bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Soft Robotics: A Review of Recent Developments of Pneumatic Soft Actuators
Authors: Walker James , Zidek Thomas , Harbel Cory , Yoon Sanghyun , Strickland F. Sterling , Kumar Srinivas , Shin Minchul
Published: January 2020

This paper focuses on the recent development of soft pneumatic actuators for soft robotics over the past few years, concentrating on the following four categories: control systems, material and construction, modeling, and sensors. This review work seeks to provide an accelerated entrance to new researchers in the field to encourage research and innovation. Advances in methods to accurately model soft robotic actuators have been researched, optimizing and making numerous soft robotic designs applicable to medical, manufacturing, and electronics applications. Multi-material 3D printed and fiber optic soft pneumatic actuators have been developed, which will allow for more accurate positioning and tactile feedback for soft robotic systems. Also, a variety of research teams have made improvements to soft robot control systems to utilize soft pneumatic actuators to allow for operations to move more effectively. This review work provides an accessible repository of recent information and comparisons between similar works. Future issues facing soft robotic actuators include portable and flexible power supplies, circuit boards, and drive components.
Equal K Amounts to N Achieved Optimal Biomass and Better Fiber Quality of Late Sown Cotton in Yangtze River Valley
Authors: Ma Xiaolei , Ali Saif , Hafeez Abdul , Liu Anda , Liu Jiahao , Zhang Zhao , Luo Dan , Noor Shah Adnan , Yang Guozheng
Published: January 2020

Potassium (K) fertilizer plays a crucial role in the formation of the biological and economic yield of cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.). Here we investigated the effects of the amount of K on biomass accumulation and cotton fiber quality with lowered N amounts (210 kg ha−1) under late sowing, high density and fertilization once at 2 weeks after squaring. A 2-year field experiment was performed with three K fertilizer amounts (168 kg ha−1 (K1), 210 kg ha−1 (K2), and 252 kg ha−1 (K3)) using a randomized complete block design in 2016 and 2017. The results showed correspondingly, K3 accumulated cotton plant biomass of 7913.0 kg ha−1, next to K2 (7384.9 kg ha−1) but followed by K1 (6985.1 kg ha−1) averaged across two growing seasons. Higher K amounts (K2, K3) increased biomass primarily due to a higher accumulation rate (32.68%–74.02% higher than K1) during the fast accumulation period (FAP). Cotton fiber length, micronaire, and fiber strength in K2 were as well as K3 and significantly better than K1. These results suggest that K fertilizer of 210 kg ha−1 should be optimal to obtain a promising benefit both in cotton biomass and fiber quality and profit for the new cotton planting model in the Yangtze River Valley, China and similar climate regions.
Relationship between Resting and Recovery Heart Rate in Horses
Authors: Lindner Arno , Esser Martina , López Ramón , Boffi Federico
Published: January 2020

In endurance racing the heart rate (HR) of horses in the veterinary gates has to reach a maximum set to continue racing. There is no literature on the relationship between resting HR (HRresting) and HR after exercise (HRrecovery). This relationship was examined in seven horses and the results were related to their v4 (speed at which the blood lactate concentration is 4 mmol/L). Horses were submitted to an exercise test to determine v4. Thereafter, horses were exercised on a treadmill in randomized order for 10 and 60 min at different speeds. HR was measured before exercise and several times until 30 min of recovery. The relationship between HRresting and HRrecovery was significant in 16 out of 35 comparisons. There were no significant relationships between the v4 of the horses and their HRresting and between v4 and HRrecovery after 10 min of exercise, regardless of the speed of exercise, with one exception. The relationship between the v4 of the horses and their HRrecovery after 60 min of exercise was significant in the fifth minute after exercise at 3.5 m/s only. Conclusion: Because HRresting and HRrecovery are often related, pre-determined arbitrary HRrecovery values may not allow for fair competition during endurance racing.
Effect of Phytase Derived from the E. coli AppA Gene on Weaned Piglet Performance, Apparent Total Tract Digestibility and Bone Mineralization
Authors: Wiśniewska Zuzanna , Nollet Lode , Lanckriet Anouk , Vanderbeke Erik , Petkov Spas , Outchkourov Nikolay , Kasprowicz-Potocka Małgorzata , Zaworska-Zakrzewska Anita , Kaczmarek Sebastian A.
Published: January 2020

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of novel appAT1 and appAT2 phytase inclusion at 250 phytase units (FTU)/kg on weaned piglet performance, the apparent total tract digestibility of P and Ca, and bone mineralization. Piglets (48 males) were randomly divided into four treatment groups: a positive control (PC), with recommended levels of phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca), a negative control (NC) deficient in P and Ca, and two experimental groups with NC diets supplemented with phytase derived from the appA gene of Escherichia coli. Diets fed in a mashed form were divided into prestarter (0–21 days) and starter (22–42 days) periods. During the whole period of the study, the experimental diets improved (p < 0.05) the body weight gain (BWG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the NC diet. The apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of the dry matter and crude protein was not significantly different among the diets. Phytase-supplemented diets improved the ATTD of P (p < 0.05) and the ATTD of Ca (p < 0.05). Bone ash content in the third metacarpal and P and Ca content were improved among the phytase supplemented diets compared to the NC diet.
Embryonic Thermal Manipulation Affects the Antioxidant Response to Post-Hatch Thermal Exposure in Broiler Chickens
Authors: Saleh Khaled M. M. , Tarkhan Amneh H. , Al-Zghoul Mohammad Borhan
Published: January 2020

