bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dickens and the Art of Epitaph
Authors: Wood Claire
Published: November 2020

This essay offers a twofold exploration of the art of epitaph in Charles Dickens's writing. First, it considers the memorial inscriptions that Dickens wrote for friends and family members in light of contemporary debates about epitaph's proper form and function, nuancing understanding of the author's epitaphic aesthetic. Second, it examines the creative potential of epitaph in Dickens's fiction, by tracing the migration of epitaphic text from actual to fictional inscriptions and between paper and stone. In doing so, it argues that for Dickens the art of epitaph is fundamentally carnivalesque, as a supposedly succinct form of death writing generates extended texts and paratexts, new stories, and fresh associations.
Writing the Death of Dickens
Authors: Bell Emily
Published: November 2020

Through discussion of the author's final hours, final words, and final moments, this article enacts a metabiographical reading of the ways in which the death of Dickens has been written. It shows how major biographies from the 1870s to the present, including John Forster's Life of Charles Dickens (1872–4), reinforce a particular narrative, and how more radical representations such as Claire Tomalin's The Invisible Woman (1991) seek to disrupt it. These accounts are discussed alongside lesser-known life writing and representations, from obituaries and the earliest posthumous biographies to family reminiscences and biofiction. The few existing metabiographical approaches to Dickens's life primarily explore his childhood; by analysing the significance of the public readings and interrogating the argument that Dickens caused his own early demise, the article refines the meta-narrative of his death. In doing so, it argues for greater recognition of the role played by friends and family as the earliest biographers, and of later biographers as mediators of Dickens's cultural legacy. The article also explores the broader narrative purpose of the attribution of his death to overwork, and concludes with an examination of the ways in which it has been used as a springboard to evaluate the author's afterlife.
Effect of Soil and Foliar Silicon Application on the Reduction of Zinc Toxicity in Wheat
Authors: Zajaczkowska Aleksandra , Korzeniowska Jolanta , Sienkiewicz-Cholewa Urszula
Published: November 2020

The aim of the study was to compare soil and foliar application of Si to relieve stress in wheat caused by excess Zn in the soil. Two pot experiments were carried out in which the soil was contaminated with zinc sulphate at the dose of 600 mg kg−1 Zn before sowing. Si was applied in the soil in the following doses 200 mg kg−1 and 400 mg kg−1 Si and as foliar spraying in concentrations 2 mM L−1 and 6 mM L−1 Si in the form of sodium silicate. The applied dose of Zn was toxic to wheat and caused a significant decrease in the biomass of shoots and roots. Soil application of Si reduced the negative effect of Zn on plants and significantly increased the biomass of the tested organs. The foliar application of Si did not reduce the decrease of plant biomass. Soil contamination with Zn caused a drastic increase in Zn concentration in shoots and roots, while Si applied in the soil significantly decreased this concentration. The increase in soil pH, which was caused by sodium silicate, also affected the decrease in Zn concentration in plants. The plants absorbed Si applied to the soil, which is indicated by an increase in the Si content in shoots compared to the control. In the case of foliar spraying, only a higher dose of Si increased its concentration in the plants. The application of Si in the soil, in contrast to foliar application, reduced the transfer of Zn from roots to shoots. The higher effectiveness of soil application of Si than foliar application in alleviating the toxicity of Zn was associated with both an increase in pH and a higher uptake of Si by plants.
Effect of Nutrient Solution Concentration on the Growth of Hydroponic Sweetpotato
Authors: Sakamoto Masaru , Suzuki Takahiro
Published: November 2020

Nutrient solution concentration (NSC) is a critical factor affecting plant growth in hydroponics. Here, we investigated the effects of hydroponic NSC on the growth and yield of sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) plants. First, sweetpotato cuttings were cultivated hydroponically in three different NSCs with low, medium, or high electrical conductivity (EC; 0.8, 1.4, and 2.6 dS m−1, respectively). Shoot growth and storage root yield increased at 143 days after plantation (DAP), depending on the NSC. Next, we examined the effect of NSC changes at half of the cultivation period on the growth and yield, using high and low NSC conditions. In plants transferred from high to low EC (HL plants), the number of attached leaves increased toward the end of the first half of the cultivation period (73 DAP), compared with plants transferred from low to high EC (LH plants). Additionally, the number of attached leaves decreased in HL plants from 73 DAP to the end of the cultivation period (155 DAP), whereas this value increased in LH plants. These changes occurred due to a high leaf abscission ratio in HL plants. The storage root yield showed no significant difference between HL and LH plants. Our results suggest that the regulation of hydroponic NSC during the cultivation period affects the growth characteristics of sweetpotato.
Effects of Osthole on Progesterone Secretion in Chicken Preovulatory Follicles Granulosa Cells
Authors: Sun Na , Zhang Yutong , Hou Yaxin , Yi Yanyan , Guo Jianhua , Zheng Xiaozhong , Sun Panpan , Sun Yaogui , Khan Ajab , Li Hongquan
Published: November 2020

