bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Design and Characterisation of Inhibitory Peptides against Bleg1_2478, an Evolutionary Divergent B3 Metallo-β-lactamase
Authors: Selvaraju Gayathri , Leow Thean Chor , Salleh Abu Bakar , Normi Yahaya M.
Published: December 2020

Previously, a hypothetical protein (HP) termed Bleg1_2437 (currently named Bleg1_2478) from Bacillus lehensis G1 was discovered to be an evolutionary divergent B3 subclass metallo-β-lactamase (MBL). Due to the scarcity of clinical inhibitors for B3 MBLs and the divergent nature of Bleg1_2478, this study aimed to design and characterise peptides as inhibitors against Bleg1_2478. Through in silico docking, RSWPWH and SSWWDR peptides with comparable binding energy to ampicillin were obtained. In vitro assay results showed RSWPWH and SSWWDR inhibited the activity of Bleg1_2478 by 50% at concentrations as low as 0.90 µM and 0.50 µM, respectively. At 10 µM of RSWPWH and 20 µM of SSWWDR, the activity of Bleg1_2478 was almost completely inhibited. Isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) analyses showed slightly improved binding properties of the peptides compared to ampicillin. Docked peptide–protein complexes revealed that RSWPWH bound near the vicinity of the Bleg1_2478 active site while SSWWDR bound at the center of the active site itself. We postulate that the peptides caused the inhibition of Bleg1_2478 by reducing or blocking the accessibility of its active site from ampicillin, thus hampering its catalytic function.
Propolis Suppresses UV-Induced Photoaging in Human Skin through Directly Targeting Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase
Authors: Kim Da Hyun , Auh Joong-Hyuck , Oh Jeongyeon , Hong Seungpyo , Choi Sungbin , Shin Eun Ju , Woo Soon Ok , Lim Tae-Gyu , Byun Sanguine
Published: December 2020

Propolis is a resinous substance generated by bees using materials from various plant sources. It has been known to exhibit diverse bioactivities including anti-oxidative, anti-microbial, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects. However, the direct molecular target of propolis and its therapeutic potential against skin aging in humans is not fully understood. Herein, we investigated the effect of propolis on ultraviolet (UV)-mediated skin aging and its underlying molecular mechanism. Propolis suppressed UV-induced matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-1 production in human dermal fibroblasts. More importantly, propolis treatment reduced UV-induced MMP-1 expression and blocked collagen degradation in human skin tissues, suggesting that the anti-skin-aging activity of propolis can be recapitulated in clinically relevant conditions. While propolis treatment did not display any noticeable effects against extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), p38, and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathways, propolis exerted significant inhibitory activity specifically against phosphorylations of phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase-1 (PDK1) and protein kinase B (Akt). Kinase assay results demonstrated that propolis can directly suppress phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) activity, with preferential selectivity towards PI3K with p110α and p110δ catalytic subunits over other kinases. The content of active compounds was quantified, and among the compounds identified from the propolis extract, caffeic acid phenethyl ester, quercetin, and apigenin were shown to attenuate PI3K activity. These results demonstrate that propolis shows anti-skin-aging effects through direct inhibition of PI3K activity.
Transitions among BMI States: A Test of Competing Hypotheses
Authors: Liew Hui
Published: December 2020

Overweight/obesity and underweight among older adults remain major public health concerns in the United States. This study aims to assess cohort differences in transition among BMI (body mass index) statuses (underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese) by various cohort and race/ethnicity–gender groups. The empirical work of this study was based on the 1992–2014 Health and Retirement Study (HRS). Multistate life tables (MSLT) were used to assess transitions among different BMI statuses. Results from multistate life tables suggested that the impact of cumulative advantage (disadvantage), persistent inequality, and aging-as-leveler on transition among BMI statuses was shaped along race/ethnicity–gender and cohort lines. Weight management and weight loss strategies should focus on ethnic minorities (i.e., Black and Hispanic populations) and White participants from recent cohorts. Programs aimed at minimizing the negative consequences associated with underweight and weight loss should focus on individuals from earlier cohorts and Black populations.
The Longitudinal Superdiffusive Motion of Block Copolymer in a Tight Nanopore
Authors: Nowicki Waldemar
Published: December 2020

The structure and dynamic properties of polymer chains in a confined environment were studied by means of the Monte Carlo method. The studied chains were represented by coarse-grained models and embedded into a simple 3D cubic lattice. The chains stood for two-block linear copolymers of different energy of bead–bead interactions. Their behavior was studied in a nanotube formed by four impenetrable surfaces. The long-time unidirectional motion of the chain in the tight nanopore was found to be correlated with the orientation of both parts of the copolymer along the length of the nanopore. A possible mechanism of the anomalous diffusion was proposed on the basis of thermodynamics of the system, more precisely on the free energy barrier of the swapping of positions of both parts of the chain and the impulse of temporary forces induced by variation of the chain conformation. The mean bead and the mass center autocorrelation functions were examined. While the former function behaves classically, the latter indicates the period of time of superdiffusive motion similar to the ballistic motion with the autocorrelation function scaling with the exponent t5/3. A distribution of periods of time of chain diffusion between swapping events was found and discussed. The influence of the nanotube width and the chain length on the polymer diffusivity was studied.
Grey-Taguchi-Based Optimization of Wire-Sawing for a Slicing Ceramic
Authors: Tsai Yao-Yang , Ho Jihng-Kuo , Wang Wen-Hao , Hsieh Chia-Chin , Tsao Chung-Chen , Hsu Chun-Yao
Published: December 2020

