bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Producing and Testing Prototype Tissue-Engineered 3D Tri-Leaflet Valved Stents on Biodegradable Poly-ε-Caprolactone Scaffolds
Authors: Lutter Georg , Pommert Nina Sophie , Zhang Xiling , Seiler Jette , Saeid Nia Monireh , Meier David , Sellers Stephanie L. , Gorb Stanislav N. , Hansen Jan-Hinnerk , Seoudy Hatim , Müller Oliver J. , Saad Mohammed , Haneya Assad , Frank Derk , Puehler Thomas , Sathananthan Janarthanan
Published: December 2023

Transcatheter pulmonary valve replacement is a minimally-invasive alternative treatment for right ventricular outflow tract dysfunction and has been rapidly evolving over the past years. Heart valve prostheses currently available still have major limitations. Therefore, one of the significant challenges for the future is the roll out of transcatheter tissue engineered pulmonary valve replacement to more patients. In the present study, biodegradable poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) nanofiber scaffolds in the form of a 3D leaflet matrix were successfully seeded with human endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived MSCs (hMSCs), and porcine MSCs (pMSCs) for three weeks for the generation of 3D tissue-engineered tri-leaflet valved stent grafts. The cell adhesion, proliferation, and distribution of these 3D heart leaflets was analyzed using fluorescence microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). All cell lineages were able to increase the overgrown leaflet area within the three-week timeframe. While hMSCs showed a consistent growth rate over the course of three weeks, ECFSs showed almost no increase between days 7 and 14 until a growth spurt appeared between days 14 and 21. More than 90% of heart valve leaflets were covered with cells after the full three-week culturing cycle in nearly all leaflet areas, regardless of which cell type was used. This study shows that seeded biodegradable PCL nanofiber scaffolds incorporated in nitinol or biodegradable stents will offer a new therapeutic option in the future.
Blood Neurofilament Levels Predict Cognitive Decline across the Alzheimer’s Disease Continuum
Authors: Lehmann Sylvain , Schraen-Maschke Susanna , Vidal Jean-Sébastien , Blanc Frédéric , Paquet Claire , Allinquant Bernadette , Bombois Stéphanie , Gabelle Audrey , Delaby Constance , Hanon Olivier
Published: December 2023

Neurofilament light chain (NfL) is a potential diagnostic and prognostic plasma biomarker for numerous neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, we investigated the relationship between baseline plasma concentration of Nfl and Mild Cognitive Impairment in participants who did and did not have a clinically determined diagnosis of dementia by the end of the three-year study. Additionally, we explored the connection between baseline plasma concentration of NfL and AD dementia patients, considering their demographics, clinical features, and cognitive profiles. A total of 350 participants from the Biomarker of AmyLoid pepTide and AlZheimer’s diseAse Risk (BALTAZAR) multicenter prospective study were investigated: 161 AD dementia participants and 189 MCI participants (of which 141 had amnestic MCI and 48 non-amnestic MCI). Plasma biomarkers were measured at baseline and the progression of clinical and cognitive profiles was followed over the three years of follow-up. Baseline plasma NfL concentration increased across the Alzheimer’s disease continuum with a mean NfL value of 17.1 ng/mL [SD = 6.1] in non-amnestic MCI, 20.7 ng/mL [SD = 12.0] in amnestic MCI, and 23.1 ng/mL [SD = 22.7] in AD dementia patients. Plasma NfL concentration correlated with age, body mass index (BMI), and global cognitive performance and decline, as measured by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). MMSE scores decreased in parallel with increasing plasma NfL concentration, independently of age and BMI. However, NfL concentration did not predict MCI participants’ conversion to dementia within three years. Discussion: Baseline plasma NfL concentration is associated with cognitive status along the AD continuum, suggesting its usefulness as a potential informative biomarker for cognitive decline follow-up in patients.
Therapeutic Targets and Precision Medicine in COPD: Inflammation, Ion Channels, Both, or Neither?
Authors: Bolger Graeme B.
Published: December 2023

The development of a wider range of therapeutic options is a key objective in drug discovery for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Fundamental advances in lung biology have the potential to greatly expand the number of therapeutic targets in COPD. The recently reported successful Phase 3 clinical trial of the first biologic agent for COPD, the monoclonal antibody dupilumab, adds additional support to the importance of targeting inflammatory pathways in COPD. However, numerous other cellular mechanisms are important targets in COPD therapeutics, including airway remodeling, the CFTR ion channel, and mucociliary function. Some of these emerging targets can be exploited by the expanded use of existing COPD drugs, such as roflumilast, while targeting others will require the development of novel molecular entities. The identification of additional therapeutic targets and agents has the potential to greatly expand the value of using clinical and biomarker data to classify COPD into specific subsets, each of which can be predictive of an enhanced response to specific subset(s) of targeted therapies. The author reviews established and emerging drug targets in COPD and uses this as a framework to define a novel classification of COPD based on therapeutic targets. This novel classification has the potential to enhance precision medicine in COPD patient care and to accelerate clinical trials and pre-clinical drug discovery efforts.
Heart Failure Promotes Cancer Progression in an Integrin β1-Dependent Manner
Authors: Langier Goncalves Irina , Awwad Lama , Aviram Sharon , Izraeli Talel , Achlaug Laris , Aronheim Ami
Published: December 2023

