bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photogrammetric Precise Surveying Based on the Adjusted 3D Control Linear Network Deployed on a Measured Object
Authors: Karsznia Krzysztof , Osada Edward
Published: May 2022

In surveying engineering tasks, close-range photogrammetry belongs to leading technology by considering different aspects like the achievable accuracy, availability of hardware and software, accessibility to measured objects, or the economy. Hence, constant studies on photogrammetric data processing are desirable. Especially in industrial applications, the control points for close-range photogrammetry are usually measured using total stations. In the case of smaller items, more precise positions of control points can be obtained by deploying and adjusting a three-dimensional linear network located on the object. This article analyzes the accuracy of the proposed method based on the measurement of the linear network using a professional tape with a precision of ±1 mm. It is shown what accuracy of object feature dimensioning can be obtained based on the proposed innovative network method for photo-point measurement, using only the minimum required number of two stereo-images. The photogrammetric 3D model derived from them and captured with a non-metric camera is characterized by the highest possible precision, which qualifies the presented approach to accurate measurements used in the surveying engineering. The authors prove that the distance between two randomly optional points derived from the 3D model of a dimensioned object is equal to the actual distance measured directly on it with one-millimeter accuracy.
Individual and School Correlates of DIT-2 Scores Using a Multilevel Modeling and Data Mining Analysis
Authors: Bankhead Meghan , Choi Youn-Jeng , Patil Yogendra , Thoma Stephen J.
Published: May 2022

Moral reasoning was investigated with respect to individual characteristics (i.e., education level, political orientation and sex) and school-related (i.e., university/college) factors using multilevel modeling and data mining analysis. We used the multilevel modeling to detect school effects on moral reasoning as well as individual effects for 16,334 students representing 79 different higher education institutions across the U.S. The school-related factors, such as the racial composition, student–faculty ratio, average SAT score, institution type, institutions’ geographical region, frequencies of morally relevant words in college course catalog, college mission and value statements were collected through website searches. Data mining analysis was utilized to extract and calculate the frequencies of morally relevant words from the website content. There were significant effects for the individual characteristic of political orientation. Additionally, all school-related factors were significant. Only main effects were observed for some school-related factors (i.e., average SAT score, institution type, frequency of morally relevant words in mission statements, value statements and course catalogs). For other school-related factors (i.e., the region, student–faculty ratio and racial composition), main effects were also observed; however, these effects were particularly illuminating given their interactions with political orientation. Implications for educational communities are discussed.
Optimal Timing of Cholecystectomy in Secondary Choledocholithiasis Patients Who Underwent Preoperative Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography
Authors: Ye Shang-Lin , Hsu Sheng-Der , Chien Wu-Chien , Chung Chi-Hsiang
Published: May 2022

Secondary choledocholithiasis occurs when stones leave the gallbladder. After therapeutic endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with stone removal, cholecystectomy should be performed to prevent recurrence. However, the optimal timing for cholecystectomy in secondary choledocholithiasis patients is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the optimal timing for laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with secondary choledocholithiasis. In total, 22,996 patients in the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis from 1998–2015 were divided into three groups according to whether they underwent surgery as an inpatient (early cholecystectomy (ELC)), within 2 months of admission (intermediate cholecystectomy (ILC)), or 2 months after admission (delayed cholecystectomy (DLC)). The primary outcomes included the recurrence, complication, and mortality rates. After adjusting for confounders, according to the 2013 Tokyo guidelines (cut-off at 2013), a subgroup analysis showed that, compared to the ELC group, the ILC group had lower recurrence, complication, and mortality rates, whereas the DLC group exhibited statistically significantly higher recurrence and mortality rates. In conclusion, the optimal timing of cholecystectomy in secondary choledocholithiasis patients after preoperative ERCP is within 2 months (ILC) after hospital admission. Moreover, ELC is associated with a measurable risk of complications.
Performance Analysis of Selected Machine Learning Techniques for Estimating Resource Requirements of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) in Software Defined Networks
Authors: Faheem Sahibzada Muhammad , Babar Mohammad Inayatullah , Khalil Ruhul Amin , Saeed Nagham
Published: May 2022

Rapid development in the field of computer networking is now demanding the application of Machine Learning (ML) techniques in the traditional settings to improve the efficiency and bring automation to these networks. The application of ML to existing networks brings a lot of challenges and use-cases. In this context, we investigate different ML techniques to estimate resource requirements of complex network entities such as Virtual Network Functions (VNFs) deployed in Software Defined Networks (SDN) environment. In particular, we focus on the resource requirements of the VNFs in terms of Central Processing Unit (CPU) consumption, when input traffic represented by features is processed by them. We propose supervised ML models, Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) and Support Vector Regression (SVR), which are compared and analyzed against state of the art and use Fitting Neural Networks (FNN), to answer the resource requirement problem for VNF. Our experiments demonstrated that the behavior of different VNFs can be learned in order to model their resource requirements. Finally, these models are compared and analyzed, in terms of the regression accuracy and Cumulative Distribution Function (CDF) of the percentage prediction error. In all the investigated cases, the ML models achieved a good prediction accuracy with the total error less than 10% for FNN, while the total error was less than 9% and 4% for MLR and SVR, respectively, which shows the effectiveness of ML in solving such problems. Furthermore, the results shows that SVR outperform MLR and FNN in almost all the considered scenarios, while MLR is marginally more accurate than FNN.
Characteristics of Clinical Isolates of Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Pisarska Aleksandra , Wolinowska Renata , Rudnicka Joanna , Iwanicka-Grzegorek Ewa
Published: May 2022

