bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Early Imaging and Imaging 60 min Post-Injection after Forced Diuresis with Furosemide in the Assessment of Local Recurrence in Prostate Cancer Patients with Biochemical Recurrence Referred for 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT
Authors: Bayerschmidt Steffen , Uprimny Christian , Kroiss Alexander Stephan , Fritz Josef , Nilica Bernhard , Svirydenka Hanna , Decristoforo Clemens , von Guggenberg Elisabeth , Horninger Wolfgang , Virgolini Irene Johanna
Published: June 2021

Background: 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT is a promising method for the assessment of local recurrence (LR) in prostate cancer (PCa) patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of early 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET imaging in comparison to 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET imaging 60 min post-injection (p.i.) in the detection of LR in patients with biochemical recurrence (BR) of prostate carcinoma. Materials and Methods: 190 image sets of patients with BR in PCa who underwent 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET/CT were assessed retrospectively (median prostate specific antigen (PSA) value, 0.70 ng/mL (range, 0.1–105.6 ng/mL)). Patients received an early static scan of the pelvic area (median, 248 s p.i. (range, 56–923 s)) and a whole-body scan 60 min p.i. (median, 64 min p.i. (range, 45–100 min)) with intravenous administration of 20 mg furosemide i.v. at the time of tracer application, followed by intravenous hydration with 500 mL of sodium chloride (NaCl 0.9%). Assessment was based on visual analysis and calculation of the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) of the pathologic lesions present in the prostate fossa found in the early PET imaging and 60 min PET scans. The scans were characterized as negative, positive, or equivocal. The results were compared, and the combination of early and 60 min p.i. imaging was evaluated. Results: Image assessment resulted in 30 (15.8%) positive, 17 (8.9%) equivocal, and 143 (75.3%) negative findings in early scans, and 28 (14.7%) positive, 25 (13.2%) equivocal, and 137 (72.1%) negative findings of LR in 60 min p.i. images. For combined image analysis, 33 (17.4%) cases were positive and 20 (10.5%) were equivocal. There was no statistical significance between the number of positive (p = 0.815), negative (p = 0.327), and equivocal (p = 0.152) findings. Furthermore, the combination of both scans showed no statistically significant differences for the positive and negative findings (p = 0.063). The median SUVmax was 4.9 (range, 2.0–55.2) for positive lesions in the early scans and 8.0 (range, 2.1–139.9) in the scans 60 min p.i. The median SUVmax for bladder activity was 2.5 (range, 0.9–12.2) in the early scans and 8.2 (range, 1.8–27.6) in the scans 60 min p.i. Conclusion: Early static imaging additional to 68Ga-PSMA-11 PET images acquired 60 min p.i. has limited value in patients prepared with furosemide and hydration, and showed no statistically significant change in the detection rate (DR) of LR and the number of equivocal findings. Based on our results, in departments following a protocol with forced diuresis, including furosemide, additional early static imaging cannot be routinely recommended for the assessment of BR in PCa patients.
Solutions of the Multivariate Inverse Frobenius–Perron Problem
Authors: Fox Colin , Hsiao Li-Jen , Lee Jeong-Eun (Kate)
Published: June 2021

We address the inverse Frobenius–Perron problem: given a prescribed target distribution ρ, find a deterministic map M such that iterations of M tend to ρ in distribution. We show that all solutions may be written in terms of a factorization that combines the forward and inverse Rosenblatt transformations with a uniform map; that is, a map under which the uniform distribution on the d-dimensional hypercube is invariant. Indeed, every solution is equivalent to the choice of a uniform map. We motivate this factorization via one-dimensional examples, and then use the factorization to present solutions in one and two dimensions induced by a range of uniform maps.
Fisher’s z Distribution-Based Mixture Autoregressive Model
Authors: Solikhah Arifatus , Kuswanto Heri , Iriawan Nur , Fithriasari Kartika
Published: June 2021

We generalize the Gaussian Mixture Autoregressive (GMAR) model to the Fisher’s z Mixture Autoregressive (ZMAR) model for modeling nonlinear time series. The model consists of a mixture of K-component Fisher’s z autoregressive models with the mixing proportions changing over time. This model can capture time series with both heteroskedasticity and multimodal conditional distribution, using Fisher’s z distribution as an innovation in the MAR model. The ZMAR model is classified as nonlinearity in the level (or mode) model because the mode of the Fisher’s z distribution is stable in its location parameter, whether symmetric or asymmetric. Using the Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) algorithm, e.g., the No-U-Turn Sampler (NUTS), we conducted a simulation study to investigate the model performance compared to the GMAR model and Student t Mixture Autoregressive (TMAR) model. The models are applied to the daily IBM stock prices and the monthly Brent crude oil prices. The results show that the proposed model outperforms the existing ones, as indicated by the Pareto-Smoothed Important Sampling Leave-One-Out cross-validation (PSIS-LOO) minimum criterion.
Categorization and SEU Fault Simulations of Radiation-Hardened-by-Design Flip-Flops
Authors: Hamed Ehab A. , Lee Inhee
Published: June 2021

