bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genomic Characterization of the Istrian Shorthaired Hound
Authors: Djurkin Kušec Ivona , Bošković Ivica , Zorc Minja , Gvozdanović Kristina , Škorput Dubravko , Dovč Peter , Kušec Goran
Published: November 2020

Istrian shorthaired hound is an old indigenous Croatian dog breed with historical traces of its origin, which date back to the 14th century. Due to its intelligence and great hunting abilities, it is considered an excellent hunting dog. Despite its ancient origin, there is no data on genetic diversity, population structure, and degree of inbreeding that could be used for advanced management and conservation of this breed. Our study aimed to provide a high-resolution population structure of the Istrian shorthaired hound using a 220K HD SNP array, to compare the obtained data with the genealogical records and to place the breed in a broader context of world dog populations. Relatively high population size and low inbreeding coefficient estimated from genealogical data indicate a preserved genetic diversity in this breed. The principle component analysis, the NeighborNet network, and TreeMix were used to determine the genetic relationship between the Istrian shorthaired hound and other breeds. The Istrian shorthaired hound was found to be genetically related to Italian hunting dogs sharing the same branch with the Segugio Italiano a Pelo Raso and Segugio Italiano a Pelo Forte. The ADMIXTURE analysis indicated that the Istrian shorthaired hound could be involved in the development of some other hunting dog breeds. The estimated effective population size (Ne) based on SNP data was similar to Ne calculated from genealogical data indicating the absence of bottlenecks and well-balanced use of breeding animals. The low genomic inbreeding coefficient, together with the higher number of short runs of homozygosity, observed in the Istrian shorthaired hound, confirms the ancient origin of the breed based on historical documents. The analysis of selective sweeps identified genomic regions with the strongest selection signals in the vicinity of the genes associated with cognitive performance and behavior. Genome analysis proved to be a useful tool for estimating population parameters and can be implemented in the conservation plan for this indigenous breed.
A Systematic Review of the Ornamental Fish Trade with Emphasis on Coral Reef Fishes—An Impossible Task
Authors: Biondo Monica V. , Burki Rainer P.
Published: November 2020

The multi-billion dollar trade in ornamental fishes has rarely been reliably monitored. Almost all coral reef fishes are wild-caught, and few scientific analyses have attempted to elicit exact quantities and identify species involved. The consequences of the removal of millions of these fishes are poorly understood. This article collates and examines available information, including scientific studies and formal publications, in order to create a more accurate picture of this commerce. We demonstrate that it is almost impossible to analyse the trade in marine ornamental fishes due to a lack of data, and that available data for marine species is frequently combined with that for freshwater species. Figures range from 15 to 30 million coral reef fishes being traded annually, but could be as high as 150 million specimens. The global value of this trade was only estimated for 1976 and 1999 between USD 28–40 million. This review highlights the urgent need to introduce a specific harmonised system tariff code and for a global monitoring system, such as the Trade Control and Expert System already in use in Europe, in order to gather accurate and timely information on the number and species of marine ornamental fishes in commerce, where specimens originated, and whether they were wild-caught or captive-bred.
Are Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) Motivated to Avoid Excreta-Soiled Substrate?
Authors: Monckton Valerie , van Staaveren Nienke , Baes Christine F. , Balzani Agnese , Kwon Isabelle Y. , McBride Peter , Harlander-Matauschek Alexandra
Published: November 2020

The soiling of bedding on modern turkey farms combined with turkeys’ reduced ability and opportunity to perch and roost at elevation, forces them to spend most, if not all, of their time in contact with their excreta. To determine turkeys’ perspective on these conditions and the value they place on unsoiled bedding vs. soiled litter (collectively, substrates), we used twenty-four eleven-week-old turkey hens divided into six two-compartment pens. In the “home” compartment (H), we placed soiled wood shavings, while the “treatment” compartment (T) contained no substrate (NS), fresh pine and spruce wood shavings (FP), soiled pine and spruce wood shavings (SP), ammonia reductant-treated soiled pine and spruce wood shavings (TSP), or a feed treatment. One-way push-doors separated the two compartments. The door leading to T weighed an additional 0%, 20% or 40% of the turkeys’ body weight while the door to H remained unweighted. All birds were exposed to each resource and door weight combination in a systematic order. We measured the turkeys’ motivation based on the number of birds that pushed the maximum weight to access each resource, the amount of time spent in T, and the number of visits to T. Our findings show that turkeys worked harder to access feed compared to all the floor substrate treatments. Additionally, they were equally motivated to access all the substrate treatments.
Biopsy and Tracheobronchial Aspirates as Additional Tools for the Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis in Living European Bison (Bison bonasus)
Authors: Didkowska Anna , Orłowska Blanka , Witkowski Lucjan , Olbrych Katarzyna , Brzezińska Sylwia , Augustynowicz-Kopeć Ewa , Krajewska-Wędzina Monika , Bereznowski Andrzej , Bielecki Wojciech , Krzysiak Michał , Rakowska Alicja , Olech Wanda , Miller Michele A. , Waters Wade R. , Lyashchenko Konstantin P. , Anusz Krzysztof
Published: November 2020

The diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis (BTB) in living wildlife remains a complex problem, and one of particular importance in endangered species like European bison (Bison bonasus). To identify infection and avoid the unnecessary culling of such valuable individuals, current best practice requires the collection and culture of material from living animals, as mycobacteria isolation remains the gold standard in BTB diagnosis. However, such isolation is challenging due to the need for the immobilization and collection of appropriate clinical material, and because of the sporadic shedding of mycobacteria. In the present study, we evaluated the potential of sampling for the detection of BTB in a group of seven living European bison suspected of being infected with Mycobacterium caprae. The specimens were collected both as swabs from the nasal and pharyngeal cavities, tracheobronchial aspirates (TBA), ultrasound-guided biopsies from lateral retropharyngeal lymph nodes, and post mortem, from mandibular, retropharyngeal and mediastinal lymph nodes. Clinical samples were tested for mycobacterial species via mycobacteriological culture and PCR. M. caprae was isolated from collected material in two out of four living infected individuals (TBA, biopsy) and mycobacterial DNA was detected in three out of four (TBA, pharyngeal swab) bison. This is the first report of isolation of M. caprae in living European bison. Our findings demonstrate the value of diagnostic tests based on both molecular testing and culture in European bison and confirm the respiratory shedding of viable M. caprae in this host species.
First Report of an Escherichia coli Strain Carrying the Colistin Resistance Determinant mcr-1 from a Dog in South Korea
Authors: Moon Dong Chan , Mechesso Abraham Fikru , Kang Hee Young , Kim Su-Jeong , Choi Ji-Hyun , Kim Mi Hyun , Song Hyun-Ju , Yoon Soon-Seek , Lim Suk-Kyung
Published: November 2020

We studied the presence of the mobile colistin resistance gene mcr-1 in Escherichia coli isolates recovered from fecal and urine samples of companion animals, that were collected from South Korea in 2018 and 2019. The mcr-1 gene was detected in one colistin-resistant E. coli isolated from a diarrheic dog. The isolate exhibited additional resistance to multiple antimicrobials, including fluoroquinolones and third-generation cephalosporins. The mcr-1 carrying isolate belonged to ST160. The pulsed-field gel electrophoresis pattern of our strain differed from those ST160 E. coli strains previously identified from chickens in Korea. The mcr-1 gene was identified in the IncI2 plasmid. It was also transferred to E. coli J53 recipient strain, with a conjugation efficiency of 2.8 × 10−4. Average nucleotide identity analysis demonstrated that the mcr-1-carrying plasmid in this study was closely related to those from patients in Korea. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of mcr-1 carrying E. coli from a companion animal in South Korea. Our findings support One Health approach is necessary to prevent the dissemination of this high-risk gene.
Sparse Representation Graph for Hyperspectral Image Classification Assisted by Class Adjusted Spatial Distance
Authors: Xu Wanghao , Luo Siqi , Wang Yunfei , Zhang Youqiang , Cao Guo
Published: November 2020

In the past few years, the sparse representation (SR) graph-based semi-supervised learning (SSL) has drawn a lot of attention for its impressive performance in hyperspectral image classification with small numbers of training samples. Among these methods, the probabilistic class structure regularized sparse representation (PCSSR) approach, which introduces the probabilistic relationship between samples into the SR process, has shown its superiority over state-of-the-art approaches. However, this category of classification methods only apply another SR process to generate the probabilistic relationship, which focuses only on the spectral information but fails to utilize the spatial information. In this paper, we propose using the class adjusted spatial distance (CASD) to measure the distance between each two samples. We incorporate the proposed a CASD-based distance information into PCSSR mode to further increase the discriminability of original PCSSR approach. The proposed method considers not only the spectral information but also the spatial information of the hyperspectral data, consequently leading to significant performance improvement. Experimental results on different datasets demonstrate that compared with state-of-the-start classification models, the proposed method achieves the highest overall accuracies of 99.71%, 97.13%, and 97.07% on Botswana (BOT), Kennedy Space Center (KSC) and the truncated Indian Pines (PINE) datasets, respectively, with a small number of training samples selected from each class.
A Watermarking Protocol Based on Blockchain
Authors: Frattolillo Franco
Published: November 2020

Digital watermarking can be used to implement mechanisms aimed at protecting the copyright of digital content distributed on the Internet. Such mechanisms support copyright identification and content tracking by enabling content providers to embed perceptually invisible watermarks into the distributed copies of content. They are employed in conjunction with watermarking protocols, which define the schemes of the web transactions by which buyers can securely purchase protected digital content distributed by content providers. In this regard, the “buyer friendly” and “mediated” watermarking protocols can ensure both a correct content protection and an easy participation of buyers in the transactions by which to purchase the distributed content. They represent a valid alternative to the classic “buyer and seller” watermarking protocols documented in the literature. However, their protection schemes could be further improved and simplified. This paper presents a new watermarking protocol able to combine the “buyer friendly” and “mediated” design approach with the blockchain technology. The result is a secure protocol that can support a limited and balanced participation of both buyers and content providers in the purchase transactions of protected digital content. Moreover, the protocol can avoid the direct involvement of trusted third parties in the purchase transactions. This can reduce the actual risk that buyers or sellers can violate the protocol by illicitly interacting with trusted third parties. In fact, such peculiarities make the proposed protocol suited for the current web context.
Ship Detection from X-Band SAR Images Using M2Det Deep Learning Model
Authors: Hong Seong-Jae , Baek Won-Kyung , Jung Hyung-Sup
Published: November 2020

Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images have been used in many studies for ship detection because they can be captured without being affected by time and weather. In recent years, the development of deep learning techniques has facilitated studies on ship detection in SAR images using deep learning techniques. However, because the noise from SAR images can negatively affect the learning of the deep learning model, it is necessary to reduce the noise through preprocessing. In this study, deep learning vessel detection was performed using preprocessed SAR images, and the effects of the preprocessing of the images on deep learning vessel detection were compared and analyzed. Through the preprocessing of SAR images, (1) intensity images, (2) decibel images, and (3) intensity difference and texture images were generated. The M2Det object detection model was used for the deep learning process and preprocessed SAR images. After the object detection model was trained, ship detection was performed using test images. The test results are presented in terms of precision, recall, and average precision (AP), which were 93.18%, 91.11%, and 89.78% for the intensity images, respectively, 94.16%, 94.16%, and 92.34% for the decibel images, respectively, and 97.40%, 94.94%, and 95.55% for the intensity difference and texture images, respectively. From the results, it can be found that the preprocessing of the SAR images can facilitate the deep learning process and improve the ship detection performance. The results of this study are expected to contribute to the development of deep learning-based ship detection techniques in SAR images in the future.
Stress–Strain Model for Freezing Silty Clay under Frost Heave Based on Modified Takashi’s Equation
Authors: Geng Lin , Cong Shengyi , Luo Jun , Ling Xianzhang , Du Xiuli , Yu Yuan
Published: November 2020

In analyzing frost heave, researchers often simplify the compressive modulus of freezing soil by considering it as a constant or only as a function of temperature. However, it is a critical parameter characterizing the stress–strain behavior of soil and a variable that is influenced by many other parameters. Hence, herein several one-dimensional freezing experiments are conducted on silty clay in an open system subjected to multistage freezing by considering the compressive modulus as a variable. First, freezing soil under multistage freezing is divided into several layers according to the frozen fringe theory. Then, the correlation between the freezing rate and temperature gradient within each freezing soil layer is investigated. Takashi’s equation for frost heave analysis is modified to extend its application conditions by replacing its freezing rate term with a temperature gradient term. A mechanical model for the stress–strain behavior of freezing soil under the action of frost heave is derived within the theoretical framework of nonlinear elasticity, in which a method for determining the compressive modulus of freezing soil with temperature gradient, overburden pressure, and cooling temperature variables is proposed. This study further enhances our understanding of the typical mechanical behavior of saturated freezing silty clay under frost heave action.
A Novel Explicit Analytical Multibody Approach for the Analysis of Upper Limb Dynamics and Joint Reactions Calculation Considering Muscle Wrapping
Authors: Ruggiero Alessandro , Sicilia Alessandro
Published: November 2020

The aim of this paper is to present an explicit analytical biomechanical multibody procedure able to be implemented in the solution of the musculoskeletal systems inverse dynamics problems. The model is proposed in formal multibody analysis and implemented in the Matlab numerical environment. It is based on the constraint kinematical behaviour analysis and considers both linear muscle actuators and curved ones, by calculating the geodesic muscle path over wrapping surfaces fixed to the bodies. The model includes the Hill muscle approach in order to evaluate both the contractile elements’ actions and the passive ones. With the aim to have a first validation, the model was applied to the dynamical analysis of the “arm26” OpenSim model, an upper limb subjected to external forces of gravity and to known kinematics. The comparison of results shows interesting matching in terms of kinematical analysis, driving forces, muscles’ activations and joint reactions, proving the reliability of the proposed approach in all cases in which it is necessary to achieve in-silico explicit determinations of the upper limb dynamics and joint reactions (i.e., in joint tribological optimization).
Combination of Tree Rings and Other Paleoclimate Proxies to Explore the East Asian Summer Monsoon and Solar Irradiance Signals: A Case Study on the North China Plain
Authors: Li Qiang , Liu Yu , Deng Ruolan , Liu Ruoshi , Song Huiming , Wang Yan , Li Gang
Published: November 2020

