bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Narrow-Linewidth Linearly Polarized 1018-nm Fiber Source for Pumping Diamond Raman Laser
Authors: Yang Xuezong , Bai Zhenxu , Jiang Huawei , Mildren Richard P. , Feng Yan
Published: August 2021

A 7.8-GHz linewidth ytterbium-doped fiber (YDF) laser with an output power of 75 W at 1,018 nm is demonstrated based on narrow-bandwidth fiber Bragg gratings. Effective suppression of spectral broadening and amplified spontaneous emission is achieved by optimizing the resonator structure and active fiber parameters. An 1,178-nm diamond Raman output pumped by this narrow-linewidth 1,018 nm source is addressed in this study, which shows a promising application of generating the sodium guide star laser at 589 nm. A single-longitudinal-mode Stokes with an output power of 0.6 W is obtained using this multimode 1,018 nm laser at the pump power of 13 W. The impact of pump spectral linewidth on the effective Raman gain coefficient is analyzed, and the laser threshold of the diamond Stokes resonator increases with the broadening of the pump linewidth.
Seed Treatment With Jasmonic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate Induces Resistance to Insects but Reduces Plant Growth and Yield in Rice, Oryza sativa
Authors: Bhavanam Santhi , Stout Michael
Published: August 2021

When applied exogenously to plants, jasmonates [i.e., jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)] increase plant resistance against herbivores, and their use in pest management has been suggested. For integration into pest management programs, the benefits of the resistance induced by jasmonates must outweigh the costs of jasmonates on plant growth and yield. A previous field study in rice found that seed treatment with MeJA reduced densities of the rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus, but also reduced plant growth. Yields from MeJA plots were similar to yields from control plots. Because this study was conducted under field conditions with natural levels of pest populations, it was unclear whether effects on growth and yield were due to direct effects of MeJA treatment on the plant or due to lower reductions in rice water weevil densities. Therefore, the present study was designed to characterize the effects of JA and MeJA seed treatment on rice plant growth and yield in a pest-free environment under greenhouse conditions. Seed treatment with 2.5 mM JA and 2.5 mM MeJA enhanced resistance in rice plants to rice water weevils when plants were exposed to weevils 30 days after planting. Seed treatment with MeJA reduced seedling emergence and plant height at 4 and 14 days after planting, respectively, compared to JA and control treatments. However, numbers of tillers per plant at 45 days after planting and days to heading were unaffected by jasmonate seed treatment. Of four yield components (panicles per plant, filled grains per panicle, percent unfilled grains, and filled grain mass) that were measured, only filled grain mass was reduced by seed treatment. Plants grown from MeJA-treated seeds showed 31% lower grain masses compared to plants grown from control-treated seeds. Thus, the effects of seed treatment with MeJA on plant growth were stronger immediately post-treatment and subsided over time, such that plant growth mostly recovered 6 weeks after treatment. At maturity, MeJA may reduce one but not all components of yield. Despite similar effects on rice water weevil resistance, the negative effects of JA seed treatment on plant growth and yield were smaller compared to MeJA seed treatment.
High-Resolution Microstructure Analysis of Cork Spot Disordered Pear Fruit “Akizuki” (Pyrus pyrifolia Nakai) Using X-Ray CT
Authors: Cui Zhenhua , Wang Nannan , Duan Yanxin , Xu Xinrui , Wang Ran , Zhang Shaoling , Ma Chunhui
Published: August 2021

Cork spot is one of the most damaging physiological disorders in pear fruit, causing considerable economic loss every year. However, the mechanism of cork spot occurrence requires further examination. In this study, X-ray CT scanning was applied to analyze the microstructure of pear fruit “Akizuki” (Pyrus pyrifolia), a cultivar susceptible to cork spot disorder, to elucidate the fruit texture alteration between healthy and cork spotted fruit. Results showed that cork spotted fruit had much higher porosity (9.37%) than healthy fruit (3.52%). Reconstructed three-dimensional (3D) network skeleton models showed highly branched pore channels in cork spotted fruit and a low degree of pore connectivity in healthy fruit. Even in areas of disordered fruit without cork spot, the pore throat diameter, pore length, and coordinated core number (i.e., 77, 160, and 16, respectively) were much higher than that of healthy fruit. The structure analysis of fruit core showed that core deformation only occurred in cork spotted fruit. A much more highly branched network was observed in cork spotted fruit cores compared with healthy fruit cores. High-resolution observation of flesh tissue directly demonstrated that pore size in cork spotted fruit (87 μm) was four times larger than that of healthy fruit (22 μm). Altered expression of genes related to Ca2+ transport and the uneven distribution of intracellular Ca2+ were also shown to associate with the development of cork spot disorder. Our results suggest that flesh tissue damage likely occurred prior to the initiation of cork spot. The dysfunction of long-distance and transmembrane Ca2+ transport channels could be responsible for the imbalanced distribution of Ca2+ inside the fruit, thus resulting in the development of cork spot.
Two-Year-Old Children Expect Native, but Not Foreign Speakers to Use the Same Tool for the Same Purpose
Authors: Petõ Réka , Oláh Katalin , Király Ildikó
Published: August 2021