Dental caries is an infectious disease which remains a significant health problem all over the world. The purpose of the study was to characterise a collection of 60 clinical isolates of S. mutans from adults’ and children’s dental plaque (natural biofilm). The paper describes the process of isolation, identification, analysis of biofilm formation and collection testing for the presence of 13 two-component systems (TCS) identified earlier in reference strain ATCC 700610 (UA159). In the case of S. mutans strains, plaque formation is specifically influenced by binary systems. All isolated strains of S. mutans form biofilm at high levels and possess a set of 26 genes forming TSC binary systems, which have an important role in plaque formation.
Multi-Scale Upsampling GAN Based Hole-Filling Framework for High-Quality 3D Cultural Heritage Artifacts
Authors: Ren Yong , Chu Tong , Jiao Yifei , Zhou Mingquan , Geng Guohua , Li Kang , Cao Xin
Published: May 2022

With the rapid development of 3D scanners, the cultural heritage artifacts can be stored as a point cloud and displayed through the Internet. However, due to natural and human factors, many cultural relics had some surface damage when excavated. As a result, the holes caused by these damages still exist in the generated point cloud model. This work proposes a multi-scale upsampling GAN (MU-GAN) based framework for completing these holes. Firstly, a 3D mesh model based on the original point cloud is reconstructed, and the method of detecting holes is presented. Secondly, the point cloud patch contains hole regions and is extracted from the point cloud. Then the patch is input into the MU-GAN to generate a high-quality dense point cloud. Finally, the empty areas on the original point cloud are filled with the generated dense point cloud patches. A series of real-world experiments are conducted on real scan data to demonstrate that the proposed framework can fill the holes of 3D heritage models with grained details. We hope that our work can provide a useful tool for cultural heritage protection.
The Hormetic Effects of a Brassica Water Extract Triggered Wheat Growth and Antioxidative Defense under Drought Stress
Authors: Khaliq Abdul , Ibrahim Muhammad Usman , Hussain Saddam , Zia Ul Haq Muhammad , Al-Huqail Asma A. , Nawaz Muhammad , Ali Basharat , Khan Faheema , Ali Hyassam M. , Siddiqui Manzer H.
Published: May 2022

Drought is a major environmental constraint, affecting agricultural productivity worldwide. Allelopathic hormesis, the low-dose stimulatory effect of allelochemicals, offers a pragmatic solution in alleviating the adverse effects of drought in plants. This study, therefore, is conducted to evaluate the potential of a brassica water extract (BWE) in enhancing drought tolerance in wheat. The experiment was based on three factors, viz, drought with three levels (100%, 60% and 30% field capacity; FC), different concentrations of a brassica water extract (control, water spray, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5%, 2.0%, 2.5% and 3.0%) and two wheat cultivars, Ihsan-2016 (drought tolerant) and Galaxy-2013 (drought-sensitive). Drought stress, particularly at 30% FC, decreased the morpho-physiological attributes of both wheat cultivars; nevertheless, the application of brassica water extract, particularly at 2.0%, effectively enhanced tolerance against drought stress. Compared with the control, the application of 2.0% brassica water extract increased the morphological attributes, such as seedling length and the fresh and dry weights of both wheat cultivars in the range of 2–160% under 30% field capacity. In addition, the 2.0% brassica water extract triggered the activities of antioxidant enzymes, including superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase (11–159%), decreased the hydrogen peroxide content (14–30%) and enhanced chlorophyll a and b and carotenoid contents (19–154%), as compared to the control, in both wheat cultivars under 30% field capacity. The vigorous growth and higher drought tolerance in wheat cultivars with brassica water extract application were related to improved chlorophyll contents and physiological attributes, a better antioxidant defense system and a reduced H2O2-based damaging effect.
Generating More Hydroelecticity While Ensuring the Safety: Resilience Assessment Study for Bukhangang Watershed in South Korea
Authors: Kim Dong Hyun , Lee Taesam , Shin Hong-Joon , Lee Seung Oh
Published: May 2022

The recent integrated water management policy and carbon-neutral policy can be seen as a turning point that changed the major frameworks of water resource policy and energy policy in the world. Values of hydropower reservoirs, directly related to both policies, should be re-evaluated in terms of resilience. In the past, hydropower reservoirs in Korea have contributed both to flood control and to generating electricity when operating dams within the limited water level during flood seasons. Under such limited operations, the power loss would be inevitable. Therefore, in this study, the concept of resilience was introduced for application to the operation of the hydropower reservoir to minimize such power loss. Also, the framework was able to be used for evaluating power generation performance when setting the target function to the maximization of electricity sale profit. HEC-5 was used for deriving the optimal operation rule, and the scenario was established by referring to the procedure of the general multiple-reservoir operation plan in Korea. As a result of application to the proposed framework, the operation rule that produces the maximum amount of electricity sales was presented, and it was confirmed that flood control and water usage performance could additionally be evaluated. When comparing the past data with optimal operation results for the period 2006~2013, it was found that the resilient operation increased by about 19.83% in terms of electricity generation. In the near future, if various scenarios are added and economic analysis is accompanied, it will be able to judge the best economic effects and the least opportunity costs.
A Review of Apta-POF-Sensors: The Successful Coupling between Aptamers and Plastic Optical Fibers for Biosensing Applications
Authors: Pasquardini Laura , Cennamo Nunzio , Arcadio Francesco , Zeni Luigi
Published: May 2022

