bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transseptal Puncture Guided by Three-Dimensional Electroanatomical Mapping: Early Experience Using a Simplified Approach in Adults with Congenital Heart Disease
Authors: Guan Fu , Gass Matthias , Berger Florian , Akdis Deniz , Duru Firat , Wolber Thomas
Published: July 2023

Aims: The widespread use of three-dimensional (3D) mapping systems and echocardiography in the field of cardiac electrophysiology has made it possible to perform transseptal punctures (TSP) with low or no fluoroscopy. However, such attempts in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) who have previously undergone surgical or interventional treatment are limited. Therefore, we sought to explore the feasibility and safety of an approach to perform zero- or low-fluoroscopy TSP in ACHD patients undergoing left atrial cardiac ablation procedures. Methods and results: This study included 45 ACHD patients who underwent TSP for ablation of left-sided tachycardias (left atrium or pulmonary venous atrium). Computed tomography (CT) of the heart was performed in all patients prior to ablation. 3D mapping of the right-sided heart chambers before TSP was used to superimpose the registered anatomy, which was subsequently used for the mapping-guided TSP technique. TSP was performed with zero-fluoroscopy in 27 patients, and the remaining 18 patients had a mean fluoroscopy exposure of 315.88 ± 598.43 μGy.m2 and a mean fluoroscopy duration of 1.9 ± 5.4 min. No patient in this cohort experienced TSP-related complications. Conclusion: Our study describes a fluoroscopy-free or low-dose fluoroscopy approach for TSP in ACHD patients undergoing catheter ablation of left-sided tachyarrhythmias who had been previously treated surgically or interventionally due to congenital heart defects. By superimposing 3D electroanatomic mapping with cardiac CT anatomy, this protocol proved to be highly effective, feasible and safe.
Repeatability and Reproducibility of Potential Ultrasonographic Bishop Score Parameters
Authors: Mlodawski Jakub , Mlodawska Marta , Plusajska Justyna , Detka Karolina , Bialek Katarzyna , Swiercz Grzegorz
Published: July 2023

Determination of the Bishop score (BS) is a traditional method of assessing the cervix in obstetrics and gynecology. This examination is characterized by subjectivity of assessment and low repeatability. In scientific studies intended to evaluate the results of the procedure based on the initial assessment, it is necessary to find an objective scale based on ultrasonography. We selected five ultrasound parameters, measured with a transvaginal transducer, that are equivalent to the individual BS axes (dilatation assessed in three-dimensional ultrasound (DL), angle of progression (AoP), vagino-cervical angle (VCA), strain elastography using the E-Cervix module, and cervical length (CL)). All selected parameters were characterized by good to excellent repeatability (intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) = 0.878–0.994) and reproducibility (ICC = 0.826–0.996). Each of the selected parameters significantly correlated with its corresponding BS axis. The highest value of the correlation coefficient was achieved with CL (−0.75) and DL (0.71). Other parameters were characterized by an average to high correlation (AoP and station = 0.69, hardness ratio and consistency = −0.33, position and VCA = −0.38). The best correlation with the sum of the BS points was exhibited by AoP (0.52) and CL (−0.61). The selected ultrasound parameters analogous to the BS axes were characterized by high repeatability and significant correlation with the axes of the original clinical BS. Further research into the predictive properties of a multivariate model based on these parameters is needed.
Transient Ischemic Attack Outpatient Clinic: Past Journey and Future Adventure
Authors: Shahjouei Shima , Seyedmirzaei Homa , Abedi Vida , Zand Ramin
Published: July 2023

A transient ischemic attack (TIA), a constellation of temporary neurological symptoms, precedes stroke in one-fifth of patients. Thus far, many clinical models have been introduced to optimize the quality, time to treatment, and cost of acute TIA care, either in an inpatient or outpatient setting. In this article, we aim to review the characteristics and outcomes of outpatient TIA clinics across the globe. In addition, we discussed the main challenges for outpatient management of TIA, including triage and diagnosis, and the system dynamics of the clinics. We further reviewed the potential developments in TIA care, such as telemedicine, predictive analytics, personalized medicine, and advanced imaging.
Office-Based Intraosseous Infiltrations of PRGF as an Effective Treatment for Knee Osteoarthritis: A Retrospective Observational Clinical Study
Authors: Ríos Luna Antonio , Fahandezh-Saddi Díaz Homid , Villanueva Martínez Manuel , Iglesias Roberto , Prado Roberto , Padilla Sabino , Anitua Eduardo
Published: July 2023

The aim of this study was to explore and assess office-based ultrasound-guided intraosseous and intra-articular infiltrations of plasma rich in growth factors (PRGF) in patients with moderate and severe knee osteoarthritis (KOA). Seventy-nine patients (30 women and 49 men) with grade 3–4 KOA according to the Kellgren–Lawrence classification participated in the study. All patients were treated with a minimally invasive technique using local anesthesia WALANT (wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet) in the ambulatory setting. A PRGF intra-articular infiltration and two intraosseous infiltrations in the tibial plateau and femoral condyle were performed weekly for a total of three sessions. The evaluation of the results was carried out using knee injury and osteoarthritis outcome score (KOOS) at baseline and post-treatment. After a follow-up period of 11 months (median) [interquartile range, 7–14], all the KOOS domains showed statistically significant improvement (p < 0.001). Moreover, 88% of the patients showed a pain reduction of at least 10 points (minimally clinically important improvement) from pre- to post-treatment. Our retrospective study using the in-office procedure of ultrasound-guided combination of intra-articular and intraosseous infiltrations of PRGF is a safe and efficacious approach for the treatment of grade 3–4 knee osteoarthritis.
A Probabilistic Assessment Framework for Submarine Landslide Susceptibility in Continental Slopes with Rich Gas Hydrates
Authors: Tan Lin , Zhou Mingliang , Wang Feiyang
Published: July 2023

