bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clinical and Functional Characteristics of Patients with Unclassifiable Interstitial Lung Disease (uILD): Long-Term Follow-Up Data from European IPF Registry (eurIPFreg)
Authors: Krauss Ekaterina , El-Guelai Mustapha , Pons-Kuehnemann Joern , Dartsch Ruth C. , Tello Silke , Korfei Martina , Mahavadi Poornima , Breithecker Andreas , Fink Ludger , Stoehr Mark , Majeed Raphael W. , Seeger Werner , Crestani Bruno , Guenther Andreas
Published: August 2020

(1) Aim of the study: In spite of extensive research, up to 20% of interstitial lung diseases (ILD) patients cannot be safely classified. We analyzed clinical features, progression factors, and outcomes of unclassifiable ILD (uILD). (2) Methods: A total of 140 uILD subjects from the University of Giessen and Marburg Lung Center (UGMLC) were recruited between 11/2009 and 01/2019 into the European Registry for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (eurIPFreg) and followed until 01/2020. The diagnosis of uILD was applied only when a conclusive diagnosis could not be reached with certainty. (3) Results: In 46.4% of the patients, the uILD diagnosis was due to conflicting clinical, radiological, and pathological data. By applying the diagnostic criteria of usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) based on computed tomography (CT), published by the Fleischner Society, 22.2% of the patients displayed a typical UIP pattern. We also showed that forced vital capacity (FVC) at baseline (p = 0.008), annual FVC decline ≥10% (p < 0.0001), smoking (p = 0.033), and a diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLco) ≤55% of predicted value at baseline (p < 0.0001) were significantly associated with progressive disease. (4) Conclusions: The most important prognostic factors in uILD are baseline level and decline in lung function and smoking. The use of Fleischner diagnostic criteria allows further differentiation and accurate diagnosis.
Survival in Patients with Neuroendocrine Tumours of the Small Intestine: Nomogram Validation and Predictors of Survival
Authors: Levy Sonja , van Veenendaal Linde M. , Korse Catharina M. , Breekveldt Emilie C.H. , Verbeek Wieke H.M. , Vriens Menno R. , Kuhlmann Koert F.D. , van den Berg José G. , Valk Gerlof D. , Tesselaar Margot E.T.
Published: August 2020

Neuroendocrine tumours of the small intestine (SI-NETs) are rare and heterogeneous. There is an unmet need for prognostication of disease course and to aid treatment strategies. A previously developed nomogram based on clinical and tumour characteristics aims to predict disease-specific survival (DSS) in patients with a SI-NET. We aimed to validate the nomogram and identify predictors of survival. Four hundred patients with a grade 1 or 2 SI-NET were included, between January 2000 and June 2016. Predicted 5- and 10-year survival was compared to actual DSS. Multivariable analysis identified predictors for actual DSS. We found that in low-, medium- and high-risk groups 5-year nomogram DSS vs. actual DSS was 0.86 vs. 0.82 (p < 0.001), 0.52 vs. 0.71 (p < 0.001) and 0.26 vs. 0.53 (p < 0.001), respectively. Ten-year nomogram DSS vs. actual DSS was 0.68 vs. 0.69 (p < 0.001), 0.40 vs. 0.50 (p < 0.001) and 0.20 vs. 0.35 (p < 0.001), respectively. Age, WHO-performance score of 2, Ki-67 index ≥10, unknown primary tumour, CgA > 6x ULN and elevated liver tests were identified as independent predictors for a worse DSS. This shows that the nomogram was able to differentiate, but underestimated DSS for patients with a SI-NET. Improvement of prognostication incorporating new emerging biomarkers is necessary to adequately estimate survival.
COVID-19 and the Kidney: From Epidemiology to Clinical Practice
Authors: Gagliardi Ida , Patella Gemma , Michael Ashour , Serra Raffaele , Provenzano Michele , Andreucci Michele
Published: August 2020

The new respiratory infectious disease coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) that originated in Wuhan, China, in December 2019 and caused by a new strain of zoonotic coronavirus, named severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), to date has killed over 630,000 people and infected over 15,000,000 worldwide. Most of the deceased patients had pre-existing comorbidities; over 20% had chronic kidney disease (CKD). Furthermore, although SARS-CoV-2 infection is characterized mainly by diffuse alveolar damage and acute respiratory failure, acute kidney injury (AKI) has developed in a high percentage of cases. As AKI has been shown to be associated with worse prognosis, we believe that the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on the kidney should be investigated. This review sets out to describe the main renal aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and the role of the virus in the development and progression of kidney damage. In this article, attention is focused on the epidemiology, etiology and pathophysiological mechanisms of kidney damage, histopathology, clinical features in nephropathic patients (CKD, hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis, AKI, transplantation) and prevention and containment strategies. Although there remains much more to be learned with regards to this disease, nonetheless it is our hope that this review will aid in the understanding and management of SARS-CoV-2 infection.
COVID-19 and Obesity: Dangerous Liaisons
Authors: Caci Grazia , Albini Adriana , Malerba Mario , Noonan Douglas M. , Pochetti Patrizia , Polosa Riccardo
Published: August 2020

