bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Multi-Objective Location-Allocation-Routing Problem of Perishable Multi-Product Supply Chain With Direct Shipment and Open Routing Possibilities Under Sustainability
Authors: Mahmoodirad Ali , Fishani Behzad Aghaei , Niroomand Sadegh , Fallah Mohammad
Published: April 2021

In this study a multi-objective formulation is proposed for designing a supply chain of perishable products including suppliers, plants, distributors, and customers under sustainable development. In addition to the studies of the literature, direct shipment between producers and customers and also alternative products possibility are allowed. In this problem the objectives like facilities establishment costs, transportation costs, negative environmental impacts, and social impact (fixed and variable employment rates) are optimized simultaneously. As in real situations, most of the transportation activities of such supply chain are performed by hiring transportation devices, the open routing logic is applied to form the travelling path of each hired transportation device. Furthermore, the possibility of direct shipment from the plants to the customers is considered in order to increase profitability of the plants. Because of the NP-hard nature of the supply chain design problems, some meta-heuristic solution approaches of the literature are modified to multi-objective form and applied to solve the problem. Several test problems from small to large sizes are generated randomly to evaluate the meta-heuristic algorithms. As a result, among the proposed algorithms, the multi-objective grey wolf optimizer (MGWO) perform better than others by considering four well-known evaluation metrics. At the end, a case study from perishable products supply chain of Iran is solved and analyzed to show the applicability of the proposed problem.
Catalase Catalyses the Conversion of Ultraviolet-B Radiation Into Heat: Unexpected Role for Microorganisms in Sea Ice Melting and Sea Surface Warming
Authors: Moreno Cosme Marcos
Published: April 2021

Catalase under ultraviolet-B radiation (CATUVB) produces reactive oxygen species (ROS), but the role of that surprising photoactivity in CAT still remains uncertain. On the other hand, it is well-known that CAT breaking down a steady source of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) becomes inactive due to compound II formation (CII), which results in typical changes in its absorption spectrum. On the basis of CII formation, here I show first that CATUVB produces and breaks down H2O2, via which UVB is converted into heat. I then show that CATUVB thermogenesis accelerates the ice melting and warms the medium. From data to nature, CAT converting harmful UVB into advantageous heat in microorganisms would be responsible for a hidden biogeochemical thermogenesis process under the ozone layer control with effects on sea ice melting and sea surface warming in cold regions.
Rare Presentation of Retroperitoneal Leiomyosarcoma Mimicking a Myoma in a 46-year-old Woman: A Case Report
Authors: Akhavan Setareh , Peydayesh Mohadese , alizadeh shima , Zamani Fatemeh , Zamani Narges
Published: April 2021

Background: Retroperitoneal sarcoma (RPS) are relatively uncommon, constituting only 10 to 15 percent of all soft tissue sarcomas. Case presentation: We share our experience in encountering RPL with vascular and urethral adhesion in the operation room in a 46-year-old woman, whom was scheduled for surgery as a case of leiomyoma.Huge solid retroperitoneal mass (16*12*11 cm) was detected in right broad ligament which was attached to the pelvic floor and seemed to be separated from uterus. Because of a dense adhesion of the tumor to the ureter and vessels tearing of internal iliac vein and ureteral injury occurred during dissection that was repaired. Pathologic examination revealed grade II / III leiomyosarcoma with mitotic rate 12 / 10 HPF, including atypical forms. she candidates for radiation. Conclusion: This case report describes the clinical, imaging, surgical and histopathological findings of retroperitoneal leiomyosarcoma. Due to the rarity of these tumors and the complexity of treatment, evaluation and management should ideally be carried out in a center with multidisciplinary expertise in the treatment of sarcomas.
Transcriptome and Metabolome-based Analysis of Anthocyanidin Biosynthesis in Purple Pepper
Authors: Meng Yaning , Zhang Hongxiao , Fan Yanqin , Yan Libin
Published: April 2021

In order to clarify the profile of gene expression and metabolites for color formation and the molecular mechanism of anthocyanidin accumulation in purple pepper fruits, we analyzed the anthocyanidin metabolome data of the fruits of 2 purple pepper lines and 1 green pepper line and detected a total of 5 anthocyanidin-like metabolites, of which delphin chloride was unique to purple pepper fruits and 3 other anthocyanidin-like substances shared the metabolic pathway ko00942 and were up-regulated. Based on the transcriptome data, three pathways (ko00360, ko00400, and ko00941) related to anthocyanidin metabolism were identified through KEGG analysis. Three enzymes (DFR, ANS, and UFGT) and three transcription factors (MYB, BHLH, and WD40) in the purple pepper anthocyanidin biosynthetic pathway were up-regulated. We proposed a model to explain the regulation of pepper anthocyanidin biosynthesis: MYB, BHLH, and WD40 formed a ternary complex and bound to the specific cis-acting elements in the promoter region of the structural genes related to anthocyanidin biosynthesis to directly regulate their transcription, which resulted in the accumulation of a large amount of anthocyanidin metabolites including delphinidin 3-O-glucoside, delphinidin 3-O-rutinoside, and delphin chloride, giving color to pepper fruits. This study clarified the metabolic pathways and key genes affecting the color of purple pepper fruits and provided new insights into the synthesis and accumulation of anthocyanidins in pepper fruits.
Clinical Study of the Novel Antiseptic Olanexidine Gluconate in Gastrointestinal Cancer Surgery
Authors: Kubo Naoki , Furusawa Norihiko , Takeuchi Daisuke , Imai Shinichiro , Masuo Hitoshi , Umemura Kentaro , Terada Masaru
Published: April 2021

