bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seawater Absorption and Adhesion Properties of Hydrophobic and Superhydrophobic Thermoset Epoxy Nanocomposite Coatings
Authors: Atta Ayman M. , El-Newehy Mohamed H. , Abdulhameed Meera Moydeen , Wahby Mohamed H. , Hashem Ahmed I.
Published: January 2021

The enhancement of both thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy materials using nanomaterials becomes a target in coating of the steel to protect it from aggressive environmental conditions for a long time, with reducing the cost. In this respect, the adhesion properties of the epoxy with the steel surfaces, and its proper superhyrophobicity to repel the seawater humidity, can be optimized via addition of green nanoparticles (NPs). In-situ modification of silver (Ag) and calcium carbonate (CaCO3) NPs with oleic acid (OA) was carried out during the formation of Ag−OA and CaCO3−OA, respectively. The epoxide oleic acid (EOA) was also used as capping for Ca−O3 NPs by in-situ method and epoxidation of Ag−OA NPs, too. The morphology, thermal stability, and the diameters of NPs, as well as their dispersion in organic solvent, were investigated. The effects of the prepared NPs on the exothermic curing of the epoxy resins in the presence of polyamines, flexibility or rigidity of epoxy coatings, wettability, and coatings durability in aggressive seawater environment were studied. The obtained results confirmed that the proper superhyrophobicity, coating adhesion, and thermal stability of the epoxy were improved after exposure to salt spray fog for 2000 h at 36 °C.
A Perfusion Bioreactor for Longitudinal Monitoring of Bioengineered Liver Constructs
Authors: Sassi Lisa , Ajayi Omolola , Campinoti Sara , Natarajan Dipa , McQuitty Claire , Siena Riccardo Rayan , Mantero Sara , De Coppi Paolo , Pellegata Alessandro F. , Chokshi Shilpa , Urbani Luca
Published: January 2021

In the field of in vitro liver disease models, decellularised organ scaffolds maintain the original biomechanical and biological properties of the extracellular matrix and are established supports for in vitro cell culture. However, tissue engineering approaches based on whole organ decellularized scaffolds are hampered by the scarcity of appropriate bioreactors that provide controlled 3D culture conditions. Novel specific bioreactors are needed to support long-term culture of bioengineered constructs allowing non-invasive longitudinal monitoring. Here, we designed and validated a specific bioreactor for long-term 3D culture of whole liver constructs. Whole liver scaffolds were generated by perfusion decellularisation of rat livers. Scaffolds were seeded with Luc+HepG2 and primary human hepatocytes and cultured in static or dynamic conditions using the custom-made bioreactor. The bioreactor included a syringe pump, for continuous unidirectional flow, and a circuit built to allow non-invasive monitoring of culture parameters and media sampling. The bioreactor allowed non-invasive analysis of cell viability, distribution, and function of Luc+HepG2-bioengineered livers cultured for up to 11 days. Constructs cultured in dynamic conditions in the bioreactor showed significantly higher cell viability, measured with bioluminescence, distribution, and functionality (determined by albumin production and expression of CYP enzymes) in comparison to static culture conditions. Finally, our bioreactor supports primary human hepatocyte viability and function for up to 30 days, when seeded in the whole liver scaffolds. Overall, our novel bioreactor is capable of supporting cell survival and metabolism and is suitable for liver tissue engineering for the development of 3D liver disease models.
Metal Nanostructures for Environmental Pollutant Detection Based on Fluorescence
Authors: Burratti Luca , Ciotta Erica , De Matteis Fabio , Prosposito Paolo
Published: January 2021

Heavy metal ions and pesticides are extremely dangerous for human health and environment and an accurate detection is an essential step to monitor their levels in water. The standard and most used methods for detecting these pollutants are sophisticated and expensive analytical techniques. However, recent technological advancements have allowed the development of alternative techniques based on optical properties of noble metal nanomaterials, which provide many advantages such as ultrasensitive detection, fast turnover, simple protocols, in situ sampling, on-site capability and reduced cost. This paper provides a review of the most common photo-physical effects impact on the fluorescence of metal nanomaterials and how these processes can be exploited for the detection of pollutant species. The final aim is to provide readers with an updated guide on fluorescent metallic nano-systems used as optical sensors of heavy metal ions and pesticides in water.
The Same Magnocellular Neurons Send Axon Collaterals to the Posterior Pituitary and Retina or to the Posterior Pituitary and Autonomic Preganglionic Centers of the Eye in Rats
Authors: Csáki Ágnes , Köves Katalin , Boldogkői Zsolt , Tombácz Dóra , Tóth Zsuzsanna E.
Published: January 2021

