bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Modern trends in contact lens materials development
Authors: Conway Martin
Published: September 2019

This article discusses modern approaches in the development and production of materials for contact lenses – rigid gas permeable and soft, including silicone-hydrogel. Special attention is paid to obtaining high Dk materials
Induction of Redox-Active Gene Expression by CoCl2 Ameliorates Oxidative Stress-Mediated Injury of Murine Auditory Cells
Authors: Pak Jhang Ho , Yi Junyeong , Ryu Sujin , Kim In Ki , Kim Jung-Woong , Baek Haeri , Chung Jong Woo
Published: September 2019

Free radicals formed in the inner ear in response to high-intensity noise, are regarded as detrimental factors for noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL). We reported previously that intraperitoneal injection of cobalt chloride attenuated the loss of sensory hair cells and NIHL in mice. The present study was designed to understand the preconditioning effect of CoCl2 on oxidative stress-mediated cytotoxicity. Treatment of auditory cells with CoCl2 promoted cell proliferation, with increases in the expressions of two redox-active transcription factors (hypoxia-inducible factor 1α, HIF-1α, nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2; Nrf-2) and an antioxidant enzyme (peroxiredoxin 6, Prdx6). Hydrogen peroxide treatment resulted in the induction of cell death and reduction of these protein expressions, reversed by pretreatment with CoCl2. Knockdown of HIF-1α or Nrf-2 attenuated the preconditioning effect of CoCl2. Luciferase reporter analysis with a Prdx6 promoter revealed transactivation of Prdx6 expression by HIF-1α and Nrf-2. The intense immunoreactivities of HIF-1α, Nrf-2, and Prdx6 in the organ of Corti (OC), spiral ganglion cells (SGC), and stria vascularis (SV) of the cochlea in CoCl2-injected mice suggested CoCl2-induced activation of HIF-1α, Nrf-2, and Prdx6 in vivo. Therefore, we revealed that the protective effect of CoCl2 is achieved through distinctive signaling mechanisms involving HIF-1α, Nrf-2, and Prdx6.
The Role of Heme Oxygenase-1 in Remote Ischemic and Anesthetic Organ Conditioning
Authors: Bauer Inge , Raupach Annika
Published: September 2019

The cytoprotective effects of the heme oxygenase (HO) pathway are widely acknowledged. These effects are mainly mediated by degradation of free, pro-oxidant heme and the generation of carbon monoxide (CO) and biliverdin. The underlying mechanisms of protection include anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory and vasodilatory properties. Upregulation of the inducible isoform HO-1 under stress conditions plays a crucial role in preventing or reducing cell damage. Therefore, modulation of the HO-1 system might provide an efficient strategy for organ protection. Pharmacological agents investigated in the context of organ conditioning include clinically used anesthetics and sedatives. A review from Hoetzel and Schmidt from 2010 nicely summarized the effects of anesthetics on HO-1 expression and their role in disease models. They concluded that HO-1 upregulation by anesthetics might prevent or at least reduce organ injury due to harmful stimuli. Due to its clinical safety, anesthetic conditioning might represent an attractive pharmacological tool for HO-1 modulation in patients. Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC), first described in 1993, represents a similar secure option to induce organ protection, especially in its non-invasive form. The efficacy of RIC has been intensively studied herein, including on patients. Studies on the role of RIC in influencing HO-1 expression to induce organ protection are emerging. In the first part of this review, recently published pre-clinical and clinical studies investigating the effects of anesthetics on HO-1 expression patterns, the underlying signaling pathways mediating modulation and its causative role in organ protection are summarized. The second part of this review sums up the effects of RIC.
Accelerated Charge Dissipation by Gas-Phase Fluorination on Nomex Paper
Authors: Wang Feipeng , He Li , Khan Muhammad Zeeshan , Zhang Tao , Zhao Qi , He Yushuang , Huang Zhengyong , Zhao Haisen , Li Jian
Published: September 2019

The surface charge and space charge accumulation in paper used in oil–paper insulation system may distort electric field distribution and lead to the flashover and breakdown of insulation system. In this paper, the effect of gas-phase fluorination on the surface charge and space charge characteristics of oil-impregnated Nomex paper was investigated. Nomex T410 was fluorinated at 25 °C using F2/N2 mixtures with 20% F2 in volume at 0.05 MPa for 15, 30 and 45 min. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) proved that the molecular chain scission and cleavage occurred during gas-phase fluorination. Furthermore, the surface charge and space charge characteristic of the original and fluorinated oil-impregnated paper were measured using an electrostatic voltmeter and Pulsed Electroacoustic (PEA) equipment respectively. Furthermore, the hole and electron trap distribution of the samples were obtained by Isothermal Surface Potential Decay (ISPD) model. The results showed that both the positive and negative charge decay rates were accelerated by gas-phase fluorination and the hole, electron trap energy and density of the fluorinated samples were reduced by fluorination. It is suggested that the space charge dissipation was also accelerated by fluorination, indicating that gas-phase fluorination is an effective approach to modify the charge dynamics of oil-impregnated Nomex paper.
A New Method for Positional Accuracy Control for Non-Normal Errors Applied to Airborne Laser Scanner Data
Authors: Ariza-López Francisco Javier , Rodríguez-Avi José , González-Aguilera Diego , Rodríguez-Gonzálvez Pablo
Published: September 2019

