bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Virtualiosios realybės terapija rankų funkcijai po insulto. Sisteminė straipsnių apžvalga
Authors: Gill Gurkeerat , Dudonienė Vilma
Published: February 2020

Pagrindimas. Po insulto dauguma žmonių kenčia nuo rankų funkcinių sutrikimų. Pastaraisiais metais nustatyta, kad virtualioji realybė teigiamai veikia insultą patyrusių žmonių funkcinius rodiklius. Virtualiosios realybės terapijos veiksmingumas turi būti patvirtintas mokslu grįstais Tikslas – išanalizuoti virtualiosios realybės terapijos veiksmingumą ligonių,  patyrusių galvos smegenų insultą, rankų Dizainas. Sisteminė literatūros Metodai. Duomenys surinkti iš duomenų bazių, straipsniai publikuoti tarp 2010 ir 2018 metų. Ieškoma su šiais raktažodžiais: insultas, insulto reabilitacija, virtualioji realybė, virtualiosios realybės terapija, rankos. Atidžiai patikrinus straipsnius, atitinkančius vertinimo kriterijus, jie buvo įtraukti ir išanalizuoti. Nagrinėta 14 straipsnių, kuriuose analizuojama 416 insultą patyrusių ligonių rankos Tyrimų rezultatai. Virtualioji realybė buvo puikus gydymo būdas. Visi metodai, taikomi virtualiosios realybės terapijos metu, pagerino ligonių, sergančių išeminiu ir hemoraginiu insultu, rankų Išvados. Visais atvejais virtualioji realybė nustatyta kaip labai veiksminga ir naudinga priemonė insultą patyrusiems ligoniams.Raktažodžiai: insultas, virtualioji realybė, reabilitacija po insulto, ranka.
A/J pelių linijoje esanti 10 chromosoma neveikia C57BL/J pelių raumenų savybių. Pelių modelis žmonių metabolizmo ir senėjimo tyrimuose
Authors: Lapinskas Edgaras , Ratkevičius Aivaras
Published: February 2020

Tyrimo pagrindimas. Raumenų masė yra vienas iš esminių rodiklių, kurie paveikia atsigavimą po sunkios ligos ar traumos. Maža raumenų masė susijusi su didesne ligonių, sergančių vainikinių arterijų ligomis, mirštamumo rizika (Nichols et al., 2019. Sarkopenijos paplitimas tarp senyvo amžiaus žmonių apima nuo 7 iki 50% populiacijos (Bijlsma et al., 2013). Dėl savo filogenetinio panašumo pelės ilgą laiką tarnavo kaip žmogaus biologijos modeliai, įskaitant genetinių raumenų masę lemiančius veiksnius (Morse, 2007). Mūsų tikslas buvo ištirti, ar A/J pelių linijos 10 chromosomoje esantys genų variantai veikia C57BL/6J pelių linijos raumenų Metodai. Ištyrėme C57BL / 6J (B6, n = 11) ir C57BL/6J-Chr10A/J/NaJ (B6.A10, n = 10) pelių linijas. B6.A10 linija turi B6 linijos genetinį foną, tačiau skiriasi 10 chromosoma, kuri yra iš A/J linijos, vietoj 10 chromosomos – iš B6 linijos. Buvo įvertinta kūno masė, plekšninio raumens masė ir morfometrinės savybės, blauzdikaulio Rezultatai. Plekšninio raumens masė nesiskyrė tarp B6 ir B6.A10 linijų (9.3 ± 0.7 mg ir 9.8 ± 0.4 mg atitinkamai, p > 0.05). Taip pat nenustatėme skirtumo tarp raumeninių skaidulų kiekio (860 ± 148 ir 913 ± 136, atitinkamai B6 ir B6.A10 linijų, p > 0.05). B6 ir B6.A10 pelės turėjo vienodą raumeninių skaidulų skerspjūvio plotą: I tipo skaidulų (1616 µm² ± 303 ir 1752µm² ± 136, B6 ir B6.A10 linijos atitinkamai, p > 0.05) ir II tipo skaidulų (1689 µm² ± 291 ir 1734µm² ± 179, B6 ir B6.A10 linijos atitinkamai, p > Išvada. 10 chromosoma, esanti B6.A10 pelių linijoje neturi jokių genų, kurie gali paveikti B6 linijos pelių raumenų savybes.Raktažodžiai: raumenų masė, skerspjūvio plotas, raumeninės skaidulos.
Ecogeographical Problems of Air Pollution in the Big Cities of Azerbaijan
Authors: Mammadova Sh.
Published: February 2020