Heart failure and cancer are currently the deadliest diseases in the Western world, posing the most pressing clinical challenges that remain unmet today. Both conditions share similar risk factors, including age, genetics, lifestyle, chronic inflammation, stress, and more. Furthermore, medications that are being used to counteract cancer frequently result in cardiotoxicity and the spontaneous emergence of heart failure. Thus, heart failure and cancer display an intimate connection and share similarities. Recent studies show that cardiac remodeling and heart failure promote cancer progression and metastasis. Using three different mouse models for heart failure revealed that the communication between the remodeled heart and the tumor is facilitated through multiple secreted factors. Among these factors, Periostin was consistently found to be elevated in all models and was shown to be required in vitro. Yet, whether Periostin is necessary for tumor promotion in vivo is unknown. Towards this end, we examined tumor promotion in mice lacking Periostin following transverse aortic constriction (TAC). Despite the loss of Periostin, tumor growth was promoted in the TAC-operated mice. This likely occurred due to increased levels of various cytokines and growth factors in Periostin KO mice. Many of these factors are potential ligands of Integrin receptors. Therefore, we next studied the role of Integrin receptors in the tumor-promotion phenotype following heart failure. We generated cancer cells with an Integrin β1 loss of function mutation and examined tumor growth in the presence and absence of heart failure. Integrin β1 KO cancer cells fail to display cardiac-remodeling-dependent tumor-promotion. Interestingly, a previous study showed that renal cell carcinoma cells (Renca) fail to be promoted following a myocardial infarction. Consistently, we show that Renca cells do not respond to secreted factors derived from the failing heart both in vitro and in vivo. Interestingly, Renca cells display low basal mRNA levels of Integrin β1 which may explain the inability of heart failure to promote their growth. The findings may have significant clinical relevance to cardio–oncology patients who suffer from cancers with high levels of Integrin β1. Chemotherapy leading to cardiotoxicity in these patients may generate a vicious cycle with poor prognosis.
An Integrated Methodology for Enhancing Reverse Logistics Flows and Networks in Industry 5.0
Authors: Dabo Al-Amin Abba , Hosseinian-Far Amin
Published: December 2023

Background: This paper explores the potential of Industry 5.0 in driving societal transition to a circular economy. We focus on the strategic role of reverse logistics in this context, underlining its significance in optimizing resource use, reducing waste, and enhancing sustainable production and consumption patterns. Adopting sustainable industrial practices is critical to addressing global environmental challenges. Industry 5.0 offers opportunities for achieving these goals, particularly through the enhancement of reverse logistics processes. Methods: We propose an integrated methodology that combines binary logistic regression and decision trees to predict and optimize reverse logistics flows and networks within the Industry 5.0 framework. Results: The methodology demonstrates effective quantitative modeling of influential predictors in reverse logistics and provides a structured framework for understanding their interrelations. It yields actionable insights that enhance decision-making processes in supply chain management. Conclusions: The methodology supports the integration of advanced technologies and human-centered approaches into industrial reverse logistics, thereby improving resource sustainability, systemic innovation, and contributing to the broader goals of a circular economy. Future research should explore the scalability of this methodology across different industrial sectors and its integration with other Industry 5.0 technologies. Continuous refinement and adaptation of the methodology will be necessary to keep pace with the evolving landscape of industrial sustainability.
Investigation of Self-Healing Performance of Asphalt Mastic—From the Perspective of Secondary Aging
Authors: Li Bo , Wang Yu , Xiao Peng , Kang Aihong , Zhang Yao , Wu Zhengguang
Published: December 2023

Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) has been widely utilized because it is an environmentally friendly and economical material. The performance of recycled asphalt mixtures will deteriorate gradually with the secondary aging process of asphalt, including the self-healing property. To further understand the self-healing characteristics of asphalt after secondary aging, taking 70# petroleum asphalt, SBS-modified asphalt, and extracted old asphalt mastics as objects, the fatigue self-healing test and fracture self-healing test were conducted to simulate the intermediate-and low-temperature healing behaviors of different asphalt mastics. The impact of healing time, healing temperature, and aging degree of mastics on the healing performance was systematically investigated. The results show that the original unaged asphalt mastics present excellent fatigue healing properties with an index of 0.796 and 0.888 for 70# petroleum and SBS-modified asphalt mastics, respectively. The secondary aging process causes significant impact on the healing properties, leading to a great drop in the corresponding index, which decreased to 47.5% and 72.5% of that of the unaged ones. The fracture healing ability of all mastics was much inferior to the fatigue healing. After secondary aging, the fracture healing index values of 70# petroleum asphalt, SBS-modified asphalt, and extracted old asphalt mastics were all as low as around 0.3, indicating similar performance can be found in the secondary aged SBS-modified asphalt mastics and 70# asphalt mastics. Overall, after secondary aging, the fatigue damage of SBS-modified asphalt mastics can be cured effectively by self-healing, but the fatigue and fracture self-healing properties of 70# asphalt mastics are difficult to recover. These results could provide an innovative view to understand the fatigue and fracture healing characteristics of recycled asphalt pavement after secondary aging.
The Kondo Effect in CexLaLuScY (x = 0.05–1.0) High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Petrović Julia , Vrtnik Stanislav , Jelen Andreja , Koželj Primož , Luzar Jože , Mihor Peter , Hu Qiang , Wencka Magdalena , Ambrožič Bojan , Meden Anton , Dražić Goran , Guo Sheng , Dolinšek Janez
Published: December 2023

