bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Deep Reinforcement Learning Controller for 3D Path Following and Collision Avoidance by Autonomous Underwater Vehicles
Authors: Havenstrøm Simen Theie , Rasheed Adil , San Omer
Published: January 2021

Control theory provides engineers with a multitude of tools to design controllers that manipulate the closed-loop behavior and stability of dynamical systems. These methods rely heavily on insights into the mathematical model governing the physical system. However, in complex systems, such as autonomous underwater vehicles performing the dual objective of path following and collision avoidance, decision making becomes nontrivial. We propose a solution using state-of-the-art Deep Reinforcement Learning (DRL) techniques to develop autonomous agents capable of achieving this hybrid objective without having a priori knowledge about the goal or the environment. Our results demonstrate the viability of DRL in path following and avoiding collisions towards achieving human-level decision making in autonomous vehicle systems within extreme obstacle configurations.
Drug Repurposing: A Quick and Easy Way of Finding New Medicines
Authors: Mourenza Álvaro , Bravo-Santano Natalia , Gil José A. , Mateos Luís M. , Letek Michal
Published: January 2021

Every year, we face infectious outbreaks produced by harmful microorganisms commonly called superbugs. Often, there is not enough time to find new treatments to cure infected patients. On average, it takes a decade to develop a promising new drug to the point where it can be used on patients! Also, many of the compounds that we identify in the laboratory as promising anti-infectives are not useful for treating patients, mainly because they have unexpected, unsafe side effects. However, researchers have already found thousands of drugs that can safely be used to treat specific diseases. These compounds are approved to be used on patients for particular illnesses, but many of them have not been tested to treat any other diseases. Some of these drugs could be repurposed to treat infections caused by new superbugs. In this article, we summarize some exciting strategies used to find new anti-infectives by drug repurposing.
The Impact of Turbulence on the Ionosphere and Magnetosphere
Authors: Guio Patrick , Pécseli Hans L.
Published: January 2021

An important property associated with turbulence in plasmas and fluids is anomalous transport. Plasma, being a good conductor, can in addition be affected by turbulence causing an anomalous resistivity that can significantly exceed its classical counterpart. While turbulent transport may be adequately described in configuration space, some aspects of the anomalous resistivity are best accounted for in phase space. Kinetic phenomena like electron and ion phase space vortices can thus act as obstacles for the free flow of slow charged particles. Plasma instabilities and large amplitude plasma waves are candidates for contributions to the anomalous resistivity by generating such structures. Langmuir waves can be relevant, but also others, such as upper- as well as lower-hybrid waves in magnetized plasmas. Often these anomalous resistivity effects can be small, but due to the large spatial and temporal scales involved in space plasmas, planetary ionosphere and magnetosphere in particular, even such moderate effects can be important. This mini-review is discussing elements of the description of plasma turbulence with particular attention to wave phenomena that contribute to anomalous resistivity and diffusion. Turbulence effects can have relevance for space weather phenomena as well, where ground based and airborne activities relying on for instance Global Positioning and Global Navigation Satellite Systems are influenced by plasma conditions in geospace.
Anatomy and Neural Pathways Modulating Distinct Locomotor Behaviors in Drosophila Larva
Authors: Gowda Swetha B. M. , Salim Safa , Mohammad Farhan
Published: January 2021

The control of movements is a fundamental feature shared by all animals. At the most basic level, simple movements are generated by coordinated neural activity and muscle contraction patterns that are controlled by the central nervous system. How behavioral responses to various sensory inputs are processed and integrated by the downstream neural network to produce flexible and adaptive behaviors remains an intense area of investigation in many laboratories. Due to recent advances in experimental techniques, many fundamental neural pathways underlying animal movements have now been elucidated. For example, while the role of motor neurons in locomotion has been studied in great detail, the roles of interneurons in animal movements in both basic and noxious environments have only recently been realized. However, the genetic and transmitter identities of many of these interneurons remains unclear. In this review, we provide an overview of the underlying circuitry and neural pathways required by Drosophila larvae to produce successful movements. By improving our understanding of locomotor circuitry in model systems such as Drosophila, we will have a better understanding of how neural circuits in organisms with different bodies and brains lead to distinct locomotion types at the organism level. The understanding of genetic and physiological components of these movements types also provides directions to understand movements in higher organisms.
Lysosome Function and Dysfunction in Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias
Authors: Edmison Daisy , Wang Luyu , Gowrishankar Swetha
Published: January 2021

