bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of Postural Instability with Autonomic Dysfunction in Early Parkinson’s Disease
Authors: You Sooyeoun , Kim Hyun Ah , Lee Hyung
Published: November 2020

Background: There have been several pathologic data that support an association between postural instability (PI) and autonomic dysfunction in Parkinson’s disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation of PI and autonomic deficits in early PD. Methods: We collected 17 patients with a diagnosis of early PD. PI was assessed by computerized dynamic posturography (CDP). Standardized autonomic function test (AFT) and time and frequency domain spectral analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) were performed. CDP data obtained from the 21 patients were compared to that from age- and sex-matched healthy controls. We collected HRV data from 18 other age- and sex-matched controls. All patients were evaluated in the “OFF” state. We used Mann–Whitney U-test to compare parameters of CDP between the early PD and control groups. Spearman correlation was used for correlation analysis between parameters of CDP and autonomic function test in PD patients. Results: Most patients (76.5%) showed mild or moderate autonomic dysfunction in the standardized AFT. In CDP, sensory ratios of equilibrium score (e.g., visual and vestibular) and composite scores were significantly lower in PD patients than in controls. In HRV, the low-frequency/high-frequency ratio during the tilt and the gap of low- frequency/high-frequency ratio from supine to tilt were significantly different in both groups. The parameters of time and frequency domains of HRV reflecting parasympathetic function were correlated with equilibrium scores for somatosensory organization test in CDP. Discussion: PI was associated with parasympathetic autonomic dysfunction in early PD. This result was in accordance with a previous assumption that PI in PD is related to parasympathetic cholinergic neuron loss in the brainstem.
The Effect of Tropical Cyclone Nicholas (11–20 February 2008) on Sea Level Anomalies in Indonesian Waters
Authors: Ningsih Nining Sari , Hanifah Farrah , Tanjung Tika Sekar , Yani Laela Fitri , Azhar Muchamad Al
Published: November 2020

As reported extensively in both electronic and print media in Indonesia, high wave and anomalously high sea level phenomena occurred in February 2008 in Indonesian waters, mainly along the western coast of Sumatra and the southern coasts of Java-Bali. Tropical Cyclone (TC) Nicholas, occurring in northwestern coastal waters of Australia between 11 and 20 February 2008, might have contributed to the existence of these phenomena in the Indonesian region. This study focused on investigating the effect of TC Nicholas on the increases in sea levels in the Indonesian waters by analyzing residual water levels (non-astronomic tide). In this regard, a storm tide event (the sum of the astronomical tide and storm surge generated by the TC Nicholas) was simulated in this region using the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS). The residual water levels were obtained by removing the tidal part (astronomic tide) from the ROMS simulated total water levels. In addition, to confirm possible influences of TC Nicholas, a lagged correlation analysis was applied between atmospheric pressure at the center of TC Nicholas and residual water level oscillations in the Indonesian waters. It was found that the residual water levels showed a strong correlation with the atmospheric pressure at the center of TC Nicholas in some areas of the Indonesian seas, such as the western coast of Sumatra, the southern coast of Java, Lesser Sunda Islands, and the southern coast of Papua. The increased sea levels on the western coast of Sumatra are up to 16 cm, with TC Nicholas leading the residual water level by 4.18 days (TL: time lag). Meanwhile, they are up to 20 cm (TL = 5.75 days), 21 cm (TL = 1.12 days), and 38 cm (TL = 3.96 days) on the southern coast of Java, the Lesser Sunda Islands, and the southern coast of Papua, respectively. The results of this study could be used as an initial assessment to investigate the most vulnerable Indonesian coastal areas to the impact of the TC and they might be significantly beneficial for designing both a proper disaster risk reduction program and investment policies in the region, particularly in the context of flood risk reduction and adaptation.
A Line Ship Emissions while Manoeuvring and Hotelling—A Case Study of Port Split
Authors: Bacalja Bruna , Krčum Maja , Slišković Merica
Published: November 2020

Strategically, the Republic of Croatia, with its economy focused on tourism, is directly connected to the sea and coastal area, and integrated management of this area contributes to the sustainable development strategy. Worldwide, the problem of atmospheric pollution from maritime traffic is a poorly researched area, especially when this type of traffic is continuously growing. On the example of Port Split, the paper aims to present the following emission, carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOX), carbon monoxide (CO), volatile organic compounds (VOC), sulphur dioxide (SO2), particulate matter (PM) and black carbon, of line vessels during manoeuvring and hotelling phase for 2017, 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, the statistical analysis and appropriate conclusions have been performed on CO2 since all other emissions are linearly dependent. From the analyses in the hotelling and manoeuvring phase of line ships, it can be concluded that during 2019 there was a slight increase in emissions, but overall there was no significant increase in the number of line vessels and increased traffic. The obtained results of case study of port Split provide recommendations leading to further reduction of harmful gas emission, monitoring them, and integrating it into management of urban ports.
Evaluation of a Home Monitoring Application for Follow Up after Lung Transplantation—A Pilot Study
Authors: Wijbenga Nynke , Hoek Rogier A. S. , Mathot Bas J. , Seghers Leonard , van Weezel Jan J. , den Ouden José , Wijsenbeek Marlies S. , Aerts Joachim G. J. V. , Hellemons Merel E. , Moor Catharina C.
Published: November 2020

