bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Freezing in the Sun
Authors: Castellani Giulia , Veyssiere Gaëlle , Kauker Frank , Karcher Michael , Stroeve Julienne , Wilkinson Jeremy P. , Flores Hauke , Nicolaus Marcel
Published: November 2020

When the air is very cold, water at the surface of the ocean freezes, forming sea ice. Parts of the Arctic Ocean are covered by sea ice during the entire year. Often, snow falls onto the sea ice. Despite the cold, many plants and animals can live in the Arctic Ocean, some in the water, and some even in the sea ice. Particularly, algae can live in small bubbles in the sea ice. Like other plants, algae need energy to grow. This energy comes from food and sunlight. But how can the sunlight reach these little algae living inside the sea ice? From the sun, the light must pass through the atmosphere, the snow, and finally the sea ice itself. In this article, we describe how ice algae can live in this special environment and we explain what influences how much light reaches the algae to make them grow.
Standardized Testing, Use of Assessment Data, and Low Reading Performance of Immigrant and Non-immigrant Students in OECD Countries
Authors: Teltemann Janna , Schunck Reinhard
Published: November 2020

This paper investigates the effects of standardized testing and publication of achievement data on low reading performance for immigrant and non-immigrant students in 30 OECD countries. The paper aims to test hypotheses derived from a principal-agent framework. According to this theoretical perspective, standardized assessments alone should not be associated with reading performance. Instead, the model proposes that the provision of the results to the principle (parents and education authorities) is associated with higher student performance, as this reduces the information asymmetry between principal (parents and educational authorities) and agent (teachers and schools). The results of our analyses of PISA 2009 and 2015 reading data from 422.172 students show that first, the use of standardized achievement tests alone was not associated with the risk of low performance. Second, making the results of standardized tests available to the public was associated with a decreased risk of low reading performance among all students, and, third, particularly among first generation immigrant students. These results were robust across various modeling approaches. In accordance with the predictions from the principal-agent framework, our findings suggest that the mere implementation of standardized assessments has no effects on low performance. Testing along with the public provision of the testing results, which decreases the information asymmetry between schools and teachers on the one hand and parents and education authorities on the other, was associated with a decreased risk of low performance, with the effect being stronger for immigrant students.
Perception of the Sports Social Environment After the Development and Implementation of an Identification Tool for Contagious Risk Situations in Sports During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Lete-Lasa José Ramón , Martín-Acero Rafael , Rico-Díaz Javier , Gómez-Varela Joaquín , Río-Rodríguez Dan
Published: November 2020

The present work details the methodological process for creating a tool for the identification of COVID-19 potential contagion situations in sport and physical education before, during, and after practice and competition. It is a tool that implies an educational and methodological process with all the agents of the sports system. This tool identifies the large number of interactions occurring through sports action and everything that surrounds it in training, competition, and its organization. The aim is to prepare contingency protocols based on an exhaustive analysis, risk detection, and proposal of contingency measures trying to reduce the residual risk to a minimum. In a second part, the results of the implementation of this tool in the sports system of Galicia (Spain) are shown revealing the change in perception about the coronavirus transmission in sport of the technicians and the problem for returning to sport for athletes under 18 years.
Effect of Probiotics and Multi-Component Feed Additives on Microbiota, Gut Barrier and Immune Responses in Broiler Chickens During Subclinical Necrotic Enteritis
Authors: Emami Nima K. , Calik Ali , White Mallory B. , Kimminau Emily A. , Dalloul Rami A.
Published: November 2020

The withdrawal of antibiotic growth promoters from poultry feed has increased the risk of necrotic enteritis (NE) outbreaks. This study examined the effects of a probiotic (PROB) or probiotic/prebiotic/essential oil supplement (PPEO) during a subclinical NE challenge. On day (d) of hatch, 960 male broilers were randomized to four groups (8 pens/treatment, 30 birds/pen) including (1) negative control (NC): corn-soybean meal diet; (2) positive control (PC): NC + 20 g Virginiamycin/ton diet; (3) NC + 227 g PROB/ton diet; and (4) NC + 453 g PPEO/ton diet. One d after placement, birds were challenged by a coccidia vaccine to induce NE. Feed intake and body weights were measured on d 8 (NE onset) and end of each feeding period. On d 8, the small intestines of three birds/pen were examined for NE lesions. Jejunum samples and ileal mucosal scrapings from one bird/pen were respectively collected to measure mRNA abundance (d 8 and d 14) and profile the microbiota (d 8 and d 42). Data were analyzed in JMP or QIIME 2 and significance between treatments identified by LSD (P < 0.05). PROB and PPEO had significantly lower mortality (d 0–14) and NE lesion scores compared to NC. Feed conversion ratio was significantly lower in PC, PROB, and PPEO, while average daily gain was higher in PPEO and PC groups compared to NC from d 0–42. On d 8 and d 14, mRNA abundance of claudin-3 was higher in PPEO compared to NC. On d 14, compared to NC, mRNA abundance of sIgA and PGC-1α in PROB and PPEO were lower and higher, respectively. Compared to NC, PPEO increased mTOR abundance on d 14. On d 8, relative abundance of Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Ruminiclostridium9, Prevotellaceae, Prevotellaceae UCG-014, ASF356, and Muribaculaceae was higher in NC compared to PPEO and PROB, while Lactobacillus was lower in NC. Escherichia-Shigella had higher abundance in PC compared to PPEO and PROB. Collectively, these data indicate that during a subclinical naturally occurring NE, supplementation of PROB or PPEO supports performance and reduces intestinal lesions, potentially through modifying tight junction proteins, gut microbiota, immune responses, and cell metabolism.
Analysis of Transcriptomic Changes in Bovine Endometrial Stromal Cells Treated With Lipopolysaccharide
Authors: Ding Xuefen , Lv Haimiao , Deng Lixin , Hu Wenju , Peng Zhan , Yan Chenbo , Yang Dexin , Tong Chao , Wang Xinzhuang
Published: November 2020

