bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Wearable Physical Fitness Training Device Based on Fuzzy Theory
Authors: Zhao Yu-Xiang , Lu Zheng-Xian , Hsieh Yi-Zeng , Lin Shih-Syun , Chiang Pei-Ying
Published: October 2021

Mobile Edge Computing and Communication (MECC) can be deployed in close proximity with sensing devices and act as middleware between cloud and local networks. The health and fitness movement has become extremely popular recently. Endurance activities, such as marathons, triathlons, and cycling have also grown in popularity. However, with more people participating in these activities, more accidents and injuries occur—ranging from heat stroke, to heart attacks, shock, or hypoxia. All physical training activities include a risk of injury and accidents. Therefore, any research that offers a means of reducing injury risk will significantly contribute to the personal fitness field. Moreover, with the growing popularity of wearable devices and the rise of the MECC, the development and application of wearable devices that can connect to the MECC has become widespread, producing many new innovations. Although many wearable devices, such as wrist straps and smart watches, are available and able to detect individual physiological data, they cannot monitor the human body in a state of motion. Therefore, this study proposes a set of monitoring parameters for a novel wearable device connected to the MECC based on fitness management to assist fitness trainers in effective prompted strength training, and to offer timely warnings in the event of an injury risk. The data collected by the monitoring device using fuzzy theory include risk factor, body temperature, heart rate, and blood oxygen concentration. The proposed system can display in real-time the current physiological state of a wearer/user. The introduction of this device will hopefully enable trainers to immediately and effectively control and monitor the intensity of a training session, while increasing training safety, and offer crucial and immediate diagnostic information so that the correct treatment can be applied without delay in the event of injury.
Contact Tracing: Ensuring Privacy and Security
Authors: Storm van Leeuwen Daan , Ahmed Ali , Watterson Craig , Baghaei Nilufar
Published: October 2021

Faced with the biggest virus outbreak in a century, world governments at the start of 2020 took unprecedented measures to protect their healthcare systems from being overwhelmed in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic. International travel was halted and lockdowns were imposed. Many nations adopted measures to stop the transmission of the virus, such as imposing the wearing of face masks, social distancing, and limits on social gatherings. Technology was quickly developed for mobile phones, allowing governments to track people’s movements concerning locations of the virus (both people and places). These are called contact tracing applications. Contact tracing applications raise serious privacy and security concerns. Within Europe, two systems evolved: a centralised system, which calculates risk on a central server, and a decentralised system, which calculates risk on the users’ handset. This study examined both systems from a threat perspective to design a framework that enables privacy and security for contact tracing applications. Such a framework is helpful for App developers. The study found that even though both systems comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), Europe’s privacy legislation, the centralised system suffers from severe risks against the threats identified. Experiments, research, and reviews tested the decentralised system in various settings but found that it performs better but still suffers from inherent shortcomings. User tracking and re-identification are possible, especially when users report themselves as infected. Based on these data, the study identified and validated a framework that enables privacy and security. The study also found that the current implementations using the decentralised Google/Apple API do not comply with the framework.
The Future of Factories: Different Trends
Authors: Salierno Giulio , Leonardi Letizia , Cabri Giacomo
Published: October 2021

The technological advancements promote the rise of the fourth industrial revolution, where key terms are efficiency, innovation, and enterprises’ digitalization. Market globalization, product mass customization, and more complex products need to reflect on changing the actual design methods and developing business processes and methodologies that have to be data-driven, AI-assisted, smart, and service-oriented. Therefore, there is a great interest in experimenting with emerging technologies and evaluating how they impact the actual business processes. This paper reports a comparison among the major trends in the digitalization of a Factory of the Future, in conjunction with the two major strategic programs of Industry 4.0 and China 2025. We have focused on these two programs because we have had experience with them in the context of the FIRST H2020 project. European industrialists identify the radical change in the traditional manufacturing production process as the rise of Industry 4.0. Conversely, China mainland launched its strategic plan in China 2025 to promote smart manufacturing to digitalize traditional manufacturing processes. The main contribution of this review paper is to report about a study, conducted and part of the aforementioned FIRST project, which aimed to investigate major trends in applying for both programs in terms of technologies and their applications for the factory’s digitalization. In particular, our analysis consists of the comparison between Digital Factory, Virtual Factory, Smart Manufacturing, and Cloud Manufacturing. We analyzed their essential characteristics, the operational boundaries, the employed technologies, and the interoperability offered at each factory level for each paradigm. Based on this analysis, we report the building blocks in terms of essential technologies required to develop the next generation of a factory of the future, as well as some of the interoperability challenges at a different scale, for enabling inter-factories communications between heterogeneous entities.
High Inclusiveness and Accuracy Motion Blur Real-Time Gesture Recognition Based on YOLOv4 Model Combined Attention Mechanism and DeblurGanv2
Authors: Zhuang Hongchao , Xia Yilu , Wang Ning , Dong Lei
Published: October 2021

