bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
„Innerlich frischer und wachstumsfähiger Nachwuchs“
Authors: Bohn Anna
Published: August 2020

Edgar Breitenbach war von 1953 bis 1955 als Vertreter der Library of Congress beratend für den Bau der Amerika-Gedenkbibliothek in Berlin tätig. Als einer der Volontäre des ersten Jahrgangs des neu begründeten bibliothekswissenschaftlichen Ausbildungswegs an der Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität und der Preußischen Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin im Studienjahr 1928/1929 gelangte er auf einen Berufsweg, auf dem er zu einem Wegbereiter neuer Entwicklungen wurde. Der Beitrag untersucht, welche Rolle sein engagierter Förderer Aby Warburg sowie Netzwerke und Empfehlungsschreiben von Bibliotheksdirektoren für den Beginn der Bibliothekskarriere Edgar Breitenbachs in der ausgehenden Weimarer Republik spielten. Zur Rekonstruktion der bibliothekarischen Entwicklungen dienen Erinnerungen, Korrespondenzen und Personalakten aus der Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin, dem Institut für Stadtgeschichte Frankfurt, der Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen, der New York Public Library, der Smithsonian Institution, Archives of American Art, Washington D.C. und dem Warburg Institute London. Am Rande gestreift werden die Karrieren zweier Volontärinnen, Katharina Meyer und Gisela von Busse, die gemeinsam mit Breitenbach 1929 an der Preußischen Staatsbibliothek zu Berlin ihre Prüfung absolvierten.
Das SLUB TextLab: Offene Werkstatt für analoge und digitale Textarbeit
Authors: Santner Anita
Published: August 2020

Auf der Suche nach einem neuen Raumnutzungskonzept für die Zweigbibliothek Erziehungswissenschaft wurde an der SLUB Dresden in den letzten zwei Jahren das SLUB TextLab entwickelt. In Zusammenarbeit mit lokalen Kooperationspartnern unterstützt es Nutzer bei der analogen und digitalen Textarbeit. Die Kombination von Schreibberatung, Digital Humanities und Embodiment in einer wissenschaftlichen Bibliothek als Dritter Ort ist innovativ und zukunftsrelevant, da Bibliotheken aufgrund der zunehmenden Digitalisierung und dem damit verbundenen Rückgang des physischen Bestandes ein neues Profil entwickeln müssen.
MYL6B drives the capabilities of proliferation, invasion, and migration in rectal adenocarcinoma through the EMT process
Authors: Li Jin-Liang , Wang Zai-Qiu , Sun Xiao-Li
Published: August 2020

Objective

This study was designed to explore the biological significance of myosin light chain 6B (MYL6B) in rectal adenocarcinoma.

Methods

Profiles on the Oncomine dataset, GEPIA website, and UALCAN-TCGA database were searched to assess the MYL6B expression level in rectal adenocarcinoma tissues and normal tissues. After MYL6B knockdown using siRNA strategy, cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assays were conducted to measure cell proliferation, migration and invasion, respectively. Flow cytometry analysis was conducted to assess cell apoptosis. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and western blot were performed to detect the expression level of mRNAs and proteins.

Results

The data showed that overexpression of MYL6B was observed in rectal adenocarcinoma tissues and correlated with a poor prognosis of patients. Functional in vitro experiments revealed that MYL6B knockdown could inhibit proliferation, migration, and invasion of rectal adenocarcinoma cells, while promote cell apoptosis. Moreover, western blot analysis suggested that increased expression of E-cadherin and decreased expression of N-cadherin and Vimentin were induced by si-MYL6B.

Conclusion

In summary, this study elaborated on the promoting effect of MYL6B in rectal adenocarcinoma progression, thus providing novel insight for strategies of clinical diagnosis and drug application in the future clinical study.
Long non-coding RNA LINC00704 promotes cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in papillary thyroid carcinoma via miR-204-5p/HMGB1 axis
Authors: Lin Yihui , Jiang Jianjia
Published: August 2020

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is a common malignancy worldwide. LncRNA LINC00704 (mitotically associated long non-coding RNA) was reported as a crucial regulator in PTC. However, the biological mechanism of LINC00704 action remains unclear in PTC. The mRNA levels of LINC00704, miR-204-5p, and high-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) were measured by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) assay. HMGB1, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and cyclin D1 protein levels were detected using the Western blot assay. The binding relationship between miR-204-5p and LINC00704 or HMGB1 was predicted by LncBase Predicted v.2 or TargetScan, respectively, and then validated by dual luciferase reporter assay. Cell viability, cell cycle, cell migration and invasion, and migration ratio were assessed by MTT, flow cytometry, transwell cell migration and invasion, and wound-healing assays, respectively. Results suggested that LINC00704 and HMGB1 were elevated and miR-204-5p decreased in PTC tissues and cells. Furthermore, rescue experiments demonstrated that the miR-204-5p inhibitor alleviated the inhibitory effects of LINC00704 knockdown on cell proliferation, cell cycle, migration, and invasion. Meanwhile, miR-204-5p overexpression repressed proliferation, migration, and invasion by targeting HMGB1. Mechanical analysis discovered that LINC00704 could act as an miR-204-5p sponge to modulate HMGB1 expression. In conclusion, LINC00704 promoted PTC cell proliferation, cell cycle, migration, and invasion by the miR-204-5p/HMGB1 axis, providing a novel therapeutic target for PTC patients.
Seagrass characterization on the southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica: history, vegetation, and environment
Authors: Samper-Villarreal Jimena , Cortés Jorge
Published: August 2020