Thermal stress is a major source of oxidative damage in the broiler chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) due to the latter’s impaired metabolic function. While heat stress has been extensively studied in broilers, the effects of cold stress on broiler physiologic and oxidative function are still relatively unknown. The present study aimed to understand how thermal manipulation (TM) might affect a broiler’s oxidative response to post-hatch thermal stress in terms of the mRNA expression of the catalase, NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4), and superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) genes. During embryonic days 10 to 18, TM was carried out by raising the temperature to 39 °C at 65% relative humidity for 18 h/day. To induce heat stress, room temperature was raised from 21 to 35 °C during post-hatch days (PD) 28 to 35, while cold stress was induced during PD 32 to 37 by lowering the room temperature from 21 to 16 °C. At the end of the thermal stress periods, a number of chickens were euthanized to extract hepatic and splenic tissue from the heat-stressed group and cardiac, hepatic, muscular, and splenic tissue from the cold-stressed group. Catalase, NOX4, and SOD2 expression in the heart, liver, and spleen were decreased in TM chickens compared to controls after both cold and heat stress. In contrast, the expression levels of these genes in the breast muscles of the TM group were increased or not affected. Moreover, TM chicks possessed an increased body weight (BW) and decreased cloacal temperature (TC) compared to controls on PD 37. In addition, TM led to increased BW and lower TC after both cold and heat stress. Conclusively, our findings suggest that TM has a significant effect on the oxidative function of thermally stressed broilers.
Pholiota nameko Polysaccharides Promotes Cell Proliferation and Migration and Reduces ROS Content in H2O2-Induced L929 Cells
Authors: Sung Tzu-Jung , Wang Yu-Ying , Liu Kai-Lun , Chou Chun-Hsu , Lai Ping-Shan , Hsieh Chang-Wei
Published: January 2020

Pholiota nameko, a type of edible and medicinal fungus, is currently grown extensively for food and traditional medicine in China and Japan. It possesses various biological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, anti-hyperlipidemia and antitumor activities. However, P. nameko has rarely been discussed in the field of dermatology; identifying its biological activities could be beneficial in development of a new natural ingredient used in wound care. To evaluate its in vitro wound healing activities, the present study assessed the antioxidant and anti-collagenase activities of P. nameko polysaccharides (PNPs) prepared through fractional precipitation (40%, 60% and 80% (v/v)); the assessments were conducted using reducing power, hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, dichloro-dihydro-fluorescein diacetate and collagenase activity assays. The ability of PNPs to facilitate L929 fibroblast cell proliferation and migration was assessed using 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and scratch assays. The findings indicated that, among all fractions, PNP-80 showed the best antioxidant and anti-collagenase activity, as measured by their reducing power (IC50 of PNP-80 was 2.43 ± 0.17 mg/mL), the hydroxyl radical scavenging (IC50 of PNP-80 was 2.74 ± 0.11 mg/mL) and collagenase activity assay, and significantly reduced cellular ROS content, compared with that of H2O2-induced L929 cells. Moreover, PNP-80 significantly promoted L929 fibroblast proliferation and migration, compared with the control group. Overall, we suggested that PNP-80 could be a promising candidate for further evaluation of its potential application on wound healing.
Up-Regulation of Superoxide Dismutase 2 in 3D Spheroid Formation Promotes Therapeutic Potency of Human Umbilical Cord Blood-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Authors: Lee Miyoung , Song Bo Ram , Kim Dong Hyun , Ha Jueun , Lee Minju , Choi Soo Jin , Oh Wonil , Um Soyoun , Jin Hye Jin
Published: January 2020

Umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCB-MSCs) are accessible, available in abundance, and have been shown to be a promising source that can regenerate cartilage in patients with osteoarthritis or other orthopedic diseases. Recently, a three-dimensional (3D) cell culture system was developed to mimic the naive tissue microenvironment. However, the efficacy of cells generated from the 3D spheroid culture system has not yet been elucidated. In the present study, we demonstrate the changes in superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) gene expression, an indicator of oxidative stress, on 3D spheroid MSCs. Moreover, siRNA transfection and neutralizing antibody investigations were performed to confirm the function of SOD2 and E-cadherin. Overall, we found that SOD2 siRNA transfection in the spheroid form of MSCs increases the expression of apoptotic genes and decreases the clearance of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). As a result, we confirm that 3D spheroid formation increases E-cadherin and SOD2 expression, ultimately regulating the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K/pAkt/pNrf2 and pERK/pNrf2 signaling pathway. Additionally, we show that SOD2 expression on 3D spheroid MSCs affects the regeneration rates of destructive cartilage in an osteoarthritic model. We postulate that the impact of SOD2 expression on 3D spheroid MSCs reduces oxidative stress and apoptosis, and also promotes cartilage regeneration.
The Apoplastic and Symplastic Antioxidant System in Onion: Response to Long-Term Salt Stress
Authors: García Grisaly , Clemente-Moreno María José , Díaz-Vivancos Pedro , García Marina , Hernández José Antonio
Published: January 2020

