bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ultrasonic Regeneration Studies on Activated Carbon Loaded with Isopropyl Alcohol
Authors: Hong Hsuan-Yi , Moed Niels Michiel , Ku Young , Lee Hao-Yeh
Published: October 2020

Ultrasonic regeneration of activated carbon loaded with isopropyl alcohol (IPA) was studied. IPA adsorption was performed batchwise at varying solution pH. Adsorption was optimal at solution pH 7, which was closest to the point of zero charge of the activated carbon (6.7). Ultrasonic regeneration was performed on IPA-loaded activated carbon with three factors being tested: ultrasonic intensity, solution temperature and ethanol addition. Regeneration efficiency increased with ultrasonic intensity up to 32.4 W/cm2. A higher intensity led to a higher desorption but damaged the activated carbon, shown by a decrease in the particle size of activated carbon. The regeneration efficiency increased with solution temperature primarily because desorption is endothermic and because the surface tension and viscosity of a solution are reduced with increasing temperature, promoting cavitation bubble production. Ethanol addition increased regeneration efficiency up to 10%, as ethanol reduces tensile stress, facilitating cavitation bubble generation. At 15% and above, regeneration decreases, possibly due to coalescence of bubbles into larger, more stable bubbles. Under optimal parameters, the regeneration efficiency was 83%, which dropped to 64% after four regeneration cycles.
Stress Transfer Mechanism of Flange in Split Hopkinson Tension Bar
Authors: Shin Hyunho , Kim Sanghoon , Kim Jong-Bong
Published: October 2020

To reveal the stress transfer mechanism of the flange in a split Hopkinson tension bar, explicit finite element analyses of the impact of the hollow striker on the flange were performed across a range of flange lengths. The tensile stress profiles monitored at the strain gauge position of the incident bar are interpreted on a qualitative basis using three types of stress waves: bar (B) waves, flange (F) waves, and a series of reverberation (Rn) waves. When the flange length (Lf) is long (i.e., Lf > Ls, where Ls is the striker length), the B wave and first reverberation wave (R1) are fully separated in the time axis. When the flange length is intermediate (~Db < Lf < Ls, where Db is the bar diameter), the B and F waves are partially superposed; the F wave is delayed, then followed by a series of Rn waves after the superposition period. When the flange length is short (Lf < ~Db), the B and F waves are practically fully superposed and form a pseudo-one-step pulse, indicating the necessity of a short flange length to achieve a neat tensile pulse. The magnitudes and periods of the monitored pulses are consistent with the analysis results using the one-dimensional impact theory, including a recently formulated equation for impact-induced stress when the areas of the striker and bar are different, equations for the reflection/transmission ratios of a stress wave, and an equation for pulse duration time. This observation verifies the flange length-dependent stress transfer mechanism on a quantitative basis.
Creep Behaviours of Argillaceous Sandstone: An Experimental and Modelling Study
Authors: Zheng Huaiguo , Cai Qingxiang , Zhou Wei , Lu Xiang , Li Ming , Qi Chongchong , Jiskani Izhar Mithal , Zhang Yu
Published: October 2020

Understanding the creep behaviours of rocks is essential for the long-term stability of underground excavations in mining engineering. Creep behaviours are more important when the mining depth is greater, which leads to the emergence of weak rock masses and high in situ stresses. In this study, the creep behaviours of argillaceous sandstone (AS) were systematically investigated. For the experimental investigation, creep tests were conducted on AS with different confining pressures (3, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 MPa) using an MTS815.02 rock mechanics test system. The mechanical characteristics of AS were analysed. For the numerical study, a nonlinear creep model of AS under equal and different confining pressures was established based on rock creep theory and plastic theory. The results showed that confining pressure could effectively improve the creep failure strength of AS, accelerating its creep deformation rate and process and reducing the final expansion volume. The nonlinear creep model was embedded in the FLAC3D software, and the experimental and numerical results agreed well. The experimental investigation and proposed creep model can provide important guidance in underground mines for safe long-term stability of underground excavations.
Research on Hierarchical Control Strategy of AC/DC Hybrid Microgrid Based on Power Coordination Control
Authors: Wang Guishuo , Wang Xiaoli , Wang Fuan , Han Zhao
Published: October 2020

The AC/DC hybrid microgrid has a large-scale and complex control process. It is of great significance and value to design a reasonable power coordination control strategy to maintain the power balance of the system. Based on hierarchical control, this paper designs a reasonable power coordination control strategy for AC/DC hybrid microgrid. For lower control, this paper designs a variety of control modes for each converter in different application scenarios. For the higher control, this paper analyzes the working mode of the system and designs the power coordination control strategy under the grid-connected and isolated island mode. In grid-connected operation, the DC bus voltage can be stabilized by adjusting the operation mode of the DC energy storage and the on-off of the secondary load. In isolated island operation, the DC sub-microgrid is the main microgrid, and the DC energy storage is the main power regulating equipment. This is based on the principle of “energy is in short supply in the system, DC energy storage finally discharge, energy supply exceeds demand in the system, DC energy storage gives priority to charging” of DC energy storage. By adjusting the control strategy of the micro-source, the reference power, and the on-off of the secondary load, the overall power balance is maintained. The Matlab/Simulink simulation software was used to build the AC/DC hybrid microgrid simulation model, which verified the effectiveness and stability of the proposed power coordination control strategy under various operating conditions.
H-scan Subtraction Doppler Imaging: A Novel Ultrasound Small Blood Vessel Flow Characterization with Scattering and Reflection Identification
Authors: Jiao Yang , Zhang Derong , Xu Yiwen , Chen Yang , Wu Zhe , Cui Yaoyao
Published: October 2020