Hereditary Spastic Paraplegias (HSPs) are a genetically diverse group of inherited neurological diseases with over 80 associated gene loci. Over the last decade, research into mechanisms underlying HSPs has led to an emerging interest in lysosome dysfunction. In this review, we highlight the different classes of HSPs that have been linked to lysosome defects: (1) a subset of complex HSPs where mutations in lysosomal genes are causally linked to the diseases, (2) other complex HSPs where mutation in genes encoding membrane trafficking adaptors lead to lysosomal defects, and (3) a subset of HSPs where mutations affect genes encoding proteins whose function is primarily linked to a different cellular component or organelle such as microtubule severing and Endoplasmic Reticulum-shaping, while also altering to lysosomes. Interestingly, aberrant axonal lysosomes, associated with the latter two subsets of HSPs, are a key feature observed in other neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. We discuss how altered lysosome function and trafficking may be a critical contributor to HSP pathology and highlight the need for examining these features in the cortico-spinal motor neurons of HSP mutant models.
Advancements in Neuroimaging to Unravel Biological and Molecular Features of Brain Tumors
Authors: Sanvito Francesco , Castellano Antonella , Falini Andrea
Published: January 2021

In recent years, the clinical assessment of primary brain tumors has been increasingly dependent on advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) techniques in order to infer tumor pathophysiological characteristics, such as hemodynamics, metabolism, and microstructure. Quantitative radiomic data extracted from advanced MRI have risen as potential in vivo noninvasive biomarkers for predicting tumor grades and molecular subtypes, opening the era of “molecular imaging” and radiogenomics. This review presents the most relevant advancements in quantitative neuroimaging of advanced MRI techniques, by means of radiomics analysis, applied to primary brain tumors, including lower-grade glioma and glioblastoma, with a special focus on peculiar oncologic entities of current interest. Novel findings from diffusion MRI (dMRI), perfusion-weighted imaging (PWI), and MR spectroscopy (MRS) are hereby sifted in order to evaluate the role of quantitative imaging in neuro-oncology as a tool for predicting molecular profiles, stratifying prognosis, and characterizing tumor tissue microenvironments. Furthermore, innovative technological approaches are briefly addressed, including artificial intelligence contributions and ultra-high-field imaging new techniques. Lastly, after providing an overview of the advancements, we illustrate current clinical applications and future perspectives.
Exchange Speed of Four-Component Nanorotors Correlates with Hammett Substituent Constants
Authors: Li Yi-Fan , Ghosh Amit , Biswas Pronay Kumar , Saha Suchismita , Schmittel Michael
Published: January 2021

Three distinct four-component supramolecular nanorotors were prepared, using, for the first time, bipyridine instead of phenanthroline stations in the stator. Following our established self-sorting protocol to multicomponent nanodevices, the nanorotors were self-assembled by mixing the stator, rotators with various pyridine head groups, copper(I) ions and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO). Whereas the exchange of a phenanthroline vs. a bipyridine station did not entail significant changes in the rotational exchange frequency, the para-substituents at the pyridine head group of the rotator had drastic consequences on the speed: 4-OMe (k298 = 35 kHz), 4-H (k298 = 77 kHz) and 4-NO2 (k298 = 843 kHz). The exchange frequency (log k) showed an excellent linear correlation with both the Hammett substituent constants and log K of the copper(I)–ligand interaction, proving that rotator–copper(I) bond cleavage is the key determining factor in the rate-determining step.
Mealtime Environment and Control of Food Intake in Healthy Children and in Children with Gastrointestinal Diseases
Authors: Sdravou Katerina , Emmanouilidou-Fotoulaki Elpida , Printza Athanasia , Andreoulakis Elias , Evangeliou Athanasios , Fotoulaki Maria
Published: January 2021

Parental feeding practices and mealtime routine significantly influence a child’s eating behavior. The aim of this study was to investigate the mealtime environment in healthy children and children with gastrointestinal diseases. We conducted a cross-sectional case–control study among 787 healthy, typically developing children and 141 children with gastrointestinal diseases, aged two to seven years. Parents were asked to provide data on demographics and describe their mealtime environment by answering to 24 closed-ended questions. It was found that the majority of the children had the same number of meals every day and at the same hour. Parents of both groups exerted considerable control on the child’s food intake by deciding both when and what their child eats. Almost one third of the parents also decided how much their child eats. The two groups differed significantly in nine of the 24 questions. The study showed that both groups provided structured and consistent mealtime environments. However, a significant proportion of children did not control how much they eat which might impede their ability to self-regulate eating. The presence of a gastrointestinal disease was found to be associated with reduced child autonomy, hampered hunger cues and frequent use of distractions during meals.
A Novel Association between YKL-40, a Marker of Structural Lung Disease, and Short Telomere Length in 10-Year-Old Children with Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia
Authors: Henckel Ewa , James Anna , Konradsen Jon R , Nordlund Björn , Kjellberg Malin , Berggren-Broström Eva , Hedlin Gunilla , Degerman Sofie , Bohlin Kajsa
Published: January 2021