Osthole (Ost) is an active constituent of Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson which possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative properties. It also has estrogen-like activity and can stimulate corticosterone secretion. The present study was aimed to check the role of Ost on progesterone (P4) secretion in cultured granulosa cells obtained from hen preovulatory follicles. Different concentrations (5, 2.5, and 1.25 µg/mL) of Ost was added to granulosa cells for 6, 12, 18, and 24 h to investigate the level of progesterone secretions using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The results showed that progesterone secretion was significantly increased in cells treated with Ost at 2.5 μg/mL. Also, qRT-PCR showed that mRNA expression of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR) was significantly up-regulated by Ost at 2.5 μg/mL concentration. Cytochrome P450 side-chain cleavage (P450scc) and 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) was significantly up-regulated by Ost. However, no significant differences were observed for the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). The protein expression of StAR, P450scc and 3β-HSD were significantly up-regulated by Ost treatment. The concentration of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and protein kinase A (PKA) in cell lysates showed no change with Ost treatment at 2.5 μg/mL by ELISA. An ROS kit showed non-significant difference in the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In conclusion, Ost treatment at a concentration of 2.5 μg/mL for 24 h had significantly up-regulated P4 secretion by elevating P450scc, 3β-HSD and StAR at both gene and protein level in granulosa cells obtained from hen preovulatory follicles.
Melatonin-Nrf2 Signaling Activates Peroxisomal Activities in Porcine Cumulus Cell-Oocyte Complexes
Authors: Kim Eui Hyun , Ridlo Muhammad Rosyid , Lee Byeong Chun , Kim Geon A.
Published: November 2020

Melatonin and Nrf2 signaling synergistically improve mammalian oocyte maturation and embryonic development. Furthermore, previous studies have suggested an interplay between peroxisomes and Nrf2 signaling in cells, but it is still unclear whether peroxisomes are involved in oocyte maturation. The aim of the present study was to identify the possible roles of peroxisomes in the melatonin-Nrf2 signaling pathway during in vitro maturation (IVM) of porcine oocytes. Porcine oocytes were treated with melatonin (10−9 M) and brusatol, a Nrf2 specific inhibitor, in order to investigate the mechanism. Then, the rates of maturation and related gene and protein expression were analyzed. During oocyte maturation, melatonin upregulated the expression of gene and protein related to Nrf2 signaling and peroxisomal activities; RNA sequencing partially validated these results. Our results demonstrate that melatonin can activate Nrf2 signaling by binding to melatonin receptor 2, resulting in the upregulation of catalase. Moreover, peroxisomes were also found to be activated in response to melatonin treatment, causing the activation of catalase; together with Nrf2 signaling, peroxisomes synergistically prevented the generation of reactive oxygen species and enhanced oocyte quality. Thus, we suggest that a crosstalk might exist between Nrf2 signaling and peroxisomal activities in porcine oocytes.
The Keap1/Nrf2 Signaling Pathway in the Thyroid—2020 Update
Authors: Thanas Christina , Ziros Panos G. , Chartoumpekis Dionysios V. , Renaud Cédric O. , Sykiotis Gerasimos P.
Published: November 2020

The thyroid gland has a special relationship with oxidative stress. On the one hand, like all other tissues, it must defend itself against reactive oxygen species (ROS). On the other hand, unlike most other tissues, it must also produce reactive oxygen species in order to synthesize its hormones that contribute to the homeostasis of other tissues. The thyroid must therefore also rely on antioxidant defense systems to maintain its own homeostasis in the face of continuous self-exposure to ROS. One of the main endogenous antioxidant systems is the pathway centered on the transcription factor Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and its cytoplasmic inhibitor Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1). Over the last few years, multiple links have emerged between the Keap1/Nrf2 pathway and thyroid physiology, as well as various thyroid pathologies, including autoimmunity, goiter, hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and cancer. In the present mini-review, we summarize recent studies shedding new light into the roles of Keap1/Nrf2 signaling in the thyroid.
Thymus vulgaris Essential Oil Protects Zebrafish against Cognitive Dysfunction by Regulating Cholinergic and Antioxidants Systems
Authors: Capatina Luminita , Todirascu-Ciornea Elena , Napoli Edoardo Marco , Ruberto Giuseppe , Hritcu Lucian , Dumitru Gabriela
Published: November 2020

Thymus vulgaris L. is an aromatic herb used for medicinal purposes such as antimicrobial, spasmolytic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, antitumor, and may have beneficial effects in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. The present study aimed to investigate whether Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil enhances cognitive function via the action on cholinergic neurons using scopolamine (Sco)-induced zebrafish (Danio rerio) model of memory impairments. Thymus vulgaris L. essential oil (TEO, 25, 150, and 300 µL/L) was administered by immersion to zebrafish once daily for 13 days, whereas memory impairment was induced by Sco (100 μM), a muscarinic receptor antagonist, delivered 30 min before behavioral tests. Spatial memory was assessed using the Y-maze test and novel object recognition test (NOR). Anxiety and depression were measured in the novel tank diving test (NTT). Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis was used to study the phytochemical composition of TEO. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity and oxidative stress response in the brain of zebrafish were determined. TEO ameliorated Sco-induced increasing of AChE activity, amnesia, anxiety, and reduced the brain antioxidant capacity. These results suggest that TEO may have preventive and/or therapeutic potentials in the management of memory deficits and brain oxidative stress in zebrafish with amnesia.
Docosahexaenoic Acid Induces Expression of NAD(P)H: Quinone Oxidoreductase and Heme Oxygenase-1 through Activation of Nrf2 in Cerulein-Stimulated Pancreatic Acinar Cells
Authors: Ahn Yu Jin , Lim Joo Weon , Kim Hyeyoung
Published: November 2020

