bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of Dairy Intake on Plasma F2-IsoProstane Profiles in Overweight Subjects with Hyperinsulinemia: A Randomized Crossover Trial
Authors: Khorraminezhad Leila , Bilodeau Jean-François , Greffard Karine , Larose Jessica , Rudkowska Iwona
Published: June 2021

F2-IsoProstanes (F2-IsoPs) are major biomarkers of oxidative stress and are associated with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Further, plasma levels of F2-IsoPs may be modified by dairy products. The aim is to investigate the effect of high dairy product (HD) consumption compared to an adequate dairy product (AD) consumption on the level of F2-IsoPs among hyperinsulinemic subjects. In this crossover study, participants were randomized in two groups: HD (≥4 servings/day), or AD (≤2 servings/day) for six weeks. Fasting blood glucose and insulin were measured. The homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was calculated. Six isomers of F2-IsoPs were quantified by HPLC-MS/MS. Twenty-seven subjects with hyperinsulinemia (mean age; 55 ± 13 years, BMI; 31.4 ± 3.3 kg/m2) were included. Fasting glucose, insulin and HOMA-IR were unchanged after HD or AD intervention. After HD intake, the total level of F2-IsoPs (p = 0.03), 5-F2t-IsoP (p = 0.002), and 8-F2t-IsoP (p = 0.004) decreased compared to AD. The 15-F2t-IsoP tended to be positively correlated with fasting blood glucose (r = 0.39, p = 0.08). Generally, F2-IsoPs levels were higher among men compared to women regardless of the dairy intake. Overall, intake of HD decreased plasma levels of F2-IsoPs compared to AD without modifying glycemic parameters.
Confocal Microscopy and Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of the Ocular Surface and Bleb Morphology in Medically and Surgically Treated Glaucoma Patients: A Review
Authors: Carnevale Carmela , Riva Ivano , Roberti Gloria , Michelessi Manuele , Tanga Lucia , Verticchio Vercellin Alice C. , Agnifili Luca , Manni Gianluca , Harris Alon , Quaranta Luciano , Oddone Francesco
Published: June 2021

Glaucoma patients often suffer from ocular surface disease (OSD) caused by the chronic administration of topical anti-glaucoma medications, especially in cases of long-term therapy with preserved or multiple drugs. Additionally, glaucoma surgery may determine ocular surface changes related to the formation and location of the filtering bleb, the application of anti-mitotic agents, and the post-operative wound-healing processes within the conjunctiva. Recently, several studies have evaluated the role of advanced diagnostic imaging technologies such as in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) and anterior segment-optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) in detecting microscopic and macroscopic features of glaucoma therapy-related OSD. Their clinical applications are still being explored, with recent particular attention paid to analyzing the effects of new drug formulations and of minimally invasive surgical procedures on the ocular surface status. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the main changes of the ocular surface identified at IVCM and AS-OCT in glaucoma patients under medical therapy, or after surgical treatment.
Phytosterols and Novel Triterpenes Recovered from Industrial Fermentation Coproducts Exert In Vitro Anti-Inflammatory Activity in Macrophages
Authors: Teixeira Francisca S. , Vidigal Susana S. M. P. , Pimentel Lígia L. , Costa Paula T. , Tavares-Valente Diana , Azevedo-Silva João , Pintado Manuela E. , Fernandes João C. , Rodríguez-Alcalá Luís M.
Published: June 2021

The unstoppable growth of human population that occurs in parallel with all manufacturing activities leads to a relentless increase in the demand for resources, cultivation land, and energy. In response, currently, there is significant interest in developing strategies to optimize any available resources and their biowaste. While solutions initially focused on recovering biomolecules with applications in food, energy, or materials, the feasibility of synthetic biology in this field has been demonstrated in recent years. For instance, it is possible to genetically modify Saccharomyces cerevisiae to produce terpenes for commercial applications (i.e., against malaria or as biodiesel). But the production process, similar to any industrial activity, generates biowastes containing promising biomolecules (from fermentation) that if recovered may have applications in different areas. To test this hypothesis, in the present study, the lipid composition of by-products from the industrial production of β-farnesene by genetically modified Saccharomyces cerevisiae are studied to identify potentially bioactive compounds, their recovery, and finally, their stability and in vitro bioactivity. The assayed biowaste showed the presence of triterpenes, phytosterols, and 1-octacosanol which were recovered through molecular distillation into a single fraction. During the assayed stability test, compositional modifications were observed, mainly for the phytosterols and 1-octacosanol, probably due to oxidative reactions. However, such changes did not affect the in vitro bioactivity in macrophages, where it was found that the obtained fraction decreased the production of TNF-α and IL-6 in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation.
HDAC Inhibitor Abrogates LTA−Induced PAI-1 Expression in Pleural Mesothelial Cells and Attenuates Experimental Pleural Fibrosis
Authors: Chen Wei-Lin , Chen Mei-Chuan , Hsu Shang-Fu , Hsiao Shih-Hsin , Chung Chi-Li
Published: June 2021

Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) stimulates pleural mesothelial cell (PMC) to overproduce plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and thus may promote pleural fibrosis in Gram-positive bacteria (GPB) parapneumonic effusion (PPE). Histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) was found to possess anti-fibrotic properties. However, the effects of HDACi on pleural fibrosis remain unclear. The effusion PAI-1 was measured among 64 patients with GPB PPE. Pleural fibrosis was measured as radiographical residual pleural thickening (RPT) and opacity at a 12-month follow-up. The LTA−stimulated human PMCs and intrapleural doxycycline−injected rats were pretreated with or without the pan-HDACi, m-carboxycinnamic acid bis-hydroxamide (CBHA), then PAI-1 and collagen expression and activated signalings in PMCs, and morphologic pleural changes in rats were measured. Effusion PAI-1 levels were significantly higher in GPB PPE patients with RPT > 10 mm (n = 26) than those without (n = 38), and had positive correlation with pleural fibrosis shadowing. CBHA significantly reduced LTA−induced PAI-1 and collagen expression via inhibition of JNK, and decreased PAI-1 promoter activity and mRNA levels in PMCs. Furthermore, in doxycycline−treated rats, CBHA substantially repressed PAI-1 and collagen synthesis in pleural mesothelium and minimized pleural fibrosis. Conclusively, CBHA abrogates LTA−induced PAI-1 and collagen expression in PMCs and attenuates experimental pleural fibrosis. PAI-1 inhibition by HDACi may confer potential therapy for pleural fibrosis.
Advanced Characterization of Hemp Flour (Cannabis sativa L.) from Dacia Secuieni and Zenit Varieties, Compared to Wheat Flour
Authors: Rusu Iulian-Eugen , Marc (Vlaic) Romina Alina , Mureşan Crina Carmen , Mureşan Andruţa Elena , Filip Miuţa Rafila , Onica Bogdan-Mihai , Csaba Kádár Balázs , Alexa Ersilia , Szanto Lidia , Muste Sevastiţa
Published: June 2021

The advanced characterization of flour from hemp seeds (edible fruits of Cannabis sativa L.) from the Dacia Secuieni and Zenit varieties, compared to wheat flour, was studied in this research. The aim was to present the characterization of 2 varieties, out of the 70 accepted in Europe, for human consumption. The varieties selected from hemp meet the THC level requirement (0.3 or 0.2% of the dry weight of the reproductive part of the female flowering plant) in seeds. Hemp flour was obtained by grinding. The flour samples were evaluated for physicochemical parameters (moisture, crude protein, lipids, ash, crude fiber), the content of micro and macro elements, fatty acids, amino acids, and carbohydrates. The total proteins in hemp flour are found in larger quantities by over 35% compared to wheat flour, and the lipids reach the threshold of 28%. The amount of mineral substances exceeds 3% in hemp flour, and the fibers exceed 26%, compared to 0.61% for wheat flour. The predominant mineral substances were K, Ca, Mg, p, Fe, and Mn. The predominant fatty acids were the unsaturated ones, predominantly being linoleic acid, followed by oleic and gamma-linoleic acid. In the case of amino acids, the highest amount is found in glutamic acid for hemp flours. As for carbohydrates, sucrose is found in the largest amount, followed by glucose and fructose. In conclusion, hemp flours have superior non-traditional characteristics to wheat flour, being a potential raw material for fortifying food or using them as such, having beneficial effects of consumption on the proper functioning of the human body.
Identification of Gene Associated with Sweetness in Corn (Zea mays L.) by Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) and Development of a Functional SNP Marker for Predicting Sweet Corn
Authors: Ruanjaichon Vinitchan , Khammona Kanogporn , Thunnom Burin , Suriharn Khundej , Kerdsri Chalong , Aesomnuk Wanchana , Yongsuwan Arweewut , Chaomueang Naraporn , Thammapichai Paradee , Arikit Siwaret , Wanchana Samart , Toojinda Theerayut
Published: June 2021

Sweetness is an economically important eating quality trait for sweet-corn breeding. To investigate the genetic control of the sweetness trait, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in an association panel consisting of 250 sweet corn and waxy corn inbred and recombinant inbred lines (RILs), together with the genotypes obtained from the high-density 600K maize genotyping single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. GWAS results identified 12 significantly associated SNPs on chromosomes 3, 4, 5, and 7. The most associated SNP, AX_91849634, was found on chromosome 3 with a highly significant p-value of ≤1.53 × 10−14. The candidate gene identified within the linkage disequilibrium (LD) of this marker was shrunken2 (Zm00001d044129; sh2), which encodes ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (AGPase), a 60 kDa subunit enzyme that affects starch metabolism in the maize endosperm. Several SNP markers specific to variants in sh2 were developed and validated. According to the validation in a set of 81 inbred, RIL, and popular corn varieties, marker Sh2_rs844805326, which was developed on the basis of the SNP at the position 154 of exon 1, was highly efficient in classifying sh2-based sweet corn from other types of corn. This functional marker is extremely useful for marker-assisted breeding in sh2-sweet corn improvement and marketable seed production.
Foliar Application of Salicylic Acid Improves Water Stress Tolerance in Conocarpus erectus L. and Populus deltoides L. Saplings: Evidence from Morphological, Physiological, and Biochemical Changes
Authors: Zafar Zikria , Rasheed Fahad , Atif Rana Muhammad , Javed Muhammad Asif , Maqsood Muhammad , Gailing Oliver
Published: June 2021

