bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Smartphone Slit Lamp Imaging—Usability and Quality Assessment
Authors: Muth Daniel Rudolf , Blaser Frank , Foa Nastasia , Scherm Pauline , Mayer Wolfgang Johann , Barthelmes Daniel , Zweifel Sandrine Anne
Published: January 2023

Purpose: To assess the usability and image quality of a smartphone adapter for direct slit lamp imaging. Methods: A single-center, prospective, clinical study conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology at the University Hospital Zurich, Switzerland. The smartphone group consisted of 26 medical staff (consultants, residents, and students). The control group consisted of one ophthalmic photographer. Both groups took images of the anterior and the posterior eye segment of the same proband. The control group used professional photography equipment. The participant group used an Apple iPhone 11 mounted on a slit lamp via a removable SlitREC smartphone adapter (Custom Surgical GmbH, Munich, Germany). The image quality was graded independently by two blinded ophthalmologists on a scale from 0 (low) to 10 (high quality). Images with a score ≥ 7.0/10 were considered as good as the reference images. The acquisition time was measured. A questionnaire on usability and experience in smartphone and slit lamp use was taken by all of the participants. Results: Each participant had three attempts at the same task. The overall smartphone quality was 7.2/10 for the anterior and 6.4/10 for the posterior segment. The subjectively perceived difficulty decreased significantly over the course of three attempts (Kendall’s W). Image quality increased as well but did not improve significantly from take 1 to take 3. However, the image quality of the posterior segment was significantly, positively correlated (Spearman’s Rho) with work experience. The mean acquisition time for anterior segment imaging was faster in the smartphone group compared to the control group (156 vs. 206 s). It was vice versa for the posterior segment (180 vs. 151 s). Conclusion: Slit lamp imaging with the presented smartphone adapter provides high-quality imaging of the anterior segment. Posterior segment imaging remains challenging in terms of image quality. The adapter constitutes a cost-effective, portable, easy-to-use solution for recording ophthalmic photos and videos. It can facilitate clinical documentation and communication among colleagues and with the patient especially outside normal consultation hours. Direct slit lamp imaging allows for time to be saved and increases the independence of ophthalmologists in terms of patient mobility and the availability of photographic staff.
Maternal Steroids on Fetal Doppler Indices, in Growth-Restricted Fetuses with Abnormal Umbilical Flow from Pregnancies Complicated with Early-Onset Severe Preeclampsia
Authors: Tica Oana , Tica Andrei , Cojocaru Doriana , Tica Irina , Petcu Cristian , Cojocaru Victor , Alexandru Dragos , Tica Vlad
Published: January 2023

Corticoids are largely used for fetal interest in expected preterm deliveries. This study went further, evaluating the effect of maternal administration of dexamethasone (Dex) on the umbilical artery (UA), middle cerebral artery (MCA), and ductus venous (DV) spectrum, in growth-restricted fetuses, with the absent end-diastolic flow (AEDF) in UA, from singleton early-onset severe preeclamptic pregnancies. Supplementary, the impact on both uterine arteries (UTAs) flow was also evaluated. In 68.7% of cases, the EDF was transiently restored (trAEDF group), in the rest of 31.2% remained persistent absent (prAEDF group). UA-PI significantly decreased in the first day after Dex (day 1/0; p < 0.05), reaching its minimum during day 2 (day 2/1; p > 0.05), revealing a significant recovery to day 4 (day 4/2; p < 0.05), in both groups. The MCA-PI decreased from day 1 until day 3 in both groups, but significantly only in the trAEDF group (p = 0.030 vs. p = 0.227. The DV-PI’s decrease (during day 1) and the CPR’s increase (between days 0 and 2) were not significant in both groups. UTAs-PIs did not vary. The prAEDF group had a significantly increased rate of antenatal worsening Doppler and a poorer perinatal outcome compared with the trAEDF group. In conclusion, Dex transiently restored the AEDF in UA in the majority of cases, a “positive” effect being a useful marker for better perinatal prognosis. UA-PI significantly decreased in all cases. The improvement in umbilical circulation probably was responsible for the short but not significant DV-PI reduction. MCA-PI decreased only in sensitive cases, probably due to an already cerebral “full” vasodilation in the prAEDF group. Furthermore, the CPR’s nonsignificant improvement was the result of a stronger effect of Dex on UA-PI than on MCA-PI. Finally, despite the same etiology, it was only a weak correlation between the severity of the umbilical and uterine abnormal spectrum.
An Intelligent Fault Diagnosis Approach for Multirotor UAVs Based on Deep Neural Network of Multi-Resolution Transform Features
Authors: Al-Haddad Luttfi A. , Jaber Alaa Abdulhady
Published: January 2023

