bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Efficient Biocatalytic Preparation of Optically Pure (R)-1-[4-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethanol by Recombinant Whole-Cell-Mediated Reduction
Authors: Chen Ying , Xia Nana , Liu Yuewang , Wang Pu
Published: April 2019

(R)-1-[4-(Trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethanol is an important pharmaceutical intermediate of a chemokine CCR5 antagonist. In the present study, a bioprocess for the asymmetric reduction of 4-(trifluoromethyl)acetophenone to (R)-1-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethanol was developed by recombinant Escherichia coli cells with excellent enantioselectivity. In order to overcome the conversion limitation performed in the conventional buffer medium resulting from poor solubility of non-natural substrate, we subsequently established a polar organic solvent-aqueous medium to improve the efficacy. Isopropanol was selected as the most suitable cosolvent candidate, based on the investigation on a substrate solubility test and cell membrane permeability assay in different organic solvent-buffer media. Under the optimum conditions, the preparative-scale asymmetric reduction generated a 99.1% yield with >99.9% product enantiomeric excess (ee) in a 15% (v/v) isopropanol proportion, at 100 mM of 4-(trifluoromethyl)acetophenone within 3 h. Compared to bioconversion in the buffer medium, the developed isopropanol-aqueous system enhanced the substrate concentration by 2-fold with a remarkably improved yield (from 62.5% to 99.1%), and shortened the reaction time by 21 h. Our study gave the first example for a highly enantioselective production of (R)-1-[4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]ethanol by a biological method, and the bioreduction of 4-(trifluoromethyl)acetophenone in a polar organic solvent-aqueous system was more efficient than that in the buffer solution only. This process is also scalable and has potential in application.
Burnout, Sleep, and Sleepiness during Day and Night Shifts in Transition from 8- to 12-Hour Shift Rosters among Airline Ground Crew Managers
Authors: Shochat Tamar , Hadish-Shogan Satanay , Banin Yosipof Michal , Recanati Ayelet , Tzischinsky Orna
Published: April 2019

Organizational changes in shift scheduling provide rare opportunities for field studies aimed at investigating the effects of such changes on health and wellbeing. We studied the effects of a transition from 8-hour (8-h) to 12-hour (12-h) shift rosters in 39 airline ground crew managers on burnout, sleep quality, and sleepiness. Assessments were collected during the 8-h and were repeated three months after the transition to 12-h shift rosters. These assessments included the Shirom-Melamed Burnout Measure (SMBM), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), actigraphy, the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale (KSS) completed hourly during one day and two night shifts, and caffeine intake. Findings demonstrated lower burnout, improved sleep quality, improved quality of naps, and increased afternoon sleepiness during the 12-h day shift. Napping was reported during 12-h night shifts by 36% of the sample. In nappers, increased night shift sleepiness was associated with increased caffeine intake on 8- and 12-h shifts. In non-nappers, increased night shift sleepiness was associated with decreased caffeine intake on the 8-h shift only. Change in shift length affects other structural and behavioral parameters in the workplace, making it challenging to isolate distinct characteristics of the two rosters and their relative effects on study outcomes. Individual differences in adaptation to shiftwork may also play a role.
Laser Performance of Neodymium- and Erbium-Doped GYSGG Crystals
Authors: Zhong Kai
Published: April 2019

Garnet crystals possess many properties that are desirable in laser host materials, e.g., they are suitable for diode laser (LD) pumping, stable, hard, optically isotropic, and have good thermal conductivity, permitting laser operation at high average power levels. Recently, a new garnet material, GYSGG, was developed by replacing some of the yttrium ions (Y3+) with gadolinium ions (Gd3+) in YSGG, demonstrating great potential as a laser host material. GYSGG crystals doped with trivalent neodymium ion (Nd3+) and erbium ions (Er3+) were successfully grown for laser generation in the near- and mid-infrared range, with some of the laser performances reaching the level of mature laser gain media. This paper gives an overview of the achievements made in Nd3+- and Er3+-doped GYSGG lasers at different wavelength ranges. Additionally, full descriptions on Q-switching, mode-locking and wavelength-selecting methods for Nd:GYSGG, and the mechanisms of power scaling by co-doping sensitizers and deactivators in Er:GYSGG, are given. It is expected that this review will help researchers from related areas to quickly gain an understanding of these laser materials and promotes their commercialization and applications.
Reconfigurable Topological Phases in Two-Dimensional Dielectric Photonic Crystals
Authors: Huang Hongbo , Huo Shaoyong , Chen Jiujiu
Published: April 2019

The extensive research on photonic topological insulators has opened up an intriguing way to control electromagnetic (EM) waves. In this work, we numerically demonstrate reconfigurable microwave photon analogues of topological insulator (TIs) in a triangular lattice of elliptical cylinders, according to the theory of topological defects. Multiple topological transitions between the trivial and nontrivial photonic phases can be realized by inhomogeneously changing the ellipse orientation, without altering the lattice structure. Topological protection of the edge states and reconfigurable topological one-way propagation at microwave frequencies, are further verified. Our approach provides a new route towards freely steering light propagations in dielectric photonic crystals (PCs), which has potential applications in the areas of topological signal processing and sensing.
Prostate Artery Embolization for Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms in Men Unfit for Surgery
Authors: Malling Brian , Lönn Lars , Jensen Ruben Juhl , Lindh Mats , Frevert Susanne , Brasso Klaus , Røder Martin Andreas
Published: April 2019