Reforestation efforts are being challenged as water stress is hampering the sapling growth and survival in arid to semiarid regions. A controlled experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of foliar application of salicylic acid (SA) on water stress tolerance of Conocarpus erectus and Populus deltoides. Saplings were watered at 90%, 60%, and 30% of field capacity (FC), and half of the saplings under 60% and 30% FC were sprayed with 1.0 mM SA. Results indicated that dry weight production decreased significantly in Populus deltoides under both water deficit conditions, and leaf gas exchange parameters decreased significantly in both the species under both soil water deficit conditions. Foliar application of SA resulted in a significant increase in leaf gas exchange parameters, and compatible solutes, thereby increasing the dry weight production in both of the species under soil water deficit. Oxidative stress (hydrogen peroxide and superoxide anions) increased under soil water deficit and decreased after the foliar application of SA and was parallel to the increased antioxidant enzymes activity (superoxide dismutase, catalase, peroxidase, and ascorbate peroxidase). Therefore, it can be concluded that foliar application of 1.0 mM SA can significantly improve the water stress tolerance in both species, however, positive impacts of SA application were higher in Conocarpus erectus due to improved photosynthetic capacity and increased antioxidant enzyme activity.
Olive Oil Dregs as a Novel Source of Natural Antioxidants: Extraction Optimization towards a Sustainable Process
Authors: Squillaci Giuseppe , Marchetti Alice , Petillo Orsolina , Bosetti Michela , La Cara Francesco , Peluso Gianfranco , Morana Alessandra
Published: June 2021

Olive oil dregs (OOD), which are an underutilized by-product from oil mills, were used for the extraction of antioxidant compounds. The residues from three oil mills located in Campania (Southern Italy) were extracted with acidified methanol, and hydroxytyrosol (HT) was the main phenolic compound detected. Total phenolic content (TPC) and HT amount were measured. EVO Campania oil mill provided the residue with the highest TPC and HT quantities: 6.801 ± 0.159 mg Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE)/g OOD and 519.865 ± 9.082 μg/g OOD, respectively. Eco-friendly extractions at different temperatures and times were performed on EVO Campania OOD, obtaining 9.122 ± 0.104 mg GAE/g OOD and 541.330 ± 64.087 μg/g OOD for TPC and HT, respectively, at 121 °C for 60 min. Radical Scavenging Activity (RSA), Superoxide Scavenging Activity (SSA), and Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) were measured in OOD aqueous extracts. Extract prepared at 37 °C for 60 min showed the greatest RSA and SSA values (44.12 ± 1.82 and 75.72 ± 1.78, respectively), whereas extract prepared at 121 °C for 60 min exhibited the highest FRAP value (129.10 ± 10.49 μg Ascorbic Acid Equivalents (AAE)/mg). OOD extracts were able to protect sunflower oil from oxidation for 4 weeks at 65 °C. The overall results suggest that this novel residue can be usefully valorized by providing HT-rich extracts to use as antioxidant agents.
Current and Foreseen Tungsten Production in Portugal, and the Need of Safeguarding the Access to Relevant Known Resources
Authors: Mateus António , Lopes Catarina , Martins Luís , Gonçalves Mário Abel
Published: June 2021

The economic and strategic importance of tungsten is widely recognized, but several concerns exist on its stable future supply. Portugal is one of the main tungsten producers in Europe, having generated ≈121 kt of contained tungsten in mineral concentrates from 1910 to 2020, i.e., ≈3.3% of the global production documented for the same time period. Since the early nineties, tungsten mining in Portugal is confined to the Panasqueira deposit which accounts for 79% of the country reserves (≈5.4 kt). However, according to the performed Generalized Verhulst and Richards curve-fitting forecasts, there is a significant future potential for increasing production in Portugal due to the low (<2%) depletion rates of the remaining known tungsten resources (≈141 kt). This projected growth is not necessarily guaranteed, depending on many unpredictable economic, technological, and political factors, besides appropriate social consents. Even so, a prudent land-use planning oriented to long-term needs should avoid the sterilization of the most relevant tungsten resources so far identified in the country. These are resources of “public importance”, as objectively demonstrated with a weighed multi-dimensional (geological, economic, environmental, and social) approach. Safeguarding the access to these resources does not implicate more than ≈6% of the Portugal mainland territory. The joint interpretation of results independently gathered for tungsten production forecasts and for the definition of areas hosting tungsten resources of public importance, provides additional support to political decisions on the urgent need to reconcile mineral exploration surveys and mining with other land uses.
Inter-Comparison of Methods for Chlorophyll-a Retrieval: Sentinel-2 Time-Series Analysis in Italian Lakes
Authors: Niroumand-Jadidi Milad , Bovolo Francesca , Bruzzone Lorenzo , Gege Peter
Published: June 2021

