bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Emissions Merit Function for Evaluating Multifunctional Catalyst Beds
Authors: Toops Todd J. , Kunal Pranaw
Published: April 2022

With emission control regulations getting stricter, multi-functional catalyst systems are increasingly important for low-temperature operation. We investigate a wide range of multi-component catalyst systems, as physical mixtures and in multi-bed configurations, while varying the ratios of hydrocarbon traps (HCT), passive NOx adsorbers (PNAs), and diesel oxidation catalysts (DOC). Using industrially guided protocols, we measured the ability of these complex catalyst systems to reduce emissions during a 40 °C/min temperature ramp to simulate cold-start conditions. Using a temperature boundary condition of 250 °C, the average conversion was calculated for each regulated pollutant: CO, NOx, and total hydrocarbons (THC). An emissions merit function was developed to evaluate the effectiveness of each system relative to the relevant emission standards and expected engine exhaust concentrations. This merit function identified that a 1:1:4 ratio of PNA:HCT:DOC was the most effective emissions reduction configuration and had similar reactivity as a physical mixture or as a PNA→HCT→DOC multi-bed reactor.
Preparation and Properties of Magnesium Cement-Based Photocatalytic Materials
Authors: Fang Yongle , Shu Chang , Yang Lu , Xue Cheng , Luo Ping , Xu Xingang
Published: April 2022

Photocatalytic oxidation is a technology developed in recent years for the degradation of indoor air pollutants. In this study, magnesium cement-based photocatalytic material (MPM) was prepared by loading TiO2 photocatalysts onto a SiO2-modified basic magnesium chloride whisker (BMCW) surface, and was subsequently sprayed evenly on the surface of putty powder to form a photocatalytic functional wall coating (PFWC) material. Then, by introducing Ag, visible light photocatalytic functional wall coating (VPFWC) materials were also prepared. The results show that TiO2 and SiO2 form Ti–O–Si bonds on the BMCW surface, and the PFWC presents a promising degradation effect, with a photocatalytic removal rate of 46% for gaseous toluene, under ultraviolet light for 3 h, and an MPM coating concentration of 439 g/m2. This is related to the surface structure of the functional coating, which is formed using putty powder and MPM. The visible light photocatalytic efficiency of the VPFWC increased as the spraying amount of the AgNO3 solution increased, up to 16.62 g/m2, and then decreased with further increasing. The gaseous toluene was degraded by 28% and 73% in 3 h, by the VPFWC, under visible light and ultraviolet light irradiation, respectively. In addition, the photocatalytic performance of the PFWC/VPFWC also showed excellent durability after being reused five times.
GBA Variants and Parkinson Disease: Mechanisms and Treatments
Authors: Smith Laura , Schapira Anthony H. V.
Published: April 2022

The GBA gene encodes for the lysosomal enzyme glucocerebrosidase (GCase), which maintains glycosphingolipid homeostasis. Approximately 5–15% of PD patients have mutations in the GBA gene, making it numerically the most important genetic risk factor for Parkinson disease (PD). Clinically, GBA-associated PD is identical to sporadic PD, aside from the earlier age at onset (AAO), more frequent cognitive impairment and more rapid progression. Mutations in GBA can be associated with loss- and gain-of-function mechanisms. A key hallmark of PD is the presence of intraneuronal proteinaceous inclusions named Lewy bodies, which are made up primarily of alpha-synuclein. Mutations in the GBA gene may lead to loss of GCase activity and lysosomal dysfunction, which may impair alpha-synuclein metabolism. Models of GCase deficiency demonstrate dysfunction of the autophagic-lysosomal pathway and subsequent accumulation of alpha-synuclein. This dysfunction can also lead to aberrant lipid metabolism, including the accumulation of glycosphingolipids, glucosylceramide and glucosylsphingosine. Certain mutations cause GCase to be misfolded and retained in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), activating stress responses including the unfolded protein response (UPR), which may contribute to neurodegeneration. In addition to these mechanisms, a GCase deficiency has also been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and neuroinflammation, which have been implicated in the pathogenesis of PD. This review discusses the pathways associated with GBA-PD and highlights potential treatments which may act to target GCase and prevent neurodegeneration.
Zooming in on Long Non-Coding RNAs in Ewing Sarcoma Pathogenesis
Authors: Aryee Dave N. T. , Fock Valerie , Kapoor Utkarsh , Radic-Sarikas Branka , Kovar Heinrich
Published: April 2022