Seagrass conservation and management requires scientific understanding of spatial and temporal variability, information that is currently limited for the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). Here, we analysed seagrass presence based on previous reports, herbarium collections and stakeholder knowledge, combined with field characterization in Golfo Dulce, southern Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Seagrasses were found at multiple locations along a narrow border close to shore and in up to 6 m depth within Golfo Dulce, dating back to 1969. Two seagrass species were found, Halophila baillonii and Halodule beaudettei. Seagrass biomass values for Golfo Dulce (12.0 ± 8.5 g DW m−2) were lower and water nutrient concentrations were higher than previously reported in the gulf. Shoot density (1513 ± 767 shoots m−2) was similar to previous reports. Stable isotope values in seagrass were −11.3 ± 1.0‰ δ13C and 1.2 ± 0.9‰ δ15N; while those in sediments were −26.1 ± 1.3 and 2.5 ± 0.9‰. In Golfo Dulce, isotopic values of both seagrass species do not overlap with other known primary producers. Management strategies should aim to minimize known seagrass stressors, protect potential seagrass habitat, and take into account the dynamic life strategies of the two seagrass species found.
Automation and validation of a MALDI-TOF MS (Mass-Fix) replacement of immunofixation electrophoresis in the clinical lab
Authors: Kohlhagen Mindy , Dasari Surendra , Willrich Maria , Hetrick MeLea , Netzel Brian , Dispenzieri Angela , Murray David L.
Published: August 2020

Objectives

A matrix assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) method (Mass-Fix) as a replacement for gel-based immunofixation (IFE) has been recently described. To utilize Mass-Fix clinically, a validated automated method was required. Our aim was to automate the pre-analytical processing, improve positive specimen identification and ergonomics, reduce paper data storage and increase resource utilization without increasing turnaround time.

Methods

Serum samples were batched and loaded onto a liquid handler along with reagents and a barcoded sample plate. The pre-analytical steps included: (1) Plating immunopurification beads. (2) Adding 10 μl of serum. (3) Bead washing. (4) Eluting the immunoglobulins (Igs), and reducing to separate the heavy and light Ig chains. The resulting plate was transferred to a second low-volume liquid handler for MALDI plate spotting. MALDI-TOF mass spectra were collected. Integrated in-house developed software was utilized for sample tracking, driving data acquisition, data analysis, history tracking, and result reporting. A total of 1,029 residual serum samples were run using the automated system and results were compared to prior electrophoretic results.

Results

The automated Mass-Fix method was capable of meeting the validation requirements of concordance with IFE, limit of detection (LOD), sample stability and reproducibility with a low repeat rate. Automation and integrated software allowed a single user to process 320 samples in an 8 h shift. Software display facilitated identification of monoclonal proteins. Additionally, the process maintains positive specimen identification, reduces manual pipetting, allows for paper free tracking, and does not significantly impact turnaround time (TAT).

Conclusions

Mass-Fix is ready for implementation in a high-throughput clinical laboratory.
The metric geometry of singularity types
Authors: Darvas Tamás , Di Nezza Eleonora , Lu Hoang-Chinh
Published: August 2020

Let X be a compact Kähler manifold. Given a big cohomology class

{
θ
}

{\{\theta\}}

, there is a natural equivalence relation on the space of θ-psh functions giving rise to

𝒮
⁢

(
X
,
θ
)

{\mathcal{S}(X,\theta)}

, the space of singularity types of potentials. We introduce a natural pseudo-metric

d
𝒮

{d_{\mathcal{S}}}

on

𝒮
⁢

(
X
,
θ
)

{\mathcal{S}(X,\theta)}

that is non-degenerate on the space of model singularity types and whose atoms are exactly the relative full mass classes. In the presence of positive mass we show that this metric space is complete. As applications, we show that solutions to a family of complex Monge–Ampère equations with varying singularity type converge as governed by the

d
𝒮

{d_{\mathcal{S}}}

-topology, and we obtain a semicontinuity result for multiplier ideal sheaves associated to singularity types, extending the scope of previous results from the local context.
Investigation of post-weld heat treatment (T6) and welding orientation on the strength of TIG-welded AL6061
Authors: Haryadi Gunawan Dwi , Dewa Rando Tungga , Ekaputra I. M. W. , Suprihanto Agus
Published: August 2020

