bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Rosehip (Rosa canina L.) Meal as a Natural Antioxidant on Lipid and Protein Quality and Shelf-Life of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Enriched Eggs
Authors: Vlaicu Petru Alexandru , Untea Arabela Elena , Turcu Raluca Paula , Panaite Tatiana Dumitra , Saracila Mihaela
Published: September 2022

Eggs are a common food of animal origin, inexpensive, and rich in bioactive substances with high biological value. Eggs enriched in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) are extremely desired by the progressive consumer. However, during storage, eggs undergo some physiochemical changes, which decrease their value. In this regard, the effect of dietary rosehip meal and flaxseed meal on hens’ egg quality characteristics, amino acids, fatty acids, health-related indices, antioxidant capacity, total polyphenols content, and shelf life was examined. For this study 120 Tetra SL laying hens, 29 weeks of age, were fed, for 4 weeks, three diets that included control (basal diet—RF0), basal diet + 1.5% rosehip and 7% flaxseed meal (RF1), and basal diet + 3% rosehip and 7% flaxseed meal (RF2). Productive performance of hens were recorded. The content of essential amino acids (EAA), antioxidant amino acids (AAA), and sulfur amino acids (SAA) was higher in RF1 and RF2, compared with RF0. Eggs belonging to the RF1 and RF2 groups had significantly (p < 0.05) higher content of n-3 PUFAs, especially linolenic and docosahexaenoic acids. Total antioxidant capacity and polyphenol content increased in both rosehip supplemented groups, but especially in RF2. Moreover, eggs from RF1 and RF2 groups maintained significantly higher egg quality parameters after storage for 14 and 28 days in the refrigerator (5 °C) and ambient temperature (21 °C), compared with those from the RF0 group. In the Haugh unit, yolk and albumen pH presented better values in RF1 and RF2 eggs compared to the RF0 eggs.
Design and Experimental Analysis of Micropolarization Array Based on a Long-Wave Infrared Optical System
Authors: Fu Qiang , Zhang Yue , Liu Yi , Shi Haodong , Zhang Su , Zhan Juntong , Li Yingchao , Jiang Huilin
Published: September 2022

Aiming at the shortcomings of the traditional infrared polarization imaging device, such as large volume, complex structure, difficult registration, and inability to recognize moving targets, this paper proposes an infrared polarization imaging method based on a micropolarizer. The long refractive wave infrared polarization optical system is designed to achieve the imaging detection of a 0.25 m target at 1 km; for this, a design of a micropolarizer array suitable for the long-wave infrared band is proposed. In the simulation analysis, the effects of the grating substrate and line grating material, grating period, duty cycle, and grating slot depth on the polarization performance of grating are discussed, respectively. Through infrared polarization imaging experiments on typical targets, the unique advantages of infrared polarization technology in distinguishing metal and non-metal, natural and artificial objects, and high-temperature object recognition are verified, which provides practical support for physical evidence searches and camouflage target recognition.
Current Applications of Modern Technologies in Endodontics
Authors: Iandolo Alfredo
Published: September 2022

We are pleased to present this Special Issue on “Current Applications of Modern Technologies in Endodontics” [...]
Digital Technology in Managing Erasmus+ Mobilities: Efficiency Gains and Impact Analysis from Spanish, Italian, and Turkish Universities
Authors: López-Nores Martín , Pazos-Arias José J. , Gölcü Abdulkadir , Kavrar Ömer
Published: September 2022

The European Union is investing in the areas of digital skills, digital infrastructures, digitisation of businesses, and public services to speed up numerous administrative processes and to facilitate access to citizens from member countries and neighbouring ones as well. This study provides a quantitative assessment of the efficiency gains that can be attained by the ongoing digital transformation in the realm of Erasmus+, the European Commission’s programme for education, training, youth, and sport for the period 2021–2027. This programme manages a sizable budget allocated to education and training opportunities abroad for millions of students, teachers, and other staff of Higher Education Institutions within the EU and beyond. The management of such experiences has significantly grown in complexity over the last decades, entailing notable expenses that the EC aims to reduce through the end-to-end digitalisation of administrative procedures. Our analysis of the savings attained by the so-called Erasmus Without Paper project (EWP) was conducted by taking a close look at the workload, resources, and money invested in Erasmus+ proceedings by four universities from Spain, Italy, and Turkey. The analysis revealed significant savings in terms of paper wastage (a reduction of more than 13.5 million prints every year for the whole Erasmus+ programme) and administrative time, which may translate into lower staff effort and increased productivity, to the point of managing up to 80% more mobilities with the same resources and staff currently available.
Investigations of Building-Related LCC Sensitivity of a Cost-Effective Renovation Package by One-at-a-Time and Monte Carlo Parameter Variation Methods
Authors: Antonov Yovko Ivanov , Jønsson Kim Trangbæk , Heiselberg Per , Pomianowski Michal Zbigniew
Published: September 2022