In rats, some parvocellular paraventricular neurons project to spinal autonomic centers. Using the virus tracing technique, we have demonstrated that some magnocellular paraventricular neurons, but not supraoptic neurons, also project to autonomic preganglionic centers of the mammary gland, gingiva, or lip. A part of these neurons has shown oxytocin immunoreactivity. In the present experiment, we have examined whether the same magnocellular neuron that sends fibers to the retina or autonomic preganglionic centers of the eye also projects to the posterior pituitary. Double neurotropic viral labeling and oxytocin immunohistochemistry were used. After inoculation of the posterior pituitary and the eye with viruses, spreading in a retrograde direction and expressing different fluorescence proteins, we looked for double-labeled neurons in paraventricular and supraoptic nuclei. Double-labeled neurons were observed in non-sympathectomized and cervical-sympathectomized animals. Some double-labeled neurons contained oxytocin. After the optic nerve was cut, the labeling did not appear in the supraoptic nucleus; however, it could still be observed in the paraventricular nucleus. In the paraventricular nucleus, the double-labeled cells may be the origin of centrifugal visual fibers or autonomic premotor neurons. In the supraoptic nucleus, all double-labeled neurons are cells of origin of centrifugal visual fibers.
Oxidative Stress Produced by Paraquat Reduces Nitrogen Fixation in Soybean-Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens Symbiosis by Decreasing Nodule Functionality
Authors: Tortosa Germán , Parejo Sergio , Cabrera Juan J. , Bedmar Eulogio J. , Mesa Socorro
Published: January 2021

Soybean (Glycine max.) is one of the most important legumes cultivated worldwide. Its productivity can be altered by some biotic and abiotic stresses like global warming, soil metal pollution or over-application of herbicides like paraquat (1,1’-dimethyl-4,4’-bipyridinium dichloride). In this study, the effect of oxidative stress produced by paraquat addition (0, 20, 50 and 100 µM) during plant growth on symbiotic nitrogen fixation (SNF) and functionality of Bradyrhizobium diazoefficiens-elicited soybean nodules were evaluated. Results showed that the 50 µM was the threshold that B. diazoefficiens can tolerate under free-living conditions. In symbiosis with soybean, the paraquat addition statistically reduced the shoot and root dry weight of soybean plants, and number and development of the nodules. SNF was negatively affected by paraquat, which reduced total nitrogen content and fixed nitrogen close to 50% when 100 µM was added. These effects were due to the impairment of nodule functionality and the increased oxidative status of the nodules, as revealed by the lower leghaemoglobin content and the higher lipid peroxidation in soybean nodules from paraquat-treated plants.
A Comparative Statistical Analysis on the Incidence of Developmental, Inflammatory and Neoplastic Odontogenic Cysts—A Single Center Retrospective Analysis from Italy
Authors: Barresi Antonio , Oteri Giacomo , Alibrandi Angela , Peditto Matteo , Rapisarda Silvia , Cardia Roberta , Marcianò Antonia , Lentini Maria
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study was a comparative statistical analysis of three categories of maxillary odontogenic cysts, evaluating frequency in relation to localization (mandibular or maxillary region), age and gender of patients. The study was a retrospective cohort study conducted at the University Hospital of Messina. Three hundred and fifty-six maxillary odontogenic cysts were classified into 283 inflammatory, 43 developmental and 30 neoplastic cysts. Female patients are more affected by developmental odontogenic cysts, while male patients are more affected by inflammatory odontogenic cysts. Both the mandibular and maxillary regions were affected mainly by inflammatory odontogenic cysts; no significantly statistic relationship was found between lesions and age. A significant association between odontogenic cyst lesions and patient gender was found. No significant association between histological features of lesion and age of patient was observed, nor subtype of odontogenic disease and localization (mandibular or maxillary).
Identification of Cleavage Sites Proteolytically Processed by NS2B-NS3 Protease in Polyprotein of Japanese Encephalitis Virus
Authors: Wahaab Abdul , Liu Ke , Hameed Muddassar , Anwar Muhammad Naveed , Kang Lei , Li Chenxi , Ma Xiaochun , Wajid Abdul , Yang Yi , Khan Umair Hassan , Wei Jianchao , Li Beibei , Shao Donghua , Qiu Yafeng , Ma Zhiyong
Published: January 2021

Understanding the proteolytic processing of polyprotein mediated by NS2B-NS3 protease contributes to the exploration of the mechanisms underlying infection of Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), a zoonotic flavivirus. In this study, eukaryotic and prokaryotic cell models were employed to identify the cleavage sites mediated by viral NS2B-NS3 protease in JEV polyprotein. Artificial green fluorescent protein (GFP) substrates that contained the predicted cleavage site sequences of JEV polyprotein were expressed in swine testicle (ST) cells in the presence and absence of JEV infection, or co-expressed in E. coli with the recombinant NS2B-NS3 protease that was generated by fusing the N-terminal protease domain of NS3 to the central hydrophilic domain of NS2B. The cleavage of GFP substrates was examined by western blot. Among twelve artificial GFP substrates containing the cleavage site sequences predictively processed by host cell and/or NS2B-NS3 proteases, all sites were found to be cleaved by host cell proteases with different efficiencies. The sites at internal C, NS2A/NS2B, NS2B/NS3 and NS3/NS4A junctions, but not the sites at internal NS3, internal NS4A and NS4B/NS5 junctions were identified to be cleaved by JEV NS2B-NS3 protease. These data provide insight into the proteolytic processing of polyprotein, which is useful for understanding JEV replication and pathogenesis.
Avian Malaria and Related Parasites from Resident and Migratory Birds in the Brazilian Atlantic Forest, with Description of a New Haemoproteus Species
Authors: Anjos Carolina C. , Chagas Carolina R. F. , Fecchio Alan , Schunck Fabio , Costa-Nascimento Maria J. , Monteiro Eliana F. , Mathias Bruno S. , Bell Jeffrey A. , Guimarães Lilian O. , Comiche Kiba J. M. , Valkiūnas Gediminas , Kirchgatter Karin
Published: January 2021