Aptamers represent the next frontier as biorecognition elements in biosensors thanks to a smaller size and lower molecular weight with respect to antibodies, more structural flexibility with the possibility to be regenerated, reduced batch-to-batch variation, and a potentially lower cost. Their high specificity and small size are particularly interesting for their application in optical biosensors since the perturbation of the evanescent field are low. Apart from the conventional plasmonic optical sensors, platforms based on silica and plastic optical fibers represent an interesting class of devices for point-of-care testing (POCT) in different applications. The first example of the coupling between aptamers and silica optical fibers was reported by Pollet in 2009 for the detection of IgE molecules. Six years later, the first example was published using a plastic optical fiber (POF) for the detection of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). The excellent flexibility, great numerical aperture, and the large diameter make POFs extremely promising to be coupled to aptamers for the development of a sensitive platform easily integrable in portable, small-size, and simple devices. Starting from silica fiber-based surface plasmon resonance devices, here, a focus on significant biological applications based on aptamers, combined with plasmonic-POF probes, is reported.
The Influence of Exercise, Nutritional Status, and Disease on the Functional Ability to Undertake Activities of Daily Living and Instrumental Activities of Daily Living in Old Taiwanese People
Authors: Lin Hui-Ting , Chang Fu-Kuei , Tsai Hsin-Jen
Published: May 2022

This study aimed to examine the influence of changes in exercise status, nutritional status, and a number of comorbidities on functional ability in Taiwanese community-dwelling older adults. Data were obtained from the Taiwan Longitudinal Study of Aging. The results revealed that current exercise and consistent exercise were negatively associated with subsequent 4- and 8-year activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental ADL (IADL) decline (all p < 0.05). The Mini-Nutritional Assessment (MNA) score was negatively associated with subsequent 8-year IADL decline (all p < 0.05), while the number of diseases was positively associated with subsequent 4- and 8-year IADL decline (all p < 0.05). Current exercise and consistent exercises are beneficial for adults aged ≥65 years to maintain their functional ability in ADL and IADL and to prevent declines in functional ability. Consistency of exercise, MNA score, and the number of chronic diseases are good predictors of IADL decline.
An Explicit Finite Element Method for Saturated Soil Dynamic Problems and Its Application to Seismic Liquefaction Analysis
Authors: Song Jia , Xu Chengshun , Feng Chaoqun , Wang Fujie
Published: May 2022

An explicit finite element method is proposed to solve the u-p-formed dynamic equation of saturated porous media. In this method, a special discretization is implemented to discretize the global computational domain into local node systems of the individual nodes, and the dynamic equation of each local node system corresponding to each node is discretized by the completely explicit integration method in the time domain. By cycling through all the nodes, the dynamic responses of the global computational domain are obtained. In addition, a viscoelastic artificial boundary is added in the method. In numerical examples, the proposed FEM is verified by the good agreements between the results obtained from the proposed method and the analytical and numerical solutions of existing methods, respectively. After being embedded in OpenSees software, the proposed method is implemented into analysis of the seismic responses of liquefiable site.
Conceptual Design, Development, and Preliminary Safety Evaluation of a PWR Dry Storage Module for Spent Nuclear Fuel
Authors: Kim Taehyeon , Kim Kiyoung , Lee Donghee , Na Taehyung , Chung Sunghwan , Kim Yongdeog
Published: May 2022

Dry storage systems are one of the storage methods for spent nuclear fuel used in many countries that operate nuclear power plants. To ensure the safe storage of spent nuclear fuel, dry storage systems are designed to maintain radiation shielding, thermal management, and subcritical and mechanical integrity. In addition, these systems must be able to withstand earthquakes, tornadoes, floods, extreme temperatures, and other operating and design-based accident conditions. In order to develop a model with safety and economic feasibility by analyzing various dry storage systems, a vertically dry storage module was proposed, and evaluations were performed on safety evaluation along with design requirements. As a result of the evaluation, all of the safety design requirements were met. This evaluation’s results can be used as basic data for the detailed design of the dry storage module to proceed with further research, including the preparation of a safety analysis report and experimental verification for licensing applications.
Agreement of Tear Break-Up Time and Meniscus Height between Medmont E300 and Visionix VX120+
Authors: Martínez-Plaza Elena , Molina-Martín Ainhoa , Piñero David P.
Published: May 2022