As a modern technological trend, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are extensively employed in various applications. The core purpose of condition monitoring systems, proactive fault diagnosis, is essential in ensuring UAV safety in these applications. In this research, adaptive health monitoring systems perform blade balancing fault diagnosis and classification. There seems to be a bidirectional unpredictability within each, and this paper proposes a hybrid-based transformed discrete wavelet and a multi-hidden-layer deep neural network (DNN) scheme to compensate for it. Wide-scale, high-quality, and comprehensive soft-labeled data are extracted from a selected hovering quad-copter incorporated with an accelerometer sensor via experimental work. A data-driven intelligent diagnostic strategy was investigated. Statistical characteristics of non-stationary six-leveled multi-resolution analysis in three axes are acquired. Two important feature selection methods were adopted to minimize computing time and improve classification accuracy when progressed into an artificial intelligence (AI) model for fault diagnosis. The suggested approach offers exceptional potential: the fault detection system identifies and predicts faults accurately as the resulting 91% classification accuracy exceeds current state-of-the-art fault diagnosis strategies. The proposed model demonstrated operational applicability on any multirotor UAV of choice.
Influence of Avatar Facial Appearance on Users’ Perceived Embodiment and Presence in Immersive Virtual Reality
Authors: Suk Haejung , Laine Teemu H.
Published: January 2023

Immersive virtual reality (VR) based on head-mounted displays has been identified as one of the key interaction technologies of the future metaverse, which comprises diverse interconnected virtual worlds and users who traverse between those worlds and interact with each other. Interaction in immersive VR entails the use of avatars that represent users. Previous research has shown that avatar appearance (e.g., body type, body visibility, and realism) affects the senses of embodiment and presence, which are among the key indicators of successful immersive VR. However, research on how the similarity between an avatar’s face and the user’s face affects embodiment and presence is lacking. We conducted a mixed-method experiment with 23 young adults (10 males, 13 females, mean age: 25.22) involving a VR scene with rich embodiment, a virtual mirror, and interaction with a virtual character. The participants were assigned to two groups: Group 1 had avatars based on their own faces, and Group 2 had avatars based on a stranger’s face. The results indicated that Group 1 experienced higher embodiment with no significant differences in presence scores. Additionally, we identified moderate and significant correlations between presence and embodiment, including their subscales. We conclude that the realism and similarity in an avatar’s appearance is important for embodiment, and that both embodiment and presence are intertwined factors contributing to immersive VR user experience.
Alleviating Class-Imbalance Data of Semiconductor Equipment Anomaly Detection Study
Authors: Seol Da Hoon , Choi Jeong Eun , Kim Chan Young , Hong Sang Jeen
Published: January 2023

Plasma-based semiconductor processing is highly sensitive, thus even minor changes in the procedure can have serious consequences. The monitoring and classification of these equipment anomalies can be performed using fault detection and classification (FDC). However, class imbalance in semiconductor process data poses a significant obstacle to the introduction of FDC into semiconductor equipment. Overfitting can occur in machine learning due to the diversity and imbalance of datasets for normal and abnormal. In this study, we suggest a suitable preprocessing method to address the issue of class imbalance in semiconductor process data. We compare existing oversampling models to reduce class imbalance, and then we suggest an appropriate sampling strategy. In order to improve the FC performance of plasma-based semiconductor process data, it was confirmed that the SMOTE-based model using an undersampling technique such as Tomek link is effective. SMOTE-TOMEK, which removes multiple classes and makes the boundary clear, is suitable for FDC to classify minute changes in plasma-based semiconductor equipment data.
Software Engineering of Resistive Elements Electrophysical Parameters Simulation in the Process of Laser Trimming
Authors: Kondrashov Vladimir V. , Seredin Oleg S. , Chapkin Vyacheslav V. , Zemlyakov Evgeny V. , Topalov Ilya K.
Published: January 2023

This study continues a series of papers covering the R&D of circuit simulators embedded into manufacturing equipment for the laser trimming of film and foil resistors intended to improve the final product’s performance and reduce process costs. Our paper describes the development of the ResModel laser trimming simulation software. Various types of trims and their features are presented for a circuit with a dynamic measurement DC source, and the optimal trim configurations are identified. The software can be used to estimate and display resistive element properties during the trimming such as its electrophysical parameters and their trends.
How to Use Nested Probes Coupling to Increase the Local NMR/MRI Resolution and Sensitivity for Specific Experiments
Authors: Lupu Mihaela , Mispelter Joel
Published: January 2023

In this paper, we address resonant systems intended to be used with the commercial main resonator present on all NMR or MRI instruments. The purpose of this approach is to get an improvement regarding the spatial localization and signal to noise ratio provided by an additional smaller coil. Both coils are coupled to the same sample region, and thus, are inductively coupled through their common magnetic flux. The coupling strength is characterized by the so-called mutual inductance M. Two practical devices are presented. Firstly, a geometrical passive decoupled resonant system (M = 0) allows getting a sensitive received signal from the maximized nuclear macroscopic magnetization, excited by the main resonator and detected by the smaller sniffer coil. Secondly, a strongly coupled resonant system allows us to considerably locally improve the magnetic component of the RF near field to provide an efficient nuclear spin magnetization excitation and a high received signal. For both configurations, the behavior of the coils system regarding the amplitude of B1 is addressed. Finally, specific technical hints to achieve optimum energy transfer (impedance matching) are discussed, taking into account the non-ideal RF characteristics of the involved components. Examples of MRI experiments, as well as workbench evaluations and simulations support the principles exposed here.
Improved Performance of Latent Heat Energy Storage Systems in Response to Utilization of High Thermal Conductivity Fins
Authors: Ye Wenwen , Jamshideasli Dourna , Khodadadi Jay M.
Published: January 2023