Nearly one in three men develop lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) and 10% clinically progress despite medication. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) is the reference standard for symptoms refractory to medical treatment. However, some patients cannot tolerate TURP for medical (e.g., comorbidity) or technical (e.g., large prostate) reasons. This study estimated the safety and effect of prostate artery embolization (PAE) in men unfit for surgery. A prospective, single-centre trial including men with LUTS or urinary retention secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) who were unfit for surgery. The primary objective was to treat urinary retention and LUTS. Outcome measures included International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), quality of life (IPSS-QoL), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), prostate volume (PV), prostate-specific antigen (PSA), peak void flow (Qmax), post-void residual (PVR), and complications. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Eleven consecutive patients with a mean age of 75.2 (SD ± 8.2) underwent PAE. Catheter removal was successful in 60%. IPSS-QoL improved 4.5 points (95% CI: −5.6; −3.4), and PV was reduced by 26.2 cm3 (95% CI: −50.9; −2.3). None of the remaining outcomes changed. No major complications occurred. PAE was effective and safe for LUTS and urinary retention associated with BPH in men unfit for surgery.
Canonical Divergence for Measuring Classical and Quantum Complexity
Authors: Felice Domenico , Mancini Stefano , Ay Nihat
Published: April 2019

A new canonical divergence is put forward for generalizing an information-geometric measure of complexity for both classical and quantum systems. On the simplex of probability measures, it is proved that the new divergence coincides with the Kullback–Leibler divergence, which is used to quantify how much a probability measure deviates from the non-interacting states that are modeled by exponential families of probabilities. On the space of positive density operators, we prove that the same divergence reduces to the quantum relative entropy, which quantifies many-party correlations of a quantum state from a Gibbs family.
Assessing the Performance of Hierarchical Forecasting Methods on the Retail Sector
Authors: Oliveira José Manuel , Ramos Patrícia
Published: April 2019

Retailers need demand forecasts at different levels of aggregation in order to support a variety of decisions along the supply chain. To ensure aligned decision-making across the hierarchy, it is essential that forecasts at the most disaggregated level add up to forecasts at the aggregate levels above. It is not clear if these aggregate forecasts should be generated independently or by using an hierarchical forecasting method that ensures coherent decision-making at the different levels but does not guarantee, at least, the same accuracy. To give guidelines on this issue, our empirical study investigates the relative performance of independent and reconciled forecasting approaches, using real data from a Portuguese retailer. We consider two alternative forecasting model families for generating the base forecasts; namely, state space models and ARIMA. Appropriate models from both families are chosen for each time-series by minimising the bias-corrected Akaike information criteria. The results show significant improvements in forecast accuracy, providing valuable information to support management decisions. It is clear that reconciled forecasts using the Minimum Trace Shrinkage estimator (MinT-Shrink) generally improve on the accuracy of the ARIMA base forecasts for all levels and for the complete hierarchy, across all forecast horizons. The accuracy gains generally increase with the horizon, varying between 1.7% and 3.7% for the complete hierarchy. It is also evident that the gains in forecast accuracy are more substantial at the higher levels of aggregation, which means that the information about the individual dynamics of the series, which was lost due to aggregation, is brought back again from the lower levels of aggregation to the higher levels by the reconciliation process, substantially improving the forecast accuracy over the base forecasts.
A Simplified Optimal-Switching-Sequence MPC with Finite-Control-Set Moving Horizon Optimization for Grid-Connected Inverter
Authors: Kang Longyun , Cheng Jiancai , Hu Bihua , Luo Xuan , Zhang Jianbin
Published: April 2019

Optimal-switching-sequence model-predictive-control (OSS-MPC) strategy, a popular kind of continuous-control-set MPC (CCS-MPC), has been used to address the variable frequency of finite-control-set MPC (FCS-MPC). Since the digital signal processor (DSP) does not have a dedicated divider, it requires a large amount of computation for the division operations in OSS searching. Here, a simplified OSS-MPC absorbing the merits of FCS-MPC is proposed to reduce the computational burden of conventional OSS-MPC. The proposed method uses a novel cost function whose candidates are the finite center vectors instead of switching sequences, which can avoid duty cycle computation and convert the moving horizon optimization of CCS-MPC into that of FCS-MPC. Besides, the derivatives of the active and reactive powers are divided into the constant terms and variable terms. The constant terms are extracted from the cost function. Experimental and simulation results show that the computational amount of the proposed algorithm is only 36.34% of that of the conventional OSS-MPC. Meanwhile, the simplified OSS-MPC still maintains the excellent dynamic and steady state performance of conventional OSS-MPC.
Applications of Power Electronics
Authors: Blaabjerg Frede , Dragicevic Tomislav , Davari Pooya
Published: April 2019

