bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RETRACTED: Sanhua Decoction, a Classic Herbal Prescription, Exerts Neuroprotection Through Regulating Phosphorylated Tau Level and Promoting Adult Endogenous Neurogenesis After Cerebral Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury
Authors: Fu Deng-Lei , Li Ji-Huang , Shi Yi-Hua , Zhang Xi-Le , Lin Yan , Zheng Guo-Qing
Published: February 2020

Background: Ischemia stroke is the leading cause of death and long-term disability. Sanhua Decoction (SHD), a classic Chinese herbal prescription, has been used for ischemic stroke for about thousands of years. Here, we aim to investigate the neuroprotective effects of SHD on cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (CIR) injury rat models.

Methods: The male Sprague-Dawley rats (body weight, 250–280 g; age, 7–8 weeks) were randomly divided into sham group, CIR group, and SHD group and were further divided into subgroups according to different time points at 6 h, 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 d, respectively. The SHD group received intragastric administration of SHD at 10 g kg−1 d−1. The focal CIR models were induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion according to Longa’s method, while sham group had the same operation without suture insertion. Neurological deficit score (NDS) was evaluated using the Longa’s scale. BrdU, doublecortin (DCX), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) were used to label proliferation, migration, and differentiation of nerve cells before being observed by immunofluorescence. The expression of reelin, total tau (t-tau), and phosphorylated tau (p-tau) were evaluated by western blot and RT-qPCR.

Results: SHD can significantly improve NDS at 1, 3, 7, and 14 d (p < 0.05), increase the number of BrdU positive and BrdU/DCX positive cells in subventricular zone at 3, 7, and 14 d (p < 0.05), upregulate BrdU/GFAP positive cells in the ischemic penumbra at 28 d after CIR (p < 0.05), and reduce p-tau level at 1, 3, 7, and 14 d (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference on reelin and t-tau level between three groups at each time points after CIR.

Conclusions: SHD exerts neuroprotection probably by regulating p-tau level and promoting the proliferation, migration, and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells, accompanying with neurobehavioral recovery.
Assessment of Factors Constraining Organic Farming Expansion in Lis Valley, Portugal
Authors: Ferreira Susana , Oliveira Fátima , Gomes da Silva Francisco , Teixeira Margarida , Gonçalves Madalena , Eugénio Rui , Damásio Henrique , Gonçalves José M.
Published: February 2020

Organic farming can play an important role in rural development and food production, by reinforcing the trend toward sustainable agriculture and its purpose of ecosystem conservation. The agribusiness of organic farming is particularly relevant in family farming, given the labor availability and the short marketing circuits. The innovative techniques of organic farming, namely with soil fertility, weed and pest control, opens a wide range of possibilities in its development and extension. The expectation of organic farming profitability in small-scale family farming, supported by known successful examples, were the theme of a field study on Lis Valley Irrigation District to assess the constraints to its expansion in order to outline the procedures for the acquisition of technical knowledge, the adaptation of technologies, the support for the conversion of production models, and the specialized training of farmers for action. Results revealed that the: (i) farmer’s land structure, (ii) their mature age, (iii) low education level, and (iv) markets, are the main constrains for organic farming development. Furthermore, other uncertainties were identified, namely: (i) the certification process, (ii) the knowledge of new technologies, especially of crop protection, and (iii) the marketing problems to guaranteeing profitability. This study concludes that organic farming has significant potential for development in the Lis Valley and that the efforts and resources of the various stakeholders, namely the state, need to be harmonized to deliver effective support to farmers to promote organic farming that prioritizes: (i) rural development policies, (ii) supporting land restructuring, (iii) modernization of irrigation, (iv) stimulation of young farmers, (v) conversion and implementation of innovative technologies, (vi) the organization of farmers for better productive efficiency, and (vii) to facilitate market access.
Response of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) to Abrupt Chilling as Reflected by Changes in Freezing Tolerance and Soluble Sugars
Authors: Xu Hongyu , Tong Zongyong , He Feng , Li Xianglin
Published: February 2020

Abrupt-chilling events threaten the survival of alfalfa plants, the ability to cope with such condition should be considered during cultivar selection in the production. To assess biochemical and molecular responses of alfalfa to abrupt chilling, the cultivars “WL440HQ” (WL) and “ZhaoDong” (ZD) were subjected to a five-phase experimental regime that included two abrupt-chilling events. The freezing tolerance of the crown was determined as the semi-lethal temperature (LT50) calculated from electrolyte leakage. Soluble sugar concentrations were quantified by ion chromatography. The mRNA transcript levels of four genes encoding enzymes (β-amylase, sucrose phosphate synthase, galactinol synthase, and stachyose synthase) involved in sugar metabolism and two cold-regulated genes (Cas15A and K3-dehydrin) were quantified using quantitative real-time PCR analysis. During the abrupt-chilling events, the LT50 decreased significantly in ZD but not in WL. The rapid response of ZD to abrupt chilling may have been due to the large increases in raffinose and stachyose concentrations, which were consistent with increased transcript levels of the galactinol synthase and stachyose synthase genes. Transcript levels of the cold-regulated genes Cas15A and K3-dehydrin were correlated with increased freezing tolerance under abrupt chilling. The results provide a reference for selection of appropriate cultivars to reduce the risk of crop damage in production areas where early autumn or late spring frosts are likely.
Variation of Blood Metabolites of Brown Swiss, Holstein-Friesian, and Simmental Cows
Authors: Benedet Anna , Franzoi Marco , Manuelian Carmen L. , Penasa Mauro , De Marchi Massimo
Published: February 2020