Home spirometry after lung transplantation is common practice, to monitor graft function. However, there is little experience with online home monitoring applications with direct data transfer to the hospital. We evaluated the feasibility and patient experiences with a new online home monitoring application, integrated with a Bluetooth-enabled spirometer and real-time data transfer. Consecutive lung transplant recipients were asked to evaluate this home monitoring application for three months in a pilot study. Home spirometry measurements were compared with in-hospital lung function tests (the forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC)) at the end of the study. Ten patients participated. The home and hospital spirometry measurements showed a high correlation, for both the FEV1 (r = 0.99, p < 0.01) and FVC (r = 0.99, p < 0.01). The adherence and patient satisfaction were high, and the patients preferred the home monitoring application over the current home spirometer, with a difference of 1.4 ± 1.5 points on a scale from 0 to 10 (p = 0.02). Online home monitoring with direct data transfer is feasible and reliable after lung transplantation and results in high patient satisfaction. Whether the implementation of online home monitoring enables the earlier detection of lung function decline and improves patient and graft outcomes will be the subject of future research.
Ideas Buenas o Buenas Ideas: Phonological, Semantic, and Frequency Effects on Variable Adjective Ordering in Rioplatense Spanish
Authors: Kanwit Matthew , Terán Virginia
Published: November 2020

Although linguistic research has often focused on one domain (e.g., as influenced by generative prioritization of the Autonomy of Syntax), critical findings have been uncovered by exploring the interaction of multiple domains (e.g., the link between morphological status and lateralization of /ɾ/; the syntactic–pragmatic interface’s constraints on subject expression). The position of adjectives relative to the nouns they modify is a good test case in this discussion because multiple areas of the grammar are implicated, including syntax, phonology, and semantics. Moreover, research on this structure has yielded small cells, which prevented the use of statistical tests to convey the relative importance of multiple factors. Consequently, our study used a controlled, 24-item contextualized preference task to assess the roles of semantics (i.e., adjective class), phonology (i.e., noun–adjective syllable length differences), and lexical frequency on variable adjective ordering for 100 speakers of rioplatense Argentinean Spanish. Mixed-effects regression revealed that each factor was significant, with shorter, high-frequency, evaluative adjectives most favoring pre-position. Individual adjective analysis confirmed the greater effect of lexical frequency than semantic class, with additional corpora analyses further elucidating these trends. The study adds to the growing body of research on the role of factors across linguistic domains, while arguing for the importance of the relative frequency of adjective–noun collocations and complementing recent research on lexical effects.
The Model System Saccharomyces cerevisiae Versus Emerging Non-Model Yeasts for the Production of Biofuels
Authors: Lacerda Maria Priscila , Oh Eun Joong , Eckert Carrie
Published: November 2020

Microorganisms are effective platforms for the production of a variety of chemicals including biofuels, commodity chemicals, polymers and other natural products. However, deep cellular understanding is required for improvement of current biofuel cell factories to truly transform the Bioeconomy. Modifications in microbial metabolic pathways and increased resistance to various types of stress caused by the production of these chemicals are crucial in the generation of robust and efficient production hosts. Recent advances in systems and synthetic biology provide new tools for metabolic engineering to design strategies and construct optimal biocatalysts for the sustainable production of desired chemicals, especially in the case of ethanol and fatty acid production. Yeast is an efficient producer of bioethanol and most of the available synthetic biology tools have been developed for the industrial yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Non-conventional yeast systems have several advantageous characteristics that are not easily engineered such as ethanol tolerance, low pH tolerance, thermotolerance, inhibitor tolerance, genetic diversity and so forth. Currently, synthetic biology is still in its initial steps for studies in non-conventional yeasts such as Yarrowia lipolytica, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Issatchenkia orientalis and Pichia pastoris. Therefore, the development and application of advanced synthetic engineering tools must also focus on these underexploited, non-conventional yeast species. Herein, we review the basic synthetic biology tools that can be applied to the standard S. cerevisiae model strain, as well as those that have been developed for non-conventional yeasts. In addition, we will discuss the recent advances employed to develop non-conventional yeast strains that are efficient for the production of a variety of chemicals through the use of metabolic engineering and synthetic biology.
Red Blood Cell Distribution Width Is Associated with Deterioration of Renal Function and Cardiovascular Morbidity and Mortality in Patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease
Authors: Roumeliotis Stefanos , Stamou Aikaterini , Roumeliotis Athanasios , Theodoridis Marios , Leivaditis Konstantinos , Panagoutsos Stylianos , Liakopoulos Vassilios
Published: November 2020

