bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Revisiting the Formula for the Ramanujan Constant of a Series
Authors: Chagas Jocemar , Tenreiro Machado José , Lopes António
Published: May 2022

The main contribution of this paper is to propose a closed expression for the Ramanujan constant of alternating series, based on the Euler–Boole summation formula. Such an expression is not present in the literature. We also highlight the only choice for the parameter a in the formula proposed by Hardy for a series of positive terms, so the value obtained as the Ramanujan constant agrees with other summation methods for divergent series. Additionally, we derive the closed-formula for the Ramanujan constant of a series with the parameter chosen, under a natural interpretation of the integral term in the Euler–Maclaurin summation formula. Finally, we present several examples of the Ramanujan constant of divergent series.
Computer-Aided Methods for Molecular Classification
Authors: Bărbulescu Alina , Barbeș Lucica , Dumitriu Cristian Ștefan
Published: May 2022

The study aims to analyze the degree of similarity of some molecules belonging to two subgroups of Aminoalkylindoles. After extracting the molecules’ characteristics using Cheminformatics methods, and the computation of the Tanimoto coefficients, dendrograms and heatmaps were built to reveal the degree of similarity of the analyzed drugs. Some atom-pair similarities between the molecules in the same group were detected. The clusters determined by the k-means method divided the Benzoylindoles into two subgroups but kept all the Phenylacetylindoles together in the same set. The activity spectrum of the elements in each group was also analyzed, and similarities have been emphasized. The clustering has been validated using the Kruskal–Wallis test on the series of computed probabilities of the main effects.
Malignant Bone Tumors Diagnosis Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging Based on Deep Learning Algorithms
Authors: Georgeanu Vlad Alexandru , Mămuleanu Mădălin , Ghiea Sorin , Selișteanu Dan
Published: May 2022

Background and Objectives: Malignant bone tumors represent a major problem due to their aggressiveness and low survival rate. One of the determining factors for improving vital and functional prognosis is the shortening of the time between the onset of symptoms and the moment when treatment starts. The objective of the study is to predict the malignancy of a bone tumor from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) using deep learning algorithms. Materials and Methods: The cohort contained 23 patients in the study (14 women and 9 men with ages between 15 and 80). Two pretrained ResNet50 image classifiers are used to classify T1 and T2 weighted MRI scans. To predict the malignancy of a tumor, a clinical model is used. The model is a feed forward neural network whose inputs are patient clinical data and the output values of T1 and T2 classifiers. Results: For the training step, the accuracies of 93.67% for the T1 classifier and 86.67% for the T2 classifier were obtained. In validation, both classifiers obtained 95.00% accuracy. The clinical model had an accuracy of 80.84% for training phase and 80.56% for validation. The receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) of the clinical model shows that the algorithm can perform class separation. Conclusions: The proposed method is based on pretrained deep learning classifiers which do not require a manual segmentation of the MRI images. These algorithms can be used to predict the malignancy of a tumor and on the other hand can shorten the time of their diagnosis and treatment process. While the proposed method requires minimal intervention from an imagist, it needs to be tested on a larger cohort of patients.
Metal-Induced Fluorescence Quenching of Photoconvertible Fluorescent Protein DendFP
Authors: Kim In Jung , Xu Yongbin , Nam Ki Hyun
Published: May 2022

Sensitive and accurate detection of specific metal ions is important for sensor development and can advance analytical science and support environmental and human medical examinations. Fluorescent proteins (FPs) can be quenched by specific metal ions and spectroscopically show a unique fluorescence-quenching sensitivity, suggesting their potential application as FP-based metal biosensors. Since the characteristics of the fluorescence quenching are difficult to predict, spectroscopic analysis of new FPs is important for the development of FP-based biosensors. Here we reported the spectroscopic and structural analysis of metal-induced fluorescence quenching of the photoconvertible fluorescent protein DendFP. The spectroscopic analysis showed that Fe2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+ significantly reduced the fluorescence emission of DendFP. The metal titration experiments showed that the dissociation constants (Kd) of Fe2+, Fe3+, and Cu2+ for DendFP were 24.59, 41.66, and 137.18 μM, respectively. The tetrameric interface of DendFP, which the metal ions cannot bind to, was analyzed. Structural comparison of the metal-binding sites of DendFP with those of iq-mEmerald and Dronpa suggested that quenchable DendFP has a unique metal-binding site on the β-barrel that does not utilize the histidine pair for metal binding.
Low n-6/n-3 Gestation and Lactation Diets Influence Early Performance, Muscle and Adipose Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Content and Deposition, and Relative Abundance of Proteins in Suckling Piglets
Authors: Manaig Yron , Sandrini Silvia , Panseri Sara , Tedeschi Gabriella , Folch Josep , Sánchez Armand , Savoini Giovanni , Agazzi Alessandro
Published: May 2022