In the previous three decades, many Radiation-Hardened-by-Design (RHBD) Flip-Flops (FFs) have been designed and improved to be immune to Single Event Upsets (SEUs). Their specifications are enhanced regarding soft error tolerance, area overhead, power consumption, and delay. In this review, previously presented RHBD FFs are classified into three categories with an overview of each category. Six well-known RHBD FFs architectures are simulated using a 180 nm CMOS process to show a fair comparison between them while the conventional Transmission Gate Flip-Flop (TGFF) is used as a reference design for this comparison. The results of the comparison are analyzed to give some important highlights about each design.
Improved ISR for IEEE 802.11ah Nonlinearity Compensation via Adjustable Constellation Borders
Authors: Cho Li , Chen Cheng-Yu , Hsu Chau-Yun
Published: June 2021

Iterative subcarrier regularization (ISR) has been recently proposed as a receiver-side remedy for orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) nonlinearity. It allows the power amplifier of OFDM transmitters to operate at a lower input back-off for more efficient uplinks. However, the compensation ability cannot align with increasing channel quality, because the standard quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) used in ISR may eliminate compensation due to erroneous decisions. To solve this issue, an improved version of ISR was proposed to flexibly adjust the constellation borders of QAM and numerically optimize it based on IEEE 802.11ah (hereinafter referred to as 802.11ah) specifications. Simulations show that the proposed scheme not only improves the converged bit error rate of ISR but also accelerates its own convergence, especially in a high channel quality, thereby achieving better power efficiency for Internet of Things clients without additional computational complexity.
Optimization of Decision Trees with Hypotheses for Knowledge Representation
Authors: Azad Mohammad , Chikalov Igor , Hussain Shahid , Moshkov Mikhail
Published: June 2021

In this paper, we consider decision trees that use two types of queries: queries based on one attribute each and queries based on hypotheses about values of all attributes. Such decision trees are similar to the ones studied in exact learning, where membership and equivalence queries are allowed. We present dynamic programming algorithms for minimization of the depth and number of nodes of above decision trees and discuss results of computer experiments on various data sets and randomly generated Boolean functions. Decision trees with hypotheses generally have less complexity, i.e., they are more understandable and more suitable as a means for knowledge representation.
Carbon Stocks in Miombo Woodlands: Evidence from over 50 Years
Authors: Bulusu Medha , Martius Christopher , Clendenning Jessica
Published: June 2021

Miombo woodlands are extensive dry forest ecosystems in central and southern Africa covering ≈2.7 million km2. Despite their vast expanse and global importance for carbon storage, the long-term carbon stocks and dynamics have been poorly researched. The objective of this paper was to present and summarize the evidence gathered on aboveground carbon (AGC) and soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks of miombo woodlands from the 1960s to mid-2018 through a literature review. We reviewed the data to find out to what extent aboveground carbon and soil organic carbon stocks are found in miombo woodlands and further investigated if are there differences in carbon stocks based on woodland categories (old-growth, disturbed and re-growth). A review protocol was used to identify 56 publications from which quantitative data on AGC and SOC stocks were extracted. We found that the mean AGC in old-growth miombo (45.8 ± 17.8 Mg C ha−1), disturbed miombo (26.7 ± 15 Mg C ha−1), and regrowth miombo (18.8 ± 16.8 Mg C ha−1) differed significantly. Data on rainfall, stand age, and land-use suggested that the variability in aboveground carbon is site-specific, relating to climatic and geographic conditions as well as land-use history. SOC stocks in both old-growth and re-growth miombo were found to vary widely. It must be noted these soil data are provided only for information; they inconsistently refer to varying soil depths and are thus difficult to interpret. The wide range reported suggests a need for further studies which are much more systematic in method and reporting. Other limitations of the dataset include the lack of systematic sampling and lack of data in some countries, viz. Angola and Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Diurnal Tree Stem CH4 and N2O Flux Dynamics from a Riparian Alder Forest
Authors: Schindler Thomas , Machacova Katerina , Mander Ülo , Escuer-Gatius Jordi , Soosaar Kaido
Published: June 2021

Tree stems play an important role in forest methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) flux dynamics. Our paper aimed to determine the unknown diurnal variability of CH4 and N2O exchange in grey alder tree stems. The gas fluxes in tree stems and adjacent soil were measured using manual static and dynamic chamber systems with gas chromatographic and laser-spectroscopic analysis, respectively. The alder trees were predominant emitters of CH4 and N2O; however, N2O emission from stems was negligible. The soil mainly emitted N2O into the atmosphere and was both a source and sink of CH4, depending on environmental conditions. Neither the tree stems nor the riparian forest soil showed significant differences in their CH4 and N2O fluxes between the daytime and nighttime, independently of the exchange rates. In contrast to several previous studies revealing a diurnal variability of greenhouse gas fluxes from tree stems, our investigation did not show any clear daytime–nighttime differences. On the other hand, we found quite clear seasonal dynamics initiated by changing environmental conditions, such as temperature and soil water conditions and tree physiological activity. Our results imply a transport role of tree stems for soil-produced CH4 and N2O rather than the production of these gases in tree tissues, even though this cannot be excluded.
Productivity and Profitability of Poplars on Fertile and Marginal Sandy Soils under Different Density and Fertilization Treatments
Authors: Ghezehei Solomon B. , Ewald Alexander L. , Hazel Dennis W. , Zalesny Ronald S. , Nichols Elizabeth Guthrie
Published: June 2021

