bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dietary Salt Reduction, Prevalence of Hypertension and Avoidable Burden of Stroke in Vietnam: Modelling the Health and Economic Impacts
Authors: Aminde Leopold Ndemnge , Phung Hai N. , Phung Dung , Cobiac Linda J. , Veerman J. Lennert
Published: June 2021

Dietary salt reduction has been recommended as a cost-effective population-wide strategy to prevent cardiovascular disease. The health and economic impact of salt consumption on the future burden of stroke in Vietnam is not known.

Objective: To estimate the avoidable incidence of and deaths from stroke, as well as the healthy life years and healthcare costs that could be gained from reducing salt consumption in Vietnam.

Methods: This was a macrosimulation health and economic impact assessment study. Data on blood pressure, salt consumption and stroke epidemiology were obtained from the Vietnam 2015 STEPS survey and the Global Burden of Disease study. A proportional multi-cohort multistate lifetable Markov model was used to estimate the impact of achieving the Vietnam national salt targets of 8 g/day by 2025 and 7 g/day by 2030, and to the 5 g/day WHO recommendation by 2030. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was conducted to quantify the uncertainty in our projections.

Results: If the 8 g/day, 7 g/day, and 5 g/day targets were achieved, the prevalence of hypertension could reduce by 1.2% (95% uncertainty interval [UI]: 0.5 to 2.3), 2.0% (95% UI: 0.8 to 3.6), and 3.5% (95% UI: 1.5 to 6.3), respectively. This would translate, respectively, to over 80,000, 180,000, and 257,000 incident strokes and over 18,000, 55,000, and 73,000 stroke deaths averted. By 2025, over 56,554 stroke-related health-adjusted life years (HALYs) could be gained while saving over US$ 42.6 million in stroke healthcare costs. By 2030, about 206,030 HALYs (for 7 g/day target) and 262,170 HALYs (for 5 g/day target) could be gained while saving over US$ 88.1 million and US$ 122.3 million in stroke healthcare costs respectively.

Conclusion: Achieving the national salt reduction targets could result in substantial population health and economic benefits. Estimated gains were larger if the WHO salt targets were attained and if changes can be sustained over the longer term. Future work should consider the equity impacts of specific salt reduction programs.
Vestibular Endolymphatic Hydrops Visualized by Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Its Correlation With Vestibular Functional Test in Patients With Unilateral Meniere's Disease
Authors: Liu Yupeng , Zhang Fan , He Baihui , He Jingchun , Zhang Qing , Yang Jun , Duan Maoli
Published: June 2021

Background:Currently, 3 Tesla-MRI following intratympanic gadolinium injection has made it possible to assess the existence and the severity of hydrops in each compartment of the endolymphatic spacesin vivo. However, the relationship between vestibular endolymphatic hydrops (EH) visualized by MRI and vestibular functional tests, especially the correlation between caloric test, video-head impulse test, and semicircular canal hydrops, has not been well-investigated.

Objective:The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between the severity of EH in each compartment of otoliths and semicircular canal and the results of vestibular functional tests.

Methods:In this retrospective study, we performed three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (3D-FLAIR) sequences following intratympanic gadolinium injection in 69 unilateral patients with definite Menière's disease. Vestibular and lateral semicircular canal hydrops was graded on MRI using a four grade criterion. All patients underwent pure-tone audiometry, cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP), ocular vestibular evoked myogenic potential (oVEMP), caloric test and video head impulse test (vHIT). The latency, amplitude and asymmetry ratio of VEMP, canal paresis (CP) and vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) gain of lateral semicircular canal of vHIT were collected. The correlation analysis were performed between the parameters of function test and EH.

Results:Vestibular EH showed correlations with the duration of disease (r= 0.360) and pure tone average (r= 0.326). AR of cVEMP showed correlations with Vestibular EH (r= 0.407). CP (r= 0.367) and VOR gain of lateral semicircular canal at 60 ms (r= 0.311) showed correlations with lateral semicircular canal hydrops.

Conclusion:EH in different compartments is readily visualized by using 3D-FLAIR MRI techniques. The degree of vestibular EH correlated with AR of cVEMP and EH in the semicircular canal ampullar affects the caloric and vHIT response in patients with unilateral Meniere‘s disease.
Use of Legumes and Yeast as Novel Dietary Protein Sources in Extruded Canine Diets
Authors: Reilly Lauren M. , He Fei , Rodriguez-Zas Sandra L. , Southey Bruce R. , Hoke Jolene M. , Davenport Gary M. , de Godoy Maria R. C.
Published: June 2021