Submarine landslides in regions enriched with gas hydrates pose a significant threat to submarine pipelines, cables, and offshore platforms. Conducting a comprehensive regional-scale susceptibility assessment is crucial for mitigating the potential risks associated with submarine landslides in gas hydrate enrichment regions. This study conducted a preliminary exploration by presenting a probabilistic assessment framework that integrated database construction, rapid prediction model training, and landslide susceptibility assessment in hydrate enrichment regions. The database was a virtual repository constructed using numerical simulations of hydrate dissociation under various combinations of factors, including water depth, geothermal gradients, seafloor slope gradients, the seafloor temperature’s rate of increase, gas hydrate saturation, and the strength and permeability of sediments. The rapid prediction model was trained using machine learning techniques, relying on the virtual database. A probabilistic assessment was performed using Monte Carlo simulations, with the landslide susceptibility determined by the rapid prediction model. The probability of landslide susceptibility exceeding a certain threshold served as an indicator for classifying the susceptibility of the study area. The proposed framework was implemented in the Shenhu area of the South China Sea, which is a representative region known for its substantial hydrate enrichment and well-developed landslides. The trained rapid prediction model for landslide susceptibility exhibited a speed advantage of over 60,000 times compared to traditional numerical calculation methods. The statistical analysis of the results in Monte Carlo simulations suggested that the landslide susceptibility was subjected to a high level of uncertainty due to limited survey data availability. Based on the probability of landslide susceptibility exceeding 0.4 in Monte Carlo simulations, the study area was classified into three zones of susceptibility: low, moderate, and high levels.
Design and Fully Coupled Dynamic Response Analysis of a New Floating Offshore Wind Platform
Authors: Shen Yong , Liu Chuanyi , Pan Weichen , Li Yajie , Wang Xikun
Published: July 2023

Floating offshore wind platform (FOWP) has become the economically favored option for supporting wind turbines in deep waters. It is urgent to propose new concept designs for FOWPs that can be effectively deployed. Additionally, the extensive use of steel in such platforms significantly escalates costs, necessitating the optimization of steel utilization. Motivated by these challenges, a V-shaped floating semi-submersible platform equipped with NREL 5 MW wind turbine is designed and analyzed based on the potential flow theory and the blade element momentum theory. Fully coupled time-domain simulations are conducted using the F2A program, which couples NREL FAST and ANSYS AQWA via a Dynamic Link Library (DLL), to compare the hydrodynamic performance and stability of the V-shaped floating platform with the original triangle-shaped model of “Fuyao”. Various sea conditions have been considered, including combined wind-wave action and wind-wave-current action at different incidence angles. The results show that the V-shaped floating platform has better economic and hydrodynamic performance (e.g., a reduction of 40.4% and 12.9%, respectively, in pitch and yaw motions, and a 17.4% reduction in maximum mooring tension), but lower stability than its triangle-shaped counterpart.
A Novel Region-Construction Method for Multi-USV Cooperative Target Allocation in Air–Ocean Integrated Environments
Authors: Zhou Zeyu , Li Mingyang , Hao Yun
Published: July 2023

The effective defense of sparsely populated border islands, surrounded by a multifaceted sea, against enemy infiltration poses a crucial problem in national defense. One possible solution is to deploy multiple unmanned surface vessels (USVs) to form an intelligent patrol and defense system. With the designated or daily patrols of USVs, we need to allocate target positions in real time to ensure their continuous operation. Currently, the state-of-art methods contain two major problems of target deadlock and local optimization, which limit the efficiency of reaching the target. To this end, we proposed a novel Region-Construction (RECO) method aimed at high-efficiency target allocation. Firstly, a dynamic calculation approach in K value for unsupervised clustering and time factor’s lead-in for Market-Based Mechanism (MBM) method was created to resolve potential target deadlock among USVs. Secondly, we proposed a novel construction strategy in a non-complete graph (NCG) consisting of neighborhood connection and pheromone extension to provide enough feasible nodes for solution searching. Finally, we introduced adjustment of search range and edge weights, and activated node interaction in traditional Ant Colony Optimization (ACO) algorithm in NCG to obtain the optimal combination of each USV’s target allocations. We established a simulation platform with an airborne managing base station and several USVs. The experimental results demonstrated that when the number of USVs was four, the average time for all USVs to reach the target in the RECO method reduced by 10.9% and 7.7% compared to the MBM and ACO methods, respectively. This reduction was 25% and 11.6% for 6 USVs, 25.7% and 21.8% for 8 USVs, 20% and 19% for 10 USVs. It reflects that the proposed RECO allocation method has shown improvements in terms of successfully-assigned USVs’ quantity and operational efficiency, compared to the state-of-art MBM and ACO algorithms.
Dynamic Analysis of a Novel Installation Method of Floating Spar Wind Turbines
Authors: Hassan Mohamed , Guedes Soares C.
Published: July 2023