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is a rare aggressive cancer of bone and soft tissue that is mainly characterized by a reciprocal chromosomal translocation. As a result, about 90% of cases express the EWS-FLI1 fusion protein that has been shown to function as an aberrant transcription factor driving sarcomagenesis. ES is the second most common malignant bone tumor in children and young adults. Current treatment modalities include dose-intensified chemo- and radiotherapy, as well as surgery. Despite these strategies, patients who present with metastasis or relapse still have dismal prognosis, warranting a better understanding of treatment resistant-disease biology in order to generate better prognostic and therapeutic tools. Since the genomes of ES tumors are relatively quiet and stable, exploring the contributions of epigenetic mechanisms in the initiation and progression of the disease becomes inevitable. The search for novel biomarkers and potential therapeutic targets of cancer metastasis and chemotherapeutic drug resistance is increasingly focusing on long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). Recent advances in genome analysis by high throughput sequencing have immensely expanded and advanced our knowledge of lncRNAs. They are non-protein coding RNA species with multiple biological functions that have been shown to be dysregulated in many diseases and are emerging as crucial players in cancer development. Understanding the various roles of lncRNAs in tumorigenesis and metastasis would determine eclectic avenues to establish therapeutic and diagnostic targets. In ES, some lncRNAs have been implicated in cell proliferation, migration and invasion, features that make them suitable as relevant biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In this review, we comprehensively discuss known lncRNAs implicated in ES that could serve as potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of the disease. Though some current reviews have discussed non-coding RNAs in ES, to our knowledge, this is the first review focusing exclusively on ES-associated lncRNAs.
Steady-State Levels of Miro1 Linked to Phosphorylation at Serine 156 and Mitochondrial Respiration in Dopaminergic Neurons
Authors: Schwarz Lisa , Fitzgerald Julia C.
Published: April 2022

Miro1 has emerged as an interesting target to study Parkinson’s disease-relevant pathways since it is a target of PINK1 and Parkin. Miro1 is a mitochondrial GTPase with the primary function of facilitating mitochondrial movement, and its knockout in mice is postnatally lethal. Here, we investigated the effect of the artificial RHOT1/Miro1 S156A mutation since it is a putative PINK1 phosphorylation site shown to be involved in Miro1 degradation and mitochondrial arrest during mitophagy. We gene-edited a homozygous phospho-null Miro1 S156A mutation in induced pluripotent stem cells to study the mutation in human dopaminergic neurons. This mutation causes a significant depletion of Miro1 steady-state protein levels and impairs further Miro1 degradation upon CCCP-induced mitophagy. However, mitochondrial mass measured by Tom20 protein levels, as well as mitochondrial area, are not affected in Miro1 S156A neurons. The mitochondria are slightly lengthened, which is in line with their increased turnover. Under basal conditions, we found no discernable effect of the mutation on mitochondrial movement in neurites. Interestingly, the S156A mutation leads to a significant reduction of mitochondrial oxygen consumption, which is accompanied by a depletion of OXPHOS complexes III and V. These effects are not mirrored by Miro1 knockdown in neuroblastoma cells, but they are observed upon differentiation. Undifferentiated Miro1 S156A neural precursor cells do not have decreased Miro1 levels nor OXPHOS complexes, suggesting that the effect of the mutation is tied to development. In mature dopaminergic neurons, the inhibition of Miro1 Ser156 phosphorylation elicits a mild loss of mitochondrial quality involving reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, which is sufficient to induce compensatory events involving OXPHOS. We suggest that the mechanism governing Miro1 steady-state levels depends on differentiation state and metabolic demand, thus underscoring the importance of this pathway in the pathobiology of Parkinson’s disease.
Simple and Fast Two-Step Fully Automated Methodology for the Online Speciation of Inorganic Antimony Coupled to ICP-MS
Authors: Portugal Lindomar A. , Palacio Edwin , Cerdà Víctor , Santos-Neto Joao H. , Ferrer Laura , Ferreira Sergio L. C.
Published: April 2022

A very simple, fast and non-chromatographic methodology for inorganic antimony speciation based on Multisyringe Flow Injection Analysis (MSFIA) employing online hydride generation (HG) ICP-MS was developed. The fully automated analysis is performed in two steps: firstly, Sb(III) is quantified by ICP-MS after chemical vapor generation; then, total antimony is determined in the presence of potassium iodide as a pre-reducer of Sb(V) to Sb(III). The Sb(V) concentration is quantified by the difference between the total antimony and Sb(III) concentrations, reaching an analysis frequency of 30 h−1. The optimization was performed using a Box Behnken design. The MSFIA-HG-ICP-MS system allows the antimony speciation analysis with a detection limit of 0.016 µg L−1 for Sb(III), working in a linear range of 0.053 to 5.0 µg L−1. This method was applied for the determination of Sb(III) and Sb(V) in water samples from Maiorca Island, Spain, and the concentrations found varied from 0.10 to 0.14 µg L−1 for Sb(III) and from 0.12 to 0.28 µg L−1 for Sb(V). The results were validated by addition/recovery tests, obtaining recoveries between 90 and 111% in both cases. Furthermore, a good precision was achieved, 1.4% RSD, and sample and reagent consumption were reduced to a few mL, with the consequent decrease in waste generation. Thus, the proposed method is a good tool for the speciation of inorganic antimony at ultra-trace levels in waters, allowing its risk assessment.
Lifecycle Cost Analysis of Recycled Asphalt Pavements: Determining Cost of Recycled Materials for an Urban Highway Section
Authors: Hasan Umair , Whyte Andrew , Al Jassmi Hamad , Hasan Aisha
Published: April 2022

