bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combining Multitemporal Optical and Radar Satellite Data for Mapping the Tatra Mountains Non-Forest Plant Communities
Authors: Kluczek Marcin , Zagajewski Bogdan , Kycko Marlena
Published: April 2024

Climate change is significantly affecting mountain plant communities, causing dynamic alterations in species composition as well as spatial distribution. This raises the need for constant monitoring. The Tatra Mountains are the highest range of the Carpathians which are considered biodiversity hotspots in Central Europe. For this purpose, microwave Sentinel-1 and optical multi-temporal Sentinel-2 data, topographic derivatives, and iterative machine learning methods incorporating classifiers random forest (RF), support vector machines (SVMs), and XGBoost (XGB) were used for the identification of thirteen non-forest plant communities (various types of alpine grasslands, shrublands, herbaceous heaths, mountain hay meadows, rocks, and scree communities). Different scenarios were tested to identify the most important variables, retrieval periods, and spectral bands. The overall accuracy results for the individual algorithms reached RF (0.83–0.96), SVM (0.87–0.93), and lower results for XGBoost (0.69–0.82). The best combination, which included a fusion of Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and topographic data, achieved F1-scores for classes in the range of 0.73–0.97 (RF) and 0.66–0.95 (SVM). The inclusion of topographic variables resulted in an improvement in F1-scores for Sentinel-2 data by one–four percent points and Sentinel-1 data by 1%–9%. For spectral bands, the Sentinel-2 10 m resolution bands B4, B3, and B2 showed the highest mean decrease accuracy. The final result is the first comprehensive map of non-forest vegetation for the Tatra Mountains area.
Time–Frequency Signal Integrity Monitoring Algorithm Based on Temperature Compensation Frequency Bias Combination Model
Authors: Guo Yu , Li Zongnan , Gong Hang , Peng Jing , Ou Gang
Published: April 2024

To ensure the long-term stable and uninterrupted service of satellite navigation systems, the robustness and reliability of time–frequency systems are crucial. Integrity monitoring is an effective method to enhance the robustness and reliability of time–frequency systems. Time–frequency signals are fundamental for integrity monitoring, with their time differences and frequency biases serving as essential indicators. These indicators are influenced by the inherent characteristics of the time–frequency signals, as well as the links and equipment they traverse. Meanwhile, existing research primarily focuses on only monitoring the integrity of the time–frequency signals’ output by the atomic clock group, neglecting the integrity monitoring of the time–frequency signals generated and distributed by the time–frequency signal generation and distribution subsystem. This paper introduces a time–frequency signal integrity monitoring algorithm based on the temperature compensation frequency bias combination model. By analyzing the characteristics of time difference measurements, constructing the temperature compensation frequency bias combination model, and extracting and monitoring noise and frequency bias features from the time difference measurements, the algorithm achieves comprehensive time–frequency signal integrity monitoring. Experimental results demonstrate that the algorithm can effectively detect, identify, and alert users to time–frequency signal faults. Additionally, the model and the integrity monitoring parameters developed in this paper exhibit high adaptability, making them directly applicable to the integrity monitoring of time–frequency signals across various links. Compared with traditional monitoring algorithms, the algorithm proposed in this paper greatly improves the effectiveness, adaptability, and real-time performance of time–frequency signal integrity monitoring.
On the Initialization of Swarm Intelligence Algorithms for Vector Quantization Codebook Design
Authors: Severo Verusca , Ferreira Felipe B. S. , Spencer Rodrigo , Nascimento Arthur , Madeiro Francisco
Published: April 2024

Vector Quantization (VQ) is a technique with a wide range of applications. For example, it can be used for image compression. The codebook design for VQ has great significance in the quality of the quantized signals and can benefit from the use of swarm intelligence. Initialization of the Linde–Buzo–Gray (LBG) algorithm, which is the most popular VQ codebook design algorithm, is a step that directly influences VQ performance, as the convergence speed and codebook quality depend on the initial codebook. A widely used initialization alternative is random initialization, in which the initial set of codevectors is drawn randomly from the training set. Other initialization methods can lead to a better quality of the designed codebooks. The present work evaluates the impacts of initialization strategies on swarm intelligence algorithms for codebook design in terms of the quality of the designed codebooks, assessed by the quality of the reconstructed images, and in terms of the convergence speed, evaluated by the number of iterations. Initialization strategies consist of a combination of codebooks obtained by initialization algorithms from the literature with codebooks composed of vectors randomly selected from the training set. The possibility of combining different initialization techniques provides new perspectives in the search for the quality of the VQ codebooks. Nine initialization strategies are presented, which are compared with random initialization. Initialization strategies are evaluated on the following algorithms for codebook design based on swarm clustering: modified firefly algorithm—Linde–Buzo–Gray (M-FA-LBG), modified particle swarm optimization—Linde–Buzo–Gray (M-PSO-LBG), modified fish school search—Linde–Buzo–Gray (M-FSS-LBG) and their accelerated versions (M-FA-LBGa, M-PSO-LBGa and M-FSS-LBGa) which are obtained by replacing the LBG with the accelerated LBG algorithm. The simulation results point out to the benefits of the proposed initialization strategies. The results show gains up to 4.43 dB in terms of PSNR for image Clock with M-PSO-LBG codebooks of size 512 and codebook design time savings up to 67.05% for image Clock, with M-FF-LBGa codebooks with size N=512, by using initialization strategies in substitution to Random initialization.
AI- and IoT-Enabled Solutions for Healthcare
Authors: Kouchaki Samaneh , Ding Xiaorong , Sanei Saeid
Published: April 2024