A new statistical method for the quality control of the positional accuracy, useful in a wide range of data sets, is proposed and its use is illustrated through its application to airborne laser scanner (ALS) data. The quality control method is based on the use of a multinomial distribution that categorizes cases of errors according to metric tolerances. The use of the multinomial distribution is a very novel and powerful approach to the problem of evaluating positional accuracy, since it allows for eliminating the need for a parametric model for positional errors. Three different study cases based on ALS data (infrastructure, urban, and natural cases) that contain non-normal errors were used. Three positional accuracy controls with different tolerances were developed. In two of the control cases, the tolerances were defined by a Gaussian model, and in the third control case, the tolerances were defined from the quantiles of the observed error distribution. The analysis of the test results based on the type I and type II errors show that the method is able to control the positional accuracy of freely distributed data.
Dome Roof Fall Geohazards of Full-Seam Chamber with Ultra-Large Section in Coal Mine
Authors: Gao Rui , Xia Hongchun , Fang Kun , Zhang Chunwang
Published: September 2019

The roof fall hazard is more likely to take place within chamber with ultra-large section, which would not only damage mechanical equipment, but also cause casualties. In this paper, the strap joint chamber of the Tashan coal mine is studied, and finite and discrete element method (FDEM) is used to establish the numerical model of the roof fall of the chamber dome. The simulation results show that the chamber dome mainly undergoes shear failure and forms a large number of cracks. With further development and penetration of cracks, a distinct roof separation is found in the chamber dome. When the crack develops to the dome surface of the chamber, under the effect of the mine pressure, the coal body is separated from the surface of the chamber and the roof fall hazard occurs. Based on the mechanism of roof fall hazard of the chamber dome, it is concluded that improving the shear strength of the surrounding rock and reducing the crack penetration are the main ways to control the roof fall. Therefore, the high-strength anchor bolt and cable support is adopted to fill the cracks and improve the shear strength of the surrounding rock. The result showed that the roof separation of the chamber dome in the field is confined to 0.012 m. The surrounding rock is well controlled and no roof fall occurs.
A Simple Joint Modulation Format Identification and OSNR Monitoring Scheme for IMDD OOFDM Transceivers Using K-Nearest Neighbor Algorithm
Authors: Zhang Qianwu , Zhou Hai , Jiang Yuntong , Cao Bingyao , Li Yingchun , Song Yingxiong , Chen Jian , Zhang Junjie , Wang Min
Published: September 2019

In this study, a joint modulation format identification and optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) monitoring algorithm is proposed and experimentally demonstrated using the k-nearest neighbor algorithm for intensity modulation and direct detection (IMDD) orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. A modified amplitude histogram of received signal is employed to serve as the classification feature to simplify the computation. Experimental results show that five common quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) modulation formats, including 4-QAM, 16-QAM, 32-QAM, 64-QAM and 128-QAM, can be identified under 100% accurate estimation at the received optical power of −11 dBm. Robustness of the proposed scheme to constellation rotation is also experimentally assessed. At the same time, system OSNR monitoring also can be achieved and the average prediction mean square error (MSE) is 0.69 dB2, which is similar to that using an artificial neural network. Computational complexity assessment demonstrated that similar performance but less computing resource consumption can be achieved by using the proposed scheme rather than the artificial neural network-based scheme.
Shoe Cushioning Effects on Foot Loading and Comfort Perception during Typical Basketball Maneuvers
Authors: Zhang Xini , Luo Zhen , Wang Xi , Yang Yang , Niu Jiaxin , Fu Weijie
Published: September 2019

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the relationship between foot loading and comfort perception in two basketball shoes during basketball-specific maneuvers. Methods: Twelve male collegiate basketball players were required to complete three basketball maneuvers (i.e., side-step cutting, 90° L-direction running, and lay-up jumping) in two basketball shoe conditions (shoe L and shoe N, with different midsole cushioning types). Two Kistler force plates and a Medilogic insole plantar pressure system were used to collect kinetic data (i.e., impact force, peak loading rate, and plantar pressure variables). Perception scales were used to evaluate comfort perception. Results: No significant difference was observed between the two shoes during maneuvers in terms of ground reaction force. However, the plantar pressure of shoe L in the midfoot and lateral foot regions was significantly greater than that of shoe N during side-step cutting and lay-up jumping. Shoe N was significantly superior to shoe L, especially in dynamic scale in terms of the perception of comfort. The plantar pressure and perception characteristics in the two shoes were significantly different but inconsistent with each other. Conclusion: The biomechanical characteristics of the shoes themselves and the perception evaluation of the athletes should be considered in comprehensive shoe-cushioning design and evaluation.
The Green Infrastructure in Cities as A Tool for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation: Slovakian and Polish Experiences
Authors: Belčáková Ingrid , Świąder Małgorzata , Bartyna-Zielińska Małgorzata
Published: September 2019

