bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Target Recognition of Bananas and Automatic Positioning for the Inflorescence Axis Cutting Point
Authors: Wu Fengyun , Duan Jieli , Chen Siyu , Ye Yaxin , Ai Puye , Yang Zhou
Published: November 2021

Multi-target recognition and positioning using robots in orchards is a challenging task in modern precision agriculture owing to the presence of complex noise disturbance, including wind disturbance, changing illumination, and branch and leaf shading. To obtain the target information for a bud-cutting robotic operation, we employed a modified deep learning algorithm for the fast and precise recognition of banana fruits, inflorescence axes, and flower buds. Thus, the cutting point on the inflorescence axis was identified using an edge detection algorithm and geometric calculation. We proposed a modified YOLOv3 model based on clustering optimization and clarified the influence of front-lighting and backlighting on the model. Image segmentation and denoising were performed to obtain the edge images of the flower buds and inflorescence axes. The spatial geometry model was constructed on this basis. The center of symmetry and centroid were calculated for the edges of the flower buds. The equation for the position of the inflorescence axis was established, and the cutting point was determined. Experimental results showed that the modified YOLOv3 model based on clustering optimization showed excellent performance with good balance between speed and precision both under front-lighting and backlighting conditions. The total pixel positioning error between the calculated and manually determined optimal cutting point in the flower bud was 4 and 5 pixels under the front-lighting and backlighting conditions, respectively. The percentage of images that met the positioning requirements was 93 and 90%, respectively. The results indicate that the new method can satisfy the real-time operating requirements for the banana bud-cutting robot.
Overexpression of 1-Aminocyclopropane-1-Carboxylic Acid Deaminase (acdS) Gene in Petunia hybrida Improves Tolerance to Abiotic Stresses
Authors: Naing Aung Htay , Jeong Hui Yeong , Jung Sung Keun , Kim Chang Kil
Published: November 2021

Abiotic stress induces the ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in plants, which consequently enhances ethylene production and inhibits plant growth. The bacterial ACC deaminase enzyme encoded by theacdSgene reduces stress-induced ethylene production and improves plant growth in response to stress. In this study, overexpression ofacdSinPetunia hybrida(‘Mirage Rose’) significantly reduced expression of the ethylene biosynthesis gene ACC oxidase 1 (ACO1) and ethylene production relative to those in wild type (WT) under various abiotic stresses (cold, drought, and salt). The higher reduction of stress-induced ethylene in the transgenic plants, which was due to the overexpression ofacdS, led to a greater tolerance to the stresses compared to that in the WT plants. The greater stress tolerances were proven based on better plant growth and physiological performance, which were linked to stress tolerance. Moreover, expression analysis of the genes involved in stress tolerance also supported the increased tolerance of transgenics relative to that with the WT. These results suggest the possibility thatacdSis overexpressed in ornamental plants, particularly in bedding plants normally growing outside the environment, to overcome the deleterious effect of ethylene on plant growth under different abiotic stresses. The development of stress-tolerant plants will be helpful to advance the floricultural industry.
The Impact of Cognitive and Physical Effort Exertion on Physical Effort Decisions: A Pilot Experiment
Authors: van As Sven , Beckers Debby G. J. , Geurts Sabine A. E. , Kompier Michiel A. J. , Husain Masud , Veling Harm
Published: November 2021

Research suggests that cognitive fatigue has a negative impact on physical activity participation. However, the mechanisms underlying this effect are yet unclear. Using an effort-based decision-making paradigm, we examined whether individuals weigh physical effort-costs more strongly when they are cognitively or physically fatigued. Twenty university students visited the lab on three occasions. On each visit, participants underwent a manipulation that was designed to either induce cognitive fatigue (i.e., 2-back task), physical fatigue (i.e., handgrip exercise), or served as a control condition (i.e., documentary watching). After the manipulations, participants performed an effort-based decision-making task in which they decided for 125 offers whether they accepted the offer to exert the required level of physical effort to obtain rewards that varied in value. The probability to accept offers declined with increasing effort requirements whereas the general probability to accept offers was not reduced by any of the experimental conditions. As expected, the decline in accepted offers with increasing effort requirements was stronger after prolonged exertion of physical effort compared to the control condition. Unexpectedly, this effect was not found after exerting cognitive effort, and exploratory analyses revealed that the impact of physical effort exertion on physical effort-based decisions was stronger than that of cognitive effort exertion. These findings suggest that people weight future physical effort-costs more strongly after exerting physical effort, whereas we could not find any evidence for this after exerting cognitive effort. We discuss multiple explanations for this discrepancy, and outline possibilities for future research.
Can the Shape of a Planar Pathway Be Estimated Using Proximal Forces of Inserting a Flexible Shaft?
Authors: Liu Jiajun , Cao Lin , Phee Soo Jay
Published: November 2021

