bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Semi-Synthesis of C-Ring Cyclopropyl Analogues of Fraxinellone and Their Insecticidal Activity Against Mythimna separata Walker
Authors: Yang Xiao-Jun , Dong Qing-Miao , Wang Min-Ran , Tang Jiang-Jiang
Published: March 2020

Fraxinellone (1) is a naturally occurring degraded limonoid isolated from Meliaceae and Rutaceae plants. As a potential natural-product-based insecticidal agent, fraxinellone has been structurally modified to improve its activity. Furan ring of fraxinellone is critical in exhibiting its insecticidal activity, but with few modifications. Herein, C-ring-modified cyclopropyl analogues were semi-synthesized by Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclopropanation. The structures of the target compounds were well characterized by NMR and HRMS. The precise three-dimensional structural information of 3a was established by X-ray crystallography. Their insecticidal activity was evaluated against Mythimna separata Walker by a leaf-dipping method. Compound 3c exhibited stronger insecticidal activity than 1 and toosendanin against M. separata with teratogenic symptoms during the different periods, implying that cyclopropanation of the furan ring could strengthen the insecticidal activity of fraxinellone.
Inhibition of Phytosterol Biosynthesis by Azasterols
Authors: Darnet Sylvain , B B Martin Laetitia , Mercier Pierre , Bracher Franz , Geoffroy Philippe , Schaller Hubert
Published: March 2020

Inhibitors of enzymes in essential cellular pathways are potent probes to decipher intricate physiological functions of biomolecules. The analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana sterol profiles upon treatment with a series of azasterols reveals a specific in vivo inhibition of SMT2, a plant sterol-C-methyltransferase acting as a branch point between the campesterol and sitosterol biosynthetic segments in the pathway. Side chain azasteroids that modify sitosterol homeostasis help to refine its particular function in plant development.
Influence of Polymer Charge on the Localization and Dark- and Photo-Induced Toxicity of a Potential Type I Photosensitizer in Cancer Cell Models
Authors: Lindgren Mikael , Gederaas Odrun A. , Siksjø Monica , Hansen Tom A. , Chen Lena , Mettra Bastien , Andraud Chantal , Monnereau Cyrille
Published: March 2020

A current trend within photo-dynamic therapy (PDT) is the development of molecular systems targeting hypoxic tumors. Thus, type I PDT sensitizers could here overcome traditional type II molecular systems that rely on the photo-initiated production of toxic singlet oxygen. Here, we investigate the cell localization properties and toxicity of two polymeric anthracene-based fluorescent probes (neutral Ant-PHEA and cationic Ant-PIm). The cell death and DNA damage of Chinese hamster ovary cancer cells (CHO-K1) were characterized as combining PDT, cell survival studies (MTT-assay), and comet assay. Confocal microscopy was utilized on samples incubated together with either DRAQ5, Lyso Tracker Red, or Mito Tracker Deep Red in order to map the localization of the sensitizer into the nucleus and other cell compartments. While Ant-PHEA did not cause significant damage to the cell, Ant-PIm showed increased cell death upon illumination, at the cost of a significant dark toxicity. Both anthracene chromophores localized in cell compartments of the cytosol. Ant-PIm showed a markedly improved selectivity toward lysosomes and mitochondria, two important biological compartments for the cell’s survival. None of the two anthracene chromophores showed singlet oxygen formation upon excitation in solvents such as deuterium oxide or methanol. Conclusively, the significant photo-induced cell death that could be observed with Ant-PIm suggests a possible type I PDT mechanism rather than the usual type II mechanism.
Evaluation of Volatile Compounds in Milks Fermented Using Traditional Starter Cultures and Probiotics Based on Odor Activity Value and Chemometric Techniques
Authors: Zhang Li , Mi Si , Liu Ruobing , Sang Yaxin , Wang Xianghong
Published: March 2020

The volatile components of milks fermented using traditional starter cultures (Streptococcus thermophilus and Lactobacillus bulgaricus) and probiotics (Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus bifidus, Lactobacillus casei, and Lactobacillus plantarum) were investigated by means of gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with simultaneous distillation extraction (SDE). A total of 53 volatile compounds were detected, being 10 aldehydes, 11 ketones, 10 acids, 11 hydrocarbons, 7 benzene derivatives, and 4 other compounds. The starter culture was found to significantly affect the composition of volatile components in the fermented milks. Ketones and hydrocarbons were the dominant compounds in milk before fermentation, while acids were dominant compounds in the fermented samples. Compared with probiotics, there was greater abundance of volatile components in fermented milks with traditional strains. The importance of each volatile compound was assessed on the basis of odor, thresholds, and odor activity values (OAVs). Of the volatile compounds, 31 of them were found to be odor-active compounds (OAV > 1). The component with the highest OAVs in most samples was (E,E)-2,4-decadienal. Heatmap analysis and principal component analysis were employed to characterize the volatile profiles of milks fermented by different starter cultures. The results could help to better understand the influence of starter cultures on the odor quality of milks.
Lignins from Agroindustrial by-Products as Natural Ingredients for Cosmetics: Chemical Structure and In Vitro Sunscreen and Cytotoxic Activities
Authors: Gordobil Oihana , Olaizola Paula , Banales Jesus M. , Labidi Jalel
Published: March 2020

