bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Growth, photosynthetic function, and stomatal characteristics of Persian walnut explants in vitro under different light spectra
Authors: Saeedi Seyyed Arash , Vahdati Kourosh , Sarikhani Saadat , Daylami Shirin Dianati , Davarzani Maryam , Gruda Nazim S. , Aliniaeifard Sasan
Published: November 2023

Light plays a crucial role in photosynthesis, which is an essential process for plantlets produced during in vitro tissue culture practices and ex vitro acclimatization. LED lights are an appropriate technology for in vitro lighting but their effect on propagation and photosynthesis under in vitro condition is not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of different light spectra on growth, photosynthetic functionality, and stomatal characteristics of micropropagated shoots of Persian walnut (cv. Chandler). Tissue-cultured walnut nodal shoots were grown under different light qualities including white, blue, red, far-red, green, combination of red and blue (70:30), combination of red and far-red (70:30), and fluorescent light as the control. Results showed that the best growth and vegetative characteristics of in vitro explants of Persian walnut were achieved under combination of red and blue light. The biggest size of stomata was detected under white and blue lights. Red light stimulated stomatal closure, while stomatal opening was induced under blue and white lights. Although the red and far-red light spectra resulted in the formation of elongated explants with more lateral shoots and anthocyanin content, they significantly reduced the photosynthetic functionality. Highest soluble carbohydrate content and maximum quantum yield of photosystem II were detected in explants grown under blue and white light spectra. In conclusion, growing walnut explants under combination of red and blue lights leads to better growth, photosynthesis functionality, and the emergence of functional stomata in in vitro explants of Persian walnuts.
Testing central auditory processing abilities in older adults with and without dementia using the consonant-vowel dichotic listening task
Authors: Littlejohn Jenna , Blackburn Daniel J. , Venneri Annalena
Published: November 2023

Background

Hearing loss and dementia are linked, although the roles of peripheral and central auditory dysfunction are not well defined. Many behavioral measures of hearing are confounded by the overlapping cognitive functions required to perform the tests.

Objective

To collect pilot data to identify how central auditory function, measured using a dichotic listening test that indexes both auditory and cognitive components under different attentional conditions, differs among people with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), dementia and controls, and how performance relates to neuropsychological results.

Method

Fifty-eight participants (17 MCI, 11 dementia and 30 controls) undertook hearing screening, the Bergen consonant-vowel dichotic listening paradigm, and a short battery of neuropsychological tests chosen to index attention and executive control. Dichotic listening was assessed under three attentional conditions (non-forced, forced right ear and forced left) amongst older adults with normal cognitive function, MCI and dementia.

Results

We report two main findings: (a) The expected right ear advantage under non-forced conditions, was seen in controls and patients with dementia but not in people with MCI, who showed equal numbers of correct responses from both ears (i.e., a lack of asymmetry); (b) Performance under forced attentional conditions was significantly associated with disease progression (i.e., control > MCI > dementia) and performance on the cognitive tasks.

Conclusion

The reduction in asymmetry on dichotic listening tasks may be a marker of MCI and reflect underlying compensatory mechanisms. Use of this test could aid stratification of patients with memory disorders. Whether abnormalities could predict dementia onset needs longitudinal investigation in a larger sample.
Sensorimotor rhythm and muscle activity in patients with stroke using mobile serious games to assist upper extremity rehabilitation
Authors: Chen Zihe , Yan Tingmin , Wu Jinchun , Liu Yixuan , Zhang Chunyun , Cui Tianjian
Published: November 2023

Introduction

Exercise rehabilitation is crucial for neurological recovery in hemiplegia-induced upper limb dysfunction. Technology-assisted cortical activation in sensorimotor areas has shown potential for restoring motor function. This study assessed the feasibility of mobile serious games for stroke patients' motor rehabilitation.

Methods

A dedicated mobile application targeted shoulder, elbow, and wrist training. Twelve stroke survivors attempted a motor task under two conditions: serious mobile game-assisted and conventional rehabilitation. Electroencephalography and electromyography measured the therapy effects.

Results

Patients undergoing game-assisted rehabilitation showed stronger event-related desynchronization (ERD) in the contralateral hemisphere's motor perception areas compared to conventional rehabilitation (p < 0.05). RMS was notably higher in game-assisted rehabilitation, particularly in shoulder training (p < 0.05).

Discussion

Serious mobile game rehabilitation activated the motor cortex without directly improving muscle activity. This suggests its potential in neurological recovery for stroke patients.
Examining proximity factors in public-private collaboration models for sustainable agri-food system transformation: a comparative study of two rural communities
Authors: Martens Katrin , Rogga Sebastian , Hardner Ulrike , Piorr Annette
Published: November 2023