The goal of this study was to analyze the agreement between the Medmont E300 and the Visionix VX120+ systems in terms of non-invasive tear break-up time (NIBUT) and tear meniscus height (TMH) measurements. A total of 60 eyes (30 healthy subjects) were enrolled. NIBUT and TMH were evaluated with Medmont E300; first NIBUT, NIBUT50%, and TMH were evaluated with Visionix VX120+. Both evaluations were performed in a random order by the same clinician for right, left, and both eyes. The Medmont E300 provided significantly higher NIBUT than Visionix VX120+ for first NIBUT in right, left, and both eyes (p ≤ 0.003) and NIBUT50% in left and both eyes (p ≤ 0.042). The TMH measured with VX120+ was significantly higher than with Medmont E300 considering both eyes (p = 0.037). No significant correlations were found between both devices for either NIBUT (p ≥ 0.11) or TMH (p ≥ 0.09). Passing–Bablok regression analyses revealed poor agreement between devices for NIBUT and TMH outcomes. VX120+ is expected to provide substantial lower first NIBUT values than the NIBUT measured by Medmont E300. Clinicians should consider not using both instruments as interchangeable for dry eye diagnosis.
The Competitive Advantage of the Indian and Korean Film Industries: An Empirical Analysis Using Natural Language Processing Methods
Authors: Kang Hyewon , Yin Wenyan , Kim Jinho , Moon Hwy-Chang
Published: May 2022

India has a longstanding reputation in the film industry, whereas South Korean films have only recently achieved notable success globally. Despite their significant positions in the global film market, there are very few studies that compare and analyze the competitive advantage of the two countries in the film industry. This paper adopts the ABCD model as a complementary framework to the two mainstream theories of strategic management (i.e., industry-based view and resource-based view) to analyze and compare the competitiveness of the industrial success of emerging countries. For the empirical test, this paper uses natural language processing methods to operationalize the theoretical model. After collecting text data from news articles in English related to the Korean and Indian film industries, this study analyzes how many keywords with regards to the 8 sub-factors of the ABCD model are mentioned in the articles using the document similarity measurement. The results reveal the different but complementary areas of strengths. India has higher competitiveness in the factor of Agility while Korea has higher competitiveness in Convergence. This study also highlights the areas for further development and potential partnership between the two countries by leveraging each other’s strengths.
Automobile Technological Transition Scenarios Based on Environmental Drivers
Authors: García Julieth Stefany , Morcillo José D. , Redondo Johan Manuel , Becerra-Fernandez Mauricio
Published: May 2022

Different industrial sectors are assuming measures to mitigate their greenhouse gas emissions, facing the imminent materialization of climate change effects. In the transport sector, one of the measures involves the change in energy source of vehicles, leading to a transition from vehicles powered by fossil fuels (conventional) to electric. Nevertheless, electric vehicles have different drivers that promote their purchases. This work only considers the informed buyers’ interest in making their decisions using environmental criteria. However, these technologies have a series of impacts, including the generation of hazardous waste such as used batteries, which leads consumers to question the environmental impacts generated by conventional and electric vehicles; consequently, it is uncertain which prospective scenarios will dominate in various nations and what will promote them. Therefore, the proposed model is studied as a dynamical system, with bifurcations of codimension 2, which means that it is possible to represent all possible prospective scenarios of this configuration through a bifurcation diagram. In this way, the analysis allows us to find that four families of technological transitions (trajectories that qualitatively can be identified as being of the same behavior class) emerge from the relationships established in the system, showing similarities to the different transition situations recognized on the planet. This model is an attractive tool to classify automobiles’ technological transitions, despite having no other criteria. In fact, although decarbonization is an urgent quest in the transport sector, there are still too many challenges to guarantee environmentally friendly technologies.
Current Context and Research Trends in Linear DC–DC Converters
Authors: Gunawardane Kosala , Padmawansa Nisitha , Kularatna Nihal , Subasinghage Kasun , Lie Tek Tjing
Published: May 2022

With the introduction of switch-mode power supplies (SMPS) in the mid-1970s, the efficiency of DC–DC conversion rose from 60 to 80% and SMPS became a popular power supply solution. However, linear regulators have not become obsolete. The modern power management system in portable devices supports a complex mix of DC–DC converters, combining switch-mode power supplies (SMPS), switched capacitor converters (SCCs), and linear regulators in the form of low-dropout regulators (LDOs). LDOs are used to supply low-voltage DC power rails with very low noise and high current slew rate capability, which are usually fed by the output rail of SMPS. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the evolution of the application scope of linear-type DC–DC converters in the power supply context and the present research trends. First, we review the context of linear DC–DC converters in detail, particularly in portable device power supplies. Then, the details of LDO regulators and their recent industry development and research trends are discussed. Then, the discussion focuses on supercapacitor-assisted low-dropout (SCALDO) regulator design and its scope in the portable device power management together with SCALDO-based dual output and reduced switch designs, and finally, the conclusions follow.
Components and Indicators of the Robot Programming Skill Assessment Based on Higher Order Thinking
Authors: Lertyosbordin Chacharin , Maneewan Sorakrich , Easter Matt
Published: May 2022