Background

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a common complication of digestive surgery .Olanexidine gluconate (OLG) is a novel developed skin antiseptic and effective against a wide range of bacteria. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the bactericidal efficacy of OLG in gastrointestinal cancer surgery.
Methods

This retrospective study included a total of 281patients who underwent gastrointestinal cancer surgery (stomach or colon). There were two group: 223 patients were treated with OLG (OLG group), and 58 patients were treated with povidone-iodine (PVP-I) (control group). The efficacy and the safety outcomes were measured as the rate of surgical SSI within 30 days after surgery. In addition, we also conducted subgroups defined according to the surgical approach (open or laparoscopic) or primary lesion (stomach or colon).
Results

There was a significant difference in the rate of SSI between the control group and OLG group (10.3% vs. 2.7% ; p = 0.02). There was a significant difference in the SSI rate in superficial infection (8.6% vs. 2.2% ; p = 0.0345) but not in deep infection (1.7% vs. 0.5% ; p = 0.371). There was no significant difference between the control group and OLG group in the overall rate of adverse skin reaction (5.2% vs. 1.8% ; p = 0.157).
Conclusion

This retrospective study demonstrates that OLG is more effective than PVP-I for preventing SSI during gastrointestinal cancer surgery.
In Situ Structure of Intestinal Apical Surface Reveals Nanovilli on Microvilli
Authors: Zhu Hao , Li Meijing , Zhao Ruixue , Li Ming , Jiang Zhaodi , Chai Yongping , Zhu Zhiwen , Yang Yihong , Li Wei , Xie Zhongyun , Li Xiaomin , Lei Kexin , He Wanzhong , Li Xueming , Ou Guangshuo
Published: April 2021

Microvilli are actin bundle-supported membrane protrusions essential for absorption, secretion, and sensation. Microvilli defects cause human diseases, including gastrointestinal disorders and inherited deafness; however, mechanisms controlling microvilli formation and organization remain unclear. Here, we study microvilli by vitrifying the C. elegans larvae and mouse intestinal tissues with high-pressure freezing, thinning them by cryo-focused ion beam milling, cryo-electron tomography, and sub-tomogram averaging. We uncover that hundreds of previously unrecognized stick-like structures, which we refer to as nanovilli, decorate the lateral surface of C. elegans and mouse microvilli. The C. elegans 37.5-nm long and 4.5-nm wide nanovilli are composed of the protocadherin family protein CDH-8. Loss of nanovilli slows down animal growth and increases the number of Y-shaped microvilli, intermediate structures when a microvillus splits from its tip and separates into two. Our results show that nanovilli space microvilli and suggest a microvilli division model through which microvilli assemble with striking uniformity.
Associations Between Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety Disorders, Their Comorbidity and Health-related Quality of Life: a Large-scale Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Liao Wei , Luo Zhicheng , Dong Xiaokang , Wu Xueyan , Mei Yongxia , Cui Ningning , Kang Ning , Lan Yali , Liu Xiaotian , Huo Wenqian , Wang Fang , Wang Chongjian
Published: April 2021

Background: There were few studies exploring the associations between depressive symptoms, anxiety disorders and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in the general population, especially in resource limited area. The aims of this study were to assess the associations between depressive symptoms, anxiety disorders, their comorbidity and HRQoL in rural area.Methods: A total of 23496 eligible participants from Henan rural cohort were included. The Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 (GAD-2) were employed to assess depressive symptoms and anxiety disorders, respectively. HRQoL was measured via European Quality of Life Five Dimension Five Level Scale (EQ-5D-5L). Tobit regression and generalized linear model were utilized to explore the associations between depressive symptoms, anxiety disorders, their comorbidity and HRQoL.Results: A total of 1320 individuals were identified as depressive symptoms with a prevalence of 5.62%, while 1198 participants were classified as anxiety disorders with a prevalence of 5.10%. After multiple adjustment, the regression coefficients and 95% confidence interval (CI) of utility index for depressive symptoms and anxiety disorders were -0.166 (-0.182, -0.149) and -0.132 (-0.149, -0.114), respectively. The regression coefficients and 95% CI of VAS score for depressive symptoms and anxiety disorders were -7.65 (-8.60, -6.70) and -5.79 (-6.78, -4.80), respectively. Additionally, the comorbidity was strongest associated with low utility index and VAS score. These findings were observed robustly in men and women.Conclusion: Depressive symptoms, anxiety disorders and their comorbidity were negatively associated with HRQoL in rural population, which needed further efforts on preventive and treatment interventions.Clinical Trial Registration: The Henan Rural Cohort Study has been registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Register (Registration number: ChiCTR-OOC-15006699). Date of registration: 06 July, 2015. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=11375
Evaluating the Specialist Palliative Care Clinical Nurse Specialist Role in an Acute Hospital Setting: A Mixed Methods Sequential Explanatory Study.
Authors: Connolly Michael , Ryder Mary , Frazer Kate , Furlong Eileen , Escribano Teresa Plano , Larkin Philip , Carruthers Eileen , McGuigan Eileen
Published: April 2021