Collaboration among local actors is considered an important precondition for a sustainable transformation of the regional agri-food system. To date, however, little is known about the social innovation capacity of local farmers when it comes to the establishment of alternative food networks. This is especially true for farmers’ collaborations with local government officials, which are becoming increasingly important in establishing sustainability-oriented markets for local products and services, especially in the agricultural sector that is often rooted in rigid logics, supply chains and institutions. Therefore, this paper aims to explore the concept of proximity as an analytical lens to understand private-public collaboration models that aim at facilitating sustainable transformation in rural areas. Drawing on concepts from innovation geography, this paper considers the influence of geographic, cognitive, institutional, organizational and social determinants of collaboration, enabling an evaluation of the social innovation capacity of local private and public actors. This theoretical approach helps to disassemble and differentiate social innovation processes to determine success strategies. The paper studies two rural communities where mayors aim to establish local food stores with regional products and, therefore, seek collaboration with local farmers. While the empirical aspect of the study is limited, the two cases provide an opportunity to test the theoretical framework. The proximity approach can be significant for regional agri-food system transformation and steering social innovation processes by considering the distinct capacities of actors. Our conclusion is that the examination of the absence and degree of proximity facilitates a better understanding of practical recommendations to promote agri-food system transformation.
Microbiological quality of microgreen seeds purchased from online vendors and evaluating seed decontamination techniques available online
Authors: Ocho Bernal Thalia Guadalupe , Lyttle Nathan , Jung Yangjin
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to assess the microbiological quality of microgreen seeds purchased online, including the levels of total aerobic plate counts (APC), Escherichia coli/coliforms, mold & yeast, and the presence of Salmonella spp. and Listeria monocytogenes. Additionally, seed decontamination practices commonly found online were evaluated, involving soaking in water only (SDW), 3% hydrogen peroxide (H), and a “poor man's solution” (HV; a mixture of 3% hydrogen peroxide and 5% acidity white vinegar with water), with or without heat treatment at 50 and 60°C for 20 and 40 h. The effectiveness of these treatments was evaluated using Amaranth (AM), Borage (BO), and Carrot (CA) seeds in reducing Enterobacteriaceae, coliforms, and mold & yeast, along with examining the germination rate. A total of 102 samples composed of 14 species were purchased from online vendors, and the microbial levels tested were significantly different among the seed species (p < 0.05). Among the species, BO, CA, and Onion (ON) seeds exhibited the highest APC levels (4.99–5.37 log CFU/g), which was significantly higher than the APC of Arugula, Cabbage, Mustard, Kale, and Pea seeds (p < 0.05). The coliform population of BO (3.77 ± 0.68 log CFU/g) was significantly higher than in other species. The 10-min soaking of AM, BO, and CA in H significantly reduced the microbial levels (p < 0.05), and the subsequent heat treatment at 60°C for 20 h further enhanced microbial reduction (total 1.2–3.4 log reduction by heat and soaking). The germination rates were not significantly affected by the different treatment combinations (p > 0.05). This study provides scientifically-validated data for small-scale and home growers to ensure the safety and improve the quality of microgreens.
Development of Boom Posture Adjustment and Control System for Wide Spray Boom
Authors: Li Jinyang , Nie Zhenyu , Chen Yunfei , Ge Deqiang , Li Meiqing
Published: November 2023

To obtain a more consistent droplet distribution and reduce spray drift, it is necessary to keep the entire spray boom parallel to the crop canopy or ground and maintain a certain distance from the spray nozzles to the crop canopy or ground. A high-performance boom active control system was developed for boom trapezoid suspension. The hydraulic system and hardware circuit of the boom control system were designed based on analyzing the configuration of active trapezoid suspension. The mathematical models of valve-controlled hydraulic cylinders and active boom suspensions were developed. Step response and frequency domain response analysis of passive suspension were conducted by Simulink simulations, and then key parameters of the boom suspension and hydraulic system were determined. A feedforward proportion integration differentiation (FPID) control algorithm was proposed to improve the tracking performance. The designed control system was assembled on a 24 m boom with trapezoid suspension. The response characteristic of the active boom control system was tested by the step signal and the sinusoidal signal from a six-degree-of-freedom hydraulic motion platform. Firstly, the tracking performance of the active balance control system for the PID (proportion integration differentiation) and FPID control algorithms was compared for a given 0.2 Hz sine signal. Then, for the ground-following control system, the response characteristics in challenging terrain and tracking performance in less challenging terrain were tested. Field experiment results indicate that the maximum rolling angle of the chassis was 3.896° while the maximum inclination angle of the boom was 0.453°. The results show that the designed boom adjustment and control system can effectively adjust the boom motion in real time and meet the requirements of field operation.
Real-Life Use of Component-Specific IgE in IgE-Mediated Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy in a Spanish Paediatric Allergy Centre
Authors: Cronin Caoimhe , Muñoz Archidona Cristina , Fernández Prudencio Beatriz , Gallagher Aoife , Velasco Zuniga Roberto , Trujillo Wurttele Juan
Published: November 2023

