bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of Unstable Subsurface Rock Structure Using Ground Penetrating Radar: An EEMD-Based Processing Method
Authors: Jin Yang , Duan Yunling
Published: November 2020

Surrounding rock quality of underground caverns is crucial to structural safety and stability in geological engineering. Classic measures for rock quality investigation are destructive and time consuming, and therefore technology evolution for efficiently evaluating rock quality is significantly required. In this paper, the non-destructive technology ground penetrating radar (GPR) assisted by an ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD)-based signal processing approach is investigated for identifying unstable subsurface rock structures. By decomposing the pre-processed GPR signals into multiple intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) and residues, one typical IMF can preserve the distinct local modes and is considered to reconstruct the subterranean profile. Promising results have been achieved in simple scenarios and filed measurements. The reconstructed profiles can accurately illustrate the subsurface interfaces and eliminate the interference signals. Unstable rock structures have been identified in further field applications. Therefore, the developed approach is efficient in unstable rock structure identification.
A Bimodal Lognormal Distribution Model for the Prediction of COVID-19 Deaths
Authors: Valvo Paolo S.
Published: November 2020

The paper presents a phenomenological epidemiological model for the description and prediction of the time trends of COVID-19 deaths worldwide. A bimodal distribution function—defined as the mixture of two lognormal distributions—is assumed to model the time distribution of deaths in a country. The asymmetric lognormal distribution enables better data fitting with respect to symmetric distribution functions. Besides, the presence of a second mode allows the model to also describe second waves of the epidemic. For each country, the model has six parameters, which are determined by fitting the available data through a nonlinear least-squares procedure. The fitted curves can then be extrapolated to predict the future trends of the total and daily number of deaths. Results for the six continents and the World are obtained by summing those computed for the 210 countries in the Our World in Data (OWID) dataset. To assess the accuracy of predictions, a validation study is first conducted. Then, based on data available as of 30 September 2020, the future trends are extrapolated until the end of year 2020.
Facilitating Vulnerable Supplier Network Management Using Bicriterion Network Resilience Management Approach
Authors: Shin Nina , Park Sangwook
Published: November 2020

This study aims to enable a high level of coordination to cope with increasing levels of uncertainty by computing supplier- and network-based resilience values. Our case study is based on a real-world highly connected global manufacturing firm based in Korea as a test environment to evaluate a proposed bicriterion network resilience model using resilience and network values, together with an ordering approach. An outranking methodology is used to determine the improvement priorities of suppliers to achieve a high level of overall network resilience. The results show that the effectiveness of a firm’s performance with respect to the entire supply chain may increase or decrease based on its embeddedness and connectivity within the supply network. This study is one of the first to provide an integrative (resilience capabilities and network attributes) approach to the supplier improvement model, future studies are encouraged to expand the model to different network settings.
Impact of Meteorological Changes on Particulate Matter and Aerosol Optical Depth in Seoul during the Months of June over Recent Decades
Authors: Yang Seohee H. , Jeong Jaein I. , Park Rokjin J. , Kim Minjoong J.
Published: November 2020

The effects of meteorological changes on particulate matter with a diameter of 10 microns or less (PM10, referred to as PM in this study) and aerosol optical depth (AOD) in Seoul were investigated using observational and modeling analysis. AOD satellite data were used, obtained from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), and PM concentration data were used from in-situ observations. The Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) and MERRA Version 2 (MERRA-2) were used for meteorological field analysis in modeling and observation data. The results from this investigation show that meteorological effects on PM and AOD were strong in the month of June, revealing a clear decreasing trend in recent decades. The investigation focused on the underlying mechanisms influencing the reduction in PM resulting from meteorological changes during the months of June. The results of this study reveal that decreases in atmospheric stability and humidity induced the aerosol change observed in recent decades. The changes in atmospheric stability and humidity are highly correlated with changes in the intensity of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM). This suggests that the unstable and drying atmosphere by weakening of the EASM in recent decades has improved PM air quality in Seoul during the summer. The effects of atmospheric stability and humidity were also observed to vary depending on the aerosol species. Humidity only affects hydrophilic aerosols such as sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium, whereas atmospheric stability affects all species of aerosols, including carbonaceous aerosols.
A Note on the Assessment of the Effect of Atmospheric Factors and Components on Humans
Authors: Matzarakis Andreas
Published: November 2020