We sought to investigate the possible association between Red Blood Cell Distribution Width (RDW), vascular calcification, oxidative stress and renal function and all-cause/cardiovascular (CV) mortality, CV events and progression of kidney disease in a cohort of patients with Diabetic Kidney Disease (DKD). Carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) and oxidized low-density cholesterol were measured in 104 Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients with established DKD, distributed in all five stages of kidney disease and 38 diabetics with normal renal function. All patients were followed for 7 years with end-points all-cause and CV mortality, CV events and progression to End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). RDW was positively correlated with diabetes duration (r = 0.19, p = 0.023) and albuminuria (r = 0.29, p = 0.002). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that RDW was a strong, independent predictor of cIMT value (β = 0.031, p = 0.012). Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox proportional hazard models revealed that after adjustment for several cofounders, RDW was a significant and independent predictor for all-cause mortality, CV mortality, CV event and progression to ESRD (HR 1.75, p = 0.001, HR 2.03, p = 0.001, HR = 1.66, p < 0.0001 and HR 2.14, p = 0.001 respectively). RDW predicts mortality, CV events and deterioration of renal function in DKD, probably reflecting atherosclerosis.
Automatic Multi-Stage Cold Forging of an SUS304 Ball-Stud with a Hexagonal Hole at One End
Authors: Byun Jong Bok , Razali Mohd Kaswandee , Lee Chang Ju , Seo Il Dong , Chung Wan Jin , Joun Man Soo
Published: November 2020

SUS304 stainless steel is characterized by combined tensile and compression testing, with an emphasis on flow stress at higher strain and temperature. The plastic deformation behavior of SUS304 from room temperature to 400 °C is examined and a general approach is used to express flow stress as a closed-form function of strain, strain rate, and temperature; this is optimal when the strain is high, especially during automatic multi-stage cold forging. The fitted flow stress is subjected to elastothermoviscoplastic finite element analysis (FEA) of an automatic multi-stage cold forging process for an SUS304 ball-stud. The importance of the thermal effect during cold forging, in terms of high material strength and good strain-hardening, is revealed by comparing the forming load, die wear and die stress predictions of non-isothermal and isothermal FEAs. The experiments have shown that the predictions of isothermal FEA are not feasible because of the high predicted effective stress on the weakest part of the die.
A Note on the Asymptotic Normality Theory of the Least Squares Estimates in Multivariate HAR-RV Models
Authors: Hong Won-Tak , Lee Jiwon , Hwang Eunju
Published: November 2020

In this work, multivariate heterogeneous autoregressive-realized volatility (HAR-RV) models are discussed with their least squares estimations. We consider multivariate HAR models of order p with q multiple assets to explore the relationships between two or more assets’ volatility. The strictly stationary solution of the HAR(p,q) model is investigated as well as the asymptotic normality theories of the least squares estimates are established in the cases of i.i.d. and correlated errors. In addition, an exponentially weighted multivariate HAR model with a common decay rate on the coefficients is discussed together with the common rate estimation. A Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to validate the estimations: sample mean and standard error of the estimates as well as empirical coverage and average length of confidence intervals are calculated. Lastly, real data of volatility of Gold spot price and S&P index are applied to the model and it is shown that the bivariate HAR model fitted by selected optimal lags and estimated coefficients is well matched with the volatility of the financial data.
A Nonlinear Model Predictive Control with Enlarged Region of Attraction via the Union of Invariant Sets
Authors: Fitri Ismi Rosyiana , Kim Jung-Su
Published: November 2020

In the dual-mode model predictive control (MPC) framework, the size of the stabilizable set, which is also the region of attraction, depends on the terminal constraint set. This paper aims to formulate a larger terminal set for enlarging the region of attraction in a nonlinear MPC. Given several control laws and their corresponding terminal invariant sets, a convex combination of the given sets is used to construct a time-varying terminal set. The resulting region of attraction is the union of the regions of attraction from each invariant set. Simulation results show that the proposed MPC has a larger stabilizable initial set than the one obtained when a fixed terminal set is used.
Effect of Microstructure on Corrosion Behavior of WE43 Magnesium Alloy in As Cast and Heat-Treated Conditions
Authors: Yang Chenxi , Gupta Nikhil , Ding Hanlin , Xiang Chongchen
Published: November 2020

The improvement in corrosion resistance of WE43 was well realized by heat treatment. To study the influence of microstructure on the corrosion behavior of WE43 in as-cast and heat-treated conditions, an immersion test was employed with as-cast and heat-treated samples in the 3.5% NaCl solution. The corrosion rate and change of morphology were recorded and the corrosion behavior was further investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results indicated that the corrosion rate of the WE43 alloy decreased after heat treatment. It was observed that the eutectic gradually damages the protective film on the surface of the as-cast WE43 in the process of corrosion, which further increases the corrosion rate. The Zr-rich phase formed a domed structure resulting in the adjacent area being further corroded. The Y-rich phase has little effect on the corrosion reaction.
Corrosion Behavior and Microstructure of Stir Zone in Fe-30Mn-3Al-3Si Twinning-Induced Plasticity Steel after Friction Stir Welding
Authors: Kim Hye-Jin , Fujii Hidetoshi , Lee Seung-Joon
Published: November 2020