Power electronics technology is still an emerging technology, and it has found its way into many applications, from renewable energy generation (i [...]
Environmental Decision Support System for Biogas Upgrading to Feasible Fuel
Authors: Santos-Clotas Eric , Cabrera-Codony Alba , Castillo Alba , Martín Maria , Poch Manel , Monclús Hèctor
Published: April 2019

Biogas production is a growing market and the existing conversion technologies require different biogas quality and characteristics. In pursuance of assisting decision-makers in biogas upgrading an environmental decision support system (EDSS) was developed. Since the field is rapidly progressing, this tool is easily updatable with new data from technical and scientific literature through the knowledge acquisition level. By a thorough technology review, the diagnosis level evaluates a wide spectrum of technologies for eliminating siloxanes, H2S, and CO2 from biogas, which are scored in a supervision level based upon environmental, economic, social and technical criteria. The sensitivity of the user towards those criteria is regarded by the EDSS giving a response based on its preferences. The EDSS was validated with data from a case-study for removing siloxanes from biogas in a sewage plant. The tool described the flow diagram of treatment alternatives and estimated the performance and effluent quality, which matched the treatment currently given in the facility. Adsorption onto activated carbon was the best-ranked technology due to its great efficiency and maturity as a commercial technology. On the other hand, biological technologies obtained high scores when economic and environmental criteria were preferred. The sensitivity analysis proved to be effective allowing the identification of the challenges and opportunities for the technologies considered.
Combination of Data-Driven Active Disturbance Rejection and Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy Control with Experimental Validation on Tower Crane Systems
Authors: Roman Raul-Cristian , Precup Radu-Emil , Petriu Emil M. , Dragan Florin
Published: April 2019

In this paper a second-order data-driven Active Disturbance Rejection Control (ADRC) is merged with a proportional-derivative Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy (PDTSF) logic controller, resulting in two new control structures referred to as second-order data-driven Active Disturbance Rejection Control combined with Proportional-Derivative Takagi-Sugeno Fuzzy Control (ADRC–PDTSFC). The data-driven ADRC–PDTSFC structure was compared with a data-driven ADRC structure and the control system structures were validated by real-time experiments on a nonlinear Multi Input-Multi Output tower crane system (TCS) laboratory equipment, where the cart position and the arm angular position of TCS were controlled using two Single Input-Single Output control system structures running in parallel. The parameters of the data-driven algorithms were tuned in a model-based way using a metaheuristic algorithm in order to improve the efficiency of energy consumption.
Nonlinear Control for Autonomous Trajectory Tracking While Considering Collision Avoidance of UAVs Based on Geometric Relations
Authors: Ha Le Nhu Ngoc Thanh , Bui Duc Hong Phuc , Hong Sung Kyung
Published: April 2019

Trajectory tracking with collision avoidance for a multicopter is solved based on geometrical relations. In this paper, a new method is proposed for a multicopter to move from the start position to a desired destination and track a pre-planned trajectory, while avoiding collisions with obstacles. The controller consists of two parts: First, a tracking control is introduced based on the errors between the relative position of the multicopter and the reference path. Second, once the obstacles with a high possibility of collision are detected, a boundary sphere/cylinder of the obstacle is generated by the dimensions of the vehicle and the obstacles, so as to define the safety and risk areas. Afterwards, from the relation between the vehicle’s motion direction, and the tangential lines from the vehicle’s current position to the sphere/cylinder of the obstacle, a collision detection angle is computed to decide the fastest direction to take in order to avoid a collision. The obstacle/collision avoidance control is activated locally when an object is close, and null if the vehicle moves away from the obstacles. The velocity control law and the guidance law are obtained from the Lyapunov stability. In addition, a proportional controller is used at the end of vehicle’s journey to ensure the vehicle stops at the target position. A numerical simulation in different scenarios was performed to prove the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm.
Design and Optimization of a Magnetically Levitated Inductive Reaction Sphere for Spacecraft Attitude Control
Authors: Yuan Liming , Zhang Jie , Chen Si-Lu , Liang Yusheng , Chen Jinhua , Zhang Chi , Yang Guilin
Published: April 2019

The inductive reaction sphere (RS) brings the benefit of simple, economical, and miniaturized design, and it is capable of multi-DOF torque generation. Thus, it is a suitable choice for the angular momentum exchange actuator in attitude control of micro-spacecrafts. To synthesize symmetric distribution of eddy currents and improve the speed and stability of rotation, a novel 4-pole winding design is proposed. However, the developed simplified analytical model shows that reduced pole number degrades the torque generation. To enhance the output torque of 4-pole RS, its curved cores and electromagnets are redesigned to enable the side teeth to be functional. As the analytical torque model for the RS with the slotted cores is not available, a constrained optimization problem is formulated, and the optimized parameters are calculated based on the prediction model from supported vector machine and finite element analysis. The lab prototypes are developed to validate the proposed design and test the speed performance. The experimental results show that the 4-pole RS prototype obtains a stable rotation over 700 rpm about X, Y and Z axis respectively with the angular momentum of 0.08 kg·m 2 /s, being superior to the 6-pole counterpart.
Combined Power and Freshwater Generation Driven by Liquid-Dominated Geothermal Sources
Authors: Yu Guopeng , Yu Zhibin
Published: April 2019