Extremely preterm infants are born with immature lungs and are exposed to an inflammatory environment as a result of oxidative stress. This may lead to airway remodeling, cellular aging and the development of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). Reliable markers that predict the long-term consequences of BPD in infancy are still lacking. We analyzed two biomarkers of cellular aging and lung function, telomere length and YKL-40, respectively, at 10 years of age in children born preterm with a history of BPD (n = 29). For comparison, these markers were also evaluated in sex-and-age-matched children born at term with childhood asthma (n = 28). Relative telomere length (RTL) was measured in whole blood with qPCR and serum YKL-40 with ELISA, and both were studied in relation to gas exchange and the regional ventilation/perfusion ratio using three-dimensional V/Q-scintigraphy (single photon emission computer tomography, SPECT) in children with BPD. Higher levels of YKL-40 were associated with shorter leukocyte RTL (Pearson’s correlation: −0.55, p = 0.002), but were not associated with a lower degree of matching between ventilation and perfusion within the lung. Serum YKL-40 levels were significantly higher in children with BPD compared to children with asthma (17.7 vs. 13.2 ng/mL, p < 0.01). High levels of YKL-40 and short RTLs were associated to the need for ventilatory support more than 1 month in the neonatal period (p < 0.01). The link between enhanced telomere shortening in childhood and structural remodeling of the lung, as observed in children with former BPD but not in children with asthma at the age of 10 years, suggests altered lung development related to prematurity and early life inflammatory exposure. In conclusion, relative telomere length and YKL-40 may serve as biomarkers of altered lung development as a result of early-life inflammation in children with a history of prematurity.
The Role of Preschool Hours in Achieving Physical Activity Recommendations for Preschoolers
Authors: Lahuerta-Contell Sara , Molina-García Javier , Queralt Ana , Martínez-Bello Vladimir E.
Published: January 2021

Research on physical activity (PA) in different educational settings could elucidate which interventions promote a healthy school lifestyle in early childhood education (ECE). The aims of this study were: (a) to analyse the PA levels of preschoolers during school hours, as well as the rate of compliance with specific recommendations on total PA (TPA) and moderate-vigorous PA (MVPA); (b) to examine the role of structured movement sessions and recess time in the MVPA levels during school hours; (c) to evaluate the sociodemographic correlates of preschoolers and the school environment on MVPA behaviour during school hours. PA was evaluated with Actigraph accelerometers. Our main findings were that: (a) preschoolers engaged in very little TPA and MVPA during school hours; (b) children showed significantly higher MVPA levels on days with versus without structured movement sessions, and the contribution of the structured sessions to MVPA was significantly higher than that of recess time; (c) gender and age were associated with PA, and a high density of young children on the playground was associated with high levels of vigorous PA, whereas in the classroom, high density was associated with more sedentary behaviour. Structured PA could reduce the gap in achieving international recommendations.
On the Possibility of Classical Client Blind Quantum Computing
Authors: Cojocaru Alexandru , Colisson Léo , Kashefi Elham , Wallden Petros
Published: January 2021

Classical client remote state preparation (CC − RSP) is a primitive where a fully classical party (client) can instruct the preparation of a sequence of random quantum states on some distant party (server) in a way that the description is known to the client but remains hidden from the server. This primitive has many applications, most prominently, it makes blind quantum computing possible for classical clients. In this work, we give a protocol for classical client remote state preparation, that requires minimal resources. The protocol is proven secure against honest-but-curious servers and any malicious third party in a game-based security framework. We provide an instantiation of a trapdoor (approximately) 2-regular family of functions whose security is based on the hardness of the Learning-With-Errors problem, including a first analysis of the set of usable parameters. We also run an experimentation on IBM’s quantum cloud using a toy function. This is the first proof-of-principle experiment of classical client remote state preparation.
Real-World Palbociclib Use in HR+/HER2− Advanced Breast Cancer in Canada: The IRIS Study
Authors: Mycock Katie , Zhan Lin , Taylor-Stokes Gavin , Milligan Gary , Mitra Debanjali
Published: January 2021

Background: Palbociclib is a selective cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4/6 inhibitor used in combination with aromatase inhibitors or fulvestrant for patients with hormone receptor-positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-negative advanced/metastatic breast cancer (ABC/MBC). Palbociclib was the first CDK 4/6 inhibitor approved for HR+/HER2− ABC/MBC treatment in Canada in combination with letrozole (P+L) as an initial endocrine-based therapy (approved March 2016), or with fulvestrant (P+F) following disease progression after prior endocrine therapy (approved May 2017). The Ibrance Real World Insights (IRIS) study (NCT03159195) collected real-world outcomes data for palbociclib-treated patients in several countries, including Canada. Methods: This retrospective chart review included women with HR+/HER2− ABC/MBC receiving P+L or P+F in Canada. Physicians reviewed medical records for up to 14 patients, abstracting demographic and clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and clinical outcomes. Progression-free rates (PFRs) and survival rates (SRs) at 6, 12, 18, and 24 months were estimated via Kaplan–Meier analysis. Results: Thirty-three physicians examined medical records for 247 patients (P+L, n = 214; P+F, n = 33). Median follow-up was 8.8 months for P+L and 7.0 months for P+F. Most patients were initiated on palbociclib 125 mg/d (P+L, 90.2%; P+F, 84.8%). Doses were reduced in 16.6% of P+L and 14.3% of P+F patients initiating palbociclib at 125 mg/d. The PFR for P+L was 90.3% at 12 months and 78.2% at 18 months; corresponding SRs were 95.6% and 93.0%. For P+F, 6-month PFR was 91.0%; 12-month SR was 100.0%. Conclusions: Dose reduction rates were low and PFR and SR were high in this Canadian real-world assessment of P+L and P+F treatments, suggesting that palbociclib combinations are well tolerated and effective.
Enhancing Function, Fun and Participation with Assistive Devices, Adaptive Positioning, and Augmented Mobility for Young Children with Infantile-Onset Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Scoping Review and Illustrative Case Report
Authors: Livingstone Roslyn , Paleg Ginny
Published: January 2021

