bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Adaptive Capacity to Mitigate Climate Variability and Food Insecurity of Rural Communities Along River Tana Basin, Kenya
Authors: Karienye David , Macharia Joseph
Published: May 2021

Climate variability is one of the leading natural threats and a root cause of food insecurity in the developing world, more so in Africa. It is a major impediment to the accomplishment of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Vision 2030 and Big Four agenda in the Kenyan context. The rise in occurrence and brutality of extreme events resulting from variability of climate including prolonged flooding and drought has become more pronounced in the relatively drier areas. This chapter presents a synthesis about rural communities in Garissa and Tana River Counties, Kenya. The key environmental conditions that face the rural communities in the two counties are prolonged drought and recurrent flooding events. The two conditions have resulted in various challenges facing the communities in these regions through low agricultural production (food and pastures), poor infrastructure, human displacement, and the resultant extreme poverty, overall food insecurity, and tough livelihoods. The problems have been exacerbated by lack of capacity by most of the community members to cushion themselves against these impacts. However, as the conditions continue to manifest themselves, the community members have also identified adaptive mechanisms that are best suited in the region including planting drought-resistant crop varieties, diversifying their livelihoods, embrace sustainable land use, and made efforts to plant trees. We, therefore, conclude that integrated information sharing including early warning alongside affordable and appropriate technologies and crop insurance could be an entry point in cushioning the local communities in the arid and semiarid lands (ASALs) against the extreme weather conditions experienced in the region.
Adaptation of Small-Scale Tea and Coffee Farmers in Kenya to Climate Change
Authors: Karuri Alice Nyawira
Published: May 2021

The adverse effect of climate change on agriculture is well-documented and is a cause of concern for governments globally. In addition to concerns over food crop production, the economies of numerous developing countries rely heavily on cash crops. The coffee and tea sectors are key in Kenya’s economy, contributing significantly to the gross domestic product, foreign exchange, and the direct or indirect employment of millions. Farmers engaged in the production of coffee and tea are predominantly small-scale farmers, with the majority farming on less than five acres. Climate change poses a threat to the production of these two crops and by extension to the economy of Kenya and the livelihood of farmers and those employed in these sectors. This study identifies the challenges posed by climate change in the tea and coffee sectors, the adaptation and mitigation measures identified, and the scope of their implementation. The production, processing, and marketing of tea and coffee in Kenya differs widely in terms of the institutions and institutional arrangements in the two sectors. This study will therefore analyze the role played by institutions in both sectors and how this affects climate change adaptation and mitigation measures by small-scale farmers.
Barriers to Climate Change Adaptation Among Pastoralists: Rwenzori Region, Western Uganda
Authors: Nkuba Michael Robert , Chanda Raban , Mmopelwa Gagoitseope , Adedoyin Akintayo , Mangheni Margaret Najjingo , Lesolle David , Kato Edward
Published: May 2021

This chapter discusses the barriers to climate change adaptation among pastoralists in the Rwenzori region in Western Uganda. Despite the implementation of adaptation programs by public and private agencies, pastoralists still have impediments to adapting to climate change. Data was collected using a household survey involving 269 pastoralists. The results revealed that the main barriers were poor access to climate change information, poor access to extension services, high cost of adaptation measures, poor access to credit, and insecure land tenure. There is need to improve capacity building of extension workers and other stakeholders in the dissemination of climate change information. Land tenure and land rights issues should be given high consideration in climate change adaptation policies and programs. Climate finance programs should be made more effective in addressing the high cost of adaptation.
Glucose Metabolism in Cancer: The Warburg Effect and Beyond
Authors: Bose Sminu , Zhang Cissy , Le Anne
Published: May 2021

Otto Warburg observed a peculiar phenomenon in 1924, unknowingly laying the foundation for the field of cancer metabolism. While his contemporaries hypothesized that tumor cells derived the energy required for uncontrolled replication from proteolysis and lipolysis, Warburg instead found them to rapidly consume glucose, converting it to lactate even in the presence of oxygen. The significance of this finding, later termed the Warburg effect, went unnoticed by the broader scientific community at that time. The field of cancer metabolism lay dormant for almost a century awaiting advances in molecular biology and genetics, which would later open the doors to new cancer therapies [2, 3].
Cancer Stem Cell Metabolism
Authors: Alvina Fidelia B. , Gouw Arvin M. , Le Anne
Published: May 2021

Cancer stem cells (CSCs), also known as tumorinitiating cells (TICs), are a group of cells found within cancer cells. Like normal stem cells, CSCs can proliferate, engage in self-renewal, and are often implicated in the recurrence of tumors after therapy [1, 2]. The existence of CSCs in various types of cancer has been proven, such as in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) [3], breast [4], pancreatic [5], and lung cancers [6], to name a few. There are two theories regarding the origin of CSCs. First, CSCs may have arisen from normal stem/progenitor cells that experienced changes in their environment or genetic mutations. On the other hand, CSCs may also have originated from differentiated cells that underwent genetic and/or heterotypic modifications [7]. Either way, CSCs reprogram their metabolism in order to support tumorigenesis.
Targeting Metabolic Cross Talk Between Cancer Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts
Authors: Jung Jin G. , Le Anne
Published: May 2021

