bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Probiotics-Based Treatment as an Integral Approach for Alcohol Use Disorder in Alcoholic Liver Disease
Authors: Fuenzalida Catalina , Dufeu María Soledad , Poniachik Jaime , Roblero Juan Pablo , Valenzuela-Pérez Lucía , Beltrán Caroll Jenny
Published: September 2021

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is one of the leading causes of morbidity among adults with alcohol use disorder (AUD) worldwide. Its clinical course ranges from steatosis to alcoholic hepatitis, progressing to more severe forms of liver damage, such as cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. The pathogenesis of ALD is complex and diverse elements are involved in its development, including environmental factors, genetic predisposition, the immune response, and the gut-liver axis interaction. Chronic alcohol consumption induces changes in gut microbiota that are associated with a loss of intestinal barrier function and inflammatory responses which reinforce a liver damage progression triggered by alcohol. Alcohol metabolites such as acetaldehyde, lipid peroxidation-derived aldehyde malondialdehyde (MDA), and protein-adducts act as liver-damaging hepatotoxins and potentiate systemic inflammation. Additionally, ethanol causes direct damage to the central nervous system (CNS) by crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB), provoking oxidative stress contributing to neuroinflammation. Overall, these processes have been associated with susceptibility to depression, anxiety, and alcohol craving in ALD. Recent evidence has shown that probiotics can reverse alcohol-induced changes of the microbiota and prevent ALD progression by restoring gut microbial composition. However, the impact of probiotics on alcohol consumption behavior has been less explored. Probiotics have been used to treat various conditions by restoring microbiota and decreasing systemic and CNS inflammation. The results of some studies suggest that probiotics might improve mental function in Alzheimer’s, autism spectrum disorder, and attenuated morphine analgesic tolerance. In this sense, it has been observed that gut microbiota composition alterations, as well as its modulation using probiotics, elicit changes in neurotransmitter signals in the brain, especially in the dopamine reward circuit. Consequently, it is not difficult to imagine that a probiotics-based complementary treatment to ALD might reduce disease progression mediated by lower alcohol consumption. This review aims to present an update of the pathophysiologic mechanism underlying the microbiota-gut-liver-brain axis in ALD, as well as to provide evidence supporting probiotic use as a complementary therapy to address alcohol consumption disorder and its consequences on liver damage.
Capsaicin Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Inflammation and Barrier Dysfunction in Intestinal Porcine Epithelial Cell Line-J2
Authors: Zhao Xiaoya , Dong Bingqi , Friesen Marissa , Liu Shangxi , Zhu Changqing , Yang Chengbo
Published: September 2021

Capsaicin is a spicy, highly pungent, colorless, vanilloid compound found in chili peppers with anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-cancer, and analgesic properties. However, the protective effects of capsaicin on the pig intestine during inflammation are yet to be explored. This study investigated the effects of capsaicin on the gut inflammatory response, intestinal epithelial integrity, and gene expression level of nutrient transporters in a model of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation in non-differentiated intestinal porcine epithelial cell line-J2 (IPEC-J2). The results showed that the pre-treatment of cells with capsaicin (100 μM) significantly decreased the gene expression and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines induced by LPS through Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/NF-κB signaling pathway. In addition, pre-treatment of cells with capsaicin also increased both gene and protein abundance of tight junction proteins. Furthermore, pre-treatment cells with capsaicin significantly increased trans-epithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and decreased permeability of fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (FD4) from the apical side to the basolateral side compared with the control (P< 0.05). Additionally, pre-treatment of cells with capsaicin upregulated the mRNA abundance of nutrients transporters such as Na+/glucose cotransporter 1 (SGLT1). These results suggested that capsaicin could attenuate LPS-induced inflammation response through TLR4/NF-κB pathway and improve barrier integrity and glucose absorption.
Role of Barrier Integrity and Dysfunctions in Maintaining the Healthy Gut and Their Health Outcomes
Authors: Panwar Shruti , Sharma Sapna , Tripathi Prabhanshu
Published: September 2021

Mucosal surface layers are the critical borders throughout epithelial membranes. These epithelial cells segregate luminal material from external environments. However, mucosal linings are also accountable for absorbing nutrients and requiring specific barrier permeability. These functional acts positioned the mucosal epithelium at the epicenter of communications concerning the mucosal immune coordination and foreign materials, such as dietary antigens and microbial metabolites. Current innovations have revealed that external stimuli can trigger several mechanisms regulated by intestinal mucosal barrier system. Crucial constituents of this epithelial boundary are physical intercellular structures known as tight junctions (TJs). TJs are composed of different types transmembrane proteins linked with cytoplasmic adaptors which helps in attachment to the adjacent cells. Disruption of this barrier has direct influence on healthy or diseased condition, as barrier dysfunctions have been interrelated with the initiation of inflammation, and pathogenic effects following metabolic complications. In this review we focus and overview the TJs structure, function and the diseases which are able to influence TJs during onset of disease. We also highlighted and discuss the role of phytochemicals evidenced to enhance the membrane permeability and integrity through restoring TJs levels.
Long-Lasting Desynchronization Effects of Coordinated Reset Stimulation Improved by Random Jitters
Authors: Khaledi-Nasab Ali , Kromer Justus A. , Tass Peter A.
Published: September 2021

