bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Special Issue on Augmenting the Human Body and Being
Authors: Inami Masahiko , Iwata Hiroyasu , Kukita Minao , Kurita Yuichi , Minamizawa Kouta , Mochimaru Masaaki , Narumi Takuji , Rekimoto Junichi , Suzuki Kenji
Published: October 2021

Information technologies, such as IoT, artificial intelligence (AI), and virtual reality (VR), have seen so much development that there is now a wide variety of digital equipment incorporated into the infrastructure of daily life. From the agrarian society (Society 1.0) through the information society (Society 4.0), humankind has created farmlands and cities by structuring natural environments physically and has built information environments by structuring them informationally. However, despite the rapid development of information environments, it may be fair to say that the perspectives of the human body have not changed at all since the industrial revolution.

In the context of these recent technological developments, greater attention is being paid to human augmentation studies. These studies aim for a new embodiment of “human-computer integration,” one which can physically and informationally compensate or augment our innate sensory functions, motor functions, and intellectual processing functions by using digital equipment and information systems at will, as if they were our hands and feet. It has also been proposed that the technical systems that enable us to freely do what we want by utilizing human augmentations be called “JIZAI” (freedomization) as opposed to “automation.”

The term “JIZAI body” used in these studies represents the new body image of humans who will utilize engineering and informatics technologies to act at will in the upcoming “super smart society” or “Society 5.0.” In these studies, human augmentation technologies are an important component of JIZAI, but JIZAI is not the same as human augmentation. JIZAI is different in scope from human augmentation, as it aims to enable humans to move freely among the five new human body images: “strengthened sense” (augmented perception), “strengthened physical body” (body augmentation), “separately-designed mind and body” (out of body transform), “shadow cloning,” and “assembling.” In the society of the future where JIZAI bodies widely prevail, we will use technologies that enable us to do what we have failed at or given up due to limitations of our physical bodies. We believe that a future society, one in which aging does not reduce our capabilities but instead increased options give us hope, can be realized. This special issue, consisting of two review papers and twelve research papers, deals with diverse and wide-ranging areas, including human augmentation, robotics, virtual reality, and others. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to all the authors and reviewers of the papers contributed to this special issue and to the editorial committee of the Journal of Robotics and Mechatronics for their gracious cooperation.
Transparency in Human-Machine Mutual Action
Authors: Saito Hiroto , Horie Arata , Maekawa Azumi , Matsubara Seito , Wakisaka Sohei , Kashino Zendai , Kasahara Shunichi , Inami Masahiko ,   Information Somatics Lab, Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo 4-6-1 Komaba, Meguro-ku, Tokyo 153-8505, Japan,   Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan,   Graduate School of Information Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan,   Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc. 3-14-13 Higashigotanda, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0022, Japan
Published: October 2021

Recent advances in human-computer integration (HInt) have focused on the development of human-machine systems, where both human and machine autonomously act upon each other. However, a key challenge in designing such systems is augmenting the user’s physical abilities while maintaining their sense of self-attribution. This challenge is particularly prevalent when both human and machine are capable of acting upon each other, thereby creating a human-machine mutual action (HMMA) system. To address this challenge, we present a design framework that is based on the concept oftransparency. We define transparency in HInt as the degree to which users can self-attribute an experience when machines intervene in the users’ action. Using this framework, we form a set of design guidelines and an approach for designing HMMA systems. By using transparency as our focus, we aim to provide a design approach for not only achieving human-machine fusion into a single agent, but also controlling the degrees of fusion at will. This study also highlights the effectiveness of our design approach through an analysis of existing studies that developed HMMA systems. Further development of our design approach is discussed, and future prospects for HInt and HMMA system designs are presented.
Virtual Mirror and Beyond: The Psychological Basis for Avatar Embodiment via a Mirror
Authors: Inoue Yasuyuki ,   Toyohashi University of Technology 1-1 Hibarigaoka, Tempaku, Toyohashi, Aichi 441-8580, Japan, Kitazaki Michiteru
Published: October 2021

In virtual reality (VR), a virtual mirror is often used to display the VR avatar to the user for enhancing the embodiment. The reflected image of the synchronization of the virtual body with the user’s movement is expected to be recognized as the user’s own reflection. In addition to the visuo-motor synchrony, there are some mirror reflection factors that are probably involved in avatar embodiment. This paper reviews literature on the psychological studies that involve mirror-specific self-identification and embodied perception to clarify how the reflected image of the virtual body is embodied. Furthermore, subjective misconceptions about mirror reflections reported in naïve optics have also been reviewed to discuss the potential of virtual mirror displays to modulate avatar embodiment.
Local Peak Method: An Electrotactile Stimulation Method Focusing on Surface Structures for Texture Rendering
Authors: Hirai Akimu , Nakayama Masaya , Ogawa Takefumi ,   Graduate School of Engineering, The University of Tokyo 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8656, Japan,   Information Technology Center, The University of Tokyo 6-2-3 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa-shi, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
Published: October 2021

