bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Parametric Design and Mechanical Characterization of 3D-Printed PLA Composite Biomimetic Voronoi Lattices Inspired by the Stereom of Sea Urchins
Authors: Efstathiadis Alexandros , Symeonidou Ioanna , Tsongas Konstantinos , Tzimtzimis Emmanouil K. , Tzetzis Dimitrios
Published: December 2022

The present work is focused on the analysis of the microstructure of the exoskeleton of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the extraction of design concepts by implementing geometrically described 3D Voronoi diagrams. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of dried sea urchin shells revealed a foam-like microstructure, also known as the stereom. Subsequently, parametric, digital models were created with the aid of the computer-aided design (CAD) software Rhinoceros 3D (v. Rhino 7, 7.1.20343.09491) combined with the visual programming environment Grasshopper. Variables such as node count, rod thickness and mesh smoothness of the biologically-inspired Voronoi lattice were adapted for 3D printing cubic specimens using the fused filament fabrication (FFF) method. The filaments used in the process were a commercial polylactic acid (PLA), a compound of polylactic acid/polyhydroxyalkanoate (PLA/PHA) and a wood fiber polylactic acid/polyhydroxyalkanoate (PLA/PHA) composite. Nanoindentation tests coupled with finite element analysis (FEA) produced the stress–strain response of the materials under study and were used to simulate the Voronoi geometries under a compression loading regime in order to study their deformation and stress distribution in relation to experimental compression testing. The PLA blend with polyhydroxyalkanoate seems to have a minor effect on the mechanical behavior of such structures, whereas when wood fibers are added to the compound, a major decrease in strength occurs. The computational model results significantly coincide with the experimental results.
Medical Augmented Reality: Definition, Principle Components, Domain Modeling, and Design-Development-Validation Process
Authors: Navab Nassir , Martin-Gomez Alejandro , Seibold Matthias , Sommersperger Michael , Song Tianyu , Winkler Alexander , Yu Kevin , Eck Ulrich
Published: December 2022

Three decades after the first set of work on Medical Augmented Reality (MAR) was presented to the international community, and ten years after the deployment of the first MAR solutions into operating rooms, its exact definition, basic components, systematic design, and validation still lack a detailed discussion. This paper defines the basic components of any Augmented Reality (AR) solution and extends them to exemplary Medical Augmented Reality Systems (MARS). We use some of the original MARS applications developed at the Chair for Computer Aided Medical Procedures and deployed into medical schools for teaching anatomy and into operating rooms for telemedicine and surgical guidance throughout the last decades to identify the corresponding basic components. In this regard, the paper is not discussing all past or existing solutions but only aims at defining the principle components and discussing the particular domain modeling for MAR and its design-development-validation process, and providing exemplary cases through the past in-house developments of such solutions.
Ultrasonic Welding of Additively Manufactured PEEK and Carbon-Fiber-Reinforced PEEK with Integrated Energy Directors
Authors: Khatri Bilal , Roth Manuel Francis , Balle Frank
Published: December 2022

The thermoplastic polymer polyether ether ketone (PEEK) offers thermal and mechanical properties comparable to thermosetting polymers, while also being thermally re-processable and recyclable as well as compatible with fused filament fabrication (FFF). In this study, the feasibility of joining additively manufactured PEEK in pure and short carbon-fiber-reinforced form (CF-PEEK) is investigated. Coupon-level samples for both materials were fabricated using FFF with tailored integrated welding surfaces in the form of two different energy director (ED) shapes and joined through ultrasonic polymer welding. Using an energy-driven joining process, the two materials were systematically investigated with different welding parameters, such as welding force, oscillation amplitude and welding power, against the resulting weld quality. The strengths of the welded bonds were characterized using lap-shear tests and benchmarked against the monotonic properties of single 3D-printed samples, yielding ultimate lap-shear forces of 2.17kN and 1.97kN and tensile strengths of 3.24MPa and 3.79MPa for PEEK and CF-PEEK, respectively. The weld surfaces were microscopically imaged to characterize the failure behaviors of joints welded using different welding parameters. Samples welded with optimized welding parameters exhibited failures outside the welded region, indicating a higher weld-strength compared to that of the bulk. This study lays the foundation for using ultrasonic welding as a glue-free method to join 3D-printed high-performance thermoplastics to manufacture large load-bearing, as well as non-load-bearing, structures, while minimizing the time and cost limitations of FFF as a fabrication process.
Convolutional Autoencoding of Small Targets in the Littoral Sonar Acoustic Backscattering Domain
Authors: Linhardt Timothy J. , Sen Gupta Ananya , Bays Matthew
Published: December 2022

Automated target recognition is an important task in the littoral warfare domain, as distinguishing mundane objects from mines can be a matter of life and death. This is initial work towards the application of convolutional autoencoding to the littoral sonar space, with goals of disentangling the reflection noise prevalent in underwater acoustics and allowing recognition of the shape and material of targets. The autoencoders were trained on magnitude Fourier transforms of the TREX13 dataset. Clusters in the encoding space representing the known variable of measurement distance between the target and the sensor were found. An encoding vector space of around 16 dimensions appeared sufficient, and the space was shown to generalize well to unseen data.
Study of the Performance of Deep Learning Methods Used to Predict Tidal Current Movement
Authors: Zhang Kai , Wang Xiaoyong , Wu He , Zhang Xuefeng , Fang Yizhou , Zhang Lianxin , Wang Haifeng
Published: December 2022