Besides advanced age and the presence of multiple comorbidities as major contributors to increased risk of severe disease and fatal outcome from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease (COVID-19), there is now emerging evidence that overweight and obesity predispose to severe symptoms and negative prognosis. Remarkably, the severity of COVID-19 appears to rise with increasing body mass index (BMI). The association between COVID-19 outcomes and overweight/obesity has biological and physiological plausibility. Potential pathophysiological mechanisms that may explain this strong association include the chronic pro-inflammatory state, the excessive oxidative stress response, and the impaired immunity that is commonly reported in these individuals. The role of cytokines, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and altered natural killer cell polarization in the dangerous liaison between COVID-19 and obesity are discussed here. These pathways can favor and accelerate the deleterious downstream cellular effects of SARS-CoV-2. Moreover, obesity is well known to be associated with reduced lung function and poor response to mechanical ventilation, thus placing these individuals at high risk of severe illness and mortality from COVID-19. Furthermore, obesity may lead to other complications, such as renal failure, cardiovascular dysfunction, hypertension, and vascular damage, which in turn can further accelerate negative clinical outcomes from COVID-19. Obese individuals should be shielded against any potential viral exposure to SARS-CoV-2 with consequential considerations for compulsory protection devices and social distancing. Health care providers should be aware that obesity predisposes to severe symptoms and negative prognosis in COVID-19 patients.
Special Issue “Zebrafish-A Model System for Developmental Biology Study”
Authors: Maves Lisa
Published: August 2020

For this Special Issue “Zebrafish-A Model System for Developmental Biology Study,” we present a collection of studies, including original research papers and review articles, that focus on advances in developmental biology research and that take advantage of the zebrafish model organism [...]
The Importance of Exercise in Alzheimer’s Disease and the Minds in Motion® Program: An Editorial
Authors: Watson Jessica , O’Keeffe Nathan , West Sarah L.
Published: August 2020

Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other dementias are prevalent neurodegenerative diseases characterized by decreased cognition, physical function, and quality of life. Currently, millions of people are living with AD and other dementias. With no cure, research has examined the use of non-pharmacological treatment options including exercise. Many high-quality studies demonstrate that physical activity slows the progression of AD’s many outcomes, and is beneficial to overall quality of life in those living with AD. However, creating exercise interventions at the community level that individuals will adhere to is often a challenge. The Alzheimer’s Society of Canada developed a unique program that combines physical activity with cognitive stimulation in a social atmosphere: The Minds in Motion® program. Minds in Motion® addresses many of the barriers often linked to poor physical activity participation in chronic diseases (such as inclusion of the care partner), to ensure the best program uptake. The Minds in Motion® program has anecdotally been successful in helping to increase physical function and social skills in those living with dementia. However, it is important to connect community-driven programs with the academic research community, to create an opportunity for high quality evaluation metrics that can be disseminated at multiple levels: to research audiences, clinical audiences, and to those in the community. With ongoing collaborations between research and community programs, there is a greater opportunity to understand the positive impact of a program, which ultimately increases the chance of funding for the program. In this editorial, we highlight that community-integrated research is an important priority for future collaborations.
Pseudo-Isotropic Centro-Affine Lorentzian Surfaces
Authors: Birembaux Olivier
Published: August 2020

In this paper, we study centro-affine Lorentzian surfaces M2 in ℝ3 which have pseudo-isotropic or lightlike pseudo-isotropic difference tensor. We first show that M2 is pseudo-isotropic if and only if the Tchebychev form T=0. In that case, M2 is a an equi-affine sphere. Next, we will get a complete classification of centro-affine Lorentzian surfaces which are lightlike pseudo-isotropic but not pseudo-isotropic.
A New ODE-Based Model for Tumor Cells and Immune System Competition
Authors: Alharbi Sana Abdulkream , Rambely Azmin Sham
Published: August 2020

Changes in diet are heavily associated with high mortality rates in several types of cancer. In this paper, a new mathematical model of tumor cells growth is established to dynamically demonstrate the effects of abnormal cell progression on the cells affected by the tumor in terms of the immune system’s functionality and normal cells’ dynamic growth. This model is called the normal-tumor-immune-unhealthy diet model (NTIUNHDM) and governed by a system of ordinary differential equations. In the NTIUNHDM, there are three main populations normal cells, tumor cell and immune cells. The model is discussed analytically and numerically by utilizing a fourth-order Runge–Kutta method. The dynamic behavior of the NTIUNHDM is discussed by analyzing the stability of the system at various equilibrium points and the Mathematica software is used to simulate the model. From analysis and simulation of the NTIUNHDM, it can be deduced that instability of the response stage, due to a weak immune system, is classified as one of the main reasons for the coexistence of abnormal cells and normal cells. Additionally, it is obvious that the NTIUNHDM has only one stable case when abnormal cells begin progressing into early stages of tumor cells such that the immune cells are generated once. Thus, early boosting of the immune system might contribute to reducing the risk of cancer.
A Study on Thermoelastic Interaction in a Poroelastic Medium with and without Energy Dissipation
Authors: Saeed Tareq
Published: August 2020

