bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Composted Sewage Sludge Enhances Soybean Production and Agronomic Performance in Naturally Infertile Soils (Cerrado Region, Brazil)
Authors: Rodrigues Prates Adrielle , Renée Coscione Aline , Carvalho Minhoto Teixeira Filho Marcelo , Gasparoti Miranda Bruno , Arf Orivaldo , Hamilton Abreu-Junior Cassio , Carvalho Oliveira Fernando , Moreira Adônis , Shintate Galindo Fernando , Márcia Pereira Sartori Maria , He Zhenli , Dilipkumar Jani Arun , Capra Gian Franco , Ganga Antonio , Assis Rodrigues Nogueira Thiago
Published: October 2020

Naturally infertile soils require large amounts of mineral fertilizers to obtain the desired crop yield. In the Cerrado region of Brazil, there is a need to investigate the potential of organic fertilizers to sustainably increase crop productivity and food security. A field study was conducted over two experimental seasons to evaluate the agronomic effectiveness of composted sewage sludge (CSS) as a fertilizer for soybean cultivation in infertile tropical soils. A 4 × 2 + 2 factorial randomized complete block design was applied with the following treatments: (i) CSS: 5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 12.5 Mg ha−1 on a wet basis applied according to two different methods: whole area (WA) or between rows (BR); (ii) comparison with two alternative treatments: a control with no CSS and mineral fertilizer application, and an area treated with conventional fertilizers only. All the treatments were compared in terms of micronutrient concentrations in surface soil and plant leaves, plant development, crop productivity, and yield. Bi- (ANOVA, correlation matrix, and polynomial regression analysis) and multivariate (PCA, principal factor analysis) statistics were applied to determine statistical differences and relationships/observed variability among the treatments. Results showed that at higher CSS-WA rates: (i) soil and leaf micronutrient concentrations increased; (ii) there was an increase in soybean yield by 12 and 20%, respectively, as compared to control and conventional fertilization; (iii) soybean yield was 67% higher than the mean soybean yields for Brazil. Research outcomes confirm the benefits of CSS application on infertile agricultural soils in the Cerrado region, representing a strong alternative source of micronutrients in the CSS with respect to conventional fertilizers.
Concentration Dependence of the Antioxidant and Prooxidant Activity of Trolox in HeLa Cells: Involvement in the Induction of Apoptotic Volume Decrease
Authors: Giordano Maria Elena , Caricato Roberto , Lionetto Maria Giulia
Published: October 2020

Trolox (6-hydroxy-2,5,7,8-tetramethylchroman-2-carboxylic acid), a hydrophilic analog of vitamin E, is known for its strong antioxidant activity, being a high radical scavenger of peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals. Under particular conditions, Trolox may also exhibit prooxidant properties. The present work aimed at studying the dual antioxidant/prooxidant behavior of Trolox over a wide range of concentrations (from 2.5 to 160 µM) in HeLa cells. In particular, the study addressed the dose-dependent effects of Trolox on the oxidative cell status and vitality of HeLa cells, focusing on the potential role of the vitamin E analog in the induction of one of the first steps of the apoptotic process, Apoptotic Volume Decrease (AVD). In HeLa cells, Trolox showed significant antioxidant activity, expressed as the ability to reduce the endogenous ROS production detected by the ROS-sensitive probe 5-(and-6)-chloromethyl-2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (CM-H2DCFDA), at low concentrations (range: 2.5–15 µM), but exerted a dose-dependent prooxidant effect at higher concentrations after 24 h exposure. The prooxidant effect was paralleled by the reduction in cell viability due to the induction of the apoptotic process. The dual behavior, antioxidant at lower concentrations and prooxidant at higher concentrations, was evident also earlier after 2 h incubation, and it was paralleled by the isotonic shrinkage of the cells, ascribed to AVD. The use of SITS, known Cl− channel blocker, was able to completely inhibit the Trolox-induced isotonic cell shrinkage, demonstrating the involvement of the vitamin E analog in the alteration of cell volume homeostasis and, in turn, in the AVD induction. In conclusion, the study shed light on the concentration dependence of the Trolox antioxidant/prooxidant activity in HeLa cells and revealed its role in the induction of one of the first events of apoptosis, AVD, at high concentrations.
Phenolic Compounds Obtained from Olea europaea By-Products and Their Use to Improve the Quality and Shelf Life of Meat and Meat Products—A Review
Authors: Munekata Paulo , Nieto Gema , Pateiro Mirian , Lorenzo José
Published: October 2020