The growing concern about the environmental impact and human health risk related to the excessive use of synthetic ingredients in cosmetics and topical formulations calls for the exploration of safe and sustainable natural alternatives. Lignin-rich lignocellulosic industrial wastes such as hazelnut and walnut shells were used as a lignin polymer source. Agro-derived lignins were evaluated as a potential natural active ingredient for health care products. Aside from the structural characteristics of isolated lignins, which were identified by GPC, Py-GC–MS, and 2D HSQC NMR techniques, functional properties such as antioxidant power and UV absorption ability were investigated. The SPF values found for creams containing 5% of hazelnut and walnut lignin content were 6.9 and 4.5, respectively. Additionally, both lignin types presented appropriate protection against UVA radiation, highly interesting property to block the full ultraviolet spectrum. The biological activity of isolated lignins assessed at different concentrations (0.01–1 mg/mL) and different times (24, 48, and 72 h) on murine fibroblast cell line 3T3 suggested their suitability for cosmetic applications.
Special Issue: “New Trends in Membrane Preparation and Applications”
Authors: Galiano Francesco , Figoli Alberto
Published: March 2020

This Special Issue aims to provide a collection of recent advancements in the field of membrane science [...]
High Surface Reactivity and Biocompatibility of Y2O3 NPs in Human MCF-7 Epithelial and HT-1080 Fibro-Blast Cells
Authors: Akhtar Mohd Javed , Ahamed Maqusood , Alrokayan Salman A. , Ramamoorthy Muthumareeswaran M. , Alaizeri ZabnAllah M.
Published: March 2020

This study aimed to generate a comparative data on biological response of yttrium oxide nanoparticles (Y2O3 NPs) with the antioxidant CeO2 NPs and pro-oxidant ZnO NPs. Sizes of Y2O3 NPs were found to be in the range of 35±10 nm as measured by TEM and were larger from its hydrodynamic sizes in water (1004 ± 134 nm), PBS (3373 ± 249 nm), serum free culture media (1735 ± 305 nm) and complete culture media (542 ± 108 nm). Surface reactivity of Y2O3 NPs with bovine serum albumin (BSA) was found significantly higher than for CeO2 and ZnO NPs. The displacement studies clearly suggested that adsorption to either BSA, filtered serum or serum free media was quite stable, and was dependent on whichever component interacted first with the Y2O3 NPs. Enzyme mimetic activity, like that of CeO2 NPs, was not detected for the NPs of Y2O3 or ZnO. Cell viability measured by MTT and neutral red uptake (NRU) assays suggested Y2O3 NPs were not toxic in human breast carcinoma MCF-7 and fibroblast HT-1080 cells up to the concentration of 200 μg/mL for a 24 h treatment period. Oxidative stress markers suggested Y2O3 NPs to be tolerably non-oxidative and biocompatible. Moreover, mitochondrial potential determined by JC-1 as well as lysosomal activity determined by lysotracker (LTR) remained un-affected and intact due to Y2O3 and CeO2 NPs whereas, as expected, were significantly induced by ZnO NPs. Hoechst-PI dual staining clearly suggested apoptotic potential of only ZnO NPs. With high surface reactivity and biocompatibility, NPs of Y2O3 could be a promising agent in the field of nanomedicine.
Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS)-Sensitive Prodrugs of the Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Crizotinib
Authors: Bielec Bjoern , Poetsch Isabella , Ahmed Esra , Heffeter Petra , Keppler Bernhard K. , Kowol Christian R.
Published: March 2020

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors revolutionized cancer therapy but still evoke strong adverse effects that can dramatically reduce patients’ quality of life. One possibility to enhance drug safety is the exploitation of prodrug strategies to selectively activate a drug inside the tumor tissue. In this study, we designed a prodrug strategy for the approved c-MET, ALK, and ROS1 tyrosine kinase inhibitor crizotinib. Therefore, a boronic-acid trigger moiety was attached to the 2-aminopyridine group of crizotinib, which is a crucial position for target kinase binding. The influence of the modifications on the c-MET- and ALK-binding ability was investigated by docking studies, and the strongly reduced interactions could be confirmed by cell-free kinase inhibition assay. Furthermore, the newly synthesized compounds were tested for their activation behavior with H2O2 and their stability in cell culture medium and serum. Finally, the biological activity of the prodrugs was investigated in three cancer cell lines and revealed a good correlation between activity and intrinsic H2O2 levels of the cells for prodrug A. Furthermore, the activity of this prodrug was distinctly reduced in a non-malignant, c-MET expressing human lung fibroblast (HLF) cell line.
Modeling the Population Dynamics and Management of Italian Ryegrass under Two Climatic Scenarios in Brazil
Authors: D. B. Pagnoncelli Fortunato , Trezzi Michelangelo M. , Gonzalez-Andujar Jose L.
Published: March 2020

