bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Земельно-ресурсний потенціал і його роль у сталому розвитку регіону
Authors: Kalyna T. , Shushulkov S. , Arzumanian T.
Published: September 2020

У статті висвітлені тенденції, підходи та особливості використання земельно-ресурсного потенціалу. Обґрунтовано, що концептуальні засади сталого розвитку пов’язані з збереженням та охороною довкілля. Доведена ключова роль земельних ресурсів у складі природно-ресурсного потенціалу. Досліджено роль земельних ресурсів, як базису економічної діяльності, територіального ресурсу, головного засобу виробництва. Уточнено понятійно-категоріальний апарат в контексті визначення понять: «потенціал», «природно-ресурсний потенціал», «земельно-ресурсний потенціал».Проведена загальна оцінка використання земельно-ресурсного потенціалу Одеського регіону в рамках стратегічних засад сталого розвитку та визначені напрями їх раціонального використання та охорони. Підкреслюється, що в структурі використання земельних ресурсів спостерігаються значні диспропорції: склався надзвичайно високий рівень господарського освоєння, значний рівень розораності, низька лісистість, низький рівень забезпеченості природоохоронними територіями, екологічна стабільність Одеської області характеризується як нестабільна та наявний високий рівень антропогенного навантаження, спостерігається загальна тенденція погіршення заходів з охорони земель. Наголошується, що питання розвитку регіону можуть бути вирішені тільки в комплексі з вирішенням соціальних, економічних і екологічних проблем, що є основоположною складовою концепції сталого розвитку.
Підходи до розробки і прийняття стратегічних рішень в умовах невизначенності у контексті оновлення контенту інформаційного забезпечення
Authors: Barybina Y. , Shymanovska-Dianych L.
Published: September 2020

У статті розглянуто особливості формування інформаційного забезпечення щодо розробки стратегічних рішень та вибору стратегії в умовах невизначеності і турбулентності зовнішнього середовища. Запропоновано і розглянуто чотири рівні невизначеності. Надано характеристику основних видів стратегій відповідно до рівнів невизначеності. Встановлено, що сучасна ситуація вимагає переосмислення часового горизонту прийняття стратегічних рішень, зміни підходів до формування бізнес-стратегій, які були прийнятними в умовах стабільного зростання ринку, але в умовах турбулентності та невизначеності не працюють,  зміни  інформаційного контенту прийняття  рішень.
Особливості структуризації експортного потенціалу зернопродуктового підкомплексу АПК
Authors: Zrailo I.
Published: September 2020

Визначено зміст експортного потенціалу зернопродуктового підкомплексу АПК як системну компоненту економічного потенціалу зернопродуктового підкомплексу АПК, організаційно-технічна структура якої підпорядковується місії і цілям комплексу та на яку покладена реалізаційна здатність продукції (послуг) на світовому ринку. Виділено складові експортного потенціалу зернопродуктового підкомплексу АПК – експортний потенціал галузей сфери матеріального виробництва; експортний потенціал галузей сфери послуг;  потенціал експортних бар’єрів; потенціал іноземних ринків. Обґрунтовано сутність структуроутворюючих складових експортного потенціалу зернопродуктового підкомплексу АПК.
Місцеві бюджети в умовах децентралізації: теоретичні аспекти
Authors: Plukar L.
Published: September 2020

Розглянуто періодизацію розвитку системи місцевих бюджетів в умовах незалежності України, а саме 4 періоди: 1990-2000 2001-2009, 2010-2013, 2014 і по сьогоднішній день, зазначено основні нормативно-правові акти, які приймалися в даний період та мали найбільший вплив на розвиток бюджетної системи, а також основні зміни, які відбулись в даний час. Досліджено підходи українських вчених до трактування поняття «місцеві бюджети». Розглянуто структуру бюджетної системи та місце в ній місцевих бюджетів. Визначено нормативно-правові акти, які мали вплив на формування бюджетно-податкової децентралізації. Зазначено основні зміни процесу формування та виконання місцевих бюджетів в період децентралізації бюджетних ресурсів та видаткових повноважень органів місцевого самоврядування, а саме: розпочато реформу місцевого самоврядування та територіальної організації влади; запущено процес формування достатніх фінансово-організаційних умов розвитку територіальних громад; дозволене самостійне формування місцевих бюджетів незалежно від термінів прийняття державного бюджету; запровадження систему вирівнювання податкоспроможності територій; реформовано існуючі податки і збори.
Методологічний підхід до вимірювання прогресу у напряму наближення до моделі економіки замкненого циклу
Authors: Shevchenko T.
Published: September 2020

У статті удосконалено методологічний підхід до вимірювання прогресу у напряму наближення до моделі економіки замкненого циклу, який ґрунтується на оцінці індикаторів за окремими сегментами ресурсного циклу, що є підґрунтям для розробки рамки кругових даних для підприємств усіх секторів економіки, від видобутку сировини до виготовлення кінцевих виробів, від збору відпрацьованих виробів через відновлення до виготовлення виробів із вторинних матеріалів. Запропонований підхід є внеском у розширення метричного апарату кругової економіки.
Стpуктуpa екoнoмiчнoгo пoтенцiaлу пiдпpиємствa в iмплементaцiї інноваційно-iнвестицiйнoї мoделi poзвитку
Authors: Vitkovskyi Y.
Published: September 2020