Endometritis adversely affects the ability of cattle to reproduce and significantly reduces milk production. The is mainly composed of epithelial and stromal cells, and they produce the first immune response to invading pathogens. However, most of the epithelial cells are disrupted, and stromal cells are exposed to an inflammatory environment when endometritis occurs, especially postpartum. Many bacteria and toxins start attacking stromal cell due to loss of epithelium, which stimulates Toll-like receptor (TLRs) on stromal cells and causes upregulated expression of cytokines. Understanding the genome-wide characterization of bovine endometritis will be beneficial for prevention and treatment of endometritis. In this study, whole-transcriptomic gene changes in bovine endometrial stromal cells (BESCs) treated with LPS were compared with those treated with PBS (control group) and were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Compared with the control group, a total of 366 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the LPS-induced group (234 upregulated and 132 downregulated genes), with an adjusted P < 0.05 by DESeq. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that DEGs were most enriched in interleukin-1 receptor binding, regulation of cell activation, and lymphocyte-activated interleukin-12 production. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed DEGs were most enriched in the TNF signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, cytokine–cytokine receptor interaction, NF-κB signaling pathway, and chemokine signaling pathway. The results of this study unraveled BESCs affected with LPS transcriptome profile alterations, which may have a significant effect on treatment inflammation by comprehending molecular mechanisms and authenticating unique genes related to endometritis.
Experimenting the Automatic Recognition of Non-Conventionalized Units in Sign Language
Authors: Belissen Valentin , Braffort Annelies , Gouiffès Michèle
Published: November 2020

Sign Languages (SLs) are visual–gestural languages that have developed naturally in deaf communities. They are based on the use of lexical signs, that is, conventionalized units, as well as highly iconic structures, i.e., when the form of an utterance and the meaning it carries are not independent. Although most research in automatic Sign Language Recognition (SLR) has focused on lexical signs, we wish to broaden this perspective and consider the recognition of non-conventionalized iconic and syntactic elements. We propose the use of corpora made by linguists like the finely and consistently annotated dialogue corpus Dicta-Sign-LSF-v2. We then redefined the problem of automatic SLR as the recognition of linguistic descriptors, with carefully thought out performance metrics. Moreover, we developed a compact and generalizable representation of signers in videos by parallel processing of the hands, face and upper body, then an adapted learning architecture based on a Recurrent Convolutional Neural Network (RCNN). Through a study focused on the recognition of four linguistic descriptors, we show the soundness of the proposed approach and pave the way for a wider understanding of Continuous Sign Language Recognition (CSLR).
Chronic Primary Tinnitus: A Management Dilemma
Authors: Soni Annanya , Dubey Abhishek
Published: November 2020

Tinnitus often described as sound in the ear in absence of any external stimulus. It poses a challenge to the psychological and mental wellbeing of the patient and professional unsatisfaction to the clinician. The patient often an old aged individual usually approaches the outpatient department with various sounds in the ear, making him feel ill or unable to have a sound sleep. The middle-aged patient often complains of professional incapability and lack of concentration due to tinnitus. Despite vast academic research and advances, the efficiency of available treatment is debatable, often compelling the clinician to convey the message that “you may have to learn to live with it”. In the present overview of reviews, we tend to look into the management of tinnitus and present a comprehensive outlook of various evidence-based reviews from Cochrane and augmented with various studies from PubMed.
Impact of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on Patients with Cancer: Retrospective and Transversal Studies in Spanish Population
Authors: Garde-Noguera Javier , Fernández-Murga M. Leonor , Giner-Bosch Vicent , Dominguez-Márquez Victoria , Sánchez José García , Soler-Cataluña Juan José , López Chuliá Franscica , Honrubia Beatriz , Piera Nuria , Llombart-Cussac Antonio
Published: November 2020