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.) is an annual grass widely distributed in cultivated crops around the world. This weed causes significant yield reduction in many crops and has developed herbicide resistance. The aim of this study was to develop a cohort-based stochastic population dynamics model that integrates both emergence (thermal time) and dynamic population models as a tool to simulate the population dynamics of susceptible and resistant populations of L. multiflorum under the effects of climate change. The current climate scenario and the increase in the average air temperature by 2.5 °C were considered. Chemical and cultural management strategies commonly used in the South Region of Brazil during the winter and summer seasons were incorporated into the model. In the absence of control and under the current climate conditions, the seed bank population grew until reaching an equilibrium density of 19,121 ± 371 seeds m−2 for the susceptible and 20463 ± 363 seeds m−2 for the resistant populations. Considering the second climate scenario, the seed bank reaches an equilibrium density of 24,182 ± 253 seeds m−2 (+26% in relation to the current scenario) for the susceptible population and 24,299 ± 254 seeds m−2 (+18% in relation to the current scenario) for the resistant one. The results showed that the effect of the rise in temperature implies an increase in population in all the management strategies in relation to the current climate scenario. In both climate scenarios, the strategies based on herbicides application controlling cohorts 1 and 2 were the most efficient, and cropping systems including winter oat-soybeans rotation had a smaller impact on the L. multiflorum seed bank than crop rotations including winter wheat or summer corn. Crop rotations including wheat and corn for L. multiflorum management as an adaptive strategy under the future climate change are suggested.
New Insights into the Morphology of Silica and Carbon Black Based on Their Different Dispersion Behavior
Authors: Grunert Fabian , Wehmeier André , Blume Anke
Published: March 2020

Precipitated silica in combination with bifunctional organosilanes almost fully replaces currently the commonly used carbon black fillers in modern passenger car tire tread compounds to improve tire properties such as wet traction (safety) and rolling resistance (fuel consumption). However, it is still challenging to reach a sufficient level of abrasion resistance (service life). An optimum macrodispersion quality of the silica is a fundamental precondition for an optimum abrasion resistance. This goal can be reached by the development of new tailor-made highly dispersible silica grades. In order to achieve this, it is essential to be aware of the analytical silica parameters, which affect the dispersion process. One of these parameters known from carbon black is the structure of the filler. To gain deeper insights into the in-rubber dispersibility of the silica, the structure was investigated by two different methods, the DOA measurement and the void volume measurement. The results were correlated to the in-rubber macrodispersion. In contrast to carbon black filled compounds, no sufficient correlation of the structure with the macrodispersion could be found for the silica-filled compounds. Therefore, it was concluded that the morphology of silica differs from that one that is claimed for carbon black. Additional investigations like TEM, FT-IR and X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out. Carbon black shows a more elastic structure, which can withstand the external forces during the mixing process in a better way. Silica contains a much higher void volume in the structure even after exposed to high forces. These new findings will help to understand the macrodispersion process in rubber in a better way.
Adsorption and Separation of the H2O/H2SO4 and H2O/C2H5OH Mixtures: A Simulated and Experimental Study
Authors: Rumbo Morales Jesse Y. , Perez Vidal Alan F. , Ortiz Torres Gerardo , Salas Villalobo Alexis U. , Sorcia Vázquez Felipe de J. , Brizuela Mendoza Jorge A. , De-la-Torre Miguel , Valdez Martínez Jorge S.
Published: March 2020

Adsorption processes are characterized by their kinetics and equilibrium isotherms described by mathematical models. Nowadays, adsorption with molecular sieves is a method used to separate certain elements or molecules from a mixture and produce hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, ethanol, or water treatment. This study had two main objectives. The first one was focused on the use of different natural (Clinoptilolite-S.L. Potosi, Clinoptilolite-Puebla, and Heulandite-Sonora) and synthetic (Zeolite Type 3A) adsorbents to separate the mixtures H 2 O / H 2 S O 4 and H 2 O / C 2 H 5 O H . It was determined that both Zeolite Type-3A and Heulandite-Sonora have greater adsorption capacity in a shorter time compared with the Clinoptilolites at different temperatures. The second objective was the simulation of a pressure swing adsorption process to dehydrate ethanol using the parameters obtained from Zeolite Type 3A (with maximum adsorption capacity). Several configurations were considered to calculate the appropriate nominal values for the optimal process. The results illustrate that the purity of ethanol is increased when the following parameters are considered in the adsorption process: a high pressure, a constant temperature between 100 and 120 ° C, a feed composition near the azeotropic point with lower water content, and a purge pressure near the vacuum. Finally, the results show that it is possible to take advantage of the length of the absorber bed in order to reduce the energy costs by increasing the ethanol production as well as complying with the international purity standards.
Investigation into the Suppression Effects of Inert Powders on the Minimum Ignition Temperature and the Minimum Ignition Energy of Polyethylene Dust
Authors: Lin Chendi , Qi Yingquan , Gan Xiangyang , Feng Hao , Wang Yan , Ji Wentao , Wen Xiaoping
Published: March 2020