Climate change could be seen as a 21st century phenomenon. This topic has been taken up equally by professionals as well as the general public. Adaptation and mitigation actions are needed, especially in cities where the concentration of population and an increased demand for resources (e.g., water, food, land) are expected in the coming years. Already, 400 cities have been declared to be in a “climate emergency” state. There are no longer any doubts that current environmental state requires actions and solutions for both the alarming climate situation and urban quality life development. If such action is not going to be taken, the environmental state will deteriorate. One possible solution could be the use of green infrastructure. This research compares approaches to green areas and green infrastructure development in Bratislava (Slovakia) and Wrocław (Poland). A comparison was made for projects realized between 2013 and 2018—i.e., since the publication of the European Union (EU) Strategy on Adaptation to Climate Change in 2013. The research presents an overview of delivered projects regarding land use. The overview, which is supported by a density map of implemented green projects, verifies whether the new greenery fits and fills in the existing natural areas. Secondly, the green projects were analyzed according to years and land use types using Tableau software. Moreover, the legislation of climate adaptation mechanisms and practical aspects of green infrastructure implementation are shown. Finally, actions concerning the greening of the cities were categorized into practical, educational, and participatory ones, and the potential of green infrastructure as a positive landscape, micro-climate, health, and aesthetic influence was examined.
Generative Adversarial Networks Capabilities for Super-Resolution Reconstruction of Weather Radar Echo Images
Authors: Chen Hongguang , Zhang Xing , Liu Yintian , Zeng Qiangyu
Published: September 2019

Improving the resolution of degraded radar echo images of weather radar systems can aid severe weather forecasting and disaster prevention. Previous approaches to this problem include classical super-resolution (SR) algorithms such as iterative back-projection (IBP) and a recent nonlocal self-similarity sparse representation (NSSR) that exploits the data redundancy of radar echo data, etc. However, since radar echoes tend to have rich edge information and contour textures, the textural detail in the reconstructed echoes of traditional approaches is typically absent. Inspired by the recent advances of faster and deeper neural networks, especially the generative adversarial networks (GAN), which are capable of pushing SR solutions to the natural image manifold, we propose using GAN to tackle the problem of weather radar echo super-resolution to achieve better reconstruction performance (measured in peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and structural similarity index (SSIM)). Using authentic weather radar echo data, we present the experimental results and compare its reconstruction performance with the above-mentioned methods. The experimental results showed that the GAN-based method is capable of generating perceptually superior solutions while achieving higher PSNR/SSIM results.
Brake Wear Particle Emissions of a Passenger Car Measured on a Chassis Dynamometer
Authors: Mathissen Marcel , Grigoratos Theodoros , Lahde Tero , Vogt Rainer
Published: September 2019

Brake wear emissions with a special focus on particle number (PN) concentrations were investigated during a chassis dynamometer measurement campaign. A recently developed, well-characterized, measurement approach was applied to measure brake particles in a semi-closed vehicle setup. Implementation of multiple particle measurement devices allowed for simultaneous measurement of volatile and solid particles. Estimated PN emission factors for volatile and solid particles differed by up to three orders of magnitude with an estimated average solid particle emission factor of 3∙109 # km−1 brake−1 over a representative on-road brake cycle. Unrealistic high brake temperatures may occur and need to be ruled out by comparison with on-road temperature measurements. PN emissions are strongly temperature dependent and this may lead to its overestimation. A high variability for PN emissions was found when volatile particles were not removed. Volatiles were observed under high temperature conditions only which are not representative of normal driving conditions. The coefficient of variation for PN emissions was 1.3 without catalytic stripper and 0.11 with catalytic stripper. Investigation of non-braking sections confirmed that particles may be generated at the brake even if no brakes are applied. These “off-brake-event” emissions contribute up to about 30% to the total brake PM10 emission.
Evolutionary Rate Heterogeneity and Functional Divergence of Orthologous Genes in Pyrus
Authors: Cao Yunpeng , Jiang Lan , Wang Lihu , Cai Yongping
Published: September 2019

Negatively selected genes (NSGs) and positively selected genes (PSGs) are the two types of most nuclear protein-coding genes in organisms. However, the evolutionary rates and characteristics of different types of genes have been rarely understood. In the present study, we investigate the rates of synonymous substitution (Ks) and the rates of non-synonymous substitution (Ka) by comparing the orthologous genes of two sequenced Pyrus species, Pyrus bretschneideri and Pyrus communis. Subsequently, we compared the evolutionary rates, gene structures, and expression profiles during different fruit development between PSGs and NSGs. Compared with the NSGs, the PSGs have fewer exons, shorter gene length, lower synonymous substitution rates and have higher evolutionary rates. Remarkably, gene expression patterns between two Pyrus species fruit indicated functional divergence for most of the orthologous genes derived from a common ancestor, and subfunctionalization for some of them. Overall, the present study shows that PSGs differs from NSGs not only under environmental selective pressure (Ka/Ks), but also in their structural, functional, and evolutionary properties. Additionally, our resulting data provides important insights for the evolution and highlights the diversification of orthologous genes in two Pyrus species.
Targeting Autophagy for Overcoming Resistance to Anti-EGFR Treatments
Authors: Kwon Yoojung , Kim Misun , Jung Hyun Suk , Kim Youngmi , Jeoung Dooil
Published: September 2019