Different methods are available for retrieving chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) in inland waters from optical imagery, but there is still a need for an inter-comparison among the products. Such analysis can provide insights into the method selection, integration of products, and algorithm development. This work aims at inter-comparison and consistency analyses among the Chl-a products derived from publicly available methods consisting of Case-2 Regional/Coast Colour (C2RCC), Water Color Simulator (WASI), and OC3 (3-band Ocean Color algorithm). C2RCC and WASI are physics-based processors enabling the retrieval of not only Chl-a but also total suspended matter (TSM) and colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM), whereas OC3 is a broadly used semi-empirical approach for Chl-a estimation. To pursue the inter-comparison analysis, we demonstrate the application of Sentinel-2 imagery in the context of multitemporal retrieval of constituents in some Italian lakes. The analysis is performed for different bio-optical conditions including subalpine lakes in Northern Italy (Garda, Idro, and Ledro) and a turbid lake in Central Italy (Lake Trasimeno). The Chl-a retrievals are assessed versus in situ matchups that indicate the better performance of WASI. Moreover, relative consistency analyses are performed among the products (Chl-a, TSM, and CDOM) derived from different methods. In the subalpine lakes, the results indicate a high consistency between C2RCC and WASI when aCDOM(440) < 0.5 m−1, whereas the retrieval of constituents, particularly Chl-a, is problematic based on C2RCC for high-CDOM cases. In the turbid Lake Trasimeno, the extreme neural network of C2RCC provided more consistent products with WASI than the normal network. OC3 overestimates the Chl-a concentration. The flexibility of WASI in the parametrization of inversion allows for the adaptation of the method for different optical conditions. The implementation of WASI requires more experience, and processing is time demanding for large lakes. This study elaborates on the pros and cons of each method, providing guidelines and criteria on their use.
Ocean Currents Reconstruction from a Combination of Altimeter and Ocean Colour Data: A Feasibility Study
Authors: Ciani Daniele , Charles Elodie , Buongiorno Nardelli Bruno , Rio Marie-Hélène , Santoleri Rosalia
Published: June 2021

Measuring the ocean surface currents at high spatio-temporal resolutions is crucial for scientific and socio-economic applications. Since the early 1990s, the synoptic and global-scale monitoring of the ocean surface currents has been provided by constellations of radar altimeters. By construction, altimeter constellations provide only the geostrophic component of the marine surface currents. In addition, given the effective spatial-temporal resolution of the altimeter-derived products (O (100 km) and O (10 days), respectively), only the largest ocean mesoscale features can be resolved. In order to enhance the altimeter system capabilities, we propose a synergistic use of high resolution sea surface Chlorophyll observations (Chl) and altimeter-derived currents’ estimates. The study is focused on the Mediterranean Sea, where the most energetic signals are found at spatio-temporal scales up to 10 km and a few days. The proposed method allows for inferring the marine surface currents from the evolution of the Chl field, relying on altimeter-derived currents as a first-guess estimate. The feasibility of this approach is tested through an Observing System Simulation Experiment, starting from biogeochemical model outputs distributed by the European Copernicus Marine Service. Statistical analyses based on the 2017 daily data showed that our approach can improve the altimeter-derived currents accuracy up to 50%, also enhancing their effective spatial resolution up to 30 km. Moreover, the retrieved currents exhibit larger temporal variability than the altimeter estimates over annual to weekly timescales. Our method is mainly limited to areas/time periods where/when Chl gradients are larger and are modulated by the marine currents’ advection. Its application is thus more efficient when the surface Chl evolution is not dominated by the biological activity, mostly occurring in the mid-February to mid-March time window in the Mediterranean Sea. Preliminary tests on the method applicability to satellite-derived data are also presented and discussed.
Tensor-Based ECG Anomaly Detection toward Cardiac Monitoring in the Internet of Health Things
Authors: Zhou Houliang , Kan Chen
Published: June 2021

Advanced heart monitors, especially those enabled by the Internet of Health Things (IoHT), provide a great opportunity for continuous collection of the electrocardiogram (ECG), which contains rich information about underlying cardiac conditions. Realizing the full potential of IoHT-enabled cardiac monitoring hinges, to a great extent, on the detection of disease-induced anomalies from collected ECGs. However, challenges exist in the current literature for IoHT-based cardiac monitoring: (1) Most existing methods are based on supervised learning, which requires both normal and abnormal samples for training. This is impractical as it is generally unknown when and what kind of anomalies will occur during cardiac monitoring. (2) Furthermore, it is difficult to leverage advanced machine learning approaches for information processing of 1D ECG signals, as most of them are designed for 2D images and higher-dimensional data. To address these challenges, a new sensor-based unsupervised framework is developed for IoHT-based cardiac monitoring. First, a high-dimensional tensor is generated from the multi-channel ECG signals through the Gramian Angular Difference Field (GADF). Then, multi-linear principal component analysis (MPCA) is employed to unfold the ECG tensor and delineate the disease-altered patterns. Obtained principal components are used as features for anomaly detection using machine learning models (e.g., deep support vector data description (deep SVDD)) as well as statistical control charts (e.g., Hotelling T2 chart). The developed framework is evaluated and validated using real-world ECG datasets. Comparing to the state-of-the-art approaches, the developed framework with deep SVDD achieves superior performances in detecting abnormal ECG patterns induced by various types of cardiac disease, e.g., an F-score of 0.9771 is achieved for detecting atrial fibrillation, 0.9986 for detecting right bundle branch block, and 0.9550 for detecting ST-depression. Additionally, the developed framework with the T2 control chart facilitates personalized cycle-to-cycle monitoring with timely detected abnormal ECG patterns. The developed framework has a great potential to be implemented in IoHT-enabled cardiac monitoring and smart management of cardiac health.
A Novel Acceleration Signal Processing Procedure for Cycling Safety Assessment
Authors: Murgano Emanuele , Caponetto Riccardo , Pappalardo Giuseppina , Cafiso Salvatore Damiano , Severino Alessandro
Published: June 2021

