bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fish Oil, Se Yeast, and Micronutrient-Enriched Nutrition as Adjuvant Treatment during Target Therapy in a Murine Model of Lung Cancer
Authors: Wang Hang , Hsia Simon , Wu Tsung-Han , Wu Chang-Jer
Published: May 2021

Despite the effectiveness of primary treatment modalities for cancer, the side effects of treatments, medication resistance, and the deterioration of cachexia after disease progression lead to poor prognosis. A supportive treatment modality to overcome these limitations would be considered a major breakthrough. Here, we used two different target drugs to demonstrate whether a nutraceutical formula (fish oil, Se yeast, and micronutrient-enriched nutrition; NuF) can interfere with cancer cachexia and improve drug efficacy. After Lewis lung cancer (LLC) tumor injection, the C57BL/6 mice were orally administered targeted therapy drugs Iressa and Sutent alone or combined with NuF for 27 days. Sutent administration effectively inhibited tumor size but increased the number of lung metastases in the long term. Sutent combined with NuF had no significant difference in tumor weight and metastasis compare with Sutent alone. However, NuF slightly attenuated metastases number in lung may via mesenchymal marker N-cadherin suppression. NuF otherwise increased epithelial-like marker E-cadherin expression and induce NO-mediated intrinsic apoptotic pathway in tumor cells, thereby strengthening the ability of the targeted therapy drug Iressa for inhibiting tumor progression. Our results demonstrate that NuF can promote the anticancer effect of lung cancer to targeted therapy, especially in Iressa, by inhibiting HIF-1α and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and inducing the apoptosis of lung cancer cells. Furthermore, NuF attenuates cancer-related cachectic symptoms by inhibiting systemic oxidative stress.
Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: An Emerging Option in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation at High Risk of Bleeding
Authors: Cimmino Giovanni , Loffredo Francesco S. , Gallinoro Emanuele , Prozzo Dario , Fabiani Dario , Cante Luigi , Salerno Gemma , Cappelli Bigazzi Maurizio , Golino Paolo
Published: May 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common cardiac arrhythmia with an estimated prevalence of 1% in the general population. It is associated with an increased risk of ischemic stroke, silent cerebral ischemia, and cognitive impairment. Due to the blood flow stasis and morphology, thrombus formation occurs mainly in the left atrial appendage (LAA), particularly in the setting of nonvalvular AF (NVAF). Previous studies have shown that >90% of emboli related to NVAF originate from the LAA, thus prevention of systemic cardioembolism is indicated. According to the current guidelines, anticoagulant therapy with direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) or vitamin K antagonists (VKAs), represents the standard of care in AF patients, in order to prevent ischemic stroke and peripheral embolization. Although these drugs are widely used and DOACs have shown, compared to VKAs, non-inferiority for stroke prevention with significantly fewer bleeding complications, some issues remain a matter of debate, including contraindications, side effects, and adherence. An increasing number of patients, indeed, because of high bleeding risk or after experiencing life-threatening bleedings, must take anticoagulants with extreme caution if not contraindicated. While surgical closure or exclusion of LAA has been historically used in patients with AF with contradictory results, in the recent years, a novel procedure has emerged to prevent the cardioembolic stroke in these patients: The percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO). Different devices have been developed in recent years, though not all of them are approved in Europe and some are still under clinical investigation. Currently available devices have shown a significant decrease in bleeding risk while maintaining efficacy in preventing thromboembolism. The procedure can be performed percutaneously through the femoral vein access, under general anesthesia. A transseptal puncture is required to access left atrium and is guided by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Evidence from the current literature indicates that percutaneous LAAO represents a safe alternative for those patients with contraindications for long-term oral anticoagulation. This review summarizes scientific evidences regarding LAAO for stroke prevention including clinical indications and an adequate patient selection.
The Origin of the Non-Constancy of the Bulk Resistance of Ion-Selective Electrode Membranes within the Nernstian Response Range
Authors: Keresten Valentina , Solovyeva Elena , Mikhelson Konstantin
Published: May 2021

The dependence of the bulk resistance of membranes of ionophore-based ion-selective electrodes (ISEs) on the composition of mixed electrolyte solutions, within the range of the Nernstian potentiometric response, is studied by chronopotentiometric and impedance measurements. In parallel to the resistance, water uptake by the membranes is also studied gravimetrically. The similarity of the respective curves is registered and explained in terms of heterogeneity of the membranes due to the presence of dispersed aqueous phase (water droplets). It is concluded that the electrochemical equilibrium is established between aqueous solution and the continuous organic phase, while the resistance refers to the membrane as whole, and water droplets hamper the charge transfer across the membranes. In this way, it is explained why the membrane bulk resistance is not constant within the range of the Nernstian potentiometric response of ISEs.
Relationship between Residual Stress and Net Strain in Low-Temperature Transformation Weldments Considering Microstructure
Authors: Lee Jaehee , Lee Youngchai , Lee Changhee
Published: May 2021

