bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embracing Variety in Decision-Making Regarding Adoption of Industry 4.0
Authors: Habraken Milou , Bondarouk Tanya
Published: May 2020

Industry 4.0 embodies the three technology-based developmental streams currently available and is widely recognised whether it is viewed as a great step forward or not. Consequently, the interest in the topic of “implementation” regarding Industry 4.0 has grown in recent years. However, data to date depict a somewhat single (technology-push, focused on organisational benefits) way of representing the drivers of Industry 4.0 adoption. In response, this paper intends to show to the scholarly and business communities that discussions in the literature on Industry 4.0 adoption drivers do not fully reflect the Industry 4.0 reality, which seems to us to be much more diverse. In other words, the goal is to provide an overview of the breadth and variation in drivers of Industry 4.0 adoption. This is achieved through assessing eight cases selected from the Dutch national and eastern regional platform for Industry 4.0. The cross-case analysis reveals the diversity in existing Industry 4.0 adoption drivers and highlights the apparent importance of the need-pull approach. It further highlights the relevant role that appears to be played by both internal supporting resources and external parties. Finally, it emphasises the diverse possibilities that the Industry 4.0 streams create.
Same Space, Different Species: The Influence of Exhibit Design on the Expression of Zoo-Housed Apes’ Species-Typical Retiring Behaviors
Authors: Earl Samantha C. , Hopper Lydia M. , Ross Stephen R.
Published: May 2020

Wild chimpanzees frequently make arboreal nests, while wild lowland gorillas typically nest on the ground. We aimed to understand whether zoo-housed apes’ use of elevated spaces for retiring similarly differed between species and across exhibits. Using a pre-planned exhibit switch at Lincoln Park Zoo (Chicago, USA), we compared where (elevated or terrestrial) two groups of apes (Pan troglodytes and Gorilla gorilla gorilla) performed retiring behaviors (inactive, sleeping, and nest-building behaviors). We studied a group of six chimpanzees and a group of four gorillas in two exhibits of similar size and configuration for two three-month periods (between 3 and 5 p.m.) before and after the groups switched exhibits. We predicted that chimpanzees would be more likely to retire in elevated locations compared to gorillas, irrespective of the exhibit. We found a significant effect of exhibit on where the apes retired but no effect of species, such that both species were more likely to retire in elevated locations in one exhibit but not the other. This suggests that the specific characteristics of the exhibits (e.g., number of visual barriers) influenced the expression of the apes’ retiring behaviors. These findings offer further insight in how exhibit design can influence the expression of natural behaviors in these species.
Natural Oregano Essential Oil May Replace Antibiotics in Lamb Diets: Effects on Meat Quality
Authors: Garcia-Galicia Ivan A. , Arras-Acosta Jose A. , Huerta-Jimenez Mariana , Rentería-Monterrubio Ana L. , Loya-Olguin Jose L. , Carrillo-Lopez Luis M. , Tirado-Gallegos Juan M. , Alarcon-Rojo Alma D.
Published: May 2020

A study was conducted to investigate the effect of oregano essential oil (OEO) and monensin sodium on the oxidative stability, colour, texture, and the fatty acid profile of lamb meat (m. Longissimus lumborum). Twenty Dorper x Pelibuey lambs were randomly divided into five treatments; control (CON), monensin sodium (SM, Rumensin 200® 33 mg/kg), a low level of OEO (LO, 0.2 g/kg dry matter (DM)), a medium level of OEO (MO, 0.3g/ kg DM), and a high level of OEO (HO, 0.4 g/kg DM). Dietary supplementation of OEO at any concentration lowered the compression strength in comparison with CON and SM. MO had the highest a* values (7.99) and fatty acid concentration (C16:1n7, C18:1n9c, C18:1n6c, C20:1n9, and C18:2n6c) during storage for 7 d at 3 °C. Lipid oxidation was not promoted (p > 0.05) by the moderated supplementation of oregano essential oil; however, OEO at 0.3 g/kg DM showed a slight lipid pro-oxidant effect. Dietary supplementation of MO and SM had the same effect on colour, tenderness, and the fatty acid profile of lamb (L. lumborum). It was demonstrated that oregano essential oil was beneficial for lambs feeding, and it could be a natural alternative to replace monensin in lamb diets with improvements in the quality of the meat.
A Wind Tunnel Investigation into the Aerodynamics of Lobed Hailstones
Authors: Theis Alexander , Borrmann Stephan , Mitra Subir Kumar , Heymsfield Andrew J. , Szakáll Miklós
Published: May 2020

