bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Regulatory Network of Heat Shock Modules-Photosynthesis-Redox Systems in Response to Cold Stress Across a Latitudinal Gradient in Bermudagrass
Authors: Chen Minghui , Gan Lu , Zhang Jingxue , Shen Yu , Qian Jin , Han Mengli , Zhang Chuanjie , Fan Jibiao , Sun Shengnan , Yan Xuebing
Published: November 2021

Bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon Pers.) is a wild Poaceae turfgrass with various genotypes and phenotypes. In this study, 16 wild bermudagrass germplasms were collected from 16 different sites along latitudinal gradients, and different temperature treatments were compiled and used for physiological and transcriptome analysis. To explore the correlation between the key differentially expressed genes and physiological indicators, a total of 14,654 DEGs were integrated from the comparison of different temperature treatments and used for weighted gene co-expression network analysis. Through comparative transcriptome analysis and gene annotation, the results showed that differential gene expression profiles in networks are associated with the plant growth, photosystem, redox system, and transcriptional regulation to cold stress in bermudagrass. In particular, genes encoding HSP70/90 and HsfA3/A8 are not only regulated by temperature stress, but also directly or indirectly interplay with the processes of peroxide scavenging and chlorophyll synthesis under cold stress. Besides, through a weight evaluation analysis of various physiological indexes, we identified an accession of wild bermudagrass with relatively strong cold resistance. These results provide important clues and resources to further study the responses to low-temperature stress in bermudagrass.
Loss of Individual and Social Identity: Consequences of Sexual Harassment of Iranian Nurses in the Workplace
Authors: Zeighami Maryam , Mangolian Shahrbabaki Parvin , Zakeri Mohammad Ali , Dehghan Mahlagha
Published: November 2021

Background:Sexual harassment in the workplace is a common event with negative consequences for victims. Working conditions become unstable because of sexual harassment, and workplace insecurity causes psychological distress and physical problems, as well as a reduction in the quality of care. Therefore, the current study sought to investigate the effects of sexual harassment in the workplace on Iranian nurses.

Materials and Methods:This qualitative study used conventional content analysis with a descriptive-explorative approach to investigate the consequences of sexual harassment in Iranian nurses (n= 22). The purposeful sampling method was used. Semi-structured and in-depth interviews were used to collect data. Maximum diversity in terms of age, sex, work experience, level of education, marital status, and type of hospital and ward was observed in order to obtain rich information. The Guba and Lincoln criteria were used to improve the study’s trustworthiness and rigor, and the Graneheim and Lundman method was used to analyze the content.

Results:Two hundred and twenty-seventh number codes, one main category, four subcategories, and eighteen primary categories were extracted from the data in this study. The main category of “loss of individual and social identity: the consequences of sexual harassment in nurses” is divided into four subcategories: “psychological trauma,” “detrimental effects of work,” “physical problems,” and “disintegration of warm family relationships.” Sexual harassment had a greater psychological impact on victims.

Conclusion:Sexual harassment has a number of negative consequences for nurses’ personal and professional lives and can impose a significant burden on the healthcare system due to decreased productivity and loss of active labor. Therefore, it requires increased attention and focus.
Predictors of Parental Accommodation and Response Treatment in Young Children With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Rosa-Alcázar Ángel , Rosa-Alcázar Ana I. , Parada-Navas José Luis , Olivares-Olivares Pablo J. , Rosa-Alcázar Encarnación
Published: November 2021

Background: Cognitive–behavioral family-based treatment (CBFT) is the treatment standard in very young children with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), which includes the same core components of cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) with significant family involvement. Although the latter reports high rates of remission, some children do not improve with treatments. Therefore, it is necessary to identify possible moderating variables such as comorbidity, severity of disorder, years of onset, parental anxiety, and parental accommodation. This study has two main aims: (1) to propose a predictive model on family accommodation (father and mother), taking into account variables related to the children (severity of obsessive–compulsive responses, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and comorbidity) and with the parents before intervention (worry, accommodation of one parental member over the other) and (2) to examine the mediating role of externalizing symptoms and mother's accommodation in the relation between initial severity and improvement of severity of obsessive–compulsive responses in children aged 5–8 years.

Methods: Participants comprised 56 children with OCD [mean = 6.61 (SD = 0.76)] and their parents; 79% of the sample was men. Treatment was implemented by two clinicians specialized in OCD (>15 years of experience). Clinicians were trained to administer CBT protocol in the same way. They were doctors of clinical psychology and researchers at the OCD.

Results: Mother's accommodation was associated with child variables (Child Behavior Checklist–Externalizing and Initial Severity, Children's Yale–Brown Obsessive–Compulsive Scale). Father's accommodation could be explained by parent variables (mother's accommodation and worry). Simple mediation model tested using the SPSS macro PROCESS supported the relation of the initial severity of symptoms with that following intervention, through the simple indirect effect of externalizing symptoms of the child.

