bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Drought-Adaptive Mechanisms of Young Sweet Cherry Trees in Response to Withholding and Resuming Irrigation Cycles
Authors: Blaya-Ros Pedro José , Blanco Víctor , Torres-Sánchez Roque , Domingo Rafael
Published: September 2021

The present work evaluates the main adaptive mechanisms developed by young sweet cherry trees (Prunus avium L.) to cope with drought. For this purpose, the young trees were subjected to two drought cycles with different water stress intensities followed by a recovery period. Three irrigation treatments were applied: control treatment (CTL) irrigated to ensure non-limiting soil water conditions; moderate water stress (MS) subjected to two drying cycles whose duration was dependent on the time elapsed until the trees reached values of midday stem water potential (Ψstem) of −1.3 and −1.7 MPa for the first and second cycle, respectively; and severe water stress (SS) similar to MS, but with reference values of −1.6 and −2.5 MPa. In-between drought cycles, MS and SS trees were irrigated daily as the CTL trees until reaching Ψstem values similar to those of CTL trees. The MS and SS trees showed an important stomatal regulation and lower vegetative growth. The decreasing leaf turgor potential (Ψturgor) during the drought periods accounted for 40–100% of the reduction in leaf water potential at midday (Ψmd). The minimum osmotic potential for mature leaves was about 0.35 MPa lower than in well-irrigated trees. The occasional osmotic adjustment observed in MS and SS trees was not sufficient to maintain Ψturgor values similar to the CTL trees or to increase the specific leaf weight (SLW). The leaf insertion angle increased as the water stress level increased. Severe water stress (Ψstem < −2.0 MPa) resulted in clear early defoliation as a further step in water conservation.
Soil Quality and Organic Matter Pools in a Temperate Climate (Northern Italy) under Different Land Uses
Authors: Vittori Antisari Livia , Trenti William , De Feudis Mauro , Bianchini Gianluca , Falsone Gloria
Published: September 2021

Temperate soils are threatened by degradation and soil organic matter (SOM) loss due to a combination of geomorphology, soil types, and anthropic pressure. In 54 sites in Northern Italy, characterized by different land uses, climates, geological substrates, and soils, we assessed (i) the soil quality, (ii) the SOM accumulation/degradation patterns, and (iii) whether land use and related soil management practices are sustainable based on changes in soil quality. Soil samples from the 0–15 and 15–30 cm deep layers were collected and analyzed for the soil parameters recommended by the FAO (bulk density, pH, organic and microbial C, total N, and soil respiration rate) and for the chemical SOM pools. Parameters related to the efficient use of soil microbial C were also calculated. The findings showed that agricultural lands where organic material was added had good soil quality and used microbial C efficiently. Reclaimed peaty soils degraded because the conditions were too stressful for the soil microbial biomass as supported by high metabolic quotient and the low values of mineralization quotient, microbial quotient, and soil biofertility index. Conservative management practices carried out in chestnuts were found to have a decreased soil degradation risk. An investigation of the soil parameters recommended by the FAO can be used to evaluate sustainable practices and soil quality on microbial activity and SOM dynamics.
Portable through Bottle SORS for the Authentication of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Authors: Varnasseri Mehrvash , Muhamadali Howbeer , Xu Yun , Richardson Paul I. C. , Byrd Nick , Ellis David I. , Matousek Pavel , Goodacre Royston
Published: September 2021

The authenticity of olive oil has been a significant long-term challenge. Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the most desirable of these products and commands a high price, thus unscrupulous individuals often alter its quality by adulteration with a lower grade oil. Most analytical methods employed for the detection of food adulteration require sample collection and transportation to a central laboratory for analysis. We explore the use of portable conventional Raman and spatially-offset Raman spectroscopy (SORS) technologies as non-destructive approaches to assess the adulteration status of EVOO quantitatively and for SORS directly through the original container, which means that after analysis the bottle is intact and the oil would still be fit for use. Three sample sets were generated, each with a different adulterant and varying levels of chemical similarity to EVOO. These included EVOO mixed with sunflower oil, pomace olive oil, or refined olive oil. Authentic EVOO samples were stretched/diluted from 0% to 100% with these adulterants and measured using two handheld Raman spectrometers (excitation at 785 or 1064 nm) and handheld SORS (830 nm). The PCA scores plots displayed clear trends which could be related to the level of adulteration for all three mixtures. Conventional Raman (at 785 or 1064 nm) and SORS (at 830 nm with a single spatial offset) conducted in sample vial mode resulted in prediction errors for the test set data ranging from 1.9–4.2% for sunflower oil, 6.5–10.7% for pomace olive oil and 8.0–12.8% for refined olive oil; with the limit of detection (LOD) typically being 3–12% of the adulterant. Container analysis using SORS produced very similar results: 1.4% for sunflower, 4.9% for pomace, and 10.1% for refined olive oil, with similar LODs ranging from 2–14%. It can be concluded that Raman spectroscopy, including through-container analysis using SORS, has significant potential as a rapid and accurate analytical method for the non-destructive detection of adulteration of extra virgin olive oil.
Vibration Analysis of a Piezoelectric Ultrasonic Atomizer to Control Atomization Rate
Authors: Guerra-Bravo Esteban , Lee Han-Joo , Baltazar Arturo , Loh Kenneth J.
Published: September 2021