In the search for electronic phenomena in high-entropy alloys (HEAs) that go beyond the independent-electron description, we have synthesized a series of hexagonal rare earth (RE)-based HEAs: CexLaLuScY (x = 0.05–1.0). The measurements of electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat have shown that the CexLaLuScY HEAs exhibit the Kondo effect, which is of a single impurity type in the entire range of employed Ce concentrations despite the alloys being classified as dense (concentrated) Kondo systems. A comparison to other known dense Kondo systems has revealed that the Kondo effect in the CexLaLuScY HEAs behaves quite differently from the chemically ordered Kondo lattices but quite similar to the RE-containing magnetic metallic glasses and randomly chemically disordered Kondo lattices of the chemical formula RE1xRE21−xM (with RE1 being magnetic and RE2 being nonmagnetic). The main reason for the similarity between HEAs and the metallic glasses and chemically disordered Kondo lattices appears to be the absence of a periodic 4f sublattice in these systems, which prevents the formation of a coherent state between the 4f-scattering sites in the T→ 0 limit. The crystal-glass duality of HEAs does not bring conceptually new features to the Kondo effect that would not be already present in other disordered dense Kondo systems. This study broadens the classification of HEAs to correlated electron systems.
The Microstructures, Mechanical Properties, and Deformation Mechanism of B2-Hardened NbTiAlZr-Based Refractory High-Entropy Alloys
Authors: Tang Guangquan , Shao Xu , Pang Jingyu , Ji Yu , Wang Aimin , Li Jinguo , Zhang Haifeng , Zhang Hongwei
Published: December 2023

The NbTiAlZrHfTaMoW refractory high-entropy alloy (RHEA) system with the structure of the B2 matrix (antiphase domains) and antiphase domain boundaries was firstly developed. We conducted the mechanical properties of the RHEAs at 298 K, 1023 K, 1123 K, and 1223 K, as well as typical deformation characteristics. The RHEAs with low density (7.41~7.51 g/cm3) have excellent compressive-specific yield strength (σYS/ρ) at 1023 K (~131 MPa·cm3/g) and 1123 K (~104.2 MPa·cm3/g), respectively, which are far superior to most typical RHEAs. And, they still keep appropriate plastic deformability at room temperature (ε > 0.35). The superior specific yield strengths are mainly attributed to the solid solution strengthening induced by the Zr element. The formation of the dislocation slip bands with [111](101_) and [111](112_) directions and their interaction provide considerable plastic deformation capability. Meanwhile, dynamic recrystallization and dislocation annihilation accelerate the continuous softening after yielding at 1123 K.
Research on the Adhesion Properties of Fast-Melting SBS-Modified Asphalt–Aggregate Based on Surface Free Energy Theory
Authors: Men Bo , Guo Fei , Kang Xiaolong , Yue Jinchao
Published: December 2023

In order to study the adhesion properties of fast-melting SBS-modified asphalt (SBS-T) at the interface with aggregates, the contact angles of three dosages of SBS-T asphalt with three liquids (distilled water, glycerol, and formamide) were determined by the sessile drop method based on surface free energy theory. The evaluation indexes such as cohesion, asphalt–aggregate adhesion, stripping work and energy ratio of the asphalt were analyzed and the adhesion properties of the asphalt–aggregate system were investigated with the help of micromechanical methods. The results indicate that SBS-T can improve the adhesion properties of the asphalt. Furthermore, as the dosage of the modifier increases, the cohesion work, adhesion work, and energy ratio of the SBS-T asphalt exhibit a similar rise. As the spalling work reduces and the adhesion between asphalt and aggregate improves, it is noteworthy that the SBS-T asphalt–aggregate system exhibits superior adhesion performance compared to the SBS-modified asphalt–aggregate system, despite the same dosage.
Effective Detection of Epileptic Seizures through EEG Signals Using Deep Learning Approaches
Authors: Mekruksavanich Sakorn , Jitpattanakul Anuchit
Published: December 2023

Epileptic seizures are a prevalent neurological condition that impacts a considerable portion of the global population. Timely and precise identification can result in as many as 70% of individuals achieving freedom from seizures. To achieve this, there is a pressing need for smart, automated systems to assist medical professionals in identifying neurological disorders correctly. Previous efforts have utilized raw electroencephalography (EEG) data and machine learning techniques to classify behaviors in patients with epilepsy. However, these studies required expertise in clinical domains like radiology and clinical procedures for feature extraction. Traditional machine learning for classification relied on manual feature engineering, limiting performance. Deep learning excels at automated feature learning directly from raw data sans human effort. For example, deep neural networks now show promise in analyzing raw EEG data to detect seizures, eliminating intensive clinical or engineering needs. Though still emerging, initial studies demonstrate practical applications across medical domains. In this work, we introduce a novel deep residual model called ResNet-BiGRU-ECA, analyzing brain activity through EEG data to accurately identify epileptic seizures. To evaluate our proposed deep learning model’s efficacy, we used a publicly available benchmark dataset on epilepsy. The results of our experiments demonstrated that our suggested model surpassed both the basic model and cutting-edge deep learning models, achieving an outstanding accuracy rate of 0.998 and the top F1-score of 0.998.
New Eremophilane-Type Sesquiterpenes from the Marine Sediment-Derived Fungus Emericellopsis maritima BC17 and Their Cytotoxic and Antimicrobial Activities
Authors: Virués-Segovia Jorge R. , Millán Carlos , Pinedo Cristina , González-Rodríguez Victoria E. , Papaspyrou Sokratis , Zorrilla David , Mackenzie Thomas A. , Ramos María C. , de la Cruz Mercedes , Aleu Josefina , Durán-Patrón Rosa
Published: December 2023