This paper presents the performance of a new, floating, mono-hull wind turbine installation vessel (Nordic Wind) in the installation process. The vessel can transport pre-assembled wind turbines from the marshalling port to the offshore installation site. Each assembled turbine will be positioned over the pre-installed floating spar structure. The primary difficulty lies in examining the multibody system’s reactions when subjected to combined wind, current, and wave forces. Time-domain simulations are utilized to model the interconnected system, incorporating mechanical coupling between components, the mooring system for the spar, and the installation vessel. The primary objective is to focus on the monitoring and connection stages preceding the mating operations between the turbine and the floating spar. Additionally, it involves examining the impacts of wind, current, and wave conditions on the motion responses of the installation vessel and the spar, as well as the relative motions at the mating point, gripper forces, and mooring forces. The simulations show that the resulting gripper forces are reasonable to compensate. The relative motion at the mating point is not significantly affected by the orientations of the turbine blades, but it is influenced by the prevailing wave conditions. In addition, vessel heading optimization can minimize the relative motions at the mating point and gripper forces. Given the examined environmental conditions, the presented installation concept exhibits a commendable performance.
Dynamic Inversion Model of the Mooring Force on a Floating Bollard of a Sea Lock
Authors: Wu Linjian , Xiang Zhouyu , Shu Dan , Liu Mingwei , Yang Jia , Li Minglong
Published: July 2023

Sea locks that connect inland canals and rivers to the open sea are crucial links that ensure the efficient navigation of ships. Floating bollards (FBs) are significant components of sea locks, and they are affected by factors such as large ships, speed of entry, and irregular mooring lines coupled with corrosion by chloride salts from seawater intrusion from the environment. These factors aggravate damage to metal structures, which seriously threatens the safety of FBs. Overloading of FBs by mooring forces caused by the illegal use of FBs for the braking of large ships that enter locks at excessive speed is the main cause of structural damage and overload failure for FBs. Controlling the dynamic mooring force acting on the FB is an important prerequisite to ensure the safe passage of a ship through a lock. It is impossible to perform real-time monitoring of the magnitude and direction of the mooring force on an FB by installing load-measuring equipment on the mooring line. Therefore, in this study, the structure of an FB in a sea lock project was taken as an example, and the mathematical relationships between the strain in the load-sensitive area of the FB and the mooring force and the mooring angle were quantified. A dynamic inversion model of the ship mooring force on an FB was proposed. This model used real-time feedback from the strain signal in the load-sensitive region of the FB structure to obtain information about the mooring force. The accuracy of the model was verified by conducting tests with a physical model of the topside structure of the FB and comparing the predicted results with the test data. The research results can lay a theoretical foundation for real-time monitoring of the structural response of an FB under the action of mooring forces and promote the development of intelligent methods for the operation and maintenance of a sea lock, which have important scientific significance and engineering value.
Numerical Simulation Study on Ship–Ship Interference in Formation Navigation in Full-Scale Brash Ice Channels
Authors: Xie Chang , Zhou Li , Lu Mingfeng , Ding Shifeng , Zhou Xu
Published: July 2023

Formation navigation in brash ice channels is increasingly utilized by merchant vessels in the Arctic and Baltic Sea, offering benefits such as improved efficiency and reduced carbon emissions. However, ship–ship interference poses a significant challenge to this method, impacting resistance performance. This paper presents full-scale simulations using the CFD–DEM coupling method in brash ice channels, which is validated by comparing simulation results with ice tank measurements. By varying the distance between two ships from 0.05 to 5 ship lengths, ship–ship interference in full-scale brash ice channels is analyzed using the CFD–DEM coupling strategy. The study examines hydrodynamic and ship–ice interactions, ice resistance effects, and simulation results. It is found that ship-to-ship distance significantly influences the velocity field, dynamic pressure distribution on the hull, and hydrodynamic interaction forces. Distances less than one ship length result in increased water resistance for the forward ship and decreased resistance for the rear ship. The forward ship demonstrates favorable interference with the ice accumulation of the rear ship. When distances are less than two ship lengths, the ice resistance of the forward ship remains mostly unaffected, while the ice resistance of the rear ship decreases as the distance decreases. These insights enhance our understanding of ship–ship interference in formation navigation, aiding in the optimization of brash ice channel navigation strategies.
Inhibitory Effects of the Fungal Pigment Rubiginosin C on Hyphal and Biofilm Formation in Candida albicans and Candida auris
Authors: Zeng Haoxuan , Stadler Marc , Abraham Wolf-Rainer , Müsken Mathias , Schrey Hedda
Published: July 2023

