bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Critical Evaluation of Cross-Sectoral Collaborations to Inform the Implementation of the “One Health” Approach in Guadeloupe
Authors: Gruel Gaëlle , Diouf Mame Boucar , Abadie Catherine , Chilin-Charles Yolande , Etter Eric Marcel Charles , Geffroy Mariana , Herrmann Storck Cécile , Meyer Damien F. , Pagès Nonito , Pressat Gersende , Teycheney Pierre-Yves , Umber Marie , Vega-Rúa Anubis , Pradel Jennifer
Published: August 2021

In Guadeloupe, a French overseas territory located in the Eastern Caribbean, infectious and non-infectious diseases, loss of biodiversity, natural disasters and global change threaten the health and well-being of animals, plants, and people. Implementing the “One Health” (OH) approach is crucial to reduce the archipelago's vulnerability to these health threats. However, OH remains underdeveloped in Guadeloupe, hampering efficient and effective intersectoral and transdisciplinary collaborations for disease surveillance and control. A multidisciplinary research group of volunteer researchers working in Guadeloupe, with collective expertise in infectious diseases, undertook a study to identify key attributes for OH operationalization by reviewing past and current local collaborative health initiatives and analyzing how much they mobilized the OH framework. The research group developed and applied an operational OH framework to assess critically collaborative initiatives addressing local health issues. Based on a literature review, a set of 13 opinion-based key criteria was defined. The criteria and associated scoring were measured through semi-directed interviews guided by a questionnaire to critically evaluate four initiatives in animal, human, plant, and environmental health research and epidemiological surveillance. Gaps, levers, and prospects were identified that will help health communities in Guadeloupe envision how to implement the OH approach to better address local health challenges. The methodology is simple, generic, and pragmatic and relies on existing resources. It can be transposed and adapted to other contexts to improve effectiveness and efficiency of OH initiatives, based on lessons-learned of local past or current multi-interdisciplinary and intersectoral initiatives.
The Emergence and Spread of Novel SARS-CoV-2 Variants
Authors: Yi Huaimin , Wang Jin , Wang Jiong , Lu Yuying , Zhang Yali , Peng Ruihao , Lu Jiahai , Chen Zeliang
Published: August 2021

Since severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) began to spread in late 2019, laboratories around the world have widely used whole genome sequencing (WGS) to continuously monitor the changes in the viral genes and discovered multiple subtypes or branches evolved from SARS-CoV-2. Recently, several novel SARS-CoV-2 variants have been found to be more transmissible. They may affect the immune response caused by vaccines and natural infections and reduce the sensitivity to neutralizing antibodies. We analyze the distribution characteristics of prevalent SARS-CoV-2 variants and the frequency of mutant sites based on the data available from GISAID and PANGO by R 4.0.2 and ArcGIS 10.2. Our analysis suggests that B.1.1.7, B.1.351, and P.1 are more easily spreading than other variants, and the key mutations of S protein, including N501Y, E484K, and K417N/T, have high mutant frequencies, which may have become the main genotypes for the spread of SARS-CoV-2.
COVID-19 Vaccination Acceptance Among Healthcare Workers and Non-healthcare Workers in China: A Survey
Authors: Wang Ming-Wei , Wen Wen , Wang Nan , Zhou Meng-Yun , Wang Chun-yi , Ni Jie , Jiang Jing-jie , Zhang Xing-wei , Feng Zhan-Hui , Cheng Yong-Ran
Published: August 2021

Background: The coronavirus pneumonia is still spreading around the world. Much progress has been made in vaccine development, and vaccination will become an inevitable trend in the fight against this pandemic. However, the public acceptance of COVID-19 vaccination still remains uncertain.

Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was used in Wen Juan Xing survey platform. All the respondents were divided into healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers. Multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the key sociodemographic, cognitive, and attitude associations among the samples of healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers.

Results: A total of 2,580 respondents completed the questionnaire, including 1,329 healthcare workers and 1,251 non-healthcare workers. This study showed that 76.98% of healthcare workers accepted the COVID-19 vaccine, 18.28% workers were hesitant, and 4.74% workers were resistant. Among the non-healthcare workers, 56.19% workers received the COVID-19 vaccine, 37.57% workers were hesitant, and 6.24% workers were resistant. Among the healthcare workers, compared with vaccine recipients, vaccine-hesitant individuals were more likely to be female (AOR = 1.52, 95% CI: 1.12–2.07); vaccine-resistant individuals were more likely to live in the suburbs (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.44–3.99) with an income of 10,000 RMB or greater (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.03–3.90). Among the non-healthcare workers, vaccine-hesitant individuals were more likely to be female (AOR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.31–2.11); vaccine-resistant individuals were also more likely to be female (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.16–3.02) and older than 65 years (AOR = 4.96, 95% CI: 1.40–7.62). There are great differences between healthcare workers and non-healthcare workers in their cognition and attitude toward vaccines.

