bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linking instream wood recruitment to adjacent forest development in landscapes driven by stand-replacing disturbances: a conceptual model to inform riparian and stream management
Authors: Martens Kyle D. , Donato Daniel C. , Halofsky Joshua S. , Devine Warren D. , Minkova Teodora V.
Published: August 2020

Instream wood plays an important role in stream morphology and creation of fish habitat in conifer forests throughout the temperate zone. In some regions, such as the US Pacific Northwest, many streams currently have reduced amounts of instream wood due to past management activities (timber harvest, wood removal, etc.). These reductions exist against a backdrop of naturally dynamic amounts and distributions of instream wood, which likely fluctuate over time based in part on the stage of development (disturbance and succession) in adjacent riparian forests. Despite many studies on both forest development and instream wood accumulation, the linkages between these processes have not been fully described, particularly as they relate to stream restoration needs. In this paper, we combine literature on forest development, disturbance, and processes that drive instream wood recruitment to more explicitly connect the temporal dynamics of stream wood inputs with the dynamics of adjacent riparian forests. We use moist forests of the Pacific Northwest as an exemplary system, from which to draw broadly applicable patterns for landscapes influenced by stand-replacing disturbance regimes. This conceptual model highlights a U-shaped pattern of instream wood recruitment, in which instream wood is highest after a stand-replacing disturbance and during the old-growth stage, and lowest through the middle stages of forest development (currently the most abundant stages in many landscapes as a result of past forest management practices). This mid-successional period of scarce wood is likely exacerbated in streams with a history of wood removal. The U-shaped pattern suggests that, without higher-than-average levels of disturbance, many streams in landscapes dominated by mid-successional second-growth forests (∼30–80 yr old) will be deficient of instream wood until forest stands are over 200 years old. As such, the balance between the predominant riparian conservation strategy of passive restoration (e.g., unharvested riparian reserves) and the alternative of active restoration (e.g., wood additions and (or) riparian stand treatments) should be carefully considered, depending on management objectives, site context, and potential tradeoffs over time.
Molecular phylogeny of the Ficus virens complex (Moraceae)
Authors: Mahima Karthikeyan , Sudhakar Jana Venkata , Sathishkumar Ramalingam
Published: August 2020

The closely related species present in the subgenera of Urostigma are challenging to classify due to the existence of overlapping morphological characteristics, which makes identification habitually problematic. It is still unresolved whether the species of the Ficus virens complex, which includes F. virens, F. middletonii, F. caulocarpa, F. concinna, and F. superba, are the same or distinct species due to the complexities in classification. To clarify the circumscription between the species and re-evaluate the taxonomical status, morphological characteristics were extensively examined; further, a phylogenetic reconstruction based on two DNA markers (ITS2 and trnH-psbA) in combination with morphological traits was carried out. The phylogenetic tree constructed using the combined morphology and DNA markers revealed that the five species should be demarcated as independent species. This study supports the importance of using both molecular and morphological data for efficient discrimination of species having high similarities. Further investigation into the species present in the subgenera Urostigma may provide additional information regarding the ancestral traits and its evolutionary history.
U(1) gauged model of FJ-type chiral boson based on Batalin–Fradkin–Vilkovisky formalism
Authors: Yasmin Safia
Published: August 2020

The BRST quantization of the U(1) gauged model of FJ-type chiral boson for [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] are performed using the Batalin–Fradkin–Vilkovisky formalism. BFV formalism converts the second-class algebra into an effective first-class algebra with the help of auxiliary fields. Explicit expressions of the BRST charge, the involutive Hamiltonian, and the preserving BRST symmetry action are given and the full quantization has been carried through. For [Formula: see text], this Hamiltonian gives the gauge invariant Lagrangian including the well-known Wess–Zumino term, while for [Formula: see text] the corresponding Lagrangian has the additional new type of the Wess–Zumino term. The spectra in both cases have been analysed and the Wess–Zumino actions in terms of auxiliary fields are identified.
Integrating management science into the HPC research ecosystem
Authors: Schryen Guido
Published: August 2020

How management science benefits from High Performance Computing.
Using illustration to create more inclusive user interfaces for older adults
Authors: Correia Catarina , Oliveira Elsa , Nunes Francisco
Published: August 2020

In this forum we celebrate research that helps to successfully bring the benefits of computing technologies to children, older adults, people with disabilities, and other populations that are often ignored in the design of mass-marketed products.
--- Juan Pablo Hourcade, Editor
Machine learning applications
Authors: Thieme Anja , Belgrave Danielle , Sano Akane , Doherty Gavin
Published: August 2020

The
Interactions
website (interactions.acm.org) hosts a stable of bloggers who share insights and observations on HCI, often challenging current practices. Each issue we'll publish selected posts from some of the leading and emerging voices in the field.
Designing a design-a-hack-a-thon
Authors: Taylor Jennifer , Sherman Stephanie
Published: August 2020

HCI education reflects the continual evolution of HCI, embracing the changing landscapes of technology, infrastructure, and technology use. This forum aims to provide a platform for HCI educators, practitioners, researchers, and students to share their perspectives, reflections, and experiences related to HCI education.
--- Sukeshini Grandhi, Editor
Technologies for healthy work
Authors: Haliburton Luke , Schmidt Albrecht
Published: August 2020