The effect of friction stir welding on microstructure and corrosion property was studied in Fe-30Mn-3Al-3Si (wt.%) twinning-induced plasticity steel using both an electron backscattered diffractometer and electrochemical testing (i.e., polarization test and electrochemical impedance spectroscope). The stir zone has a relatively higher corrosion resistance with uniform dissolution on the surface despite after welding, whereas the base metal shows localized corrosion attack with deep and long degradation along the grain boundaries. This is due to the corrosion-resistant coincidence site lattice boundaries caused by discontinuous dynamic recrystallization via the grain boundary bulging during the friction stir welding.
Accelerated Electro-Fermentation of Acetoin in Escherichia coli by Identifying Physiological Limitations of the Electron Transfer Kinetics and the Central Metabolism
Authors: Beblawy Sebastian , Philipp Laura-Alina , Gescher Johannes
Published: November 2020

Anode-assisted fermentations offer the benefit of an anoxic fermentation routine that can be applied to produce end-products with an oxidation state independent from the substrate. The whole cell biocatalyst transfers the surplus of electrons to an electrode that can be used as a non-depletable electron acceptor. So far, anode-assisted fermentations were shown to provide high carbon efficiencies but low space-time yields. This study aimed at increasing space-time yields of an Escherichia coli-based anode-assisted fermentation of glucose to acetoin. The experiments build on an obligate respiratory strain, that was advanced using selective adaptation and targeted strain development. Several transfers under respiratory conditions led to point mutations in the pfl, aceF and rpoC gene. These mutations increased anoxic growth by three-fold. Furthermore, overexpression of genes encoding a synthetic electron transport chain to methylene blue increased the electron transfer rate by 2.45-fold. Overall, these measures and a medium optimization increased the space-time yield in an electrode-assisted fermentation by 3.6-fold.
Selected Rhizosphere Bacteria Help Tomato Plants Cope with Combined Phosphorus and Salt Stresses
Authors: Tchakounté Gylaine Vanissa Tchuisseu , Berger Beatrice , Patz Sascha , Becker Matthias , Fankem Henri , Taffouo Victor Désiré , Ruppel Silke
Published: November 2020

Plants are often challenged by multiple abiotic stresses simultaneously. The inoculation of beneficial bacteria is known to enhance plant growth under these stresses, such as phosphorus starvation or salt stress. Here, for the first time, we assessed the efficiency of selected beneficial bacterial strains in improving tomato plant growth to better cope with double stresses in salty and P-deficient soil conditions. Six strains of Arthrobacter and Bacillus with different reservoirs of plant growth-promoting traits were tested in vitro for their abilities to tolerate 2–16% (w/v) NaCl concentrations, and shown to retain their motility and phosphate-solubilizing capacity under salt stress conditions. Whether these selected bacteria promote tomato plant growth under combined P and salt stresses was investigated in greenhouse experiments. Bacterial isolates from Cameroonian soils mobilized P from different phosphate sources in shaking culture under both non-saline and saline conditions. They also enhanced plant growth in P-deficient and salt-affected soils by 47–115%, and their PGP effect was even increased in higher salt stress conditions. The results provide valuable information for prospective production of effective bio-fertilizers based on the combined application of local rock phosphate and halotolerant phosphate-solubilizing bacteria. This constitutes a promising strategy to improve plant growth in P-deficient and salt-affected soils.
Prediction Models for Evaluating the Strength of Cemented Paste Backfill: A Comparative Study
Authors: Liu Jiandong , Li Guichen , Yang Sen , Huang Jiandong
Published: November 2020

Cemented paste backfill (CPB) is widely used in underground mining, and attracts more attention these years as it can reduce mining waste and avoid environmental pollution. Normally, to evaluate the functionality of CPB, the compressive strength (UCS) is necessary work, which is also time and money consuming. To address this issue, seven machine learning models were applied and evaluated in this study, in order to predict the UCS of CPB. In the laboratory, a series of tests were performed, and the dataset was constructed considering five key influencing variables, such as the tailings to cement ratio, curing time, solids to cement ratio, fine sand percentage and cement types. The results show that different variables have various effects on the strength of CPB. The optimum models for predicting the UCS of CPB are a support vector machine (SVM), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF) and back-propagation neural network (BPNN), which means that these models can be directly applied for UCS prediction in future work. Furthermore, the intelligent model reveals that the tailings to cement ratio has the most important influence on the strength of CPB. This research can boost CPB application in the field, and guide the artificial intelligence application in future mining.
An Updated Review on Silver Nanoparticles in Biomedicine
Authors: Gherasim Oana , Puiu Rebecca Alexandra , Bîrcă Alexandra Cătălina , Burdușel Alexandra-Cristina , Grumezescu Alexandru Mihai
Published: November 2020