To predict tidal current movement accurately is essential in the process of tidal energy development. However, the existing methods have limits to meet the need for accuracy. Recently, artificial intelligence technology has been widely applied to solve this problem. In this paper, a tidal current prediction model combining numerical simulation with deep learning methods is proposed. It adopts three deep learning algorithms for comparative investigations: multilayer perceptron (MLP), long-short term memory (LSTM) and attention-ResNet neural network (AR-ANN). The numerical simulation was carried out using ROMS, and the observation collected in the Zhoushan region were used to validate the results. Compared with the numerical simulations, deep learning methods can increase the original correlation coefficient from 0.4 to over 0.8. In comparison, the AR-ANN model shows excellent performance in both the meridional and zonal components. This advantage of deep learning algorithms is extended in the tidal energy resource assessment process, with MLP, LSTM and AR-ANN models reducing the root mean square error by 32.9%, 34.4% and 42%, respectively. The new method can be used to accurately predict the hydrodynamic of tidal flow in the process of tidal energy extraction, which contributes to determine the suitable location for energy generation and tidal turbine design.
Phylogenetic Analyses and Morphological Studies Reveal Four New Species of Phellodon (Bankeraceae, Thelephorales) from China
Authors: Song Chang-Ge , Sun Yi-Fei , Liu Shun , Chen Yuan-Yuan , Cui Bao-Kai
Published: December 2022

Phellodon is a genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi with important ecological roles and exploitable biological activities. In this study, four new species of Phellodon, P. caesius, P. henanensis, P. concentricus and P. subgriseofuscus, are described from China based on morphological characters and molecular evidence. The phylogenetic analyses of Phellodon were carried out based on the ITS + nLSU gene regions and the combined sequence dataset of ITS + nLSU + nSSU + RPB1 + RPB2 gene regions. Phellodon caesius is characterized by its dark bluish-grey, dark grey to black grey pileus, ash grey to dark bluish-grey spines, and the presence of both simple septa and clamp connections on generative hyphae of stipe. Phellodon concentricus is characterized by its zonate pileal surface, dark grey context in pileus, and spongy basidiomata. Phellodon henanensis is characterized by its ash grey, light vinaceous grey to light brown pileal surface, thin context in pileus, and the presence of both simple septa and clamp connections on generative hyphae of spines. Phellodon subgriseofuscus is characterized by its fuscous to black pileal surface, white to light brown spines, and vinaceous grey context. Illustrated descriptions and the ecological habits of the novel species are provided.
An Increase in Specialist Treatment for Onychomycosis: An Unexplained Tendency. A Retrospective Study of Patients Treated for Onychomycosis in Danish Hospitals from 1994 to 2018
Authors: Lindsø Andersen Pernille , Jørgensen Isabella Friis , Saunte Ditte Marie Lindhardt , Jemec Gregor Borut , Pedersen Ole Birger , Brunak Søren
Published: December 2022

Onychomycosis is a common disease with a significant negative impact on quality of life. While the disease is usually manageable in general practice, a proportion of patients need specialist treatment in academic hospital clinics. However, it is an unknown question whether the incidence in those needing specialist treatments is changing. Furthermore, the comorbidity burden in this patient population severely affected by onychomycosis has never been characterized. We conducted a retrospective study on patients treated for onychomycosis in Danish hospitals from 1994 to 2018. The cohort was observed for 24 years, and the data comprise 7.2 million Danes and their hospital diagnoses. A disease trajectory algorithm was used to examine the comorbidity burden in the cohort. A total of 2,271 patients received hospital treatment for onychomycosis during the time period, of which 1358 (59.8%) were men. The data show an increase in the incidence of hospital-treated cases since 2012 and that the most common comorbidities in this patient population include cardiovascular disease, alcohol-related diagnoses, and diabetes. One explanation of the increase in specialist treatment may include a general increase in patients with decreased resilience to fungal disease. This lack of resilience may both include an increasing elderly population with atherosclerosis, diabetes, and immunosuppression but also a potential increase in patients treated with immunosuppressive agents. Another possible explanation may include a shift in patient expectations in the case of treatment failure. Thus, patients may have an increasing demand for specialist treatment. While our data document an increase in the number of patients in need of specialist treatment for onychomycosis, we suggest future research to examine the general incidence of onychomycosis but also whether this increase in an apparently recalcitrant disease may be attributed to increased antifungal resistance, more specialist treatment options, or increased attention to dermatomycoses.
OsCERK1 Contributes to Cupric Oxide Nanoparticles Induced Phytotoxicity and Basal Resistance against Blast by Regulating the Anti-Oxidant System in Rice
Authors: Chen Ya , Liu Zhiquan , Meng Shuai , Shen Zhenan , Shi Huanbin , Qiu Jiehua , Lin Fucheng , Zhang Shu , Kou Yanjun
Published: December 2022

