bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hyperspectral Reflectance of Light-Adapted Leaves Can Predict Both Dark- and Light-Adapted Chl Fluorescence Parameters, and the Effects of Chronic Ozone Exposure on Date Palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
Authors: Cotrozzi Lorenzo , Lorenzini Giacomo , Nali Cristina , Pellegrini Elisa , Saponaro Vincenzo , Hoshika Yasutomo , Arab Leila , Rennenberg Heinz , Paoletti Elena
Published: September 2020

High-throughput and large-scale measurements of chlorophyll a fluorescence (ChlF) are of great interest to investigate the photosynthetic performance of plants in the field. Here, we tested the capability to rapidly, precisely, and simultaneously estimate the number of pulse-amplitude-modulation ChlF parameters commonly calculated from both dark- and light-adapted leaves (an operation which usually takes tens of minutes) from the reflectance of hyperspectral data collected on light-adapted leaves of date palm seedlings chronically exposed in a FACE facility to three ozone (O3) concentrations (ambient air, AA; target 1.5 × AA O3, named as moderate O3, MO; target 2 × AA O3, named as elevated O3, EO) for 75 consecutive days. Leaf spectral measurements were paired with reference measurements of ChlF, and predictive spectral models were constructed using partial least squares regression. Most of the ChlF parameters were well predicted by spectroscopic models (average model goodness-of-fit for validation, R2: 0.53–0.82). Furthermore, comparing the full-range spectral profiles (i.e., 400–2400 nm), it was possible to distinguish with high accuracy (81% of success) plants exposed to the different O3 concentrations, especially those exposed to EO from those exposed to MO and AA. This was possible even in the absence of visible foliar injury and using a moderately O3-susceptible species like the date palm. The latter view is confirmed by the few variations of the ChlF parameters, that occurred only under EO. The results of the current study could be applied in several scientific fields, such as precision agriculture and plant phenotyping.
Investigating Developmental and Epileptic Encephalopathy Using Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Takai Akari , Yamaguchi Masamitsu , Yoshida Hideki , Chiyonobu Tomohiro
Published: September 2020

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies (DEEs) are the spectrum of severe epilepsies characterized by early-onset, refractory seizures occurring in the context of developmental regression or plateauing. Early infantile epileptic encephalopathy (EIEE) is one of the earliest forms of DEE, manifesting as frequent epileptic spasms and characteristic electroencephalogram findings in early infancy. In recent years, next-generation sequencing approaches have identified a number of monogenic determinants underlying DEE. In the case of EIEE, 85 genes have been registered in Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man as causative genes. Model organisms are indispensable tools for understanding the in vivo roles of the newly identified causative genes. In this review, we first present an overview of epilepsy and its genetic etiology, especially focusing on EIEE and then briefly summarize epilepsy research using animal and patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) models. The Drosophila model, which is characterized by easy gene manipulation, a short generation time, low cost and fewer ethical restrictions when designing experiments, is optimal for understanding the genetics of DEE. We therefore highlight studies with Drosophila models for EIEE and discuss the future development of their practical use.
Lift Charts-Based Binary Classification in Unsupervised Setting for Concept-Based Retrieval of Emotionally Annotated Images from Affective Multimedia Databases
Authors: Horvat Marko , Jović Alan , Ivošević Danko
Published: September 2020

Evaluation of document classification is straightforward if complete information on the documents’ true categories exists. In this case, the rank of each document can be accurately determined and evaluated. However, in an unsupervised setting, where the exact document category is not available, lift charts become an advantageous method for evaluation of the retrieval quality and categorization of ranked documents. We introduce lift charts as binary classifiers of ranked documents and explain how to apply them to the concept-based retrieval of emotionally annotated images as one of the possible retrieval methods for this application. Furthermore, we describe affective multimedia databases on a representative example of the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) dataset, their applications, advantages, and deficiencies, and explain how lift charts may be used as a helpful method for document retrieval in this domain. Optimization of lift charts for recall and precision is also described. A typical scenario of document retrieval is presented on a set of 800 affective pictures labeled with an unsupervised glossary. In the lift charts-based retrieval using the approximate matching method, the highest attained accuracy, precision, and recall were 51.06%, 47.41%, 95.89%, and 81.83%, 99.70%, 33.56%, when optimized for recall and precision, respectively.
Immigrant Tortricidae: Holarctic versus Introduced Species in North America
Authors: Gilligan Todd M. , Brown John W. , Baixeras Joaquín
Published: September 2020

