bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Long-Term Analysis of the Possibility of Water Recovery for Hydroponic Lettuce Irrigation in Indoor Vertical Farm. Part 1: Water Recovery from Exhaust Air
Authors: Pacak Anna , Jurga Anna , Drąg Paweł , Pandelidis Demis , Kaźmierczak Bartosz
Published: December 2020

This paper presents the characteristics of the operation of the system for recovery of water from exhaust air in moderate climates in the years 2012–2019. The proposed system for water recovery uses the phenomenon of condensation in a cross-flow heat exchanger operating as an element of the air conditioning system. The parameters of exhaust air behind the heat exchanger have been determined using a mathematical model of the so-called black box. The mathematical model considers the risk of the cross-freezing of the heat exchanger. The calculations carried out for variable parameters of external air during the analyzed period confirm that the system allows to cover the demand for water for lettuce irrigation during the cold and transitional period, which is a major part of the year. It has been noted that the effectiveness of the system is very high (av. 67.12% per year) due to the specific parameters of the internal air in which the lettuce must be grown and the need for continuous air exchange in such facilities. This means that air is a stable source of water recovery, where the recovery rate depends on the parameters of external air.
Where We Come from and Where We Are Going: A Systematic Review of Human Factors Research in Driving Automation
Authors: Frison Anna-Katharina , Forster Yannick , Wintersberger Philipp , Geisel Viktoria , Riener Andreas
Published: December 2020

During the last decade, research has brought forth a large amount of studies that investigated driving automation from a human factor perspective. Due to the multitude of possibilities for the study design with regard to the investigated constructs, data collection methods, and evaluated parameters, at present, the pool of findings is heterogeneous and nontransparent. This literature review applied a structured approach, where five reviewers investigated n = 161 scientific papers of relevant journals and conferences focusing on driving automation between 2010 and 2018. The aim was to present an overview of the status quo of existing methodological approaches and investigated constructs to help scientists in conducting research with established methods and advanced study setups. Results show that most studies focused on safety aspects, followed by trust and acceptance, which were mainly collected through self-report measures. Driving/Take-Over performance also marked a significant portion of the published papers; however, a wide range of different parameters were investigated by researchers. Based on our insights, we propose a set of recommendations for future studies. Amongst others, this includes validation of existing results on real roads, studying long-term effects on trust and acceptance (and of course other constructs), or triangulation of self-reported and behavioral data. We furthermore emphasize the need to establish a standardized set of parameters for recurring use cases to increase comparability. To assure a holistic contemplation of automated driving, we moreover encourage researchers to investigate other constructs that go beyond safety.
Effects of Salicylic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate Treatments on Flavonoid and Carotenoid Accumulation in the Juice Sacs of Satsuma Mandarin In Vitro
Authors: Yamamoto Risa , Ma Gang , Zhang Lancui , Hirai Miki , Yahata Masaki , Yamawaki Kazuki , Shimada Takehiko , Fujii Hiroshi , Endo Tomoko , Kato Masaya
Published: December 2020

Salicylic acid and jasmonic acid are two important plant hormones that trigger the plant defense responses and regulate the accumulation of bioactive compounds in plants. In the present study, the effects of salicylic acid (SA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA) on flavonoid and carotenoid accumulation were investigated in the juice sacs of Satsuma mandarin in vitro. The results showed that SA treatment was effective to enhance the contents of eriocitrin, narirutin, poncirin, and β-cryptoxanthin in the juice sacs (p < 0.05). In contrast, the MeJA treatment inhibited flavonoid and carotenoid accumulation in the juice sacs (p < 0.05). Gene expression results showed that the changes of flavonoid and carotenoid contents in the SA and MeJA treatments were highly regulated at the transcriptional level. In addition, a transcriptional factor CitWRKY70 was identified in the microarray analysis, which was induced by the SA treatment, while suppressed by the MeJA treatment. In the SA and MeJA treatments, the change in the expression of CitWRKY70 was consistent with that of flavonoid and carotenoid biosynthetic key genes. These results indicated that CitWRKY70 might be involved in the regulation of flavonoid and carotenoid accumulation in response to SA and MeJA treatments in the juice sacs of citrus fruit.
Free and Bound Volatile Aroma Compounds of ´Maraština´ Grapes as Influenced by Dehydration Techniques
Authors: Budić-Leto Irena , Humar Iva , Gajdoš Kljusurić Jasenka , Zdunić Goran , Zlatić Emil
Published: December 2020