The complex surface geometries of hailstones affect their fall behavior, fall speeds, and growth. Systematic experimental investigations on the influence of the number and length of lobes on the fall velocity and the drag coefficient of hailstones were performed in the Mainz vertical wind tunnel to provide relationships for use in numerical models. For this purpose, 3D prints of four artificial lobed hailstone models as well as spheres were used. The derived drag coefficients show no dependency in the Reynolds number in the range between 25,000 and 85,000. Further, the drag coefficients were found to increase with increasing length of lobes. All lobed hailstones show higher or similar drag coefficients than spheres. The terminal velocities of the the hailstones with short lobes are very close to each other and only reduced by about 6% from those of a sphere. The terminal velocities from the long lobed hailstones deviate up to 21% from a sphere. The results indicate that lobes on the surface of hailstones reduce their kinetic energy by a factor of up to 3 compared to a sphere. This has important consequences for the estimation of the destructive potential of hailstones.
Phytogenic Synthesis of Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles (NiO) Using Fresh Leaves Extract of Rhamnus triquetra (Wall.) and Investigation of Its Multiple In Vitro Biological Potentials
Authors: Iqbal Javed , Abbasi Banzeer Ahsan , Ahmad Riaz , Mahmoodi Mahboobeh , Munir Akhtar , Zahra Syeda Anber , Shahbaz Amir , Shaukat Muzzafar , Kanwal Sobia , Uddin Siraj , Mahmood Tariq , Capasso Raffaele
Published: May 2020

Chemically nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiONPs) involve the synthesis of toxic products, which restrict their biological applications. Hence, we developed a simple, eco-friendly, and cost-efficient green chemistry method for the fabrication of NiONPs using fresh leaf broth of Rhamnus triquetra (RT). The RT leaves broth was used as a strong reducing, capping, and stabilizing agent in the formation of RT-NiONPs. The color change in solution from brown to greenish black suggests the fabrication of RT-NiONPs which was further confirmed by absorption band at 333 nm. The synthesis and different physicochemical properties of RT-NiONPs were investigated using different analytical techniques such as UV-Vis (ultraviolet−visible spectroscopy), XRD (X-ray powder diffraction), FT-IR (Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy), SEM (scanning electron microscopy), TEM (transmission electron microscopy), EDS (energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy), DLS (dynamic light scattering) and Raman. Further, RT-NiONPs were subjected to different in vitro biological activities and revealed distinctive biosafe and biocompatibility potentials using erythrocytes and macrophages. RT-NiONPs exhibited potential anticancer activity against liver cancer cell lines HUH7 (IC50: 11.3 µg/mL) and HepG2 (IC50: 20.73 µg/mL). Cytotoxicity potential was confirmed using Leishmanial parasites promastigotes (IC50: 27.32 µg/mL) and amastigotes (IC50: 37.4 µg/mL). RT-NiONPs are capable of rendering significant antimicrobial efficacy using various bacterial and fungal strains. NiONPs determined potent radical scavenging and moderate enzyme inhibition potencies. Overall, this study suggested that RT-NiONPs can be an attractive and eco-friendly candidate. In conclusion, current study showed potential in vitro biological activities and further necessitate different in vivo studies in various animal models to develop leads for new drugs to treat several chronic diseases.
Scorpion Venom: Detriments and Benefits
Authors: Ahmadi Shirin , Knerr Julius M. , Argemi Lídia , Bordon Karla C. F. , Pucca Manuela B. , Cerni Felipe A. , Arantes Eliane C. , Çalışkan Figen , Laustsen Andreas H.
Published: May 2020

Scorpion venom may cause severe medical complications and untimely death if injected into the human body. Neurotoxins are the main components of scorpion venom that are known to be responsible for the pathological manifestations of envenoming. Besides neurotoxins, a wide range of other bioactive molecules can be found in scorpion venoms. Advances in separation, characterization, and biotechnological approaches have enabled not only the development of more effective treatments against scorpion envenomings, but have also led to the discovery of several scorpion venom peptides with interesting therapeutic properties. Thus, scorpion venom may not only be a medical threat to human health, but could prove to be a valuable source of bioactive molecules that may serve as leads for the development of new therapies against current and emerging diseases. This review presents both the detrimental and beneficial properties of scorpion venom toxins and discusses the newest advances within the development of novel therapies against scorpion envenoming and the therapeutic perspectives for scorpion toxins in drug discovery.
Changes in Developmental Trajectories of Preschool Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder during Parental Based Intensive Intervention
Authors: Bentenuto Arianna , Bertamini Giulio , Perzolli Silvia , Venuti Paola
Published: May 2020

Background: Research highlights the positive effects of early intensive intervention with parent and school involvement for preschool children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) on general developmental outcomes and social skills in randomized controlled trials. However, given the inter-individual variability in the response to treatment, it is necessary to investigate intervention effects in terms of mediators and moderators in order to explain variability and to highlight mechanisms of change. Methods: 25 children in the experimental group were exposed to early intensive intervention and 14 children in the control group were subjected to “as usual” intervention. The initial assessment was obtained at the time of diagnosis (T1) and the follow-up assessment was conducted after 15 months of intervention (T2) in both groups. Results: Participants in the experimental group achieved more prominent gains in both cognitive and socio-interactive skills. The role of specific factors able to predict general quotient and language quotient after intervention were investigated, pointing out the contribution of personal–social and performance abilities. Conclusions: The findings support the importance of parental involvement in targeting ASD core symptoms. Further, results informed our understanding of early predictors in order to identify specific elements to be targeted in the individualized intervention design.
Classification of Breast Cancer Cells Using the Integration of High-Frequency Single-Beam Acoustic Tweezers and Convolutional Neural Networks
Authors: Lim Hae Gyun , Lee O-Joun , Shung K. Kirk , Kim Jin-Taek , Kim Hyung Ham
Published: May 2020