Patient care and management have entered a new arena, where intelligent technology can assist clinicians in both diagnosis and treatment [...]
Wideband Current Transducer Traceable Calibration up to 10 A and 1 MHz
Authors: Ouameur Mohamed , Istrate Daniela , Ziade François
Published: April 2024

Energy efficiency is an important issue in industry, especially with the ever-increasing consumption of electrical energy. The power quality and the traceability of metering devices are essential when integrating energy metering systems for energy efficiency. This management requires an understanding of electrical current events such as pulse and transient currents. Current transducers are widely used to measure these electrical current events up to a few megahertz. Their use makes it possible to measure not only the main current flowing through the transducer, but also the bypass current that affects electrical equipment. Calibration of these sensors up to a few megahertz then becomes an essential step. Currently, most calibration methods are limited to 100 kHz frequency for a current of 10 A. This paper presents an improvement of a traceable calibration methodology for current transducers up to 10 A and 1 MHz, thus increasing, by 10 times, the current level for such high frequency applications. This calibration methodology is based on a metrological traceability chain (uninterrupted link to the International System of Units) with respect to a calculable current shunt and is currently the only traceable method for calibrating current transducers at 10 A and up to 1 MHz. The uncertainty obtained for the transimpedance ratio is less than 0.2%, which is considerably reduced with respect to the existing capabilities.
108 m Underwater Wireless Optical Communication Using a 490 nm Blue VECSEL and an AOM
Authors: Tian Ruiyang , Wang Tao , Shen Xiaoyu , Zhu Renjiang , Jiang Lidan , Lu Yongle , Lu Huanyu , Song Yanrong , Zhang Peng
Published: April 2024

Advanced light sources in the blue-green band are crucial for underwater wireless optical communication (UWOC) systems. Vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VECSELs) can produce high output power and good beam quality, making them suitable for UWOC. This paper presents a 108 m distance UWOC based on a 100 mW 490 nm blue VECSEL and an acousto-optic modulator (AOM). The high-quality beam, which is near diffraction-limited, undergoes relatively small optical attenuation when using a conventional avalanche photodiode (APD) as the detector and employing 64-pulse position modulation (PPM). At the time-slot frequency of 50 MHz, the bit error rate (BER) of the UWOC was 2.7 × 10−5. This is the first reported AOM-based UWOC system with a transmission distance over 100 m. The estimated maximum transmission distance may be improved to about 180 m by fully utilizing the detection accuracy of the APD according to the measured attenuation coefficient of the blue VECSEL used. This type of UWOC system, composed of a high-beam-quality light source and a conventional detector, make it more closely suited to practical applications.
Call to Action: Investigating Interaction Delay in Smartphone Notifications
Authors: Stach Michael , Mulansky Lena , Reichert Manfred , Pryss Rüdiger , Beierle Felix
Published: April 2024

Notifications are an essential part of the user experience on smart mobile devices. While some apps have to notify users immediately after an event occurs, others can schedule notifications strategically to notify them only on opportune moments. This tailoring allows apps to shorten the users’ interaction delay. In this paper, we present the results of a comprehensive study that identified the factors that influence users’ interaction delay to their smartphone notifications. We analyzed almost 10 million notifications collected in-the-wild from 922 users and computed their response times with regard to their demographics, their Big Five personality trait scores and the device’s charging state. Depending on the app category, the following tendencies can be identified over the course of the day: Most notifications were logged in late morning and late afternoon. This number decreases in the evening, between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m., and at the same time exhibits the lowest average interaction delays at daytime. We also found that the user’s sex and age is significantly associated with the response time. Based on the results of our study, we encourage developers to incorporate more information on the user and the executing device in their notification strategy to notify users more effectively.
Measurements of Spatial Angles Using Diamond Nitrogen–Vacancy Center Optical Detection Magnetic Resonance
Authors: Shi Zhenrong , Jin Haodong , Zhang Hao , Li Zhonghao , Wen Huanfei , Guo Hao , Ma Zongmin , Tang Jun , Liu Jun
Published: April 2024

This article introduces a spatial angle measuring device based on ensemble diamond nitrogen–vacancy (NV) center optical detection magnetic resonance (ODMR). This device realizes solid-state all-optical wide-field vector magnetic field measurements for solving the angles of magnetic components in space. The system uses diamond NV center magnetic microscope imaging to obtain magnetic vector distribution and calculates the spatial angles of magnetic components based on the magnetic vector distribution. Utilizing magnetism for angle measuring enables non-contact measuring, reduces the impact on the object being measured, and ensures measurement precision and accuracy. Finally, the accuracy of the system is verified by comparing the measurement results with the set values of the angle displacement platform. The results show that the measurement error of the yaw angle of the system is 1°, and the pitch angle and roll angle are 1.5°. The experimental results are in good agreement with the expected results.
Artificial Intelligence Methods for Smart Cities
Authors: Podda Alessandro Sebastian , Carta Salvatore , Barra Silvio
Published: April 2024

