bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microbial Community Analysis of Native Pinus sylvestris L. and Alien Pinus mugo L. on Dune Sands as determined by Ecoplates
Authors: Jurkšienė Girmantė , Janušauskaitė Dalia , Baliuckas Virgilijus
Published: November 2020

The Curonian Spit (Lithuanian: Kursiu nerija) is a 98 km long, thin, curved sand-dune spit that separates the Curonian Lagoon from the Baltic Sea coast. The Curonian Spit is home to the highest moving (drifting) sand dunes in Europe. Coniferous woods are prevalent in the Kursiu Nerija National Park (80%). These woods consist mostly of native Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and alien mountain pine (Pinus mugo L.). With the planting of non-native species, there is a need for studies evaluating the effects of alien and native plant species on soil ecosystem properties. We measured soil microbial communities from nearby pairs of native and alien pine species. Forty-two sampling sites of close-growing P. sylvestris and P. mugo were selected. To measure the soil microbial activity in these sites, we used Biolog EcoPlates. We found that the functional diversity of microorganisms that use carbon sources was significantly greater in the mature pine stands. Microbial functional diversity was also greater in the soils of native pine stands. Differences between activity and functional diversity in newly established and old stands were also identified.
Properties of Wood Ceramics Prepared from Thermo-Modified Poplar
Authors: Chen Hongyan , Bahmani Mohsen , Humar Miha , Cheng Dali
Published: November 2020

Wood ceramics (WCS) were prepared from thermo-modified poplar wood residues and untreated poplar wood. At 1000 °C sintering temperature, the ratios of wood powder and phenolic resin at 10:3, 10:6 and 10:9 were tested. The effects of materials on the properties of WCS, carbon yield and volume shrinkage were studied. With the increase in resin content, the carbon yield increased; however, the volume shrinkage decreased. Carbon yield of WCS made from 220 °C thermo-modified poplar wood was 40.45%, as the ratio of wood powder/phenolic resins was 10:6. The microstructure, chemical structure and crystallinity of WCS were analysed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The results showed that WCS had a porous structure. WCS prepared from thermo-modified materials, amorphous carbon and hard glass carbon melted more evenly; meanwhile, there were more pores on glass carbon. The FTIR spectra showed that the stretching vibration of C-O-C weakened at ceramics made of thermo-modified poplar. The XRD pattern indicated that the raw material has no apparent influence on the graphitization degree of WCS.
Allometric Equations for Shrub and Short-Stature Tree Aboveground Biomass within Boreal Ecosystems of Northwestern Canada
Authors: Flade Linda , Hopkinson Christopher , Chasmer Laura
Published: November 2020

Aboveground biomass (AGB) of short-stature shrubs and trees contain a substantial part of the total carbon pool within boreal ecosystems. These ecosystems, however, are changing rapidly due to climate-mediated atmospheric changes, with overall observed decline in woody plant AGB in boreal northwestern Canada. Allometric equations provide a means to quantify woody plant AGB and are useful to understand aboveground carbon stocks as well as changes through time in unmanaged boreal ecosystems. In this paper, we provide allometric equations, regression coefficients, and error statistics to quantify total AGB of shrubs and short-stature trees. We provide species- and genus-specific as well as multispecies allometric models for shrub and tree species commonly found in northwestern boreal forest and peatland ecosystems. We found that the three-dimensional field variable (volume) provided the most accurate prediction of shrub multispecies AGB (R2 = 0.79, p < 0.001), as opposed to the commonly used one-dimensional variable (basal diameter) measured on the longest and thickest stem (R2 = 0.23, p < 0.001). Short-stature tree AGB was most accurately predicted by stem diameter measured at 0.3 m along the stem length (R2 = 0.99, p < 0.001) rather than stem length (R2 = 0.29, p < 0.001). Via the two-dimensional variable cross-sectional area, small-stature shrub AGB was combined with small-stature tree AGB within one single allometric model (R2 = 0.78, p < 0.001). The AGB models provided in this paper will improve our understanding of shrub and tree AGB within rapidly changing boreal environments.
Comparison of Two Ensemble-Kalman Filter Based Methods for Estimating Aquifer Parameters from Real 3-D Hydraulic and Tracer Tomographic Tests
Authors: Sánchez-León Emilio , Leven Carsten , Erdal Daniel , Cirpka Olaf A.
Published: November 2020

Pumping and tracer tests are site-investigation techniques frequently used to determine hydraulic conductivity. Tomographic test layouts, in which multiple tests with different combinations of injection and observation wells are performed, gain a better insight into spatial variability. While hydraulic tomography has repeatedly been applied in the field, tracer tomography lags behind. In a previous publication, we presented a synthetic study to investigate whether the ensemble Kalman Filter (EnKF) or the Kalman Ensemble Generator (KEG) performs better in inverting hydraulic- and tracer-tomographic data. In this work, we develop an experimental method for solute-tracer tomography using fluorescein as a conservative tracer. We performed hydraulic- and tracer-tomographic tests at the Lauswiesen site in Germany. We analyzed transient drawdown and concentration data with the EnKF and steady-state hydraulic heads and mean tracer arrival times with the KEG, obtaining more stable results with the KEG at lower computational costs. The spatial distribution of the estimated hydraulic conductivity field agreed with earlier descriptions of the aquifer at the site. This study narrows the gap between numerical studies and field applications for aquifer characterization at high resolution, showing the potential of combining ensemble-Kalman filter based methods with data collected from hydraulic and solute-tracer tomographic experiments.
The White Sea: Available Data and Numerical Models
Authors: Chernov Ilya , Tolstikov Alexey
Published: November 2020