Single-beam acoustic tweezers (SBAT) is a widely used trapping technique to manipulate microscopic particles or cells. Recently, the characterization of a single cancer cell using high-frequency (>30 MHz) SBAT has been reported to determine its invasiveness and metastatic potential. Investigation of cell elasticity and invasiveness is based on the deformability of cells under SBAT’s radiation forces, and in general, more physically deformed cells exhibit higher levels of invasiveness and therefore higher metastatic potential. However, previous imaging analysis to determine substantial differences in cell deformation, where the SBAT is turned ON or OFF, relies on the subjective observation that may vary and requires follow-up evaluations from experts. In this study, we propose an automatic and reliable cancer cell classification method based on SBAT and a convolutional neural network (CNN), which provides objective and accurate quantitative measurement results. We used a custom-designed 50 MHz SBAT transducer to obtain a series of images of deformed human breast cancer cells. CNN-based classification methods with data augmentation applied to collected images determined and validated the metastatic potential of cancer cells. As a result, with the selected optimizers, precision, and recall of the model were found to be greater than 0.95, which highly validates the classification performance of our integrated method. CNN-guided cancer cell deformation analysis using SBAT may be a promising alternative to current histological image analysis, and this pretrained model will significantly reduce the evaluation time for a larger population of cells.
The Transcription Factor EB Reduces the Intraneuronal Accumulation of the Beta-Secretase-Derived APP Fragment C99 in Cellular and Mouse Alzheimer’s Disease Models
Authors: Bécot Anaïs , Pardossi-Piquard Raphaëlle , Bourgeois Alexandre , Duplan Eric , Xiao Qingli , Diwan Abhinav , Lee Jin-Moo , Lauritzen Inger , Checler Frédéric
Published: May 2020

Brains that are affected by Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are characterized by the overload of extracellular amyloid β (Aβ) peptides, but recent data from cellular and animal models propose that Aβ deposition is preceded by intraneuronal accumulation of the direct precursor of Aβ, C99. These studies indicate that C99 accumulation firstly occurs within endosomal and lysosomal compartments and that it contributes to early-stage AD-related endosomal-lysosomal-autophagic defects. Our previous work also suggests that C99 accumulation itself could be a consequence of defective lysosomal-autophagic degradation. Thus, in the present study, we analyzed the influence of the overexpression of the transcription factor EB (TFEB), a master regulator of autophagy and lysosome biogenesis, on C99 accumulation occurring in both AD cellular models and in the triple-transgenic mouse model (3xTgAD). In the in vivo experiments, TFEB overexpression was induced via adeno-associated viruses (AAVs), which were injected either into the cerebral ventricles of newborn mice or administrated at later stages (3 months of age) by stereotaxic injection into the subiculum. In both cells and the 3xTgAD mouse model, exogenous TFEB strongly reduced C99 load and concomitantly increased the levels of many lysosomal and autophagic proteins, including cathepsins, key proteases involved in C99 degradation. Our data indicate that TFEB activation is a relevant strategy to prevent the accumulation of this early neurotoxic catabolite.
Non-Additive Effects of Forest Litter on Flammability
Authors: Gormley Angela G. , Bell Tina L. , Possell Malcolm
Published: May 2020

Forest litter is a fuel component that is important for the propagation of fire. Data describing fuel load, structure and fuel condition were gathered for two sites of Sydney Coastal Dry Sclerophyll Forest, a common vegetation type in the Sydney Basin, Australia. Surface litter from the sites was sorted into its constituent components and used to establish which component or mixture of components were the most flammable using several metrics. A general blending model was used to estimate the effect the different mixtures had on the response of the flammability metrics and identify non-additive effects. Optimisation methods were applied to the models to determine the mixture compositions that were the most or least flammable. Differences in the flammability of the two sites were significant and were driven by Allocasuarina littoralis. The presence of A. littoralis in litter mixtures caused non-additive effects, increasing the rate of flame spread and flame height non-linearly. We discuss how land managers could use these models as a tool to assist in prioritising areas for hazard reduction burns and how the methodology can be extended to other fuel conditions or forest types.
Evaluation of the Physicochemical and Sensory Characteristics of Different Fig Cultivars for the Fresh Fruit Market
Authors: Pereira Cristina , Martín Alberto , López-Corrales Margarita , Córdoba María de Guía , Galván Ana Isabel , Serradilla Manuel Joaquín
Published: May 2020

Physicochemical and sensory properties of nine fig cultivars: ‘San Antonio’ (SA), ‘Blanca Bétera’ (BB), ‘Brown Turkey’ (BT), ‘Tres Voltas L’Any’ (TV), ‘Banane’ (BN), ‘Cuello Dama Blanco’ (CDB), ‘Cuello Dama Negro’ (CDN), ‘Colar Elche’ (CE), and ‘De Rey’ (DR), were compared at three different ripening stages. Weight, size, titratable acidity, pH, skin and flesh colours, firmness, maturation index (MI), and volatile compounds were determined in samples from two consecutive seasons, in addition to both descriptive and hedonic sensory analysis. The mechanical behaviour of figs determined by firmness analysis and colour changes in both skin and flesh was the most important trait for the discrimination of ripening stages. Notable differences among cultivars were found in most of the parameters studied, in particular the inter-cultivar differences highlighted for MI, pH, acidity, and skin colour analyses, followed by volatile compounds. Principal component analysis (PCA) indicated that MI, pH, colour parameters of flesh (h and L*), and terpenes were the best physicochemical indices to determine overall acceptability which is highly correlated with the sensory attributes flesh colour and fruit flavour. The results suggested that CDN and SA showed huge consumer acceptability among the fig cultivars studied.
Exact Solution of Two-Dimensional Fractional Partial Differential Equations
Authors: Baleanu Dumitru , Jassim Hassan Kamil
Published: May 2020

