bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ladies First: Gender Stereotypes Drive Anticipatory Eye-Movements During Incremental Sentence Interpretation
Authors: Guerra Ernesto , Bernotat Jasmin , Carvacho Héctor , Bohner Gerd
Published: June 2021

Immediate contextual information and world knowledge allow comprehenders to anticipate incoming language in real time. The cognitive mechanisms that underlie such behavior are, however, still only partially understood. We examined the novel idea that gender attitudes may influence how people make predictions during sentence processing. To this end, we conducted an eye-tracking experiment where participants listened to passive-voice sentences expressing gender-stereotypical actions (e.g., “The wood is being painted by the florist”) while observing displays containing both female and male characters representing gender-stereotypical professions (e.g., florists, soldiers). In addition, we assessed participants’ explicit gender-related attitudes to explore whether they might predict potential effects of gender-stereotypical information on anticipatory eye movements. The observed gaze pattern reflected that participants used gendered information to predict who was agent of the action. These effects were larger for female- vs. male-stereotypical contextual information but were not related to participants’ gender-related attitudes. Our results showed that predictive language processing can be moderated by gender stereotypes, and that anticipation is stronger for female (vs. male) depicted characters. Further research should test the direct relation between gender-stereotypical sentence processing and implicit gender attitudes. These findings contribute to both social psychology and psycholinguistics research, as they extend our understanding of stereotype processing in multimodal contexts and regarding the role of attitudes (on top of world knowledge) in language prediction.
Translating Metaphtonymy: Exploring Trainee Translators' Translation Approaches and Underlying Factors
Authors: Jin Shengxi , Lin Zhengjun , Oakley Todd
Published: June 2021

Metaphtonymy is identified as a special rhetoric figure that specifies the interaction between metaphor and metonymy and which is pervasive in literary works. How and why do trainee translators translate metaphtonymy? Using task analysis, semi-structured discourse-based interviews, and a questionnaire survey among 30 master of translation and interpreting (MTI) trainee translators, this study investigates their translation approaches adopted when translating the metaphtonymies in Chinese extracted prose and explores the effects of their choices. It is found that they mainly employed three approaches: omission, modification, and retainment, with omission being the most, and retainment the least frequent. The main factors attributing to each approach range from the prominence degrees and cross-cultural adaptation abilities of the metaphtonymies, rhetorical awareness of translators, and transference competence to their translation knowledge sub-competence. This study suggests that trainee translators should be instructed to systematically construct rhetoric knowledge, and the teaching design should emphasize the competence of trainees of identifying rhetorical devices and their competence of shifting rhetoric between languages.
Instrumental and Hedonic Motives for Emotion Regulation in Musical Practice
Authors: Breaden Madden Gerard , Jabusch Hans-Christian
Published: June 2021

Emotion regulation literature often emphasizes that individuals regulate their emotions for hedonic reasons. However, there is increasing support for an instrumental approach to emotion regulation. This approach suggests that emotions are regulated if they are believed to be beneficial to the pursuit of personally relevant goals. When pursuing a long-term goal, an individual may forego immediate, hedonic emotional reward in order to maximize the instrumental benefits of emotions. The current study investigates emotion regulation behaviour in the context of musical practice. We examine whether musicians adopt specific, regulated emotional stances which support their goal orientation, and which are in line with their beliefs regarding the functional impact of emotions. Via an online questionnaire, 421 musicians reported their goal-orientation, meta-emotion beliefs, and affect-regulation strategies. Participants then completed a scale assessing specific emotions they would regulate in order to support their musical practice. Data were analysed using PCA, MANOVA, subgroup analysis and categorical regression. Musicians reported using affect-improvement strategies more often than affect-worsening strategies in order to influence how they felt during musical practice. Greater reported use of affect-worsening strategies was associated with stronger meta-emotion beliefs supporting the possible instrumental benefits of unpleasant emotions (F = 30.33; p < 0.01; ηp2 = 0.06). Musicians who strongly endorsed this belief more strongly pursued mastery goals in contrast to enjoyment goals. In terms of specific targeted emotions, musicians generally sought to reduce unpleasant emotions, and increase pleasant, energizing emotions in order to support their musical practice. However, a subgroup of mastery- rather than enjoyment-oriented musicians may seek a mixed emotional state, increasing anger and nervousness in conjunction with a number of pleasant emotions (Wilks λ1,420 = 14.42; p < 0.01; ηp2 = 0.50). Musicians who pursue expert musical skills may be motivated to experience emotions that combine the instrumental and hedonic benefits of emotions. Musicians who practice for enjoyment may prioritize emotions that maximize only the hedonic benefits. Future research should aim to identify the regulated emotional states that best support specific musical practice outcomes in an individual. It will also be important to understand on all levels, including music performance quality as well as health and well-being, the outcomes that may be associated with the use of affect-worsening strategies and unpleasant emotions. Research in this field may equip musicians with novel skills for better pursuit of their goals, and may help to maximize health and well-being in musical practice.
Movement Synchrony in the Psychotherapy of Adolescents With Borderline Personality Pathology – A Dyadic Trait Marker for Resilience?
Authors: Zimmermann Ronan , Fürer Lukas , Kleinbub Johann R. , Ramseyer Fabian T. , Hütten Rahel , Steppan Martin , Schmeck Klaus
Published: June 2021

