bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Aldehyde dehydrogenase 3I1gene is recruited in conferring multiple abiotic stress tolerance in plants
Authors: Raza H. , Khan M. R. , Zafar S. A. , Kirch H. H. , Bartles D. 
Published: October 2021

ABSTRACTPlant growth and productivity is restricted by a multitude of abiotic stresses. These stresses negatively affect physiological and metabolic pathways, leading to the production of many harmful substances like ROS, lipid peroxides and aldehydes. This study was conducted to investigate the role ofArabidopsis ALDH3I1gene in multiple abiotic stress tolerance.Transgenic tobacco plants were generated that overexpress theALDH3I1gene driven by the CaMV35S promoter and evaluated under different abiotic stresses, namely salt, drought, cold and oxidative stress. Tolerance to stress was evaluated based on responses of various growth and physiological traits under stress condition.Transgenic plants displayed elevatedALDH3I1transcript levels compared to WT plants. The constitutive ectopic expression ofALDH3I1conferred increased tolerance to salt, drought, cold and oxidative stresses in transgenic plants, along with improved plant growth. Transgenic plants overexpressingALDH3I1had higher chlorophyll content, photosynthesis rate and proline, and less accumulation of ROS and malondialdehyde compared to the WT, which contributed to stress tolerance in transgenic plants. Our results further revealed thatALDH3I1had a positive effect on CO2assimilation rate in plants under abiotic stress conditions.Overall, this study revealed thatALDH3I1positively regulates abiotic stress tolerance in plants, and has future implications in producing transgenic cereal and horticultural plants tolerant to abiotic stresses.
Contraceptive Method Skew in India 1992–2016: Analysis Using a New Method Skew Index
Authors: Chaurasia Aalok Ranjan 
Published: October 2021

AbstractThis paper analyses method skew in India over more than two decades using a new method skew index. The analysis reveals clear regional pattern in method skew in the country. In north and east regions of the country, method skew is average and below average, but it is high or very high in the south region. We investigate roles of such factors as poverty, education, social class, and religion in deciding the method skew at the district level using the classification modeling approach and find that the roles of these factors are different in different regions of the country. An important finding of the analysis is that there is a positive correlation between the degree of the method skew and contraceptive prevalence at the district level.
CT characteristics and proposed scoring scheme are predictive of pathologic fracture in dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma treated with stereotactic body radiation therapy
Authors: Martin Tiffany Wormhoudt , LaRue Susan M. , Griffin Lynn 
Published: October 2021

AbstractStereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an established limb‐sparing treatment for dogs with appendicular osteosarcoma (OSA) and pathologic fractures are a common sequela. The objectives of this retrospective, observational, and descriptive study were to develop and evaluate objective CT criteria for predicting pathologic fractures and assess impacts on survival time. Included dogs had confirmed or suspected appendicular OSA, available CT scans, available outcome data, and were treated with SBRT. For each study, the number of quartiles affected by lysis on the most severely affected transverse slice, longest measurable length of contiguous full cortical lysis, presence of subchondral bone lysis, and ratio of the length of the affected bone to normal bone were recorded. A scoring system was developed for assigning grades (summed score 1‐4 = grade 1, 5‐7 = grade 2, and 8 or greater = grade 3.) A total of 127 CT datasets were sampled (123 patients). The median summed score was 7. The grade was correlated with pathologic fracture development (23% of grade 1, 35% of grade 2, and 57% of grade 3 resulting in fracture, P = 0.028). Subchondral bone lysis was correlated with fracture (odds ratio, 2.2, P = 0.02). Percent affected bone ≥40% was associated with decreased survival (P = 0.002). Dogs with <40% of affected bone had a median survival of 256 days versus 178 days for dogs with ≥40% affected bone. Findings from the current study can be used to assist in determining prognosis and planning radiation therapy for future dogs affected by appendicular OSA.