The response of apoplastic antioxidant systems in root and leaf tissues from two onion genotypes (‘Texas 502’, salt-sensitive and ‘Granex 429’, salt-resistant) in response to salinity was studied. Electrolyte leakage data indicated the membrane integrity impairing by the effect of salts, especially in ‘Texas 502’. We detected superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POX) activity in the root and leaf apoplastic fractions from onion plants. Salinity increased SOD activity in the root symplast of ‘Texas 502’ and in ‘Granex 429’ leaves. In contrast, salinity reduced SOD activity in the leaf and root apoplastic fractions from ‘Texas 502’. In ‘Granex 429’, salt-stress increased leaf apoplastic POX activity and symplastic catalase (CAT) activity of both organs, but a decline in root apoplastic POX from ‘Texas 502’ took place. Salt-stress increased monodehydroascorbate reductase (MDHAR) in root and leaf symplast and in root glutathione reductase GR, mainly in ‘Granex 429’, but only in this genotype, leaf dehydroascorbate reductase (DHAR) activity increased. In contrast, a decline in leaf GR was produced only in ‘Texas 502’. Salinity increased leaf ASC levels, and no accumulation of dehydroascorbate (DHA) was observed in roots in both cases. These responses increased the redox state of ascorbate, especially in roots. In contrast, salinity declined reduced glutathione (GSH), but oxidised glutathione (GSSG) was accumulated in leaves, decreasing the redox state of glutathione. Salinity slightly increased root GSH concentration in the salt-tolerant genotype and was unchanged in the salt-sensitive genotype, but no accumulation of GSSG was produced, favoring the rise and/or maintenance of the redox state of the glutathione. These results suggest that the lower sensitivity to salt in ‘Granex 429’ could be related to a better performance of the antioxidant machinery under salinity conditions.
Deadlocks Detection in Multithreaded Applications Based on Source Code Analysis
Authors: Giebas Damian , Wojszczyk Rafał
Published: January 2020

This paper extends multithreaded application source code model and shows how to using it to detect deadlocks in C language applications. Four known deadlock scenarios from literature can be detected using our model. For every scenario we created theorems and proofs whose fulfillment guarantees the occurrence of deadlocks in multithreaded applications. Paper also contains comparison of multithreaded application source code model and Petri nets and describe advantages and disadvantages both of them.
Time–Frequency Attribute Analysis of Channel 1 Data of Lunar Penetrating Radar
Authors: Xu Chenyang , Zhang Gongbo , Zhang Jianmin , Jia Zhuo
Published: January 2020

The Lunar Penetrating Radar (LPR) carried by the Chang’E-3 (CE-3) and Chang’E-4 (CE-4) mission plays a very important role in lunar exploration. The dual-frequency radar on the rover (DFR) provides a meaningful opportunity to detect the underground structure of the CE-3 landing site. The low-frequency channel (channel 1) maps the underground structure to a depth of several hundred meters, while the high-frequency channel (channel 2) can observe the stratigraphic structure of gravel near the surface. As the low-frequency radar image is troubled by unknown noise, time–frequency analysis of a single trace is applied. Then, a method named complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) is conducted to decompose the channel 1 data, and the Hilbert transform gives us the chance for further data analysis. Finally, combined with regional geology, previous studies, and channel 2 data, a usability analysis of LPR channel 1 data provides a reference for the availability of the CE-4 LPR data.
Milliwatt-Level Spontaneous Emission Across the 3.5–8 µm Spectral Region from Pr3+ Doped Selenide Chalcogenide Fiber Pumped with a Laser Diode
Authors: Sojka Lukasz , Tang Zhuoqi , Jayasuriya Dinuka , Shen Meili , Nunes Joel , Furniss David , Farries Mark , Benson Trevor M. , Seddon Angela B. , Sujecki Slawomir
Published: January 2020

A spontaneous emission fiber source operating in the mid-infrared (MIR) wavelength range from 3.5 to 8 µm is demonstrated for the first time at output power levels of at least 1 mW. The source is a Pr3+-doped selenide chalcogenide, multimode, glass fiber pumped with commercially available laser diodes operating at 1.470 µm, 1.511 µm and 1.690 µm. This MIR spontaneous emission fiber source offers a viable alternative to broadband mid-infrared supercontinuum fiber sources, which are comparatively complex and costly. The MIR emission wavelength range is significant for molecular sensing applications across biology and chemistry, and in medicine, agriculture, defense, and environmental monitoring.
Genetic Algorithm Methodology for the Estimation of Generated Power and Harmonic Content in Photovoltaic Generation
Authors: Elvira-Ortiz David A. , Jaen-Cuellar Arturo Y. , Morinigo-Sotelo Daniel , Morales-Velazquez Luis , Osornio-Rios Roque A. , Romero-Troncoso Rene de J.
Published: January 2020