CuO NPs (cupric oxide nanoparticles) are widely used in various fields due to their high electrical conductivity, electronic correlation effect, and special physical property. Notably, CuO NPs have good application prospects in agricultural production because of its antifungal activity to prevent crop diseases. However, the increasing release of CuO NPs into the environment has resulted in a serious threat to the ecosystem, including plants. Previous studies have reported the toxicity of CuO NPs on rice, but little is known about the underlying molecular mechanisms or specific genes involved in the response to CuO NPs. In this study, we found that the rice well-known receptor Chitin Elicitor Receptor Kinase 1 (OsCERK1), which is essential for basal resistance against pathogens, is involved in CuO NPs stress in rice. Knockout of OsCERK1 gene resulted in enhanced tolerance to CuO NPs stress. Furthermore, it was revealed that OsCERK1 reduces the tolerance to CuO NPs stress by regulating the anti-oxidant system and increasing the accumulation of H2O2 in rice. In addition, CuO NPs treatment significantly enhances the basal resistance against M. oryzae which is mediated by OsCERK1. In conclusion, this study demonstrated a dual role of OsCERK1 in response to CuO NPs stress and M. oryzae infection by modulating ROS accumulation, which expands our understanding about the crosstalk between abiotic and biotic stresses.
Expression of Saccharomyces cerevisiae RER2 Gene Encoding Cis-Prenyltransferase in Trichoderma atroviride Increases the Activity of Secretory Hydrolases and Enhances Antimicrobial Features
Authors: Perlińska-Lenart Urszula , Graczyk Sebastian , Piłsyk Sebastian , Lenart Jacek , Lipko Agata , Swiezewska Ewa , Bernat Przemysław , Kruszewska Joanna S.
Published: December 2022

Some Trichoderma spp. exhibit natural abilities to reduce fungal diseases of plants through their mycoparasitic and antagonistic properties. In this study, we created new Trichoderma atroviride strains with elevated antifungal activity. This effect was achieved by improving the activity of cis-prenyltransferase, the main enzyme in dolichol synthesis, by expressing the RER2 gene from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Since dolichyl phosphate is the carrier of carbohydrate residues during protein glycosylation, activation of its synthesis enhanced the activities of dolichyl-dependent enzymes, DPM synthase and N-acetylglucosamine transferase, as well as stimulated glycosylation of secretory proteins. Cellulases secreted by the transformants revealed significantly higher levels or activities compared to the control strain. Consequently, the resulting Trichoderma strains were more effective against the plant pathogens Pythium ultimum.
An Interesting Case of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis Resulting in Type II Respiratory Failure
Authors: Nagar Aman , Roy Shubhajeet , Bajpai Jyoti , Verma Ajay , Kant Surya
Published: December 2022

Aspergillus fumigatus can cause an immunological hypersensitivity reaction known as allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA), which often worsens asthma and cystic fibrosis patients’ conditions. In India, where tuberculosis (TB) is endemic, a significant proportion of allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) patients are misdiagnosed as pulmonary TB before reaching a diagnosis of ABPA due to long-lasting symptoms. We discuss an uncommon presentation of ABPA with type II respiratory failure in a 48-year-old asthmatic female. Given this, one can speculate on the importance of ABPA presenting with respiratory failure since these cases are rare and diagnosed quite late, which can also prove fatal.
Sentiment and Storytelling: What Affect User Experience and Communication Effectiveness in Virtual Environments?
Authors: Yang Shuran
Published: December 2022

The use of virtual reality (VR) storytelling in cultural communication is increasing and has found its way into the journalism, tourism, museum, and exhibition industries. Earlier studies have examined VR storytelling to improve user experience (UX). However, there is still insufficient research on UX and communication effectiveness in an immersive virtual environment (IVE) in storytelling involving different sentiments. In this study, participants watched positive and negative news stories in three IVEs: 2D video, 360-degree video via mobile devices, and 360-degree video with a VR headset. The predictor variables of enjoyment and the impact of presence, flow, understanding, empathy, credibility, and enjoyment across the stories in IVEs were analyzed. Two models were constructed based on positive and negative stories. The findings show that predictor variables make different contributions to VR storytelling with different sentiments. The conclusions support IVE production in journalism based on sentiment to further improve UX and enhance communication effectiveness.
Blockchain-Augmented Digital Supply Chain Management: A Way to Sustainable Business
Authors: Yerpude Samir , Sood Kiran , Grima Simon
Published: December 2022

The objective of this article is to assist the reader in understanding the journey from traditional Supply Chain Management to Digital Supply Chain Management. It aims to augment the concept of Digital Supply Chain Management with blockchain technology and create an extensive literature review to assist in formulating the gaps and discovering the variables that contribute towards the efficiency of a Blockchain-Based Digital Supply Chain. Moreover, this article aims to validate the impact of specified parameters resulting in customer retention and market leadership for an organization. Digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, blockchain, etc., are disrupting the traditional ways of doing business and creating value propositions for customers. Supply Chain Management is a key business process for an organization that helps them compete in the market. Organizations have seized competition not as individual brands but as supply chains. Digital Supply Chain Management is the implementation of digital technologies to capture customer data at every interaction to create customer engagement strategies. This article provides an empirical analysis of parameters influencing a Blockchain-Augmented Digital Supply Chain resulting in customer retention and market leadership and shows how, through a Blockchain-Based Digital Supply Chain, the business objective of being a customer-centric organization is assisted with the customer data generated at each interaction that is enabled.
The Impact of CEO Educational Background on Corporate Risk-Taking in China
Authors: Zhang Jinyi , Xue Chunxiao , Zhang Jianing
Published: December 2022

