bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Cosmic Ray Effects on Sentinel-1 SAR Satellite Data
Authors: Köksal Hakan , Demir Nusret , Kilcik Ali
Published: March 2021

Ionizing radiation sources such as Solar Energetic Particles and Galactic Cosmic Radiation may cause unexpected errors in imaging and communication systems of satellites in the Space environment, as reported in the previous literature. In this study, the temporal variation of the speckle values on Sentinel 1 satellite images were compared with the cosmic ray intensity/count data, to analyze the effects which may occur in the electromagnetic wave signals or electronic system. Sentinel 1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images nearby to the cosmic ray stations and acquired between January 2015 and December 2019 were processed. The median values of the differences between speckle filtered and original image were calculated on Google Earth Engine Platform per month. The monthly median “noise” values were compared with the cosmic ray intensity/count data acquired from the stations. Eight selected stations’ data show that there are significant correlations between cosmic ray intensities and the speckle amounts. The Pearson correlation values vary between 0.62 and 0.78 for the relevant stations.
Growth Responses and Accumulation Characteristics of Three Ornamental Plants to Sn Contamination in Soil
Authors: Liu Yuxia , Xu Weili , Wang Yi , Hao Weiduo , Zhou Qixing , Liu Jianv
Published: March 2021

Decorative ornamental plants have been applied as hyperaccumulators/phytoremediators to a wide spectrum of heavy metal contaminants. In this study, pot culture experiments were conducted to investigate the Sn tolerance and accumulation in Impatiens balsamina L., Mirabilis jalapa L. and Tagetes erecta L., in order to assess the possibility of these three ornamental plants to be used as phytoremediators of Sn-contaminated soil. Results show that all three plants exhibited strong tolerance to Sn contamination, and no significant visual toxicity was observed for all three plants grown under most of the Sn treatments. The amount of Sn accumulated in the three plants was positively correlated with the Sn concentration in the soil. The order of the Sn accumulative capacity was Impatiens balsamina > Mirabilis jalapa > Tagetes erecta. Impatiens balsamina and Tagetes erecta showed a low translocation ability (TF) (<1), and the roots accumulated the highest Sn concentration, but Impatiens balsamina showed a relatively high bioconcentration factor (BCF, Sn concentration in each part > 100 mg/kg after Sn treatment of 500 mg/kg). Meanwhile, the TF of Mirabilis jalapa was >1, and the fluorescence accumulated the most Sn. In combination with the adaptation to high concentrations of various heavy metals, these three ornamental plants are potential candidates for Sn mining tailings or contaminated soil.
Effect of Ploughing Techniques on Water Use and Yield of Rice in Maugo Small-Holder Irrigation Scheme, Kenya
Authors: Cheboi Pius , Siddiqui Shahida , Onyando Japheth , Kiptum Clement , Heinz Volker
Published: March 2021

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of paddy rice ploughing techniques on water use and the yield of rice crop, as well as water use efficiency for rice growing in small-holder irrigation schemes. The study was conducted at a farmer’s field in Powo B sub-block of Maugo Irrigation Scheme. The period of study was from July 2019 to January 2020, which is the rice season. The experimental site was located in the vicinity of Olare Shopping Centre, Kamenya Sub-location, Kochia East Location, Kochia Ward, Rangwe Sub-County, Homa Bay County, Nyanza Region, Kenya in Maugo rice scheme in Kenya. In the study, four irrigation tillage practices were applied: ox-plough, conventional ox-plough, hand hoe and tractor ploughing. The results showed that conventional ox-ploughing consumed the highest amount of water at 1240 mm. The highest water use efficiency of 0.49 kg/m3 and highest yield of 5.7 tons/ha were observed for hand hoe ploughing. Use of the hand hoe ploughing technique increased yields by 20 percent, as compared to the conventional ox-ploughing. Therefore, the use of water for ploughing is not necessary in the study area. Future research will be needed to see how farmers are adopting the technology before scaling up to full mechanization, as partial mechanization was not profitable.
Effects of Cultivar, Nitrogen Rate and Harvest Time on the Content of Carbohydrates and Protein in the Biomass of Perennial Ryegrass
Authors: Olszewska Marzenna
Published: March 2021

