bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fucoxanthin and Colorectal Cancer Prevention
Authors: Terasaki Masaru , Kubota Atsuhito , Kojima Hiroyuki , Maeda Hayato , Miyashita Kazuo , Kawagoe Chikara , Mutoh Michihiro , Tanaka Takuji
Published: May 2021

Colorectal cancer (CRC), which ranks among the top 10 most prevalent cancers, can obtain a good outcome with appropriate surgery and/or chemotherapy. However, the global numbers of both new cancer cases and death from CRC are expected to increase up to 2030. Diet-induced lifestyle modification is suggested to be effective in reducing the risk of human CRC; therefore, interventional studies using diets or diet-derived compounds have been conducted to explore the prevention of CRC. Fucoxanthin (Fx), a dietary carotenoid, is predominantly contained in edible brown algae, such as Undaria pinnatifida (wakame) and Himanthalia elongata (Sea spaghetti), which are consumed particularly frequently in Asian countries but also in some Western countries. Fx is responsible for a majority of the anticancer effects exerted by the lipophilic bioactive compounds in those algae. Interventional human trials have shown that Fx and brown algae mitigate certain risk factors for CRC; however, the direct mechanisms underlying the anti-CRC properties of Fx remain elusive. Fx and its deacetylated type “fucoxanthinol” (FxOH) have been reported to exert potential anticancer effects in preclinical cancer models through the suppression of many cancer-related signal pathways and the tumor microenvironment or alteration of the gut microbiota. We herein review the most recent studies on Fx as a potential candidate drug for CRC prevention.
Synthesis and Characterization of Radiogallium-Labeled Cationic Amphiphilic Peptides as Tumor Imaging Agents
Authors: Fuchigami Takeshi , Chiga Takeshi , Yoshida Sakura , Oba Makoto , Fukushima Yu , Inoue Hiromi , Matsuura Akari , Toriba Akira , Nakayama Morio
Published: May 2021

SVS-1 is a cationic amphiphilic peptide (CAP) that exhibits a preferential cytotoxicity towards cancer cells over normal cells. In this study, we developed radiogallium-labeled SVS-1 (67Ga-NOTA-KV6), as well as two SVS-1 derivatives, with the repeating KV residues replaced by RV or HV (67Ga-NOTA-RV6 and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6). All three peptides showed high accumulation in epidermoid carcinoma KB cells (53–143% uptake/mg protein). Though 67Ga-NOTA-RV6 showed the highest uptake among the three CAPs, its uptake in 3T3-L1 fibroblasts was just as high, indicating a low selectivity. In contrast, the uptake of 67Ga-NOTA-KV6 and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6 into 3T3-L1 cells was significantly lower than that in KB cells. An endocytosis inhibition study suggested that the three 67Ga-NOTA-CAPs follow distinct pathways for internalization. In the biodistribution study, the tumor uptakes were found to be 4.46%, 4.76%, and 3.18% injected dose/g of tissue (% ID/g) for 67Ga-NOTA-KV6, 67Ga-NOTA-RV6, and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6, respectively, 30 min after administration. Though the radioactivity of these peptides in tumor tissue decreased gradually, 67Ga-NOTA-KV6, 67Ga-NOTA-RV6, and 67Ga-NOTA-HV6 reached high tumor/blood ratios (7.7, 8.0, and 3.8, respectively) and tumor/muscle ratios (5.0, 3.3, and 4.0, respectively) 120 min after administration. 67Ga-NOTA-HV6 showed a lower tumor uptake than the two other tracers, but it exhibited very low levels of uptake into peripheral organs. Overall, the replacement of lysine in SVS-1 with other basic amino acids significantly influenced its binding and internalization into cancer cells, as well as its in vivo pharmacokinetic profile. The high accessibility of these peptides to tumors and their ability to target the surface membranes of cancer cells make radiolabeled CAPs excellent candidates for use in tumor theranostics.
Construction of a Soundscape-Based Media Art Exhibition to Improve User Appreciation Experience by Using Deep Neural Networks
Authors: Kim Youngjun , Jeong Hayoung , Cho Jun-Dong , Shin Jitae
Published: May 2021

The objective of this study was to improve user experience when appreciating visual artworks with soundscape music chosen by a deep neural network based on weakly supervised learning. We also propose a multi-faceted approach to measuring ambiguous concepts, such as the subjective fitness, implicit senses, immersion, and availability. We showed improvements in appreciation experience, such as the metaphorical and psychological transferability, time distortion, and cognitive absorption, with in-depth experiments involving 70 participants. Our test results were similar to those of “Bunker de Lumières: van Gogh”, which is an immersive media artwork directed by Gianfranco lannuzzi; the fitness scores of our system and “Bunker de Lumières: van Gogh” were 3.68/5 and 3.81/5, respectively. Moreover, the concordance of implicit senses between artworks and classical music was measured to be 0.88%, and the time distortion and cognitive absorption improved during the immersion. Finally, the proposed method obtained a subjective satisfaction score of 3.53/5 in the evaluation of its usability. Our proposed method can also help spread soundscape-based media art by supporting traditional soundscape design. Furthermore, we hope that our proposed method will help people with visual impairments to appreciate artworks through its application to a multi-modal media art guide platform.
Towards Secure Fog Computing: A Survey on Trust Management, Privacy, Authentication, Threats and Access Control
Authors: Patwary Abdullah Al-Noman , Naha Ranesh Kumar , Garg Saurabh , Battula Sudheer Kumar , Patwary Md Anwarul Kaium , Aghasian Erfan , Amin Muhammad Bilal , Mahanti Aniket , Gong Mingwei
Published: May 2021