Piezoelectret Based Energy Harvesting From Human Body Motions With Respect to Implementation of Self-Powering Wearable Devices
Authors: Park Y. J. , Seipel B. , Holzmann H. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Energy harvesting from human body motion has been investigated extensively in the last two decades due to the increasing demand for Smart Wearables. Smart Wearables are beneficial in terms of daily monitoring of vital parameters and early recognition of diseases. However, continuous and close-meshed monitoring in daily life is often facing the obstacle of limited energy storage. Integrated sensors and electronics of Smart Wearables may be powered in a conventional manner by energy storage. But energy storage such as battery is subject to restrictions as limited lifetime and charging process. Thus, the development of self-powering Smart Wearables is highly promising. The conversion of human body motion into electrical energy is significant for the identification of medical application areas.
Investigations on energy harvesting from human body motion is facing limitations such as low frequency range of body motion, low accelerations as well as wearing comfort. Numerous studies address the use of piezoelectric ceramics for energy harvesting. However, the high mass density and the high modulus of elasticity limit energy harvester designs based on piezoelectric ceramics to rather heavy wearables. In terms of lightweight designs, polymers such as PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride) have been considered as functional materials in several researches but these materials are disadvantageous regarding energy efficiency. Auspicious functional materials for energy harvesting from body motion are piezoelectric electrets (piezoelectrets, also referred to as ferroelectrets) due to their high piezoelectric coefficients and low mass density. Piezoelectrets facilitate the implementation of lightweight energy harvester designs with high output power that is advantageous for applications in context of Smart Wearables. In particular, fluorethylpolypropylene (FEP) piezoelectrets with parallel-tunnel structures are promising generators for energy harvesting. Within the present work, a novel design of parallel-tunnel FEP energy harvester in 31-mode is introduced and validated by means of an experimental setup.
Generation of Travelling Waves Using Tracking Control Method
Authors: Bhayadia Amit , Olivett Anthony , Singh Tarunraj , Karami M. Amin 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Travelling wave patterns observed in the movement of certain aquatic animals has motivated research in the modification of flow behavior, especially to deal with boundary layer separation in airplane plane wings. Research has shown that inducing travelling waves on the top surface of the wing can generate sufficient momentum to prevent boundary layer separation without increasing the drag. Due to this interesting property, generation of travelling waves on solid surfaces is being widely studied. Recently methods such as two-mode excitation, active sink and impedance matching have shown promise in generation of uniform travelling waves in solids with the help of piezo electric actuators. Unfortunately, there are some challenges involved in the experimental application of these methods. These open loop methods require exact knowledge of the system dynamics therefore, uncertainties in the system dynamics can affect the uniformity and the amplitude of the travelling waves. Some methods rely on selective mode excitation, which can cause interference from unwanted modes if the transient behavior of the system is not accounted. A tracking control method is proposed that augments the open-loop piezo actuation method (two-mode excitation) and provides a more robust method for generating uniform travelling waves. The periodic signal tracking control method drives the output of the temporal part of the distributed parameter system to a desirable output. In addition, the controller alters the reference signal such that the parasitic behavior of unnecessary modes is cancelled out. The combination of the mode suppression and signal tracking deals with the challenges of the piezo actuation methods and add to its performance by improving the quality of the generated wave.
