bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genotype and Variable Nitrogen Effects on Tuber Yield and Quality for Red Fresh Market Potatoes in Minnesota
Authors: Stefaniak Thomas R. , Fitzcollins Sophia , Figueroa Rachel , Thompson Asunta L. , Schmitz Carley Cari , Shannon Laura M.
Published: January 2021

Potato (Solanum tuberosum) production generally requires added nitrogen (N), which is costly and potentially environmentally damaging. One path to limiting N application is breeding N efficient potatoes. Effective use of nitrogen, across crops, is typically characterized in terms of yield. However, tuber quality characteristics affect potato marketability, especially for red fresh market potatoes. While optimal N rates maximize yield, the genotype-specific effect of N on tuber quality traits is unclear. In order to highlight quality traits effected by N, identify germplasm with lower N requirements, and determine optimal N rates for red-skinned clones, we conducted a variable N rate experiment over two years in Minnesota. Eight red fresh market genotypes were grown in RCB factorial design with five nitrogen application rates ranging from 0 to 81.6 kg/ha. Best linear unbiased estimates were calculated for yield, skin color, skin set, and tuber shape. The models for yield and quality traits included significant genotype by N rate interaction effects, suggesting that there is variation in the way clones respond to N. Established varieties were more responsive to added N than breeding lines. Similarly, established varieties tended to produce more oblong tubers under higher N conditions, while the breeding lines remained round. Color traits also responded to N in a genotype-specific way, while the interaction effect for other traits depended on unmeasured environmental factors. No clone exhibited increased yield above the 54.4 kg/ha rate. Our results suggest that the 81.6 kg/ha rate produced less favorable phenotypes for all traits.
Consumer Trust in Quality and Safety of Food Products in Western Siberia
Authors: Skripnuk Djamilia F. , Davydenko Vladimir A. , Romashkina Gulnara F. , Khuziakhmetov Roman R.
Published: January 2021

Modern Russia faces difficulties in ensuring food quality and safety. The updated federal food security doctrine focuses on export opportunities and monitoring the ratio between domestic production and consumption. This agenda is determined by possible external threats: sanctions and trade wars, various conflicts, and economic and agricultural crises. The aim is to reveal the features of consumer behavior when interacting with food operators and to show the influence of socio-economic characteristics on individual practices. Empirical data are obtained from the authors’ mass survey and in-depth interviews. Results might signify that society came to a consensus on trust in quality and safety of food. Observed differences in outlet and product choices can be explained by income, settlement type, and age. Local producers are struggling to enter retail chains, as there are contradictions between consumer expectations and internal policies of sales operators. Experts argue that people poorly assess the real risks of economizing and favoring low-quality food.
Nitrogen Fate and Efficiency of Fertilizer Application under a Rapeseed–Wheat–Rice Rotation System in Southwest China
Authors: Ma Peng , Lan Yan , Lyu Tengfei , Li Feijie , Yang Zhiyuan , Sun Yongjian , Ma Jun
Published: January 2021

To evaluate the efficient use of nitrogen (N) for rice in a rapeseed–wheat–rice rotation system, a pot experiment was conducted. The results indicated that in the conventional 15N-labeled (Nc) and reduced 15N-labeled (Nr) urea applications, absorbed N and soil residual N was higher in rapeseed than in wheat. In the rice season, the higher accumulation of 15N was achieved with an Nr application rate during the rapeseed season and an N fertilizer management model (40% as basal fertilizer, 40% as tillering fertilizer, and 20% as panicle fertilizer) during the rice season (PrNrM3). A high 15N accumulation was also achieved under the Nc application rate during the wheat season and the N fertilizer management model during the rice season (PwNcM3). The accumulation of 15N in PrNrM3 and PwNcM3 accounted for 21.35% and 36.72% of the residual N under the Nr application rate in the rapeseed season and the Nc application rate in the wheat season, respectively. Compared with the Nc application rate in the rapeseed season and M3 N management in the rice season (PrNcM3), the N agronomy efficiency (NAE) and the N partial factor efficiency (NPFP) of rice were increased by 23.85% and 1.59%, respectively, in PrNrM3. The annual crop yield was 3.95% lower in PrNrM3, which was not significant. PrNrM3 was a stable yield, N-saving application rate for rapeseed-rice rotation systems in southern China.
Effects of 24-Epibrassinolide, Bikinin, and Brassinazole on Barley Growth under Salinity Stress Are Genotype- and Dose-Dependent
Authors: Groszyk Jolanta , Szechyńska-Hebda Magdalena
Published: January 2021