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) represent one of the most explored categories of nanomaterials for new and improved biomaterials and biotechnologies, with impressive use in the pharmaceutical and cosmetic industry, anti-infective therapy and wound care, food and the textile industry. Their extensive and versatile applicability relies on the genuine and easy-tunable properties of nanosilver, including remarkable physicochemical behavior, exceptional antimicrobial efficiency, anti-inflammatory action and antitumor activity. Besides commercially available and clinically safe AgNPs-based products, a substantial number of recent studies assessed the applicability of nanosilver as therapeutic agents in augmented and alternative strategies for cancer therapy, sensing and diagnosis platforms, restorative and regenerative biomaterials. Given the beneficial interactions of AgNPs with living structures and their nontoxic effects on healthy human cells, they represent an accurate candidate for various biomedical products. In the present review, the most important and recent applications of AgNPs in biomedical products and biomedicine are considered.
Perspectives of Parents and Health Care Providers about (Non)Medical Treatment in Infants with Reflux
Authors: Gorsen Santina , Boussery Koen , Van Winckel Myriam , Demeyer Rolinde , Tommelein Eline
Published: November 2020

Background: Reflux occurs in 50% of healthy infants at some point. This is most often a physiological condition and does not require drug treatment. Various studies have shown that the use of drugs affecting gastric acidity (DAGAs) in infants is increasing. This entails disadvantages such as unnecessary exposure of infants to medication and their side effects and a higher cost to society. Objective: To get an image of the current practice in Flanders regarding diagnosis and treatment of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) in infants and the associated use of DAGAs. To this end, we determined both parents’ and health care providers’ experiences and perceptions about these treatments. Method: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted in April and May 2019. We developed a questionnaire for parents and three different questionnaires for health care providers (HCPs), including midwives, general practitioners, paediatricians and community pharmacists (CPs). The questionnaire for parents was only available through an online platform. HCPs were questioned face-to-face and through an online platform. Results: This study made clear that the counselling of children with GORD is multidisciplinary as the median number of counselling HCPs is 3 (interquartile range (IQR) = 2–4). 63% of the included 251 parents also seek support through online forums and groups. 60% of parents report that no physical tests were performed before DAGAs were prescribed and 39% of parents additionally state they perceived no effect of the prescribed DAGAs. Although parents reported to understand HCPs well (average score 7.4/10), satisfaction with care and information provision was scored lower (between 4.8 and 6.1/10). On the other hand, 234 HCPs answered the questionnaire, of which 89 midwives, 78 community pharmacists and 67 physicians. Only 45 HCPs indicate that guidelines to diagnose or treat GORD are clear. Physicians confirm they perform very little physical testing before starting DAGAs. Provided nonmedical measures to patients are largely in line with the European guidelines, however perceived effectiveness is moderate. Conclusion: Parents are in need for more information about tests, nutrition and (non)medical measures. HCPs on the other hand are in need for clear guidelines on diagnosing and treating GORD.
Baccharis dracunculifolia and Dalbergia ecastophyllum, Main Plant Sources for Bioactive Properties in Green and Red Brazilian Propolis
Authors: Moise Adela Ramona , Bobiş Otilia
Published: November 2020

Nowadays, propolis is used as a highly valuable product in alternative medicine for improving health or treating a large spectrum of pathologies, an ingredient in pharmaceutical products, and also as a food additive. Different vegetal materials are collected by honeybees and mixed with wax and other own substances in order to obtain the final product, called propolis. It is known as the bee product with the widest chemical composition due to the raw material collected by the bees. Different types are known worldwide: green Brazilian propolis (having Baccharis dracunculifolia as the major plant source), red Brazilian propolis (from Dalbergia ecastophyllum), European propolis (Populus nigra L.), Russian propolis (Betula verrucosa Ehrh), Cuban and Venezuelan red propolis (Clusia spp.), etc. An impressive number of scientific papers already demonstrate the pharmacological potential of different types of propolis, the most important activities being the antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, immunomodulatory, and antioxidant activities. However, the bioactive compounds responsible for each activity have not been fully elucidated. This review aims to collect important data about the chemical composition and bioactive properties of the vegetal sources and to compare with the chemical composition of respective propolis types, in order to determine the connection between the floral source and the propolis properties.
Advancements in Low-Chill Blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum L. Tissue Culture Practices
Authors: Cappai Francesco , Garcia Alexandria , Cullen Ryan , Davis Matthew , Munoz Patricio R.
Published: November 2020

The demand for blueberry Vaccinium corymbosum L. (and hybrids) plants has significantly increased in the last 30 years due to its market expansion. In vitro propagation of sterile plants are required for commercial purposes but also for research applications such as plant transformation. Thus far, tissue culture characteristics of the tropical-adapted blueberry have been scarcely studied. In this study we present the following findings: (i) zeatin, a hormone used to promote plant growth, should be used in the 1–2 mg/L range to promote plant architecture optimal for transformation experiments; (ii) red-blue LED lights induce more production of meristems and biomass than white LED or fluorescent lights; (iii) levels as high as 1000 mg/L of decontamination agents (the antibiotics timentin and cefotaxime) can be used to eliminate Agrobacterium overgrowth without inhibiting plant growth during plant transformation experiments; (iv) kanamycin, paromomycin, and geneticin, which are widely used antibiotics to select transgene-carrying transformants, cannot be efficiently used in this system; (v) glufosinate, a widely used herbicide, shows potential to be used as an effective selectable marker for transformed plants.
Testing the Performance of an Innovative Markerless Technique for Quantitative and Qualitative Gait Analysis
Authors: Simoni Laura , Scarton Alessandra , Gerli Filippo , Macchi Claudio , Gori Federico , Pasquini Guido , Pogliaghi Silvia
Published: November 2020