Elevated omega-6 (n-6) and omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) ratios in swine diets can potentially impose a higher risk of inflammatory and metabolic diseases in swine. A low ratio between the two omega PUFAs has beneficial effects on sows’ and piglets’ production performance and immunity status. At present, there are few studies on how sow nutrition directly affects the protein and fat deposition in suckling piglets. Two groups of sows were fed diets with high or low n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated ratios of 13:1 (SOY) and 4:1 (LIN), respectively, during gestation and lactation. Longissimus dorsi muscle and adipose tissue from newborn piglets, nourished only with sow’s milk, were subjected to fatty acid profiling by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and to proteomics assays based on nano-liquid chromatography coupled to high-resolution tandem mass spectrometry (nLC-HRMS). Fatty acid profiles on both muscle and adipose tissues resembled the magnitude of the differences between fatty acid across diets. Proteomic analysis revealed overabundance of 4 muscle and 11 adipose tissue proteins in SOY compared to LIN in both piglet tissues. The detected overabundance of haptoglobin, an acute-phase protein, and the stimulation of protein-coding genes and proteins related to the innate immune response and acute inflammatory response could be associated with the pro-inflammatory role of n-6 PUFAs.
Conducting the RBD of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron Variant with Phytoconstituents from Euphorbia dendroides to Repudiate the Binding of Spike Glycoprotein Using Computational Molecular Search and Simulation Approach
Authors: Hassan Heba Ali , Hassan Ahmed R. , Mohamed Eslam A.R. , Al-Khdhairawi Ahmad , Karkashan Alaa , Attar Roba , Allemailem Khaled S. , Al Abdulmonem Waleed , Shimizu Kuniyoshi , Abdel-Rahman Iman A. M. , Allam Ahmed E.
Published: May 2022

(1) Background: Natural constituents are still a preferred route for counteracting the outbreak of COVID-19. Essentially, flavonoids have been found to be among the most promising molecules identified as coronavirus inhibitors. Recently, a new SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 variant has spread in many countries, which has raised awareness of the role of natural constituents in attempts to contribute to therapeutic protocols. (2) Methods: Using various chromatographic techniques, triterpenes (1–7), phenolics (8–11), and flavonoids (12–17) were isolated from Euphorbia dendroides and computationally screened against the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. As a first step, molecular docking calculations were performed for all investigated compounds. Promising compounds were subjected to molecular dynamics simulations (MD) for 200 ns, in addition to molecular mechanics Poisson–Boltzmann surface area calculations (MM/PBSA) to determine binding energy. (3) Results: MM/PBSA binding energy calculations showed that compound 14 (quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucuronopyranoside) and compound 15 (quercetin-3-O-glucuronide 6″-O-methyl ester) exhibited strong inhibition of Omicron, with ΔGbinding of −41.0 and −32.4 kcal/mol, respectively. Finally, drug likeness evaluations based on Lipinski’s rule of five also showed that the discovered compounds exhibited good oral bioavailability. (4) Conclusions: It is foreseeable that these results provide a novel intellectual contribution in light of the decreasing prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 B.1.1.529 and could be a good addition to the therapeutic protocol.
Modulation of the MOP Receptor (μ Opioid Receptor) by Imidazo[1,2-a]imidazole-5,6-Diones: In Search of the Elucidation of the Mechanism of Action
Authors: Straszak Dominik , Siwek Agata , Głuch-Lutwin Monika , Mordyl Barbara , Kołaczkowski Marcin , Pietrzak Aldona , Rahnama-Hezavah Mansur , Drop Bartłomiej , Matosiuk Dariusz
Published: May 2022

The μ-opioid receptors belong to the family of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), and their activation triggers a cascade of intracellular relays with the final effect of analgesia. Classical agonists of this receptor, such as morphine, are the main targets in the treatment of both acute and chronic pain. However, the dangerous side effects, such as respiratory depression or addiction, significantly limit their widespread use. The allosteric centers of the receptors exhibit large structural diversity within particular types and even subtypes. Currently, a considerable interest is aroused by the modulation of μ-opioid receptors. The application of such a technique may result in a reduction in the dose or even discontinuation of classical opiates, thus eliminating the side effects typical of this class of drugs. Our aim is to obtain a series of 1-aryl-5,6(1H)dioxo-2,3-dihydroimidazo[1,2-a]imidazole derivatives and provide more information about their activity and selectivity on OP3 (MOP, human mu opioid receptor). The study was based on an observation that some carbonyl derivatives of 1-aryl-2-aminoimidazoline cooperate strongly with morphine or DAMGO in sub-threshold doses, producing similar results to those of normal active doses. To elucidate the possible mechanism of such enhancement, we performed a few in vitro functional tests (involving cAMP and β-arrestin recruitment) and a radioligand binding assay on CHO-K1 cells with the expression of the OP3 receptor. One of the compounds had no orthosteric affinity or intrinsic activity, but inhibited the efficiency of DAMGO. These results allow to conclude that this compound is a negative allosteric modulator (NAM) of the human μ-opioid receptor.
Downregulation of the NLRP3/Caspse-1 Pathway Ameliorates Ketamine-Induced Liver Injury and Inflammation in Developing Rats
Authors: Chen Xinzhang , Zhang Zhiheng , Shen Meilun , Ma Xiangying , Qiu Di , Li Siyao , Gao Li
Published: May 2022