This paper investigates the influence of T6 post-weld heat treatment (PWHT), and welding orientation on the strength and microstructure of tungsten inert gas (TIG) welded AL6061 aluminum alloy. The TIG process was used to weld the AL6061 at the transversal and longitudinal orientations with reference to the rolling direction. The T6-PWHT is a two-phase heat treatment process, and was applied to AL6061 in order to increase its strength. This T6 was carried out under three different artificial aging; 8, 18, and 24 hours. The influence of PWHT and welding orientation on the strength of AL6061-T6 were investigated through a series of tensile and microhardness tests. In addition, the microstructure observations were performed using the optical and scanning electron microscopes. It was established that the strength and microstructural characteristics of AL6061 are significantly dependent on the T6 artificial aging. Accordingly, the improvements in the strength and ductility were mainly contributed by the grain growth and subsequent precipitate strengthening. Moreover, the welding orientation only affects their fracture surfaces and locations after tensile testing.
Application of the terrestrial laser scanner in the monitoring of earth structures
Authors: Kogut Janusz P. , Pilecka Elżbieta
Published: August 2020

Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) assists in the detection of the unsafe behaviour of slopes and scarps. It also facilitates the assessment of the stability of earthworks. Earth structures are those that are usually made of qualified ground material. One may distinguish between point structures such as mounds, forts and dams, and linear structures such as roads, railways and flood embankments. This article concerns the problem of monitoring and analysing of the effects associated with the unstable behaviour of selected earth structures. TLS enables remote sensing of surface changes in a simple and automated manner. Regular, multiple measurements with the laser scanner are applied in long-term monitoring of the behaviour of the selected objects. The discrete numerical models using, for example, the finite element method (FEM) take into account geotechnical properties of substrate and allow for the risk assessment and stability testing of such structures. The numerical model of the structure along with the parameters of the substrate are introduced into the FEM package. This allows for the analysis of stresses, strains and displacements, along with different loading cases. The work here presents a few selected earth structures for which the aforementioned analyses have been undertaken.
Application of simulated annealing algorithm for 3D coordinate transformation problem solution
Authors: Odziemczyk Waldemar
Published: August 2020

Transformation of spatial coordinates (3D) is a common computational task in photogrammetry, engineering geodesy, geographical information systems or computer vision. In the most frequently used variant, transformation of point coordinates requires knowledge of seven transformation parameters, of which three determine translation, another three rotation and one change in scale. As these parameters are commonly determined through iterative methods, it is essential to know their initial approximation. While determining approximate values of the parameters describing translation or scale change is relatively easy, determination of rotation requires more advanced methods. This study proposes an original, two-step procedure of estimating transformation parameters. In the initial step, a modified version of simulated annealing algorithm is used for identifying the approximate value of the rotation parameter. In the second stage, traditional least squares method is applied to obtain the most probable values of transformation parameters. The way the algorithm works was checked on two numerical examples. The computational experiments proved that proposed algorithm is efficient even in cases characterised by very disadvantageous configuration of common points.
Green synthesis: Proposed mechanism and factors influencing the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles
Authors: Jameel Mahmood S. , Aziz Azlan Abdul , Dheyab Mohammed Ali
Published: August 2020

Platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) have attracted interest in catalysis and biomedical applications due to their unique structural, optical, and catalytic properties. However, the conventional synthesis of Pt NPs using the chemical and physical methods is constrained by the use of harmful and costly chemicals, intricate preparation requirement, and high energy utilization. Hence, this review emphasizes on the green synthesis of Pt NPs using plant extracts as an alternative approach due to its simplicity, convenience, inexpensiveness, easy scalability, low energy requirement, environmental friendliness, and minimum usage of hazardous materials and maximized efficiency of the synthesis process. The underlying complex processes that cover the green synthesis (biosynthesis) of Pt NPs were reviewed. This review affirms the effects of different critical parameters (pH, reaction temperature, reaction time, and biomass dosage) on the size and shape of the synthesized Pt NPs. For instance, the average particle size of Pt NPs was reported to decrease with increasing pH, reaction temperature, and concentration of plant extract.
Green synthesis of 3-(1-naphthyl), 4-methyl-3-(1-naphthyl) coumarins and 3-phenylcoumarins using dual-frequency ultrasonication
Authors: Vashisth Neeraj , Sharma Satya Parkash , Kumar Surender , Yadav Aruna
Published: August 2020

Green synthesis of 3-(1-naphthyl), 4-methyl-3-(1-naphthyl) coumarins and 3-phenylcoumarins has been carried out in one step by reacting 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes and 2-hydroxyacetophenones with 1-naphthylacetic anhydride and phenylacetic anhydride, respectively, using dual-frequency ultrasonication, i.e. ultrasonic bath of 40 kHz and probe of 20 kHz. The compounds were obtained in very high yield (80–90%) and their structures were confirmed by infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance data.
Preparation and characterization of tannin-based adhesives reinforced with cellulose nanofibrils for wood bonding
Authors: Zidanes Uasmim Lira , Dias Matheus Cordazzo , Lorenço Mário Sérgio , da Silva Araujo Elesandra , Ferreira e Silva Maryella Júnnia , Sousa Thaís Brito , Ferreira Saulo Rocha , Ugucioni Júlio César , Denzin Tonoli Gustavo Henrique , Bianchi Maria Lucia , Mori Fábio Akira
Published: August 2020