In connection with the development of urbanization, the protection of cities and the environment, issues of restoring the ecological balance become an urgent issue. The scale and intensity of product development in Azerbaijan enhance the anthropogenic impact on the nature of the regions. Such an effect is manifested in the pollution of soils with industrial, household waste, chemical fertilizers, the burning of hydrocarbons, the emission of harmful substances in the water and vehicles into the environment. Like in the whole world and in Azerbaijan, such negative processes are no exception. In this regard, the environmental problems of cities and urban agglomerations around the world are in the focus of attention of specialists and scientists. The presented article considers environmental and geographic problems that arose as a result of air emissions in 8 cities of Azerbaijan. The historical properties of studying atmospheric pollution in cities are analyzed, ecogeographic methods for studying atmospheric pollution of cities are identified, environmental pollutants of large cities and the ecogeographic properties of their influence are considered. The ecological properties of the geographical condition, meteorological climatic conditions in air pollution, aerospace research in the study of atmospheric pollution in large cities and the effect of pollution on the health of the population of large cities are studied. The transport system of cities, their geography, and the effect of emissions of harmful, poisonous substances into the atmosphere by vehicles on public health were also noted. Based on the methods for predicting atmospheric air pollution in large cities and the non-linear regression technique, a mathematical model of ecogeographic forecasting of air pollution is applied. Comprehensive indicators and the level of air pollution in unfavorable conditions for urban agglomerations are determined.
Results of the Controlled Clinical Test of Intraoperative Blood Reinfusion Hardware, Assembled From the Abdominal Cavity in Conditions of Slow and Fast Modes
Authors: Abdurakhmanov Sh. , Chyngysheva Zh. , Musaliev B. , Tilekov E.
Published: February 2020

Conducting parallel clinical and experimental control on the basis of controlled clinical trials was necessitated by, on the whole, a more thorough assessment of the effectiveness of intraoperative blood reinfusion hardware with the establishment of the possibility of ‘transfer’ of experimental data on modeling cavity blood loss to a clinical platform. Objective: a comparative description of the results of the following studies performed in the context of controlled clinical trials: 1) experimental control — a study of blood collected from the pleural and abdominal cavities before and after intraoperative blood reinfusion hardware under simulation conditions in animal injuries of the abdomen and chest with the formation, respectively, of hemothorax and hemoperitoneum; 2) clinical control — a study of blood collected from the abdominal and thoracic cavities before and after intraoperative blood reinfusion hardware in patients with injuries and injuries of the chest and abdomen with the corresponding formation of hemothorax and hemoperitoneum.
From Primary Orality to Secondary Orality
Authors: Tsaku Hussaini U.
Published: February 2020

There are two sides to the phenomenon of globalization: the positive and the negative. On the negative side, it is apparent that indigenous cultures and performances are being dangerously diluted and annihilated due to the unprecedented proliferation of globalized values and norms. On the positive however, globalization has opened up many cultures to the world by removing physical distances and space, creating a phenomenon of cultural syncretism evident in information and communication technologies. In this paper, the researcher tries to examine the possibility of internationalizing Nyum Onzho and some aspects of the theatre in order to promote, showcase and project its theatricality across the world through the instrumentality of the variables of globalization such as the television, video-film format and internet sources.Among the Eggon, a story is called Onzho and the art of the storytelling itself is called Nyum Onzho. Hence, Nyum Onzho is the art of storytelling. The aim of this performance is to produce an individual who is transparent, honest, respectful, skilful, and cooperative and one who could conform to the social order of the society. This art of storytelling is central to the life of every Eggon person. It is largely secular and the most eclectic and dynamic in form and content.This paper also explores the proposition for a paradigm shift from primary orality to secondary orality. That is, from its original face-to-face format into the digital format.It also examines how Nyum Onzho performance and the indices of globalisation could be adapted to each other and harnessed in the service of development objectives of the Eggon people. This paper concludes that, despite the challenges, losses and treat inherent in globalization, there are also significant gains,opportunities and benefits the advent of globalization has offered. It therefore becomes imperative for the Eggon people to key into these numerous benefits and opportunities globalization has provided to internationalize, promote and showcase their culture and cultural performance to the global community.
The Neanderthal Musical Instrument from Divje Babe I Cave (Slovenia): A Critical Review of the Discussion
Authors: Turk Matija , Turk Ivan , Otte Marcel
Published: February 2020

The paper is a critical review of different evidence for the interpretation of an extremely important archaeological find, which is marked by some doubt. The unique find, a multiple perforated cave bear femur diaphysis, from the Divje babe I cave (Slovenia), divided the opinions of experts, between those who advocate the explanation that the find is a musical instrument made by a Neanderthal, and those who deny it. Ever since the discovery, a debate has been running on the basis of this division, which could only be closed by similar new finds with comparable context, and defined relative and absolute chronology.
Performance Analysis of Amplitude Comparison Monopulse Direction-of-Arrival Estimation
Authors: An Do-Jin , Lee Joon-Ho
Published: February 2020

Amplitude-comparison monopulse radar in tracking radar uses the tracking scheme of a monopulse radar to estimate the angle components of a target. The performance of the amplitude comparison monopulse radar under measurement uncertainty is analysed. Measurement noises are modelled as Gaussian random variables. Taylor series expansion is adopted to get analytic expression of the mean square error (MSE). Estimation accuracy, in terms of the MSEs for estimate the direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation algorithm, is usually obtained from the Monte Carlo simulation, which can be computationally intensive especially for large number of repetitions in the Monte Carlo simulation. To get reliable MSE in the Monte Carlo simulation, the number of repetitions should be very large, which implies that there is a trade-off between reliability of the MSE and computational burden in the Monte Carlo simulation. This paper shows the performance of amplitude comparison monopulse radar by linear approximation of nonlinear equations to estimate the DOA. The performance of amplitude comparison monopulse radar is quantitatively analysed via the MSEs, and the derived expression is validated by comparing the analytic MSEs with the simulation based MSEs. In addition, it is shown in the numerical results that analytically derived MSE is much less computationally intensive in comparison with the Monte Carlo simulation-based MSE, which implies that the proposed scheme in this paper results in drastic reduction in computational complexity for evaluation of the MSE.
Dust Dry Deposition over Israel
Authors: Kishcha Pavel , Volpov Evgeni , Starobinets Boris , Alpert Pinhas , Nickovic Slobodan
Published: February 2020