In this work, a mechanical vibrational analysis of an ultrasonic atomizer is carried out to control its atomization mass transfer rate. An ultrasonic atomizer is a device constructed with a piezoelectric ring coupled to a metallic circular thin plate with micro-apertures. The mechanism of mass transfer by atomization is a complex phenomenon to model because of the coupling effect between the fluid transfer and dynamic mechanics controlled by a piezoelectric vibrating ring element. Here, the effect of the micro-apertures shape of the meshed thin plate coupled to a piezoelectric ring during vibration, as well as the resonance frequency modes, are numerically studied using a finite element analysis and compared with theoretical and experimental results. Good correlations between the predicted and experimental results of the resonant frequencies and atomization rates were found.
Heart Disease Risk Prediction Using Machine Learning Classifiers with Attribute Evaluators
Authors: Reddy Karna Vishnu Vardhana , Elamvazuthi Irraivan , Aziz Azrina Abd , Paramasivam Sivajothi , Chua Hui Na , Pranavanand S.
Published: September 2021

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) kill about 20.5 million people every year. Early prediction can help people to change their lifestyles and to ensure proper medical treatment if necessary. In this research, ten machine learning (ML) classifiers from different categories, such as Bayes, functions, lazy, meta, rules, and trees, were trained for efficient heart disease risk prediction using the full set of attributes of the Cleveland heart dataset and the optimal attribute sets obtained from three attribute evaluators. The performance of the algorithms was appraised using a 10-fold cross-validation testing option. Finally, we performed tuning of the hyperparameter number of nearest neighbors, namely, ‘k’ in the instance-based (IBk) classifier. The sequential minimal optimization (SMO) achieved an accuracy of 85.148% using the full set of attributes and 86.468% was the highest accuracy value using the optimal attribute set obtained from the chi-squared attribute evaluator. Meanwhile, the meta classifier bagging with logistic regression (LR) provided the highest ROC area of 0.91 using both the full and optimal attribute sets obtained from the ReliefF attribute evaluator. Overall, the SMO classifier stood as the best prediction method compared to other techniques, and IBk achieved an 8.25% accuracy improvement by tuning the hyperparameter ‘k’ to 9 with the chi-squared attribute set.
Soft Computing Techniques for Appraisal of Potentially Toxic Elements from Jalandhar (Punjab), India
Authors: Kumar Vinod , Sihag Parveen , Keshavarzi Ali , Pandita Shevita , Rodríguez-Seijo Andrés
Published: September 2021

The contamination of potentially toxic elements (PTEs) in agricultural soils is a serious concern around the globe, and modelling approaches is imperative in order to determine the possible hazards linked with PTEs. These techniques accurately assess the PTEs in soil, which play a pivotal role in eliminating the weaknesses in determining PTEs in soils. This paper aims to predict the concentration of Cu, Co and Pb using neural networks (NNs) based on multilayer perceptron (MLP) and boosted regression trees (BT). Statistical performance estimation factors were rummage-sale to measure the performance of developed models. Comparison of the coefficient of correlation and root mean squared error suggest that MLP-established models perform better than BT-based models for predicting the concentration of Cu and Pb, whereas BT models perform better than MLP established models at predicting the concentration of Co.
Coating Process Optimization and Self-Healing Performance Evaluation of Shellac Microcapsules Coated with Melamine/Rice Husk Powder
Authors: Yan Xiaoxing , Han Yan , Yin Taiyu
Published: September 2021

To explore the implication of the coating process on the comprehensive properties of water-based coating containing shellac microcapsules coated with melamine/rice husk powder on the Tilia cordata surface, the optical properties, mechanical properties, liquid resistance, aging resistance, chemical composition, and microstructure of the coating were analyzed comprehensively. After the best coating process was determined, compared with the coating without microcapsules, the self-repairing performance of the water-based coating containing shellac microcapsules coated with melamine/rice husk powder was explored via aging resistance test and scratch test. The results showed that the best comprehensive performance of the coating was obtained by three times primer, two times finish, and 6.0% shellac microcapsules coated with melamine/rice husk powder added in the primer. The coating with shellac microcapsules had significant stability, aging resistance, and self-healing performance, which can repair cracks in a certain period of time and inhibit the formation of cracks. At the core wall ratio of 0.75, the shellac which plays a role of the repair agent as the core material can effectively fill the microcracks in the coating to repair by flowing from the broken microcapsule because it can be physically cured at room temperature. The modification of waterborne coatings with shellac microcapsules coated with melamine/rice husk powder contributes the improved self-repairing properties of surface coatings containing heterogeneous natural polymer composites.
Recovery of Heavy Metal Ions Using Magnetic Glycine-Modified Chitosan—Application to Aqueous Solutions and Tailing Leachate
Authors: Benettayeb Asmaa , Morsli Amine , Elwakeel Khalid Z. , Hamza Mohammed F. , Guibal Eric
Published: September 2021