Adhesives based on vegetable tannins are already a reality in the market. However, their use is still limited due to their low mechanical resistance and weak humidity resistance. Cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) are being used as reinforcing materials in various composites, resulting in an improvement of mechanical proprieties in general. The objective of this work was to evaluate the incorporation of CNFs in adhesives made of tannins obtained from the Angico tree (Anadenanthera peregrine). Concentrations of nanofibrils at 1, 5, and 10% were added to the adhesives on a dry basis. Tests of viscosity, pH, solids content, and gel time were performed to determine the physical proprieties of the adhesives. The Attenuated Total Reflectance Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectra measurements were also determined to understand the interaction between tannins and CNFs. Thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) were carried out to determine the thermal resistance of the composite. The FTIR and Raman characterization identified some differences in the peaks in the chemical composition of the adhesives with different percentages of CNFs. The adhesives showed no different decomposition in the thermogravimetric analyses. The shear strength in the glue line of the adhesive with 5% of CNFs inToona ciliatawoods was determined. Among all the adhesives analyzed, the one with 5% of CNFs produced an improvement in the mechanical resistance and humidity resistance on the glue line.
Hsp70-mediated quality control: should I stay or should I go?
Authors: Kohler Verena , Andréasson Claes
Published: August 2020

Chaperones of the 70 kDa heat shock protein (Hsp70) superfamily are key components of the cellular proteostasis system. Together with its co-chaperones, Hsp70 forms proteostasis subsystems that antagonize protein damage during physiological and stress conditions. This function stems from highly regulated binding and release cycles of protein substrates, which results in a flow of unfolded, partially folded and misfolded species through the Hsp70 subsystem. Specific factors control how Hsp70 makes decisions regarding folding and degradation fates of the substrate proteins. In this review, we summarize how the flow of Hsp70 substrates is controlled in the cell with special emphasis on recent advances regarding substrate release mechanisms.
The ups and downs of ectoine: structural enzymology of a major microbial stress protectant and versatile nutrient
Authors: Hermann Lucas , Mais Christopher-Nils , Czech Laura , Smits Sander H.J. , Bange Gert , Bremer Erhard
Published: August 2020

Ectoine and its derivative 5-hydroxyectoine are compatible solutes and chemical chaperones widely synthesized byBacteriaand someArchaeaas cytoprotectants during osmotic stress and high- or low-growth temperature extremes. The function-preserving attributes of ectoines led to numerous biotechnological and biomedical applications and fostered the development of an industrial scale production process. Synthesis of ectoines requires the expenditure of considerable energetic and biosynthetic resources. Hence, microorganisms have developed ways to exploit ectoines as nutrients when they are no longer needed as stress protectants. Here, we summarize our current knowledge on the phylogenomic distribution of ectoine producing and consuming microorganisms. We emphasize the structural enzymology of the pathways underlying ectoine biosynthesis and consumption, an understanding that has been achieved only recently. The synthesis and degradation pathways critically differ in the isomeric form of the key metaboliteN-acetyldiaminobutyric acid (ADABA).γ-ADABA serves as preferred substrate for the ectoine synthase, while the α-ADABA isomer is produced by the ectoine hydrolase as an intermediate in catabolism. It can serve as internal inducer for the genetic control of ectoine catabolic genes via the GabR/MocR-type regulator EnuR. Our review highlights the importance of structural enzymology to inspire the mechanistic understanding of metabolic networks at the biological scale.
Nonparametric bootstrap inference for the targeted highly adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) estimator
Authors: Cai Weixin , van der Laan Mark
Published: August 2020

The Highly-Adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Targeted Minimum Loss Estimator (HAL-TMLE) is an efficient plug-in estimator of a pathwise differentiable parameter in a statistical model that at minimal (and possibly only) assumes that the sectional variation norm of the true nuisance functions (i.e., relevant part of data distribution) are finite. It relies on an initial estimator (HAL-MLE) of the nuisance functions by minimizing the empirical risk over the parameter space under the constraint that the sectional variation norm of the candidate functions are bounded by a constant, where this constant can be selected with cross-validation. In this article we establish that the nonparametric bootstrap for the HAL-TMLE, fixing the value of the sectional variation norm at a value larger or equal than the cross-validation selector, provides a consistent method for estimating the normal limit distribution of the HAL-TMLE. In order to optimize the finite sample coverage of the nonparametric bootstrap confidence intervals, we propose a selection method for this sectional variation norm that is based on running the nonparametric bootstrap for all values of the sectional variation norm larger than the one selected by cross-validation, and subsequently determining a value at which the width of the resulting confidence intervals reaches a plateau. We demonstrate our method for 1) nonparametric estimation of the average treatment effect when observing a covariate vector, binary treatment, and outcome, and for 2) nonparametric estimation of the integral of the square of the multivariate density of the data distribution. In addition, we also present simulation results for these two examples demonstrating the excellent finite sample coverage of bootstrap-based confidence intervals.
Shrinkage estimation applied to a semi-nonparametric regression model
Authors: Zareamoghaddam Hossein , Ahmed Syed E. , Provost Serge B.
Published: August 2020

Stein-type shrinkage techniques are applied to the parametric components of a semi-nonparametric regression model recently proposed by (Ma et al. 2015: 285–303). On the basis of an uncertain prior information (restrictions) about the parameters of interest, shrinkage techniques are shown to improve the accuracy of the model. The effectiveness of the proposed estimators are corroborated by a simulation study.
Derivation of Passing–Bablok regression from Kendall’s tau
Authors: Dufey Florian
Published: August 2020