Conclusions: Comorbidities with externalizing symptoms, father's worry, and mother's accommodation were variables that should be controlled in treatment of pediatric OCD.
OSA Patient Monitoring Based on the Beidou System
Authors: Liangming Cai , Xiaoqiong Cai , Min Du , Binxin Miao , Minfen Lin , Zhicheng Zeng , Shumin Li , Yuxin Ruan , Qiaolin Hu , Shuqin Yang
Published: November 2021

This paper presents an OSA patient interactive monitoring system based on the Beidou system. This system allows OSA patients to get timely rescue when they become sleepy outside. Because the Beidou position marker has an interactive function, it can reduce the anxiety of the patient while waiting for the rescue. At the same time, if a friend helps the OSA patients to call the doctor, the friend can also report the patient's condition in time. This system uses the popular IoT framework. At the bottom is the data acquisition layer, which uses wearable sensors to collect vital signs from patients, with a focus on ECG and SpO2 signals. The middle layer is the network layer that transmits the collected physiological signals to the Beidou indicator using the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) protocol. The top layer is the application layer, and the application layer uses the mature rescue interactive platform of Beidou. The Beidou system was developed by China itself, the main coverage of the satellite is in Asia, and is equipped with a high-density ground-based augmentation system. Therefore, the Beidou model improves the positioning accuracy and is equipped with a special communication satellite, which increases the short message interaction function. Therefore, patients can report disease progression in time while waiting for a rescue. After our simulation test, the effectiveness of the OSA patient rescue monitoring system based on the Beidou system and the positioning accuracy of OSA patients have been greatly improved. Especially when OSA patients work outdoors, the cell phone base station signal coverage is relatively weak. The satellite signal is well-covered, plus the SMS function of the Beidou indicator. Therefore, the system can be used to provide timely patient progress and provide data support for the medical rescue team to provide a more accurate rescue plan. After a comparative trial, the rescue rate of OSA patients using the detection device of this system was increased by 15 percentage points compared with the rescue rate using only GPS satellite phones.
NC 4.0, a Novel Approach to Nonconformities Management: Prioritizing Events With Risk Management Tools
Authors: Ravoy Dvir , Parmet Yisrael
Published: November 2021

Quality 4.0, the correspondent quality practice fit to address the Industry 4.0 mindset, is expected to provide models and processes endorsed by continuous improvement and data-driven proofs, especially given the exponential growth in available data. The research consolidates the reality of big data availability (part of Quality 4.0) with a generic aspect of quality—managing nonconformities. Its purpose is to suggest a model to improve the initiation step for dealing with nonconformity by prioritizing these events. The new concept in the model suggested is incorporating the risk management method of prioritizing into the nonconformity’s management. These tools are designed to transform qualitative data into quantitative ones and enable easier decision-making, in this case, choosing which issue to deal with first. The research approach is developing and testing the suggested model as a pilot in a real production environment to establish its impact and define key guidelines for utilizing it in various processes and, in addition, to conduct a survey among quality experts from different organizations for reference. Two main outcomes were achieved during the research: The quality experts’ survey welcomed the model concept as a structured tool based on the solid risk management methodology. Implementing the model on actual production lines resulted in a significant reduction of NC financial impact as the events were solved as per their impact.
Tackling the Waves of COVID-19: A Planning Model for Intrahospital Resource Allocation
Authors: Schmidt Felicitas , Hauptmann Christian , Kohlenz Walter , Gasser Philipp , Hartmann Sascha , Daunderer Michael , Weiler Thomas , Nowak Lorenz
Published: November 2021

Background: The current pandemic requires hospitals to ensure care not only for the growing number of COVID-19 patients but also regular patients. Hospital resources must be allocated accordingly.

Objective: To provide hospitals with a planning model to optimally allocate resources to intensive care units given a certain incidence of COVID-19 cases.

Methods: The analysis included 334 cases from four adjacent counties south-west of Munich. From length of stay and type of ward [general ward (NOR), intensive care unit (ICU)] probabilities of case numbers within a hospital at a certain time point were derived. The epidemiological situation was simulated by the effective reproduction number R, the infection rates in mid-August 2020 in the counties, and the German hospitalization rate. Simulation results are compared with real data from 2nd and 3rd wave (September 2020–May 2021).

Results: With R = 2, a hospitalization rate of 17%, mitigation measures implemented on day 9 (i.e., 7-day incidence surpassing 50/100,000), the peak occupancy was reached on day 22 (155.1 beds) for the normal ward and on day 25 (44.9 beds) for the intensive care unit. A higher R led to higher occupancy rates. Simulated number of infections and intensive care unit occupancy was concordant in validation with real data obtained from the 2nd and 3rd waves in Germany.

Conclusion: Hospitals could expect a peak occupancy of normal ward and intensive care unit within ~5–11 days after infections reached their peak and critical resources could be allocated accordingly. This delay (in particular for the peak of intensive care unit occupancy) might give options for timely preparation of additional intensive care unit resources.
How Might the Ocean Change in the Future?
Authors: Fukai Denise Tyemi , Oaquim Anna Beatriz Jones , Cirano Mauro
Published: November 2021

The ocean is one of the main components of the climate system. It distributes and absorbs heat to regulate climate at different time scales. Temperature and salinity (saltiness) control the density of ocean water. Differences in water density are important for ocean circulation—they are responsible for generating some currents of water that move through the ocean. An important part of ocean circulation is called thermohaline circulation. Thermohaline circulation absorbs, stores, and transfers heat around the world. Changes in the temperature or salinity of ocean waters can affect thermohaline circulation, so climate change may also alter this circulation. Changes in water circulation also impact the ocean’s chemistry and the organisms that live in the ocean. First, we will explain how ocean circulation happens, and then we will look at how climate change can affect it.
Prognostic Influence of Spontaneous Tumor Rupture in Patients With Hepatocellular Carcinoma After Hepatectomy: A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies
Authors: Xu Jiaxuan , Hong Jiaze , Wang Yiran , Zhou Lingling , Xu Binbin , Si Yuexiu , He Yujing , Chen Yizhou
Published: November 2021

Objective: This study aims to comprehensively analyze the influence of spontaneous tumor rupture on the prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma patients following hepatic resection.