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are involved in the regulation of many plant developmental processes and stress responses. In the presented study, we found a link between plant growth under salinity stress and sensitivity to 24-epibrassinolide (24-EBL, the most active phytohormone belonging to BRs), brassinazole (Brz) and bikinin (inhibitors of BR biosynthesis and signaling pathways, respectively). Plant sensitivity to treatment with active substances and salinity stress was genotype-dependent. Cv. Haruna Nijo was more responsive during the lamina joint inclination test, and improved shoot and root growth at lower concentrations of 24-EBL and bikinin under salinity stress, while cv. Golden Promise responded only to treatments of higher concentration. The use of Brz resulted in significant dose-dependent growth inhibition, greater for cv. Haruna Nijo. The results indicated that BR biosynthesis and/or signaling pathways take part in acclimation mechanisms, however, the regulation is complex and depends on internal (genotypic and tissue/organ sensitivity) and external factors (stress). Our results also confirmed that the lamina joint inclination test is a useful tool to define plant sensitivity to BRs, and to BR-dependent salinity stress. The test can be applied to manipulate the growth and stress responses of crops in agricultural practice or to select plants that are sensitive/tolerant to salinity stress in the plant breeding projects.
Crop Water Requirements and Suitability Assessment in Arid Environments: A New Approach
Authors: Elnashar Abdelrazek , Abbas Mohamed , Sobhy Hassan , Shahba Mohamed
Published: January 2021

Efficient land and water management require the accurate selection of suitable crops that are compatible with soil and crop water requirements (CWR) in a given area. In this study, twenty soil profiles are collected to represent the soils of the study area. Physical and chemical properties of soil, in addition to irrigation water quality, provided data are utilized by the Agriculture Land Evaluation System for Arid and semi-arid regions (ALES-Arid) to determine crop suitability. University of Idaho Ref-ET software is used to calculate CWR from weather data while the Surface Energy Balance Algorithms for Land Model (SEBAL) is utilized to estimate CWR from remote sensing data. The obtained results show that seasonal weather-based CWR of the most suitable field crops (S1 and S2 classes) ranges from 804 to 1625 mm for wheat and berssem, respectively, and ranges from 778 to 993 mm in the vegetable crops potato and watermelon, respectively, under surface irrigation. Mean daily satellite-based CWR are predicted based on SEBAL ranges between 4.79 and 3.62 mm in Toshka and Abu Simbel areas respectively. This study provides a new approach for coupling ALES-Arid, Ref-ET and SEBAL models to facilitate the selection of suitable crops and offers an excellent source for predicting CWR in arid environments. The findings of this research will help in managing the future marginal land reclamation projects in arid and semi-arid areas of the world.
Yield and Fruit Quality of Strawberry Cultivars under Different Irrigation Regimes
Authors: Ariza María Teresa , Miranda Luis , Gómez-Mora José Antonio , Medina Juan Jesús , Lozano David , Gavilán Pedro , Soria Carmen , Martínez-Ferri Elsa
Published: January 2021

Strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa Duch.) production requires the input of large amounts of water provided by irrigation during the entire production cycle. However, water availability is shrinking in many important strawberry cropping areas, such as Huelva (in Europe), compromising the environmental sustainability and economic viability of strawberry production. Besides technical approaches, water-saving strategies are necessary for improving strawberry water productivity such as the use of low water-consumptive cultivars with high productivity or cultivars allowing deficit irrigation (DI) strategies. A two-year field experiment was conducted to compare the physiological and agronomical response of six commercial strawberry cultivars (‘Sabrina’, ‘Fortuna’, ‘Splendor’, ‘Primoris’, ‘Rabida’ and ‘Rociera’) to six different water treatments ranging from 65% to 140% of estimated ‘Sabrina’ evapotranspiration (ETcSab; ~224–510 mm year−1). Cultivars differed substantially in yield and water consumption linked to their biomass partitioning into reproductive/ vegetative organs, determining different yield efficiency (YE). Their water needs (IN) conditioned their response to different water supplies, involving significant yield losses in DI treatments (<20% IN) but not decreasing fruit quality. The highly-consumptive and productive ‘Rabida’ and ‘Rociera’, reduced yields by DI (<40%) but were still profitable; the low-water-consumptive but still productive ‘Fortuna’, ‘Splendor’ and ‘Primoris’ represent significant water-savings (<20%) in strawberry cultivation.
The Classification of Medicinal Plant Leaves Based on Multispectral and Texture Feature Using Machine Learning Approach
Authors: Naeem Samreen , Ali Aqib , Chesneau Christophe , Tahir Muhammad H. , Jamal Farrukh , Sherwani Rehan Ahmad Khan , Ul Hassan Mahmood
Published: January 2021

This study proposes the machine learning based classification of medical plant leaves. The total six varieties of medicinal plant leaves-based dataset are collected from the Department of Agriculture, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan. These plants are commonly named in English as (herbal) Tulsi, Peppermint, Bael, Lemon balm, Catnip, and Stevia and scientifically named in Latin as Ocimum sanctum, Mentha balsamea, Aegle marmelos, Melissa officinalis, Nepeta cataria, and Stevia rebaudiana, respectively. The multispectral and digital image dataset are collected via a computer vision laboratory setup. For the preprocessing step, we crop the region of the leaf and transform it into a gray level format. Secondly, we perform a seed intensity-based edge/line detection utilizing Sobel filter and draw five regions of observations. A total of 65 fused features dataset is extracted, being a combination of texture, run-length matrix, and multi-spectral features. For the feature optimization process, we employ a chi-square feature selection approach and select 14 optimized features. Finally, five machine learning classifiers named as a multi-layer perceptron, logit-boost, bagging, random forest, and simple logistic are deployed on an optimized medicinal plant leaves dataset, and it is observed that the multi-layer perceptron classifier shows a relatively promising accuracy of 99.01% as compared to the competition. The distinct classification accuracy by the multi-layer perceptron classifier on six medicinal plant leaves are 99.10% for Tulsi, 99.80% for Peppermint, 98.40% for Bael, 99.90% for Lemon balm, 98.40% for Catnip, and 99.20% for Stevia.
The P.E.A.N.U.T. Method: Update on an Integrative System Approach for the Treatment of Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion and Adenoid Hypertrophy in Children
Authors: Szőke Henrik , Maródi Márta , Vagedes Jan , Székely Balázs , Magyarosi István , Bedő Adél , Fellegi Veronika , Somogyvári Krisztina , Móricz Péter
Published: January 2021