The popularity of plant-based protein sources has increased as consumer demand for grain-free and novel protein sources increase. Minimal research has been conducted as regards to use of legumes and yeast and their effects on acceptability and digestibility in canine diets. The objective of this study was to evaluate macronutrient apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD), gastrointestinal tolerance, and fermentative end-products in extruded, canine diets. Five diets were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous with either garbanzo beans (GBD), green lentils (GLD), peanut flour (PFD), dried yeast (DYD), or poultry by-product meal (CON) as the primary protein sources. Ten adult, intact, female beagles (mean age: 4.2 ± 1.1 yr, mean weight: 11.9 ± 1.3 kg) were used in a replicated, 5 × 5 Latin square design with 14 d periods. Each experimental period consisted of 10 d of diet adaptation, followed by 4 d of total fecal and urine collection. A fasted, 5 ml blood sample was collected at the end of each period and analyzed for serum metabolites and complete blood count. Serum metabolites were within normal ranges and all dogs remained healthy throughout the study. Fecal quality, evaluated on a 5-point scale, was considered ideal. Macronutrient ATTD was similar among dietary treatments, with diets highly digestible (>80%). Total fecal branched-chain fatty acid concentrations were highest (P < 0.05) for DYD (23.4 μmol/g) than GLD (16.1 μmol/g) and PFD (16.0 μmol/g) but not different (P > 0.05) than other treatments. The plant-based protein treatments had greater (P < 0.05) total fecal short chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations (average 627.6 μmol/g) compared with CON (381.1 μmol/g). Fecal butyrate concentration was highest (P < 0.05) for DYD than all other dietary treatments (103.9 μmol/g vs. average 46.2 μmol/g). Fecal microbial communities showed Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, and Proteobacteria as abundant phyla. There was greater β-diversity for dogs fed DYD which differed from all other diets in both weighted and unweighted UNIFRAC analyses. Inclusion of these novel, plant-based, protein sources showed no detrimental effects on nutrient digestibility or fecal characteristics and represent viable protein sources in canine diets that can produce beneficial shifts in fecal metabolites.
Oral Delivery of Bacillus subtilis Expressing Chicken NK-2 Peptide Protects Against Eimeria acervulina Infection in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Wickramasuriya Samiru S. , Park Inkyung , Lee Youngsub , Kim Woo H. , Przybyszewski Chris , Gay Cyril G. , Oosterwijk Jolieke G. van , Lillehoj Hyun S.
Published: June 2021

Chicken NK-lysin peptide 2 (cNK-2) is a natural lytic peptide with direct cytotoxicity against many apicomplexan parasites including Eimeria. Developing an effective oral delivery strategy to express cNK-2 in the intestine, where Eimeria parasites interact with the host's gut epithelial cells, may effectively reduce the fecundity of parasites and minimize intestinal damage. Furthermore, cNK-2 modulates gut immune responses to decrease local inflammation elicited by Eimeria infection in the intestine. Therefore, we developed a stable strain of Bacillus subtilis (B. subtilis) that carries cNK-2 to the gut to determine its effectiveness in ameliorating the negative impacts of coccidiosis and to replace the use of antibiotics in controlling coccidiosis in commercial broiler chicken production. Chickens were randomly allocated into eight treatment groups: two control groups (NC: E. acervulina infected non-B. subtilis control; CON: non-infected control); three B. subtilis-empty vector (EV) groups (EV6: 106 cfu/day/bird; EV8: 108 cfu/day/bird; EV10: 1010 cfu/day/bird), and three B. subtilis-cNK-2 groups (NK6: 106 cfu/day/bird; NK8: 108 cfu/day/bird; NK10: 1010 cfu/day/bird). All chickens, except those in the CON group, were challenged with 5,000 freshly sporulated E. acervulina oocysts through oral gavage on day 15. Chickens were given an oral dose of B. subtilis on days 14, 15, and 16. Body weight, weight gains, and fecal oocyst shedding were measured. To investigate the efficacy of oral B. subtilis-cNK-2 against coccidiosis, gene expression of gut health-related biomarkers was measured using RT-PCR. Markers included SOD1, CAT, and HMOX1 for oxidative stress in the spleen and intestinal mucosa, OCLN, ZO-1, and JAM2 for tight junction proteins, and MUC2 for mucin gene expression in the gut. The results showed that oral treatment of young chickens with B. subtilis-cNK-2 improved growth performance, enhanced gut integrity, and reduced fecal oocyst shedding. Altogether, these results confirm B. subtilis-cNK-2 treatment as a promising and effective alternative strategy to replace antibiotics against coccidiosis based on its ability to reduce parasite survival, to reduce coccidiosis-induced body weight loss, and to decrease gut damage based on the enhanced expression of proteins associated with gut integrity and intestinal health.
An Immunohistochemical Study of β-catenin Expression and Immune Cell Population in Metastatic Carcinoma to the Liver
Authors: Au Kwan-Yung , Lo Regina Cheuk-Lam
Published: June 2021

The liver is the commonest site of cancer metastasis. In this study, we asked whether the immune tumor microenvironment in liver metastases was governed by the β-catenin activation status of the tumor. To this end, we analyzed CD8 and FoxP3 immunohistochemical expression against β-catenin expression status of the tumor in a cohort of 52 liver samples with metastatic carcinoma. The results showed that colorectal primary constituted the largest proportion of metastatic carcinoma showing β-catenin overexpression. Intra-tumoral CD8 count was lower and FoxP3 count was higher when compared with the non-tumoral liver parenchyma. β-catenin overexpression was associated with a lower CD8 count in the tumor region (p = 0.003). In summary, our findings are in support of an altered immune tumor microenvironment vs. the non-tumor liver tissues in the metastatic site. Suppression of CD8 count was associated with activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling in the metastatic tumor.
Effects of Phosphorus on Nitrification Process in a Fertile Soil Amended with Urea
Authors: Ning Jianfeng , Arai Yuji , Shen Jian , Wang Ronghui , Ai Shaoying
Published: June 2021

