bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Supporting and Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences (SENSE), 2nd Edition: An Update on Developmentally Appropriate Interventions for Preterm Infants
Authors: Pineda Roberta , Kellner Polly , Ibrahim Carolyn , SENSE Advisory Team Working Group  , Smith Joan
Published: May 2023

The Supporting and Enhancing NICU Sensory Experiences (SENSE) program promotes consistent, age-appropriate, responsive, and evidence-based positive sensory exposures for preterm infants each day of NICU hospitalization to optimize infant and parent outcomes. The initial development included an integrative review, stakeholder input (NICU parents and healthcare professionals), and feasibility focus groups. To keep the program updated and evidence-based, a review of the recent evidence and engagement with an advisory team will occur every 5 years to inform changes to the SENSE program. Prior to the launch of the 2nd edition of the SENSE program in 2022, information from a new integrative review of 57 articles, clinician feedback, and a survey identifying the barriers and facilitators to the SENSE program’s implementation in a real-world context were combined to inform initial changes. Subsequently, 27 stakeholders (neonatologists, nurse practitioners, clinical nurse specialists, bedside nurses, occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech-language pathologists, and parents) carefully considered the suggested changes, and refinements were made until near consensus was achieved. While the 2nd edition is largely the same as the original SENSE program, the refinements include the following: more inclusive language, clarification on recommended minimum doses, adaptations to allow for variability in how hospitals achieve different levels of light, the addition of visual tracking in the visual domain, and the addition of position changes in the kinesthetic domain.
Transcriptome Analysis and VIGS Identification of Key Genes Regulating Citric Acid Metabolism in Citrus
Authors: Chen Tianxin , Niu Juan , Sun Zhimin , Chen Jing , Wang Yue , Chen Jianhua , Luan Mingbao
Published: May 2023

Citrus (Citrus reticulata) is one of the world’s most widely planted and highest-yielding fruit trees. Citrus fruits are rich in a variety of nutrients. The content of citric acid plays a decisive role in the flavor quality of the fruit. There is a high organic acid content in early-maturing and extra-precocious citrus varieties. Reducing the amount of organic acid after fruit ripening is significant to the citrus industry. In this study, we selected a low-acid variety, “DF4”, and a high-acid variety, “WZ”, as research materials. Through WGCNA analysis, two differentially expressed genes, citrate synthase (CS) and ATP citrate-pro-S-lyase (ACL), were screened out, which related to the changing citric acid. The two differentially expressed genes were preliminarily verified by constructing a virus-induced gene-silencing (VIGS) vector. The VIGS results showed that the citric acid content was negatively correlated with CS expression and positively correlated with ACL expression, while CS and ACL oppositely control citric acid and inversely regulate each other. These results provide a theoretical basis for promoting the breeding of early-maturing and low-acid citrus varieties.
DDIT4 Downregulation by siRNA Approach Increases the Activity of Proteins Regulating Fatty Acid Metabolism upon Aspirin Treatment in Human Breast Cancer Cells
Authors: Savukaitytė Aistė , Bartnykaitė Agnė , Bekampytė Justina , Ugenskienė Rasa , Juozaitytė Elona
Published: May 2023

Repositioning of aspirin for a more effective breast cancer (BC) treatment requires identification of predictive biomarkers. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the anticancer activity of aspirin remains fully undefined. Cancer cells enhance de novo fatty acid (FA) synthesis and FA oxidation to maintain a malignant phenotype, and the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTORC1) is required for lipogenesis. We, therefore, aimed to test if the expression of mTORC1 suppressor DNA damage-inducible transcript (DDIT4) affects the activity of main enzymes in FA metabolism after aspirin treatment. MCF-7 and MDA-MB-468 human BC cell lines were transfected with siRNA to downregulate DDIT4. The expression of carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1 A (CPT1A) and serine 79-phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) were analyzed by Western Blotting. Aspirin enhanced ACC1 phosphorylation by two-fold in MCF-7 cells and had no effect in MDA-MB-468 cells. Aspirin did not change the expression of CPT1A in either cell line. We have recently reported DDIT4 itself to be upregulated by aspirin. DDIT4 knockdown resulted in 1.5-fold decreased ACC1 phosphorylation (dephosphorylation activates the enzyme), 2-fold increased CPT1A expression in MCF-7 cells, and 2.8-fold reduced phosphorylation of ACC1 following aspirin exposure in MDA-MB-468 cells. Thus, DDIT4 downregulation raised the activity of main lipid metabolism enzymes upon aspirin exposure which is an undesired effect as FA synthesis and oxidation are linked to malignant phenotype. This finding may be clinically relevant as DDIT4 expression has been shown to vary in breast tumors. Our findings justify further, more extensive investigation of the role of DDIT4 in aspirin’s effect on fatty acid metabolism in BC cells.
Identifying and Attributing Regime Shifts in Australian Fire Climates
Authors: Jones Roger N. , Ricketts James H.
Published: May 2023