Although cancer has classically been regarded as a genetic disease of uncontrolled cell growth, the importance of the tumor microenvironment (TME) [1, 2] is continuously emphasized by the accumulating evidence that cancer growth is not simply dependent on the cancer cells themselves [3, 4] but also dependent on angiogenesis [5–8], inflammation [9, 10], and the supporting roles of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) [11–13]. After the discovery that CAFs are able to remodel the tumor matrix within the TME and provide the nutrients and chemicals to promote cancer cell growth [14], many studies have aimed to uncover the cross talk between cancer cells and CAFs. Moreover, a new paradigm in cancer metabolism shows how cancer cells act like “metabolic parasites” to take up the high-energy metabolites, such as lactate, ketone bodies, free fatty acids, and glutamine from supporting cells, including CAFs and cancer-associated adipocytes (CAAs) [15, 16]. This chapter provides an overview of the metabolic coupling between CAFs and cancer cells to further define the therapeutic options to disrupt the CAF-cancer cell interactions.
Diabetes and Cancer: The Epidemiological and Metabolic Associations
Authors: Zhang Cissy , Le Anne
Published: May 2021

Diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes, and cancer are two of the most common diseases plaguing the world today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are currently more than 20 million people with diabetes in the United States [1]. According to the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), there were around 18 million people diagnosed with cancer, with approximately ten million deaths globally in 2018 [2]. Given the prevalence and deadliness of diabetes and cancer, these two diseases have long been the focus of many researchers with the goal of improving treatment outcomes. While diabetes and cancer may seem to be two very different diseases at first glance, they share several similarities, especially regarding their metabolic characteristics. This chapter discusses the similarities and relationships between the metabolism of diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes (T2D), and cancer, including their abnormal glucose and amino acid metabolism, the contribution of hyperglycemia to oncogenic mutation, and the contribution of hyperinsulinemia to cancer progression. Investigating the metabolic interplay between diabetes and cancer in an effort to exploit this connection for cancer treatment has the potential to significantly improve clinical efficacy.
The Heterogeneity of Lipid Metabolism in Cancer
Authors: Park Joshua K. , Coffey Nathan J. , Limoges Aaron , Le Anne
Published: May 2021

The study of cancer cell metabolism has traditionally focused on glycolysis and glutaminolysis. However, lipidomic technologies have matured considerably over the last decade and broadened our understanding of how lipid metabolism is relevant to cancer biology [1–3]. Studies now suggest that the reprogramming of cellular lipid metabolism contributes directly to malignant transformation and progression [4, 5]. For example, de novo lipid synthesis can supply proliferating tumor cells with phospholipid components that comprise the plasma and organelle membranes of new daughter cells [6, 7]. Moreover, the upregulation of mitochondrial β-oxidation can support tumor cell energetics and redox homeostasis [8], while lipid-derived messengers can regulate major signaling pathways or coordinate immunosuppressive mechanisms [9–11]. Lipid metabolism has, therefore, become implicated in a variety of oncogenic processes, including metastatic colonization, drug resistance, and cell differentiation [10, 12–16]. However, whether we can safely and effectively modulate the underlying mechanisms of lipid metabolism for cancer therapy is still an open question.
Novel leptoquark pair production at LHC
Authors: Doršner Ilja , Fajfer Svjetlana , Lejlić Ajla
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We introduce a novel mechanism for the leptoquark pair production at LHC that is of a t-channel topology and is quark-quark initiated. This mechanism operates under fairly general conditions. One of them is that the two leptoquarks in question couple to the same lepton and the other one is that the fermion numbers of these two leptoquarks differ by two. The strength of the proposed mechanism provides an alternative way to the conventional processes to efficiently constrain the parameter space of the two leptoquark scenarios at LHC whenever the aforementioned conditions are met. We accordingly present one case study to outline the physics potential of this novel production mechanism.
Some properties of the QQq-quark potential in string models
Authors: Andreev Oleg
Published: May 2021

Abstract

We propose a string theory construction which allows us to study properties of the potential of two heavy quarks coupled to a light quark. In such a case, the potential is a function of separation between the heavy quarks. The results show the universality of the string tension and factorization at small separations expected from heavy quark-diquark symmetry. In addition, we make an estimate of the string breaking distance. With the parameter values we use, this distance is found to be almost the same as that for the heavy quark-antiquark potential. We also discuss the heavy quark-quark potential and its relation to Lipkin rule.
Reduzierung des Zuckerkonsums für eine bessere Mundgesundheit – Welche Strategien sind Erfolg versprechend?
Authors: Heilmann Anja , Ziller Sebastian
Published: May 2021

Strategien zur Gesundheitsförderung können einen wesentlichen Beitrag leisten, um nichtübertragbare chronische Krankheiten zu verhindern. Die wesentlichen nichtübertragbaren Erkrankungen in der Zahnmedizin sind Zahnkaries und Parodontalerkrankungen. Zucker spielt sowohl bei der Entstehung von Zahnkaries als auch von Übergewicht und dessen Folgen für die Allgemeingesundheit eine ursächliche Rolle und ist daher als wichtige kommerzielle Gesundheitsdeterminante mehr und mehr ins Blickfeld von Wissenschaft und Gesundheitspolitik gerückt. Existierende Strategien zur Reduktion des Zuckerkonsums zielen jedoch häufig auf Maßnahmen zur individuellen Verhaltensänderung ab und lassen dabei die Rolle von gesellschaftlichen und kommerziellen Einflüssen außer Acht.

