bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gait Analysis in Walking and Trotting Dairy Cows on Different Flooring Types with Novel Mobile Pressure Sensors and Inertial Sensors
Authors: Fischer Daniela , Friebel Luise I. G. , Grund Sarah , Winter William , Wagner Franziska C. , Mülling Christoph K. W.
Published: September 2022

Mechanical overburdening is a major risk factor that provokes non-infectious claw diseases. Moreover, lameness-causing lesions often remain undetected and untreated. Therefore, prevention of claw tissue overburdening is of interest, especially by analyzing harmful effects within dairy cows’ housing environment. However, objective “on-cow” methods for bovine gait analysis are underdeveloped. The purpose of the study was to apply an innovative mobile pressure sensor system attached at the claws to perform pedobarometric gait analysis. A further goal was the supplementation with accelerative data, generated simultaneously by use of two inertial measurement units (IMUs), attached at metatarsal level. IMU data were analyzed with an automatic step detection algorithm. Gait analysis was performed in ten dairy cows, walking and trotting on concrete flooring and rubber mats. In addition to the basic applicability of the sensor systems and with the aid of the automatic step detection algorithm for gait analysis in cows, we were able to determine the impact of the gait and flooring type on kinematic and kinetic parameters. For pressure sensor output, concrete was associated with significantly (p < 0.001) higher maximum and average pressure values and a significantly smaller contact area, compared to rubber mats. In contrast to walking, trotting led to a significantly higher force, especially under the medial claw. Further, IMU-derived parameters were significantly influenced by the gait. The described sensor systems are useful tools for detailed gait analysis in dairy cows. They allow the investigation of factors which may affect claw health negatively.
Comparative Analyses of the Gut Microbiota in Growing Ragdoll Cats and Felinae Cats
Authors: Li Zongjie , Di Di , Sun Qing , Yao Xiaohui , Wei Jianchao , Li Beibei , Liu Ke , Shao Donghua , Qiu Yafeng , Liu Haixia , Cheng Zhanjun , Ma Zhiyong
Published: September 2022

Today, domestic cats are important human companion animals for their appearance and favorable personalities. During the history of their domestication, the morphological and genetic portraits of domestic cats changed significantly from their wild ancestors, and the gut microbial communities of different breeds of cats also apparently differ. In the current study, the gut microbiota of Ragdoll cats and Felinae cats were analyzed and compared. Our data indicated that the diversity and richness of the gut microbiota in the Felinae cats were much higher than in the Ragdoll cats. The taxonomic analyses revealed that the most predominant phyla of the feline gut microbiota were Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Fusobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteriota, Campilobacterota, and others, while the most predominant genera were Anaerococcus, Fusobacterium, Bacteroides, Escherichia-Shigella, Finegoldia, Porphyromonas, Collinsella, Lactobacillus, Ruminococcus_gnavus_group, Prevotella, and others. Different microbial communities between the Ragdoll group and the Felinae group were observed, and the compared results demonstrated that the relative abundances of beneficial microbes (such as Lactobacillus, Enterococcus, Streptococcus, Blautia, Roseburia, and so on) in the Ragdoll group were much higher than in the Felinae group. The co-occurrence network revealed that the number of nodes and links in the Felinae group was significantly higher than the Ragdoll group, which meant that the network of the Felinae group was larger and more complex than that of the Ragdoll group. PICRUSt function analyses indicated that the differences in microbial genes might influence the energy metabolism and immune functions of the host. In all, our data demonstrated that the richness and diversity of beneficial microbes in the Ragdoll group were much higher than the Felinae group. Therefore, it is possible to isolate and identify more candidate probiotics in the gut microbiota of growing Ragdoll cats.
Relationship between Vegetation Habitats and Bird Communities in Urban Mountain Parks
Authors: Xu Weizhen , Yu Jiao , Huang Peilin , Zheng Dulai , Lin Yuxin , Huang Ziluo , Zhao Yujie , Dong Jiaying , Zhu Zhipeng , Fu Weicong
Published: September 2022

The coastal areas of southeast China have typical high-density urbanization characteristics, and urban mountain parks are important green spaces in these urban green space systems. Our study was conducted in five typical urban mountain parks in Fuzhou, China. The bird survey was carried out in 25 transects of different vegetation habitats for 10 months, and the vegetation survey was conducted in 25 habitats to investigate the characteristics of bird communities in different vegetation habitats and the causes of their differences. The results showed: (1) From 1 October 2021 to 15 July 2022, we recorded a total of 90 bird species in 8 orders, 37 families, and 64 genera, with 1879 individuals in five vegetation habitats in the urban mountain parks. (2) Abundance and diversity of trees are vegetation variables affecting bird diversity (bird species richness, abundance, and Shannon diversity) in urban mountain parks, and the average branch height under trees has a significant effect on bird evenness. (3) We found more bird species and higher bird diversity in both sparse and dense forest habitats, but fewer bird species in waterfront, shrub, and grassland habitats; (4) Average tree height (AVE_HEIt) was only present in the best model of bird abundance and evenness. However, none of the best models found a significant effect of the number of tourists and predators on bird diversity. Our results could provide a theoretical basis and guidance for the future improvement of ecological service functions of bird habitats in urban mountain parks in subtropical coastal areas.
Antimicrobial Functionalization of Prolamine–Silica Hybrid Coatings with Fumaric Acid for Food Packaging Materials and Their Biocompatibility
Authors: Trodtfeld Franziska , Tölke Tina , Wiegand Cornelia
Published: September 2022