The shape information of flexible endoscopes or other continuum structures, e.g., intro-vascular catheters, is needed for accurate navigation, motion compensation, and haptic feedback in robotic surgical systems. Existing methods rely on optical fiber sensors, electromagnetic sensors, or expensive medical imaging modalities such as X-ray fluoroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging, and ultrasound to obtain the shape information of these flexible medical devices. Here, we propose to estimate the shape/curvature of a continuum structure by measuring the force required to insert a flexible shaft into the internal channel/pathway of the continuum. We found that there is a consistent correlation between the measured insertion force and curvature of the planar continuum pathway. A testbed was built to insert a flexible shaft into a planar continuum pathway with adjustable shapes. The insertion forces, insertion displacement, and the shapes of the pathway were recorded. A neural network model was developed to model this correlation based on the training data collected on the testbed. The trained model, tested on the testing data, can accurately estimate the curvature magnitudes and the accumulated bending angles of the pathway simply based on the measured insertion force at the proximal end of the shaft. The approach may be used to estimate the curvature magnitudes and accumulated bending angles of flexible endoscopic surgical robots or catheters for accurate motion compensation, haptic force feedback, localization, or navigation. The advantage of this approach is that the employed proximal force can be easily obtained outside the pathway or continuum structure without any embedded sensor in the continuum structure. Future work is needed to further investigate the correlation between insertion forces and the pathway and enhance the capability of the model in estimating more complex shapes, e.g., spatial shapes with multiple bends.
Small Shorebirds Feast On Green Slime To Fuel Their Long Migration
Authors: Hall Laurie A. , De La Cruz Susan E. W. , Woo Isa , Kuwae Tomohiro , Nelson David M. , Takekawa John Y.
Published: November 2021

Shorebirds wade in shallow waters along shorelines searching for food. More than a million shorebirds visit the San Francisco Estuary each year during their migration to feast on the insects, worms, clams, and crabs that live on or under the surface of the sand or mud. The abundant food in the Estuary provides shorebirds with the energy they need to migrate thousands of kilometers, between their breeding areas in the Arctic and their wintering areas along the Pacific coast of North and South America. Scientists have discovered that, during migration, small species of shorebirds eat a green slime called biofilm that grows on the surface of the mud. Larger shorebirds do not eat biofilm. This article describes how the bills and tongues of small shorebirds help them eat biofilm, what biofilm is, and why biofilm is an important food for those birds during migration.
Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Antimicrobial Resistance Profile of Respiratory Pathogens Isolated From Suckling Beef Calves to Reprocessing at the Feedlot: A Longitudinal Study
Authors: Nobrega Diego , Andres-Lasheras Sara , Zaheer Rahat , McAllister Tim , Homerosky Elizabeth , Anholt R. Michele , Dorin Craig
Published: November 2021

Here, we investigated the prevalence and risk factors for the presence ofHistophilus somni, Mannheimia haemolytica, Mycoplasma bovis, andPasteurella multocidain the respiratory tract of calves from the spring processing to the reprocessing at feedlots. Additionally, we characterized, phenotypically and genotypically, the antimicrobial resistance (AMR) profile of the four species. Calves from 22 cow–calf operations were enrolled in the study (n= 30 calves per operation) and sampled by deep nasopharyngeal swabs at three time points: spring processing, weaning, or induction into feedlots, and at reprocessing at the feedlot. Isolates were tested for susceptibility using the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) test against commonly administered antimicrobials. Additionally, a subset of isolates underwent whole-genome sequencing to infer presence of AMR genes and resistance determinants. Among studied pathogens,P. multocidawas the most prevalent species, regardless of time point, followed byM. haemolytica, M. bovis, andH. somni. ForM. bovis, a sharp increase in prevalence was detected at the reprocessing sampling, whereas forP. multocida, an increase in prevalence was observed at the weaning/induction sampling. Comingling and co-location of feedlots were not associated with prevalence of any respiratory pathogen. In terms of AMR, resistance against macrolides was prevalent inM. bovis, with most isolates resistant against tildipirosin, tilmicosin, and tylosin. In general, there was limited evidence to support an increase in resistance rates of respiratory bacteria from the spring processing to reprocessing at feedlots, with the exception of florfenicol resistance inM. bovis, which increased at reprocessing. Metaphylactic administration of tetracyclines at feedlot induction was not associated with the MIC of tetracyclines in any respiratory bacteria. Conversely, there were clear associations between the parenteral use of macrolides as metaphylaxis at the feedlot induction, and increased MIC against macrolides inP. multocida, M. haemolytica, andH. somni. Overall, the AMR phenotypes were corroborated by presence of AMR genes. We hypothesize that the administration of macrolides such as tulathromycin at feedlot induction contributes to historical changes in macrolides MIC data of respiratory bacteria of beef cattle.
Storytelling as a Research Tool Used to Explore Insights and as an Intervention in Public Health: A Systematic Narrative Review
Authors: McCall Becky , Shallcross Laura , Wilson Michael , Fuller Chris , Hayward Andrew
Published: November 2021

Objectives: Studies of storytelling (ST) used as a research tool to extract information and/or as an intervention to effect change in the public knowledge, attitudes, and behavior/practice (KAB/P) were sought and analyzed.

Methods: Medline, EMBASE, PsycINFO, ERIC, Web of Science, Art and Humanities database, Scopus, and Google Scholar were searched, and a basic and broad quantitative analysis was performed, followed by an in-depth narrative synthesis of studies on carefully selected topics.