While the effects of carbon on soil nitrogen (N) cycle have been extensively studied, it is not clearly understood how co-existing macronutrients, such as phosphorus (P), affect the N cycle in agroecosystems. In this study, P amendment effects on nitrification in a fertile agricultural soil were investigated under a typical N-P amendment rate. In a laboratory incubation study, soils were amended with urea, monopotassium phosphate and a mixture of urea and monopotassium phosphate at the same rate. In soils that received no amendments (control), P only, urea only, and urea plus P amendment, nitrification occurred within the first five days, with an average net nitrification rate of 5.30, 5.77, 16.66 and 9.00 mg N kg−1d−1, respectively. Interestingly, nitrification in urea-treated soils was retarded by P addition where a N:P ratio seemed to be a key factor impeding nitrification. This was also supported by the response of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB), which was more sensitive to P addition than ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA). The outcome of this study showed that application of P fertilizer suppressed the nitrification process in urea amended soil, suggesting that a synergistic aspect of N and P nutrient management should be further explored to retard N losses from agricultural systems.
Semi-Transparent Organic Photovoltaics Applied as Greenhouse Shade for Spring and Summer Tomato Production in Arid Climate
Authors: Waller Rebekah , Kacira Murat , Magadley Esther , Teitel Meir , Yehia Ibrahim
Published: June 2021

Recognizing the growing interest in the application of organic photovoltaics (OPVs) with greenhouse crop production systems, in this study we used flexible, roll-to-roll printed, semi-transparent OPV arrays as a roof shade for a greenhouse hydroponic tomato production system during a spring and summer production season in the arid southwestern U.S. The wavelength-selective OPV arrays were installed in a contiguous area on a section of the greenhouse roof, decreasing the transmittance of all solar radiation wavelengths and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) wavelengths (400–700 nm) to the OPV-shaded area by approximately 40% and 37%, respectively. Microclimate conditions and tomato crop growth and yield parameters were measured in both the OPV-shaded (‘OPV’) and non-OPV-shaded (‘Control’) sections of the greenhouse. The OPV shade stabilized the canopy temperature during midday periods with the highest solar radiation intensities, performing the function of a conventional shading method. Although delayed fruit development and ripening in the OPV section resulted in lower total yields compared to the Control section (24.6 kg m−2 and 27.7 kg m−2, respectively), after the fourth (of 10 total) harvests, the average weekly yield, fruit number, and fruit mass were not significantly different between the treatment (OPV-shaded) and control group. Light use efficiency (LUE), defined as the ratio of total fruit yield to accumulated PAR received by the plant canopy, was nearly twice as high as the Control section, with 21.4 g of fruit per mole of PAR for plants in the OPV-covered section compared to 10.1 g in the Control section. Overall, this study demonstrated that the use of semi-transparent OPVs as a seasonal shade element for greenhouse production in a high-light region is feasible. However, a higher transmission of PAR and greater OPV device efficiency and durability could make OPV shades more economically viable, providing a desirable solution for co-located greenhouse crop production and renewable energy generation in hot and high-light intensity regions.
Antimicrobials and Food-Related Stresses as Selective Factors for Antibiotic Resistance along the Farm to Fork Continuum
Authors: Giacometti Federica , Shirzad-Aski Hesamaddin , Ferreira Susana
Published: June 2021

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global problem and there has been growing concern associated with its widespread along the animal–human–environment interface. The farm-to-fork continuum was highlighted as a possible reservoir of AMR, and a hotspot for the emergence and spread of AMR. However, the extent of the role of non-antibiotic antimicrobials and other food-related stresses as selective factors is still in need of clarification. This review addresses the use of non-antibiotic stressors, such as antimicrobials, food-processing treatments, or even novel approaches to ensure food safety, as potential drivers for resistance to clinically relevant antibiotics. The co-selection and cross-adaptation events are covered, which may induce a decreased susceptibility of foodborne bacteria to antibiotics. Although the available studies address the complexity involved in these phenomena, further studies are needed to help better understand the real risk of using food-chain-related stressors, and possibly to allow the establishment of early warnings of potential resistance mechanisms.
Thioredoxin Dependent Changes in the Redox States of FurA from Anabaena sp. PCC 7120
Authors: Guío Jorge , Bes María Teresa , Balsera Mónica , Calvo-Begueria Laura , Sevilla Emma , Peleato María Luisa , Fillat María F.
Published: June 2021