The two fungal human pathogens, Candida auris and Candida albicans, possess a variety of virulence mechanisms. Among them are the formation of biofilms to protect yeast against harsh conditions through the development of (pseudo)hyphae whilst also facilitating the invasion of host tissues. In recent years, increased rates of antifungal resistance have been associated with C. albicans and C. auris, posing a significant challenge for the effective treatment of fungal infections. In the course of our ongoing search for novel anti-infectives, six selected azaphilones were tested for their cytotoxicity and antimicrobial effects as well as for their inhibitory activity against biofilm and hyphal formation. This study revealed that rubiginosin C, derived from stromata of the ascomycete Hypoxylon rubiginosum, effectively inhibited the formation of biofilms, pseudohyphae, and hyphae in both C. auris and C. albicans without lethal effects. Crystal violet staining assays were utilized to assess the inhibition of biofilm formation, while complementary microscopic techniques, such as confocal laser scanning microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and optical microscopy, were used to investigate the underlying mechanisms. Rubiginosin C is one of the few substances known to effectively target both biofilm formation and the yeast-to-hyphae transition of C. albicans and C. auris within a concentration range not affecting host cells, making it a promising candidate for therapeutic intervention in the future.
Iron Starvation Induces Ferricrocin Production and the Reductive Iron Acquisition System in the Chromoblastomycosis Agent Cladophialophora carrionii
Authors: Bailão Alexandre Melo , Silva Kassyo Lobato Potenciano da , Moraes Dayane , Lechner Beatrix , Lindner Herbert , Haas Hubertus , Soares Célia Maria Almeida , Silva-Bailão Mirelle Garcia
Published: July 2023

Iron is a micronutrient required by almost all living organisms. Despite being essential, the availability of this metal is low in aerobic environments. Additionally, mammalian hosts evolved strategies to restrict iron from invading microorganisms. In this scenario, the survival of pathogenic fungi depends on high-affinity iron uptake mechanisms. Here, we show that the production of siderophores and the reductive iron acquisition system (RIA) are employed by Cladophialophora carrionii under iron restriction. This black fungus is one of the causative agents of chromoblastomycosis, a neglected subcutaneous tropical disease. Siderophore biosynthesis genes are arranged in clusters and, interestingly, two RIA systems are present in the genome. Orthologs of putative siderophore transporters were identified as well. Iron starvation regulates the expression of genes related to both siderophore production and RIA systems, as well as of two transcription factors that regulate iron homeostasis in fungi. A chrome azurol S assay demonstrated the secretion of hydroxamate-type siderophores, which were further identified via RP-HPLC and mass spectrometry as ferricrocin. An analysis of cell extracts also revealed ferricrocin as an intracellular siderophore. The presence of active high-affinity iron acquisition systems may surely contribute to fungal survival during infection.
Pricing Game Models of Hybrid Channel Supply Chain: A Strategic Consumer Behavior Perspective
Authors: Zhang Xuelong , Li Yufei , Zhu Jianhua , Zhou Xuequan
Published: July 2023

The current sales model combining online and offline channels meets the diverse requirements of consumers. However, consumers’ inter-channel switching behavior and strategic behavior also pose significant challenges to pricing decisions in the hybrid channel. Using game theory and consumer utility theory, a retailer-driven pricing model is developed to study the optimal pricing problem for each channel in a mixed-channel supply chain considering the characteristics of channel competition and the waiting behavior of strategic consumers. Study results show there is a negative correlation between the proportion of strategic consumers and the optimal pricing and profit of each channel, and as the proportion of strategic consumers rises, the optimal pricing and profit of manufacturers and retailers all trend downward. Incorporating strategic consumers into the pricing model will assist the supply chain in elucidating the behavior of consumer heterogeneity during various decision-making periods and in making reasonable pricing decisions. Effective guiding strategies, such as pre-discount and purchase restrictions, can reduce the profit loss caused by strategic consumer behavior. The optimal combination of pre-announcement discount and strategic consumer ratio can generate the greatest profit for retailers and the supply chain.
City and Water Risk: Accumulated Runoff Mapping Analysis as a Tool for Sustainable Land Use Planning
Authors: Porębska Anna , Muszyński Krzysztof , Godyń Izabela , Racoń-Leja Kinga
Published: July 2023

The complex integration of water and flood risk management, climate change adaptation, and sustainable planning requires advanced, dynamic tools that are unavailable to most planning offices. This paper aims to demonstrate that the available GIS technologies and large, variable, and diverse datasets (big data) already allow us to create effective, easy-to-use, and, most importantly, cross-sectorial and holistic tools that integrate issues related to planning, flood risk management, and adaptation to climate change. Resulting from an interdisciplinary study of districts in Kraków, Poland, which have been heavily affected by pluvial floods in recent years, the accumulated runoff mapping analysis method proposed in this paper can be considered an effective planning tool that can be used at the initial stage of pluvial flood risk assessment and, above all, for spatial planning analysis and urban design. The proposed tool accounts for a correlation of development, land cover, and hydrological conditions, as well as their impact on vulnerability and the urban climate, while integrating environmental, urban, and social amenities. Intended for preliminary planning phases, it uses open-source software and data, which, although giving approximate runoff volumes, do not require advanced hydrological calculations or costly and time-consuming field research. The method allows studying alternative scenarios that can support the cross-sectorial, inclusive, and interdisciplinary discussion on new developments, sustainable planning, and adaptation to climate change. Most importantly, it can reduce, if not eliminate, issuing decisions that may have negative impacts on urban areas and enhance their resilience before more sophisticated, detailed, and advanced methods are ready for implementation.
Anti-Helicobacter pylori, Antioxidant, Antidiabetic, and Anti-Alzheimer’s Activities of Laurel Leaf Extract Treated by Moist Heat and Molecular Docking of Its Flavonoid Constituent, Naringenin, against Acetylcholinesterase and Butyrylcholinesterase
Authors: Al-Rajhi Aisha M. H. , Qanash Husam , Almashjary Majed N. , Hazzazi Mohannad S. , Felemban Hashim R. , Abdelghany Tarek M.
Published: July 2023