The aim of this contribution is both to demonstrate and to explore the general assessment pertaining to the effects of atmospheric factors on human health and general wellbeing. While humans are aware of such effects, particularly individually, their concrete and synergetic effects with the human physiological system are, comparatively, not well comprehended. In human biometeorological studies and approaches, the aforementioned effects are analyzed in terms of their effect pathways, and the development of single or complex approaches. Recurrently in the existing literature, such approaches are mostly defined and, respectively, targeted as indexes. The evaluation and assessment of similar factors and parameters that present related effects were subsequently put together and quantified. This approach is described as ‘effective complexes’ or components. The most well-known examples are the thermal complex, air pollution complex (which can be divided into the biological (pollen) and anthropogenic (air pollutants) factors), actinic complex, and finally, the recent or rapid weather changes complex. Most of the approaches focus on the negative effects consequential to the established criteria ranging from empirical outputs, to epidemiological studies. As a result, the presented approach does not only include the negative effects or implications on humans. Instead, it also highlights the neutral and positive effects which were acknowledged by the research. The approach deals furthermore with the combined effects of different complexes or components and incorporates different weightings of the factors based on the disclosed effects. In addition, seasonal and exposure factors are deliberated upon to differentiate annual variability factors. Finally, the presented approach builds upon a way in which to cogitate how the complex interactions associated to weather and climate can be quantified in a more appropriate way in the context of human health. The approach aims to be applied for a specific weather forecast enabling the communication and balance between human health factors, and also more encompassing climatic analysis.
Spatial and Temporal Exposure Assessment to PM2.5 in a Community Using Sensor-Based Air Monitoring Instruments and Dynamic Population Distributions
Authors: Park Jinhyeon , Jo Wondeuk , Cho Mansu , Lee Jeongil , Lee Hunjoo , Seo SungChul , Lee Chulmin , Yang Wonho
Published: November 2020

This research was to conduct a pilot study for two consecutive days in order to assess fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure of an entire population in a community. We aimed to construct a surveillance system by analyzing the observed spatio-temporal variation of exposure. Guro-gu in Seoul, South Korea, was divided into 2,204 scale grids of 100 m each. Hourly exposure concentrations of PM2.5 were modeled by the inverse distance weighted method, using 24 sensor-based air monitoring instruments and the indoor-to-outdoor concentration ratio. Population distribution was assessed using mobile phone network data and indoor residential rates, according to sex and age over time. Exposure concentration, population distribution, and population exposure were visualized to present spatio-temporal variation. The PM2.5 exposure of the entire population of Guro-gu was calculated by population-weighted average exposure concentration. The average concentration of outdoor PM2.5 was 42.1 µg/m3, which was lower than the value of the beta attenuation monitor measured by fixed monitoring station. Indoor concentration was estimated using an indoor-to-outdoor PM2.5 concentration ratio of 0.747. The population-weighted average exposure concentration of PM2.5 was 32.4 µg/m3. Thirty-one percent of the population exceeded the Korean Atmospheric Environmental Standard for PM2.5 over a 24 h average period. The results of this study can be used in a long-term aggregate and cumulative PM2.5 exposure assessment, and as a basis for policy decisions on public health management among policymakers and stakeholders.
Biomagnetic Monitoring vs. CFD Modeling: A Real Case Study of Near-Source Depositions of Traffic-Related Particulate Matter along a Motorway
Authors: Letaïef Sarah , Camps Pierre , Poidras Thierry , Nicol Patrick , Bosch Delphine , Pradeau Romane
Published: November 2020

A test site located along a 12-lane motorway east of Montpellier, France, is used to evaluate the potential of biomagnetic monitoring on traffic-related particulate matter (PM) to parametrize a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation of the local airflow. Two configurations were established on the site with three vegetated flat-top earth berms of a basic design, and a fourth one was located windward to the traffic roofed with a 4-m-high precast concrete wall. As a first step, PM deposition simultaneously on plant leaves, on low-cost passive artificial filters, and on soils was estimated from proxies supplied by magnetic and X-ray fluorescence measurements on both sides of the motorway. These latter revealed that traffic-related pollutants are present on soils samples highlighted with a clear fingerprint of combustion residues, and wears of breaks, vehicles, and highway equipment. Maximum PM accumulations were detected in the lee of the berm–wall combination, while no significant deposition was observed on both sides of the flat-top earth berms. These results are in line with measurements from PM µ-sensors operated by the regional state-approved air quality agency. Finally, we compared the experimental measurements with the outcomes of a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling based on the Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) equations that consider the traffic-induced momentum and turbulence. The CFD modeling matches the experimental results by predicting a recirculated flow in the near wake of the berm–wall combination that enhances the PM concentration, whereas the flat-top berm geometry does not alter the pollutants’ transport and indeed contributes to their atmospheric dispersion.
Phytoestrogens for Cancer Prevention and Treatment
Authors: Torrens-Mas Margalida , Roca Pilar
Published: November 2020

Phytoestrogens are a large group of natural compounds found in more than 300 plants. They have a close structural similarity to estrogens, which allow them to bind to both estrogen receptors (ER), ERα and ERβ, presenting a weak estrogenic activity. Phytoestrogens have been described as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-allergic, and anti-tumoral agents. Their role in cancer prevention has been well documented, although their impact on treatment efficiency is controversial. Several reports suggest that phytoestrogens may interfere with the effect of anti-cancer drugs through the regulation of oxidative stress and other mechanisms. Furthermore, some phytoestrogens could exert a protective effect on healthy cells, thus reducing the secondary effects of cancer treatment. In this review, we have studied the recent research in this area to find evidence for the role of phytoestrogens in cancer prevention and therapy efficacy.
Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors from Marine Invertebrates
Authors: Luparello Claudio , Mauro Manuela , Arizza Vincenzo , Vazzana Mirella
Published: November 2020