Consumers are interested in consuming clean label foods. Replacing synthetic additives with natural alternatives (especially sources rich in polyphenols) is a valid solution to produce and also preserve foods, especially meat and meat products. Olea europaea leaves and olive pomace and wastewater contain polyphenols that can be explored in this context. In this review, we summarize the main aspects related to the phenolic composition, extraction conditions, antimicrobial potential, and antioxidant activity (in vitro and in vivo) of Olea europaea leaves, olive pomace and wastewater as well as their applications in the production of meat and meat products. This review found evidence that extracts and isolated polyphenols from the Olea europaea tree and olive processing by-products can be explored as natural antioxidant and antimicrobial additives to improve the preservation of meat and meat products. The polyphenols found in these residues (especially oleuropein, hydroxytyrosol and tyrosol) increased the redox state in the main meat-producing animals and, consequently, the oxidative stability of fresh meat obtained from these animals. Moreover, the extracts and isolated polyphenols also improved the shelf life of fresh meat and meat products (as additive and as active component in film) by delaying the growth of microorganisms and the progression of oxidative reactions during storage. The accumulated evidence supports further investigation as a natural additive to improve the preservation of reformulated muscle products and in the production of edible and sustainable films and coatings for fresh meat and meat products.
Abrasion-Resistant and Temperature Control of Lining Concrete for Large-Sized Spillway Tunnels
Authors: Yao Qiang , Qi Shunchao , Wu Faming , Yang Xingguo , Li Hongtao
Published: October 2020

With regard to the high anti-scouring and abrasion-resistant performance requirements and great temperature control difficulties of lining concrete for large-sized spillway tunnels, in this study, a performance test was conducted on anti-scouring and abrasion-resistant concrete. The finite element method was used to analyze the temperature change rules of sidewall C9050 (design strength of concrete is 50 MPa at 90 days) lining concrete for the spillway tunnel. Further, a new cooling measure was proposed for adopting “early-throughput, high-flow and short-duration”. As indicated by the results of this study, fly ash could reduce water consumption and micro-cracks via its “morphological effect”. Silica fume could improve the early strength of cement concrete and make up for the strength loss caused by fly ash. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) fiber could enhance concrete durability. The doping of these three additives reinforced the strength and abrasion resistance of concrete. The results showed that the temperature of the lining concrete presented a change trend of “rapid increase first, followed by a slow decrease”. The peak temperature was reached roughly 2 days after casting. In addition, properly increasing throughput flow or decreasing throughput temperature in the early stage of casting could significantly reduce the highest temperature and maximum temperature difference of concrete. Based on the results from the numerical simulation of temperature control effect, it was proposed to adopt “early-throughput, high-flow, and short-duration” for temperature control and cracking prevention. Specifically, within 2 days after casting, cooling water at roughly 12 °C was guided in at a flow of approximately 3.5 m3/h. Within 3–7 days after casting, river water at around 17 °C was guided in at a flow rate of approximately 1.8 m3/h. After 7 days, the cooling effect can be well achieved by only using the surface flowing water for curing. According to the field monitoring data, the changes in measured temperature were basically consistent with those from numerical simulations, and detection on the temperature of the sidewall lining concrete showed that a qualification rate of >91% was satisfactorily obtained by using the proposed approach.
Open-Source Intelligence Educational Resources: A Visual Perspective Analysis
Authors: Herrera-Cubides Jhon Francined , Gaona-García Paulo Alonso , Sánchez-Alonso Salvador
Published: October 2020

Given the growing application of open-source intelligence (OSINT), which has facilitated fast decision-making, this study aims to explore how research and educational material production in OSINT has evolved. For this analysis, two OSINT material sources are examined: the research dissemination databases and educational resources repositories. Considering that web information may or may not be publicly available, web Scraping and querying web interface strategies are used to metadata extraction. Finally, we suggest a findings hierarchical classification for the metadata retrieval results. Our main results: (1) Google Scholar and NewsBank are the centralizing axes of OSINT publications; (2) OSINT presents a broad development in the areas of defense and security; thus, presenting itself a promising future; (3) it is necessary both to generate educational resources that complement OSINT training processes and documenting existing resources with a metadata structure defined for this purpose; (4) pay increased attention to the last stages of the OSINT process, to use this knowledge in more assertive ways. This study allows guiding the researchers to the current state of research and education in OSINT and promotes a useful metadata description to make resources accessible and reusable in the educational environment.
Integration of the 3D Environment for UAV Onboard Visual Object Tracking
Authors: Vujasinović Stéphane , Becker Stefan , Breuer Timo , Bullinger Sebastian , Scherer-Negenborn Norbert , Arens Michael
Published: October 2020

Single visual object tracking from an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) poses fundamental challenges such as object occlusion, small-scale objects, background clutter, and abrupt camera motion. To tackle these difficulties, we propose to integrate the 3D structure of the observed scene into a detection-by-tracking algorithm. We introduce a pipeline that combines a model-free visual object tracker, a sparse 3D reconstruction, and a state estimator. The 3D reconstruction of the scene is computed with an image-based Structure-from-Motion (SfM) component that enables us to leverage a state estimator in the corresponding 3D scene during tracking. By representing the position of the target in 3D space rather than in image space, we stabilize the tracking during ego-motion and improve the handling of occlusions, background clutter, and small-scale objects. We evaluated our approach on prototypical image sequences, captured from a UAV with low-altitude oblique views. For this purpose, we adapted an existing dataset for visual object tracking and reconstructed the observed scene in 3D. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms methods using plain visual cues as well as approaches leveraging image-space-based state estimations. We believe that our approach can be beneficial for trafficmonitoring, video surveillance, and navigation.
Dynamic Risk Evaluation and Early Warning of Crest Cracking for High Earth-Rockfill Dams through Bayesian Parameter Updating
Authors: Wang Yongfei , Li Junru , Wu Zhenyu , Chen Jiankang , Yin Chuan , Bian Kang
Published: October 2020