Fog computing is an emerging computing paradigm that has come into consideration for the deployment of Internet of Things (IoT) applications amongst researchers and technology industries over the last few years. Fog is highly distributed and consists of a wide number of autonomous end devices, which contribute to the processing. However, the variety of devices offered across different users are not audited. Hence, the security of Fog devices is a major concern that should come into consideration. Therefore, to provide the necessary security for Fog devices, there is a need to understand what the security concerns are with regards to Fog. All aspects of Fog security, which have not been covered by other literature works, need to be identified and aggregated. On the other hand, privacy preservation for user’s data in Fog devices and application data processed in Fog devices is another concern. To provide the appropriate level of trust and privacy, there is a need to focus on authentication, threats and access control mechanisms as well as privacy protection techniques in Fog computing. In this paper, a survey along with a taxonomy is proposed, which presents an overview of existing security concerns in the context of the Fog computing paradigm. Moreover, the Blockchain-based solutions towards a secure Fog computing environment is presented and various research challenges and directions for future research are discussed.
Structural Decomposition in FSM Design: Roots, Evolution, Current State—A Review
Authors: Barkalov Alexander , Titarenko Larysa , Krzywicki Kazimierz
Published: May 2021

The review is devoted to methods of structural decomposition that are used for optimizing characteristics of circuits of finite state machines (FSMs). These methods are connected with the increasing the number of logic levels in resulting FSM circuits. They can be viewed as an alternative to methods of functional decompositions. The roots of these methods are analysed. It is shown that the first methods of structural decomposition have appeared in 1950s together with microprogram control units. The basic methods of structural decomposition are analysed. They are such methods as the replacement of FSM inputs, encoding collections of FSM outputs, and encoding of terms. It is shown that these methods can be used for any element basis. Additionally, the joint application of different methods is shown. The analysis of change in these methods related to the evolution of the logic elements is performed. The application of these methods for optimizing FPGA- based FSMs is shown. Such new methods as twofold state assignment and mixed encoding of outputs are analysed. Some methods are illustrated with examples of FSM synthesis. Additionally, some experimental results are represented. These results prove that the methods of structural decomposition really improve the characteristics of FSM circuits.
Analytical Current–Voltage Modeling and Analysis of the MFIS Gate-All-Around Transistor Featuring Negative-Capacitance
Authors: Kim Yeji , Seon Yoongeun , Kim Soowon , Kim Jongmin , Bae Saemin , Yang Inkyung , Yoo Changhyun , Ham Junghoon , Hong Jungmin , Jeon Jongwook
Published: May 2021

Recently, in accordance with the demand for development of low-power semiconductor devices, a negative capacitance field-effect-transistor (NC-FET) that integrates ferroelectric material into a gate stack and utilizes negative capacitive behavior has been widely investigated. Furthermore, gate-all-around (GAA) architecture to reduce short-channel effect is expected to be applied after Fin-FET technology. In this work, we proposed a compact model describing current–voltage (I–V) relationships of an NC GAA-FET with interface trap effects for the first time, which is a simplified model by taking proper approximation in each operating region. This is a surface potential-based compact model, which is suitable for evaluating the I–V characteristics for each operating region. It was validated that the proposed model shows good agreement with the results of implicit numerical calculations. In addition, by using the proposed model, we explored the electrical properties of the NC GAA-FET by varying the basic design parameters such as ferroelectric thickness (tfe), intermediate insulator thickness (tox), silicon channel radius (R), and interface trap densities (Net).
Growth of Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum Marsh.) after Ice Storm Damage and Forest Tent Caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hubner) Defoliation
Authors: Bevilacqua Eddie , Nyland Ralph D. , Namestnik Tori Smith , Allen Douglas C.
Published: May 2021

The January 1998 ice storm broke off tree crowns across a wide geographic area in northeastern North America, and forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hubner) defoliated some of the same stands in 2004–2007. We assessed the post-event growth responses of upper canopy sugar maples (Acersaccharum Marsh.) in previously thinned and recently rehabilitated even-aged northern hardwood stands in New York State, USA. Cores from ice-storm-damaged trees showed an initial radial growth reduction, a recovery after one year, and an increase to or above pre-storm levels after three years. A later forest tent caterpillar defoliation in the same stand caused a second reduction of growth, and another recovery after one year. We observed greater post-storm radial growth on trees released by a post-ice storm rehabilitation treatment than in the untreated control, with growth exceeding pre-storm rates. Cores from another site thinned 38 years earlier and impacted only by the forest tent caterpillar showed a more moderate growth reduction, and a prompt but smaller post-defoliation growth response than among trees affected by both the ice storm and defoliation. Findings reflect the potential for growth of upper canopy sugar maple trees to recover after a single or two closely occurring crown disturbances, and provide guidance to managers who must decide about removing or continuing to manage stands after similar kinds of ice storm damage or defoliation.
Mid-Scale Drivers of Variability in Dry Mixed-Conifer Forests of the Mogollon Rim, Arizona
Authors: Jaquette Matthew , Sánchez Meador Andrew J. , Huffman David W. , Bowker Matthew A.
Published: May 2021