In the current work, a new generalized model of heat conduction has been constructed taking into account the influence of porosity on a poro-thermoelastic medium using the finite element method (FEM). The governing equations are presented in the context of the Green and Naghdi (G-N) type III theory with and without energy dissipations. The finite element scheme has been adopted to present the solutions due to the complex formulations of this problem. The effects of porosity on poro-thermoelastic material are investigated. The numerical results for stresses, temperatures, and displacements for the solid and the fluid are graphically presented. This work provides future investigators with insight regarding details of non-simple poro-thermoelasticity with different phases.
Deciphering Additional Roles for the EF-Tu, l-Asparaginase II and OmpT Proteins of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli
Authors: Torres Alexia N. , Chamorro-Veloso Nayaret , Costa Priscila , Cádiz Leandro , Del Canto Felipe , Venegas Sebastián A. , López Nitsche Mercedes , Coloma-Rivero Roberto F. , Montero David A. , Vidal Roberto M.
Published: August 2020

Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) causes outbreaks and sporadic cases of gastroenteritis. STEC O157:H7 is the most clinically relevant serotype in the world. The major virulence determinants of STEC O157:H7 are the Shiga toxins and the locus of enterocyte effacement. However, several accessory virulence factors, mainly outer membrane proteins (OMPs) that interact with the host cells may contribute to the virulence of this pathogen. Previously, the elongation factor thermo unstable (EF-Tu), l-asparaginase II and OmpT proteins were identified as antigens in OMP extracts of STEC. The known subcellular location of EF-Tu and l-asparaginase II are the cytoplasm and periplasm, respectively. Therefore, we investigate whether these two proteins may localize on the surface of STEC and, if so, what roles they have at this site. On the other hand, the OmpT protein, a well characterized protease, has been described as participating in the adhesion of extraintestinal pathogenic E. coli strains. Thus, we investigate whether OmpT has this role in STEC. Our results show that the EF-Tu and l-asparaginase II are secreted by O157:H7 and may also localize on the surface of this bacterium. EF-Tu was identified in outer membrane vesicles (OMVs), suggesting it as a possible export mechanism for this protein. Notably, we found that l-asparaginase II secreted by O157:H7 inhibits T-lymphocyte proliferation, but the role of EF-Tu at the surface of this bacterium remains to be elucidated. In the case of OmpT, we show its participation in the adhesion of O157:H7 to human epithelial cells. Thus, this study extends the knowledge of the pathogenic mechanisms of STEC.
Erratum: Tychkov, N.S., et al. Types of Xenogenic Olivine from Siberian Kimberlites. Minerals 2020, 10, 302
Authors: Tychkov Nikolay S. , Agashev Alexey M. , Pokhilenko Nikolay P. , Tsykh Vladimir A. , Sobolev Nikolay V.
Published: August 2020

The authors wish to make the following erratum to this paper [...]
Tracking Single Cells Motility on Different Substrates
Authors: Sharma Pooja , Lam Van K. , Raub Christopher B. , Chung Byung Min
Published: August 2020

Motility is a key property of a cell, required for several physiological processes, including embryonic development, axon guidance, tissue regeneration, gastrulation, immune response, and cancer metastasis. Therefore, the ability to examine cell motility, especially at a single cell level, is important for understanding various biological processes. Several different assays are currently available to examine cell motility. However, studying cell motility at a single cell level can be costly and/or challenging. Here, we describe a method of tracking random cell motility on different substrates such as glass, tissue-culture polystyrene, and type I collagen hydrogels, which can be modified to generate different collagen network microstructures. In this study we tracked MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells using The CytoSMARTTM System (Lonza Group, Basel, Switzerland) for live cell imaging and assessed the average cell migration speed using ImageJ and wrMTrck plugin. Our cost-effective and easy-to-use method allows studying cell motility at a single cell level on different substrates with varying degrees of stiffness and varied compositions. This procedure can be successfully performed in a highly accessible manner with a simple setup.
Comparative Pathology of Pseudorabies in Different Naturally and Experimentally Infected Species—A Review
Authors: Sehl Julia , Teifke Jens Peter
Published: August 2020

The pseudorabies virus (PRV) is an alphaherpesvirus and the causative agent of Aujeszky’s disease (AD). PRV infects a wide range of animal species including swine as the natural host as well as ruminants, carnivores, rodents and lagomorphs. In these species, except for the pig, PRV infection causes acute, severe disease, characterized by insatiable itching, and is always lethal. Horses, chickens and non-human primates have been shown to be largely resistant to PRV infection, while disease in humans is still controversial. PRV is a pantropic virus, which preferably invades neural tissue, but also infects epithelia of various organs, whereupon multisystemic lesions may result. Although AD is mainly associated with severe pruritus, also known as “mad itch”, there are notable differences regarding infection route, clinical signs, viral distribution and lesion patterns in different animal species. In this comprehensive review, we will present clinico-pathologic findings from different species, which have been either shown to be susceptible to PRV infection or have been tested experimentally.
Distribution and Characterization of Deep Rhodolith Beds off the Campania coast (SW Italy, Mediterranean Sea)
Authors: Rendina Francesco , Kaleb Sara , Caragnano Annalisa , Ferrigno Federica , Appolloni Luca , Donnarumma Luigia , Russo Giovanni Fulvio , Sandulli Roberto , Roviello Valentina , Falace Annalisa
Published: August 2020