Results: From this search, 3,077 studies were identified. 145 studies entered quantitative analysis [cancer and cancer screening (32/145), HIV (32/145), mental health (10/145), vaccination (8/145), and climate change (3/145)]. Ten studies entered final analysis [HIV/AIDs (5), climate change (1), sexual health (3), and croup (1)]. ST techniques included digital ST (DST), written ST, verbal ST, and use of professional writers. Of the ten studies, seven used ST to change KAB/P; the remainder used ST to extract insights. Follow-up and evaluation were very limited.

Conclusion: ST reveals insights and serves as an intervention in public health. Benefits of ST largely outweigh the limitations, but more follow-up/evaluation is needed. ST should play a more significant role in tackling public health issues.

PROSPERO registration number: CRD42019124704
Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Dynamic High Type Control of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor with Vector Decoupling Method
Authors: Chen Xinglong , Tong Wei , Mao Yao , Zhao Tao
Published: November 2021

This paper presents an interval type-2 fuzzy dynamic high type (IT2FDHT) control based on vector decoupling method for permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) to improve the dynamic characteristics of the system. Firstly, to address the shortcomings of the traditional PI regulator used in the current loop of PMSM, an improved PI regulator based on voltage feed-forward decoupling is used. Then, considering the characteristics that the higher the system type, the smaller the steady-state error and the shorter the regulation time, the high type control structure is added. However, a purely high type structure amplifies the oscillations of the system and is extremely sensitive to perturbations, which can easily lead to system divergence. Therefore, in order to solve the problems caused by high type structure, finally we designed dynamic high type control with the help of fuzzy logic systems (FLSs), which successfully achieved automatic switching of system type while improving response speed and steady-state accuracy. Meanwhile, quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization (QPSO) algorithm is employed to determine the parameters of FLSs. In summary, five methods including conventional PI, feed-forward decoupling PI (FDPI), FDPI high type (FDPI-HT), FDPI type-1 fuzzy dynamic high type (FDPI-T1FDHT), and FDPI-IT2FDHT, are compared to show the superiority of the proposed method. By means of simulations, the excellence of proposed FDPI-IT2FDHT is verified.
Comparative Study of a Powerplant Life Consumption Rate When Installed in Two Different Aircraft Variants
Authors: Templalexis Ioannis , Lionis Ioannis , Christou Nikolaos
Published: November 2021

The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) operates both EMB-145 and EMB-135 LR versions of Embraer aircraft, used in surveillance and civil missions respectively. These aircraft are equipped with the same version of Rolls Royce, AE 3007 turbofan engine. This study aims to quantify and compare the life consumption rate of this engine when installed in each of the two aircraft variants. Two typical missions, one for each variant, were constructed based on mission profile data dictated by the aircraft commanders. For each mission profile segment, corresponding engine data were matched out of the engine recordings archives held by the Hellenic Air Force. The life consumption rate was based on the Low Cycle Fatigue (LCF) and creep cumulative detrimental effect on the rotor blades of the 1st High-Pressure Turbine stage. For the LCF, the rainflow method was used to determine the respective loading cycles, whereas the Larson - Miller parameter method was used to determine the consumed life fractions due to creep. The main conclusion of the study was that the engine when installed in the EMB-145 military variant, is much more loaded. Despite the fact absolute life consumption values could hide a great level of uncertainty, the comparative outcomes wherein errors are, to a certain extent, cancelled out, could be used as a rule of thumb when monitoring engine life consumption rates.
Recent Updates on the Conversion of Pineapple Waste (Ananas comosus) to Value-Added Products, Future Perspectives and Challenges
Authors: Aili Hamzah Adila Fazliyana , Hamzah Muhammad Hazwan , Che Man Hasfalina , Jamali Nur Syakina , Siajam Shamsul Izhar , Ismail Muhammad Heikal
Published: November 2021

Pineapple waste accounts for a significant part of waste accumulated in landfill which will further contribute to the release of greenhouse gases. With the rising pineapple demands worldwide, the abundance of pineapple waste and its disposal techniques are a major concern. Exploiting the pineapple waste into valuable products could be the most sustainable way of managing these residues due to their useful properties and compositions. In this review, we concentrated on producing useful products from on-farm pineapple waste and processing waste. Bioenergy is the most suitable option for green energy to encounter the increasing demand for renewable energy and promotes sustainable development for agricultural waste. The presence of protease enzyme in pineapple waste makes it a suitable raw material for bromelain production. The high cellulose content present in pineapple waste has a potential for the production of cellulose nanocrystals, biodegradable packaging and bio-adsorbent, and can potentially be applied in the polymer, food and textile industries. Other than that, it is also a suitable substrate for the production of wine, vinegar and organic acid due to its high sugar content, especially from the peel wastes. The potentials of bioenergy production through biofuels (bioethanol, biobutanol and biodiesel) and biogas (biomethane and biohydrogen) were also assessed. The commercial use of pineapples is also highlighted. Despite the opportunities, future perspectives and challenges concerning pineapple waste utilisation to value-added goods were also addressed. Pineapple waste conversions have shown to reduce waste generation, and the products derived from the conversion would support the waste-to-wealth concept.
Metabolomics to Diagnose Oxidative Stress in Perinatal Asphyxia: Towards a Non-Invasive Approach
Authors: Solevåg Anne Lee , Zykova Svetlana N. , Thorsby Per Medbøe , Schmölzer Georg M.
Published: November 2021