Background

Special palliative care is provided in a range of settings including a patient’s home (their primary place of dwelling), a hospice in-patient unit, or an acute hospital. The aim of the study was to evaluate the role of the specialist in palliative care clinical nurse specialist (SPC CNS) role in an acute hospital setting.
Methods

This study was conducted using a mixed methods sequential explanatory approach in two phases; phase 1 involved completion of a study questionnaire and phase 2 involved part-taking in a focus group interview.
Results

Phase 1 results indicated that respondents held positive attitudes towards the Specialist Palliative Care Clinical Nurses Specialist (SPC CNS) in relation to clinical care, education and patient advocacy. Phase 2 qualitative findings identified the importance of the role in terms of symptom management, education and support
Conclusions

This study provides an evaluation of a SPC CNS role since it was established in an acute hospital setting. The evidence indicates that there is a varied understanding of the role of the SPC CNS. The role was seen as an important one particularly in terms of referrals to and support provided by the SPC CNS, as well as recognition of the importance of the role is providing ongoing education to staff.
Investigation of Variation in Device Design Parameters on the Saturation Voltages of Hetero-junction Nanowire Tunnel FETs
Authors: Acharya Abhishek
Published: April 2021

Estimation of the saturation voltages of beyond CMOS devices is essential for the accurate circuit design and analysis. In this work, we look at the influence of device design parameters on the saturation voltage (VDSAT) of a Tunnel Field Effect Transistor (TFET) using 3D TCAD Numerical Simulations. The variation in channel length, underlap at gate-drain, source/drain doping, and the source/channel material are some of the vital optimization parameters in the design and optimization of TFET based circuits. We observe, with the increasing value of drain bias (VDS), TFET device initially enters in the soft saturation state and subsequently a deep saturation state is attained. These voltages are altered with device variability and hence the analog performance. An increase in drain (source) doping increases (decreases) the soft saturation voltage of TFETs. It is also found that an early onset of saturation can be achieved by the gate-drain underlap in TFETs. The impact of short channel lengths is to worsen the perfect saturation phenomenon in Tunnel FETs. In addition, the reduction in nanowire diameter delays the saturation by few milivolts.
Developing a Diagnostic CT Scoring System for Granulomatous-Lymphocytic Interstitial Lung Disease (GLILD) in Common Variable Immunodeficiency Patients
Authors: Hartono Stella , Cox Christian W. , Lindell Rebecca M , Chung Jonathan H. , Joshi Avni Y.
Published: April 2021

PurposeTo determine the utility of GLILD CT scoring system for assessment of GLILD in patients with CVID to avoid the need for lung biopsy. MethodsThe CT scoring system was developed as a consensus based on review of literature. Two radiologists, blinded to patient clinical information, retrospectively scored CT scans of selected patients with histopathologic diagnosis of GLILD. Discrepancies were settled by a third radiologist. Inter-observer reproducibility was calculated with intra-class correlation coefficients. ResultsWe identified 25 CVID patients with histologically confirmed GLILD (12 male, 13 female). The median age was 38 years (range 12 – 72 years). Inter-observer reproducibility was 0.76 (95% CI 0.53 – 0.89). Splenomegaly/splenectomy and basilar predominant perilymphatic nodules greater than or equal to 4mm have good interobserver agreement in our CT scoring system. Discrepancy between observers occurred most often in differentiating intermediate versus high confidence diagnosis of GLILD as opposed to differentiating between low versus intermediate confidence. ConclusionGLILD CT scoring system of pulmonary disease in CVID patients can stratify patients into categories that may assist in avoiding lung biopsy for diagnosis in a subset of patients.
Assemblages of Gelatinous Zooplankton in Mesoscale Oceanographic Features in the Tropical-Temperate Transition Zone of a Western Boundary Current
Authors: Pitt Kylie , Lawley Jonathan W. , Hinchliffe Charles , Matis Paloma A. , Suthers Iain M.
Published: April 2021

Boundary currents generate cyclonic and anticyclonic eddies, which strongly influence the composition of plankton communities and their spatial dynamics. We explored the gelatinous zooplankton communities where the East Australian Current (EAC) intensifies between 25-31°S, forming a dynamic eddy field at a tropical/temperate boundary. Five types of mesoscale features including the EAC were sampled: the adjacent continental shelf, a transient upwelling feature at the shelf break, a cyclonic frontal eddy which had entrained shelf water and a larger cyclonic eddy that had originated in the Tasman Sea. Forty-two gelatinous taxa were sampled from 62 plankton tows, including 24 cnidarians (9 hydromedusae, 14 siphonophores, 1 scyphozoan), 5 ctenophores and 12 thaliaceans. Assemblages of gelatinous zooplankton differed significantly among oceanographic features but were dominated by the salp, Salpa fusiformis, which comprised 66% of the overall catch. Abundances of gelatinous zooplankton were lowest in the EAC, the shelf break upwelling feature and over the continental shelf, which at the time sampled was flooded by a coastal incursion of the EAC. Abundances were greatest in the two cyclonic eddies and increased four-fold in the Tasman Sea cyclonic eddy over the three times it was sampled, highlighting the importance of cyclonic eddies in driving production of gelatinous zooplankton.
Study on Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Overlying Strata in Deep Coal Mining Process
Authors: Zhang Bang-an , yushun Yang , Zhang Dong-ming
Published: April 2021

