bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conclusion: The Shame is (Not) Over
Authors: Mitchell Kaye
Published: September 2020

The Conclusion of Writing Shame reflects back on the key discussions of the book: the origins and manifestations of a contemporary ‘shame culture’; the persistence of shame and the challenges that it poses for writers; the formal and generic disruptions involved in the writing of shame; the uses and limitations of shared feelings of shame as a basis for political action or solidarity; the uses of shame as a tool of analysis, within and beyond queer theory and feminism; the fraught relationship between shame, pleasure and spectacle; and above all, the particular imbrication of shame and femininity, of shame and women’s supposed sexual impropriety – the central argument here, that shame’s role in femininity is constitutive, not merely regulatory.
In addition, the Conclusion touches briefly on several recent novels and collections of short stories by women authors, revealing therein a continuing preoccupation with questions of desire, sexuality, sexual violence and embodiment, and suggesting that, while shame may not be the central strand, it remains on the edges of all of these considerations of femininity, female desire and women’s bodies within patriarchal cultures.
ANALISIS IMPLEMENTASI RESTFULL WEB SERVICE MENGGUNAKAN RESOURCE-ORIENTED ARCHITECTURE
Authors: Hamdana Elok Nur , Apriyani Meyti Eka
Published: September 2020

Web service merupakan kunci integritas untuk aplikasi yang berbeda platform, bahasa, dan sistem. Representational State Transfer (REST) merupakan prinsip aplikasi web service dengan menambahkan sebuah elemen untuk menggunakan Uniform Resource Identifier (URI) standar, memberikan kepentingan kepada penggunaan HTTP serta menjadi metode yang lebih baik untuk membangun web service. Filosofi REST mendukung prinsip dan protocol yang ada di web untuk membuat web service yang lebih powerful. Resource-Oriented Architecture (ROA) menetapkan sejumlah batasan dalam pembangunan aplikasi RESTful web service, yaitu addressability, statelessnes, uniform interfaces, representations, dan connectedness. Pemanfaatan web service dengan metode ROA pada Perusahaan dengan skala besar dapat memenuhi kebutuhan bisnis dan dapat membangun sistem yang memiliki keuntungan dalam skalabilitas interaksi komponen, generality of interface, komponen yang berdiri sendiri dan komponen penengah yang dapat mengurangi latency, menekankan keamanan, dan mengenkapsulasi legacy-system. Analisis dan implementasi RESTful Web Service terhadap aplikasi berupa kinerja dan trafik data manajemen menggunakan Resource-oriented Architecture agar aplikasi yang menggunakan web service lebih stabil dan web service membantu pengiriman data dari dan ke database berupa antrian eksekusi yang teratur.

Kata kunci: HTTP, Resource-oriented Architecture, REST, URI, Web Service
Peanut (Arachis hypogea) Response to Low Rates of Dicamba at Reproductive Growth Stages
Authors: Seale John W. , Bararpour Taghi , Bond Jason A. , Gore Jeffrey , Golden Bobby R.
Published: September 2020

Tank contamination and off-target movement of dicamba is a probable issue facing peanut producers in Mississippi. In 2017 and 2018, a field study was conducted at Mississippi State University’s Delta Research and Extension Center in Stoneville, Mississippi, to evaluate the response of peanut to low rates of dicamba at three growth stages. Dicamba at 35 and 17.5 g ae ha−1 with and without non-ionic surfactant (NIS) was applied to peanut at R1 (beginning bloom), R2 (beginning peg), and R3 (beginning pod). In each site year, peanut injury was visible following exposure to dicamba. Peanut lateral growth was also reduced regardless of treatment or growth stage following exposure to dicamba. Peanut injury was most prominent 14 days following exposure to dicamba, regardless of timing in both site years. Peanut yield was not different following dicamba treatments in 2018 due to late-season environmental conditions. In 2017, dicamba at 1/32 X plus NIS, 1/16 X and 1/16 X plus NIS reduced peanut yield 16%, 16%, and 30% when averaged over growth stage, respectively. Based on this study, visible peanut injury, lateral growth reduction, and yield decreases were observed following exposure to dicamba.
Factors Determining the Adoption of Strategies Used by Smallholder Farmers to Cope with Climate Variability in the Eastern Free State, South Africa
Authors: Myeni Lindumusa , Moeletsi Mokhele Edmond
Published: September 2020

This study was undertaken to understand the smallholder farmer’s perception of the effects of climate variability, their adaptation strategies to cope with climate variability and factors determining the adoption of their adaptation strategies in the eastern Free State Province of South Africa. Adaptation strategies were grouped into two categories, i.e., traditional adaptation strategies and scientific adaptation strategies. Traditional adaptation strategies consisted of practices that require minimal technical expertise and less external inputs such as changing from crops to livestock, crop diversification, increasing land under production, changing crop type and water harvesting. Scientific adaptation strategies consisted of practices that require additional external inputs, labour, and some level of technical expertise such as changing crop variety, improving soil fertility and soil conservation. Data were collected from 391 smallholder farmers using a structured household questionnaire and were verified through focus group discussion meetings with key informants. Data were analysed using the descriptive statistics, frequency analysis and a binary logistic model. Results indicated that the majority of smallholder farmers perceived that climate change had triggered food-related impacts in the study area and had adopted at least one adaptation strategy. This study showed that awareness and knowledge were the key factors that determined the adoption of traditional adaptation strategies in the study area. The adoption of scientific adaptation strategies was additionally determined by the availability of external financial investments. It is recommended that the promotion of traditional practices should focus on raising awareness of climate change and adaptation strategies while the promotion of scientific practices additionally requires the provision and accessibility of financial institutional support and incentives.
The Impact of Nitrogen Fertilization and the Use of Biostimulants on the Yield of Two Maize Varieties (Zea mays L.) Cultivated for Grain
Authors: Kapela Krzysztof , Sikorska Anna , Niewęgłowski Marek , Krasnodębska Ewa , Zarzecka Krystyna , Gugała Marek
Published: September 2020