In diesem Artikel beschreiben wir die aktuellen Empfehlungen der Weltgesundheitsorganisation (WHO) zum Zuckerkonsum, Daten zum Zuckerverzehr in Deutschland sowie die sozialen und kommerziellen Faktoren, welche den Zuckerkonsum beeinflussen. Grundlegende Prinzipien der Gesundheitsförderung werden dargelegt und sich daraus ergebende Strategien zur Zuckerreduzierung diskutiert. Dabei werden konkrete Beispiele für Upstream- und Downstream-Ansätze benannt und Möglichkeiten der Einflussnahme durch die zahnmedizinische Community in Politik und Praxis aufgezeigt.
Kinematic analysis and process stability of ultrasonic-assisted drilling
Authors: Georgi Oliver , Rüger Carlo , Rentzsch Hendrik , Putz Matthias
Published: May 2021

Regarding drilling, ultrasonic-assistance enables various potentials such as less tool wear, enhanced chip breaking and burr reduction. Although there are many technological studies verifying these advantages, no theory for process behaviour, design and parameter evaluation is available. Thus, this paper presents a kinematic analysis of the interaction between tool and workpiece to contribute to overall process understanding. Specific process scenarios are classified and characteristic parameters for the evaluation and design of ultrasonic-assisted drilling are determined. In addition, experimental investigations based on the developed process model are carried out analysing chip shape, bore surface and process stability acquired by acoustic measurements. The kinematic analysis shows the classification of ultrasonic-assisted drilling according to continuous and intermitted cutting conditions. In addition, the superposition of ultrasonic vibrations causes a modulation of uncut chip thickness related to the ratio of ultrasonic frequency and spindle speed. In general, experimental results show that ultrasonic-assisted drilling is leading to shorter chips. While using parameters for intermitted cutting conditions needle chips occur. At the same time, intermitted cutting conditions induce process instabilities identified using the acoustic measurement approach.
Ligamentous healing potential of the acromioclavicular ligament following acute anatomical reconstruction
Authors: Tuecking L. R. , Erdle B. , Bernstein A. , Ogon P. , Jaeger M. , Südkamp N. P. , Izadpanah K. , Maier D.
Published: May 2021

Background

Horizontal instability following acute acromioclavicular joint (ACJ) reconstruction still occurs with a high prevalence. Although the human acromioclavicular ligament complex (ACLC) represents the major horizontal ACJ stabilizer, experimental studies on healing characteristics are lacking. Therefore, the purpose of this histological study was to investigate the healing potential of the ACLC following acute anatomical reconstruction

Methods

In this prospective clinical-experimental study, 28 ACLC biopsies were performed in patients with complete ACJ dislocations (Rockwood type 4 or 5) during acute hook plate stabilization (IG: implantation group; n = 14) and hook plate removal (EG: explantation group; n = 14). Histological analyses included Giemsa staining, polarized light microscopy and immunostaining against CD68, αSMA and collagen type I and type III. Histomorphological evaluation entailed cell counts, collagen expression score, ligament tissue maturity index (LTMI) and descriptive analysis of specific ligamentous structures. Statistics consisted of nonparametric Mann–Whitney U tests and a level of significance of P < .05.

Results

Total cell counts (cells/mm2 1491 ± 296 vs. 635 ± 430; P < 0.001) and collagen III expression (3.22 ± 0.22 vs. 1.78 ± 0.41; P < 0.001) were higher in EG compared to IG. Inversely αSMA + (11 ± 9 vs. 179 ± 186; P < 0.001) and CD68 + cell counts (56 ± 20 vs. 100 ± 57; P 0.009) were significantly lower in the EG. The EG revealed a comparable reorientation of ligamentous structures. Consistently, ACLC samples of the EG (21.6 ± 2.4) displayed a high total but differently composed LTMI score (IG: 24.5 ± 1.2; P < 0.001).

Conclusions

This experimental study proved the ligamentous healing potential of the human ACLC following acute anatomical reconstruction. Histomorphologically, the ACLC reliably showed a ligamentous state of healing at a mean of about 12 weeks after surgery. However, processes of ligamentous remodeling were still evident. These experimental findings support recent clinical data showing superior horizontal ACJ stability with additional AC stabilization in the context of acute ACJ reconstruction. Though, prospective clinical and biomechanical studies are warranted to evaluate influencing factors on ACLC healing and potential impacts of acute ACLC repair on clinical outcome.

Study type

Controlled Laboratory Study
Mavoglurant (AFQ056) for the treatment of levodopa-induced dyskinesia in patients with Parkinson’s disease: a meta-analysis
Authors: Negida Ahmed , Ghaith Hazem S. , Fala Salma Yousry , Ahmed Hussien , Bahbah Eshak I , Ebada Mahmoud Ahmed , Aziz Mohamed Abd Elalem
Published: May 2021

Background

Mavoglurant (AFQ056), a selective metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 (mGluR5) inhibitor, was tested for t levodopa-induced dyskinesia (LID) in patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). However, clinical trials showed inconsistent results regarding the efficacy of mavoglurant in treating LID in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).