The structure and composition of southwestern dry mixed-conifer forests have changed significantly, decreasing forest resiliency to uncharacteristic disturbances which also threaten ecosystem services. Restoration of these forests can be informed by historical conditions; however, managers and researchers still lack a full understanding of how environmental factors influence forest conditions. We investigated historical and contemporary variability in dry mixed-conifer forests in northern Arizona and identified important environmental drivers. We utilized forest sample plots and dendrochronological reconstruction modelling to describe forest conditions in 1879 and 2014, respectively. We used correlogram analysis to compare spatial autocorrelation of average diameter, basal area and tree density, and structural equation modeling to partition the causal pathways between forest structure, forest composition, and a suite of environmental factors reflecting climate, topography, and soil. Historical (1879) reconstructed forests had significantly fewer trees, lower basal area, and higher average diameter than contemporarily (2014). Composition has shifted from ponderosa pine dominance towards a more mixed-species composition. Historically, forest structure did not exhibit strong spatial autocorrelation, but contemporary tree density and diameter were strongly autocorrelated. Environmental factors described little variation in historical forest conditions but are more important for contemporary conditions. Managers can utilize this increased understanding of variation to tailor silvicultural prescriptions to environmental templates.
Economic Modelling of Poplar Short Rotation Coppice Plantations in Hungary
Authors: Schiberna Endre , Borovics Attila , Benke Attila
Published: May 2021

No study has been previously completed on the range of sites, potential yield, and financial characteristics of poplar short rotation coppice plantations (SRC) in Hungary. This paper conducts a literature survey to reveal the biomass production potential of such plantations and presents a model that is used to analyze their financial performance. The results indicate that the break-even-point of production is between 6 and 8 oven-dry tons per hectare per year once a minimum cost level and wood chip price within a 10% range of the 2020 value are considered. The higher the wood chip price, the lower the break-even-point. Since the model excluded the administrative costs that depend on the type and size of the management organization, the break-even-points can be significantly higher in reality, which suggests that short rotation energy plantations can be a financially reasonable land-use option in above average or even superior poplar-growing sites. The rotation period of industrial poplar plantations that produce high quality veneer logs ranges from 12 to 25 years. Though such sites can provide higher returns on investment, short rotation plantations have the advantage of providing a more evenly distributed cash flow. To facilitate the wider application of poplar SRC, the related policies need to apply specific subsidies and allow the rotation cycle to be extended up to 20–25 years, which is currently limited to 15 years.
Ants as Bioindicators of Riparian Ecological Health in Catalonian Rivers
Authors: Zina Vera , Ordeix Marc , Franco José Carlos , Ferreira Maria Teresa , Fernandes Maria Rosário
Published: May 2021

In this study, we assess the potential of ants as bioindicators of riparian ecological health in two river types (upland and lowland type) located in the Catalonian region. We proposed to understand to what extent do metrics based on ant responses provide useful information that cannot be presented by traditional biophysical assessments while attempting an approach to creating an ant-based multimetric index (ant-based MMI) of the riparian ecological health. A total of 22 ant species were identified, and 42 metrics related to ant foraging activity, species richness, and functional traits were evaluated as potential core metrics of the index. Riparian features and proximal land use land cover (LULC) were used to distinguish disturbed from less disturbed sites. We found that ant communities strongly responded to human disturbance. When compared with an exclusively physical-based index for the assessment of the riparian health, the ant-based MMI was more sensitive to human disturbance, by also reacting to the effects of the surrounding LULC pressure. This study provides a preliminary approach for an ant-based assessment tool to evaluate the health of riparian corridors although additional research is required to include other river types and a wider stressor gradient before a wider application.
Traveling-Standing Water Waves
Authors: Wilkening Jon
Published: May 2021

We propose a new two-parameter family of hybrid traveling-standing (TS) water waves in infinite depth that evolve to a spatial translation of their initial condition at a later time. We use the square root of the energy as an amplitude parameter and introduce a traveling parameter that naturally interpolates between pure traveling waves moving in either direction and pure standing waves in one of four natural phase configurations. The problem is formulated as a two-point boundary value problem and a quasi-periodic torus representation is presented that exhibits TS-waves as nonlinear superpositions of counter-propagating traveling waves. We use an overdetermined shooting method to compute nearly 50,000 TS-wave solutions and explore their properties. Examples of waves that periodically form sharp crests with high curvature or dimpled crests with negative curvature are presented. We find that pure traveling waves maximize the magnitude of the horizontal momentum among TS-waves of a given energy. Numerical evidence suggests that the two-parameter family of TS-waves contains many gaps and disconnections where solutions with the given parameters do not exist. Some of these gaps are shown to persist to zero-amplitude in a fourth-order perturbation expansion of the solutions in powers of the amplitude parameter. Analytic formulas for the coefficients of this perturbation expansion are identified using Chebyshev interpolation of solutions computed in quadruple-precision.
Pilot Screening of Cell-Free mtDNA in NIPT: Quality Control, Variant Calling, and Haplogroup Determination
Authors: Morshneva Alisa , Kozyulina Polina , Vashukova Elena , Tarasenko Olga , Dvoynova Natalia , Chentsova Anastasia , Talantova Olga , Koroteev Alexander , Ivanov Dmitrii , Serebryakova Elena , Ivashchenko Tatyana , Sukhomyasova Aitalina , Maksimova Nadezhda , Bespalova Olesya , Kogan Igor , Baranov Vladislav , Glotov Andrey
Published: May 2021