The fungal strain BC17 was isolated from sediments collected in the intertidal zone of the inner Bay of Cadiz and characterized as Emericellopsis maritima. On the basis of the one strain–many compounds (OSMAC) approach, four new eremophilane-type sesquiterpenes (1–4), together with thirteen known derivatives (5–17) and two reported diketopiperazines (18, 19), were isolated from this strain. The chemical structures and absolute configurations of the new compounds were determined through extensive NMR and HRESIMS spectroscopic studies and ECD calculation. Thirteen of the isolated eremophilanes were examined for cytotoxic and antimicrobial activities. PR toxin (16) exhibited cytotoxic activity against HepG2, MCF-7, A549, A2058, and Mia PaCa-2 human cancer cell lines with IC50 values ranging from 3.75 to 33.44 µM. (+)-Aristolochene (10) exhibited selective activity against the fungal strains Aspergillus fumigatus ATCC46645 and Candida albicans ATCC64124 at 471 µM.
Detection and Segmentation of Radiolucent Lesions in the Lower Jaw on Panoramic Radiographs Using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Rašić Mario , Tropčić Mario , Karlović Pjetra , Gabrić Dragana , Subašić Marko , Knežević Predrag
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives: The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate a deep learning model capable of autonomously detecting and segmenting radiolucent lesions in the lower jaw by utilizing You Only Look Once (YOLO) v8. Materials and Methods: This study involved the analysis of 226 lesions present in panoramic radiographs captured between 2013 and 2023 at the Clinical Hospital Dubrava and the School of Dental Medicine, University of Zagreb. Panoramic radiographs included radiolucent lesions such as radicular cysts, ameloblastomas, odontogenic keratocysts (OKC), dentigerous cysts and residual cysts. To enhance the database, we applied techniques such as translation, scaling, rotation, horizontal flipping and mosaic effects. We have employed the deep neural network to tackle our detection and segmentation objectives. Also, to improve our model’s generalization capabilities, we conducted five-fold cross-validation. The assessment of the model’s performance was carried out through metrics like Intersection over Union (IoU), precision, recall and mean average precision (mAP)@50 and mAP@50-95. Results: In the detection task, the precision, recall, mAP@50 and mAP@50-95 scores without augmentation were recorded at 91.8%, 57.1%, 75.8% and 47.3%, while, with augmentation, were 95.2%, 94.4%, 97.5% and 68.7%, respectively. Similarly, in the segmentation task, the precision, recall, mAP@50 and mAP@50-95 values achieved without augmentation were 76%, 75.5%, 75.1% and 48.3%, respectively. Augmentation techniques led to an improvement of these scores to 100%, 94.5%, 96.6% and 72.2%. Conclusions: Our study confirmed that the model developed using the advanced YOLOv8 has the remarkable capability to automatically detect and segment radiolucent lesions in the mandible. With its continual evolution and integration into various medical fields, the deep learning model holds the potential to revolutionize patient care.
Perceptions of Post-Stroke Fatigue among Health Care Practitioners: A Qualitative Interview Study
Authors: Alahmari Wafa Saeed , Basuodan Reem M. , Shalabi Kholood Matouq , Alhowimel Ahmed Saad , Alotaibi Mazyad , Kontou Eirini , Logan Pip , Coulson Neil
Published: December 2023

Background and Objectives: Post-Stroke Fatigue (PSF) is a complex, multidimensional, debilitating condition that affects almost half of all stroke survivors. This study explored the perceptions of physiatrists, physiotherapists, and occupational therapists about PSF and their experiences in managing patients with PSF in Saudi Arabia. Materials and Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with participants from three different groups: eight physiotherapists (PTs), eight occupational therapists (OTs), and eight physiatrists (DRs). Using purposive sampling, participants with at least one year of experience in the field of PSF management were invited to take part. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Results: Twenty-four health care participants (eight PTs, eight OTs, eight DRs) were recruited. Five overarching themes encompassing various subthemes and sub-subthemes were generated: ‘knowledge about post-stroke fatigue’, ‘diagnosing post-stroke fatigue’, ‘treatment approach’, ‘lack of awareness about post-stroke fatigue’, and ‘domains to improve’. The data indicated that participants used various strategies to manage PSF, including dietary changes, sleep hygiene, exercise, and energy conservation. Conclusions: Participants acknowledged that they lacked PSF-related management skills, despite possessing adequate knowledge about the management of stroke. Their openness to participating in activities that would improve their ability to diagnose and manage PSF was particularly striking.
Visual Features for Improving Endoscopic Bleeding Detection Using Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Brzeski Adam , Dziubich Tomasz , Krawczyk Henryk
Published: December 2023

The presented paper investigates the problem of endoscopic bleeding detection in endoscopic videos in the form of a binary image classification task. A set of definitions of high-level visual features of endoscopic bleeding is introduced, which incorporates domain knowledge from the field. The high-level features are coupled with respective feature descriptors, enabling automatic capture of the features using image processing methods. Each of the proposed feature descriptors outputs a feature activation map in the form of a grayscale image. Acquired feature maps can be appended in a straightforward way to the original color channels of the input image and passed to the input of a convolutional neural network during the training and inference steps. An experimental evaluation is conducted to compare the classification ROC AUC of feature-extended convolutional neural network models with baseline models using regular color image inputs. The advantage of feature-extended models is demonstrated for the Resnet and VGG convolutional neural network architectures.
Machine Learning for the Detection and Diagnosis of Anomalies in Applications Driven by Electric Motors
Authors: Ferraz Júnior Fábio , Romero Roseli Aparecida Francelin , Hsieh Sheng-Jen
Published: December 2023