The interest of the food packaging industry in biodegradable, recyclable, and functional materials has steadily increased in recent years. The use of hydrogels in the food sector holds great potential for use in packaging systems or as carriers for bioactive substances. The synthesis of an oxygen barrier coating of prolaminic silica material and antimicrobial functionalization with fumaric acid for packaging materials described here is an elegant way to meet these requirements. The developed material achieved a significant antimicrobial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, two common clinical pathogens. Another pre-requisite of such materials is a high biocompatibility, which can be assessed using human cell models, to help ensure consumer safety. The biocompatibility was determined by luminescence adenosine triphosphate and photometric lactate dehydrogenase assays. No cytotoxic effects on human keratinocytes in vitro were found for the test materials.
Epidemiology, Mechanisms of Resistance and Treatment Algorithm for Infections Due to Carbapenem-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria: An Expert Panel Opinion
Authors: Coppola Nicola , Maraolo Alberto Enrico , Onorato Lorenzo , Scotto Riccardo , Calò Federica , Atripaldi Luigi , Borrelli Anna , Corcione Antonio , De Cristofaro Maria Giovanna , Durante-Mangoni Emanuele , Filippelli Amelia , Franci Gianluigi , Galdo Maria , Guglielmi Gaspare , Pagliano Pasquale , Perrella Alessandro , Piazza Ornella , Picardi Marco , Punzi Rodolfo , Trama Ugo , Gentile Ivan
Published: September 2022

Antimicrobial resistance represents a serious threat for global health, causing an unacceptable burden in terms of morbidity, mortality and healthcare costs. In particular, in 2017, carbapenem-resistant organisms were listed by the WHO among the group of pathogens for which novel treatment strategies are urgently needed. Fortunately, several drugs and combinations have been introduced in recent years to treat multi-drug-resistant (MDR) bacteria. However, a correct use of these molecules is needed to preserve their efficacy. In the present paper, we will provide an overview on the epidemiology and mechanisms of resistance of the most common MDR Gram-negative bacteria, proposing a treatment algorithm for the management of infections due to carbapenem-resistant bacteria based on the most recent clinical evidence.
Antioxidant Potential of the Sweet Whey-Based Beverage Colada after the Digestive Process and Relationships with the Lipid and Protein Fractions
Authors: García-Casas Victoria E. , Seiquer Isabel , Pardo Zaira , Haro Ana , Recio Isidra , Olías Raquel
Published: September 2022

Whey-based beverages could be an effective way of reusing a by-product of th cheese industry, mitigating environmental hazards and, at the same time, profiting a useful food with high nutritional and antioxidant properties. In this study, a traditional Ecuadorian beverage (Colada) was prepared combining sweet whey, Maracuyá and barley. Antioxidant properties before and after an in vitro digestion using the INFOGEST method were determined, and relationships with intestinal transformations of the lipid and protein fractions were analyzed. The digestive process had a positive effect on antioxidant properties based on increased values of ABTS and FRAP located in the bioaccessible fraction (BF), together with strong increments of total polyphenols. Moreover, pretreatment of Caco-2 cells with the BF of Colada significantly reduced ROS generation (p < 0.001) measured by the dichlorofluorescein assay. Substantial changes of the fatty acid profile occurred during digestion, such as a fall of saturated fatty acids and a rise of polyunsaturated. The protein profile, examined by SDS-PAGE and exclusion molecular chromatography in the BF, showed that the major part of the proteins were digested in the intestinal phase. Analysis of NanoLC-MS/MS revealed 18 antioxidant peptides originated from whey proteins, but also 16 peptides from barley with potential antioxidant properties. In conclusion, combining sweet whey with Maracuyá and barley constitutes an excellent nutritional beverage with a strong antioxidant potential.
FaAKR23 Modulates Ascorbic Acid and Anthocyanin Accumulation in Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) Fruits
Authors: Wei Lingzhi , Liu Huabo , Ni Yang , Dong Jing , Zhong Chuanfei , Sun Rui , Li Shuangtao , Xiong Rong , Wang Guixia , Sun Jian , Zhang Yuntao , Chang Linlin , Gao Yongshun
Published: September 2022

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa) fruits are rich in ascorbic acid (AsA) and anthocyanin, which are essential antioxidants for human health. However, the underlying regulatory mechanism of these antioxidant accumulation, especially AsA accumulation in strawberry fruits, remains largely unknown. In this study, we identified FaAKR23 was a regulator of AsA and anthocyanin accumulation. We transiently expressed FaAKR23 in strawberry fruits and conducted metabolic and molecular analyses to explore the role of FaAKR23 in AsA and anthocyanin accumulation. Transient silencing of FaAKR23 (FaAKR23-RNAi) in strawberry fruits significantly decreased the AsA and anthocyanin contents compared with control (empty vector-RNAi, EV-RNAi). Correspondingly, expression of some structural genes and regulatory factors involved in these two antioxidants’ accumulation was dramatically repressed. In addition, transcriptome analysis of EV-RNAi and FaAKR23-RNAi fruits suggested that FaAKR23 was also involved in starch and sucrose metabolism as well as plant–pathogen interaction. Overall, these results not only provide the coordinated regulatory function of FaAKR23 on AsA and anthocyanin accumulation but also offer a promising candidate gene for strawberry breeding with high antioxidants.
NADPH Oxidases in Aortic Aneurysms
Authors: Salmon Morgan
Published: September 2022

Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) are a progressive dilation of the infrarenal aorta and are characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration, smooth muscle cell migration and proliferation, and degradation of the extracellular matrix. Oxidative stress and the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) have been shown to play roles in inflammatory cell infiltration, and smooth muscle cell migration and apoptosis in AAAs. In this review, we discuss the principles of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate oxidase (NADPH oxidase/NOX) signaling and activation. We also discuss the effects of some of the major mediators of NOX signaling in AAAs. Separately, we also discuss the influence of genetic or pharmacologic inhibitors of NADPH oxidases on experimental pre-clinical AAAs. Experimental evidence suggests that NADPH oxidases may be a promising future therapeutic target for developing pharmacologic treatment strategies for halting AAA progression or rupture prevention in the management of clinical AAAs.
Free, Conjugated, and Bound Phenolics in Peel and Pulp from Four Wampee Varieties: Relationship between Phenolic Composition and Bio-Activities by Multivariate Analysis
Authors: Lin Xue , Shi Yousheng , Wen Pan , Hu Xiaoping , Wang Lu
Published: September 2022

Free, conjugated, and bound phenolic fractions of peel and pulp in four wampee varieties from South China were analyzed for their contents, composition, antioxidant capacities, and inhibitory activities against α-glucosidase. We found that there were significant differences in phenolic/flavonoid contents among diverse varieties and different parts (peel and pulp), and the contents were highest in the peel’s bound form. The results of UHPL-Q-Exactive HF-X and HPLC showed that chlorogenic acid, gentisic acid, and rutin were abundantly distributed over the three phenolic fractions in peel and pulp of all wampee samples, while isoquercitrin was the most abundant in the conjugated form of peel/pulp and myricetin had the richest content in the free form of peel/pulp. Wampee peel had stronger antioxidant capacities of ABTS+, DPPH, ·OH, and FRAP than the pulp, and the bound phenolic fraction of the peel/pulp had much higher antioxidant activities than FP and CP fractions. It is interesting that the same phenolic fraction of the wampee peel displayed roughly close IC50 values of α-glucosidase inhibition to those from the pulp samples. The relationship between individual phenolic and TPC/TFC/the bio-activities and the similarity among the free, conjugated, and bound phenolic fractions in peel and pulp samples were explored by using Pearson correlation analysis, principal component analysis, and hierarchical cluster analysis. This work provides a systematic and comprehensive comparison of the three phenolic fractions of diverse wampee varieties and different parts, and a rationale for applying phenolics from wampee fruits.
Oxidized Resveratrol Metabolites as Potent Antioxidants and Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors
Authors: Agbadua Orinamhe G. , Kúsz Norbert , Berkecz Róbert , Gáti Tamás , Tóth Gábor , Hunyadi Attila
Published: September 2022

Resveratrol is a well-known natural polyphenol with a plethora of pharmacological activities. As a potent antioxidant, resveratrol is highly oxidizable and readily reacts with reactive oxygen species (ROS). Such a reaction not only leads to a decrease in ROS levels in a biological environment but may also generate a wide range of metabolites with altered bioactivities. Inspired by this notion, in the current study, our aim was to take a diversity-oriented chemical approach to study the chemical space of oxidized resveratrol metabolites. Chemical oxidation of resveratrol and a bioactivity-guided isolation strategy using xanthine oxidase (XO) and radical scavenging activities led to the isolation of a diverse group of compounds, including a chlorine-substituted compound (2), two iodine-substituted compounds (3 and 4), two viniferins (5 and 6), an ethoxy-substituted compound (7), and two ethoxy-substitute,0d dimers (8 and 9). Compounds 4, 7, 8, and 9 are reported here for the first time. All compounds without ethoxy substitution exerted stronger XO inhibition than their parent compound, resveratrol. By enzyme kinetic and in silico docking studies, compounds 2 and 4 were identified as potent competitive inhibitors of the enzyme, while compound 3 and the viniferins acted as mixed-type inhibitors. Further, compounds 2 and 9 had better DPPH scavenging activity and oxygen radical absorbing capacity than resveratrol. Our results suggest that the antioxidant activity of resveratrol is modulated by the effect of a cascade of chemically stable oxidized metabolites, several of which have significantly altered target specificity as compared to their parent compound.
Natural Activators of Autophagy Increase Maximal Walking Distance and Reduce Oxidative Stress in Patients with Peripheral Artery Disease: A Pilot Study
Authors: Martinelli Ombretta , Peruzzi Mariangela , Bartimoccia Simona , D’Amico Alessandra , Marchitti Simona , Rubattu Speranza , Chiariello Giovanni , D’Ambrosio Luca , Schiavon Sonia , Miraldi Fabio , Saade Wael , D’Abramo Mizar , Pingitore Annachiara , Loffredo Lorenzo , Nocella Cristina , Forte Maurizio , Pignatelli Pasquale
Published: September 2022