Background: In Spain, IgE-mediated cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) affects approximately 0.69% of infants. Molecular diagnosis may be useful for monitoring natural spontaneous tolerance development in CMPA. The aim of this study was to retrospectively analyse a cohort of paediatric patients with IgE-mediated CMPA who were avoiding milk products awaiting natural tolerance and determine the relationship between disease persistence and major cow’s milk allergens. Methods: A retrospective chart review of 200 patients diagnosed with IgE-mediated CMPA between 2011 and 2020 was conducted. Patients strictly avoided milk products until an oral food challenge was performed. The main outcome was the introduction of liquid milk following a negative oral food challenge and its correlation with IgE and SPT measurements of milk components at diagnosis. Secondary outcomes included the rate of allergic reactions and anaphylaxis during the treatment period and its correlation with IgE and SPT measurements. Results: Of the 200 charts analysed, 122 patients had a negative oral food challenge to milk (61.0%) (95% confidence interval (CI): 54.1–67.5) following a period of strict avoidance of milk. Higher levels of component-specific IgE, especially casein, were associated with failure in the oral food challenge (p = 0.02). Allergic reactions were experienced by 106 children (53%), of which 34 (17%; 95% CI: 12.4–22.8) had anaphylactic reactions. The risk of anaphylaxis was not predicted by raised IgE levels. Conclusions: While a large proportion of children acquired natural tolerance to cow’s milk following a period of strict avoidance, IgE-mediated CMPA persisted in many children. Casein IgE levels at diagnosis were raised in those who failed to achieve natural tolerance. Allergic reactions to milk, including anaphylaxis, occurred commonly, but this was not predicted by raised IgE levels or SPT measurements.
Cemented versus Cementless Stem Fixation in Revision Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Darwich Ali , Jovanovic Andrea , Dally Franz-Joseph , Abd El Hai Asseel , Baumgärtner Tobias , Assaf Elio , Gravius Sascha , Hetjens Svetlana , Bdeir Mohamad
Published: November 2023

The number of revision knee arthroplasties (rTKA) is growing significantly as is the use of intramedullary stems for optimized stability. The choice of the most appropriate stem fixation method is still controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to compare cemented versus cementless stem fixation in rTKA. Publications with patients undergoing rTKA with a follow-up > 24 months were systemically reviewed. Extracted parameters included total revision and failure rates for any reason, incidence of aseptic loosening, periprosthetic infection, and radiolucent lines, as well as the clinical outcome. A statistical regression analysis was then performed on all extracted clinical and radiological outcome data. A total of 35 publications met the inclusion criteria and were included and analyzed. Overall, 14/35 publications compared cementless versus cemented stem fixation, whereas 21/35 publications investigated only one stem fixation method. There were no significant differences in revision (p = 0.2613) or failure rates (p = 0.3559) and no differences in the incidence of aseptic loosening (p = 0.3999) or periprosthetic infection (p = 0.1010). The incidence of radiolucent lines was significantly higher in patients with cemented stems (26.2% versus 18.6%, p < 0.0001). However, no differences in clinical outcomes were observed. No superiority of a specific stem fixation method in rTKA was found. Rates of revision or failure for any reason as well as incidence of aseptic loosening and periprosthetic infection in cemented versus cementless stem fixation showed no significant difference. A higher incidence of radiolucent lines was observed in cemented stem fixation; however, no effect was observed on the clinical outcome.
Vancomycin Elution Kinetics of Four Antibiotic Carriers Used in Orthopaedic Surgery: In Vitro Study over 42 Days
Authors: Smolle Maria Anna , Murtezai Hana , Niedrist Tobias , Amerstorfer Florian , Hörlesberger Nina , Leitner Lukas , Klim Sebastian Martin , Glehr Reingard , Ahluwalia Raju , Leithner Andreas , Glehr Mathias
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to analyse and compare the vancomycin elution kinetics of four biodegradable, osteoconductive antibiotic carriers used in clinical practice within a 42-day in vitro setting. Carriers A and D already contained vancomycin (1.1 g and 0.247 g), whereas carriers B and C were mixed with vancomycin according to the manufacturer’s recommendations (B: 0.83 g and C: 0.305 g). At nine time points, 50% (4.5 mL) of the elution sample was removed and substituted with the same amount of PBS. Probes were analysed with a kinetic microparticle immunoassay. Time-dependent changes in vancomycin concentrations for each carrier and differences between carriers were analysed. Mean initial antibiotic levels were highest for carrier A (37.5 mg/mL) and lowest for carrier B (5.4 mg/mL). We observed time-dependent, strongly negative linear elution kinetics for carriers A (−0.835; p < 0.001), C (−0.793; p < 0.001), and D (−0.853; p < 0.001). Vancomycin concentrations increased from 48 h to 7 d and dropped thereafter in carriers C and D whilst constantly decreasing at any time point for carrier A. Carrier B showed a shallower decrease. Mean antibiotics levels at 42 d were 1.5 mg/mL, 2.6 mg/mL, 0.1 mg/mL, and 0.1 mg/mL for carriers A, B, C, and D. Differences in mean initial and final vancomycin concentrations for carrier A were significantly larger in comparison to C (p = 0.040). A carrier consisting of allogenic bone chips showed the highest vancomycin-to-carrier ratio and the largest elution over the study period. Whilst vancomycin concentrations were still measurable at 42 days for all carriers, carrier A provided a higher drug-to-carrier ratio and a more consistent antibiotic-releasing profile.
Targeting Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Oxidative Stress to Prevent the Neurodegeneration of Retinal Ganglion Cells
Authors: Catalani Elisabetta , Brunetti Kashi , Del Quondam Simona , Cervia Davide
Published: November 2023