There is a need for feasible and non-invasive diagnostics in perinatal asphyxia. Metabolomics is the study of small molecular weight products of cellular metabolism that may, directly and indirectly, reflect the level of oxidative stress. Saliva analysis is a novel approach that has a yet unexplored potential in metabolomics in perinatal asphyxia. The aim of this review was to give an overview of metabolomics studies of oxidative stress in perinatal asphyxia, particularly searching for studies analyzing non-invasively collected biofluids including saliva. We searched the databases PubMed/Medline and included 11 original human and 4 animal studies. In perinatal asphyxia, whole blood, plasma, and urine are the most frequently used biofluids used for metabolomics analyses. Although changes in oxidative stress-related salivary metabolites have been reported in adults, the utility of this approach in perinatal asphyxia has not yet been explored. Human and animal studies indicate that, in addition to antioxidant enzymes, succinate and hypoxanthine, as well acylcarnitines may have discriminatory diagnostic and prognostic properties in perinatal asphyxia. Researchers may utilize the accumulating evidence of discriminatory metabolic patterns in perinatal asphyxia to develop bedside methods to measure oxidative stress metabolites in perinatal asphyxia. Although only supported by indirect evidence, saliva might be a candidate biofluid for such point-of-care diagnostics.
Non-Toxic Anesthesia for Cataract Surgery
Authors: Meduri Alessandro , De Maria Antonio , Forlini Matteo , De Salvo Gabriella , Date Purva , Mancini Maura , Oliverio Giovanni William , Aragona Pasquale
Published: November 2021

Background: To study the safety and efficacy provided by a minimal and localized anesthesia in cataract surgery. Methods: Randomized controlled trial. A total of 100 patients undergoing cataract surgery were randomly divided into two groups of 50, which respecitvely received conventional topical anesthesia consisting of preservative-free Oxibuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4% drops or minimal localized anesthesia, administered with a cotton bud soaked in preservative-free Oxibuprocaine hydrochloride 0.4% applied to clear cornea on the access sites for 10 s immediately before surgery. The mean outcome measures were intraoperative pain and the incidence of postoperative ocular discomfort. Results: All patients tolerated well the procedure, giving patin scores between 1–3. Fifteen patients (30%) of group 1 and ten of group 2 (25%) required supplemental anesthesia. No intraoperative complications were recorded. No eyes had epithelial defects at the end of the surgery or at postoperative check-ups. Conclusions: Minimal anesthesia in cataract surgery resulted quick, safe and non-invasive.
Stability and Force Chain Characteristics of “Inclined Step Cutting Body” in Stope
Authors: Zhang Yanjun , Yan Yueguan , Dai Huayang , Zhu Yuanhao , Wu Tianhui
Published: November 2021

In the mining stage of shallow thick coal seam in the western mining area of China, there is often severe mine pressure and serious surface subsidence and damage. In this paper, theoretical analysis and PFC (Particle Flow Code) numerical simulation are combined to study the caving characteristics and force chain evolution characteristics of the overlying strata of stope. We analyze the stability of the structure of the “inclined step cutting body” on the overlying strata and obtain the calculation formula of the support force of the working face based on the instability of the structure. The force chain arch curve equation is modified according to the evolution law of force chains, from which the force chain can be the basis for judging the large area damage of the surface. The results demonstrate that the rock mass i1 ≤ 0.86, the structure of “inclined step cutting body,” is not prone to sliding and instability. Considering that i = 1.0~1.4 under the condition of shallow buried thick coal seam, the structure of the “inclined step cutting body” is prone to being destroyed leading to instability, resulting in severe rock pressure.The minimum supporting force to maintain structural stability is 0.2Fn, which is in line with the actual support force in the mining process of the working face. Taking the mining technical parameters of the nearby working face into the force chain arch formula, it can be concluded that, when the working face advances to 175 m, large-scale subsidence damage begins to appear on the surface, which agrees with the survey results. Therefore, the force chain is the main force system to bear the load of the overlying strata. PFC has unique advantages in simulating discontinuous deformation of overburden rock. The results of the study reasonably explain the phenomena of severe mine pressure and serious surface damage caused by the mining of the shallow thick coal seam working face, which has a certain reference value for preventing ground disasters caused by underground mining and land ecological restoration.
Accurate Landmark Localization for Medical Images Using Perturbations
Authors: Kang Junhyeok , Oh Kanghan , Oh Il-Seok
Published: November 2021

Recently, various studies have been proposed to learn the rich representations of images during deep learning. In particular, the perturbation method is a simple way to learn rich representations that has shown significant success. In this study, we present effective perturbation approaches for medical landmark localization. To this end, we report an extensive experiment that uses the perturbation methods of erasing, smoothing, binarization, and edge detection. The hand X-ray dataset and the ISBI 2015 Cephalometric dataset are used to evaluate the perturbation effect. The experimental results show that the perturbation method forces the network to extract richer representations of an image, leading to performance increases. Moreover, in comparison with the existing methods that lack any complex algorithmic change of network, our methods with specific perturbation methods achieve superior performance.
Towards Health Equality: Optimizing Hierarchical Healthcare Facilities towards Maximal Accessibility Equality in Shenzhen, China
Authors: Tao Zhuolin , Wang Qi , Han Wenchao
Published: November 2021