We evaluated the productivity and profitability of four highly productive poplars including Populus deltoides × P. deltoides (DD ‘140’ and ‘356’), P. deltoides × P. maximowiczii (DM ‘230’), and P. trichocarpa × P. deltoides (TD ‘185’) under two densities (2500 and 5000 trees ha−1), and three fertilization treatments (0, 113, 225 kg nitrogen ha−1) at three sandy coastal sites varying in soil quality. Green stem biomass (GSB) was estimated from the sixth-year stem diameter. Leaf-rust (Melampsora castagne) and beetle damage (by Chrysomela scripta Fabricius), the leaf area index (LAI) and foliar nitrogen, were measured in year two. At all sites, DD and DM had higher survival (>93%) than TD (62–83%). DD produced greater GSB (92.5–219.1 Mg ha−1) than DM (54–60.2 Mg ha−1) and TD (16.5–48.9 Mg ha−1), and this was greater under the higher density (85.9–148.6 Mg ha−1 vs. 55.9–124.9 Mg ha−1). Fertilization significantly increased GSB on fertile soil but not marginal soils; a higher rate did not significantly enhance GSB. Leaf rust was higher for fertile soil (82%) than marginal soils (20–22%), and TD ‘185’ (51% vs. others 34%). C. scripta damage was higher for the higher density (+42%) than lower density, and TD ‘185’ (50% vs. others >38%). LAI was higher on fertile soil (1.85 m2 m−2) than marginal soils (1.35–1.64 m2 m−2), and under the lower density (1.67 m2 m−2 vs. 1.56 m2 m−2). The high GSB producer DD ‘356’ had the lowest LAI (1.39 m2 m−2 vs. 1.80 m2 m−2). Foliar nitrogen varied among genomic groups (DD ‘140’ 1.95%; TD ‘185’ 1.80%). Our plots were unprofitable at a 27 USD Mg−1 delivered price; the biggest profitability barriers were the high costs of higher density establishment and weed control. The best-case treatment combinations of DD (‘140’, ‘356’) would be cost-effective if the price increased by 50% (USD 37.54 Mg−1) or rotations were 12 years (fertile-soil) and longer (marginal soils). The requirement for cost-effectiveness of poplars includes stringent and site-specific weed control which are more important than fertilizer applications.
Chemical Composition and Functional Properties of Dietary Fibre Concentrates from Winemaking By-Products: Skins, Stems and Lees
Authors: Rivas María Ángeles , Casquete Rocío , Córdoba María de Guía , Ruíz-Moyano Santiago , Benito María José , Pérez-Nevado Francisco , Martín Alberto
Published: June 2021

The objective of this study was to evaluate, from a technological and nutritional point of view, the chemical composition and functional properties of the industrial winemaking by-products, namely skins, stems and lees. The chemical and physical characteristics, as well as the functional properties (fat and water retention and swelling capacity, antioxidant capacity, and their prebiotic effect), of the dietary fibre of these by-products were studied. The results showed that the skins, stems, and lees are rich in fibre, with the stem fibre containing the highest amounts of non-extractable polyphenols attached to polysaccharides with high antioxidant activity and prebiotic effect. Lee fibre had the highest water retention capacity and oil retention capacity. The results reveal that winemaking by-products could be used as a source of dietary fibre with functional characteristics for food applications.
Active Carboxymethylcellulose-Based Edible Films: Influence of Free and Encapsulated Curcumin on Films’ Properties
Authors: Bourbon Ana I. , Costa Maria J. , Maciel Luís C. , Pastrana Lorenzo , Vicente António A. , Cerqueira Miguel A.
Published: June 2021

Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC)-based films can act as a protective barrier in food surfaces and a carrier of bioactive compounds, such as curcumin. However, incorporating curcumin in hydrophilic matrixes can be a challenge, and new strategies need to be explored. In this work, CMC-based films containing free curcumin and curcumin-loaded nanohydrogels (composed of lactoferrin and glycomacropeptide) were produced and characterized. The incorporation of curcumin-loaded nanohydrogels showed a significant decrease in films’ thickness (from 0.0791 to 0.029 mm). Furthermore, the water vapor permeability of CMC-based films was significantly decreased (62%) by incorporating curcumin-loaded nanohydrogels in the films. The water affinity’s properties (moisture, solubility, and contact angle) of films were also affected by incorporating encapsulated curcumin. The addition of nanohydrogels to CMC-based films reduced the tensile strength values from 16.46 to 9.87 MPa. Chemical interactions were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The release profile of curcumin from CMC-based films was evaluated at 25 °C using a hydrophilic food simulant and suggests that the release mechanism of the curcumin happens by Fick’s diffusion and Case II transport. Results showed that protein-based nanohydrogels can be a good strategy for incorporating curcumin in edible films, highlighting their potential for use in food applications.
Proteomics Analysis Reveals Diverse Molecular Characteristics between Endocardial and Aortic-Valvular Endothelium
Authors: Aneesh Kumar A. , Ajith Kumar G. S. , Satheesh Gopika , Surendran Arun , Chandran Mahesh , Kartha Chandrasekharan C. , Jaleel Abdul
Published: June 2021

