bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Chemical Authentication of Botanical Ingredients: A Review of Commercial Herbal Products
Authors: Ichim Mihael Cristin , Booker Anthony
Published: April 2021

Chemical methods are the most important and widely used traditional plant identification techniques recommended by national and international pharmacopoeias. We have reviewed the successful use of different chemical methods for the botanical authentication of 2,386 commercial herbal products, sold in 37 countries spread over six continents. The majority of the analyzed products were reported to be authentic (73%) but more than a quarter proved to be adulterated (27%). At a national level, the number of products and the adulteration proportions varied very widely. Yet, the adulteration reported for the four countries, from which more than 100 commercial products were purchased and their botanical ingredients chemically authenticated, was 37% (United Kingdom), 31% (Italy), 27% (United States), and 21% (China). Simple or hyphenated chemical analytical techniques have identified the total absence of labeled botanical ingredients, substitution with closely related or unrelated species, the use of biological filler material, and the hidden presence of regulated, forbidden or allergenic species. Additionally, affecting the safety and efficacy of the commercial herbal products, other low quality aspects were reported: considerable variability of the labeled metabolic profile and/or phytochemical content, significant product-to-product variation of botanical ingredients or even between batches by the same manufacturer, and misleading quality and quantity label claims. Choosing an appropriate chemical technique can be the only possibility for assessing the botanical authenticity of samples which have lost their diagnostic microscopic characteristics or were processed so that DNA cannot be adequately recovered.
A Time to Sleep Well and Be Contented: Time Perspective, Sleep Quality, and Life Satisfaction
Authors: Rönnlund Michael , Åström Elisabeth , Westlin Wendela , Flodén Lisa , Unger Alexander , Papastamatelou Julie , Carelli Maria Grazia
Published: April 2021

A major aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between time perspective, i.e., habitual ways of relating to the past, present, and future, and sleep quality. A second aim was to test a model by which the expected negative relationship between deviation from a balanced time perspective (DBTP), a measure taking temporal biases across all three time frames into account, and life satisfaction was mediated by poor sleep quality. To these ends, a sample of young adults (N= 386) completed a version of the Zimbardo Time Perspective Inventory (S-ZTPI), Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS). A measure of chronotype was in addition included for control purposes. Bivariate analyses revealed that the S-ZTPI subscales Past Negative, Future Negative and Present Fatalistic were associated with poorer sleep quality (higher PSQI scores), with significant associations in the opposite direction for Past Positive and Future Positive. However, DBTP was the strongest predictor of (poorer) sleep quality, suggesting that time perspective biases have an additive effect on sleep quality. Regression analyses with PSQI as the dependent variable and all six ZTPI subscales as the predictors indicated that time perspective accounted for about 20% of the variance in sleep quality (17% beyond chronotype), with Past Negative, Past Positive, and Future Negative as the unique predictors. The results additionally confirmed a strong relationship between DBTP and life satisfaction. Finally, data were consistent with the hypothesis that the association of DBTP and life satisfaction is mediated, in part, by sleep quality. Taken together, the results confirmed a substantial link between time perspective sleep-related problems, factors that may have a negative impact on life satisfaction.
Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak Quarantine, Isolation, and Lockdown Policies on Mental Health and Suicide
Authors: Ganesan Balasankar , Al-Jumaily Adel , Fong Kenneth N. K. , Prasad Palak , Meena Surendra Kumar , Tong Raymond Kai-Yu
Published: April 2021

The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has made a huge impact on people's physical and mental health, and it remains a cause of death for many all over the world. To prevent the spread of coronavirus infection, different types of public health measures (social isolation, quarantine, lockdowns, and curfews) have been imposed by governments. However, mental health experts warn that the prolonged lockdown, quarantine, or isolation will create a “second pandemic” with severe mental health issues and suicides. The quarantined or isolated people may suffer from various issues such as physical inactivity, mental health, economic and social problems. As with the SARS outbreak in 2003, many suicide cases have been reported in connection with this current COVID-19 pandemic lockdown due to various factors such as social stigma, alcohol withdrawal syndrome, fear of COVID infection, loneliness, and other mental health issues. This paper provides an overview of risk factors that can cause suicide and outlines possible solutions to prevent suicide in this current COVID-19 pandemic.
The Relationship Between Working Alliance and Symptom Improvement in Cognitive Therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
Authors: Beierl Esther T. , Murray Hannah , Wiedemann Milan , Warnock-Parkes Emma , Wild Jennifer , Stott Richard , Grey Nick , Clark David M. , Ehlers Anke
Published: April 2021

Background: Working alliance has been shown to predict outcome of psychological treatments in multiple studies. Conversely, changes in outcome scores have also been found to predict working alliance ratings.

Objective: To assess the temporal relationships between working alliance and outcome in 230 patients receiving trauma-focused cognitive behavioral treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Methods: Ratings of working alliance were made by both the patient and therapist after sessions 1, 3, and 5 of a course of Cognitive Therapy for PTSD (CT-PTSD). Autoregressive, cross-lagged panel models were used to examine whether working alliance predicted PTSD symptom severity at the next assessment point and vice versa. Linear regressions tested the relationship between alliance and treatment outcome.