Presenting objects’ texture sensations by electrical stimulation has been drawing greater attention as a means to improve the augmented reality experiences. To reproduce the texture sensations of real objects in detail, tactile perceptions of their complex surface shapes must be translated as electrical stimulation. Many conventional studies on presenting vibrational sensations by electrical stimulations have used single pulse waveforms, limiting the vibrational sensations that can be presented by electrical stimulations. In this paper, therefore, we propose the local peak method, in which pulse waveforms are configured on the objects’ surface structures. We have experimentally proved that the proposed local peak method can present sensations that are more akin to touching physical objects than pulse waveforms of single intervals in the case of presented objects having complex surface structures.
Device-Free Handwritten Character Recognition Method Using Acoustic Signal
Authors: Ogura Atsushi ,   Hokkaido University Kita 14, Nishi 9, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0814, Japan, Watanabe Hiroki , Sugimoto Masanori
Published: October 2021

In this paper, we propose a method for recognizing handwritten characters by a finger using acoustic signals. This method is carried out using a smartphone placed on a flat surface, such as a desk. Specifically, this method uses an ultrasonic wave transmitted from the smartphone, which is reflected by the finger, and an audible sound is generated when writing a handwritten character. The proposed method does not require an additional device for handwritten character recognition because it uses the microphone/speaker built into the device. Evaluation results showed that it was able to recognize 36 types of characters with an average accuracy of 77.8% in a low noise environment for 10 subjects. In addition, it was verified that combining an audible sound and an ultrasonic wave in this method achieved higher recognition accuracy than when only an audible sound or an ultrasonic wave was used.
Bilaterally Shared Haptic Perception for Human-Robot Collaboration in Grasping Operation
Authors: Tanaka Yoshihiro , Shiraki Shogo , Katayama Kazuki , Minamizawa Kouta , Prattichizzo Domenico ,   Nagoya Institute of Technology Gokiso, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi 466-8555, Japan,   Keio University Graduate School of Media Design 4-1-1 Hiyoshi, Kohoku-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 223-8526, Japan,   Department of Information Engineering and Mathematics, University of Siena Via Roma 56, Siena 53100, Italy,   Department of Human Centered Mechatronics, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Via Morego 30, Genova 16163, Italy
Published: October 2021

Tactile sensations are crucial for achieving precise operations. A haptic connection between a human operator and a robot has the potential to promote smooth human-robot collaboration (HRC). In this study, we assemble a bilaterally shared haptic system for grasping operations, such as both hands of humans using a bottle cap-opening task. A robot arm controls the grasping force according to the tactile information from the human that opens the cap with a finger-attached acceleration sensor. Then, the grasping force of the robot arm is fed back to the human using a wearable squeezing display. Three experiments are conducted: measurement of the just noticeable difference in the tactile display, a collaborative task with different bottles under two conditions, with and without tactile feedback, including psychological evaluations using a questionnaire, and a collaborative task under an explicit strategy. The results obtained showed that the tactile feedback provided the confidence that the cooperative robot was adjusting its action and improved the stability of the task with the explicit strategy. The results indicate the effectiveness of the tactile feedback and the requirement for an explicit strategy of operators, providing insight into the design of an HRC with bilaterally shared haptic perception.
Strategi pembinaan kader politik melalui literasi politik
Authors: Hendrik Asep , Danial Endang
Published: October 2021

The purpose of thins study is to explore, study, and analyze the urgency of fostering political cadres through political literacy conducted by the GOLKAR Cianjur regency party in fostering political cadres. The research approach used in this study is a qualitative approach while the research method used case studies. Data collection techniques using interviews, observation, study documentation and study literature. Data analysis includes data reduction, data presentation and conclusion drawing/verification. The findings of this study generally reveal that the urgency of fostering political cadres through political literacy is to improve the competence of party cadres. The competency is the basic capital for political cadres to contest in the general election.

Abstrak Tujuan penelitian ini untuk menggali, mengkaji, dan menganalisis tentang urgensi pembinaan kader politik melalui literasi politik yang dilakukan oleh partai GOLKAR Kabupaten Cianjur dalam membina kader politiknya. Pendekatan penelitian yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah pendekatan kualitatif sedangkan metode penelitian menggunakan studi kasus. Teknik pengumpulan data menggunakan wawancara, observasi, studi dokumentasi. Berdasarkan hasil analisis data yang meliputi reduksi data, penyajian data dan penarikan kesimpulan/verifikasi bahwa temuan penelitian ini mengungkapkan bahwa urgensi pembinaan kader politik melalui literasi politik bertujuan untuk meningkatkan kompetensi kader partai. Kompetensi tersebut sebagai modal dasar kader politik untuk berkontestasi dipergelaran pemilihan umum.
TWO-FACTOR PRODUCTION FUNCTIONS WITH GIVEN MARGINAL RATE OF SUBSTITUTION
Authors: Khatskevich G. , Pranevich A. , Chajkovskij M.
Published: October 2021