Growing demand for road infrastructures and accompanying environmental footprint calls for the replacement of pavement materials with recycled options. The complexities in real-world usability are dependent upon project-specific characteristics and are affected by budgetary constraints of local governmental agencies, material applicability, and climatical conditions. This study conducts a comprehensive lifecycle cost analysis (LCCA) of an urban highway section “E10” in the hot Middle Eastern climate of Abu Dhabi, where virgin asphalt usage is dominant, using actual cost data under multiple scenarios and recycled construction waste (RCW) usage across aggregate layers and recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) across wearing, binder, and asphalt base courses. Blast furnace slag as partial cement replacement for road concrete works is also analysed. Impacts across all lifecycle stages from initial earthworks and construction to routine maintenance and operation were compared. Results found that cost of sustainable construction is lower. Cost reduction was highest for RAP and RCW usage, particularly when the usage was accumulated. The optimum cost scenario used 25% RCW in the sub-base, 80% RCW in the unbound base, 25% warm-mix asphalt (WMA) RAP in the asphalt base, 15% warm-mix RAP in the binder and wearing courses, and 65% slag for concrete roadworks and resulted in USD 2.6 million (15%) cost reduction over 30 years from 2015 to 2045.
Modeling of Vacuum Temperature Swing Adsorption for Direct Air Capture Using Aspen Adsorption
Authors: Deschamps Thomas , Kanniche Mohamed , Grandjean Laurent , Authier Olivier
Published: April 2022

The paper evaluates the performance of an adsorption-based technology for CO2 capture directly from the air at the industrial scale. The approach is based on detailed mass and energy balance dynamic modeling of the vacuum temperature swing adsorption (VTSA) process in Aspen Adsorption software. The first step of the approach aims to validate the modeling thanks to published experimental data for a lab-scale bed module in terms of mass transfer and energy performance on a packed bed using amine-functionalized material. A parametric study on the main operating conditions, i.e., air velocity, air relative moisture, air temperature, and CO2 capture rate, is undertaken to assess the global performance and energy consumption. A method of up-scaling the lab-scale bed module to industrial module is exposed and mass transfer and energy performances of the industrial module are provided. The scale up from lab scale to the industrial size is conservative in terms of thermal energy consumption while the electrical consumption is very sensitive to the bed design. Further study related to the engineering solutions available to reach high global gas velocity are required. This could be offered by monolith-shape adsorbents.
Adaptation Strategies and Approaches for Managing Fire in a Changing Climate
Authors: Sample Martha , Thode Andrea E. , Peterson Courtney , Gallagher Michael R. , Flatley William , Friggens Megan , Evans Alexander , Loehman Rachel , Hedwall Shaula , Brandt Leslie , Janowiak Maria , Swanston Christopher
Published: April 2022

As the effects of climate change accumulate and intensify, resource managers juggle existing goals and new mandates to operationalize adaptation. Fire managers contend with the direct effects of climate change on resources in addition to climate-induced disruptions to fire regimes and subsequent ecosystem effects. In systems stressed by warming and drying, increased fire activity amplifies the pace of change and scale of severe disturbance events, heightening the urgency for management action. Fire managers are asked to integrate information on climate impacts with their professional expertise to determine how to achieve management objectives in a changing climate with altered fire regimes. This is a difficult task, and managers need support as they incorporate climate adaptation into planning and operations. We present a list of adaptation strategies and approaches specific to fire and climate based on co-produced knowledge from a science–management partnership and pilot-tested in a two-day workshop with natural resource managers and regional stakeholders. This “menu” is a flexible and useful tool for fire managers who need to connect the dots between fire ecology, climate science, adaptation intent, and management implementation. It was created and tested as part of an adaptation framework used widely across the United States and should be applicable and useful in many fire-prone forest ecosystems.
Experimental Study on Engineering Characteristics of Cement-Lime-Improving Silt in Eastern Henan Province
Authors: Lu Xiaoming , Fan Liujun , He Na , Lin Xinyan
Published: April 2022

With the construction of expressways in eastern Henan, silt has been widely used as a filling material. However, the silt in this area is lacking clay, the content of active oxides in the soil is low, and the soil particles are bonded together. The property is poor, the erosion resistance is not strong, and the direct filling of the roadbed is prone to engineering problems. Due to the obvious regionality of silt in eastern Henan, this paper firstly analyzes the basic physical properties of silt in eastern Henan using compaction, compression, direct shear and particle gradation tests. The research displays that with the increase of the dosage of cement or lime, the optimal water content increases, while the maximum dry density decreases. The compressibility decreases linearly with the increase of the content. The improved soil has a significant increase in large particles. When the dosage of lime is 2%–6%, the improved soil has a good gradation, and the improved soil has a significant increase in large particles. When the dosage is 2%–6%, the improved soil has a good gradation, and the improvement effect on the cohesion is much greater than that on the internal friction angle. The comprehensive analysis of cement lime shows that the dosage of cement should be 4%–6%. In the early stage, the improvement effect of cement on silt is better than that of lime.
Properties of Sm-Doped SrCl2 Crystalline Scintillators
Authors: Nakauchi Daisuke , Fujimoto Yutaka , Kato Takumi , Kawaguchi Noriaki , Yanagida Takayuki
Published: April 2022