Envisioning, designing, and implementing the user interface require a comprehensive understanding of interaction technologies. In this forum we scout trends and discuss new technologies with the potential to influence interaction design.
--- Albrecht Schmidt, Editor
Sitting with Hakken
Authors: Kannabiran Gopinaath
Published: August 2020

The
Interactions
website (interactions.acm.org) hosts a stable of bloggers who share insights and observations on HCI, often challenging current practices. Each issue we'll publish selected posts from some of the leading and emerging voices in the field.
Featured conferences
Authors: INTR Staff
Published: August 2020

At press time, scheduled conferences had been significantly impacted by COVID-19, often requiring cancellation or postponement of the event. Please check the conference websites for the latest updates.
Dark patterns
Authors: Narayanan Arvind , Mathur Arunesh , Chetty Marshini , Kshirsagar Mihir
Published: August 2020

The evolution of tricky user interfaces.
Partitioning and Scheduling with Module Merging on Dynamic Partial Reconfigurable FPGAs
Authors: Tang Qi , Wang Zhe , Guo Biao , Zhu Li-Hua , Wei Ji-Bo
Published: August 2020

Field programmable gate array (FPGA) is ubiquitous nowadays and is applied to many areas. Dynamic partial reconfiguration (DPR) is introduced to most modern FPGAs, enabling changing the function of a part of the FPGA by dynamically loading new bitstreams to the logic regions without affecting the function of other parts of the FPGA. However, delivering the powerful capacity of the DPR FPGA to the user depends on the efficient partitioning and scheduling technology. This article proposes the module merging technique for the partitioning and scheduling problem to reduce the reconfiguration overhead and improve the schedule performance. An exact approach based on the integer linear programming (ILP) for the partitioning and scheduling problem with module merging is proposed. The ILP-based approach is capable of solving the problem optimally, and can be used to further improve the performance of schedules produced by other non-optimal algorithms; however, it is time-consuming to solve large-scale problems. Therefore, a K-sliced-ILP algorithm based on the methodology of divide-and-conquer is proposed, which is able to reduce the time complexity significantly with the solution quality being degraded marginally. Experiments are carried out with a set of real-life applications, and the result demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed methods.
Adversarial Perturbation Attacks on ML-based CAD
Authors: Liu Kang , Yang Haoyu , Ma Yuzhe , Tan Benjamin , Yu Bei , Young Evangeline F. Y. , Karri Ramesh , Garg Siddharth
Published: August 2020

There is substantial interest in the use of machine learning (ML)-based techniques throughout the electronic computer-aided design (CAD) flow, particularly those based on deep learning. However, while deep learning methods have surpassed state-of-the-art performance in several applications, they have exhibited intrinsic susceptibility to adversarial perturbations—small but deliberate alterations to the input of a neural network, precipitating incorrect predictions. In this article, we seek to investigate whether adversarial perturbations pose risks to ML-based CAD tools, and if so, how these risks can be mitigated. To this end, we use a motivating case study of lithographic hotspot detection, for which convolutional neural networks (CNN) have shown great promise. In this context, we show the
first
adversarial perturbation attacks on state-of-the-art CNN-based hotspot detectors; specifically, we show that small (on average 0.5% modified area), functionality preserving, and design-constraint-satisfying changes to a layout can nonetheless trick a CNN-based hotspot detector into predicting the modified layout as hotspot free (with up to 99.7% success in finding perturbations that flip a detector’s output prediction, based on a given set of attack constraints). We propose an adversarial retraining strategy to improve the robustness of CNN-based hotspot detection and show that this strategy significantly improves robustness (by a factor of ~3) against adversarial attacks without compromising classification accuracy.
Improving social alignment during digital transformation
Authors: Burton-Jones Andrew , Gilchrist Alicia , Green Peter , Draheim Michael
Published: August 2020

Exploring what leaders can do to improve and sustain social alignment over time.
A recent renaissance in privacy law
Authors: Kaminski Margot
Published: August 2020

Considering the recent increased attention to privacy law issues amid the typically slow pace of legal change.
Autonomous vehicle safety
Authors: Lala Jaynarayan H. , Landwehr Carl E. , Meyer John F.
Published: August 2020

How more than 25years of experience with aviation safety-critical systems can be applied to autonomous vehicle systems.
Avalanches make us all innovators
Authors: Denning Peter J.
Published: August 2020

Avalanches generate enormous breakdowns. The practices of innovation adoption may be just what you need to resolve them.
Growing Up in a Changing World: Environmental Regulation of Development in Insects
Authors: Mirth Christen K. , Saunders Timothy E. , Amourda Christopher
Published: August 2020

All organisms are exposed to changes in their environment throughout their life cycle. When confronted with these changes, they adjust their development and physiology to ensure that they can produce the functional structures necessary for survival and reproduction. While some traits are remarkably invariant, or robust, across environmental conditions, others show high degrees of variation, known as plasticity. Generally, developmental processes that establish cell identity are thought to be robust to environmental perturbation, while those relating to body and organ growth show greater degrees of plasticity. However, examples of plastic patterning and robust organ growth demonstrate that this is not a hard-and-fast rule.In this review, we explore how the developmental context and the gene regulatory mechanisms underlying trait formation determine the impacts of the environment on development in insects. Furthermore, we outline future issues that need to be resolved to understand how the structure of signaling networks defines whether a trait displays plasticity or robustness.
How Dung Beetles Steer Straight
Authors: Dacke Marie , Baird Emily , el Jundi Basil , Warrant Eric J. , Byrne Marcus
Published: August 2020