Previous research has already demonstrated that even very young children are sensitive to language cues and learn differently from native and foreign speaker models. A possible explanation for this phenomenon suggests that spoken language is a sign of someone's cultural background and in this sense demonstrates the person's culture specific knowledge. The aim of the present study was to investigate what children think about native and foreign speakers' behavior in a domain that is typically regulated by cultural norms (tool usage), specifically whether they expect group members to act alike or not. In a violation of expectation paradigm, two-year-old toddlers first watched a video on which a native and a foreign speaker person used different tools for achieving the same goal. In the test phase a new native speaker model appeared and selected one of the previously seen tools for the same goal as it was used before. Results indicated that toddlers were surprised if the native speaker model had chosen the tool that had previously been used by the foreign speaker. In Experiment 2, the familiarization phase was exactly the same as in Experiment 1, but during the test phase, the model spoke a foreign language. Results, in this case, showed no significant differences between looking times. These experiments suggest that two-year-olds expect native (but not foreign) speakers to use the same tool for the same goals. As tool usage is a fundamental element of cultural knowledge, we propose that this pattern of results suggest that children expect native speakers to possess shared cultural knowledge at least in the domain of artifacts.
The Relationship Between Perceived Control and Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis Reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test in Healthy Young Adults
Authors: Liu Qian , Wu Jianhui , Zhang Liang , Sun Xiaofang , Guan Qing , Yao Zhuxi
Published: August 2021

Psychological factors can modulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity toward stressors. Animal studies demonstrated that uncontrollability was one critical factor associated with HPA axis stress response, but the results in human studies were inconsistent. The current study adopted a standardized laboratory stress induction procedure, the Trier Social Stress Test (the TSST), as the stressor to regulate the objective controllability level, and young adult participants were asked to rate their subjectively perceived control level toward the stressor and measured their cortisol stress responses (N=54; 19 females and 35 males) to address this concern. Results showed that participants’ perceived control on the TSST was related to the cortisol stress response. In other words, under the stress of a certain objective controllability level, the lower the subjectively perceived control level, the greater the HPA axis response. This finding suggested that, in addition to objective controllability, subjectively perceived control is a psychological factor that regulates activation of the HPA axis in young adults.
Does Resilience Help in Reducing Burnout Symptoms Among Chinese Students? A Meta-Analysis
Authors: Gong Zhun , Li Chunqin , Jiao Xinian , Qu Qunzhen
Published: August 2021

As society has evolved, student burnout has become a common problem in schools around the world, including in China. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to explore whether resilience is related to student burnout in China and to examine the changing trend of resilience and student burnout. Moreover, we will assess gender differences and possible biases, including publication biases, small-study biases, gray literature biases, and decline effects. This meta-analysis included 34 studies, with a total of 81 effect sizes and a total sample size of 22,474. We found that resilience was negatively correlated with student burnout in the Chinese context. We also found evidence of gray literature bias in student burnout, which needs to be verified by subsequent studies. However, we found that there were decline effects in resilience, possibly because, as culture evolves, people become more focused on themselves; thus, their collective behaviors decline, leading to a decrease in their ability to adapt to the collective and the environment. We also found similar decline effects at the individual level; that is, resilience might decrease with individual age stages (from the primary to college stage), which might be related to the use of immature defense mechanisms against stress by students.
Attachment Avoidance Moderates the Relationship Among Acceptance of Sugar Relationships, Motivation, and Self-Esteem
Authors: Ipolyi Dóra , Csányi Edit , Láng András , Meskó Norbert
Published: August 2021

A sugar relationship is a monetary-based liaison between a wealthier older and an attractive younger person, the latter receiving expensive gifts or financial compensation in exchange for her or his sexual companionship. Attachment, motivation, and self-esteem are all integrative parts of adult romantic and sexual relationships. There is relatively little empirical research on the psychological correlates of accepting attitudes toward sugar relationships. The research aimed to explore the relationship among the acceptance of sugar relationship, attachment (avoidance and anxiety), motivation (extrinsic and intrinsic), and self-esteem. A total of 2,409 Hungarian adults including 1,980 younger participants (1,804 women, 175 men, mean age = 21.17) and 429 older participants (290 men, 138 women, mean age = 48.86) completed an online test battery comprising four self-report measures. In the younger subsample, the only significant association obtained for the acceptance of sugar relationships was its positive correlation with extrinsic motivation. In the older subsample, the acceptance of sugar relationships was positively correlated with all tested variables except self-esteem. Subsequent analysis revealed that attachment avoidance but not anxiety moderated the associations between the variables. Among younger participants, the negative effect of self-esteem and intrinsic motivation on accepting sugar relationships decreased with increasing attachment avoidance. Among older participants, the positive effect of extrinsic motivation on accepting sugar relationships decreased with increasing attachment avoidance. The results are discussed with regard to relational and sexual goals associated with adult attachment orientations.
Health Belief Model, Theory of Planned Behavior, or Psychological Antecedents: What Predicts COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy Better Among the Bangladeshi Adults?
Authors: Hossain Mohammad Bellal , Alam Md. Zakiul , Islam Md. Syful , Sultan Shafayat , Faysal Md. Mahir , Rima Sharmin , Hossain Md. Anwer , Mamun Abdullah Al
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to determine the prevalence and investigate the constellations of psychological determinants of the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the Bangladeshi adult population utilizing the health belief model-HBM (perceived susceptibility to and severity of COVID-19, perceived benefits of and barriers to COVID-19 vaccination, and cues to action), the theory of planned behavior-TPB (attitude toward COVID-19 vaccine, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, and anticipated regret), and the 5C psychological antecedents (confidence, constraints, complacency, calculation, and collective responsibility). We compared the predictability of these theoretical frameworks to see which framework explains the highest variance in COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. This study adopted a cross-sectional research design. We collected data from a nationally representative sample of 1,497 respondents through both online and face-to-face interviews. We employed multiple linear regression analysis to assess the predictability of each model of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. We found a 41.1% prevalence of COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among our study respondents. After controlling the effects of socio-economic, demographic, and other COVID-19 related covariates, we found that the TPB has the highest predictive power (adjustedR2= 0.43), followed by the 5C psychological antecedents of vaccination (adjustedR2= 0.32) and the HBM (adjustedR2= 0.31) in terms of explaining total variance in the COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy among the adults of Bangladesh. This study provides evidence that theoretical frameworks like the HBM, the TPB, and the 5C psychological antecedents can be used to explore the psychological determinants of vaccine hesitancy, where the TPB has the highest predictability. Our findings can be used to design targeted interventions to reduce vaccine hesitancy and increase vaccine uptake to prevent COVID-19.
Longitudinal Follow-Up on Cardiopulmonary Exercise Capacity Related to Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors in Children With Renal Transplants
Authors: Westphal Ladfors Susanne , Bergdahl Ebba , Hermannsson Oli , Kristjansson Julius , Linnér Tina , Brandström Per , Hansson Sverker , Dangardt Frida
Published: August 2021