It is worth noting that laurel (Laurus nobilis L.) contains several pharmacologically and nutritionally active compounds that may differ according to the pretreatment process. The current study is designed to clarify the effect of moist heat on the phenolic and flavonoid constituents and anti-Helicobacter pylori, antioxidant, antidiabetic, and anti-Alzheimer’s activities of laurel leaf extract (LLE). Unmoist-heated (UMH) and moist-heated (MH) LLEs showed the presence of numerous flavonoid and phenolic constituents, although at different levels of concentration. MH significantly induced (p < 0.05) the occurrence of most compounds at high concentrations of 5655.89 µg/mL, 3967.65 µg/mL, 224.80 µg/mL, 887.83 µg/mL, 2979.14 µg/mL, 203.02 µg/mL, 284.65 µg/mL, 1893.66 µg/mL, and 187.88 µg/mL, unlike the detection at low concentrations of 3461.19 µg/mL, 196.96 µg/mL, 664.12 µg/mL, 2835.09 µg/mL, 153.26 µg/mL, 254.43 µg/mL, 1605.00 µg/mL, 4486.02 µg/mL, and 195.60 µg/mL using UMH, for naringenin, methyl gallate, caffeic acid, rutin, ellagic acid, coumaric acid, vanillin, ferulic acid, and hesperetin, respectively. Chlorogenic acid, syringic acid, and daidzein were detected in the UMH LLE but not in the MH LLE, unlike pyrocatechol. The anti-H. pylori activity of the UMH LLE was lower (23.67 ± 0.58 mm of inhibition zone) than that of the MH LLE (26.00 ± 0.0 mm of inhibition zone). Moreover, the values of MIC and MBC associated with the MH LLE were very low compared to those of the UMH LLE. Via MBC/MIC index calculation, the UMH and MH LLEs showed cidal activity. The MH LLE exhibited higher anti-biofilm activity (93.73%) compared to the anti-biofilm activity (87.75%) of the MH LLE against H. pylori. The urease inhibition percentage was more affected in the UMH LLE compared to the MH LLE, with significant (p < 0.05) IC50 values of 34.17 µg/mL and 91.11 µg/mL, respectively. Promising antioxidant activity was documented with a very low value of IC50 (3.45 µg/mL) for the MH LLE compared to the IC50 value of 4.69 µg/mL for the UMH LLE and the IC50 value of 4.43 µg/mL for ascorbic acid. The MH LLE showed significantly higher (p < 0.05) inhibition of α-glucosidase and butyrylcholinesterase activities, with IC50 values of 9.9 µg/mL and 17.3 µg/mL, respectively, compared to those of the UMH LLE at 18.36 µg/mL and 28.92 µg/mL. The molecular docking of naringenin showed good docking scores against acetylcholinesterase 1E66 and butyrylcholinesterase 6EMI, indicating that naringenin is an intriguing candidate for additional research as a possible medication for Alzheimer’s disease.
Greek Literature and Christian Doctrine in Early Christianity: A Difficult Co-Existence
Authors: Franchi Roberta
Published: July 2023

This paper traces the complex relationship between classical literature and Christian doctrine in the first four centuries. In the earliest period of Christianity, we can identify two attitudes of Christians towards Greek literature: the hostile attitude shown by Tatian, Theophilus, and Tertullian, and the openness to Greek culture and philosophy demonstrated by Justin the Martyr, Athenagoras of Athens, and Minucius Felix. A notable change happened in the Alexandrian milieu when Clement of Alexandria and Origen started considering Greek classics the embodiment of an authentic Christian spirit. In keeping with Origen, Basil of Caesarea realized a good synthesis between Greek thought and Christian faith. Noting germs of divine revelation in ancient Greek thought, Christian authors took the tools of Greco-Roman criticism and ancient philosophy to develop their doctrine.
Analysis of Rigid-Flexible Coupling Characteristics of Pneumatic Modular Soft Joints with Variable Stiffness
Authors: Liu Siyuan , Bian Yuhang , Ai Chao , Sun Hongmei , Deng Yijie , Chen Zilong , Chen Xiaorui , Zhang Jingtao
Published: July 2023

This paper proposes a new pneumatic modular joint to address the problem of balancing compliance and load-bearing capacity for soft robots. The joint possesses characteristics that allow for omnidirectional deformation and dynamically adjustable stiffness. In this study, mathematical models were established to describe the deformation and stiffness variability of the joint. Corresponding relationships between gas pressure and deformation and magnetic field strength and module stiffness were derived through numerical analysis. Finite element simulations were conducted to investigate the changes in pressure and deformation under different stiffness conditions and the changes in magnetic field strength and joint stiffness under various deformation states. Finally, experimental validation was performed to verify the theoretical calculations and simulation results, demonstrating excellent coupling characteristics between stiffness and compliance for the proposed joint.
Experimental and Stochastic Application of an Elastic Foundation in Loose Material Transport via a Sandwich Belt Conveyor—Part 2
Authors: Čepica Daniel , Frydrýšek Karel , Hrabovský Leopold , Nikodým Marek
Published: July 2023

