bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcriptomic Responses of Two Ecologically Divergent Populations of Japanese Mantis Shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria) under Thermal Stress
Authors: Lou Fangrui , Han Zhiqiang , Gao Tianxiang
Published: July 2019

Crustaceans are generally considered more sensitive to ocean warming due to their lack of certain efficient regulators. However, the alterations in the physiology and behavior of crustaceans in response to thermal stress differ vastly even among the infraspecific populations of heterogeneous landscapes. Consequently, understanding the impact of temperature fluctuation on crustacean infraspecific populations might be essential for maintaining a sustainable persistence of populations at existing locations. In the present study, we chose the Japanese mantis shrimp (Oratosquilla oratoria) as the representative crustacean population, and conducted transcriptome analyses in two divergent O. oratoria populations (the Zhoushan and Qingdao populations) under same thermal stress (20–28 °C) to identify the population-specific expression response to thermal stress. The results showed significant differences in gene expressions, GO terms and metabolic pathways between the two populations. We hypothesized that intraspecific mutations in the same or different genes might lead to thermal adaptive divergences. Temperature increases from 20–28 °C produced significant enrichment in GO terms and altered the metabolic pathways in the Zhoushan population despite the lack of differentially expressed unigenes. Therefore, several functional genes with large pleiotropic effects may underlie the response to thermal stress in the Zhoushan population. Furthermore, the most significantly enriched biological processes of the Qingdao population were associated with the state or activity of cells and its significant enriched pathways with genetic information processing as well as immune and environmental information processing. In contrast, the differentially regulated unigenes of the Zhoushan population were primarily involved in the regulatory cellular and transcription processes and the most significant pathways found were metabolic and digestive. Consequently, the regulatory mechanisms of the Zhoushan population are probably more efficient than those of the Qingdao population under the same thermal stress.
Effect of Palm Kernel Meal and Malic Acid on Rumen Characteristics of Growing Naemi Lambs Fed Total Mixed Ration
Authors: Abdelrahman Mutassim M. , Alhidary Ibrahim , Albaadani Hani H. , Alobre Mohsen , Khan Rifat Ullah , Aljumaah Riyadh S.
Published: July 2019

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of malic acid and 20% palm kernel meal (PKM) on ruminal characteristics. A total of 32 growing lambs were randomly distributed into control (barley and alfalfa ha), total mixed ration (T1), TMR + 20% PKM (T2), TMR + PKC 20% + 4 mL/day malic acids (T3). Lambs were fed these diets ad libitum for 84 days. The results showed that propionic acid in the rumen fluid increased significantly (p < 0.05) in T1 and T3. Lactic acid concentration of rumen fluid increased significantly (p < 0.05) in T2 while the pH increased significantly. The coloration of rumen and reticulum was improved in T3. In addition, most of the histomorphological features were higher in T3 and T2. We concluded that the addition of malic acid supplementation to lambs fed PKC caused a significant improvement in the rumen pH and decreased lactic acid concentration in growing Naemi lambs.
The Impact of Equine-Assisted Therapy on Equine Behavioral and Physiological Responses
Authors: Mendonça Tiago , Bienboire-Frosini Cécile , Menuge Fanny , Leclercq Julien , Lafont-Lecuelle Céline , Arroub Sana , Pageat Patrick
Published: July 2019

Equine-assisted therapies (EATs) have been widely used in the treatment of patients with mental or physical conditions. However, studies on the influence of equine-assisted therapy (EAT) on equine welfare are very recent, and the need for further research is often highlighted. The aim of this study was to investigate whether EAT creates negative or positive emotions in horses, and the influence of patients’ expectations (one group of patients had physical and psychological expectations and one group of patients had only psychological expectations) on horses’ emotional responses. Fifty-eight pairs (patient–horse) were involved in this study. Behaviors and heart rate variability (HRV) data were collected during a resting phase, a preparation phase in which the patients brushed and saddled the horse, and a working phase. Behaviors and HRV were compared between phases and among the groups of patients. Our results suggested that the EAT in this study was neither a negative nor a positive event. EATs with patients who had both physical and psychological expectations were more challenging for horses than those with patients who had only psychological expectations. Further research should focus on providing horses with positive stimulation and reinforcement to understand whether a positive association with EAT can be achieved.
Association of Ghrelin Gene Polymorphisms with Fattening Traits and Feed Intake in Pig: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Tyra Mirosław , Ropka-Molik Katarzyna , Piórkowska Katarzyna , Oczkowicz Maria , Szyndler-Nędza Magdalena , Małopolska Martyna
Published: July 2019