Background and objectives: Based on our previous single-center study on optimization of treatment of chronic otitis media with effusion (COME) and adenoid hypertrophy (AH) in children using a noninvasive system approach to lower the necessity of antibiotics, analgesic use, and surgical interventions, we proceeded to perform a multicenter investigation in an outpatient setting. The purpose of the previous prospective study in 2013–2015 was to compare outcomes in the treatment of COME and AH using the noninvasive multimodal integrative method (IM) versus conventional treatment practice (COM). Materials and Methods: In this paper, we retrospectively analyze the data of patients treated with the integrative method between 2017 and 2020 in a multicenter setting and compared the outcomes with data from 2013–2015 in order to evaluate generalizability. In both periods, all eligible and willing participants were included and treated with the IM protocol under real-life conditions. The treatment involved pneumatization exercises, education, an antiallergic diet, nasal hygiene, useful constitutional therapy, and thermal interventions (P.E.A.N.U.T.). A total of 48 versus 28 patients, aged 1–8, were assessed, presenting with COME and AH, with moderate to severe hearing impairment at entry. Results: The significant improvement found in both audiometric measures (intact hearing) and tympanometric measures (normal A-type curve) was similar in both datasets with respect to conventional treatment. The new data confirms that the P.E.A.N.U.T. method results in a significant reduction of antibiotics, analgesic use, and surgical interventions. Conclusion: In this multicenter trial, we confirm the effectiveness of the noninvasive system approach for the treatment of COME in lowering the need for antibiotics and analgesic use and elective surgery. This could be especially important with respect to a generally observed increase in antibiotic resistance. The method is easy to perform in different clinical settings and is effective, safe, and well-tolerated.
Improving the Antioxidant Properties of Calophyllum inophyllum Seed Oil from French Polynesia: Development and Biological Applications of Resinous Ethanol-Soluble Extracts
Authors: Cassien Mathieu , Mercier Anne , Thétiot-Laurent Sophie , Culcasi Marcel , Ricquebourg Emilie , Asteian Alice , Herbette Gaëtan , Bianchini Jean-Pierre , Raharivelomanana Phila , Pietri Sylvia
Published: January 2021

Tamanu oil from Calophyllum inophyllum L. has long been used in traditional medicine. Ethanol extraction was found the best strategy for recovering bioactive compounds from the resin part of Tamanu oil, yielding two neutral and acidic resins fractions with high phenolics, flavonoids and pyranocoumarins concentrations. A further cascade of LPLC/HPLC separations of neutral and acidic resin fractions allowed identifying fifteen metabolites, and among them, calanolide D and 12-oxocalanolide A (both in neutral fraction) were first identified from a natural source. All these extracts, subfractions and isolated metabolites demonstrated increased free radical scavenging, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and antimycobacterial activity compared to Tamanu oil and its de-resinated lipid phase. Overall, these results could promote resinous ethanol-soluble Tamanu oil extracts as a useful multifaceted and renewable medicinal resource.
Nonwoven Textile Waste Added with PCM for Building Applications
Authors: Rubino Chiara , Liuzzi Stefania , Martellotta Francesco , Stefanizzi Pietro , Straziota Pierfrancesco
Published: January 2021

Due to the overall improvement of living standards and considering the priority to reduce the energy consumption, the adoption of efficient strategies, mainly in the building area is mandatory. In fact, the construction sector can be considered as one of the key field essential for the sustainability, due to the diversity of components and their life cycles. Reuse strategies may play an essential role in reducing the environmental impact of building processes. Within this framework, the reuse of textile waste to produce insulating materials represents one of the biggest opportunities for the promotion of a circular economy. It contributes significantly to improve the environmental sustainability reusing a waste as new raw matter involved to achieve high energy efficient buildings. This paper provides the results of an experimental campaign performed using wool waste derived from the industrial disposal of fabrics matched with phase change materials (PCMs) used in order to enhance the thermal mass of the final products. Physical and thermal parameters were measured in order to demonstrate the good performances of the textile materials and the essential role played by PCMs in shifting heat waves and reduce surface temperatures. Furthermore, DesignBuilder software was used to assess the energy consumption of a mobile shelter type structure under three different climatic scenarios. A comparison between the experimented materials and other solutions, currently available in the market, highlighted a significant reduction in energy consumption when adopting the materials under test.
Study on DID Application Methods for Blockchain-Based Traffic Forensic Data
Authors: Yoon Cheolhee , Hwang Jaehun , Cho Minje , Lee Bong Gyou
Published: January 2021

