bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of dutasteride in a rat model of chemically induced prostatic inflammation—Potential role of estrogen receptor β
Authors: Mizoguchi Shinsuke , Mori Kenichi , Shin Toshitaka , Wang Zhou , DeFranco Donald B. , Yoshimura Naoki , Mimata Hiromitsu 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBackgroundDutasteride administration reportedly improves lower urinary tract symptoms in patient with chronic, histologically‐identified prostatic inflammation, potentially through estrogen receptor β (ERβ), activation of which has anti‐inflammatory effects in the prostate tissue. Therefore, we investigated the effect of dutasteride on intraprostatic inflammatory responses and bladder activity using a rat model of chemically induced prostatic inflammation.MethodsMale Sprague–Dawley rats at 10 weeks old were used. Prostatic inflammation was induced by 5% formalin injection into ventral lobes of the prostate and saline was injected in the control group (control, n = 5). Rats with prostatic inflammation were divided into dutasteride therapy (dutasteride, n = 5) and placebo groups (placebo, n = 5). Dutasteride was administrated at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg daily from 2 days before induction of prostatic inflammation whereas placebo rats received vehicle only. Twenty‐eight days later, cystometry was performed in a conscious condition to measure non‐voiding contractions (NVCs), intercontraction intervals (ICI) and postvoid residual volume (RV). After cystometry, the prostate was excised for analysis of messenger RNA (mRNA) expression levels of ERα, ERβ, interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β), and IL‐18 by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.ResultsThe mean number of NVCs was significantly greater in placebo group than that of control group without prostatic inflammation (p < .05), and ICI were significantly decreased in placebo group compared with control group (p < .05). On the contrary, there was no significant change in NVCs or ICI between control and dutasteride groups. RV was not significantly different among three groups. Gene expression levels of ERα, IL‐1β, and IL‐18 was significantly increased in placebo rats compared with control rats (p < .05), but not significantly different between control and dutasteride rats. On the other hand, the mRNA expression level of ERβ was significantly decreased in placebo rats (p < .05), but not in dutasteride rats, compared with control rats.ConclusionDutasteride treatment improved not only prostatic inflammation evident as increased gene expression levels in IL‐1β and IL‐18, but also bladder overactivity shown by increased NVCs during bladder filling. These therapeutic effects were associated with the restored expression of anti‐inflammatory ERβ. Therefore, dutasteride might be effective via ERβ modulation for the treatment of prostatic inflammation in addition to its previously known, anti‐androgenic effects on benign prostatic hyperplasia.
Pumpkin seed oil cake/polyethylene film as new food packaging material, with perspective for packing under modified atmosphere
Authors: Popović Senka , Hromiš Nevena , Šuput Danijela , Bulut Sandra , Vitas Svetlana , Savić Marina , Lazić Vera 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBiopolymer packaging materials show increasing perspective in food packaging. Main limitation remains their high water sensitivity and poor water vapour barrier properties, compared to non polar materials of synthetic origin like polyethylene. In this paper, biopolymer layer obtained from by‐product of oil industry (pumpkin seed oil cake) was laminated on polyethylene in order to obtain new packaging material that would preferably combine water barrier properties of polyethylene and oxygen barrier properties of biopolymer composite material and perform satisfactory mechanical properties. Obtained two‐layer material showed good barrier properties for water vapour (7–8 g/m2 24h), as well as oxygen (12–45 cm3/m2 24h) and light. In addition, mechanical and water sensitivity tests were performed and results showed that new material inherited biopolymer film water sensitivity and mechanical properties with slight improvement. Measured tensile strength and elongation at break was 2–4 MPa and 150–250% in transversal direction and 6–8 MPa and 100–150% in longitudinal direction. Packing in modified atmosphere assay showed that new material can be used for this purpose with good control of oxygen concentration, while packing under increased concentration of CO2 could be performed for shorter storage period. New two layer material shows promising properties for sensitive food packing under modified atmosphere conditions with reduced use of synthetic, oil‐based materials.
WiMUST: A cooperative marine robotic system for autonomous geotechnical surveys
Authors: Simetti Enrico , Indiveri Giovanni , Pascoal António M. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis paper presents the main results of the European H2020 WiMUST project, whose aim was the development of a system of cooperative autonomous underwater vehicles and autonomous surface vehicles for geotechnical surveying. In particular, insights on the overall robotic technologies and methodologies employed, ranging from the communications and navigation framework to the cooperative and coordinated control solutions are given. The software architecture and the lessons learnt from the preliminary field test are also discussed. Finally, field results of the final survey campaign carried out in the Atlantic Ocean are presented, demonstrating how a team of seven robots could autonomously conduct a geotechnical survey, producing seismic images without artifacts.
Using diatoms to assess river restoration: A pilot study in Whychus Creek, Oregon, USA
Authors: Edwards Patrick M. , Pan Yangdong , Mork Lauren , Thorne Colin 
Published: September 2020