Abnormally strong synchronized activity is related to several neurological disorders, including essential tremor, epilepsy, and Parkinson's disease. Chronic high-frequency deep brain stimulation (HF DBS) is an established treatment for advanced Parkinson's disease. To reduce the delivered integral electrical current, novel theory-based stimulation techniques such as coordinated reset (CR) stimulation directly counteract the abnormal synchronous firing by delivering phase-shifted stimuli through multiple stimulation sites. In computational studies in neuronal networks with spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP), it was shown that CR stimulation down-regulates synaptic weights and drives the network into an attractor of a stable desynchronized state. This led to desynchronization effects that outlasted the stimulation. Corresponding long-lasting therapeutic effects were observed in preclinical and clinical studies. Computational studies suggest that long-lasting effects of CR stimulation depend on the adjustment of the stimulation frequency to the dominant synchronous rhythm. This may limit clinical applicability as different pathological rhythms may coexist. To increase the robustness of the long-lasting effects, we study randomized versions of CR stimulation in networks of leaky integrate-and-fire neurons with STDP. Randomization is obtained by adding random jitters to the stimulation times and by shuffling the sequence of stimulation site activations. We study the corresponding long-lasting effects using analytical calculations and computer simulations. We show that random jitters increase the robustness of long-lasting effects with respect to changes of the number of stimulation sites and the stimulation frequency. In contrast, shuffling does not increase parameter robustness of long-lasting effects. Studying the relation between acute, acute after-, and long-lasting effects of stimulation, we find that both acute after- and long-lasting effects are strongly determined by the stimulation-induced synaptic reshaping, whereas acute effects solely depend on the statistics of administered stimuli. We find that the stimulation duration is another important parameter, as effective stimulation only entails long-lasting effects after a sufficient stimulation duration. Our results show that long-lasting therapeutic effects of CR stimulation with random jitters are more robust than those of regular CR stimulation. This might reduce the parameter adjustment time in future clinical trials and make CR with random jitters more suitable for treating brain disorders with abnormal synchronization in multiple frequency bands.
TGF-Beta Receptor II Is Critical for Osteogenic Progenitor Cell Proliferation and Differentiation During Postnatal Alveolar Bone Formation
Authors: Xu Chunmei , Xie Xudong , Zhao Hu , Wu Yafei , Wang Jun , Feng Jian Q.
Published: September 2021

Transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) signaling plays an important role during osteogenesis. However, most research in this area focuses on cortical and trabecular bone, whereas alveolar bone is largely overlooked. To address the role of TGFβR2 (the key receptor for TGFβ signaling) during postnatal alveolar bone development, we conditionally deleted Tgfβr2 in early mesenchymal progenitors by crossing Gli1-CreERT2; Tgfβr2flox/flox; R26RtdTomato mice (named early cKO) or in osteoblasts by crossing 3.2kb Col1-CreERT2; Tgfβr2flox/flox; R26RtdTomato mice (named late cKO). Both cKO lines were induced at postnatal day 5 (P5) and mice were harvested at P28. Compared to the control littermates, early cKO mice exhibited significant reduction in alveolar bone mass and bone mineral density, with drastic defects in the periodontal ligament (PDL); conversely, the late cKO mice displayed very minor changes in alveolar bone. Mechanism studies showed a significant reduction in PCNA+ PDL cell numbers and OSX+ alveolar bone cell numbers, as well as disorganized PDL fibers with a great reduction in periostin (the most abundant extracellular matrix protein) on both mRNA and protein levels. We also showed a drastic reduction in β-catenin in the early cKO PDL and a great increase in SOST (a potent inhibitor of Wnt signaling). Based on these findings, we conclude that TGFβ signaling plays critical roles during early alveolar bone formation via the promotion of PDL mesenchymal progenitor proliferation and differentiation mechanisms.
A Framework for Online Experimenter-Moderated Looking-Time Studies Assessing Infants’ Linguistic Knowledge
Authors: Bacon Desia , Weaver Haley , Saffran Jenny
Published: September 2021