In recent years, the concept of smart cities has garnered increasing attention as urban areas grapple with the challenges of population growth, resource management, and infrastructure optimization [...]
Structural Damage Detection Based on the Correlation of Variational Autoencoder Neural Networks Using Limited Sensors
Authors: Lin Jun , Ma Hongwei
Published: April 2024

Identifying the structural state without baseline data is an important engineering problem in the field of structural health monitoring, which is crucial for assessing the safety condition of structures. In the context of limited accelerometers available, this paper proposes a correlation-based damage identification method using Variational Autoencoder neural networks. The approach involves initially constructing a Variational Autoencoder network model for bridge damage detection, optimizing parameters such as loss functions and learning rates for the model, and ultimately utilizing response data from limited sensors for model training analysis to determine the structural state. The contribution of this paper lies in the ability to identify structural damage without baseline data using response data from a small number of sensors, reducing sensor costs and enhancing practical applications in engineering. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated through numerical simulations and experimental structures. The results show that the method can identify the location of damage under different damage conditions, exhibits strong robustness in detecting multiple damages, and further enhances the accuracy of identifying bridge structures.
Energy Resolution from a Silicon Detector’s Interstrip Regions
Authors: Dueñas J. A. , Cobo A. , Galtarossa F. , Goasduff A. , Mengoni D. , Sánchez-Benítez A. M.
Published: April 2024

In this work, we present a novel approach for improving the energy resolution from particles impinging on the interstrip regions of silicon strip detectors. We employed three double-sided strip detectors from the GRIT array and a triple α-source under laboratory conditions. The results showed that the interstrip resolution depends not only on the impinging side but also on whether it is a P- or an N-interstrip. We obtained the interstrip energy resolution down to 0.4%, and, depending on the scenario, the resolution was enhanced by a factor of 2. We believe that this new rotation method allows for the possibility of applying particle identification methods on interstrip events, which in most cases are dismissed during data recording.
An Adaptive Multi-D-Norm-Driven Sparse Unfolding Deconvolutional Network for Bearing Fault Diagnosis
Authors: Lin Jianbo , Zhang Han , Li Yunfei , Du Zhaohui
Published: April 2024

Impulsive blind deconvolution (IBD) is a popular method to recover impulsive sources for bearing fault diagnosis. Its underpinnings are in the design of objective functions based on prior knowledge of impulsive sources and a transfer function to describe transmission path influences. However, popular objective functions cannot retain waveform impulsiveness and periodicity cyclostationarity simultaneously, and the single convolution operation of IBD methods is insufficient to describe transmission paths composed of multiple linear and nonlinear units. Inspired by the MaxPooling period modulation intensity (MPMI) and convolutional sparse learning (CSL), an adaptive multi-D-norm-driven sparse unfolding deconvolution network (AMD-SUDN) is proposed in this paper. The core strategy is that one target vector with simultaneous impulsiveness and cyclostationarity is constructed automatically through the MPMI; then, this vector is substituted into the multi D-norm to design objective functions. Moreover, an iterative soft threshold algorithm (ISTA) for the CSL model is derived, and its iterative steps are unfolded into one deconvolution network. The algorithm’s performance and the hyperparameter configuration are investigated by a set of numerical simulations. Finally, the proposed AMD-SUDN is applied to detect the impulsive features of bearing faults. All comparative results verify that the proposed AMD-SUDN achieves a better deconvolution accuracy than state-of-the-art IBD methods.
Laser Manufacturing of Superwetting Oil–Water Separation Materials: A Review
Authors: Xiong Wei , Zhu Linfeng , Jiang Ruisong , Chen Chaolang
Published: April 2024

The frequent occurrence of oil spills and the massive discharge of oily wastewater pose a significant threat to sustainable and healthy human development. Therefore, it is of importance to effectively separate oil–water mixtures. Inspired by nature, many superwetting surfaces/materials for oil–water separation have been developed in recent years. However, these surfaces/materials are subject to certain limitations and are unable to fully meet practical needs. With the advancement of laser technology, a novel solution has been provided for fabricating superwetting oil–water separation materials. Based on the design theory and separation mechanism, this paper summarizes the research progress of the laser-fabricated superwetting surfaces/materials for oil–water separation in recent years. First, the basic wetting theory, design strategy, and oil–water separation mechanism of the laser-fabricated materials are introduced in detail. Subsequently, the laser-fabricated oil–water separation materials, including superoleophilic/superhydrophobic materials, superhydrophilic/superoleophobic materials, and materials with reversible or superamphiphilic wettability, are systematically summarized and analyzed. Finally, the challenges and future research directions of laser-fabricated superwetting oil–water separation materials are discussed.
Climate Adaptation Analysis and Comfort Optimization Strategies for Traditional Residential Buildings in Hot-Summer, Cold-Winter Regions: A Case Study in Xuzhou, China
Authors: Zhang Minghao , Liu Fang , Liu Qian , Zhang Fangyu , Li Tingshen
Published: April 2024