Ultrafast compound Doppler imaging (UCDI), which can be used to acquire Doppler information at very high spatial and temporal sampling rates, provides a great improvement to the characterization of the vasculature. The singular value decomposition (SVD) technique takes advantage of the different features of tissue and blood motion in terms of spatiotemporal coherence and strongly outperforms conventional clutter rejection filters in small animals. However, a major challenge of conventional UCDI with SVD clutter filtering for small vessel imaging is that it is not sensitive enough to detect the hemodynamic changes in deep tissue where the majority of the remaining signal is usually noise-saturated. In this study, with the first attempt to apply ultrasonic tissue characterization techniques to UCDI, we propose an H-scan subtraction Doppler imaging method to bypass the limitations associated with the high-order singular value thresholding selection and improve the image quality of fine vessels. The flow phantom experiments with different blood concentrations show that H-Scan is capable of estimating the relative size and spatial distribution of acoustic scattering objects. In the in vivo rabbit brain experiment, the H-Doppler method, together with the global and block-wise local SVD clutter filtering, are proposed to facilitate better power Doppler images with a significant improvement of background noise suppression. These results demonstrate that the contrast-to-noise-ratio (CNR) of the H-scan subtraction Doppler imaging is 15% to 65% higher than that of the conventional UCDI methods. Therefore, this approach can be potentially applied to the clinical applications of the functional ultrasound (fUS) imaging method.
Hydrothermal Synthesis of ZnO–doped Ceria Nanorods: Effect of ZnO Content on the Redox Properties and the CO Oxidation Performance
Authors: Stefa Sofia , Lykaki Maria , Binas Vasillios , Pandis Pavlos K. , Stathopoulos Vassilis N. , Konsolakis Michalis
Published: October 2020

The rational design of highly efficient, noble metal-free metal oxides is one of the main research priorities in the area of catalysis. To this end, the fine tuning of ceria-based mixed oxides by means of aliovalent metal doping has currently received particular attention due to the peculiar metal-ceria synergistic interactions. Herein, we report on the synthesis, characterization and catalytic evaluation of ZnO–doped ceria nanorods (NR). In particular, a series of bare CeO2 and ZnO oxides along with CeO2/ZnO mixed oxides of different Zn/Ce atomic ratios (0.2, 0.4, 0.6) were prepared by the hydrothermal method. All prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), N2 physisorption, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The CO oxidation reaction was employed as a probe reaction to gain insight into structure-property relationships. The results clearly showed the superiority of mixed oxides as compared to bare ones, which could be ascribed to a synergistic ZnO–CeO2 interaction towards an improved reducibility and oxygen mobility. A close correlation between the catalytic activity and oxygen storage capacity (OSC) was disclosed. Comparison with relevant literature studies verifies the role of OSC as a key activity descriptor for reactions following a redox-type mechanism.
Practical I-Voting on Stellar Blockchain
Authors: Barański Stanisław , Szymański Julian , Sobecki Andrzej , Gil David , Mora Higinio
Published: October 2020

In this paper, we propose a privacy-preserving i-voting system based on the public Stellar Blockchain network. We argue that the proposed system satisfies all requirements stated for a robust i-voting system including transparency, verifiability, and voter anonymity. The practical architecture of the system abstracts a voter from blockchain technology used underneath. To keep user privacy, we propose a privacy-first protocol that protects voter anonymity. Additionally, high throughput and low transaction fees allow handling large scale voting at low costs. As a result we built an open-source, cheap, and secure system for i-voting that uses public blockchain, where everyone can participate and verify the election process without the need to trust a central authority. The main contribution to the field is a method based on a blind signature used to construct reliable voting protocol. The proposed method fulfills all requirements defined for i-voting systems, which is challenging to achieve altogether.
Opportunity for Early Warnings of Typhoon Lekima from Two Global Ensemble Model Forecasts of Formation with 7-Day Intensities along Medium-Range Tracks
Authors: Tsai Hsiao-Chung , Elsberry Russell L. , Chin Wei-Chia , Marchok Timothy P.
Published: October 2020