Background: Studies of patients with cancer affected by coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) are needed to assess the impact of the disease in this sensitive population, and the influence of different cancer treatments on the COVID-19 infection and seroconversion. Material and Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients hospitalized with RT-PCR positive for COVID-19 in our region to assess the prevalence of cancer patients and describe their characteristics and evolution (Cohort 1). Concurrently, a transversal study was carried out in patients on active systemic cancer treatment for symptomatology and seroprevalence (IgG/IgM by ELISA-method) against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) (Cohort 2). Results: A total of 215 patients (Cohort 1) were admitted to hospital with a confirmed COVID-19 infection between February 28 and April 30, 2020, and 17 died (7.9%). A medical record of cancer was noted in 43 cases (20%), 6 of them required Intensive care unit ICU attention (14%), and 7 died (16%). There were thirty-six patients (83%) who tested IgG/IgM positive for SARS-CoV-2. Patients on immunosuppressive therapies presented a lower ratio of seroconversion (40% vs. 8%; p = 0.02). In Cohort 2, 166 patients were included in a symptoms-survey and tested for SARS-CoV-2. Any type of potential COVID-19-related symptom was referred up to 67.4% of patients (85.9% vs. 48.2% vs. 73.9%, for patients on chemotherapy, immunotherapy and targeted therapies respectively, p < 0.05). The seroprevalence ratio was 1.8% for the whole cohort with no significant differences by patient or treatment characteristics. Conclusion: Patients with cancer present higher risks for hospital needs for COVID-19 infection. The lack of SARS-CoV-2 seroconversion may be a concern for patients on immunosuppressive therapies. Patients receiving systematic therapies relayed a high rate of potentially COVID-19-related symptoms, particularly those receiving chemotherapy. However, the seroconversion rate remains low and in the range of general population.
Neuromuscular Ultrasound in the Pediatric Population
Authors: VanHorn Trent A. , Cartwright Michael S.
Published: November 2020

The diagnosis and evaluation of neuromuscular disorders traditionally involves electrodiagnostic (EDx) testing, including nerve conduction studies (NCSs) and electromyography (EMG). These tools can cause pain and discomfort, an important consideration when performed on children. Neuromuscular ultrasound is noninvasive, cost-effective, and increasingly utilized for the detection of neuromuscular pathology. Studies investigating the performance and clinical implementation of ultrasound have primarily been performed in adult populations. Ultrasound in children has the potential to guide EDx testing and ultimately improve diagnostic efficiency and accuracy. This review aims to describe key features of neuromuscular ultrasound in the pediatric population based on the available studies, including our own institutional experience.
Dimensional Stability of Waterlogged Scots Pine Wood Treated with PEG and Dried Using an Alternative Approach
Authors: Fejfer Mariusz , Majka Jerzy , Zborowska Magdalena
Published: November 2020

Low-intensity drying is widely believed to protect waterlogged archeological wood against the adverse effects of dimensional alteration and cracking. However, slow drying generates substantial costs for the conservation process. This study compares the effects on conservation of highly-degraded sapwood (SW) and slightly-degraded heartwood (HW) from waterlogged archeological Scots pine wood treated with polyethylene glycol either as a mixture of polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400/4000 or PEG 2000 solution and air-dried using different approaches. The reference air-drying approach, using gradually decreasing air relative humidity (RH), i.e., 96, 86, 75, 66, and finally 44% (multi-stage schedule), was compared to an alternative approach, using constant RH of 44% (single-stage schedule). The Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis confirmed the decomposition of hydrophilic chemical wood components and revealed differences in the degree of degradation of waterlogged SW and HW. The drying time of PEG-treated waterlogged wood air-dried using a one-stage schedule was shorter compared to the drying time using multi-stage drying. Multivariate analysis (ANOVA) revealed that the drying schedule used after impregnation of waterlogged wood with PEG can have a beneficial effect on wood hygroscopicity and dimensional stability. The drying schedule significantly affected the equilibrium moisture content (EMC) of SW and HW and reduced tangential (ST) shrinkage of SW. These results show the positive effect of the single-stage alternative drying approach on the dimensional stability of highly-degraded Scots pine SW impregnated with PEG 2000. In the case of slightly-degraded HW, the drying approach did not affect wood preservation. These results can be useful for the conservation of highly-degraded waterlogged Scots pine wood.
The Influence of Urban Conditions on the Phenology of Aesculus hippocastanum L. Using the Example of Wroclaw (Poland)
Authors: Orzechowska-Szajda Iwona Dominika , Sobolewski Robert Krzysztof , Lewandowska Joanna , Kowalska Paulina , Kalbarczyk Robert
Published: November 2020

The differences in plant phenology between rural and urban areas are the subject of research conducted all over the world. There are few studies aimed at assessing the impact of the urban heat island on plant vegetation only in urban areas. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the distance from the city center and the form of land cover on the phenological development of trees using the example of the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.). The research area covered the entire city of Wrocław. In order to best capture the impact of the distance from the city center on the rate of changes of individual phenophases, 3 areas were designated—at a distance of 1 km, 2 km and 5 km. The study assessed the average duration of individual phenological phases along with the variability characteristics for leafing, flowering and fruiting in relation to the designated zones and classified forms of land cover based on mean value (x¯) and standard deviation (±SD) in individual weeks of the year. For the leafing and flowering phases, the frequency of the occurrence of phases in individual weeks of the year was analyzed in relation to the designated zones and classified land use methods. The results obtained on the basis of phenological observations carried out in 2017 in Wrocław confirmed the extension of the period of vegetation in the city center in relation to its peripheries. Trees growing in road lanes entered the vegetation period later and defoliated faster, which confirms the negative impact of street conditions on the development of trees in urban space. Thus, the growing season in road lanes is shorter and due to the 1-year observation period, it is justified to conduct further observations.
A Review on Blockchain for the Internet of Medical Things: Definitions, Challenges, Applications, and Vision
Authors: Bigini Gioele , Freschi Valerio , Lattanzi Emanuele
Published: November 2020