Movement synchrony describes the coordination of body movements. In psychotherapy, higher movement synchrony between therapist and patient has been associated with higher levels of empathy, therapeutic alliance, better therapy outcome, and fewer drop-outs. The current study investigated movement synchrony during the psychotherapeutic treatment of female adolescents with borderline personality disorder. It was hypothesized that there are higher levels of movement synchrony in the analyzed therapy sessions compared to pseudo-interactions. Further, we tested whether higher levels of movement synchrony correlate with stronger patients’ symptom reduction and whether higher movement synchrony predicts higher post-session ratings. A total of 356 sessions from 16 completed psychotherapies of adolescent patients with BPD were analyzed. Movement synchrony was assessed with motion energy analysis and an index of synchrony was calculated by lagged cross-correlation analysis. As hypothesized, the findings support higher levels of movement synchrony in therapy sessions compared to pseudo-interactions (Cohen’sd= 0.85). Additionally, a correlation of movement synchrony with better therapy outcome was found (standardized beta = −0.43 indicating stronger personality functioning impairment reduction). The post-session ratings were negatively associated with higher levels of movement synchrony (standardized beta = −0.1). The relevance of movement synchrony and potential implications for clinical practice are discussed.
COVID-19, Alcohol Consumption and Stockpiling Practises in Midlife Women: Repeat Surveys During Lockdown in Australia and the United Kingdom
Authors: Miller Emma R. , Olver Ian N. , Wilson Carlene J. , Lunnay Belinda , Meyer Samantha B. , Foley Kristen , Thomas Jessica A. , Toson Barbara , Ward Paul R.
Published: June 2021

Introduction: This project examined the impact of COVID-19 and associated restrictions on alcohol practises (consumption and stockpiling), and perceptions of health risk among women in midlife (those aged 45–64 years).

Methods: We collected online survey data from 2,437 midlife women in the United Kingdom (UK) and Australia in May 2020, recruited using a commercial panel, in the early days of mandated COVID-19 related restrictions in both countries. Participants were surveyed again (N = 1,377) in July 2020, at a time when COVID-19 restrictions were beginning to ease. The surveys included the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test—Consumption (AUDIT-C) and questions alcohol stockpiling. Analysis involved a range of univariate and multivariate techniques examining the impact of demographic variables and negative affect on consumption and acquisition outcomes.

Results: In both surveys (May and July), UK women scored higher than Australian women on the AUDIT-C, and residence in the UK was found to independently predict stockpiling of alcohol (RR: 1.51; 95% CI: 1.20, 1.91). Developing depression between surveys (RR: 1.53; 95% CI: 1.14, 2.04) and reporting pessimism (RR: 1.42; 95% CI: 1.11, 1.81), and fear/anxiety (RR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.05, 1.70) at the beginning of the study period also predicted stockpiling by the end of the lockdown. Having a tertiary education was protective for alcohol stockpiling at each time point (RR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.54, 0.87).

Conclusions: COVID-19 was associated with increases in risky alcohol practises that were predicted by negative emotional responses to the pandemic. Anxiety, pessimism and depression predicted stockpiling behaviour in UK and Australian women despite the many demographic and contextual differences between the two cohorts. Given our findings and the findings of others that mental health issues developed or were exacerbated during lockdown and may continue long after that time, urgent action is required to address a potential future pandemic of alcohol-related harms.
Promoting Students' Health at University: Key Stakeholders, Cooperation, and Network Development
Authors: Bachert Philip , Wäsche Hagen , Albrecht Felix , Hildebrand Claudia , Kunz Alexa Maria , Woll Alexander
Published: June 2021

Background: Cooperation among university units is considered a cornerstone for the promotion of students' health. The underlying mechanisms of health-promoting networks at universities have rarely been examined so far. Shedding light on partnerships is generally limited to the naming of allied actors in a network.

Objectives and Methods: In this study, we used network analysis intending to visualize and describe the positions and characteristics of the network actors, and examine organizational relationships to determine the characteristics of the complete network.

Results: The network analysis at hand provides in-depth insights into university structures promoting students' health comprising 33 organizational units and hundreds of ties. Both cooperation and communication network show a flat, non-hierarchical structure, which is reflected by its low centralization indices (39–43%) and short average distances (1.43–1.47) with low standard deviations (0.499–0.507), small diameter (3), and the non-existence of subgroups. Density lies between 0.53 and 0.57. According to the respondents, the University Sports Center is considered the most important actor in the context of students' health. Presidium and Institute of Sport and Sports Science play an integral role in terms of network functionality.

