bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Does Ethnic Diversity Impact on Risk Perceptions, Preparedness, and Management of Heat Waves?
Authors: Siman-Tov Maya , Vanderplanken Kirsten , Guha-Sapir Debarati , van Loenhout Joris A. F. , Adini Bruria
Published: August 2021

Detrimental health impacts of heatwaves, including excess mortality, are increasing worldwide. To assess risk perceptions, protective knowledge and behaviors concerning heatwaves in Israel, a study was initiated, comparing attitudes of majority (Jewish) and minority (Arab) populations. A quantitative survey was disseminated through an internet panel, to a representative sample of 556 individuals (79% Jews; 21% Arabs). Overall, 74% consider heatwaves a problem, 93% believe that heatwaves' frequencies will increase, 27% are very concerned about the effects of heatwaves. Higher levels of awareness to heatwaves were found among Jewish compared to Arab respondents; 90 vs. 77% (respectively) could name heatwaves' symptoms (p < 0.001); 81 vs. 56% (respectively) reported knowing how to protect themselves (p < 0.001); 74 vs. 47% (respectively) reported knowing what to do when someone suffers from heat stroke (p < 0.001). Arab compared to Jewish respondents presented higher levels of concern about heatwaves' effects (3.22 vs. 3.09 respectively; t −2.25, p = 0.03), while knowledge of protective measures was higher among Jews compared to Arabs (3.67 vs. 3.56 t = 2.13 p = 0.04). A crucial component of enhancing preparedness to heatwaves is empowerment of minority as well as majority groups, to strengthen their capacity to implement protective behavior and elevate their self-belief in their individual ability and fortitude.
Microbiological and Clinical Aspects of Raoultella spp.
Authors: Appel Tobias M. , Quijano-Martínez Natalia , De La Cadena Elsa , Mojica María F. , Villegas María Virginia
Published: August 2021

The genus Raoultella was established in 2001. Species of Raoultella and Klebsiella share many ecological, biochemical, clinical, and microbiological features. Given the shortcomings of available technology for species identification in the clinical microbiology laboratory, are practically indistinguishable. Since the late 2000s there has been an increase in case reports of human Raoultella infections. Therefore, several authors are postulating that Raoultella spp. are rare and/or emerging pathogens.

Conclusions:Raoultella spp. are very similar to Klebsiella spp. The epidemiology and the clinical relevance of the human Raoultella spp. infections is uncertain and further studies are required. The previous difficulties in the identification of Raoultella spp. and the introduction of more precise identification techniques may explain the recent increase in the number of case reports. Raoultella spp. might be rather underdiagnosed than rare or emerging pathogens.
Analyzing the Performance of the Population Health Environment on the Promotion of Provincial Governors in China
Authors: Hsiao Hsiao-Fen , Zhao Meng-Han , Liao Wen-Ju
Published: August 2021

China's economy has achieved rapid growth, but the change has also brought about serious environmental degradation, which is the main factor endangering human health. This study empirically investigates the impact of the population health environmental index on the promotion of provincial governors using an ordered probit model. The sample of the study consists of regions where provincial governors, municipal mayors, and autonomous region chairmen were stationed from 1995 to 2015. The results show that the population health environmental index had a significant and positive impact on governors' promotions, especially in the eastern region. The reformation of the population health environmental index assessment system for government officials was the initial factor that brought about these effects.
O2A: One-Shot Observational Learning with Action Vectors
Authors: Pauly Leo , Agboh Wisdom C. , Hogg David C. , Fuentes Raul
Published: August 2021

We present O2A, a novel method for learning to perform robotic manipulation tasks from a single (one-shot) third-person demonstration video. To our knowledge, it is the first time this has been done for a single demonstration. The key novelty lies in pre-training a feature extractor for creating a perceptual representation for actions that we call “action vectors”. The action vectors are extracted using a 3D-CNN model pre-trained as an action classifier on a generic action dataset. The distance between the action vectors from the observed third-person demonstration and trial robot executions is used as a reward for reinforcement learning of the demonstrated task. We report on experiments in simulation and on a real robot, with changes in viewpoint of observation, properties of the objects involved, scene background and morphology of the manipulator between the demonstration and the learning domains. O2A outperforms baseline approaches under different domain shifts and has comparable performance with an Oracle (that uses an ideal reward function). Videos of the results, including demonstrations, can be found in our:project-website.
Expression of Cathepsins B, D, and G in Extracranial Arterio-Venous Malformation
Authors: Hansen Lauren , Brasch Helen D. , Paterson Erin , Patel Josie , Bockett Nicholas , Davis Paul F. , Tan Swee T.
Published: August 2021

Objectives: We have previously identified a population of cells that expressed stemness-associated markers in extracranial arterio-venous malformation (AVM) and demonstrated expression of cathepsins B, D, and G on embryonic stem cell (ESC)-like populations in other vascular anomalies. This study investigated the expression of cathepsins B, D, and G, and their localization in relation to this primitive population in extracranial AVM.

Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed on AVM tissue samples from 13 patients to demonstrate expression of cathepsins B, D, and G. Western blotting was performed on four AVM tissue samples and three AVM-derived primary cell lines to confirm protein expression of cathepsins B and D proteins. RT-qPCR was performed on three AVM-derived primary cell lines to demonstrate transcript expression of cathepsins B, D, and G. Enzymatic activity assays were performed on three AVM-derived primary cell lines to investigate if cathepsins B and D were active. Localization of the cathepsins was investigated using immunofluorescence dual-staining of the cathepsins with the ESC markers OCT4 and SOX2, and mast cells marker chymase on two of the 13 AVM tissue samples.

Results: Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated expression of cathepsins B, D, and G in all 13 AVM tissue samples. Western blotting showed expression of cathepsins B and D proteins in all four AVM tissue samples and all three AVM-derived primary cell lines. RT-qPCR demonstrated transcripts of cathepsins B, D, and G in all three AVM-derived primary cell lines. Enzymatic activity assays showed that cathepsins B and D were active. Immunofluorescence staining showed expression of cathepsins B and D on the OCT4+/SOX2+ endothelium and media of the lesional vessels and cells within the stroma in AVM nidus. Cathepsin G was expressed on the chymase+ phenotypic mast cells.

Conclusions: This study demonstrated the novel finding of the expression of cathepsins B, D, and G in AVM. Cathepsins B and D were expressed by the primitive population, and cathepsin G was localized to mast cells, within the AVM nidus.
Quantitative Evaluation of Color, Firmness, and Soluble Solid Content of Korla Fragrant Pears via IRIV and LS-SVM
Authors: Liu Yuanyuan , Wang Tongzhao , Su Rong , Hu Can , Chen Fei , Cheng Junhu
Published: August 2021

Customers pay significant attention to the organoleptic and physicochemical attributes of their food with the improvement of their living standards. In this work, near infrared hyperspectral technology was used to evaluate the one-color parameter, a*, firmness, and soluble solid content (SSC) of Korla fragrant pears. Moreover, iteratively retaining informative variables (IRIV) and least square support vector machine (LS-SVM) were applied together to construct evaluating models for their quality parameters. A set of 200 samples was chosen and its hyperspectral data were acquired by using a hyperspectral imaging system. Optimal spectral preprocessing methods were selected to obtain out partial least square regression models (PLSRs). The results show that the combination of multiplicative scatter correction (MSC) and Savitsky-Golay (S-G) is the most effective spectral preprocessing method to evaluate the quality parameters of the fruit. Different characteristic wavelengths were selected to evaluate the a* value, the firmness, and the SSC of the Korla fragrant pears, respectively, after the 6 iterations. These values were obtained via IRIV and the reverse elimination method. The correlation coefficients of the validation set of the a* value, the firmness, and the SSC measure 0.927, 0.948, and 0.953, respectively. Furthermore, the values of the regression error weight, γ, and the kernel function parameter, σ2, for the same parameters measure (8.67 × 104, 1.21 × 103), (1.45 × 104, 2.93 × 104), and (2.37 × 105, 3.80 × 103), respectively. This study demonstrates that the combination of LS-SVM and IRIV can be used to evaluate the a* value, the firmness, and the SSC of Korla fragrant pears to define their grade.
Experimental Evaluation of Rootstock Clamping Device for Inclined Inserted Grafting of Melons
Authors: Wu Kang , Lou Jianzhong , Li Chen , Li Jianping
Published: August 2021

A grafting machine is a kind of machine that can quickly graft scion to rootstock instead of manual grafting. Currently, an inclined inserted grafting machine uses the mechanical clamping method, which can easily damage the rootstock seedlings due to its high stiffness, thus, reducing the success rate of grafting. This study proposed an effective, flexible clamping device for grafting. The suction hole diameter (HD), the negative pressure (NP), and the surface inclination angle (IA) of the clamping device were studied via a single factor experiment to obtain optimal parameter ranges. Optimal HD, NP, and IA were 2–3 mm, 4–8 kPa, and 10–20°, respectively. The orthogonal experiment results showed that the optimal parameter combination for maximum holding success rate was HD, 2.5 mm; NP, 6 kPa; and IA, 10°. The experimental verification was carried out using the optimal parameter combination, with a holding success rate of 98.3% and no damage. This study provides a reference for the optimal design of an inclined inserted grafting machine.
Varietal Response to Sour Bunch Rot in Polish Grapevine Genetic Resources
Authors: Lisek Jerzy , Lisek Anna
Published: August 2021

The aim of this study was to assess the resistance to sour rot of twenty-eight valuable cultivars of grapevine for wine production and twenty-five cultivars of table grapevine with diverse geographic and genetic origins, and to explain the causes of varied resistance based on the features related to the morphology, biology and ecology of assessed genotypes. The study was conducted for six years in the grapevine field collection of the National Institute of Horticultural Research in Skierniewice (Poland, latitude 51.9627 N, longitude 20.1666 E). Sour rot was severe in three seasons with abundant rainfall during the berry ripening stage. The number of wine and table cultivars in particular classes of resistance (mean value for three years) was as follows: very little or little—9 (wine) and 9 (table), medium—9 (wine) and 3 (table), high or very high—10 (wine) and 13 (table). The severity of bunch sour rot was positively correlated with single berry weight (moderate or weak correlation), bunch density and single bunch weight (very weak or weak correlation), and negatively correlated with thickness of berry skin (strong correlation) and the time of the beginning of veraison (weak correlation). Cultivars that were characterized by such agrobiological and ecological features as easy detachment of the berry from the pedicel, sensitivity to berry skin cracking, frequent damage to the skin by insects, and sensitivity to sunburn, were more heavily exposed to sour rot.
Association between Soil Acidity and Bacterial Wilt Occurrence in Potato Production in Ethiopia
Authors: Tafesse Shiferaw , Braam Ciska , van Mierlo Barbara , Lemaga Berga , Struik Paul C.
Published: August 2021