Trehalose, spermidine, nicotinamide, and polyphenols have been shown to display pro-autophagic and antioxidant properties, eventually reducing cardiovascular and ischemic complications. This study aimed to investigate whether a mixture of these components improves maximal walking distance (MWD) in peripheral artery disease (PAD) patients. Nitrite/nitrate (NOx), endothelin-1, sNOX2-dp, H2O2 production, H2O2 break-down activity (HBA), ATG5 and P62 levels, flow-mediated dilation (FMD), and MWD were evaluated in 20 PAD patients randomly allocated to 10.5 g of mixture or no-treatment in a single-blind study. The above variables were assessed at baseline and 60 days after mixture ingestion. Compared with baseline, mixture intake significantly increased MWD (+91%; p < 0.01) and serum NOx (+96%; p < 0.001), whereas it significantly reduced endothelin-1 levels (−30%, p < 0.01). Moreover, mixture intake led to a remarkable reduction in sNOX2dp (−31%, p < 0.05) and H2O2 (−40%, p < 0.001) and potentiated antioxidant power (+110%, p < 0.001). Finally, mixture ingestion restored autophagy by increasing ATG5 (+43%, p < 0.01) and decreasing P62 (−29%, p < 0.05). No changes in the above-mentioned variables were observed in the no-treatment group. The treatment with a mixture of trehalose, spermidine, nicotinamide, and polyphenols improves MWD in PAD patients, with a mechanism possibly related to NOX2-mediated oxidative stress downregulation and autophagic flux upregulation. Clinical Trial Registration unique identifier: NCT04061070.
Eugenol Attenuates Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus-Induced Oxidative Stress and Apoptosis Via ROS-NRF2-ARE Signaling
Authors: Wang Kang , Tang Yan , Wu Xiu , Liang Hongmin , Chen Daiwen , Yu Bing , He Jun , Mao Xiangbing , Huang Zhiqing , Yan Hui , Wu Aimin , Luo Yuheng , Zheng Ping , Yu Jie , Wang Huifen , Luo Junqiu
Published: September 2022

Transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV), a coronavirus that causes severe diarrhea due to oxidative stress in the piglet intestine, is a major cause of economic loss in the livestock industry. However, limited interventions have been shown to be effective in the treatment of TGEV. Here, we demonstrate the therapeutic activity of eugenol in TGEV-induced intestinal oxidative stress and apoptosis. Our data show that eugenol supplementation protects intestine and IPEC-J2 cells from TGEV-induced damage. Mechanistically, eugenol reduces TGEV-induced oxidative stress in intestinal epithelial cells by reducing reactive oxygen species levels. Interestingly, eugenol also inhibits TGEV-induced intestinal cell apoptosis in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, our data suggest that eugenol prevents TGEV-induced intestinal oxidative stress by reducing ROS-mediated damage to antioxidant signaling pathways. Therefore, eugenol may be a promising therapeutic strategy for TGEV infection.
Efficacy Studies of Silica Nanoparticles Synthesized Using Agricultural Waste for Mitigating Waterborne Contaminants
Authors: Akhayere Evidence , Kavaz Doga , Vaseashta Ashok
Published: September 2022

In recent years, there has been a steady increase in the quantity of agricultural waste generation, due to the increased production of the food supply chain and the production of fuel for greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction initiatives, viz. processing, and consumption. As a result, there have been a number of environmental concerns, such as waste disposal, governance, and environmental impact. Hence, repurposing such wastes into high-value goods such as silica nanoparticles (SNPs) has received a lot of scientific attention. Because of their controllable pore size, large surface areas, and tunable and tailorable structure, SNPs have attracted interest from scientists for a variety of applications. As the water resources are becoming scarce and heavily stressed, our ongoing efforts have been towards the green synthesis of nanoparticles, with an emphasis on mitigating waterborne contaminants. Recent advances in the synthesis of SNPs from barley and rice husk agricultural waste, as well as its use in the removal of several recent environmental pollutants from water, have attracted the attention of several researchers, including our group. By fine-tuning the processing parameters during synthesis, the characteristics of SNPs are altered in terms of their configuration, appearance, porosity, and dimensions. Such features and corresponding applications of the SNPs are being investigated in order to investigate whether agricultural waste may be utilized for silica precursors. Although the utilization of low-cost waste-derived minerals appears to have the potential for both waste reduction and the creation of value-added goods, further studies are needed to increase silica production, particularly on a commercial scale. In addition, we conducted a review of the efficacy of SNPs toward water contamination mitigation and our results of such investigation are reported here. It is observed that silica nanoparticles can be synthesized on a commercial scale using green chemistry principles and are highly efficient materials with promising outcomes for environmental applications. Hence, using green synthesis, we are able to reduce agricultural waste, while mitigating environmental contaminants using environmentally friendly processing.
Research Status and Development Trend of Underground Intelligent Load-Haul-Dump Vehicle—A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Xiao Wei , Liu Mingxia , Chen Xubing
Published: September 2022