Distant and predictable features in the environment make ideal compass cues to allow movement along a straight path. Ball-rolling dung beetles use a wide range of different signals in the day or night sky to steer themselves along a fixed bearing. These include the sun, the Milky Way, and the polarization pattern generated by the moon. Almost two decades of research into these remarkable creatures have shown that the dung beetle's compass is flexible and readily adapts to the cues available in its current surroundings. In the morning and afternoon, dung beetles use the sun to orient, but at midday, they prefer to use the wind, and at night or in a forest, they rely primarily on polarized skylight to maintain straight paths. We are just starting to understand the neuronal substrate underlying the dung beetle's compass and the mystery of why these beetles start each journey with a dance.
In-Plane Transport in Water Electrolyzer Porous Transport Layers with Through Pores
Authors: Kim P. J. , Lee CH. , Lee J. K. , Fahy K.F. , Bazylak A.
Published: August 2020

The mass transport in porous transport layers (PTLs) with pores exclusively in the through-plane direction was investigated using concurrent in operando X-ray radiography and electrochemical performance analysis. We observed via synchrotron X-ray imaging that through pores situated under the lands are inaccessible to liquid water. We thereby observed the limited in-plane mass transport that takes place in PTLs with pores exclusively in the through-plane direction. Additionally, a higher content of product gas was observed with the use of the PTL with through pores under both the channels and the lands (PTLCh,L) when compared to the PTL with through pores only under the channels (PTLCh). This oxygen gas accumulation behaviour corresponded to the higher mass transport overpotential of the PTLCh,L compared to the PTLCh. Finally, the limited in-plane mass transport in the PTL with through pores led to a relatively dehydrated catalyst layer, which was exhibited through higher ionic resistances as a function of increasing current density.
Perspective—Expected Variation in Reported Coin Cell Capacities Due to Current Collector Mass Distribution
Authors: Koenig Gary M. , Gupta Devanshi , Kim Yonsei
Published: August 2020

Recently publications have suggested best practices with regards to techniques and reporting for battery research. One area gaining attention is the need for battery cell replicates. In this perspective, the need for replicates is put into the context of the uncertainty in gravimetric capacity resulting from a component typically assumed as a constant—the current collector mass. The expected variation in reported gravimetric capacity just due to this factor for representative current collectors and battery materials will be discussed, and the additional importance of electrode loading to minimize the impact of this factor will be described.
p38δ genetic ablation protects female mice from anthracycline cardiotoxicity
Authors: George Sharon A. , Kiss Alexi , Obaid Sofian N. , Venegas Aileen , Talapatra Trisha , Wei Chapman , Efimova Tatiana , Efimov Igor R.
Published: August 2020

This study for the first time identifies the sex-specific roles of the alternative p38γ and p38δ MAPK isoforms in promoting doxorubicin (DOX) cardiotoxicity. We show that p38δ and p38γ/δ systemic deletion was cardioprotective in female but not in male mice. Cardiac structure and function were preserved in DOX-treated p38δ−/− females, and autophagy marker was increased.
The ubiquitin ligase WWP1 contributes to shifts in matrix proteolytic profiles and a myocardial aging phenotype with diastolic heart
Authors: Matesic Lydia E. , Freeburg Lisa A. , Snyder Laura B. , Duncan Lauren-Ashley , Moore Amber , Perreault Paige E. , Zellars Kia N. , Goldsmith Edie C. , Spinale Francis G.
Published: August 2020

Heart failure (HF) with a preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a growing cause of HF and commonly afflicts the elderly. Milestones for HFpEF include diastolic dysfunction and an abnormal extracellular matrix (ECM). The ubiquitin ligases, such as WWP1, change with aging and regulate critical protein turnover/stability processes, such as the ECM. The present study demonstrated that induction of WWP1 in mice induced LV hypertrophy, diastolic dysfunction, and ECM accumulation, consistent with the HFpEF phenotype, and thus may identify a new therapeutic pathway.
Cartesian Control of Sit-to-Stand Motion Using Head Position Feedback
Authors: Rafique Samina , Najam-ul-Islam M. , Shafique M. , Mahmood A.
Published: August 2020