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of cultivar, nitrogen (N) rate and harvest time on the content of water-soluble carbohydrates (WSC), crude protein (CP) and the WSC:CP ratio in the aboveground biomass of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). A small-area field experiment was conducted in the Agricultural Experiment Station in Tomaszkowo (53°42′40.8″ N 20°26′04.7″ E, north-eastern Poland). Data were presented for three years of full utilization (2013–2015). The experimental factors were as follows: (i) perennial ryegrass cultivar: Bajka and Baronka, (ii) N rate (kg ha−1): 0, 120, and 240, and (iii) harvest time: 8.00–10.00 a.m., 12.00–2.00 p.m., and 4.00–6.00 p.m. The tetraploid cultivar Baronka had higher WSC content and lower CP content on a dry matter (DM) basis than the diploid cultivar Bajka (by approx. 3% on average). An increase in N fertilizer rate to 240 kg ha−1 contributed to a decrease in WSC concentrations by 23% in cv. Bajka and by 19% in cv. Baronka, and to an increase in the CP content of aboveground biomass by 32% and 23%, respectively. Both cultivars accumulated significantly higher WSC amounts when biomass was harvested at noon and in the afternoon than in the morning. The CP content of biomass was also affected by harvest time, and it was higher in cv. Bajka when harvesting was carried out at 12.00–2.00 p.m. and 4.00–6.00 p.m., and in cv. Baronka when harvesting was carried out at 4.00–6.00 p.m. The WSC:CP ratio in the biomass of the analyzed cultivars was within the optimal range for ruminants, and it was higher in cv. Baronka (1:1.11). Nitrogen applied at 240 kg ha−1 had a negative influence on the WSC:CP ratio, decreasing its value by around 36% (relative to the rate of 120 kg N ha−1) and around 35% (relative to the unfertilized treatment). In both perennial ryegrass cultivars, biomass harvested in the morning was characterized by the lowest WSC:CP ratio.
B-Mode and Contrast Enhanced Ultrasonography Features of Gastric Inflammatory and Neoplastic Diseases in Dogs
Authors: Simeoni Francesco , Del Signore Francesca , Aste Giovanni , Bargellini Paolo , Rubini Giuseppe , Terragni Rossella , Tamburro Roberto , Falerno Ilaria , de Pasquale Francesco , Russo Marco , Vignoli Massimo
Published: March 2021

Canine gastric disorders are common in veterinary clinical practice and among these neoplasms require rapid identification and characterization. Standard ultrasound (US) is the imaging modality of choice for gastric wall assessment. The aim of this prospective study is to describe the specific B-mode and contrast enhanced US (CEUS) features of normal, inflammatory, and neoplastic gastric wall in dogs. B-mode US and CEUS of the stomach were performed in anesthetized dogs with or without gastric disorders. Gastric wall qualitative and quantitative parameters were evaluated on B-mode US and CEUS examination. A total of 41 dogs were included: 6 healthy (HEA) as the control group; 9 gastritis (INF); 8 adenocarcinoma (AC); 8 alimentary lymphoma (AL); 4 leiomyosarcoma (LEIS); 2 gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST); 2 leiomyoma; 1 undifferentiated sarcoma; 1 metastatic gastric hemangiosarcoma. Gastric tumors appear as a marked wall thickness with absent layers definition and possible regional lymphadenopathy (AC and AL) and steatitis (AC) while gastritis generally shows no/mild thickening and no other alterations on B-mode US. On CEUS, neoplasm shows a higher and faster wash in if compared to that of gastritis. B-mode and CEUS assessment may be useful in the evaluation of canine gastric disorders in the distinction between gastritis and gastric neoplasms, even if there are no specific features able to discriminate between the different tumor histotypes.
Methods Used and Application of the Mouse Grimace Scale in Biomedical Research 10 Years on: A Scoping Review
Authors: Whittaker Alexandra L. , Liu Yifan , Barker Timothy H.
Published: March 2021

The Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS) was developed 10 years ago as a method for assessing pain through the characterisation of changes in five facial features or action units. The strength of the technique is that it is proposed to be a measure of spontaneous or non-evoked pain. The time is opportune to map all of the research into the MGS, with a particular focus on the methods used and the technique’s utility across a range of mouse models. A comprehensive scoping review of the academic literature was performed. A total of 48 articles met our inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The MGS has been employed mainly in the evaluation of acute pain, particularly in the pain and neuroscience research fields. There has, however, been use of the technique in a wide range of fields, and based on limited study it does appear to have utility for pain assessment across a spectrum of animal models. Use of the method allows the detection of pain of a longer duration, up to a month post initial insult. There has been less use of the technique using real-time methods and this is an area in need of further research.
Using Google Trends to Determine Current, Past, and Future Trends in the Reptile Pet Trade
Authors: Valdez Jose W.
Published: March 2021

Reptiles are one of the most popular exotic pets in the world, with over a third of all described species currently being traded. However, the most commonly available reptiles are typically non-threatened, captive-bred, and/or domestically obtained, which means they are also largely unregulated and unmonitored, resulting in a large portion of the reptile pet trade remaining unknown. In this study, the past, current, and future trends of the most popular reptiles in the pet trade were examined. Google Trends was used to determine the global popularity of the most popular pets from 2004 to 2020 and compared to the results from an online survey sent to individuals involved in the reptile trade. The most popular pets from the previous five years were also compared globally across regions and countries. The results determined that the most popular reptile species during the last decade is by far bearded dragons, followed by ball pythons and leopard geckos. Although the survey results were similar when asked what the top reptiles were, most respondents named ball pythons as the most popular reptile. However, when asked what reptiles had lost the most popularity during the previous decade, the survey respondents named green iguanas, Burmese pythons, chameleons, red-eared sliders, and green anoles, concurring with what was found with Google Trends. The reptiles thought to be more popular in the upcoming decade by the survey participants were blue-tongued skinks, tegus, uromastyx, crested geckos, and ball pythons—most of which did indeed show an increase in popularity during the last decade, as indicated with Google Trends. The results from Google Trends demonstrated that ball pythons and crested geckos have increased their popularity more than any other reptile in the last two decades. Reptile popularity also differed between countries, with bearded dragons the most popular reptile in Australia, Western Europe, the U.S., and Canada. Leopard geckos were the most popular reptile in Italy and Turkey, and ball pythons were the reptile of choice in Mexico, Indonesia, and India. The general finding of this study is that the reptiles declining in popularity were mostly wild-caught or restricted due to regulations, while current and future species were captive-bred and available in many varieties or morphs. The most popular species were also docile, medium-sized, and easy to handle, with relatively simple care requirements. This study demonstrates that Google Trends can be a useful tool for determining relative popularity among reptiles, or any other pet group, with results closely mirroring those obtained through direct surveying of people involved in the pet trade. However, unlike surveys, this analysis is quick, quantifiable, and can show what is popular and in-demand not only at the global level but at much finer scales. Thus, Google Trends can be a valuable tool in many research applications, especially in topics that may otherwise be difficult to monitor and quantify.
A Very Low CP Level Reduced Diarrhoea and Productivity in Weaner Pigs, but No Differences between Post-Weaning Diets Including Soybean Meal or Soy Protein Concentrate Were Found
Authors: Lynegaard Julie C. , Kjeldsen Niels J. , Bache Julie K. , Weber Nicolai R. , Hansen Christian F. , Nielsen Jens Peter , Amdi Charlotte
Published: March 2021