Crest cracking is one of the most common damage types for high earth-rockfill dams. Cracking risk of dam crest is closely related to the duration of abnormal deformation state. In this paper, a methodology for dynamic risk evaluation and early warning of crest cracking for high earth-rockfill dams is proposed and mainly consists of: (a) The discrimination of abnormal deformation state related to crest cracking, which is implemented by comparing the crest settlement inclination with the threshold value. (b) Computation of crest cracking probability and estimation of cracking time. The exponential distribution is adopted to represent the probability distribution of the duration TAS of abnormal state before crest cracking. Then the crest cracking probability in a given time can be computed by integration with respect to TAS. Inversely, the cracking time corresponding to a given probability can be estimated. (c) Determination of the values of probability adopted to early warn crest cracking, which are suggested to be selected by statistical analysis of the calculated probabilities at the observed cracking times. (d) Bayesian estimation and updating of probability distribution of the parameter λ in the PDF of TAS, according to observed durations of abnormal state before crest cracking. The methodology is illustrated and verified by the case study for an actual earth-rockfill dam, of which crest cracking and recracking events were observed during the periods of high reservoir level. According to the observed values of TAS, the probability distribution for λ is progressively updated and the dispersion of the distributions of λ gradually decreases. The crest cracking probability increases with the duration of abnormal state and the width of confidence interval of the estimated cracking probability progressively contracts with the updating of the distribution for λ. Finally, the early warning of crest cracking for the dam is investigated by estimating the lower limit of cracking time. It is shown that early warning of crest cracking can be issued from at least 20 days ahead of the occurrence of crest cracking event. The idea of using duration of abnormal state of crest settlement to evaluate crest cracking risk of the earth-rockfill dam in this paper may be applicable to other dams.
Developing Occupancy Grid with Automotive Simulation Environment
Authors: Markiewicz Paweł , Porębski Jakub
Published: October 2020

This study presents the process employed in prototyping and early evaluation of automotive perception algorithms. The data generation was performed using an automotive virtual validation tool. The off-the-shelf simulation framework used was expanded to include phenomenological sensors model that allowed for a simplified simulation of radars, lidars, and cameras. This paper extends the description of the methods for the generation of control algorithms. The work presented also includes a description of relevant data fusion methods for building occupancy grids. Results were obtained by performing a comparison of algorithm results against ground-truth. This virtual validation was used to enable early definition and verification of system-level requirements, narrow down performance assessment methods, and identify performance limitations before data from real sensors are available.
Ray-Tracing-Based Numerical Assessment of the Spatiotemporal Duty Cycle of 5G Massive MIMO in an Outdoor Urban Environment
Authors: Shikhantsov Sergei , Thielens Arno , Aerts Sam , Verloock Leen , Torfs Guy , Martens Luc , Demeester Piet , Joseph Wout
Published: October 2020

In the near future, wireless coverage will be provided by the base stations equipped with dynamically-controlled massive phased antenna arrays that direct the transmission towards the user. This contribution describes a computational method to estimate realistic maximum power levels produced by such base stations, in terms of the time-averaged normalized antenna array gain. The Ray-Tracing method is used to simulate the electromagnetic field (EMF) propagation in an urban outdoor macro-cell environment model. The model geometry entities are generated stochastically, which allowed generalization of the results through statistical analysis. Multiple modes of the base station operation are compared: from LTE multi-user codebook beamforming to the more advanced Maximum Ratio and Zero-Forcing precoding schemes foreseen to be implemented in the massive Multiple-Input Multiple-Output (MIMO) communication protocols. The influence of the antenna array size, from 4 up to 100 elements, in a square planar arrangement is studied. For a 64-element array, the 95th percentile of the maximum time-averaged array gain amounts to around 20% of the theoretical maximum, using the Maximum Ratio precoding with 5 simultaneously connected users, assuming a 10 s connection duration per user. Connection between the average array gain and actual EMF levels in the environment is drawn and its implications on the human exposure in the next generation networks are discussed.
Three-Dimensional Magnetic Inversion Based on an Adaptive Quadtree Data Compression
Authors: Jiang Dandan , Zeng Zhaofa , Zhou Shuai , Guan Yanwu , Lin Tao , Lu Pengyu
Published: October 2020

Three-dimensional magnetic inversion allows the distribution of magnetic parameters to be obtained, and it is an important tool for geological exploration and interpretation. However, because of the redundancy of the data obtained from large-scale investigations or high-density sampling, it is very computationally intensive to use these data for iterative inversion calculations. In this paper, we propose a method for compressing magnetic data by using an adaptive quadtree decomposition method, which divides the two-dimensional data region into four quadrants and progressively subdivides them by recursion until the data in each quadrant meets the regional consistency criterion. The method allows for dense sampling at the abnormal boundaries with large amplitude changes and sparse sampling at regions with small amplitude changes, and achieves the best approximation to the original data with the least amount of data, thus retaining more anomalous information while achieving the purpose of data compression. In addition, assigning values to the data in the quadrants using the averaging method is essentially equivalent to average filtering, which reduces the noise of the magnetic data. Testing the synthetic model and applying the method to mineral exploration a prove that it can effectively compress the magnetic data and greatly improve the computational efficiency.
Production of Cellulosic Ethanol from Enzymatically Hydrolysed Wheat Straws
Authors: Ursachi Vasile-Florin , Gutt Gheorghe
Published: October 2020

