponding to 10, 25, 50, and 100-year return period floods calculated using Gumbel’s extreme value (GEV) and log-Pearson type III (LP-III) distribution techniques. Comparing the obtained peak floods corresponding to different return periods with the observed peak floods revealed that the LP-III method gives more reliable estimates of flood peaks for lower return periods, while the GEV method gives comparatively more reliable estimates for higher return period floods. The study shows that evaluating different open-source data and techniques is crucial for developing reliable flood mitigation plans with practical implications.
Heat-Seal Ability and Fold Cracking Resistance of Kaolin-Filled Styrene-Butadiene-Based Aqueous Dispersions for Paper-Based Packaging
Authors: Marinelli Andrea , Profaizer Mauro , Diamanti Maria Vittoria , Pedeferri MariaPia , Del Curto Barbara
Published: May 2023

Dispersion coatings are offered as alternative solutions to extrusion coating technology for paper-based packaging. In addition to providing barrier properties, waterborne dispersions may implement the processing and converting properties of coated substrates, which are of extreme interest for an effective transfer to the industry. In this work, styrene-butadiene-based aqueous dispersions were formulated considering different amounts of kaolin as pigment. The authors assessed the heat-seal ability, fold cracking resistance, and blocking tendency, comparing the results against commercial dispersion coating grades. Kaolin content dominated the sealing behavior of experimental formulations, changing the minimum heat-seal temperature from 80 °C to >140 °C for 0% and 60% kaolin solid content, respectively. On the contrary, commercial grades were mostly affected by temperature. Additionally, despite the low latex glass temperature (0 °C), experimental formulations generally showed little, if any, blocking. On the downside, increasing kaolin content eases fold cracking, showing a different magnitude according to fold direction and coat orientation yet achieving a higher moisture barrier compared to commercial grades for both folded and unfolded samples.
A Positron Implantation Profile Estimation Approach for the PALS Study of Battery Materials
Authors: Li Xin , Barbiellini Bernardo , Di Noto Vito , Pagot Gioele , Zheng Meiying , Ferragut Rafael
Published: May 2023

Positron annihilation spectroscopy is a powerful probe to investigate the interfaces in materials relevant for energy storage such as Li-ion batteries. The key to the interpretation of the results is the positron implantation profile, which is a spatial function related to the characteristics of the materials forming the battery. We provide models for the positron implantation profile in a cathode of a Li-ion battery coin cell. These models are the basis for a reliable visualization of multilayer geometries and their interfaces in thin cathodes of lithium-ion batteries.
Appendiceal Endometriosis: A Comprehensive Review of the Literature
Authors: Allahqoli Leila , Mazidimoradi Afrooz , Momenimovahed Zohre , Günther Veronika , Ackermann Johannes , Salehiniya Hamid , Alkatout Ibrahim
Published: May 2023

Objective: the purpose of this review was to evaluate the prevalence of appendiceal endometriosis and the safety of concomitant appendectomy in women with endometriosis or pelvic pain. Materials and Methods: We searched the electronic databases Medline (PubMed), Scopus, Embase, and Web of Science (WOS). The search was not subject to any limitation in terms of time or method. The primary research question was: what is the prevalence of appendiceal endometriosis? The secondary research question was: is it safe to perform appendectomy during surgery for endometriosis? Publications that reported data about appendiceal endometriosis or appendectomy in women with endometriosis were reviewed regarding the inclusion criteria. Results: We found 1418 records. After review and screening, we included 75 studies published between 1975 and 2021. With regard to the first question of the review, we found 65 eligible studies and divided these into the following two categories: (a) endometriosis of the appendix presenting as acute appendicitis, and (b) endometriosis of the appendix as an incidental finding in gynecological surgery. Forty-four case reports described appendiceal endometriosis in women who were admitted for the treatment of pain in the right-sided lower abdomen. Endometriosis of the appendix was observed in 2.67% (range, 0.36–23%) of women who were admitted due to acute appendicitis. In addition, appendiceal endometriosis was an incidental finding during gynecological surgery in 7.23% of cases (range, 1–44.3%). With regard to the second question of the review, which was the safety of appendectomy in women with endometriosis or pelvic pain, we found 11 eligible studies. Reviewed cases had no significant intraoperative or follow-up complications during the 12 weeks. Conclusion: Based on the reviewed studies, coincidental appendectomy appears reasonably safe and was associated with no complications in the cases reviewed for the present report.
Impact of Aortic Valve Regurgitation on Doppler Echocardiographic Parameters in Patients with Severe Aortic Valve Stenosis
Authors: Kandels Joscha , Metze Michael , Hagendorff Andreas , Stöbe Stephan
Published: May 2023