Methods: We systematically searched four online electronic databases, including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, for eligible studies published from inception to March 2021. The main endpoints were overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).

Results: This meta-analysis included 21 observational articles with 57,241 cases. The results revealed that spontaneous tumor rupture was associated with worse OS (hazard ratio (HR), 1.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.33–2.05) and DFS (HR, 1.42; 95% CI, 1.12–1.80) in resectable hepatocellular carcinoma patients. This phenomenon was observed in most subgroups, which were classified by recorded survival time, age, country, alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) concentration, liver cirrhosis, and microvascular invasion. However, in subgroups of macrovascular invasion positive, spontaneous tumor rupture was not a risk factor for OS (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.99–2.42) and DFS (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.91–1.65) in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatectomy. For macrovascular invasion negative, compared with non-ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma patients, ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma patients exhibited worse prognosis for OS (HR, 1.55; 95% CI, 0.99–2.42) and DFS (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 0.91–1.65) following hepatectomy.

Conclusions: Spontaneous tumor rupture was a prognostic risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma patients after hepatic resection. However, in macrovascular invasion patients, spontaneous tumor rupture was not a prognostic risk factor.
Epidemiological Analysis From 2018 to 2020 in China and Prevention Strategy of Porcine Circovirus Type 2
Authors: Huang Ying , Chen Xianghong , Long Yunzhi , Yang Liu , Song Wenbo , Liu Jinjin , Li Qianqian , Liang Gong , Yu Daobing , Huang Chao , Tang Xibiao
Published: November 2021

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) is one of the smallest known animal viruses and is the main pathogen of PCV-associated diseases (PCVAD). Epidemiological surveillance results have shown that the PCV2 infection rate is on the rise in China, thus, PCV2 disease prevention and control has become a huge challenge for the Chinese swine industry. We collected clinical samples from multiple different provinces in China from 2018 to 2020 and found that the positive rate of PCV2 was 53% (3619/6872), identity between the cloned 62 ORF2 genes was 84.4–100% and identity between the cloned 62 ORF2 sequences and reference sequence was 72.9–99.8%. Genetic evolution analysis found that PCV2d accounted for 79% (49/62 samples), PCV2a for 12.9% (8/62 samples), PCV2b for 8% (5/62 samples), and PCV2c and PCV2e genotypes were not found. However, most commercial PCV2 subunit vaccines are based on the PCV2a genotype, and there are very few vaccines based on PCV2b or PCV2d. Therefore, the homologous and heterologous protection ability of PCV2b and PCV2d Cap proteins based on the baculovirus against the PCV2b and PCV2d infections was evaluated, which is expected to design and develop excellent PCV2 protein vaccine candidates. This study found that both PCV2b and PCV2d Cap proteins can increase the level of humoral immunity and cellular immune response in mice. Importantly, both PCV2b and PCV2d cap proteins can provide homologous and heterologous protection against the PCV2b and PCV2d viruses. Overall, this study provides a reference for the prevention and control of PCVAD in mainland China and the development of PCV2 vaccines.
Microalgae and Biochar Agro-Fertilization of the Palestinian Rehan Barley Cultivar under Salinity Stress
Authors: Najjar Ashwaq A. , Kuhn Arnd J. , Al-Tardeh Sharaf M. , Kuchendorf Christina M.
Published: November 2021

The efficient transfer of nutrients to plants in the form of biofertilizers on poor substrate was investigated. Biochar and dried algae biomass as well as mineral fertilizer were used to test the growth of the Palestinian ‘Rehan’ barley cultivar under salinity stress (4, 8, and 16 mS/cm EC). Rehan cultivar showed resilience to moderate levels of salinity and could still grow under high salinity stress (16 mS/cm EC). Rehan barley possessed better growth at early growth stage under the applied biofertilizers such as dried freshwater algal biomass (Chlorella vulgaris) and nutrient-laden biochar. It showed better growth than wheat (ssp. scirocco) under the same conditions. Its growth was highly improved by biochar treatment in low and moderate salinity conditions. Moreover, the combined effect between biochar and dried algae biomass could improve Rehan barley growth, but less than the effect of each biofertilizer separately. The biofertilizers affected most plant growth parameters under the salinity level of 4 and 8 mS/cm EC positively, while the growth declined again at 16 mS/cm EC. Overall, the biochar treatment showed the same effect as the mineral fertilizer on most of the parameters. The dried algae biomass and biochar also affected soil conditions. The highest soil water content (15.09%) was found in algae biomass treatments with 16 mS/cm EC. Biochar with 8 and 16 mS/cm EC had the highest pH value (8.63) near the rhizospheres. The nitrogen level was highest in the bottom soil sample (0.28 g N/kg soil) for biochar with 0 and 4 mS/cm EC. Meanwhile, the phosphate concentration was the highest (3.3 mg PO3−2/kg soil) in algae fertilizer treatments with 0 mS/cm EC in the bottom soil sample and lowest (4.14 mg PO3−2/kg soil) for the biochar with 8 mS/cm EC. The dried algae biomass and the biochar treatments can subsequently be viewed as conditioner substrates for improving the quality and fertility of the soil. Where possible, they should be considered as complement or replacement of mineral and manure fertilization to improve the impact on soil and environment.
Production Systems and Prospects of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) in the United States
Authors: Osipitan O. Adewale , Fields Jeneen S. , Lo Sassoum , Cuvaca Ivan
Published: November 2021

Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.) is an important legume crop with enormous nutritional, agronomic and economic value. Cowpea constitutes a large portion of the daily diet among many people in Africa, Asia, Central America, and Southern America. The United States was among the top 10 global producers of cowpea until 1967, when cowpea was grown primarily for soil management and livestock feed. With the projected increase in the minority population in the United States, from 25% in 1992 to 47% in 2050, it is expected that the consumption of cowpea in the nation will increase substantially. In this review, we provide information about cowpea production systems and prospects in the United States.
Effect of Season and Parity on Reproduction Performance of Iberian Sows Bred with Duroc Semen
Authors: Piñán Javier , Alegre Beatriz , Kirkwood Roy N. , Soriano-Úbeda Cristina , Maj Magdalena , Domínguez Juan Carlos , Manjarín Rodrigo , Martínez-Pastor Felipe
Published: November 2021

The Iberian pig is an autochthonous breed from the Iberian Peninsula highly valued for its meat. The sows are often bred as Iberian × Duroc crossings for increased efficiency. Since sow parity and season affect the reproductive performance, we evaluated two-year records from a commercial farrow-to-finish farm (live, stillborn, and mummified piglets after artificial insemination, AI). A total of 1293 Iberian sows were inseminated with semen from 57 boars (3024 AI). The effects of parity (gilts, 1, 2–4, 5–10, and >10 farrowings) and season were analyzed by linear mixed-effects models (LME). The data were fitted to cosinor models to investigate seasonal effects within parity groups. The effects of maximum daily temperature (MDT) and day length change (DLC) during spermatogenesis, pre-AI, and post-AI periods were analyzed with LME. The 2–4 group was the optimal one for parity. A seasonal effect was evident between spring–summer (lower fertility/prolificacy) and autumn–winter (higher). Cosinor showed that the seasonal drop in reproductive performance occurs earlier in Iberian sows than in other breeds, more evident in gilts. MDT negatively affected performance in all periods and DLC in spermatogenesis and pre-AI. These results are relevant for the improvement of Iberian sows’ intensive farming.
Technological and Sensory Quality and Microbiological Safety of RIR Chicken Breast Meat Marinated with Fermented Milk Products
Authors: Sokołowicz Zofia , Augustyńska-Prejsnar Anna , Krawczyk Józefa , Kačániová Miroslava , Kluz Maciej , Hanus Paweł , Topczewska Jadwiga
Published: November 2021

The aim of the study was to determine the effect of marinating with fermented milk products (buttermilk and sour milk) on the physical characteristics, microbiological quality, and sensory acceptability of Rhode Island Red (RIR) hen meat after the first year of laying use. The hen breast meat was marinated with fermented dairy products, buttermilk and sour milk, by the immersion method for 12 h at 4 °C. The assessed features included the quality of raw and roasted marinated and non-marinated meat in terms of physical characteristics (marinade absorption, water absorption, pH, L*, a*, b* colour, shear strength, texture profile analysis (TPA) test), microbiological parameters, and sensory characteristics. Bacteria were identified by the mass spectrometry method (MALDI-TOF MS Biotyper). Marinating meat with fermented dairy products lightened the colour, decreased the value of shear force, reduced hardness and chewiness, and limited the growth of aerobic bacteria and Pseudomonas spp. Additionally, after heat treatment, the number of identified aerobic bacteria families in the marinated in buttermilk and marinated in sour milk groups was smaller than in the non-marinated muscle group. The sensory evaluation showed a beneficial effect of marinating with buttermilk and sour milk on the tenderness, juiciness, and colour of roasted meat.
Constrained Multi-Objective Optimization of Simulated Tree Pruning with Heterogeneous Criteria
Authors: Strnad Damjan , Kohek Štefan
Published: November 2021