Robot programming skill classes are becoming more popular. Higher order thinking, on the other hand, is an important issue in developing the skills of 21st-century learners. Truth be told, those two abilities are consistent subjects that are trending in academics. The purpose of this study is to design the components and indicators of a robot programming skill assessment based on higher order thinking. The methodology is divided into two phases: (1) qualitative research: a review of the literature on the issues for the synthesis of components and indicators of the robot programming skill assessment based on higher order thinking; and (2) quantitative research: to test the validity of the robot programming skill assessment by the content validity index test (CVI) with seven experts and the reliability with Cronbach’s alpha statistic test with the questionnaire results from 50 participants. The results show that the synthesized robot programming skill assessment consists of three components with 16 indicators, all of which are accepted for their agreed content validity index assessment (CVI = 1.00), and the internal consistency calculation results for the reliability test are found to have an acceptable reliability (α = 0.747).
Climatic Signals on Growth Ring Variation in Salix herbacea: Comparing Two Contrasting Sites in Iceland
Authors: Phulara Mohit , Opała-Owczarek Magdalena , Owczarek Piotr
Published: May 2022

Salix herbacea, being such an adaptive species, has never been studied for its climatic response. The main purpose of this study is to examine the dendrochronological potential of S. herbacea. Furthermore, it aims to identify the main environmental factors that are influencing its growth. We selected two sampling sites that are different in terms of morphology and climate. Overall, 40 samples of dwarf willow were collected from two research sites and were analyzed by following the standard dendrochronological methods. The ring width chronology of the dwarf willow from the Afrétt site spans 1953–2017, i.e., 64 years. The correlations between air temperature and the ring width of dwarf willow indicate that this species responds positively to spring and summer temperatures for the Myrdal site. For the Afrétt site, this species responds positively to winter and summer precipitation. These effects may be related to tundra browning, a process that has appeared since the beginning of the 21st century. Our work is the first attempt to create a growth ring chronology of S. herbacea and to investigate its climate sensitivity. Despite the differences in local climate in both sites, this species shows its potentiality and a direct imprint of recent environmental changes in its ring width growth pattern.
New Homogeneous Spatial Areas Identified Using Case-Crossover Spatial Lag Grid Differences between Aerosol Optical Depth-PM2.5 and Respiratory-Cardiovascular Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations
Authors: Braggio John T. , Hall Eric S. , Weber Stephanie A. , Huff Amy K.
Published: May 2022

Optimal use of Hierarchical Bayesian Model (HBM)-assembled aerosol optical depth (AOD)-PM2.5 fused surfaces in epidemiologic studies requires homogeneous temporal and spatial fused surfaces. No analytical method is available to evaluate spatial heterogeneity. The temporal case-crossover design was modified to assess the spatial association between four experimental AOD-PM2.5 fused surfaces and four respiratory–cardiovascular hospital events in 12 km2 grids. The maximum number of adjacent lag grids with significant odds ratios (ORs) identified homogeneous spatial areas (HOSAs). The largest HOSA included five grids (lag grids 04; 720 km2) and the smallest HOSA contained two grids (lag grids 01; 288 km2). Emergency department asthma and inpatient asthma, myocardial infarction, and heart failure ORs were significantly higher in rural grids without air monitors than in urban grids with air monitors at lag grids 0, 1, and 01. Rural grids had higher AOD-PM2.5 concentration levels, population density, and poverty percentages than urban grids. Warm season ORs were significantly higher than cold season ORs for all health outcomes at lag grids 0, 1, 01, and 04. The possibility of elevated fine and ultrafine PM and other demographic and environmental risk factors synergistically contributing to elevated respiratory–cardiovascular chronic diseases in persons residing in rural areas was discussed.
Usefulness of Automatic Hyperparameter Optimization in Developing Radiation Emulator in a Numerical Weather Prediction Model
Authors: Kim Park Sa , Song Hwan-Jin
Published: May 2022

To improve the forecasting accuracy of a radiation emulator in a weather prediction model over the Korean peninsula, the learning rate used in neural network training was automatically optimized using the Sherpa. The Sherpa experiment results were compared with two control simulation results using learning rates of 0.0001 and 1 for different batch sizes (full to 500). In the offline evaluation, the Sherpa results showed significant improvements in predicting longwave/shortwave heating rates and fluxes compared to the lowest learning rate results, whereas the improvements compared to the highest learning rate were relatively small because the optimized values by the Sherpa were 0.4756–0.6656. The online evaluation results over one month, which were linked with the weather prediction model, demonstrated the usefulness of Sherpa on a universal performance for the radiation emulator. In particular, at the full batch size, Sherpa contributed to reducing the one-week forecast errors for longwave/shortwave fluxes, skin temperature, and precipitation by 39–125%, 137–159%, and 24–26%, respectively, compared with the two control simulations. Considering the widespread use of parallel learning based on full batch, Sherpa can contribute to producing robust results regardless of batch sizes used in neural network training for developing radiation emulators.
Use of Low-Cost Sensors to Characterize Occupational Exposure to PM2.5 Concentrations Inside an Industrial Facility in Santa Ana, CA: Results from a Worker- and Community-Led Pilot Study
Authors: Masri Shahir , Rea Jose , Wu Jun
Published: May 2022