Sit-to-stand (STS) motion is an indicator of an individual’s physical independence and well-being. Determination of various variables that contribute to the execution and control of STS motion is an active area of research. In this study, we evaluate the clinical hypothesis that besides numerous other factors, the central nervous system (CNS) controls STS motion by tracking a prelearned head position trajectory. Motivated by the evidence for a task-oriented encoding of motion by the CNS, we adopt a robotic approach for the synthesis of STS motion and propose this scheme as a solution to this hypothesis. We propose an analytical biomechanical human CNS modeling framework where the head position trajectory defines the high-level task control variable. The motion control is divided into low-level task generation and motor execution phases. We model CNS as STS controller and its Estimator subsystem plans joint trajectories to perform the low-level task. The motor execution is done through the Cartesian controller subsystem that generates torque commands to the joints. We do extensive motion and force capture experiments on human subjects to validate our analytical modeling scheme. We first scale our biomechanical model to match the anthropometry of the subjects. We do dynamic motion reconstruction through the control of simulated custom human CNS models to follow the captured head position trajectories in real time. We perform kinematic and kinetic analyses and comparison of experimental and simulated motions. For head position trajectories, root mean square (RMS) errors are 0.0118 m in horizontal and 0.0315 m in vertical directions. Errors in angle estimates are 0.55 rad, 0.93 rad, 0.59 rad, and 0.0442 rad for ankle, knee, hip, and head orientation, respectively. RMS error of ground reaction force (GRF) is 50.26 N, and the correlation between ground reaction torque and the support moment is 0.72. Low errors in our results validate (1) the reliability of motion/force capture methods and anthropometric technique for customization of human models and (2) high-level task control framework and human CNS modeling as a solution to the hypothesis. Accurate modeling and detailed understanding of human motion can have significant scope in the fields of rehabilitation, humanoid robotics, and virtual characters’ motion planning based on high-level task control schemes.
Risky Sexual Behavior and Associated Factors among Adolescents Aged 15‐19 Years at Governmental High Schools in Aksum Town, Tigray, Ethiopia, 2019: An Institution‐Based, Cross‐Sectional Study
Authors: Srahbzu Mengesha , Tirfeneh Enguday
Published: August 2020

Introduction. The impact of risky sexual practice on the general health of adolescents is enormous; little attention has been given on identification and intervention plans. Therefore, the aim of this study was to find the magnitude of risky sexual behavior and associated factors among adolescents aged 15‐19 years in high schools at Aksum town, Tigray, Ethiopia. Methods. An institution‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted at governmental high schools of Aksum town. We recruited a total of 659 adolescents aged 15‐19 years by using a systematic random sampling technique. Data was collected with a face‐to‐face interview. An Amharic version of the sexual risk behavior scale was used to measure risky sexual behaviors. The patient health questionnaire 9, the Oslo‐3 social support scale, and an adverse childhood experience questionnaire were used to assess the factors. The coded data were entered into EpiData v.4.1 and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences version 22. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regressions were done. An adjusted odds ratio at a p value < 0.05 with 95% confidence interval was taken to declare statistical significance. Result. A total of 644 students have participated with a response rate of 97.7%. The prevalence of risky sexual behavior among adolescents aged 15‐19 years was found to be 17.2%. Factors like poor social support (AOR = 5.59, 95% CI: 2.71‐11.53), living out of family (AOR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.21‐3.07), experiencing parental neglect (AOR = 1.87, 95% CI: 1.18‐2.94), and drinking alcohol (AOR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.55‐4.20) were statistically associated with risky sexual behavior. Conclusion and Recommendations. The prevalence of risky sexual behavior was found to be alarming among adolescents of high school aged 15‐19 years. This can significantly affect health quality in the community and the country at large. We recommend setting strategies that are against the determining factors of risky sexual behavior; the control of alcoholic beverages among adolescents aged 15‐19 years must be enhanced, and awareness creation must be made regarding its unpleasant consequences.
GPA Peptide-Induced Nur77 Localization at Mitochondria Inhibits Inflammation and Oxidative Stress through Activating Autophagy in the Intestine
Authors: Deng Zhao , Liu Qi , Wang Miaomiao , Wei Hong-Kui , Peng Jian
Published: August 2020

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC), is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting the colon, and its incidence is rising worldwide. Nur77, belongs to the NR4A subfamily of nuclear hormone receptors, plays a critical role in controlling the pathology of colitis. The aim of this study is to investigate the protection effect and mechanism of Gly-Pro-Ala (GPA) peptide, isolated from fish skin gelatin hydrolysate, in a mouse model of dextran sulfate sodium- (DSS-) induced colitis and intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) stimulated by lipopolysaccharide (LPS). In vivo, GPA treatment alleviates DSS-induced weight loss, disease activity index (DAI) increase, colon length shortening, and colonic pathological damage. Production of proinflammatory cytokines, ROS, and MDA is significantly decreased by GPA treatment. In vitro, GPA significantly inhibits proinflammatory cytokine production, cytotoxicity, ROS, and MDA in IECs. Furthermore, GPA induces autophagy to suppress inflammation and oxidative stress. GPA promotes Nur77 translocation from the nucleus to mitochondria where it facilitates Nur77 interaction with TRAF6 and p62, leading to the induction of autophagy. In addition, GPA contributed to the maintenance of tight junction architecture in vivo and in vitro. Taken together, GPA, as a Nur77 modulator, could exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects by inducing autophagy in IECs, suggesting that GPA may be promising for the prevention of colitis.
Goat Genomic Resources: The Search for Genes Associated with Its Economic Traits
Authors: Zonaed Siddiki A. M. A. M. , Miah Gous , Islam Md. Sirazul , Kumkum Mahadia , Rumi Meheadi Hasan , Baten Abdul , Hossain Mohammad Alamgir
Published: August 2020