Online data collection methods pose unique challenges and opportunities for infant researchers. Looking-time measures require relative timing precision to link eye-gaze behavior to stimulus presentation, particularly for tasks that require visual stimuli to be temporally linked to auditory stimuli, which may be disrupted when studies are delivered online. Concurrently, by widening potential geographic recruitment areas, online data collection may also provide an opportunity to diversify participant samples that are not possible given in-lab data collection. To date, there is limited information about these potential challenges and opportunities. In Study 1, twenty-one 23- to 26-month-olds participated in an experimenter-moderated looking-time paradigm that was administered via the video conferencing platform Zoom, attempting to recreate in-lab data collection using a looking-while-listening paradigm. Data collected virtually approximated results from in-lab samples of familiar word recognition, after minimal corrections to account for timing variability. We also found that the procedures were robust to a wide range of internet speeds, increasing the range of potential participants. However, despite the use of an online task, the participants in Study 1 were demographically unrepresentative, as typically observed with in-person studies in our geographic area. The potentially wider reach of online data collection methods presents an opportunity to recruit larger, more representative samples than those traditionally found in lab-based infant research, which is crucial for conducting generalizable human-subjects research. In Study 2, microtargeted Facebook advertisements for online studies were directed at two geographic locations that are comparable in population size but vary widely in demographic and socioeconomic factors. We successfully elicited sign-up responses from caregivers in neighborhoods that are far more diverse than the local University community in which we conduct our in-person studies. The current studies provide a framework for infancy researchers to conduct remote eye-gaze studies by identifying best practices for recruitment, design, and analysis. Moderated online data collection can provide considerable benefits to the diversification of infant research, with minimal impact on the timing precision and usability of the resultant data.
Self-Harm History, Anxiety-Depression, Severity of Disease, and Insight Are Significantly Associated With Suicide Risk in Forensic Psychiatric Inpatients of China
Authors: Guo Huijuan , Zhong Shaoling , Yue Yuchen , Gou Ningzhi , Sun Qiaoling , Liang Xiaoxi , Wang Fanglan , Lu Juntao , Li Qiguang , Zhou Jiansong , Wang Xiaoping
Published: September 2021

Background: Forensic psychiatric patients have higher suicide risk than the general population. This study aimed to evaluate the extent of suicide risk and to explore the associated factors in forensic psychiatric inpatients in China.

Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study from 1st November, 2018 to 30th January, 2019 in the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital of Hunan Province, China. Patient's information on socio-demographic, clinical, and criminological characteristics was collected. The suicidality subscale of the MINI-International Neuropsychiatric Interview (M.I.N.I.), the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS), and the Severity of Illness of Clinical Global Impressions Scale (CGI-SI) were used to measure present suicide risks, psychiatric symptoms, and the severity of the patient's disease, respectively. Binary logistic regression models were used to examine factors associated with suicide risk.

Results: Twenty-one percent (84/408) of the forensic psychiatric inpatients reported suicide risk. Logistic regression analysis suggested that self-harm history (OR:3.47, 95% confidence interval CI: 1.45–8.33), symptoms of anxiety-depression (OR:1.15, 95% CI:1.04–1.27), and more severe mental disorder (OR:1.42, 95% CI:1.08–1.87) were associated with elevated suicide risk, while insight disorder (OR:0.81, 95% CI:0.65–0.99) was related to decreasing suicide risk.

Conclusion: The study supplied useful clinical information to recognize high suicide risk in forensic psychiatric inpatients and may aid the development of valuable strategies for preventing and reducing suicide events.
Effects of Appearance- and Performance-Enhancing Drugs on Personality Traits
Authors: Zaami Simona , Minutillo Adele , Sirignano Ascanio , Marinelli Enrico
Published: September 2021

Appearance- and performance-enhancing drugs (APEDs) are commonly used by adolescents and young adults in an effort to improve not only athletic performance but also physical and mental efficiency and sexual appearance. The rationale for using these drugs is grounded in the perceived importance of external appearance, the quest for health and youth, and the urge to boost one's sexual performances. Although APED users tend to be quite moderate overall, some specific subpopulations can display pathological use associated with high-risk behaviors. A wide and diverse range of APEDs is now easily accessible to almost anyone through backdoor online avenues. Common APEDs include anabolic–androgenic steroids, non-steroidal anabolics, anorectics, diuretics and ergo/thermogenics, nootropics or “cognition enhancers,” licit and illicit psychostimulants, and finally, sexual enhancers. The use of APEDs appears linked to several psychopathological disorders of unclear prevalence, e.g., body image disorders and eating disorders, perfectionism, but also depression and loneliness. The role of personality traits related to APED use has been investigated in adolescents and young adults, in elite and amateur athletes, and in chemsexers and associated with the above-reported personality traits. The studies herein analyzed show that APED consumption in the general population is quickly growing into a public health concern. It is therefore essential to launch prevention and intervention projects aimed at promoting safe instrumental use of the body, not only in sports disciplines but also among the general population, and to promote psychological aid procedures for people with substance use issues, depression and anxiety, and body image disorders.
PAL: A Framework for Physically Assisted Learning Through Design and Exploration With a Haptic Robot Buddy
Authors: Kianzad Soheil , Chen Guanxiong , MacLean Karon E.
Published: September 2021

