bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enantioselective Interactions of Anti-Infective 8-Aminoquinoline Therapeutics with Human Monoamine Oxidases A and B
Authors: Chaurasiya Narayan D. , Liu Haining , Doerksen Robert J. , Nanayakkara N. P. Dhammika , Walker Larry A. , Tekwani Babu L.
Published: April 2021

8-Aminoquinolines (8-AQs) are an important class of anti-infective therapeutics. The monoamine oxidases (MAOs) play a key role in metabolism of 8-AQs. A major role for MAO-A in metabolism of primaquine (PQ), the prototypical 8-AQ antimalarial, has been demonstrated. These investigations were further extended to characterize the enantioselective interactions of PQ and NPC1161 (8-[(4-amino-1-methylbutyl) amino]-5-[3, 4-dichlorophenoxy]-6-methoxy-4-methylquinoline) with human MAO-A and -B. NPC1161B, the (R)-(−) enantiomer with outstanding potential for malaria radical cure, treatment of visceral leishmaniasis and pneumocystis pneumonia infections is poised for clinical development. PQ showed moderate inhibition of human MAO-A and -B. Racemic PQ and (R)-(−)-PQ both showed marginally greater (1.2- and 1.6-fold, respectively) inhibition of MAO-A as compared to MAO-B. However, (S)-(+)-PQ showed a reverse selectivity with greater inhibition of MAO-B than MAO-A. Racemic NPC1161 was a strong inhibitor of MAOs with 3.7-fold selectivity against MAO-B compared to MAO-A. The (S)-(+) enantiomer (NPC1161A) was a better inhibitor of MAO-A and -B compared to the (R)-(−) enantiomer (NPC1161B), with more than 10-fold selectivity for inhibition of MAO-B over MAO-A. The enantioselective interaction of NPC1161 and strong binding of NPC1161A with MAO-B was further confirmed by enzyme-inhibitor binding and computational docking analyses. Differential interactions of PQ and NPC1161 enantiomers with human MAOs may contribute to the enantioselective pharmacodynamics and toxicity of anti-infective 8-AQs therapeutics.
Nanovectorization of Prostate Cancer Treatment Strategies: A New Approach to Improved Outcomes
Authors: Omabe Kenneth , Paris Clément , Lannes François , Taïeb David , Rocchi Palma
Published: April 2021

Prostate cancer (PC) is the most frequent male cancer in the Western world. Progression to Castration Resistant Prostate Cancer (CRPC) is a known consequence of androgen withdrawal therapy, making CRPC an end-stage disease. Combination of cytotoxic drugs and hormonal therapy/or genotherapy is a recognized modality for the treatment of advanced PC. However, this strategy is limited by poor bio-accessibility of the chemotherapy to tumor sites, resulting in an increased rate of collateral toxicity and incidence of multidrug resistance (MDR). Nanovectorization of these strategies has evolved to an effective approach to efficacious therapeutic outcomes. It offers the possibility to consolidate their antitumor activity through enhanced specific and less toxic active or passive targeting mechanisms, as well as enabling diagnostic imaging through theranostics. While studies on nanomedicine are common in other cancer types, only a few have focused on prostate cancer. This review provides an in-depth knowledge of the principles of nanotherapeutics and nanotheranostics, and how the application of this rapidly evolving technology can clinically impact CRPC treatment. With particular reference to respective nanovectors, we draw clinical and preclinical evidence, demonstrating the potentials and prospects of homing nanovectorization into CRPC treatment strategies.
Cationic Nanoparticle-Based Cancer Vaccines
Authors: Heuts Jeroen , Jiskoot Wim , Ossendorp Ferry , van der Maaden Koen
Published: April 2021

Cationic nanoparticles have been shown to be surprisingly effective as cancer vaccine vehicles in preclinical and clinical studies. Cationic nanoparticles deliver tumor-associated antigens to dendritic cells and induce immune activation, resulting in strong antigen-specific cellular immune responses, as shown for a wide variety of vaccine candidates. In this review, we discuss the relation between the cationic nature of nanoparticles and the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Multiple types of lipid- and polymer-based cationic nanoparticulate cancer vaccines with various antigen types (e.g., mRNA, DNA, peptides and proteins) and adjuvants are described. Furthermore, we focus on the types of cationic nanoparticles used for T-cell induction, especially in the context of therapeutic cancer vaccination. We discuss different cationic nanoparticulate vaccines, molecular mechanisms of adjuvanticity and biodistribution profiles upon administration via different routes. Finally, we discuss the perspectives of cationic nanoparticulate vaccines for improving immunotherapy of cancer.
Effective Photodynamic Therapy with Ir(III) for Virulent Clinical Isolates of Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase Klebsiella pneumoniae
Authors: Núñez Constanza , Palavecino Annegrett , González Iván A. , Dreyse Paulina , Palavecino Christian Erick
Published: April 2021