Background: Diagnosing severe aortic stenosis (AS) depends on flow and pressure conditions. It is suspected that concomitant aortic regurgitation (AR) has an impact on the assessment of AS severity. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of concomitant AR on Doppler-derived guideline criteria. We hypothesized that both transvalvular flow velocity (maxVAV) and the mean pressure gradient (mPGAV) will be affected by AR, whereas the effective orifice area (EOA) and the ratio between maximum velocity of the left ventricular outflow tract and transvalvular flow velocity (maxVLVOT/maxVAV) will not. Furthermore, we hypothesized that EOA (by continuity equation), and the geometric orifice area (GOA) (by planimetry using 3D transesophageal echocardiography, TEE), will not be affected by AR. Methods and Results: In this retrospective study, 335 patients (mean age 75.9 ± 9.8 years, 44% male) with severe AS (defined by EOA < 1.0 cm2) who underwent a transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography were analyzed. Patients with a reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF < 53%) were excluded (n = 97). The remaining 238 patients were divided into four subgroups depending on AR severity, and they were assessed using pressure half time (PHT) method: no, trace, mild (PHT 500–750 ms), and moderate AR (PHT 250–500 ms). maxVAV, mPGAV and maxVLVOT/maxVAV were assessed in all subgroups. Among the four subgroups (no (n = 101), trace (n = 49), mild (n = 61) and moderate AR (n = 27)), no differences were obtained for EOA (no AR: 0.75 cm2 ± 0.15; trace AR: 0.74 cm2 ± 0.14; mild AR: 0.75 cm2 ± 0.14; moderate AR: 0.75 cm2 ± 0.15, p = 0.998) and GOA (no AR: 0.78 cm2 ± 0.20; trace AR: 0.79 cm2 ± 0.15; mild AR: 0.82 cm2 ± 0.19; moderate AR: 0.83 cm2 ± 0.14, p = 0.424). In severe AS with moderate AR, compared with patients without AR, maxVAV (p = 0.005) and mPGAV (p = 0.022) were higher, whereas EOA (p = 0.998) and maxVLVOT/maxVAV (p = 0.243) did not differ. The EOA was smaller than the GOA in AS patients with trace (0.74 cm2 ± 0.14 vs. 0.79 cm2 ± 0.15, p = 0.024), mild (0.75 cm2 ± 0.14 vs. 0.82 cm2 ± 0.19, p = 0.021), and moderate AR (0.75 cm2 ± 0.15 vs. 0.83 cm2 ± 0.14, p = 0.024). In 40 (17%) patients with severe AS, according to an EOA < 1.0 cm2, the GOA was ≥ 1.0 cm2. Conclusion: In severe AS with moderate AR, the maxVAV and mPGAV are significantly affected by AR, whereas the EOA and maxVLVOT/maxVAV are not. These results highlight the potential risk of overestimating AS severity in combined aortic valve disease by only assessing transvalvular flow velocity and the mean pressure gradient. Furthermore, in cases of borderline EOA, of approximately 1.0 cm2, AS severity should be verified by determining the GOA.
Decentralized Multi-UAV Cooperative Exploration Using Dynamic Centroid-Based Area Partition
Authors: Gui Jianjun , Yu Tianyou , Deng Baosong , Zhu Xiaozhou , Yao Wen
Published: May 2023

