bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Perceived access to general and mental healthcare in primary care in Colombia during COVID-19: A cross-sectional study
Authors: Gómez-Restrepo Carlos , Cepeda Magda , Torrey William C. , Suarez-Obando Fernando , Uribe-Restrepo José Miguel , Park Sena , Acosta María Paula Jassir , Camblor Pablo Martínez , Castro Sergio M. , Aguilera-Cruz Jeny , González Lilian , Chaparro Natalia , Gómez-Gamez Ana María , Bell Kathleen , Marsch Lisa A.
Published: September 2022

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact both in general and mental healthcare, challenged the health systems worldwide, and affected their capacity to deliver essential health services. We aimed to describe perceived changes in ease of access to general and mental healthcare among patients with a diagnosis of depression and/or unhealthy alcohol use in Colombia.

Methods

This study is embedded in the DIADA project, a multicenter implementation research study aimed at evaluating the integration of mental healthcare in primary care in Colombia. Between November 2020 and August 2021, we conducted a COVID-19 pandemic impact assessment in a cohort of participants with newly diagnosed depression and/or unhealthy alcohol use part of DIADA project. We assessed the ease of access and factors related to perceived ease of access to general or mental healthcare, during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Results

836 participants completed the COVID-19 pandemic impact assessment. About 30% of participants considered their mental health to be worse during the pandemic and 84.3% perceived access to general healthcare to be worse during the pandemic. Most of participants (85.8%) were unable to assess access to mental health services, but a significant proportion considered it to be worse. Experiencing worse ease of access to general healthcare was more frequent among women, patients with diagnosis of depression, and patients with comorbidities. Experiencing worse ease of access to mental healthcare was more frequent among patients aged between 30 and 49.9 years, from socioeconomic status between 4 and 6, affiliated to the contributive social security regime, attending urban study sites, and those who perceived their mental health was worse during the pandemic.

Discussion

Despite the overall perception of worse mental health during the pandemic, the use of mental healthcare was low compared to general healthcare. Ease of access was perceived to be worse compared to pre-pandemic. Ease of access and access were affected by geographical study site, socioeconomic status, age and gender. Our findings highlight the need for improved communication between patients and institutions, tailored strategies to adapt the healthcare provision to patients' characteristics, and continued efforts to strengthen the role of mental healthcare provision in primary care.
Applications of artificial intelligence in the field of air pollution: A bibliometric analysis
Authors: Guo Qiangqiang , Ren Mengjuan , Wu Shouyuan , Sun Yajia , Wang Jianjian , Wang Qi , Ma Yanfang , Song Xuping , Chen Yaolong
Published: September 2022

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become widely used in a variety of fields, including disease prediction, environmental monitoring, and pollutant prediction. In recent years, there has also been an increase in the volume of research into the application of AI to air pollution. This study aims to explore the latest trends in the application of AI in the field of air pollution.

Methods

All literature on the application of AI to air pollution was searched from the Web of Science database. CiteSpace 5.8.R1 was used to analyze countries/regions, institutions, authors, keywords and references cited, and to reveal hot spots and frontiers of AI in atmospheric pollution.

Results

Beginning in 1994, publications on AI in air pollution have increased in number, with a surge in research since 2017. The leading country and institution were China (N = 524) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (N = 58), followed by the United States (N = 455) and Tsinghua University (N = 33), respectively. In addition, the United States (0.24) and the England (0.27) showed a high degree of centrality. Most of the identified articles were published in journals related to environmental science; the most cited journal was Atmospheric Environment, which reached nearly 1,000 citations. There were few collaborations among authors, institutions and countries. The hot topics were machine learning, air pollution and deep learning. The majority of the researchers concentrated on air pollutant concentration prediction, particularly the combined use of AI and environmental science methods, low-cost air quality sensors, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort.

Conclusion

Researches in the field of AI and air pollution are expanding rapidly in recent years. The majority of scholars are from China and the United States, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences is the dominant research institution. The United States and the England contribute greatly to the development of the cooperation network. Cooperation among research institutions appears to be suboptimal, and strengthening cooperation could greatly benefit this field of research. The prediction of air pollutant concentrations, particularly PM2.5, low-cost air quality sensors, and thermal comfort are the current research hotspot.
Association between environmental lead/cadmium co-exposure in drinking water and soil and type 2 diabetes mellitus/obesity in Southern China
Authors: Qu Zhi , Zhou Jianli , Guo Peisen , Wang Jingrui , Wang Panpan , Liu Limin , Wu Mengdi , Wang Peixi , Liu Nan
Published: September 2022

Lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) in environment can be directly absorbed by drinking water and soil. However, data on human Pb and Cd exposure by drinking water and soil and its long-term consequence for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity are lacking. Our study aims to explore the association of typical heavy metals co-exposure in drinking water and soil to the community residents with T2DM and obesity indices in two cities of southern China. A cross-sectional study enrolling total 1,274 participants was performed and the local water and soil samples were collected in two communities in southern China. The average daily dose (ADD) of heavy metals was calculated to assess the exposure. The obesity indices comprise body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC). Binary, multiple logistic and linear regressions were employed for assessing the associations of Pb and Cd exposure with T2DM and obesity. The results showed that there weren't any significant correlations between ADDs of Pb/Cd and T2DM in community residents (all Ps>0.05). Compared with those with 18.5 ≤ BMI <24, with 1 μg/kg bw/d ADD of Pb increase in exposure are associated with 49.2–56.1% lower likelihood of overweight. Besides, with ADDs of Pb exposure was increased by 1 μg/kg bw/d and WHR decreasing by 0.01–0.02, and WC decreasing by 2.22–4.67 cm. We speculate that Pb causes weight loss because it damages the absorption function of the gastrointestinal tract as an initial injury. 1μg/kg bw/d ADD of Cd increase is associated with 100.9% upper likelihood of low weight in Model 1. It suggests that Pb/Cd pollution in the local environment was serious and harmful to residents' health. Government should introduce relevant oversight and accountability systems to improve the prevention and management of lifestyle-related chronic diseases in the future.
Smoking and the widening inequality in life expectancy between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas of the United States
Authors: Hendi Arun S. , Ho Jessica Y.
Published: September 2022

Background

Geographic inequality in US mortality has increased rapidly over the last 25 years, particularly between metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. These gaps are sizeable and rival life expectancy differences between the US and other high-income countries. This study determines the contribution of smoking, a key contributor to premature mortality in the US, to geographic inequality in mortality over the past quarter century.

Methods

We used death certificate and census data covering the entire US population aged 50+ between Jan 1, 1990 and Dec 31, 2019. We categorized counties into 40 geographic areas cross-classified by region and metropolitan category. We estimated life expectancy at age 50 and the index of dissimilarity for mortality, a measure of inequality in mortality, with and without smoking for these areas in 1990–1992 and 2017–2019. We estimated the changes in life expectancy levels and percent change in inequality in mortality due to smoking between these periods.

Results

We find that the gap in life expectany between metros and nonmetros increased by 2.17 years for men and 2.77 years for women. Changes in smoking-related deaths are responsible for 19% and 22% of those increases, respectively. Among the 40 geographic areas, increases in life expectancy driven by changes in smoking ranged from 0.91 to 2.34 years for men while, for women, smoking-related changes ranged from a 0.61-year decline to a 0.45-year improvement. The most favorable trends in years of life lost to smoking tended to be concentrated in large central metros in the South and Midwest, while the least favorable trends occurred in nonmetros in these same regions. Smoking contributed to increases in mortality inequality for men aged 70+, with the contribution ranging from 8 to 24%, and for women aged 50–84, ranging from 14 to 44%.

Conclusions

Mortality attributable to smoking is declining fastest in large cities and coastal areas and more slowly in nonmetropolitan areas of the US. Increasing geographic inequalities in mortality are partly due to these geographic divergences in smoking patterns over the past several decades. Policies addressing smoking in non-metropolitan areas may reduce geographic inequality in mortality and contribute to future gains in life expectancy.
Association between hospital legal constructions and medical disputes: A multi-center analysis of 130 tertiary hospitals in Hunan Province, China
Authors: Yi Min , Cao Yanlin , Zhou Yujin , Cao Yuebin , Zheng Xueqian , Wang Jiangjun , Chen Wei , Wei Liangyu , Zhang Ke
Published: September 2022

Background

Medical disputes are common in hospitals and a major challenge for the operations of medical institutions. However, few studies have looked into the association between medical disputes and hospital legal constructions. The purpose of the study was to investigate the relationship between hospital legal constructions and medical disputes, and it also aimed to develop a nomogram to estimate the likelihood of medical disputes.

Methods

Between July and September 2021, 2,716 administrators from 130 hospitals were enrolled for analysis. The study collected seventeen variables for examination. To establish a nomogram, administrators were randomly split into a training group (n = 1,358) and a validation group (n = 1,358) with a 50:50 ratio. The nomogram was developed using data from participants in the training group, and it was validated in the validation group. The nomogram contained significant variables that were linked to medical disputes and were identified by multivariate analysis. The nomogram's predictive performance was assessed utilizing discriminative and calibrating ability. A web calculator was developed to be conducive to model utility.