Conclusion: In the health-promoting network, numerous opportunities for further integration and interaction of actors exist. Indications for transferring results to other universities are discussed. Network analysis enables universities to profoundly analyze their health-promoting structures, which is the basis for sustained network governance and development.
Identification of Risk Factors for Lameness Detection with Help of Biosensors
Authors: Antanaitis Ramūnas , Juozaitienė Vida , Urbonavičius Gediminas , Malašauskienė Dovilė , Televičius Mindaugas , Urbutis Mingaudas , Džermeikaitė Karina , Baumgartner Walter
Published: June 2021

In this study we hypothesized that the lameness of early lactation dairy cows would have an impact on inline biomarkers, such as rumination time (RT), milk fat (%), milk protein (%), milk fat/protein ratio (F/P), milk lactose (L, %), milk electrical conductivity of all udder quarters, body weight (BW), temperature of reticulorumen content (TRR), pH of reticulorumen content (pH), and walking activity (activity). All 30 lame cows (LCs) used in this experiment had a score of 3–4, identified according to the standard procedure of Sprecher et al. The 30 healthy cows (HC) showed a lameness score of one. RT, milk fat, MY, milk protein, F/P, L, milk electrical conductivity of all udder quarters, and BW were registered using Lely Astronaut® A3 milking robots each time the cow was being milked. The TRR, cow activity, and pH of the contents of each cow’s reticulorumen were registered using specific smaXtec boluses. The study lasted a total of 28 days. Days “−14” to “−1” denote the days of the experimental period before the onset of clinical signs of lameness (day “0”), and days “1” to “13” indicate the period after the start of treatment. We found that from the ninth day before the diagnosis of laminitis until the end of our study, LCs had higher milk electrical conductivity in all udder quarters, and higher milk fat to protein ratios. On the 3rd day before the onset of clinical signs of the disease until the day of diagnosis, the milk fat of the LC group was reduced. The activity of the LCs decreased sharply from the second day to the first day after treatment. RT in the HC group tended to decrease during the experiment. pH in LCs also increased on the day of the appearance of clinical signs.
Progress and Prospect of Breeding Utilization of Green Revolution Gene SD1 in Rice
Authors: Peng Youlin , Hu Yungao , Qian Qian , Ren Deyong
Published: June 2021

Rice (Oryza sativa L.) is one of the most important cereal crops in the world. The identification of sd1 mutants in rice resulted in a semi-dwarf phenotype that was used by breeders to improve yields. Investigations of sd1 mutants initiated the “green revolution” for rice and staved off famine for many people in the 1960s. The smaller plant height conferred by sd1 allele gives the plants lodging resistance even with a high amount of nitrogen fertilizer. Guang-chang-ai-carrying sd1 was the first high-yielding rice variety that capitalized on the semi-dwarf trait, aiming to significantly improve the rice yield in China. IR8, known as the miracle rice, was also bred by using sd1. The green revolution gene sd1 in rice has been used for decades, but was not identified for a long time. The SD1 gene encodes the rice Gibberellin 20 oxidase-2 (GA20ox2). As such, the SD1 gene is instrumental in uncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying gibberellin biosynthesis There are ten different alleles of SD1. These alleles are identified by genome sequencing within several donor lines in breeding for semi-dwarf rice. Apart from breeding applications and the molecular mechanism of GA biosynthesis, the SD1 gene is also involved in the molecular regulation of other important agronomic traits, like nitrogen fertilizer utilization. The dentification of new alleles of SD1 can be obtained by mutagenesis and genome editing. These new alleles will play an important role in improving the resource diversity of semi-dwarf breeding in the future.
Patterns of Use of Residue Biomass in Cereal–Sheep Production Systems of North Africa: Case of Tunisia
Authors: Ameur Wafa , Frija Aymen , Abdeladhim Mohamed Arbi , Thabet Chokri
Published: June 2021

This paper analyzes the complex relationships of factors influencing residue biomass management in cereal–sheep production systems in semi-arid areas of Tunisia. The Bayesian belief network (BBN) methodology was applied to identify factors enabling the better management of crop residue (CR) at the farm level. Data were collected from 152 farms located in the governorate of Siliana in north-west Tunisia. After designing the complex interactions between different variables that have an influence on the allocation of CR, BBN was also applied as a predictive model by inserting evidence conditional probabilities on the quantity of CR left on the soil and simulating the incurrent changes in the probability state of the remaining network variables. The results show that around 70% of farmers in our sample retain an overall quantity of CR lower than 200 kg/ha. The share of livestock income, livestock herds, cost of livestock feed, and off-farm income are all factors that have a strong influence on residue biomass management.
Mycorrhizal Fungi Enhance Yield and Berry Chemical Composition of in Field Grown “Cabernet Sauvignon” Grapevines (V. vinifera L.)
Authors: Karoglan Marko , Radić Tomislav , Anić Marina , Andabaka Željko , Stupić Domagoj , Tomaz Ivana , Mesić Josip , Karažija Tomislav , Petek Marko , Lazarević Boris , Poljak Milan , Osrečak Mirela
Published: June 2021