The imbalance of redox homeostasis contributes to neurodegeneration, including that related to the visual system. Mitochondria, essential in providing energy and responsible for several cell functions, are a significant source of reactive oxygen and/or nitrogen species, and they are, in turn, sensitive to free radical imbalance. Dysfunctional mitochondria are implicated in the development and progression of retinal pathologies and are directly involved in retinal neuronal degeneration. Retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) are higher energy consumers susceptible to mitochondrial dysfunctions that ultimately cause RGC loss. Proper redox balance and mitochondrial homeostasis are essential for maintaining healthy retinal conditions and inducing neuroprotection. In this respect, the antioxidant treatment approach is effective against neuronal oxidative damage and represents a challenge for retinal diseases. Here, we highlighted the latest findings about mitochondrial dysfunction in retinal pathologies linked to RGC degeneration and discussed redox-related strategies with potential neuroprotective properties.
Towards Industry 4.0 and Sustainable Manufacturing Applying Environmentally Friendly Machining of a Precipitation Hardened Stainless Steel Using Hot Turning Process
Authors: Hadad Mohammadjafar , Ebrahimi Seyed Mohammad
Published: November 2023

This study aims to address the aforementioned challenges, solutions and implementation perspectives with regard to sustainable manufacturing. In this research, the conventional and hot turning of AISI630 hardened stainless steel have been investigated using PVD-(Ti,Al)N/(Al,Cr)2O3 coated carbide cutting tools at various feed rates and cutting speeds. The high hardness of AISI630, along with the low thermal conductivity, has made it one of the most difficult-to-cut materials, and consequently, its machining is associated with high tool wear and poor workpiece surface quality. AISI630 stainless steel is used in the manufacture of pressure vessels and components exposed to high-stress and corrosive environments in the oil and gas industries. In the present research work, tool flank wear and crater wear mechanisms have been studied in different cutting conditions as well as different preheating temperatures using SEM microscopy. Experimental results showed that hot turning operation at temperatures up to 300 °C reduces flank wear by 33% and improves machined surface roughness by 23%. In addition, FEM simulation has been developed to predict tool tip temperature and cutting forces during turning processes. Experimental and FEM analysis shows that cutting force reduction at a preheating temperature of 300 °C is one of the reasons that reduces tool wear compared to conventional turning. Moreover, it has been shown that by increasing preheating temperature in hot turning, the hardness of the carbides in the workpiece decreases more than the hardness of the tool substrate and reduces coating materials, consequently reducing cutting tool abrasion wear phenomenon.
Research on the Auto-Exposure Method of an Aerial TDI Camera Based on Scene Prediction
Authors: Huang Jingtao , Liu Jiwei , Wang Xiaodong , Jiang Xu
Published: November 2023

Aerial TDI cameras can obtain images with a high sensitivity, high resolution, and wide dynamic range under low-illumination conditions. Under the condition of low illumination, exposure is an important parameter that affects the image quality of the camera. Auto-exposure aims to obtain the information of target scene in advance and uses it as the basis for determining exposure parameters, which can avoid the loss of image information caused by overexposure or underexposure. The auto-exposure of TDI CCD is usually difficult, as the shooting mode of TDI CCD is a push and sweep mode, which can only take one image of the target scene, and the output image is not repetitive, so it is difficult to obtain an image of the target scene in advance. At present, the common method is to add an additional sensor to collect the feature information of the target scene in advance; however, this increases the complexity of the system. Therefore, this paper proposes that the camera uses TDI CCD to collect the first N rows of data of the target scene in advance as the basis, and then adjusts and determines the exposure parameters with the median gray value as the target; thus, without adding additional sensors, the auto-exposure of TDI CCD can be realized. To evaluate the effect of auto-exposure, three methods of image power spectrum variance, image histogram, and image information entropy are used. The test results show that, after auto-exposure, the variance in the image power spectrum increased by 0.4362, the entropy of image information increased by 1.7064, and the distribution of the image histogram was more uniform than that before auto-exposure. This shows that the effect of auto-exposure is good, and it has better scene adaptation, allowing for it to meet the requirements of auto-exposure imaging under low-illumination conditions in aerial TDI cameras.
Multi-View Masked Autoencoder for General Image Representation
Authors: Ji Seungbin , Han Sangkwon , Rhee Jongtae
Published: November 2023

Self-supervised learning is a method that learns general representation from unlabeled data. Masked image modeling (MIM), one of the generative self-supervised learning methods, has drawn attention for showing state-of-the-art performance on various downstream tasks, though it has shown poor linear separability resulting from the token-level approach. In this paper, we propose a contrastive learning-based multi-view masked autoencoder for MIM, thus exploiting an image-level approach by learning common features from two different augmented views. We strengthen the MIM by learning long-range global patterns from contrastive loss. Our framework adopts a simple encoder–decoder architecture, thus learning rich and general representations by following a simple process: (1) Two different views are generated from an input image with random masking and by contrastive loss, we can learn the semantic distance of the representations generated by an encoder. By applying a high mask ratio, of 80%, it works as strong augmentation and alleviates the representation collapse problem. (2) With reconstruction loss, the decoder learns to reconstruct an original image from the masked image. We assessed our framework through several experiments on benchmark datasets of image classification, object detection, and semantic segmentation. We achieved 84.3% in fine-tuning accuracy on ImageNet-1K classification and 76.7% in linear probing, thus exceeding previous studies and showing promising results on other downstream tasks. The experimental results demonstrate that our work can learn rich and general image representation by applying contrastive loss to masked image modeling.
Which Thumb, the Left or Right, Touches the Letter Keys on a Smartphone QWERTY Soft Keyboard during Two-Thumb Key Entry?
Authors: Yu Hayeon , Park Yunha , Chang Joonho
Published: November 2023