In support of a comprehensive update to the checklist of the moths of North America, we attempt to determine the status of 151 species of Tortricidae present in North America that may be Holarctic, introduced, or sibling species of their European counterparts. Discovering the natural distributions of these taxa is often difficult, if not impossible, but several criteria can be applied to determine if a species that is present in both Europe and North America is natively Holarctic, introduced, or represented by different but closely related species on each continent. We use DNA barcodes (when available), morphology, host plants, and historical records (literature and museum specimens) to make these assessments and propose several taxonomic changes, as well as future areas of research. The following taxa are raised from synonymy to species status: Acleris ferrumixtana (Benander, 1934), stat. rev.; Acleris viburnana (Clemens, 1860), stat. rev.; Acleris pulverosana (Walker, 1863), stat. rev.; Acleris placidana (Robinson, 1869), stat. rev.; Lobesia spiraeae (McDunnough, 1938), stat. rev.; and Epiblema arctica Miller, 1985, stat. rev. Cydia saltitans (Westwood, 1858), stat. rev., is determined to be the valid name for the “jumping bean moth,” and Phiaris glaciana (Möschler, 1860), comb. n., is placed in a new genus. We determine that the number of Holarctic species has been overestimated by at least 20% in the past, and that the overall number of introduced species in North America is unexpectedly high, with Tortricidae accounting for approximately 23–30% of the total number of Lepidoptera species introduced to North America.
Social Risks of International Labour Migration in the Context of Global Challenges
Authors: Kuzior Aleksandra , Liakisheva Anna , Denysiuk Iryna , Oliinyk Halyna , Honchar Liudmyla
Published: September 2020

The results of the study of migration risks of labor migrants from Ukraine are presented in this article. The purpose of the study is to find out the differences in the perception of obstacles and risks that arise in the process of work abroad among experienced and potential labour migrants from Ukraine within the cognitive, behavioural, and emotional components of their intercultural competence. The study has been implemented from the standpoint of a set of analytical tools, including: the concept of the advantages of replacing the “risk/reliability” scheme with the “risk/hazard” scheme; views of risk and chance as interrelated variables that motivate people to try to explore the world and overcome obstacles; the concept of “triple individualization” in a risk society. It has been found that social risks are hidden in the imbalance of intercultural competence of experienced labor migrants and are not realized by potential labor migrants. It has been proven that the greatest social danger for labor migrants from Ukraine is the loss of components of competence and initiative. It has been established that the key points of the comparative analysis of social risks faced by labor migrants from Ukraine open up prospects for improving the methodology for studying social (and socio-cultural, in particular) risks.
Determination of Local Strain Distribution at the Level of the Constituents of Particle Reinforced Composite: An Experimental and Numerical Study
Authors: Ogierman Witold , Kokot Grzegorz
Published: September 2020

This paper is devoted to numerical and experimental investigation of the strain field at the level of the constituents of two-phase particle reinforced composite. The research aims to compare the strain distributions obtained experimentally with the results obtained by using a computational model based on the concept of the representative volume element. A digital image correlation method has been used for experimental determination of full-field strain. The numerical investigation was conducted by the finite element analysis of the representative volume element. Moreover, usage of the novel method of assessment of the speckle pattern applicability for the measurement of local fields by using the digital image correlation method has been proposed. In general, the obtained experimental and numerical results are in good agreement although some discrepancies between the results have been noticed and discussed.
Structure of Alloys for (Sm,Zr)(Co,Cu,Fe)Z Permanent Magnets: First Level of Heterogeneity
Authors: Dormidontov Andrey G. , Kolchugina Natalia B. , Dormidontov Nikolay A. , Milov Yury V.
Published: September 2020

An original vision for the structural formation of (Sm,Zr)(Co,Cu,Fe)Z alloys, the compositions of which show promise for manufacturing high-coercivity permanent magnets, is reported. Foundations arising from the quantitative analysis of alloy microstructures as the first, coarse, level of heterogeneity are considered. The structure of the alloys, in optical resolutions, is shown to be characterized by three structural phase components, which are denoted as A, B, and C and based on the 1:5, 2:17, and 2:7 phases, respectively. As the chemical composition of alloys changes monotonically, the quantitative relationships of the components A, B, and C vary over wide ranges. In this case, the hysteretic properties of the (Sm,Zr)(Co,Cu,Fe)Z alloys in the high-coercivity state are strictly controlled by the volume fractions of the A and B structural components. Based on quantitative relationships of the A, B, and C structural components for the (R,Zr)(Co,Cu,Fe)Z alloys with R = Gd or Sm, sketches of quasi-ternary sections of the (Co,Cu,Fe)-R-Zr phase diagrams at temperatures of 1160–1190 °C and isopleths for the 2:17–2:7 phase composition range of the (Co,Cu,Fe)–Sm–Zr system were constructed.
Powdered Ceramsite and Powdered Limestone Use in Aerobic Granular Sludge Technology
Authors: Czarnota Joanna , Tomaszek Janusz A. , Masłoń Adam , Piech Adam , Łagód Grzegorz
Published: September 2020

The effects of two powdered mineral materials (powdered ceramsite and powdered limestone) on aerobic granulation of sludge were evaluated. The experiment was conducted on a laboratory scale bioreactors treating wastewater for 89 days. Three granular sequencing batch reactors (GSBRs) were operated at the lowest optimal organic loading rate (OLR) of 2.55 g COD/(L∙d). In the control reactor (R1), the mean diameter (d) of the biomass ranged from 124.0 to 210.0 µm, and complete granulation was not achieved. However, complete granulation did occur in reactors to which either ceramsite (251.9 µm < d < 783.1 µm) or limestone (246.0 µm < d < 518.9 µm) was added. Both powdered materials served as a ballast for the sludge flocs making up the seed sludge. Ceramsite particles also acted as microcarriers of granule-forming biomass. The granules in the reactors with added powdered materials had nonfibrous and smoother surfaces. The reactor with ceramsite exhibited the highest average efficiencies for COD, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus removal (85.4 ± 5.4%, 56.6 ± 10.2%, and 56.8 ± 9.9%, respectively). By contrast, the average nitrification efficiency was 95.1 ± 12.8%.
Study on Physical Properties of Mortar for Section Restoration Using Calcium Nitrite and CO2 Nano-Bubble Water
Authors: Kim Ho-jin , Choi Hyeonggil , Choi Heesup , Lee Bokyeong , Lee Dongwoo , Lee Dong-Eun
Published: September 2020