Analytical, computational and experimental investigations directed at improving the performance of latent heat thermal energy storage systems that utilize high thermal conductivity fins in direct contact with phase change materials are reviewed. Researchers have focused on waste heat recovery, thermal management of buildings/computing platforms/photovoltaics/satellites and energy storage for solar thermal applications. Aluminum (including various alloys), brass, bronze, copper, PVC, stainless steel and steel were the adopted fin materials. Capric-palmitic acid, chloride mixtures, dodecanoic acid, erythritol, fluorides, lauric acid, naphthalene, nitrite and nitrate mixtures, paraffins, potassium nitrate, salt hydrates, sodium hydrate, stearic acid, sulfur, water and xylitol have been the adopted fusible materials (melting or fusion temperature Tm range of −129.6 to 767 °C). Melting and solidification processes subject to different heat exchange operating conditions were investigated. Studies of thawing have highlighted the marked role of natural convection, exhibiting that realizing thermally unstable fluid layers promote mixing and expedited melting. Performance of the storage system in terms of the hastened charge/discharge time was strongly affected by the number of fins (or fin-pitch) and fin length, in comparison to fin thickness and fin orientation. Strength of natural convection, which is well-known to play an important role on thawing, is diminished by introduction of fins. Consequently, a designer must consider suppression of buoyancy and the extent of sacrificed PCM in selecting the optimum positions and orientation of the fins. Complex fin shapes featuring branching arrangements, crosses, Y-shapes, etc. are widely replacing simple planar fins, satisfying the challenge of forming short-distance conducting pathways linking the temperature extremes of the storage system.
Traditional Fermented Foods: Challenges, Sources, and Health Benefits of Fatty Acids
Authors: Xing Yanxia , Huang Mengzhen , Olovo Chinasa V. , Mgbechidinma Chiamaka L. , Yang Yu , Liu Jing , Li Bo , Zhu Mengliu , Yu Kexue , Zhu He , Yao Xiaoman , Bo Le , Akan Otobong D.
Published: January 2023

Traditional fermented foods harbor microbes that transform raw food components, improving their nutritional, shelf life, organoleptic, and health-promoting characteristics. Fermented foods are an important conduit of contact between bioactive components that act like antigens and the human body system. Versatile microbes in traditional fermented foods are associated with many health-promoting end-products, including dietary fatty acids and inherent fermenting microbial cells. Evidence shows that dietary fatty acid components regulate genes in a hormonally dependent manner, either directly via specific binding to nuclear receptors or indirectly by changing regulatory transcription factors. Fatty acids are implicated in anti-inflammatory, anti-obesogenic, immunoregulatory, cardioprotective, etc., activities. Challenges with scaling the production of traditional fermented foods stem from losing effective consortiums of microbial groups and the production of differential end-products. Industrialists scaling the production of traditional fermented foods must overcome safety and consistency challenges. They need to combine processes that lessen the advent of public health issues and introduce omics technologies that identify and maintain effective consortium groups, prune genes that code for toxic products, and inculcate microbes with additional beneficial characteristics. Incorporating omics in production will avail the benefits of traditional fermented foods to a larger population that craves them outside their native areas.
Pleurotus ostreatus Grown on Agro-Industrial Residues: Studies on Microbial Contamination and Shelf-Life Prediction under Different Packaging Types and Storage Temperatures
Authors: Abou Fayssal Sami , El Sebaaly Zeina , Sassine Youssef
Published: January 2023

The short shelf-life of mushrooms, due to water loss and microbial spoilage, is the main constraint for commercialization and consumption. The effect of substrate type combined with different temperatures and packaging conditions on the shelf-life of fresh Pleurotus ostreatus is scantily researched. The current study investigated the shelf-life of fresh oyster mushrooms grown on low (0.3, 0.3, 0.17) and high (0.7, 0.7, 0.33) rates of olive pruning residues (OLPR), spent coffee grounds (SCG), and both combined residues (OLPR/SCG) with wheat straw (WS), respectively, at ambient (20 °C) and 4 °C temperatures under no packaging, polyethylene plastic bag packaging (PBP), and polypropylene vacuum bag packaging (VBP). Results showed that at ambient temperature OLPR/SCG mushrooms PBP-bagged had an increased shelf-life by 0.5–1.2 days in comparison with WS ones. The predictive models adopted to optimize mushroom shelf-life at ambient temperature set rates of 0.289 and 0.303 of OLPR and OLPR/SCG, respectively, and PBP as the most suitable conditions (9.18 and 9.14 days, respectively). At 4 °C, OLPR/SCG mushrooms VBP-bagged had a longer shelf-life of 2.6–4.4 days compared to WS ones. Predictive models noted a maximized shelf-life of VBP-bagged mushrooms (26.26 days) when a rate of 0.22 OLPR/SCG is incorporated into the initial substrate. The combination of OLPR and SCG increased the shelf-life of fresh Pleurotus ostreatus by decreasing the total microbial count (TMC) while delaying weight loss and veil opening, and maintaining carbohydrate content, good firmness, and considerable protein, in comparison with WS regardless the storage temperature and packaging type.
A Systematic Review of the Aerobic Exercise Program Variables for Patients with Non-Specific Neck Pain: Effectiveness and Clinical Applications
Authors: Paraskevopoulos Eleftherios , Koumantakis George A. , Papandreou Maria
Published: January 2023