This study aims to observe which thumb, the left or right, is used for keystrokes and examine the patterns during two-thumb key entry on a smartphone QWERTY soft keyboard. A total of 36 college students, including 18 left-handed and 18 right-handed, were recruited for testing, and they had 9.7 years of smartphone use experience on average. A smartphone application was implemented, and whether the left or right thumb was used for touch interactions was recorded for each of the 26 letter keys. As a result, it was found that there were slightly more letter keys that were statistically more often tapped by the left thumb during the two-thumb key entry on the QWERTY soft keyboard, regardless of the participant’s handedness. In addition, all the letter keys were touched statistically more often with the relatively closer one of both thumbs, except for the letter keys G and V in the center. It seemed that the distance between keys and thumbs was regarded as the most important factor influencing the thumb choice for keystrokes, followed by the habituated experience of using physical QWERTY keyboards.
Assessment of Insulation against Contact Heat and Radiant Heat of Composites with TiO2-ZrO2-Al and Parylene C Coatings Intended for Protective Gloves Supported by Computational Fluid Dynamics
Authors: Miśkiewicz Pamela , Puszkarz Adam K.
Published: November 2023

This article concerns research on the use of two types of coatings (parylene C and TiO2-ZrO2-Al) in multilayer composites with potential use in metallurgical protective gloves to improve their insulation against contact heat and radiation heat. To evaluate the thermal safety of the glove user, the composites were examined under the conditions of exposure to contact heat (using a heating cylinder, according to EN ISO 12127-1) and radiant heat (using a copper plate calorimeter, according to EN ISO 6942). Moreover, heat transfer through composites exposed to the heat of a hot plate was examined using thermography. The experimental studies were supported by heat transfer simulations through 3D models of composites. The contact heat method showed that composites achieved insulation against contact heat for both contact temperatures Tc, but composites with parylene C have a longer tt of 9 s (for Tc = 100 °C) and 7 s (250 °C) compared to composites with TiO2-ZrO2-Al. The radiant heat method showed that composites achieved the fourth (highest) level of RHTI24 under exposure to a radiant heat flux of 20 kW m−2. The modeling results showed that the parylene C coating increases the thermal barrier of the composite by approximately 10%, while the TiO2-ZrO2-Al coating increases it by 2%. The applied research techniques demonstrated the usefulness of using both types of coatings in the design of metallurgical protective gloves based on multilayer composites.
Research Method for Ship Engine Fault Diagnosis Based on Multi-Head Graph Attention Feature Fusion
Authors: Ai Zeren , Cao Hui , Wang Jihui , Cui Zhichao , Wang Longde , Jiang Kuo
Published: November 2023

At present, there are problems such as low fault data, insufficient labeling information, and poor fault diagnosis in the field of ship engine diagnosis. To address the above problems, this paper proposes a fault diagnosis method based on probabilistic similarity and rank-order similarity of multi-head graph attention neural networks (MPGANN) models. Firstly, the ship engine dataset is used to explore the similarity between the data using the probabilistic similarity of T_SNE and the rank order similarity of Spearman’s correlation coefficient to define the neighbor relationship between the samples, and then the appropriate weights are selected for the early fusion of the two graph structures to fuse the feature information of the two scales. Finally, the graph attention neural networks (GANN) incorporating the multi-head attention mechanism are utilized to complete the fault diagnosis. In this paper, comparative experiments such as graph construction and algorithm performance are carried out based on the simulated ship engine dataset, and the experimental results show that the MPGANN outperforms the comparative methods in terms of accuracy, F1 score, and total elapsed time, with an accuracy rate of 97.58%. The experimental results show that the model proposed in this paper can still fulfill the ship engine fault diagnosis task well under unfavorable conditions such as small samples and insufficient label information, which is of practical significance in the field of intelligent ship cabins and fault diagnosis.
Editorial on the Special Issue: New Trends in Image Processing III
Authors: Moon Hyeonjoon , Mehmood Irfan
Published: November 2023

The image processing field is undergoing a significant transformation owing to rapid advancements in deep learning, computer vision, and artificial intelligence [...]
Patients with Chronic Coronary Syndrome Can Benefit from Consumption of Enriched Chicken Eggs: The Effects on Microvascular Function, Inflammatory Biomarkers, and Oxidative Status—Randomized Clinical Study
Authors: Breškić Ćurić Željka , Stupin Ana , Masle Ana Marija , Šušnjara Petar , Kozina Nataša , Mihaljević Zrinka , Jukić Ivana , Kibel Aleksandar , Kolobarić Nikolina , Juranić Brankica , Nejašmić Diana , Šporec Anita , Lovrić Marija , Selthofer-Relatić Kristina , Drenjančević Ines
Published: November 2023