This article investigates whether, and how, CEO educational background affects Chinese corporate risk-taking. Using a sample of 4681 firm-year observations from 2012 to 2020, we find that CEO educational background is negatively associated with corporate risk-taking. The nonlinear quadratic regression shows a convex relationship, consistent with the finding that the effect is more profound for the subsample with relatively lower education levels. The negative relationship is stronger for the firms with higher leverage, with lower tangibility, and in non-manufacturing industries. We also address the endogeneity issue using a two-stage least squares regression. This paper may provide valuable insights for shareholders, helping them to hire the most suitable CEOs to achieve shareholders’ objectives and increase the corporation’s competitiveness in the market.
Whole Blood Fatty Acid Profiles of Cold-Stunned Juvenile Green, Kemp’s Ridley, and Loggerhead Sea Turtles
Authors: Heniff Ashlyn C. , Minter Larry J. , Harms Craig A. , Bibus Doug , Koutsos Elizabeth A. , Ange-van Heugten Kimberly D.
Published: December 2022

When subjected to cold environmental temperatures, cheloniid sea turtles can experience debilitating lethargy, anorexia, and potential mortality in a phenomenon known as cold-stunning. Every year, hundreds to thousands of cold-stunned sea turtles are transported to rehabilitation centers for medical and nutritional care. The objective of this study was to investigate one aspect of nutritional status in cold-stunned sea turtles: fatty acid profiles. Blood was collected from eleven green (Chelonia mydas), twelve Kemp’s ridley (Lepidochelys kempii), and three loggerhead (Caretta caretta) juvenile sea turtles found cold-stunned along the coast of North Carolina, USA. Whole blood (~160 µL) was dried onto specialized paper spot cards, frozen, and subsequently analyzed via gas chromatography to quantify fatty acid percentages. Significant differences among species were identified for 19 out of 36 individual fatty acids analyzed and six out of seven fatty acid groups evaluated (P < 0.5). The whole blood fatty acid profiles of cold-stunned green and Kemp’s ridley sea turtles were similar to prior published profiles of healthy conspecifics. Marginal numerical differences noted upon visual comparison included that cold-stunned sea turtles had lower proportions of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and monoenes and higher proportions of total saturated fatty acids relative to healthy conspecifics. These differences may reflect acute impacts of cold-stunning on circulating plasma fatty acids or may be the result of natural seasonal variations. These data provide practical information to aid in the diet design of sea turtles in rehabilitation settings.
Modelling and Assessing Sustainable Urban Regeneration for Historic Urban Quarters via Analytical Hierarchy Process
Authors: Kara Can , Iranmanesh Aminreza
Published: December 2022

The push for urban development and the rapid increase in population have left many historic urban cores vulnerable and subject to deterioration. SDG-11 is often mentioned as the goal in UNDP regeneration, revitalization, and preservation projects regarding historic urban sites around the globe. The goal emphasizes 10 targets that are complex in nature and require closer inspection regarding their interconnectedness when being utilized in real-world scenarios. The current study explores the complexities of the decision-making process in planning urban regeneration projects concerning targets of SDG-11. The study uses a Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) method to investigate how and to what significance the targeted criteria were used in planning for two UNDP urban regeneration project zones in Cyprus. These cases have a complex cultural and socio-political dynamic and pose high contextual significance for the region; therefore, many of these targets are critical in achieving more sustainable regeneration projects. The data collection was done by critically examining the projects’ documentation and conducting interviews with experts involved in the two projects. The data is controlled for internal consistency and anomalies. The study makes its case by comparing the different approaches implemented in these two projects and how effective they were in achieving SDG-11 targets.
Aspectuo-Temporal Underspecification in Anindilyakwa: Descriptive, Theoretical, Typological and Quantitative Issues
Authors: Caudal Patrick , Bednall James
Published: December 2022

Many so-called ‘zero tense’-marked (which we define as morphologically reduced and underspecified inflections) or untensed verb forms found in tenseless languages, have been characterized as context dependent for their temporal and aspectual interpretation, with the verb’s aspectual content (either as event structure or viewpoint properties) being given more or less prominent roles in their temporal anchoring. In this paper, we focus on a morpho-phonologically reduced inflectional verbal paradigm in Anindilyakwa (Groote Eylandt archipelago, NT, Australia), which is both temporally and aspectually underspecified, and constitutes an instance of zero tense as defined above. On the basis of a quantitative study of an annotated corpus of zero-inflected utterances, we establish that in the absence of independent overt or covert temporal information, the temporal anchoring of this ‘zero tense’ exhibits complex patterns of sensitivity to event structural parameters. Notably we establish that while dynamicity/stativity and telicity/atelicity are to some extent valuable predictors for the temporal interpretation of zero tense in Anindilyakwa, only atomicity (i.e., event punctuality) and boundedness categorically impose a past temporal anchoring—this confirms insights found in previous works, both on Anindilyakwa and on other languages, while also differing from other generalisations contained in these works. Our analysis also shows that unlike several zero tenses identified in various languages (especially in Pidgins and Creoles), Anindilyakwa zero tense-marked dynamic utterances do not correlate with a past temporal reading. Rather, we show that Anindilyakwa seems to come closest to languages possessing zero tensed-verbs (or tenseless verbs) where boundedness monotonically enforces a past temporal anchoring, such as Navajo and Mandarin Chinese. We also show that aspect-independent temporal information appears to determine the temporal anchoring of all zero tense-marked unbounded atelic utterances (both stative and dynamic) in Anindilyakwa—a fact at once conflicting with some claims made in previous works on zero tenses, while confirming results from past studies of Indigenous languages of the Americas (especially Yucatec Maya), concerning the role of temporal anaphora in the temporal interpretation of ‘tenseless’ verb forms.
Introducing a Polynomic Approach in Ryukyuan Language Learning
Authors: Van der Lubbe Gijs
Published: December 2022