Nowadays, there are a lot of new mobile devices that have the potential to assist healthcare professionals when working and help to increase the well-being of the people. These devices comprise the Internet of Medical Things, but it is generally difficult for healthcare institutions to meet compliance of their systems with new medical solutions efficiently. A technology that promises the sharing of data in a trust-less scenario is the Distributed Ledger Technology through its properties of decentralization, immutability, and transparency. The Blockchain and the Internet of Medical Things can be considered as at an early stage, and the implementations successfully applying the technology are not so many. Some aspects covered by these implementations are data sharing, interoperability of systems, security of devices, the opportunity of data monetization and data ownership that will be the focus of this review. This work aims at giving an overview of the current state-of-the-art of the Blockchain-based systems for the Internet of Medical Things, specifically addressing the challenges of reaching user-centricity for these combined systems, and thus highlighting the potential future directions to follow for full ownership of data by users.
Evolution of Homeologous Gene Expression in Polyploid Wheat
Authors: Zhao Na , Dong Qianli , Nadon Brian D. , Ding Xiaoyang , Wang Xutong , Dong Yuzhu , Liu Bao , Jackson Scott A. , Xu Chunming
Published: November 2020

Polyploidization has played a prominent role in the evolutionary history of plants. Two recent and sequential allopolyploidization events have resulted in the formation of wheat species with different ploidies, and which provide a model to study the effects of polyploidization on the evolution of gene expression. In this study, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between four BBAA tetraploid wheats of three different ploidy backgrounds. DEGs were found to be unevenly distributed among functional categories and duplication modes. We observed more DEGs in the extracted tetraploid wheat (ETW) than in natural tetraploid wheats (TD and TTR13) as compared to a synthetic tetraploid (AT2). Furthermore, DEGs showed higher Ka/Ks ratios than those that did not show expression changes (non-DEGs) between genotypes, indicating DEGs and non-DEGs experienced different selection pressures. For A-B homeolog pairs with DEGs, most of them had only one differentially expressed copy, however, when both copies of a homeolog pair were DEGs, the A and B copies were more likely to be regulated to the same direction. Our results suggest that both cis- and inter-subgenome trans-regulatory changes are important drivers in the evolution of homeologous gene expression in polyploid wheat, with ploidy playing a significant role in the process.
Sociodemographic and Clinical Characteristics Associated with Suicidal Behaviour and Relationship with a Nurse-Led Suicide Prevention Programme
Authors: Pons-Baños Judit , Ballester-Ferrando David , Riesco-Miranda Lola , Escoté-Llobet Santiago , Jiménez-Nuño Jordi , Fuentes-Pumarola Concepció , Serra-Millàs Montserrat
Published: November 2020

Suicidal behaviour is a major public health problem that needs to be tackled by all health agents including mental health nurses. Aims: The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between demographic and clinical characteristics and different kinds of suicidal behaviour with a nurse-led suicide prevention programme. Methods: The design was a cross-sectional study, performed in the region of Osona (Catalonia) in the five-year period 2013–2017. Suicidal behaviour was classified as suicidal ideation, interrupted self-directed violence, suicide attempt or completed suicide. Results: The sample included 753 patients (of whom 53 completed suicide) who experienced 931 suicidal behaviour episodes. Men represented only 38.4% of the sample but 81.1% of completed suicides. Mental disorders were associated with suicidal behaviour in 75.4% of the sample. Two thirds (66.4%) of the individuals (0.8% (n = 4) of whom completed suicide) were participants in a nurse-led suicidal behaviour case management programme. Conclusion: The main risk factors were being a woman for suicidal behaviour and being a man and being older for completed suicide. Mental disorders, widowhood and retirement were also associated with completed suicide. The completed suicide rate was lower among participants in the nurse-led programme.
Dual-Channel Global Closed-Loop Supply Chain Network Optimization Based on Random Demand and Recovery Rate
Authors: Liu Aijun , Zhang Yan , Luo Senhao , Miao Jie
Published: November 2020