This paper introduces and analyzes fire climate regimes, steady-state conditions that govern the behavior of fire weather. A simple model representing fire climate was constructed by regressing high-quality regional climate averages against the station-averaged annual Forest Fire Danger Index (FFDI) for Victoria, Australia. Four FFD indices for fire years 1957–2021 were produced for 10 regions. Regions with even coverage of station-averaged total annual FFDI (ΣFFDI) from 1971–2016 exceeded Nash–Sutcliffe efficiencies of 0.84, validating its widespread application. Data were analyzed for shifts in mean, revealing regime shifts that occurred between 1996 and 2003 in the southern states and 2012–2013 in Queensland. ΣFFDI shifted up by ~25% in SE Australia to 8% in the west; by approximately one-third in the SE to 7% in the west for days above high fire danger; by approximately half in the SE to 11% in the west for days above very high, with a greater increase in Tasmania; and by approximately three-quarters in the SE to 9% in the west for days above severe FFDI. Attribution of the causes identified regime shifts in the fire season maximum temperature and a 3 p.m. relative humidity, with changing drought factor and rainfall patterns shaping the results. The 1:10 fire season between Regimes 1 and 2 saw a three to seven times increase with an average of five. For the 1:20 fire season, there was an increase of 2 to 14 times with an average of 8. Similar timing between shifts in the Australian FFDI and the global fire season length suggests that these changes may be global in extent. A trend analysis will substantially underestimate these changes in risk.
Removal of Wear-Resistant Coatings from Cutting Tools by Fast Argon Atoms
Authors: Metel Alexander S. , Volosova Marina A. , Melnik Yury A. , Mustafaev Enver S. , Grigoriev Sergey N.
Published: May 2023

Wear-resistant coatings improve the machining capability of cutting tools and extend their useful life. However, when a tool needs to be reused, it is mandatory to remove the existing coating to facilitate resharpening and recoating. The existing technique uses electrochemical stripping, which is hazardous to the environment. The environmentally friendly pulsed laser stripping causes the melting and mixing of tools and coating materials, which makes it difficult to separate and remove the coating. This paper presents the results of coating stripping via a beam of fast argon atoms. Due to the twentyfold compression of the beam, a 3 µm thick AlTiN coating was removed from a rotating solid carbide end mill within 25 min. A subsequent one-hour-long irradiation of the cleaned tool with the same beam led to a decrease in the radius of the tool’s cutting edges from 10.5 to 3.5 µm. This allowed us to redeposit a 3.5 µm thick AlTiN coating and obtain a coated end mill with a cutting-edge radius of 7 µm.
Investigation of the Effect of Filler on Cohesive Bond Strength of Asphalt Mastic Using Binder Bond Strength (BBS) Test
Authors: Ma Xiang , Kan Jinquan , Liu Song , Tu Mingyuan , Wang Dongjia
Published: May 2023

Water damage leads to spalling and loosening of asphalt pavement, which is ultimately due to a reduction in the bond strength of the asphalt mastic. The filler, as an important component of the asphalt mastic, has a great impact on the various properties of the asphalt mastic and even the asphalt mix itself. Therefore, it is important to study the influence of fillers on the performance of asphalt mastic. In this paper, the various properties of twelve types of fillers, including mineral powder, mineral powder partially replaced with cement, slaked lime, and recycled powder, and their effects on the bond strength of asphalt mastic are investigated. Binder bond strength (BBS) was used to evaluate the performance of the different asphalt mastics. The moisture resistance of the asphalt mastic was evaluated by measuring the bond strength of the asphalt mastic after treatment in a water bath. A grey correlation analysis was then carried out to derive the relationship between the filler index and the bond strength of the asphalt mastic. The results show that the addition of slaked lime and cement helped to improve the moisture resistance of the asphalt mastic. The fineness modulus and other indicators have a great influence on the bond strength of asphalt mastic. The interaction between hydrothermal coupling and filler type has a non-negligible effect on the moisture resistance of the asphalt mastic.
The Effect of a Yb Co-Dopant on the Blue Upconversion and Thermoluminescent Emission of SrLaAlO4:Yb3+,Tm3+ Phosphors
Authors: Etafo Nelson , Rodriguez Garcia Carlos , Esquivel-Castro Tzipatly , León-Madrid Manuel , Santibañez Alejandro , Oliva Jorge
Published: May 2023

In this study, we described the structural, morphological, optical, photoluminescence, and thermoluminescence properties of SrLaAlO4:Tm3+,Yb3+ (SLAO:Tm,Yb) blue-emitting phosphors made by combustion synthesis and a post-annealing treatment at 1200 °C. The Yb co-dopant concentration was varied (1.0, 3.0, 5.0, and 6.0 mol%) while the Tm dopant concentration was fixed at 5 mol%. According to the X-ray diffraction patterns, all the samples presented the pure tetragonal phase of SrLaAlO4. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that the SLAO powders had morphologies of irregular or bar grains with average sizes in the range of 0.5–1.07 µm. Photoluminescence emission under 980 nm excitation showed an intense blue emission peak at 481 nm. The phosphors also emitted red light at 654 nm and a prominent NIR emission at 801 nm. All those emissions correspond to 1G4 → 3H6, 1G4 → 3H4 and 3H4 → 3H6 transitions of Tm3+. The SLAO:Tm,Yb phosphors synthesized with 3.0 mol.% of the Yb co-dopant showed the highest emission intensity in the visible/near-infrared (NIR) range (400–800 nm), and its CIE coordinates corresponded to the blue color (0.19368, 0.15826). Additionally, thermoluminescence emissions were recorded for the SLAO:Tm,Yb phosphors. The samples were previously irradiated with UV wavelengths of 265 nm, 365 nm, and 385 nm prior to the thermoluminescent measurements. After this, the kinetic parameters such as frequency factors, activation energy (E), and order of kinetics were calculated using the Chen method. The thermoluminiscent emissions demonstrated that the SLAO:Yb,Tm phosphors can be used for UV dosimetry.
Application of Graph Theory and Automata Modeling for the Study of the Evolution of Metabolic Pathways with Glycolysis and Krebs Cycle as Case Studies
Authors: De Las Morenas Mateos Carlos , Lahoz-Beltra Rafael
Published: May 2023