The necessity of decontaminating effluents for the dual purpose of environmental beneficiation and valorization of low-grade resources is driving the development of new sorbents. The functionalization of biopolymers is a promising strategy for improving sorption performance. Incorporating magnetic micro-particles offers an opportunity for the facilitated recovery of spent micron-size sorbent. Combining magnetic facilities and biopolymer functionalization represents a winning strategy. Magnetic glycine-grafted chitosan (G@MChs) was synthesized for the sorption of Ni(II), Zn(II), and Hg(II) before being applied to the removal of hazardous and strategic metals from tailing leachates. The sorbent was characterized using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy, before and after metal sorption. The acid–base properties of functionalized sorbent were also determined (pHPZC). Uptake kinetics were studied in mono- and multi-component solutions using different equations for kinetic modeling at optimized pH (i.e., pH0: 5.5). Langmuir and Sips equations were applied to model sorption isotherms in single-component solutions. In addition, sorption isotherms in multi-component solutions were used to evaluate the preference for selected metals. Maximum sorption capacities were 0.35 mmol Hg g−1, 0.47 mmol Zn g−1, and 0.50 mmol Ni g−1. Acidified urea solution (pH 2.7) successfully desorbs metal ions from G@MChs (desorption > 90%). The sorbent was tested for the recovery of hazardous and strategic metal ions from acidic leachates of tailings. This study demonstrates the promising performance of G@MChs for the treatment of complex metal-bearing solutions.
An Optimization Methodology for Adapting Legacy SGX Applications to Use Switchless Calls
Authors: Kim Seongmin
Published: September 2021

A recent innovation in the trusted execution environment (TEE) technologies enables the delegation of privacy-preserving computation to the cloud system. In particular, Intel SGX, an extension of x86 instruction set architecture (ISA), accelerates this trend by offering hardware-protected isolation with near-native performance. However, SGX inherently suffers from performance degradation depending on the workload characteristics due to the hardware restriction and design decisions that primarily concern the security guarantee. The system-level optimizations on SGX runtime and kernel module have been proposed to resolve this, but they cannot effectively reflect application-specific characteristics that largely impact the performance of legacy SGX applications. This work presents an optimization strategy to achieve application-level optimization by utilizing asynchronous switchless calls to reduce enclave transition, one of the dominant overheads of using SGX. Based on the systematic analysis, our methodology examines the performance benefit for each enclave transition wrapper and selectively applies switchless calls without modifying the legacy codebases. The evaluation shows that our optimization strategy successfully improves the end-to-end performance of our showcasing application, an SGX-enabled network middlebox.
Analysis of Bearing Strength of Post-Tensioning Anchorage Zone with Respect to Relative Bearing Area and Lateral Confinement Design
Authors: Kim Jin-Kook , Yang Jun-Mo
Published: September 2021

This study aimed to evaluate the bearing strength of the post-tensioning anchorage zone with respect to the relative bearing area and lateral confinement design of spiral and stirrup rebars. Eleven specimens were fabricated and tested to fracture in accordance with EAD 160004-00-0301. Load-displacement curves and fracture modes were analyzed. Then, the conventional design equation for the bearing strength and previous findings on the relative bearing area was re-investigated in comparison with the test results. From the test, the representative findings are as follows: (1) A specimen with relatively small size and less lateral reinforcement is more likely to be affected by the wedge action of the anchorage device; however, a larger specimen is affected by both concrete crushing and/or spalling; (2) The behavior of the anchorage zone is markedly affected by the local behavior near the anchorage bearing plate, and the sectional efficiency is mostly determined by A/Ag; (3) For specimens with A/Ag = 9.52, the proportional limit of the load-displacement curve is determined by the yield of spiral rebar or fracture of the bearing plate, but the later part of the curve is determined by lateral confinement; (4) The maximum A/Ag that could produce 100% sectional efficiency is about 2.0 for the anchorage bearing plate used in the test; (5) For a fully confined specimen with a small-diameter spiral for minimum anchorage spacing, the stirrup rebar design mainly influences crack occurrence and patterns when the size of the specimen is equal to the minimum anchorage spacing; however, the area of the load-displacement curve after the proportional limit as well as crack occurrence and patterns are also influenced by stirrup rebar design when A/Ag is relatively large; (6) Finally, a revised design model is proposed to effectively estimate the ultimate bearing strength of the post-tensioning anchorage zone without respect to A/Ag. From the comparison of the design equations, it was concluded that the proposed equation provides a more reliable prediction with a 14.0% average error rate and 5.7% standard deviation of error rate.
Copper and Nickel Nanoparticles Prepared by Thermal Treatment of Their Respective Cations Confined in Nanopores through High-Pressure Synthesis
Authors: Brodie-Linder Nancy , Deschamps Johnny , Bombled Marianne , Pasternak Nicolas , Audonnet Fabrice , Beaunier Patricia , Alba-Simionesco Christiane
Published: September 2021