Climate change and the energy crisis have catalyzed the architectural industry’s consideration of green and energy-efficient buildings. With the continuous deepening and expansion of research, people have gradually realized the reference value of the passive design strategies embedded in traditional residential buildings for contemporary architectural design and renovation. This paper takes the traditional residential buildings on Hubu Mountain, Xuzhou, as its research object, and explores their thermal and wind environment characteristics through field investigations and software simulation analysis. It is found that Xuzhou’s traditional houses have good temperature regulation, with fluctuations of about 5 °C indoors and 10 °C outdoors in summer and about 7 °C indoors and 12 °C outdoors in winter. Their form, material and structure are well adapted to the local climate. There is also a need to optimize the buildings’ moisture resistance and ventilation for better comfort. Subsequently, this study analyzes the climate adaptability features in traditional building construction techniques and then extracts climate adaptability methods, proposing targeted optimization and renovation suggestions, aiming to contribute to the sustainable development of architecture and ecology.
Daily Green Exposure, Mobility, and Health: A Scoping Review
Authors: Liu Tong , Newman Winifred E. , Browning Matthew H. E. M.
Published: April 2024

Mounting evidence suggests urban greenery promotes physical activity and human health. However, scholars have differing views on defining or measuring the terms related to green mobility behavior (MB). Therefore, evaluating how green MB impacts health is challenging. After an initial review of the literature on mobility, greenness, and health, we proposed “daily greenness exposure” (DGE) to define people’s exposure to natural/green settings. This approach lets us review and compare general and emerging measures of greenery exposure and differentiate study outcomes in MB and health. We identified 20 relevant Web of Science Core Collection studies during a scoping review completed in November 2021. Three types of DGE assessments were observed: ecological momentary, effect, and spatiotemporal. Four relationships were noted between DGE, MB, and health: moderation, mediation, independence, and undifferentiated. Incorporating these assessments and DGE modeling relationships contributes to better analysis and communication of environmental factors promoting health to environmental designers and policymakers.
Research on Key Algorithm for Sichuan Pepper Pruning Based on Improved Mask R-CNN
Authors: Zhang Chen , Zhang Yan , Liang Sicheng , Liu Pingzeng
Published: April 2024

This Research proposes an intelligent pruning method based on the improved Mask R-CNN (Mask Region-based Convolutional Neural Network) model to address the shortcomings of intelligent pruning technology for Sichuan pepper trees. Utilizing ResNeXt-50 as the backbone network, the algorithm optimizes the anchor boxes in the RPN (Region Proposal Network) layer to adapt to the complex morphology of pepper tree branches, thereby enhancing target detection and segmentation performance. Further reducing the quantization error of the RoI (Region of Interest) Align layer through bilinear interpolation, the algorithm innovatively introduces edge loss (Ledge) into the loss function to address the issue of blurred edge features caused by the overlap between retained and pruned branches. Experimental results demonstrate the outstanding performance of the improved Mask R-CNN model in segmenting and identifying pepper tree branches, achieving recognition accuracies of 92.2%, 96.3%, and 85.6% for Upright branches, Centripetal branches, and Competitive branches, respectively, while elevating the recognition accuracy of retained branches to 94.4%. Compared to the original Mask R-CNN, the enhanced model exhibits a 6.7% increase in the recognition rate of retained branches and a decrease of 0.12 in loss value, significantly enhancing recognition effectiveness. The research findings not only provide an effective tool for the precise pruning of pepper trees but also offer valuable insights for implementing intelligent pruning strategies for other fruit trees.
Exploring the Influence of Construction Companies Characteristics on Their Response to the COVID-19 Pandemic in the Chilean Context
Authors: Araya Felipe , Poblete Paula , Salazar Luis Arturo , Sánchez Omar , Sierra-Varela Leonardo , Filun Álvaro
Published: April 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant disruption to the construction industry around the globe with multiple impacts, such as workforce limitations and contractual conflicts. Multiple studies have explored the impacts of the pandemic in the construction sector so far. However, little is known about how construction companies responded to the pandemic and what companies’ characteristics may have influenced their responses. The objective of this study is to explore the impacts of COVID-19 and how construction companies responded to the pandemic. To do so, semi-structured interviews with experienced professional working in Chile are qualitatively analyzed to leverage their experience. Furthermore, characteristics of construction companies that influenced how companies responded to the pandemic, namely, size, experience, and financial standing, are explored. The results obtained suggest that the focus in responding to the pandemic was taking care of workers’ safety, improving the planning of projects under highly uncertain conditions, and dealing with the financial stress of developing construction projects. When looking at the influence of companies’ experience, size, and economic capacity, experienced and large companies’ responses were related to implementing teleworking and dealing with a limited workforce. Regarding the economic capacity of construction companies, the focus was placed on responding to the pandemic using multiple sources of financing. Differences identified in how construction companies responded to the pandemic emphasizes the importance of understanding attributes that led companies to having better responses to the pandemic and being prepared for the post-pandemic context.
Exploring the Role of Education and Professional Development in Implementing Corporate Social Responsibility Policies in the Banking Sector
Authors: Aivaz Kamer-Ainur , Mișa Anamaria , Teodorescu Daniel
Published: April 2024