Methods

A computer literature search of PubMed, Scopus, Web of science, and Cochrane CENTRAL was conducted until March 2021. We selected relevant randomized controlled trials comparing mavoglurant to placebo. Study data were extracted and pooled as mean difference (MD) in the meta-analysis model.

Results

Six RCTs were included in this meta-analysis with a total of 485 patients. Mavoglurant was not significantly superior to placebo in terms of the “off-time” (MD −0.27 h, 95% CI −0.65 to 0.11), “on time” (MD 0.29 h, 95% CI −0.09 to 0.66), Lang-Fahn activities of daily living dyskinesia scale (MD −0.95, 95% CI −1.98 to 0.07), UPDRS-III (MD −0.51, 95% CI −1.66 to 0.65), or UPDRS-IV (MD −0.41, 95% CI −0.85 to 0.03). However, the pooled modified abnormal involuntary movement scale favored the mavoglurant group than the placebo group (MD −2.53, 95% CI −4.23 to −0.82).

Conclusions

This meta-analysis provides level one evidence that mavoglurant is not effective in treating the LID in patients with PD.
Palaeozoic stromatoporoid diagenesis: a synthesis
Authors: Kershaw Stephen , Munnecke Axel , Jarochowska Emilia , Young Graham
Published: May 2021

Palaeozoic stromatoporoids, throughout their 100-million + year history (Middle Ordovician to Late Devonian and rare Carboniferous), are better preserved than originally aragonite molluscs, but less well-preserved than low magnesium-calcite brachiopods, bryozoans, trilobites and corals. However, the original mineralogy of stromatoporoids remains unresolved, and details of their diagenesis are patchy. This study of approximately 2000 stromatoporoids and the literature recognises three diagenetic stages, applicable throughout their geological history. Timing of processes may vary in and between stages; some components are not always present. Stage 1, on or just below sediment surface, comprises the following: micrite filling of upper gallery space after death, then filling of any remaining space by non-ferroan then ferroan calcite in decreasing oxygen of pore-waters; partial lithification of associated sediment from which stromatoporoids may be exhumed and redeposited, evidence of general early lithification of middle Palaeozoic shallow-marine carbonates; microdolomite formation, with the Mg interpreted to have been derived from original high-Mg calcite (HMC) mineralogy (likely overlaps Stage 2). Stage 2, short distance below sediment surface, comprising the following: fabric-retentive recrystallisation (FRR) of stromatoporoid skeletons forming fabric-retentive irregular calcite (FRIC), mostly orientated normal to growth layers, best seen in cross-polarised light. FRIC stops at stromatoporoid margins in contact with sediment and bioclasts. FRIC geometry varies, indicating some taxonomic control. Evidence that FRIC formed early in diagenetic history includes syntaxial continuation of FRIC into some sub-stromatoporoid cavities (Type 1 cement), although others were pre-occupied by early cement fills (Type 2 cement) formed before FRR, preventing syntaxial continuation of FRIC into cavities. Likely contemporaneous with FRIC formation, stromatoporoids in argillaceous micrites drew carbonate from adjacent sediment during reorganisation of argillaceous micrite into limestone–marl rhythms that are also early diagenetic. Stage 3, largely shallow burial, comprises the following: dissolution and silicification, but these may have occurred earlier in stromatoporoid diagenetic histories (more data required); burial pressure dissolution forming stylolites.
Recovering a perturbation of a matrix polynomial from a perturbation of its first companion linearization
Authors: Dmytryshyn Andrii
Published: May 2021

A number of theoretical and computational problems for matrix polynomials are solved by passing to linearizations. Therefore a perturbation theory, that relates perturbations in the linearization to equivalent perturbations in the corresponding matrix polynomial, is needed. In this paper we develop an algorithm that finds which perturbation of matrix coefficients of a matrix polynomial corresponds to a given perturbation of the entire linearization pencil. Moreover we find transformation matrices that, via strict equivalence, transform a perturbation of the linearization to the linearization of a perturbed polynomial. For simplicity, we present the results for the first companion linearization but they can be generalized to a broader class of linearizations.
Global Sensitivity Analysis of a Homogenized Constrained Mixture Model of Arterial Growth and Remodeling
Authors: Brandstaeter Sebastian , Fuchs Sebastian L. , Biehler Jonas , Aydin Roland C. , Wall Wolfgang A. , Cyron Christian J.
Published: May 2021

Growth and remodeling in arterial tissue have attracted considerable attention over the last decade. Mathematical models have been proposed, and computational studies with these have helped to understand the role of the different model parameters. So far it remains, however, poorly understood how much of the model output variability can be attributed to the individual input parameters and their interactions. To clarify this, we propose herein a global sensitivity analysis, based on Sobol indices, for a homogenized constrained mixture model of aortic growth and remodeling. In two representative examples, we found that 54–80% of the long term output variability resulted from only three model parameters. In our study, the two most influential parameters were the one characterizing the ability of the tissue to increase collagen production under increased stress and the one characterizing the collagen half-life time. The third most influential parameter was the one characterizing the strain-stiffening of collagen under large deformation. Our results suggest that in future computational studies it may - at least in scenarios similar to the ones studied herein - suffice to use population average values for the other parameters. Moreover, our results suggest that developing methods to measure the said three most influential parameters may be an important step towards reliable patient-specific predictions of the enlargement of abdominal aortic aneurysms in clinical practice.
English Language Standards in California, China and Mexico: History, Comparison, and Analysis
Authors: Na Li , Gregory Jolene Castillo , Téllez Kip
Published: May 2021