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are key components of the epigenetic machinery controlling gene expression. They are involved in chromatin remodeling events via post-translational histone modifications but may also act on nonhistone proteins, influencing many fundamental cellular processes. Due to the key involvement of HDACs in serious human pathologies, including cancer, HDAC inhibitors (HDACis) have received increased attention in recent years. It is known that marine invertebrates produce significant amounts of secondary metabolites showing active pharmacological properties and an extensive spectrum of biomedical applications. The aim of this review is to gather selected studies that report the extraction and identification of marine invertebrate-derived compounds that possess HDACi properties, grouping the producing species according to their taxonomic hierarchy. The molecular, biochemical, and/or physiological aspects, where available, and modes of action of these naturally occurring HDACis will be recapitulated, taking into consideration their possible utilization for the future design of analogs with increased bioavailability and efficacy, less toxicity, and, also, higher isoform selectivity.
Effects of Self-Mastery on Adolescent and Parental Mental Health through the Mediation of Coping Ability Applying Dyadic Analysis
Authors: Filipponi Chiara , Schulz Peter J. , Petrocchi Serena
Published: November 2020

Evidence demonstrated that self-mastery and coping ability predict mental health in adults and children. However, there is a lack of research analyzing the relationships between those constructs in parents and children. Self-report data from 89 dyads (adolescents’ mean of age = 14.47, SD = 0.50; parents’ mean of age = 47.24, SD = 4.54) who participated in waves 17, 18, and 19 (following T1, T2, and T3) of a nineteen-wave longitudinal study were analyzed using the Actor-Partner Interdependence Model’s extended Mediation. Results showed significant actor effects of parents’ and adolescents’ self-mastery (T1) on mental health (T3) and the mediator effect of their coping abilities in managing stress (T2). Both a higher parental education level and being a mother positively influenced adolescents’ coping ability. The mutually beneficial relationships between parents’ and adolescents’ self-mastery, coping ability, and mental health were not demonstrated. Self-mastery is a significant predictor of adolescents’ and parents’ mental health, and coping ability serves as a good mediator between them. Qualitative research may clarify reasons why partner effects in the model were found to be non-significant. Further research should re-test this model with a larger sample size during childhood, when parents provide significant behavioral models for their children—as well as in adolescence, considering the peer group—to develop guidelines for behavioral interventions.
High-Plex and High-Throughput Digital Spatial Profiling of Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Authors: Monkman James , Taheri Touraj , Ebrahimi Warkiani Majid , O’Leary Connor , Ladwa Rahul , Richard Derek , O’Byrne Ken , Kulasinghe Arutha
Published: November 2020

Profiling the tumour microenvironment (TME) has been informative in understanding the underlying tumour–immune interactions. Multiplex immunohistochemistry (mIHC) coupled with molecular barcoding technologies have revealed greater insights into the TME. In this study, we utilised the Nanostring GeoMX Digital Spatial Profiler (DSP) platform to profile a non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue microarray for protein markers across immune cell profiling, immuno-oncology (IO) drug targets, immune activation status, immune cell typing, and pan-tumour protein modules. Regions of interest (ROIs) were selected that described tumour, TME, and normal adjacent tissue (NAT) compartments. Our data revealed that paired analysis (n = 18) of matched patient compartments indicate that the TME was significantly enriched in CD27, CD3, CD4, CD44, CD45, CD45RO, CD68, CD163, and VISTA relative to the tumour. Unmatched analysis indicated that the NAT (n = 19) was significantly enriched in CD34, fibronectin, IDO1, LAG3, ARG1, and PTEN when compared to the TME (n = 32). Univariate Cox proportional hazards indicated that the presence of cells expressing CD3 (hazard ratio (HR): 0.5, p = 0.018), CD34 (HR: 0.53, p = 0.004), and ICOS (HR: 0.6, p = 0.047) in tumour compartments were significantly associated with improved overall survival (OS). We implemented both high-plex and high-throughput methodologies to the discovery of protein biomarkers and molecular phenotypes within biopsy samples, and demonstrate the power of such tools for a new generation of pathology research.
Newcastle Disease Virus at the Forefront of Cancer Immunotherapy
Authors: Burman Bharat , Pesci Giulio , Zamarin Dmitriy
Published: November 2020