Slicing ceramic (SC) is well-known as difficult-to-cut material. It is a hard and brittle material. The Grey-Taguchi method, which converts multiple response problems into a single response, is used to determine the effect of the process parameters for wire-sawing on multiple quality characteristics. The wire-sawing parameters include the wire tension (T), the slurry concentration (C), mixed grains mesh size (G), the wire speed (S), and the working load (P). The machining quality characteristics include a material removal rate (MRR), machined surface roughness (SR) of SC, kerf width (KW), wire wear (WW), and flatness (FT). An analysis of variance (ANOVA) is used to identify the mixed grains and slurry concentration that have a significant effect on multiple quality characteristics. The results of the ANOVA using the Grey-Taguchi method show that the optimum conditions are T2C1G1S2P1 (wire tension of 24 N, slurry concentration of 10% wt., mixed grains of #600 + #1000 mesh size, wire speed of 2.8 m/s, and working load of 1.27 N). The respective improvement in MRR, machined SR of SC, KW, WW, and FT is 2.43%, 2.36%, 1.08%, 2.33%, and 14.27%. The addition of #600 + #1000 mixed grains mesh size to the slurry improves the machined SR of SC, KW, and WW. An increase in wire speed and working load and the use of appropriate mixed grains mesh size and slurry concentration increases the MRR for wire-saw machining.
Economic Analysis of a New Business for Liposome Manufacturing Using a High-Pressure System
Authors: Trucillo Paolo , Campardelli Roberta , Iuorio Silvia , De Stefanis Paolo , Reverchon Ernesto
Published: December 2020

Supercritical assisted Liposome formation (SuperLip) is a lab-scale process for the production of liposomes. SuperLip was recognized as being a versatile supercritical assisted technique for the encapsulation of molecules for different industrial applications, such as pharmaceutic, cosmetic, textile, and nutraceutic purposes. The aim of this work was to perform an economic analysis to assess the profitability of the SuperLip process. The liposomes market was analyzed and the SuperLip process was compared to other techniques in terms of manufacturing advantages using the Canvas and Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Treats (S.W.O.T.) models. SuperLip Plant Capital Expenditures (CAPEX) were estimated, and plant Operating Expenditures (OPEX) were also evaluated and integrated with personnel cost and other plant goods and services. A profit and loss statement was generated, together with a cash flow analysis. According to the market average selling price, liposome price is 1.8 €/mL; in order to join the market rapidly, the selling price of liposomes produced using SuperLip was set at 1.1 €/mL. A payback time has been identified at the fourth year of business. Economic indexes such as ROI and ROS were calculated on a 10-year business prospect, obtaining about a 230% return on investment and a 26.7% return on sales.
The Concept of Sustainable Development of Modern Dentistry
Authors: Dobrzański Leszek , Dobrzański Lech , Dobrzańska-Danikiewicz Anna , Dobrzańska Joanna
Published: December 2020

This paper concerns the assessment of the current state of dentistry in the world and the prospects of its sustainable development. A traditional Chinese censer was adopted as the pattern, with a strong and stable support on three legs. The dominant diseases of the oral cavity are caries and periodontal diseases, with the inevitable consequence of toothlessness. From the caries 3.5–5 billion people suffer. Moreover, each of these diseases has a wide influence on the development of systemic complications. The territorial range of these diseases and their significant differentiation in severity in different countries and their impact on disability-adjusted life years index are presented (DALY). Edentulousness has a significant impact on the oral health-related quality of life (OHRQoL). The etiology of these diseases is presented, as well as the preventive and therapeutic strategies undertaken as a result of modifying the Deming circle through the fives’ rules idea. The state of development of Dentistry 4.0 is an element of the current stage of the industrial revolution Industry 4.0 and the great achievements of modern dental engineering. Dental treatment examples from the authors’ own clinical practice are given. The systemic safety of a huge number of dentists in the world is discussed, in place of the passive strategy of using more and more advanced personal protective equipment (PPE), introducing our own strategy for the active prevention of the spread of pathogenic microorganisms, including SARS-CoV-2. The ethical aspects of dentists’ activity towards their own patients and the ethical obligations of the dentist community towards society are discussed in detail. This paper is a polemic arguing against the view presented by a group of eminent specialists in the middle of last year in The Lancet. It is impossible to disagree with these views when it comes to waiting for egalitarianism in dental care, increasing the scope of prevention and eliminating discrimination in this area on the basis of scarcity and poverty. The views on the discrimination of dentistry in relation to other branches of medicine are far more debatable. Therefore, relevant world statistics for other branches of medicine are presented. The authors of this paper do not agree with the thesis that interventional dental treatment can be replaced with properly implemented prophylaxis. The final remarks, therefore, present a discussion of the prospects for the development of dentistry based on three pillars, analogous to the traditional Chinese censer obtaining a stable balance thanks to its three legs. The Dentistry Sustainable Development (DSD) > 2020 model, consisting of Global Dental Prevention (GDP), Advanced Interventionist Dentistry 4.0 (AID 4.0), and Dentistry Safety System (DSS), is presented.
Numerical and Experimental Study on Waviness Mechanical Seal of Reactor Coolant Pump
Authors: Feng Xiaodong , Su Wentao , Ma Yu , Wang Lei , Tan Heping
Published: December 2020