Ketamine is an anesthetic drug that is widely used in human and veterinary medicine. In the developmental stage, long-term exposure to ketamine may cause serious side effects. MCC950 and VX765 play protective roles in many disease models by regulating the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway. This study aims to explore the potential protective effect of MCC950 and VX765 on ketamine-induced liver injury in neonatal rats and clarify its underlying mechanism. After administration of MCC950 and VX765 in a ketamine-induced liver injury rat model, liver function and inflammatory factors were determined, and immunohistochemistry and western blotting were performed. We found that ketamine caused liver injury in 7-day-old SD rats, decreased liver function indexes, and increased inflammation. MCC950 and VX765 effectively alleviated liver damage and inflammation, and downregulated the expression of proteins such as NLRP3, Caspase-1, and GSDMD-N. In summary, these results indicated that MCC950 and VX765 could have potential protective effects on ketamine-induced liver injury through inhibiting the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway.
Procyanidins and Their Therapeutic Potential against Oral Diseases
Authors: Chen Huan , Wang Wanyu , Yu Shiyang , Wang Huimin , Tian Zilu , Zhu Song
Published: May 2022

Procyanidins, as a kind of dietary flavonoid, have excellent pharmacological properties, such as antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and anti-tumor properties, and so they can be used to treat various diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, tumors, and obesity. Given the low bioavailability of procyanidins, great efforts have been made in drug delivery systems to address their limited use. Nowadays, the heavy burden of oral diseases such as dental caries, periodontitis, endodontic infections, etc., and their consequences on the patients’ quality of life indicate a strong need for developing effective therapies. Recent years, plenty of efforts are being made to develop more effective treatments. Therefore, this review summarized the latest researches on versatile effects and enhanced bioavailability of procyanidins resulting from innovative drug delivery systems, particularly focused on its potential against oral diseases.
Cations Modulated Assembly of Triol-Ligand Modified Cu-Centered Anderson-Evans Polyanions
Authors: Wang Yiran , Duan Fengxue , Liu Xiaoting , Li Bao
Published: May 2022

Counter-cations are essential components of polyoxometalates (POMs), which have a distinct influence on the solubility, stabilization, self-assembly, and functionality of POMs. To investigate the roles of cations in the packing of POMs, as a systematic investigation, herein, a series of triol-ligand covalently modified Cu-centered Anderson-Evans POMs with different counter ions were prepared in an aqueous solution and characterized by various techniques including single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Using the strategy of controlling Mo sources, in the presence of triol ligand, NH4+, Cu2+ and Na+ were introduced successfully into POMs. When (NH4)6Mo7O24 was selected, the counter cations of the produced POMs were ammonium ions, which resulted in the existence of clusters in the discrete state. Additionally, with the modulation of the pH of the solutions, the modified sites of triol ligands on the cluster can be controlled to form δ- or χ-isomers. By applying MoO3 in the same reaction, Cu2+ ions served as linkers to connect triol-ligand modified polyanions into chains. When Na4Mo8O26 was employed as the Mo source to react with triol ligands in the presence of CuCl2, two 2-D networks were obtained with {Na4(H2O)14} or {{Na2(H2O)4} sub-clusters as linkers, where the building blocks were δ/δ- and χ/χ-isomers, respectively. The present investigation reveals that the charges, sizes and coordination manners of the counter cations have an obvious influence on the assembled structure of polyanions.
Comparative Metabolite Fingerprinting of Four Different Cinnamon Species Analyzed via UPLC–MS and GC–MS and Chemometric Tools
Authors: Farag Mohamed A. , Kabbash Eman M. , Mediani Ahmed , Döll Stefanie , Esatbeyoglu Tuba , Afifi Sherif M.
Published: May 2022

The present study aimed to assess metabolites heterogeneity among four major Cinnamomum species, including true cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum) and less explored species (C. cassia, C. iners, and C. tamala). UPLC-MS led to the annotation of 74 secondary metabolites belonging to different classes, including phenolic acids, tannins, flavonoids, and lignans. A new proanthocyanidin was identified for the first time in C. tamala, along with several glycosylated flavonoid and dicarboxylic fatty acids reported for the first time in cinnamon. Multivariate data analyses revealed, for cinnamates, an abundance in C. verum versus procyandins, dihydro-coumaroylglycosides, and coumarin in C. cassia. A total of 51 primary metabolites were detected using GC-MS analysis encompassing different classes, viz. sugars, fatty acids, and sugar alcohols, with true cinnamon from Malaysia suggested as a good sugar source for diabetic patients. Glycerol in C. tamala, erythritol in C. iners, and glucose and fructose in C. verum from Malaysia were major metabolites contributing to the discrimination among species.
Novasomes as Nano-Vesicular Carriers to Enhance Topical Delivery of Fluconazole: A New Approach to Treat Fungal Infections
Authors: Fatima Iman , Rasul Akhtar , Shah Shahid , Saadullah Malik , Islam Nayyer , Khames Ahmed , Salawi Ahmad , Ahmed Muhammad Masood , Almoshari Yosif , Abbas Ghulam , Abourehab Mohammed A. S. , Mehmood Khan Sajid , Chauhdary Zunera , Alshamrani Meshal , Namazi Nader Ibrahim , Naguib Demiana M.
Published: May 2022