Results

Medical disputes were observed in 41.53% (1,128/2,716) of participants. Five characteristics, including male gender, higher professional ranks, longer length of service, worse understanding of the hospital charters, and worse construction status of hospital rule of law, were significantly associated with more medical disputes based on the multivariate analysis. As a result, these variables were included in the nomogram development. The AUROC was 0.67 [95% confident interval (CI): 0.64–0.70] in the training group and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.66–0.71) in the validation group. The corresponding calibration slopes were 1.00 and 1.05, respectively, and intercepts were 0.00 and −0.06, respectively. Three risk groups were created among the participants: Those in the high-risk group experienced medical disputes 2.83 times more frequently than those in the low-risk group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Medical dispute is prevailing among hospital administrators, and it can be reduced by the effective constructions of hospital rule of law. This study proposes a novel nomogram to estimate the likelihood of medical disputes specifically among administrators in tertiary hospitals, and a web calculator can be available at https://ymgarden.shinyapps.io/Predictionofmedicaldisputes/.
The impact of Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex in the environment on one health approach
Authors: Zhang Haobo , Liu Mengda , Fan Weixing , Sun Shufang , Fan Xiaoxu
Published: September 2022

Tuberculosis caused by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) has become one of the leading causes of death in humans and animals. Current research suggests that the transmission of MTBC in the environment indirectly transmit to humans and animals with subsequent impact on their wellbeing. Therefore, it is of great significance to take One Health approach for understanding the role of MTBC in not only the interfaces of humans and animals, but also environment, including soil, water, pasture, air, and dust, etc., in response to the MTBC infection. In this review, we present the evidence of MTBC transmission from environment, as well as detection and control strategies in this interface, seeking to provide academic leads for the global goal of End Tuberculosis Strategy under multidisciplinary and multisectoral collaborations.
On-flow enzymatic inhibitor screening: The emerging success of liquid chromatography-based assays
Authors: De Oliveira Pamella Christina Ortega , Lessa Renato Côrrea , Ceroullo Millena Santana , Wegermann Camila Anchau , De Moraes Marcela Cristina
Published: September 2022

Enzymes are targets commonly explored in screening assays aiming to discover new leads in the drug development process. Among the diverse assay models to identify new enzymatic inhibitors, on-flow assays based on liquid chromatography (LC) can be highlighted. In these approaches, the ligand-enzyme interaction can be examined by monitoring the catalytic activity or the affinity/retention. Most applications use the biological target immobilized in solid supports resulting in the acquisition of an immobilized enzymatic reactor (IMER). Coupling IMERs to LC or mass spectrometry (MS) systems allows monitoring enzyme activity online and studying binding events between target and ligands. On-flow screening assays present many advantages for the hit-to-lead process, such as the possibility of system automation, reusability, and high stability. This review covers articles from the last decade that combine the use of varied immobilization methods on different solid supports and several equipment setups in on-flow systems, emphasizing the performance and capacity of recognizing and identifying biologically active compounds in various matrices.
Small-scale flux ropes in ICME sheaths
Authors: Ruohotie J. , Kilpua E. K. J. , Good S. W. , Ala-Lahti M.
Published: September 2022

Sheath regions of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are formed when the upstream solar wind is deflected and compressed due to the propagation and expansion of the ICME. Small-scale flux ropes found in the solar wind can thus be swept into ICME-driven sheath regions. They may also be generated locally within the sheaths through a range of processes. This work applies wavelet analysis to obtain the normalized reduced magnetic helicity, normalized cross helicity, and normalized residual energy, and uses them to identify small-scale flux ropes and Alfvén waves in 55 ICME-driven sheath regions observed by the Wind spacecraft in the near-Earth solar wind. Their occurrence is investigated separately for three different frequency ranges between 10–2 − 10–4 Hz. We find that small scale flux ropes are more common in ICME sheaths than in the upstream wind, implying that they are at least to some extent actively generated in the sheath and not just compressed from the upstream wind. Alfvén waves occur more evenly in the upstream wind and in the sheath. This study also reveals that while the highest frequency (smallest scale) flux ropes occur relatively evenly across the sheath, the lower frequency (largest scale) flux ropes peak near the ICME leading edge. This suggests that they could have different physical origins, and that processes near the ICME leading edge are important for generating the larger scale population.
A conceptual framework for assessing social and environmental impacts of belt and road initiative and just energy transition
Authors: Ge Taoan
Published: September 2022

To address the social and environmental impacts of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and just energy transition, this research provides a conceptual framework to assess social and environmental impacts by selecting socioeconomic and environmental indicators through a literature review. The framework highlights that assessment indicators should include quantitative and qualitative dimensions. We also discussed the similarities and differences in foreign aid between developed countries and China's BRI, the relationship between the BRI, just energy transition and globalization, sustainable development goals (SDGs), and social-environmental resilience. This conceptual assessment framework and discussion provides stakeholders with an approach to contribute to mitigating the socio and environmental impacts of project development.
Current trends in regenerative liver surgery: Novel clinical strategies and experimental approaches
Authors: Heil Jan , Schiesser Marc , Schadde Erik
Published: September 2022