The variations in the protein profile of aortic-valvular (AVE) and endocardial endothelial (EE) cells are currently unknown. The current study’s objective is to identify differentially expressed proteins and associated pathways in both the endothelial cells. We used endothelial cells isolated from the porcine (Sus scrofa) aortic valve and endocardium for the profiling of proteins. Label-free proteomics was performed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Our proteomics analysis revealed that 29 proteins were highly expressed, and 25 proteins were less expressed in the valve than the endocardial endothelium. The cell surface markers, such as CD63, ICAM1, PECAM1, PROCR, and TFRC, were highly expressed in EE. In contrast, CD44 was highly expressed in AVE. The pathway analysis showed that metabolic process-related proteins and extracellular matrix-related proteins were enriched in valves. Differential enrichment of signaling pathways was observed in the endocardium. The hemostasis function-related proteins were increased in both endothelial cells. The proteins and pathways enriched in aortic-valvular and endocardial endothelial cells revealed the distinct phenotype of these two closely related cells.
A Genome-Wide Analysis of Pathogenesis-Related Protein-1 (PR-1) Genes from Piper nigrum Reveals Its Critical Role during Phytophthora capsici Infection
Authors: Kattupalli Divya , Srinivasan Asha , Soniya Eppurath Vasudevan
Published: June 2021

Black pepper (Piper nigrum L.) is a prominent spice that is an indispensable ingredient in cuisine and traditional medicine. Phytophthora capsici, the causative agent of footrot disease, causes a drastic constraint in P. nigrum cultivation and productivity. To counterattack various biotic and abiotic stresses, plants employ a broad array of mechanisms that includes the accumulation of pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. Through a genome-wide survey, eleven PR-1 genes that belong to a CAP superfamily protein with a caveolin-binding motif (CBM) and a CAP-derived peptide (CAPE) were identified from P. nigrum. Despite the critical functional domains, PnPR-1 homologs differ in their signal peptide motifs and core amino acid composition in the functional protein domains. The conserved motifs of PnPR-1 proteins were identified using MEME. Most of the PnPR-1 proteins were basic in nature. Secondary and 3D structure analyses of the PnPR-1 proteins were also predicted, which may be linked to a functional role in P. nigrum. The GO and KEGG functional annotations predicted their function in the defense responses of plant-pathogen interactions. Furthermore, a transcriptome-assisted FPKM analysis revealed PnPR-1 genes mapped to the P. nigrum-P. capsici interaction pathway. An altered expression pattern was detected for PnPR-1 transcripts among which a significant upregulation was noted for basic PnPR-1 genes such as CL10113.C1 and Unigene17664. The drastic variation in the transcript levels of CL10113.C1 was further validated through qRT-PCR and it showed a significant upregulation in infected leaf samples compared with the control. A subsequent analysis revealed the structural details, phylogenetic relationships, conserved sequence motifs and critical cis-regulatory elements of PnPR-1 genes. This is the first genome-wide study that identified the role of PR-1 genes during P. nigrum-P. capsici interactions. The detailed in silico experimental analysis revealed the vital role of PnPR-1 genes in regulating the first layer of defense towards a P. capsici infection in Panniyur-1 plants.
Ago1 Affects the Virulence of the Fungal Plant Pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici
Authors: Habig Michael , Schotanus Klaas , Hufnagel Kim , Happel Petra , Stukenbrock Eva H.
Published: June 2021

In host-pathogen interactions RNA interference (RNAi) has emerged as a pivotal mechanism to modify both, the immune responses of the host as well as the pathogenicity and virulence of the pathogen. In addition, in some fungi RNAi is also known to affect chromosome biology via its effect on chromatin conformation. Previous studies reported no effect of the RNAi machinery on the virulence of the fungal plant pathogen Zymoseptoria tritici however the role of RNAi is still poorly understood in this species. Herein, we elucidate whether the RNAi machinery is conserved within the genus Zymoseptoria. Moreover, we conduct functional analyses of Argonaute and Dicer-like proteins and test if the RNAi machinery affects chromosome stability. We show that the RNAi machinery is conserved among closely related Zymoseptoria species while an exceptional pattern of allelic diversity was possibly caused by introgression. The deletion of Ago1 reduced the ability of the fungus to produce asexual propagules in planta in a quantitative matter. Chromosome stability of the accessory chromosome of Z. tritici was not prominently affected by the RNAi machinery. These results indicate, in contrast to previous finding, a role of the RNAi pathway during host infection, but not in the stability of accessory chromosomes in Z. tritici.
Genome-Wide Association Study Reveals a Genomic Region Associated with Mite-Recruitment Phenotypes in the Domesticated Grapevine (Vitis vinifera)
Authors: LaPlante Erika R. , Fleming Margaret B. , Migicovsky Zoë , Weber Marjorie Gail
Published: June 2021