The underground intelligent load-haul-dump vehicle (LHD) is a product of the deep integration of traditional LHD with information network technology, automatic controlling and artificial intelligence technology. It gathers the functions of environmental perception, autonomous driving and fault diagnosis in one machine and exhibits higher safety and greater efficiency than traditional LHD. Hence, it is a particularly important piece of underground mining equipment for building green, safe and smart mines. Taking the studies about intelligent LHD collected by CNKI and WOS databases from 1980 to 2022 as a sample data source, employing Citespace visual analysis software for key feature extraction from the documents, statistical analysis was conducted to clarify the current research progress and the frontier topics of the intelligent LHD academia in the past 40 years, in relation to the future development trends. The development history and application status of underground intelligent LHD was expounded in this article, summarizing the research status at home and abroad from four aspects: ore heap perception and modeling technology, trajectory planning method of bucket shoveling, autonomous navigation technology, real-time monitoring and intelligent fault diagnosis technology. The demerits and merits of the technologies were reviewed as well, with future developing and researching trends of the underground intelligent LHD concluded.
Field Test Study on Vertical Bearing Characteristics of Coal Rock
Authors: Miao Yun , Wang Xudong
Published: September 2022

Coal rock is rarely used as the foundation bearing strata. For buildings located on coal rock, it is a reasonable and feasible way to obtain the vertical bearing characteristics of coal rock through field tests. Three plate load tests and two bi-directional load tests were carried out, and the design parameters of the vertical bearing capacity of the shallow foundation and the deep foundation were obtained, respectively. The plate load test results show that the pressure–settlement curve of coal rock is a steep-drop-type, and the deformation modulus decreases with the increase of the pressure. The bi-directional load test results show that the unit tip resistance-displacement curve of coal rock is a steep-drop-type, and the load transfer function of the unit tip resistance is an ideal elastic–plastic curve, and the displacement value corresponding to the ultimate bearing capacity is about 1% of the pile diameter. The load transfer function of the unit side resistance of coal rock is a hyperbolic curve. The equivalent pile top load–settlement curve obtained according to the load transfer functions of the unit tip resistance and the unit side resistance is consistent with the equivalent conversion results of the bi-directional load test method.
Evaluations and Measurements of the Occurrence of Maxilla and Palatine Bone Asymmetry Based on 3D Printed Stereolithographic Models in Elderly Edentulous People
Authors: Ihde Stefan , Karykowska Aleksandra , Szczurowski Jacek , Nelke Kamil , Goździewska-Harłajczuk Karolina , Klećkowska-Nawrot Joanna , Pałka Łukasz , Janeczek Maciej , Melnyk Oleg P. , Dobrzyński Maciej
Published: September 2022

This study aimed to evaluate and measure the occurrence of jaw and palate asymmetry based on 3D-printed stereolithographic models of edentulous elderly people. The analyses were performed on 3D models of the jaws, which were printed using the data (CT) obtained from the CBCT center. The control group consisted of 10 modern adult skulls (7 male and 3 female skulls) owned by the Department of Anthropology of the Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences. The small size of the studied groups did not allow for the performance of the analysis indicating the form of the observed morphological asymmetry—it was impossible to differentiate to indicate whether the examined features showed directional or fluctuating asymmetry. However, it was possible to determine the direction of the morphological asymmetry of the analyzed features. Both in the test group and the control group, it was a right-sided asymmetry. The analysis of the significance of differences in mean values of the asymmetry index showed that the intensity of asymmetry of the anterior part of the superior alveolar arch was significantly greater in the test group. The severity of the asymmetry of the lateral part of the alveolar arch in the tested groups did not differ significantly. The authors concluded that adequate maxillary height does not only influence proper dental prosthesis adhesion but also corresponds with a potential source for correct dental implant placement. We also concluded that the vertical height of the edentulous alveolar process of the mandible is important for adequate prosthesis fixing. In some cases, the bone atrophy and the bone itself are asymmetrical, so planning a prosthesis might be challenging. The adequate placement of implants should include the symmetry of jaw bones because of future masticatory force impact on the bone and the entire masticatory system, including the temporomandibular joint.
Flexible Null Broadening Robust Beamforming Based on JADE
Authors: Liu Yulong , Yin Yingzeng , Li Ruilong , Fang Ru
Published: September 2022

In order to flexibly and completely suppress dynamic interference, a flexible and robust beamforming based on JADE is proposed in this paper. In addition, it is insensitive to the gain–phase errors of the array. Firstly, the actual steering vector with gain–phase errors is separated from the received snapshot data by the joint approximate diagonalization of eigenmatrix (JADE) algorithm. Secondly, the direction of arrival (DOA) of interference can be estimated from the separated actual steering vector by the correlation coefficient method. Thus, the actual interference steering vector with gain–phase errors can be selected by the correlation coefficient with the nominal steering vector constructed by the estimated DOA. Then, the interference covariance matrix can be reconstructed by the actual interference steering vector, and the interference power estimated by the Capon power spectral. Finally, according to the prior information of the interference, only the dynamic interference covariance matrix is tapered by the novel covariance matrix trap (CMT), which can flexibly broaden and deepen the null. Simulation results show that the depth of the proposed beamformer is more than 10 dB deeper than that of the traditional algorithm in the non-stationary interference. In addition, it can save at least 2 degrees of freedom compared to the traditional method.
Accurate Efficiency and Power Densities Optimization of Output Inductor of Buck Derived Converters
Authors: Pichon Hugot , Lembeye Yves , Crebier Jean-Christophe
Published: September 2022