Oxidative stress is a major risk factor for acute pancreatitis. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) mediate expression of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 (IL-6) which reflects the severity of acute pancreatitis. The nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway is activated to induce the expression of antioxidant enzymes such as NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) as a cytoprotective response to oxidative stress. In addition, binding of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) to Nrf2 promotes degradation of Nrf2. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)—an omega-3 fatty acid—exerts anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Oxidized omega-3 fatty acids react with Keap1 to induce Nrf2-regulated gene expression. In this study, we investigated whether DHA reduces ROS levels and inhibits IL-6 expression via Nrf2 signaling in pancreatic acinar (AR42J) cells stimulated with cerulein, as an in vitro model of acute pancreatitis. The cells were pretreated with or without DHA for 1 h and treated with cerulein (10−8 M) for 1 (ROS levels, protein levels of NQO1, HO-1, pNrf2, Nrf2, and Keap1), 6 (IL-6 mRNA expression), and 24 h (IL-6 protein level in the medium). Our results showed that DHA upregulates the expression of NQO1 and HO-1 in cerulein-stimulated AR42J cells by promoting phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of Nrf2. DHA increased interaction between Keap1 and Nrf2 in AR42J cells, which may increase Nrf2 activity by inhibiting Keap1-mediated sequestration of Nrf2. In addition, DHA-induced expression of NQO1 and HO-1 is related to reduction of ROS and IL-6 levels in cerulein-stimulated AR42J cells. In conclusion, DHA inhibits ROS-mediated IL-6 expression by upregulating Nrf2-mediated expression of NQO1 and HO-1 in cerulein-stimulated pancreatic acinar cells. DHA may exert positive modulatory effects on acute pancreatitis by inhibiting oxidative stress and inflammatory cytokine production by activating Nrf2 signaling in pancreatic acinar cells.
Automated Code-Smell Detection in Microservices Through Static Analysis: A Case Study
Authors: Walker Andrew , Das Dipta , Cerny Tomas
Published: November 2020

Microservice Architecture (MSA) is becoming the predominant direction of new cloud-based applications. There are many advantages to using microservices, but also downsides to using a more complex architecture than a typical monolithic enterprise application. Beyond the normal poor coding practices and code smells of a typical application, microservice-specific code smells are difficult to discover within a distributed application setup. There are many static code analysis tools for monolithic applications, but tools to offer code-smell detection for microservice-based applications are lacking. This paper proposes a new approach to detect code smells in distributed applications based on microservices. We develop an MSANose tool to detect up to eleven different microservice specific code smells and share it as open-source. We demonstrate our tool through a case study on two robust benchmark microservice applications and verify its accuracy. Our results show that it is possible to detect code smells within microservice applications using bytecode and/or source code analysis throughout the development process or even before its deployment to production.
Generalized Beam Theory for Thin-Walled Beams with Curvilinear Open Cross-Sections
Authors: Latalski Jarosław , Zulli Daniele
Published: November 2020

The use of the Generalized Beam Theory (GBT) is extended to thin-walled beams with curvilinear cross-sections. After defining the kinematic features of the walls, where their curvature is consistently accounted for, the displacement of the points is assumed as linear combination of unknown amplitudes and pre-established trial functions. The latter, and specifically their in-plane components, are chosen as dynamic modes of a curved beam in the shape of the member cross-section. Moreover, the out-of-plane components come from the imposition of the Vlasov internal constraint of shear indeformable middle surface. For a case study of semi-annular cross-section, i.e., constant curvature, the modes are analytically evaluated and the procedure is implemented for two different load conditions. Outcomes are compared to those of a FEM model.
Reconstructive Archaeology: In Situ Visualisation of Previously Excavated Finds and Features through an Ongoing Mixed Reality Process
Authors: Dilena Miguel Angel , Soressi Marie
Published: November 2020

Archaeological excavation is a demolishing process. Rather few elements outlast extractive operations. Therefore, it is hard to visualise the precise location of unearthed finds at a previously excavated research area. Here, we present a mixed reality environment that displays in situ 3D models of features that were formerly extracted and recorded with 3D coordinates during unearthing operations. We created a tablet application that allows the user to view the position, orientation and dimensions of every recorded find while freely moving around the archaeological site with the device. To anchor the model, we used physical landmarks left at the excavation. A series of customised forms were created to show (onscreen) the different types of features by superimposing them over the terrain as perceived by the tablet camera. The application permits zooming-in, zooming-out, querying for specific artefacts and reading metadata associated with the archaeological elements. When at the office, our environment enables accurate visualisations of the 3D geometry concerning previously unearthed features and their spatial relationships. The application operates using the Swift programming language, Python scripts and ARKit technology. We present here an example of its use at Les Cottés, France, a palaeolithic site where thousands of artefacts are excavated out of six superimposed layers with a complex conformation.
Recognition of Perspective Distorted QR Codes with a Partially Damaged Finder Pattern in Real Scene Images
Authors: Karrach Ladislav , Pivarčiová Elena , Bozek Pavol
Published: November 2020