FurA is a multifunctional regulator in cyanobacteria that contains five cysteines, four of them arranged into two CXXC motifs. Lack of a structural zinc ion enables FurA to develop disulfide reductase activity. In vivo, FurA displays several redox isoforms, and the oxidation state of its cysteines determines its activity as regulator and its ability to bind different metabolites. Because of the relationship between FurA and the control of genes involved in oxidative stress defense and photosynthetic metabolism, we sought to investigate the role of type m thioredoxin TrxA as a potential redox partner mediating dithiol-disulfide exchange reactions necessary to facilitate the interaction of FurA with its different ligands. Both in vitro cross-linking assays and in vivo two-hybrid studies confirmed the interaction between FurA and TrxA. Light to dark transitions resulted in reversible oxidation of a fraction of the regulator present in Anabaena sp. PCC7120. Reconstitution of an electron transport chain using E. coli NADPH-thioredoxin-reductase followed by alkylation of FurA reduced cysteines evidenced the ability of TrxA to reduce FurA. Furthermore, the use of site-directed mutants allowed us to propose a plausible mechanism for FurA reduction. These results point to TrxA as one of the redox partners that modulates FurA performance.
Quantitative Risk Assessment for Deep Tunnel Failure Based on Normal Cloud Model: A Case Study at the ASHELE Copper Mine, China
Authors: Liu Jianpo , Shi Hongxu , Wang Ren , Si Yingtao , Wei Dengcheng , Wang Yongxin
Published: June 2021

The spatial and temporal distribution of tunnel failure is very complex due to geologic heterogeneity and variability in both mining processes and tunnel arrangement in deep metal mines. In this paper, the quantitative risk assessment for deep tunnel failure was performed using a normal cloud model at the Ashele copper mine, China. This was completed by considering the evaluation indexes of geological condition, mining process, and microseismic data. A weighted distribution of evaluation indexes was determined by implementation of an entropy weight method to reveal the primary parameters controlling tunnel failure. Additionally, the damage levels of the tunnel were quantitatively assigned by computing the degree of membership that different damage levels had, based on the expectation normalization method. The methods of maximum membership principle, comprehensive evaluation value, and fuzzy entropy were considered to determine the tunnel damage levels and risk of occurrence. The application of this method at the Ashele copper mine demonstrates that it meets the requirement of risk assessment for deep tunnel failure and can provide a basis for large-scale regional tunnel failure control in deep metal mines.
Efficacy of an Acupressure Mat in Association with Therapeutic Exercise in the Management of Chronic Low Back Pain: A Prospective Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Frizziero Antonio , Finotti Paolo , Scala Cinzia La , Morone Giovanni , Piran Giovanni , Masiero Stefano
Published: June 2021

(1) Background: Acupressure is a noninvasive, low-cost technique that makes use of physical pressure on specific points using a finger or a device and shows positive effects on chronic pain as an adjunctive method to the rehabilitation exercises. The study’s aim was to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy on pain, disability, and life quality of an acupressure mat associated with a rehabilitation program in patients with chronic low back pain. (2) Methods: All participants underwent a specific rehabilitation program, initially with 10 supervised exercise sessions, then as home exercise for 6 months. The subjects in the experimental group (EG) were additionally provided with an acupressure mat and used it for 60 min per day. (3) Results: 44 patients (31 females) were equally divided among the treatment groups. A significant time interaction was found in both groups for McGill Pain Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Index, and EuroQol-5D, and only in the EG for Visual Analog Scale. (4) Conclusions: The acupressure mat is simple and provides an additional benefit for patients in relieving pain and improving function and quality of life, especially in the medium-to-long term.
Research on Extended Finite Element Method for Axisymmetric Electrostatic Field Based on Liquid Nitrogen with Bubbles
Authors: Duan Nana , Lu Shaocong , Ma Xinyu , Xu Weijie , Jin Fuquan , Wang Shuhong
Published: June 2021

In this paper, the extended finite element method (XFEM) is first applied to account for the weak discontinuity of the axisymmetric electrostatic field. Firstly, the interface between two materials in an element is described by the level set method. The enrichment function is used to modify the shape function of enrichment elements. Secondly, to illustrate the feature of the enrichment function, the distribution diagrams of enrichment functions in sub-elements are drawn. The 3D field can be simplified to an axisymmetric field, which can reduce the difficulty of calculation. Finally, models with bubbles in liquid nitrogen in the axisymmetric field are used to prove the reliability of XFEM. Compared with the conventional finite element method (CFEM), XFEM costs lower computing resources with almost the same computational accuracy.
Effect of Changing Crude Oil Grade on Slug Characteristics and Flow Induced Mechanical Stresses in Pipes
Authors: Elfaki Mohamed , Nasif Mohammad Shakir , Muhammad Masdi
Published: June 2021

Slug multiphase flow is known to be the most prevalent regime because of its extensive encounters associated with chaotic behaviour, complexity and instability that cause significant fluctuations in operating conditions and thus lead to undesirable effects. In this study, the effect of varying crude oil grades on slug characteristics is numerically investigated. A partitioned one-way coupling framework of fluid–structure interaction (FSI) one-way coupling framework is adopted to investigate the influence of changing oil grades and slug characteristics on the maximum induced stresses in horizontal carbon steel pipe. It was found that increasing crude oil density causes frequent slugging and promotes the formation of liquid slugs further upstream near the inlet with high translational velocity and short wavelength. Therefore, the maximum induced stresses resulting from the interaction between slugs and the inner surface of pipes are strongly dependent on crude oil grade. In modelling extra heavy crude oil, a 40% increase in maximum induced stresses is recorded when the liquid superficial velocity decreases from 1 to 0.86 m/s at a constant natural gas superficial velocity.
COMPACT: Concurrent or Ordered Matrix-Based Packing Arrangement Computation Technique
Authors: Serhat Gokhan
Published: June 2021