In order to meet the twin challenges of energy shortage and water scarcity in eastern Africa, this paper looks at the feasibilities of using a geothermal water source to produce both fresh water and electricity. In this research, three geothermally sourced combined power and freshwater generation systems are investigated and compared. Two of them are based on traditional power generation systems, including a steam system (SS) and a single-flash system (SFS). The third one is a trilateral flash system (TFS) with a two-phase turbine, which processes the total geofluid flow from the wellhead directly. The power generation potential as well as the condensation process, which produces desalinized freshwater, are investigated for three systems under two typical liquid-dominated well conditions in the Aluto Langano geothermal field in Ethiopia. Results indicate that, suitable total flow turbine efficiency enables the trilateral flash system to be comparable with the steam system and the single-flash system regarding the power generation, especially when the well flow is more liquid dominated. Moreover, freshwater generation is a distinct advantage of the trilateral flash system, and its freshwater output can reach up to be 2.7 times higher than those of traditional systems, making it a promising solution for combined power and freshwater generation.
Adaptability Analysis of Fault Component Distance Protection on Transmission Lines Connected to Photovoltaic Power Stations
Authors: Liang Yingyu , Xu Guanjun , Zha Wenting , Wang Cong
Published: April 2019

Photovoltaic (PV) power stations tend to have a relatively weak infeed characteristic, unlike conventional synchronous generators. The limited overcurrent capability of power electronic devices and the controllability of grid-connected inverters mean that PV power stations will cause changes in the characteristics of faults on transmission lines. To analyze the adaptability of fault component distance protection on transmission lines connected to PV power stations, a unified phasor expression for the fault current of a PV power station side under various control strategies was deduced in this paper. This expression is then used to derive the equivalent impedance on the PV power station side and the additional impedance. The equivalent impedance and additional impedance are affected greatly by the active and reactive power commands, control targets, and fault conditions. These aspects of a PV power station may cause malfunctions, which can thereby reduce the reliability of fault component distance protection on transmission lines connected to PV power stations. A simulation model of a PV power station was established in PSCAD/EMTDC and the correctness of theoretical analysis was verified by the simulation results.
Understanding the Current Energy Paradigm and Energy System Models for More Sustainable Energy System Development
Authors: Spittler Nathalie , Gladkykh Ganna , Diemer Arnaud , Davidsdottir Brynhildur
Published: April 2019

This study contributes to a better understanding of where to place different energy modelling tools and support better decision-making related to the sustainable development of energy systems. It is argued that through the connection of the energy field and the field of sustainable development, the current energy paradigm—encompassing economic, environmental and social aspects—has emerged. This paper provides an analysis of different categories of existing energy system models and their ability to provide answers to questions arising from the current energy paradigm formulated within this study. The current energy paradigm and the relevant questions were defined by conducting conceptual framework analysis. The overarching question of the current paradigm asks how different energy pathways impact on the (sustainable) development of the energy system and overall (sustainable) development globally and nationally. A review of energy system models was conducted to analyse what questions of the current energy paradigm are addressed by which models. The results show that most models address aspects of the current energy paradigm but often in a simplified way. To answer some of the questions of the current energy paradigm in more depth and to get novel insights on sustainable energy system development, it might be necessary use complementary methods in addition to traditional energy modelling methodological approaches.
Soil Organic Carbon Content and Microbial Functional Diversity Were Lower in Monospecific Chinese Hickory Stands than in Natural Chinese Hickory–Broad-Leaved Mixed Forests
Authors: Wu Weifeng , Lin Haiping , Fu Weijun , Penttinen Petri , Li Yongfu , Jin Jin , Zhao Keli , Wu Jiasen
Published: April 2019

To assess the effects of long-term intensive management on soil carbon cycle and microbial functional diversity, we sampled soil in Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis Sarg.) stands managed intensively for 5, 10, 15, and 20 years, and in reference Chinese hickory–broad-leaved mixed forest (NMF) stands. We analyzed soil total organic carbon (TOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and water-soluble organic carbon (WSOC) contents, applied 13C-nuclear magnetic resonance analysis for structural analysis, and determined microbial carbon source usage. TOC, MBC, and WSOC contents and the MBC to TOC ratios were lower in the intensively managed stands than in the NMF stands. The organic carbon pool in the stands managed intensively for twenty years was more stable, indicating that the easily degraded compounds had been decomposed. Diversity and evenness in carbon source usage by the microbial communities were lower in the stands managed intensively for 15 and 20 years. Based on carbon source usage, the longer the management time, the less similar the samples from the monospecific Chinese hickory stands were with the NMF samples, indicating that the microbial community compositions became more different with increased management time. The results call for changes in the management of the hickory stands to increase the soil carbon content and restore microbial diversity.
The Response to DNA Damage at Telomeric Repeats and Its Consequences for Telomere Function
Authors: Doksani Ylli
Published: April 2019

