bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Totally percutaneous endovascular repair for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms
Authors: Tay Shirli , Zaghloul Mohamed S. , Shafqat Mehreen , Yang Chao , Desai Kshitij A. , De Silva Gayan , Sanchez Luis A. , Zayed Mohamed A.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The PEVAR Trial demonstrated that compared to open femoral exposure, elective percutaneous endovascular AAA repair (ePEVAR) is associated with decreased perioperative morbidity and access site complications. We hypothesized that PEVAR for ruptured AAA (rPEVAR) may also improve perioperative morbidity compared to open femoral exposure (rEVAR). There are currently no reports that evaluate the utility and outcomes of rPEVAR.

Materials and methods

From 2015 to 2021, all patients who underwent an endovascular repair of a ruptured AAA at a single institution were included in the study and grouped into rPEVAR and rEVAR. Demographics, procedural details (successful preclose technique, conversion to femoral cutdown), postoperative variables (blood transfusion, ICU and hospital length of stay) and short-term outcomes (30-day major adverse events (30-day MAE) and 30-day femoral access-site complications (30-day FAAC)) were collected and compared with 50 historical ePEVAR patients from the PEVAR Trial. Statistical significance was determined using χ2 or Fisher's exact test for categorical variables, and Mann–Whitney U-test for continuous variables.

Results

35 patients were identified (21 rPEVAR; 14 rEVAR), 86% were male with a mean age of 72 ± 9 years. All patients underwent emergent endovascular aortic repair with 100% technical success. Seventeen patients (49%) presented with evidence of hemorrhagic shock and 22 patients (63%) had blood transfusion. 30-day MAE occurred in 12 patients (34%) (7 rPEVAR; 5 rEVAR). There was no difference in demographic, perioperative outcomes and 30-day MAE rate between rPEVAR and rEVAR patients. Compared to ePEVAR patient (from PEVAR trial), rPEVAR patients had higher rate of 30-day MAE (34% vs. 6%; p < 0.006) but no difference in 30-day FAAC (19% vs. 12%; p = 0.54). The success rate of the preclose technique was higher in ePEVAR compared to rPEVAR (96% vs. 76%; p = 0.02), but the rate of conversion to femoral cutdown was similar between the two groups (10% vs. 4%; p = 0.57).

Conclusion

Emergent rPEVAR appears to have similar outcomes when compared to rEVAR. Although patients undergoing rPEVAR have higher 30-day major adverse events rate compared to ePEVAR, the method of percutaneous femoral cannulation does not appear to increase the overall procedural or 30-day femoral artery access-site complications.
A survey to understand farmers' perceptions and risk factors for hoof diseases including footrot in sheep in New South Wales, Australia
Authors: Smith Karen , Whittington Richard J. , Green Alexandra C. , Dhand Navneet K. , Moses Alicia , Grove Annie , Thane Tegan , Dhungyel Om P.
Published: October 2022

The aims of this study were to develop an understanding of farmers' perceptions and risk factors for footrot, including its less severe forms, and other hoof diseases in sheep in New South Wales (NSW). A questionnaire was developed and administered to sheep farmers in Local Land Services (LLS) regions across NSW. LLS staff selected sheep farmers who met the inclusion criteria which included farmers with a minimum of 100 sheep, a history of having had foot problems in their flock or having expressed an interest in improving sheep health and production. Farmers completed the questionnaire either by telephone or via the REDCap online survey platform. Descriptive analyses and multivariable logistic regression models were created. The survey was completed by 43 sheep farmers with a median farm size of 1,500 Ha and flock size of 2,300; footrot was present on 39% of farms while 75.6% had other hoof diseases. A flock of >3,000 sheep were more likely to have footrot than a smaller flock (OR = 11.99, 90% CI = 3.02–63.92, P-value = 0.005) and footrot was less likely to be present on farms when an Animal Health Statement was requested while purchasing sheep (OR = 0.10, 90% CI = 0.01–0.56, P-value = 0.04). Hoof conditions other than footrot were likely to be present in flocks when foot inspections were conducted at a time other than weekly inspections (OR = 0.13, 90% CI = 0.01–0.68, P-value = 0.04) and flocks kept on undulating ground were more likely to have diseases other than footrot compared to those kept on flat ground (OR = 3.72, 90% CI = 1.02–15.80, P-value = 0.09). Most farmers agreed that footrot including its less severe forms can cause production losses and negatively affect animal health and welfare. Limitations of the study were the sample size and dry environmental conditions prior to and during study period in many regions of NSW which limited the expression of footrot.
Assessing strategic, tactical, and operational decision-making and risk in a livestock production chain through experimental simulation platforms
Authors: Koliba Christopher , Merrill Scott C. , Zia Asim , Bucini Gabriela , Clark Eric , Shrum Trisha R. , Wiltshire Serge , Smith Julia M.
Published: October 2022