The risks associated with dust explosions still exist in industries that either process or handle combustible dust. This explosion risk could be prevented or mitigated by applying the principle of inherent safety. One effective principle is to add an inert material to a highly combustible material in order to decrease its ignition sensitivity. This paper deals with an experimental investigation of the influence of inert dust on the minimum ignition temperature and the minimum explosion energy of combustible dust. The experiments detailed here were performed in a Godbert–Greenwald (GG) furnace and a 1.2 L Hartmann tube. The combustible dust (polyethylene—PE; 800 mesh) and four inert powders (NaHCO3, Na2C2O4, KHCO3, and K2C2O4) were used. The suppression effects of the four inert powders on the minimum ignition temperature and the minimum explosion energy of the PE dust have been evaluated and compared with each other. The results show that all of the four different inert dusts have an effective suppression effect on the minimum ignition temperature and the minimum explosion energy of PE dust. However, the comparison of the results indicates that the suppression effect of bicarbonate dusts is better than that of oxalate dust. For the same kind of bicarbonate dusts, the suppression effects of potassium salt dusts are better than those of the sodium salt. The possible mechanisms for the better suppression effects of bicarbonate dusts and potassium salt dusts have been analyzed here.
Modulating the Spin Seebeck Effect in Co2FeAl Heusler Alloy for Sensor Applications
Authors: Lopes Marcus Vinicius , de Souza Edycleyson Carlos , Santos João Gustavo , de Araujo João Medeiros , Lima Lessandro , de Oliveira Alexandre Barbosa , Bohn Felipe , Correa Marcio Assolin
Published: March 2020

The thermoelectric conversion technique has been explored in a broad range of heat-flow sensors. In this context, the Spin Seebeck Effect emerges as an attractive candidate for biosensor applications, not only for the sensibility improvement but also for the power-saving electronic devices development. Here, we investigate the Longitudinal Spin Seebeck Effect in films with a Co 2 FeAl/W bilayer structure grown onto GaAs (100) substrate, systems having induced uniaxial magnetic anisotropy combined with cubic magnetic anisotropy. From numerical calculations, we address the magnetic behavior and thermoelectric response of the films. By comparing experiment and theory, we explore the possibility of modulating a thermoelectric effect by magnetic anisotropy. We show that the thermoelectric voltage curves may be modulated by the association of magnetic anisotropy induction and experimental parameters employed in the LSSE experiment.
STDD: Short-Term Depression Detection with Passive Sensing
Authors: Narziev Nematjon , Goh Hwarang , Toshnazarov Kobiljon , Lee Seung Ah , Chung Kyong-Mee , Noh Youngtae
Published: March 2020

It has recently been reported that identifying the depression severity of a person requires involvement of mental health professionals who use traditional methods like interviews and self-reports, which results in spending time and money. In this work we made solid contributions on short-term depression detection using every-day mobile devices. To improve the accuracy of depression detection, we extracted five factors influencing depression (symptom clusters) from the DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), namely, physical activity, mood, social activity, sleep, and food intake and extracted features related to each symptom cluster from mobile devices’ sensors. We conducted an experiment, where we recruited 20 participants from four different depression groups based on PHQ-9 (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the 9-item depression module from the full PHQ), which are normal, mildly depressed, moderately depressed, and severely depressed and built a machine learning model for automatic classification of depression category in a short period of time. To achieve the aim of short-term depression classification, we developed Short-Term Depression Detector (STDD), a framework that consisted of a smartphone and a wearable device that constantly reported the metrics (sensor data and self-reports) to perform depression group classification. The result of this pilot study revealed high correlations between participants` Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) self-reports and passive sensing (sensor data) in physical activity, mood, and sleep levels; STDD demonstrated the feasibility of group classification with an accuracy of 96.00% (standard deviation (SD) = 2.76).
Water Management for Sustainable Irrigation Systems Using Internet-of-Things
Authors: Glória André , Dionisio Carolina , Simões Gonçalo , Cardoso João , Sebastião Pedro
Published: March 2020

This paper introduces a new way of managing water in irrigation systems, which can be applied to gardens or agricultural fields, replacing human intervention with Wireless Sensor Networks. A typical irrigation system wastes on average 30% of the water used, due to poor management and configuration. This sustainable irrigation system allows a better efficiency in the process of irrigation that can lead to savings for the end user, not only monetary but also in natural resources, such as water and energy, leading to a more sustainable environment. The system can retrieve real time data and use them to determinate the correct amount of water to be used in a garden. With this solution, it is possible to save up to 34% of water when using sensor data from temperature, humidity and soil moisture, or up to 26% when using only temperature inputs. Besides a detailed system architecture, this paper includes a real case scenario implementation and results discussion.
An Efficient NLOS Errors Mitigation Algorithm for TOA-Based Localization
Authors: Zou Yanbin , Liu Huaping
Published: March 2020

In time-of-arrival (TOA) localization systems, errors caused by non-line-of-sight (NLOS) signal propagation could significantly degrade the location accuracy. Existing works on NLOS error mitigation commonly assume that NLOS error statistics or the TOA measurement noise variances are known. Such information is generally unavailable in practice. The goal of this paper is to develop an NLOS error mitigation scheme without requiring such information. The core of the proposed algorithm is a constrained least-squares optimization, which is converted into a semidefinite programming (SDP) problem that can be easily solved by using the CVX toolbox. This scheme is then extended for cooperative source localization. Additionally, its performance is better than existing schemes for most of the scenarios, which will be validated via extensive simulation.
Steerable-Discrete-Cosine-Transform (SDCT): Hardware Implementation and Performance Analysis
Authors: Peloso Riccardo , Capra Maurizio , Sole Luigi , Ruo Roch Massimo , Masera Guido , Martina Maurizio
Published: March 2020

