bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Метафізика влади: класичний філософський дискурс
Authors: Шаповал Володимир Миколайович
Published: May 2020

У межах класичної філософської думки було розроблено важливі принципи функціонування влади у суспільстві та засоби, що забезпечують її ефективність. З’ясовано, що владні стосунки супроводжують людину як колективну істоту упродовж усієї її історії, є незмінним атрибутом соціального життя. Будучи успадкованими від своїх тваринних предків, вони отримали найрізноманітніші форми у ранніх людських спільнотах, виконуючи як конструктивну, так і деструктивну роль. Вододілом між вказаними проявами влади є виконання нею своїх головних функцій, серед яких чи на найпершому місці стоїть керування суспільними процесами, забезпечення сталого розвитку людських спільнот. За традицією, владою зі знаком «плюс» називали таку владу, яка приносить благо більшій частині або усім членам певної спільноти. Негативна влада – це така влада, яка має метою благо обмеженого кола обраних або навіть одного верховного правителя, і, у кінцевому підсумку, руйнує соціальну тканину суспільства. Питання щодо співвідношення цілей і засобів, якими влада домагається виконання своїх вимог, має тут вирішальне значення. Класична філософська думка обґрунтовано доводить, що для розумних істот, якими вважають себе люди, більш прийнятними впровадження владних рішень є не насильство, а моральний авторитет і право. Саме право у такому, що все більш ускладнюється, людському суспільстві,  поступово стає пріоритетним інструментом влади.  Упродовж майже всієї людської історії можна спостерігати тісний зв'язок між владою і насильством. Іноді здається, що воно взагалі є неусувним з людського життя, ледве чи визначальний чинник людських стосунків. Саме по собі насильство мало у кого знаходить відверте схвалення. Більшість філософів, та й взагалі пересічних людей, як правило, його засуджують. Влада завжди прагне зберегти себе як можна довше, у граничному плані – стати вічною. Проте є багато причин об'єктивного і суб'єктивного характеру, що ставлять межу таким намаганням. Людське суспільство – це виключно складна система зв'язків і відносин. Ефективна робота цієї системи забезпечується, у тому числі, ефективними управлінськими рішеннями, а також тісним зв'язком між прийнятими рішеннями і їх виконанням. Тобто, – саме владними відносинами. Хочемо ми цього чи не хочемо, але у суспільстві завжди будуть керівники і підлеглі, ті, хто приймає рішення, і ті, хто повинен їх виконувати, тобто, владарюючі і підвладні. Від того, наскільки будуть ефективними рішення, і наскільки успішно вони будуть впроваджуватись у життя, залежить успішне функціонування різних людських спільнот, майбутнє загальнолюдського суспільства взагалі. Саме це, в ідеальному варіанті, повинна забезпечувати влада.
Razlozi, učestalost i izvori informiranja mladih o financijskim pitanjima
Authors: Balabanić Ivan
Published: May 2020

Financijska pismenost i financijska informiranost opisuju se kao znanje,
vještine i ponašanje koji mogu ukloniti nepoželjne financijske rizike, kao i potaknuti poduzetničko ponašanje. Sa službenim takvim opismenjavanjem i obrazovanjem građana započelo su u svijetu početkom 2003. godine, a sustavnija istraživanja o toj tematici u Hrvatskoj su započela početkom 2015. S obzirom na to da su nositelji trendova mladi, ovo istraživanje usmjereno je na utvrđivanje informiranosti mladih o financijskim pitanjima, kao preduvjeta financijske pismenosti. U istraživanju smo se koristili mješovitom metodologijom koristeći Sequential Explanatory Design. Prvi dio istraživanja je proveden metodom ankete na uzorku od 1731 studenta, a drugi metodom fokus grupa koje su uključile 21 sudionika.
Mycorrhiza and primary succession
Authors: Wallander Håkan , Jumpponen Ari , Trappe James
Published: May 2020

The importance of mycorrhizal fungi for soil formation and carbon sequestration has been highlighted
in recent research. Here we discuss these findings in relation to primary successions by use of data from
Surtsey and from lava fields around Mount Fuji in Japan.
COVID-19: La necesidad de un cambio de paradigma económico y social
Authors: Rojo-Gutiérrez Marco Antonio , Bonilla Diego Mauricio
Published: May 2020

Es así como se presentan los cambios en la historia de la humanidad, drásticos, estructurales y profundos. El COVID-19 trae consigo no sólo una crisis sanitaria sino una crisis social que exige un cambio de modelo económico. La pandemia incrementa la pobreza y agrava las desigualdades entre naciones como entre personas. Afecta con fuerza a los países en desarrollo, especialmente a la población vulnerable y deja entrever la desarticulación e ineficiencia de los sistemas de salud en materia de cobertura y atención médica. En una realidad tan compleja como la que se vive actualmente en el mundo, resulta indispensable hacer un replanteamiento desde las distintas disciplinas que conforman la ciencia con el propósito de ofrecer alternativas a la sociedad, para reconstruir un sistema más justo y en armonía con la Pachamama. El virus del COVID-19 hoy pone a prueba a la humanidad para redirigir su camino o acelerar su proceso de extinción.
The setting in online video psychotherapy
Authors: Haoning Duan
Published: May 2020