Serum metabolic profile is a common method to monitor health and nutritional status of dairy cows, but blood sampling and analysis are invasive, time-consuming, and expensive. Milk mid-infrared spectra have recently been used to develop prediction models for blood metabolites. The current study aimed to investigate factors affecting blood β-hydroxybutyrate (BHB), non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), and urea nitrogen (BUN) predicted from a large milk mid-infrared spectra database. Data consisted of the first test-day record of early-lactation cows in multi-breed herds. Holstein-Friesian cows had the greatest concentration of blood BHB and NEFA, followed by Simmental and Brown Swiss. The greatest and the lowest concentrations of BUN were detected for Brown Swiss and Holstein-Friesian, respectively. The greatest BHB concentration was observed in the first two weeks of lactation for Brown Swiss and Holstein-Friesian. Across the first month of lactation, NEFA decreased and BUN increased for all considered breeds. The greatest concentrations of blood BHB and NEFA were recorded in spring and early summer, whereas BUN peaked in December. Environmental effects identified in the present study can be included as adjusting factors in within-breed estimation of genetic parameters for major blood metabolites.
Effect of Feed Supplemented with Selenium-Enriched Olive Leaves on Plasma Oxidative Status, Mineral Profile, and Leukocyte DNA Damage in Growing Rabbits
Authors: Mattioli Simona , Rosignoli Patrizia , D’Amato Roberto , Fontanella Maria Chiara , Regni Luca , Castellini Cesare , Proietti Primo , Elia Antonia Concetta , Fabiani Roberto , Beone Gian Maria , Businelli Daniela , Dal Bosco Alessandro
Published: February 2020

This study investigated the effect of a dietary combination of selenium and olive leaves on rabbit health status in order to evaluate the potential use of these combinations as functional ingredients in feed and food. Sixty weaning rabbits were fed with three diets: control feed (C), control feed + 10% normal olive leaves (OL), or olive leaves enriched in Se (2.17 mg Se/kg d.m.; SeOL). The plasma mineral profile, antioxidant status, and leukocyte DNA damage were determined. Inorganic Se was the most abundant form in the OL diet, while the organic one was higher in SeOL than C and OL. A similar trend was found in the plasma. Protein oxidation showed higher values in both supplemented groups; in addition, dietary Se led to a significant improvement (+40%) in ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP). A marked reduction in DNA damage (9-fold) was observed in the SeOL group compared to C. The combination of selenium and olive leaves in the diet of growing rabbits increased plasma SeMet and FRAP and reduced leukocyte DNA damage.
Human-Animal Co-Sleeping: An Actigraphy-Based Assessment of Dogs’ Impacts on Women’s Nighttime Movements
Authors: Hoffman Christy L. , Browne Matthew , Smith Bradley P.
Published: February 2020

Humans regularly enter into co-sleeping arrangements with human and non-human partners. Studies of adults who co-sleep report that co-sleeping can impact sleep quality, particularly for women. Although dog owners often choose to bedshare with their dogs, we know relatively little about the nature of these relationships, nor the extent to which co-sleeping might interfere with sleep quality or quantity. In an effort to rectify this, we selected a sample of 12 adult female human (M = 50.8 years) and dog dyads, and monitored their activity using actigraphy. We collected movement data in one-minute epochs for each sleep period for an average of 10 nights per participant. This resulted in 124 nights of data, covering 54,533 observations (M = 7.3 hours per night). In addition, we collected subjective sleep diary data from human participants. We found a significant positive relationship between human and dog movement over sleep periods, with dogs influencing human movement more than humans influenced dog movement. Dog movement accompanied approximately 50% of human movement observations, and dog movement tripled the likelihood of the human transitioning from a non-moving state to a moving state. Nevertheless, humans rarely reported that their dog disrupted their sleep. We encourage the continued exploration of human-animal co-sleeping in all its facets and provide recommendations for future research in this area.
The Impact of Deviation of the Stun Shot from the Ideal Point on Motor Paralysis in Cattle
Authors: Vecerek Vladimir , Kamenik Josef , Voslarova Eva , Volfova Martina , Machovcova Zuzana , Konvalinova Jarmila , Vecerkova Lenka
Published: February 2020