Paleoclimate research, which involves the study of climate and environmental changes in historical and geological periods, is typically conducted using high-resolution paleoclimatic proxies, such as tree rings, historical documentations, stalagmite, and ice core. Although each paleoclimate proxy has its own merits in paleoclimatic research, reconstructions based on a single proxy may suffer from shortcomings, including insufficient reliability and low coverage of the representative area. It may be possible to overcome these shortcomings by combining multi-paleoclimatic proxies to understand paleoclimatic changes. In this study, we attempt to combine tree-ring stable oxygen isotope ratio (δ18O), tree-ring width, and stalagmite thickness data as well as historical records to establish a 320-year (1675–1994) time series using principal component analysis in the water-scarce North China Plain (NCP). The results show that the first principal component (PC1) series is closely related to regional precipitation and the maximum temperature in summer. The spatial correlation pattern indicates that the PC1 series can represent the regional hydroclimate variation not only in the NCP but also in all of northern China. The significant (p < 0.001) correlations between the PC1 series and several East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) indices prove that the PC1 reflects the intensity of the EASM. The PC1 series is consistent with the interannual variations of two reconstructed solar activity correlation indexes (r = 0.48 and 0.46, n = 320, and p < 0.001). The results indicate that the hydroclimate variation in the NCP is affected by large-scale atmospheric circulations, such as EASM and solar activity, and shows the potential of combining multiple paleoclimate proxies for analyzing regional climate change.
The Multiple-Scale Nature of Urban Heat Island and Its Footprint on Air Quality in Real Urban Environment
Authors: Di Sabatino Silvana , Barbano Francesco , Brattich Erika , Pulvirenti Beatrice
Published: November 2020

The complex interaction between the Urban Heat Island (UHI), local circulation, and air quality requires new methods of analysis. To this end, this study investigates the multiple scale nature of the UHI and its relationship with flow and pollutant dispersion in urban street canyons with and without the presence of vegetation. Two field experimental campaigns, one in summer and one in winter, were carefully designed in two parallel urban street canyons in the city of Bologna (44°29′ N, 11°20′ E; Italy) characterized by a similar orientation with respect to the impinging background flow but with a different aspect ratio and a different presence of vegetation. In addition to standard meteorological variables, the dataset collected included high-resolution flow data at three levels and concentration data of several pollutants. The UHI has been evaluated by combining surface temperature of building facades and ground surfaces acquired during two intensive thermographic campaigns with air temperature from several stations in order to verify the presence of intra-city neighborhood scale UHIs additional to the more classical urban–rural temperature differences. The presence of trees together with the different morphologies was shown to mitigate the UHI intensity of around 40% by comparing its value in the center of the city free of vegetation and the residential area. To capture the multiple-scale nature of UHI development, a simple relationship for the UHI convergence velocity, used as a surrogate for UHI strength, is proposed and used to establish the relationship with pollutant concentrations. The reliability of the proposed relationship has been verified using a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach. The existence of a robust relationship between UHI strength and pollutant concentration may indicate that the positive effect of mitigation solutions in improving urban thermal comfort likely will also positively impact on air pollution. These results may be useful for a quick assessment of the pollutant accumulation potential in urban street canyons.
Silver Nanoparticle Regulates Salt Tolerance in Wheat Through Changes in ABA Concentration, Ion Homeostasis, and Defense Systems
Authors: Wahid Iram , Kumari Sarika , Ahmad Rafiq , Hussain Sofi J. , Alamri Saud , Siddiqui Manzer H. , Khan M. Iqbal R.
Published: November 2020

Salinity is major abiotic stress affecting crop yield, productivity and reduces the land-usage area for agricultural practices. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effect of green-synthesized silver nanoparticle (AgNP) on physiological traits of wheat (Triticum aestivum) under salinity stress. Using augmented and high-throughput characterization of synthesized AgNPs, this study investigated the proximity of AgNPs-induced coping effects under stressful cues by measuring the germination efficiency, oxidative-biomarkers, enzymatic and non-enzymatic antioxidants, proline and nitrogen metabolism, stomatal dynamics, and ABA content. Taken together, the study shows a promising approach in salt tolerance and suggests that mechanisms of inducing the salt tolerance depend on proline metabolism, ions accumulation, and defense mechanisms. This study ascertains the queries regarding the correlation between nanoparticles use and traditional agriculture methodology; also significantly facilitates to reach the goal of sustainable developments for increasing crop productivity via much safer and greener approachability.
Dietary Vitamin B6 Deficiency Impairs Gut Microbiota and Host and Microbial Metabolites in Rats
Authors: Mayengbam Shyamchand , Chleilat Faye , Reimer Raylene A.
Published: November 2020

Vitamin B6 plays a crucial role as a cofactor in various enzymatic reactions but bacteria-produced vitamin B6 is not sufficient to meet host requirements. Our objective was to assess the impact of diet-derived vitamin B6 on gut microbiota and host serum metabolomics. Sprague–Dawley rats (n = 47) were fed a control, low B6 (LB6) or high B6 (HB6) diet for six weeks. Serum and cecal samples were collected for biochemical, metabolomics and gut microbiota profiling. There was a significant sex effect for gut microbiota and several metabolic markers. Bodyweight and percent body fat were significantly reduced in LB6 compared to control and HB6 rats. Microbial beta-diversity differed significantly between LB6 and the control and HB6 rats in both sexes. Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group and Bacteroides were the primary taxa driving the difference between LB6 and control. There was a significant separation of cecal and serum metabolites of LB6 compared to control and HB6 rats. In the cecum, arginine biosynthesis was impaired, while vitamin B6 metabolism, lysine degradation and nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism were impaired in serum metabolite profiles. Cecal propionate and butyrate were significantly reduced in LB6 rats irrespective of sex. Host vitamin B6 deficiency but not excess significantly alters gut microbial composition and its metabolites.
The Cross-Modal Suppressive Role of Visual Context on Speech Intelligibility: An ERP Study
Authors: Shen Stanley , Kerlin Jess R. , Bortfeld Heather , Shahin Antoine J.
Published: November 2020