In this article, I discuss how to consider the setting in online video psychotherapy. I discuss some basic principles, as well as some experiences of how to think and deal with specific problems. All of these discussions are based on the ethics of psychotherapy and the understandings of the essence of psychotherapy from the perspective of psychoanalysis.
Clinical application of ultrasonography-guided percutaneous liver biopsy and its safety over 18 years
Authors: Chang Young , Kim Jun Il , Lee Bora , Kim Sang Gyune , Jung Min Jung , Kim Young Seok , Jeong Soung Won , Jang Jae Young , Yoo Jeong-Ju
Published: May 2020

Background/Aims: Liver biopsy (LB) remains the gold standard for the evaluation of liver disease. However, over the past two decades, many noninvasive tests have been developed and utilized in clinical practice as alternatives to LB. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical use and safety of LB in the era of noninvasive assessment of liver fibrosis.Methods: This retrospective study included 1,944 consecutive cases of LB performed between 2001 and 2018 in a tertiary hospital. All of the LBs were conducted under ultrasonography guidance with 18-gauge cutting needles.Results: LBs were performed an average of approximately 108 times per year during the study period. Chronic hepatitis B (25.3%) and suspected malignancy (20.5%) were the two most common indications for LB. The use of LB for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease increased from 8.1% to 17.2% in the past 5 years compared to the last 10 years, while that for viral hepatitis decreased from 40.3% to 18.9%. Discordance rate between the suspected diagnosis and the final diagnosis was 2.6% (51 cases). The overall rate of major adverse events was 0.05% (one case), which involved delayed bleeding at the biopsy site. Liver cirrhosis was observed in 563 cases (28.9%), and the presence of cirrhosis did not affect the frequency of complications (P=0.289).Conclusions: LB is widely used in clinical practice as an irreplaceable diagnostic tool, even in the era of noninvasiveness. Ultrasonography-guided LB can be performed safely in patients with liver cirrhosis.
Culture Unbound Vol. 12 Editorial
Authors: Dahlin Johanna , Olsson Jesper , Rindzeviciute Egle , Van Orden Martínez Victoria , Wagrell Kristin
Published: May 2020

No abstract available.
Follow Lundh! Between Text and Context in a Photographer’s Archive
Authors: Steinrud Marie
Published: May 2020

No matter how well documented a life is, only shards, bits and pieces remain of what was once a vibrant person, with purpose, memories, feelings, actions and ideas. For any historian, these slivers are what remains and what can be used to access a past. This article presents a case study where the photographs taken by the photographer Gunnar Lundh (1898–1960) are in focus. The archive contains next to no written sources, and the information about the motifs is scarce. This is in fact the fate of many personal archives, especially those containing few written sources. The contact sheets Gunnar Lundh used in his business as a photographer provide some mostly routine and brief information, usually the year and sometimes where the photo is taken, in “Denmark” or “Skåne”. A majority of them are picturing anonymous individuals. The lack of information makes the archive of Lundh, in a sense, silent or mute. The purpose with my research is to investigate what happens to a photograph or a set of photographs when more contexts are added. By adding biographical knowledge it is possible to read the photographs. In this, I am using the art historian Joan M. Schwartz’s ideas about functional context. The process of adding context to an archive is a negotiation of the past that will contribute new dimensions in our collective memory, and also generate new, additional archives. There are options other than silence, and the inevitable reversion and degradation into oblivion for those silent, or mute, personal archives in focus here. A biographical method can however operate in the area between text and context, joining them together and thus letting the material speak.
From Excerpt to Cosplay. Paths of Knowledge in the Nordic Museum Archive
Authors: Ekström Simon
Published: May 2020

The aim of this article is to shed some light on the situation that occurs when scholarly knowledge, once highly valued, is successively undermined, while elements of the same learning live on as attractive resources to other stakeholders. More accurately, the research question relates to the process that starts with many ethnologists who, over time, come to increasingly view formerly important materials as less relevant to their own academic issues. For the sake of the argument, the Nordic Museum’s extensive collection of excerpts concerning folk customs and beliefs is used as an eye-opening case study. During the 1960s and 1970s, folklore researchers and ethnologists retreated from researching those lingering traces of the past—of which the Nordic Museum’s excerpt collection constitutes a powerful material centre—and thus this field was left free for others to claim. By drawing attention to both the productive force of the Nordic Museum’s collection of excerpts, and a number of contemporary and popular representations of ancient folklore, this article actualises a set of questions that deal with the relationship between new and old knowledge; for what becomes of previously sought after academic learning, once treasured in the Nordic Museum Archive, when the vast majority of the discipline heads for new materials, methods and theories?
The Small Details in the Archives and the Meaning of a Non-existent Photography from the Home of a Stationer in Helsingborg
Authors: Gustavsson Karin
Published: May 2020