Results: Both patients' and therapists' working alliance ratings after session 1 predicted PTSD symptom scores at the end of treatment, controlling for baseline scores. At each assessment point, higher therapist working alliance was associated with lower PTSD symptoms. Crossed-lagged associations were found for therapist-rated alliance, but not for patient-rated alliance: higher therapists' alliance ratings predicted lower PTSD symptom scores at the next assessment point. Similarly, lower PTSD symptoms predicted higher therapist working alliance ratings at the next assessment point. Ruminative thinking was negatively related to therapists' alliance ratings.

Conclusions: Working alliance at the start of treatment predicted treatment outcome in patients receiving CT-PTSD and may be an important factor in setting the necessary conditions for effective treatment. For therapists, there was a reciprocal relationship between working alliance and PTSD symptom change in their patients during treatment, suggesting that their alliance ratings predicted symptom change, but were also influenced by patients' symptom change.
Substance Use Disorders and Behavioral Addictions During the COVID-19 Pandemic and COVID-19-Related Restrictions
Authors: Avena Nicole M. , Simkus Julia , Lewandowski Anne , Gold Mark S. , Potenza Marc N.
Published: April 2021

COVID-19 was first identified in Wuhan, China in December of 2019 and appeared in the United States 1 month later. Between the onset of the pandemic and January 13, 2021, over 92 million people have tested positive for the virus and over 1.9 million people have died globally. Virtually every country in the world has been impacted by this virus. Beginning in March 2020, many U.S. state governments enforced a “quarantine” to respond to the growing health crisis. Citizens were required to remain at home; schools, restaurants, and non-essential businesses were forced to close, and large gatherings were prohibited. Americans' lives were transformed in a span of days as daily routines were interrupted and people were shuttered indoors. Mounting fear and unpredictability coupled with widespread unemployment and social isolation escalated anxiety and impacted the mental health of millions across the globe. Most (53%) U.S. adults reported that the coronavirus outbreak has had a negative impact on their mental health, including inducing or exacerbating use of alcohol, drugs, gambling and overeating as coping mechanisms. In this paper, we will examine substance use and addictive behaviors that have been used to manage the stress and uncertainty wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. We review the changing treatment landscape as therapy pivoted online and telemedicine became the norm.
INDEED–Utilization and Cross-Sectoral Patterns of Care for Patients Admitted to Emergency Departments in Germany: Rationale and Study Design
Authors: Fischer-Rosinský Antje , Slagman Anna , King Ryan , Reinhold Thomas , Schenk Liane , Greiner Felix , von Stillfried Dominik , Zimmermann Grit , Lüpkes Christian , Günster Christian , Baier Natalie , Henschke Cornelia , Roll Stephanie , Keil Thomas , Möckel Martin
Published: April 2021

Introduction: The crowding of emergency departments (ED) has been a growing problem for years, putting the care of critically ill patients increasingly at risk. The INDEED project's overall aim is to get a better understanding of ED utilization and to evaluate corresponding primary health care use patterns before and after an ED visit while driving forward processes and methods of cross-sectoral data merging. We aim to identify adequate utilization of EDs and potentially avoidable patient contacts as well as subgroups and clusters of patients with similar care profiles.

Methods: INDEED is a joint endeavor bringing together research institutions and hospitals with EDs in Germany. It is headed by the Charité–Universitätsmedizin Berlin, collaborating with Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Technische Universität Berlin, the Central Research Institute of Ambulatory/Outpatient Health Care in Germany (Zi), and the AOK Research Institute as part of the Federal Association of AOK, as well as experts in the technological, legal, and regulatory aspects of medical research (TMF). The Institute for Information Technology (OFFIS) was involved as the trusted third party of the project. INDEED is a retrospective study of approximately 400,000 adult patients with statutory health insurance who visited the ED of one of 16 participating hospitals in 2016. The routine hospital data contain information about treatment in the ED and, if applicable, about the subsequent hospital stay. After merging the patients' hospital data from 2016 with their outpatient billing data from 2 years before to 1 year after the ED visit (years 2014–2017), a harmonized dataset will be generated for data analyses. Due to the complex data protection challenges involved, first results will be available in 2021.

Discussion: INDEED will provide knowledge on extracting and harmonizing large scale data from varying routine ED and hospital information systems in Germany. Merging these data with the corresponding outpatient care data of patients offers the opportunity to characterize the patient's treatment in outpatient care before and after ED use. With this knowledge, appropriate interventions may be developed to ensure adequate patient care and to avoid adverse events such as ED crowding.
Machine Learning Analysis of Hydrologic Exchange Flows and Transit Time Distributions in a Large Regulated River
Authors: Ren Huiying , Song Xuehang , Fang Yilin , Hou Z. Jason , Scheibe Timothy D.
Published: April 2021

