bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hierarchical Micro-/Nano-Structures on Polycarbonate via UV Pulsed Laser Processing
Authors: Mezera Marek , Alamri Sabri , Hendriks Ward A.P.M. , Hertwig Andreas , Elert Anna Maria , Bonse Jörn , Kunze Tim , Lasagni Andrés Fabián , Römer Gert-willem R.B.E.
Published: June 2020

Hierarchical micro/-nanostructures were produced on polycarbonate polymer surfaces by employing a two-step UV-laser processing strategy based on the combination of Direct Laser Interference Patterning (DLIP) of gratings and pillars on the microscale (3 ns, 266 nm, 2 kHz) and subsequently superimposing Laser-induced Periodic Surface Structures (LIPSS; 7–10 ps, 350 nm, 100 kHz) which adds nanoscale surface features. Particular emphasis was laid on the influence of the direction of the laser beam polarization on the morphology of resulting hierarchical surfaces. Scanning electron and atomic force microscopy methods were used for the characterization of the hybrid surface structures. Finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) calculations of the laser intensity distribution on the DLIP structures allowed to address the specific polarization dependence of the LIPSS formation observed in the second processing step. Complementary chemical analyzes by micro-Raman spectroscopy and attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy provided in-depth information on the chemical and structural material modifications and material degradation imposed by the laser processing. It was found that when the linear laser polarization was set perpendicular to the DLIP ridges, LIPSS could be formed on top of various DLIP structures. FDTD calculations showed enhanced optical intensity at the topographic maxima, which can explain the dependency of the morphology of LIPSS on the polarization with respect to the orientation of the DLIP structures. It was also found that the degradation of the polymer was enhanced for increasing accumulated fluence levels.
Titanium Dioxide Microscale and Macroscale Structures: A Mini-Review
Authors: Bui Vu Khac Hoang , Tran Vinh Van , Moon Ju-Young , Park Duckshin , Lee Young-Chul
Published: June 2020

Titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TiO2 NPs) have some limitations, such as their low surface area, high bandgap energy, and low recycling ability. To overcome these limitations, TiO2 can be prepared in microscale/macroscale structures. TiO2 microscale structures, in comparison with TiO2 nanopowder, have higher surface areas, more tunable pore structures, and better top photocatalytic activity. In contrast, for TiO2 macroscale structures, although the surface area is lower than TiO2 nanopowder in many cases, they still achieve similar or better photocatalytic performance due to their unique properties. Moreover, both TiO2 microscale and macroscale structures can be easily recovered from reaction media. The difference between these two types of TiO2 structures is a function not only of size but also of the preparation process. Every type of TiO2 structure has its own advantages and disadvantages, as will be discussed further in the following pages. Future perspectives on this research field also will be discussed.
Flavonoid-Rich Orange Juice Intake and Altered Gut Microbiome in Young Adults with Depressive Symptom: A Randomized Controlled Study
Authors: Park Miey , Choi Jihee , Lee Hae-Jeung
Published: June 2020

Depression is not just a general mental health problem but a serious medical illness that can worsen without treatment. The gut microbiome plays a major role in the two-way communication system between the intestines and brain. The current study examined the effects of flavonoids on depression by observing the changes in the gut microbiome and depressive symptoms of young participants consuming flavonoid-rich orange juice. The depressive symptom was assessed using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D), a psychiatric screening tool used to detect preexisting mental disorders. The study population was randomly divided into two groups: the flavonoid-rich orange juice (FR) and an equicaloric flavonoid-low orange cordial (FL) group. For 8 weeks, participants consumed FR (serving a daily 380 mL, 600 ± 5.4 mg flavonoids) or FL (serving a daily 380 mL, 108 ± 2.6 mg flavonoids). In total, 80 fecal samples from 40 participants (mean age, 21.83 years) were sequenced. Regarding depression, we observed positive correlations between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the Lachnospiraceae family (Lachnospiraceae_uc and Murimonas) before flavonoid orange juice treatment. Most notably, the abundance of the Lachnospiraceae family (Lachnospiraceae_uc, Eubacterium_g4, Roseburia_uc, Coprococcus_g2_uc, Agathobacter_uc) increased after FR treatment compared to that after FL treatment. We also validated the presence of unclassified Lachnospiraceae through sensitive real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction using stool samples from participants before and after flavonoid treatment. Our results provide novel interventional evidence that alteration in the microbiome due to flavonoid treatment is related to a potential improvement in depression in young adults.
Comparison between Appendicular Skeletal Muscle Index DXA Defined by EWGSOP1 and 2 versus BIA Tengvall Criteria among Older People Admitted to the Post-Acute Geriatric Care Unit in Italy
Authors: Hilal Sawsan , Perna Simone , Gasparri Clara , Alalwan Tariq A. , Vecchio Viviana , Fossari Federica , Peroni Gabriella , Riva Antonella , Petrangolini Giovanna , Rondanelli Mariangela
Published: June 2020