In the process of globalization, customer demand is usually difficult to predict, and product recycling is generally difficult to achieve accurately. It is also urgent to deal with increased inventory while avoiding shortages, with the purpose of reducing supply chain risks. This study analyzes the integrated supply chain decision-making problem in the random product demand and return environment. It proposes a multi-objective optimization model, which is an effective tool to solve the design and planning problems of the global closed-loop supply chain. It consists of a multi-period, single-product and multi-objective mixed integer linear programming model, which can solve some strategic decision problems, including the network structure, entity capacities, flow of products and components, and collection levels, as well as the inventory levels. From the perspective of economic, environmental and social benefits, three objective functions are defined, including maximizing the net present value (NPV) of the system, minimizing the total CO2e emissions of supply chain activities, and maximizing social sustainability indicators. Finally, a numerical example is provided to verify the advantages of this model, and sensitivity analysis results are provided. The results show that changes in product demand and return rate will have a great impact on economic and social performance.
Greenhouse Gas Emission Efficiencies of World Countries
Authors: Kutlu Levent
Published: November 2020

Greenhouse gas emissions have increased rapidly since the industrial revolution. This has led to an unnatural increase in the global surface temperature, and to other changes in our environment. Acknowledging this observation, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change started an international environmental treaty. This treaty was extended by Kyoto protocol, which was adopted on 11 December 1997. Using the stochastic frontier analysis, we analyze the efficiencies of countries in terms of achieving the lowest greenhouse gas emission levels per GDP output in the years between 1990–2015. We find that the average greenhouse gas emission efficiencies of world countries for the time periods 1990–1997, 1998–2007, 2008–2012, and 2013–2015 are 82.40%, 90.37%, 89.54%, and 84.81%, respectively. Moreover, compared to the 1990–1997 period, 92.50%, 79.51%, and 59.84% of the countries improved their greenhouse gas emission efficiencies in the 1998–2007, 2008–2012, and 2013–2015 periods, respectively. Hence, the Kyoto protocol helped in increasing greenhouse emission efficiency. However, this efficiency-boosting effect faded away over time.
Health Status, Behaviors, and Beliefs of Health Sciences Students and Staff at Kuwait University: Toward Maximizing the Health of Future Health Professionals and Their Patients
Authors: Al-Sayegh Nowall , Al-Enezi Khazna , Nadar Mohammed , Dean Elizabeth
Published: November 2020

Health professionals who engage in healthy lifestyle behaviors are more likely to promote their patients’ health. We evaluated health status, behaviors, and beliefs of students (future health professionals) and staff in four health sciences faculties, Kuwait University. In total, 600 students and 231 staff participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Questionnaire surveys were used to evaluate lifestyle-related practices and participants’ beliefs about these practices, in addition to health-related objective measures, e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, and body mass index. Overweight/obesity was prevalent among the participants (staff, 68.7%, students, 48.1%; p < 0.001); 57% of staff had suboptimal resting blood pressures. About half of the participants reported being moderately physically active (staff, 44.8%, students, 52.6%; p < 0.05), and most reported moderate/high stress (staff, 88.8%, students, 90.9%; p > 0.05). Only 25.1% of staff and 27.9% of students reported at least 8 h sleep nightly (p > 0.05). Staff reported healthier dietary practices than students (p-value range < 0.001–0.02). Overall, the participants had sub-optimal health indices. A marked gap existed between participants’ beliefs about healthy lifestyle practices and their actual health status. Healthy lifestyle programs are needed on campus with respect to diet, exercise, and stress management. As emerging health professionals, students in health sciences faculties, Kuwait University, need exposure to a health-promoting environment including healthy staff as role models.
Shifting the Paradigm: The Dress-COV Telegram Bot as a Tool for Participatory Medicine
Authors: Franchini Michela , Pieroni Stefania , Martini Nicola , Ripoli Andrea , Chiappino Dante , Denoth Francesca , Liebman Michael Norman , Molinaro Sabrina , Della Latta Daniele
Published: November 2020

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic management is limited by great uncertainty, for both health systems and citizens. Facing this information gap requires a paradigm shift from traditional approaches to healthcare to the participatory model of improving health. This work describes the design and function of the Doing Risk sElf-assessment and Social health Support for COVID (Dress-COV) system. It aims to establish a lasting link between the user and the tool; thus, enabling modeling of the data to assess individual risk of infection, or developing complications, to improve the individual’s self-empowerment. The system uses bot technology of the Telegram application. The risk assessment includes the collection of user responses and the modeling of data by machine learning models, with increasing appropriateness based on the number of users who join the system. The main results reflect: (a) the individual’s compliance with the tool; (b) the security and versatility of the architecture; (c) support and promotion of self-management of behavior to accommodate surveillance system delays; (d) the potential to support territorial health providers, e.g., the daily efforts of general practitioners (during this pandemic, as well as in their routine practices). These results are unique to Dress-COV and distinguish our system from classical surveillance applications.
Characteristics of Mother–Daughter Relationships and Sexual Risk-Coping Consciousness among Japanese Female University Students
Authors: Yamanaka Chisato , Kawata Kimiko
Published: November 2020