Rhodolith beds (RBs) are bioconstructions characterized by coralline algae, which provide habitat for several associated species. Mediterranean RBs are usually located in the mesophotic zone (below 40 m), and thus are frequently remote and unexplored. Recently, the importance and vulnerability of these habitats have been recognized by the European Community and more attention has been drawn to their investigation and conservation. This study reports the results of an extensive monitoring program, carried out within the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (2008/56/EC), in six sites off the Campania coast (Italy, Mediterranean Sea). New insights were given into the distribution, cover, vitality (i.e., live/dead rhodolith ratio), structural complexity, and coralline algae composition of RBs. Remotely operated vehicles (ROV) investigations allowed the description of several RBs, and the discovery of a RB with rhodolith cover >65% offshore the Capri Island. Only two sites (Secchitiello and Punta Campanella) showed a very low mean cover of live rhodoliths (<10%); hence, not being classifiable as RBs. The collected rhodoliths were mostly small pralines (~2 cm), spheroidal to ellipsoidal, with growth-forms ranging from encrusting/warty to fruticose/lumpy. Coralline algae identification revealed a high diversity within each bed, with a total of 13 identified taxa. The genus Lithothamnion dominated all sites, and Phymatolithon calcareum and Lithothamnion corallioides, protected by the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC), were detected in all RBs.
Phytochemical Assessment of Native Ecuadorian Peppers (Capsicum spp.) and Correlation Analysis to Fruit Phenomics
Authors: García-González Carlos A. , Silvar Cristina
Published: August 2020

In this work, the impact of pepper (Capsicum spp.) fruits morphology on their composition for health-promoting compounds was investigated. For that purpose, pepper accessions from Ecuador, one of the hotspots in Capsicum’s origin, were analyzed for ascorbic acid, polyphenols, capsaicinoids, and prevention of cholesterol oxidation. Plant and fruit phenomics were assessed with conventional descriptors and Tomato Analyzer digital traits. Significant differences among accessions and species revealed a large diversity within the collection. The Capsicum frutescens group displayed the highest levels of capsaicinoids, whereas the polyphenols shortly varied among the five domesticated species. Capsicum pubescens exhibited the lowest content of ascorbic acid. The conventional descriptors describing the magnitude of plants and fruits, as well as digital attributes under the categories of size, shape index, and latitudinal section, mostly explained the variance among Capsicum groups. Correlation test revealed that phytochemical components were negatively correlated with the morphometric fruit attributes, suggesting that huge fruits contained lower amounts of nutraceutical compounds. Multivariate analysis showed that parameters related to fruit size, shape, and nutraceutical composition primarily contribute to the arrangement of pepper accessions. Such results suggested that those traits have been subjected to higher selection pressures imposed by humans.
Heterogeneous Light Conditions Reduce the Assimilate Translocation Towards Maize Ears
Authors: Chen Guopeng , Chen Hong , Shi Kai , Raza Muhammad Ali , Bawa George , Sun Xin , Pu Tian , Yong Taiwen , Liu Weiguo , Liu Jiang , Du Junbo , Yang Feng , Yang Wenyu , Wang Xiaochun
Published: August 2020

The border row crop in strip intercropped maize is often exposed to heterogeneous light conditions, resulting in increased photosynthesis and yield decreased. Previous studies have focused on photosynthetic productivity, whereas carbon allocation could also be one of the major causes of decreased yield. However, carbon distribution remains unclear in partially shaded conditions. In the present study, we applied heterogeneous light conditions (T), and one side of plants was shaded (T-30%), keeping the other side fully exposed to light (T-100%), as compared to control plants that were exposed entirely to full-light (CK). Dry weight, carbon assimilation, 13C abundance, and transport tissue structure were analyzed to clarify the carbon distribution in partial shading of plants. T caused a marked decline in dry weight and harvest index (HI), whereas dry weight in unshaded and shaded leaves did not differ. Net photosynthesis rate (Pn), the activity of sucrose phosphate synthase enzymes (SPS), and sucrose concentration increased in unshaded leaves. Appropriately, 5.7% of the 13C from unshaded leaves was transferred to shaded leaves. Furthermore, plasmodesma density in the unshaded (T-100%) and shaded (T-30%) leaves in T was not significantly different but was lower than that of CK. Similarly, the vascular bundle total area of T was decreased. 13C transfer from unshaded leaves to ear in T was decreased by 18.0% compared with that in CK. Moreover, 13C and sucrose concentration of stem in T were higher than those in CK. Our results suggested that, under heterogeneous light, shaded leaves as a sink imported the carbohydrates from the unshaded leaves. Ear and shaded leaf competed for carbohydrates, and were not conducive to tissue structure of sucrose transport, resulting in a decrease in the carbon proportion in the ear, harvest index, and ear weight.
Photosynthesis and Growth of Pennisetum centrasiaticum (C4) is Superior to Calamagrostis pseudophragmites (C3) during Drought and Recovery
Authors: Luo Yayong , Zhao Xueyong , Allington Ginger R. H. , Wang Lilong , Huang Wenda , Zhang Rui , Luo Yongqing , Xu Zhuwen
Published: August 2020