Dehydration or drying of grapes is one of the most important steps in the production of Croatian traditional dessert wine Prošek. The natural sun drying of grapes is the traditionally used method in Prošek production. Alternative methods, such as dehydration under controlled conditions, have been studied as safer and faster methods than the traditional sun drying but without precise knowledge of the effect on volatile compounds. The objective of this work was to study how dehydration of grapes carried out in a greenhouse and an environmentally controlled chamber impacts on the free and glycosidically bound volatile compounds of native grape cv. ‘Maraština’. The 36 volatile compounds were identified and quantified using headspace solid-phase micro extraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrophotometry (HS-SPME-GC/MS). The results showed that the aroma profile of dehydrated grapes was significantly different from that of fresh grapes. Regarding free forms, significant increases in the concentration of 2-methyl-1-propanol, 1-butanol, 2-hexen-1-ol, 1-hexanol, ethyl hexanoate, hexyl acetate, o-cymene, linalool oxide, and terpinen-4-ol and geraniol were found in greenhouse-dried grapes, whereas increases in cis-limonene-epoxide, trans-limonene epoxide, and γ-hexalactone were higher in chamber-dried grapes compared to greenhouse-dried grapes. Glycosidically bound forms of o-cymene, linalool oxide, linalool, and terpinen-4-ol were increased in both types of drying, whereas β-damascenone was increased only in greenhouse-dried grapes.
Deep Subspace Clustering with Block Diagonal Constraint
Authors: Liu Jing , Sun Yanfeng , Hu Yongli
Published: December 2020

The deep subspace clustering method, which adopts deep neural networks to learn a representation matrix for subspace clustering, has shown good performance. However, this representation matrix ignores the structural constraint when it is applied to subspace clustering. It is known that samples from different classes can be taken as embedding in independent subspaces. Thus, the representation matrix should have a block diagonal structure. This paper presents the Deep Subspace Clustering with Block Diagonal Constraint (DSC-BDC), a model which constrains the representation matrix with block diagonal structure and gives a block diagonal regularizer for learning a suitable representation. Furthermore, to enhance the representation capacity, DSC-BDC reforms the block-diagonal structure constraint by performing a separation strategy on the representation matrix. Specifically, the separation strategy ensures that the most compact samples are selected to the represent data. An alternative optimization algorithm is designed for our model. Extensive experiments on four public and real-world databases demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of our proposed model.
Raida Adon: Strangeness, a Conversation between Raida Adon and Dr. Amitai Mendelsohn, Israel Museum’s Senior Curator for Israeli Art
Authors: Mendelsohn Amitai
Published: December 2020

The artist and actor Raida Adon was born in Acre in 1972 to a family that includes members of all the three religions of this region: Muslims, Christians, and Jews [...]
Special Issue Editorial: Study of Brake Wear Particle Emissions
Authors: Wahlström Jens
Published: December 2020

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Cerebellar Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation for Motor Learning in People with Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kumari Nitika , Taylor Denise , Olsen Sharon , Rashid Usman , Signal Nada
Published: December 2020

Cerebellar transcranial direct current stimulation (ctDCS) is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that alters neural plasticity through weak, continuous, direct currents delivered to the cerebellum. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) delivering three consecutive days of ctDCS during split-belt treadmill training (SBTT) in people with chronic stroke. Using a double-blinded, parallel-group RCT design, eligible participants were randomly allocated to receive either active anodal ctDCS or sham ctDCS combined with SBTT on three consecutive days. Outcomes were assessed at one-week follow-up, using step length symmetry as a measure of motor learning and comfortable over-ground walking speed as a measure of walking capacity. The feasibility of the RCT protocol was evaluated based on recruitment, retention, protocol deviations and data completeness. The feasibility of the intervention was assessed based on safety, adherence and intervention fidelity. Of the 26 potential participants identified over four months, only four were enrolled in the study (active anodal ctDCS n = 1, sham ctDCS n = 3). Both the inclusion criteria and the fidelity of the SBTT relied upon the accurate estimation of step length asymmetry. The method used to determine the side of the step length asymmetry was unreliable and led to deviations in the protocol. The ctDCS intervention was well adhered to, safe, and delivered as per the planned protocol. Motor learning outcomes for individual participants revealed that treadmill step length symmetry remained unchanged for three participants but improved for one participant (sham ctDCS). Comfortable over-ground walking speed improved for two participants (sham ctDCS). The feasibility of the planned protocol and intervention was limited by intra-individual variability in the magnitude and side of the step length asymmetry. This limited the sample and compromised the fidelity of the SBTT intervention. To feasibly conduct a full RCT investigating the effect of ctDCS on locomotor adaptation, a reliable method of identifying and defining step length asymmetry in people with stroke is required. Future ctDCS research should either optimize the methods for SBTT delivery or utilize an alternative motor adaptation task.
Factors Modifying the Amount of Neuroanatomical Overlap between Languages in Bilinguals—A Systematic Review of Neurosurgical Language Mapping Studies
Authors: Połczyńska Monika M. , Bookheimer Susan Y.
Published: December 2020