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the application of mycorrhizal fungal inoculum on “Cabernet Sauvignon” (Vitis vinifera L.) leaf gas exchange, yield parameters, as well as grape berry composition, especially regarding phenolic compounds. The experiment was conducted over two years under natural vineyard conditions of the Zagreb wine-growing area, the continental region of Croatia. “Cabernet Sauvignon” grapevines were grafted on SO4 rootstock, both being commonly used in all wine production areas in Croatia. Results obtained demonstrated that symbiotic grapevines, in general, expressed improved leaf gas exchange parameters and higher yield parameters, especially regarding the number of clusters per vine. It should be emphasized that mycorrhizal fungi affected higher total flavan-3-ols, total anthocyanins, and total polyphenols in berry skin in both experimental years. Despite variation in some yield parameters, generally, it is possible to obtain higher yields together with the improved phenolic composition of grapes.
Long-Term Biosolids Applications to Overgrazed Rangelands Improve Soil Health
Authors: Buchanan Cassidy M. , Ippolito James A.
Published: June 2021

Overgrazed rangelands can lead to soil degradation, yet long-term land application of organic amendments (i.e., biosolids) may play a pivotal role in improving degraded rangelands in terms of soil health. However, the long-term effects on soil health properties in response to single or repeated, low to excessive biosolids applications, on semi-arid, overgrazed grasslands have not been quantified. Using the Soil Management Assessment Framework (SMAF), soil physical, biological, chemical, nutrient, and overall soil health indices between biosolids applications (0, 2.5, 5, 10, 21, or 30 Mg ha−1) and application time (single: 1991, repeated: 2002) were determined. Results showed no significant changes in soil physical and nutrient health indices. However, the chemical soil health index was greater when biosolids were applied at rates <30 Mg ha−1 and within the single compared to repeated applications. The biological soil health index was positively affected by increasing biosolids application rates, was overall greater in the repeated as compared to the single application, and was maximized at 30 Mg ha−1. The overall soil health index was maximized at rates <30 Mg ha−1. When all indices were combined, and considering past plant community findings at this site, overall soil health appeared optimized at a biosolids application rate of ~10 Mg ha−1. The use of soil health tools can help determine a targeted organic amendment application rate to overgrazed rangelands so the material provides maximum benefits to soils, plants, animals, and the environment.
De Novo SNP Discovery and Genotyping of Iranian Pimpinella Species Using ddRAD Sequencing
Authors: Mehravi Shaghayegh , Ranjbar Gholam Ali , Mirzaghaderi Ghader , Severn-Ellis Anita Alice , Scheben Armin , Edwards David , Batley Jacqueline
Published: June 2021

The species of Pimpinella, one of the largest genera of the family Apiaceae, are traditionally cultivated for medicinal purposes. In this study, high-throughput double digest restriction-site associated DNA sequencing technology (ddRAD-seq) was used to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in eight Pimpinella species from Iran. After double-digestion with the enzymes HpyCH4IV and HinfI, a total of 334,702,966 paired-end reads were de novo assembled into 1,270,791 loci with an average of 28.8 reads per locus. After stringent filtering, 2440 high-quality SNPs were identified for downstream analysis. Analysis of genetic relationships and population structure, based on these retained SNPs, indicated the presence of three major groups. Gene ontology and pathway analysis were determined by using comparison SNP-associated flanking sequences with a public non-redundant database. Due to the lack of genomic resources in this genus, our present study is the first report to provide high-quality SNPs in Pimpinella based on a de novo analysis pipeline using ddRAD-seq. This data will enhance the molecular knowledge of the genus Pimpinella and will provide an important source of information for breeders and the research community to enhance breeding programs and support the management of Pimpinella genomic resources.
In Vitro Assessment of Anticoccidials: Methods and Molecules
Authors: Felici Martina , Tugnoli Benedetta , Piva Andrea , Grilli Ester
Published: June 2021

Avian coccidiosis is a disease causing considerable economic losses in the poultry industry. It is caused by Eimeria spp., protozoan parasites characterized by an exogenous–endogenous lifecycle. In vitro research on these pathogens is very complicated and lacks standardization. This review provides a description of the main in vitro protocols so far assessed focusing on the exogenous phase, with oocyst viability and sporulation assays, and on the endogenous phase, with invasion and developmental assays in cell cultures and in ovo. An overview of these in vitro applications to screen both old and new remedies and to understand the relative mode of action is also discussed.
Rapid Molecular Diagnosis of Tuberculosis and Its Resistance to Rifampicin and Isoniazid with Automated MDR/MTB ELITe MGB® Assay
Authors: Ok Vichita , Aubry Alexandra , Morel Florence , Bonnet Isabelle , Robert Jérôme , Sougakoff Wladimir
Published: June 2021