Traffic accident investigation has been used to reconstruct the cause and condition of the accident by using images and driving record data that introduce IT technology, and to analyze both sides of the accident, skid marks, and vehicle damage to identify the perpetrators and victims. However, level 3 self-driving vehicles are the most important factor in determining the cause and imputation of the accident by the driver or manufacturer with control information at the time of the accident. It is also developing into a network and connected vehicle with various restrictions such as the burden of the price of sensors equipped with self-driving cars and climate and rapidly changing road traffic information. In addition, network and connected vehicle driving data are stored on the outside, or various devices and sensors are installed to store information on the outside for convenience in operation, and efforts to enact laws are continuing. This paper attempts to propose a traffic investigation digital framework using digital data generated by these devices and sensors.
Operating Performance of Full-Scale Agricultural Biogas Plants in Germany and China: Results of a Year-Round Monitoring Program
Authors: Zhou Lijun , Hülsemann Benedikt , Cui Zhiyang , Merkle Wolfgang , Sponagel Christian , Zhou Yuguang , Guo Jianbin , Dong Renjie , Müller Joachim , Oechsner Hans
Published: January 2021

Germany (DE) and China (CN) have different political approaches in supporting the biogas sector. Three German and three Chinese large-scale biogas plants (BGPs) were evaluated as part of a year-round monitoring program. Laboratory methods were utilized to analyze the chemical indicators. Results showed a stable anaerobic digestion process without system failures in all BGPs. The methane yield had a range of 0.23–0.35 m3CH4/kgODM for DE BGPs and 0.11–0.22 m3CH4/kgODM for CN BGPs, due to different substrates and working temperatures. Financial analyses indicated that DE BGPs are viable under their current feed-in tariffs contracts. Their financial internal rate of return (IRR) ranged between 8 and 22%. However, all CN BGPs had negative IRRs, indicating that they are financially unfeasible. Risk analyses illustrated that DE BGPs will face financial nonviability if benefits decrease by 9–33% or costs increase by 10–49%, or if a combined worse case (benefit decrease and cost increase) of 5–20% occurs. Incentives to BGP operations are particularly important in China, where the government should consider switching the construction-based subsidy to a performance-based subsidy system to motivate the operators. BGP monitoring is necessary to understand the performance, in addition to briefing policymakers in case a policy reform is needed.
A Novel Digital Technique to Quantify the Area and Volume of Enamel Removal after Interproximal Enamel Reduction
Authors: Triduo Martina , Zubizarreta-Macho Álvaro , Pérez-Barquero Jorge Alonso , Guinot Barona Clara , Alvarado Lorenzo Alfonso , Vicente-Galindo Purificación , Albaladejo Martínez Alberto
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was to show a novel and accurate digital measurement protocol by analyzing the area and volume for interproximal tooth enamel surface reduction. In total, 14 lower teeth from all dental sectors were embedded into an epoxy resin and distributed as the lower dental arch, keeping the contact points. The experimental model was submitted to an intraoral digital impression before and after interproximal tooth enamel surface reduction using air-rotor strips and then re-contouring and polishing the interproximal enamel surfaces. These steps helped obtain standard tessellation language (STL) digital files. Furthermore, each tooth in the preoperative and postoperative full-arch STL digital files was segmented individually and aligned to analyze the area and volume of the interproximal tooth enamel surface reduction using engineering morphometry software. Descriptive analysis of the area and volume of the interproximal tooth enamel surface reduction was performed using a Student t-test. Higher enamel reduction area (3.53 ± 3.08 mm2) and volume (0.32 ± 0.22 mm3) values were shown on the distal surface compared with the area (2.97 ± 3.05 mm2) and volume (0.22 ± 0.16 mm3) of the enamel reduction on the mesial surface measured using the morphometric measurement digital protocol. The morphometric measurement protocol is an accurate digital measurement protocol for analyzing the area and volume of interproximal enamel surface reduction.
Compassionate Embodied Virtual Experience Increases the Adherence to Meditation Practice
Authors: Navarrete Jaime , Martínez-Sanchis Marian , Bellosta-Batalla Miguel , Baños Rosa , Cebolla Ausiàs , Herrero Rocío
Published: January 2021

Virtual Reality (VR) could be useful to overcome imagery and somatosensory difficulties of compassion-based meditations given that it helps generate empathy by facilitating the possibility of putting oneself into the mind of others. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an embodied-VR system in generating a compassionate response and increasing the quality and adherence to meditation practice. Health professionals or healthcare students (n = 41) were randomly assigned to a regular audio guided meditation or to a meditation supported by an embodied-VR system, “The machine to be another”. In both conditions, there was an initial in-person session and two weeks of meditation practice at home. An implicit measure was used to measure prosocial behavior, and self-report questionnaires were administered to assess compassion related constructs, quality of meditation, and frequency of meditation. Results revealed that participants from the embodied-VR condition meditated for double the amount of time at home than participants who only listened to the usual guided meditation. However, there were no significant differences in the overall quality of at-home meditation. In conclusion, this study confirms that embodied-VR systems are useful for increasing adherence to meditation practice.
A Closed-Form Solution for the Inverse Kinematics of the 2n-DOF Hyper-Redundant Manipulator Based on General Spherical Joint
Authors: Lou Ya’nan , Quan Pengkun , Lin Haoyu , Wei Dongbo , Di Shichun
Published: January 2021