The effect on motor paralysis of a deviation in the stun shot placement from the ideal point on cattle skulls was monitored in 627 bovine animals (271 bulls and 356 cows) stunned with a captive bolt during slaughter in a slaughterhouse. The number of animals that experienced motor paralysis and the necessary fall of the animal in the stunning box were recorded after the stun shot. Subsequently, the position of the stun shot was measured on the skull of the slaughtered cattle in relation to the ideal point on the skull, and at a deviation from the ideal point, the quadrant on the skull in which the bullet was located was determined. The results show that with the increasing distance of the placement of the stun shot from the ideal point on the skull, the incidence of failure to induce motor paralysis in cattle increases significantly (p < 0.01) from 2.4% (within 3 cm of deviation) to 72.2% (at deviations > 7 cm). There was a significant increase in the failure to induce motor paralysis in bulls as well as in cows, but this was more frequent in bulls regardless of the magnitude of the deviation from the ideal point (with the exception of a distance greater than 7 cm where the chances of inducing motor paralysis in bulls and cows are equally low). The incidence of failure to induce motor paralysis in cattle was not dependent on the placement of a stun shot in various quadrants on the skull. With the increasing deviation in any direction from the ideal point, the likelihood of effective stunning of cattle decreases. The results are important from the animal welfare point of view of the slaughter of cattle, and demonstrate the necessity of optimum placement of the stunning shot on the bovine skull in order to achieve the successful motor paralysis of cattle during their stunning at the slaughterhouse.
Antibacterial and Hemolytic Activity of Crotalus triseriatus and Crotalus ravus Venom
Authors: Zaragoza-Bastida Adrian , Flores-Aguilar Saudy Consepcion , Aguilar-Castro Liliana Mireya , Morales-Ubaldo Ana Lizet , Valladares-Carranza Benjamín , Rangel-López Lenin , Olmedo-Juárez Agustín , Rosenfeld-Miranda Carla E. , Rivero-Pérez Nallely
Published: February 2020

Rattlesnakes have venoms with a complex toxin mixture comprised of polypeptides and proteins. Previous studies have shown that some of these polypeptides are of high value for the development of new medical treatments. The aim of the present study is to evaluate, in vitro, the antibacterial and hemolytic activity of Crotalus triseriatus and Crotalus ravus venoms. A direct field search was conducted to obtain Crotalus triseriatus and Crotalus ravus venom samples. These were evaluated to determine their antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa through the techniques of Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC). Hemolytic activity was also determined. Antibacterial activity was determined for treatments (Crotalus triseriatus 2) CT2 and (Crotalus ravus 3) CR3, obtaining a Minimum Inhibitory Concentration of 50 µg/mL and a Minimum Bactericidal Concentration of 100 µg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. CT1 (Crotalus triseriatus 1), CT2, and CR3 presented hemolytic activity; on the other hand, Crotalus ravus 4 (CR4) did not show hemolytic activity. The results of the present study indicate for the first time that Crotalus triseriatus and Crotalus ravus venoms contain some bioactive compounds with bactericidal activity against Pseudomonas aeruginosa which could be used as alternative treatment in diseases caused by this pathogenic bacterium.
Antimicrobial Activity of Host-Derived Lipids
Authors: Fischer Carol L.
Published: February 2020

Host-derived lipids are increasingly recognized as antimicrobial molecules that function in innate immune activities along with antimicrobial peptides. Sphingoid bases and fatty acids found on the skin, in saliva and other body fluids, and on all mucosal surfaces, including oral mucosa, exhibit antimicrobial activity against a variety of Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria, viruses, and fungi, and reduce inflammation in animal models. Multiple studies demonstrate that the antimicrobial activity of lipids is both specific and selective. There are indications that the site of action of antimicrobial fatty acids is the bacterial membrane, while the long-chain bases may inhibit cell wall synthesis as well as interacting with bacterial membranes. Research in this area, although still sporadic, has slowly increased in the last few decades; however, we still have much to learn about antimicrobial lipid mechanisms of activity and their potential use in novel drugs or topical treatments. One important potential benefit for the use of innate antimicrobial lipids (AMLs) as antimicrobial agents is the decreased likelihood side effects with treatment. Multiple studies report that endogenous AML treatments do not induce damage to cells or tissues, often decrease inflammation, and are active against biofilms. The present review summarizes the history of antimicrobial lipids from the skin surface, including both fatty acids and sphingoid bases, in multiple human body systems and summarizes their relative activity against various microorganisms. The range of antibacterial activities of lipids present at the skin surface and in saliva is presented. Some observations relevant to mechanisms of actions are discussed, but are largely still unknown. Multiple recent studies examine the therapeutic and prophylactic uses of AMLs. Although these lipids have been repeatedly demonstrated to act as innate effector molecules, they are not yet widely accepted as such. These compiled data further support fatty acid and sphingoid base inclusion as innate effector molecules.
Potential Protective Role Exerted by Secoiridoids from Olea europaea L. in Cancer, Cardiovascular, Neurodegenerative, Aging-Related, and Immunoinflammatory Diseases
Authors: Castejón María Luisa , Montoya Tatiana , Alarcón-de-la-Lastra Catalina , Sánchez-Hidalgo Marina
Published: February 2020