Similar quasiperiodic year-to-year variations of dust dry deposition (DDD) with a two–three-year period were found over Israel and north-east Africa. This phenomenon of quasiperiodic interannual variations of DDD has not been discussed in previous publications. Moreover, similar seasonal variations of DDD were found over both Israel and north-east Africa, characterized by significant dust deposition in spring and a decrease in DDD from spring to autumn. These findings indicate the existence of the same causal factors for interannual and seasonal variations of DDD over the two regions, such as similar surface winds created by Mediterranean cyclones. Daily runs of the Dust REgional Atmospheric Model (DREAM) at Tel Aviv University from 2006 to 2019 were used to investigate the main features of the spatio-temporal distribution of dust dry deposition in the eastern Mediterranean, with a focus on Israel. DREAM showed that, on average, during the 14-year study period, in the winter, spring, and summer months, the spatial distribution of monthly-accumulated DDD over Israel was non-uniform with the maximum of DDD over southern Israel. In the autumn months, DREAM showed an increase in DDD over northern Israel, resulting in an almost uniform DDD pattern. The knowledge of DDD spatio-temporal distribution is helpful for understanding the negative effects of DDD on the performance of solar panels and on insulator flashover in the Israel power electric network.
A Systematic Review of Human Neuroimaging Evidence of Memory-Related Functional Alterations Associated with Cannabis Use Complemented with Preclinical and Human Evidence of Memory Performance Alterations
Authors: Blest-Hopley Grace , Giampietro Vincent , Bhattacharyya Sagnik
Published: February 2020

Cannabis has been associated with deficits in memory performance. However, the neural correlates that may underpin impairments remain unclear. We carried out a systematic review of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies investigating brain functional alterations in cannabis users (CU) compared to nonusing controls while performing memory tasks, complemented with focused narrative reviews of relevant preclinical and human studies. Twelve studies employing fMRI were identified finding functional brain activation during memory tasks altered in CU. Memory performance studies showed CU performed worse particularly during verbal memory tasks. Longitudinal studies suggest that cannabis use may have a causal role in memory deficits. Preclinical studies have not provided conclusive evidence of memory deficits following cannabinoid exposure, although they have shown evidence of cannabinoid-induced structural and histological alteration. Memory performance deficits may be related to cannabis use, with lower performance possibly underpinned by altered functional activation. Memory impairments may be associated with the level of cannabis exposure and use of cannabis during developmentally sensitive periods, with possible improvement following cessation of cannabis use.
The Use of Edible Films Based on Sodium Alginate in Meat Product Packaging: An Eco-Friendly Alternative to Conventional Plastic Materials
Authors: Gheorghita (Puscaselu) Roxana , Gutt Gheorghe , Amariei Sonia
Published: February 2020

The amount of plastics used globally today exceeds a million tonnes annually, with an alarming annual growth. The final result is that plastic packaging is thrown into the environment, and the problem of waste is increasing every year. A real alternative is the use bio-based polymer packaging materials. Research carried out in the laboratory context and products tested at the industrial level have confirmed the success of replacing plastic-based packaging with new, edible or completely biodegradable foils. Of the polysaccharides used to obtain edible materials, sodium alginate has the ability to form films with certain specific properties: resistance, gloss, flexibility, water solubility, low permeability to O2 and vapors, and tasteless or odorless. Initially used as coatings for perishable or cut fresh fruits and vegetables, these sodium alginate materials can be applied to a wide range of foods, especially in the meat industry. Used to cover meat products, sodium alginate films prevent mass loss and degradation of color and texture. The addition of essential oils prevents microbial contamination with Escherichia coli, Salmonella enterica, Listeria monocytogenes, or Botrytis cinerea. The obtained results promote the substitution of plastic packaging with natural materials based on biopolymers and, implicitly, of sodium alginate, with or without other natural additions. These natural materials have become the packaging of the future.
The Microstructure and Selected Mechanical Properties of Al2O3 + 13 wt % TiO2 Plasma Sprayed Coatings
Authors: Michalak Monika , Łatka Leszek , Sokołowski Paweł , Niemiec Aneta , Ambroziak Andrzej
Published: February 2020