Background: The extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) Klebsiella pneumoniae is one of the leading causes of health-associated infections (HAIs), whose antibiotic treatments have been severely reduced. Moreover, HAI bacteria may harbor pathogenic factors such as siderophores, enzymes, or capsules, which increase the virulence of these strains. Thus, new therapies, such as antimicrobial photodynamic inactivation (aPDI), are needed. Method: A collection of 118 clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae was characterized by susceptibility and virulence through the determination of the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of amikacin (Amk), cefotaxime (Cfx), ceftazidime (Cfz), imipenem (Imp), meropenem (Mer), and piperacillin–tazobactam (Pip–Taz); and, by PCR, the frequency of the virulence genes K2, magA, rmpA, entB, ybtS, and allS. Susceptibility to innate immunity, such as human serum, macrophages, and polymorphonuclear cells, was tested. All the strains were tested for sensitivity to the photosensitizer PSIR-3 (4 µg/mL) in a 17 µW/cm2 for 30 min aPDI. Results: A significantly higher frequency of virulence genes in ESBL than non-ESBL bacteria was observed. The isolates of the genotype K2+, ybtS+, and allS+ display enhanced virulence, since they showed higher resistance to human serum, as well as to phagocytosis. All strains are susceptible to the aPDI with PSIR-3 decreasing viability in 3log10. The combined treatment with Cfx improved the aPDI to 6log10 for the ESBL strains. The combined treatment is synergistic, as it showed a fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index value of 0.15. Conclusions: The aPDI effectively inhibits clinical isolates of K. pneumoniae, including the riskier strains of ESBL-producing bacteria and the K2+, ybtS+, and allS+ genotype. The aPDI with PSIR-3 is synergistic with Cfx.
Metasurface Holography in the Microwave Regime
Authors: Shang Guanyu , Wang Zhuochao , Li Haoyu , Zhang Kuang , Wu Qun , Burokur Shah , Ding Xumin
Published: April 2021

Hologram technology has attracted a great deal of interest in a wide range of optical fields owing to its potential use in future optical applications, such as holographic imaging and optical data storage. Although there have been considerable efforts to develop holographic technologies using conventional optics, critical issues still hinder their future development. A metasurface, as an emerging multifunctional device, can manipulate the phase, magnitude, polarization and resonance properties of electromagnetic fields within a sub-wavelength scale, opening up an alternative for a compact holographic structure and high imaging quality. In this review paper, we first introduce the development history of holographic imaging and metasurfaces, and demonstrate some applications of metasurface holography in the field of optics. We then summarize the latest developments in holographic imaging in the microwave regime. These functionalities include phase- and amplitude-based design, polarization multiplexing, wavelength multiplexing, spatial asymmetric propagation, and a reconfigurable mechanism. Finally, we conclude briefly on this rapidly developing research field and present some outlooks for the near future.
Entropy-Driven Heterogeneous Crystallization of Hard-Sphere Chains under Unidimensional Confinement
Authors: Ramos Pablo Miguel , Herranz Miguel , Foteinopoulou Katerina , Karayiannis Nikos Ch. , Laso Manuel
Published: April 2021

We investigate, through Monte Carlo simulations, the heterogeneous crystallization of linear chains of tangent hard spheres under confinement in one dimension. Confinement is realized through flat, impenetrable, and parallel walls. A wide range of systems is studied with respect to their average chain lengths (N = 12 to 100) and packing densities (φ = 0.50 to 0.61). The local structure is quantified through the Characteristic Crystallographic Element (CCE) norm descriptor. Here, we split the phenomenon into the bulk crystallization, far from the walls, and the projected surface crystallization in layers adjacent to the confining surfaces. Once a critical volume fraction is met, the chains show a phase transition, starting from regions near the hard walls. The established crystal morphologies consist of alternating hexagonal close-packed or face-centered cubic layers with a stacking direction perpendicular to the confining walls. Crystal layer perfection is observed with an increasing concentration. As in the case of the unconstrained phase transition of athermal polymers at high densities, crystal nucleation and growth compete with the formation of sites of a fivefold local symmetry. While surface crystallites show perfection with a predominantly triangular character, the morphologies of square crystals or of a mixed type are also formed. The simulation results show that the rate of perfection of the surface crystallization is not significantly faster than that of the bulk crystallization.
On the Solubility and Stability of Polyvinylidene Fluoride
Authors: Marshall Jean E. , Zhenova Anna , Roberts Samuel , Petchey Tabitha , Zhu Pengcheng , Dancer Claire E. J. , McElroy Con R. , Kendrick Emma , Goodship Vannessa
Published: April 2021

This literature review covers the solubility and processability of fluoropolymer polyvinylidine fluoride (PVDF). Fluoropolymers consist of a carbon backbone chain with multiple connected C–F bonds; they are typically nonreactive and nontoxic and have good thermal stability. Their processing, recycling and reuse are rapidly becoming more important to the circular economy as fluoropolymers find widespread application in diverse sectors including construction, automotive engineering and electronics. The partially fluorinated polymer PVDF is in strong demand in all of these areas; in addition to its desirable inertness, which is typical of most fluoropolymers, it also has a high dielectric constant and can be ferroelectric in some of its crystal phases. However, processing and reusing PVDF is a challenging task, and this is partly due to its limited solubility. This review begins with a discussion on the useful properties and applications of PVDF, followed by a discussion on the known solvents and diluents of PVDF and how it can be formed into membranes. Finally, we explore the limitations of PVDF’s chemical and thermal stability, with a discussion on conditions under which it can degrade. Our aim is to provide a condensed overview that will be of use to both chemists and engineers who need to work with PVDF.
Nonlinear Electrical Conduction in Polymer Composites for Field Grading in High-Voltage Applications: A Review
Authors: Can-Ortiz Alejandro , Laudebat Lionel , Valdez-Nava Zarel , Diaham Sombel
Published: April 2021