Indirect defenses are plant phenotypes that reduce damage by attracting natural enemies of plant pests and pathogens to leaves. Despite their economic and ecological importance, few studies have investigated the genetic underpinnings of indirect defense phenotypes. Here, we present a genome-wide association study of five phenotypes previously determined to increase populations of beneficial (fungivorous and predacious) mites on grape leaves (genus Vitis): leaf bristles, leaf hairs, and the size, density, and depth of leaf domatia. Using a common garden genetic panel of 399 V. vinifera cultivars, we tested for genetic associations of these phenotypes using previously obtained genotyping data from the Vitis9kSNP array. We found one single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) significantly associated with domatia density. This SNP (Chr5:1160194) is near two genes of interest: Importin Alpha Isoform 1 (VIT_205s0077g01440), involved in downy mildew resistance, and GATA Transcription Factor 8 (VIT_205s0077g01450), involved in leaf shape development. Our findings are among the first to examine the genomic regions associated with ecologically important plant traits that facilitate interactions with beneficial mites, and suggest promising candidate genes for breeding and genetic editing to increase naturally occurring predator-based defenses in grapevines.
Mapping and Analysis of Swi5 and Sfr1 Phosphorylation Sites
Authors: Sevcovicova Andrea , Plava Jana , Gazdarica Matej , Szabova Eva , Huraiova Barbora , Gaplovska-Kysela Katarina , Cipakova Ingrid , Cipak Lubos , Gregan Juraj
Published: June 2021

The evolutionarily conserved Swi5-Sfr1 complex plays an important role in homologous recombination, a process crucial for the maintenance of genomic integrity. Here, we purified Schizosaccharomyces pombe Swi5-Sfr1 complex from meiotic cells and analyzed it by mass spectrometry. Our analysis revealed new phosphorylation sites on Swi5 and Sfr1. We found that mutations that prevent phosphorylation of Swi5 and Sfr1 do not impair their function but swi5 and sfr1 mutants encoding phosphomimetic aspartate at the identified phosphorylation sites are only partially functional. We conclude that during meiosis, Swi5 associates with Sfr1 and both Swi5 and Sfr1 proteins are phosphorylated. However, the functional relevance of Swi5 and Sfr1 phosphorylation remains to be determined.
ATM-Mediated Mitochondrial Radiation Responses of Human Fibroblasts
Authors: Shimura Tsutomu
Published: June 2021

Ataxia telangiectasia (AT) is characterized by extreme sensitivity to ionizing radiation. The gene mutated in AT, Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated (ATM), has serine/threonine protein kinase activity and mediates the activation of multiple signal transduction pathways involved in the processing of DNA double-strand breaks. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) created as a byproduct of the mitochondria’s oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) has been proposed to be the source of intracellular ROS. Mitochondria are uniquely vulnerable to ROS because they are the sites of ROS generation. ROS-induced mitochondrial mutations lead to impaired mitochondrial respiration and further increase the likelihood of ROS generation, establishing a vicious cycle of further ROS production and mitochondrial damage. AT patients and ATM-deficient mice display intrinsic mitochondrial dysfunction and exhibit constitutive elevations in ROS levels. ATM plays a critical role in maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. However, the precise mechanism of ATM-mediated mitochondrial antioxidants remains unclear. The aim of this review paper is to introduce our current research surrounding the role of ATM on maintaining cellular redox control in human fibroblasts. ATM-mediated signal transduction is important in the mitochondrial radiation response. Perturbation of mitochondrial redox control elevates ROS which are key mediators in the development of cancer by many mechanisms, including ROS-mediated genomic instability, tumor microenvironment formation, and chronic inflammation.
Capillary Barriers during Rainfall Events in Pyroclastic Deposits of the Vesuvian Area
Authors: Sepe Ciro , Calcaterra Domenico , Cecconi Manuela , Di Martire Diego , Pappalardo Lucia , Scarfone Riccardo , Vitale Enza , Russo Giacomo
Published: June 2021

In the present paper, the capillary barrier formation at the interface between soil layers, which is characterized by textural discontinuities, has been analyzed. This mechanism has been investigated by means of a finite element model of a two-layer soil stratification. The two considered formations, belonging to the pyroclastic succession of the “Pomici di Base” Plinian eruption (22 ka, Santacroce et al., 2008) of the Somma–Vesuvius volcano, are affected by shallow instability phenomena likely caused by progressive saturation during the rainfall events. This mechanism could be compatible with the formation of capillary barriers at the interface between layers of different grain size distributions during infiltration. One-dimensional infiltration into the stratified soil was parametrically simulated considering rainfall events of increasing intensity and duration. The variations in the suction and degree of saturation over time allowed for the evaluation of stability variations in the layers, which were assumed as part of stratified unsaturated infinite slopes.
The Role of Social Isolation and the Development of Depression. A Comparison of the Widowed and Married Oldest Old in Germany
Authors: Förster Franziska , Luppa Melanie , Pabst Alexander , Heser Kathrin , Kleineidam Luca , Fuchs Angela , Pentzek Michael , Kaduszkiewicz Hanna , van der Leeden Carolin , Hajek André , König Hans-Helmut , Oey Anke , Wiese Birgitt , Mösch Edelgard , Weeg Dagmar , Weyerer Siegfried , Werle Jochen , Maier Wolfgang , Scherer Martin , Wagner Michael , Riedel-Heller Steffi G.
Published: June 2021