Despite their versatility in treating irregular geometries, the raster methods have received limited attention in solving packing problems involving rotatable objects. In addition, raster approximation allows the use of unique performance metrics and indirect consideration of constraints, which have not been exploited in the literature. This study presents the Concurrent or Ordered Matrix-based Packing Arrangement Computation Technique (COMPACT). The method allows the objects to be rotated by arbitrary angles, unlike the right-angled rotation restrictions imposed in many existing packing optimization studies based on raster methods. The raster approximations are obtained through loop-free operations that improve efficiency. Additionally, a novel performance metric is introduced, which favors efficient filling of the available space by maximizing the overall contact within the domain. Moreover, the objective functions are exploited to discard the overlap and overflow constraints and enable the use of unconstrained optimization methods. The results of the case studies demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.
A Fault Analysis Method Based on Association Rule Mining for Distribution Terminal Unit
Authors: Zhang Xuecen , Tang Yi , Liu Qiang , Liu Guofeng , Ning Xin , Chen Jiankun
Published: June 2021

With the development of distribution networks, large amounts of distribution terminal units (DTU) are gradually integrated into the power system. However, limited numbers of maintenance engineers can hardly cope with the pressure brought about by the substantial increase of DTU devices. As DTU fault would pose a threat to the stable and safe operation of power systems; thus, it is rather significant to reduce the fault incidence of DTU devices and improve the efficiency of fault elimination. In this paper, a DTU fault analysis method using an association rule mining algorithm was proposed. Key factors of DTU fault were analyzed at first. Then, the main concept of the Eclat algorithm was illustrated, and its performance was compared with FP-growth and Apriori algorithms using DTU fault databases of different sizes. Afterwards, a DTU fault analysis method based on the Eclat algorithm was proposed. The practicality of this method was proven by experiment using a realistic DTU fault database. Finally, the application of this method was presented to demonstrate its effectiveness.
Active and Quantum Integrated Photonic Elements by Ion Exchange in Glass
Authors: Righini Giancarlo C. , Liñares Jesús
Published: June 2021

Ion exchange in glass has a long history as a simple and effective technology to produce gradient-index structures and has been largely exploited in industry and in research laboratories. In particular, ion-exchanged waveguide technology has served as an excellent platform for theoretical and experimental studies on integrated optical circuits, with successful applications in optical communications, optical processing and optical sensing. It should not be forgotten that the ion-exchange process can be exploited in crystalline materials, too, and several crucial devices, such as optical modulators and frequency doublers, have been fabricated by ion exchange in lithium niobate. Here, however, we are concerned only with glass material, and a brief review is presented of the main aspects of optical waveguides and passive and active integrated optical elements, as directional couplers, waveguide gratings, integrated optical amplifiers and lasers, all fabricated by ion exchange in glass. Then, some promising research activities on ion-exchanged glass integrated photonic devices, and in particular quantum devices (quantum circuits), are analyzed. An emerging type of passive and/or reconfigurable devices for quantum cryptography or even for specific quantum processing tasks are presently gaining an increasing interest in integrated photonics; accordingly, we propose their implementation by using ion-exchanged glass waveguides, also foreseeing their integration with ion-exchanged glass lasers.
Performance of High Content Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) in Asphaltic Mix with Crumb Rubber Modifier and Waste Engine Oil as Rejuvenator
Authors: Khan Md Zahid Hossain , Koting Suhana , Katman Herda Yati Binti , Ibrahim Mohd Rasdan , Babalghaith Ali Mohammed , Asqool Obada
Published: June 2021

The utilisation of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) as a suitable substitute for natural aggregate and binder offers an energy-saving and cost-effective approach to enhance the performance of asphalt mix. Realising the potential use of RAP as a promising recycling technique, many countries are seeking to recycle RAP as part of the global effort to address the rising challenge of climate change and contribute to a sustainable environment. This study aimed to develop an integrated approach to determine the amount of RAP to be used in an asphaltic concrete wearing course with 14 mm nominal maximum aggregate size (ACW14). The RAP was incorporated with two waste materials comprising waste engine oil (WEO) as a rejuvenator and Crumb Rubber (CRM) as a binder modifier. A total of five different mixes, which include R0 (control mix), R30, R50, R70, and R100 (replacement of 30%, 50%, 70%, and 100% of RAP aggregates in the mix, respectively) were evaluated. The Marshall parameters, resilient modulus (MR), indirect tensile fatigue, moisture susceptibility, and mass loss (ML) tests were conducted to investigate the performance of each mix. Finally, an arbitrary scale was developed to optimise the RAP content. The results showed that the Marshall parameters, moisture susceptibility, and ML values of the RAP mixes met the criteria outlined in the standard. According to the MR performance, the R50, R70, and R100 mixes were more resilient than the R0. In terms of fatigue resistance, the R30, R50, and R70 mixes showed better performance than the R0. Overall, the collective performance of all RAP mixes was above the R0 and it increased with the increment of RAP content. Therefore, it was possible to design ACW14 mixes with up to 100% RAP in combination with WEO and CRM.
Automated Vision-Based Crack Detection on Concrete Surfaces Using Deep Learning
Authors: Rajadurai Rajagopalan-Sam , Kang Su-Tae
Published: June 2021