Typhoon Lekima (2019) with its heavy rains and floods is an excellent example of the need to provide the earliest possible warnings of the formation, intensification, and subsequent track before a typhoon makes landfall along a densely populated coast. To demonstrate an opportunity to provide early (10 days in advance) warnings of the threat of Typhoon Lekima, the ensemble models from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts and the National Centers for Environmental Predictions have been used to provide time-to-formation timing and positions along the weighted-mean vector motion track forecasts. In addition, the seven-day intensity forecasts after the formation using a weighted analog intensity prediction technique are provided. A detailed description of one European Center ensemble forecast is provided to describe the methodology for estimating the formation time and generating the intensity forecasts. Validation summary tables of the formation timing and position errors, and the intensity errors versus the Joint Typhoon Warning Center intensities, are presented. The availability of these ensemble forecasts would have been an opportunity to issue alerts/watches/warnings of Lekima even seven days in advance of when Lekima became a Tropical Storm. These ensemble forecasts also represent an opportunity to extend support on the 5–15 day timescale for the decision-making processes of water resource management and hydrological operations.
Glutathione Restores Hg-Induced Morpho-Physiological Retardations by Inducing Phytochelatin and Oxidative Defense in Alfalfa
Authors: Rahman Md Atikur , Kabir Ahmad Humayan , Mandal Abul , Roy Swapan Kumar , Song Yowook , Ji Hee Chung , Lee Ki-Won
Published: October 2020

Mercury (Hg) is toxic to plants, but the effect of glutathione in Hg alleviation was never studied in alfalfa, an important forage crop. In this study, Hg toxicity showed morphological retardation, chlorophyll reduction, and PSII inefficiency, which was restored due to GSH supplementation in alfalfa plants treated with Hg. Results showed a significant increase of Hg, but Fe and S concentrations substantially decreased in root and shoot accompanied by the downregulation of Fe (MsIRT1) and S (MsSultr1;2 and MsSultr1;3) transporters in roots of Hg-toxic alfalfa. However, GSH caused a significant decrease of Hg in the shoot, while the root Hg level substantially increased, accompanied by the restoration of Fe and S status, relative to Hg-stressed alfalfa. The subcellular analysis showed a substantial deposition of Hg in the root cell wall accompanied by the increased GSH and PC and the upregulation of MsPCS1 and MsGSH1 genes in roots. It suggests the involvement of GSH in triggering PC accumulation, causing excess Hg bound to the cell wall of the root, thereby reducing Hg translocation in alfalfa. Bioinformatics analysis showed that the MsPCS1 protein demonstrated one common conserved motif linked to the phytochelatin synthase domain (CL0125) with MtPCS1 and AtMCS1 homologs. These in silico analysis further confirmed the detoxification role of MsPCS1 induced by GSH in Hg-toxic alfalfa. Additionally, GSH induces GSH and GR activity to counteract oxidative injuries provoked by Hg-induced H2O2 and lipid peroxidation. These findings may provide valuable knowledge to popularize GSH-derived fertilizer or to develop Hg-free alfalfa or other forage plants.
Amino Acid k-mer Feature Extraction for Quantitative Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) Prediction by Machine Learning and Model Interpretation for Biological Insights
Authors: ValizadehAslani Taha , Zhao Zhengqiao , Sokhansanj Bahrad A. , Rosen Gail L.
Published: October 2020

Machine learning algorithms can learn mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance from the data of DNA sequence without any a priori information. Interpreting a trained machine learning algorithm can be exploited for validating the model and obtaining new information about resistance mechanisms. Different feature extraction methods, such as SNP calling and counting nucleotide k-mers have been proposed for presenting DNA sequences to the model. However, there are trade-offs between interpretability, computational complexity and accuracy for different feature extraction methods. In this study, we have proposed a new feature extraction method, counting amino acid k-mers or oligopeptides, which provides easier model interpretation compared to counting nucleotide k-mers and reaches the same or even better accuracy in comparison with different methods. Additionally, we have trained machine learning algorithms using different feature extraction methods and compared the results in terms of accuracy, model interpretability and computational complexity. We have built a new feature selection pipeline for extraction of important features so that new AMR determinants can be discovered by analyzing these features. This pipeline allows the construction of models that only use a small number of features and can predict resistance accurately.
An Exploratory Pilot Study with Plasma Protein Signatures Associated with Response of Patients with Depression to Antidepressant Treatment for 10 Weeks
Authors: Kim Eun Young , Ahn Hee-Sung , Lee Min Young , Yu Jiyoung , Yeom Jeonghun , Jeong Hwangkyo , Min Hophil , Lee Hyun Jeong , Kim Kyunggon , Ahn Yong Min
Published: October 2020

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of global disability with a chronic and recurrent course. Recognition of biological markers that could predict and monitor response to drug treatment could personalize clinical decision-making, minimize unnecessary drug exposure, and achieve better outcomes. Four longitudinal plasma samples were collected from each of ten patients with MDD treated with antidepressants for 10 weeks. Plasma proteins were analyzed qualitatively and quantitatively with a nanoflow LC−MS/MS technique. Of 1153 proteins identified in the 40 longitudinal plasma samples, 37 proteins were significantly associated with response/time and clustered into six according to time and response by the linear mixed model. Among them, three early-drug response markers (PHOX2B, SH3BGRL3, and YWHAE) detectable within one week were verified by liquid chromatography-multiple reaction monitoring/mass spectrometry (LC-MRM/MS) in the well-controlled 24 patients. In addition, 11 proteins correlated significantly with two or more psychiatric measurement indices. This pilot study might be useful in finding protein marker candidates that can monitor response to antidepressant treatment during follow-up visits within 10 weeks after the baseline visit.
Developing a Low-Cost, Simple-to-Use Electrochemical Sensor for the Detection of Circulating Tumour DNA in Human Fluids
Authors: Attoye Bukola , Pou Chantevy , Blair Ewen , Rinaldi Christopher , Thomson Fiona , Baker Matthew J. , Corrigan Damion K.
Published: October 2020