Renewable generation sources like photovoltaic plants are weather dependent and it is hard to predict their behavior. This work proposes a methodology for obtaining a parameterized model that estimates the generated power in a photovoltaic generation system. The proposed methodology uses a genetic algorithm to obtain the mathematical model that best fits the behavior of the generated power through the day. Additionally, using the same methodology, a mathematical model is developed for harmonic distortion estimation that allows one to predict the produced power and its quality. Experimentation is performed using real signals from a photovoltaic system. Eight days from different seasons of the year are selected considering different irradiance conditions to assess the performance of the methodology under different environmental and electrical conditions. The proposed methodology is compared with an artificial neural network, with the results showing an improved performance when using the genetic algorithm methodology.
Improved Interpolation and Anomaly Detection for Personal PM2.5 Measurement
Authors: Park JinSoo , Kim Sungroul
Published: January 2020

With the development of technology, especially technologies related to artificial intelligence (AI), the fine-dust data acquired by various personal monitoring devices is of great value as training data for predicting future fine-dust concentrations and innovatively alerting people of potential danger. However, most of the fine-dust data obtained from those devices include either missing or abnormal data caused by various factors such as sensor malfunction, transmission errors, or storage errors. This paper presents methods to interpolate the missing data and detect anomalies in PM2.5 time-series data. We validated the performance of our method by comparing ours to well-known existing methods using our personal PM2.5 monitoring data. Our results showed that the proposed interpolation method achieves more than 25% improved results in root mean square error (RMSE) than do most existing methods, and the proposed anomaly detection method achieves fairly accurate results even for the case of the highly capricious fine-dust data. These proposed methods are expected to contribute greatly to improving the reliability of data.
A Low-Cost Programmable High-Frequency AC Electronic Load with Energy Recycling for Battery Module Diagnostics
Authors: Lin Chang-Hua , Chen Kun-Feng , Pai Kai-Jun , Chen Kuan-Chung
Published: January 2020

A low-cost programmable high-frequency alternating current (AC) electronic load for battery module diagnosis which possesses energy recycling and portability is proposed. The proposed AC electronic load consists of a micro-controller, a signal capturing circuit, and a resonant circuit, and can be integrated with a human–machine interface (HMI). To diagnose the dynamic characteristics of a lithium battery module, the proposed AC electronic load is served as a test load for providing a wide-range slew-rate loading function. In this study, the extracted energy from the tested battery module during the diagnostic process can be recycled to save energy. In addition, all of the battery module parameters and test conditions can be preset in the HMI, and the battery characteristics and the recycling rate of the electrical energy also can be estimated. Analysis of operation modes and simulations and some experimental results are used to verify the theoretical predictions.
DGS-HSA: A Dummy Generation Scheme Adopting Hierarchical Structure of the Address
Authors: Li Mingzhen , Wang Yunfeng , Yang Guangcan , Luo Shoushan , Xin Yang , Zhu Hongliang , Yang Yixian , Chen Yuling , Luo Fugui
Published: January 2020

With the increasing convenience of location-based services (LBSs), there have been growing concerns about the risk of privacy leakage. We show that existing techniques fail to defend against a statistical attack meant to infer the user’s location privacy and query privacy, which is due to continuous queries that the same user sends in the same location in a short time, causing the user’s real location to appear consecutively more than once and the query content to be the same or similar in the neighboring query. They also fail to consider the hierarchical structure of the address, so locations in an anonymous group may be located in the same organization, resulting in leaking of the user’s organization information and reducing the privacy protection effect. This paper presents a dummy generation scheme, considering the hierarchical structure of the address (DGS-HSA). In our scheme, we introduce a novel meshing method, which divides the historical location dataset according to the administrative region division. We also choose dummies from the historical location dataset with the two-level grid structure to realize the protection of the user’s location, organization information, and query privacy. Moreover, we prove the feasibility of the presented scheme by solving the multi-objective optimization problem and give the user’s privacy protection parameters recommendation settings, which balance the privacy protection level and system overhead. Finally, we evaluate the effectiveness and the correctness of the DGS-HSA through theoretical analysis and extensive simulations.
Thermogram Breast Cancer Detection: A Comparative Study of Two Machine Learning Techniques
Authors: AlFayez Fayez , El-Soud Mohamed W. Abo , Gaber Tarek
Published: January 2020

Breast cancer is considered one of the major threats for women’s health all over the world. The World Health Organization (WHO) has reported that 1 in every 12 women could be subject to a breast abnormality during her lifetime. To increase survival rates, it is found that it is very effective to early detect breast cancer. Mammography-based breast cancer screening is the leading technology to achieve this aim. However, it still can not deal with patients with dense breast nor with tumor size less than 2 mm. Thermography-based breast cancer approach can address these problems. In this paper, a thermogram-based breast cancer detection approach is proposed. This approach consists of four phases: (1) Image Pre-processing using homomorphic filtering, top-hat transform and adaptive histogram equalization, (2) ROI Segmentation using binary masking and K-mean clustering, (3) feature extraction using signature boundary, and (4) classification in which two classifiers, Extreme Learning Machine (ELM) and Multilayer Perceptron (MLP), were used and compared. The proposed approach is evaluated using the public dataset, DMR-IR. Various experiment scenarios (e.g., integration between geometrical feature extraction, and textural features extraction) were designed and evaluated using different measurements (i.e., accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity). The results showed that ELM-based results were better than MLP-based ones with more than 19%.
Assessment of Handover Prediction Models in Estimation of Cycle Times for Manual Assembly Tasks in a Human–Robot Collaborative Environment
Authors: Tang Kuo-Hao , Ho Chia-Feng , Mehlich Jan , Chen Shih-Ting
Published: January 2020