With the growing rate of urban population and transport congestion, it is important for a city to have bike riding as an attractive travel choice but one of its biggest barriers for people is the perceived lack of safety. To improve the safety of urban cycling, identification of high-risk location and routes are major obstacles for safety countermeasures. Risk assessment is performed by crash data analysis, but the lack of data makes that approach less effective when applied to cyclist safety. Furthermore, the availability of data collected with the modern technologies opens the way to different approaches. This research aim is to analyse data needs and capability to identify critical cycling safety events for urban context where bicyclist behaviour can be recorded with different equipment and bicycle used as a probe vehicle to collect data. More specifically, three different sampling frequencies have been investigated to define the minimum one able to detect and recognize hard breaking. In details, a novel signal processing procedure has been proposed to correctly deal with speed and acceleration signals. Besides common signal filtering approaches, wavelet transformation and Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) techniques have been applied to remove more efficiently the instrument noise and align the signals with respect to the reference. The Euclidean distance of the DTW has been introduced as index to get the best filter parameters configuration. Obtained results, both during the calibration and the investigated real scenario, confirm that at least a GPS signal with a sampling frequency of 1Hz is needed to track the rider’s behaviour to detect events. In conclusion, with a very cheap hardware setup is possible to monitor riders’ speed and acceleration.
Attention Fusion for One-Stage Multispectral Pedestrian Detection
Authors: Cao Zhiwei , Yang Huihua , Zhao Juan , Guo Shuhong , Li Lingqiao
Published: June 2021

Multispectral pedestrian detection, which consists of a color stream and thermal stream, is essential under conditions of insufficient illumination because the fusion of the two streams can provide complementary information for detecting pedestrians based on deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs). In this paper, we introduced and adapted a simple and efficient one-stage YOLOv4 to replace the current state-of-the-art two-stage fast-RCNN for multispectral pedestrian detection and to directly predict bounding boxes with confidence scores. To further improve the detection performance, we analyzed the existing multispectral fusion methods and proposed a novel multispectral channel feature fusion (MCFF) module for integrating the features from the color and thermal streams according to the illumination conditions. Moreover, several fusion architectures, such as Early Fusion, Halfway Fusion, Late Fusion, and Direct Fusion, were carefully designed based on the MCFF to transfer the feature information from the bottom to the top at different stages. Finally, the experimental results on the KAIST and Utokyo pedestrian benchmarks showed that Halfway Fusion was used to obtain the best performance of all architectures and the MCFF could adapt fused features in the two modalities. The log-average miss rate (MR) for the two modalities with reasonable settings were 4.91% and 23.14%, respectively.
Wearable Technology to Detect Motor Fluctuations in Parkinson’s Disease Patients: Current State and Challenges
Authors: Barrachina-Fernández Mercedes , Maitín Ana María , Sánchez-Ávila Carmen , Romero Juan Pablo
Published: June 2021

Monitoring of motor symptom fluctuations in Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients is currently performed through the subjective self-assessment of patients. Clinicians require reliable information about a fluctuation’s occurrence to enable a precise treatment rescheduling and dosing adjustment. In this review, we analyzed the utilization of sensors for identifying motor fluctuations in PD patients and the application of machine learning techniques to detect fluctuations. The review process followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Ten studies were included between January 2010 and March 2021, and their main characteristics and results were assessed and documented. Five studies utilized daily activities to collect the data, four used concrete scenarios executing specific activities to gather the data, and only one utilized a combination of both situations. The accuracy for classification was 83.56–96.77%. In the studies evaluated, it was not possible to find a standard cleaning protocol for the signal captured, and there is significant heterogeneity in the models utilized and in the different features introduced in the models (using spatiotemporal characteristics, frequential characteristics, or both). The two most influential factors in the good performance of the classification problem are the type of features utilized and the type of model.
Monopulse Secondary Surveillance Radar Coverage—Determinant Factors
Authors: Minteuan Gheorghe , Palade Tudor , Puschita Emanuel , Dolea Paul , Pastrav Andra
Published: June 2021

This paper presents a comprehensive study on monopulse secondary surveillance radar (MSSR) coverage. The design and radiation pattern of an improved MSSR antenna is presented herein, highlighting the horizontal and vertical factors of the SUM beam. Moreover, the impact of other determinant factors, such as signal reflection and atmospheric refraction, on the radar coverage were assessed in this work. Real positioning measurement data and coverage simulations were used to support and exemplify theoretical findings.
Exploring the Sustainable Development of Archaized Block Tourist Destination Based on Communicative Image and Perceptive Image
Authors: Fan Kuo-Kuang , Zhou Ying , Zhang Jun
Published: June 2021