A new and simple method for preparing confined copper and nickel nanoparticles by thermal treatment of their respective cations inside Mobil Composition of Matter 41 (MCM–41) hydrophobic nanopores is presented here. Surface modified MCM–41 hydrophobic materials were impregnated by using high-pressure treatment with copper II (Cu II) or nickel II (Ni II) aqueous solutions. After pressure release and washing, the remaining metal cations, confined exclusively within the nanopores, were heated, forming metallic nanoparticles. Reduction of the cations by a redox reaction between the hydrophobic organic surface and the confined metal cations is proposed. Transmission electronic microscopy (TEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), nitrogen (N2) adsorption at −196 °C (77 K), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and thermogravimetric (TGA) analyses evidenced the identification of copper and nickel nanoparticles (NPs).
Vibrational Excitation Cross-Section by Positron Impact: A Wave-Packet Dynamics Study
Authors: Poveda Luis A. , Varella Marcio T. do N. , Mohallem José R.
Published: September 2021

The vibrational excitation cross-section of a diatomic molecule by positron impact is obtained using wave-packet propagation techniques. The dynamics study was carried on a two-dimensional potential energy surface, which couples a hydrogenlike harmonic oscillator to a positron via a spherically symmetric correlation polarization potential. The cross-section for the excitation of the first vibrational mode is in good agreement with previous reports. Our model suggests that a positron couples to the target vibration by responding instantly to an interaction potential, which depends on the target vibrational coordinate.
Influence of Performance Status on the Effectiveness of Pembrolizumab Monotherapy in First-Line for Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Results in a Real-World Population
Authors: Jiménez Galán Rocío Jiménez , Prado-Mel Elena , Pérez-Moreno María Antonia , Caballano-Infantes Estefanía , Flores Moreno Sandra
Published: September 2021

The KEYNOTE-024 clinical trial showed promising results for pembrolizumab in the first-line of treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the profile of patients in real-world practice differs from those included in this clinical trial. Here, an observational single-center retrospective study was performed through a comparative analysis of clinical outcomes after pembrolizumab therapy according to the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Stage Performance Status (ECOG PS). Moreover, univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to detect prognostic factors. In our cohort, 63.7% of patients had an ECOG PS of 0–1. Regarding response rate, 31.8% of patients had a partial response (PR), 19.3% had stable disease (SD) and 23.9% had progression disease. On the other hand, patients with ECOG PS ≥ 2 showed a significantly lower rate of PR and SD to pembrolizumab than patients with a PS of 0–1. The rate of response, median overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were significantly higher in patients with ECOG PS 0–1 than in those with ECOG PS ≥ 2. In the current study, we found ECOG PS as the only independent predictor of OS and PFS. Due to the ECOG PS scale being a subjective parameter, other tools are needed to identify treatment effectiveness to each patient.
A Portable Micro-Gas Chromatography with Integrated Photonic Crystal Slab Sensors on Chip
Authors: Biswas Priyanka , Zhang Chen , Chen Yudong , Liu Zhonghe , Vaziri Seyedmohsen , Zhou Weidong , Sun Yuze
Published: September 2021

The miniaturization of gas chromatography (GC) systems has made it possible to utilize the analytical technique in various on-site applications to rapidly analyze complex gas samples. Various types of miniaturized sensors have been developed for micro-gas chromatography (µGC). However, the integration of an appropriate detector in µGC systems still faces a significant challenge. We present a solution to the problem through integration of µGC with photonic crystal slab (PCS) sensors using transfer printing technology. This integration offers an opportunity to utilize the advantages of optical sensors, such as high sensitivity and rapid response time, and at the same time, compensate for the lack of detection specificity from which label-free optical sensors suffer. We transfer printed a 2D defect free PCS on a borofloat glass, bonded it to a silicon microfluidic gas cell or directly to a microfabricated GC column, and then coated it with a gas responsive polymer. Realtime spectral shift in Fano resonance of the PCS sensor was used to quantitatively detect analytes over a mass range of three orders. The integrated µGC–PCS system was used to demonstrate separation and detection of a complex mixture of 10 chemicals. Fast separation and detection (4 min) and a low detection limit (ng) was demonstrated.
Trends in Widely Used Catalysts for Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAME) Production: A Review
Authors: Nisar Shafaq , Hanif Muhammad Asif , Rashid Umer , Hanif Asma , Akhtar Muhammad Nadeem , Ngamcharussrivichai Chawalit
Published: September 2021

The effective transesterification process to produce fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) requires the use of low-cost, less corrosive, environmentally friendly and effective catalysts. Currently, worldwide biodiesel production revolves around the use of alkaline and acidic catalysts employed in heterogeneous and homogeneous phases. Homogeneous catalysts (soluble catalysts) for FAME production have been widespread for a while, but solid catalysts (heterogeneous catalysts) are a newer development for FAME production. The rate of reaction is much increased when homogeneous basic catalysts are used, but the main drawback is the cost of the process which arises due to the separation of catalysts from the reaction media after product formation. A promising field for catalytic biodiesel production is the use of heteropoly acids (HPAs) and polyoxometalate compounds. The flexibility of their structures and super acidic properties can be enhanced by incorporation of polyoxometalate anions into the complex proton acids. This pseudo liquid phase makes it possible for nearly all mobile protons to take part in the catalysis process. Carbonaceous materials which are obtained after sulfonation show promising catalytic activity towards the transesterification process. Another promising heterogeneous acid catalyst used for FAME production is vanadium phosphate. Furthermore, biocatalysts are receiving attention for large-scale FAME production in which lipase is the most common one used successfully This review critically describes the most important homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts used in the current FAME production, with future directions for their use.
The Role of EUS-Guided FNA and FNB in Autoimmune Pancreatitis
Authors: de Pretis Nicolò , Crinò Stefano Francesco , Frulloni Luca
Published: September 2021