In this study, we examine adapting and using the Sumudu decomposition method (SDM) as a way to find approximate solutions to two-dimensional fractional partial differential equations and propose a numerical algorithm for solving fractional Riccati equation. This method is a combination of the Sumudu transform method and decomposition method. The fractional derivative is described in the Caputo sense. The results obtained show that the approach is easy to implement and accurate when applied to various fractional differential equations.
Water on Mars—A Literature Review
Authors: Nazari-Sharabian Mohammad , Aghababaei Mohammad , Karakouzian Moses , Karami Mehrdad
Published: May 2020

To assess Mars’ potential for both harboring life and providing useable resources for future human exploration, it is of paramount importance to comprehend the water situation on the planet. Therefore, studies have been conducted to determine any evidence of past or present water existence on Mars. While the presence of abundant water on Mars very early in its history is widely accepted, on its modern form, only a fraction of this water can be found, as either ice or locked into the structure of Mars’ plentiful water-rich materials. Water on the planet is evaluated through various evidence such as rocks and minerals, Martian achondrites, low volume transient briny outflows (e.g., dune flows, reactivated gullies, slope streaks, etc.), diurnal shallow soil moisture (e.g., measurements by Curiosity and Phoenix Lander), geomorphic representation (possibly from lakes and river valleys), and groundwater, along with further evidence obtained by probe and rover discoveries. One of the most significant lines of evidence is for an ancient streambed in Gale Crater, implying ancient amounts of “vigorous” water on Mars. Long ago, hospitable conditions for microbial life existed on the surface of Mars, as it was likely periodically wet. However, its current dry surface makes it almost impossible as an appropriate environment for living organisms; therefore, scientists have recognized the planet’s subsurface environments as the best potential locations for exploring life on Mars. As a result, modern research has aimed towards discovering underground water, leading to the discovery of a large amount of underground ice in 2016 by NASA, and a subglacial lake in 2018 by Italian scientists. Nevertheless, the presence of life in Mars’ history is still an open question. In this unifying context, the current review summarizes results from a wide variety of studies and reports related to the history of water on Mars, as well as any related discussions on the possibility of living organism existence on the planet.
Complex Analysis of Retroposed Genes’ Contribution to Human Genome, Proteome and Transcriptome
Authors: Kubiak Magdalena Regina , Szcześniak Michał Wojciech , Makałowska Izabela
Published: May 2020

Gene duplication is a major driver of organismal evolution. One of the main mechanisms of gene duplications is retroposition, a process in which mRNA is first transcribed into DNA and then reintegrated into the genome. Most gene retrocopies are depleted of the regulatory regions. Nevertheless, examples of functional retrogenes are rapidly increasing. These functions come from the gain of new spatio-temporal expression patterns, imposed by the content of the genomic sequence surrounding inserted cDNA and/or by selectively advantageous mutations, which may lead to the switch from protein coding to regulatory RNA. As recent studies have shown, these genes may lead to new protein domain formation through fusion with other genes, new regulatory RNAs or other regulatory elements. We utilized existing data from high-throughput technologies to create a complex description of retrogenes functionality. Our analysis led to the identification of human retroposed genes that substantially contributed to transcriptome and proteome. These retrocopies demonstrated the potential to encode proteins or short peptides, act as cis- and trans- Natural Antisense Transcripts (NATs), regulate their progenitors’ expression by competing for the same microRNAs, and provide a sequence to lncRNA and novel exons to existing protein-coding genes. Our study also revealed that retrocopies, similarly to retrotransposons, may act as recombination hot spots. To our best knowledge this is the first complex analysis of these functions of retrocopies.
Decent Work, ILO’s Response to the Globalization of Working Life: Basic Concepts and Global Implementation with Special Reference to Occupational Health
Authors: Rantanen Jorma , Muchiri Franklin , Lehtinen Suvi
Published: May 2020