The combination of gesture recognition and aerospace exploration robots can realize the efficient non-contact control of the robots. In the harsh aerospace environment, the captured gesture images are usually blurred and damaged inevitably. The motion blurred images not only cause part of the transmitted information to be lost, but also affect the effect of neural network training in the later stage. To improve the speed and accuracy of motion blurred gestures recognition, the algorithm of YOLOv4 (You Only Look Once, vision 4) is studied from the two aspects of motion blurred image processing and model optimization. The DeblurGanv2 is employed to remove the motion blur of the gestures in YOLOv4 network input pictures. In terms of model structure, the K-means++ algorithm is used to cluster the priori boxes for obtaining the more appropriate size parameters of the priori boxes. The CBAM attention mechanism and SPP (spatial pyramid pooling layer) structure are added to YOLOv4 model to improve the efficiency of network learning. The dataset for network training is designed for the human–computer interaction in the aerospace space. To reduce the redundant features of the captured images and enhance the effect of model training, the Wiener filter and bilateral filter are superimposed on the blurred images in the dataset to simply remove the motion blur. The augmentation of the model is executed by imitating different environments. A YOLOv4-gesture model is built, which collaborates with K-means++ algorithm, the CBAM and SPP mechanism. A DeblurGanv2 model is built to process the input images of the YOLOv4 target recognition. The YOLOv4-motion-blur-gesture model is composed of the YOLOv4-gesture and the DeblurGanv2. The augmented and enhanced gesture data set is used to simulate the model training. The experimental results demonstrate that the YOLOv4-motion-blur-gesture model has relatively better performance. The proposed model has the high inclusiveness and accuracy recognition effect in the real-time interaction of motion blur gestures, it improves the network training speed by 30%, the target detection accuracy by 10%, and the value of mAP by about 10%. The constructed YOLOv4-motion-blur-gesture model has a stable performance. It can not only meet the real-time human–computer interaction in aerospace space under real-time complex conditions, but also can be applied to other application environments under complex backgrounds requiring real-time detection.
Age Estimation Based on Pulp–Tooth Volume Ratio of Anterior Teeth in Cone-Beam Computed Tomographic Images in a Selected Population: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Abdinian Mehrdad , Katiraei Mehdi , Zahedi Hosein , Rengo Carlo , Soltani Parisa , Spagnuolo Gianrico
Published: October 2021

The present study aimed to investigate the correlation between chronological age and pulp–tooth volume ratio in anterior teeth using cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) images and provide equations for age estimation based on pulp–tooth volume ratio. In this cross-sectional study, CBCT images of 312 anterior teeth of the maxilla and mandible were examineαd. The chronological age and the sex of the patients were recorded. Tooth volume and pulp volume of the anterior teeth were measured using Mimics software, and then tooth–pulp volume ratio was calculated. Statistical analysis of data was performed using chi-square test, independent T-test, Pearson’s correlation, and linear regression (α = 0.05). Finally, equations were made based on the results of the regression analysis for age estimation in general and for males and females. The age of the subjects ranged between 16 and 69 years (mean 40.6 ± 12.74). The pulp–tooth volume ratio of the maxillary teeth was generally higher than the mandibular teeth. A significant inverse relationship between age and pulp–tooth volume ratio was observed for all anterior teeth. (p < 0.05). The strongest correlation between age and pulp–tooth volume ratio was reported for mandibular central incisor (r = −0.58, p < 0.001) and the weakest was for mandibular lateral incisor (r = −0.36, p = 0.012). Age estimation was most accurate among females using the maxillary central incisors (p < 0.001) and among males using the mandibular central incisors and maxillary canines (p = 0.003). Pulp–tooth volume ratio of mandibular central incisors, maxillary lateral incisors, and maxillary canines in males and maxillary and mandibular central incisors, maxillary lateral incisors, and maxillary and mandibular canines in females can be used for age estimation.
Full Digital Surgery-First, Skeletal Anchorage and Aligners Approach to Correct a Gummy Smile and Class II Malocclusion with Mandibular Retrusion and Deviation
Authors: Iodice Giorgio , Tartaro Gianpaolo , Santagata Mario , D’Amato Salvatore
Published: October 2021

Background: The demand for interdisciplinary orthodontic treatment has increased significantly in the past few years, especially in adult patients. This kind of treatment requires careful clinical management, as consequence of the possible complications and limits related to adult age. However, the use of skeletal anchorage and three-dimensional (3D) digital technology has deeply revolutionised diagnostic planning and treatment strategies. Methods: A fully digital approach to the treatment of a Class II patient with a gummy smile and mandibular deficiency and deviation, consisting of initial surgery followed by the use of aligners and skeletal anchorage, is described. Results: The 3D, fully digital pre-evaluation enabled clinicians to accurately and reliably plan the surgical procedure and subsequent orthodontics, including the individualised positioning of stabilisation plates and a splint for maxillary and chin surgical movements. This allowed for the improvement of the patient’s facial aesthetics and dental occlusion without the use of visible orthodontic appliances or the occurrence of pre-surgical aesthetic worsening. Conclusions: This approach could be very effective for adult patients seeking aesthetic treatment options for facial and dental aesthetic improvement.
Model Predictive Control of COVID-19 Pandemic with Social Isolation and Vaccination Policies in Thailand
Authors: Jankhonkhan Jatuphorn , Sawangtong Wannika
Published: October 2021