Iridoids, which have beneficial health properties, include a wide group of cyclopentane [c] pyran monoterpenoids present in plants and insects. The cleavage of the cyclopentane ring leads to secoiridoids. Mainly, secoiridoids have shown a variety of pharmacological effects including anti-diabetic, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive, neuroprotective, anti-cancer, and anti-obesity, which increase the interest of studying these types of bioactive compounds in depth. Secoiridoids are thoroughly distributed in several families of plants such as Oleaceae, Valerianaceae, Gentianaceae and Pedialaceae, among others. Specifically, Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae) is rich in oleuropein (OL), dimethyl-OL, and ligstroside secoiridoids, and their hydrolysis derivatives are mostly OL-aglycone, oleocanthal (OLE), oleacein (OLA), elenolate, oleoside-11-methyl ester, elenoic acid, hydroxytyrosol (HTy), and tyrosol (Ty). These compounds have proved their efficacy in the management of diabetes, cardiovascular and neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, and viral and microbial infections. Particularly, the antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties of secoiridoids from the olive tree (Olea europaea L. (Oleaceae)) have been suggested as a potential application in a large number of inflammatory and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mediated diseases. Thus, the purpose of this review is to summarize recent advances in the protective role of secoiridoids derived from the olive tree (preclinical studies and clinical trials) in diseases with an important pathogenic contribution of oxidative and peroxidative stress and damage, focusing on their plausible mechanisms of the action involved.
In Vitro Aging of Human Skin Fibroblasts: Age-Dependent Changes in 4-Hydroxynonenal Metabolism
Authors: Petkovic Igor , Bresgen Nikolaus , Gilardoni Ettore , Regazzoni Luca , Uchida Koji , Aldini Giancarlo , Siems Werner , Eckl Peter
Published: February 2020

Evidence suggests that the increased production of free radicals and reactive oxygen species lead to cellular aging. One of the consequences is lipid peroxidation generating reactive aldehydic products, such as 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) that modify proteins and form adducts with DNA bases. To prevent damage by HNE, it is metabolized. The primary metabolic products are the glutathione conjugate (GSH-HNE), the corresponding 4-hydroxynonenoic acid (HNA), and the alcohol 1,4-dihydroxynonene (DHN). Since HNE metabolism can potentially change during in vitro aging, cell cultures of primary human dermal fibroblasts from several donors were cultured until senescence. After different time points up to 30 min of incubation with 5 µM HNE, the extracellular medium was analyzed for metabolites via liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS). The metabolites appeared in the extracellular medium 5 min after incubation followed by a time-dependent increase. But, the formation of GSH-HNL and GSH-DHN decreased with increasing in vitro age. As a consequence, the HNE levels in the cells increase and there is more protein modification observed. Furthermore, after 3 h of incubation with 5 µM HNE, younger cells showed less proliferative capacity, while in older cells slight increase in the mitotic index was noticed.
Image Dehazing Based on (CMTnet) Cascaded Multi-scale Convolutional Neural Networks and Efficient Light Estimation Algorithm
Authors: Haouassi Samia , Wu Di
Published: February 2020

Image dehazing plays a pivotal role in numerous computer vision applications such as object recognition, surveillance systems, and security systems, where it can be considered as an introductory stage. Recently, many proposed learning-based works address this significant task; however, most of them neglect the atmospheric light estimation and fail to produce accurate transmission maps. To address such a problem, in this paper, we propose a two-stage dehazing system. The first stage presents an accurate atmospheric light algorithm labeled “A-Est” that employs hazy image blurriness and quadtree decomposition. Te second stage represents a cascaded multi-scale CNN model called CMT n e t that consists of two subnetworks, one for calculating rough transmission maps (CMCNN t r ) and the other for its refinement (CMCNN t ). Each subnetwork is composed of three-layer D-units (D indicates dense). Experimental analysis and comparisons with state-of-the-art dehazing methods revealed that the proposed system can estimate AL and t efficiently and accurately by achieving high-quality dehazing results and outperforms state-of-the-art comparative methods according to SSIM and MSE values, where our proposed achieves the best scores of both (91% average SSIM and 0.068 average MSE).
Prosocial Virtual Reality, Empathy, and EEG Measures: A Pilot Study Aimed at Monitoring Emotional Processes in Intergroup Helping Behaviors
Authors: D’Errico Francesca , Leone Giovanna , Schmid Maurizio , D’Anna Carmen
Published: February 2020

During a non-invasive procedure, participants both helped and helped by a confederate with features that create social distance (membership in an ethnic outgroup or another social group). For this purpose, we created a set of virtual scenarios in which the confederate’s ethnicity (white vs. black) and appearance (business man vs. beggar, with casual dress as a control condition) were crossed. The study aimed to explore how the emotional reactions of participants changed according to the confederate’s status signals as well as signals that they belong to the same or a different ethnic group. Participants’ alertness, calmness, and engagement were monitored using electroencephalogram (EEG) during the original virtual reality (VR) video sessions. Participants’ distress and empathy when exposed to helping interactions were self-assessed after the VR video sessions. The results pointed out that, irrespective of whether they helped the confederate or were helped by him/her, white participants showed higher levels of alertness when exposed to helping interactions involving a white beggar or a black businessman, and their emotional calmness and engagement were higher when interacting with a black beggar or a white businessman. The results for self-assessed distress and empathy followed the same tendency, indicating how physiological and self-assessed measures can both contribute to a better understanding of the emotional processes in virtual intergroup helping situations. Based on the presented results, the methodological and practical implications of VR in terms of enhancing self-reflective capacities in intergroup helping processes are discussed.
A Holistic Approach to Guarantee the Reliability of Positioning Based on Carrier Phase for Indoor Pseudolite
Authors: Zhao Yinzhi , Guo Jiming , Zou Jingui , Zhang Peng , Zhang Di , Li Xin , Huang Gege , Yang Fei
Published: February 2020