Weldments inevitably shrink during cooling from the melt pool. Residual stresses then occur owing to surrounding constraints. Tensile residual stresses in weldments cause various problems, such as deformation and reduction of fatigue strength. Low-temperature transformation (LTT) welding consumables can reduce the tensile residual stress through volume expansion, which accompanies a phase transformation from austenite to martensite. In this study, the relationship between residual stress and net strain was examined, mainly by controlling the martensite start (Ms) temperature, and the result was related to the weld’s microstructure. The Ms temperature and the expansion accompanying the phase transformation were analyzed by the dilatometric method. A hole drilling test was carried out to measure the residual stress in the weldments. The highest compressive stress was observed in the most expanded weldment at room temperature, and a linear relationship between the net strain and residual stress was derived. This linear relationship was analyzed with a microstructural approach.
Grape Canes from Typical Cultivars of Campania (Southern Italy) as a Source of High-Value Bioactive Compounds: Phenolic Profile, Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities
Authors: Squillaci Giuseppe , Zannella Carla , Carbone Virginia , Minasi Paola , Folliero Veronica , Stelitano Debora , Cara Francesco La , Galdiero Massimiliano , Franci Gianluigi , Morana Alessandra
Published: May 2021

The purpose of the current study was to determine the phenolic composition, antioxidant, and antimicrobial activities in grape cane extracts from typical cultivars of Southern Italy. Aqueous extracts at different pHs (1–13) were prepared from “Aglianico”, “Fiano”, and “Greco” grape canes. The results demonstrated that an alkaline pH (13.00) produced the best polyphenol-rich extracts, as the total phenolic content was more than double when compared to the respective extracts prepared at pH 1.00. “Greco” grape canes gave the highest quantity of phenolic compounds at each pH, ranging from 42.7 ± 0.4 to 104.3 ± 3.0 mg Gallic Acid Equivalents (GAE)/g Dry Extract (DE) from pH 1.00 to 13.00. The Radical Scavenging Activity (RSA) and the Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Power (FRAP) were measured. The highest antioxidant activity was showed by “Greco” extract at pH 7.00. Seventy-five compounds were identified in the extracts by HPLC-MS with six of them described for the first time in grape canes. Procyanidins were highly abundant in extracts at pH 7.00, whereas stilbenoids were the most represented compounds at pH 13.00. Very strong antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses was recorded for the extracts at pH 7.00 and 13.00 that were active in the early stages of infection by acting directly against the viral particles. The overall results suggest that grape canes, currently underutilized, can be usefully valorised by providing active extracts to use as antioxidant and antiviral agents.
Valonea Tannin: Tyrosinase Inhibition Activity, Structural Elucidation and Insights into the Inhibition Mechanism
Authors: Liu Jiaman , Liu Yuqing , He Xiaofeng , Teng Bo , McRae Jacqui M.
Published: May 2021

Valonea tannin is a natural product readily extracted from acorn shells that has been suggested to have potential skin whitening properties. This study investigated the tyrosinase inhibition activity of extracted valonea tannin and the associated structure–function activity. Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and molecular weight analysis with gel permeation chromatography revealed that valonea tannin could be characterized as a hydrolysable tannin with galloyl, hexahydroxydiphenoyl and open formed-glucose moieties and an average molecular weight of 3042 ± 15 Da. Tyrosinase inhibition assays demonstrated that valonea tannin was 334 times more effective than gallic acid and 3.4 times more effective than tannic acid, which may relate to the larger molecular size. Kinetic studies of the inhibition reactions indicated that valonea tannin provided tyrosinase inhibition through mixed competitive–uncompetitive way. Stern–Volmer fitted fluorescence quenching analysis, isothermal titration calorimetry analysis and in silico molecule docking showed valonea tannin non-selectively bound to the surface of tyrosinase via hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy and free radical scavenging assays indicated the valonea tannin had copper ion chelating and antioxidant ability, which may also contribute to inhibition activity. These results demonstrated the structure–function activity of valonea tannin as a highly effective natural tyrosinase inhibitor that may have commercial application in dermatological medicines or cosmetic products.
Novel Biologically Active Molecules, Biomaterials, and Nanoparticles for Microbial Biofilm Control in Human Medicine
Authors: Grande Rossella , Carradori Simone
Published: May 2021

The aim of the present special issue, proposed by two Co-Guest Editors with expertise in Clinical Microbiology and Medicinal Chemistry, is to collect and disseminate some of the most significant and innovative contributions focused on biofilm removal strategies, based on the use of natural or synthetic compounds/molecules/peptides or nanoparticles as well as biofilm formation inhibition aimed at both the control and monitoring of biofilm infections in medicine, food, industry, and natural environments [...]
Tripodal, Squaramide-Based Ion Pair Receptor for Effective Extraction of Sulfate Salt
Authors: Jagleniec Damian , Wilczek Marcin , Romański Jan
Published: May 2021

Combining three features—the high affinity of squaramides toward anions, cooperation in ion pair binding and preorganization of the binding domains in the tripodal platform—led to the effective receptor 2. The lack of at least one of these key elements in the structures of reference receptors 3 and 4 caused a lower affinity towards ion pairs. Receptor 2 was found to form an intramolecular network in wet chloroform, which changed into inorganic–organic associates after contact with ions and allowed salts to be extracted from an aqueous to an organic phase. The disparity in the binding mode of 2 with sulfates and with other monovalent anions led to the selective extraction of extremely hydrated sulfate anions in the presence of more lipophilic salts, thus overcoming the Hofmeister series.
Influence of Nitrogen Fertilization Rate on Soil Respiration: A Study Using a Rapid Soil Respiration Assay
Authors: Sanyal Debankur , Wolthuizen Johnathon , Bly Anthony
Published: May 2021