Goat plays a crucial role in human livelihoods, being a major source of meat, milk, fiber, and hides, particularly under adverse climatic conditions. The goat genomics related to the candidate gene approach is now being used to recognize molecular mechanisms that have different expressions of growth, reproductive, milk, wool, and disease resistance. The appropriate literature on this topic has been reviewed in this article. Several genetic characterization attempts of different goats have reported the existence of genotypic and morphological variations between different goat populations. As a result, different whole-genome sequences along with annotated gene sequences, gene function, and other genomic information of different goats are available in different databases. The main objective of this review is to search the genes associated with economic traits in goats. More than 271 candidate genes have been discovered in goats. Candidate genes influence the physiological pathway, metabolism, and expression of phenotypes. These genes have different functions on economically important traits. Some genes have pleiotropic effect for expression of phenotypic traits. Hence, recognizing candidate genes and their mutations that cause variations in gene expression and phenotype of an economic trait can help breeders look for genetic markers for specific economic traits. The availability of reference whole-genome assembly of goats, annotated genes, and transcriptomics makes comparative genomics a useful tool for systemic genetic upgradation. Identification and characterization of trait-associated sequence variations and gene will provide powerful means to give positive influences for future goat breeding program.
MAC30 Knockdown Inhibits Proliferation and Enhance Apoptosis of Gastric Cancer by Suppressing Wnt/β-Cateninsignaling Pathway
Authors: Wu Xiaohong , Zhang Yong , Guo Junping , Yan Xun , Shen Li , Zhou Jianping , Zhao Jun , Zhuang Min , Cao Zhihong
Published: August 2020

Gastric cancer is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer and poses a serious threat to health system in the world. Upregulation of meningioma-associated protein (MAC30) has been found in many solid tumors and can regulate the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of different tumor cells. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the expression of MAC30 in 68 patients with gastric cancer and their adjacent tissues. Lentiviral vector pGCSIL-shMAC30-GFP of the RNA interference (RNAi) of the MAC30 gene was transfected into gastric cancer BGC-823 cell line and the expression of lentivirus label protein GFP was observed via fluorescence microscope, while cell proliferation and apoptosis were determined with flow cytometry and MTT assay, respectively. Also, related protein expressions on Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway were analyzed by Western blot method. The expression of MAC30 was abnormally elevated in gastric cancer tissues, while interfering of its expression could significantly inhibit the proliferation of gastric cancer BGC-823 cell line. However, the promotion of apoptosis by mitochondrial pathway was mediated by Bax/Bcl-2 upregulation. Present work showed the effect of downregulated MAC30 expression on proliferation and apoptosis of gastric cancer cell through Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Thus, this investigation provides an experimental basis for future development of chemotherapeutic agent on gastric cancer.
Nonlinear Finite Volume Scheme Preserving Positivity for 2D Convection-Diffusion Equations on Polygonal Meshes
Authors: Lan Bin , Dong Jianqiang
Published: August 2020

In this paper, a nonlinear finite volume scheme preserving positivity for solving 2D steady convection-diffusion equation on arbitrary convex polygonal meshes is proposed. First, the nonlinear positivity-preserving finite volume scheme is developed. Then, in order to avoid the computed solution beyond the upper bound, the cell-centered unknowns and auxiliary unknowns on the cell-edge are corrected. We prove that the present scheme can avoid the numerical solution beyond the upper bound. Our scheme is locally conservative and has only cell-centered unknowns. Numerical results show that our scheme preserves the above conclusion and has second-order accuracy for solution.
Neuropharmacological Effects of Mesaconitine: Evidence from Molecular and Cellular Basis of Neural Circuit
Authors: Sun Zhihui , Yang Limin , Zhao Lihong , Cui Ranji , Yang Wei
Published: August 2020

Mesaconitine (MA), a diester-diterpenoid alkaloid in aconite roots, is considered to be one of the most important bioactive ingredients. In this review, we summarized its neuropharmacological effects, including analgesic effects and antiepileptiform effects. Mesaconitine can act on the central noradrenergic system and the serotonin system; behaving like the norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants that increase norepinephrine levels in stress-induced depression. Therefore, the possible perspectives for future studies on the depression of MA were also discussed as well. The pharmacological effect of MA on depression is worthy of further study.
Open Reduction and Intrafragmentary Compression Fixation with External Fixator (the Ichi-Fixator) Treatment of Distal Phalangeal Nonunion
Authors: Ichihara Satoshi , Yamamoto Yasuhiro , Hara Akira , Suzuki Masao , Maruyama Yuichiro
Published: August 2020

The nonunion of distal phalangeal communized fracture is relatively rare in hand fractures. However, if it occurred, the surgical treatment is quite difficult because of small piece of fragmentations. We developed a new fixation method that involves the insertion of two wires and external wire compression fixation using a metal clamp. The aim of this technique was to increase the compression force between fragments and rigidity of conventional percutaneous Kirschner wire fixation. Here, we present a patient with the nonunion of distal phalangeal communized fracture who was satisfactorily treated with open reduction and percutaneous interfragmentary compression fixation with a linking external wire fixator (the Ichi-Fixator system). Such a treatment that enables compression fixation for communized distal phalangeal fracture of nonunion will clearly boost bone healing. Linked external wire-type compression fixator (the Ichi-Fixator system) enables enhanced security of fixation and facilitates the bone healing.
Clinical Outcomes of Endoscope-Assisted 30-Gauge Single-Needle Technique for Intrascleral Intraocular Lens Fixation
Authors: Mitamura Hayato , Kaga Tatsushi , Kojima Takashi , Yoshida Norihiko , Sato Hiroyuki , Matsuda Taisuke , Yokoyama Sho , Mori Toshio , Ichikawa Kazuo
Published: August 2020