У статті розкрито сутність економічного потенціалу підприємства, надано його характеристики як системи, визначено ключові властивості з позиції ресурсної, функціональної та pесуpснo-цiльoвої концепцій. Ідентифіковано основні компоненти економічного потенціалу та розкрито їх роль у розвитку суб’єктів аграрного бізнесу в сучасних економічних умовах. Обгрунтовано доцільність використання функцioнaльних та екoнoмiкo-мaтемaтичних моделей для дoслiдження екoнoмiчнoгo пoтенцiaлу підприємств. Окреслено основні підходи до формування економічного потенціалу, які враховують opгaнiзaцiю систем викopистaння ресурсів та направлені на досягнення стратегічних цілей підприємства.Наведено основні характеристики та структурні особливості економічного потенціалу підприємства.
Ensuring of irrigation machines application depth in uniformity’s distribution
Authors: Ol'garenko Gennadiy , Gordon Boris
Published: September 2020

A method of rain uniformity’s distribution was presented for different spraying devices, which were set on irrigation machines working in different mode of moving. A method for effective irrigation radius and width calculation was justified by using irrigation depth uniformity values from the area under water supply pipeline of the irrigation machine.
Transformações da Paisagem Natural no Norte do Paraná entre as Décadas de 1930 e 1980: Da Monocultura do Café à Modernização Agrária e suas Consequências Ecológicas, Econômicas e Sociais
Authors: Kohlhepp Gerd
Published: September 2020

Nas décadas de 1930 até 1980, o Norte do Paraná passou por um processo muito dinâmico de transformações da natureza: do desbravamento da zona pioneira para uma monocultura do café e para uma paisagem agrária diversificada e modernizada, controlada pelo agrobusiness da soja. Os atores dominantes tinham como foco o rápido êxito econômico. Hávia “vencedores” e “perdedores”, consolidação regional ou degradação ecológica e sócio-econômica. O afastamento dos cafezais devido às geadas, a modernização da agricultura e a expansão da pecuária extensiva levaram a sérios problemas sociais: concentração de posse fundiária e demissão de mão-de-obra rural. O êxodo rural alimentou novas frentes pioneiras no Paraguai e na Amazônia ou aumentou o proletariado urbano dos centros regionais. Faltou consciência pelo meio ambiente perante os enormes danos irreparáveis causados por extensas queimadas e pela extinção da biodiversidade. A colonização no Norte do Paraná é um exemplo fascinante de uma região com grandes transformações ecológicas, econômicas e agro-sociais em somente cinco décadas.
Pay-to-Play
Authors: Garrett Jacob
Published: September 2020

This paper analyzes second episode of the popular dystopian sci-f show Black Mirror, “FifteenMillion Merits,” as a utopia for the capitalists that are in charge of the commune in which theepisode’s characters live. Through comparisons to American company towns and an analysis ofthe psychology that these capitalists employ, I come to the conclusion that, while a dystopia for thecitizens that the episode follows, this society is a utopia for those in charge. Furthermore, I positthat, even though the community we see is set far in the future and seems very removed from ourown world, it may not be as far away as we may like to think.
Succor System and Failure Indication for the Starter Batteries of Emergency Gensets
Authors: D'Orazio Annunziata , Elia Stefano , Santini Ezio , Tobia Manuel
Published: September 2020

Nowadays there are 3 % of missed start-ups of emergency gensets in Italian hospitals every year. The subject of this work is the analysis of the failure to start an emergency genset due to the failure of the batteries. The work is based on ten years statistics of maintenance on hospital facilities. A real case study is here described; measurements were made on a 1000 kVA genset of a hospital to study the real operating conditions of the system. The whole electrical, mechanical and dynamic model of the starter system of a genset is studied. Computer simulations for this study are based on the Matlab/Simulink model of the considered starter system. An automatic system of parallel between the batteries of different generators is presented as a solution to the problem. This system can also indicate to the maintenance technician the need to replace a partially deteriorated battery in a timely manner. It is also proved that it is possible to succor the failed battery instantly without losing the first part of the starting transient. The work demonstrates that the failure to start, due to a fault in the batteries, can be significantly reduced by using the proposed solution. With this technical proposal the risk of blackouts and relative human losses are largely reduced.
After the Financial Crisis: The Ethics and Economics Debate Revisited
Authors: Rendtorff Jacob Dahl
Published: September 2020