Determining the prevalence and local transmission dynamics of parasitic organisms are necessary to understand the ability of parasites to persist in host populations and disperse across regions, yet local transmission dynamics, diversity, and distribution of haemosporidian parasites remain poorly understood. We studied the prevalence, diversity, and distributions of avian haemosporidian parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus, and Leucocytozoon among resident and migratory birds in Serra do Mar, Brazil. Using 399 blood samples from 66 Atlantic Forest bird species, we determined the prevalence and molecular diversity of these pathogens across avian host species and described a new species of Haemoproteus. Our molecular and morphological study also revealed that migratory species were infected more than residents. However, vector infective stages (gametocytes) of Leucocytozoon spp., the most prevalent parasites found in the most abundant migrating host species in Serra do Mar (Elaenia albiceps), were not seen in blood films of local birds suggesting that this long-distance Austral migrant can disperse Leucocytozoon parasite lineages from Patagonia to the Atlantic Forest, but lineage sharing among resident species and local transmission cannot occur in this part of Brazil. Our study demonstrates that migratory species may harbor a higher diversity and prevalence of parasites than resident species, but transportation of some parasites by migratory hosts may not always affect local transmission.
Cyclodextrin-Based Supramolecular Complexes of Osteoinductive Agents for Dental Tissue Regeneration
Authors: Terauchi Masahiko , Tamura Atsushi , Arisaka Yoshinori , Masuda Hiroki , Yoda Tetsuya , Yui Nobuhiko
Published: January 2021

Oral tissue regeneration has received growing attention for improving the quality of life of patients. Regeneration of oral tissues such as alveolar bone and widely defected bone has been extensively investigated, including regenerative treatment of oral tissues using therapeutic cells and growth factors. Additionally, small-molecule drugs that promote bone formation have been identified and tested as new regenerative treatment. However, treatments need to progress to realize successful regeneration of oral functions. In this review, we describe recent progress in development of regenerative treatment of oral tissues. In particular, we focus on cyclodextrin (CD)-based pharmaceutics and polyelectrolyte complexation of growth factors to enhance their solubility, stability, and bioactivity. CDs can encapsulate hydrophobic small-molecule drugs into their cavities, resulting in inclusion complexes. The inclusion complexation of osteoinductive small-molecule drugs improves solubility of the drugs in aqueous solutions and increases in vitro osteogenic differentiation efficiency. Additionally, various anionic polymers such as heparin and its mimetic polymers have been developed to improve stability and bioactivity of growth factors. These polymers protect growth factors from deactivation and degradation by complex formation through electrostatic interaction, leading to potentiation of bone formation ability. These approaches using an inclusion complex and polyelectrolyte complexes have great potential in the regeneration of oral tissues.
Fabrication and Appraisal of Simvastatin via Tailored Niosomal Nanovesicles for Transdermal Delivery Enhancement: In Vitro and In Vivo Assessment
Authors: Salem Heba F. , Kharshoum Rasha M. , Abou-Taleb Heba A. , Farouk Hanan Osman , Zaki Randa Mohammed
Published: January 2021

Simvastatin (SIM) is a HMG-CoA reductase inhibitor employed in the management of hyperlipidemia. However, its low bioavailability limits its clinical efficacy. The objective of this study was to overcome the poor bioavailability of SIM via the transdermal application of a SIM-loaded niosomal gel. Niosomes loaded with SIM were fabricated by means of the thin-film hydration method and optimized through a 33-factorial design utilizing Design Expert® software. The prepared niosomes were evaluated for entrapment efficiency (EE%), zeta potential, vesicle size, and cumulative percentage of drug release. The optimum niosomal formulation was loaded on the gel and evaluated for physical properties such as color, clarity, and homogeneity. It was also evaluated for spreadability, and the cumulative % drug release. The best niosomal gel formula was appraised for ex vivo permeation as well as pharmacokinetic study. The SIM-loaded niosomes showed EE% between 66.7–91.4%, vesicle size between 191.1–521.6 nm, and zeta potential ranged between −0.81–+35.6 mv. The cumulative percentage of drug released was ranged from 55% to 94% over 12 h. SIM-loaded niosomal gels were clear, homogenous, spreadable, and the pH values were within the range of physiological skin pH. Furthermore, about 73.5% of SIM was released within 24 h, whereas 409.5 µg/cm2 of SIM passed through the skin over 24 h in the ex vivo permeation study. The pharmacokinetic study revealed higher AUC0–∞ and Cmax with topical application of SIM-loaded niosomal gel compared to topical SIM gel or oral SIM suspension. The topical application of SIM-loaded niosomal gel ascertained the potential percutaneous delivery of SIM.
Design of a Pharmacy Curriculum on Patient Centered Communication Skills
Authors: Wolters Majanne , van Paassen Jacqueline G. , Minjon Lenneke , Hempenius Mirjam , Blokzijl Marie-Rose , Blom Lyda
Published: January 2021