This paper provides a research summary of a series of serious games and simulations that form the basis of an experimental platform for the study of human decision-making and behavior associated with biosecurity across complex livestock production chains. This platform is the first of its kind to address the challenges associated with scaling micro-behavior of biosecurity decision-making to macro-patterns of disease spread across strategic, tactical and operational levels, capturing the roles that facility managers and front-line workers play in making biosecurity decisions under risk and uncertainty. Informational and incentive treatments are tested within each game and simulation. Behavioral theories are used to explain these findings. Results from serious games in the form of behavioral probability distributions are then used to simulate disease incidence and spread across a complex production chain, demonstrating how micro-level behaviors contribute to larger macro-level patterns. In the case of this study, the propensity to adopt micro-level biosecurity practices are applied to a network percolation disease spread model. By presenting the suite of companion models of behavior and disease spread we are able to capture scaling dynamics of complex systems, and in the process, better understand how individual behaviors impact whole systems.
Employee Performance Measures Appraised by Training and Labor Market: Evidence from the Banking Sector of Germany
Authors: Khan Naveed Ahmad , Mihoci Andrija , Michalk Silke , Sarachuk Kirill , Javed Hafiz Ali
Published: October 2022

Our paper examines the impact of training outputs and employment factors on several facets of employee performance while supporting managerial decision-making in the banking sector. First, we introduce four performance measures in individual productivity assessment. Second, three identified groups of covariates are associated with these measures, namely, the training method success, delivery of knowledge, and labor market performance feedback. Based on our empirical results from Germany, we suggest that response-related decisions are accompanying bank employees’ profiles and appraisal. In particular, we form decision-making functions and finally show that the banking industry successfully balances between internal and external factors in optimizing employees’ performance.
Long-Term Impact of Different Straw Management Practices on Carbon Fractions and Biological Properties under Rice–Wheat System
Authors: Gupta Rajeev Kumar , Hans Hitesh , Kalia Anu , Kang Jasjit Singh , Kaur Jagroop , Sraw Paramjit Kaur , Singh Anmol , Alataway Abed , Dewidar Ahmed Z. , Mattar Mohamed A.
Published: October 2022

Intensive agriculture has led to generation of a vast volume of agri-residue, prompting a reliance on conservation tillage techniques for prudent management. However, to ascertain the long-term impacts of these practices, the interrelation with the carbon fractions and the biological properties of the soil must be identified. Therefore, in a long-term experiment, five different treatments involving the incorporation of paddy straw as mulch or through disc harrow and farmer practice, including the partial burning of rice straw, were evaluated. After the harvesting of the wheat crop, soil samples collected from 3 different depths (0–15, 15–30 and 30–45 cm) were analyzed for various attributes critical to assessing soil health. Crop residue retention in both seasons (T4) improved carbon fractions, soil microflora viable cell counts and enzyme activities. The principal component analysis (PCA) revealed a positive interaction among the organic carbon, bacterial counts and soil enzyme activities. Thus, a positive impact of conservation tillage techniques involving a minimal disturbance was recorded as improvement in the soil properties, build-up of organic carbon, and wheat productivity in rice–wheat cropping systems.
Insights into Agricultural-Waste-Based Nano-Activated Carbon Fabrication and Modifications for Wastewater Treatment Application
Authors: Muhammad Syaifullah , Abdul Khalil H. P. S. , Abd Hamid Shazlina , Albadn Yonss M. , Suriani A. B. , Kamaruzzaman Suraiya , Mohamed Azmi , Allaq Abdulmutalib A. , Yahya Esam Bashir
Published: October 2022

The past few years have witnessed extensive global industrial development that has led to massive pollution to most available water resources. There is no alternative to sustainable development, and the utilization of agricultural waste for wastewater treatment has been always a novel milestone in sustainable development goals. Agricultural-waste-based nano-activated carbon exhibits high porosity, great surface area, and unique surface functional groups that promote it to becoming a future and sustainable solution for wastewater treatment applications. Several modification approaches have been made to further enhance the adsorption capacity and reusability of such adsorbents. In this review, we presented the potential of agricultural-waste-based nano-activated carbon as a sustainable solution for wastewater treatment. We highlighted the fabrication process and properties of different nano-activated carbons in addition to different modification approaches to enhance its adsorption capacity. Finally, we critically discussed the recent advances in nano-activated carbon applications in water treatment including its role in drinking water filtration, organic dye removal, oil spill applications, heavy metals removal and the elimination of toxic compounds from wastewater.
An Apparatus and Method for Evaluating Particle-Size Distribution of Small Grain Crop Residues
Authors: Nigon Cyrus M. , Shinners Kevin J. , Friede Joshua C.
Published: October 2022