Soy protein concentrate improves nutrient utilization and growth performance compared to soybean meal, and diets with a low crude protein (CP) level decreases diarrhoea. The objectives were to (1) test a low CP diet based on different soy products, and (2) to test a very-low CP diet (15.1%) with amino acids (AA) on diarrhoea and productivity. A total of 5,635 weaned pigs (~28 days), were assigned to five dietary treatments; PC (positive control): Standard CP levels (192, 189, 191 g/kg CP) with 2500 ppm ZnO; NC (negative control): Same as PC without ZnO; SP (Soy protein concentrate): Low CP levels (176, 174, 191 g/kg CP); SB (Soybean meal): Low CP levels (177, 176, 191 g/kg CP); and XLA (X-low CP + AA): Very low CP levels (154, 151, 191 g/kg CP) with AA. The PC and XLA diets reduced diarrhoea by 41 and 61%, respectively, compared to the NC group, while no difference between SB and SP were observed. The XLA diet reduced feed intake and daily gain compared with PC and NC, where SP, SB, and XLA had a poorer feed conversion compared with PC. Conclusively, the SP and SB low-protein diets did not reduce diarrhoea or growth performance, whereas the XLA diet decreased both diarrhoea and performance.
Designing a National Veterinary Prescribing Champion Programme for Welsh Veterinary Practices: The Arwain Vet Cymru Project
Authors: Rees Gwen M. , Bard Alison , Reyher Kristen K.
Published: March 2021

Antimicrobial use in agriculture has been identified as an area of focus for reducing overall antimicrobial use and improving stewardship. In this paper, we outline the design of a complex antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) intervention aimed at developing a national Veterinary Prescribing Champion programme for Welsh farm animal veterinary practices. We describe the process by which participants were encouraged to design and deliver bespoke individualised AMS activities at practice level by forging participant “champion” identities and communities of practice through participatory and educational online activities. We describe the key phases identified as important when designing this complex intervention, namely (i) involving key collaborators in government and industry to stimulate project engagement; (ii) grounding the design in the literature, the results of stakeholder engagement, expert panel input, and veterinary clinician feedback to promote contextual relevance and appropriateness; and (iii) taking a theoretical approach to implementing intervention design to foster critical psychological needs for participant motivation and scheme involvement. With recruitment of over 80% of all farm animal practices in Wales to the programme, we also describe demographic data of the participating Welsh Veterinary Prescribing Champions in order to inform recruitment and design of future AMS programmes.
Regulation of miRNAs by Natural Antioxidants in Cardiovascular Diseases: Focus on SIRT1 and eNOS
Authors: Lee Yunna , Im Eunok
Published: March 2021

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the most common cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The potential benefits of natural antioxidants derived from supplemental nutrients against CVDs are well known. Remarkably, natural antioxidants exert cardioprotective effects by reducing oxidative stress, increasing vasodilation, and normalizing endothelial dysfunction. Recently, considerable evidence has highlighted an important role played by the synergistic interaction between endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) in the maintenance of endothelial function. To provide a new perspective on the role of natural antioxidants against CVDs, we focused on microRNAs (miRNAs), which are important posttranscriptional modulators in human diseases. Several miRNAs are regulated via the consumption of natural antioxidants and are related to the regulation of oxidative stress by targeting eNOS and/or SIRT1. In this review, we have discussed the specific molecular regulation of eNOS/SIRT1-related endothelial dysfunction and its contribution to CVD pathologies; furthermore, we selected nine different miRNAs that target the expression of eNOS and SIRT1 in CVDs. Additionally, we have summarized the alteration of miRNA expression and regulation of activities of miRNA through natural antioxidant consumption.
Disruption of Endoplasmic Reticulum and ROS Production in Human Ovarian Cancer by Campesterol
Authors: Bae Hyocheol , Park Sunwoo , Yang Changwon , Song Gwonhwa , Lim Whasun
Published: March 2021