This study concerns the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand related to social isolation and vaccination policies. The behavior of disease spread is described by an epidemic model via a system of ordinary differential equations. The invariant region and equilibrium point of the model, as well as the basic reproduction number, are also examined. Moreover, the model is fitted to real data for the second wave and the third wave of the pandemic in Thailand by a sum square error method in order to forecast the future spread of infectious diseases at each time. Furthermore, the model predictive control technique with quadratic programming is used to investigate the schedule of preventive measures over a time horizon. As a result, firstly, the plan results are proposed to solve the limitation of ICU capacity and increase the survival rate of patients. Secondly, the plan to control the outbreak without vaccination shows a strict policy that is difficult to do practically. Finally, the vaccination plan significantly prevents disease transmission, since the populations who get the vaccination have immunity against the virus. Moreover, the outbreak is controlled in 28 weeks. The results of a measurement strategy for preventing the disease are examined and compared with a control and without a control. Thus, the schedule over a time horizon can be suitably used for controlling.
Genetic Diversity in Invasive Populations of Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl. and Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden.
Authors: Osipova Ekaterina Sergeevna , Stepanova Anna Yurievna , Tereshonok Dmitry Viktorovich , Gladkov Evgeny Aleksandrovich , Vysotskaya Olga Nikolaevna
Published: October 2021

In our study, two aggressive-invasive species, Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl. and Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden. from Russia and Ukraine, were investigated. The success in naturalization of both species is associated with human activities, since they have been used in agriculture and floriculture and both have qualities such as environmental tolerance, high fertility and phenotypic plasticity. The purpose of this study was to determine the level of genetic diversity of both species. For Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden., genetic diversity was compared in invasive and native populations. For Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl., the genetic diversity was compared in variety, feral and invasive populations. A genetic diversity was formulated using RAPD, ISSR and REMAP. For Heracleum sosnowskyi Manden., the average genetic diversity within the invasive population was similar (0.432), but slightly less (0.502) than within the native Caucasian population. This may suggest the successful naturalization of invaders and almost complete reconstruction of their genetic diversity. For Lupinus polyphyllus Lindl., the genetic diversity for the invasive population was the highest, with an average of 0.294, while for variety, it was the lowest, with an average of 0.194. The feral population had an intermediate place with an average of 0.248, which could suggest an increase of diversity in the process of naturalization.
The Theoretical Framework of the Clinical Pilates Exercise Method in Managing Non-Specific Chronic Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review
Authors: Kwok Boon Chong , Lim Justin Xuan Li , Kong Pui Wah
Published: October 2021

Exercise plays an important role in rehabilitating people with chronic low back pain. Aerobic exercise and resistance training are general exercise strategies to manage chronic low back pain, but these strategies require longer intervention period to achieve clinical outcomes in pain reduction and functional improvements. Directional preference is recognised as an important exercise strategy in managing low back pain. The Clinical Pilates exercise method leverages on the directional preference of an individual to achieve clinical outcomes faster. Clinical Pilates is a hybrid of two of the best exercise interventions for low back pain, which are general Pilates and the McKenzie method. Due to the scarcity of Clinical Pilates literature, a review of its theory and studies was undertaken to provide a structured guide to the technique in managing people with chronic low back pain. Hypothetical algorithms are developed to support translation into clinical practice and future research studies. These algorithms are useful in the management of complex cases involving multiple directional trauma. Although limited, current evidence suggests that the Clinical Pilates exercise method is safe and provides faster functional recovery in the early stage of rehabilitation and similar longer term outcomes as general exercises.
Thiacloprid Induced Developmental Neurotoxicity via ROS-Oxidative Injury and Inflammation in Chicken Embryo: The Possible Attenuating Role of Chicoric and Rosmarinic Acids
Authors: Farag Mayada R. , Khalil Samah R. , Zaglool Asmaa W. , Hendam Basma M. , Moustafa Amr A. , Cocco Raffaella , Di Cerbo Alessandro , Alagawany Mahmoud
Published: October 2021

Insecticides are widely employed in agriculture to control pests and as major factors for enhancing crop productivity. Thiacloprid (TH) is one of the most-used insecticides worldwide. In this study, the negative impact of TH on the brain tissue of developing chicken embryo models and the modulatory effect of chicoric (CA) and rosmarinic (RA) acids were investigated. The eggs were injected in ovo with different doses of TH (0.1, 1, 10, and 100 μg/egg). TH significantly increased the oxidative damage in the brain of exposed embryos in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05). TH significantly elevated the oxidative stress markers; protein carbonyl, malondialdehyde content, and DNA damage (p < 0.05). Myeloperoxidase activity and nitric oxide significantly increased with overexpression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines (interferon gamma, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and interleukin-1 beta) and stress-related and apoptotic genes (NF-KB, Caspase-3) in the brain tissue on both biochemical and molecular levels (p < 0.05), while downregulating the expression of antiapoptotic Bcl-2. Co-treatment of CA and RA with TH markedly decreased the insecticide-induced toxicity with a prominent synergistic effect (p < 0.05). In conclusion, TH is suggested to be a possible neurotoxic to embryos of vertebrates including human. The study also revealed the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, genoprotective, and antiapoptotic property of CA and RA against TH toxicity.
Assessing Protein Biomarkers to Detect Lethal Acute Traumatic Brain Injuries in Cerebrospinal Fluid
Authors: Zwirner Johann , Bohnert Simone , Franke Heike , Garland Jack , Hammer Niels , Möbius Dustin , Tse Rexson , Ondruschka Benjamin
Published: October 2021