The efficacy of audiovisual (AV) integration is reflected in the degree of cross-modal suppression of the auditory event-related potentials (ERPs, P1-N1-P2), while stronger semantic encoding is reflected in enhanced late ERP negativities (e.g., N450). We hypothesized that increasing visual stimulus reliability should lead to more robust AV-integration and enhanced semantic prediction, reflected in suppression of auditory ERPs and enhanced N450, respectively. EEG was acquired while individuals watched and listened to clear and blurred videos of a speaker uttering intact or highly-intelligible degraded (vocoded) words and made binary judgments about word meaning (animate or inanimate). We found that intact speech evoked larger negativity between 280–527-ms than vocoded speech, suggestive of more robust semantic prediction for the intact signal. For visual reliability, we found that greater cross-modal ERP suppression occurred for clear than blurred videos prior to sound onset and for the P2 ERP. Additionally, the later semantic-related negativity tended to be larger for clear than blurred videos. These results suggest that the cross-modal effect is largely confined to suppression of early auditory networks with weak effect on networks associated with semantic prediction. However, the semantic-related visual effect on the late negativity may have been tempered by the vocoded signal’s high-reliability.
Self-Rated Depressive Symptoms in Children and Youth with and without Cerebral Palsy: A Pilot Study
Authors: Asano Daiki , Takeda Masaki , Nobusako Satoshi , Morioka Shu
Published: November 2020

Children with cerebral palsy (CP) often exhibit mental health problems, such as depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study was to describe the self-rated depressive symptoms in children with and without CP and to investigate the associated predictors. Participants included 24 children with CP and 33 typically developing (TD) children. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Birleson Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children. Parents of the participants completed the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. Severity of self-rated depressive symptoms was higher in children with CP than that in TD children. Particularly, decline in activities and enjoyment was identified as a contributor to the increased severity of depressive symptoms. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis revealed that the greater severity of depressive symptoms in children with CP was mediated by hyperactivity/inattention and peer problems. Our study suggests that it is imperative to provide opportunities to participate in social activities from an early age.
Eco-Friendly Cotton/Linen Fabric Treatment Using Aqueous Ozone and Ultraviolet Photolysis
Authors: Hamada Kengo , Ochiai Tsuyoshi , Tsuchida Yasuyuki , Miyano Kyohei , Ishikawa Yosuke , Nagura Toshinari , Kimura Noritaka
Published: November 2020

Chemicals for the scouring and bleaching of fabrics have a high environmental load. In addition, in recent years, the high consumption of these products has become a problem in the manufacture of natural fabric products. Therefore, environmentally friendly, low-waste processes for fabric treatment are required. In this paper, we discuss the bleaching of fabrics using advanced oxidation processes (AOP). These processes use electrochemically generated aqueous ozone and ultraviolet (UV) irradiation to achieve bleaching. However, colour reversion often occurs. In this study, we suppressed unwanted colour reversion by treatment with rongalite. After treatment, changes in fabric colour were determined by measuring the colour difference and reflectance spectra. The best bleaching effect was obtained when ozone and UV irradiation treatments were combined, achieving results similar to those of a conventional bleaching method after 60 min of UV irradiation. In addition, the AOP treatment resulted in the simultaneous scouring of the fabric, as shown by the increased hydrophilicity of the fabric after AOP treatment. Thus, this AOP process represents a new fabric bleaching process that has an extremely low environmental impact.
Investigation of Urea Uniformity with Different Types of Urea Injectors in an SCR System
Authors: Wardana Muhammad Khristamto Aditya , Oh Kwangchul , Lim Ocktaeck
Published: November 2020

Heavy-duty diesel engines in highway use account for more than 40% of total particulate and nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions around the world. Selective catalytic reduction (SCR) is a method with effective results to reduce this problem. This research deals with problems in the urea evaporation process and ammonia gas distribution in an SCR system. The studied system used two types of urea injectors to elucidate the quality of ammonia uniformity in the SCR system, and a 12,000-cc heavy-duty diesel engine was used for experimentation to reduce NOx in the system. The uniformity of the generated quantities of ammonia was sampled at the catalyst inlet using a gas sensor. The ammonia samples from the two types of urea injectors were compared in experimental and simulation results, where the simulation conditions were based on experimental parameters and were performed using the commercial CFD (computational fluid dynamics) code of STAR-CCM+. This study produces temperatures of 371 to 374 °C to assist the vaporization phenomena of two injectors, the gas pattern informs the distributions of ammonia in the system, and the high ammonia quantity from the I-type urea injector and high quality of ammonia uniformity from the L-type urea injector can produce different results for NOx reduction efficiency quality after the catalyst process. The investigations showed the performance of two types of injectors and catalysts in the SCR system in a heavy-duty diesel engine.
The Emerging Role of the Lysosome in Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Navarro-Romero Alba , Montpeyó Marta , Martinez-Vicente Marta
Published: November 2020