Numerical Studies on the Dynamic Characteristics of Series-Connected Multistable Laminates
Authors: Anilkumar P. M. , Rao B. N. , Scheffler S. , Rolfes R. , Haldar A. , Jansen E. L. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Multistable morphing structures have gained considerable attention over the past three decades due to their ability to efficiently work in various operating conditions. Unsymmetrical laminates, which yields two stable equilibrium shapes due to the residual thermal stresses, are widely investigated to produce multistable structures. Even though cured shapes of unsymmetrical laminates are promising candidates for the design of morphing structural components, they may not fulfil all the requirements of a continuous morphing structure requiring more than two stable states during the morphing action. As a solution to achieve more than two stable configurations, series-connected unsymmetrical laminates are proposed in the present analysis. Connecting different bistable laminates results in multiple stable configurations at the end of the curing process, which is often desired in continuous shape-changing applications. The snap-through process involving shape transition between the generated stable shapes is highly nonlinear in nature. Since morphing aerospace structures are often subjected to severe dynamic excitation, large-amplitude nonlinear vibrations are inevitable during the snap-through transition. This work aims to explore the dynamic characteristic of multistable continuous composite plates generated by connecting bistable laminates without any external fixing aids. The proposed numerical analysis is carried out within a commercially available finite element package, ABAQUS. The effect of aspect ratios, laminate layups and actuation loads on the dynamic characteristic (natural frequencies and mode shapes) are reported from systematic parametric studies. The proposed model is further extended to predict the nonlinear characteristics of single well vibration and cross well vibration.
Development of a Wearable Piezoelectric Bandage for Wound Healing
Authors: Shultis Natalie , Roberts Rita E. , Koh Timothy J. , Kineman Rhonda D. , Bilgen Onur 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Chronic non-healing wounds due to diabetes and the associated amputations diminish quality of life and represent a major health problem for the US healthcare system, with higher incidence in the veteran population. A wearable piezoelectric bandage is proposed as an enhancer for wound healing, as low intensity vibrations (LIVs) have been shown to acutely increase perfusion in both humans and mice. Early studies by the authors indicate that a novel therapy utilizing LIVs promote tissue perfusion, granulation tissue formation and wound healing in diabetic mice. The data further indicate that LIV increases levels of insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 in blood and wounds and thus IGF-1 may mediate LIV-induced healing.
This paper presents the preliminary design and development of a wearable prototype which consists of a piezoelectric disk element controlled by a microcontroller that can vary duty cycle, frequency, and amplitude. The user can control the device with a mobile app by the way of Bluetooth communication between the microcontroller and a mobile phone. The excitation parameters can be remotely changed by the use of the app. The app is saved as an Android application package, allowing it to be installed on any Android device that has developer mode enabled in the system settings. In addition, this paper serves at as a brief review article of former research relevant to the development of the piezoelectric bandage.
Towards Dynamic Characterization of Fully 3D Printed Capacitive Sensors for Footbed Pressure Sensing Applications
Authors: Gothard Andrew T. , Anton Steven R. 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
Currently, the analysis of an individual’s gait and foot pressure distribution is a valuable tool in orthopedics to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of gait disorders. Thanks to the development of pressure sensing insoles, gait and foot pressure distribution analysis has become more common in research focused on human locomotion. Typically, however, insoles containing pressure sensor arrays have limited customizability or are expensive to customize. The lack of affordable, patient-specific solutions can be problematic for patients with foot deformities. Past work has been done to mitigate the lack of customizability of pressure sensing insoles through the use of 3D printing to create insoles with embedded commercial capacitive pressure sensors. The use of 3D printing to fabricate insoles gives rise to the potential to create customized insoles rapidly and at low cost. However, at present, there are no wholly developed methods for integrating fully printed embedded capacitive sensors within pressure sensing insoles. This work focuses on the development and dynamic characterization of fully 3D printed capacitive sensors using flexible thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) filament and conductive polylactic acid (PLA) filament. Sinusoidal compressive tests are performed at 1, 3, 5, and 7 Hz for pressure levels of 25, 35, 55, and 75 N/cm2 in order to evaluate the sensitivity of the sensor over a range of cyclic pressures typical of the footbed environment. From the results of the experiments, the use of a fully 3D printed capacitive sensor to track dynamic changes in pressure is shown to be feasible. Representative calibration curves calculated for each load and frequency combination show that the sensor exhibits maximum hysteresis and linearity error of 68.9% and 34.9%, respectively. Due to the significant nonlinearity and hysteresis in the sensor output, a nonlinear model must be developed to accurately characterize the dynamic behavior of the sensor.