Gait abnormalities such as high stride and step frequency/cadence (SF—stride/second, CAD—step/second), stride variability (SV) and low harmony may increase the risk of injuries and be a sentinel of medical conditions. This research aims to present a new markerless video-based technology for quantitative and qualitative gait analysis. 86 healthy individuals (mead age 32 years) performed a 90 s test on treadmill at self-selected walking speed. We measured SF and CAD by a photoelectric sensors system; then, we calculated average ± standard deviation (SD) and within-subject coefficient of variation (CV) of SF as an index of SV. We also recorded a 60 fps video of the patient. With a custom-designed web-based video analysis software, we performed a spectral analysis of the brightness over time for each pixel of the image, that reinstituted the frequency contents of the videos. The two main frequency contents (F1 and F2) from this analysis should reflect the forcing/dominant variables, i.e., SF and CAD. Then, a harmony index (HI) was calculated, that should reflect the proportion of the pixels of the image that move consistently with F1 or its supraharmonics. The higher the HI value, the less variable the gait. The correspondence SF-F1 and CAD-F2 was evaluated with both paired t-Test and correlation and the relationship between SV and HI with correlation. SF and CAD were not significantly different from and highly correlated with F1 (0.893 ± 0.080 Hz vs. 0.895 ± 0.084 Hz, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.99) and F2 (1.787 ± 0.163 Hz vs. 1.791 ± 0.165 Hz, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.97). The SV was 1.84% ± 0.66% and it was significantly and moderately correlated with HI (0.082 ± 0.028, p < 0.001, r2 = 0.13). The innovative video-based technique of global, markerless gait analysis proposed in our study accurately identifies the main frequency contents and the variability of gait in healthy individuals, thus providing a time-efficient, low-cost means to quantitatively and qualitatively study human locomotion.
A Study of Accelerometer and Gyroscope Measurements in Physical Life-Log Activities Detection Systems
Authors: Jalal Ahmad , Quaid Majid Ali Khan , Tahir Sheikh Badar ud din , Kim Kibum
Published: November 2020

Nowadays, wearable technology can enhance physical human life-log routines by shifting goals from merely counting steps to tackling significant healthcare challenges. Such wearable technology modules have presented opportunities to acquire important information about human activities in real-life environments. The purpose of this paper is to report on recent developments and to project future advances regarding wearable sensor systems for the sustainable monitoring and recording of human life-logs. On the basis of this survey, we propose a model that is designed to retrieve better information during physical activities in indoor and outdoor environments in order to improve the quality of life and to reduce risks. This model uses a fusion of both statistical and non-statistical features for the recognition of different activity patterns using wearable inertial sensors, i.e., triaxial accelerometers, gyroscopes and magnetometers. These features include signal magnitude, positive/negative peaks and position direction to explore signal orientation changes, position differentiation, temporal variation and optimal changes among coordinates. These features are processed by a genetic algorithm for the selection and classification of inertial signals to learn and recognize abnormal human movement. Our model was experimentally evaluated on four benchmark datasets: Intelligent Media Wearable Smart Home Activities (IM-WSHA), a self-annotated physical activities dataset, Wireless Sensor Data Mining (WISDM) with different sporting patterns from an IM-SB dataset and an SMotion dataset with different physical activities. Experimental results show that the proposed feature extraction strategy outperformed others, achieving an improved recognition accuracy of 81.92%, 95.37%, 90.17%, 94.58%, respectively, when IM-WSHA, WISDM, IM-SB and SMotion datasets were applied.
Experimental Comparison of IR-UWB Radar and FMCW Radar for Vital Signs
Authors: Wang Dingyang , Yoo Sungwon , Cho Sung Ho
Published: November 2020

In this paper, we compare the performances of impulse radio ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) and frequency modulation continuous wave (FMCW) radars in measuring noncontact vital signs such as respiration rate and heart rate. These two type radars have been widely used in various fields and have shown their applicability to extract vital signs in noncontact ways. IR-UWB radar can extract vital signs using distance information. On the other hand, FMCW radar requires phase information to estimate vital signs, and the result can be enhanced with Multi-input Multi-output (MIMO) antenna topologies. By using commercial radar chipsets, the operation of radars under different conditions and frequency bands will also affect the performance of vital sign detection capabilities. We compared the accuracy and signal-to-noise (SNR) ratios of IR-UWB and FMCW radars in various scenarios, such as distance, orientation, carotid pulse, harmonics, and obstacle penetration. In general, the IR-UWB radars offer a slightly better accuracy and higher SNR in comparison to FMCW radar. However, each radar system has its own unique advantages, with IR-UWB exhibiting fewer harmonics and a higher SNR, while FMCW can combine the results from each channel.
The Beneficiaries of Training Co-Financed by the ESF and Their Employability Market Orientation in Creating Labour Market Competitiveness
Authors: Dubel Przemysław , Pawłowska Anna
Published: November 2020