Applications of polymeric materials in electrical engineering increasingly require improvements in operating voltages, performance, reliability, and size reduction. However, the resulting increase on the electric field in electrical systems can prevent achieving these goals. Polymer composites, functionalized with conductive or semiconductive particles, can allow us to reduce the electric field, thus grading the field within the system. In this paper, a comprehensive review of field-grading materials, their properties, and recent developments and applications is provided to realize high-performance high-voltage engineering applications.
Impact of MiRNA-181a2 on the Clinical Course of IDH1 Wild Type Glioblastoma
Authors: Sippl Christoph , Schoeneberger Louisa , Teping Fritz , Schulz-Schaeffer Walter , Urbschat Steffi , Ketter Ralf , Oertel Joachim
Published: April 2021

Background: Recently, miRNA-181a2 could be identified as a major regulator of IDH1 expression in fat tissue. The IDH1 gene, its mutation and expression have a major impact on overall survival in patients with glioblastoma. The presented study aimed to investigate the effect of miRNA-181a2 on IDH1 expression in glioblastoma and on the prognosis of patients suffering from, for example, a tumor. Methods: A total of 74 glioblastoma specimens were analyzed for the expression of miRNA-181a2, acquired as fold change, using qRT-PCR. IDH1 protein expression was estimated via mRNA quantification. Eight post mortal, non-glioma related brain tissue specimens served as the control group. The results were correlated with relevant demographic and clinical aspects of the cohort. A TCGA dataset was used as an independent reference. Results: MiRNA-181a2 was significantly downregulated in tumor samples compared to the control group (p < 0.001). In the glioblastoma cohort, 63/74 (85.1%) showed an IDH1 wild type, while 11/74 (14.9%) patients harbored an IDH 1 mutation. In patients with IDH1 wild type glioblastoma, low miRNA-181a2 expression correlated with a prolonged overall survival (p = 0.019), also verifiable in an independent TCGA dataset. This correlation could not be identified for patients with an IDH1 mutation. MiRNA-181a2 expression tended to correlate inversely with IDH1 protein expression (p = 0.06). Gross total resection of the tumor was an independent marker for a prolonged survival (p = 0.03). Conclusion: MiRNA-181a2 seems to be a promising prognostic marker of selective glioblastoma patients with IDH1 wild type characteristics. This effect may be mediated via direct regulation of IDH1 expression.
Spiking Neural Membrane Computing Models
Authors: Liu Xiyu , Ren Qianqian
Published: April 2021

As third-generation neural network models, spiking neural P systems (SNP) have distributed parallel computing capabilities with good performance. In recent years, artificial neural networks have received widespread attention due to their powerful information processing capabilities, which is an effective combination of a class of biological neural networks and mathematical models. However, SNP systems have some shortcomings in numerical calculations. In order to improve the incompletion of current SNP systems in dealing with certain real data technology in this paper, we use neural network structure and data processing methods for reference. Combining them with membrane computing, spiking neural membrane computing models (SNMC models) are proposed. In SNMC models, the state of each neuron is a real number, and the neuron contains the input unit and the threshold unit. Additionally, there is a new style of rules for neurons with time delay. The way of consuming spikes is controlled by a nonlinear production function, and the produced spike is determined based on a comparison between the value calculated by the production function and the critical value. In addition, the Turing universality of the SNMC model as a number generator and acceptor is proved.
Anthropogenic Modifications to Estuaries Facilitate the Invasion of Non-Native Species
Authors: González-Ortegón Enrique , Moreno-Andrés Javier
Published: April 2021

New observations of non-indigenous species (NIS) in coastal waters, such as the Gulf of Cadiz (Spain) have increased since 1980 and more or less exponentially in the last five years. Ballast water has become the most significant pathway for unintentional introductions of NIS into marine ecosystems. For example, the marine larvae of crustacean decapods that inhabit the water column could be transported in ballast water. Although elevated concentrations of metals are toxic to many marine organisms, some of them have evolved effective detoxification, or avoidance mechanisms making it possible to consider they have a superior ability to withstand exposures to these toxicants. In this text, we try to reinforce the hypothesis that anthropogenic modifications (such as chemical alterations and modified environments) benefit NIS with broad environmental tolerances. Taking these risks into account, a reinforcement of efficient Ballast Water Management Systems to respond to today’s challenging environmental conditions is discussed.
Extraction Optimization by Experimental Design of Bioactives from Pleurotus ostreatus and Evaluation of Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities
Authors: Ianni Federica , Blasi Francesca , Angelini Paola , Simone Simonetta Cristina Di , Angeles Flores Giancarlo , Cossignani Lina , Venanzoni Roberto
Published: April 2021

Oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) has gained in the last years increasing attention due to its richness in bioactive metabolites with health properties, making this variety an attractive candidate for promising developments in nutraceutical and cosmeceutical fields. According to the conditions planned by the experimental design approach, the ultrasound-assisted extraction of the phenol fraction from P. ostreatus was performed by evaluating the influence of critical variables (solvent, solvent/solid ratio, time, temperature) on total phenol content and antioxidant activity. The results of the optimization showed that a more performing extraction can be obtained with the highest values of solvent/solid ratio and water % in ethanol. The optimal extraction conditions were applied to four P. ostreatus samples, differing for geographical origin and growth substrate. The hydroalcoholic extracts were characterized in terms of total phenol content, and in vitro antioxidant and antimicrobial activities and interesting correlations were found among them. The obtained results highlighted significant differences for the antioxidant and antimicrobial activities for P. ostreatus samples grown on different substrates and geographical areas. The investigation on biological activity of edible mushroom extracts has a high relevance since it has a positive impact on the nutritional and health properties.
Thematic Cultural Exegesis on Selected Filipino Catholic Youth’s Perception of the Saints
Authors: Sarmiento Philip Joseph
Published: April 2021

This study aims to describe the perspectives of selected Filipino Catholic youth on the saints. A descriptive survey research design was used with two hundred and thirty-seven (237) respondents from two universities in one of the provinces of the Philippines. A validated open-ended survey questionnaire served as a research instrument to gather pertinent data on the perspectives of selected Filipino youth respondents on the saints. Responses from the open-ended survey were transcribed and processed using thematic cultural exegesis. Findings revealed that the perspectives of selected Filipino youth respondents on the saints are as follows: they are devoted/dedicated to God (Itinataya at ibinubuhos ang sarili sa kalooban ng Diyos), they help people with their needs (Tumutulong sa masidhing pangangailangan ng mga tao), they provide inspiration to follow God’s will (Nagpapakita ng halimbawa ng pagtalima sa kalooban ng Diyos), they are models of righteous living (Isinasaloob at pinangangatawanan ang kagandahang-loob ng Diyos), they are faithful followers of Christ (Mga tapat na kinatawan ni Hesus) and they are witnesses of God’s graciousness/benevolence (Mga bakas ng kagandahang-loob ng Diyos). This study recommends that persons in charge of formation in schools and parishes may craft a contextualized catechesis that will further develop the perspectives of the Filipino youth in an inculturated way.
Social Construction of the Sacrament of Orders
Authors: Pogorelc Anthony J.
Published: April 2021

All institutions are the product of human activity. This article will consider how the development of the Sacrament of Orders is embedded in the social construction of the church as an institution, with a leadership structure and a system of symbols and rituals. Drawing on the perspectives of sociologists, theologians and social constructionists, it will focus on churches of the West with more highly developed liturgical traditions, examining the history of how this sacrament, and the clergy roles and lifestyle it initiates, has been constructed and reconstructed in response to the social forces that have influenced the church from its origins to the current day.
Moral Intuition, Social Sin, and Moral Vision: Attending to the Unconscious Dimensions of Morality and Igniting the Moral Imagination
Authors: Block Elizabeth Sweeny
Published: April 2021

This paper argues that the unconscious dimensions of the moral life—for example, moral vision, moral imagination, and distorted consciousness—are some of the most urgent provinces of moral theology today. Historically, moral theology was concerned with moral quandaries and observable actions, and moral agents were understood to be rational, deliberate, self-aware decision makers. Cultures of sin, such as racism and sexual violence, require that moral theologians reconceive of moral agency. Confronting these unconscious dimensions of the moral life requires integrating research in disciplines such as science, sociology, history, and anthropology with Christian ethics, pushing the boundaries of what has traditionally been understood to be the domain of moral theology. As an example, this paper draws upon the mutually reinforcing theories of moral intuition, developed by social and moral psychologists, and recent theories of social sin in Christian ethics, arguing that attention to the unconscious province of the moral life is necessary for developing an accurate conception of moral agency and for future work in moral formation. This paper concludes with a modest proposal for how stories might enable awareness of our distorted consciousness.
Dilemmas in Managing the COVID-19 Crisis
Authors: Dorczak Roman , Farnicka Marzanna , Nowosad Inetta
Published: April 2021

The aim of this article was to present the current research on coping with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and, on this basis, to indicate the implications of risk management in the situation of adaptation to the crisis or re-adaptation after its end. This article considers the psychological significance of the socially experienced situation based on the latest research conducted in Poland during the first wave of the pandemic. It is an attempt to show both the risk and protective factors, as well as possible remedial effects against unfavorable social and health phenomena, which are related to the increase in costs incurred by individuals in the process of experiencing the crisis and adaptation to the conditions after its end. These are considered in the context of the costs of adaptations used by individuals and of re-adaptation in the period of coping with COVID-19. This study conducted a meta-analysis of 13 psychological and sociological studies conducted so far in the first period of the pandemic. The results of the research show that the most difficult issue in the risk situation of the next wave of a pandemic is the lack of definition of its timeframe but also disinformation and fatigue. The results of the conducted analysis may become useful material for risk management professionals. An additional value of the article is that it presents ways of applying the conclusions resulting from the research, not only during the second wave of the pandemic but also in the necessary processes of re-adaptation to life without COVID-19.
Design and Calibration of Robot Base Force/Torque Sensors and Their Application to Non-Collocated Admittance Control for Automated Tool Changing
Authors: Gattringer Hubert , Müller Andreas , Hoermandinger Philip
Published: April 2021