Conclusions: Our study shows that healthcare workers are more willing to be vaccinated than non-healthcare workers. Current vaccine safety issues continue to be a major factor affecting public acceptance, and to expand vaccine coverage in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, appropriate vaccination strategies and immunization programs are essential, especially for non-healthcare workers.
Solution of the Fokker–Planck Equation by Cross Approximation Method in the Tensor Train Format
Authors: Chertkov Andrei , Oseledets Ivan
Published: August 2021

We propose the novel numerical scheme for solution of the multidimensional Fokker–Planck equation, which is based on the Chebyshev interpolation and the spectral differentiation techniques as well as low rank tensor approximations, namely, the tensor train decomposition and the multidimensional cross approximation method, which in combination makes it possible to drastically reduce the number of degrees of freedom required to maintain accuracy as dimensionality increases. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach on a number of multidimensional problems, including Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process and the dumbbell model. The developed computationally efficient solver can be used in a wide range of practically significant problems, including density estimation in machine learning applications.
DICE: A Drug Indication Classification and Encyclopedia for AI-Based Indication Extraction
Authors: Bhatt Arjun , Roberts Ruth , Chen Xi , Li Ting , Connor Skylar , Hatim Qais , Mikailov Mike , Tong Weida , Liu Zhichao
Published: August 2021

Drug labeling contains an ‘INDICATIONS AND USAGE’ that provides vital information to support clinical decision making and regulatory management. Effective extraction of drug indication information from free-text based resources could facilitate drug repositioning projects and help collect real-world evidence in support of secondary use of approved medicines. To enable AI-powered language models for the extraction of drug indication information, we used manual reading and curation to develop aDrugIndicationClassification andEncyclopedia (DICE) based on FDA approved human prescription drug labeling. A DICE scheme with 7,231 sentences categorized into five classes (indications, contradictions, side effects, usage instructions, and clinical observations) was developed. To further elucidate the utility of the DICE, we developed nine different AI-based classifiers for the prediction of indications based on the developed DICE to comprehensively assess their performance. We found that the transformer-based language models yielded an average MCC of 0.887, outperforming the word embedding-based Bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) models (0.862) with a 2.82% improvement on the test set. The best classifiers were also used to extract drug indication information in DrugBank and achieved a high enrichment rate (>0.930) for this task. We found that domain-specific training could provide more explainable models without performance sacrifices and better generalization for external validation datasets. Altogether, the proposed DICE could be a standard resource for the development and evaluation of task-specific AI-powered, natural language processing (NLP) models.
Numerous Factors Affecting Performance of NOMA for Massive Machine Type Communications in B5G Systems
Authors: Yan Chunlin , Liu Wei , Yuan Hongwei
Published: August 2021

Massive machine type communications (mMTC) are one of the critical requirements for beyond fifth generation (B5G) communication systems. Services for a huge number of user terminals should be provided simultaneously due to the explosive development of mMTC. It is proved that non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) is effective in satisfying such a requirement. In this paper we evaluate the impacts of numerous factors, such as channel encoding, channel decoding, repetition number, multi-user detector, and number of receiver antennas, on the performance of NOMA. It is surprised to find that some conclusions drawn from orthogonal multiple access system may do not hold anymore for NOMA systems. The factors which have significant impact on the performance of NOMA should be paid more attention to in the system design. The analysis and evaluation results shine more light on how to design an effect NOMA scheme by considering both transmitter and receiver to fulfill the requirements of mMTC for B5G systems.
EKF- and UKF-Based Estimators for Radar System
Authors: Singh U. K. , Singh A. K. , Bhatia V. , Mishra A. K.
Published: August 2021

In radar, the measurements (like the range and radial velocity) are determined from the time delay and Doppler shift. Since the time delay and Doppler shift are estimated from the phase of the received echo, the concerned estimation problem is nonlinear. Consequently, the conventional estimator based on the fast Fourier transform (FFT) is prone to yield high estimation errors. Recently, nonlinear estimators based on kernel least mean square (KLMS) are introduced and found to outperform the conventional estimator. However, estimators based on KLMS are susceptible to incorrect choice of various system parameters. Thus, to mitigate the limitation of existing estimators, in this paper, two efficient low-complexity nonlinear estimators, namely, the extended Kalman filter (EKF) and the unscented Kalman filter (UKF), are proposed. The EKF is advantageous due to its implementation simplicity; however, it suffers from the poor representation of the nonlinear functions by the first-order linearization, whereas UKF outperforms the EKF and offers better stability due to exact consideration of the system nonlinearity. Simulation results reveal improved accuracy achieved by the proposed EKF- and UKF-based estimators.
Influence of Martian Radiation-like Conditions on the Growth of Secale cereale and Lepidium sativum
Authors: Tack N. , Wamelink G.W.W. , Denkova A.G. , Schouwenburg M. , Hilhorst H. , Wolterbeek H.T. , Goedhart P.W.
Published: August 2021