Sm-doped SrCl2 crystals were prepared, and the scintillation properties such as emission spectra, decay profiles, and pulse height were investigated. Under X-ray irradiation, a broad band can be observed at 680 nm, which indicates that the major origin is due to 5d-4f transitions of Sm2+. The decay curve is approximated by one exponential function with a decay time of 10 μs, and the decay time constant is typical for Sm2+. From the pulse height of 137Cs γ-rays, 0.1% Sm:SrCl2 shows a light yield of 33,000 photons/MeV.
Unveiling the Mechanisms of High-Temperature 1/2[111] Screw Dislocation Glide in Iron–Carbon Alloys
Authors: Katzarov Ivaylo Hristov , Drenchev Ljudmil Borisov
Published: April 2022

We have developed a self-consistent model for predicting the velocity of 1/2[111] screw dislocation in binary iron–carbon alloys gliding by a high-temperature Peierls mechanism. The methodology of modelling includes: (i) Kinetic Monte-Carlo (kMC) simulation of carbon segregation in the dislocation core and determination the total carbon occupancy of the core binding sites; (ii) Determination of kink-pair formation enthalpy of a screw dislocation in iron—carbon alloy; (iii) KMC simulation of carbon drag and determination of maximal dislocation velocity at which the atmosphere of carbon atoms can follow a moving screw dislocation; (iv) Self consistent calculation of the average velocity of screw dislocation in binary iron–carbon alloys gliding by a high-temperature kink-pair mechanism under a constant strain rate. We conduct a quantitative analysis of the conditions of stress and temperature at which screw dislocation glide in iron–carbon alloy is accomplished by a high-temperature kink-pair mechanism. We estimate the dislocation velocity at which the screw dislocation breaks away from the carbon cloud and thermally-activated smooth dislocation propagation is interrupted by sporadic bursts of dislocation activity.
Fullerene in a Magnetic Field
Authors: Lun-Fu Alexandr , Borodin Vladislav , Bubenchikov Mikhail , Bubenchikov Alexey , Mamontov Dmitriy
Published: April 2022

The manuscript presents a trajectory method for describing the rotations of surface crystals such as fullerenes, nanotubes, and nanotori. This method does not require the implementation of successive rotations of the considered molecular structures around the axes of the selected basis. Therefore, it is free from the shortcomings of the approaches of Euler and Hamilton. On its basis, an efficient algorithm for calculating the motions of a magneto-susceptible fullerene in an alternating magnetic field has been developed. The nature of rotation of fullerenes in fields of various configurations has been studied.
Bio-Mediated Method for Immobilizing Copper Tailings Sand Contaminated with Multiple Heavy Metals
Authors: Kang Bo , Zha Fusheng , Li Hongchang , Xu Long , Sun Xianguo , Lu Zhitang
Published: April 2022

Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is a natural bio-mediated process that has been investigated for soil stabilization and heavy metal immobilization in soil and groundwater. This study analyzed the effect and mechanism of MICP for the solidification/stabilization of tailings sand with multi-heavy metals. When the concentration of cementation solution (CS) is 1.0 mol/L and the optical density(OD600) is 1.6, the unconfined compressive strength of tailings sand treated by MICP is the largest, and the solidification efficiency of heavy metals in tailings sand is also the highest. The macroscopic and microscopic observations reveal that the mechanism of MICP solidification of tailings is bacterial outer oxide, hydroxide, alkaline carbonate, and carbonate precipitation.
Artificial Intelligence in Digestive Endoscopy—Where Are We and Where Are We Going?
Authors: Vulpoi Radu-Alexandru , Luca Mihaela , Ciobanu Adrian , Olteanu Andrei , Barboi Oana-Bogdana , Drug Vasile Liviu
Published: April 2022

Artificial intelligence, a computer-based concept that tries to mimic human thinking, is slowly becoming part of the endoscopy lab. It has developed considerably since the first attempt at developing an automated medical diagnostic tool, today being adopted in almost all medical fields, digestive endoscopy included. The detection rate of preneoplastic lesions (i.e., polyps) during colonoscopy may be increased with artificial intelligence assistance. It has also proven useful in detecting signs of ulcerative colitis activity. In upper digestive endoscopy, deep learning models may prove to be useful in the diagnosis and management of upper digestive tract diseases, such as gastroesophageal reflux disease, Barrett’s esophagus, and gastric cancer. As is the case with all new medical devices, there are challenges in the implementation in daily medical practice. The regulatory, economic, organizational culture, and language barriers between humans and machines are a few of them. Even so, many devices have been approved for use by their respective regulators. Future studies are currently striving to develop deep learning models that can replicate a growing amount of human brain activity. In conclusion, artificial intelligence may become an indispensable tool in digestive endoscopy.
Sinus Plain Film Can Predict a Risky Distance from the Lacrimal Sac to the Anterior Skull Base: An Anatomic Study of Dacryocystorhinostomy
Authors: Fang Kuan-Chung , Ho Ren-Wen , Luo Sheng-Dean , Lin Wei-Che , Wu Ching-Nung , Chen Wei-Chih
Published: April 2022