Phytosterols, which are present in a variety of foods, exhibit various physiological functions and do not have any side effects. Here, we attempted to identify functional role of campesterol in regulation of oxidative stress by leading to cell death of ovarian cancer. We investigated the effects of campesterol on cancer cell aggregation using a three-dimensional (3D) culture of human ovarian cancer cells. The effects of campesterol on apoptosis, protein expression, proliferation, the cell cycle, and the migration of these cells were determined to unravel the underlying mechanism. We also investigated whether campesterol regulates mitochondrial function, the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and calcium concentrations. Our results show that campesterol activates cell death signals and cell death in human ovarian cancer cells. Excessive calcium levels and ROS production were induced by campesterol in the two selected ovarian cancer cell lines. Moreover, campesterol suppressed cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and cell aggregation in ovarian cancer cells. Campesterol also enhanced the anticancer effects of conventional anticancer agents. The present study shows that campesterol can be used as a novel anticancer drug for human ovarian cancer.
Data Mining Techniques for Early Diagnosis of Diabetes: A Comparative Study
Authors: Chaves Luís , Marques Gonçalo
Published: March 2021

Diabetes is a life-long condition that is well-known in the 21st century. Once known as a disease of the West, the rise of diabetes has been fed by a nutrition shift, rapid urbanization and increasingly sedentary lifestyles. In late 2019, a new public health concern was emerging (COVID-19), with a particular hazard concerning people living with diabetes. Medical institutes have been collecting data for years. We expect to achieve predictions for pathological complications, which hopefully will prevent the loss of lives and improve the quality of life using data mining processes. This work proposes a comparative study of data mining techniques for early diagnosis of diabetes. We use a publicly accessible data set containing 520 instances, each with 17 attributes. Naive Bayes, Neural Network, AdaBoost, k-Nearest Neighbors, Random Forest and Support Vector Machine methods have been tested. The results suggest that Neural Networks should be used for diabetes prediction. The proposed model presents an AUC of 98.3% and 98.1% accuracy, an F1-Score, Precision and Sensitivity of 98.4% and a Specificity of 97.5%.
Design and Performance Analysis of the Hydropneumatic Suspension System for a Novel Road-Rail Vehicle
Authors: Qin Bonan , Zeng Riya , Li Xiaoman , Yang Jue
Published: March 2021

Road-rail vehicles built on traditional vehicle chassis can only switch operation modes at particular areas such as level crossings, thus limiting the working scope and efficiency of routine railway inspection and maintenance. This paper proposes a novel tracked chassis for the road-rail vehicle with a multi-cylinder hydropneumatic suspension system, which can better adapt to rough terrains and enhance the vehicle ride performance. Based on this hydropneumatic suspension design, the single-cylinder mathematical model is derived and validated by experimental data. An in-plane multi-body dynamics (MBD) model and road model are established, combined with the hydropneumatic suspension model, including the LuGre friction force. Virtual tests are conducted to investigate the effects of different initial gas volumes, varied diameters and damping pipe lengths on the ride performance. The results indicate that improper damping pipe diameter and charge gas volume will deteriorate the ride performance, which provides a useful reference for the optimization design and control of the hydropneumatic system.
Colour Ageing in Acrylic Resin Plates and Natural Minerals on the Façade after 10 Years of Sun Exposure in the Marine Environment
Authors: González-Avilés Ángel Benigno , Echarri-Iribarren Víctor , Galiano-Garrigós Antonio , Rizo-Maestre Carlos , Pérez-Millán María Isabel
Published: March 2021

The synthetic material developed by Dupont in 1963 for solid surfaces has been used since its origin for numerous applications. One of the most popular ones in the last decade is as a finishing layer on façades. The first references that contemplated this use on the outside were the Seeko’o hotel in Bordeaux executed in 2007 and the refurbishment of the 7700 m2 shell of the Hôtel Ivoire congress centre in Abidjan (Ivory Coast) in 2009. In Spain, the first example of the installation of this material is the rehabilitation of the main building of the La Rotonda de la Playa de San Juan urbanisation in Alicante, designed in 1965 by the architect Juan Guardiola Gaya and rehabilitated in 2010 by Miguel Salvador Landmann. Ten years later, our research is focused on the study of the colour ageing of the acrylic resin and natural mineral sheets on each of its façades, with different orientations and exposure to sea and wind. To this end, it has been studied the solar radiation of the surfaces, the wind exposure of their façades and tests with a tele-spectroradiometer has been carried out. The study makes it possible to quantify the differences in colour in all of them and to state that the combination of wind and radiation is the main atmospheric agent causing the degradation.
Internal Force on and Deformation of Steel Assembled Supporting Structure of Foundation Pit under Thermal Stress
Authors: Wang Fu , Shi Guijun , Zhai Wenbo , Li Bin , Zhang Chao , Fang Hongyuan
Published: March 2021