It is well-known that two major issues, preventing improved outcomes from cancer are late diagnosis and the evolution of drug resistance during chemotherapy, therefore technologies that address these issues can have a transformative effect on healthcare workflows. In this work we present a simple, low-cost DNA biosensor that was developed specifically to detect mutations in a key oncogene (KRAS). The sensor employed was a screen-printed array of carbon electrodes, used to perform parallel measurements of DNA hybridisation. A DNA amplification reaction was developed with primers for mutant and wild type KRAS sequences which amplified target sequences from representative clinical samples to detectable levels in as few as twenty cycles. High levels of sensitivity were demonstrated alongside a clear exemplar of assay specificity by showing the mutant KRAS sequence was detectable against a significant background of wild type DNA following amplification and hybridisation on the sensor surface. The time to result was found to be 3.5 h with considerable potential for optimisation through assay integration. This quick and versatile biosensor has the potential to be deployed in a low-cost, point-of-care test where patients can be screened either for early diagnosis purposes or monitoring of response to therapy.
New Insights into Potocki-Shaffer Syndrome: Report of Two Novel Cases and Literature Review
Authors: Trajkova Slavica , Di Gregorio Eleonora , Ferrero Giovanni Battista , Carli Diana , Pavinato Lisa , Delplancq Geoffroy , Kuentz Paul , Brusco Alfredo
Published: October 2020

Potocki-Shaffer syndrome (PSS) is a rare non-recurrent contiguous gene deletion syndrome involving chromosome 11p11.2. Current literature implies a minimal region with haploinsufficiency of three genes, ALX4 (parietal foramina), EXT2 (multiple exostoses), and PHF21A (craniofacial anomalies, and intellectual disability). The rest of the PSS phenotype is still not associated with a specific gene. We report a systematic review of the literature and included two novel cases. Because deletions are highly variable in size, we defined three groups of patients considering the PSS-genes involved. We found 23 full PSS cases (ALX4, EXT2, and PHF21A), 14 cases with EXT2-ALX4, and three with PHF21A only. Among the latter, we describe a novel male child showing developmental delay, café-au-lait spots, liner postnatal overgrowth and West-like epileptic encephalopathy. We suggest PSS cases may have epileptic spasms early in life, and PHF21A is likely to be the causative gene. Given their subtle presentation these may be overlooked and if left untreated could lead to a severe type or deterioration in the developmental plateau. If our hypothesis is correct, a timely therapy may ameliorate PSS phenotype and improve patients’ outcomes. Our analysis also shows PHF21A is a candidate for the overgrowth phenotype.
Mismatch Negativity and Loudness Dependence of Auditory Evoked Potentials among Patients with Major Depressive Disorder, Bipolar II Disorder, and Bipolar I Disorder
Authors: Kim Yang , Park Young-Min
Published: October 2020

Mismatch negativity (MMN) and loudness dependence of auditory evoked potentials (LDAEP), which are event-related potentials, have been investigated as biomarkers. MMN indicates the pre-attentive function, while LDAEP may be an index of central serotonergic activity. This study aimed to test whether MMN and LDAEP are useful biological markers for distinguishing patients with bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD), as well as the relationship between MMN and LDAEP. Fifty-five patients with major depressive episodes, aged 20 to 65 years, who had MDD (n = 17), BD type II (BIID) (n = 27), and BD type I (BID) (n = 11), were included based on medical records. Patients with MDD had a higher MMN amplitude than those with BID. In addition, the MMN amplitude in F4 positively correlated with the Korean version of mood disorder questionnaire scores (r = 0.37, p = 0.014), while the MMN amplitude in F3 correlated negatively with LDAEP (r = −0.30, p = 0.024). The odds ratios for the BID group and some variables were compared with those for the MDD group using multinomial logistic regression analysis. As a result, a significant reduction of MMN amplitude was found under BID diagnosis compared to MDD diagnosis (p = 0.015). This study supported the hypothesis that MMN amplitude differed according to MDD, BIID, and BID, and there was a relationship between MMN amplitude and LDAEP. These findings also suggested that BID patients had a reduced automatic and pre-attentive processing associated with serotonergic activity or N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor.
Thermodynamics of Chemical Processes in the System of Nanocrystalline Iron–Ammonia–Hydrogen at 350 °C
Authors: Wilk Bartłomiej , Błachowski Artur , Lendzion-Bieluń Zofia , Arabczyk Walerian
Published: October 2020