The aim of this study is to find the optimal pretreatment conditions and hydrolysis in order to obtain a high yield of bioethanol from wheat straw. The pretreatments were performed with different concentrations of sulphuric acid 1, 2 and 3% (v/v), and were followed by an enzymatic hydrolysis that was performed by varying the solid-to-liquid ratio (1/20, 1/25 and 1/30 g/mL) and the enzyme dose (30/30 µL/g, 60/60 µL/g and 90/90 µL/g Viscozyme® L/Celluclast® 1.5 L). This mix of enzymes was used for the first time in the hydrolysis process of wheat straws which was previously pretreated with dilute sulfuric acid. Scanning electron microscopy indicated significant differences in the structural composition of the samples because of the pretreatment with H2SO4 at different concentrations, and ATR-FTIR analysis highlighted the changes in the chemical composition in the pretreated wheat straw as compared to the untreated one. HPLC-RID was used to identify and quantify the carbohydrates content resulted from enzymatic hydrolysis to evaluate the potential of using wheat straws as a raw material for production of cellulosic ethanol in Romania. The highest degradation of lignocellulosic material was obtained in the case of pretreatment with 3% H2SO4 (v/v), a solid-to-liquid ratio of 1/30 and an enzyme dose of 90/90 µL/g. Simultaneous saccharification and fermentation were performed using Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast, and for monitoring the fermentation process a BlueSens equipment was used provided with ethanol, O2 and CO2 cap sensors mounted on the fermentation flasks. The highest concentration of bioethanol was obtained after 48 h of fermentation and it reached 1.20% (v/v).
Sleep State Classification Using Power Spectral Density and Residual Neural Network with Multichannel EEG Signals
Authors: Hasan Md Junayed , Shon Dongkoo , Im Kichang , Choi Hyun-Kyun , Yoo Dae-Seung , Kim Jong-Myon
Published: October 2020

This paper proposes a classification framework for automatic sleep stage detection in both male and female human subjects by analyzing the electroencephalogram (EEG) data of polysomnography (PSG) recorded for three regions of the human brain, i.e., the pre-frontal, central, and occipital lobes. Without considering any artifact removal approach, the residual neural network (ResNet) architecture is used to automatically learn the distinctive features of different sleep stages from the power spectral density (PSD) of the raw EEG data. The residual block of the ResNet learns the intrinsic features of different sleep stages from the EEG data while avoiding the vanishing gradient problem. The proposed approach is validated using the sleep dataset of the Dreams database, which comprises of EEG signals for 20 healthy human subjects, 16 female and 4 male. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the ResNet based approach in identifying different sleep stages in both female and male subjects compared to state-of-the-art methods with classification accuracies of 87.8% and 83.7%, respectively.
Reactance Regulation Using Coils with Perpendicular Magnetic Field in the Tubular Core design
Authors: Rajput Shailendra , Lockshin Efim , Schochet Aryeh , Averbukh Moshe
Published: October 2020

This article presents an efficient method for prosumer connection to the distribution line. The prosumers can be connected to the distribution line using specially designed controllable reactive impedance. The reactive impedance is controlled using specially designed coils and magnetic core. The internal coil is wound in the toroidal direction (across the z-axis) and creates a toroidal shape. A thin ferromagnetic strip is coiled on this toroidal shape in the poloidal direction to form the ferromagnetic core. Then, an external coil is wound on this ferromagnetic core in the poloidal direction. The internal coil is controlled by the inductive impedance of the external coil, which is related to the anisotropic properties of ferromagnetic strips. The internal coil is connected between the power supply line and a prosumer. This arrangement confirms the magnetic independence of coils and the symmetry of the current in the internal coil. The magnetic coupling between both coils is very low (~0.015–0.017) and appropriate for engineering applications. It is approved that the impedance of the internal coil is changed due to the anisotropic magnetic properties of the core material.
Phage Therapy: Consider the Past, Embrace the Future
Authors: Wei Junwei , Peng Nan , Liang Yunxiang , Li Keke , Li Yingjun
Published: October 2020

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria infections pose a threat to public health. Considering the difficulty in developing new antibiotics, it is an urgent need to develop alternative therapies against bacterial pathogens. Bacteriophages (phages) are evaluated as potential substitutes or adjuncts of antibiotics because they are abundant in nature and could specifically lyse bacteria. In this review, we briefly introduce phage therapy and its advantages compared with traditional antibiotic therapy. We also summarize new emerging phage technologies, such as CRISPR-Cas, synthetic phages, etc., and discuss some possible obstacles and potential risks in the application process. We believe that, with the advancement in synthetic biology and delivery technology, phage therapy has broad prospects in the future.
Impact of Aperture, Depth, and Acoustic Clutter on the Performance of Coherent Multi-Transducer Ultrasound Imaging
Authors: Peralta Laura , Ramalli Alessandro , Reinwald Michael , Eckersley Robert J. , Hajnal Joseph V.
Published: October 2020