Virtual pruning of simulated fruit tree models is a useful functionality provided by software tools for computer-aided horticultural education and research. It also enables algorithmic pruning optimization with respect to a set of quantitative objectives, which is important for analytical purposes and potential applications in automated pruning. However, the existing studies in pruning optimization focus on a single type of objective, such as light distribution within the crown. In this paper, we propose the use of heterogeneous objectives for discrete multi-objective optimization of simulated tree pruning. In particular, the average light intake, crown shape, and tree balance are used to observe the emergence of different pruning patterns in the non-dominated solution sets. We also propose the use of independent constraint objectives as a new mechanism to confine overfitting of solutions to individual pruning criteria. Finally, we perform the comparison of NSGA-II, SPEA2, and MOEA/D-EAM on this task. The results demonstrate that SPEA2 and MOEA/D-EAM, which use external solution archives, can produce better sets of non-dominated solutions than NSGA-II.
Simulation and Experimental Study of Light and Thermal Environment of Photovoltaic Greenhouse in Tropical Area Based on Design Builder
Authors: Liu Jian , Chen Yini , Wang Baolong , Wu Xuyong , Na Yi
Published: November 2021

In order to study the adaptability of photovoltaic greenhouses to climate in tropical areas, a photovoltaic greenhouse model (photovoltaic panel coverage rate: 76.9%) was built in this study according to a 1:1 proportion. The distribution law of the indoor illuminance, temperature, and humidity were studied simultaneously in the photovoltaic greenhouse by actual measurements and simulation. The filed data are shown as follows: (1) Illuminance: in limited rain winter, the average illuminance and light transmittance were 7.02 kLux and 25.77%, respectively (10:00–16:00); but in different weather conditions during summer, the average illuminance and light transmittance were 15.47 kLux and 32.35%, respectively (9:00–16:00). (2) Temperature and humidity: the indoor temperatures of the greenhouse were between 22.1 and 29.3 °C in limited rain winter, with a relative small temperature difference between indoor and outdoor environments; the relative humidity values were between 69% and 97%; but in summer, the temperatures at all indoor test site were higher than outdoor sites, with an average temperature difference of 2.7 °C and relative humidity values between 46% and 94%. According to the simulation by Design Builder, the average light transmittances were 33.09% in winter and 37.54% in summer, the temperature difference between winter and summer was less than 1 °C, and the relative humidity decreased with the increase of temperature, which basically coincided with the filed data. The results of the analysis showed that the illuminance, temperature and humidity of the photovoltaic greenhouse can satisfy the production requirements of shade-enduring and neutral crops. At the same time, by comparing the illumination, temperature and humidity of the photovoltaic greenhouse with that of an ordinary greenhouse, the former had good adaptability to climate in tropical areas, which can achieve the goal of photovoltaic generation and agricultural production synchronously.
Parameter Sensitivity Analysis on Dynamic Coefficients of Partial Arc Annular-Thrust Aerostatic Porous Journal Bearings
Authors: Hwang Pyung , Khan Polina , Kang Seok-Won
Published: November 2021

Aerostatic bearings are widely used in high-precision devices. Partial arc annular-thrust aerostatic porous journal bearings are a prominent type of aerostatic bearings, which carry both radial and axial loads and provide high load-carrying capacity, low air consumption, and relatively low cost. Spindle shaft tilting is a resource-demanding challenge in numerical modeling because it involves a 3D air flow. In this study, the air flow problem was solved using a COMSOL software, and the dynamic coefficients for tilting degrees of freedom were obtained using finite differences. The obtained results exhibit significant coupling between the tilting motion in the x-and y-directions: cross-coupled coefficients can achieve 20% of the direct coefficient for stiffness and 50% for damping. In addition, a nonlinear behavior can be expected, because the tilting motion within 3°, tilting velocities within 0.0012°/s, and relative eccentricity of 0.2 have effects as large as 20% for direct stiffness and 100% for cross-coupled stiffness and damping. All dynamic coefficients were fitted with a polynomial of eccentricity, tilting, and tilting velocities in two directions, with a total of six parameters. The resulting fitting coefficient tables can be employed for the fast dynamic simulation of the rotor shaft carried on the proposed bearing type.
Radio Frequency Fingerprinting for Frequency Hopping Emitter Identification
Authors: Kang Jusung , Shin Younghak , Lee Hyunku , Park Jintae , Lee Heungno
Published: November 2021

In a frequency hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) network, the hopping pattern plays an important role in user authentication at the physical layer. However, recently, it has been possible to trace the hopping pattern through a blind estimation method for frequency hopping (FH) signals. If the hopping pattern can be reproduced, the attacker can imitate the FH signal and send the fake data to the FHSS system. To prevent this situation, a non-replicable authentication system that targets the physical layer of an FHSS network is required. In this study, a radio frequency fingerprinting-based emitter identification method targeting FH signals was proposed. A signal fingerprint (SF) was extracted and transformed into a spectrogram representing the time–frequency behavior of the SF. This spectrogram was trained on a deep inception network-based classifier, and an ensemble approach utilizing the multimodality of the SFs was applied. A detection algorithm was applied to the output vectors of the ensemble classifier for attacker detection. The results showed that the SF spectrogram can be effectively utilized to identify the emitter with 97% accuracy, and the output vectors of the classifier can be effectively utilized to detect the attacker with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.99.
Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Novel Glycyrrhiza Variety Wongam In Vivo and In Vitro
Authors: Kang Yun-Mi , Lee Jeonghoon , Kim Wonnam , Jin Jong-Sik , Lee Jong-Hyun , An Hyo-Jin
Published: November 2021