The polynomic model as a model of language codification treats regional and social variation within language as inherently good and does not hierarchise this variation. This research is an argument in advocating the application of a polynomic model in Ryukyuan language learning, focussing on Okinawa Ryukyuan. The Ryukyuan languages consist of a minimum of 5 abstand languages that are spoken in the Ryukyuan island chain in southern Japan. The Ryukyuan languages have no standard languages and show internal variation. A monolingual language ideology implemented since the annexation of the Ryukyus by Japan in the late 19th century has caused a language shift towards Japanese, rendering all Ryukyuan languages endangered. A small revitalisation of the Ryukyuan language has been taking place since the early 21st century, necessitating the development of an infrastructure for language learning. In this research, I give reasons why the application of a polynomic model would allow for an inclusive language revitalisation that respects local language practices and identities in the Ryukyus, without reproducing the colonialist attitudes towards language that led to language endangerment in the first place.
Promoting the Use of Okinawan by New Speakers: An Analysis of Honorific Choices in the Family Domain
Authors: Arakaki Tomoko
Published: December 2022

Linguistic insecurity about polite registers constitutes a serious barrier for any new speakers specifically in settings between parents and children or between married couples. Politeness might very well be the register that prevents new speakers from either learning or using their heritage language. This paper examines the current use of honorifics in Okinawan between parents and children, and between married couples. It examines the use and awareness of honorifics in the family domain, paying due attention to situations when honorifics are used without causing communicative and sociolinguistic problems. Two families serve as a case study, including myself and my parents. The results of the analysis of the two families illustrate that the traditional honorific system (use of strict honorifics) has changed to fit modern life and that its accompanying values are characteristic of contemporary Okinawan society. We found that honorifics are rarely used in Okinawan conversations between married couples both by rusty speakers and semi-speaker. The use of honorifics between parents and children (semi-speaker) has been also moderated. If such flexible use of honorifics is adopted at home, there may be a possibility of intergenerational transmission of Okinawan within the family. Lastly, I introduce the opinion of new speakers, all in their 20s, about the use of honorifics. The y do not wish fluent speakers to criticize their mistakes one by one, but they still want fluent speakers to correct crucial errors to master honorifics step by step.
Zero-Derived Nouns in Greek
Authors: Alexiadou Artemis , Anagnostopoulou Elena
Published: December 2022

In this paper, we investigate zero-derived nouns based on irregular verbs in Greek. This is an under-explored area in Greek morpho-syntax, and in this paper, we will make three main contributions. First, we will discuss the fact that the overwhelming majority of these nouns are feminine, while neuter nouns are considerably less represented and masculine nouns are almost nonexistent. As feminine is taken to be the semantically marked gender in the case of animate nouns, asserting female sex, and neuter is argued to be the default gender in Greek for inanimates, the fact that zero abstract nouns are feminine is surprising. We will argue that feminine is the default in the case of zero derivation by exploiting an analysis of flavors of n. Second, we will show that, contrary to the findings in earlier literature, certain zero-derived nouns do have argument structure, similarly to their affixed counterparts. As not all zero-derived nouns have argument structure, we will appeal to complex head formation to explain the properties of those zero-derived nouns that have an eventive interpretation but do not surface with arguments. Finally, we will turn to an examination of the size of the domain that is nominalized. Since, in our cases, we observe root allomorphy conditioned by a nominal affix in the presence of a zero verbal head, we will suggest that Pruning is the mechanism that allows this.
Post Surgical Management of WHO Grade II Meningiomas: Our Experience, the Role of Gamma Knife and a Literature Review
Authors: Migliorati Karol , Spatola Giorgio , Giudice Lodoviga , de Graaf Nine , Bassetti Chiara , Giorgi Cesare , Fontanella Marco , Vivaldi Oscar , Bignardi Mario , Franzin Alberto
Published: December 2022