Transducers with a larger aperture size are desirable in ultrasound imaging to improve resolution and image quality. A coherent multi-transducer ultrasound imaging system (CoMTUS) enables an extended effective aperture through the coherent combination of multiple transducers. In this study, the discontinuous extended aperture created by CoMTUS and its performance for deep imaging and through layered media are investigated by both simulations and experiments. Typical image quality metrics—resolution, contrast and contrast-to-noise ratio—are evaluated and compared with a standard single probe imaging system. Results suggest that the image performance of CoMTUS depends on the relative spatial location of the arrays. The resulting effective aperture significantly improves resolution, while the separation between the arrays may degrade contrast. For a limited gap in the effective aperture (less than a few centimetres), CoMTUS provides benefits to image quality compared to the standard single probe imaging system. Overall, CoMTUS shows higher sensitivity and reduced loss of resolution with imaging depth. In general, CoMTUS imaging performance was unaffected when imaging through a layered medium with different speed of sound values and resolution improved up to 80% at large imaging depths.
Application of DInSAR and Spatial Statistics Methods in Analysis of Surface Displacements Caused by Induced Tremors
Authors: Owczarz Karolina , Blachowski Jan
Published: October 2020

Induced seismicity is one of the negative phenomena caused by anthropogenic activities that include mining of minerals. This phenomenon manifests itself as sudden and unpredictable shocks of rock mass, which can cause surface deformation and damage to ground infrastructure. Until the advent of satellite radar interferometry that enables analysis of historical events, the characteristics of these unexpected surface deformations were difficult to assess. The main aim of the research was the spatial analysis of the geometry of surface displacements caused by eight induced tremors in the Rudna copper mine (SW Poland) and the dependence of deformation characteristics (vertical displacements, extent) on the induced shock energy. For this purpose, Sentinel-1 satellite imagery, the differential radar satellite interferometry (DInSAR) method and geographic information systems (GIS) based spatial statistics were used. Vertical displacements were mapped on the basis of 37 calculated interferograms. Spatial statistics on the pixel-to-pixel level were performed in the GIS Map Algebra environment. In the result, descriptive and spatial statistics characterizing deformations caused by individual shocks were calculated. The average values of vertical displacements ranged from −44 to −119 mm. Strong, statistical correlation between the extent, maximum vertical displacement, and energy values was determined. In addition, geometries of the formed deformation areas were analyzed and presented graphically. The results obtained in this research constitute development of a knowledge base on surface displacements caused by induced tremors in underground copper mining.
Multi-Weather Evaluation of Nowcasting Methods Including a New Empirical Blending Scheme
Authors: Lin Hsin-Hung , Tsai Chih-Chien , Liou Jia-Chyi , Chen Yu-Chun , Lin Chung-Yi , Lin Lee-Yaw , Chung Kao-Shen
Published: October 2020

This study utilized a radar echo extrapolation system, a high-resolution numerical model with radar data assimilation, and three blending schemes including a new empirical one, called the extrapolation adjusted by model prediction (ExAMP), to carry out 150 min reflectivity nowcasting experiments for various heavy rainfall events in Taiwan in 2019. ExAMP features full trust in the pattern of the extrapolated reflectivity with intensity adjustable by numerical model prediction. The spatial performance for two contrasting events shows that the ExAMP scheme outperforms the others for the more accurate prediction of both strengthening and weakening processes. The statistical skill for all the sampled events shows that the nowcasts by ExAMP and the extrapolation system obtain the lowest and second lowest root mean square errors at all the lead time, respectively. In terms of threat scores and bias scores above certain reflectivity thresholds, the ExAMP nowcast may have more grid points of misses for high reflectivity in comparison to extrapolation, but serious overestimation among the points of hits and false alarms is the least likely to happen with the new scheme. Moreover, the event type does not change the performance ranking of the five methods, all of which have the highest predictability for a typhoon event and the lowest for local thunderstorm events.
Spatial Distribution of Atmospheric Aerosol Physicochemical Characteristics in the Russian Sector of the Arctic Ocean
Authors: Sakerin Sergey , Kabanov Dmitry , Makarov Valery , Pol’kin Viktor , Popova Svetlana , Chankina Olga , Pochufarov Anton , Radionov Vladimir , Rize Denis
Published: October 2020