The steel assembled support structure of a foundation pit can be assembled easily with high strength and recycling value. Steel’s performance is significantly affected by the surrounding temperature due to its temperature sensitivity. Here, a full-scale experiment was conducted to study the influence of temperature on the internal force and deformation of supporting structures, and a three-dimensional finite element model was established for comparative analysis. The test results showed that under the temperature effect, the deformation of the central retaining pile was composed of rigid rotation and flexural deformation, while the adjacent pile of central retaining pile only experienced flexural deformation. The stress on the retaining pile crown changed little, while more stress accumulated at the bottom. Compared with the crown beam and waist beam 2, the stress on waist beam 1 was significantly affected by the temperature and increased by about 0.70 MPa/°C. Meanwhile, the stress of the rigid panel was greatly affected by the temperature, increasing 78% and 82% when the temperature increased by 15 °C on rigid panel 1 and rigid panel 2, respectively. The comparative simulation results indicated that the bending moment and shear strength of pile 1 were markedly affected by the temperature, but pile 2 and pile 3 were basically stable. Lastly, as the temperature varied, waist beam 2 had the largest change in the deflection, followed by waist beam 1; the crown beam experienced the smallest change in the deflection.
Accurate Prediction of Hourly Energy Consumption in a Residential Building Based on the Occupancy Rate Using Machine Learning Approaches
Authors: Truong Le Hoai My , Chow Ka Ho Karl , Luevisadpaibul Rungsimun , Thirunavukkarasu Gokul Sidarth , Seyedmahmoudian Mehdi , Horan Ben , Mekhilef Saad , Stojcevski Alex
Published: March 2021

In this paper, a novel deep neural network-based energy prediction algorithm for accurately forecasting the day-ahead hourly energy consumption profile of a residential building considering occupancy rate is proposed. Accurate estimation of residential load profiles helps energy providers and utility companies develop an optimal generation schedule to address the demand. Initially, a comprehensive multi-criteria analysis of different machine learning approaches used in energy consumption predictions was carried out. Later, a predictive micro-grid model was formulated to synthetically generate the stochastic load profiles considering occupancy rate as the critical input. Finally, the synthetically generated data were used to train the proposed eight-layer deep neural network-based model and evaluated using root mean square error and coefficient of determination as metrics. Observations from the results indicated that the proposed energy prediction algorithm yielded a coefficient of determination of 97.5% and a significantly low root mean square error of 111 Watts, thereby outperforming the other baseline approaches, such as extreme gradient boost, multiple linear regression, and simple/shallow artificial neural network.
Influence of Ecological Restoration on Mercury Mobility and Microbial Activities on Former Guyanese Mining Sites
Authors: Couic Ewan , Alphonse Vanessa , Livet Alexandre , Giusti-Miller Stéphanie , Bousserrhine Noureddine
Published: March 2021

As rehabilitation efforts in Guyana are recent, there is little information on the effect of different ecological rehabilitation protocols for Guyana’s mining sites on biogeochemical cycles and mercury mobility. This study was conducted to assess the impact of different ecological restoration protocols on soil quality with the use of soil microbial indicators and by estimating the mercury mobility. We sampled soil from six rehabilitated mining sites in French Guyana with different ecological restoration procedures. We carried out measurements of enzymatic activities and an analysis of mercury environmental speciation to assess its potential toxicity according to a mobility gradient. The results obtained in this study show that the rehabilitation of mining sites has been carried out in a heterogeneous manner and soil quality is very variable, even in nearby sites. Sites that have been rehabilitated with fabaceous species have positive soil quality indicators. In addition, the results highlight a change in mercury mobility that is 82.1% correlated after co-inertia analysis with soil texture properties, which also confirms a direct effect of rehabilitation on mercury mobility. The non-restored sites had a much higher potential of mercury mobility and toxicity than the sites where ecological restoration was successful. These results highlight the positive effect of controlled rehabilitation and ecological restoration on microbiological activities and the potential toxicity of mercury.
Effects of Heat Treatment of Selective Laser Melting Printed Ti-6Al-4V Specimens on Surface Texture Parameters and Cell Attachment
Authors: Peng Pei-Wen , Yang Jen-Chang , Lee Wei-Fang , Fang Chih-Yuan , Chang Chun-Ming , Chen I-Jan , Hsu Chengpo , Yang Tzu-Sen
Published: March 2021

Selective laser melting (SLM) is extensively used for fabricating metallic biomedical products. After 3D printing, it is almost always advisable to apply a heat treatment to release the internal tensions or optimize the mechanical properties of the printed parts. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effects of heat treatment of SLM printed Ti-6Al-4V (Ti64) circular specimens on the areal surface texture parameters and cell attachment. Areal surface texture parameters, including the arithmetic mean height (Sa), root-mean-square height (Sq), skewness (Ssk), and kurtosis (Sku) were characterized. In addition, wavelet-based multi-resolution analysis was applied to investigate the characteristic length scales of untreated and heat-treated Ti64 specimens. In this study, the vertical distance between the highest and lowest position of cell attachment for each sampling area was defined as ΔH. Results showed that an increase in the periodic characteristic length scale was primarily due to the formation of large-scale aggregations of Ti64 metal powder particles on the heat-treated surface. In addition, MG-63 cells preferred lying in concave hollows; in heat-treated specimens, values of ΔH statistically significantly decreased from 31.6 ± 4.2 to 8.8 ± 2.8 μm, while Sku decreased from 3.3 ± 1.4 to 2.6 ± 0.6, indicating a strong influence of Sku on cell attachment.
Comparing Ensemble-Based Machine Learning Classifiers Developed for Distinguishing Hypokinetic Dysarthria from Presbyphonia
Authors: Byeon Haewon
Published: March 2021