Numerous studies have been conducted to explain the biological functions and mechanism of ghrelin (GHRL) action in animals. However, the exact role of ghrelin in the regulation of growth and development in pigs is still unclear. The ghrelin gene is considered to be a good candidate marker for the identification of economically important traits in pig production such as feed intake, growth or carcass quality. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the regulatory regions and coding sequence of the porcine GHRL gene and determine the effect of polymorphisms at the ghrelin gene locus on selected fattening traits. Data were obtained from 346 gilts (pure breeds: Landrace, 188; Duroc, 74; Pietrain, 84). The PCR-RFLP (Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism) method was used to detect polymorphisms within GHRL. Three polymorphisms were found, one in the promoter region (c.-93A>G) and two in the 3’UTR sequence (g.4428T>C; g.4486C>T). A significant (p ≤ 0.01) additive effect on daily gain (negative) and age at slaughter (positive) was obtained at the locus c.-93A>G. However, the most promising mutation was at the locus g.4486C > T, which is associated with total feed intake. Overall, the described GHRL polymorphisms may be useful as molecular markers in pig selection but future studies are required.
Dietary Flavonoids for Immunoregulation and Cancer: Food Design for Targeting Disease
Authors: Ahn-Jarvis Jennifer , Parihar Arti , Doseff Andrea
Published: July 2019

Flavonoids, one of the most abundant phytochemicals in a diet rich in fruits and vegetables, have been recognized as possessing anti-proliferative, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and estrogenic activities. Numerous cellular and animal-based studies show that flavonoids can function as antioxidants by preventing DNA damage and scavenging reactive oxygen radicals, inhibiting formation of DNA adducts, enhancing DNA repair, interfering with chemical damage by induction of Phase II enzymes, and modifying signaling pathways. Recent evidence also shows their ability to regulate the immune system. However, findings from clinical trials have been mixed with no clear consensus on dose, frequency, or type of flavonoids best suited to elicit many of the beneficial effects. Delivery of these bioactive compounds to their biological targets through “targeted designed” food processing strategies is critical to reach effective concentration in vivo. Thus, the identification of novel approaches that optimize flavonoid bioavailability is essential for their successful clinical application. In this review, we discuss the relevance of increasing flavonoid bioavailability, by agricultural engineering and “targeted food design” in the context of the immune system and cancer.
The 13th International Conference on Advances in Quantitative Laryngology, Voice and Speech Research (June 2–4, 2019, Montreal, Quebec, Canada)
Authors: Mongeau Luc
Published: July 2019

The 13th International Conference on Advances in Quantitative Laryngology, Voice and Speech Research (AQL 2019) will be held in Montreal, Canada, 3–4 June 2019. Pre-conference workshops will be held on 2 June 2019. The conference and workshops provide a unique opportunity for partnership and collaboration in the advancement of quantitative methods for the measurement and modelling of voice and speech. The AQL accomplishes this mandate by facilitating an interprofessional scientific conference and training intended for an international community of otolaryngologists, speech–language pathologists and voice scientists. With a continued drive toward advancements in translational and clinical voice science, the AQL has rapidly expanded over the past 20 years, from a forum of 15 European member laboratories to a globally recognized symposium, connecting over 100 delegates from across the world.
Tracked Wall-Climbing Robot for Calibration of Large Vertical Metal Tanks
Authors: Chen Xianlei , Wu Yiping , Hao Huadong , Shi Haolei , Huang Haocai
Published: July 2019

Large vertical metal tanks are the primary vessels for the storage and turnover of crude oil, and the accuracy of their capacity calibrations are of great significance. The optical reference line method (ORLM) is used for capacity calibration and is time-consuming, labor-intensive, and hazardous, because of the elevated work. This paper aims to present a robot to overcome the problems above. We propose a tracked wall-climbing robot (TWCR) with permanent magnetic adhesion tracks, a collapsible scale, and an optional shovel-like rust remover that enable the TWCR to move stably on tank surfaces and perform the ORLM. Two sets of field tests (internal ORLM and external ORLM) indicate that capacity calibration by the TWCR is time saving, convenient, and safe, in addition to being accurate and reliable.
Improving Lossless Image Compression with Contextual Memory
Authors: Dorobanțiu Alexandru , Brad Remus
Published: July 2019

With the increased use of image acquisition devices, including cameras and medical imaging instruments, the amount of information ready for long term storage is also growing. In this paper we give a detailed description of the state-of-the-art lossless compression software PAQ8PX applied to grayscale image compression. We propose a new online learning algorithm for predicting the probability of bits from a stream. We then proceed to integrate the algorithm into PAQ8PX’s image model. To verify the improvements, we test the new software on three public benchmarks. Experimental results show better scores on all of the test sets.
Concrete Cracks Detection Based on FCN with Dilated Convolution
Authors: Zhang Jianming , Lu Chaoquan , Wang Jin , Wang Lei , Yue Xiao-Guang
Published: July 2019

In civil engineering, the stability of concrete is of great significance to safety of people’s life and property, so it is necessary to detect concrete damage effectively. In this paper, we treat crack detection on concrete surface as a semantic segmentation task that distinguishes background from crack at the pixel level. Inspired by Fully Convolutional Networks (FCN), we propose a full convolution network based on dilated convolution for concrete crack detection, which consists of an encoder and a decoder. Specifically, we first used the residual network to extract the feature maps of the input image, designed the dilated convolutions with different dilation rates to extract the feature maps of different receptive fields, and fused the extracted features from multiple branches. Then, we exploited the stacked deconvolution to do up-sampling operator in the fused feature maps. Finally, we used the SoftMax function to classify the feature maps at the pixel level. In order to verify the validity of the model, we introduced the commonly used evaluation indicators of semantic segmentation: Pixel Accuracy (PA), Mean Pixel Accuracy (MPA), Mean Intersection over Union (MIoU), and Frequency Weighted Intersection over Union (FWIoU). The experimental results show that the proposed model converges faster and has better generalization performance on the test set by introducing dilated convolutions with different dilation rates and a multi-branch fusion strategy. Our model has a PA of 96.84%, MPA of 92.55%, MIoU of 86.05% and FWIoU of 94.22% on the test set, which is superior to other models.
An Accurate and Precise Grey Box Model of a Low-Power Lithium-Ion Battery and Capacitor/Supercapacitor for Accurate Estimation of State-of-Charge
Authors: Navid Qamar , Hassan Ahmed
Published: July 2019