The field experiment was carried out in 2015–2017 on a family farm in Toczyski Czortki, in the Mazovia voivodeship in Poland. The experiment was set up in a split–split–plot system in three replications. The area of one plot was 30 m−2. The studied factors were: I—two maize varieties: PR38N86 (medium late hybrid cultivar 280 FAO), P8400 (medium early hybrid cultivar 240 FAO); II—four doses of nitrogen fertilization: 1. control object—without the use of nitrogen (0 kg N·ha−1), 2. nitrogen dose—80 kg N·ha−1 (applied once before sowing), 3. nitrogen dose—120 kg N·ha−1 (applied once before sowing), 4. nitrogen dose—160 kg N·ha−1 (applied once before sowing); III—four types of biostimulants used: 1. control object—without using a biostimulant, 2. Asahi®SL biostimulant: I term—four-leaf phase (BBCH 14) at a dose of 0.60 dm3∙ha−1, II term—eight-leaf phase (BBCH 18) at a dose of 0.60 dm3∙ha−1, 3. Improver® biostimulant: I term—four-leaf phase (BBCH 14) at a dose of 1.00 dm3∙ha−1, II term—eight-leaf phase (BBCH 18) at a dose of 0.60 dm3∙ha−1, 4. Zeal® biostimulant: I term—six-leaf phase (BBCH 16) at a dose of 2.00 dm3∙ha−1. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of nitrogen fertilization and the use of biostimulants on the size and quality of yield of two varieties of maize grown for grain. Based on the conducted research, it was found that nitrogen doses influenced the amount of maize grain obtained. The highest yields were obtained using 120 kg N∙ha−1. Nitrogen doses significantly affected the studied maize yield components. The dose of 120 kg N∙ha−1 increased the number of grains in the cob, while the dose—160 kg N∙ha−1 exerted the best effect on obtaining the highest values of a thousand seeds. The biostimulants used in the experiment significantly affected the mass of one thousand seeds and the number of grains in the cob. In addition, Asahi®SL, Improver® and Zeal® biostimulants increased maize yield in each growing season studied.
The Potential of Spectral Measurements for Identifying Glyphosate Application to Agricultural Fields
Authors: Bloem Elke , Gerighausen Heike , Chen Xijuan , Schnug Ewald
Published: September 2020

Glyphosate is one of the most widely used non-selective systemic herbicides, but nowadays its application is controversially discussed. Optical remote sensing techniques might provide a sufficient tool for monitoring glyphosate use. In order to investigate the potential of this technology, a laboratory experiment was set-up using pots with rolled grass sods. Glyphosate-treated plants were compared to drought-stressed and control plants. All pots were frequently measured using a field spectrometer and a hyperspectral-imaging camera. Plant samples were analysed for photosynthetic pigments, polyphenols and dry matter content. Eight selected vegetation indices were calculated from the spectral measurements. The results show that photosynthetic pigments were sensitive to differentiate between control and glyphosate treated plants already 2 days after application. From the vegetation indices, the normalized difference lignin index (NDLI) responded most sensitively followed by indices referring to photosynthetic pigments, namely, the carotenoid reflectance index (CRI-1) and the photochemical reflectance index (PRI). It can be concluded that spectral vegetation indices are, in principal, a suitable proxy to non-destructively monitor glyphosate application on agricultural fields. Further research is needed to verify its applicability under field conditions. An operational monitoring is, however, currently limited by the requirements for temporal and spectral resolution of the satellite sensors.
Effect of Co-Inoculation of Bradyrhizobium and Trichoderma on Growth, Development, and Yield of Arachis hypogaea L. (Peanut)
Authors: Neelipally Ravi Teja Kumar Reddy , Anoruo Ambrose O. , Nelson Shad
Published: September 2020

Cultivation of the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) on the same land contributes to the accumulation of root exudates, leading to increased soil pathogens and decreased yield. Trichoderma harzianum is a naturally occurring endophytic biocontrol fungus that can enhance plant growth, nutrient uptake, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. Separately, Bradyrhizobium spp. is a biological nitrogen-fixing (BNF) bacterium favoring nodule formation in peanut roots which promotes nitrogen fixation. The dynamics of the symbiotic association between these two organisms were evaluated in the laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Peanuts were cultivated in pots inoculated with either Bradyrhizobium or Trichoderma or both to evaluate growth, development, and yield. The in vitro study results showed that seeds treated with Trichoderma had better germination and seedling biomass (p = 0.0008) compared to the other treatments. On the other hand, the results of greenhouse studies showed that seeds inoculated with both microbes, and those inoculated with Bradyrhizobium alone had higher dry biomass (p < 0.0001) as well as higher chlorophyll content (p < 0.0001) compared to the other treatments. Understanding of the interactive effects of fungal endophytes and rhizobial bacteria on plant growth and development will help in both the nutrient and disease management of Arachis hypogaea L.
On the Behavioural Biology of the Mainland Serow: A Comparative Study
Authors: Lovari Sandro , Mori Emiliano , Procaccio Eva Luna
Published: September 2020

