bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TRPV Protein Family—From Mechanosensing to Cancer Invasion
Authors: Kärki Tytti , Tojkander Sari
Published: July 2021

Biophysical cues from the cellular microenvironment are detected by mechanosensitive machineries that translate physical signals into biochemical signaling cascades. At the crossroads of extracellular space and cell interior are located several ion channel families, including TRP family proteins, that are triggered by mechanical stimuli and drive intracellular signaling pathways through spatio-temporally controlled Ca2+-influx. Mechanosensitive Ca2+-channels, therefore, act as critical components in the rapid transmission of physical signals into biologically compatible information to impact crucial processes during development, morphogenesis and regeneration. Given the mechanosensitive nature of many of the TRP family channels, they must also respond to the biophysical changes along the development of several pathophysiological conditions and have also been linked to cancer progression. In this review, we will focus on the TRPV, vanilloid family of TRP proteins, and their connection to cancer progression through their mechanosensitive nature.
COVID-19 Vaccines and Thrombosis—Roadblock or Dead-End Street?
Authors: Lundstrom Kenneth , Barh Debmalya , Uhal Bruce D. , Takayama Kazuo , Aljabali Alaa A. A. , Abd El-Aziz Tarek Mohamed , Lal Amos , Redwan Elrashdy M. , Adadi Parise , Chauhan Gaurav , Sherchan Samendra P. , Azad Gajendra Kumar , Rezaei Nima , Serrano-Aroca Ángel , Bazan Nicolas G. , Hassan Sk Sarif , Panda Pritam Kumar , Pal Choudhury Pabitra , Pizzol Damiano , Kandimalla Ramesh , Baetas-da-Cruz Wagner , Mishra Yogendra Kumar , Palu Giorgio , Brufsky Adam M. , Tambuwala Murtaza M. , Uversky Vladimir N.
Published: July 2021

Two adenovirus-based vaccines, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 and Ad26.COV2.S, and two mRNA-based vaccines, BNT162b2 and mRNA.1273, have been approved by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and are invaluable in preventing and reducing the incidence of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Recent reports have pointed to thrombosis with associated thrombocytopenia as an adverse effect occurring at a low frequency in some individuals after vaccination. The causes of such events may be related to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein interactions with different C-type lectin receptors, heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs) and the CD147 receptor, or to different soluble splice variants of the spike protein, adenovirus vector interactions with the CD46 receptor or platelet factor 4 antibodies. Similar findings have been reported for several viral diseases after vaccine administration. In addition, immunological mechanisms elicited by viral vectors related to cellular delivery could play a relevant role in individuals with certain genetic backgrounds. Although rare, the potential COVID-19 vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) requires immediate validation, especially in risk groups, such as the elderly, chronic smokers, and individuals with pre-existing incidences of thrombocytopenia; and if necessary, a reformulation of existing vaccines.
Ultrasound and Microbubbles for Targeted Drug Delivery to the Lung Endothelium in ARDS: Cellular Mechanisms and Therapeutic Opportunities
Authors: Sanwal Rajiv , Joshi Kushal , Ditmans Mihails , Tsai Scott S. H. , Lee Warren L.
Published: July 2021

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is characterized by increased permeability of the alveolar–capillary membrane, a thin barrier composed of adjacent monolayers of alveolar epithelial and lung microvascular endothelial cells. This results in pulmonary edema and severe hypoxemia and is a common cause of death after both viral (e.g., SARS-CoV-2) and bacterial pneumonia. The involvement of the lung in ARDS is notoriously heterogeneous, with consolidated and edematous lung abutting aerated, less injured regions. This makes treatment difficult, as most therapeutic approaches preferentially affect the normal lung regions or are distributed indiscriminately to other organs. In this review, we describe the use of thoracic ultrasound and microbubbles (USMB) to deliver therapeutic cargo (drugs, genes) preferentially to severely injured areas of the lung and in particular to the lung endothelium. While USMB has been explored in other organs, it has been under-appreciated in the treatment of lung injury since ultrasound energy is scattered by air. However, this limitation can be harnessed to direct therapy specifically to severely injured lungs. We explore the cellular mechanisms governing USMB and describe various permutations of cargo administration. Lastly, we discuss both the challenges and potential opportunities presented by USMB in the lung as a tool for both therapy and research.
Vascular Calcification Mechanisms: Updates and Renewed Insight into Signaling Pathways Involved in High Phosphate-Mediated Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Calcification
Authors: Abbasian Nima
Published: July 2021