Liver resections are performed to cure patients with hepatobiliary malignancies and metastases to the liver. However, only a small proportion of patients is resectable, largely because only up to 70% of liver tissue is expendable in a resection. If larger resections are performed, there is a risk of post-hepatectomy liver failure. Regenerative liver surgery addresses this limitation by increasing the future liver remnant to an appropriate size before resection. Since the 1980s, this surgery has evolved from portal vein embolization (PVE) to a multiplicity of methods. This review presents an overview of the available methods and their advantages and disadvantages. The first use of PVE was in patients with large hepatocellular carcinomas. The increase in liver volume induced by PVE equals that of portal vein ligation, but both result only in a moderate volume increase. While awaiting sufficient liver growth, 20%–40% of patients fail to achieve resection, mostly due to the progression of disease. The MD Anderson Cancer Centre group improved the PVE methodology by adding segment 4 embolization (“high-quality PVE”) and demonstrated that oncological results were better than non-surgical approaches in this previously unresectable patient population. In 2012, a novel method of liver regeneration was proposed and called Associating Liver Partition and Portal vein ligation for Staged hepatectomy (ALPPS). ALPPS accelerated liver regeneration by a factor of 2–3 and increased the resection rate to 95%–100%. However, ALPPS fell short of expectations due to a high mortality rate and a limited utility only in highly selected patients. Accelerated liver regeneration, however, was there to stay. This is evident in the multiplicity of ALPPS modifications like radiofrequency or partial ALPPS. Overall, rapid liver regeneration allowed an expansion of resectability with increased perioperative risk. But, a standardized low-risk approach to rapid hypertrophy has been missing and the techniques used and in use depend on local expertise and preference. Recently, however, simultaneous portal and hepatic vein embolization (PVE/HVE) appears to offer both rapid hypertrophy and no increased clinical risk. While prospective randomized comparisons are underway, PVE/HVE has the potential to become the future gold standard.
Da Vinci robot-assisted laparoscopic retroperitoneal debridement for lumbar septic spondylodiscitis: A two-case report
Authors: Ye Jichao , Liu Hao , Hu Xumin , Li Jinteng , Gao Liangbin , Tang Yong
Published: September 2022

The anterior approach is one of the widely used surgical treatments for lumbar spondylodiscitis, but it has the disadvantages of large trauma and a high incidence of complications. Our experiences suggested that the laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach could be effective to overcome those disadvantages of the anterior approach. Herein, we report two cases of successfully treated lumbar pyogenic spondylodiscitis using a robot-assisted laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach. The technique utilizes a robot that allows a laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach while offering excellent high-definition images of three-dimensional vision. After the operation, both patients achieved good formation and fusion of the vertebrae. Preliminary evidence suggests that the robot-assisted laparoscopic retroperitoneal approach may be feasible for the treatment of lumbar spondylodiscitis.
Optical Navigation Method and Error Analysis for the Descending Landing Phase in Planetary Exploration
Authors: Mu Rongjun , Wu Peng , Deng Yanpeng , Song Haofan
Published: September 2022

To solve the problem of high-precision optical navigation for the descent landing of lunar and planetary probes, an optical navigation method based on the spatial position distribution model is proposed. The method is based on crater detection, and an imaging cosine equivalent mathematical model based on the correspondence of crater objects is constructed. The geometric distribution of the probe spatial position is described to form an Abelian Lie group spatial torus to achieve absolute positioning for parametric optical navigation, Finally, the effect of the measurement error of crater detection on the positioning and attitude of the optical navigation system is discussed, with a fitted ellipse used as a typical analysis object. The effects of different crater distribution configurations and different detection errors on the performance of the proposed optical navigation algorithm are analyzed. The results of Monte Carlo simulation experiments showed that the algorithm proposed in this paper had the advantages of high stability, high accuracy, and good real-time performance, compared with existing methods.
Antibiotic Resistance Genes Occurrence in Conventional and Antibiotic-Free Poultry Farming, Italy
Authors: Farooq Muhammad , Smoglica Camilla , Ruffini Fausto , Soldati Lidia , Marsilio Fulvio , Di Francesco Cristina E.
Published: September 2022

Antimicrobial resistance is a complex and widespread problem threatening human and animal health. In poultry farms, a wide distribution of resistant bacteria and their relative genes is described worldwide, including in Italy. In this paper, a comparison of resistance gene distribution in litter samples, recovered from four conventional and four antibiotic-free broiler flocks, was performed to highlight any influence of farming systems on the spreading and maintenance of resistance determinants. Conventional PCR tests, targeting the resistance genes related to the most used antibiotics in poultry farming, along with some critically important antibiotics for human medicine, were applied. In conventional farms, n. 10 out of n. 30 investigated genes were present in at least one sample, the most abundant fragments being the tet genes specific for tetracyclines, followed by those for aminoglycosides and chloramphenicol. All conventional samples resulted negative for colistin, carbapenems, and vancomycin resistance genes. A similar trend was observed for antibiotic-free herds, with n. 13 out of n. 30 amplified genes, while a positivity for the mcr-1 gene, specific for colistin, was observed in one antibiotic-free flock. The statistical analysis revealed a significant difference for the tetM gene, which was found more frequently in the antibiotic-free category. The analysis carried out in this study allowed us to obtain new data about the distribution of resistance patterns in the poultry industry in relation to farming types. The PCR test is a quick and non-expensive laboratory tool for the environmental monitoring of resistance determinants identifying potential indicators of AMR dissemination.
Effect of Nail Grips on Weight Bearing and Limb Function in 30 Dogs 2 Weeks Post Tibial Plateau Leveling Osteotomy
Authors: Repac Jennifer , Alvarez Leilani X. , Lamb Kenneth E. , Spector Daniel
Published: September 2022