Efficient nitrogen (N) management is one of the primary objectives of agronomic research as N is expensive and a major environmental pollutant. Soil microbes regulate N cycling and soil respiration (SR) measures soil microbial activity. The Comprehensive Assessment of Soil Health (CASH) soil respiration protocol is a rapid test, and a study was designed to approve this test as a potential tool for corn (Zea mays L.) N management. Five locations were selected around South Dakota (SD) where corn received 0, 45, 90, and 180 kg N ha−1 during summer of 2019. Soil samples were collected before planting and at the V6 corn growth stage to measure SR. We found that N fertilization increased SR and the highest SR was recorded at Ipswich (1.94 mg CO2 g−1) while SR was lowest at Bushnell (1.45 mg CO2 g−1). Higher SR was recorded at the sites where no-till farming was practiced, and soil had higher initial nitrate and organic matter content. SR was weakly correlated with corn grain yield, which indicated a potential area for future research. We concluded that split N application or an additional N application at a later growth stage might boost corn productivity in soil with higher microbial activity.
Role of High Energy Breakfast “Big Breakfast Diet” in Clock Gene Regulation of Postprandial Hyperglycemia and Weight Loss in Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Jakubowicz Daniela , Wainstein Julio , Tsameret Shani , Landau Zohar
Published: May 2021

Postprandial hyperglycemia (PPHG) is strongly linked with the future development of cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetes (T2D). Hence, reducing postprandial glycemic excursions is essential in T2D treatment to slow progressive deficiency of β-cell function and prevent cardiovascular complications. Most of the metabolic processes involved in PPHG, i.e., β-cell secretory function, GLP-1 secretion, insulin sensitivity, muscular glucose uptake, and hepatic glucose production, are controlled by the circadian clock and display daily oscillation. Consequently, postprandial glycemia displays diurnal variation with a higher glycemic response after meals with the same carbohydrate content, consumed at dusk compared to the morning. T2D and meal timing schedule not synchronized with the circadian clock (i.e., skipping breakfast) are associated with disrupted clock gene expression and is linked to PPHG. In contrast, greater intake in the morning (i.e., high energy breakfast) than in the evening has a resetting effect on clock gene oscillations and beneficial effects on weight loss, appetite, and reduction of PPHG, independently of total energy intake. Therefore, resetting clock gene expression through a diet intervention consisting of meal timing aligned to the circadian clock, i.e., shifting most calories and carbohydrates to the early hours of the day, is a promising therapeutic approach to improve PPHG in T2D. This review will focus on recent studies, showing how a high-energy breakfast diet (Bdiet) has resetting and synchronizing actions on circadian clock genes expression, improving glucose metabolism, postprandial glycemic excursions along with weight loss in T2D.
Social Participation as a Predictor of Morbid Thoughts and Suicidal Ideation among the Elderly Population: A Cross-Sectional Study on Four Low-Middle-Income Countries
Authors: Ghose Bishwajit , Huang Rui , Etowa Josephine , Tang Shangfeng
Published: May 2021

Social wellbeing constitutes a critical aspect of one’s health, quality of life, and overall psychosocial wellbeing. Social isolation and perceived loneliness are growing public health concerns as they are considered to be important risk factor for poor physical and mental health outcomes. Not much is known about how the level of one’s social participation is associated with morbid thought and suicidal ideation. In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether social participation shows any significant correlation with morbid thought and suicidal ideation among the elderly population. Methods: Cross-sectional data were collected from Wave 1 of the Study of Global AGEing and Adult Health (SAGE). The sample population consisted 2018 men and women aged 65 years and above from the following countries: China (n = 787), Ghana (n = 278), India (n = 560), and Russia (n = 396). Outcome variables of self-reported occurrence of morbid thoughts and suicide ideation during the past 12 months were reported. Results: A great majority of the participants reported not participating in activities such as public meetings (84.6%), club meeting (49.6%), neighborhood activities (46%), and religious activities (57.2%). Those who reported attending public meetings several times a year had a higher likelihood of reporting having morbid thoughts (predicted probability = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.52). However, the association was no longer significant after stratifying by sex. Attending clubs (marginal effect = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.49, 0.76) and neighborhood activities (predicted probability = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.58, 0.88) several times a year showed protective effects against morbid thoughts. Being visited by friends several times a month (predicted probability = 0.52, 95% CI = 0.40, 0.67) and visiting friends (predicted probability = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.50, 0.75) several times a year also showed lower likelihood of morbid thoughts. Similar effects were observed for attending social gatherings with colleagues and social events as well. Conclusions: The present findings suggest that there exist significantly positive associations between participation in social activities and morbid thoughts and suicidal ideation among the elderly population in the sample countries. More in-depth studies are necessary to investigate the barriers to participation in social activities as well as the role of the quality of social relationships with experiencing suicidal thoughts.
Perovskite versus ZnCuInS/ZnS Luminescent Nanoparticles in Wavelength-Shifting Layers for Sensor Applications
Authors: Sosna-Głębska Aleksandra , Szczecińska Natalia , Sibiński Maciej , Wiosna-Sałyga Gabriela , Januszewicz Bartłomiej
Published: May 2021