Background: Removal of the surrounding bone during dacryocystorhinostomy may present a higher risk of skull base injury in patients with frontal sinus aplasia. We used sinus plain films to predict cases with a greater risk of a reduced skull base distance in dacryocystorhinostomy. Methods: Sinus plain films and computed tomography data from patients were retrospectively evaluated. The frontal sinus was classified as normal, hypoplastic, or aplastic according to Waters’ view. Correlations of the frontal sinus roof-supraorbital margin (F-O) and the frontal sinus roof-nasion (F-N) distances on plain film with the closest lacrimal sac-anterior skull base (LS-ASB) distance measured on computed tomography images were assessed. Results: We evaluated 110 patients. In total, 16 (11.8%) patients had frontal sinus aplasia, of whom 6 (2.7%) had bilateral and 10 (9.1%) had unilateral aplasia. Sides with frontal sinus aplasia based on Waters’ view had a shorter median LS-ASB distance than normal or hypoplastic sides. The F-O and F-N distances in Waters’ view were significantly positively correlated with the computed tomographic LS-ASB distance. The F-O margin and F-N distance thresholds for predicting an LS-ASB distance < 10 mm, considered a risky distance, were 11.6 and 14.4 mm, respectively, with sensitivities of 100% and 91.7%, and specificities of 76% and 82.7%, respectively. Conclusions: The LS-ASB distance is closer on aplastic frontal sinus sides. Waters’ view on plain sinus films can provide a fast and inexpensive method for evaluating the skull base distance and sinonasal condition during planning for dacryocystorhinostomy.
The Diagnostic Dilemma of Urothelial Tissue Fragments in Urinary Tract Cytology Specimens
Authors: Allison Derek B. , Zhang M. Lisa , Vohra Poonam , VandenBussche Christopher J.
Published: April 2022

Since the release of The Paris System for Reporting Urinary Cytology (TPS), the assessment of urine cytology specimens has primarily focused on the detection of high-grade urothelial carcinoma (HGUC) and carcinoma in situ (CIS). Fortunately, the malignant cells in these lesions tend to be loosely cohesive, resulting in the natural exfoliation of individual malignant cells into the urine. However, HGUC/CIS lesions occasionally exfoliate larger fragments which can be difficult to assess due to cellular overlap and fragment three-dimensionality. Furthermore, reactive benign urothelial fragments and fragments from low-grade urothelial neoplasms (LGUN) may also be seen in urine specimens and contain atypical cytomorphologic features. As a result, the significance of urothelial tissue fragments (UTFs) is often unclear. Herein, we discuss the literature on UTFs before and after the implementation of TPS, as well as strategies to help overcome this diagnostic challenge.
A Narrative Review of the Classical and Modern Diagnostic Methods of the No-Reflow Phenomenon
Authors: Pantea-Roșan Larisa Renata , Bungau Simona Gabriela , Radu Andrei-Flavius , Pantea Vlad Alin , Moisi Mădălina Ioana , Vesa Cosmin Mihai , Behl Tapan , Nechifor Aurelia Cristina , Babes Elena Emilia , Stoicescu Manuela , Gitea Daniela , Iovanovici Diana Carina , Bustea Cristiana
Published: April 2022

The incidence of the no-reflow (NR) phenomenon varies depending on the diagnostic criteria used. If just the angiographic criteria are considered (i.e., a degree of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction ≤2), it will be found that the incidence of NR is quite low; on the other hand, when the myocardial NR is taken into account (i.e., a decrease in the quality of myocardial reperfusion expressed by the degree of myocardial blush), the real incidence is higher. Thus, the early establishment of a diagnosis of NR and the administration of specific treatment can lead to its reversibility. Otherwise, regardless of the follow-up period, patients with NR have a poor prognosis. In the present work, we offer a comprehensive perspective on diagnostic tools for NR detection, for improving the global management of patients with arterial microvasculature damage, which is a topic of major interest in the cardiology field, due to its complexity and its link with severe clinical outcomes.
The Octopus Sign—A New HRCT Sign in Pulmonary Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis
Authors: Poellinger Alexander , Berezowska Sabina , Myers Jeffrey Leon , Huber Adrian , Funke-Chambour Manuela , Guler Sabina , Geiser Thomas , Harari Sergio , Caminati Antonella , Zompatori Maurizio , Sverzellati Nicola
Published: April 2022

Background: Fibrosis in pulmonary Langerhans cell histiocytosis (PLCH) histologically comprises a central scar with septal strands and associated airspace enlargement that produce an octopus-like appearance. The purpose of this study was to identify the octopus sign on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) images to determine its frequency and distribution across stages of the disease. Methods: Fifty-seven patients with confirmed PLCH were included. Two experienced chest radiologists assessed disease stages as early, intermediate, or late, as well as the lung parenchyma for nodular, cystic, or fibrotic changes and for the presence of the octopus sign. Statistical analysis included Cohen’s kappa for interrater agreement and Fisher’s exact test for the frequency of the octopus sign. Results: Interobserver agreement was substantial for the octopus sign (kappa = 0.747). Significant differences in distribution of the octopus sign between stages 2 and 3 were found with more frequent octopus signs in stage 2 and fewer in stage 3. In addition, we only found the octopus sign in cases of nodular und cystic lung disease. Conclusions: The octopus sign in PLCH can be identified not only on histological images, but also on HRCT images. Its radiological presence seems to depend on the stage of PLCH.
A Super Fast Algorithm for Estimating Sample Entropy
Authors: Liu Weifeng , Jiang Ying , Xu Yuesheng
Published: April 2022