This study investigated the physical properties of section-restoration mortar with calcium nitrite (Ca(NO2)2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) nanobubble mixing water to develop materials and methods for the repair and reinforcement of cracks in reinforced concrete (RC) structures. As the calcium nitrite content increased, the generation rate and generated amount of nitrite-based hydration products also increased, owing to the rapid reaction between NO2− ions in calcium nitrite and C3A(Al2O3). Further, the reaction with C3S and C2S was accelerated, thereby increasing the generation rates of Ca(OH)2 and C-S-H. The large amount of Ca2+ ions in these hydration products reacted with CO32− ions in CO2 nanobubble water, thereby increasing the generation of calcite-based CaCO3 in the cement matrix. This appears to have affected strength development and durability improvement via the densification of the structure. These results suggest that the performance of polymer cement mortar for repairing concrete structures can be improved if calcium nitrite and CO2 nanobubble water are properly combined and applied.
An Alternating Sum of Fibonacci and Lucas Numbers of Order k
Authors: Dafnis Spiros D. , Philippou Andreas N. , Livieris Ioannis E.
Published: September 2020

During the last decade, many researchers have focused on proving identities that reveal the relation between Fibonacci and Lucas numbers. Very recently, one of these identities has been generalized to the case of Fibonacci and Lucas numbers of order k. In the present work, we state and prove a new identity regarding an alternating sum of Fibonacci and Lucas numbers of order k. Our result generalizes recent works in this direction.
Cloud Model-Based Comprehensive Evaluation Method for Entrepreneurs’ Uncertainty Tolerance
Authors: Guo Pan , Li Xiaofeng , Jia Yanlin , Zhang Xu
Published: September 2020

The evaluation of entrepreneurs’ uncertainty tolerance (UT) is more meaningful, e.g., predicting their behaviors, making psychological counseling strategies for them, etc. In fact, it is an uncertain problem that simultaneously contains randomness and fuzziness in evaluating entrepreneurs’ UT. Hence, it is difficult to solve it by traditional evaluation methods. This paper presents a cloud model-based comprehensive evaluation method for entrepreneurs’ UT which overcomes the inability of other methods to take into account randomness and fuzziness simultaneously. First, five UT levels are divided. Then, an evaluation index system which contains 14 secondary level indexes and four primary level indexes is constructed, and an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method is used to obtain the weights for the secondary level indexes. Subsequently, the backward cloud generator (BCG) and virtual cloud model (CM) are used to obtain the CM of evaluation indexes, and cloud chart of evaluation results are generated by forward cloud generator (FCG). Finally, five core start-up founders of a high-tech company in China are chosen for a case study to illustrate our method. Compared with other traditional evaluation methods, our method has been verified to be a more competitive method. Its results are more visualized and low information lost.
Self-Orthogonal Codes Constructed from Posets and Their Applications in Quantum Communication
Authors: Wu Yansheng , Lee Yoonjin
Published: September 2020

It is an important issue to search for self-orthogonal codes for construction of quantum codes by CSS construction (Calderbank-Sho-Steane codes); in quantum error correction, CSS codes are a special type of stabilizer codes constructed from classical codes with some special properties, and the CSS construction of quantum codes is a well-known construction. First, we employ hierarchical posets with two levels for construction of binary linear codes. Second, we find some necessary and sufficient conditions for these linear codes constructed using posets to be self-orthogonal, and we use these self-orthogonal codes for obtaining binary quantum codes. Finally, we obtain four infinite families of binary quantum codes for which the minimum distances are three or four by CSS construction, which include binary quantum Hamming codes with length n≥7. We also find some (almost) “optimal” quantum codes according to the current database of Grassl. Furthermore, we explicitly determine the weight distributions of these linear codes constructed using posets, and we present two infinite families of some optimal binary linear codes with respect to the Griesmer bound and a class of binary Hamming codes.
Error Analysis of a Spherical Capacitive Sensor for the Micro-Clearance Detection in Spherical Joints
Authors: Wang Wen , Qiu Wenjun , Yang He , Lu Keqing , Chen Zhanfeng , Ju Bingfeng
Published: September 2020