Nanocrystalline iron nitriding and the reduction of nanocrystalline iron nitrides in steady states at 350 °C are described using the chemical potential programmed reaction (CPPR), thermogravimetry (TG), 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy (MS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) methods. It was determined that during the process of nitriding of nanocrystalline iron, larger nanocrystallites formed the γ’ phase and the smallest nanocrystallites (about 4%) were transformed into the α” phase. Both phases were in chemical equilibrium, with the gas phase at the temperature of 350 °C. Stable iron nitride α” was also formed in the ε iron nitride reduction process. Taking the α” phase in the system of nanocrystalline Fe-NH3-H2 into account, it was found that at certain nitriding potentials in the chemical equilibrium state, three solid phases in the nitriding process and four solid phases in the reduction process may coexist. It was also found that the nanocrystallites of ε iron nitride in their reduction process were transformed according to two mechanisms, depending on their size. Larger nanocrystallites of iron nitride ε were transformed into the α-iron phase through iron nitride γ’, and smaller nanocrystallites of ε nitride went through iron nitride α”. In the passivation process of nanocrystalline iron and/or nanocrystalline iron nitrides, amorphous phases of iron oxides and/or iron oxynitrides were formed on their surface.
On the Exceptionally High Loading of L-Proline on Multi-Wall Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Xu Jiafang , Liang Jichao , Huang Sheng , Yang Ge , Tian Keyi , Chen Ruonan , Chen Hongyu , Zhang Yanhua
Published: October 2020

L-proline is directly loaded on the multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with exceptionally high loading content of 67 wt.%. The obtained L-proline/MWCNTs catalyst is on par with the catalytic activity of free L-proline, even after 7 rounds of recycling and reusing. The excellent activity of L-proline/MWCNTs in typical Aldol reaction, Mannich reaction, Michael reaction, α-oxyamination reaction, and Knoevenagel condensation shows a broad applicability of the composite catalyst in different reactions and solvent systems. We believe that the unusual loading mode may open a window for designing heterogenized organo-catalysts.
Sinusoidal Obstruction Syndrome Following Myeloablative Therapy and Tranexamic Acid Treatment for Hemorrhage in Two Patients with Neuroblastoma
Authors: Zirngibl Felix , Flemmig Carina , Lang Peter , Künkele Annette , Eggert Angelika , Schulte Johannes H. , Deubzer Hedwig E.
Published: October 2020

Adverse thromboembolic events following administration of the anti-fibrinolytic agent tranexamic acid (TA), used to prevent/treat excessive blood loss, are rare. We present the clinical course of two young patients (22 and 56 months) receiving busulfan/melphalan (Bu/Mel) high-dose chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) to treat high-risk neuroblastoma, who developed hepatic sinusoidal obstruction syndrome (SOS) within 48 h after systemic TA treatment for a hemodynamically relevant hemorrhage. Defibrotide treatment resolved hepatic SOS, but the short time between TA administration and SOS onset suggests a causal association.
Early Electronic Screen Exposure and Autistic-Like Behaviors among Preschoolers: The Mediating Role of Caregiver-Child Interaction, Sleep Duration and Outdoor Activities
Authors: Chen Jing-Yi , Strodl Esben , Huang Li-Hua , Chen Ying-Jie , Yang Gui-You , Chen Wei-Qing
Published: October 2020

Research into early screen exposure has raised growing concerns about its impact upon children’s neuropsychological well-being. However, possible pathways remain unclear. This study therefore aimed not only to evaluate the association between screen exposure during the ages of 0–3 years and preschoolers’ autistic-like behaviors, but also the mediating roles of the frequency of caregiver-child interaction, sleep duration and level of participation in outdoor activities. Based on the 2017 survey of the Longhua Child Cohort Study, data of 29,595 child-caregiver dyads were obtained via a caregiver-reported questionnaire, with the data from 29,461 dyads included in the data analysis. Multiple linear and logistic regression models were employed to estimate the associations between screen exposure, caregiver-child interaction, sleep duration, outdoor activities, and children’s autistic-like behaviors. The results indicated that screen exposure during 0–3 years of age was associated with the presence of autistic-like behaviors at preschool age, and the strength of the association was enhanced with the increase of average daily screen time (Odds Ratios (ORs) ranging from 1.358 to 4.026). The frequency of caregiver-child interaction and sleep duration mediated 5.32% and 1.19% of the variance of the association respectively, but outdoor activities did not mediate the association. Our findings indicate that preschoolers who are exposed to screens at aged 0–3 years might have an increased risk of autistic-like behaviors, and that, the frequency of caregiver-child interaction and sleep duration might function as potential mediators of this association.
Sociodemographic Correlates of Obesity among Spanish Schoolchildren: A Cross-Sectional Study
Authors: López-Gil José Francisco , López-Benavente Alba , Tárraga López Pedro Juan , Yuste Lucas Juan Luis
Published: October 2020