Telomeric repeats, coated by the shelterin complex, prevent inappropriate activation of the DNA damage response at the ends of linear chromosomes. Shelterin has evolved distinct solutions to protect telomeres from different aspects of the DNA damage response. These solutions include formation of t-loops, which can sequester the chromosome terminus from DNA-end sensors and inhibition of key steps in the DNA damage response. While blocking the DNA damage response at chromosome ends, telomeres make wide use of many of its players to deal with exogenous damage and replication stress. This review focuses on the interplay between the end-protection functions and the response to DNA damage occurring inside the telomeric repeats, as well as on the consequences that telomere damage has on telomere structure and function.
First Identification of Periodic Degassing Rhythms in Three Mineral Springs of the East Eifel Volcanic Field (EEVF, Germany)
Authors: Berberich Gabriele M. , Berberich Martin B. , Ellison Aaron M. , Wöhler Christian
Published: April 2019

We present a geochemical dataset acquired during continual sampling over 7 months (bi-weekly) and 4 weeks (every 8 h) in the Neuwied Basin, a part of the East Eifel Volcanic Field (EEVF, Germany). We used a combination of geochemical, geophysical, and statistical methods to describe and identify potential causal processes underlying the correlations of degassing patterns of CO2, He, Rn, and tectonic processes in three investigated mineral springs (Nette, Kärlich and Kobern). We provide for the first time, temporal analyses of periodic degassing patterns (1 day and 2–6 days) in springs. The temporal fluctuations in cyclic behavior of 4–5 days that we recorded had not been observed previously but may be attributed to a fundamental change in either gas source processes, subsequent gas transport to the surface, or the influence of volcano–tectonic earthquakes. Periods observed at 10 and 15 days may be related to discharge pulses of magma in the same periodic rhythm. We report the potential hint that deep low-frequency (DLF) earthquakes might actively modulate degassing. Temporal analyses of the CO2–He and CO2–Rn couples indicate that all springs are interlinked by previously unknown fault systems. The volcanic activity in the EEVF is dormant but not extinct. To understand and monitor its magmatic and degassing systems in relation to new developments in DLF-earthquakes and magmatic recharging processes and to identify seasonal variation in gas flux, we recommend continual monitoring of geogenic gases in all available springs taken at short temporal intervals.
Machine Learning Methods to Predict Social Media Disaster Rumor Refuters
Authors: Wang Shihang , Li Zongmin , Wang Yuhong , Zhang Qi
Published: April 2019

This research provides a general methodology for distinguishing disaster-related anti-rumor spreaders from a non-ignorant population base, with strong connections in their social circle. Several important influencing factors are examined and illustrated. User information from the most recent posted microblog content of 3793 Sina Weibo users was collected. Natural language processing (NLP) was used for the sentiment and short text similarity analyses, and four machine learning techniques, i.e., logistic regression (LR), support vector machines (SVM), random forest (RF), and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) were compared on different rumor refuting microblogs; after which a valid and robust distinguishing XGBoost model was trained and validated to predict who would retweet disaster-related rumor refuting microblogs. Compared with traditional prediction variables that only access user information, the similarity and sentiment analyses of the most recent user microblog contents were found to significantly improve prediction precision and robustness. The number of user microblogs also proved to be a valuable reference for all samples during the prediction process. This prediction methodology could be possibly more useful for WeChat or Facebook as these have relatively stable closed-loop communication channels, which means that rumors are more likely to be refuted by acquaintances. Therefore, the methodology is going to be further optimized and validated on WeChat-like channels in the future. The novel rumor refuting approach presented in this research harnessed NLP for the user microblog content analysis and then used the analysis results of NLP as additional prediction variables to identify the anti-rumor spreaders. Therefore, compared to previous studies, this study presents a new and effective decision support for rumor countermeasures.
Attitudes and Practice Regarding Disposal for Unwanted Medications among Young Adults and Elderly People in China from an Ecopharmacovigilance Perspective
Authors: Yu Xiaotan , Hu Xianmin , Li Shulan , Zhang Mengya , Wang Jun
Published: April 2019

Due to the expensive cost and uncertain effectiveness of environmental management options in eliminating pharmaceutical residues, recently, decreasing the emission of pharmaceutical pollutants from a drug administration perspective has been considered a hot area of research. As a kind of drug administration for the environment, ecopharmacovigilance (EPV) emphasizes the source control of pharmaceutical pollutants. Disposal of unwanted medicines has been considered as the easiest target for source control of pharmaceutical contamination. Here, we focused on public attitudes and practice regarding disposal of unwanted medicines from the EPV perspective among 365 Chinese university young adults and 206 elderly retirement home residents. The results showed that the majority of respondents had positive attitudes, but exhibited inadequate awareness and poor practice. In addition, the young-adult respondents were found to pay more attention to the environmental problems posed by pharmaceutical residues, and be more supportive of the EPV intervention predominantly performed by pharmaceutical industries and pharmacists. Therefore, it is urgent to establish the standard medicine disposal protocols and educate the general public on the best way for medication disposal under the principle of EPV in China, and efforts on environmentally-preferred drug disposal under EPV should target for the specific demographics.
Effect of Using Mobile Phones on Driver’s Control Behavior Based on Naturalistic Driving Data
Authors: Zhang Lanfang , Cui Boyu , Yang Minhao , Guo Feng , Wang Junhua
Published: April 2019