Today, graph theory represents one of the most important modeling techniques in biology. One of the most important applications is in the study of metabolic networks. During metabolism, a set of sequential biochemical reactions takes place, which convert one or more molecules into one or more final products. In a biochemical reaction, the transformation of one metabolite into the next requires a class of proteins called enzymes that are responsible for catalyzing the reaction. Whether by applying differential equations or automata theory, it is not easy to explain how the evolution of metabolic networks could have taken place within living organisms. Obviously, in the past, the assembly of biochemical reactions into a metabolic network depended on the independent evolution of the enzymes involved in the isolated biochemical reactions. In this work, a simulation model is presented where enzymes are modeled as automata, and their evolution is simulated with a genetic algorithm. This protocol is applied to the evolution of glycolysis and the Krebs cycle, two of the most important metabolic networks for the survival of organisms. The results obtained show how Darwinian evolution is able to optimize a biological network, such as in the case of glycolysis and Krebs metabolic networks.
To Wallet or Not to Wallet: The Debate over Digital Health Information Storage
Authors: Karacic Zanetti Jasna , Nunes Rui
Published: May 2023

The concept of the health wallet, a digital platform that consolidates health-related information, has garnered significant attention in the past year. Electronic health data storage and transmission have become increasingly prevalent in the healthcare industry, with the potential to revolutionize healthcare delivery. This paper emphasizes the significance of recognizing and addressing the ethical implications of digital health technologies and prioritizes ethical considerations in their development. The adoption of health wallets has theoretical contributions, including the development of personalized medicine through comprehensive data collection, reducing medical errors through consolidated information, and enabling research for the improvement of existing treatments and interventions. Health wallets also empower individuals to manage their own health by providing access to their health data, allowing them to make informed decisions. The findings herein emphasize the importance of informing patients about their rights to control their health data and have access to it while protecting their privacy and confidentiality. This paper stands out by presenting practical recommendations for healthcare organizations and policymakers to ensure the safe and effective implementation of health wallets.
C–H…X (X = F, Cl, Br, I) Versus π-Stacking in the Crystal Packing of Compounds Containing the {M(tpy)X3} Motif
Authors: Housecroft Catherine E. , Constable Edwin C.
Published: May 2023

Analysis of the data in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) for compounds containing an {M(tpy)X3} motif (tpy = 2,2’:6’,2”-terpyridine, M = any metal, X = F, Cl, Br, I) reveals 17 isostructural mononuclear [M(tpy)X3] compounds crystallizing without lattice solvent; both face-to-face π-stacking of pyridine rings and C–H3/H3’…X hydrogen bonding appear to be equally important. Regardless of coordination number (CN = 6, 7 or 8) and nuclearity (mono- or dinuclear), a recurring packing feature in other compounds containing an {M(tpy)X3} unit is the presence of bifurcated Cl…H3/H3’ interactions, complemented in some cases by Cl…H5’/H3” interactions, consistent with the acidic H3, H3’, H5’, and H3” atoms of a coordinated tpy ligand. Octahedral [M(tpy)F3] complexes crystallize as hydrates with strong F…H–OH hydrogen bonding dominating the crystal packing.
Microhardness and Microstructural Evolution of Pure Nickel Processed by High-Pressure Torsion
Authors: Sun Meng , Ding Chaogang , Xu Jie , Shan Debin , Guo Bin , Langdon Terence G.
Published: May 2023

High-purity Ni was processed by high-pressure torsion (HPT) at room temperature under an imposed pressure of 6.0 GPa and a rotation rate of 1 rpm through 1/4 to 10 turns, and samples were then examined using Electron Back-Scattered Diffraction (EBSD) and microhardness measurements. The results show that the grain size and low-angle grain boundaries (LAGBs) gradually decrease with the growth of HPT revolutions while the microhardness values gradually increase. After 10 turns of HPT processing, ultrafine-grained (UFG) pure Ni with a reasonable microhardness value and microstructure homogeneity can be achieved across the disk, thereby giving great potential for applications in micro-forming. A grain refinement model for severe plastic deformation (SPD) of pure Ni is proposed.
Ancient Metallurgical Iron Slags—Chemical, Powder X-ray Diffraction and Mössbauer Spectroscopic Study
Authors: Kostova Bilyana , Paneva Daniela , Cherkezova-Zheleva Zara , Mihaylova Katerina , Dumanov Boyan
Published: May 2023