Lysosomal function has a central role in maintaining neuronal homeostasis, and, accordingly, lysosomal dysfunction has been linked to neurodegeneration and particularly to Parkinson’s disease (PD). Lysosomes are the converging step where the substrates delivered by autophagy and endocytosis are degraded in order to recycle their primary components to rebuild new macromolecules. Genetic studies have revealed the important link between the lysosomal function and PD; several of the autosomal dominant and recessive genes associated with PD as well as several genetic risk factors encode for lysosomal, autophagic, and endosomal proteins. Mutations in these PD-associated genes can cause lysosomal dysfunction, and since α-synuclein degradation is mostly lysosomal-dependent, among other consequences, lysosomal impairment can affect α-synuclein turnover, contributing to increase its intracellular levels and therefore promoting its accumulation and aggregation. Recent studies have also highlighted the bidirectional link between Parkinson’s disease and lysosomal storage diseases (LSD); evidence includes the presence of α-synuclein inclusions in the brain regions of patients with LSD and the identification of several lysosomal genes involved in LSD as genetic risk factors to develop PD.
The Microbiota and Gut-Related Disorders: Insights from Animal Models
Authors: Kamareddine Layla , Najjar Hoda , Sohail Muhammad Umar , Abdulkader Hadil , Al-Asmakh Maha
Published: November 2020

Over the past decade, the scientific committee has called for broadening our horizons in understanding host–microbe interactions and infectious disease progression. Owing to the fact that the human gut harbors trillions of microbes that exhibit various roles including the production of vitamins, absorption of nutrients, pathogen displacement, and development of the host immune system, particular attention has been given to the use of germ-free (GF) animal models in unraveling the effect of the gut microbiota on the physiology and pathophysiology of the host. In this review, we discuss common methods used to generate GF fruit fly, zebrafish, and mice model systems and highlight the use of these GF model organisms in addressing the role of gut-microbiota in gut-related disorders (metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel disease, and cancer), and in activating host defense mechanisms and amending pathogenic virulence.
Diagnosis and Treatment of Chronic Neuropathic and Mixed Pain in Children and Adolescents: Results of a Survey Study amongst Practitioners
Authors: de Leeuw Thomas , der Zanden Tjitske , Ravera Simona , Felisi Mariagrazia , Bonifazi Donato , Tibboel Dick , Ceci Adriana , Kaguelidou Florentia , de Wildt Saskia ,   on behalf of the GAPP Consortium
Published: November 2020

Validated diagnostic tools to diagnose chronic neuropathic and mixed pain in children are missing. Therapeutic options are often derived from therapeutics for adults. To investigate the international practice amongst practitioners for the diagnosis and treatment of chronic, neuropathic pain in children and adolescents, we performed a survey study among members of learned societies or groups whose members are known to treat pediatric pain. The survey included questions concerning practitioners and practice characteristics, assessment and diagnosis, treatment and medication. We analyzed 117 returned questionnaires, of which 41 (35%) were fully completed and 76 (65%) were partially completed. Most respondents based the diagnosis of neuropathic pain on physical examination (68 (58.1%)), patient history (67 (57.3%)), and underlying disease (59 (50.4%)) combined. Gabapentin, amitriptyline, and pregabalin were the first-choice treatments for moderate neuropathic pain. Tramadol, ibuprofen, amitriptyline, and paracetamol were the first-choice treatments for moderate mixed pain. Consensus on the diagnostic process of neuropathic pain in children and adolescents is lacking. Drug treatment varies widely for moderate, severe neuropathic, and mixed pain. Hence, diagnostic tools and therapy need to be harmonized and validated for use in children.
The Significance of Fibrosis Quantification as a Marker in Assessing Pseudo-Capsule Status and Clear Cell Renal Cell Carcinoma Prognosis
Authors: Qin Caipeng , Yin Huaqi , Liu Huixin , Liu Feng , Du Yiqing , Xu Tao
Published: November 2020

Fibrosis plays an important role in tumor growth and progression, and thus, we aimed to determine whether renal fibrosis is correlated with the clinical and pathological characteristics and prognosis of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Fibrosis, including intra-tumoral fibrosis (ITF), pseudo-capsule (PC) fibrosis and adjacent normal renal interstitial fibrosis, was evaluated in 73 pairs of ccRCC specimens using second harmonic generation combined with two-photon excitation fluorescence (SHG/TPEF). The clinical and pathological characteristics of the patients who were eligible for the present study were recorded. The associations between fibrosis and clinicopathological parameters were analyzed using a Mann-Whitney U test or logistic regression analysis. Progression-free survival (PFS) was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and a Cox regression model. High-resolution images of fibrosis were captured from unstained slides using the SHG/TPEF approach. Both ITF and PC fibrosis were associated with tumor progression in ccRCC. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed a significant inverse association between the PC collagen proportional area (CPA) and PC invasion (p < 0.05), suggesting that PC CPA is an independent risk factor or marker for PC invasion. A significant decrease in progression-free survival (PFS), determined by Kaplan-Meier curves, was observed for patients with higher PC CPA status compared with those with lower PC CPA status (p < 0.05). Similar results were observed in patients with PC invasion. In multivariate Cox regression analysis, PC invasion and intra-tumoral necrosis were identified as independent prognostic factors for PFS. Our data suggest that ITF and PC fibrosis are associated with ccRCC progression. In addition, PC fibrosis may act as a marker of PC invasion and an effective quantitative measurement for assessing prognosis.
Development of a Multiplex Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) Method for Simultaneous Detection of Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiae and Malaria Parasites by Dipstick DNA Chromatography
Authors: Moonga Lavel Chinyama , Hayashida Kyoko , Kawai Naoko , Nakao Ryo , Sugimoto Chihiro , Namangala Boniface , Yamagishi Junya
Published: November 2020