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) is an increasingly recognized disease classified into two different subtypes based on histology. According to the International Diagnostic Criteria (ICDC), the diagnosis is achieved using a combination of different criteria. In patients presenting with a typical imaging appearance, the diagnosis may be straightforward, and steroid treatment is recommended, even without histological confirmation. In patients with atypical imaging or mass-forming appearance, the differential diagnosis with pancreatic cancer is challenging and crucial for treatment strategy. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided tissue acquisition has been proposed to achieve a histological diagnosis. Fine-needle aspiration (FNA) was first proposed to aspirate cells from pancreatic lesions. Despite excellent results in terms of sensitivity for pancreatic cancer, the data are disappointing regarding the diagnosis of AIP. The recent development of new needles allowing fine-needle biopsy (FNB) has been associated with improved diagnostic accuracy based on preserving the tissue architecture, which is necessary to detect the typical histological features of AIP. However, the published literature on the role of EUS-guided FNA and FNB is limited and mainly focused on type 1 AIP. The present study aimed to review the available literature on the role of EUS-guided FNA and FNB in the diagnosis of AIP.
Teacher-Student Reflections: A Critical Conversation about Values and Cultural Awareness in Community Development Work, and Implications for Teaching and Practice
Authors: Sheridan Louise , Mungai Matthew
Published: September 2021

This reflective, autoethnographic piece provides some insights into our involvement with a program that promotes a value-driven approach to community development work. As a ‘conversation’ between a lecturer and a graduate, or Educator of Informal Educators and Informal Educator, we discuss the process of teaching and learning about values within day-to-day community development practice. We emphasise that a value-driven approach enables informal educators to celebrate cultural diversity, which can be complex in community settings. As the educator of informal educators (Louise), I reflect on the need to explore and demonstrate what value-driven practice looks like in day-to-day practice within community work and not simply state that values are important. This was prompted by self-reflection and the realisation that my teaching failed to illuminate how to bring values to life in all aspects of community work to achieve anti-discriminatory, inclusive and empowering practice. As an informal educator (Matthew), I consider how community development theories and values translate into meaningful practice that celebrates cultural diversity. Reflections are influenced by theories from Paulo Freire, with a focus on his notion that ‘educators should respect the autonomy of the students and respect cultural identities’. An example of Freirean dialogue, the article discusses our critical consciousness through praxis as educator and informal educator. Acknowledging that we are never fully complete—we are always ‘becoming’—we hope the article will be of interest to both Educators of Informal Educators and Informal Educators alike.
Using Artificial Intelligence to Predict Class Loyalty and Plagiarism in Students in an Online Blended Programming Course during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Wu Jain-Shing , Chien Ting-Hsuan , Chien Li-Ren , Yang Chin-Yi
Published: September 2021

During the COVID-19 epidemic, most programming courses were revised to distance learning. However, many problems occurred, such as students pretending to be actively learning while actually being absent and students engaging in plagiarism. In most existing systems, obtaining status updates on the progress of a student’s learning is hard. In this paper, we first define the term “class loyalty”, which means that a student studies hard and is willing to learn without using any tricks. Then, we propose a novel method combined with the parsing trees of program codes and the fuzzy membership function to detect plagiarism. Additionally, the fuzzy membership functions combined with a convolution neural network (CNN) are used to predict which students obtain high scores and high class loyalty. Two hundred and twenty-six students were involved in the experiments. The dataset was randomly separated into the training datasets and the test datasets for twenty runs. The average accuracies of the experiment in predicting which students obtain high scores using the fuzzy membership function combined with a CNN and using the duration and number of actions are 93.34% and 92.62%. The average accuracies of the experiment in predicting which students have high class loyalty are 95.00% and 92.74%. Both experiments show that our proposed method not only can detect plagiarism but also can be used to detect which students are diligent.
A Comprehensive Analysis of Deep Neural-Based Cerebral Microbleeds Detection System
Authors: Ferlin Maria Anna , Grochowski Michał , Kwasigroch Arkadiusz , Mikołajczyk Agnieszka , Szurowska Edyta , Grzywińska Małgorzata , Sabisz Agnieszka
Published: September 2021

