bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Psychotherapy from the Margins: How the Pressure to Adopt Evidence-Based-Treatments Conflicts with Social Justice-Oriented Practice
Authors: Rogers-Sirin Lauren
Published: May 2020

This article posits that the current interest in Empirically-Validated-Treatment (EVT) leads to a culture within psychology and counseling that presents cognitive-behavioral orientation (CBT) as the only legitimate approach to psychotherapy. This can be problematic not only because it narrows the scope of what is considered legitimate evidence of effectiveness, but also because CBT, like most Western approaches to psychotherapy, locates the origin of, and solution to, mental illness within the individual. On the other hand, social justice-oriented practice addresses how inequality, discrimination, oppression, and other societal-level forces contribute to mental illness at the individual level. Using a case example as an anchor for the ideas presented, I discuss how narrow definitions of empirical evidence have been used to justify the marginalization of multiple theoretical orientations, which in turn has led to therapies that can reinforce the marginalization of disadvantaged clients. I argue that this trend within the fields of clinical and counseling psychology reflects a wider trend in the United States and other Western cultures of xenophobia and fear of globalization. Those privileged by hierarchies of power are motivated to find uniformity and the appearance of a superior, more “correct” way of being, and to then attempt to control the lives of people who do not fit this way of being. Complexity and diversity, on the other hand, are experienced as threatening and alienating. Within psychotherapy too, CBT provides an appearance of universality in treatment that can be very appealing, yet social justice advocates have been very skeptical of claims of universality. I conclude with a discussion of how the narrowing of theoretical approaches may harm the fields of clinical and counseling psychology, and psychotherapy clients. I discuss what psychologists and counselors can do to counter this trend by taking action in professional organizations, academia, and in the therapy room.
Proposed Model for Stress-strain Behavior of Fly Ash Concrete Under the Freezing and Thawing Cycles
Authors: Hemmati Ali , Arab Heydar
Published: May 2020

Fly ash is a supplementary cement material using instead of Portland cement in concrete. Using this material concludes to less emission of greenhouse gas and less water demand of concrete. In this paper, an experimental investigation was carried out on compressive stress–strain behavior of three groups of concrete specimens with different water/cement ratios (0.45, 0.5 and 0.55), containing 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 percent of fly ash (by weight), after subjecting to freezing and thawing cycles. 0, 45, 100 and 150 cycles of freezing and thawing were applied on these specimens according to ASTM C666 and the results presented. Numerical models for the stress–strain behavior of these frozen-thawed concrete were developed and compared with the available experimental data. Results show that the maximum compressive strength of these concrete specimens exposing cycles of freezing and thawing is gained by using about 10 % of fly ash. Moreover, there is a good agreement between the proposed models and test results and the difference is less than 5 %.
Application of Blockchain in Agri-Food Supply Chain
Authors: Tiwari Utkarsh
Published: May 2020

Supply chain traceability is one of the most important problems faced by all organizations globally. Tracking any commodity is a tedious job and requires a lot of manual attention. The existing system uses a centralised database system to track a commodity. Blockchain is a decentralised, immutable ledger managed by a cluster of computers. The very nature of blockchain makes it suitable technology for traceability in a supply chain. Blockchain creates immutable records. Once a transaction is stored in the blockchain, it is impossible to tamper it illegally. This immutability of blockchain builds trust among the participants that conduct business in a lack of trust environment. Using consensus protocols, blockchain builds trust between the various participants. Blockchain provides traceability since immutable records are added in blockchain; it is easy to track the source of the product. This paper illustrates the Application of Blockchain in Agri-Food Supply Chain. It unfolds how blockchain technology can be integrated to an Agri Supply Chain and improves the traceability. This integration enables companies to quickly track unsafe products back to their source and see where else they have been distributed. This integration can result to prevent illness and save lives, as well as reduce the cost of product recalls.
Misunderstanding Metaethics: Difficulties Measuring Folk Objectivism and Relativism
Authors: Bush Lance S. , Moss David
Published: May 2020

Recent research on the metaethical beliefs of ordinary people appears to show that they are metaethical pluralists that adopt different metaethical standards for different moral judgments. Yet the methods used to evaluate folk metaethical belief rely on the assumption that participants interpret what they are asked in metaethical terms. We argue that most participants do not interpret questions designed to elicit metaethical beliefs in metaethical terms, or at least not in the way researchers intend. As a result, existing methods are not reliable measures of metaethical belief. We end by discussing the implications of our account for the philosophical and practical implications of research on the psychology of metaethics.
Interaction Between Single Nucleotide Polymorphism in Catalase Gene and Catalase Activity Under the Conditions of Oxidative Stress
Authors: KOMINA A. V. , KOROSTILEVA K. A. , GYRYLOVA S. N. , BELONOGOV R. N. , RUKSHA T. G.
Published: May 2020