This study investigates the influence of education, professional development, and job satisfaction on the adoption of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices among employees in the banking industry. A survey was conducted among 139 professionals employed in the banking sector in Romania to assess their engagement in CSR practices. In essence, the research explores four main objectives: the impact of demographic factors on CSR adoption, the influence of values formed during high school, the correlation between job satisfaction and CSR engagement, and the effect of professional development on CSR engagement. The findings from a hierarchical regression model indicate that job satisfaction plays a significant role in fostering stronger CSR practices within the banking sector, thereby contributing to broader social objectives. However, it is essential to conduct further research to elucidate the causal relationship between CSR adoption and job satisfaction, as the current study’s research design only establishes the existence of an association. Overall, this study holds implications for managers in the banking industry, highlighting the critical role of employee satisfaction in shaping individuals’ commitment to CSR initiatives.
Techno-Economic and Environmental Impact of Biomass Co-Firing with Carbon Capture and Storage in Indonesian Power Plants
Authors: Rahmanta Mujammil Asdhiyoga , Aprilana Almas , Ruly  , Cahyo Nur , Hapsari Tiva Winahyu Dwi , Supriyanto Eko
Published: April 2024

This research aims to analyze the techno-economic and environmental aspects of retrofitting carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology on the existing 330 MWe pulverized coal (PC) power plant. Modeling simulations on existing PC and retrofitting PC CCS with variations in biomass co-firing (wood pellet) were carried out using the Integrated Environment Control Model (IECM) version 11.5 software. An amine-based post-combustion capture was used in this study. Coal and biomass co-firing at PC CCS reduce the net power output and thermal efficiency. Carbon neutrality occurs at 10% biomass co-firing on PC CCS. There was a 164% increase in the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE), from 0.0487 USD/kWh on PC to 0.1287 USD/kWh on PC CCS. A sensitivity analysis of fuel prices shows that at a fuel price of 25 USD/t, the LCOE of PC CCS is 0.0953 USD/kWh or higher than Indonesia’s national weighted LCOE of 0.0705 USD/kWh. The LCOE of PC CCS can be lower than the national weighted LCOE when the carbon price is higher than 80 USD/t CO2.
Mesoporous Silica Nanocatalyst-Based Pyrolysis of a By-Product of Paper Manufacturing, Black Liquor
Authors: Marin Florian , Bucura Felicia , Niculescu Violeta-Carolina , Roman Antoaneta , Botoran Oana Romina , Constantinescu Marius , Spiridon Stefan Ionuț , Ionete Eusebiu Ilarian , Oancea Simona , Zaharioiu Anca Maria
Published: April 2024

The valorization of black liquor, a by-product produced in considerable quantities from the paper manufacturing processes, has demonstrated the effectiveness of thermal reconversion into pyrolysis gas, bio-oil, and bio-char, a sustainable approach placing the feedstock into a circular economy concept. The present study focused on developing disposal solutions through energy recovery via pyrolysis at 300 °C and 450 °C when lignite and nanomaterials (such as Cu-Zn-MCM-41, Ni-SBA-3, or Ni-SBA16) were used as catalysts. The results were compared to those of non-catalytic pyrolysis. The use of the Cu-Zn-MCM-41 catalyst proved to be efficient for pyrolysis gas production, reaching 55.22 vol% CH4. The increase in the calorific value of the pyrolysis gas was associated with the use of the Cu-Zn-MCM-41, showing a value of 42.23 MJ/m3 compared to that of the non-catalytic process, which yielded 39.56 MJ/m3. The bio-oil resulting from the pyrolysis with Cu-Zn-MCM-41 showed the highest energy value at 6457 kcal/kg compared to that obtained with the other two nanocatalysts, Ni-SBA-3 and Ni-SBA-16, as well as that of the raw material, which had a value of 3769 kcal/kg. The analysis of bio-char revealed no statistically significant differences when comparing the outcomes from using the various nanocatalysts, suggesting their minimal impact on the energy content.
Coupled Fixed Point Theory in Subordinate Semimetric Spaces
Authors: Alharbi Areej , Noorwali Maha , Alsulami Hamed H.
Published: April 2024

The aim of this paper is to study the coupled fixed point of a class of mixed monotone operators in the setting of a subordinate semimetric space. Using the symmetry between the subordinate semimetric space and a JS-space, we generalize the results of Senapati and Dey on JS-spaces. In this paper, we obtain some coupled fixed point results and support them with some examples.
Classification of Osteophytes Occurring in the Lumbar Intervertebral Foramen
Authors: Taçyıldız Abdullah Emre , İnceoğlu Feyza
Published: April 2024