The Al2O3 + TiO2 coatings are of the interest of surface technology and tribology due to their good wear resistance and enhanced toughness comparing to pure Al2O3 coatings. However, the detailed effect of the used feedstock powder, is often neglected. Here, this work focuses on the deposition of Al2O3 + 13 wt % TiO2 coatings by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) method as well as on their microstructure, phase composition and selected mechanical properties, in the reference to the route of the powder feedstock preparation. The commercial powder Metco 6221 in agglomerated and sintered form was used as a feedstock material during spraying, due to the fact that, so far, sintered or cladded powders are the most studied ones. The 2k + 1 spray experiment allowed to evaluate the influence of two variables, namely spray distance and torch linear velocity, on the coating microstructure. Afterwards, the coating adhesion was measured by the means of pull-off test. The correlations between Vickers microhardness, fracture toughness (Kc) as well as the coating morphology and phase composition were investigated. Finally, the dry sliding wear resistance was studied by using Ball-on-Disc method.
Non-Traditional and Non-Invasive Approaches in Facial Rejuvenation: A Brief Review
Authors: M. Smith Abigail , Ferris Taylor , K. Nahar Vinayak , Sharma Manoj
Published: February 2020

While injectables, lasers, and surgical interventions have traditionally been used to reverse the changes associated with facial aging, other alternative therapies such as facial acupuncture and facial exercises are now being studied for facial rejuvenation. In this paper, we both summarize the concepts of facial acupuncture and facial exercises, and review seven studies that evaluate the efficacy of these modalities. Data from these studies suggest that both facial acupuncture and facial exercises have the potential to improve the skin laxity, wrinkle length, muscle thickness, and pigmentary changes associated with aging. Patients frequently reported improvement and experienced very few side effects. However, further research is necessary before these modalities are widely accepted as effective by the medical community, though the results of these studies may ultimately make providers less hesitant when patients seek out these services.
Multivariate Analysis of Olfactory Profiles for 140 Perfumes as a Basis to Derive a Sensory Wheel for the Classification of Feminine Fragrances
Authors: Zarzo Manuel
Published: February 2020

In order to guide consumers in their purchase of a new fragrance, one approach is to visualize the spectrum of men’s or women’s fragrances on a two-dimensional plot. One of such sensory maps available is the Hexagon of Fragrance Families. It displays 91 women’s perfumes inside a polygon, so that each side accounts for a different olfactory class. In order to discuss this chart, odor profiles were obtained for these fragrances and additional feminine ones (140 in total, launched from 1912 to 1990). An olfactory dataset was arranged by coding numerically the descriptions obtained from Fragrantica and Osmoz websites, as well as from a perfume guide. By applying principal component analysis, a sensory map was obtained that properly reflected the similarities between odor descriptors. Such representation was equivalent to the map of feminine fragrances called Givaudan Analogies, comprised of five major categories. Based on the results, a modified version of the Hexagon based on 14 categories was proposed. The first principal component explained preference for daytime versus nighttime wear, and regression models were fitted in order to estimate such preferences according to the odor profiles. The second component basically discriminated floral versus chypre (mossy–woody) fragrances. Results provide a fundamental basis to develop standard sensory maps of women’s fragrances.
Numerical Analysis of Optical Absorption Effect in Nonhalogen Solution-Processed, Inverted Small Molecule Solar Cell
Authors: Lin Ming-Yi , Lee Chun-Yu
Published: February 2020

Inverted solution-processed SMPV1:PC71BM small molecule organic photovoltaic solar cells (SM-OPVs) were fabricated. The power conversion efficiency (PCE) of halogen-free SM-OPVs reached around 5.07%. The absorption spectra at different device thicknesses were simulated by software Fluxim SETFOS 5.0, and compared with the experimental results. To further enhance the performance of halogen-free SM-OPVs, the interface between the active layer and the electrode of the optimized device was treated with the solvent vapor annealing (SVA) process, improving the PCE of the inverted halogen-free SM-OPV to 7.21%.
Effects of Pulsed Magnetic Fields of Different Intensities on Dislocation Density, Residual Stress, and Hardness of Cr4Mo4V Steel
Authors: Hou Mingdong , Li Kejian , Li Xiaogang , Zhang Xu , Rui Shaoshi , Wu Yao , Cai Zhipeng
Published: February 2020

To study the effects of pulsed magnetic fields of different intensities on the dislocation density, residual stress, and hardness of Cr4Mo4V steel, magnetic treatment is conducted at 0, 1.0, 1.3, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5 T. The dislocation density and residual stress are measured using Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray technique, respectively. The results reveal the dislocation density and compressive residual stress decrease at lower magnetic fields such as 1.0 T and 1.3 T, while they increase at higher magnetic fields such as 2.0 T and 2.5 T. The average value of kernel averaged misorientation (KAM) and compressive residual stress decrease about 10.4% and 15.8%, respectively, at 1.0 T, while they increase about 5.88% and 18.2%, respectively, at 2.5 T. The average value of hardness decreases about 3.5% at 1.0 T, from 817 HV to 787 HV. With the increments of intensities, the hardness of the treated samples increases. The hardness essentially remains unchanged at 2.0 T and 2.5 T. The reason for the dislocation motion under the action of pulsed magnetic fields is discussed.
Allometric Scaling of Mutual Information in Complex Networks: A Conceptual Framework and Empirical Approach
Authors: Viegas Eduardo , Goto Hayato , Kobayashi Yuh , Takayasu Misako , Takayasu Hideki , Jensen Henrik Jeldtoft
Published: February 2020