Global warming and changes in rainfall patterns may put many ecosystems at risk of drought. These stressors could be particularly destructive in arid systems where species are already water-limited. Understanding plant responses in terms of photosynthesis and growth to drought and rewatering is essential for predicting ecosystem-level responses to climate change. Different drought responses of C3 and C4 species could have important ecological implications affecting interspecific competition and distribution of plant communities in the future. For this study, C4 plant Pennisetum centrasiaticum and C3 plant Calamagrostis pseudophragmites were subjected to progressive drought and subsequent rewatering in order to better understand their differential responses to regional climate changes. We tracked responses in gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, biomass as well as soil water status in order to investigate the ecophysiological responses of these two plant functional types. Similar patterns of photosynthetic regulations were observed during drought and rewatering for both psammophytes. They experienced stomatal restriction and nonstomatal restriction successively during drought. Photosynthetic performance recovered to the levels in well-watered plants after rewatering for 6–8 days. The C4 plant, P. centrasiaticum, exhibited the classic CO2-concentrating mechanism and more efficient thermal dissipation in the leaves, which confers more efficient CO2 assimilation and water use efficiency, alleviating drought stress, maintaining their photosynthetic advantage until water deficits became severe and quicker recovery after rewatering. In addition, P. centrasiaticum can allocate a greater proportion of root biomass in case of adequate water supply and a greater proportion of above-ground biomass in case of drought stress. This physiological adaptability and morphological adjustment underline the capacity of C4 plant P. centrasiaticum to withstand drought more efficiently and recover upon rewatering more quickly than C. pseudophragmites and dominate in the Horqin Sandy Land.
3D Printing of Polymer Waste for Improving People’s Awareness about Marine Litter
Authors: Ferrari Francesca , Esposito Corcione Carola , Montagna Francesco , Maffezzoli Alfonso
Published: August 2020

This work is aimed at proposing demonstrative actions devoted to show reprocessing and recyclability of PET originating from bottles collected from the seaside, in order to increase the consumer awareness on the importance of recycling plastics. To this purpose, collected bottles were washed, cut, grinded, extruded in the form of a thin wire adopting different cooling rates, which leads to a modulation of the crystallinity content. Once having optimized the processing parameters, the extruded wire was used to produce 3D printed samples through the fused deposition modelling (FDM). The changes in the crystalline structure due to the different processing conditions were assessed by DSC and XRD analyses, while rheological tests were performed in order to evaluate any modification in the viscosity of PET after repeated processing cycles. The reduction in thermal stability was confirmed by TGA analysis, which showed a progressive decrease in the degradation temperature as processing cycles increased. Finally, tensile tests highlighted the difference in the mechanical response due to the predominance of the crystalline or amorphous phase in the tested sample. In particular, a good mechanical behavior was found for the 3D-printed samples.
Supercritical Antisolvent Process for Pharmaceutical Applications: A Review
Authors: Franco Paola , De Marco Iolanda
Published: August 2020

The supercritical antisolvent (SAS) technique has been widely employed in the biomedical field, including drug delivery, to obtain drug particles or polymer-based systems of nanometric or micrometric size. The primary purpose of producing SAS particles is to improve the treatment of different pathologies and to better the patient’s compliance. In this context, many active compounds have been micronized to enhance their dissolution rate and bioavailability. Aiming for more effective treatments with reduced side effects caused by drug overdose, the SAS polymer/active principle coprecipitation has mainly been proposed to offer an adequate drug release for specific therapy. The demand for new formulations with reduced side effects on the patient’s health is still growing; in this context, the SAS technique is a promising tool to solve existing issues in the biomedical field. This updated review on the use of the SAS process for clinical applications provides useful information about the achievements, the most effective polymeric carriers, and parameters, as well as future perspectives.
The Climate Fluctuation of the 8.2 ka BP Cooling Event and the Transition into Neolithic Lifeways in North China
Authors: Zhao Chao
Published: August 2020

Early Neolithic lifeways in North China, which are marked by a low-level food production economy, population aggregation, and sedentism, thrived just after the period of a climatic cooling event at 8.2 ka. Instead of simply regarding this climate fluctuation as a cause for the significant socio-economic transition, this paper attempts to explore the interplay between people’s choices of coping strategies with climate change as a perspective to learn how people respond to this climate fluctuation and how such responses generated the interlocked socio-economic transitions. This analysis indicates that pre-existing changes in human adaptive behaviors prior to the cooling events were sufficient to enable people in certain areas to apply the intensification of food procurement in circumscribed territories as a strategy to cope with the climate fluctuations of the 8.2 ka BP cooling event. The application of such a coping strategy facilitated the economic and sociopolitical transition into Neolithic lifeways and led to the flourishing development of Neolithic cultures after 8 ka BP in North China.
Multifunctional Smart Ball Sensor for Wireless Structural Health Monitoring in a Fire Situation
Authors: Kim Minsu , Hwang Insol , Seong Minho , Choi Jaemook , Kim Myunggun , Lee Hee-Du , Shin Kyung-Jae , Son Hungsun , Sohn Hoon , Choi Junho , Jeong Hoon Eui , Kwak Moon Kyu
Published: August 2020