This article serves as a continuation of our previously published work and focuses on loose material transport via sandwich belt conveyors. Experimental, analytical, stochastic, and numerical approaches are used to obtain and utilize the moduli of a bilateral Winkler elastic foundation that represent a loose material, which is wheat (Triticum aestivum) that is free of bran in this case. The solutions were obtained for a uniformly and nonuniformly distributed loose material. The task of the conveyor with loose material is simplified into a symmetric task, i.e., a beam on an elastic bilateral Winkler foundation, for an analytical solution and stochastic solution (Anthill and Matlab sw). In a numerical approach, this is considered a plane strain problem within the finite element method (Ansys and MSC.Marc sw). The experimental data are evaluated and used to obtain the functions of Winkler elastic foundation moduli, which are further considered in the numerical solution. The finite element method mainly serves as a verification tool. The acquired histograms of the elastic foundation moduli can be further applied in various scientific and research fields.
Symplectic Pairs and Intrinsically Harmonic Forms
Authors: Bande Gianluca
Published: July 2023

In this short note, we prove two properties of symplectic pairs on a four-manifold: firstly we prove that two transversal orientable foliations of codimension two, which are taut for the same Riemannian metric, are the characteristic foliations of a symplectic pair; secondly, we characterize intrinsically harmonic 2-forms of rank two as part of a symplectic pair.
Alleviating Long-Tailed Image Classification via Dynamical Classwise Splitting
Authors: Yuan Ye , Wang Jiaqi , Xu Xin , Li Ruoshi , Zhu Yongtong , Wan Lihong , Li Qingdu , Liu Na
Published: July 2023

With the rapid increase in data scale, real-world datasets tend to exhibit long-tailed class distributions (i.e., a few classes account for most of the data, while most classes contain only a few data points). General solutions typically exploit class rebalancing strategies involving resampling and reweighting based on the sample number for each class. In this work, we explore an orthogonal direction, category splitting, which is motivated by the empirical observation that naive splitting of majority samples could alleviate the heavy imbalance between majority and minority classes. To this end, we propose a novel classwise splitting (CWS) method built upon a dynamic cluster, where classwise prototypes are updated using a moving average technique. CWS generates intra-class pseudo labels for splitting intra-class samples based on the point-to-point distance. Moreover, a group mapping module was developed to recover the ground truth of the training samples. CWS can be plugged into any existing method as a complement. Comprehensive experiments were conducted on artificially induced long-tailed image classification datasets, such as CIFAR-10-LT, CIFAR-100-LT, and OCTMNIST. Our results show that when trained with the proposed class-balanced loss, the network is able to achieve significant performance gains on long-tailed datasets.
A Numerical Solution and Comparative Study of the Symmetric Rossler Attractor with the Generalized Caputo Fractional Derivative via Two Different Methods
Authors: Elbadri Mohamed , Abdoon Mohamed A. , Berir Mohammed , Almutairi Dalal Khalid
Published: July 2023

This study focuses on the solution of the rotationally symmetric Rossler attractor by using the adaptive predictor–corrector algorithm (Apc-ABM-method) and the fractional Laplace decomposition method (ρ-Laplace DM). Furthermore, a comparison between the proposed methods and Runge–Kutta Fourth Order (RK4) is made. It is discovered that the proposed methods are effective and yield solutions that are identical to the approximate solutions produced by the other methods. Therefore, we can generalize the approach to other systems and obtain more accurate results. In addition to this, it has been shown to be useful for correctly discovering examples via the demonstration of attractor chaos. In the future, the two methods can be used to find the numerical solution to a variety of models that can be used in science and engineering applications.
Convolution, Correlation and Uncertainty Principle in the One-Dimensional Quaternion Quadratic-Phase Fourier Transform Domain
Authors: Bhat Mohammad Younus , Dar Aamir H. , Zayed Mohra , Bhat Altaf A.
Published: July 2023

In this paper, we present a novel integral transform known as the one-dimensional quaternion quadratic-phase Fourier transform (1D-QQPFT). We first define the one-dimensional quaternion quadratic-phase Fourier transform (1D-QQPFT) of integrable (and square integrable) functions on R. Later on, we show that 1D-QQPFT satisfies all the respective properties such as inversion formula, linearity, Moyal’s formula, convolution theorem, correlation theorem and uncertainty principle. Moreover, we use the proposed transform to obtain an inversion formula for two-dimensional quaternion quadratic-phase Fourier transform. Finally, we highlight our paper with some possible applications.
CO2 Corrosion Behavior of X70 Steel under Typical Gas–Liquid Intermittent Flow
Authors: Li Qiang , Jia Wenguang , Yang Kaixiang , Dong Wenfeng , Liu Bingcheng
Published: July 2023