The article is devoted to the study of inverse problems of identifying two-factor production functions from given marginal rate of technical substitution. The analytical forms of twofactor production functions with given linear-fractionalmarginal rate of technical substitution of labor by capital. Classes of two-factor production functions that correspond to given (constant, linear, linear-fractional, exponential, etc.) marginal rate of technical substitution areindicated. The obtained results can be applied in modeling of production processes.
“Thaw” in the USSR: two models of reflexion after the XX Congress of the CPSU
Authors:   Russian State University for the Humanities, Yurganov Andrey L.
Published: October 2021

The article deals with reflexive models by which Khrushchev’s “secret” report at the XX Congress of the CPSU was perceived. For the leaders of CPSU, Stalin’s “cult” meant only that Stalin had forgotten about collectivity, about the collective origin, about collective decisions; he had stopped paying attention to the opinion of other leading members of the party. He exalted himself, not the party. The very problem with his crimes was that Stalin repressed party members. The issue of his crimes against the entire people was not raised or considered. Thus, a turn towards reflection emerged that aimed to protect the renewed totalitarianism, new collective cohesion (and justification) of party decisions. In this model, the function of the logic of retreat was crucial for preserving the main value, which was the communist perspective. The article explores the behavioral strategies of the leading historians in the Academy of Sciences in the times of uncertainty in the official attitude towards Stalin: who is he from Khrushchev’s perspective: a criminal or a “prominent figure” in the party? The other model is found in the questions asked by the audience during the lectures given by Academician A.M. Pankratova, a well-known historian of the working movement in Russia, who spoke to different audiences in Leningrad one month after the Congress. In this “first” reaction to Khrushchev’s re­port, one can find a critical public intuition that expressed the need for human rights in order to protect oneself from any kind of outrage – including the collective one. For the leaders of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the boundary of what was tolerable lay in the exclusion of any personal superiority from the collective beginning, which meant a return to Lenin – the leader of the world proletariat, who “sacredly respected” the principle of collective decision; for the audiences in Leningrad, this boundary was not outlined in any way and the message that was transmitted allowed even for a scenario that led to a deconstruction of the entire communist mythology.
Farīd al-Dīn ‘Aṭṭār’s Mathnawī as Representation of Sufi Doctrine
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Fedorova Yulia E.
Published: October 2021

The Persian didactic poem (mathnawī) served among the Sufis of the classical period as a popular form of presenting their doctrine. The article outlines and analyzes the Sufi poet Farīd al-Dīn ‘Aṭṭār’s four main poems belonging to the end of XII – beginning of XIII centuries: “Book of Mysteries” (Asrār-nāma), “Book of Sorrow” (Muṣ ībat-nāma), “Divine Book”(Ilāhī-nāma) and “The Language of the Birds”(Mantiq al-ṭayr). The author examines systematically the composition, the plot and the content of them, showing the principle of their construction, which is the combination the “explicit” (narrative) and “hidden” (Sufi) levels of meaning. Taking this into account the author offers an interpretation of the general Sufi theme, that is the search for and knowledge of God.
Japanese Philosopher Seiichi Hatano (1877–1950) on the Problems of Time
Authors:   Institute of Philosophy, Russian Academy of Sciences, Karelova Liubov B.
Published: October 2021

The name of Seiichi Hatano (1877–1950) is still not so widely known outside of Japan. At the same time, he belongs to those outstanding Japanese thinkers of the first half of the twentieth century, who not only introduced to their compatriots the history of Western philosophy, but also acted as generators of original concepts created on the basis of deep critical understanding of the Western intellectual heritage. The article deals with the reconstruction of Seiichi Hatano’s theory of time, formulated in his monograph “Time and Eternity” (1943), which crowned his creative career. The starting point of Hatano’s philosophy of time were studies of the basic human experience, which he interpreted in terms of the flow of life and the interaction of the Self and the Other. The subject of the Japanese thinker’s special interest was the problem of overcoming temporality. Hatano’s original contribution to the theory of time was the creation of the three-fold scheme of temporality, considered on the main levels of life – natural, cultural, and religious, conclusions about the divergence of time at the natural and cultural levels, and the idea that the past in history is governed by the perspective of the future.
Inexact Methods for Black-Oil Sequential Fully Implicit SFI Scheme
Authors: Zhou Yifan , Jiang Jiamin , Tomin Pavel
Published: October 2021

The sequential fully implicit (SFI) scheme was introduced (Jenny et al. 2006) for solving coupled flow and transport problems. Each time step for SFI consists of an outer loop, in which there are inner Newton loops to implicitly and sequentially solve the pressure and transport sub-problems. In standard SFI, the sub-problems are usually fully solved at each outer iteration. This can result in wasted computations that contribute little towards the coupled solution. The issue is known as ‘over-solving’. Our objective is to minimize the cost while maintain or improve the convergence of SFI by preventing ‘over-solving’.