Hydrologic exchange between river channels and adjacent subsurface environments is a key process that influences water quality and ecosystem function in river corridors. High-resolution numerical models were often used to resolve the spatial and temporal variations of exchange flows, which are computationally expensive. In this study, we adopt Random Forest (RF) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB) approaches for deriving reduced order models of hydrologic exchange flows and associated transit time distributions, with integrated field observations (e.g., bathymetry) and hydrodynamic simulation data (e.g., river velocity, depth). The setup allows an improved understanding of the influences of various physical, spatial, and temporal factors on the hydrologic exchange flows and transit times. The predictors also contain those derived using hybrid clustering, leveraging our previous work on river corridor system hydromorphic classification. The machine learning-based predictive models are developed and validated along the Columbia River Corridor, and the results show that the top parameters are the thickness of the top geological formation layer, the flow regime, river velocity, and river depth; the RF and XGB models can achieve 70% to 80% accuracy and therefore are effective alternatives to the computational demanding numerical models of exchange flows and transit time distributions. Each machine learning model with its favorable configuration and setup have been evaluated. The transferability of the models to other river reaches and larger scales, which mostly depends on data availability, is also discussed.
Internet of Things (IoT) Enabled Architecture for Social Distancing During Pandemic
Authors: Siddiqui Shama , Shakir Muhammad Zeeshan , Khan Anwar Ahmed , Dey Indrakshi
Published: April 2021

Social distancing has been regarded as a key method by the authorities worldwide to manage the pandemic of COVID-19. Digital technologies play a crucial role to support the social, professional and economic activities when people are forced to stay locked-down in their homes. Internet of things (IoT) technologies have a track of providing high quality remote health care and automation services which could guarantee social distancing while maintaining health and well-being of populations. In this paper, we propose an end-to-end IoT architecture to support the social distancing in the event of pandemic. The architecture comprises of the major use cases of IoT in relevance with the COVID-19. Furthermore, we also present a short-term and long-term strategy to mange the social distancing methodology using the proposed IoT architecture. The challenges associated with each layer of architecture have been highlighted and design guidelines have been presented to deal with them.
Molecular Detection of Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum in Domestic Ducks in Hunan Province, China
Authors: Lv Qiu-Yan , Zheng He-Liang , Yang Wen-He , Liu Guo-Hua
Published: April 2021

Toxoplasma gondii and Neospora caninum are protozoan parasites that infect warm-blooded animals, and cause major economic losses in livestock industries worldwide. However, little is known about the genotypes of T. gondii and N. caninum in domestic ducks in China. Herein, brain samples from 588 domestic ducks from Hunan province in China were examined for the presence of T. gondii and N. caninum. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to detect T. gondii B1 gene and N. caninum NC-5 gene. Forty-five DNA samples (7.7%; 95% CI: 5.5–9.9) were positive for B1 gene, and two (0.3%; 95% CI: 0–0.7) were positive for NC-5 gene. The risk factors significantly associated with T. gondii infection were age and sex. The 45 samples positive for T. gondii were genotyped using multi-locus PCR-RFLP analysis and only one sample was fully genotyped as ToxoDB#9 (Chinese I). These results provide new information about the epidemiology of T. gondii and N. caninum in ducks in Hunan province in China. The data also highlight the importance of a “One Health” approach to dealing with toxoplasmosis.
Notch1 Deficiency Induces Tumor Cell Accumulation Inside the Bronchiolar Lumen and Increases TAZ Expression in an Autochthonous KrasLSL-G12V Driven Lung Cancer Mouse Model
Authors: Meder Lydia , Florin Alexandra , Ozretić Luka , Nill Marieke , Koker Mirjam , Meemboor Sonja , Radtke Freddy , Diehl Linda , Ullrich Roland T. , Odenthal Margarete , Büttner Reinhard , Heukamp Lukas C.
Published: April 2021

Purpose: Abrogation of Notch signaling, which is pivotal for lung development and pulmonary epithelial cell fate decisions was shown to be involved in the aggressiveness and the differentiation of lung carcinomas. Additionally, the transcription factors YAP and TAZ which are involved in the Hippo pathway, were recently shown to be tightly linked with Notch signaling and to regulate the cell fate in epidermal stem cells. Thus, we aim to elucidate the effects of conditional Notch1 deficiency on carcinogenesis and TAZ expression in lung cancer.

Methods: We investigated the effect of conditional Cre-recombinase mediated Notch1 knock-out on lung cancer cells in vivo using an autochthonous mouse model of lung adenocarcinomas driven by KrasLSL-G12V and comprehensive immunohistochemical analysis. In addition, we analyzed clinical samples and human lung cancer cell lines for TAZ expression and supported our findings by publicly available data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

Results: In mice, we found induction of papillary adenocarcinomas and protrusions of tumor cells from the bronchiolar lining upon Notch1 deficiency. Moreover, the mutated Kras driven lung tumors with deleted Notch1 showed increased TAZ expression and focal nuclear translocation which was frequently observed in human pulmonary adenocarcinomas and squamous cell carcinomas of the lung, but not in small cell lung carcinomas. In addition, we used data from TCGA to show that putative inactivating NOTCH1 mutations co-occur with KRAS mutations and genomic amplifications in lung adenocarcinomas.