Although archaized blocks have good development prospects as tourist destinations that reshape local characteristics in cities, they have been criticized by academic circles, and most of them are underperforming due to poor management. Therefore, facing the marginalization of the existing archaized streets in various cities, it is urgent to recognize their image and value and find out the strategies that can guide their sustainable development. First of all, we changed the traditional perspective of looking at archaized block cultural attractions through the comparison of a literature review and confirmed that the archaized block should connote a sense of community, fluidity, and publicity and highlight the foundation of local culture and field development. Secondly, we selected a case as the main object and compared the correspondence between the communicative and perceptive images of local residents to construct the connection map of the relationship between local residents and the case field. This part consists of two stages: (1) Through the official information and the intervention of Means–End Chain, we confirm the communicative image and perceptive image of this field, including 13 attributes, 12 consequences, and 11 values; and (2) The collected contents of attributes, consequences, and values were merged and converted into 36 variables to form the evaluation basis for the perceptive images of local residents. Finally, we conducted descriptive statistics, factor analysis, correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression through SPSS 20.0, constructed the A–C–V relation link diagram for the relationship between the field of the case with the local residents, and interpreted the content that should be focused on and the logic behind the constructed image of the field. In addition, the analysis has shown that the archaized block’s function is not only meant for tourism, but it also acts as a network information center combining local people, local knowledge, and local cultural resources, thus highlighting the diversity and value of the archaized block. This research not only provides suggestions for the marketing and design organizations of the archaized block to improve the image of the destination, but also to help the inheritance of urban culture.
Evaluation of Latvian Power System Static Stability According to a New Development Strategy until 2025
Authors: Zicmane Inga , Kovalenko Sergey , Beryozkina Svetlana , Berzina Kristina , Sobolevskis Aleksejs
Published: June 2021

The current stage of world energy development is characterized by the creation of powerful, territorially unified energy systems under free market conditions as well as renewable energy integration. Such transactions challenge networks’ configurations and their operating modes. Electric power system (EPS) static stability could be considered one of the primary targets in this regard. The aim of this study was to evaluate the undergoing and expected modernization of the Latvian EPS in terms of static stability in a regional scale-based case study. In order to define static stability, a method based on a bus admittance matrix was proposed. A simplified Latvian EPS model was developed and assessed for the following three modes: past (2017), current (2020), and planned (2025), taking into account the Baltic States’ planned development scenarios including large wind farm integration. The evaluation of computation results provided an opportunity to visually inspect changes in the EPS’ sensitive elements such as lines and nodes. As a result, positive changes were observed (decrease of several weak points) for the planned mode (2025) as compared to the past mode (2017) under the considered modernization scenario. The detailed analysis and results are presented in the article.
Ecolabels and the Attitude–Behavior Relationship towards Green Product Purchase: A Multiple Mediation Model
Authors: Riskos Kyriakos , Dekoulou Paraskevi (Evi) , Mylonas Naoum , Tsourvakas George
Published: June 2021

Ecolabels are regarded as an exceptional marketing and advertising tool that informs contemporary consumers about the green traits of a product. They provide information that motivates consumers to exhibit a positive attitude and actual behavior towards a green product purchase. Despite the growing interest in the relationship between green attitude and the corresponding green purchase behavior, studies that investigate the influence of ecolabel features on this relationship are rather scarce. In the present study, a survey carried out in Greece with a sample of 571 participants, examined the direct and indirect effects of ecolabel credibility and ecolabel involvement on attitude and actual behavior about green product purchase. A multiple mediation model about green purchase behavior was developed. Results highlighted the crucial role of ecolabel credibility that positively influences attitude towards green product purchase as well as ecolabel involvement. Moreover, emphasis was given on the concepts of attitude towards green product purchase and ecolabel involvement that proved to be significant mediators of this model. Findings can provide useful guidance to green marketers so that they can generate effective strategies based of ecolabels and favor a positive attitude towards green product purchase that ultimately will enhance green product purchase behavior.
Impact of Air Infiltration on IAQ and Ventilation Efficiency in Higher Educational Classrooms in Spain
Authors: Poza-Casado Irene , Gil-Valverde Raquel , Meiss Alberto , Padilla-Marcos Miguel Ángel
Published: June 2021

Indoor air quality (IAQ) in educational buildings is a key element of the students’ well-being and academic performance. Window-opening behavior and air infiltration, generally used as the sole ventilation sources in existing educational buildings, often lead to unhealthy levels of indoor pollutants and energy waste. This paper evaluates the conditions of natural ventilation in classrooms in order to study how climate conditions affect energy waste. For that purpose, the impact of the air infiltration both on the IAQ and on the efficiency of the ventilation was evaluated in two university classrooms with natural ventilation in the Continental area of Spain. The research methodology was based on site sensors to analyze IAQ parameters such as CO2, Total Volatile Organic Compounds (TVOC), Particulate Matter (PM), and other climate parameters for a week during the cold season. Airtightness was then assessed within the classrooms and the close built environment by means of pressurization tests, and infiltration rates were estimated. The obtained results were used to set up a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model to evaluate the age of the local air and the ventilation efficiency value. The results revealed that ventilation cannot rely only on air infiltration, and, therefore, specific controlled ventilation strategies should be implemented to improve IAQ and to avoid excessive energy loss.
Recent Advances in Colorimetric Detection of Arsenic Using Metal-Based Nanoparticles
Authors: Kolya Haradhan , Hashitsume Kazuharu , Kang Chun-Won
Published: June 2021