Validation of a Numerical-Experimental Methodology for Structural Health Monitoring on Automotive Components
Authors: Sisca Lorenzo , Messana Alessandro , de Carvalho Pinheiro Henrique , Ferraris Alessandro , Airale Andrea Giancarlo , Carello Massimiliana 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
In the recent years, the materials composing the traditional of aircrafts are being progressively replaced with lower density materials, as the Reinforced Plastics. The same trend has been highlighted in the Automotive field to assess the reduction of fuel consumption and CO2 emission.
In order to achieve an optimization of maintenance a variety of on-board systems has been applied for on-line SHM based on piezoelectric transducers earned a particularly high interest for continuous monitoring on metallic and composite structures. The application of this system in automotive could enhance passenger safety, through the monitoring of the vehicle composite material structure health status.
In this paper, six mathematical models for evaluating the electrical response of piezoelectric sensors have been implemented, with the aim of selecting the most effective model for damage identification. Experimental tests were carried out on three types of simpler specimens of different geometries made of different materials (steel, aluminum and carbon fiber). A correlation study has been carried on in order to support the positioning of sensors.
The proposed numerical-experimental methodology is an essential foundation for the introduction of monitoring systems based on piezoelectric transducers in the Automotive sector.
Combined Finite Element and Network Model of Embedded Shape Memory Alloy Actuators for Endoscopic Tools With an Efficient Dynamic Thermo-Electro-Mechanical Design Process
Authors: Mehner Philipp J. , Huettner Ronny , Henkel Konrad , Koerbitz Rene , Brinkmann Franz , Fischer Matthieu , Uhlig Kai , Mehner Jan , Hampe Jochen , Marschner Uwe , Richter Andreas 
Published: October 2021

Abstract
The mechanics of medical endoscopes have not fundamentally changed over the last 40 years. Most endoscopes are manually operated through Bowden cables to control the head of the device, which is known to have major limitations. We propose a shape memory alloy actuated setup to enable computer-aided control. Before a complex manufacturing of porotypes is established, the design needs to be evaluated for feasibility. In this work, an efficient design approach is highlighted, where the thermal properties for an asymmetric cross-section of the endoscope is modeled with finite elements in the transient electro-thermo-mechanical domain and the results are then transferred to a network model to efficiently evaluate operation procedures. With the proposed model approach, a fast but detailed description is established which focuses on the optimization of dimensional and material parameters and models efficiently the impact of complex dynamic operating regimes.
Optimizing treatment goals for long-term health outcomes among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Shi Qian , Lin Yilu , Fonseca Vivian A , Shi Lizheng 
Published: October 2021

IntroductionConsiderable confusions on treatment target have resulted from recent changes in guidelines. Evidence in medical guidelines came from clinical trials with highly selected patients, whereas treatment goals may differ in some subgroups. This study aimed to assess optimal treatment goals (A1C, blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C)) for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which lead to optimal health outcomes by different treatment strategies.Research design and methodsA retrospective longitudinal study was conducted for veterans with T2DM by using US Veterans Affairs Administrative Database (2005−2015). Medical records were prepared for repeated evaluation performed at 6-month intervals and multivariate longitudinal regression was used to estimate the risk of microvascular and macrovascular complication events. Second-degree polynomial and splines were applied to identify the optimal goals in their associations with lowest risk of clinical outcomes, controlling for demographic characteristics, medical history, and medications.ResultsA total of 124 651 patients with T2DM were selected, with mean of 6.72 follow-up years. In the general population, to achieve the lowest risk of microvascular and macrovascular complication, the optimal goals were A1C=6.81%, LDL-C=109.10 mg/dL; and A1C=6.76%, LDL-C=111.65 mg/dL, systolic blood pressure (SBP)=130.60 mmHg, respectively. The optimal goals differed between age and racial subgroups. Lower SBP for younger patients and lower LDL-C for black patients were associated with better health outcomes.ConclusionsOptimal treatment goals were identified and multi-faceted treatment strategies targeting hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia and hypertension may improve health outcome in veterans with T2DM. In addition to guidelines’ recommended goals, health systems may examine their own large diverse patients with T2DM for better quality of care.