Preclinical and clinical studies dating back to the 1950s have demonstrated that Newcastle disease virus (NDV) has oncolytic properties and can potently stimulate antitumor immune responses. NDV selectively infects, replicates within, and lyses cancer cells by exploiting defective antiviral defenses in cancer cells. Inflammation within the tumor microenvironment in response to NDV leads to the recruitment of innate and adaptive immune effector cells, presentation of tumor antigens, and induction of immune checkpoints. In animal models, intratumoral injection of NDV results in T cell infiltration of both local and distant non-injected tumors, demonstrating the potential of NDV to activate systemic adaptive antitumor immunity. The combination of intratumoral NDV with systemic immune checkpoint blockade leads to regression of both injected and distant tumors, an effect further potentiated by introduction of immunomodulatory transgenes into the viral genome. Clinical trials with naturally occurring NDV administered intravenously demonstrated durable responses across numerous cancer types. Based on these studies, further exploration of NDV is warranted, and clinical studies using recombinant NDV in combination with immune checkpoint blockade have been initiated.
Molecular Genetics of Relapsed Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Insight into Mechanisms of Therapy Resistance
Authors: Berendsen Madeleine R. , Stevens Wendy B. C. , van den Brand Michiel , van Krieken J. Han , Scheijen Blanca
Published: November 2020

The majority of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) can be treated successfully with a combination of chemotherapy and the monoclonal anti-CD20 antibody rituximab. Nonetheless, approximately one-third of the patients with DLBCL still experience relapse or refractory (R/R) disease after first-line immunochemotherapy. Whole-exome sequencing on large cohorts of primary DLBCL has revealed the mutational landscape of DLBCL, which has provided a framework to define novel prognostic subtypes in DLBCL. Several studies have investigated the genetic alterations specifically associated with R/R DLBCL, thereby uncovering molecular pathways linked to therapy resistance. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the genetic alterations that are enriched in R/R DLBCL, and the corresponding pathways affected by these gene mutations. Furthermore, we elaborate on their potential role in mediating therapy resistance, also in connection with findings in other B-cell malignancies, and discuss alternative treatment options. Hence, this review provides a comprehensive overview on the gene lesions and molecular mechanisms underlying R/R DLBCL, which are considered valuable parameters to guide treatment.
Spinal Deformities after Childhood Tumors
Authors: Hell Anna K. , Kühnle Ingrid , Lorenz Heiko M. , Braunschweig Lena , Lüders Katja A. , Bock Hans Christoph , Kramm Christof M. , Ludwig Hans Christoph , Tsaknakis Konstantinos
Published: November 2020

Childhood tumors of the central nervous system (CNS) and other entities affecting the spine are rare. Treatment options vary from surgical biopsy to partial, subtotal, and total resection, to radiation, to chemotherapy. The aim of this study is to investigate spinal deformity and subsequent surgical interventions in this patient cohort. A retrospective review at our institution identified children with CNS tumors, spinal tumors, and juxta-spinal tumors, as well as spinal deformities. Tumor entity, treatment, mobilization, and radiographic images were analyzed relative to the spinal deformity, using curve angles in two planes. Conservative or surgical interventions such as orthotic braces, growth-friendly spinal implants, and spinal fusions were evaluated and analyzed with respect to treatment results. Tumor entities in the 76 patients of this study included CNS tumors (n = 41), neurofibromatosis with spinal or paraspinal tumors (n = 14), bone tumors (n = 12), embryonal tumors (n = 7), and others (n = 2). The initial treatment consisted of surgical biopsy (n = 5), partial, subtotal, or total surgical resection (n = 59), or none (n = 12), followed by chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or both (n = 40). Out of 65 evaluated patients, 25 revealed a moderate or severe scoliotic deformity of 71° (range 21–116°), pathological thoracic kyphosis of 66° (range 50–130°), and lordosis of 61° (range 41–97°). Surgical treatment was performed on 21 patients with implantation of growth-friendly spinal implants (n = 9) as well as twelve dorsal spinal fusions (two with prior halo distraction). Surgical interventions significantly improved spinal deformities without additional neurological impairment. With the increasing number of children surviving rare tumors, attention should be focused on long-term problems such as spinal deformities and consequent disabilities. A significant number of children with CNS tumors, spinal tumors or juxta-spinal tumors required surgical intervention. Early information about spinal deformities and a close follow-up are mandatory for this patient group.
Amyloid β-Peptide Increases Mitochondria-Endoplasmic Reticulum Contact Altering Mitochondrial Function and Autophagosome Formation in Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Models
Authors: Leal Nuno Santos , Dentoni Giacomo , Schreiner Bernadette , Naia Luana , Piras Antonio , Graff Caroline , Cattaneo Antonio , Meli Giovanni , Hamasaki Maho , Nilsson Per , Ankarcrona Maria
Published: November 2020