It is shown how Passing’s and Bablok’s robust regression method may be derived from the condition that Kendall’s correlation coefficient tau shall vanish upon a scaling and rotation of the data. If the ratio of the standard deviations of the regressands is known, a similar procedure leads to a robust alternative to Deming regression, which is known as the circular median of the doubled slope angle in the field of directional statistics. The derivation of the regression estimates from Kendall’s correlation coefficient makes it possible to give analytical estimates of the variances of the slope, intercept, and of the bias at medical decision point, which have not been available to date. Furthermore, it is shown that using Knight’s algorithm for the calculation of Kendall’s tau makes it possible to calculate the Passing–Bablok estimator in quasi-linear time. This makes it possible to calculate this estimator rapidly even for very large data sets. Examples with data from clinical medicine are also provided.
Kinetic characterization of rat brain acetylcholinesterase modulated by lead and cartap: the ameliorative effect of Citrus limon fruit juice
Authors: Singh Nitika , Tiwari Priyanka , Sharma Bechan
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Human exposure to heavy metals and pesticides is a worldwide major health problem. These environmental pollutants have been considered as the most neurotoxic agents and responsible to causing neurological toxicity. Plant-based therapeutic supplement may be used in the event of toxicity. Citrus limon contains several useful bioactive ingredients including flavonoids, dietary fiber, carotenoids, vitamins, pectin, minerals, and essential oils, which are responsible for its therapeutic potential. In the present investigation, we have studied the toxicity of heavy metals such as lead (Pb) and a carbamate pesticide such as cartap (Cp) on rat brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE).

Methods

The chemical characterization of C. limon involved determination of total antioxidants and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picryl-hydrazyl-hydrate free radical scavenging activity using known methods. The AChE activity and its kinetic characterization were performed by assaying the enzyme activity at varying substrate concentrations, pH, temperature, and time of reaction. Its different kinetic parameters such as K

i
, V
max, K

m
, K
cat, and K
cat/K
m were determined by using standard procedures. The amelioration potential of the extract was evaluated on the neurotransmission system of rat brain AChE treated with Pb, Cp, and their combination (Pb–Cp), considering their 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values.

Results

The optimal activity of rat brain AChE was recorded at 25 µg of protein, pH of 7.4, substrate concentration [S] of 0.5 mM, and temperature of 37.4–40°C. The enzyme was stable for 10 min when incubated at 37.4 °C in vitro. The enzyme displayed 70% of its activity remaining even after 160 min of incubation in this condition. It may be stable up to 1 month when stored at −20°C. The IC50 values for Pb, Cp, and Pb–Cp were found to be 75, 2.9, and 5 mM, respectively. Pb, Cp, and Pb–Cp inhibited the activity of rat brain AChE in the noncompetitive, mixed, and uncompetitive manners, respectively, with their respective K

i
values to be 675, 2.37, and 22.72 mM.

Conclusions

The results indicated that the Pb and Cp were able to cause significant alterations in the level and properties of AChE. However, the introduction of lemon juice on Pb- and Cp-treated AChE indicated protection of its activity from their adverse effects. The results may be useful in prospective therapeutic applications of lemon juice or as a food supplement to protect mammalian systems from adverse effects of these toxicants.
Raising burden of non-communicable diseases: importance of integrating Yoga and Naturopathy at primary care level
Authors: Salwa Hyndavi , Nair Pradeep M.K.
Published: August 2020

Primary health care is a vital component in health care delivery. Non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) are rising like a major threat to human survival, which is expected to account for 75% of the total mortality by 2030. Lifestyle and behavioural changes are reckoned as the way ahead. Yoga and Naturopathy, a drugless system of medicine has intersecting paradigms which addresses all planes of health effectively. Yoga and Naturopathy through its holistic approach educate and make the people responsible for their own health. It has shown its efficacy in alleviating and preventing various NCD’s. A systematic approach should be initiated, which can channelize the integration of Yoga and Naturopathy at the primary care level considering its cost-effectiveness and efficacy over NCD’s.
Robust Gaussian Noise Detection and Removal in Color Images using Modified Fuzzy Set Filter
Authors: Suneetha Akula , Srinivasa Reddy E.
Published: August 2020

In the data collection phase, the digital images are captured using sensors that often contaminated by noise (undesired random signal). In digital image processing task, enhancing the image quality and reducing the noise is a central process. Image denoising effectively preserves the image edges to a higher extend in the flat regions. Several adaptive filters (median filter, Gaussian filter, fuzzy filter, etc.) have been utilized to improve the smoothness of digital image, but these filters failed to preserve the image edges while removing noise. In this paper, a modified fuzzy set filter has been proposed to eliminate noise for restoring the digital image. Usually in fuzzy set filter, sixteen fuzzy rules are generated to find the noisy pixels in the digital image. In modified fuzzy set filter, a set of twenty-four fuzzy rules are generated with additional four pixel locations for determining the noisy pixels in the digital image. The additional eight fuzzy rules ease the process of finding the image pixels,whether it required averaging or not. In this scenario, the input digital images were collected from the underwater photography fish dataset. The efficiency of the modified fuzzy set filter was evaluated by varying degrees of Gaussian noise (0.01, 0.03, and 0.1 levels of Gaussian noise). For performance evaluation, Structural Similarity (SSIM), Mean Structural Similarity (MSSIM), Mean Square Error (MSE), Normalized Mean Square Error (NMSE), Universal Image Quality Index (UIQI), Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), and Visual Information Fidelity (VIF) were used. The experimental results showed that the modified fuzzy set filter improved PSNR value up to 2-3 dB, MSSIM up to 0.12-0.03, and NMSE value up to 0.38-0.1 compared to the traditional filtering techniques.
Equidistribution Among Cosets of Elliptic Curve Points in Intervals
Authors: Kim Taechan , Tibouchi Mehdi
Published: August 2020