Gas–liquid intermittent flow is a kind of flow pattern that distinguishes itself from the conventional flow by the apparent non-steady feature, which causes serious corrosion issues, including localized corrosion. Although it widely exists in wet gas pipelines, how the gas–liquid intermittent flow influences CO2 corrosion of pipeline steels remains a problem to be clarified. In this work, a testing device that enables good simulation of gas–liquid intermittent flow in wet gas pipelines under various conditions was developed and used to perform experimental studies, combining electrochemical tests and corrosion morphology observations. The result shows that flow velocity and gas–liquid ratio act together to affect the CO2 corrosion behavior of X70 steel in typical intermittent flow conditions. The flow velocity has a more profound effect on the corrosion rate, while the gas–liquid ratio is associated with the occurrence of localized corrosion. The effect of the gas–liquid ratio on corrosion behavior was discussed.
Intracellular Acidification in a Rat C6 Glioma Model following Cariporide Injection Investigated by CEST-MRI
Authors: Mozaffari Maryam , Nyström Nivin N. , Li Alex , Bellyou Miranda , Scholl Timothy J. , Bartha Robert
Published: July 2023

Acidification of cancerous tissue induced pharmacologically may slow tumor growth and can be detected using magnetic resonance imaging. Numerous studies have shown that pharmacologically inhibiting specific transporters, such as the Na+/H+ exchanger 1 (NHE1), can alter glycolitic metabolism and affect tumor acidosis. The sodium proton exchanger inhibitor Cariporide can acidify U87MG gliomas in mice. This study aimed to determine whether Cariporide could acidify C6 glioma tumors in rats with an intact immune system. C6 glioma cells were implanted in the right brain hemisphere of ten rats. Chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) MRI (9.4T) was acquired on days 7–8 and 14–15 after implantation to measure in vivo tissue intracellular pH (pHi) within the tumors and on the contralateral side. pHi was basic relative to contralateral tissue at both time points assessed using the amine and amide concentration-independent detection (AACID) value. On day 14–15, measurements were made before and up to 160 min after Cariporide injection (N = 6). Twenty minutes after drug injection, the average AACID value in the tumor significantly increased by ∼6.4% compared to pre-injection, corresponding to 0.31 ± 0.20 lower pHi, while in contralateral tissue, AACID value increased significantly by ∼4.3% compared to pre-injection, corresponding to 0.22 ± 0.19 lower pHi. Control rats without tumors showed no changes following injection of Cariporide dissolved in 10% or 1% DMSO and diluted in PBS. This study demonstrates the sensitivity of CEST-based pH-weighted imaging for monitoring the response of tumors to pharmacologically induced acidification.
Development and Validation of Sensitive, Fast and Simple LC-MS/MS Method to Investigate the Association between Adrenocortical Steroidogenesis and the High Intensity Exercise in Elite Athletes
Authors: Dikunets Marina A. , Dudko Grigory A. , Virus Edward D.
Published: July 2023

The very high intensity of exercise accompanied by mental stress triggers adaptive mechanisms associated with adrenocortical steroidogenesis. However, the association between adrenocortical steroidogenesis and the high intensity of exercise in elite athletes is poorly studied. A significant obstacle to solving this complex task is the wide range (4–5 orders) of steroid concentrations in serum and limitations related to the amount of biological samples taken from professional athletes. To solve this task, we have developed and validated a non-trivial approach for targeted serum metabolic profiling based on the use of LC-MS/MS with dual-polarity electrospray ionization. The developed method based on the proposed approach allows for the quantitative determination of 14 stress resistance biomarkers in elite athletes using a small amount of specimen within 8.5 min.
mGWAS-Explorer 2.0: Causal Analysis and Interpretation of Metabolite–Phenotype Associations
Authors: Chang Le , Zhou Guangyan , Xia Jianguo
Published: July 2023

Metabolomics-based genome-wide association studies (mGWAS) are key to understanding the genetic regulations of metabolites in complex phenotypes. We previously developed mGWAS-Explorer 1.0 to link single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), metabolites, genes and phenotypes for hypothesis generation. It has become clear that identifying potential causal relationships between metabolites and phenotypes, as well as providing deep functional insights, are crucial for further downstream applications. Here, we introduce mGWAS-Explorer 2.0 to support the causal analysis between >4000 metabolites and various phenotypes. The results can be interpreted within the context of semantic triples and molecular quantitative trait loci (QTL) data. The underlying R package is released for reproducible analysis. Using two case studies, we demonstrate that mGWAS-Explorer 2.0 is able to detect potential causal relationships between arachidonic acid and Crohn’s disease, as well as between glycine and coronary heart disease.
Image Processing Approach to Investigate the Correlation between Machining Parameters and Burr Formation in Micro-Milling Processes of Selective-Laser-Melted AISI 316L
Authors: Akkoyun Fatih , Cevik Zihni Alp , Ozsoy Koray , Ercetin Ali , Arpaci Ibrahim
Published: July 2023