Learning standards have become a prominent feature for schools and school systems worldwide. Our paper describes the development of recent English teaching standards in California, China, and Mexico, as well as analyzing them for their theoretical orientations. We begin with an overview and critique of the standards movement. Our analysis of the standards in California, China, and Mexico reveals a substantial shift from a grammatical accuracy focused approach towards a communicative approach to language instruction. While this turn may be welcomed by professional educators, there are practical policy questions to be answered. We end our paper by noting additional challenges to implementing the new standards. Our general assessment is that the authors of the standards firmly believe that the new guidelines will improve instruction.
Improvement of cooling performance of hybrid nanofluids in a heated pipe applying annular magnets
Authors: Li Guolong , Wang Jin , Zheng Hongxing , Xie Gongnan , Sundén Bengt
Published: May 2021

In this paper, convective heat transfer of Fe3O4–carbon nanotubes (CNTs) hybrid nanofluid was studied in a horizontal small circular tube under influence of annular magnets. The pipe has an inner diameter of 3 mm and a length of 1.2 m. Heat transfer characteristics of the Fe3O4–water nanofluid were examined for many parameters, such as nanoparticle volume fraction in the range of 0.4–1.2% and Reynolds number in the range of 476–996. In order to increase the thermal conductivity of the Fe3O4–water nanofluid, carbon nanotubes with 0.12–0.48% volume fraction were added into the nanofluid. It was observed that for the Fe3O4–CNTs–water nanofluid with 1.44% volume fraction and under a magnetic field, the maximal local Nusselt number at the Reynolds number 996 increased by 61.54% compared with without a magnetic field. Results also show that compared with the deionized water, the maximal enhancements of the average Nusselt number are 67.9 and 20.89% for the Fe3O4–CNTs–water nanofluid with and without magnetic field, respectively.
Backbone curves, Neimark-Sacker boundaries and appearance of quasi-periodicity in nonlinear oscillators: application to 1:2 internal resonance and frequency combs in MEMS
Authors: Gobat Giorgio , Guillot Louis , Frangi Attilio , Cochelin Bruno , Touzé Cyril
Published: May 2021

Quasi-periodic solutions can arise in assemblies of nonlinear oscillators as a consequence of Neimark-Sacker bifurcations. In this work, the appearance of Neimark-Sacker bifurcations is investigated analytically and numerically in the specific case of a system of two coupled oscillators featuring a 1:2 internal resonance. More specifically, the locus of Neimark-Sacker points is analytically derived and its evolution with respect to the system parameters is highlighted. The backbone curves, solution of the conservative system, are first investigated, showing in particular the existence of two families of periodic orbits, denoted as parabolic modes. The behaviour of these modes, when the detuning between the eigenfrequencies of the system is varied, is underlined. The non-vanishing limit value, at the origin of one solution family, allows explaining the appearance of isolated solutions for the damped-forced system. The results are then applied to a Micro-Electro-Mechanical System-like shallow arch structure, to show how the analytical expression of the Neimark-Sacker boundary curve can be used for rapid prediction of the appearance of quasiperiodic regime, and thus frequency combs, in Micro-Electro-Mechanical System dynamics.
A novel image encryption algorithm based on least squares generative adversarial network random number generator
Authors: Man Zhenlong , Li Jinqing , Di Xiaoqiang , Liu Xu , Zhou Jian , Wang Jia , Zhang Xingxu
Published: May 2021

In cryptosystems, the generation of random keys is crucial. The random number generator is required to have a sufficiently fast generation speed to ensure the size of the keyspace. At the same time, the randomness of the key is an important indicator to ensure the security of the encryption system. The chaotic random number generator has been widely used in cryptosystems due to the uncertainty, non-repeatability, and unpredictability of chaotic systems. However, chaotic systems, especially high-dimensional chaotic systems, have slow calculation speed and long iteration time. This caused a conflict between the number of random keys and the speed of generation. In this paper, we introduce the Least Squares Generative Adversarial Networks(LSGAN)into random number generation. Using LSGAN’s powerful learning ability, a novel learning random number generator is constructed. Six chaotic systems with different structures and different dimensions are used as training sets to realize the rapid and efficient generation of random numbers. Experimental results prove that the encryption key generated by this scheme can pass all randomness tests of the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Hence, our result shows that LSGAN has the potential to improve the quality of the random number generators. Finally, the results are successfully applied to the image encryption scheme based on selective scrambling and overlay diffusion, and good results are achieved.
5G for the Support of Public Safety Services
Authors: Chochliouros Ioannis P. , Spiliopoulou Anastasia S. , Lazaridis Pavlos I. , Zaharis Zaharias D. , Spada Maria-Rita , Pérez-Romero Jordi , Blanco Bego , Khalife Hicham , Ebrahimi Khaleghi Ehsan , Kourtis Michail-Alexandros
Published: May 2021