Size-reduction of small grain residue is required on the combine harvester to promote uniform distribution of residue across the full harvested width. However, unnecessary size reduction increases energy expenditures that can reduce harvester capacity. To objectively quantify the degree of residue processing, an apparatus and method was developed for evaluating particle-size distribution of small grain crop residue. The apparatus consisted of a pre-screener to sort long particles and an oscillating cascade of three screens which separated material into four additional fractions. The separation process was continuous, so large volume samples could be separated more quickly than batch systems. The developed system was used to evaluate wheat residue which was processed to various extents by a combine residue chopper in two experiments. Statistically significant (p < 0.05) differences between variably processed wheat residues were found using the developed apparatus and methodology. The separated wheat residue was partitioned into three particle-size ranges of less than 50 mm, 50 to 125 mm, and greater than 125 mm. Samples of 3 to 4 kg could be completely analyzed in less than 10 min.
Effect of Different Cover Crops, Mass-Trapping Systems and Environmental Factors on Invertebrate Activity in Table Olive Orchards—Results from Field Experiments in Crete, Greece
Authors: Volakakis Nikolaos , Kabourakis Emmanouil , Rempelos Leonidas , Kiritsakis Apostolos , Leifert Carlo
Published: October 2022

Background: Although the negative effects of insecticides and herbicides on beneficial and non-target invertebrates are well documented, there is limited information on potential negative impacts of pest and weed management practices used in organic farming on invertebrate activity. Methods: Using established field experiments designed to compare different ground cover crops (used to suppress weeds and increase nitrogen availability and soil health) and mass-trapping systems (used for olive fly control) in organic olive production systems, we monitored the impact of these practices on invertebrate activity. Results: When different ground cover crops were compared, ground cover crops established from a vetch/pea/barley seed mixtures resulted in significantly higher parasitic wasps activity than ground cover vegetation in control plots (plots in which Medicago seed were sown and failed to establish) that were dominated by the weed Oxalis pes-caprae. When two bottle based mass-trapping systems were compared, the traps caught similar numbers of olive flies and some non-target invertebrates (mainly other Diptera, Neuroptera and Lepidotera and Formicidae), although no parasitic wasps or pollinators (bees; bumble bees) were caught in traps. Analyses of invertebrate profiles found in McPhail monitoring traps showed that invertebrate activity profiles were similar in plots with and without mass-trapping devices. In addition, as expected, redundancy analyses showed that climatic parameters (temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind direction) are significant explanatory variables/drivers for invertebrate activity in olive orchards. Conclusions: The results presented indicate that mixed legume/cereal ground cover crops may increase the activity of parasitic wasps and may act as a reservoir for natural enemies of agricultural pest and that olive fly mass-trapping systems may lure and kill some non-target invertebrates, but do not affect the activity of two main groups of beneficial invertebrates namely pollinators and parasitic wasps.
Rapid Diagnosis and Visual Detection of Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) Using Recombinase Polymerase Amplification Combination with Lateral Flow Assay Method (RPA-LFA)
Authors: Wang Xu , Lei Rong , Peng Huan , Jiang Ru , Shao Hudie , Ge Jianjun , Peng Deliang
Published: October 2022

Globodera rostochiensis is an important quarantine pest, it causes serious potato yield losses annually. Reliable and rapid molecular detection of G. rostochiensis is pivotal to effective early disease diagnosis and managements. Herein, recombinase polymerase amplification integrated with lateral flow assays method (RPA-LFA) was developed to target the internal transcribed spacer of nuclear ribosomal DNA (ITS rDNA) of the golden cyst nematode (G. rostochiensis), which allowed for the rapid diagnosis and detection of this nematode from crude extracts of cysts and juveniles within 30 min. Sensitivity test results showed that 10−1 single juvenile and 10−3 single cyst can be reliably detected. Moreover, the RPA-LFA method can directly diagnose and detect G. rostochiensis from infested field soil. This is the first RPA-LFA method for diagnosis G. rostochiensis, it is a fast, accurate, and sensitive detection method and can be developed for detection of G. rostochiensis in fields and laboratories lacking large instrument and equipment.
Phytotoxic Effects of Three Origanum Species Extracts and Essential Oil on Seed Germinations and Seedling Growths of Four Weed Species
Authors: Kordali Saban , Kabaagac Gulbahar , Sen İsmail , Yilmaz Ferah , Najda Agnieszka
Published: October 2022

The use of chemical pesticides to protect agricultural products is a global concern because of their adverse effects on the environment and public health. To avoid the dangers of synthetic herbicides, research has turned to natural alternatives. This study was conducted to evaluate the allelopathic effect of essential oil (EO) extracted from Origanum syriacum, Origanum onites, and Origanum majorana. In addition, the chemical composition of the essential oil was elucidated by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC–MS) analysis. A total of 11 different components of O.syriacum were identified, and the main components were carvacrol (88.49), p-Cymene (5.71), γ-Terpinene (1.63), β-Caryoplhyllene (1.48), and Terpinen-4-ol (0.65), respectively. For O. onites, 10 different compounds were identified, and the main components were carvacrol (58.65), Thymol (30.97), Linalool (4.17), p-Cymene (1.94), and β-Caryoplhyllene (0.98), respectively. Finally, for O. majorana, 14 different compounds were identified, and the main components were carvacrol (40.57), α-Terpineol (29.28), p-Cymene (9.02), γ-Terpinene (5.80), and carvacrol methyl ether (3.46). Finally, 14 compounds from the Origanum majorana species were identified, with carvacrol (40.57), -Terpineol (29.28), p-Cymene (9.02), and -Terpinene (5.80) as the parent compound (3.46). Oxygenated monoterpenes were the highest in all species’ EO content. EOs and plant extracts were tested at 5, 10, and 20 L/Petri concentrations against seed germination and seedling growth in four weed species (Thlaspi arvense, Amaranthus retroflexus, Rumex cripus, and Lactuca serriola). The concentrations of essential oil were set as 5, 10, and 20 µL/Petri dishes for seed germination. In the greenhouse experiment, the final concentration of solutions was set as 20 µL and the solutions were directly sprayed on the surface of the weeds, and the mortality rates were noted after 24 and 48 h of application. It was observed that increasing the application decreased seed germination. The phytotoxic effects on the seedling germination in the greenhouse were observed, resulting in 48.76–94% mortality rates. Consequently, the essential oil from Origanum species could be considered as an alternative bio-herbicide to tested weeds.
Perioperative Brain Function Monitoring with Electroencephalography in Horses Anesthetized with Multimodal Balanced Anesthetic Protocol Subjected to Surgeries
Authors: Murillo Carla , Weng Hsin-Yi , Weil Ann B. , Kreuzer Matthias , Ko Jeff C.
Published: October 2022