The results from studies of aerosol in the Arctic atmosphere are presented: the aerosol optical depth (AOD), the concentrations of aerosol and black carbon, as well as the chemical composition of the aerosol. The average aerosol characteristics, measured during nine expeditions (2007–2018) in the Eurasian sector of the Arctic Ocean, had been 0.068 for AOD (0.5 µm); 2.95 cm−3 for particle number concentrations; 32.1 ng/m3 for black carbon mass concentrations. Approximately two–fold decrease of the average characteristics in the eastern direction (from the Barents Sea to Chukchi Sea) is revealed in aerosol spatial distribution. The average aerosol characteristics over the Barents Sea decrease in the northern direction: black carbon concentrations by a factor of 1.5; particle concentrations by a factor of 3.7. These features of the spatial distribution are caused mainly by changes in the content of fine aerosol, namely: by outflows of smokes from forest fires and anthropogenic aerosol. We considered separately the measurements of aerosol characteristics during two expeditions in 2019: in the north of the Barents Sea (April) and along the Northern Sea Route (July–September). In the second expedition the average aerosol characteristics turned out to be larger than multiyear values: AOD reached 0.36, particle concentration up to 8.6 cm−3, and black carbon concentration up to 179 ng/m3. The increased aerosol content was affected by frequent outflows of smoke from forest fires. The main (99%) contribution to the elemental composition of aerosol in the study regions was due to Ca, K, Fe, Zn, Br, Ni, Cu, Mn, and Sr. The spatial distribution of the chemical composition of aerosols was analogous to that of microphysical characteristics. The lowest concentrations of organic and elemental carbon (OC, EC) and of most elements are observed in April in the north of the Barents Sea, and the maximal concentrations in Far East seas and in the south of the Barents Sea. The average contents of carbon in aerosol over seas of the Asian sector of the Arctic Ocean are OC = 629 ng/m3, EC = 47 ng/m3.
Changes of Extreme Temperature and Its Influencing Factors in Shiyang River Basin, Northwest China
Authors: Zhou Junju , Huang Jumei , Zhao Xi , Lei Li , Shi Wei , Wang Lanying , Wei Wei , Liu Chunfang , Zhu Guofeng , Yang Xuemei
Published: October 2020

The increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events around the world has led to the frequent occurrence of global disasters, which have had serious impacts on the society, economic and ecological environment, especially fragile arid areas. Based on the daily maximum temperature and daily minimum temperature data of four meteorological stations in Shiyang River Basin (SRB) from 1960 to 2015, the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of extreme temperature indices were analyzed by means of univariate linear regression analysis, Mann–Kendall test and correlation analysis. The results showed that the extreme temperatures warming indices and the minimum of daily maximum temperature (TXn) and the minimum of daily minimum temperature (TNn) of cold indices showed an increasing trend from 1960 to 2016, especially since the 1990s, where the growth rate was fast and the response to global warming was sensitive. Except TXn and TNn, other cold indices showed a decreasing trend, especially Diurnal temperature (DTR) range, which decreased rapidly, indicating that the increasing speed of daily min-temperature were greater than of daily max-temperature in SRB. In space, the change tendency rate of the warm index basically showed an obvious altitude gradient effect that decreased with the altitude, which was consistent with Frost day (FD0) and Cool nights (TN10p) in the cold index, while Ice days (ID0) and Cool days (TX10p) are opposite. The mutation of the cold indices occurred earlier than the warm indices, illustrating that the cold indices in SRB were more sensitive to global warming. The change in extreme temperatures that would have a significant impact on the vegetation and glacier permafrost in the basin was the result of the combined function of different atmospheric circulation systems, which included the Arctic polar vortex, Western Pacific subtropical high and Qinghai-tibet Plateau circulation.
VCAM-1 Target in Non-Invasive Imaging for the Detection of Atherosclerotic Plaques
Authors: Thayse Kathleen , Kindt Nadège , Laurent Sophie , Carlier Stéphane
Published: October 2020

Atherosclerosis is a progressive chronic arterial disease characterised by atheromatous plaque formation in the intima of the arterial wall. Several invasive and non-invasive imaging techniques have been developed to detect and characterise atherosclerosis in the vessel wall: anatomic/structural imaging, functional imaging and molecular imaging. In molecular imaging, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) is a promising target for the non-invasive detection of atherosclerosis and for the assessment of novel antiatherogenic treatments. VCAM-1 is an adhesion molecule expressed on the activated endothelial surface that binds leucocyte ligands and therefore promotes leucocyte adhesion and transendothelial migration. Hence, for several years, there has been an increase in molecular imaging methods for detecting VCAM-1 in MRI, PET, SPECT, optical imaging and ultrasound. The use of microparticles of iron oxide (MPIO), ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO), microbubbles, echogenic immunoliposomes, peptides, nanobodies and other nanoparticles has been described. However, these approaches have been tested in animal models, and the remaining challenge is bench-to-bedside development and clinical applicability.
Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) as an Early Indicator of Envenomation in Australian Elapid Snakebites (ASP-27)
Authors: Isbister Geoffrey K. , Mirajkar Nandita , Fakes Kellie , Brown Simon G. A. , Veerati Punnam Chander
Published: October 2020