The production and trade of metals was the foundation of the economic wealth of many regions in the world, which makes the study of ancient metallurgical slags of primary importance. This type of study is relatively new for Bulgaria, where research in the field started in the late 1960s with chemical analysis of copper ore, slags, tools and finished goods from the ancient copper mine in the Ay-bunar area. Iron is one of the most commonly found elements in the earth’s crust and its deposits are widespread, including on Bulgaria’s territory. To this day, however, the study of iron slags from Bulgarian sites through chemical and phase analysis has almost never been explored. The application of these methods allows for the determination of the technology of the ancient metallurgical process. This study investigates iron slags from two Bulgarian archaeological sites, situated in close proximity to the Sarnevets hematite ore deposit, Sarnena Sredna Gora mountain. The ore bodies of the deposit outcrop on the earth’s surface and can be easily recognized due to the red coloring of the soil around them, which is a characteristic trait for finding iron deposits. In addition to the ancient mining activities in the region, proven by over 20 registered ancient mine workings, ancient metallurgical activities were established as well, as proven by the discovered slags. A sample from the hematite ore was studied along with the slags, so that the percentage of iron extracted during the metallurgical process can be determined. The samples were studied through X-ray fluorescence analysis, powder X-ray diffraction analysis, and Mössbauer spectroscopy. The obtained results show that the slags are of the “furnace bottom slags” type, which is a product of metallurgical activity achieved through bloomery technology. The temperature range of the furnaces was determined to be around 900–1100 °C. The reduction of iron was possible at such low temperatures due to the ore’s type—self-fluxing hematite ore. The percentage of iron extracted from the ore was calculated to be between 3.39% and 8.65%. Additionally, a relationship was established between the percentage of extracted iron, the Fe2+ content included in wüstite, and the viscosity index of the liquid slag. The acquired results are new to the archaeological studies conducted on Bulgaria’s territory and are a prerequisite for future interpretation and archaeological research.
In Situ Liquid-Phase AFM Observation of the Molecular Step Spiral Generation on the (1−01) Surface of Calcium Oxalate Monohydrate Crystal
Authors: Cho Kang Rae
Published: May 2023

Calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) crystal is the major crystalline component of human kidney stones. Its growth event at the nanometer and micrometer scales, i.e., the growth of the COM molecular steps generated from the dislocation outcrop on the crystal surface and its inhibition by associated acidic organic molecules such as citrate, is now well understood by studies conducted using in situ liquid-phase atomic force microscopy (AFM). Yet, the detailed assessment of the evolution of the COM molecular steps at the dislocation outcrop has been poorly conducted. Herein, in situ liquid-phase AFM was used to primarily investigate how those COM molecular steps are generated on a COM broadest crystal surface (1−01) and influenced by a model acidic peptide, L-aspartic acid 6mer (L-Asp6) adsorbed onto the emerging steps and terraces on the surface. Like many other mineral crystals, a segment of the pseudo-triangle-shaped step spiral, in the process of its birth from the dislocation outcrop, starts to move after reaching the critical step length. When the budding step spiral got adsorption of L-Asp6 to it, it appeared rather with ellipse-like hexagonal morphology—which is reflected in the bulk crystal morphology—implying changes in orientation-dependent step edge energy and much-delayed spiral generation time.
ComPAIN—Communication of Pain in Patients with Headache
Authors: Eicher Emma , Räz Sabina , Stucki Pascale , Röthlin Cinzia , Stattmann Miranda , Grossenbacher Bettina , Neumann Eileen , Pohl Heiko , Ilg Yvonne , Maatz Anke , Wegener Susanne
Published: May 2023

Primary headaches are a common debilitating health condition. Proper diagnosis and treatment depend on patients’ communication. We wanted to explore differences in pain communication with a special interest in potential sex differences. Patients visiting our headache unit for the first time filled in two different questionnaires (one before entering the consultation and one directly after finishing the consultation), through which we captured patients’ descriptions of their pain, its potential impact on daily lives, the well-being of our patients and the satisfaction with our consultation. We included a total of 35 patients (22 female, 13 male). Women reported experiencing a greater loss of socially active days during the last 3 months because of headaches compared to men. Furthermore, women were more satisfied with our consultation. In addition, we revealed migraineurs characterize their pain differently than stated in the International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD-3) criteria. The adjective “pressing” (drückend) was used significantly more often by migraineurs compared to patients with tension-type headaches. Nevertheless, in the physicians’ written report, the characterization more often contained the ICHD-3 corresponding adjective “pulsating” (pulsierend). Since the typification of headaches and subsequent therapy depends predominantly on the patients’ communication, consideration of the individual pain description and further research on headache characterization are indispensable.
Adenomyosis and Its Possible Malignancy: A Review of the Literature
Authors: Moraru Liviu , Mitranovici Melinda-Ildiko , Chiorean Diana Maria , Moraru Raluca , Caravia Laura , Tiron Andreea Taisia , Cotoi Ovidiu Simion
Published: May 2023