The MDR/MTB ELITe MGB® kit (ELITech) carried on the ELITe InGenius® platform is a new real-time PCR assay allowing automated extraction and detection of DNA of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and mutations in the rpoB and katG genes and inhA promoter region (pro-inhA) associated to resistance to rifampicin and isoniazid, the two markers of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR). We assessed the performances of the test on a collection of strains (n = 54) and a set of clinical samples (n = 242) from routine practice, comparatively to TB diagnosis and genotypic drug susceptibility testing (gDST) as references. Regarding the 242 clinical samples, the sensitivity and specificity of MTB detection by ELITe were 90.9% and 97.5%, respectively. For the detection of resistance-conferring mutations on positive clinical samples, we observed perfect agreement with gDST for katG and pro-inhA (κ = 1.0) and two discordant results for rpoB (κ = 0.82). Considering the 54 cultured strains, very good agreement with gDST was observed for the detection of the 25 distinct mutations in rpoB, katG, and pro-inhA, (κ = 0.95, 0.88, and 0.95, respectively). In conclusion, the automated MDR/MTB ELITe MGB® assay shows great promise and appears to be a valuable tool for rapid detection of pre-MDR- and MDR-TB directly from clinical specimens.
MEK1/2-ERK Pathway Alterations as a Therapeutic Target in Sporadic Alzheimer’s Disease: A Study in Senescence-Accelerated OXYS Rats
Authors: Muraleva Natalia A. , Kolosova Nataliya G. , Stefanova Natalia A.
Published: June 2021

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the most common cause of dementia worldwide, with no cure. There is growing interest in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) as possible pathogenesis-related therapeutic targets in AD. Previously, using senescence-accelerated OXYS rats, which simulate key characteristics of the sporadic AD type, we have shown that prolonged treatment with mitochondria-targeted antioxidant plastoquinonyl-decyltriphenylphosphonium (SkQ1) during active progression of AD-like pathology improves the activity of many signaling pathways (SPs) including the p38 MAPK SP. In this study, we continued to investigate the mechanisms behind anti-AD effects of SkQ1 in OXYS rats and focused on hippocampal extracellular regulated kinases’ (ERK1 and -2) activity alterations. According to high-throughput RNA sequencing results, SkQ1 eliminated differences in the expression of eight out of nine genes involved in the ERK1/2 SP, compared to untreated control (Wistar) rats. Western blotting and immunofluorescent staining revealed that SkQ1 suppressed ERK1/2 activity via reductions in the phosphorylation of kinases ERK1/2, MEK1, and MEK2. SkQ1 decreased hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, which is present in pathological aggregates in AD. Thus, SkQ1 alleviates AD pathology by suppressing MEK1/2-ERK1/2 SP activity in the OXYS rat hippocampus and may be a promising candidate drug for human AD.
Influence of Posture Change on Train Running Safety under Crosswind
Authors: Yan Jian , Chen Tefang , Cheng Shu , Deng E , Yang Weichao , Guo Shuaihan , Guo Zijian
Published: June 2021

High-speed trains serving in a crosswind region are bearing more significant safety risks. Based on the three-dimensional (3D) Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) turbulence model, a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) computational work was conducted in the present study to predict the transient aerodynamic load of the train. The transient aerodynamic load was then employed as the input of the dynamic system to perform a dynamic analysis of running safety. Noticeable changes in the aerodynamic coefficients were found when the train entered and left the crosswind region due to the dramatic change in flow patterns. The original posture also provided significant changes to the train’s aerodynamic responses. A slightly larger maximum derailment coefficient was found on the first bogie of the leading car with a preset posture. There were obvious differences in the displacement characteristics of the three cars in the lateral direction and the rolling rotation, and the magnitude of the posture changes decreased from the leading car to the trailing car. The train with the consideration of posture was proven to withstand weaker crosswinds.
Using Multiple Robots to Increase Suggestion Persuasiveness in Public Space
Authors: Tae Marcos Inky , Ogawa Kohei , Yoshikawa Yuichiro , Ishiguro Hiroshi
Published: June 2021

Though existing social robots can already be used in a variety of applications, there are technical limitations to their use, especially outside the laboratory, and humans do not fully trust or recognize them. Considering these problems, a method to make humans accept a robot’s suggestion more easily was investigated. An idea called “sequential persuasion” was developed to use multiple robots distant from each other to deliver small messages, rather than a single robot for the entire interaction. To experimentally validate this concept, a field experiment was performed on a university campus. Two bottles of hand sanitizer were placed in one of the entrances to a building, and their usage was observed under three different conditions: no robot, one robot, and three robots. As people passed through the entrance corridor, the robots promoted the usage of the hand sanitizers. After several days of testing, it was found that the usage increased progressively from no robot to one robot to three robots, indicating that the number of robots influenced the behavior of the humans.
An Empirical Evaluation of Online Continuous Authentication and Anomaly Detection Using Mouse Clickstream Data Analysis
Authors: Almalki Sultan , Assery Nasser , Roy Kaushik
Published: June 2021