Recent advances in medical interventions have changed the prognosis for children with infantile-onset spinal muscular atrophy (SMA-1); however, little has been published regarding rehabilitation management. A rapid scoping review was conducted in November 2020 using Medline and CINAHL databases. Evidence supporting use of assistive devices and equipment to enhance participation, mobility, function, and posture in lying, sitting, and standing positions was sought. From 239 articles, only five studies (describing use of augmentative communication, manual and power mobility, supported standing and orthotic devices) met inclusion criteria. Results are presented alongside a case report of a 5-year-old boy (treated with Nusinersen since 7 months-of-age) who uses a variety of devices to enhance his activity and participation in family life. While reclined and tilted sitting positions as well as power mobility were previously considered for children with SMA-1, this child has progressed to supported upright standing, self-propelling a lightweight manual wheelchair indoors, communicating using multiple methods and taking steps in a dynamic mobility device. Power mobility was introduced in a switch-adapted cart at 11 months and he was independently exploring indoors and outside in his power wheelchair before 20 months. Research evidence is limited, but alongside the case report highlights the importance of a comprehensive and proactive approach to enhancing function, fun and participation with family and friends through adaptive equipment for children with significant and life-limiting disabilities.
Super-Alarms with Diagnosis Proficiency Used as an Additional Layer of Protection Applied to an Oil Transport System
Authors: Vásquez John W. , Pérez-Zuñiga Gustavo , Sotomayor-Moriano Javier , Ospino Adalberto
Published: January 2021

In automated plants, particularly in the petrochemical, energy, and chemical industries, the combined management of all of the incidents that can produce a catastrophic accident is required. In order to do this, an alarm management methodology can be formulated as a discrete event sequence recognition problem, in which time patterns are used to identify the safe condition of the process, especially in the start-up and shutdown stages. In this paper, a new layer of protection (a Super-Alarm), based on the diagnostic stage to industrial processes is presented. The alarms and actions of the standard operating procedures are considered to be discrete events involved in sequences; the diagnostic stage corresponds to the recognition of the situation when these sequences occur. This provides operators with pertinent information about the normal or abnormal situations induced by the flow of the alarms. Chronicles Based Alarm Management (CBAM) is the methodology used in this document to build the chronicles that will permit us to generate the Super-Alarms; in addition, a case study of the petrochemical sector using CBAM is presented in order to build one chronicle that represents the scenario of an abnormal start-up of an oil transport system. Finally, the scenario’s validation for this case is performed, showing the way in which, a Super-Alarm is generated.
Fluctuation Relations for Dissipative Systems in Constant External Magnetic Field: Theory and Molecular Dynamics Simulations
Authors: Coretti Alessandro , Rondoni Lamberto , Bonella Sara
Published: January 2021

We illustrate how, contrary to common belief, transient Fluctuation Relations (FRs) for systems in constant external magnetic field hold without the inversion of the field. Building on previous work providing generalized time-reversal symmetries for systems in parallel external magnetic and electric fields, we observe that the standard proof of these important nonequilibrium properties can be fully reinstated in the presence of net dissipation. This generalizes recent results for the FRs in orthogonal fields—an interesting but less commonly investigated geometry—and enables direct comparison with existing literature. We also present for the first time a numerical demonstration of the validity of the transient FRs with nonzero magnetic field via nonequilibrium molecular dynamics simulations of a realistic model of liquid NaCl.
Wind Turbine Operation Curves Modelling Techniques
Authors: Astolfi Davide
Published: January 2021