Studies have shown that aerobic exercise (AE) may improve symptoms related to non-specific neck pain (NNP); however, the variables of the exercise programs and the overall effectiveness of AE have not been evaluated in a systematic review. Therefore, this review aimed to describe and discuss the variables of the AE programs used in clinical trials for patients with NNP. Included studies were analyzed for the selected AE variables such as intensity, frequency, duration, delivery, supervision, and adherence. The PEDro scale was used to assess the methodological quality of the studies. From the literature search, six studies met the inclusion criteria and were evaluated. After reviewing all the included studies, it was found that a range of AE interventions were used such as cycling, brisk walking, aerobics, stationary bike, treadmill running, circuit training, and swimming. Further, the duration was between 30 and 45 min for each session, with or without progressive increases from week to week. The intervention periods ranged from 1 month to 6 months in duration. Most studies used AE three times per week. Furthermore, exercise intensity was measured with either subjective (BORG) or objective measures (heartrate reserve). Justification for the specified intensity and reporting of adverse events was reported only in two studies and differed between studies. Exercise interventions were poorly reported. This review showed that moderate-intensity AE undertaken three times per week, in patients with NNP, may be beneficial for pain and function; however, the development of reporting standards is essential for the successful replication of studies.
Knowledge and Perception of Orthodontic Treatment among General and Non-Orthodontic Dental Specialists: A Comparative Study
Authors: Alshammari Abdulrahman Khulaif , Alanazi Abeer , Al-swedani Haya , Khan Mahvish , Ahmad Saheem , Haque Shafiul , Khan Saif
Published: January 2023

The objective of this study is to discover any possible association of gender or practitioner classification with orthodontic knowledge and attitudes towards orthodontic treatment. Descriptive cross-sectional research was conducted on two groups of dentists in the Ha’il region of Saudi Arabia. Group I included general practitioners, while Group II had non-orthodontic specialists. The findings suggest a statistically significant (p < 0.05) difference between the knowledge and attitudes of general practitioners and non-orthodontic specialists. Independent two tailed t-scores for difference in Knowledge (t-score = 3.19919, p = 0.003) and Attitude (t-score = 2.16314, p = 0.048319), highlight significant disparities in the knowledge and attitudes of general practitioners and non-orthodontic specialists. However, no statistically significant difference was observed in terms of knowledge and attitudes based on gender differences. This study captures and highlights subtle information that is very significant in dealing with critically important orthodontics issues. The study suggests that it is possible that a non-orthodontic specialist may suggest an altogether different line of treatment with different consequences when compared to a general practitioner and vice versa. This may result in unwanted, permanent orthodontic effects, highlighting the significance of the early stage of orthodontic treatment awareness. This research reveals disparities between the perceptions of general practitioners and non-orthodontic specialists about the stage and relevance of orthodontic treatment. It is strongly advised to see an orthodontic expert rather than a general practitioner or non-orthodontic specialist for orthodontic issues.
Vaccination Coverage and Associated Factors of COVID-19 Uptake in Adult Primary Health Care Users in Greece
Authors: Bouloukaki Izolde , Christoforaki Anna , Christodoulakis Antonios , Krasanakis Thodoris , Lambraki Eirini , Pateli Rodanthi , Markakis Manolis , Tsiligianni Ioanna
Published: January 2023

In our study, attitudes and perceptions of adult primary health care users regarding COVID-19 vaccination were evaluated. A single-center, cross-sectional study was conducted during a 1-year period (March 2021–March 2022) in a rural area in Crete, Greece. A sample of 626 self-reported questionnaires was collected at the end of the study period. Overall, 78% of respondents stated that they had received the COVID-19 vaccine. The reasons behind vaccine uptake were mainly personal beliefs and the desire to avoid professional constraints. The presence of diabetes type 2, fear of infection, and high perceived efficacy of vaccine previous flu vaccination, living with vulnerable persons, and the influence of scientific information were all significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccine uptake. On the contrary, unwillingness and/or uncertainty to be vaccinated was associated with fear of vaccine side effects, information insufficiency, media/internet information, older age, the presence of inflammatory arthritis, previous COVID-19 infection, the belief that infection confers much greater immunity than the vaccine, and attitudes against vaccinations in general were predictors against COVID-19 vaccination. In conclusion, taking into account all of the above predictors and particularly those regarding safety and vaccine effectiveness may guide future strategies appropriately tailored to specific characteristics and needs of different geographic populations.
The Tartan Ribbon or Further Experiments of Maxwell’s Disappointment/Sutton’s Accident
Authors: Klein Susanne , Elter Paul
Published: January 2023