While the password-based authentication used in social networks, e-mail, e-commerce, and online banking is vulnerable to hackings, biometric-based continuous authentication systems have been used successfully to handle the rise in unauthorized accesses. In this study, an empirical evaluation of online continuous authentication (CA) and anomaly detection (AD) based on mouse clickstream data analysis is presented. This research started by gathering a set of online mouse-dynamics information from 20 participants by using software developed for collecting mouse information, extracting approximately 87 features from the raw dataset. In contrast to previous work, the efficiency of CA and AD was studied using different machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) algorithms, namely, decision tree classifier (DT), k-nearest neighbor classifier (KNN), random forest classifier (RF), and convolutional neural network classifier (CNN). User identification was determined by using three scenarios: Scenario A, a single mouse movement action; Scenario B, a single point-and-click action; and Scenario C, a set of mouse movement and point-and-click actions. The results show that each classifier is capable of distinguishing between an authentic user and a fraudulent user with a comparatively high degree of accuracy.
Automatic Handgun Detection with Deep Learning in Video Surveillance Images
Authors: Salido Jesus , Lomas Vanesa , Ruiz-Santaquiteria Jesus , Deniz Oscar
Published: June 2021

There is a great need to implement preventive mechanisms against shootings and terrorist acts in public spaces with a large influx of people. While surveillance cameras have become common, the need for monitoring 24/7 and real-time response requires automatic detection methods. This paper presents a study based on three convolutional neural network (CNN) models applied to the automatic detection of handguns in video surveillance images. It aims to investigate the reduction of false positives by including pose information associated with the way the handguns are held in the images belonging to the training dataset. The results highlighted the best average precision (96.36%) and recall (97.23%) obtained by RetinaNet fine-tuned with the unfrozen ResNet-50 backbone and the best precision (96.23%) and F1 score values (93.36%) obtained by YOLOv3 when it was trained on the dataset including pose information. This last architecture was the only one that showed a consistent improvement—around 2%—when pose information was expressly considered during training.
Design of a New Fermented Beverage from Medicinal Plants and Organic Sugarcane Molasses via Lactic Fermentation
Authors: Gadhoumi Hamza , Gullo Maria , De Vero Luciana , Martinez-Rojas Enriqueta , Saidani Tounsi Moufida , Hayouni El Akrem
Published: June 2021

Functional beverages obtained using medicinal plants and fermented with lactic acid bacteria are gaining much interest from the scientific community, driven by the growing demand for food and beverages with beneficial properties. In this work, three different batches of medicinal plants and organic sugarcane molasses, named FB-lc, FB-sp and FB-lcsp, were prepared and fermented by using Lactobacillus acidophilus ATCC 43121, Bifidobacterium breve B632 and a mix of both strains’ culture, respectively. The three fermented beverages revealed a high level of polyphenols (expressed as gallic acid equivalent), ranging from 182.50 to 315.62 µg/mL. The highest content of flavonoids (152.13 µg quercetin equivalent/mL) and tannins (93.602 µg catechin equivalent/mL) was detected in FB-lcsp trial. The IR spectroscopy analysis showed a decrease in sugar (pyranose forms, D-glucopyranose and rhamnosides). In addition, the aromatic compounds of the fermented beverages, detected by GC-MS headspace analysis, showed twenty-four interesting volatile compounds, which could give positive aroma attributes to the flavor of the beverages. The highest antioxidant activity was observed in the beverage obtained by the mix culture strains. Accordingly, the production of these beverages can be further investigated for considering their well-being effects on human health.
Aromachology Related to Foods, Scientific Lines of Evidence: A Review
Authors: Girona-Ruíz Dámaris , Cano-Lamadrid Marina , Carbonell-Barrachina Ángel Antonio , López-Lluch David , Esther Sendra
Published: June 2021

Smell is the second-most used sense in marketing strategies in the food industry. Sensory marketing appeals to the senses with the aim of creating sensory experiences and converting them into specific emotions associated with a specific product. There is a strong relationship between sensory marketing, aromachology, and neuroscience. In this review, studies were searched on the use of scents in food experiences such as restaurants and food establishments, and a critical evaluation was performed on their aims, target population, place of the study, scents tested, foods tested, and measured parameters, and the main findings were reviewed. Case studies carried out by private companies are also presented. A small number of scientific studies on aromachology related to food are available, and most of them are conducted in artificial laboratory conditions. Methodological procedures largely diverge among studies, making them very difficult to compare and extrapolate results. There is a clear need for research on aromachology related to food in the fields of sensory marketing and appetite modulation. After a brief presentation of the state of the art, we briefly mention future improvements and ideas for future research.
Effective Design of Cr-Co-Ni-Ta Eutectic Medium Entropy Alloys with High Compressive Properties Using Combined CALPHAD and Experimental Approaches
Authors: Huang Taiwen , Zhang Jiachen , Zhang Jun , Liu Lin
Published: June 2021