This paper presents a closed-form inverse kinematics solution for the 2n-degree of freedom (DOF) hyper-redundant serial manipulator with n identical universal joints (UJs). The proposed algorithm is based on a novel concept named as general spherical joint (GSJ). In this work, these universal joints are modeled as general spherical joints through introducing a virtual revolution between two adjacent universal joints. This virtual revolution acts as the third revolute DOF of the general spherical joint. Remarkably, the proposed general spherical joint can also realize the decoupling of position and orientation just as the spherical wrist. Further, based on this, the universal joint angles can be solved if all of the positions of the general spherical joints are known. The position of a general spherical joint can be determined by using three distances between this unknown general spherical joint and another three known ones. Finally, a closed-form solution for the whole manipulator is solved by applying the inverse kinematics of single general spherical joint section using these positions. Simulations are developed to verify the validity of the proposed closed-form inverse kinematics model.
Simulation of Biomass Combustion with Modified Flue Gas Tract
Authors: Čajová Kantová Nikola , Sładek Sławomir , Jandačka Jozef , Čaja Alexander , Nosek Radovan
Published: January 2021

The combustion of biomass is accompanied by the formation of particulate matter, the presence of which in the atmosphere harms human health. It is important to show the issues of reducing these pollutants and their impact on human health. This article focuses on the process of biomass combustion. The used model consists of two parts: the combustion chamber and the flue gas tract. The article shows four types of modification of the flue gas tract designed to reduce the amount of particulate matter in the atmosphere. Baffles are located in the flue gas tract, which is designed to capture the particulate matter. The final model is simulated by turbulent–viscosity models, k-ε realizable model, and then k-ω shear stress transport model. The interaction between turbulence and chemical reactions is expressed by using the Eddy Dissipation Concept model. The results then show different profiles of temperature, velocity, and particle distribution. Based on the evaluated data from two different calculations, it can be concluded that the baffles have a significant effect on the reduction of particulate matter in the atmosphere. The used baffles are able to capture mainly particles with a diameter greater than 100 µm. A significant number of particles with a diameter lower than 100 µm flows from the flue gas tract to the surrounding environment.
Integrating Mobile Thermal Energy Storage (M-TES) in the City of Surrey’s District Energy Network: A Techno-Economic Analysis
Authors: Shehadeh Maha , Kwok Emily , Owen Jason , Bahrami Majid
Published: January 2021

The City of Surrey in British Columbia, Canada has recently launched a district energy network (DEN) to supply residential and commercial buildings in the Surrey Centre area with hot water for space and domestic hot water heating. The network runs on natural gas boilers and geothermal exchange. However, the City plans to transition to low-carbon energy sources and envisions the DEN as a key development in reaching its greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) reduction targets in the building sector. Harvesting and utilizing waste heat from industrial sites using a mobile thermal energy storage (M-TES) is one of the attractive alternative energy sources that Surrey is considering. In this study, a techno-economic analysis (TEA) was conducted to determine the energy storage density (ESD) of the proposed M-TES technology, costs, and the emission reduction potential of integrating waste heat into Surrey’s DEN. Three transportation methods were considered to determine the most cost-effective and low-carbon option(s) to transfer heat from industrial waste heat locations at various distances (15 km, 30 km, 45 km) to district energy networks, including: (i) a diesel truck; (ii) a renewable natural gas-powered (RNG) truck, and (iii) an electric truck. To evaluate the effectiveness of M-TES, the cost of emission reduction ($/tCO2e avoided) is compared with business as usual (BAU), which is using a natural gas boiler only. Another comparison was made with other low carbon energy sources that the city is considering, such as RNG/biomass boiler, sewer heat recovery, electric boiler, and solar thermal. The minimum system-level ESD required to makes M-TES competitive when compared to other low carbon energy sources was 0.4 MJ/kg.
Fake Banknote Recognition Using Deep Learning
Authors: Pachón César G. , Ballesteros Dora M. , Renza Diego
Published: January 2021

Recently, some state-of-the-art works have used deep learning-based architectures, specifically convolutional neural networks (CNNs), for banknote recognition and counterfeit detection with promising results. However, it is not clear which design strategy is more appropriate (custom or by transfer learning) in terms of classifier performance and inference times for massive data applications. This paper presents a comparison of the two design strategies in various types of architecture. For the transfer learning (TL) strategy, the most appropriate freezing points in CNN architectures (sequential, residual and Inception) are identified. In addition, a custom model based on an AlexNet-type sequential CNN is proposed. Both the TL and the custom models were trained and compared using a Colombian banknote dataset. According to the results, ResNet18 achieved the best accuracy, with 100%. On the other hand, the network with the shortest inference times was the proposed custom network, since its performance is up to 6.48-times faster in CPU and 16.29-times faster in GPU than the inference time with the models by transfer learning.
Assessment of Morelian Meteoroid Impact on Mexican Environment
Authors: Sergeeva Maria A. , Demyanov Vladislav V. , Maltseva Olga A. , Mokhnatkin Artem , Rodriguez-Martinez Mario , Gutierrez Raul , Vesnin Artem M. , Gatica-Acevedo Victor Jose , Gonzalez-Esparza Juan Americo , Fedorov Mark E. , Ishina Tatiana V. , Pazos Marni , Gonzalez Luis Xavier , Corona-Romero Pedro , Mejia-Ambriz Julio Cesar , Gonzalez-Aviles Jose Juan , Aguilar-Rodriguez Ernesto , Cabral-Cano Enrique , Mendoza Blanca , Romero-Hernandez Esmeralda , Caraballo Ramon , Orrala-Legorreta Isaac David
Published: January 2021