Catalase is an antioxidant enzyme the activity of which is crucial for the protection against damage caused by reactive oxygen species. The –262C>T polymorphism in the promoter region of catalase gene was found to be associated with altered catalase levels. In this study, peripheral blood mononuclear cells catalase activity was measured after H2O2-induced oxidative stress. C/T and T/T genotypes were associated with the decrease of catalase levels in contrast to C/C donors who had elevated catalase activity in the presence of 0.4 and 0.7 mM H2O2. Genotype-dependent response of catalase activity to oxidative stress might be related to the predisposition of catalase mutant allele carriers to disorders mediated by oxidative stress.
Short-Term Fasting Reduces the Extent of Myocardial Infarction and Incidence of Reperfusion Arrhythmias in Rats
Authors: ŠNOREK M. , HODYC D. , ŠEDIVÝ V. , ĎURIŠOVÁ J. , SKOUMALOVÁ A. , WILHELM J. , NECKÁŘ J. , KOLÁŘ F. , HERGET J.
Published: May 2020

The effect of three-day fasting on cardiac ischemic tolerance was investigated in adult male Wistar rats. Anesthetized open-chest animals (pentobarbitone 60 mg/kg, i.p.) were subjected to 20-min left anterior descending coronary artery occlusion and 3-h reperfusion for infarct size determination. Ventricular arrhythmias were monitored during ischemia and at the beginning (3 min) of reperfusion. Myocardial concentrations of beta-hydroxybutyrate and acetoacetate were measured to assess mitochondrial redox state. Short-term fasting limited the infarct size (48.5±3.3 % of the area at risk) compared to controls (74.3±2.2 %) and reduced the total number of premature ventricular complexes (12.5±5.8) compared to controls (194.9±21.9) as well as the duration of ventricular tachycardia (0.6±0.4 s vs. 18.8±2.5 s) occurring at early reperfusion. Additionally, fasting increased the concentration of beta-hydroxybutyrate and beta-hydroxybutyrate/acetoacetate ratio (87.8±27.0) compared to controls (7.9±1.7), reflecting altered mitochondrial redox state. It is concluded that three-day fasting effectively protected rat hearts against major endpoints of acute I/R injury. Further studies are needed to find out whether these beneficial effects can be linked to altered mitochondrial redox state resulting from increased ketogenesis.
Konsep Penataan Reklame Koridor Jalan Affandi Yogyakarta
Authors: Nurkukuh Dwi Kunto
Published: May 2020

Banyak reklame memenuhi ruang publik Kota Yogyakarta terutama di koridor jalan salah satunya seperti di Jalan Affandi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui konsep penataan reklame di koridor Jalan Affandi Yogyakarta dengan sasaran mengidentifikasi karakteristik reklame lalu menyusun konsep penataannya. Pendekatan penelitian dengan kualitatif deskriptif menggunakan analisis interaktif meliputi reduksi data, penyajian data, dan penarikan kesimpulan/ verifikasi. Koridor jalan dibagi empat segmen dari Ringroad Utara sampai Jalan Urip Sumoharjo. Kondisi eksisting reklame di koridor Jalan Affandi terlihat baik pada segmen 3 yaitu di sekitar area UNY. Penataan untuk segmen 3 hanya perlu pengawasan terus menerus agar dapat mempertahankan ketertiban dan kerapian reklame yang sudah ada sekarang. Untuk segmen 4 hanya terdapat satu kriteria yang belum tercapai dalam penataan reklame yaitu reklame yang Harmonis dengan lingkungan baik bentuk, ukuran maupun penempatannya (tidak mengganggu lingkungan). Segmen 1 perlu memenuhi kriteria: Harmonis dengan lingkungan baik bentuk, ukuran maupun penempatannya, Desain konstruksi reklame tidak membahayakan aktivitas pejalan kaki dan pengendara artinya material reklame harus kuat dan memiliki struktur pondasi yang sesuai dengan kondisi tempatnya berdiri sehingga tidak mudah rubuh, Memberikan rasa senang bagi pengguna jalan, Penggunaan warna pada reklame tidak terlalu beragam sehingga informasi yang ingin disampaikan reklame mudah dipahami pengamat. Segmen 2 perlu memenuhi kriteria: Nyaman,enak dilihat secara visual manusiawi, Harmonis dengan lingkungan baik bentuk, ukuran maupun penempatannya, Aman bagi lingkungan sekitar reklame termasuk bagi pengguna jalan dan pejalan kaki, Memberikan rasa senang bagi pengguna jalan.
Making the Différance: Between Derrida and Stiegler
Authors: Vitale Francesco
Published: May 2020

This paper intends to verify the extent and effectiveness of the transforming appropriation of the Derridean concept of ‘differance’ by Stiegler with respect to the problems that, according to Stiegler, make this creative critical operation necessary; in particular with respect to the most recent question concerning the possibility of thinking about and putting into practice a ‘neganthropological différance’ capable of facing the ecological crisis that today seems to threaten the very existence of life on earth. The paper goes back to Technics and Time 1. to analyze the distinction between ‘vital difference’ and ‘noetic difference’ that constitutes the condition of possibility of the ‘neganthropological différance.’ In this perspective, the distinction proposed by Stiegler seems to re-propose the hierarchically oriented oppositional structure that characterizes metaphysical thought and in particular the opposition between man and animal, attributing to the human being the ability to free himself from the constraints of his biological-natural condition. Finally, the paper attempts to account for the repercussions of this approach on the very possibility of an effective response to the ecological crisis, concluding with a provocation regarding the role that theory can and must play with regard to such an urgent and far-reaching problem.
Writing and Cosmotechnics
Authors: Hui Yuk
Published: May 2020