We first developed a framework based on the nonlinear acceleration techniques (Jiang and Tchelepi 2019) to ensure robust outer-loop convergence. We then developed inexact-type methods that prevent ‘over-solving’ and minimize the cost of inner solvers for SFI. The motivation is similar to the inexact Newton method, where the inner (linear) iterations are controlled in a way that the outer (Newton) convergence is not degraded, but the overall computational effort is greatly reduced. We proposed an adaptive strategy that provides relative tolerances based on the convergence rates of the coupled problem.

The developed inexact SFI method was tested using numerous simulation studies. We compared different strategies such as fixed relaxations on absolute and relative tolerances for the inner solvers. The test cases included synthetic as well as real-field models with complex flow physics and high heterogeneity. The results show that the basic SFI method is quite inefficient. When the coupling is strong, we observed that the outer convergence is mainly restricted by the initial residuals of the sub-problems. It was observed that the feedback from one inner solver can cause the residual of the other to rebound to a much higher level. Away from a coupled solution, additional accuracy achieved in inner solvers is wasted, contributing to little or no reduction of the overall residual. By comparison, the inexact SFI method adaptively provided the relative tolerances adequate for the sub-problems. We show across a wide range of flow conditions that the inexact SFI can effectively resolve the ‘over-solving’ issue, and thus greatly improve the overall performance.

The novel information of this paper includes: 1) we found that for SFI, there is no need for one sub-problem to strive for perfection (‘over-solving’), while the coupled residual remains high because of the other sub-problem; 2) a novel inexact SFI method was developed to prevent ‘over-solving’ and minimize the cost of inner solvers; 3) an adaptive strategy was proposed for relative tolerances based on the convergence rates of the coupled problem; and 4) a novel SFI framework was developed based on the nonlinear acceleration techniques to ensure robust outer-loop convergence.
Unified Reservoir And Seismic Simulation With Explicit Representation Of Fractures And Faults
Authors: Han Zheng , Ren Guotong , Younis Rami M.
Published: October 2021

In the context of remote sensing, the vast disparity in characteristic scales between seismic deformation (e.g. milliseconds) and transient flow (e.g. hours) allows a "two-model paradigm" for geophysics and reservoir simulation. In the context of flow-induced geohazard risk mitigation and micro-seismic data integration, this paradigm breaks down. Under micro-seismic deformation, events occur with high-frequency, and over sustained duration during which the rock-fluid coupling is significant. In risk mitigation scenarios, the onset of seismic deformation is directly tied to quasi-static coupling periods. This work develops an approach to reservoir simulation modeling that allows simultaneous resolution of transient (inertial) poromechanics and multiphase fluid flow in the presence of fracture.

A mixed discretization scheme combining the extended finite element method (XFEM) and the embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM) is extended using a second-order implicit Newmark time integration scheme for the inertial mechanics. A Lagrange multiplier method is developed to model pressure-dependent contact traction in fractures. The contact constraints are adapted to accommodate fracture opening. Slip-weakening fracture friction models are incorporated. Finally, a time-step controller is proposed to combine local discretization error with contact traction and slip-rate control along the fractures. This strategy allows automatic adaptation to resolve quasi-static, inter-seismic triggering, and co-seismic spontaneous rupture periods within one model. The model is verified to simulate complete induced earthquake sequences, including inter-seismic and dynamic rupture phases. The performance of the adaptive model is illustrated for cases with various set-ups of production and injection periods in a fractured reservoir with explicit fracture representation.
A 3D Coupled Thermal-Hydraulic-Mechanical THM Model Using EDFM and XFEM for Hydraulic-Fracture-Dominated Geothermal Reservoirs
Authors: Yu Xiangyu , Wang Cong , Yan Xia , Wang Shihao , Wang Lei , Winterfeld Philip , Wu Yu-Shu
Published: October 2021

Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are those geothermal reservoirs artificially fractured to create paths for injected low-temperature fluid which is then heated up along the flow path until production for electricity generation. This heat recovery involves three tightly coupled processes: thermal, hydraulic and mechanical which interacts with each other and in turn affects the energy production. The local temperature field would be disturbed by injected fluid, resulting in thermal/poroelastic responses near the hydraulic fractured area which are the dominant factors of fluid flow. In this paper, the three-dimensional (3D) Embedded Discrete Fracture Model (EDFM) was adopted to describe the geometry of the fracture and simulate fluid flow and heat transfer between fractures and the matrix, while mechanics, including displacement of the strong discontinuity (fractures), was solved by the 3D eXtended Finite Element Method (XFEM). With the capability of modeling fractures of arbitrary shapes within a 3D reservoir domain using 3D EDFM-XFEM, a coupled THM model was developed based on the unconditionally stable fixed-stress split sequential-implicit method, where the fluid flow/heat transfer module and mechanics module are solved iteratively until convergence within a time step. Fluid flow/heat transfer and XFEM with internal/external tractions are both validated by comparison with existing simulators. We conducted simulations for two synthetic geothermal reservoir heat recovery cases to investigate the effects of the injection temperature and boundary traction condition on the production temperature and fracture deformation. The results indicate that the fracture aperture and permeability are sensitive to temperature variation and hence impact the production rate/temperature. Thermal strain might be the dominant factor of rock deformation, especially in the shallow depth where geostress is at a low level.
Efficient Drill Sequence Optimization Using a Heuristic Priority Function
Authors: Wang Zhenzhen , He Jincong , Tanaka Shusei , Wen Xian-Huan
Published: October 2021

Drill sequence optimization is a common challenge faced in the oil and gas industry and yet it cannot be solved efficiently by existing optimization methods due to its unique features and constraints. For many fields, the drill queue is currently designed manually based on engineering heuristics. In this paper, a heuristic priority function is combined with traditional optimizers to boost the optimization efficiency at a lower computational cost to speed up the decision-making process.