Nearly Zero Energy Building (NZEB) is becoming a standard for new and renovated buildings throughout the European Union (EU). Through the ongoing implementation of directives related to energy efficiency and NZEB-compliant buildings, the EU commission has established that new and renovated NZEB-compliant buildings shall be implemented cost-effectively. This is assessed by linking the Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and energy demand calculations, representing them in a cost-optimality plot, and finding the optimal solution from the resulting Pareto front. Given that the results of an LCC calculation are quite dependent on the calculation model’s scope and inputs, this study takes an explorative approach to determine the most influential parameters in LCC calculations for a pre-selected cost-effective package. This is achieved by varying the inputs using local and global variation methods. The local variation approach consists of varying the inputs one-at-a-time (OAT), whereas with global variation, all the selected inputs are variated simultaneously. The OAT approach identified the amount and unit cost of the utility supply (district heating, electricity, and gas) as the most influential parameters to the output. The OAT results were further used to rank the next five most sensitive parameters and perform a global sensitivity analysis using Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. A regression analysis of the MC results revealed high R2 values (≥0.98), suggesting a linear correlation between the output and the variable inputs. The sensitivity analysis determined the unit price of attic insulation, the gas price, and the lifetime of the Heat Pump (HP) as the most sensitive parameters in the three investigated models.
The Impact of Image Acquisition Parameters and ComBat Harmonization on the Predictive Performance of Radiomics: A Renal Cell Carcinoma Model
Authors: Ibrahim Abdalla , Lu Lin , Yang Hao , Akin Oguz , Schwartz Lawrence H. , Zhao Binsheng
Published: September 2022

Radiomics, one of the potential methods for developing clinical biomarker, is one of the exponentially growing research fields. In addition to its potential, several limitations have been identified in this field, and most importantly the effects of variations in imaging parameters on radiomic features (RFs). In this study, we investigate the potential of RFs to predict overall survival in patients with clear cell renal cell carcinoma, as well as the impact of ComBat harmonization on the performance of RF models. We assessed the robustness of the results by performing the analyses a thousand times. Publicly available CT scans of 179 patients were retrospectively collected and analyzed. The scans were acquired using different imaging vendors and parameters in different medical centers. The performance was calculated by averaging the metrics over all runs. On average, the clinical model significantly outperformed the radiomic models. The use of ComBat harmonization, on average, did not significantly improve the performance of radiomic models. Hence, the variability in image acquisition and reconstruction parameters significantly affect the performance of radiomic models. The development of radiomic specific harmonization techniques remain a necessity for the advancement of the field.
Numerical Analysis on the Mechanical Properties of the Concrete Precast Pavement of Runways under the Wheel Load
Authors: Liu Chaojia , Chong Xiaolei , Wang Lefan , Zhang Jichao , Chen Zhenglei , Lin Fantong , Bai Pengkun
Published: September 2022

This study aims to investigate the mechanical characteristics of precast concrete runway cement pavement under the wheel load of aircraft, and to promote the construction of precast concrete pavement. In this study, based on the elastic layered Boussinesq calculation theory and ABAQUS finite element numerical model, the distribution law of stress, the displacement of the aircraft wheel load acting on different positions of the pavement slab, the influence of the added dowel bar on the pavement slab, and the load transfer between adjacent slabs are obtained. The results revealed that when the wheel load of the aircraft acts on the edge and joint of the slab, the vertical stress of the adjacent slab edge is largest, followed by the middle of the slab, and then the joint; the maximum vertical stress is 0.295 MPa. Furthermore, the aircraft wheel load on the slab edge, and the joint vertical displacement, is larger than that of the slab middle, and the adjacent slab edge transverse displacement attenuation coefficient is approximate. Moreover, the load transfer efficiency of the dowel bar was lower when the wheel load of the aircraft was closer to another unloaded slab. Finally, the validity and sensitivity of the simulation results are verified by laboratory test data. These results can provide a reference and suggestions for the design and production of the precast concrete pavement of airport runways.
Research on the Range-Frequency Interference Characteristics of Target Scattering Field in a Shallow Water Waveguide
Authors: Sun Tongjing , Zhang Hao , Fan Jun , Zhang Peizhen , Guo Yunfei
Published: September 2022

Based on the target scattering model and the normal mode theory in a shallow water waveguide, a mathematical model of the acoustic intensity under the coupling condition of the target and the environment was deduced, and the interference striations in the monostatic and bistatic configuration were obtained by simulations. Further, a field experiment was carried out in a lake, and the data were collected for a spherical target in two frequency bands, i.e., 20−40 kHz and 40−80 kHz. The experiment results showed good agreement with the simulations. The results of the simulation and the experiment showed that the existence of the target made the interference phenomenon in shallow water waveguides more complex, and the range-frequency interference characteristics were closely related to the configuration of the sonar system, the target scattering function, the frequency range, and the target movement trajectory. These interference phenomena were found and theoretically analyzed in the paper. The research results can be applied to target detection and recognition, signal parameter estimation, target tracking, and other fields.
Helmholtz Coils Based WPT Coupling Analysis of Temporal Interference Electrical Stimulation System
Authors: Jiang Chenyu , Gao Panlong , Yang Xinsheng , Ji Dezheng , Sun Jialun , Yang Zhenghao
Published: September 2022