Next-generation mobile technologies are the enablers for meeting the variable specific requirements of the public safety (PS) community. In particular, due to the development of commercially deployed 5G networks, PS providers look for ways to implement related solutions upon such infrastructures, potentially in a shared use with existing commercial networks. In particular, LTE and 5G NR networks are rapidly gaining recognition as an all-inclusive critical communications platform for the delivery of both mission and business critical applications. Within this scope, we take into account the innovative architectural approach that has been proposed by the 5G ESSENCE project, addressing the paradigms of edge computing and small cell as-a-service that has been realised via a cloud-enabled small cell infrastructure leveraging multi-access technologies in 5G, where we propose a dedicated PS use case, able to offer a mission critical push-to-talk service as well as a Chat and Localisation service. Each one of these services is associated to a dedicated network slice within the scope of the corresponding fundamental 5G ESSENCE architecture and both services are provided via suitable VNFs, thus offering great flexibility to serve PS needs together. We further discuss the overall scenario deployment with the related technical enablers and the proposed functionalities, per case. The corresponding end-to-end slicing makes possible to allocate both radio and cloud resources to the involved critical actors, in an automated and elastic way.
Effect of straw retention on carbon footprint under different cropping sequences in Northeast China
Authors: Song Qiulai , Zhu Jie , Gong Zhenping , Feng Yanjiang , Wang Qi , Sun Yu , Zeng Xiannan , Lai Yongcai
Published: May 2021

Inappropriate farm management practices can lead to increased agricultural inputs and changes in atmospheric greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, impacting climate change. This study was initiated in 2012 to assess the potential for straw retention to mitigate the negative environmental impact of various cropping systems on the Songnen Plain using the life cycle assessment (LCA) method combined with field survey data. Straw retention (STR) and straw removal (STM) treatments were established in continuous corn (CC) and corn-soybean rotation (CS) systems in a split-plot experiment. The effects of straw retention on the carbon footprint (CF) of cropland under different cropping systems were compared. The CF under CC was 2434–2707 kg CO2 ha−1 year−1, 49–57% higher than that under CS. Nitrogen fertilizer produced the most CO2, accounting for 66–80% of the CF. The carbon balances of the CC and CS systems with STR were positive, with annual carbon sequestrations of 9633 and 2716 kg CO2 ha−1 year−1, respectively. The carbon balance (CB) of CC-STR was 255% higher than that of CS-STR. This study demonstrates that STR under CC cultivation is an environmentally friendly practice for agricultural production, can help achieve high-yield and low-carbon production in rainfed cropland, and can support the sustainable development of grain production in Northeast China.
Free-Market, Perfect Market and Welfare State Perspectives on “Good” Markets: an Empirical Test
Authors: Graafland Johan , Verbruggen Harmen
Published: May 2021

This study explores the relationship between human development and market institutions and tests the performance of three alternative economic perspectives that each assign a different role to governments. In the free-market perspective, the principal task of the government is to protect property rights. In the perfect-market perspective, the government has the additional responsibility of correcting market failures. The welfare-state perspective posits that the state must actively adopt welfare-state policies across a broad range of fields. Based on a sample of 34 OECD countries plus Russia across a time frame spanning 1990 to 2018, the results demonstrate that economic freedom and small size of government do not significantly affect human development as measured by the Human Development Index. Hence, we find no support for the free-market ideal. Conversely, it is found that human development is positively related to governmental interventions that aim to reduce externalities (public expenditure on education and environmental regulation). These results support the perfect-market perspective. With respect to the welfare-state perspective, the findings are mixed. On the one hand, we found that (some) labor market regulations (particularly hiring and firing regulations, hours regulations and mandated cost of worker dismissal) have a negative impact upon human development. On the other hand, human development is shown to be positively affected by governmental intervention seeking to reduce gender stratification in the labor market.
Sustaining Forest Ecosystem Services Through Social Enterprises: Motivations and Challenges from a Case Study in Scotland
Authors: Zhang Shaohui , Paterson James S. , Hujala Teppo
Published: May 2021

Both the concepts of ecosystem services and social enterprise have gained popularity as means of addressing social and environmental issues in recent years. But while research on ecosystem services has focused on non-governmental organisation and local community-led approaches, the role of social enterprises has received less attention. In Scotland, social enterprises play an important role in delivering social and environmental justice, as well as reaping economic benefits through forest-based practices. These practices are often small-scale and attract participants from local communities. But despite this prominence their motivations and the challenges they face remain largely unexplored. This research attempts to integrate both concepts mainly using field observations and interviews, and to reinforce the findings with the existing literature. It explores the motivations and challenges of social enterprises in sustaining forest ecosystem services through a case study, and discusses their potential within the context of current policy. The research suggests that social enterprises are equipped to tackle a range of social and environmental issues. The enterprise under investigation aims to improve participants’ wellbeing and employability, as well as to provide public education and promote environmental awareness. But these efforts are often hindered by the difficulties of high requirements of the manager and staff members in balancing multiple objectives and most importantly, of managing financial risks. The research concludes that a practical method of assessing cultural ecosystem services as well as the use of innovative funding norms may resolve these challenges, allowing social enterprises to fill the current policy gap and create synergies in the fields of ecosystem services and social enterprise.
Key factors controlling shale oil enrichment in saline lacustrine rift basin: implications from two shale oil wells in Dongpu Depression, Bohai Bay Basin
Authors: Hu Tao , Pang Xiong-Qi , Jiang Fu-Jie , Wang Qi-Feng , Wu Guan-Yun , Liu Xiao-Han , Jiang Shu , Li Chang-Rong , Xu Tian-Wu , Chen Yuan-Yuan
Published: May 2021