This paper aims to approach the notion of writing in the digital age in order to reflect on the question of technodiversity, or the multiplicity of cosmotechnics. It takes off with what seems to be two criticisms against each other: one from Derrida's Of Grammatology, where he claims that ‘the notion of technics can never simply clarify the notion of writing’; and the other from Stiegler's Discretising Time, where he openly criticized Derrida, ‘I think that Derrida unfortunately has never really explored the condition of the history of the supplement’. The essay elaborates on the contexts of these claims and suggests that this ‘indirect’ debate could be read as a parallax concerning the diversities of writing, one horizontal and the other vertical. Derrida, this essays argues, through his setting up of opposition between Hegel and Leibniz, Western phonogram and Chinese pictogram, substance and relation, proposes a diversity of writings which cannot be reduced to each other; while Stiegler by outlining a history of grammatisation, from literal, to analogue and now digital writing, proposes that philosophy has to be rethought according to this history and its respective technological conditions. This essay proposes synthesizing Derrida and Stiegler's claims to reflect on the future of technodiversity.
Elements for a General Organology
Authors: Stiegler Bernard
Published: May 2020

These lectures outline the project of a general organology, which is to say an account of life when it is no longer just biological but technical, or when it involves not just organic matter but organized inorganic matter. This organology is also shown to require a modified Simondonian account of the shift from vital individuation to a three-stranded process of psychic, collective and technical individuation. Furthermore, such an approach involves extending the Derridean reading of Socrates's discussion of writing as a pharmakon, so that it becomes a more general account of the pharmacological character of retention and protention. By going back to Leroi-Gourhan, we can recognize that this also means pursuing the history of retentional modifications unfolding in the course of the history of what, with Lotka, can also be called exosomatization. It is thus a question of how exteriorization can, today, in an epoch when it becomes digital, and in an epoch that produces vast amounts of entropy at the thermodynamic, biological and noetic levels, still possibly produce new forms of interiorization, that is, new forms of thought, care and desire, amounting to so many chances to struggle against the planetary-scale pharmacological crisis with which we are currently afflicted.
Derrida's Thanatologies
Authors: Morris Christopher
Published: May 2020

New debate over the definition and significance of death has arisen in both analytic and continental philosophy. Derrida's work is permeated with the topic, which he claimed was the one most resistant to inquiry. Discussions of it by Naas, Miller and Hägglund have been limited by anthropomorphic approaches. This paper analyzes six of Derrida's contributions to thanatology, which for convenience are called ‘figures’: death as inherent in survivre; as specter; as given or put, as the Marrano's secret; as conjured by the death penalty; and as a nothingness to which we owe ourselves. Considered as efforts toward some constative formulation, each new foray recalls more familiar Derridean touchstones such as différance or trace; each disputes Heideggerian speculations on death as boundary or authenticity. However, these figures' most salient feature is a shift from the constative to the performative mode, which momentarily suggests death's concomitance with speech acts.
INVESTIGATION OF JET ENGINE INTAKE DISTORTIONS CAUSED BY CROSSWIND CONDITIONS
Authors: Harjes Lennart , Bode Christoph , Grubert Jonas , Frantzheld Philip , Koch Patrick , Friedrichs Jens
Published: May 2020

The Propulsion Test Facility of the TU Braunschweig is capable of investigating future jet engine intakes and fan aerodynamics to a high level of detail. A goal of this facility is the examination of coupled fan-intake-interactions which is not possible in any existing test bench around the world. Before doing research on these interactions, it is important to undergo proper studies of isolated aspirated intakes and fans under varying operating conditions (design and off-design). Therefore comparable result of the well-known LARA nacelle to existing experimental and numerical data has been generated for a first validation purpose. Therefore, comparable studies have been conducted with the LARA nacelle, to that of experimental and numerical investigations performed in the early 1990s at the ONERA F1 wind tunnel (mention reference), in order to generate results for validation. The first results of the validation experiment show differences in peak Mach number between the ONERA F1 and PTF experimental data for identical boundary conditions based on Mach number and crosswind. To investigate this further, a comprehensive numerical study has been carried out. It was inferred that the discrepancy was mainly caused by the Reynolds number effect within the PTF environment and its sensitivity to the inlet flow angle distribution with regard to angle of attack for crosswind. Within the validation test campaign, the experimental investigations showed a separation and reattachment hysteresis, which was identified when crosswind as well as nacelle mass flow had been increased or decreased to set up the different operating points. This phenomenon has still no established theoretical basis for understanding the aerodynamic behaviour. Overall, the applicability of conventional RANS models is shown. Additionally, the sensitivity to the aforementioned boundary conditions and the numerical reproducibility of the hysteresis phenomenon are discussed and compared to new experimental data in detail.
Stakeholder Equity
Authors: LOH Kok Choy
Published: May 2020

Abstract: Pay inequality, tax avoidance, abuse of superior bargaining power, pollution…the list of corporate misdeeds keeps growing. No company wants to be labelled as being guilty of these practices. Therefore some mention of corporate social responsibility has become de rigueur in corporate annual reports. But short of making high sounding declarations how can a company show that its practices have been fair and socially responsible? This article starts with the premise that society, employees, suppliers, creditors and shareholders have a collective stake in the wellbeing of the company, and that the company’s performance should be judged by its returns to all stakeholders. This view contrasts with the usual shareholder centric measurements of corporate performance. This article demonstrates that it is feasible, by using information that is available in a corporation’s annual report, and in particular information in its financial statements, to measure corporate performance that maximises returns to all stakeholders.
Som å ta av seg verktøybeltet: Kontraster og metaforer i overgangen fra fagarbeid til yrkesfaglærerutdanning
Authors: Sarastuen Nora Kolkin
Published: May 2020