The Martian surface is constantly exposed to a high dose of cosmic radiation consisting of highly energetic particles and multiple types of ionizing radiation. The dose can increase temporarily by a factor of 50 through the occurrence of highly energetic solar flares. This may affect crop growth in greenhouses on the Martian surface possibly making settlement of humans more complicated. Shielding crops from radiation might be done at the expense of lighting efficiency. However, the most energy-efficient cultivation may be achieved through the use of natural daylight with the addition of LED lights. The goal of our research was to investigate whether Martian radiation, both the constant and the solar flares events, affects plant growth of two crop species, rye and garden cress. The levels of radiation received on the surface of Mars, simulated with an equivalent dose of 60Co γ-photons, had a significant negative effect on the growth of the two crop species. Although germination percentages were not affected by radiation, biomass growth was significantly decreased by 32% for cress and 48% for rye during the first 4 weeks after germination. Part of the biomass differences may be due to differences in temperature between radiation and control treatment, however it cannot explain the whole difference between the treatment and control. Coloring of leaves, necrosis and brown parts, was observed as well. Temporary increases in ionizing radiation dose at different development stages of the plants did not significantly influence the final dry weight of the crops.
Stride Pattern of the Lower Extremities Among Stride Types in Baseball Pitching
Authors: Chen Shu-Wei , Tang Wen-Tzu , Kung Jung-Tang , Hung Tsung-Ying , Chen Yu-Lin , Lin Wei-Hsuan , Burgee Daniel J.
Published: August 2021

The present study investigated the differences in the stride pattern of the lower extremities among different stride types in baseball pitchers with the aim of evaluating stride movement and skills to improve training effectiveness. Thirty elite male college baseball pitchers volunteered to pitch on an indoor-mound-like force plate, where motion data of their fastest strike trials were collected using an eight-camera motion analysis system at a 200–250 Hz sampling rate. Pelvis center trajectories of each participant were calculated and further categorized into three groups: tall-and-fall (TF), dip-and-drive (DD), and mixed (MX) pitchers. Motion analysis revealed that DD pitchers initiated pivot–knee extension and pivot–hip adduction earlier than TF pitchers and accelerated their bodies sooner than TF pitchers. In addition, TF pitchers accelerated their bodies forward by pivoting their legs until the middle of the arm-cocking and acceleration phases. The movement patterns of MX pitchers were similar to those of DD pitchers in terms of pivot leg, although this occurred a little later in the stride. Our findings are useful in developing training strategies for coaches, players, and trainers to better meet the demands of different pitching styles.
The Use of Artificial Intelligence in Assessing Affective States in Livestock
Authors: Neethirajan Suresh
Published: August 2021

In order to promote the welfare of farm animals, there is a need to be able to recognize, register and monitor their affective states. Numerous studies show that just like humans, non-human animals are able to feel pain, fear and joy amongst other emotions, too. While behaviorally testing individual animals to identify positive or negative states is a time and labor consuming task to complete, artificial intelligence and machine learning open up a whole new field of science to automatize emotion recognition in production animals. By using sensors and monitoring indirect measures of changes in affective states, self-learning computational mechanisms will allow an effective categorization of emotions and consequently can help farmers to respond accordingly. Not only will this possibility be an efficient method to improve animal welfare, but early detection of stress and fear can also improve productivity and reduce the need for veterinary assistance on the farm. Whereas affective computing in human research has received increasing attention, the knowledge gained on human emotions is yet to be applied to non-human animals. Therefore, a multidisciplinary approach should be taken to combine fields such as affective computing, bioengineering and applied ethology in order to address the current theoretical and practical obstacles that are yet to be overcome.
Morphological and Physiological Responses of Brassica chinensis on Different Far-Red (FR) Light Treatments Using Internet-of-Things (IoT) Technology
Authors: Harun Ahmad Nizar , Ahmad Robiah , Mohamed Norliza , Rahim Abd Rahman Abdul , Kaidi Hazilah Mad
Published: August 2021

Advanced technology in agriculture has enabled the manipulation of the artificial light spectrum in plant development such as improving yield and plant growth. Light manipulation using light-emitting diodes or LEDs can inhibit, delay, or even promote flowering. Some studies have shown that far-red (FR) light can stop flowering, but studies have not fully explored the best method involving intensity and duration to induce plant growth. This paper presents results on LED light manipulation techniques, particularly FR light, on plant flowering control and plant elongation. The light manipulation technique on the combination of colors, photoperiods, and intensities proved that it can stop flowering, and stimulate and control the growth of plants during cultivation. The system was monitored using an Internet-of-Things (IoT) remote monitoring system, and it performed data mining. The results showed that plants that were grown under artificial sunlight (T5) and normal light (T1) treatments were superior compared to others. The FR light delayed flowering until 50 days of planting and accelerated the plant growth and increased the fresh weight by 126%. The experiment showed that a high variable intensity at 300 µmol m−1s−1 showed a great performance and produced the largest leaf area of 1517.0 cm2 and the highest fresh weight of 492.92 g. This study provides new insights to the researchers and the farming community on artificial light systems in improving plant factory production efficiency and in determining the best plant cultivation approach to create a stronger indoor farming management plant.
Effect of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles on Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Agricultural Soil
Authors: Feng Ziyi , Yu Yongxiang , Yao Huaiying , Ge Chaorong
Published: August 2021

Zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) are widely used and exposed to the soil environment, but their effect on soil nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions remains unclear. In this study, a microcosm experiment was conducted to explore the effects of different ZnO NPs concentrations (0, 100, 500, and 1000 mg kg−1) on N2O emissions and associated functional genes related to N2O amendment with carbon (C) or nitrogen (N) substrates. Partial least squares path modeling (PLS-PM) was used to explore possible pathways controlling N2O emissions induced by ZnO NPs. In the treatment without C or N substrates, 100 and 500 mg kg−1 ZnO NPs did not affect N2O production, but 1000 mg kg−1 ZnO NPs stimulated N2O production. Interestingly, compared with the soils without ZnO NPs, the total N2O emissions in the presence of different ZnO NPs concentrations increased by 2.36–4.85-, 1.51–1.62-, and 6.28–8.35-fold following C, N and both C & N substrate amendments, respectively. Moreover, ZnO NPs increased the functional genes of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB amoA) and nitrite reductase (nirS) and led to the exhaustion of nitrate but reduced the gene copies of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA amoA). In addition, the redundancy analysis results showed that the AOB amoA and nirS genes were positively correlated with total N2O emissions, and the PLS-PM results showed that ZnO NPs indirectly affected N2O emissions by influencing soil nitrate content, nitrifiers and denitrifiers. Overall, our results showed that ZnO NPs increase N2O emissions by increasing nitrification (AOB amoA) and denitrification (nirS), and we highlight that the exposure of ZnO NPs in agricultural fields probably results in a high risk of N2O emissions when coupled with C and N substrate amendments, contributing to global climate warming.
Effects of Nitrogen Application Rate on Rhizosphere Microbial Diversity in Oilseed Rape (Brassica napus L.)
Authors: Xing Man , Zhang Ye , Guan Chunyun , Guan Mei
Published: August 2021

Nitrogen is one of the essential nutrients for rape growth and development, of which the demand is large. In order to reveal the response of rhizosphere microbial diversity on oilseed rape to the nitrogen fertilizer, four nitrogen application rates of N (170 kgN/hm2), N50% (85 kgN/hm2), N70% (119 kgN/hm2) and N150% (255 kgN/hm2) were set. The diversity and community structure of soil bacteria and fungi in seedling, flowering and mature stages of oilseed rape were analyzed based on the high-throughput sequencing technology. The results of rhizosphere soil microbial analysis showed that the dominant bacteria phyla were Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Acidobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Cyanobacteria. The dominant fungi phyla were Ascomycota, Olpidiomycota and Basidiomycota. NMDS analysis showed that the community structure of soil bacteria and fungi changed significantly under nitrogen treatment. Cluster analysis showed that the bacteria at seedling and flowering stage had little effect under the condition of less nitrogen application, while the fungi had little effect on the rhizosphere soil microbial flora at flowering stage. At seedling stage, the diversity and richness of bacterial community in the rhizosphere of oilseed rape were lower under low nitrogen application (85 kgN/hm2). Bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere soil of flowering oilseed rape maintained a higher community diversity under the condition of high nitrogen (255 kgN/hm2). The diversity of rhizosphere bacterial community was higher under conventional N application than under other N application.
Can Yucca schidigera Be Used to Enhance the Growth Performance, Nutrient Digestibility, Gut Histomorphology, Cecal Microflora, Carcass Characteristic, and Meat Quality of Commercial Broilers Raised under Tropical Conditions?
Authors: Alghirani Mohamed M. , Chung Eric Lim Teik , Sabri Danial Shah Mohd , Tahir Muhammad Nasir Jalaluddin Mohd , Kassim Nafeesa Abu , Kamalludin Mamat Hamidi , Nayan Nazri , Jesse Faez Firdaus Abdullah , Sazili Awis Qurni , Loh Teck Chwen
Published: August 2021

This study aims to study the effect of Yucca shidigera as a phytobiotic supplementation in enhancing the production performance of commercial broilers reared under tropical environments. A total of 300 male day-old Ross 308 broiler chicks were randomly allocated into six treatment groups. Treatment 1 broilers were fed with commercial diets without antibiotics. Treatment 2 broilers were fed with commercial diets added with 100 mg/kg oxytetracycline antibiotic. Treatment 3, 4, 5, and 6 were fed with the same commercial diets added with 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera, respectively, without antibiotic. Throughout the six weeks study period, body weight and feed intake were recorded weekly for each replicate to calculate the body weight gain and feed conversion ratio. In addition, the nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, cecal microflora population, carcass characteristics, and meat quality were determined. The results showed significant differences (p < 0.05) in the growth performance, apparent ileal nutrient digestibility, gut histomorphology, carcass traits, and meat quality. Overall, T6 broilers supplemented with 100 mg/kg Y. shidigera demonstrated the best production performances as compared to the other treatment broilers. In summary, information from this study will be valuable for the usability of Y. schidigera, which could be developed as a feed additive to replace antibiotics in the poultry sector in the tropics.
Effects of Tourism on the Habitat Use by a Threatened Large Rodent at a World Heritage Site
Authors: Beninato Veronica A. , Borghi Carlos E. , Andino Natalia , Pérez Mauricio A. , Giannoni Stella M.
Published: August 2021