The heuristic priority function is constructed to map the individual well properties such as well index and inter-well distance to the well priority values. As the name indicates, wells with higher priority values will be drilled earlier in the queue. The heuristic priority function is a comprehensive metric of inter-well communication & displacement efficiency. For example, injectors with fast support to producers or producers with a better chance to drain the unswept region tend to have high scores. It contains components that weigh the different properties of a well. These components are then optimized during the optimization process to generate the beneficial drill sequences. Embedded with reservoir engineering heuristics, the priority function helps the optimizer focus on exploring scenarios with promising outcomes.

The proposed heuristic priority function, combined with the Genetic Algorithm (GA), has been tested through drill sequence optimization problems for the Brugge field and Olympus field. Optimizations that are directly performed on the drill sequence are employed as reference cases. Different continu- ous/categorical parameterization schemes and various forms of heuristic priority functions are also investigated. Our exploration reveals that the heuristic priority function including well type, constraints, well index, distance to existing wells, and adjacent oil in place yields the best outcome. The proposed approach was able to achieve a better optimization starting point (∼5-18% improvement due to more reasonable drill sequence rather than random guess), a faster convergence rate (results stabilized at 12 vs. 30 iterations), and a lower computational cost (150-250 vs. 1,300 runs to achieve the same NPV) over the reference methods. Similar performance improvement was also observed in another application to a North Sea type reservoir. This demonstrated the general applicability of the proposed method.

The employment of the heuristic priority function improves the efficiency and reliability of drill sequence optimization compared to the traditional methods that directly optimize the sequence. It can be easily embedded in either commercial or research simulators as an independent module. In addition, it is also an automatic process that fits well with iterative optimization algorithms.
Data Optimization in IoT-Assisted Sensor Networks on Cloud Platform
Authors: Tuan Nguyen A. , Akila D. , Pal Souvik , Sarkar Bikramjit , Tran Thien Khai , Le Dac-Nhuong
Published: October 2021

This article presents a new scheme for data optimization in IoT assister sensor networks. The various components of IoT assisted cloud platform are discussed. In addition, a new architecture for IoT assisted sensor networks is presented. Further, a model for data optimization in IoT assisted sensor networks is proposed. A novel Membership inducing Dynamic Data Optimization (MIDDO) algorithm for IoT assisted sensor network is proposed in this research. The proposed algorithm considers every node data and utilized membership function for the optimized data allocation. The proposed framework is compared with two stage optimization, dynamic stochastic optimization and sparsity inducing optimization and evaluated in terms of performance ratio, reliability ratio, coverage ratio and sensing error. It was inferred that the proposed MIDDO algorithm achieves an average performance ratio of 76.55%, reliability ratio of 94.74%, coverage ratio of 85.75% and sensing error of 0.154.
Study On the Degradation Mechanism of 2-Amino-4-Acetaminoanisole From Wastewater by Nano-Fe3O4 Catalyzed Heterogeneous Fenton System
Authors: Liu Hong , Zhang Peng , Chen Houwang , Ding Ning , Ni Jing
Published: October 2021

Wide use of 2-Amino-4-Acetaminoanisole (AMA) as a coupling component in the synthesis of many commercial dyes leads to the generation of AMA dyed wastewater. Discharge of untreated AMA dyed wastewater could bring environmental concerns. The present study featured H2O2 heterogeneous Fenton system to degrade 2-Amino-4-Acetaminoanisole from wastewater using nano-Fe3O4 catalyst prepared via the co-precipitation method. Based on a single factor and taking the AMA removal rate as the response value, the Box-Benhnken (BBD) response surface method was used to investigate the individual effects of Fe3O4 dosage, H2O2 dosage, initial pH, and reaction time. For the interaction study, the experimental data were processed with Design-Expert 10.0 software to obtain a quadratic response surface model. The results showed that the order of the influence of the four independent variables on the response value is as follows: nano-Fe3O4 dosage > H2O2 dosage > reaction time > pH. The obtained mathematical model exhibited a high degree of fit with the maximum AMA removal efficiency reaching to 100%. The optimal reaction conditions considered in this study are 1.70 g/L of Nano-Fe3O4 dosage, 53.52 mmol/L of H2O2 dosage, pH 5.14 and 388.97 mins as system reaction time. Furthermore, HPLC-MS was employed to analyze the degradation mechanism of AMA and the reaction intermediate products. Findings of this research provides fundamental theory and could guide subsequent practical AMA treatment during wastewater treatment.
Serum Long Non-Coding RNA SCARNA10 Serves As A Potential Diagnostic Biomarker For Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Authors: Han Yawei , Jiang Wenna , Wang Yu , Zhao Meng , Li Yueguo , Ren Li
Published: October 2021