The objective of this study was to assess the functional outcomes of dogs wearing nail grips in the first 2 weeks following tibial plateau leveling osteotomy (TPLO). Thirty dogs were included (n = 13 nail grips and n = 17 sham grips). Visual lameness scores (VLS), total pressure index (TPI), and client-specific outcome measures (CSOMs) were obtained by blinded observers on day 1 and day 14 +/− 3 post TPLO. CSOMs were also obtained on day 7. There were no differences in VLS and TPI between the treatment and sham group on day 14 (p = 0.44 and p = 0.59, respectively) or at any time point. CSOMs assessing walking on slippery flooring, ability to rise, and consistent use of surgical limb on a 5 min walk were also not different between groups (p = 0.78, p = 0.80, and p = 0.63) at any time point. Nail grips were well tolerated in dogs after orthopedic surgery. This study did not demonstrate a benefit for dogs wearing nail grips during the first two weeks after TPLO; however, further studies are warranted.
Microbiological Quality of Deer Meat Treated with Essential Oil Litsea cubeba
Authors: Kunová Simona , Sendra Esther , Haščík Peter , Vuković Nenad L. , Vukić Milena D. , Hsouna Anis Ben , Mnif Wissem , Kačániová Miroslava
Published: September 2022

The present study aimed to evaluate deer meat microbiological quality when treated with essential oil (EO) from Litsea cubeba (dissolved in rapeseed oil at concentrations 0.5 and 1%), in combination with vacuum packaging during 20 days of storage of meat at 4 °C. Total viable counts (TVC), coliforms bacteria (CB), lactic acid bacteria (LAB) and Pseudomonas spp. were analysed at day 0, 1, 5, 10, 15 and 20. MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper technology was applied to identify microorganisms isolated from meat. The highest number of TVC at the end of the experiment was 5.50 log CFU/g in the aerobically packaged control group and the lowest number of TVC was 5.17 log CFU/g in the samples treated with 1.0% Litsea cubeba EO. CB were not detected in the samples treated with 1.0% Litsea cubeba EO during the entire storage period. Bacteria of the genus Pseudomonas were detected only in the aerobically and vacuum packaged control group. The highest number of LAB was 2.06 log CFU/g in the aerobic control group, and the lowest number of LAB was 2.01 log CFU/g in the samples treated with 1.0% Litsea cubeba EO on day 20. The most frequently isolated bacteria from deer meat were Pseudomonas ludensis, Pseudomonas corrugata, Pseudomonas fragi, Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Sphingomonas leidyi.
Case Series of Disseminated Xanthogranulomatosis in Red-crowned Parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) with Detection of Psittacine Adenovirus 2 (PsAdV-2)
Authors: Konicek Cornelia , Heenemann Kristin , Cramer Kerstin , Vahlenkamp Thomas W. , Schmidt Volker
Published: September 2022

Xanthogranulomatosis is a common dermatological disease in birds. This form of inflammation, possibly associated with lipometabolic disorders, can also be seen in visceral organs, which as yet has only rarely been described in avian medicine. In general, diseases related to impaired lipid metabolism are frequently reported in avian medicine, with hepatic steatosis and atherosclerosis being the most common. In human medicine, infectious agents—especially some strains of adenovirus—were implicated in contributing to lipometabolic disorders; this has also been described for chicken. Here, a case series of six Red-crowned Parakeets (Cyanoramphus novaezelandiae) is presented, all cases being characterized by psittacine adenovirus 2 (PsAdV-2) infection with or without disseminated xanthogranulomatosis. The affected individuals were examined alive by clinical examination. Total body radiographs were taken of two birds, haematology and blood biochemistry results were achieved in one bird. The birds either died immediately after clinical presentation or within two days, two individuals were euthanized due to worsening of their clinical condition. All birds underwent a post-mortem examination. While four birds were finally diagnosed with disseminated xanthogranulomatosis, all six individuals had large eosinophilic intranuclear inclusion bodies in the epithelial cells of the collecting ducts of the kidney and tested positive for PsAdV-2. Further examinations are needed to clarify to what extent PsAdV-2 might elicit lipometabolic disease in birds, or psittacines in general, and, in particular, the Red-crowned Parakeet.
Silver Nanoparticle-Based Therapy: Can It Be Useful to Combat Multi-Drug Resistant Bacteria?
Authors: Mateo Eva M. , Jiménez Misericordia
Published: September 2022