In this work, the application of quantum dots is evaluated in order to sensitize the commercially popular Si detectors in the UV range. The wavelength-shifting properties of two types of all-inorganic halide perovskite quantum dots as well as ZnCuInS/ZnS quantum dots are determined in order to assess their potential in the effective enhancement of the sensors’ detection range. In a further part of the study, the wavelength-shifting layers are formed by embedding the quantum dots in two kinds of polymers: PMMA or Cyclic Olefin Polymer. The performance of the layers is evaluated by transmission and PLE measurement. Incorporating the nanoparticles seemingly increases the transmittance in the UV range by several percent. The observed phenomenon is proportional to the quantum dots to polymer concentration, which indicates the successful conversion action of the luminescent agents.
Dielectric Spectroscopy Based Detection of Specific and Nonspecific Cellular Mechanisms
Authors: Stoneman Michael R. , Raicu Valerică
Published: May 2021

Using radiofrequency dielectric spectroscopy, we have investigated the impact of the interaction between a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), the sterile2 α-factor receptor protein (Ste2), and its cognate agonist ligand, the α-factor pheromone, on the dielectric properties of the plasma membrane in living yeast cells (Saccharomyces cerevisiae). The dielectric properties of a cell suspension containing a saturating concentration of α-factor were measured over the frequency range 40Hz–110 MHz and compared to the behavior of a similarly prepared suspension of cells in the absence of α-factor. A spherical three-shell model was used to determine the electrical phase parameters for the yeast cells in both types of suspensions. The relative permittivity of the plasma membrane showed a significant increase after exposure to α-factor (by 0.06 ± 0.05). The equivalent experiment performed on yeast cells lacking the ability to express Ste2 showed no change in plasma membrane permittivity. Interestingly, a large change also occurred to the electrical properties of the cellular interior after the addition of α-factor to the cell suspending medium, whether or not the cells were expressing Ste2. We present a number of different complementary experiments performed on the yeast to support these dielectric data and interpret the results in terms of specific cellular reactions to the presence of α-factor.
Co-Training for Deep Object Detection: Comparing Single-Modal and Multi-Modal Approaches
Authors: Gómez Jose L. , Villalonga Gabriel , López Antonio M.
Published: May 2021

Top-performing computer vision models are powered by convolutional neural networks (CNNs). Training an accurate CNN highly depends on both the raw sensor data and their associated ground truth (GT). Collecting such GT is usually done through human labeling, which is time-consuming and does not scale as we wish. This data-labeling bottleneck may be intensified due to domain shifts among image sensors, which could force per-sensor data labeling. In this paper, we focus on the use of co-training, a semi-supervised learning (SSL) method, for obtaining self-labeled object bounding boxes (BBs), i.e., the GT to train deep object detectors. In particular, we assess the goodness of multi-modal co-training by relying on two different views of an image, namely, appearance (RGB) and estimated depth (D). Moreover, we compare appearance-based single-modal co-training with multi-modal. Our results suggest that in a standard SSL setting (no domain shift, a few human-labeled data) and under virtual-to-real domain shift (many virtual-world labeled data, no human-labeled data) multi-modal co-training outperforms single-modal. In the latter case, by performing GAN-based domain translation both co-training modalities are on par, at least when using an off-the-shelf depth estimation model not specifically trained on the translated images.
Distributed Joint Optimization of Beamforming and Power
Allocation for Maximizing the Energy Efficiency of Cognitive
Heterogeneous Networks
Authors: Lee Kisong
Published: May 2021

This paper investigated an energy-efficient beamforming and power allocation strategy for cognitive heterogeneous networks with multiple-input-single-output interference channels. To maximize the sum energy efficiency of secondary users (SUs) while keeping the interference to primary networks under a predetermined threshold, I propose a distributed resource allocation algorithm using dual methods, in which each SU updates its beamforming vector and transmit power iteratively without any information sharing until convergence. The simulation results verify that the performance of the proposed scheme is comparable to that of the optimal scheme but with a much shorter computation time.
Random Access Using Deep Reinforcement Learning in Dense Mobile Networks
Authors: Bekele Yared Zerihun , Choi Young-June
Published: May 2021

5G and Beyond 5G mobile networks use several high-frequency spectrum bands such as the millimeter-wave (mmWave) bands to alleviate the problem of bandwidth scarcity. However high-frequency bands do not cover larger distances. The coverage problem is addressed by using a heterogeneous network which comprises numerous small and macrocells, defined by transmission and reception points (TRxPs). For such a network, random access is considered a challenging function in which users attempt to select an efficient TRxP by random access within a given time. Ideally, an efficient TRxP is less congested, minimizing delays in users’ random access. However, owing to the nature of random access, it is not feasible to deploy a centralized controller estimating the congestion level of each cell and deliver this information back to users during random access. To solve this problem, we establish an optimization problem and employ a reinforcement-learning-based scheme. The proposed scheme estimates congestion of TRxPs in service and selects the optimal access point. Mathematically, this approach is beneficial in approximating and minimizing a random access delay function. Through simulation, we demonstrate that our proposed deep learning-based algorithm improves performance on random access. Notably, the average access delay is improved by 58.89% from the original 3GPP algorithm, and the probability of successful access also improved.
An Analytic Model for Negative Obstacle Detection with Lidar and Numerical Validation Using Physics-Based Simulation
Authors: Goodin Christopher , Carrillo Justin , Monroe J. Gabriel , Carruth Daniel W. , Hudson Christopher R.
Published: May 2021