Background: Circulating long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been demonstrated to serve as diagnostic or prognosis biomarkers for various disease. We aimed to elucidate the diagnostic efficacy of serum lncRNA SCARNA10 for the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods: In this study, a total of 127 patients with HCC, 55 patients with benign liver disease (BLD), and 99 healthy controls (HC) were enrolled in this study. According to different classifications, the levels of serum SCARNA10 were assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The correlations between serum SCARNA10 and clinicopathological charcaterisstics were further analyzed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under curve (AUC) were utilized to estimate the diagnostic capacity of serum SCARNA10 and its combination with AFP for HCC. Results: The results demonstrated that the levels of serum SCARNA10 were significantly higher in HCC patients than in patients with BLD and healthy controls, and significantly increased in HCC patients with hepatitis B or C infection, or with liver cirrhosis. Furthermore, positive correlations were noted between serum SCARNA10 level and some clinicopathological characteristics, including tumor size, differentiation degrees, tumor stage, vascular invasion, tumor metastasis and complications. ROC analysis revealed that SCARNA10 had a significantly predictive value for HCC, the combination of SCARNA10 and AFP gained the higher accuracy. SCARNA10 retained significant diagnosis capabilities for AFP-negative HCC patients. Conclusions: In summary, lncRNA SCARNA10 may serve as a novel and non-invasive biomarker with relatively high sensitivity and specificity for HCC diagnosis.
Protective Effect of Methyl gallate on Murine Antigen-Induced Arthritis by Inhibiting Inflammatory Process and Bone Erosion
Authors: Correa luana Barbosa , Pádua Tatiana Almeida , Alabarse Paulo Vinicius , Saraiva Elvira Maria , Fukada Sandra Yasuyo , Rosas Elaine Cruz , Henriques Maria
Published: October 2021

Methyl gallate (MG) is a plant-derived phenolic compound known to present remarkable anti-inflammatory effect in different experimental models such as paw oedema, pleurisy, zymosan-induced arthritis and colitis. Herein we investigated the effect of MG in the mice model of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA), a model with complex inflammatory response, driven primally by immune process and that cause bone and cartilage erosion similarly found in rheumatoid arthritis. Arthritis was induced by i.a injection of albumin methylated from bovine serum (mBSA) in C57BL/6 male mice previously immunized. The dose-response analysis of MG (0.7-70 mg/kg; p.o) showed that maximum inhibition was reached with the dose of 7 mg/kg on paw oedema and cell infiltration induced by AIA at 7 h. Treatment with MG (7mg/kg; p.o) or with the reference drug, dexamethasone (Dexa,10 mg/kg, ip) reduced AIA oedema formation, leukocyte infiltration, release of extracellular DNA and cytokine production 7 and 24 h (acute response). Mice treated daily with MG for seven days showed no significant weight loss or liver and kidney toxicity contrary to Dexa that induced some degree of toxicity. Prolonged treatment with MG inhibited the late inflammatory response (28 days) reducing oedema formation, cell infiltration, synovial hyperplasia, pannus formation and cartilage degradation as observed in histopathological analyses. Ultimately, MG reduced bone resorption as evidenced by a decrease in tartrate-resistant acid phosphate (TRAP)-positive cells number in femur histology. Altogether, we demonstrate that MG ameliorates the inflammatory reaction driven primarily by the immune process, suggesting a potential therapeutic application in arthritis treatment.
New Soliton Solutions of The Nonlinear Radhakrishnan-Kundu-Lakshmanan Equation With the Beta-Derivative
Authors: Pandir Yusuf , Gurefe Yusuf , Akturk Tolga
Published: October 2021

In this article, the modified exponential function method is applied to find the exact solutions of the Radhakrishnan-Kundu-Lakshmanan equation with Atangana’s conformable beta-derivative. The definition of the conformable beta derivative and its properties proposed by Atangana are given. With the proposed method, exact solutions of the nonlinear Radhakrishnan-Kundu-Lakshmanan equation which can be stated with the conformable beta-derivative of Atangana are obtained. The exact solutions found as a result of the application of the method seem to be 1-soliton solutions, dark soliton solutions, periodic soliton solutions and rational function solutions. According to the obtained results, we can say that the Radhakrishnan-Kundu-Lakshmanan equation with Atangana’s conformable beta-derivative have different soliton solutions. Also, three-dimensional contour and density graphs and two- dimensional graphs drawn with different parameters are given of these new exact solutions.
Application of Korean Framework of Wetland Management Effectiveness Evaluation
Authors: Choi Nak-Hyun , Yeum Jung-Hun , Kim Han
Published: October 2021