Comparative behavioural studies help reconstruct the phylogeny of closely related species. In that respect, the serows Capricornis spp. occupy an important position as they have been assumed to be the closest forms to the ancestors of Caprinae. In spite of that, information on the behavioural repertoire of the mainland serow Capricornis sumatraensis is exceedingly poor. In this paper, we report data on the activity rhythms and social behaviour of rutting mainland serows in captivity (Central Thailand, January 1986; January–February 1987). Activity was bimodal with peaks in mid-afternoon and late night. Resting and ruminating peaked at noon and twilight. Four patterns of marking behaviour were observed out of a total of 1900 events. Males and females were found to use different marking sites and frequencies. A total of 33 social behaviour patterns were observed: 18 patterns concerned agonistic behaviour, whereas 15 patterns were relevant to courtship behaviour. A comparison across Caprinae species with unritualised piercing weapons (i.e., Capricornis, Naemorhedus, Rupicapra, Budorcas, and Hemitragus) has shown that inter-sexual direct forms of aggressive behaviour are used significantly more often than indirect ones, but for chamois, confirming Rupicapra spp. as the most advanced genus among them in terms of an early ritualisation of weapons. Conversely, horns of the goral Nemorhaedus spp. and the serow lie on the same plane of the frontal bones, thus making possible the usage of a dominance display through frontal pushing.
Evaluation of a Bacterial Single-Cell Protein in Compound Diets for Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) Fry as an Alternative Protein Source
Authors: Zamani Abbas , Khajavi Maryam , Nazarpak Masoumeh Haghbin , Gisbert Enric
Published: September 2020

A 60-day trial was conducted in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fry (initial weight = 2.5 ± 0.6 g) to evaluate the potential use of a bacterial single-cell protein (SCP) as an alternative protein source. Five experimental diets with different levels of fishmeal replacement (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) and no amino acid supplementation were tested. At the end of the trial, we found that fry fed diets, replacing 25 and 50% of fishmeal with bacterial SCP, were 9.1 and 21.8% heavier, respectively, than those fed the control diet (p < 0.05), while Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) values were also lower in comparison to the reference group. These results were also supported by Protein Efficiency Ratio (PER) and Lipid Efficiency Ratio (LER) values that improved in fish fed diets replacing 50% fishmeal by bacterial SCP. The inclusion of SCP enhanced Feed intake (FI) (p < 0.05), although FI was reduced at higher inclusion levels (>50%), which was associated to feed palatability. High levels of bacterial SCP (>50%) affected the muscular amino acid and fatty acid profiles, imbalances that were associated to their dietary content. The broken-line regression analysis using muscle DHA content and weight gain data showed that the maximum levels of fishmeal replacement by bacterial SCP were 46.9 and 52%, respectively.
Validity and Reliability of Methods for Sonography Education in Physiotherapy: Onsite vs. Online
Authors: Fernández-Carnero Samuel , Cuenca-Zaldivar Juan Nicolás , Pecos-Martin Daniel , Achalandabaso-Ochoa Alexander , Ferragut-Garcias Alejandro , Gallego-Izquierdo Tomás
Published: September 2020

Background: in physiotherapy, the interest in sonography education has been increasing in recent decades, giving rise to opportunities in education in an attempt to meet the elevated demand. In other health professions, online education has demonstrated to be of interest, and another possibility by which to obtain knowledge. Methods: this exploratory observational prospective study compared the outcomes between onsite versus online education, and was approved by the ethics committee of the Francisco de Vitoria University. Two groups (onsite and online) with 136 attendants and two levels for each (basic and advanced) received the same content but through different presentations. Theoretical exams were conducted via “Kahoot” and practical exams using phantoms, and the results were subject to statistical analyses. Results: the average age of onsite participants was 29.5 (25–35.25) years and 34 (28.5–40.5) for the online participants, with a higher percentage of women. The average score ranks in the Kahoot_basic test were higher for both online groups corresponding to basic (group 1) and advanced (group 2) levels: 7 (6.5, 7.5) for group 1 and 7 (6.5, 8.5) for group 2 vs. the onsite groups: 6 (5.5, 7) for group 1 and 6 (5, 6.5) for group 2. In the practical exam, the model detected that a small negative difference between the Onsite 2 group and the total effect (−1.23148, SE = 0.43687) was significant (t = −2.819, p = 0.00558) with a low effect size (R2adjusted = 0.025) for the measurements of the hollow structure; the difference between the Online 2 and Onsite 1 group was positive (1.5026, SE = 0.5822) and significant (t = 2.5809, p = 0.0113), with a low effect size (R2adjusted = 0.016) for the solid structure depth measurement. Conclusions: the results showed that there could be an opportunity to access sonography knowledge through online education in physical therapy compared to the traditional onsite model. These conclusions support the use of a low-cost and accessible method for ultrasound education.
Marine Microalgae for Potential Lutein Production
Authors: Saha Sushanta Kumar , Ermis Hande , Murray Patrick
Published: September 2020