Alloy design of Cr-Co-Ni-Ta eutectic medium entropy alloys (EMEAs) was performed through a CALPHAD method coupled with experimental study, with the aim to attain high phase stability as well as excellent mechanical properties. Based on calculated pseudo-binary diagram, CrCoNiTax (x = 0.1, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, 0.7) medium entropy alloys were investigated. Two phases, FCC solid solution and Laves phase, were identified in the alloys. With increasing Ta content, the volume fraction of hard and brittle Laves phase increased, microstructure changed from hypoeutectic (Ta0.1, Ta0.3) to eutectic (Ta0.4) and then to hypereutectic (Ta0.5, Ta0.7). The stability of phases was assessed by considering the thermodynamic parameter Ω and valence electron concentration (VEC). The eutectic phases become stable when 1.42 < Ω < 0.74 and 7.5 < VEC < 8.25. In addition, based on nanoindentation, the results indicated that solid solution strengthening in γ phase was significantly enhanced, eutectic phase in CrCoNiTa0.4 EMEA was found to process the highest microhardness and elastic modulus. Finally, the hardness of alloys was positively correlated with the content of Ta and the plastic strain of alloys obviously decreased, while the compression strength firstly increased and then decreased. CrCoNiTa0.4 was the most promising alloy with the highest compression strength (2502 MPa) and high plastic strain (20.6%).
Ble Based Indoor Positioning System and Minimal Zone Searching Algorithm (MZS) Applied to Visitor Trajectories within a Museum
Authors: Jérémy Richard , Karell Bertet , Cyril Faucher
Published: June 2021

Museums are perfect experimentation grounds for indoor positioning technologies. Indeed, museum managers are always pleased to hold these kinds of events where it offers the opportunity to the public to be a part of such experimentation and allowing us at the same time to popularize our research with them. In this paper, we describe an experiment that held within the museum of natural history of La Rochelle with a class of high school volunteers. We will explain our systems that has been built to work in this specific case, and among other things formalize our algorithm for indoor localization that has not had an equivalent in the state of the art. The minimal zone searching algorithm (MZS) can compute in real time the position of a visitor, shaped as a zone with an average surface of 3 m2 when resources are limited and when the placement of nodes must respect the constraints imposed by the room’s layout. This method offered good results with data collected during the experimentation, such as a meaningful representation of the position of a visitor and most importantly a stable execution during the whole experience even when the subject was in tight spaces.
Human–Computer Interaction Based on Scan-to-BIM Models, Digital Photogrammetry, Visual Programming Language and eXtended Reality (XR)
Authors: Banfi Fabrizio , Previtali Mattia
Published: June 2021

In recent years, the advent of the latest-generation technologies and methods have made it possible to survey, digitise and represent complex scenarios such as archaeological sites and historic buildings. Thanks to computer languages based on Visual Programming Language (VPL) and advanced real-time 3D creation platform, this study shows the results obtained in eXtended Reality (XR) oriented to archaeological sites and heritage buildings. In particular, the scan-to-BIM process, digital photogrammetry (terrestrial and aerial) were oriented towards a digitisation process able to tell and share tangible and intangible values through the latest generation techniques, methods and devices. The paradigm of the geometric complexity of the built heritage and new levels of interactivity between users and digital worlds were investigated and developed to favour the transmissibility of information at different levels of virtual experience and digital sharing with the aim to archive, tell and implement historical and cultural baggage that over the years risks being lost and not told to future generations.
Symmetry Breaking of a Time-2D Space Fractional Wave Equation in a Complex Domain
Authors: Ibrahim Rabha W. , Baleanu Dumitru
Published: June 2021

(1) Background: symmetry breaking (self-organized transformation of symmetric stats) is a global phenomenon that arises in an extensive diversity of essentially symmetric physical structures. We investigate the symmetry breaking of time-2D space fractional wave equation in a complex domain; (2) Methods: a fractional differential operator is used together with a symmetric operator to define a new fractional symmetric operator. Then by applying the new operator, we formulate a generalized time-2D space fractional wave equation. We shall utilize the two concepts: subordination and majorization to present our results; (3) Results: we obtain different formulas of analytic solutions using the geometric analysis. The solution suggests univalent (1-1) in the open unit disk. Moreover, under certain conditions, it was starlike and dominated by a chaotic function type sine. In addition, the authors formulated a fractional time wave equation by using the Atangana–Baleanu fractional operators in terms of the Riemann–Liouville and Caputo derivatives.
A Gut-Ex-Vivo System to Study Gut Inflammation Associated to Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD)
Authors: Gagliardi Mara , Monzani Romina , Clemente Nausicaa , Fusaro Luca , Saverio Valentina , Grieco Giovanna , Pańczyszyn Elżbieta , Yissachar Nissan , Boccafoschi Francesca , Corazzari Marco
Published: June 2021