In this article, inductor loss models are developed based on the experimental characterization of off-the-shelf components. The modelling steps and techniques are described and validated. It is shown that the model exhibits fairly good accuracy over a large range of ripple current frequency and magnitude. Then, these models are used, as an illustration, in order to present the possible optimization process of the tradeoff between switching frequency-current ripple magnitude and output inductors value in the case of a Buck-derived converter. This optimization has shown that a large current ripple may lead to minimized losses in some cases. The developed modelling technique aims to represent Joules and iron losses, as well as DC and AC losses of inductors. It is not based on physical behaviour description but on mathematical equations based on a set of experimental characterizations. The modelling technique is not suitable for designing the component itself but is useful for selecting the best component value in the manufacturer’s series of components. Since it remains difficult with the manufacturer datasheet to estimate AC losses accurately with respect to frequency and ripple current magnitude, a specific characterization is carried out to complement the available data.
DPS Clustering: New Results
Authors: Agayan Sergey M. , Bogoutdinov Shamil R. , Dzeboev Boris A. , Dzeranov Boris V. , Kamaev Dmitriy A. , Osipov Maxim O.
Published: September 2022

The results presented in this paper are obtained as part of the continued development and research of clustering algorithms based on the discrete mathematical analysis. The article briefly describes the theory of Discrete Perfect Sets (DPS-sets) that is the basis for the construction of DPS-clustering algorithms. The main task of the previously constructed DPS-algorithms is to search for clusters in multidimensional arrays with noise. DPS-algorithms have two stages: the first stage is the recognition of the maximum perfect set of a given density level from the initial array, the second stage is the partitioning of the result of the first stage into connected components, which are considered to be clusters. Study of qualities of DPS-algorithms showed that, in a number of situations in the first stage, the result does not include all clusters which have practical sense. In the second stage, partitioning into connected components can lead to unnecessarily small clusters. Simple variation of parameters in DPS-algorithms does not allow for eliminating these drawbacks. The present paper is devoted to the construction on the basis of DPS-algorithms of their new versions, more free from these drawbacks.
Snapshot-Based Visible-Near Infrared Multispectral Imaging for Early Screening of Heat Injury during Growth of Chinese Cabbage
Authors: Kim Geonwoo , Lee Hoonsoo , Wi Seung Hwan , Cho Byoung-Kwan
Published: September 2022

Heat stress in particular can damage physiological processes, adaptation, cellular homeostasis, and yield of higher plants. Early detection of heat stress in leafy crops is critical for preventing extensive loss of crop productivity for global food security. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potential of a snapshot-based visible-near infrared multispectral imaging system for detecting the early stage of heat injury during the growth of Chinese cabbage. Two classification models based on partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and least-squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) were developed to identify heat stress. Various vegetation indices (VIs), including the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), red-edge ratio (RE/R), and photochemical reflectance index (PRI), which are closely related to plant heat stress, were acquired from sample images, and their values were compared with the developed models for the evaluation of their discriminant performance of developed models. The highest classification accuracies for LS-SVM, PLS-DA, NDVI, RE/R, and PRI were 93.6%, 92.4%, 72.5%, 69.6%, and 58.1%, respectively, without false-positive errors. Among these methods for identifying plant heat stress, the developed LS-SVM and PLS-DA models showed more reliable discriminant performance than the traditional VIs. This clearly demonstrates that the developed models are much more effective and efficient predictive tools for detecting heat stress in Chinese cabbage in the early stages compared to conventional methods. The developed technique shows promise as an accurate and cost-effective screening tool for rapid identification of heat stress in Chinese cabbage.
A Ground Moving Target Detection Method for Seismic and Sound Sensor Based on Evolutionary Neural Networks
Authors: Xing Kunsheng , Wang Nan , Wang Wei
Published: September 2022

The accurate identification of moving target types in alert areas is a fundamental task for unattended ground sensors. Considering that the seismic and sound signals generated by ground moving targets in urban areas are easily affected by environmental noise and the power consumption of unattended ground sensors needs to be reduced to achieve low-power consumption, this paper proposes a ground moving target detection method based on evolutionary neural networks. The technique achieves the selection of feature extraction methods and the design of evolving neural network structures. The experimental results show that the improved model can achieve high recognition accuracy with a smaller feature vector and lower network complexity.
Design of Novel HG-SIQBC-Fed Multilevel Inverter for Standalone Microgrid Applications
Authors: Sunddararaj Suvetha Poyyamani , Rangarajan Shriram S. , Nallusamy Subashini , Subramaniam Umashankar , Collins E. Randolph , Senjyu Tomonobu
Published: September 2022