Background: Surgeons have limited knowledge of the lumbar intervertebral foramina. This study aimed to classify osteophytes in the lumbar intervertebral foramen and to determine their pathoanatomical characteristics, discuss their potential biomechanical effects, and contribute to developing surgical methods. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, non-randomized, single-center study involving 1224 patients. The gender, age, and anatomical location of the osteophytes in the lumbar intervertebral foramina of the patients were recorded. Results: Two hundred and forty-nine (20.34%) patients had one or more osteophytes in their lumbar 4 and 5 foramina. Of the 4896 foramina, 337 (6.88%) contained different types of osteophytes. Moreover, four anatomical types of osteophytes were found: mixed osteophytes in 181 (3.69%) foramina, osteophytes from the lower endplate of the superior vertebrae in 91 (1.85%) foramina, osteophytes from the junction of the pedicle and lamina of the upper vertebrae in 39 foramina (0.79%), and osteophytes from the upper endplate of the lower vertebrae in 26 (0.53%) foramina. The L4 foramen contained a significantly higher number of osteophytes than the L5 foramen. Osteophyte development increased significantly with age, with no difference between males and females. Conclusions: The findings show that osteophytic extrusions, which alter the natural anatomical structure of the lumbar intervertebral foramina, are common and can narrow the foramen.
Reproductive and Developmental Effects of Sex-Specific Chronic Exposure to Dietary Arsenic in Zebrafish (Danio rerio)
Authors: Rachamalla Mahesh , Salahinejad Arash , Kodzhahinchev Vladimir , Niyogi Som
Published: April 2024

The present study investigated the reproductive and developmental effects of sex-specific chronic exposure to dietary arsenic in zebrafish. Adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) were exposed to environmentally realistic doses of arsenic via diet [0 (control; no added arsenic), 30 (low), 60 (medium), and 100 (high) μg/g dry weight, as arsenite] for 90 days. Following exposure, arsenic-exposed females from each dietary treatment were mated with control males, and similarly, arsenic-exposed males from each dietary treatment were mated with control females. In females, arsenic exposure resulted in a dose-dependent decrease in reproductive performance (fecundity, fertilization success, and hatching success). Moreover, a dose-dependent increase in developmental toxicity (larval deformities and larval mortality) was observed with maternal exposure to arsenic. In contrast, in males, arsenic exposure also induced similar reproductive and developmental toxicity; however, the adverse effects were mainly evident only in the medium and high dietary arsenic treatment groups. We also examined the sex-specific effects of dietary arsenic exposure on the expression of genes that regulate the hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal–liver (HPG-L) axis in fish. The gene expression results indicated the downregulation of HPG-L axis genes in females irrespective of the arsenic treatment dose; however, the reduced expression of HPG-L axis genes in males was recorded only in the medium and high arsenic treatment groups. These observations suggest that chronic arsenic exposure in either females or males causes reproductive and developmental toxicity in zebrafish. However, these toxic effects are markedly higher in females than in males. Our results also suggest that arsenic can act as an endocrine disruptor and mediate reproductive and developmental toxicity by disrupting the HPG-L axis in zebrafish.
Microcystin Contamination in Irrigation Water and Health Risk
Authors: Haida Mohammed , El Khalloufi Fatima , Mugani Richard , Essadki Yasser , Campos Alexandre , Vasconcelos Vitor , Oudra Brahim
Published: April 2024

Microcystins (MCs), natural hepatotoxic compounds produced by cyanobacteria, pose significant risks to water quality, ecosystem stability, and the well-being of animals, plants, and humans when present in elevated concentrations. The escalating contamination of irrigation water with MCs presents a growing threat to terrestrial plants. The customary practice of irrigating crops from local water sources, including lakes and ponds hosting cyanobacterial blooms, serves as a primary conduit for transferring these toxins. Due to their high chemical stability and low molecular weight, MCs have the potential to accumulate in various parts of plants, thereby increasing health hazards for consumers of agricultural products, which serve as the foundation of the Earth’s food chain. MCs can bioaccumulate, migrate, potentially biodegrade, and pose health hazards to humans within terrestrial food systems. This study highlights that MCs from irrigation water reservoirs can bioaccumulate and come into contact with plants, transferring into the food chain. Additionally, it investigates the natural mechanisms that organisms employ for conjugation and the microbial processes involved in MC degradation. To gain a comprehensive understanding of the role of MCs in the terrestrial food chain and to elucidate the specific health risks associated with consuming crops irrigated with water contaminated with these toxins, further research is necessary.
DMSO and Its Role in Differentiation Impact Efficacy of Human Adenovirus (HAdV) Infection in HepaRG Cells
Authors: Hofmann Katharina , Hofmann Samuel , Weigl Franziska , Mai Julia , Schreiner Sabrina
Published: April 2024