Neurosurgery on individuals with lesions around language areas becomes even more complicated when the patient is bilingual. It is thus important to understand the principles that predict the likelihood of convergent versus separate neuroanatomical organization of the first (L1) and the second language (L2) in these individuals. We reviewed all English-language publications on neurosurgical language mapping in bilinguals before January 2020 in three databases (e.g., PubMed). Our search yielded 28 studies with 207 participants. The reviewed data suggest several principles of language organization in bilingual neurosurgical patients: (1) separate cortical areas uniquely dedicated to each language in both anterior and posterior language sites are the rule rather than occasional findings, (2) In cases where there was a convergent neuroanatomical representation for L1 and L2, two factors explained the overlap: an early age of L2 acquisition and a small linguistic distance between L1 and L2 and (3) When L1 and L2 diverged neuroanatomically, more L1-specific sites were identified for early age of L2 acquisition, high L2 proficiency and a larger linguistic distance. This work provides initial evidence-based principles predicting the likelihood of converging versus separate neural representations of L1 and L2 in neurosurgical patients.
Cognitive Improvement Effects of Electroacupuncture Combined with Computer-Based Cognitive Rehabilitation in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Kim Jae-Hong , Han Jae-Young , Park Gwang-Cheon , Lee Jeong-Soon
Published: December 2020

This outcome assessor-blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial investigated the effects of electroacupuncture combined with computer-based cognitive rehabilitation (EA-CCR) on mild cognitive impairment (MCI). A per-protocol analysis was employed to compare the efficacy of EA-CCR to that of computer-based cognitive rehabilitation (CCR). Thirty-two patients with MCI completed the trial (EA-CCR group, 16; CCR group, 16). Patients received EA-CCR or CCR treatment once daily three days per week for eight weeks. Outcome (primary, ADAS-K-cog; secondary, MoCA-K, CES-D, K-ADL, K-IADL, and EQ-5D-5L) measurements were performed at baseline (week 0), at the end of the intervention (week 8), and at 12 weeks after completion of the intervention (week 20). Both groups showed significant changes in ADAS-K-cog score (EA-CCR, p < 0.001; CCR, p < 0.001) and MoCA-K (EA-CCR, p < 0.001; CCR, p < 0.001). Only the EA-CCR group had a significant change in CES-D (p = 0.024). No significant differences in outcomes and in the results of a subanalysis based on age were noted between the groups. These results indicate that EA-CCR and CCR have beneficial effects on improving cognitive function in patients with MCI. However, electroacupuncture in EA-CCR showed no positive add-on effects on improving cognitive function, depression, activities of daily living, and quality of life in patients with MCI.
Prenatal Alcohol Exposure in Rats Diminishes Postnatal Cxcl16 Chemokine Ligand Brain Expression
Authors: Juárez-Rodríguez Pedro , Godínez-Rubí Marisol , Guzmán-Brambila Carolina , Padilla-Velarde Edgar , Orozco-Barocio Arturo , Ortuño-Sahagún Daniel , Rojas-Mayorquín Argelia E.
Published: December 2020

Maternal ethanol consumption during pregnancy is one of the main causes of Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD). Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) produces several adverse manifestations. Even low or moderate intake has been associated with long-lasting behavioral and cognitive impairment in offspring. In this study we examined the gene expression profile in the rat nucleus accumbens using microarrays, comparing animals exposed prenatally to ethanol and controls. Microarray gene expression showed an overall downward regulatory effect of PAE. Gene cluster analysis reveals that the gene groups most affected are related to transcription regulation, transcription factors and homeobox genes. We focus on the expression of the C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 16 (Cxcl16) which was differentially expressed. There is a significant reduction in the expression of this chemokine throughout the brain under PAE conditions, evidenced here by quantitative polymerase chain reaction qPCR and immunohistochemistry. Chemokines are involved in neuroprotection and implicated in alcohol-induced brain damage and neuroinflammation in the developing central nervous system (CNS), therefore, the significance of the overall decrease in Cxcl16 expression in the brain as a consequence of PAE may reflect a reduced ability in neuroprotection against subsequent conditions, such as excitotoxic damage, inflammatory processes or even hypoxic-ischemic insult.
Distinct and Overlapping Patterns of Acute Ethanol-Induced C-Fos Activation in Two Inbred Replicate Lines of Mice Selected for Drinking to High Blood Ethanol Concentrations
Authors: Robinson Stacey L. , Dornellas Ana Paula S. , Burnham Nathan W. , Houck Christa A. , Luhn Kendall L. , Bendrath Sophie C. , Companion Michel A. , Brewton Honoreé W. , Thomas Rhiannon D. , Navarro Montserrat , Thiele Todd E.
Published: December 2020

The inbred high drinking in the dark (iHDID1 and iHDID2) strains are two replicate lines bred from the parent HS/Npt (HS) line for achieving binge levels of blood ethanol concentration (≥80 mg/dL BEC) in a four-hour period. In this work, we sought to evaluate differences in baseline and ethanol-induced c-Fos activation between the HS, iHDID1, and iHDID2 genetic lines in brain regions known to process the aversive properties of ethanol. Methods: Male and female HS, iHDID1, and iHDID2 mice underwent an IP saline 2 3 g/kg ethanol injection. Brain sections were then stained for c-Fos expression in the basolateral/central amygdala (BLA/CeA), bed nucleus of the stria terminals (BNST), A2, locus coeruleus (LC), parabrachial nucleus (PBN), lateral/medial habenula (LHb/MHb), paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus (PVT), periaqueductal gray (PAG), Edinger–Westphal nuclei (EW), and rostromedial tegmental nucleus (RMTg). Results: The iHDID1 and iHDID2 lines showed similar and distinct patterns of regional c-Fos; however, in no region did the two both significantly differ from the HS line together. Conclusions: Our findings lend further support to the hypothesis the iHDID1 and the iHDID2 lines arrive at a similar behavior phenotype through divergent genetic mechanisms.
Contribution of Skin Biopsy in Peripheral Neuropathies
Authors: Nolano Maria , Tozza Stefano , Caporaso Giuseppe , Provitera Vincenzo
Published: December 2020