Conclusion: Our in vivo study provides evidence that Notch1 deficiency in mutated Kras driven lung carcinomas contributes to lung carcinogenesis in a subgroup of patients by increasing TAZ expression who might benefit from TAZ signaling blockade.
Fermentative Potential of Native Yeast Candida famata for Prokupac Grape Must Fermentation
Authors: Mančić Stojan , Danilović Bojana , Malićanin Marko , Stamenković Stojanović Sandra , Nikolić Nada , Lazić Miodrag , Karabegović Ivana
Published: April 2021

The fermentative potential of native Candida famata isolates from wild and cultivated blackberries was evaluated for potential application in Prokupac grape must fermentation. 5 isolates, out of a total 22 isolated yeasts, were identified as C. famata. After the initial screening of fermentative performances, microfermentation was performed in a sterile grape must. Produced samples were analyzed using the HPLC technique. All isolates showed an ability to grow at lower temperatures, good tolerance to 7% ethanol and 300 ppm of SO2. C. famata isolates WB-1, WB-2 and W-5 had similar fermentation performance, but WB-1 isolate was chosen for validation at a laboratory-scale level according to a pleasant, fruity aroma, highest fermentative vigor and power, good organic acid profile and the highest level of ethanol and glycerol produced in micro-vinification experiments. Good enological performance of selected C. famata WB-1 isolate is confirmed by higher level of glycerol, lower level of ethanol and acetic acid in wine samples produced in pure and sequential fermentation, when compared to the control sample. Throughout the selection of C. famata yeasts with good enological potential, this work gives a contribution in the area of precision enology, aiming to find a perfect match between non-exploited yeasts and “autochthonous” grape cultivar Prokupac.
Effect of Nitrogen Fertilization on the Dynamics of Concentration and Uptake of Selected Microelements in the Biomass of Miscanthus x giganteus
Authors: Gołąb-Bogacz Izabela , Helios Waldemar , Kotecki Andrzej , Kozak Marcin , Jama-Rodzeńska Anna
Published: April 2021

This paper presents the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization on the concentration of selected micronutrients as an important issue in reducing combustion-induced air pollution. We studied the effects of the dose of 60 kg ha−1 N in different terms of biomass sampling on the concentration and uptake of iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), zinc (Zn), and copper (Cu) in the dry matter of the underground and aerial parts of Miscanthus x giganteus in the years 2014–2016. The order of microelement concentrations (mg kg−1) in rhizomes and the aboveground parts of plants was as follows: Fe > Mn > Zn > Cu. N fertilization had no significant effect on the concentrations of the selected microelements in the Mischanthus biomass (except for the Mn concentration in the stems and Cu in the leaves). The results indicated that the quality of the combustion biomass did not worsen under nitrogen fertilization. During the whole vegetation period, the iron concentration increased in the rhizomes and decreased for Zn and Cu. In the aboveground parts of the plant, the concentrations of all tested elements decreased. In turn, the uptake of Fe, Mn, Zn, and Cu (except for Fe in the stems) by rhizomes and the aboveground parts of Mischanthus depended significantly on the N fertilization.
Arbuscular Mycorrhization in Colombian and Introduced Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) Genotypes Cultivated on Degraded Soils of the Amazon Region
Authors: Peña-Venegas Clara P. , Sterling Armando , Andrade-Ramírez Tatiana K.
Published: April 2021

Rubber (Hevea brasiliensis, (Willd. Ex Adr. de Juss) Muell. Arg, Euphorbiaceae) is an important commercial latex-producing plant. Commercially, rubber is reproduced from a limited number of grifting genotypes. New promising genotypes have been selected to replace traditional genotypes. In addition, rubber has been promoted to recuperate Amazon soils degraded by extensive cattle ranching. Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) symbiosis is an important alternative for improving plant nutrition in rubber trees and recuperating degraded soils, but AM fungal communities on different plantations and in rubber genotypes are unknown. Spore abundance, root colonization and AM fungal community composition were evaluated in rubber roots of Colombian and introduced genotypes cultivated in degraded soils with different plantation types. Traditional (spore isolation and description; clearing and staining roots) and molecular techniques (Illumina sequencing) were used to assess AM fungi. Rubber roots hosted a diverse AM fungal community of 135 virtual taxa (VT) in 13 genera. The genus Glomus represented 66% of the total AM fungal community. Rubber genotype did not affect the arbuscular mycorrhization, hosting similar AM fungal communities. The composition of the AM fungal community on old and young rubber plantations was different. Diversity in AM fungi in rubber roots is an important characteristic for restoring degraded soils.
Groundcover Mulching in Mediterranean Vineyards Improves Soil Chemical, Physical and Biological Health Already in the Short Term
Authors: Warren Raffa Dylan , Antichi Daniele , Carlesi Stefano , Frasconi Christian , Marini Simone , Priori Simone , Bàrberi Paolo
Published: April 2021