Wind turbines are machines operating in non-stationary conditions and the power of a wind turbine depends non-trivially on environmental conditions and working parameters. For these reasons, wind turbine power monitoring is a complex task which is typically addressed through data-driven methods for constructing a normal behavior model. On these grounds, this study is devoted the analysis of meaningful operation curves, which are rotor speed-power, generator speed-power and blade pitch-power. A key point is that these curves are analyzed in the appropriate operation region of the wind turbines: the rotor and generator curves are considered for moderate wind speed, when the blade pitch is fixed and the rotational speed varies (Region 2); the blade pitch curve is considered for higher wind speed, when the rotational speed is rated (Region 2 12). The selected curves are studied through a multivariate Support Vector Regression with Gaussian Kernel on the Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) data of two wind farms sited in Italy, featuring in total 15 2 MW wind turbines. An innovative aspect of the selected models is that minimum, maximum and standard deviation of the independent variables of interest are fed as input to the models, in addition to the typically employed average values: using the additional covariates proposed in this work, the error metrics decrease of order of one third, with respect to what would be obtained by employing as regressors only the average values of the independent variables. In general it results that, for all the considered curves, the prediction of the power is characterized by error metrics which are competitive with the state of the art in the literature for multivariate wind turbine power curve analysis: in particular, for one test case, a mean absolute percentage error of order of 2.5% is achieved. Furthermore, the approach presented in this study provides a superior capability of interpreting wind turbine performance in terms of the behavior of the main sub-components and eliminates as much as possible the dependence on nacelle anemometer data, whose use is critical because of issues related to the sites complexity.
Biogas Production from Anaerobic Co-Digestion of Spent Mushroom Substrate with Different Livestock Manure
Authors: Gao Xionghui , Tang Xiaoyu , Zhao Kunyang , Balan Venkatesh , Zhu Qili
Published: January 2021

Spent mushroom substrate (SMS) is defined as the biomass waste generated during industrial mushroom cultivation. Utilization of SMS has been extensively researched and has immense potential as a sustainable substrate for generating biogas that can offset fossil fuel use. This closed loop energy generation process that can be set up in mushroom plants will reduce the dependence on fossil fuels and has the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which will benefit the environment. Anaerobic co-digestion of SMS with different agricultural wastes such as livestock manure would result in enhanced biogas production. In this study, the anaerobic co-digestion of SMS was carried out by combing yellow back fungus SMS along with chicken, dairy and pig manure. SMS combined with chicken manure yielded a slightly higher cumulative methane yield when compared with the combination of dairy manure and pig manure. Factors such as the total solids (TS) and the relative ratio of manure to SMS loading had a significant impact on the cumulative methane yield, volatile solids removal, with a particularly prominent synergistic effect. The synergistic effect was also closely related to the C/N ratio, and under experimental conditions (TS = 15%, SMS relative ratio of 50% and C/N ratio = 25.6), the cumulative methane yield of SMS with chicken manure (CM) was increased by 414% compared with that obtained using SMS or CM separately. We carried out a multiple linear regression (MLR) analysis, a statistical technique that uses several explanatory variables to predict the outcome of a response variable. Our analysis concluded that by using operating conditions (TS = 15%, and SMS ratio = 38.9), we were able to achieve the maximum cumulative methane yield (CMY).
A Multi-Agent Based Optimization Model for Microgrid Operation with Hybrid Method Using Game Theory Strategy
Authors: Lee Ji-Won , Kim Mun-Kyeom , Kim Hyung-Joon
Published: January 2021

Owing to the increases of energy loads and penetration of renewable energy with variability, it is essential to determine the optimum capacity of the battery energy storage system (BESS) and demand response (DR) within the microgrid (MG). To accomplish the foregoing, this paper proposes an optimal MG operation approach with a hybrid method considering the game theory for a multi-agent system. The hybrid method operation includes both BESS and DR methods. The former is presented to reduce the sum of the MG operation and BESS costs using the game theory, resulting in the optimal capacity of BESS. Similarly, the DR method determines the optimal DR capacity based on the trade-off between the incentive value and capacity. To improve optimization operation, multi-agent guiding particle swarm optimization (MAG-PSO) is implemented by adjusting the best global position and position vector. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach not only affords the most economical decision among agents but also reduces the utilization cost by approximately 8.5%, compared with the base method. Furthermore, it has been revealed that the proposed MAG-PSO algorithm has superiority in terms of solution quality and computational time with respect to other algorithms. Therefore, the optimal hybrid method operation obtains a superior solution with the game theory strategy.
Impact of Ex-Closure in above and below Ground Carbon Stock Biomass
Authors: Tsegay Gedion , Meng Xiang-Zhou
Published: January 2021

Globally, there is a serious issue in carbon stock due to high deforestation and the loss of land, limited carbon storage pools in aboveground and underground forests in different regions, and increased carbon emissions to the atmosphere. This review paper highlights the impact of exclosures on above and below ground carbon stocks in biomass as a solution to globally curb carbon emissions. The data has been analyzed dependent on the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guidelines, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Forest Resource Assessment report (FRA, 2020), and scientific journal publications mostly from the last decade, to show the research results of carbon stock and the impact of exclosures, particularly the challenges of deforestation and erosion of land and opportunities of area exclosures to provide a general outlook for policymakers. Overall, the world’s forest regions are declining, and although the forest loss rate has slowed, it has still not stopped sufficiently because the knowledge and practice of exclosures are limited. The global forest loss and carbon stock have decreased from 7.8 million ha/yr to 4.7 million ha/yr and from 668 gigatons to 662 gigatons respectively due to multiple factors that differ across the regions. However, a move toward natural rehabilitation and exclosures to reduce the emissions of Greenhouse Gas (GHGs) is needed. In the global production of carbon, the exclosure of forests plays an important role, in particular for permanent sinks of carbon.
The Learning to Learn Competence in Early Childhood Preservice Teachers: An Outdoor and e/m-Learning Experience in the Museum
Authors: Abril-López Daniel , Morón-Monge Hortensia , Morón-Monge María del Carmen , López Carrillo María Dolores
Published: January 2021