This paper adopts the stress relief method to test the in-situ stress in the field to obtain the in-situ stress distribution characteristics of No. 2+3# coal seam. A three-dimensional model was established with the No. S3012 working face as the engineering background, and the measured in-situ stress values ​​were applied to the three-dimensional model, and the spatial-temporal evolution characteristics of coal and rock mass around the stope during coal seam mining were studied. The specific conclusions are as follows: the three-dimensional stress distribution map in front of, behind and on both sides of the working face in the process of coal mining are obtained. As the working face goes on, the maximum value of the supporting stress formed in front of, behind and on both sides of the working face shifts to the corner, presenting a “hump-like” distribution. The stress concentration coefficient of front, back and both sides of stope increases linearly with the increase of mining size. Under the same mining size, the stress concentration coefficient in front of stope is the smallest, and the stress concentration coefficient on both sides is the largest. The three-dimensional displacement field distribution nephogram of overlying strata in the process of coal mining is obtained. With the continuous advance of the working face, the roof strata of coal seam undergo continuous dynamic subsidence process, and the roof subsidence increases continuously, showing the shape of "bowl" with sharp bottom. In the process of working face mining, the roof displacement of coal seam showed an "O" shape evolution characteristic. The three-dimensional distribution cloud map of the plastic zone of coal and rock mass in the process of working face mining was obtained, and the failure volume of the plastic zone gradually increases with the continuous progress of the working face.
Strength and Failure Characteristics of Saturated Sandstone Under Loading and Unloading
Authors: Zhang Zhenhua , Yao Huayan , Li Hongguo , Bian Hanbin , Zhu Dayong
Published: April 2021

Water has effects on the strength and failure characteristics of the sandstone in natural environment. Conventional triaxial compressive or unloading confining pressure experiments were conducted on sandstone specimens. Experimental results indicate that the compressive strength of sandstone decreases significantly under saturated conditions in comparison with dry conditions, the strength parameters of saturated specimens under unloading confining pressure are also lower than those of dry rock samples; for the sandstone with the same water content, the strengths under triaxial unloading confining pressure is slightly higher than those under triaxial compressive condition; compared with the stress path of triaxial compression, the stress path of unloading confining pressure makes cracks propagate more easily along the axial direction, and the angle between fracture surface and axial direction is smaller. Under triaxial unloading confining pressure, there failure modes of dry sandstone are tension failure and shear failure, while that of saturated sandstone is mainly shear failure. In the process of water saturation, the bond and friction characteristics between grain particles are degraded due to water weakening the cementation between the grain particles and softening grains boundary, and the expansion of clay minerals in the sandstone, which leads to the decrease of macroscopic mechanical strengths.
AI-enhanced Synchronized Multiparametric 18F-FDG PET/MRI for Accurate Breast Cancer Diagnosis
Authors: Romeo Valeria , Clauser Paola , Rasul Sazan , Kapetas Panagiotis , Gibbs Peter , Baltzer Pascal Andreas Thomas , Hacker Marcus , Woitek Ramona , Helbich Thomas H , Pinker Katja
Published: April 2021

Purpose: to assess whether a radiomics and machine learning (ML) model combining quantitative parameters and radiomics features extracted from synchronized multiparametric 18F-FDG PET/MRI images can differentiate benign and malignant breast lesions.Methods: 102 consecutive patients with 120 BI-RADS 0, 4 and 5 breast lesions (101 malignant, 19 benign) detected by ultrasound and/or mammography were prospectively enrolled and underwent hybrid 18F-FDG PET/MRI for diagnostic purposes. Quantitative parameters and radiomics features were extracted from dynamic contrast-enhanced (MTT, VD, PF), diffusion (ADCmean of breast lesions and contralateral breast parenchyma), PET (SUVmax, mean and minimum of breast lesions, SUVmean of uni- and contralateral breast parenchyma) and T2-w images. Different diagnostic models were developed using a fine gaussian support vector machine algorithm and exploring different combinations of quantitative parameters and radiomics features to obtain the highest accuracy in discriminating benign from malignant breast lesions using a 5-fold cross validation. The performance of the best radiomics and ML model was compared with that of expert readers review physician using the McNemar test.Results: Eight radiomics models were developed. The integrated model combining MTT and ADC with radiomics features extracted from PET and ADC images obtained the highest accuracy for breast cancer diagnosis (AUC 0.983) and was higher (AUC 0.868) yet not significant to expert readers review (p=0.508).Conclusion: A radiomics and ML model combining quantitative parameters and radiomics features extracted from synchronized multiparametric 18F-FDG PET/MRI images can accurately discriminate benign from malignant breast lesions.
Optimal Ordering Decision and Information Leakage Preference Under Asymmetric Forecast Signal
Authors: Tang Min , Jiang Li , Li Zhiguo , Zhang Hongwu
Published: April 2021