Possible ionospheric effects of the Morelian meteoroid that passed and exploded over Mexico on 19 February 2020 (18 February 2020 local time) were estimated. The meteoroid trajectory, velocity and time of occurrence were calculated based on outdoor camera records. Modeling was used to estimate the meteoroid initial diameter, density, mass, velocity, energy and their change during its flight in the atmosphere. The ensemble of ionospheric scintillation indices calculated from the high-rate GNSS data and the filtered slant Total Electron Content data were used to reveal the presence of ionospheric disturbances generated by shock waves excited by the meteoroid flight and explosion. The first ionospheric responses to phenomena accompanying the meteoroid were detected (2.5–3.5) min after the explosion. The disturbances were attenuated quickly with distance from their source and were rarely recorded by GNSS receivers located more than 600 km from the meteoroid explosion site. The ionospheric disturbances of intermediate-scale, small-scale, shock-acoustic-wave-scale and sometimes medium-scale were revealed. The detected disturbances corresponded to the range of acoustic-gravity waves. An asymmetry of the disturbance manifestation in different directions was observed. The obtained results are in accordance with results of the observation of other meteoroids. Although the object was smaller and of less energy than other known meteoroids, it is an interesting case because, to the best of our knowledge, it isthe first known to us low-latitude meteoroid with the detected ionospheric effects.
Effect of Vertical Profile of Aerosols on the Local Shortwave Radiative Forcing Estimation
Authors: Molero Francisco , Fernández Alfonso Javier , Revuelta María Aránzazu , Martínez-Marco Isabel , Pujadas Manuel , Artíñano Begoña
Published: January 2021

In this work, the effect of the aerosol vertical distribution on the local shortwave aerosol radiative forcing is studied. We computed the radiative forcing at the top and bottom of the atmosphere between 0.2 and 4 microns using the libRadTran package and compared the results with those provided by AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork). Lidar measurements were employed to characterize the aerosol vertical profile, and collocated AERONET measurements provided aerosol optical parameters required to calculate its radiative forcing. A good correlation between the calculated radiative forcings and those provide by AERONET, with differences smaller than 1 W m−2 (15% of estimated radiative forcing), is obtained when a gaussian vertical aerosol profile is assumed. Notwithstanding, when a measured aerosol profile is inserted into the model, differences between radiative forcings can vary up to 6.54 W m−2 (15%), with a mean of differences = −0.74 ± 3.06 W m−2 at BOA and −3.69 W m−2 (13%), with a mean of differences = −0.27 ± 1.32 W m−2 at TOA due to multiple aerosol layers and aerosol types. These results indicate that accurate information about aerosol vertical distribution must be incorporated in the radiative forcing calculation in order to reduce its uncertainties.
Big Data and Personalisation for Non-Intrusive Smart Home Automation
Authors: Asaithambi Suriya , Venkatraman Sitalakshmi , Venkatraman Ramanathan
Published: January 2021

With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), many different smart home technologies are commercially available. However, the adoption of such technologies is slow as many of them are not cost-effective and focus on specific functions such as energy efficiency. Recently, IoT devices and sensors have been designed to enhance the quality of personal life by having the capability to generate continuous data streams that can be used to monitor and make inferences by the user. While smart home devices connect to the home Wi-Fi network, there are still compatibility issues between devices from different manufacturers. Smart devices get even smarter when they can communicate with and control each other. The information collected by one device can be shared with others for achieving an enhanced automation of their operations. This paper proposes a non-intrusive approach of integrating and collecting data from open standard IoT devices for personalised smart home automation using big data analytics and machine learning. We demonstrate the implementation of our proposed novel technology instantiation approach for achieving non-intrusive IoT based big data analytics with a use case of a smart home environment. We employ open-source frameworks such as Apache Spark, Apache NiFi and FB-Prophet along with popular vendor tech-stacks such as Azure and DataBricks.
Hair Histology and Glycosaminoglycans Distribution Probed by Infrared Spectral Imaging: Focus on Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycan and Glypican-1 during Hair Growth Cycle
Authors: Colin-Pierre Charlie , Untereiner Valérie , Sockalingum Ganesh D. , Berthélémy Nicolas , Danoux Louis , Bardey Vincent , Mine Solène , Jeanmaire Christine , Ramont Laurent , Brézillon Stéphane
Published: January 2021