The White Sea is a small shallow semi-closed sea in the North-West of Russia. It is strongly affected by induced tides, so the tidal motion dominates in the sea. Sea ice is seasonal and the water salinity is less than in the neighbouring Barents sea due to strong river discharge. We review the sources of in-situ and satellite data that are available for the sea, and describe those few numerical models, together with the challenges that are faced. We focus on the large-scale circulation and thermohaline fields, but also cover sea ice, river runoff, and pelagic biogeochemical data.
Continuity of Care and the Quality of Life among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Cross-Sectional Study in Taiwan
Authors: Hsieh Pei-Lun , Yang Fu-Chi , Hu Yi-Fang , Chiu Yi-Wen , Chao Shu-Yuan , Pai Hsiang-Chu , Chen Hsiao-Mei
Published: November 2020

Background: Understanding factors associated with the quality of life (QoL) of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is an important health issue. This study aimed to explore the correlation between continuity of care and quality of life in patients with T2DM and to probe for important explanatory factors affecting quality of life. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional correlation research design. Convenience sampling was adopted to recruit 157 patients, aged 20–80 years and diagnosed with T2DM in the medical ward of a regional hospital in central Taiwan. Results: The overall mean (standard deviation, SD) QOL score was 53.42 (9.48). Hierarchical regression linear analysis showed that age, depression, two variables of potential disability (movement and depression), and the inability to see a specific physician or maintain relational continuity with medical providers were important predictors that could effectively explain 62.0% of the variance of the overall QoL. Conclusions: The relationship between patients and physicians and maintaining relational continuity with the medical providers directly affect patients’ QoL during hospitalization and should be prioritized clinically. Timely interventions should be provided for older adult patients with T2DM, depression, or an inability to exercise to maintain their QoL.
A Qualitative Application of Temporal Self-Regulation Theory to Understand Adherence to Simple and Complex Medication Regimens
Authors: Liddelow Caitlin , Mullan Barbara , Boyes Mark , McBride Hannah
Published: November 2020

Medication adherence is a global health concern, and variables of temporal self-regulation theory (TST) have been shown to be important in improving adherence. This qualitative study aims to explore how TST can help explain medication adherence in people’s daily lives, and whether there are differences in the adherence to simple and complex medication regimens. Twenty-nine participants from Australia engaged in semi-structured interviews based on TST (intention, behavioural prepotency, self-regulation), and other variables important to adherence. Interviews were analysed using thematic analysis. Six themes were identified (Routines, External Supports, Cost, Sense of Agency, Adverse Outcomes, and Weighing Up Pros and Cons), with partial support for TST (specifically intention, past behaviour, cues and planning). Four themes not related to TST were also identified. Individuals with more complex medication regimens spoke of the importance of routines, planning, and knowledge-seeking, whereas those with simpler regimens spoke of the importance of visual cues. TST may be useful for identifying some variables important in medication adherence, however, additional factors were also identified. For simple regimens, future research should focus on the manipulation of visual cues. For complex regimens, health professionals should consider supporting the use of medication management apps to assist in planning and ensuring a consistent routine.
Impact of Urbanization on Large Wood Sizes and Associated Recruitment Zones
Authors: Allen Matthew T. , Vidon Philippe G.
Published: November 2020

Although the presence of large wood (LW) has long been recognized to enhance watershed function, land use impact on LW remains poorly understood. Using a series of six watersheds, we investigate the relationships between LW recruitment zones, LW size, and LW jam occurrence and land use. Although the results in general show urban land use to severely limit LW, they also stress that agricultural land use may be positively correlated to LW. Occurrence of potentially productive LW recruitment zones is nevertheless best correlated to total forest land cover and forested riparian area. However, the lack of mature forest due to previous widespread deforestation linked to historical agricultural land use is likely a limiting legacy effect. Since the pattern of land use seen in the study area is typical of much of the developed world, our results suggest the limiting of LW may be a major way in which watersheds are impacted in many regions. Accordingly, reintroduction of LW represents a significant opportunity to restore watersheds on a broad scale. Specifically, we propose a mix of passive conservation and active restoration of LW sources and that the targeting of these tactics be planned using the spatial analysis methods of this study.
Effects of Multiple Exposures and Ad-Skipping Behavior on Recall of Health Messages on YouTubeTM
Authors: Romberg Alexa R. , Tulsiani Shreya , Kreslake Jennifer M. , Miller Lo Erin J. , Simard Bethany , Rask Amy , Arismendez Shruthi V. , Vallone Donna M. , Hair Elizabeth C.
Published: November 2020