This study aims to assess the agreement between the appendicular skeletal muscle index (ASMI) and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) using a single frequency bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) to assess criteria. Moreover, we used the European working group on sarcopenia in older people 1 (EWGSOP1), EWGSOP2, and the Tengvall equation to estimate a low prevalence in ASMI (under the cutoff criteria). We examined a sample of 765 elderly individuals (27.8% male and 72.2% female, aged 82 ± 8.2 years). Based on the cutoff identified by Tengvall, EWGSOP1, and EWGSOP2, the results showed that the prevalence of low ASMI in females was 10.1%, 11.4%, and 9.2%, respectively, and 98.1%, 30.5%, and 23.5% in males, respectively. Moreover, low ASMI prevalence under each diagnostic criterion and body mass index (BMI) was calculated. For BMI < 25 kg/m2, the ASMI prevalence was 39.9%, 25.9%, and 20.6%, as determined using Tengvall, EWGSOP1, and EWGSOP2, respectively, and for BMI > 25 kg/m2, the ASMI prevalence was 29.0%, 6.6%, and 5.2%. The percentage of agreement and Cohen’s Kappa with the corresponding p-value between Tengvall and EWGSOP1 was 70.1% (p < 0.001). Between Tengvall and EWGSOP2, it was 69.4% (p < 0.001). Between EWGSOP1 and EWGSOP2, it was 96.5% (p < 0.001). Regarding gender, low ASMI prevalence in males was higher than in females. Moreover, in females, the prevalence was comparable among the three diagnostic criteria, while in males, it was significantly higher under Tengvall than the other two criteria. The application of the Tengvall formula with a single frequency BIA should be revised in terms of application for assessing low ASMI in elderly patients.
Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Steatosis: Preclinical Study of a New Nutraceutical Multitarget Formulation
Authors: Micheli Laura , Pacini Alessandra , Di Cesare Mannelli Lorenzo , Trallori Elena , D’Ambrosio Roberta , Bianchini Carlo , Lampertico Pietro , Ghelardini Carla
Published: June 2020

Multifactorial pathogenesis of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) disease, a wide-spread liver pathology associated with metabolic alterations triggered by hepatic steatosis, should be hit by multitarget therapeutics. We tested a multicomponent food supplement mixture (AP-NHm), whose components have anti-dislipidemic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, on in vitro and in vivo models of NASH. In vitro, hepatic cells cultures were treated for 24 h with 0.5 mM oleic acid (OA): in the co-treatment set cells were co-treated with AP-NH mixtures (AP-NHm, 1:3:10 ratio) and in the post-injury set AP-NHm was added for 48 h after OA damage. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) for 12 weeks, inducing NASH at 7th week, and treated with AP-NHm at two dosages (1:3 ratio) in co-treatment or post-injury protocols, while a control group was fed with a standard diet. In in vitro co-treatment protocol, alterations of redox balance, proinflammatory cytokines release and glucose uptake were restored in a dose-dependent manner, at highest dosages also in post-injury regimen. In both regimens, pathologic dyslipidemias were also ameliorated by AP-NHm. In vivo, high-dose-AP-NHm-co-treated-HFD mice dose-dependently gained less body weight, were protected from dyslipidemia, and showed a lower liver weight. Dose-dependently, AP-NHm treatment lowered hepatic LDL, HDL, triglycerides levels and oxidative damage; co-treatment regimen was anti-inflammatory, reducing TNF-α and IL-8 levels. Hepatic lipidic infiltration significantly decreased in co-treated and post-injury-AP-NHm-HFD animals. The multitarget approach with AP-NHm was effective in preventing and reducing NASH-related pathologic features, warranting for the clinical development of this compound.
Postprandial Endotoxin Transporters LBP and sCD14 Differ in Obese vs. Overweight and Normal Weight Men during Fat-Rich Meal Digestion
Authors: Laugerette Fabienne , Vors Cécile , Alligier Maud , Pineau Gaëlle , Drai Jocelyne , Knibbe Carole , Morio Béatrice , Lambert-Porcheron Stéphanie , Laville Martine , Vidal Hubert , Michalski Marie-Caroline
Published: June 2020

Circulating levels of lipopolysaccharide-binding protein (LBP) and soluble cluster of differentiation 14 (sCD14) are recognized as clinical markers of endotoxemia. In obese men, postprandial endotoxemia is modulated by the amount of fat ingested, being higher compared to normal-weight (NW) subjects. Relative variations of LBP/sCD14 ratio in response to overfeeding are also considered important in the inflammation set-up, as measured through IL-6 concentration. We tested the hypothesis that postprandial LBP and sCD14 circulating concentrations differed in obese vs. overweight and NW men after a fat-rich meal. We thus analyzed the postprandial kinetics of LBP and sCD14 in the context of two clinical trials involving postprandial tests in normal-, over-weight and obese men. In the first clinical trial eight NW and 8 obese men ingested breakfasts containing 10 vs. 40 g of fat. In the second clinical trial, 18 healthy men were overfed during 8 weeks. sCD14, LBP and Il-6 were measured in all subjects during 5 h after test meal. Obese men presented a higher fasting and postprandial LBP concentration in plasma than NW men regardless of fat load, while postprandial sCD14 was similar in both groups. Irrespective of the overfeeding treatment, we observed postprandial increase of sCD14 and decrease of LBP before and after OF. In obese individuals receiving a 10 g fat load, whereas IL-6 increased 5h after meal, LBP and sCD14 did not increase. No direct association between the postprandial kinetics of endotoxemia markers sCD14 and LBP and of inflammation in obese men was observed in this study.
Prospects of and Barriers to the Development of Epitope-Based Vaccines against Human Metapneumovirus
Authors: Stepanova Ekaterina , Matyushenko Victoria , Rudenko Larisa , Isakova-Sivak Irina
Published: June 2020