Electrical nerve stimulation (ENS) is clinically important in treating neurological diseases. This paper proposes a novel temporally interfering wireless power transfer (WPT) system, based on Helmholtz coils, to address energy depletion and the miniaturization of wireless power transfer systems for implantable devices. Compared to conventional WPT systems, this paper uses Helmholtz coils with a centrosymmetric structure as the transmitting coils. A more uniform and stable magnetic field was obtained through structural improvements. It also improves the problem that changes in the receiving coil’s position affect the transmission power’s stability. Based on the principle of temporal interference (TI), two transmitting coils with a slight frequency difference generate a superposition of magnetic fields on the receiving coil and then induce a low-frequency electrical signal on it. The electrical stimulation system applies stimulation parameters of a specific intensity and frequency directly to the target nerve with electrodes connected to it. This eliminates the need for the conventional high-frequency signal to low-frequency signal processing circuitry and reduces the device’s size. In this paper, numerical calculations and an experimental verification of the proposed system are carried out. The magnetic field distribution and the receiving coil current waveform of the system were tested to verify the effectiveness and stability of the proposed design. The experimental results showed that the proposed wireless power transfer system can generate electrical signals of the desired waveform in the receiving coil. Its frequency of 10 Hz and amplitude of 42.4 mA meet the requirements for the electrical stimulation of the sciatic nerve.
3D Proton Bragg Peak Visualization and Spot Shape Measurement with Polymer Gel Dosimeters
Authors: Zhu Libing , Zhang Manzhou , Xiang Xincheng , Wang Xiangang
Published: September 2022

Proton pencil beam scanning is a dynamic beam delivery technique with excellent conformability to the tumor volume. The accuracy of spot size and scanning positions will have a significant effect on the delivered dose distribution. We employed polymer gel dosimeters to measure the spot size and the scanning positions for the Shanghai Advanced Proton Therapy facility (SAPT). Polymer gel dosimeters (MAGAT-f and PAGAT) were utilized to measure the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the beam spot at various depths on the basis of their MRI readouts. The correlation between the spot FWHM and standard deviation (σ) was analyzed at different depths. The measured Bragg peak range was compared with the Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Three-dimensional volume rendering of the Bragg peak was reconstructed for the 3D visualization to measure the spot size three-dimensionally. The R2 dose–response curve was investigated with polymer gel dosimeters. The deviations of the Bragg peak ranging between measurement and simulation were 0.13% and −0.53% for MAGAT-f and PAGAT, respectively. Our results ascertain the feasibility of a polymer gel dosimeter to measure the spot size and positions of a proton pencil beam.
Propolis as a Potential Novel Histological Tissue Fixative: A Preliminary Analysis
Authors: Bugshan Amr S. , AlJanobi Hawra A. , AlMunif Raghad A. , AlShubaili Rand R. , AlHarbi Nawal M. , Khusheim Sarah A. , AlShuyukh Muneer H. , Khan Asim M.
Published: September 2022

Background: Fixation of biopsy specimens is a critical step before processing and staining them for histological tissue examination. Formalin is considered the gold standard fixative solution for its attributes. However, it has concerning side effects, such as carcinogenic and potential irritational properties. Owing to its various harmful effects, a safer natural substitute should be explored. In this study, we compared the effectiveness of propolis to 10% formalin and determined its ability as a natural fixative solution. Materials and Methods: Sixty tissue specimens were collected from goats’ tongues and immediately placed in (1) 6.6% propolis, (2) 10% natural buffered formalin (positive control), (3) 6.6% propolis followed by 10% formalin, and (4) 0.9% saline (negative control). Tissue samples were fixed at different time points (12, 24, 48, and 72 h) at room temperature, followed by processing and staining. The quality of the microscopic parameters was blindly assessed by two oral and maxillofacial pathologists using a numerical scoring scale. Scores were statistically analyzed. Results: The fixation of tissue samples placed in 6.6% propolis was statistically significantly better than that of samples placed in 10% formalin and 0.9% saline at different time points. Conclusion: Propolis showed promising fixation properties and can be considered a natural alternative to 10% formalin.
A Study of Stopping Rules in the Steepest Ascent Methodology for the Optimization of a Simulated Process
Authors: García-Nava Paulo , Rodríguez-Picón Luis , Méndez-González Luis , Pérez-Olguín Iván
Published: September 2022

Competitiveness motivates organizations to implement statistical approaches for improvement purposes. The literature offers a variety of quantitative methods intended to analyze and improve processes such as the design of experiments, steepest paths and stopping rules that search optimum responses. The objective of this paper is to run a first-order experiment to develop a steepest ascent path to subsequently apply three stopping rules (Myers and Khuri stopping rule, recursive parabolic rule and recursive parabolic rule enhanced) to identify the optimum experimentation stop from two different simulated cases. The method includes the consideration of the case study, the fitting of a linear model, the development of the steepest path and the application of stopping rules. Results suggest that procedures’ performances are similar when the response obeys a parametric function and differ when the response exhibits stochastic behavior. The discussion section shows a structured analysis to visualize these results and the output of each of the stopping rules in the two analyzed cases.
Morphological and Molecular Characterizations of Musa (ABB) ‘Mali-Ong’ in Thailand
Authors: Premjet Duangporn , Boonsrangsom Thanita , Sujipuli Kawee , Rattanasut Kumrop , Kongbungkerd Anupan , Premjet Siripong
Published: September 2022