On 17 May 1861, James Clerk Maxwell delivered a lecture at the Royal Society where he demonstrated, using a lantern slide projection, his theory for colour perception in the human eye via the additive colour process known today as RGB. Three images from three separate lantern slide projectors were projected onto a surface. The same colour filters with which the object had been photographed where then placed in front of each projection lens, carefully realigned, and what has been called “the first colour photograph” was supposed to have been created. It was a series of happy accidents, during capture and exposure, and a misinterpretation of the results—mostly long after the event itself—that has invented this commonly referred to fictional “First Ever” title. In the following retelling of the historical details in their chronological order and through a series of experiments with historically correct emulsions, we will clearly outline the errors and where they occurred.
Distinct Mechanistic Behaviour of Tomato CYP74C3 and Maize CYP74A19 Allene Oxide Synthases: Insights from Trapping Experiments and Allene Oxide Isolation
Authors: Grechkin Alexander N. , Lantsova Natalia V. , Mukhtarova Lucia S. , Khairutdinov Bulat I. , Gorina Svetlana S. , Iljina Tatiana M. , Toporkova Yana Y.
Published: January 2023

The product specificity and mechanistic peculiarities of two allene oxide synthases, tomato LeAOS3 (CYP74C3) and maize ZmAOS (CYP74A19), were studied. Enzymes were vortexed with linoleic acid 9-hydroperoxide in a hexane–water biphasic system (20–60 s, 0 °C). Synthesized allene oxide (9,10-epoxy-10,12-octadecadienoic acid; 9,10-EOD) was trapped with ethanol. Incubations with ZmAOS produced predominantly 9,10-EOD, which was converted into an ethanolysis product, (12Z)-9-ethoxy-10-oxo-12-octadecenoic acid. LeAOS3 produced the same trapping product and 9(R)–α–ketol at nearly equimolar yields. Thus, both α–ketol and 9,10-EOD appeared to be kinetically controlled LeAOS3 products. NMR data for 9,10-EOD (Me) preparations revealed that ZmAOS specifically synthesized 10(E)-9,10-EOD, whereas LeAOS3 produced a roughly 4:1 mixture of 10(E) and 10(Z) isomers. The cyclopentenone cis-10-oxo-11-phytoenoic acid (10-oxo-PEA) and the Favorskii-type product yields were appreciable with LeAOS3, but dramatically lower with ZmAOS. The 9,10-EOD (free acid) kept in hexane transformed into macrolactones but did not cyclize. LeAOS3 catalysis is supposed to produce a higher proportion of oxyallyl diradical (a valence tautomer of allene oxide), which is a direct precursor of both cyclopentenone and cyclopropanone. This may explain the substantial yields of cis-10-oxo-PEA and the Favorskii-type product (via cyclopropanone) with LeAOS3. Furthermore, 10(Z)-9,10-EOD may be produced via the reverse formation of allene oxide from oxyallyl diradical.
Are Ants Good Organisms to Teach Elementary Students about Invasive Species in Florida?
Authors: Zollota Sara , Perez Patricia , Allen Jenna , Argenti Tori , Read Quentin D. , Ascunce Marina S.
Published: January 2023

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of our outreach program “The ImportANTs of ANTs” in communicating scientific topics to elementary school children, using ants as example organisms. In this program’s first phase, we focused on the concepts of native and invasive species and how invasive species affect ecosystems. The program included various active learning approaches, including presentations, handouts, crafts, and live colony viewings. At two schools (one in rural and one in suburban areas), 210 students from 5th grade were assessed using short, anonymous pre- and post-surveys. We analyzed the students’ responses to questions from the following categories: general feelings about ants, ant knowledge, general care for the environment, general impact knowledge, and native/invasive species knowledge. The school populations displayed distinct opinion changes and knowledge gains; however, there was a significant increase in knowledge of native and invasive species in both populations. Our study demonstrates that ants are good models to teach children about the impact of invasive species. The project aims to drive universal responsibility by forging proactive attitudes toward protecting the environment and native species early.
Least Mean p-Power-Based Sparsity-Driven Adaptive Line Enhancer for Passive Sonars Amid Under-Ice Noise
Authors: Lv Yujiao , Chi Cheng , Huang Haining , Jin Shenglong
Published: January 2023

In order to detect weak underwater tonals, adaptive line enhancers (ALEs) have been widely applied in passive sonars. Unfortunately, conventional ALEs cannot perform well amid impulse noise generated by ice cracking, snapping shrimp or other factors. This kind of noise has a different noise model compared to Gaussian noise and leads to noise model mismatch problems in conventional ALEs. To mitigate the performance degradation of conventional ALEs in under-ice impulse noise, in this study, a modified ALE is proposed for passive sonars. The proposed ALE is based on the least mean p-power (LMP) error criterion and the prior information of the frequency domain sparsity to improve the enhancement performance under impulse noise. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gain is chosen as the metric for evaluating the proposed ALE. The simulation results show that the output SNR gain of the proposed ALE was, respectively, 9.3 and 2.6 dB higher than that of the sparsity-based ALE (SALE) and the least mean p-power ALE (PALE) when the input GSNR was −12 dB. The results of processing the under-ice noise data also demonstrate that the proposed ALE is distinguished among the four ALEs.
Temporal and Spatial Variation in the Population Structure of Spanish Fusarium circinatum Infecting Pine Stands
Authors: Fariña-Flores David , Berbegal Mónica , Iturritxa Eugenia , Hernandez-Escribano Laura , Aguín Olga , Raposo Rosa
Published: January 2023

