bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Compounds Identified from Marine Mangrove Plant (Avicennia alba) as Potential Antiviral Drug Candidates against WDSV, an In-Silico Approach
Authors: Aljahdali Mohammed Othman , Molla Mohammad Habibur Rahman , Ahammad Foysal
Published: April 2021

Walleye dermal sarcoma virus (WDSV) is a type of retrovirus, which affects most of the adult walleye fishes during the spawning time. The virus causes multiple epithelial tumors on the fish’s skin and fins that are liable for more than 50% of the mortality rate of fish around the world. Till now, no effective antiviral drug or vaccine candidates have been developed that can block the progression of the disease caused by the pathogen. It was found that the 582-amino-acid (aa) residues long internal structural gag polyprotein of the virus plays an important role in virus budding and virion maturation outside of the cell. Inhibition of the protein can block the budding and virion maturation process and can be developed as an antiviral drug candidate against the virus. Therefore, the study aimed to identify potential natural antiviral drug candidates from the tropical mangrove marine plant Avicennia alba, which will be able to block the budding and virion maturation process by inhibiting the activity of the gag protein of the virus. Initially, a homology modeling approach was applied to identify the 3D structure, followed by refinement and validation of the protein. The refined protein structures were then utilized for molecular docking simulation. Eleven phytochemical compounds have been isolated from the marine plant and docked against the virus gag polyprotein. Three compounds, namely Friedlein (CID244297), Phytosterols (CID12303662), and 1-Triacontanol (CID68972) have been selected based on their docking score −8.5 kcal/mol, −8.0 kcal/mol and −7.9 kcal/mol, respectively, and were evaluated through ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism and Excretion), and toxicity properties. Finally, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation was applied to confirm the binding stability of the protein-ligands complex structure. The ADME and toxicity analysis reveal the efficacy and non-toxic properties of the compounds, where MD simulation confirmed the binding stability of the selected three compounds with the targeted protein. This computational study revealed the virtuous value of the selected three compounds against the targeted gag polyprotein and will be effective and promising antiviral candidates against the pathogen in a significant and worthwhile manner. Although in vitro and in vivo study is required for further evaluation of the compounds against the targeted protein.
Influence of Dietary Lipids and Environmental Salinity on the n-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Biosynthesis Capacity of the Marine Teleost Solea senegalensis
Authors: Marrero Manuel , Monroig Óscar , Betancor Mónica , Herrera Marcelino , Pérez José A. , Garrido Diego , Galindo Ana , Giráldez Inmaculada , Rodríguez Covadonga
Published: April 2021

Fish vary in their ability to biosynthesise long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) depending upon the complement and function of key enzymes commonly known as fatty acyl desaturases and elongases. It has been reported in Solea senegalensis the existence of a Δ4 desaturase, enabling the biosynthesis of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), which can be modulated by the diet. The present study aims to evaluate the combined effects of the partial replacement of fish oil (FO) with vegetable oils and reduced environmental salinity in the fatty acid composition of relevant body compartments (muscle, hepatocytes and enterocytes), the enzymatic activity over α-linolenic acid (ALA) to form n-3 LC-PUFA through the incubation of isolated hepatocytes and enterocytes with [1-14C] 18:3 n-3, and the regulation of the S. senegalensis fads2 and elovl5 in the liver and intestine. The presence of radiolabelled products, including 18:4n-3, 20:4n-3 and EPA, provided compelling evidence that a complete pathway enabling the biosynthesis of EPA from ALA, establishing S. senegalensis, has at least one Fads2 with ∆6 activity. Dietary composition prevailed over salinity in regulating the expression of fads2, while salinity did so over dietary composition for elovl5. FO replacement enhanced the proportion of DHA in S. senegalensis muscle and the combination with 20 ppt salinity increased the amount of n-3 LC-PUFA in hepatocytes.
Advanced Ovarian Cancer during Pregnancy. Tumour Evolution Analysis and Treatment Approach
Authors: Bueno Moral Ana Isabel , Vilches Jiménez Jose Carlos , Serrano Olave Adriana , Espejo Reina María Pilar , Valdivia de Dios María Estrella , Jiménez López Jesús S.
Published: April 2021

Background: The possible presence of malignant adnexal mass should be considered during pregnancy. For this reason, it is important to keep in mind such possibility while performing routine obstetric ultrasounds to diagnose asymptomatic ovarian cancer in the early stages. Case presentation: 27-year-old pregnant patient with a known adnexal tumour occurring at week 20 and enlarged supraclavicular lymph nodes of 3 cm size who was diagnosed with metastases from low-grade papillary serous ovarian carcinoma. The patient, obstetricians, neonatologists and oncologists agreed on initiating neoadjuvant chemotherapy and performing an elective C-section at week 34. She gave birth to a female infant weighing 2040 g who is currently in good health, and continues receiving follow-up care by a medical oncologist. Conclusions. An early diagnosis of gynaecologic malignancies during pregnancy is of critical importance because, although they are very rare, managing and treating carcinomas at an early stage allow us to increase maternal and fetal well-being and to offer more alternatives to our patients.
Interdisciplinary Medicine
Authors: Diaconu Camelia Cristina
Published: April 2021