In the last years, the need for new efficient video compression methods grown rapidly as frame resolution has increased dramatically. The Joint Collaborative Team on Video Coding (JCT-VC) effort produced in 2013 the H.265/High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) standard, which represents the state of the art in video coding standards. Nevertheless, in the last years, new algorithms and techniques to improve coding efficiency have been proposed. One promising approach relies on embedding direction capabilities into the transform stage. Recently, the Steerable Discrete Cosine Transform (SDCT) has been proposed to exploit directional DCT using a basis having different orientation angles. The SDCT leads to a sparser representation, which translates to improved coding efficiency. Preliminary results show that the SDCT can be embedded into the HEVC standard, providing better compression ratios. This paper presents a hardware architecture for the SDCT, which is able to work at a frequency of 188 M Hz , reaching a throughput of 3.00 GSample/s. In particular, this architecture supports 8k UltraHigh Definition (UHD) (7680 × 4320) with a frame rate of 60 Hz , which is one of the best resolutions supported by HEVC.
Event-Driven Data Gathering in Pure Asynchronous Multi-Hop Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks
Authors: Blanc Sara
Published: March 2020

In underwater acoustic modem design, pure asynchrony can contribute to improved wake-up coordination, thus avoiding energy-inefficient synchronization mechanisms. Nodes are designed with a pre-receptor and an acoustically adapted Radio Frequency Identification system, which wakes up the node when it receives an external tone. The facts that no synchronism protocol is necessary and that the time between waking up and packet reception is narrow make pure asynchronism highly efficient for energy saving. However, handshaking in the Medium Control Access layer must be adapted to maintain the premise of pure asynchronism. This paper explores different models to carry out this type of adaptation, comparing them via simulation in ns-3. Moreover, because energy saving is highly important to data gathering driven by underwater vehicles, where nodes can spend long periods without connection, this paper is focused on multi-hop topologies. When a vehicle appears in a 3D scenario, it is expected to gather as much information as possible in the minimum amount of time. Vehicle appearance is the event that triggers the gathering process, not only from the nearest nodes but from every node in the 3D volume. Therefore, this paper assumes, as a requirement, a topology of at least three hops. The results show that classic handshaking will perform better than tone reservation because hidden nodes annulate the positive effect of channel reservation. However, in highly dense networks, a combination model with polling will shorten the gathering time.
Detection and Speed Estimation of Moving Target Based on Phase Compensation and Coherent Accumulation Using Fractional Fourier Transform
Authors: Yang Jian , Liu Xinxin , Yang Bo , Lu Jian , Liao Guisheng
Published: March 2020

As unmanned aerial vehicles and other small, low-flying, and low-speed aircrafts are being extensively used, studies on their detection are being extensively conducted in radar application research. However, weak echoes, low Doppler frequencies, and target echoes mixed with ground clutter can considerably degrade the detection performance. Therefore, specific methods for the detection of such targets should be devised. We propose herein a phase compensation and coherent accumulation algorithm based on the fractional Fourier transform (FRFT) for detection and speed estimation of this type of target. First, the energy of the target echo is converged using the FRFT. Next, the phase between the peaks of the target echo is analyzed. Phase compensation and coherent accumulation determined from the expected target speed in the fractional domain eliminate ground clutter and further improve the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio. Finally, constant false alarm rate detection is used to identify the target, for which radial speed can be estimated directly according to the peak coordinates. The validity of the algorithm is verified via data simulation and application to real data.
Coherent Markov Random Field-Based Unreliable DSM Areas Segmentation and Hierarchical Adaptive Surface Fitting for InSAR DEM Reconstruction
Authors: Qian Qian , Wang Bingnan , Hu Xiaoning , Xiang Maosheng
Published: March 2020

A digital elevation model (DEM) can be obtained by removing ground objects, such as buildings, in a digital surface model (DSM) generated by the interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) system. However, the imaging mechanism will cause unreliable DSM areas such as layover and shadow in the building areas, which seriously affect the elevation accuracy of the DEM generated from the DSM. Driven by above problem, this paper proposed a novel DEM reconstruction method. Coherent Markov random field (CMRF) was first used to segment unreliable DSM areas. With the help of coherence coefficients and residue information provided by the InSAR system, CMRF has shown better segmentation results than traditional traditional Markov random field (MRF) which only use fixed parameters to determine the neighborhood energy. Based on segmentation results, the hierarchical adaptive surface fitting (with gradually changing the grid size and adaptive threshold) was set up to locate the non-ground points. The adaptive surface fitting was superior to the surface fitting-based method with fixed grid size and threshold of height differences. Finally, interpolation based on an inverse distance weighted (IDW) algorithm combining coherence coefficient was performed to reconstruct a DEM. The airborne InSAR data from the Institute of Electronics, Chinese Academy of Sciences has been researched, and the experimental results show that our method can filter out buildings and identify natural terrain effectively while retaining most of the terrain features.
Fast Object Detection Using Dimensional Based Features for Public Street Environments
Authors: Matveev Ivan , Karpov Kirill , Chmielewski Ingo , Siemens Eduard , Yurchenko Aleksey
Published: March 2020