Background: Children with chronic kidney disease, including those treated with kidney transplantation (KT), have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine the cardiopulmonary exercise capacity after KT compared to matched controls, to relate the results to physical activity, blood pressure and biochemical findings and to follow exercise capacity over time.

Methods: Patients with KT (n = 38, age 7.7–18 years), with a mean time from transplantation of 3.7 years (0.9–13.0) and mean time in dialysis 0.8 years, were examined at inclusion and annually for up to three years. Healthy controls (n = 17, age 7.3–18.6 years) were examined once. All subjects underwent a cardiopulmonary exercise test, resting blood pressure measurement, anthropometry and activity assessment. Patients also underwent echocardiography, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), 24-h ambulatory BP measurements (ABPM), assessment of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and blood sampling annually.

Results: As compared to healthy controls, KT patients showed decreased exercise capacity measured both as VO2peak (34.5 vs. 43.9 ml/kg/min, p < 0.001) and maximal load (2.6 vs. 3.5 W/kg, p < 0.0001), similarly as when results were converted to z-scores. No significant difference was found in weight, but the KT patients were shorter and had higher BMI z-score than controls, as well as increased resting SBP and DBP z-scores. The patient or parent reported physical activity was significantly lower in the KT group compared to controls (p < 0.001) In the combined group, the major determinants for exercise capacity z-scores were activity score and BMI z-score (β = 0.79, p < 0.0001 and β = −0.38, p = 0.007, respectively). Within the KT group, low exercise capacity was associated with high fat mass index (FMI), low activity score, low GFR and high blood lipids. In the multivariate analysis FMI and low GFR remained predictors of low exercise capacity. The longitudinal data for the KT patients showed no change in exercise capacity z-scores over time.

Conclusion: Patients with KT showed decreased exercise capacity and increased BP as compared to healthy controls. Exercise capacity was associated to GFR, physical activity, FMI and blood lipids. It did not improve during follow-up.
Safety and Effectiveness of Tailored Hemorrhoidectomy in Outpatients Setting
Authors: Tomasicchio Giovanni , Martines Gennaro , Lantone Giuliano , Dibra Rigers , Trigiante Giuseppe , De Fazio Michele , Picciariello Arcangelo , Altomare Donato Francesco , Rinaldi Marcella
Published: August 2021

Introduction: Single or double prolapsed pile instead of full muco-hemorrhoidal prolapse is a common finding in patients with symptomatic III or IV degree hemorrhoids. For this selected group of patients, relief of symptoms could be achieved by managing the single/double prolapsed piles instead of performing traditional hemorrhoidectomy. The aim of this single-center study was to evaluate the safety and medium- and long-term effectiveness of an outpatient tailored Milligan-Morgan hemorrhoidectomy (MMH) performed under local anesthesia (LA).

Material and methods: Clinical records of 202 patients submitted to outpatient tailored MMH, under LA and without anal dilation, treated between 2013 and 2020, were retrospectively reviewed using a prospectively maintained database and completed by a telephone interview or outpatient consultation. Postoperative pain score, the need for painkillers, postoperative complications and symptoms recurrence, return to working activities, and patient grading assessment scale were recorded.