Negative obstacles have long been a challenging aspect of autonomous navigation for ground vehicles. However, as terrestrial lidar sensors have become lighter and less costly, they have increasingly been deployed on small, low-flying UAV, affording an opportunity to use these sensors to aid in autonomous navigation. In this work, we develop an analytical model for predicting the ability of UAV or UGV mounted lidar sensors to detect negative obstacles. This analytical model improves upon past work in this area because it takes the sensor rotation rate and vehicle speed into account, as well as being valid for both large and small view angles. This analytical model is used to predict the influence of velocity on detection range for a negative obstacle and determine a limiting speed when accounting for vehicle stopping distance. Finally, the analytical model is validated with a physics-based simulator in realistic terrain. The results indicate that the analytical model is valid for altitudes above 10 m and show that there are drastic improvements in negative obstacle detection when using a UAV-mounted lidar. It is shown that negative obstacle detection ranges for various UAV-mounted lidar are 60–110 m, depending on the speed of the UAV and the type of lidar used. In contrast, detection ranges for UGV mounted lidar are found to be less than 10 m.
Objective Assessment of Regional Stiffness in Vastus Lateralis with Different Measurement Methods: A Reliability Study
Authors: Bravo-Sánchez Alfredo , Abián Pablo , Sánchez-Infante Jorge , Esteban-Gacía Paula , Jiménez Fernando , Abián-Vicén Javier
Published: May 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate the reliability of four methods of assessing vastus lateralis (VL) stiffness, and to describe the influence of structural characteristics on them. The stiffness of the dominant lower-limb’s VL was evaluated in 53 healthy participants (28.4 ± 9.1 years) with shear wave elastography (SWE), strain elastography (SE), myotonometry and tensiomyography (TMG). The SWE, SE and myotonometry were performed at 50%, and TMG was assessed at 30%, of the length from the upper pole of the patella to the greater trochanter. The thickness of the VL, adipose tissue and superficial connective tissue was also measured with ultrasound. Three repeated measurements were acquired to assess reliability, using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated to determine the relationships between methodologic assessments and between structural characteristics and stiffness assessments of the VL. Myotonometry (ICC = 0.93; 95%-CI = 0.89,0.96) and TMG (ICC = 0.89; 95%-CI = 0.82,0.94) showed excellent inter-day reliability whereas with SWE (ICC = 0.62; 95%-CI = 0.41,0.77) and SE (ICC = 0.71; 95%-CI = 0.57,0.81) reliability was moderate. Significant correlations were found between myotonometry and VL thickness (r = 0.361; p = 0.008), adipose tissue thickness (r = −0.459; p = 0.001) and superficial connective tissue thickness (r = 0.340; p = 0.013). Myotonometry and TMG showed the best reliability values, although myotonometry stiffness values were influenced by the structural variables of the supra-adjacent tissue.
Multilocation and Multiscale Learning Framework with Skip Connection for Fault Diagnosis of Bearing under Complex Working Conditions
Authors: Ban Hongwei , Wang Dazhi , Wang Sihan , Liu Ziming
Published: May 2021

Considering various fault states under severe working conditions, the comprehensive feature extraction from the raw vibration signal is still a challenge for the diagnosis task of rolling bearing. To deal with strong coupling and high nonlinearity of the vibration signal, this article proposes a novel multilocation and multikernel scale learning framework based on deep convolution encoder (DCE) and bidirectional long short-term memory network (BiLSTM). The procedure of the proposed method using a cascade structure is developed in three stages. In the first stage, each parallel branch of the multifeature learning combines the skip connection and the DCE, and uses different size kernels. The multifeature learning network can automatically extract and fuse global and local features from different network depths and time scales of the raw vibration signal. In the second stage, the BiLSTM as the feature protection network is designed to employ the internal calculating data of the forward propagation and backward propagation at the same network propagation node. The feature protection network is used for further mining sensitive and complementary features. In the third stage of bearing diagnosis, the classifier identifies the fault types. Consequently, the proposed network scheme can perform well in generalization capability. The performance of the proposed method is verified on the two kinds of bearing datasets. The diagnostic results demonstrate that the proposed method can diagnose multiple fault types more accurately. Also, the method performs better in load and speed adaptation compared with other intelligent fault classification methods.
Urban Sprawl and Growth Prediction for Lagos Using GlobeLand30 Data and Cellular Automata Model
Authors: Onilude Olalekan O. , Vaz Eric
Published: May 2021

Urban growth in various cities across the world, especially in developing countries, leads to land use change. Thus, predicting future urban growth in the most rapidly growing region of Nigeria becomes a significant endeavor. This study analyzes land use and land cover (LULC) change and predicts the future urban growth of the Lagos metropolitan region, using Cellular Automata (CA) model. To achieve this, the GlobeLand30 datasets from years 2000 and 2010 were used to obtain LULC maps, which were utilized for modeling and prediction. Change analysis and prediction for LULC scenario for 2030 were performed using LCM and CA Markov chain modeling. The results show a substantial growth of artificial surfaces, which will cause further reductions in cultivated land, grassland, shrubland, wetland, and waterbodies. There was no appreciable impact of change for bare land, as its initial extent of cover later disappeared completely. Additionally, artificial surfaces/urban growth in Lagos expanded to the neighboring towns and localities in Ogun State during the study period, and it is expected that such growth will be higher in 2030. Lastly, the study findings will be beneficial to urban planners and land use managers in making key decisions regarding urban growth and improved land use management in Nigeria.
Taxonomy of Horned Lizards, Genus Phrynosoma (Squamata, Phrynosomatidae)
Authors: Köhler Gunther
Published: May 2021