Licorice is the common name of Glycyrrhiza species, which is an important plant for edible and medicinal purposes; however, Glycyrrhiza resources have become limited because of desertification, depletion of natural resources, and environmental restrictions. For this reason, a novel Glycyrrhiza variety named Wongam, a hybrid of G. glabra and G. uralensis, was developed by the Korea Rural Development Administration. To elucidate the antiallergic inflammatory effects of Wongam, we investigated its effects using a compound-48/80-induced anaphylaxis in vivo model and PMA/A23187-stimulated HMC-1 cells and immunoglobulin E (IgE)/DNP-stimulated RBL-2H3 cells in in vitro models. Wongam treatment reduced mortality and serum IgE levels and downregulated proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines in a compound-48/80-induced anaphylaxis mouse model. Wongam decreased histamine release and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines in HMC-1 and RBL-2H3 cells. Wongam treatment downregulated the expression of chemokines, T helper 2 cytokines, and cell surface antigens in PMA/A23187-stimulated HMC-1 cells. We confirmed that these effects were associated with the inhibition of the MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways by Wongam. The present study suggests that Wongam ameliorates mast-cell-mediated allergic inflammatory responses by reducing mast cell activation and may serve as an effective agent for the prevention and treatment of allergic inflammatory responses.
Predicting Compressive Strength of 3D Printed Mortar in Structural Members Using Machine Learning
Authors: Izadgoshasb Hamed , Kandiri Amirreza , Shakor Pshtiwan , Laghi Vittoria , Gasparini Giada
Published: November 2021

Machine learning is the discipline of learning commands in the computer machine to predict and expect the results of real application and is currently the most promising simulation in artificial intelligence. This paper aims at using different algorithms to calculate and predict the compressive strength of extrusion 3DP concrete (cement mortar). The investigation is carried out using multi-objective grasshopper optimization algorithm (MOGOA) and artificial neural network (ANN). Given that the accuracy of a machine learning method depends on the number of data records, and for concrete 3D printing, this number is limited to few years of study, this work develops a new method by combining both methodologies into an ANNMOGOA approach to predict the compressive strength of 3D-printed concrete. Some promising results in the iteration process are achieved.
Stiffness-Oriented Structure Topology Optimization for Hinge-Free Compliant Mechanisms Design
Authors: Guo Jincheng , Tang Huaping
Published: November 2021

This paper presents a stiffness-oriented structure topology optimization (TO) method for the design of a continuous, hinge-free compliant mechanism (CM). A synthesis formulation is developed to maximize the mechanism’s mutual potential energy (MPE) to achieve required structure flexibility while maximizing the desired stiffness to withstand the loads. Different from the general approach of maximizing the overall stiffness of the structure, the proposed approach can contribute to guiding the optimization process focus on the desired stiffness in a specified direction by weighting the related eigen-frequency of the corresponding eigenmode. The benefit from this is that we can make full use of the material in micro-level compliant mechanism designs. The single-node connected hinge issue which often happened in optimized design can be precluded by introducing the eigen-frequency constraint into this synthesis formulation. Several obtained hinge-free designs illustrate the validity and robustness of the presented method and offer an alternative method for hinge-free compliant mechanism designs.
A Predictive Model for Severe COVID-19 in the Medicare Population: A Tool for Prioritizing Primary and Booster COVID-19 Vaccination
Authors: Experton Bettina , Tetteh Hassan A. , Lurie Nicole , Walker Peter , Elena Adrien , Hein Christopher S. , Schwendiman Blake , Vincent Justin L. , Burrow Christopher R.
Published: November 2021

Recommendations for prioritizing COVID-19 vaccination have focused on the elderly at higher risk for severe disease. Existing models for identifying higher-risk individuals lack the needed integration of socio-demographic and clinical risk factors. Using multivariate logistic regression and random forest modeling, we developed a predictive model of severe COVID-19 using clinical data from Medicare claims for 16 million Medicare beneficiaries and socio-economic data from the CDC Social Vulnerability Index. Predicted individual probabilities of COVID-19 hospitalization were then calculated for population risk stratification and vaccine prioritization and mapping. The leading COVID-19 hospitalization risk factors were non-white ethnicity, end-stage renal disease, advanced age, prior hospitalization, leukemia, morbid obesity, chronic kidney disease, lung cancer, chronic liver disease, pulmonary fibrosis or pulmonary hypertension, and chemotherapy. However, previously reported risk factors such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes conferred modest hospitalization risk. Among all social vulnerability factors, residence in a low-income zip code was the only risk factor independently predicting hospitalization. This multifactor risk model and its population risk dashboard can be used to optimize COVID-19 vaccine allocation in the higher-risk Medicare population.
A Layered View on Focal Adhesions
Authors: Legerstee Karin , Houtsmuller Adriaan
Published: November 2021