This study aimed to investigate the use of electroencephalography (EEG) for detecting brain activity changes perioperatively in anesthetized horses subjected to surgery. Twelve adult horses undergoing various surgeries were evaluated after premedication with xylazine and butorphanol, induction with ketamine, midazolam, and guaifenesin, and maintenance with isoflurane. The frontal EEG electrodes were placed after the horse was intubated and mechanically ventilated. The EEG data were collected continuously from Stage (S)1—transition from induction to isoflurane maintenance, S2—during surgery, S3—early recovery before xylazine sedation (0.2 mg kg IV), and S4—recovery after xylazine sedation. The Patient State Index (PSI), (Burst) Suppression Ratio (SR), and 95% Spectral Edge Frequency (SEF95) were compared across the stages. The PSI was lowest in S2 (20.8 ± 2.6) and increased to 30.0 ± 27.7 (p = 0.005) in S3. The SR increased from S1 (5.5 ± 10.7%) to S3 (32.7 ± 33.8%, p = 0.0001). The spectral power analysis showed that S3 had a significantly higher content of delta wave activity (0.1–4 Hz) in the EEG and lower relative power in the 3 Hz to 15 Hz range when compared to S1 and S2. A similar result was observed in S4, but the lower power was in a narrower range, from 3 Hz to 7 Hz, which indicate profound central nervous system depression potentiated by xylazine, despite the cessation of isoflurane anesthesia. We concluded that the use of EEG provides clinically relevant information about perioperative brain state changes of the isoflurane-anesthetized horse.
Microplastics as Contaminants in Water Bodies and Their Threat to the Aquatic Animals: A Mini-Review
Authors: Chen Mingshi , Yue Yuhua , Bao Xiaoxue , Yu Hui , Tan Yuansheng , Tong Binbin , Kumkhong Suksan , Yu Yingying
Published: October 2022

Microplastics (MPs), which are particles with a diameter of less than 5 mm, have been extensively studied due to their serious global pollution. Typically, MPs in water originate from terrestrial input. A number of studies have reported the presence of MPs as a stressor in water environments worldwide, and their potential threat to the aquatic animals, affecting the growth, oxidative stress responses, body composition, histopathology, intestinal flora, and immune and reproduction systems. During the plastic degradation process, a large variety of toxic substances are released. MPs have been proposed to be the carriers of toxic chemicals and harmful microorganisms. A study of the literature on MP pollution and stress on the aquatic animals associated with MPs was carried out.
Effect of Salmonella Typhimurium Colonization on Microbiota Maturation and Blood Leukocyte Populations in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Robinson Kelsy , Assumpcao Anna L. F. V. , Arsi Komala , Erf Gisela F. , Donoghue Annie , Jesudhasan Palmy R. R.
Published: October 2022

Reducing Salmonella in commercial chickens is vital to decreasing human salmonellosis infections resulting from contact with contaminated poultry and poultry products. As the intestinal microbiota plays an important role in preventing pathogen colonization, we sought to understand the relationship between Salmonella infection and the cecal microbiota and the host immune system. Day-of-hatch broiler chicks were assigned to three treatments: control, artificial (SA), and natural (SN) Salmonella infection. At seven days of age, control and SA birds were inoculated with PBS or Salmonella Typhimurium, respectively. Five SA birds were transferred to SN cages to facilitate natural infection. Cecal content and blood samples were collected at 0, 8, 14, and 21 days of age for microbiota and leukocyte analysis, respectively. A significant change in microbiota composition was observed in both groups as noted by a decrease in Lactobacillus and Escherichia and an increase in Bacteroides. Leukocyte analysis revealed a decrease in the percentage of circulating monocytes at 7 days post-infection while a decrease in thrombocyte and an increase in heterophil percentages were seen at 14 days post-infection. Taken together, these results demonstrate the ability of Salmonella to modulate the intestinal microbiota to facilitate colonization. Additionally, results indicated an early role of monocytes and thrombocytes during colonization, followed by heterophils.
An Investigation into the Re-Emergence of Disease Following Cessation of Antibiotic Treatment in Balb/c Mice Infected with Inhalational Burkholderia pseudomallei
Authors: Laws Thomas R. , Barnes Kay B. , Jenner Dominic C. , Núñez Alejandro , Richards Mark I. , Thwaite Joanne E. , Vente Andreas , Rushton David , Nelson Michelle , Harding Sarah V.
Published: October 2022