This article describes and problematizes the skills that are used when researching analogue archives. The article deals with the process that operates when a researcher finds small details in archival records that makes it possible to generate a story. Whether it is skill or luck that enables one to find the phenomena that create meaning is also discussed. The empirical example is fetched from the “Swedish Town project” that was initiated with the aim to write a new kind of urban history in the 1940s by Swedish art historian Gregor Paulsson. The researcher Börje Hanssen conducted field work in the city of Helsingborg in southern Sweden during the summers in 1942, 1943 and 1944. The “Swedish Town”-project explored urban history through both traditional sources such as archives, but also by interviews with contemporary town inhabitants and photographs. In the article we meet both Hanssen and some of his interviewees, and his working methods, his texts and some photographs are being analyzed. Börje Hanssen later became an influential ethnologist and in this article we encounter him in the beginning of his career. In order to examine the role played by one small detail in a large amount of material, and how such a detail can influence the researcher’s inter- pretations, Roland Barthes concepts of punctum and studium are used in the article, in order to create meaning out of small, everyday and often seemingly insignificant phenomena. Punctum and studium are fruitful analytical tools, not only in analyzing photographs, which was Barthes original use of the concept but also in other contexts, in this case archival records. The article thus discusses when a detail becomes the punctum that changes the researcher’s mindset and enables new knowledge to be produced.
The Industry Internet of Things (IIoT) as a Methodology for Autonomous Diagnostics in Aerospace Structural Health Monitoring
Authors: Malik Sarah , Rouf Rakeen , Mazur Krzysztof , Kontsos Antonios
Published: May 2020

Structural Health Monitoring (SHM), defined as the process that involves sensing, computing, and decision making to assess the integrity of infrastructure, has been plagued by data management challenges. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), a subset of Internet of Things (IoT), provides a way to decisively address SHM’s big data problem and provide a framework for autonomous processing. The key focus of IIoT is operational efficiency and cost optimization. The purpose, therefore, of the IIoT approach in this investigation is to develop a framework that connects nondestructive evaluation sensor data with real-time processing algorithms on an IoT hardware/software system to provide diagnostic capabilities for efficient data processing related to SHM. Specifically, the proposed IIoT approach is comprised of three components: the Cloud, the Fog, and the Edge. The Cloud is used to store historical data as well as to perform demanding computations such as off-line machine learning. The Fog is the hardware that performs real-time diagnostics using information received both from sensing and the Cloud. The Edge is the bottom level hardware that records data at the sensor level. In this investigation, an application of this approach to evaluate the state of health of an aerospace grade composite material at laboratory conditions is presented. The key link that limits human intervention in data processing is the implemented database management approach which is the particular focus of this manuscript. Specifically, a NoSQL database is implemented to provide live data transfer from the Edge to both the Fog and Cloud. Through this database, the algorithms used are capable to execute filtering by classification at the Fog level, as live data is recorded. The processed data is automatically sent to the Cloud for further operations such as visualization. The system integration with three layers provides an opportunity to create a paradigm for intelligent real-time data quality management.
Weed Flora and Soil Seed Bank Composition as Affected by Tillage System in Three-Year Crop Rotation
Authors: Feledyn-Szewczyk Beata , Smagacz Janusz , Kwiatkowski Cezary A. , Harasim Elżbieta , Woźniak Andrzej
Published: May 2020

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest around agricultural science and practice in conservation tillage systems that are compatible with sustainable agriculture. The aim of this study was to assess the qualitative and quantitative changes in weed flora and soil seed bank under reduced tillage and no-till (direct sowing) in comparison with traditional ploughing. In the crop rotation: pea/rape—winter wheat—winter wheat the number and dry weight of weeds increased with the simplification of tillage. The seed bank was the largest under direct sowing and about three times smaller in traditional ploughing. Under direct sowing, most weed seeds were accumulated in the top soil layer 0–5 cm, while in the ploughing system most weed seeds occurred in deeper layers: 5–10 and 10–20 cm. In the reduced and no-till systems, a greater percentage of perennial and invasive species, such as Conyza canadensis L., was observed. The results show that it is possible to maintain weed infestation in the no-till system at a level that does not significantly affect winter wheat yield and does not pose a threat of perennial and invasive weeds when effective herbicide protection is applied.
Inclusiveness of Contract Farming along the Modern Food Supply Chain: Empirical Evidence from Taiwan
Authors: Luh Yir-Hueih
Published: May 2020

One of the debates in the literature of contract farming concerns contracting firms’ preferences over large growers and if contract farming is inclusive of smallholders. The empirical evidence was mixed, which may be due to ignoring the stylized fact that modern food supply chain is characterized by large organized retailers who often contract with farmers. The present study aims at addressing this issue by incorporating sales to supermarket and hypermarket chains as one of the determinants of contract farming participation. Based on a nationally-representative farm household data set in Taiwan, this study presents empirical evidence to support the positive effects of selling farm produce to supermarkets and/or hypermarkets on the probability of contract farming participation. However, the increase in the share of chain stores, convenience stores, as well as local grocers was found to lower the probability of contract farming participation. The results suggest the effect of organized retailing on the participation of contract farming varies with different food retailers in the modern supply chain. Moreover, based on the predicted probability from the participation-determining model, contracting firms in Taiwan are found to exhibit preferences towards large-scale growers. A further analysis of the interaction between grower’s scale and membership of farmer organizations indicates participation in the farmer organizations can effectively mitigate contracting firms’ scale bias. The significance of the moderating effect of farmer organizations suggests their important role in the inclusion of smallholders into modern food supply chain.
Do Agricultural Package Programs Improve the Welfare of Rural People? Evidence from Smallholder Farmers in Ethiopia
Authors: Teka Araya , Lee Sung-Kyu
Published: May 2020