Motto: [...]
Treatment of Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome with Dielectric Radiofrequency Diathermy: A Preliminary Single-Group Study with Six-Month Follow-Up
Authors: Albornoz-Cabello Manuel , Barrios-Quinta Cristo Jesús , Escobio-Prieto Isabel , Sobrino-Sánchez Raquel , Ibáñez-Vera Alfonso Javier , Espejo-Antúnez Luis
Published: April 2021

Background and Objectives: Notwithstanding patellofemoral pain syndrome (PFPS) being one of the most common causes of pain in the front of the knee in outpatients, few studies have shown the effects of radiofrequency on knee pain and function in this population. The aim of the present study was to determine whether outpatients diagnosed with PFPS obtained improvement in pain and function after treatment by dynamic application of monopolar dielectric diathermy by emission of radiofrequency (MDR). Materials and Methods: An experimental study was conducted with 27 subjects with PFPS. Subjects were treated with 10 sessions of MDR in dynamic application. The visual analogue scale (VAS), the Kujala scale, the DN4 questionnaire, the lower extremity function scale (LEFS), the range of movement (ROM) in knee flexion and extension and the daily drug intake were measured pre- and post-intervention and at the time of the follow-up (six months). Results: Statistically significant differences were found in pain perception (VAS: F1,26 = 92.43, p < 0.000, ŋ2 = 0.78 and DN4: F1.26 = 124.15, p < 0.000, ŋ2 = 0.82), as well as improvements in functionality (LEFS: F1.26 = 72.42, p < 0.000, ŋ2 = 0.74 and Kujala: F1.26 = 40.37, p < 0.000, ŋ2 = 0.61]) and in ROM (Flexion: F1.26 = 63.15, p < 0.000, ŋ2 = 0.71). No statistically significant changes in drug intake were found. Conclusions: The present study shows that the dynamic application of MDR seems effective in reducing pain and increasing functionality and knee flexion in patients with PFPS, after a follow-up of six months.
“Redha tu Ikhlas”: The Social–Textual Significance of Islamic Virtue in Malay Forced Marriage Narratives
Authors: Izharuddin Alicia
Published: April 2021

What accounts for the endurance of forced marriage (kahwin paksa) narratives in Malaysian public culture? How does one explain the ways popular fascination with forced marriage relate to assumptions about heteronormative institutions and practices? In a society where most who enter into marriages do so based on individual choice, the enduring popularity of forced marriage as a melodramatic trope in fictional love stories suggests an ambivalence about modernity and egalitarianism. This ambivalence is further excavated by illuminating the intertextual engagement by readers, publishers and booksellers of Malay romantic fiction with a mediated discourse on intimacy and cultural practices. This article finds that forced marriage in the intimate publics of Malay romance is delivered as a kind of melodramatic mode, a storytelling strategy to solve practical problems of experience. Intertextual narratives of pain and struggle cast light on ‘redha’ (submission to God’s will) and ‘sabar’ (patience), emotional virtues that are mobilised during personal hardship and the challenge of maintaining successful marital relations. I argue that ‘redha’ and ‘sabar’ serve as important linchpins for the reproduction of heteronormative institutions and wifely obedience (taat). This article also demonstrates the ways texts are interwoven in the narratives about gender roles, intimacy, and marital success (or lack thereof) and how they relate to the modes of romantic melodrama.
Colonial War: When the Years Rekindle the Suffering—A Pilot Study
Authors: Becker Joana Proença , Quartilho Manuel João
Published: April 2021

For more than 150 years, traumatic stress has been a recurrent topic of medical and psychological studies, in which war-related experiences remain to be addressed. Although veterans have been considered a high-risk group for the development of stress-related diseases, the impact of aging on the trauma process is an unexplored field. This study aimed to analyze the aging-related factors that may influence the emergence of traumatic stress symptoms in war veterans. The clinical data of 29 Colonial War Portuguese veterans were verified in order to identify the main diagnoses, and the frequency of health service use. Through thematic analysis of the transcripts of 10 interviews with veterans diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), the main symptoms and factors that led them to mental health services were identified. In addition, a literature review on mental health and psychological trauma was conducted to provide an overview of the knowledge on this topic. Aging seems to be an opportunity to face conflicts which have been kept hidden throughout veterans’ lives. Social stigmatization and the non-recognition of traumatic stress as a disease influenced the Portuguese veterans’ silence, which could be broken with the aging process. Retirement, physical illness, death of close friends or family members, and loss of autonomy may contribute to the onset of trauma-related symptoms.
On-Board Ship Detection for Medium Resolution Optical Sensors
Authors: Ghosh Somnath , Konugurthi Pramod Kumar , Shankar Rao Singupurapu Gowri , Patel Shivi , Tammanagari Tirupathi , Rao Desu Mallikarjuna , Thakar Lalit Krushna , Ghara Ishika
Published: April 2021