Diagnosing traumatic brain injury (TBI) from body fluids in cases where there are no obvious external signs of impact would be useful for emergency physicians and forensic pathologists alike. None of the previous attempts has so far succeeded in establishing a single biomarker to reliably detect TBI with regards to the sensitivity: specificity ratio in a post mortem setting. This study investigated a combination of body fluid biomarkers (obtained post mortem), which may be a step towards increasing the accuracy of biochemical TBI detection. In this study, serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples from 30 acute lethal TBI cases and 70 controls without a TBI-related cause of death were evaluated for the following eight TBI-related biomarkers: brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), ferritin, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), interleukin 6 (IL-6), lactate dehydrogenase, neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), neuron-specific enolase and S100 calcium-binding protein B. Correlations among the individual TBI biomarkers were assessed, and a specificity-accentuated threshold value analysis was conducted for all biomarkers. Based on these values, a decision tree modelling approach was performed to assess the most accurate biomarker combination to detect acute lethal TBIs. The results showed that 92.45% of acute lethal TBIs were able to be diagnosed using a combination of IL-6 and GFAP in CSF. The probability of detecting an acute lethal TBI was moderately increased by GFAP alone and considerably increased by the remaining biomarkers. BDNF and NGAL were almost perfectly correlated (p = 0.002; R2 = 0.944). This study provides evidence that acute lethal TBIs can be detected to a high degree of statistical accuracy using forensic biochemistry. The high inter-individual correlations of biomarkers may help to estimate the CSF concentration of an unknown biomarker, using extrapolation techniques.
A Comparative Analysis of Punicalagin Interaction with PDIA1 and PDIA3 by Biochemical and Computational Approaches
Authors: Paglia Giuliano , Antonini Lorenzo , Cervoni Laura , Ragno Rino , Sabatino Manuela , Minacori Marco , Rubini Elisabetta , Altieri Fabio
Published: October 2021

In a previous work, it was shown that punicalagin, an active ingredient of pomegranate, is able to bind to PDIA3 and inhibit its disulfide reductase activity. Here we provide evidence that punicalagin can also bind to PDIA1, the main expressed form of protein disulfide isomerase (PDI). In this comparative study, the affinity and the effect of punicalagin binding on each protein were evaluated, and a computational approach was used to identify putative binding sites. Punicalagin binds to either PDIA1 or PDIA3 with a similar affinity, but the inhibition efficacy on protein reductase activity is higher for PDIA3. Additionally, punicalagin differently affects the thermal denaturation profile of both proteins. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations led to propose a punicalagin binding mode on PDIA1 and PDIA3, identifying the binding sites at the redox domains a’ in two different pockets, suggesting different effects of punicalagin on proteins’ structure. This study provides insights to develop punicalagin-based ligands, to set up a rational design for PDIA3 selective inhibitors, and to dissect the molecular determinant to modulate the protein activity.
Implications of TGFβ Signaling and CDK Inhibition for the Treatment of Breast Cancer
Authors: Decker Joseph T. , Ma Jeffrey A. , Shea Lonnie D. , Jeruss Jacqueline S.
Published: October 2021

TGFβ signaling enacts tumor-suppressive functions in normal cells through promotion of several cell regulatory actions including cell-cycle control and apoptosis. Canonical TGFβ signaling proceeds through phosphorylation of the transcription factor, SMAD3, at the C-terminus of the protein. During oncogenic progression, this tumor suppressant phosphorylation of SMAD3 can be inhibited. Overexpression of cyclins D and E, and subsequent hyperactivation of cyclin-dependent kinases 2/4 (CDKs), are often observed in breast cancer, and have been associated with poor prognosis. The noncanonical phosphorylation of SMAD3 by CDKs 2 and 4 leads to the inhibition of tumor-suppressive function of SMAD3. As a result, CDK overactivation drives oncogenic progression, and can be targeted to improve clinical outcomes. This review focuses on breast cancer, and highlights advances in the understanding of CDK-mediated noncanonical SMAD3 phosphorylation. Specifically, the role of aberrant TGFβ signaling in oncogenic progression and treatment response will be examined to illustrate the potential for therapeutic discovery in the context of cyclins/CDKs and SMAD3.
Do Lipid-based Nanoparticles Hold Promise for Advancing the Clinical Translation of Anticancer Alkaloids?
Authors: Loh Jian Sheng , Tan Li Kar Stella , Lee Wai Leng , Ming Long Chiau , How Chee Wun , Foo Jhi Biau , Kifli Nurolaini , Goh Bey Hing , Ong Yong Sze
Published: October 2021