Spherical joints have attracted increasing interest in the engineering applications of machine tools, industrial robots, medical equipment, and so on. As one of the promising methods of detecting the micro-clearance in spherical joints, the measurement accuracy of a spherical capacitive sensor could be affected by imperfectness during the manufacturing and installation of the sensor. This work presents error analysis of a spherical capacitive sensor with a differential structure and explores the dependence of the differential capacitance on manufacturing and the installation imperfectness. Five error sources are examined: the shape of the ball and the capacitive plate, the axial and radial offset of the plate, and the inclined installation of the plate. The mathematical models for calculating the capacitance errors of the spherical capacitive sensor are deduced and validated through a simulation using Ansoft Maxwell. The results show that the measurement accuracy of the spherical capacitive sensor is significantly affected by the shape of plates and ball, the axial offset, and the inclined angle of the plate. In contrast, the effect of the radial offset of the plate is quite small.
Effect of Lactic Acid Bacteria on the Lipid Profile of Bean-Based Plant Substitute of Fermented Milk
Authors: Ziarno Małgorzata , Bryś Joanna , Parzyszek Mateusz , Veber Anna
Published: September 2020

Biological processes of legumes may change their nutritional value of lipids, but there is no research on the fatty acid profile and their position distribution in fermented beverages obtained from germinated bean seeds. The present study aimed to determine the effect of fermentation by Lactobacillus strains on the fatty acid profile and their positional distribution in triacylglycerols of beverage obtained from germinated bean “Piękny Jaś Karłowy” (Phaseolus vulgaris) fermented by Lactobacillus strains. The population of lactobacilli (the pour plate method), pH, the fatty acid profile (gas chromatograph with a flame ionization detector), and the positional distribution of fatty acids in triacylglycerols (GC-FID) were determined before and after the fermentation of received beverages. The fermentation of beverages did not change the lactobacilli population (over 7 log10 CFU/g), but changed pH (to 4.7–3.7 or 5.8–5.6), fatty acid profile, and the positional distribution of fatty acids were observed. The fermentation process contributed to an increase in the share of palmitic, stearic, and oleic acids in the fatty acid profile compared to that in raw bean seeds. The fermentation processes changed the share of individual acids in positions sn–1 and sn–3 depending on Lactobacillus strain used. Compared to non-fermented beverages, in most fermented beverages, a lower share of palmitic and stearic acids, as well as a higher share of oleic acid in the sn–2 were observed.
High Figure of Merit Optical Buffering in Coupled-Slot Slab Photonic Crystal Waveguide with Ionic Liquid
Authors: Abood Israa , Elshahat Sayed , Ouyang Zhengbiao
Published: September 2020

Slow light with adequate low group velocity and wide bandwidth with a flat band of the zero-dispersion area were investigated. High buffering capabilities were obtained in a silicon-polymer coupled-slot slab photonic crystal waveguide (SP-CS-SPCW) with infiltrating slots by ionic liquid. A figure of merit (FoM) around 0.663 with the lowest physical bit length Lbit of 4.6748 µm for each stored bit in the optical communication waveband was gained by appropriately modifying the square air slot length. Posteriorly, by filling the slots with ionic liquid, the Lbit was enhanced to be 4.2817 μm with the highest FoM of 0.72402 in wider transmission bandwidth and ultra-high bit rate in terabit range, which may become useful for the future 6G mobile communication network. Ionic liquids have had a noticeable effect in altering the optical properties of photonic crystals. A polymer was used for the future incorporation of an electro-optic effect in buffers to realize the dynamic controlling of optical properties. Ionic liquids enhanced the transmission rate through optical materials. Additionally, the delay time in the ns-range was achieved, providing longer delay and ultra-low group velocity, which is important for light-matter interaction in light amplifiers and nonlinear devices.
Genetics of Lactose Intolerance: An Updated Review and Online Interactive World Maps of Phenotype and Genotype Frequencies
Authors: Anguita-Ruiz Augusto , Aguilera Concepción M. , Gil Ángel
Published: September 2020

In humans the ability to digest milk lactose is conferred by a β-galactosidase enzyme called lactase-phlorizin hydrolase (LPH). While in some humans (approximately two-thirds of humankind) the levels of this enzyme decline drastically after the weaning phase (a trait known as lactase non-persistence (LNP)), some other individuals are capable of maintaining high levels of LPH lifelong (lactase persistence (LP)), thus being able to digest milk during adulthood. Both lactase phenotypes in humans present a complex genetic basis and have been widely investigated during the last decades. The distribution of lactase phenotypes and their associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across human populations has also been extensively studied, though not recently reviewed. All available information has always been presented in the form of static world maps or large dimension tables, so that it would benefit from the newly available visualization tools, such as interactive world maps. Taking all this into consideration, the aims of the present review were: (1) to gather and summarize all available information on LNP and LP genetic mechanisms and evolutionary adaptation theories, and (2) to create online interactive world maps, including all LP phenotype and genotype frequency data reported to date. As a result, we have created two online interactive resources, which constitute an upgrade over previously published static world maps, and allow users a personalized data exploration, while at the same time accessing complete reports by population or ethnicity.
Overstated Claims of Efficacy and Safety. Comment On: “Optimal Nutritional Status for a Well-Functioning Immune System Is an Important Factor to Protect Against Viral Infections”. Nutrients 2020, 12, 1181
Authors: Vorland Colby J. , Bohan Brown Michelle M. , Kyle Theodore K. , Brown Andrew W.
Published: September 2020