The growth of distributed power generation using renewable energy sources has led to the development of new-generation power electronic converters. This is because DC–DC converters and inverters form the fundamental building blocks in numerous applications, which include renewable integrations, energy harvesting, and transportation. Additionally, they play a vital role in microgrid applications. The deployment of distributed energy resources (DERs) with renewable sources such as solar has paved the way for microgrid support systems, thus forming an efficient electric grid. To enhance the voltage of such sources and to integrate them into the grid, high-gain DC–DC converters and inverter circuits are required. In this paper, a novel single-switch high-gain converter (HG-SIQBC) with quadratic voltage gain and wide controllable range of load is proposed, the output of which is fed to a modified multilevel inverter for conversion of voltage. The overall performance of the newly designed converter and inverter is analyzed and compared with the existing topologies. A prototype of the investigated multilevel inverter is designed and tested in the laboratory. Development and testing of such novel topologies have become the need of the hour as the grid becomes smarter with increased penetration of distributed resources.
Multi-Band Array Antenna Sharing a Common Aperture with Heterogeneous Array Elements
Authors: Wang Sungsik , Kim Hyunsoo , Kim Dongyoon , Choo Hosung
Published: September 2022

This paper proposes a multi-band array antenna that shares a common aperture with heterogenous array elements. The multi-band array antenna includes one printed dipole antenna for the S-band and 3 × 3 array E-shaped patch antennas for the X-band. The current directions of the printed dipole and E-shaped antenna are orthogonal to each other, which properly diminishes the mutual coupling interference. To decrease the mutual coupling interference among the X-band components, we placed cavities using multiple vias surrounding the X-band components. To check the validity of the proposed design, the unit-cell was expanded to a 12 × 12 X-band array configuration, and then the beam steering properties were examined. The proposed antenna’s average gains are 5.2 dBi in the S-band and 5.2 dBi in the X-band. The bore-sight gain of the extended array configuration on the ship mast is 35.6 dBi. The results confirm that the proposed design is suitable for MFR applications even in a shared aperture.
Optimal Kinematic Task Position Determination—Application and Experimental Verification for the UR-5 Manipulator
Authors: Valsamos Charalampos , Miatliuk Kanstantsin , Wolniakowski Adam , Moulianitis Vassilis , Aspragathos Nikos
Published: September 2022

A method for determining the optimal position of a robotic task within a manipulator’s workspace considering the minimum singularity free paths in joint space in order to achieve a high kinematic performance is presented. The selected performance criterion was the minimization of the joint velocities during task execution under a given end effector velocity. The proposed method is applied to place kinematic tasks for a UR-5 manipulator. Joint speed measurements are compared for the optimal and the “bad” task positions and the results show that at the optimal position, lower joint speeds are exerted during task execution.
Stylized Pairing for Robust Adversarial Defense
Authors: Guan Dejian , Zhao Wentao , Liu Xiao
Published: September 2022

Recent studies show that deep neural networks (DNNs)-based object recognition algorithms overly rely on object textures rather than global object shapes, and DNNs are also vulnerable to human-less perceptible adversarial perturbations. Based on these two phenomenons, we conjecture that the preference of DNNs on exploiting object textures for decisions is one of the most important reasons for the existence of adversarial examples. At present, most adversarial defense methods are directly related to adversarial perturbations. In this paper, we propose an adversarial defense method independent of adversarial perturbations, which utilizes a stylized pairing technique to encourage logits for a pair of images and the corresponding stylized image to be similar. With stylized pairing training, DNNs can better learn shape-biased representation. We have empirically evaluated the performance of our method through extensive experiments on CIFAR10, CIFAR100, and ImageNet datasets. Results show that the models with stylized pairing training can significantly improve their performance against adversarial examples.
Growth and Welfare of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822) under Dietary Supplementation with Mixed-Layer Clay Mineral Montmorillonite-Illite/Muscovite in Commercial Aquaculture
Authors: Palm Harry Wilhelm , Berchtold Erwin , Gille Benedikt , Knaus Ulrich , Wenzel Lisa Carolina , Baßmann Björn
Published: September 2022

Juvenile African catfish (Clarias gariepinus Burchell, 1822) were reared within two experiments (a research facility and a local catfish farm, E1 and E2, respectively) for 102 d each under commercial recirculating aquaculture conditions. The mixed-layer clay mineral montmorillonite–illite/muscovite (1g557) was applied as a feed additive at concentrations of 0.5% and 2.0%, which were compared with an unsupplemented control (0.0%) over 70 d. For E1, feeding was automatic at night, while E2 was fed manually during the day. The growth and physiological welfare parameters of the fish were monitored, including the mortality, skin lesions, stress responses after confinement (plasma cortisol and glucose), and additional blood parameters. Tendentially, the most efficient growth in both the experiments was observed in the 0.5% groups, which performed slightly better than the controls (E1: 0.8% and E2: 3.2%) despite a lower nutrient content (p > 0.05). In E1, the negative skewness of the leptokurtic distribution also revealed the highest number of larger-sized fish per batch. Mortality was low in all the treatment groups (E1 control/0.5%/2.0%: 3.6%/4.9%/2.9%; E2 control/0.5%: 2.6%/5.5%). After only 29 d in E1, the number of skin lesions per fish decreased significantly (p < 0.05 between each of the 0.5% and 2.0% groups, compared to the control (E1 control/0.5%/2.0%: 1.2/0.8/0.8). In both E1 and E2, the number of lesions per fish decreased even further after 70 d, significantly between the treatment groups and the control (E1 control/0.5%/2.0%: 0.9/0.4/0.5 and E2 control/0.5%: 0.6/0.3). In E1, the cortisol and glucose concentrations increased strongly in all the groups due to the induced stress, whereas this was not evident in E2 based on the different sampling procedure. The additional blood parameters (aspartate aminotransferase, glutamate dehydrogenase, urea, calcium, phosphate, total protein, leucocytes, erythrocytes, hematocrit, cholesterol, triglycerides, sodium, potassium, and chloride) revealed no significant difference between the treatment groups in either experiment, indicating no negative effects of 1g557 on the organs or metabolism of the fish. Supplementation with 0.5% 1g557 in the common commercial feeds for African catfish increases growth performance (p > 0.05), reduces size variance, and supports fish welfare under different commercial aquaculture conditions in the present study.
Stability for a Class of Differential Set-Valued Inverse Variational Inequalities in Finite Dimensional Spaces
Authors: Zhu Xinyue , Li Wei , Luo Xueping
Published: September 2022