The occurrence of fungal infections has increased over the past two decades. It is observed that superficial fungal infections are treated by conventional dosage forms, which are incapable of treating deep infections due to the barrier activity possessed by the stratum corneum of the skin. This is why the need for a topical preparation with advanced penetration techniques has arisen. This research aimed to encapsulate fluconazole (FLZ) in a novasome in order to improve the topical delivery. The novasomes were prepared using the ethanol injection technique and characterized for percent entrapment efficiency (EE), particle size (PS), zeta potential (ZP), drug release, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and antifungal activity. The FN7 formulation with 94.45% EE, 110 nm PS and −24 ZP proved to be the best formulation. The FN7 formulation showed a 96% release of FLZ in 8 h. FTIR showed the compatibility of FLZ with excipients and DSC studies confirmed the thermal stability of FLZ in the developed formulation. The FN7 formulation showed superior inhibition of the growth of Candida albicans compared to the FLZ suspension using a resazurin reduction assay, suggesting high efficacy in inhibiting fungal growth.
Research Progress in the Field of Gambogic Acid and Its Derivatives as Antineoplastic Drugs
Authors: Li Meng , Su Fali , Zhu Mingtao , Zhang Huan , Wei Yuxin , Zhao Yang , Li Jianmin , Lv Shaowa
Published: May 2022

Gambogic acid (GA) is a natural product with a wide range of pharmacological properties. It plays an important role in inhibiting tumor growth. A large number of GA derivatives have been designed and prepared to improve its shortcomings, such as poor water solubility, low bioavailability, poor stability, and adverse drug effects. So far, GA has been utilized to develop a variety of active derivatives with improved water solubility and bioavailability through structural modification. This article summarized the progress in pharmaceutical chemistry of GA derivatives to provide a reference and basis for further study on structural modifications of GA and expansion of its clinical applications.
The Lactoferrin Phenomenon—A Miracle Molecule
Authors: Kowalczyk Paweł , Kaczyńska Katarzyna , Kleczkowska Patrycja , Bukowska-Ośko Iwona , Kramkowski Karol , Sulejczak Dorota
Published: May 2022

Numerous harmful factors that affect the human body from birth to old age cause many disturbances, e.g., in the structure of the genome, inducing cell apoptosis and their degeneration, which leads to the development of many diseases, including cancer. Among the factors leading to pathological processes, microbes, viruses, gene dysregulation and immune system disorders have been described. The function of a protective agent may be played by lactoferrin as a “miracle molecule”, an endogenous protein with a number of favorable antimicrobial, antiviral, antioxidant, immunostimulatory and binding DNA properties. The purpose of this article is to present the broad spectrum of properties and the role that lactoferrin plays in protecting human cells at all stages of life.
The Risk of Exposure to Ticks and Tick-Borne Pathogens in a Spa Town in Northern Poland
Authors: Kubiak Katarzyna , Dmitryjuk Małgorzata , Dziekońska-Rynko Janina , Siejwa Patryk , Dzika Ewa
Published: May 2022

The aim of this study was to determine the potential risk of human exposure to tick-borne infection in a recreation areas in a spa town located in northern Poland. Questing Ixodes ricinus and Dermacentor reticulatus ticks were collected in the spring of 2018. Tick-borne microorganisms were detected by PCR. Species were identified based on RFLP and the sequencing of DNA. In total, 38.3% of the ticks (34.6% of I. ricinus and 48.6% of D. reticulatus) were infected. The prevalence was 14.9% for Borrelia spp., 10.6% for Babesia spp. and 17.7% for Rickettsia spp. No Anaplasma phagocytophilum was detected. Spirochaetes B. afzelii, B. garinii and B. burgdorferi s.s. were detected only in I. ricinus ticks (20.2%). The differences in the infection rates of Babesia spp. between I. ricinus (7.7%) and D. reticulatus (18.9%) were not significant. DNA of B. canis and B. venatorum were identified in both tick species. B. microti were detected in D. reticulatus ticks. The prevalence of Rickettsia spp. was significantly higher in D. reticulatus (37.8%) than that in I. ricinus (10.6%). R. raoultii was identified only in D. reticulatus and R. helvetica in I. ricinus. Co-infections of at least two pathogens were recognized in 13% of positive ticks.
Water Deficit Improves Reproductive Fitness in Nicotiana benthamiana Plants Infected by Cucumber mosaic virus
Authors: Moreno Marina , Ojeda Belén , Hernández-Walias Francisco J. , Sanz-García Eugenio , Canto Tomás , Tenllado Francisco
Published: May 2022