Clinical tests based on whole-genome sequencing are generally focused on a single task approach, testing one or several parameters, although whole-genome sequencing (WGS) provides us with large data sets that can be used for many supportive analyses. In spite of low genome coverage, data of WGS-based non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) contain fully sequenced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). This mtDNA can be used for variant calling, ancestry analysis, population studies and other approaches that extend NIPT functionality. In this study, we analyse mtDNA pool from 645 cell-free DNA (cfDNA) samples of pregnant women from different regions of Russia, explore the effects of transportation and storing conditions on mtDNA content, analyse effects, frequency and location of mitochondrial variants called from samples and perform haplogroup analysis, revealing the most common mitochondrial superclades. We have shown that, despite the relatively low sequencing depth of unamplified mtDNA from cfDNA samples, the mtDNA analysis in these samples is still an informative instrument suitable for research and screening purposes.
Interactive Impacts of Temperature and Elevated CO2 on Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) Root and Shoot Morphology and Growth
Authors: Barickman T. Casey , Olorunwa Omolayo J. , Sehgal Akanksha , Walne C. Hunt , Reddy K. Raja , Gao Wei
Published: May 2021

Recent evidence suggests that the effects of temperature significantly affect the growth and development of basil plants with detrimental impacts on yield. The current research investigated the interactive effects of varying temperature and CO2 levels on the shoot and root morphology and growth of early and late-season basil plants. Basil plants were subjected to control (30/22 °C), low (20/12 °C), and high (38/30 °C) temperature under ambient (420 μL L−1) and elevated (720 μL L−1) CO2 concentrations. Decreasing the temperature to 20/12 °C caused more adverse effects on the morphological traits of the early-season basil. Relative to the control treatments, low- and high-temperature stresses decreased 71 and 14% in marketable fresh mass, respectively. Basil exhibited an increase in plant height, node and branch numbers, specific leaf area, anthocyanin and nitrogen balance index, root tips, and root crossings when subjected to high-temperature stress. Furthermore, elevated CO2 affected many morphological features compared to ambient CO2 concentrations. The findings of this study suggest that varying the growth temperature of basil plants would more significantly impact the shoot and root morphologies and growth rates of basil than increasing the CO2 concentrations, which ameliorated the adverse impacts of temperature stress.
Contemplating Help-Seeking in Perinatal Psychological Distress—A Meta-Ethnography
Authors: Sorsa Minna Anneli , Kylmä Jari , Bondas Terese Elisabet
Published: May 2021

Perinatal psychological distress (PPD) may cause delays in help-seeking in the perinatal period, which is crucial for families with small children. Help-seeking theories focus on rational processes of behavior wherein ‘help-seeking’ is viewed as a decision-making process, in which action is preceded by recognizing a problem. We identified the phase prior to actual help-seeking actions as a life situation and a phenomenon through which to gain a deeper understanding from women’s own perspectives. The aim of this study was to integrate and synthesize knowledge of women’s experiences of contemplating seeking help for PPD. We chose interpretative meta-ethnography by Noblit and Hare (1988) and implemented eMERGe guidelines in reporting. The search was performed systematically, and the 14 included studies were evaluated with Critical Appraisal Skills Programme checklist (CASP). We identified seven themes and a metaphor in a lines-of-argument synthesis, showing that contemplating help-seeking is a multidimensional phenomenon. We did not observe a straightforward and linear process (as previous research suggests) but instead a complex process of contemplating help-seeking. A clinical implication is that service providers should work with outreach and develop their tools to connect with mothers with PPD. Another suggestion is to improve training in mental health literacy prior to or during pregnancy.
Do Uncontrolled Hypertension, Diabetes, Dyslipidemia, and Obesity Mediate the Relationship Between Health Literacy and Chronic Kidney Disease Complications?
Authors: Gurgel do Amaral Matheus , Reijneveld Sijmen A. , Almansa Josue , Navis Gerjan , de Winter Andrea F.
Published: May 2021

Health literacy is the ability to deal with information related to one’s health. Patients with low health literacy and chronic diseases, such as chronic kidney disease (CKD), have poor disease-management skills, which could lead to complications. We used logistic regressions and structural equational modeling to assess whether low health literacy is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with CKD, and whether this association is mediated by the presence of uncontrolled hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, or albuminuria. Data from 2742 adult participants with CKD from the Lifelines study were analyzed at baseline and after approximately four years. Low health literacy was associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality in the crude models, with OR and 95%CI of 1.93 (1.46 to 2.55) and 1.59 (1.08 to 2.36), respectively. After adjustment for age and sex, low health literacy was only associated with cardiovascular disease (OR 1.76 (1.31 to 2.23)). This association was mediated by uncontrolled diabetes (27.1%) and obesity (8.0%). Low health literacy is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease after adjustment for age and sex, and this association is mediated by uncontrolled diabetes and obesity.
The Effect of Health Shock and Basic Medical Insurance on Family Educational Investment for Children in China
Authors: Liao Pu , Dou Zhihong , Guo Xingxing
Published: May 2021