This study was developed with Early Childhood Preservice Teachers within the framework of the Teaching and Learning of Social Sciences over three academic years (2017–2018, 2018–2019, and 2019–2020) at the University of Alcalá. The main objective was to improve the learning to learn competence during teacher training from an outdoor experience at the Museum of Guadalajara (Spain), using e/m-learning tools (Blackboard Learn, Google Forms, QR codes, and websites) and the inquiry-based learning approach. To ascertain the level of acquisition of this competence in those teachers who were being trained, their self-perception—before and after—of the outdoor experience was assessed through a system of categories adapted from the European Commission. The results show a certain improvement in this competence in Early Childhood Preservice Teachers. Additionally, this outdoor experience shows the insufficient educational adaptation of the museum to the early childhood education stage from a social sciences point of view. Finally, we highlight the importance of carrying out outdoor experiences from an inquiry-based education approach. These outdoor experiences should be carried out in places like museums to encourage contextualized and experiential learning of the youngest in formal education.
Physics-Capturing Discretizations for Spectral Wind-Wave Models
Authors: Zijlema Marcel
Published: January 2021

This paper discusses the discretization methods that have been commonly employed to solve the wave action balance equation, and that have gained a renewed interest with the widespread use of unstructured grids for third-generation spectral wind-wave models. These methods are the first-order upwind finite difference and first-order vertex-centered upwind finite volume schemes for the transport of wave action in geographical space. The discussion addresses the derivation of these schemes from a different perspective. A mathematical framework for mimetic discretizations based on discrete calculus is utilized herein. A key feature of this algebraic approach is that the process of exact discretization is segregated from the process of interpolation, the latter typically involved in constitutive relations. This can help gain insight into the performance characteristics of the discretization method. On this basis, we conclude that the upwind finite difference scheme captures the wave action flux conservation exactly, which is a plus for wave shoaling. In addition, we provide a justification for the intrinsic low accuracy of the vertex-centred upwind finite volume scheme, due to the physically inaccurate but common flux constitutive relation, and we propose an improvement to overcome this drawback. Finally, by way of a comparative demonstration, a few test cases is introduced to establish the ability of the considered methods to capture the relevant physics on unstructured triangular meshes.
Blood Flow Modeling in Coronary Arteries: A Review
Authors: Carvalho Violeta , Pinho Diana , Lima Rui A. , Teixeira José Carlos , Teixeira Senhorinha
Published: January 2021

Atherosclerosis is one of the main causes of cardiovascular events, namely, myocardium infarction and cerebral stroke, responsible for a great number of deaths every year worldwide. This pathology is caused by the progressive accumulation of low-density lipoproteins, cholesterol, and other substances on the arterial wall, narrowing its lumen. To date, many hemodynamic studies have been conducted experimentally and/or numerically; however, this disease is not yet fully understood. For this reason, the research of this pathology is still ongoing, mainly, resorting to computational methods. These have been increasingly used in biomedical research of atherosclerosis because of their high-performance hardware and software. Taking into account the attempts that have been made in computational techniques to simulate realistic conditions of blood flow in both diseased and healthy arteries, the present review aims to give an overview of the most recent numerical studies focused on coronary arteries, by addressing the blood viscosity models, and applied physiological flow conditions. In general, regardless of the boundary conditions, numerical studies have been contributed to a better understanding of the development of this disease, its diagnosis, and its treatment.
Dear Ancestors
Authors: Henderson Zuleka
Published: January 2021

This poem explores intergenerational wounding and healing from the perspective of a descendant of the African diaspora and of people affected by the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Inspired by intergenerational transmission discourse, the author reflects on the original and inherited injuries of the mass trauma of enslavement and initiates a transtemporal communication of empathy and healing with her ancestors.
Effect of the Particle Size on the TDA Shear Strength and Stiffness Parameters in Large-Scale Direct Shear Tests
Authors: El Naggar Hany , Zahran Khaled , Moussa Ahmed
Published: January 2021