Robotic manipulators physically interacting with their environment must be able to measure contact forces/torques. The standard approach to this end is attaching force/torque sensors directly at the end-effector (EE). This provides accurate measurements, but at a significant cost. Indirect measurement of the EE-loads by means of torque sensors at the actuated joint of a robot is an alternative, in particular for series-elastic actuators, but requires dedicated robot designs and significantly increases costs. In this paper, two alternative sensor concept for indirect measurement of EE-loads are presented. Both sensors are located at the robot base. The first sensor design involves three load cells on which the robot is mounted. The second concept consists of a steel plate with four spokes, at which it is suspended. At each spoke, strain gauges are attached to measure the local deformation, which is related to the load at the sensor plate (resembling the main principle of a force/torque sensor). Inferring the EE-load from the so determined base wrench necessitates a dynamic model of the robot, which accounts for the static as well as dynamic loads. A prototype implementation of both concepts is reported. Special attention is given to the model-based calibration, which is crucial for these indirect measurement concepts. Experimental results are shown when the novel sensors are employed for a tool changing task, which to some extend resembles the well-known peg-in-the-hole problem.
Frequency Spectra Analysis of Drawbar Pulls Generated by Special Driving Wheels Improving Tractive Performance
Authors: Abrahám Rudolf , Majdan Radoslav , Kollárová Katarína , Tkáč Zdenko , Olejár Martin , Matejková Eva , Kubík Ľubomír
Published: April 2021

Driving wheel operation is characterized by force interactions with the ground, manifested in the form of vibrations. Signals generated by driving wheels can be analyzed in the frequency spectrum of tractor drawbar pull. The paper presents the analysis of a drawbar pull signal generated by a tractor equipped with two types of special driving wheels and standard tires. Beside the evaluation of special driving wheels’ properties according to drawbar power, the frequency spectra of measured signals were analyzed using a fast Fourier transformation. The model spectrum intervals for the standard tires, spike tires, and blade wheels were calculated according to the number of rubber lugs, blades, or spikes and compared with the experimental results. The results showed that the specific frequencies typical for blades and spikes were identified in model spectrum intervals. In the case of standard tires, the spectrum components typical for rubber lugs of the tire tread pattern were not identified. The highest amplitude of the typical frequency component was detected in the case of blades wheels, which showed the highest difference in drawbar power in comparison with the standard tires. Smaller dimensions of spikes resulted in lower amplitude and lower difference in drawbar power in comparison with the standard tires.
A Simple Method for Compensating Harmonic Distortion in Current Transformers: Experimental Validation
Authors: Laurano Christian , Toscani Sergio , Zanoni Michele
Published: April 2021

Conventional current transformers (CTs) suffer from nonlinearities due to their ferromagnetic cores. On one hand, it is well-known that severe core saturation may occur because of large overcurrents or unidirectional transient components: this may substantially impact the operation of relays. On the other hand, weaker nonlinear effects are also present during regular working conditions. In particular, the spectral content of typical current waveforms is characterized by a strong fundamental term responsible for harmonic distortion affecting the frequency components at the secondary side. In turn, this has a significant impact on the accuracy that can be reached as long as current harmonics must be monitored. The target of this work is implementing a simple signal processing technique that allows compensating for this effect. The method, characterized by extremely low computational complexity, is first introduced and validated using numerical simulations. After this, it was tested experimentally to improve the harmonic measurement capability of inductive CTs. The achieved results highlight a noticeable reduction of errors at low-order harmonics over a wide range of primary current amplitudes. It is worth noting that the black-box approach makes the technique suitable also for compensating nonlinearities introduced by current transducers based on different operating principles. Thanks to this peculiarity and to the low computational complexity, the proposed method is suitable to be employed in power quality analyzers and merging units. In this way, high-accuracy monitoring of current harmonics in power systems can be achieved, opening the way to advanced power quality management and to the location of disturbing users.
eHMI: Review and Guidelines for Deployment on Autonomous Vehicles
Authors: Carmona Juan , Guindel Carlos , Garcia Fernando , de la Escalera Arturo
Published: April 2021

Human–machine interaction is an active area of research due to the rapid development of autonomous systems and the need for communication. This review provides further insight into the specific issue of the information flow between pedestrians and automated vehicles by evaluating recent advances in external human–machine interfaces (eHMI), which enable the transmission of state and intent information from the vehicle to the rest of the traffic participants. Recent developments will be explored and studies analyzing their effectiveness based on pedestrian feedback data will be presented and contextualized. As a result, we aim to draw a broad perspective on the current status and recent techniques for eHMI and some guidelines that will encourage future research and development of these systems.
Miniaturized Wideband Loop Antenna Using a Multiple Half-Circular-Ring-Based Loop Structure and Horizontal Slits for Terrestrial DTV and UHD TV Applications
Authors: Yeo Junho , Lee Jong-Ig
Published: April 2021