Soil acidity is one of the main constraints to crop production worldwide. In Ethiopia, the problem of soil acidity has been increasing. Currently, more than 40% of cultivated land in the country has a soil pH < 5.5. Recently, bacterial wilt (caused by Ralstonia solanacearum) has become a serious problem, reaching epidemic levels in some of the major potato growing districts in the country. However, it is currently unknown if the current outbreak of bacterial wilt in potato production is associated with soil acidification or not. To examine the association between bacterial wilt and soil acidification, we conducted a field survey and field experiments and detected and characterised R. solanacearum strains. The study showed that 50% of potato fields were very strongly acidic (pH 4.5–5.0) and bacterial wilt incidence was higher in potato fields with low soil pH. The field experiments indicated that lime application significantly increased soil pH (p < 0.001) and reduced bacterial wilt incidence (p < 0.001). The more lime was applied, the stronger the positive effect on soil pH and the stronger the reduction in bacterial wilt incidence. Bacterial wilt incidence was on average 10.8% under 12 t/ha lime application, while it was about 40% in control plots (without lime) after 90 days. All R. solanacearum strains isolated from the symptomatic potato plants were Phylotype II. Our findings show that the current outbreak of bacterial wilt in Ethiopia is associated with soil acidification. They add to the understanding of the risk factors for bacterial wilt in potato. Aside from farm hygiene, sanitation and cultural practices, addressing soil acidification using lime needs to be considered as an additional component of an integrated package to deal with bacterial wilt in potato under acidic soil conditions.
Curcumin Modulates Nitrosative Stress, Inflammation, and DNA Damage and Protects against Ochratoxin A-Induced Hepatotoxicity and Nephrotoxicity in Rats
Authors: Longobardi Consiglia , Damiano Sara , Andretta Emanuela , Prisco Francesco , Russo Valeria , Pagnini Francesco , Florio Salvatore , Ciarcia Roberto
Published: August 2021

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a fungal toxin of critical concern for food safety both for human health and several animal species, also representing a cancer threat to humans. Curcumin (CURC) is a natural polyphenol that has anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the cytoprotective effect of CURC against OTA-induced nephrotoxicity and hepatotoxicity through the study of the nitrosative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage. Sprague Dawley rats were daily treated with CURC (100 mg/kg b.w.), OTA (0.5 mg/kg b.w), or CURC with OTA by oral gavage for 14 days. Our results demonstrated that OTA exposure was associated with significant increase of pro-inflammatory and DNA oxidative-damage biomarkers. Moreover, OTA induced the inducible nitric oxide synthase, (iNOS) resulting in increased nitric oxide (NO) levels both in kidney and liver. The co-treatment OTA + CURC counteracted the harmful effects of chronic OTA treatment by regulating inflammation, reducing NO levels and oxidative DNA damage in kidney and liver tissues. Histology revealed that OTA + CURC treatment determinates mainly an Iba1+ macrophagic infiltration with fewer CD3+ T-lymphocytes in the tissues. In conclusion, we evidenced that CURC exerted cytoprotective and antioxidant activities against OTA-induced toxicity in rats.
A Feasibility Study of a Vibrotactile System Based on Electrostatic Actuators for Touch Bar Interfaces: Experimental Evaluations
Authors: Mason Taylor , Koo Jeong-Hoi , Kim Jae-Ik , Kim Young-Min , Yang Tae-Heon
Published: August 2021

Vibrotactile feedback is a very desirable feature for many touchscreen applications, creating a more engaging and effective user experience. Although it is common in small electronic devices, this feedback is often absent in large touchscreen devices because it is difficult to provide vibration sensations and control the magnitude throughout the display. Because of their long shape (over 20 cm), touch bar displays are susceptible to the same challenges that other large display types face. Thus, there is a need for a vibrotactile actuation system capable of generating a freely positionable and fully controllable point of stimulation with satisfying force output at any point of a touch bar display. This study proposes a new spring boundary condition vibrotactile system as a way to provide such feedback in touch bar interfaces. A prototype system was created using two electrostatic resonant actuators and a thin, narrow aluminum beam to study the effect of different actuator excitation parameters on the beam’s response. By varying the number of actuators excited, magnitude, excitation frequency, and signal duration, a minimum vibration of 24.5 m/s2 could be created in the beam, with the majority of the beam able to exceed 40 m/s2. These results show that a targeted vibrotactile response at a given location in the beam can be achieved and sustained. This demonstrates a promising potential for generating a freely positionable and fully controllable point of vibrotactile stimulation at any point of a touch bar display.
Investigation of Self-Driven Profiler with Buoyancy Adjusting System towards Ocean Thermal Energy
Authors: Xia Qingchao , Muhammad Gul , Chen Bingzhe , Zhang Feng , Zhang Zhifeng , Zhang Sheng , Yang Canjun
Published: August 2021