For heterosexual Japanese women in their early 20s, it is important to maintain good sexual health, develop intimate relationships with a partner, and go through the process of having a family. This study aimed to determine the characteristics of mother-daughter relationships among Japanese female university students and their associations with students’ sexual risk-coping consciousness. We conducted a cross-sectional study using anonymous self-administered questionnaires. Participants were 329 female university students in their junior and senior years. The mother-daughter relationships of the study respondents were divided into the following three clusters: controlled group, close group, and independent group. The close and independent groups often consulted their mothers about sexual matters and, also, tended to be highly capable of actively expressing their opinions and cooperating with their partner in a sexual setting. In contrast, the controlled group revealed a significantly lower percentages of consulting their mothers on sexual matters and scored lower sexual risk-coping consciousness subscale scores. The controlled group may suffer a negative impact of the relationship with their controlling mothers as they try to build a good, trusting relationship with others. The characteristics of mother-daughter relationships may be associated with daughters’ sexual risk-coping consciousness.
Bisphenol A Deranges the Endocannabinoid System of Primary Sertoli Cells with an Impact on Inhibin B Production
Authors: Rossi Gianna , Dufrusine Beatrice , Lizzi Anna Rita , Luzi Carla , Piccoli Alessandra , Fezza Filomena , Iorio Roberto , D’Andrea Gabriele , Dainese Enrico , Cecconi Sandra , Maccarrone Mauro
Published: November 2020

Bisphenol A (BPA) is an endocrine disruptor that negatively affects spermatogenesis, a process where Sertoli cells play a central role. Thus, in the present study we sought to ascertain whether BPA could modulate the endocannabinoid (eCB) system in exposed mouse primary Sertoli cells. Under our experimental conditions, BPA turned out to be cytotoxic to Sertoli cells with an half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ~6.0 µM. Exposure to a non-cytotoxic dose of BPA (i.e., 0.5 μM for 48 h) increased the expression levels of specific components of the eCB system, namely: type-1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptor and diacylglycerol lipase-α (DAGL-α), at mRNA level, type-2 cannabinoid (CB2) receptor, transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) receptors, and DAGL-β, at protein level. Interestingly, BPA also increased the production of inhibin B, but not that of transferrin, and blockade of either CB2 receptor or TRPV1 receptor further enhanced the BPA effect. Altogether, our study provides unprecedented evidence that BPA deranges the eCB system of Sertoli cells towards CB2- and TRPV1-dependent signal transduction, both receptors being engaged in modulating BPA effects on inhibin B production. These findings add CB2 and TRPV1 receptors, and hence the eCB signaling, to the other molecular targets of BPA already known in mammalian cells.
A Blockchain Voting System Based on the Feedback Mechanism and Wilson Score
Authors: Ma Xiaoyu , Zhou Jiting , Yang Xiumei , Liu Guangyuan
Published: November 2020

A blockchain voting system based on the feedback mechanism and Wilson score is proposed to solve the problem of the malicious votes behavior. Firstly, the relatively accurate supporting rate and ranking for candidates are obtained using the Wilson score. Secondly, different feedback coefficients are calculated according to the above parameters. Finally, the account points are adjusted according to the feedback coefficients. The feedback mechanism is designed in the voting smart contract, and the smart contract is deployed on the blockchain to ensure the enforcement of the feedback mechanism. A fully functional smart contract is designed and briefly verified in this paper. The experiment is conducted under the K-out-of-L type of weighted voting. Experimental results show that the Wilson score can accurately modify the candidates’ supporting rates, and the feedback mechanism can effectively suppress malicious votes.
A Visualization Template for the Graphical Representation of Sport Injury Antecedents and Consequences Models and Data
Authors: Brewer Britton W. , Van Brewer Travis P.
Published: November 2020

A template for visually representing factors affecting and affected by the occurrence of sport injury is presented. The visualization template is designed to facilitate comparison among graphic depictions of models and data pertaining to the antecedents and consequences of sport injury. Innovative aspects and limitations of the visualization template are highlighted, and future applications of the visualization template are discussed.
An Improved K-Spare Decomposing Algorithm for Mapping Neural Networks onto Crossbar-Based Neuromorphic Computing Systems
Authors: Dao Thanh D. , Chung Jaeyong
Published: November 2020

Mapping deep neural network (DNN) models onto crossbar-based neuromorphic computing system (NCS) has recently become more popular since it allows us to realize the advantages of DNNs on small computing systems. However, due to the physical limitations of NCS, such as limited programmability, or a fixed and small number of neurons and synapses of memristor crossbars (the most important component of NCS), we have to quantize and decompose a DNN model into many partitions before the mapping. However, each weight parameter in the original network has its own scaling factor, while crossbar cell hardware has only one scaling factor. This will cause a significant error and will reduce the performance of the system. To mitigate this issue, the K-spare neuron approach has been proposed, which uses additional K spare neurons to capture more scaling factors. Unfortunately, this approach typically uses a large number of neurons overhead. To mitigate this issue, this paper proposes an improved version of the K-spare neuron method that uses a decomposition algorithm to minimize the neuron number overhead while maintaining the accuracy of the DNN model. We achieve this goal by using a mean squared quantization error (MSQE) to evaluate which crossbar units are more important and use more scaling factor than others, instead of using the same k-spare neurons for all crossbar cells as previous work does. Our experimental results are demonstrated on the ImageNet dataset (ILSVRC2012) and three typical and popular deep convolution neural networks: VGG16, Resnet152, and MobileNet v2. Our proposed method only uses 0.1%, 3.12%, and 2.4% neurons overhead for VGG16, Resnet152, and MobileNet v2 to keep their accuracy loss at 0.44%, 0.63%, and 1.24%, respectively, while other methods use about 10–20% of neurons overhead for the same accuracy loss.
Multi-Response Optimization of Processing Parameters for Micro-Pockets on Alumina Bioceramic Using Rotary Ultrasonic Machining
Authors: Abdo Basem M. A. , Alkhalefah Hisham , Moiduddin Khaja , Abidi Mustufa Haider
Published: November 2020