Robots are an opportunity for interactive and engaging learning activities. In this paper we consider the premise that haptic force feedback delivered through a held robot can enrich learning of science-related concepts by building physical intuition as learners design experiments and physically explore them to solve problems they have posed. Further, we conjecture that combining this rich feedback with pen-and-paper interactions,e.g., to sketch experiments they want to try, could lead to fluid interactions and benefit focus. However, a number of technical barriers interfere with testing this approach, and making it accessible to learners and their teachers. In this paper, we propose a framework for Physically Assisted Learning based on stages of experiential learning which can guide designers in developing and evaluating effective technology, and which directs focus on how haptic feedback could assist withdesignandexplorelearning stages. To this end, we demonstrated a possible technical pathway to support the full experience of designing an experiment by drawing a physical system on paper, then interacting with it physically after the system recognizes the sketch, interprets as a model and renders it haptically. Our proposed framework is rooted in theoretical needs and current advances for experiential learning, pen-paper interaction and haptic technology. We further explain how to instantiate the PAL framework using available technologies and discuss a path forward to a larger vision of physically assisted learning.
Affordable But Not Cheap: A Case Study of the Effects of Two 3D-Reconstruction Methods of Virtual Humans
Authors: Bartl Andrea , Wenninger Stephan , Wolf Erik , Botsch Mario , Latoschik Marc Erich
Published: September 2021

Realistic and lifelike 3D-reconstruction of virtual humans has various exciting and important use cases. Our and others’ appearances have notable effects on ourselves and our interaction partners in virtual environments, e.g., on acceptance, preference, trust, believability, behavior (the Proteus effect), and more. Today, multiple approaches for the 3D-reconstruction of virtual humans exist. They significantly vary in terms of the degree of achievable realism, the technical complexities, and finally, the overall reconstruction costs involved. This article compares two 3D-reconstruction approaches with very different hardware requirements. The high-cost solution uses a typical complex and elaborated camera rig consisting of 94 digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) cameras. The recently developed low-cost solution uses a smartphone camera to create videos that capture multiple views of a person. Both methods use photogrammetric reconstruction and template fitting with the same template model and differ in their adaptation to the method-specific input material. Each method generates high-quality virtual humans ready to be processed, animated, and rendered by standard XR simulation and game engines such as Unreal or Unity. We compare the results of the two 3D-reconstruction methods in an immersive virtual environment against each other in a user study. Our results indicate that the virtual humans from the low-cost approach are perceived similarly to those from the high-cost approach regarding the perceived similarity to the original, human-likeness, beauty, and uncanniness, despite significant differences in the objectively measured quality. The perceived feeling of change of the own body was higher for the low-cost virtual humans. Quality differences were perceived more strongly for one’s own body than for other virtual humans.
Current Status of Antimicrobial Drug Use in Japanese Companion Animal Clinics and the Factors Associated With Their Use
Authors: Makita Kohei , Sugahara Nami , Nakamura Kazuhiro , Matsuoka Takeshi , Sakai Masato , Tamura Yutaka
Published: September 2021

The Japanese National Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) was adopted to strengthen AMR surveillance and monitoring in companion animals. The Japanese Veterinary Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring (JVARM) system monitors the sale of veterinary antimicrobial drugs by pharmaceutical companies, and the sale of human drugs by principal wholesale companies to companion animal (dogs and cats) clinics. However, the data do not include sales by local drug suppliers and personal importation to companion animal clinics in Japan. The purposes of this study were to estimate total antimicrobial drug use by companion animal clinics in Japan and to identify the factors associated with their use. In 2018, questionnaires gathering data on attributes of the clinic and volumes of antimicrobial drugs used were sent to 212 clinics across Japan by the Japan Veterinary Medical Association. Out of the clinics, 170 valid questionnaires were returned (80.2% response rate). Antimicrobial drugs were categorized first as human, veterinary, or imported drugs and then further categorized as important drugs (critically important drugs for humans and second-choice veterinary drugs) or others. Total antimicrobial drug use was estimated based on the number of clinics reported in 2016. The relationships between antimicrobial drug use and various questionnaire items were analyzed using non-parametric regression analysis. Total antimicrobial drug use was estimated at 29.9t, which was 2.1 times higher than reported by the JVARM survey on the sales of antimicrobial drugs. In terms of total use, important drugs and human drugs accounted for 12.6 and 61.8%, respectively. Clinic income per veterinarian was associated with total antimicrobial use per veterinarian. The proportion of important drugs among all antimicrobial drugs used in a clinic was high in recently established clinics with middle-aged and older directors.
A Review of Parallel Heterogeneous Computing Algorithms in Power Systems
Authors: Rodriguez Diego , Gomez Diego , Alvarez David , Rivera Sergio
Published: September 2021

The power system expansion and the integration of technologies, such as renewable generation, distributed generation, high voltage direct current, and energy storage, have made power system simulation challenging in multiple applications. The current computing platforms employed for planning, operation, studies, visualization, and the analysis of power systems are reaching their operational limit since the complexity and size of modern power systems results in long simulation times and high computational demand. Time reductions in simulation and analysis lead to the better and further optimized performance of power systems. Heterogeneous computing—where different processing units interact—has shown that power system applications can take advantage of the unique strengths of each type of processing unit, such as central processing units, graphics processing units, and field-programmable gate arrays interacting in on-premise or cloud environments. Parallel Heterogeneous Computing appears as an alternative to reduce simulation times by optimizing multitask execution in parallel computing architectures with different processing units working together. This paper presents a review of Parallel Heterogeneous Computing techniques, how these techniques have been applied in a wide variety of power system applications, how they help reduce the computational time of modern power system simulation and analysis, and the current tendency regarding each application. We present a wide variety of approaches classified by technique and application.
Haptic Interface with Twin-Driven MR Fluid Actuator for Teleoperation Endoscopic Surgery System
Authors: Kikuchi Takehito , Takano Tetsumasa , Yamaguchi Akinori , Ikeda Asaka , Abe Isao
Published: September 2021