An underwater profiler is one of the popular platforms for ocean observation. Due to energy limitations, conventional underwater vehicles have a short life span, which cannot meet the needs of long-term ocean exploration. Therefore, there is a growing interest in using ocean energy such as ocean thermal energy and wave energy for driving. This study aimed to investigate an energy-saving and ocean thermal energy (OTE)-powered buoyancy driving system of the ocean profiler. The purpose of this study was to explore an ocean profiler buoyancy driving system powered by ocean thermal energy (OTE). According to the seawater profile temperature gradient, an OTE-powered electro-hydraulic control system was designed, and the dynamic characteristics of this system are simulated and analyzed by using the power bonding diagram method. Based on the results conducted from lake tests, this profiler possesses the self-driving capability for using OTE perfectly. This research can provide important guidance for the design of the buoyancy drive system of underwater vehicles.
Modeling Approach of an Air-Based Battery Thermal Management System for an Electric Vehicle
Authors: Buidin Thomas Imre Cyrille , Mariasiu Florin
Published: August 2021

The battery thermal management system is one of the important systems of an electric vehicle with direct effects on its performance. In this regard, this paper proposes a mathematical model that increases the accuracy of data obtained by numerical analysis of the temperature inside battery packs. The activity of the design and development (as accurate as possible) of a battery pack leads to an increase in the life of the battery cells and of the energetic efficiency of the electric vehicle in the specific operating conditions of road traffic. The research methodology of the thermal phenomenon in the battery pack, presented by the authors, is based on an efficient co-simulation concept consisting of steady-state CFD simulations and transient 1D simulations using a new mathematical model for the thermal behavior of a lithium-ion (Li-ion) cylindrical battery and applied in a battery pack’s forced air cooling thermal management system. Comparing the obtained results, it was found that the use of the model provides more accurate calculations of the local thermal performance of the air cooling system, with a direct influence on optimizing its design and construction. It is also highlighted that using the proposed model for higher heat transfer coefficient values (increase in air flow), offers more accurate data compared to other models, with immediate benefits in the proper design and development of the battery’s thermal management system.
Reading Tapes Backwards: A Legitimate Approach to Saving Time and Money in Digitization Projects?
Authors: Bressan Federica , Burini Valentina , Micheloni Edoardo , Rodà Antonio , Hess Richard L. , Canazza Sergio
Published: August 2021

Audio carriers are subject to a fast and irreversible decay. In order to save valuable historical recordings, the audio signal and other relevant information can be extracted from the source audio document and stored on another medium, normally a redundant digital storage system. This procedure is called ’content transfer’. It is a costly and time-consuming procedure. There are several solutions with which the cost can be reduced. One consists of picking up all tracks from a two-sided tape in one pass. This means that some tracks will be digitized forward and some backwards, to be subsequently corrected in the digital workstation. This article is concerned with the question of whether reading tracks backwards introduces unwanted effects into the signal. In particular, it investigates whether a difference can be observed between audio signals read forward or backwards and, if so, whether the difference is measurable. The results show that a difference can be observed, yet this is not enough to conclude that this “backwards” approach should not be used. The complexity of the situation is presented in the discussion. Future work includes reproducing this experiment with different audio equipment, as well as a perception test with human subjects.
A Systematic Review of Technologies, Control Methods, and Optimization for Extended-Range Electric Vehicles
Authors: Puma-Benavides David Sebastian , Izquierdo-Reyes Javier , Calderon-Najera Juan de Dios , Ramirez-Mendoza Ricardo A.
Published: August 2021

For smart cities using clean energy, optimal energy management has made the development of electric vehicles more popular. However, the fear of range anxiety—that a vehicle has insufficient range to reach its destination—is slowing down the adoption of EVs. The integration of an auxiliary power unit (APU) can extend the range of a vehicle, making them more attractive to consumers. The increased interest in optimizing electric vehicles is generating research around range extenders. These days, many systems and configurations of extended-range electric vehicles (EREVs) have been proposed to recover energy. However, it is necessary to summarize all those efforts made by researchers and industry to find the optimal solution regarding range extenders. This paper analyzes the most relevant technologies that recover energy, the current topologies and configurations of EREVs, and the state-of-the-art in control methods used to manage energy. The analysis presented mainly focuses on finding maximum fuel economy, reducing emissions, minimizing the system’s costs, and providing optimal driving performance. Our summary and evaluation of range extenders for electric vehicles seeks to guide researchers and automakers to generate new topologies and configurations for EVs with optimized range, improved functionality, and low emissions.
The Prediction of the Performance of a Twisted Rudder
Authors: Park Ilryong , Paik Bugeun , Ahn Jongwoo , Kim Jein
Published: August 2021