Musa (ABB) ‘Mali-Ong’ is an economically important banana cultivar in Thailand. We morphologically and molecularly characterized ‘Nam Wa Mali-Ong’. Leaf blade width was the only statistically different morphological character among the clones. To determine genetic variation, nine ‘Nam Wa Mali-Ong’ clones were compared with 10 samples of Musa ABB, AA, and BB cultivars by fingerprinting using seven pairs of sequence-related amplified polymorphism (SRAP) and eight inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) markers. The SRAP and ISSR primers generated 65 and 76 amplicons, respectively, of which 57 (87.7%) and 62 (81.6%) amplicons, respectively, were polymorphic; the polymorphic information content was 0.28–0.49. The SRAP data revealed two distinct groups: Group I, comprising two subgroups (one including all ABB samples and the other containing the BB genome accessions), and Group II, comprising the AA genome accessions. The ISSR data revealed two groups: Group I, which incorporated the AA (Hom Champa) genome, and Group II, consisting of two subgroups: Subgroup A, comprising only the AA (Hom Chan) accessions, and subgroup B, comprising all the ABB accessions and wild banana M. balbisiana (BB genome). The ‘Nam Wa Mali-Ong’ samples clustered together, regardless of the markers used. SRAP and ISSR markers will be useful for germplasm evaluation and future Musa (ABB) improvements.
Molecular-Genetic Basis of Plant Breeding
Authors: Khlestkina Elena , Shavrukov Yuri
Published: September 2022

Traditional plant breeding can be improved significantly through the application of molecular and genetic approaches [...]
Insight on the Role of Leptin: A Bridge from Obesity to Breast Cancer
Authors: Buonaiuto Roberto , Napolitano Fabiana , Parola Sara , De Placido Pietro , Forestieri Valeria , Pecoraro Giovanna , Servetto Alberto , Formisano Luigi , Formisano Pietro , Giuliano Mario , Arpino Grazia , De Placido Sabino , De Angelis Carmine
Published: September 2022

Leptin is a peptide hormone, mainly known for its role as a mediator of adipose tissue endocrine functions, such as appetite control and energy homeostasis. In addition, leptin signaling is involved in several physiological processes as modulation of innate and adaptive immune responses and regulation of sex hormone levels. When adipose tissue expands, an imbalance of adipokines secretion may occur and increasing leptin levels contribute to promoting a chronic inflammatory state, which is largely acknowledged as a hallmark of cancer. Indeed, upon binding its receptor (LEPR), leptin activates several oncogenic pathways, such as JAK/STAT, MAPK, and PI3K/AKT, and seems to affect cancer immune response by inducing a proinflammatory immune polarization and eventually enhancing T-cell exhaustion. In particular, obesity-associated hyperleptinemia has been related to breast cancer risk development, although the underlying mechanism is yet to be completely clarified and needs to be deemed in light of multiple variables, such as menopausal state and immune response. The aim of this review is to provide an overview of the potential role of leptin as a bridge between obesity and breast cancer and to establish the physio-pathological basis of the linkage between these major health concerns in order to identify appropriate and novel therapeutic strategies to adopt in daily clinical practice.
Computational Dissection of the Role of Trp305 in the Regulation of the Death-Associated Protein Kinase–Calmodulin Interaction
Authors: Zhu Yu-Ping , Gao Xin-Yi , Xu Guo-Hui , Qin Zhao-Fu , Ju Hai-Xing , Li De-Chuan , Ma De-Ning
Published: September 2022

Death-associated protein kinase 1 (DAPK1), as a calcium/calmodulin (CaM) regulated serine/threonine kinase, functions in apoptotic and autophagy pathways and represents an interesting drug target for inflammatory bowel disease and Alzheimer’s disease. The crystal structure of the DAPK1 catalytic domain and the autoregulatory domain (ARD) in complex with CaM provides an understanding of CaM-dependent regulation of DAPK1 activity. However, the molecular basis of how distinct Trp305 (W305Y and W305D) mutations in the ARD modulate different DAPK1 activities remains unknown. Here, we performed multiple, μs-length molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the DAPK1–CaM complex in three different (wild-type, W305Y, and W305D) states. MD simulations showed that the overall structural complex did not change significantly in the wild-type and W305Y systems, but underwent obvious conformational alteration in the W305D system. Dynamical cross-correlation and principal component analyses revealed that the W305D mutation enhanced the anti-correlated motions between the DAPK1 and CaM and sampled a broader distribution of conformational space relative to the wild-type and W305Y systems. Structural and energetical analyses further exhibited that CaM binding was unfavored in response to the W305D mutation, resulting in the decreased binding of CaM to the W305D mutant. Furthermore, the hydrogen bonds and salt bridges responsible for the loss of CaM binding on the interface of the DAPK1–CaM complex were identified in the W305D mutant. This result may provide insights into the key role of Trp305 in the regulation of CaM-mediated DAPK1 activity.
The Effect of the Classical TSPO Ligand PK 11195 on In Vitro Cobalt Chloride Model of Hypoxia-like Condition in Lung and Brain Cell Lines
Authors: Amara Rula , Zeineh Nidal , Monga Sheelu , Weizman Abraham , Gavish Moshe
Published: September 2022