Machine learning-based systems are gaining interest in the field of medicine, mostly in medical imaging and diagnosis. In this paper, we address the problem of automatic cerebral microbleeds (CMB) detection in magnetic resonance images. It is challenging due to difficulty in distinguishing a true CMB from its mimics, however, if successfully solved, it would streamline the radiologists work. To deal with this complex three-dimensional problem, we propose a machine learning approach based on a 2D Faster RCNN network. We aimed to achieve a reliable system, i.e., with balanced sensitivity and precision. Therefore, we have researched and analysed, among others, impact of the way the training data are provided to the system, their pre-processing, the choice of model and its structure, and also the ways of regularisation. Furthermore, we also carefully analysed the network predictions and proposed an algorithm for its post-processing. The proposed approach enabled for obtaining high precision (89.74%), sensitivity (92.62%), and F1 score (90.84%). The paper presents the main challenges connected with automatic cerebral microbleeds detection, its deep analysis and developed system. The conducted research may significantly contribute to automatic medical diagnosis.
Self-Adaptive Run-Time Variable Floating-Point Precision for Iterative Algorithms: A Joint HW/SW Approach
Authors: Ait Said Noureddine , Benabdenbi Mounir , Morin-Allory Katell
Published: September 2021

Using standard Floating-Point (FP) formats for computation leads to significant hardware overhead since these formats are over-designed for error-resilient workloads such as iterative algorithms. Hence, hardware FP Unit (FPU) architectures need run-time variable precision capabilities. In this work, we propose a new method and an FPU architecture that enable designers to dynamically tune FP computations’ precision automatically at run-time called Variable Precision in Time (VPT), leading to significant power consumption, execution time, and energy savings. In spite of its circuit area overhead, the proposed approach simplifies the integration of variable precision in existing software workloads at any level of the software stack (OS, RTOS, or application-level): it only requires lightweight software support and solely relies on traditional assembly instructions, without the need for a specialized compiler or custom instructions. We apply the technique on the Jacobi and the Gauss–Seidel iterative methods taking full advantage of the suggested FPU. For each algorithm, two modified versions are proposed: a conservative version and a relaxed one. Both algorithms are analyzed and compared statistically to understand the effects of VPT on iterative applications. The implementations demonstrate up to 70.67% power consumption saving, up to 59.80% execution time saving, and up to 88.20% total energy saving w.r.t the reference double precision implementation, and with no accuracy loss.
Pasta as a Source of Minerals in the Diets of Poles; Effect of Culinary Processing of Pasta on the Content of Minerals
Authors: Jachimowicz Karolina , Winiarska-Mieczan Anna , Baranowska-Wójcik Ewa , Bąkowski Maciej
Published: September 2021

Pasta is a product that requires culinary processing which can affect the content of minerals in the finished product. The study aimed to examine how cooking pasta (1) in salted water (1 teaspoon—16 g of salt per 1 litre of water) or unsalted water and (2) rinsing cooked pasta with running water affects the content of minerals. Thirty-five samples of six types of pasta were analysed. The content of minerals was determined using the ICP-OES method. Retention of minerals in the cooked pasta was calculated. Taking the culinary treatment into account, the intake of minerals with pasta was assessed for children, adolescents, and adults, and the values were compared with the recommendations for the population of Poland. The analysed culinary factors had a statistically significant influence on the content of minerals. Adding salt to water when cooking pasta significantly increased the content of Na in the product, which in turn was negatively correlated with the content of other minerals. When pasta was cooked in unsalted water, it contained less Na and more other minerals than pasta cooked in salted water. Rinsing of pasta reduced the content of all minerals. Pasta is an important source of Mg, Cu, and Mn in the diet of Poles. These ingredients are particularly important to ensure correct development and functioning of the human body. The best method of culinary treatment of pasta is cooking in unsalted water without rinsing.
Seismicity Patterns Prior to the Thessaly (Mw6.3) Strong Earthquake on 3 March 2021 in Terms of Multiresolution Wavelets and Natural Time Analysis
Authors: Vallianatos Filippos , Michas Georgios , Hloupis George
Published: September 2021

On 3 March 2021, a strong, shallow earthquake of moment magnitude, Mw6.3, occurred in northern Thessaly (Central Greece). To investigate possible complex correlations in the evolution of seismicity in the broader area of Central Greece before the Mw6.3 event, we apply the methods of multiresolution wavelet analysis (MRWA) and natural time (NT) analysis. The description of seismicity evolution by critical parameters defined by NT analysis, integrated with the results of MRWA as the initiation point for the NT analysis, forms a new framework that may possibly lead to new universal principles that describe the generation processes of strong earthquakes. In the present work, we investigate this new framework in the seismicity prior to the Mw6.3 Thessaly earthquake. Initially, we apply MRWA to the interevent time series of the successive regional earthquakes in order to investigate the approach of the regional seismicity at critical stages and to define the starting point of the natural time domain. Then, we apply the NT analysis, showing that the regional seismicity approached criticality a few days before the occurrence of the Mw6.3 earthquake, when the κ1 natural time parameter reached the critical value of κ1 = 0.070.
Machine Learning Applied to K-Bentonite Geochemistry for Identification and Correlation: The Ordovician Hagan K-Bentonite Complex Case Study
Authors: Herrmann Achim D. , Haynes John T. , Robinet Richard M. , Emerson Norlene R.
Published: September 2021