Vascular calcification (VC) is associated with aging, cardiovascular and renal diseases and results in poor morbidity and increased mortality. VC occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), a condition that is associated with high serum phosphate (Pi) and severe cardiovascular consequences. High serum Pi level is related to some pathologies which affect the behaviour of vascular cells, including platelets, endothelial cells (ECs) and smooth muscle cells (SMCs), and plays a central role in promoting VC. VC is a complex, active and cell-mediated process involving the transdifferentiation of vascular SMCs to a bone-like phenotype, systemic inflammation, decreased anti-calcific events (loss of calcification inhibitors), loss in SMC lineage markers and enhanced pro-calcific microRNAs (miRs), an increased intracellular calcium level, apoptosis, aberrant DNA damage response (DDR) and senescence of vascular SMCs. This review gives a brief overview of the current knowledge of VC mechanisms with a particular focus on Pi-induced changes in the vascular wall important in promoting calcification. In addition to reviewing the main findings, this review also sheds light on directions for future research in this area and discusses emerging pathways such as Pi-regulated intracellular calcium signaling, epigenetics, oxidative DNA damage and senescence-mediated mechanisms that may play critical, yet to be explored, regulatory and druggable roles in limiting VC.
Upper Limb Motor Planning in Individuals with Cerebral Palsy Aged between 3 and 21 Years Old: A Systematic Review
Authors: Martinie Ophélie , Mercier Catherine , Gordon Andrew M. , Robert Maxime T.
Published: July 2021

Individuals with cerebral palsy have difficulties performing activities of daily living. Beyond motor execution impairments, they exhibit motor planning deficits contributing to their difficulties. The objective of this review is to synthesize the behavioral evidence of motor planning deficits during an upper limb motor task in children, adolescents and young adults with cerebral palsy aged between 3 and 21 years. Methods: The inclusion criteria were: (1) including individuals with cerebral palsy from 3 to 21 years old; (2) assessing upper limb motor planning. Six databases were screened. The quality assessment of the studies was performed. Results: Forty-six studies and 686 participants were included. Five articles have been identified as very high quality, 12 as high, 20 as moderate, six as low, three as very low. Force planning studies reported a deficit for the more affected hand but adequate performances for the less affected hand. Object-manipulation studies reported hand posture planning deficits irrespectively of the hand assessed. Conclusions: Motor planning deficits has been shown in the more affected hand for force scaling, while the results for other variables showed overall deficits. Hence, variables affected by motor planning deficits in both hands should be considered in children with cerebral palsy to optimize intervention.
Confronting Lexical Choice and Error Distribution in Written French: New Insights into the Linguistic Insecurity of Students with Dyslexia
Authors: Mazur-Palandre Audrey , Quignard Matthieu , Witko Agnès
Published: July 2021

The main goal of this paper is to analyze written texts produced by monolingual French university students, with and without dyslexia. More specifically, we were interested in the linguistic characteristics of the words used during a written production and of the type of word errors. Previous studies showed that students with dyslexia have difficulties in written production, whether in terms of the number of spelling errors, some syntactic aspects, identification of errors, confusion of monosyllabic words, omissions of words in sentences, or utilization of unexpected or inappropriate vocabulary. For this present study, students with dyslexia and control students were asked to produce written and spoken narrative and expository texts. The written texts (N = 86) were collected using Eye and Pen© software with digitizing tablets. Results reveal that students with dyslexia do not censor themselves as regards the choice of words in their written productions. They use the same types of words as the control students. Nevertheless, they make many more errors than the control students on all types of words, regardless of their linguistic characteristics (length, frequency, grammatical classes, etc.). Finally, these quantitative analyses help to target a rather unexpected subset of errors: short words, and in particular determiners and prepositions.
RANBP2 Activates O-GlcNAcylation through Inducing CEBPα-Dependent OGA Downregulation to Promote Hepatocellular Carcinoma Malignant Phenotypes
Authors: Liu Xiaoming , Chen Xingyu , Xiao Mengqing , Zhu Yuxing , Gong Renjie , Liu Jianye , Zeng Qinghai , Xu Canxia , Chen Xiong , Wang Fen , Cao Ke
Published: July 2021

O-GlcNAcylation is an important post-translational modification (PTM) jointly controlled by O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) and O-GlcNAcase (OGA). Aberrant hyper-O-GlcNAcylation is reported to yield hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) malignancy, but the underlying mechanisms of the OGT/OGA imbalance responsible for HCC tumorigenesis remain largely unknown. Here, we report that RAN-binding protein 2 (RANBP2), one of the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) E3 ligases, contributed to malignant phenotypes in HCC. RANBP2 was found to facilitate CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (CEBPα) SUMOylation and degradation by direct interplay with CEBPα. As a transcriptional factor, CEBPα was verified to augment OGA transcription, and further experiments demonstrated that RANBP2 enhanced the O-GlcNAc level by downregulating OGA transcription while not affecting OGT expression. Importantly, we provided in vitro and in vivo evidence of HCC malignant phenotypes that RANBP2 triggered through an imbalance of OGT/OGA and subsequent higher O-GlcNAcylation events for oncogenic proteins such as peroxisome proliferative-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC1α) in a CEBPα-dependent manner. Altogether, our results show a novel molecular mechanism whereby RANBP2 regulates its function through CEBPα-dependent OGA downregulation to induce a global change in the hyper-O-GlcNAcylation of genes, such as PGC1α, encouraging the further study of promising implications for HCC therapy.
FOS Rescues Neuronal Differentiation of Sox2-Deleted Neural Stem Cells by Genome-Wide Regulation of Common SOX2 and AP1(FOS-JUN) Target Genes
Authors: Pagin Miriam , Pernebrink Mattias , Pitasi Mattia , Malighetti Federica , Ngan Chew-Yee , Ottolenghi Sergio , Pavesi Giulio , Cantù Claudio , Nicolis Silvia K.
Published: July 2021