Although measuring exposure to public health messages is key to understanding campaign effectiveness, little is known about how exposure to and avoidance of digital ad messages may influence self-reported ad recall. A sample of 15–24-year-olds (n = 297) received a varying number of forced-view and skippable test ads across multiple simulated YouTubeTM sessions. Each session was coded for whether the participant viewed the ad or skipped it. While a majority of participants recalled the test ad, the odds of ad recall did not vary by number of sessions (opportunities for exposure). Rather, ad recall was sensitive to the number of completed ad views such that odds of ad recall doubled for each additional time the ad was completely viewed. Findings suggest that public health digital message exposure and recall can be optimized with sufficient attention paid to the proportions of forced-view ads aired when aiming to reach younger audiences.
Body Fat Is a Predictor of Physical Fitness in Obese Adolescent Handball Athletes
Authors: Hermassi Souhail , Bragazzi Nicola Luigi , Majed Lina
Published: November 2020

We examined the relationships between body fat (BF) and field measures of physical fitness in adolescent handball players. Twenty nine players (age: 16.6 ± 1.72 years; body mass: 79.8 ± 17.0 kg; height: 1.70 ± 0.12 m; body fat: 27.7 ± 8.67%) from Qatar handball first league performed a series of anthropometric and fitness tests related to their performance in sprinting (i.e., 15 m and 30 m sprint), jumping (i.e., countermovement and squat jumps), throwing (i.e., 3 kg medicine ball seated front throw) and running (i.e., agility T-Half and Yo-Yo intermittent recovery level 1 tests). Significant differences between obese and non-obese groups, classified based on age-stratified %BF norms, were found, with the largest difference being attributed to aerobic performance on the Yo-Yo test. Results indicated no significant relationships between anthropometric variables and sprinting or jumping abilities. %BF predicted a significant 8–15% portion in running performances of agility and aerobic capacity, while the latter were mainly explained by body height and mass. %BF was the only and strongest predictor of throwing performance, being an important determinant of performance in handball. Optimizing %BF should be considered as a training and nutrition goal in order to improve sport performance.
Preexisting Dementia Is Associated with Increased Risks of Mortality and Morbidity Following Major Surgery: A Nationwide Propensity Score Matching Study
Authors: Wu Yu-Ming , Kuo Hsien-Cheng , Li Chun-Cheng , Wu Hsiang-Ling , Chen Jui-Tai , Cherng Yih-Giun , Chen Tzeng-Ji , Dai Ying-Xiu , Liu Hsin-Yi , Tai Ying-Hsuan
Published: November 2020

Patients with dementia are predisposed to multiple physiological abnormalities. It is uncertain if dementia associates with higher rates of perioperative mortality and morbidity. We used reimbursement claims data of Taiwan’s National Health Insurance and conducted propensity score matching analyses to evaluate the risk of mortality and major complications in patients with or without dementia undergoing major surgery between 2004 and 2013. We applied multivariable logistic regressions to calculate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the outcome of interest. After matching to demographic and clinical covariates, 7863 matched pairs were selected for analysis. Dementia was significantly associated with greater risks of 30-day in-hospital mortality (aOR: 1.71, 95% CI: 1.09–2.70), pneumonia (aOR: 1.48, 95% CI: 1.16–1.88), urinary tract infection (aOR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.30–1.96), and sepsis (OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.34–2.34) compared to non-dementia controls. The mortality risk in dementia patients was attenuated but persisted over time, 180 days (aOR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.23–1.81) and 365 days (aOR: 1.52, 95% CI: 1.30–1.78) after surgery. Additionally, patients with dementia were more likely to receive blood transfusion (aOR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.11–1.58) and to need intensive care (aOR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.12–1.76) compared to non-dementia controls. Senile dementia and Alzheimer’s disease were independently associated with higher rates of perioperative mortality and complications, but vascular dementia was not affected. We found that preexisting dementia was associated with mortality and morbidity after major surgery.
Daily Step Counts from the First Thailand National Steps Challenge in 2020: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: Topothai Thitikorn , Suphanchaimat Rapeepong , Tangcharoensathien Viroj , Putthasri Weerasak , Sukaew Thitiporn , Asawutmangkul Udom , Topothai Chompoonut , Piancharoen Peeraya , Piyathawornanan Chonlaphan
Published: November 2020

Thailand’s first national steps challenge has been implemented in 2020 with the goal to raise the level of physical activity nationwide by monitoring achievements through a smartphone application. This study examined the daily step counts of participants in the first national steps challenge. Six data points from 186,653 valid participants were retrieved and analyzed in five periods using Poisson regression. The mean daily steps peaked at 3196 in Period 1, and steadily dropped to 1205 in Period 5. The daily steps per period were analyzed using the participants’ characteristics, such as the type of participant, sex, age, body mass index, and area of residence. The overall mean daily steps of the participants meant physical activity was far below the recommended level and tended to drop in later periods. The general population achieved significantly higher mean daily steps than public health officers or village health volunteers (24.0% by multivariate analysis). Participants who were female, younger (<45 years), obese (body mass index > 30), and living in rural areas had fewer mean daily steps (13.8%, 44.3%, 12.7%, and 14.7% by multivariate analysis, respectively), with statistical significance. In the future, the national steps challenge should be continuously implemented by counting all steps throughout a day, using more strategies to draw attention and raise motivation, advocating for more participants, as well as reporting the whole day step counts instead of distance.
Quality of Life After Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Schmidt-RioValle Jacqueline , Abu Ejheisheh Moath , Membrive-Jiménez María José , Suleiman-Martos Nora , Albendín-García Luis , Correa-Rodríguez María , Gómez-Urquiza José Luis
Published: November 2020