Results: Thirty-five (17%) out of 202 patients recruited were lost to the follow-up. One hundred and fifty-two and 15 patients underwent a single and double pile hemorrhoidectomy, respectively. With regard to postoperative outcomes, visual analogue scale (VAS) decreased from a median value of 4 [interquartile range (IQR) 2–6] on the day of surgery to 1 (IQR 0–4) on the 10th postoperative day (p < 0.001). Sixty-one patients (37%) needed oral painkillers during the 1st week after surgery. There was no mortality or major postoperative complication. Bleeding requiring hospital readmission was reported in seven (4%) patients, and one patient underwent emergency surgery with no need for blood transfusion. No postoperative urinary retention, anal incontinence, or stricture occurred in the series. During the median follow-up of 39 (IQR 12–60) months, 26 patients (16%) reported symptoms of recurrence but only six underwent traditional MMH. Recovery to normal activity occurred within a median period of 6 days (IQR 3–10) and the Clinical Patient Grading Assessment Scale (CPGAS) at 1 year after surgery was reported to be a “good deal better.”

Conclusions: Tailored MMH performed under LA in an ambulatory setting can be considered a safe and effective technique with high compliance and satisfaction of patients.
H2AFZ: A Novel Prognostic Marker in Canine Melanoma and a Predictive Marker for Resistance to CDK4/6 Inhibitor Treatment
Authors: Bongiovanni Laura , Andriessen Anneloes , Silvestri Serenella , Porcellato Ilaria , Brachelente Chiara , de Bruin Alain
Published: August 2021

Uncontrolled proliferation is a key feature of tumor progression and malignancy. This suggests that cell-cycle related factors could be exploited as cancer biomarkers and that pathways specifically involved in the cell cycle, such as the Rb-E2F pathway, could be targeted as an effective anti-tumor therapy. We investigated 34 formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue samples of canine cutaneous melanocytoma, cutaneous melanoma, and oral melanoma. Corresponding clinical follow-up data were used to determine the prognostic value of the mRNA expression levels of several cell cycle regulated E2F target genes (E2F1, DHFR, CDC6, ATAD2, MCM2, H2AFZ, GINS2, and survivin/BIRC5). Moreover, using four canine melanoma cell lines, we explored the possibility of blocking the Rb-E2F pathway by using a CDK4/6 inhibitor (Palbociclib) as a potential anti-cancer therapy. We investigated the expression levels of the same E2F target gene transcripts before and after treatment to determine the potential utility of these molecules as predictive markers. The E2F target gene H2AFZ was expressed in 91.43% of the primary tumors and H2AFZ expression was significantly higher in cases with unfavorable clinical outcome. Among the other tested genes, survivin/BIRC5 showed as well-promising results as a prognostic marker in canine melanoma. Three of the four tested melanoma cell lines were sensitive to the CDK4/6 inhibitor. The resistant cell line displayed higher expression levels of H2AFZ before treatment compared to the CDK4/6 inhibitor-sensitive cell lines. The present results suggest that CDK4/6 inhibitors could potentially be used as a new anti-cancer treatment for canine melanoma and that H2AFZ could serve as a prognostic and predictive marker for patient selection.
Regulated Deficit Irrigation and Its Effects on Yield and Quality of Vitis vinifera L., Touriga Francesa in a Hot Climate Area (Douro Region, Portugal)
Authors: Cabral Inês L. , Carneiro Anabela , Nogueira Tiago , Queiroz Jorge
Published: August 2021

Under a climate change scenario, vineyards will experience serious challenges in the future. In an attempt to overcome such difficulties, this experiment offers a study on the effect of regulated deficit irrigation as a method for short-term adaptation to climate change in cv. Touriga Francesa, grafted into the rootstock 110R in the Douro region during a three-year period. Water stress on the plant and its effects on canopy, production, and quality of musts were analyzed. Rainfed vines (R0) were compared to three deficit irrigation regimes as a function of estimated crop evapotranspiration (ETc): R25 (25% ETc), R50 (50% ETc), and R75 (75% ETc). Water was applied on a weekly basis whenever predawn water potential showed moderate water stress until 15 days prior to harvest. The results suggest that rainfed plants under these circumstances suffered, in general, a negative impact on vine performance, while moderate water stress had more favorable effects on fruit composition, as well as in yield. Nonetheless, further studies should be conducted as irrigation did not show consistent effects on yield or berry composition.
Prediction of Plant Nutrition State of Rice under Water-Saving Cultivation and Panicle Fertilization Application Decision Making
Authors: Li Guan-Sin , Wu Dong-Hong , Su Yuan-Chih , Kuo Bo-Jein , Yang Ming-Der , Lai Ming-Hsin , Lu Hsiu-Ying , Yang Chin-Ying
Published: August 2021

Rice is a staple food crop in Asia. The rice farming industry has been influenced by global urbanization, rapid industrialization, and climate change. A combination of precise agricultural and smart water management systems to investigate the nutrition state in rice is important. Results indicated that plant nitrogen and chlorophyll content at the maximum tillering stage were significantly influenced by the interaction between water and fertilizer. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and normalized difference red edge (NDRE), obtained from the multispectral images captured by a UAV, exhibited the highest positive correlations (0.83 and 0.82) with plant nitrogen content at the maximum tillering stage. The leave-one-out cross-validation method was used for validation, and a final plant nitrogen content prediction model was obtained. A regression function constructed using a nitrogen nutrition index and the difference in field cumulative nitrogen had favorable variation explanatory power, and its adjusted coefficient of determination was 0.91. We provided a flow chart showing how the nutrition state of rice can be predicted with the vegetation indices obtained from UAV image analysis. Differences in field cumulative nitrogen can be further used to diagnose the demand of nitrogen topdressing during the panicle initiation stage. Thus, farmers can be provided with precise panicle fertilization strategies for rice fields.
Evaluation of Growth, Yield, and Water Productivity of Paddy Rice with Water-Saving Irrigation and Optimization of Nitrogen Fertilization
Authors: Mboyerwa Primitiva , Kibret Kibebew , Mtakwa Peter , Aschalew Abebe
Published: August 2021