Complexity and information theory are two very valuable but distinct fields of research, yet sharing the same roots. Here, we develop a complexity framework inspired by the allometric scaling laws of living biological systems in order to evaluate the structural features of networks. This is done by aligning the fundamental building blocks of information theory (entropy and mutual information) with the core concepts in network science such as the preferential attachment and degree correlations. In doing so, we are able to articulate the meaning and significance of mutual information as a comparative analysis tool for network activity. When adapting and applying the framework to the specific context of the business ecosystem of Japanese firms, we are able to highlight the key structural differences and efficiency levels of the economic activities within each prefecture in Japan. Moreover, we propose a method to quantify the distance of an economic system to its efficient free market configuration by distinguishing and quantifying two particular types of mutual information, total and structural.
Cyanobacteria: Review of Current Potentials and Applications
Authors: Zahra Zahra , Choo Da Hyun , Lee Heayyean , Parveen Amna
Published: February 2020

Continual increases in the human population and growing concerns related to the energy crisis, food security, disease outbreaks, global warming, and other environmental issues require a sustainable solution from nature. One of the promising resources is cyanobacteria, also known as blue-green algae. They require simple ingredients to grow and possess a relatively simple genome. Cyanobacteria are known to produce a wide variety of bioactive compounds. In addition, cyanobacteria’s remarkable growth rate enables its potential use in a wide range of applications in the fields of bioenergy, biotechnology, natural products, medicine, agriculture, and the environment. In this review, we have summarized the potential applications of cyanobacteria in different areas of science and development, especially related to their use in producing biofuels and other valuable co-products. We have also discussed the challenges that hinder such development at an industrial level and ways to overcome such obstacles.
The Chloroplast Genome of Carya illinoinensis: Genome Structure, Adaptive Evolution, and Phylogenetic Analysis
Authors: Mo Zhenghai , Lou Wenrui , Chen Yaqi , Jia Xiaodong , Zhai Min , Guo Zhongren , Xuan Jiping
Published: February 2020

Research Highlights: For the first time, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of Carya illinoinensis cv. ‘Pawnee’ was de novo assembled. Comprehensive analysis the cp genome of C. illinoinensis revealed potential cpDNA markers for intraspecies identification, genes involved in adaptation, and its phylogenetic position. Background and Objectives: C. illinoinensis is an economically important nut tree in the family Juglandaceae. Cp-derived markers are helpful for genetic research, but they still need to be developed in C. illinoinensis. Additionally, the adaptation and phylogenetic relationships of C. illinoinensis have not been revealed based on the complete cp genome. Materials and Methods: Chloroplast genomic DNA of C. illinoinensis cv. ‘Pawnee’ was extracted and subjected to Illumina sequencing. Results: The cp genome is 160,819 bp in size, exhibiting a typical quadripartite structure with a large single copy (LSC) of 90,022 bp, a small single copy (SSC) of 18,791 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRA and IRB) regions of 26,003 bp each. The genome was predicted to encode 112 unique genes, including 79 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNAs, and four rRNAs, with 19 duplicates in the IR regions. In total, 213 SSRs and 44 long repeats were identified in the cp genome. A comparison of two different C. illinoinensis genotypes, ‘Pawnee’ and 87MX3-2.11, obtained 143 SNPs and 74 indels. The highly variable regions such as atpF, clpP, and ndhA genes, and matK-rps16, trnS-trnG, and trnT-psbD intergenic spacers might be helpful for future intraspecific identification. Positive selection was acting on the ccsA and rps12 cp genes based on the Ka/Ks ratios. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that C. illinoinensis forms a sister clade to Asian Carya species, represented by C. kweichowensis and Annamocarya sinensis. Conclusions: The genome information in our study will have significance for further research on the intraspecies identification and genetic improvement of C. illinoinensis.
Carbon Stock and Sequestration Potential of an Agroforestry System in Sabah, Malaysia
Authors: Besar Normah Awang , Suardi Herawandi , Phua Mui-How , James Daniel , Mokhtar Mazlin Bin , Ahmed Minhaz Farid
Published: February 2020

Total aboveground carbon (TAC) and total soil carbon stock in the agroforestry system at the Balung River Plantation, Sabah, Malaysia were investigated to scientifically support the sustaining of natural forest for mitigating global warming via reducing carbon in the atmosphere. Agroforestry, monoculture, and natural tropical forests were investigated to calculate the carbon stock and sequestration based on three different combinations of oil palm and agarwood in agroforestry systems from 2014 to 2018. These combinations were oil palm (27 years) and agarwood (seven years), oil palm (20 years) and agarwood (seven years), and oil palm (17 years) and agarwood (five years). Monoculture oil palm (16 years), oil palm (six years), and natural tropical forest were set as the control. Three randomly selected plots for agroforestry and monoculture plantation were 0.25 ha (50 × 50 m), respectively, whereas for the natural tropical forest it was 0.09 ha (30 × 30 m). A nondestructive sampling method followed by the allometric equation determined the standing biomass. Organic and shrub layers collected in a square frame (1 × 1 m) were analyzed using the CHN628 series (LECO Corp., MI, USA) for carbon content. Soil bulk density of randomly selected points within the three different layers, that is, 0 to 5, 5 to 10, and 10 to 30 cm were used to determine the total ecosystem carbon (TEC) stock in each agroforestry system which was 79.13, 85.40, and 78.28 Mg C ha−1, respectively. The TEC in the monoculture oil palm was 76.44 and 60.30 Mg C ha−1, whereas natural tropical forest had the highest TEC of 287.29 Mg C ha−1. The forest stand had the highest TEC capacity as compared with the agroforestry and monoculture systems. The impact of planting systems on the TEC showed a statistically significant difference at a 95% confidence interval for the various carbon pools among the agroforestry, monoculture, and natural tropical forests. Therefore, the forest must be sustained because of its higher capacity to store carbon in mitigating global warming.
Isolation and Selection of Non-Saccharomyces Yeasts Being Capable of Degrading Citric acid and Evaluation Its Effect on Kiwifruit Wine Fermentation
Authors: Zhong Wu , Chen Tuo , Yang Hong , Li Erhu
Published: February 2020