Coronary heart disease is a public health problem and is one of the leading causes of loss of quality of life, disability, and death worldwide. The main procedure these patients undergo is cardiac catheterisation, which helps improve their quality of life, symptoms of myocardial ischemia, and ventricular function, thus helping increase the survival rate of sufferers. It can also, however, lead to physical consequences, including kidney failure, acute myocardial infarction, and stroke. The objective of this study was to analyse how coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) influences quality of life. A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted using the CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, and Cuiden databases in June 2020. A total of 7537 subjects were included, 16 in the systematic review and 3 in the meta-analysis. The studies analysing quality of life using the SF questionnaire showed improvements in the quality of physical and mental appearance, and those using the NHP questionnaire showed score improvements and, in some cases, differences in quality of life between women and men. This operation seems to be a good choice for improving the quality of life of people with coronary pathologies, once the possible existing risks have been assessed.
The ECETOC-Targeted Risk Assessment Tool for Worker Exposure Estimation in REACH Registration Dossiers of Chemical Substances—Current Developments
Authors: Urbanus Jan , Henschel Oliver , Li Qiang , Marsh Dave , Money Chris , Noij Dook , van de Sandt Paul , van Rooij Joost , Wormuth Matthias
Published: November 2020

(1) Background: The ECETOC Targeted Risk Assessment (TRA) tool is widely used for estimation of worker exposure levels in the development of dossiers for REACH registration of manufactured or imported chemical substances in Europe. A number of studies have been published since 2010 in which the exposure estimates of the tool are compared with workplace exposure measurement results and in some instances an underestimation of exposure was reported. The quality and results of these studies are being reviewed by ECETOC. (2) Methods: Original exposure measurement data from published comparison studies for which six or more data points were available for each workplace scenario and a TRA estimate had been developed to create a curated database to examine under what conditions and for which applications the tool is valid or may need adaptation. (3) Results: The published studies have been reviewed for completeness and clarity and TRA estimates have been constructed based on the available information, following a set of rules. The full review findings are expected to be available in the course of 2021. (4) Conclusions: The ECETOC TRA tool developers periodically review the validity and limitations of their tool, in line with international recommendations.
Behavioral Changes During COVID-19 Confinement in France: A Web-Based Study
Authors: Rossinot Hélène , Fantin Romain , Venne Julien
Published: November 2020

Background: A global pandemic due to COVID-19 emerged in November 2019 and hit France in early March 2020. It not only resulted in a loss of lives, but also in very strict confinement measures. The objective of this study was to understand what the determinants of the changes in participants’ behavior and mental state were during the confinement. Methods: An online survey was launched on 23 April 2020 and closed on 7 May 2020. The final sample included 1454 participants from 24 to 65 years old. Descriptive and multivariate analyses were then performed. Results: In total, 28.7% reported having a more balanced diet, against 17.1% with a less balanced diet, 22.7% of respondents reported an increased alcohol consumption, as opposed to only 12.2% declaring a decrease, and 11.2% of respondents increased their tobacco consumption, while 6.3% decreased it. In total, 50.6% of the participants reported being more depressed, stressed, or irritable since the beginning of the lockdown. Confinement had a negative effect on every behavior studied in this survey, except for nutrition. We also found that negative mental state changes were strongly associated with nutrition, sleep, physical activity and alcohol consumption changes.
Evaluating Geo-Tagged Twitter Data to Analyze Tourist Flows in Styria, Austria
Authors: Scholz Johannes , Jeznik Janja
Published: November 2020

The research focuses on detecting tourist flows in the Province of Styria in Austria based on crowdsourced data. Twitter data were collected in the time range from 2008 until August 2018. Extracted tweets were submitted to an extensive filtering process within non-relational database MongoDB. Hotspot Analysis and Kernel Density Estimation methods were applied, to investigate spatial distribution of tourism relevant tweets under temporal variations. Furthermore, employing the VADER method an integrated semantic analysis provides sentiments of extracted tweets. Spatial analyses showed that detected Hotspots correspond to typical Styrian touristic areas. Apart from mainly successful sentiment analysis, it pointed out also a problematic aspect of working with multilingual data. For evaluation purposes, the official tourism data from the Province of Styria and federal Statistical Office of Austria played a role of ground truth data. An evaluation with Pearson’s correlation coefficient was employed, which proves a statistically significant correlation between Twitter data and reference data. In particular, the paper shows that crowdsourced data on a regional level can serve as accurate indicator for the behaviour and movement of users.
Unfolding Spatial-Temporal Patterns of Taxi Trip based on an Improved Network Kernel Density Estimation
Authors: Shen Boxi , Xu Xiang , Li Jun , Plaza Antonio , Huang Qunying
Published: November 2020