This work investigates the retailer's sourcing decision with or without information leakage and studies the impact of the retailer's inaccurate prediction on supply chain members' preferences for information leakage. To derive the retailers' optimal sourcing quantities under two scenarios, one without and one with information leakage, we formulate a supply chain in which a common manufacturer offers a wholesale price contract to two competing retailers, one of whom (the incumbent) has private prediction information about the market demand, the other one (the entrant) doesn't. Then, we compare the supply chain members' performances, the results show that the manufacturer will prefer no information leakage when the incumbent's forecasting accuracy is high and the forecasting signal is low-type; the incumbent may prefer information leakage under certain conditions; contrary to intuition, the entrant may prefer no information leakage under certain conditions. Meanwhile, we find that the incumbent has an incentive to mimic a low state one by sourcing less product when she forecasts that the market demand will be high under the scenario of information leakage, and interestingly, the incumbent will earn less than the entrant when she obtains a low-type forecast signal under no information leakage.
A two-step strategy for the selective conversion of ethanol to propene and hydrogen
Authors: Pyatnitsky Yuri , Dolgikh Lidiya , Senchylo Liubov , Stara Larissa , Strizhak Peter
Published: April 2021

Simultaneous production of propene and hydrogen from ethanol is the promising way of a renewable feedstock conversion into valuable products. Propene is used for the production of polypropene plastics, acrylonitrile, propene oxide, and many other manufactures; hydrogen is considered the most viable energy carrier for the future. Conventional reaction schemes of the direct one-step catalytic conversion of ethanol into propene include the reaction of the isopropanol dehydration to propene. However, the dehydration ability of a catalyst inevitably gives rise to the ethanol dehydration to ethene that diminishes the propene yield. To avoid ethanol dehydration to ethene, the two-step process is composed of the ethanol conversion to acetone in the first step and the acetone conversion to propene in the second step. The thermodynamic analysis of the known reaction pathways for the ethanol conversion to propene shows that a 74.6% yield of propene can be achieved even at a low temperature of 200oC. According to the literature data, possible catalysts can be Cu/La2Zr2O7 or Fe3O4 for the first step, and the mixed Ag–In/SiO2 and K3PW12O40 catalyst for the second step. We speculate that the propene yield may reach 72% using these catalysts in the two-step process.
The relative frequency of Myasthenia Gravis in patients with Multiple Sclerosis and Neuromyelitis Optica
Authors: Etemadifar Masoud , Sigari Amirhossein Akhavan , Salari Mehri , Sedaghat Nahad
Published: April 2021

Background: Co-occurrence of autoimmune diseases have always been an area of interest due to common underlying immunopathologic mechanisms. In this study, we assess the relative frequency of myasthenia gravis (MG) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) and neuromyelitis optica (NMO).Methods: Records of patients with MS and NMO who visited the Isfahan MS center were screened. The data of patients with comorbid MG was used to calculate relative frequency.Results: The relative frequency of MG in our sample MS and NMO population was 0.34% and 5%, respectively, which is higher than the reported prevalence of MG alone in the general population (0.0005-0.024%).Conclusion: The higher frequency of MG in MS and NMO populations compared to the general frequency of the disease may be due to common immunopathologic mechanisms that underly the diseases. Regulatory T cells, the complement pathway, matrix metalloproteinases, and B cells play critical roles in each disease and share common features in MS and MG. The complement system also plays a central role in NMO and MG. The relative frequency of MG in patients with MS and NMO is higher than of that reported in the general population (0.34% and 5%, respectively).
Effects of sesame oil on learning and memory impairment and biomarkers of oxidative stress in rats with a long-term high-fat diet consumption
Authors: Rustaei Mojtaba , Sadeghian Reihaneh , Salehi Iraj , Sarihi Abdolrahman , Shahidi Siamak , Faraji Nafiseh , Komaki Alireza
Published: April 2021

Nowadays, high-fat foods are eaten in most societies, which causes memory impairment and anxiety through the oxidative stress pathway. Sesame oil (SO) has potential antioxidant properties. Therefore, the effects of sesame oil on memory impairment and anxiety caused by a high-fat diet (HFD) in male rats were investigated. Eighty male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups (n = 10): control (standard diet; SD), the HFD, SD + SO (0.5, 1, or 2 ml/kg; once/day, gavage), and HFD + SO (0.5, 1, or 2 ml/kg; once/day, gavage) groups. All diets were given to the animals for three months. Finally, behavioral and oxidative stress parameters were measured. The step-through latency of retention test in SD + SO (0.5 or 1 ml/kg) groups increased more than the control group. Also, the Barnes test on training days revealed that the latency time to find the target hole increased in the HFD group compared with the control group. Moreover, the time spent on the open arms in the SD + SO (0.5 ml/kg) group improved remarkably than the control group. Total oxidant (TOS) level in the HFD + SO (0.5, 1, and 2 ml/kg) groups was lower than the HFD group. The level of total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in the SD + SO (2 ml/kg) group was higher than the SD + SO (0.5 ml/kg) group and the amount of thiol in the HFD group decreased compared with the control group. These findings suggest that the positive effects of SO on memory and anxiety are probably due to its antioxidant properties and the elimination of free radicals.
Microwave Photonics Analog Link based on two Integrated D-DPMZM Linearized Signals and with Eliminated odd Harmonics and all IMD’s.
Authors: Haxha Shyqyri , shaqiri Shemsi , Flint Ian , Ademgil Huseyin
Published: April 2021