Lutein is particularly known to help maintain normal visual function by absorbing and attenuating the blue light that strikes the retina in our eyes. The effect of overexposure to blue light on our eyes due to the excessive use of electronic devices is becoming an issue of modern society due to insufficient dietary lutein consumption through our normal diet. There has, therefore, been an increasing demand for lutein-containing dietary supplements and also in the food industry for lutein supplementation in bakery products, infant formulas, dairy products, carbonated drinks, energy drinks, and juice concentrates. Although synthetic carotenoid dominates the market, there is a need for environmentally sustainable carotenoids including lutein production pathways to match increasing consumer demand for natural alternatives. Currently, marigold flowers are the predominant natural source of lutein. Microalgae can be a competitive sustainable alternative, which have higher growth rates and do not require arable land and/or a growth season. Currently, there is no commercial production of lutein from microalgae, even though astaxanthin and β-carotene are commercially produced from specific microalgal strains. This review discusses the potential microalgae strains for commercial lutein production, appropriate cultivation strategies, and the challenges associated with realising a commercial market share.
Super-Resolution Remote Imaging Using Time Encoded Remote Apertures
Authors: Nam Ji Hyun , Velten Andreas
Published: September 2020

Imaging of scenes using light or other wave phenomena is subject to the diffraction limit. The spatial profile of a wave propagating between a scene and the imaging system is distorted by diffraction resulting in a loss of resolution that is proportional with traveled distance. We show here that it is possible to reconstruct sparse scenes from the temporal profile of the wave-front using only one spatial pixel or a spatial average. The temporal profile of the wave is not affected by diffraction yielding an imaging method that can in theory achieve wavelength scale resolution independent of distance from the scene.
Global Warming Potentials Due to Railway Tunnel Construction and Maintenance
Authors: Kaewunruen Sakdirat , Sresakoolchai Jessada , Yu Shuonan
Published: September 2020

Global warming is a critical issue nowadays. Although the railway system is considered as green transportation, it cannot be denied that railway tunnels have a significant environmental impact during construction and maintenance. At the same time, asset management of a project becomes more popular in project analysis. Therefore, this study aims to analyse life-cycle cost (LCC) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) for the Xikema No. 1 high-speed railway tunnel in China to consider the environmental impact of rail tunnel construction. The initial capital costs of tunnel and rail construction, operation, and maintenance costs have been separately considered in terms of the life-cycle cost analysis and net present value (NPV) with various discount rates. The LCA analysis has presented the CO2 emissions and energy consumption over the construction and operation processes into consideration. The CO2 emissions and energy consumption caused by material production, maintenance, and material transportation have been accounted for. The results show that the materials used during the construction process contribute to about 97.1% of CO2 emissions of the life-cycle while CO2 emissions caused by the operation and maintenance process are relatively small compared with the construction process. Moreover, the maintenance process consumes over 55% of the life-cycle energy. The energy consumption of the tunnel construction process is approximately 44.3%. At the same time, the construction contributes to the main proportion of LCC due to relatively low cost in the operation and maintenance stages.
Motion-Sphere: Visual Representation of the Subtle Motion of Human Joints
Authors: Balasubramanyam Adithya , Patil Ashok Kumar , Chakravarthi Bharatesh , Ryu Jae Yeong , Chai Young Ho
Published: September 2020

Understanding and differentiating subtle human motion over time as sequential data is challenging. We propose Motion-sphere, which is a novel trajectory-based visualization technique, to represent human motion on a unit sphere. Motion-sphere adopts a two-fold approach for human motion visualization, namely a three-dimensional (3D) avatar to reconstruct the target motion and an interactive 3D unit sphere, that enables users to perceive subtle human motion as swing trajectories and color-coded miniature 3D models for twist. This also allows for the simultaneous visual comparison of two motions. Therefore, the technique is applicable in a wide range of applications, including rehabilitation, choreography, and physical fitness training. The current work validates the effectiveness of the proposed work with a user study in comparison with existing motion visualization methods. Our study’s findings show that Motion-sphere is informative in terms of quantifying the swing and twist movements. The Motion-sphere is validated in threefold ways: validation of motion reconstruction on the avatar, accuracy of swing, twist, and speed visualization, and the usability and learnability of the Motion-sphere. Multiple range of motions from an online open database are selectively chosen, such that all joint segments are covered. In all fronts, Motion-sphere fares well. Visualization on the 3D unit sphere and the reconstructed 3D avatar make it intuitive to understand the nature of human motion.
Validation of Support for Creation of License Drawings Using Application for openBIM-Based Automatic Generation of 2D Drawings
Authors: Kim Inhan , Lee Yongha , Han Choong-Hee , Kim Gutaek , Choi Jungsik
Published: September 2020