Based on the fluid hydrodynamic lubrication theory, a mathematical model of liquid film lubrication was established for the waviness hydrodynamic mechanical seal of a reactor coolant pump. The influences of the waviness amplitude and pressure on the sealing performance were investigated by the numerical simulation. The numerical results showed that the leakage rate increases linearly as the pressure and waviness amplitude increase under the force balance condition. The minimum liquid film thickness decreases first and then increase as the pressure increases. Stationary slide rings with three different waviness amplitudes were processed using the pre-deformation method and tested at different pressure and temperature. The experiments showed that all the three kinds of seal have good stability under different pressure conditions. The experimental results showed that the leakage rate is influenced by the pressure, waviness amplitude, and temperature, and the leakage rate increases as the pressure increases. The comparison between experimental and numerical results showed that both the temperature and pressure affect the seal performance, and tends to a smaller leakage rate, which is quite different from the numerical values. Therefore, the multi-physics coupling effect should be considered in the numerical analysis of seal performance, and this will be studied in the further works.
Sulfatide-Rich Liposome Uptake by a Human-Derived Neuroblastoma Cell Line
Authors: Arroyo-Ariza Daniel , Suesca Elizabeth , Leidy Chad , Gonzalez John M.
Published: December 2020

Liposomes are bilayer membrane vesicles that can serve as vehicles for drug delivery. They are a good alternative to free drug administration that provides cell-targeted delivery into tumors, limiting the systemic toxicity of chemotherapeutic agents. Previous results from our group showed that an astrocytoma cell line exhibits selective uptake of sulfatide-rich (SCB) liposomes, mediated by the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDL-R). The goal of this study was to assess the uptake of liposomes in a neuroblastoma cell line. For this purpose, we used two types of liposomes, one representing a regular cell membrane (DOPC) and another rich in myelin components (SCB). An astrocytoma cell line was used as a control. Characterization of liposome uptake and distribution was conducted by flow cytometry and fluorescence microscopy. Similar levels of LDL-R expression were found in both cell lines. The uptake of SCB liposomes was higher than that of DOPC liposomes. No alterations in cell viability were found. SCB liposomes were located near the cell membrane and did not colocalize within the acidic cellular compartments. Two endocytic pathway inhibitors did not affect the liposome uptake. Neuroblastoma cells exhibited a similar uptake of SCB liposomes as astrocytoma cells; however, the pathway involved appeared to be different than the hypothesized pathway of LDL-R clathrin-mediated endocytosis.
Numerical Simulation Analysis of Main Structural Parameters of Hydrocyclones on Oil-Gas Separation Effect
Authors: Li Yong , Wang Junrong , Ji Hui , Li Ouyang , Nie Songlin
Published: December 2020

Gas pollution in marine lubricating oil systems is harmful to the normal operation of a ship, and is one of the main reasons for the decline of the performance of lubricating oil. In this research, a classic 75 mm hydrocyclone was selected as the oil–gas separation device. A hydrocyclone is a device that uses the density difference of the two-phase flow to separate the dispersed phase in the centrifugal force field. Compared with ordinary active oil–gas separators, hydrocyclones do not require additional power devices. After establishing the physical model of the hydrocyclone, the distribution characteristics of the flow field and oil–gas two-phase flow separation performance of the hydrocyclone were studied using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technology. The influence of vortex finder diameter, vortex finder length, spigot diameter, cylindrical-part length, and cone angle on the oil–gas separation performance of the hydrocyclone were investigated. It was found that the vortex finder diameter and the spigot diameter have a significant influence on the oil–gas separation performance, whereas the vortex finder length, the cylindrical-part length, and the cone angle have little influence on its performance. Increasing the vortex finder diameter and reducing the spigot diameter can improve the gas separation efficiency. However, the liquid outflow from the vortex finder increases, which causes the liquid loss rate to increase. The presented research could lay a foundation for the optimal design of a hydrocyclone used for oil–gas separation of a marine lubricating oil system.
Hybrid Modeling for Simultaneous Prediction of Flux, Rejection Factor and Concentration in Two-Component Crossflow Ultrafiltration
Authors: Krippl Maximilian , Bofarull-Manzano Ignasi , Duerkop Mark , Dürauer Astrid
Published: December 2020