Cracking in concrete structures affects performance and is a major durability problem. Cracks must be detected and repaired in time in order to maintain the reliability and performance of the structure. This study focuses on vision-based crack detection algorithms, based on deep convolutional neural networks that detect and classify cracks with higher classification rates by using transfer learning. The image dataset, consisting of two subsequent image classes (no-cracks and cracks), was trained by the AlexNet model. Transfer learning was applied to the AlexNet, including fine-tuning the weights of the architecture, replacing the classification layer for two output classes (no-cracks and cracks), and augmenting image datasets with random rotation angles. The fine-tuned AlexNet model was trained by stochastic gradient descent with momentum optimizer. The precision, recall, accuracy, and F1 metrics were used to evaluate the performance of the trained AlexNet model. The accuracy and loss obtained through the training process were 99.9% and 0.1% at the learning rate of 0.0001 and 6 epochs. The trained AlexNet model accurately predicted 1998/2000 and 3998/4000 validation and test images, which demonstrated the prediction accuracy of 99.9%. The trained model also achieved precision, recall, accuracy, and F1 scores of 0.99, respectively.
Compositional Variation and Color Diversity of Glass Beads from the 4th Century Tomb Complex in Korea
Authors: Yi Jeongeun , Yang Hye Ri , Lee Chan Hee
Published: June 2021

This study investigated the chemical compositions and color diversity of various colored glass beads excavated from the 4th century Suchonri site in Korea. The results reveal that the compositions of the coloring materials and stabilizers contain black or white impurities, and there are clear boundaries in the weathered surfaces within the glass beads. The weathered side turned brown, the amounts of Na and K are greater, and there is a decrease in alkali elements. The fragments in blue-green beads from tomb No. 11 were identified as potash glass, whereas the rest of the samples were soda glass. Analysis of the coloration elements identified Fe and Cu in all glass beads, and it was estimated that both elements resulted in a green color. Fe was predicted to cause a brown color. The results of the study may be used not only for scientific interpretation of the relics from the Suchonri tomb complex but also as archaeological evidence that may contribute to the material characterization of the ancient glass from the Korean peninsula.
Statistical Analysis of Tritium Breeding Ratio Deviations in the DEMO Due to Nuclear Data Uncertainties
Authors: Park Jin Hun , Pereslavtsev Pavel , Konobeev Alexandre , Wegmann Christian
Published: June 2021

For the stable and self-sufficient functioning of the DEMO fusion reactor, one of the most important parameters that must be demonstrated is the Tritium Breeding Ratio (TBR). The reliable assessment of the TBR with safety margins is a matter of fusion reactor viability. The uncertainty of the TBR in the neutronic simulations includes many different aspects such as the uncertainty due to the simplification of the geometry models used, the uncertainty of the reactor layout and the uncertainty introduced due to neutronic calculations. The last one can be reduced by applying high fidelity Monte Carlo simulations for TBR estimations. Nevertheless, these calculations have inherent statistical errors controlled by the number of neutron histories, straightforward for a quantity such as that of TBR underlying errors due to nuclear data uncertainties. In fact, every evaluated nuclear data file involved in the MCNP calculations can be replaced with the set of the random data files representing the particular deviation of the nuclear model parameters, each of them being correct and valid for applications. To account for the uncertainty of the nuclear model parameters introduced in the evaluated data file, a total Monte Carlo (TMC) method can be used to analyze the uncertainty of TBR owing to the nuclear data used for calculations. To this end, two 3D fully heterogeneous geometry models of the helium cooled pebble bed (HCPB) and water cooled lithium lead (WCLL) European DEMOs were utilized for the calculations of the TBR. The TMC calculations were performed, making use of the TENDL-2017 nuclear data library random files with high enough statistics providing a well-resolved Gaussian distribution of the TBR value. The assessment was done for the estimation of the TBR uncertainty due to the nuclear data for entire material compositions and for separate materials: structural, breeder and neutron multipliers. The overall TBR uncertainty for the nuclear data was estimated to be 3~4% for the HCPB and WCLL DEMOs, respectively.
Influence of Piping on On-Line Continuous Weighing of Materials inside Process Equipment: Theoretical Analysis and Experimental Verification
Authors: Jing Yuanlin , Guo Feng , Wang Yiping , Huang Qunwu
Published: June 2021