Vineyards are among the land uses with the highest soil degradation rate in Mediterranean Europe, mainly due to intensive tillage management. Therefore, practices able to foster soil health are critical to promote sustainable wine production. We studied the following treatments in two organic farms in Chianti Classico (Italy): conventional tillage, spontaneous vegetation, pigeon bean (Vicia faba var. minor) incorporated in spring and a mixture of barley (Hordeum vulgare) and squarrosum clover (Trifolium squarrosum), both incorporated and left as mulch. An innovative approach, based on gamma-ray and apparent electrical conductivity, was used to account for the fine-scale soil variability that was included in the statistical model. Mulched groundcovers were associated with higher soil organic matter compared to tillage, already after two years. An increased N availability was found under all groundcovers compared with tillage. The effect of soil management practices on P2O5 strongly varied across farms and years, while it was not statistically significant on K availability. Spontaneous vegetation positively influenced the soil structure index, soil penetration resistance and soil biological health. The results show that mulched groundcovers can improve soil health already in the short term, thereby potentially increasing the sustainability of the wine sector.
The Influence of Physical Treatments on Phytochemical Changes in Fresh Produce after Storage and Marketing
Authors: Fallik Elazar , Ilić Zoran
Published: April 2021

More food with high nutritional content will be needed to feed the growing global human population, which is expected to reach 10 billion by 2050. Fruits and vegetables contain most of the minerals, micronutrients, and phytonutrients essential for human nutrition and health. The quantity of these phytochemicals depends on crop genetics, weather and environmental factors, growth conditions, and pre-harvest and post-harvest treatments. These phytochemicals are known to have anti-cancer properties and to regulate immunity, in addition to hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anti-aging, hypotensive, hypoglycemic, and other pharmacological properties. Physical treatments have been reported to be effective for managing several post-harvest diseases and physiological disorders. These treatments may affect the external, internal, and nutritional qualities of fruits and vegetables. Therefore, the aim of this review is to summarize the information recently reported regarding the use of physical treatments applied either directly or in combination with other means to maximize and maintain the phytochemical content of fresh and fresh-cut or processed fruits and vegetables.
Supplementation of Organic Amendments Improve Yield and Adaptability by Reducing the Toxic Effect of Copper in Cocksfoot Grass (Dactylis glomerata L. Cv Amera)
Authors: Kuziemska Beata , Trębicka Joanna , Wysokinski Andrzej , Jaremko Dawid
Published: April 2021

Copper is an element necessary for the proper growth and development of plants, but when taken in excess amounts, it can be toxic. Its availability for plant can be reduced by using organic fertilizers or soil liming. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of increasing doses of copper (100, 200, and 300 mg Cu·kg−1 of soil) application in combination with various organic amendments (cattle manure, chicken manure, and spent mushroom substrate) on the yield of cocksfoot and its content and uptake of this metal, and to determine its coefficient of bioaccumulation and tolerance indices. The toxic effect of copper manifested by significant decrease in the yield of the test plant was after the application of 300 mg·kg−1 of soil. Increasing doses of copper application increased its content and uptake by the test plant, while observing the decreasing bioaccumulation factor. All the soil amendments reduced the toxic effect of copper on cocksfoot. The most effective organic amendment in terms of yield and protective effects against high levels of copper was cattle manure, in the case of which the Org/Cu and Cu/Org tolerance indices were highest.
Preventive Effects against Retinal Degeneration by Centella asiatica Extract (CA-HE50) and Asiaticoside through Apoptosis Suppression by the Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway
Authors: Park Dae-Won , Lee Yeong-Geun , Jeong Yong-Joon , Jeon Hyelin , Kang Se-Chan
Published: April 2021

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is caused by the chronic and gradual oxidative degeneration of the retina. Unfortunately, the general purpose of current treatments is to slow AMD progression, as the retina cannot be restored to its pre-AMD condition. We aimed to identify natural products that can be potential treatments that prevent AMD and can delay the development of late-AMD and selected Centella asiatica extract (CA-HE50), which shows excellent efficacy in cytoprotection. In animal experiments using N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU), CA-HE50 dramatically increased the thickness of photoreceptors and the outer nuclear layer (ONL) and the number of nuclei in the ONL (p < 0.05). Using retinal epithelial ARPE-19 cells showed that CA-HE50 inhibited apoptosis through inhibition of the intrinsic apoptosis signaling pathway and cell cycle regulation (p < 0.05). The anti-apoptotic efficacy was confirmed to be due to activation of the Nrf2/HO-1 antioxidation pathway (p < 0.05). These results were also observed with asiaticoside, a functional substance of CA-HE50. In addition, the accumulation of oxidized-N-retinylidene-N-retinylethanolamine (A2E), which induces AMD, was inhibited by CA-HE50, resulting in increased ARPE-19 cell viability (p < 0.05). This study demonstrates that CA-HE50 is worth further research and human application tests, to develop it as a raw material for treatment or dietary supplement for the prevention of AMD.
Melatonin Protects against the Side-Effects of 5-Fluorouracil on Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Ameliorates Antioxidant Activity in an Adult Rat Hippocampus and Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Suwannakot Kornrawee , Sritawan Nataya , Prajit Ram , Aranarochana Anusara , Sirichoat Apiwat , Pannangrong Wanassanun , Wigmore Peter , Welbat Jariya Umka
Published: April 2021