PM2.5 is an air contaminant that has been widely associated with adverse respiratory and cardiovascular health, leading to increased hospital admissions and mortality. Following concerns reported by workers at an industrial facility located in Santa Ana, California, workers and community leaders collaborated with experts in the development of an air monitoring pilot study to measure PM2.5 concentrations to which employees and local residents are exposed during factory operating hours. To detect PM2.5, participants wore government-validated AtmoTube Pro personal air monitoring devices during three separate workdays (5 AM–1:30 PM) in August 2021. Results demonstrated a mean PM2.5 level inside the facility of 112.3 µg/m3, nearly seven-times greater than outdoors (17.3 µg/m3). Of the eight workers who wore personal indoor sampling devices, five showed measurements over 100 μg/m3. Welding-related activity inside the facility resulted in the greatest PM2.5 concentrations. This study demonstrates the utility of using low-cost air quality sensors combined with employee knowledge and participation for the investigation of workplace air pollution exposure as well as facilitation of greater health-related awareness, education, and empowerment among workers and community members. Results also underscore the need for basic measures of indoor air pollution control paired with ongoing air monitoring within the Santa Ana facility, and the importance of future air monitoring studies aimed at industrial facilities.
Impact of Charge Migration and the Angle-Resolved Photoionization Time Delays of the Free and Confined Atom X@C60
Authors: Saha Subhasish , Banerjee Sourav , Jose Jobin
Published: May 2022

The present study is devoted to isolate and study the effect of charge migration on the photoionization from the X@C60. The noble gas atoms, Ar, Kr, and Xe, are confined in the C60 to investigate the impact of charge migration from the entrapped atom to the C60 side. The present work concludes that the confinement oscillations in the photoionization features are amplified due to the charge migration. Further, the angle-resolved, spin average time delay is also investigated in the light of confinement. Features in the time delay due to the charge migration are more amplified relative to those in the cross-section or angular distribution.
Extended Form of Robust Solutions for Uncertain Continuous-Time Linear Programming Problems with Time-Dependent Matrices
Authors: Wu Hsien-Chung
Published: May 2022

An extended form of robust continuous-time linear programming problem with time-dependent matrices is formulated in this paper. This complicated problem is studied theoretically in this paper. We also design a computational procedure to solve this problem numerically. The desired data that appeared in the problem are considered to be uncertain quantities, which are treated according to the concept of robust optimization. A discretization problem of the robust counterpart is formulated and solved to obtain the ϵ-optimal solutions.
An Optimized Method to Decellularize Human Trabecular Meshwork
Authors: Crouch Devon J. , Sheridan Carl M. , Behnsen Julia G. , Bosworth Lucy A.
Published: May 2022

Glaucoma is linked to raised intraocular pressure (IOP). The trabecular meshwork (TM) plays a major role in regulating IOP by enabling outflow of aqueous humor from the eye through its complex 3D structure. A lack of therapies targeting the dysfunctional TM highlights the need to develop biomimetic scaffolds that provide 3D in vitro models for glaucoma research or as implantable devices to regenerate TM tissue. To artificially mimic the TM’s structure, we assessed methods for its decellularization and outline an optimized protocol for cell removal and structural retention. Using bovine TM, we trialed 2 lysing agents—Trypsin (0.05% v/v) and Ammonium Hydroxide (NH4OH; 2% v/v). Twenty-four hours in Trypsin caused significant structural changes. Shorter exposure (2 h) reduced this disruption whilst decellularizing the tissue (dsDNA 26 ± 14 ng/mL (control 1970 ± 146 ng/mL)). In contrast, NH4OH lysed all cells (dsDNA 25 ± 21 ng/mL), and the TM structure remained intact. For human TM, 2% v/v NH4OH similarly removed cells (dsDNA 52 ± 4 ng/mL (control 1965 ± 233 ng/mL)), and light microscopy and SEM presented no structural damage. X-ray computed tomography enabled a novel 3D reconstruction of decellularized human TM and observation of the tissue’s intricate architecture. This study provides a new, validated method using NH4OH to decellularize delicate human TM without compromising tissue structure.
Emerging Paradigms in Bioengineering the Lungs
Authors: Mohgan Raxshanaa , Candasamy Mayuren , Mayuren Jayashree , Singh Sachin Kumar , Gupta Gaurav , Dua Kamal , Chellappan Dinesh Kumar
Published: May 2022

In end-stage lung diseases, the shortage of donor lungs for transplantation and long waiting lists are the main culprits in the significantly increasing number of patient deaths. New strategies to curb this issue are being developed with the help of recent advancements in bioengineering technology, with the generation of lung scaffolds as a steppingstone. There are various types of lung scaffolds, namely, acellular scaffolds that are developed via decellularization and recellularization techniques, artificial scaffolds that are synthesized using synthetic, biodegradable, and low immunogenic materials, and hybrid scaffolds which combine the advantageous properties of materials in the development of a desirable lung scaffold. There have also been advances in the design of bioreactors in terms of providing an optimal regenerative environment for the maturation of functional lung tissue over time. In this review, the emerging paradigms in the field of lung tissue bioengineering will be discussed.
Diallel Cross Application and Histomolecular Characterization: An Attempt to Develop Reference Stock of Labeo ariza
Authors: Ahammad A. K. Shakur , Hasan Neaz A. , Bashar Abul , Haque Mohammad Mahfujul , Abualreesh Muyassar H. , Islam Md. Mehefuzul , Datta Biraj Kumar , Rabbi Md. Fazla , Khan Mohd Golam Quader , Alam Md. Samsul
Published: May 2022