Purpose: Grade II meningiomas are rarer than Grade I, and when operated on, bear a higher risk of local recurrence, with a 5-year progression free survival (PFS) ranging from 59 to 90%. Radiotherapy (RT) or radiosurgery, such as Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS) can reduce the risk of relapse in patients with residual disease, even if their role, particularly after gross total resection (GTR), is still under debate. Main goal of this study was to compare the outcomes of different post-surgical management of grade II meningiomas, grouped by degree of surgical removal (Simpson Grade); next in order we wanted to define the role of GKRS for the treatment of residual disease or relapse. Methods: from November 2016 to November 2020 all patients harboring grade II meningiomas, were divided into three groups, based on post-surgical management: (1) wait and see, (2) conventional adjuvant radiotherapy and (3) stereotactic GKRS radiosurgery. Relapse rate and PFS were registered at the time of last follow up and results were classified as stable, recurrence next to or distant from the surgical cavity. In the second part of the study we collected data of all patients who underwent GKRS in our Centers from November 2017 to November 2020. Results: A total of 37 patients were recruited, including seven patients with multiple meningiomas. Out of 47 meningiomas, 33 (70.2%) were followed with a wait and see strategy, six (12.7%) were treated with adjuvant radiotherapy, and 8 patients (17.0%) with adjuvant GKRS. Follow up data were available for 43 (91.4%) meningiomas. Within the wait and see group, recurrence rates differed based on Simpson grades, lower recurrence rates being observed in three Simpson I cases (30%) compared to twelve relapses (60%) in patients with Simpson grade II/III. Finally, out of the 24 meningiomas undergoing GKRS (8 residual and 16 recurrence), 21 remained stable at follow up. Conclusions: Gross total resection (GTR) Simpson II and III have a significantly worse outcome as compared to Simpson I. The absence of adjuvant treatment leads to significant worsening of the disease progression curve. Adjuvant radiotherapy, especially GKRS, provides good local control of the disease and should be considered as an adjuvant treatment in all cases where Simpson I resection is not possible.
Phytochemical Profile, Antioxidant Activity, Anti-Hyperglycemic Effect and Toxicity Assessment of Ridolfia segetum (L.) Moris Extract
Authors: El Karkouri Jamila , Kchibale Amale , Chroho Mounia , Eddamsyry Brahim , Touijer Hanane , El Makhoukhi Fadoua , Handaq Nadia , Eto Bruno , Salamatullah Ahmad , Bourhia Mohammed , Zair Touriya
Published: December 2022

The present work was designed to study the chemical composition, antioxidant, antihyperglycemic effect, and toxicity assessment of Ridolfia segetum (L.) Moris extract. The chemical composition was studied by use of high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Antioxidant power was tested by use of DPPH and FRAP assays. The antihyperglycemic effect was tested by use of a glucose tolerance test, while toxicity assessment was done in vivo by use of Wistar rats for 14 days. Analysis of the extract by HPLC-UV revealed the presence of gallic acid, catechol, vanillic acid, catechin, tannic acid, rosmarinic acid, naringenin, and coumarin acid. The crude hydroethanolic extract possessed high levels of total phenols (15.6 ± 1.76 mg EAG/g), condensed tannins (383.49 mg ECat/g DM), and flavonoid (11.63 mg EQ/g). The findings showed that the studied extract possessed good antioxidant power with IC50 values equal to 550, 650, 700 µg/mL respectively for the decoction, the ethyl acetate fraction (F2M), and the ethyl acetate fraction (F2E). For the antioxidant activity by FRAP, the aqueous fraction (F3E) and the aqueous extract (F4) showed CE50 values of 0.33 mg/mL and 0.4 mg/mL, respectively. Glucose tolerance test analysis showed that R. segetum (L.) Moris decoction had a significant postprandial antihyperglycemic effect in normal Wistar rats. The results of the acute toxicity test showed that the decoction was not toxic even at 2 g/Kg. Pancreatic α-amylase activity was significantly inhibited in the presence of R. segetum (L.) Moris extract (IC50 = 0.133 ± 0.09 mg/mL). The outcome of the present work showed that R. segetum (L.) Moris is very rich in phenolic compounds with potent antioxidant and antihyperglycemic effects.
Effects of Vertically Heterogeneous Soil Salinity on Genetic Polymorphism and Productivity of the Widespread Halophyte Bassia prostrata
Authors: Shuyskaya Elena , Toderich Kristina , Kolesnikov Alexander , Prokofieva Maria , Lebedeva Marina
Published: December 2022

Salinity is one of the environmental factors that affects both productivity and genetic diversity in plant species. Within the soil profile, salinity is a dynamic indicator and significantly changes with depth. The present study examined the effects of the vertical heterogeneity of soil salinity chemistry on the plant height, fresh and dry biomass accumulation, water content, level of genetic polymorphism, and observed and expected heterozygosity in seven populations of halophyte Bassia prostrata in natural habitats. Soil salinity ranged from slight (Ssalts = 0.11–0.25%) to extreme (Ssalts = 1.35–2.57%). The main contributors to salinity were Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+. Multivariate analysis revealed that biomass accumulation is positively affected by moderate/high salinity in 20–60 cm soil layers, which may be associated with the salt required for the optimal growth of the halophyte B. prostrata. The formation of seed genetic diversity is negatively affected by slight/moderate salinity in the 0–40 cm layers. An increase in divalent ion content can reduce genetic diversity and increase the local adaptation of B. prostrata to magnesium–calcium sulfate salinity. The effect of the in-depth distribution of soil salinity on productivity and genetic diversity may be related to seasonal variables during biomass accumulation (summer) and seed formation (autumn).
Tare Soil Disinfestation from Cyst Nematodes Using Inundation
Authors: Berger Beatrice , Daub Matthias , Gärtner Kathleen , Becker Matthias , König Stephan
Published: December 2022