For delivering high quality pharmaceutical care pharmacy students need to develop the competences for patient centered communication. The aim of the article is to describe how a curriculum on patient centered communication can be designed for a pharmacy program. General educational principles for curriculum design are based on the theories of constructive alignment, self-directed learning and the self-determination theory. Other principles are paying systematic and explicit attention to skills development, learning skills in the context of the pharmacy practice and using a well-balanced system for the assessment of students’ performance. Effective educational methods for teaching communication skills are small group training sessions preferably with (simulation) patients, preceded by lectures or e-learning modules. For (formative or summative) assessment different methods can be used. The Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) is preferred for summative assessment of communication competence. The principles and educational methods are illustrated with examples from the curriculum of the master Pharmacy program of Utrecht University (The Netherlands). The topics ‘pharmaceutical consultations on prescription medicine,’ ‘pharmaceutical consultations on self-care medication’ and ‘clinical medication reviews’ are described in detail. Finally, lessons learned are shared.
Addendum: Babic, S., et al. Self-Inductance of the Circular Coils of the Rectangular Cross-Section with the Radial and Azimuthal Current Densities. Physics 2020, 2, 352–367
Authors: Babic Slobodan , Akyel Cevdet
Published: January 2021

In [...]
Acknowledgment to Reviewers of Physics in 2020
Authors:   Physics Editorial Office
Published: January 2021

Peer review is the driving force of journal development, and reviewers are gatekeepers who ensure that Physics maintains its standards for the high quality of its published papers [...]
Adhesion Improvement between PE and PA in Multilayer Rotational Molding
Authors: Sezemský Jan , Špatenka Petr
Published: January 2021

The aim of this study is to investigate a multilayer structure made of polyethylene and polyamide by rotational molding. Due to the different polarity of these polymers, it is difficult to ensure enough adhesion between created layers. Two methods leading to improve adhesion are introduced. Plasma modification of polyethylene powder, after which new functional groups are bound to the treated surface, may enhance specific adhesion by forming hydrogen bonds with-CONH groups of polyamide. Different strategies of adding material to the mold give rise to complicated interlayer which increases joint strength by mechanism of the mechanical adhesion. Mechanical tests show a significant improvement of joint strength, where treated samples reached two-fold values of peel strength (7.657 ± 1.024 N∙mm−1) against the untreated sample (3.662 ± 0.430 N∙mm−1). During bending test, delamination occurred only in samples that were made of the untreated polyethylene. Adding polyamide during the melting stage of polyethylene powder in rotomolding resulted in the formation of entanglements which improve the peel strength almost eight times in comparison with the sample where the polyethylene was left to completely melt and create smooth interlayer surface.
Fabrication and Characterization of Human Serum Albumin Particles Loaded with Non-Sericin Extract Obtained from Silk Cocoon as a Carrier System for Hydrophobic Substances
Authors: Jantakee Kanyaluck , Prapan Ausanai , Chaiwaree Saranya , Suwannasom Nittiya , Kaewprayoon Waraporn , Georgieva Radostina , Tragoolpua Yingmanee , Bäumler Hans
Published: January 2021

Non-sericin (NS) extract was produced from the ethanolic extract of Bombyx mori silk cocoons. This extract is composed of both carotenoids and flavonoids. Many of these compounds are composed of substances of poor aqueous solubility. Thus, this study focused on the development of a carrier system created from biocompatible and biodegradable materials to improve the biological activity of NS extracts. Accordingly, NS was incorporated into human serum albumin template particles with MnCO3 (NS-HSA MPs) by loading NS into the preformed HAS-MnCO3 microparticles using the coprecipitation crosslinking dissolution technique (CCD-technique). After crosslinking and template dissolution steps, the NS loaded HSA particles are negatively charged, have a size ranging from 0.8 to 0.9 µm, and are peanut shaped. The degree of encapsulation efficiency ranged from 7% to 57% depending on the initial NS concentration and the steps of adsorption. In addition, NS-HSA MPs were taken up by human lung adenocarcinoma (A549 cell) for 24 h. The promotion of cellular uptake was evaluated by flow cytometry and the results produced 99% fluorescent stained cells. Moreover, the results from CLSM and 3D fluorescence imaging confirmed particle localization in the cells. Interestingly, NS-HSA MPs could not induce inflammation through nitric oxide production from macrophage RAW264.7 cells. This is the first study involving the loading of non-sericin extracts into HSA MPs by CCD technique to enhance the bioavailability and biological effects of NS. Therefore, HSA MPs could be utilized as a carrier system for hydrophobic substances targeting cells with albumin receptors.
The First Two Decades of Neutron Scattering at the Chalk River Laboratories
Authors: Holden Thomas M.
Published: January 2021