In a recent paper devoted to fault analysis of elliptic curve-based signature schemes, Takahashi et al. (TCHES 2018) described several attacks, one of which assumed an equidistribution property that can be informally stated as follows: given an elliptic curve E over 𝔽q in Weierstrass form and a large subgroup H ⊂ E(𝔽q) generated by G(xG, yG), the points in E(𝔽q) whose x-coordinates are obtained from xG by randomly flipping a fixed, sufficiently long substring of bits (and rejecting cases when the resulting value does not correspond to a point in E(𝔽q)) are close to uniformly distributed among the cosets modulo H. The goal of this note is to formally state, prove and quantify (a variant of) that property, and in particular establish sufficient bounds on the size of the subgroup and on the length of the substring of bits for it to hold. The proof relies on bounds for character sums on elliptic curves established by Kohel and Shparlinski (ANTS–IV).
Hash functions from superspecial genus-2 curves using Richelot isogenies
Authors: Castryck Wouter , Decru Thomas , Smith Benjamin
Published: August 2020

In 2018 Takashima proposed a version of Charles, Goren and Lauter’s hash function using Richelot isogenies, starting from a genus-2 curve that allows for all subsequent arithmetic to be performed over a quadratic finite field 𝔽p2. In 2019 Flynn and Ti pointed out that Takashima’s hash function is insecure due to the existence of small isogeny cycles. We revisit the construction and show that it can be repaired by imposing a simple restriction, which moreover clarifies the security analysis. The runtime of the resulting hash function is dominated by the extraction of 3 square roots for every block of 3 bits of the message, as compared to one square root per bit in the elliptic curve case; however in our setting the extractions can be parallelized and are done in a finite field whose bit size is reduced by a factor 3. Along the way we argue that the full supersingular isogeny graph is the wrong context in which to study higher-dimensional analogues of Charles, Goren and Lauter’s hash function, and advocate the use of the superspecial subgraph, which is the natural framework in which to view Takashima’s 𝔽p2-friendly starting curve.
Performance analysis of NRZ and RZ variants for FSO communication system under different weather conditions
Authors: Sadiq Nehall , Hussain Akhtar , Qamar Farhan , Shahzadi Romana , Ali Mudassar , Qamar Nouman , Nadeem M. Faisal , Masud Usman
Published: August 2020

The evolving 5G technology is currently facing some huge challenges such as cost, bandwidth, network flexibility, deployment and capacity. Free space optics (FSO) is an emerging technology and viable approach to address the challenges of upcoming networks. This paper presents the performance comparison of advance variants of Return to zero (RZ) and Non-return to zero (NRZ) modulation formats in FSO communication. Detailed analysis of FSO link is carried out under various weather conditions by means of numerical simulations in which different data rates and distances are tested to evaluate the performance. The effects of different weather conditions over the performance, efficiency and availability of FSO link are analyzed on the basis of quality factor (Q-factor) of received signal. The work is performed on the licensed version of Optisystem v14.0.
The performance comparison of hybrid WDM/TDM, TDM and WDM PONs with 128 ONUs
Authors: Hamadouche Hadjira , Merabet Boualem , Bouregaa Mouweffeq
Published: August 2020

Here, we have simulated different unidirectional passive optical networks (PONs) technologies such as wavelength division multiplexing (WDM), time-division multiplexing (TDM) and hybridPONs with different users for varying fiber length, data rate, continuous wave laser power and number of users. Their performances based on the quality-factor (Q-factor) and bit error rate (BER) using OptiSystem software 7.0 with using an Erbium doped-fiber amplifier (EDFA) were compared. Our model used 16 and 128 users, where the performance of the unidirectional Hybrid WDM/TDM PONs with 4 wavelengths and 128 user systems have better high Q-factor and lower BER, compared to that of 128 user WDM PON and 128 user TDM PON systems.
Clinical relevance of T lymphocyte subsets in pediatric Graves’ disease
Authors: Chen Ting , Chen Linqi , Song Haojie , Chen Xiuli , Xie Rongrong , Xia Qin , Zhang Dandan , Wu Haiying , Sun Hui , Wang Xiaoyan , Wang Fengyun
Published: August 2020

Objectives

Graves’ disease (GD) is an autoimmune disease involving intimate response of both T cells and B cells. Immunophenotyping of peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets in GD children with different clinical characteristics can provide further information of the pathogenesis of GD.