Sample entropy, an approximation of the Kolmogorov entropy, was proposed to characterize complexity of a time series, which is essentially defined as −log(B/A), where B denotes the number of matched template pairs with length m and A denotes the number of matched template pairs with m+1, for a predetermined positive integer m. It has been widely used to analyze physiological signals. As computing sample entropy is time consuming, the box-assisted, bucket-assisted, x-sort, assisted sliding box, and kd-tree-based algorithms were proposed to accelerate its computation. These algorithms require O(N2) or O(N2−1m+1) computational complexity, where N is the length of the time series analyzed. When N is big, the computational costs of these algorithms are large. We propose a super fast algorithm to estimate sample entropy based on Monte Carlo, with computational costs independent of N (the length of the time series) and the estimation converging to the exact sample entropy as the number of repeating experiments becomes large. The convergence rate of the algorithm is also established. Numerical experiments are performed for electrocardiogram time series, electroencephalogram time series, cardiac inter-beat time series, mechanical vibration signals (MVS), meteorological data (MD), and 1/f noise. Numerical results show that the proposed algorithm can gain 100–1000 times speedup compared to the kd-tree and assisted sliding box algorithms while providing satisfactory approximate accuracy.
Numerical Study on the Coagulation and Breakage of Nanoparticles in the Two-Phase Flow around Cylinders
Authors: Shi Ruifang , Lin Jianzhong , Yang Hailin
Published: April 2022

The Reynolds averaged N-S equation and dynamic equation for nanoparticles are numerically solved in the two-phase flow around cylinders, and the distributions of the concentration M0 and geometric mean diameter dg of particles are given. Some of the results are validated by comparing with previous results. The effects of particle coagulation and breakage and the initial particle concentration m00 and size d0 on the particle distribution are analyzed. The results show that for the flow around a single cylinder, M0 is reduced along the flow direction. Placing a cylinder in a uniform flow will promote particle breakage. For the flow around multiple cylinders, the values of M0 behind the cylinders oscillate along the spanwise direction, and the wake region in the flow direction is shorter than that for the flow around a single cylinder. For the initial monodisperse particles, the values of dg increase along the flow direction and the effect of particle coagulation is larger than that of particle breakage. The values of dg fluctuate along the spanwise direction; the closer to the cylinders, the more frequent the fluctuations of dg values. For the initial polydisperse particles with d0 = 98 nm and geometric standard deviation σ = 1.65, the variations of dg values along the flow and spanwise directions show the same trend as for the initial monodisperse particles, although the differences are that the values of dg are almost the same for the cases with and without considering particle breakage, while the distribution of dg along the spanwise direction is flatter in the case with initial polydisperse particles.
Young Children’s Ideas about Heat Transfer Phenomena
Authors: Pahl Angelika , Fuchs Hans U. , Corni Federico
Published: April 2022

In this article, we present kindergarten children’s ideas about thermal phenomena before any educational intervention took place. In order to capture and account for the heterogeneity of the kindergarten group in this study, first teachers observed children’s exploration behavior, task orientation, science interest, and language comprehension in everyday kindergarten life using a structured observation form. Then, 24 children aged between 3.8 and 6.0 years were interviewed individually about three situations focusing upon water temperature and its changes. The results show that interest in science and language comprehension are significantly related to children’s understanding of thermal phenomena, while task orientation and exploratory behavior are not. In general, the kindergarten children did not yet use the word “heat” in their descriptions and explanations but were more or less able to describe the water temperature and its changes in a differentiated way.
Responsible Reading: Children’s Literature and Social Justice
Authors: Simpson Alyson , Cremin Teresa Mary
Published: April 2022