Altered tephras (K-bentonites) are of great importance for calibration of the geologic time scale, for local, regional, and global correlations, and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Thus, definitive identification of individual tephras is critical. Single crystal geochemistry has been used to differentiate tephra layers, and apatite is one of the phenocrysts commonly occurring in tephras that has been widely used. Here, we use existing and newly acquired analytical datasets (electron probe micro-analyzer [EPMA] data and laser ablation ICP-MS [LA-ICP-MS] data, respectively) of apatite in several Ordovician K-bentonites that were collected from localities about 1200 km apart (Minnesota/Iowa/Wisconsin and Alabama, United States) to test the use of machine-learning (ML) techniques to identify with confidence individual tephra layers. Our results show that the decision tree based on EPMA data uses the elemental concentration patterns of Mg, Mn, and Cl, consistent with previous studies that emphasizes the utility of these elements for distinguishing Ordovician K-bentonites. Differences in the experimental setups of the analyses, however, can lead to offsets in absolute elemental concentrations that can have a significant impact on the correct identification and correlation of individual K-bentonite beds. The ML model using LA-ICP-MS data was able to identify several K-bentonites in the southern Appalachians and establish links to K-bentonites samples from the Upper Mississippi Valley. Furthermore, the ML model identified individual layers of multiphase eruptions, thus illustrating very well the great potential of applying ML techniques to tephrochronology.
From Geoheritage to Geoeducation, Geoethics and Geotourism: A Critical Evaluation of the Greek Region
Authors: Zafeiropoulos George , Drinia Hara , Antonarakou Assimina , Zouros Nikolaos
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this review is, initially, to emphasize the importance of geoenvironmental education for the promotion and preservation of geological heritage and geoethical values, and based on these, to present the current situation in Greece. Geoeducation is a broader component of environmental education which aims to promote the geological heritage of a place and its geoconservation. It is a key integral tool for tackling environmental issues and therefore further assisting in sustainable development. Greece is known for its exceptional and rare natural beauty, as well as for the abundance of natural resources and its remarkable geological features. For this reason, six global geoparks have already been established in this country. However, its nature protection is mainly considered as the protection of biodiversity, while the term “geodiversity” is almost absent in Greek law. The importance of establishing a legal framework for the protection of geotopes is underlined by the fact that their promotion and rational management create opportunities for sustainable development, as well as to become quality tourist destinations (geotourism) through nature protection and education. Geodiversity can gain public attention and have a positive impact on geotopes protection. Such initiatives can not only improve the protection of geological sites, but also play an important role in their sustainable development.
‘Garnem’ and Myrobalan ‘P.2175’: Two Different Drought Responses and Their Implications in Drought Tolerance
Authors: Bielsa Beatriz , Sanz María Ángeles , Rubio-Cabetas María José
Published: September 2021

One of the challenges in rootstock breeding programs is the combination of tolerances to different abiotic stresses in new interspecific hybrids adapted to a wide range of environmental conditions. In this work, two Prunus L. rootstocks: Myrobalan ‘P.2175’ (P. cerasifera Ehrh.) and the almond × peach hybrid ‘Garnem’ (P. amygdalus Batsch × P. persica (L.) Batsch) were subjected to drought during 24 h to understand their drought response mechanisms. The study was conducted monitoring leaf water potential (LWP), stomatal conductance (gs), relative water content (RWC), and electrolyte leakage (EL); as well as the abscisic acid (ABA) content in roots. The relative expression of five drought-relative genes was also studied. The obtained results allowed examining the drought tolerance potential of ‘Garnem’ and Myrobalan ‘P.2175’, demonstrating the great potential of ‘Garnem’ as drought tolerance source in future selections in breeding. Furthermore, based on the obtained data, the transcription factor Myb25-like could be a good biomarker of drought sensitivity for use in Prunus rootstock breeding programs.
Genotype and Maturity Stage Affect the Content and Composition of Polyamines in Tomato—Possible Relations to Plant and Human Health
Authors: Gutierrez Evelyn E. Villanueva , Johansson Eva , Centellas Quezada Alberto , Gustavsson Karl-Erik , Olsson Marie E.
Published: September 2021

Polyamines (PAs) are molecules affecting several physiological characteristics in all living organisms with cell protective effects, thereby impacting plant and human health. Here, we used HPLC-DAD-ESI-MS to evaluate the content and composition of PAs in eight tomato genotypes over their maturation period, and related the content and composition to other quality traits and possible implications for plant and human health. The tomato genotype, maturity stage and their interactions, significantly affected the content and composition of PAs. Two of the genotypes, ‘Huichol’ and ‘Rio Grande’ showed consistently lower levels of PAs than the other evaluated genotypes. The variation in content and composition of PAs among genotypes was found to vary inconsistently over the maturation period. Putrescine content in the different genotypes either did not vary significantly, increased, or showed the lowest level in the middle of the maturation period, while spermidine content decreased or did not show significant variation. The genotypes ‘HT36’ and ‘HT25’ showed high levels of PAs during red and green maturity stages, respectively, and can thereby be seen as suitable health promoting red and green candidate tomatoes. Depiction of variation of the PAs creates opportunities for breeding and production of health promoting tomato as a food or food additive.
Evaluating Groundwater Flow Effects for Enhancement of Ground-Source Heat Pipes in the Case of the Toyohira River Alluvial Fan, Japan
Authors: Sakata Yoshikata , Chishimba Johnson , Mochizuki Masataka , Nagano Katsunori
Published: September 2021