In this article, I revise the taxonomy of the species and subspecies of the genus Phrynosoma through phylogenetic and species delimitation approaches based on four mtDNA markers (ND1, ND2, ND4, and 12S). The resulting taxonomy recognizes 12 species (P. asio, P. bracconieri, P. cornutum, P. coronatum, P. douglasii, P. hernandesi, P. mcallii, P. modestum, P. orbiculare, P. platyrhinos, P. solare, and P. taurus). Several of these species are divided into subspecies as follows: P. coronatum (P. c. coronatum, P. c. blainvillii, P. c. cerroense, and P. c. frontale), P. cornutum (P. c. cornutum and P. c. bufonium), P. hernandesi (P. h. hernandesi, P. h. ditmarsi, and P. h. ornatum), P. orbiculare (P. o. orbiculare, P. o. bradti, P. o. boucardii, P. o. cortezii, P. o. dugesii, and P. o. durangoensis), P. platyrhinos (P. p. platyrhinos and P. p. goodei), P. taurus (P. t. taurus and P. t. sherbrookei). In this coherent and objective approach, those taxa treated here as subspecies have diverged to a much lesser degree than those that are herein recognized as separate species. Typically, those taxa recognized as subspecies are one another’s closest relatives (i.e., they together form a monophyletic group that represents the species) and are distributed allopatrically. In this approach, all separate evolutionarily significant units are recognized as named taxa—either species or subspecies—thereby reflecting the importance of identifying and naming such units for conservation. I provide a checklist of the recognized species and subspecies of Phrynosoma along with synonymies and distribution maps.
Evaluation of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis-Induced Muscle Degeneration Using Magnetic Resonance-Based Relaxivity Contrast Imaging (RCI)
Authors: Ragunathan Sudarshan , Bell Laura C. , Semmineh Natenael , Stokes Ashley M. , Shefner Jeremy M. , Bowser Robert , Ladha Shafeeq , Quarles C. Chad
Published: May 2021

(1) Background: This work characterizes the sensitivity of magnetic resonance-based Relaxivity Contrast Imaging (RCI) to Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)-induced changes in myofiber microstructure. Transverse Relaxivity at Tracer Equilibrium (TRATE), an RCI-based parameter, was evaluated in the lower extremities of ALS patients and healthy subjects. (2) Methods: In this IRB-approved study, 23 subjects (12 ALS patients and 11 healthy controls) were scanned at 3T (Philips, The Netherlands). RCI data were obtained during injection of a gadolinium-based contrast agent. TRATE, fat fraction and T2 measures, were compared in five muscle groups of the calf muscle, between ALS and control populations. TRATE was also evaluated longitudinally (baseline and 6 months) and was compared to clinical measures, namely ALS Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-R) and Hand-Held Dynamometry (HHD), in a subset of the ALS population. (3) Results: TRATE was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in ALS-affected muscle than in healthy muscle in all muscle groups. Fat fraction differences between ALS and healthy muscle were statistically significant for the tibialis anterior (p = 0.01), tibialis posterior (p = 0.004), and peroneus longus (p = 0.02) muscle groups but were not statistically significant for the medial (p = 0.07) and lateral gastrocnemius (p = 0.06) muscles. T2 differences between ALS and healthy muscle were statistically significant for the tibialis anterior (p = 0.004), peroneus longus (p = 0.004) and lateral gastrocnemius (p = 0.03) muscle groups but were not statistically significant for the tibialis posterior (p = 0.06) and medial gastrocnemius (p = 0.07) muscles. Longitudinally, TRATE, averaged over all patients, decreased by 28 ± 16% in the tibialis anterior, 47 ± 18% in the peroneus longus, 25 ± 19% in the tibialis posterior, 29 ± 14% in the medial gastrocnemius and 35 ± 18% in the lateral gastrocnemius muscles between two timepoints. ALSFRS-R scores were stable in two of four ALS patients. HHD scores decreased in three of four ALS patients. (4) Conclusion: RCI-based TRATE was shown to consistently differentiate ALS-affected muscle from healthy muscle and also provide a quantitative measure of longitudinal muscle degeneration.
An Investigation of the Effects of Drill Operator Posture on Vibration Exposure and Temporary Threshold Shift of Vibrotactile Perception Threshold
Authors: Taylor Mark , Maeda Setsuo , Miyashita Kazuhisa
Published: May 2021