Early diagnosis of snake envenomation is essential, especially neurotoxicity and myotoxicity. We investigated the diagnostic value of serum phospholipase (PLA2) in Australian snakebites. In total, 115 envenomated and 80 non-envenomated patients were recruited over 2 years, in which an early blood sample was available pre-antivenom. Serum samples were analyzed for secretory PLA2 activity using a Cayman sPLA2 assay kit (#765001 Cayman Chemical Company, Ann Arbor MI, USA). Venom concentrations were measured for snake identification using venom-specific enzyme immunoassay. The most common snakes were Pseudonaja spp. (33), Notechis scutatus (24), Pseudechis porphyriacus (19) and Tropidechis carinatus (17). There was a significant difference in median PLA2 activity between non-envenomated (9 nmol/min/mL; IQR: 7–11) and envenomated patients (19 nmol/min/mL; IQR: 10–66, p < 0.0001) but Pseudonaja spp. were not different to non-envenomated. There was a significant correlation between venom concentrations and PLA2 activity (r = 0.71; p < 0.0001). PLA2 activity was predictive for envenomation; area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC-ROC), 0.79 (95% confidence intervals [95%CI]: 0.72–0.85), which improved with brown snakes excluded, AUC-ROC, 0.88 (95%CI: 0.82–0.94). A cut-point of 16 nmol/min/mL gives a sensitivity of 72% and specificity of 100% for Australian snakes, excluding Pseudonaja. PLA2 activity was a good early predictor of envenomation in most Australian elapid bites. A bedside PLA2 activity test has potential utility for early case identification but may not be useful for excluding envenomation.
The Role of Endocrine Stress Systems and Sex Hormones in the Enhancing Effects of Stress on Mental Rotation Capabilities
Authors: Cohen Ami , Zemel Or Chen , Colodner Raul , Abu-Shkara Randa , Masalha Refaat , Mahagna Lila , Barel Efrat
Published: October 2020

The possible effects of stress and neurobiological stress mechanisms on visuospatial abilities remain largely unknown. In the current study, we examined the combined effect of sex hormones and both the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA-A) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) on stress-induced changes in visuospatial performance. A total of 107 participants completed a mental rotation task and were subsequently exposed to either to the Trier social stress test (TSST) or to a control condition before completing the mental rotation task again. HPA-A and SNS reactivity of the participants were evaluated by measuring salivary alpha amylase (sAA; an SNS activation marker) and cortisol in four saliva samples. Pre-stress levels of sex hormones (progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone) were also measured. The TSST enhanced mental rotation performance, and this enhancement was negatively correlated with baseline estradiol levels and positively correlated with the level of cortisol reactivity among men. In addition, controlling for baseline levels of testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone diminished this effect of stress. These results imply that the stress-induced facilitation of mental rotation performance is modulated by baseline sex hormones and provide preliminary support to the notion that a complex interaction between sex hormones and neuroendocrine stress mechanisms mediates the influence of stress on visuospatial performance.
High-Intensity Interval Training Improves Cognitive Flexibility in Older Adults
Authors: Mekari Said , Neyedli Heather F. , Fraser Sarah , O’Brien Myles W. , Martins Ricardo , Evans Kailey , Earle Meghan , Aucoin Rachelle , Chiekwe Joy , Hollohan Quinn , Kimmerly Derek S. , Dupuy Olivier
Published: October 2020

Introduction: Regular aerobic exercise is associated with better executive function in older adults. It is unclear if high-intensity-interval-training (HIIT) elicits moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) or resistance training (RT). We hypothesized that HIIT would augment executive function more than MICT and RT. Methods: Sixty-nine older adults (age: 68 ± 7 years) performed six weeks (three days/week) of HIIT (2 × 20 min bouts alternating between 15 s intervals at 100% of peak power output (PPO) and passive recovery (0% PPO); n = 24), MICT (34 min at 60% PPO; n = 19), or whole-body RT (eight exercise superior improvements in executive function of older adults than moderate-intensity-continuous-training, 2 × 10 repetitions; n = 26). Cardiorespiratory fitness (i.e., V˙O2max) and executive function were assessed before and after each intervention via a progressive maximal cycle ergometer protocol and the Stroop Task, respectively. Results: The V˙O2max findings revealed a significant group by time interaction (p = 0.001) in which all groups improved following training, but HIIT and MICT improved more than RT. From pre- to post-training, no interaction in the naming condition of the Stroop Task was observed (p > 0.10). However, interaction from pre- to post-training by group was observed, and only the HIIT group exhibited a faster reaction time (from 1250 ± 50 to 1100 ± 50 ms; p < 0.001) in switching (cognitive flexibility). Conclusion: Despite similar improvements in cardiorespiratory fitness, HIIT, but not MICT nor RT, enhanced cognitive flexibility in older adults. Exercise programs should consider using HIIT protocols in an effort to combat cognitive decline in older adults.
A Systematic Review of Behavioral, Physiological, and Neurobiological Cognitive Regulation Alterations in Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Authors: Ferreira Sónia , Pêgo José Miguel , Morgado Pedro
Published: October 2020

Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by cognitive regulation deficits. However, the current literature has focused on executive functioning and emotional response impairments in this disorder. Herein, we conducted a systematic review of studies assessing the behavioral, physiological, and neurobiological alterations in cognitive regulation in obsessive-compulsive patients using the PubMed database. Most of the studies included explored behavioral (distress, arousal, and frequency of intrusive thoughts) and neurobiological measures (brain activity and functional connectivity) using affective cognitive regulation paradigms. Our results pointed to the advantageous use of reappraisal and acceptance strategies in contrast to suppression to reduce distress and frequency of intrusive thoughts. Moreover, we observed alterations in frontoparietal network activity during cognitive regulation. Our conclusions are limited by the inclusion of underpowered studies with treated patients. Nonetheless, our findings support the OCD impairments in cognitive regulation of emotion and might help to improve current guidelines for cognitive therapy.
Prevalence and Correlates of Sexual Risk Behavior among School-Going Adolescents in Four Caribbean Countries
Authors: Pengpid Supa , Peltzer Karl
Published: October 2020