The machining of ceramic materials is challenging and often impossible to realize with conventional machining tools. In various manufacturing applications, rotary ultrasonic milling (RUM) shows strengths, in particular for the development of high-quality micro-features in ceramic materials. The main variables that influence the performance and price of the product are surface roughness, edge chipping (EC), and material removal rate (MRR) during the processing of ceramics. RUM has been considered in this research for the milling of micro-pockets in bioceramic alumina (Al2O3). Response surface methodology in the context of a central composite design (CCD) is being used to plan the experiments. The impacts of important RUM input parameters concerning cutting speed, feed rate, depth of cut, frequency, and amplitude have been explored on the surface roughness in terms of arithmetic mean value (Ra), the EC, and the MRR of the machined pockets. The main effect and the interaction effect of the implemented RUM parameters show that by providing a lower feed rate and cutting depth levels and elevated frequency and cutting speed, the Ra and the EC can be minimized. At greater levels of feed rate and cutting depth, higher MRR can be obtained. The influence of RUM input parameters on the surface morphology was also recorded and analyzed using scanning electron microscopic (SEM) images. The study of the energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) shows that there is no modification in the alumina bioceramic material. Additionally, a multi-response optimization method has been applied by employing a desirability approach with the core objectives of minimizing the EC and Ra and maximizing the MRR of the milled pockets. The obtained experimental values for Ra, EC, and MRR at an optimized parametric setting were 0.301 µm, 12.45 µm, and 0.873 mm3/min respectively with a combined desirability index value of 0.73.
Thermodynamics and Mechanics of Thermal Spraying of Steel EN 10060 Substrate with NiCrBSi Alloy after Milling
Authors: Valíček Jan , Harničárová Marta , Řehoř Jan , Kušnerová Milena , Kučerová Ludmila , Gombár Miroslav , Fulemová Jaroslava , Filipenský Jan , Hnátík Jan
Published: November 2020

The objective of this paper is to present a new way of identifying and predicting the relationship between thermodynamic and physical-mechanical parameters in the formation of a layer after spraying on a substrate with NiCrBSi alloy and its subsequent processing by milling. The milling of the spherical surface of the EN 10060 material after spraying was performed on the DMU 40 eVolinear linear milling centre. The experimental part of the article is focused on investigating the influence of cutting parameters when machining a selected combination of materials (substrate-coating: EN 10060 steel-NiCrBSi alloy). The experiment is based on the results of direct measurements of three basic cutting parameters, namely: cutting speed vc (m∙min−1), feed per tooth fz (mm), and the depth of cut ap (mm). The new distribution functions of selected cutting parameters were derived. The analytical results of the thermodynamic calculations performed on nickel-based alloy can be used for accurate predictions of the technological parameters of milling a spherical substrate made of EN 10060 steel after HVOF spraying, and also for both sample preparation and the subsequent production of high-quality coatings.
Long-Term Stability of a RAFT-Modified Bulk-Fill Resin-Composite under Clinically Relevant versus ISO-Curing Conditions
Authors: Graf Niklas , Ilie Nicoleta
Published: November 2020

The addition of RAFT (reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer) agents to the matrix formulation of a bulk-fill resin composite can significantly decrease the required curing time down to a minimum of 3 s. Evaluating the long term-stability of this resin composite in relation to varied curing conditions in an in-vitro environment was this study’s goal. Specimens were produced according to either an ISO or one of two clinical curing protocols and underwent a maximum of three successive aging procedures. After each one of the aging procedures, 30 specimens for each curing condition were extracted for a three-point bending test. Fragments were then stereo-microscopically characterized according to their fracture mechanism. Weibull analysis was used to quantify the reliability of each aging and curing combination. Selected fragments (n = 12) underwent further testing via depth-sensing indentation. Mechanical values for either standardized or clinical curing were mostly comparable. However, changes in fracture mechanism and Weibull modulus were observed after each aging procedure. The final procedure exposed significant differences in the mechanical values due to curing conditions. Curing conditions with increased radiant exposure seemingly result in a higher crosslink in the polymer-matrix, thus increasing resistance to aging. Yet, the clinical curing conditions still resulted in acceptable mechanical values, proving the effectiveness of RAFT-polymerization.
Evaluation of Dislocation Densities in Various Microstructures of Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V (Eli) by the Method of X-ray Diffraction
Authors: Muiruri Amos , Maringa Maina , du Preez Willie
Published: November 2020