Some studies have been conducted in order to assess the association between weight status (assessed by body mass index) and socio-demographic factors. Nevertheless, only a few of them have indicated these associations by other anthropometric parameters (e.g., skinfolds). The aim of this study was to determine, compare, and examine the influence of age, sex, type of the schooling, per capita income, area of residence, and immigrant status on obesity parameters in schoolchildren aged 6–13 from the Region of Murcia. A cross-sectional study was carried out in six different Primary schools of the Region of Murcia (Spain). A total sample of 370 children (166 girls) aged 6–13 (8.7 ± 1.8) were selected. In order to determine participants’ body composition, body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and skinfold measurements were calculated. Higher associations of excess of weight (OR = 1.96; 95%CI = 1.19–3.20) and abdominal obesity (OR = 3.12; 95CI% = 1.49–6.94) were shown in the case of children from public schools. A greater association of high trunk fat mass was found in children from municipalities with high per capita income (OR = 3.20; 95%CI = 1.05–9.77). Therefore, lower association of having an inadequate %BF was found in the participants aged 6–9 (OR = 0.38; 95%CI = 0.24–0.54), and immigrant students (OR = 2.63; 95%CI = 1.69–4.10). Our study suggested that overweight/obesity among schoolchildren in the Region of Murcia is higher than the overall prevalence of Spain. The results of the adjusted analyses showed that age, type of schooling, per capita income, and immigrant status were associated with obesity parameters.
Evaluation of Anti-Aging Performance of Biochar Modified Asphalt Binder
Authors: Dong Wenhao , Ma Feng , Li Chen , Fu Zhen , Huang Yue , Liu Jenny
Published: October 2020

As a renewable biomass resource, biochar is new to modify or replace asphalt binder in pavement engineering. This paper focuses on the effect of biochar on the anti-aging performance of asphalt binder. The short- and long-term aging properties of biochar modified asphalt binder were investigated using dynamic shear rheometer (DSR) and bending beam rheometer (BBR) tests. The modification mechanism was investigated through the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) test. The aging tests and viscosity analysis showed that the softening point of biochar modified asphalt binder was higher than base asphalt binder, while the aging index and aging viscosity ratio were lower than base asphalt binder. After aging, the temperature sensitivity of biochar modified asphalt binder decreased and the high-temperature stability, reflected by dynamic shear modulus and resistance to rutting, improved. The BBR test after long-term aging showed that the anti-aging performance of biochar modified asphalt binder decreased with the decrease in temperature, and control of the biochar content could ensure good low-temperature performance of the modified asphalt binder after aging. FTIR spectra analysis showed that biochar in modified asphalt binder is physically blended with asphalt binder.
Coating of a Sand-Blasted and Acid-Etched Implant Surface with a pH-Buffering Agent after Vacuum-UV Photofunctionalization
Authors: Park Chang-Joo , Lim Jae Hyung , Tallarico Marco , Hwang Kyung-Gyun , Choi Hyook , Cho Gyu-Jang , Kim Chang , Jang Il-Seok , Song Ju-Dong , Kwon Amy M. , Jeon Sang Ho , Park Hyun-Kyung
Published: October 2020

Ultraviolet (UV) photofunctionalization can reset the biological aging of titanium after the preparation and storage of dental implants by transforming hydrophobic titanium surfaces into superhydrophilic surfaces. Blood clot formation around the implant can initialize and promote the healing process at the bone–implant interface. The aim of this study is to evaluate and compare the capabilities of surface wettability and blood clotting of implants with a conventional sand-blasted and acid-etched surface (SA), a sand-blasted and acid-etched surface with vacuum-UV treatment (SA + VUV), and a sand-blasted and acid-etched surface coated with a pH-buffering agent after vacuum-UV treatment (SA + VUV + BS). Static and dynamic tests for surface wettability and blood clotting were performed in vitro for SA + VUV and SA + VUV + BS (n = 5), while hemostasis resulting from blood clotting was evaluated in vivo for SA, SA +VUV, and SA + VUV + BS (n = 4). A Kruskal–Wallis test showed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) in all tests, with the exception of in vitro test of static blood clotting. VUV treatment is therefore effective at making an SA surface superhydrophilic as an alternative to routine UV-C radiation. The addition of a pH-buffering agent to SA + VUV also improved surface wettability and blood clotting, which are crucial for successful osseointegration.
Optimizing Costs to Collect Local Infauna through Grabs: Effect of Sampling Size and Replication
Authors: Álvarez Lidia N. , García-Sanz Sara , Bosch Néstor E. , Riera Rodrigo , Tuya Fernando
Published: October 2020

Most ecological studies require a cost-effective collection of multi-species samples. A literature review unravelled that (1) large-sized grabs to collect infauna have been used at greater depths, despite no consistent relationship between grab size and replication across studies; and (2) the total number of taxa and individuals is largely determined by the replication. Then, infauna from a sedimentary (sandy) seabed at Gran Canaria Island was collected through van Veen grabs of three sizes: 0.018, 0.042 and 0.087 m2 to optimize, on a simple cost-benefit basis, sample size and replication. Specifically, (1) the degree of representativeness in the composition of assemblages, and (2) accuracy of three univariate metrics (species richness, total infaunal abundances and the Shannon-Wiener index), was compared according to replication. Then, by considering mean times (a surrogate of costs) to process a sample by each grab, (3) their cost-efficiency was estimated. Representativeness increased with grab size. Irrespective of the grab size, accuracy of univariate metrics considerably increased when n > 10 replicates. Costs associated with the 0.087 m2 grab were consistently lower than costs by the other grabs. In conclusion, because of high representativeness and low cost, a 6.87 L grab appears to be the optimal sample size to assess infauna at our local site.
Mesophotic Ecosystems: The Link between Shallow and Deep-Sea Habitats
Authors: Eyal Gal , Pinheiro Hudson T.
Published: October 2020