The fluctuating nature of power produced by renewable energy sources results in a substantial supply and demand mismatch. To curb the imbalance, energy storage systems comprising batteries and supercapacitors are widely employed. However, due to the variety of operational conditions, the performance prediction of the energy storage systems entails a substantial complexity that leads to capacity utilization issues. The current article attempts to precisely predict the performance of a lithium-ion battery and capacitor/supercapacitor under dynamic conditions to utilize the storage capacity to a fuller extent. The grey box modeling approach involving the chemical and electrical energy transfers/interactions governed by ordinary differential equations was developed in MATLAB. The model parameters were extracted from experimental data employing regression techniques. The state-of-charge (SoC) of the battery was predicted by employing the extended Kalman (EK) estimator and the unscented Kalman (UK) estimator. The model was eventually validated via loading profile tests. As a performance indicator, the extended Kalman estimator indicated the strong competitiveness of the developed model with regard to tracking of the internal states (e.g., SoC) which have first-order nonlinearities.
Digital Construction Technology and Job-Site Equipment Demonstration: Modelling Relationship Strategies for Technology Adoption
Authors: Sepasgozar Samad M. E. , Davis Steven
Published: July 2019

The construction technology market is competitive and complicated, due to the high-risk of digital technology utilisation in construction projects and the conservative character of construction companies. This complexity affects the process of job-site technology dissemination and adoption in which construction companies make decisions to purchase and utilise the new technology. The complexity is one of the reasons that many new remote technologies, positioning and locating systems, lasers and drones, 3D printing, and robots are not widely adopted in the short term, despite vendors making determined efforts to overcome this. Three objectives are investigated in this paper: (i) to define criteria for examining patterns of vendors’ strategies to support technology adoption; (ii) to present fact-based evidence of different vendors’ demonstration methods; and (iii) to present examples of different technology groups based on their required strategies. This paper presents the results of a longitudinal investigation of the construction technology market, including patterns of technology demonstration and a conceptual model of classifying vendors and their technologies in construction market places. The model involves the three most important factors that distinguish technology exhibitors: Physical appearance, Interpersonal relationship and Technology demonstration. Data was collected from technology exhibitions, involving randomly selected vendors. This data was analysed using hierarchical and c-means clustering techniques. The hard-clustering techniques resulted in vendors being placed in five classes based on the elements of the PIT framework. Fuzzy analysis shows how these classes fit into an underlying strategy spectrum. Understanding the strategies used in each class enables new vendors to select their own dissemination strategies based on their own particular circumstances. The practical implication of this study is to present a set of dissemination strategies to new technology stakeholders involved in Industry 4.0. The identified patterns of technology vendor strategies and the novel conceptual model contribute to the body of knowledge in technology diffusion.
Daylighting Retrofit Methods as a Tool for Enhancing Daylight Provision in Existing Educational Spaces—A Case Study
Authors: Ma’bdeh Shouib , Al-Khatatbeh Baraa
Published: July 2019

Adequate illuminance has a great effect on the health, comfort, and performance of pupils. It can be achieved by either artificial lighting or daylighting. Daylighting is usually preferred due to psychological, physiological, and economic purposes. This study aims to improve the daylight provision in existing classrooms, by investigating various retrofit methods for passive daylighting techniques in northerly oriented classrooms at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST). Data for this research are obtained using computer simulation. The retrofit methods are evaluated in terms of illuminance levels on the desks plane and the chalkboard. The retrofit methods investigated in this study included improving the material reflectance, adding clerestory to the classroom, lightshelves, anidolic ducts, as well as various combinations between these cases. By comparing the results, and in light of the recommended lighting level by The Lighting Guide 5: Lighting for Education released by Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE) in 2011, the combination of the clerestory window and the anidolic ducts result in the best results. While CIBSE recommended a target illuminance of 300 lx on desks plane and 500 lx on the board, the combination registers an average of 249 lx–300 lx on the desks plane in all sensors compared to 42 lx–105 lx in the base case, and an average of 275 lx–345 lx on the board for the tested dates compared to an average of 45 lx–115 lx in the base case.
Targeting the Immune Microenvironment in Lymphomas of B-Cell Origin: From Biology to Clinical Application
Authors: Mulder Tom A. , Wahlin Björn E. , Österborg Anders , Palma Marzia
Published: July 2019