The accuracy and fluency of a handover task affects the work efficiency of human–robot collaboration. A precise and proactive estimation of handover time points by robots when handing over assembly parts to humans can minimize waiting times and maximize efficiency. This study investigated and compared the cycle time, waiting time, and operators’ subjective preference of a human–robot collaborative assembly task when three handover prediction models were applied: traditional method-time measurement (MTM), Kalman filter, and trigger sensor approaches. The scenarios of a general repetitive assembly task and repetitive assembly under a learning curve were investigated. The results revealed that both the Kalman filter prediction model and the trigger sensor method were superior to the MTM fixed-time model in both scenarios in terms of cycle time and subjective preference. The Kalman filter prediction model could adjust the handover timing according to the operator’s current speed and reduce the waiting time of the robot and operator, thereby improving the subjective preference of the operator. Moreover, the trigger sensor method’s inherent flexibility concerning random single interruptions on the operator’s side earned it the highest scores in the satisfaction assessment.
Improved Packing Model for Functionally Graded Sand-Fines Mixtures—Incorporation of Fines Cohesive Packing Behavior
Authors: El-Husseiny Ammar
Published: January 2020

Binary soil mixture, containing large silica particles (sand) mixed with variable content of very fine silt or clay, is an example of a functionally graded material that is important for several science and engineering applications. Predicting the porosity (or void ratio), which is a fundamental quantity that affects other physical properties, of such material as function of fines (clay or silt) fraction can be significant for sediment research and material design optimization. Existing analytical models for porosity prediction work well for binary mixed soils containing multi-sized non-cohesive particles with no clay, while such models frequently underestimate the porosity of sand-clay mixtures. This study aims to present an analytical model that accurately predicts the porosity of mixed granular materials or soils containing sand and very fine silt or clay (cohesive particles). It is demonstrated that accounting for the cohesive nature of very fine particles, which exists due to the effect of inter-particle forces, is a major missing aspect in existing packing models for mixed soils. Consequently, a previously developed linear packing model is modified so that it accounts for fines cohesive packing in sand-fines mixtures. The model prediction is validated using various experimental published data sets for the porosity of sand-fines mixtures. Improvement in the prediction of permeability and maximum packing dry density when incorporating cohesive packing behavior is discussed. The current model also provides important insights on the conditions under which, the lowest permeability and maximum packing state are expected.
Mapping a New Humanism in the 1940s: Thelma Johnson Streat between Dance and Painting
Authors: Schriber Abbe
Published: January 2020

Thelma Johnson Streat is perhaps best known as the first African American woman to have work acquired by the Museum of Modern Art. However, in the 1940s–1950s she inhabited multiple coinciding roles: painter, performer, choreographer, cultural ethnographer, and folklore collector. As part of this expansive practice, her canvases display a peculiar movement and animacy while her dances transmit the restraint of the two-dimensional figure. Drawing from black feminist theoretical redefinitions of the human, this paper argues that Streat’s exploration of muralism, African American spirituals, Native Northwest Coast cultural production, and Yaqui Mexican-Indigenous folk music established a diasporic mapping forged through the coxtension of gesture and brushstroke. This transmedial work disorients colonial cartographies which were the products of displacement, conquest, and dispossession, aiding notions of a new humanism at mid-century.
Improving WRF Typhoon Precipitation and Intensity Simulation Using a Surrogate-Based Automatic Parameter Optimization Method
Authors: Di Zhenhua , Duan Qingyun , Shen Chenwei , Xie Zhenghui
Published: January 2020

Typhoon precipitation and intensity forecasting plays an important role in disaster prevention and mitigation in the typhoon landfall area. However, the issue of improving forecast accuracy is very challenging. In this study, the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model typhoon simulations on precipitation and central 10-m maximum wind speed (10-m wind) were improved using a systematic parameter optimization framework consisting of parameter screening and adaptive surrogate modeling-based optimization (ASMO) for screening sensitive parameters. Six of the 25 adjustable parameters from seven physics components of the WRF model were screened by the Multivariate Adaptive Regression Spline (MARS) parameter sensitivity analysis tool. Then the six parameters were optimized using the ASMO method, and after 178 runs, the 6-hourly precipitation, and 10-m wind simulations were finally improved by 6.83% and 13.64% respectively. The most significant improvements usually occurred with the maximum precipitation or the highest wind speed. Additional typhoon events from other years were simulated to validate that the WRF optimal parameters were reasonable. The results demonstrated that the improvements in 6-hourly precipitation and 10-m wind were 4.78% and 8.54% respectively. Overall, the ASMO optimization method is an effective and highly efficient way to improve typhoon precipitation and intensity simulation using a numerical weather prediction model.
An Extensive Collection of Evaluation Indicators to Assess Occupants’ Health and Comfort in Indoor Environment
Authors: Fantozzi Fabio , Rocca Michele
Published: January 2020