High citric acid content in kiwifruit wine would lead to bad sensory experience and quality deterioration. It is opportune and crucial to develop an appropriate and feasible method to degrade citric acid for kiwifruit wine. The non-Saccharomyces yeasts confirmed to have the ability to degrade citric acid were screened and used in kiwifruit wine fermentation in the study. A representative number of 23 yeasts with a strong citric acid degradation ability was identified by molecular approaches. JT-1-3, identified to be Pichia fermentans, was preferred for high citric acid degradation and strong stress resistance in association with RV002 (commercial Saccharomyces cerevisiae). Then it was pure-cultured in kiwifruit juice, and the results indicated that citric, malic and tartaric acids declined significantly from 12.30, 3.09 and 0.61 g/L to 11.00, 2.02 and 0.41 g/L after fermentation, respectively, resulting in the significant decrease in total acid in kiwifruit wine. The analytical profiles for amino acids and volatile compounds showed that Pichia fermentans JT-1-3 could improve amino acids’ proportion and increase the volatile compounds of alcohols, esters and phenols. This work indicated that JT-1-3 has great potential to be applied for fruit wine with high level citric acid.
Data Exchange in Cluster Structure for Longevity of IoT
Authors: Jeon Soobin
Published: February 2020

In the Internet of Things (IoT), the scope of wireless sensor nodes is extended to things deployed in a pervasive world. For various IoT service applications, things can gather and share their information with each other through self-decision-making. Therefore, we cannot apply the existing information aggregation methods of wireless sensor networks to the IoT environment, which aim to transmit the collected data to only a sink node or a central server. Moreover, since the existing methods involve all the sensor nodes in the process of data exchange, they can cause an increase in the network traffic, delay of data transmission, and amount of energy consumed by things. In this paper, we propose a clustering-property-based data exchange method for efficient energy consumption in IoT networks. First, the proposed method assigns properties to each thing according to the characteristics of the obtained data. Second, it constructs a cluster network considering the location of things and their energy consumption. Finally, the things in a cluster communicate with other things in a different cluster based on their properties. In the experiment, the proposed method exhibits a better performance than the existing method. Owing to the energy-saving effect, we demonstrate that the proposed method results in a more reliable network and improves the longevity of IoT networks.
Inadequacy of Protein Intake in Older UK Adults
Authors: Morris Susan , Cater James D. , Green Mark A. , Johnstone Alexandra M. , Brunstrom Jeffrey M. , Stevenson Emma J. , Williams Elizabeth A. , Corfe Bernard M.
Published: February 2020

The current dietary recommendation for protein intake in the UK is 0.75 g/kg/day, however, this population-wide recommendation does not necessarily reflect altered requirements for older adults to maintain muscle protein synthesis, nor does it encompass the potential impact of intake timing. Optimal muscle protein synthesis in older adults requires both higher intake requirements and a distribution of protein intake above a 25 g threshold, three times across the day. This study aimed to describe the protein intake of older adults in a UK region and compare the results to recommendations. The study re-assessed two existing datasets with rich diet information for older adults in the South Yorkshire area. Data were extracted from food diaries of 256 adults aged between 65 and 89 years old (mean ± SD 72.4 ± 5.3 years). Quantity and timing of intake were coded using Nutritics software and compared to recommendations. The relationship between body mass index (BMI), age, and protein intake was explored. Fewer than 50% of the participants met current UK recommendations (0.75 g/kg/day) and fewer than 15% met the ESPEN 1.2 g/kg/day age-specific recommendation. Only one participant met the 25 g/meal recommendation across three meals. These findings suggest that the older adult population is not achieving recommendations to maintain muscle protein synthesis. Nonetheless it identifies several straightforward opportunities for improvement, notably elevation of morning intake.
The Roles of DNA Methyltransferases 1 (DNMT1) in Regulating Sexual Dimorphism in the Cotton Mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis
Authors: Omar Mohamed A.A. , Li Meizhen , Liu Feiling , He Kang , Qasim Muhammad , Xiao Huamei , Jiang Mingxing , Li Fei
Published: February 2020