Dislocations play a central role in determining strength and flow properties of metals and alloys. Diffusionless phase transformation of β→α in Ti6Al4V during the Direct Metal Laser Sintering (DMLS) process produces martensitic microstructures with high dislocation densities. However, heat treatment, such as stress relieving and annealing, can be applied to reduce the volume of these dislocations. In the present study, an analysis of the X-ray diffraction (XRD) profiles of the non-heat-treated and heat-treated microstructures of DMLS Ti6Al4V(ELI) was carried out to determine the level of defects in these microstructures. The modified Williamson–Hall and modified Warren–Averbach methods of analysis were used to evaluate the dislocation densities in these microstructures. The results obtained showed a 73% reduction of dislocation density in DMLS Ti6Al4V(ELI) upon stress relieving heat treatment. The density of dislocations further declined in microstructures that were annealed at elevated temperatures, with the microstructures that were heat-treated just below the β→α recording the lowest dislocation densities.
Advances and Challenges in the Creation of Porous Metal Phosphonates
Authors: Mysore Ramesha Bharadwaj , Meynen Vera
Published: November 2020

In the expansive world of porous hybrid materials, a category of materials that has been rather less explored than others and is gaining attention in development is the porous metal phosphonates. They offer promising features towards applications which demand control over the inorganic–organic network and interface, which is critical for adsorption, catalysis and functional devices and technology. The need to establish a rationale for new synthesis approaches to make these materials in a controlled manner is by itself an important motivation for material chemists. In this review, we highlight the various synthetic strategies exploited, discussing various metal phosphonate systems and how they influence the properties of porous metal phosphonates. We discuss porous metal phosphonate systems based on transition metals with an emphasis on addressing challenges with tetravalent metals. Finally, this review provides a brief description of some key areas of application that are ideally suited for porous metal phosphonates.
Comparison of Carbon Supports in Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells
Authors: Truong Van Men , Duong Ngoc Bich , Yang Hsiharng
Published: November 2020

Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs) are attractive alternatives to proton exchange membrane fuel cells due to their ability to employ nonprecious metals as catalysts, reducing the cost of AEMFC devices. This paper presents an experimental exploration of the carbon support material effects on AEMFC performance. The silver (Ag) nanoparticles supported on three types of carbon materials including acetylene carbon (AC), carbon black (CB), and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)—Ag/AC, Ag/CB, and Ag/MWCNT, respectively—were prepared using the wet impregnation method. The silver loading in the catalysts was designed as 60 wt.% during the synthesizing process, which was examined using thermogravimetric analysis. The elemental composition of the prepared Ag/AC, Ag/CB, and Ag/MWCNT catalysts was confirmed using X-ray diffraction analysis. The nanoparticle size of Ag attached on carbon particles or carbon nanotubes, as observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), was around 50 nm. For the performance tests of a single AEMFC, the obtained results indicate that the maximum power density using Ag/MWCNT as the cathode catalyst (356.5 mW·cm−2) was higher than that using Ag/AC (329.3 mW·cm−2) and Ag/CB (256.6 mW·cm−2). The better cell performance obtained using a MWCNT support can be ascribed to the higher electrical conductivity and the larger electrochemical active surface area calculated from cyclic voltammetry measurements.
High-Accuracy 3D Optical Profilometry for Analysis of Surface Condition of Modern Circulated Coins
Authors: Kapłonek Wojciech , Mikolajczyk Tadeusz , Pimenov Danil Yurievich , Gupta Munish Kumar , Mia Mozammel , Sharma Shubham , Patra Karali , Sutowska Marzena
Published: November 2020

The article shows that noncontact measurement techniques can be an important support to X-ray-based methods when examining the surface condition of modern circulated coins. The forms and degrees of wear of such coins, affecting their utility values, qualifying them as a legal tender in a given country, can be measured and analyzed, among other things, using advanced high-accuracy optical profilometry methods. The authors presented four analyses carried out for reverses and obverses of round coins (1 zloty, 1 franc, 50 bani, 5 pens) characterized by different degrees of surface wear. All of the coins were measured using 3D optical profilometers (Talysurf CLI 2000 and S neox) representing two generations of these types of systems. The obtained results confirm the validity of the applied high-accuracy measurement systems in conjunction with dedicated software in the presented applications. Examples of the analyses carried out can be a significant source of information on the condition of coins in the context of maintaining their functional properties (selection of appropriate wear–resistant alloys and correctness of the production process).
Solution of Euler’s Differential Equation in Terms of Distribution Theory and Fractional Calculus
Authors: Morita Tohru , Sato Ken-ichi
Published: November 2020

For Euler’s differential equation of order n, a theorem is presented to give n solutions, by modifying a theorem given in a recent paper of the present authors in J. Adv. Math. Comput. Sci. 2018; 28(3): 1–15, and then the corresponding theorem in distribution theory is given. The latter theorem is compared with recent studies on Euler’s differential equation in distribution theory. A supplementary argument is provided on the solutions expressed by nonregular distributions, on the basis of nonstandard analysis and Laplace transform.