Calder et al [...]
Breastfeeding and Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome among Perimenopausal Women
Authors: Suliga Edyta , Ciesla Elzbieta , Gluszek-Osuch Martyna , Lysek-Gladysinska Malgorzata , Wawrzycka Iwona , Gluszek Stanislaw
Published: September 2020

Little is known about the long-term benefits of breastfeeding for mother’s metabolic health. This study aimed to investigate the links between breastfeeding duration and the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components in perimenopausal women. The analysis included a group of 7621 women aged 55.4 ± 5.4 years. MetS and its components were defined according to the International Diabetes Federation guidelines. Women who breastfed for 13–18 months and beyond 18 months were at lower risk of MetS (odds ratio OR) = 0.76, 95% CI 0.60–0.95; p = 0.017 and OR = 0.79, 95% CI 0.64–0.98; p = 0.030, respectively) than those who never breastfed. Meanwhile, women who breastfed for 7–12 months showed increased glucose concentration (OR = 0.77, 95% CI 0.63–0.94; p = 0.012) compared with those who had never breastfed. The additional analysis involving parity showed that women who had given birth to two babies and breastfed them had lower odds of MetS than those who never breastfed (p < 0.05), although there was no significant difference among women who breastfed for >18 months. Women who had given birth to at least three children and breastfed for 1–6 and 13–18 months had lower odds of MetS and increased triglyceride concentration (p < 0.05). Moreover, participants having breastfed for 1–6 months were found to have a reduced risk of abdominal obesity compared with those who had not breastfed (p < 0.05). Breastfeeding is associated with lower prevalence of MetS in perimenopausal women and can be recommended as a way of reducing the risk of MetS and its components.
Diet and Nutrients in Gastrointestinal Chronic Diseases
Authors: Corsello Antonio , Pugliese Daniela , Gasbarrini Antonio , Armuzzi Alessandro
Published: September 2020

Diet and nutrition are known to play key roles in many chronic gastrointestinal diseases, regarding both pathogenesis and therapeutic possibilities. A strong correlation between symptomatology, disease activity and eating habits has been observed in many common diseases, both organic and functional, such as inflammatory bowel disease and irritable bowel syndrome. New different dietary approaches have been evaluated in order improve patients’ symptoms, modulating the type of sugars ingested, the daily amount of fats or the kind of metabolites produced in gut. Even if many clinical studies have been conducted to fully understand the impact of nutrition on the progression of disease, more studies are needed to test the most promising approaches for different diseases, in order to define useful guidelines for patients.
Carnosine Impedes PDGF-Stimulated Proliferation and Migration of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells In Vitro and Sprout Outgrowth Ex Vivo
Authors: Hwang Byungdoo , Song Jun-Hui , Park Sung Lyea , Kim Jee Taek , Kim Wun-Jae , Moon Sung-Kwon
Published: September 2020

Carnosine, a naturally producing dipeptide, exhibits various beneficial effects. However, the possible role of carnosine in vascular disorders associated with pathological conditions, including proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), largely remains unrevealed. Here, we investigated the regulatory role and mechanism of carnosine in platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-induced VSMCs. Carnosine inhibited the proliferation of PDGF-induced VSMCs without any cytotoxic effects. Carnosine treatment also induced G1-phase cell cycle arrest by causing a p21WAF1-mediated reduction in the expression of both cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins in PDGF-treated VSMCs. Carnosine treatment suppressed c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) phosphorylation in PDGF-stimulated signaling. Additionally, carnosine significantly prevented the migration of VSMCs exposed to PDGF. Carnosine abolished matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 activity via reduced transcriptional binding activity of NF-κB, Sp-1, and AP-1 motifs in PDGF-treated VSMCs. Moreover, using aortic assay ex vivo, it was observed that carnosine addition attenuated PDGF-stimulated sprout outgrowth of VSMCs. Taken together, these results demonstrated that carnosine impeded the proliferation and migration of PDGF-stimulated VSMCs by regulating cell cycle machinery, JNK signaling, and transcription factor-mediated MMP-9 activity as well as prevented ex vivo sprout outgrowth of blood vessels. Thus, carnosine may be a potential candidate for preventing vascular proliferative disease.
Retentive Characteristics of a Polyetheretherketone Post-Core Restoration with Polyvinylsiloxane Attachments
Authors: Li Ping , Hasselbeck Dorina , Unkovskiy Alexey , Sharghi Feraydoon , Spintzyk Sebastian
Published: September 2020

A new application of a polyetheretherketone (PEEK) post-core restoration combined with polyvinylsiloxane (PVS) attachments was proposed and substantiated. This study aimed to evaluate retentive characteristics of the PEEK post-core restoration with PVS attachment systems. Specimens with PVS attachments were fabricated to evaluate retention force during 10,000 cyclic dislodgements. Additionally, the retention forces of PVS attachments with three different values of Shore hardness were further measured before and after aging treatments. The results of cyclic dislodgement test indicated a strong negative linear relationship between the cyclic times and retention force (p < 0.0001, r = −0.957). Furthermore, the retention forces of the PVS were significantly improved with Shore hardness increased, which was also affected by the aging treatment (F (2, 138) = 10.95, p < 0.0001). Therefore, the PEEK post-core restoration with PVS attachments exhibited the favorable retention force, which could be a promising alternative for dental prostheses.
Development and Application of a New Flame-Retardant Adhesive
Authors: Xiong Xianqing , Niu Yiting , Zhou Zhuorong , Ren Jie
Published: September 2020