The transcription factor SOX2 is important for brain development and for neural stem cells (NSC) maintenance. Sox2-deleted (Sox2-del) NSC from neonatal mouse brain are lost after few passages in culture. Two highly expressed genes, Fos and Socs3, are strongly downregulated in Sox2-del NSC; we previously showed that Fos or Socs3 overexpression by lentiviral transduction fully rescues NSC’s long-term maintenance in culture. Sox2-del NSC are severely defective in neuronal production when induced to differentiate. NSC rescued by Sox2 reintroduction correctly differentiate into neurons. Similarly, Fos transduction rescues normal or even increased numbers of immature neurons expressing beta-tubulinIII, but not more differentiated markers (MAP2). Additionally, many cells with both beta-tubulinIII and GFAP expression appear, indicating that FOS stimulates the initial differentiation of a “mixed” neuronal/glial progenitor. The unexpected rescue by FOS suggested that FOS, a SOX2 transcriptional target, might act on neuronal genes, together with SOX2. CUT&RUN analysis to detect genome-wide binding of SOX2, FOS, and JUN (the AP1 complex) revealed that a high proportion of genes expressed in NSC are bound by both SOX2 and AP1. Downregulated genes in Sox2-del NSC are highly enriched in genes that are also expressed in neurons, and a high proportion of the “neuronal” genes are bound by both SOX2 and AP1.
Extracellular Vesicles under Oxidative Stress Conditions: Biological Properties and Physiological Roles
Authors: Chiaradia Elisabetta , Tancini Brunella , Emiliani Carla , Delo Federica , Pellegrino Roberto Maria , Tognoloni Alessia , Urbanelli Lorena , Buratta Sandra
Published: July 2021

Under physio-pathological conditions, cells release membrane-surrounded structures named Extracellular Vesicles (EVs), which convey their molecular cargo to neighboring or distant cells influencing their metabolism. Besides their involvement in the intercellular communication, EVs might represent a tool used by cells to eliminate unnecessary/toxic material. Here, we revised the literature exploring the link between EVs and redox biology. The first proof of this link derives from evidence demonstrating that EVs from healthy cells protect target cells from oxidative insults through the transfer of antioxidants. Oxidative stress conditions influence the release and the molecular cargo of EVs that, in turn, modulate the redox status of target cells. Oxidative stress-related EVs exert both beneficial or harmful effects, as they can carry antioxidants or ROS-generating enzymes and oxidized molecules. As mediators of cell-to-cell communication, EVs are also implicated in the pathophysiology of oxidative stress-related diseases. The review found evidence that numerous studies speculated on the role of EVs in redox signaling and oxidative stress-related pathologies, but few of them unraveled molecular mechanisms behind this complex link. Thus, the purpose of this review is to report and discuss this evidence, highlighting that the analysis of the molecular content of oxidative stress-released EVs (reminiscent of the redox status of originating cells), is a starting point for the use of EVs as diagnostic and therapeutic tools in oxidative stress-related diseases.
Development of Polydiacetylene-Based Testosterone Detection as a Model Sensing Platform for Water-Insoluble Hormone Analytes
Authors: Jung Jaewon , An Sung-Min , Lim Eun-Kyung , Kim Seung-Chul , An Beum-Soo , Seo Sungbaek
Published: July 2021

We have developed a polydiacetylene (PDA)-based sensing platform to detect testosterone (T) as a potential biomarker of preterm birth. The insolubility of the steroid hormone in water, where PDA assemblies are dispersed, poses a major issue, since they can hardly interact with each other. To overcome this challenge, acetonitrile was used as a suitable solvent. In addition, to minimize false signals of PDA assemblies caused by the solvent, a mixture of acetonitrile and distilled water was selected. To prove a concept of PDA-based sensing platform for targeting T hormone, we conjugated anti-T antibodies to surface of PDA assemblies to induce selective binding between T and anti-T antibodies. The fluorescence sensory signaling of the PDA-anti-T antibody conjugate was selectively generated for T, over 3.4 times higher sensitivity of the signaling compared to that from other sex steroid hormones studied (β-estradiol and progesterone).
Family Presence Restrictions and Telemedicine Use in Neonatal Intensive Care Units during the Coronavirus Disease Pandemic
Authors: Ozawa Mio , Sakaki Haruyo , Meng Xianwei
Published: July 2021

We aimed to describe parental presence policy and telemedicine use in Japanese neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) before and during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. This cross-sectional study was performed through an online survey in 110 level III units from 19 November 2020 to 18 December 2020. Nurses’ evaluation of the current situation (during COVID-19) was compared with their retrospective pre-COVID-19 (December 2019) evaluation. Responses were received from 52 NICUs distributed across all regions in Japan. The median allowed parental presence time decreased from 12 h to 1 h, and 29 NICUs allowed entry of parents simultaneously during COVID-19. There was an increase in the number of units providing telemedicine through telephone and online visits during COVID-19 compared to that before COVID-19 (from 2% to 19%). The hybrid design NICUs, with 11–89% of beds in single-patient rooms, allowed a longer parental presence time in the NICUs than those with ≥90% of beds in multi-bed rooms. The number of units implementing kangaroo care decreased during COVID-19 compared to that before COVID-19. The need for telemedicine increased among Japanese NICUs to mitigate the adverse effect of parental restriction and limited physical contact due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Challenges and Opportunities of Coal Phase-Out in Western Macedonia
Authors: Ziouzios Dimitris , Karlopoulos Evangelos , Fragkos Panagiotis , Vrontisi Zoi
Published: July 2021