Magnetorheological fluids (MRFs) are composite materials made of ferromagnetic particles, medium oils, and several types of additives. We have developed an actuation system for the fine haptic control of leader-follower robots. In this study, we developed a haptic interface with two link-type twin-driven MR fluid actuators and two MR fluid brakes for a teleoperation endoscopic surgery system and conducted evaluation tests for a remote operational task with a leader-follower robot system. For evaluations, we adopted the NASA-TLX questionnaire as a subjective assessment method. According to the experimental results, the total success rates were 0.462, 0.333, and 0.591, for the first haptic, middle no-haptic, and second haptic phases, respectively. The force information of the haptic forceps helped users to perceive grasping sensation on their fingers. Statistical analyses on the answers to the questionnaire indicate no significant differences. However, a decreasing tendency in the mental stress in the complicated manipulation tasks for fragile objects is observed.
Free Faecal Water: Analysis of Horse Faecal Microbiota and the Impact of Faecal Microbial Transplantation on Symptom Severity
Authors: Laustsen Louise , Edwards Joan E. , Hermes Gerben D. A. , Lúthersson Nanna , van Doorn David A. , Okrathok Supattra , Kujawa Theresa J. , Smidt Hauke
Published: September 2021

Free faecal water (FFW) in equines results in pollution of the hindquarters and tail and can also involve clinical signs. Though the cause of FFW is unknown, it was hypothesized that it may involve the gut microbiota. This hypothesis was addressed as follows. First, the faecal prokaryotic community composition of horses suffering from FFW relative to healthy controls (n = 10) was compared. Second, FFW horses were treated with a standardised faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) protocol (n = 10), followed by assessment of FFW symptom severity and faecal prokaryotic community composition over a follow-up period of 168 days. No significant differences were found in the faecal microbiota composition of FFW horses compared to healthy controls (p > 0.05). Relative to before FMT, FFW symptom severity decreased in affected horses 14 days after FMT (p = 0.02) and remained decreased for the remainder of the study (p < 0.02). However, individual animal responses to FMT varied. FMT had no effect on FFW horse faecal prokaryotic community composition in terms of alpha or beta diversity. Alpha diversity of the donor inocula used in the FMT was always lower than that of the faecal microbiota of the FFW treated horses (p < 0.001). In conclusion, whilst findings indicate FFW horses do not have an altered hindgut microbiota, some horses that received FMT had a temporary alleviation of FFW symptom severity without causing changes in the faecal microbiota. Future studies using controls are now needed to confirm the effectiveness of FMT to treat FFW.
Area and Resource Utilization of Group-Housed Horses in an Active Stable
Authors: Hildebrandt Frederik , Büttner Kathrin , Salau Jennifer , Krieter Joachim , Czycholl Irena
Published: September 2021

The aim of this study was to analyze the utilization of different stable areas of a total of 52 group-housed horses as well as their preferred stable parts and the use of resources. The study was situated in a “HIT Active Stable®” in Northern Germany for a period of 227 observation days. After dividing the whole farm area in a grid of 3 × 3 m, the dataset was examined with and without the pasture area. Furthermore, linear mixed models were applied. On average, horses used 53.2 ± 19 different squares per hour. The observation day (p < 0.001) and the covariate age (p < 0.001) had significant effects on the different squares visited per hour. No significant effects were found for sex (p = 0.30) and breed (p = 0.65) as only geldings and no stallions were part of the group and the distribution of the breeds was unfavorable. The random effect animal showed that the horse-individual estimates from −19.2 to 17.6 different squares visited per hour were quite large. Furthermore, it could be shown that the horses used resources such as feed stalls with a frequency of up to 0.14% more than other paddock areas without resources. Open lying halls with tarp skin were also preferred over the metal hall. The shelters were only partly popular. Use could be visualized with the help of heat maps. This study gives a good overview of the use of individual areas and resources and possible improvements.
Prototyping IoT-Based Virtual Environments: An Approach toward the Sustainable Remote Management of Distributed Mulsemedia Setups
Authors: Adão Telmo , Pinho Tatiana , Pádua Luís , Magalhães Luís G. , J. Sousa Joaquim , Peres Emanuel
Published: September 2021