This study applies the Korean framework of wetland management effectiveness evaluation for national wetland protected areas to obtain key insights into developing national wetland management policy. The quantitative evaluation framework was based on the basic evaluation framework of the International Union for Conservation of Nature, reflecting the characteristics of South Korea's wetland management policy. The framework comprises a total of 29 evaluation and 21 detailed items. Through the first quantitative evaluation of the entire target sites, a statistical analysis of the evaluation results was performed in line with management characteristics. The second and third qualitative evaluations, conducted by external research teams, were conducted after selecting a pilot target site for each group. After evaluation, the sites were divided into three groups: Group B showed the highest average values in all sectors of design, appropriateness, and delivery. The management effects in the pilot sites were, 43.9% in Yongneup of Mt. Daeam, 37.4% in Damyang riverine wetlands, and 58.9% in Upo wetlands, compared to the ideal management level. As a result, four important suggestions are derived. First, management effectiveness evaluation should consider national environmental and management policy characteristics based on an international framework. Second, an integrated management system should be established. Third, stakeholders should participate in building governance. Fourth, the participation of external experts is essential.
Reclamation of Cobalt and Copper from Single- and Co-contaminated Wastewater via Carbonate and Hydroxide Precipitation
Authors: Quiton Khyle Glainmer , Lu Ming-Chun , Huang Yao-Hui
Published: October 2021

Wastewater containing cobalt and copper comprised of plating wash water, plant wash water, and equipment cooling and wash water is generated in the electroplating industry. These metals can be detrimental to humans, animals, plants, and the environment. Thus, it is necessary to treat electroplating wastewater to remove these toxic metals. Carbonate and hydroxide precipitation were utilized for the removal of Co(II) and Cu(II) from synthetic electroplating wastewater by jar tests in this work. The effects of solution pH, precipitant-to-metal ratio, and type of precipitant on the precipitation efficiency of cobalt and copper from the single- and co-contaminated systems were investigated. Carbonate precipitation achieved higher removal efficiency for both target metals in the single- and co-contaminated wastewater streams. Furthermore, it can operate at relatively low pH range of about 7.0-8.0. Cobalt in both pollutant systems was almost completely removed at pH 10.0 using both precipitant systems. Copper was found to be easily removed which was possibly brought about by precipitation-adsorption mechanism. The extent of the co-removal of cobalt with copper is significantly pH dependent. The effect of precipitant-to-metal ratio for cobalt and copper treatment varied in single- and co-contaminated streams. Carbonate precipitation led to lower sludge density than that of hydroxide precipitation.
Soft Computing Based Tuning of PI Controller With Cuckoo Search Optimization For Level Control of Hopper Tank System
Authors: c Vinothkumar , Esakkiappan C
Published: October 2021

The paper work focuses on soft computing and Conventional tuning approach to design of PI controller, which provides a better sustainable performance for a nonlinear hopper tank system which is used in Wastewater treatment applications. The system processes the combination of a conical and cylindrical tank for providing Multi-region based mathematical modelling to obtain the first order with delay time (FOPDT) process transfer function model. The Ziegler Nichols, Cohen-coon, Tyreus Luben, CHR (Chien, Hrones, and Reswick), IMC (Internal Model Control), Direct Synthesis, FOPI( Fractional Order PI) Conventional tuning formulae and Cuckoo Search Optimization (CSO) algorithm are used to optimize the servo regulatory responses of PI controller. The integral and proportional gain of the PI controller is said to produce the fastest settling time and reduces the error using performance indices and achieves Liquid Level control in hopper tank. Comparison is made for the various conventional controller tuning methods with Cuckoo Search Optimization tuning responses and identified to CSO-PI method offers enhanced Optimized Performance while comparing to Conventional tuning methods for a region based system.
Genome-Wide DNA Methylation Dynamics During Drought Responsiveness in Tibetan Hulless Barley
Authors: Jabu Dunzhu , Yu Zhaiming , Xu Qijun , Yang Haizhen , Mu Wang , Yuzhen Basang
Published: October 2021

Differences in drought stress tolerance within diverse grass genotypes have been attributed to epigenetic modifications. DNA methylation is an important epigenetic alteration regulating responses to drought-stress. However, its effects on drought-tolerance are poorly understood in Tibetan hulless barley. Here, bisulfite sequencing was conducted to profile the DNA methylation patterns of drought-tolerant variety XL and drought-sensitive one DQ under drought and control conditions. A total of 5843 million reads were generated. We found the significant genome-wide changes in CHH methylation rates between XL and DQ, while CG or CHG methylation rates did not. Besides that, the two contrasting varieties do reveal distinct responses to drought-stress in differentially methylated region (DMR) numbers and antioxidant activities. Genes in drought-tolerant varieties XL are rapidly and significantly methylated to alleviate the drought stress. DMR related genes in XL might involve in defense response and response to stimuli, which are confirmed by gene ontology analysis. Then, we focused on 1003 transcription factors and identified 15 specific DMR related transcription factors exhibiting specific methylation changes under drought stimuli. Finally, we identified three DMR related TFs (HVUL6H08680.2, HVUL4 h39100.2, and HVUL2H41931.2) where Arabidopsis homologues involve in responses to drought conditions. Altogether, DNA methylation regulate responsiveness to environmental stimuli, which could be mediated by methylation of transcription factors in hulless barely.
Repeated Cardiac Arrest Following Emergency Carotid Artery Stenting.- A Case Report.
Authors: Wang Qinqin , Wu Huihui , Hou Bin
Published: October 2021