Due to the continuity and complexity of chemical systems, piping and operating conditions will have a significant effect on the on-line continuous weighing of materials inside process equipment. In this paper, a mathematical model of the weighing system considering piping and operating conditions was established based on the gas–liquid continuous heat transfer weighing process. A theoretical criterion which can be extended to any continuous weighing system of the materials inside equipment with connected piping is obtained through the mechanical derivation between the material mass, the cantilever beam deflection, the strain gage deformation, and the bridge output voltage. This criterion can effectively predict the influence of piping on weighing results with specific accuracy, and provide a basis for engineering optimization design. On this basis, a set of gas–liquid continuous contact weighing devices was built. The static/dynamic experimental results showed that the accuracy of the system meets the set requirements.
Self-Reported Physical Fitness in Children and Adolescents with Obesity: A Cross-Sectional Analysis on the Level of Alignment with Multiple Adiposity Indexes
Authors: Vandoni Matteo , Lovecchio Nicola , Carnevale Pellino Vittoria , Codella Roberto , Fabiano Valentina , Rossi Virginia , Zuccotti Gian Vincenzo , Calcaterra Valeria
Published: June 2021

Obesity has been associated with several alterations that could limit physical activity (PA) practice. In pediatrics, some studies have highlighted the importance of enjoyment as a motivation to begin and maintain adherence in PA. Since self-reported physical (SRPF) fitness was related to motivation, the aim of this study was to investigate the existence of differences between SRPF in children with obesity (OB) compared to normal weight (NW). The International Fitness Enjoyment Scale (IFIS) questionnaire was administered to 200 OB and 200 NW children. In all the subjects, height, weight, and BMI and in OB children adiposity indexes including waist circumference (WC), body shape index (ABSI), triponderal mass index (TMI), and fat mass were measured. NW group showed higher IFIS item scores than the OB group (p < 0.01), except in muscular strength. In OB, the anthropometric outcomes were inversely correlated to SRPF outcome except for muscular strength. OB children reported a lower perception of fitness that could limit participation in PA/exercise programs. The evaluation of anthropometric patterns may be useful to prescribe a tailored exercise program considering individual better self-perception outcomes to obtain an optimal PA adherence.
Respiratory Failure in an Extremely Premature Neonate with COVID-19
Authors: Kumar Vasantha , Prasath Arun , Blanco Clariss , Kenney Patrick , Ostwald Christina , Meyer Tracy , Clementi Cara , Maciejewski Richard , Wilby Mark , Reynolds Anne , Hpa N , Yu Karl
Published: June 2021

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a condition associated with SARS-CoV-2, typically results in mild infection in infants and children. However, children with risk factors such as chronic lung disease and immunosuppression have higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. We report a case of a 27-week-gestation extremely premature infant born to a mother with COVID-19 infection. The infant, initially treated for surfactant deficiency, developed worsening hypoxic respiratory failure on the fifth day of life requiring escalating ventilatory support, an elevated level of C-reactive protein, thrombocytopenia, and an elevated level of d-dimer. The infant was positive for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR from Day 1 to Day 42 of his life. The infant responded to a seven-day course of dexamethasone with a gradually decreasing oxygen requirement and could be extubated to non-invasive ventilation by the end of the fifth week after birth. The infant is currently on home oxygen by nasal cannula. Prolonged shedding of the virus may be a unique feature of the disease in premature infants. Extreme prematurity, immature lungs, and an immunocompromised status may predispose these infants to severe respiratory failure and a prolonged clinical course. Instituting appropriate COVID-19 protocols to prevent the spread of the disease in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) is of utmost importance. Infection with SARS-CoV-2 may have implications in the management of extremely premature infants in the NICU.
Quantifying Threats to Biodiversity and Prioritizing Responses: An Example from Papua New Guinea
Authors: White Thomas H. , Bickley Patricia , Brown Cory , Busch Dave E. , Dutson Guy , Freifeld Holly , Krofta Douglas , Lawlor Sean , Polhemus Dan , Rounds Rachel
Published: June 2021

Accurately identifying threats to global biodiversity is the first step towards effectively countering or ameliorating them. However, such threats are usually only qualitatively categorized, without any comparative quantitative assessment of threat levels either within or across ecosystems. As part of recent efforts in Papua New Guinea to develop a long-term strategic plan for reducing threats to biodiversity at the national level, we developed a novel and quantitative method for not only assessing relative effects of specific biodiversity threats across multiple ecosystems, but also identifying and prioritizing conservation actions best suited for countering identified threats. To do so, we used an abbreviated quantitative SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis and multivariate cluster analysis to identify the most significant threats to biodiversity in Papua New Guinea. Of 27 specific threats identified, there were nine major threats (each >5% of total) which accounted for approximately 72% of the total quantified biodiversity threat in Papua New Guinea. We then used the information to identify underlying crosscutting threat drivers and specific conservation actions that would have the greatest probability of reducing biodiversity threats across multiple ecosystem realms. We categorized recommended actions within three strategic categories; with actions within each category targeting two different spatial scales. Our integrated quantitative approach to identifying and addressing biodiversity threats is intuitive, comprehensive, repeatable and computationally simple. Analyses of this nature can be invaluable for avoiding not only wasted resources, but also ineffective measures for conserving biodiversity.
Potential Role and Impact of Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis-Associated Endothelial Dysfunction
Authors: Ruiz-Limon Patricia , Ladehesa-Pineda Maria , Lopez-Medina Clementina , Lopez-Pedrera Chary , Abalos-Aguilera Maria , Barbarroja Nuria , Arias-Quiros Isabel , Perez-Sanchez Carlos , Arias-de la Rosa Ivan , Ortega-Castro Rafaela , Escudero-Contreras Alejandro , Collantes-Estevez Eduardo , Jimenez-Gomez Yolanda
Published: June 2021