The mara is a large endemic rodent, which presents a marked decline in its populations, mainly because of habitat loss, hunting, and overgrazing. The Ischigualasto Provincial Park is a hyper-arid protected area at the Monte Desert of Argentina with an overall low plant cover. Our objective was to determine the influence of environmental variables and tourist activities on mara’s habitat use. We used different biological levels to explain it, from plant community to floristic composition, in order to know at which level we can better detect the effects of tourist activities. We registered fresh feces and habitat variables along 80 transects in two communities, near and far away from the tourist circuit. To evaluate habitat use, we fitted models at different biological levels: plant community, plant strata, plant biological forms, and floristic composition. At the community and plant strata levels, we could not detect any tourism effects on habitat use. However, we detected effects of tourist activities on mara’s habitat use at the plant strata and floristic composition levels. Maras also selected areas with a low proportion of both bare soil and pebbles cover. We found complex interactions between abiotic, biotic variables and tourism, studying mara’s places near tourism activities, probably because they perceive those places as predator-safe areas.
Prevalence of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in Sudan: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Hajissa Khalid , Marzan Mahfuza , Idriss Mubarak Ibrahim , Islam Md Asiful
Published: August 2021

Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is still one of the most critical issues impeding worldwide TB control efforts. The aim of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to give an updated picture of the prevalence of DR-TB in Sudan. A comprehensive systematic search was performed on four electronic databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar) to identify all published studies reporting prevalence data of DR-TB in Sudan. Sixteen eligible studies published during 2002–2020 were included. Using meta-analysis of proportions, the pooled prevalence of TB cases with resistance to any anti-TB drugs was 47.0% (95% CI: 35.5–58.6%). The overall prevalence of mono, multi, poly and extensive drug resistance were estimated to be 16.2% (95% CI: 9.0–23.4%), 22.8% (95% CI: 16.0–29.7%), 6.8% (95% CI: 0.5–13.0%) and 0.7% (95% CI: 0–2.1%), respectively. Considering any first-line anti-TB drugs, the resistance prevalence was highest for isoniazid (32.3%) and streptomycin (31.7%), followed by rifampicin (29.2%). In contrast, resistance against second-line drugs was reported for only two antibiotics, namely, ofloxacin (2.1%) and kanamycin (0.7%). Of note, the resistance profile of the previously treated patients was found to be remarkably high compared with the newly diagnosed TB patients. The relatively high prevalence estimation of anti-TB drug resistance warrants strengthening TB control and treatment strategies in Sudan.
Anthocyanins Promote Learning through Modulation of Synaptic Plasticity Related Proteins in an Animal Model of Ageing
Authors: Vauzour David , Rendeiro Catarina , D’Amato Alfonsina , Waffo-Téguo Pierre , Richard Tristan , Mérillon Jean Michel , Pontifex Matthew G. , Connell Emily , Müller Michael , Butler Laurie T. , Williams Claire M. , Spencer Jeremy P. E.
Published: August 2021

Anthocyanin-rich foods, such as berries, reportedly ameliorate age-related cognitive deficits in both animals and humans. Despite this, investigation into the mechanisms which underpin anthocyanin-mediated learning and memory benefits remains relatively limited. The present study investigates the effects of anthocyanin intake on a spatial working memory paradigm, assessed via the cross-maze apparatus, and relates behavioural test performance to underlying molecular mechanisms. Six-week supplementation with pure anthocyanins (2% w/w), administered throughout the learning phase of the task, improved both spatial and psychomotor performances in aged rats. Behavioural outputs were accompanied by changes in the expression profile of key proteins integral to synaptic function/maintenance, with upregulation of dystrophin, protein kinase B (PKB/Akt) and tyrosine hydroxylase, and downregulation of apoptotic proteins B-cell lymphoma-extra-large (Bcl-xL) and the phosphorylated rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (p-Raf). Separate immunoblot analysis supported these observations, indicating increased activation of extracellular signal-related kinase (ERK1), Akt Ser473, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) Ser2448, activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc/Arg 3.1) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in response to anthocyanin treatment, whilst α-E-catenin, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK1) and p38 protein levels decreased. Together, these findings suggest that purified anthocyanin consumption enhances spatial learning and motor coordination in aged animals and can be attributed to the modulation of key synaptic proteins, which support integrity and maintenance of synaptic function.
Platelet-Rich Fibrin: A Viable Therapy for Endodontic-Periodontal Lesions? A Preliminary Assessment
Authors: Onicas Maria Ioana , Narita Laura Elena , Mester Alexandru , Onisor Florin , Mancini Leonardo
Published: August 2021