A variety of sensor systems have been developed to monitor the structural health status of buildings and infrastructures. However, most sensor systems for structural health monitoring (SHM) are difficult to use in extreme conditions, such as a fire situation, because of their vulnerability to high temperature and physical shocks, as well as time-consuming installation process. Here, we present a smart ball sensor (SBS) that can be immediately installed on surfaces of structures, stably measure vital SHM data in real time and wirelessly transmit the data in a high-temperature fire situation. The smart ball sensor mainly consists of sensor and data transmission module, heat insulator and adhesive module. With the integrated device configuration, the SBS can be strongly attached to the target surface with maximum adhesion force of 233.7-N and stably detect acceleration and temperature of the structure without damaging the key modules of the systems even at high temperatures of up to 500 °C while ensuring wireless transmission of the data. Field tests for a model pre-engineered building (PEB) structure demonstrate the validity of the smart ball sensor as an instantly deployable, high-temperature SHM system. This SBS can be used for SHM of a wider variety of structures and buildings beyond PEB structures.
Sensorized Tip for Monitoring People with Multiple Sclerosis that Require Assistive Devices for Walking
Authors: Brull Asier , Zubizarreta Asier , Cabanes Itziar , Rodriguez-Larrad Ana
Published: August 2020

Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a neurological degenerative disease with high impact on our society. In order to mitigate its effects, proper rehabilitation therapy is mandatory, in which individualisation is a key factor. Technological solutions can provide the information required for this purpose, by monitoring patients and extracting relevant indicators. In this work, a novel Sensorized Tip is proposed for monitoring People with Multiple Sclerosis (PwMS) that require Assistive Devices for Walking (ADW) such as canes or crutches. The developed Sensorized Tip can be adapted to the personal ADW of each patient to reduce its impact, and provides sensor data while naturally walking in the everyday activities. This data that can be processed to obtain relevant indicators that helps assessing the status of the patient. Different from other approaches, a full validation of the proposed processing algorithms is carried out in this work, and a preliminary study-case is carried out with PwMS considering a set of indicators obtained from the Sensorized Tip’s processed data. Results of the preliminary study-case demonstrate the potential of the device to monitor and characterise patient status.
A New Volumetric Fusion Strategy with Adaptive Weight Field for RGB-D Reconstruction
Authors: Liu Xinqi , Li Jituo , Lu Guodong
Published: August 2020

High-quality 3D reconstruction results are very important in many application fields. However, current texture generation methods based on point sampling and fusion often produce blur. To solve this problem, we propose a new volumetric fusion strategy which can be embedded in the current online and offline reconstruction framework as a basic module to achieve excellent geometry and texture effects. The improvement comes from two aspects. Firstly, we establish an adaptive weight field to evaluate and adjust the reliability of data from RGB-D images by using a probabilistic and heuristic method. By using this adaptive weight field to guide the voxel fusion process, we can effectively preserve the local texture structure of the mesh, avoid wrong texture problems and suppress the influence of outlier noise on the geometric surface. Secondly, we use a new texture fusion strategy that combines replacement, integration, and fixedness operations to fuse and update voxel texture to reduce blur. Experimental results demonstrate that compared with the classical KinectFusion, our approach can significantly improve the accuracy in geometry and texture clarity, and can achieve equivalent texture reconstruction effects in real-time as the offline reconstruction methods such as intrinsic3d, even better in relief scenes.
Iterative Learning Control for a Soft Exoskeleton with Hip and Knee Joint Assistance
Authors: Chen Chunjie , Zhang Yu , Li Yanjie , Wang Zhuo , Liu Yida , Cao Wujing , Wu Xinyu
Published: August 2020

Walking on different terrains leads to different biomechanics, which motivates the development of exoskeletons for assisting on walking according to the type of a terrain. The design of a lightweight soft exoskeleton that simultaneously assists multiple joints in the lower limb is presented in this paper. It is used to assist both hip and knee joints in a single system, the assistance force is directly applied to the hip joint flexion and the knee joint extension, while indirectly to the hip extension also. Based on the biological torque of human walking at three different slopes, a novel strategy is developed to improve the performance of assistance. A parameter optimal iterative learning control (POILC) method is introduced to reduce the error generated due to the difference between the wearing position and the biological features of the different wearers. In order to obtain the metabolic rate, three subjects walked on a treadmill, for 10 min on each terrain, at a speed of 4 km/h under both conditions of wearing and not wearing the soft exoskeleton. Results showed that the metabolic rate was decreased with the increasing slope of the terrain. The reductions in the net metabolic rate in the experiments on the downhill, flat ground, and uphill were, respectively, 9.86%, 12.48%, and 22.08% compared to the condition of not wearing the soft exoskeleton, where their corresponding absolute values were 0.28 W/kg, 0.72 W/kg, and 1.60 W/kg.
A Data Fusion Modeling Framework for Retrieval of Land Surface Temperature from Landsat-8 and MODIS Data
Authors: Zhao Guohui , Zhang Yaonan , Tan Junlei , Li Cong , Ren Yanrun
Published: August 2020