Distracted driving behaviors are closely related to crash risk, with the use of mobile phones during driving being one of the leading causes of accidents. This paper attempts to investigate the impact of cell phone use while driving on drivers’ control behaviors. Given the limitation of driving simulators in an unnatural setting, a sample of 134 cases related to cell phone use during driving were extracted from Shanghai naturalistic driving study data, which provided massive unobtrusive data to observe actual driving process. The process of using mobile phones was categorized into five operations, including dialing, answering, talking and listening, hanging up, and viewing information. Based on the concept of moving time window, the variation of the intensity of control activity, the sensitivity of control operation, and the stability of control state in each operation were analyzed. The empirical results show strong correlation between distracted operations and driving control behavior. The findings contribute to a better understanding of drivers’ natural behavior changes with using mobiles, and can provide useful information for transport safety management.
An Improved Ecological Services Valuation Model in Land Use Project
Authors: Li Zhichao , Shao Tianqu
Published: April 2019

Natural ecosystems benefit human lives via providing fundamental life-support services and goods upon which human civilization depends. However, as nature provides those for free, many people believe that they are of little or no value and they exploit the land greedily and unreasonably, which makes serious ecological degradation. Concerning this issue, we present the ecological services valuation model (ESVM) to measure the cost of environmental degradation of land use cost, which is an evaluation model of environmental degradation cost. Environmental degradation cost refer to the cost of deterioration or compromise of natural environment through natural processes or human activities, which consists of opportunity cost and environmental damage cost. Land area is an important variable in the ESVM. Based on Osmotic system, we put forward the effective land area, which combines the scale factor and the impact of external environment. What is more, the Cobb–Douglas production function is modified to establish the model. Finally, we propose the calculation formula of the economic cost of land use projects. Analysis of effectiveness and sensitivity prove that ESVM was a relatively stable model.
Quantifying Efficiency of Sliding-Window Based Aggregation Technique by Using Predictive Modeling on Landform Attributes Derived from DEM and NDVI
Authors: Gomes Rahul , Denton Anne , Franzen David
Published: April 2019

Topographic features impact biomass and other agriculturally relevant observables. However, conventional tools for processing digital elevation model (DEM) data in geographic information systems have severe limitations. Typically, 3-by-3 window sizes are used for evaluating the slope, aspect and curvature. As a consequence, high resolution DEMs have to be resampled to match the size of typical topographic features, resulting in low accuracy and limiting the predictive ability of any model using such features. In this paper, we examined the usefulness of DEM-derived topographic features within Random Forest models that predict biomass. Our model utilized the derived topographic features and achieved 95.31% accuracy in predicting Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) compared to a 51.89% accuracy obtained for window size 3-by-3 in the traditional resampling model. The efficacy of partial dependency plots (PDP) in terms of interpretability was also assessed.
Improvement of Spatial Autocorrelation, Kernel Estimation, and Modeling Methods by Spatial Standardization on Distance
Authors: Souris Marc , Demoraes Florent
Published: April 2019

In a point set in dimension superior to 1, the statistical distribution of the number of pairs of points as a function of distance between the points of the pair is not uniform. This distribution is not considered in a large number of classic methods based on spatially weighted means used in spatial analysis, such as spatial autocorrelation indices, kernel interpolation methods, or spatial modeling methods (autoregressive, or geographically weighted). It has a direct impact on the calculations and the results of indices and estimations, and by not taking into account this distribution of the distances, spatial analysis calculations can be biased. In this article, we introduce a “spatial standardization”, which corrects and adjusts the calculations with respect to the distribution of point pairs distances. As an example, we apply this correction to the calculation of spatial autocorrelation indices (Moran and Geary indices) and to trend surface calculation (by spatial kernel interpolation) on the results of the 2017 French presidential election.
Inhaled Cisplatin for NSCLC: Facts and Results
Authors: Kosmidis Christoforos , Sapalidis Konstantinos , Zarogoulidis Paul , Sardeli Chrysanthi , Koulouris Charilaos , Giannakidis Dimitrios , Pavlidis Efstathios , Katsaounis Athanasios , Michalopoulos Nikolaos , Mantalobas Stylianos , Koimtzis Georgios , Alexandrou Vyron , Tsiouda Theodora , Amaniti Aikaterini , Kesisoglou Issak
Published: April 2019

Although we have new diagnostic tools for non-small cell lung cancer, diagnosis is still made in advanced stages of the disease. However, novel treatments are being introduced in the market and new ones are being developed. Targeted therapies and immunotherapy have brought about a bloom in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. Still we have to find ways to administer drugs in a more efficient and safe method. In the current review, we will focus on the administration of inhaled cisplatin based on published data.
Targeting Brain Disease in MPSII: Preclinical Evaluation of IDS-Loaded PLGA Nanoparticles
Authors: Rigon Laura , Salvalaio Marika , Pederzoli Francesca , Legnini Elisa , Duskey Jason Thomas , D’Avanzo Francesca , De Filippis Concetta , Ruozi Barbara , Marin Oriano , Vandelli Maria Angela , Ottonelli Ilaria , Scarpa Maurizio , Tosi Giovanni , Tomanin Rosella
Published: April 2019