Value of early critical care transthoracic echocardiography for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation: a retrospective study
Authors: Jiang Hao , Xu Wen , Chen Wenjing , Pan Lingling , Yu Xueshu , Ye Yincai , Fang Zhendong , Zhang Xianwei , Chen Zhiqiang , Shu Jie , Pan Jingye 
Published: October 2021

ObjectivesTo evaluate whether early intensive care transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) can improve the prognosis of patients with mechanical ventilation (MV).DesignA retrospective cohort study.SettingPatients undergoing MV for more than 48 hours, based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database and the eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD), were selected.Participants2931 and 6236 patients were recruited from the MIMIC-III database and the eICU database, respectively.Primary and secondary outcome measuresThe primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality from the date of ICU admission, days free of MV and vasopressors 30 days after ICU admission, use of vasoactive drugs, total intravenous fluid and ventilator settings during the first day of MV.ResultsWe used propensity score matching to analyse the association between early TTE and in-hospital mortality and sensitivity analysis, including the inverse probability weighting model and covariate balancing propensity score model, to ensure the robustness of our findings. The adjusted OR showed a favourable effect between the early TTE group and in-hospital mortality (MIMIC: OR 0.78; 95% CI 0.65 to 0.94, p=0.01; eICU-CRD: OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.67 to 0.86, p<0.01). Early TTE was also associated with 30-day mortality in the MIMIC database (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.57 to 0.88, p=0.001). Furthermore, those who had early TTE had both more ventilation-free days (only in eICU-CRD: 23.48 vs 24.57, p<0.01) and more vasopressor-free days (MIMIC: 18.22 vs 20.64, p=0.005; eICU-CRD: 27.37 vs 28.59, p<0.001) than the control group (TTE applied outside of the early TTE and no TTE at all).ConclusionsEarly application of critical care TTE during MV is beneficial for improving in-hospital mortality. Further investigation with prospectively collected data is required to validate this relationship.
Video game therapy on mobility and dual tasking in multiple sclerosis: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Baroni Andrea , Fregna Giulia , Milani Giada , Severini Giacomo , Zani Giulia , Basaglia Nino , Straudi Sofia 
Published: October 2021

IntroductionMultiple sclerosis (MS) is one of the major causes of disability in young adults and affects mobility, compromising daily living activities and participation in social life. Cognitive domain is also frequently impaired in people with MS (PwMS), particularly the capacity to perform dual-task activities. Impaired cognitive processing abilities need to be treated, and motor and cognitive aspects need to be considered together. Recently, video game therapy (VGT) has been used in rehabilitation to improve motor outcomes and cognitive processing speed. The aim of this study is to test the efficacy of commercially available VGT on mobility and dual tasking in PwMS compared with standardised balance platform training (BPT).Methods and analysisThis will be a parallel-assignment, double-blinded, randomised control trial. Forty-eight (24 per arm) PwMS with Expanded Disability Status Scale 4–5.5 will be randomly assigned to receive 1 hour training session over 4 weeks (three sessions/week) of either: (1) VGT on commercial video game console to train balance and mobility-related activities or (2) BPT to perform balance, postural stability and weight-shifting exercises with and without visual feedback. The same assessor will evaluate outcome measures at points: before and after the 12 training sessions and at 3 months of follow-up. The primary outcome will be functional mobility, assessed by the Timed Up and Go test. We will also evaluate gait, risk of fall, fatigue and health-related quality of life as well as cognitive and psychological aspects (depression, anxiety and attentional performance) and stability through posturographic evaluation. Dual-tasking assessment will be performed combining posturographic and neuropsychological tests. Data analysis will be performed to compare the efficacy of the two treatments.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval have been granted from the local Ethics Committee. Study results will be communicated through high-quality journals and national and international conferences.Trial registration numberNCT03353974