Business models built upon multimedia/multisensory setups delivering user experiences within disparate contexts—entertainment, tourism, cultural heritage, etc.—usually comprise the installation and in-situ management of both equipment and digital contents. Considering each setup as unique in its purpose, location, layout, equipment and digital contents, monitoring and control operations may add up to a hefty cost over time. Software and hardware agnosticity may be of value to lessen complexity and provide more sustainable management processes and tools. Distributed computing under the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm may enable management processes capable of providing both remote control and monitoring of multimedia/multisensory experiences made available in different venues. A prototyping software to perform IoT multimedia/multisensory simulations is presented in this paper. It is fully based on virtual environments that enable the remote design, layout, and configuration of each experience in a transparent way, without regard of software and hardware. Furthermore, pipelines to deliver contents may be defined, managed, and updated in a context-aware environment. This software was tested in the laboratory and was proven as a sustainable approach to manage multimedia/multisensory projects. It is currently being field-tested by an international multimedia company for further validation.
Automatic Outdoor Patrol Robot Based on Sensor Fusion and Face Recognition Methods
Authors: Chang Wu-Chiang , Juang Jih-Gau
Published: September 2021

This study integrates path planning, fuzzy theory, neural networks, image processing, range sensors, webcam, global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and real-time kinematic (RTK) positioning system into an intelligent wheeled mobile robot (WMR) for outdoor patrolling. The robot system uses ultrasound sensors, laser sensors, and fuzzy controllers to detect obstacles and avoid them. The starting position and the goal position of the WMR in an outdoor environment are given by the GNSS RTK positioning system. Real-time position correction of the robot is performed through the differential global positioning system. The robot system applies the ant algorithm and the Dijkstra algorithm to find the shortest path for patrol tasks. The convolutional neural network image processing is utilized to identify intruders that are appearing in the patrol path. When the WMR detects an intruder by the face detection and recognition methods, the robot captures the photo of this person by the webcam and acquires the location information of this person by the RTK positioning system. Then the WMR sends the location and photo of the intruder to the control center by Wi-Fi and asks for help.
Human Activity Recognition Using CSI Information with Nexmon
Authors: Schäfer Jörg , Barrsiwal Baldev Raj , Kokhkharova Muyassar , Adil Hannan , Liebehenschel Jens
Published: September 2021

Using Wi-Fi IEEE 802.11 standard, radio frequency waves are mainly used for communication on various devices such as mobile phones, laptops, and smart televisions. Apart from communication applications, the recent research in wireless technology has turned Wi-Fi into other exploration possibilities such as human activity recognition (HAR). HAR is a field of study that aims to predict motion and movement made by a person or even several people. There are numerous possibilities to use the Wi-Fi-based HAR solution for human-centric applications in intelligent surveillance, such as human fall detection in the health care sector or for elderly people nursing homes, smart homes for temperature control, a light control application, and motion detection applications. This paper’s focal point is to classify human activities such as EMPTY, LYING, SIT, SIT-DOWN, STAND, STAND-UP, WALK, and FALL with deep neural networks, such as long-term short memory (LSTM) and support vector machines (SVM). Special care was taken to address practical issues such as using available commodity hardware. Therefore, the open-source tool Nexmon was used for the channel state information (CSI) extraction on inexpensive hardware (Raspberry Pi 3B+, Pi 4B, and Asus RT-AC86U routers). We conducted three different types of experiments using different algorithms, which all demonstrated a similar accuracy in prediction for HAR with an accuracy between 97% and 99.7% (Raspberry Pi) and 96.2% and 100% (Asus RT-AC86U), for the best models, which is superior to previously published results. We also provide the acquired datasets and disclose details about the experimental setups.
Advancement of Roll-Gap Control to Curb the Camber in Heavy-Plate Rolling Mills
Authors: Radionov Andrey A. , Gasiyarov Vadim R. , Karandaev Alexander S. , Loginov Boris M. , Khramshin Vadim R.
Published: September 2021

The quality of steelwork products depends on the geometric precision of flat products. Heavy-plate rolling mills produce plates for large-diameter pipes and for use in shipbuilding, mechanical engineering, and construction. This is why the precision requirements are so stringent. Today’s Mills 5000 produce flat products of up to 5 m in width; the operation of these units shows ‘camber’ defects and axial shift of the roll at the stand exit point. This induces greater loss of metal due to edge trimming and involves a higher risk of accidents. These defects mainly occur due to the asymmetry in the roll gap, which is in turn caused by their misalignment in rolling. As a result, the feed varies in gauge, and the strip moves unevenly. The paper’s key contribution consists in theoretical and experimental substantiation and development of a set of control methods intended to address roll-gap asymmetry. The methods effectively compensate for the asymmetry resulting from the “inherited” wedge, which preexists before the strip enters the stand. They also compensate for the “ongoing” roll misalignment that is caused by the difference in force on the opposite side of the stand during rolling. This comprehensive approach to addressing camber and axial displacement of the feed has not been found in other sources. This paper presents a RAC controller connection diagram that ensures that the roll gap is even across the feed. The paper notes the shortcomings of the design configuration of the controller and shows how it could be improved. The authors have developed a predictive roll-gap asymmetry adjustment method that compensates for the deviations in gauge during the inter-passage pauses. They have also developed a method to control gap misalignment during rolling. The paper showcases the feasibility of a proportional-derivative RAC. The methods have been tested by mathematical modeling and experimentally. The paper further shows oscillograms sampled at Mill 5000 after implementing the developed solutions. Tests confirm far better precision of the screw-down mechanisms on the opposite sides of the stand. This reduces the variation in gauge across the feed and thus curbs the camber defect. As a result, the geometry of the flat improves, and less metal is lost in trimming. The paper further discusses how the RAC controller interacts with the automatic gauge control system. The conclusion is that these systems do not interfere with each other. The developed systems have proceeded to pilot testing.
Air Quality Assessment of a School in an Industrialized Area of Southern Italy
Authors: Ielpo Pierina , Mangia Cristina , de Gennaro Gianluigi , Di Gilio Alessia , Palmisani Jolanda , Dinoi Adelaide , Bergomi Andrea , Comite Valeria , Fermo Paola
Published: September 2021