Melatonin is an endogenous hormone that exhibits antioxidant functions and neuroprotective effects. The hippocampus and the prefrontal cortex (PFC) play an important role linked to working memory. 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) can induce oxidative stress and reduce neurogenesis in the subgranular zone (SGZ) of the dentate gyrus in a rat hippocampus and these alterations are related to working memory deficits. This study aimed to determine the effect of melatonin on 5-FU-induced oxidative stress that interferes with the antioxidant enzymes and protein expression levels in a rat hippocampus and PFC. A total of 68 male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups: vehicle, 5-FU, melatonin and melatonin+5-FU groups. Rats were administered 5-FU (25 mg/kg, i.v.) on days 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 and received melatonin (8 mg/kg, i.p.) at 19:00 from day 1 to day 21 of the experiment. Lipid peroxidation was assessed by measuring malondialdehyde (MDA) levels. Antioxidant enzyme levels including glutathione peroxidase (GPX), catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were determined. p21 immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting were used to detect the cell cycle arrest and protein expression of the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), doublecortin (DCX) and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), respectively. The results showed that melatonin reduced the number of p21-positive cells in the SGZ of the dentate gyrus and increased Nrf2, DCX and BDNF protein expression in rats treated with 5-FU. Moreover, melatonin restored antioxidant enzyme levels and reduced oxidative stress in the hippocampus and PFC caused by 5-FU. These findings reveal a mechanism of the neuroprotective properties of melatonin against 5-FU in a rat hippocampus and PFC.
Deep Neural Networks Classification via Binary Error-Detecting Output Codes
Authors: Klimo Martin , Lukáč Peter , Tarábek Peter
Published: April 2021

One-hot encoding is the prevalent method used in neural networks to represent multi-class categorical data. Its success stems from its ease of use and interpretability as a probability distribution when accompanied by a softmax activation function. However, one-hot encoding leads to very high dimensional vector representations when the categorical data’s cardinality is high. The Hamming distance in one-hot encoding is equal to two from the coding theory perspective, which does not allow detection or error-correcting capabilities. Binary coding provides more possibilities for encoding categorical data into the output codes, which mitigates the limitations of the one-hot encoding mentioned above. We propose a novel method based on Zadeh fuzzy logic to train binary output codes holistically. We study linear block codes for their possibility of separating class information from the checksum part of the codeword, showing their ability not only to detect recognition errors by calculating non-zero syndrome, but also to evaluate the truth-value of the decision. Experimental results show that the proposed approach achieves similar results as one-hot encoding with a softmax function in terms of accuracy, reliability, and out-of-distribution performance. It suggests a good foundation for future applications, mainly classification tasks with a high number of classes.
Tow Deformation Behaviors in Resin-Impregnated Glass Fibers under Different Flow Rates
Authors: Choi Sung-Woong , Kim Sung-Ha , Li Mei-Xian , Yang Jeong-Hyeon , Yoo Hyeong-Min
Published: April 2021

With the rapid development of high-performance fibers such as carbon, enhanced glass fibers in structural applications, the use of fiber-reinforced composite (FRC) materials has also increased in many areas. Liquid composite molding (LCM) is a widely used manufacturing process in composite manufacturing; however, the rapid impregnation of resin in the reinforcing fibers during processing poses a significant issue. The optimization of resin impregnation is related to tow deformations in the reinforcing fibers. The present study therefore focuses on this tow deformation. The permeability behaviors in double-scale porous media were observed under different flow rates and viscosity conditions to examine the overall tendencies of structural changes in the reinforcement. The permeability results showed hysteresis with increasing and decreasing flow rate conditions of 50–800 mm3/s, indicating structural changes in the reinforcement. The tow behaviors of the double-scale porous media with respect to the thickness and flow rate were investigated in terms of the representative indices of the minor axis (tow thickness) and major axis. The minor axis and major axis of the tow showed decreasing and increasing trends of 2–5% and 2%, respectively, with minimum and maximum values at different positions along the reinforcement, affected by the different hydrodynamic entry lengths. Finally, the deformed tow behavior was observed microscopically to examine the behavior of the tow at different flow rates.
Environmental Changes and Cultural Transitions in SW Iberia during the Early-Mid Holocene
Authors: Val-Peón Cristina , Santisteban Juan I. , López-Sáez José A. , Weniger Gerd-Christian , Reicherter Klaus
Published: April 2021

The SW coast of the Iberian Peninsula experiences a lack of palaeoenvironmental and archaeological data. With the aim to fill this gap, we contribute with a new palynological and geochemical dataset obtained from a sediment core drilled in the continental shelf of the Algarve coast. Archaeological data have been correlated with our multi-proxy dataset to understand how human groups adapted to environmental changes during the Early-Mid Holocene, with special focus on the Mesolithic to Neolithic transition. Vegetation trends indicate warm conditions at the onset of the Holocene followed by increased moisture and forest development ca. 10–7 ka BP, after which woodlands are progressively replaced by heaths. Peaks of aridity were identified at 8.2 and 7. 5 ka BP. Compositional, textural, redox state, and weathering of source area geochemical proxies indicates abrupt palaeoceanographic modifications and gradual terrestrial changes at 8.2 ka BP, while the 7.5 ka BP event mirrors a decrease in land moisture availability. Mesolithic sites are mainly composed of seasonal camps with direct access to the coast for the exploitation of local resources. This pattern extends into the Early Neolithic, when these sites coexist with seasonal and permanent occupations located in inland areas near rivers. Changes in settlement patterns and dietary habits may be influenced by changes in coastal environments caused by the sea-level rise and the impact of the 8.2 and 7.5 ka BP climate events.
Gender Differences in Clinical Characteristics of Korean Temporomandibular Disorder Patients
Authors: Jo Jung-Hwan , Chung Jin-Woo
Published: April 2021