Manufacturing systems are becoming increasingly flexible, necessitating the adoption of new technologies that allow adaptations to a turbulent and complex modern market. Consequently, modern concepts of production systems require horizontal and vertical integration, extending across value networks and within a factory or production shop. The integration of these environments enables the acquisition of a substantial amount of data containing information pertaining to production, processes, and equipment located on the shop floor. When these data and information are processed and analyzed, they have the potential to reveal valuable insights and knowledge about the manufacturing systems, offering interpretive outcomes for strategic decision making. One of the opportunities presented in this context includes the implementation of predictive maintenance (PdM). However, industrial adoption of PdM is still relatively low. In this paper, the aim is to propose a methodology for selecting the main attributes (variables) to be considered in the instrumentation setup of rotating machines driven by electric motors to decrease the associated costs and the time spent defining them. For this, the most well-known data science and machine learning algorithms are investigated to choose the one most adequate for this task. For the experiments, different testing scenarios were proposed to detect the different possible types of anomalies, such as uncoupled, overloaded, unbalanced, misaligned, and normal. The results obtained show how these algorithms can be effective in classifying the different types of anomalies and that the two models that presented the best accuracy values were k-nearest neighbor and multi-layer perceptron.
Continuous Biopotential Monitoring via Carbon Nanotubes Paper Composites (CPC) for Sustainable Health Analysis
Authors: Ban Seunghyeb , Lee Chang Woo , Sakthivelpathi Vigneshwar , Chung Jae-Hyun , Kim Jong-Hoon
Published: December 2023

Skin-based wearable devices have gained significant attention due to advancements in soft materials and thin-film technologies. Nevertheless, traditional wearable electronics often entail expensive and intricate manufacturing processes and rely on metal-based substrates that are susceptible to corrosion and lack flexibility. In response to these challenges, this paper has emerged with an alternative substrate for wearable electrodes due to its cost-effectiveness and scalability in manufacturing. Paper-based electrodes offer an attractive solution with their inherent properties of high breathability, flexibility, biocompatibility, and tunability. In this study, we introduce carbon nanotube-based paper composites (CPC) electrodes designed for the continuous detection of biopotential signals, such as electrooculography (EOG), electrocardiogram (ECG), and electroencephalogram (EEG). To prevent direct skin contact with carbon nanotubes, we apply various packaging materials, including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), Eco-flex, polyimide (PI), and polyurethane (PU). We conduct a comparative analysis of their signal-to-noise ratios in comparison to conventional gel electrodes. Our system demonstrates real-time biopotential monitoring for continuous health tracking, utilizing CPC in conjunction with a portable data acquisition system. The collected data are analyzed to provide accurate heart rates, respiratory rates, and heart rate variability metrics. Additionally, we explore the feasibility using CPC for sleep monitoring by collecting EEG signals.
AIoT in Agriculture: Safeguarding Crops from Pest and Disease Threats
Authors: Blanco-Carmona Pedro , Baeza-Moreno Lucía , Hidalgo-Fort Eduardo , Martín-Clemente Rubén , González-Carvajal Ramón , Muñoz-Chavero Fernando
Published: December 2023

A significant proportion of the world’s agricultural production is lost to pests and diseases. To mitigate this problem, an AIoT system for the early detection of pest and disease risks in crops is proposed. It presents a system based on low-power and low-cost sensor nodes that collect environmental data and transmit it once a day to a server via a NB-IoT network. In addition, the sensor nodes use individual, retrainable and updatable machine learning algorithms to assess the risk level in the crop every 30 min. If a risk is detected, environmental data and the risk level are immediately sent. Additionally, the system enables two types of notification: email and flashing LED, providing online and offline risk notifications. As a result, the system was deployed in a real-world environment and the power consumption of the sensor nodes was characterized, validating their longevity and the correct functioning of the risk detection algorithms. This allows the farmer to know the status of their crop and to take early action to address these threats.
Simultaneous Dry and Gel-Based High-Density Electroencephalography Recordings
Authors: Fiedler Patrique , Graichen Uwe , Zimmer Ellen , Haueisen Jens
Published: December 2023