QR (Quick Response) codes are one of the most famous types of two-dimensional (2D) matrix barcodes, which are the descendants of well-known 1D barcodes. The mobile robots which move in certain operational space can use information and landmarks from environment for navigation and such information may be provided by QR Codes. We have proposed algorithm, which localizes a QR Code in an image in a few sequential steps. We start with image binarization, then we continue with QR Code localization, where we utilize characteristic Finder Patterns, which are located in three corners of a QR Code, and finally we identify perspective distortion. The presented algorithm is able to deal with a damaged Finder Pattern, works well for low-resolution images and is computationally efficient.
A Mixed Method with Effective Color Reduction
Authors: Pérez-Delgado María-Luisa
Published: November 2020

This article presents a color quantization technique that combines two previously proposed approaches: the Binary splitting method and the Iterative ant-tree for color quantization method. The resulting algorithm can obtain good quality images with low time consumption. In addition, the iterative nature of the proposed method allows the quality of the quantized image to improve as the iterations progress, although it also allows a good initial image to be quickly obtained. The proposed method was compared to 13 other color quantization techniques and the results showed that it could generate better quantized images than most of the techniques assessed. The statistical significance of the improvement obtained using the new method is confirmed by applying a statistical test to the results of all the methods compared.
Block-Based Steganography Method Using Optimal Selection to Reach High Efficiency and Capacity for Palette Images
Authors: Wu Han-Yan , Chen Ling-Hwei , Ching Yu-Tai
Published: November 2020

The primary goal of steganographic methods is to develop statically undetectable methods with high steganographic capacity. The embedding efficiency is one kind of measure for undetectability. Block-based steganography methods have been proposed for achieving higher embedding efficiency under limited embedding capacity. However, in these methods, some blocks with larger embedding distortions are skipped, and a location map is usually incorporated into these methods to record the embedding status of each block. This reduces the embedding capacity for secret messages. In this study, we proposed a block-based steganography method without a location map for palette images. In this method, multiple secret bits can be embedded in a block by modifying at most one pixel with minimal embedding distortion; this enables each block to be used for data embedding; thus, our method provides higher embedding capacity. Furthermore, under the same capacity, the estimated and experimental embedding efficiencies of the proposed method are compared with those of Imaizumi et al. and Aryal et al.’s methods; the comparisons indicate that the proposed method has higher embedding efficiency than Imaizumi et al. and Aryal et al.’s methods.
Casimir Force between Two Vortices in a Turbulent Bose–Einstein Condensate
Authors: Mendonça José Tito , Terças Hugo , Rodrigues João D. , Gammal Arnaldo
Published: November 2020

We consider the Casimir force between two vortices due to the presence of density fluctuations induced by turbulent modes in a Bose–Einstein condensate. We discuss the cases of unbounded and finite condensates. Turbulence is described as a superposition of elementary excitations (phonons or BdG modes) in the medium. Expressions for the Casimir force between two identical vortex lines are derived, assuming that the vortices behave as point particles. Our analytical model of the Casimir force is confirmed by numerical simulations of the Gross–Pitaevskii equation, where the finite size of the vortices is retained. Our results are valid in the mean-field description of the turbulent medium. However, the Casimir force due to quantum fluctuations can also be estimated, assuming the particular case where the occupation number of the phonon modes in the condensed medium is reduced to zero and only zero-point fluctuations remain.
Development of a Capacitance versus Voltage Model for Lithium-Ion Capacitors
Authors: El Ghossein Nagham , Sari Ali , Venet Pascal
Published: November 2020

The capacitance of Lithium-ion Capacitors (LiCs) highly depends on their terminal voltage. Previous research found that it varies in a nonlinear manner with respect to the voltage. However, none of them modeled the capacitance evolution while considering the physicochemical phenomena that happen in a LiC cell. This paper focuses on developing a new capacitance model that is based on the Stern model of the electrochemical double layer capacitance. The model accounts for the asymmetric V-shape of the C(V) curve, which reflects the variation of the capacitance with respect to the voltage. The novelty of this study concerns the development of a model for LiCs that relies on the fundamental theory of Stern for the differential capacitance. The basic model of Stern is modified in order to account for the hybrid physicochemical structure of LiCs. Moreover, the model was applied to three aged cells to which accelerated calendar aging tests were applied at three voltage values: 2.2, 3 and 3.8 V. A drift of the voltage corresponding to the minimum capacitance was detected for the aged cells. This voltage is related to the neutral state of the positive electrode. The main cause of this phenomenon concerns the loss of lithium ions from the negative electrode of a LiC. In addition, capacitance values decreased after aging, showing an eventual blocking of the pores of the positive electrode. Therefore, the analysis of the C(V) curve was found to be an interesting tool for the interpretation of aging mechanisms.
Bioinspired Honeycomb Core Design: An Experimental Study of the Role of Corner Radius, Coping and Interface
Authors: Goss Derek , Mistry Yash , Niverty Sridhar , Noe Cameron , Santhanam Bharath , Ozturk Cahit , Penick Clint A. , Lee Christine , Chawla Nikhilesh , Grishin Alex , Shyam Vikram , Bhate Dhruv
Published: November 2020