A new design approach using the concept of a twisted rudder to improve rudder performances has been proposed in the current paper. A correction step was introduced to obtain the accurate inflow angles induced by the propeller. Three twisted rudders were designed with different twist angle distributions and were tested both numerically and experimentally to estimate their hydrodynamic characteristics at a relatively high ship speed. The improvement in the twisted rudders compared to a reference flat rudder was assessed in terms of total cavitation amount, drag and lift forces, and moment for each twin rudder. The total amount of surface cavitation on the final optimized twin twisted rudder at a reference design rudder angle decreased by 43% and 34.4% in the experiment and numerical prediction, respectively. The total drag force slightly increased at zero rudder angle than that for the twin flat rudder but decreased at rudder angles higher than 4° and 6° in the experiment and numerical simulation, respectively. In the experimental measurements, the final designed twin twisted rudder gained a 5.5% increase in the total lift force and a 37% decrease in the maximum rudder moment. Regarding these two performances, the numerical results corresponded to an increase of 3% and a decrease of 66.5%, respectively. In final, the present numerical and experimental results of the estimation of the twisted rudder performances showed a good agreement with each other.
A Topology Optimization Method for Reducing Communication Overhead in the Kalman Consensus Filter
Authors: Lv Lulu , Chen Huifang , Xie Lei , Wang Kuang
Published: August 2021

Distributed estimation and tracking of interested objects over wireless sensor networks (WSNs) is a hot research topic. Since network topology possesses distinctive structural parameters and plays an important role for the performance of distributed estimation, we first formulate the communication overhead reduction problem in distributed estimation algorithms as the network topology optimization in this paper. The effect of structural parameters on the algebraic connectivity of a network is overviewed. Moreover, aiming to reduce the communication overhead in Kalman consensus filter (KCF)-based distributed estimation algorithm, we propose a network topology optimization method by properly deleting and adding communication links according to nodes’ local structural parameters information, in which the constraint on the communication range of two nodes is incorporated. Simulation results show that the proposed network topology optimization method can effectively improve the convergence rate of KCF algorithm and achieve a good trade-off between the estimate error and communication overhead.
Combined Attenuation Zones of Combined Layered Periodic Foundations
Authors: Liu Xinnan , Ren Yiqiang , Song Xiaoruan
Published: August 2021

Layered periodic foundations (LPFs) with identical unit cells have been proposed as a type of seismic metamaterials due to the unique dynamic characteristic of attenuation zones. However, it is difficult to design attenuation zones with both comparatively low starting frequencies and large bandwidths for traditional LPFs with identical unit cells. In this paper, combined layered periodic foundations (CLPFs) are proposed by combining two traditional LPFs with different unit cells in tandem. Combined attenuation zones of the CLPFs are identified by investigating the frequency response functions of the CLPFs. The generation mechanism of the combined attenuation zones was studied by varying the configuration of CLPFs. The results show that the combined attenuation zones are the union of attenuation zones of the two traditional LPFs. To verify the efficiency of CLPFs, the seismic responses of a four-story frame structure with CLPF are simulated. The present work is very helpful for the design of CLPFs with attenuation zones with a low starting frequency and large bandwidth.
Wheel Flats in the Dynamic Behavior of Ballasted and Slab Railway Tracks
Authors: Vale Cecilia
Published: August 2021

Wheel flats induce high-impact loads with relevance for the safety of the vehicle in operation as they can contribute to broken axles, hot axle boxes, and damaged rolling bearings and wheels. The high loads also induce damage in the track components such as rails and sleepers. Although this subject has been studied numerically and experimentally over the last few years, the wheel flat problem has focused on ballasted tracks, and there is a need to understand the phenomena also for slab tracks. In this research, a numerical approach was used to show the effects of the wheel flats with different geometric configurations on the dynamic behavior of a classical ballasted track and a continuous slab track. Several wheel flat geometries and different vehicle speeds were considered. The nonlinear Hertzian contact model was used because of the high dynamic variation of the interaction of the load between the vehicle and the rail. The results evidenced that, for the same traffic conditions, the dynamic force was higher on the slab track than on the ballasted one, contrary to the maximum vertical displacement, which was higher on the ballasted track due to the track differences regarding the stiffness and frequency response. The results are useful for railway managers who wish to monitor track deterioration under the regulatory limits.
Detection Model on Fatigue Driving Behaviors Based on the Operating Parameters of Freight Vehicles
Authors: Xi Jianfeng , Wang Shiqing , Ding Tongqiang , Tian Jian , Shao Hui , Miao Xinning
Published: August 2021

Whether in developing or developed countries, traffic accidents caused by freight vehicles are responsible for more than 10% of deaths of all traffic accidents. Fatigue driving is one of the main causes of freight vehicle accidents. Existing fatigue driving studies mostly use vehicle operating data from experiments or simulation data, exposing certain drawbacks in the validity and reliability of the models used. This study collected a large quantity of real driving data to extract sample data under different fatigue degrees. The parameters of vehicle operating data were selected based on significant driver fatigue degrees. The k-nearest neighbor algorithm was used to establish the detection model of fatigue driving behaviors, taking into account influence of the number of training samples and other parameters in the accuracy of fatigue driving behavior detection. With the collected operating data of 50 freight vehicles in the past month, the fatigue driving behavior detection models based on the k-nearest neighbor algorithm and the commonly used BP neural network proposed in this paper were tested, respectively. The analysis results showed that the accuracy of both models are 75.9%, but the fatigue driving detection model based on the k-nearest neighbor algorithm is more reliable.
A Trend Analysis of Development Projects in South Korea during 2007–2016 Using a Multi-Layer Perceptron Based Artificial Neural Network
Authors: Park Sung-Hwan , Jung Hyung-Sup , Lee Sunmin , Yoo Heon-Seok , Cho Nam-Wook , Lee Moung-Jin
Published: August 2021