The mitochondrial translocator protein (TSPO) is a modulator of the apoptotic pathway involving reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) collapse, activation of caspases, and eventually initiation of the apoptotic process. In this in vitro study, H1299 lung cells and BV-2 microglial cells were exposed to the hypoxia-like effect of CoCl2 with or without PK 11195. Exposing the H1299 cells to 0.5 mM CoCl2 for 24 h resulted in decreases in cell viability (63%, p < 0.05), elevation of cardiolipin peroxidation levels (38%, p < 0.05), mitochondrial membrane potential depolarization (13%, p < 0.001), and apoptotic cell death (117%, p < 0.05). Pretreatment with PK 11195 (25 µM) exhibited significant protective capacity on CoCl2-induced alterations in the mentioned processes. Exposure of BV-2 cells to increasing concentrations of CoCl2 (0.3, 0.5, 0.7 mM) for 4 h resulted in alterations in the same cellular processes. These alterations were obtained in a dose-dependent manner, except the changes in caspases 3 and 9. The novel ligands as well as PK 1195 attenuated the in vitro hypoxia-like effects of CoCl2. It appears that the TSPO ligand PK 11195 can prevent CoCl2-induced cellular damage in both non-neuronal and brain cell lines, and they may offer a novel approach to the treatment of hypoxia-related lung and brain diseases in some cases that fail to respond to conventional therapies.
Transcriptome Profiling of Eutopic and Ectopic Endometrial Stromal Cells in Women with Endometriosis Based on High-Throughput Sequencing
Authors: Chen Chih-Chieh , Chou Yung-Che , Hsu Chia-Yi , Tsai Eing-Mei , Er Tze-Kiong
Published: September 2022

Endometriosis is a common gynecological disease that affects approximately 5–10% of reproductive-aged women. However, the etiology and pathophysiology of endometriosis are currently unclear. The objective of this study was to identify a potential pathogenic gene of endometriosis using RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis. Human endometrial stromal cells were isolated from four patients receiving surgical treatment for endometriosis during laparoscopic surgery, and RNA-seq was used to examine differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in eutopic and ectopic endometrial stromal cells. The functional significance of the differentially expressed genes was analyzed using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses. A total of 1309 upregulated and 663 downregulated genes were identified through the analysis of the transcriptomes of eutopic and ectopic endometrial stromal cells. Furthermore, KEGG analysis indicated that these DEGs were mainly enriched in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, and MAPK signaling pathway. Our study identified differential gene expression in eutopic as compared to ectopic endometrial tissue stromal cells. We strongly believe that our findings can bring new insights into the underlying mechanisms of endometriosis. However, future research is necessary to clarify the roles of the identified genes.
Cannabinoid Therapeutic Effects in Inflammatory Bowel Diseases: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials
Authors: Vinci Antonio , Ingravalle Fabio , Bardhi Dorian , Cesaro Nicola , Frassino Sara , Licata Francesca , Valvano Marco
Published: September 2022

(1) Introduction: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) patients may benefit from cannabinoid administration supplementary therapy; currently no consensus on its effect has been reached. (2) Methods: a systematic review of RCTs on cannabinoid supplementation therapy in IBD has been conducted; data sources were MEDLINE, Scopus, ClinicalTrials. (3) Results: out of 974 papers found with electronic search, six studies have been included into the systematic review, and five of them, for a grand total of 208 patients, were included into the meta-analysis. (4) Conclusions: cannabinoid supplementation as adjuvant therapy may increase the chances of success for standard therapy of Crohn’s Disease during the induction period; no statement on its potential usage during maintenance period can be derived from retrieved evidence. Its usage in Ulcerative Colitis is not to be recommended. If ever, low-dose treatment may be more effective than higher dosage. Mean CDAI reduction was found stronger in patients treated with cannabinoids (mean CDAI reduction = 36.63, CI 95% 12.27–61.19) than placebo. In future studies, it is advisable to include disease activity levels, as well as patient-level information such as genetic and behavioral patterns.
Clinical Application of Epithelial Sodium Channel (ENaC) as a Biomarker for Arterial Hypertension
Authors: García-Rubio Diana , Martínez-Vieyra Ivette , de la Mora Maria Beatriz , Fuentes-García Marco Antonio , Cerecedo Doris
Published: September 2022

Arterial hypertension (HTN) is a global public health concern and an important risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and renal failure. We previously reported overexpression of ENaC on the plasma membrane of human platelets is a hallmark of HTN. In this double-blinded study of an open population (n = 167), we evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic assay based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) conjugated to an antibody against epithelial sodium channel (ENaC) expressed on platelets, which is detected using a fluorescent anti-ENaC secondary antibody and spectrofluorometry. Using the cutoff value for the AuNP-anti-ENaC assay, we confirmed the diagnosis for 62.1% of patients with clinical HTN and detected 59.7% of patients had previously undiagnosed HTN. Although some shortcomings in terms of accurately discriminating healthy individuals and patients with HTN still need to be resolved, we propose this AuNP-anti-ENaC assay could be used for initial screening and early diagnosis to critically improve opportune clinical management of HTN.
Trends in Dyslexia Research during the Period 1950 to 2020—Theories, Definitions, and Publications
Authors: Helland Turid
Published: September 2022