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) plays critical roles in cell proliferation, tumorigenesis, and anti-cancer drug resistance. Overexpression and somatic mutations of EGFR result in enhanced cancer cell survival. Therefore, EGFR can be a target for the development of anti-cancer therapy. Patients with cancers, including non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLC), have been shown to response to EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) and anti-EGFR antibodies. However, resistance to these anti-EGFR treatments has developed. Autophagy has emerged as a potential mechanism involved in the acquired resistance to anti-EGFR treatments. Anti-EGFR treatments can induce autophagy and result in resistance to anti-EGFR treatments. Autophagy is a programmed catabolic process stimulated by various stimuli. It promotes cellular survival under these stress conditions. Under normal conditions, EGFR-activated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT serine/threonine kinase (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling inhibits autophagy while EGFR/rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (RAS)/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MEK)/mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling promotes autophagy. Thus, targeting autophagy may overcome resistance to anti-EGFR treatments. Inhibitors targeting autophagy and EGFR signaling have been under development. In this review, we discuss crosstalk between EGFR signaling and autophagy. We also assess whether autophagy inhibition, along with anti-EGFR treatments, might represent a promising approach to overcome resistance to anti-EGFR treatments in various cancers. In addition, we discuss new developments concerning anti-autophagy therapeutics for overcoming resistance to anti-EGFR treatments in various cancers.
Radioiodine-Refractory Thyroid Cancer: Molecular Basis of Redifferentiation Therapies, Management, and Novel Therapies
Authors: Aashiq Mohamed , Silverman Deborah A. , Na’ara Shorook , Takahashi Hideaki , Amit Moran
Published: September 2019

Recurrent, metastatic disease represents the most frequent cause of death for patients with thyroid cancer, and radioactive iodine (RAI) remains a mainstay of therapy for these patients. Unfortunately, many thyroid cancer patients have tumors that no longer trap iodine, and hence are refractory to RAI, heralding a poor prognosis. RAI-refractory (RAI-R) cancer cells result from the loss of thyroid differentiation features, such as iodide uptake and organification. This loss of differentiation features correlates with the degree of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation, which is higher in tumors with BRAF (B-Raf proto-oncogene) mutations than in those with RTK (receptor tyrosine kinase) or RAS (rat sarcoma) mutations. Hence, inhibition of the mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase-1 and -2 (MEK-1 and -2) downstream of RAF (rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma) could sensitize RAI refractivity in thyroid cancer. However, a significant hurdle is the development of secondary tumor resistance (escape mechanisms) to these drugs through upregulation of tyrosine kinase receptors or another alternative signaling pathway. The sodium iodide symporter (NIS) is a plasma membrane glycoprotein, a member of solute carrier family 5A (SLC5A5), located on the basolateral surfaces of the thyroid follicular epithelial cells, which mediates active iodide transport into thyroid follicular cells. The mechanisms responsible for NIS loss of function in RAI-R thyroid cancer remains unclear. In a study of patients with recurrent thyroid cancer, expression levels of specific ribosomal machinery—namely PIGU (phosphatidylinositol glycan anchor biosynthesis class U), a subunit of the GPI (glycosylphosphatidylinositol transamidase complex—correlated with RAI avidity in radioiodine scanning, NIS levels, and biochemical response to RAI treatment. Here, we review the proposed mechanisms for RAI refractivity and the management of RAI-refractive metastatic, recurrent thyroid cancer. We also describe novel targeted systemic agents that are in use or under investigation for RAI-refractory disease, their mechanisms of action, and their adverse events.
Expression of FGFR1–4 in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma Tissue and Corresponding Cell Lines and its Relationship to Patient Survival and FGFR Inhibitor Sensitivity
Authors: Vlacic Gregor , Hoda Mir A. , Klikovits Thomas , Sinn Katharina , Gschwandtner Elisabeth , Mohorcic Katja , Schelch Karin , Pirker Christine , Peter-Vörösmarty Barbara , Brankovic Jelena , Dome Balazs , Laszlo Viktoria , Cufer Tanja , Rozman Ales , Klepetko Walter , Grasl-Kraupp Bettina , Hegedus Balazs , Berger Walter , Kern Izidor , Grusch Michael
Published: September 2019

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a devastating malignancy with limited therapeutic options. Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFR) and their ligands were shown to contribute to MPM aggressiveness and it was suggested that subgroups of MPM patients could benefit from FGFR-targeted inhibitors. In the current investigation, we determined the expression of all four FGFRs (FGFR1–FGFR4) by immunohistochemistry in tissue samples from 94 MPM patients. From 13 of these patients, we were able to establish stable cell lines, which were subjected to FGFR1–4 staining, transcript analysis by quantitative RT-PCR, and treatment with the FGFR inhibitor infigratinib. While FGFR1 and FGFR2 were widely expressed in MPM tissue and cell lines, FGFR3 and FGFR4 showed more restricted expression. FGFR1 and FGFR2 showed no correlation with clinicopathologic data or patient survival, but presence of FGFR3 in 42% and of FGFR4 in 7% of patients correlated with shorter overall survival. Immunostaining in cell lines was more homogenous than in the corresponding tissue samples. Neither transcript nor protein expression of FGFR1–4 correlated with response to infigratinib treatment in MPM cell lines. We conclude that FGFR3 and FGFR4, but not FGFR1 or FGFR2, have prognostic significance in MPM and that FGFR expression is not sufficient to predict FGFR inhibitor response in MPM cell lines.
Novel Edible Coating with Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities Based on Whey Protein Isolate Nanofibrils and Carvacrol and Its Application on Fresh-Cut Cheese
Authors: Wang Qiannan , Yu Hongliang , Tian Bo , Jiang Bin , Xu Jing , Li Dongmei , Feng Zhibiao , Liu Chunhong
Published: September 2019