In this paper, we introduce and study a new class of differential set-valued inverse variational inequalities in finite dimensional spaces. By applying a result on differential inclusions involving an upper semicontinuous set-valued mapping with closed convex values, we first prove the existence of Carathéodory weak solutions for differential set-valued inverse variational inequalities. Then, by the existence result, we establish the stability for the differential set-valued inverse variational inequality problem when the constraint set and the mapping are perturbed by two different parameters. The closedness and continuity of Carathéodory weak solutions with respect to the two different parameters are obtained.
Hadamard Compositions of Gelfond–Leont’ev Derivatives
Authors: Sheremeta Myroslav
Published: September 2022

For analytic functions fj(z)=∑n=0∞an,jzn, 1≤j≤p, the notion of a Hadamard composition (f1∗…∗fp)m=∑n=0∞∑k1+⋯+kp=mck1…kpan,1k1·…·an,pkpzn of genus m is introduced. The relationship between the growth of the Gelfond–Leont’ev derivative of the Hadamard composition of functions fj and the growth Hadamard composition of Gelfond–Leont’ev derivatives of these functions is studied. We found conditions under which these derivatives and the composition have the same order and a lower order. For the maximal terms of the power expansion of these derivatives, I describe behavior of their ratios.
Possible Utilization of Two-Phase Olive Pomace (TPOP) to Formulate Potential Functional Beverages: A Preliminary Study
Authors: De Leonardis Antonella , Iftikhar Ayesha , Macciola Vincenzo
Published: September 2022

The demand for functional beverages is expanding over the world. In this work, a rapid, easy and low-cost procedure was followed to prepare a functional beverage (FB) by directly using two-phase olive pomace (TPOP). Liquid ingredients (water and 6% citric acid), extraction systems (heat and ultrasonic treatment), treatment time (30, 60, 90 min) and drying techniques (freeze and air-dried) were studied. Experimented TPOP had a total phenol content of 7.5 mg/g CAE (caffeic acid equivalent), composed majorly of o-diphenols. Air drying of TPOP caused a 50% depletion of total phenols compared to freeze drying. Conversely, no substantial differences were found in the FB, neither for liquid ingredients nor treatment/time adopted. Both 6% citric acid and water were revealed to be profitable liquid ingredients. A 30-min heating treatment was enough to produce a satisfactory beverage, whereas ultrasound treatment caused a loss of total phenols, especially in the water FB. All FBs appeared just limpid after a simple filtration; the citric acid beverage showed reddish color, while water ones were brownish. Finally, the prepared FBs had an average total phenol of about 600 mg/L CAE (by using 300 g/L fresh pomace), with hydroxytyrosol and related compounds being well represented, which confirmed their potential functionality.
Complicated Crown Fracture of Permanent Incisors: A Conservative Treatment Case Report and a Narrative Review
Authors: Radwanski Mateusz , Caporossi Corrado , Lukomska-Szymanska Monika , Luzi Arlinda , Sauro Salvatore
Published: September 2022

Dental trauma may have a severe impact on the social and psychological wellbeing of a patient. Most cases of dental injuries involve anterior teeth, especially the maxillary upper incisors. Crown fractures, with or without pulp exposure, are the most common trauma in permanent dentition. There are many methods of management, in which the initial state of the pulp, the time since the injury, and the presence of an accompanying injury play a key role. This case report aimed at showing a possible conservative treatment after complicated tooth fracture that consisted of partial pulpotomy followed by adhesive reattachment of the tooth fragment using a technique based on heated resin composite. Such a specific procedure represents a conservative approach to traumatic coronal lesions, providing a suitable opportunity to maintain the tooth vitality, aesthetics, and function. Indeed, reattachment of tooth fragment using a composite/adhesive is a simple technique to achieve excellent results in terms of aesthetic and function.
Digital Pathology: New Initiative in Pathology
Authors: Cho William C.
Published: September 2022

Digital pathology (DP) is an emerging field of pathology that manages information generated from digitized specimen slides [...]