In recent years there has been an increased interest in ocean surveillance. The activity includes control and monitoring of illegal fisheries, manmade ocean pollution and illegal sea traffic surveillance, etc. The key problem is how to identify ships and ship-like objects accurately and in a timely manner. In this context, currently, many solutions have been proposed based on high resolution optical and radar remote sensing systems. Most often, these systems suffer from two major limitations viz., limited swath, thereby requiring multiple satellites to cover the region of interest and huge volumes of data being transmitted to ground, even though effective per-pixel information content is minimal. Another limitation is that the existing systems are either simulated on ground or built using the non-space qualified/Commercial Of-The-Shelf (COTS) components. This paper proposes an efficient on-board ship detection system/package connected with medium resolution wide swath optical camera. The methodology adopted has three major components, viz., onboard data processing for improving the radiometric fidelity, followed by a ship detection using modified Constant False Alarm Rate algorithm (CFAR) and a false alarm suppression module to mask false identifications. Finally, the package outputs only the locations of the ships, which is transmitted to the ground. The proposed system reduces the effective volume of data to be transmitted and processed on ground and also significantly cuts down the turnaround time for achieving the end objective. The system is built on radiation hardened Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) devices to meet the various engineering constraints such as real-time performance, limited onboard power, radiation hardness, handling of multiple custom interfaces etc. The system is tested with one of the medium resolution Multispectral Visual and Near Infra-Red (MX-VNIR) sensor having a spatial resolution of around 50 m and swath of around 500 Kms, which would be flown with one of the upcoming satellites. The systems performance is also verified on ground with Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) Satellite’s Resourcesat’s Advanced Wide Field Sensor (AWiFS) data and the results are found to be quite encouraging as well as meeting the mission objectives.
A Particle Filtering Approach for Fault Detection and Isolation of UAV IMU Sensors: Design, Implementation and Sensitivity Analysis
Authors: D’Amato Egidio , Nardi Vito Antonio , Notaro Immacolata , Scordamaglia Valerio
Published: April 2021

Sensor fault detection and isolation (SFDI) is a fundamental topic in unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) development, where attitude estimation plays a key role in flight control systems and its accuracy is crucial for UAV reliability. In commercial drones with low maximum take-off weights, typical redundant architectures, based on triplex, can represent a strong limitation in UAV payload capabilities. This paper proposes an FDI algorithm for low-cost multi-rotor drones equipped with duplex sensor architecture. Here, attitude estimation involves two 9-DoF inertial measurement units (IMUs) including 3-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers. The SFDI algorithm is based on a particle filter approach to promptly detect and isolate IMU faulted sensors. The algorithm has been implemented on a low-cost embedded platform based on a Raspberry Pi board. Its effectiveness and robustness were proved through experimental tests involving realistic faults on a real tri-rotor aircraft. A sensitivity analysis was carried out on the main algorithm parameters in order to find a trade-off between performance, computational burden and reliability.
Analysis of the Nosema Cells Identification for Microscopic Images
Authors: Dghim Soumaya , Travieso-González Carlos M. , Burget Radim
Published: April 2021

The use of image processing tools, machine learning, and deep learning approaches has become very useful and robust in recent years. This paper introduces the detection of the Nosema disease, which is considered to be one of the most economically significant diseases today. This work shows a solution for recognizing and identifying Nosema cells between the other existing objects in the microscopic image. Two main strategies are examined. The first strategy uses image processing tools to extract the most valuable information and features from the dataset of microscopic images. Then, machine learning methods are applied, such as a neural network (ANN) and support vector machine (SVM) for detecting and classifying the Nosema disease cells. The second strategy explores deep learning and transfers learning. Several approaches were examined, including a convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier and several methods of transfer learning (AlexNet, VGG-16 and VGG-19), which were fine-tuned and applied to the object sub-images in order to identify the Nosema images from the other object images. The best accuracy was reached by the VGG-16 pre-trained neural network with 96.25%.
Evaluation of Prolonged Walking in Persons with Multiple Sclerosis: Reliability of the Spatio-Temporal Walking Variables during the 6-Minute Walk Test
Authors: Hadouiri Nawale , Monnet Elisabeth , Gouelle Arnaud , Decavel Pierre , Sagawa Yoshimasa
Published: April 2021

Background: Walking disorders represent the most disabling condition in persons with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS). Several studies showed good reliability of the 6-min walk test (6MWT) (i.e., especially distance traveled), but little is known about the reliability of the Spatio-temporal (ST) variables in the 6MWT. Objective: To evaluate the test-retest reliability of ST variables and perceived exertion during the 6MWT in PwMS and comparable healthy persons. Methods: We explored three 1-min intervals (initial: 0′–1′, middle: 2′30″–3′30″, end: 5′–6′) of the 6MWT. Six ST variables and perceived exertion were measured (respectively, using the GAITRite system and the Borg Scale). These measurements were performed twice, 1 week apart. The test-retest effects were assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) or the weighted kappa. Results: Forty-five PwMS and 24 healthy persons were included. The test-retest reliability of ST variables values was good-to-excellent for PwMS (ICC range: 0.858–0.919) and moderate-to-excellent for healthy persons (ICC range: 0.569–0.946). The test-retest reliability values of perceived exertion were fair for PwMS (weighted kappa range: 0.279–0.376) and substantial for healthy persons (weighted kappa range: 0.734–0.788). Conclusion: The measurement of ST variables during these 6MWT intervals is reliable and applicable in clinical practice and research to adapt rehabilitation care in PwMS.
Leaf Anthocyanin Content Retrieval with Partial Least Squares and Gaussian Process Regression from Spectral Reflectance Data
Authors: Li Yingying , Huang Jingfeng
Published: April 2021