Mesophotic ecosystems (MEs) are characterized by the presence of light-dependent organisms, found at depths ranging from ~30 to 150 m in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions. These communities occasionally create massive reef structures with diverse but characteristic morphologies, which serve as the framework builders of those ecosystems. In many localities, MEs are physically linked with shallow and deep-sea habitats, and while taxa from both environments share this space, a unique and endemic biodiversity is also found. The main MEs studied to date are the mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs) and the temperate mesophotic ecosystems (TMEs), which have received increased attention during the last decade. As shallow coral reef ecosystems are among the most threatened habitats on Earth, the potential of MEs to act as refugia and contribute to the resilience of the whole ecosystem has been a subject of scrutiny. New technologies and methods have become more available to study these deeper parts of the reef ecosystems, yielding many new discoveries. However, basic gaps in knowledge remain in our scientific understanding of the global diversity of MEs, limiting our ability to recognize biogeographic patterns and to make educated decisions for the management and conservation of these ecosystems.
Impacts of Forest Thinning and White-Tailed Deer Herbivory on Translocation of the Rare Terrestrial Orchid Platanthera integrilabia
Authors: Wooten Savanna , Call Geoff , Dattilo Adam , Cruse-Sanders Jennifer , Boyd Jennifer Nagel
Published: October 2020

Translocation is increasingly being used to supplement existing occurrences and establish new occurrences of rare plant species, but translocation success is dependent on understanding responses to habitat conditions and management. Platanthera integrilabia (white fringeless orchid) is a rare terrestrial orchid species presently found in mostly small occurrences that comprise a fraction of its historical distribution and abundance in the southeastern United States. We investigated the influence of shade and white-tailed deer herbivory, as cited concerns for this species, on the early success of its translocation from tubers as determined through measures of emergence, survival, growth, and reproduction of two cohorts. Our findings suggest that translocation from tubers could be a viable option to assist the conservation of P. integrilabia relative to its propagation from seed, but that low early emergence, survival, and flowering rates should be considered in translocation plans. Our results also indicate that translocation and ongoing habitat management should consider the potential for light availability to differentially impact distinct plant life stages and influence deer herbivory. We recommend that additional translocation studies designed to investigate the influence of site conditions on outcomes could improve the success of such efforts as well as inform the management of extant occurrences.
Dataset for Assessing the Economic Performance of a Residential PV Plant: The Analysis of a New Policy Proposal
Authors: D’Adamo Idiano , Gastaldi Massimo , Morone Piergiuseppe
Published: October 2020

This data article aims at providing a data description about the manuscript entitled “The post COVID-19 green recovery in practice: assessing the profitability of a policy proposal on residential photovoltaic plants”. The definition of a business plan is a complex decision because the choice of the input data significantly influences the economic assessment of a project. An Excel file is used to construct an economic model based on the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) methodology using Net Present Value (NPV) as an indicator. The choice of input data is defined by literature analysis, and policy proposals are identified by the Revival Decree adopted by Italian Government to contrast human and economic shock effected by COVID-19. The aggregation of these data enabled us to obtain both baseline and alternative scenarios to define if the realization of a residential photovoltaic (PV) plant is economically feasible. Similar data can be obtained for other countries according to the policy actions adopted, and this work can be easily replicated in different geographical contexts and considering varying categories of stakeholders (e.g., consumers, which are called upon to implement a green transition).
The Association between Plasma Levels of Intact and Cleaved uPAR Levels and the Risk of Biochemical Recurrence after Radical Prostatectomy for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Stroomberg Hein Vincent , Kristensen Gitte , Drimer Berg Kasper , Lippert Solvej , Brasso Klaus , Røder Martin Andreas
Published: October 2020

Radical prostatectomy (RP) is a curatively intended treatment option for clinically localized non-metastatic prostate cancer (PCa). Novel biomarkers could refine treatment choice based on a better identification of men at risk of biochemical recurrence (BCR) following therapy. The urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) system is a promising biomarker of aggressiveness in many cancers. The predictive value of uPAR after curatively intended treatment for PCa remains to be elucidated. This was a prospective evaluation of uPAR analysis in men with prostate cancer (Copenhagen uPAR prostate cancer (CuPCA) database). Risk of BCR following RP was analyzed using cumulative incidences with competing risk and tested with Gray’s test. Associations between quartile groups of uPAR levels and BCR were assessed with uni- and multivariate Cox proportional hazards. In total, 532 men were included. With more advanced tumor stage, Gleason score (GS), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) the uPAR I–III + II–III plasma levels increased. Quartile levels of plasma uPAR I–III, I–III + II–III showed no significant association between the risk of BCR and the plasma uPAR levels in uni- and multivariate analysis. Despite increased levels of uPAR I–III + II–III in advanced tumor stage, intact and cleaved uPAR levels were not associated with BCR and are not predictive biomarkers for BCR following curatively intended treatment of PCa. It is unlikely that further studies of uPAR in RP treated patients is needed.
p16ink4a Positivity of Melanocytes in Non-Segmental Vitiligo
Authors: Lee Jin Wook , Kim Tae Hyung , Park Tae Jun , Kang Hee Young
Published: October 2020