AbstractA primary goal of river restoration is to reestablish lost ecological functions. Yet the impact of restoration on diatom assemblages and algal biomass in a stream is rarely addressed in the scientific literature reporting the outcomes of restoration projects aimed at improving riverine habitat. To investigate the potential for using benthic diatoms as indicators of the benefits to habitat associated with river restoration, we conducted a pilot diatom study in Whychus Creek, a headwater tributary of the Deschutes River in Oregon, USA. As part of a work study project for college students, we collected periphyton samples in a restored reach, a restored transition reach and an unrestored reach (control) and compared diatom assemblages and algae biomass of these reaches. Diatom assemblages and traits differed substantially between the control and restored reaches and the median percentage of chlorophyll a in the periphyton biomass increased from 9% in the control reach to 12% in the restored reach. The results of this pilot study suggest that benthic diatom assemblage may be useful indicators of river restoration success, particularly for approaches that aim to reconfigure channels and increase floodplain connectivity and habitat complexity.
HEART: Unrelated parallel machines problem with precedence constraints for task scheduling in cloud computing using heuristic and meta‐heuristic algorithms
Authors: Bhardwaj Amit Kumar , Gajpal Yuvraj , Surti Chirag , Gill Sukhpal Singh 
Published: September 2020

SummaryCloud computing is becoming a profitable technology because of it offers cost‐effective IT solutions globally. A well‐designed task scheduling algorithm ensures the optimal utilization of clouds resources and reducing execution time dynamically. This research article deals with the task scheduling of inter‐dependent subtasks on unrelated parallel computing machines in a cloud computing environment. This article considers two variants of the problem‐based on two different objective function values. The first variant considers the minimization of the total completion time objective function while the second variant considers the minimization of the makespan objective function. Heuristic and meta‐heuristic (HEART) based algorithms are proposed to solve the task scheduling problems. These algorithms utilize the property of list scheduling algorithm of unrelated parallel machine scheduling problem. A mixed integer linear programming (MILP) formulation has been provided for the two variants of the problem. The optimal solution is obtained by solving MILP formulation using A Mathematical Programming Language (AMPL) software. Extensive numerical experiments have been performed to evaluate the performance of proposed algorithms. The solutions obtained by the proposed algorithms are found to out‐perform the existing algorithms. The proposed algorithms can be used by cloud computing service providers (CCSPs) for enhancing their resources utilization to reduce their operating cost.
Induction of labor with Foley catheter and risk of subsequent preterm birth: follow‐up study of two randomized controlled trials (PROBAAT‐1 and ‐2)
Authors: de Vaan M. D. T. , Blel D. , Bloemenkamp K. W. M. , Jozwiak M. , ten Eikelder M. L. G. , de Leeuw J. W. , Oudijk M. A. , Bakker J. J. H. , Rijnders R. J. P. , Papatsonis D. N. , Woiski M. , Mol B. W. , de Heus R. 
Published: September 2020