Twenty years ago, the International Labour Organization (ILO) launched a new strategy, the Decent Work Agenda, to ensure human-oriented development in the globalization of working life and to provide an effective response to the challenges of globalization. We searched for and analysed the origin of the Decent Work concept and identified the key principles in ILO policy documents, survey reports, and relevant United Nations’ (UN) documents. We also analysed the implementation of the Decent Work Country Programmes (DWCPs) and examined the available external evaluation reports. Finally, we examined the objectives of the ILO Decent Work Agenda and the Decent Work targets in the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in view of occupational health. In two thirds of the ILO’s Member States, the Decent Work Agenda has been successfully introduced and so far fully or partly implemented in their DWCPs. The sustainability of the Decent Work approach was ensured through the UN 2030 Agenda, the ILO Global Commission Report on the Future of Work, and the ILO Centenary Declaration. However, objectives in line with the ILO Convention No. 161 on Occupational Health Services were not found in the DWCPs. Although successful in numerous aspects in terms of the achievement of the Decent Work objectives and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Decent Work Agenda and the Decent Work Country Programmes need further development and inclusion of the necessary strategies, objectives, and actions for occupational health services, particularly in view of the high burden of work-related diseases and, for example, the present global pandemic. In many countries, national capabilities for participation and implementation of Decent Work Country Programmes need strengthening.
Algorithmic Improvements of the KSU-STEM Method Verified on a Fund Portfolio Selection
Authors: Borovička Adam
Published: May 2020

The topic of this article is inspired by the problem faced by many people around the world: investment portfolio selection. Apart from the standardly used methods and approaches, non-traditional multiple objective programming methods can also be significant, providing even more efficient support for making a satisfactory investment decision. A more suitable method for this purpose seems to be a concept working with an interactive procedure through the portfolio that may gradually be adapted to the investor’s preferences. Such a method is clearly the Step Method (STEM) or the more suitable improved version KSU-STEM. This method is still burdened by partial algorithmic weaknesses or methodical aspects to think about, but not as much as the other methods. The potentially stronger application power of the KSU-STEM concept motivates its revision. Firstly, an unnecessarily negative principle to determine the basal value of the objectives is revised. Further, the fuzzy goals are specified, which leads to a reformulation of the revealed defuzzified multi-objective model. Finally, the imperfect re-setting of the weights (importance) of unsatisfactory objectives is revealed. Thus, the alternative approaches are proposed. The interventions to the algorithm are empirically verified through a real-life selection of a portfolio of the open unit trusts offered by CONSEQ Investment Management traded on the Czech capital market. This application confirms a significant supporting power of the revised multiple objective programming approach KSU-STEM in a portfolio-making process.
Path and Control Planning for Autonomous Vehicles in Restricted Space and Low Speed
Authors: Diachuk Maksym , Easa Said M. , Bannis Joel
Published: May 2020

This paper presents models of path and control planning for the parking, docking, and movement of autonomous vehicles at low speeds, considering space constraints. Given the low speed of motion, and in order to test and approve the proposed algorithms, vehicle kinematic models are used. Recent works on the development of parking algorithms for autonomous vehicles are reviewed. Bicycle kinematic models for vehicle motion are considered for three basic types of vehicles: passenger car, long wheelbase truck, and articulated vehicles with and without steered semitrailer axes. Mathematical descriptions of systems of differential equations in matrix form and expressions for determining the linearization elements of nonlinear motion equations that increase the speed of finding the optimal solution are presented. Options are proposed for describing the interaction of vehicle overall dimensions with the space boundaries, within which a maneuver should be performed. An original algorithm that considers numerous constraints is developed for determining vehicle permissible positions within the closed boundaries of the parking area, which are directly used in the iterative process of searching for the optimal plan solution using nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC). The process of using NMPC to find the best trajectories and control laws while moving in a semi-limited space of constant curvature (turnabouts, roundabouts) are described. Simulation tests were used to validate the proposed models for both constrained and unconstrained conditions and the output (state-space) and control parameters’ dependencies are shown. The proposed models represent an initial effort to model the movement of autonomous vehicles for parking and have the potential for other highway applications.
New Approaches in Urban Forestry to Minimize Invasive Species Impacts: The Case of Xiongan New Area in China
Authors: Li Hui-Ping , Wickham Jacob D. , Bushley Kathryn , Wang Zhi-Gang , Zhang Bin , Sun Jiang-Hua
Published: May 2020

China is implementing an extensive urban forestry plan in Xiongan New Area (XNA), a new city in Hebei province. The city has been designated to serve Beijing’s noncapital functions and promote the integration of the broader Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei city-region. As part of a green initiative to minimize environmental impacts and its carbon footprint, a massive urban forestry system has been planned on an unprecedented scale, expected to cover over 600 km2 by 2030. Using science to inform policy, one major goal is to simultaneously minimize impacts of invasive species, while making urban forests more resilient to potential invasive species threats. In this review, we introduce these urban forestry plans such as basic concepts and principles for afforestation, tree species to be planted, delineation of existing pests already established, and expected forest invasive species of concern threatening the new area. Finally, we introduce a framework for invasive pest management strategies in XNA based on a “big data” approach and decision system to minimize impacts of invasive species. This new approach to urban forestry has the potential to become an exemplary global model for urban forestry planning, one that integrates research activities focused on forest health surveys and monitoring with sustainable forestry management. Finally, we provide an overview of the forest health policy required for the design of an unprecedentedly large new urban forest from initial planning to full implementation of an integrated forest management program.
Granulometric Analysis of Shallow Vents Sediments at Banderas Bay (Mexico)
Authors: Rodríguez-Uribe María Carolina , Núñez-Cornú Francisco Javier , Chávez-Dagostino Rosa María , Trejo-Gómez Elizabeth
Published: May 2020