Leaf pigment content retrieval is an essential research field in remote sensing. However, retrieval studies on anthocyanins are quite rare compared to those on chlorophylls and carotenoids. Given the critical physiological significance of anthocyanins, this situation should be improved. In this study, using the reflectance, partial least squares regression (PLSR) and Gaussian process regression (GPR) were sought to retrieve the leaf anthocyanin content. To our knowledge, this is the first time that PLSR and GPR have been employed in such studies. The results showed that, based on the logarithmic transformation of the reflectance (log(1/R)) with 564 and 705 nm, the GPR model performed the best (R2/RMSE (nmol/cm2): 0.93/2.18 in the calibration, and 0.93/2.20 in the validation) of all the investigated methods. The PLSR model involved four wavelengths and achieved relatively low accuracy (R2/RMSE (nmol/cm2): 0.87/2.88 in calibration, and 0.88/2.89 in validation). GPR apparently outperformed PLSR. The reason was likely that the non-linear property made GPR more effective than the linear PLSR in characterizing the relationship for the absorbance vs. content of anthocyanins. For GPR, selected wavelengths around the green peak and red edge region (one from each) were promising to build simple and accurate two-wavelength models with R2 > 0.90.
Design of a Real-Time Salinity Detection System for Water Injection Wells Based on Fuzzy Control
Authors: You Bo , Yue Yuandong , Sun Mingxiao , Li Jiayu , Jia Deli
Published: April 2021

Salinity is an important index of water quality in oilfield water injection engineering. To address the need for real-time measurement of salinity in water flooding solutions during oilfield water injection, a salinity measurement system that can withstand a high temperature environment was designed. In terms of the polarization and capacitance effects, the system uses an integrator circuit to collect information and fuzzy control to switch gears to expand the range. Experimental results show that the system can operate stably in a high-temperature environment, with an accuracy of 0.6% and an uncertainty of 0.2% in the measurement range of 1–10 g/L.
DOE-SLAM: Dynamic Object Enhanced Visual SLAM
Authors: Hu Xiao , Lang Jochen
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we formulate a novel strategy to adapt monocular-vision-based simultaneous localization and mapping (vSLAM) to dynamic environments. When enough background features can be captured, our system not only tracks the camera trajectory based on static background features but also estimates the foreground object motion from object features. In cases when a moving object obstructs too many background features for successful camera tracking from the background, our system can exploit the features from the object and the prediction of the object motion to estimate the camera pose. We use various synthetic and real-world test scenarios and the well-known TUM sequences to evaluate the capabilities of our system. The experiments show that we achieve higher pose estimation accuracy and robustness over state-of-the-art monocular vSLAM systems.
A New Kind of Absolute Magnetic Encoder
Authors: Feng Tong , Chen Wenlu , Qiu Jinji , Hao Shuanghui
Published: April 2021

To fulfill the requirement of fields such as robotics, aviation, and special machining, motors with quill shafts or outer rotors have been used. For these special motors, the photoelectric encoder’s volume is normally too big and easy to be polluted by oil or dust; magnetic encoder normally has poor accuracy, and alnico piece may not provide enough magnetic field coverage area. The aim of this essay is to find a new structure of magnetic encoder to improve the precision and magnetic field coverage area. By using two multi-pole alnico rings with a different number of pole pairs to provide a magnetic field, the coverage area could be improved. The position differences between two alnicos pole positions are used to calculate absolute angle value, so the accuracy of the encoder could be absolute and no less than that of a combined magnetic encoder with the same number of pole pairs. A special algorithm is proposed for decoding. This new kind of magnetic encoder could be used on special motors with quill shafts or outer rotors. Its volume and weight are less than the photoelectric encoder and have better performance on antipollution. The alnico ring is easy to modify to suit the structure of the motor.
A Comprehensive Review on Energy Harvesting Integration in IoT Systems from MAC Layer Perspective: Challenges and Opportunities
Authors: Famitafreshi Golshan , Afaqui M. Shahwaiz , Melià-Seguí Joan
Published: April 2021

The Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionizing technology in a wide variety of areas, from smart healthcare to smart transportation. Due to the increasing trend in the number of IoT devices and their different levels of energy requirements, one of the significant concerns in IoT implementations is powering up the IoT devices with conventional limited lifetime batteries. One efficient solution to prolong the lifespan of these implementations is to integrate energy harvesting technologies into IoT systems. However, due to the characteristics of the energy harvesting technologies and the different energy requirements of the IoT systems, this integration is a challenging issue. Since Medium Access Control (MAC) layer operations are the most energy-consuming processes in wireless communications, they have undergone different modifications and enhancements in the literature to address this issue. Despite the essential role of the MAC layer to efficiently optimize the energy consumption in IoT systems, there is a gap in the literature to systematically understand the possible MAC layer improvements allowing energy harvesting integration. In this survey paper, we provide a unified framework for different wireless technologies to measure their energy consumption from a MAC operation-based perspective, returning the essential information to select the suitable energy harvesters for different communication technologies within IoT systems. Our analyses show that only 23% of the presented protocols in the literature fulfill Energy Neutral Operation (ENO) condition. Moreover, 48% of them are based on the hybrid approaches, which shows its capability to be adapted to energy harvesting. We expect this survey paper to lead researchers in academia and industry to understand the current state-of-the-art of energy harvesting MAC protocols for IoT and improve the early adoption of these protocols in IoT systems.
2.5D Flexible Wind Sensor Using Differential Plate Capacitors
Authors: Wan Yu , Yi Zhenxiang
Published: April 2021