The integrity monitoring algorithm based on pseudorange observations has been widely used outdoors and plays an important role in ensuring the reliability of positioning. However, pseudorange observations are greatly affected by the error sources such as multipath, clock drift, and noise in indoor pseudolite system, thus the pseudorange observations cannot be applied to high-precision indoor positioning. In general, double differenced (DD) carrier phase observations are used to obtain a high-precision indoor positioning result. What’s more, the carrier phase-based integrity monitoring (CRAIM) algorithm is applied to identify and exclude potential faults of the pseudolites. In this article, a holistic method is proposed to ensure the accuracy and reliability of positioning results. Firstly, if the reference pseudolite operates normally, extended Kalman filter is used for parameter estimation on the premise that the number of common pseudolites meets positioning requirements. Secondly, the innovation sequence in the Kalman filter is applied to construct test statistics and the corresponding threshold is determined from the Chi distribution with a given probability of false alert. The pseudolitehorizontal protection level (HPL) is calculated by the threshold and a prior probability of missed detection. Finally, compared the test statistics with the threshold to exclude the faultypseudolite for the reliability of positioning. The experiment results show that the proposed method improves the accuracy and stability of the results through faults detection and exclusion. This method ensures accuracies at the centimeter level for dynamic experiments and millimeter levels for static ones.
A Bipolar Neutrosophic Multi Criteria Decision Making Framework for Professional Selection
Authors: Abdel-Basset Mohamed , Gamal Abduallah , Son Le Hoang , Smarandache Florentin
Published: February 2020

Professional selection is a significant task for any organization that aims to select the most appropriate candidates to fill well-defined vacancies up. In the recruitment process, various individual characteristics are involved, such as leadership, analytical skills, independent thinking, innovation, stamina and personality, ambiguity and imprecision. It outlines staff contribution and therefore plays a significant part in human resources administration. Additionally, in the era of the Internet of Things and Big Data (IoTBD), professional selection would face several challenges not only to the safe selection and security but also to make wise and prompt decisions especially in the large-scale candidates and criteria from the Cloud. However, the process of professional selection is often led by experience, which contains vague, ambiguous and uncertain decisions. It is therefore necessary to design an efficient decision-making algorithm, which could be further escalated to IoTBD. In this paper, we propose a new hybrid neutrosophic multi criteria decision making (MCDM) framework that employs a collection of neutrosophic analytical network process (ANP), and order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) under bipolar neutrosophic numbers. The MCDM framework is applied for chief executive officer (CEO) selection in a case study at the Elsewedy Electric Group, Egypt. The proposed approach allows us to assemble individual evaluations of the decision makers and therefore perform accurate personnel selection. The outcomes of the proposed method are compared with those of the related works such as weight sum model (WSM), weight product model (WPM), analytical hierarchy process (AHP), multi-objective optimization based on simple ratio analysis (MOORA) and ANP methods to prove and validate the results.
Tunable Synthesis of Hollow Co3O4 Nanoboxes and Their Application in Supercapacitors
Authors: Fan Xiao , Ohlckers Per , Chen Xuyuan
Published: February 2020

Hollow Co3O4 nanoboxes constructed by numerous nanoparticles were prepared by using a facile method consisting of precipitation, solvothermal and annealing reactions. The desirable hollow structure as well as a highly porous morphology led to synergistically determined and enhanced supercapacitor performances. In particular, the hollow Co3O4 nanoboxes were comprehensively investigated to achieve further optimization by tuning the sizes of the nanoboxes, which were well controlled by initial precipitation reaction. The systematical electrochemical measurements show that the optimized Co3O4 electrode delivers large specific capacitances of 1832.7 and 1324.5 F/g at current densities of 1 and 20 A/g, and only 14.1% capacitance decay after 5000 cycles. The tunable synthesis paves a new pathway to get the utmost out of Co3O4 with a hollow architecture for supercapacitors application.
Opto-Electronic Refractometric Sensor Based on Surface Plasmon Resonances and the Bolometric Effect
Authors: Elshorbagy Mahmoud H. , Cuadrado Alexander , Gómez-Pedrero José Antonio , Alda Javier
Published: February 2020