The expression of glypicans in different hair follicle (HF) compartments and their potential roles during hair shaft growth are still poorly understood. Heparan sulfate proteoglycan (HSPG) distribution in HFs is classically investigated by conventional histology, biochemical analysis, and immunohistochemistry. In this report, a novel approach is proposed to assess hair histology and HSPG distribution changes in HFs at different phases of the hair growth cycle using infrared spectral imaging (IRSI). The distribution of HSPGs in HFs was probed by IRSI using the absorption region relevant to sulfation as a spectral marker. The findings were supported by Western immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry assays focusing on the glypican-1 expression and distribution in HFs. This study demonstrates the capacity of IRSI to identify the different HF tissue structures and to highlight protein, proteoglycan (PG), glycosaminoglycan (GAG), and sulfated GAG distribution in these structures. The comparison between anagen, catagen, and telogen phases shows the qualitative and/or quantitative evolution of GAGs as supported by Western immunoblotting. Thus, IRSI can simultaneously reveal the location of proteins, PGs, GAGs, and sulfated GAGs in HFs in a reagent- and label-free manner. From a dermatological point of view, IRSI shows its potential as a promising technique to study alopecia.
Macro-Impacts of Air Quality on Property Values in China—A Meta-Regression Analysis of the Literature
Authors: Wang Jianing , Lee Chyi , Shirowzhan Sara
Published: January 2021

Air pollution has received increasing attention in recent years, particularly in China, due to the rapid industrialisation that has wrought intense levels of air pollution. A number of studies, therefore, have been devoted to quantifying the impacts of air pollution on property value in China. However, the empirical results are somewhat mixed. This naturally raises questions of whether there is a significant relationship between air quality and housing prices and the plausible reasons for the mixed results in previous studies. This study aims to fill this gap by explaining the variations in the findings by a meta-regression analysis. To control for heterogeneity, a weighted least square model was used to explore the factors influencing the magnitude and significance of the air quality effect based on empirical estimates from 117 observations. This study confirms that air quality does have a discernible impact on housing prices beyond the publication bias. Besides, the types of air quality indicator and the air data source do significantly influence estimates through affecting both the magnitude of the elasticity and the partial correlation coefficient (PCC). Further, the selections of control variables and estimation approaches also have significant impacts on estimates. This study also finds that published papers tend to be biased towards more economically significant estimates. The implications of the findings have also been discussed.
Early Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA) Change at Four Weeks of the First-Line Treatment Using Abiraterone and Enzalutamide Could Predict Early/Primary Resistance in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer
Authors: Uchimoto Taizo , Komura Kazumasa , Fukuokaya Wataru , Kimura Takahiro , Takahashi Kazuhiro , Nishimura Kazuki , Nakamori Keita , Fujiwara Yuya , Matsunaga Tomohisa , Tsutsumi Takeshi , Tsujino Takuya , Maenosono Ryoichi , Yoshikawa Yuki , Taniguchi Kohei , Tanaka Tomohito , Uehara Hirofumi , Ibuki Naokazu , Hirano Hajime , Nomi Hayahito , Takahara Kiyoshi , Inamoto Teruo , Egawa Shin , Azuma Haruhito
Published: January 2021

The identification of early or primary resistance to androgen signaling inhibitors (ASIs) is of great value for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). This study evaluates the predictive value of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response at dour weeks of first-line ASIs treatment for mCRPC patients. A total of 254 patients treated with ASIs (abiraterone acetate: AA and enzalutamide: Enz) at the first-line treatment are retrospectively analyzed. Patients are stratified according to the achievement of >30% PSA decline at 4 and 12 weeks from the treatment initiation. At four weeks of the treatment, 157 patients (61.8%) achieved >30% PSA decline from the baseline. Thereafter, 177 patients (69.7%) achieved >30% PSA decline at 12 weeks of the treatment. A multivariate analysis exhibits >30% PSA decline at four weeks as an independent predictor for overall survival (OS). We note that 30 of 97 (30.9%) patients who did not achieve >30% PSA decline at four weeks consequently achieved >30% PSA decline at 12 weeks, and had a comparable favorable three years OS rate as the 147 patients achieving >30% PSA decline at both 4 and 12 weeks. To identify the variables that discriminate the patient survival in 97 patients without achieving >30% PSA decline at four weeks, a multivariate analysis is performed. The duration of androgen deprivation therapy before CRPC ≤ 12 months and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status ≥ 1 are identified as independent predictors for shorter OS for those patients. These data offer a concept of early treatment switch after four weeks of first-line ASIs when not observing >30% PSA decline at four weeks—particularly in patients with a modest effect of ADT and poor performance status.
The Effect of Neddylation Blockade on Slug-Dependent Cancer Cell Migration Is Regulated by p53 Mutation Status
Authors: Kim Yelee , Park Jun Bum , Fukuda Junji , Watanabe Masatoshi , Chun Yang-Sook
Published: January 2021

The tumor suppressor protein p53 is frequently inactivated in human malignancies, in which it is associated with cancer aggressiveness and metastasis. Because p53 is heavily involved in epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT), a primary step in cell migration, p53 regulation is important for preventing cancer metastasis. p53 function can be modulated by diverse post-translational modifications including neddylation, a reversible process that conjugates NEDD8 to target proteins and inhibits the transcriptional activity of p53. However, the role of p53 in cancer migration by neddylation has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we reported that neddylation blockade induces cell migration depending on p53 status, specifically via the EMT-promoting transcription factor Slug. In cancer cell lines expressing wild type p53, neddylation blockade increased the transcriptional activity of p53 and expression of its downstream genes p21 and MDM2, eventually promoting proteasomal degradation of Slug. In the absence of p53, neddylation blockade increased cell migration by activating the PI3K/Akt/mTOR/Slug signaling axis. Because mutant p53 was transcriptionally inactivated but maintained the ability to bind to Slug, neddylation blockade did not affect the migration of cells expressing mutant p53. Our findings highlight how the p53 expression status influences neddylation-mediated cell migration in multiple cancer cell lines via Slug.
MicroRNA Profiling of HL-1 Cardiac Cells-Derived Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Silvestro Serena , Gugliandolo Agnese , Chiricosta Luigi , Diomede Francesca , Trubiani Oriana , Bramanti Placido , Pizzicannella Jacopo , Mazzon Emanuela
Published: January 2021