The present study involved performing an experiment to clarify whether vibration measurement values on the tool handle, in accordance with ISO 5349-1, can assess risk from workplace environments. The study investigated the relationship between the vibration magnitude of a hand-held electric drill with different operating postures. The experiment included the determination of the participant’s temporary threshold shift (TTS) of vibrotactile perception threshold (VPT) at the tip of the index finger. The experimental hypothesis was that the vibration measurement values on the tool handle, in accordance with the ISO 5349-1 standard, include the effect of posture on the vibration measurements obtained despite the variation in posture and test participants. The hand-transmitted vibration (HTV) was applied using a hand-held electric drill applied to a pre-cast concrete paving slab substrate (600 × 600 × 50 mm, 55 MPa) using a 10 mm diameter masonry drill bit (without hammer action). The tool was operated using the right hand on twelve male subjects with three working postures (n = 36). Vibration was measured in three orthogonal directions according to the international standard ISO 5349-1 procedure. Vibration magnitudes were expressed as root-mean-square (r.m.s.) acceleration, frequency-weighted using the Wh frequency weighting. Clause 4.3 states that the characterisation of the vibration exposure is assessed from the acceleration of the surface in contact with the hand as the primary quantity. The experimental results indicate that the TTS following vibration exposure is not related to the measured vibration magnitude on the tool handle. Therefore, the automatic inclusion of posture and test participant variation is not proven. The results suggest that the vibration measurement values on the tool handle do not predict the TTS after hand-transmitted vibration in varying posture across the test participants. The research concludes that tool handle vibration measurement, in accordance with ISO 5349-1, does not properly assess the potential hazard from authentic workplace tool usage conditions of varying postures.
Personnel policy of the agricultural sector of the economy: problems and solutions
Authors: Puzina T. E.
Published: May 2021

In the conditions of innovative development of the agro-industrial complex, personnel support is becoming more and more relevant and requires measures of state and regional regulation. Proposals and recommendations for solving personnel problems based on a set of organizational, legal and economic measures are formulated.
ESTIMATION OF THE EFFICIENCY OF FLEXIBLE PRODUCTION SYSTEMS AND ROBOTIC COMPLEXES USING SIMULATION
Authors: Duyun I. , Chuev K.
Published: May 2021

The article presents a methodology for forecasting and analyzing the effectiveness of the use of flexible production systems and robotic systems. Simulation modeling and queuing theory are used as analysis tools. The production program for the release of products, which has a certain nomenclature and production volumes, is represented by a flow of applications. The production process is modeled over time and various technological situations are predicted. The computational experiment is conducted on the basis of the developed program using the object-oriented programming paradigm in Python. A probabilistic model of the dependence of the quality indicators of the line on the production program for manufacturing parts is implemented. Variants of production programs are presented in the form of combinations of dispersion fields of stages of the life cycle: frequency of receipt of parts and pro-cessing time on machine tools. The frequency of receipt of workpieces on the processing line is ap-proximated by an exponential law; the time of mechanical processing on machines is approximated by the law of normal distribution. A number of series of computational experiments have been carried out and their results have been analyzed, which characterize the stability of the line operation through the values of quality indicators: changeable loading of machine tools, loading of a parts accumulator, the probability of its overflow. The main regularities are revealed that provide high indicators of the shift loading of equipment, as well as the factors leading to their decrease.
The Perils of State Developmentalism from Above: Local Impacts of the Gibe-3 Hydropower Project Regime, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Woldegebrael Edegilign Hailu
Published: May 2021

In a context of renewed interest in the idea of state-led developmentalism and the current aggressive resurgence of related dams’, especially in Africa, this study aims to explore the local implications of such large dam construction processes through the analysis of the Gibe-3 dam project as a case study. Drawing upon fieldwork, this paper makes a detailed analysis of how decision making practices in planning of the dam project and compensation efforts have been conducted and what consequences these have had on the local communities.
Current Management Challenges at the World Heritage site of Aksum, Ethiopia
Authors: Hagos Tekle
Published: May 2021

This article evaluates the management practices of the World Heritage site of Aksum beginning in the late 1990s until the present from the point view of conservation, legal frameworks, the 1972 convention of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) and its revised operational guidelines with a meticulous focus on the reinstallation of Stela 2, the destabilization of Stela 3 and the construction of a Church museum within the core zone of the property. It also discusses the current conservation threats of the same property that emerge from development projects, urbanizations, and the negligence of UNESCO and the regional and federal governments.
La nécropole de Tell Shiukh Fawqani
Authors: Bachelot Luc , Tenu Aline , Le Goff Isabelle
Published: May 2021

Tell Shiukh Fawqani se trouve en Syrie du Nord, sur la rive est de l’Euphrate. En 1997, une découverte fortuite permit de mettre au jour un cimetière à crémation, où plus d’une centaine de tombes a été fouillée. Cet article expose rapidement les différents résultats.
La crémation sur bûcher dans l’Antiquité à la lumière de l’ethnoarchéologie
Authors: Grévin Gilles
Published: May 2021

L’étude archéologique et anthropologique des tombes à crémation de la Préhistoire et de l’Antiquité suscite des questions prégnantes ; elles ont trait à la position du corps sur le bûcher, au processus de sa combustion, aux actes qui suivent la crémation, tels que le collectage des fragments d’os brûlés, etc. Pour tenter de répondre à ces questions, l’auteur a entrepris une démarche ethnoarchéologique : l’étude précise des nombreux et divers processus de crémation en Inde et au Népal ; il en décrit ici des exemples caractéristiques. Les réponses qu’il a pu obtenir à certaines questions incitent à poursuivre ces recherches.
Des bûchers de Vergina aux hydries de Hadra, découvertes récentes sur la crémation en Macédoine et à Alexandrie
Authors: Guimier-Sorbets Anne-Marie , Morizot Yvette
Published: May 2021