In lymphomas of B-cell origin, cancer cells orchestrate an inflammatory microenvironment of immune and stromal cells that sustain the tumor cell survival and growth, known as a tumor microenvironment (TME). The features of the TME differ between the different lymphoma types, ranging from extremely inflammatory, such as in Hodgkin lymphoma, to anergic, leading to immune deficiency and susceptibility to infections, such as in chronic lymphocytic leukemia. Understanding the characteristic features of the TME as well as the interactions between cancer and TME cells has given insight into the pathogenesis of most lymphomas and contributed to identify novel therapeutic targets. Here, we summarize the preclinical data that contributed to clarifying the role of the immune cells in the TME of different types of lymphomas of B-cell origin, and explain how the understanding of the biological background has led to new clinical applications. Moreover, we provide an overview of the clinical results of trials that assessed the safety and efficacy of drugs directly targeting TME immune cells in lymphoma patients.
The Antiviral Agent Cidofovir Induces DNA Damage and Mitotic Catastrophe in HPV-Positive and -Negative Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinomas In Vitro
Authors: Verhees Femke , Legemaate Dion , Demers Imke , Jacobs Robin , Haakma Wisse Evert , Rousch Mat , Kremer Bernd , Speel Ernst Jan
Published: July 2019

Cidofovir (CDV) is an antiviral agent with antiproliferative properties. The aim of our study was to investigate the efficacy of CDV in HPV-positive and -negative head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cell lines and whether it is caused by a difference in response to DNA damage. Upon CDV treatment of HNSCC and normal oral keratinocyte cell lines, we carried out MTT analysis (cell viability), flow cytometry (cell cycle analysis), (immuno) fluorescence and western blotting (DNA double strand breaks, DNA damage response, apoptosis and mitotic catastrophe). The growth of the cell lines was inhibited by CDV treatment and resulted in γ-H2AX accumulation and upregulation of DNA repair proteins. CDV did not activate apoptosis but induced S- and G2/M phase arrest. Phospho-Aurora Kinase immunostaining showed a decrease in the amount of mitoses but an increase in aberrant mitoses suggesting mitotic catastrophe. In conclusion, CDV inhibits cell growth in HPV-positive and -negative HNSCC cell lines and was more profound in the HPV-positive cell lines. CDV treated cells show accumulation of DNA DSBs and DNA damage response activation, but apoptosis does not seem to occur. Rather our data indicate the occurrence of mitotic catastrophe.
Is the Blood an Alternative for Programmed Cell Death Ligand 1 Assessment in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer?
Authors: Acheampong Emmanuel , Spencer Isaac , Lin Weitao , Ziman Melanie , Millward Michael , Gray Elin
Published: July 2019

Anti-programmed cell death (PD)-1/PD-ligand 1 (L1) therapies have significantly improved the outcomes for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients in recent years. These therapies work by reactivating the immune system and enabling it to target cancer cells once more. There is a general agreement that expression of PD-L1 on tumour cells predicts the therapeutic response to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in NSCLC. Hence, immunohistochemical staining of tumour tissue biopsies from NSCLC patients with PD-L1 antibodies is the current standard used to aid selection of patients for treatment with anti-PD-1 as first line therapy. However, issues of small tissue samples, tissue heterogeneity, the emergence of new metastatic sites, and dynamic changes in the expression of PD-L1 may influence PD-L1 status during disease evolution. Re-biopsy would expose patients to the risk of complications and tardy results. Analysis of PD-L1 expression on circulating tumour cells (CTCs) may provide an accessible and non-invasive means to select patients for anti-PD-1 therapies. Additionally, CTCs could potentially provide a useful biomarker in their own right. Several published studies have assessed PD-L1 expression on CTCs from NSCLC patients. Overall, analysis of PD-L1 on CTCs is feasible and could be detected prior to and after frontline therapy. However, there is no evidence on whether PD-L1 expression on CTCs could predict the response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 treatment. This review examines the challenges that need to be addressed to demonstrate the clinical validity of PD-L1 analysis in CTCs as a biomarker capable of predicting the response to immune checkpoint blockade.
Comparative Transcriptomic Analysis of Temozolomide Resistant Primary GBM Stem-Like Cells and Recurrent GBM Identifies Up-Regulation of the Carbonic Anhydrase CA2 Gene as Resistance Factor
Authors: Hannen Ricarda , Selmansberger Martin , Hauswald Maria , Pagenstecher Axel , Nist Andrea , Stiewe Thorsten , Acker Till , Carl Barbara , Nimsky Christopher , Bartsch Jörg Walter
Published: July 2019

About 95% of patients with Glioblastoma (GBM) show tumor relapse, leaving them with limited therapeutic options as recurrent tumors are most often resistant to the first line chemotherapy standard Temozolomide (TMZ). To identify molecular pathways involved in TMZ resistance, primary GBM Stem-like Cells (GSCs) were isolated, characterized, and selected for TMZ resistance in vitro. Subsequently, RNA sequencing analysis was performed and revealed a total of 49 differentially expressed genes (|log2-fold change| > 0.5 and adjusted p-value < 0.1) in TMZ resistant stem-like cells compared to their matched DMSO control cells. Among up-regulated genes, we identified carbonic anhydrase 2 (CA2) as a candidate gene correlated with glioma malignancy and patient survival. Notably, we describe consistent up-regulation of CA2 not only in TMZ resistant GSCs on mRNA and protein level, but also in patient-matched clinical samples of first manifest and recurrent tumors. Co-treatment with the carbonic anhydrase inhibitor Acetazolamid (ACZ) sensitized cells to TMZ induced cell death. Cumulatively, our findings illustrate the potential of CA2 as a chemosensitizing target in recurrent GBM and provide a rationale for a therapy associated inhibition of CA2 to overcome TMZ induced chemoresistance.
Combined Cross-Linked Enzyme Aggregates of Monoamine Oxidase and Putrescine Oxidase as a Bifunctional Biocatalyst for Determination of Biogenic Amines in Foods
Authors: Yang Tianxiang , Kim Young-Jong , Roy Jetendra Kumar , Kim Young-Wan
Published: July 2019