Efficient exploration is a critical issue in swarm UAVs with substantial research interest due to its applications in search and rescue missions. In this study, we propose a cooperative exploration approach that uses multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Our approach allows UAVs to explore separate areas dynamically, resulting in increased efficiency and decreased redundancy. We use a novel dynamic centroid-based method to partition the 3D working area for each UAV, with each UAV generating new targets in its partitioned area only using the onboard computational resource. To ensure the cooperation and exploration of the unknown, we use a next-best-view (NBV) method based on rapidly-exploring random tree (RRT), which generates a tree in the partitioned area until a threshold is reached. We compare this approach with three classical methods using Gazebo simulation, including a Voronoi-based area partition method, a coordination method for reducing scanning repetition between UAVs, and a greedy method that works according to its exploration planner without any interaction. We also conduct practical experiments to verify the effectiveness of our proposed method.
The “Real” Gibbs Paradox and a Composition-Based Resolution
Authors: Paillusson Fabien
Published: May 2023

There is no documented evidence to suggest that J. W. Gibbs did not recognize the indistinguishable nature of states involving the permutation of identical particles or that he did not know how to justify on a priori grounds that the mixing entropy of two identical substances must be zero. However, there is documented evidence to suggest that Gibbs was puzzled by one of his theoretical findings, namely that the entropy change per particle would amount to kBln2 when equal amounts of any two different substances are mixed, no matter how similar these substances may be, and would drop straight to zero as soon as they become exactly identical. The present paper is concerned with this latter version of the Gibbs paradox and, to this end, develops a theory characterising real finite-size mixtures as realisations sampled from a probability distribution over a measurable attribute of the constituents of the substances. In this view, two substances are identical, relative to this measurable attribute, if they have the same underlying probability distribution. This implies that two identical mixtures do not need to have identical finite-size realisations of their compositions. By averaging over composition realisations, it is found that (1) fixed composition mixtures behave as homogeneous single-component substances and (2) in the limit of a large system size, the entropy of mixing per particle shows a continuous variation from kBln2 to 0, as two different substances are made more similar, thereby resolving the “real” Gibbs paradox.
Digital Literacy and Digital Self-Efficacy of Australian Technology Teachers
Authors: Cosby Amy , Fogarty Eloise S. , Manning Jaime
Published: May 2023

Agriculture is being increasingly transformed into a technological industry and calls for a greater need for digitally literate employees. To ensure school students are best placed for this requirement, the development of teacher digital literacy, self-efficacy, and the awareness of agricultural technology is essential. The current study explores the digital literacy and self-efficacy of Australian Technology Mandatory teachers who were participants in a one-day workshop (n = 185). The workshop introduced participants to the GPS Cows module, a complete teaching resource specifically designed to cover agricultural aspects of the Technology Mandatory syllabus. Data were collected by way of classroom ‘clickers’ during the workshop and by a post-workshop survey. Teachers were found to have reasonable basic digital literacy but lacked the confidence to conduct more detailed analytics. There was also some evidence that a teacher’s own digital literacy may also impact their perception of their students’ skills. Professional development workshops, such as the GPS Cows workshop, can improve teacher digital literacy and self-efficacy through hands-on learning in a collaborative, team environment.
Optimizing Hill Climbing Algorithm for S-Boxes Generation
Authors: Kuznetsov Alexandr , Frontoni Emanuele , Romeo Luca , Poluyanenko Nikolay , Kandiy Sergey , Kuznetsova Kateryna , Beňová Eleonóra
Published: May 2023