Introduction: We have developed an endoscope-assisted single-needle technique, which is an improvement of Yamane’s double-needle technique of the intrascleral intraocular lens (IOL) fixation techniques. In this surgical procedure, the IOL is manipulated in the vitreous cavity, and the IOL haptic is externalized from the eye one by one with the aid of an ophthalmic endoscope. The purpose of this study was to report the postoperative visual function and safety of this new technique. Methods: Overall, 19 consecutive eyes (16 patients; mean age, 75.1 ± 9.6 years; mean follow-up period, 5.7 months) that underwent intrascleral IOL fixation surgery with our new technique were included in the study. Manifest refraction, uncorrected/corrected visual acuity, and corneal endothelial cell density were measured before and after surgery. Tilt and decentration of IOL were analyzed using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. Results: The mean absolute prediction error (spherical equivalent) was 0.82 ± 0.52. The mean postoperative best-corrected visual acuity had significantly improved at the final visits (p = 0.02). No significant differences in the mean corneal endothelial cell density were observed between the first (2,232 ± 751 cells/mm2) and final (2,099 ± 649 cells/mm2) visits (p = 0.35). The mean IOL tilt was 8.1 ± 3.2°. There were no vision-threatening complications, such as retinal detachment, endophthalmitis, or IOL dislocation, during or after surgery. Conclusions: The endoscope-assisted single-needle technique is a safe and effective method of intrascleral IOL fixation surgery.
CaMKIIδC Drives Early Adaptive Ca
2+
Change and Late Eccentric Cardiac Hypertrophy
Authors: Ljubojevic-Holzer Senka , Herren Anthony W. , Djalinac Natasa , Voglhuber Julia , Morotti Stefano , Holzer Michael , Wood Brent M. , Abdellatif Mahmoud , Matzer Ingrid , Sacherer Michael , Radulovic Snjezana , Wallner Markus , Ivanov Milan , Wagner Stefan , Sossalla Samuel , von Lewinski Dirk , Pieske Burkert , Brown Joan Heller , Sedej Simon , Bossuyt Julie , Bers Donald M.
Published: August 2020

Rationale:

CaMKII (Ca
2+
-Calmodulin dependent protein kinase) δC activation is implicated in pathological progression of heart failure (HF) and CaMKIIδC transgenic mice rapidly develop HF and arrhythmias. However, little is known about early spatio-temporal Ca
2+
handling and CaMKII activation in hypertrophy and HF.

Objective:

To measure time- and location-dependent activation of CaMKIIδC signaling in adult ventricular cardiomyocytes, during transaortic constriction (TAC) and in CaMKIIδC transgenic mice.

Methods and Results:

We used human tissue from nonfailing and HF hearts, 4 mouse lines: wild-type, KO (CaMKIIδ-knockout), CaMKIIδC transgenic in wild-type (TG), or KO background, and wild-type mice exposed to TAC. Confocal imaging and biochemistry revealed disproportional CaMKIIδC activation and accumulation in nuclear and perinuclear versus cytosolic regions at 5 days post-TAC. This CaMKIIδ activation caused a compensatory increase in sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca
2+
content, Ca
2+
transient amplitude, and [Ca
2+
] decline rates, with reduced phospholamban expression, all of which were most prominent near and in the nucleus. These early adaptive effects in TAC were entirely mimicked in young CaMKIIδ TG mice (6–8 weeks) where no overt cardiac dysfunction was present. The (peri)nuclear CaMKII accumulation also correlated with enhanced HDAC4 (histone deacetylase) nuclear export, creating a microdomain for transcriptional regulation. At longer times both TAC and TG mice progressed to overt HF (at 45 days and 11–13 weeks, respectively), during which time the compensatory Ca
2+
transient effects reversed, but further increases in nuclear and time-averaged [Ca
2+
] and CaMKII activation occurred. CaMKIIδ TG mice lacking δB exhibited more severe HF, eccentric myocyte growth, and nuclear changes. Patient HF samples also showed greatly increased CaMKIIδ expression, especially for CaMKIIδC in nuclear fractions.

Conclusions:

We conclude that in early TAC perinuclear CaMKIIδC activation promotes adaptive increases in myocyte Ca
2+
transients and nuclear transcriptional responses but that chronic progression of this nuclear Ca
2+
-CaMKIIδC axis contributes to eccentric hypertrophy and HF.
Reservoir of Fibroblasts Promotes Recovery From Limb Ischemia
Authors: Meng Shu , Lv Jie , Chanda Palas K. , Owusu Iris , Chen Kaifu , Cooke John P.
Published: August 2020

Background:

The angiogenic response to ischemia restores perfusion so as to preserve tissue. A role for mesenchymal-to-endothelial transition in the angiogenic response is controversial. This study is to determine if resident fibroblasts contribute to angiogenesis.