Modern object recognition algorithms have very high precision. At the same time, they require high computational power. Thus, widely used low-power IoT devices, which gather a substantial amount of data, cannot directly apply the corresponding machine learning algorithms to process it due to the lack of local computational resources. A method for fast detection and classification of moving objects for low-power single-board computers is shown in this paper. The developed algorithm uses geometric parameters of an object as well as scene-related parameters as features for classification. The extraction and classification of these features is a relatively simple process which can be executed by low-power IoT devices. The algorithm aims to recognize the most common objects in the street environment, e.g., pedestrians, cyclists, and cars. The algorithm can be applied in the dark environment by processing images from a near-infrared camera. The method has been tested on both synthetic virtual scenes and real-world data. The research showed that a low-performance computing system, such as a Raspberry Pi 3, is able to classify objects with acceptable frame rate and accuracy.
Gastrocnemius Medialis Architectural Properties in Flexibility Trained and Not Trained Child Female Athletes: A Pilot Study
Authors: Panidi Ioli , Bogdanis Gregory C. , Gaspari Vasiliki , Spiliopoulou Polyxeni , Donti Anastasia , Terzis Gerasimos , Donti Olyvia
Published: March 2020

Gastrocnemius medialis (GM) architecture and ankle angle were compared between flexibility trained (n = 10) and not trained (n = 6) female athletes, aged 8–10 years. Ankle angle, fascicle length, pennation angle and muscle thickness were measured at the mid-belly and the distal part of GM, at rest and at the end of one min of static stretching. Flexibility trained (FT) and not trained athletes (FNT) had similar fascicle length at the medial (4.19 ± 0.37 vs. 4.24 ± 0.54 cm, respectively, p = 0.841) and the distal part of GM (4.25 ± 0.35 vs. 4.18 ± 0.65 cm, respectively, p = 0.780), similar pennation angles, and muscle thickness (p > 0.216), and larger ankle angle at rest (120.9 ± 4.2 vs. 110.9 ± 5.8°, respectively, p = 0.001). During stretching, FT displayed greater fascicle elongation compared to FNT at the medial (+1.67 ± 0.37 vs. +1.28 ± 0.22 cm, respectively, p = 0.048) and the distal part (+1.84 ± 0.67 vs. +0.97 ± 0.97 cm, respectively, p = 0.013), larger change in joint angle and muscle tendon junction displacement (MTJ) (p < 0.001). Muscle thickness was similar in both groups (p > 0.053). Ankle dorsiflexion angle significantly correlated with fascicle elongation at the distal part of GM (r = −0.638, p < 0.01) and MTJ displacement (r = −0.610, p < 0.05). Collectively, FT had greater fascicle elongation at the medial and distal part of GM and greater MTJ displacement during stretching than FNT of similar age.
From the Early Universe to the Modern Universe
Authors: Burdyuzha V. V.
Published: March 2020

The birth of the Universe, its dark components, and the next fundamental level of matter are briefly discussed. The classical cosmological solution for our Universe with a Λ-term has two branches divided by a gap. The quantum process of tunneling between branches took place. A model of a slowly swelling Universe in the result of the multiple reproductions of cosmological cycles arises naturally. The occurrence of baryon asymmetry is briefly discussed. The problem of the cosmological constant is solved and, thus, the crisis of physics connected with this constant is overcome. But we note that dark energy is evolving. Dark matter (part or all) consists of familon-type pseudo-Goldstone bosons with a mass of 10−5–10−3 eV. It follows the composite model of particles. This model reproduces three relativistic phase transitions in the medium of familons at different red shifts, forming a large scale structure of the Universe dark matter that was “repeated” by baryons. Here three generations of elementary particles are absolutely necessary.
Evaluating the Level of the Household Water Service Provided by a Private Water Enterprise in Ghana
Authors: Deal Philip , Sabatini David
Published: March 2020

Innovative service delivery models are attempting to more consistently provide clean water to communities in developing countries. It is imperative that these approaches be evaluated for their performance in these contexts while understating potential consequences. A private service delivery model in Ghana utilizing solar-powered water treatment, circuit rider principles, pre-paid metering, and a district-wide approach was assessed for three years. A quasi-experimental design used key informant surveys, household surveys, and water quality testing to investigate the service received by households under various management schemes. Service indicators were compared using logistic regression analysis. Private customers were shown to have significantly improved quality, annual reliability, and satisfaction ratings (p < 0.05) compared with control households, while maintaining the quantity of water collected. However, private customers were more reliant upon multiple water sources to meet domestic needs and suffered from lower affordability scores. About 38% of households used private water services, with no significant relationship with socioeconomic class. It is important for policy-makers and implementers to understand that some people will be unwilling or unable to take advantage of this model, and a transition from free improved sources to paid piped schemes will likely require a period of supporting both systems in order to reach everyone.
Water Recharge of Jinan Karst Springs, Shandong, China
Authors: Zhu Henghua , Xing Liting , Meng Qinghan , Xing Xuerui , Peng Yuming , Li Changsuo , Li Hu , Yang Lizhi
Published: March 2020