In Korea, the Ministry of Environment and regional environment management agencies conduct environmental impact assessments (EIA) to mitigate and assess the impact of major development projects on the environment. EIA Big Data are used in conjunction with a geographical information system (GIS), and consist of indicators related to air, soil, and water that are measured before and after the development project. The impact of the development project on the environment can be evaluated through the variations of each indicator. This study analyzed trends in the environmental impacts of development projects during 2007–2016 using 21 types of EIA Big Data. A model was developed to estimate the Korean Environment Institute’s Environmental Impact Assessment Index for Development Projects (KEIDP) using a multi-layer perceptron-based artificial neural network (MLP-ANN) approach. A trend analysis of development projects in South Korea revealed that the mean value of KEIDP gradually increased over the study period. The rate of increase was 0.007 per year, with an R2 value of 0.8. In the future, it will be necessary for all management agencies to apply the KEDIP calculation model to minimize the impact of development projects on the environment and reduce deviations among development projects through continuous monitoring.
Organic Carbon Burial in the Aral Sea of Central Asia
Authors: Feng Sen , Ma Long , Abuduwaili Jilili , Liu Wen , Saparov Galymzhan , Issanova Gulnura
Published: August 2021

The burial of organic carbon in lake sediments plays an important role in the terrestrial carbon cycle. Clarifying the current status of carbon burial in the lakes of Central Asia is of great significance for the application of carbon balance assessments. With the analysis of the total organic carbon and nitrogen and the carbon isotope and organic carbon burial rate in the core sediment of the North Aral Sea, the status and influencing factors of organic carbon burial over the past 70 years can be revealed. The results showed that the main source of organic carbon was predominantly from lacustrine aquatic plants. However, the contribution of terrigenous organic carbon increased from the 1950s to the 1960s. The burial rate of organic carbon in North Aral Sea sediments was consistent with the overall change in the regional temperature. The burial rate of organic carbon showed an upward trend as a whole with an average of 28.78 g·m−2·a−1. Since 2010, the burial rate of organic carbon has stood at the highest level in nearly 70 years, with an average of 55.66 g·m−2·a−1. The protection of a lake by human beings can not only significantly improve the lake’s aquatic ecosystem but also help to increase the burial rate of the lake’s organic carbon.
Nonlinear Random Forest Classification, a Copula-Based Approach
Authors: Mesiar Radko , Sheikhi Ayyub
Published: August 2021

In this work, we use a copula-based approach to select the most important features for a random forest classification. Based on associated copulas between these features, we carry out this feature selection. We then embed the selected features to a random forest algorithm to classify a label-valued outcome. Our algorithm enables us to select the most relevant features when the features are not necessarily connected by a linear function; also, we can stop the classification when we reach the desired level of accuracy. We apply this method on a simulation study as well as a real dataset of COVID-19 and for a diabetes dataset.
The Anticancer Efficacy of Plasma-Oxidized Saline (POS) in the Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma Model In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Brito Walison Augusto Silva , Freund Eric , Nascimento Thiago Daniel Henrique do , Pasqual-Melo Gabriella , Sanches Larissa Juliani , Dionísio Joyce Hellen Ribeiro , Fumegali William Capellari , Miebach Lea , Cecchini Alessandra Lourenço , Bekeschus Sander
Published: August 2021

Cold physical plasma, a partially ionized gas rich in reactive oxygen species (ROS), is receiving increasing interest as a novel anticancer agent via two modes. The first involves its application to cells and tissues directly, while the second uses physical plasma-derived ROS to oxidize liquids. Saline is a clinically accepted liquid, and here we explored the suitability of plasma-oxidized saline (POS) as anticancer agent technology in vitro and in vivo using the Ehrlich Ascites Carcinoma (EAC) model. EAC mainly grows as a suspension in the peritoneal cavity of mice, making this model ideally suited to test POS as a putative agent against peritoneal carcinomatosis frequently observed with colon, pancreas, and ovarium metastasis. Five POS injections led to a reduction of the tumor burden in vivo as well as in a decline of EAC cell growth and an arrest in metabolic activity ex vivo. The treatment was accompanied by a decreased antioxidant capacity of Ehrlich tumor cells and increased lipid oxidation in the ascites supernatants, while no other side effects were observed. Oxaliplatin and hydrogen peroxide were used as controls and mediated better and worse outcomes, respectively, with the former but not the latter inducing profound changes in the inflammatory milieu among 13 different cytokines investigated in ascites fluid. Modulation of inflammation in the POS group was modest but significant. These results promote POS as a promising candidate for targeting peritoneal carcinomatosis and malignant ascites and suggest EAC to be a suitable and convenient model for analyzing innovative POS approaches and combination therapies.
Pediatric Psoriasis: From New Insights into Pathogenesis to Updates on Treatment
Authors: Kim Hye One , Kang Seok Young , Kim Jin Cheol , Park Chun Wook , Chung Bo Young
Published: August 2021