Recent findings have shown that the connectivity and crosstalk between mitochondria and the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) at mitochondria–ER contact sites (MERCS) are altered in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and in AD-related models. MERCS have been related to the initial steps of autophagosome formation as well as regulation of mitochondrial function. Here, the interplay between MERCS, mitochondria ultrastructure and function and autophagy were evaluated in different AD animal models with increased levels of Aβ as well as in primary neurons derived from these animals. We start by showing that the levels of Mitofusin 1, Mitofusin 2 and mitochondrial import receptor subunit TOM70 are decreased in post-mortem brain tissue derived from familial AD. We also show that Aβ increases the juxtaposition between ER and mitochondria both in adult brain of different AD mouse models as well as in primary cultures derived from these animals. In addition, the connectivity between ER and mitochondria are also increased in wild-type neurons exposed to Aβ. This alteration in MERCS affects autophagosome formation, mitochondrial function and ATP formation during starvation. Interestingly, the increment in ER–mitochondria connectivity occurs simultaneously with an increase in mitochondrial activity and is followed by upregulation of autophagosome formation in a clear chronological sequence of events. In summary, we report that Aβ can affect cell homeostasis by modulating MERCS and, consequently, altering mitochondrial activity and autophagosome formation. Our data suggests that MERCS is a potential target for drug discovery in AD.
Pain, Anger, and the Fear of Being Discovered Persist Long after the Disclosure of HIV Serostatus among Adolescents with Perinatal HIV in Rural Communities in South Africa
Authors: Maseko Yvonne , Madiba Sphiwe
Published: November 2020

Informing adolescents of their HIV serostatus forms part of their HIV care and is a critical step in the transition to adult clinical care services. This article describes the experiences of adolescents with perinatal HIV in regard to disclosure, and examines the impact disclosure has on their emotional health and behaviors. We used a qualitative design to conduct interviews with 21 adolescents aged 12–19 years recruited from a rural district in South Africa. NVivo 10 computer software was used for thematic analyses. All adolescents were aware of their HIV-serostatus. The findings show that delayed disclosure, was a one-time event, and was unplanned. Disclosure occurred at the clinic rather than the adolescent’s home. For most adolescents, feelings of anger, pain, sadness, negative perceptions of self, internalized stigma, and denial persisted long after disclosure occurred. They lived in constant fear of having their serostatus being discovered, and they developed a sense of fear of self-disclosure. Their negative emotions undermined treatment adherence. In contrast, other adolescents that described disclosure as a positive event, had accepted their HIV status, and lived similar to other adolescents. The prolonged negative reactions underscore the importance of ongoing post-disclosure interventions for adolescents in rural settings where psychosocial support services are insufficient to address their emotional wellbeing.
Effect of Exposure Conditions on the Interfacial Bond Properties of SS400 Plate Coated with Various Epoxy Resins
Authors: Kim Sungwon , Hong Hyemin , Park Jun Kil , Park Sangmin , Choi Seoung Ik , Kim Min Ook
Published: November 2020

This study aims to investigate the effects of different exposure conditions on the interfacial bond between steel plates and epoxy resin coatings at early ages. Test variables include the epoxy resin types, exposure conditions, exposure periods, and coating equipment. The selected epoxy resins were applied to prepared steel plates and cured at each exposure condition for 7, 28, 56, or 91 days, and the pull-off bond strength and coating thickness were measured. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images were obtained to study the interfacial bond for some representative coatings. Three different exposure conditions (indoors and actual marine environment) were considered in this study. This study is also focusing on the improvement of previously developed underwater coating equipment and evaluating the performance. Experiments were conducted to evaluate the performance of the improved equipment types under different environmental conditions: indoors (tap water and seawater) and outdoor conditions. The improved equipment types were confirmed to be effective for underwater coating and easier to use than the previous equipment under real sea conditions. The experimental results also confirmed that the bond strength of the coating decreased as the curing time increased.
Insights and Findings Following 11 Years of Test Road Exploitation
Authors: Žalimienė Laura , Vaitkus Audrius , Čygas Donatas
Published: November 2020

Road pavement is one of the most important components of road structure. Long-term monitoring changes in the state of road pavement under real conditions of load and climate allows to determine surface degradation mechanisms, select sustainable road building materials and their mixes, rationally employ asphalt paving technologies, and improve quality control. For a number of years, road pavement structures have been studied that should best meet the Lithuanian climate conditions and withstand the increasing impact of vehicle load. Thus, for that purpose, specially designed, constructed and tested roads or road sections for different pavement structures are most appropriate. One of those was constructed in 2007. The experimental road (hereinafter, the Test Road) consisted of 27 different pavement structures (PSs) produced of various materials. The study aims to evaluate the effect of different materials on variations in the bearing capacity of the pavement structure (PS), the sustainability of the structure, and the formation of ruts in 2007–2018. In this way, difference in bearing capacity, rutting depth between sections, and loaded and unloaded lanes was estimated. Further, the statistical analysis of these factors was conducted. Investigations have shown that the minimum bearing capacity of 754 MPa established after 11 years did not affect the formation of rut depth that was less than 1.0 cm. The PSs covered with the used asphalt granules, a larger asphalt base course on gravel, the sand mix base course, and granite aggregate mixed with sand base course were accepted as one of the PSs with the highest bearing capacity with PSs exceeding 929 MPa. The bearing capacity of the PS containing a 20 cm aggregate base course is on average higher by 30 MPa than PS holding a 15 cm aggregate base course.
Molecular Comparison among Three Antarctic Endemic Springtail Species and Description of the Mitochondrial Genome of Friesea gretae (Hexapoda, Collembola)
Authors: Carapelli Antonio , Cucini Claudio , Fanciulli Pietro Paolo , Frati Francesco , Convey Peter , Nardi Francesco
Published: November 2020