The key objective of this article is to present the importance of human capital in the training process co-financed by the European Social Fund (ESF) in shaping sustainable economic development attitudes from the perspective of the labour market competitiveness. The presented research process focuses on the role of the psychological and competitive potential of individuals as workpreneurs on the modern labour market, showing an adaptive set of behaviours referred to as Employability Market Orientation. It has been assumed that one of its dimensions, which is Career Exploration, is of importance for the use of training as ESF interventions and is a manifestation of the scope of realization of the assumed goals under the European Union (EU) cohesion policy. CAWI type of research was carried out on a group of 840 Poles at the ages 18–60. The analysis of Pearson’s r correlations led to the establishment of the existence of a relationship between participation in ESF training and Career Exploration (CE). Persons with high CE indicated more frequently than the remaining respondents that ESF training had increased their competitiveness on the labour market, whilst there were fewer of those who noted they had brought them no benefits. On the other hand, no relationship was identified between CE and non-participation in EFS training on account of poor adjustment of the offer to the needs of the labour market. A conclusion may thus be drawn from the obtained results that regions in which individuals show diverse levels of CE features will avail of the training co-financed from the ESF to a varying degree, regardless of their form or efficiency of their procedures. The role of human capital potential was thus confirmed in realizing the basic goals of the EU cohesion policy.
À rebours du temps dans les Alpes Maritimes italiennes
Authors: Marengo Marina
Published: November 2020

This travelogue in the space/ time of the Italian Maritime Alps allows you to reconnect with childhood and family memories as well as with the places of this mountain which has long been on the fringes of the process of change. We travel this region with important tourist assets from the angle of a life story.
Aylak Adam Romanına Farklı Bir Yaklaşım: Bir Puer Aeternus Arketipi Olarak Bay C.
Authors: ÇİNKO Kemal
Published: November 2020

Carl Gustav Jung psikoloji biliminin öncülerinden biri olup analitik psikolojinin kurucusu olarak tanınmaktadır. Jung’un psikoloji literatürüne kazandırdığı önemli terimlerden biri “arketip”tir. Ana örnek, ilk örnek, ilk model gibi anlamlara gelen arketip kavramını Jung kolektif bilinçdışının çekirdek yapıları olarak değerlendirmiştir. Jung temelde dört arketip tanımlamıştır. Ancak ona göre bu arketiplerin sayısı aslında sınırsızdır. Jung’un tanımladığı çok sayıda arketipten biri de çocuk arketipidir. Puer aeternus ise “ebedî çocukluk” olarak bu arketip içinde yer alır. Arketip kavramı edebi eserlerde de çokça yansıması bulmuştur. Nitekim Yusuf Atılgan’ın ilk romanı olan Aylak Adam romanında da roman başkişisi Bay C.’de puer aeternus/ebedî çocukluk arketipiyle uyumlu birçok taraf olduğu görülmüştür. Bu çalışmanın amacı çokça Oedipus karmaşası merkeze alınarak değerlendirilen C.’ye farklı bir açıdan yaklaşarak onun puer aeternus ile uyumlu yanlarını ortaya koymaktadır. Bu amaçla çalışmada öncelikle arketipler hakkında bilgi verilmiş, puer aeternus arketipi tanıtılmış ve C.’nin bu arketip ile birçok yandan uyuştuğu örneklenerek onu bir ebedî çocuk olarak değerlendirmenin mümkün olduğu sonucuna varılmıştır.
influence of biostimulators in the growth of some shrubs
Authors: Bandici Gheorghe-Emil , Ardelean Ileana , Purcărea Cornelia
Published: November 2020

More sensitive than Mimosa pudica and more beautiful than any adornment detached from nature by man, the azalea (Azaleeaindica) gathers through its shapes a real symphony of colours and enchanting hues, of elegant shapes, having no rival in the flower world.The azalea can multiply through seeds and vegetatively: seedlings, grafting, layering.The widest reproduction method remains that through semilignified seedlings, a method that can be used throughout the yearavoiding the months less favourable for propagation by seedlings, with poor light: November and October. The best results are given by thespring propagations by seedlings (February-March) and the summer propagations by seedlings (July-August). The rooting can last for 12-14weeks until the seedlings can be transplanted in flower pots without risks.A wide application in horticultural practice is the use of growth substances, that take part in the faster formation of roots and in ahigher percent for species of plants, that, normally, root with difficulty through seedlings. Under this aspect, many synthetical compoundshave proved to be very active (IAA, NAA, IBA, 2,4,5-T acid etc.) (3,4).
Evaluation of Hungarian Sporthorse mare performance tests
Authors: Posta János , Komlósi István , Mihók Sándor
Published: November 2020