Equal accessibility to healthcare services is essential to the achievement of health equality. Recent studies have made important progresses in leveraging GIS-based location–allocation models to optimize the equality of healthcare accessibility, but have overlooked the hierarchical nature of facilities. This study developed a hierarchical maximal accessibility equality model for optimizing hierarchical healthcare facilities. The model aims to maximize the equality of healthcare facilities, which is quantified as the variance of the accessibility to facilities at each level. It also accounts for different catchment area sizes of, and distance friction effects for hierarchical facilities. To make the optimization more realistic, it can also simultaneously consider both existing and new facilities that can be located anywhere. The model was operationalized in a case study of Shenzhen, China. Empirical results indicate that the optimal healthcare facility allocation based on the model provided more equal accessibility than the status quo. Compared to the current distribution, the accessibility equality of tertiary and secondary healthcare facilities in optimal solutions can be improved by 40% and 38%, respectively. Both newly added facilities and adjustments of existing facilities are needed to achieve equal healthcare accessibility. Furthermore, the optimization results are quite different for facilities at different levels, which highlights the feasibility and value of the proposed hierarchical maximal accessibility equality model. This study provides transferable methods for the equality-oriented optimization and planning of hierarchical facilities.
Smart Facility Management System Based on Open BIM and Augmented Reality Technology
Authors: Chung Suwan , Cho Chung-Suk , Song Jinwoo , Lee Kyuhyup , Lee Seojoon , Kwon Soonwook
Published: November 2021

With the wave of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the construction industry is also witnessing the application of numerous state-of-the-art technologies. Among these, augmented reality (AR) technology has the advantage of utilizing existing 3D models and BIM data and is thus an area of active research. However, the main area of research to date has either been in visualizing information during the design phase, where architects and project stakeholders can share viewings, or in confirming the required information for construction management through visualization during the construction phase. As such, more research is required in the application of AR during the facility management (FM) phase. Research utilizing BIM in the FM phase, which constitutes the longest period during the lifecycle of a building, has been continuously carried out but has faced challenges with regard to on-site application. The reason for this is that information required for BIM during the design, construction and FM phases is different, and the reproduced information is vast, so identifying the required BIM data for FM and interfacing with other systems is difficult. As a measure to overcome this limitation, advanced countries such as the US and UK have developed and are using Construction Operations Building information exchange (COBie), which is an open-source BIM-based information exchange system. In order to effectively convert open-source BIM data to AR data, this research defined COBie data for windows and doors, converted them to a system and validated that it could actually be applied for on-site FM. The results of this system’s creation and validation showed that the proposed AR-based smart FMS demonstrated faster and easier access to information compared with existing 2D blueprint-based FM work, while information obtained through AR allowed for immediate, more visual and easier means to express the information when integrated with actual objects.
A Query Expansion Method Using Multinomial Naive Bayes
Authors: Silva Sergio , Seara Vieira Adrián , Celard Pedro , Iglesias Eva Lorenzo , Borrajo Lourdes
Published: November 2021

Information retrieval (IR) aims to obtain relevant information according to a certain user need and involves a great diversity of data such as texts, images, or videos. Query expansion techniques, as part of information retrieval (IR), are used to obtain more items, particularly documents, that are relevant to the user requirements. The user initial query is reformulated, adding meaningful terms with similar significance. In this study, a supervised query expansion technique based on an innovative use of the Multinomial Naive Bayes to extract relevant terms from the first documents retrieved by the initial query is presented. The proposed method was evaluated using MAP and R-prec on the first 5, 10, 15, and 100 retrieved documents. The improved performance of the expanded queries increased the number of relevant retrieved documents in comparison to the baseline method. We achieved more accurate document retrieval results (MAP 0.335, R-prec 0.369, P5 0.579, P10 0.469, P15 0.393, P100 0.175) as compared to the top performers in TREC2017 Precision Medicine Track.
Experimental Investigation of the Cooling Effect Generated by a Heat Sink Integrated Thermoelectric-Based U-Shaped Air-Conditioning System
Authors: Patel Yesha , Siddique Abu Raihan Mohammad , Mohaghegh Mohammad Reza , Tasnim Syeda Humaira , Mahmud Shohel
Published: November 2021