Methods

We studied the lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of 141 children with GD. We repeatedly divided the patients into two groups in accordance with different clinical characteristics (abnormal or normal alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels, the presence or absence of Graves’ orbitopathy (GO), and the presence or absence of hematuria. Then we compared the lymphocyte subsets measurements between two paired groups.

Results

We found that serum ALT levels correlated positively with CD3+CD8+ T cell percentages in children with GD. Moreover, we detected higher percentages of CD3−CD19+ cells and higher ratio of CD4/CD8 in patients with GO. However, no correlation was found between GO status and lymphocyte subsets after excluding confounding effect of TRAb. No difference of lymphocyte subset percentages was found between groups with or without hematuria.

Conclusions

Serum ALT levels correlate positively with cytotoxic T cell percentages in the peripheral blood of children with GD. The cytotoxic T cell may play a role in the pathogenesis of hepatic dysfunction in children with GD.
The Epistemology of Group Duties: What We Know and What We Ought to do
Authors: Schwenkenbecher Anne
Published: August 2020

In Group Duties, Stephanie Collins proposes a ‘tripartite’ social ontology of groups as obligation-bearers. Producing a unified theory of group obligations that reflects our messy social reality is challenging and this ‘three-sizes-fit-all’ approach promises clarity but does not always keep that promise. I suggest considering the epistemic level as primary in determining collective obligations, allowing for more fluidity than the proposed tripartite ontology of collectives, coalitions and combinations.
Disenfranchisement and the Capacity/Equality Puzzle:Why Disenfranchise Children but Not Adults Living with Cognitive Disabilities
Authors: Mráz Attila
Published: August 2020

In this paper, I offer a solution to the Capacity/Equality Puzzle. The puzzle holds that an account of the franchise may adequately capture at most two of the following: (1) a political equality-based account of the franchise, (2) a capacity-based account of disenfranchising children, and (3) universal adult enfranchisement. To resolve the puzzle, I provide a complex liberal egalitarian justification of a moralrequirementto disenfranchise children. I show that disenfranchising children is permitted by both the proper political liberal and the proper political egalitarian understandings of the relationship between cognitive capacity and the franchise. Further, I argue, disenfranchising children is required by a minimalistic, procedural principle of collective competence in political decision-making. At the same time, I show that political equality requires the enfranchisement of all adults, regardless of cognitive capacities, and that the collective competence principle does not ground adult disenfranchisement. This justifies the progressive legal trend that holds the capacity-based disenfranchisement of adults to be incompatible with liberal democratic principles.
More on closed non-vanishing ideals in CB
(X)
Authors: Khademi Amin
Published: August 2020

Let X be a completely regular topological space. For each closed non-vanishing ideal H of CB
(X), the normed algebra of all bounded continuous scalar-valued mappings on X equipped with pointwise addition and multiplication and the supremum norm, we study its spectrum, denoted by 𝔰𝔭(H). We make a correspondence between algebraic properties of H and topological properties of 𝔰𝔭(H). This continues some previous studies, in which topological properties of 𝔰𝔭(H) such as the Lindelöf property, paracompactness, σ-compactness and countable compactness have been made into correspondence with algebraic properties of H. We study here other compactness properties of 𝔰𝔭(H) such as weak paracompactness, sequential compactness and pseudocompactness. We also study the ideal isomorphisms between two non-vanishing closed ideals of CB
(X).
Multipolar second-harmonic generation from high-Q quasi-BIC states in subwavelength resonators
Authors: Volkovskaya Irina , Xu Lei , Huang Lujun , Smirnov Alexander I. , Miroshnichenko Andrey E. , Smirnova Daria
Published: August 2020

We put forward the multipolar model which captures the physics behind linear and nonlinear response driven by high-quality (high-Q) supercavity modes in subwavelength particles. We show that the formation of such trapped states associated with bound states in the continuum (quasi-BIC) can be understood through multipolar transformations of coupled leaky modes. The quasi-BIC state appears with increasing the order of the dominating multipole, where dipolar losses are completely suppressed. The efficient optical coupling to this state in the AlGaAs nanodisk is implemented via azimuthally polarized beam illumination matching its multipolar origin. We establish a one-to-one correspondence between the standard phenomenological non-Hermitian coupled-mode theory and multipolar models. The derived multipolar composition of the generated second-harmonic radiation from the AlGaAs nanodisk is then validated with full-wave numerical simulations. Back-action of the second-harmonic radiation onto the fundamental frequency is taken into account in the coupled nonlinear model with pump depletion. A hybrid metal-dielectric nanoantenna is proposed to augment the conversion efficiency up to tens of per cent due to increasing quality factors of the involved resonant states. Our findings delineate novel promising strategies in the design of functional elements for nonlinear nanophotonics applications.
Synthesis and crystal structure of 2-azido-N-(4-nitrophenyl)acetamide, C8H7N5O3
Authors: Missioui Mohcine , Guerrab Walid , Mague Joel T. , Ramli Youssef
Published: August 2020