The composition and properties of edible coatings (ECs) will significantly influence their effects of food preservation. For the first time, whey protein isolates nanofibers (WPNFs), as a novel material with high hydrophobicity and antioxidant activity, combined with carvacrol (CA) as an antimicrobial agent and glycerol (Gly) as a plasticizer, was used to prepare edible coating (WPNFs-CA/Gly) for preserving fresh-cut Cheddar cheese. The prepared WPNFs and ECs emulsions have been investigated with transmission electron microscopy. Furthermore, the antioxidant activity of ECs emulsions, antimicrobial activity of edible films, and the physical properties of edible films, such as micromorphology, thickness, transparency, and moisture content, have also been evaluated. The weight losses and physical characteristics of both coated and uncoated fresh-cut Cheddar cheese samples have been assessed during storage. The DPPH free radical scavenging rate of WPNFs-CA/Gly emulsion was up to 67.89% and the reducing power was 0.821, which was higher than that of WPI-CA/Gly emulsions. The antimicrobial activity of WPNFs-CA/Gly films was nearly 2.0-fold higher than that of WPNFs/Gly films for the presence of CA. The WPNFs-CA/Gly films had smooth and continuous surfaces, and the transparency reached 49.7% and the moisture content was 26.0%, which was better than that of WPI-CA/Gly films. Furthermore, Cheddar cheese with WPNFs-CA/Gly coatings has shown lower weight losses (15.23%) and better textural properties than those uncoated samples. This in-depth study has provided a valuable and noteworthy approach about the novel edible coating material.
High Intensity Laser Induced Reverse Transfer: Solution for Enhancement of Biocompatibility of Transparent Biomaterials
Authors: Safaie Naghmeh , Jones-Taggart Holly , Kiani Amirkianoosh
Published: September 2019

Bioactive glass is used extensively in biomedical applications due to its quality and effectiveness in tissue regeneration. Bioactive glasses are able to interact with biological systems and can be used in humans to improve tissue regeneration without any side effects. Bioactive glass is a category of glasses that maintain good contact with body organs and remain biocompatible for a long time after implementation. They have the potential to form a hydroxyapatite surface as a biocompatible layer after immersion in body fluid. In this research, glass biocompatibility was modified using a deposition method called the high intensity laser induced reverse transfer (HILIRT) method and they were utilized as enhanced-biocompatibility bioactive glass (EBBG) with a correspondent nanofibrous titanium (NFTi) coating. HILIRT is a simple ultrafast laser method for improving implants for biomedical applications and provides a good thin film of NFTi on the glass substrate that is compatible with human tissue. The proposed method is a non-chemical method in which NFTi samples with different porosities and biocompatibilities are synthesized at various laser parameters such as power and frequency. Physical properties and cell compatibility and adhesion of these NFTi before and after immersion in simulated body fluid (SBF) were compared. The results indicate that increasing laser intensity and frequency leads to more NFTi fabrication on the glass with no toxicity and better cell interaction and adhesion.
The Influential Role of the Habitat on the Diversity Patterns of Free-Living Aquatic Nematode Assemblages in the Cuban Archipelago
Authors: Armenteros Maickel , Pérez-García José Andrés , Marzo-Pérez Diana , Rodríguez-García Patricia
Published: September 2019

Free living nematodes are the most abundant and diverse metazoans in aquatic sediments. We used a framework of habitat types to reveal quantitative patterns in species richness (SR), β-diversity, and biological traits (BT). Meiofauna was quantitatively collected from 60 sites within nine habitat types and 24,736 nematodes were identified to species level. We reported a regional richness of 410 ± 12 species for the Cuban archipelago; however, caves and deep waters need to be sampled more intensively. Relationships between SR and abundance supported the dynamic equilibrium model with habitats ordered across gradients of resource availability and physical disturbance. Seagrass meadows were the most specious and freshwater/anchihaline caves the least diverse habitats. Differences in β-diversity likely were due to habitat heterogeneity and limitations for dispersal. The assemblage composition was unique in some habitats likely reflecting the effects of habitat filtering. However, coastal habitats shared many species reflecting high connectivity and dispersal capability of nematodes due to hydrodynamics. The BTs “life strategy”, “trophic group”, and “tail shape” reflected ecological adaptations; but “amphidial fovea” and “cuticle”, likely reflected phylogenetic signatures from families/genera living in different habitats. Habitat type played an influential role in the diversity patterns of aquatic nematodes from taxonomic and functional points of view.
Evidential Decision Tree Based on Belief Entropy
Authors: Li Mujin , Xu Honghui , Deng Yong
Published: September 2019