The purpose of this paper is to assess the welfare status and analyze the impact of participation in farm package programs on the welfare of smallholder farmers. We used three round panel data of 789 households from the Eastern zone of Tigray, and the fixed effect instrumental variable method was employed in the estimation. The study found that consumption expenditure, income, and asset per capita of the households increased across the survey years. The participation of households in the integrated package programs has a positive and statistically significant impact on the consumption expenditure and calorie per adult equivalent, but not the income and asset per capita of the households. Also, affects the consumption expenditure per adult equivalent of the married households. To enhance the welfare of the beneficiaries, the provision of the package programs should align with the local resource endowment, focus on youth, widowed and divorced households and the government should prioritize and limit the number of packages that households can participate in.
Hybridization in Peppers (Capsicum spp.) to Improve the Volatile Composition in Fully Ripe Fruits: The Effects of Parent Combinations and Fruit Tissues
Authors: Moreno-Peris Estela , Cortés-Olmos Carles , Díez-Díaz Mónica , González-Mas M. Carmen , de Luis-Margarit Ana , Fita Ana , Rodríguez-Burruezo Adrián
Published: May 2020

Capsicum peppers (Capsicum spp.), especially C. annuum L., are one of the most important vegetables and spices in the world and their fruits are used in a range of food dishes, to provide aroma and flavor. Pungency has been largely studied, while studies on the volatile fraction are more recent and less diverse. A considerable varietal diversity among peppers has been reported in terms of the aroma quality and the qualitative and quantitative variation in the volatile fraction, particularly in fully ripe fruits, which encompass most diverse food applications and aroma profiles. Thus, a study was designed to study the inheritance of the volatile fractions in peppers and to determine if they can be improved by breeding strategies. The volatile fraction of 175 samples of ripe fruits from a diverse collection of peppers, encompassing a range of varietal types and aroma qualities, were isolated by headspace-solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) and analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). A diverse profile of volatiles including terpenoids, esters, alkanes, and several aldehydes and alcohols, was found among the evaluated accessions. Our findings indicated that, in most cases, hybridization provided higher amounts of total volatiles and a more complex composition, particularly in the pericarp. In addition, the volatile fraction can be inherited from the parents to the offspring, as most individual volatiles in hybrids, especially major volatiles, were present in at least one of the parents, following intermediate (levels between parents) or transgressive (levels higher than the best parent) inheritance. De novo compounds (present in the hybrid, absent in the parents) were found in many samples. Comparatively, placental tissues had higher total and individual volatile levels compared with the pericarp in most parent accessions and hybrids, which must be considered by breeders if this part of the fruit is included in food formulations. By combining parent lines with complementary volatile fractions, hybridization offers a feasible method to improve the volatile composition of ripe fruits in Capsicum peppers.
Strengths and Weaknesses of National Variety Trial Data for Multi-Environment Analysis: A Case Study on Grain Yield and Protein Content
Authors: Eichi Vahid Rahimi , Okamoto Mamoru , Garnett Trevor , Eckermann Paul , Darrier Benoit , Riboni Matteo , Langridge Peter
Published: May 2020

Multi-environment trial studies provide an opportunity for the detailed analysis of complex traits. However, conducting trials across a large number of regions can be costly and labor intensive. The Australian National Variety Trials (NVT) provide grain yield and protein content (GPC) data of over 200 wheat varieties in many and varied environments across the Australian wheat-belt and is representative of similar trials conducted in other countries. Through our analysis of the NVT dataset, we highlight the advantages and limitations in using these data to explore the relationship between grain yield and GPC in the low yielding environments of Australia. Eight environment types (ETs), categorized in a previous study based on the time and intensity of drought stress, were used to analyze the impact of drought on the relationship between grain yield and protein content. The study illustrates the value of comprehensive multi-environment analysis to explore the complex relationship between yield and GPC, and to identify the most appropriate environments to select for a favorable relationship. However, the NVT trial design does not follow the rigor associated with a normal genotype × environment study and this limits the accuracy of the interpretation.
Effects of Genotype, Growing Season and Nitrogen Level on Gluten Protein Assembly of Durum Wheat Grown under Mediterranean Conditions
Authors: Gagliardi Anna , Carucci Federica , Masci Stefania , Flagella Zina , Gatta Giuseppe , Giuliani Marcella Michela
Published: May 2020