In the preparation of drawings and documents required for a licensing process, the main problem is the duplication of work in creating design drawings and Building Information Modeling (BIM) models. To overcome this problem, BIM authoring tools provide a drawing generation function. However, it is difficult to use it in a construction project involving multiple actors using different authoring tools for each design actor. Owing to these problems, the drawing generation program, which is based the on the industry foundation classes (IFC) concept is not limited to the authoring tools used in the project, and it is intended to minimize duplication by outputting drawings in dwg and pdf formats. In this study, the IFC data structure required for generating drawings was analyzed and drawing elements on the basis of the shape and attribute information, certain drawing elements were output as 3D scenes in order to obtain detailed plan, elevation, cross-section, and structural drawings, which are required for an IFC-based licensing process. In addition, 2D drawings were generated through post-processing for obtaining drawing-level outputs. On the basis of BIM design guidelines, it was found that the information required in license drawings can be minimized, and the license licensing process can be based on a separate BIM technology. In other words, based on the licensing environment in Korea, the effectiveness of the automatic 2D drawing generation program was verified through a comparative analysis on the basis of the drawings and information required by assuming that a specific set of drawing elements were required in the existing licensing process and for BIM-based licensing. Furthermore, it was examined whether books required in the licensing process can be replaced by a parking lot plan that can be submitted through a BIM-technology-based legality review system.
Security Aspects for Rpl-Based Protocols: A Systematic Review in IoT
Authors: Avila Karen , Jabba Daladier , Gomez Javier
Published: September 2020

The Internet of things (IoT) is a concept that has gained traction over the last decade. IoT networks have evolved around the wireless sensor network (WSN), and the following research looks at relevant IoT concepts and the different security issues that occur specifically at the network layer. This analysis is performed using a structured literature review (SLR). This form of bibliographic review has been a trend in recent years. Its strength is the performance of a bibliometric analysis that allows studying both trends in the line of research that you want to address and the relevant authors. This SLR reviews 53 proposals between 2011 and 2020, whose contribution is to mitigate attacks in the RPL (Routing Protocol for Low-Power and Lossy Networks) protocol. The revised proposals emerged after selecting keywords and databases in which to apply the search. Initially, approximately 380 research works appeared, for which it was necessary to continue using filters to refine the proposals to be included. After reading titles and abstracts, 53 papers were finally selected. In addition to analyzing the attacks mitigated in the RPL protocol, it is intended to identify the trend by which these attacks are reduced, as a result of the review, nine attacks have been found: rank, blackhole, selective forwarding, wormhole, DODAG (Destination-Oriented Directed Acyclic Graph) version number, DAO (Destination Advertisement Object) inconsistency, DIO (DODAG Information Object) suppression, Sybil, and sinkhole. Each of the 53 proposals analyzed in this review has an associated mitigation strategy, these strategies have been categorized into four groups, based on authentication or cryptography, based on network monitoring, based on secure parent node selection and other. According to the results, the authors’ primary mitigation strategy is based on network monitoring, with 30%. This review also identifies the principal authors and countries that need the development of this line of research.
Efficacy of Rapid Maxillary Expansion with or without Previous Adenotonsillectomy for Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome Based on Polysomnographic Data: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Quinzi Vincenzo , Saccomanno Sabina , Manenti Rebecca Jewel , Giancaspro Silvia , Coceani Paskay Licia , Marzo Giuseppe
Published: September 2020

Aim: To systematically review international literature related to rapid maxillary expansion (RME) as the treatment for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children less than 18 years-old, followed by a meta-analysis of the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) before and after RME, with or without a previous adenotonsillectomy (AT). Methods: Literature on databases from PubMed, Wiley online library, Cochrane Clinical Trials Register, Springer link, and Science Direct were analyzed up to March 2020. Two independent reviewers (S.G. and R.J.M.) screened, assessed, and extracted the quality of the publications. A meta-analysis was performed to compare AHI values before and after the treatment with RME. Results: Six studies reported outcomes for 102 children with a narrow maxillary arch suffering from OSAS with a mean age of 6.7 ± 1.3. AHI improved from a M ± SD of 7.5 ± 3.2/h to 2.5 ± 2.6/h. A higher AHI change in patients with no tonsils (83.4%) and small tonsils (97.7%) was detected when compared to children with large tonsils (56.4%). Data was analyzed based on a follow-up duration of ≤3 year in 79 children and >3 years in 23 children. Conclusion: Reduction in the AHI was detected in all 102 children with OSAS that underwent RME treatment, with or without an adenotonsillectomy. Additionally, a larger reduction in the AHI was observed in children with small tonsils or no tonsils. A general improvement on the daytime and nighttime symptoms of OSAS after RME therapy was noted in all the studies, demonstrating the efficacy of this therapy.
Predicting the Pillar Stability of Underground Mines with Random Trees and C4.5 Decision Trees
Authors: Ahmad Mahmood , Al-Shayea Naser A. , Tang Xiao-Wei , Jamal Arshad , M. Al-Ahmadi Hasan , Ahmad Feezan
Published: September 2020