This article explores the transition from work to higher education and how vocational teacher students talk about the transition from occupational work to vocational teacher education. Previous research has identified students’ experiences of coherence in higher education as a challenge, and in this article the aspect of coherence that explores the contrasts and conflicts between vocational teacher students’ past experiences as occupational workers and experiences in vocational teacher education (biographic coherence) is explored. It is a qualitative study with participant observations and focus group interviews with Norwegian vocational teacher students at their second year of a bachelor’s degree programme to become vocational teachers. The analysis shows that students use metaphors and contrasts when they talk about the transition from occupational work to higher education. The metaphors and contrasts elicit an emotional aspect of the transition from work to education, and how students use their previous experiences from occupational work to give meaning to experiences in education.
Dropout prevention in vocational education: Evidence from Finnish register data
Authors: Vehkasalo Ville
Published: May 2020

A large-scale dropout prevention programme was implemented in Finnish vocational education in 2011–2014. We used detailed register data to evaluate the programme’s effects and to circumvent the attrition bias of pretest-posttest surveys. Our data included approximately 24,000 randomly sampled students, both from the participating schools and the non-participating schools, before and after the programme. We estimated the effect of the programme on study completion and dropping out using pooled cross sections and difference-in-differences regression methods. Both study measures have improved during the last decade, but our results suggest that the programme was not effective in increasing study completion or in reducing the number of dropouts. The likely causes for the improved levels of vocational degree completion include recent macroeconomic fluctuations and legislative changes in teenagers’ eligibility for unemployment benefits.
Integrated Application of Remote Sensing and GIS in Crop Information System—A Case Study on Aman Rice Production Forecasting Using MODIS-NDVI in Bangladesh
Authors: Faisal B. M. Refat , Rahman Hafizur , Sharifee Nur Hossain , Sultana Nasrin , Islam Mohammad Imrul , Habib S. M. Ahsan , Ahammad Tofayel
Published: May 2020

This research work studies the integrated application of satellite Remote Sensing (RS) and Geographic Information System (GIS) for the monitoring and forecasting of rice crop (Aman) production in Bangladesh. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) images of Terra MODIS products MOD13A1 (h25v06 and h26v06) with 500 m spatial resolution, composed using Maximum Value Composite (MVC) techniques, were used to cover Bangladesh for the period of 2011–2017. Country scale NDVI (district-wise summation) was calculated pixel-by-pixel to draw a regression curve while using Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics (BBS) estimations of Aman production for the months of September–November. The regression study of district-wise pixel-based summation of MODIS-NDVI and ground-based BBS-estimated Aman production shows a strong correlation (R2 = 0.54–0.78); for the months of September and October, most of the regression coefficient indicates significant correlation due to maximum photosynthetic activities. Therefore, based on the highest regression coefficient value of September and October, Aman Crop Production (ACP) models were developed and the ACP Model-2 was exploited (from the derived set of coefficient values) to acquire year-wise rice production for all the years (2011–2017). The simulated ACP Model-2 demonstrates good agreement between the estimated and predicted yearly Aman rice production for the 2011–2017 time period with Mean Bias Error (MBE) = (−9435 to 23,156) M.Ton; Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) = 253–4426 M.Ton; Model Efficiency (ME) = (0.89–0.93); and, Correlation Coefficients = (0.72–0.94). Hence, the MODIS–NDVI-based regression model seems to be effective for Aman crop production forecasting in the context of food security issues in Bangladesh. The applied system is simple, rationally accurate, and fit for the generation of nationwide crop statistics.
The Impact of Priming with Al2O3 Nanoparticles on Growth, Pigments, Osmolytes, and Antioxidant Enzymes of Egyptian Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) Cultivar
Authors: Abdel Latef Arafat Abdel Hamed , Zaid Abbu , Abu Alhmad Mona Fawzy , Abdelfattah Khaled Ebnalwaled
Published: May 2020

Lower concentrations of nanoparticles (NPs) could have positive effects on plants. In the present experiment, we tested the efficacy of seed priming Egyptian roselle cultivar with aluminum oxide nanoparticles (Al2O3 NPs). Plants grown with different concentrations (0.01, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5%) of Al2O3 NPs-primed seeds showed varied responses. An increasing impact with 0.01% Al2O3 NPs was noticed on growth traits, such as fresh weight, dry weight, shoot length, root length, and leaf area, and physio-biochemical activities like chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, carotenoid contents, soluble sugars, protein, amino acid, proline, and the activities of defense enzymes viz-superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD), and ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Nevertheless, a decrease was noted in malondialdehyde (MDA) when plants were primed with 0.01% Al2O3 NPs. Seed priming with 0.05, 0.1, and 0.5% Al2O3 NPs caused the negative effects in the aforementioned parameters. The principal component analysis revealed significant correlations among the various studied parameters. Therefore, seed priming with Al2O3 NPs at 0.01% was expected to serve as an effective measure for inducing positive effect in Egyptian roselle cultivar.
Effects of Biochar to Excessive Compost-Fertilized Soils on the Nutrient Status
Authors: Tsai Chen-Chi , Chang Yu-Fang
Published: May 2020