Introduction. The focus of the present paper is on (1) how dyslexia research and hence definitions have developed during the period 1950–2020 and includes (2) a database search of scientific publications on dyslexia during the same period. The focus is on the definitions of dyslexia and the organization of the network search based on the causal four-level model by Morton and Frith. Method. (1) The definitions are presented in accordance with a historic review of dyslexia research from 1950 to 2020 and based on (2) Google Scholar counts of publications on dyslexia, on defining dyslexia, on dyslexia at the four levels (symptomatic, cognitive, biological, environmental), and by areas (sensorimotor, comorbidity). Finally, a percentage calculation shows the relative development within each level and area by decennium (1950–1960, 1960–1970, 1970–1980, 1990–2000, 2002–2010, 2010–2020). Results. (1) Of the seven definitions presented, only the definition by the BDA 2007 included the four levels of the causal model. (2) The number of publications increased substantially over the period. However, relatively few publications have defined dyslexia. An increase in publications from 1950 to 2020 was seen across the four levels and two areas—however, with an alteration in the thematic focus over this time span. Summary. Defining dyslexia has still not reached a consensus. This uncertainty may explain why only one of the seven definitions proved satisfactory according to the four-level model. Along with the general increase in research, publications on dyslexia have increased accordingly during the period 1950 to 2020. Although the symptomatic level has played a dominant role over the whole period, thematic shifts have been seen over these 70 years. In particular, a substantial thematic shift was seen by the turn of the millennium. There has been a relative increase in the focus on literacy at the symptomatic level, on phonological awareness at the cognitive level, in gender at the biological level, and second language learning as comorbidities. However, increases in counts are not alone a valid indication of scientific progress. In particular, the lack of definitional criteria as a basis for participant and method selection should attract much more focus in future studies. The present study underlines the multifactorial nature of dyslexia, as evidenced by a substantial increase in the number of publications on the subject. It is a challenge for future research to continuously use and possibly redefine dyslexia definitions in line with such standards.
Multivariable Analysis Reveals the Key Variables Related to Lignocellulosic Biomass Type and Pretreatment before Enzymolysis
Authors: Wang Xiujun , Fan Deliang , Han Yutong , Xu Jifei
Published: September 2022

In this study, partial least square (PLS), a multivariable analysis, was used to simultaneously quantitatively evaluate the effects of variables related to three pretreatments (alkaline, hot water and acid) and the biomass properties of poplar, salix and corncob. The results showed that biomass type was the most important variable influencing enzymolysis reducing sugar yield (ERSY). The biomass compositions affected the ERSY more than the pretreatment conditions, among which hemicellulose and lignin played vital roles. The alkaline pretreatment had a more positive effect on the ERSY than the acid and hot water pretreatments, in which alkaline content had more influence than temperature. This work provides a deeper understanding of the material properties and the pretreatment conditions in different complex systems before enzymolysis, which might be a guidance to future study.
Compound Heterozygous Missense Variants in RPL3L Genes Associated with Severe Forms of Dilated Cardiomyopathy: A Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Das Bibhuti B. , Gajula Viswanath , Arya Sandeep , Taylor Mary B.
Published: September 2022

Whole exome sequencing has identified an infant girl with fulminant dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), leading to severe acute heart failure associated with ribosomal protein large 3-like (RPL3L) gene pathologic variants. Other genetic tests for mitochondrial disorders by sequence analysis and deletion testing of the mitochondrial genome were negative. Secondary causes for DCM due to metabolic and infectious etiologies were ruled out. She required a Berlin-Excor left ventricular assist device due to worsening of her heart failure as a bridge to orthotopic heart transplantation. At three months follow-up after heart transplantation, she has been doing well. We reviewed the literature on published RPL3L-related DCM cases and their outcomes. Bi-allelic variants in RPL3L have been reported in only seven patients from four unrelated families in the literature. RPL3L is a newer and likely pathogenic gene associated with a severe form of early-onset dilated cardiomyopathy with poor prognosis necessitating heart transplantation.
A Novel Structured Magnetic Field Sensor Based on Photonic Crystal Fiber Filled with Magnetic Fluid
Authors: Xu Jun , Gao Yuanyuan , You Haidong
Published: September 2022

A novel structured magnetic field sensor based on dual-core photonic crystal fiber is proposed which has two elliptical central holes filled with magnetic fluid and some elliptical cladding air holes. The transmission characteristics of the dual-core photonic crystal fiber such as coupling length, birefringence, and coupling loss are analyzed with changing structural parameters. Enhanced birefringence is obtained by the novel structure of two elliptical central holes and some elliptical cladding air holes. The sensitivity of the magnetic sensor is calculated, and the numerical simulation result shows that the highest sensitivity of 1200 pm/Oe can be achieved.
Structural Phase Transformations in Detonation Coatings Based on Ti3SiC2 after Pulse-Plasma Effect
Authors: Rakhadilov Bauyrzhan , Kakimzhanov Dauir , Buitkenov Dastan , Abdulina Saule , Zhurerova Laila , Sagdoldina Zhuldyz
Published: September 2022