As part of the European Green Deal, the EU aims to become climate-neutral and reach net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. Ιn this context, EU member states are required to develop a national strategy to achieve the required emissions reductions under the Paris Agreement and EU climate goals. Western Macedonia is a region in North-western Greece with its economy largely dominated by lignite mining, lignite-fired power plants and district heating systems. In 2019, the Greek Government set the goal of withdrawing all lignite plants by 2028, with most units being withdrawn already by 2023. This decision has had an immense socio-economic impact on the region of Western Macedonia. This research work reflects the current situation at the socio-economic and socio-political level in Western Macedonia and discusses the policies implemented in the context of the lignite phase-out process to ensure a just transition for households and businesses of the region. Although there is not a ‘one-size-fits-all’ blueprint for successful low-carbon transitions of high-carbon intensive regional economies, the main target of our paper is understanding the impacts, challenges and opportunities of decarbonizing Western Macedonia.
Analysis of Urban Greening Scenarios for Improving Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Neighbourhoods of Lecce (Southern Italy)
Authors: Gatto Elisa , Ippolito Fabio , Rispoli Gennaro , Carlo Oliver Savio , Santiago Jose Luis , Aarrevaara Eeva , Emmanuel Rohinton , Buccolieri Riccardo
Published: July 2021

This study analyses the interactions and impacts between multiple factors i.e., urban greening, building layout, and meteorological conditions that characterise the urban microclimate and thermal comfort in the urban environment. The focus was on two neighbourhoods of Lecce city (southern Italy) characterised through field campaigns and modelling simulations on a typical hot summer day. Field campaigns were performed to collect greening, building geometry, and microclimate data, which were employed in numerical simulations of several greening scenarios using the Computational Fluid Dynamics-based and microclimate model ENVI-met. Results show that, on a typical summer day, trees may lead to an average daily decrease of air temperature by up to 1.00 °C and an improvement of thermal comfort in terms of Mean Radiant Temperature (MRT) by up to 5.53 °C and Predicted Mean Vote (PMV) by up to 0.53. This decrease is more evident when the urban greening (in terms of green surfaces and trees) is increased by 1266 m2 in the first neighbourhood and 1988 m2 in the second one, with respect to the current scenario, proving that shading effect mainly contributes to improving the urban microclimate during daytime. On the contrary, the trapping effect of heat, stored by the surfaces during the day and released during the evening, induces an increase of the spatially averaged MRT by up to 2 °C during the evenings and a slight deterioration of thermal comfort, but only locally where the concentration of high LAD trees is higher. This study contributes to a better understanding of the ecosystem services provided by greening with regard to microclimate and thermal comfort within an urban environment for several hours of the day. It adds knowledge about the role of green areas in a Mediterranean city, an important hot spot of climate change, and thus it can be a guide for important urban regeneration plans.
Effects of Continuous Cropping of Codonopsis tangshen on Rhizospheric Soil Bacterial Community as Determined by Pyrosequencing
Authors: Zhang Meide , He Yinsheng , Zhou Wuxian , Ai Lunqiang , Liu Haihua , Chen Liang , Xie Yan
Published: July 2021

Codonopsis tangshen, a perennial herbaceous, has been shown to be affected by continuous cropping, with significant decline in both yield and quality. In this study, we studied the effect of continuous cropping on the abundance and composition of rhizospheric soil bacterial community. Results showed that continuous cropping causes a significant decline in both yield and quality. The nutrient content in continuous cropping soil was higher than that of soil in main cropping. Pyrosequencing analyses revealed Proteobacteria and Acidobacteria as the main phyla in two types of soils. Relative abundance of Acidobacteria, Nitrospirae, TM7, and AD3 phyla was observed to be high in continuous cropping soils, whereas Chloroflexi, Bacteroidetes, and Planctomycetes phyla were richer in main cropping soils. At the genus level, high relative abundance of Pseudomonas (γ-Proteobacteria), Rhodanobacter, Candidatus Koribacter, and Candidatus were observed in continuous cropping soil. Different patterns of bacterial community structure were observed between different soils. Redundancy analysis indicated that organic matter content and available nitrogen content exhibited the strongest effect on bacterial community structure in the continuous cropping soil. Taken together, continuous cropping led to a significant decline in yield and quality, decrease in rhizospheric soil bacterial abundance, and alteration of rhizospheric soil microbial community structure, thereby resulting in poor growth of C. tangshen in the continuous cropping system.
Development of a Prognostic Model for Stump Healing in Major Lower Limb Amputation among the Diabetic Population
Authors: Ashraff Suhel , Siddiqui Muhammad , Carline Thomas , Rush Robert , Santos Derek , Raza Zahid
Published: July 2021