As the main scavenge port of groundwater in the karst water system, most of the karst springs affected by human activities experienced discharge attenuation phenomenon in the north of China. Whilst artificial replenishment measures have been taken to keep water spewing, the results are not ideal in many karst springs. This is mainly because of poor understanding about the recharging water sources. This paper used the Jinan Spring region as an example to discuss about different spring water supply sources. Based on a wide range of methods (e.g., dynamic observation of spring water level, real-time monitoring of water temperature and electrical conductivity (EC), tracer test, and frequency analysis), this study obtained several findings. First, the maximum karst-fractured water proportion that Cambrian Zhangxia Formation contribute to the Zhenzhu Spring is 57–59%, and the Heihu Spring only recharges 25–31%. Second, the proportion of fracture-karst water to the Heihu Spring from the Fengshan Formation to the Sanshanzi Formation of the Ordovician is 69–75%, while the proportion of the Tanxi spring is 15–17%. Third, the Baotu Spring and Heihu Spring mainly receive karst-fractured water from the Cambrian Zhangxia Formation and fracture-karst water from the Cambrian Fengshan Formation to the Ordovician Sanshanzi Formation. The supply sources of the Zhenzhu Spring and Tanxi Spring are more diverse, including karst-fractured water of the Cambrian Zhangxia Formation and fracture-karst water of the Cambrian Fengshan Formation to the Ordovician Sanshanzi Formation, as well as a small amount of pore water and fissure water, artificial recharge water supply. Fourth, the frequency analysis of spring water temperature indicated that the Zhenzhu Spring and Tanxi Spring are mainly in deep circulation, while the Baotu Spring and Heihu Spring are predominantly in shallow circulation. The differences in the sources of the four largest spring groups suggest that the karst water movement in Jinan has heterogeneous characteristics. The determination of the mixing ratio of the sources of spring water supplies provides a scientific basis for the protection of spring water, and the implementation of artificial recharge projects.
Complex Obstetric Perineal Injury Reconstruction Using Antropyloric Valve Transposition
Authors: Kumar Saket , Medappil Noushif , Singh Sunil Kumar , Chandra Abhijit
Published: March 2020

Despite significant advancements in the field of medicine, management of complex obstetric perineal injuries remains a challenge. Although several surgical techniques have been described, no techniques have provided satisfactory long-term results. Recently, a perineal transposed antropyloric valve has been used for anorectal reconstruction in patients with damaged or excised anal sphincters. We describe this technique in the case of complex obstetric perineal trauma with extensive tissue loss, presenting with end stage fecal incontinence. The functional outcome after this procedure was evaluated. The patient tolerated the surgery well, and there were no procedure-related upper gastrointestinal disturbances. Short-term functional outcomes were encouraging. At the 36-month follow-up, the patient’s neoanal resting and squeeze pressures were 50 and 70 mmHg, respectively. The postoperative St. Mark’s incontinence score was 7. Perineal antropyloric valve transposition is feasible and can be successfully applied in the management of end-stage fecal incontinence associated with complex obstetric perineal injury.
Evaluation of Invasive Intra-abdominal Candidiasis in Crohn Disease at the Time of Surgery
Authors: Šašala Martin , Majorová Emeše , Vrzgula Andrej , Fandáková Iveta
Published: March 2020

Purpose: The aim of this study was to determine whether a connection exists between Crohn disease and fungi, specifically Candida albicans, because one possible cause of disease is thought to be the presence of fungi in the intra-abdominal cavity. The diagnosis of invasive candidiasis is difficult due to the lack of specific clinical manifestations of the disease. A retrospective evaluation of the presence of invasive candidiasis was done in a group of 54 patients with Crohn disease and in a group of 31 patients who received surgery primarily for right-sided cancer of the colon.Methods: Culture samples were obtained from the wall of the extraluminal portion of the terminal ileum and the adjacent mesenterium, and then sent to the microbiology laboratory for further investigation. Sabouraud agar (SGC2) and chromID Candida agar (CAN2) were used for both short-term (48 hours) and long-term (10 days) cultivation.Results: Pearson chi-square test revealed a statistically significant difference in the prevalence of fungi and yeast between the 2 groups of patients (χ2 = 4.3873, P < 0.05).Conclusion: Patients with Crohn disease had a significantly higher prevalence of fungi and yeasts in the intra-abdominal cavity compared with cancer patients.
GPs’ understanding of the benefits and harms of treatments for long-term conditions: an online survey
Authors: Treadwell Julian Stephen , Wong Geoff , Milburn-Curtis Coral , Feakins Benjamin , Greenhalgh Trisha
Published: March 2020

Background

GPs prescribe multiple long-term treatments to their patients. For shared clinical decision-making, understanding of the absolute benefits and harms of individual treatments is needed. International evidence shows that doctors’ knowledge of treatment effects is poor but, to the authors knowledge, this has not been researched among GPs in the UK.

Aim

To measure the level and range of the quantitative understanding of the benefits and harms of treatments for common long-term conditions (LTCs) among GPs.

Design & setting

An online cross-sectional survey was distributed to GPs in the UK.

Method

Participants were asked to estimate the percentage absolute risk reduction or increase conferred by 13 interventions across 10 LTCs on 17 important outcomes. Responses were collated and presented in a novel graphic format to allow detailed visualisation of the findings. Descriptive statistical analysis was performed.

Results

A total of 443 responders were included in the analysis. Most demonstrated poor (and in some cases very poor) knowledge of the absolute benefits and harms of treatments. Overall, an average of 10.9% of responses were correct allowing for ±1% margin in absolute risk estimates and 23.3% allowing a ±3% margin. Eighty-seven point seven per cent of responses overestimated and 8.9% of responses underestimated treatment effects. There was no tendency to differentially overestimate benefits and underestimate harms. Sixty-four point eight per cent of GPs self-reported ‘low’ to ‘very low’ confidence in their knowledge.