Springtails and mites are the dominant groups of terrestrial arthropods in Antarctic terrestrial ecosystems. Their Antarctic diversity includes a limited number of species, which are frequently endemic to specific regions within the continent. Advances in molecular techniques, combined with the re-evaluation of morphological characters and the availability of new samples, have recently led to the identification of a number of new springtail species within previously named, but ill-defined, species entities described in the last century. One such species, the neanurid Friesea grisea, originally described from sub-Antarctic South Georgia, was for many years considered to be the only known springtail with a pan-Antarctic distribution. With the recent availability of new morphological and molecular data, it has now been firmly established that the different representatives previously referred to this taxon from the Antarctic Peninsula and Victoria Land (continental Antarctica) should no longer be considered as representing one and the same species, and three clearly distinct taxa have been recognized: F. antarctica, F. gretae and F. propria. In this study, the relationships among these three species are further explored through the sequencing of the complete mtDNA for F. gretae and the use of complete mitogenomic as well as cytochrome c oxidase I data. The data obtained provide further support that distinct species were originally hidden within the same taxon and that, despite the difficulties in obtaining reliable diagnostic morphological characters, F. gretae is genetically differentiated from F. propria (known to be present in different locations in Northern Victoria Land), as well as from F. antarctica (distributed in the Antarctic Peninsula).
Localization Accuracy of Ultrasound-Actuated Needle with Color Doppler Imaging
Authors: Jiang Tingyi , McLeod Graeme , Huang Zhihong , Zhu Xinle , Jiao Yang , Li Xinze , Shen Zhitian , Cui Yaoyao
Published: November 2020

An ultrasonic needle-actuating device for tissue biopsy and regional anaesthesia offers enhanced needle visibility with color Doppler imaging. However, its specific performance is not yet fully determined. This work investigated the influence on needle visibility of the insertion angle and drive voltage, as well as determined the accuracy and agreement of needle tip localization by comparing color Doppler measurements with paired photographic and B-mode ultrasound measurements. Needle tip accuracy measurements in a gelatin phantom gave a regression trend, where the slope of trend is 0.8808; coefficient of determination (R2) is 0.8877; bias is −0.50 mm; and the 95% limits of agreement are from −1.31 to 0.31 mm when comparing color Doppler with photographic measurements. When comparing the color Doppler with B-mode ultrasound measurements, the slope of the regression trend is 1.0179; R2 is 0.9651; bias is −0.16 mm; and the 95% limits of agreement are from −1.935 to 1.605 mm. The results demonstrate the accuracy of this technique and its potential for application to biopsy and ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia.
Hybrid Battery Thermal Management System in Electrical Vehicles: A Review
Authors: Zhao Chunyu , Zhang Beile , Zheng Yuanming , Huang Shunyuan , Yan Tongtong , Liu Xiufang
Published: November 2020

The Li-ion battery is of paramount importance to electric vehicles (EVs). Propelled by the rapid growth of the EV industry, the performance of the battery is continuously improving. However, Li-ion batteries are susceptible to the working temperature and only obtain the optimal performance within an acceptable temperature range. Therefore, a battery thermal management system (BTMS) is required to ensure EVs’ safe operation. There are various basic methods for BTMS, including forced-air cooling, liquid cooling, phase change material (PCM), heat pipe (HP), thermoelectric cooling (TEC), etc. Every method has its unique application condition and characteristic. Furthermore, based on basic BTMS, more hybrid cooling methods adopting different basic methods are being designed to meet EVs’ requirements. In this work, the hybrid BTMS, as a more reliable and environmentally friendly method for the EVs, will be compared with basic BTMS to reveal its advantages and potential. By analyzing its cost, efficiency and other aspects, the evaluation criterion and design suggestions are put forward to guide the future development of BTMS.
Can Artificial Intelligence Assist Project Developers in Long-Term Management of Energy Projects? The Case of CO2 Capture and Storage
Authors: Buah Eric , Linnanen Lassi , Wu Huapeng , Kesse Martin A.
Published: November 2020