In this study, simultaneous monitoring of indoor and outdoor Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) was carried out in a school, by both Radiello® cartridges and real-time monitors (Corvus, IonScience Ltd., Fowlmere UK). Moreover, an outdoor air quality assessment was performed with data from an air quality monitoring station (ARPA Puglia) located close to the school. In particular, VOCs, Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xilenes concentrations, obtained by using Radiello® diffusive samplers, were monitored in two classrooms, two bathrooms, and outside of the school building for three weeks during winter 2019. Simultaneously, the Total VOC (TVOC) concentrations were measured by means of real-time monitors inside and outside the classroom in order to individuate the activation of sources during the sampling campaign days. The results evidence that indoor TVOC concentrations were bigger than those outdoors; this suggests the presence of indoor pollutant sources, both in the classrooms and the bathrooms. The results of our study can help the school management by the following recommendations: increasing ventilation in classrooms during school activities and after cleaning; involving students in discussions regarding the use of acrylic paints, permanent markers, perfumes and deodorants, and the limitation of smoking activities both in bathrooms and outdoor spaces.
A Modeling Study of Rainbands Upstream from Western Japan during the Approach of Typhoon Tokage (2004)
Authors: Wang Chung-Chieh , Lin Tzu-Chun , Tsuboki Kazuhisa , Tsai Yu-Ming , Lee Dong-In
Published: September 2021

During 19–20 October 2004, a series of spectacular arc-shaped rainbands developed south or southeast of southwestern Japan when Typhoon Tokage (TY0423) approached the region from the southwest. As the typhoon moved closer and the upstream Froude number (Fr) continued to increase, these rainbands first remained quasi-stationary but eventually retreated backward. Using the Nagoya University Cloud-Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS) at 1-km grid size, these rainbands were successfully simulated, and their behavior during the transition period from a relatively low-Fr to a high-Fr regime was investigated and compared with idealized two-dimensional (2D) model results from theoretical studies. In the present case, the rainbands were found to develop along a low-level frontal convergence zone between the southerly flow associated with the typhoon and the northerly flow from the Sea of Japan. The northeasterly winds accelerated through gaps between topography and fed the offshore flow at the backside of the rainbands, producing a strong resistance that allowed the rainbands to remain stationary under significantly higher Fr values (at least 1.2) than predicted by 2D simulations (of about 0.3–0.5) for the retreat to occur in conditionally unstable flow with a convective available potential energy of about 1300 J kg−1. Typically ≤ 500 m in depth with a potential temperature (θ) deficit of 2–4 K across the rainband, the cooler offshore flow was also found to be enhanced by evaporative cooling as in some other events. The cooling effect helped the rainbands to hold their position until Fr of the upstream flow became too large, and the rainband with stronger cooling behind was able to withstand a higher Fr before retreat. Once the retreat started, the offshore layer became thinner and the θ deficit also reduced, and the rainbands were washed back by the strengthening upcoming flow.
Evaluating the Performance of IRI-2016 Using GPS-TEC Measurements over the Equatorial Region
Authors: Elmunim Nouf , Abdullah Mardina , Bahari Siti
Published: September 2021