Today, the effects of the indoor environment on occupants’ health and comfort represent a very important topic and requires a holistic approach in which the four main environmental factors (thermal comfort, air quality, acoustics, and lighting) should be simultaneously assessed. The present paper shows the results of a literature survey that aimed to collect the indicators for the evaluation of occupants’ health and comfort in indoor environmental quality evaluations. A broad number of papers that propose the indicators of a specific environmental factor is available in the scientific literature, but a review that collects the indicators of all four factors is lacking. In this review paper, the difference between indicators for the evaluation of risk for human health and for comfort evaluation is clarified. For each environmental factor, the risk for human health indicators are proposed with the relative threshold values, and the human comfort indicators are grouped into categories according to the number of parameters included, or the specific field of application for which they are proposed. Furthermore, the differences between human health and comfort indicators are highlighted.
High-Resolution Biomass Burning Aerosol Transport Simulations in the Tropics
Authors: Nurzahziani  , Surussavadee Chinnawat , Noosook Thanchanok
Published: January 2020

This study evaluates the performance of the Weather Research and Forecasting Model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem) for simulating biomass burning aerosol transport at high resolution in the tropics using two different biomass burning emission inventories. Hourly, daily, and monthly average PM10 dry mass concentrations at 5 km resolution—simulated separately using the Brazilian Biomass Burning Emission Model (WRF-3BEM) and the Fire Inventory from NCAR (WRF-FINN) and their averages (WRF-AVG) for 3 months from February to April—are evaluated, using measurements from ground stations distributed in northern Thailand for 2014 and 2015. Results show that WRF-3BEM agrees well with observations and performs much better than WRF-FINN and WRF-AVG. WRF-3BEM simulations are almost unbiased, while those of WRF-FINN and WRF-AVG are significantly overestimated due to significant overestimates of FINN emissions. WRF-3BEM and the measured monthly average PM10 concentrations for all stations and both years are 89.22 and 87.20 μg m−3, respectively. The root mean squared error of WRF-3BEM simulated monthly average PM10 concentrations is 72.00 and 47.01% less than those of WRF-FINN and WRF-AVG, respectively. The correlation coefficient of WRF-3BEM simulated monthly PM10 concentrations and measurements is 0.89. WRF-3BEM can provide useful biomass burning aerosol transport simulations for the northern region of Thailand.
Structural and Functional Aspects of G-Quadruplex Aptamers Which Bind a Broad Range of Influenza A Viruses
Authors: Novoseltseva Anastasia A. , Ivanov Nikita M. , Novikov Roman A. , Tkachev Yaroslav V. , Bunin Dmitry A. , Gambaryan Alexandra S. , Tashlitsky Vadim N. , Arutyunyan Alexander M. , Kopylov Alexey M. , Zavyalova Elena G.
Published: January 2020

An aptamer is a synthetic oligonucleotide with a unique spatial structure that provides specific binding to a target. To date, several aptamers to hemagglutinin of the influenza A virus have been described, which vary in affinity and strain specificity. Among them, the DNA aptamer RHA0385 is able to recognize influenza hemagglutinins with highly variable sequences. In this paper, the structure of RHA0385 was studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and size-exclusion chromatography, demonstrating the formation of a parallel G-quadruplex structure. Three derivatives of RHA0385 were designed in order to determine the contribution of the major loop to affinity. Shortening of the major loop from seven to three nucleotides led to stabilization of the scaffold. The affinities of the derivatives were studied by surface plasmon resonance and an enzyme-linked aptamer assay on recombinant hemagglutinins and viral particles, respectively. The alterations in the loop affected the binding to influenza hemagglutinin, but did not abolish it. Contrary to aptamer RHA0385, two of the designed aptamers were shown to be conformationally homogeneous, retaining high affinities and broad binding abilities for both recombinant hemagglutinins and whole influenza A viruses.
Protein Backbone and Average Particle Dynamics in Reconstituted Discoidal and Spherical HDL Probed by Hydrogen Deuterium Exchange and Elastic Incoherent Neutron Scattering
Authors: Gogonea Valentin , Peters Judith , Gerstenecker Gary S. , Topbas Celalettin , Hou Liming , Combet Jérôme , DiDonato Joseph A. , Smith Jonathan D. , Rye Kerry-Anne , Hazen Stanley L.
Published: January 2020

Lipoproteins are supramolecular assemblies of proteins and lipids with dynamic characteristics critically linked to their biological functions as plasma lipid transporters and lipid exchangers. Among them, spherical high-density lipoproteins are the most abundant forms of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in human plasma, active participants in reverse cholesterol transport, and associated with reduced development of atherosclerosis. Here, we employed elastic incoherent neutron scattering (EINS) and hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS) to determine the average particle dynamics and protein backbone local mobility of physiologically competent discoidal and spherical HDL particles reconstituted with human apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I). Our EINS measurements indicated that discoidal HDL was more dynamic than spherical HDL at ambient temperatures, in agreement with their lipid-protein composition. Combining small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) with contrast variation and MS cross-linking, we showed earlier that the most likely organization of the three apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) chains in spherical HDL is a combination of a hairpin monomer and a helical antiparallel dimer. Here, we corroborated those findings with kinetic studies, employing hydrogen-deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). Many overlapping apoA-I digested peptides exhibited bimodal HDX kinetics behavior, suggesting that apoA-I regions with the same amino acid composition located on different apoA-I chains had different conformations and/or interaction environments.
In Vitro Autonomous Construction of the Flagellar Axial Structure in Inverted Membrane Vesicles
Authors: Terashima Hiroyuki , Tatsumi Chinatsu , Kawamoto Akihiro , Namba Keiichi , Minamino Tohru , Imada Katsumi
Published: January 2020