This paper contributes to the state of the art of applications of artificial intelligence (AI) in energy systems with a focus on the phenomenon of social acceptance of energy projects. The aim of the paper is to present a novel AI-powered communication and engagement framework for energy projects. The method can assist project managers of energy projects to develop AI-powered virtual communication and engagement agents for engaging their citizens and their network of stakeholders who influence their energy projects. Unlike the standard consultation techniques and large-scale deliberative engagement approaches that require face-to-face engagement, the virtual engagement platform provides citizens with a forum to continually influence project outcomes at the comfort of their homes or anywhere via mobile devices. In the communication and engagement process, the project managers’ cognitive capability can be augmented with the probabilistic capability of the algorithm to gain insights into the stakeholders’ positive and negative feelings on the project, in order to devise interventions to co-develop an acceptable energy project. The proposed method was developed using the combined capability of fuzzy logic and a deep neural network incorporated with a Likert scaling strategy to reason with and engage people. In a mainstream deep neural network, one requires lots of data to build the system. The novelty of our system, however, in relation to the mainstream deep neural network approach, is that one can even use small data of a few hundreds to build the system. Further, its performance can be improved over time as it learns more about the future. We have tested the feasibility of the system using citizens’ affective responses to CO2 storage and the system demonstrated 90.476% performance.
A Novel Approach to Defining Maintenance Significant Items: A Hydro Generator Case Study
Authors: Netto Adherbal Caminada , de Andrade Melani Arthur Henrique , Murad Carlos Alberto , de Carvalho Michalski Miguel Angelo , Martha de Souza Gilberto Francisco , Nabeta Silvio Ikuyo
Published: November 2020

The operation and maintenance of industrial plants constitute a major concern among managers, scientists, and engineers. To allow the prioritization of maintenance actions for improved continuous equipment operation, this paper presents a novel method focused on identifying the most critical components of a plant’s systems. In a complex engineering approach, this method uses tools and techniques borrowed from several fields of knowledge, including an innovative technique devised by the authors, as well as a multi-criteria decision method in the criticality determination process. To illustrate the method, a case study is presented considering a 150 MW Kaplan hydro generator from a hydroelectric power plant located in the north of Brazil. An uncertainty analysis is presented, considering variations in the scores of each criterion, to verify the robustness of the proposed method. The results show that the method responds in a solid and structured way, allowing decision making from qualitative and quantitative data and eliciting the opinion of experts on the factors that can affect the degradation of the performance of a system. In addition, the method’s robustness is confirmed since the uncertainty propagation related to the criteria scores is small for the items classified as most significant from its application.
Soils in Karst Sinkholes Record the Holocene History of Local Forest Fires at the North of European Russia
Authors: Mergelov Nikita , Petrov Dmitry , Zazovskaya Elya , Dolgikh Andrey , Golyeva Alexandra , Matskovsky Vladimir , Bichurin Renat , Turchinskaya Sofia , Belyaev Vladimir , Goryachkin Sergey
Published: November 2020

Despite the abundance of charcoal material entrapped in soils, they remain relatively less studied pyrogenic archives in comparison to the sedimentary paleofire records (e.g., lacustrine and peat deposits), and that is especially the case in most of Russia’s territory. We report here on the deep soil archives of the Holocene forest fires from the Pinega District of the Arkhangelsk region (64.747° N, 43.387° E). Series of buried soil profiles separated by charcoal layers and clusters were revealed in specific geomorphological traps represented by the active and paleokarst subsidence sinkholes on sulfate rocks overlaid by glacial and fluvial deposits. We combine the study of soil morphology and stratigraphy with a set of radiocarbon data on charcoal and soil organic matter, as well as the anthracomass analysis, to extract a set of paleoenvironmental data. A total of 45 radiocarbon dates were obtained for the macrocharcoal material and the soil organic matter. The maximum temporal “depth” of archives estimated from the radiocarbon dating of macrocharcoal reached 10,260 ± 35 cal yr BP. Soil formation with Podzols established at the inter-pyrogenic stages repeatedly reproduced within the period of ten thousand years, while the dominant tree species was Pinus sp. According to the macrocharcoal data, the intervals between fires have shortened in the last thousand years. Dendrochronological estimates suggest the occurrence of fires in almost every decade of the 20th and early 21st centuries. This is the first study of the millennia-scale soil record of forest fires in this particular region of Russia.
The Impact of Climate Change on the High Water Levels of a Small River in Central Europe Based on 50-Year Measurements
Authors: Boczoń Andrzej , Kowalska Anna , Stolarek Andrzej
Published: November 2020

Climate change affects many elements of the natural environment and strongly influences the hydrology of rivers. In this study, we investigated trends in temperature, precipitation, and the water level characteristics in the small lowland river Lebiedzianka in northeastern Poland for the 50 year long period of observations (1970–2019). We recorded significant increase in air temperature and potential evapotranspiration, but the annual sum of precipitation did not change. We found significant downward trends for annual runoff. The results show a steady decrease in the number of days with high water levels. These changes caused by global warming will have a strong impact on forest habitats associated with high water levels and periodic inundations. In Europe, many of these precious habitats are protected under the Natura 2000 network as sites of high heritage value; nevertheless, their sustainability will be at risk due to the ongoing changes in their hydrological regime.
Effect of Forest Certification on International Trade in Forest Products
Authors: Chen Jiaojiao , Wang Lanhui , Li Lingchao , Magalhães Juliana , Song Weiming , Lu Wenming , Xiong Lichun , Chang Wei-Yew , Sun Yujun
Published: November 2020