A novel Microwave Photonic Link (MPL) system configuration based on two Dual-drive Dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators (D-DPMZMs) and two Balanced Photo-Detectors (BPDs) is reported. The Intermodulation Distortions (IMDs), as well as the harmonic distortions have been eliminated. The proposed linearization of RF signal configuration is double side banded in both D-DPMZM. A full mathematical model has been developed and simulations have been implemented for the proposed configuration. The RF linearization for this configuration has been tested by introducing an additional RF signal, as well as phase and intensity errors in MZ branches. The proposed MPL system configuration exhibits significant performance and it will have great impact on aerospace, radar, and satellite-to-ground downlink communication system applications.
Analysis on Water use Efficiency of Populus Euphratica Forest Ecosystem in Arid Area
Authors: Lianqing Xue , Fangbing Fu , Xinfang Chen , Yuanhong Liu , Qiang Han , Shumin Liao , Qing Wei
Published: April 2021

Water use efficiency (WUE, the ratio of gross primary productivity (GPP) to evapotranspiration (ET)) reflects the coupled relationship between water loss and carbon gain in the process of plant photosynthetic carbon assimilation. As a dominant tree species in arid area, Populus euphratica plays an important ecological role in slowing desertification. Here, continuous observations of carbon, water and energy fluxes were carried out in Populus euphratica forest with eddy covariance (EC) technique in 2018. We systematically explained the variation characteristics of energy fluxes and WUE at different time scales, and explored the main controlling factors of WUE in drought-stressed environment based on the synchronous meteorological data. Results showed that the carbon exchange of the Populus euphratica forest ecosystem occurred mainly during the growing seasons (April–October). During this period, the entire ecosystem appeared as a carbon sink with the potential to sequester atmospheric carbon dioxide. The average daily WUE was 2.2 g C/kg H2O, which was lower than other temperate forests (2.57–6.07 g C/kg H2O) but higher than grassland, wetland and cropland. We also concluded that an increase in carbon dioxide concentration (CCO2) and air relative humidity (RH) could promote the increase of WUE. Nevertheless, WUE was negatively correlated with air temperature (Ta), photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Additionally, WUE increased under moderate soil water content (SWC), but decreased due to the continuously rising SWC. WUE was more strongly affected by factors affecting water consumption than carbon uptake. Under the conditions of high temperature, strong radiation and low humidity in the summer, the growth rate of ET was much larger than that of GPP. This study not only contributes to our understanding of the carbon, water and energy dynamics of the Populus euphratica forest ecosystem but also provides an important reference for ecological conservation and ecological restoration in arid regions.
Digital cooking could increase the availability of nutritious meals
Authors: Blutinger Jonathan , Karthik Shravan , Tsai Alissa , Meijers Yorán , Lipson Hod
Published: April 2021

Health, convenience, and cost – herein lies the predicament that we all face when deciding on a meal, which two do you pick? With price usually being the biggest influencer, we tend to sacrifice health or convenience. Multi-ingredient food printing combined with laser cooking could offer a way out of this conundrum: A viable method for convenient, nutritious, low-cost meals, yet has never been demonstrated. Here we showcase the advantages of marrying software with food through the creation of digitally-crafted meals.
Relationship between skeletal muscle mass with metabolic syndrome in Chinese elders
Authors: Yang Ting , Guo Xiao-fei , Wang Chong , Zhao Ting , Li Duo
Published: April 2021

Background: The association between regional skeletal muscle mass and metabolic syndrome (MetS) remains unclear. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate these associations with MetS risk among Chinese elders.Methods: On the basis of health check-up program, a case-control study was performed among participants over 65 years of age, 250 MetS participants were identified and 750 healthy subjects were randomly selected as controls. Skeletal muscle mass was estimated via bioelectric impedance analysis. Muscle mass of each region was standardized by weight to obtain its muscle mass index. Conditional logistic regression models and restricted cubic spline models were implemented to evaluate the associations between MetS and the muscle mass in different regions.Results: As compared the highest category with the lowest category, leg muscle mass index (LMI) (OR = 0.12; 95%CI: 0.05, 0.32; P for trend < 0.001), trunk muscle mass index (TMI) (OR = 0.11; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.29; P for trend < 0.001) and skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) (OR = 0.11; 95%CI: 0.04, 0.29; P for trend < 0.001) were inversely associated with MetS risk after adjusting for age, gender, duration of education, exercise, smoking status, alcohol drinking status, total energy intake, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, serum fasting glucose and lipid profiles. Dose-response analysis showed that per standard deviation increment of LMI (OR = 0.45; 95%CI: 0.34, 0.58; P for trend < 0.001), TMI (OR = 0.39; 95%CI: 0.28, 0.53; P for trend < 0.001) and SMI (OR = 0.29; 95%CI: 0.19, 0.43; P for trend < 0.001) were inversely associated with MetS risk, respectively.Conclusion: The present results showed that higher LMI, TMI and SMI were associated with the low risk of MetS in Chinese elders.
Financial solution for balancing global economy, poverty and hunger differences through blockchain secured real time traceability system
Authors: Balkrishna Acharya , Singh Kavindra , Arya Rishi , Thakur Pallavi , SIngh Shivam , Ahuja Girish
Published: April 2021