Les découvertes récentes en Macédoine comme à Alexandrie permettent de se faire une meilleure idée des objectifs, des pratiques et des rites présidant à la crémation dans le monde grec à la fin de l’époque classique et au début de l’époque hellénistique. Tout particulièrement à la cour de Macédoine, le choix de la crémation s’explique par la volonté de suivre la tradition épique des funérailles grandioses réservées aux héros, modèle repris par Alexandre à la mort d’Héphaistion. Les fouilles de Macédoine fournissent des informations sur les bûchers utilisés pour les funérailles, royales ou non, sur les récipients cinéraires et leur place dans la tombe. Les fouilles des nécropoles alexandrines complètent ces informations et permettent de restituer le geste de dépose des restes osseux dans le respect du corps du mort. Le décor et les couronnes associés à ces urnes répondent aux aspirations religieuses reconnues en Macédoine. La mise en perspective de ces nouvelles données montre combien l’influence de la Macédoine fut forte dans les premiers siècles d’Alexandrie.
L’attitude face à la mort des enfants dans les communautés égéennes pratiquant l’incinération (XIIIe-VIIIe siècles)
Authors: Pomadère Maia
Published: May 2021

L’incinération, adoptée par certains individus dans le monde égéen à la fin de l’âge du Bronze (XIVe-XIIIe siècles avant J. C.), est d’abord pratiquée sans discrimination de sexe ni d’âge. Mais, à partir de la période géométrique, un examen des nécropoles montre que les enfants, et en particulier les plus jeunes, sont exclus de cette pratique funéraire sur la majorité des sites. Des interprétations plus ou moins convaincantes, de type économiste, religieux ou anthropologique, peuvent être avancées pour expliquer cette ségrégation. Toutes mettent en évidence l’existence d’une limite d’âge qui peut varier selon les sites, seuil que l’on doit probablement associer au niveau d’intégration sociale des enfants : ceux qui n’ont pas eu «le droit » d’être incinérés n’étaient pas encore reconnus comme des membres à part entière de la communauté, ce qui implique la présence de groupes d’âge structurés dans les sociétés égéennes dès ces périodes.
Aristodémos le trembleur
Authors: Ducat Jean
Published: May 2021

Singular indeed was the fate of Aristodemos, the Spartan warrior who, after having been punished, because of his absence at the Thermopylai, by the atimia of the tremblers, died so gloriously in the battle at Plataiai that he became a serious “candidate” for the prize of courage. No less singular, in the proper sense, is his historical fate, since it may be that he fully deserves to be called Aristodemos the trembler.
Xénophon et les Homotimes
Authors: Demont Paul
Published: May 2021

Résumé–. L’emploi du mot homotimos («qui a même part d’honneur » ) est une curieuse particularité de la Cyropédie de Xénophon pour décrire certains sujets du Roi de Perse et mener, par la narration des conditions de la formation de l’armée et de l’empire de Cyrus, une réflexion nouvelle sur les conditions de l’accès à la «similitude » (cf. les «Semblables » à Sparte) dans les honneurs, indépendamment de la naissance.
L'hoplite, le char et le javelot : un défilé militaire de l'Itônion de Coronée à l'époque archaïque?
Authors: Benchimol Emmanuelle
Published: May 2021

En l’absence d’autres données, les vases béotiens «géométrisants» du VIe siècle av. J.-C. constituent, pour l’étude de la panégyrie archaïque consacrée à Athéna Itônia à Coronée en Béotie, une source essentielle. L’analyse du décor de ces vases prouve notamment que cette fête était l’occasion d’un grand concours athlétique. Une nouvelle interprétation de la scène peinte sur le couvercle d’une pyxis-tripode béotienne (MNA CC 617) appartenant à cette série permet peut-être d’éclairer d’un jour neuf le déroulement de cette fête, vers 550 av. J.-C. En marge du concours, il est probable que ces festivités donnaient lieu à un véritable défilé de l’armée du Koinon béotien.
Greek culture in Arrian's Bithynia
Authors: Bowie Ewen L.
Published: May 2021

Cet article part de la constatation qu’avant Arrien presque toutes les personnalités intellectuelles de Bithynie étaient originaires de Nicée (par exemple Hipparque, Parthénios, Asclépiade, plus tard de Myrleia) et très peu seulement de Nicomédie, où nous ne sommes pas certains d’ailleurs que la rhétorique et la philosophie aient été enseignées, alors que la rhétorique était à l’honneur à Bithynion et la philosophie, à Pruse. Ainsi Arrien semble avoir fait ses études supérieures à Athènes. La suite de sa carrière se déroula principalement hors de Bithynie, comme apparemment ses quasi-contemporains, C. Calpurnius Asclépiade de Pruse, (Cassius ?) Sacerdos (cité dans l’Anthologie Palatine, 15.4-8) et Catillius Macer de Nicée (honoré à Delphes sous le règne d’Hadrien). De même, les πεπαιδευμένοι de Nicomédie que l’on trouve hors de Bithynie ne précèdent pas Arrien mais le suivent : le philosophe médecin Ménodote, les sophistes P. Aelius Samius Isocrate et Quirinus. Au IIIe siècle néanmoins, Philostrate peut encore considérer la Bithynie comme une région marginale.