In this paper, a novel 2.5-dimensional (2.5D) flexible wind sensor is proposed based on four differential plate capacitors. This design consists of a windward pillar, two electrode layers, and a support layer, which are all made of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) with different Young’s moduli. A 2 mm × 2 mm copper electrode array is located on each electrode layer, forming four parallel plate capacitors as the sensitive elements. The wind in the xy-plane tilts the windward pillar, decreasing two capacitances on the windward side and increasing two capacitances on the leeward side. The wind in the z-axis depresses the windward pillar, resulting in an increase of all four capacitances. Experiments demonstrate that this sensor can measure the wind speed up to 23.9 m/s and the wind direction over the full 360° range of the xy-plane. The sensitivities of wind speed are close to 4 fF·m−1·s and 3 fF·m−1·s in the xy-plane and z-axis, respectively.
Mixed Assessment of Virtual Serious Games Applied in Architectural and Urban Design Education
Authors: Fonseca David , Cavalcanti Janaina , Peña Enric , Valls Victor , Sanchez-Sepúlveda Mónica , Moreira Fernando , Navarro Isidro , Redondo Ernesto
Published: April 2021

The creation and usage of serious games on virtual reality (VR) and/or interactive platforms for the teaching of architecture, construction, urban planning, and other derived areas, such as security and risk prevention, require design processes, studies, and research that lead to further consolidation expansion. In that sense, this paper presents two main aims developed: the improvement of a virtual navigation system through the results of previous user studies and mixed research (quantitative and qualitative) improved based on the user perception for educational and professional uses. The VR system used is based on Unreal Engine programming of the HTC Vive sensor. This study is related to the GAME4City 3.0 and a broader project focused on gamified visualization and its educational uses in architectural and urban projects. The results reflect great interest, good usability, and high motivation for further usage for all types of users. However, an apparent resistance to deepen its use continues to be perceived in academia. Based on the research results, weak points of educational gamified systems have been identified, and the main differences and needs in user profiles’ function. With these data, progress regarding implementing this kind of system at the teaching and professional levels must be pursued.
A Systematic Review of Urban Navigation Systems for Visually Impaired People
Authors: El-taher Fatma El-zahraa , Taha Ayman , Courtney Jane , Mckeever Susan
Published: April 2021

Blind and Visually impaired people (BVIP) face a range of practical difficulties when undertaking outdoor journeys as pedestrians. Over the past decade, a variety of assistive devices have been researched and developed to help BVIP navigate more safely and independently. In addition, research in overlapping domains are addressing the problem of automatic environment interpretation using computer vision and machine learning, particularly deep learning, approaches. Our aim in this article is to present a comprehensive review of research directly in, or relevant to, assistive outdoor navigation for BVIP. We breakdown the navigation area into a series of navigation phases and tasks. We then use this structure for our systematic review of research, analysing articles, methods, datasets and current limitations by task. We also provide an overview of commercial and non-commercial navigation applications targeted at BVIP. Our review contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a comprehensive, structured analysis of work in the domain, including the state of the art, and guidance on future directions. It will support both researchers and other stakeholders in the domain to establish an informed view of research progress.
Integrating Pavement Sensing Data for Pavement Condition Evaluation
Authors: Gkyrtis Konstantinos , Loizos Andreas , Plati Christina
Published: April 2021

Highway pavements are usually monitored in terms of their surface performance assessment, since the major cause that triggers maintenance is reduced pavement serviceability due to surface distresses, excessive pavement unevenness and/or texture loss. A common way to detect pavement surface condition is by the use of vehicle-mounted laser sensors that can rapidly scan huge roadway networks at traffic speeds without the need for traffic interventions. However, excessive roughness might sometimes indicate structural issues within one or more pavement layers or even issues within the pavement foundation support. The stand-alone use of laser profilers cannot provide the related agencies with information on what leads to roughness issues. Contrariwise, the integration of multiple non-destructive data leads to a more representative assessment of pavement condition and enables a more rational pavement management and decision-making. This research deals with an integration approach that primarily combines pavement sensing profile and deflectometric data and further evaluates indications of increased pavement roughness. In particular, data including Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) and Road Surface Profiler (RSP) measurements are used in conjunction with additional geophysical inspection data from Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR). Based on pavement response modelling, a promising potential is shown that could proactively assist the related agencies in the framework of transport infrastructure health monitoring.
Panoramic Dental Radiography Image Enhancement Using Multiscale Mathematical Morphology
Authors: Román Julio César Mello , Fretes Vicente R. , Adorno Carlos G. , Silva Ricardo Gariba , Noguera José Luis Vázquez , Legal-Ayala Horacio , Mello-Román Jorge Daniel , Torres Ricardo Daniel Escobar , Facon Jacques
Published: April 2021