Since the commercialization of morphine in 1826, numerous alkaloids have been isolated and exploited effectively for the betterment of mankind, including cancer treatment. However, the commercialization of alkaloids as anticancer agents has generally been limited by serious side effects due to their lack of specificity to cancer cells, indiscriminate tissue distribution and toxic formulation excipients. Lipid-based nanoparticles represent the most effective drug delivery system concerning clinical translation owing to their unique, appealing characteristics for drug delivery. To the extent of our knowledge, this is the first review to compile in vitro and in vivo evidence of encapsulating anticancer alkaloids in lipid-based nanoparticles. Alkaloids encapsulated in lipid-based nanoparticles have generally displayed enhanced in vitro cytotoxicity and an improved in vivo efficacy and toxicity profile than free alkaloids in various cancers. Encapsulated alkaloids also demonstrated the ability to overcome multidrug resistance in vitro and in vivo. These findings support the broad application of lipid-based nanoparticles to encapsulate anticancer alkaloids and facilitate their clinical translation. The review then discusses several limitations of the studies analyzed, particularly the discrepancies in reporting the pharmacokinetics, biodistribution and toxicity data. Finally, we conclude with examples of clinically successful encapsulated alkaloids that have received regulatory approval and are undergoing clinical evaluation.
In Vitro Evaluation of DSPE-PEG (5000) Amine SWCNT Toxicity and Efficacy as a Novel Nanovector Candidate in Photothermal Therapy by Response Surface Methodology (RSM)
Authors: Hadidi Naghmeh , Shahbahrami Moghadam Niloufar , Pazuki Gholamreza , Parvin Parviz , Shahi Fatemeh
Published: October 2021

Nowadays, finding a novel, effective, biocompatible, and minimally invasive cancer treatment is of great importance. One of the most promising research fields is the development of biocompatible photothermal nanocarriers. PTT (photothermal therapy) with an NIR (near-infrared) wavelength range (700–2000 nm) would cause cell death by increasing intercellular and intracellular temperature. PTT could also be helpful to overcome drug resistance during cancer treatments. In this study, an amine derivative of phospholipid poly ethylene glycol (DSPE-PEG (5000) amine) was conjugated with SWCNTs (single-walled carbon nanotubes) to reduce their intrinsic toxicity. Toxicity studies were performed on lung, liver, and ovarian cancer cell lines that were reported to show some degree of drug resistance to cisplatin. Toxicity results suggested that DSPE-PEG (5000) amine SWCNTs might be biocompatible photothermal nanocarriers in PTT. Therefore, our next step was to investigate the effect of DSPE-PEG (5000) amine SWCNT concentration, cell treatment time, and laser fluence on the apoptosis/necrosis of SKOV3 cells post-NIR exposure by RSM and experimental design software. It was concluded that photothermal efficacy and total apoptosis would be dose-dependent in terms of DSPE-PEG (5000) amine SWCNT concentration and fluence. Optimal solutions which showed the highest apoptosis and lowest necrosis were then achieved.
Significance of Synthetic Cilia and Arrhenius Energy on Double Diffusive Stream of Radiated Hybrid Nanofluid in Microfluidic Pump under Ohmic Heating: An Entropic Analysis
Authors: Saleem Najma , Munawar Sufian
Published: October 2021

This study investigates the thermal aspects of magnetohydrodynamic double diffusive flow of a radiated Cu-CuO/Casson hybrid nano-liquid through a microfluidic pump in the presence of electroosmosis effects. Shared effects of the Arrhenius activation energy and the Joule heating on the intended liquid transport are also incorporated. The inner wall of the pump is covered with electrically charged fabricated cilia mat that facilitates flow actuation and micro-mixing process. The governing equations for the proposed problem are simplified by utilizing the Debye-Hückel and lubrication approximations. The numerical solutions are calculated with the aid of shooting technique. The analysis reports that the substantial effects of electroosmosis contribute an important role in cooling process. Existence of electric double layer stimulates an escalation in liquid stream in the vicinity of the pump surface. The Arrhenius energy input strengthens the mass dispersion and regulates the thermal treatment. The proposed geometry delivers a deep perception that fabricated cilia in electroosmotic pumps are potential pharmaceutical micromixers for an effective flow and minimum entropy generation rate.
A Novel Colorimetric Chemosensor Based on Ferene-S-Conjugated Silver Nanoparticles for Selective Recognition of Fe2+
Authors: Ullah Azeem , Fazil Perveen , Rukh Gul , Muhammad Munira Taj , Rahim Muhammad , Ateeq Muhammad , Khattak Rozina , Khan Muhammad Sufaid , Abu Ali Ola A. , Saleh Dalia I.
Published: October 2021