This work presents the results of the study on the effect of pulse-plasma treatment on the structural-phase states of the surface layer of detonation coatings based on Ti3SiC2. Structural-phase studies were carried out by three main methods: scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron diffraction microscopy on thin foils and X-ray structural analysis. It was determined that after the pulse-plasma treatment, an increase in the intensity of the Ti3SiC2 peaks was observed, and the appearance of new reflections (101, 102, 112, 204, 1110, 0016) of this phase was detected, which indicates the increase in the MAX-phase content. It was determined that after the pulse-plasma treatment, the fraction of voids (pores) and the particle area decreased and the microstructure became more homogeneous, which resulted in the densification of the Ti3SiC2-based detonation coating. It was found that the process of detonation spraying with subsequent pulse-plasma treatment resulted in the formation of a Ti3SiC2-based coating, with TSC carbosilicide (Ti3SiC2) 0] plane reflexes, lamellar layered structure, and reduced porosity.
Trigger Points and Contracture/Contraction Knots: What’s in a Name? Reply to Dommerholt, J.; Gerwin, R.D. Contracture Knots vs. Trigger Points. Comment on “Ball et al. Ultrasound Confirmation of the Multiple Loci Hypothesis of the Myofascial Trigger Point and the Diagnostic Importance of Specificity in the Elicitation of the Local Twitch Response. Diagnostics 2022, 12, 321”
Authors: Ball Andrew , Perreault Thomas , Fernández-de-las-Peñas César , Agnone Michael , Spennato Jordan
Published: September 2022

We are responding to the comment by Dommerholt and Gerwin that we have reverse-defined “myofascial trigger point” (MTrP) and “contracture/contraction knot.” In attempting to maintain philosophical agreement with specific and implied aspects of their integrated hypothesis of trigger-point formation (namely a MTrP being ischemic and hypoxic), we referred to the MTrP as the small hyperechoic signal rather than the larger hypoechoic (and therefore hyperperfused) structure surrounding it. It was never our intent to re-define nor contribute to confusion. In making this concession with respect to Dommerholt and Gerwin’s preferred nomenclature, however, we must instead now reconcile what we image as a hypoechoic (and therefore hyperperfused) MTrP with it being concurrently hypoxic.
Thromboembolic Events in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Comprehensive Overview
Authors: Gala Dhir , Newsome Taylor , Roberson Nicole , Lee Soo Min , Thekkanal Marvel , Shah Mili , Kumar Vikash , Bandaru Praneeth , Gayam Vijay
Published: September 2022

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory disorders of the intestines. The underlying inflammation activates the coagulation cascade leading to an increased risk of developing arterial and venous thromboembolic events such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism. Patients with IBD are at a 2–3-fold increased risk of developing thromboembolism. This risk increases in patients with active IBD disease, flare-ups, surgery, steroid treatment, and hospitalization. These complications are associated with significant morbidity and mortality making them important in clinical practice. Clinicians should consider the increased risk of thromboembolic events in patients with IBD and manage them with appropriate prophylaxis based on the risk. In this review, we discuss the literature associated with the pathophysiology of thromboembolism in patients with IBD, summarize the studies describing the various thromboembolic events, and the management of thromboembolism in patients with IBD.
Node Importance Identification for Temporal Networks Based on Optimized Supra-Adjacency Matrix
Authors: Liu Rui , Zhang Sheng , Zhang Donghui , Zhang Xuefeng , Bao Xiaoling
Published: September 2022

The research on node importance identification for temporal networks has attracted much attention. In this work, combined with the multi-layer coupled network analysis method, an optimized supra-adjacency matrix (OSAM) modeling method was proposed. In the process of constructing an optimized super adjacency matrix, the intra-layer relationship matrixes were improved by introducing the edge weight. The inter-layer relationship matrixes were formed by improved similarly and the inter-layer relationship is directional by using the characteristics of directed graphs. The model established by the OSAM method accurately expresses the structure of the temporal network and considers the influence of intra- and inter-layer relationships on the importance of nodes. In addition, an index was calculated by the average of the sum of the eigenvector centrality indices for a node in each layer and the node importance sorted list was obtained from this index to express the global importance of nodes in temporal networks. The experimental results on three real temporal network datasets Enron, Emaildept3, and Workspace showed that compared with the SAM and the SSAM methods, the OSAM method has a faster message propagation rate and larger message coverage and better SIR and NDCG@10 indicators.
Analytical Solution for Transient Reactive Elements for DC-DC Converter Circuits
Authors: Marey Amr , Bhaskar Mahajan Sagar , Almakhles Dhafer , Mostafa Hala
Published: September 2022

This paper develops an analytical method for modeling the inductor currents and capacitor voltages (ICCV) of a generic DC-DC converter system. The purpose of the designed methodology is to propose a new generalized modeling technique for DC-DC converter systems that accurately models the transient behavior of those systems. The modeled converter is assumed to operate over some number of circuit stages. Each circuit stage can be separately modeled as a linear time-invariant (LTI) system that is solved through the uni-lateral Laplace transform. Furthermore, the initial conditions (ICs) of these LTI systems are related through different algebraic expressions and discrete-time difference equations that originate from the continuity of the ICCV with respect to time. These discrete-time difference equations are then solved with the uni-lateral Z-transform to determine the ICs of the ICCV at each switching period. The generalized theoretical analysis is applied to the study of the transient behavior of the buck-boost converter across various different circuit parameters. This analysis justified with laboratory experimentation of the buck-boost converter, and the transient behavior of the buck-boost converter is compared for each experimental parameter set. The experimental results and the theoretical analysis provide very similar results across the different converter parameters.
A Novel Heterogeneous Parallel System Architecture Based EtherCAT Hard Real-Time Master in High Performance Control System
Authors: Shi Hongzhe , Lin Weiyang , Liu Chenlu , Yu Jinyong
Published: September 2022