Over the past years, thermoelectric refrigeration has attracted considerable attention due to its compact size, reliability, and environmental friendliness. Traditional refrigeration systems use greenhouse gases, which significantly impacts our environment. Therefore, in this work, a thermoelectric cooler prototype refrigeration system, a solid-state device causing no harm to the environment, was constructed and tested experimentally. A heat sink was attached to the cold side of the thermoelectric cooler (TEC) to cool the air passing through the heat sink. In contrast, a cold plate was attached to the hot side of TEC to remove the generated heat with the help of the liquid circulating in the aluminium cold plate. Experiments were carried out by varying parameters such as input current to the TEC module, inlet air flow rate, water flow rate through the cold plate, etc. The experimental results indicate that the cooling effect is increased by approximately 40%, increasing current from 2A to 8A. However, the cooling effect was decreased with increasing inlet airflow rate by 58% when airflow rate increased from 2.25 m/s to 3.55 m/s. However, the system performance shows approximately 35% increment with an increase in fan speed. Furthermore, a decrease in the water flow rate from 3.04 L/m to 1.80 L/m showed a slight increment in the cooling by 15%.
GMANet: Gradient Mask Attention Network for Finding Clearest Human Fecal Microscopic Image in Autofocus Process
Authors: Wang Xiangzhou , Liu Lin , Du Xiaohui , Zhang Jing , Ni Guangming , Liu Juanxiu
Published: November 2021

The intelligent recognition of formed elements in microscopic images is a research hotspot. Whether the microscopic image is clear or blurred is the key factor affecting the recognition accuracy. Microscopic images of human feces contain numerous items, such as undigested food, epithelium, bacteria and other formed elements, leading to a complex image composition. Consequently, traditional image quality assessment (IQA) methods cannot accurately assess the quality of fecal microscopic images or even identify the clearest image in the autofocus process. In response to this difficulty, we propose a blind IQA method based on a deep convolutional neural network (CNN), namely GMANet. The gradient information of the microscopic image is introduced into a low-level convolutional layer of the CNN as a mask attention mechanism to force high-level features to pay more attention to sharp regions. Experimental results show that the proposed network has good consistency with human visual properties and can accurately identify the clearest microscopic image in the autofocus process. Our proposed model, trained on fecal microscopic images, can be directly applied to the autofocus process of leucorrhea and blood samples without additional transfer learning. Our study is valuable for the autofocus task of microscopic images with complex compositions.
Cohesin Mutations Induce Chromatin Conformation Perturbation of the H19/IGF2 Imprinted Region and Gene Expression Dysregulation in Cornelia de Lange Syndrome Cell Lines
Authors: Pileggi Silvana , La Vecchia Marta , Colombo Elisa Adele , Fontana Laura , Colapietro Patrizia , Rovina Davide , Morotti Annamaria , Tabano Silvia , Porta Giovanni , Alcalay Myriam , Gervasini Cristina , Miozzo Monica , Sirchia Silvia Maria
Published: November 2021

Traditionally, Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is considered a cohesinopathy caused by constitutive mutations in cohesin complex genes. Cohesin is a major regulator of chromatin architecture, including the formation of chromatin loops at the imprinted IGF2/H19 domain. We used 3C analysis on lymphoblastoid cells from CdLS patients carrying mutations in NIPBL and SMC1A genes to explore 3D chromatin structure of the IGF2/H19 locus and evaluate the influence of cohesin alterations in chromatin architecture. We also assessed quantitative expression of imprinted loci and WNT pathway genes, together with DMR methylation status of the imprinted genes. A general impairment of chromatin architecture and the emergence of new interactions were found. Moreover, imprinting alterations also involved the expression and methylation levels of imprinted genes, suggesting an association among cohesin genetic defects, chromatin architecture impairment, and imprinting network alteration. The WNT pathway resulted dysregulated: canonical WNT, cell cycle, and WNT signal negative regulation were the most significantly affected subpathways. Among the deregulated pathway nodes, the key node of the frizzled receptors was repressed. Our study provides new evidence that mutations in genes of the cohesin complex have effects on the chromatin architecture and epigenetic stability of genes commonly regulated by high order chromatin structure.
Osteopontin Gene Polymorphisms Are Associated with Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Patients with Premature Coronary Artery Disease
Authors: Pérez-Hernández Nonanzit , Posadas-Sánchez Rosalinda , Vargas-Alarcón Gilberto , Hernández-Germán Lizet Paola , Borgonio-Cuadra Verónica Marusa , Rodríguez-Pérez José Manuel
Published: November 2021

Osteopontin (OPN) is considered a clinical predictor of cardiovascular disease. We aimed to evaluate the association of the OPN gene polymorphisms rs2728127 and rs11730582 with the development of premature coronary artery disease (pCAD), cardiovascular risk factors, and cardiometabolic parameters. We evaluated 1142 patients with pCAD and 1073 controls. Both polymorphisms were determined by Taqman assays. Similar allele and genotype frequencies were observed in both groups; additionally, an association of these polymorphisms with CAD and cardiometabolic parameters was observed in both groups. In patients with pCAD, the rs11730582 was associated with a high risk of hypoadiponectinemia (OR = 1.300, P additive = 0.003), low risk of hypertension (OR = 0.709, P codominant 1 = 0.030), and low risk of having high non-HDL cholesterol (OR = 0.637, P additive = 0.038). In the control group, the rs2728127 was associated with a low risk of fatty liver (OR = 0.766, P additive = 0.038); while the rs11730582 was associated with a low risk of hypoadiponectinemia (OR = 0.728, P dominant = 0.022), and risk of having elevated apolipoprotein B (OR = 1.400, P dominant = 0.031). Our results suggest that in Mexican individuals, the rs11730582 and rs2728127 OPN gene polymorphisms are associated with some abnormal metabolic variables in patients with pCAD and controls.
Impact of a “Brain Protection Bundle” in Reducing Severe Intraventricular Hemorrhage in Preterm Infants <30 Weeks GA: A Retrospective Single Centre Study
Authors: Persad Nishkal , Kelly Edmond , Amaral Nely , Neish Angela , Cheng Courtney , Fan Chun-Po Steve , Runeckles Kyle , Shah Vibhuti
Published: November 2021