Predicting pillar stability in underground mines is a critical problem because the instability of the pillar can cause large-scale collapse hazards. To predict the pillar stability for underground coal and stone mines, two new models (random tree and C4.5 decision tree algorithms) are proposed in this paper. Pillar stability depends on the parameters: width of the pillar (W), height of the pillar (H), W/H ratio, uniaxial compressive strength of the rock (σucs), and pillar stress (σp). These parameters are taken as input variables, while underground mines pillar stability as output. Various performance indices, i.e., accuracy, precision, recall, F-measure, Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) were used to evaluate the performance of the models. The performance evaluation of the established models showed that both models were able to predict pillar stability with reasonable accuracy. Results of the random tree and C4.5 decision tree were also compared with available models of support vector machine (SVM) and fishery discriminant analysis (FDA). The results show that the proposed random tree provides a reliable and feasible method of evaluating the pillar stability for underground mines.
Temporal Variation and Source Analysis of Carbonaceous Aerosol in Industrial Cities of Northeast China during the Spring Festival: The Case of Changchun
Authors: Zhang Mengduo , Zhang Shichun , Bao Qiuyang , Yang Chengjiang , Qin Yang , Fu Jing , Chen Weiwei
Published: September 2020

Carbonaceous aerosol, one of the major components of atmospheric aerosols, significantly affects haze episodes, climate change, and human health. Northeastern China suffers severe air pollution, especially in some periods (e.g., the Spring Festival). However, studies on carbonaceous aerosols in typical northeast industrial cities (i.e., Changchun) are rare, limiting further comprehension of the atmospheric haze formation. In this study, we monitored the concentrations of carbonaceous aerosols (i.e., OC and EC) in Changchun during the Lunar New Year of 2018 (i.e., from Lunar 20 December to Lunar 20 January), and analyzed the temporal variation and source contributions via the HYbrid-Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model with the potential source contribution factor weights (PSCF) method. The daily concentrations of OC and EC were 9.00 ± 2.81 and 1.57 ± 0.46 µg m−3, respectively, and were significantly lower at nighttime than at the day during the Spring Festival. The concentrations during the major period (i.e., OC: 8.13 ± 2.93 µg m−3; EC: 1.47 ± 0.47 µg m−3 in festival days), including the Lunar Little New Year; the Lunar New Year’s Eve; New Year’s Day; Lunar 5 January, and the Spring Lantern Festival, were mainly from the northwestward with the wind speed of 4–6 m/s being lower than that of normal period (OC: 9.87 ± 2.46 µg m−3; EC: 1.67 ± 0.44 µg m−3) from the southeastward with a wind speed of 6–7 m/s. The direction of the airflow trajectory was mainly in local, northwestward, and northward, carrying particulate matter and gaseous pollutants. In major period, the daily concentration of atmospheric pollutants presented a bimodal trend, with peaks appearing regularly from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. 10:00 p.m., which might be related to traffic, cooking, and firecrackers. The OC/EC was greater than 2 during the whole period, indicating the generation of secondary organic aerosols (i.e., SOC). This study was essential to understand the formation mechanisms of severe pollution episodes and develop control measures for the industrial cities of Northeast China during the Spring Festival.
May SARS-CoV-2 Diffusion Be Favored by Alkaline Aerosols and Ammonia Emissions?
Authors: Manigrasso Maurizio , Protano Carmela , Guerriero Ettore , Vitali Matteo , Avino Pasquale
Published: September 2020

Ammonia is a common factor linking air in bat caves and air pollution in the proximity of agricultural fields treated with livestock farming sewage and slaughterhouses, where important clusters of COVID-19 have recently been reported all over the world. Such a commonality has a further connection with the known behavior of some viruses of the coronavirus family, such as the murine hepatitis virus, whose spike glycoprotein (S) can be triggered to a membrane-binding conformation at pH 8.0. Within the airborne route of virus transmission, with particular relevance for crowded and enclosed environments, these observations have prompted a hypothesis that may represent a contributing cause to interpret the geographical variability of the virus diffusion and the surging rise of COVID-19 cases in slaughterhouses all over the world. The hypothesis is that, in these environments, the SARS-CoV-2 S protein may find on a fraction of the airborne particles an alkaline pH, favorable to trigger the conformational changes, needed to induce the fusion of the viral envelope with the plasma membrane of the target cells.
Net Electron Capture in Collisions of Multiply Charged Projectiles with Biologically Relevant Molecules
Authors: Lüdde Hans Jürgen , Jorge Alba , Horbatsch Marko , Kirchner Tom
Published: September 2020

A model for the description of proton collisions from molecules composed of atoms such as hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and phosphorus (H, C, N, O, P) was recently extended to treat collisions with multiply charged ions with a focus on net ionization. Here we complement the work by focusing on net capture. The ion–atom collisions are computed using the two-center basis generator method. The atomic net capture cross sections are then used to assemble two models for ion–molecule collisions: An independent atom model (IAM) based on the Bragg additivity rule (labeled IAM-AR), and also the so-called pixel-counting method (IAM-PCM) which introduces dependence on the orientation of the molecule during impact. The IAM-PCM leads to significantly reduced capture cross sections relative to IAM-AR at low energies, since it takes into account the overlap of effective atomic cross sectional areas. We compare our results with available experimental and other theoretical data focusing on water vapor (H2O), methane (CH4) and uracil (C4H4N2O2). For the water molecule target we also provide results from a classical-trajectory Monte Carlo approach that includes dynamical screening effects on projectile and target. For small molecules dominated by a many-electron atom, such as carbon in methane or oxygen in water, we find a saturation phenomenon for higher projectile charges (q=3) and low energies, where the net capture cross section for the molecule is dominated by the net cross section for the many-electron atom, and the net capture cross section is not proportional to the total number of valence electrons.
Some New Results on a Three-Step Iteration Process
Authors: Ullah Kifayat , Ahmad Junaid , de la Sen Manuel
Published: September 2020