The aim of this clinical study was to determine the impact of the consumption of chicken eggs enriched with n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, selenium, vitamin E, and lutein on micro- and macrovascular endothelium-dependent dilation, inflammation biomarkers, and oxidative stress levels in participants with chronic coronary syndrome (CCS). This was a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical study that included 30 CCS participants (9 women, 21 men) randomized into the control group (N = 15), who ate ordinary chicken eggs (three per day), and the Nutri4 group (N = 15), who ate enriched eggs (three per day) for 21 days. Microvascular and macrovascular endothelium-dependent vasodilation was evaluated by measuring forearm skin post-occlusive reactive hyperemia (PORH) and acetylcholine-induced dilation (AChID) and the flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery, respectively. The serum lipid profile, anti- and proinflammatory cytokine levels, serum concentration of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoforms, and oxidative stress biomarkers were measured before and after the diet protocols. Enriched, but not regular, chicken eggs significantly improved microvascular PORH and AChID and macrovascular FMD, increased the serum concentration of inducible NOS, decreased serum triglyceride levels, and decreased proinflammatory cytokine IL-17A and TGF-1β levels compared to initial measurements. Patients with CCS can benefit from the consumption of enriched chicken eggs due to improved lipid biomarkers, a more favorable anti-inflammatory milieu, and improved vascular relaxation at micro- and macrovascular levels.
A Strategy for Integrated Multi-Demands High-Performance Motion Planning Based on Nonlinear MPC
Authors: Han Yu , Ma Xiaolei , Wang Bo , Zhang Hongwang , Zhang Qiuxia , Chen Gang
Published: November 2023

Nonlinear Model Predictive Control (NMPC) is an effective approach for motion planning in autonomous vehicles that need to satisfy multiple driving demands. Within the realm of planner design, current strategies inadequately address the issues related to redundancy and conflicts among these diverse demands. This shortcoming leads to low efficiency and suboptimal performance, particularly when faced with a high volume of demands. In response to this challenge, this paper introduces the Hierarchical and Multi-Domain (HMD) strategy as a solution for designing a multi-objective NMPC planner. This strategy enables the dynamic adjustment of the integration method for demand indicators based on their priority. To evaluate the risk of breaching driving demands, several risk functions are established. The constraints and objective function of the planner are meticulously designed in accordance with the HMD strategy and evaluation functions. Simulation results attest to the advantages of the HMD-based planner, which, compared to planners based on traditional multi-objective (TMO) strategies, exhibits a 68.5% improvement in solution efficiency and the simultaneous enhancement of driving safety. Additionally, the HMD approach reduces the maximum jerk by 58.8%.
Landscape of Adrenal Tumours in Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia
Authors: Carsote Mara , Gheorghe Ana-Maria , Nistor Claudiu , Trandafir Alexandra-Ioana , Sima Oana-Claudia , Cucu Anca-Pati , Ciuche Adrian , Petrova Eugenia , Ghemigian Adina
Published: November 2023

Our aim is to update the topic of adrenal tumours (ATs) in congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) based on a multidisciplinary, clinical perspective via an endocrine approach. This narrative review is based on a PubMed search of full-length, English articles between January 2014 and July 2023. We included 52 original papers: 9 studies, 8 case series, and 35 single case reports. Firstly, we introduce a case-based analysis of 59 CAH-ATs cases with four types of enzymatic defects (CYP21A2, CYP17A1, CYP17B1, and HSD3B2). Secondarily, we analysed prevalence studies; their sample size varied from 53 to 26,000 individuals. AT prevalence among CAH was of 13.3–20%. CAH prevalence among individuals with previous imaging diagnosis of AT was of 0.3–3.6%. Overall, this 10-year, sample-based analysis represents one of the most complex studies in the area of CAH-ATs so far. These masses should be taken into consideration. They may reach impressive sizes of up to 30–40 cm, with compressive effects. Adrenalectomy was chosen based on an individual multidisciplinary decision. Many tumours are detected in subjects with a poor disease control, or they represent the first step toward CAH identification. We noted a left lateralization with a less clear pathogenic explanation. The most frequent tumour remains myelolipoma. The risk of adrenocortical carcinoma should not be overlooked. Noting the increasing prevalence of adrenal incidentalomas, CAH testing might be indicated to identify non-classical forms of CAH.
Characterization of pre-mRNA Splicing Defects Caused by CLCN5 and OCRL Mutations and Identification of Novel Variants Associated with Dent Disease
Authors: Mura-Escorche Glorián , Perdomo-Ramírez Ana , Ramos-Trujillo Elena , Trujillo-Frías Carmen Jane , Claverie-Martín Félix
Published: November 2023