The early advances in neutron scattering at the Chalk River Laboratories of Atomic Energy of Canada are recorded. From initial nuclear physics measurements at the National Research Experimental (NRX) reactor came the realization that, with the flux available and improvements in monochromator technology, direct measurements of the normal modes of vibrations of solids and the structure and dynamics of liquids would be feasible. With further flux increases at the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor, the development of the triple-axis crystal spectrometer, and the invention of the constant-Q technique, the fields of lattice dynamics and magnetism and their interpretation in terms of the long-range forces between atoms and exchange interactions between spins took a major step forward. Experiments were performed over a seven-year period on simple metals such as potassium, complex metals such as lead, transition metals, semiconductors, and alkali halides. These were analyzed in terms of the atomic forces and demonstrated the long-range nature of the forces. The first measurements of spin wave excitations, in magnetite and in the 3D metal alloy CoFe, also came in this period. The first numerical estimates of the superfluid fraction of liquid helium II came from extensive measurements of the phonon–roton and multiphonon parts of the inelastic scattering. After the first two decades, neutron experiments continued at Chalk River until the shut-down of the NRU reactor in 2018 and the disbanding of the neutron effort in 2019, seventy years after the first experiments.
Intersection of the Religious and the Secular: The Cemetery Festival in Latvia
Authors: Stasulane Anita
Published: January 2021

This article addresses the commemoration of the deceased by examining a peculiar Latvian religious tradition—the cemetery festival. Latvian society is moving down the path to secularization. Participation in religious ritual practices could be expected to decrease in a predominately secular society. Nevertheless, the tradition of the cemetery festival practiced in Latvia shows that the relationship between the religious and the secular is much more complex than simply being in opposition to each other. The analysis is based on data obtained by undertaking fieldwork at cemeteries in Latvia. Participant observation and qualitative in-depth interviews were the main research tools used in the fieldwork. Through an analysis of the fieldwork data, this article explains, first, how honoring of the deceased currently takes place in Latvia; second, the factors which have determined the preservation of the cemetery festival tradition despite the forced secularization of the Soviet period and the general secularization encountered today; third, the relationship between religious and secular activities and their transformation at the cemetery festival.
Learning Region-Based Attention Network for Traffic Sign Recognition
Authors: Zhou Ke , Zhan Yufei , Fu Dongmei
Published: January 2021

Traffic sign recognition in poor environments has always been a challenge in self-driving. Although a few works have achieved good results in the field of traffic sign recognition, there is currently a lack of traffic sign benchmarks containing many complex factors and a robust network. In this paper, we propose an ice environment traffic sign recognition benchmark (ITSRB) and detection benchmark (ITSDB), marked in the COCO2017 format. The benchmarks include 5806 images with 43,290 traffic sign instances with different climate, light, time, and occlusion conditions. Second, we tested the robustness of the Libra-RCNN and HRNetv2p on the ITSDB compared with Faster-RCNN. The Libra-RCNN performed well and proved that our ITSDB dataset did increase the challenge in this task. Third, we propose an attention network based on high-resolution traffic sign classification (PFANet), and conduct ablation research on the design parallel fusion attention module. Experiments show that our representation reached 93.57% accuracy in ITSRB, and performed as well as the newest and most effective networks in the German traffic sign recognition dataset (GTSRB).
Multi-Block Color-Binarized Statistical Images for Single-Sample Face Recognition
Authors: Adjabi Insaf , Ouahabi Abdeldjalil , Benzaoui Amir , Jacques Sébastien
Published: January 2021

Single-Sample Face Recognition (SSFR) is a computer vision challenge. In this scenario, there is only one example from each individual on which to train the system, making it difficult to identify persons in unconstrained environments, mainly when dealing with changes in facial expression, posture, lighting, and occlusion. This paper discusses the relevance of an original method for SSFR, called Multi-Block Color-Binarized Statistical Image Features (MB-C-BSIF), which exploits several kinds of features, namely, local, regional, global, and textured-color characteristics. First, the MB-C-BSIF method decomposes a facial image into three channels (e.g., red, green, and blue), then it divides each channel into equal non-overlapping blocks to select the local facial characteristics that are consequently employed in the classification phase. Finally, the identity is determined by calculating the similarities among the characteristic vectors adopting a distance measurement of the K-nearest neighbors (K-NN) classifier. Extensive experiments on several subsets of the unconstrained Alex and Robert (AR) and Labeled Faces in the Wild (LFW) databases show that the MB-C-BSIF achieves superior and competitive results in unconstrained situations when compared to current state-of-the-art methods, especially when dealing with changes in facial expression, lighting, and occlusion. The average classification accuracies are 96.17% and 99% for the AR database with two specific protocols (i.e., Protocols I and II, respectively), and 38.01% for the challenging LFW database. These performances are clearly superior to those obtained by state-of-the-art methods. Furthermore, the proposed method uses algorithms based only on simple and elementary image processing operations that do not imply higher computational costs as in holistic, sparse or deep learning methods, making it ideal for real-time identification.
A Comprehensive Approach Combining Regulatory Procedures and Accident Data Analysis for Road Safety Management Based on the European Directive 2019/1936/EC
Authors: Vaiana Rosolino , Perri Giusi , Iuele Teresa , Gallelli Vincenzo
Published: January 2021