Background: This study aimed to explore the effect of haematological markers as well as patient characteristics on stump healing in patients who underwent a lower limb amputation procedure. In addition, a practical model regarding factors that affected stump healing was developed. Methods: Patients who underwent a major lower limb amputation (above knee and below knee) at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh from the period of 2007 to 2010 were included in this study. A prognostic model utilizing backward stepwise logistical regression was developed to measure the probability of lower limb stump healing. The relationship between the dependent and independent variables was identified using univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: Three variables, namely serum sodium, serum creatinine and serum high density lipid cholesterol were identified which influenced stump healing. Patients with normal serum sodium were 75% more likely to have lower limb stump healing compared to that of patients with abnormal serum sodium (odds ratio [OR] 1.756; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.048–2.942). Patients with normal serum creatinine were 66% more likely to have their stump healed (OR 1.664; 95% CI 0.94 to 2.946). The healing rate of patients with a normal level of serum high density lipid cholesterol was 75%, in contrast to patients with an aberrant level of serum high density lipids cholesterol (OR 1.753; 95% CI 1.061 to 2.895). The effectiveness of the retrospective stump-healing model was demonstrated by the area under the ROC curve (0.612), which was supported by the Hosmer and Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test (p = 0.879). Conclusions: Serum sodium, serum high density lipid cholesterol and serum creatinine have a strong correlation with lower limb stump healing. However, serum sodium and serum high density lipid cholesterol secondary to multiple co-morbidities in this cohort group could be altered secondary to disease pathology itself.
Mandibular Third Molar Surgery: Intraosseous Localization of the Inferior Alveolar Nerve Using 3D Double-Echo Steady-State MRI (3D-DESS)
Authors: Al-Haj Husain Adib , Stadlinger Bernd , Winklhofer Sebastian , Müller Marcel , Piccirelli Marco , Valdec Silvio
Published: July 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the inferior alveolar nerve’s (IAN) intraosseous position within the inferior alveolar canal (IAC) using a 3D double-echo steady-state MRI sequence (3D-DESS). The IAN position was prospectively evaluated in 19 patients undergoing mandibular third molar (MTM) surgery. In the coronal reference layer, the IAC was divided into six segments. These segments were checked for the presence of hyperintense tubular MRI signals representing the IAN’s nervous tissue and assessed as visible/non-visible. Furthermore, the IAN in MRI and the IAC in MRI and CBCT were segmented at the third and second molar, determining the maximum diameter in all planes and a conversion factor between the imaging modalities. Regardless of the positional relationship at the third and second molar, the IAN showed the highest localization probability in the central segments (segment 2: 97.4% vs. 94.4%, segment 5: 100% vs. 91.6%). The conversion factors from IAC in CBCT and MRI to IAN in MRI, respectively, were the following: axial (2.04 ± 1.95, 2.37 ± 2.41), sagittal (1.86 ± 0.96, 1.76 ± 0.74), and coronal (1.26 ± 0.39, 1.37 ± 0.25). This radiation-free imaging modality, demonstrating good feasibility of accurate visualization of nervous tissue within the nerve canal’s osseous boundaries, may benefit preoperative assessment before complex surgical procedures are performed near the IAC.
Economic Growth, Governance and Educational Sustainability: A VAR Analysis
Authors: Pasara Michael Takudzwa
Published: July 2021

Quality educational institutions are strategic tools for accelerating the attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). All the 17 SDGs are interlinked. For instance, quality education (SDG4) reduces poverty (SDG 1,2) and inequalities (SDG10) and stimulates good health and wellbeing (SDG3). The paper applied unorthodox theoretical postulations such as convergence models, intergovernmentalism, neofunctionalism and neorealism in explaining how functional (educational) institutions are a necessary enabling environment in accelerating the attainment of SDGs. Empirically, the paper identified unclear modus operandi, lack of political will, political instability, small and fragmented markets and economies with heterogeneous characteristics, and lack of standardization of product and procedures, among other factors, as constraints to sustainability in tertiary education. A Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model was employed using data from 51 Sub-Saharan countries. The three variables were gross domestic product per capita (GDPP), governance and tertiary education expenditure. Results indicated significant short-run unidirectional causality from gross domestic product per capita and tertiary education expenditure to governance, but joint short-run causality was not established. However, transmission effects across the three variables became significant as the number of years increased to ten years. The study recommends a holistic approach from policymakers in order to ensure sustainability in tertiary education due to interlinkages, with emphasis placed on direction of causality.
A BIST Scheme for Bootstrapped Switches
Authors: Tang Xiao-Bin , Tachibana Masayoshi
Published: July 2021

This paper proposes a built-in self-test (BIST) scheme for detecting catastrophic faults in bootstrapped switches. The clock signal and the gate voltage of the sampling MOS transistor are taken as the observation signals in the proposed BIST scheme. Usually, the gate voltage of the sampling MOS transistor is greater than or equal to the supply voltage when the switch is turn on, and such a voltage is not suitable for observation. To solve this problem, a low power supply voltage is provided for the bootstrapped switch to obtain a suitable observation voltage. The proposed BIST scheme and the circuit under test (CUT) are realized with transistor level. The proposed BIST scheme was simulated by HSPICE. The simulated fault coverage is approximately 87.9% with 66 test circuits.
Mechanism of Motion Direction Detection Based on Barlow’s Retina Inhibitory Scheme in Direction-Selective Ganglion Cells
Authors: Han Mianzhe , Todo Yuki , Tang Zheng
Published: July 2021