Decision Tree is widely applied in many areas, such as classification and recognition. Traditional information entropy and Pearson’s correlation coefficient are often applied as measures of splitting rules to find the best splitting attribute. However, these methods can not handle uncertainty, since the relation between attributes and the degree of disorder of attributes can not be measured by them. Motivated by the idea of Deng Entropy, it can measure the uncertain degree of Basic Belief Assignment (BBA) in terms of uncertain problems. In this paper, Deng entropy is used as a measure of splitting rules to construct an evidential decision tree for fuzzy dataset classification. Compared to traditional combination rules used for combination of BBAs, the evidential decision tree can be applied to classification directly, which efficiently reduces the complexity of the algorithm. In addition, the experiments are conducted on iris dataset to build an evidential decision tree that achieves the goal of more accurate classification.
Anxiety Level Recognition for Virtual Reality Therapy System Using Physiological Signals
Authors: Šalkevicius Justas , Damaševičius Robertas , Maskeliunas Rytis , Laukienė Ilona
Published: September 2019

Virtual reality exposure therapy (VRET) can have a significant impact towards assessing and potentially treating various anxiety disorders. One of the main strengths of VRET systems is that they provide an opportunity for a psychologist to interact with virtual 3D environments and change therapy scenarios according to the individual patient’s needs. However, to do this efficiently the patient’s anxiety level should be tracked throughout the VRET session. Therefore, in order to fully use all advantages provided by the VRET system, a mental stress detection system is needed. The patient’s physiological signals can be collected with wearable biofeedback sensors. Signals like blood volume pressure (BVP), galvanic skin response (GSR), and skin temperature can be processed and used to train the anxiety level classification models. In this paper, we combine VRET with mental stress detection and highlight potential uses of this kind of VRET system. We discuss and present a framework for anxiety level recognition, which is a part of our developed cloud-based VRET system. Physiological signals of 30 participants were collected during VRET-based public speaking anxiety treatment sessions. The acquired data were used to train a four-level anxiety recognition model (where each level of ‘low’, ‘mild’, ‘moderate’, and ‘high’ refer to the levels of anxiety rather than to separate classes of the anxiety disorder). We achieved an 80.1% cross-subject accuracy (using leave-one-subject-out cross-validation) and 86.3% accuracy (using 10 × 10 fold cross-validation) with the signal fusion-based support vector machine (SVM) classifier.
Soft Computing Methods with Phase Space Reconstruction for Wind Speed Forecasting—A Performance Comparison
Authors: Flores Juan. J. , Cedeño González José R. , Rodríguez Héctor , Graff Mario , Lopez-Farias Rodrigo , Calderon Felix
Published: September 2019

This article presents a comparison of wind speed forecasting techniques, starting with the Auto-regressive Integrated Moving Average, followed by Artificial Intelligence-based techniques. The objective of this article is to compare these methods and provide readers with an idea of what method(s) to apply to solve their forecasting needs. The Artificial Intelligence-based techniques included in the comparison are Nearest Neighbors (the original method, and a version tuned by Differential Evolution), Fuzzy Forecasting, Artificial Neural Networks (designed and tuned by Genetic Algorithms), and Genetic Programming. These techniques were tested against twenty wind speed time series, obtained from Russian and Mexican weather stations, predicting the wind speed for 10 days, one day at a time. The results show that Nearest Neighbors using Differential Evolution outperforms the other methods. An idea this article delivers to the reader is: what part of the history of the time series to use as input to a forecaster? This question is answered by the reconstruction of phase space. Reconstruction methods approximate the phase space from the available data, yielding m (the system’s dimension) and τ (the sub-sampling constant), which can be used to determine the input for the different forecasting methods.
Forest Gap Size Alters the Functional Diversity of Soil Nematode Communities in Alpine Forest Ecosystems
Authors: Shen Ya , Yang Wanqin , Zhang Jian , Xu Zhenfeng , Zhang Li , Liu Yang , Li Han , You Chengming , Tan Bo
Published: September 2019

Changes in the microenvironment driven by forest gaps have profound effects on soil nutrient cycling and litter decomposition processes in alpine forest ecosystems. However, it is unclear whether a similar forest gap effect occurs in the soil decomposer community. A field experiment was conducted in an alpine forest to investigate the composition and structure of the soil nematode community among four treatments, including under a closed canopy and in small (<10 m in diameter), medium (10–15 m in diameter), and large (15–20 m in diameter) gaps. A total of 92,787 individuals and 27 species (genera level) of soil nematode were extracted by elutriation and sugar centrifugation, respectively. Filenchus was the most abundant dominant taxa and represented 24.27–37.51% of the soil nematodes in the four treatments. Compared to the closed canopy, the forest gaps did not affect the composition, abundance, or species diversity of the soil nematode community but significantly affected the functional diversity of the soil nematode community. The maturity indices (MI, ∑MI, and MI2‒5) of the soil nematode community in the closed canopy were significantly lower than those in the forest gaps. Moreover, the proportion of plant parasitic index and maturity index (PPI/MI) values of the closed canopy and small gaps were significantly higher than those of the medium and large gaps. Our results suggest that the forest gap size substantially alters the functional diversity of soil nematodes in the debris food web, and changes in soil nematode community structure due to gap formation may have profound effects on soil biogeochemical processes in alpine forests.
Exile, Pistols, and Promised Lands: Ibsen and Israeli Modernist Writers
Authors: Ruppo Irina
Published: September 2019