Panoramic dental radiography is one of the most used images of the different dental specialties. This radiography provides information about the anatomical structures of the teeth. The correct evaluation of these radiographs is associated with a good quality of the image obtained. In this study, 598 patients were consecutively selected to undergo dental panoramic radiography at the Department of Radiology of the Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad Nacional de Asunción. Contrast enhancement techniques are used to enhance the visual quality of panoramic dental radiographs. Specifically, this article presents a new algorithm for contrast, detail and edge enhancement of panoramic dental radiographs. The proposed algorithm is called Multi-Scale Top-Hat transform powered by Geodesic Reconstruction for panoramic dental radiography enhancement (MSTHGR). This algorithm is based on multi-scale mathematical morphology techniques. The proposal extracts multiple features of brightness and darkness, through the reconstruction of the marker (obtained by the Top-Hat transformation by reconstruction) starting from the mask (obtained by the classic Top-Hat transformation). The maximum characteristics of brightness and darkness are added to the dental panoramic radiography. In this way, the contrast, details and edges of the panoramic radiographs of teeth are improved. For the tests, MSTHGR was compared with the following algorithms: Geodesic Reconstruction Multiscale Morphology Contrast Enhancement (GRMMCE), Histogram Equalization (HE), Brightness Preserving Bi-Histogram Equalization (BBHE), Dual Sub-Image Histogram Equalization (DSIHE), Minimum Mean Brightness Error Bi-Histogram Equalization (MMBEBHE), Quadri-Histogram Equalization with Limited Contrast (QHELC), Contrast-Limited Adaptive Histogram Equalization (CLAHE) and Gamma Correction (GC). Experimentally, the numerical results show that the MSTHGR obtained the best results with respect to the Contrast Improvement Ratio (CIR), Entropy (E) and Spatial Frequency (SF) metrics. This indicates that the algorithm performs better local enhancements on panoramic radiographs, improving their details and edges.
Using Direct Acyclic Graphs to Enhance Skeleton-Based Action Recognition with a Linear-Map Convolution Neural Network
Authors: Tan Tan-Hsu , Hus Jin-Hao , Liu Shing-Hong , Huang Yung-Fa , Gochoo Munkhjargal
Published: April 2021

Research on the human activity recognition could be utilized for the monitoring of elderly people living alone to reduce the cost of home care. Video sensors can be easily deployed in the different zones of houses to achieve monitoring. The goal of this study is to employ a linear-map convolutional neural network (CNN) to perform action recognition with RGB videos. To reduce the amount of the training data, the posture information is represented by skeleton data extracted from the 300 frames of one film. The two-stream method was applied to increase the accuracy of recognition by using the spatial and motion features of skeleton sequences. The relations of adjacent skeletal joints were employed to build the direct acyclic graph (DAG) matrices, source matrix, and target matrix. Two features were transferred by DAG matrices and expanded as color texture images. The linear-map CNN had a two-dimensional linear map at the beginning of each layer to adjust the number of channels. A two-dimensional CNN was used to recognize the actions. We applied the RGB videos from the action recognition datasets of the NTU RGB+D database, which was established by the Rapid-Rich Object Search Lab, to execute model training and performance evaluation. The experimental results show that the obtained precision, recall, specificity, F1-score, and accuracy were 86.9%, 86.1%, 99.9%, 86.3%, and 99.5%, respectively, in the cross-subject source, and 94.8%, 94.7%, 99.9%, 94.7%, and 99.9%, respectively, in the cross-view source. An important contribution of this work is that by using the skeleton sequences to produce the spatial and motion features and the DAG matrix to enhance the relation of adjacent skeletal joints, the computation speed was faster than the traditional schemes that utilize single frame image convolution. Therefore, this work exhibits the practical potential of real-life action recognition.
Applicability of Maximal Ergometer Testing and Sprint Performance in Adolescent Endurance and Sprint Trained Swimmers
Authors: Pinos Adam J. , Fernandes Elton M. , Viana Eric , Logan-Sprenger Heather M. , Bentley David J.
Published: April 2021