Previous studies have reported that directionally selective ganglion cells respond strongly in their preferred direction, but are only weakly excited by stimuli moving in the opposite null direction. Various studies have attempted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying direction selectivity with cellular basis. However, these studies have not elucidated the mechanism underlying motion direction detection. In this study, we propose the mechanism based on Barlow’s inhibitory scheme for motion direction detection. We described the local motion-sensing direction-selective neurons. Next, this model was used to construct the two-dimensional multi-directional detection neurons which detect the local motion directions. The information of local motion directions was finally used to infer the global motion direction. To verify the validity of the proposed mechanism, we conducted a series of experiments involving a dataset with a number of images. The proposed mechanism exhibited good performance in all experiments with high detection accuracy. Furthermore, we compare the performance of our proposed system and traditional Convolution Neural Network (CNN) on motion direction prediction. It is found that the performance of our system is much better than that of CNN in terms of accuracy, calculation speed and cost.
State-of-the-Art of Establishing Test Procedures for Real Driving Gaseous Emissions from Light- and Heavy-Duty Vehicles
Authors: Rahman S. M. Ashrafur , Fattah I. M. Rizwanul , Ong Hwai Chyuan , Ashik Fajle Rabbi , Hassan Mohammad Mahmudul , Murshed Md Tausif , Imran Md Ashraful , Rahman Md Hamidur , Rahman Md Akibur , Hasan Mohammad Al Mahdi , Mahlia T. M. Indra
Published: July 2021

Air pollution caused by vehicle emissions has raised serious public health concerns. Vehicle emissions generally depend on many factors, such as the nature of the vehicle, driving style, traffic conditions, emission control technologies, and operational conditions. Concerns about the certification cycles used by various regulatory authorities are growing due to the difference in emission during certification procedure and Real Driving Emissions (RDE). Under laboratory conditions, certification tests are performed in a ‘chassis dynamometer’ for light-duty vehicles (LDVs) and an ‘engine dynamometer’ for heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). As a result, the test drive cycles used to measure the automotive emissions do not correctly reflect the vehicle’s real-world driving pattern. Consequently, the RDE regulation is being phased in to reduce the disparity between type approval and vehicle’s real-world emissions. According to this review, different variables such as traffic signals, driving dynamics, congestions, altitude, ambient temperature, and so on have a major influence on actual driving pollution. Aside from that, cold-start and hot-start have been shown to have an effect on on-road pollution. Contrary to common opinion, new technology such as start-stop systems boost automotive emissions rather than decreasing them owing to unfavourable conditions from the point of view of exhaust emissions and exhaust after-treatment systems. In addition, the driving dynamics are not represented in the current laboratory-based test procedures. As a result, it is critical to establish an on-road testing protocol to obtain a true representation of vehicular emissions and reduce emissions to a standard level. The incorporation of RDE clauses into certification procedures would have a positive impact on global air quality.
Determination of Nitrogen and Sulphur Mineralization in Batch and Semi-Continuous Anaerobic Digestion Using an Artificial Fiber Bag Technique
Authors: Mortensen Jacob Rosholm , Ward Alastair James , Weisbjerg Martin Riis , Hafner Sasha Daniel , Møller Henrik Bjarne
Published: July 2021

In the biogas industry, feedstock plans are used to estimate methane production and nutrient content in the digestate, however, these predictions do not consider the mineralized nitrogen fraction of the feedstock, which is useful when determining the quality of the digestate. In this study, the artificial fiber bag technique, which is commonly used to study feedstock degradation in ruminants, was implemented in anaerobic digestion to quantify mineralization of N and S. The artificial fiber bags were used to enclose substrates but with access to inoculum because of small pores in the bags, thereby enabling digestion. The content of the bags was analyzed before and after digestion to quantify residual mass as well as N and S concentration in the substrate. The method was validated through batch anaerobic digestion of a single substrate with and without bags, where the bags showed little influence on methane production and degradation. Semi-continuous anaerobic digestion experiments showed higher substrate degradation and higher N and S release at thermophilic conditions using four different types of feedstocks and proved useful for solid feedstocks but less so for semi-solid feedstock. For N, most of the mineralization occurred during the first 15 days over a trial of 30 days.
Design and Implementation of Improved High Step-Down DC-DC Converter for Electric Vehicles
Authors: Park Dong-Ryeol , Kim Yong
Published: July 2021