In the last three decades the study of cutaneous innervation through 3 mm-punch-biopsy has provided an important contribution to the knowledge of small fiber somatic and autonomic neuropathies but also of large fiber neuropathies. Skin biopsy is a minimally invasive technique with the advantage, compared to sural nerve biopsy, of being suitable to be applied to any site in our body, of being repeatable over time, of allowing the identification of each population of nerve fiber through its target. In patients with symptoms and signs of small fiber neuropathy the assessment of IntraEpidermal Nerve Fiber density is the gold standard to confirm the diagnosis while the quantification of sudomotor, pilomotor, and vasomotor nerve fibers allows to evaluate and characterize the autonomic involvement. All these parameters can be re-evaluated over time to monitor the disease process and to evaluate the effectiveness of the treatments. Myelinated fibers and their receptors can also be evaluated to detect a “dying back” neuropathy early when nerve conduction study is still normal. Furthermore, the morphometry of dermal myelinated fibers has provided new insight into pathophysiological mechanisms of different types of inherited and acquired large fibers neuropathies. In genetic neuropathies skin biopsy has become a surrogate for sural nerve biopsy, no longer necessary in the diagnostic process, to study genotype–phenotype correlations.
The Expression of CD74-Regulated Inflammatory Markers in Stage IV Melanoma: Risk of CNS Metastasis and Patient Survival
Authors: Ogata Dai , Roszik Jason , Oba Junna , Kim Sun-Hee , Bassett Roland L. , Haydu Lauren E. , Tanese Keiji , Grimm Elizabeth A. , Ekmekcioglu Suhendan
Published: December 2020

Innate inflammatory features have been found in melanoma tumors from patients at all stages, and molecular analysis has identified definitive inflammatory proteins expressed by tumors cells in patients who presents the worst prognosis. We have previously observed weakened outcomes in patients with constitutive expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and improved outcomes with CD74 expression in stage III melanoma. In our current study, we tested our hypothesis on CD74-regulated inflammatory markers’ expression in stage IV melanoma tumors whether the signature is associated with survival outcome and/or risk of developing CNS metastasis. We retrospectively identified 315 patients with stage IV melanoma. In a tissue microarray (TMA), we examined the expression of cells with CD74, its receptor MIF, and downstream inflammatory markers iNOS, nitrotyrosine (NT), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES1). We analyzed the association of those inflammatory markers with overall survival time (OS) and time to CNS metastasis using Kaplan–Meier survival analyses. Our data validates CD74 as a useful prognostic tumor cell protein marker associated with favorable OS as in stage III melanomas, while the tumor NT expression strongly predicts an increased risk of developing CNS metastasis (p = 0.0008) in those patients.
MEK1 Inhibitor Combined with Irradiation Reduces Migration of Breast Cancer Cells Including miR-221 and ZEB1 EMT Marker Expression
Authors: Anastasov Nataša , Hirmer Elisabeth , Klenner Marbod , Ott Jessica , Falkenberg Natalie , Bao Xuanwen , Mutschelknaus Lisa , Moertl Simone , Combs Stephanie , Atkinson Michael J. , Schmid Thomas
Published: December 2020

The miR-221 expression is dependent on the oncogenic RAS-RAF-MEK pathway activation and influences epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database analysis showed high gene significance for ZEB1 with EMT module analysis and miR-221 overexpression within the triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and HER2+ subgroups when compared to luminal A/B subgroups. EMT marker expression analysis after MEK1 (TAK-733) inhibitor treatment and irradiation was combined with miR-221 and ZEB1 expression analysis. The interaction of miR-221 overexpression with irradiation and its influence on migration, proliferation, colony formation and subsequent EMT target activation were investigated. The results revealed that MEK1 inhibitor treatment combined with irradiation could decrease the migratory potential of breast cancer cells including reduction of miR-221 and corresponding downstream ZEB1 (EMT) marker expression. The clonogenic survival assays revealed that miR-221 overexpressing SKBR3 cells were more radioresistant when compared to the control. Remarkably, the effect of miR-221 overexpression on migration in highly proliferative and highly HER2-positive SKBR3 cells remained constant even upon 8 Gy irradiation. Further, in naturally miR-221-overexpressing MDA-MB-231 cells, the proliferation and migration significantly decrease after miR-221 knockdown. This leads to the assumption that radiation alone is not reducing migration capacity of miR-221-overexpressing cells and that additional factors play an important role in this context. The miR-221/ZEB1 activity is efficiently targeted upon MEK1 inhibitor (TAK-733) treatment and when combined with irradiation treatment, significant reduction in migration of breast cancer cells was shown.
Multidisciplinary Management of Radiation-Induced Salivary Gland Carcinomas in the Modern Radiotherapy Era
Authors: Romanello Domenico Attilio , Imamguliyeva Zulfiyya , Cavalieri Stefano , Vischioni Barbara , Gandola Lorenza , Iannalfi Alberto , Iacovelli Nicola Alessandro , Licitra Lisa , Guzzo Marco , Piazza Cesare , Lombardi Davide , Diletto Barbara , Quattrone Pasquale , Calareso Giuseppina , Locati Laura Deborah , Orlandi Ester
Published: December 2020