The grave challenges of inequality, hunger and poverty are escalating in most of developing countries including India, thereby jeopardizing the overall growth of our country as well as the global economy. Under such crippling situations of poverty and inequality, the magnitude of inefficient and unsystematic lending practices, lack of monitoring by lenders and related fraudulent activities are on the rise, thereby causing a substantial build-up of non-performing assets as one of the emerging risks for the financial sector. The available finance management tools, in fact, lack the capability of real-time execution, fund deployment, credit risk assessment and project viability monitoring. This manuscript describes how a combination of process modeling, execution and measurement can be deployed for assessing financial traceability with accounting, billing, inventory & real-time project tracking and monitoring updates. The explicit process accounts primarily for due diligence framework; controls financial traceability; as well as geo-mapping, fencing & tagging based tangible process assessment of projects prior to lending, during and post implementation. Ultimately, the proposed blockchain secured finance solution (B-Bank™) will cause optimization of credit risk capital at both stages of pre-sanction, pre-disbursement and post implementation of projects, thereby balancing and strengthening the financial institutions and ultimately the global economy.
Syndrome of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and thrombocytopenia after vaccination for COVID-19
Authors: Soleimani Babak , Turaga Sanchit , Khan Dalia , Davies Claire , Duodu Yaw , Botcherby Edward , Plaha Puneet , Apostolopoulos Vasileios , Kousin-Ezewu Onajite , Jenkins Damian , Webb Alastair , Tofaris George K
Published: April 2021

Experience in the management of COVID-19 vaccine induced thrombosis and thrombocytopenia is currently lacking. In this case series we report the presentation and our experience in the management of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and thrombocytopenia post ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccination. Two of the three cases had confirmed anti-platelet factor 4 antibodies and extracranial thrombosis. In all the cases, plasma exchange, intravenous immunoglobulins and steroids normalised the platelet count and intravenous argatroban was used for initial anticoagulation. Two cases received a platelet transfusion and required decompressive hemicraniectomy due to raised intracranial pressure, secondary to cerebral oedema and haemorrhage. Prompt assessment of a new persistent headache occurring between 5 and 28 days of receiving the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine is warranted irrespective of age. In cases with venous thrombosis on imaging or abnormal laboratory findings (thrombocytopenia, abnormal clotting or elevated D-dimer), urgent transfer to a tertiary centre is recommended for multidisciplinary care and prevention of life-threatening complications from this rare syndrome.
Species on the move: Stowaways and contaminants cause the greatest economic impacts
Authors: Turbelin Anna J , Diagne Christophe , Hudgins Emma J , Moodley Desika , Kourantidou Melina , Novoa Ana , Haubrock Philip J , Bernery Camille , Gozlan Rodolphe , Francis Robert A , Courchamp Franck
Published: April 2021

Introduction pathways play a pivotal role in the success of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) – the subset of alien species that have a negative environmental and/or socio-economic impact. Pathways refer to the fundamental mechanism that leads to the introduction of a species outside of its native range – marking the beginning of all alien species invasions. Increased knowledge of pathways is essential to help reduce the flow and impacts of IAS and ultimately improve their management. Here we use the InvaCost database, a comprehensive repository on the global monetary impacts of invasive alien species, combined with the CBD hierarchical classification of introduction pathways to address four key questions: (i) Are particular IAS introduction pathways economically impactful? (ii) How are costs taxonomically and spatially distributed across pathways? (iii) Are there differences in costs between species introduced intentionally and unintentionally? and (iv) is there a relationship between the number of possible introduction pathways of IAS and their costs? We found first that both the total and average cost of species introduced through ‘Stowaways’ (US$144.9bn; US$89.4m) and ‘Contaminants’ pathways (US$99.3bn; US$158.0m) were more costly than species introduced primarily through ‘Escape’ (US$87.4bn; US$25.4m) and ‘Release’ (US$64.2bn; US$16.4m). Second, insects drove the costs of unintentional introductions whilst mammals drove the costs of intentional introductions; ‘Stowaways’ had the highest costs in Asia, Central America, North America and Diverse/Unspecified regions, whilst Antarctic-Subantarctic and Oceania incurred the greatest costs from species introduced through ‘Release’. Third, the cost of species introduced unintentionally is more than double the cost of species introduced intentionally ($192bn vs. $90bn). Equally, species introduced unintentionally cost more on average than species introduced intentionally in terms of damage, management, and mixed costs. Finally, the total and average cost of IAS was not related to their number of introduction pathways. Our findings provide important material for the targeting of priority pathways - something that will be critical in prioritising limited management budgets to combat the current acceleration of species invasions.
A Review of Segmentation Technology Based on 3D Point Cloud
Authors: Xu Wang , Baolong Liu
Published: April 2021

Point cloud is an important data format that can completely express scene information. In recent years, with the dramatic increase of polygon complexity of model, the advantage of point model becomes more and more obvious. The point-based computer graphics, which takes point cloud as the research object, has aroused the attention of more and more people, and has been widely used in many fields such as computer vision, automatic driving and robot. In this paper, the point cloud segmentation methods and research status were reviewed in detail, the representative algorithms of each type of methods were analyzed and introduced, and the basic ideas, advantages and disadvantages of each type of methods were summarized. Finally, the problems faced by the segmentation technology and the development direction of the future work are prospected.
Copper isotope evidence for a Cu-rich mantle source of the world-class Jinchuan magmatic Ni-Cu deposit
Authors: Zhao Yun , Liu Sheng-Ao , Xue Chunji , Li Meng-Lun
Published: April 2021