EtherCAT is one of the preferred real-time Ethernet technologies. However, EtherCAT is not applicable in high-end control fields due to real-time constraints. Clock synchronization and cycle time are the most representative limitations. In this paper, a novel Heterogeneous Parallel System Architecture (HPSA) with features of parallel computation and hard real-time is presented. An HPSA-based EtherCAT hard real-time master is developed to significantly improve clock synchronization and shorten cycle time. Traditional EtherCAT masters feature serial processing and run on a PC. This HPSA-based master consists of two parts: EtherCAT master stack (EMS) and EtherCAT operating system (EOS). EMS implements the parallel operation of EtherCAT to realize the shorter cycle time, and EOS brings a hard real-time environment to the HPSA-based master to improve clock synchronization. Furthermore, this HPSA-based master operates on a heterogeneous System-on-a-chip (SoC). EMS and EOS form a heterogeneous architecture inside this SoC to achieve low-latency process scheduling. Experimental results show that in our HPSA-based EtherCAT hard real-time master, the cycle time reaches the sub-50 μs range, and the synchronization error reduces to several nanoseconds. Thus, this HPSA-based master has great application value in high-performance control systems.
Sinusoidal Current Signal-Based Fire Detection System with Automatic Address Assignment
Authors: Lee Man Hee , Chae Seog , Shin Soo Young
Published: September 2022

In this paper, a novel sinusoidal current signal-based fire detection system is proposed with automatic address assignment. The system model employs a conventional power line to embed fire information, i.e., the address, rather than using an additional communication line. At the transmitter, different frequencies of the sinusoidal current signal are combined and transmitted through a power line. At the receiver, fast Fourier transform (FFT) is applied to distinguish the frequency bins, which can represent the addresses of fire detectors. The proposed system model is implemented and the numerical results are presented in terms of measurements.
A Dual Polarization 3-D Beamforming AiP
Authors: Oh Inn-Yeal
Published: September 2022

This paper describes the implementation of an antenna-in-package (AiP) with a dual polarization function, supporting a three-dimensional (3D) beamforming operation. In order to implement 3D beamforming, a Yagi-type end-fire antenna supporting each of the x and y directions and a patch-type broadsided antenna supporting the z-direction were implemented. The broadside antennas have dual polarization functions so that they can be received in any direction. Each antenna was implemented in four array structures to support beamforming operations. The broadside antenna was designed in a 2 × 2 array structure, with a patch-type antenna and two linear dual polarization functions. The single antenna operated with a gain of 6 dBi, an E-plane beam width of ±45 degrees, and an H-plane beam width of ±50 degrees and had an antenna gain of 9~11 dBi as well as a vertical/horizontal forming operation with a radiation angle of ±22 degrees The end-fire antenna unit was designed in a 1 × 4 array structure with a Yagi-type antenna. The single antenna had a gain of 4 dBi, with an antenna gain of 8 dBi in the array structure, and it was improved to 11 dBi by adding a parasitic array director. The final end-fire antenna unit had a radiation angle of ±11 degrees and a beamforming coverage of ±45 degrees The vertical and horizontal design results were secured for reception in any direction, and all the array antennas had a return loss of 10 dB or less in the entire frequency band, from 57 to 66 GHz.
Short-Term Load Forecasting Using EMD with Feature Selection and TCN-Based Deep Learning Model
Authors: Liu Mingping , Sun Xihao , Wang Qingnian , Deng Suhui
Published: September 2022

Short-term load forecasting (STLF) has a significant role in reliable operation and efficient scheduling of power systems. However, it is still a major challenge to accurately predict power load due to social and natural factors, such as temperature, humidity, holidays and weekends, etc. Therefore, it is very important for the efficient feature selection and extraction of input data to improve the accuracy of STLF. In this paper, a novel hybrid model based on empirical mode decomposition (EMD), a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN), a temporal convolutional network (TCN), a self-attention mechanism (SAM), and a long short-term memory network (LSTM) is proposed to fully decompose the input data and mine the in-depth features to improve the accuracy of load forecasting. Firstly, the original load sequence was decomposed into a number of sub-series by the EMD, and the Pearson correlation coefficient method (PCC) was applied for analyzing the correlation between the sub-series with the original load data. Secondly, to achieve the relationships between load series and external factors during an hour scale and the correlations among these data points, a strategy based on the 1D-CNN and TCN is proposed to comprehensively refine the feature extraction. The SAM was introduced to further enhance the key feature information. Finally, the feature matrix was fed into the long short-term memory (LSTM) for STLF. According to experimental results employing the North American New England Control Area (ISO-NE-CA) dataset, the proposed model is more accurate than 1D-CNN, LSTM, TCN, 1D-CNN–LSTM, and TCN–LSTM models. The proposed model outperforms the 1D-CNN, LSTM, TCN, 1D-CNN–LSTM, and TCN–LSTM by 21.88%, 51.62%, 36.44%, 42.75%, 16.67% and 40.48%, respectively, in terms of the mean absolute percentage error.