The present review focuses on the potential use of silver nanoparticles in the therapy of diseases caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Such bacteria are known as “superbugs”, and the most concerning species are Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus (methicillin and vancomycin-resistant), and some Enterobacteriaceae. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), there is an urgent need for new treatments against these “superbugs”. One of the possible approaches in the treatment of these species is the use of antibacterial nanoparticles. After a short overview of nanoparticle usage, mechanisms of action, and methods of synthesis of nanoparticles, emphasis has been placed on the use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) to combat the most relevant emerging resistant bacteria. The toxicological aspects of the AgNPs, both in vitro using cell cultures and in vivo have been reviewed. It was found that toxic activity of AgNPs is dependent on dose, size, shape, and electrical charge. The mechanism of action of AgNPs involves interactions at various levels such as plasma membrane, DNA replication, inactivation of protein/enzymes necessary, and formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) leading to cell death. Researchers do not always agree in their conclusions on the topic and more work is needed in this field before AgNPs can be effectively applied in clinical therapy to combat multi-drug resistant bacteria.
Improved Traffic Sign Detection Algorithm Based on Faster R-CNN
Authors: Gao Xiang , Chen Long , Wang Kuan , Xiong Xiaoxia , Wang Hai , Li Yicheng
Published: September 2022

The traffic sign detection algorithm based on Faster Region-Based Convolutional Neural Network (R-CNN) has been applied to various intelligent-vehicles driving scenarios. However, the model of the current detection algorithm has certain shortcomings, which include the influence of weather and light, the detection of distance traffic signs, and the detection of similar traffic signs. To solve these problems, this paper proposes an improved traffic sign detection method based on Faster R-CNN. First, we propose a fusion method that fuses the feature pyramid into the Faster R-CNN algorithm. This fusion method can extract object features with precision and decrease the influence of weather and light. Second, a deformable convolution (DCN) which can train the algorithm to identify traffic signs with precision and make similar signs more distinguishable, and in particular make it work better with distorted images, is added to the backbone network. Lastly, we apply ROI align to replace the ROI pooling, which can avoid the distant traffic sign detail loss caused by pooling and increase the detection precision of distant traffic signs. The experimental results on both the TT100k dataset and real intelligent vehicle tests demonstrate that the algorithm is superior to the original Faster R-CNN algorithm and four other state-of-the-art methods in traffic sign detection, specifically in small-target traffic sign detection and low-intensity environments such as sunset time and rainy days. Therefore, the proposed method is helpful to improve the traffic sign detection performance in extreme environments (low-light intensity or rainy weather).
Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Diagnosis for Early Intervention Patients
Authors: Sierra Ignacio , Díaz-Díaz Norberto , Barranco Carlos , Carrasco-Villalón Rocío
Published: September 2022

The use of artificial intelligence to aid decision making is widely adopted today. Its application is found in different areas, among which the medical one is the most disruptive. However, there are few or no applications in Early Care that aid in the diagnosis and automatic assignment of therapy processes for children to help these centers. The objective of this work is to make a first approach to the problem and carry out a real proof of concept that demonstrates that this type of system can be useful in Early Care where the diagnosis and subsequent treatment must be determined by a multidisciplinary team. To measure the quality of the use of this type of technology, different machine learning techniques will be used on a real data set provided by the San Juan de Dios Hospital. This study will allow us to analyze the behavior of these techniques compared to traditional diagnosis. To make this comparison, there will be a qualified point of view in the field of children diagnosis.
Bioactive Compounds from Various Sources: Beneficial Effects and Technological Applications
Authors: Gallo Monica
Published: September 2022

Bioactive compounds, also called phytocompounds as they are mainly of vegetable origin, are substances commonly taken with the daily diet [...]
Content of Biogenic Amines and Physical Properties of Lacto-Fermented Button Mushrooms
Authors: Jabłońska-Ryś Ewa , Sławińska Aneta , Skrzypczak Katarzyna , Kowalczyk Dariusz , Stadnik Joanna
Published: September 2022

The aim of the study was to assess the content of biogenic amines and physical properties of fruiting bodies of white and brown button mushrooms subjected to the process of controlled lactic acid fermentation. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum 299v with documented probiotic properties and L. plantarum EK3, i.e., an isolate obtained from spontaneously fermented button mushrooms, were used as starter strains. Fresh, blanched, fermented, and refrigerated fruiting bodies were analysed. The mushroom samples were found to contain three amines: spermidine, putrescine, and tyramine in amounts that do not pose a threat to consumer health. The highest content of spermidine was found in the fruiting bodies of unprocessed brown and white mushrooms (367.22 ± 14.19 and 266.47 ± 13.38 mg/kg, respectively). Putrescine and tyramine were found only in the fermented mushrooms. Putrescine ranged from 0.58 ± 0.25 to 10.11 ± 0.5 mg/kg, while tyramine ranged from 1.44 ± 0.25 to 69.04 ± 1.39 mg/kg. Histamine, which is the most toxic biogenic amine, was not detected in any of the samples. The technological process caused substantial changes in all colour parameters. The blanching process resulted in a decrease in the value of parameter L* and an increase in the value of parameters a* and b*. The process of lactic acid fermentation increased the brightness parameter. It also caused a substantial increase in the yellowness parameter and reduced the redness of the fermented mushrooms. Blanching exerted a significant effect on the texture of the mushroom fruiting bodies, contributing to an increase in the puncture force value from 2.78 ± 0.22 to 4.90 ± 0.43 N and from 3.21 ± 0.23 to 5.59 ± 0.3 N in the case of the white and brown mushrooms, respectively. During the refrigerated storage, the firmness of the fermented mushrooms did not change.
Monte Carlo Simulation with Experimental Research about Underwater Transmission and Imaging of Laser
Authors: Guo Shouchuan , He Yan , Chen Yongqiang , Chen Weibiao , Chen Qi , Huang Yifan
Published: September 2022