A Cu-rich mantle source may play a key role in generating giant magmatic Ni-Cu deposits worldwide, but evidence for the source’s Cu enrichment and its mechanism is still rare. Copper isotopes can provide novel and direct insights into this issue since metasomatism that causes Cu enrichment in the mantle is commonly associated with a huge Cu isotope fractionation. Here we present the first Cu isotopic study on the world-class Jinchuan magmatic Ni–Cu deposit in China, including disseminated, net-textured, and massive sulfides. The disseminated and net-textured sulfides have variable δ65Cu values (+0.36 ± 0.38‰, n = 42), which are higher than those of massive sulfides (−0.44 ± 0.28‰, n = 11). The country rocks have a narrow δ65Cu range of 0.21 to 0.23‰, which is unlikely to have caused the large δ65Cu variations. The absence of a relationship between δ65Cu and whole-rock Cu contents rules out the possibility of surface weathering and diffusion-driven processes. Furthermore, the lack of correlation between δ65Cu and whole-rock Cu/Ni and Pd/Ir ratios excludes large Cu isotopic variations as a result of the progressive evolution of parental magma or sulfide melt. Numerical modeling indicates that the initially segregated sulfide melt has a mean δ65Cu of 0.44 ± 0.22‰ (2SD). Sulfide-liquid fractionation could have contributed to the enrichment of 65Cu in the Cu-rich net-textured sulfides and depletion of 65Cu in massive sulfides, respectively. The fractionated sulfide melts were fragmented and assimilated by new magma pluses, and consequently, the new segregated sulfide melts acquired lighter and more variable δ65Cu values in comparison with the initially accumulated sulfide melts. The estimated Cu isotopic composition of parental magmas for the Jinchuan Ni-Cu deposit is 0.54 ± 0.22‰ (2SD), which is up to ~0.5‰ higher than the mantle value. Copper transportation from oxidized subducted slabs to mantle peridotites and/or dissolution of Cu-bearing sulfides in the mantle caused oxidative breakdown and reprecipitation of sulfides and shifted the hybridized mantle source toward heavy δ65Cu as previously observed in mantle xenoliths. Our study, therefore, suggests that the source’s pre-enrichment is a key step in the generation of giant magmatic Ni-Cu deposits.
A Review on Finned Pile Foundation
Authors: Chandni S , Ambi Rekha
Published: April 2021

Foundation is that part of the structure which supports and transfers the loads from the structure to the soil. Pile foundations are subjected to both axial and lateral loads especially in quay walls, harbour structures, offshore structures, earth-retaining structures, bridges, power stations, lock structures, tall chimneys, and high-rise buildings. Foundations for offshore structures are subjected to environmental loads from waves, currents and wind giving rise to lateral loads that could be up to one third of the vertical loads. In order to enhance the lateral capacity of pile of such structures finned pile can be used. Experimental and numerical analysis of finned pile in sandy and clayey soil is studied by various researches and they concluded that the lateral capacity can be improved compared to that of regular piles. This paper discusses the various parameters of finned pile that influence the lateral capacity of pile foundation. The various parameters discussed are position, number, inclination, shape and dimensions of fin. From the literatures it was found that rectangular fins show better lateral resistance than triangular fins and also as the length and width of the fin increases the lateral capacity of pile also increases in both sandy and clayey soil under lateral loads.
Assessment of Spatio-Temporal Variations of Particulate Matter and Gaseous Pollutants in The Port City, Paradip, East Coast of India
Authors: Behera Rashmi Ranjan , Majhi Arakshita , Satapathy Deepty Ranjan
Published: April 2021

This study aims to assess the spatial and temporal variations of aerosol pollutants within the nine selected ambient air monitoring stations, including residential, commercial, and industrial sites in Paradip city based on two seasons, i.e., winter and summer, from January 2019 to June 2019. The particulate matter (PM) like PM10 and PM2.5 and gaseous pollutants like sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), and ammonia (NH3) samples were collected at each monitoring stations. The 24-hour average concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 showed the highest levels in the winter season and lowest in the summer season. The value exceeded the permissible limit of India-national ambient air quality standards (IND-NAAQS) at all the monitoring stations.
Geo Physicochemical Properties for Soil Base Subsurface Constructed Wetland System
Authors: Swarnakar Arvind Kumar , Bajpai Samir , Ahmad Ishtiyaq
Published: April 2021

Wetland land system is the natural way for the treatment of wastewater. Constructed wetland system (CWs) is a traditional way for treatment. CWs are considered as secondary or tertiary treatment systems. CWs provide good landscape and better habitat quality for the community. Various types of media are used in Constructed Wetland Systems. Literature shows that various soils have the potential to filtration medium (in substratum) in Horizontal Flow Subsurface Constructed Wetland System (HFSCWs) for wastewater treatment. Soil should have few environmental and geo tech properties. Soil provides the root zone in rhizome network for the vegetation in CWs. Soil provides the absorbent media not only in the HFSCWs but Vertical Flow Constructed Wetland system (VFCWs) also. As per Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), various properties of filter media were described. This review base on types of commonly used wetland, filter media, plant use and geo physicochemical parameters of filter media.