An improved high step-down DC-DC converter for charging the batteries in an electric vehicle application is proposed in this paper. It adopts the topology of the conventional full-bridge converter, which has a coupled inductor current-doubler rectifier as the secondary side of the transformer. In addition, four power switches are driven using a phase-shifting technique. The proposed converter can achieve a high step-down voltage with low-voltage stress on the rectifier diodes. In addition, the coupled inductor current-doubler rectifier of the secondary side can reduce the ripple current and losses of the secondary side to achieve high efficiency. Furthermore, the proposed converter can overcome the drawbacks of the conventional full-bridge converter, such as switching loss caused by high switching frequency, duty-cycle loss, voltage stress, and numerous components, and can increase the efficiency with the soft-switching technique. A 600 W laboratory prototype of the proposed converter was manufactured. The results of the experiments performed with the prototype proved the effectiveness and validated the use of the proposed converter for better charging of electric vehicles.
Understanding Load Profiles of Mini-Grid Customers in Tanzania
Authors: Scott Nigel , Coley William
Published: July 2021

Strategies for meeting Sustainable Development Goal 7 of providing access to electricity for all recognize the important role that off-grid solutions will need to play. Mini-grids will from part of this response, yet little data exists on household demand from these customers. Predicting demand accurately is a crucial part of planning financially viable mini-grid systems, so it is important to understand demand as fully as possible. This paper draws on metered data from two solar PV diesel hybrid mini-grid sites in Tanzania. It presents an analysis of load profiles from the different sites and categorizes households by demand characteristics. The paper then combines load profile data with household demographic and electrical asset ownership data to explore factors behind distinct load profile patterns of use. It concludes that load profiles are determined by a complex mix of appliance ownership, occupancy, and socio-economic status.
Organic Farming Support Policy in a Sustainable Development Context: A Polish Case Study
Authors: Łuczka Władysława , Kalinowski Sławomir , Shmygol Nadiia
Published: July 2021

This paper assesses the extent, scope and importance of financial support for Polish organic farming from 2004 to 2019. The analysis focuses particularly on how the changes in the amount and structure of organic farming payments affected farmers’ interest in specific organic crops during three financing periods: the 2004–2006 Rural Development Plan, the 2007–2013 Rural Development Programme (RDP) and the 2014–2020 Rural Development Programme. This paper aims to answer the question of whether and to what extent the organic farming support policy impacted the development trends followed by, and transformation processes affecting, this sector. It follows from this analysis that in the first decade after joining the European Union, Poland implemented a policy of making payments easily available. It was primarily focused on the quantitative growth of organic farming rather than on stimulating supply. As the payments were easily accessible and decoupled from production, subsidy-oriented farmers were additionally encouraged to seek political rent. This resulted in the instability of a large group of farms who discontinued their organic farming activity in 2014. That year, the policy was amended because of the need to improve the allocation efficiency of subsidies and to couple them with the provision not only of environmental public goods but also of private goods in the form of organic farming products. The current support policy opens up greater opportunities for leveraging the potential of organic farming while reaping environmental and socioeconomic benefits and contributing more than ever to sustainable development.
Optimal D-STATCOM Placement Tool for Low Voltage Grids
Authors: Fernández Gregorio , Martínez Alejandro , Galán Noemí , Ballestín-Fuertes Javier , Muñoz-Cruzado-Alba Jesús , López Pablo , Stukelj Simon , Daridou Eleni , Rezzonico Alessio , Ioannidis Dimosthenis
Published: July 2021

In low-voltage grids with a wide spread of domestic and/or small commercial consumers, mostly single-phase, problems can appear due to unbalanced power consumption between the different phases. These problems are mainly caused due to voltage unbalances between phases and the increase in distribution losses. This phenomenon occurs more frequently at the end of highly radial grids and can be stressed by the installation of renewable generators next to the consumers. Amongst the various techniques that have been proposed to solve this problem, this article explores the use of a D-STATCOM, presenting and testing a new method for the optimal location of this type of D-FACT. The developed method starts from a detailed analysis of the existing voltage unbalances in a distribution network and identifies the optimal location of the D-STATCOM (i.e., the one that reduces these unbalances while reducing energy losses). The developed method has been successfully tested for one year at four real European locations with different characteristics and different kinds of users.
The Environment of Birthplace and Self-Reported Mental Health Conditions: Findings from the American Panel of Life
Authors: Oh Hans , Goehring Jessica , Jacob Louis , Smith Lee
Published: July 2021

Studies from around the globe have found that urbanicity is associated with greater risk for certain psychiatric disorders, though the association has been less evident in the United States. We analyzed data collected in 2019 from the RAND American Life Panel (n = 2554), which were representative of the general adult population of the United States. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the associations between environment of birthplace (large urban, small urban, suburban, rural) and psychiatric disorders, adjusting for sociodemographic characteristics. We found that being born in a large urban area was associated with greater odds of having any psychiatric disorder when compared with being born in a rural area. However, when looking at specific disorders, we found that being born in a large urban area was only significantly associated greater odds of anxiety disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but was not associated with bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, or alcohol/substance use disorder. Being born in a small urban area was marginally associated with anxiety disorder. Future studies should examine why urban birthplace has only been associated with anxiety disorders and PTSD in the United States, and why urbanicity is associated with mood disorders in other parts of the world but not in the United States.
Development and Characterization of Physical Modified Pearl Millet Starch-Based Films
Authors: Punia Bangar Sneh , Nehra Manju , Siroha Anil Kumar , Petrů Michal , Ilyas Rushdan Ahmad , Devi Urmila , Devi Priyanka
Published: July 2021