The cotton mealybug, Phenacoccus solenopsis, is an invasive pest that can cause massive damage to many host plants of agricultural importance. P. solenopsis is highly polyphagous, and shows extreme sexual dimorphism between males and females. The functions of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) enzymes in the cotton mealybug have not been well studied. Here, we carried out an investigation of DNMTs in cotton mealybug to study their roles in sexual dimorphism. We found that the cotton mealybug has two copies of PsDnmt1, but Dnmt3 is absent. We then amplified the full-length cDNAs of PsDnmt1A (2225 bp) and PsDnmt1B (2862 bp) using rapid amplification cDNA ends (RACE). Quantitative reverse transcriptase PCR shows that both PsDnmt1A and PsDnmt1B are highly expressed in adult males, while the expression of PsDnmt1B is 30-fold higher in gravid females than in virgin females. We knocked down PsDnmt1A and PsDnmt1B with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), and both genes were successfully down-regulated after 24 h or 72 h in adult females and pupa (t-test, p < 0.05). Down-regulating the expression of these two DNMT genes led to offspring lethality and abnormal body color in adult females. Furthermore, the silencing of PsDnmt1B induced abnormal wing development in emerged adult males. Our results provide evidence that PsDnmt1 plays a crucial role in regulating sexual dimorphism in the cotton mealybug.
Robust Classification Method for Underwater Targets Using the Chaotic Features of the Flow Field
Authors: Lin Xinghua , Wu Jianguo , Qin Qing
Published: February 2020

Fish can sense their surrounding environment by their lateral line system (LLS). In order to understand the extent to which information can be derived via LLS and to improve the adaptive ability of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), a novel strategy is presented, which directly uses the information of the flow field to distinguish the object obstacle. The flow fields around different targets are obtained by the numerical method, and the pressure signal on the virtual lateral line is studied based on the chaos theory and fast Fourier transform (FFT). The compounded parametric features, including the chaotic features (CF) and the power spectrum density (PSD), which is named CF-PSD, are used to recognize the kinds of obstacles. During the research of CF, the largest Lyapunov exponent (LLE), saturated correlation dimension (SCD), and Kolmogorov entropy (KE) are taken into account, and PSD features include the number, amplitude, and position of wave crests. A two-step support vector machine (SVM) is built and used to classify the shapes and incidence angles based on the CF-PSD. It is demonstrated that the flow fields around triangular and square targets are chaotic systems, and the new findings indicate that the object obstacle can be recognized directly based on the information of the flow field, and the consideration of a parametric feature extraction method (CF-PSD) results in considerably higher classification success.
Detection of Small Ship Objects Using Anchor Boxes Cluster and Feature Pyramid Network Model for SAR Imagery
Authors: Chen Peng , Li Ying , Zhou Hui , Liu Bingxin , Liu Peng
Published: February 2020

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) has a special ability to detect objects in any climate and weather conditions. Consequently, SAR images are widely used in maritime transportation safety and fishery law enforcement for maritime object detection. Currently, deep-learning models are being extensively used for the detection of objects from images. Among them, the feature pyramid network (FPN) uses pyramids for representing semantic information regardless of the scale and has an improved accuracy of object detection. It is also suitable for the detection of multiple small ship objects in SAR images. This study aims to resolve the problems associated with small-object and multi-object ship detection in complex scenarios e.g., when a ship nears the port, by proposing a detection method based on an optimized FPN model. The feature pyramid model is first embedded in a traditional region proposal network (RPN) and mapped into a new feature space for object identification. Subsequently, the k-means clustering algorithm based on the shape similar distance (SSD) measure is used to optimize the FPN. Initial anchor boxes and tests are created using the SAR ship dataset. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm for object detection shows an accuracy of 98.62%. Compared with Yolo, the RPN based on VGG/ResNet, FPN based on VGG/ResNet, and other models in complex scenarios, the proposed model shows a higher accuracy rate and better overall performance.
Reconstruction of China’s Farmland Rights System Based on the ‘Trifurcation of Land Rights’ Reform
Authors: Li Linlin , Tan Rong , Wu Cifang
Published: February 2020

With the aim of improving farmland use efficiency without damaging the social function of farmland, Chinese policymakers have proposed the ‘trifurcation of land rights’ reform. When it comes to realization of the law, however, neither the Ownership Model nor the Bundle of Sticks Model can adequately explain this reform. The tree concept of property, which provides a new perspective in delineating property rights based on the function served by specific properties, is thus adopted. We find that this tree concept of property helps to better understand and realize the trifurcated rights on farmland in China. Also, a balance between the social and economic functions of farmland can be reached through reconstruction of the property rights involved, a process which comprises three steps: identification of the nature of the newly-established rights; configuration of the rights and duties of relevant entities; and state intervention in the enforcement of relevant rights with the aim of realizing certain social values. Finally, this paper argues that success of this trifurcated structure requires a systematic design of the Chinese Civil Code. In particular, it requests further improvements in legal rules on farmland lease.
Community Detection of Multi-Layer Attributed Networks via Penalized Alternating Factorization
Authors: Liu Jun , Wang Jiangzhou , Liu Binghui
Published: February 2020

Communities are often associated with important structural characteristics of a complex network system, therefore detecting communities is considered to be a fundamental problem in network analysis. With the development of data collection technology and platform, more and more sources of network data are acquired, which makes the form of network as well as the related data more complex. To achieve integrative community detection of a multi-layer attributed network that involves multiple network layers together with their attribute data, effectively utilizing the information from the multiple networks and the attributes may greatly enhance the accuracy of community detection. To this end, in this article, we study the integrative community detection problem of a multi-layer attributed network from the perspective of matrix factorization, and propose a penalized alternative factorization (PAF) algorithm to resolve the corresponding optimization problem, followed by the convergence analysis of the PAF algorithm. Results of the numerical study, as well as an empirical analysis, demonstrate the advantages of the PAF algorithm in community discovery accuracy and compatibility with multiple types of network-related data.
Unicyclic Graphs Whose Completely Regular Endomorphisms form a Monoid
Authors: Gu Rui , Hou Hailong
Published: February 2020