Rice production in Tanzania, with 67% of its territory considered semi-dry and having average annual rainfall of 300 mm, must be increased to feed an ever-growing population. Water for irrigation and low soil fertility are among the main challenges. One way to decrease water consumption in paddy fields is to change the irrigation regime for rice production, replacing continuous flooding with alternate wetting and drying. In order to assess the impact of different irrigation regimes and nitrogen fertilizer applications on growth, yield, and water productivity of rice, a greenhouse pot experiment with soil from lowland rice ecology was conducted at Sokoine University of Agriculture, Tanzania during the 2019 cropping season. The experiment was split-plot based on randomized complete block design with 12 treatments and 3 replications. Water regimes were the main factors comparing continuous flooding (CF) and alternate wetting and drying (AWD) with nitrogen fertilizer levels as the subfactor, comparing absolute control (no fertilizer) with 0 (P and K fertilizers), 60, 90, 120, and 150 kg Nha−1. Alternate wetting and drying (AWD) significantly improved water productivity by 8.3% over CF (p < 0.05). Water productivity (WP) ranged from 0.6 to 1.5 kg of rice per m3 of water. Average water use ranged from 36 to 82 L per season, and water saving was up to 34.3%. Alternate wetting and drying significantly improved yields (p < 0.05) by 13.3%, and the yield ranged from 21.8 to 118.2 g pot−1. The combination of AWD water management and 60 kg N ha−1 nitrogen fertilization application was found to be the optimal management, however there was no significant difference between 60 and 90 kg N ha−1, in which case 60 kg N ha−1 is recommended because it lowers costs and raises net income. Nitrogen levels significantly affected water productivity, water use, and number of irrigations. Nitrogen levels had significant effect (p < 0.05) on plant height, number of tillers, flag leaf area, chlorophyll content, total tillers, number of productive tillers, panicle weight, panicle length, 1000-grain weight, straw yield, grain yield, and grain harvest index. The results showed that less water can be used to produce more crops under alternative wetting and drying irrigation practices. The results are important for water-scarce areas, providing useful information to policy makers, farmers, agricultural departments, and water management boards in devising future climate-smart adaptation and mitigation strategies.
NaOH-Catalyzed Fractionation of Rice Husk Followed by Concomitant Production of Bioethanol and Furfural for Improving Profitability in Biorefinery
Authors: Jung Hyun Jin , Oh Kyeong Keun
Published: August 2021

The alkaline fractionation of rice husk (RH) with NaOH was optimized for the purpose of obtaining a high-yield recovery of glucan and increasing the removal rate for lignin and ash, resulting in a hemicellulose-rich hydrolysate. The determined optimal conditions were a temperature of 150 °C, reaction time of 45 min, and NaOH concentration of 6% (w/v). The glucan content in the fractionated RH (Fr. RH) was 80.1%, which was significantly increased compared to the raw RH (35.6%). High glucan content in the fractionated solid residue is the most essential factor for minimizing enzyme dosages in enzymatic saccharification. The final enzymatic digestibilities (at 96 h) of raw and NaOH-Fr. RH with cellulase loadings of 30 FPU/g cellulose were 10.5% and 81.3%, respectively. Approximately 71.6% of the xmg content (mainly xylose) was concomitantly degraded into the fractionated hydrolysate (Fr. Hydrolysate). When this hydrolysate was acidified with sulfuric acid and subjected to heat treatment, a furfural production yield of about 64.9% was obtained. The results show that two-stage fed-batch fermentation with glucan-rich Fr. RH has the potential to achieve high-ethanol titers of 28.7 g/L.
Assessing Urban Accessibility in Monterrey, Mexico: A Transferable Approach to Evaluate Access to Main Destinations at the Metropolitan and Local Levels
Authors: Gaxiola-Beltrán Ana Luisa , Narezo-Balzaretti Jorge , Ramírez-Moreno Mauricio Adolfo , Pérez-Henríquez Blas Luis , Ramírez-Mendoza Ricardo Ambrocio , Krajzewicz Daniel , Lozoya-Santos Jorge de-Jesús
Published: August 2021

Cities demand urgent transformations in order to become more affordable, livable, sustainable, walkable and comfortable spaces. Hence, important changes have to be made in the way cities are understood, diagnosed and planned. The current paper puts urban accessibility into the centre of the public policy and planning agenda, as a transferable approach to transform cities into better living environments. To do so, a practical example of the City of Monterrey, Mexico, is presented at two planning scales: the metropolitan and local level. Both scales of analysis measure accessibility to main destinations using walking and cycling as the main transport modes. The results demonstrate that the levels of accessibility at the metropolitan level are divergent, depending on the desired destination, as well as on the planning processes (both formal and informal) from different areas of the city. At the local level, the Distrito Tec Area is diagnosed in terms of accessibility to assess to what extent it can be considered a part of a 15 minutes city. The results show that Distrito Tec lacks the desired parameters of accessibility to all destinations for being a 15 minutes city. Nevertheless, there is a considerable increase in accessibility levels when cycling is used as the main travelling mode. The current research project serves as an initial approach to understand the accessibility challenges of the city at different planning levels, by proving useful and disaggregated data. Finally, it concludes providing general recommendations to be considered in planning processes aimed to improve accessibility and sustainability.
A CNN Regression Approach to Mobile Robot Localization Using Omnidirectional Images
Authors: Ballesta Mónica , Payá Luis , Cebollada Sergio , Reinoso Oscar , Murcia Francisco
Published: August 2021