Ferene is the most commonly used chromogenic agent for the determination of serum iron in blood. In this work we have successfully synthesized Ferene-S-conjugated silver nanoparticles (Ferene-S-AgNPs) for the first time characterized by UV-visible, Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization-Time Of Flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry techniques. Particle size of the synthesized nanoparticles was determined by atomic-force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques with size ranges from 10–90 nm in diameter. Ferene-S-AgNPs were explored for their chemosensing potential with various metal ions such as Sb3+, Pb2+, Ca2+, Fe2+, K+, Co2+, Ba2+, V5+, Cu+, Cd2+, Hg2+, Ni2+, Cu2+, Fe3+, Mg2+, Mn2+, Al3+, and Cr3+. Ferene-S-AgNPs were found to show selective quenching effects and slight bathochromic shifts to the surface plasmon resonance absorption band after treatment with Fe2+. Furthermore, the developed chemosensor also exhibited substantial selectivity towards Fe2+ in the presence of other competitive ions. We observed that Ferene-S-AgNPs mimic the selectivity of the parent compound of Ferene towards Fe2+. The system obeyed Beer’s law over concentration ranges of 110–190 nM. The detection limit was found to be 110 nM.
Electronic, Optical, and Thermoelectric Properties of Bulk and Monolayer Germanium Tellurides
Authors: Sinambela Wenny V. , Wella Sasfan A. , Arsyad Fitri S. , Hung Nguyen Tuan , Nugraha Ahmad R. T.
Published: October 2021

Electronic, optical, and thermoelectric properties of germanium tellurides (GeTe) were investigated through a series of first-principles calculations of band structures, absorption coefficients, and thermoelectric transport coefficients. We consider bulk GeTe to consist of cubic and rhombohedral phases, while the two-dimensional (2D) GeTe monolayers can form as a 2D puckered or buckled honeycomb crystals. All of the GeTe variants in the bulk and monolayer shapes are excellent light absorbers in a wide frequency range: (1) bulk cubic GeTe in the near-infrared regime, (2) bulk rhombohedral GeTe and puckered monolayer GeTe in the visible-light regime, and (3) buckled monolayer GeTe in the ultraviolet regime. We also found specifically that the buckled monolayer GeTe exhibits remarkable thermoelectric performance compared to the other GeTe phases due to a combination of electronic band convergence, a moderately wide band gap, and unique 2D density of states from the quantum confinement effect.
Effects of Different Content of Phosphorus Slag Composite Concrete: Heat Evolution, Sulphate-Corrosion Resistance and Volume Deformation
Authors: Liu Kuisheng , Cui Yong
Published: October 2021

Phosphorus slag (PS) and limestone (LS) composite (PLC) were prepared with a mass ratio of 1:1. The effects of the content of PLC and the water/binder ratio on the mechanical properties, durability and dry shrinkage of concrete were studied via compressive strength, electric flux, sulfate dry/wet cycle method, saturated drainage method, isothermal calorimeter, adiabatic temperature rise instrument and shrinkage deformation instrument. The results show that PLC can greatly reduce the adiabatic temperature rise of concrete. The adiabatic temperature rise is 55 °C with 33 wt.% PLC, 10 °C lower than that of the control sample. The addition in the content of PLC does not affect the long-term strength of concrete. When the water/binder ratio decreases by 0.1–0.15, the long-term strength of concrete with PLC increases by about 10%, compared with the control group. At the age of 360 days, the chloride permeability of L-11 (i.e., the content of PLC was 20%, the water/binder ratio was 0.418) and L-22 (i.e., the content of PLC was 33%, the water/binder ratio was 0.39) decrease to the “very low” grade. The strength loss rate of L-11 and L-22 after 150 sulfate dry/wet cycles is about 18.5% and 19%, respectively, which is 60% of the strength loss rate of the control sample. The drying shrinkage of L-11 and L-22 reduces by 4.7% and 9.5%, respectively, indicating that PLC can also reduce the drying shrinkage.
Comparative Floral and Pollen Micromorphology of Leonurus japonicus and L. macranthus (Lamiaceae)
Authors: Oak Min-Kyeong , Yang Sungyu , Choi Goya , Song Jun-Ho
Published: October 2021

Floral micromorphology and pollen morphology of two Leonurus (Lamiaceae) species were examined and compared using scanning electron microscopy to evaluate the diagnostic value of these features to facilitate future studies on floral biology and taxonomy. Floral epidermal patterns were similar in both species, with the conical to central-conical epidermal cells on the adaxial side of the lower lip (corolla). Capitate, peltate, scale-like glandular, and non-glandular trichomes were distributed on the surface of the floral organs. Notably, scale-like anther glands and floral stomata were found on the anthers and abaxial side of the calyx, respectively. Pollen grains had bi-reticulate exine with angular primary lumina and rounded secondary lumina. These characteristics provide indirect evidence of a close association between plant-pollinator interactions and effective pollination. In addition, quantitative traits of pollen grains and trichome types on the adaxial side of the lip differed between the two species. These characteristics may have diagnostic and taxonomic value for the genus Leonurus and family Lamiaceae.
A Rare Case of Transient Acantholytic Dermatosis (AKA. Grover’s Disease) with Concomitant Pediculosis Pubis: An Atypical Presentation and First Documented Case Report
Authors: Pendlebury Gehan A. , Oro Peter , Merideth Drew , Rudnick Eric
Published: October 2021