In this paper, completely regular endomorphisms of unicyclic graphs are explored. Let G be a unicyclic graph and let c E n d ( G ) be the set of all completely regular endomorphisms of G. The necessary and sufficient conditions under which c E n d ( G ) forms a monoid are given. It is shown that c E n d ( G ) forms a submonoid of E n d ( G ) if and only if G is an odd cycle or G = G ( n , m ) for some odd n ≥ 3 and integer m ≥ 1 .
Cholecalciferol Inhibits Cell Growth and Induces Apoptosis in the CaSki Cell Line
Authors: Bhoora Sachin , Pather Yuvelia , Marais Sumari , Punchoo Rivak
Published: February 2020

Vitamin D has displayed anti-cancer actions in numerous in vitro studies. Here, we investigated the anti-cancer actions of cholecalciferol, a vitamin D precursor, on a metastatic cervical cancer cell line, namely, CaSki. Experimental cultures were incubated for 72 h and treated with cholecalciferol (10–1000 ng/mL). In the present study, cell count, viability, proliferation and cell cycle were analyzed by a crystal violet assay, trypan blue assay, Ki67 proliferation, and a cell cycle assay, respectively. Biomarkers of apoptosis, necrosis, and autophagic cell death were measured by the Caspase 3/7 and Annexin V/7-AAD Muse™ assays, a LC3-II assay, and a lactate dehydrogenase release assay, respectively. The ultrastructural features of cell death were assessed by transmission electron microscopy. A statistical analysis was performed using a one-way ANOVA and Bonferroni’s post-hoc analysis test, and p < 0.05 is considered statistically significant here. The results identify statistical decreases in cell count and viability at high-dose treatments (100 and 1000 ng/mL). In addition, significant increases in apoptotic biochemical markers and apoptotic ultrastructure are shown to be present at high-dose treatments. In conclusion, high-dose cholecalciferol treatments inhibit cell count and viability, which are both mediated by apoptotic induction in the CaSki cell line.
Fabrication of ZnO@MoS2 Nanocomposite Heterojunction Arrays and Their Photoelectric Properties
Authors: Wu Hui , Jile Huge , Chen Zeqiang , Xu Danyang , Yi Zao , Chen Xifang , Chen Jian , Yao Weitang , Wu Pinghui , Yi Yougen
Published: February 2020

In this paper, ZnO@MoS2 core-shell heterojunction arrays were successfully prepared by the two-step hydrothermal method, and the growth mechanism was systematically studied. We found that the growth process of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) was sensitively dependent on the reaction temperature and time. Through an X-ray diffractometry (XRD) component test, we determined that we prepared a 2H phase MoS2 with a direct bandgap semiconductor of 1.2 eV. Then, the photoelectric properties of the samples were studied on the electrochemical workstation. The results show that the ZnO@MoS2 heterojunction acts as a photoanode, and the photocurrent reaches 2.566 mA under the conditions of 1000 W/m2 sunshine and 0.6 V bias. The i-t curve also illustrates the perfect cycle stability. Under the condition of illumination and external bias, the electrons flow to the conduction band of MoS2 and flow out through the external electrode of MoS2. The holes migrate from the MoS2 to the zinc oxide (ZnO) valence band. It is transferred to the external circuit through the glass with fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) together with the holes on the ZnO valence band. The ZnO@MoS2 nanocomposite heterostructure provides a reference for the development of ultra-high-speed photoelectric switching devices, photodetector(PD) devices, and photoelectrocatalytic technologies.
Fabrication of SnO2 Composite Nanofiber-Based Gas Sensor Using the Electrospinning Method for Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) Detection
Authors: Mehrabi Pouria , Hui Justin , Janfaza Sajjad , O’Brien Allen , Tasnim Nishat , Najjaran Homayoun , Hoorfar Mina
Published: February 2020

This paper presents the development of a metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) sensor for the detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which are of great importance in many applications involving either control of hazardous chemicals or noninvasive diagnosis. In this study, the sensor is fabricated based on tin dioxide (SnO2) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) using electrospinning. The sensitivity of the proposed sensor is further improved by calcination and gold doping. The gold doping of composite nanofibers is achieved using sputtering, and the calcination is performed using a high-temperature oven. The performance of the sensor with different doping thicknesses and different calcination temperatures is investigated to identify the optimum fabrication parameters resulting in high sensitivity. The optimum calcination temperature and duration are found to be 350 °C and 4 h, respectively and the optimum thickness of the gold dopant is found to be 10 nm. The sensor with the optimum fabrication process is then embedded in a microchannel coated with several metallic and polymeric layers. The performance of the sensor is compared with that of a commercial sensor. The comparison is performed for methanol and a mixture of methanol and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) which is the primary psychoactive constituent of cannabis. It is shown that the proposed sensor outperforms the commercial sensor when it is embedded inside the channel.