Taxi mobility data plays an important role in understanding urban mobility in the context of urban traffic. Specifically, the taxi is an important part of urban transportation, and taxi trips reflect human behaviors and mobility patterns, allowing us to identify the spatial variety of such patterns. Although taxi trips are generated in the form of network flows, previous works have rarely considered network flow patterns in the analysis of taxi mobility data; Instead, most works focused on point patterns or trip patterns, which may provide an incomplete snapshot. In this work, we propose a novel approach to explore the spatial-temporal patterns of taxi travel by considering point, trip and network flow patterns in a simultaneous fashion. Within this approach, an improved network kernel density estimation (imNKDE) method is first developed to estimate the density of taxi trip pick-up and drop-off points (ODs). Next, the correlation between taxi service activities (i.e., ODs) and land-use is examined. Then, the trip patterns of taxi trips and its corresponding routes are analyzed to reveal the correlation between trips and road structure. Finally, network flow analysis for taxi trip among areas of varying land-use types at different times are performed to discover spatial and temporal taxi trip ODs from a new perspective. A case study in the city of Shenzhen, China, is thoroughly presented and discussed for illustrative purposes.
Multi-Class Imbalance in Text Classification: A Feature Engineering Approach to Detect Cyberbullying in Twitter
Authors: Talpur Bandeh Ali , O’Sullivan Declan
Published: November 2020

Twitter enables millions of active users to send and read concise messages on the internet every day. Yet some people use Twitter to propagate violent and threatening messages resulting in cyberbullying. Previous research has focused on whether cyberbullying behavior exists or not in a tweet (binary classification). In this research, we developed a model for detecting the severity of cyberbullying in a tweet. The developed model is a feature-based model that uses features from the content of a tweet, to develop a machine learning classifier for classifying the tweets as non-cyberbullied, and low, medium, or high-level cyberbullied tweets. In this study, we introduced pointwise semantic orientation as a new input feature along with utilizing predicted features (gender, age, and personality type) and Twitter API features. Results from experiments with our proposed framework in a multi-class setting are promising both with respect to Kappa (84%), classifier accuracy (93%), and F-measure (92%) metric. Overall, 40% of the classifiers increased performance in comparison with baseline approaches. Our analysis shows that features with the highest odd ratio: for detecting low-level severity include: age group between 19–22 years and users with <1 year of Twitter account activation; for medium-level severity: neuroticism, age group between 23–29 years, and being a Twitter user between one to two years; and for high-level severity: neuroticism and extraversion, and the number of times tweet has been favorited by other users. We believe that this research using a multi-class classification approach provides a step forward in identifying severity at different levels (low, medium, high) when the content of a tweet is classified as cyberbullied. Lastly, the current study only focused on the Twitter platform; other social network platforms can be investigated using the same approach to detect cyberbullying severity patterns.
Confinement of Masonry Columns with the FRCM-System: Theoretical and Experimental Investigation
Authors: Aiello Maria Antonietta , Cascardi Alessio , Ombres Luciano , Verre Salvatore
Published: November 2020

Fabric Reinforced Cementitious Matrix (FRCM) systems are promising solutions for the confinement of masonry columns because they demonstrate strengthening effectiveness and, at the same time, compatibility with historical substrates. Nevertheless, the matrix is responsible for the stress-transfer from the structural element to the fabric-reinforcement. Therefore, in the case of poor-quality mortar, the effectiveness of the strengthening can be limited or even compromised. On the other hand, the low content of fibers utilized for FRCM systems generally involves the need to apply more layers in order to accomplish design requirements and a continuous configuration of the reinforcement is more often addressed. Few experimental and theoretical investigations have been targeted to the before mentioned aspects in the recent past, namely the influence of the kind of mortar, the number of layers, and the strengthening configuration (continuous, discontinuous) on the effectiveness of confinement. The present paper refers to the results of an experimental investigation on FRCM confined clay brick masonry. A series of small-scale masonry columns were tested under monotonic centered load until collapse. The varied parameters were the number of confining layers (i.e., 1, 2, and 3) and the confinement configuration (i.e., continuous and discontinuous). The performed research aims to contribute in strengthening to the knowledge in the field of FRCM-confinement, mainly focusing on some of the mentioned unexplored aspects (number of layers, strengthening configuration) that could be considered for validation/improvement of analytical design-oriented formulas. In particular, some analytical models, available in the technical literature, were adopted for predicting the herein reported experimental results. Even if based on few experimental results, the outcomes showed that the number of FRCM-layers and the confinement configuration were crucial parameters affecting the confining effectiveness. The compressive strength was satisfactorily predicted in all cases by the two available utilized models. On the other hand, an improvement in the utilized AOM model is suggested in order to include the stress–strain curves of the hardening type.
Evaluation of Indigenous Entomopathogenic Nematodes as Potential Biocontrol Agents against Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) in Northern Italy
Authors: Torrini Giulia , Paoli Francesco , Mazza Giuseppe , Simoncini Stefania , Benvenuti Claudia , Strangi Agostino , Tarasco Eustachio , Barzanti Gian Paolo , Bosio Giovanni , Cutino Ilaria , Roversi Pio F. , Marianelli Leonardo
Published: November 2020