Background: Due to carotid sinus response, blood pressure reduction and bradycardia during and after carotid stent implantation was reported frequently, in contrast, repeated cardiac arrest is rare but fatal unless the heart can be started quickly. Case introduction: A 61-year-old male presented with severe left hemiplegia, aphasia, central facial palsy and gaze. Emergency surgery under general anesthesia was finally scheduled in view of possible severe cerebral arterial stenosis. The patient underwent ipsilateral ICA stenting after balloon dilatation and was transferred to intensive care unit(ICU). His heart rate tended to decrease sharply and then cardiac arrest was noted on electrocardiograph(ECG) monitor. Emergency cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) was started and repeated three times due to persistent symptoms. Coronary angiography was postponed for 15 days until neurological recovery. Multivessel disease with severe stenosis one of them was confirmed and percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) was performed. The patient was discharged on the 20th day of admission with only slight neurological deficits. Conclusion: We tend to attribute the causes of repeated cardiac arrest in this case to carotid sinus response induced by stenting and serious coronary stenosis.
The Multiple Mediating Effects of Perceived Social Support and Spiritual Well-being on the Relationship Between Spiritual Needs and Quality of Life Among Patients With Advanced Cancer
Authors: Wen Quying , Jiao Miaorui , Wang Huailin , Hu Yanli
Published: October 2021

Aims: The purpose of this study was to test the associations between spiritual needs, perceived social support, spiritual well-being, and quality of life (QoL) and examine the multiple mediating effects of perceived social support and spiritual well-being on the relationship between spiritual needs and QoL among patients with advanced cancer.Methods: Spiritual needs, perceived social support, spiritual well-being and QoL were assessed using self-report questionnaires among 286 cancer patients in a tertiary oncology hospital. The mediation model was analysed using the SPSS PROCESS procedure, and indirect effects were evaluated with bootstrapping.Results: QoL was positively correlated with spiritual needs (r=0.315, p<0.01), perceived social support (r=0.451, p<0.01) and spiritual well-being (r=0.636, p<0.01). The relationship between spiritual needs and QoL was mediated by perceived social support (indirect effect: 0.063, confidence interval (CI) (0.018, 0.118)) and spiritual well-being (indirect effect: 0.068, CI (0.001, 0.155)) and serially mediated by spiritual needs and QoL (indirect effect: 0.072, CI (0.041, 0.113)).Conclusions: The results emphasize the importance of spiritual well-being and social support for cancer patients, especially those with more spiritual needs. They suggest that healthcare providers should develop strategies to enhance perceived social support and spiritual well-being when caring for cancer patients to improve patients’ QoL.
New Biomarkers of Kawasaki Disease Identified by Gingival Crevicular Fluid Proteomics
Authors: Fan Xue , Li Ying , Guo Xin , Lan Jingjing , Xu Mingguo
Published: October 2021

Background

Kawasaki Disease (KD) is an acute self-limiting systemic vasculitis syndrome which can result in arterial damage especially in coronary artery. To find possible new biomarkers for the diagnosis of KD by Data independent acquisition (DIA) quantitative proteomics.
Methods

Twenty-seven patients with KD were enrolled in the present study, further, gingival crevicular fluid of before IVIG treatment with KD was collected as the experimental group. Meanwhile, 18 healthy volunteers were recruited as the control group.DIA quantitative proteomics mass spectrometry analysis was performed on the GCF samples of each group, and the protein expression profiles of the two groups of GCF were detected. Function enrichment of DEP by KEGG and GO, protein-protein interaction (PPI) analysis for all the DEPs detected, Finally, the multiple reaction monitoring mass spectrometry method was used to verify the selected DEPs.
Results

197 DEPs (174 up-regulated and 23 down-regulated) were detected in the CGF between the KD group and the normal control group. Cellular process and metabolic process, binding and catalytic activity are the most altered biological process and molecular function, respectively. NOD−like receptor signaling pathway, Protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum pathway and influenza pathway are most significant pathway. EIF2AK2, B2M and GBP1 are kernel proteins in PPI network. The results of MRM-MS of 12 DEPs including IFIT3, UB2L6, HP, A1AT, HSP90AA1, HNRPC, HSP90AB1, SAA1, MX1, B2M, FKBP4 and TRAP1 were highly consistent with DIA.
Conclusions

We suggested that 12 proteins in GCF could be used as new biomarkers for early diagnosis of KD. We also found that KD is closely related to gingival inflammation at the molecular level, which provides new ideas and directions for the diagnosis and treatment of KD.