The aims of this study were to investigate the gender differences in signs and symptoms of Korean Temporomandibular Disorder (TMD) patients based on Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/TMD) and psychosocial characteristics. A total of 1052 patients with TMD were evaluated with a questionnaire for medical history, clinical symptoms, and contributing factors, clinical examination based on RDC/TMD, and radiographic examination. RDC/TMD axis II and Symptom Checklist-90-Revision (SCL-90-R) were administered to evaluate pain-related disability level and psychological status of patients. The prevalence of TMD was higher in women than men, and the women were older than the men. The women showed higher prevalence of myogenous pain, mixed pain, disc displacement without reduction, osteoarthritis, headache, subjective insomnia, pain intensity, number of positive muscle palpation, and the high disability group in the grade chronic pain scale. Gender was associated with the number of positive muscle palpation and maximum mouth opening. Pain intensity was not associated with gender, but with number of systemic comorbidities. Subjective symptoms, and clinical and psychological characteristics of patients with TMD showed gender differences. To achieve understanding of patient and increase of success rate of treatment of TMD, gender should be considered in patient evaluations and treatment approaches.
Online Learning Based Underwater Robotic Thruster Fault Detection
Authors: Xu Gaofei , Guo Wei , Zhao Yang , Zhou Yue , Zhang Yinlong , Liu Xinyu , Xu Gaopeng , Li Guangwei
Published: April 2021

This paper presents a novel online learning-based fault detection designed for underwater robotic thruster health monitoring. In the fault detection algorithm, we build a mathematical model between the control variable and the propeller speed by fitting collected online work status data to the model. To improve the accuracy of online modeling, a multi-center PSO algorithm with memory ability is utilized to optimize the modeling parameters. Additionally, a model online update mechanism is designed to accommodate the model to the change of thruster work status and sea environment. During the operation, propeller speed of the underwater robot is predicted through the online learning-based model, and the model residuals are used for thruster health monitoring. To avoid false alarm, an adaptive fault detection strategy is established based on model online update mechanism. The proposed method has been extensively evaluated using different underwater robotics, through a sea trial data simulation, a pool test fault detection experiment and a sea trial fault detection experiment. Compared with fixed model-based method, speed prediction MAE of the online learning model is at least 37.9% lower than that of the fixed model. The online learning-based method show no misdiagnosis in experiments, while the fixed model-based method is misdiagnosed. Experimental results show that the proposed method is competitive in terms of accuracy, adaptability, and robustness.
Investigation of Integral and Differential Characteristics of Variatropic Structure Heavy Concretes by Ultrasonic Methods
Authors: Mailyan Levon R. , Stel’makh Sergey A. , Shcherban’ Evgenii M. , Khalyushev Alexander K. , Smolyanichenko Alla S. , Sysoev Alexander K. , Parinov Ivan A. , Cherpakov Alexander V.
Published: April 2021

The article develops methods and methodology for experimental studies of centrifuged and vibro-centrifuged concrete products of annular cross-section. They assess the real variatropy of the structure and confirm the correctness of the accepted research. An original technique for experimental studies of the variatropy of the cross-sections of vibrated, centrifuged and vibro-centrifuged concretes is proposed to determine their integral (common) and differential (differing in layers) strength and strain characteristics and deformation diagrams. It has been proved that with vibro-centrifugation it becomes possible to obtain concretes with improved structure and higher characteristics compared with centrifugation and vibration techniques. Experimental studies of the differential characteristics of centrifuged and vibro-centrifuged concretes under compression and tension revealed that the outer layer of concrete had the best characteristics after centrifugation and vibro-centrifugation, and the inner layer had the worst ones. The three-layer model of the variatropic structure for centrifuged and vibro-centrifuged concrete has been experimentally confirmed. The concrete of the outer layers had the highest strength and modulus of elasticity and the least deformability; the concrete of the inner layers had the lowest strength and modulus of elasticity and the highest deformability; and the concrete of the middle layers had average characteristics. The deformation diagrams of centrifuged and vibro-centrifuged concretes were also differentiated by layers, confirming the variatropy of the structure of such concretes. The deformation diagrams for the outer concrete layer demonstrated the highest strength; the diagrams for the inner concrete layer showed the lowest strength; and the diagrams for the middle concrete layer corresponded to mean characteristics.
In Situ Assessment of 5G NR Massive MIMO Base Station Exposure in a Commercial Network in Bern, Switzerland
Authors: Aerts Sam , Deprez Kenneth , Colombi Davide , Van den Bossche Matthias , Verloock Leen , Martens Luc , Törnevik Christer , Joseph Wout
Published: April 2021