Cancer arising from adenomyosis is very rare, with transformation occurring in only 1% of cases and in older individuals. Adenomyosis, endometriosis and cancers may share a common pathogenic mechanism that includes hormonal factors, genetic predisposition, growth factors, inflammation, immune system dysregulation, environmental factors and oxidative stress. Endometriosis and adenomyosis both exhibit malignant behaviour. The most common risk factor for malignant transformation is prolonged exposure to oestrogens. The golden standard for diagnosis is histopathology. Colman and Rosenthal emphasised the most important characteristics in adenomyosis-associated cancer. Kumar and Anderson emphasised the importance of demonstrating a transition between benign and malignant endometrial glands in cancer arising from adenomyosis. As it is very rare, it is difficult to standardize treatment. In this manuscript, we try to emphasize some aspects regarding the management strategy, as well as how heterogenous the studies from the literature are in terms of prognosis in both cancers that develop from adenomyosis or those that are only associated with adenomyosis. The pathogenic mechanisms of transformation remain unclear. As these types of cancer are so rare, there is no standardised treatment. A novel target in the diagnosis and treatment of gynaecological malignancies associated with adenomyosis is also being studied for the development of new therapeutic concepts.
Clinical Utility of 18F-2-Fluoro-deoxy-d-glucose PET Imaging in Locally Advanced Esophageal/Gastroesophageal Junction Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Cowzer Darren , Keane Fergus , Ku Geoffrey Y.
Published: May 2023

Esophageal adenocarcinoma, including adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction, is uncommon in the United States, but is associated with a rising incidence in young adults, and has a traditionally poor prognosis. Despite the incremental benefits that have been made with multimodality approaches to locally advanced disease, most patients will go on to develop metastatic disease, and long-term outcomes remain suboptimal. Over the last decade, PET-CT has emerged as a key tool in the management of this disease, with several prospective and retrospective studies evaluating its role in this disease. Herein, we review the key data pertaining to the use of PET-CT in the management of locally advanced esophageal and GEJ adenocarcinoma, with a focus on staging, prognostication, PET-CT adapted therapy in the neoadjuvant setting, and surveillance.
Serum β-Defensin 2, A Novel Biomarker for the Diagnosis of Acute Infections
Authors: Routsias John G. , Marinou Dionysia , Mavrouli Maria , Tsakris Athanasios , Pitiriga Vassiliki
Published: May 2023

Background: Defensins are natural antimicrobial peptides that the human body secretes to protect itself from an infection. Thus, they are ideal molecules to serve as biomarkers for infection. This study was conducted to evaluate the levels of human β-defensins in patients with inflammation. Methods: CRP, hBD2 and procalcitonin were measured in 423 sera of 114 patients with inflammation and healthy individuals using nephelometry and commercial ELISA assays. Results: Levels of hBD2 in the serum of patients with an infection were markedly elevated compared to those of hBD2 in patients with inflammation of non-infectious etiology (p < 0.0001, t = 10.17) and healthy individuals. ROC analysis demonstrated that hBD2 showed the highest detection performance for infection (AUC 0.897; p < 0.001) followed by PCT (AUC 0.576; p = ns) and CRP (AUC 0.517; p = ns). In addition, analysis of hBD2 and CRP in patients’ sera collected at different time points showed that hBD2 levels could help differentiate inflammation of infectious and non-infectious etiology during the first 5 days of hospitalization, while CRP levels could not. Conclusions: hBD2 has the potential to serve as a diagnostic biomarker for infection. In addition, the levels of hBD2 may reflect the efficacy of antibiotic treatment.
A Novel COVID-19 Diagnostic System Using Biosensor Incorporated Artificial Intelligence Technique
Authors: Alam Md. Mottahir , Alam Md. Moddassir , Mirza Hidayath , Sultana Nishat , Sultana Nazia , Pasha Amjad Ali , Khan Asif Irshad , Zafar Aasim , Ahmad Mohammad Tauheed
Published: May 2023

COVID-19, continually developing and raising increasingly significant issues, has impacted human health and caused countless deaths. It is an infectious disease with a high incidence and mortality rate. The spread of the disease is also a significant threat to human health, especially in the developing world. This study suggests a method called shuffle shepherd optimization-based generalized deep convolutional fuzzy network (SSO-GDCFN) to diagnose the COVID-19 disease state, types, and recovered categories. The results show that the accuracy of the proposed method is as high as 99.99%; similarly, precision is 99.98%; sensitivity/recall is 100%; specificity is 95%; kappa is 0.965%; AUC is 0.88%; and MSE is less than 0.07% as well as 25 s. Moreover, the performance of the suggested method has been confirmed by comparison of the simulation results from the proposed approach with those from several traditional techniques. The experimental findings demonstrate strong performance and high accuracy for categorizing COVID-19 stages with minimal reclassifications over the conventional methods.
A New Hybrid Approach Based on Time Frequency Images and Deep Learning Methods for Diagnosis of Migraine Disease and Investigation of Stimulus Effect
Authors: Orhanbulucu Fırat , Latifoğlu Fatma , Baydemir Recep
Published: May 2023