Sprint swimming is a short duration, high intensity sport requiring a relatively greater contribution of energy from anaerobic metabolism. Understanding energy system utilization for the classification of a competitive swimmer (sprint or distance) may be useful for both training prescription and event specialization. The relationship between anaerobic swim ergometer testing and adolescent sprint swimming performance has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare the performance and physiological responses during a maximal all-out ergometer test as well as the maximal anaerobic lactate test in a group of sprint vs. middle-distance specialized swimmers. Sixteen (n = 16) competitive swimmers (mean ± standard deviation (SD), age 16.8 ± 0.7 year; body mass 67.3 ± 9.8 kg) were categorized into two gender matched groups: sprint (n = 8) and middle-distance (n = 8). Each athlete performed (1) a 45 s swim ergometer maximal test to determine peak and mean power output (Watts (W)), (2) a MANLT test to determine peak and average velocity as well as the post-exercise lactate response, and (3) a 50 m swim time trial. The sprint group showed a higher mean (p = 0.026) and peak (p = 0.031) velocity during the MANLT. In addition, blood lactate concentration was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the sprint vs. middle-distance trained group at 3 and 12 min after completion of the MANLT (3-min post 11.29 ± 2.32 vs. 9.55 ± 3.48 mmol/L; 12-min post 8.23 ± 2.28 vs. 7.05 ± 2.47 mmol/L). The power output during the 45 s all-out swimming ergometer test was higher in the sprint trained group. The results of this study demonstrate the anaerobic contribution to sprint swimming measured during an all-out dryland ergometer test.
Scale Change and Correlation of Plant Functional Characteristics in the Desert Community of Ebinur Lake
Authors: Li Hanpeng , Lv Guanghui , Jiang Lamei , Wang Jinlong
Published: April 2021

The difference of functional traits among different species is the basis of species coexistence in natural ecosystems, and the variation of traits among individuals within species also plays an important role in species coexistence and distribution. Taking the desert plant community of Ebinur Lake as the research object, five plant functional characteristics were measured in 13 plants of 25 quadrats in the study area. The changes of these five functional characteristics by the method of character gradient analysis and the scale variation of plant functional traits and the correlation between their environments were studied. The results showed that: (1) the range of α value of the five plant functional characteristics in the community was larger than that of β value; that is, the change of the character value of a species relative to related symbiotic species was larger than that along the average character gradient of the community. (2) The correlations between leaf thickness and leaf area as well as between leaf thickness and leaf dry matter content were the strongest with correlation coefficients. That is, the correlations between LTH and SLA as well as between LTH and LDMC were stronger than that between the two species in the community, suggesting that the development of succession had no significant effect. The strategies used by dominant species to adapt to the environment changed from high-speed growth to improving resource utilization efficiency, while the coexisting species in the same community adopted different character combinations to adapt to the common community environment.
The Complex Evolution of Technologies and Pedagogies for Learning about Complex Systems
Authors: Klopfer Eric
Published: April 2021

It was the mid 1990s [...]
A Possible Resolution to Troubles of SU(2) Center Vortex Detection in Smooth Lattice Configurations
Authors: Golubich Rudolf , Faber Manfried
Published: April 2021

The center vortex model of quantum-chromodynamics can explain confinement and chiral symmetry breaking. We present a possible resolution for problems of the vortex detection in smooth configurations and discuss improvements for the detection of center vortices.
Federal standard for internal state (municipal) financial control “Implementation of the results of inspections, audits and surveys”: main provisions
Authors: Oparina Svetlana Ivanovna , Shinkareva Olga Vladimirovna
Published: April 2021

The article is devoted to the analysis of the Federal standard of internal state (municipal) financial control “Implementation of the results of inspections, audits and surveys”, approved by Decree of the Government of the Russian Federation of July 23, 2020 № 1095. The article considers the main provisions of this standard that affect the organization of internal state (municipal) financial control in state/municipal budget or autonomous institutions. In particular, aspects related to the communication of the results of control measures to the managers of control facilities, the peculiarities of the implementation of the results of the control measure, the extension of the deadline for the execution of submissions and instructions were analyzed.
Robots will take away work from journalists. Or not?
Authors: Abramov R.
Published: April 2021

The author explores the practice of using robots in the work of modern media, in particular, news robots. An analysis of a number of ethical circumstances allows us to conclude that a systemic response to them is necessary.
Back to the issue of domestic violence
Authors: Ponkin I.
Published: April 2021

Opinion of November 7, 2019 on the draft federal law “On the Basics of the Prevention of Domestic Violence System in the Russian Federation” as amended on October 10, 2019.
Characterising generalism in clinical practice: a systematic mixed studies review protocol
Authors: Kelly Martina , Cheung Sarah , Keshavjee Mariam , Stevenson Anna , Elliott Josephine , Singh Surinder , Foster Madeleine , Park Sophie
Published: April 2021

Background

Generalist physician care is associated with improved patient outcomes. Despite initiatives to promote generalism in educational settings, recruitment to generalist disciplines remains less than required to serve societal needs. Increasingly this impacts not just general practice but also generalist specialties such as internal medicine, surgery, and paediatrics. One potential factor for this deficit is a lack of explicit attention to generalism as a praxis, including clarifying key aspects of generalist expertise.

Aim

To examine empirical clinical literature on generalism, and characterise how generalism is described and delivered by physicians in primary and secondary care.

Design & setting

A systematic mixed studies review (SMSR) including quantitative, qualitative, mixed-methods studies, and systematic reviews of physician generalist practice.

Method

MEDLINE, Psycinfo, SocINDEX, Embase, Ovid HealthSTAR, Scopus, and Web of Science will be searched for English language studies from 1999 to present, using a structured search. Given study heterogeneity, quality appraisal will not be performed. Two reviewers will perform study selection for each study. Data extraction will focus on how generalism is defined and characterised, including the clinical care provided by generalists and patient experiences of generalist care. Quantitative and qualitative data will be summarised in tabular and narrative form. Convergent synthesis design will then be used to synthesise quantitative and qualitative data.