Land surface temperature (LST) is a critical state variable of land surface energy equilibrium and a key indicator of environmental change such as climate change, urban heat island, and freezing-thawing hazard. The high spatial and temporal resolution datasets are urgently needed for a variety of environmental change studies, especially in remote areas with few LST observation stations. MODIS and Landsat satellites have complementary characteristics in terms of spatial and temporal resolution for LST retrieval. To make full use of their respective advantages, this paper developed a pixel-based multi-spatial resolution adaptive fusion modeling framework (called pMSRAFM). As an instance of this framework, the data fusion model for joint retrieval of LST from Landsat-8 and MODIS data was implemented to generate the synthetic LST with Landsat-like spatial resolution and MODIS temporal information. The performance of pMSRAFM was tested and validated in the Heihe River Basin located in China. The results of six experiments showed that the fused LST was high similarity to the direct Landsat-derived LST with structural similarity index (SSIM) of 0.83 and the index of agreement (d) of 0.84. The range of SSIM was 0.65–0.88, the root mean square error (RMSE) yielded a range of 1.6–3.4 °C, and the averaged bias was 0.6 °C. Furthermore, the temporal information of MODIS LST was retained and optimized in the synthetic LST. The RMSE ranged from 0.7 °C to 1.5 °C with an average value of 1.1 °C. When compared with in situ LST observations, the mean absolute error and bias were reduced after fusion with the mean absolute bias of 1.3 °C. The validation results that fused LST possesses the spatial pattern of Landsat-derived LSTs and inherits most of the temporal properties of MODIS LSTs at the same time, so it can provide more accurate and credible information. Consequently, pMSRAFM can be served as a promising and practical fusion framework to prepare a high-quality LST spatiotemporal dataset for various applications in environment studies.
Robust Fine Registration of Multisensor Remote Sensing Images Based on Enhanced Subpixel Phase Correlation
Authors: Ye Zhen , Kang Jian , Yao Jing , Song Wenping , Liu Sicong , Luo Xin , Xu Yusheng , Tong Xiaohua
Published: August 2020

Automatic fine registration of multisensor images plays an essential role in many remote sensing applications. However, it is always a challenging task due to significant radiometric and textural differences. In this paper, an enhanced subpixel phase correlation method is proposed, which embeds phase congruency-based structural representation, L1-norm-based rank-one matrix approximation with adaptive masking, and stable robust model fitting into the conventional calculation framework in the frequency domain. The aim is to improve the accuracy and robustness of subpixel translation estimation in practical cases. In addition, template matching using the enhanced subpixel phase correlation is integrated to realize reliable fine registration, which is able to extract a sufficient number of well-distributed and high-accuracy tie points and reduce the local misalignment for coarsely coregistered multisensor remote sensing images. Experiments undertaken with images from different satellites and sensors were carried out in two parts: tie point matching and fine registration. The results of qualitative analysis and quantitative comparison with the state-of-the-art area-based and feature-based matching methods demonstrate the effectiveness and reliability of the proposed method for multisensor matching and registration.
Wristbands Containing Accelerometers for Objective Arm Swing Analysis in Patients with Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: Rincón Domiciano , Valderrama Jaime , González Maria Camila , Muñoz Beatriz , Orozco Jorge , Montilla Linda , Castaño Yor , Navarro Andrés
Published: August 2020

In patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD), arm swing changes are common, even in the early stages, and these changes are usually evaluated subjectively by an expert. In this article, hypothesize that arm swing changes can be detected using a low-cost, cloud-based, wearable, sensor system that incorporates triaxial accelerometers. The aim of this work is to develop a low-cost, assistive diagnostic tool for use in quantifying the arm swing kinematics of patients with PD. Ten patients with PD and 11 age-matched, healthy subjects are included in the study. Four feature extraction techniques were applied: (i) Asymmetry estimation based on root mean square (RMS) differences between arm movements; (ii) posterior–anterior phase and cycle regularity through autocorrelation; (iii) tremor energy, established using Fourier transform analysis; and (iv) signal complexity through the fractal dimension by wavelet analysis. The PD group showed significant (p < 0.05) reductions in arm swing RMS values, higher arm swing asymmetry, higher anterior–posterior phase regularities, greater “high energy frequency” signals, and higher complexity in their XZ plane signals. Therefore, the novel, portable system provides a reliable means to support clinical practice in PD assessment.
Methodology for Energy Optimization in Wastewater Treatment Plants. Phase III: Implementation of an Integral Control System for the Aeration Stage in the Biological Process of Activated Sludge and the Membrane Biological Reactor
Authors: Lozano Avilés Ana Belén , Del Cerro Velázquez Francisco , Lloréns Pascual del Riquelme Mercedes
Published: August 2020