The honeybee’s comb has inspired the design of engineering honeycomb core that primarily abstract the hexagonal cell shape and exploit its mass minimizing properties to construct lightweight panels. This work explored three additional design features that are part of natural honeybee comb but have not been as well studied as design features of interest in honeycomb design: the radius at the corner of each cell, the coping at the top of the cell walls, and the interface between cell arrays. These features were first characterized in natural honeycomb using optical and X-ray techniques and then incorporated into honeycomb core design and fabricated using an additive manufacturing process. The honeycomb cores were then tested in out-of-plane compression and bending, and since all three design features added mass to the overall structure, all metrics of interest were examined per unit mass to assess performance gains despite these additions. The study concluded that the presence of an interface increases specific flexural modulus in bending, with no significant benefit in out-of-plane compression; coping radius positively impacts specific flexural strength, however, the corner radius has no significant effect in bending and actually is slightly detrimental for out-of-plane compression testing.
Contributions of Molecular and Optical Techniques to the Clinical Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Bistaffa Edoardo , Tagliavini Fabrizio , Matteini Paolo , Moda Fabio
Published: November 2020

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide. The distinctive neuropathological feature of AD is the intracerebral accumulation of two abnormally folded proteins: β-amyloid (Aβ) in the form of extracellular plaques, and tau in the form of intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. These proteins are considered disease-specific biomarkers, and the definite diagnosis of AD relies on their post-mortem identification in the brain. The clinical diagnosis of AD is challenging, especially in the early stages. The disease is highly heterogeneous in terms of clinical presentation and neuropathological features. This phenotypic variability seems to be partially due to the presence of distinct Aβ conformers, referred to as strains. With the development of an innovative technique named Real-Time Quaking-Induced Conversion (RT-QuIC), traces of Aβ strains were found in the cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients. Emerging evidence suggests that different conformers may transmit their strain signature to the RT-QuIC reaction products. In this review, we describe the current challenges for the clinical diagnosis of AD and describe how the RT-QuIC products could be analyzed by a surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-based systems to reveal the presence of strain signatures, eventually leading to early diagnosis of AD with the recognition of individual disease phenotype.
Improvement of Pursuit Eye Movement Alterations after Short Visuo-Attentional Training in ADHD
Authors: Caldani Simona , Delorme Richard , Moscoso Ana , Septier Mathilde , Acquaviva Eric , Bucci Maria Pia
Published: November 2020

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder without validated and objective diagnostic procedures. Several neurological dysfunctions in the frontal circuit, in the thalamus, and in the cerebellum have been observed in subjects with ADHD. These cortical and subcortical areas are responsible for eye movement control. Therefore, studying eye movements could be a useful tool to better understand neuronal alterations in subjects with ADHD. The aim of the present study was firstly to compare the quality of pursuit eye movements in a group of 40 children with ADHD (age 8.2 ± 1.2) and in a group of 40 sex-, IQ-, age-matched typically developing (TD) children; secondly, we aimed to examine if a short visuo-attentional training could affect pursuit performances in children with ADHD. Findings showed that children with ADHD presented a greater number of catch-up saccade and lower pursuit gain compared to TD children. Differently to TD children, in children with ADHD, the number of catch-up saccades and the pursuit gain were not significantly correlated with children’s age. Furthermore, a short visuo-attentional training period can only slightly improve pursuit performance in children with ADHD, leading to a decrease of the occurrence of catch-up saccades only, albeit the effect size was small. The absence of any improvement in pursuit performance with age could be explained by the fact that the prefrontal and fronto-cerebellar circuits responsible for pursuit triggering are still immature. Pursuit eye movements can be used as a useful tool for ADHD diagnosis. However, attentional mechanisms controlled by these cortical structures could be improved by a short visuo-attentional training period. Further studies will be necessary to explore the effects of a longer visuo-attentional training period on oculomotor tasks in order to clarify how adaptive mechanisms are able to increase the attentional capabilities in children with ADHD.
Upgrading the Smartness of Retrofitting Packages towards Energy-Efficient Residential Buildings in Cold Climate Countries: Two Case Studies
Authors: Felius Laurina , Hamdy Mohamed , Dessen Fredrik , Hrynyszyn Bozena
Published: November 2020

Improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings by implementing building automation control strategies (BACS) besides building envelope and energy system retrofitting has been recommended by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) 2018. This paper investigated this recommendation by conducting a simulation-based optimization to explore cost-effective retrofitting combinations of building envelope, energy systems and BACS measures in-line with automation standard EN 15232. Two cases (i.e., a typical single-family house and apartment block) were modeled and simulated using IDA Indoor Climate and Energy (IDA-ICE). The built-in optimization tool, GenOpt, was used to minimize energy consumption as the single objective function. The associated difference in life cycle cost, compared to the reference design, was calculated for each optimization iteration. Thermal comfort of the optimized solutions was assessed to verify the thermal comfort acceptability. Installing an air source heat pump had a greater energy-saving potential than reducing heat losses through the building envelope. Implementing BACS achieved cost-effective energy savings up to 24%. Energy savings up to 57% were estimated when BACS was combined with the other retrofitting measures. Particularly for compact buildings, where the potential of reducing heat losses through the envelope is limited, the impact of BACS increased. BACS also improved the thermal comfort.
Nitrogen Monoxide and Soot Oxidation in Diesel Emissions with Platinum–Tungsten/Titanium Dioxide Catalysts: Tungsten Loading Effect
Authors: Oh Duck-kyu , Lee Young-Jae , Lee Kwan-Young , Park Jong-Soo
Published: November 2020

Compared with Pt/TiO2, tungsten-loaded Pt–W/TiO2 catalysts exhibit improved activity for NO and soot oxidation. Using catalysts prepared by an incipient wetness method, the tungsten loading effect was investigated using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller surface areas, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), CO pulse chemisorption, H2 temperature-programmed reduction, NH3 temperature-programmed desorption (NH3-TPD), and pyridine Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. Loading tungsten on the Pt/TiO2 catalyst reduced the platinum particle size, as revealed in TEM images. CO pulse chemisorption showed that platinum was covered with tungsten and the dispersion of platinum decreased when 5 wt.% or more of tungsten was loaded. The NH3-TPD and pyridine-FT-IR results demonstrated that the number of strong acid sites and Brønsted acid sites in the catalyst were increased by the presence of tungsten. Therefore, a catalyst containing an appropriate amount of tungsten increased the dispersion of platinum, thereby increasing the number of active sites for NO and soot oxidation, and increased the acidity of the catalyst, thereby increasing the activity of soot oxidation by NO2
Urban Overheating and Cooling Potential in Australia: An Evidence-Based Review
Authors: Yenneti Komali , Ding Lan , Prasad Deo , Ulpiani Giulia , Paolini Riccardo , Haddad Shamila , Santamouris Mattheos
Published: November 2020

Cities in Australia are experiencing unprecedented levels of urban overheating, which has caused a significant impact on the country’s socioeconomic environment. This article provides a comprehensive review on urban overheating, its impact on health, energy, economy, and the heat mitigation potential of a series of strategies in Australia. Existing studies show that the average urban heat island (UHI) intensity ranges from 1.0 °C to 13.0 °C. The magnitude of urban overheating phenomenon in Australia is determined by a combination of UHI effects and dualistic atmospheric circulation systems (cool sea breeze and hot desert winds). The strong relation between multiple characteristics contribute to dramatic fluctuations and high spatiotemporal variabilities in urban overheating. In addition, urban overheating contributes to serious impacts on human health, energy costs, thermal comfort, labour productivity, and social behaviour. Evidence suggest that cool materials, green roofs, vertical gardens, urban greenery, and water-based technologies can significantly alleviate the UHI effect, cool the ambient air, and create thermally balanced cities. Urban greenery, especially trees, has a high potential for mitigation. Trees and hedges can reduce the average maximum UHI by 1.0 °C. The average maximum mitigation performance values of green roofs and green walls are 0.2 °C and 0.1 °C, respectively. Reflective roofs and pavements can reduce the average maximum UHI by 0.3 °C. In dry areas, water has a high cooling potential. The average maximum cooling potential using only one technology is 0.4 °C. When two or more technologies are used at the same time, the average maximum UHI drop is 1.5 °C. The mitigation strategies identified in this article can help the governments and other stakeholders manage urban heating in the natural and built environment, and save health, energy, and economic costs.
The Coatings Breakdown Products Influence on the Gas Metal Arc Welding Parameters
Authors: Zhabrev Leonid , Kurushkin Dmitry , Mushnikov Igor , Panchenko Oleg
Published: November 2020

The installation and renovation works of steel structures are often performed using gas metal arc welding. Thereby, the welded elements of these structures are frequently protected by a variety of primers and coatings, especially in shipbuilding. Complex nonequilibrium physical and chemical processes occurring under the influence of high temperatures and electric arc discharge, as well as the presence of the products that affect the welding parameters, have a significant impact on the joints’ quality. Experimental studies on the coatings’ breakdown products influence on the gas metal arc welding parameters were performed with epoxy, alkyd, polyacrylate, polyvinyl butyral primers, epoxy zinc filled, vinyl chloride, vinyl isobutyl, and organosilicate coatings. The peculiarity of welding current waveform parameters was studied using oscillograms processing. It was found that the main coatings breakdown products that influence the current waveform are oxygen and carbon monoxide.
Quantum Finite-Time Thermodynamics: Insight from a Single Qubit Engine
Authors: Dann Roie , Kosloff Ronnie , Salamon Peter
Published: November 2020