In high accountability cultures, primary phase literacy education tends to focus on improving children’s test scores. Driven by each country’s performance in international league tables, this results in narrow, predominantly skills-based programmes designed to address attainment gaps. While scores may have been enhanced in recent years, there is little evidence that policy directives have positioned literacy in the lives of learners in ways that have become meaningful for them or been transferred into ways of thinking that promote social equity. Indeed, teaching practices that exacerbate the challenges for those young people who are already disadvantaged by circumstance have become more prevalent. Teachers, therefore, have an ethical responsibility to redress this through their teaching. This paper argues that literature is core to more equitable literacy development. As not all reading practices are equal, developing literacy education for a more socially just society needs to challenge the dominant pedagogic hegemony. Literature has the potential to spark the kind of mindful disruption necessary to shift standardised paradigms of thought, so literacy education should have children’s literature at its heart. By examining the value of literature through a set of complementary lenses, this paper seeks to reveal its affordances in young people’s lives. Then, through commentary taken from a pair of vignettes drawn from professional learning contexts, we illuminate shifts in teacher perception gained through scaffolded introduction to reading literary texts. The insights teachers gained reveal reconceptualisation of reading and the role of literature in primary education. This has the potential to redirect their future classroom practice. Consequently, we propose that for teachers to be adept at improving literacy outcomes through productive adoption and use of literary texts, they need: an aesthetic appreciation and knowledge of children’s literature; personal experience with reading such literature as social practice; and pedagogic insight into how to use literature to teach literacy and develop volitional readers. We call this knowledge set the additive trio, noting that no ‘step’ or understanding is sufficient on its own, and that together they can enable the development of Reading Teachers who work with literature to advance the social justice agenda.
Universal Reconfigurable Hardware Accelerator for Sparse Machine Learning Predictive Models
Authors: Vranjkovic Vuk , Teodorovic Predrag , Struharik Rastislav
Published: April 2022

This study presents a universal reconfigurable hardware accelerator for efficient processing of sparse decision trees, artificial neural networks and support vector machines. The main idea is to develop a hardware accelerator that will be able to directly process sparse machine learning models, resulting in shorter inference times and lower power consumption compared to existing solutions. To the author’s best knowledge, this is the first hardware accelerator of this type. Additionally, this is the first accelerator that is capable of processing sparse machine learning models of different types. Besides the hardware accelerator itself, algorithms for induction of sparse decision trees, pruning of support vector machines and artificial neural networks are presented. Such sparse machine learning classifiers are attractive since they require significantly less memory resources for storing model parameters. This results in reduced data movement between the accelerator and the DRAM memory, as well as a reduced number of operations required to process input instances, leading to faster and more energy-efficient processing. This could be of a significant interest in edge-based applications, with severely constrained memory, computation resources and power consumption. The performance of algorithms and the developed hardware accelerator are demonstrated using standard benchmark datasets from the UCI Machine Learning Repository database. The results of the experimental study reveal that the proposed algorithms and presented hardware accelerator are superior when compared to some of the existing solutions. Throughput is increased up to 2 times for decision trees, 2.3 times for support vector machines and 38 times for artificial neural networks. When the processing latency is considered, maximum performance improvement is even higher: up to a 4.4 times reduction for decision trees, a 84.1 times reduction for support vector machines and a 22.2 times reduction for artificial neural networks. Finally, since it is capable of supporting sparse classifiers, the usage of the proposed hardware accelerator leads to a significant reduction in energy spent on DRAM data transfers and a reduction of 50.16% for decision trees, 93.65% for support vector machines and as much as 93.75% for artificial neural networks, respectively.
Evaluation Methodology for Object Detection and Tracking in Bounding Box Based Perception Modules
Authors: Kowalczyk Paweł , Izydorczyk Jacek , Szelest Marcin
Published: April 2022

The aim of this work is to formulate a new metric to be used in the automotive industry for the evaluation process of software used to detect vehicles on video data. To achieve this goal, we have formulated a new concept for measuring the degree of matching between rectangles for industrial use. We propose new measure based on three sub-measures focused on the area of the rectangle, its shape, and distance. These sub-measures are merged into a General similarity measure to avoid problems with poor adaptability of the Jaccard index to practical issues of recognition. Additionally, we create method of calculation of detection quality in the sequence of video frames that summarizes the local quality and adds information about possible late detection. Experiments with real and artificial data have confirmed that we have created flexible tools that can reduce time needed to evaluate detection software efficiently, and provide more detailed information about the quality of detection than the Jaccard index. Their use can significantly speed up data analysis and capture the weaknesses and limitations of the detection system under consideration. Our detection quality assessment method can be of interest to all engineers involved in machine recognition of video data.
Balanced-YOLOv3: Addressing the Imbalance Problem of Object Detection in PCB Assembly Scene
Authors: Li Jing , Chen Yingqian , Li Weiye , Gu Jinan
Published: April 2022

The object detection algorithm of the PCB (Printed Circuit Board) assembly scene based on CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) can significantly improve the production capacity of intelligent manufacturing of electronic products. However, the object class imbalance in the PCB assembly scene, the multi-scale feature imbalance, and the positive/negative sample imbalance in the CNN have become critical problems restricting object detection performance. Based on YOLOv3, this paper proposes a class-balanced Train/Val (Training set/Validation set) split method for object class imbalance, an additional feature fusion strategy for multi-scale feature imbalance, and an efficient anchor concept for positive/negative sample imbalance. These three contributions are Balanced-YOLOv3. After experimental verification, compared with other YOLOv3 series algorithms, the mAP@.5 (Mean Average Precision at Intersection over Union threshold 0.5) and mAP@.5:.95 (average mAP over different Intersection over Union thresholds, from 0.5 to 0.95, step 0.05) of Balanced-YOLOv3 have achieved the best results and ranked third in the metrics of parameter and inference time. Compared with other current anchor-based object detection algorithms, Balanced-YOLOv3 has excellent detection performance and low computational complexity, which effectively solves the problem of imbalanced object detection in PCB assembly scenarios.
A 125 KHz, Single-Stage, Dual-Output Wireless Power Receiver with PSM Modulation
Authors: Zhao Shuaipeng , Liu Xin , Wang Yingxi , An Yong
Published: April 2022