Pearl millet is an underutilized and drought-resistant crop that is mainly used for animal feed and fodder. Starch (70%) is the main constituent of the pearl millet grain; this starch may be a good substitute for major sources of starch such as corn, rice, potatoes, etc. Starch was isolated from pearl millet grains and modified with different physical treatments (heat-moisture (HMT), microwave (MT), and sonication treatment (ST)). The amylose content and swelling capacity of the starches decreased after HMT and MT, while the reverse was observed for ST. Transition temperatures (onset (To), peak of gelatinization (Tp), and conclusion (Tc)) of the starches ranged from 62.92–76.16 °C, 67.95–81.05 °C, and 73.78–84.50 °C, respectively. After modification (HMT, MT, and ST), an increase in the transition temperatures was observed. Peak-viscosity of the native starch was observed to be 995 mPa.s., which was higher than the starch modified with HMT and MT. Rheological characteristics (storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G′′)) of the native and modified starches differed from 1039 to 1730 Pa and 83 to 94 Pa; the largest value was found for starch treated with ST and HMT. SEM showed cracks and holes on granule surfaces after HMT as well as MT starch granules. Films were prepared using both native and modified starches. The modification of the starches with different treatments had a significant impact on the moisture, transmittance, and solubility of films. The findings of this study will provide a better understanding of the functional properties of pearl millet starch for its possible utilization in film formation.
Plastic Cutlery Alternative: Case Study with Biodegradable Spoons
Authors: Dordevic Dani , Necasova Lucie , Antonic Bojan , Jancikova Simona , Tremlová Bohuslava
Published: July 2021

Plastics are mixtures of organic polymers that play a major role in environmental contamination worldwide. One way to reduce the waste arising from the use of plastics, especially disposable ones, can be to produce environmentally friendly cutlery. The aim of the work was the production of biodegradable spoons and evaluation of their texture, antioxidant activities and total polyphenols content. The spoons were made from a combination of the following ingredients: water, grape, proso millet, wheat, xanthan and palm oil in different concentrations. The samples were baked at 180 or 240 °C, some spoons were dried in a fruit dehydrator. According to the results of the analysis, a spoon prepared from a mixture of all three flours and with the addition of xanthan appears to be the most suitable replacement for plastic cutlery. This spoon showed high strength and antioxidant activity. It was confirmed that the use of grape flour has a beneficial effect on the nutritional profile of the experimentally produced biodegradable spoons.
Functional, Nutritional, and Sensory Quality of Mixed Flours-Based Breads as Compared to Durum Wheat Semolina-Based Breads
Authors: Molfetta Mariagrazia , Celano Giuseppe , Minervini Fabio
Published: July 2021

Increasing preference of consumers and bakers towards bread manufactured with mixed flours and/or sourdough drove us to investigate about influence of flours and sourdough on crumb grain, chemical, sensory, and in vitro glycaemic index (GI) and antioxidant activity of bread. To this aim, we produced and compared six experimental breads: three were based on a mixture of flours (soft wheat, durum wheat semolina, barley, oat, rye, and buckwheat); three were semolina-based breads. Two different sourdoughs (wheat or mixed flours) were assessed. Compared to semolina breads, those containing a mixture of flours showed higher specific volume. The use of sourdough led to increased concentrations of total free amino acids (FAA). Mixed flours bread with addition of mixed flours sourdough was rich in some essential FAA and amino acid derivative bioactive gamma-aminobutyric acid. Type of flours had higher influence than sourdough addition on volatile organic compounds. All the mixed flours breads, although showing profiles of volatile organic compounds differing from those of semolina breads, resulted acceptable. In addition, they had lower GI and higher antioxidant activity than semolina breads. Type of flours had much higher impact on GI and antioxidant activity than sourdough.
Limited Association between Schizophrenia Genetic Risk Factors and Transcriptomic Features
Authors: Yu Alice W. , Peery J. David , Won Hyejung
Published: July 2021

Schizophrenia is a polygenic disorder with many genomic regions contributing to schizophrenia risk. The majority of genetic variants associated with schizophrenia lie in the non-coding genome and are thought to contribute to transcriptional regulation. Extensive transcriptomic dysregulation has been detected from postmortem brain samples of schizophrenia-affected individuals. However, the relationship between schizophrenia genetic risk factors and transcriptomic features has yet to be explored. Herein, we examined whether varying gene expression features, including differentially expressed genes (DEGs), co-expression networks, and central hubness of genes, contribute to the heritability of schizophrenia. We leveraged quantitative trait loci and chromatin interaction profiles to identify schizophrenia risk variants assigned to the genes that represent different transcriptomic features. We then performed stratified linkage disequilibrium score regression analysis on these variants to estimate schizophrenia heritability enrichment for different gene expression features. Notably, DEGs and co-expression networks showed nominal heritability enrichment. This nominal association can be partly explained by cellular heterogeneity, as DEGs were associated with the genetic risk of schizophrenia in a cell type-specific manner. Moreover, DEGs were enriched for target genes of schizophrenia-associated transcription factors, suggesting that the transcriptomic signatures of schizophrenia are the result of transcriptional regulatory cascades elicited by genetic risk factors.