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a major cause of respiratory illnesses in children, the elderly and immunocompromised patients. Although this pathogen was only discovered in 2001, an enormous amount of research has been conducted in order to develop safe and effective vaccines to prevent people from contracting the disease. In this review, we summarize current knowledge about the most promising experimental B- and T-cell epitopes of human metapneumovirus for the rational design of HMPV vaccines using vector delivery systems, paying special attention to the conservation of these epitopes among different lineages/genotypes of HMPV. The prospects of the successful development of an epitope-based HMPV vaccine are discussed in the context of recent findings regarding HMPV’s ability to modulate host immunity. In particular, we discuss the lack of data on experimental human CD4 T-cell epitopes for HMPV despite the role of CD4 lymphocytes in both the induction of higher neutralizing antibody titers and the establishment of CD8 memory T-cell responses. We conclude that current research should be focused on searching for human CD4 T-cell epitopes of HMPV that can help us to design a safe and cross-protective epitope-based HMPV vaccine.
Photodegradation of the H1 Antihistaminic Topical Drugs Emedastine, Epinastine, and Ketotifen and ROS Tests for Estimations of Their Potent Phototoxicity
Authors: Gumieniczek Anna , Berecka-Rycerz Anna , Hubicka Urszula , Żmudzki Paweł , Lejwoda Karolina , Kozyra Paweł
Published: June 2020

In this study, important H1 antihistaminic drugs, i.e., emedastine (EME), epinastine (EPI), and ketotifen (KET), were irradiated with UV/Vis light (300–800 nm) in solutions of different pH values. Next, they were analyzed by new high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods, in order to estimate the percentage of degradation and respective kinetics. Subsequently, ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS) was used to identify their photodegradation products and to propose degradation pathways. In addition, the peroxidation of linoleic acid and generation of singlet oxygen (SO) and superoxide anion (SA) were examined, together with the molar extinction coefficient (MEC) evaluation, to estimate their phototoxic risk. The photodegradation of all EME, EPI, and KET followed pseudo first-order kinetics. At pH values of 7.0 and 10.0, EPI was shown to be rather stable. However, its photostability was lower at pH 3.0. EME was shown to be photolabile in the whole range of pH values. In turn, KET was shown to be moderately labile at pH 3.0 and 7.0. However, it degraded completely in the buffer of pH 10.0. As a result, several photodegradation products were separated and identified using the UPLC-MS/MS method. Finally, our ROS assays showed a potent phototoxic risk in the following drug order: EPI < EME < KET. All of these results may be helpful for manufacturing, storing, and applying these substantial drugs, especially in their ocular formulations.
Metallic Stent Mesh Coated with Silver Nanoparticles Suppresses Stent-Induced Tissue Hyperplasia and Biliary Sludge in the Rabbit Extrahepatic Bile Duct
Authors: Park Wooram , Kim Kun Yung , Kang Jeon Min , Ryu Dae Sung , Kim Dong-Hyun , Song Ho-Young , Kim Seong-Hun , Lee Seung Ok , Park Jung-Hoon
Published: June 2020

Recent therapeutic strategies to suppress restenosis after biliary stent placement are insufficient. Here, we demonstrate the usefulness of a self-expandable metal stent (SEMS), a stent mesh coated with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), for suppression of both stent-induced tissue hyperplasia and biliary sludge formation in the rabbit bile duct. The AgNP-coated SEMSs were prepared using a simple bio-inspired surface modification process. Then, the prepared SEMSs were successfully placed in 22 of 24 rabbits. Sludge formation in the AgNP-coated SEMS groups was significantly decreased compared to the control group on gross findings. Cholangiographic and histologic examinations demonstrated significantly decreased tissue hyperplasia in the AgNP-coated SEMS groups compared with the control group (p < 0.05 for all). There were no differences between the AgNP-coated SEMS groups (p > 0.05 for all). However, in the group coated with the greatest concentration of AgNPs (Group D), submucosal fibrosis was thicker than in the other AgNP-coated groups (p < 0.05 for all). The AgNP-coated metallic stent mesh significantly suppressed stent-induced tissue hyperplasia and biliary sludge formation in the rabbit bile duct. Taken together, the AgNP coating strategy developed in this study could be widely utilized in non-vascular medical devices for anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory responses.
Supersaturated Lipid-Based Formulations to Enhance the Oral Bioavailability of Venetoclax
Authors: Koehl Niklas J. , Henze Laura J. , Kuentz Martin , Holm René , Griffin Brendan T.
Published: June 2020