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential enhancement of ground-source heat pipes by groundwater advection at two sites within an alluvial fan of Toyohira River, Sapporo. Two sites were selected: one in the fan toe, for negligible groundwater flow (Site 1), and the other in the apex for fast flows, the latter characterized by a specific discharge of 1.0 m/d from the losing river (Site 2). The evaporator section(s) of a single (double) heat pipe(s) was installed in a borehole at each site; the condenser section(s) on the ground was placed inside cooled brine at a set temperature, resulting in heat extraction under steady conditions. The single heat pipe experiments showed that the heat extraction rates ranged between 0.23 and 0.79 kW and were not clearly different at the two sites, considering some uncertainty. For double heat pipes, the heat extraction rates were unchanged at Site 1, but were about 146% higher at Site 2 compared to the single tests, due to groundwater advection. This study revealed that the number of ground-source heat pipes required could be reduced from three to two in areas near Site 2.
The Role of Organizational Citizenship Behavior and Gender between Job Satisfaction and Task Performance
Authors: Casu Giulia , Mariani Marco Giovanni , Chiesa Rita , Guglielmi Dina , Gremigni Paola
Published: September 2021

Job satisfaction (JS) is an indicator of individual psychosocial health. Consistent evidence showed that voluntary extra-role behavior in organizations, namely organizational citizenship behavior (OCB), can also contribute to individual psychological health. JS has been found to positively influence employees’ OCB, and both JS and OCB have been found to predict employees’ task performance (TP). The purpose of this study was to investigate whether employees’ OCB mediates the relationship of JS with TP, taking into consideration gender as a potential moderator, and other sociodemographic and work-related characteristics as confounding variables. A total of 518 employees, 54.6% women, aged 19–66 years with a mean age of about 36 years, completed measures of JS, OCB, and TP. Results showed a partial mediation of OCB in the JS-TP relationship, which was invariant across gender. A potential practical implication of findings is that human resource managers and practitioners might ultimately benefit male and female employees’ well-being as well as the organizations’ productivity by developing targeted individual- and group-level trainings and interventions to enhance JS and OCB.
Soil Sealing and Hydrological Changes during the Development of the University Campus of Elche (Spain)
Authors: Navarro-Leblond Manon , Meléndez-Pastor Ignacio , Navarro-Pedreño Jose , Gómez Lucas Ignacio
Published: September 2021

The University Miguel Hernández of Elche was created in 1996 and its headquarters is located in the city of Elche. A new campus was developed where new buildings and infrastructures have been established for over 25 years in the north of the city. The university is growing, and the land cover/land use is changing, adapted to the new infrastructures. In fact, the landscape changed from a periurban agricultural area mixed with other activities into an urbanized area integrated into the city. The purpose of this work was to evaluate the progressive sealing of the soil and the consequences on the surface hydrology. The area is close to the Palmeral of Elche, a landscape of date palm groves with an ancient irrigation system, which is a World Heritage Cultural Landscape recognized by UNESCO. The evolution of the land occupation was analyzed based on the Aerial National Orthophotography Plan (PNOA). Soil sealing and the modifications of the hydrological ancient irrigation system were detected. Based on the results, proposals for improvement are made in order to implement green infrastructures and landscape recovery that can alleviate the possible negative effects of the soil sealing in the area occupied by the university.
“Where-There-Is-No-Psychiatrist Integrated Personal Therapy” among Community-Dwelling Older Adults: A Randomized Pilot Study
Authors: Shorey Shefaly , Kua Ee Heok , Tam Wilson , Chan Valerie , Goh Yong Shian , Lim Hong Meng , Lim Lina Hsiu Kim , Tian Cheong Sing , Mahendran Rathi
Published: September 2021

In Singapore, many older adults suffer from subsyndromal depression and/or subsyndromal anxiety, which can negatively impact their physical and mental well-being if left untreated. Due to the general public’s reluctance to seek psychological help and the low psychiatrist-to-population ratio in Singapore, this study aims to examine the preliminary efficacy, perceptions, and acceptability of a trained volunteer-led community-based intervention on community-dwelling older adults. Twenty-one participants (control: n = 11; intervention: n = 10) completed the randomized pilot study. A mixed-methods approach (questionnaires, semistructured interviews, examining blood samples, intervention fidelity) was adopted. No significant differences were found between the intervention and the control groups in depression, anxiety, life satisfaction, friendship, and quality of life. However, there was a positive change in quality-of-life scores from baseline to 6 months in the intervention group. The control group had significantly higher cortisol levels and lower annexin-A1 levels at 6 months, while the intervention group did not. Three themes emerged from the interviews: (1) impact of the intervention on older adults’ well-being, (2) attitudes toward intervention, and (3) a way forward. However, intervention efficacy could not be established due to small sample size caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Future randomized controlled trials should evaluate volunteer-led, technology-based psychosocial interventions to support these older adults.