In order to determine total biogenic amines in fermented foods, the combined cross-linked enzyme aggregates of a monoamine oxidase and a putrescine oxidase (combi-CLEAs) and the cross-linked enzyme aggregates (CLEAs) of the fused enzyme of two amine oxidases (MonoAmine Putrescien Oxidase, MAPO) were prepared. The effects of various parameters were examined to optimize the CLEAs formation. Biochemical characterization and stability of free and the CLEAs enzymes were performed. Through optimization of the CLEAs formation condition, the combi-CLEAs and the CLEAs-MAPO were prepared with 82% and 78% of residual activities relative to the activities of the subjected enzymes were in a preparative scale. The optimal pH for tyramine-activities of the CLEAs enzymes were shifted to relatively basic pH, leading to synchronization of the optimal performances of combi-CLEAs over pH for tyramine and putrescine. In addition, thermostability of the CLEAs enzymes were improved with almost double half-lives at 65 °C in comparison to the free enzymes. The catalytic efficiencies of combi-CLEAs for tyramine, histamine and putrescine were reduced by 41%, 56%, and 31%, respectively, and the inhibition potency by the substrate was reduced by two-fold in comparison of the mixed free enzymes. In conclusion, combi-CLEAs are a promising catalyst with the improved stability and the same optimum pH for dual activities in enzymatic determination of biogenic amines in foods.
The Impact of the Adipose Organ Plasticity on Inflammation and Cancer Progression
Authors: Corrêa Luís Henrique , Heyn Gabriella Simões , Magalhaes Kelly Grace
Published: July 2019

Obesity is characterized by chronic and low-grade systemic inflammation, an increase of adipose tissue, hypertrophy, and hyperplasia of adipocytes. Adipose tissues can be classified into white, brown, beige and pink adipose tissues, which display different regulatory, morphological and functional characteristics of their adipocyte and immune cells. Brown and white adipocytes can play a key role not only in the control of energy homeostasis, or through the balance between energy storage and expenditure, but also by the modulation of immune and inflammatory responses. Therefore, brown and white adipocytes can orchestrate important immunological crosstalk that may deeply impact the tumor microenvironment and be crucial for cancer establishment and progression. Recent works have indicated that white adipose tissues can undergo a process called browning, in which an inducible brown adipocyte develops. In this review, we depict the mechanisms involved in the differential role of brown, white and pink adipocytes, highlighting their structural, morphological, regulatory and functional characteristics and correlation with cancer predisposition, establishment, and progression. We also discuss the impact of the increased adiposity in the inflammatory and immunological modulation. Moreover, we focused on the plasticity of adipocytes, describing the molecules produced and secreted by those cells, the modulation of the signaling pathways involved in the browning phenomena of white adipose tissue and its impact on inflammation and cancer.
MRI Breast Tumor Segmentation Using Different Encoder and Decoder CNN Architectures
Authors: El Adoui Mohammed , Mahmoudi Sidi Ahmed , Larhmam Mohamed Amine , Benjelloun Mohammed
Published: July 2019

Breast tumor segmentation in medical images is a decisive step for diagnosis and treatment follow-up. Automating this challenging task helps radiologists to reduce the high manual workload of breast cancer analysis. In this paper, we propose two deep learning approaches to automate the breast tumor segmentation in dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) by building two fully convolutional neural networks (CNN) based on SegNet and U-Net. The obtained models can handle both detection and segmentation on each single DCE-MRI slice. In this study, we used a dataset of 86 DCE-MRIs, acquired before and after two cycles of chemotherapy, of 43 patients with local advanced breast cancer, a total of 5452 slices were used to train and validate the proposed models. The data were annotated manually by an experienced radiologist. To reduce the training time, a high-performance architecture composed of graphic processing units was used. The model was trained and validated, respectively, on 85% and 15% of the data. A mean intersection over union (IoU) of 68.88 was achieved using SegNet and 76.14% using U-Net architecture.
Factors Associated with Dental Fear and Anxiety in Children Aged 7 to 9 Years
Authors: Dahlander Andreas , Soares Fernanda , Grindefjord Margaret , Dahllöf Göran
Published: July 2019