Background: despite advances in perinatal care, periventricular/intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) continues to remain high in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) worldwide. Studies have demonstrated the benefits of implementing interventions during the antenatal period, stabilization after birth (golden hour management) and postnatally in the first 72 h to reduce the incidence of IVH. Objective: to compare the incidence of severe intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH ≥ Grade III) before and after implementation of a “brain protection bundle” in preterm infants <30 weeks GA. Study design: a pre- and post-implementation retrospective cohort study to compare the incidence of severe IVH following execution of a “brain protection bundle for the first 72 h from 2015 to 2018. Demographics, management practices at birth and in the NICU, cranial ultrasound results and short-term morbidities were compared. Results: a total of 189 and 215 infants were included in the pre- and post-implementation phase, respectively. No difference in the incidence of severe IVH (6.9% vs. 9.8%, p = 0.37) was observed on the first cranial scan performed after 72 h of age. Conclusion: the implementation of a “brain protection bundle” was not effective in reducing the incidence of severe IVH within the first 72 h of life in our centre.
Association between Hepatic Steatosis and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children and Adolescents with Obesity
Authors: Carotenuto Marco , Di Sessa Anna , Esposito Maria , Grandone Anna , Marzuillo Pierluigi , Bitetti Ilaria , Umano Giuseppina Rosaria , Precenzano Francesco , Miraglia del Giudice Emanuele , Santoro Nicola
Published: November 2021

Background: Owing to the increasing rate of pediatric obesity, its complications such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) have become prevalent already in childhood. We aimed to assess the relationship between these two diseases in a cohort of children with obesity. Methods: We enrolled 153 children with obesity (mean age 10.5 ± 2.66, mean BMI 30.9 ± 5.1) showing OSA. Subjects underwent a laboratory evaluation, a cardio-respiratory polysomnography (PSG), and a liver ultrasound. Results: All subjects had a clinical diagnosis of OSA based on the AHI > 1/h (mean AHI 8.0 ± 5.9; range 2.21–19.0). Of these, 69 showed hepatic steatosis (62.3% as mild, 20.3% as moderate, and 17.4% as severe degree). A strong association between ALT and apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) was observed (p = 0.0003). This association was not confirmed after adjusting for hepatic steatosis (p = 0.53). By subdividing our population according to the presence/absence of steatosis, this association was found only in the steatosis group (p = 0.009). As the severity of steatosis increased, the significance of its association with AHI compared to the absence of steatosis became progressively stronger (all p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Hepatic steatosis seems to drive the association between OSA and ALT levels, suggesting a potential pathogenic role of OSA in NAFLD.
Health Technology Assessment of Intensive Care Ventilators for Pediatric Patients
Authors: Andellini Martina , Faggiano Francesco , Picardo Sergio Giuseppe , Testa Giuseppina , Perrotta Daniela , Bianchi Roberto , Nocchi Federico , Capussotto Carlo , Bassanelli Elena , Derrico Pietro , Pirozzi Nicola , Pecchia Leandro , Ritrovato Matteo
Published: November 2021

This paper is aimed at addressing all the critical aspects linked to the implementation of intensive care ventilators in a pediatric setting, highlighting the most relevant technical features and describing the methodology to conduct health technology assessment (HTA) for supporting the decision-making process. Four ventilator models were included in the assessment process. A decision-making support tool (DoHTA method) was applied. Twenty-eight Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were identified, defining the safety, clinical effectiveness, organizational, technical, and economic aspects. The Performance scores of each ventilator have been measured with respect to KPIs integrated with the total cost of ownership analysis, leading to a final rank of the four possible technological solutions. The final technologies’ performance scores reflected a deliver valued, contextualized, and shared outputs, detecting the most performant technological solution for the specific hospital context. HTA results had informed and supported the pediatric hospital decision-making process. This study, critically identifying the pros and cons of innovative features of ventilators and the evaluation criteria and aspects to be taken into account during HTA, can be considered as a valuable proof of evidence as well as a reliable and transferable method for conducting decision-making processes in a hospital context.
Air Pollution and Adolescent Development: Evidence from a 3-Year Longitudinal Study in China
Authors: Ni Na , Chi Xinli , Liu Wei , Cui Xiumin
Published: November 2021