Increasing numbers of beyond Rule-of-Five drugs are emerging from discovery pipelines, generating a need for bio-enabling formulation approaches, such as lipid-based formulations (LBF), to ensure maximal in vivo exposure. However, many drug candidates display insufficient lipid solubility, leading to dose-loading limitations in LBFs. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of supersaturated LBFs (sLBF) for the beyond Rule-of-Five drug venetoclax. Temperature-induced sLBFs of venetoclax were obtained in olive oil, Captex® 1000, Peceol® and Capmul MCM®, respectively. A Peceol®-based sLBF displayed the highest drug loading and was therefore evaluated further. In vitro lipolysis demonstrated that the Peceol®-based sLBF was able to generate higher venetoclax concentrations in the aqueous phase compared to a Peceol®-based suspension and an aqueous suspension. A subsequent bioavailability study in pigs demonstrated for sLBF a 3.8-fold and 2.1-fold higher bioavailability compared to the drug powder and Peceol®-based suspension, respectively. In conclusion, sLBF is a promising bio-enabling formulation approach to enhance in vivo exposure of beyond Rule-of-Five drugs, such as venetoclax. The in vitro lipolysis results correctly predicted a higher exposure of the sLBF in vivo. The findings of this study are of particular relevance to pre-clinical drug development, where maximum exposure is required.
Application of the Gastrointestinal Simulator (GIS) Coupled with In Silico Modeling to Measure the Impact of Coca-Cola® on the Luminal and Systemic Behavior of Loratadine (BCS Class 2b)
Authors: Hens Bart , Bermejo Marival , Augustijns Patrick , Cristofoletti Rodrigo , Amidon Gregory , Amidon Gordon
Published: June 2020

In the present work, we explored if Coca-Cola® had a beneficial impact on the systemic outcome of the weakly basic drug loratadine (Wal-itin®, immediate-release formulation, 10 mg, generic drug product). To map the contribution of underlying physiological variables that may positively impact the intestinal absorption of loratadine, a multi-compartmental and dynamic dissolution device was built, namely the Gastrointestinal Simulator (GIS). The luminal behavior of one immediate-release (IR) tablet of 10 mg of loratadine was tested under four different fasted state test conditions in the GIS: (i) with 250 mL of water and applying a predetermined gastric half-life (t1/2,G) of 15 min; (ii) with 250 mL of water and applying a t1/2,G of 30 min; (iii) with 250 mL of Coca-Cola® and a t1/2,G of 15 min; (iv) with 250 mL of Coca-Cola® and a t1/2,G of 30 min. After initiating the experiments, solution concentrations and solubility were measured in the withdrawn samples, and pH was monitored. To address the impact of the present CO2 in Coca-Cola® on the disintegration time of the tablet, additional disintegration experiments were performed in a single-vessel applying tap water and sparkling water as dissolution media. These experiments demonstrated the faster disintegration of the tablet in the presence of sparkling water, as the present CO2 facilitates the release of the drug. The buffer capacity of Coca-Cola® in the presence of FaSSGF was 4-fold higher than the buffer capacity of tap water in the presence of FaSSGF. After performing the in vitro experiments, the obtained results were used as input for a two-compartmental pharmacokinetic (PK) modeling approach to predict the systemic concentrations. These simulations pointed out that (i) the present CO2 in Coca-Cola® is responsible for the enhancement in drug release and dissolution and that (ii) a delay in gastric emptying rate will sustain the supersaturated concentrations of loratadine in the intestinal regions of the GI tract, resulting in an enhanced driving force for intestinal absorption. Therefore, co-administration of loratadine with Coca-Cola® will highly likely result in an increased systemic exposure compared to co-administration of loratadine with tap water. The mechanistic insights that were obtained from this work will serve as a scientific basis to evaluate the impact of Coca-Cola® on the systemic exposure of weakly basic drugs for patients on acid-reducing agents in future work.
Polyphenolic Composition and Anti-Melanoma Activity of White Forsythia (Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai) Organ Extracts
Authors: Yoo Tong-Kewn , Kim Ju-Sung , Hyun Tae Kyung
Published: June 2020

Abeliophyllum distichum Nakai, commonly called white forsythia, is a monotypic genus endemic to Korea. Although A. distichum is mainly used as an ornamental plant because of its horticultural value, recent studies have demonstrated its bioactivities, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, prompting us to investigate the potential anticancer effect of A. distichum organ extracts (leaves, fruit, and branches) against human melanoma SK-MEL-2 cells. The methanol extract of A. distichum leaves (AL) exhibited dose- and time-dependent cytotoxicities against SK-MEL-2 cells but not against HDFa human dermal fibroblasts. Based on high-performance liquid chromatography analysis, we identified 18 polyphenolic compounds from A. distichum organ extracts and suggest that differences in anticancer activity between organ extracts should be caused by different compositions of polyphenolic compounds. Additionally, the Annexin V/propidium iodide staining assay and analysis of caspase activity and expression indicated that AL induced cell death, including early and late apoptosis, as well as necrosis, by inducing the extrinsic pathway. Furthermore, we analyzed the differentially expressed genes between mock- and AL-treated cells using RNA-seq technology, suggesting that the anti-melanoma action of AL is mediated by down-regulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway. Taken together, these results shed light on the potential use of A. distichum as a green resource with potent anti-melanoma activity.
Trichoderma: The “Secrets” of a Multitalented Biocontrol Agent
Authors: Sood Monika , Kapoor Dhriti , Kumar Vipul , Sheteiwy Mohamed S. , Ramakrishnan Muthusamy , Landi Marco , Araniti Fabrizio , Sharma Anket
Published: June 2020