Water deficit and high temperatures are the main environmental factors which affect both wheat yield and technological quality in the Mediterranean climate. The aim of the study was to evaluate the variation in the gluten protein assembly of four durum wheat genotypes in relation to growing seasons and different nitrogen levels. The genotypes, Marco Aurelio, Quadrato, Pietrafitta and Redidenari, were grown under three nitrogen levels (36, 90 and 120 kg ha−1) during two growing seasons in Southern Italy. Significant lower yield and a higher protein concentration were observed in the year characterized by a higher temperature at the end of the crop cycle. The effect of the high temperatures on protein assembly was different for the genotypes in relation to their earliness. Based on PCA, in the warmer year, only the medium-early genotype Quadrato showed positive values along the “protein polymerization degree” factor, while the medium and medium-late genotypes, Marco Aurelio and Pietrafitta showed negative values along the “proteins assembly” factor. No clear separation along the two factors was observed for the early genotype Redidenari. The variation in gluten protein assembly observed in the four genotypes in relation to the growing season might help breeding programs to select genotypes suitable for facing the ongoing climate changes in Mediterranean area.
Expression of Insulin-Like Growth Factor 1 (IGF-1) and Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF) Receptors and the Effect of IGF-1 and EGF on Androgen and Estrogen Release in the Myometrium of Pigs—In Vitro Study
Authors: Waszkiewicz Ewa Monika , Kozlowska Wiktoria , Zmijewska Agata , Franczak Anita
Published: May 2020

Porcine myometrium possesses steroidogenic activity but its regulation is not well understood. It was hypothesized that the regulators of myometrial steroidogenesis are insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and epidermal growth factor (EGF), which were found to modulate the steroidogenic activity of the endometrium and embryos. Myometrial slices were collected from gravid and nongravid pigs on days 10 or 11, 12 or 13 and 15 or 16 and studied for: (1) the relative abundance of IGF-1R and EGFR mRNA transcripts and proteins, to determine myometrial readiness to response growth factors treatment and (2) the effect of IGF-1 or EGF on the myometrial release of androstenedione (A4), testosterone (T), estrone (E1) and estradiol-17β (E2). The results showed that the relative expression and abundance of IGF-1R and EGFR in the myometrium were altered regarding the female reproductive status. During the estrous cycle, EGF increased myometrial release of A4 on days 12–13 and E2 on days 15–16. In gravid pigs (days 15–16), IGF-1 and EGF increased the E1 release. In conclusion: (1) porcine myometrium possesses the potential to respond to IGF-1 and EGF treatment, (2) EGF significantly increases myometrial A4 and E2 release in cyclic pigs, while IGF-1 and EGF increase the E1 release in gravid pigs.
Mining the Biosynthetic Potential for Specialized Metabolism of a Streptomyces Soil Community
Authors: Nicault Matthieu , Tidjani Abdoul-Razak , Gauthier Anthony , Dumarcay Stéphane , Gelhaye Eric , Bontemps Cyril , Leblond Pierre
Published: May 2020

The diversity and distribution of specialized metabolite gene clusters within a community of bacteria living in the same soil habitat are poorly documented. Here we analyzed the genomes of 8 Streptomyces isolated at micro-scale from a forest soil that belong to the same species or to different species. The results reveal high levels of diversity, with a total of 261 biosynthesis gene clusters (BGCs) encoding metabolites such as terpenes, polyketides (PKs), non-ribosomal peptides (NRPs) and ribosomally synthesized and post-translationally modified peptides (RiPPs) with potential bioactivities. A significant part of these BGCs (n = 53) were unique to only one strain when only 5 were common to all strains. The metabolites belong to very diverse chemical families and revealed that a large diversity of metabolites can potentially be produced in the community. Although that analysis of the global metabolome using GC-MS revealed that most of the metabolites were shared between the strains, they exhibited a specific metabolic pattern. We also observed that the presence of these accessory pathways might result from frequent loss and gain of genes (horizontal transfer), showing that the potential of metabolite production is a dynamic phenomenon in the community. Sampling Streptomyces at the community level constitutes a good frame to discover new biosynthetic pathways and it appears as a promising reservoir for the discovery of new bioactive compounds.
Neuroprotective Effects of Euonymus alatus Extract on Scopolamine-Induced Memory Deficits in Mice
Authors: Woo Yunju , Lim Ji Sun , Oh Jisun , Lee Jeong Soon , Kim Jong-Sang
Published: May 2020