Burkholderia pseudomallei is the causative agent of melioidosis, a multifaceted disease. A proportion of the mortality and morbidity reported as a result of infection with this organism may be due to the premature cessation of antibiotic therapy typically lasting for several months. The progression of re-emergent disease was characterised in Balb/c mice following cessation of a 14 day treatment course of co-trimoxazole or finafloxacin, delivered at a human equivalent dose. Mice were culled weekly and the infection characterised in terms of bacterial load in tissues, weight loss, clinical signs of infection, cytokine levels and immunological cell counts. Following cessation of treatment, the infection re-established in some animals. Finafloxacin prevented the re-establishment of the infection for longer than co-trimoxazole, and it is apparent based on the protection offered, the development of clinical signs of disease, bodyweight loss and bacterial load, that finafloxacin was more effective at controlling infection when compared to co-trimoxazole.
Beyond Guidelines and Reports on Bacterial Co-/Superinfections in the Context of COVID-19: Why Uniformity Matters
Authors: Van Laethem Johan , Piérard Denis , Allard Sabine D.
Published: October 2022

Background: In the period following the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic, more evidence became available on the epidemiology of bacterial co-/superinfections (bCSs) in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Various European therapeutic guidelines were published, including guidance on rational antibiotic use. Methods: In this letter to the editor, we provide an overview of the largest meta-analyses or prospective studies reporting on bCS rates in COVID-19 patients and discuss why the reader should interpret the results of those reports with care. Moreover, we compare different national and international COVID-19 therapeutic guidelines from countries of the European Union. Specific attention is paid to guidance dedicated to rational antibiotic use. Results: We found a significant heterogeneity in studies reporting on the epidemiology of bCSs in COVID-19 patients. Moreover, European national and international guidelines differ strongly from each other, especially with regard to the content and extent of antibiotic guidance in hospitalized COVID-19 patients. Conclusion: A standardized way of reporting on bCSs and uniform European guidelines on rational antibiotic use in COVID-19 patients are crucial for antimicrobial stewardship teams to halt unnecessary antibiotic use in the COVID-19 setting.
Detrimental Effects of Lipid Peroxidation in Type 2 Diabetes: Exploring the Neutralizing Influence of Antioxidants
Authors: Shabalala Samukelisiwe C. , Johnson Rabia , Basson Albertus K. , Ziqubu Khanyisani , Hlengwa Nokulunga , Mthembu Sinenhlanhla X. H. , Mabhida Sihle E. , Mazibuko-Mbeje Sithandiwe E. , Hanser Sidney , Cirilli Ilenia , Tiano Luca , Dludla Phiwayinkosi V.
Published: October 2022

Lipid peroxidation, including its prominent byproducts such as malondialdehyde (MDA) and 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (4-HNE), has long been linked with worsened metabolic health in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). In fact, patients with T2D already display increased levels of lipids in circulation, including low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol and triglycerides, which are easily attacked by reactive oxygen molecules to give rise to lipid peroxidation. This process severely depletes intracellular antioxidants to cause excess generation of oxidative stress. This consequence mainly drives poor glycemic control and metabolic complications that are implicated in the development of cardiovascular disease. The current review explores the pathological relevance of elevated lipid peroxidation products in T2D, especially highlighting their potential role as biomarkers and therapeutic targets in disease severity. In addition, we briefly explain the implication of some prominent antioxidant enzymes/factors involved in the blockade of lipid peroxidation, including termination reactions that involve the effect of antioxidants, such as catalase, coenzyme Q10, glutathione peroxidase, and superoxide dismutase, as well as vitamins C and E.
Effects of Hyperbaric Oxygen Preconditioning on Doxorubicin Cardiorespiratory Toxicity
Authors: Doerr Vivian , Montalvo Ryan N. , Nguyen Branden L. , Boeno Franccesco P. , Sunshine Michael D. , Bindi Victoria E. , Fuller David D. , Smuder Ashley J.
Published: October 2022