The aim was to investigate changes in dental fear and anxiety (DFA) and verify factors associated with DFA in children. A longitudinal cohort study that included 160 children aged 7 years was carried out. A questionnaire was completed by parents at two time points and evaluated the immigrant background, maternal education, whether the child had ever had toothache, and whether the parents had dental fear. The oral clinical examination evaluated decayed, extracted, and filled primary teeth (deft). The children’s fear survey schedule dental subscale (CFSS-DS) was used to assess the dental fear of the children. Multilevel mixed-effects logistic regressions analyses were used. The CFSS-DS found that 7% of the children had dental fear at age 7 and mean CFSS-DS was 22.9. At 9 years of age, 8% reported dental fear and the mean increased to 25.4. Parental dental fear, experience of toothache, and report of painful dental treatment and caries development between 7 and 9 years of age were factors that were significantly related to development of DFA. There was a change in DFA between 7 and 9 years of age. Dental fear and anxiety is a dynamic process in growing individuals and is significantly related to painful symptoms and experiences of dental care as well as parental dental fear.
Chemical, Clinical and Histomorphometric Comparison between Equine Bone Manufactured through Enzymatic Antigen-Elimination and Bovine Bone Made Non-Antigenic Using a High-Temperature Process in Post-Extractive Socket Grafting. A Comparative Retrospective Clinical Study
Authors: Di Stefano Danilo Alessio , Zaniol Terry , Cinci Lorenzo , Pieri Laura
Published: July 2019

Enzyme-deantigenic equine bone (EDEB) and anorganic bovine bone (ABB) are two xenografts made non-antigenic through different processing methods. This study aimed to characterize them for the presence of native bone collagen and other proteins and to compare their histomorphometric outcome when they were used to graft post-extractive sockets. The records of 46 patients treated with EDEB (n = 22) or ABB (n = 24) and followed-up for at least four months after delayed implant placement, were retrospectively collected. Samples of EDEB and ABB were analyzed using Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared and Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate-Polyacrylamide Gel Electrophoresis for the presence of collagen and other proteins. For histomorphometric analysis on bone specimens, newly formed bone and residual biomaterial percentages were calculated. Results of the present study show that EDEB contains type I bone collagen in its native conformation, while no proteins were detected in ABB. Grafting EDEB resulted in a significantly greater quantity of newly formed bone and less residual biomaterial. Our findings suggest that the manufacturing process can greatly affect the graft behavior and a process preserving collagen in its native form may favor bone tissue regeneration.
Adhesive Systems Used in Indirect Restorations Cementation: Review of the Literature
Authors: Abad-Coronel Cristian , Naranjo Belén , Valdiviezo Pamela
Published: July 2019

New technologies are changing the therapeutical options to do indirect restorations and new adhesive systems are continuously introduced to be used by clinicians. Different interactions between restorations, adhesive systems components, enamel and dentin require having criteria based on the selection of the adhesive system, ensuring the longevity of the restorations and the preservation of the biological remnant. The adhesion force to the dental tissue is one of the indicatives of the behavior of the adhesive systems and influences the behavior of the treatments with direct and indirect restorations. The objective of this search was to find the adhesive systems with the best results in terms of the adhesion strength of indirect restorations on the dental tissues. The search was conducted in two MEDLINE digital databases (PubMed), and the Cochrane Library with a search strategy based on the combination of MeSH (Medical Subject Headings) keywords. This systematic review used the PRISMA guide (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis). According to this review, the 3-step adhesive systems were the best performing and still are the gold standard for the cementing of indirect restorations. In addition, it can be concluded that self-etched adhesive systems reduce the time spent in clinical practice, however at the interface level they behave as permeable membranes more susceptible to degradation.
Antibacterial Additives in Epoxy Resin-Based Root Canal Sealers: A Focused Review
Authors: Brezhnev Alexander , Neelakantan Prasanna , Tanaka Ray , Brezhnev Sergey , Fokas George , Matinlinna Jukka
Published: July 2019

Dental materials used in root canal treatment have undergone substantial improvements over the past decade. However, one area that still remains to be addressed is the ability of root canal fillings to effectively entomb, kill bacteria, and prevent the formation of a biofilm, all of which will prevent reinfection of the root canal system. Thus far, no published review has analysed the literature on antimicrobial additives to root canal sealers and their influence on physicochemical properties. The aim of this paper was to systematically review the current literature on antimicrobial additives in root canal sealers, their anti-fouling effects, and influence on physicochemical properties. A systematic search was performed in two databases (PubMed and Scopus) to identify studies that investigated the effect of antimicrobial additives in epoxy resin-based root canal sealers. The nature of additives, their antimicrobial effects, methods of antimicrobial testing are critically discussed. The effects on sealer properties have also been reviewed. A total of 31 research papers were reviewed in this work. A variety of antimicrobial agents have been evaluated as additives to epoxy resin-based sealers, including quaternary ammonium compounds, chlorhexidine, calcium hydroxide, iodoform, natural extracts, antibiotics, antifungal drugs, and antimicrobial agent-functionalised nanoparticles. Antimicrobial additives generally improved the antimicrobial effect of epoxy resin-based sealers mainly without deteriorating the physicochemical properties, which mostly remained in accordance with ISO and ANSI/ADA specifications.
Entropy Exchange and Thermodynamic Properties of the Single Ion Cooling Process
Authors: Miao Jian-Guo , Wu Chun-Wang , Wu Wei , Chen Ping-Xing
Published: July 2019