Methods:

We utilized the murine model of hindlimb ischemia, and in vivo Matrigel plug assay together with lineage tracing studies and single cell RNA-sequencing to examine the transcriptional and functional changes in fibroblasts in response to ischemia.

Results:

Lineage tracing using Fsp1-Cre: R26R-EYFP mice revealed the emergence within the ischemic hindlimb of a small subset of YFP
+
CD144
+
CD11b
−
fibroblasts (E* cells) that expressed endothelial cell (EC) genes. Subcutaneous administration of Matrigel in Fsp1-Cre: R26R-EYFP mice generated a plug that became vascularized within 5 days. Isolation of YFP
+
CD11b
-
cells from the plug revealed a small subset of YFP
+
CD144
+
CD11b
−
E* cells which expressed EC genes. Pharmacological or genetic suppression of innate immune signaling reduced vascularity of the Matrigel plug and abrogated the generation of these E* cells. These studies were repeated using human fibroblasts, with fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis revealing that a small percentage of human fibroblasts that were induced to express EC markers in Matrigel plug assay. Pharmacological suppression or genetic knockout of inflammatory signaling abolished the generation of E* cells, impaired perfusion recovery and increased tissue injury after femoral artery ligation. To further characterize these E* cells, single cell RNA-sequencing studies were performed and revealed 8 discrete clusters of cells expressing characteristic fibroblast genes, of which 2 clusters (C5 and C8) also expressed some EC genes. Ischemia of the hindlimb induced expansion of clusters C5 and C8. The C8 cells did not express CD144, nor did they form networks in Matrigel, but did generate angiogenic cytokines. The C5 fibroblasts most resembled E* cells in their expression of CD144 and their ability to form EC-like networks in Matrigel.

Conclusions:

Together, these studies indicate the presence of subsets of tissue fibroblasts which seem poised to contribute to the angiogenic response. The expansion of these subsets with ischemia is dependent on activation of innate immune signaling and contributes to recovery of perfusion and preservation of ischemic tissue.
On the taxonomic status of three enigmatic Indochinese frog species (Amphibia: Anura) described by L. G. Andersson
Authors: POYARKOV NIKOLAY A. , SOLOVYEVA EVGENIYA N. , VAN NGUYEN TAN , GEISSLER PETER
Published: August 2020

In the first half of the 20th century, four Swedish expeditions to Indochina contributed significantly to the knowledge on the herpetofauna of mainland Southeast Asia. The collected material was examined by L. G. Andersson in Stockholm, resulting in the description of seven new species and forms of amphibians and reptiles from Vietnam and Thailand. However, the taxonomic status of three enigmatic frog species described by Andersson, namely Rana scutigera, Oxyglossus laevis var. vittata, and Microhyla fusca, remained doubtful. All three taxa are only known from their type specimens and their short original descriptions. Though subsequent studies have doubted their validity or systematic assignment, they have been treated as valid species until today. We have examined the external morphology and coloration of the type specimens, what led to a taxonomic reallocation of these three species. We demonstrate that Rana scutigera Andersson, 1916 is a junior synonym of Polypedates megacephalus Hallowell, 1861, Oxyglossus laevis var. vittata Andersson, 1942 is synonymized with Occidozyga martensii (Peters, 1967), and Microhyla fusca Andersson, 1942 represents a junior synonym of Microhyla butleri Boulenger, 1900.
A new Leptobrachella (Anura: Megophryidae) from the Cardamom Mountains of Cambodia
Authors: STUART BRYAN L. , ROWLEY JODI J. L.
Published: August 2020

The species-rich, megophryid frog genus Leptobrachella Smith, 1925 is distributed throughout the uplands of mainland Southeast Asia but is conspicuously absent from the Cardamom Mountains of southwestern Cambodia, where it has been known only by a single, undetermined metamorphic specimen collected nearly two decades ago. We report two adult female specimens of Leptobrachella collected a decade later at a second locality in the Cardamom Mountains and use mitochondrial DNA, nuclear DNA, and morphology to show that it represents a distinct species. Leptobrachella neangi sp. nov., named after its collector, is most closely related in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA to L. fuliginosa (Matsui, 2006) and L. melanoleuca (Matsui, 2006) from western Thailand, but has uncorrected pairwise distances of 8.69–10.99% in a mitochondrial 16S gene fragment from its two sister species. The new species is also readily distinguished from these and other congeners by having the combination of (1) SVL 35.4–36.3 mm in two adult females, (2) distinct dorsolateral glandular line absent, (2) belly transparent, immaculate purplish gray in life, creamy white in preservative, (3) dark inguinal blotch absent, (4) tympanum with black coloration extending from line under supratympanic fold, (5) dorsal skin with small, irregular bumps and ridges, and (6) iris coppery orange around pupil, fading to gold at periphery, not distinctly bicolored. The new species is the first named Leptobrachella from the Cardamom Mountains and the third from Cambodia.
Application of Variable Distance Photoelectric Sensor in Precision Automatic Sowing and Fertilization
Authors: Li Hongchang , Gao Fang , Niu Hehe , Chang Fang
Published: August 2020