Nonlinear substitutions or S-boxes are important cryptographic primitives of modern symmetric ciphers. They are designed to complicate the plaintext-ciphertext dependency. According to modern ideas, the S-box should be bijective, have high nonlinearity and algebraic immunity, low delta uniformity, and linear redundancy. These criteria directly affect the cryptographic strength of ciphers, providing resistance to statistical, linear, algebraic, differential, and other cryptanalysis techniques. Many researchers have used various heuristic search algorithms to generate random S-boxes with high nonlinearity; however, the complexity of this task is still high. For example, the best-known algorithm to generate a random 8-bit bijective S-box with nonlinearity 104 requires high computational effort—more than 65,000 intermediate estimates or search iterations. In this article, we explore a hill-climbing algorithm and optimize the heuristic search parameters. We show that the complexity of generating S-boxes can be significantly reduced. To search for a random bijective S-box with nonlinearity 104, only about 50,000 intermediate search iterations are required. In addition, we generate cryptographically strong S-Boxes for which additional criteria are provided. We present estimates of the complexity of the search and estimates of the probabilities of generating substitutions with various cryptographic indicators. The extracted results demonstrate a significant improvement in our approach compared to the state of the art in terms of providing linear non-redundancy, nonlinearity, algebraic immunity, and delta uniformity.
Mixed Near-Field and Far-Field Sources Localization via Oblique Projection
Authors: Shi Heping , Yang Yanjie , Yan Guanghui , Wang Shaohua
Published: May 2023

This paper presents a novel mixed source localization algorithm based on high-order cumulant (HOC) and oblique projection techniques. To address the issue of lower accuracy in near-field source (NFS) localization compared to the far-field source (FFS) localization, the presented algorithm further enhances the accuracy of NFS localization. First, the FFS’s direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimate is acquired utilizing a multiple signal classification (MUSIC) spectral peak search. To classify mixed sources more effectively, we utilize the oblique projection technique, which can successfully prevent FFS information from influencing the estimation of NFS parameters. A HOC matrix with solely NFS DOA information is built by choosing array elements in a specific sequence. The estimation of the NFS DOA is then derived using the estimation of signal parameters via a rotational invariance technique (ESPRIT)-like algorithm. Finally, the NFS range is acquired by a MUSIC search. The performance of the presented algorithm is discussed in several aspects. Compared to existing matrix difference methods, the presented algorithm, which adopts the oblique projection method, achieves superior results in the separation of mixed sources. Without excessively increasing the computational complexity, it not only ensures the performance of localization parameter estimation for FFS but also estimates the NFS with higher precision. The numerical simulations attest to the superior performance of the presented algorithm.
Two-Tier Feature Extraction with Metaheuristics-Based Automated Forensic Speaker Verification Model
Authors: Gaurav  , Bhardwaj Saurabh , Agarwal Ravinder
Published: May 2023

While speaker verification represents a critically important application of speaker recognition, it is also the most challenging and least well-understood application. Robust feature extraction plays an integral role in enhancing the efficiency of forensic speaker verification. Although the speech signal is a continuous one-dimensional time series, most recent models depend on recurrent neural network (RNN) or convolutional neural network (CNN) models, which are not able to exhaustively represent human speech, thus opening themselves up to speech forgery. As a result, to accurately simulate human speech and to further ensure speaker authenticity, we must establish a reliable technique. This research article presents a Two-Tier Feature Extraction with Metaheuristics-Based Automated Forensic Speaker Verification (TTFEM-AFSV) model, which aims to overcome the limitations of the previous models. The TTFEM-AFSV model focuses on verifying speakers in forensic applications by exploiting the average median filtering (AMF) technique to discard the noise in speech signals. Subsequently, the MFCC and spectrograms are considered as the inputs to the deep convolutional neural network-based Inception v3 model, and the Ant Lion Optimizer (ALO) algorithm is utilized to fine-tune the hyperparameters related to the Inception v3 model. Finally, a long short-term memory with a recurrent neural network (LSTM-RNN) mechanism is employed as a classifier for automated speaker recognition. The performance validation of the TTFEM-AFSV model was tested in a series of experiments. Comparative study revealed the significantly improved performance of the TTFEM-AFSV model over recent approaches.
The Same Name Is Not Always the Same: Correlating and Tracing Forgery Methods across Various Deepfake Datasets
Authors: Sun Yi , Zheng Jun , Lyn Lingjuan , Zhao Hanyu , Li Jiaxing , Tan Yunteng , Liu Xinyu , Li Yuanzhang
Published: May 2023