Clinical data of ri-SGCs patients treated between 2015 and 2019 at a tertiary cancer center and a national hadron therapy facility were reviewed. Latent time (LT) from first RT to ri-SGCs diagnosis, overall (OS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were assessed. Thirteen patients developed 14 ri-SGCs (one patient had 2 synchronous ri-SCGs), after a median LT of 23 years (range 16–34). Parotid was the primary site in 8 cases (57%) and salivary duct carcinoma was the most frequent histotype (29%). Nine patients (69%) underwent surgery (Sx). Among them, 4 patients (31%) underwent Sx alone, 5 received post-operative treatments: 3 (23%) photon-based (X) reRT, one (8%) protons and carbon ions, one (8%) carbon ions only. One patient (8%) received definitive XRT. The remaining 3 patients (23%) received androgen deprivation therapy. With a median follow-up of 48 months (range 24–72), median OS and PFS were 74 and 24 months, respectively. In the subgroup of AR+ ri-SGCs, median PFS and OS were 12 and 74 months, respectively. Given the rarity of ri-SGCs, this work adds further knowledge to the paucity of literature. The management of these malignancies is extremely complex requiring a multidisciplinary treatment approach.
The Influence of Calcination Temperature on Photocatalytic Activity of TiO2-Acetylacetone Charge Transfer Complex towards Degradation of NOx under Visible Light
Authors: Almeida Lucas A. , Habran Margarita , dos Santos Carvalho Rafael , Maia da Costa Marcelo E. H. , Cremona Marco , Silva Bruno C. , Krambrock Klaus , Ginoble Pandoli Omar , Morgado Jr. Edisson , Marinkovic Bojan A.
Published: December 2020

The improvement of photocatalytic activity of TiO2-based nanomaterials is widely investigated due to the tentative of their industrialization as environmental photocatalysts and their inherently low solar spectrum sensitivity and rapid recombination of charge carriers. Coupling of oxygen-based bidentate diketone to nanocrystalline TiO2 represents a potential alternative for improving the holdbacks. Formation of TiO2-acetylacetone charge transfer complex (CTC) by sol-gel route results in a hybrid semiconductor material with photodegradation activity against toxic NOx gas. In this research, the influence of the chelating agent acetylacetone (ACAC) content on the CTC photocatalytic efficiency under visible light was evaluated. A high content of ACAC in the CTC is not a decisive factor for efficiency of photocatalytic reactions. In fact, the highest efficiency for NOx degradation (close to 100%, during 1 h of visible light exposure) was reported for the material calcined in air at 300 °C with the content of strongly bonded acetylacetone not higher than 3 wt.%. Higher calcination temperature (400 °C) left TiO2 almost completely depleted in ACAC, while at the highest applied temperature (550 °C) a portion of anatase was transformed into rutile and the sample is free of ACAC. The analyses pointed out that superoxide anion radical (O2−) plays an active role in photo-oxidation of NOx. Our findings indicate that this CTC has both high visible light spectral sensitivity and photocatalytic efficiency.
Recent Advances in the Development of Protein- and Peptide-Based Subunit Vaccines against Tuberculosis
Authors: Bellini Chiara , Horváti Kata
Published: December 2020

The World Health Organization (WHO) herald of the “End TB Strategy” has defined goals and targets for tuberculosis prevention, care, and control to end the global tuberculosis endemic. The emergence of drug resistance and the relative dreadful consequences in treatment outcome has led to increased awareness on immunization against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). However, the proven limited efficacy of Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG), the only licensed vaccine against Mtb, has highlighted the need for alternative vaccines. In this review, we seek to give an overview of Mtb infection and failure of BCG to control it. Afterward, we focus on the protein- and peptide-based subunit vaccine subtype, examining the advantages and drawbacks of using this design approach. Finally, we explore the features of subunit vaccine candidates currently in pre-clinical and clinical evaluation, including the antigen repertoire, the exploited adjuvanted delivery systems, as well as the spawned immune response.
Combining Chitosan and Vanillin to Retain Postharvest Quality of Tomato Fruit during Ambient Temperature Storage
Authors: Safari Zahir Shah , Ding Phebe , Juju Nakasha Jaafar , Yusoff Siti Fairuz
Published: December 2020