The recent international events, with a major financial crisis all over the world, involve important questions about the relation between ethics and economics and the responsibilities of the economic market in relation to broader social and political concerns. In this paper I will present some of the dimensions of the debate between ethics and economics that are behind the fundamental issue of the role of ethical responsibilities in the financial crisis. I want to argue for a close link between ethics and economics which can be presented as a challenge to the traditional view that there should be a strict separation between ethical and economic rationality.
Blood pressure decrease in elderly after isometric training: does lactate play a role?
Authors: Souza Luiz Humberto Rodrigues , Corrêa Hugo de Luca , Rosa Thiago dos Santos , Neves Rodrigo Vanerson Passos , Deus Lysleine Alves , Olher Rafael Reis , Vicente Joyce Bomfim , Melo Geiziane Rodrigues , Barros Carolina Fonseca de , Moraes Vivian Cabral , Coelho João Maurício de Oliveira , Peruchi Luiz Henrique , Santos Clarcson Plácido , Simões Hebert Gustavo , Moraes Milton Rocha
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to investigate the effect of isometric handgrip (IHG) training on the blood pressure (BP) reduction in prehypertensive and hypertensive elderly people, and the possible role of lactate and redox balance. Thirty-three older (75.3±1.3 years old) were allocated to a non-exercise control (CG, n=11), prehypertensive (PHG, n=10), and hypertensive (HG, n=12) groups. PHG and HG performed a total of 8 sets of 1-min bilateral contractions at 30% maximal voluntary isometric contraction, each separated by 1-minute rest-pause. IHG training was performed for 8-week, 3 times a week on non-consecutive days. Systolic BP (SBP) and heart rate (HR) decreased post-training on PHG (-10 mm Hg; -5 bpm) and HG (-16 mm Hg; -9 bpm), respectively. Diastolic BP (DBP) decreased for HG only (-9 mm Hg) (P < 0.05). In addition, the decrease in BP occurred in parallel to a better redox balance and increased bioavailability of nitric oxide in PHG and HG (P < 0.05). Also, the variables that most present association to SBP decrease were capillary blood lactate concentration and muscle strength (P < 0.05). In summary, IHG training may be practical in improving clinical status of prehypertensive and hypertensive patients, by improving BP control, NO- bioavailability and redox balance. Further studies are required to elucidate the pathways of lactate concentration in blood-flow during exercise.
Thigh Cuff Effects on Venous Flow Redistribution During 4 Days in Dry Immersion
Authors: Arbeille Philippe , Greaves Danielle , Guillon Laurent , Besnard Stephane
Published: September 2020

PURPOSE: The objective was to quantify the venous redistribution during a 4-d dry immersion (DI) and evaluate the effect of thigh cuffs.METHODS: The study included nine control (Co) and nine subjects wearing thigh cuffs during the daytime (CU). Ultrasound measures
were performed Pre-DI, on day 4 AM (D4 AM) and D4 PM: left ventricle stroke volume and ejection fraction (SV, EF), jugular vein volume (JVvol), portal vein diameter (PV), and middle cerebral vein velocity (MCVv). An additional measure of JVvol was performed on Day 1 after 2 h in DI.RESULTS:
After 2 h in DI, JVvol increased significantly from Pre in both groups, but increased more in the Co compared to the CU subjects (Co: 0.27 0.15 cm3 to 0.94 0.22 cm3; CU: 0.32 0.13 cm3 to 0.64 0.32 cm3). At D4 AM, SV and EF decreased from Pre (SV:
111 23 cm3 to 93 24 cm3; EF: 0.66 0.07 to 0.62 0.07). JVvol was slightly increased (Co: 0.47 0.22 cm3 CU: 0.35 014 cm3). MCVv and PV remained unchanged from Pre-DI. No difference was found between the two groups for any of the parameters measured.
From D4 AM to PM, no significant change was observed for any parameter.CONCLUSION: The results confirm that DI induces, during the first 2-3 h, a significant cephalic fluid shift as observed in spaceflight. During this early phase, the thigh cuffs reduced the amplitude of the fluid
shift toward the head, but after 4 d in DI there was only a slight memory (residual) effect of DI on the jugular volume and no residual effect of the thigh cuffs.Arbeille P, Greaves D, Guillon L, Besnard S. Thigh cuff effects on venous flow redistribution during 4 days in dry immersion.
Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(9):697702.
Postural Instability and Seasickness in a Motion-Based Shooting Simulation
Authors: Pettijohn Kyle A. , Pistone Dominick V. , Warner Andrew L. , Roush Grant J. , Biggs Adam T.
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND: Motion sickness is a problem for many; however, it is especially pressing for military personnel who need to operate in life and death environments. The current study investigated the underlying cause of motion sickness by testing postural instability theory.METHODS:
Subjects experienced realistic motion profiles while performing a virtual reality shooting task and reporting any motion sickness symptoms. Postural instability was manipulated within 20 subjects across 2 conditions. In one condition, subjects could readily adapt their posture to the motion
profile by adjusting their feet on the platform (Free), and in the other condition, their feet were fixed in place on the moving platform (Fixed). This Free condition decreased postural instability by allowing adjustment, while the Fixed condition increased postural instability by restricting
adjustment. The same subjects completed both conditions to control for individual differences in motion sickness susceptibility.RESULTS: Overall, motion sickness was mild as measured by SSQ (M 14.41, Free; M 18.89, Fixed), and no statistically significant differences
were observed between the conditions. Performance on the shooting task was reduced in accuracy by approximately 40%, although this result did not differ between conditions.DISCUSSION: The results do not support postural instability as a contributing factor in motion sickness symptomology.
They also demonstrate the importance of accounting for motion when conducting training.Pettijohn KA, Pistone DV, Warner AL, Roush GJ, Biggs AT. Postural instability and seasickness in a motion-based shooting simulation. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(9):703709.
Selective Recertification of Pilots Who Have Undergone a Cardiac Transplant
Authors: Norris Ann , Skaggs Valerie , Kaye David , De Voll James , McGiffin David
Published: September 2020