The natural presence of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) has been investigated in the Piedmont region (Northern Italy) in areas infested by the Japanese beetle Popillia japonica. Thirty-nine out of 155 soil samples (25.2%) were positive for EPNs. Most of the samples contained only steinermatids (92.3%), 5.1% contained heterorhabditids, and one sample (2.6%) contained both genera. All the recovered isolates were identified at species level both morphologically and molecularly. Steinernema carpocapsae was the most abundant and it was mainly distributed in open habitats, such as perennial meadows, uncultivated soils, and cropland, characterized by sandy loam soil texture and acidic pH. Steinernema feltiae has been found associated mainly with closed habitats such as coniferous and deciduous woodland, characterized by sandy loam-texture and extremely acidic soil. The three isolates of Heterorhabditis bacteriophora were collected only in open habitats (perennial meadows and uncultivated fields) characterized by strongly acidic soils with sandy loam texture. The virulence of all EPN natural strains was evaluated by laboratory assays against P. japonica third-instar larvae collected during two different periods of the year (spring, autumn). The results showed that larval mortality was higher for pre-wintering larvae than post-wintering ones. The five more promising EPN isolates were tested in the semi-field assay in which H. bacteriophora natural strains have been shown to be more efficient in controlling P. japonica grubs. All of these results are finally discussed considering the use of these natural EPNs as biological control agents against P. japonica, within an eco-friendly perspective of management.
An Integrated Imaging and Circulating Biomarker Approach for Secondary Tricuspid Regurgitation
Authors: Spinka Georg , Bartko Philipp E. , Heitzinger Gregor , Teo Eliza , Prausmüller Suriya , Arfsten Henrike , Pavo Noemi , Winter Max-Paul , Mascherbauer Julia , Hengstenberg Christian , Hülsmann Martin , Goliasch Georg
Published: November 2020

Secondary tricuspid regurgitation (sTR) is frequent among patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF), however it confers considerable diagnostic challenges. The assessment of neurohumoral activation may constitute a valuable supplement to the current imaging-based diagnostic process. This study sought to investigate the expression of complementary biomarkers in sTR and to evaluate the effectiveness of integrating their assessment into the diagnostic process. We enrolled 576 HFrEF patients recording echocardiographic and biochemical measurements, i.e., N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide, mid-regional pro-atrial natriuretic peptide (MR-proANP), mid-regional pro-adrenomedullin, C-terminal pro-endothelin-1 (CT-pro-ET1), and copeptin. Plasma levels of the aforementioned neurohormones were significantly elevated with increasing sTR severity (p < 0.001 for all). CT-pro-ET1 and MR-proANP were the closest related to severe sTR (adj. OR 1.46; 95%CI 1.11–1.91, p = 0.006 and adj. OR 1.45, 95%CI 1.13–1.87, p = 0.004, respectively). In patients with moderate-to-severe sTR, adding selected biomarkers (i.e., CT-pro-ET1 and MR-proANP) resulted in a substantial improvement in the discriminatory power regarding long-term mortality (C-statistic: 0.54 vs. 0.65, p < 0.001; continuous NRI 57%, p < 0.001). Circulating biomarkers closely relate to sTR severity and correlate with hemodynamic and morphologic mechanisms of sTR. Specifically, MR-proANP and CT-pro-ET1 are closely linked to the presence of severe sTR, and a combined assessment with the guideline recommended echocardiographic grading significantly improves individual risk stratification.
Changes in Livestock Grazing Efficiency Incorporating Grassland Productivity: The Case of Hulun Buir, China
Authors: Zhao Zhe , Bai Yuping , Deng Xiangzheng , Chen Jiancheng , Hou Jian , Li Zhihui
Published: November 2020

Recently, improving technical efficiency is an effective way to enhance the quality of grass-based livestock husbandry production and promote an increase in the income of herdsmen, especially in the background of a continuing intensification of climate change processes. This paper, based on the survey data, constructs a stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) model, incorporates net primary productivity (NPP) into the production function as an ecological variable, refines it to the herdsman scale to investigate grassland quality and production capacity, and quantitatively evaluates the technical efficiency of grass-based livestock husbandry and identifies the key influencing factors. The results show that the maximum value of technical efficiency was up to 0.90, and the average value was around 0.53; the herdsmen’s production gap was large and the overall level was relatively low. Additionally, the lack of forage caused by drought was the key factor restricting the current grass-based livestock husbandry production level, and the herdsmen’s adaptive measures, mainly represented as “purchasing forage” and “selling livestock”, had a positive significance for improving technical efficiency. Based on this, expanding the planting area of artificial grassland, improving the efficiency of resource utilization, and enhancing the supply capacity of livestock products while ensuring the ecological security of grassland are effective ways to increase the production level of grass-based livestock husbandry in Hulun Buir.
Identifying the Spatiotemporal Patterns of Traditional Villages in China: A Multiscale Perspective
Authors: Wu Chao , Chen Miaomiao , Zhou Lei , Liang Xiaojin , Wang Wei
Published: November 2020