This paper describes the assessment of radiofrequency (RF) electromagnetic field (EMF) exposure from fifth generation (5G) new radio (NR) base stations in a commercial NR network in Bern, Switzerland. During the measurement campaign, four base station sites were investigated and the exposure induced by the NR massive multiple-input-multiple-output (MaMIMO) antennas was assessed at 22 positions, at distances from the base station between 30 m and 410 m. The NR base stations operated at 3.6 GHz and used codebook-based beamforming. While the actual field levels without inducing downlink traffic were very low (<0.05 V/m) due to a low traffic load and low antenna input powers of up to 8 W, setting up a maximum downlink traffic stream towards user equipment resulted in a time-averaged exposure level of up to 0.4 V/m, whereas the maximum extrapolated exposure level reached 0.6 V/m. Extrapolated to an antenna input power of 200 W, values of 4.3 V/m and 4.9 V/m, respectively, were obtained, which amount to 0.5–0.6% of the reference level recommended by the International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP). In Bern, it was found that the impact of the NR network on the total environmental RF exposure was very limited; with maximum downlink, it contributed 2% on average. Finally, it was also concluded that extrapolation to the maximum exposure level can be done without prior knowledge of the radiation patterns, directly based on the measurement of the Physical Downlink Shared Channel (PDSCH) resource elements.
Maturation of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Graft—Possibilities of Surgical Enhancement: What Do We Know So Far?
Authors: Ebisz Michał , Góralczyk Adrian , Mostowy Marcin , LaPrade Robert F. , Malinowski Konrad
Published: April 2021

The purpose of this study is to review the surgical methods of enhancing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft maturation. Several methods of ACL maturation enhancement were identified through research of the literature available in the PubMed database. ACL remnant preservation was the most extensively investigated technique. ACL reconstruction with a pedunculated hamstring graft provides superior revascularization of the graft along with higher mechanical strength. The usage of a graft enveloped with a periosteum was proposed to enhance the tendon-bone unit formation, and consequently, to prevent the bone tunnel widening. The muscle tissue on the graft is a potential source of stem cells. However, an excessive amount may weaken whole graft strength despite its enhanced remodeling. Similarly, amniotic tissue may augment the ACL reconstruction with stem cells and growth factors. Despite the existence of several surgical techniques that utilize amnion, the outcomes of these augmentation methods are lacking. Lastly, the intra-articular transplantation of the synovium on the surface of an ACL was proposed to augment the graft with synovial tissue and blood vessels. In conclusion, diverse approaches are being developed in order to enhance the maturation of an ACL reconstruction graft. Although these approaches have their foundation in on well-established scientific research, their outcomes are still equivocal. Clinical trials of high quality are needed to evaluate their utility in clinical practice.
Autonomous Vehicles: An Analysis Both on Their Distinctiveness and the Potential Impact on Urban Transport Systems
Authors: Severino Alessandro , Curto Salvatore , Barberi Salvatore , Arena Fabio , Pau Giovanni
Published: April 2021

Autonomous driving is a technological innovation that involves the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the automotive area, representing the future of transport and whose applications will influence the concept of driving and many other features of modern society. Indeed, the introduction of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) on the market, along with the development of related technologies, will have a potential impact not only on the automotive industry but also on urban transport systems. New mobility-related businesses will emerge, whereas existing ones will have to adapt to changes. There are various aspects that affect urban transport systems: in this work, we highlight how road markings, intersections, and pavement design upgradings have a key role for AVs operation. This work aims to describe how contemporary society will be influenced by Autonomous Vehicles’ spread in regard to urban transport systems. A comprehensive analysis of the expected developments within urban transport systems is hereby presented, and some crucial issues concerning benefits and drawbacks are also discussed. From our studies, it emerges that the detection performed by vehicles is mainly affected by road markings characteristics, especially at intersections. Indeed, the need for a new cross-sections type arise, since vehicles wandering phenomena will be reduced due to AVs position-keeping systems.
Nonlinear Control System Design of an Underactuated Robot Based on Operator Theory and Isomorphism Scheme
Authors: Deng Mingcong , Kubota Shotaro
Published: April 2021

The number of actuators of an underactuated robot is less than its degree of freedom. In other words, underactuated robots can be designed with fewer actuators than fully actuated ones. Although an underactuated robot is more complex than a fully actuated robot, it has many advantages, such as energy, material, and space saving. Therefore, it has high research value in both control theory and practical applications. Swing-up is a mechanism with two links, which mimics a gymnast performing a horizontal bar movement. Over the past few decades, many sufficiently robust control techniques have been developed for a fully actuated robot but almost none of them can be directly applicable to an underactuated robot system. The reason is that such control techniques require certain assumptions that are valid only for fully actuated robot systems but not for underactuated ones. In this paper, a control system design method for underactuated robots based on operator theory and an isomorphism scheme is first proposed. Bezout identity is designed using isomorphism. The effectiveness of the design method is confirmed by simulation. The simulation results show that the performances, such as robust stability and response time, of an underactuated robot control system are improved.