In industrial manufacturing and research laboratories, precise machining of work materials is crucial to meet the demand for fast assembly and sustainable high-quality production. Precise machining procedures play a vital role in manufacturing compatible parts that meet the production requirements. This study investigates the impact of different parameters on burr formations and slot dimensions during the micro-milling of AISI 316 material. A careful examination was conducted using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images under varying conditions. The variables considered include cutting speed, feed rate, and depth of cut. The main finding revealed that the feed rate and depth of cut significantly influence burr formation, with lower rates and depths resulting in noticeable reductions. A higher feed rate was associated with more pronounced burr formation. Moreover, burr widths on the down-milling sides were typically wider than those on the up-milling sides due to continuous chip formation and compressive forces during down-milling. Utilizing image processing, the study further quantified burr and slot widths with high accuracy, offering a reliable method to characterize burr formation. This research presents potential ways to minimize burr formation during micro-milling processes by effectively managing machining parameters.
Impact of Early Weaning on Development of the Swine Gut Microbiome
Authors: St-Pierre Benoit , Perez Palencia Jorge Yair , Samuel Ryan S.
Published: July 2023

Considering that pigs are naturally weaned between 12 and 18 weeks of age, the common practice in the modern swine industry of weaning as early as between two and four weeks of age increases challenges during this transition period. Indeed, young pigs with an immature gut are suddenly separated from the sow, switched from milk to a diet consisting of only solid ingredients, and subjected to a new social hierarchy from mixing multiple litters. From the perspective of host gut development, weaning under these conditions causes a regression in histological structure as well as in digestive and barrier functions. While the gut is the main center of immunity in mature animals, the underdeveloped gut of early weaned pigs has yet to contribute to this function until seven weeks of age. The gut microbiota or microbiome, an essential contributor to the health and nutrition of their animal host, undergoes dramatic alterations during this transition, and this descriptive review aims to present a microbial ecology-based perspective on these events. Indeed, as gut microbial communities are dependent on cross-feeding relationships, the change in substrate availability triggers a cascade of succession events until a stable composition is reached. During this process, the gut microbiota is unstable and prone to dysbiosis, which can devolve into a diseased state. One potential strategy to accelerate maturation of the gut microbiome would be to identify microbial species that are critical to mature swine gut microbiomes, and develop strategies to facilitate their establishment in early post-weaning microbial communities.
Altitudinal Gradient and Soil Depth as Sources of Variations in Fungal Communities Revealed by Culture-Dependent and Culture-Independent Methods in the Negev Desert, Israel
Authors: Grishkan Isabella , Kidron Giora J. , Rodriguez-Berbel Natalia , Miralles Isabel , Ortega Raúl
Published: July 2023

We examined fungal communities in soil profiles of 0–10 cm depth along the altitudinal gradient of 250–530–990 m.a.s.l. at the Central Negev Desert, Israel, which benefit from similar annual precipitation (95 mm). In the soil samples collected in the summer of 2020, a mycobiota accounting for 169 species was revealed by both culture-dependent and culture-independent (DNA-based) methodologies. The impact of soil depth on the variations in fungal communities was stronger than the impact of altitude. Both methodologies displayed a similar tendency in the composition of fungal communities: the prevalence of melanin-containing species with many-celled large spores (mainly Alternaria spp.) in the uppermost layers and the depth-wise increase in the proportion of light-colored species producing a high amount of small one-celled spores. The culturable and the DNA-based fungal communities had only 13 species in common. The differences were attributed to the pros and cons of each method. Nevertheless, despite the drawbacks, the employment of both methodologies has an advantage in providing a more comprehensive picture of fungal diversity in soils.
Preliminary Flowsheet Development for Mixed Rare Earth Elements Production from Apatite Leaching Aqueous Solution Using Biosorption and Precipitation
Authors: Amirshahi Shahin , Jorjani Esmaeil
Published: July 2023

A flowsheet was developed to extract mixed Rare Earth Elements (REEs) from an aqueous solution generated by nitric acid leaching of apatite concentrate. In this study, Platanus orientalis (P. orientalis) leaf powder was employed in the biosorption process to purify the pregnant leach solution. The sorption and desorption processes were investigated and optimized. The results demonstrated the successful extraction of REEs from the pregnant leach solution using the biosorbent. Hydrochloric acid effectively desorbed REEs from the loaded P. orientalis leaf powder. Thermodynamic studies indicated that REEs’ sorption on P. orientalis leaf powder was an endothermic and spontaneous process. Precipitation and calcination steps yielded mixed rare earth oxides (REOs) with an assay of approximately 87%. The final product, mixed REOs, can be further refined through releaching and a secondary impurity removal stage prior to entering the individual REE separation process. Alternatively, it can be fed directly into the solvent extraction process or alternative technologies to obtain individual heavy and light REEs.
Exploring Learning Curves in Acupuncture Education Using Vision-Based Needle Tracking
Authors: Pham Duy Duc , Luu Trong Hieu , Tran Le Trung Chanh , Nguyen Thi Hoai Trang , Cao Hoang-Long
Published: July 2023

Measuring learning curves allows for the inspection of the rate of learning and competency threshold for each individual, training lesson, or training method. In this work, we investigated learning curves in acupuncture needle manipulation training with continuous performance measurement using a vision-based needle training system. We tracked the needle insertion depth of 10 students to investigate their learning curves. The results show that the group-level learning curve was fitted with the Thurstone curve, indicating that students were able to improve their needle insertion skills after repeated practice. Additionally, the analysis of individual learning curves revealed valuable insights into the learning experiences of each participant, highlighting the importance of considering individual differences in learning styles and abilities when designing training programs.