The bolometric effect allows us to electrically monitor spectral characteristics of plasmonic sensors; it provides a lower cost and simpler sample characterization compared with angular and spectral signal retrieval techniques. In our device, a monochromatic light source illuminates a spectrally selective plasmonic nanostructure. This arrangement is formed by a dielectric low-order diffraction grating that combines two materials with a high-contrast in the index of refraction. Light interacts with this structure and reaches a thin metallic layer, that is also exposed to the analyte. The narrow absorption generated by surface plasmon resonances hybridized with low-order grating modes, heats the metal layer where plasmons are excited. The temperature change caused by this absorption modifies the resistance of a metallic layer through the bolometric effect. Therefore, a refractometric change in the analyte varies the electric resistivity under resonant excitation. We monitor the change in resistance by an external electric circuit. This optoelectronic feature must be included in the definition of the sensitivity and figure of merit (FOM) parameters. Besides the competitive value of the FOM (around 400 RIU − 1 , where RIU means refractive index unit), the proposed system is fully based on opto-electronic measurements. The device is modeled, simulated and analyzed considering fabrication and experimental constrains. The proposed refractometer behaves linearly within a range centered around the index of refraction of aqueous media, n ≃ 1.33 , and can be applied to the sensing for research in bio-physics, biology, and environmental sciences.
Experimental Campaign of a Low-Cost and Replaceable System for Passive Energy Dissipation in Precast Concrete Structures
Authors: Mena Álvaro , Franco Jorge , Miguel Daniel , Mínguez Jesús , Jiménez Ana Carla , González Dorys Carmen , Vicente Miguel Ángel
Published: February 2020

This research develops a new low-cost energy dissipation system, capable of being implemented in residential structures in developing countries with high seismic activity, in which the current solutions are not economically viable. These residential structures are entirely made of precast concrete elements (foundations, walls, and slabs). A solution is developed that consists of a new connection between a precast foundation and a structural wall, which is capable of dissipating almost all the seismic energy, and therfore protecting the rest of the building from structural damage. To validate the solution, a testing campaign is carried out, including a first set of “pushover” tests on isolated structural walls, a second set of “pushover” tests on structural frames, and a final set of seismic tests on a real-scale three-storey building. For the first and second set of tests, ductility is analyzed in accordance with ACI 374.2R-13, while for the third one, the dynamic response to a reference earthquake is evaluated. The results reveal that the solution developed shows great ductility and no relevant damage is observed in the rest of the building, except in the low-cost energy dissipation system. Once an earthquake has finished, a precast building implemented with this low-cost energy dissipation system is capable of showing a structural performance level of “immediate occupancy” according to ACI 374.2R-13.
Feasibility Study of Emission Reduction on Marine Engine with Variation of Emulsified Water Concentration and Turbocharger Compression Ratio
Authors: Choi Iksoo , Lee Changhee
Published: February 2020

The characteristics of black carbon and nitrogen oxide reduction versus the water content of emulsion fuel were studied by numerical methods, and a method of reducing fuel consumption was achieved by adjusting the turbocharger compression ratio. The results of the combustion period characteristics, versus the three types of emulsion fuel and the turbocharger compression ratios, shows that the combustion period is shortened in the order of CR00 > CR01 > CR02 > CR03, according to the compression ratio of the turbocharger. As the fuel water content increases, the combustion period is shortened in the order of EMDO16 < EMDO13 < EMDO10. The nitrogen oxide and black carbon reduction was because the combustion period increased, with increasing compression ratio, while the combustion period was shortened, with increasing moisture content of emulsion fuel. This also caused is an increase in the combustion pressure and a shortening of the combustion period, due to the expansion of the volume, in turn due to the micro-explosion of water. This may be due to the shortening of the post combustion period and the reduction of black carbon emissions. In addition, combustion was accelerated in the order—CR00 > CR01> CR02> CR03. By optimizing the water content of the emulsion fuel and turbocharger compression ratio, while considering the exhaust emission and combustion state, reduction of the fuel consumption rate and output improvement are shown.
Assessment of Wide-Sense Stationarity of an Underwater Acoustic Channel Based on a Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence Probe Signal
Authors: Kochanska Iwona
Published: February 2020

The performances of Underwater Acoustic Communication (UAC) systems are strongly related to the specific propagation conditions of the underwater channel. Designing the physical layer of a reliable data transmission system requires a knowledge of channel characteristics in terms of the specific parameters of the stochastic model. The Wide-Sense Stationary Uncorrelated Scattering (WSSUS) assumption simplifies the stochastic description of the channel, and thus the estimation of its transmission parameters. However, shallow underwater channels may not meet the WSSUS assumption. This paper proposes a method for testing the Wide-Sense Stationary (WSS) part of the WSSUS feature of a UAC channel on the basis of the complex envelope of a received probe Pseudo-Random Binary Sequence (PRBS) signal. Two correlation coefficients are calculated that can be interpreted, together, as a measure that determines whether the channel is WSS or not. A similar wide-sense stationarity assessment can be performed on the basis of the Time-Varying Impulse Response (TVIR) of a UAC channel. However, the method proposed in this paper requires fewer computational operations in the receiver of a UAC system. PRBS signal transmission tests were conducted in the UAC channel simulator and in real conditions during an inland water experiment. The correlation coefficient values obtained using the method based on the envelope of a probe signal and the method of analysing the TVIR estimates are compared. The results are similar, and thus, it is possible to assess if the UAC channel can be modelled as a WSS stochastic process without the need for TVIR estimation.
Analysis of the Quantization Noise in Discrete Wavelet Transform Filters for 3D Medical Imaging
Authors: Chervyakov Nikolay , Lyakhov Pavel , Nagornov Nikolay
Published: February 2020