The plant-Trichoderma-pathogen triangle is a complicated web of numerous processes. Trichoderma spp. are avirulent opportunistic plant symbionts. In addition to being successful plant symbiotic organisms, Trichoderma spp. also behave as a low cost, effective and ecofriendly biocontrol agent. They can set themselves up in various patho-systems, have minimal impact on the soil equilibrium and do not impair useful organisms that contribute to the control of pathogens. This symbiotic association in plants leads to the acquisition of plant resistance to pathogens, improves developmental processes and yields and promotes absorption of nutrient and fertilizer use efficiency. Among other biocontrol mechanisms, antibiosis, competition and mycoparasitism are among the main features through which microorganisms, including Thrichoderma, react to the presence of other competitive pathogenic organisms, thereby preventing or obstructing their development. Stimulation of every process involves the biosynthesis of targeted metabolites like plant growth regulators, enzymes, siderophores, antibiotics, etc. This review summarizes the biological control activity exerted by Trichoderma spp. and sheds light on the recent progress in pinpointing the ecological significance of Trichoderma at the biochemical and molecular level in the rhizosphere as well as the benefits of symbiosis to the plant host in terms of physiological and biochemical mechanisms. From an applicative point of view, the evidence provided herein strongly supports the possibility to use Trichoderma as a safe, ecofriendly and effective biocontrol agent for different crop species.
CO2 Separation with Polymer/Aniline Composite Membranes
Authors: Lee Hwa Jin , Kang Sang Wook
Published: June 2020

Polymer composite membranes containing aniline were prepared for CO2/N2 separation. Aniline was selected for high separation performance as an additive containing both the benzene ring to interfere with gas transport and an amino group that could induce the accelerated transport of CO2 molecules. As a result, when aniline having both a benzene ring and an amino group was incorporated into polymer membranes, the selectivity was largely enhanced by the role of both gas barriers and CO2 carriers. Selective layers coated on the polysulfone were identified by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images and the interaction with aniline in the polymer matrix was confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The binding energy of oxygen in the polymer matrix was investigated by XPS, and the thermal stability of the composite membrane was confirmed by TGA.
Mechanical Properties and Chemical Durability of Nafion/Sulfonated Graphene Oxide/Cerium Oxide Composite Membranes for Fuel-Cell Applications
Authors: Seo Dong Chan , Jeon Ikseong , Jeong Eun Suk , Jho Jae Young
Published: June 2020

To improve both the mechanical and chemical durability of Nafion membranes for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel-cells (PEMFCs), Nafion composite membranes containing sulfonated graphene oxide (SGO) and cerium oxide (CeO2; ceria) were prepared by solution casting. The structure and chemical composition of SGO were investigated by FT-IR and XPS. The effect of the sulfonation, addition of SGO and ceria on the mechanical properties, proton conductivity, and chemical stability were evaluated. The addition of SGO gave rise to an increase in the number of sulfonic acid groups in Nafion, resulting in a higher tensile strength and proton conductivity compared to that of graphene oxide (GO). Although the addition of ceria was found to decrease the tensile strength and proton conductivity, Nafion/SGO/ceria composite membranes exhibited a higher tensile strength and proton conductivity than recast Nafion. Measurement of the weight loss and SEM observations of the composite membranes after immersing in Fenton’s reagent indicate an excellent radical scavenging ability of ceria under radical degradation conditions.
Quantum-Only Metrics in Spherically Symmetric Gravity
Authors: Modanese Giovanni
Published: June 2020

The Einstein action for the gravitational field has some properties which make of it, after quantization, a rare prototype of systems with quantum configurations that do not have a classical analogue. Assuming spherical symmetry in order to reduce the effective dimensionality, we have performed a Monte Carlo simulation of the path integral with transition probability e − β | S | . Although this choice does not allow to reproduce the full dynamics, it does lead us to find a large ensemble of metric configurations having action | S | ≪ ħ by several magnitude orders. These vacuum fluctuations are strong deformations of the flat space metric (for which S = 0 exactly). They exhibit a periodic polarization in the scalar curvature R. In the simulation we fix a length scale L and divide it into N sub-intervals. The continuum limit is investigated by increasing N up to ∼ 10 6 ; the average squared action ⟨ S 2 ⟩ is found to scale as 1 / N 2 and thermalization of the algorithm occurs at a very low temperature (classical limit). This is in qualitative agreement with analytical results previously obtained for theories with stabilized conformal factor in the asymptotic safety scenario.
Strong and Weak Teleology in the Life Sciences Post-Darwin
Authors: Flannery Michael A.
Published: June 2020

It is often assumed that direction and purpose in nature—teleology—is a dead relic of the past, a result of Charles Darwin’s Origin of Species (1859) and Descent of Man (1871). But teleology has had a long and complex relationship with science. This paper will trace its general history with an emphasis upon the life sciences, especially biology. Particularly important is the fact that all teleology is not equal; strong (transcendent) teleology (designated Ts) should be distinguished from weak (purely descriptive and utilitarian) teleology (designated Tw). A working definition of teleology in its most meaningful aspects is then given. The challenges that Darwinism faced in dealing with purpose in nature are discussed, as is their proposed solution in the evolutionary synthesis, and the persistence of Ts following that synthesis is outlined and critiqued. Evidence of Ts persistence in the life sciences is presented with several relevant examples, and strong teleology is further differentiated by specific (Ts+) and nonspecific (Ts−) varieties. This essay concludes that Ts remains an ongoing and integral part of the life sciences and will likely remain so, even though it may be true but not verifiable empirically.
Effect of Organic Matter Content on the Spectral Signature of Iron Oxides across the VIS–NIR Spectral Region in Artificial Mixtures: An Example from a Red Soil from Israel
Authors: Heller Pearlshtien Daniela , Ben-Dor Eyal
Published: June 2020