Widowhood is common in old age, can be accompanied by serious health consequences and is often linked to substantial changes in social network. Little is known about the impact of social isolation on the development of depressive symptoms over time taking widowhood into account. We provide results from the follow-up 5 to follow-up 9 from the longitudinal study AgeCoDe and its follow-up study AgeQualiDe. Depression was measured with GDS-15 and social isolation was assessed using the Lubben Social Network Scale (LSNS-6). The group was aligned of married and widowed people in old age and education through entropy balancing. Linear mixed models were used to examine the frequency of occurrence of depressive symptoms for widowed and married elderly people depending on the risk of social isolation. Our study shows that widowhood alone does not lead to an increased occurrence of depressive symptoms. However, “widowed oldest old”, who are also at risk of social isolation, have significantly more depressive symptoms than those without risk. In the group of “married oldest old”, women have significantly more depressive symptoms than men, but isolated and non-isolated do not differ. Especially for people who have lost a spouse, the social network changes significantly and increases the risk for social isolation. This represents a risk factor for the occurrence of depressive symptoms.
Respiratory Health Effects of Wildfire Smoke during Summer of 2018 in the Jämtland Härjedalen Region, Sweden
Authors: Tornevi Andreas , Andersson Camilla , Carvalho Ana Cristina , Langner Joakim , Stenfors Nikolai , Forsberg Bertil
Published: June 2021

During the summer of 2018 Sweden experienced a high occurrence of wildfires, most intense in the low-densely populated Jämtland Härjedalen region. The aim of this study was to investigate any short-term respiratory health effects due to deteriorated air quality generated by the smoke from wildfires. For each municipality in the region Jämtland Härjedalen, daily population-weighted concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) were calculated through the application of the MATCH chemistry transport model. Modelled levels of PM2.5 were obtained for two summer periods (2017, 2018). Potential health effects of wildfire related levels of PM2.5 were examined by studying daily health care contacts concerning respiratory problems in each municipality in a quasi-Poisson regression model, adjusting for long-term trends, weekday patterns and weather conditions. In the municipality most exposed to wildfire smoke, having 9 days with daily maximum 1-h mean of PM2.5 > 20 μg/m3, smoke days resulted in a significant increase in daily asthma visits the same and two following days (relative risk (RR) = 2.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.28–5.47). Meta-estimates for all eight municipalities revealed statistically significant increase in asthma visits (RR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.09–2.57) and also when grouping all disorders of the lower airways (RR = 1.40, 95% CI: 1.01–1.92).
An Exploration of the Labor, Financial, and Economic Factors Related to Suicide in the Republic of Kazakhstan
Authors: Inoue Ken , Seksenbayev Nursultan , Chaizhunusova Nailya , Moldagaliyev Timur , Ospanova Nargul , Tokesheva Sholpan , Zhunussov Yersin T. , Takeichi Nobuo , Noso Yoshihiro , Hoshi Masaharu , Kawano Noriyuki
Published: June 2021

The Republic of Kazakhstan has one of the world’s highest suicide rates. A detailed study of the risk factors for suicide in that country is therefore important. We investigated country-wide statistics related to labor, financial, and economic factors and whether any of these factors contribute to the risk of suicide in Kazakhstan. Using the 20 year period from 2000 to 2019, we examined the annual suicide rates overall (all citizens) and for males and females in Kazakhstan, annual unemployment rates, annual rates of increase in the country’s consumer price index, annual total exports, and annual total imports. We then calculated the correlations between the suicide rates and these four items. We also performed a multiple regression analysis of the relationship between the suicide rate and those four items. The results of these analyses indicated that the unemployment rate was the correlation coefficient most highly correlated with the suicide rate; unemployment was significantly related to suicide and should be targeted as a risk factor in suicide prevention interventions in Kazakhstan. With this in mind, organizations, government agencies, and professionals in relevant fields need to devise and implement suicide prevention measures.
Environmental Efficacy, Climate Change Beliefs, Ideology, and Public Water Policy Preferences
Authors: Wolters Erika Allen , Steel Brent S.
Published: June 2021

Water is an unpredictable and often overallocated resource in the American West, one that strains policy makers to come up with viable, and politically acceptable policies to mitigate water management concerns. While large federal reclamation projects once dominated western water management and provided ample water for large scale agricultural development as well as the urbanization of the West, water engineering alone is no longer sufficient or, in some cases, a politically acceptable policy option. As demand for water in the West increases with an ever-growing population, climate change is presenting a more challenging and potentially untenable, reality of even longer periods of drought and insufficient water quantity. The complexity of managing water resources under climate change conditions will require multifaceted and publicly acceptable strategies. This paper therefore examines water policy preferences of residents in four western states: Washington, Oregon, California, and Idaho. Using a public survey conducted in these states in 2019, we examine preferences pertaining to infrastructural, education, incentives and regulation specifically examining levels of support for varying policies based on climate change and environmental efficacy beliefs as well as geography, demographic variables, and political ideology. Results show support for all water policies surveyed, with the exception of charging higher rates for water during the hottest part of summer. The most preferred water policies pertained to tax incentives. Some variation of support exists based on gender, education, environmental values, efficacy, state residency and belief in anthropogenic climate change.
The Potential Role of School Citizen Science Programs in Infectious Disease Surveillance: A Critical Review
Authors: Abourashed Ayat , Doornekamp Laura , Escartin Santi , Koenraadt Constantianus J. M. , Schrama Maarten , Wagener Marlies , Bartumeus Frederic , van Gorp Eric C. M.
Published: June 2021