Differentiated HepaRG cells are popular in vitro cell models for hepatotoxicity studies. Their differentiation is usually supported by the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), an amphipathic solvent widely used in biomedicine, for example, in potential novel therapeutic drugs and cryopreservation of oocytes. Recent studies have demonstrated drastic effects, especially on epigenetics and extracellular matrix composition, induced by DMSO, making its postulated inert character doubtful. In this work, the influence of DMSO and DMSO-mediated modulation of differentiation on human adenovirus (HAdV) infection of HepaRG cells was investigated. We observed an increase in infectivity of HepaRG cells by HAdVs in the presence of 1% DMSO. However, this effect was dependent on the type of medium used for cell cultivation, as cells in William’s E medium showed significantly stronger effects compared with those cultivated in DMEM. Using different DMSO concentrations, we proved that the impact of DMSO on infectability was dose-dependent. Infection of cells with a replication-deficient HAdV type demonstrated that the mode of action of DMSO was based on viral entry rather than on viral replication. Taken together, these results highlight the strong influence of the used cell-culture medium on the performed experiments as well as the impact of DMSO on infectivity of HepaRG cells by HAdVs. As this solvent is widely used in cell culture, those effects must be considered, especially in screening of new antiviral compounds.
Pathogenic and Apathogenic Strains of Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Have Distinct Entry and Innate Immune Activation Pathways
Authors: Johnson Dylan M. , Khakhum Nittaya , Wang Min , Warner Nikole L. , Jokinen Jenny D. , Comer Jason E. , Lukashevich Igor S.
Published: April 2024

Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Lassa virus (LASV) share many genetic and biological features including subtle differences between pathogenic and apathogenic strains. Despite remarkable genetic similarity, the viscerotropic WE strain of LCMV causes a fatal LASV fever-like hepatitis in non-human primates (NHPs) while the mouse-adapted Armstrong (ARM) strain of LCMV is deeply attenuated in NHPs and can vaccinate against LCMV-WE challenge. Here, we demonstrate that internalization of WE is more sensitive to the depletion of membrane cholesterol than ARM infection while ARM infection is more reliant on endosomal acidification. LCMV-ARM induces robust NF-κB and interferon response factor (IRF) activation while LCMV-WE seems to avoid early innate sensing and failed to induce strong NF-κB and IRF responses in dual-reporter monocyte and epithelial cells. Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR-2) signaling appears to play a critical role in NF-κB activation and the silencing of TLR-2 shuts down IL-6 production in ARM but not in WE-infected cells. Pathogenic LCMV-WE infection is poorly recognized in early endosomes and failed to induce TLR-2/Mal-dependent pro-inflammatory cytokines. Following infection, Interleukin-1 receptor-associated kinase 1 (IRAK-1) expression is diminished in LCMV-ARM- but not LCMV-WE-infected cells, which indicates it is likely involved in the LCMV-ARM NF-κB activation. By confocal microscopy, ARM and WE strains have similar intracellular trafficking although LCMV-ARM infection appears to coincide with greater co-localization of early endosome marker EEA1 with TLR-2. Both strains co-localize with Rab-7, a late endosome marker, but the interaction with LCMV-WE seems to be more prolonged. These findings suggest that LCMV-ARM’s intracellular trafficking pathway may facilitate interaction with innate immune sensors, which promotes the induction of effective innate and adaptive immune responses.
High-Pressure Processing of Different Tissue Homogenates from Pigs Challenged with the African Swine Fever Virus
Authors: Petrini Stefano , Brutti Andrea , Casciari Cristina , Calderone Davide , Pela Michela , Giammarioli Monica , Righi Cecilia , Feliziani Francesco
Published: April 2024

African swine fever (ASF) is a disease that is a growing threat to the global swine industry. Regulations and restrictions are placed on swine movement to limit the spread of the virus. However, these are costly and time-consuming. Therefore, this study aimed to determine if high-pressure processing (HPP) sanitization techniques would be effective against the ASF virus. Here, it was hypothesized that HPP could inactivate or reduce ASF virus infectivity in tissue homogenates. To test this hypothesis, 30 aliquots of each homogenate (spleen, kidney, loin) were challenge-infected with the Turin/83 strain of ASF, at a 10 7.20 median hemadsorption dose (HAD)50/mL. Subsequently, eight aliquots of each homogenate were treated with 600 millipascal (600 MPa) HPP for 3, 5, and 7 min. Six untreated aliquots were used as the controls. Virological results showed a reduction in the viral titer of more than 7-log. These results support the validity of the study hypothesis since HPP treatment was effective in inactivating ASFV in artificially prepared samples. Overall, this study suggests the need for further investigation of other ASFV-contaminated meat products.
Prey Supply and Predation as Potential Limitations to Feasibility of Anadromous Salmonid Introductions in a Reservoir
Authors: Johnson Rachelle C. , Jensen Benjamin L. , Code Tessa J. , Duda Jeffrey J. , Beauchamp David A.
Published: April 2024