Results of the Hungarian Sporthorse mare performance tests were evaluated. Data from the period of 1993-2009 were used, coveringscores of 618 3-year-old and 310 4-year-old mares, 109 of them were tested at both ages. Seventeen traits were scored on the tests, whichcovered ten conformational, three free jumping performance and four movement analyses traits, respectively. Breeding value estimation wasbased on BLUP animal model. Test year, age and owner were included in the model as fixed effects. Variance components were estimatedwith VCE-6 software package. Heritabilities ranged from 0.32 (frame) to 0.50 (saddle region) for conformation traits, from 0.39 (jumpingstyle) to 0.49 (jumping ability and jumping skill) for free jumping traits and from 0.20 (walk) to 0.48 (canter) for movement analysis traits.Breeding value indexes were constructed for each trait group. Conformation index was computed based on the weighted scores of thebreeding values of conformational traits. The conformational score scales were used as weightings. Free jumping and movement indexescontain the proper breeding values with equal weights. A total index was also constructed using conformation index, two times the freejumping index and two times the movement index. Each breeding values and breeding value indexes were presented with the mean 100 andstandard deviation of 20 for the easier understanding.
Evolution of some components of agroecosystems productivity from Vinga Plain in water stress situations
Authors: Dicu Daniel , Borza Iacob , Tarau Dorin
Published: November 2020

The researches are inscribed on line of substantiation of durable agricultural system, having main objective the prominence ofquantitative and qualitative modifications made on agro-system level under the effect of no-tillage system for wheat, maize and soybeans.The experimental field is placed on a cambium chernozem, with a medium content of clay, dominant in the Prodagro West Arad agrocentreand representative for a large surface in the Banat-Crisana Plain.The passing to no-till system change the structure of technological elements, through less soil works, so the impact on agro-system isdifferent comparing with conventional tillage, first less the intervention pressure on agro-system ant secondly appears new interactions, newequilibriums and disequilibriums.Considering the evolution of soil humidity, the observations made monthly (by taking soil samples and laboratory determinations) forthe three cultures showed that in the no-till system, there are more uniform values in the soil profile, and in the variants where the deep workof soil was made it could be observed a low increase of the water volume in the soil.
Public opinion on the settlements’ environment and the use of renewable energy sources in the Micro-region of Gyöngyös
Authors: Szabóné Pap Hajnalka , Baros Zoltán
Published: November 2020

This paper intends to give an overview on some results of our studies carried out on the public opinion of the above aspects (settlements’comfort level and the use of renewable energy sources) directly or indirectly linked to the topic of climate change and possible adaptations.These studies were carried out by applying questionnaire survey in the (altogether 25) settlements of the Gyöngyös Micro-region.Knowledge on general human perceptions related to climate change and its impacts is considered to be important as it should advance theelaboration of adaptation and applied scientific works. They are highly required as rural areas, due to their closer relationship (dependence)to the physical environment, are more susceptible to changes resultant from the climate change with their possibilities to adaptation alsobeing impeded.The beauty of environment plays an important role in the settlements studied within the micro-region with more than two third of polleesopting the environment as a factor they most proud of, especially among those residing in the villages for more than 10 years. It can bepresumed that any change in this environment would greatly impact their everyday life and emotional relationship to their home villages. Theoverall picture after analysing the public opinion on the use of renewable energy source (as possible way of adaptation to the impacts ofclimate change) is rather controversial. Even basic knowledge and information are limited regarding the relevant technologies callingattention to the importance of raising environmental awareness and providing full information seems to be essential and should beimplemented, through the media and education.
The Causal Relationship Between Temperature Change And Food Indices In The World
Authors: ALHAS EROĞLU Nevra , BOZOĞLU Mehmet , BAŞER Uğur , KILIÇ TOPUZ Bakiye
Published: November 2020

The effects of temperature change on different sectors have been one of the most essential problems in the last decades. Agricultural sector is definitely the most fragile sector of all, not only production of food causes temperature change but also temperature change led to the instability of production and prices. The objective of this study was to analyse the relationship between temperature change and production or price indices in the world for the period of 1990-2016. The time series of temperature change, Food Price Index and Gross Production Index for foods were obtained from the database of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Johansen cointegration and Granger causality analysis were used to evaluate relations between the indicators in the short and long runs. The results of the study indicated that temperature change, Food Price Index and Gross Production Index for foods were cointegrated and so they move together in the long run. On the other hand, Granger causality analysis highlighted that there is unidirectional causality runs from temperature change to both Food Price Index and Gross Production Index for foods and at the same time from Gross Production Index for foods to Food Price Index. This research concluded that temperature has an essential effect both on agricultural production and prices, whereas food prices are sensitive to production. Therefore, the environmentally friendly technologies should be developed and applied in agricultural sector. However, the food prices could be regulated via production controls which take temperature change into consideration.