The European Union policy for road safety management is based on the European Directive 2019/1936/EC. Among the safety management procedures and strategies, road safety inspections (RSI) are an effective tool for preventing accident risk and reducing crash frequency and severity for existing road networks. The European Transport Safety Council encourages the extension of these measures to the main urban and rural roads by the 5th Road Safety Action Programme. In light of the above, in this study, a safety performance evaluation through the RSI approach is carried out for a high-risk rural road in Southern Italy in order to identify all the road infrastructure-related features with poor safety conditions. Afterwards, the relationship between infrastructure deficiencies and the frequency and severity of accidents is investigated; a significant relationship between accident density/total number of injured people and road markings gap is found. Furthermore, the results confirm that a high density of driveways strongly impacts crash frequency. The analysis of the contribution of multiple infrastructure-related variables on the crash occurrences is proposed by the identification of several mathematical models. A second-order AIC (Akaike’s information criterion) approach is carried out to compare the five fitted models investigated. Finally, a prediction calibrated model is proposed.
Antitumor Potential of Green Synthesized ZnONPs Using Root Extract of Withania somnifera against Human Breast Cancer Cell Line
Authors: Prasad Kollur Shiva , Prasad Shashanka K , Veerapur Ravindra , Lamraoui Ghada , Prasad Ashwini , Prasad M. N. Nagendra , Singh Sandeep Kumar , Marraiki Najat , Syed Asad , Shivamallu Chandan
Published: January 2021

Herein we report the synthesis of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnONPs) using Withania somnifera root extract (WSE) as an effective chelating agent. The microscopic techniques viz., X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) were employed to analyze the as-obtained ZnONPs. The crystalline planes observed from the XRD pattern agrees with the hexagonal wurtzite structure of the as-prepared ZnONPs. The aggregations and agglomerations observed in the SEM images indicated that the size of the as-prepared ZnONPs was between 30 and 43 nm. The interplanar distance between the lattice fringes observed in the HRTEM image was found to be 0.253 nm, which is in good agreement with the (100) plane obtained in the XRD pattern. Furthermore, the anti-breast cancer cytotoxic evaluation was carried out using the MCF-7 cell line, and the results showed significant cytotoxic effects in a dose-dependent manner.
Chromatographic Profiling with Machine Learning Discriminates the Maturity Grades of Nicotiana tabacum L. Leaves
Authors: Chen Yi , Tian Miao , Zhao Gaokun , Lu Hongmei , Zhang Zhimin , Zou Congming
Published: January 2021

Nicotiana tabacum L. (NTL) is an important agricultural and economical crop. Its maturity is one of the key factors affecting its quality. Traditionally, maturity is discriminated visually by humans, which is subjective and empirical. In this study, we concentrated on detecting as many compounds as possible in NTL leaves from different maturity grades using ultra-performance liquid chromatography ion trap time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-IT-TOF/MS). Then, the low-dimensional embedding of LC-MS dataset by t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) clearly showed the separation of the leaves from different maturity grades. The discriminant models between different maturity grades were established using orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA). The quality metrics of the models are R2Y = 0.939 and Q2 = 0.742 (unripe and ripe), R2Y = 0.900 and Q2 = 0.847 (overripe and ripe), and R2Y = 0.972 and Q2 = 0.930 (overripe and unripe). The differential metabolites were screened by their variable importance in projection (VIP) and p-Values. The existing tandem mass spectrometry library of plant metabolites, the user-defined library of structures, and MS-FINDER were combined to identify these metabolites. A total of 49 compounds were identified, including 12 amines, 14 lipids, 10 phenols, and 13 others. The results can be used to discriminate the maturity grades of the leaves and ensure their quality.
Sex Differences in Response to Listening to Self-Selected Music during Repeated High-Intensity Sprint Exercise
Authors: Rhoads Kendall J. , Sosa Sierra R. , Rogers Rebecca R. , Kopec Thomas J. , Ballmann Christopher G.
Published: January 2021

The purpose of this study was to examine possible sex differences in high-intensity exercise performance, fatigue, and motivational responses to exercise while listening to music. Physically active males and females (ages 18–24) were recruited to participate. Participants completed two separate repeated sprint exercise trials each with a different condition: (1) no music (NM) (2) self-selected music (SSM). During each trial, participants completed 3 × 15 s Wingate anaerobic tests (WAnTs) while listening to NM or SSM separated by 2 min of active recovery. Following each WAnT, rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and motivation to exercise were assessed. Relative power output, fatigue index, RPE, and motivation were analyzed. There were no significant sex differences for relative power between music conditions (p = 0.228). Fatigue index was significantly lower in females while listening to SSM (p = 0.032) versus NM while no differences were observed for males (p = 0.246). RPE was lower while listening to SSM versus NM in females (p = 0.020), but not for males (p = 0.277). Lastly, motivation to exercise increased in the SSM condition versus NM in females (p = 0.006) but not in males (p = 0.090). Results indicate that listening to SSM music did not result in superior anaerobic performance in either sex, but females responded more favorably to subjective outcomes (i.e., RPE and motivation) while listening to SSM, which may have in turn influenced indices of fatigue during the tests. These results suggest that females may respond more positively than males to exercise-induced fatigue while listening to SSM music during repeated bouts of high-intensity exercise.
Towards Recognition of Scale Effects in a Solid Model of Lattices with Tensegrity-Inspired Microstructure
Authors: Gilewski Wojciech , Sabouni-Zawadzka Anna Al
Published: January 2021