Forest certification plays an important role in the global trade of legal, sustainably harvested timber. There is no accurate definition of how international forest certification systems impact international trade from a global perspective. This paper is intended to evaluate the influence of forest certification on international trade, so that it can provide a scientific basis for the improvement of the international forest certification systems and for the development of relevant forestry industries in different countries. First, the influence of forest certification on international trade of forest products is explained in the economic model; hence, four hypotheses are put forward. Second, to test these hypotheses, we verify the panel data of bilateral trade and forest certification of all forest products among 67 economies from 2009 to 2018 by incorporating forest certifications into the gravity model. Finally, tests by country groups and product groups were further analyzed, respectively. The results show that: (1) The extended Poisson pseudo maximum likelihood (PPML) estimation solves the problem of the heteroscedasticity and zero trade value problems of the gravity model well in the forest industry. (2) Forest certification has an export competitive effect, a trade barrier effect, as well as common language effect. (3) Forest certification has asymmetric trade effects. The export competitive effect of forest certification in developing countries is greater than that in developed countries. Forest certification has become a trade barrier for developing countries, especially in the process of trade with developed countries. The common language effect is higher during the trade between developed and developing countries. The export competitive effect of wood products is higher than that of furniture products. Forest certification has trade barrier effect on wood products in developing countries, while it has trade barrier effect on furniture products in developed countries.
Predicting Activities of Daily Living with Spatio-Temporal Information
Authors: Chua Sook-Ling , Foo Lee Kien , Guesgen Hans W.
Published: November 2020

The smart home has begun playing an important role in supporting independent living by monitoring the activities of daily living, typically for the elderly who live alone. Activity recognition in smart homes has been studied by many researchers with much effort spent on modeling user activities to predict behaviors. Most people, when performing their daily activities, interact with multiple objects both in space and through time. The interactions between user and objects in the home can provide rich contextual information in interpreting human activity. This paper shows the importance of spatial and temporal information for reasoning in smart homes and demonstrates how such information is represented for activity recognition. Evaluation was conducted on three publicly available smart-home datasets. Our method achieved an average recognition accuracy of more than 81% when predicting user activities given the spatial and temporal information.
Keeping Models Consistent between Pretraining and Translation for Low-Resource Neural Machine Translation
Authors: Zhang Wenbo , Li Xiao , Yang Yating , Dong Rui , Luo Gongxu
Published: November 2020

Recently, the pretraining of models has been successfully applied to unsupervised and semi-supervised neural machine translation. A cross-lingual language model uses a pretrained masked language model to initialize the encoder and decoder of the translation model, which greatly improves the translation quality. However, because of a mismatch in the number of layers, the pretrained model can only initialize part of the decoder’s parameters. In this paper, we use a layer-wise coordination transformer and a consistent pretraining translation transformer instead of a vanilla transformer as the translation model. The former has only an encoder, and the latter has an encoder and a decoder, but the encoder and decoder have exactly the same parameters. Both models can guarantee that all parameters in the translation model can be initialized by the pretrained model. Experiments on the Chinese–English and English–German datasets show that compared with the vanilla transformer baseline, our models achieve better performance with fewer parameters when the parallel corpus is small.
Nutritional and Phytochemical Composition of Mediterranean Wild Vegetables after Culinary Treatment
Authors: García-Herrera Patricia , Morales Patricia , Cámara Montaña , Fernández-Ruiz Virginia , Tardío Javier , Sánchez-Mata María Cortes
Published: November 2020

Studies are scarce on the nutritional and phytochemical composition of wild edible Mediterranean plants after culinary processing. This work provides the nutritional composition after culinary treatment (including dietary fiber and mineral composition) and bioactive compounds (folates, vitamin C and organic acids) of wild Rumex pulcher L., Silene vulgaris (Moench) Garcke. leaves, and wild Asparagus acutifolius L., Bryonia dioica Jacq., Humulus lupulus L., Tamus communis L. young shoots. Shoots better preserved their nutrients than leaves, due to their different tissue structure. Fresh and cooked wild greens present high dietary fiber values, and remained at remarkable levels after boiling. Na, K, Mg and Zn were lost in about 50% due to culinary processing, while Ca, Cu, Fe and Mn were more stable. Boiled leaves of S. vulgaris remained as a good Mn source. A portion of 100 g of most of the cooked analyzed species could cover a relevant percentage of the daily requirement of folates (R. pulcher and A. acutifolius providing more than 80%) and vitamin C (T. communis and A. acutifolius providing more than 35%).