This study aimed to investigate the impact of air pollution on the development of adolescents and the mediating role of students’ emotional disorders. Participants came from a longitudinal sample group of adolescents (n = 1301) in Southern China from the years 2016 to 2018. They were assessed for the Positive Youth Development and emotional disorders, and air pollution was measured by the Air Quality Index. The results show that students’ higher degree of exposure to air pollution was negatively associated with their positive development. Three out of four emotional disorders (i.e., anxiety, neuroticism, and withdrawal) mediate this association. The results suggest that the physical environment can have a paramount influence on the emotional status and overall development of adolescents, calling for intervention programs by policymakers.
Evaluating the Use of Telepractice for Bottle-Feeding Assessments
Authors: Raatz Madeline , Ward Elizabeth C. , Marshall Jeanne , Burns Clare L.
Published: November 2021

There is currently limited evidence supporting the use of telepractice to conduct bottle-feeding assessments. This study aimed to investigate the inter-rater reliability of bottle-feeding assessments conducted via synchronous telepractice (real-time videoconferencing). Secondary aims were to investigate parent and clinician satisfaction. Bottle-feeding skills of 30 children (aged 1 month–2 years) were simultaneously assessed by a telepractice SP (T-SP) at a remote location and an in-person SP (IP-SP) at the family home. A purpose-designed assessment form was used to evaluate: (1) developmental level (screen only), (2) state, color, and respiration, (3) oral motor skills, (4), infant oral reflexes, (5) tongue tie (screen only), (6) non-nutritive suck, (7) bottle-feeding, (8) overall feeding skills and (9) recommendations. Results of the T-SP and IP-SP assessments were compared using agreement statistics. Parents reported perceptions of telepractice pre and post session, and also rated post-session satisfaction. The telepractice SP completed a satisfaction questionnaire post-appointment. The majority of assessment components (45/53, 85%) met the agreement criteria (≥80% exact agreement). Difficulties were noted for the assessment of palate integrity, gagging during non-nutritive suck assessment, and 6 components of the tongue tie screen. Parent and clinician satisfaction was high; SPs reported that they would offer telepractice services to 93% of families again in the future. Overall, the results demonstrated that most components of a bottle-feeding assessment could be reliably completed via synchronous telepractice in family homes. However, further research is required to improve the reliability of some intra-oral assessment components.
All in the Family: Child and Adolescent Weight Loss Surgery in the Context of Parental Weight Loss Surgery
Authors: Mackey Eleanor R. , York Megan M. , Nadler Evan P.
Published: November 2021

Background: Bariatric surgery is the most effective current treatment option for patients with severe obesity. More children and adolescents are having surgery, many whose parents have also had surgery. The current study examines whether parental surgery status moderates the association between perceived social support, emotional eating, food addiction and weight loss following surgery, with those whose parents have had surgery evidencing a stronger relationship between the psychosocial factors and weight loss as compared to their peers. Methods: Participants were 228 children and adolescents undergoing sleeve gastrectomy between 2014 and 2019 at one institution. Children and adolescents completed self-report measures of perceived family social support, emotional eating, and food addiction at their pre-surgical psychological evaluation. Change in body mass index (BMI) from pre-surgery to 3, 6, and 12 months post-surgery was assessed at follow-up clinic visits. Parents reported their surgical status as having had surgery or not. Results: There were no differences in perceived family support, emotional eating, or food addiction symptoms between those whose parents had bariatric surgery and those whose parents did not. There were some moderating effects of parent surgery status on the relationship between social support, emotional eating/food addiction, and weight loss following surgery. Specifically, at 3 months post-surgery, higher change in BMI was associated with lower perceived family support only in those whose parents had not had surgery. More pre-surgical food addiction symptoms were associated with greater weight loss at 3 months for those whose parents had not had surgery, whereas this finding was true only for those whose parents had surgery at 12 months post-surgery. Conclusions: Children and adolescents whose parents have had bariatric surgery may have unique associations of psychosocial factors and weight loss. More research is needed to determine mechanisms of these relationships.
Is a Femoro-Acetabular Impingement Type Cam Predictable after Slipped Capital Femoral Epiphysis?
Authors: Wirries Nils , Heinrich Gesche , Derksen Alexander , Budde Stefan , Floerkemeier Thilo , Windhagen Henning
Published: November 2021

(1) Background: Previous studies have proven a high incidence of a femoro-acetabular impingement (FAI) type cam in patients sustaining a slipped capital femoral epiphysis (SCFE). Thus, the current study analyzed, if a cam deformity is predictable after SCFE treatment; (2) Methods: 113 cases of SCFE were treated between 1 January 2005 and 31 December 2017. The radiological assessment included the slip angle after surgery (referenced to the femoral neck (epiphyseal tilt) and shaft axis as Southwick angle) and the last available lateral center edge angle (LCEA), the acetabular- and alpha angle. A correlation was performed between these parameters and the last alpha angle to predict a FAI type cam; (3) Results: After a mean follow-up of 4.3 years (±1.9; 2.0–11.2), 48.5% of the patients showed a FAI type cam and 43.2% a dysplasia on the affected side. The correlation between the epiphyseal tilt and alpha angle was statically significant (p = 0.017) with a medium effect size of 0.28; (4) Conclusions: The postoperative posterior epiphyseal tilt was predictive factor to determine the alpha angle. However, the cut-off value of the slip angle was 16.8° for a later occurrence of a FAI type cam indicating a small range of acceptable deviations from the anatomical position for SCFE reconstruction.