Cellular senescence is induced in response to cellular stressors such as increased levels of reactive oxygen species. The chronic accumulation of senescent cells is currently recognized as a contributor to the pathologic processes of diverse degenerative diseases. Vitiligo is characterized by the disappearance of melanocytes driven by cellular stress within melanocytes and autoimmune processes. In this study, we examined p16INK4A positivity in the lesional and perilesional skin of 54 non-segmental vitiligo patients to explore cellular senescence in vitiligo. There were more p16INK4A-positive melanocytes in the perilesional vitiligo skin samples than in control samples. It was also found that p16INK4A immunoreactivity was not restricted to melanocytes but also existed in fibroblasts; the number of p16INK4A-positive fibroblasts was significantly increased in lesional skin compared to perilesional skin and normal controls. However, in the subgroup analysis of sun-exposed and non-exposed samples, this outcome was only found at sun-exposed sites, suggesting that fibroblast senescence is an epiphenomenon related to the loss of pigment in skin with vitiligo. In summary, exploring p16INK4A positivity in vitiligo revealed melanocyte senescence in perilesional skin, which may play a role in vitiligo pathogenesis.
Developing a Task-Based Dialogue System for English Language Learning
Authors: Li Kuo-Chen , Chang Maiga , Wu Kuan-Hsing
Published: October 2020

This research involved the design of a task-based dialogue system and evaluation of its learning effectiveness. Dialogue training still heavily depends on human communication with instant feedback or correction. However, it is not possible to provide a personal tutor for every English learner. With the rapid development of information technology, digitized learning and voice communication is a possible solution. The goal of this research was to develop an innovative model to refine the task-based dialogue system, including natural language understanding, disassembly intention, and dialogue state tracking. To enable the dialogue system to find the corresponding sentence accurately, the dialogue system was designed with machine learning algorithms to allow users to communicate in a task-based fashion. Past research has pointed out that computer-assisted instruction has achieved remarkable results in language reading, writing, and listening. Therefore, the direction of the discussion is to use the task-oriented dialogue system as a speaking teaching assistant. To train the speaking ability, the proposed system provides a simulation environment with goal-oriented characteristics, allowing learners to continuously improve their language fluency in terms of speaking ability by simulating conversational situational exercises. To evaluate the possibility of replacing the traditional English speaking practice with the proposed system, a small English speaking class experiment was carried out to validate the effectiveness of the proposed system. Data of 28 students with three assigned tasks were collected and analyzed. The promising results of the collected students’ feedback confirm the positive perceptions toward the system regarding user interface, learning style, and the system’s effectiveness.
RNS Number Comparator Based on a Modified Diagonal Function
Authors: Babenko Mikhail , Deryabin Maxim , Piestrak Stanislaw J. , Patronik Piotr , Chervyakov Nikolay , Tchernykh Andrei , Avetisyan Arutyun
Published: October 2020

Number comparison has long been recognized as one of the most fundamental non-modular arithmetic operations to be executed in a non-positional Residue Number System (RNS). In this paper, a new technique for designing comparators of RNS numbers represented in an arbitrary moduli set is presented. It is based on a newly introduced modified diagonal function, whose strictly monotonic properties make it possible to replace the cumbersome operations of finding the remainder of the division by a large and awkward number with significantly simpler computations involving only a power of 2 modulus. Comparators of numbers represented in sample RNSs composed of varying numbers of moduli and offering different dynamic ranges, designed using various methods, were synthesized for the 65 nm technology. The experimental results suggest that the new circuits enjoy a delay reduction ranging from over 11% to over 75% compared to the fastest circuits designed using existing methods. Moreover, it is achieved using less hardware, the reduction of which reaches over 41%, and is accompanied by significantly reduced power-consumption, which in several cases exceeds 100%. Therefore, it seems that the presented method leads to the design of the most efficient current hardware comparators of numbers represented using a general RNS moduli set.
I/Q Linear Phase Imbalance Estimation Technique of the Wideband Zero-IF Receiver
Authors: Meng Jie , Wang Houjun , Ye Peng , Zhao Yu , Guo Lianping , Zeng Hao , Tian Yu
Published: October 2020

The in-phase/quadrature (I/Q) imbalance encountered in the zero-IF receiver leads to incomplete image frequency suppression, which severely deteriorates image rejection ratio (IRR) of the receiver system and must be improved using additional analog or digital signal processing. The I/Q linear phase imbalance (LPI) is the key of the I/Q imbalance, which consists of the time delay deviation (TDD) and the local oscillator (LO) phase offset. TDD is negligible in most literature, but it degrades system performance largely for wideband communication systems. This paper proposes a method based on the cross-power spectrum between the I/Q signal to address the estimation problem of LPI. Compared with other conventional methods, the proposed approach calculates LPI parameters simultaneously without any additional hardware. The MATLAB simulation is utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of the presented method. Moreover, the experimental platform of detailed design demonstrates the feasibility of the proposed estimation method, and IRR of the system before and after compensation shows that LPI has been accurately estimated and eliminated with the help of an appropriate compensation structure. Both reveal that the proposed method offers an effective solution to the LPI problem.