The cytoskeleton provides structure to cells and supports intracellular transport. Actin fibres are crucial to both functions. Focal Adhesions (FAs) are large macromolecular multiprotein assemblies at the ends of specialised actin fibres linking these to the extracellular matrix. FAs translate forces on actin fibres into forces contributing to cell migration. This review will discuss recent insights into FA protein dynamics and their organisation within FAs, made possible by advances in fluorescence imaging techniques and data analysis methods. Over the last decade, evidence has accumulated that FAs are composed of three layers parallel to the plasma membrane. We focus on some of the most frequently investigated proteins, two from each layer, paxillin and FAK (bottom, integrin signalling layer), vinculin and talin (middle, force transduction layer) and zyxin and VASP (top, actin regulatory layer). Finally, we discuss the potential impact of this layered nature on different aspects of FA behaviour.
Differences in the Biomarker Profile of De Novo Acute Heart Failure versus Decompensation of Chronic Heart Failure
Authors: Nawrocka-Millward Sylwia , Biegus Jan , Hurkacz Magdalena , Guzik Mateusz , Rosiek-Biegus Marta , Jankowska Ewa Anita , Ponikowski Piotr , Zymliński Robert
Published: November 2021

The perception of acute heart failure (AHF) as a single entity is increasingly outdated, as distinct patient profiles can be discerned. Key heart failure (HF) studies have previously highlighted the difference in both the course and prognosis of de novo AHF and acute decompensated chronic HF (ADHF). Accordingly, distinct AHF profiles with differing underlying pathophysiologies of disease progression can be shown. We compared a range of selected biomarkers in order to better describe the profile of de novo AHF and ADHF, including the inter alia—serum lactate, bilirubin, matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP-9), follistatin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), lipocalin and galectin-3. The study comprised 248 AHF patients (de novo = 104), who were followed up for one year. The biomarker data of the de novo AHF and ADHF profiles was then compared in order to link biomarkers to their prognosis. Our study demonstrated that, although there are similarities between each patient profile, key biomarker differences do exist—predominantly in terms of NTproBNP, serum lactate, bilirubin, ICAM-1, follistatin, ferritin and sTfR (soluble transferrin receptor). ADHF tended to have compromised organ function and higher risks of both one-year mortality and composite endpoint (one-year mortality or rehospitalization for heart failure) hazard ratios (HR) (95% CI): 3.4 (1.8–6.3) and 2.8 (1.6–4.6), respectively, both p < 0.0001. Among the biomarkers of interest: sTfR HR (95% CI): 1.4 (1.04–1.8), NGAL(log) (neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin) HR (95% CI): 2.0 (1.3–3.1) and GDF-15(log) (growth/differentiation factor-15) HR (95% CI): 4.0 (1.2–13.0) significantly impacted the one-year survival, all p < 0.05.
A New Covalent Organic Framework of Dicyandiamide-Benzaldehyde Nanocatalytic Amplification SERS/RRS Aptamer Assay for Ultratrace Oxytetracycline with the Nanogold Indicator Reaction of Polyethylene Glycol 600
Authors: Liang Aihui , Zhi Shengfu , Liu Qiwen , Li Chongning , Jiang Zhiliang
Published: November 2021

In this paper, dicyandiamide (Dd) and p-benzaldehyde (Bd) were heated at 180 °C for 3 h to prepare a new type of stable covalent organic framework (COF) DdBd nanosol with high catalysis. It was characterized by molecular spectroscopy and electron microscopy. The study found that DdBd had a strong catalytic effect on the new indicator reaction of polyethylene glycol 600 (PEG600)-chloroauric acid to form gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). AuNPs have strong resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) activity, and in the presence of Victoria Blue B (VBB) molecular probes, they also have a strong surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) effect. Combined with a highly selective oxytetracycline (OTC) aptamer (Apt) reaction, new dual-mode scattering SERS/RRS methods were developed to quantitatively analyze ultratrace OTC. The linear range of RRS is 3.00 × 10−3 –6.00 × 10−2 nmol/L, the detection limit is 1.1 × 10−3 nmol/L, the linear range of SERS is 3.00 × 10−3–7.00 × 10−2 nmol/L, and the detection limit is 9.0 × 10−4 nmol/L. Using the SERS method to analyze OTC in soil samples, the relative standard deviation is 1.35–4.78%, and the recovery rate is 94.3–104.9%.
Microfluidics: A Novel Approach for Dehydration Protein Droplets
Authors: Pham Van Nhat , Radajewski Dimitri , Rodríguez-Ruiz Isaac , Teychene Sebastien
Published: November 2021

The equation of state of colloids plays an important role in the modelling and comprehension of industrial processes, defining the working conditions of processes such as drying, filtration, and mixing. The determination of the equation is based on the solvent equilibration, by dialysis, between the colloidal suspension and a reservoir with a known osmotic pressure. In this paper, we propose a novel microfluidic approach to determine the equation of state of a lysozyme solution. Monodispersed droplets of lysozyme were generated in the bulk of a continuous 1-decanol phase using a flow-focusing microfluidic geometry. In this multiphasic system and in the working operation conditions, the droplets can be considered to act as a permeable membrane system. A water mass transfer flow occurs by molecule continuous diffusion in the surrounding 1-decanol phase until a thermodynamic equilibrium is reached in a few seconds to minutes, in contrast with the standard osmotic pressure measurements. By changing the water saturation of the continuous phase, the equation of state of lysozyme in solution was determined through the relation of the osmotic pressure between protein molecules and the volume fraction of protein inside the droplets. The obtained equation shows good agreement with other standard approaches reported in the literature.
On the Use of Perforated Sound Absorption Systems for Variable Acoustics Room Design
Authors: Pereira Andreia , Gaspar Anna , Godinho Luís , Amado Mendes Paulo , Mateus Diogo , Carbajo Jesus , Ramis Jaime , Poveda Pedro
Published: November 2021