A 66-year-old male presented with a one-month history of persistent pruritic eruptions distributed mainly on the trunk. A punch biopsy from the left upper abdomen revealed focal acantholytic dyskeratosis with mixed inflammatory infiltrate in the dermis composed of numerous eosinophils. Grover’s disease was diagnosed based on the clinical and histopathological findings. Appropriate treatment was initiated but failed to relieve symptoms of itchiness. A further investigation of the hair follicles under mineral oil preparation revealed an infestation of pediculosis pubis. Subsequent treatment with Ivermectin and permethrin cream led to the complete resolution of his symptoms. This case report highlights an unusual and first documented case of Grover’s disease with a concomitant infestation of pediculosis pubis. To date, no reported cases in the literature have associated Grover’s disease with pubic lice infestation. However, there are three reported cases of concurrent scabies and Grover’s disease in the literature. This rare case underscores the clinical value in further investigating treatable underlying conditions in patients with suspected transient acantholytic dermatosis.
Integration of the Cortical Haemodynamic Response Measured by Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Amino Acid Analysis to Aid in the Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder
Authors: Ong Samantha , Husain Syeda , Wee Hai , Ching Jianhong , Kovalik Jean-Paul , Cheng Man , Schwarz Herbert , Tang Tong , Ho Cyrus
Published: October 2021

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a debilitating condition with a high disease burden and medical comorbidities. There are currently few to no validated biomarkers to guide the diagnosis and treatment of MDD. In the present study, we evaluated the differences between MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs) in terms of cortical haemodynamic responses during a verbal fluency test (VFT) using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and serum amino acid profiles, and ascertained if these parameters were correlated with clinical characteristics. Methods: Twenty-five (25) patients with MDD and 25 age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched HCs were recruited for the study. Real-time monitoring of the haemodynamic response during completion of a VFT was quantified using a 52-channel NIRS system. Serum samples were analysed and quantified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for amino acid profiling. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to classify potential candidate biomarkers. Results: The MDD patients had lower prefrontal and temporal activation during completion of the VFT than HCs. The MDD patients had lower mean concentrations of oxy-Hb in the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and lower serum histidine levels. When the oxy-haemoglobin response was combined with the histidine concentration, the sensitivity and specificity of results improved significantly from 66.7% to 73.3% and from 65.0% to 90.0% respectively, as compared to results based only on the NIRS response. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the use of combination biomarkers to aid in the diagnosis of MDD. This technique could be a useful approach to detect MDD with greater precision, but additional studies are required to validate the methodology.
Ethnocentrism Effects on Consumers’ Behavior during COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Migliore Giuseppina , Rizzo Giuseppina , Schifani Giorgio , Quatrosi Giuseppe , Vetri Luigi , Testa Riccardo
Published: October 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has upset everyone’s normal daily activities, generating psychiatric disorders and changing consumers’ preferences. Among others, the agri-food sector has experienced strong changes and, during the lockdown period, Italian consumers modified their purchasing habits in response to the fear and uncertainty generated by the spread of the virus. In order to find out the main consequences of the shock suffered during the period and to understand which factors have affected purchasing choices, an online survey was conducted on 286 Italian consumers. The results show that ethnocentrism has been the factor that most has influenced consumers’ behavior during the lockdown period and that consumers will continue to prefer national agri-food products when pandemic will be over, constituting a deep change to future eating habits.
Regime-Switching Determinants of Mutual Fund Performance in South Africa
Authors: Apau Richard , Moores-Pitt Peter , Muzindutsi Paul-Francois
Published: October 2021

This study assesses the effect of fund-level and systemic factors on the performance of mutual funds in the context of changing market conditions. A Markov regime-switching model is used to analyze the performance of 33 South African equity mutual funds from 2006 to 2019. From the results, fund flow and fund size exert more predictive influences on performance in the bearish state of the market than in the bullish state. Fund age, fund risk, and market risk were found to be the most significant factors driving the performance of active portfolios under time-varying conditions of the market. These variables exert more influence on fund performance under bearish conditions than under bullish conditions, emphasizing the flight-to-liquidity assets phenomenon and risk-aversion behavior of fund contributors during unstable conditions of the market. Consequently, fund managers need to maintain adequate asset bases while implementing policies that minimize dispersions in fund returns to engender persistence in performance. This study provides novel perspectives on how the determinants of fund performance change with market conditions as portrayed by the adaptive market hypothesis (AMH).
A Highly Robust Binary Neural Network Inference Accelerator Based on Binary Memristors
Authors: Zhao Yiyang , Wang Yongjia , Wang Ruibo , Rong Yuan , Jiang Xianyang
Published: October 2021