Tomato, being a climacteric crop, has a relatively short postharvest life due to several factors such as postharvest diseases, accelerated ripening, and senescence that trigger losses in quantity and quality. Chemicals are widely used to control postharvest disease. Inaptly, it leads to detrimental effects on human health, environment and it is leads to increased disease resistance. Chitosan and vanillin could be an alternative to disease control, maintain fruit quality, and prolong shelf life. The aim of this research was to evaluate the potential of chitosan and vanillin coating on the tomato fruit’s physicochemical quality during storage at 26 ± 2 °C/60 ± 5% relative humidity. Chitosan and vanillin in aqueous solutions i.e., 0.5% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 1% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 1.5% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin, 0.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin, 1% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin, and 1.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin, respectively, were used as edible coating. The analysis was evaluated at 5-day intervals. The results revealed that 1.5% chitosan + 15 mM vanillin significantly reduced disease incidence and disease severity by 74.16% and 79%, respectively, as well delaying weight loss up to 90% and reducing changes in firmness, soluble solids concentration, and color score. These coatings also reduced the rate of respiration and the rate of ethylene production in comparison to the control and fruit treated with 0.5% chitosan + 10 mM vanillin. Furthermore, ascorbic acid content and the antioxidant properties of tomato were retained while shelf life was prolonged to 25 days without any negative effects on fruit postharvest quality.
Damage Mechanism Based Approach to the Structural Health Monitoring of Wind Turbine Blades
Authors: McGugan Malcolm , Mishnaevsky Leon
Published: December 2020

A damage mechanism based approach to the structural health monitoring of wind turbine blades is formulated. Typical physical mechanisms of wind turbine blade degradation, including surface erosion, adhesive fatigue, laminate cracking and in some cases compressive kinking and failure are reviewed. Examples of a local, damage mechanism based approach to the structural health monitoring of wind turbine blades are demonstrated, including the monitoring of leading edge erosion of wind turbine blades, adhesive bond failure, plydrop delamination, static and dynamic plydrop tests, and bolt and laminate fatigue. The examples demonstrate the possibilities of monitoring specific damage mechanisms, and specific localizations of wind turbine blades.
The Influence of Pulling Up on Micropitting Location for Gears with Interference Fit Connections of Their Conical Surface
Authors: Zhao Layue , Shao Yimin , Du Minggang , Yang Yang , Bian Jixuan
Published: December 2020

Micropitting is a surface fatigue phenomenon that occurs in Hertzian type of rolling and sliding contact that operates in elastohydrodynamic or boundary lubrication regimes and can progress both in terms of depth and extent. If micropitting continues to propagate, it may result in reducing gear tooth accuracy, increasing dynamic loads and noise. Eventually, it can develop into macropitting and other modes of gear failure such as flank initiated bending fatigue. Micropitting has become a particular problem in the gear surface fatigue. Usually micropitting initiates in the dedendum of the driver and driven at the asperities on the surface. However, the authors found for some gears with interference fit connections of their conical surface, micropitting on the pinion occurs in the addendum. This study attempted to find the reason using a 3D–TCA method based on ISO/TR 15144-1 to predict the micropitting and try to understand the key influence likely to affect micropitting location.
Effects of Fertilization Methods on Chemical Properties, Enzyme Activity, and Fungal Community Structure of Black Soil in Northeast China
Authors: Huang Mingjiao , Fu Haiyan , Kong Xiangshi , Ma Liping , Liu Chunguang , Fang Yuan , Zhang Zhengkun , Song Fuqiang , Yang Fengshan
Published: December 2020

Understanding the influence of fertilizer on soil quality is vital to agricultural management, yet there are few studies, particularly in black soil. In this study, soils under various treatments, namely no fertilizer, bio-organic + humic acid, bio-organic + chemical, and chemical fertilizer, were sampled to identify their major physiochemical properties, and to investigate the fungal community structure using environmental sequencing techniques. Physiochemical properties and fungal community structure were examined at four important stages of the maize life cycle: seedling, jointing, heading period, and maturity. We found that chemical fertilizer in the mature stage increased the soil available phosphorous (AP) content. Organic matter content was greatly affected by bio-organic + chemical fertilizer during the mature stage. Bio-organic + humic acid significantly increased soil phosphatase activity in maturing maize, whilst chemical fertilizers reduced invertase activity. Taken together, our results clearly illustrated that bio-organic + humic and chemical fertilization indirectly alter fungal community structure via changing soil properties (especially AP). Chemical fertilizer markedly heightened the AP content, thereby decreasing specific fungal taxa, particularly Guehomyces. OM was of positive connection with bio-organic + humic acid and Mortierella abundance, respectively, through RDA analysis, which are in agreement with our result that bio-organic + humic acid fertilization to some extent increased Mortierella abundance. Additionally, bio-organic + humic acid decreased the abundance of Fusarium and Humicola, suggesting that bio-organic + humic acid possibly could help control crop disease. These results help to inform our fundamental understanding of the interactions between fertilizers, soil properties, and fungal communities.
Density Dependence and Adult Survival Drive Dynamics in Two High Elevation Amphibian Populations
Authors: Kissel Amanda M. , Tenan Simone , Muths Erin
Published: December 2020