Plants are concurrently exposed to biotic and abiotic stresses, including infection by viruses and drought. Combined stresses result in plant responses that are different from those observed for each individual stress. We investigated compensatory effects induced by virus infection on the fitness of hosts grown under water deficit, and the hypothesis that water deficit improves tolerance, estimated as reproductive fitness, to virus infection. Our results show that infection by Turnip mosaic virus (TuMV) or Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) promotes drought tolerance in Arabidopsis thaliana and Nicotiana benthamiana. However, neither CMV nor TuMV had a positive impact on host reproductive fitness following withdrawal of water, as determined by measuring the number of individuals producing seeds, seed grains, and seed germination rates. Importantly, infection by CMV but not by TuMV improved the reproductive fitness of N. benthamiana plants when exposed to drought compared to watered, virus-infected plants. However, no such conditional phenotype was found in Arabidopsis plants infected with CMV. Water deficit did not affect the capacity of infected plants to transmit CMV through seeds. These findings highlight a conditional improvement in biological efficacy of N. benthamiana plants infected with CMV under water deficit, and lead to the prediction that plants can exhibit increased tolerance to specific viruses under some of the projected climate change scenarios.
A Combined Isolation and Formulation Approach to Convert Nanomilled Suspensions into High Drug-Loaded Composite Particles That Readily Reconstitute
Authors: Coelho Alexander , Schenck Luke , Guner Gulenay , Punia Ashish , Bilgili Ecevit
Published: May 2022

The advantage of nanoparticles to improve bioavailability of poorly soluble drugs is well known. However, the higher-energy state of nanoparticles beneficial for bioavailability presents challenges for both the stability of nanosuspensions and preventing irreversible aggregation if isolated as dry solids. The aim of this study is to explore the feasibility of an evaporation isolation route for converting wet media milled nanosuspensions into high drug-loaded nanocomposites that exhibit fast redispersion in aqueous media, ideally fully restoring the particle size distribution of the starting suspension. Optimization of this approach is presented, starting from nanomilling conditions and formulation composition to achieve physical stability post milling, followed by novel evaporative drying conditions coupled with various dispersant types/loadings. Ultimately, isolated nanocomposite particles reaching 55–75% drug load were achieved, which delivered fast redispersion and immediate release of nanoparticles when the rotary evaporator drying approach was coupled with higher concentration of hydrophilic polymers/excipients. This bench-scale rotary evaporation approach serves to identify optimal nanoparticle compositions and has a line of sight to larger scale evaporative isolation processes for preparation of solid nanocomposites particles.
Darcy–Forchheimer Relation Influence on MHD Dissipative Third-Grade Fluid Flow and Heat Transfer in Porous Medium with Joule Heating Effects: A Numerical Approach
Authors: Abbas Amir , Jeelani Mdi Begum , Alharthi Nadiyah Hussain
Published: May 2022

The current investigations are carried out to study the influence of the Darcy–Forchheimer relation on third-grade fluid flow and heat transfer over an angled exponentially stretching sheet embedded in a porous medium. In the current study, the applied magnetic field, Joule heating, thermaldiffusion, viscous dissipation, and diffusion-thermo effects are incorporated. The proposed model in terms of partial differential equations is transformed into ordinary differential equations using suitable similarity transformation. The reduced model is then solved numerically with the help of MATLAB built-in function bvp4c.The numerical solutions for velocity profile, temperature profile, and mass concentration under the effects of pertinent parameters involved in the model are determined and portrayed in graphical form. The graphical effects of the skin friction coefficient, the Nusselt number, and the Sherwood number are also shown. From the displayed results, we conclude that when the Joule heating parameter is enlarged, the velocity and the temperature of the fluid are increased. We observed that while enhancing the viscous dissipation parameter (Eckert number) the fluid’s velocity and temperature increase but decreases the mass concentration. By increasing the values of the thermal-diffusion parameter, the velocity distribution, the temperature field, and the mass concentration increase. When the diffusion–thermo parameter rises, the velocity field and the temperature distribution increase, and the reverse scenario is seen in the mass concentration. The results of the current study are compared with already published results, and a good agreement is noted to validate the current study.
Novel Combined Approach of GIS and Electrical Tomography to Identify Marsh/Lake at Kastrouli Late Mycenaean Settlement (Desfina, Greece)
Authors: Liritzis Ioannis , Evelpidou Niki , Fikos Ilias , Stambolidis Alexandros , Diamanti Nectaria , Roussari Theano , Tzouxanioti Maria , Louvaris Prodromos , Tsokas Gregorios N.
Published: May 2022

The Kastrouli Late Bronze settlement in Phocis province, central Greece, has been proved to have been an important center in the periphery of the Mycenaean palaces. It was reused at least partially and was cultivated until the 20th century. The presence of a flat area off the Kastrouli hill and the seasonal flooding nowadays led to the present investigation, questioning the formation of an ancient lake or marsh/swamp. A methodological approach was applied combining the digital elevation model (DEM) and GIS of the wider and confined area, examining slopes between 0 and 5 degrees (0 and 8.75%), with electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) traverses of around 300 and 500 m, reaching a depth of 100 m. The ERT data were rapidly collected on profiles and provided a cross-sectional (2D) plot. It was found that, in the area, there is a basin with a length of 100 m and a depth of around 40–50 m. The sedimentation process over the millennia has filled the basin, with the upper 5–6 m surface layers of the area having a low resistivity. The presence of two natural sinkholes with apparent engineered hydraulic works is noted to conform to drainage and produce a habitable environment, protecting the cultivated land and avoiding a swamp associated with health issues.
Exchange Rate Crisis among Inflation Targeting Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Klutse Senanu Kwasi , Sági Judit , Kiss Gábor Dávid
Published: May 2022