Introducing anadromous fish upstream of migration barriers has frequently been proposed as a conservation strategy, but existing conditions and future changes to the ecosystems above barriers such as invasive species, climate change, and varying water operations influence the capacity to support such introductions. In the Upper Skagit River, Washington, USA, introduction of anadromous salmonids above three high-head dams was proposed; however, the proliferation of invasive redside shiner Richardsonius balteatus fundamentally altered reservoir food web interactions, presenting potential challenges for the growth and production of introduced anadromous salmonids. By combining empirical measurements of zooplankton availability and temporal patterns in thermal structure of the reservoir with bioenergetics model simulations to quantify the rearing capacity of Ross Lake, we estimated the lake could support millions of sockeye salmon fry entering in spring after accounting for temporal consumption demand by the existing planktivore community dominated by redside shiner. The initial fry estimates varied according to the expected fry-to-smolt survival rate, and whether salmonids would be thermally restricted from prey in the epilimnion. This translated to estimates of 189,000 to 285,000 smolts leaving the following spring, and 7700 to 11,700 returning adults, using mean fry-to-smolt and smolt-to-adult survival rates from a nearby sockeye salmon population. We also estimated that predation potential could pose substantial mortality for lake-rearing sockeye or Chinook salmon, although it is expected to play a lesser role in limiting survival of species that only migrate through the reservoir. These results provide a case study and framework for examining bottom-up and top-down food web processes that influence growth and survival of introduced anadromous salmonids in reservoir habitats, thus guiding the direction of future feasibility studies in Ross Lake and other regulated rivers where introduction programs are considered.
Comparative phytochemical analysis of papaya leaves
Authors:   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education Bashkir State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Ufa, Nugumanova R. I. , Kudashkina N. V. ,   Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education Bashkir State Medical University of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Ufa
Published: April 2024

One of the promising and developing areas of modern medicine and pharmacy is turning to food plants as a source of biologically active compounds. Plant biologically active substances are well absorbed by the body,being involved in many vital processes, have broad pharmacological activity, low toxicity, and are milder than synthetic drugs. Such food plants that are promising for scientifically based use as raw materials and application in scientific pharmacy include papaya (Carica papaya L.). According to electronic databases including Scopus, Google Scholar, Web of Science, and PubMed, there are many in vivo and in vitro studies, the main results of which show that papaya leaf extract has antibacterial, immunomodulatory, antioxidant, antitumor, hypoglycemic, and anti-inflammatory properties [1, 2]. The pharmaceutical industry of foreign countries produces more than 100 papaya-based medicines, widely used in various fields of medicine. In our country, it remains little studied, since there is no raw material base. However, this tropical plant is perfectly cultivated in warm greenhouses, grows quickly, and has a large mass of raw materials. Papaya leaves and fruits are a source of biologically active compounds and a promising type of medicinal plant raw material for medicine and pharmacy. In addition, the introduction of plants that are analogues of imported plant raw materials valuable for practical use, including Carica papaya L., is currently relevant [2].
Wikipédia e promoção de saúde auditiva: contextualização de uma experiência
Authors: Flor Daiana Ávila , Morata Thais Catalani , Montilha Alexandre Alberto Pascotto , Zucki Fernanda
Published: April 2024

Objetivo. Analisar uma ação de promoção à saúde auditiva por meio da Wikipédia. Método. Trata-se de uma pesquisa descritivo-analítica, transversal, do tipo intervenção com abordagem quantitativa que utilizou a estratégia de estudo de caso único. Foram utilizadas ferramentas estatísticas próprias da Wikipédia para analisar o impacto das edições promovidas, com relação à tradução, edição e elaboração de um novo verbete. Resultados. Esse processo resultou na edição de 10 verbetes, representando cerca de 20 mil palavras acrescentadas e mais de 17 mil visualizações dos conteúdos, resultando no aumento significativo nos acessos. Conclusão. Os resultados obtidos com a melhoria, tradução e criação de conteúdos de saúde auditiva na Wikipédia demonstraram o potencial desta plataforma na contribuição para mudanças significativas na promoção de saúde.
A Scalable and Effective Strategy for Boosting the Initial Coulombic Efficiency of Silicon Suboxide Anode
Authors: Yang Zhao , Yang Yaozong , Li Zhaolin , Wang Jie , Luo Ying , Xie Jingying , Zhao Hailei
Published: April 2024

Silicon suboxide (SiO

x

) is one of the most attractive candidates for anode materials for high-energy-density lithium-ion batteries due to its high specific capacity and its relatively lower volume expansion than that of Si. However, its low initial Coulombic efficiency (ICE) seriously affects its practical applications. In this work, we demonstrate a scalable and effective strategy to enable a high ICE of the SiO

x

electrode through a MnO-assisted disproportionation reaction. The obtained Mn
2
SiO
4
–Si–SiO

x

@C (MSS@C) material shows a reduced lithium irreversible consumption in the first cycle. The Mn
2
SiO
4
phase can store lithium through a conversion reaction with a smaller volume change (33%) than SiO

x

, which helps to maintain the structural stability of MSS@C during cycling. Meanwhile, the metallic Mn nanoparticles generated from Mn
2
SiO
4
during the lithiation process facilitate electron conduction, thus improving the electrode reaction kinetics. Owing to the synergetic effects, the MSS@C material exhibits a higher ICE (79.51%) compared to 60.91% of pure SiO

x

, and a superior cyclic performance (832 mAh g
−1
at 0.5 A g
−1
after 350 cycles with a capacity retention of 90.4%). This work offers a new approach to increase the ICE while improving the electrode reaction kinetics and cycling stability of SiO

x

-based materials.