The bacterial flagellum is a filamentous organelle extending from the cell surface. The axial structure of the flagellum consists of the rod, hook, junction, filament, and cap. The axial structure is formed by axial component proteins exported via a specific protein export apparatus in a well-regulated manner. Although previous studies have revealed the outline of the flagellar construction process, the mechanism of axial structure formation, including axial protein export, is still obscure due to difficulties in direct observation of protein export and assembly in vivo. We recently developed an in vitro flagellar protein transport assay system using inverted membrane vesicles (IMVs) and succeeded in reproducing the early stage of flagellar assembly. However, the late stage of the flagellar formation process remained to be examined in the IMVs. In this study, we showed that the filament-type proteins are transported into the IMVs to produce the filament on the hook inside the IMVs. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that coordinated flagellar protein export and assembly can occur at the post-translational level. These results indicate that the ordered construction of the entire flagellar structure can be regulated by only the interactions between the protein export apparatus, the export substrate proteins, and their cognate chaperones.
Combined Effects of NMES and Mendelsohn Maneuver on the Swallowing Function and Swallowing–Quality of Life of Patients with Stroke-Induced Sub-Acute Swallowing Disorders
Authors: Byeon Haewon
Published: January 2020

It is necessary to identify how to improve the swallowing-related quality of life, as well as the swallowing function, in order to evaluate the effect of treatments on swallowing disorders. This study aimed to prove the effects of a compound swallowing intervention (Mendelsohn maneuver + neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES)) on the swallowing function and the quality of life by applying the compound swallowing intervention to patients with sub-acute swallowing disorders due to cerebral infarction for eight weeks. This study analyzed 43 subjects who were diagnosed with swallowing disorders due to cerebral infarction. The experiment consisted of the Mendelsohn maneuver treatment group (n = 15), the NMES treatment group (n = 13), the compound intervention group (Mendelsohn maneuver + NMES; n = 15). The results of ANCOVA showed that the changes in Functional Dysphagia Scale (FDS) scores and Swallowing–Quality of Life (SWAL–QOL) score were different among groups. The compound intervention group had the highest FDS scores and SWAL–QOL score followed by Mendelsohn, and the NMES group had the lowest. The result of this study suggests that NMES can be more effective when it is combined with a traditional swallowing rehabilitation therapy rather than a single intervention method.
Erratum: Passardi, A. et al. Chemoradiotherapy (Gemox Plus Helical Tomotherapy) for Unresectable Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer: A Phase II Study. Cancers 2019, 11, 663
Authors: Passardi Alessandro , Scarpi Emanuela , Neri Elisa , Parisi Elisabetta , Ghigi Giulia , Ercolani Giorgio , Gardini Andrea , La Barba Giuliano , Pagan Flavia , Casadei-Gardini Andrea , Valgiusti Martina , Ferroni Fabio , Frassineti Giovanni Luca , Romeo Antonino
Published: January 2020

The authors wish to make the following corrections to this paper [...]
Evaluation of Calcium Electroporation for the Treatment of Cutaneous Metastases: A Double Blinded Randomised Controlled Phase II Trial
Authors: Ágoston Dóra , Baltás Eszter , Ócsai Henriette , Rátkai Sándor , Lázár Péter Gy , Korom Irma , Varga Erika , Németh István Balázs , Dósa-Rácz Viharosné Éva , Gehl Julie , Oláh Judit , Kemény Lajos , Kis Erika Gabriella
Published: January 2020

Calcium electroporation (Ca-EP) is a new anticancer treatment providing similar features to electrochemotherapy (ECT). The aim of our study is to compare the efficacy of Ca-EP with bleomycin-based ECT. This double-blinded randomized controlled phase II study was conducted at the Medical University of Szeged, Hungary. During this once only treatment up to ten measurable cutaneous metastases per patient were separately block randomized for intratumoral delivery of either calcium or bleomycin, which was followed by reversible electroporation. Tumour response was evaluated clinically and histologically six months after treatment. (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03628417, closed). Seven patients with 44 metastases (34 from malignant melanoma, 10 from breast cancer) were included in the study. Eleven metastases were taken for biopsies, and 33 metastases were randomised and treated once. The objective response rates were 33% (6/18) for Ca-EP and 53% (8/15) for bleomycin-based ECT, with 22% (4/18) and 40% (6/15) complete response rates, respectively. The CR was confirmed histologically in both arms. Serious adverse events were not registered. Ulceration and hyperpigmentation, both CTCA criteria grade I side effects, were observed more frequently after bleomycin-based ECT than for Ca-EP. Ca-EP was non-inferior to ECT, therefore, it should be considered as a feasible, effective and safe treatment option.
Inhibition of Alternative Cancer Cell Metabolism of EGFR Mutated Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Serves as a Potential Therapeutic Strategy
Authors: Huang Chung-Yu , Hsu Li-Han , Chen Chung-Yeh , Chang Gee-Chen , Chang Hui-Wen , Hung Yi-Mei , Liu Ko-Jiunn , Kao Shu-Huei
Published: January 2020