Nowadays, arsenic (III) contamination of drinking water is a global issue. Laboratory and instrument-based techniques are typically used to detect arsenic in water, with an accuracy of 1 ppb. However, such detection methods require a laboratory-based environment, skilled labor, and additional costs for setup. As a result, several metal-based nanoparticles have been studied to prepare a cost-effective and straightforward detector for arsenic (III) ions. Among the developed strategies, colorimetric detection is one of the simplest methods to detect arsenic (III) in water. Several portable digital detection technologies make nanoparticle-based colorimetric detectors useful for on-site arsenic detection. The present review showcases several metal-based nanoparticles that can detect arsenic (III) colorimetrically at a concentration of ~0.12 ppb or lower in water. A literature survey suggests that biomolecule-based metal nanoparticles could serve as low-cost, facile, susceptible, and eco-friendly alternatives for detecting arsenic (III). This review also describes future directions, perspectives and challenges in developing this alternative technology, which will help us reach a new milestone in designing an effective arsenic detector for commercial use.
COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy in a Representative Education Sector Population in Qatar
Authors: Al-Mulla Reem , Abu-Madi Marawan , Talafha Qusai M. , Tayyem Reema F. , Abdallah Atiyeh M.
Published: June 2021

Even though vaccination programs have now started in earnest across the globe and in Qatar, vaccine hesitancy remains a barrier to effectively tackling the pandemic. Many factors influence willingness to take vaccines including safety, efficacy, and side effects. Given their proximity to research and education, university students and employees represent an interesting cohort in which to investigate vaccine hesitancy. The aim of this study was to assess the attitudes of Qatar University employees and students towards the COVID-19 vaccine. In total, 231 employees and 231 students participated in an online cross-sectional study in February 2021. Of the sample, 62.6% were willing to take a vaccine against COVID-19. Participants with or taking postgraduate degrees were more willing to take the vaccine compared to participants with or taking a diploma or bachelor’s degree (p < 0.001). Males had a higher rate of vaccine acceptance (p < 0.001). In the group that regarded flu vaccination as important, 13% were unwilling to take COVID-19 vaccine. There were no associations between willingness to vaccinate and vaccine/virus knowledge and social media use. Participants showed a high level of concern regarding vaccine side effects in themselves or their children. Two-thirds agreed or strongly agreed that they would take the vaccine if it was mandatory for international travel. Our participants were neutral to the origin of vaccine development. These findings, which represent data collected after the start of the national vaccination program, show that vaccine hesitancy persists in the Qatari population and that some groups, such as undergraduate students, could benefit from specific, targeted public health campaigns.
Vaccine Formulation for Infectious Diseases and Adjuvant Mechanisms of Action
Authors: Wilson Heather L. , Haddadi Azita , Mutwiri George K.
Published: June 2021

The ultimate goal for vaccination is the generation of a safe and effective immune response that protects against diseases [...]
Cancer Vaccines: Promising Therapeutics or an Unattainable Dream
Authors: Donninger Howard , Li Chi , Eaton John W. , Yaddanapudi Kavitha
Published: June 2021

The advent of cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized the field of cancer treatment and offers cancer patients new hope. Although this therapy has proved highly successful for some patients, its efficacy is not all encompassing and several cancer types do not respond. Cancer vaccines offer an alternate approach to promote anti-tumor immunity that differ in their mode of action from antibody-based therapies. Cancer vaccines serve to balance the equilibrium of the crosstalk between the tumor cells and the host immune system. Recent advances in understanding the nature of tumor-mediated tolerogenicity and antigen presentation has aided in the identification of tumor antigens that have the potential to enhance anti-tumor immunity. Cancer vaccines can either be prophylactic (preventative) or therapeutic (curative). An exciting option for therapeutic vaccines is the emergence of personalized vaccines, which are tailor-made and specific for tumor type and individual patient. This review summarizes the current standing of the most promising vaccine strategies with respect to their development and clinical efficacy. We also discuss prospects for future development of stem cell-based prophylactic vaccines.
Detection of Unbalanced Voltage Cells in Series-connected Lithium-ion Batteries Using Single-frequency Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy
Authors: Togasaki Norihiro , Yokoshima Tokihiko , Oguma Yasumasa , Osaka Tetsuya
Published: June 2021

For a battery module where single cells are connected in series, the single cells should each have a similar state of charge (SOC) to prevent them from being exposed to an overcharge or over-discharge during charge–discharge cycling. To detect the existence of unbalanced SOC cells in a battery module, we propose a simple measurement method using a single-frequency response of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). For a commercially available graphite/nickel-cobalt-aluminum-oxide lithium-ion cell, the cell impedance increases significantly below SOC20%, while the impedance in the medium SOC region (SOC20%–SOC80%) remains low with only minor changes. This impedance behavior is mostly due to the elementary processes of cathode reactions in the cell. Among the impedance values (Z, Z′, Z″), the imaginary component of Z″ regarding cathode reactions changes heavily as a function of SOC, in particular, when the EIS measurement is performed around 0.1 Hz. Thanks to the significant difference in the time constant of cathode reactions between ≤SOC10% and ≥SOC20%, a single-frequency EIS measurement enlarges the difference in impedance between balanced and unbalanced cells in the module and facilitates an ~80% improvement in the detection signal compared to results with conventional EIS measurements.
Prijevodi Napoleonova katekizma (1806.) u Dalmaciji
i Ilirskim pokrajinama, 2. dio
Authors: Shek Brnardić Teodora
Published: June 2021