Fusarium circinatum is an introduced fungal pathogen extended to the northern regions of Spain that causes Pine Pitch Canker (PPC) disease. In this work, we analyzed the pathogen’s genetic diversity to study changes over time and space since the first outbreak occurred in Spain. Using six polymorphic SSR markers, 15 MLGs were identified in 66 isolates, and only three haplotypes were found with frequencies higher than one. In general, genotypic diversity was low and decreased shortly over time in the northwestern regions while maintained at País Vasco, where only one haplotype (MLG32) was detected 10 years. This population also included isolates of a single mating type (MAT-2) and VCGs identified in only two groups, while isolates from NW regions were of both mating types and VCGs represented in 11 groups. The existence of haplotype MLG32 maintained on time and widely distributed suggests its good adaptation to the environment and the host. Results showed that the pathogen in País Vasco remains clearly differentiated from other northwestern populations. This fact was supported with no evidence of migration among regions. Results are explained by the asexual reproduction, but also selfing at least to a lesser extent that leads to identification of two new haplotypes.
An Efficient Certificateless Forward-Secure Signature Scheme for Secure Deployments of the Internet of Things
Authors: Shah Tahir Ali , Ullah Insaf , Khan Muhammad Asghar , Lorenz Pascal , Innab Nisreen
Published: January 2023

As an extension of the wired network, the use of the wireless communication network has considerably boosted users’ productivity at work and in their daily lives. The most notable aspect of the wireless communication network is that it overcomes the constraints of the wired network, reduces the amount of cost spent on wire maintenance, and distributes itself in a manner that is both more extensive and flexible. Combining wireless communication with the Internet of Things (IoT) can be used in several applications, including smart cities, smart traffic, smart farming, smart drones, etc. However, when exchanging data, wireless communication networks use an open network, allowing unauthorized users to engage in communication that is seriously destructive. Therefore, authentication through a digital signature will be the best solution to tackle such problems. Several digital signatures are contributing to the authentication process in a wireless communication network; however, they are suffering from several problems, including forward security, key escrow, certificate management, revocations, and high computational and communication costs, respectively. Keeping in view the above problems, in this paper we proposed an efficient certificateless forward-secure signature scheme for secure deployments in wireless communication networks. The security analysis of the proposed scheme is carried out using the random oracle model (ROM), which shows that it is unforgeable against type 1 and type 2 adversaries. Moreover, the computational and communication cost analyses are carried out by using major operations, major operations cost in milliseconds, and extra communication bits. The comparative analysis with the existing scheme shows that the proposed scheme reduces the computational cost from 19.23% to 97.54% and the communication overhead from 11.90% to 83.48%, which means that the proposed scheme is efficient, faster, and more secure for communication in the wireless communication network.
How Does the Level of Physical Activity Influence Eating Behavior? A Self-Determination Theory Approach
Authors: Fernandes Vanessa , Rodrigues Filipe , Jacinto Miguel , Teixeira Diogo , Cid Luís , Antunes Raul , Matos Rui , Reigal Rafael , Hernández-Mendo Antonio , Morales-Sánchez Verónica , Monteiro Diogo
Published: January 2023

Physical activity and diet are two predominant determinants of population health status that may influence each other. Physical activity has been identified as a behavior that may lead to a healthier diet and regulates eating behaviors. This research aimed to investigate how the level of physical activity is associated with the motivation related to eating behaviors and, consequently, the eating style individuals have on a daily basis. This was a cross-sectional study in which participants completed an online questionnaire that assessed the following variables: the level of physical activity, the motivation toward eating behavior, and the type of eating behavior. In total, 440 individuals (180 men and 260 women) who regularly exercised in gyms and fitness centers aged between 19 and 64 years (M = 33.84; SD = 10.09) took part in the study. The data were collected following the Declaration of Helsinki and with the approval of the Ethics Committee of the Polytechnic of Leiria. For the statistical analysis, mean and standard deviations were first calculated, as well as bivariate correlations between all the variables of interest. Then, structural equation model analyses were performed considering the levels of physical activity as the independent variable, motivations toward eating behavior as the mediators, and eating styles as the dependent variables. It was concluded that a greater level of physical activity leads to a more self-determined type of eating regulation, which in turn results in less constricted eating behaviors that are influenced by external factors and emotional factors.
Brillouin Light Scattering from Magnetic Excitations
Authors: Yoshihara Akira
Published: January 2023