Migraine is a neurological disorder that is associated with severe headaches and seriously affects the lives of patients. Diagnosing Migraine Disease (MD) can be laborious and time-consuming for specialists. For this reason, systems that can assist specialists in the early diagnosis of MD are important. Although migraine is one of the most common neurological diseases, there are very few studies on the diagnosis of MD, especially electroencephalogram (EEG)-and deep learning (DL)-based studies. For this reason, in this study, a new system has been proposed for the early diagnosis of EEG- and DL-based MD. In the proposed study, EEG signals obtained from the resting state (R), visual stimulus (V), and auditory stimulus (A) from 18 migraine patients and 21 healthy control (HC) groups were used. By applying continuous wavelet transform (CWT) and short-time Fourier transform (STFT) methods to these EEG signals, scalogram-spectrogram images were obtained in the time-frequency (T-F) plane. Then, these images were applied as inputs in three different convolutional neural networks (CNN) architectures (AlexNet, ResNet50, SqueezeNet) that proposed deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) models and classification was performed. The results of the classification process were evaluated, taking into account accuracy (acc.), sensitivity (sens.), specificity (spec.), and performance criteria, and the performances of the preferred methods and models in this study were compared. In this way, the situation, method, and model that showed the most successful performance for the early diagnosis of MD were determined. Although the classification results are close to each other, the resting state, CWT method, and AlexNet classifier showed the most successful performance (Acc: 99.74%, Sens: 99.9%, Spec: 99.52%). We think that the results obtained in this study are promising for the early diagnosis of MD and can be of help to experts.
Point-of-Care Testing for SARS-CoV-2: A Prospective Study in a Primary Health Centre
Authors: Daniels Rob , Cottin Juliette , Khanafer Nagham
Published: May 2023

Background: In 2020, health systems across the world responded to the COVID-19 pandemic by making rapid changes to reduce the risk of exposure in patients and healthcare professionals. The use of point-of-care tests (POCT) has been a central strategy in dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic. The aims of this study were to evaluate the impact of POCT strategy (1) on maintaining elective surgeries by removing the risk of delayed pre-appointment testing and turn-around times and (2) on time dedicated for end-to-end appointment and management, and (3) to assess the feasibility of using the ID NOW® among healthcare professionals and patients in a primary care setting, requiring pre-surgical appointment and minor ENT surgery in the Townsend House Medical Centre (THMC), Devon, United Kingdom. Methods: A logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with the risk of canceled or delayed surgeries and medical appointments. Second, a multivariate linear regression analysis was conducted to calculate changes in the time dedicated to administrative tasks. A questionnaire was developed to assess the acceptance of POCT in patients and staff. Results: 274 patients were included in this study; 174 (63.5%) in Group 1 (Usual Care) and 100 (36.5%) in Group 2 (Point of Care). Multivariate logistic regression showed that the percentage of postponed or canceled appointments was similar between the two groups (adjusted OR = 0.65, [95%CI: 0.22–1.88]; p = 0.42). Similar results were observed for the percentage of postponed or canceled scheduled surgeries (adjusted OR = 0.47, [95%CI: 0.15–1.47]; p = 0.19). The time dedicated to administrative tasks was significantly lowered by 24.7 min in G2 compared to G1 (p < 0.001). 79 patients in G2 (79.0%) completed the survey, and the majority agreed or strongly agreed that it improved care management (79.7%), decreased administrative time (65.8%), reduced the risk of canceled appointments (74.7%) and the traveling time to do COVID-19 test (91.1%). Having point-of-care testing in the clinic in the future seemed more than welcome by 96.6% of patients; 93.6% declared to be less stressed by having the test at the clinic than waiting for the results of the test realized elsewhere. The five healthcare professionals of the primary care center completed the survey, and all agreed that the POCT positively influences the workflow and can be successfully implemented into routine primary care. Conclusions: Our study shows that NAAT-based point-of-care SARS-CoV-2 testing significantly improved flow management in a primary care setting. POC testing was a feasible and well-accepted strategy by patients and providers.
Detection of Insomnia and Its Relationship with Cognitive Impairment, Depression, and Quality of Life in Older Community-Dwelling Mexicans
Authors: Correa-Muñoz Elsa , Retana-Ugalde Raquel , Mendoza-Núñez Víctor Manuel
Published: May 2023

Sleep disturbances are one of the most frequent health problems in old age, among which insomnia stands out. It is characterized by difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, frequent awakenings, or waking up too early and not having restful sleep, which may be a risk factor for cognitive impairment and depression, affecting functionality and quality of life. Insomnia is a very complex multifactorial problem that requires a multi- and interdisciplinary approach. However, it is frequently not diagnosed in older community-dwelling people, increasing the risk of psychological, cognitive, and quality of life alterations. The aim was to detect insomnia and its relationship with cognitive impairment, depression, and quality of life in older community-dwelling Mexicans. An analytical cross-sectional study was carried out in 107 older adults from Mexico City. The following screening instruments were applied: Athens Insomnia Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination, Geriatric Depression Scale, WHO Quality of Life Questionnaire WHOQoL-Bref, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory. The frequency of insomnia detected was 57% and its relationship with cognitive impairment, depression, and low quality of life was 31% (OR = 2.5, 95% CI, 1.1–6.6. p < 0.05), 41% (OR = 7.3, 95% CI, 2.3–22.9, p < 0.001), and 59% (OR = 2.5, 95% CI, 1.1–5.4, p < 0.05), respectively. Our findings suggest that insomnia is a frequent clinical disorder that is not diagnosed and a significant risk factor for cognitive decline, depression, and poor quality of life.
QuPath Algorithm Accurately Identifies MLH1-Deficient Inflammatory Bowel Disease-Associated Colorectal Cancers in a Tissue Microarray
Authors: Porter Ross , Din Shahida , Bankhead Peter , Oniscu Anca , Arends Mark
Published: May 2023