Understanding the environment is an essential ability for robots to be autonomous. In this sense, Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) can provide holistic descriptors of a scene. These descriptors have proved to be robust in dynamic environments. The aim of this paper is to perform hierarchical localization of a mobile robot in an indoor environment by means of a CNN. Omnidirectional images are used as the input of the CNN. Experiments include a classification study in which the CNN is trained so that the robot is able to find out the room where it is located. Additionally, a transfer learning technique transforms the original CNN into a regression CNN which is able to estimate the coordinates of the position of the robot in a specific room. Regarding classification, the room retrieval task is performed with considerable success. As for the regression stage, when it is performed along with an approach based on splitting rooms, it also provides relatively accurate results.
Functional Properties of Fruits of Common Medlar (Mespilus germanica L.) Extract
Authors: Żołnierczyk Anna K. , Ciałek Sylwia , Styczyńska Marzena , Oziembłowski Maciej
Published: August 2021

Common medlar (Mespilus germanica L.) is a long-lived plant with hard fruits, which are harvested in the fall and stored in cold and dark places. The aim of the work was to obtain the extract from freeze-dried fruits of medlar. Then, the samples were purified on a column with Amberlite XAD-16 ion exchange resin (two fractions were obtained and tested in further steps: methanol (MF) and water (WF)). A quantitative analysis of the polyphenolic compounds and selected elements was performed. In addition, in vitro tests of antidiabetic and antioxidant activity of the extracts were carried out. The applied methodology included the determination of antidiabetic activity by diffusion method, antioxidant activity by ABTS and FRAP methods, elemental analysisby atomic spectrometry, and quantitative and qualitative determination of phenolic composition by UPLC method. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in the MF of the medlar preparation, which was 245.31 μM Trolox/g (in ABTS test). Both fractions showed positive antidiabetic effects. For WF, even a small concentration of 1 mg/mL DMSO, the percentage of α-amylase inhibition was 35%. The WF dominated in terms of the total content of phenolic compounds (mainly gallic, procatechic, chlorogenic, and ferulic acids).
Actionable Pattern-Driven Analytics and Prediction
Authors: Lin Jerry Chun-Wei , Chen Chun-Hao
Published: August 2021

Pattern-driven analytics and mining has received a lot of attention in the last two decades, because information discovered in data can be used to support decision and strategy making [...]
Micro-Droplet Platform for Exploring the Mechanism of Mixed Field Agglutination in B3 Subtype
Authors: Chen Ding-Ping , Chen Chen , Wu Pei-Yu , Lin Yen-Heng , Lin Wei-Tzu , Yan Yi-Liang
Published: August 2021

B3 is the most common subtype of blood group B in the Taiwanese population, and most of the B3 individuals in the Taiwanese population have the IVS3 + 5 G > A (rs55852701) gene variation. Additionally, a typical mixed field agglutination is observed when the B3 subtype is tested with anti-B antibody or anti-AB antibody. The molecular biology of the gene variation in the B3 subtype has been identified, however, the mechanism of the mixed field agglutination caused by the type B3 blood samples is still unclear. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to understand the reason for the mixed field agglutination caused by B3. A micro-droplet platform was used to observe the agglutination of type B and type B3 blood samples in different blood sample concentrations, antibody concentrations, and at reaction times. We found that the agglutination reaction in every droplet slowed down with an increase in the dilution ratio of blood sample and antibody, whether type B blood or type B3 blood was used. However, as the reaction time increased, the complete agglutination in the droplet was seen in type B blood, while the mixed field agglutination still occurred in B3 within 1 min. In addition, the degree of agglutination was similar in each droplet, which showed high reproducibility. As a result, we inferred that there are two types of cells in the B3 subtype that simultaneously create a mixed field agglutination, rather than each red blood cell carrying a small amount of antigen, resulting in less agglutination.
Flecainide Paradoxically Activates Cardiac Ryanodine Receptor Channels under Low Activity Conditions: A Potential Pro-Arrhythmic Action
Authors: Salvage Samantha C. , Gallant Esther M. , Fraser James A. , Huang Christopher L.-H. , Dulhunty Angela F.
Published: August 2021

Cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR2) mutations are implicated in the potentially fatal catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT) and in atrial fibrillation. CPVT has been successfully treated with flecainide monotherapy, with occasional notable exceptions. Reported actions of flecainide on cardiac sodium currents from mice carrying the pro-arrhythmic homozygotic RyR2-P2328S mutation prompted our explorations of the effects of flecainide on their RyR2 channels. Lipid bilayer electrophysiology techniques demonstrated a novel, paradoxical increase in RyR2 activity. Preceding flecainide exposure, channels were mildly activated by 1 mM luminal Ca2+ and 1 µM cytoplasmic Ca2+, with open probabilities (Po) of 0.03 ± 0.01 (wild type, WT) or 0.096 ± 0.024 (P2328S). Open probability (Po) increased within 0.5 to 3 min of exposure to 0.5 to 5.0 µM cytoplasmic flecainide, then declined with higher concentrations of flecainide. There were no such increases in a subset of high Po channels with Po ≥ 0.08, although Po then declined with ≥5 µM (WT) or ≥50 µM flecainide (P2328S). On average, channels with Po < 0.08 were significantly activated by 0.5 to 10 µM of flecainide (WT) or 0.5 to 50 µM of flecainide (P2328S). These results suggest that flecainide can bind to separate activation and inhibition sites on RyR2, with activation dominating in lower activity channels and inhibition dominating in more active channels.
Intracellular Signaling Responses Induced by Radiation within an In Vitro Bone Metastasis Model after Pre-Treatment with an Estrone Analogue
Authors: Helena Jolene , Joubert Anna , Mabeta Peace , Coetzee Magdalena , Lakier Roy , Mercier Anne
Published: August 2021

2-Ethyl-3-O-sulfamoyl-estra-1,3,5(10)16-tetraene (ESE-16) is an in silico-designed estradiol analogue which has improved the parent compound’s efficacy in anti-cancer studies. In this proof-of-concept study, the potential radiosensitizing effects of ESE-16 were investigated in an in vitro deconstructed bone metastasis model. Prostate (DU 145) and breast (MDA-MB-231) tumor cells, osteoblastic (MC3T3-E1) and osteoclastic (RAW 264.7) bone cells and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were representative components of such a lesion. Cells were exposed to a low-dose ESE-16 for 24 hours prior to radiation at non-lethal doses to determine early signaling and molecular responses of this combination treatment. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase activity and actin ring formation were investigated in osteoclasts, while cell cycle progression, reactive oxygen species generation and angiogenic protein expression were investigated in HUVECs. Increased cytotoxicity was evident in tumor and endothelial cells while bone cells appeared to be spared. Increased mitotic indices were calculated, and evidence of increased deoxyribonucleic acid damage with retarded repair, together with reduced metastatic signaling was observed in tumor cells. RAW 264.7 macrophages retained their ability to differentiate into osteoclasts. Anti-angiogenic effects were observed in HUVECs, and expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1-α was decreased. Through preferentially inducing tumor cell death and potentially inhibiting neovascularization whilst preserving bone physiology, this low-dose combination regimen warrants further investigation for its promising therapeutic application in bone metastases management, with the additional potential of limited treatment side effects.
Blue-Shifting Mechanofluorochromic Luminescent Behavior of Polymer Composite Films Using Gelable Mechanoresponsive Compound
Authors: Kondo Mizuho , Morita Yuya , Kawatsuki Nobuhiro
Published: August 2021

Mechanochromic luminescent dyes change their luminescence color upon exposure to external mechanical stimuli. In this study, we synthesized a liquid crystalline mechanochromic luminescent dye containing a terminal cholesterol molecule. The dissolution of the dye in 1,4-dioxane resulted in the formation of a gel. The luminescence of the xerogel obtained from the dioxane solution changed from green to blue upon grinding, indicating mechanochromic luminescence behavior. The anisotropic patterning of short-wavelength-shifted luminescence color change by directional handwriting on surface layer of liquid crystal was successfully demonstrated. Furthermore, blue-shifting mechanoresponsive polymer composite surface was fabricated by using the luminophore.
Preparation and Characterization of New CrFeO3-Carbon Composite Using Environmentally Friendly Methods to Remove Organic Dye Pollutants from Aqueous Solutions
Authors: Adam Abdel Majid A. , Saad Hosam A. , Atta Ahmed A. , Alsawat Mohammed , Hegab Mohamed S. , Refat Moamen S. , Altalhi Tariq A. , Alosaimi Eid H. , Younes Ayman A. O.
Published: August 2021

Globally, environmental pollution is an important issue. Various pollutants present in water resources, such as bacteria, heavy-metal ions, and organic pollutants, cause serious problems to the environment, animals, plants, and human health. Among the water resources, pollutants, dyestuff, which is discharged from dyeing, textile, and other industrial processes, is an important class of pollutants. Removing these dye pollutants from water resources and wastewater is vital and important due to their toxicity. In this work, a CrFeO3-carbon nanotube (CNT) adsorbent was synthesized using environmentally friendly methods. The synthesized CrFeO3-CNT adsorbent was characterized stoichiometrically, spectroscopically, and morphologically. The synthesized CrFeO3-CNT adsorbent was tested for the removal of two dyes: Methyl violet 2B (MV) and Azocarmine G2 (AC) from an aqueous solution. Crushing CrFeO3 composite with multi-walled fullerene CNT to prepare CrFeO3-CNT adsorbent improved the adsorption performance of free multi-walled fullerene CNT towards MV dye by 30% and towards AC dye by 33.3%.
Freezing and Thawing of D2O/Sand Mixtures Investigated by Neutron Diffraction
Authors: Kalvoda Ladislav , Dráb Martin , Kučeráková Monika , Vratislav Stanislav
Published: August 2021