The increase in the number of discarded tires every year is becoming a major issue all over the world. Tires stockpiles and landfills have become a critical issue as they are considered a fertile environment for the breeding of rats and insects, a real fire hazard that may take up to months to extinguish and occupy a valuable, large area of land. One of the safest effective ways of recycling tires is that to use them as backfilling material, among different usages, in civil engineering projects due to their low unit weight and specific gravity. However, to use any material in the construction industry, several material properties must be evaluated, including the shear strength and stiffness parameters. Many factors control the measured parameters. One main factor that is known to have a significant effect is the particle size. This paper focuses on evaluating the effect of the particle size on the shear strength and stiffness parameters of six tire-derived aggregate (TDA) samples having particle sizes range between (9.5–101.6 mm) using a large-scale direct shear machine. The tests were conducted under three normal stresses: 50.1, 98.8 and 196.4 kPa using a constant shearing rate of 0.5 mm/min. The results of this study showed an increasing angle of internal friction as the maximum particle size increases. Moreover, the secant shear modulus also exhibited an increase by increasing the maximum particle size. Furthermore, equations to estimate the stress-strain curves of Type A-TDA for different confidence levels were developed, and their predictions were compared with experimental results to assess their suitability.
Fertilization and Pre-Sowing Seed Soaking Affect Yield and Mineral Nutrients of Ten Microgreen Species
Authors: Li Tongyin , Lalk Geoffrey T. , Bi Guihong
Published: January 2021

Microgreens, vegetable or herb seedlings consumed at a young growth stage, are considered to be a functional food with high concentrations of mineral nutrients and healthy beneficial bioactive compounds. The production of microgreens has been increasing in recent years. Vegetable growers are interested in growing microgreens as a new specialty crop due to their high market value, popularity, and short production cycles. However, there is a lack of research-based crop-specific recommendations for cultural practices including fertilization, pre-sowing seed treatments, and their effects on nutritional facts of microgreens. Ten microgreen species were evaluated for their shoot growth and mineral nutrient concentrations as affected by one-time post-emergence fertilization and pre-sowing seed soaking in two repeated experiments, from November 2018 to January 2019, in a greenhouse. The microgreen species varied in fresh and dry shoot weights, shoot height, visual rating, as well as macro- and micro-nutrient concentrations. Fertilization with a general-purpose soluble fertilizer (20-20-20 with micronutrients) at a rate of 100 mg·L−1 nitrogen (N) increased fresh shoot weight, and macro- and micro-nutrient concentrations in one or both experiments, with the exception of decreasing concentrations of calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), and manganese (Mn). Seed soaking consistently decreased fresh or dry shoot weight and nutrient concentrations when there was a significant effect.
Effectiveness of Horticultural Therapy in People with Schizophrenia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Lu Shan , Zhao Yajie , Liu Jianjiao , Xu Feng , Wang Zhiwen
Published: January 2021

Horticultural therapy is increasingly being used in the non-pharmacological treatment of patients with schizophrenia, with previous studies demonstrating its therapeutic effects. The healing outcomes are positively correlated with the settings of the intervention. This review aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of horticultural therapy on the symptoms, rehabilitation outcomes, quality of life, and social functioning in people with schizophrenia, and the different effectiveness in hospital and non-hospital environments. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (PRISMA) guidelines. We researched studies through PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Science Direct, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and quasi-experimental studies about horticultural therapy for people with schizophrenia, from January 2000 to December 2020, with a total of 23 studies involving 2024 people with schizophrenia included in this systematic review. This study provided evidence supporting the positive effect of horticultural therapy. This review demonstrated that non-hospital environments have a better therapeutic effect on all indicators than hospital environments. The results also demonstrated the effectiveness of horticultural therapy on symptoms, rehabilitation outcomes, quality of life, and social functioning in patients in hospital and non-hospital environments, providing further evidence-based support for landscape design.
The Potential of Chaetoceros muelleri in Bioremediation of Antibiotics: Performance and Optimization
Authors: Mojiri Amin , Baharlooeian Maedeh , Zahed Mohammad Ali
Published: January 2021