BACKGROUND: From 2007, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) permitted pilots who have had a heart transplant to be considered for recertification under special issuance at the third-class level. The objective of this study was to evaluate certification safety and determine
if any adverse outcome occurred in this airman group as a consequence of this policy.METHODS: Methods involved collecting data from the FAA Document Imaging Workflow System to identify airmen undergoing cardiac transplantation since 2007, and examining medical and safety-related
outcomes through the National Transportation Safety Board-related accident database and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention National Death Index.RESULTS: Included in the study were 36 airmen, with 16 recertified at the class 3 level and 20 denied certification. No aviation
accidents or recorded deaths occurred in the group of 16 airmen undergoing recertification. Of these airmen, 13 underwent a second successful recertification and 6 underwent a third attempt, with 5 being successful. Two airmen have declared their intention to fly under BasicMed. Of the 20
airmen denied recertification, 16 were denied for failure to provide information. There were three deaths in this denied group.DISCUSSION: The policy allowing third-class heart transplant recipient recertification appears to be safe. Aviation safety is not being compromised by allowing
these airmen to resume flying, with the exception that recertification should continue under the special issuance system and not through BasicMed.Norris A, Skaggs V, Kaye D, De Voll J, McGiffin D. Selective recertification of pilots who have undergone a cardiac transplant. Aerosp
Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(9):732736.
Urinary Calcium for Tracking Bone Loss and Kidney Stone Risk in Space
Authors: Ren Junkun , Stankovic Aleksandra S. , Knaus Darin A. , Phillips Scott D. , Kynor Dave B. , Buckey Jay C.
Published: September 2020

INTRODUCTION: Urinary calcium (Uca) levels in space reflect bone loss and kidney stone risk and could be measured using portable devices. This project evaluated the repeatability of Uca measurements to assess how many repeated measurements would be needed to detect significant
urinary calcium elevations in space.METHODS: A total of six subjects collected 24-h urine samples weekly for 8 wk and took 500 mg of oral calcium carbonate and 400 IU of vitamin D daily in week 7 and 8. Uca concentration was analyzed using a calcein-based system. The effect of the
intake of calcium and vitamin D on Uca levels and the correlation between first void concentration and 24-h mass were assessed with linear mixed effect models. The reproducibility coefficient (RPC) for Uca was determined using Bland-Altman analysis on pairs of measurements at different time
points.RESULTS: Oral supplementation did not significantly affect 24-h mass. First void concentration correlated with 24-h mass. The 24-h mass RPCs were 167.0, 116.8, and 108.1 mg for 1-, 2-, and 3-wk average measurements. First void concentration RPCs were 90.6, 76.6, and 72.8
mg L1. Skylab astronauts 24-h mass increased by 88.9 76.0, 123.5 58.3, 142.2 56.5, and 159.9 83.4 mg after 1, 2, 3, and 4 wk in flight.DISCUSSION: Averaging multiple Uca measurements reduced variability effectively and allowed increases likely to be seen in space to be
detected. Consecutive Uca measurements could be tracked over time in space to assess the effectiveness of the countermeasure program. First void concentration could potentially be used rather than 24-h collections.Ren J, Stankovic AS, Knaus DA, Phillips SD, Kynor DB, Buckey JC. Urinary
calcium for tracking bone loss and kidney stone risk in space. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2020; 91(9):689696.
Distributed Graph Diameter Approximation
Authors: Ceccarello Matteo , Pietracaprina Andrea , Pucci Geppino , Upfal Eli
Published: September 2020

We present an algorithm for approximating the diameter of massive weighted undirected graphs on distributed platforms supporting a MapReduce-like abstraction. In order to be efficient in terms of both time and space, our algorithm is based on a decomposition strategy which partitions the graph into disjoint clusters of bounded radius. Theoretically, our algorithm uses linear space and yields a polylogarithmic approximation guarantee; most importantly, for a large family of graphs, it features a round complexity asymptotically smaller than the one exhibited by a natural approximation algorithm based on the state-of-the-art Δ-stepping SSSP algorithm, which is its only practical, linear-space competitor in the distributed setting. We complement our theoretical findings with a proof-of-concept experimental analysis on large benchmark graphs, which suggests that our algorithm may attain substantial improvements in terms of running time compared to the aforementioned competitor, while featuring, in practice, a similar approximation ratio.
Characterization of Lebanese Germplasm of Snake Melon (Cucumis melo subsp. melo var. flexuosus) Using Morphological Traits and SSR Markers
Authors: Merheb Joe , Pawełkowicz Magdalena , Branca Ferdinando , Bolibok-Brągoszewska Hanna , Skarzyńska Agnieszka , Pląder Wojciech , Chalak Lamis
Published: September 2020

Snake melon (Cucumis melo subsp. melo L. var. flexuosus (L.) Naudin) is an ancient and traditional crop in the Mediterranean region. Nevertheless, there has been poor interest in assessing snake melon germplasm where its genetic resources have not been surveyed before despite their potential in adaptation to environmental changes. In this study, we assess the genetic diversity of snake melon landraces collected from different Lebanese regions at both morphological and molecular levels. Morphological characterization using a set of 18 descriptors revealed an important phenotypic variability among the landraces studied. Principle component analysis indicated that fruit hair and its consistency, fruit size, and skin color pattern were good criteria for discriminating among landraces. Based on the scatter plot diagram, landraces of snake melon formed five different groups with one being defined as typical var. flexuosus. Ten simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used for the molecular characterization. Fifty-six different alleles were detected, with an average of 5.6 alleles per locus. Polymorphism information content of SSR markers ranged from 0.06 to 0.84 (average 0.38). Cluster analysis based on molecular markers showed high genetic diversity and divided the landraces into five distinct genetic groups, confirming thereby the morphological variability. Findings of this study indicate a significant diversity for the Lebanese snake melon germplasm that must be further conserved and considered in improvement programs of this ancient crop.
High Resolution Melting and Insertion Site-Based Polymorphism Markers for Wheat Variability Analysis and Candidate Genes Selection at Drought and Heat MQTL Loci
Authors: Mérida-García Rosa , Gálvez Sergio , Paux Etienne , Dorado Gabriel , Pascual Laura , Giraldo Patricia , Hernandez Pilar
Published: September 2020