Mucopolysaccharidosis type II (MPSII) is a lysosomal storage disorder due to the deficit of the enzyme iduronate 2-sulfatase (IDS), which leads to the accumulation of glycosaminoglycans in most organ-systems, including the brain, and resulting in neurological involvement in about two-thirds of the patients. The main treatment is represented by a weekly infusion of the functional enzyme, which cannot cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the central nervous system. In this study, a tailored nanomedicine approach based on brain-targeted polymeric nanoparticles (g7-NPs), loaded with the therapeutic enzyme, was exploited. Fibroblasts from MPSII patients were treated for 7 days with NPs loaded with the IDS enzyme; an induced IDS activity like the one detected in healthy cells was measured, together with a reduction of GAG content to non-pathological levels. An in vivo short-term study in MPSII mice was performed by weekly administration of g7-NPs-IDS. Biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical evaluations of liver and brain were performed. The 6-weeks treatment produced a significant reduction of GAG deposits in liver and brain tissues, as well as a reduction of some neurological and inflammatory markers (i.e., LAMP2, CD68, GFAP), highlighting a general improvement of the brain pathology. The g7-NPs-IDS approach allowed a brain-targeted enzyme replacement therapy. Based on these positive results, the future aim will be to optimize NP formulation further to gain a higher efficacy of the proposed approach.
The Impact of Caloric Restriction on the Epigenetic Signatures of Aging
Authors: Gensous Noémie , Franceschi Claudio , Santoro Aurelia , Milazzo Maddalena , Garagnani Paolo , Bacalini Maria Giulia
Published: April 2019

Aging is characterized by an extensive remodeling of epigenetic patterns, which has been implicated in the physiopathology of age-related diseases. Nutrition plays a significant role in modulating the epigenome, and a growing amount of data indicate that dietary changes can modify the epigenetic marks associated with aging. In this review, we will assess the current advances in the relationship between caloric restriction, a proven anti-aging intervention, and epigenetic signatures of aging. We will specifically discuss the impact of caloric restriction on epigenetic regulation and how some of the favorable effects of caloric restriction on lifespan and healthspan could be mediated by epigenetic modifications.
Alpha-Synuclein RNA Expression is Increased in Major Depression
Authors: Rotter Andrea , Lenz Bernd , Pitsch Ruben , Richter-Schmidinger Tanja , Kornhuber Johannes , Rhein Cosima
Published: April 2019

Alpha-synuclein (SNCA) is a small membrane protein that plays an important role in neuro-psychiatric diseases. It is best known for its abnormal subcellular aggregation in Lewy bodies that serves as a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). Due to the high comorbidity of PD with depression, we investigated the role of SNCA in patients suffering from major depressive disorder (MDD). SNCA mRNA expression levels were analyzed in peripheral blood cells of MDD patients and a healthy control group. SNCA mRNA expression was positively correlated with severity of depression as indicated by psychometric assessment. We found a significant increase in SNCA mRNA expression levels in severely depressed patients compared with controls. Thus, SNCA analysis could be a helpful target in the search for biomarkers of MDD.
Extracellular l-arginine Enhances Relaxations Induced by Opening of Calcium-Activated SKCa Channels in Porcine Retinal Arteriole
Authors: Simonsen Ulf , Winther Anna K. , Oliván-Viguera Aida , Comerma-Steffensen Simon , Köhler Ralf , Bek Toke
Published: April 2019

We investigated whether the substrate for nitric oxide (NO) production, extracellular l-arginine, contributes to relaxations induced by activating small (SKCa) conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channels. In endothelial cells, acetylcholine increased 3H-l-arginine uptake, while blocking the SKCa and the intermediate (IKCa) conductance Ca2+-activated potassium channels reduced l-arginine uptake. A blocker of the y+ transporter system, l-lysine also blocked 3H-l-arginine uptake. Immunostaining showed co-localization of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS), SKCa3, and the cationic amino acid transporter (CAT-1) protein of the y+ transporter system in the endothelium. An opener of SKCa channels, cyclohexyl-[2-(3,5-dimethyl-pyrazol-1-yl)-6-methyl-pyrimidin-4-yl]-amine (CyPPA) induced large currents in endothelial cells, and concentration-dependently relaxed porcine retinal arterioles. In the presence of l-arginine, concentration-response curves for CyPPA were leftward shifted, an effect unaltered in the presence of low sodium, but blocked by l-lysine in the retinal arterioles. Our findings suggest that SKCa channel activity regulates l-arginine uptake through the y+ transporter system, and we propose that in vasculature affected by endothelial dysfunction, l-arginine administration requires the targeting of additional mechanisms such as SKCa channels to restore endothelium-dependent vasodilatation.
Exploiting Gene Expression Profiles for the Automated Prediction of Connectivity between Brain Regions
Authors: Roberti Ilaria , Lovino Marta , Di Cataldo Santa , Ficarra Elisa , Urgese Gianvito
Published: April 2019