This paper explores the role of basic medical insurance in protecting family investment in child education. First, this paper establishes a two-phase overlapping generation model to theoretically analyse the impact of basic medical insurance on investment in child education under the influence of the impact of parental health. The results show that health shock reduces parental investment in child education, and medical insurance significantly alleviates the negative impact of parental health shock on investment in child education. Furthermore, this paper establishes a two-way fixed effect regression model based on the data of China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) in 2014 and 2016 to empirically test the above results. The results showed that parental health shocks negatively affect investment in child education, and paternal health shock has a more significant impact than maternal health shock. However, medical insurance significantly reduces this negative impact, provides security in investment in child education, and promotes the improvement of human capital.
COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress as a Function of Age and Gender in a Spanish Sample
Authors: Jiménez María Pilar , Rieker Jennifer A. , Reales José Manuel , Ballesteros Soledad
Published: May 2021

The sudden outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly altered the daily lives of the population with dramatic effects caused not only by the health risks of the coronavirus, but also by its psychological and social impact in large sectors of the worldwide population. The present study adapted the COVID-19 Peritraumatic Distress Index (CPDI) to the Spanish population, and 1094 Spanish adults (mean age 52.55 years, 241 males) completed the Spanish version in a cross-sectional online survey. To analyze the factorial structure and reliability of the CPDI, we performed an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the Spanish sample. The effects of gender and age on the degree of distress were analyzed using the factorial scores of the CPDI as the dependent variables. Results showed that, after rotation, the first factor (Stresssymptoms) accounted for 35% of the total variance and the second factor (COVID-19 information) for 15%. Around 25% (n = 279) of the participants experienced mild to moderate distress symptoms, 16% (n = 179) severe distress, and about 58% (n = 636) showed no distress symptoms. Women experienced more distress than men (p<0.01), and distress decreased with age (p<0.01). We conclude that the CPDI seems a promising screening tool for the rapid detection of potential peritraumatic stress caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Transfer and Implementation Process of a Good Practice in Workplace Health Promotion
Authors: Ruiz-Dominguez Francisco , Stegeman Ingrid , Dolz-López Javier , Papartyte Lina , Fernández-Pérez Dolores
Published: May 2021

The procedure developed by the European Joint Action CHRODIS PLUS (JAC+) to transfer and implement good practices from one setting to another was tested in the context of a workplace health promotion good practice identified in the Region of Lombardy (Italy) and transferred and implemented in two organisations in Andalusia (Spain). This article provides a detailed account on how the JAC+ implementation methodology, which included the use of the SQUIRE (Standards for QUality Improvement Reporting Excellence) guidelines, was applied. It offers a practical overview for the uptake of this methodology and of the good practice itself. The account of how this systematic and rigorous implementation reporting model was applied can be of value to those with an interest in workplace health and in the transfer of good practice and implementation sciences.
Response of a Radiology Department to the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: The Experience of the Hospital “Policlinico Tor Vergata” in Rome
Authors: Malizia Andrea , Filograna Laura , Sbordone Francesco Paolo , Ciccarese Giorgio , Carbone Andrea , Carreri Beatrice , Ryan Colleen Patricia , Ludovici Gian Marco , Chierici Andrea , Manenti Guglielmo
Published: May 2021

The dissemination of severe acute respiratory syndrome linked to the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, prompted all health services to provide adequate measures to limit new cases that could affect healthcare professionals. Due to the large number of suspected patients subjected to CT scans and the proximity of radiologists to the patient during exams, radiologists as well as the entire staff of the radiology department are particularly exposed to SARS-CoV-2. This article includes the emergency management procedures, the use of personal protective devices, and the rearrangement of exam rooms and of human resources in the department of radiology at “Policlinico Tor Vergata” in Rome performed during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. We introduce the management measures that our department has taken to cope with the influx of patients while still ensuring the proper management of other emergencies and time-sensitive exams.
Smoke-Free Home Rules and Association with Child Secondhand Smoke Exposure among Mother–Child Dyad Relationships
Authors: Fallavollita Westley L. , Do Elizabeth K. , Schechter Julia C. , Kollins Scott H. , Zheng Junfeng (Jim) , Qin Jian , Maguire Rachel L. , Hoyo Cathrine , Murphy Susan K. , Fuemmeler Bernard F.
Published: May 2021