Evaluations of new dry, high-density EEG caps have only been performed so far with serial measurements and not with simultaneous (parallel) measurements. For a first comparison of gel-based and dry electrode performance in simultaneous high-density EEG measurements, we developed a new EEG cap comprising 64 gel-based and 64 dry electrodes and performed simultaneous measurements on ten volunteers. We analyzed electrode–skin impedances, resting state EEG, triggered eye blinks, and visual evoked potentials (VEPs). To overcome the issue of different electrode positions in the comparison of simultaneous measurements, we performed spatial frequency analysis of the simultaneously measured EEGs using spatial harmonic analysis (SPHARA). The impedances were 516 ± 429 kOhm (mean ± std) for the dry electrodes and 14 ± 8 kOhm for the gel-based electrodes. For the dry EEG electrodes, we obtained a channel reliability of 77%. We observed no differences between dry and gel-based recordings for the alpha peak frequency and the alpha power amplitude, as well as for the VEP peak amplitudes and latencies. For the VEP, the RMSD and the correlation coefficient between the gel-based and dry recordings were 1.7 ± 0.7 μV and 0.97 ± 0.03, respectively. We observed no differences in the cumulative power distributions of the spatial frequency components for the N75 and P100 VEP peaks. The differences for the N145 VEP peak were attributed to the different noise characteristics of gel-based and dry recordings. In conclusion, we provide evidence for the equivalence of simultaneous dry and gel-based high-density EEG measurements.
Development and Application of an Automated Raman Sensor for Bioprocess Monitoring: From the Laboratory to an Algae Production Platform
Authors: Wieser Wiviane , Assaf Antony Ali , Le Gouic Benjamin , Dechandol Emmanuel , Herve Laura , Louineau Thomas , Dib Omar Hussein , Gonçalves Olivier , Titica Mariana , Couzinet-Mossion Aurélie , Wielgosz-Collin Gaetane , Bittel Marine , Thouand Gerald
Published: December 2023

Microalgae provide valuable bio-components with economic and environmental benefits. The monitoring of microalgal production is mostly performed using different sensors and analytical methods that, although very powerful, are limited to qualified users. This study proposes an automated Raman spectroscopy-based sensor for the online monitoring of microalgal production. For this purpose, an in situ system with a sampling station was made of a light-tight optical chamber connected to a Raman probe. Microalgal cultures were routed to this chamber by pipes connected to pumps and valves controlled and programmed by a computer. The developed approach was evaluated on Parachlorella kessleri under different culture conditions at a laboratory and an industrial algal platform. As a result, more than 4000 Raman spectra were generated and analysed by statistical methods. These spectra reflected the physiological state of the cells and demonstrate the ability of the developed sensor to monitor the physiology of microalgal cells and their intracellular molecules of interest in a complex production environment.
Elastic Waves Excitation and Focusing by a Piezoelectric Transducer with Intermediate Layered Elastic Metamaterials with and without Periodic Arrays of Interfacial Voids
Authors: Golub Mikhail V. , Fomenko Sergey I. , Usov Pavel E. , Eremin Artem A.
Published: December 2023

Optimization of the structure of piezoelectric transducers such as the proper design of matching layers can increase maximum wave energy transmission to the host structure and transducer sensitivity. A novel configuration of an ultrasonic transducer, where elastic metamaterial insertion is introduced to provide bulk wave mode conversion and to increase wave energy transfer into a substrate, is proposed. Configurations of layered elastic metamaterials with crack-like voids are examined theoretically since they can provide wide band gaps and strong wave localization and trapping. The analysis shows that the proposed metamaterial-based matching layers can sufficiently change wave energy transmission from a piezoelectric active element for various frequency ranges (relatively low frequencies as well as higher ones). The proposed configuration can also be useful for advanced sensing with higher sensitivity in certain frequency ranges or for demultiplexing different kinds of elastic waves.
An Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar Tropospheric Delay Correction Method Based on a Global Navigation Satellite System and a Backpropagation Neural Network: More Suitable for Areas with Obvious Terrain Changes
Authors: Qiu Liangcai , Chen Peng , Yao Yibin , Chen Hao , Tang Fucai , Xiong Mingzhu
Published: December 2023

Atmospheric delay correction remains a major challenge for interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) technology. In this paper, we first reviewed several commonly used methods for tropospheric delay correction in InSAR. Subsequently, considering the large volume and high temporal resolution of global navigation satellite system (GNSS) station measurement data, we proposed a method for spatial prediction of the InSAR tropospheric delay phase based on the backpropagation (BP) neural network and GNSS zenith total delay (ZTD). Using 42 Sentinel-1 interferograms over the Los Angeles area in 2021 as an example, we validated the accuracy of the BP + GNSS method in spatially predicting ZTD and compared the correction effects of BP + GNSS and five other methods on interferograms using the standard deviation (StaD) and structural similarity (SSIM). The results demonstrated that the BP + GNSS method reduced the root-mean-square error (RMSE) in spatial prediction by approximately 95.50% compared to the conventional interpolation method. After correction using the BP + GNSS method, StaD decreased in 92.86% of interferograms, with an average decrease of 52.03%, indicating significantly better correction effects than other methods. The SSIM of the BP + GNSS method was lower in mountainous and high-altitude areas with obvious terrain changes in the east and north, exhibiting excellent and stable correction performance in different seasons, particularly outperforming the GACOS method in autumn and winter. The BP + GNSS method can be employed to generate InSAR tropospheric delay maps with high temporal and spatial resolution, effectively addressing the challenge of removing InSAR tropospheric delay signals in areas with significant terrain variations.
Comparative Analysis of Supersonic Flow in Atmospheric and Low Pressure in the Region of Shock Waves Creation for Electron Microscopy
Authors: Šabacká Pavla , Maxa Jiří , Bayer Robert , Binar Tomáš , Bača Petr , Dostalová Petra , Mačák Martin , Čudek Pavel
Published: December 2023