Comparative analyses of petroleum generation potential, reservoir volume, frackability, and oil mobility were conducted on 102 shale cores from the Dongpu Depression. Results show the shale has high organic matter contents composed of oil-prone type I and type II kerogens within the oil window. Various types of pores and fractures exist in the shale, with a porosity of up to 14.9%. The shale has high brittle mineral contents, extensive fractures, and high potential for oil mobility due to high seepage capacity and overpressure. Although the petroleum generation potential of the shale at Well PS18-8 is relatively greater than that at Well PS18-1, oil content of the latter is greater due to the greater TOC. The porosity and fracture density observed in Well PS18-1 are greater and more conducive to shale oil enrichment. Although the shales in Wells PS18-1 and PS18-8 have similar brittle mineral contents, the former is more favorable for anthropogenic fracturing due to a higher preexisting fracture density. Besides, the shale at Well PS18-1 has a higher seepage capacity and overpressure and therefore a higher oil mobility. The fracture density and overpressure play key roles in shale oil enrichment.
Can I Feel Your Pain? The Biological and Socio-Cognitive Factors Shaping People’s Empathy with Social Robots
Authors: Malinowska Joanna K.
Published: May 2021

This paper discuss the phenomenon of empathy in social robotics and is divided into three main parts. Initially, I analyse whether it is correct to use this concept to study and describe people’s reactions to robots. I present arguments in favour of the position that people actually do empathise with robots. I also consider what circumstances shape human empathy with these entities. I propose that two basic classes of such factors be distinguished: biological and socio-cognitive. In my opinion, one of the most important among them is a sense of group membership with robots, as it modulates the empathic responses to representatives of our- and other- groups. The sense of group membership with robots may be co-shaped by socio-cognitive factors such as one’s experience, familiarity with the robot and its history, motivation, accepted ontology, stereotypes or language. Finally, I argue in favour of the formulation of a pragmatic and normative framework for manipulations in the level of empathy in human–robot interactions.
Expression of Antimicrobial Peptide (AMP), Cecropin B, in a Fused Form to SUMO Tag With or Without Three-Glycine Linker in Escherichia coli and Evaluation of Bacteriolytic Activity of the Purified AMP
Authors: Park A Rom , Kim Seon Woong , Kim Soon Young , Kwon Kwang-Chul
Published: May 2021

Current antibiotics have limited action mode, which makes it difficult for the antibiotics dealing with the emergence of bacteria resisting the existing antibiotics. As a need for new bacteriolytic agents alternative to the antibiotics, AMPs have long been considered substitutes for the antibiotics. Cecropin B was expressed in a fusion form to six-histidine and SUMO tags in Escherichia coli. Six-histidine tag attached to SUMO was for purification of SUMO-cecropin B fusion proteins and removal of the SUMO tag from cecropin B. Chimeric gene was constructed into pKSEC1 vector that was designed to be functional in both Escherichia coli and chloroplast. To maximize translation of the fusion protein, sequences were codon-optimized. Four different constructs were tested for the level of expression and solubility, and the construct with a linker, 6xHisSUMO3xGly-cecropin B, showed the highest expression. In addition, cleavage of the SUMO tag by SUMOase in the three fusion constructs which have no linker sequence (3xGly, three glycines) was not as efficient as the construct with the linker between SUMO and cecropin B. The cleaved cecropin B showed bacteriolytic activity against Bacillus subtilis at a concentration of 0.0625 μg/μL, while cecropin B fused to SUMO had no activity at a higher concentration, 0.125 μg/μL. As an expression system for AMPs in prokaryotic hosts, the use of tag proteins and appropriate codon-optimization strategy can be employed and further genetic modification of the fusion construct should help the complete removal of the tag proteins from the AMP in the final step of purification.
Development of SNP markers derived from RAD sequencing for Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar L.) inhabiting the rivers of southern England
Authors: King R. Andrew , Stevens Jamie R.
Published: May 2021

The rivers of the Hampshire Basin, southern England contain a genetically unique group of Atlantic salmon that have suffered dramatic declines in numbers over the last 40 years. Knowledge of levels and patterns of genetic diversity is essential for effective management of these vulnerable populations. Using restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (RADseq) data, we describe the development and characterisation of a panel of 94 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci for salmon from this region and investigate their applicability and variability in both target (i.e. southern English) and non-target populations. The SNP loci will be useful for population genetic and assignment studies on Atlantic salmon within the UK and beyond.
$$\omega ^\omega $$-Base and infinite-dimensional compact sets in locally convex spaces
Authors: Banakh Taras , Ka̧kol Jerzy , Schürz Johannes Philipp
Published: May 2021