Ocean hydrothermal activity is well known from deep-sea studies; however, few studies have been reported at shallow depth. A shallow submarine hydrothermal system at Punta Mita described in 2000 was studied to determine the grain size classification of the marine sediments of this hydrothermal system. Three sites with hydrothermal activity were included. Each one was divided into three areas: with hydrothermal activity, intermediate, and out of hydrothermal activity. In each area, two sediment cores were randomly collected by scuba diving (number of sediment cores = 18). All sediment samples were subjected to a previous treatment, to eliminate salts and organic matter. The grain sizes were sieved and then classified following the Udden–Wentworth scale. A principal coordinate analysis was performed to determine if there was any association of the statistical moments with the areas and sites of study. The textural composition of the sediments in the hydrothermal influence areas is sand, where the very fine sand is the dominant grain size, which was confirmed with the mean moment. The sediments are characteristic of the tidal areas, except for those sediments in the areas with hydrothermal activity.
Analysis of A Remote Rainstorm in the Yangtze River Delta Region Caused by Typhoon Mangkhut (2018)
Authors: Yu Jiaqi , Gao Si , Zhang Ling , Shen Xinyong , Guo Luyan
Published: May 2020

An extraordinary heavy rain event caused by Typhoon Mangkhut occurred in the Yangtze River Delta region on 16 September 2018, with the maximum of 24-h accumulated rainfall at a single station reaching 297 mm. However, numerical models and subjective forecast failed to predict this typhoon remote rainstorm accurately. In this study, multiple observational data, an analysis dataset, and a trajectory model are used to analyze the causes of this severe rainstorm. The results show that the circulation situation provides a favorable large-scale background condition for the generation of the rainstorm. The coupling of the upper-level westerly jet and the low-level southerly jet is beneficial to the development of strong convections. In the rainstorm area there is a positive vorticity center connected to the main body of the typhoon. The cooling and humidifying effect of dry-cold air saturates the formerly unsaturated wet air, leading to the increase of precipitation. Besides, there is a lower-tropospheric moisture transport path connecting the typhoon and the rainstorm area, providing abundant moisture for the development of rainstorms. The backward trajectory simulation shows that the moisture mainly originates from the lower troposphere over the Philippine Sea, the southern South China Sea, and the sea south of the Philippines.
Synthesis and Spectral Characterization of 4,7-Dichloro-6-nitroquinazoline
Authors: Nguyen Thi Ngoc , Tran Thi Huong , Dao Nguyet Suong Huyen , Nguyen Van Giang , Nguyen Dinh Luyen , Trinh Nguyen Trieu , Nguyen Van Hai
Published: May 2020

Afatinib is a 4-anilinoquinazoline tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) in the form of a dimaleate salt which is indicated for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The most scalable route for the synthesis of this drug was reported in two Boehringer Ingelheim patents, in which the title compound, 4,7-dichloro-6-nitroquinazoline (IV), is an important intermediate. Compound IV is also present in a number of synthetic pathways for various 4,7-disubstituted quinazoline derivatives displaying high therapeutic potential. However, no detailed characterization of this popular compound has been reported, possibly due to its high instability. In this paper, IV was prepared in an overall yield of 56.1% by a 3-step process (condensation, nitration, and chlorination) from 2-amino-4-chlorobenzoic acid (I). The target compound has been for the first time fully characterized by melting point, mass-spectrometry, FT-IR, 1H-NMR and 13C-NMR spectroscopies.
On the Selective Vehicle Routing Problem
Authors: Sabo Cosmin , Pop Petrică C. , Horvat-Marc Andrei
Published: May 2020

The Generalized Vehicle Routing Problem (GVRP) is an extension of the classical Vehicle Routing Problem (VRP), in which we are looking for an optimal set of delivery or collection routes from a given depot to a number of customers divided into predefined, mutually exclusive, and exhaustive clusters, visiting exactly one customer from each cluster and fulfilling the capacity restrictions. This paper deals with a more generic version of the GVRP, introduced recently and called Selective Vehicle Routing Problem (SVRP). This problem generalizes the GVRP in the sense that the customers are divided into clusters, but they may belong to one or more clusters. The aim of this work is to describe a novel mixed integer programming based mathematical model of the SVRP. To validate the consistency of the novel mathematical model, a comparison between the proposed model and the existing models from literature is performed, on the existing benchmark instances for SVRP and on a set of additional benchmark instances used in the case of GVRP and adapted for SVRP. The proposed model showed better results against the existing models.
Computing the Stationary Distribution of Queueing Systems with Random Resource Requirements via Fast Fourier Transform
Authors: Naumov Valeriy A. , Gaidamaka Yuliya V. , Samouylov Konstantin E.
Published: May 2020

Queueing systems with random resource requirements, in which an arriving customer, in addition to a server, demands a random amount of resources from a shared resource pool, have proved useful to analyze wireless communication networks. The stationary distributions of such queuing systems are expressed in terms of truncated convolution powers of the cumulative distribution function of the resource requirements. Discretization of the cumulative distribution function and the application of the fast Fourier transform are a traditional way of calculating convolutions. We suggest finding truncated convolution powers of the cumulative distribution functions by calculating the convolution powers of the truncated cumulative distribution functions via fast Fourier transform. This radically decreases computational complexity. We introduce the concept of resource load and investigate the accuracy of the proposed method at low and high resource loads. It is shown that the proposed method makes it possible to quickly and accurately calculate truncated convolution powers required for the analysis of queuing systems with random resource requirements.
The Calculation of the Density and Distribution Functions of Strictly Stable Laws
Authors: Saenko Viacheslav
Published: May 2020