A complete quantum cooling cycle may be a useful platform for studying quantum thermodynamics just as the quantum heat engine does. Entropy change is an important feature which can help us to investigate the thermodynamic properties of the single ion cooling process. Here, we analyze the entropy change of the ion and laser field in the single ion cooling cycle by generalizing the idea in Reference (Phys. Rev. Lett. 2015, 114, 043002) to a single ion system. Thermodynamic properties of the single ion cooling process are discussed and it is shown that the Second and Third Laws of Thermodynamics are still strictly held in the quantum cooling process. Our results suggest that quantum cooling cycles are also candidates for the investigation on quantum thermodynamics besides quantum heat engines.
Exploiting Array Pattern Synthesis for Physical Layer Security in Millimeter Wave Channels
Authors: Lee Jong-Ho , Choi Jeongsik , Lee Woong-Hee , Song Jiho
Published: July 2019

In this paper, we propose a beamformer design scheme for wireless physical layer security using partial channel state information (CSI) in millimeter wave channels. The partial CSI used in this work is the range of angle-of-departure (AOD). Assuming that the AOD range of each node is available, we design a transmit beamformer using semidefinite programming based on array pattern synthesis. Numerical results are presented to verify the secrecy rates achieved by the proposed scheme.
Research on Predicting Line Loss Rate in Low Voltage Distribution Network Based on Gradient Boosting Decision Tree
Authors: Yao Mengting , Zhu Yun , Li Junjie , Wei Hua , He Penghui
Published: July 2019

Line loss rate plays an essential role in evaluating the economic operation of power systems. However, in a low voltage (LV) distribution network, calculating line loss rate has become more cumbersome due to poor configuration of the measuring and detecting device, the difficulty in collecting operational data, and the excessive number of components and nodes. Most previous studies mainly focused on the approaches to calculate or predict line loss rate, but rarely involve the evaluation of the prediction results. In this paper, we propose an approach based on a gradient boosting decision tree (GBDT), to predict line loss rate. GBDT inherits the advantages of both statistical models and AI approaches, and can identify the complex and nonlinear relationship while computing the relative importance among variables. An empirical study on a data set in a city demonstrates that our proposed approach performs well in predicting line loss rate, given a large number of unlabeled examples. Experiments and analysis also confirmed the effectiveness of our proposed approach in anomaly detection and practical project management.
Sensor Data Compression Using Bounded Error Piecewise Linear Approximation with Resolution Reduction
Authors: Lin Jeng-Wei , Liao Shih-wei , Leu Fang-Yie
Published: July 2019

Smart production as one of the key issues for the world to advance toward Industry 4.0 has been a research focus in recent years. In a smart factory, hundreds or even thousands of sensors and smart devices are often deployed to enhance product quality. Generally, sensor data provides abundant information for artificial intelligence (AI) engines to make decisions for these smart devices to collect more data or activate some required activities. However, this also consumes a lot of energy to transmit the sensor data via networks and store them in data centers. Data compression is a common approach to reduce the sensor data size so as to lower transmission energies. Literature indicates that many Bounded-Error Piecewise Linear Approximation (BEPLA) methods have been proposed to achieve this. Given an error bound, they make efforts on how to approximate to the original sensor data with fewer line segments. In this paper, we furthermore consider resolution reduction, which sets a new restriction on the position of line segment endpoints. Swing-RR (Resolution Reduction) is then proposed. It has O(1) complexity in both space and time per data record. In other words, Swing-RR is suitable for compressing sensor data, particularly when the volume of the data is huge. Our experimental results on real world datasets show that the size of compressed data is significantly reduced. The energy consumed follows. When using minimal resolution, Swing-RR has achieved the best compression ratios for all tested datasets. Consequently, fewer bits are transmitted through networks and less disk space is required to store the data in data centers, thus consuming less data transmission and storage power.
Quantifying the Impact of a Flood and Hurricane Event on Tree Farms in South Carolina: A Survey
Authors: Hiesl Patrick , Rodriguez Shari L.
Published: July 2019

Natural disturbances in forested landscapes are increasing in frequency. Hurricanes and flooding events can cause extreme damages to forested ecosystems and the forest products industry. The state of South Carolina experienced four major hurricanes and flooding events between 2015 and 2018. A survey was sent out to the members of the American Tree Farm System (ATFS) in South Carolina in 2017 to better understand the impact of two of these events—the historical flood of October 2015 and hurricane Matthew in October 2016—on family forest operations. Forty-eight percent of surveys were returned. Surveys were received from all counties except one. Average losses of $6.21/acre and $6.48/acre for flood and hurricane damage, respectively, were reported across all of the respondents. Major damage from the flood was reported to be on forest roads, while uprooted and broken trees were the most reported damage from the hurricane. Extrapolating damages to the state level indicated total estimated damages that were in excess of $80 million for each event. The responses also showed that only one-third of respondents were aware of disaster relief programs and less than 2% actually received financial aid. The results from this survey provide forest managers, policy makers, and extension personnel with information regarding the damages that were associated with the 2015 flood and the 2016 hurricane. Events such as these are bound to happen again in the future and information from this survey may allow foresters, policy makers, and forestry associations to refine the ways that financial aid information is distributed to increase the awareness of these programs.
The Influence of Non-Saccharomyces Species on Wine Fermentation Quality Parameters
Authors: Benito Ángel , Calderón Fernando , Benito Santiago
Published: July 2019