Spotted fever group (SFG) rickettsiae causes febrile illness in humans worldwide. Since SFG rickettsiosis’s clinical presentation is nonspecific, it is frequently misdiagnosed as other febrile diseases, especially malaria, and complicates proper treatment. Aiming at rapid, simple, and simultaneous detection of SFG Rickettsia spp. and Plasmodium spp., we developed a novel multiple pathogen detection system by combining a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) method and dipstick DNA chromatography technology. Two primer sets detecting SFG Rickettsia spp. and Plasmodium spp. were mixed, and amplified products were visualized by hybridizing to dipstick DNA chromatography. The multiplex LAMP with dipstick DNA chromatography distinguished amplified Rickettsia and Plasmodium targeted genes simultaneously. The determined sensitivity using synthetic nucleotides was 1000 copies per reaction for mixed Rickettsia and Plasmodium genes. When genomic DNA from in vitro cultured organisms was used, the sensitivity was 100 and 10 genome equivalents per reaction for Rickettsia monacensis and Plasmodium falciparum, respectively. Although further improvement will be required for more sensitive detection, our developed simultaneous diagnosis technique will contribute to the differential diagnosis of undifferentiated febrile illness caused by either SFG Rickettsia spp. or Plasmodium spp. in resource-limited endemic areas. Importantly, this scheme is potentially versatile for the simultaneous detection of diverse infectious diseases.
Adjunctive Antiseptic Irrigation of Periodontal Pockets: Effects on Microbial and Cytokine Profiles
Authors: Vitt Anton , Babenka Andrei , Boström Elisabeth A. , Gustafsson Anders , Lira Junior Ronaldo , Slizen Veronica , Sorsa Timo , Tervahartiala Taina , Buhlin Kåre
Published: November 2020

To evaluate the effect of adjunctive antiseptic irrigation of periodontal pockets on microbial and cytokine profiles. Fifty-nine patients with severe periodontitis were allocated to one of three groups for scaling and root planing facilitated with different adjunctive antiseptics: 1% polyhexamethyleneguanidine phosphate (PHMG-P) (n = 19), 0.2% chlorhexidine (CHX) (n = 21) or distilled water (n = 19). Gingival crevicular fluid and subgingival bacterial samples were collected at baseline, and at 2 weeks, and 1 and 4 months. The levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-8, IL-10, and IL-17A, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Treponema denticola, Fusobacterium nucleatum,Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, and Prevotella intermedia were determined. There were no intergroup differences in cytokine concentrations and bacterial counts at any follow-up, however, varying patterns were observed. In the PHMG-P and water groups IL-1β expression peaked at 2 weeks and then gradually declined. In all three groups, the dynamics of MMP-8 concentration were non-linear, increasing by 2 weeks and then declining to below baseline (p > 0.05). P. gingivalis and T. forsythia declined within the first month and increased thereafter, not regaining the baseline level. Adjunctive antiseptic treatment was associated with changes in biomarkers and bacterial counts in the course of the study. The effects of adjunctive antiseptic irrigation were limited in the applied protocol.
Classification of Actigraphy Records from Bipolar Disorder Patients Using Slope Entropy: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Cuesta-Frau David , Schneider Jakub , Bakštein Eduard , Vostatek Pavel , Spaniel Filip , Novák Daniel
Published: November 2020

Bipolar Disorder (BD) is an illness with high prevalence and a huge social and economic impact. It is recurrent, with a long-term evolution in most cases. Early treatment and continuous monitoring have proven to be very effective in mitigating the causes and consequences of BD. However, no tools are currently available for a massive and semi-automatic BD patient monitoring and control. Taking advantage of recent technological developments in the field of wearables, this paper studies the feasibility of a BD episodes classification analysis while using entropy measures, an approach successfully applied in a myriad of other physiological frameworks. This is a very difficult task, since actigraphy records are highly non-stationary and corrupted with artifacts (no activity). The method devised uses a preprocessing stage to extract epochs of activity, and then applies a quantification measure, Slope Entropy, recently proposed, which outperforms the most common entropy measures used in biomedical time series. The results confirm the feasibility of the approach proposed, since the three states that are involved in BD, depression, mania, and remission, can be significantly distinguished.
Catalytic Activity of Atomic Gold-Decorated Polyaniline Support in Glucose Oxidation
Authors: Ito Yuki , Chang Tso-Fu Mark , Chien Yu-An , Chen Chun-Yi , Chakraborty Parthojit , Nakamoto Takamichi , Sone Masato
Published: November 2020