Integral representations for the probability density and distribution function of a strictly stable law with the characteristic function in the Zolotarev’s “C” parametrization were obtained in the paper. The obtained integral representations express the probability density and distribution function of standard strictly stable laws through a definite integral. Using the methods of numerical integration, the obtained integral representations allow us to calculate the probability density and distribution function of a strictly stable law for a wide range of admissible values of parameters ( α , θ ) . A number of cases were given when numerical algorithms had difficulty in calculating the density. Formulas were given to calculate the density and distribution function with an arbitrary value of the scale parameter λ .
Multiobjective Model Predictive Control of a Parabolic Advection-Diffusion-Reaction Equation
Authors: Banholzer Stefan , Fabrini Giulia , Grüne Lars , Volkwein Stefan
Published: May 2020

In the present paper, a multiobjective optimal control problem governed by a linear parabolic advection-diffusion-reaction equation is considered. The optimal controls are computed by applying model predictive control (MPC), which is a method for controlling dynamical systems over long or infinite time horizons by successively computing optimal controls over a moving finite time horizon. Numerical experiments illustrate that the proposed solution approach can be successfully applied although some of the assumptions which are necessary to conduct the theoretical analysis cannot be guaranteed for the studied tests.
Hypersensitivity Reactions to Monoclonal Antibodies in Children
Authors: Mori Francesca , Saretta Francesca , Bianchi Annamaria , Crisafulli Giuseppe , Caimmi Silvia , Liotti Lucia , Bottau Paolo , Franceschini Fabrizio , Paglialunga Claudia , Ricci Giampaolo , Santoro Angelica , Caffarelli Carlo
Published: May 2020

Biologic drugs are widely used in pediatric medicine. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) in particular are a therapeutic option for rheumatic, autoinflammatory and oncologic diseases. Adverse drug reactions and hypersensitivity reactions (HSR) to mAbs may occur in children. Clinical presentation of HSRs to mAbs can be classified according to phenotypes in infusion-related reactions, cytokine release syndrome, both alpha type reactions and type I (IgE/non-IgE), type III, and type IV reactions, all beta-type reactions. The aim of this review is to focus on HSRs associated with the most frequent mAbs in childhood, with particular attention to beta-type reactions. When a reaction to mAbs is suspected a diagnostic work-up including in-vivo and in-vitro testing should be performed. A drug provocation test is recommended only when no alternative drugs are available. In selected patients with immediate IgE-mediated drug allergy a desensitization protocol is indicated. Despite the heavy use of mAbs in childhood, studies evaluating the reliability of diagnostic test are lacking. Although desensitization may be effective in reducing the risk of reactions in children, standardized pediatric protocols are still not available.
Cloacal Swabs Are Unreliable Sources for Estimating Lower Gastro-Intestinal Tract Microbiota Membership and Structure in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Williams Travis , Athrey Giridhar
Published: May 2020

The gastrointestinal microbiota of chickens plays a central role in health and performance. Cloacal swabs, due to their proximity to the ceca (a vital site of functional activity), are an alternative, non-invasive method used for assaying microbial communities and might be a viable option for longitudinal studies. In this study, the microbiota of twenty paired cecal content and cloacal swab samples representing two dietary treatments was assessed using 16S rRNA V4 hypervariable region sequencing and was analyzed using the MOTHUR pipeline, Phyloseq, and Vegan packages. Paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests showed significant differences in the Chao1 index (p-value <0.0001 and p-value <0.0001, respectively) but not in the Inverse Simpson species diversity estimator (p-value = 0.06763 and p-value = 0.06021, respectively) between the cecal content and cloacal swabs. β-diversity between the cloacal swabs and cecal microbiota also showed significant differences using PERMANOVA, HOMOVA, and weighted UniFrac testing (p-values < 0.001). Based on a paired sample analysis, this study provided evidence of the high inter-individual variation and randomness of cloacal microbiota, in contrast to cecal microbiota. Our findings indicated that cloacal swabs do not approximate the α or β diversity of cecal samples and are not suitable for longitudinal studies of gut microbiota.
Epidemiologic and Epizootic Data of Tularemia in the Past and in the Recent History in Croatia
Authors: Mihelčić Mirna , Marečić Valentina , Ožanič Mateja , Kelava Ina , Knežević Maša , Šantić Marina
Published: May 2020