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory systemic disease primarily affecting the skin, but which often involves considerable comorbidities as well. One-third of psoriasis cases start during childhood. In pediatric psoriasis, an association with several medical comorbidities is also indicated. Furthermore, because of its chronic nature and frequent relapses, psoriatic patients tend to require long-term treatment and experience negative impacts on their quality of life. Considering the different clinical characteristics of pediatric psoriasis, it has recently been presented that the pathogenesis of pediatric psoriasis is distinct from adult psoriasis. Treatment for pediatric psoriasis usually involves the same methods as for adults. However, most treatments in pediatric psoriasis are used off-label and research in this regard is still lacking. Targeted therapies involving newly developed biologics are also increasingly being applied to psoriasis in children. This review summarizes the clinical characteristics of pediatric psoriasis and focuses mainly on the updated concepts of pathogenesis and treatments in pediatric psoriasis. This was undertaken to widen the understanding of these relevant aspects and to provide better management of pediatric psoriasis by clinicians.
Using Extinction-Renewal to Circumvent the Memory Strength Boundary Condition in Fear Memory Reconsolidation
Authors: Campbell Tiffany L. , Kochli Daniel E. , McDaniel Mitch A. , Myers Mallory K. , Dunn Mallory E. , Diana Victoria A. , Quinn Jennifer J.
Published: August 2021

Reconsolidation is a process by which memories are destabilized, updated, and then restabilized. Strong memories are resistant to undergoing reconsolidation. Here, we addressed whether an overtrained fear memory could be made susceptible to reconsolidation by first extinguishing, and then renewing, the memory. Rats were trained with ten tone-footshock pairings, followed by eight days of tone extinction in the training context. The next day, rats were placed into a second context and memory for the tone was renewed/reactivated with a single tone presentation. Immediately following reactivation, rats received an injection of midazolam or vehicle. Rats were then tested for freezing to the tone in a third context. Midazolam had no effect in rats that did not undergo tone extinction, but significantly attenuated freezing to the tone in extinguished rats. Thus, rats that received tone extinction underwent tone memory reconsolidation following its renewal. In a second experiment, we administered the reactivation session and midazolam injections prior to extinction. Midazolam had no effect and rats extinguished at a rate similar to controls. These data suggest that strong emotional memories are capable of updating following weakening of memory expression through extinction.
Personal Values in Relation to Risk Intelligence: Evidence from a Multi-Mediation Model
Authors: Zammitti Andrea , Russo Angela , Santisi Giuseppe , Magnano Paola
Published: August 2021

In a risk society, personal values can be important resources, useful for managing uncertainty and guiding people in the perception of risk. The goal of this article is to explore the relationship between risk intelligence and personal values. The participants were 731 Italian adults aged between 18 and 65 years (M = 30.25; DS = 10.71). The survey was composed of the following measures: Subjective Risk Intelligence Scale and Portrait Values Questionnaire. Data analyses have found significant relationships between some types of personal values and risk intelligence: subjective risk intelligence is negatively related to conservation and positively related to openness to change and self-transcendence, but it was not related to self-enhancement. Furthermore, values of openness to change and self-transcendence mediate the relationship between age and subjective risk intelligence, while conservation values and self-enhancement values did not mediate the same relationship. Implication for practice and future research will be discussed.
HDAC Screening Identifies the HDAC Class I Inhibitor Romidepsin as a Promising Epigenetic Drug for Biliary Tract Cancer
Authors: Mayr Christian , Kiesslich Tobias , Erber Sara , Bekric Dino , Dobias Heidemarie , Beyreis Marlena , Ritter Markus , Jäger Tarkan , Neumayer Bettina , Winkelmann Paul , Klieser Eckhard , Neureiter Daniel
Published: August 2021

Inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) is a promising anti-cancer approach. For biliary tract cancer (BTC), only limited therapeutic options are currently available. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive investigation of HDAC expression and pharmacological HDAC inhibition into a panel of eight established BTC cell lines. The screening results indicate a heterogeneous expression of HDACs across the studied cell lines. We next tested the effect of six established HDAC inhibitors (HDACi) covering pan- and class-specific HDACis on cell viability of BTC cells and found that the effect (i) is dose- and cell-line-dependent, (ii) does not correlate with HDAC isoform expression, and (iii) is most pronounced for romidepsin (a class I HDACi), showing the highest reduction in cell viability with IC50 values in the low-nM range. Further analyses demonstrated that romidepsin induces apoptosis in BTC cells, reduces HDAC activity, and increases acetylation of histone 3 lysine 9 (H3K9Ac). Similar to BTC cell lines, HDAC 1/2 proteins were heterogeneously expressed in a cohort of resected BTC specimens (n = 78), and their expression increased with tumor grading. The survival of BTC patients with high HDAC-2-expressing tumors was significantly shorter. In conclusion, HDAC class I inhibition in BTC cells by romidepsin is highly effective in vitro and encourages further in vivo evaluation in BTC. In situ assessment of HDAC 2 expression in BTC specimens indicates its importance for oncogenesis and/or progression of BTC as well as for the prognosis of BTC patients.
Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy with Simultaneous Integrated Boost for Clinically Node-Positive Prostate Cancer: A Single-Institutional Retrospective Study
Authors: Onishi Masahiro , Kawamura Hidemasa , Murata Kazutoshi , Inoue Tatsuro , Murata Hiroto , Takakusagi Yosuke , Okonogi Noriyuki , Ohkubo Yu , Okamoto Masahiko , Kaminuma Takuya , Sekihara Tetsuo , Nakano Takashi , Ohno Tatsuya
Published: August 2021