The investigation of iron oxides in soil using spectral reflectance is very common. Their spectral signal is significant across the visible–near infrared (VIS–NIR) spectral range (400–1000 nm). However, this range overlaps with other soil chromophores, such as those for water and soil organic matter (SOM). This study aimed to investigate the effect of different SOM species on red soil from Israel, which is rich in hematite iron oxide, under air-dried conditions. We constructed datasets of artificially mixed soil and organic matter (OM) with different percentages of added compost from two sources (referred to as A2 and A5). Eighty subsamples of mixed soil–OM were prepared for each of the OM (compost) types. To investigate the effect of OM on the strong iron-oxide absorbance at 880 nm, we generated two indices: CRDC, the absorbance spectral depth change at 880 nm after continuous removal, and NRIR, the normalized red index ratio using 880 and 780 nm wavelengths. The different OM types influenced the soil reflectance differently. At low %SOM, up to 1.5%, the OM types behaved more similarly, but as the OM content increased, their effect on the iron-oxide signal was greater, enhancing the significant differences between the two OM sources. Moreover, as the SOM content increased, the iron-oxide signal decreased until it was completely masked out from the reflectance spectrum. The masking point was observed at different SOM contents: 4% for A5 and 8% for A2. A mechanism that explains the indirect chromophore activity of SOM in the visible region, which is related to the iron-oxide spectral features, was provided. We also compared the use of synthetic linear-mixing practices (soil–OM) to the authentic mixed samples. The synthetic mixture could not imitate the authentic soil reflectance status, especially across the overlapping spectral position of the iron oxides and OM, and hence may hinder real conditions.
The 2019 Eruption Dynamics and Morphology at Ebeko Volcano Monitored by Unoccupied Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Field Stations
Authors: Walter Thomas R. , Belousov Alexander , Belousova Marina , Kotenko Tatiana , Auer Andreas
Published: June 2020

Vulcanian explosions are hazardous and are often spontaneous and direct observations are therefore challenging. Ebeko is an active volcano on Paramushir Island, northern Kuril Islands, showing characteristic Vulcanian-type activity. In 2019, we started a comprehensive survey using a combination of field station records and repeated unoccupied aircraft system (UAS) surveys to describe the geomorphological features of the edifice and its evolution during ongoing activity. Seismic data revealed the activity of the volcano and were complemented by monitoring cameras, showing a mean explosion interval of 34 min. Digital terrain data generated from UAS quadcopter photographs allowed for the identification of the dimensions of the craters, a structural architecture and the tephra deposition at cm-scale resolution. The UAS was equipped with a thermal camera, which in combination with the terrain data, allowed it to identify fumaroles, volcano-tectonic structures and vents and generate a catalog of 282 thermal spots. The data provide details on a nested crater complex, aligned NNE-SSW, erupting on the northern rim of the former North Crater. Our catalog of thermal spots also follows a similar alignment on the edifice-scale and is also affected by topography on a local scale. This paper provides rare observations at Ebeko volcano and shows details on its Vulcanian eruption style, highlighting the relevance of structural and morphologic control for the geometry of craters and tephra fallout as well as for structurally controlled geothermal activity.
WaterNet: A Convolutional Neural Network for Chlorophyll-a Concentration Retrieval
Authors: Syariz Muhammad Aldila , Lin Chao-Hung , Nguyen Manh Van , Jaelani Lalu Muhamad , Blanco Ariel C.
Published: June 2020

The retrieval of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentrations relies on empirical or analytical analyses, which generally experience difficulties from the diversity of inland waters in statistical analyses and the complexity of radiative transfer equations in analytical analyses, respectively. Previous studies proposed the utilization of artificial neural networks (ANNs) to alleviate these problems. However, ANNs do not consider the problem of insufficient in situ samples during model training, and they do not fully utilize the spatial and spectral information of remote sensing images in neural networks. In this study, a two-stage training is introduced to address the problem regarding sample insufficiency. The neural network is pretrained using the samples derived from an existing Chl-a concentration model in the first stage, and the pretrained model is refined with in situ samples in the second stage. A novel convolutional neural network for Chl-a concentration retrieval called WaterNet is proposed which utilizes both spectral and spatial information of remote sensing images. In addition, an end-to-end structure that integrates feature extraction, band expansion, and Chl-a estimation into the neural network leads to an efficient and effective Chl-a concentration retrieval. In experiments, Sentinel-3 images with the same acquisition days of in situ measurements over Laguna Lake in the Philippines were used to train and evaluate WaterNet. The quantitative analyses show that the two-stage training is more likely than the one-stage training to reach the global optimum in the optimization, and WaterNet with two-stage training outperforms, in terms of estimation accuracy, related ANN-based and band-combination-based Chl-a concentration models.
Performance Analysis of Cognitive Relay-Assisted Ambient Backscatter with MRC over Nakagami-m Fading Channels
Authors: Do Dinh-Thuan , Nguyen Thanh-Luan , Lee Byung Moo
Published: June 2020