This paper presents mathematical-physics analyses in the field of the influence of inserted sensors on the supersonic flow behind the nozzle. It evaluates differences in the flow in the area of atmospheric pressure and low pressure on the boundary of continuum mechanics. To analyze the formation of detached and conical shock waves and their distinct characteristics in atmospheric pressure and low pressure on the boundary of continuum mechanics, we conduct comparative analyses using two types of inserted sensors: flat end and tip. These analyses were performed in two variants, considering pressure ratios of 10:1 both in front of and behind the nozzle. The first variant involved using atmospheric pressure in the chamber in front of the nozzle. The second type of analysis was conducted with a pressure of 10,000 Pa in front of the nozzle. While this represents a low pressure at the boundary of continuum mechanics, it remains above the critical limit of 113 Pa. This deliberate choice was made as it falls within the team’s research focus on low-pressure regions. Although it is situated at the boundary of continuum mechanics, it is intentionally within a pressure range where the viscosity values are not yet dependent on pressure. In these variants, the nature of the flow was investigated concerning the ratio of inertial and viscous flow forces under atmospheric pressure conditions, and it was compared with flow conditions at low pressure. In the low-pressure scenario, the ratio of inertial and viscous flow forces led to a significant reduction in the value of inertial forces. The results showed an altered flow character, characterized by a reduced tendency for the formation of cross-oblique shockwaves within the nozzle itself and the emergence of shockwaves with increased thickness. This increased thickness is attributed to viscous forces inhibiting the thickening of the shockwave itself. This altered flow character may have implications, such as influencing temperature sensing with a tipped sensor. The shockwave area may form in a very confined space in front of the tip, potentially impacting the results. Additionally, due to reduced inertial forces, the cone shock wave’s angle is a few degrees larger than theoretical predictions, and there is no tilting due to lower inertial forces. These analyses serve as the basis for upcoming experiments in the experimental chamber designed specifically for investigations in the given region of low pressures at the boundary of continuum mechanics. The objective, in combination with mathematical-physics analyses, is to determine changes within this region of the continuum mechanics boundary where inertial forces are markedly lower than in the atmosphere but remain under the influence of unreduced viscosity.
Aesthetic dental rehabilitation of children after dental trauma to anterior teeth with pulp chamber exposure. A clinical case
Authors: Popov V. A. , Simakova A. A. , Gorbatova L. N. , Lipaeva A. A. , Matyushina M. S.
Published: December 2023

Relevance.The prevalence of dental injuries in children reaches 52.3%, based on age. Currently, the number of traumas of anterior maxillary teeth tends to increase. The search and application of the most optimal treatment options for dental injuries in an aesthetic area in children remains relevant.

Description of the clinical case.The article presents the treatment results of an 8-year-old boy diagnosed with S02.52 according to ICD-10: fracture of the crown of tooth 2.1 within the enamel, dentin layers with pulp involvement. Vital amputation of the crown pulp with a direct pulp capping with "Rutdent", an MTA-based product, was chosen as the tactic of dental care. A tooth fragment was attached with a composite material (using an adhesive protocol) for aesthetic rehabilitation. The function and aesthetics of the tooth were restored. The result was stable six months after the treatment.

Conclusion.The popularization of various sports events can lead to an increase in the incidence of dental traumas to anterior teeth in children. A pediatric dentist should be able to apply modern methods of diagnosing acute dental trauma to make the correct diagnosis and choose the optimal treatment method. The opportunities of modern pediatric dentistry allow the restoration of all dental functions lost during trauma: anatomical, aesthetic and physiological.
The Effect of Obstacle Number, Shape and Blockage Degree in Flow Field of PEMFC on its Performance
Authors: Zhang Zongxi , Fan Xiang , Lu Wenhao , Yao Jian , Sui Zhike
Published: December 2023

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) has received extensive attention as it is the most common hydrogen energy utilization device. This research not only investigated the effect of obstacle number and shape on PEMFC performance, but also studied the effect of the blockage degree in the channel of PEMFC on its performance. It was found that compared with traditional scheme, longitudinally distributed obstacles scheme can significantly promote reactants transfer to catalyst layer, and the blockage degree in the channel effect PEMFC performance most. The scheme with 10 rectangular obstacles in single channel and 60% channel blockage had the best output performance and the most uniform distribution of reactants and products. Obstacle height distribution can significantly affect PEMFC performance, the blockage degree in the whole basin was large, particularly as the channel was blocked to higher degree in region 2 and region 3, higher net power density and better mass transfer effect can be obtained. Among them, the fuel cell with the blockage degree of 40%, 60% and 60% in region 1, region 2 and region 3 have the best PEMFC output performance and mass transfer, the net power density was 29.8% higher than that of traditional scheme.
Analisa Pengaruh Parking On the Street Terhadap Kinerja Lalu Lintas Pada Segmen Jalan Pemuda (Depan Kantor Pos) Kota Semarang
Authors: Bayu Aji Galang , Saputra Meidito Dewa , Handajani Mudjiastuti , Irawati Iin
Published: December 2023

Jalan merupakan prasarana transportasi di darat yang penting untuk mempermudah manusia berpindah dari satu tempat ke tempat lain. Salah satu permasalahan di jalan adalah kemacetan yang meningkat, faktor kemacetan ada berbagai macam, salah satunya adalah parkir sembarangan di badan jalan khususnya di area Jalan Pemuda (depan Kantor Pos) Kota Semarang. VISSIM adalah metode yang digunakan untuk kebutuhan analisa ruas jalan di penelitian ini. Hasil analisa parkir di badan jalan menggunakan VISSIM menunjukan bahwa ruas jalan di lokasi penelitian mengalami penurunan kinerja sehingga masuk dalam kategori D (arus mulai tidak setabil) untuk level of service nya, sedangkan jalan tempat penelitian ini termasuk dalam tipe jalan arteri skunder yang seharusnya memiliki kategori B (arus stabil) Oleh sebab itu penelitian ini penting dilakukan sehingga dapat bermanfaat untuk mengurangi angka kemacetan di masa depan.
Pengaruh Pasar Johar Semarang Terhadap Kinerja Arus Lalu Lintas di Jalan K.H. Agus Salim
Authors: Kurniawan Muhammad , Dwi Saputro Wahyu , Handajani Mudjiastuti , Muldiyanto Agus
Published: December 2023