Brillouin light scattering (BLS) has been established as a standard technique to study thermally excited sound waves with frequencies up to ~100 GHz in transparent materials. In BLS experiments, one usually uses a Fabry–Pérot interferometer (FPI) as a spectrometer. The drastic improvement of the FPI contrast factor over 1010 by the development of the multipass type and the tandem multipass type FPIs opened a gateway to investigate low energy excitations (ħω ≤ 1 meV) in various research fields of condensed matter physics, including surface acoustic waves and spin waves from opaque surfaces. Over the last four decades, the BLS technique has been successfully applied to study collective spin waves (SWs) in various types of magnetic structures including thin films, ultrathin films, multilayers, superlattices, and artificially arranged dots and wires using high-contrast FPIs. Now, the BLS technique has been fully established as a unique and powerful technique not only for determination of the basic magnetic constants, including the gyromagnetic ratio, the magnetic anisotropy constants, the magnetization, the SW stiffness constant, and other features of various magnetic materials and structures, but also for investigations into coupling phenomena and surface and interface phenomena in artificial magnetic structures. BLS investigations on the Fe/Cr multilayers, which exhibit ferromagnetic-antiferromagnetic arrangements of the adjacent Fe layer’s magnetizations depending on the Cr layer’s thickness, played an important role to open the new field known as “spintronics” through the discovery of the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) effect. In this review, I briefly surveyed the historical development of SW studies using the BLS technique and theoretical background, and I concentrated our BLS SW studies performed at Tohoku University and Ishinomaki Senshu University over the last thirty five years. In addition to the ferromagnetic SW studies, the BLS technique can be also applied to investigations of high-frequency magnetization dynamics in superparamagnetic (SPM) nanogranular films in the frequency domain above 10 GHz. One can excite dipole-coupled SPM excitations under external magnetic fields and observe them via the BLS technique. The external field strength determines the SPM excitations’ frequencies. By performing a numerical analysis of the BLS spectrum as a function of the external magnetic field and temperature, one can investigate the high-frequency magnetization dynamics in the SPM state and determine the magnetization relaxation parameters.
Global Value Chains and Industry 4.0 in the Context of Lean Workplaces for Enhancing Company Performance and Its Comprehension via the Digital Readiness and Expertise of Workforce in the V4 Nations
Authors: Kliestik Tomas , Nagy Marek , Valaskova Katarina
Published: January 2023

Industry 4.0 affects nearly every aspect of life by making it more technologically advanced, creative, environmentally friendly and ultimately, more interconnected. It also represents the beginning of the interconnectedness and metaverse associated with Industry 5.0. This issue is becoming decisive for advancement in all areas of life, including science. The primary goal of this study is to concisely explain how current Industry 4.0 trends might interact with existing work systems in global value chains to accelerate their operational activity in the context of firms from the Visegrad Four (V4) nations. Through an examination of the digital abilities in these nations, the purpose of the study is also to demonstrate how well citizens, employees, and end users are able to comprehend the problem at hand. The most recent resources for the topics are covered in the first section of the work. The next one uses graphic analysis and mutual comparison methods, generally comparing existing data over time; it is secondary research, and through these methods the Industry 4.0 applications can significantly speed up the work process itself when compared to the traditional lean process, primarily because of its digital structure. It is difficult to predict which of the V4 will be digitally prepared, as the precedent shifts are based on distinct indicators; therefore, it is crucial that all V4 nations expand their digital adaptability dramatically each year, primarily as a result of spending on scientific research, and education that is organised appropriately. The extra value of this effort may be attributed to how lean processes are intertwined with the Industry 4.0 trend’s digital experience, which already includes the Industry 5.0 trend’s artificial intelligence and metaverse, which represent the potential for further research in the future.
LightGBM-LncLoc: A LightGBM-Based Computational Predictor for Recognizing Long Non-Coding RNA Subcellular Localization
Authors: Lyu Jianyi , Zheng Peijie , Qi Yue , Huang Guohua
Published: January 2023

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNA) are a class of RNA transcripts with more than 200 nucleotide residues. LncRNAs play versatile roles in cellular processes and are thus becoming a hot topic in the field of biomedicine. The function of lncRNAs was discovered to be closely associated with subcellular localization. Although many methods have been developed to identify the subcellular localization of lncRNAs, there still is much room for improvement. Herein, we present a lightGBM-based computational predictor for recognizing lncRNA subcellular localization, which is called LightGBM-LncLoc. LightGBM-LncLoc uses reverse complement k-mer and position-specific trinucleotide propensity based on the single strand for multi-class sequences to encode LncRNAs and employs LightGBM as the learning algorithm. LightGBM-LncLoc reaches state-of-the-art performance by five-fold cross-validation and independent test over the datasets of five categories of lncRNA subcellular localization. We also implemented LightGBM-LncLoc as a user-friendly web server.
Fertility Preservation in Endometrial Cancer—Treatment and Molecular Aspects
Authors: Schubert Melanie , Mettler Liselotte , Deenadayal Tolani Aarti , Alkatout Ibrahim
Published: January 2023

Endometrial cancer is one of the most common gynecological malignancies worldwide; incidences are rising, with 417,367 new cases registered in 2020. Of these, the proportion of women that are of reproductive age is around 4–14% and the number is increasing. Thus, in addition to oncological therapy and safety, the preservation of fertility plays a central role in therapeutic strategies. Molecular genetic patient data provide a robust supplementary benefit that improves primary risk assessment and can help design personalized treatment options to curtail over- and undertreatment and contribute to fertility preserving strategies. The aim of our review is to provide an overview of the latest significant recommendations in the diagnosis and therapy of endometrial cancer during reproductive age. In this paper the most recent groundbreaking molecular discoveries in endometrial cancer are highlighted and discussed as an opportunity to enhance the prognostic and therapy options in this special patient collective.
Scaling Up of Steric Exclusion Membrane Chromatography for Lentiviral Vector Purification
Authors: Labisch Jennifer Julia , Paul Richard , Wiese G. Philip , Pflanz Karl
Published: January 2023