Conclusion

Findings will characterise generalism and generalist practice from a grassroots clinical perspective. By identifying similarities and differences across generalist disciplines, this work will inform more focused educational initiatives on generalism at undergraduate and postgraduate level, including collaborations between generalist disciplines.
Embedding brief interventions for alcohol in general practice: a study protocol for the REACH Project feasibility trial
Authors: Sturgiss Elizabeth , Gunatillaka Nilakshi , Ball Lauren , Lam Tina , Nielsen Suzanne , O'Donnell Renee , Barton Chris , Skouteris Helen , Tam Chun Wah Michael , Jacka David , Mazza Danielle , Russell Grant
Published: April 2021

Background

Alcohol is a major source of harm in Australia that disproportionately affects low-income communities. Alcohol brief interventions (ABIs) combine an assessment of a person’s alcohol use with advice to reduce health risks. Despite their effectiveness, ABIs are not routinely performed by clinicians. This article presents a protocol for a feasibility trial of pragmatic implementation strategies and a new set of resources to support clinicians to complete ABIs in Australian general practices.

Aim

To explore the facilitators and barriers to increasing the uptake of ABIs in primary care, including acceptability, reach, adoption, fidelity, and sustainability.

Design & setting

A mixed-methods evaluation of the uptake of ABIs in general practice clinics serving low-income communities in Melbourne, Australia. The approach is informed by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) and Normalisation Process Theory (NPT).

Method

The implementation strategies and resources will be trialled in five general practices over 12 months. The primary outcome will be change in the proportion of adult patients with a complete alcohol history in their electronic medical records. Baseline data collection includes a practice survey to describe practice routines for ABIs and de-identified patient medical record data on completed alcohol histories (repeated at 3, 6, 9, and 12-months post-intervention). Survey and interview data will also be collected from clinicians, patients, and primary health network staff to assess acceptability and feasibility of the intervention.

Conclusion

The study will explore how the implementation strategies and resources can improve alcohol screening and management among low-income patients in general practice.
Sistemas de inventario en las instituciones universitarias públicas de la Costa Oriental del Lago
Authors: Daniela Matos
Published: April 2021

El propósito fundamental de la investigación fue analizar los sistemas de inventario en las instituciones universitarias públicas de la Costa Oriental del Lago. La metodología utilizada fue de tipo descriptiva, con diseño no experimental, de campo y transeccional. La población objeto de estudio estuvo constituida por 12 sujetos que la trabajan en el área de compra de las universidades seleccionadas. La técnica de recolección de datos fue la encuesta, mediante un cuestionario, conformado por 10 ítems, el cual se sometió a un proceso de validación de cinco expertos y la confiabilidad mediante el método del Coeficiente Alfa de Cronbach, arrojando un resultado de 0.83. La técnica de análisis utilizada fue a través de la media aritmética. Se concluye  que a veces se utiliza el análisis ABC, cantidad económica de pedido, justo a tiempo y planificación de requerimiento de materiales, como sistemas de inventarios, que permiten garantizar el abastecimiento de materiales.
Servicio de atención al cliente a través de redes sociales para aumentar las ventas
Authors: Amate Andrea
Published: April 2021

Esta investigación propone analizar el servicio de atención al cliente a través de redes sociales que permita aumentar las ventas de la empresa Mundo Geylin C.A. Aplicando el método cuantitativo, la investigación es de carácter documental, descriptiva y de campo, aplicacada a una empresa dedicada a la comercialización de piezas y componentes de bisutería para la fabricación de accesorios como pulseras, collares, brazaletes, zarcillos, entre otros, que utiliza principalmente las redes sociales. La población a investigar estuvo conformada por el encargado del servicio de atención al cliente, el gerente general y veintiocho (28) clientes, a quienes se les aplicó un cuestionario. Como resultado se tuvo que la totalidad de los clientes están insatisfechos con las respuestas obtenidas por parte de la empresa, en base a los resultados, lo cual obliga a la empresa a rediseñar sus estrategias y procesos de atención al cliente.
Balanza de pagos y emisión de bonos soberanos en Bolivia, repercusiones en la tasa de interés
Authors: Aguilar Cruz Rubén
Published: April 2021

La brecha Ahorro-Inversión en la economía boliviana se tornó negativa en los últimos años. En un entorno de menores entradas de capital, desaceleración del sector real acentuada por los efectos de la pandemia del COVID-19 y una mayor preferencia de los residentes por la moneda extranjera; se atendió las necesidades de liquidez con cargo a reservas internacionales. El estudio buscó evidencia empírica para evaluar el impacto del régimen cambiario actual en un entorno de libre movilidad de capitales sobre la tasa de interés y su posible reacción ante una nueva emisión de deuda soberana. Bajo un enfoque mixto con alcance correlacional y considerando la evolución de las variables en el tiempo, se obtuvieron resultados a favor de los postulados teóricos y se concluyó que, si bien la emisión de bonos soberanos en los mercados internacionales estabilizaría la balanza de pagos, probablemente generaría un nuevo punto de referencia para los rendimientos dentro del país.