Atomic-level gold clusters are decorated on a polyaniline (PANI) support by a cyclic atomic electrodeposition process, and the catalytic activity in the oxidation of glucose is studied. The evaluation is conducted by cyclic voltammetry using atomic-level gold clusters-decorated PANI (PANI/AuN, where N indicates the atomic size of the Au cluster and N = 1~3 in this study) as the working electrode and a solution containing 0 to 50.0 mM of glucose in phosphate-buffered saline. The catalytic activity is determined from the oxidation current observed at around +0.6 V vs. Ag/AgCl. The catalytic activity is found to be affected by the size of gold clusters decorated on the PANI/AuN, whereby the catalytic activity is low when N is 1 or 3. On the other hand, an obvious enhancement in the catalytic activity is observed for the PANI/Au2 electrode.
An Application of Reinforced Learning-Based Dynamic Pricing for Improvement of Ridesharing Platform Service in Seoul
Authors: Song Jaein , Cho Yun Ji , Kang Min Hee , Hwang Kee Yeon
Published: November 2020

As ridesharing services (including taxi) are often run by private companies, profitability is the top priority in operation. This leads to an increase in the driver’s refusal to take passengers to areas with low demand where they will have difficulties finding subsequent passengers, causing problems such as an extended waiting time when hailing a vehicle for passengers bound for these regions. The study used Seoul’s taxi data to find appropriate surge rates of ridesharing services between 10:00 p.m. and 4:00 a.m. by region using a reinforcement learning algorithm to resolve this problem during the worst time period. In reinforcement learning, the outcome of centrality analysis was applied as a weight affecting drivers’ destination choice probability. Furthermore, the reward function used in the learning was adjusted according to whether the passenger waiting time value was applied or not. The profit was used for reward value. By using a negative reward for the passenger waiting time, the study was able to identify a more appropriate surge level. Across the region, the surge averaged a value of 1.6. To be more specific, those located on the outskirts of the city and in residential areas showed a higher surge, while central areas had a lower surge. Due to this different surge, a driver’s refusal to take passengers can be lessened and the passenger waiting time can be shortened. The supply of ridesharing services in low-demand regions can be increased by as much as 7.5%, allowing regional equity problems related to ridesharing services in Seoul to be reduced to a greater extent.
Broadband Transition from Rectangular Waveguide to Groove Gap Waveguide for mm-Wave Contactless Connections
Authors: Liu Zihao , Cheng Xiaohe , Yao Yuan , Yu Tao , Yu Junsheng , Chen Xiaodong
Published: November 2020

In this paper, the authors present a broadband transition from the standard WR-10 rectangular waveguide (RW) to a groove gap waveguide (GGW) in the W-band. The transition structure is based on electromagnetic band gap (EBG) technology where two EBG units are used, which are responsible for the transition and forming the transmission line. Metal pins in the E-plane together with the back surface of the transmission line create a forbidden band, which prevents power leakage between the connecting parts. Small air gaps will not harm the transition performance according to the simulation, which means it has a better tolerance of manufacturing and assembly errors and, thus, has advantages for mm-wave contactless connections. A back-to-back transition prototype was designed, fabricated and measured. The length of the GGW is 39.6 mm. The measured |S11| is better than −13 dB and the measured |S21| is better than −0.6 dB over 76.4–109.1 GHz, covering a bandwidth of 35.3%.
mNet2FPGA: A Design Flow for Mapping a Fixed-Point CNN to Zynq SoC FPGA
Authors: Sledevič Tomyslav , Serackis Artūras
Published: November 2020

The convolutional neural networks (CNNs) are a computation and memory demanding class of deep neural networks. The field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are often used to accelerate the networks deployed in embedded platforms due to the high computational complexity of CNNs. In most cases, the CNNs are trained with existing deep learning frameworks and then mapped to FPGAs with specialized toolflows. In this paper, we propose a CNN core architecture called mNet2FPGA that places a trained CNN on a SoC FPGA. The processing system (PS) is responsible for convolution and fully connected core configuration according to the list of prescheduled instructions. The programmable logic holds cores of convolution and fully connected layers. The hardware architecture is based on the advanced extensible interface (AXI) stream processing with simultaneous bidirectional transfers between RAM and the CNN core. The core was tested on a cost-optimized Z-7020 FPGA with 16-bit fixed-point VGG networks. The kernel binarization and merging with the batch normalization layer were applied to reduce the number of DSPs in the multi-channel convolutional core. The convolutional core processes eight input feature maps at once and generates eight output channels of the same size and composition at 50 MHz. The core of the fully connected (FC) layer works at 100 MHz with up to 4096 neurons per layer. In a current version of the CNN core, the size of the convolutional kernel is fixed to 3×3. The estimated average performance is 8.6 GOPS for VGG13 and near 8.4 GOPS for VGG16/19 networks.