Attenuation of the laser beam in underwater transmission and detection due to absorption and scattering results in a rapid reduction in energy and blurring of the image. By combining the bidirectional reflectivity distribution function (BRDF) with the Monte Carlo (MC) method, a full-link underwater imaging process model was established which comprehensively investigated the influence of water quality, transmission distance and target characteristics on imaging performance. In order to describe the transmission process of the light more accurately, by adding particles with both absorption and scattering functions in the medium, the Mie scattering theory was employed to simulate the real channel. Moreover, while setting the gate width, the pre-calibrated detector response curve was employed to build a corresponding relationship between the image grayscale and the detector collection energy, aiming to simulate the working mode of the detector in the experiment. In various imaging scenarios, the maximum relative errors between the simulated images and experimental results were within 30%, which proved the correctness of the imaging simulation model and the feasibility of the imaging MC (IMC) method to evaluate the quality of whole imaging process.
Effect of the Number of Circuits on a Finned-Tube Heat Exchanger Performance and Its Improvement by a Reversely Variable Circuitry
Authors: Zhao Rijing , Wang Zengpeng , Sun Yu , Wang Fei , Huang Dong
Published: September 2022

The finned-tube heat exchanger (FTHX) works better with more circuits as an evaporator but fewer as a condenser in air-source heat pumps (ASHPs). In this article, a reversely variable circuitry is proposed to address this contradiction. The effects of the circuit number on the performance of an outdoor FTHX in an ASHP prototype was first studied numerically using the EVAP-COND 4.0 software. We showed that the evaporator capacity reached its peak with four circuits, but the condenser capacity decreased monotonously as the circuit number increased. A reversely variable circuitry was obtained by combining distributors and check valves, so that the FTHX exhibited four circuits in the evaporator mode but one and a half (two circuits merging into one) in the condenser mode, thus better matching the respective requirements of the two modes. Comparative tests showed that in the ASHP, the reversely variable FTHX had a 6.1% higher cooling capacity than the four-circuit reversely fixed exchanger and a 3.9% higher heating capacity than the 1.5-circuit reversely fixed one. Therefore, the novel design of the FTHX enhanced both the heating and the cooling performance of the ASHP.
Scalable and Configurable Electrical Interface Board for Bus System Development of Different CubeSat Platforms
Authors: Sejera Marloun , Yamauchi Takashi , Orger Necmi Cihan , Otani Yukihisa , Cho Mengu
Published: September 2022

A flight-proven electrical bus system for the 1U CubeSat platform was designed in the BIRDS satellite program at the Kyushu Institute of Technology. The bus utilizes a backplane board as the mechanical and electrical interface between the subsystems and the payloads. The electrical routes on the backplane are configured by software using a complex programmable logic device (CPLD). It allows for reusability in multiple CubeSat projects while lowering costs and development time; as a result, resources can be directed toward developing the mission payloads. Lastly, it provides more time for integration and system-level verification, which are critical for a reliable and successful mission. The current trend of CubeSat launches is focused on 3U and 6U platforms due to their capability to accommodate multiple and complex payloads. Hence, a demonstration of the electrical bus system to adapt to larger platforms is necessary. This study demonstrates the configurable electrical interface board’s scalability in two cases: the capability to accommodate (1) multiple missions and (2) complex payload requirements. In the first case, a 3U-size configurable backplane prototype was designed to handle 13 mission payloads. Four CPLDs were used to manage the limited number of digital interfaces between the existing bus system and the mission payloads. The measured transmission delay was up to 20 ns, which is acceptable for simple serial communications such as UART and SPI. Furthermore, the measured energy consumption of the backplane per ISS orbit was only 28 mWh. Lastly, the designed backplane was proven to be highly reliable as no bit errors were detected throughout the functionality tests. In the second case, a configurable backplane was implemented in a 6U CubeSat with complex payload requirements compared to the 1U CubeSat platform. The CubeSat was deployed in ISS orbit, and the initial on-orbit results indicated that the designed backplane supported missions without issues.
Fluctuating Demand-Oriented Optimization of Train Line Planning Considering Carriage Resources Transfer under Flexible Compositions
Authors: Zhao Chunxiao , Chen Junhua , Zhang Xingchen , Wang Zhimei , Wu Pengsheng , Cui Zanyang
Published: September 2022