The proposed methodology for optimizing energy efficiency, based on good management of the aeration process through the implementation of an appropriate control strategy, achieved reductions of more than 40% in energy consumption at the San Pedro del Pinatar Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) (Murcia, Spain). Phases I and II of this methodology managed to reduce the oxygen needs of the microorganisms in the biological system, optimize the efficiency of oxygen transfer to the biological reactor and redesign the installation to correct abnormal energy loss situations. In addition, we established the basis for Phase III, which implemented a control strategy to achieve stable values close to the setpoints of the fundamental operating parameters of the aeration process. The control system is based on the measurements recorded by strategically installed sensors and mathematical algorithms based on models, achieving an expert adaptive-predictive system that regulates aeration both in the biological stage by activated sludge and the aeration of the installed ultrafiltration membrane system. The objectives were: (i) to achieve automatic execution of the best management strategy; (ii) to reduce the energy demand; (iii) to improve the operation and stability of the process; (iv) to reduce operating costs; and (v) to contribute to the fulfillment of the sustainable development objectives.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation Study of the Mechanical Properties of Nanocrystalline Body-Centered Cubic Iron
Authors: Herman Jan , Govednik Marko , Patil Sandeep P. , Markert Bernd
Published: August 2020

In the present work, the mechanical properties of nanocrystalline body-centered cubic (BCC) iron with an average grain size of 10 Å were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The structure has one layer of crystal grains, which means such a model could represent a structure with directional crystallization. A series of uniaxial tensile tests with different strain rates and temperatures was performed until the full rupture of the model. Moreover, tensile tests of the models with a void at the center and shear tests were carried out. In the tensile test simulations, peak stress and average values of flow stress increase with strain rate. However, the strain rate does not affect the elasticity modulus. Due to the presence of void, stress concentrations in structure have been observed, which leads to dislocation pile-up and grain boundary slips at lower strains. Furthermore, the model with the void reaches lower values of peak stresses as well as stress overshoot compared to the no void model. The study results provide a better understanding of the mechanical response of nanocrystalline BCC iron under various loadings.
Hamilton–Jacobi Equation for a Charged Test Particle in the Stäckel Space of Type (2.0)
Authors: Obukhov Valeriy
Published: August 2020

All electromagnetic potentials and space–time metrics of Stäckel spaces of type (2.0) in which the Hamilton–Jacobi equation for a charged test particle can be integrated by the method of complete separation of variables are found. Complete sets of motion integrals, as well as complete sets of killing vector and tensor fields, are constructed. The results can be used when studying solutions of field equations in the theory of gravity.
On Some Symmetries of Quadratic Systems
Authors: Han Maoan , Petek Tatjana , Romanovski Valery G.
Published: August 2020

We provide a general method for identifying real quadratic polynomial dynamical systems that can be transformed to symmetric ones by a bijective polynomial map of degree one, the so-called affine map. We mainly focus on symmetry groups generated by rotations, in other words, we treat equivariant and reversible equivariant systems. The description is given in terms of affine varieties in the space of parameters of the system. A general algebraic approach to find subfamilies of systems having certain symmetries in polynomial differential families depending on many parameters is proposed and computer algebra computations for the planar case are presented.
Towards a Hybrid Evaluation Approach to Chinese Sustainable Drinking Water Source Regions within an Uncertain Decision Environment
Authors: Zhang Xueyang , Chen Xiaohong , Lin Xudong , Wang Jing , Wang Jianqiang
Published: August 2020

Confronted with the increasingly serious water pollution in China, companies are implementing scientific measures to strive for sustainable drinking water source regions (DWSRs). The challenge lies in how to evaluate available DWSRs. Considering the complexity and uncertainty existing in the evaluation process, we deem this process a complicated multi-criteria group decision-making (MCGDM) problem. It involves fuzzy decision information, prioritized relationships among different criteria, and distinctively allocated weights of decision makers regarding different alternatives. By utilizing the asymmetrical weak probabilistic hesitant fuzzy elements (P-HFES) to depict fuzzy data, this paper leads a direction to investigating a data-driven MCGDM approach and its application to evaluate available DWSRs. First, considering the common sense that criteria are not always given symmetrical priority, we propose a series of aggregation operators for integrating weak P-HFEs by including the prioritized relationship of criteria. Moreover, the importance weights of criteria and decision makers are objectively determined through a priority-based basic unit interval and monotonic (P-BUM) function and some novel distance measures, respectively. Finally, an evaluation approach is established. It aims to handle MCGDM problems with incomplete weight information regarding the criteria and decision makers in weak probabilistic hesitant fuzzy circumstance. Practically, focusing on evaluating three DWSRs, a realistic example of application is furnished to verify the feasibility of the proposed approach.
Approximate Analytical Periodic Solutions to the Restricted Three-Body Problem with Perturbation, Oblateness, Radiation and Varying Mass
Authors: Gao Fabao , Wang Yongqing
Published: August 2020

Against the background of a restricted three-body problem consisting of a supergiant eclipsing binary system, the two primaries are composed of a pair of bright oblate stars whose mass changes with time. The zero-velocity surface and curve of the problem are numerically studied to describe the third body’s motion area, and the corresponding five libration points are obtained. Moreover, the effect of small perturbations, Coriolis and centrifugal forces, radiative pressure, and the oblateness and mass parameters of the two primaries on the third body’s dynamic behavior is discussed through the bifurcation diagram. Furthermore, the second- and third-order approximate analytical periodic solutions around the collinear solution point L3 in two-dimensional plane and three-dimensional spaces are presented by using the Lindstedt-Poincaré perturbation method.