Targeted therapy is an efficient treatment for patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Therapeutic resistance invariably occurs in NSCLC patients. Many studies have focused on drug resistance mechanisms, but only a few have addressed the metabolic flexibility in drug-resistant NSCLC. In the present study, we found that during the developing resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), TKI-resistant NSCLC cells acquired metabolic flexibility in that they switched from dependence on glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation by substantially increasing the activity of the mitochondria. Concurrently, we found the predominant expression of monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT-1) in the TKI-resistant NSCLC cells was strongly increased in those cells that oxidized lactate. Thus, we hypothesized that inhibiting MCT-1 could represent a novel treatment strategy. We treated cells with the MCT-1 inhibitor AZD3965. We found a significant decrease in cell proliferation and cell motility in TKI-sensitive and TKI-resistant cells. Taken together, these results demonstrated that gefitinib-resistant NSCLC cells harbored higher mitochondrial bioenergetics and MCT-1 expression. These results implied that targeting mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation proteins or MCT-1 could serve as potential treatments for both TKI-sensitive and –resistant non-small cell lung cancer.
Molecular Complexity of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Can It Be a Roadmap for Precision Medicine?
Authors: Coccaro Nicoletta , Anelli Luisa , Zagaria Antonella , Perrone Tommasina , Specchia Giorgina , Albano Francesco
Published: January 2020

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common non-Hodgkin lymphoma; it features extreme molecular heterogeneity regardless of the classical cell-of-origin (COO) classification. Despite this, the standard therapeutic approach is still immunochemotherapy (rituximab plus cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone—R-CHOP), which allows a 60% overall survival (OS) rate, but up to 40% of patients experience relapse or refractory (R/R) disease. With the purpose of searching for new clinical parameters and biomarkers helping to make a better DLBCL patient characterization and stratification, in the last years a series of large discovery genomic and transcriptomic studies has been conducted, generating a wealth of information that needs to be put in order. We reviewed these researches, trying ultimately to understand if there are bases offering a roadmap toward personalized and precision medicine also for DLBCL.
Current Status and Future Perspectives of Immunotherapy for Locally Advanced or Metastatic Urothelial Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Review
Authors: Kim Tae Jin , Cho Kang Su , Koo Kyo Chul
Published: January 2020

Advancements in the understanding of tumor immunology in urothelial carcinoma (UC) have led to U.S Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of five novel anti-programmed cell death protein-1/ligand 1 (PD-1/L1) checkpoint inhibitors. In 2017, the anti-PD-L1 antibody atezolizumab and the anti-PD-1 antibody pembrolizumab gained approval for use in cisplatin-ineligible patients with locally advanced and metastatic UC. These approvals were based on single-arm trials, IMvigor210 (atezolizumab) and KEYNOTE-052 (pembrolizumab). Since then, additional checkpoint inhibitors, including avelumab, durvalumab, and nivolumab, have gained approval. Preliminary results suggest additional benefits with combinations of these agents in both first- and subsequent-line therapies, inferring a paradigm shift in the future treatment approach in advanced UC. Ongoing clinical trials will investigate how to utilize predictive biomarkers for optimal patient selection and to incorporate immunotherapy into earlier lines of multimodal treatment. In this comprehensive review, we summarize the evidence supporting the use of checkpoint inhibitors for patients with UC, and highlight ongoing clinical trials that are investigating novel combinations of immunotherapy in various disease settings.
Optimization of a Reference Kinetic Model for Solid Oxide Fuel Cells
Authors: Bianchi Fiammetta Rita , Bosio Barbara , Baldinelli Arianna , Barelli Linda
Published: January 2020

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) stand out among other fuel cell types because of their specific characteristics. The high operating temperature permits to reach optimal conductivity and favours kinetics without requiring noble metal catalysts. The SOFC behaviour analysis is fundamental to optimise operating conditions and to obtain the best performance. For this purpose, specific models are studied to investigate the electrochemical kinetics, which is the most critical aspect in the simulation. This is closely linked to cell materials and structure, as well as to operating conditions (feed composition and temperature above all) that influence cell polarization effects. The present work aims at evaluating these contributions by means of a semi-empirical kinetic formulation based on both theoretical and experimental approaches. A dedicated experimental campaign on an anode-supported NiYSZ/8YSZ/GDC-LSCF button cell is performed to identify experimental parameters. Each working variable is changed singularly to understand its specific effect, avoiding the overlap of multiple effects. The studied kinetics is validated using a 0D model to evaluate global cell operation, and a 1D model to estimate occurring mechanisms along anode thickness. The comparison between experimental and simulated data allows a preliminary validation of the proposed model, providing a base for subsequent more specific studies.