This study presents ambient backscatter communication (AmBC) network as a concept of "modulation in the air" that has drawn growing interest by both academia and industry recently. In particular, we investigate and analyze an AmBC system relying on cognitive radio, where the primary destination is equipped with multiple antennas and maximum ratio combining (MRC). A wireless powered relay is necessary to serve both primary and secondary destinations. Benefiting from the surrounding radio frequency (RF) source, the relay can support the backscattering signal. To facilitate the performance analysis of received nodes, this study presents exact closed-form expressions of the outage probability. For comparison, the outage and throughput performance of these nodes are considered in numerical simulation. Taking advantage of the AmBC technology, the impact of the backscatter ratio on system performance is carefully studied considering various other parameters. Simulation results demonstrate the exactness of the derived outage probabilities and show that the optimal throughput performance can be achieved at specific parameters.
Electrode Humidification Design for Artifact Reduction in Capacitive ECG Measurements
Authors: Tang Yue , Chang Ronghui , Zhang Limin , Yan Feng , Ma Haowen , Bu Xiaofeng
Published: June 2020

For wearable capacitive electrocardiogram (ECG) acquisition, capacitive electrodes may cause severe motion artifacts due to the relatively large friction between the electrodes and the dielectrics. In some studies, water can effectively suppress motion artifacts, but these studies lack a complete analysis of how water can suppress motion artifacts. In this paper, the effect of water on charge decay of textile electrode is studied systematically, and an electrode controllable humidification design using ultrasonic atomization is proposed to suppress motion artifacts. Compared with the existing electrode humidification designs, the proposed electrode humidification design can be controlled by a program to suppress motion artifacts at different ambient humidity, and can be highly integrated for wearable application. Firstly, the charge decay mode of the textile electrode is given and it is found that the process of free water evaporation at an appropriate free water content can be the dominant way of triboelectric charge dissipation. Secondly, theoretical analysis and experiment verification both illustrate that water contained in electrodes can accelerate the decay of triboelectric charge through the free water evaporation path. Finally, a capacitive electrode controllable humidification design is proposed by applying integrated ultrasonic atomization to generate atomized drops and spray them onto textile electrodes to accelerate the decay of triboelectric charge and suppress motion artifacts. The performance of the proposed design is verified by the experiment results, which shows that the proposed design can effectively suppress motion artifacts and maintain the stability of signal quality at both low and high ambient humidity. The signal-to-noise ratio of the proposed design is 33.32 dB higher than that of the non-humidified design at 25% relative humidity and is 22.67 dB higher than that of non-humidified electrodes at 65% relative humidity.
A Multi-Objective Approach for Optimal Energy Management in Smart Home Using the Reinforcement Learning
Authors: Diyan Muhammad , Silva Bhagya Nathali , Han Kijun
Published: June 2020

Maintaining a fair use of energy consumption in smart homes with many household appliances requires sophisticated algorithms working together in real time. Similarly, choosing a proper schedule for appliances operation can be used to reduce inappropriate energy consumption. However, scheduling appliances always depend on the behavior of a smart home user. Thus, modeling human interaction with appliances is needed to design an efficient scheduling algorithm with real-time support. In this regard, we propose a scheduling algorithm based on human appliances interaction in smart homes using reinforcement learning (RL). The proposed scheduling algorithm divides the entire day into various states. In each state, the agents attached to household appliances perform various actions to obtain the highest reward. To adjust the discomfort which arises due to performing inappropriate action, the household appliances are categorized into three groups i.e., (1) adoptable, (2) un-adoptable, (3) manageable. Finally, the proposed system is tested for the energy consumption and discomfort level of the home user against our previous scheduling algorithm based on least slack time phenomenon. The proposed scheme outperforms the Least Slack Time (LST) based scheduling in context of energy consumption and discomfort level of the home user.
Development of Taste Sensor to Detect Non-Charged Bitter Substances
Authors: Yoshimatsu Jumpei , Toko Kiyoshi , Tahara Yusuke , Ishida Misaki , Habara Masaaki , Ikezaki Hidekazu , Kojima Honami , Ikegami Saeri , Yoshida Miyako , Uchida Takahiro
Published: June 2020

A taste sensor with lipid/polymer membranes is one of the devices that can evaluate taste objectively. However, the conventional taste sensor cannot measure non-charged bitter substances, such as caffeine contained in coffee, because the taste sensor uses the potentiometric measurement based mainly on change in surface electric charge density of the membrane. In this study, we aimed at the detection of typical non-charged bitter substances such as caffeine, theophylline and theobromine included in beverages and pharmaceutical products. The developed sensor is designed to detect the change in the membrane potential by using a kind of allosteric mechanism of breaking an intramolecular hydrogen bond between the carboxy group and hydroxy group of aromatic carboxylic acid (i.e., hydroxy-, dihydroxy-, and trihydroxybenzoic acids) when non-charged bitter substances are bound to the hydroxy group. As a result of surface modification by immersing the sensor electrode in a modification solution in which 2,6-dihydroxybenzoic acid was dissolved, it was confirmed that the sensor response increased with the concentration of caffeine as well as allied substances. The threshold and increase tendency were consistent with those of human senses. The detection mechanism is discussed by taking into account intramolecular and intermolecular hydrogen bonds, which cause allostery. These findings suggest that it is possible to evaluate bitterness caused by non-charged bitter substances objectively by using the taste sensor with allosteric mechanism.
Beyond Policies and Social Washing: How Social Procurement Unfolds in Practice
Authors: Troje Daniella , Gluch Pernilla
Published: June 2020