Incorporating time into thermodynamics allows for addressing the tradeoff between efficiency and power. A qubit engine serves as a toy model in order to study this tradeoff from first principles, based on the quantum theory of open systems. We study the quantum origin of irreversibility, originating from heat transport, quantum friction, and thermalization in the presence of external driving. We construct various finite-time engine cycles that are based on the Otto and Carnot templates. Our analysis highlights the role of coherence and the quantum origin of entropy production.
Nitrogen Deprivation in Fremyella diplosiphon Augments Lipid Production without Affecting Growth
Authors: Tabatabai Behnam , Adusei Afua , Shrivastava Alok Kumar , Singh Prashant Kumar , Sitther Viji
Published: November 2020

Metabolic products such as lipids and proteins produced in cyanobacteria represent an excellent source of biomass and do not compete with agricultural land use unlike soybean and corn. Given their potential use as novel materials for biodiesel production, we aimed to explore the effect of cultivation period and nitrogen concentration on the growth rate and lipid content of Fremyella diplosiphon, a model cyanobacterium. In this study, F. diplosiphon grown in BG11/HEPES medium supplemented with 1.5 g L−1 sodium nitrate (NaNO3) for 7, 10, 15, and 20 days were compared to the untreated control in media amended with 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 g L−1 NaNO3. Cultures were inoculated in liquid media and grown under continuous fluorescent light in an orbital incubator shaker, and extracted lipids subjected to gravimetric analysis and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy to determine the best culture conditions for lipid production. Our results demonstrated that a reduction in nitrogen concentration had no significant effect on the growth rate across all cultivation periods; however, the accumulation of total lipid content was significantly influenced by nitrogen concentration. A maximum lipid production (40%) with no reduction in growth was observed in 10-day old cultures in a BG11/HEPES medium supplemented with 1.0 g L−1 NaNO3. Fatty acid methyl ester composition of transesterified lipids demonstrated high amounts of methyl palmitate (50–70%) followed by methyl octadecenoate (17–30%) in the accumulated lipids at all treatments. Trace quantities of methyl dodecanoate, methyl hexadecanoate, methyl octadecanoate, and methyl octadecadienoate (1–8%) were also observed in all tested samples, indicating that nitrogen deprivation in culture media increases lipid production without affecting growth.
An Overview on Energy and Development of Energy Integration in Major South Asian Countries: The Building Sector
Authors: Salam Rashiqa Abdul , Amber Khuram Pervez , Ratyal Naeem Iqbal , Alam Mehboob , Akram Naveed , Gómez Muñoz Carlos Quiterio , García Márquez Fausto Pedro
Published: November 2020

India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh (IPB) are the largest South Asian countries in terms of land area, gross domestic product (GDP), and population. The growth in these countries is impacted by inadequate renewable energy policy and implementation over the years, resulting in slow progress towards human development and economic sustainability. These developing countries are blessed with huge potential for renewable energy resources; however, they still heavily rely on fossil fuels (93%). IPB is a major contributor to the total energy consumption of the world and its most energy-intensive building sector (India 47%, Pakistan 55% and Bangladesh 55%) displays inadequate energy performance. This paper comprehensively reviews the energy mix and consumption in IPB with special emphasis on current policies and its impact on economic and human development. The main performance indicators have been critically analyzed for the period 1970–2017. The strength of this paper is a broad overview on energy and development of energy integration in major South Asian countries. Furthermore, it presents a broad deepening on the main sector of energy consumption, i.e., the building sector. The paper also particularly analyzes the existing buildings energy efficiency codes and policies, with specific long-term recommendations to improve average energy consumption per person. The study also examines the technical and regulatory barriers and recommends specific measures to adapt renewable technologies, with special attention to policies affecting energy consumption. The analysis and results are general and can be applied to other developing countries of the world.
Client-Aware Negotiation for Secure and Efficient Data Transmission
Authors: Wang Ziheng , Chen Heng , Wu Weiguo
Published: November 2020

In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), server clusters, and other systems requiring secure transmission, the overhead of data encryption and transmission is often not negligible. Unfortunately, a conflict exists between security and efficiency in processing data. Therefore, this paper proposes a strategy to overcome this conflict, called Client-Aware Negotiation for Secure and Efficient Data Transmission (CAN-SEAT). This strategy allows a client with different security transmission requirements to use the appropriate data security transmission without modifying the client. Two methods are designed for different clients. The first method is based on two-way authentication and renegotiation. After handshakes, the appropriate data security transmission scheme is selected according to the client requirements. Another method is based on redirection, which can be applied when the client does not support two-way authentication or renegotiation. For the characteristics of different architecture, this paper classifies and discusses symmetric key algorithms, asymmetric key algorithms, and hardware encryption instructions. In four application scenarios, the CAN-SEAT strategy is tested. Compared with the general transmission strategy, when only software encryption is used, the data processing and transmission cost can be reduced by 89.41% in the best case and by 15.40% in the worst case. When supporting hardware encryption, the cost can be reduced by 85.30% and 24.63%, respectively. A good effect was produced on the experimental platforms XiLinx, FT-2000+, and Intel processors. To the best of our knowledge, for Client-Aware Negotiation (CAN), this is the first method to be successfully deployed on a general system. CAN-SEAT can be easily combined with other energy-efficient strategies.
Towards a Holistic Microgrid Performance Framework and a Data-Driven Assessment Analysis
Authors: Tsolakis Apostolos C. , Kalamaras Ilias , Vafeiadis Thanasis , Zyglakis Lampros , Bintoudi Angelina D. , Chouliara Adamantia , Ioannidis Dimosthenis , Tzovaras Dimitrios
Published: November 2020