Dent disease (DD) is an X-linked renal tubulopathy characterized by low-molecular-weight proteinuria, hypercalciuria, nephrocalcinosis, nephrolithiasis and progressive renal failure. Two-thirds of cases are associated with inactivating variants in the CLCN5 gene (Dent disease 1, DD1) and a few present variants in the OCRL gene (Dent disease 2, DD2). The aim of the present study was to test the effect on the pre-mRNA splicing process of DD variants, described here or in the literature, and describe the clinical and genotypic features of thirteen unrelated patients with suspected DD. All patients presented tubular proteinuria, ten presented hypercalciuria and five had nephrolithiasis or nephrocalcinosis. CLCN5 and OCRL genes were analyzed by Sanger sequencing. Nine patients showed variants in CLCN5 and four in OCRL; eight of these were new. Bioinformatics tools were used to select fifteen variants with a potential effect on pre-mRNA splicing from our patients’ group and from the literature, and were experimentally tested using minigene assays. Results showed that three exonic missense mutations and two intronic variants affect the mRNA splicing process. Our findings widen the genotypic spectrum of DD and provide insight into the impact of variants causing DD.
Detergent-Based Decellularization for Anisotropic Cardiac-Specific Extracellular Matrix Scaffold Generation
Authors: Chen Te-An , Sharma Dhavan , Jia Wenkai , Ha Donggi , Man Kun , Zhang Jianhua , Yang Yong , Zhou Yuxiao , Kamp Timothy J. , Zhao Feng
Published: November 2023

Cell-derived extracellular matrix (ECM) has become increasingly popular in tissue engineering applications due to its ability to provide tailored signals for desirable cellular responses. Anisotropic cardiac-specific ECM scaffold decellularized from human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cardiac fibroblasts (hiPSC-CFs) mimics the native cardiac microenvironment and provides essential biochemical and signaling cues to hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of two detergent-based decellularization methods: (1) a combination of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid and sodium dodecyl sulfate (EDTA + SDS) and (2) a combination of sodium deoxycholate and deoxyribonuclease (SD + DNase), in preserving the composition and bioactive substances within the aligned ECM scaffold while maximumly removing cellular components. The decellularization effects were evaluated by characterizing the ECM morphology, quantifying key structural biomacromolecules, and measuring preserved growth factors. Results showed that both treatments met the standard of cell removal (less than 50 ng/mg ECM dry weight) and substantially preserved major ECM biomacromolecules and growth factors. The EDTA + SDS treatment was more time-efficient and has been determined to be a more efficient method for generating an anisotropic ECM scaffold from aligned hiPSC-CFs. Moreover, this cardiac-specific ECM has demonstrated effectiveness in supporting the alignment of hiPSC-CMs and their expression of mature structural and functional proteins in in vitro cultures, which is crucial for cardiac tissue engineering.
Stress, Resilience, Burnout and Study Hours in Physical Education Pre-Service Teachers—An Explanatory Model about Gender
Authors: Melguizo-Ibáñez Eduardo , González-Valero Gabriel , Alonso-Vargas José Manuel , Caracuel-Cáliz Rafael , Ortega-Caballero Manuel , Puertas-Molero Pilar
Published: November 2023

The process of becoming a public teacher in Spain requires a long period of preparation. This long period of preparation has an impact on the psychosocial environment of the candidates. Differences have been observed in the psychosocial area according to gender in pre-service teachers. This research aims to study the relationship between the study hours per day, stress, burnout syndrome and resilience according to gender and to study the differences in the effects according to gender using multigroup equation modeling. A multigroup structural equation analysis has been proposed according to the gender of the participants. Parametric tests were used for the descriptive analysis of the results. The sample consists of 4117 participants, 1363 males and 2754 females. The instruments used to collect the data were a self-made questionnaire, Perceived Stress Questionnaire, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and Maslach Burnout Inventory. All the instruments have been validated and adapted to the sample. The data reveal that there are variations in the effects of the variables according to the gender of the participants. In conclusion, it is affirmed that gender is a very important factor in coping with the competitive examination process for state-public-teaching institutions, as well as in avoiding the appearance of disruptive states generated by this preparation process.
Analysis of the Mechanical Performance of Sleeve Considering the Different Distributions of Grouting Defects
Authors: Zhao Jun , Yin Lulu , Chen Jing , Yang Yizhou , Zhu Yinhong , Yang Bai
Published: November 2023

To study the influence of grouting defects on the mechanical properties of grouting sleeves, 49 groups of specimens with different specifications were made considering the length and location of defects, monotonic axial tension tests were carried out to study the influence of grouting defects on its failure process, failure mode, load-displacement curve, bearing capacity and other mechanical properties, and the influence law of different distribution defects on the grouting sleeve was analyzed. This research shows that there are two forms of sleeve failure: steel bar fracture failure and steel bar pullout failure. The bearing capacity of specimens with a defect length of 2D and 3D varies with the defect type. The ultimate displacement of specimens with a defect length of 2D varies with the defect type. The ultimate displacement of specimens with a defect length of 3D increases with the increase in bearing capacity. By moving defects, it is found that if there is a vertical overlap of defects in the upper or middle part of the specimen, the bearing capacity of the specimen will be greatly affected.
FeS2 Nanoparticles in S-Doped Carbon: Ageing Effects on Performance as a Supercapacitor Electrode
Authors: Zallouz Sirine , Réty Bénédicte , Le Meins Jean-Marc , Ndiaye Mame Youssou , Fioux Philippe , Matei Ghimbeu Camélia
Published: November 2023