It is essential to understand the voice characteristics in the normal aging process to accurately distinguish presbyphonia from neurological voice disorders. This study developed the best ensemble-based machine learning classifier that could distinguish hypokinetic dysarthria from presbyphonia using classification and regression tree (CART), random forest, gradient boosting algorithm (GBM), and XGBoost and compared the prediction performance of models. The subjects of this study were 76 elderly patients diagnosed with hypokinetic dysarthria and 174 patients with presbyopia. This study developed prediction models for distinguishing hypokinetic dysarthria from presbyphonia by using CART, GBM, XGBoost, and random forest and compared the accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of the development models to identify the prediction performance of them. The results of this study showed that random forest had the best prediction performance when it was tested with the test dataset (accuracy = 0.83, sensitivity = 0.90, and specificity = 0.80, and area under the curve (AUC) = 0.85). The main predictors for detecting hypokinetic dysarthria were Cepstral peak prominence (CPP), jitter, shimmer, L/H ratio, L/H ratio_SD, CPP max (dB), CPP min (dB), and CPPF0 in the order of magnitude. Among them, CPP was the most important predictor for identifying hypokinetic dysarthria.
Improved Power Normalized Cepstrum Coefficient Based on Wavelet Packet Decomposition for Trunk Borer Detection in Harsh Acoustic Environment
Authors: Zhou Huanyu , He Ziqi , Sun Liping , Zhang Dongyan , Zhou Hongwei , Li Xiaodong
Published: March 2021

The sound-detection method of trunk borer is a very promising method in the field of forestry prevention and control of trunk borers. However, the detection accuracy of commonly used algorithms often decreases sharply in the case of noise reverberation interference. In practical applications, the sound monitoring of trunk borers often takes place in a harsh acoustic environment. To solve this problem, we intend to introduce methods which are effective in other related acoustic fields. Unfortunately, most of the methods are not suitable for acoustic detection of trunk borers and perform extremely poorly. After trying various methods, we found that Power-Normalized Cepstral Coefficients (PNCC) performed well in some cases, while it did not in others. This is due to the difference between speech and trunk borer sound. Therefore, an improved anti-noise PNCC based on wavelet package is proposed. The dmey wavlet system always obtains the best performance. We collected the audio of the following five dry borer pests for testing. They are red palm weevil, mountain pine beetle, red necked longicorn, Asian longhorn beetle and citrus longhorn beetle. In the experimental part, we used genetic algorithm-support vector machine (GA-SVM) as a classifier to compare Mel Cepstral Coefficients (MFCC), which are the most common methods in the field of audio detection of trunk borer, PNCC and improved PNCC in a variety of noise environments. The results showed that, compared with other methods, the newly proposed method can often achieve better results. The above experiments take the audio clips made of clear pest sound mixed noise. In order to further verify the effectiveness of the method, we designed another experiment with a harsh outdoor acoustic environment. We found that the proposed method achieved 88% accuracy and the traditional PNCC achieved 78% accuracy. However, the Mel cepstrum coefficient completely lost its ability to distinguish. In sum, the proposed PNCC based on wavelet packet decomposition can be used as a detection method for trunk borer in the harsh acoustic environment. This method has many advantages, including simple extraction and strong robustness to noise. Combined with cheap audio acquisition equipment, this method can effectively improve the early warning ability of forestry borer pests.
Study on the Leakage and Inter-Stage Pressure Drop Characteristics of Two-Stage Finger Seal
Authors: Zhao Hailin , Su Hua , Chen Guoding , Zhang Yanchao
Published: March 2021

To solve the high leakage and high wear problems faced by sealing devices in aeroengines under the condition of high axial pressure difference, the two-stage finger seal is proposed in this paper. The finite element method and computational fluid dynamics (FEM/CFD) coupling iterative algorithm of the two-stage finger seal is developed and validated. Then the performance advantages of two-stage finger seal compared to the one-stage finger seal are studied, as well as the leakage and the inter-stage pressure drop characteristics of two-stage finger seal are investigated. Finally, the measure to improve the inter-stage imbalance of pressure drop of two-stage finger seal is proposed. The results show that the two-stage finger seal has lower leakage and lower contact pressure than the one-stage finger seal at high axial pressure difference, but there exists an inter-stage imbalance of pressure drop. Increasing the axial pressure difference and the root mean square (RMS) roughness of finger element can aggravate the imbalance of pressure drop, while the radial displacement excitation of rotor has little influence on it. The results also indicate that the inter-stage imbalance of pressure drop of the two-stage finger seal can be improved by increasing the number of finger elements of the 1st finger seal and decreasing the number of finger elements of the 2nd finger seal.
Mechanical Properties of Selected Epoxy Adhesive and Adhesive Joints of Steel Sheets
Authors: Rudawska Anna
Published: March 2021