Positive effects of a biochar–compost mix on soil nutrient status in infertile soil have been reported, but the potential effect of biochar amendments in excessive compost-fertilized soils has not been extensively studied. Excessive application of compost can result in the accumulation of nutrients and heavy metals (Cu and Zn). Thus, the objective of this study is to investigate the effect of biochar–excessive compost co-application on soil nutrient status. We hypothesized that biochar co-application could have positive effects on the absorption of excessive nutrients of Cu and Zn. A 371-day laboratory incubation study was conducted to evaluate the effects of the lead tree (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de. Wit) biochar produced at 750 °C on the dynamics of the soil nutrients. Three Taiwan rural soils were selected, including slightly acidic Oxisols (SAO), mildly alkaline Inceptisols (MAI), and slightly acid Inceptisols (SAI). The biochar treatments include control (0%) and 0.5%, 1.0%, and 2.0% (w/w). In each treatment, 5% (w/w) poultry-livestock manure compost was added to test excessive application. The results indicated that the biochar treatments had a significant increase effect on soil pH, total carbon (TC), total nitrogen (TN), C:N ratio, and available K concentration. The effect of biochar on electrical conductivity (EC) and available P, Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn, Cu, Pb, and Zn was insignificant. The effect of biochar, with relatively low application rates (<2% by wt), low surface area, and less surface function group, was eliminated by excessive compost (5% by wt). In addition to carbon sequestration and nitrogen conservation, biochar addition has no effect on the absorption of the excessive nutrients Cu and Zn in three studied soils.
Population Dynamics in Mixed Canopies Composed of Kikuyu-Grass and Tall Fescue
Authors: Miqueloto Tiago , Bernardon Angela , Winter Fábio Luis , Fischer Sbrissia André
Published: May 2020

The current work was based on the central hypothesis that grazing management strategies modulate tillering dynamics of mixed canopies composed of kikuyu-grass (C4 perennial grass) and tall fescue (C3 perennial grass). Among the five grazing management conditions evaluated, three (7, 12, and 17 cm) represented the heights up to which the grasses were kept by mimicking a continuous stocking method throughout the experimental period (from May 2016 to October 2017), and the other two consisted of the heights 12 and 17 cm with a single grazing to 7 cm in mid-autumn. Nitrogen fertilization was applied only during winter–spring. The results showed that under severe grazing (7 cm), kikuyu-grass predominated in the area and that tall fescue population predominated in the moderately lenient (12 cm) and lenient (17 cm) grazed pastures, regardless of an occasional autumn grazing to 7 cm. After two years of evaluation, kikuyu-grass tillers were reduced to 6% of the total population in those pastures managed at the heights of 12 and 17 cm. Grazing management strategies modulate species proportions in a mixed canopy composed of kikuyu and tall fescue. Moreover, our data also suggest that it seems unlikely that there is a stable association of tall fescue and kikuyu-grass when no nitrogen fertilization is applied during summer.
Simultaneous Removal of Pollutants and Recovery of Nutrients from High-Strength Swine Wastewater Using a Novel Integrated Treatment Process
Authors: Shim Soomin , Reza Arif , Kim Seungsoo , Ahmed Naveed , Won Seunggun , Ra Changsix
Published: May 2020

In this study, a novel treatment approach combining biological treatment, struvite crystallization, and electrochemical treatment was developed and its efficiency for the simultaneous removal of pollutants and recovery of nutrients from high strength swine wastewater (SWW) was verified. For all the parameters, maximum removal efficiencies in the lab-scale test were obtained in the range of 93.0–98.7% except for total solids (TS) (79.4%). Farm-scale process showed overall removal efficiencies for total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), soluble total organic carbon (sTOC), and color as 94.5%, 67.0%, 96.1%, and 98.9%, respectively, while TS, suspended solids (SS), ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N), and ortho-phosphate (O-P) concentrations were reduced by 91.5%, 99.6%, 98.6%, and 91.9%, respectively. Moreover, the struvite recovered from SWW showed heavy metal concentrations within the range of the Korean standard for fertilizers and feedstocks and thus, suggesting its potential application as fertilizer and in animal feed production. Using the proposed process, the SWW was converted to liquid compost as a quick-acting fertilizer, struvite as a slow-release fertilizer, and the decolorized and disinfected effluent after electrochemical treatment was safe for discharge according to Korean standard. Therefore, the novel integrated treatment process used in this study can be considered as a solution for SWW management and for the simultaneous removal and recycling of nutrients (N and P).
Dogs and Cats: Reservoirs for Highly Diverse Campylobacter jejuni and a Potential Source of Human Exposure
Authors: Thépault Amandine , Rose Valérie , Queguiner Marilyne , Chemaly Marianne , Rivoal Katell
Published: May 2020