The exchange market pressure index has proven to be a major indicator in identifying exchange rate crises in economies; however, due to the complexities surrounding developing economies, the efficacy of the index has been called to question. Specifically, the selection of an appropriate index and the problem of selecting the appropriate threshold for identifying exchange market pressure. To investigate this issue, this study identifies exchange rate crisis episodes in South Africa and Ghana using ridge regression, a discrete threshold regression, and Dynamic Ordinary Least Square (DOLS) models. The results are robust in resolving the problems with an exchange market pressure index. They also point to uneven implementation of the inflation targeting policy framework in the studied countries.
MSIDA-Net: Point Cloud Semantic Segmentation via Multi-Spatial Information and Dual Adaptive Blocks
Authors: Shuang Feng , Li Pei , Li Yong , Zhang Zhenxin , Li Xu
Published: May 2022

Large-scale 3D point clouds are rich in geometric shape and scale information but they are also scattered, disordered and unevenly distributed. These characteristics lead to difficulties in learning point cloud semantic segmentations. Although many works have performed well in this task, most of them lack research on spatial information, which limits the ability to learn and understand the complex geometric structure of point cloud scenes. To this end, we propose the multispatial information and dual adaptive (MSIDA) module, which consists of a multispatial information encoding (MSI) block and dual adaptive (DA) blocks. The MSI block transforms the information of the relative position of each centre point and its neighbouring points into a cylindrical coordinate system and spherical coordinate system. Then the spatial information among the points can be re-represented and encoded. The DA blocks include a Coordinate System Attention Pooling Fusion (CSAPF) block and a Local Aggregated Feature Attention (LAFA) block. The CSAPF block weights and fuses the local features in the three coordinate systems to further learn local features, while the LAFA block weights the local aggregated features in the three coordinate systems to better understand the scene in the local region. To test the performance of the proposed method, we conducted experiments on the S3DIS, Semantic3D and SemanticKITTI datasets and compared the proposed method with other networks. The proposed method achieved 73%, 77.8% and 59.8% mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) on the S3DIS, Semantic3D and SemanticKITTI datasets, respectively.
Ambient Formaldehyde over the United States from Ground-Based (AQS) and Satellite (OMI) Observations
Authors: Wang Peidong , Holloway Tracey , Bindl Matilyn , Harkey Monica , De Smedt Isabelle
Published: May 2022

This study evaluates formaldehyde (HCHO) over the U.S. from 2006 to 2015 by comparing ground monitor data from the Air Quality System (AQS) and a satellite retrieval from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI). Our comparison focuses on the utility of satellite data to inform patterns, trends, and processes of ground-based HCHO across the U.S. We find that cities with higher levels of biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) emissions, including primary HCHO, exhibit larger HCHO diurnal amplitudes in surface observations. These differences in hour-to-hour variability in surface HCHO suggests that satellite agreement with ground-based data may depend on the distribution of emission sources. On a seasonal basis, OMI exhibits the highest correlation with AQS in summer and the lowest correlation in winter. The ratios of HCHO in summer versus other seasons show pronounced seasonal variability in OMI, likely due to seasonal changes in the vertical HCHO distribution. The seasonal variability in HCHO from satellite is more pronounced than at the surface, with seasonal variability 20–100% larger in satellite than surface observations. The seasonal variability also has a latitude dependency, with more variability in higher latitude regions. OMI agrees with AQS on the interannual variability in certain periods, whereas AQS and OMI do not show a consistent decadal trend. This is possibly due to a rather large interannual variability in HCHO, which makes the small decadal drift less significant. Temperature also explains part of the interannual variabilities. Small temperature variations in the western U.S. are reflected with more quiescent HCHO interannual variability in that region. The decrease in summertime HCHO in the southeast U.S. could also be partially explained by a small and negative trend in local temperatures.
Removing Prior Information from Remotely Sensed Atmospheric Profiles by Wiener Deconvolution Based on the Complete Data Fusion Framework
Authors: Keppens Arno , Compernolle Steven , Hubert Daan , Verhoelst Tijl , Granville José , Lambert Jean-Christopher
Published: May 2022

A method is developed that removes a priori information from remotely sensed atmospheric state profiles. This consists of a Wiener deconvolution, whereby the required cost function is obtained from the complete data fusion framework. Asserting that the deconvoluted averaging kernel matrix has to equal the unit matrix, results in an iterative process for determining a profile-specific deconvolution matrix. In contrast with previous deconvolution approaches, only the dimensions of this matrix have to be fixed beforehand, while the iteration process optimizes the vertical grid. This method is applied to ozone profile retrievals from simulated and real measurements co-located with the Izaña ground station. Individual profile deconvolutions yield strong outliers, including negative ozone concentration values, but their spatiotemporal averaging results in prior-free atmospheric state representations that correspond to the initial retrievals within their uncertainty. Averaging deconvoluted profiles thus looks like a viable alternative in the creation of harmonized Level-3 data, avoiding vertical smoothing difference errors and the difficulties that arise with averaged averaging kernels.
Machine Learning-Based View Synthesis in Fourier Lightfield Microscopy
Authors: Rostan Julen , Incardona Nicolo , Sanchez-Ortiga Emilio , Martinez-Corral Manuel , Latorre-Carmona Pedro
Published: May 2022