HL-1 is a cell line that shows a phenotype similar to adult cardiomyocytes. All major cardiac cell types release extracellular vesicles (EVs) that emerge as key mediators of intercellular communication. EVs can mediate intercellular cross-talk through the transfer of specific microRNAs (miRNAs). MiRNAs are known to play important regulatory roles during tissue differentiation and regeneration processes. Furthermore, miRNAs have recently been shown to be involved in the proliferation of adult cardiomyocytes. In this context, the purpose of this study was to analyze the transcriptomic profile of miRNAs expressed from HL-1 cardiac muscle cell-derived EVs, using next generation sequencing (NGS). Specifically, our transcriptomic analysis showed that the EVs derived from our HL-1 cells contained miRNAs that induce blood vessel formation and increase cell proliferation. Indeed, our bioinformatics analysis revealed 26 miRNAs expressed in EVs derived from our HL-1 that target genes related to cardiovascular development. In particular, their targets are enriched for the following biological processes related to cardiovascular development: heart morphogenesis, positive regulation of angiogenesis, artery development, ventricular septum development, cardiac atrium development, and myoblast differentiation. Consequently, EVs could become important in the field of regenerative medicine.
Sodium [18F]Fluoride PET Can Efficiently Monitor In Vivo Atherosclerotic Plaque Calcification Progression and Treatment
Authors: Florea Alexandru , Sigl Julius P. , Morgenroth Agnieszka , Vogg Andreas , Sahnoun Sabri , Winz Oliver H. , Bucerius Jan , Schurgers Leon J. , Mottaghy Felix M.
Published: January 2021

Given the high sensitivity and specificity of sodium [18F]Fluoride (Na[18F]F) for vascular calcifications and positive emerging data of vitamin K on vascular health, the aim of this study is to assess the ability of Na[18F]F to monitor therapy and disease progression in a unitary atherosclerotic mouse model. ApoE−/− mice were placed on a Western-type diet for 12-weeks and then split into four groups. The early stage atherosclerosis group received a chow diet for an additional 12-weeks, while the advanced atherosclerosis group continued the Western-type diet. The Menaquinone-7 (MK-7) and Warfarin groups received MK-7 or Warfarin supplementation during the additional 12-weeks, respectively. Control wild type mice were fed a chow diet for 24-weeks. All of the mice were scanned with Na[18F]F using a small animal positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT). The Warfarin group presented spotty calcifications on the CT in the proximal aorta. All of the spots corresponded to dense mineralisations on the von Kossa staining. After the control, the MK-7 group had the lowest Na[18F]F uptake. The advanced and Warfarin groups presented the highest uptake in the aortic arch and left ventricle. The advanced stage group did not develop spotty calcifications, however Na[18F]F uptake was still observed, suggesting the presence of micro-calcifications. In a newly applied mouse model, developing spotty calcifications on CT exclusively in the proximal aorta, Na[18F]F seems to efficiently monitor plaque progression and the beneficial effects of vitamin K on cardiovascular disease.
Phosphorylation of Microglial IRF5 and IRF4 by IRAK4 Regulates Inflammatory Responses to Ischemia
Authors: Ngwa Conelius , Mamun Abdullah Al , Xu Yan , Sharmeen Romana , Liu Fudong
Published: January 2021

Background: Interferon Regulatory Factor (IRF) 5 and 4 play a determinant role in regulating microglial pro- and anti-inflammatory responses to cerebral ischemia. How microglial IRF5 and IRF4 signaling are activated has been elusive. We hypothesized that interleukin-1 receptor associated kinase 4 (IRAK4) phosphorylates and activates IRF5 and IRF4 in ischemic microglia. We aimed to explore the upstream signals of the two IRFs, and to determine how the IRAK4-IRF signaling regulates the expression of inflammatory mediators, and impacts neuropathology. Methods: Spontaneously Immortalized Murine (SIM)-A9 microglial cell line, primary microglia and neurons from C57BL/6 WT mice were cultured and exposed to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD), followed by stimulation with LPS or IL-4. An IRAK4 inhibitor (ND2158) was used to examine IRAK4′s effects on the phosphorylation of IRF5/IRF4 and the impacts on neuronal morphology by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP)/Western blot, ELISA, and immunofluorescence assays. Results: We confirmed that IRAK4 formed a Myddosome with MyD88/IRF5/IRF4, and phosphorylated both IRFs, which subsequently translocated into the nucleus. Inhibition of IRAK4 phosphorylation quenched microglial pro-inflammatory response primarily, and increased neuronal viability and neurite lengths after ischemia. Conclusions: IRAK4 signaling is critical for microglial inflammatory responses and a potential therapeutic target for neuroinflammatory diseases including cerebral ischemia.