Ultrafiltration is a powerful method used in virtually every pharmaceutical bioprocess. Depending on the process stage, the product-to-impurity ratio differs. The impact of impurities on the process depends on various factors. Solely mechanistic models are currently not sufficient to entirely describe these complex interactions. We have established two hybrid models for predicting the flux evolution, the protein rejection factor and two components’ concentration during crossflow ultrafiltration. The hybrid models were compared to the standard mechanistic modeling approach based on the stagnant film theory. The hybrid models accurately predicted the flux and concentration over a wide range of process parameters and product-to-impurity ratios based on a minimum set of training experiments. Incorporating both components into the modeling approach was essential to yielding precise results. The stagnant film model exhibited larger errors and no predictions regarding the impurity could be made, since it is based on the main product only. Further, the developed hybrid models exhibit excellent interpolation properties and enable both multi-step ahead flux predictions as well as time-resolved impurity forecasts, which is considered to be a critical quality attribute in many bioprocesses. Therefore, the developed hybrid models present the basis for next generation bioprocessing when implemented as soft sensors for real-time monitoring of processes.
Comprehensive Understanding of Hillocks and Ion Tracks in Ceramics Irradiated with Swift Heavy Ions
Authors: Ishikawa Norito , Taguchi Tomitsugu , Ogawa Hiroaki
Published: December 2020

Amorphizable ceramics (LiNbO3, ZrSiO4, and Gd3Ga5O12) were irradiated with 200 MeV Au ions at an oblique incidence angle, and the as-irradiated samples were observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Ion tracks in amorphizable ceramics are confirmed to be homogenous along the ion paths. Magnified TEM images show the formation of bell-shaped hillocks. The ion track diameter and hillock diameter are similar for all the amorphizable ceramics, while there is a tendency for the hillocks to be slightly bigger than the ion tracks. For SrTiO3 (STO) and 0.5 wt% niobium-doped STO (Nb-STO), whose hillock formation has not been fully explored, 200 MeV Au ion irradiation and TEM observation were also performed. The ion track diameters in these materials are found to be markedly smaller than the hillock diameters. The ion tracks in these materials exhibit inhomogeneity, which is similar to that reported for non-amorphizable ceramics. On the other hand, the hillocks appear to be amorphous, and the amorphous feature is in contrast to the crystalline feature of hillocks observed in non-amorphizable ceramics. No marked difference is recognized between the nanostructures in STO and those in Nb-STO. The material dependence of the nanostructure formation is explained in terms of the intricate recrystallization process.
A National Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency Education Curriculum: National Needs Assessment
Authors: Mutter Olga , Hylton Jordan , Jeronis Stacey , Jaspan David , Rose Marisa
Published: December 2020

While standardized national residency education curricula have been successfully implemented in other specialties, there is no such curriculum in Obstetrics & Gynecology (Ob/Gyn). With this study, we sought to evaluate: (1) the current state of and satisfaction with resident didactic education (2) perceptions regarding centralization and standardization of resident didactic education and (3) the need for a standardized national Ob/Gyn residency education curriculum. In 2019, a web-based needs assessment survey was administered to residents and program leadership from all 267 Ob/Gyn residency programs nationwide. Main outcomes were reported with descriptive statistics. A total of 782 (83 program directors, 46 assistant program directors, and 653 residents) participants completed the survey. Respondents represented a diverse range of regions, program types, and program sizes. Almost all (97%) participants agreed or strongly agreed that residents nationwide should have equal access to high quality Ob/Gyn educational resources. Further, 92% agreed or strongly agreed that core resources should be centrally located. A majority (78%) agreed or strongly agreed that there is a need for a national Ob/Gyn residency education curriculum. Our results demonstrate a perceived need for a centrally located, standardized, national residency education curriculum in Ob/Gyn.
Synthesis and Characterisation of Metal Oxide Nanostructures Using Choline/Linear Alkyl Carboxylate Deep Eutectic Solvents
Authors: Gómez Rojas Omar , Nakayama Tadachika
Published: December 2020

The synthesis of YBa2Cu3O7−x (YBCO or 123) was carried out via the use of a variety of deep eutectic solvents (DESs), all formed by the interaction of choline hydroxide (as the cation source) and alkyl carboxylic acids with CnH2n+1 ranging from n = 2 to n = 10, namely acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, pentanoic acid, nonanoic acid, and decanoic acid, as providers of the anion, all prepared in equimolar solutions. The behaviour of the synthetic media and the resulting morphology displayed by the crystallite product, using different molar ratios of DESs (X):1 YBaCu metal nitrates mixes, with x values of 20 ≤ x ≤ 60, is also reported. Synthetic performance results show a tendency to generate higher total phase percentage of the desired crystal with the increase of the alkyl chain length of the carboxylic acid up to butyric acid (92% belonging to the metal oxide), after which no enhancement was observed. Furthermore, the synthetic performance of the remaining, i.e., DES formed with pentanoic acid to decanoic acid, displayed a constant decay in total desired phase percentage belonging to the metal oxide. Morphological results were also analysed for all DESs (X):1 YBaCu metal nitrates mixes, with x values of 20 ≤ x ≤ 60. Well defined plate-like particles were generally observed however, in some cases fused plate-like particles of significantly bigger size were observed.
Factors Influencing Consumers’ Attitude Towards Biopreservatives
Authors: Perito Maria Angela , Chiodo Emilio , Serio Annalisa , Paparella Antonello , Fantini Andrea
Published: December 2020