Cardiorespiratory dysfunction resulting from doxorubicin (DOX) chemotherapy treatment is a debilitating condition affecting cancer patient outcomes and quality of life. DOX treatment promotes cardiac and respiratory muscle pathology due to enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, mitochondrial dysfunction and impaired muscle contractility. In contrast, hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy is considered a controlled oxidative stress that can evoke a substantial and sustained increase in muscle antioxidant expression. This HBO-induced increase in antioxidant capacity has the potential to improve cardiac and respiratory (i.e., diaphragm) muscle redox balance, preserving mitochondrial function and preventing muscle dysfunction. Therefore, we determined whether HBO therapy prior to DOX treatment is sufficient to enhance muscle antioxidant expression and preserve muscle redox balance and cardiorespiratory muscle function. To test this, adult female Sprague Dawley rats received HBO therapy (2 or 3 atmospheres absolute (ATA), 100% O2, 1 h/day) for 5 consecutive days prior to acute DOX treatment (20 mg/kg i.p.). Our data demonstrate that 3 ATA HBO elicits a greater antioxidant response compared to 2 ATA HBO. However, these effects did not correspond with beneficial adaptations to cardiac systolic and diastolic function or diaphragm muscle force production in DOX treated rats. These findings suggest that modulating muscle antioxidant expression with HBO therapy is not sufficient to prevent DOX-induced cardiorespiratory dysfunction.
Natural Active Ingredients for Poly (Lactic Acid)-Based Materials: State of the Art and Perspectives
Authors: Lombardi Andrea , Fochetti Andrea , Vignolini Pamela , Campo Margherita , Durazzo Alessandra , Lucarini Massimo , Puglia Debora , Luzi Francesca , Papalini Marco , Renzi Monia , Cavallo Andrea , Bernini Roberta
Published: October 2022

This review describes the state of the art in the field of poly (lactic acid) (PLA)-based materials activated by natural compounds and extracts (active ingredients, AIs) from plant sources for food and biomedical applications. With a multidisciplinary approach, after a description of the synthesis and properties of PLA, special attention was paid to the chemical properties and unconventional extraction technologies of AIs used for PLA activation. Innovative techniques for the incorporation of AIs into PLA; characterization and the antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the novel materials were discussed. In view of future perspectives, this study has evidenced that some aspects need to be further investigated from joint research between academia and industry, according to the green chemistry principles and circular economy strategy.
Identifying Hyper-Heuristic Trends through a Text Mining Approach on the Current Literature
Authors: Gárate-Escamilla Anna Karen , Amaya Ivan , Cruz-Duarte Jorge M. , Terashima-Marín Hugo , Ortiz-Bayliss José Carlos
Published: October 2022

Hyper-heuristics have arisen as methods that increase the generality of existing solvers. They have proven helpful for dealing with complex problems, particularly those related to combinatorial optimization. Their recent growth in popularity has increased the daily amount of text in the related literature. This information is primarily unstructured, mainly text that traditional computer data systems cannot process. Traditional systematic literature review studies exhibit multiple limitations, including high time consumption, lack of replicability, and subjectivity of the results. For this reason, text mining has become essential for researchers in recent years. Therefore, efficient text mining techniques are needed to extract meaningful information, patterns, and relationships. This study adopts a literature review of 963 journal and conference papers on hyper-heuristic-related works. We first describe the essential text mining techniques, including text preprocessing, word clouds, clustering, and frequent association rule learning in hyper-heuristic publications. With that information, we implement visualization tools to understand the most frequent relations and topics in the hyper-heuristic domain. The main findings highlight the most dominant topics in the literature. We use text mining analysis to find widespread manifestations, representing the significance of the different areas of hyper-heuristics. Furthermore, we apply clustering to provide seven categories showing the associations between the topics related to hyper-heuristic literature. The vast amount of data available that we find opens up a new opportunity for researchers to analyze the status of hyper-heuristics and help create strategic plans regarding the scope of hyper-heuristics. Lastly, we remark that future work will address the limitations of collecting information from multiple data sources and analyze book chapters related to hyper-heuristics.
A Multi-Constrained Optimization Method for THz Backward Wave Oscillators
Authors: Bao Rong , Li Yongdong , Wang Hongguang , Liu Chunliang
Published: October 2022

The current design period for various backward wave oscillators (BWOs) is still at least several months. How to find the best structure parameters with an efficient and stable optimization method is a problem facing researchers in both scientific research and engineering work. In this paper, a non-randomized iterative optimization method is proposed. It applies orthogonal design methods to find local solutions that can provide optimal ‘gradient direction’ for several successive next iteration steps. An evaluation function is designed to distinguish the better ones from the local solutions in the multi-constrained optimization of such BWOs. Optimizations from different starting points are performed separately for a global optimal solution. Two BWOs at different frequency ranges are optimized using the proposed method. The validity and stability of the method are verified. It is believed that the method can provide the global optimum and shorten the design period of THz BWOs.
Personalised Esomeprazole and Ondansetron 3D Printing Formulations in Hospital Paediatric Environment: I-Pre-Formulation Studies
Authors: Ferreira Mariana , Lopes Carla M. , Gonçalves Hugo , Pinto João F. , Catita José
Published: October 2022