Total electron content (TEC) is an important parameter in the ionosphere that is extensively used to study the variability of the ionosphere as it significantly affects radio wave propagations, causing delays on GPS signals. Therefore, evaluating the performance of ionospheric models is crucial to reveal the variety of ionospheric behaviour in different solar activity periods during geomagnetically quiet and disturbed periods for further improvements of the IRI model performance over the equatorial region. This research aimed to investigate the variations of ionospheric VTEC and observe the improvement in the performance of the IRI-2016 (IRI-2001, IRI01-corr, and NeQuick). The IRI-2016 was evaluated with the IRI-2012 using NeQuick, IRI-2001, and IRI01-corr topside electron density options. The data were obtained using a dual-frequency GPS receiver installed at the Universiti Utara Malaysia Kedah (UUMK) (geographic coordinates 4.62° N–103.21° E, geomagnetic coordinates 5.64° N–174.98° E), Mukhtafibillah (MUKH) (geographic coordinates 6.46° N–100.50° E, geomagnetic coordinates 3.32° S–172.99° E), and Tanjung Pengerang (TGPG) (geographic coordinates 1.36° N–104.10°E, geomagnetic coordinates 8.43° S–176.53° E) stations, during ascending to high solar activity at the geomagnetically quiet and disturbed periods in October 2011, March 2012, and March 2013. The maximum hourly ionospheric VTEC was observed during the post-noon time, while the minimum was during the early morning time. The ionospheric VTEC modelled by IRI-2016 had a slight improvement from the IRI-2012. However, the differences were observed during the post-noon and night-time, while the modelled VTEC from both IRI models were almost similar during the early morning time. Regarding the daily quiet and disturbed period’s prediction capability of the IRI-2016 and IRI-2012, IRI-2016 gave better agreement with the measured VTEC. The overall results showed that the model’s prediction performance during the high solar activity period in 2013 was better than the one during the ascending solar activity period. The results of the comparison between IRI-2016 and IRI-2012 in high solar activity exhibited that during quiet periods, all the IRI models showed better agreement with the measured VTEC compared to the disturbed periods.
Analysis of Telomere Maintenance Related Genes Reveals NOP10 as a New Metastatic-Risk Marker in Pheochromocytoma/Paraganglioma
Authors: Monteagudo María , Martínez Paula , Leandro-García Luis J. , Martínez-Montes Ángel M. , Calsina Bruna , Pulgarín-Alfaro Marta , Díaz-Talavera Alberto , Mellid Sara , Letón Rocío , Gil Eduardo , Pérez-Martínez Manuel , Megías Diego , Torres-Ruiz Raúl , Rodriguez-Perales Sandra , González Patricia , Caleiras Eduardo , Jiménez-Villa Scherezade , Roncador Giovanna , Álvarez-Escolá Cristina , Regojo Rita M. , Calatayud María , Guadalix Sonsoles , Currás-Freixes Maria , Rapizzi Elena , Canu Letizia , Nölting Svenja , Remde Hanna , Fassnacht Martin , Bechmann Nicole , Eisenhofer Graeme , Mannelli Massimo , Beuschlein Felix , Quinkler Marcus , Rodríguez-Antona Cristina , Cascón Alberto , Blasco María A. , Montero-Conde Cristina , Robledo Mercedes
Published: September 2021

One of the main problems we face with PPGL is the lack of molecular markers capable of predicting the development of metastases in patients. Telomere-related genes, such as TERT and ATRX, have been recently described in PPGL, supporting the association between the activation of immortalization mechanisms and disease progression. However, the contribution of other genes involving telomere preservation machinery has not been previously investigated. In this work, we aimed to analyze the prognostic value of a comprehensive set of genes involved in telomere maintenance. For this study, we collected 165 PPGL samples (97 non-metastatic/63 metastatic), genetically characterized, in which the expression of 29 genes of interest was studied by NGS. Three of the 29 genes studied, TERT, ATRX and NOP10, showed differential expression between metastatic and non-metastatic cases, and alterations in these genes were associated with a shorter time to progression, independent of SDHB-status. We studied telomere length by Q-FISH in patient samples and in an in vitro model. NOP10 overexpressing tumors displayed an intermediate-length telomere phenotype without ALT, and in vitro results suggest that NOP10 has a role in telomerase-dependent telomere maintenance. We also propose the implementation of NOP10 IHC to better stratify PPGL patients.
Histone Deacetylase (HDAC)-1, -2, -4, and -6 in Uveal Melanomas: Associations with Clinicopathological Parameters and Patients’ Survival
Authors: Levidou Georgia , Gajdzis Pawel , Cassoux Nathalie , Donizy Piotr , Masaoutis Christos , Gajdzis Malgorzata , Gardrat Sophie , Pergaris Alexandros , Danas Eougken , Klijanienko Jerzy , Theocharis Stamatios
Published: September 2021

Background: Uveal melanoma (UM) represents the most common primary intraocular malignancy in adults, exerting high metastatic potential and poor prognosis. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) play a key role in carcinogenesis, and HDAC inhibitors (HDACIs) are currently being explored as anti-cancer agents in clinical settings. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical significance of HDAC-1, -2, -4, and -6 expression in UM. Methods: HDAC-1, -2, -4, and -6 expression was examined immunohistochemically in 75 UM tissue specimens and was correlated with tumors’ clinicopathological characteristics, the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILS), as well as with our patients’ overall survival (OS). Results: HDAC-2 was the most frequently expressed isoform (66%), whereas we confirmed in addition to the expected nuclear expression the presence of cytoplasmic expression of class I HDAC isoforms, namely HDAC-1 (33%) and HDAC-2 (9.5%). HDAC-4 and -6 expression was cytoplasmic. HDAC-1 nuclear expression was associated with increased tumor size (p = 0.03), HDAC-6 with higher mitotic index (p = 0.03), and nuclear HDAC-2 with epithelioid cell morphology (p = 0.03) and presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (p = 0.04). The association with the remaining parameters including Monosomy 3 was not significant. Moreover, the presence as well as the nuclear expression pattern of HDAC-2 were correlated with patients’ improved OS and remained significant in multivariate survival analysis. Conclusions: These findings provide evidence for a potential role of HDACs and especially HDAC-2 in the biological mechanisms governing UM evolution and progression.