On becoming a commodity, Microgrids (MGs) have started gaining ground in various sizes (e.g., nanogrids, homegrids, etc.) and forms (e.g., local energy communities) leading an exponential growth in the respective sector. From demanding deployments such as military bases and hospitals, to tertiary and residential buildings and neighborhoods, MG systems exploit renewable and conventional generation assets, combined with various storage capabilities to deliver a completely new set of business opportunities and services in the context of the Smart Grid. As such systems involve economic, environmental and technical aspects, their performance is quite difficult to evaluate, since there are not any standards that cover all of these aspects, especially during operational stages. Towards allowing an holistic definition of a MG performance, for both design and operational stages, this paper first introduces a complete set of Key Performance Indicators to measure holistically the performance of a MG’s life cycle. Following, focusing on the MG’s day-to-day operation, a data-driven assessment is proposed, based on dynamic metrics, custom made reference models, and smart meter data, in order to be able to extract its operational performance. Two different algorithmic implementations (i.e., Dynamic Time Warping and t-distributed Stochastic Neighbor Embedding) are used to support the methodology proposed, while real-life data are used from a small scale MG to provide the desired proof-of-concept. Both algorithms seem to correctly identify days and periods of not optimal operation, hence presenting promising results for MG performance assessment, that could lead to a MG Performance Classification scheme.
Assessment of Lingual Tactile Sensitivity in Children and Adults: Methodological Suitability and Challenges
Authors: Appiani Marta , Rabitti Noemi Sofia , Methven Lisa , Cattaneo Camilla , Laureati Monica
Published: November 2020

Few methodological approaches have been developed to measure lingual tactile sensitivity, and little information exists about the comparison between children and adults. The aims of the study were to: verify the cognitive and perceptive suitability of Von Frey filaments and a gratings orientation test in children of different ages; compare lingual tactile sensitivity between children and adults; investigate the relationships between lingual tactile sensitivity, preference and consumption of foods with different textures and level of food neophobia. One hundred and forty-seven children aged 6–13 years and their parents participated in the study, in addition to a separate sample of seventy adults. Participants filled in questionnaires, and lingual tactile sensitivity was evaluated through filaments and gratings. Results showed that gratings evaluation was more difficult than filaments assessment but enabled a better separation of participants according to their performance than filaments. R-indices from filaments were not correlated with those of gratings, suggesting that the tools measure different dimensions of lingual tactile sensitivity. No differences were found in lingual tactile sensitivity between children and adults, nor between children of different ages. Food neophobia was negatively associated with preferences of hard foods in children. Although a multifactor analysis concluded that neither texture preferences nor food consumption were strongly correlated with lingual tactile sensitivity, there was a weak but significant positive correlation between lingual tactile sensitivity to the finest Von Frey filament and food neophobia in the youngest age group, indicating that children with higher levels of food neophobia are more sensitive to oral tactile stimuli. Suitable child-friendly adaptations for the assessment of lingual sensitivity in children are discussed.
Co-Ingestion of Black Carrot and Strawberry. Effects on Anthocyanin Stability, Bioaccessibility and Uptake
Authors: Carrillo Celia , Kamiloglu Senem , Grootaert Charlotte , Van Camp John , Hendrickx Marc
Published: November 2020

Although the fate of anthocyanins along digestion has been a matter of research over the last decade, their bioaccessibility so far has been mainly assessed for single administered fruits or vegetables, which is far from the real scenario where they are co-ingested in a meal. Accordingly, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of simultaneous intake of fruit and vegetable on in vitro stability, bioaccessibility and uptake of anthocyanins. Black carrot and strawberry were used as food sources of anthocyanins. Anthocyanin identification and quantification were performed using HPLC-Qtof/HPLC-UV. Single matrices and mixtures thereof, were submitted to a standardized in vitro digestion procedure. Anthocyanin uptake was evaluated through an intestinal Caco-2 cell model. Our results showed an increased intestinal stability for specific anthocyanins as a consequence of co-digestion. The presence of the strawberry food matrix positively affected the bioaccessibility of the carrot associated cyanidin-based anthocyanins, whereas no reciprocal effect was observed for pelargonidin-based derivatives in the presence of the black carrot food matrix. Anthocyanin transport was maintained after co-administration. Overall, co-ingestion of black carrot and strawberry did not negatively affect the stability, bioaccessibility or uptake of cyanidin-based anthocyanins, although the effect on pelargonidin-based anthocyanins depended on the type of pelargonidin derivative.