Biopreservatives have received considerable attention in recent years as natural alternatives to synthetic preservatives. This seems to be a response to an increased demand for natural and organic foods. This study investigates the potential market for products enriched with biopreservatives in Italy. Data were collected from a sample of Italian consumers (N = 479) using a web-based survey. The main results indicate that 64% of respondents declared themselves to be willing to consume biopreservatives only if they replaced synthetic preservatives. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to reduce the number of variables. The factorial scores of the components obtained from PCA were used for a Cluster Analysis related to consumers’ perceptions about biopreservatives. Moreover, the survey highlights that the respondents had positive opinions about biopreservatives, although they showed difficulty in perceiving the exact meaning of the term. The study could provide useful implications for food manufacturers and facilitate the design of marketing strategies for foods enriched with biopreservatives.
Groundwater Resources from Eastern Romania under Human and Climatic Pressure
Authors: Minea Ionuț , Iosub Marina , Boicu Daniel
Published: December 2020

Groundwater resources from a region may be subject to complex human and climatic pressure. The present study tries to analyze the human and climatic pressure on the groundwater resources from the eastern part of Romania, between 1983 and 2017, for seven groundwater bodies. Two parameters, the groundwater exploitation index (GWEI) and the Standardized Groundwater Index (SGI) for identifying hydrogeological droughts, were used to assess human and climatic pressure. The high values of GWEI show a significant increase in human pressure on water resources in recent decades, in lower and more populated areas, from the south and north part of de region, amid increasing investment in agriculture. In the case of climate pressure, the SGI values show significant values for the years 1983, 2000, 2007, and 2012. However, the overlap of hydrogeological droughts with an increase in human pressure can have a significant impact on the groundwater resources from this region, with negative effects in the mid and long term, under the growing effects of the regional climate changes.
Cultivating Spiritual Well-Being for Sustainability: A Pilot Study
Authors: Berejnoi Erica , Messer David , Cloutier Scott
Published: December 2020

Sustainability science has focused predominantly on external/technological solutions to environmental degradation while giving insufficient attention to the role of spiritual well-being for holistic sustainability. While it is important for students to learn about solutions in a time where environmental problems have been identified as prevalent, that alone is not enough. We propose that sustainability may start as a deep individual internal process manifested as a change of values stemming from enhanced spiritual well-being. The current study examined whether a novel sustainability classroom curriculum, including contemplative practices (CPs), increased traits indicative of spiritual development and well-being and happiness, which are theorized to increase sustainable behavior (SB). Students attended a 15-week university course promoting SB through CPs in a space intended to be safe and supportive. Participants were compared to unenrolled peers and completed pre- and post-intervention quantitative measures of (1) happiness, (2) self-compassion, and (3) SB, and qualitative questions investigating spiritual development and well-being. Multivariate and univariate follow-up analyses indicated that course participation increased student self-compassion and happiness, while SB was unaffected. Qualitative reports indicated that CPs led students to develop spiritual traits, a systems’ thinking mentality and an awareness of their interconnectedness. Students, also, assigned greater importance to spiritual well-being as a prerequisite for SB.
Exact Inference for an Exponential Parameter under Generalized Adaptive Progressive Hybrid Censored Competing Risks Data
Authors: Cho Youngseuk , Lee Kyeongjun
Published: December 2020

It is known that the lifetimes of items may not be recorded exactly. In addition, it is known that more than one risk factor (RisF) may be present at the same time. In this paper, we discuss exact likelihood inference for competing risk model (CoRiM) with generalized adaptive progressive hybrid censored exponential data. We derive the conditional moment generating function (ConMGF) of the maximum likelihood estimators of scale parameters of exponential distribution (ExpD) and the resulting lower confidence bound under generalized adaptive progressive hybrid censoring scheme (GeAdPHCS). From the example data, it can be seen that the PDF of MLE is almost symmetrical.
Two Bregman Projection Methods for Solving Variational Inequality Problems in Hilbert Spaces with Applications to Signal Processing
Authors: Jolaoso Lateef Olakunle , Aphane Maggie , Khan Safeer Hussain
Published: December 2020

Studying Bregman distance iterative methods for solving optimization problems has become an important and very interesting topic because of the numerous applications of the Bregman distance techniques. These applications are based on the type of convex functions associated with the Bregman distance. In this paper, two different extragraident methods were proposed for studying pseudomonotone variational inequality problems using Bregman distance in real Hilbert spaces. The first algorithm uses a fixed stepsize which depends on a prior estimate of the Lipschitz constant of the cost operator. The second algorithm uses a self-adaptive stepsize which does not require prior estimate of the Lipschitz constant of the cost operator. Some convergence results were proved for approximating the solutions of pseudomonotone variational inequality problem under standard assumptions. Moreso, some numerical experiments were also given to illustrate the performance of the proposed algorithms using different convex functions such as the Shannon entropy and the Burg entropy. In addition, an application of the result to a signal processing problem is also presented.
Representations of a Comparison Measure between Two Fuzzy Sets
Authors: Chen Juin-Han , Tang Hui-Chin
Published: December 2020

This paper analyzes the representation behaviors of a comparison measure between two compared fuzzy sets. Three types of restrictions on two fuzzy sets are considered in this paper: two disjoint union fuzzy sets, two disjoint fuzzy sets and two general fuzzy sets. Differences exist among the numbers of possible representations of a comparison measure for the three types of fuzzy sets restrictions. The value of comparison measure is constant for two disjoint union fuzzy sets. There are 49 candidate representations of a comparison measure for two disjoint fuzzy sets, of which 13 candidate representations with one or two terms are obtained. For each candidate representation, a variant of the general axiomatic definition for a comparison measure is presented. Choosing the right candidate representation for a given application, we can easily and efficiently calculate and compare a comparison measure.
A Ring Signature Based Anonymity Authentication Scheme for Group Medical Consultation
Authors: Lin Chia-Chen , Chang Chin-Chen , Zheng Yao-Zhu
Published: December 2020