The dissemination of soil tares in the potato and sugar beet processing industry is one of the main paths for the spread of potato cyst nematodes (PCN), a severe quarantine pest. Efficient measures for the disinfestation of tare soil from PCN, but also from beet cyst nematodes (BCN), are needed. In our study, Globodera pallida (a PCN) and Heterodera schachtii (a BCN) cysts were sealed in gauze bags and imbedded in sedimentation basins. The cysts were either placed (a) in a presedimentation basin (Brukner basin) for three days, (b) in the presedimentation basin for three days and subsequently in sedimentation basins for nine weeks or (c) in sedimentation basins for nine weeks (without presedimentation). We tested the viability of the eggs and juveniles by hatching assays and using the reproduction rates in bioassays. We demonstrated that PCN and BCN imbedded in a sedimentation basin were only still showing some hatching activity after 2.5 weeks, while no hatching was observed when an additional Brukner basin treatment was conducted before sedimentation.
A Simple Taste Test for Clinical Assessment of Taste and Oral Somatosensory Function—The “Seven-iTT”
Authors: Mastinu Mariano , Pieniak Michał , Wolf Anne , Green Tomer , Hähner Antje , Niv Masha Y. , Hummel Thomas
Published: December 2022

Taste dysfunctions may occur, for example, after viral infection, surgery, medications, or with age. In clinical practice, it is important to assess patients’ taste function with rapidity and reliability. This study aimed to develop a test that assesses human gustatory sensitivity together with somatosensory functions of astringency and spiciness. A total of 154 healthy subjects and 51 patients with chemosensory dysfunction rated their gustatory sensitivity. They underwent a whole-mouth identification test of 12 filter-paper strips impregnated with low and high concentrations of sweet, sour, salty, bitter (sucrose, citric acid, NaCl, quinine), astringency (tannin), and spiciness (capsaicin). The percentage of correct identifications for high-concentrated sweet and sour, and for low-concentrated salty, bitter and spicy was lower in patients as compared with healthy participants. Interestingly, a lower identification in patients for both astringent concentrations was found. Based on the results, we proposed the Seven-iTT to assess chemo/somatosensory function, with a cut-off of 6 out of 7. The test score discriminated patients from healthy controls and showed gender differences among healthy controls. This quantitative test seems to be suitable for routine clinical assessment of gustatory and trigeminal function. It also provides new evidence on the mutual interaction between the two sensory systems.
Kinematic Calibration Method for Large-Sized 7-DoF Hybrid Spray-Painting Robots
Authors: Wang Yutian , Li Mengyu , Wang Junjian , Zhao Qinzhi , Wu Jun , Wang Jinsong
Published: December 2022

Large-sized seven-degrees-of-freedom (7-DoF) hybrid spray-painting robots combine ample working space and high flexibility, making them lucrative for the spray painting of aircraft and rocket surfaces. However, their kinematic calibration is hindered by gravitational deformation, which problem is addressed in this study by introducing a rigid-flexible coupling error modeling method. The latter combines the finite element method (FEM) and stiffness matrix method to assess the spatial gravitational deformation of a hybrid robot, which is then introduced into a geometric error model to establish the rigid-flexible coupling error identification model. Given many redundant parameters in the identification model for 7-DoF robots, these parameters are classified and simplified using the nonlinear least-square regularization method for parameter identification. Combining the inverse solution of 7-DoF spray-painting robots with dynamic characteristics considered, an error compensation method for 7-DoF robots is proposed. The kinematic calibration test results strongly indicate that position errors are significantly reduced with gravity compensation taken into consideration, and error convergence speed increases, demonstrating that the kinematic calibration method is feasible and can effectively improve the accuracy of spray-painting robots. The mean errors in the X- and Y-directions are reduced by 20 and 17%, respectively, compared to the conventional method. The proposed method is instrumental in the accurate kinematic calibration of large-sized 7-DoF hybrid robots.
Iron Oxides Nanoparticles as Components of Ferroptosis-Inducing Systems: Screening of Potential Candidates
Authors: Dzeranov Artur , Bondarenko Lyubov , Pankratov Denis , Prokof‘ev Mikhail , Dzhardimalieva Gulzhian , Jorobekova Sharipa , Tropskaya Nataliya , Telegina Ludmila , Kydralieva Kamila
Published: December 2022