The purpose of this research work is to prove some weak and strong convergence results for maps satisfying (E)-condition through three-step Thakur (J. Inequal. Appl.2014, 2014:328.) iterative process in Banach spaces. We also present a new example of maps satisfying (E)-condition, and prove that its three-step Thakur iterative process is more efficient than the other well-known three-step iterative processes. At the end of the paper, we apply our results for finding solutions of split feasibility problems. The presented research work updates some of the results of the current literature.
Isolation of Cysteine-Rich Peptides from Citrullus colocynthis
Authors: Shahin-Kaleybar Behzad , Niazi Ali , Afsharifar Alireza , Nematzadeh Ghorbanali , Yousefi Reza , Retzl Bernhard , Hellinger Roland , Muratspahić Edin , Gruber Christian W.
Published: September 2020

The plant Citrullus colocynthis, a member of the squash (Cucurbitaceae) family, has a long history in traditional medicine. Based on the ancient knowledge about the healing properties of herbal preparations, plant-derived small molecules, e.g., salicylic acid, or quinine, have been integral to modern drug discovery. Additionally, many plant families, such as Cucurbitaceae, are known as a rich source for cysteine-rich peptides, which are gaining importance as valuable pharmaceuticals. In this study, we characterized the C. colocynthis peptidome using chemical modification of cysteine residues, and mass shift analysis via matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. We identified the presence of at least 23 cysteine-rich peptides in this plant, and eight novel peptides, named citcol-1 to -8, with a molecular weight between ~3650 and 4160 Da, were purified using reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and their amino acid sequences were determined by de novo assignment of b- and y-ion series of proteolytic peptide fragments. In silico analysis of citcol peptides revealed a high sequence similarity to trypsin inhibitor peptides from Cucumis sativus, Momordica cochinchinensis, Momordica macrophylla and Momordica sphaeroidea. Using genome/transcriptome mining it was possible to identify precursor sequences of this peptide family in related Cucurbitaceae species that cluster into trypsin inhibitor and antimicrobial peptides. Based on our analysis, the presence or absence of a crucial Arg/Lys residue at the putative P1 position may be used to classify these common cysteine-rich peptides by functional properties. Despite sequence homology and the common classification into the inhibitor cysteine knot family, these peptides appear to have diverse and additional bioactivities yet to be revealed.
Cellular and Molecular Progression of Prostate Cancer: Models for Basic and Preclinical Research
Authors: Saranyutanon Sirin , Deshmukh Sachin Kumar , Dasgupta Santanu , Pai Sachin , Singh Seema , Singh Ajay Pratap
Published: September 2020

We have witnessed noteworthy progress in our understanding of prostate cancer over the past decades. This basic knowledge has been translated into efficient diagnostic and treatment approaches leading to the improvement in patient survival. However, the molecular pathogenesis of prostate cancer appears to be complex, and histological findings often do not provide an accurate assessment of disease aggressiveness and future course. Moreover, we also witness tremendous racial disparity in prostate cancer incidence and clinical outcomes necessitating a deeper understanding of molecular and mechanistic bases of prostate cancer. Biological research heavily relies on model systems that can be easily manipulated and tested under a controlled experimental environment. Over the years, several cancer cell lines have been developed representing diverse molecular subtypes of prostate cancer. In addition, several animal models have been developed to demonstrate the etiological molecular basis of the prostate cancer. In recent years, patient-derived xenograft and 3-D culture models have also been created and utilized in preclinical research. This review is an attempt to succinctly discuss existing information on the cellular and molecular progression of prostate cancer. We also discuss available model systems and their tested and potential utility in basic and preclinical prostate cancer research.
Influence of Biochar Composition and Source Material on Catalytic Performance: The Carboxylation of Glycerol with CO2 as a Case Study
Authors: Collett Catherine , Mašek Ondřej , Razali Nurul , McGregor James
Published: September 2020

The impact of the chemical and physical composition of biochar catalysts is demonstrated in the carboxylation of glycerol with carbon dioxide for the first time, using acetonitrile as a dehydrating agent. Biochars are an important emerging class of catalytic material that can readily be produced from low-value biomass residues; however, the impact of feedstock choice is often overlooked. The ash content of biochar from three different feedstocks is shown to be catalytically active for the production of glycerol carbonate and triacetin, whilst low-ash catalysts such as soft wood biochar and commercial activated charcoal are inactive. Following treatment with hydrochloric acid, yields of glycerol carbonate over ash were reduced by over 94%, and triacetin was no longer produced. This has been attributed to the loss of potassium content. Carbon content was shown to be catalytically active for the synthesis of diacetin, and graphitic carbon may be beneficial. Through the development of structure–performance relationships, biomass feedstocks with the most suitable properties can therefore be selected to produce biochars for specific catalytic applications. This would expand the range of reactions which can be effectively catalysed by these materials and enhance the development of a more circular and sustainable chemicals industry.
Efficient Sorbitol Producing Process through Glucose Hydrogenation Catalyzed by Ru Supported Amino Poly (Styrene-co-Maleic) Polymer (ASMA) Encapsulated on γ-Al2O3
Authors: Zhao Jing , Yang Xiaorui , Wang Wei , Liang Jinhua , Orooji Yasin , Dai Chaowen , Fu Xiaomin , Yang Yunsong , Xu Wenlong , Zhu Jianliang
Published: September 2020