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the growth performance and genetic variation in diallel crosses of Ariza labeo (Labeo ariza) originating from three geographically separated rivers (Atrai, Jamuna and Kangsha) in Bangladesh. Intra (G1K♀K♂, G2J♀J♂, and G3A♀A♂) and inter (G4K♀A♂, G5K♀J♂, G6A♀K♂, G7A♀J♂, G8J♀K♂, and G9J♀A♂) stocks were produced following diallel cross (sex ratio—1:1 and n = 48; 16 from each river). Reproductive and growth performance, muscle cellularity and genetic variation following genotyping of eight microsatellite markers (Lr1, Lr2, Lr3, Lr22, Lr24, Lr27, Lr28 and Lr29) and analysis of all crossbreeds was performed. The fertilization (95% ± 2.11%), hatching (88% ± 1.03%), and survival rates (82% ± 1.88%) of G4K♀A♂ were higher compared to other groups. With respect to length and weight gains (2.67 ± 0.4 cm and 3.39 ± 0.2 g), SGR (3.23% ± 0.20%), and heterosis (8.87% and 24.74%) G4K♀A♂ was the superior group. A higher number of hyperplastic muscle fibers, mean number of alleles (2.75) and mean observed heterozygosity (0.417) from G4K♀A♂ could be interpreted to mean that G4K♀A♂ comprise better performance efficiency compared to others and are considered for continuing the L. ariza stock improvement program.
Deficit Irrigation at Pre-Anthesis Can Balance Wheat Yield and Water Use Efficiency under Future Climate Change in North China Plain
Authors: Niu Xiaoli , Feng Puyu , Liu De-Li , Wang Bin , Waters Cathy , Zhao Na , Ma Tiancheng
Published: May 2022

Background. Deficit irrigation (DI) is a feasible strategy to enhance crop WUE and also has significant compensation effects on yield. Previous studies have found that DI has great potential to maintain crop production as full irrigation (FI) does. Therefore, adopting DI to improve crop production and safeguard groundwater resources is of great importance in water scarce regions, e.g., the North China Plain (NCP). Under the background of global warming, it is worth investigating whether DI continues to play such a key role under future climate scenarios. Methods. We studied the response of winter wheat yield and WUE to different DI levels at pre-anthesis under two Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) scenarios (SSP245 and SSP585) using the Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM) model driven by 21 general circulation models (GCMs) from the Coupled Model Inter-Comparison Project phase 6 (CMIP6). Additionally, we explored the effects of different nitrogen (N) fertilizer application rates on DI. Results. We found that simulated wheat yield would increase by 3.5–45.0%, with WUE increasing by 8.8–46.4% across all treatments under future climate change. Moderate deficit irrigation (DI3, ≤0.4 PAWC at the sowing to flowering stage) under the N3 (150 kg N ha−1) condition was identified as the optimum irrigation schedule for the study site under future climate change. However, compensation effects of DI3 on yield and WUE became weak in the future, which was mainly due to increased growing season rainfall projected by GCMs. In addition, we found that N fertilizer application could mitigate the effect of DI3. Conclusions. We highlight that in water scarce regions of NCP, DI remains an effective strategy to maintain higher yield and enhance water use under future climate scenarios. Results strongly suggest that moderate deficit irrigation under a 150 kg N ha−1 condition could mitigate the contradiction between production and water consumption and ensure food safety in the NCP.
The Metabolic Activation of Sofosbuvir Is Impaired in an Experimental Model of NAFLD
Authors: Gabbia Daniela , Roverso Marco , Sarcognato Samantha , Zanotto Ilaria , Ferri Nicola , Russo Francesco Paolo , Guido Maria , Bogialli Sara , De Martin Sara
Published: May 2022

The effect of liver steatosis on drug metabolism has been investigated in both preclinical and clinical settings, but the findings of these studies are still controversial. We here evaluated the pharmacokinetic profile of the main sofosbuvir metabolite GS-331007 in healthy animals and rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) after the oral administration of a single 400 mg/kg dose of sofosbuvir. The plasma concentration of GS-331007 was evaluated by HPLC-MS. The expression of the two enzymes uridine monophosphate-cytidine monophosphate kinase 1 (UMP-CMPK1), and nucleoside diphosphate kinase (ND-PK), responsible for the formation of the active metabolite GS-331007-TP, were measured by qRT-PCR and Western Blot. We demonstrated that in rats with steatosis, the area under the plasma concentration-vs-time curve (AUC) and the peak plasma concentration (Cmax) of GS-331007 increased significantly whereas the expression of UMP-CMPK was significantly lower than that of healthy animals. The reduction of UMP-CMPK expression suggests an impairment of sofosbuvir activation to GS-331007-TP, giving a possible explanation for the reduction of sofosbuvir efficacy in patients affected by genotype 3 Hepatitis C virus (HCV), which is often associated with liver steatosis. Furthermore, since GS-331007 plasma concentration is altered by steatosis, it can be suggested that the plasma concentration of this metabolite may not be a reliable indicator for exposure-response analysis in patients with NAFLD.
Masculinization of Adult Gambusia holbrooki: A Case of Recapitulation of Protogyny in a Gonochorist?
Authors: Tran Ngoc Kim , Kwan Tzu Nin , Purser John , Patil Jawahar G.
Published: May 2022