This paper is dedicated to the extended solid (continuum) model of tensegrity structures or lattices. Tensegrity is defined as a pin-joined truss structure with an infinitesimal mechanism stabilized by a set of self-equilibrated normal forces. The proposed model is inspired by the continuum model that matches the first gradient theory of elasticity. The extension leads to the second- or higher-order gradient formulation. General description is supplemented with examples in 2D and 3D spaces. A detailed form of material coefficients related to the first and second deformation gradients is presented. Substitute mechanical properties of the lattice are dependent on the cable-to-strut stiffness ratio and self-stress. Scale effect as well as coupling of the first and second gradient terms are identified. The extended solid model can be used for the evaluation of unusual mechanical properties of tensegrity lattices.
Applications of the Critical Power Model to Dynamic Constant External Resistance Exercise: A Brief Review of the Critical Load Test
Authors: Bergstrom Haley C. , Dinyer Taylor K. , Succi Pasquale J. , Voskuil Caleb C. , Housh Terry J.
Published: January 2021

The study and application of the critical power (CP) concept has spanned many decades. The CP test provides estimates of two distinct parameters, CP and W′, that describe aerobic and anaerobic metabolic capacities, respectively. Various mathematical models have been used to estimate the CP and W′ parameters across exercise modalities. Recently, the CP model has been applied to dynamic constant external resistance (DCER) exercises. The same hyperbolic relationship that has been established across various continuous, whole-body, dynamic movements has also been demonstrated for upper-, lower-, and whole-body DCER exercises. The asymptote of the load versus repetition relationship is defined as the critical load (CL) and the curvature constant is L′. The CL and L′ can be estimated from the same linear and non-linear mathematical models used to derive the CP. The aims of this review are to (1) provide an overview of the CP concept across continuous, dynamic exercise modalities; (2) describe the recent applications of the model to DCER exercise; (3) demonstrate how the mathematical modeling of DCER exercise can be applied to further our understanding of fatigue and individual performance capabilities; and (4) make initial recommendations regarding the methodology for estimating the parameters of the CL test.
The Potential of Biophilic Fractal Designs to Promote Health and Performance: A Review of Experiments and Applications
Authors: Taylor Richard
Published: January 2021

Fractal objects are prevalent in natural scenery. Their repetition of patterns at increasingly fine magnifications creates a rich complexity. Fractals displaying mid-range complexity are the most common and include trees, clouds, and mountains. The “fractal fluency” model states that human vision has adapted to process these mid-range fractals with ease. I will first discuss fractal fluency and demonstrate how it enhances the observer’s visual capabilities by focusing on experiments that have important practical consequences for improving the built environment. These enhanced capabilities generate an aesthetic experience and physiological stress reduction. I will discuss strategies for integrating fractals into building designs to induce positive impacts on the observer. Examples include fractal solar panels, fractal window shades, and fractal floor patterns. These applications of fractal fluency represent a fundamental and potentially impactful form of salutogenesis.
The Impact of Economic Complexity on the Formation of Environmental Culture
Authors: Lapatinas Athanasios , Litina Anastasia , Zanaj Skerdilajda
Published: January 2021

This paper establishes economic complexity as a powerful predictor of environmental attitudes. While the economic complexity index (ECI) has been associated with a series of economic outcomes, yet there has not been a link in the literature between ECI and environmental attitudes. This research pushes forward the hypothesis that economic complexity shapes cultural values and beliefs. The research method used is a multilevel empirical analysis that associates aggregate values of the ECI, at the country level, with individual responses related to attitudes towards the environment. Our findings suggest that a marginal increase of the ECI, increases by 0.191 the probability to be a member of environmental organisations and an increase by 0.259 in the probability to engage in voluntary work for the environment. To further reinforce our findings by ensuring identification we replicate the benchmark analysis using as a proxy of a country’s level of economic complexity, the average ECI of the neighbouring countries (weighted by population and/or volume of trade). With a similar intention, i.e., to mitigate endogeneity concerns as well as to further frame our findings as “the cultural implications of ECI” we replicate our analysis with a sample of second generation immigrants. The immigrant analysis, suggests that the level of economic complexity of the parents’ country of origin, has a long-lasting effect on second generation immigrants’ attitudes related to the environment. Because humankind’s attitudes and actions are of key importance for a sustainable future, a better understanding as to what drives environmental attitudes appears critical both for researchers and policy makers.
Analysis of Spatio-Temporal Variation Characteristics of Main Air Pollutants in Shijiazhuang City
Authors: Tui Yue , Qiu Jiaxin , Wang Ju , Fang Chunsheng
Published: January 2021