Amphibian conservation has progressed from the identification of declines to mitigation, but efforts are hampered by the lack of nuanced information about the effects of environmental characteristics and stressors on mechanistic processes of population regulation. Challenges include a paucity of long-term data and scant information about the relative roles of extrinsic (e.g., weather) and intrinsic (e.g., density dependence) factors. We used a Bayesian formulation of an open population capture-recapture model and >30 years of data to examine intrinsic and extrinsic factors regulating two adult boreal chorus frogs (Pseudacris maculata) populations. We modelled population growth rate and apparent survival directly, assessed their temporal variability, and derived estimates of recruitment. Populations were relatively stable (geometric mean population growth rate >1) and regulated by negative density dependence (i.e., higher population sizes reduced population growth rate). In the smaller population, density dependence also acted on adult survival. In the larger population, higher population growth was associated with warmer autumns. Survival estimates ranged from 0.30–0.87, per-capita recruitment was <1 in most years, and mean seniority probability was >0.50, suggesting adult survival is more important to population growth than recruitment. Our analysis indicates density dependence is a primary driver of population dynamics for P. maculata adults.
Simultaneous fMRI-EEG-Based Characterisation of NREM Parasomnia Disease: Methods and Limitations
Authors: Piorecky Marek , Koudelka Vlastimil , Miletinova Eva , Buskova Jitka , Strobl Jan , Horacek Jiri , Brunovsky Martin , Jiricek Stanislav , Hlinka Jaroslav , Tomecek David , Piorecka Vaclava
Published: December 2020

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques and electroencephalography (EEG) were used to investigate sleep with a focus on impaired arousal mechanisms in disorders of arousal (DOAs). With a prevalence of 2–4% in adults, DOAs are significant disorders that are currently gaining attention among physicians. The paper describes a simultaneous EEG and fMRI experiment conducted in adult individuals with DOAs (n=10). Both EEG and fMRI data were validated by reproducing well established EEG and fMRI associations. A method for identification of both brain functional areas and EEG rhythms associated with DOAs in shallow sleep was designed. Significant differences between patients and controls were found in delta, theta, and alpha bands during awakening epochs. General linear models of the blood-oxygen-level-dependent signal have shown the secondary visual cortex and dorsal posterior cingulate cortex to be associated with alpha spectral power fluctuations, and the precuneus with delta spectral power fluctuations, specifically in patients and not in controls. Future EEG–fMRI sleep studies should also consider subject comfort as an important aspect in the experimental design.
Cardiac Masses: The Role of Cardiovascular Imaging in the Differential Diagnosis
Authors: Aggeli Constantina , Dimitroglou Yannis , Raftopoulos Leonidas , Sarri Georgia , Mavrogeni Sophie , Wong Joyce , Tsiamis Eleftherios , Tsioufis Costas
Published: December 2020

Cardiac masses are space occupying lesions within the cardiac cavities or adjacent to the pericardium. They include frequently diagnosed clinical entities such as clots and vegetations, common benign tumors such as myxomas and papillary fibroelastomas and uncommon benign or malignant primary or metastatic tumors. Given their diversity, there are no guidelines or consensus statements regarding the best diagnostic or therapeutic approach. In the past, diagnosis used to be made by the histological specimens after surgery or during the post-mortem examination. Nevertheless, evolution and increased availability of cardiovascular imaging modalities has enabled better characterization of the masses and the surrounding tissue. Transthoracic echocardiography using contrast agents can evaluate the location, the morphology and the perfusion of the mass as well as its hemodynamic effect. Transesophageal echocardiography has increased spatial and temporal resolution; hence it is superior in depicting small highly mobile masses. Cardiac magnetic resonance and cardiac computed tomography are complementary providing tissue characterization. The scope of this review is to present the role of cardiovascular imaging in the differential diagnosis of cardiac masses and to propose a step-wise diagnostic algorithm, taking into account the epidemiology and clinical presentation of the cardiac masses, as well as the availability and the incremental value of each imaging modality.
Using UAV to Capture and Record Torrent Bed and Banks, Flood Debris, and Riparian Areas
Authors: Koutalakis Paschalis , Tzoraki Ourania , Gkiatas Giorgos , Zaimes George N.
Published: December 2020

Capturing and recording fluvio-geomorphological events is essential since these events can be very sudden and hazardous. Climate change is expected to increase flash floods intensity and frequency in the Mediterranean region, thus enhancing such events will also impact the adjacent riparian vegetation. The aim of this study was to capture and record the fluvial-geomorphological changes of the torrent bed and banks and flood debris events with the use of UAV images along a reach of Kallifytos torrent in northern Greece. In addition, a novel approach to detecting changes and assessing the conditions of the riparian vegetation was conducted by using UAV images that were validated with field data based on a visual protocol. Three flights were conducted using the DJI Spark UAV. Based on the images collected from these flights, orthomosaics were developed. The orthomosaics clearly identified changes in the torrent bed and detected debris flow events after major flood events. In addition, the results on the assessment of riparian vegetation conditions were satisfactory. Utilizing UAV images shows great potential to capture, record, and monitor fluvio-geomorphological events and riparian vegetation. Their utilization would help water managers to develop more sustainable management solutions based on actual field data.
Intermittency, Moments, and Friction Coefficient during the Subcritical Transition of Channel Flow
Authors: Liu Jinsheng , Xiao Yue , Li Mogeng , Tao Jianjun , Xu Shengjin
Published: December 2020