Euonymus alatus is considered to elicit various beneficial effects against cancer, hyperglycemia, menstrual discomfort, diabetic complications, and detoxification. The young leaves of this plant are exploited as food and also utilized for traditional medicine in East Asian countries, including Korea and China. Our preliminary study demonstrated that ethanolic extract from the Euonymus alatus leaf (EAE) exhibited the strongest antioxidant enzyme-inducing activity among more than 100 kinds of edible tree leaf extracts. This study investigated whether EAE could attenuate the cognitive deficits caused by oxidative stress in mice. Oral intubation of EAE at 100 mg/kg bw or higher resulted in significant improvements to the memory and behavioral impairment induced via i.p. injection of scopolamine. Furthermore, EAE enhanced the expression levels of hippocampal neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor in mice, activated the Nrf2, and the downstream heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) a quintessential antioxidant enzyme. As rutin (quercetin-3-O-rutinose) was abundantly present in EAE and free quercetin was able to induce defensive antioxidant enzymes in an Nrf2-dependent manner, our findings suggested that quercetin derived from rutin via the intestinal microflora played a significant role in the protection of the mouse hippocampus from scopolamine-induced damage through BDNF-mediated Nrf2 activation, thereby dampening cognitive decline.
Multidrug Resistance Modulation Activity of Silybin Derivatives and Their Anti-Inflammatory Potential
Authors: Dobiasová Simona , Řehořová Kateřina , Kučerová Denisa , Biedermann David , Káňová Kristýna , Petrásková Lucie , Koucká Kamila , Václavíková Radka , Valentová Kateřina , Ruml Tomáš , Macek Tomáš , Křen Vladimír , Viktorová Jitka
Published: May 2020

Silybin is considered to be the main biologically active component of silymarin. Its oxidized derivative 2,3-dehydrosilybin typically occurs in silymarin in small, but non-negligible amounts (up to 3%). Here, we investigated in detail complex biological activities of silybin and 2,3-dehydrosilybin optical isomers. Antioxidant activities of pure stereomers A and B of silybin and 2,3-dehydrosilybin, as well as their racemic mixtures, were investigated by using oxygen radical absorption capacity (ORAC) and cellular antioxidant activity (CAA) assay. All substances efficiently reduced nitric oxide production and cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6) release in a dose-dependent manner. Multidrug resistance (MDR) modulating potential was evaluated as inhibition of P-glycoprotein (P-gp) ATPase activity and regulation of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) protein expression. All the tested compounds showed strong dose-dependent inhibition of P-gp pump. Moreover, 2,3-dehydrosilybin A (30 µM) displayed the strongest sensitization of doxorubicin-resistant ovarian carcinoma. Despite these significant effects, silybin B was the only compound acting directly upon P-gp in vitro and also downregulating the expression of respective MDR genes. This compound altered the expression of P-glycoprotein (P-gp, ABCB1), multidrug resistance-associated protein 1 (MRP1, ABCC1) and breast cancer resistance protein (BCRP, ABCG2). 2,3-Dehydrosilybin AB exhibited the most effective inhibition of acetylcholinesterase activity. We can clearly postulate that silybin derivatives could serve well as modulators of a cancer drug-resistant phenotype.
Influence of Living and Dead Roots of Gansu Poplar on Water Infiltration and Distribution in Soil
Authors: Zhang Dashuai , Dai Yao , Wang Lingli , Chen Liang
Published: May 2020

During rapid urbanization, it is necessary to increase soil permeability and soil porosity for reducing urban runoff and waterlogging risk. Woody plants are known to increase soil porosity and preferential flow in soil via living roots growth and dead roots decay. However, the primary results of dead woody plant roots on soil porosity and permeability have been discussed based only on the hypotheses or assumptions of different researchers. In this study, living and dead roots (decayed under natural conditions for more than 5 years) of Gansu poplar trees (Populus gansuensis) were selected. They were selected to compare the influence between living and dead roots on water infiltration rate and soil porosity in a cylindrical container (diameter = 20 cm, height = 66 cm) under laboratory conditions. Results indicated that the steady-state water fluxes at the bottom of the containers without roots (control), with living roots, and with dead roots were 54.75 ± 0.80, 61.31 ± 0.61, and 55.97 ± 0.59 cm d−1, respectively. Both living roots and dead roots increased the water infiltration rates in soil and also increased the water storage capacity of soil. The water storage capacities of soil without roots, with living roots, and with dead roots were 0.279, 0.317, and 0.322 cm3 cm−3, respectively. The results from SEM indicated that smaller pores (30–50 μm) were in living roots and larger pores (100–1000 μm) were in dead roots. The soil permeability was increased by living roots possibly due to the larger channels generated on the surface of the roots; however, water absorbed into the dead roots resulted in greater water storage capacity.
Effects of Basketball Shoe Midsole Hardness on Lower Extremity Biomechanics and Perception during Drop Jumping from Different Heights
Authors: Alonzo Rebecca , Teo Crosby , Pan Jing Wen , Teng Phillis Soek Po , Sterzing Thorsten , Kong Pui Wah
Published: May 2020

This study investigated how midsole hardness of basketball footwear affects lower extremity biomechanics and impacts perception in drop vertical jumps. Eighteen male basketball players performed drop vertical jumps from three heights (31 cm, 46 cm, 61 cm) in basketball shoes of different midsole hardness (50, 60 Asker C). Biomechanical variables of the lower extremity and subjective perception were measured. This study found a significant drop height effect on the lower extremity biomechanics (p < 0.05), with greater ground reaction forces, joint kinetics, and prelanding muscle activation levels observed at higher drop heights. Basketball shoes with a softer midsole led to higher forefoot peak force (p = 0.028) amid lower rearfoot peak force (p = 0.046), lower peak flexion moments at the ankle (p = 0.024) and hip joints (p = 0.029), and greater prelanding muscle activation in the rectus femoris (p = 0.042) and tibialis anterior (p = 0.043). It is concluded that changing midsole hardness within a commercially relevant range triggered a different prelanding muscle activation strategy and hence altered the magnitudes of ground reaction forces and joint loadings during landing. Subjectively, participants perceived higher landing impacts with greater drop heights, though the strength of the associations were weak.
Application of the Subspace-Based Methods in Health Monitoring of Civil Structures: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Shokravi Hoofar , Shokravi Hooman , Bakhary Norhisham , Heidarrezaei Mahshid , Rahimian Koloor Seyed Saeid , Petrů Michal
Published: May 2020