Background and Objectives: The endodontic system and the periodontium are closely interrelated and the infection of both leads to the appearance of endodontic-periodontal lesions. Along with the endodontic and periodontal classic treatment, in most cases, there is a need for regenerative periodontal therapy for the repair of the damaged tissue. One material that stimulates bone healing is represented by platelet-rich fibrin (PRF). The aim of this study was to determine if the inclusion of PRF in the treatment protocol of endodontic-periodontal lesions is effective. Materials and Methods: This review was conducted according to the PRISMA guidelines. Four databases, MEDLINE (through PubMed), Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, were used in order to find all significant articles on the topic. Relevant keywords were used in different combinations. Results: The inclusion criteria were met by six studies, published between 2014 and 2020 and they were selected for the review. The use of PRF for the regenerative therapy of endodontic-periodontal lesions showed favorable outcomes in all of the studies included, with significant reductions in the probing depths. Conclusion: While platelet-rich fibrin may be beneficial, further research is needed.
Monitoring Total Suspended Sediment Concentration in Spatiotemporal Domain over Teluk Lipat Utilizing Landsat 8 (OLI)
Authors: Sa’ad Fathinul Najib Ahmad , Tahir Mohd Subri , Jemily Nor Haniza Bakhtiar , Ahmad Asmala , Amin Abd Rahman Mat
Published: August 2021

Total suspended sediment (TSS) is a water quality parameter that is used to understand sediment transport, aquatic ecosystem health, and engineering problems. The majority of TSS in water bodies is due to natural and human factors such as brought by river runoff, coastal erosion, dredging activities, and waves. It is an important parameter that should be monitored periodically, particularly over the dynamic coastal region. This study aims to monitor spatiotemporal TSS concentration over Teluk Lipat, Malaysia. To date, there are two commonly used methods to monitor TSS concentration over wide water regions. Firstly, field sampling is known very expensive and time-consuming method. Secondly, the remote sensing technology that can monitor spatiotemporal TSS concentration freely. Although remote sensing technology could overcome these problems, universal empirical or semiempirical algorithms are still not available. Most of the developed algorithms are on a regional basis. To measure TSS concentration over the different regions, a new regional algorithm needs to develop. To do so, two field trip was conducted in the study area concurrent with the passing of Landsat 8. A total of 30 field samples were collected from 30 sampling points during the first field trip and 30 samples from 30 samplings from the second field trip. The samples were then analyzed using an established method to develop the TSS algorithm. The data obtained from the first field trip were then used to develop a regional TSS algorithm using the regression analysis technique. The developed algorithm was then validated by using data obtained from the second field trip. The results demonstrated that TSS in the study area is highly correlated with three Landsat 8 bands, namely green, near-infrared (NIR), and short-wavelength (SWIR) bands, with R2 = 0.79. The TSS map is constructed using the algorithm. Analyses of the image suggest that the highest TSSs are mainly observed along the coastal line and over the river mouth. It suggested that the main contributing factors over the study area are river runoff and wave splash.
Optimal Sizing and Techno-Economic Analysis of Minigrid Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Tourist Destination Islands of Lake Tana, Ethiopia
Authors: Beza Teketay Mulu , Wu Chen-Han , Kuo Cheng-Chien
Published: August 2021

Achieving universal electricity access is a challenging goal for the governments of developing countries such as Ethiopia. Extending the national grid to the remotely located, scattered, and island populations demands a huge investment. This paper aims to show the techno-economic feasibility of minigrid renewable energy system to electrify Kibran Gabriel island in Ethiopia, through the execution of simulation, optimization and sensitivity analysis using Hybrid Optimization Models for Energy Resources (HOMER Pro) software. The minigrid systems were compared with both diesel generation (DG) and grid extension systems. The hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/DG/battery system is more economically feasible compared with other minigrid systems, and the best cost-effective option is the one including load flow (LF) strategy with 25 kW of PV, 10 kW of DG, 40 kWh of battery, and 5 kW of bi-directional convertor. The optimal PV/DG/Battery system, having levelized cost of energy (COE) of USD 0.175/kWh, net present cost (NPC) of USD 119,139 and renewable fraction (RF) of 86.4%, reduces the pollutant emissions by 33,102 kg/yr compared with the stand-alone DG system. The optimal minigrid sensitivity to the variations in global horizontal irradiance (GHI), diesel price and load consumption were considered in the sensitivity analysis, and the result shows that the system will operate reasonably well.
Diagnostic Performance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Preoperative Local Staging of Penile Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Flammia Rocco Simone , Tufano Antonio , Antonelli Luca , Bernardotto Arianna , Castro Bigalli Alberto A. , Tian Zhen , Smaldone Marc C. , Karakiewicz Pierre I. , Panebianco Valeria , Leonardo Costantino
Published: August 2021