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo evaluate the rate of preterm birth (PTB) in a subsequent pregnancy in women who had undergone term induction using a Foley catheter compared with prostaglandins.MethodsThis was a follow‐up study of two large randomized controlled trials (PROBAAT‐1 and PROBAAT‐2). In the original trials, women with a term singleton pregnancy with the fetus in cephalic presentation and with an indication for labor induction were randomized to receive either a 30‐mL Foley catheter or prostaglandins (vaginal prostaglandin E2 in PROBAAT‐1 and oral misoprostol in PROBAAT‐2). Data on subsequent ongoing pregnancies > 16 weeks’ gestation were collected from hospital charts from clinics participating in this follow‐up study. The main outcome measure was preterm birth < 37 weeks’ gestation in a subsequent pregnancy.ResultsFourteen hospitals agreed to participate in this follow‐up study. Of the 1142 eligible women, 572 had been allocated to induction of labor using a Foley catheter and 570 to induction of labor using prostaglandins. Of these, 162 (14%) were lost to follow‐up. In total, 251 and 258 women had a known subsequent pregnancy > 16 weeks' gestation in the Foley catheter and prostaglandin groups, respectively. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the groups. The overall rate of PTB in a subsequent pregnancy was 9/251 (3.6%) in the Foley catheter group vs 10/258 (3.9%) in the prostaglandin group (relative risk (RR), 0.93; 95% CI, 0.38–2.24), and the rate of spontaneous PTB was 5/251 (2.0%) vs 5/258 (1.9%) (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.30–3.51).ConclusionIn women with term singleton pregnancy, induction of labor using a 30‐mL Foley catheter is not associated with an increased risk of PTB in a subsequent pregnancy, as compared to induction of labor using prostaglandins. © 2020 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Exchanging Disaster Science Expertise Between Countries—A Japanese Personal Perspective
Authors: Murao Osamu 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Having experienced firsthand the catastrophic Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami of 2011, Tohoku University founded the International Research Institute of Disaster Science (IRIDeS) in 2012. IRIDeS staff, with a broad array of relevant specializations, conducts world-class research on disaster science and disaster mitigation in collaboration with organizations from many countries. As a member of IRIDeS, Prof. Osamu Murao, the founder and manager of the International Strategy for Disaster Mitigation Laboratory (ISDM), has conducted several international collaborative research projects. This chapter briefly reports on the activities of the IRIDeS and ISDM and highlights key factors for successful international collaborative research and exchange experiences with other countries. The author recounts his initial collaborative research experience in a long-term project examining Taiwan’s recovery from the impact of the 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake which was the foundation of the international research collaboration at ISDM. The chapter concludes with a summary of the valuable lessons learned from the author’s participation in this research.
The Ontological Praxis Between Disaster Studies and Demography—Extension of the Scope
Authors: Karácsonyi Dávid , Taylor Andrew 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis chapter serves as a summary of the learnings from the present volume and an extension of the scope on disaster-demography nexus. We outline the benefits of exploring the disaster-demography nexus and develop a categorisation summarising seven different approaches to the interlink of disasters with demography from examinations of existing literature. These are: disaster impacts on population, measuring vulnerability, mass displacement, spatial-regional approach, climate change, urbanisation and an applied approach. These seven approaches are our attempt to highlight the complex and multifarious nexus between demography and disasters which may not simply be linked to vulnerability. It is recognised that others may separate or merge some of these approaches in different ways.
Long-Term Mass Displacements—The Main Demographic Consequence of Nuclear Disasters?
Authors: Karácsonyi Dávid , Hanaoka Kazumasa , Skryzhevska Yelizaveta 
Published: September 2020

AbstractHuman history has witnessed several major disasters that have affected the economic, social and environmental conditions of their respective regions. The nuclear disaster of Chernobyl (1986, Ukraine, that time the Soviet Union) and Fukushima (2011, Japan) appears to be the most significant disasters in terms of negative outcomes produced for their population over a long time. Despite this, the analysis of the socio-economic outcomes of these disasters has attracted much less scientific attention than health or radiation-related issues (UNDP 2002a; Lehman and Wadsworth 2009, 2011). Although nuclear accidents are deemed to be rare events, the Fukushima disaster occurred only 25 years after Chernobyl. These disasters highlighted the need for a detailed long-term socio-economic analysis of these accidents to acquire sufficient knowledge to be applied when considering new construction sites for nuclear power facilities (Lehman and Wadsworth 2011). This chapter focuses on the problem of permanent resettlement resulting from nuclear disasters and its effects on regional demographic trajectories and spatial shifts. Based on the results of this study we argue that mass displacement after a nuclear disaster rather than the radiation itself has a much more significant impact on deteriorating health, natural reproduction and economic performance of the affected population. Furthermore, given the differences in radio-ecological conditions, reconstruction policy and the time framework, Fukushima may demonstrate demographic consequences that are different from the Chernobyl case.
Land Use Planning for Demographic Change After Disasters in New Orleans, Christchurch and Innisfail
Authors: King David , Gurtner Yetta 
Published: September 2020

AbstractLand use planning is dominated by the growth paradigm—planning and development strategies of cities and regions to encompass increased demand for housing and infrastructure. Urban and Regional planning strategies are focused on enhancing development and growth to counter decline. In contrast, an emerging literature is concerned with planning for decline—managing population and infrastructure loss, decommissioning settlements and planning for reduced population and economy. The advent of a disaster is frequently a catalyst for local decline, but such loss is often connected to longer term issues and trends of population decline. New Orleans, Christchurch and Innisfail are examined in this chapter, to illustrate issues of population loss and demographic change against the impacts of specific disasters. The case studies exhibit multiple patterns of migration both spatially and temporally. Net migration has reflected population loss, but is not homogenous across the community. Specific demographic, cultural and socio-economic groups exhibited different patterns of migration and mobility. Reconstruction of such settlements faces changed demography with a shift in service and infrastructure needs. A reduced population requires land use rezoning, new strategic plans, land use change, removal of structures and re-siting of infrastructure while climate change related adaptation strategies identify protect, accommodate or retreat. Case studies illustrate various approaches to these issues.
Storytelling as a Cultural Practice and Life Form
Authors: Schachtner Christina 
Published: September 2020