This study aimed to evaluate clinical outcomes and the toxicity of intensity-modulated radiation therapy with simultaneous integrated boost (SIB-IMRT) combined with androgen-deprivation therapy for clinically node-positive (cN1) prostate cancer. We retrospectively analyzed 97 patients with cN1 prostate cancer who received SIB-IMRT between June 2008 and October 2017 at our hospital. The prescribed dosages delivered to the prostate and seminal vesicle, elective node area, and residual lymph nodes were 69, 54, and 60 Gy in 30 fractions, respectively. Kaplan–Meier analysis was used to determine 5-year biochemical relapse-free survival (bRFS), relapse-free survival (RFS), overall survival (OS), and prostate cancer-specific survival (PCSS). Toxicity was evaluated using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events ver. 4.0. Over a median follow-up duration of 60 months, the 5-year bRFS, RFS, OS, and PCSS were 85.1%, 88.1%, 92.7% and 95.0%, respectively. Acute Grade 2 genito-urinary (GU) and gastro-intestinal (GI) toxicities were observed in 10.2% and 2.1%, respectively, with no grade ≥3 toxicities being detected. The cumulative incidence rates of 5-year Grade ≥2 late GU and GI toxicities were 4.7% and 7.4%, respectively, with no Grade 4 toxicities being detected. SIB-IMRT for cN1 prostate cancer demonstrated favorable 5-year outcomes with low incidences of toxicity.
WIP1 Inhibition by GSK2830371 Potentiates HDM201 through Enhanced p53 Phosphorylation and Activation in Liver Adenocarcinoma Cells
Authors: Wu Chiao-En , Huang Chen-Yang , Chen Chiao-Ping , Pan Yi-Ru , Chang John Wen-Cheng , Chen Jen-Shi , Yeh Chun-Nan , Lunec John
Published: August 2021

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is an adenocarcinoma arising from the intrahepatic bile duct. It is the second most common primary liver cancer and has a poor prognosis. Activation of p53 by targeting its negative regulators, MDM2 and WIP1, is a potential therapy for wild-type p53 cancers, but few reports for iCCA or liver adenocarcinoma exist. Methods: Both RBE and SK-Hep-1 liver adenocarcinoma cell lines were treated with the HDM201 (Siremadlin) MDM2-p53 binding antagonist alone or in combination with the GSK2830371 WIP1 phosphatase inhibitor. Cell proliferation, clonogenicity, protein and mRNA expression, cell cycle distribution, and RNA sequencing were performed to investigate the effect and mechanism of this combination. Results: GSK2830371 alone demonstrated minimal activity on proliferation and colony formation, but potentiated growth inhibition (two-fold decrease in GI50) and cytotoxicity (four-fold decrease in IC50) by HDM201 on RBE and SK-Hep-1 cells. HDM201 increased p53 protein expression, leading to transactivation of downstream targets (p21 and MDM2). Combination with GSK2830371 increased p53 phosphorylation, resulting in an increase in both p53 accumulation and p53-dependent trans-activation. G2/M arrest was observed by flow cytometry after this treatment combination. RNA sequencing identified 21 significantly up-regulated genes and five downregulated genes following p53 reactivation by HDM201 in combination with GSK2830371 at 6 h and 24 h time points compared with untreated controls. These genes were predominantly known transcriptional targets regulated by the p53 signaling pathway, indicating enhanced p53 activation as the predominant effect of this combination. Conclusion: The current study demonstrated that GSK2830371 enhanced the p53-dependent antiproliferative and cytotoxic effect of HDM201 on RBE and SK-Hep-1 cells, providing a novel strategy for potentiating the efficacy of targeting the p53 pathway in iCCA.
Cancer Stem Cells in Oropharyngeal Cancer
Authors: Gunduz Mehmet , Gunduz Esra , Tamagawa Shunji , Enomoto Keisuke , Hotomi Muneki
Published: August 2021

Oropharyngeal cancer (OPC), which is a common type of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), is associated with tobacco and alcohol use, and human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. Underlying mechanisms and as a result prognosis of the HPV-positive and HPV-negative OPC patients are different. Like stem cells, the ability of self-renewal and differentiate, cancer stem cells (CSCs) have roles in tumor invasion, metastasis, drug resistance, and recurrence after therapy. Research revealed their roles to some extent in all of these processes but there are still many unresolved points to connect to CSC-targeted therapy. In this review, we will focus on what we currently know about CSCs of OPC and limitations of our current knowledge. We will present perspectives that will broaden our understanding and recent literature which may connect to therapy.