The intermittent distribution of localized turbulent structures is a key feature of the subcritical transitions in channel flows, which are studied in this paper with a wind channel and theoretical modeling. Entrance disturbances are introduced by small beads, and localized turbulent patches can be triggered at low Reynolds numbers (Re). High turbulence intensity represents strong ability of perturbation spread, and a maximum turbulence intensity is found for every test case as Re ≥ 950, where the turbulence fraction increases abruptly with Re. Skewness can reflect the velocity defects of localized turbulent patches and is revealed to become negative when Re is as low as about 660. It is shown that the third-order moments of the midplane streamwise velocities have minima, while the corresponding forth-order moments have maxima during the transition. These kinematic extremes and different variation scenarios of the friction coefficient during the transition are explained with an intermittent structure model, where the robust localized turbulent structure is simplified as a turbulence unit, a structure whose statistical properties are only weak functions of the Reynolds number.
Testing of Multifractional Brownian Motion
Authors: Balcerek Michał , Burnecki Krzysztof
Published: December 2020

Fractional Brownian motion (FBM) is a generalization of the classical Brownian motion. Most of its statistical properties are characterized by the self-similarity (Hurst) index 0<H<1. In nature one often observes changes in the dynamics of a system over time. For example, this is true in single-particle tracking experiments where a transient behavior is revealed. The stationarity of increments of FBM restricts substantially its applicability to model such phenomena. Several generalizations of FBM have been proposed in the literature. One of these is called multifractional Brownian motion (MFBM) where the Hurst index becomes a function of time. In this paper, we introduce a rigorous statistical test on MFBM based on its covariance function. We consider three examples of the functions of the Hurst parameter: linear, logistic, and periodic. We study the power of the test for alternatives being MFBMs with different linear, logistic, and periodic Hurst exponent functions by utilizing Monte Carlo simulations. We also analyze mean-squared displacement (MSD) for the three cases of MFBM by comparing the ensemble average MSD and ensemble average time average MSD, which is related to the notion of ergodicity breaking. We believe that the presented results will be helpful in the analysis of various anomalous diffusion phenomena.
Information Bottleneck: Theory and Applications in Deep Learning
Authors: Geiger Bernhard C. , Kubin Gernot
Published: December 2020

The information bottleneck (IB) framework, proposed in [...]
Lp Unit Spheres and the α-Geometries: Questions and Perspectives
Authors: Gibilisco Paolo
Published: December 2020

In Information Geometry, the unit sphere of Lp spaces plays an important role. In this paper, the aim is list a number of open problems, in classical and quantum IG, which are related to Lp geometry.
A Systematic Review of Statistical and Machine Learning Methods for Electrical Power Forecasting with Reported MAPE Score
Authors: Vivas Eliana , Allende-Cid Héctor , Salas Rodrigo
Published: December 2020

Electric power forecasting plays a substantial role in the administration and balance of current power systems. For this reason, accurate predictions of service demands are needed to develop better programming for the generation and distribution of power and to reduce the risk of vulnerabilities in the integration of an electric power system. For the purposes of the current study, a systematic literature review was applied to identify the type of model that has the highest propensity to show precision in the context of electric power forecasting. The state-of-the-art model in accurate electric power forecasting was determined from the results reported in 257 accuracy tests from five geographic regions. Two classes of forecasting models were compared: classical statistical or mathematical (MSC) and machine learning (ML) models. Furthermore, the use of hybrid models that have made significant contributions to electric power forecasting is identified, and a case of study is applied to demonstrate its good performance when compared with traditional models. Among our main findings, we conclude that forecasting errors are minimized by reducing the time horizon, that ML models that consider various sources of exogenous variability tend to have better forecast accuracy, and finally, that the accuracy of the forecasting models has significantly increased over the last five years.
Whole Time Series Data Streams Clustering: Dynamic Profiling of the Electricity Consumption
Authors: Gajowniczek Krzysztof , Bator Marcin , Ząbkowski Tomasz
Published: December 2020

Data from smart grids are challenging to analyze due to their very large size, high dimensionality, skewness, sparsity, and number of seasonal fluctuations, including daily and weekly effects. With the data arriving in a sequential form the underlying distribution is subject to changes over the time intervals. Time series data streams have their own specifics in terms of the data processing and data analysis because, usually, it is not possible to process the whole data in memory as the large data volumes are generated fast so the processing and the analysis should be done incrementally using sliding windows. Despite the proposal of many clustering techniques applicable for grouping the observations of a single data stream, only a few of them are focused on splitting the whole data streams into the clusters. In this article we aim to explore individual characteristics of electricity usage and recommend the most suitable tariff to the customer so they can benefit from lower prices. This work investigates various algorithms (and their improvements) what allows us to formulate the clusters, in real time, based on smart meter data.