AbstractNarrative is introduced as a cultural practice and life form which contributes to creating the foundation of our lives as it helps us to interpret the world, through stories, in which we must be able to act. Borrowed from Ricœur (Time and narrative: The configuration of time in fictional narrative(Vol. 2, K. McLaughlin & D. Pellauer, Trans). Chicago, IL: The University of Chicago Press (1985) andThe course of recognition(D. Pellauer, Trans). Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press (2005).), the concepts of time and space are presented as the contexts and products of narrative. The functions of storytelling are discussed under the heading of “technologies of Self-construction” (inspired by Foucault, Technologies of the self. In L. H. Martin, H. Gutman, & P. H. Hutton (Eds.),Technologies of the self: A seminar with Michel Foucault(pp. 16–49). Amherst, MA: The University of Massachusetts Press (1988).), which provide orientation, self-understanding, and transgression. These need to be developed within the constraints of social norms—so the theory goes—and yet subjects still have some room to move within the process of adopting norms (Butler,Giving an account of oneself. New York, NY: Fordham University Press (2005).).
The Narrative Space of the Internet
Authors: Schachtner Christina 
Published: September 2020

AbstractUndergoing a sociocultural transformation in the course of their development, digital networks are analysed as further parameters in the narratives of network actors and bloggers. The following structural characteristics are particularly relevant for narratives: interconnectedness, interactivity, globality, multimediality, and virtuality. These characteristics are then part and parcel of the mise-en-scène of narrative in digital networks.
A Theoretical Postscript: Time, Space, the Self and the You, and Digital Media as Narrative Constructions
Authors: Schachtner Christina 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis chapter explores how the concepts of time, space, the Self, the You, and the structural characteristics of the media concerned figure in the narratives. Time, for example, is fleshed out as biographical and sociocultural time whereas space takes on form in the narrative practices of managing boundaries and organizing virtual space. The analysis continues by confirming that the narrative subject is anything but isolated. The You sets foot on the narrative stage as a benchmark or a talking point. In the interplay between narrators and media, transmedia storytelling crystallizes as a new narrative form which interlinks media-based experiences from different phases of life and from different media, giving rise to a cosmos in which the narrators act as the designers of their own stories.
Expectations for Carbon Pricing in Japan in the Global Climate Policy Context
Authors: Kojima Satoshi , Asakawa Kenji 
Published: September 2020

AbstractRealizing a decarbonized society in consistent with the Paris Agreement, a fundamental transformation of the entire economic and social system is needed, and not only carbon intensive sectors but also all sectors and all stakeholders including households must be decarbonized. This chapter demonstrates increasing expectations for carbon pricing in Japan in this global policy context. After the review of the global trend of carbon pricing, historical progress of carbon pricing in Japan and the existing nation-wide carbon tax, i.e. the Global Warming Countermeasure Tax, is explained. There are also two sub-national carbon pricing schemes in Japan, Tokyo ETS and Saitama ETS, which are explained in Chaps.10.1007/978-981-15-6964-7_6and10.1007/978-981-15-6964-7_7respectively, and not focused in this chapter. We examine the claim that Japan has already implemented high level carbon pricing in terms of various forms of energy taxes. Based on the effective carbon rate which is defined by OECD as the sum of explicit carbon prices and fossil fuel taxes per carbon emission, the nationwide average effective carbon rate of Japan is lower than the average effective carbon rates of OECD countries and its key partner countries. The current carbon pricing schemes in Japan are too modest to realize decarbonization transition and there is a room to upgrade them to exploit full potential of carbon pricing. This chapter discusses adequate levels of carbon prices in compatible with decarbonization transition.
Climate Policy in Household Sector
Authors: Wang Jiaxing , Matsumoto Shigeru 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Compared to the industry sector, the progress of energy conservation of the household sector is very slow. It is because the household sector is more diverse than the industrial sector, and regulatory enforcement is much more difficult. The government can stop firms’ operation if their environmental burden is too heavy but cannot stop household’s activities. Therefore, the government needs to find energy conservation policies that are supported by the public. Like other countries, the Japanese government has introduced various energy conservation measures to reduce the energy usage from households for the past several decades. It has introduced energy efficiency standards for energy-consuming durables and provided subsidies to promote energy-efficient products in recent years. At the same time, it has raised the price of energy in order to provide households with an appropriate incentive to conserve. In addition, it has promoted renewable energy usage in the household sector. Facing climate change, the Japanese government has not introduced energy conservation measures systematically but rather on an ad hoc basis. In this chapter, we review energy conservation measures implemented in the household sector in Japan. We then make policy recommendations to enhance the effectiveness of energy conservation measures in the household sector.