Conclusion

GPs’ knowledge of the absolute benefits and harms of treatments is poor, with inaccuracies of a magnitude likely to meaningfully affect clinical decision-making and impede conversations with patients regarding treatment choices.
Lectoras y escritoras en El grillo de papel (1959-60) y El escarabajo de oro (1961-9)
Authors: Diz Tania
Published: March 2020

Este artículo se propone analizar elementos de las revistas El grillo de papel y en El escarabajo de oro con el objetivo de reconstruir el imaginario socio sexual que se desprende de ellas. Se parte de la hipótesis de que en los textos que no son ficcionales, prevalecen ideas conservadoras del binarismo sexual con diferentes gradaciones de misoginia y homofobia. En primer lugar, se analiza la figura de la lectora circunscripta a la novela amorosa y al mercado; en segundo lugar se analiza la imagen de la alteridad que surge en la figura de Victoria Ocampo y en tercer lugar, la aparición del feminismo en las voces de Simone de Beauvoir y de María Rosa Oliver. Finalmente, se concluye que el androcentrismo imperante deja como resultado una mirada que se resiste a pensar identidades fuera del sistema sex-género y esto trae consecuencias negativas tanto en el modo en que las escritoras permanecen en el campo literario como respecto de la emergencia del feminismo y de la disidencia sexual.
Despatriarcalizar el “ámbito público”: un análisis de las violencias sexistas en las Universidades
Authors: Moltoni Rocío Mariel
Published: March 2020

En el presente artículo se analizan las violencias sexistas específicamente en las instituciones de educación superior. Dichas instituciones aparecen como agentes sociales sumamente conservadores que abonan al clima de silenciamiento o invisibilización de las violencias de género que se producen al interior de ellas. A menudo se las considera parte de un ámbito público donde no se suceden cuestiones correspondientes al “ámbito privado”. De esta manera, es justamente este foco de análisis (espacio público/privado) desde donde se abordarán las violencias sexistas en las Universidades, tema central de este trabajo.
La criminalización de las mujeres embarazadas que consumen drogas
Authors: Campbell Nancy D.
Published: March 2020

A pesar de la evidente falta de intención de dañar al feto, las mujeres embarazadas que consumen drogas han sido construidas como criminales sin que exista reconocimiento legal del delito. Sin embargo, el uso de drogas no llega a ser evidencia suficiente de la intención de dañar, particularmente en contextos donde la economía del consumo de drogas es habitual. Los casos judiciales examinados en este artículo la naturaleza cada vez más condicional del estado de bienestar de EE.UU., al incrementarse el número de madres urbanas, y abuelas, incapaces de cuidar de sus hijes. Estos casos reflejan también el rol que tienen los centros de salud y los tribunales en la formulación de políticas cuando existen vacíos legales.
Guerras del sexo: el debate entre feministas radicales y libertarias
Authors: Ferguson Ann
Published: March 2020

Título original: “Sex War: The Debate between Radical and Libertarian Feminists”. En  Journal of Women in Culture and Society 1984, vol. 10, no. 1. Traducción de Felipe Gonzalez y Trinidad Traverso. Revisión técnica: Cecilia Varela.
ALÍ, Zahra (comp.) (2019 [2012]) Feminismo e islam. Las luchas de las mujeres musulmanas contra el patriarcado. Buenos Aires, Capital Intelectual, 208 pp. (traducción Andrea Romero)
Authors: Valcarcel Mayra
Published: March 2020

ALÍ, Zahra (comp.) (2019 [2012]) Feminismo e islam. Las luchas de las mujeres musulmanas contra el patriarcado. Buenos Aires, Capital Intelectual, 208 pp. (traducción Andrea Romero)
Concepto de orientación educativa: diversidad y aproximación
Authors: Molina Contreras Denyz Luz
Published: March 2020

El propósito fundamental de este trabajo es presentar una amplia exposición sobre la diversidad de conceptos que en el campo de la orientación se han manejado en las últimas décadas, los elementos predominantes y su pertinencia actual. Este apartado sirve de soporte fundamental para la comprensión y explicación de las líneas teóricas de la orientación y su interrelación con la práctica en los centros escolares y el aula, de la cual se desprenden los elementos teóricos para la propuesta de intervención en orientación que se presenta. Para la contextualización del concepto de orientación hemos recurrido al análisis histórico, el cual nos ha facilitado la comprensión de su evolución y de los distintos enfoques, los cuales nos permiten enmarcar el concepto de orientación, examinando elementos del pasado, integrándolos en los del presente y construyendo una definición prospectiva del marco conceptual de la orientación. Así,  establecemos un marco referencial acerca del significado, funciones, principios y dimensiones y/o áreas de la orientación. Su recorrido nos va a permitir comprender mejor su significado y la forma como ha venido ajustándose a los nuevos enfoques tratando de responder a la formación integral del sujeto.
Educación ambiental a partir de tres enfoques: comunitario, sistémico e interdisciplinario
Authors: Covas Álvarez Onelia
Published: March 2020

En este artículo se realiza un análisis acerca de cómo trabajar la Educación Ambiental, a partir de la introducción de la dimensión ambiental en el Proceso Docente Educativo, analizando en su integralidad los enfoques sistémico, interdisciplinario y comunitario, necesarios para el logro de la formación integral, multilateral y armónica de la Educación Ambiental.