A locally convex space (lcs) E is said to have an $$\omega ^{\omega }$$

ω
ω

-base if E has a neighborhood base $$\{U_{\alpha }:\alpha \in \omega ^\omega \}$$

{

U
α

:
α
∈

ω
ω

}

at zero such that $$U_{\beta }\subseteq U_{\alpha }$$

U
β

⊆

U
α

for all $$\alpha \le \beta $$

α
≤
β

. The class of lcs with an $$\omega ^{\omega }$$

ω
ω

-base is large, among others contains all (LM)-spaces (hence (LF)-spaces), strong duals of distinguished Fréchet lcs (hence spaces of distributions $$D^{\prime }(\Omega )$$

D
′

(
Ω
)

). A remarkable result of Cascales-Orihuela states that every compact set in an lcs with an $$\omega ^{\omega }$$

ω
ω

-base is metrizable. Our main result shows that every uncountable-dimensional lcs with an $$\omega ^{\omega }$$

ω
ω

-base contains an infinite-dimensional metrizable compact subset. On the other hand, the countable-dimensional vector space $$\varphi $$
φ
endowed with the finest locally convex topology has an $$\omega ^\omega $$

ω
ω

-base but contains no infinite-dimensional compact subsets. It turns out that $$\varphi $$
φ
is a unique infinite-dimensional locally convex space which is a $$k_{\mathbb {R}}$$

k
R

-space containing no infinite-dimensional compact subsets. Applications to spaces $$C_{p}(X)$$

C
p

(
X
)

are provided.
Modeling of water demand management in an arid area: case of Bechar city
Authors: Seddiki Sara , Cherif El Amine
Published: May 2021

Bechar city is located in arid climate of the Algerian Sahara, with an average annual rainfall of about 72 mm. There are two sources to ensure the water supply of the town of Bechar; the first comes from a watershed made up of eight non-renewable boreholes, and the second comes from the Djorf Torba dam, located about 45 km to the west. The pressure on water demand in the highland region depends on many factors, namely: demographic, social, climatic and economic. This study is based on the application of a water evaluation and planning computer tool on the city of Bechar. Which allows us to analyze the supply–demand balance in the water and assess the impact of different scenarios on the study area for manage the water resource and the projected water demand for the different sectors (drinking water, industrial water and agriculture) until 2060.
Comparative performance analysis of quantum machine learning with deep learning for diabetes prediction
Authors: Gupta Himanshu , Varshney Hirdesh , Sharma Tarun Kumar , Pachauri Nikhil , Verma Om Prakash
Published: May 2021

Background

Diabetes, the fastest growing health emergency, has created several life-threatening challenges to public health globally. It is a metabolic disorder and triggers many other chronic diseases such as heart attack, diabetic nephropathy, brain strokes, etc. The prime objective of this work is to develop a prognosis tool based on the PIMA Indian Diabetes dataset that will help medical practitioners in reducing the lethality associated with diabetes.

Methods

Based on the features present in the dataset, two prediction models have been proposed by employing deep learning (DL) and quantum machine learning (QML) techniques. The accuracy has been used to evaluate the prediction capability of these developed models. The outlier rejection, filling missing values, and normalization have been used to uplift the discriminatory performance of these models. Also, the performance of these models has been compared against state-of-the-art models.

Results

The performance measures such as precision, accuracy, recall, F1 score, specificity, balanced accuracy, false detection rate, missed detection rate, and diagnostic odds ratio have been achieved as 0.90, 0.95, 0.95, 0.93, 0.95, 0.95, 0.03, 0.02, and 399.00 for DL model respectively, However for QML, these measures have been computed as 0.74, 0.86, 0.85, 0.79, 0.86, 0.86, 0.11, 0.05, and 35.89 respectively.

Conclusion

The proposed DL model has a high diabetes prediction accuracy as compared with the developed QML and existing state-of-the-art models. It also uplifts the performance by 1.06% compared to reported work. However, the performance of the QML model has been found as satisfactory and comparable with existing literature.
Clean-energy utilization technology in the transformation of existing urban residences in China
Authors: Zhao Li , Chen Wei , Li Qiong , Wu Weiwei
Published: May 2021

Clean-energy substitution technology for existing residential buildings in cities is an inevitable choice for sustainable development and low-carbon ecological city construction. In this paper, the current status of energy-saving renovation and renewable-energy applications for existing residential buildings in various cities in China was summarized by using statistical methods. The geographical distribution of clean-energy power generation in primary energy production in China was explored in depth. According to different climatic divisions for existing urban residences, clean-energy production and consumption were analyzed and predicted based on the STIRPAT model. The results show that the energy consumption of urban residential buildings in 2016 increased by 43.6% compared with 2009, and the percentage of clean energy also increased from 7.9% to 13.4%. Different climatic regions have different advantages regarding clean energy: nuclear power generation leads in the region that experiences hot summers and warm winters, whereas wind and solar power generation lead in the cold and severely cold regions. The present results provide basic data support for the planning and implementation of clean-energy upgrading and transformation systems in existing urban residences in China.