Since memristor was found, it has shown great application potential in neuromorphic computing. Currently, most neural networks based on memristors deploy the special analog characteristics of memristor. However, owing to the limitation of manufacturing process, non-ideal characteristics such as non-linearity, asymmetry, and inconsistent device periodicity appear frequently and definitely, therefore, it is a challenge to employ memristor in a massive way. On the contrary, a binary neural network (BNN) requires its weights to be either +1 or −1, which can be mapped by digital memristors with high technical maturity. Upon this, a highly robust BNN inference accelerator with binary sigmoid activation function is proposed. In the accelerator, the inputs of each network layer are either +1 or 0, which can facilitate feature encoding and reduce the peripheral circuit complexity of memristor hardware. The proposed two-column reference memristor structure together with current controlled voltage source (CCVS) circuit not only solves the problem of mapping positive and negative weights on memristor array, but also eliminates the sneak current effect under the minimum conductance status. Being compared to the traditional differential pair structure of BNN, the proposed two-column reference scheme can reduce both the number of memristors and the latency to refresh the memristor array by nearly 50%. The influence of non-ideal factors of memristor array such as memristor array yield, memristor conductance fluctuation, and reading noise on the accuracy of BNN is investigated in detail based on a newly memristor circuit model with non-ideal characteristics. The experimental results demonstrate that when the array yield α ≥ 5%, or the reading noise σ ≤ 0.25, a recognition accuracy greater than 97% on the MNIST data set is achieved.
The Role of Front-End AC/DC Converters in Hybrid AC/DC Smart Homes: Analysis and Experimental Validation
Authors: Monteiro Vitor , Monteiro Luis F. C. , Franco Francesco Lo , Mandrioli Riccardo , Ricco Mattia , Grandi Gabriele , Afonso João L.
Published: October 2021

Electrical power grids are rapidly evolving into smart grids, with smart homes also making an important contribution to this. In fact, the well-known and emerging technologies of renewables, energy storage systems and electric mobility are each time more distributed throughout the power grid and included in smart homes. In such circumstances, since these technologies are natively operating in DC, it is predictable for a revolution in the electrical grid craving a convergence to DC grids. Nevertheless, traditional loads natively operating in AC will continue to be used, highlighting the importance of hybrid AC/DC grids. Considering this new paradigm, this paper has as main innovation points the proposed control algorithms regarding the role of front-end AC/DC converters in hybrid AC/DC smart homes, demonstrating their importance for providing unipolar or bipolar DC grids for interfacing native DC technologies, such as renewables and electric mobility, including concerns regarding the power quality from a smart grid point of view. Furthermore, the paper presents a clear description of the proposed control algorithms, aligned with distinct possibilities of complementary operation of front-end AC/DC converters in the perspective of smart homes framed within smart grids, e.g., enabling the control of smart homes in a coordinated way. The analysis and experimental results confirmed the suitability of the proposed innovative operation modes for hybrid AC/DC smart homes, based on two different AC/DC converters in the experimental validation.
Gait Analyses of Parkinson’s Disease Patients Using Multiscale Entropy
Authors: Hsieh Yuan-Lun , Abbod Maysam F.
Published: October 2021

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a type of neurodegenerative diseases. PD influences gait in many aspects: reduced gait speed and step length, increased axial rigidity, and impaired rhythmicity. Gait-related data used in this study are from PhysioNet. Twenty-one PD patients and five healthy controls (CO) were sorted into four groups: PD without task (PDw), PD with dual task (PDd), control without task (COw), and control with dual task (COd). Since dual task actions are attention demanding, either gait or cognitive function may be affected. To quantify the used walking data, eight pressure sensors installed in each insole are used to measure the vertical ground reaction force. Thus, quantitative measurement analysis is performed utilizing multiscale entropy (MSE) and complexity index (CI) to analyze and differentiate between the ground reaction force of the four different groups. Results show that the CI of patients with PD is higher than that of CO and 11 of the sensor signals are statistically significant (p < 0.05). The COd group has larger CI values at the beginning (p = 0.021) but they get lower at the end of the test (p = 0.000) compared to that in the COw group. The end-of-test CI for the PDw group is lower in one of the feet sensor signals, and in the right total ground reaction force compared to the PDd group counterparts. In conclusion, when people start to adjust their gait due to pathology or stress, CI may increase first and reach a peak, but it decreases afterward when stress or pathology is further increased.
Metabolic Reprogramming in Thyroid Cancer: Role of the Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition
Authors: Fedele Monica , Battista Sabrina , Cerchia Laura
Published: October 2021

Thyroid cancer (TC) represents the most common endocrine malignancy, with an increasing incidence all over the world. Papillary TC (PTC), a differentiated TC subtype, is the most common and, even though it has an excellent prognosis following radioiodine (RAI) ablation, it shows an aggressive behavior in 20–30% of cases, becoming RAI-resistant and/or metastatic. On the other side, anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC), the most undifferentiated TC, is a rare but devastating disease, indicating that progression of differentiated to undifferentiated forms of TC could be responsible for RAI-resistance and increased mortality. The epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) plays a pivotal role in both tumor progression and resistance to therapy. Moreover, during tumor progression, cancer cells modify their metabolism to meet changed requirements for cellular proliferation. Through these metabolic changes, cancer cells may adopt cancer stem cell-like properties and express an EMT phenotype. EMT, in turn, can induce metabolic changes to which cancer cells become addicted. Here we review metabolic reprogramming in TC highlighting the role of EMT with the aim to explore a potential field to find out new therapeutic strategies for advanced-stage PTC. Accordingly, we discuss the identification of the metabolic enzymes and metabolites, critical to TC progression, which can be employed either as predicting biomarkers of tumor response to RAI therapy or possible targets in precision medicine.