Due to the rapid development of physiological monitoring devices, internet of things (IoT) and communication technology, telecare medical information systems (TMIS) are getting more and more important in assisting doctors in completing medical work nowadays. Because of the open nature of wireless networks, a secure TMIS which offers authentication, anonymity and privacy features is required. There are many schemes protecting TMIS that have been proposed recently. Unfortunately, they cannot guarantee both patient’s and doctor’s privacy and security at the same time. This paper proposes a ring signature-based TMIS authentication scheme for a group consultation environment. In our proposed scheme, a patient can inquire about their symptoms without revealing their identity, and a doctor can also keep their own identity confidential when making a diagnosis. In view of the increasing number of serious patient–physician disputes, our proposed scheme can have a practical application. Compared to other related work, our scheme achieves improved security properties and higher efficiency.
Smart Root Search (SRS): A Novel Nature-Inspired Search Algorithm
Authors: Naseri Narjes Khatoon , Sundararajan Elankovan A. , Ayob Masri , Jula Amin
Published: December 2020

In this paper, a novel heuristic search algorithm called Smart Root Search (SRS) is proposed. SRS employs intelligent foraging behavior of immature, mature and hair roots of plants to explore and exploit the problem search space simultaneously. SRS divides the search space into several subspaces. It thereupon utilizes the branching and drought operations to focus on richer areas of promising subspaces while extraneous ones are not thoroughly ignored. To achieve this, the smart reactions of the SRS model are designed to act based on analyzing the heterogeneous conditions of various sections of different search spaces. In order to evaluate the performance of the SRS, it was tested on a set of known unimodal and multimodal test functions. The results were then compared with those obtained using genetic algorithms, particle swarm optimization, differential evolution and imperialist competitive algorithms and then analyzed statistically. The results demonstrated that the SRS outperformed comparative algorithms for 92% and 82% of the investigated unimodal and multimodal test functions, respectively. Therefore, the SRS is a promising nature-inspired optimization algorithm.
Partition and Colored Distances in Graphs Induced to Subsets of Vertices and Some of Its Applications
Authors: Nadjafi-Arani Mohammad Javad , Mirzargar Mahsa , Emmert-Streib Frank , Dehmer Matthias
Published: December 2020

If G is a graph and P is a partition of V(G), then the partition distance of G is the sum of the distances between all pairs of vertices that lie in the same part of P. A colored distance is the dual concept of the partition distance. These notions are motivated by a problem in the facility location network and applied to several well-known distance-based graph invariants. In this paper, we apply an extended cut method to induce the partition and color distances to some subsets of vertices which are not necessary a partition of V(G). Then, we define a two-dimensional weighted graph and an operator to prove that the induced partition and colored distances of a graph can be obtained from the weighted Wiener index of a two-dimensional weighted quotient graph induced by the transitive closure of the Djoković–Winkler relation as well as by any partition that is coarser. Finally, we utilize our main results to find some upper bounds for the modified Wiener index and the number of orbits of partial cube graphs under the action of automorphism group of graphs.
Symmetry in Quantum and Computational Chemistry
Authors: Novikov Alexander S.
Published: December 2020

Symmetry is a paradigm of quantum and computational chemistry (Figure 1) [...]
Numerical Solution of Nonlinear Fredholm and Volterra Integrals by Newton–Kantorovich and Haar Wavelets Methods
Authors: Sathar Mohammad Hasan Abdul , Rasedee Ahmad Fadly Nurullah , Ahmedov Anvarjon A. , Bachok Norfifah
Published: December 2020

The current study proposes a numerical method which solves nonlinear Fredholm and Volterra integral of the second kind using a combination of a Newton–Kantorovich and Haar wavelet. Error analysis for the Holder classes was established to ensure convergence of the Haar wavelets. Numerical examples will illustrate the accuracy and simplicity of Newton–Kantorovich and Haar wavelets. Numerical results of the current method were then compared with previous well-established methods.
Relationship between Inter-Limb Asymmetries and Physical Performance in Rink Hockey Players
Authors: Arboix-Alió Jordi , Buscà Bernat , Busquets Albert , Aguilera-Castells Joan , de Pablo Bernat , Montalvo Alicia M. , Fort-Vanmeerhaeghe Azahara
Published: December 2020