Social procurement is increasingly used by organizations to create social value. An important feature of social procurement used to mitigate issues with social exclusion is employment requirements, which aim to create internships for unemployed marginalized people. However, little is known of their effects on people working at an operative level. Through 23 semi-structured interviews with practitioners in the Swedish construction and real estate sector, this paper adopts a practice lens to analyse the effects of employment requirements (ER). Findings show that practitioners must handle the tension between old and new practices, and strike a balance between fulfilling formal responsibilities and performing new practices on an ad hoc basis, and finding the time and resources to do so. Practitioners act as practice carriers for both traditional work tasks and new employment requirement practices, which can lead to role ambiguity. The paper provides novel details for how employment requirements unfold in practice. It also adds to practice theory by suggesting an important relational aspect between first-order, premeditated practices, and second-order, emergent practices, and how both types of practices are vital for working with employment requirements.
Inequality of Income in Agricultural Holdings in Poland in the Context of Sustainable Agricultural Development
Authors: Kata Ryszard , Wosiek Małgorzata
Published: June 2020

The study investigates the redistributive effects of agricultural policy and the importance of income inequalities among agricultural holdings for sustainable agricultural development based on the intra-sectoral differences of the disposable income of farmer households and the income from family agricultural holdings in Poland in the years 2004–2018. The problem of excessive and growing income inequalities in agriculture has been recognized as an important barrier to the sustainable development of agriculture in Poland. The aim of the study is to establish a relationship between the process of income polarization in agriculture and the process of concentration of production factors in this sector, and the level of budget support. The Gini coefficient, concentration index, and multivariate regression analysis were used as research methods. It was shown that the process of the concentration of land and capital has led to an increase in income disparities in this sector. Budgetary expenditure directed to the sector in the form of subsidies supporting farmer incomes was not able to reverse the process of income polarization, but mitigated the growing inequalities (reducing the scale of income spreads).
Agricultural Productivity Growth and Its Determinants in South and Southeast Asian Countries
Authors: Liu Jianxu , Wang Mengjiao , Yang Li , Rahman Sanzidur , Sriboonchitta Songsak
Published: June 2020

Improving agricultural productivity is a priority concern in promoting the sustainable development of agriculture in developing countries. In this study, we first apply stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) to analyze the growth of agricultural total factor productivity (TFP) and its three components (technical change—TC, technical efficiency change—TEC and scale change—SC) in 15 south and southeast Asian countries covering the period 2002 to 2016. Then, the determinants of agricultural TFP growth are identified using dynamic panel data models. The results reveal that the south and southeast Asian countries witnessed an overall decline in agricultural productivity during the sample period, thereby creating concerns over sustaining future agricultural growth. Technical progress was the major source of TFP growth, but its contribution has slowed in recent years. On the other hand, declining scale change and technical efficiency change resulted in the deterioration of productivity over time. Variable levels of productivity performances were observed for individual countries, mainly driven by technological progress. Overall, southeast Asia achieved a more stable and sustained agricultural growth as compared to south Asia. Among the determinants, human capital, level of urbanization, and development flow to agriculture positively influenced agricultural TFP growth, while the level of economic development and agricultural import were negatively associated with TFP growth. Policy recommendations include the suggestions that south and southeast Asian countries should increase investment in human capital, focus on technological innovation and make use of financial assistance and development flow to agriculture to increase and sustain agricultural productivity. In addition, frontier countries of the two regions (e.g., India and Indonesia) should take the lead on regional agricultural development ventures by enhancing cooperation with neighboring countries on technological innovations, and countries facing diseconomies of scale (i.e., Afghanistan and Iran) should consider the rational reallocation of agricultural inputs.
Determinants of the Propensity for Innovation among Entrepreneurs in the Tourism Industry
Authors: Montañés-Del-Río Miguel Ángel , Medina-Garrido José Aurelio
Published: June 2020

Tourism’s increasing share of Gross Domestic Product throughout the world, its impact on employment and its continuous growth justifies the interest it raises amongst entrepreneurs and public authorities. However, this growth coexists with intense competition; as a result of which, tourism companies must continuously innovate in order to survive and grow. This is evident in the diversification of tourism products and destinations, the improvement of business processes and the incorporation of new technologies for intermediation, amongst other examples. This paper expounds on the factors that explain the propensity for innovation amongst tourism entrepreneurs and it may help governments to promote innovation that is based on those determining factors. The hypotheses are tested using a logistic regression on 699 international tourism entrepreneurs, taken from the 2014 Global Adult Population Survey of the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor project. The propensity for innovation amongst tourism entrepreneurs has a statistically significant relationship to gender, age, level of education and informal investments in previous businesses.