The article presents the issues of the mechanical properties of epoxy adhesives and the adhesive joints strength of steel sheets which were made using the epoxy adhesives. The aim of the paper is to study the mechanical properties of epoxy adhesive of different epoxy resin/curing agent ratios (within and above the recommended stoichiometric ratio) and their effect on mechanical properties of adhesive joints of steel sheets. In experimental tests three types of epoxy adhesives, containing a low molecular weight epoxy resin based on bisphenol A and polyamide curing agent, were used. A single-lap adhesive joint type of stainless-steel sheets was also applied. Two types of strength test were used: the compressive strength tests (DIN EN 196-1) for epoxy adhesive samples and the shear strength tests (DIN EN 1465) for adhesive joints. Both the analysis of the strength results of the samples of epoxy adhesive and adhesive joints as well as the failure analysis was carried out. On the basis of the results of strength tests it can be stated that the greatest deformation occurred for the samples of epoxy adhesive containing the modified epoxy resin (epoxy number—0.40) and the polyamide curing agent, and the smallest for the samples of epoxy adhesive containing the basic epoxy resin (epoxy number—0.49–0.52) and the polyamide curing agent. The epoxy adhesives with a smaller amount of curing agent were characterized by higher strength. This applies to all analyzed epoxy resins. The same dependences were obtained for the strength of adhesive joints of steel sheets made of the analyzed epoxy adhesive.
Combating Urban Heat Island Effect—A Review of Reflective Pavements and Tree Shading Strategies
Authors: Cheela V. , John Michele , Biswas Wahidul , Sarker Prabir
Published: March 2021

Pavements occupy about 40% of urban land cover, with 75–80% black top roads, playing a critical role in urban connectivity and mobility. Solar energy is absorbed and stored in pavements leading to an increase in surface temperatures. Decreasing green cover is further contributing to rise in regional temperatures. Due to this activity, the city experiences urban heat island (UHI). This study presents a critical review of the literature on mitigation measures to combat UHI using reflective pavements with an emphasis on durability properties and impacts of tree canopy. The strategies with a focus on application of chip seals, white toppings, and coatings were discussed. Role of surface reflectance, including those from asphalt and concrete pavements, albedo improvements, and technological trends, application of waste materials, and industrial by-products are presented. Also, urban tree shading systems’ contribution to pavement temperature and microclimate systems is presented. The review shows that the development of mitigation measures using tree shading systems can reduce the pavement temperature during daytime and increase human thermal comfort. The outcomes of this review provide a scope for future studies to develop sustainable and state-of-the-art engineering solutions in the field of reflective coatings and urban forest systems.
Influence of Lightweight Aggregate Concrete Materials on Building Energy Performance
Authors: Cavalline Tara L. , Gallegos Jorge , Castrodale Reid W. , Freeman Charles , Liner Jerry , Wall Jody
Published: March 2021

Due to their porous nature, lightweight aggregates have been shown to exhibit thermal properties that are advantageous when used in building materials such as lightweight concrete, grout, mortar, and concrete masonry units. Limited data exist on the thermal properties of materials that incorporate lightweight aggregate where the pore system has not been altered, and very few studies have been performed to quantify the building energy performance of structures constructed using lightweight building materials in commonly utilized structural and building envelope components. In this study, several lightweight concrete and masonry building materials were tested to determine the thermal properties of the bulk materials, providing more accurate inputs to building energy simulation than have previously been used. These properties were used in EnergyPlus building energy simulation models for several types of commercial structures for which materials containing lightweight aggregates are an alternative commonly considered for economic and aesthetic reasons. In a simple model, use of sand lightweight concrete resulted in prediction of 15–17% heating energy savings and 10% cooling energy savings, while use of all lightweight concrete resulted in prediction of approximately 35–40% heating energy savings and 30% cooling energy savings. In more complex EnergyPlus reference models, results indicated superior thermal performance of lightweight aggregate building materials in 48 of 50 building energy simulations. Predicted energy savings for the five models ranged from 0.2% to 6.4%.
Pathologic Response Rates after Neoadjuvant Therapy for Sarcoma: A Single Institution Study
Authors: Seldon Crystal , Shrivastava Gautam , Fernandez Melanie , Jarboe John , Conway Sheila , Pretell Juan , Freedman Laura , Wolfson Aaron , Zhao Wei , Kwon Deukwoo , Rosenberg Andrew , Subhawong Ty , Trent Jonathan , Yechieli Raphael
Published: March 2021

(1) Background: Pathologic necrosis of soft tissue sarcomas (STS) has been used to determine treatment response, but its relationship to neoadjuvant treatments remains indeterminate. In this retrospective, single institution study, we hypothesized that neoadjuvant chemoradiation (NA-CRT) yields higher rates of pathologic complete response (pCR) than neoadjuvant radiation (NA-XRT) or chemotherapy (NA-CT) alone. (2) Methods: Patients with extremity STS between 2011–2020 who received neoadjuvant treatment were included. pCR was defined as percent necrosis of the surgical specimen greater than or equal to 90%. (3) Results: 79 patients were analyzed. 51.9% of the population were male with a mean age of 58.4 years. 49.4% identified as Non-Hispanic White. Twenty-six (32.9%) patients achieved pCR while 53 (67.1%) did not. NA-CT (OR 15.82, 95% CI = 2.58–96.9, p = 0.003 in univariate (UVA) and OR 24.7, 95% CI = 2.88–211.2, p = 0.003 in multivariate (MVA), respectively) and NA-XRT (OR 5.73, 95% CI = 1.51–21.8, p = 0.010 in UVA and OR 7.95, 95% CI = 1.87–33.7, p = 0.005 in MVA, respectively) was significantly associated with non- pCR when compared to NA-CRT. The analysis also demonstrated that grade 3 tumors, when using grade 2 as reference, also had significantly higher odds of achieving pCR (OR 0.23, 95% CI = 0.06–0.80, p = 0.022 in UVA and OR 0.16, 95% CI = 0.04–0.70, p = 0.015 in MVA, respectively). (4) Conclusion: NA-CRT yields superior pCR compared to other neoadjuvant regimens. This extends to higher grade tumors.
Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis—Overview of Disease State, Treatment Options and Future Perspectives
Authors: Watase Chikashi , Shiino Sho , Shimoi Tatsunori , Noguchi Emi , Kaneda Tomoya , Yamamoto Yusuke , Yonemori Kan , Takayama Shin , Suto Akihiko
Published: March 2021