A large number of research studies in structural health monitoring (SHM) have presented, extended, and used subspace system identification. However, there is a lack of research on systematic literature reviews and surveys of studies in this field. Therefore, the current study is undertaken to systematically review the literature published on the development and application of subspace system identification methods. In this regard, major databases in SHM, including Scopus, Google Scholar, and Web of Science, have been selected and preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) has been applied to ensure complete and transparent reporting of systematic reviews. Along this line, the presented review addresses the available studies that employed subspace-based techniques in the vibration-based damage detection (VDD) of civil structures. The selected papers in this review were categorized into authors, publication year, name of journal, applied techniques, research objectives, research gap, proposed solutions and models, and findings. This study can assist practitioners and academicians for better condition assessment of structures and to gain insight into the literature.
Experimental and Numerical Evaluation of Residual Displacement and Ductility in Ratcheting and Shakedown of an Aluminum Beam
Authors: Palladino Simone , Esposito Luca , Ferla Paolo , Totaro Elena , Zona Renato , Minutolo Vincenzo
Published: May 2020

Safety assessment of structures can be obtained employing limit design to overcome uncertainties concerning actual response due to inelastic constitutive behavior and more generally to non-linear structural response and loads’ random variability. The limit analysis is used for evaluating the safety of the structures, starting directly from load level without any knowledge of the load history. In the paper, the lower bound calculation is proposed where a new strain-based approach is used that allowed describing the residual stress and displacement in terms of permanent strain. The strategy uses the permanent strain as effective parameters of the procedure so that it is possible to assess the ductility requirements for the complete load program developed till collapse or shakedown. The procedure is compared to experimental results obtained on aluminum beams in shakedown.
Influence of Thickness on Water Absorption and Tensile Strength of BFRP Laminates in Water or Alkaline Solution and a Thickness-Dependent Accelerated Ageing Method for BFRP Laminates
Authors: Wang Yanlei , Zhu Wanxin , Zhang Xue , Cai Gaochuang , Wan Baolin
Published: May 2020

This paper first presented an experimental study on water absorption and tensile properties of basalt fiber-reinforced polymer (BFRP) laminates with different specimen thicknesses (i.e., 1, 2, and 4 mm) subjected to 60 °C deionized water or alkaline solution for an ageing time up to 180 days. The degradation mechanism of BFRP laminates in solution immersion was also explored combined with micro-morphology analysis by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The test results indicated that the water absorption and tensile properties of BFRP laminates were dramatically influenced by specimen thickness. When the BFRP laminates with different thicknesses were immersed in the solution for the same ageing time, the water absorption of the specimens decreased firstly before reaching their peak water absorption and then increased in the later stage with the increase of specimen thickness, while the tensile strength retention sustaining increased as specimen thickness increased. The reason is that the thinner the specimen, the more severe the degradation. In this study, a new accelerated ageing method was proposed to predict the long-term water absorption and tensile strength of BFRP laminates. The accelerated factor of the proposed method was determined based on the specimen thickness. The proposed method was verified by test results with a good accuracy, indicating that the method could be used to predict long-term water absorption and tensile strength retention of BFRP laminates by considering specimen thickness in accelerating tests.
Preparation and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Nanoparticles Using Leaf Extract of Sambucus ebulus
Authors: Alamdari Sanaz , Sasani Ghamsari Morteza , Lee Chan , Han Wooje , Park Hyung-Ho , Tafreshi Majid Jafar , Afarideh Hosein , Ara Mohammad Hosein Majles
Published: May 2020

Plants are one of the best sources to obtain a variety of natural surfactants in the field of green synthesizing material. Sambucus ebulus, which has unique natural properties, has been considered a promising material in traditional Asian medicine. In this context, zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) were prepared using S. ebulus leaf extract, and their physicochemical properties were investigated. X-ray diffraction (XRD) results revealed that the prepared ZnO NPs are highly crystalline, having a wurtzite crystal structure. The average crystallite size of prepared NPs was around 17 nm. Green synthesized NPs showed excellent absorption in the UV region as well as strong yellow-orange emission at room temperature. Prepared nanoparticles exhibited good antibacterial activity against various organisms and a passable photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue dye pollutants. The obtained results demonstrated that the biosynthesized ZnO NPs reveal interesting characteristics for various potential applications in the future.
A New Design of an Integrated Solar Absorption Cooling System Driven by an Evacuated Tube Collector: A Case Study for Baghdad, Iraq
Authors: Al-Falahi Adil , Alobaid Falah , Epple Bernd
Published: May 2020