Current interest in Fourier lightfield microscopy is increasing, due to its ability to acquire 3D images of thick dynamic samples. This technique is based on simultaneously capturing, in a single shot, and with a monocular setup, a number of orthographic perspective views of 3D microscopic samples. An essential feature of Fourier lightfield microscopy is that the number of acquired views is low, due to the trade-off relationship existing between the number of views and their corresponding lateral resolution. Therefore, it is important to have a tool for the generation of a high number of synthesized view images, without compromising their lateral resolution. In this context we investigate here the use of a neural radiance field view synthesis method, originally developed for its use with macroscopic scenes acquired with a moving (or an array of static) digital camera(s), for its application to the images acquired with a Fourier lightfield microscope. The results obtained and presented in this paper are analyzed in terms of lateral resolution and of continuous and realistic parallax. We show that, in terms of these requirements, the proposed technique works efficiently in the case of the epi-illumination microscopy mode.
Application of Approximation Constructions with a Small Number of Parameters for the Estimation of a Rayleigh Fading Multipath Channel with Doppler Spectrum Spreading
Authors: Poborchaya Natalia E. , Pestryakov Alexander V. , Lobova Elizaveta O.
Published: May 2022

In this article, an algorithm for joint estimation of communication channel gains and signal distortions in a direct conversion receiver is proposed. The received signal model uses approximations with a small number of parameters to reduce the computational complexity of the resulting algorithm. The estimation algorithm is obtained under the assumption of a priori uncertainty about the characteristics of the communication channel and noise distribution using the linear least squares method. Estimation is performed first by the test sequence, then by the information symbols obtained after detection. In addition, an analysis of the noise immunity of quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) signal reception is carried out using different approximating structures in the estimation algorithm for systems with a single transmitting and receiving antenna (SISO) and for systems with multiple transmitting and receiving antennas (MIMO). Furthermore, this article examines the influence of the duration of the test signal, the number of sessions of its transmission, and the channel extrapolation interval on the quality of signal reception.
Non-Driving-Related Task Engagement: The Role of Speed
Authors: Seaman Sean , Gershon Pnina , Angell Linda , Mehler Bruce , Reimer Bryan
Published: May 2022

Non-driving-related tasks (NDRTs) have the potential to affect safety in a number of ways, but the conditions under which drivers choose to engage in NDRTs has not been extensively studied. This analysis considers naturalistic driving data in which drivers were recorded driving and engaging in NDRTs at will for several weeks. Using human-annotated video captured from vehicle cabins, we examined the probabilities with which drivers engaged in NDRTs, and we examined the relationship between vehicle speed and NDRT probability, with the goal of modeling NDRT probability as a function of speed and type of NDRT observed. We found that tasks that contain significant visual and manual components, such as phone manipulation, show strong sensitivity to vehicle speed, while other tasks, such as phone conversation, show no effects of vehicle speed. These results suggest that there are systematic relationships between NDRT patterns and vehicle speed, and that the nature of these relationships is sensitive to the demands of the NDRT. The relationship between speed and NDRT probability has implications for understanding the effects of NDRTs on safety, but also for understanding how drivers may differ in terms of the strategies they employ to modulate their NDRT behaviors based upon driving demands.
Thermal Perception and Physiological Responses under Different Protection States in Indoor Crowded Spaces during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Summer
Authors: Liu Tao , Shan Xiaofang , Deng Qinli , Zhou Zeng , Yang Guang , Wang Jue , Ren Zhigang
Published: May 2022

Currently, people in crowded indoor spaces are required to wear a variety of personal protective equipment to curb the spread of COVID-19. This study aimed to investigate the effects of wearing four types of personal protective equipment (unprotected, wearing masks, wearing face shield and wearing medical protective clothing) on human thermal perception and physiological responses in indoor crowded spaces in summer. The experiment was conducted in a climate chamber designed to simulate the indoor crowded spaces. Environmental parameters of climate chamber (air temperature, relative humidity and wind speed), physiological parameters of subjects (wrist skin temperature and pulse rate), and subjective perceptions (thermal sensation and thermal comfort) were collected during the experiment. The experimental results showed that medical protective clothing has the most obvious blocking effect on heat exchange between human and environment. Thermal sensation in state 4 (wearing medical protective clothing) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that in other states. The study of physiological parameters showed that the wrist skin temperature and pulse rate under different protection states increased with the increase of room temperature. Through regression analysis, the thermal sensation estimation model of protective personnel in indoor crowded spaces based on wrist skin temperature and pulse rate was established. The adjusted R2 and RMSE of all models were above 82% and less than 1, indicating that the established thermal sensation model had a good prediction effect.
Estimating Seismic Demands of a Single-Door Electrical Cabinet System Based on the Performance Limit-State of Concrete Shear Wall Structures
Authors: Ju Bu-Seog , Son Hoyoung , Lee Sangwoo , Kwag Shinyoung
Published: May 2022