A new design adhesive mixed with flame retardant was developed by an optimized and modified dedicated flame retardant and selected at a suitable proportion between the adhesive and flame retardant as well as the coating amount of the adhesive. The new design adhesive was applied to ecological board production, and the flame-retardant properties of products were examined. The dipping and peeling properties, surface bonding strength, and formaldehyde emission reached the national standard GB/T 34722-2017, the flame retardancy meets the requirements of GB/T 8626-2017, GB/T 20284-2006, GB/T20285-2006, and it also reaches the B1-C level (the nonflammable level in the flame retardant level). This study not only has theoretical guidance but also has strong practical value to provide a basis and data support for the research and development of flame-retardant ecological boards.
UV-Blocking, Transparent, and Antioxidant Polycyanoacrylate Films
Authors: Quilez-Molina Ana Isabel , Marini Lara , Athanassiou Athanassia , Bayer Ilker S.
Published: September 2020

Applications of cyanoacrylate monomers are generally limited to adhesives/glues (instant or superglues) and forensic sciences. They tend to polymerize rapidly into rigid structures when exposed to trace amounts of moisture. Transforming cyanoacrylate monomers into transparent polymeric films or coatings can open up several new applications, as they are biocompatible, biodegradable and have surgical uses. Like other acrylics, cyanoacrylate polymers are glassy and rigid. To circumvent this, we prepared transparent cyanoacrylate films by solvent casting from a readily biodegrade solvent, cyclopentanone. To improve the ductility of the films, poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) biopolymer was used as an additive (maximum 5 wt.%) while maintaining transparency. Additionally, ductile films were functionalized with caffeic acid (maximum 2 wt.%), with no loss of transparency while establishing highly effective double functionality, i.e., antioxidant effect and effective UV-absorbing capability. Less than 25 mg antioxidant caffeic acid release per gram film was achieved within a 24-h period, conforming to food safety regulations. Within 2 h, films achieved 100% radical inhibition levels. Films displayed zero UVC (100–280 nm) and UVB (280–315 nm), and ~15% UVA (315–400 nm) radiation transmittance comparable to advanced sunscreen materials containing ZnO nanoparticles or quantum dots. Transparent films also exhibited promising water vapor and oxygen barrier properties, outperforming low-density polyethylene (LPDE) films. Several potential applications can be envisioned such as films for fatty food preservation, biofilms for sun screening, and biomedical films for free-radical inhibition.
Effect of Stereolithography 3D Printing on the Properties of PEGDMA Hydrogels
Authors: Burke Gavin , Devine Declan M. , Major Ian
Published: September 2020

Stereolithography (SLA)-based 3D printing has proven to have several advantages over traditional fabrication techniques as it allows for the control of hydrogel synthesis at a very high resolution, making possible the creation of tissue-engineered devices with microarchitecture similar to the tissues they are replacing. Much of the previous work in hydrogels for tissue engineering applications have utilised the ultraviolet (UV) chamber bulk photopolymerisation method for preparing test specimens. Therefore, it is essential to directly compare SLA 3D printing to this more traditional approach to elucidate the differences in hydrogels prepared by each fabrication method. Polyethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (PEGDMA) is an ideally suited material for a comparative study of the impact that SLA fabrication has on performance, as the properties of traditional UV chamber-cured hydrogels have been extensively characterised. The present study was conducted to compare the material properties of PEGDMA hydrogels prepared using UV chamber photopolymerisation and SLA 3D printing. From the subsequent testing, SLA-fabricated hydrogels were shown to maintain similar thermal and chemical performance to UV chamber-cured hydrogels but had a higher compressive strength and tensile stiffness, as well as increased hydrophilicity. These differences are attributed to the increased exposure to UV light SLA samples received compared to traditionally UV chamber-cured samples.
Demonstration of Software Defined Network Services Utilizing Quantum Key Distribution Fully Integrated with Standard Telecommunication Network
Authors: Lopez Diego R. , Martin Vicente , Lopez Victor , de la Iglesia Fernando , Pastor Antonio , Brunner Hans , Aguado Alejandro , Bettelli Stefano , Fung Fred , Hillerkuss David , Comandar Lucian , Wang Dawei , Poppe Andreas , Brito Juan P. , Salas Pedro J. , Peev Momtchil
Published: September 2020

We present a demonstration of software defined networking (SDN) services utilizing quantum key distribution (QKD) technology, fully integrated with standard telecommunication network connecting production facilities of Telefonica in Madrid. All communications “co-propagate” over the same fiber infrastructure.
Radiometric Calibration for Incidence Angle, Range and Sub-Footprint Effects on Hyperspectral LiDAR Backscatter Intensity
Authors: Zhang Changsai , Gao Shuai , Li Wang , Bi Kaiyi , Huang Ni , Niu Zheng , Sun Gang
Published: September 2020