The magnitude of inter-limb asymmetries has been reported in several studies in different team sports but only some of them have analysed their effects on sports performance. The main purpose of this cross-sectional study was to determine inter-limb asymmetries and examine their relationship with different physical performance tests in rink hockey players. Nineteen rink hockey players (age: 23.37 ± 4.82 years; body height: 1.75 ± 0.06 cm; body mass: 73.16 ± 9.87 kg) performed a mid-season battery of fitness tests consisting of 30 m sprint, countermovement jump (CMJ), and half back squat. Inter-limb asymmetries were assessed using the single leg vertical countermovement jump test (SLCJ-V), single leg horizontal countermovement jump test (SLCJ-H), and 180° change of direction test (COD). Results show a significant relationship between asymmetry in the SLCJ-H test, 30 m sprint (r = 0.63, p < 0.01) and CMJ performances (r = −0.52, p < 0.05). Additionally, asymmetry in the SLCJ-V showed a significant relationship with CMJ performance (r = −0.46, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that training programs should aim to reduce the inter-limb asymmetries in rink hockey players to improve their performance. Practitioners and coaches can use this information to assess the potential impact of asymmetries on physical performance in rink hockey players.
A justiça restaurativa como complemento do sistema de justiça e sua aplicabilidade no ordenamento jurídico brasileiro
Authors: Campos Iara Klock
Published: December 2020

A sociedade e as relações humanas estão em constante modificação. Dessas mudanças, surgem novos valores, nascendo, para o ordenamento jurídico, a obrigatoriedade de se adequar. Com efeito, a forma como a ideia de Justiça é compreendida por determinado meio social influencia diretamente a construção das normas jurídicas que irão reger esta sociedade. Assim, observa-se que os atuais Sistemas de Justiça precisam ser complementados a fim de abarcar os anseios da sociedade contemporânea, de modo a satisfazer as necessidades das partes envolvidas em um conflito e, efetivamente, contribuir para a pacificação. Nessa reflexão, surge, no cenário mundial, a Justiça Restaurativa como complemento da sistemática vigente. Verifica-se, pois, que os métodos restaurativos já fazem parte do Sistema de Justiça de muitos países, estando, no Brasil, em fase de implementação e de expansão.
تأدُّبُ النُّحَاةِ معَ اللهِ عَزَّ وجَلَّ
Authors: HALİD Halid , MUHEMİD Musab
Published: December 2020

هذا بحث حاولنا فيه جمع المواضع التي تكلم النحاة فيها عن الأدب مع الله تعالى، والتي ينبغي فيها التأدب؛ إذ غفل عنها كثيرون. وقد قسمنا بحثنا هذا إلى مبحثين، تحدثنا في الأول منهما عن عدول النحاة في شروحهم عن بعض المصطلحات تأدبا مع الله عز وجل، وناقشنا في المبحث الثاني بعض آيات الكتاب الكريم التي ألزم النحاة في تأويلها أنفسهم عبارات في غاية الدقة؛ خشية أن يقع منهم لفظ مخالف للأدب مع الله تعالى أو لشريعته سبحانه، وشرحنا بعض الأبيات التي نظمت في هذا الباب، وذيلنا البحث بخاتمة حوت نتائجه. وكان من منهجنا أن نكتب تحت كل عنوان شرحا مختصرا عن الموضوع؛ لندخل منه إلى مناقشة الألفاظ التي نبه النحاة فيها إلى التأدب مع الله تعالى، وذلك لتكون الصورة أكثر وضوحا، وربما جمعنا أكثر من لفظ صالح للتأدب في موضع واحد كما في بحث البدل المطابق، وناقشنا أيضا أقوال بعض النحاة لنرد على ما كان مرجوحا ونرجح خلافه مبينين العلة لذلك، كما في الرد على الصبان في بحث النائب عن الفاعل، وقد ناقشنا باختصار شديد بعض الموضوعات التي تحتاج إلى الإطالة كما في بحث الحروف الزائدة الذي كتبت فيه رسائل علمية، وذلك لضيق المقام واختصار البحث.
The state of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant protection systems in patients with different
of local cold injury of the extremities
Authors: Gruzdeva O.S. , Shapovalov K.G. , Mikhailichenko M.I.
Published: December 2020

The authors studied the state of lipid peroxidation systems and antioxidant protection in
of the extremities in different periods. It was revealed that in patients with frostbite of the
radical oxidation and the level of antioxidant protection depended on periods of cold
20 people were in the control group, 30 patients with local cold trauma in the early reactive
late reactive period (LRP) there were 40 people, and in the granulation and epithelization period (GEP) there were 15 people. There was a persistent increase in the concentration of
the early, late reactive periods and the period of granulation and epithelization. In red blood cells, the content of intermediate intermediates of free radical lipid oxidation increases. The catalase activity in erythrocytes of victims with frostbite of
the extremities decreases, but does not change in the blood serum. The dynamics of the
serum in patients at different times of local cold injury in comparison with healthy people is not observed.
Stress and strain analysis that occurs in the structure of a section and in its lifting installation, during the lifting and turning maneuvers
Authors: Galatanu Liviu , Darie Andreea Georgiana , Gavan Eugen , Mocanu Costel Iulian
Published: December 2020

"During the shipbuilding processes carried out in the shipyards, there
is a need to transport the sections of ship structure, from the place where they are built to the assembly location. When the shape and structure of the sections allow, they are built in an inverted position, and after finishing all the works that can be performed in this type of placement, the section will have to be turned to continue the section building process and subsequent the assembly. Loads that appear in the structure during these maneuvers are different from those that appear during the operation and from those for which calculations were made at the stage of the initial project. Therefore, it is necessary to calculate them and design a lifting / turning installation, which should also contain stiffening elements where required, in order to prevent both accidents and deformations or detachments that could occur at the section level. From this necessity appears the plan generically called ""lifting plan"" and which contains the installations, the schemes, the necessary instructions to remove the units from the section building hall, turn it to the gantry cranes and brought into the mounting position."
Global strength evaluation with design oblique waves criteria for a 100000 tdw tanker
Authors: Domnişoru Leonard
Published: December 2020