Allusions to Henrik Ibsen’s plays in the works of two prominent Israeli modernist writers, Amos Oz’s autobiographical A Tale of Love and Darkness (2004) and David Grossman’s The Zigzag Kid (1994) examined in the context of the Israeli reception of Ibsen in the 1950s and 1960s. To establish the variety of meanings Ibsen’s plays had for the audiences of the Habimah production of Peer Gynt in 1952 and The Kameri production of Hedda Gabler in 1966, this article draws on newspaper reviews and actors’ memoirs, as well as providing an analysis of Leah Goldberg’s translation of Peer Gynt. It emerges that both authors enlisted Ibsen in their exploration of the myths surrounding the formation of Israeli nationhood and identity.
Multiscale Study of Interactions Between Corrosion Products Layer Formed on Heritage Cu Objects and Organic Protection Treatments
Authors: L’héronde Maëva , Bouttemy Muriel , Mercier-Bion Florence , Neff Delphine , Apchain Emilande , Etcheberry Arnaud , Dillmann Philippe
Published: September 2019

In the framework of the protection of copper objects exposed to atmospheric corrosion, different solutions are envisaged, among them carboxylate treatments (HC10). In this study, an analytical approach based on complementary techniques from micrometer to nanometer scale (μRS, SEM-EDS, SAM) is used to describe the properties of the corrosion products layer (CPL) and determine the penetration depth of the HC10 protection treatment inside the CPL of copper samples issued from the roof of the Saint Martin church in Metz. The CPL consists in a thick brochantite layer (20 to 50 μm), mainly composed of Cu4SO4(OH)6, on top of a thinner (1 to 5 μm thick) cuprite layer, Cu2O, acting as a natural corrosion barrier on the metal. Application of the organic treatment is implemented by immersing the corroded samples in HC10 solution, consistent with future requirements for large scale applications. Even for short-term duration (one minute), the HC10 treatment penetrates to the cuprite/brochantite interface, but Cu(C10)2 precipitate is only detected locally, whereas for a longer immersion of thirty minutes, it is present in higher proportions in the whole brochantite layer, filling the pores, up to the cuprite/brochantite interface. Cu(C10)2 acts as a second inner barrier and prevents liquid infiltration.
Rapid Health Impact Assessment of a Proposed Poultry Processing Plant in Millsboro, Delaware
Authors: Baskin-Graves Leah , Mullen Haley , Aber Aaron , Sinisterra Jair , Ayub Kamran , Amaya-Fuentes Roxana , Wilson Sacoby
Published: September 2019

In 2013, Allen Harim Foods purchased the former site of a Vlasic Pickle plant in Millsboro, Delaware, and proposed to convert the site into a poultry processing plant that would process approximately two million birds weekly. This generated concerns about the proposed plant’s potential to impact health and quality of life among residents. We conducted a rapid health impact assessment (HIA) of the proposed plant to assess baseline environmental health issues in the host community and projected impacts. The scoping and baseline assessment revealed social, economic, and health disparities in the region. We also determined that residents in the area were already underserved and overburdened with pollution from multiple environmental hazards near the proposed plant including two sites contaminated with hazardous wastes, a power plant, and another poultry processing plant. The projected size and amount of poultry to be processed at the plant would likely cause increased levels of air, soil and water pollution, additional odor issues, and increased traffic and related pollution and safety issues. The information generated from the HIA formed the basis of a campaign to raise awareness about potential problems associated with the new facility and to foster more engagement of impacted residents in local decision-making about the proposed plant. In the end, the HIA helped concerned residents oppose the new poultry processing plant. This case study provides an example of how HIAs can be used as a tool to educate residents, raise awareness about environmental justice issues, and enhance meaningful engagement in local environmental decision-making processes.
Spatial Inequity of Multi-Level Healthcare Services in a Rapid Expanding Immigrant City of China: A Case Study of Shenzhen
Authors: Hu Wei , Li Lin , Su Mo
Published: September 2019

Since the onset of reform and opening up in China, large cities in the nation have been experiencing problems related to limited medical resources. These resource limitations are due to rapid population growth and urban expansion. As the country’s fastest growing city, Shenzhen has experienced a substantial misalignment between the supply and the demand of healthcare services. Numerous researchers have analyzed spatial inequity in healthcare services by focusing on the spatial accessibility of medical facilities, such as hospitals, clinics, and community health service centers (CHSCs). However, the issue of inequity in healthcare services for vulnerable groups has largely been ignored. We chose general hospitals (GHs) and CHSCs, which provide direct healthcare services to residents, as the study objects. By performing spatial accessibility analysis using the gravity model and the two-step floating catchment area method, we investigated healthcare services inequity for vulnerable groups based on four dimensions: residential type, age, education level, and occupation. We found that the services provided by GHs cannot meet the demand in Shenzhen. This inadequacy is characterized by spatial centralization and neglect of those who reside in urban villages, who have low education levels, and who are employed in the manufacturing industry. In contrast, CHSCs generally serve a relatively broad population. This phenomenon is related to differences in the land and capital needs between GHs and CHSCs. Our study reveals that an appropriate adjustment of GH location could significantly improve healthcare services inequity. Therefore, to alleviate this inequity, it is particularly necessary to increase the number of GHs in the peripheral circle and in areas with large vulnerable populations, accelerate the implementation of the hierarchical medical system, and promote the transfer of medical resources to grassroot institutes through CHSCs. This study helps improve our understanding of healthcare services inequity in rapid expanding cities, which is of substantial significance for improving the planning and construction of medical facilities, facilitating scientific decision-making, and promoting social equity.
Didgeridoo Health Promotion Method Improves Mood, Mental Stress, and Stability of Autonomic Nervous System
Authors: Lee Suni , Yamamoto Shoko , Kumagai-Takei Naoko , Sada Nagisa , Yoshitome Kei , Nishimura Yasumitsu , Kojima Toshihiro , Otsuki Takemi
Published: September 2019