Current methods for analysing immunohistochemistry are labour-intensive and often confounded by inter-observer variability. Analysis is time consuming when identifying small clinically important cohorts within larger samples. This study trained QuPath, an open-source image analysis program, to accurately identify MLH1-deficient inflammatory bowel disease-associated colorectal cancers (IBD-CRC) from a tissue microarray containing normal colon and IBD-CRC. The tissue microarray (n = 162 cores) was immunostained for MLH1, digitalised, and imported into QuPath. A small sample (n = 14) was used to train QuPath to detect positive versus no MLH1 and tissue histology (normal epithelium, tumour, immune infiltrates, stroma). This algorithm was applied to the tissue microarray and correctly identified tissue histology and MLH1 expression in the majority of valid cases (73/99, 73.74%), incorrectly identified MLH1 status in one case (1.01%), and flagged 25/99 (25.25%) cases for manual review. Qualitative review found five reasons for flagged cores: small quantity of tissue, diverse/atypical morphology, excessive inflammatory/immune infiltrations, normal mucosa, or weak/patchy immunostaining. Of classified cores (n = 74), QuPath was 100% (95% CI 80.49, 100) sensitive and 98.25% (95% CI 90.61, 99.96) specific for identifying MLH1-deficient IBD-CRC; κ = 0.963 (95% CI 0.890, 1.036) (p < 0.001). This process could be efficiently automated in diagnostic laboratories to examine all colonic tissue and tumours for MLH1 expression.
Joint Trajectories and Resource Allocation Design for Multi-UAV-Assisted Wireless Power Transfer with Nonlinear Energy Harvesting
Authors: Wang Xinran , Wu Peng , Hu Yulin , Cai Xuan , Song Qinghua , Chen Hu
Published: May 2023

In this work, we explore a multi-UAV-assisted wireless power transfer (WPT) network, where multiple UAVs are deployed to provide WPT services to multiple ground devices (GDs) in order to extend their lifespan. To enhance the WPT efficiency while considering fairness, we investigate the joint trajectories and transmit power design. For fairness-aware consideration, our objective is to maximize the harvested energy of the GD with the worst condition, taking into account UAV mobility, anti-collision, and power budget constraints. Unlike previous works that focus on the simplified linear energy harvesting (EH) model, a more accurate multi-source nonlinear EH model is, for the first time, adopted to formulate the problem. Given the highly non-convex nature of the original problem due to the presence of coupled variables, we leverage the convexity of the multi-source nonlinear EH model and introduce a convex approximation method, which enables us to construct a tightly convex problem in each iteration for the original joint design problem, thereby obtaining a high-quality solution. Finally, we present numerical results to showcase the convergence of our algorithm and validate the performance advantages of the proposed multi-UAV WPT scheme with a nonlinear EH model versus benchmarks.
Distributed Multi-Target Search and Surveillance Mission Planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Uncertain Environments
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Zhao Wenjie , Liu Changxuan , Li Jun
Published: May 2023

In this paper, a distributed, autonomous, cooperative mission-planning (DACMP) approach was proposed to focus on the problem of the real-time cooperative searching and surveillance of multiple unmanned aerial vehicles (multi-UAVs) with threats in uncertain and highly dynamic environments. To deal with this problem, a time-varying probabilistic grid graph was designed to represent the perception of a target based on its a priori dynamics. A heuristic search strategy based on pyramidal maps was also proposed. Using map information at different scales makes it easier to integrate local and global information, thereby improving the search capability of UAVs, which has not been previously considered. Moreover, we proposed an adaptive distributed task assignment method for cooperative search and surveillance tasks by considering the UAV motion environment as a potential field and modeling the effects of uncertain maps and targets on candidate solutions through potential field values. The results highlight the advantages of search task execution efficiency. In addition, simulations of different scenarios show that the proposed approach can provide a feasible solution for multiple UAVs in different situations and is flexible and stable in time-sensitive environments.
Developing the Framework of Drone Curriculum to Educate the Drone Beginners in the Korean Construction Industry
Authors: Moon Seojin , Ock Jongho
Published: May 2023