Terrestrial hyperspectral LiDAR (HSL) sensors could provide not only spatial information of the measured targets but also the backscattered spectral intensity signal of the laser pulse. The raw intensity collected by HSL is influenced by several factors, among which the range, incidence angle and sub-footprint play a significant role. Further studies on the influence of the range, incidence angle and sub-footprint are needed to improve the accuracy of backscatter intensity data as it is important for vegetation structural and biochemical information estimation. In this paper, we investigated the effects on the laser backscatter intensity and developed a practical correction method for HSL data. We established a laser ratio calibration method and a reference target-based method for HSL and investigated the calibration procedures for the mixed measurements of the effects of the incident angle, range and sub-footprint. Results showed that the laser ratio at the red-edge and near-infrared laser wavelengths has higher accuracy and simplicity in eliminating range, incident angle and sub-footprint effects and can significantly improve the backscatter intensity discrepancy caused by these effects.
Neural Network Based Quality Control of CYGNSS Wind Retrieval
Authors: Balasubramaniam Rajeswari , Ruf Christopher
Published: September 2020

Global Navigation Satellite System – Reflectometry (GNSS-R) is a relatively new field in remote sensing that uses reflected GPS signals from the Earth’s surface to study the state of the surface geophysical parameters under observation. The CYGNSS is a first of its kind GNSS-R constellation mission launched in December 2016. It aims at providing high quality global scale GNSS-R measurements that can reliably be used for ocean science applications such as the study of ocean wind speed dynamics, tropical cyclone genesis, coupled ocean wave modelling, and assimilation into Numerical Weather Prediction models. To achieve this goal, strong quality control filters are needed to detect and remove outlier measurements. Currently, quality control of CYGNSS data products are based on fixed thresholds on various engineering, instrument, and measurement conditions. In this work we develop a Neural Network based quality control filter for automated outlier detection of CYGNSS retrieved winds. The primary merit of the proposed ML filter is its ability to better account for interactions between the individual engineering, instrument and measurement conditions than can separate thresholded flags for each one. Use of Machine Learning capabilities to capture inherent patterns in the data can create an efficient and effective mechanism to detect and remove outlier measurements. The resulting filter has a probability of outlier detection (PD) >75% and False Alarm Rate (FAR) < 20% for a wind speed range of 5 to 18 m/s. At least 75% of the outliers with wind speed errors of at least 5 m/s are removed while ~100% of the outliers with wind speed errors of at least 10 m/s are removed. This filter significantly improves data quality. The standard deviation of wind speed retrieval error is reduced from 2.6 m/s without the filter to 1.7 m/s with it over a wind speed range of 0 to 25 m/s. The design space for this filter is also analyzed in this work to characterize trade-offs between PD and FAR. Currently the filter performance is applicable only up to moderate wind speeds, as sufficient data is available only in this range to train the filter, as a way forward, more data over time can help expand the usability of this filter to higher wind speed ranges as well.
Correction: Palombo, A. and Santini, F. ImaAtCor: A Physically Based Tool for Combined Atmospheric and Topographic Corrections of Remote Sensing Images. Remote Sensing 2020, 12, 2076
Authors: Palombo Angelo , Santini Federico
Published: September 2020

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
An Improved Design and Implementation of a Range-Controlled Communication System for Mobile Phones
Authors: Gong Mingyang , Zhang Haichun , Liu Zhenglin
Published: September 2020

The Short-range-controlled communication system (RCC) based on a subscriber identity module (SIM) card is a replacement for the standard near-field communication (NFC) system to support near-field payment applications. The RCC uses both the low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency (HF) wireless communication system. The RCC communication distance is controlled under 10 cm. However, current RCCs suffer from compatibility issues, and the LF communication distance is lower than 0.5 cm in some phones with completely metallic shells. In this paper, we propose an improved LF communication system design, including an LF transmitter circuit, LF receiver chip, and LF-HF communication protocol. The LF receiver chip has a rail-to-rail amplifier and a self-correcting clock recovery differential Manchester decoder, which do not have the limitations of accurate gain and high system clock. The LF receiver chip is fabricated in a 0.18 μm CMOS technology platform, with a die size of 1.05 mm × 0.9 mm and current consumption of 41 μA. The experiments show that the improved RCC has better compatibility, and the communication distance reaches to 4.2 cm in phones with completely metallic shells.
Assessing the Validity and Reliability of A Low-Cost Microcontroller-Based Load Cell Amplifier for Measuring Lower Limb and Upper Limb Muscular Force
Authors: Gaudet Julie , Handrigan Grant
Published: September 2020

Lower and upper limb maximum muscular force development is an important indicator of physical capacity. Manual muscle testing, load cell coupled with a signal conditioner, and handheld dynamometry are three widely used techniques for measuring isometric muscle strength. Recently, there is a proliferation of low-cost tools that have potential to be used to measure muscle strength. This study examined both the criterion validity, inter-day reliability and intra-day reliability of a microcontroller-based load cell amplifier for quantifying muscle strength. To do so, a low-cost microcontroller-based load cell amplifier for measuring lower and upper limb maximal voluntary isometric muscular force was compared to a commercial grade signal conditioner and to a handheld dynamometer. The results showed that the microcontroller-based load cell amplifier correlated nearly perfectly (Pearson's R-values between 0.947 to 0.992) with the commercial signal conditioner and the handheld dynamometer, and showed good to excellent association when calculating ICC scores, with values of 0.9582 [95% C.I.: 0.9297–0.9752] for inter-day reliability and of 0.9269 [95% C.I.: 0.8909–0.9533] for session one, intra-day reliability. Such results may have implications for how the evaluation of muscle strength measurement is conducted in the future, particularly for offering a commercial-like grade quality, low cost, portable and flexible option.
Application of Machine Learning for the in-Field Correction of a PM2.5 Low-Cost Sensor Network
Authors: Wang Wen-Cheng Vincent , Lung Shih-Chun Candice , Liu Chun-Hu
Published: September 2020