Although transition metal sulfides have prodigious potential for use as electrode materials because of their low electronegativities, their large volume changes inhibit broad application. Moreover, there is only limited knowledge of the ageing processes of these materials at the nanoscale. Herein, nano-C/FeS2 materials were prepared via one-pot syntheses from green biodegradable carbon precursors, followed by activation and sulfidation. The increased activation/sulfidation time led to an increase in the size of the nanoparticles (7 to 17 nm) and their aggregation, as well as in an increase in the specific surface area. The materials were then used as electrodes in 2-electrode symmetric supercapacitors with 2 M KOH. The activation process resulted in improved capacitance (60 F g−1 at 0.1 A g−1) and rate capability (36%) depending on the composite porosity, conductivity, and size of the FeS2 particles. The ageing of the FeS2 nanoparticles was investigated under air, and a progressive transformation of the nano-FeS2 into hydrated iron hydroxy sulfate with a significant morphological modification was observed, resulting in drastic decreases in the capacitance (70%) and retention. In contrast, the ageing of nano-FeS2 during cycling led to the formation of a supplementary iron oxyhydroxide phase, which contributed to the enhanced capacitance (57%) and long-term cycling (132% up to 10,000 cycles) of the device.
Antibody Response to SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Heart Failure Patients: Retrospective Single-Center Cohort Study
Authors: Ergi Defne Güneş , Kahraman Ümit , Akkuş Gözde , Durmaz Seyfi , Balcıoğlu Özlem , Engin Çağatay , Yağmur Burcu , Nalbantgil Sanem , Çiçek Candan , Özbaran Mustafa , Yağdı Tahir
Published: November 2023

We sought to investigate the impact of heart failure on anti-spike antibody positivity following SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Our study included 103 heart failure (HF) patients, including those with and without left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) selected from our institutional transplant waiting list as well as 104 non-heart failure (NHF) patients who underwent open heart surgery at our institution from 2021 to 2022. All the patients received either heterologous or homologous doses of BNT162b2 and CoronaVac. The median age of the HF group was 56.0 (interquartile range (IQR): 48.0–62.5) and the NHF group was 63.0 (IQR: 56.0–70.2) years, and the majority were males in both groups (n = 78; 75.7% and n = 80; 76.9%, respectively). The majority of the patients in both the HF and NHF groups received heterologous vaccinations (n = 43; 41.7% and n = 52; 50.3%, respectively; p = 0.002). There was no difference in the anti-spike antibody positivity between the patients with and without heart failure (p = 0.725). Vaccination with BNT162b2 led to significantly higher antibody levels compared to CoronaVac alone (OR: 11.0; 95% CI: 3.8–31.5). With each passing day after the last vaccine dose, there was a significant decrease in anti-spike antibody positivity, with an OR of 0.9 (95% CI: 0.9–0.9). Furthermore, hyperlipidemia was associated with increased antibody positivity (p = 0.004).
Elucidating the Correlation between Bone Mineral Density and Multifidus Muscle Characteristics: A Cross-Modal Study with Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry and Spinal Computed Tomography Texture Analysis
Authors: Kim Min-Woo , Noh Young-Min , Jung Yun-Sung , Jeon Se-Yeong , Lee Dong-Ha
Published: November 2023

Background: Recent research underscores the clinical relevance of muscle conditions such as sarcopenia and their links to bone mineral density (BMD), yet notable gaps persist in the understanding of their interconnections. Our study addresses this by introducing a novel approach to decipher the correlation between BMD and the texture of the multifidus muscle, utilizing spinal computed tomography (CT) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) to evaluate muscle texture, BMD, and bone mineral content (BMC) at the total lumbar vertebra and total hip. Methods: Our single-institution study examined 395 cases collected from 6 May 2012 to 30 November 2021. Each patient underwent a spinal CT scan and a DXA scan within a one-month interval. BMD and BMC at the total lumbar vertebra and total hip were measured. The texture features of the multifidus muscle from the axial cuts of T12 to S1 vertebrae were assessed via gray-level co-occurrence matrices. CT texture analysis values at angles of 45 + 45 and 90 degrees were calculated and correlated with BMD and BMC. A regression model was then constructed to predict BMD values, and the precision of these correlations was evaluated using mean square error (MSE) analysis. Results: Total lumbar BMC showed a correlation of 0.583–0.721 (MSE 1.568–1.842) and lumbar BMD of 0.632–0.756 (MSE 0.068–0.097). Total hip BMC had a correlation of 0.556–0.690 (MSE 0.448–0.495), while hip BMD ranged from 0.585 to 0.746 (MSE 0.072–0.092). Conclusions: The analysis of spinal CT texture alongside BMD and BMC measures provides a new approach to understanding the relationship between bone and muscle health. The strong correlations expected from our research affirm the importance of integrating bone and muscle measures in the prevention, diagnosis, and management of conditions such as sarcopenia and osteoporosis.