The electrical power consumption of refrigeration equipment leads to a significant influence on the supply network, especially on the hottest days during the cooling season (and this is besides the conventional electricity problem in Iraq). The aim of this work is to investigate the energy performance of a solar-driven air-conditioning system utilizing absorption technology under climate in Baghdad, Iraq. The solar fraction and the thermal performance of the solar air-conditioning system were analyzed for various months in the cooling season. It was found that the system operating in August shows the best monthly average solar fraction (of 59.4%) and coefficient of performance (COP) (of 0.52) due to the high solar potential in this month. Moreover, the seasonal integrated collector efficiency was 54%, providing a seasonal solar fraction of 58%, and the COP of the absorption chiller was 0.44, which was in limit, as reported in the literature for similar systems. A detailed parametric analysis was carried out to evaluate the thermal performance of the system and analyses, and the effect of design variables on the solar fraction of the system during the cooling season.
Special Issue “Smart Urban Lighting Systems”
Authors: Beccali Marco , Bonomolo Marina
Published: May 2020

The design and operation of multifunctional infrastructures for public lighting as well as their impact on the urban environment and citizens’ life is today of great interest. The cost of energy for public lighting is often an issue for the budget of municipalities. Furthermore, researchers’ and designers’ attention is increasingly focused on aspects of public lighting not directly valuable through economic factors. Starting from the “quality” of the light environment, looking at citizens’ visual comfort, the light has to be considered as an instrument to improve the urban context and objects therein (including buildings). Indeed, urban degradation (lack of infrastructures, maintenance, services, etc.) is linked to the poor quality of everyday issues, such as traffic, pollution, noise, lack of information, long times to access focal points, and the lack of safety. Simultaneously, in many areas, the potential related to the valorization of historical heritage is often underexploited. The installation of efficient lighting systems coupled with the implementation of ICT solutions can provide economic, social, and health benefits, energy efficiency, and visual comfort. On the other hand, as for indoor lighting, these systems can be expensive, not easy to maintain, and not as efficient as expected. The aim of this Special Issue was to investigate the problems and advantages of smart urban lighting systems in more detail. This Special Issue included 6 papers of the 10 submitted papers.
Design and Analysis of Independently Adjustable Large In-Pipe Robot for Long-Distance Pipeline
Authors: Zhao Wentao , Zhang Liang , Kim Jongwon
Published: May 2020

Large oil and gas pipelines are prone to corrosion and leakage, so in-pipe inspection is necessary. In this article, we show a novel robot mechanism for long-distance pipeline inspection. The robot consists of three crawlers and electric putters, which can adjust their speed and radius independently. Independent adjustment and system self-checking of the robot are achieved through multiple sensors. To make the robot operate efficiently, we studied the influence of size parameters on the forces between the central body and crawler. Moreover, we investigated how to adjust the attitude of the robot through the differential speed of the three crawlers. Static and dynamic simulations of internal forces are presented. The primary experiments indicate that our robot can operate stably in a large steel pipe.
A Practical Guide to Class IIa Medical Device Development
Authors: Hinsenkamp Adél , Kardos Dorottya , Lacza Zsombor , Hornyák István
Published: May 2020

There are many beneficial medical device ideas based on clinical needs and laboratory research, but medical device development is an expensive, time-consuming and complex challenge. Research and quality management, which are both needed to develop a medical device, are two distinct fields, initiated by a researcher or a clinician having a concept for a medical device, and it is often challenging to find and achieve the proper steps to create a licensed product. Thus, in this paper, we demonstrate the required mindset and main steps of the medical device development procedure through an existing example, a Class IIa medical device, called hypACT Inject Auto. HypACT is a specific syringe, which is capable of blood drawing and serum from platelet-rich fibrin (SPRF) isolation in one step in a closed system. SPRF is intended to be used to improve joint functions in the case of musculoskeletal diseases, specifically osteoarthritis.
Study of the Effect of Intake Layout on the Wavefront in a Beam Expanding System of a Telescope
Authors: Zhang Qingpeng , Tan Yi , Ren Ge , Tang Tao
Published: May 2020

The main disadvantage of windowless beam expansion systems is that they cannot achieve a good sealing effect. Turbulence and impurities in the environment can easily affect the imaging and primary mirror. Thus, in this study, a matrix of small holes was introduced for inflation to form a stable and smooth flow inside the system to avoid these disadvantages. In order to study the layout of the matrix, the flow state of the model was analysed, and the Lorentz–Lorenz formula and Barron gradient operator were used for ray tracing. Simulation results show that when the matrix of small holes is arranged in 16 rows with 360 holes in each row, inflation has a lesser effect on the wavefront aberration of the system. Moreover, the root mean square (RMS) of wavefront aberration was only 0.077 μm, which was superior to the other layouts considered. Experimental results show that the RMS was 0.08 μm in this state, which is consistent with the analysis. This indicates that this analysis method can meet actual work needs. The calculation methods and calculation results have high reliability and, thus, can be also used in similar situations.