Traditional villages are important carriers of traditional cultural heritage, and they have strong historical, cultural, aesthetic and tourism value for all countries and the international community. In China, the number of traditional villages is currently decreasing each year, and the precious material and non-material heritage is at risk of disappearing in the process of urbanization. A comprehensive understanding of the spatiotemporal patterns of traditional villages on multiple scales has important significance in protecting traditional culture, revitalizing traditional villages and achieving sustainable urbanization. Therefore, the spatiotemporal characteristics of traditional villages at the city, province, and geographic zone scales are explored by a series of Geographic Information System(GIS)-based methods in this article. Specifically, the analysis units are multi-scale, the applied methods are multi-variate, and the identified patterns are multi-perspective. The results demonstrate that the distribution of traditional villages in China is unbalanced over space and time. Moreover, the different spatiotemporal distributions of traditional villages are sensitive to scales. These findings clarify differences in the corresponding geographic and environmental factors, the level of economic development and local policy support. We further suggest that exploring the effective and suitable modes of protection and rural development is necessary. The results of this article revealing the unbalanced spatiotemporal distribution of traditional villages can provide valuable suggestions and insights into alleviating regional inequality in China.
Paleozoic–Mesozoic Eustatic Changes and Mass Extinctions: New Insights from Event Interpretation
Authors: Ruban Dmitry A.
Published: November 2020

Recent eustatic reconstructions allow for reconsidering the relationships between the fifteen Paleozoic–Mesozoic mass extinctions (mid-Cambrian, end-Ordovician, Llandovery/Wenlock, Late Devonian, Devonian/Carboniferous, mid-Carboniferous, end-Guadalupian, end-Permian, two mid-Triassic, end-Triassic, Early Jurassic, Jurassic/Cretaceous, Late Cretaceous, and end-Cretaceous extinctions) and global sea-level changes. The relationships between eustatic rises/falls and period-long eustatic trends are examined. Many eustatic events at the mass extinction intervals were not anomalous. Nonetheless, the majority of the considered mass extinctions coincided with either interruptions or changes in the ongoing eustatic trends. It cannot be excluded that such interruptions and changes could have facilitated or even triggered biodiversity losses in the marine realm.
Effect of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy on Acute Liver Injury and Survival in a Rat Cecal Slurry Peritonitis Model
Authors: Yang Hee Won , Choi Sangchun , Song Hakyoon , Lee Min Ji , Kwon Ji Eun , Lee Han A. Reum , Kim Kyuseok
Published: November 2020

Background: The effects of hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) in sepsis remain unclear. This study evaluated its effects on acute liver injury and survival in a rat model. Methods: Cecal slurry peritonitis was induced in male rats, which were then randomly allocated into the HBOT and control groups. In the survival experiment, six 90 min HBOT sessions (2.6 atmospheres absolute 100% oxygen) were performed over 48 h; the survival rate was determined 14 days after sepsis induction. In the acute liver injury experiment, three HBOT sessions were performed, followed by liver and plasma harvesting, 24 h after sepsis induction. Serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 were measured, and the hepatic injury scores were determined. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was detected by 2′,7′-dihydrodichlorofluorescein diacetate (H2DCF-DA) assay. Western blot assays assessed protein kinase B (Akt), phosphorylated-Akt (p-Akt), glycogen synthase kinase (GSK)-3β, phosphorylated-GSK-3β, and cleaved caspase-3 levels. Results: Survival in the HBOT group (57.1%) was significantly higher than that in the controls (12.5%, p = 0.029), whereas IL-6, IL-10, and ALT levels were significantly lower in the HBOT group. The ROS generation was significantly inhibited to a greater extent in the HBOT group than in the control group. Additionally, in the HBOT group, the p-Akt and p-GSK-3β increased significantly and cleaved caspase-3 levels decreased significantly. Conclusions: HBOT showed a beneficial effect on acute liver injury and rat survival by enhancing the Akt signaling pathway and decreasing apoptosis.
Ethyl (S)-2-Benzamido-5-[(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)amino]pentanoate
Authors: Leyva-Acuña Mario , Delgado-Vargas Francisco , López-Angulo Gabriela , Montes-Avila Julio
Published: November 2020

Pyrimidines are compounds with a wide range of biological activities, and the synthesis of pyrimidine derivatives—useful in chemical and medicinal applications—is important in medicinal chemistry. This work shows the synthesis under microwave irradiation of the novel compound ethyl (S)-2-benzamido-5-[(4,6-dimethylpyrimidin-2-yl)amino]pentanoate (3) from (S)-N-α-benzoyl-l-arginine ethyl ester hydrochloride (1) and acetylacetone (2). Compound 3 was easily purified, obtained in moderate yield (70%), and fully characterized by UV-Vis, FTIR-ATR spectroscopy, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, HRMS, and EI-MS.
Let’s Make Ball Balancing Great Again: Why You Should Use Temporary Speed Reduction
Authors: Van De Velde Gabriël , Verrelst Björn , Lefeber Dirk , Guillaume Patrick
Published: November 2020