S francuskom upravom u hrvatskim zemljama stupilo je na snagu i francusko državno zakonodavstvo. Između ostaloga, ono je uključivalo i Konkordat između Napoleona i Svete Stolice iz 1801. te Napoleonovu jednostranu zakonsku nadopunu u obliku 77 „Organskih članaka“ iz iste godine. Ovi dokumenti učinili su katoličke biskupije u Francuskoj nekom vrstom carskih upravnih tijela pod nadzorom Ministarstva bogoštovlja. Tako je čl. 39 propisao da će u katoličkim crkvama Francuskoga Carstva od tada nadalje moći postojati samo jedna liturgija i samo jedan katekizam. To je bila osnova za sastavljanje jednoga univerzalnoga Katekizma za sve katoličke crkve u Francuskom Carstvu, poznatoga kao Carski katekizam, objavljenoga 1806. godine. Njega su državni organi vlasti uveli bez potvrde pape Pija VII. i u njemu je prvi put u povijesti katekizma uz pouku o četvrtoj Božjoj zapovijedi izrijekom bilo spomenuto jedno svjetovno ime, dakako, cara Napoleona I. Generalni providur za Dalmaciju Vincenzo Dandolo prvi je 1807. godine naložio prevođenje Carskoga katekizma na „ilirski“, tj. hrvatski jezik, jer je Dalmacija postala dio Kraljevine Italije. Taj je pokušaj završio fijaskom zbog recenzija koje su ukazivale na nerazumljivost prijevoda među narodom. U Ilirskim pokrajinama osnovanim 1809. godine prijevodi su, bilo cjeloviti, bilo tek nekoliko poglavlja, na poticaj civilnih vlasti objavljeni 1811. i 1812. godine, i to na čak četiri jezika: talijanskom, slovenskom, njemačkom i „ilirskom“ jeziku. Premda su ostali bez utjecaja jer su Ilirske pokrajine ukinute već 1813. godine, a Napoleonov katekizam strogo zabranjen od strane austrijskih vlasti, ovi prevodilački pothvati ostaju vrlo vrijedan primjer propagande i pokušaja kulturnoga transfera Napoleonova imperijalnoga kulta u ove krajeve, o čemu će biti riječ u ovome radu.
Polymorphism of SE33 locus in a population sample from Upper Silesia (souther Poland)
Authors:   Silesian University of Medicine, Droździok Kornelia , Tomsia Marcin ,   Silesian University of Medicine, Kabiesz Jadwiga ,   Silesian University of Medicine, Rębała Krzysztof ,   Medical University of Gdańsk
Published: June 2021

In the paper the authors present the results of population research on locus SE 33 in a representative sample of 1315 unrelated individuals (males and females) of European origin living in a southern part of Poland (Upper Silesia).
Durability of fingerprints in aquatic environment
Authors:   National School of Judiciary and Public Prossecution in Cracow, Szymańska Iwona
Published: June 2021

The aim of the study was to determine the influence of environment of stagnant and flowing water on the durability of fingerprints. The fingerprints immersed in two stagnant water reservoirs and 2 flowing water reservoirs were researched. There were two dependent variables: the contrast between fingerprints ridges and valleys and the contrast between the print and space located beyond it. It was found that fingerprints in stagnant water reservoirs have average longer durability and there is a significant difference in durability within one type of water environment. The contrast between fingerprints ridges and valleys turned out to be the most suitable dependent variable for the research.
Purification and Characterization of a Lectin From Bulbs of Cyclamen Mirabile
Authors: KOCADAĞ KOCAZORBAZ Ebru , AZBAZDAR Ayşe Yağmur , ALİAKAR ÖZTÜRK Merve , MENFAATLİ Esra
Published: June 2021

Lectin from the bulbs of Cyclamen mirabile which is an endemic species of Turkey was successfully isolated by affinity precipitation with alginate in one step. The purified protein produced two bands showing a dimeric structure in SDS-PAGE (13.5 and 14.8 kDa). C. mirabile lectin showed activity and stability in a broad pH scale and kept its haemagglutination activity in the temperature range of 4-40°C. MgCl2 and HgCl2 inhibited the haemagglutination activity of the lectin. In this study, a practical and efficient purification procedure was carried out for C. mirabile lectin by using affinity precipitation with alginate.
ANALYSIS OF COST OF SALES AND SALES ON NET INCOME
Authors: Ramdhani Muchamad Pahmi
Published: June 2021

This study aims to analyze The cost of sales and sales of net income in retail trading companies listed on the Bursa Efek Indonesia. The population and sample in this study are the financial statements of 12 retail trading companies listed on the Bursa Efek Indonesia for the period 2016-2018. This research technique uses classic assumption test, multiple linear regression analysis, hypothesis test and determination coefficient test. The collection technique uses the documentation and literature review methods. And after the data was collected, the test analysis in this study was carried out with the help of IBM SPSS 26 for Windows. Based on the results of the F test that The cost of sales and sold together has a simultaneous effect on net income in 12 retail trading sub-sector trading companies listed on the Bursa Efek Indonesia.