Evolution ice diffraction patterns in mixtures of D2O with quartz sand of three different grain coarseness (100–600, 300–800 and 600–1200 μm) were studied under various temperature regimes by means of neutron diffraction method. The studied structural parameters and characteristics involved the phase composition of specimens, Ih D2O ice lattice parameters, and crystallographic texture of the present phases. Variations in the ice crystallographic texture during the repeated freezing and thawing were observed for all tested sample types, showing an intermittent enhancement of ice and quartz texture indices accompanying the start of specimens cooling. Formation of radial internal stresses is demonstrated by the observed split of (002) and (100) diffraction maxima of ice. Estimated mean internal radial stress values are calculated.
Transfer Learning for the Detection and Diagnosis of Types of Pneumonia including Pneumonia Induced by COVID-19 from Chest X-ray Images
Authors: Brima Yusuf , Atemkeng Marcellin , Tankio Djiokap Stive , Ebiele Jaures , Tchakounté Franklin
Published: August 2021

Accurate early diagnosis of COVID-19 viral pneumonia, primarily in asymptomatic people, is essential to reduce the spread of the disease, the burden on healthcare capacity, and the overall death rate. It is essential to design affordable and accessible solutions to distinguish pneumonia caused by COVID-19 from other types of pneumonia. In this work, we propose a reliable approach based on deep transfer learning that requires few computations and converges faster. Experimental results demonstrate that our proposed framework for transfer learning is a potential and effective approach to detect and diagnose types of pneumonia from chest X-ray images with a test accuracy of 94.0%.
Multi-Input Dual-Stream Capsule Network for Improved Lung and Colon Cancer Classification
Authors: Ali Mumtaz , Ali Riaz
Published: August 2021

Lung and colon cancers are two of the most common causes of death and morbidity in humans. One of the most important aspects of appropriate treatment is the histopathological diagnosis of such cancers. As a result, the main goal of this study is to use a multi-input capsule network and digital histopathology images to build an enhanced computerized diagnosis system for detecting squamous cell carcinomas and adenocarcinomas of the lungs, as well as adenocarcinomas of the colon. Two convolutional layer blocks are used in the proposed multi-input capsule network. The CLB (Convolutional Layers Block) employs traditional convolutional layers, whereas the SCLB (Separable Convolutional Layers Block) employs separable convolutional layers. The CLB block takes unprocessed histopathology images as input, whereas the SCLB block takes uniquely pre-processed histopathological images. The pre-processing method uses color balancing, gamma correction, image sharpening, and multi-scale fusion as the major processes because histopathology slide images are typically red blue. All three channels (Red, Green, and Blue) are adequately compensated during the color balancing phase. The dual-input technique aids the model’s ability to learn features more effectively. On the benchmark LC25000 dataset, the empirical analysis indicates a significant improvement in classification results. The proposed model provides cutting-edge performance in all classes, with 99.58% overall accuracy for lung and colon abnormalities based on histopathological images.
TREC/KREC Levels in Young COVID-19 Patients
Authors: Khadzhieva Maryam B. , Kalinina Ekaterina V. , Larin Sergey S. , Sviridova Daria A. , Gracheva Alesya S. , Chursinova Julia V. , Stepanov Vadim A. , Redkin Ivan V. , Avdeikina Lyudmila S. , Rumyantsev Alexander G. , Kuzovlev Artem N. , Salnikova Lyubov E.
Published: August 2021

COVID-19 patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have an immune imbalance when systemic inflammation and dysfunction of circulating T and B cells lead to a more severe disease. Using TREC/KREC analysis, we studied the level of mature naive T and B cells in peripheral blood of COVID-19 patients and its relationship with clinical and laboratory data. TREC/KREC analysis was performed by multiplex real-time quantitative PCR on a sample of 36 patients aged 45 years or younger. The reduced TREC/KREC level was observed in ARDS patients compared with non-ARDS patients, and similar results were found for the deceased patients. During days 6 to 20 of hospitalization, a higher neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) was detected in ARDS patients compared with non-ARDS patients. TREC/KREC negatively correlated with NLR; the highest correlation was recorded for TREC per 100,000 cells with the coefficient of determination R2 = 0.527. Thus, TREC/KREC analysis is a potential prognostic marker for assessing the severity and outcome in COVID-19.
Virtual Inertia Coordinated Allocation Method Considering Inertia Demand and Wind Turbine Inertia Response Capability
Authors: Xu Bo , Zhang Linwei , Yao Yin , Yu Xiangdong , Yang Yixin , Li Dongdong
Published: August 2021

Wind turbines can have inertia characteristics similar to synchronous generators through virtual inertia control, which helps to provide the inertia support for the system. However, there is the problem of how to coordinate the allocation of virtual inertia among wind turbines. In response to this problem, this paper first analyzes the inertia response capabilities of wind turbines and puts forward an evaluation index that quantifies the inertia response capability of wind turbines. The inertia response capability of a wind farm is evaluated at the entire system level. Based on the evaluation index, the virtual inertia coordinated allocation method considers the system inertia demand and the inertia response capabilities of the wind turbines. It is proposed to release the inertia response capability of each wind turbine while avoiding an excessive release of kinetic energy and bring a second impact by wind turbines’ exiting operation. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by a simulation case study.