Automatic ball balancing is a technique adopted in rotordynamics to reduce unknown rotor unbalance automatically. This technique sounds appealing as it can ease a panoply of balancing issues considerably. The presence of stiction, however, scatters consistent qualitative balancing and led to a limited implementation in the industry. Temporary speed reduction, a recent technique, could be used as a countermeasure for the stiction-induced scattering. Presented in this paper is an in-depth study detailing how the technique should be implemented to guarantee effective balancing. By analysing a rotordynamic model of the Jeffcott kind, the influence of a multitude of parameters is studied such as the initial mass positions, the initial unbalance, the adopted speed profile, shaft damping, stiction and the speed reduction plateau of the adopted speed reduction strategy. The main findings of the study are that the adverse effects of stiction can be contained considerably using the speed reduction technique, especially in the under-excited range where a ball balancer behaves poorly when adopting a standard run-up profile. Finally, the speed plateau of the speed reduction technique should be selected carefully, preferably accounting for stiction, shaft damping and even more so the initial unbalance.
An Algorithm for the Numerical Integration of Perturbed and Damped Second-Order ODE Systems
Authors: García-Alonso Fernando , Reyes José Antonio , Cortés-Molina Mónica
Published: November 2020

A new method of numerical integration for a perturbed and damped systems of linear second-order differential equations is presented. This new method, under certain conditions, integrates, without truncation error, the IVPs (initial value problems) of the type: x″(t)+Ax′(t)+Cx(t)=εF(x(t),t), x(0)=x0, x′(0)=x0′, t∈[a,b]=I, which appear in structural dynamics, astrodynamics, and other fields of physics and engineering. In this article, a succession of real functions is constructed with values in the algebra of m×m matrices. Their properties are studied and we express the solution of the proposed IVP through a serial expansion of the same, whose coefficients are calculated by means of recurrences involving the perturbation function. This expression of the solution is used for the construction of the new numerical method. Three problems are solved by means of the new series method; we contrast the results obtained with the exact solution of the problem and with its first integral. In the first problem, a quasi-periodic orbit is integrated; in the second, a problem of structural dynamics associated with an earthquake is studied; in the third, an equatorial satellite problem when the perturbation comes from zonal harmonics J2 is solved. The good behavior of the series method is shown by comparing the results obtained against other integrators.
Multiple Solutions for Partial Discrete Dirichlet Problems Involving the p-Laplacian
Authors: Du Sijia , Zhou Zhan
Published: November 2020

Due to the applications in many fields, there is great interest in studying partial difference equations involving functions with two or more discrete variables. In this paper, we deal with the existence of infinitely many solutions for a partial discrete Dirichlet boundary value problem with the p-Laplacian by using critical point theory. Moreover, under appropriate assumptions on the nonlinear term, we determine open intervals of the parameter such that at least two positive solutions and an unbounded sequence of positive solutions are obtained by using the maximum principle. We also show two examples to illustrate our results.
On Three Constructions of Nanotori
Authors: Andova Vesna , Dimovski Pavel , Knor Martin , Škrekovski Riste
Published: November 2020

There are three different approaches for constructing nanotori in the literature: one with three parameters suggested by Altshuler, another with four parameters used mostly in chemistry and physics after the discovery of fullerene molecules, and one with three parameters used in interconnecting networks of computer science known under the name generalized honeycomb tori. Altshuler showed that his method gives all non-isomorphic nanotori, but this was not known for the other two constructions. Here, we show that these three approaches are equivalent and give explicit formulas that convert parameters of one construction into the parameters of the other two constructions. As a consequence, we obtain that the other two approaches also construct all nanotori. The four parameters construction is mainly used in chemistry and physics to describe carbon nanotori molecules. Some properties of the nanotori can be predicted from these four parameters. We characterize when two different quadruples define isomorphic nanotori. Even more, we give an explicit form of all isomorphic nanotori (defined with four parameters). As a consequence, infinitely many 4-tuples correspond to each nanotorus; this is due to redundancy of having an “extra” parameter, which is not a case with the other two constructions. This result significantly narrows the realm of search of the molecule with desired properties. The equivalence of these three constructions can be used for evaluating different graph measures as topological indices, etc.
Dissipativity of Fractional Navier–Stokes Equations with Variable Delay
Authors: Liu Lin F. , Nieto Juan J.
Published: November 2020

We use classical Galerkin approximations, the generalized Aubin–Lions Lemma as well as the Bellman–Gronwall Lemma to study the asymptotical behavior of a two-dimensional fractional Navier–Stokes equation with variable delay. By modifying the fractional Halanay inequality and the comparison principle, we investigate the dissipativity of the corresponding system, namely, we obtain the existence of global absorbing set. Besides, some available results are improved in this work. The existence of a global attracting set is still an open problem.