A miniaturized wideband loop antenna for terrestrial digital television (DTV) and ultra-high definition (UHD) TV applications is proposed. The original wideband loop antenna consists of a square loop, two circular sectors to connect the loop with central feed points, and a 75 ohm coplanar waveguide (CPW) feed line inserted in the lower circular sector. The straight side of the square loop is replaced with a multiple half-circular-ring-based loop structure. Horizontal slits are appended to the two circular sectors in order to further reduce the antenna size. A tapered CPW feed line is also employed in order to improve impedance matching. The experiment results show that the proposed miniaturized loop antenna operates in the 460.7–806.2 MHz frequency band for a voltage standing wave ratio less than two, which fully covers the DTV and UHD TV bands (470–771 MHz). The proposed miniaturized wideband loop antenna has a length reduction of 21.43%, compared to the original loop antenna.
Assessment of Dynamic Properties of Variable Area Flowmeters
Authors: Turkowski Mateusz , Szczecki Artur , Szudarek Maciej , Janiszowski Krzysztof
Published: April 2021

In previous works, a non-linear equation describing variable area (VA) flowmeters in transient was presented. The use of a full nonlinear equation, despite giving accurate results, can be difficult and time-consuming and it requires having specific software and knowledge at one’s disposal. The goal of this paper was to simplify the existing model so that it could be used in applications where ease of use and ease of implementation are more important than accuracy. The existing model was linearized and simple formulae describing natural frequency and damping coefficients were derived. With these parameters, it is possible to assess the dynamic properties of a variable area flowmeter. The step response form can be identified and natural frequency and settling time can be estimated. The linearized model and the experiment were in reasonable agreement. The step response type was captured correctly for each of the six VA meter types. The error in the undamped natural frequency was not larger than 15%, which means that the VA meter sensor’s dynamic properties can be predicted at the design stage with sufficient precision.
Role of Sensors in Error Propagation with the Dynamic Constrained Observability Method
Authors: Peng Tian , Nogal Maria , Casas Joan R. , Turmo Jose
Published: April 2021

The inverse problem of structural system identification is prone to ill-conditioning issues; thus, uniqueness and stability cannot be guaranteed. This issue tends to amplify the error propagation of both the epistemic and aleatory uncertainties, where aleatory uncertainty is related to the accuracy and the quality of sensors. The analysis of uncertainty quantification (UQ) is necessary to assess the effect of uncertainties on the estimated parameters. A literature review is conducted in this paper to check the state of existing approaches for efficient UQ in the parameter identification field. It is identified that the proposed dynamic constrained observability method (COM) can make up for some of the shortcomings of existing methods. After that, the COM is used to analyze a real bridge. The result is compared with the existing method, demonstrating its applicability and correct performance by a reinforced concrete beam. In addition, during the bridge system identification by COM, it is found that the best measurement set in terms of the range will depend on whether the epistemic uncertainty involved or not. It is concluded that, because the epistemic uncertainty will be removed as the knowledge of the structure increases, the optimum sensor placement should be achieved considering not only the accuracy of sensors, but also the unknown structural part.
Linear Discriminant Analysis-Based Motion Classification Using Distributed Micro-Doppler Radars with Limited Backhaul
Authors: Hong Yonggi , Yang Yunji , Park Jaehyun
Published: April 2021

In this paper, we propose a cooperative linear discriminant analysis (LDA)-based motion classification algorithm for distributed micro-Doppler (MD) radars which are connected to a data fusion center through the limited backhaul. Due to the limited backhaul, each radar cannot report the high-dimensional data of a multi-aspect angle MD signature to the fusion center. Instead, at each radar, the dimensionality of the MD signature is reduced by using the LDA algorithm and the dimensionally-reduced MD signature can be collected at the data fusion center. To further reduce the burden of backhaul, we also propose the softmax processing method in which the distances of the sensed MD signatures from the centers of clusters for all motion candidates are computed at each radar. The output of the softmax process at each radar is quantized through the pyramid vector quantization with a finite number of bits and is reported to the data fusion center. To improve the classification performance at the fusion center, the channel resources of the backhaul are adaptively allocated based on the classification separability at each radar. The proposed classification performance was assessed with synthetic simulation data as well as experimental data measured through the USRP-based MD radar.
Description of Plasma Penicillin G Concentrations after Intramuscular Injection in Double-Muscled Cows to Optimize the Timing of Antibiotherapy for Caesarean Section
Authors: Djebala Salem , Croubels Siska , Cherlet Marc , Martinelle Ludovic , Thiry Damien , Moula Nassim , Sartelet Arnaud , Bossaert Philippe
Published: April 2021

In order to improve the efficacy of penicillin injection during caesarean section, we aimed to identify the optimal timing of its preoperative administration. A study was conducted in 12 adult, non-pregnant Belgian Blue cows. To evaluate the plasma penicillin concentrations, blood samples were taken from the jugular vein at −5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, 240, 480 min relative to the intramuscular (IM) injection of 21,000 IU/kg of body weight of penicillin G. Results showed that plasma concentrations at 15 min after IM injection (668.3 ± 73.7 ng/mL) largely exceeded the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of penicillin-sensitive bacteria (MIC < 125 ng/mL). With increasing time, plasma concentrations continued to rise, attaining an increasing proportion of moderately sensitive bacteria (250 ng/mL > MIC < 2000 ng/mL). The maximal concentration was reached between 1 and 4 h (average: 1.495.1 ± 181.7 ng/mL) after IM injection in the majority of cows, and decreased non-significantly to 1002.1 ± 93.2 ng/mL at 8 h. In conclusion, plasma penicillin concentrations at 15 min after an IM injection inhibit penicillin-sensitive bacteria. However, in order to obtain the maximal protective effect of the antibiotherapy, surgery should be started at 1 to 2 h after IM penicillin injection.
Comparison of Invasive Apple Snail (Pomacea canaliculata) Behaviors in Different Water Temperature Gradients
Authors: Bae Mi-Jung , Kim Eui-Jin , Park Young-Seuk
Published: April 2021