Smoke-free home rules restrict smoking in the home, but biomarkers of secondhand smoke exposure are needed to help understand the association between smoke-free homes and child secondhand smoke exposure. Participants (n = 346) were majority Black/African American mother–child dyads from a longitudinal study in North Carolina. Mothers completed questionnaires on household smoking behaviors and rules, and child saliva samples were assayed for secondhand smoke exposure. Regression models used smoke-free home rules to predict child risk for secondhand smoke exposure. Children in households with smoke-free home rules had less salivary cotinine and risk for secondhand smoke exposure. After controlling for smokers in the household, home smoking rules were not a significant predictor of secondhand smoke exposure. Compared to children in households with no smokers, children in households with at least one smoker but a non-smoking mother (OR 5.35, 95% CI: 2.22, 13.17) and households with at least one smoker including a smoking mother (OR 13.73, 95% CI: 6.06, 33.28) had greater risk for secondhand smoke exposure. Results suggest smoke-free home rules are not sufficient to fully protect children from secondhand smoke exposure, especially in homes with smokers. Future research should focus on how household members who smoke can facilitate the prevention of child secondhand smoke exposure.
Effects of Velocity-Based Training on Strength and Power in Elite Athletes—A Systematic Review
Authors: Włodarczyk Michał , Adamus Przemysław , Zieliński Jacek , Kantanista Adam
Published: May 2021

Due to drawbacks of the percentage-based approach, velocity-based training was proposed as a method to better and more accurately prescribe training loads to increase general and specific performance. The purpose of this study was to perform a systematic review of the studies that show effects of velocity-based resistance training on strength and power performance in elite athletes. Electronic searches of computerized databases were performed according to a protocol that was agreed by all co-authors. Four databases—SportDiscus with Full Text and MEDLINE via EBSCO, SCOPUS, and Web of Science—were searched. Seven studies were found which researched the effects of velocity-based resistance training on athletes after a given training period. The analyzed studies suggest that applying velocity losses of 10–20% can help induce neuromuscular adaptations and reduce neuromuscular fatigue. Using velocity zones as part of a separate or combined (e.g., plyometric) training program can elicit adaptations in body composition and performance parameters. Moreover, velocity zones can be programmed using a periodized or non-periodized fixed velocity zones protocol. Lastly, obtaining instantaneous feedback during training is a more effective tool for increasing performance in sport-specific parameters, and should be used by sport practitioners to help keep athletes accountable for their performance.
Geospatial Management and Analysis of Microstructural Data from San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) Core Samples
Authors: Holmes Elliott M. , Gaughan Andrea E. , Biddle Donald J. , Stevens Forrest R. , Hadizadeh Jafar
Published: May 2021

Core samples obtained from scientific drilling could provide large volumes of direct microstructural and compositional data, but generating results via the traditional treatment of such data is often time-consuming and inefficient. Unifying microstructural data within a spatially referenced Geographic Information System (GIS) environment provides an opportunity to readily locate, visualize, correlate, and apply remote sensing techniques to the data. Using 26 core billet samples from the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD), this study developed GIS-based procedures for: 1. Spatially referenced visualization and storage of various microstructural data from core billets; 2. 3D modeling of billets and thin section positions within each billet, which serve as a digital record after irreversible fragmentation of the physical billets; and 3. Vector feature creation and unsupervised classification of a multi-generation calcite vein network from cathodluminescence (CL) imagery. Building on existing work which is predominantly limited to the 2D space of single thin sections, our results indicate that a GIS can facilitate spatial treatment of data even at centimeter to nanometer scales, but also revealed challenges involving intensive 3D representations and complex matrix transformations required to create geographically translated forms of the within-billet coordinate systems, which are suggested for consideration in future studies.
Filtering Link Outliers in Vehicle Trajectories by Spatial Reasoning
Authors: Liu Junli , Pan Miaomiao , Song Xianfeng , Wang Jing , Zhu Kemin , Li Runkui , Rui Xiaoping , Wang Weifeng , Hu Jinghao , Raghavan Venkatesh
Published: May 2021

Vehicle trajectories derived from Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) are used in various traffic applications based on trajectory quality analysis for the development of successful traffic models. A trajectory consists of points and links that are connected, where both the points and links are subject to positioning errors in the GNSS. Existing trajectory filters focus on point outliers, but neglect link outliers on tracks caused by a long sampling interval. In this study, four categories of link outliers are defined, i.e., radial, drift, clustered, and shortcut; current available algorithms are applied to filter apparent point outliers for the first three categories, and a novel filtering approach is proposed for link outliers of the fourth category in urban areas using spatial reasoning rules without ancillary data. The proposed approach first measures specific geometric properties of links from trajectory databases and then evaluates the similarities of geometric measures among the links, following a set of spatial reasoning rules to determine link outliers. We tested this approach using taxi trajectory datasets for Beijing with a built-in sampling interval of 50 to 65 s. The results show that clustered links (27.14%) account for the majority of link outliers, followed by shortcut (6.53%), radial (3.91%), and drift (0.62%) outliers.
A Trajectory Ensemble-Compression Algorithm Based on Finite Element Method
Authors: Chen Haibo , Chen Xin
Published: May 2021