Assessing the carriage of Campylobacter in animal reservoirs is essential to better understand Campylobacter epidemiology. Here, we evaluated the prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. in dogs and cats, hereafter defined as pets, and characterized Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) isolates to assess their genetic diversity and their potential link with isolates from other animals or human cases. During a 6-month period, 304 feces samples were collected from pets. A significantly higher prevalence of thermophilic Campylobacter spp. was found in dogs compared with cats, as well as in dogs ≤ 1-year-old compared with older dogs. C. jejuni was the predominant species found in pets, and its genomic characterization revealed a high genetic diversity. Genotypes comparison with previously characterized isolates revealed a partial overlap between C. jejuni isolates from pets, chicken, cattle, and clinical cases. This overlap suggests the potential role of livestock and humans in pets’ exposure to Campylobacter, or vice versa. The isolation of pets’ specific profiles may suggest the existence of other sources of pet contamination or imply that pets may constitute a reservoir for Campylobacter. Because of the proximity between humans and pets, along with their frequent carriage of C. jejuni, human exposure to Campylobacter from pets can be more important than previously thought.
Mitochondrial DNA Survey Reveals the Lack of Accuracy in Maremmano Horse Studbook Records
Authors: Giontella Andrea , Cardinali Irene , Lancioni Hovirag , Giovannini Samira , Pieramati Camillo , Silvestrelli Maurizio , Sarti Francesca Maria
Published: May 2020

The Maremmano horse is considered one of the most important Italian warmblood breeds which originated from an ancient population. In 1980, the National Association of Maremmano Breeders established the first Studbook that recorded 440 dams and four sire founders. In this study, we selected the most significant maternal lines in terms of offspring (for a total of 74 lineages and 92 Maremmano horses) and analyzed their mitochondrial DNA control regions. We found a high variability, reflecting the importance of this local breed as a genetic resource to be preserved. Through multiple sampling, we then verified the pedigree information for 12 dam lines by matching genealogical data with mitochondrial haplotypes. A complete concordance was demonstrated in nine lineages, while for the other we highlighted a different number of haplotypes for each line (three in Fiorella, two in Nizza I, and two in Pomposina), thus suggesting that the information recorded in the Studbook could be wrong and the samples do not descend from the same maternal founder. Our combined analysis provides the opportunity to confirm the ancestry of animals and could be employed to prevent errors in pedigree data also for other breeds and species.
Three-Dimensional Numerical Investigation on the Efficiency of Subsurface Drainage for Large-Scale Landslides
Authors: Lin Der-Guey , Chang Kuo-Ching , Ku Cheng-Yu , Chou Jui-Ching
Published: May 2020

This paper presents a field monitoring study with emphasis on the design and construction of a subsurface drainage system and evaluation of its stabilization efficiency on the slope of You-Ye-Lin landslide using a three-dimensional finite element method program (Plaxis 3D) for the groundwater flow and slope stability analyses. The subsurface drainage system consists of two 4-m diameter drainage wells with multi-level horizontal drains and was installed to draw down the groundwater level and stabilize the unstable slope of the landslide. Results demonstrate that the subsurface drainage system is functional and capable of accelerating the drainage of the infiltrated rainwater during torrential rainfalls during the typhoon season. The large groundwater drawdown by the subsurface drainage system protects the slopes from further deterioration and maintains the slope stability at an acceptable and satisfactory level.
Automatic Salient Object Extraction Based on Locally Adaptive Thresholding to Generate Tactile Graphics
Authors: Abdusalomov Akmalbek , Mukhiddinov Mukhriddin , Djuraev Oybek , Khamdamov Utkir , Whangbo Taeg Keun
Published: May 2020

Automatic extraction of salient regions is beneficial for various computer vision applications, such as image segmentation and object recognition. The salient visual information across images is very useful and plays a significant role for the visually impaired in identifying tactile information. In this paper, we introduce a novel saliency cuts method using local adaptive thresholding to obtain four regions from a given saliency map. First, we produced four regions for image segmentation using a saliency map as an input image and local adaptive thresholding. Second, the four regions were used to initialize an iterative version of the GrabCuts algorithm and to produce a robust and high-quality binary mask with a full resolution. Finally, salient objects’ outer boundaries and inner edges were detected using the solution from our previous research. Experimental results showed that local adaptive thresholding using integral images can produce a more robust binary mask compared to the results from previous works that make use of global thresholding techniques for salient object segmentation. The proposed method can extract salient objects with a low-quality saliency map, achieving a promising performance compared to existing methods. The proposed method has advantages in extracting salient objects and generating simple, important edges from natural scene images efficiently for delivering visually salient information to the visually impaired.
Dynamic Characteristics of Sandstone under Coupled Static-Dynamic Loads after Freeze-Thaw Cycles
Authors: Ke Bo , Zhang Jian , Deng Hongwei , Yang Xiangru
Published: May 2020

The effect of temperature fluctuation on rocks needs to be considered in many civil engineering applications. Up to date the dynamic characteristics of rock under freeze-thaw cycles are still not quite clearly understood. In this study, the dynamic mechanical properties of sandstone under pre-compression stress and freeze-thaw cycles were investigated. At the same number of freeze-thaw cycles, with increasing axial pre-compression stress, the dynamic Young’s modulus and peak stress first increase and then decrease, whereas the dynamic peak strain first decreases and then increases. At the same pre-compression stress, with increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles, the peak stress decreases while the peak strain increases, and the peak strain and peak stress show an inverse correlation before or after the pre-compression stress reaches the densification load of the static stress–strain curve. The peak stress and strain both increase under the static load near the yielding stage threshold of the static stress–strain curve. The failure mode is mainly shear failure, and with increasing axial pre-compression stress, the degree of shear failure increases, the energy absorption rate of the specimen increases first and then decreases. With increasing number of freeze-thaw cycles, the number of fragments increases and the size diminishes, and the energy absorption rates of the sandstone increase.
USAPI USDM: Operational Drought Monitoring in the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands
Authors: Heim Richard R. , Guard Charles , Lander Mark A. , Bukunt Brandon
Published: May 2020