This study aimed to assess the prevalence and correlates of sexual risk behaviors among adolescents in the Caribbean. Nationally representative cross-sectional data were analyzed from 9143 adolescents (15 years = median age) that took part in the 2016 Dominican Republic, 2016 Suriname, 2017 Jamaica, and 2017 Trinidad and Tobago Global School-Based Student Health Survey (GSHS). The results indicate that 41.4% of the students had ever had sex, ranging from 26.4% in Trinidad and Tobago to 48.1% in Jamaica. Among the sexually active, 58.8% had had ≥2 sexual partners; 58.6% had had an early sexual debut (≤14 years); 41.9% had not used birth control the last time they had sex; 28.4% had not used a condom the last time they had sex; and, of the whole sample, 31.9% had engaged in two or more (multiple) sexual risk behaviors, ranging from 16.5% in Trinidad and Tobago to 40.3% in Jamaica. In an adjusted logistic regression analysis, substance use (tobacco, alcohol, and cannabis), psychological distress, frequent soft drink intake, participation in physical fighting, school truancy, older age, and male sex were associated with single and/or multiple sexual risk behaviors. A large number of adolescents in the Caribbean reported sexual risk behaviors, emphasizing the need for intervention.
Marginal Bone Loss in Implants with External Connection versus Internal Conical Connection Prior to Prosthetic Loading. A Randomized Clinical Study
Authors: Palacios-Garzón Natalia , Ayuso-Montero Raul , Jané-Salas Enric , Anglada-Cantarell José María , López-López José
Published: October 2020

Introduction: The prosthetic connection of implants has been related to the loss of marginal bone. The aim of this study was to evaluate bone loss around external connection (EC) and internal conical connection (ICC) implants prior to prosthetic loading. Material and methods: A randomized clinical trial (RCT) was carried out, with a sample size of 93 implants (31 EC and 62 ICC) placed in 27 patients. Radiological controls were performed and stability was measured by resonance frequency analysis (RFA) on the day of placement, at 1 month and at 4 months after the placement. Results: Bone loss in EC implants was not statistically different than in ICC implants between the time of placement (T0) and the subsequent month (T1): (EC = 0.18 mm and ICC = 0.17 mm). Between one month (T1) and four months (T2): (EC = 0.39 mm and ICC = 0.19 mm) this difference was highly significant (p = 0.00). Bone loss between T0 and T2 was significantly lower in the ICC (EC = 0.57 mm and ICC = 0.36 mm), (p = 0.01). The overall success rate of the implants was 97.8%. The stability of the implants increased from 70.69 (T0) to 73.91 (T1) and 75.32 (T2). Conclusions: ICC showed less bone loss up to the time of prosthesis placement. Such bone loss did not have a significant impact on bone stability. Long term RCTs are needed to demonstrate whether this bone loss, which is more pronounced at the beginning in EC, tends to stabilize and equate to ICC.
1.3 μm p-Modulation Doped InGaAs/GaAs Quantum Dot Lasers with High Speed Direct Modulation Rate and Strong Optical Feedback Resistance
Authors: MaXueer Xia-Yida , He Yi-Ming , Lv Zun-Ren , Zhang Zhong-Kai , Chai Hong-Yu , Lu Dan , Yang Xiao-Guang , Yang Tao
Published: October 2020

Aiming to realize high-speed optical transmitters for isolator-free telecommunication systems, 1.3 μm p-modulation doped InGaAs/GaAs quantum dot (QD) lasers with a 400 μm long cavity have been reported. Compared with the un-doped QD laser as a reference, the p-doped QD laser emits at ground state, with an ultra-low threshold current and a high maximum output power. The p-doped QD laser also shows enhanced dynamic characteristics, with a 10 Gb/s large-signal direct modulation rate and a 7.8 GHz 3dB-bandwidth. In addition, the p-doped QD laser exhibits a strong coherent optical feedback resistance, which might be beyond −9 dB.
Hypogean Communities as Cybernetic Systems: Implications for the Evolution of Cave Biotas
Authors: Romero Aldemaro
Published: October 2020

Ramón Margalef proposed in 1968 that ecosystems could be better understood if they were viewed as cybernetic systems. I tested this hypothesis in the case of hypogean ecosystems using available pieces of evidence. I looked on how information on feedbacks, stability, succession, organization, diversity, and energy flows in the hypogean environment fit the cybernetics hypothesis. The results were that there are convincing arguments that the application of the concept of cybernetics in biospeleology can be beneficial to broadening our understanding of cave biota in terms of their structure. I also make the case that this approach can provide more clarity about how cave biota has evolved through time and the implications for their conservation.