Kinerja jalan merupakan suatu ruas jalan yang melayani arus lalu lintas yang terjadi pada ruas jalan tersebut. Namun jika ruas jalan tersebut terjadi banyak hambatan samping, maka kinerja dari ruas jalan akan mengalami penurunan. Tidak terkecuali akibat aktifitas Pasar dapat menyebabkan penurunan kemampuan suatu ruas jalan. Dalam (MKJI 1997) segmen pada jalan perkotaan harus selalu ada kemajuan secara permanen dan menerus sepanjang atau hampir seluruh jalan, baik itu pekerkembangan berupa lahan atau buatan. Tujuan dari penelitian ini untuk mengetahui kinerja jalan pada ruas jalan K.H. Agus Salim Pasar Johar. Analisa dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode MKJI 1997. Data primer yang dibutuhkan yaitu volume lalu lintas, kecepatan lalu lintas, kepadatan lalu lintas dan nilai hambatan samping. Data sekunder berupa peta lokasi penelitian dan jumlah penduduk di Kota Semarang. Data yang didapat dengan nilai terbesar yaitu pada hari Senin, 1 Agustus 2022 dengan nilai maksimal volume arus lalu lintas yaitu 574, 85 smp/jam. Untuk volume terendah diperoleh pada hari Minggu yaitu 431,7 smp/jam. Hasil dari analisa aktifitas didapat frekuensi bobot kejadian yang sama yaitu 100-299 kejadian, sehingga termasuk golongan “Rendah”.
SISTEM INFORMASI ADMINISTRASI PANTI ASUHAN YATIM PUTRI AISYIYAH II SURAKARTA BERBASIS WEB
Authors: Rachmatullah Robby , Ramita Putri
Published: December 2023

Panti Asuhan Panti Asuhan Aisyiyah II merupakan panti asuhan yang terletak di kota Surakarta. Banyaknya anak asuh di panti asuhan dan minimnya dana terutama untuk memenuhi standar sarana pendidikan, kesehatan, sarana dan prasarana. Untuk menggalang dana dari bantuan masyarakat, pengurus lembaga harus menyebarluaskan informasi seperti dari mulut ke mulut, memasang spanduk pada malam hari besar keagamaan dan memasang iklan di papan pengumuman di tempat-tempat ibadah terdekat. Pengelolaan pengelolaan keuangan donasi diproses menggunakan Microsoft Excell namun data donasi dibuat beberapa file yang berbeda. Untuk membantu proses administrasi di Panti Asuhan Putri Aiyiyah II, maka perlu dibuat Sistem Informasi Panti Asuhan Panti Asuhan Putri Aisyiyah II Surakarta berbasis Web, yang dapat memberikan informasi tentang panti asuhan dan dapat melakukan pengolahan donasi baik secara online maupun offline. Hasil perancangan sistem informasi administrasi ini menggunakan metode pengembangan sistem waterfall. Untuk analisis kelemahan sistem menggunakan analisis PIECES (Perfomance, Information, Economy, Cotrol, Efficiency, dan Service). sedangkan untuk menggambarkan aliran data menggunakan Data Flow Diagram yang terdiri dari diagram konteks, Data Flow Diagram level 0 dan Data Flow Diagram Level. Bahasa pemrograman yang digunakan adalah PHP dan Java, sedangkan untuk pengolahan database menggunakan MySQL. Berdasarkan pengujian yang telah dilakukan dengan menggunakan pengujian blackbox, sistem yang dibangun dapat membantu permasalahan yang dihadapi oleh pengelola panti asuhan putri Aisyiyah II Surakarta.
APLIKASI RESERVASI PENGINAPAN BERBASIS ANDROID
Authors: Rachmatullah Robby , Eka Saputra Deas
Published: December 2023

Tawangmangu adalah salah satu destinsasi wisata yang popular di daerah Kabupaten Karanganyar. Banyak wisatawan yang pergi ke Tawangangu untuk bewisata menikmati alam maupun berwisata kuliner khas disana. Semakin banyak wisatawan membuat banyak pengelola penginapan bersaing untuk menarik minat pelanggan. Namun sedikitnya media promosi dan informasi yang bisa diakses oleh pelanggan, banyak pelanggan yang bingung dalam memilih penginapan yang sesuai dengan keinginan mereka. Untuk permasalahan tersebut maka menjadi penting pada penelitian ini dibuat aplikasi pemesanan yang bertujuan untuk dapat mempermudah proses reservasi penginapan di Pondok Wisata Saraswati dan mempermudah proses dokumentasi setiap transaksi yang terjadi. Sistem yang dibangun berbasis mobile sehingga memungkinkan pengelola melakukan transaksi secara daring tanpa harus bertatap muka. Pemesanan dan pembayaran dilakukan dengan menggunakan payment gateway. Hasil dari penelitian ini adalah sebuah sistem yang dapat membantu menyelesaikan masalah bagi perusahaan Pondok Wisata Saraswati.