Pomacea canaliculata (known as invasive apple snail) is a freshwater snail native to South America that was introduced into many countries (including Asia and North America) as a food source or for organic farming systems. However, it has invaded freshwater ecosystems and become a serious agricultural pest in paddy fields. Water temperature is an important factor determining behavior and successful establishment in new areas. We examined the behavioral responses of P. canaliculata with water temperature changes from 25 °C to 30 °C, 20 °C, and 15 °C by quantifying changes in nine behaviors. At the acclimated temperature (25 °C), the mobility of P. canaliculata was low during the day, but high at night. Clinging behavior increased as the water temperature decreased from 25 °C to 20 °C or 15 °C. Conversely, ventilation and food consumption increased when the water temperature increased from 25 °C to 30 °C. A self-organizing map (an unsupervised artificial neural network) was used to classify the behavioral patterns into seven clusters at different water temperatures. These results suggest that the activity levels or certain behaviors of P. canaliculata vary with the water temperature conditions. Understanding the thermal biology of P. canaliculata may be crucial for managing this invasive snail.
„Čia pas mus“ – kraštietiškumas Pietryčių Lietuvoje: Šalčininkų rajono atvejis
Authors: Vyšniauskas Vidmantas
Published: April 2021

‘Here with us.’ Regionalism in Southeast Lithuania: The Case of the Šalčininkai District

The different ways in which inhabitants of the Šalčininkai district identify
with their land are analysed in this article. It is argued that the socio-cultural
memory has the biggest impact on constructing and maintaining a
regional identity. Some different ways in which local inhabitants construct
cultural boundaries are researched. Theoretical connections between social
memory, narratives and regional identity are presented and discussed in
the article. Local inhabitants use two identification strategies: 1) identifying
oneself as ‘local’; 2) identifying oneself as ‘local’ and possessing one clearly
defined ethnic identity.
Key words: regional identity, social memory, narrative, regionalism.
Influence of pavement type and aggregate size on tire-pavement noise generation
Authors: Staiano Michael A.
Published: April 2021

Among the sources of vehicle noise, the interaction of tires with the pavement is the most important. Tire-pavement noise is the result of a number of generation and amplification mechanisms as the tire rolls along the pavement. These mechanisms tend to fall into independent low-frequency
and high-frequency ranges. In this current study, 24 measured pavements were grouped by type and evaluated via multiple linear regression analyses with respect to vehicle speed and specified aggregate dimensions. The evaluation found that tire-pavement noise variation for a specific pavement
type is explained largely by aggregate size. Tire-pavement noise tended to increase with aggregate size—a behavior consistently exhibited, for example, by SMA pavements. Porous asphalt pavements ranged from relatively quiet to relatively noisy depending upon aggregate size. The ultimate
goal of this work is the development of methods enabling the design of quieter pavements using analytical means.
Factores de riesgo psicológico-social y desempeño laboral en los doctorandos de educación de una universidad
Authors: Oseda Gago Dulio , Gutiérrez Monzón Sonia Gladys , Oseda Gago Marco Antonio , Carruitero Ávila Nancy Aida
Published: April 2021

La investigación parte del objetivo: Determinar la relación que existe entre los factores de riesgo psicológico - social y la valoración del desempeño laboral en los doctorandos de Educación de la Universidad César Vallejo de Trujillo en el periodo 2020. La investigación fue del tipo básica y nivel correlacional, de diseño no experimental – transversal, se utilizó el método científico y el método hipotético deductivo, como instrumentos se utilizó el cuestionario de encuesta para ambas variables y se trabajó con un muestreo probabilístico conformado por 232 doctorandos de Educación. La investigación se sustenta en la teoría del desarrollo social de los factores psicológicos y sociales de Jones (2002) y la teoría de la evaluación del talento humano sobre el rendimiento laboral. El aporte más importante de la presente investigación considera que en base a los datos analizados y procesados, con un nivel de significancia del 5% que existe una relación directa fuerte (rho=0,916) y altamente significativo entre los factores de riesgo psicológico - social y la valoración del desempeño laboral en los doctorandos de Educación de la Universidad César Vallejo de Trujillo en el periodo 2020.
Educación presencial en modalidad virtual, perspectiva de satisfacción de los estudiantes en tiempos de COVID-19
Authors: Villafuerte Garzón Cristian Moisés
Published: April 2021