Many low-cost sensors (LCSs) are distributed for air monitoring without any rigorous calibrations. This work applies machine learning with PM2.5 from Taiwan monitoring stations to conduct in-field corrections on a network of 39 PM2.5 LCSs from July 2017 to December 2018. Three candidate models were evaluated: Multiple linear regression (MLR), support vector regression (SVR), and random forest regression (RFR). The model-corrected PM2.5 levels were compared with those of GRIMM-calibrated PM2.5. RFR was superior to MLR and SVR in its correction accuracy and computing efficiency. Compared to SVR, the root mean square errors (RMSEs) of RFR were 35% and 85% lower for the training and validation sets, respectively, and the computational speed was 35 times faster. An RFR with 300 decision trees was chosen as the optimal setting considering both the correction performance and the modeling time. An RFR with a nighttime pattern was established as the optimal correction model, and the RMSEs were 5.9 ± 2.0 μg/m3, reduced from 18.4 ± 6.5 μg/m3 before correction. This is the first work to correct LCSs at locations without monitoring stations, validated using laboratory-calibrated data. Similar models could be established in other countries to greatly enhance the usefulness of their PM2.5 sensor networks.
Benefits of Home-Based Solutions for Diagnosis and Treatment of Acute Coronary Syndromes on Health Care Costs: A Systematic Review
Authors: Redón Pau , Shahzad Atif , Iqbal Talha , Wijns William
Published: September 2020

Diagnosing and treating acute coronary syndromes consumes a significant fraction of the healthcare budget worldwide. The pressure on resources is expected to increase with the continuing rise of cardiovascular disease, other chronic diseases and extended life expectancy, while expenditure is constrained. The objective of this review is to assess if home-based solutions for measuring chemical cardiac biomarkers can mitigate or reduce the continued rise in the costs of ACS treatment. A systematic review was performed considering published literature in several relevant public databases (i.e., PUBMED, Cochrane, Embase and Scopus) focusing on current biomarker practices in high-risk patients, their cost-effectiveness and the clinical evidence and feasibility of implementation. Out of 26,000 references screened, 86 met the inclusion criteria after independent full-text review. Current clinical evidence highlights that home-based solutions implemented in primary and secondary prevention reduce health care costs by earlier diagnosis, improved patient outcomes and quality of life, as well as by avoidance of unnecessary use of resources. Economical evidence suggests their potential to reduce health care costs if the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio or the willingness-to-pay does not surpass £20,000/QALY or €50,000 limit per 20,000 patients, respectively. The cost-effectiveness of these solutions increases when applied to high-risk patients.
A Deep-Learning Method for Radar Micro-Doppler Spectrogram Restoration
Authors: He Yuan , Li Xinyu , Li Runlong , Wang Jianping , Jing Xiaojun
Published: September 2020

Radio frequency interference, which makes it difficult to produce high-quality radar spectrograms, is a major issue for micro-Doppler-based human activity recognition (HAR). In this paper, we propose a deep-learning-based method to detect and cut out the interference in spectrograms. Then, we restore the spectrograms in the cut-out region. First, a fully convolutional neural network (FCN) is employed to detect and remove the interference. Then, a coarse-to-fine generative adversarial network (GAN) is proposed to restore the part of the spectrogram that is affected by the interferences. The simulated motion capture (MOCAP) spectrograms and the measured radar spectrograms with interference are used to verify the proposed method. Experimental results from both qualitative and quantitative perspectives show that the proposed method can mitigate the interference and restore high-quality radar spectrograms. Furthermore, the comparison experiments also demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed approach.
Cryptographic Keys Generating and Renewing System for IoT Network Nodes—A Concept
Authors: Furtak Janusz
Published: September 2020

Designers and users of the Internet of Things (IoT) are devoting more and more attention to the issues of security and privacy as well as the integration of data coming from various areas. A critical element of cooperation is building mutual trust and secure data exchange. Because IoT devices usually have small memory resources, limited computing power, and limited energy resources, it is often impossible to effectively use a well-known solution based on the Certification Authority. This article describes the concept of the system for a cryptographic Key Generating and Renewing system (KGR). The concept of the solution is based on the use of the hardware Trusted Platform Module (TPM) v2.0 to support the procedures of creating trust structures, generating keys, protecting stored data, and securing data exchange between system nodes. The main tasks of the system are the secure distribution of a new symmetric key and renewal of an expired key for data exchange parties. The KGR system is especially designed for clusters of the IoT nodes but can also be used by other systems. A service based on the Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) protocol will be used to exchange data between nodes of the KGR system.