The brain comprises a complex system of neurons interconnected by an intricate network of anatomical links. While recent studies demonstrated the correlation between anatomical connectivity patterns and gene expression of neurons, using transcriptomic information to automatically predict such patterns is still an open challenge. In this work, we present a completely data-driven approach relying on machine learning (i.e., neural networks) to learn the anatomical connection directly from a training set of gene expression data. To do so, we combined gene expression and connectivity data from the Allen Mouse Brain Atlas to generate thousands of gene expression profile pairs from different brain regions. To each pair, we assigned a label describing the physical connection between the corresponding brain regions. Then, we exploited these data to train neural networks, designed to predict brain area connectivity. We assessed our solution on two prediction problems (with three and two connectivity class categories) involving cortical and cerebellum regions. As demonstrated by our results, we distinguish between connected and unconnected regions with 85% prediction accuracy and good balance of precision and recall. In our future work we may extend the analysis to more complex brain structures and consider RNA-Seq data as additional input to our model.
Molecular Aspects of Drug-Induced Gingival Overgrowth: An In Vitro Study on Amlodipine and Gingival Fibroblasts
Authors: Lauritano Dorina , Lucchese Alberta , Di Stasio Dario , Della Vella Fedora , Cura Francesca , Palmieri Annalisa , Carinci Francesco
Published: April 2019

Gingival overgrowth is a serious side effect that accompanies the use of amlodipine. Several conflicting theories have been proposed to explain the fibroblast’s function in gingival overgrowth. To determine whether amlodipine alters the fibrotic response, we investigated its effects on treated gingival fibroblast gene expression as compared with untreated cells. Materials and Methods: Fibroblasts from ATCC® Cell Lines were incubated with amlodipine. The gene expression levels of 12 genes belonging to the “Extracellular Matrix and Adhesion Molecules” pathway was investigated in treated fibroblasts cell culture, as compared with untreated cells, by real time PCR. Results: Most of the significant genes were up-regulated. (CTNND2, COL4A1, ITGA2, ITGA7, MMP10, MMP11, MMP12, MMP26) except for COL7A1, LAMB1, MMP8, and MMP16, which were down-regulated. Conclusion: These results seem to demonstrate that amlodipine has an effect on the extracellular matrix of gingival fibroblast. In the future, it would be interesting to understand the possible effect of the drug on fibroblasts of patients with amlodipine-induced gingival hyperplasia.
Elevated AA/EPA Ratio Represents an Inflammatory Biomarker in Tumor Tissue of Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients
Authors: Tutino Valeria , De Nunzio Valentina , Caruso Maria Gabriella , Veronese Nicola , Lorusso Dionigi , Di Masi Marta , Benedetto Maria Lucrezia , Notarnicola Maria
Published: April 2019

Chronic inflammation increases the risk of developing certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer (CRC). The oxidative metabolism of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) has a strong effect on colonic tumorigenesis and the levels of arachidonic acid (AA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) can contribute to the development of an inflammatory microenvironment. Aim of this study was to evaluate the possible differences in the AA/EPA ratio tissue levels between CRC patients with and without synchronous metastases. Moreover, the expression of the most important inflammatory enzymes and mediators, linked with the AA/EPA ratio, have been also assessed. Sixty-eight patients with CRC were enrolled in the study, of which 33 patients with synchronous metastasis. Fatty acid profile analysis in tissue samples was done to examine the levels of AA and EPA. High levels of the AA/EPA ratio were detected in tumor tissue of patients with metastatic CRC. Moreover, an increase of expression of the main enzymes and mediators involved in inflammation was also detected in the same samples. The lipidomic approach of inflammation allows to evaluate lipid homeostasis changes that occur in cancer and in its metastatic process, in order to identify new biomarkers to be introduced into clinical practice.
Analgesic Effect of Low Dose Nefopam Hydrochloride after Arthroscopic Rotator Cuff Repair: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Koh Hyun Jung , Joo Jin , Kim Yang-Soo , Lee Yu Jung , Yoo Woojoo , Lee Min Soo , Park Hue Jung
Published: April 2019

Arthroscopic rotator cuff repair causes acute postoperative hyperalgesia. Multimodal analgesia is preferable to opioid-based intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (IV-PCA) due to postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). We evaluated the effect of nefopam as a postoperative non-opioid analgesic after shoulder surgeries. A total of 180 adult patients were enrolled for arthroscopic rotator cuff repair. They were randomly assigned to nefopam (N) or control (C) groups and each group was reclassified according to the interscalene block (B) into NB, CB and NX, CX. Nefopam was applied at a constant dose intravenously during recovery. Pain scores were measured with a Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) before (T0), immediately after (T1), 30 min (T2) and 12 h (T3), 24 h (T4) and 48 h (T5) after surgery. There was no significant difference in demographic data. The overall VAS scores did not differ with regard to nefopam use, except for the NB group at T4 in intention to treat (ITT) analysis (p < 0.05). PONV occurred more frequently in the N group than in the C group (p < 0.05). Neither individual nor all risk factors were associated with PONV occurrence (p > 0.10). In conclusion, nefopam alone did not show a definite decrease in postoperative pain. It instead increased PONV regardless of risk factors.