Tularemia is a zoonotic disease caused by Francisella tularensis. A large number of recent studies have provided an update on the disease characteristics and the distribution across Europe. In Croatia, most of the clinical cases, as well as the reports of the disease in animals, date from the 20th century. In that period, epidemic and epizootic research had given detailed information about endemic regions and their characteristics, including suspected animal hosts and vectors. The region along the middle course of the Sava River, called Middle Posavina, is described as an endemic region, i.e., a “natural focus” of tularemia, in Croatia. In the 21st century, cases of human tularemia are being reported sporadically, with ulceloglandular, oropharyngeal and typhoid forms of disease. A majority of the described cases are linked with the consumption of contaminated food or water. The disease outbreaks still occur in areas along the course of the river Sava and in northwest Croatia. In this review article, we have summarized epidemiologic and epizootic data of tularemia in the past and in recent Croatian history.
Crosslinked Enzyme Aggregates (CLEAs) of Laccases from Pleurotus citrinopileatus Induced in Olive Oil Mill Wastewater (OOMW)
Authors: Zerva Anastasia , Pentari Christina , Topakas Evangelos
Published: May 2020

The enzymatic factory of ligninolytic fungi has proven to be a powerful tool in applications regarding the degradation of various types of pollutants. The degradative potential of fungi is mainly due to the production of different types of oxidases, of which laccases is one of the most prominent enzymatic activities. In the present work, crude laccases from the supernatant of Pleurotus citrinopileatus cultures grown in olive oil mill wastewater (OOMW) were immobilized in crosslinked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs), aiming at the development of biocatalysts suitable for the enzymatic treatment of OOMW. The preparation of laccase CLEAs was optimized, resulting in a maximum of 72% residual activity. The resulting CLEAs were shown to be more stable in the presence of solvents and at elevated temperatures compared to the soluble laccase preparation. The removal of the phenolic component of OOMW catalyzed by laccase-CLEAs exceeded 35%, while they were found to retain their activity for at least three cycles of repetitive use. The described CLEAs can be applied for the pretreatment of OOMW, prior to its use for valorization processes, and thus, facilitate its complete biodegradation towards a consolidated process in the context of circular economy.
Advances in Mid-Infrared Spectroscopy-Based Sensing Techniques for Exhaled Breath Diagnostics
Authors: Selvaraj Ramya , Vasa Nilesh J. , Nagendra S. M. Shiva , Mizaikoff Boris
Published: May 2020

Human exhaled breath consists of more than 3000 volatile organic compounds, many of which are relevant biomarkers for various diseases. Although gas chromatography has been the gold standard for volatile organic compound (VOC) detection in exhaled breath, recent developments in mid-infrared (MIR) laser spectroscopy have led to the promise of compact point-of-care (POC) optical instruments enabling even single breath diagnostics. In this review, we discuss the evolution of MIR sensing technologies with a special focus on photoacoustic spectroscopy, and its application in exhaled breath biomarker detection. While mid-infrared point-of-care instrumentation promises high sensitivity and inherent molecular selectivity, the lack of standardization of the various techniques has to be overcome for translating these techniques into more widespread real-time clinical use.
Reducing Ensembles of Protein Tertiary Structures Generated De Novo via Clustering
Authors: Zaman Ahmed Bin , Kamranfar Parastoo , Domeniconi Carlotta , Shehu Amarda
Published: May 2020

Controlling the quality of tertiary structures computed for a protein molecule remains a central challenge in de-novo protein structure prediction. The rule of thumb is to generate as many structures as can be afforded, effectively acknowledging that having more structures increases the likelihood that some will reside near the sought biologically-active structure. A major drawback with this approach is that computing a large number of structures imposes time and space costs. In this paper, we propose a novel clustering-based approach which we demonstrate to significantly reduce an ensemble of generated structures without sacrificing quality. Evaluations are related on both benchmark and CASP target proteins. Structure ensembles subjected to the proposed approach and the source code of the proposed approach are publicly-available at the links provided in Section 1.
Do Aspirin and Flavonoids Prevent Cancer through a Common Mechanism Involving Hydroxybenzoic Acids?—The Metabolite Hypothesis
Authors: Sankaranarayanan Ranjini , Kumar D. Ramesh , Patel Janki , Bhat G. Jayarama
Published: May 2020

Despite decades of research to elucidate the cancer preventive mechanisms of aspirin and flavonoids, a consensus has not been reached on their specific modes of action. This inability to accurately pinpoint the mechanism involved is due to the failure to differentiate the primary targets from its associated downstream responses. This review is written in the context of the recent findings on the potential pathways involved in the prevention of colorectal cancers (CRC) by aspirin and flavonoids. Recent reports have demonstrated that the aspirin metabolites 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHBA), 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,5-DHBA) and the flavonoid metabolites 2,4,6-trihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4,6-THBA), 3,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4-DHBA) and 3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid (3,4,5-THBA) were effective in inhibiting cancer cell growth in vitro. Limited in vivo studies also provide evidence that some of these hydroxybenzoic acids (HBAs) inhibit tumor growth in animal models. This raises the possibility that a common pathway involving HBAs may be responsible for the observed cancer preventive actions of aspirin and flavonoids. Since substantial amounts of aspirin and flavonoids are left unabsorbed in the intestinal lumen upon oral consumption, they may be subjected to degradation by the host and bacterial enzymes, generating simpler phenolic acids contributing to the prevention of CRC. Interestingly, these HBAs are also abundantly present in fruits and vegetables. Therefore, we suggest that the HBAs produced through microbial degradation of aspirin and flavonoids or those consumed through the diet may be common mediators of CRC prevention.