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a complex, chronic, and dysregulated inflammatory condition which etiology is still largely unknown. Its prognosis and disease progression are highly variable and unpredictable. IBD comprises several heterogeneous inflammatory conditions ranging from Ulcerative Colitis (UC) to Crohn’s Disease (CD). Importantly, a definite, well-established, and effective clinical treatment for these pathologies is still lacking. The urgent need for treatment is further supported by the notion that patients affected by UC or CD are also at risk of developing cancer. Therefore, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms at the basis of IBD development and progression is strictly required to design new and efficient therapeutic regimens. Although the development of animal models has undoubtedly facilitated the study of IBD, such in vivo approaches are often expensive and time-consuming. Here we propose an organ ex vivo culture (Gut-Ex-Vivo system, GEVS) based on colon from Balb/c mice cultivated in a dynamic condition, able to model the biochemical and morphological features of the mouse models exposed to DNBS (5–12 days), in 5 h. Indeed, upon DNBS exposure, we observed a dose-dependent: (i) up-regulation of the stress-related protein transglutaminase 2 (TG2); (ii) increased intestinal permeability associated with deregulated tight junction protein expression; (iii) increased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNFα, IFNγ, IL1β, IL6, IL17A, and IL15; (iv) down-regulation of the anti-inflammatory IL10; and (v) induction of Endoplasmic Reticulum stress (ER stress), all markers of IBD. Altogether, these data indicate that the proposed model can be efficiently used to study the pathogenesis of IBD, in a time- and cost-effective manner.
Ex Vivo Activation of Red Blood Cell Senescence by Plasma from Sickle-Cell Disease Patients: Correlation between Markers and Adhesion Consequences during Acute Disease Events
Authors: Chadebech Philippe , Bodivit Gwellaouen , Di Liberto Gaétana , Jouard Alicia , Vasseur Corinne , Pirenne France , Bartolucci Pablo
Published: June 2021

BACKGROUND: Blood transfusion remains a key treatment for managing occlusive episodes and painful crises in sickle-cell disease (SCD). In that clinical context, red blood cells (RBCs) from donors and transfused to patients, may be affected by plasma components in the recipients’ blood. Senescence lesion markers appear on the red cells after transfusion, shortening the RBC lifespan in circulation. In the specific context of SCD, senescence signals can also trigger the occlusive painful events, typical of the disease. This work follows through our previous data that described a RBC senescence process, rapidly detected after challenge with SCD pathological plasmas. In this clinical context, we wanted here to further explore the characteristics and physiologic consequences of AA RBC lesions associated with senescence, as lesions caused by RBCs after transfusion may have adverse consequences for SCD patients. METHODS: Plasma samples from SCD patients, with acute symptoms (n = 20) or steady-state disease (n = 34) were co-incubated with donor AA RBCs from blood units for 24 to 48 h. Specific markers signing RBC senescence were quantified after the incubation with SCD plasma samples. The physiologic in-flow adhesion was investigated on senescent RBCs, an in vitro technic into biochips that mimic adherence of RBCs during the occlusive events of SCD. RESULTS: Senescence markers on AA RBCs, together with their in-flow adhesion to the plasma-bridging protein thrombospondin, were associated with the clinical status of the SCD patients from whom plasma was obtained. In these experiments, the highest values were obtained for SCD acute plasma samples. Adhesion of senescent RBCs into biochips, which is not reversed by a pre-treatment with recombinant Annexin V, can be reproduced with the use of chemical agents acting on RBC membrane channels that regulate either Ca2+ entry or modulating RBC hydration. CONCLUSION: We found that markers on red cells are correlated, and that the senescence induced by SCD plasma provokes the adhesion of RBCs to the vessel wall protein thrombospondin. In-flow adhesion of senescent red cells after plasma co-incubations can be reproduced with the use of modulators of RBC membrane channels; activating the Piezo1 Ca2+ mechanosensitive channel provokes RBC adhesion of normal (non-senescent) RBCs, while blocking the Ca2+-dependent K+ Gardos channel, can reverse it. Clinically modulating the RBC adhesion to vascular wall proteins might be a promising avenue for the treatment of painful occlusive events in SCD.
Melatonin Represses Mitophagy to Protect Mouse Granulosa Cells from Oxidative Damage
Authors: Jiang Yi , Shen Ming , Chen Yuanyuan , Wei Yinghui , Tao Jingli , Liu Honglin
Published: June 2021

Various environmental stimuli, including oxidative stress, could lead to granulosa cell (GC) death through mitophagy. Recently, it was reported that melatonin (MEL) has a significant effect on GC survival during oxidative damage. Here, we found that MEL inhibited oxidative stress-induced mitophagy to promote GC survival. The loss of cell viability upon H2O2 exposure was significantly restored after MEL treatment. Concomitantly, MEL inhibited the activation of mitophagy during oxidative stress. Notably, blocking mitophagy repressed GC death caused by oxidative stress. However, MEL cannot further restore viability of cells treated with mitophagy inhibitor. Moreover, PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1), a mitochondrial serine/threonine-protein kinase, was inhibited by MEL during oxidative stress. As a result, the E3 ligase Parkin failed to translocate to mitochondria, leading to impaired mitochondria clearance. Using RNAi to knock down PINK1 expression, we further verified the role of the MEL-PINK1-Parkin (MPP) pathway in maintaining GC survival by suppressing mitophagy. Our findings not only clarify the protective mechanisms of MEL against oxidative damage in GCs, but also extend the understanding about how circadian rhythms might influence follicles development in the ovary. These findings reveal a new mechanism of melatonin in defense against oxidative damage to GCs by repressing mitophagy, which may be a potential therapeutic target for anovulatory disorders.