Invasion of the tunica albuginea (TA) and/or urethra are key factors in determining the feasibility of organ-preserving surgery in penile cancer (PC). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appeared to be a promising technique for preoperative local staging. We performed a systematic review (SR) and pooled meta-analysis to investigate the diagnostic performance of MRI in preoperative local staging of primary PC. An SR up to May 2021 was performed according to the PRISMA statement. The diagnostic performance of MRI was evaluated according to TA invasion, urethra invasion, and pT-stage ≥ 2. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) from eligible studies were pooled and summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curves were constructed. Overall, seven qualified studies were deemed suitable. Diagnostic performance of MRI showed an accuracy of 0.89 for TA invasion (sensitivity 0.78, PPV 0.79, specificity 0.91, and NPV 0.90); an accuracy of 0.88 for urethra invasion (sensitivity 0.65, PPV 0.46, specificity 0.86, and NPV 0.93); an accuracy of 0.90 for pT ≥ 2 (sensitivity 0.86, PPV 0.84, specificity 0.70, and NPV 0.73).Currently available evidence indicates that MRI might be a one-stop shop for local staging of primary PC and play a central role with regard to conservative surgical management.
Thermal and Physical Properties of Crude Palm Oil with Higher Oleic Content
Authors: de Almeida Erislene S. , da Silva Damaceno Daniela , Carvalho Laiane , Victor Priscilla Araújo , dos Passos Rafaela Menezes , de Almeida Pontes Paula Virginia , Cunha-Filho Marcílio , Sampaio Klicia A. , Monteiro Simone
Published: August 2021

Interspecific hybridization of oil palms (E. guineensis × E. oleifera) was initially exploited to provide disease resistance and, consequently, increased oleic acid content. Besides the growing importance of this cultivar to the market, there is little information about this oil’s properties. In this context, this study aimed to determine a comprehensive physicochemical and thermal characterization of hybrid palm oil (HOPO) compared with the better-known African palm oil (APO). Differences in the distribution of fatty acids, carotenoids, and tocols were observed. Minor differences in density and viscosity were found between the oils, with no relevance for the materials’ processing design. Nevertheless, HOPO showed unique crystallization behavior, which potentially can affect industrial operations, such as fractionation. HOPO did not present the two thermal characteristic regions of APO, attributed to olein and stearin fractions. The HOPO demonstrated a decrease in the melting point of more than 3 °C in relation to APO, and a reduction in the crystallization point of more than 6 °C. Furthermore, besides the higher content of unsaturated fatty acids, HOPO was more stable than APO due to a higher antioxidant content. These results could be useful to establish operation conditions for processes using palm oil from hybrid oil palm.
Approaches to Numerical Solution of Optimal Control Problem Using Evolutionary Computations
Authors: Diveev Askhat , Sofronova Elena , Konstantinov Sergey
Published: August 2021

Two approaches to the numerical solution of the optimal control problem are studied. The direct approach is based on the reduction of the optimal control problem to a nonlinear programming problem. Another approach is so-called synthesized optimal control, and it includes the solution of the control synthesis problem and stabilization at some point in the state space, followed by the search of stabilization points and movement of the control object along these points. The comparison of these two approaches was carried out as the solution of the optimal control problem as a time function cannot be directly used in the control system, although the obtained discretized control can be embedded. The control object was a group of interacting mobile robots. Dynamic and static constraints were included in the quality criterion. Implemented methods were evolutionary algorithms and a random parameter search of piecewise linear approximation and coordinates of stabilization points, along with a multilayer network operator for control synthesis.
Initial Characterization of PDMAEMA: Styrene Porous Polymer Monolithic Morphologies
Authors: Hayes Madisyn , Smith Alyssa , Arrasmith Corbin , Davis Willow , Daniels Charlisa R.
Published: August 2021

This research aimed to investigate a new fabrication of poly-(2-dimethyl(aminoethyl) methacrylate)-co-styrene in a porous polymer monolithic morphology. Poly-(2-dimethyl(aminoethyl) methacrylate) (PDMAEMA) is responsive to changes in pH while styrene remains unresponsive to external stimuli. IR, UV/Vis, and SEM were employed to determine that the proposed porous polymer (PPM) monolith can present pH-initiated stimuli response while remaining intact. The copolymerization of PDMAEMA with styrene has not been previously documented in a PPM morphology. It is important to demonstrate that the PPM retains tunable capabilities without destruction to the material. The utility of PDMAEMA copolymers is wide-reaching and this new adaptation of its tunability in a resilient PPM can serve as a distinct preface to original applications in fields such as surface modification, membrane technologies and stationary phases. To further the groundwork of this communication, dynamic studies on the interactions of small molecules with the pores of the monolith will be essential and accomplished via capillary electrochromatography.
Brillouin Frequency Shift Sensing Technology Used in Railway Strain and Temperature Measurement
Authors: Hsu Wen-Kuei , Lee Yu-Lin , Kuan Tsan-Teng
Published: August 2021

This study and verification are based on the Brillouin frequency shift (BFS), which is related to the strain and temperature changes of a single-mode fiber, because such a shifted frequency can be quantitatively measured and converted to strain and temperature differences. We explain the installation of a Brillouin distributed fiber sensing system (DFOS) on an actual operating railway to measure the temperature and strain of the rail. In addition, the measured data were calculated and analyzed, revealing the geometric irregularity of the tested rail and the location of the abnormality. We obtained a temperature difference of 12.1 °C between the temperature distribution of the measured rail and the atmospheric temperature, and there was a 1.5 h delay between the two. We also obtained rail irregularities ranging from −0.3 to +0.4 mm by calculating the slight strain difference of the rail in this test.
CFD Simulation of the Safety of Unmanned Ship Berthing under the Influence of Various Factors
Authors: Xiao Guoquan , Tong Chao , Wang Yue , Guan Shuaishuai , Hong Xiaobin , Shang Bin
Published: August 2021