In the past, some microbiological studies have considered most non-Saccharomyces species to be undesirable spoilage microorganisms. For several decades, that belief made the Saccharomyces genus the only option considered by winemakers for achieving the best possible wine quality. Nevertheless, in recent decades, some strains of non-Saccharomyces species have been proven to improve the quality of wine. Non-Saccharomyces species can positively influence quality parameters such as aroma, acidity, color, and food safety. These quality improvements allow winemakers to produce innovative and differentiated wines. For that reason, the yeast strains Torulaspora delbrueckii, Lachancea thermotolerans, Metschnikowia pulcherrima, Schizosaccharomyces pombe, and Pichia kluyveri are now available on the market. Other interesting species, such as Starmerella bacillaris, Meyerozyma guilliermondii, Hanseniospora spp., and others, will probably be available in the near future.
Contribution to the Chromatic Characterization of Unifloral Honeys from Galicia (NW Spain)
Authors: Escuredo Olga , Rodríguez-Flores María Shantal , Rojo-Martínez Sergio , Seijo María Carmen
Published: July 2019

Honey color and other physicochemical characteristics depend mainly on the botanical and geographical origin. The study of these properties could make easier a correct classification of unifloral honey. This work determined the palynological characteristics and some physicochemical properties such as pH, electrical conductivity, and color (Pfund scale and the CIELa*b* coordinates), as well as the total content of the bioactive compounds phenols and flavonoids of ninety-three honey samples. Samples were classified as chestnut, blackberry, heather, eucalyptus, and honeydew honey. The study showed a close relationship between the physicochemical variables and the botanical origin. The five types of honey presented different physicochemical properties among them. A principal component analysis showed that Hue, lightness, b*, and Chroma variables were important for the honey types classification, followed by Erica pollen, pH, Cytisus, and Castanea variables. A forward stepwise regression analysis was performed introducing as dependent variables the color (mm Pfund) and the Chroma and the Hue variables. The regression models obtained explained 86%, 74%, and 86% of the variance of the data, respectively. The combination of the chromatic and physicochemical and pollen variables through the use of multivariable methods was optimal to characterize and group the honey samples studied.
Utilization of Clarified Butter Sediment Waste as a Feedstock for Cost-Effective Production of Biodiesel
Authors: Patel Alok , Sartaj Km , Pruthi Parul A. , Pruthi Vikas , Matsakas Leonidas
Published: July 2019

The rising demand and cost of fossil fuels (diesel and gasoline), together with the need for sustainable, alternative, and renewable energy sources have increased the interest for biomass-based fuels such as biodiesel. Among renewable sources of biofuels, biodiesel is particularly attractive as it can be used in conventional diesel engines without any modification. Oleaginous yeasts are excellent oil producers that can grow easily on various types of hydrophilic and hydrophobic waste streams that are used as feedstock for single cell oils and subsequently biodiesel production. In this study, cultivation of Rhodosporidium kratochvilovae on a hydrophobic waste (clarified butter sediment waste medium (CBM)) resulted in considerably high lipid accumulation (70.74% w/w). Maximum cell dry weight and total lipid production were 15.52 g/L and 10.98 g/L, respectively, following cultivation in CBM for 144 h. Neutral lipids were found to accumulate in the lipid bodies of cells, as visualized by BODIPY staining and fluorescence microscopy. Cells grown in CBM showed large and dispersed lipid droplets in the intracellular compartment. The fatty acid profile of biodiesel obtained after transesterification was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS), while its quality was determined to comply with ASTM 6751 and EN 14214 international standards. Hence, clarified sediment waste can be exploited as a cost-effective renewable feedstock for biodiesel production.
Consumer-Driven Improvement of Maize Bread Formulations with Legume Fortification
Authors: Cunha Luís M. , Fonseca Susana C. , Lima Rui C. , Loureiro José , Pinto Alexandra S. , Vaz Patto M. Carlota , Brites Carla
Published: July 2019

The fortification of maize bread with legume flour was explored in order to increase the protein content of the traditional Portuguese bread ‘broa’, comprised of more than 50% maize flour. The optimization of legume incorporation (pea, chickpea, faba bean, lentil), considering the influence of different maize flours (traditional-white, traditional-yellow, hybrid-white, hybrid-yellow), on consumer liking and sensory profiling of ‘broa’ was studied. A panel of 60 naïve tasters evaluated twenty different breads, divided in four sets for each legume flour fortification, each set including four breads with varying maize flour and a control (no legume). Tasters evaluated overall liking and the sensory profile through a check-all-that-apply ballot. Crude protein and water content were also analyzed. There were no significant differences in overall liking between the different types of legumes and maize. The incorporation of chickpea flour yields a sensory profile that most closely resembles the control. The protein content increased, on average, 21% in ‘broa’, with legume flours having the highest value obtained with faba bean incorporation (29% increase). Thus, incorporation of legume flours appears to be an interesting strategy to increase bread protein content, with no significant impact on consumer liking and the ‘broa’ bread sensory profile.