Trajectory compression is an efficient way of removing noise and preserving key features in location-based applications. This paper focuses on the dynamic compression of trajectory in memory, where the compression accuracy of trajectory changes dynamically with the different application scenarios. Existing methods can achieve this by adjusting the compression parameters. However, the relationship between the parameters and compression accuracy of most of these algorithms is considerably complex and varies with different trajectories, which makes it difficult to provide reasonable accuracy. We propose a novel trajectory compression algorithm that is based on the finite element method, in which the trajectory is taken as an elastomer to compress as a whole by elasticity theory, and trajectory compression can be thought of as deformation under stress. The compression accuracy can be determined by the stress size that is applied to the elastomer. When compared with the existing methods, the experimental results show that our method can provide more stable, data-independent compression accuracy under the given stress parameters, and with reasonable performance.
Insecticidal Effect of Entomopathogenic Nematodes and the Cell-Free Supernatant from Their Symbiotic Bacteria against Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) Nymphs
Authors: Vicente-Díez Ignacio , Blanco-Pérez Rubén , González-Trujillo María del Mar , Pou Alicia , Campos-Herrera Raquel
Published: May 2021

The meadow spittlebug Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae) is the primary vector of Xylella fastidiosa (Proteobacteria: Xanthomonadaceae) in Europe, a pest–disease complex of economically relevant crops such as olives, almonds, and grapevine, managed mainly through the use of broad-spectrum pesticides. Providing environmentally sound alternatives to reduce the reliance on chemical control is a primary challenge in the control of P. spumarius and, hence, in the protection of crops against the expansion of its associated bacterial pathogen. Entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) are well-known biocontrol agents of soil-dwelling arthropods. Recent technological advances in field applications, including improvements in obtaining cell-free supernatant from their symbiotic bacteria, allow their successful implementation against aerial pests. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate, for the first time, the efficacy of EPN applications against nymphal instars of P. spumarius. We tested four EPN species and the cell-free supernatant of their corresponding symbiotic bacteria: Steinernema feltiae–Xenorhabdus bovienii, S. carpocapsae–X. nematophila, S. riojaense–X. kozodoii, and Heterorhabditis bacteriophora–Photorhabdus laumondii subsp. laumondii. First, we showed that 24 and 72 h exposure to the foam produced by P. spumarius nymphs did not affect S. feltiae virulence. The direct application of steinernematid EPNs provided promising results, reaching 90, 78, and 53% nymphal mortality rates after five days of exposure for S. carpocapsae, S. feltiae, and S. riojaense, respectively. Conversely, the application of the cell-free supernatant from P. laumondii resulted in nymphal mortalities of 64%, significantly higher than observed for Xenorhabdus species after five days of exposure. Overall, we demonstrated the great potential of the application of specific EPNs and cell-free supernatant of their symbiont bacteria against P. spumarius nymphs, introducing new opportunities to develop them as biopesticides for integrated management practices or organic vineyard production.
Effect of Pressure and Temperature on Densification in Electric Field-Assisted Sintering of Inconel 718 Superalloy
Authors: Ma Liyong , Zhang Ziyong , Meng Bao , Wan Min
Published: May 2021

Electric field-assisted sintering has ubiquitous merits over conventional sintering technology for the fabrication of difficult-to-deform materials. To investigate the effect of sintering pressure and temperature on the densification of Inconel 718 superalloy, a numerical simulation model was established based on the Fleck-Kuhn-McMeeking (FKM) and Gurson-Tvergaard-Needleman (GTN) models, which covers a wide range of porosity. At a sintering pressure below 50 MPa or a sintering temperature below 950 °C, the average porosity of the sintered superalloy is over 0.17 with low densification. Under a pressure above 110 MPa and a temperature above 1250 °C, the sintered superalloy quickly completes densification and enters the plastic yield stage, making it difficult to control the sintering process. When the pressure is above 70 MPa while the temperature exceeds 1150 °C, the average porosity is 0.11, with little fall when the pressure or temperature rises. The experimental results indicated that the relative density of the sintered superalloy under 70 MPa and 1150 °C is 94.46%, and the proportion of the grain size below 10 μm is 73%. In addition, the yield strength of the sintered sample is 512 MPa, the compressive strength comes to 1260 MPa when the strain is over 0.8, and the microhardness is 395 Hv, demonstrating a better mechanical property than the conventional superalloy.
Corrosion of Steel Rebars in Anoxic Environments. Part II: Pit Growth Rate and Mechanical Strength
Authors: Garcia Elena , Torres Julio , Rebolledo Nuria , Arrabal Raul , Sanchez Javier
Published: May 2021

Reinforced concrete may corrode in anoxic environments such as offshore structures. Under such conditions the reinforcement fails to passivate completely, irrespective of chloride content, and the corrosion taking place locally induces the growth of discrete pits. This study characterised such pits and simulated their growth from experimentally determined electrochemical parameters. Pit morphology was assessed with an optical profilometer. A finite element model was developed to simulate pit growth based on electrochemical parameters for different cathode areas. The model was able to predict long-term pit growth by deformed geometry set up. Simulations showed that pit growth-related corrosion tends to maximise as cathode area declines, which lower the pitting factor. The mechanical strength developed by the passive and prestressed rebar throughout its service life was also estimated. Passive rebar strength may drop by nearly 20% over 100 years, whilst in the presence of cracking from the base of the pit steel strength may decline by over 40%.
Energetic-Materials-Driven Synthesis of Graphene-Encapsulated Tin Oxide Nanoparticles for Sodium-Ion Batteries
Authors: Wang Yingchun , Liu Jinxu , Yang Min , Hou Lijuan , Xu Tingting , Li Shukui , Zhuang Zhihua , He Chuan
Published: May 2021