This study presents an analysis of a set of iron oxides nanoparticles (NPs) (γ-Fe2O3, α-FeOOH, δ-FeOOH, 5Fe2O3·9H2O, and Fe3O4) as potential candidates for ferroptosis therapy in terms of a phase state, magnetic characteristics, and the release of Fe2+/Fe3+ as ROS mediators. Due to the values of saturation magnetization for Fe3O4 (31.6 emu/g) and γ-Fe2O3 (33.8 emu/g), as well as the surface area of these particles (130 and 123 m2/g), it is possible to consider them as promising magnetically controlled carriers that can function with various ligands. The evaluation of the release of Fe2+/Fe3+ ions as catalysts for the Fenton reaction showed that the concentration of the released ions increases within first 3 h after suspension and decreases within 24 h, which probably indicates desorption and adsorption of ions from/onto the surface of nanoparticles regardless their nature. The concentration of ions released by all nanoparticles, except α-FeOOH-Fe2+, reached 9.1 mg/L for Fe3+ to 1.7 mg/L for Fe2+, which makes them preferable for controlling the catalysis of the Fenton reaction. In contrast, a high concentration of iron ions to 90 mg/L for Fe3+ and 316 mg/L for Fe2+ released from compound α-FeOOH-Fe2+ allows us to utilize this oxide as an aid therapy agent. Results obtained on iron oxide nanoparticles will provide data for the most prospective candidates that are used in ferroptosis-inducing systems.
Superparamagnetic-like Micrometric Single Crystalline Magnetite for Biomedical Application Synthesis and Characterization
Authors: Chirita Marius , Bezergheanu Adrian , Bazil Cizmas Corneliu , Ercuta Aurel
Published: December 2022

Single-crystalline magnetite (Fe3O4) particles having a size beyond the nanometric range (1 µm to 50 µm) and showing high (close to the bulk value) saturation-specific magnetization (σs = 92 emu/g), were obtained by the hydrothermal decomposition of the Fe-EDTA complex. The very low values of the magnetic remanence (σr = 0.82 emu/g) and coercitivity (μoHc = 1.53 mT) observed at room temperature (RT) suggest a superparamagnetic-like behavior, which is quite remarkable for such micrometric magnetite particles. As confirmed by vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM)-based measurements, minor changes in their magnetic properties occur between RT and 5K. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has revealed a morphology consisting of a combination of non-porous octahedral- and dodecahedral-shaped particles, energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) has indicated high elemental (Fe and O) purity, whereas X-ray diffraction (XRD) has confirmed a single crystal structure. The nitrogen adsorbtion–desorption isotherm and pore size distribution are presented for the magnetite sample. Thermomagnetic records under zero field-cooled (ZFC) and field-cooled (FC) conditions have revealed a thermal hysteresis of the Verwey transition.The Verwey point (TV) at which the major step of the phase transformation takes place is located around 132 K for heating and around 122 K for cooling. These microcrystals do not remain agglomerated when the polarizing field is removed, an essential requirement in biomedical applications is met.
Evidence of Hysteresis Free Ferromagnetic Nature and Significant Magnetocaloric Parameters in FeNi Binary Alloy
Authors: Sharma Mohit K. , Kumar Akshay , Kumari Kavita , Park Su-Jeong , Yadav Naveen , Huh Seok-Hwan , Koo Bon-Heun
Published: December 2022

In this study, our aim is to investigate the structural, magnetic, and magnetocaloric properties of the FeNi binary alloy. The FeNi alloy with Fe65Ni35 composition was prepared by ball milling followed by the annealing and quenching processes. A Rietveld refinement analysis of structural results reveals that this system has coexisting cubic structural phases with a dominant face-centered cubic phase (Fm-3m;γ-FeNi). Magnetization results of this compound indicate the presence of ferromagnetic ordering and the magnetic transition observed around 100 K. Moreover, an Arrott plot study provides information about the order of phase transition, which is found in the second-order near the ordering temperature, whereas first-order nature is also noted in the low-temperature region. The significant magnetocaloric parameters, i.e., magnetic entropy change (ΔSM~0.495 J/kg-K) and relative cooling power (88 J/kg), are noted over a wide temperature range. The power law dependency of magnetic entropy change with the applied field is also investigated. Due to their significant magnetocaloric performance over a wide temperature range, these multiphase alloys may be a good candidate for room-temperature to low-temperature magnetic refrigeration.
An Information-Reserved and Deviation-Controllable Binary Neural Network for Object Detection
Authors: Zhu Ganlin , Fei Hongxiao , Hong Junkun , Luo Yueyi , Long Jun
Published: December 2022

Object detection is a fundamental task in computer vision, which is usually based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs). While it is difficult to be deployed in embedded devices due to the huge storage and computing consumptions, binary neural networks (BNNs) can execute object detection with limited resources. However, the extreme quantification in BNN causes diversity of feature representation loss, which eventually influences the object detection performance. In this paper, we propose a method balancing Information Retention and Deviation Control to achieve effective object detection, named IR-DC Net. On the one hand, we introduce the KL-Divergence to compose multiple entropy for maximizing the available information. On the other hand, we design a lightweight convolutional module to generate scale factors dynamically for minimizing the deviation between binary and real convolution. The experiments on PASCAL VOC, COCO2014, KITTI, and VisDrone datasets show that our method improved the accuracy in comparison with previous binary neural networks.
On Certain Classes of Multivalent Analytic Functions Defined with Higher-Order Derivatives
Authors: Lashin Abdel Moneim Y. , El-Emam Fatma Z.
Published: December 2022

This paper examines two subclasses of multivalent analytic functions defined with higher-order derivatives. These classes of functions are generalizations of several known subclasses that have been studied in separate works. Moreover, we find several interesting results for functions in these classes, including subordination results, containment relations, and integral preserving properties.