17α-Methyltestosterone (MT) is a synthetic steroid that has been widely used to masculinize many fish species when administered early during larval development, however, reports on its efficacy on adults is limited. To this end, this study investigated the efficacy of MT in the masculinization of the eastern mosquitofish (G. holbrooki) at two adult stages (maiden and repeat gravid females). The treated females were fed control or respective MT incorporated feed (0–200 mg/kg diet) for 50 days. Effects of the hormone on secondary sexual characteristics, internal gonad morphology, expression of the Anti-Müllerian Hormone (amh) gene and sexual behavior of the treated females were investigated. The results showed that MT at the dose of 50 mg/kg feed stimulated secondary sexual character development, upregulated expression of amh, formation of testicular tissue and a shift in the behavior similar to those of normal males, prominently so in treated maiden gravid females. Post-treatment, long-term observations indicated that only two masculinized females reverted back to being females and gave birth to young. Induction of masculinizing effects in most individuals suggests that the sexual phenotype of this species appears to be highly plastic with potential to sex reverse at adulthood. This in combination with its small size and short reproductive cycle could provide an ideal system to explore the mechanisms of sequential hermaphroditism in fish and contribute to genetic control of this pest fish.
Characterization and In Vitro Cytotoxicity Safety Screening of Fractionated Organosolv Lignin on Diverse Primary Human Cell Types Commonly Used in Tissue Engineering
Authors: Menima-Medzogo Jules A. , Walz Kathrin , Lauer Jasmin C. , Sivasankarapillai Gopakumar , Gleuwitz F. Robert , Rolauffs Bernd , Laborie Marie-Pierre , Hart Melanie L.
Published: May 2022

There is limited data assessing the cytotoxic effects of organosolv lignin with cells commonly used in tissue engineering. Structural and physico-chemical characterization of fractionated organosolv lignin showed that a decrease of the molecular weight (MW) is accompanied by a less branched conformation of the phenolic biopolymer (higher S/G ratio) and an increased number of aliphatic hydroxyl functionalities. Enabling stronger polymer−solvent interactions, as proven by the Hansen solubility parameter analysis, low MW organosolv lignin (2543 g/mol) is considered to be compatible with common biomaterials. Using low MW lignin, high cell viability (70–100%) was achieved after 2 h, 24 h and 7 days using the following lignin concentrations: MSCs and osteoblasts (0.02 mg/mL), gingival fibroblasts and keratinocytes (0.02 to 0.04 mg/mL), periodontal ligament fibroblasts and chondrocytes (0.02 to 0.08 mg/mL). Cell viability was reduced at higher concentrations, indicating that high concentrations are cytotoxic. Higher cell viability was attained using 30/70 (w/v) NaOH vs. 40/60 (w/v) EtOH as the initial lignin solvent. Hydrogels containing low MW lignin (0.02 to 0.3 mg/mL) in agarose dose-dependently increased chondrocyte attachment (cell viability 84–100%) and hydrogel viscosity and stiffness to 3–11 kPa, similar to the pericellular matrix of chondrocytes. This suggests that low MW organosolv lignin may be used in many tissue engineering fields.
ACE2 and TMPRSS2 Immunolocalization and COVID-19-Related Thyroid Disorder
Authors: Park Gi-Cheol , Lee Hyoun-Wook , Kim Ji-Min , Han Ji-Min , Kim Hye-In , Shin Sung-Chan , Cheon Yong-il , Sung Eui-Suk , Lee Minhyung , Lee Jin-Choon , Shin Dong-Min , Lee Byung-Joo
Published: May 2022

Thyroid dysfunction has been reported to be an extrapulmonary symptom of COVID-19. It is important to identify the tissue subset that expresses angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane protease serine 2 (TMPRSS2), which are essential for host infection with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), in order to understand the viral pathogenesis of COVID-19-related thyroid dysfunction. We investigated the expression and distribution of ACE2- and TMPRSS2-expressing cells in the thyroid gland. RT-PCR and Western blotting were performed on human thyroid follicular cells (Nthy-ori3-1) and rat thyroid tissues to detect the expression levels of ACE and TMPRSS2 mRNA and proteins. We also analyzed the expression patterns of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 in 9 Sprague-Dawley rats and 15 human thyroid tissues, including 5 normal, 5 with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and 5 with Graves’ disease, by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunofluorescence. Both ACE2 and TMPRSS2 mRNAs and proteins were detected in the thyroid tissue. However, ACE2 and TMPRSS2 proteins were not expressed in thyroid follicular cells. In IHC, ACE2 and TMPRSS2 were not stained in the follicular cells. No cells co-expressed ACE2 and TMPRSS2. ACE2 was expressed in pericytes between follicles, and TMPRSS2 was mainly stained in the colloid inside the follicle. There was no difference in expression between the normal thyroid, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, and Graves’ disease. SARS-CoV-2 does not directly invade the thyroid follicular cells. Whether SARS-CoV-2 infection of pericytes can affect COVID-19-related thyroid dysfunction warrants further study.