Air pollution has become one of the important concerns of environmental pollution in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei region. As an important city in Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei, Shijiazhuang has long been ranked in the bottom ten in terms of air quality in the country. In order to effectively grasp the influencing factors and current distribution of air pollution in Shijiazhuang City, this paper collects data on the top air pollutants in Shijiazhuang from 2017 to 2019, analyzes the characteristics of time changes in the region, and uses the Kriging interpolation method to affect the air pollutants in this area. The spatial distribution characteristics are studied. The results show (1) From 2017 to 2019, the environmental quality of Shijiazhuang City showed a decreasing trend except for O3. (2) Seasonal changes show that NO2, PM2.5, and CO show as winter > autumn > spring > summer, PM10, SO2 show as winter > spring > autumn > summer, and O3 concentration changes as summer > spring > autumn > winter. (3) The daily change trends of NO2, SO2, PM10 and PM2.5 are similar, while the change trends of O3 and NO2 are opposite. (4) The correlations between air quality index (AQI) and concentrations suggest that PM10, PM2.5, and CO contribute the most to undesirable pollution levels in this area, while NO2, SO2, and O3 contribute less to undesirable pollution. We have concluded that the particulate pollution in Shijiazhuang City has been effectively controlled, thanks to the relevant measures introduced by the government, but the O3-based compound pollution is gradually increasing, so particulate pollution and O3 pollution need to be treated together. The research results of this article have important practical significance for urban or regional air environment monitoring and prevention.
Tacit Collusion on Steroids: The Potential Risks for Competition Resulting from the Use of Algorithm Technology by Companies
Authors: Hutchinson Christophe Samuel , Ruchkina Gulnara Fliurovna , Pavlikov Sergei Guerasimovich
Published: January 2021

Digitalization has a growing impact on everyone’s life. It influences the way consumers purchase products, read online news, access multimedia content, and even meet or interact socially. At the core of digital products lies algorithm technology, decision-making software capable of fulfilling multiple tasks: data mining, result ranking, user matching, dynamic pricing, product recommendations, and ads targeting, among others. Notwithstanding the perceived benefits of algorithms for the economy, the question has been raised of whether the use of algorithms by businesses might have countervailing effects on competition. Although any anti-competitive behavior typically observed in traditional markets can be implemented by this technology, a particular issue highlighted in discussions between researchers and practitioners is the concern that algorithms might foster collusion. Because of their capacity to increase market transparency and the frequency of interactions between competing firms, they can be used to facilitate parallel collusive behavior while dispensing competing firms with the need for explicit communication. Consequently, it is not excluded that algorithms will be used in the years to come to obtain the effects of a cartel without the need to enter into restrictive agreements or to engage in concerted practices. We evaluate the collusion risks associated with the use of algorithms and discuss whether the “agreement for antitrust purposes” concept needs revisiting. The more firms made use of types of algorithms that enable direct and indirect communication between the competitors, the more likely those companies may be considered liable.
Environmental Literacy Level Comparison of Undergraduates in the Conventional and ODLs Universities in Sri Lanka
Authors: Kuruppuarachchi Janaka , Sayakkarage Vineetha , Madurapperuma Buddhika
Published: January 2021

Developing positive attitudes by upgrading the environmental literacy level is very important to protect nature from anthropogenic pressures. This study evaluates existing knowledge, awareness, attitude and behavior, perceived issues, and solutions of undergraduates on major environmental issues of two national universities with different teaching methods of the Open University of Sri Lanka (OUSL: open distance learning) and the University of Peradeniya (UP: conventional). A questionnaire survey (29 structured and 04 open-ended items) was adapted with 800 undergraduates of engineering, science, management, law, and arts/ social sciences disciplines. We computerized descriptive statistics, such as frequency and cross-tabulation, and mean comparison using the SPSS software. The results showed that there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) of existing environmental knowledge in undergraduates of two universities. However, there was a significant difference in undergraduates’ family income (F = 5.387, p < 0.001) and family educational background (p < 0.05) with environmental knowledge. School education played a main role in building environmental concepts for undergraduates. The environmental attitude and behavior of both student groups showed a fairly favorable status. The majority of respondents suggested that TV and radio were the most effective media for environmental awareness. Undergraduates of the OUSL and UP were more interested in “tree planting”/ “gardening” (22.7%) and “hiking (mountain climbing)” (25.7%), respectively. Both OUSL and UP groups recognized “global warming” as the major global environmental issue and air pollution as the local issue. This study highlights the importance of building environmental knowledge among undergraduates, mainly on global and local environmental issues, to improve sustainable environment management.
Discrete-Time Pole-Region Robust Controller for Magnetic Levitation Plant
Authors: Hypiusová Mária , Rosinová Danica
Published: January 2021

Robust pole-placement based on convex DR-regions belongs to the efficient control design techniques for real systems, providing computationally tractable pole-placement design algorithms. The problem arises in the discrete-time domain when the relative damping is prescribed since the corresponding discrete-time domain is non-convex, having a “cardioid” shape. In this paper, we further develop our recent results on the inner convex approximations of the cardioid, present systematical analysis of its design parameters and their influence on the corresponding closed loop performance (measured by standard integral of absolute error (IAE) and Total Variance criteria). The application of a robust controller designed with the proposed convex approximation of the discrete-time pole region is illustrated and evaluated on a real laboratory magnetic levitation plant.