A potential method of health promotion using the traditional wooden brass instrument the didgeridoo was examined, especially in terms of mood, stress, and autonomic nerve stabilization. Twenty Japanese healthy subjects undertook 10 lessons of the Didgeridoo Health Promotion Method (DHPM) and a moods questionnaire, blood pressure, salivary amylase (sAmy) as a stress marker, pulse rate and autonomic balance expressed by Ln[low frequency (LF)/High frequency (HF) were examined twice before the entire lessons and once before and after each lesson. The subjects had improved total mood disturbance (TMD: overall mood disorder degree) as measured by the Japanese version of the Profile of Mood States 2nd Edition (POMS2) as a result of taking the lessons. The pulse of the subjects decreased after the lessons, which correlated with a reduction in sAmy. Additionally, it was found that sAmy decreased after the lessons with increasing age of the subject, subjects with higher TMD before the lessons, or subjects with higher sAmy values before the lessons. With autonomic balance measured by Ln[LF/HF], subjects who had parasympathetic dominance as a result of the lesson were significantly more frequent. Additionally, it has been shown that Ln[LF/HF] decreased over 10 weeks, and it is also clear that the effect is sustained. Health promotion is an important concern for societies as a whole. In this study, it became clear that the DHPM affected mood, stress, and autonomic stability. Future studies should focus on monitoring the effects of continuing the lessons for a longer period of time. Additionally, physical effects such as strength of respiratory muscles should be examined. DHPM may be employed in the work place to promote the mental health of workers as well as in regional neighborhood associations/communities.
Detection and Quantification of Tire Particles in Sediments Using a Combination of Simultaneous Thermal Analysis, Fourier Transform Infra-Red, and Parallel Factor Analysis
Authors: Mengistu Demmelash , Nilsen Vegard , Heistad Arve , Kvaal Knut
Published: September 2019

Detection and quantification of tread wear particles in the environment have been a challenge owing to lack of a robust method. This study investigated the applicability of a combination of Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA), Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR), and Parallel Factor Analysis (PARAFAC) in the detection and quantification of tire particles from formulated sediments. FTIR spectral data were obtained by heating 20 samples in STA. Among the 20 samples, 12 were tire granules in formulated sediments (TGIS) containing 1%, 2%, 5%, and 10% by mass of tire granules, while the remaining eight contained 0.5, 1, 2.5, and 5 mg of tire granules only (TGO). The PARAFAC models decomposed the trilinear data into three components. Tire rubber materials in tire granules (RM) and a combination of water and carbon dioxide were the components identified in all samples. The linear regression analysis of score values from the PARAFAC models showed that the RM quantity predicted were comparable to measured values in both TGIS and TGO. Decomposing the overlying components in the spectral data into different components, and predicting unknown quantity in both sample types, the method proves robust in identifying and quantifying tire particles from sediments.
Prospective Application of Palm Oil Mill Boiler Ash as a Biosorbent: Effect of Microwave Irradiation and Palm Oil Mill Effluent Decolorization by Adsorption
Authors: Hamzah Muhammad Hazwan , Ahmad Asri Muhammad Fitri , Che Man Hasfalina , Mohammed Abdulsalam
Published: September 2019

Common conventional biological treatment methods fail to decolorize palm oil mill effluent (POME). The present study focused on using the abundant palm oil mill boiler (POMB) ashes for POME decolorization. The POMB ashes were subjected to microwave irradiation and chemical treatment using H2SO4. The resultant adsorbents were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analyses. The adsorption efficiency was evaluated at various pH levels (2–8.5), adsorption dosages (3–15 g) in 200 mL, and contact times (1–5 h). The microwave-irradiated POMB-retained ash recorded the highest color removal of 92.31%, for which the best conditions were pH 2, 15 g adsorbent dosage in 200 mL, and 5 h of contact time. At these best treatment conditions, the color concentration of the treated effluent was analyzed using the method proposed by the American Dye Manufacturers Institute (ADMI). The color concentration was 19.20 ADMI, which complies with the Malaysia discharge standard class A. The Freundlich isotherm model better fit the experimental data and had a high R2 of 0.9740. Based on these results, it can be deduced that microwave-irradiated POMB-retained ash has potential applications for POME decolorization via a biosorption process.