The practical use of molecular markers is facilitated by cost-effective detection techniques. In this work, wheat insertion site-based polymorphisms (ISBP) markers were set up for genotyping using high-resolution melting analysis (HRM). Polymorphic HRM-ISBP assays were developed for wheat chromosomes 4A and 3B and used for wheat variability assessment. The marker sequences were mapped against the wheat genome reference sequence, targeting interesting genes. Those genes were located within or in proximity to previously described quantitative trait loci (QTL) or meta-quantitative trait loci (MQTL) for drought and heat stress tolerance, and also yield and yield related traits. Eighteen of the markers used tagged drought related genes and, interestingly, eight of the genes were differentially expressed under different abiotic stress conditions. These results confirmed HRM as a cost-effective and efficient tool for wheat breeding programs.
Response of Soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) to Mineral Nitrogen Fertilization and Bradyrhizobium japonicum Seed Inoculation
Authors: Prusiński Janusz , Baturo-Cieśniewska Anna , Borowska Magdalena
Published: September 2020

A growing interest in soybean cultivation in Poland has been observed in the recent years, however it faces a lot of difficulties resulting from a poorly understood effectiveness of plant nitrogen fertilization and from the introduction of Bradyrhizobium japonicum to the environment. The aim of the study was to evaluate the consistency of response of two soybean cultivars to three different rates of mineral N fertilization and two seed inoculation treatments with B. japonicum in field conditions over four years regardless of previous B. japonicum presence in the soil. A highly-diversified-over-years rainfall and temperature in the growing season do not allow for a definite statement of the differences resulting from seed inoculation and mineral N fertilization applied separately or jointly in soybean. A high sensitivity of the nodulation process to rainfall deficits was noted, which resulted in a decreased amount of B. japonicum DNA measured in qPCR and dry matter of nodules. ‘Annushka’ demonstrated a higher yield of seeds and protein, higher plants and the 1st pod setting. ‘Aldana’, due to a significant decrease in plant density, produced a higher number of pods, seeds per pod and the 1000 seed weight per plant. Both cultivars responded with an increase in the seed yield after seed inoculation with HiStick, also with an application of 30 and 60 kg N, as well as with Nitragina with 60 kg N.
The Role of Acquisition Angle in Digital Breast Tomosynthesis: A Texture Analysis Study
Authors: Savini Alessandro , Feliciani Giacomo , Amadori Michele , Rivetti Stefano , Cremonesi Marta , Cesarini Francesco , Licciardello Tiziana , Severi Daniela , Ravaglia Valentina , Vagheggini Alessandro , Sarnelli Anna , Falcini Fabio
Published: September 2020

Background: Digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) systems employ a sophisticated set of acquisition parameters to generate an image set, and the DBT acquisition angle is considered to be one of the most important parameters. The aim of this study was to use texture analysis to assess how the DBT acquisition angle might influence DBT images of breast parenchyma. Methods: Thirty-four patients were selected from a clinical study conducted at IRST Institute. Each patient underwent a dual DBT scan performed with Fujifilm Amulet Innovality (Fujifilm Corp, Tokyo, Japan) in standard (ST, angular range = 15°) and high-resolution (HR, angular range = 40°) modalities. Texture analysis was applied on the paired dataset using histogram-based features and gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) features. Wilcoxon-signed rank and Pearson-rank tests were used to assess the statistical differences and correlations between extracted features. Results: The DBT acquisition angle did not affect histogram-based features, whereas there was a significant difference in five GLCM features (p < 0.05) between DBT images generated with 15° and 40° acquisition angles. Correlation analysis showed that two GLCM features were not correlated at a p < 0.05 significance level. Conclusions: DBT acquisition angle affects the textures extracted from DBT images and this dependence should be considered when establishing baselines for classifiers of malignant tissue. Furthermore, texture analysis could be proposed as a quantitative method for comparing and scoring the contrast of DBT images.
Unsupervised Predominant Sense Detection and Its Application to Text Classification
Authors: Wangpoonsarp Attaporn , Shimura Kazuya , Fukumoto Fumiyo
Published: September 2020

This paper focuses on the domain-specific senses of words and proposes a method for detecting predominant sense depending on each domain. Our Domain-Specific Senses (DSS) model is an unsupervised manner and detects predominant senses in each domain. We apply a simple Markov Random Walk (MRW) model to ranking senses for each domain. It decides the importance of a sense within a graph by using the similarity of senses. The similarity of senses is obtained by using distributional representations of words from gloss texts in the thesaurus. It can capture large semantic context and thus does not require manual annotation of sense-tagged data. We used the Reuters corpus and the WordNet in the experiments. We applied the results of domain-specific senses to text classification and examined how DSS affects the overall performance of the text classification task. We compared our DSS model with one of the word sense disambiguation techniques (WSD), Context2vec, and the results demonstrate our domain-specific sense approach gains 0.053 F1 improvement on average over the WSD approach.
Design of Antibody-Functionalized Polymeric Membranes for the Immunoisolation of Pancreatic Islets
Authors: Cavallo Anna , Masullo Ugo , Quarta Alessandra , Sannino Alessandro , Barca Amilcare , Verri Tiziano , Madaghiele Marta , Blasi Laura
Published: September 2020