Individualised medicine demands the formulation of pharmacotherapy in accordance with the characteristics of each patient’s health condition, and paediatrics is one of the areas that needs this approach. The 3D printing of oral doses is one method for achieving customised medicine in paediatrics. In this work, pre-formulation studies were conducted to evaluate the viability of using specific raw materials to produce 3D printed dosage forms based on two active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), ondansetron and esomeprazole, which are important for therapeutic customisation in paediatrics. Pre-formulation studies were carried out by characterising the physical and chemical properties of selected raw materials, selected APIs and their mixtures, using analytical methods such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (X-RPD), simultaneous thermal analysis (STA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The flowability of powders, compatibility and stability studies were also performed. Among all the ingredients selected, the PVPs (K17, K25 and K90) had the best characteristics to incorporate both forms of Esomeprazole Mg in a formulation to produce extrudates. The results obtained validated the use of some selected raw materials for tablet manufacture by the 3D printing approach.
A Radiomics Approach Based on Follow-Up CT for Pathological Subtypes Classification of Pulmonary Ground Glass Nodules
Authors: Ma Chenchen , Yue Shihong , Sun Chang
Published: October 2022

Preoperative, non-invasive, and accurate identification of the pathological subtypes of pulmonary ground glass nodules (GGNs) play an important role in the precise selection of clinical surgical operations and individualized treatment plans. Efforts have been made for the classification of pathological subtypes of GGNs, but most existing methods focus on benign or malignant diagnosis of GGNs by means of a one-time computed tomography image (CTI), which fails to capture the nodule development based on follow-up CTI. In this paper, a novel method for subtype classification based on follow-up CTIs is presented as a viable option to the existing one-time CTI-based approach. A total of 383 follow-up CTIs with GGNs from 146 patients was collected and retrospectively labeled via posterior surgical pathology. Feature extraction is performed individually to the follow-up CTIs. The extracted feature differences were represented as a vector, which was then used to construct a set of vectors for all the patients. Finally, a subspace K-nearest neighbor classifier was built to predict the pathological subtypes of GGNs. Experimental validation confirmed the efficacy of the new method over the existing method. Results showed that the accuracy of the new method could reach 72.5%, while the existing methods had an upper bound of 67.5% accuracy. Subsequent three-category comparison experiments were also performed to demonstrate that the new method could increase the accuracy up to 21.33% compared to the existing methods that use one-time CTI.
The Effect of Hybrid Drying Methods on the Quality of Dried Carrot
Authors: Ciurzyńska Agnieszka , Janowicz Monika , Karwacka Magdalena , Galus Sabina , Kowalska Jolanta , Gańko Klaudia
Published: October 2022

The study investigated the effect of a combination of drying techniques: convection, microwave, and freeze-drying, on selected physical properties of the dried material (carrot) to determine which form of hybrid drying is the best alternative to traditional freeze-drying. Carrots were dried by freeze-drying, convection-drying, and microwave-drying as well as in hybrid methods: freeze-drying-convection, freeze-drying–microwave as well as convection–freeze-drying or microwave–freeze-drying. The color, porosity, shrinkage, water activity, dry matter content, and internal structure of carrots dried using various methods were examined. The dried samples obtained with the hybrid method were compared with those obtained with a single drying technique. Freeze-drying–microwave-drying (F-M) as an alternative drying method for freeze-drying allowed us to obtain dried material with a water activity similar (p < 0.05) to that of freeze-dried samples, at the same time reducing the duration of the process by 20 h. The combination of convection-drying methods with freeze-drying (K-F) and microwave-drying with freeze-drying (M-F) allowed us to obtain dried material with lower shrinkage than in the case of convection (K) or microwave (M) drying.
Integrated Carbon Emissions and Carbon Costs for Bridge Construction Projects Using Carbon Trading and Tax Systems—Taking Beijing as an Example
Authors: Wang Jingjing , Pan Ke , Wang Cong , Liu Wenxiang , Wei Jiajia , Guo Kun , Liu Zhansheng
Published: October 2022

Bridges are special infrastructures that emit large amounts of carbon dioxide from construction. Attention should be given to the carbon cost generated by the bridge, which includes its direct economic cost; the carbon cost is the largest driving force encouraging the enterprise to implement carbon emission reduction measures. In this study, the life cycle assessment (LCA) method is applied to carbon emissions in the bridge construction stage, which include emissions from material production, transportation and on-site construction; then, a carbon emission calculation model for the construction stage is established. Next, the carbon cost calculation model for the bridge in the construction stage is determined by combining the carbon pricing mechanisms of carbon emission taxing and trading to monetize carbon emissions. Finally, by taking a bridge in Beijing as an example, the carbon emissions in the bridge construction stage are calculated, and the carbon cost is calculated. The results show that carbon emission monetization is beneficial for clarifying the environmental impact of bridge construction; these calculations should be included in cost accounting.
Research on Initial Model Construction of Seismic Inversion Based on Velocity Spectrum and Siamese Network
Authors: Sun Luping , Ding Ling , Wang Xiangchun
Published: October 2022

The initial model plays an important role in seismic inversion. Generally, the initial model is constructed by lateral extrapolation of parameters under horizons constraints. However, without horizon data, initial modeling becomes a challenging task. Velocity spectrum is a 2D image that can reflect the characteristics of the formations. We regard the problem of establishing the initial model as the problem of similarity analysis of seismic lateral characteristics and propose a method of establishing the initial inversion model based on velocity spectrum and Siamese network. Firstly, the lateral variation of formation characteristics is tracked on velocity spectra generated by common depth point (CDP) gathers. Then, the target tracking results at different CDP positions are obtained with the triple Siamese network. Finally, the discrete inversion parameters are extrapolated along the tracking paths to obtain the initial inversion model. The Siamese network can quickly obtain the similarity of 2D images and does not need manual labels. The theoretical and practical results show that our method can efficiently generate the initial model that conforms to the seismic structure and stratigraphic characteristics without the constraint of interpreted horizon data.
Deep Collaborative Recommendation Algorithm Based on Attention Mechanism
Authors: Cui Can , Qin Jiwei , Ren Qiulin
Published: October 2022