In order to realize the real-time monitoring of precision automatic seeding and fertilization, a monitoring system of precision automatic seeding and fertilization integrated machine based on variable distance photoelectric sensor is designed. In this system, STM32F103R8T6 single chip
microcomputer hardware system is used as the lower computer to judge the running state of the machine. Through Modbus protocol, the received information is transmitted to the upper computer interface of MCGSTPC touch screen for real-time display. In the laboratory test, the designed seed metering
device and fertilizer applicator can meet the requirements of wide precision sowing and wide uniform fertilization. All indicators can meet the requirements. In the field experiment, the phenomenon of seed leakage (fertilizer leakage) failure and response delay will occasionally appear. Moreover,
the alarm accuracy of the monitoring system is more than 95%, and the response time of fertilizer missing, blocking and leakage is short. Therefore, the system designed in this study can realize the real-time and high-precision monitoring of precision automatic seeder, which is helpful to
improve the quality of precision seeder.
Application of Photoelectric Sensor in Vehicle Power Control System
Authors: Zhao Yifan , Wang Mengyu , Wang Kai
Published: August 2020

Due to its characteristics of using clean electric energy and bringing no damage to the environment, electric vehicles (EVs) have become a new developmental direction for the automotive industry. Its reliability issues have also attracted the attention of experts and professionals.
In the field of automotive power control, from the perspective of motor control, this study uses the photoelectric sensors (PSs) as the research objects and elaborates on the measurement principles of motor speed with PSs. Meanwhile, a diagnosis scheme is proposed for various faults in the
measurement. Among them, the measurement speed is converted by the photoelectric signal, and the measured waveform is amplified. In the fault detection process, the Radial Basis Function (RBF) artificial neural network (ANN) is analyzed. By using this method, the difference in the motor speed
detected by the sensor is calculated to determine the cause of the failure. The test uses the least-square method to compare the tested motor speed with the actual motor speed. The results show that PSs can measure the motor speed of EVs. As for the motor failures, the mean square errors (MSEs)
of motor speeds generated by different faults are compared to determine the fault points according to the speed changes. In addition, the cause of motor failure can be determined by the real-time calculation of the speed differences. The above tests fully prove the effectiveness of measuring
the speed of electric motors by PSs; therefore, PSs have broad application prospects in vehicle power control systems.
Numerical Analysis of Stable and Low Cost Perovskite Solar Cell with an Enhanced Inorganic Electron and Hole Transport Layers
Authors: Mehmood Safdar , Kaleem Mohammad , Nazir Sajid , Israr Adeel , Mirza Hamid Turab
Published: August 2020

The perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs) are gaining much attention for application in solar cell device frameworks due to high absorption property, easy and low-cost fabrication, and tunable bandgap. The PSCs exhibiting conversion efficiency up to ∼22% are reported utilizing expensive
and unstable electrons and hole transportation layers (ETL and HTL). However the stability of these devices drastically suffers under humid conditions and in an environment that is rich with ultraviolet radiation. The deterioration under such conditions produces Pb ions which are harmful to
the biotic environment limiting its usefulness for practical device implantation. In this work, we propose the designing of methyl ammonium lead halide (CH3NH3PBI3) based planar perovskite solar cell. The general-purpose solar cell simulation tool (GPVDM) is
used to simulate and study the proposed design in detail. The format of the cell consists of indium tin oxide (ITO)/zinc oxide (ZnO)/CH3NH3PBI3/Cu doped (2%) nickel oxide (Cu: NiOx)/Aluminum (AL). The HTL layer utilized in our study demonstrated a high stability
(48%) in ultraviolet radiation. We also investigated the effect of active layer thickness, ETL and HTL layer, parasitic resistance, light intensity and operating temperature on proposed PSCs. The optimum layer thickness of active, ETL and HTL was found to be 400 nm and 150 nm respectively,
while keeping the electrode thickness to 100 nm. At the optimum thickness, the device demonstrates fill factor (FF) and efficiency as 15.33% and 0.8516, respectively. The optimum device operating temperature was 285 k. The observed maximum FF and maximum efficiency reached up to 15.85% and
0.8574 respectively with thicker active, ETL/HTL layers. We observed that our HTL layer (Cu doped nickel oxide) shows stability of 66% against ultraviolet A and 48% against both ultraviolet A and B. This study provides a comprehensive numerical analysis for designing an efficient perovskite
based solar cell which can be adopted for practical device fabrication.
Development and Characterization of Solar Simulator for Solar Cells
Authors: Jung In Sung , Choi Jaeho , Shah Deb Kumar , Akhtar M. Shaheer
Published: August 2020

The solar simulator is crucial instrument to determine the performance of solar cells and modules which are core components of solar power plants. Therefore, a precise performance measurement of solar cells is very important to design a cost effective solar stimulator with high accuracy.
This paper proposes the development of a precise and measurable innovative solar simulator technique. The designed solar stimulator is a continuous type for 6 inch solar cell measurement in which a reflector system is added for improving the uniformity of result. In addition, 2∼6 light
emitting diodes (LEDs) are attached to the one side of the reflector. For reliable evaluation, the standard measurement of IEC60904-3 was applied and matched the uniformity, temporal instability, and spectrum values under 1000 W/m2 light intensity condition. The uniformity of the
solar simulator was recorded to 1.43% by using Al reflector and LED, which was highly comparable to 3.06 before its utilization (without reflector). Thus, designed stimulator improved the temporal instability and spectrum match values, which might be considered as a class A.