The safety of unmanned ship berthing is of paramount importance. In order to explore the influence of wind and wave coupling, a berthing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was established, and the characteristics of speed field, pressure field, and vortex have been obtained under different speed, wind direction, and the quay wall distances. The results show that the total resistance of the hull against the current can be about 1.60 times higher compared to the downstream resistance, water flow resistance is the dominant factor, accounting for more than 80% of the total resistance. When changing the distance between ship and shore at fixed speed, the results found that the torque is small, but the growth rate is very large when driving below 2 m/s, and the torque growth rate is stable above 2 m/s. Based on the established coupling model, a multi-factor berthing safety study is carried out on an actual unmanned ship. The results show that when the speed increases from 4 m/s to 12 m/s, the curve slope is small, the resistance increases from 3666 N to 18,056 N, and the rear slope increases. The pressure increases with the speed, and when the speed is 24 m/s, the maximum pressure is up to 238,869 Pa. When the wind speed is fixed, the vertical force of the unmanned ship increases first and then decreases to zero and then reverses the same law change, and the maximum resistance is about 425 N at the wind angle of about 45 degrees; At 90 degrees, the maximum lateral force on an unmanned boat is about 638 N. The above results can provide control strategy for unmanned ship berthing safety, and provide theoretical basis for unmanned ship route planning and obstacle avoidance, safety design, etc.
Sedimentation of Two Side-by-Side Heavy Particles of Different Density in a Shear-Thinning Fluid with Viscoelastic Properties
Authors: Yang Sensen , Tu Chengxu , Dai Minglu , Ge Xianfu , Xu Rongjun , Gao Xiaoyan , Bao Fubing
Published: August 2021

Particle sedimentation has widely existed in nature and engineering fields, and most carrier fluids are non-Newtonian. Recently, the manipulation of a settling particle in liquid has been a topic of high interest to those involved in engineered processes such as composite materials, pharmaceutical manufacture, chemistry and the petroleum industry. Compared with Newtonian fluid, the viscosity of non-Newtonian fluid is closely related to the shear rate, leading to a single settling particle having different dynamic behaviors. In this article, the trajectories and velocities of two side-by-side particles of different densities (heavy and light) settling in a shear-thinning fluid with viscoelastic property were studied, as well as that for the corresponding single settling particle. Regardless of the difference in the particle density, the results show the two-way coupling interaction between the two side-by-side settling particles. As opposed to a single settling particle, the wake of the heavier particle can clearly attract or rebound the light particle due to the shear-thinning or viscoelastic property of the fluid. Regarding the trajectories of the light particle, three basic path types were found: (i) the light particle is first attracted and then repelled by the wake of the heavy one; (ii) the light particle approaches and then largely traces within the path of the heavy one in the limited field of view; (iii) the light particle is first slightly shifted away from its original position and then returns to this initial position. In addition to this, due to the existence of a corridor of reduced viscosity and negative wake generated by the viscoelastic property, the settling velocity of a light particle can exceed the terminal velocity of a single particle of the same density. On the other hand, the sedimentation of the light particle can induce the distinguishable transverse migration of the heavy one.
Wide Scanning Angle Millimetre Wave 1 × 4 Planar Antenna Array on InP at 300 GHz
Authors: Hussain Bilal , Salgado Henrique M. , Pessoa Luís M.
Published: August 2021

The design of a uniformly spaced 1 × 4 linear antenna array using epitaxial layers of benzocyclobutene over an InP substrate is demonstrated. The array elements are conjugately matched with a uni-travelling carrier photodiode at the input. The phased array is optimised to counteract mutual coupling effects by introducing metal strips with isolated ground planes for each radiating element. The proposed antenna array can provide a gain of 10 dBi with a gain variation of ±3 dB. The array operates over a bandwidth of 10 GHz (295–305 GHz) with a wide scanning angle of 100° in the broadside.
Mixed, Augmented and Virtual, Reality Applied to the Teaching of Mathematics for Architects
Authors: Cabero-Almenara Julio , Barroso-Osuna Julio , Martinez-Roig Rosabel
Published: August 2021

This paper examines the possibilities of Mixed Reality, the combination of two emerging technologies—Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality—in university education. For this purpose, an object was elaborated in Mixed Reality that underwent the evaluation of 44 first-year students from the degree in architecture who were enrolled in the subject “Mathematical Foundations for Architecture.” The instrument utilized was based on the TAM model, which analyzes the degree of acceptance of the technology used. The analysis of the responses provided by students supported the 23 hypotheses formulated in this study. It was found that MR significantly influences the perceived usefulness and ease of use. The results imply that MR utilization has positive effects on the mathematical teaching-learning processes in architecture from the students’ perception of their mastery of technology. It becomes necessary to offer support to those university teachers who promote the use of active MR-based methodologies in classrooms.