Denoising and compression of 2D and 3D images are important problems in modern medical imaging systems. Discrete wavelet transform (DWT) is used to solve them in practice. We analyze the quantization noise effect in coefficients of DWT filters for 3D medical imaging in this paper. The method for wavelet filters coefficients quantizing is proposed, which allows minimizing resources in hardware implementation by simplifying rounding operations. We develop the method for estimating the maximum error of 3D grayscale and color images DWT with various bits per color (BPC). The dependence of the peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) of the images processing result on wavelet used, the effective bit-width of filters coefficients and BPC is revealed. We derive formulas for determining the minimum bit-width of wavelet filters coefficients that provide a high (PSNR ≥ 40 dB for images with 8 BPC, for example) and maximum (PSNR = ∞ dB) quality of 3D medical imaging by DWT depending on wavelet used. The experiments of 3D tomographic images processing confirmed the accuracy of theoretical analysis. All data are presented in the fixed-point format in the proposed method of 3D medical images DWT. It is making possible efficient, from the point of view of hardware and time resources, the implementation for image denoising and compression on modern devices such as field-programmable gate arrays and application-specific integrated circuits.
Classification of Intense Rainfall Days in Southern West Africa and Associated Atmospheric Circulation
Authors: Camberlin Pierre , Kpanou Marc , Roucou Pascal
Published: February 2020

Daily rainfall in southern West Africa (4–8° N, 7° W–3° E) is analyzed with the aim of documenting the intense rainfall events which occur in coastal Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, and Benin. The daily 99th percentile (P99) shows that the coastline experiences higher intensity rainfall than inland areas. Using Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) rainfall data for 1998–2014, a novel way of classifying the intense events is proposed. We consider their space-time structure over a window of 8° latitude-longitude and five days centered on the event. A total 39,680 events (62 at each location) are classified into three major types, mainly found over the oceanic regions south of 5° N, the Bight of Benin, and the inland regions respectively. These types display quite distinct rainfall patterns, propagation features, and seasonal occurrence. Three inland subtypes are also defined. The atmospheric circulation anomalies associated with each type are examined from ERA-interim reanalysis data. Intense rainfall events over the continent are mainly a result of westward propagating disturbances. Over the Gulf of Guinea, many intense events occur as a combination of atmospheric disturbances propagating westward (mid-tropospheric easterly waves or cyclonic vortices) and eastward (lower tropospheric zonal wind and moisture anomalies hypothesized to reflect Kelvin waves). Along the coast, there is a mixture of different types of rainfall events, often associated with interacting eastward- and westward-moving disturbances, which complicates the monitoring of heavy precipitation.
Progress in Climate–Agricultural Vulnerability Assessment in Nigeria
Authors: Onyeneke Robert Ugochukwu , Emenekwe Chukwuemeka Chinonso , Munonye Jane Onuabuchi , Nwajiuba Chinyere Augusta , Uwazie Uwazie Iyke , Amadi Mark Umunna , Izuogu Chibuzo Uzoma , Njoku Chukwudi Loveday , Onyeneke Louis Uchenna
Published: February 2020

An in-depth understanding of the impact of vulnerability on livelihoods and food security is important in deploying effective adaptation actions. The Nigerian agricultural sector is dominated by rainfed and non-homogenous smallholder farming systems. A number of climate change risk studies have emerged in the last decade. However, little attention has been given to vulnerability assessments and the operationalization of vulnerability. To highlight this shortcoming, this study systematically reviewed climate-change-focused vulnerability assessments in the agricultural sector by evaluating (1) variation in climate variables in Nigeria over time; (2) the state of climate change vulnerability assessment in Nigerian agriculture; (3) the theoretical foundations, operationalization approaches, and frameworks of vulnerability assessments in Nigeria; (4) the methods currently used in vulnerability assessments; and (5) lessons learned from the vulnerability studies. We used a linear trend of climatic data spanning over a period of 56 years (1961–2016) obtained from the Nigerian Meteorological Agency and the Climate Research Unit of the University of East Anglia, United Kingdom, along with a systematic review of literature to achieve the objectives. The analysis indicates a significant and positive correlation between temperature and time in all major agro-ecological zones. For precipitation, we found a non-significant correlation between precipitation in the Sahel, Sudan, and Guinea Savanna zones with time, while the other zones recorded positive but significant associations between precipitation and time. The systematic review findings indicate no clear progress in publications focused specifically on vulnerability assessments in the Nigerian agricultural sector. There has been progress recently in applying frameworks and methods. However, there are important issues that require addressing in vulnerability assessments, including low consideration for indigenous knowledge and experience, unclear operationalization of vulnerability, non-standardization of vulnerability measures, and inadequacy of current assessments supporting decision making.
A Boundary Forcing Sensitivity Analysis of the West African Monsoon Simulated by the Modèle Atmosphérique Régional
Authors: Chagnaud Guillaume , Gallée Hubert , Lebel Thierry , Panthou Gérémy , Vischel Théo
Published: February 2020