The intercity railway is subject to variation and fluctuation in demand both in time and space over a day to a large extent. In that case, more advanced line planning techniques are practically needed to match the non-equilibrium passenger demand. We propose an integer linear programming model for adapting to the fluctuating demand and improving rail line profit, in which the multi-period planning approach and flexible train composition mode are taken into consideration. In particular, we also consider the limitations of the carriage and the dynamic transfer of resources during a finite period to ensure the better implementation of the line planning and subsequent operation plans. Our purpose is to improve on previous line planning models by integrating the multi-period strategic-level line planning decision with resource constraints. Since the problem is computationally intractable for realistic size instances, an improved round heuristic algorithm that is based on linear relaxation is proposed and we compare the round heuristic performance with the commercial solver Gurobi on artificial instances. The numerical experiments that are based on an intercity railway in China certify the effectiveness and applicability of the proposed model and algorithm. We evaluate the impact of different optimization parameters and reserved carriages and the computation results show that in comparison to the fixed composition mode, the proposed approach can improve the utilization efficiency of carriage resources and increase the line profit by 1.9% under the same carriage resource conditions.
Analysis of BC Pollution Characteristics under PM2.5 and O3 Pollution Conditions in Nanjing from 2015 to 2020
Authors: Pei Yuxuan , Wang Honglei , Tan Yue , Zhu Bin , Zhao Tianliang , Lu Wen , Shi Shuangshuang
Published: September 2022

Using an AE-33 Aethalometer, surface air pollution monitoring data, radiosonde data, and conventional meteorological observation data, the characteristics and influencing factors of black carbon (BC) pollution under PM2.5 and O3 pollution in Nanjing were comprehensively analyzed. The results show that the air quality saw an apparent trend of improvement from 2015 to 2020, and the number of days with excellent air quality increased by 38.2% from 2015 to 2020. The number of days when the dominant pollutant was PM2.5 decreased each year to only 18 days in 2020, with an annual rate of decline of 16.0% from 2015 to 2020. The number of days when the dominant pollutant was O3 increased, reaching a maximum for the 6-year period of 78 days in 2019, with an annual rate of increase of 11.1% in 2015–2019. The average mass concentration of BC when the dominant pollutant was PM2.5 in slight, moderate, and heavy pollution decreased in 2015–2016 and then showed an increasing yearly trend in 2016–2018, with annual rates of increase of 73.8%, 105.5%, and 156.3%, respectively, reaching a maximum in 2018 and then starting to decrease thereafter. With PM2.5, the slight pollution and moderate pollution BC mass concentrations were mainly influenced by the height of the inversion layer. The average BC mass concentrations in the case of slight and moderate pollution with O3 as the dominant pollutant decreased significantly from 2015 to 2016, and then increased yearly from 2016 to 2019, with annual rates of increase of 112.2% and 138.6%, respectively, reaching a maximum in 2019 and then decreasing from 2020. The BC mass concentration was significantly negatively correlated with wind speed in both light and moderate O3 pollution, with correlation coefficients of −0.79 and −0.68, respectively. The seasonal variation and dominant influencing factors of BC differed when PM2.5 and O3 were the dominant pollutants. When PM2.5 was the dominant pollutant, the seasonal variation in the BC for slight pollution was winter > autumn > summer > spring, and for moderate pollution and heavy pollution was autumn > winter > spring, which were mainly affected by the inversion stratification difference and wind speed. When O3 was the dominant pollutant, the seasonal variation in BC under slight pollution was autumn > summer > spring, and for moderate pollution, it was spring > summer > autumn, which were mainly affected by the wind speed. Studying the evolution of BC in air pollution under different dominant pollutants is important to further improve the capability and level of global climate change research and predictions and can provide a scientific basis for assessing their impact on the environment, health, and climate.
Volatile Organic Compound Sampling through Rotor Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Technique for Environmental Monitoring
Authors: Chen Yong , Zhang Xiaoxu , Wu Xiaofeng , Li Jia , Qiu Yang , Wang Hao , Cheng Zhang , Zheng Chengbin , Yang Fumo
Published: September 2022

To improve the capacity to probe volatile chemical substances in the atmosphere, we designed an unmanned aerial vehicle system for volatile organic compound (VOC) monitoring and sampling. This environmental monitoring unmanned aerial vehicle (EMUAV) platform was equipped with a photoionization detector for continuous VOC monitoring and searching in a pollution air mass. Furthermore, a multifunction airborne microVOC sampler was loaded for sampling. An airbag and absorption tube were applied to collect air samples for further analyzing in the laboratory by GC-FID/MS or TD-GC/MS. By comparing the aerial samples derived from the microVOC sampler with the samples collected at a similar height to a building roof for chemical compositions, the sampling conditions, such as the sampling port location and sampling method, were optimized to ensure the representativeness of the air samples. The results of the sample comparison experiment showed that both the airbag method and the adsorption method could recover 70–130% for most VOC species. Through the aerial measurements, the advantages of this EMUAV system were demonstrated. Therefore, the developed EMUAV system would have immeasurable potential in the field of environment monitoring.