This paper presents a 125 KHz, single-stage, dual-output wireless power receiver with pulse skip modulation (PSM). Multi-output receivers are proposed to supply different modules in one system. Conventional multi-output receivers contain a rectifier and a multi-output regulator, which degrade the power conversion efficiency (PCE) due to interstage loss of the rectifier and the regulator. Additionally, existing single-inductor multi-output (SIMO) receivers exhibit a cross-regulation phenomenon because of the sharing inductor, which decreases the stability of the output voltages, and the use of an inductor in SIMO receivers increases the cost of the circuit. The proposed receiver in this article realizes rectification and regulation in only one stage, which eliminates interstage loss; this improves the power conversion efficiency of the system and realizes dual-output voltages with only four power transistors without an inductor, which reduces the chip area and minimizes cost. There is no cross-regulation in this dual-output architecture because the dual-output voltages are charged by different phases of the input signal. PSM modulation was adopted to regulate output voltages for higher efficiency. The proposed single-stage, dual-output regulating rectifier delivers a maximum power of 47 mW, and the dual-output voltages are 1.8 V and 2 V. This receiver is designed by a 0.18 μm complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process and realizes a peak efficiency of 86% when the output power ranges from 15 mW to 47 mW.
A System-Level Performance Evaluation for a 5G System under a Leaky Coaxial Cable MIMO Channel for High-Speed Trains in the Railway Tunnel
Authors: Liu Penghui , Feng Jingran , Ge Weitao , Wang Hailong , Liu Xin , Wang Dongming , Song Tiecheng , Chen Jianping
Published: April 2022

As one of the typical application scenarios in the fifth generation (5G) mobile communication system, the situation of high-speed mobile communication is receiving increasing attention. The railway tunnel is a typical environment for high-speed mobile communications. Railway tunnels for high-speed trains are generally installed with leaky coaxial cables (LCXs), which can radiate and receive electromagnetic waves through slots; thus, providing communication. To evaluate the system-level performance of the LCX channel in a tunnel, we propose a modified geometrically based single-bounce multiple-input-multiple-output (GBSB-MIMO) channel model considering the effect of Doppler spread. The time-domain statistics of the channel model are studied from numerical simulations. Based on the proposed channel model, we also simulate and analyze the effects of different factors on the 5G system-level performance, including the interval of cable slots and the quantity and location of LCX.
Study on the Compact Balance Control Mechanism for Guinea Fowl Jumping Robot
Authors: Kim Myeongjin , Song Bongsub , Yun Dongwon
Published: April 2022

We developed a guinea fowl jumping robot with a one-axis momentum wheel mechanism with a passive hallux model. The Guinea fowl jumping robot was able to perform stable vertical jumping due to the linkage structure designed as a passive hallux model. Furthermore, we used the one-axis momentum wheel mechanism in the jumping robot for making the compact balance control mechanism that can control the body angle of the robot. Through the experiment, the conventional jumping robot uses the inertial tail to adjust the body angle in the air for stable landing and jumping. However, in the case of an inertial tail, it has a large volume and has a disadvantage in that stability is highly reduced when it collides with obstacles due to the shape of the inertial tail. Moreover, we performed a theoretical analysis, simulation, and experiment to verify the performance of the momentum wheel mechanism, and we confirmed that the passive hallux structure contributed to the jumping stability. Besides, we proved that the momentum wheel could adequately land on the ground by adjusting the body angle after vertical jumping. In addition, we demonstrated that the stability of the momentum wheel is higher than the inertial tail through collision simulation.
Analyses of Pellets Produced from Spruce Sawdust, Spruce Bark, and Pine Cones in Different Proportions
Authors: Čajová Kantová Nikola , Holubčík Michal , Čaja Alexander , Trnka Juraj , Jandačka Jozef
Published: April 2022

A lot of residual biomass has energy value and can be used for further applications through suitable treatments, such as pelletization. This treatment can improve properties, mainly energy density, but can also lead to problems due to their low ash melting temperatures, high ash content, and the formation of harmful compounds during combustion. This article deals with the energy potential of pellets produced from spruce sawdust, spruce bark, and pine cones in different proportions. The impact of cone and bark contents on pellet properties was also observed. The energy properties of the produced pellets were measured, such as the contents of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, moisture, volatile, fixed carbon, and ash, as well as calorific values and ash melting temperatures. Based on the results, it can be concluded that the addition of pine cones and spruce bark to spruce sawdust mainly affected the contents of nitrogen and ash and melting temperatures. Despite this, all produced pellets met the standard EN ISO 17225-2 for the content of nitrogen, ash, and also lower calorific value at least B quality. However, only three pellet samples of five met this standard for A2 and B quality for ash melting behavior. Therefore, they present an alternative fuel with interesting energy potential.