The rainfall regime of West Africa is highly variable over a large range of space and time scales. With rainfall agriculture being predominent in the region, the local population is extremely vulnerable to intraseasonal dry spells and multi-year droughts as well as to intense rainfall over small time steps. Were this variability to increase, it might render the area close from becoming unhabitable. Anticipating any change is thus crucial from both a societal and a scientific perspective. Despite continuous efforts in Global Climate Model (GCM) development, there is still no agreement on the sign of the future rainfall regime change in the region. Regional Climate Models (RCMs) are used for more accurate projections of future changes as well as end-user-oriented impact studies. In this study, the sensitivity of the Modèle Atmosphérique Régional (MAR) to homogeneous perturbations in boundary forcing air temperature and/or SST is assessed with the aim to better understand (i) the thermodynamical imprint of the recent rainfall regime changes and (ii) the impact of errors in driving data on the West African rainfall regime simulated by an RCM. After an evaluation step where the model is proved to satisfactorily simulate the West African Monsoon (WAM), sensitivity experiments display contrasted, sizable and robust responses of the simulated rainfall regime. The rainfall responses to the boundary forcing perturbations compare in magnitude with the intrinsic model bias, giving support for such an analysis. A physical interpretation of the rainfall anomalies provides confidence in the model response consistency and shows the potential of such an experimental protocol for future climate change downscalling over this region.
Acute Exposure to Key Aquaculture Environmental Stressors Impaired the Aerobic Metabolism of Carassius auratus gibelio
Authors: Yao Zongli , Zhang Xiaoying , Lai Qifang , Zhou Kai , Gao Pengcheng
Published: February 2020

Carassius auratus gibelio is an omnivore favored for its flavor and is commonly used as a benthic species in traditional pond polyculture. This study investigated the effects of common aquaculture stressors, such as high ammonia, high nitrite, high pH, and hypoxia on the aerobic metabolism of C. auratus gibelio. The results showed that the standard metabolic rate (SMR) was positively correlated with ammonia, nitrite, and pH, while the maximum metabolic rate (MMR) was negatively correlated with all four stressors. Thus, aerobic scope (AS) was reduced when C. auratus gibelio was exposed to high ammonia, high nitrite, high pH, and hypoxia. The peak of post-prandial O2 consumption was positively correlated with nitrite, pH, and the occurrence of the peak metabolic rate post-prandial was delayed in high ammonia, high nitrite, hypoxia, and high pH conditions. These findings indicated that, in experimental conditions, exposure to these environmental stressors can influence aerobic metabolism in C. auratus gibelio. With more energy required to maintain standard metabolic rates, less will be available for growth. While the C. auratus gibelio is one of the most hypoxia tolerance species, the reduction we observed in AS caused by stressors that commonly occur in ponds and in nature will likely affect growth in ponds and fitness in nature. These data have provided insight into the optimal, fitness-maximizing thresholds for these common stressors in this species of interest.
Dorsal Root Ganglion Stimulation Modulates Cortical Gamma Activity in the Cognitive Dimension of Chronic Pain
Authors: Parker Tariq , Huang Yongzhi , Raghu Ashley L.B. , FitzGerald James J. , Green Alexander L. , Aziz Tipu Z.
Published: February 2020

A cognitive task, the n-back task, was used to interrogate the cognitive dimension of pain in patients with implanted dorsal root ganglion stimulators (DRGS). Magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals from thirteen patients with implanted DRGS were recorded at rest and while performing the n-back task at three increasing working memory loads with DRGS-OFF and the task repeated with DRGS-ON. MEG recordings were pre-processed, then power spectral analysis and source localization were conducted. DRGS resulted in a significant reduction in reported pain scores (mean 23%, p = 0.001) and gamma oscillatory activity (p = 0.036) during task performance. DRGS-induced pain relief also resulted in a significantly reduced reaction time during high working memory load (p = 0.011). A significant increase in average gamma power was observed during task performance compared to the resting state. However, patients who reported exacerbations of pain demonstrated a significantly elevated gamma power (F(3,80) = 65.011612, p < 0.001, adjusted p-value = 0.01), compared to those who reported pain relief during the task. Our findings demonstrate that gamma oscillatory activity is differentially modulated by cognitive load in the presence of pain, and this activity is predominantly localized to the prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortices in a chronic pain cohort.
Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in People with Parkinson’s Disease: A Pilot Study
Authors: Workman Craig D. , Fietsam Alexandra C. , Uc Ergun Y. , Rudroff Thorsten
Published: February 2020

People with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD) often experience gait and balance problems that substantially impact their quality of life. Pharmacological, surgical, and rehabilitative treatments have limited effectiveness and many PwPD continue to experience gait and balance impairment. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) may represent a viable therapeutic adjunct. The effects of lower intensity tDCS (2 mA) over frontal brain areas, in unilateral and bilateral montages, has previously been explored; however, the effects of lower and higher intensity cerebellar tDCS (2 mA and 4 mA, respectively) on gait and balance has not been investigated. Seven PwPD underwent five cerebellar tDCS conditions (sham, unilateral 2 mA, bilateral 2 mA, unilateral 4 mA, and bilateral 4 mA) for 20 min. After a 10 min rest, gait and balance were tested. The results indicated that the bilateral 4 mA cerebellar tDCS condition had a significantly higher Berg Balance Scale score compared to sham. This study provides preliminary evidence that a single session of tDCS over the cerebellum, using a bilateral configuration at a higher intensity (4 mA), significantly improved balance performance. This intensity and cerebellar configuration warrants future investigation in larger samples and over repeated sessions.