Deepfakes are becoming increasingly ubiquitous, particularly in facial manipulation. Numerous researchers and companies have released multiple datasets of face deepfakes labeled to indicate different methods of forgery. However, naming these labels is often arbitrary and inconsistent, leading to the fact that most researchers now choose to use only one of the datasets for research work. However, researchers must use these datasets in practical applications and conduct traceability research. In this study, we employ some models to extract forgery features from various deepfake datasets and utilize the K-means clustering method to identify datasets with similar feature values. We analyze the feature values using the Calinski Harabasz Index method. Our findings reveal that datasets with the same or similar labels in different deepfake datasets exhibit different forgery features. We proposed the KCE system to solve this problem, which combines multiple deepfake datasets according to feature similarity. We analyzed four groups of test datasets and found that the model trained based on KCE combined data faced unknown data types, and Calinski Harabasz scored 42.3% higher than combined by forged names. Furthermore, it is 2.5% higher than the model using all data, although the latter has more training data. It shows that this method improves the generalization ability of the model. This paper introduces a fresh perspective for effectively evaluating and utilizing diverse deepfake datasets and conducting deepfake traceability research.
The Efficiency Improvement of the Device Based on the Example of a High Building Facade Washer in the Area of Industry 4.0
Authors: Żołna Witold , Jura Przemysław , Banaś Marian , Szczotka Krzysztof
Published: May 2023

The publication analyzes aspects of energy efficiency of various types and several technological concepts of facade washing devices. The conducted analyses and tests answered the most essential question of this stage: which, from the technical point of view of solving the problem of stabilizing the track of the washing machine, gives the highest guarantee of effective stabilization of this track in unfavorable wind conditions. The literature analysis showed several solutions to the problem of track stabilization of facade washing machines on the market, of which suction cups stabilize the machine device, a system not attached to the wall of the building, and fans or propellers have been commercialized. However, it pointed out that there are no universal solutions. Detailed analysis of solutions under many criteria led to finding the solution with the fewest defects at this stage of analysis and potentially the greatest chance of success. Thanks to the results of work and research on the effectiveness of technology, it was possible to implement a number of solutions leading to the improvement of work efficiency, safety, and the development of Industry 4.0.
Eigen-Sensitivity-Based Sliding Mode Control for LFO Damping in DFIG-Integrated Power Systems
Authors: Zhang Rui , Zhang Hao , Ye Jianqiao , Wang Jiaqing , Liu Qing , Li Shenghu
Published: May 2023

Low-frequency oscillation (LFO) of the synchronous generators in power systems by wind power is boring. To improve the robustness of the damping control scheme, this paper applies the sliding mode control (SMC) at the doubly fed induction generator (DFIG), with the parameter of the SMC optimized by the eigen-sensitivity. The originalities lie in, (1) the states strongly associated with the critical modes are newly applied to design the sliding surface, (2) the closed-loop model of the power system with the improved equivalent control is derived to analyze the damping effect on the critical modes and the undesirable effect on the noncritical modes, (3) the gain in the improved equivalent control is optimized to damp the critical and noncritical modes, and (4) the eigenvector sensitivity is improved to derive the second-order eigen- sensitivity to solve the nonlinear optimization. Numerical results show that the proposed model damps the critical modes effectively for different wind speeds, while the undesirable effect on the noncritical modes is avoided.