Antibiotics are frequently applied to treat bacterial infections in humans and animals. However, most consumed antibiotics are excreted into wastewater as metabolites or in their original form. Therefore, removal of antibiotics from aquatic environments is of high research interest. In this study, we investigated the removal of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and ofloxacin (OFX) with Chaetoceros muelleri, a marine diatom. The optimization process was conducted using response surface methodology (RSM) with two independent parameters, i.e., the initial concentration of antibiotics and contact time. The optimum removal of SMX and OFX were 39.8% (0.19 mg L−1) and 42.5% (0.21 mg L−1) at the initial concentration (0.5 mg L−1) and contact time (6.3 days). Apart from that, the toxicity effect of antibiotics on the diatom was monitored in different SMX and OFX concentrations (0 to 50 mg L−1). The protein (mg L−1) and carotenoid (μg L−1) content increased when the antibiotic concentration increased up to 20 mg L−1, while cell viability was not significantly affected up to 20 mg L−1 of antibiotic concentration. Protein content, carotenoid, and cell viability decreased during high antibiotic concentrations (more than 20 to 30 mg L−1). This study revealed that the use of Chaetoceros muelleri is an appealing solution to remove certain antibiotics from wastewater.
The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Immunization Campaigns and Programs: A Systematic Review
Authors: Lassi Zohra S. , Naseem Rabia , Salam Rehana A. , Siddiqui Faareha , Das Jai K.
Published: January 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has had an impact on health service delivery, including immunization programs, and this review assesses the impact on vaccine coverage across the globe and identifies the potential underlying factors. A systematic search strategy was employed on PubMed, Embase, MedRxiv, BioRxiv, and WHO COVID-19 databases from December 2019 till 15 September 2020. Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, assessed quality, and extracted the data (PROSPERO registration #CRD42020182363). A total of 17 observational studies were included. The findings suggest that there was a reduction in the vaccination coverage and decline in total number of vaccines administered, which led to children missing out on their vaccine doses. An approximately fourfold increase was also observed in polio cases in polio endemic countries. Factors contributing to low vaccine coverage included fear of being exposed to the virus at health care facilities, restriction on city-wide movements, shortage of workers, and diversion of resources from child health to address the pandemic. As the world re-strategizes for the post-2020 era, we should not let a crisis go to waste as they provide an opportunity to establish guidelines and allocate resources for future instances. High-quality supplementary immunization activities and catch-up programs need to be established to address gaps during the pandemic era.
The Impact of Tobacco Smoking on Adult Asthma Outcomes
Authors: Tiotiu Angelica , Ioan Iulia , Wirth Nathalie , Romero-Fernandez Rodrigo , González-Barcala Francisco-Javier
Published: January 2021

Background: Tobacco smoking is associated with more severe asthma symptoms, an accelerated decline in lung function, and reduced responses to corticosteroids. Our objective was to compare asthma outcomes in terms of disease control, exacerbation rates, and lung function in a population of asthmatic patients according to their smoking status. Methods: We compared patients’ demographics, disease characteristics, and lung-function parameters in current-smokers (CS, n = 48), former-smokers (FS, n = 38), and never-smokers (NS, n = 90), and identified predictive factors for asthma control. Results: CS had a higher prevalence of family asthma/atopy, a lower rate of controlled asthma, impaired perception of dyspnea, an increased number of exacerbations, and poorer lung function compared to NS. The mean asthma control questionnaire’s (ACQ) score was higher in CS vs. NS and FS (1.9 vs. 1.2, p = 0.02). Compared to CS, FS had a lower rate of exacerbations, a better ACQ score (similar to NS), a higher prevalence of dyspnea, and greater lung-diffusion capacity. Non-smoking status, the absence of dyspnea and exacerbations, and a forced expiratory volume in one second ≥80% of predicted were associated with controlled asthma. Conclusions: CS with asthma exhibit worse clinical and functional respiratory outcomes compared to NS and FS, supporting the importance of smoking cessation in this population.
Genomic and Physiological Investigation of Heavy Metal Resistance from Plant Endophytic Methylobacterium radiotolerans MAMP 4754, Isolated from Combretum erythrophyllum
Authors: Photolo Mampolelo M. , Sitole Lungile , Mavumengwana Vuyo , Tlou Matsobane G.
Published: January 2021

Combretum erythrophyllum is an indigenous southern African tree species, a metal hyperaccumulator that has been used as a phytoextraction option for tailing dams in Johannesburg, South Africa. In hyperaccumulators, metal detoxification has also been linked or attributed to the activities of endophytes, and, in this regard, metal detoxification can be considered a form of endophytic behavior. Therefore, we report herein on the identification of proteins that confer heavy metal resistance, the in vitro characterization of heavy metal resistance, and the production of plant growth-promoting (PGP) volatiles by Methylobacterium radiotolerans MAMP 4754. Multigenome comparative analyses of M. radiotolerans MAMP 4754 against eight other endophytic strains led to the identification of zinc, copper, and nickel resistance proteins in the genome of this endophyte. The maximum tolerance concentration (MTC) of this strain towards these metals was also investigated. The metal-exposed cells were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The ethyl acetate and chloroform extracts (1:1 v/v) of heavy metal untreated M. radiotolerans MAMP 4754 were also screened for the production of PGP compounds by Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS). The MTC was recorded at 15 mM, 4 mM, and 12 mM for zinc, copper, and nickel, respectively. The TEM analysis showed the accumulation of metals in the intracellular environment of M. radiotolerans MAMP 4754, while the GC/MS analysis revealed several plant growth-promoting compounds, including alcohols, phthalate esters, alkenes, ketones, sulfide derivatives, phenols, and thiazoles. Our findings suggest that the genetic makeup of M. radiotolerans MAMP 4754 encodes heavy metal resistant proteins that indicate hyperaccumulator-specific endophytic behavior and the potential for application in bioremediation. The production of plant growth-promoting volatiles in pure culture by M. raditotolerans MAMP 4754 is a characteristic feature for plant growth-promoting bacteria.