Lentiviral vectors (LVs) are widely used in clinical trials of gene and cell therapy. Low LV stability incentivizes constant development and the improvement of gentle process steps. Steric exclusion chromatography (SXC) has gained interest in the field of virus purification but scaling up has not yet been addressed. In this study, the scaling up of lentiviral vector purification by SXC with membrane modules was approached. Visualization of the LVs captured on the membrane during SXC showed predominant usage of the upper membrane layer. Furthermore, testing of different housing geometries showed a strong influence on the uniform usage of the membrane. The main use of the first membrane layer places a completely new requirement on the scaling of the process and the membrane modules. When transferring the SXC process to smaller or larger membrane modules, it became apparent that scaling of the flow rate is a critical factor that must be related to the membrane area of the first layer. Performing SXC at different scales demonstrated that a certain critical minimum surface area-dependent flow rate is necessary to achieve reproducible LV recoveries. With the presented scaling approach, we were able to purify 980 mL LVs with a recovery of 68%.
Mathematical Modeling on Optimization of Submerged Entry Nozzle for an Ultra-Thick Slab Continuous Casting Mold
Authors: Yin Yanbin , Zhang Jiongming , Xiao Pengcheng
Published: January 2023

To optimize the submerged entry nozzle (SEN) for an ultra-thick slab mold, a mathematical model has been established. The molten steel flow and solidification, inclusion transports, and meniscus fluctuation have been investigated through the model. Compared with the concave-bottom SEN cases, the convex-bottom SEN decreases the imping depth of the jet flow and increases the horizontal velocity and temperature on the meniscus. However, the remelting of the solidified shell is dramatic for the convex-bottom case. The well depth of the concave-bottom SEN and the SEN’s submerged depth have little influence on molten steel flow and solidification. The effects of SEN port shape and port angle on the molten steel flow are significant. As the port shape changes from rectangle to square or the port downward angle decreases, the imping depth of jet flow decreases, the horizontal velocity and the temperature on the mold free surface increase. For the ultra-thick mold, a square-shaped-port SEN with a −10° downward angle is more beneficial by comprehensive consideration of molten steel flow and solidification, inclusion removal, and mold powder melting. The optimized SEN has been applied to the actual caster and its performance has been assessed, indicating that the SEN optimization is efficient.
Effect of Hot Rolling on Structure and Mechanical Properties of Mg–Y–Zn–Mn Alloys
Authors: Rogachev Stanislav O. , Bazhenov Viacheslav E. , Komissarov Alexander A. , Li Anna V. , Ten Denis V. , Yushchuk Viacheslav V. , Drobyshev Alexey Yu. , Shin Kwang Seon
Published: January 2023

The effect of hot rolling on the structure and mechanical properties of three Mg–Y–Zn–Mn alloys was studied depending on the process temperature and the reduction ratio. The original plates of cast WZM111, WZM211, and WZM321 alloys after heat treatment were subjected to rolling from an initial thickness of 7 mm to a final thickness of 0.2 mm at two temperatures, namely 400 and 450 °C. Optical and scanning electron microscopy, the microhardness measurement, and tensile testing were used to characterize the material. The rolling regimes that provide a good balance between the strength and ductility of the alloys were established.
An Egg White-Derived Peptide Enhances Systemic Insulin Sensitivity and Modulates Markers of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Obese, Insulin Resistant Mice
Authors: de Campos Zani Stepheny C. , Wang Ren , Veida-Silva Hellen , Clugston Robin D. , Yue Jessica T. Y. , Mori Marcelo A. , Wu Jianping , Chan Catherine B.
Published: January 2023

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome, is a global health problem. Currently, no pharmacological treatment is approved for NAFLD. Natural health products, including bioactive peptides, are potential candidates to aid in the management of metabolic syndrome-related conditions, including insulin resistance and obesity. In this study, we hypothesized that an egg-white-derived bioactive peptide QAMPFRVTEQE (Peptide 2) would improve systemic and local white adipose tissue insulin sensitivity, thereby preventing high-fat diet-induced exacerbation of pathological features associated with NAFLD, such as lipid droplet size and number, inflammation, and hepatocyte hypertrophy in high-fat diet-fed mice. Similar to rosiglitazone, Peptide 2 supplementation improved systemic insulin resistance during the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and enhanced insulin signalling in white adipose tissue, modulating ex vivo lipolysis. In the liver, compared with high-fat diet fed animals, Peptide 2 supplemented animals presented decreased hepatic cholesterol accumulation (p < 0.05) and area of individual hepatic lipid droplet by around 50% (p = 0.09) and reduced hepatic inflammatory infiltration (p < 0.05) whereas rosiglitazone exacerbated steatosis. In conclusion, Peptide 2 supplementation improved insulin sensitivity and decreased hepatic steatosis, unlike the insulin-sensitizing drug rosiglitazone.