Public involvement in science has allowed researchers to collect large-scale and real-time data and also engage citizens, so researchers are adopting citizen science (CS) in many areas. One promising appeal is student participation in CS school programs. In this literature review, we aimed to investigate which school CS programs exist in the areas of (applied) life sciences and if any projects target infectious disease surveillance. This review’s objectives are to determine success factors in terms of data quality and student engagement. After a comprehensive search in biomedical and social databases, we found 23 projects. None of the projects found focused on infectious disease surveillance, and the majority centered around species biodiversity. While a few projects had issues with data quality, simplifying the protocol or allowing students to resubmit data made the data collected more usable. Overall, students at different educational levels and disciplines were able to collect usable data that was comparable to expert data and had positive learning experiences. In this review, we have identified limitations and gaps in reported CS school projects and provided recommendations for establishing future programs. This review shows the value of using CS in collaboration with traditional research techniques to advance future science and increasingly engage communities.
Identity (Re)Construction of Female Adolescents with Substance Use Disorders
Authors: Treiber Danielle , Booysen Lize A. E.
Published: June 2021

Identity formation is a developmental milestone for adolescents, and their identities are constructed and re-constructed through their interactions with others and contextual factors in their environment. When considering adolescents with substance use disorders (SUD), often this developmental milestone is misappropriated, misunderstood, and misrepresented. The purpose of this article was to explore how adolescents with substance use disorders form identity and construct a sense of self. Firstly, we explored the identity formation and reconstruction of 20 female adolescents with SUDs based on an in-depth grounded theory methodology (GTM) which included a situational analysis (SA). Secondly, we offered a theoretical model to explain identity construction and reconstruction of adolescents with SUDs that emerged from this research. We conclude this article with practical implications for treatment, and care of adolescents with SUDs.
Challenges for Latina Breast Cancer Patient Survivorship Care in a Rural US-Mexico Border Region
Authors: Ko Eunjeong , Cardenas Veronica , Zúñiga María Luisa , Woodruff Susan I. , Rodriguez Viviane , Palomino Helen
Published: June 2021

Rural US Latina breast cancer patients experience language barriers, health literacy issues, and limited access to health care resources that negatively impact survivorship care. This study explored the challenges to survivorship care for rural Latina breast cancer (BC) patients and approaches to supporting survivorship care plans (SCP) from the stakeholders’ perspectives. Data were collected via eight focus groups (n = 40) and individual interviews (n = 4) with Latina BC patients, family caregivers, and health care professionals in a rural US-Mexico Border region. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Themes related to the patient’s SCP challenges included: (1) lack of knowledge of treatment information, (2) lack of proactive health behavior, (3) gaps in information for care coordination, (4) psychological distress, and (5) difficulty retaining health information. Respondents expressed that the SCP document could fill patient information gaps as well as support patient communication with their clinicians and family. Rural BC patients demonstrated an acute need for information and active engagement in their survivorship care. The findings indicate the importance of addressing challenges for survivorship care on multiple dimensions: Cognitive, behavioral, social, and structural. Developing a culturally tailored SCP intervention will be imperative to support survivorship care.
Spatial and Temporal Characteristics of Urban Tourism Travel by Taxi—A Case Study of Shenzhen
Authors: He Bing , Liu Kang , Xue Zhe , Liu Jiajun , Yuan Diping , Yin Jiyao , Wu Guohua
Published: June 2021

Tourism networks are an important research part of tourism geography. Despite the significance of transportation in shaping tourism networks, current studies have mainly focused on the “daily behavior” of urban travel at the expense of tourism travel, which has been regarded as an “exceptional behavior”. To fill this gap, this study proposes a framework for exploring the spatial and temporal characteristics of urban tourism travel by taxi. We chose Shenzhen, a densely populated mega-city in China with abundant tourism resources, as a case study. First, we extracted tourist trips from taxi trajectories and used kernel density estimation to analyze the spatial aggregation characteristics of tourist trip origins. Second, we investigated the spatial dependence of tourist trips using local spatial autocorrelation analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*). Third, we explored the correlations between the tourist trip origins and urban geographic contextual factors (e.g., catering services and transportation facilities) using a geographically weighted regression model. The results show the following: (1) the trends between the coverage of tourist travel networks and the volume of tourist trips are similar; (2) the spatial interaction intensity of urban tourism has grouping and hierarchical characteristics; and (3) the spatial distribution of tourist trips by taxi is uneven and influenced by the distribution of urban morphology, tourism resources, and the preferences of taxi pick-up passengers. Our proposed framework and revealed spatial and temporal patterns have implications for urban tourism traffic planning, tourism product development, and tourist flow control in tourist attractions.
Use and Perceptions of Pedestrian Navigation Apps: Findings from Bologna and Porto
Authors: Fonseca Fernando , Conticelli Elisa , Papageorgiou George , Ribeiro Paulo , Jabbari Mona , Tondelli Simona , Ramos Rui
Published: June 2021