Endothelial dysfunction (ED) is well known as a process that can lead to atherosclerosis and is frequently presented in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) patients. Here, we investigated cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying r-axSpA-related ED, and analyzed the potential effect of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in promoting endothelial injury in r-axSpA. A total of 30 r-axSpA patients and 32 healthy donors (HDs) were evaluated. The endothelial function, inflammatory and atherogenic profile, and oxidative stress were quantified. In vitro studies were designed to evaluate the effect of PBMCs from r-axSpA patients on aberrant endothelial activation. Compared to HDs, our study found that, associated with ED and the plasma proatherogenic profile present in r-axSpA, PBMCs from these patients displayed a pro-oxidative, proinflammatory, and proatherogenic phenotype, with most molecular changes noticed in lymphocytes. Correlation studies revealed the relationship between this phenotype and the microvascular function. Additional in vitro studies confirmed that PBMCs from r-axSpA patients promoted endothelial injury. Altogether, this study suggests the relevance of r-axSpA itself as a strong and independent cardiovascular risk factor, contributing to a dysfunctional endothelium and atherogenic status by aberrant activation of PBMCs. Lymphocytes could be the main contributors in the development of ED and subsequent atherosclerosis in this pathology.
Scheduling Strategy Design Framework for Cyber–Physical System with Non-Negligible Propagation Delay
Authors: An Zuoyu , Wu Shaohua , Liu Tiange , Jiao Jian , Zhang Qinyu
Published: June 2021

Cyber–physical systems (CPS) have been widely employed as wireless control networks. There is a special type of CPS which is developed from the wireless networked control systems (WNCS). They usually include two communication links: Uplink transmission and downlink transmission. Those two links form a closed-loop. When such CPS are deployed for time-sensitive applications such as remote control, the uplink and downlink propagation delay are non-negligible. However, existing studies on CPS/WNCS usually ignore the propagation delay of the uplink and downlink channels. In order to achieve the best balance between uplink and downlink transmissions under such circumstances, we propose a heuristic framework to obtain the optimal scheduling strategy that can minimize the long-term average control cost. We model the optimization problem as a Markov decision process (MDP), and then give the sufficient conditions for the existence of the optimal scheduling strategy. We propose the semi-predictive framework to eliminate the impact of the coupling characteristic between the uplink and downlink data packets. Then we obtain the lookup table-based optimal offline strategy and the neural network-based suboptimal online strategy. Numerical simulation shows that the scheduling strategies obtained by this framework can bring significant performance improvements over the existing strategies.
Differential Phase Shift Quantum Secret Sharing Using a Twin Field with Asymmetric Source Intensities
Authors: Jia Zhao-Ying , Gu Jie , Li Bing-Hong , Yin Hua-Lei , Chen Zeng-Bing
Published: June 2021

As an essential application of quantum mechanics in classical cryptography, quantum secret sharing has become an indispensable component of quantum internet. Recently, a differential phase shift quantum secret sharing protocol using a twin field has been proposed to break the linear rate-distance boundary. However, this original protocol has a poor performance over channels with asymmetric transmittances. To make it more practical, we present a differential phase shift quantum secret sharing protocol with asymmetric source intensities and give the security proof of our protocol against individual attacks. Taking finite-key effects into account, our asymmetric protocol can theoretically obtain the key rate two orders of magnitude higher than that of the original protocol when the difference in length between Alice’s channel and Bob’s is fixed at 14 km. Moreover, our protocol can provide a high key rate even when the difference is quite large and has great robustness against finite-key effects. Therefore, our work is meaningful for the real-life applications of quantum secret sharing.
Automated Feedback Is Nice and Human Presence Makes It Better: Teachers’ Perceptions of Feedback by Means of an E-Portfolio Enhanced with Learning Analytics
Authors: Hunt Pihel , Leijen Äli , van der Schaaf Marieke
Published: June 2021

While there is now extensive research on feedback in the context of higher education, including pre-service teacher education, little has been reported regarding the use of feedback from teachers to other teachers. Moreover, literature on the potential advantages that the use of technology, for example electronic portfolios and learning analytics, has in improving feedback in the in-service workplace practices, is also sparse. Therefore, the aim of this exploratory case study was to explore how in-service teachers perceived the peer feedback they received and provided through a web-based electronic portfolio during a professional development course carried out in their workplace. Questionnaire and interview data were collected from 38 teachers who received feedback through a learning analytics enhanced electronic portfolio and from 23 teachers who received feedback only by the electronic portfolio. Additionally, one individual and four focus group interviews were conducted with 15 teachers who were the feedback providers. Several common topics were identified in the interviews with the feedback receivers and providers, involving the benefits and challenges of human interaction and the flexibility of the feedback process that the electronic portfolio offered. The results also revealed better feedback experience within the group of teachers who received extra feedback by means of learning analytics. It is concluded that although an electronic portfolio provides a useful tool in terms of flexibility in the provision and receipt of feedback, the need for human interaction was acknowledged.