By evenly mixing polytetrafluoroethylene-silicon energetic materials (PTFE-Si EMs) with tin oxide (SnO2) particles, we demonstrate a direct synthesis of graphene-encapsulated SnO2 (Gr-SnO2) nanoparticles through the self-propagated exothermic reaction of the EMs. The highly exothermic reaction of the PTFE-Si EMs released a huge amount of heat that induced an instantaneous temperature rise at the reaction zone, and the rapid expansion of the gaseous SiF4 product provided a high-speed gas flow for dispersing the molten particles into finer nanoscale particles. Furthermore, the reaction of the PTFE-NPs with Si resulted in a simultaneous synthesis of graphene that encapsulated the SnO2 nanoparticles in order to form the core-shell nanostructure. As sodium storage material, the graphene-encapsulated SnO2 nanoparticles exhibit a good cycling performance, superior rate capability, and a high initial Coulombic efficiency of 85.3%. This proves the effectiveness of our approach for the scalable synthesis of core-shell-structured graphene-encapsulated nanomaterials.
The Impact of Contaminating Poly (Methyl Methacrylate) (PMMA) Bone Cements on Their Compressive Strength
Authors: Szabelski Jakub , Karpiński Robert , Krakowski Przemysław , Jonak Józef
Published: May 2021

This study presents an analysis of the impact of doping bone cement with saline. The two-ingredient cement, made right before the surgery, is subject to various kinds of organic contaminants and liquids used in the operating area, such as saline used to cleanse or cool it, during the process of mounting the prosthesis or bone-filling procedures. The processes of experimental destructive testing and statistical analysis have shown that, depending on the degree of saline doping, the static compressive strength parameters may greatly improve (with a low degree of contamination) or significantly worsen (when the contamination degree is higher). The limit value of the degree of salt admixture was estimated (2%), with which no statistically significant differences were observed in the cement strength in relation to the strength of non-contaminated cement.
Effect of Two Steps Overaging on Mechanical Properties of Tailor Rolled Blank of Dual Phase Steel
Authors: Hu Xianlei , Ke Diwen , Zhi Ying , Liu Xianghua
Published: May 2021

Herein, a new kind of overaging strategy: two steps of overaging for tailor rolled blank of dual phase steel (DP-TRB) was investigated. The results indicate that two steps of the overaging process is a useful way to control the mechanical properties of DP-TRB. In the premise of satisfying the requirement for the strength of DP590 grade, the total elongation can be significantly increased (3~7% in most cases). Due to the different degrees of ferrite recrystallization (differences of densities of dislocation) among the thicknesses, the obvious changes of mechanical properties among thicknesses are found. The thicknesses zones of 1.0~1.4 mm show lower strength, while the zones of 1.6~1.8 mm present higher strength. Otherwise, the high density of dislocations in samples of 1.6~1.8 mm provide more locations for Cottrell atmospheres, yield plateau occur easier. The zones with different thicknesses for one DP-TRB show two kinds of yield behaviors (continuous yield and non-continuous yield) simultaneously. The subtle C diffusion control by two step overaging leads to the quite different pinning effect of Cottrell atmospheres. Thus, the pinning effect occurs in a gradual way, and a transition state of yield behavior, which combines the characteristic of smooth curve in continuous yield and the plateau in non-continuous yield, is found.
A New Constraint on the Physicochemical Condition of Mars Surface during the Amazonian Epoch Based on Chemical Speciation for Secondary Minerals in Martian Nakhlites
Authors: Suga Hiroki , Suzuki Keika , Usui Tomohiro , Yamaguchi Akira , Sekizawa Oki , Nitta Kiyofumi , Takeichi Yasuo , Ohigashi Takuji , Takahashi Yoshio
Published: May 2021

Iddingsite in Martian nakhlites contains various secondary minerals that reflect water–rock interaction on Mars. However, the formation processes of secondary Fe minerals in iddingsite are unclear because they include carbonates precipitated under reductive and alkaline conditions and sulfates that are generally precipitated under oxidative and acidic conditions. Mineral types cannot coexist under equilibrium. Herein, we characterize the carbonate phase of meteorite Yamato 000593 as siderite and Mn-bearing siderite via field-emission electron probe microanalyzer (FE-EPMA). Then, we examined the distribution and speciation of trace Cr and S within the carbonates through synchrotron micro-focused X-ray fluorescence-X-ray absorption fine structure and scanning transmission X-ray microscopy (μ-XRF-XAFS/STXM) analysis to estimate the transition history of Eh-pH conditions during siderite formation to explain the coexistence of carbonate and sulfate phases in the nakhlite vein. Specifically, the distribution and speciation of S in the mesostasis and carbonate phases and the heterogeneous distribution of Mn-FeCO3 incorporating Cr(III) in the carbonate constrain the Eh-pH condition. The conditions and transition of the fluid chemistry determined herein based on speciation of various elements provide a new constraint on the physicochemical condition of the water that altered the nakhlite body during the Amazonian epoch.