Pedestrian Navigation Applications (PNAs) provide assistance in terms of self-localization, space recognition, and turn-by-turn navigation. The use, motivations and perceptions associated with these applications have been under investigated due to users being insufficiently involved in their design and development. This paper analyses the extent to which PNAs are used for assisting people to walk, the frequencies and reasons of using these applications, the perceptions about them, and the barriers preventing them from being used. The study is supported by a questionnaire (N = 1438) that was administered in Bologna (Italy) and Porto (Portugal). Results indicated that 42% of the respondents use PNAs mainly on an occasional basis to find locations and the shortest routes. Google Maps was the preferred navigation service. Statistical tests showed that PNAs were more likely to be used by younger adults and students. The lack of need was the main reason for not using these apps, due to the good spatial knowledge of the cities or the non-use of the pedestrian mode for regular trips. Respondents would like to have apps that are more accurate, usable, and adjusted to pedestrian navigation. The findings described in this paper could be helpful for future designs of PNAs, especially to match pedestrian needs more effectively and to enhance the role of these apps in promoting healthier and sustainable lifestyles.
Forest Fire Hazards Vulnerability and Risk Assessment in Sirmaur District Forest of Himachal Pradesh (India): A Geospatial Approach
Authors: Tomar Jagpal Singh , Kranjčić Nikola , Đurin Bojan , Kanga Shruti , Singh Suraj Kumar
Published: June 2021

The Himachal Pradesh district’s biggest natural disaster is the forest fire. Forest fire threat evaluation, model construction, and forest management using geographic information system techniques will be important in this proposed report. A simulation was conducted to evaluate the driving forces of fires and their movement, and a hybrid strategy for wildfire control and geostatistics was developed to evaluate the impact on forests. The various methods we included herein are those based on information, such as knowledge-based AHP-crisp for figuring out forest-fire risk, using such variables as forest type, topography, land-use and land cover, geology, geomorphology, settlement, drainage, and road. The models for forest-fire ignition, progression, and action are built on various spatial scales, which are three-dimensional layers. To create a forest fire risk model using three different methods, a study was made to find out how much could be lost in a certain amount of time using three samples. Precedent fire mapping validation was used to produce the risk maps, and ground truths were used to verify them. The accuracy was highest in the form of using “knowledge base” methods, and the predictive value was lowest in the use of an analytic hierarchy process or AHP (crisp). Half of the area, about 53.92%, was in the low-risk to no-risk zones. Very-high- to high-risk zones cover about 24.66% of the area of the Sirmaur district. The middle to northwest regions are in very-high- to high-risk zones for forest fires. These effects have been studied for forest fire suppression and management. Management, planning, and abatement steps for the future were offered as suitable solutions.
Multi-Scale Coal Fire Detection Based on an Improved Active Contour Model from Landsat-8 Satellite and UAV Images
Authors: Gao Yanyan , Hao Ming , Wang Yunjia , Dang Libo , Guo Yuecheng
Published: June 2021

Underground coal fires can increase surface temperature, cause surface cracks and collapse, and release poisonous and harmful gases, which significantly harm the ecological environment and humans. Traditional methods of extracting coal fires, such as global threshold, K-mean and active contour model, usually produce many false alarms. Therefore, this paper proposes an improved active contour model by introducing the distinguishing energies of coal fires and others into the traditional active contour model. Taking Urumqi, Xinjiang, China as the research area, coal fires are detected from Landsat-8 satellite and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) data. The results show that the proposed method can eliminate many false alarms compared with some traditional methods, and achieve detection of small-area coal fires by referring field survey data. More importantly, the results obtained from UAV data can help identify not only burning coal fires but also potential underground coal fires. This paper provides an efficient method for high-precision coal fire detection and strong technical support for reducing environmental pollution and coal energy use.
Pattern Recognition of Complex Distributed Ditches
Authors: Liu Chengyi , Wu Fang , Gong Xianyong , Xing Ruixing , Du Jiawei
Published: June 2021

The ditch pattern reflects the distribution characteristics of an agricultural drainage system and needs to be detected to enrich the data source before map generalization. Due to several breaks, the connectivity of the ditches is destroyed between ditches and rivers in map representation, making its structure complex. Previous studies have primarily focused on extracting parallel ditches, paying less attention to complex ditches with breaks. The pattern recognition of ditches does not merely involve the extraction of parallel relation. It involves the extraction of different level relations, which is a great challenge. Therefore, this study proposes a novel model to describe the complex structure of ditches. Our work consisted of the following three main contributions: (1) the collinear relation was defined to detect the groups of ditch segments separated by breaks, (2) the detection method of parallel relation was improved throughout the multi-parameter combined constraints, and (3) the main-tributary relation was proposed to build a connection between parallel groups and rivers. The experimental results showed that the proposed method was solved effectively in complex ditch pattern recognition.