The U.S. Drought Monitor (USDM) has been the de facto operational drought monitoring product for the United States for the last two decades. For most of this time, its coverage included the 50 States and Puerto Rico. In 2019, coverage was expanded to include the U.S.-Affiliated Pacific Islands (USAPI). The geography, geomorphology, and climatology of the USAPI significantly differ from those of the mainland U.S. (CONUS) and they posed a unique challenge for the USDM authors. Following National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) priorities for development of products in collaboration with users in what is termed “use-inspired science”, NOAA agencies conducted several workshops to identify data and impacts relevant for, and develop drought monitoring criteria appropriate for, the USAPI. Once the criteria were identified and data processing systems were set up, the USAPI were included as part of the operational USDM drought monitoring beginning in March 2019. The drought monitoring criteria consist of weekly and monthly minimum precipitation thresholds for triggering drought, and they follow the USDM “convergence of evidence” methodology for determining the severity level (Dx) of the drought spell.
Novel Targets and Therapeutic Strategies for Promoting Organ Repair and Regeneration
Authors: Muruganandan Shanmugam , Wigerius Michael
Published: May 2020

Strategies to create functional organs and tissues is of great interest for use in regenerative medicine in order to repair or replace the lost tissues due to injury, disease, as well as aging. Several new treatment options, including stem cell treatments and tissue-engineered substitutes for certain indications, have been approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and are currently available. This special issue will cover new therapies and strategies that are currently being investigated under preclinical and clinical settings.
Galectins as Checkpoints of the Immune System in Cancers, Their Clinical Relevance, and Implication in Clinical Trials
Authors: Compagno Daniel , Tiraboschi Carolina , Garcia José Daniel , Rondón Yorfer , Corapi Enrique , Velazquez Carla , Laderach Diego José
Published: May 2020

Galectins are small proteins with pleiotropic functions, which depend on both their lectin (glycan recognition) and non-lectin (recognition of other biomolecules besides glycans) interactions. Currently, 15 members of this family have been described in mammals, each with its structural and ligand recognition particularities. The galectin/ligand interaction translates into a plethora of biological functions that are particular for each cell/tissue type. In this sense, the cells of the immune system are highly sensitive to the action of these small and essential proteins. While galectins play central roles in tumor progression, they are also excellent negative regulators (checkpoints) of the immune cell functions, participating in the creation of a microenvironment that promotes tumor escape. This review aims to give an updated view on how galectins control the tumor’s immune attack depending on the tumor microenvironment, because determining which galectins are essential and the role they play will help to develop future clinical trials and benefit patients with incurable cancer.
Neuroendocrine Carcinoma of the Uterine Cervix: A Clinicopathologic and Immunohistochemical Study with Focus on Novel Markers (Sst2–Sst5)
Authors: Inzani Frediano , Santoro Angela , Angelico Giuseppe , Feraco Angela , Spadola Saveria , Arciuolo Damiano , Valente Michele , Carlino Angela , Piermattei Alessia , Scaglione Giulia , Scambia Giovanni , Rindi Guido , Zannoni Gian Franco
Published: May 2020

Background. Gynecological neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs) are extremely rare, accounting for 1.2–2.4% of the NENs. The aim of this study was to test cervical NENs for novel markers of potential utility for differential diagnosis and target therapy. Methods. All cases of our center (n = 16) were retrieved and tested by immunohistochemistry (IHC) for 12 markers including markers of neuroendocrine differentiation (chromogranin A, synaptophysin, CD56), transcription factors (CDX2 and TTF1), proteins p40, p63, p16INK4a, and p53, somatostatin receptors subtypes (SST2-SST5) and the proliferation marker Ki67 (MIB1). Results. All cases were poorly differentiated neuroendocrine carcinomas (NECs), 10 small cell types (small cell–neuroendocrine carcinomas, SCNECs) and 6 large cell types (large cell–neuroendocrine carcinomas, LCNECs); in 3 cases a predominant associated adenocarcinoma component was observed. Neuroendocrine cancer cells expressed at least 2 of the 3 tested neuroendocrine markers; p16 was intensely expressed in 14 (87.5%) cases; SST5 in 11 (56.25%, score 2–3, in 9 cases); SST2 in 8 (50%, score 2–3 in 8), CDX2 in 8 (50%), TTF1 in 5 (31.25%), and p53 in 1 case (0.06%). P63 and p40 expressions were negative, with the exception of one case that showed moderate expression for p63. Conclusions. P40 is a more useful marker for the differential diagnosis compared to squamous cell carcinoma. Neither CDX2 nor TTF1 expression may help the differential diagnosis versus potential cervical metastasis. P16 expression may suggest a cervical origin of NEC; however, it must be always integrated by clinical and instrumental data. The expression of SST2 and SST5 could support a role for SSAs (Somatostatin Analogues) in the diagnosis and therapy of patients with cervical NECs.
Suppression of Hydrophobic Recovery in Photo-Initiated Chemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Aufoujal Alessio , Legrand Ulrich , Meunier Jean-Luc , Tavares Jason Robert
Published: May 2020