In this work, a core-shell-like sphere ruthenium catalyst, named as 5%Ru/γ-Al2O3@ASMA, has been successfully synthesized through impregnating the ruthenium nanoparticles (NPs) on the surface of the amino poly (styrene-co-maleic) polymer (ASMA) encapsulating γ-Al2O3 pellet support. The interaction between the Ru cations and the electro-donating polymer shell rich in hydroxyl and amino groups through the coordination bond would guarantee that the Ru NPs can be highly dispersed and firmly embedded on the surface of the support. In addition, the solid sphere γ-Al2O3 pellet could serve as the core to support the resulted catalysts applied in the flow process in a trickle bed reactor to promote the productivity. The resulted catalyst 5%Ru/γ-Al2O3@ASMA can be applied efficiently in the glucose hydrogenation and presents a steadfast sorbitol yield of almost 90% both in batch reactor and the trickle bed reactor, indicating the potential feasibility of the core-shell-like catalyst in the efficient production of sorbitol.
Phylogeny and Structure of Fatty Acid Photodecarboxylases and Glucose-Methanol-Choline Oxidoreductases
Authors: Aleksenko Vladimir A. , Anand Deepak , Remeeva Alina , Nazarenko Vera V. , Gordeliy Valentin , Jaeger Karl-Erich , Krauss Ulrich , Gushchin Ivan
Published: September 2020

Glucose-methanol-choline (GMC) oxidoreductases are a large and diverse family of flavin-binding enzymes found in all kingdoms of life. Recently, a new related family of proteins has been discovered in algae named fatty acid photodecarboxylases (FAPs). These enzymes use the energy of light to convert fatty acids to the corresponding Cn-1 alkanes or alkenes, and hold great potential for biotechnological application. In this work, we aimed at uncovering the natural diversity of FAPs and their relations with other GMC oxidoreductases. We reviewed the available GMC structures, assembled a large dataset of GMC sequences, and found that one active site amino acid, a histidine, is extremely well conserved among the GMC proteins but not among FAPs, where it is replaced with alanine. Using this criterion, we found several new potential FAP genes, both in genomic and metagenomic databases, and showed that related bacterial, archaeal and fungal genes are unlikely to be FAPs. We also identified several uncharacterized clusters of GMC-like proteins as well as subfamilies of proteins that lack the conserved histidine but are not FAPs. Finally, the analysis of the collected dataset of potential photodecarboxylase sequences revealed the key active site residues that are strictly conserved, whereas other residues in the vicinity of the flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD) cofactor and in the fatty acid-binding pocket are more variable. The identified variants may have different FAP activity and selectivity and consequently may prove useful for new biotechnological applications, thereby fostering the transition from a fossil carbon-based economy to a bio-economy by enabling the sustainable production of hydrocarbon fuels.
Influence of Electrolyte Temperature on the Color Values of Black Plasma Electrolytic Oxidation Coatings on AZ31B Mg Alloy
Authors: Yi Aihua , Liao Zhongmiao , Zhu Wen , Zhu Zhisheng , Li Wenfang , Li Kang , Chen Ken , Huang Shengkai
Published: September 2020

A coating was prepared on an AZ31B Mg alloy substrate via black plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO). The colorant NH4VO3 was added to Na2SiO3–(NaPO3)6 electrolyte at different temperatures (5, 15, 25, and 35 °C). The influences of electrolyte temperature on the structures, compositions, and color values of black PEO coatings were studied by UV–Visible, XRD, XPS, Raman, and SEM techniques. The results showed that the relative content of V2O3 and V2O5 was the key factor affecting the coating color value. At higher temperatures, more NH3 escaped from the electrolyte and the NH3 quantity participating in the reaction decreased, resulting in a decrease of V2O3 content, an increase in color value, and a darker coating. In the PEO process, VO3− mainly reacted to form V2O5, and then, the generated V2O5 reacted with NH3 to form V2O3.
Toward a Sustainable Cybersecurity Ecosystem
Authors: Sadik Shahrin , Ahmed Mohiuddin , Sikos Leslie F. , Islam A. K. M. Najmul
Published: September 2020

Cybersecurity issues constitute a key concern of today’s technology-based economies. Cybersecurity has become a core need for providing a sustainable and safe society to online users in cyberspace. Considering the rapid increase of technological implementations, it has turned into a global necessity in the attempt to adapt security countermeasures, whether direct or indirect, and prevent systems from cyberthreats. Identifying, characterizing, and classifying such threats and their sources is required for a sustainable cyber-ecosystem. This paper focuses on the cybersecurity of smart grids and the emerging trends such as using blockchain in the Internet of Things (IoT). The cybersecurity of emerging technologies such as smart cities is also discussed. In addition, associated solutions based on artificial intelligence and machine learning frameworks to prevent cyber-risks are also discussed. Our review will serve as a reference for policy-makers from the industry, government, and the cybersecurity research community.