An immunoencapsulation strategy for pancreatic islets aimed to reduce the risk of rejection in transplanted patients due to the immune response of the host organism is proposed. In this sense, a polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel functionalized with an immunosuppressive antibody (Ab), such as Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen-4 Ig (CTLA4-Ig), would act as both passive and active barrier to the host immune response. To demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, a photopolymerizable-PEG was conjugated to the selected antibody and the PEG-Ab complex was used to coat the islets. Moreover, to preserve the antigen-recognition site of the antibody during the conjugation process, a controlled immobilization method was setup through the attachment of the His-tagged antigen to a solid support. In detail, a gold-coated silicon wafer functionalized with 11-Mercaptoundecanoic acid was used as a substrate for further modification, leading to a nickel(II)-terminated ligand surface. Then, the immobilized antigen was recognized by the corresponding antibody that was conjugated to the PEG. The antibody-PEG complex was detached from the support prior to be photopolymerized around the islets. First, this immobilization method has been demonstrated for the green fluorescent protein (GFP)–anti-green fluorescent protein (Anti-GFP) antigen-antibody pair, as proof of principle. Then, the approach was extended to the immunorelevant B7-1 CTLA-4-Ig antigen-antibody pair, followed by the binding of Acryl-PEG to the immobilized constant region of the antibody. In both cases, after using an elution protocol, only a partial recovery of the antibody-PEG complex was obtained. Nevertheless, the viability and the functional activity of the encapsulated islets, as determined by the glucose-stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) assay, showed the good compatibility of this approach.
Deep Learning Neural Network Prediction Method Improves Proteome Profiling of Vascular Sap of Grapevines during Pierce’s Disease Development
Authors: Helena Duarte Sagawa Cíntia , Zaini Paulo , de A. B. Assis Renata , Saxe Houston , Salemi Michelle , Jacobson Aaron , Wilmarth Phillip , Phinney Brett , M. Dandekar Abhaya
Published: September 2020

Plant secretome studies highlight the importance of vascular plant defense proteins against pathogens. Studies on Pierce’s disease of grapevines caused by the xylem-limited bacterium Xylella fastidiosa (Xf) have detected proteins and pathways associated with its pathobiology. Despite the biological importance of the secreted proteins in the extracellular space to plant survival and development, proteome studies are scarce due to methodological challenges. Prosit, a deep learning neural network prediction method is a powerful tool for improving proteome profiling by data-independent acquisition (DIA). We explored the potential of Prosit’s in silico spectral library predictions to improve DIA proteomic analysis of vascular leaf sap from grapevines with Pierce’s disease. The combination of DIA and Prosit-predicted libraries increased the total number of identified grapevine proteins from 145 to 360 and Xf proteins from 18 to 90 compared to gas-phase fractionation (GPF) libraries. The new proteins increased the range of molecular weights, assisted in the identification of more exclusive peptides per protein, and increased identification of low-abundance proteins. These improvements allowed identification of new functional pathways associated with cellular responses to oxidative stress, to be investigated further.
Tuning the Co Oxidation State in Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ by Flame Spray Synthesis Towards High Oxygen Evolution Reaction Activity
Authors: Aegerter Dino , Borlaf Mario , Fabbri Emiliana , Clark Adam H. , Nachtegaal Maarten , Graule Thomas , Schmidt Thomas J.
Published: September 2020

The perovskite-type oxide Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ (BSCF) is known as a highly active and stable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst composited out of non-noble metals. The possibility of using the scalable flame spray synthesis (FSS) technique for the production of BSCF nanoparticles intensified the interest in this material for a future application in an alkaline water electrolyzer. A possible scale-up would require the optimization of the synthesis parameters to maximize the production rate. To further understand the influence of the synthesis parameters of the tunable FSS on the OER activity of BSCF, a systematic study was carried out by producing BSCF with different total metal concentrations (CTM), flow rates of the precursor solution (FRPS) and of the dispersion gas (FRDG). This study reveals that all three parameters have a direct impact on the OER activity of BSCF—measured in a rotating disc electrode (RDE) setup—due to the controllability of the initial Co and Fe oxidation state—indicated by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements—and with that also of the oxygen vacancy concentration in the as-synthesized BSCF. This controllability enables the optimization of the OER activity of BSCF and emphasizes the importance of having Co in a lower initial oxidation state for reaching a high electrocatalytic performance.
Enabling Technologies and Sustainable Catalysis in Biodiesel Preparation
Authors: Bucciol Fabio , Colia Mariachiara , Calcio Gaudino Emanuela , Cravotto Giancarlo
Published: September 2020

Over the last decade, enabling technologies and sustainable catalysis have become appealing options for biodiesel preparation because of their impressive process intensification and energy savings. The present review will compare the most innovative protocols that have been developed and improved to use non-conventional energy sources and catalysts that are performed, in particular, using continuous-flow methods. Although this account cannot be comprehensive, it will, however, provide a good overview of the reaction-rate improvements and catalyst activation that is provided by microwaves, ultrasound, hydrodynamic cavitation, flow reactors and even hybrid techniques. Advantages and limitations are discussed together with industrial scalability.
Selective Trimerization of α-Olefins with Immobilized Chromium Catalyst for Lubricant Base Oils
Authors: Baek Jun Won , Hyun Young Bin , Lee Hyun Ju , Lee Jong Chul , Bae Sung Moon , Seo Yeong Hyun , Lee Dong Geun , Lee Bun Yeoul
Published: September 2020