The electrical cabinet systems in power plants are critical non-structural components to maintaining sustainable operation and preventing unexpected accidents during extreme events. This system consists of various electrical equipment such as relays, circuit breakers, and switches enclosed by a steel cabinet for the protection of the equipment. The cabinet systems are installed in and protected by structures so that the cabinet’s behavior is totally dependent on the behavior of the structures when subjected to an earthquake. Therefore, it is essential to qualify the seismic performance of the cabinet system considering the effect of the primary structure where the electrical cabinet system is mounted. In addition, with the implementation of ASCE-43 design standards for nuclear facilities, facility design allowing nonlinear behavior has gained greater attention in nuclear power plants, and research on how the response of the cabinet varies according to allowable damage levels of structures is needed. In this study, Finite Element (FE) models of a single-door electrical cabinet and concrete shear wall structure validated through experimental data are used for a decoupled analysis to estimate the seismic demands of the electrical cabinet. Three different earthquake loadings, referred to as EQ#13, #17, and #19, used in the SMART-2013 project are selected to obtain floor responses of the concrete structure, and the loadings lead to different levels of damage (minor, moderate, and major damage, respectively) to the structure. Finally, the floor responses based on levels of the damage to the primary structure are applied to the electrical cabinet system as input loadings for the decoupled analysis. Thus, this study presents the effects of the cabinet elevation and performance limit-state for concrete shear wall structures on the response of the electrical cabinet, and it shows that while the difference in seismic demands is not significant in the minor and moderate damage states, a meaningful difference occurs in the degree of the major damage state.
Status of Pesticide Usage on Golf Courses in Korea and Optimal Pesticide Usage Plan
Authors: Lee Hong-gil , Kim Min-Suk , Kim Jee young , Kim Hyun-Koo , Jo Hyeong-Wook , Moon Joon-Kwan , Kim Ji-In
Published: May 2022

Risks to human health and the environment owing to pesticide usage have arisen interest, increasing the demand for reducing pesticide consumption used on golf courses. However, standard guidelines or manuals for reducing pesticide usage on golf courses in Korea are lacking. Herein, the trends of pesticides on golf courses were investigated, and the optimal pesticide usage plan was proposed for continuous pesticide reduction. In 2019, there were 539 golf courses in Korea. With the increasing number of golf courses in 2010–2019, pesticide usage increased continuously. Fungicides accounted for more than half the pesticides used, followed by insecticides and herbicides. Except for golf courses that do not employ chemical pesticides, pesticide usage per unit area varied in the range of 0.02–65.81 kg ha−1 (average of 6.97 kg ha−1). In the US, best management practices and integrated pest management (IPM) have been stipulated and are operational in each state for pesticide management in golf courses, recognizing chemical pesticide usage to be the last approach for pest control and turf health maintenance. Considering that Korea globally ranks 10th in the number of golf facilities and courses, the establishment of IPM practices suitable for domestic conditions is essential.
Tracing the Impact Pathways of COVID-19 on Tourism and Developing Strategies for Resilience and Adaptation in Iran
Authors: Sobhani Parvaneh , Veisi Hadi , Esmaeilzadeh Hassan , Sadeghi Seyed Mohammad Moein , Marcu Marina Viorela , Wolf Isabelle D.
Published: May 2022

The COVID-19 epidemic has caused unprecedented impacts on the travel and tourism industry. The current study traced the impacts of COVID-19 on tourism in Iran using an “Impact Pathway (IP)” approach to identify impacts and possible mitigation strategies. The results illustrate two main impact pathways: negative impacts along the economic-institutional and socio-cultural dimensions, and positive impacts along the physical-environmental dimension. Using SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and ANP (analytic network process) models, we identified defensive and review strategies as optimal for increasing resilience against the impacts of COVID-19. These strategies control the threats and weaknesses of negative impacts and enhance the opportunities and strengths emerging from the COVID-19 pandemic for tourism. We use this information to identify optimal strategies for dealing with the impacts of this crisis on tourism. Most prominently among them is the development of an integrated management system that improves the coordination of the response of local government to crisis and that better orchestrates the combined efforts and integration of non-governmental organizations.
Generating Soft Topologies via Soft Set Operators
Authors: Azzam A. A. , Ameen Zanyar A. , Al-shami Tareq M. , El-Shafei Mohammed E.
Published: May 2022

As daily problems involve a great deal of data and ambiguity, it has become vital to build new mathematical ways to cope with them, and soft set theory is the greatest tool for doing so. As a result, we study methods of generating soft topologies through several soft set operators. A soft topology is known to be determined by the system of special soft sets, which are called soft open (dually soft closed) sets. The relationship between specific types of soft topologies and their classical topologies (known as parametric topologies) is linked to the idea of symmetry. Under this symmetry, we can study the behaviors and properties of classical topological concepts via soft settings and vice versa. In this paper, we show that soft topological spaces can be characterized by soft closure, soft interior, soft boundary, soft exterior, soft derived set, or co-derived set operators. All of the soft topologies that result from such operators are equivalent, as well as being identical to their classical counterparts under enriched (extended) conditions. Moreover, some of the soft topologies are the systems of all fixed points of specific soft operators. Multiple examples are presented to show the implementation of these operators. Some of the examples show that, by removing any axiom, we will miss the uniqueness of the resulting soft topology.