Representation learning-based collaborative filtering (CF) methods address the linear relationship of user-items with dot products and cannot study the latent nonlinear relationship applied to implicit feedback. Matching function learning-based CF methods directly learn the complicated mapping functions that map user-item pairs to matching scores, which has limitations in identifying low-rank relationships. To this end, we propose a deep collaborative recommendation algorithm based on attention mechanism (DACR). First, before the user-item representations are input into the DNNs, we utilize the attention mechanism to adaptively assign different weights to the user-item representations, which captures the hidden information in implicit feedback. After that, we input the user-item representations with corresponding weights into the representation learning and matching function learning modules. Finally, we concatenate the prediction vectors learned from different dimensions to predict the matching scores. The results show that we can improve the expression ability of the model while taking into account not only the nonlinear information hidden in implicit feedback, but also the low-rank relationships of user-item pairs to obtain more accurate predictions. Through detailed experiments on two datasets, we find that the ranking capability of the DACR model is enhanced compared with other baseline models, and the evaluation metrics HR and NDCG of DACR are increased by 0.88–1.19% and 0.65–1.15%, respectively.
A Hybrid Algorithm Based on Simplified Swarm Optimization for Multi-Objective Optimizing on Combined Cooling, Heating and Power System
Authors: Yeh Wei-Chang , Zhu Wenbo , Peng Yi-Fan , Huang Chia-Ling
Published: October 2022

Energy demand is rising sharply due to the technological development and progress of modern times. Neverthless, traditional thermal power generation has several diadvantages including its low energy usage and emitting a lot of polluting gases, resulting in the energy depletion crisis and the increasingly serious greenhouse effect. In response to environmental issues and energy depletion, the Combined Cooling, Heating and Power system (CCHP) combined with the power-generation system of renewable energy, which this work studied, has the advantages of high energy usage and low environmental pollution compared with traditional thermal power generation, and has been gradually promoted in recent years. This system needs to cooperate with the instability of renewable energy and the dispatch of the energy-saving system; the optimization of the system has been researched recently for this purpose. This study took Xikou village, Lieyu township, Kinmen county, Taiwan as the experimental region to solve the optimization problem of CCHP combined with renewable energy and aimed to optimize the multi-objective system including minimizing the operation cost, minimizing the carbon emissions, and maximizing the energy utilization rate. This study converted the original multi-objective optimization problem into a single-objective optimization problem by using the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to and Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) approach. In addition, a hybrid of the simplified swarm optimization (SSO) and differential evolution (DE) algorithm, called SSO-DE, was proposed in this research to solve the studied problem. SSO-DE is based on SSO as the core of the algorithm and is combined with DE as the local search strategy. The contributions and innovations of the manuscript are clarified as follows: 1. a larger scale of CCHP was studied; 2. the parallel connection of the mains, allowing the exchange of power with the main grid, was considered; 3. the TOPSIS was adopted in this study to convert the original multi-objective optimization problem into a single-objective optimization problem; and 4. the hybrid of the DE algorithm with the improved SSO algorithm was adopted to improve the efficiency of the solution. The proposed SSO-DE in this study has an excellent ability to solve the optimization problem of CCHP combined with renewable energy according to the Friedman test of experimental results obtained by the proposed SSO-DE compared with POS-DE, iSSO-DE, and ABC-DE. In addition, SSO-DE had the lowest running time compared with POS-DE, iSSO-DE, and ABC-DE in all experiments.
An Enhanced Information Retrieval Method Based on Ontology for Bridge Inspection
Authors: Zhang Yang , Liu Yuhong , Lei Guangting , Liu Shengyu , Liang Peng
Published: October 2022

Bridge management systems (BMSs) are widely used to assist an inspector in performing element-level bridge inspection. Retrieving and determining target elements to be inspected becomes an important factor in the efficiency of bridge inspection. This paper presents an enhanced information retrieval (IR) method based on ontology to predict the target elements. The novelty of this method is that an improved seven-step method based on automatic mapping technology is proposed to construct a new bridge inspection ontology (BIontology), which provides a knowledge base for the present IR method. A further novelty is that a new software architecture is designed for integrating ontology, and a promising prototype system based on the software architecture is developed to realize the present IR method using SPARQL query. In addition, a novel prediction algorithm based on the present IR method is proposed to automatically recommend the target elements. A case study of ontology construction is performed to demonstrate that the improved seven-step method can accelerate the construction of the BIontology compared with the manual method. A case study of bridge inspection is implemented to verify that the proposed algorithm outperforms an existing method, thereby validating the effectiveness of the present IR method.