"Among the preliminary ship’s evaluation steps, the global strength
of the ship’s hull by design oblique wave’s criteria is required from the classification society’s construction rules. A 100000 tdw tanker is selected for evaluation, with two loading cases. The analysis is applied on a ship hull beam model, using own program software P_QSW, with three parameters non-linear equilibrium procedure. Significant oblique design waves are considered, corresponding to maritime operation cases. The global strength results at preliminary design steps are assessed by rules admissible values, so that the ship’s global strength design restrictions are obtained."
The securitisation of hybrid warfare through practices within the Iran-Israel conflict - Israel's practices to securitize Hezbollah's Proxy War
Authors: Kaunert Christian , Wertman Ori
Published: December 2020

Iran has been waging a hybrid war against Israel since the Islamic revolution of 1979. In an era when conventional wars have given way to a different method, hybrid warfare, the main challenge facing states is how to deal with this new type of security threat. Thus, while states have previously faced security threats from regular enemy states’ armies, nowadays hybrid warfare in which non-state actors play a key role has become a widespread security threat that requires democratic states to use very different strategies and tactics to overcome it. Using securitisation theory, which explores how normal issues transform into security threats, this article analyses how the State of Israel has securitised Iranian hybrid warfare which has been mainly executed through its proxy terror organisations of Hezbollah. It does so by applying a revised version of the Copenhagen School’s securitisation framework, which focuses on security practices and is underpinned by an understanding of security as belonging to a continuum. The proxy terror organisations have moved towards the end point of the continuum, which is characterised by survival, existential threats, and militarisation, albeit without completely reaching the end point.
SEISMICITY OF NORTHERN EURASIA in 2014
Authors: Malovichko Alexey , Petrova Nataliya , Gabsatarova Irina , Starovoit Oleg , Rogozhin E. , Mikhailova R. , Levina V. , Morozov Alexey
Published: December 2020

An overview of Northern Eurasia seismicity in 2014 is given. This territory includes 16 regions of Russia and neighboring countries. Seismic monitoring was carried out by 618 stationary seismic stations, including 591 digital, 27 analog stations and eight seismic groups. Also, temporary stations operated in some re-gions. These networks have registered over 30 thousand tectonic and volcanic earthquakes, for 571 of them the focal mechanisms are determined. According to the data collected and presented in the Annual, 413 earthquakes were felt in settlements of Northern Eurasia in 2014, manifestations of 14 of them were surveyed and described in the special articles of this issue, together with data on the focal mechanisms, preceding seismicity, aftershock processes and seismotectonic conditions. Estimates of the number of earthquakes and seismic energy released in 2014 in the regions of Northern Eurasia in comparison with long-term characteristics of seismic regime indicate that in most regions the seismic process proceeded in the “background” or “background lowered” regimes accor-ding to the definition on the SOUS'09 scale. Only the level of seismicity in the Pribaikalye and Transbaikalia region is assessed as “background increased”. The intensification of seismicity in the source zones of the past strongest earthquakes in the Alpine-Himalayan collision-fold belt – Crimean 1927, Spitak 1988, Zakatala 2012 – is noted. The tangible earthquakes that occurred in the previously aseismic areas of the Siberian and Turan platforms – Gonam earthquake on January 4 with KP=14.2, I0=8, Boguchan earthquake on January 17 with KP=13.3, I0=7 and Karaganda earthquake on June 21 with KP=11.7, I0=5–6 – indicate the need to revise the concept of a low seismic hazard in these platform areas.
YAKUTIA
Authors: Kozmin B. , Shibaev S.
Published: December 2020

The results of Yakutia seismicity monitoring based on data from 24 digital seismic stations are presented. 718 earthquakes with KP=7–14 were recorded. A map of epicenters and their distribution by areas of the region are given. The most active areas were the Olekma and Aldan highlands in the south, the Laptev Sea, Chersky Range and Primorsky lowland in the north-east and the Arctic part of the region. A significant decrease (10-times less) in the amount of released seismic energy was observed in comparison with this parameter for 2013.
SPECTRAL and FOCAL PARAMETERS of NORTHERN CAUCASUSEARTHQUAKES
Authors: Malyanova L. , Gabsatarova Irina
Published: December 2020

Dynamic sources parameters of 21 earthquakes of the North Caucasus for 2014 with
КР=9.5–11.5, determined from 44 S-wave amplitude spectra are analyzed. Records of three regional digital seismic stations, “Anapa”, “Kislovodsk” and “Sochi”, located no more than 300 km from the sources are used. For the environment near these stations, the values of the frequency-dependent Q-factor, necessary for recalculating the station spectra to the focal ones, were obtained earlier by O.V. Pavlenko. In 2014, the majority of earthquakes studied were located in the Eastern Caucasus. The dependence between log M0 and КР for this zone was constructed using the data for 2010–2013. Compared to the similar equation for the entire Caucasus (Riznichenko et all., 1976), this dependence is in a good agreement with respect to the free term, but differs by the slope.