An important challenge for acoustic engineers in room acoustics design is related to the acoustic performance of multi-purpose auditoriums, which are typically designed to suit several performance requirements. With this intent, the analysis of several scenarios is usually performed individually, and then an acceptable solution, that may be adapted to several situations, is selected. One way of providing a more appropriate acoustic performance for each function of the auditorium is using variable sound absorption techniques to control reverberation and other relevant acoustic phenomena associated to sound perception. In this paper, the acoustic behavior of a perforated system that may be suitable for achieving a variable acoustic solution for room acoustic design is addressed. In the design of a cost-effective solution, the surface appearance is kept unchanged, while variable acoustic behavior is achieved either by closing the holes in the back face of the perforated panel or by placing a porous material in varying positions inside the backing cavity, thus accomplishing different acoustic requirements within a multipurpose auditorium. An analytical approach, based on the transfer matrix method is employed for preliminary acoustic sound absorption assessment provided by the system and to develop optimized solutions. Diffuse sound absorption is then computed and used to simulate, by the ray-tracing method, the acoustic behavior of a multipurpose auditorium to demonstrate efficient acoustic performance for different types of use.
Validation of the Low-Frequency Procedure for Field Measurement of Façade Sound Insulation
Authors: Liu Jinyu , Inoue Naohisa , Sakuma Tetsuya
Published: November 2021

In the ISO 16283 series for field measurement of sound insulation, a low-frequency procedure is specified for determining indoor average sound pressure level, which is the so-called corner method. In the procedure, additional measurements are required in the corners in addition to the default measurements in the central zone, and the indoor average level is corrected with the highest level in the corners. However, this procedure was empirically proposed, and its validity is not fully examined for façade sound insulation. In this paper, detailed experiments were performed in a mock lightweight wooden house for validating the low-frequency procedure for façade sound insulation measurement. The results suggest that a correction with energy-averaging level of all corners is more reliable than with the maximum level, and the uncertainty in the default procedure is sufficiently improved with additional measurements in four non-adjacent corners. Moreover, the effect of the detailed position of the microphone around the corner was clarified for a more specific instruction.
Deep Reinforcement Learning for Autonomous Water Heater Control
Authors: Amasyali Kadir , Munk Jeffrey , Kurte Kuldeep , Kuruganti Teja , Zandi Helia
Published: November 2021

Electric water heaters represent 14% of the electricity consumption in residential buildings. An average household in the United States (U.S.) spends about USD 400–600 (0.45 ¢/L–0.68 ¢/L) on water heating every year. In this context, water heaters are often considered as a valuable asset for Demand Response (DR) and building energy management system (BEMS) applications. To this end, this study proposes a model-free deep reinforcement learning (RL) approach that aims to minimize the electricity cost of a water heater under a time-of-use (TOU) electricity pricing policy by only using standard DR commands. In this approach, a set of RL agents, with different look ahead periods, were trained using the deep Q-networks (DQN) algorithm and their performance was tested on an unseen pair of price and hot water usage profiles. The testing results showed that the RL agents can help save electricity cost in the range of 19% to 35% compared to the baseline operation without causing any discomfort to end users. Additionally, the RL agents outperformed rule-based and model predictive control (MPC)-based controllers and achieved comparable performance to optimization-based control.
NK and T Cell Immunological Signatures in Hospitalized Patients with COVID-19
Authors: Bergantini Laura , d'Alessandro Miriana , Cameli Paolo , Cavallaro Dalila , Gangi Sara , Cekorja Behar , Sestini Piersante , Bargagli Elena
Published: November 2021

Severe acute respiratory syndrome caused by coronavirus 2 emerged in Wuhan (China) in December 2019 and has severely challenged the human population. NK and T cells are involved in the progression of COVID-19 infection through the ability of NK cells to modulate T-cell responses, and by the stimulation of cytokine release. No detailed investigation of the NK cell landscape in clinical SARS-CoV-2 infection has yet been reported. A total of 35 COVID-19 hospitalised patients were stratified for clinical severity and 17 healthy subjects were enrolled. NK cell subsets and T cell subsets were analysed with flow cytometry. Serum cytokines were detected with a bead-based multiplex assay. Fewer CD56dimCD16brightNKG2A+NK cells and a parallel increase in the CD56+CD69+NK, CD56+PD-1+NK, CD56+NKp44+NK subset were reported in COVID-19 than HC. A significantly higher adaptive/memory-like NK cell frequency in patients with severe disease than in those with mild and moderate phenotypes were reported. Moreover, adaptive/memory-like NK cell frequencies were significantly higher in patients who died than in survivors. Severe COVID-19 patients showed higher serum concentrations of IL-6 than mild and control groups. Direct correlation emerged for IL-6 and adaptive/memory-like NK. All these findings provide new insights into the immune response of patients with COVID-19. In particular, they demonstrate activation of NK through overexpression of CD69 and CD25 and show that PD-1 inhibitory signalling maintains an exhausted phenotype in NK cells. These results suggest that adaptive/memory-like NK cells could be the basis of promising targeted therapy for future viral infections.