El 2020 fue un año de aprendizaje y transformación sobretodo en el ámbito educativo con motivo de la pandemia del COVID-19, ya que obligó a nivel mundial a más de 1.200 millones de estudiantes a dejar las aulas presenciales y trasladarse a entornos virtuales, forzando a una nueva realidad educativa. El presente estudio tiene como objetivo analizar la satisfacción de los estudiantes de educación presencial asistiendo a clases virtuales por motivo del confinamiento, a través de la observación de la percepción de calidad en una Institución de Educación Superior ecuatoriana, por medio de un instrumento de elaboración propia que analiza varios factores de calidad, y que permitió la participación de 4498 estudiantes. Para demostrar los logros de la IES estudiada y la confirmación de estudios previos entorno a los retos que debieron cursar desde el marco legal hasta la implementación de entornos virtuales significativos.
Contenidos micro-curriculares en educación ambiental, para promover la responsabilidad social en educación media
Authors: Estrada Estrada Johana , Benavides Lara Raúl , Caguano Romancela Irene Esthela , Usca Pinduisaca Víctor Manuel
Published: April 2021

La educación ambiental procura la toma de conciencia para el desarrollo humano sustentable, en armonía con la naturaleza, la educación media debe contribuir con esta concientización. El objetivo de este artículo es proponer contenidos micro-curriculares en Educación Ambiental para promover la Responsabilidad Social en estudiantes de Educación Media. El método es cuantitativo, para la recolección de datos se utilizaron cuestionarios aplicados a estudiantes y docentes. Los resultados muestran que los estudiantes no reciben formación suficiente en el área de Educación Ambiental. Los docentes reconocen la necesidad de incluir contenidos micro-curriculares en otras asignaturas para mejorar la formación en educación ambiental y crear una cultura de responsabilidad social con el medio ambiente. Se concluye que es necesaria la inclusión de contenidos micro-curriculares en las asignaturas Biología y Química para el tratamiento del tema de Educación Ambiental y Responsabilidad Social y la concientización de docentes, instituciones educativas y Ministerio de Educación.
“Hay cosas que pasan allá que no te puedo contar”
Authors: Belcic Sofía , Pauni Jones Maitén
Published: April 2021

A partir de las respectivas experiencias de intercambio académico en Río de Janeiro de las que participaron las autoras, el presente trabajo reconstruye aspectos comunes de sus trayectorias de investigación en dicha ciudad realizando un ejercicio comparativo con sus investigaciones con jóvenes de barrios populares y vendedores callejeres de la ciudad de Buenos Aires. Dicho análisis se focaliza, en primer lugar, en las implicancias de la inscripción del trabajo etnográfico, indagando en las relaciones construidas en base a la (des)confianza a partir de la inserción de las antropólogas en los distintos escenarios sociales. En segundo lugar, el análisis se centra en las particularidades que adquiere la investigación etnográfica en contextos sociales atravesados por distintas formas y manifestaciones de la(s) violencia(s), procurando deconstruir los sentidos (locales y propios) asociados a ella, a fin de aproximarse a una problematización del uso nativo de esta categoría que permita trazar algunas generalizaciones teóricas.
Linguistic approach for definition language of SMS
Authors: Antonov S.G.
Published: April 2021

Observed linguistic direction to definition SMS language. Made analysis of existing methods. Marked specifics of SMS and its differs from usual text reports and difficult at using known methods for definition SMS language. Observed special morphological characters for some natural languages. Conclusion: the most effective method base on analysis of suffix, inflections, service verbs, articles, prepositions, pronouns. These text elements need represent as lists with probably for N-grams of text symbols, which have linguistic interpretation and received from purpose-made text corpus.
Image segmentation technique to support automatic marking of objects in endoscopic images
Authors: Akhmetvaleev R.R. , Lackman I.A. , Popov D.V. , Krasnoperov M.V.
Published: April 2021

The aim of this study is to develop a method for visual segmentation of various objects of endoscopic images based on a collection of endoscopic images. The method was developed on the basis of a collection of images obtained by ENVD LLC on a contractual basis with medical organizations of the Republic of Bashkortostan, Russia. The collection consists of 70 endoscopic images recording clinical cases diagnosed in accordance with the Paris Tumor Classification of Gastrointestinal Diseases. A number of machine vision operations were carried out, including image preprocessing, image sampling, and subsequent clustering for the purpose of image segmentation. Results: A technique for the analysis of endoscopic images was developed, which makes it possible to obtain the contours of objects of interest to a specialist performing endoscopy. Conclusion. The developed solution allows to speed up and improve the procedure for marking endoscopic images, which in turn prepares a platform for further processing of endoscopic images, for example, nosological classification of neoplasms.
Descentralización y Presupuesto de la Educación Pública en el Perú: Avances y Desafíos
Authors: Alcázar Lorena , Valdivia Néstor
Published: April 2021

El artículo presenta un diagnóstico de la gestión presupuestal de la educación pública en un contexto de descentralización política que ha implicado la transferencia de competencias y funciones educativas a los gobiernos subnacionales. Sobre la base del análisis de las normas, información presupuestal y estudios de casos, se identifican procesos clave que subyacen al financiamiento y la transferencia de recursos hacia los gobiernos regionales y las municipalidades, así como algunas de las principales características y resultados de la asignación y ejecución presupuestal en esos niveles. Esto permite identificar algunos importantes logros y problemas de la gestión presupuestal descentralizada del sector educativo.