C8H7N5O3, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 5.0340(2) Å, b = 21.1023(9) Å, c = 9.2880(4) Å, β = 94.909(1)°, V = 983.04(7) Å3, Z = 4, R
gt(F) = 0.0470, wR
ref(F
2) = 0.1496, T = 298(2) K.
Nanotechnology of diamondoids for the fabrication of nanostructured systems
Authors: Yeung Ka-Wai , Dong Yuqing , Chen Ling , Tang Chak-Yin , Law Wing-Cheung , Tsui Gary Chi-Pong
Published: August 2020

Diamondoids are cage-like hydrocarbon materials with unique characteristics such as low dielectric constants, negative electron affinity, large steric bulk, and electron-donating ability. They are widely used for advanced functional materials in nanocomposite science. Surface modification of diamondoids also produces functional derivatives that broaden its applications. This article provides a concise review of the fundamentals of diamondoids, including their origin and functionalization, electronic structure, optical properties, and vibrational characteristics. The recent advances of diamondoids and their derivatives in applications, such as nanocomposites and thin film coatings, are presented. The fabrication of diamondoid-based nanostructured devices, including electron emitters, catalyst sensors, and light-emitting diodes, are also reviewed. Finally, the future developments of this unique class of hydrocarbon materials in producing a novel nanostructure system using advanced nanotechnologies are discussed. This review is intended to provide a basic understanding of diamondoid properties, discuss the recent progress of its modifications and functionalization, and highlight its novel applications and future prospects.
Identifying best parameters of particleboard bonded with dextrin-based adhesives
Authors: Alamsyah Eka Mulya , Sutrisno  , Nuryawan Arif , Widyorini Ragil
Published: August 2020

The objective of this study was to evaluate the best parameters of particleboard manufacturing throughout the physical and mechanical properties’ test under Japanese Industrial Standard. Particleboard panels were manufactured from veneer waste of sengon wood (Paraserianthes moluccana) bonded with dextrin-based adhesives (DAs) and urea formaldehyde (UF) adhesives at the density target of 0.70 g/cm2 under various manufacturing parameters of adhesives composition, load pressure and pressure temperatures. The results showed that an increase in the value of physical and mechanical properties occurred on particleboards which were glued with DAs added with UF. As the addition of UF adhesive increases, the physical and mechanical properties of the particleboard also gradually increase. This confirms that a good bonding occurs when adding UF adhesives compared to using only dextrin. The particleboard manufacturing parameters demonstrated the best properties when 40% DA was mixed with 60% UF adhesives (DA–UF = 40:60 pbw; P12) for the physical test and 20% DA mixed with 80% UF (DA–UF = 20:80; P13) for the mechanical test for both particleboards under the load pressurized at 40 kgf/cm2 for 30 min at a temperature of 105°C.
Method of biochar application affects growth, yield and nutrient uptake of cowpea
Authors: Yeboah Edward , Asamoah Gideon , Ofori Patrick , Amoah Ben , Agyeman Kwaku Osei Adu
Published: August 2020

Biochar produced from pyrolysis of organic materials has been found to improve plant growth by improving the physical and chemical characteristics of the soil as well as enhancing the sequestration of carbon dioxide that would release into the atmosphere through the decomposition of organic residues. However, there is scanty information on the methods used to apply biochar in order to optimize the benefits of biochar use for agricultural production. In view of this, a field study was carried out at the experimental field of CSIR – Soil Research Institute, Kumasi, to assess the effect of method of biochar application on the growth, yield and nutrient uptake of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in a moderately acidic sandy Ferric Acrisol. The experiment was set up using a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The treatments imposed were as follows: control, broadcasting, spot and ring methods of application. The parameters assessed included growth and yield data as well as nitrogen and phosphorus uptake in shoots and grains. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance using Genstat 12th edition. The results showed that the spot and ring methods of application significantly enhanced height, girth, nodule number and dry weight, shoot biomass and grain yield as well as nitrogen and phosphorus contents in shoots and grains when compared with the broadcasting method and control. This study therefore recommends the spot and ring methods of biochar application for adoption in cowpea production for enhanced growth, yield and nitrogen and phosphorus uptake.
Evaluation of consumer habits and knowledge about dietary fibre and fibre-rich products in Turkish population
Authors: Yalçın Erkan , Kösemeci Cem , Correia Paula , Karademir Ezgi , Ferreira Manuela , Florença Sofia G. , Guiné Raquel P. F.
Published: August 2020

This study investigated the Turkish consumers’ knowledge about dietary fibres and purchasing behaviours about fibre rich foods and also their attitudes towards food labelling with specific emphasis on dietary fibre. The survey consisted of a longitudinal study undertaken on a sample of 293 participants. For the analysis of the data, basic descriptive statistics was used, complemented with statistical tests (U-Mann Whitney [UMW] for comparisons between two groups and Kruskal–Wallis [KW] test for comparisons between three or more groups). Finally, a tree classification analysis was done to evaluate the relative importance of each of the possible influential variables on knowledge: age group, level of education, gender or living environment. The results revealed that both the level of knowledge about dietary fibre and foods and also the level of knowledge about dietary fibre and health effects were considered high for the general population. The classification analysis revealed that gender was the major discriminant for knowledge about dietary fibre and foods, while the most important discriminant for knowledge about dietary fibre and health effects was age. The importance of this study resided in the highlight of the pivotal factors that influence people’s knowledge about dietary fibre sources and the health benefits of its ingestion.