The demand for poly(α-olefin)s (PAOs), which are high-performance group IV lubricant base oils, is increasingly high. PAOs are generally produced via the cationic oligomerization of 1-decene, wherein skeleton rearrangement inevitably occurs in the products. Hence, a transition-metal-based catalytic process that avoids rearrangement would be a valuable alternative for cationic oligomerization. In particular, transition-metal-catalyzed selective trimerization of α-olefins has the potential for success. In this study, (N,N′,N″-tridodecyltriazacyclohexane)CrCl3 complex was reacted with MAO-silica (MAO, methylaluminoxane) for the preparation of a supported catalyst, which exhibited superior performance in selective α-olefin trimerization compared to that of the corresponding homogeneous catalyst, enabling the preparation of α-olefin trimers at ~200 g scale. Following hydrogenation, the prepared 1-decene trimer (C30H62) exhibited better lubricant properties than those of commercial-grade PAO-4 (kinematic viscosity at 40 °C, 15.1 vs. 17.4 cSt; kinematic viscosity at 100 °C, 3.9 vs. 3.9 cSt; viscosity index, 161 vs. 123). Moreover, it was shown that 1-octene/1-dodecene mixed co-trimers (i.e., a mixture of C24H50, C28H58, C32H66, and C36H74), generated by the selective supported Cr catalyst, exhibited outstanding lubricant properties analogous to those observed for the 1-decene trimer (C30H62).
Effective Depolymerization of Sodium Lignosulfonate over SO42−/TiO2 Catalyst
Authors: Mei Chengguo , Hu Chengjuan , Hu Qixiang , Sun Chang , Li Liang , Liang Xiaoxuan , Dong Yuguo , Gu Xiaoli
Published: September 2020

In this paper, liquefaction of sodium lignosulfonate (SL) over SO42−/TiO2 catalyst in methanol/glycerol was investigated. Effects of temperature, time, the ratio of methanol to glycerol and catalyst dosage were also studied. It was indicated that optimal reaction condition (the temperature of 160 °C, the time of 1 h, solvent ratio (methanol/glycerol) of 2:1, catalyst dosage of 5 wt % (based on lignin input)) was obtained after sets of experiments. The maximum yields of liquefaction (89.8%) and bio-oil (86.8%) were gained under the optimal reaction conditions. Bio-oil was analyzed by elemental analysis, FT-IR and gas chromatogram and mass spectrometry (GC/MS). It was shown that the functional groups of bio-oil were enriched and calorific value of bio-oil was increased. Finally, it can be seen from GC/MS analysis that the type of products included alcohols, ethers, phenols, ketones, esters and acids. Phenolic compounds mainly consisted of G (guaiacyl)-type phenols.
A Preliminary Study on the Ability of the Trypsin-Like Peptidase Activity Assay Kit to Detect Periodontitis
Authors: Iwasaki Masanori , Usui Michihiko , Ariyoshi Wataru , Nakashima Keisuke , Nagai-Yoshioka Yoshie , Inoue Maki , Nishihara Tatsuji
Published: September 2020

This study aimed to explore whether the Trypsin-Like Peptidase Activity Assay Kit (TLP-AA-Kit), which measures the activity of N-benzoyl-dl-arginine peptidase (trypsin-like peptidase), can be used as a reliable tool for periodontitis detection in population-based surveillance. In total, 105 individuals underwent a full-mouth periodontal examination and provided tongue swabs as specimens for further analyses. The results of the TLP-AA-Kit were scored between 1 and 5; higher scores indicated higher trypsin concentrations. Receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to evaluate the predictive validity of the TLP-AA-Kit, where the periodontitis case definition provided by the Centers for Disease Control/American Academy of Periodontology served as the reference. Severe and moderate periodontitis were identified in 4.8% and 16.2% of the study population, respectively. The TLP-AA-Kit showed high diagnostic accuracy for severe periodontitis, with an area under the curve of 0.93 (95% confidence interval = 0.88–0.99). However, the diagnostic accuracy of the TLP-AA-Kit for moderate/severe periodontitis was not reliable. While further studies are necessary to validate our results, the results provided herein highlight the potential of the TLP-AA-Kit as a useful tool for the detection of periodontitis, particularly in severe cases, for population-based surveillance.
Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Management of Burning Mouth Syndrome: Morphological Variations in the Capillary Bed
Authors: Scardina Giuseppe Alessandro , Casella Sofia , Bilello Giuseppa , Messina Pietro
Published: September 2020