Photo-initiated chemical vapor deposition (PICVD) functionalizes carbon nanotube (CNT)-enhanced porous substrates with a highly polar polymeric nanometric film, rendering them super-hydrophilic. Despite its ability to generate fully wettable surfaces at low temperatures and atmospheric pressure, PICVD coatings normally undergo hydrophobic recovery. This is a process by which a percentage of oxygenated functional group diffuse/re-arrange from the top layer of the deposited film towards the bulk of the substrate, taking the induced hydrophilic property of the material with them. Thus, hydrophilicity decreases over time. To address this, a vertical chemical gradient (VCG) can be deposited onto the CNT-substrate. The VCG consists of a first, thicker highly cross-linked layer followed by a second, thinner highly functionalized layer. In this article, we show, through water contact angle and XPS measurements, that the increased cross-linking density of the first layer can reduce the mobility of polar functional groups, forcing them to remain at the topmost layer of the PICVD coating and to suppress hydrophobic recovery. We show that employing a bi-layer VCG suppresses hydrophobic recovery for five days and reduces its effect afterwards (contact angle stabilizes to 42 ± 1° instead of 125 ± 3°).
Pyridyl-Anchored Type BODIPY Sensitizer-TiO2 Photocatalyst for Enhanced Visible Light-Driven Photocatalytic Hydrogen Production
Authors: Shen Xiao-Feng , Watanabe Motonori , Takagaki Atsushi , Song Jun Tae , Ishihara Tatsumi
Published: May 2020

Dye-sensitized photocatalytic hydrogen production using a boron-dipyrromethene (BODIPY) organic material having a pyridyl group at the anchor site was investigated. Phenyl, carbazole, and phenothiazine derivatives were introduced into BODIPY dyes, and their photocatalytic activities were examined. Identification was performed by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), infrared (IR), mass (MS) spectra, and absorption spectra, and catalyst evaluation was performed by using visible-light irradiation and photocatalytic hydrogen production and photocurrent. These dyes have strong absorption at 600–700 nm, suggesting that they are promising as photosensitizers. When the photocatalytic activity was examined, stable catalytic performance was demonstrated, and the activity of the Pt-TiO2 photocatalyst carrying a dye having a carbazole group was 249 μmol/gcat·h. Photocurrent measurements suggest that dye-sensitized photocatalytic activity is occurring. This result suggests that BODIPY organic materials with pyridyl groups as anchor sites are useful as novel dye-sensitized photocatalysts.
Platelet-Rich Plasma Modulates Gap Junction Functionality and Connexin 43 and 26 Expression During TGF-β1–Induced Fibroblast to Myofibroblast Transition: Clues for Counteracting Fibrosis
Authors: Squecco Roberta , Chellini Flaminia , Idrizaj Eglantina , Tani Alessia , Garella Rachele , Pancani Sofia , Pavan Paola , Bambi Franco , Zecchi-Orlandini Sandra , Sassoli Chiara
Published: May 2020

Skeletal muscle repair/regeneration may benefit by Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) treatment owing to PRP pro-myogenic and anti-fibrotic effects. However, PRP anti-fibrotic action remains controversial. Here, we extended our previous researches on the inhibitory effects of PRP on in vitro transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-induced differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts, the effector cells of fibrosis, focusing on gap junction (GJ) intercellular communication. The myofibroblastic phenotype was evaluated by cell shape analysis, confocal fluorescence microscopy and Western blotting analyses of α-smooth muscle actin and type-1 collagen expression, and electrophysiological recordings of resting membrane potential, resistance, and capacitance. PRP negatively regulated myofibroblast differentiation by modifying all the assessed parameters. Notably, myofibroblast pairs showed an increase of voltage-dependent GJ functionality paralleled by connexin (Cx) 43 expression increase. TGF-β1-treated cells, when exposed to a GJ blocker, or silenced for Cx43 expression, failed to differentiate towards myofibroblasts. Although a minority, myofibroblast pairs also showed not-voltage-dependent GJ currents and coherently Cx26 expression. PRP abolished the TGF-β1-induced voltage-dependent GJ current appearance while preventing Cx43 increase and promoting Cx26 expression. This study adds insights into molecular and functional mechanisms regulating fibroblast-myofibroblast transition and supports the anti-fibrotic potential of PRP, demonstrating the ability of this product to hamper myofibroblast generation targeting GJs.
Inertial Sensor Based Solution for Finger Motion Tracking
Authors: Lemak Stepan , Chertopolokhov Viktor , Uvarov Ivan , Kruchinina Anna , Belousova Margarita , Borodkin Leonid , Mironenko Maxim
Published: May 2020

Hand motion tracking plays an important role in virtual reality systems for immersion and interaction purposes. This paper discusses the problem of finger tracking and proposes the application of the extension of the Madgwick filter and a simple switching (motion recognition) algorithm as a comparison. The proposed algorithms utilize the three-link finger model and provide complete information about the position and orientation of the metacarpus. The numerical experiment shows that this approach is feasible and overcomes some of the major limitations of inertial motion tracking. The paper’s proposed solution was created in order to track a user’s pointing and grasping movements during the interaction with the virtual reconstruction of the cultural heritage of historical cities.