Both drones and laser scanners digitally take the as-built context of an object into the computer, and the data taken are transmitted to a Building Information Modeling (BIM) world to create accurate 3D models. Although the laser scanner is the leading method of the Scan-to-BIM procedure, many professionals indicate drawbacks of the technology and point out the drone is an alternative that can improve the shortcomings, leading to the UAV-to-BIM process. The Korean construction industry plans to implement drone technology for scrutinizing as-built construction quality by 2025. However, drones are not popular in construction projects. Korean universities where Construction Engineering and Management programs have been implemented have requested to develop a drone curriculum for construction professionals. Since the majority of the professionals are not familiar with drone operation, in order for the schools to be successful in developing the curriculum, it is very necessary to perform a preliminary experimental study for identifying the essential education contents that are appropriate for drone beginners. The main objective of this paper is to perform a study for drone beginners and recognize the recommendations and the framework of a drone curriculum that will be beneficial for the schools to develop a comprehensive curriculum later on.
Fault Isolation and Estimation in Networks of Linear Process Systems
Authors: Kurniawan Wijaya , Hangos Katalin M. , Márton Lőrinc
Published: May 2023

Fault detection and isolation is a ubiquitous task in current complex systems even in the linear networked case when the complexity is mainly caused by the complex network structure. A simple yet practically important special case of networked linear process systems is considered in this paper with only a single conserved extensive quantity but with a network structure containing loops. These loops make fault detection and isolation challenging to perform because the effect of fault is propagated back to where it first occurred. As a dynamic model of network elements, a two input single output (2ISO) LTI state-space model is proposed for fault detection and isolation where the fault enters as an additive linear term into the equations. No simultaneously occurring faults are considered. A steady state analysis and superposition principle are used to analyse the effect of faults in a subsystem that propagates to the sensors’ measurements at different positions. This analysis is the basis of our fault detection and isolation procedure that provides the position of the faulty element in a given loop of the network. A disturbance observer is also proposed to estimate the magnitude of the fault inspired by a proportional-integral (PI) observer. The proposed fault isolation and fault estimation methods have been verified and validated by using two simulation case studies in the MATLAB/Simulink environment.
Effects of Curriculum on Environmental Attitudes: A Comparative Analysis of Environmental and Non-Environmental Disciplines
Authors: Fytopoulou Eleftheria , Karasmanaki Evangelia , Tampakis Stilianos , Tsantopoulos Georgios
Published: May 2023

To satisfy their ever-increasing needs, humans are constantly exerting excessive pressure upon the environment, while now more than ever, the adoption of new development practices to halt environmental degradation is becoming necessary. Graduates from all disciplines should have environmental awareness, because their decisions as future professionals may affect the environment. If, however, we assume that environmental science graduates possess environmental knowledge, it is worth investigating whether this knowledge affects their environmental attitudes. Hence, the aim of this study is to compare the environmental attitudes of students attending environmental and non-environmental studies. To this end, a comparative study on environmental attitudes was conducted between students majoring in forestry and students majoring in literature studies at one of the largest universities in Greece. That is, the environmental attitudes of students whose discipline was closely related to the environment were compared to the attitudes of students whose discipline was unrelated to the environment. The results showed that students from both disciplines had positive environmental attitudes, but forestry students exhibited a discernibly higher level of environmental awareness, which can be ascribed to their participation in environmentally relevant courses. The insights gains from this study could be particularly useful to education policymakers and curriculum practitioners, since they provide evidence for the potential of curriculum content to shape pro-environmental attitudes.
Assessing the Relevance of Information Sources for Modelling Student Performance in a Higher Mathematics Education Course
Authors: Pérez-Suay Adrián , Ferrís-Castell Ricardo , Van Vaerenbergh Steven , Pascual-Venteo Ana B.
Published: May 2023

In recent years, most educational institutions have integrated digital technologies into their teaching–learning processes. Learning Management Systems (LMS) have gained increasing popularity, particularly in higher education, due to their ability to manage teacher–student interactions. These systems store valuable information which describes students’ behaviour throughout a course. These data can be utilised to construct statistical models that represent learner behaviour within an online LMS platform. In this study, we aim to compare different sources of information and, more ambitiously, to provide insights into which source of information is most valuable for inferring student performance. The considered sets of information come from (i) the Moodle LMS; (ii) socio-economic data about students acquired from a survey; and (iii) subject marks achieved throughout the course. To determine the relevance of the incorporated information, we use artificial intelligence (AI) methods, and we report the importance measures of four state-of-the-art methods. Our findings indicate that the selected methodology is suitable for making inferences about student performance while also shedding light on model decisions through explainability.
Research Synthesis on Culturally and Linguistically Responsive Teaching for Multilingual Learners
Authors: Yoon Bogum
Published: May 2023

Drawn from both existing research and the author’s research experiences in middle schools in the United States, this research synthesis paper will highlight the key principles of culturally and linguistically responsive teaching (CLRT) for multilingual learners (MLLs) who are acquiring English as an additional language. Although CLRT is regarded as an important framework for middle grade MLLs’ learning, there is a lack of resources that provide a comprehensive view of historically/theoretically ground and research-based approaches for middle grade educators to consider in the classroom. This paper attempts to address this need by discussing the historical orientation of CLRT and its five major principles commonly identified in relevant literature. These principles include: (1) building foundational knowledge of MLLs’ home languages, (2) offering translanguaging space for MLLs’ linguistic repertoire, (3) using multimodality for MLLs’ engagement, (4) implementing integrated approaches for content and language, and (5) seeking collaboration for MLLs’ diverse needs. These key elements of CLRT provide insight into how middle grade teachers can support equitable access to learning opportunities for MLLs.