Burning mouth syndrome (BMS) is an idiopathic condition that manifests itself primarily with the onset of a burning sensation. The aim of this research was to perform photobiomodulation therapy (PBM) using a diode laser on the oral mucosa of BMS patients, followed by an objective evaluation of the morphological changes in the vascular bed underlying the mucosa using polarized light videocapillaroscopy. A group of 40 patients were included in the study. The patients were randomly divided into two groups (using simple randomization) as follows: 20 patients were assigned to the laser group and 20 patients were assigned to the placebo group. Each patient of the laser group received eight irradiations (with 4 Watt of power, wavelength 800 nm, energy 1200 Joules, irradiation time of 300 s, energy density 50 J/cm2, 60 mW continuous wave laser, and irradiance 180 mW/cm2), twice a week, blinded to the type of irradiation administered, for four consecutive weeks. The patients in the placebo group underwent the same sessions as the other patients, the only difference was the non-emission of the laser. An initial check of the vascular bed was performed with a polarized light videocapillaroscope. This was followed by treatment with a therapeutic diode laser and a subsequent check with a videocapillaroscope. We observed that in the group of patients who underwent laser therapy, there was a lasting improvement in symptoms. The capillary oral bed of patients in the placebo group did not show any statistically significant difference (p > 0.05). In the laser group we observed the following: in the buccal mucosa the diameter of the capillary had a reduction of 3 μm; in the upper lip mucosa, there was a reduction of 3 μm; in the lower lip mucosa, there was a reduction of 3 μm; and in the dorsal lingual surface, there was a reduction of 2 μm. An increase in capillary length was also obtained in all irradiated regions in the laser group patients (p < 0.05). PBM induces microcirculatory changes that are still present over a long period of time, such as an improvement in the clinical picture. The improvement in the symptoms has been correlated to the reduction of the capillary diameter. The placebo effect only led to a temporary improvement in symptoms that were unrelated to changes in the microcirculatory pattern.
MISO Broadcast Channel under Unequal Link Coherence Times and Channel State Information
Authors: Fadel Shady Mohamed , Nosratinia Aria
Published: September 2020

The broadcast channel may experience unequal link coherence times due to a number of factors including variation in node mobility or local scattering conditions. This means the block fading model for different links may have nonidentical block length, and the channel state information for the links may also not be identical. The faster the fading and the shorter the fading block length, the more often the link needs to be trained and estimated at the receiver, and the more likely that channel state information (CSI) is stale or unavailable at the transmitter. This paper investigates a MISO broadcast channel where some receivers experience longer coherence intervals and other receivers experience shorter coherence intervals and must estimate their receive-side CSI (CSIR) frequently. We consider a variety of transmit-side CSI (CSIT) conditions for the abovementioned model, including no CSIT, delayed CSIT, or hybrid CSIT. To investigate the degrees of freedom region, we employ interference alignment and beamforming along with a product superposition that allows simultaneous but noncontaminating transmission of pilots and data to different receivers. Outer bounds employ the extremal entropy inequality as well as a bounding of the performance of a discrete, memoryless, multiuser, multilevel broadcast channel. For several cases, inner and outer bounds are established that either partially meet, or the gap diminishes with increasing coherence times.
Ultra-Low-Voltage Inverter-Based Operational Transconductance Amplifiers with Voltage Gain Enhancement by Improved Composite Transistors
Authors: Rodovalho Luis Henrique , Aiello Orazio , Rodrigues Cesar Ramos
Published: September 2020

This paper proposes topological enhancements to increase voltage gain of ultra-low-voltage (ULV) inverter-based OTAs. The two proposed improvements rely on adoption of composite transistors and forward-body-biasing. The impact of the proposed techniques on performance figures is demonstrated through simulations of two OTAs. The first OTA achieves a 39 dB voltage gain, with a power consumption of 600 pW and an active area of 447 μm2. The latter allies the forward-body-bias approach with the benefit of the independently biased composite transistors. By combining both solutions, voltage gain is raised to 51 dB, consuming less power (500 pW) at the cost of an increased area of 727 μm2. The validation has been performed through post-layout simulations with the Cadence Analog Design Environment and the TSMC 180 nm design kit, with the supply voltage ranging from 0.3 V to 0.6 V.
Misbehavior-Aware On-Demand Collaborative Intrusion Detection System Using Distributed Ensemble Learning for VANET
Authors: A. Ghaleb Fuad , Saeed Faisal , Al-Sarem Mohammad , Ali Saleh Al-rimy Bander , Boulila Wadii , Eljialy A. E. M. , Aloufi Khalid , Alazab Mamoun
Published: September 2020

Vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) play an important role as enabling technology for future cooperative intelligent transportation systems (CITSs). Vehicles in VANETs share real-time information about their movement state, traffic situation, and road conditions. However, VANETs are susceptible to the cyberattacks that create life threatening situations and/or cause road congestion. Intrusion detection systems (IDSs) that rely on the cooperation between vehicles to detect intruders, were the most suggested security solutions for VANET. Unfortunately, existing cooperative IDSs (CIDSs) are vulnerable to the legitimate yet compromised collaborators that share misleading and manipulated information and disrupt the IDSs’ normal operation. As such, this paper proposes a misbehavior-aware on-demand collaborative intrusion detection system (MA-CIDS) based on the concept of distributed ensemble learning. That is, vehicles individually use the random forest algorithm to train local IDS classifiers and share their locally trained classifiers on-demand with the vehicles in their vicinity, which reduces the communication overhead. Once received, the performance of the classifiers is evaluated using the local testing dataset in the receiving vehicle. The evaluation values are used as a trustworthiness factor and used to rank the received classifiers. The classifiers that deviate much from the box-and-whisker plot lower boundary are excluded from the set of the collaborators. Then, each vehicle constructs an ensemble of weighted random forest-based classifiers that encompasses the locally and remotely trained classifiers. The outputs of the classifiers are aggregated using a robust weighted voting scheme. Extensive simulations were conducted utilizing the network security laboratory-knowledge discovery data mining (NSL-KDD) dataset to evaluate the performance of the proposed MA-CIDS model. The obtained results show that MA-CIDS performs better than the other existing models in terms of effectiveness and efficiency for VANET.