Breast cancer is the second most common origin of brain metastasis after lung cancer. Brain metastasis in breast cancer is commonly found in patients with advanced course disease and has a poor prognosis because the blood–brain barrier is thought to be a major obstacle to the delivery of many drugs in the central nervous system. Therefore, local treatments including surgery, stereotactic radiation therapy, and whole-brain radiation therapy are currently considered the gold standard treatments. Meanwhile, new targeted therapies based on subtype have recently been developed. Some drugs can exceed the blood–brain barrier and enter the central nervous system. New technology for early detection and personalized medicine for metastasis are warranted. In this review, we summarize the historical overview of treatment with a focus on local treatment, the latest drug treatment strategies, and future perspectives using novel therapeutic agents for breast cancer patients with brain metastasis, including ongoing clinical trials.
The Burden of Post-Translational Modification (PTM)—Disrupting Mutations in the Tumor Matrisome
Authors: Holstein Elisa , Dittmann Annalena , Kääriäinen Anni , Pesola Vilma , Koivunen Jarkko , Pihlajaniemi Taina , Naba Alexandra , Izzi Valerio
Published: March 2021

Background: To evaluate the occurrence of mutations affecting post-translational modification (PTM) sites in matrisome genes across different tumor types, in light of their genomic and functional contexts and in comparison with the rest of the genome. Methods: This study spans 9075 tumor samples and 32 tumor types from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Pan-Cancer cohort and identifies 151,088 non-silent mutations in the coding regions of the matrisome, of which 1811 affecting known sites of hydroxylation, phosphorylation, N- and O-glycosylation, acetylation, ubiquitylation, sumoylation and methylation PTM. Results: PTM-disruptive mutations (PTMmut) in the matrisome are less frequent than in the rest of the genome, seem independent of cell-of-origin patterns but show dependence on the nature of the matrisome protein affected and the background PTM types it generally harbors. Also, matrisome PTMmut are often found among structural and functional protein regions and in proteins involved in homo- and heterotypic interactions, suggesting potential disruption of matrisome functions. Conclusions: Though quantitatively minoritarian in the spectrum of matrisome mutations, PTMmut show distinctive features and damaging potential which might concur to deregulated structural, functional, and signaling networks in the tumor microenvironment.
Mid-Term Audit of a National Peritoneal Surface Malignancy Program Implementation in a Low Middle Income Country: The Moroccan Experience
Authors: Souadka Amine , Essangri Hajar , Majbar Mohammed Anass , Benkabbou Amine , Boutayeb Saber , Amrani Laila , Ghannam Abdelilah , El Ahmadi Brahim , Belkhadir Zakaria Houssaïn , Mohsine Raouf , Souadka Abdelilah , Elias Dominique
Published: March 2021

Implementing a multimodal management of peritoneal surface malignancies is a steep and complex process, especially as complete cytoreductive surgery (CRS) is the backbone and the major prognostic factor for hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) procedures. The implementation of such a program is a challenging process, particularly in low-middle income (LMIC) countries where ressource restrictions may represent a major hurdle to HIPEC appliances acquisition. Herein is the first audit of the implementation of a national peritoneal malignancy program in a north African country. The audit process was performed according to the three implementation steps, namely initiation (“1”:2005–2008), transition (“2”:2009–2013) and consolidation (“3”:2014–2017). We included all consecutive CRS without HIPEC performed with curative intent for ovarian, gastric, colorectal and pseudomyxoma peritonei type of malignancies with an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance Status ≤ 2. Target outcomes for incomplete cytoreduction (ICRS), serious complications ≥ 3b according to the Clavien-Dindo scoring, and early oncologic failure (EOF; disease progression within 2 years of treatment) were compared between the three phases. Independent risk factors correlated to these three outcomes were calculated using a logistic regression model.198 CRS procedures were completed with 49, 60 and 89 cases performed in the three phases, respectively. Overall, patients were comparable except for ECOG and ASA scores which were more severe in the third phase. The comparison of ICRS, serious complications and EOF rates showed a significant reduction between the three phases with (34%, 18% and 4% p = <0.001), (30.6%, 20% and 11.2%, p = 0.019) and (38.8%, 23.3% and 12.4% p = 0.002) respectively. Undergoing CRS in phase 3 on the other hand was a predictive factor of better short term surgical and oncological outcomes and completeness of cytoreduction, while ECOG performance status and spleno-pancreatectomy were also predictive factors of serious complications.